"Gasp…"
All she could see was pitch-black darkness. A cliff of night. Absolutely nothing visible.
Didn't there used to be light in here?
What the hell happened?
Almost as if the voice had read her mind, the man spoke again.
"Rather impatient, aren't we?"
Oh no. Not being able to see makes it even scarier. Mia reached carefully toward her earring, ready to summon the sword if necessary.
Just then—
"Now now—what were you planning to do with the ancient sword?
That sort of dangerous toy doesn't suit this place."
Startled, Mia flinched.
What the—who is this guy? A servant of the demon king?
Swallowing hard, she spoke cautiously.
"Um… I can't see a thing, you know. It's kinda unfair if only you can see me.
Even if you're gonna eat me, the least you could do is turn on the lights…"
"Haha. 'Eat you,' you say? What a delightful choice of words."
His voice was… too smooth. Clear, gentle—young.
Not like the deep growls of the demons she'd met earlier. Was this guy a more refined type of underling?
Gradually, the darkness lifted. And then—
The room came into view.
Or rather… a greenhouse. A small fountain. A miniature waterfall. Lush plants of every shape and color.
And there—
a flower, identical to the one that had swallowed her whole in the Naizman desert.
Mia flinched at the sight. It wasn't fully bright—a faint red glow lit the space in dim, dreamy tones.
To one side, grapevines heavy with fruit. Nearby, black lilies blooming in full.
"I've never seen black lilies before…"
Mia murmured without realizing.
"Do you like my garden?"
Rustle.
Someone stepped into view.
A sleek black tunic trailing along the floor. Long, wavy black hair down to his thighs.
And then—
A pair of burning crimson eyes gazing down at her. Ram horns curling from either side of his head.
Bat-like wings. Ruby skull earrings.
A young man. Strikingly beautiful, despite the overwhelming aura.
Wait... there's someone besides Julius with this kind of terrifying beauty?!
Mia stared in disbelief.
The man's lips were crimson—like he wore gloss or rouge. He smiled sweetly, then said in a voice like silk:
"You asked me to turn on the lights so quickly—I didn't get to prepare everything properly. I hope you'll forgive me."
"…Who are you?"
Mia asked. Was this the guy she'd been talking to all along? A high-ranking underling?
"Me? People in your world tend to call me…Beelzebub."
He gave her a seductive smile. and sat casually by the fountain, among the black lilies, his eyes studying her with calm interest.
Mia didn't know what to say.
She'd imagined a genie-like figure, or a monstrous creature who devoured humans.
I mean… just because someone's a cannibal doesn't mean they have to look like one…
Still, I'd better not let my guard down.
"Now and then, when my followers visit the human world, they bring me little gifts like you. If you were frightened, I apologize."
"Oh, um… I—uh… thanks?"
Mia was about to explain her purpose—but decided to let the demon god talk first.
Beelzebub seemed polite enough to wait. When Mia didn't speak, he eventually smiled and continued.
"Still, I dislike forcing anyone into things they don't want. So I'll give you a choice."
"…A choice?"
"You can stay here with me, or return to your home."
"You'd really… let me go back?"
"Of course. Anywhere you like."
"…What exactly does 'stay here with you' mean? You're… not going to eat me, right?"
"Haha. Where do you come up with these ideas? You've been talking about being eaten ever since we met."
Beelzebub burst into laughter, loud and ringing. His ruby skull earrings jingled along with the sound.
"But your demons said they were going to cook me and serve me to you.
Something about you being a gourmet who'd enjoy the taste of my flesh."
At that, Beelzebub let out a soft sigh, his smile faintly amused.
"Ah, they're not fluent in human languages. A poor choice of words, I assure you."
"R-Right…"
Mia figured now was the time to explain why she'd come here. To ask for the ancient treasure to be returned.
She opened her mouth, preparing to speak—
"As for your earlier question…"
Beelzebub stepped toward her.
A strange scent drifted in—like incense from a temple, but with a sharp, almost metallic note beneath it.
He plucked a single black lily and tucked it gently behind Mia's ear.
As he did, his long, clawed fingers brushed her skin. Smooth as a beast's talon, curved and obsidian-dark.
"Living here with me means becoming my bride."
"…What?!"
Mia's eyes widened in shock.
Suddenly, everything made sense.
The "cooking preparations"—they weren't for a meal. It was a wedding night ritual.
And the "gourmet" remark? Clearly about women. About taste, in that way.
"Then those women who washed me…were they your past lovers or something?"
"My, my."
Beelzebub chuckled again.
"You take me for some sort of hedonistic philanderer. Is that how humans view demon gods these days?"
"I-I didn't mean it like that…"
Mia mumbled.
His expression grew more serious.
"They're just handmaidens. I only ever take one bride at a time. And when that marriage ends, I let her go—wherever she wishes to go."
A chivalrous demon king…? Seriously?
Mia blinked, speechless.
Well, maybe it was a good time to bring up the treasure. If he was this reasonable, maybe he'd just give it back.
"Actually, I came here for a reason. Your underlings didn't really kidnap me—
I was waiting for them on purpose."
Beelzebub's red eyes widened slightly. Through the parting of his tunic,
Mia caught a glimpse of a magic circle etched across his chest.
It pulsed faintly with power. A stark reminder that this man truly was a demon god.
"You came here... with a purpose?"
"Yes. The ministers of Sibareth sent me to retrieve a treasure—one you stole from our kingdom long ago."
Beelzebub studied her face.Then he asked something completely unexpected.
"Have you, by any chance, bathed in the water where a fairy underwent molting?"
"How did you know that?"
Startled, Mia stared at him. Beelzebub murmured, almost to himself:
"Seven hundred and fifty years ago...There was a girl like you once."
"Wait, really? You met someone like me before?"
Mia perked up. Maybe she could learn something useful.
But Beelzebub only grinned, his long, forked tongue slipping between white, razor-sharp teeth.
Mia's stomach turned.
What the hell? Those fangs—those eyes—he really is a monster…
"I've changed my mind. You're a rare find. It's been centuries."
His crimson tongue slowly traced along his lips, glistening like blood. Those same blood-red eyes now roamed across her figure, glowing.
Okay, nope. He's not charming. He's terrifying.
Definitely a demon king.
"W-What do you mean, you've changed your mind?"
Beelzebub took a step toward her. Then another.
"I'm a gentleman… usually. But only when I'm in a calm mood."
Mia stepped back.
The moment I mentioned the treasure,
his whole attitude flipped.
Too good to be true—of course it was.
"I should reward my servants."
Mia reached for her earring, ready to draw the ancient sword.
But—
"Looking for this?"
Beelzebub smirked, holding out his hand.
There—resting in his palm—were her earring and anklet. The sword and shield in disguise.
"!!!"
"Didn't I say it's dangerous for a little lady like you to carry weapons?"
And with a theatrical flourish, he tossed them into his mouth.
And swallowed.
Mia could only stare, stunned.
No… what now…?
"Ordinary women bore me. They're replaceable."
He crossed his arms and looked her over again. All Mia could think about was gutting him and retrieving her weapons.
Without them… I'm nothing.
"But you… you'll be my bride."
"Absolutely not! I'm a royal consort candidate for Sibareth! I'm not marrying you!
If you don't want to return the treasure, fine—I'll leave!"
She tried to back away—
but suddenly—
"KYAAAH!"
Beelzebub scooped her into his arms.
"Put me down, you shadow-faced freak! I said PUT ME DOWN!"
"I'll give you the treasure you wanted—as a wedding gift."
He carried her effortlessly through a tunnel overgrown with grapevines.
"No thank you! If I become your bride, I can't go back to Sibareth—ever!"
"Then that works out well. No one will take you from me."
Mia struggled, kicked, thrashed—Beelzebub's gaze turned cold.
"Look to your side."
"W-What? …AHH!!"
Between the vines—Mia now saw them. Countless severed heads.
Each head mounted like a grotesque trophy. The faces of young men, twisted in frozen terror.
She turned away, screaming.
"Those were the foolish dogs Sibareth sent to retrieve the treasure. That's how they ended up. Unless you want to join them…be a good girl and become mine."
His beautiful voice was a dagger laced in silk.