─ Now the Goddess will appear!
─ Finally…! Finally…!
Dum dum dum!
An excited atmosphere before the appearance.
Aha!
Arcne gestured as if to say it was time to go.
Ezekiel could feel it in his bones without any further explanation. It seemed that all seven Demon Lords, except for the Demon Lord and Arcne, were gathering nearby.
Rasps!
There were some cuts as if his skin had been grazed. The intense Mana from another dimension stung sharply.
Even surrounded by Chill, it was still this intense.
“Didn’t you say that Ice Ghost has little time left?”
Arcne nodded as if she understood everything.
“You don’t need to worry. The Demon Realm is full of mysteries. It’s a place with phenomena that you can’t even imagine in a narrow continent… It’s packed with such things.”
“Mysteries?”
“Yes. There’s definitely a way to fix that condition. The continent’s emperor cannot just be giving the Sun Elixir away, he must have various conditions attached to it, right?”
Arcne opened her arms wide, as if to embrace him.
“Don’t you hate the attitude that seems to want to train my husband? You don’t have to endure such hardships any longer. I will surely fix everything with the Demon Lord!”
Ezekiel thought for a moment.
Was the 0th Princess he wanted to save really like this?
Though the Arcne from then and now were the same person, she was simultaneously so different.
His emotions grew more complicated.
“Arcne, you’ve killed so many humans.”
Ezekiel calmly spoke his mind.
It was shocking that the identity of the Goddess was the 0th Princess Arcne, but he couldn’t bear her twisted madness.
She was already beyond human thinking.
“Right. That’s true.”
Arcne merely drew a line with her eyes.
“I don’t feel guilt or shame… Is there anything more disgusting than humans? Humans who envy and betray each other must be completely eliminated.”
“You…”
“Let my husband live comfortably in the Demon Realm, and lead the demons with that Chill. Perhaps he can take the position of a commander directly. Everyone is eagerly anticipating the birth of a new Demon Lord.”
Gasp!
─ Is one more seat for the Demon Lord being added!
─ Make the Demon Realm powerful!
Ezekiel mumbled in disbelief.
The biggest problem was, of course, Arcne’s hatred towards humans. Since she desires their extinction, their intentions were far too different.
“Arcne, don’t forget that you were born human too.”
“Don’t misunderstand that I hate all humans… The affection I can’t control that boils inside me is also aimed at you, my husband, isn’t it?”
Arcne smiled leisurely.
“I only wish for useless humans to die.”
However, the next words were:
“Oh, of course… I haven’t seen a single useful human besides you yet. Not even once.”
It was essentially saying she hoped for the extinction of all humans on the continent, which was, indeed, shocking.
Amidst the silence, Arcne laughed.
“You may have a lot on your mind right now, but it’s alright. In the end, we will gradually do things together.”
Ezekiel didn’t respond.
He was simply busy organizing his increasingly chaotic thoughts.
At some point, Arcne reached out, linking arms with him. It was as if she was declaring she would never let go for a lifetime.
Finally, it was time to step outside.
“Come on, my husband.”
Ezekiel quietly moved his feet.
─ The Goddess and her husband…!
─ How radiant! It is the Goddess!
─ Prosper the Demon Realm!
Ezekiel walked with Arcne down the path left open by the crowd splitting on both sides.
Thud thud!
‘Should I try to gather as much information about the Demon Realm as possible?’
Living in the Demon Realm for a lifetime?
Ezekiel had no such plan at all.
He intended to return to the continent, wondering if he could perhaps gain something to negotiate with the emperor.
He attempted to capture the sight of the rapidly developed Demon Realm in his mind. It would be important information.
“I’m so happy… The day comes when Ice Ghost will serve you as my husband. All my birth and the difficult days were for this dazzling result…!”
Arcne whispered in a voice that sounded almost ecstatic.
Meanwhile, Ezekiel felt a sense of discomfort at how the event was progressing differently from a wedding on the continent. All they were doing was walking.
There were no songs, no officiants, no hosts… Nothing.
“Is it just walking like this?”
“Correct. You just need to show yourself to as many demons as possible, and it ends with meeting the Demon Lords, including the Demon Lord. That’s all there is to it.”
Arcne continuously looked at Ezekiel, matching her pace with his during their walk, breathing heavily against his cheek.
Haa… Huh!
Occasionally clenching her thighs tightly, trembling with excitement. She couldn’t hide the thrill of the situation at all.
It made Ezekiel feel slightly embarrassed.
How many hours had passed?
Finally, they arrived in front of a large building, resembling a giant coffin standing upright.
As soon as they entered…
Silence…
Ezekiel finally met her after a long time.
The ruler of the Demon Realm, the one who controls it…
Demon Lord Valetta was there with the seven Demon Lords.
“I told you there would be no more meetings.”
A booming voice echoed.
“It’s rare for my words to be wrong. Ice Ghost Ezekiel, you’re the exception. Who would have guessed we’d meet again like this?”
Shhhhhh!
His voice seemed to whisper darkness itself.
A high chair was placed aloofly between the lined-up Demon Lords, where the Demon Lord with a piercing gaze continued speaking, resting his chin on his hand, with his legs casually laced. It was the complete opposite of the emperor seen in the audience chamber.
‘How much power has he stored since then?’
Ezekiel clearly remembered the time when his entire right shoulder was obliterated during their battle, yet now every part of him appeared fine, and he exuded no Mana.
Looking closely, while the other Demon Lords radiated threatening energy, there was not the slightest trace of the Demon Lord’s Mana in the air around them.
This meant that he had reached such a refined state that he could completely conceal his overwhelming strength, which was not good news for the continent.
Just then…
“The Demon Lord has made a statement, yet you don’t bow your head and show respect. You brought in someone who doesn’t even know manners as your husband?”
One of the lined-up Demon Lords spat out in a blunt tone, glaring at Ezekiel.
Dressed in a sleeveless robe, she wore gauntlets on her hands.
She had muscles that one might expect only from men who risked their lives in training. If the 1st Princess Ether was tall and slim, this one was wide due to her muscle.
She was the most outright in exuding Mana here, and her strength was certainly not trivial. Arcne whispered quietly in Ezekiel’s ear.
“That’s the God of Hatred. He’s always quite angry.”
God of Hatred, that must mean the deity governing hatred.
Of course, Ezekiel wasn’t intimidated.
He had once faced the Demon Lord Valetta with all his strength. There was no way he would be afraid of a Demon Lord.
Even if victory wasn’t guaranteed, he had no thoughts of retreating.
So, he answered shortly.
“This is a high-level conversation. Don’t interrupt.”
In other words, it meant that he and the Demon Lord were having a discussion, and a lowly thing like her should not interrupt.
Pff… Hahaha!
“God of Hatred! You got hit right from the start!”
The other Demon Lords burst into laughter.
Even though one of their own had been mocked, they didn’t show any outrage. Instead, they found it rather amusing.
‘This is where humans differ.’
Ezekiel had experienced countless board meetings, but this was more akin to a renegade gathering.
Renegades, but incredibly strong ones.
Arcne covered her mouth, stifling her laughter.
“Haha… Yes, why are you so audaciously interrupting when my husband is trying to speak with the Demon Lord? Just stay quiet. That way, you might avoid being treated like a fool.”
“How disgusting it is that you’re already calling him your husband. Just a mere human brought in without the agreement of the other Demon Lords and the Demon Lord herself.”
The God of Hatred cracked her neck, loosening it.
How could the inferiors speak so freely in front of the highest Demon Lord? It was unimaginable in the emperor’s audience chamber.
The Demon Realm and the continent were so different.
The God of Hatred rubbed her fist, speaking.
“I’ve heard what kind of guy your husband is from the Demon Lord. He doesn’t seem to like the Demon Realm that much? He must be undergoing mental and physical training with me daily.”
“…Change him? Dare you think to do that to my husband?”
Arcne’s expression turned icy.
“God of Hatred, don’t overstep. Should I slice your tongue into pieces?”
Thud!
“Enough of that.”
Demon Lord Valetta’s voice descended.
The gleaming eyes turned menacingly towards Ezekiel. No matter how many times he looked at them, those pitch-black eyes felt like chaotic darkness condensed into them.
Boom!
Suddenly, Arcne painedly knelt on one knee.
Gah… Ugh…
She looked as if she were being pressed down by strong gravity.
“The Goddess mustn’t interrupt for now.”
The cause was the Demon Lord. He pinned her down with energy.
“First, let’s see.”
Demon Lord Valetta leisurely continued.
“It would be necessary to evaluate whether the Demon Lords are truly suitable for marriage. I shall test you lightly. Since the God of Hatred is eager, this works out well.”
At that moment, the God of Hatred loosened up and assumed a fighting stance, preparing for a decisive blow.
“The God of Hatred will strike first. If you’re still breathing after that, I shall acknowledge you as the Goddess’s husband. It’s a simple way for both sides, wouldn’t you agree?”
Rumble rumble…
Energy began to swell around the God of Hatred. Even the pebbles on the ground began to rise.
Swish!
‘It’s a method of aligning the target in space with the punch.’
Ezekiel attempted to grasp the God of Hatred’s intent with the strike.
He seemed to be planning to aim at empty space as a target, unleashing amazing energy waves.
“God of Hatred~ Aren’t you trying a bit too hard for just one human’s judgment?”
“Why use so much energy judging one human… Seriously, he’s on the same level as a child.”
The other Demon Lords teased while simultaneously marveling.
Ezekiel had to acknowledge it.
Indeed, the Demon Lords had reached an entirely different realm. It was far from easy to guarantee victory.
Demon Lord Valetta, still resting his chin on his hand, spoke.
“Ezekiel, I wonder how much your skills have improved since our last encounter. If you succeed, I promise you good treatment. After all, you’ll be the Goddess’s husband.”
Even though they had fought so fiercely before, promising he would be treated well as if nothing had happened.
Once again, understanding the thoughts of the Demon Lords was anything but easy.
Whatever the case, Ezekiel thought about something else.
‘Sun Elixir.’
If he were to repel and subdue them when they invaded the continent, he would need to be much stronger than now.
In other words, he needed many more Sun Elixirs than he currently had.
If he were well-treated in the Demon Realm, he might have access to crucial information. All of that could be exchanged for Sun Elixirs with the emperor.
Ezekiel concluded his calculations.
Now, only winning remained.
“Let’s change the method.”
Ezekiel raised his Chill energy, saying.
“God of Hatred, you will take the defense.”
Boom─!
At the same time, brilliant ice shot out like scattershot.
It was a moment that occurred in the blink of an eye.
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