Having thoroughly licked one foot, Hereis did not stop. This time, he began to trace the curve of Jeha’s ankle. Jeha’s teeth clenched tight as the wet friction of Hereis’s tongue grazed his ankle. ‘Was it just Jeha’s imagination?’ The meticulous ministrations of Hereis’s tongue seemed, with each passing moment, to take on an increasingly sensual edge. His breath, warm against the tender skin of Jeha’s ankle, felt hotter than usual. Then, the instant Hereis’s tongue brushed over his ankle bone, the stimulation became too intense for Jeha to bear, and he abruptly yanked his foot away.
“…The Marquisate of Belgar will side with you. Send a letter to the Marquisate. I will meet with you if my schedule permits.”
Having barely managed to utter those words, Jeha vanished into thin air, as if fleeing, without even waiting to see Hereis rise.
****
A soft clink. At the sound of the teacup being placed on the table, Jeha startled back to reality. The butler, having set down the fragrant tea, studied Jeha’s face with a subtly worried expression.
“Did you not rest well last night, Master? Should anything have caused you discomfort, I shall see to its immediate rectification.”
“No, no, it’s not like that.” Jeha’s voice was weak as he propped his chin in his hand once more. Despite the fragrant tea and an array of delectable snacks laid out before him, he found himself utterly without appetite, as if he had been chewing on sand.
“Haa…” A heavy sigh escaped him unbidden. From the corner of his eye, Zephyr seemed poised to speak, but a swift jab to the ribs from Paimon silenced him immediately. Though he felt the collective gazes of Paimon, Zephyr, and the butler upon him, he wasn’t in the mood to utter a single word. Jeha idly spun the teacup by its rim, his mind replaying the events of the previous night.
The image of Hereis kneeling before him, licking his foot, haunted his thoughts. The provocative sensation of Hereis’s tongue, so carefully tracing the arch of his foot, the individual toes, the tender skin between them, and even his ankle, lingered stubbornly. He tried to force his mind onto other matters, but his thoughts always, inevitably, circled back.
‘Did I… overstep?’ Jeha muttered, his voice heavy with self-reproach. Zephyr, once again on the verge of speaking, was promptly silenced by another sharp jab from Paimon.
‘There had been no real need to subject him to such a humiliating act. He could have simply acceded to Hereis’s request, or refused it, as he saw fit. Yet, he had deliberately made such a villainous demand…’
‘In a way, Hereis was in a lonely and desperate situation, with Jeha as his only recourse. And Jeha, for his part, stood to lose nothing and suffer no harm by granting the man’s plea.’
“Was my cruelty excessive?” Jeha muttered, a pang of regret in his voice. And he thought, ‘Even as he denied it, he wondered if he was slowly, subtly, becoming tainted by the mantle of the Demon King.’
“Butler.”
“Yes, Master.”
“A communication will arrive from the temple shortly. Whatever Archbishop Hereis requests, grant it to him to the fullest extent possible. Be it monetary aid, the prestige of our house, or the full might of our family’s influence.”
“Understood. I shall endeavor to provide the utmost assistance for any matter within my purview.”
The butler bowed his head immediately, without a hint of question about Jeha’s words. Only then, after hearing the butler’s affirmation, did Jeha pick up a snack and take a listless bite. It remained utterly flavorless. He needed to divert his thoughts elsewhere. He needed to banish all thoughts of Hereis from his mind.
“So, what news of the infant demon dragon?” Jeha asked. Before Paimon could open his mouth, Zephyr swiftly interjected.
“It is proving difficult to track, as the parent demon dragon seems to have sealed all its magic to protect its young. Should it be discovered by humans, the Holy Knights would undoubtedly rush to slaughter it. Thus, we surmise it has been moved to some remote, secluded area, far from human sight.”
“You mentioned it’s still an infant. Having fallen into the human realm alone, and with so much time elapsed, can it truly still be safe?”
“Dragons are renowned for their extraordinary devotion to their offspring, so it is highly probable that all conceivable precautions have been taken. We are operating under the assumption of its survival and are actively continuing our search.”
“Hmm…”
“As a result of the Demon Dragon Protection Association’s thorough investigations, the potential locations of the infant have been narrowed down to a few possibilities. We anticipate being able to specify its probable location within a matter of days.”
“That’s a relief.” Jeha imagined the baby demon dragon in his mind. He wondered about its size, its exact appearance. While Paimon or Zephyr could undoubtedly provide a detailed description, Jeha longed to see it with his own eyes, to confirm its existence for himself.
“Oh, and what exactly do demon dragons subsist on? Being an infant, shouldn’t it be fed its mother’s milk?”
“Demon dragons are omnivorous; they eat nearly anything. And they are especially fond of demons.”
“Wh-what? Demons?” Jeha’s expression clearly indicated he thought he had misheard.
“Indeed. For that very reason, only the most formidable demons would ever dare approach a demon dragon’s nest.”
“……” Jeha fell silent, utterly dumbfounded. ‘How could one possibly raise a demon-eating demon dragon within the very walls of the Demon King’s castle? What in the Abyss had Paimon been thinking when he suggested raising an infant demon dragon?’
“No… how can we raise a demon dragon that devours other demons right here in the Demon King’s castle? What if it starts preying on the very demons residing within these walls?”
Jeha’s face was etched with concern as he spoke, but Zephyr merely offered a knowing smile.
“If a demon is so weak as to be devoured by a mere infant demon dragon, wouldn’t it be better for them to simply perish? Indeed, to serve as sustenance for the Master’s pet demon dragon would be an honor for such pathetic creatures.”
“……” Jeha remained silent for a long moment, then simply exhaled a profound sigh. ‘The demonic mindset was, truly, utterly beyond human comprehension.’
“Well… since it’s still an infant and omnivorous, we can surely train it away from consuming demons. After all, its palate will develop based on its early diet.”
Jeha mumbled this, feeling a sudden, potent sense of responsibility for the upbringing of his future pet demon dragon.
A sharp rap echoed through the room. The butler moved toward the antechamber entrance and opened the door. Standing in the doorway was none other than the middle-aged Knight Commander, Lord Campbell.
“Invite him in,” Jeha said to the butler. The butler swung the door wide, and Lord Campbell strode in, his face beaming.
“Your Excellency, did you rest well last night?” As always, his voice was thunderous, resonating with immense power.
“Ah, yes. And you, Lord Campbell, did you sleep well?”
“Indeed. Thanks to Your Excellency’s presence, I enjoyed a most profound rest.”
Lord Campbell, his booming reply filled with gusto, clearly beamed at Jeha having addressed him by name.
“Have a seat.” Jeha motioned to a chair for Lord Campbell, whose gaze remained fixed on him. Once he had settled, the butler poured a cup of tea and set it before him.
Lord Campbell raised the delicate teacup to his lips. Clutched in the large, muscular hand of Lord Campbell, the teacup appeared comically tiny. It was akin to an adult attempting to drink from a child’s toy teacup. This visual incongruity made the stern-faced, middle-aged knight seem, for a fleeting moment, rather endearing.
A soft snort escaped Jeha. He couldn’t help but let out a burst of laughter.
Lord Campbell, mid-sip, looked up with a puzzled frown. But then, catching sight of the mirth dancing across Jeha’s features, a broad grin spread across his own. From his knowing look, it was clear he understood the source of Jeha’s amusement.
Setting down his teacup, Lord Campbell visibly fidgeted in his seat. He clearly had something he was eager to express.
“If you have something to say, speak freely.” Jeha eased his apparent discomfort. Lord Campbell, as if he had been waiting for the invitation, opened his mouth, his eyes sparkling with delight.
“Your Excellency, the entire castle and territory are abuzz with the news of your return! Especially my knights…” Lord Campbell paused, scratching his chin with a somewhat troubled expression, then continued, “They are incredibly eager to demonstrate the skills they’ve honed in your absence. In fact, just last night, several of them even woke me to pester me…”
“Haha!” Jeha burst into laughter, imagining the knights pestering Lord Campbell. Even from a quick glance yesterday, the armored knights were all remarkably burly. The thought of such men approaching Lord Campbell to whine and pester him… just imagining it made him laugh.
“Show off their skills, you say? Do they mean to spar before me?”
Lord Campbell’s face brightened at Jeha’s question.
“Originally, I intended to ask you to observe their training, but would Your Excellency also be interested in watching them spar?”
His expression suggested he had stumbled upon an unexpected boon.
“Well, while watching them train would be magnificent, I imagine a sparring match would be far more dynamic and entertaining.”
“Hahaha! Truly, Your Excellency is peerless! How magnanimous, befitting the head of House Belgar!” Lord Campbell clapped his knee and guffawed.
“If you enjoy such things, we could have shown you anytime, Master,” Zephyr grumbled, a hint of jealousy in his sidelong glance at Lord Campbell. Jeha simply pretended not to hear or see.
“Then I shall go at once and prepare for the sparring match.” Lord Campbell, his face alight with enthusiasm, sprang from his seat and exited the antechamber with rather hurried steps.
“He’s an interesting character,” Jeha murmured, gazing at the antechamber door where Lord Campbell had disappeared.
“I, too, can entertain you just as much, Master,” Zephyr muttered. Jeha, however, merely acknowledged it with a dismissive gesture, raising his teacup.