Marriage.
Among humans, it is considered an important event that happens only once in a lifetime, but in the Demon Realm, it holds even more significance.
Those living in the Demon Realm live for an exceptionally long time. They must whisper sweet nothings of love and live together for nearly eternal years.
What kind of beings are those called gods in the Demon Realm?
They possess incomprehensible power and are beings that ordinary minds cannot grasp. There are a total of eight Demon Lords, each completely obsessed with their own domains.
“Surely not.”
Is the Goddess obsessed with Ezekiel?
That was a ludicrous possibility, even in his own mind.
What on earth could make her so infatuated with Ezekiel?
Ezekiel questioned the Demon Lords with a confused expression.
“…Did you just call me the groom?”
“That is correct. You are the Goddess’s groom.”
All the Demon Lords bowed their heads in unison.
“….”
Ezekiel was momentarily speechless.
The marriage of gods in the Demon Realm is regarded as an extraordinarily grand event. It was only natural.
A being recognized by a god would be loved for a lifetime, and all demons could not help but be interested.
However.
If the Goddess has decided to acknowledge and love Ezekiel, then there must be a reason behind it.
…What could that reason be?
Ezekiel’s constitution? His earnestness? His chill magic? It seemed like all of these reasons combined. One thing was certain: the Goddess was sincerely planning to embrace all of Ezekiel.
“I’m in quite a rush to advance the ceremony.”
That was when the Goddess broke the silence.
Her voice was still captivating. Her makeup was even more pronounced than during their first meeting, with her eyes curving like crescents.
Though she was speaking casually, there was an alluring undertone. It dripped with seduction.
“There isn’t much time allowed for Sir Selgui, so it’s best to get the ceremony underway quickly. Once I attain the status of your bride, what will happen? The Demon Realm will be forced to support Sir Selgui in all manner of ways.”
In other words, the marriage serves both to satisfy the Goddess’s own desires and to provide benefits to Ezekiel.
In the Demon Realm, the status of the Demon Lords is extraordinarily high.
Therefore, there exists a way to elevate Ezekiel’s status in the Demon Realm in one fell swoop. Marrying someone with the title of god.
He understood the principle, but he could not grasp why she would go to such lengths. Common sense had failed him again.
Ezekiel calmly opened his mouth.
“…You want me to marry someone who attacked the continent? Have you lost your mind? The fiends killed all the mages!”
“There are many mages who deserve to die. Just look at the mages from the Magic Tower. Human beings are the greatest threat to other humans. You need to understand that.”
“Still, I won’t marry you.”
“Being stubborn is just adorable. Aren’t you curious about the mages left in the labyrinth…? What could have happened to them?”
With that, Ezekiel gathered a chill around him.
Even if he were to die and fail to defeat the Goddess, he would at least inflict a severe blow.
“…If I’m not safe, you’ll die here.”
“Ooh, how scary. But I must say I like that vigorous attitude of yours.”
The Goddess covered her mouth with her sleeve and laughed.
“Don’t worry. I’m still safe, you see.”
“Still safe?”
“Yes. Still for now.”
The curvatures of the Goddess’s sunset-colored eyes curved deeper.
“I filled the air of the labyrinth with a poison called ‘Goh.’ If you refuse this marriage, I intend to activate it. The entire thing will burst from their bodies, wouldn’t it?”
“….”
Ezekiel was well aware of the infamous ‘Goh’ poison.
It was said that only those who had mastered the highest realm among the poison researchers could handle that poison.
It was an unrivaled poison that one could only utilize after trouncing all creatures containing it and swallowing them directly, thus incomparable in strength.
“The Imperial Tower mages are just ordinary human mages.”
Ezekiel held the Sun Elemental within him, allowing him to resist the Goddess’s slumber-inducing poison, but they were still ordinary mages.
There was no way they could endure the formidable “Goh.”
Perhaps sensing that Ezekiel’s deliberation deepened, the Goddess’s smile became even greater.
“Aah, it’s hard to hold back because you’re so cute… Did you think pushing me away was possible? Not a chance. Such things are futile.”
The Goddess slyly crossed her arms.
With a slightly shorter stature than Ezekiel, her gaze upwards while crossing her arms was simply seductive.
“Whether it’s pushing me away or trying to create distance, it’s all pointless. I’ll teach you that over and over with body and mind. Heh heh heh…”
“I’ll commit suicide.”
Ezekiel mumbled.
“Mixing the heat and chill within me would make suicide easy. Since you seem to want me, if the mages are in danger, I’d rather die.”
He threatened her with his own life.
It was a desperate measure but also a basic one.
He wanted to save the mages, and the Goddess wanted Ezekiel. He had no choice but to negotiate with his life.
“…Suicide? No, why would you say something like that?”
It was effective. The Goddess blinked her eyes.
Upon reflection, it was only natural that it would have an effect.
Thanks to the Sun Elemental within him, neither the Goddess’s paralysis nor slumbering poison could affect Ezekiel. It meant that forcibly stopping a suicide was impossible.
Perhaps that’s why the Goddess’s voice grew slightly anxious.
“Please don’t take this too lightly. The moment you marry me, I’ll disperse the Goh surrounding the mages. I won’t utter lies before you, Sir Selgui. Understood?”
Her previously relaxed tone turned into a pleading one. Thanks to that, Ezekiel could understand.
This method was the most effective one.
“Sir Selgui, Sir Selgui… You aren’t angry, right? Right?”
The Goddess tugged at her arms a few times.
Ezekiel was still plunged deep in thought.
“However….”
Although he ensured the safety of the mages, this inevitably meant he had to marry the Goddess.
There was no way around it. There was no further room for negotiation.
Ezekiel finally nodded.
“…I will act carefully from now on.”
Ezekiel picked up any attire from the array before him, which bore a resemblance to formal wear—a pair of trousers and a coat.
First and foremost, he saved the lives of the mages.
From this moment on, he had no choice but to pretend to comply with the Goddess’s demands while planning a way to escape the Demon Realm.
In the ceremony hall, an enormous number of demons seemed to have gathered.
─Let the Goddess lead the Demon Realm!
─Who is the chosen one by the Goddess! Reveal yourself! Let us feast our eyes upon you!
─Demon Realm, prosper! Demon Realm! Prosper!
Currently, Ezekiel was in the waiting room. It was a waiting room typical in wedding halls, where the groom sits waiting for the bride to finish changing.
Yes, it was clearly an interior space.
Despite having some soundproofing mechanism, the overwhelming shouts resonated clearly.
All those cries were praises for the Goddess and the Demon Realm.
“Fools….”
Ezekiel mumbled unconsciously.
The prosperity of the Demon Realm meant destruction of the world. The more they devastated the continent and slaughtered other races, the more prosperous the demons became.
It was a distinct madness that repelled even him.
Then, at some moment.
“The bride will now reveal herself.”
With that statement from a demon in the waiting room.
Rustle—
A grand curtain, fit for a massive stage, was drawn, revealing the Goddess dressed in bridal attire.
“Goddess, you are beautiful.”
“Aah, Goddess…”
The demons in the waiting room applauded, their eyes brimming with tears. Even Ezekiel couldn’t help but agree with her appearance. It was an almost perfect allure.
Though her eyes remained closed, she radiated brilliance already.
All over her jet-black dress, dark red roses adorned it, creating a vibrant contrast. She truly resembled someone of immeasurable high status within the Demon Realm.
Before long.
The Goddess slowly lifted her eyelids.
“…Husband, what do you think? Do I look good?”
“Before that, there’s one thing I want to ask.”
Ezekiel quickly interrupted the Goddess’s words; otherwise, he might mindlessly agree.
“Goddess, tell me the reason you are obsessed with me.”
He asked directly.
Unless he resolved this curiosity, it seemed he wouldn’t be able to fit together any of the pieces in his head.
Essentially, it was no different from demanding his opponent to lay out all their cards, but the Goddess smiled.
“…I’m glad. I’ve been waiting for that question.”
As if she had been waiting for him to ask it.
When the Goddess gestured, the demons quickly vacated the area. In the now empty space, a crystal orb bound in spider silk slowly descended from the air.
It soon began to project a scene. To Ezekiel’s surprise, it was something quite familiar to him.
─…Get your filthy hands off the princess.
─…I told you to let go of the princess.
In a distant past.
A fallen Ezekiel was struggling. It was to save the princess cradled in the Demon Lord’s arms.
In that moment, Ezekiel’s head went blank.
‘Initially, there were six princesses in the Imperial Family.’
The Emperor Verd had once raised six princesses. However, during the war, they were handed over to the Demon Realm as part of the peace treaty, and since then, he hadn’t been able to hear anything about them.
Yes, he had never heard anything even once.
“Aah, Sir Selgui. What a long time it’s been since we last met.”
The Goddess held the hem of her dress and spread it to each side while bowing. Such profound courtesy.
“My name is Arcne.”
Arcne.
Without a doubt, that was the name of the princess that the Emperor had sold off.
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