The Demon King Wants Peace - Chapter 3

Leto cautiously entered the room, casting wary glances around. He coughed lightly, the cold air triggering it. If his coughing got worse, Valen would send him back to bed without hesitation. Leto pressed his lips together and covered his mouth with the back of his hand, trying to suppress the cough, but his body shook with the effort.

“What makes you think acting foolish like this will work?” Valen asked.

Valen was not one to be deceived by such a feeble act. He grasped his brother’s frail wrist and pulled his hand away from his mouth. The suppressed coughs erupted harshly, scratching Leto’s throat. Valen waited silently until the coughing subsided.

“I’ll go to bed soon,” Leto said, trying to preempt any scolding. Ben handed Leto a cup of water, but Leto’s eyes remained fixed on Valen.

“Drink it,” Valen instructed.

Leto obediently took the cup and drank half of the water before handing it back to Ben.

“When I wake up, you’ll already be gone. You said you don’t know when you’ll return once you cross the border this time,” Leto said, his voice trembling slightly.

Valen placed his hand on Leto’s cheek and forehead. “You have a fever again.”

It wasn’t just the fever. Leto’s breathing was labored, his face hot while his hands were cold and pale. His neck was already damp with cold sweat.

Valen instructed a waiting servant to bring medicine and a wet cloth. Ben guided Leto to an armchair and helped him sit. Valen covered Leto’s legs with a blanket. Leto’s cold hand grasped his fingers.

“Brother, I’m sorry for being a burden.”

“Stop talking nonsense and close your eyes.”

“Still, I’m proud of you. You’re amazing. When you come back, I’ll be just like you.”

Leto’s eyes, about to close, remained fixed on Valen’s face. Valen silently erased any lingering regrets about the weight of his armor or missing the sight of the moon.

“I’m going to the temple to pray. I’ll ask the gods to grant you the strength to defeat all those demons.”

Valen nodded in silence.

“Ben, come with me,” Leto said.

“I’m not allowed in the temple. But I’ll pray in front of your brother’s statue in the square. I’ll ask for the same— for our master to cut down that wicked Demon King and find some peace,” Ben replied.

Before sunrise, the sound of horns signaling the departure echoed throughout the capital. Flags of the allied nations fluttered everywhere, and cheers and shouts of Valen’s name filled the air.

Standing at the front of the procession, Valen quietly and resolutely donned his helmet, his eyes calm and steady.

***

It was a strange sensation.

Warm air wrapped around his body like the spring breeze he had felt in his hometown as a child. It tickled him, only enough to ruffle his hair, without any ferocity. The scent of flowers overlayed the sickening smell of blood embedded in his memory. For the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of peace, one he hadn’t experienced since he had armored himself with muscle and steel.

What is this? Though a giant question mark hovered in his mind, he was sure the sensation itself wasn’t unpleasant. The careful touch that stroked him against his lower abdomen… soft and gentle…

Wait a minute. Touch?

A cold shock of realization jolted through his foggy mind. Valen’s eyes snapped open to see a high ceiling and a demon in a blood-soaked dress.

A hornless succubus. Argen.

The drowsy cells in his body bristled with hostility in an instant.

Argen was straddling him, a position advantageous for ending a life or forcing submission.

But Valen couldn’t sense any intention to kill in those red eyes staring directly into his. Instead, she looked bored, as if she were facing a complicated text. Her demeanor even hinted at irritation.

“You damn…!”

He tried to rise immediately but found it difficult. Green vines extending from the four corners of the bed had wound tightly around his limbs. Damn it! When Valen exerted his strength, there was a snapping sound, but the vines quickly regrew and wrapped around him again.

“Don’t waste your strength,” Argen said calmly.

“What are you doing?” Valen demanded.

“Do not fear. I won’t harm you.”

“Arrogant fool. Get off me right now!”

The mere contact with a demon disgusted him. The only sensation he wanted when dealing with demons was the heavy resistance of his sword plunging into their innards.

“The wounds I barely managed to heal will reopen,” she replied.

Valen noticed the signs of someone’s attempt to heal his right arm. Those insane demons had indeed drained his blood. On the other hand, the wound on Argen’s neck from the axe had vanished without a trace. Only the red marks on her dress remained. Monstrous healing power. Or rather, she truly is a monster.

Valen glared at Argen’s right neck, his eyes blazing with hatred. The soldiers had fought with all their might to tear demon flesh and crush their bones, only to see the twisted neck bones realign and the bleeding stop in the blink of an eye. The demon’s healing abilities were a curse to humans, demoralizing the soldiers and causing them to lose heart. A moment of mental faltering in war led to defeat.

“No matter how many times I see it, it’s always repulsive,” Valen spat.

“You have many injuries. The goat suffered from allergies while treating you. He is a capable doctor,” Argen said.

“I don’t want anything from filthy demons, whether medicine or treatment,” Valen growled, his voice dripping with contempt.

Argen’s eyes narrowed slightly at his words. She then moved her hand to Valen’s neck.

As her ice-cold fingers touched his skin, Valen instinctively flinched. Ignoring his reaction, Argen began unbuttoning his shirt. It was likely the formal attire he had been dressed in before he woke up in the ceremonial coffin.

“What… what are you doing? Let go! Get away from me!” he shouted.

Despite Valen’s fierce resistance, Argen continued her task silently. It seemed it was her first time undressing someone, as she fumbled several times, her hands brushing against Valen’s skin.

After struggling for a while, Argen finally managed to unbutton his shirt. A brief flicker of satisfaction crossed her otherwise emotionless eyes.

Meanwhile, Valen felt a growing sense of foreboding. His instincts had often served him well in battle, helping his allies avoid danger. This woman was a high-ranking demon and a succubus. In a situation like this, there was only one thing a succubus would do to an enemy.

Convinced of his conclusion, Valen’s resistance intensified.

“If you so much as touch me, I’ll drag you to a volcanic inferno and temper you over and over!”

“It just so happens there’s a volcanic spring behind my territory. With a mithril tub, it becomes a boiling hot spring. A very comfortable place to relax. But if you go there alone as a human, you’ll easily be consumed by the demonic energy and turn to ashes. You must accompany me,” Argen replied calmly.

“Damn it, why won’t this thing break!” Valen roared.

The muscles in his arms bulged as he strained against the green vines. The contours of his muscles were visible through his shirt. But the tentacles seemed to regenerate infinitely, binding him more firmly and strongly.

“Your wounds will reopen,” Argen warned.

“Shut up and release me!” Valen demanded.

“There’s no point in stalling,” Argen murmured.

Despite being advised that communication was important, she mumbled something under her breath and suddenly bent down.

“Ugh…!”

Valen felt a flash of lightning when Argen’s thick lips enveloped his protruding nipple. Her hair, which he had mistaken for a spring breeze, cascaded over his body, enveloping him in a completely different sensation. As Argen awkwardly moved her lips, saliva moistened her dry mouth and transferred to his nipple.

“No, stop it… Get off me. Ah!”

Her soft tongue brushed over his hardened nipple, making it bend in the direction of her tongue. Valen’s ears turned crimson with embarrassment, and curses and gasps spilled from his mouth. When Argen enveloped his nipple with her lips and sucked hard, a chilling sensation shot through him. Valen arched his neck back and groaned loudly.

“Ah… Damn it… Hah… Hah…”

Finally, Argen released his nipple and straightened her posture, staring at him with still-dry eyes. Valen’s tormented nipple quivered with sexual tension. His chest heaved with his rough breathing, and the skin around his eyes was flushed red.