As the Demon King, I have married a slave elf. How should I express my love?

Furthermore, for some reason, he tried to keep his distance from Neferpitou.

Given his personality, he shouldn't be abandoning Nefi, otherwise he wouldn't have such a tormented expression.

That being said, perhaps he does have some reasons why he cannot help Neferpitou.

Nefi shook his head.

That's not the right way to think.

I started thinking about things in a negative way again.

—I am determined to be my master’s helper, how can I be a burden to him at this time?

If you can't handle this kind of predicament on your own, you don't deserve to come back to his side.

Nephew remained unfazed, looking directly at Barbaros.

"No. I didn't intend to trouble my master with such a thing, and that's not what I meant."

"Oh? What else do you mean?"

"Because the master has already taken over the position of the Demon King."

The expression vanished from Barbaros's face instantly.

"...You're kidding me."

"I'm telling the truth. And it seems that this is why I was fired by my master."

Barbaros staggered backward.

"Impossible. That kid actually became the Demon King...?"

Illustration p267

He was seen scratching his head violently.

"Taking Antoine's inheritance wasn't enough for him; he even wants to steal the throne of the Demon King?"

Then, a pair of sickly eyes looked at Nefi.

The terrifying atmosphere made Neferpitou retreat, but he simply reached out and yanked the collar off.

"Ah-gu..."

With her hands and feet bound, she could only fall to the ground without any resistance.

"Come here!"

Barbaross went to a spacious hall.

"You call him the 'Demon King'? Very well, then I'll go all out to snatch that title from him. Once this thing is completed, it won't matter whether he's the 'Demon King' or anything else."

There was a sinister magic circle, the same huge magic circle I had glimpsed when I was tied to the wall.

At the center of the magic circle was a huge emblem, surrounded by dozens of layers of smaller emblems forming a 'circuit'. Nefi could tell that the entire magic circle was drawn with blood.

To depict such an exquisite magic circle, one can only imagine how many living sacrifices would be required.

However, she already knew in her heart that she would use it as the final, finishing touch in the "ending" step.

Shestie, standing nearby, roared in anger.

"Stop! Stop! If you need a human sacrifice, then let me do it! As a knight, I'm prepared to die!"

Barbaros gave Shesty a lazy glare.

"You don't need to worry about that. I'll use you as a sacrifice when the opportunity arises. This ritual requires the most advanced equipment."

Upon hearing this, Nefertari gritted his teeth.

Props──

That's absolutely right. That's always been what Neferi was called.

However, my master never treated me as a prop.

And I haven't repaid him for this yet.

Therefore, one should not die in vain in such a place.

—I want to live.

For the first time, Neferpitou made a wish for himself.

"...I want to live...and go back to my master's side."

Maybe I'll be kicked out again, maybe I'll get scolded by him.

But she insisted on staying in the castle.

The point is to prepare breakfast as soon as it's light, and only when Sagan has eaten them will they be satisfied.

If cooking three meals a day isn't enough, next time she'll be his lap pillow. She'll do anything that makes Sagan happy.

—If it comes to stubbornness, I won't lose to my master.

For a time, she was like a living dead, enduring everyone's bullying every day.

Compared to that cold and desolate place and time, as long as she could stay by Sagan's warm side, she could endure whatever treatment she received.

Actually, that person didn't necessarily have to be Nefertari.

Perhaps one day, he will find another person he cherishes besides Neferpitou.

—But master, you can't be alone anymore.

Loneliness kills the heart, numbs the senses, and makes the world lose its luster.

Nefert knew all too well that those days could not be called living.

And the one who brought the colorful world to Neferi, who was not yet dead, was none other than her master, Sagan.

Therefore, before he bids farewell to loneliness, Neferi is willing to be his support.

She twisted her body in an attempt to resist.

"...Let me go."

"Tsk, what a vile woman!"

Enraged, Barbaros ripped the iron chain, and Neferpitou fell to the ground again, dragging along the ground and scraping his wrists and knees until they bled.

The pain brought tears to my eyes.

But Neferpitou gritted his teeth and glared back at Barbaros.

—This is just a minor injury; it's far from causing any real pain.

This was nothing compared to Sagan's words telling her to leave.

Compared to his grief at the time, this was nothing more than physical pain.

Therefore, Neferpitou got angry.

"I belong to my master, and you are not allowed to touch me!"

Barbarossa grinned from ear to ear with delight.

"You mere slave, don't think you're so important!"

Barbaross raised his hand as he spoke. If he were to slap her with the power of a magician, Neferpitou's fragile body certainly wouldn't be able to withstand it.

However, Neferpitou still stared at Barbaros and refused to look away.

Then, at that moment...

With a deafening roar, the stone wall shattered into pieces.

"W-What happened?"

Before the panicked Barbarossa, the man slowly appeared amidst the billowing smoke.

A sigh escaped his lips.

"Well said, Neferi. That's more like my apprentice."

Because the master I wanted to see more than anyone else was standing right in front of me.

◇

"Hi, Barbarossa, it's been a week."

Sagan greeted her as always, just like she would a good friend.

Barbarossa's expression grew increasingly grave.

After Manila came knocking, Sagan came straight here. He knew the location of every Barbarosian lair, and there were only a few places he could reach from Kinnoind.

Sagan had originally planned to visit each of the possible locations one by one. Finding Neferpitou on the first trip was simply a stroke of luck.

"Um, Mr. Magician, is this alright? I've heard that it's quite a disadvantage for a magician to enter another magician's territory."

Manila, who was following behind Sagan, asked hesitantly, but Sagan just shrugged.

Furthermore, since the three knights didn't seem capable of fighting, Sagan left them outside.

Upon hearing that, Barbarossa seemed to regain some composure, stared intently at Sagan, and spoke.

"...When did you find it?"

Since they no longer inquired about Sagan's purpose, it seems that Barbarossa was already mentally prepared.

Sagan answered while scratching the back of his head.

"I started to have suspicions when 'Peeling the Face' came to us."

He was referring to the magician who attacked Shessty.

—Oh right, so is she here too?

A quick glance revealed Shestie herself handcuffed to the wall. "This paladin really does often lose to magicians," Sagan couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.

That's not the point. Let's turn our attention back to Barbaros.

"I just let that woman go, and you show up at my door like you're here to inspect my work. It would be strange if you didn't suspect something, wouldn't it?"

He only truly felt certain after consulting with the Demon King, but in reality, he had long harbored doubts.