Kim just stared at him, her face a mix of shock and humour. He must be joking? He must be!
"But… you're the demon lord?" she asks and he gives a small chuckle, keeping eye contact with her like she'd said something funny.
"Was the demon lord. After you defeated me and let me live, I bequeathed my crown to you as is tradition. You defeated me fair and square and no one shall oppose you." he said that last part darkly, like he'd personally make sure of it.
"But!" she stood from the table, her hands gripping the side. "You're their king! They don't know me and I certainly don't know how to be a queen?!" she stammered, shaking her head and he just continued smiling at her, eyes lidded as she finished her tirade.
"You are special in your own ways. I can see that. But you're right, you do not know how to rule." he agreed and for a moment she thought he could see sense! Her spirits lifted as he stood and walked around to her side before he dropped onto one knee and took her hand.
Eh? What was he doing? He couldn't be- No, they'd only just met! Her heart wasn't ready!
"That's why, my dear human. I will be by your side and guide you as your knight and protector." he said, his eyes not leaving hers as he kissed her hand. Her face flushed scarlet, her voice leaving her as she struggled to find words.
He seemed pleased by this, just watching her as he stood.
"Please eat some more." he urged kindly, and she slumped back in her seat with a sigh.
"I can't be a queen." she says quietly, saddened by the fact as wonderful and dreamlike as it sounds. "People rely on a queen, look up to her for help! I can't be that person for them." she tried but Liel still smiled, taking a piece of bread and buttering it.
That was the whole point of the game though, she thought sadly. To take over and expand the domain but that wasn't real before! This was real.
"I think just admitting that is a good start. A demon lord only needs to be one thing I find, powerful. And you have great potential." he says, pointing the knife at her as he speaks.
He passes her the piece of bread, urging her to eat and it's all delicious still.
She huffed and pouted but he ignored it. Looking pleased with himself. So she ate more till she was full and had finished the stew and some of her sweet fruits.
"This was delicious. Really, probably the best food I've ever had." she gushed, her mood picking up as she was full for the first time in years.
"I will tell the kitchen. They'll be very pleased." Liel hummed. His eyes glanced to the bed and she felt her heart do a skip.
"Uhm Liel. is this- is this your room?" she asks and he nods.
"Yes it is. Yours is still being made up at the moment and you dearly needed rest. So I brought you here."
"Ah I see." her words wavered with embarrassment, her eyes glanced down and away from him.
"Does it please you?" he asks coyly.
"Wh-what?!" she asks, looking up with her face red and he's still got that damnable smile. It's too handsome! It should be illegal.
"My room? Does it please you." he asks again like it was an innocent question and she stammers her response.
"It's lovely. Really."
"Good. now, back to bed with you, my queen." he orders, rising from the table and offering his hand.
She takes it without hesitation. Why wouldn't she? A gorgeous man was offering to help her.
She stood on tired legs. After so much food her body was getting the idea of resting and she found her eyes sliding shut on their own.
"Yeah, bed sounds great." She mumbled, following him and when he pulled back the blankets he found her book. Picking it up and opening it with one hand.
She wondered what he thought of the game guide. Would it be weird, would he see she cheated in their fight?
"Hmm, is this a journal?" he asks, passing it back to her, she tilts her head in confusion. Opening the book she sees the pages are full of information about secret items and looks back at him.
"You couldn't read it?" she asks and he tilts her head back at her.
"There's nothing on the page, my dear." he says and she closes the book and nods. If Liel couldn't see the contents she'd take it as a blessing.
"Liel, you'll tell the others I can't be queen right? You can have it back, I don't mind!" she insisted but he tutted and made her lie down, his hands on her shoulders rubbing soothing circles into the flesh.
"Just focus on recovery right now, I'll take care of the castle in the meantime." he assured her and she got the distinct feeling he was ignoring her protests. She frowned at him but her body was already fighting off the sleep.
"Okay. just- I didn't want to fight you." she says before nodding off, hearing his voice before she falls asleep.
"You're too kind, my little human."
She was gone to the world quickly and didn't feel that Liel sat at her side on the bed, watching her for a time.
When she awoke she was alone and the early morning light was streaming through the curtains. Kim woke up with a stretch, her hands out in front of her and touching the edges of her game guide that Liel had put next to her on the bed.
He was so sweet to her. She almost couldn't stand it. She got her book and flipped it open, now that she had gone through the first part of the game (defeating Liel) she wondered if anything else would happen to her.
She read through part 2 and a curious message greeted her that she couldn't remember reading the first time through.
The book started by congratulating her that now she was the queen of the castle by using her wits and a handy chandelier. The language seemed oddly… specific? What if it had been a male player? And how did they know about the chandelier?
"Now it is time to acquaint yourself with the castle inhabitants. They range from all manner of humanoid races to living slimes and magical beasts. And as their queen, they'll want to meet you!"
She couldn't help the wide smile on her face. Meeting new people, monsters and the like is so exciting! She closed the book with a snap and got up, rushing to the bathroom to find a hairbrush and brush her teeth.
"Good morning ma'am." the mirror said as she entered, creating its foggy face "Young master Liel brought in some supplies for you. Do use them." it offered and she found a wooden box holding a new toothbrush, hairbrush and other small things for her to use.
"Oh thank goodness." she sighed in relief, using the toothbrush and she just enjoyed being able to clean herself properly as she brushed through her long hair.
"Any plans for today ma'am?" the mirror asked and she nodded.
"I'm going to meet the others in the castle." she said happily and the mirror smiled.
"Very good, they are all looking forward to meeting you." Its voice enthusiastic as she rinsed her mouth.
"Okay. Now I just need to find some shoes?" she looked down at her bare feet and wondered what to do.
"The cobbler and tailors have already been informed and your new wardrobe should be ready soon." the mirror replied, looking pleased with itself.
"I can't accept all that." she rushed out but the mirror just chuckled.
"Please, it's only a few dresses and shoes. Every queen should have these things." it stated and Kim almost wanted to argue with the mirror about that certain title.
But she realised something important and could have smacked her head for being so rude.
"Sorry. I never asked but what is your name?"
The mirror smiled, seeming to bow as it introduced himself.
"I am just "the mirror" an unseen in an enviable position as your trusted servant." it explained, Kim frowned a little.
"But what should I call you?" she asked and the mirror hummed and hawed.
"I suppose a name would be good. How about Pennyworth? We used to have a butler named that a few centuries ago. A good name for a good servant." It nodded its face and Kim smiled.
"Alright. Pennyworth it is." she cheered, clapping her hands. She left the bathroom after a quick goodbye. Leaving Liel's room for the first time in days.
The castle hallways were eerily quiet with slivers of morning light coming in from the cracks in the curtains. She thought it was such a waste of good daylight and opened the curtains fully, looking out into the wider world she gasped at its beauty. Roaming hills and mountains littered a clear landscape, the castle was located atop a hill and she could see the outline of a small village past the castle.
Something large and shockingly recognisable flew past in the distance, a dragon with a red body and golden wings. She watched it fly off into the mountain with her jaw on the floor.
Stumbling back from the window she shook her head and continued on through the castle, going down some stairs, walking along large hallways. She wondered if she was getting lost before some voices caught her attention.
"Over there! No no over there!" an exasperated voice called out.
She peeked around the corner. Spotting two new faces and what a sight they were. One was a gleaming white skeleton in rusted armour, a low level mob called a skeleton knight.
The other was a little imp in a maid's outfit. She bossed around the skeleton, getting it to clean in high places that her short stature couldn't reach with a long feather duster in hand.
"Uhm excuse me?" Kim entered the scene with an awkward hand wave. The pair turned around and gawked at her. The skeleton's jaw nearly hit the floor as she smiled at them nervously.
"Your majesty!" the imp squealed, rushing up to her "we were just cleaning up for you." Her voice was elated as her tail swished side to side.
''O-oh thank you.'' Kim stuttered back, wondering if everyone in the castle was just going along with this queen idea? Someone had to see she wasn't fit for this job?
The skeleton walked forward, falling to a knee in a deep bow, one arm over the other as the imp curtseyed.
''You honour us, we just couldn't wait for you to start exploring and see all there is to see. So it must be tidy!'' The imp declared proudly, puffing out her chest and the skeleton nodded with her.
''It all looks so magical.'' Kim awed, going up to the giant painting and gasping at the sight of a fiery landscape and hellish demons.
''My hometown.'' The imp giggled proudly ''Commander Liel has paintings of all the creature's home origins. Reminds us why we moved but if it doesn't make us all homesick.'' she sighed, putting her feather duster behind her head.
'Why did you move?' Kim asked and the imp looked taken aback.
'To expand of course, my home is warm sure but nothing grows. So I moved and send my pay back so my folks can eat.' she explains and Kim nods along.
'That's so kind of you! Where I'm from, no one is so kind.' She sighed, even her own parents hadn't been that nice to her. Foggy memories of stolen meals and wicked words made her frown before she shook the thoughts away. Maybe it was better she was starting to forget?
''Everyone has different reasons, ma'am but we're all here to serve.'' she said, hands finding her hips.
''What's your name?'' Kim asked, turning from the painting and the imp tilted her head.
''Inasia, your highness.'' She says with a bow 'oh and that's Cliff.' she says, pointing her feather duster to the skeleton. "We call him that because he died falling off a cliff.'' she chuckled darkly.
Kim felt a little faint from that news and waved at Cliff, he waved back happily.
A racket was being made down the hall and the three turned to look.
'Ah that'll be the cook.' Inasia explained, trotting up the corridor to stand in front of kim.
'Oh! I should say thank you for the food. It was delicious, would you show me the way?' she asks and the skeleton bounds ahead, eagerly showing her the way it seemed as Inasia laughed.
'Follow us your highness!'