Chapter 10: The Demon Lord Appears

"Hey, who the hell are you? If you don’t want to get hurt, beat it—now!"

"Wait—are you pretending to be some kind of righteous hero? If you don’t want that pretty face of yours ruined, you’d better tuck your tail and disappear, pretty boy."

"I’m gonna kill you, got it?"

The men all tried to intimidate the Demon Lord at once.

Y-yeah… this is bad.

I felt scared—but in the opposite sense.

"…Hmm."

Despite the threats and bluster, the elegantly handsome man—no, the Demon Lord—didn’t even raise an eyebrow.

"Didn’t you hear me? I told you to get lost, you bastard!"

One man, furious, swung a punch. His temper was impossibly short.

His arm, thick as a log, ended in a huge, stone-like fist—pure violence incarnate—and he brought it crashing down onto the Demon Lord’s face.

"Heh heh heh…"

Everyone expected the flawless face to be crushed, teeth shattered, blood flying as he writhed in pain. Grins plastered their faces.

"Ughhh!"

…But contrary to their expectations, the Demon Lord, struck squarely in the face, remained completely unfazed.

Instead, the man who threw the punch staggered backward, clutching his hand. White stuff seeped out, blood spraying.

"W-what the hell did you do!?"

Another man, enraged, drew a dagger.

"…Hmm. I haven’t done anything in particular. However, I suppose I’m not here to spoil your fun either."

He folded his arms and let out a calm sigh.

"I would prefer to remain inconspicuous, but if you choose to oppose me, then I regret to say I cannot show mercy."

With that, his sharp gaze swept over the surrounding men.

Intimidated by the Demon Lord’s eyes, they instinctively stepped back a pace.

"Uwaaaah!"

The man with the dagger, however, seemed paralyzed by sheer fear. In a blind panic, he lunged forward, gripping the blade with both hands, aiming to stab.

Dagger attacks are basic, but correct.

Yet even as he charged, the Demon Lord remained calm, grasping the blade itself with ease.

"Huh?"

The man’s face registered pure disbelief.

The Demon Lord twisted his hand as if it weighed nothing at all.

Suddenly, the man’s arm bent in an unnatural direction, like it had been made of candy.

"Ah… gyaahh!"

At first, he couldn’t comprehend what had happened, but then pain hit, and he screamed in unending agony.

"This guy… he’s insane!"

"What do we do?"

The men exchanged fearful glances. Weapons were useless against him.

Slowly, they began retreating. The ones who had held me scrambled toward the edges of the alley, keeping as much distance as possible.

Supporting the man with the twisted arm, the others scattered like frightened spiders, fleeing in all directions.

Finally, they seemed to realize just how dangerous the Demon Lord truly was.

And I was left alone in front of him.

"Th-thank you…"

I stood up and straightened my disheveled clothes. Fortunately, none were torn. I picked up my glasses and put them back on, facing him squarely.

I steadied my breathing and offered my thanks politely.

"…Ah, thank you for saving me when I was in danger."

I bowed deeply.

I never imagined I’d be rescued by the very Demon Lord I was searching for. Completely unexpected. My mind was a jumble, words failing me.

"…Ah, um."

I couldn’t form a proper sentence.

"Hmm? That’s odd. I heard beforehand that human females enjoy being toyed with by men in situations like that. Is that not correct?"

Suddenly, he said something completely bizarre.

"Th-that’s a huge misunderstanding!"

Oddly, the strange remark helped me calm down a little. When you form a retort, your brain tends to speed up slightly.

"Is that so? Hmm… all of my acquaintances have told me the same thing, though."

Demon Lord, when you say “acquaintances,” do you mean the Chancellor or something?

A cold sweat ran down my forehead.

"…Uh, um, I am called Ains. I am the daughter of a merchant."

I used the alias I always employed when sneaking out of the palace, speaking as casually as possible.

"…At present, I serve as a maid in the palace, attending Princess Sonia. By the way, may I ask who you are?"

It seemed the Demon Lord had taken an interest in one of the keywords in my little ruse, because he nodded a few times.

"Hmm. I see… so you are connected to Sonia. That may be a fortunate circumstance. Yes, yes."

He nodded to himself as if satisfied.

Wait… didn’t I just say Sonia’s name out loud?

…Well, whatever.

"I am… ah, I am Mao—Demon Kin… or rather, Maor. I am the third son of a regional count. I just arrived here from the countryside today."

He said this with a proud, almost smug expression.

A third son of a count, grabbing the blade of a dagger with his bare hands? Yeah, right.

I thought it silently, but nodded repeatedly, smiling, trying to stay friendly. I had to keep the conversation going to gather information.

"Y-You are called Maor, then. What a lovely name… By the way, though it may be rude of me to ask after being saved, why were you here in a place like this?"

I set aside my own situation to ask the question that mattered most.

"Hmm? Me? I was just looking for a place to stay, wandering along the streets. Then I heard your commotion, and I thought I might as well come see it for myself, so I showed my face."

I see… my life was saved thanks to the Demon Lord’s curiosity.

…Well, the fact remains that I was helped, so I should sincerely express my gratitude.

I nodded several times, determined not to waste this opportunity, and asked boldly:

"I see. Then, to thank you for saving me, may I invite you to dinner? If it is acceptable, I can also give you advice regarding lodging."

I adjusted my glasses with a sharp movement and leaned slightly forward, closing the distance with the Demon Lord.

Forward, forward—momentum is everything when trying to impress him.

"Hmm? Well, indeed, it is more convenient to have someone to consult with. Also, there are questions I wish to ask you. Very well. Ains, guide me to the dining hall."

"Yes, of course. This way, please."

Though I was internally nervous, I took his hand and led him toward the long-established inn and tavern on the main street. I had dined there before, and the food was good. Nothing should go wrong.

Just as we stepped onto the street, however, we unexpectedly ran into some familiar palace guards approaching from the opposite direction.

They looked tense, eyes darting around as if searching for something.

…Hm. It would be bad if they saw me here.

Intuition told me they might be looking for me, so I clung to the Demon Lord’s arm, pressing close.

"…Hm? What’s wrong?"

"Shh! Lord Maor, just walk straight ahead, confidently. Do not look this way, and act natural."

"Seems there’s a reason for this, but very well. I have a broad heart."

So we walked, appearing from a distance like a couple strolling together.

"…That should be safe now."

Once I confirmed the guards were far off, I released the Demon Lord’s arm.

…But somehow, I couldn’t pull away.

Looking closely, I realized he had his arm around my waist. I hadn’t noticed at all.

"Ah, um—"

"Hm? Is there a problem?"

"…No, there isn’t."

For now, I decided to let him do as he pleased. If it helped me gain even a little favor or information from the Demon Lord, having his arm around my waist was a small price to pay.

…Quietly, I thanked the gods for helping me survive the earlier crisis.