Chapter 72
Guard Selection Meeting
After Lilicia’s “Seven-Day Silent Grand Speech”, the Demon King finally gave in and agreed to let her attend the academy.
The very next day, the grand hall of the Demon King’s castle was once again filled with noise.
“Listen well!”
The Demon King struck his staff against the floor, the obsidian tiles echoing with a low rumble.
“To send Lilicia to the academy, she shall be accompanied by guards. — We will select nineteen!”
At that instant, the demons lined up on both sides all shot their hands into the air.
Some even flapped their wings, and others thrust their horns upward.
The enthusiasm was about to blow the lid off like a boiling cauldron.
“Your Majesty! I, Zeil the Shadow Runner! I shall run faster than the princess’s shadow and cut down all enemies!”
“I want to become the princess’s bedroom carpet! — I mean shield! Shield, I meant shield!”
“If it’s strength enough to carry mountains, I, Nagura, am your demon! I’ll handle all her luggage!”
“I am Meril, the poison tester! I know thirty-seven poisons and twenty-seven antidotes! I shall taste everything before the princess eats!”
“D–Don’t taste everything!”
Lilicia couldn’t stop herself from commenting.
The Demon King pressed a hand to his forehead and let out a deep sigh.
“…All of you, go consult a dictionary and look up the word guard.”
“In the dining hall we’ve spread dictionaries across the floor to make cleaning easier—”
“Don’t spread them!!”
At that moment, a heavy sound echoed through the hall.
It sounded like boulders grinding together.
A massive shadow stepped forward.
It was a golem.
His name was Gorum — the stone guardian who served as gatekeeper of the Demon King’s castle.
“…Gorum.”
The Demon King spoke his name.
“Why do you volunteer?”
A soft glow pulsed from the magic core inside Gorum’s chest, and a voice seeped out from the cracks in the stone.
“…I want to protect.”
The air went completely still.
The normally silent guardian’s words were heavy — and sincere.
“Your reason?”
“The princess loves knowledge.
Those who build knowledge are like castle walls.
I am… stone.
Stone becomes a wall.”
Lilicia couldn’t help smiling gently.
“You’re hired.”
“Do not talk too much,” the Demon King warned in a low voice.
Gorum gave a solemn nod.
“…No more than three sentences.”
A few quiet laughs leaked throughout the hall.
“Good. We will choose nineteen from those who volunteered. However — since you will be infiltrating human territory, you must possess human form. Therefore, we will conduct a Humanization Ritual!”
The hall erupted again.
“Human form!? Will we grow hair!?”
“Do noses truly have two holes!?”
“Do fingers really need five of them?”
“That’s too many!”
Lilicia couldn’t contain her laughter.
“Everyone calm down! You’re only changing appearance, that’s all.”
“Even appearance is amazing!”
Meril raised her hand high.
“If I get a tongue, I want to try talking with it!”
“You already talk plenty while doing poison checks,” Lucia retorted, and the hall burst into laughter.
The Demon King struck his staff again.
A massive magic circle appeared beneath their feet, glowing across the stone floor.
Geometric patterns intertwined and gathered light at the center.
“One at a time. Your body will adapt to human form. Side effect may include—”
“Side effect?”
“—an urge to speak.”
The Demon King slowly turned his eyes toward Gorum.
Gorum emitted a soft glimmer — his stone face almost blushing.
“…I will endure.”
◆◇◆
The first to step into the circle was Zeil.
He was enveloped in light, and the outline of shadow softened into that of an ordinary young man.
“Ohhh… fingers! And the nails are flat!”
“No running!”
Next was Meril.
She transformed into a pretty girl with glossy hair and let out a delighted squeal.
“My voice is high! Now even poison tasting will be cute!”
“There is no need for cute poison tasting!”
One by one, the demons obtained human forms.
Finally, Gorum stepped onto the circle.
Light engulfed him, his stone body cracking apart as smooth human skin emerged beneath.
A tall young man with gray eyes stood there.
Then he spoke:
“Wow. Soft. Fingers. Voice. …I can talk!”
“Three sentences!”
Lilicia immediately cut him off.
Startled, Gorum clamped a hand over his mouth.
“…Reflecting.”
The hall erupted into heartfelt laughter.
The Demon King looked to his daughter at last.
“Lilicia. Send a 魔伝書鳩 (magic messenger dove) every week. Do not forget.”
“Of course.”
Lilicia placed a hand over her heart and smiled.
“I’ll always send a message saying, ‘The grapes are sweet,’ Papa. I promise.”
The Demon King’s stern expression softened — just a little.
“…Go and enjoy yourself.”
With nineteen guards,
and one brand-new problem—
Gorum’s tendency to talk too much.
