In the Northern Demon Palace.
Luca sat on his throne with an arrogant air, a goblin mask concealing his irritation and anger. His blood-red eyes stared coldly at the royal-rank demon who was loudly begging for mercy.
"Please, have mercy, Your Majesty!! Please save my beloved daughter. It's not her fault that she recognized you as the second prince."
The Nine-Tailed Fox Clan was known for their looks and charm spells. No demon could escape a female fox's allure—not even the Demon King of the North, or at least, not the former Demon King.
Luca had never suspected that one of his prospective brides—Emmeline—had used her charm spell on his foolish, tyrannical half-brother. That brother, known for his weakness for beauty and his perversion, was an easy target. Even without the charm magic, anyone could seduce him if they were not afraid that the king would get bored in the next minute and kill them.
On the day of the demon king's bride selection, Emmeline had once again used her charm, hoping to please him without lifting a finger. She never expected the demon king to get enraged and nearly kill her, declaring that the fox clan was no longer of use to the North Region. That was when Emmeline realized—the demon king had changed.
Knowing this, Emmeline became even more ambitious. She was determined to become the new queen and would resort to any means to secure a position beside the new king. From disguising herself as the king's chambermaid to openly declaring her intention to become his consort—whether he had chosen someone else or not—she tried everything. But none of her efforts worked. The new Demon King remained unmoved, and Emmeline was at her wits' end.
In desperation, she spread a rumor: the North had a new king—and he had chosen a human as his bride.
Although it was just a rumor, all the high-ranking demons in Capital City sent spies to confirm it and hunt down the human girl who had supposedly captured the king's heart. Sooner or later, those spies would arrive in Boar Village and find Kelsey. And once they did, they would surely harm her, eliminating their greatest rival for the queen's position.
Luca felt a wave of regret and anger for not killing Emmeline that day. Even now, he desperately wanted to—yet he couldn't, because he had promised Kelsey. So instead, he retaliated by spreading damaging rumors about her.
'I heard Lady Emmeline snuck into the king's chamber naked… but he didn't even look at her.'
'She's not as stunning as she seems. She must've used a charm spell on us. Underneath the illusion, she's hideous!'
"The king's charm resistance is so strong, even her spell didn't work! And I've seen her real form—ugly beyond words!"
Many demons had once fallen for Emmeline's charm, spending countless hours, energy, and riches just for a chance to date her. When they heard these rumors, they became enraged and retaliated with hostility.
As a nine-tailed fox princess, Emmeline wasn't afraid of low-ranking demons—but it was a different story when facing noble, even royal ones. Things only got worse when she was poisoned by a ten-headed snake demon she had once courted. The Ten-headed Snake Clan was known for its incurable venom, and now, she got her karma.
She had received ten large white pearls from him—pearls found only in the treacherous Dragon Tomb Mountains in Human Land.
For low-ranking demons, infiltrating Human Land was suicide. For noble-ranking ones, it was a thrilling risk. Though their chances of survival were better, they still rarely dared to face demon slayers directly.
Yet the snake demon's young heir had risked everything to bring her those pearls. When he discovered she had deceived him and exploited him with her charm, his fury knew no bounds. In revenge, he poisoned her with a rare venom that could only be cured by one individual: the Demon King. Its best antidote was the king's dark essence.
Now, Emmeline's father—the King of the fox clan—stood before Luca, begging for his daughter's life.
How annoying, Luca thought. This sly snake is deliberately testing me. He wants to see whether I'll defend the fox clan—or use this chance to wipe them out.
If Luca saved her, the snake would likely report him to the Demon Emperor, claiming that Luca was weak and dependent on the fox clan. That could cost him the emperor's favor—and his shot at becoming the next heir. But if he let Emmeline die, the nobles would revolt, and the Northern kingdom's political system might collapse. That, too, would make him look powerless. No matter what he chose, it would cost him dearly.
Originally, he had only wanted to corner the fox clan and send Emmeline a warning. But the snake demon had his own vendetta—and was now using the situation to manipulate the circumstances. He was a master of killing two birds with one stone.
Luca narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Wasn't your daughter poisoned with a mixture of ten forbidden flowers? It'll kill her slowly—but not immediately. She has two weeks. Let her suffer for that long as punishment. I'll save her when I have time."
"Your Majesty!! Please!!" the Fox King screamed, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.
The Demon King had already left his throne by his teleportation magic. He transformed into a mid-rank demon and teleported directly to Boar Village. He was in a foul mood and hoped it would vanish the moment he saw his beloved's face.
He expected a friendly welcome, a warm smile, and that sweet voice calling his name. What he didn't expect was an overly enthusiastic, high-pitched squeal of joy, a tight hug, and an I miss you!
All his anger, frustration, and hatred melted away in an instant. Peace and contentment washed over him. He smiled, as if none of the chaos from earlier had ever happened.
"If you missed me so much, why don't you give me a kiss?" he teased, as he often did. He loved flustering the human girl. But he never expected her to grab his collar, pull him down, and press something soft against his cheek.
Did she just… kiss him?