Where had she vanished to?
I stopped in the corridor and glanced around. A maid who had been standing by in advance lowered her waist and politely raised her right arm. The arm was pointing in a definite direction.
"Thank you."
And so I moved my steps in the direction the maid indicated. There, another maid was already waiting. She, too, bowed at the waist and pointed in a certain direction with her arm. One after another, some fifteen maids were stationed along the corridor in succession.
I ran along, following the maids' silent guidance as though crossing stepping stones.
Winding left, then right, then left again, I came upon a dead end. A space so dark there was no light at all — only a faint glimmer of moonlight filtering through a window.
"..."
There, Paimon was crouched against the wall.
With her face buried in her knees, her shoulders trembled silently. She was crying.
"Paimon."
"...Liar..."
Paimon murmured in a tearful voice.
"You asked me to lend you my trust... and this is what I get in return for lending it? You take the Grand Dukes' daughters as concubines, and leave me — your lover, less than a concubine — to rot on my own..."
"Paimon. I will never love them."
I approached Paimon and spoke calmly.
"They are nothing more than political marriage alliances."
"If I had known it would come to this, I never would have followed you...!"
Paimon raised her head and glared at me. Anger and sorrow, something akin to desperate pleading, filled her eyes completely.
"The only reason I never once brought up marriage was for your sake, Dantalion! Because if you were bound to just one person, it would hurt you politically! Because if you grew distant from Barbatos, Sitri, and Gamigin, you'd be in trouble! And yet — my feelings... you treat them like this...!"
I knew.
Barbatos might boast about being my primary wife, but she had never truly demanded marriage. The same went for Laura, Sitri, and Gamigin. They all knew full well that I could not marry.
"This can't be, Dantalion. This can't be. I... I..."
"It's for the complete abolition of slavery. This is a sacrifice born of necessity."
I spoke with a wish woven into every word. A sincere, heartfelt wish.
"Paimon, didn't you desire the elimination of slavery from this world more than anyone?"
"You are the most precious thing to me!"
Paimon wept without end, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed.
"I fell in love with you. I came to think of you as more precious to me than my own self!"
"..."
"This can't be, Dantalion. This is too painful... too painful..."
I knelt down. Then I removed the glove from my hand, set it on the corridor floor, and pulled Paimon into a tight embrace.
Paimon buried her face in my chest, crying endlessly. Her tears soaked through my clothes in moments. In the dark, empty corridor, only the sound of her weeping echoed softly.
I spoke quietly.
"Barbatos told me she would kill you."
"..."
"That you would eventually threaten my life. That she would kill you, if only for my sake."
I gently stroked Paimon's back.
Delicately, as though handling a fragile glass bottle.
"Barbatos didn't cast her vote against this for the sake of the human race. It was because of you. She has firmly resolved to be rid of you."
"......"
"But how could I abandon you, Paimon? I am the man who has resolved to bear you alone. I swore that I would kill what you cannot kill in your stead, and force upon others the sacrifices you cannot accept."
I moved my right hand, and this time I stroked Paimon's hair. Her beautiful crimson hair welcomed my touch with a soft warmth. It was genuinely warm — warm enough that I wanted to keep stroking it just like this.
"I act as the embodiment of your convictions."
"Dantalion......"
Paimon looked up at my face. Her black pupils, tinged with a faint reddish glow, shimmered with a sorrowful light.
I spoke.
"Please marry me, Paimon."
Silence.
As though time itself had stopped.
Paimon's expression slowly crumbled, as if she could not comprehend what she had heard.
"Ah......?"
"I'm sorry to confess something like this in a setting like this. But I mean every word. Although I will be taking seven concubines, I want you to be the true partner who walks beside me."
"Ah, aah......aaaah......"
Tears spilled from the corners of Paimon's eyes.
"Da-Dantalion. Dantalion......Dantalion......"
"I won't hide it. I love Barbatos as well. But Barbatos has sworn to kill you, and I can no longer continue to love you both."
Therefore, I said.
"We need the cooperation of the Demon Grand Dukes now more than ever. Barbatos will undoubtedly be furious over your marriage with me. But Paimon — if we bring in the Mountain Faction that you lead, the Neutral Faction that is already favorable toward me, and secure the full cooperation of the Grand Dukes on top of that."
"Yes, Dantalion......yes......"
Paimon gripped both of my hands tightly.
Even while tears streamed down her face, a faint smile lingered at the corners of Paimon's lips. That smile was so weak it trembled, but there was no mistaking it—Paimon was happy.
"I will give everything I have for you. Even if I have to sacrifice it all. Dantalion, I will live only for you. I will love only you for all eternity..."
And then.
'Paimon's Affinity increases by 16.'
'Paimon's Affinity has reached 100.'
'Undying Love! The other party now regards you as a complete lover. Thanks to this extraordinary love, a new title has been granted to the other party.'
The two of us shared a long kiss.
Paimon could not stop crying for quite some time afterward. She collapsed to the floor like a child and wept openly. It seemed all strength had left her legs entirely. It took what felt like a good twenty minutes before she finally managed to compose herself.
"Come now, Paimon."
I said as I put my gloves back on.
"Too much time has passed. If we don't head back soon, the Grand Dukes will start getting anxious. From here on out, we need to bring the Grand Dukes firmly into our camp. You understand, don't you?"
"Yes, Dantalion."
Paimon wiped her tears with the back of her hand and beamed with a bright smile. There wasn't a single light to be seen, so the room was dark—but that only made her smile all the more beautiful.
When the two of us walked side by side back into the banquet hall, the Grand Dukes exchanged knowing smiles with one another.
A woman had rushed out alone, yet they returned together in perfect harmony. They surely understood what that meant.
"You two make a truly splendid pair."
Duchess Doksaseo bowed with quick-witted flattery. Paimon smiled bashfully in response.
"I'm sorry for slipping away during the banquet, Your Grace."
"Not at all. Come now—allow this humble one to pour a toast in honor of you both."
The Grand Dukes came forward one after another, wine bottles in hand, and poured us drinks. We sat in the seats of honor and exchanged a glass with each of them. For the record, Paimon and I were both wearing artifact rings on our right index fingers that automatically detected poison, so the risk of being poisoned was nonexistent.
"Your Highness."
Lastly, Grand Duke Uvalla poured the wine and spoke.
"It is a humble offering, but I have prepared a present for Your Highnesses. If it would not be an imposition, I would like to unveil the gift here and now."
"Fufu. What a delightful little plan."
Paimon covered her mouth with her hand and giggled. The other Grand Dukes watched our exchange with eager, expectant eyes. A warm, convivial atmosphere filled the room.
"Yes, yes—we would be delighted to accept."
"I am most honored."
Grand Duke Uvalla turned around and clapped his hands.
—Clap.
At the entrance of the banquet hall, two servants came wheeling in a large cart. It was no ordinary cart. It was made entirely of gold. Moreover, the cart was loaded with so many bouquets of flowers that they were beyond counting.
"On such a joyous day as this, would the bards not weep were there no flowers?"
Grand Duke Uvalla smiled and pointed at the cart with his arm.
"In commemoration of this occasion, I humbly present this cart of flowers to Your Highnesses."
The room fell silent.
"......"
"......"
The smile vanished from Paimon's face. The Grand Dukes' expressions were no different.
The cart was filled to the brim with flowers so impossibly, deeply red they seemed ready to overflow at any moment.
Red spider lilies.
A flower for the dead. It was also called the hell flower, or bluntly, the death flower. The scarlet petals evoked images of blood. Unlike roses of the same red hue, it was considered an ominous omen. It was not the kind of flower you'd gift to someone, even as a joke.
"What exactly do you mean by this?"
Paimon shot back, her voice cold.
Archduke Ulbala did not erase his smile.
"Lord Barbatos commanded me to relay this message on his behalf."
"...!"
Before Paimon could even rise from her chair, soldiers wielding swords poured in from the entrance. In an instant, fifty soldiers surrounded Paimon and me in a semicircle.
It wasn't just the soldiers. The maids who had been attending to us also drew short swords from within their clothing. Daisy and Ivar each took a step forward to shield us.
Meanwhile, the Grand Dukes of the Demon Realm slowly walked behind the soldiers.
All fifteen of the Grand Dukes.
Among them was the Venom Grand Duke as well.
"How dare you, you wretched—!"
Paimon's entire body trembled with fury. She pointed at the soldiers and issued her command.
"Kill those traitors at once!"
"My apologies, but every last one of these men has a Slave Brand carved into their heart. Regrettably, they do not obey Your Highness's orders."
Archduke Ulbala spoke with composure.
"Of course, as Grand Dukes without brands, we would obey Your Highness to some degree. However, should Your Highness utter even a single coercive word toward us, these assassins will immediately attack both of Your Highnesses. I have already given them their orders."
The soldiers took one step closer to us with a heavy thud.
Daisy drew a sword from her back. It was Bael's greatsword. Daisy radiated a murderous aura in all directions as she glared at the assassins.
"Father."
"Wait."
I rose from my seat.
Naturally, every gaze in the room converged on me. The Grand Duchesses looked at me with various emotions reflected in their eyes—fearful glances, wary glances, furious glances, expressionless glances, and everything in between. I looked at one of them.
"Grand Duchess Ulbal."
The portly man flinched. Grand Duchess Ulbal tried to maintain a calm facade, but he couldn't fully hide his fear of me.
"Did Barbatos truly deliver a secret order to you?"
"…Yes, Your Highness. Our mission is to detain His Highness Dantalion and His Highness Paimon. In another hour or two, His Highness Barbatos will urgently convene Walpurgis Night. And there, he will declare slavery to be an irrevocably permanent institution."
I shook my head.
"Even if Barbatos casts a vote in favor, the other Demon Lords will vote against it."
"No, Your Highness. If a unanimous vote cannot be achieved, we intend to sever one of Your Highness Dantalion's fingers and deliver it to the Habsburg Imperial Palace."
"That will only earn Barbatos's wrath. Do you not know that she is his lover?"
"It was precisely that lover who established our plan for us."
Beside me, Paimon ground his teeth together. He must have figured out how the situation was playing out.
Grand Duchess Ulbal swallowed hard and continued.
"Both Your Highnesses are being held as hostages. To secure the hostages' release, you must first allow the motion to pass. His Highness Barbatos will then persuade the other Demon Lords in turn."
"How foolish."
I chuckled softly.
"You've effectively risen up against the entire Demon Lord army. Do you think Marbas and Gamigin will simply let you be?"
"If we release the hostages, yes. Of course, I will be executed immediately. That is why we plan to release His Highness Paimon, but to hold His Highness Dantalion as a hostage until the very end."
"…"
Daisy's killing intent grew even thicker. If I hadn't ordered her to wait, she would have already leapt out and slaughtered the assassins with room to spare.
I slowly surveyed the banquet hall. Soldiers and maids stood with expressionless faces, weapons raised. The Grand Dukes hid behind them, watching the situation unfold.
A table had been overturned, sending food scattering across the floor. Wine glasses shattered, wine spilled everywhere. Everything was in chaos.
"Grand Duke Ulbala. So in short, you've chosen Bael over me."
"That is correct, Your Highness."
"Are you certain it was a wise choice?"
Grand Duke Ulbala laughed.
"Of course it was. Your Highness Dantalion. Your power originated from His Highness Bael's favor from the very beginning. If the Plains Faction no longer supports you, you're no different from a bird that's lost its wings. How could we have chosen anyone other than His Highness Bael?"
The Grand Dukes burst into laughter at his words. Grand Duke Ulbala looked around, making eye contact with the other Grand Dukes. Those whose gazes met his laughed even louder.
The sound of laughter filled the air of the banquet hall.
I raised my right hand.
In that instant, the soldiers swung their blades.
"——Aaaaaah!"
"Aagh! Ghaaaaah!"
The laughter vanished, replaced by nothing but screams.
Soldiers killed soldiers. Maids killed maids. Blades slit throats. Twenty throats spewed blood into the air simultaneously. The assassins, who had completely let their guard down around their comrades, collapsed without putting up any resistance.
A red swamp spread across the dance hall floor.
"Wh-what… what is this…"
Some of the Grand Dukes stood blankly, unable to process the scene unfolding before their eyes, like broken machines. But whether fortunate or unfortunate, they wouldn't need to endure the shock for long.
Seven Grand Dukes pulled daggers from within their robes and plunged the blades into the necks of other Grand Dukes who stood before them, beside them, or behind them.
"Gkkpuhk!"
"Gkheeohhhhk!"
One by one, seven of them.
Out of the fifteen Grand Dukes, seven had their necks pierced in an instant, blood spurting everywhere. They choked and gurgled, hands clutching at their attackers. Their gestures looked almost like pleas for mercy.
But the seven Grand Dukes swung their daggers again—this time to make sure the job was finished. Each drove the blade wherever they pleased: into throats, chests, bellies, eyes. The Grand Dukes who were stabbed never even managed a proper scream before they perished.
"……."
Aside from the seven who now held the daggers, only Grand Duke Ulvala remained alive.
Grand Duke Ulvala couldn't even form words—he just trembled. His knees shook, his shoulders shook, his jaw shook.
I picked up a wine glass from the dining table.
"Grand Duke Ulvala. Allow me to ask you once more."
"Wh-what, ahh, whaaaah……."
"Do you truly believe you made a wise choice picking Barbatos instead of yourself?"
Grand Duke Ulvala flung himself prostrate on the floor.
"Pl-please spare me, Your Grace! I was—I was a fool! Please, just spare my life! I'll give you everything I own! My fortune, my slaves, anything at all—just please, my life—extend your mercy, your clemency!"
I gestured toward the Venom Grand Duke.
The Venom Grand Duke nodded, weighed the dagger, and drove it straight down into Grand Duke Ulvala's back.
A horrific scream rang out.
The Grand Dukes descended on him like wolves, plunging their blades into his body. Every time a dagger tore through flesh, Grand Duke Ulvala shrieked until it felt like he would split apart. But the intensity of his screams faded rapidly, and after about thirty seconds, the sound itself sank away somewhere into silence.
Silence.
Paimon stared at me blankly.
Daisy heaved a small sigh, her expression tinged with exasperation.
The Grand Dukes, their entire bodies coated in blood, stared at me.
And I raised my glass to eye level.
"For all demons."
The assassins disguised as maids handed goblets to the Grand Dukes. The seven Grand Dukes raised their glasses high, following my lead.
"For Dantalion."
============================ Afterword ============================
For the record, those seven Grand Dukes have one thing in common. It's a commonality that made an appearance once before >_<);;