Demetrius is wondering why is the child still trembling in front of him.
Hes not even doing anything.Hes just sitting as usual.Looking as usual.
He even put aside hes weapons that he normally carry around everywhere.
But then he also asked himself.
Why is he even trying so hard for this child?
He just picked her up because... Well.. She looks pitiful that a little squeeze can instantly kill her.She would have been dead by now if he didn't take her with him.
" Name." He ask.
It was supposed to be a complete sentence but he panicked somehow.
This is all because of Roy telling him that hes voice might scare the child too.
Is my voice ugly?
No.
Talk about impossible.
"E-Estelle." the child replied.
Oh she spoke!
Demetrius talking to hes mind.
Its not like hes surprised or anything.
Demetrius clear hes throat before asking the next question.
Hes not really curious but knowing the child wouldn't hurt right?
"So... Are you one of Earl Cromwell's slave? " he ask.
He look at the child obviously thinking and clueless.
"C-Cromwell?" the child ask in unexpectedly cute tone.
It feels so sudden but Demetrius felt hes heart skip a bit.He suddenly feel fluffy?
What is this?
Did this child cast a magic or a charm spell without him knowing?
Estelle wants to get out of the throne room as fast as possible.The Demon Lord is asking her so many questions that she can't answer.More like she didn't know the answer.
He asks her how old she is, or where she came from, or where her parents are.
What is she supposed to say?It's risky to lie, you never know if the Demon Lord is using a lie detector spell.
And he is also asking weird questions.
" What are your favorites?" He ask as if they are interrogating her with very important information.
But her favorites? Seriously? Is that even required?
Estelle can't complain.She is not in the place where she can complain.
She is a human child surrounded by demons.Its not hard to send her little head flying.
As a former wise and experienced general-when it comes to survival she is already a pro.After all the struggles she has been through, survival has become a daily habit.
And she will put it to use right now.
First.When you're in a strange place.
Never trust anyone.
And if you're facing an enemy that it's impossible to defeat?
Whatever he ask or wants, Just say YES! To preserve your life.
"I like everything My Lord."Estelle answered.
" Everything? "
" Yes."
"Okey then!" Demetrius said in a loud voice and stood up from his throne.
"Let's eat together."He said.
Eh?
Estelle doesn't know what went wrong or where.
All she did is say Yes.
Is she wrong?But she can't even refuse!She just wants to get as far away as she can to that Demon Lord until she has a chance to escape.She can't stay here when all of the people here are Suspicious and different from her.
She might become a food.
-DINNING AREA-
Estelle tried her best to finish eating immediately but..... How can her small body eat all of the food on the table?
Some are even taller than her.If she could shove it all in her stomach at once she'll be glad to do so.
It's true that she seeks death but she doesn't want to die because of over eating.
She at least wants to die in a decent and normal way.
"Do you not like the food?" He ask while eating a steak on his plate.
"N-no,it's good."
And there's that silent again.More of these and she'll vomit all the food in her stomach because of nervousness.
" Are you not wondering why you're here?"
Of course, I do.
But she can't say that.She has to act like a clueless, innocent child.
"W-why?"She ask.
" It's because I pity you."Demetrius said.
Those words are very familiar to her.
Pity.
Pity is the reason why she got out from pleading in the streets for food.Pity because it's clearly obvious that she's a hopeless child.
It was pity that feed her.
It was pity that raised her.
It was pity that led her to a lifeless life.
She's always in the place to be pitied.
Pity has become her oxygen, her food and her purpose.
She lived that long so that aristocrats have someone to pity on.
That's her.
And once they get tired of her.Once they get what they want.
They will just throw her away again,
Get rid of her.
Because of pity she never earned respect.
Pity has become her life.
And like this her life will repeat again.
" It was pity at first of course." Said Demetrius.
Estelle was shocked.
At first? So right now he doesn't pity me?
"Everyone in that situation will be pitiful."He said and drank wine in his glass.
" You were the very first child who didn't cry in front of me."He added.
Oh, So that's his reason?really?
Estelle doesn't want to think of it but....
Is he stupid, dumb, or naive?
Of course.Every normal child will cry by the sight of him.
He is the Demon Lord.He was called by many names like,The destruction,The worst Nightmare, The bad Omen,Darkness itself.
Even a Full Grown Adult woman in the inside like me is trembling.
And I am a General at that.
" So..." He paused and leaned on his chair and look at me so attentively.
" I will raise you."He said.
I don't know but my mind went blank.
R-Raise me?
Raise? As in the word raise like how a parent raises a child?
He wants to be my parent?
" You have no parents so there's no problem.I will accept you as my Family."
Family?
Estelle doesn't know anything about that word.
She lacks understanding about that word.
She heard that word more than once or twice,but really didn't know anything about it.
She lived by herself all her life.So family didn't really interest her.
Even the person who abandoned her never called her a family.
"You want to be my Mom?" She ask.
"Eh?" Demetrius drop his glass.
And it made a loud noise that made the whole atmosphere awkward.
While Estelle had no clue what's wrong.
Roy on the other hand is trying his best not to laugh.Hes just standing behind his Lord and he will surely hear him.
But Demetrius can feel Roy trembling from suppressing his laughter.
"General Roy. ARE YOU DONE?" Demetrius spoke in a threatening tone.
Roy immediately pulls himself together and his laughter changes into fear.
His Lord is so Gloomy he must be so embarrassed. And Roy can't deny that it's really funny.
Maybe the girl mistook him for a woman because of his long hair?
But his Lord is obviously manly despite his hair.
Will children can't be blamed.
The child is clearly clueless and innocent.