“Your attire is quite different from your usual,” Hereis remarked, deflecting the question. Rather than pressing him again, Jeha simply lowered his hand and idly fiddled with the hem of his clothes.
Jeha was currently dressed in loose, white pajamas, his feet bare. In short, it was hardly the attire one would expect of a Demon King.
“Hmm… pajamas?” Jeha mused, and Hereis’s smile deepened ever so slightly.
Hereis’s sapphire-blue eyes drifted to Jeha’s hand resting on the table. Jeha followed his gaze, realizing Hereis was focused on the ring adorning his thumb.
Hereis meticulously scrutinized the ring, which appeared somewhat unrefined at first glance. Jeha allowed him this scrutiny. After a brief moment, a subtle shift in Hereis’s gaze indicated a sudden realization.
“That’s the crest of the Marquisate Belgar.”
Jeha’s expression shifted to one of impressed surprise. To recognize the crest of the Marquisate Belgar, a house that rarely presented itself to the outside world, was remarkable. Given the innumerable royal families and nobles scattered across the Central Continent, Hereis seemed to possess an encyclopedic knowledge of their heraldry.
“You recognize this? They’re a family that rarely engages with outsiders.”
“It’s merely a basic qualification required of a bishop.”
Hereis replied with a modest humility, then calmly continued.
“Moreover, the Belgar family is ancient and renowned as one of the wealthiest on the continent. Anyone with a basic education would undoubtedly be familiar with them.”
“Hmm…” Jeha murmured, tracing the ring with his finger, a faint swell of pride rising within him. Though it wasn’t a family he had founded or overseen, it was, nonetheless, his now. To be so renowned in the human realm naturally brought a sense of satisfaction.
“Are you residing at the Belgar estate?”
“Indeed. I have some matters to attend to, and I figured I’d enjoy myself there while I’m at it.”
Jeha answered with a languid air, thinking that he must, by now, appear somewhat befitting a Demon King.
“By ‘matters to attend to’… do you mean you have another contract?”
Hereis’s expression, as he pressed the question, remained outwardly placid, yet Jeha detected a subtle, peculiar sharpness beneath it.
“Oh? Do you dislike the idea of me having another contractor?”
Jeha asked playfully. After a brief silence, Hereis unexpectedly gave a shallow nod.
“I do.”
Jeha was momentarily taken aback by the astonishingly candid reply. Yet, concealing his surprise, he maintained his playful demeanor.
“And why is that?”
“Because just as you are the sole one for me, Lord Jeha, I desire to be the only one for you.”
“…” Jeha found himself momentarily speechless. A peculiar tingling sensation spread through his chest, throughout his entire body. He thought:
‘What, is this man flirting with me right now?’ Upon reflection, it was undeniably blatant flirting.
Jeha was utterly unsure how to react. Unwilling to betray his sudden fluster, he lowered his gaze slightly, as if deep in thought, and continued to fiddle with the ring.
“Is that an unreasonable desire?” Hereis broke the silence, his voice a low murmur. Jeha’s heart, for no good reason, began to pound.
“There are no other contractors. Contracts are just… bothersome, really,” Jeha mumbled, affecting an air of nonchalance. When he dared a quick glance up at Hereis, he was met with a genuinely joyful smile—a sight Jeha had never witnessed before.
‘Uwaak…!’ Jeha inwardly shrieked. It was an unfair advantage, that beautiful face breaking into such a dazzling smile. This man was, without a doubt, flirting with him.
“If it’s such a bother, then why did you deign to form a contract with me back then?” Hereis inquired.
‘Because you were holding a blood-stained knife and grinning like a madman, and I was terrified!’ Jeha screamed the truth within his mind, while outwardly, he maintained a nonchalant expression.
“Oh, well… I was bored.”
“Is that also why you’ve come to the human realm this time?” Hereis asked.
Jeha paused, considering, then nodded. After all, he had been utterly bored and restless, and hadn’t he impulsively descended to the human realm simply at the prospect of seeing and raising a baby demon dragon himself?
Hereis remained silent, lost in thought for a brief while, before finally speaking.
“Seeing as you’re residing at the Marquisate Belgar, do you intend to remain in the human realm for some time?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Upon hearing Jeha’s affirmative, Hereis suddenly placed a hand on the table and slowly leaned his upper body toward him. His face drew steadily nearer, his silver hair cascading softly over his shoulders. Jeha held his breath, his gaze fixed intently on Hereis. When their faces were barely a handspan apart, Hereis finally spoke.
“Will you meet with me?”
*Pa-ba-ba-bam—!* Beethoven’s ‘Fate Symphony’ resounded grandly within Jeha’s mind.
‘Meet with me? What does that even mean? Does he literally want to go on a date with me? Is he making a move on me right now? No, a priest who must uphold purity? And to a man? Moreover, I’m the Demon King?!’
All manner of thoughts swirled chaotically in Jeha’s mind. His heart hammered rapidly in his chest.
To date a man, a priest no less, and a human at that—it was utterly preposterous. Yet, the other’s presence was overwhelmingly potent. Jeha, unable to utter a single word or response, desperately feigned composure.
After a moment of patiently awaiting a reply, Hereis lowered his gaze to the ring on Jeha’s finger. Then, he spoke.
“Rings bearing a family crest like this are primarily used as a family’s seal. Given that you wear it, you are likely acting in the capacity of the Marquis Belgar. If you would consent to meet with me as the Marquis Belgar, it would prove considerably helpful in advancing our future endeavors.”
“…” The air audibly hissed out of the metaphorical balloon that had inflated in his mind. For a fleeting moment, Jeha nearly lost control of his expression.
Jeha unnecessarily ran a hand through his hair, meticulously composing himself. The sheer mortification of having prematurely celebrated a victory that was never even offered washed over him.
‘I have no such interest in a man like you either!’ Jeha screamed inwardly, vehemently chastising himself for having misinterpreted Hereis’s words, even for a fleeting moment.
Right. This man was one who had dedicated his entire being to the downfall of the gods and their temple. Such a man would have no conceivable interest in romance. Every action he directed toward Jeha was merely an attempt to curry favor with the Demon King, his sole ally and formidable backing.
After taking a moment to regain his composure, Jeha inquired,
“How, precisely, would meeting with the Marquis Belgar be helpful?”
“Firstly, the very fact of possessing an acquaintance with the wealthy and ancient Marquisate Belgar provides substantial backing. It would also serve to instill a deeper conviction in those who lend me their support.”
“Is that all?” His words emerged with an unexpected sharpness, perhaps a lingering effect of his earlier, mortifying misinterpretation.
“Of course not. If you, Lord Jeha, were to assist me as the Marquis Belgar, it would prove exceedingly beneficial to my cause.”
“That wasn’t part of our agreement.”
“I am aware. Therefore, I can only humbly implore you, Lord Jeha, to assist me. After all, I have nothing left to offer you in return.”
As he spoke those words, Hereis’s eyes fell, heavy with a profound gravity. Ordinarily, his melancholic demeanor might have swayed Jeha’s heart, but at this moment, Jeha was indulging in a thoroughly contrary mood.
“I’ll think about it,” Jeha replied, choosing the cruelty of false hope over outright refusal. His unspoken thought was, ‘Let him suffer a little, too.’
Just as he finished speaking and prepared to rise, Hereis suddenly snatched Jeha’s hand from the table, gripping it with an unexpected urgency.
“Lord Jeha.”
Hereis’s eyes, as he looked up at Jeha, still clutching his hand, held an unprecedented desperation. Jeha was reminded that this man was in a position where he had no choice but to cling to him. It was all a means to extract something from him.
Despite holding a complete advantage in their dynamic, it wasn’t a particularly pleasant sensation. He felt rather like a goose that laid golden eggs.
“I am well aware that this falls outside the terms of our contract. Nevertheless, should you assist me, I will pay any price, no matter the cost.”
“You’ve already staked your entire being, body and soul, in our existing contract. Since everything you possess is already as good as mine, with what, then, do you propose to pay the price?”
“Anything… Be it endless torment, crushing humiliation, or any other sacrifice, it matters not. I will pay whatever price, Lord Jeha, that you desire.”
“…”
“To you, Lord Jeha, I may be nothing more than one among countless humans. But from the moment I renounced the gods, you alone remained for me. I implore you. Please, lend me your aid. Do not forsake me. Name your desire. I will gladly obey any command.”
Hereis pressed his lips to the back of Jeha’s hand, a clear gesture of submission. Gazing down at him, Jeha couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling of having become a true villain.
Yes, he was indeed an entity capable of manipulating Hereis so completely. There was no need to dwell on the fleeting sensation of having been momentarily swayed by him.
With that thought, the sharp edge he had been cultivating dulled somewhat. Yet, the mischievous impulse lingered.
“If you truly believe that, then perhaps… lick my foot.” He had no idea why such a phrase had escaped his lips. Immediately after uttering it, Jeha felt a pang of regret, though not enough to retract his words.
Hereis released Jeha’s hand, then slowly knelt before him. With both hands placed on the floor, he bowed deeply, almost in a prostration, and devoutly pressed his lips to the bare instep of Jeha’s foot, revealed beneath the hem of his white pajamas.
The moment the warm, soft touch of lips settled upon his instep, and the sight of Hereis reverently licking his foot before him, a thrilling jolt coursed through Jeha’s entire being, as if every vein were electrified. He couldn’t discern if it was due to a deeply satisfied sense of conquest, sheer contentment, the achievement of having brought a divine apostle to such a low point, or perhaps even a touch of pity for Hereis.
The soft, moist tongue did not stop at his instep. Jeha, holding his breath, watched as Hereis licked between each of his toes. His tongue movements were both gentle and persistent, and Jeha found himself growing breathless.