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

(Your Excellency, Ms. Shestia, please be very careful with your words and actions!)

(Otherwise, even if I risked my life, I wouldn't be confident I could protect Lady Shestie.)

(Oh, what are you saying? Didn't we swear an oath together to give our lives for Lady Shestie!)

The three knights whispered among themselves, but Raphael glared at them and they were too frightened to utter another sound.

—Looks like I've really angered him.

He was the paladin who had killed the most magicians, so he probably wouldn't show any mercy to a heretic. In fact, Shess was already mentally prepared, knowing that it wouldn't be surprising if she were executed right now.

Looking back now, she should have been greeting this man today, but instead she wandered the streets, perhaps just wanting to talk to someone before she died.

—How lucky I am to have met Sagan and Neferpitou!

...Although the fact that the other party did not remember her deeply hurt her and even brought her to tears.

Unexpectedly, Raphael laughed heartily and boldly in response to Shessty's rebellious attitude.

"Hahaha! It's been a long time since anyone dared to talk to me like that. If it were a woman, you'd probably be the first. This is really interesting, and satisfying. Now even if you go to hell, you'll do it with honor."

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

—Is what's meant to happen inevitable...?

Although Shesty wore a ceremonial sword at her waist, without the holy sword, she was essentially unarmed. For Raphael, dealing with her was as easy as crushing an ant.

"Waaaaah! Lady Shestie, you'd better run!"

The three knights rushed forward, but faced with the burly man before them, it was clear that they were willing but unable to do so.

And just then...

"Lord Raphael, what are you doing to our knights!"

The one who spoke up and rebuked the burly man was the elderly Cardinal.

Hurried footsteps came from the back of the Great Cathedral—from the Cardinal's office.

"Hmph, Griffith. I have nothing to talk about with someone who only knows how to talk the talk."

"Even if you have nothing to say to me, I still have a duty to protect these knights. Please understand, you cannot act recklessly here."

These reliable words almost brought Shisty to tears.

Raphael glared back at the Cardinal, his eyes showing absolutely no respect.

"But I should ask you, I heard you confiscated her holy sword, is that right?"

"That's not called confiscation, it's just temporary safekeeping."

"Isn't it the same thing? So where is that sword now?"

These words caused Glewell to stare back at him coldly.

"...If you knew where it was, what would you do?"

"It's very simple. A sword only realizes its value when it's used. What's the point of a holy sword if it's sheathed and displayed on a shelf?"

As if seeking the true meaning behind the words, Grawell calmly replied:

"You mean you want me to return it to Shestie?"

"Is that even a question? The Holy Sword chooses its master according to its own will. As long as the wielder is alive, no one else can use it."

Raphael paused here, his gaze drifting towards Shessty.

"That was true until Shestie died."

The chilling smile seemed to say, "I'm willing to be the executioner," causing Griffith to involuntarily take a step back.

How could you say such a horrifying thing!

Greville made the sign of the cross, glaring angrily, but Raphael, seeing this, remained unmoved and said:

"That's just how it is, so why be so afraid? Besides, what the wielder of the Holy Sword wants to do with it is none of your business. You just need to think about how to clean up the mess afterwards."

This statement is like saying—as long as you have the Holy Sword's approval, any kind of massacre is acceptable.

—This is the Fiendish Paladin Commander…

Siesta encouraged herself, who had almost backed down, and stood up to Raphael.

"You've gone too far, Your Excellency Raphael. If we were to resort to force solely for our own selfish reasons, wouldn't we be no different from thugs?"

Fear made her hands tremble. But she clenched her fists and glared back at Raphael.

"Oh? I didn't expect that once wasn't enough, you'd have the guts to talk back a second time."

Raphael finished speaking as if he had done so readily, then turned his gaze back to the Cardinal.

"Grewell, what's going on? If this continues, the knight you're supposed to protect might lose his life."

"Ugh..."

This man might really kill Shess, and the Cardinal could only let out a weak groan.

—But why did he make me take up the holy sword again?

If he only wanted to execute traitors, he could have done it on the spot. After all, he already had a legitimate reason.

—Or did he want to see his opponent, who was putting up a fierce resistance, being tortured?

Would the Holy Sword choose such a cruel man? She didn't want to think about it, but she couldn't think of any other reason.

"...Alright. Shestia, come with me."

The Cardinal, as if surrendering, asked Shestie to follow him into the depths of the Great Cathedral.

Inside the door, a red carpet was laid out, and there were several rooms used as offices by cardinals and paladins. Further in, there was a door flanked by busts of angels, with two paladins standing guard on either side.

Only the Cardinal and Shesty came. Raphael and the Three Knights did not come with them.

After confirming that only the two of them were present, Cardinal Glywell whispered:

"Whether returning the Holy Sword to you now is right or wrong, I can't really tell anymore. Perhaps, this just gives that man an excuse to get rid of you."

"……I see."

Although Raphael's true intentions are unknown, Shisty currently has no choice but to fight with her sword.

Perhaps Gréviel confiscated her holy sword not only as a warning to others, but also to protect Shesty.

Upon arriving at the Angel's Gate, the paladin guarding the gate stopped the two.

"Master Grawell, is there anything I can help you with?"

"I'm returning the Holy Sword to Shesty. You two, get out of the way."

The two gatekeepers exchanged glances, but quickly stepped aside. After all, he was the highest-ranking person in charge here, and no one could stop him.

As soon as the Cardinal entered, the two gatekeepers blocked Shess's way again.

Please wait here.

Such an attitude was already disrespectful, but Shirley still stayed put.

Not long after, Glewell returned carrying a sword.

"I believe you can overcome all difficulties on your own."

After she finished speaking, the holy sword returned to Shessty's hand once again.

◇

Nighttime, a tavern in Kionnoind.

"Hehehehehehe! I heard you adopted a son? Are you serious?"

The one emitting the vulgar laughter was his frenemy Barbarossa.

After finding new books in the Demon King's Palace, Sagan returned to town alone because of a friend's call.

—Nefer and Fael should have finished dinner by now…

Since the agreed meeting place was a tavern, he told Neferpitou that he didn't need to prepare his own dinner. Was it really worth sacrificing time for the three of them to eat together to come here? He asked himself this question, and then he heard this foolish laugh.

Sagan then retorted with hostility:

"...Why do you know about this?"

"Hehehe. Sagan, you should look in the mirror before you ask that. If a wicked-looking guy like you were walking around with an innocent little brat, everyone would think you'd kidnapped a child, okay?"

Although it's unknown how far the news has spread, it seems that Sagan's affair with Fael is already widely known.

—But this way, there should be fewer people who would dare to have bad intentions towards Fa'er...

Anyone who has heard of Sagan's name would not want to mess with him—at most, only the paladins of the church, but they are not foolish enough to confront him head-on without a plan.

This kind of publicity should be more than enough to let everyone know that Fa'er is under their protection.

It seems that Barbarossa brought Sagan in to verify the truth of the matter.

"...Can I go back now?"

"Hey, hey, don't be so cold. I treated you to some good wine at your request, so it's not too much to ask for a chat, is it?"

It seems he was already drunk before Sagan arrived; his sickly face was flushed with the smell of alcohol, but he looked to be in high spirits, with his arm around Sagan's shoulder.

But he's right, alcohol is indeed a good thing.

Sagan was drinking brandy poured on ice for the first time, and the spicy yet sweet flavor as it went down his throat was so delicious that he couldn't help but sigh.

—I wonder if Nephew drinks alcohol?

He didn't want to drink with this annoying guy, but rather with that pitiful young girl, thinking he might as well take a bottle of wine home later.

Lost in thought, he snapped out of it and pushed the grinning, arm-in-arm Barbaross back.

"...Don't be too enthusiastic. If you're going to bring me wine, bring it to my city. I'm very busy taking care of my apprentice."

"Ah, yes, of course you'd rather stay at home and flirt with that slave elf."

"I...I didn't flirt with her!"

"Hmm?"

Barbaros picked his nose and rolled his eyes at Sagan.