PWH C11

A momentary silence filled the room.

It was Sher who broke it.

“…Lady Bella, the thing you’re holding in your hand, that’s a table knife, right?”

“It is.”

“What are you planning to do with that…”

I made a gesture of slitting my throat with the table knife, and Sher responded with a dumbfounded expression.

“With that? Is that even possible?”

“A master doesn’t choose their tools,” I replied confidently to Sher’s question.

Demons, by nature, are generally belligerent. Over the years, I’d sent countless demons who foolishly challenged me back to the embrace of the Demon God. Moreover, being one of the youngest among the Demon Lords, there were plenty of demons who underestimated me and took me lightly.

I had probably killed more demons than most angels. Even with most of my power sealed now, there was no way I would lose to Sher. With just a table knife, I could easily deal with Sher.

“…Is that really the appropriate context to use that phrase? And, no matter how you look at it, using a table knife…”

At Sher’s retort, I responded confidently, “You seem unaware, but the table knife is an excellent weapon. It’s a versatile and practical tool. You casually cut meat with it, but if someone as rude as you shows up, you can use it as a weapon. It’s a highly functional tool.”

“Ah, wait, no! I almost agreed with you for a second.”

Sher shook his head with a bewildered look. The ominous aura he had been exuding earlier had dissipated completely.

“I almost forgot for a moment that Lady Bella, you occasionally—no, frequently—spout nonsense.”

Nonsense?

Sher’s words made me bristle with irritation.

I am certainly not a demon who says random things. Whenever I spoke with Lilith, she would laugh and call me a clever demon. I was the bright demon recognized by the Demon King.

While I was fuming inwardly, Sher spoke again, his earlier fierce demeanor fading to one of exhaustion. “It was just a joke. How could I possibly dare to oppose Lady Bella?”

“You make jokes at the risk of your life, don’t you?”

“Please believe me. Unlike those other foolish demons, I want to live a long and quiet life. Knowing that Lady Bella is under the Demon King’s protection, how could I ever dare to harm you? The fear of future consequences alone would stop me.”

Sher’s words made me nod. True to his reputation as an information broker, Sher even knew about my relationship with Lilith, something known only to a few demons.

I was now six hundred years old. It had been five hundred years since I’d reached maturity, yet Lilith still considered herself my guardian.

Well, to someone like Lilith, who had lived for over ten thousand years, I must still appear as a newly born demon. It wasn’t incomprehensible.

But after I reached maturity and succeeded as the Lord of Contracts, Lilith had curbed her overprotective tendencies for the sake of my dignity. Of course, if anyone were to wound or kill me, Lilith would personally hunt them down and exact revenge.

“Lilith did say that if someone ever harmed me, she would skin them alive herself.”

“Oh dear. Demons without backing can’t catch a break, can they?”

The tense atmosphere in the room vanished entirely.

Sher rang a bell on the table. Shortly after, the bartender who had guided me to the parlor came in, carrying tea and refreshments.

“You were really the master’s guest.” The bartender looked slightly surprised to see me.

“Not just any guest, but an honored one. From now on, if this lady comes here, guide her directly to the parlor. Fulfill any requests she has to the extent possible. Understood?”

Sher’s authoritative demeanor as he commanded his subordinates was quite convincing.

As soon as the bartender closed the door behind him, I complimented Sher. “Not long ago, you were on your knees begging me for mercy, and now you’re already playing the role of the master of the house?”

“…Lady Bella, do you have to bring up my painful past like that?”

“What do you expect from a demon? Compassion?”

“Well, that’s true.”

We enjoyed the refreshments for a while. As Sher sipped his tea, I picked up a sweet-smelling cookie.

“What is this?”

“Ah, that’s called a macaron. It’s a dessert that’s currently trending among humans.”

I cautiously took a bite of the macaron. My eyes widened at the unfamiliar sensation that overwhelmed my taste buds.

“Humans are enjoying luxuries beyond their worth.”

“…That’s a unique way to say it’s delicious.”

Sher put his teacup down and watched as I continued eating the macaron. Then, as if a thought had suddenly crossed his mind, he spoke to me, “Now that I think about it, Lady Bella, you haven’t indulged in entertainment in the Middle Realm for a while, have you? Among the demons who wield power, you’re probably the only one who doesn’t partake in such amusements.”

A demon’s lifespan generally corresponds to the amount of magic they possess. Demons powerful enough to be recognized in the Demon Realm lived for thousands of years, and those who ascended to the position of Demon Lord easily lived tens of thousands of years.

Demons, feeling ennui due to their long lifespans, would often come down to the middle realm, masquerading as humans and seeking amusement. Unlike me, who hadn’t set foot in the middle realm for the past five hundred years.

“Middle Realm doesn’t appeal to me much,” I answered vaguely.

After finishing the macaron, I drank tea to wash away the lingering sweetness in my mouth.

As I put my cup down, Sher began asking his questions in earnest.

“So, Lady Bella, may I ask more about how you came to be in that body?”

I explained to Sher what had happened to me.

“Hold on.”

Sher, who had been listening quietly, interrupted midway.

“So you’re saying you didn’t get caught? No one, not even your family, realized that Lady Bella had taken over that body?”

“That’s right.”

“How is that possible?”

“What’s the problem?”

“There are so many problems I don’t even know where to start—first of all, your way of speaking.”

What was wrong with the way I spoke? I tilted my head in confusion. “Doesn’t it sound strong and good?”

“…I don’t know about strong, but it’s certainly distinctive. Anyway, Lady Bella, your unique way of speaking isn’t exactly what one would expect from a noblewoman.”

For her manner of speaking to change overnight like that, and for no one to find it strange? Sher looked at me with disbelief in his eyes.

“The original owner of this body was a delinquent. So, no matter what I did, they just let it pass.”

“Well, Duke Dunkeld’s daughter was indeed notorious for being a delinquent.”

Sher began listing the misdeeds Isabella had committed.

“The incident at the garden party where she was thrown out for threatening to set the place on fire over something she didn’t like—it’s infamous, well-known throughout the capital.”

Listening to Sher, I grew puzzled. “She’s considered a delinquent just for that?”

Isn’t it possible to feel like committing arson at least once in a lifetime? Besides, it had ended in an attempt, not in action. Criticizing her for something that hadn’t even happened seemed excessive.

The other incidents Sher described were no different from what Jessie had told me.

Humans really were an incomprehensible species.

Sher gave me a peculiar smile. “Lady Bella, unlike demons, humans take arson very seriously. Humans are fragile and can die in a fire, unlike demons.”

“Tsk, such weaklings.”

“Come to think of it, it makes sense that the Duke’s family didn’t find anything odd.”

After all, a demon had taken over the body of a delinquent. It would be strange if they felt something was off. Sher murmured in a low voice.

Then, as if something had crossed his mind, he added cautiously, “Lady Bella, I heard a rumor—”

“What is it?”

“—that Lady Isabella might be connected to demon worshippers.”

I flinched at the mention of demon worshippers. “Demon worshippers? Are you saying they still exist?”

“They’re a very secretive group, so I’ve only heard rumors, but recently, their existence was confirmed.”

I never held much regard for humans as a species, and I particularly despised demon worshippers.

Demon worshippers had existed five hundred years ago. Even when the Great Demon invaded the middle realm, instead of banding together, some humans chose to betray their own kind and side with the demons.

They didn’t even realize that most demons despised them.

I remembered the lair I had discovered back then.

A mountain of corpses piled up on an altar. Among the bodies, there were many with unusually small hands, hands that were barely half the size of mine. Enraged by the sight, I had torn apart those responsible with my own hands.

Recalling that memory made me scowl.

Even demons, despite being monsters, wouldn’t touch children. Those fools didn’t even know the taboo among demons and thought they could curry favor by offering such sacrifices.

They were unbelievably stupid.

Seeing my expression darken, Sher asked, “Lady Bella, you dislike demon worshippers, don’t you?”

“Indeed. If they cross my path, I’ll tear them apart.”

“But aren’t they your followers? I didn’t expect you’d dislike them so much.”

It seemed Sher didn’t fully understand what kind of group demon worshippers were. Well, Sher had no connections with them, so it was understandable.

Demon worshippers didn’t worship all demons. They only revered Demon Lords or those with comparable influence. Demons like Sher, who were weak, weren’t even on their radar.

To help Sher understand, I chose an analogy that would be perfect for him. Sher was particularly scared of insects. He found anything with more than four legs disgusting.

So—

“They are repulsive beings. My followers? Imagine if cockroaches were worshipping you.”

“Ah.”

Sher immediately looked as though he understood perfectly.