Before the Four, She Was Claimed as the Demon King’s Bride

“Hastur, don’t forget your mother was killed by her! Not even a trace of the body was found. Don’t tell me you don’t hate this Hero? She should be thrown into the dungeon, never to see the light of day again!”

Lalaneya showed no intention of backing down, slamming the table and shouting angrily at Hastur.

“Of course I know that. But I absolutely support His Majesty the Demon King’s decision. Besides, isn’t the purpose of His Majesty convening this meeting precisely to explain the arrangements for the Hero?”

Hastur certainly hadn’t forgotten the murder of her mother, but her loyalty to Iris took precedence.

“Lalaneya, Hastur. The meeting room is not a place for arguments. If you wish to quarrel or fight, go outside, settle it, and then return.”

Iris did not lose her composure. No emotion showed on her face, and she did not side with either Hastur or Lalaneya. Instead, she lifted a strand of Furenna’s silver hair and began stroking it, as if petting a cat.

“Humph.”

With Iris having spoken, Lalaneya and Hastur naturally couldn’t continue their dispute. They each sat back down.

However, judging from the utter displeasure on Lalaneya’s face, if Iris’s upcoming arrangements were unreasonable, she would undoubtedly be the first to jump up in opposition.

“Finished quarreling? Then let’s begin this meeting…”

Seeing that both had quieted down, Iris prepared to officially start the meeting, but before she could finish, Aviya interrupted.

“Hi~~~ Your Majesty the Demon King, I have a question~”

Aviya raised her right hand to signal she wanted to “ask a question.”

“What question, Aviya?”

Iris pressed coldly. Furenna also didn’t believe anything good would come out of Aviya’s mouth, and Aviya’s next words confirmed the suspicion.

“Demon King-sama, both Lalaneya and I narrowly escaped with our lives from her hands back then, and Hastur’s mother was killed by her…”

“Is it really appropriate for you to be so magnanimous as to hold the Hero in your arms like this? Or do you believe racial hatred has no bearing on personal preferences, that it’s just trivial?”

Such a sharp question, showing no regard for Iris’s dignity whatsoever. However, Furenna was happy to see infighting among the demons. It would be best if they started internal strife, fought, and killed each other until the world went dark, the kind that wouldn’t recover for centuries.

Iris answered calmly, “I naturally have not forgotten the enmity between the demon race and the Hero. Moreover, I have bound the Hero, Furenna, with a soul contract. She is now under my absolute control.”

Iris released Furenna. Furenna finally escaped that utterly humiliating posture, which was a relief. However, the next command became even more outrageous.

“Little kitten, lie across my lap. Lift your bottom up.”

Wh… what?!

Furenna could hardly believe her ears. But the contract deep in her soul would help confirm the command.

To prove the Hero posed zero threat, Iris immediately invoked the contract’s power to change Furenna’s posture. Even though Furenna was unwilling a hundred times over in her heart, she had no choice. Under the contract’s coercion, she obediently lay across Iris’s lap and gently arched her back.

“Not high enough. Higher. Higher still, until it touches my hand… good.”

Iris’s right hand hovered in the air before her chest. With each command, Furenna was forced to raise her lower body higher, until finally her body formed a right-angled triangle, the firm, rounded apex actively meeting the palm of the Demon King’s hand before Iris was satisfied.

Iris had been observing Furenna’s expression the entire time. No matter how much the Hero tried to maintain a calm facade, she ultimately couldn’t hide her slightly flushed cheeks. Her amber eyes were filled with unconcealable anger and a hint of grievance.

Indeed… compared to torture, this method might be more effective.

The corner of Iris’s mouth lifted, then quickly returned to normal. Her right hand, however, unceremoniously began caressing the area around Furenna’s tailbone, feeling the slight tremors in Furenna’s body.

“Is there anything else you need me to prove?”

Aviya also knew when to stop. She shrugged and offered Iris “praise.”

“Hehe, as expected of the Demon King-sama.”

Iris didn’t pursue the matter further. Confirming no one else had any objections, she officially began the meeting, the topic naturally being the disposition of Furenna.

“What did you say?! You’re arranging a room for her to live in! And providing meals! Your Majesty, she is not a guest, she is our…!”

Upon hearing the decision announced by Iris, Lalaneya immediately jumped up, ready to explode again.

“… The Hero is our enemy, correct, Lalaneya. But Furenna is different.”

Iris showed no intention of changing her mind. Her right hand continued its mischief on Furenna’s behind, causing Furenna’s bodily tremors to become increasingly obvious. The Hero’s heart had already dismembered the Demon King a thousand times over, but the reality was that the Hero was the one utterly at the other’s mercy.

Furenna’s body was now controlled by Iris. Everything about her future life would probably be arranged by Iris. The most laughable thing was that right now, Iris was actually arguing for her benefit, at least ensuring she wouldn’t be sleeping in a dungeon at night.

“Her? How is she different? The first in history to surrender, the first Hero we’ve captured alive? That is indeed unique.”

Lalaneya said mockingly, but Iris’s answer was something she had never expected.

“But how can the Demon King’s fiancée sleep in a dungeon?”

Iris’s crimson eyes blinked, and the words that came out of her mouth petrified Lalaneya.

“Huh? You… what nonsense are you talking about?”
“Your Majesty, do you know what you’re saying?”

This time, it wasn’t just Lalaneya who erupted; even Aviya, who had been watching the spectacle, couldn’t sit still.

Although Hastur didn’t say anything, her shocked gaze also indicated she had no psychological preparation for this whatsoever.

“Lilie, bring out the document I drafted before my departure,” Iris ignored the three Heavenly Kings and turned to the Puppeteer, Lilie Dole, who had shown no reaction from beginning to end. “The engagement contract I entrusted to your care.”

“Mhm.”

Lilie still didn’t speak, letting out a light hum through her delicate nose. She retrieved a scroll of paper from her storage space and spread it out on the round table.

The moment they saw the specific content on the paper, Lalaneya and the others were convinced that Demon King Iris truly wasn’t joking. She was serious, having even made preparations before obtaining the Hero, Furenna.

“Your Majesty! I absolutely do not agree!”

Blazing flames erupted from beneath her crimson skin. Unable to suppress her fury, Lalaneya, trembling with anger, was about to reveal her true Flame Demon form.

“Have you forgotten your position, Lalaneya.”

Iris’s voice suddenly dropped, her icy gaze fixed directly on the overstepping Lalaneya.

Reminded by the stare, Lalaneya immediately dispersed the flames and slumped back into her seat. However, her gaze remained locked on Furenna, as if she wished to burn the other to death with her eyes.