At this very moment, the black-haired Hero, Amir, who had just killed the Demon King in a single strike, was calmly holding that Demon Race Sacred Artifact.
She stood straight at the doorway.
Meanwhile, our noble Demon Race princess, the Blood Magic Princess Histori, had one foot in the room and the other straddling the windowsill, looking as if she were about to leap down and flee.
The Princess’s Bedroom in the Demon King’s Castle fell into a hollow silence.
“Oh… my. Having been imprisoned in this Demon King’s Castle for so long, the thought of finally leaving this cage… I actually feel a bit nostalgic for a moment. Haha, hahahaha…”
Suppressing the urge to flee through the window with all her might, Histori gave a sheepish laugh toward Amir and tremulously climbed back into the room.
She stretched performatively, straightened her hair using her reflection in the window, took a deep breath, and squeezed out a brilliant smile.
“Um, Master Hero, the wind outside was a bit strong just now and blew off my necklace. Thank you for picking it up for me.”
…It couldn’t be helped; the situation was out of her hands.
She had seen Amir’s speed just now; trying to slip away right in front of her was a pipe dream.
Moreover, the Demon Race’s Sacred Artifact—including her own father’s soul—was still in her hands…
Of course, her father’s soul didn’t matter to her at all.
She was only worried the Hero would notice something about the Sacred Artifact and cut her down with one swing.
However, even though Histori felt her expression was incredibly sincere, Amir didn’t return the necklace immediately as she had imagined.
Instead, Amir rubbed the surface of the heart-shaped ruby with her fingertips.
After a moment of silence, she looked up and questioned Histori again.
“This, isn’t it my reward?”
Histori’s smile stiffened, and she forced a response.
“…This, it isn’t your reward, okay?”
Amir picked up the ruby, tossed it lightly into the air, and caught it back in her hand.
“Is it really not?”
“It really isn’t.”
“Is that so?”
“…Ye, yes.”
“Good.”
Amir narrowed her eyes slightly and gave Histori a satisfied nod.
Then, she naturally started to pull the ruby necklace toward her own neck.
“Wait, wait! Master Hero! That’s not what I meant just now!”
Seeing that Amir seemed like she was actually going to wear her father around her neck, Histori panicked.
She lunged forward and grabbed a corner of the necklace with both hands.
“This really isn’t your reward! It’s my personal property! I just accidentally dropped it!!”
“…”
After Histori lunged over, Amir didn’t continue to pull, allowing her to take the necklace back.
However, before Histori could relax, Amir extended a single finger and lightly poked her smooth forehead.
“But it hit me.”
Histori bowed deeply, following the flow of the situation.
“I’m sorry. I apologize on behalf of that evening breeze.”
“It hurt.”
“I am so sorry for making you feel pain…”
“Give me compensation.”
“…”
Histori gnashed her teeth in resentment, cursing the expressionless woman in front of her from head to toe.
‘Seriously? I already said the wind blew it onto your head, and there isn’t even a mark left! And she still wants compensation? Is she a Hero or a bandit?!’
Histori sighed helplessly at the bandit before her and spread her arms.
“I can only give you something other than this necklace.”
As if incapable of communication, Amir didn’t follow Histori’s lead.
She simply held out her palm and said relentlessly, “…Heart.”
“Ugh, didn’t I say I can only give you something other than this necklace!! Is there something wrong with your ears—”
She slammed on the brakes at the last second.
Histori took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and gave Amir a soft, beautiful smile.
“Um, dear Master Hero, this ruby necklace is the only keepsake my relatives left for me. Every time I miss them, I talk to this necklace as if they were still by my side.”
“Therefore, it is an existence as important to me as my own life.”
To make her words more believable, Histori squeezed a sharp corner of the necklace tightly.
Using the pain, she forced two drops of tears from the corners of her eyes.
“However, if the Master Hero wants it… even if it is a poor girl’s last memory of her family, I will give it to you willingly…”
“…”
After hearing this tearful accusation, Amir pressed her finger to her lips and frowned slightly, looking troubled.
…What?
‘The one who should be troubled is me! What is with that look on your face?’
Histori shielded the Sacred Artifact firmly in her palm, watching warily as Amir circled her once and finally squatted down behind her.
Amir tilted her head up slightly, her gaze unreadable as she met the eyes of the turning Histori.
Staring into the Hero’s black pupils, Histori swallowed and instinctively squeezed her legs together.
“Um, Master Hero, what are you doing?”
“Heart.”
“…Huh?”
“…Your heart, let me touch it.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
Seeing that Histori was slow to act, Amir seemed to grow impatient.
She extended her finger and pointed toward the base of Histori’s spine, making a grasping motion.
She added once more, “Histori, your heart, let me touch it.”
…So that was it.
What Amir was talking about was actually that “heart.”
Histori looked down at the crystal-clear ruby necklace in her hand, which symbolized the future of the Demon Race’s revival and contained the current Demon King’s soul.
Then she looked back at the black-haired Hero sitting on the floor, waiting with an indifferent expression to stroke her Tail.
‘I see. I only need to sacrifice a bit of my dignity, my innocence, and my shame as a young girl to keep this supreme artifact.’
Even though she wasn’t exactly a good person, she could tell which was more important in this situation.
Thus, after a long silence, Histori let out a heavy sigh, a glint of resolve flashing in her eyes.
She turned around, knelt before Amir, and solemnly held out the Hero’s fair palms.
Immediately after, the ancient Sacred Artifact, the hope of the Demon Race’s revival containing the current Demon King’s soul—the heart-shaped necklace—was placed steadily into the Hero’s palm by Histori after a violent, futile flicker of light.
“—Here, Master Hero, the heart you wanted.”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.