Chapter 218
Seere was surprised that the schedule had been set earlier than expected, even though she had anticipated it to some extent.
“When is it?”
“In four days.”
“That’s fast.”
“This time, it’s being held on the 6th floor.”
“The 6th floor…”
“That’s the ruling tier of Malepare.”
Rank 6 Demon King, Malepare.
He wasn’t a strong case like the Demon King himself, Amon, who was just one rank below. The Demon King was more of a strategist than a fighter. Instead, he was known for having an incredibly elite legion under his command. The Malepare legion was recognized even within the Demon World.
And their loyalty was also remarkable. Choosing a tier guarded by such an elite legion as the venue for the conference clearly indicated an obvious intent.
“Are they planning to shut down any childish tricks?”
“Since there will be significant rank changes….”
There could be demon kings engaging in various tricks. Especially with the entire Demon World in chaos after the Celestial War, it was even more likely.
“Choosing the 6th floor seems like a good choice…”
“Do you see any problems?”
“I’m worried about how to handle Malepare.”
“…Handle him?”
“If your rank is truly decided to be within the top 20, you must cast a dissent vote for that. With Marbas, Barbatos, and Phynox, there are many factors that could be concerning.”
At least, a majority would need to vote against him to lower his rank to a more appropriate position.
“But if we say ‘please oppose,’ that will look suspicious in itself.”
“Of course it will. That’s why we have to persuade him not directly ourselves, but through another demon king.”
“Any specific person in mind?”
“…Phynox would be better.”
Since Phynox was skilled in political maneuvering, she was quite adept at persuading others. However, there was a potential problem….
“I don’t know if Phynox would be agreeable.”
“Huh? Is there a bad relationship with Phynox, similar to Barbatos?”
“No, it’s the opposite.”
“Huh?”
Nahun scratched her cheek slightly. Malepare was also one of the major demon kings featured prominently in Ebel Queen Maker. He often appears alongside Phynox, who plays the role of the ‘smart villain,’ especially when causing trouble for players….
“The problem is that Malepare likes her too much.”
“…What?”
He appears as a character deeply infatuated with Phynox, providing her with his powerful legion to cause obstacles for the player. This made facing Phynox as a villain significantly more difficult for the players.
“I know that Phynox is quite burdensome for Malepare. That’s why I said I don’t know if she would be agreeable.”
“Oh….”
“I should send at least a letter first. If she refuses, there’s no choice but to go through Marbas. I know Marbas has a pretty good relationship with her.”
Since Marbas was close to Malepare, and their dispositions were also similar, the relationship between Malepare and Marbas was quite good. Furthermore, as Malepare was neutral and not part of any faction, there was no reason for Marbas to exclude him.
“If Marbas has a good relationship with him, can’t we just go through Marbas from the beginning?”
“…Hmm.”
There was a reason Nahun did not choose that option. When depicting Malepare in the original work, there was always an accompanying description.
“The King of Deceit.” “A cunning mind that can deceive even Marbas.”
Indeed, with such descriptors, it gave the impression that Malepare was playing above Marbas’s head.
Of course, while Marbas was a wise Demon King, it meant that Malepare played one step above him. This was especially concerning in terms of deception and cunning, as Nahun wanted to avoid the instability of Marbas being misled by Malepare and failing to achieve any results.
“After all, Phynox is more adept in this regard.”
“Then shall I send the letter?”
“It’s fine if I send it. If you send it, it becomes an official correspondence, so it’s right for me to send it.”
“Oh, okay.”
Nahun wrote a letter to Phynox and sent it right there. Seere was curious about the style in which Nahun wrote the correspondence and peered into the stationery.
“…Teacher.”
“Yes?”
“Do we really need to include the phrase ‘Dear Majesty Phynox’?”
“…It’s basic etiquette when sending a letter, isn’t it?”
“But saying ‘dearly’ implies a very close relationship, doesn’t it? Since when have you and Phynox been that close?”
Nahun glanced at Seere. She pointed out phrases that seemed a bit too affectionate for someone writing to Phynox.
“This sounds more like something you’d say to a lover.”
“Aren’t you just asking if it went smoothly…?”
“Let’s just change it to another expression. Something more formal.”
“……”
Nahun amended the style and made small adjustments to the expressions based on Seere’s input. Seere seemed pleased that Nahun was following her suggestions, smiling slightly as she spoke.
“Um, I like it.”
“The overall tone of the letter is still too stiff, though.”
“What’s wrong with that? It’s not a personal letter.”
“Given that we’re asking for a favor, I wonder if this is okay.”
“It’s fine! Just send it already.”
“…Alright.”
Nahun reluctantly sent the letter. Since it wasn’t an official letter, he used magic to send it directly rather than in a regular manner. Soon after, a reply arrived from her.
“That was quick.”
“Indeed.”
Nahun opened the letter sent by Phynox and, as he read through its contents slowly, his expression began to subtly change. It wasn’t shock, but more of a perplexed look at the somewhat absurd content.
“What’s wrong, Teacher?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
He then suddenly tried to hide the letter without showing it to Seere. Seere tilted her head in confusion. Nahun shook his head slightly, speaking.
“Umm, she said she understood. Well, that’s a relief.”
“…Teacher.”
Seere’s eyes narrowed. Watching this, Nahun felt a cold sweat breaking out, and Seere spoke in a deadly tone.
“What did she say?”
“Nothing….”
“Nothing isn’t an answer! Show me!”
“No! I’m sure you’ll be angry if you see it!!”
“You just said there’s something that I would get angry over!! I need to see what that woman said!!!”
“What do you mean ‘that woman’!?”
Ultimately, Nahun could not resist Seere’s insistence and handed over the correspondence to her. As expected by Nahun, Seere’s expression hardened as she read it.
“…Seere? I’m asking just in case, but….”
“NO!!!”
Seere yelled in frustration.
“I have to go to the 9th floor right away.”
“…What?”
“How dare she say this to someone else’s man…!”
“Where do you think you’re going… And it’s just an act, right?”
“Even if it’s just an act!!”
Seere shouted, pointing at a specific sentence in the letter.
“Who would ask something like that of a taken person!?”
The sentence read exactly like this:
“If Nahun can pretend to be my lover and make Malepare’s heart soften, then I will try to persuade Malepare as well.”
Nahun read that sentence and nodded as if he understood Seere’s feelings completely. He then tried to comfort her.
“…That just means she’s feeling burdened by Malepare. There’s no other meaning.”
“Surely this woman has liked you for a long time…”
“No, that’s absolutely not the case.”
Nahun knew very well what kind of Demon King Phynox von Bog was. Given her personality, she was not capable of truly loving anyone. She was someone whose ambition took precedence over love.
“…Is that so?”
Seere seemed somewhat relieved by Nahun’s confident answer but still firmly held her stance.
“But it still worries me. I don’t like the idea of you playing around with another woman.”
Seere was resolute. Nahun looked at her quietly and unintentionally let out a small laugh.
“…Why are you laughing?”
“Well, I can feel just how much you like me.”
At Nahun’s words, Seere’s face flushed red. She had never expected such a line at that moment, which caught her off guard.
“Of course! You’re… the most important person to me in this world.”
Seere, shy but firm, made Nahun smile happily. He then gently ruffled her hair and said.
“I feel the same way.”
“…!”
“As much as you like me… I can’t be sure it’s that much, but still, you are the person I like the most in this world.”
With Nahun’s gentle touch, Seere lowered her head slightly. Then, blushing bright red, she looked up at him and said.
“This… You’re trying to persuade me right now, aren’t you…”
“It wasn’t a lie.”
“…I know.”
Seere wiggled her fingers and extended her pinky, raising it in a promise.
“I promise.”
“A promise?”
“If Phynox tries to cross the line, we will definitely push her away.”
“I don’t plan on creating a situation like that at all.”
“There might be circumstances where it cannot be helped while acting.”
Feeling Seere’s concern, Nahun smiled softly. He entwined his pinky with hers as he spoke.
“Okay, I promise.”
“You can’t break it.”
“I understand.”
She was quite a worried child. If he had been watching her all along, he would know, but the feelings of affection that Nahun had shown were all due to Seere herself. That was only possible because of Seere’s relentless pursuit.
But he wanted to reassure her that she didn’t have to worry too much. For Nahun, Phynox von Bog was….
“There’s no need to tie deep connections with a disposable card.”
After all, she was merely a useful piece.
#
The ruling tier of Phynox von Bog, the 9th floor.
This place was also known as the “tier of art.” It was due to the fact that the ruler, Phynox, had a keen interest in art and culture, making it a spot frequently visited by artists from the Demon World, with many even settling down here.
Using that as a foundation, Phynox had established related businesses, accumulating immense wealth, and based on that wealth, had built strong military and political power. It was said that the money Phynox earned in a year was comparable to that of the 5th floor, which served as a sanctuary for merchants, indicating her remarkable skills.
In many ways, she was a skilled ambitious person, adept at harmoniously utilizing both violence and strategy. Such a capable Demon King was now at the portal, ready to welcome just one individual.
“You came earlier than expected.”
“Yes, I’m alone, contrary to plans.”
It was Nahun. He had disguised himself to avoid being detected while visiting the 9th floor. Phynox, upon seeing him, smiled.
“I might have made a bit of an unreasonable request; I apologize for that.”
“Is it that you dislike Malepare so much?”
“Not so much disliking him… it’s that I don’t wish to have anyone close to me yet.”
Nahun inwardly thought, once again, as expected. She was someone who desired to achieve her ambitions rather than finding someone to love.
It seemed that the worries about Seere struggling with jealousy would not arise after all. With that thought, Nahun asked Phynox.
“What exactly should I do?”
“I will casually ask you a few questions in front of Malepare.”
“Yes.”
“At that time, all you need to do is provide positive responses.”
Nahun blinked in surprise.
“Is that all?”
“Yes.”
“Is it really enough to deceive His Majesty Malepare with just that?”
Phynox smiled brightly.
“Malepare knows me well. Just by positively responding to my questions, he will figure out what kind of relationship you have with me.”
“…Understood.”
“Shall we go then? Malepare has agreed to come here.”
She seemed quite fond of him. Despite being in a position to call Phynox, she came down herself. Nahun followed Phynox into her Demon King Castle.
“Plegeton, you’re in charge of watching over Nahun today.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
It was the same general who had forcibly dragged Nahun away before. Nahun recognized him and greeted him with a light smile, but Plegeton received that smile with a sour expression and respectfully bowed his head in return.
“We will go to the reception room first and wait. It might take some time, but you just need to wait until Malepare arrives.”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
Nahun headed with Phynox to the reception room. It was adequately prepared for receiving guests. It wasn’t excessive, yet not shabby either. Phynox took the superior seat and spoke to Nahun.
“Nahun, you sit beside me; when Malepare arrives, just stand behind me for a moment.”
“Alright.”
While waiting for Malepare, a rather awkward silence lingered between Nahun and Phynox. Was it simply the tension of having to act as lovers?
“Madame Phynox.”
“…Yes?”
“I have one question. Just in case, are there any questions you might ask that would be difficult for me to answer or that could be embarrassing? If they cross certain lines, I want to be mentally prepared ahead of time.”
“No, there shouldn’t be any such questions.”
“Is that so?”
Then how exactly does one persuade Malepare? Just as Nahun was pondering that, an elegantly dressed butler entered and bowed.
“His Majesty Malepare has just arrived.”
“Let him in quickly.”
“Yes.”
Nahun rose from his seat and stood behind Phynox as they had discussed. He wondered about the unopened door to the reception room.
‘Malepare…’
Would he be just as seen in Ebel Queen Maker, or would there be something different here? That was the moment to see.
Finally, the door to the reception room opened, and a man entered.
“Phynox~!”
“…I’m glad you arrived safely, Malepare.”
Looking at his delicate appearance, and androgynous face, along with his unexpectedly shorter stature, Nahun felt relieved.
‘Nothing has changed at all.’
Malepare. He was one of the characters in Ebel Queen Maker that was particularly popular among ‘female users.’
Indeed, he was commonly referred to as a “shota”… such a character.
