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I finally arrived at the place where the fight was raging. I even used acceleration magic to speed up my arrival.

The scene that I witnessed there was truly remarkable

"What a cute kid..."

"Give up, surrender your mother, and we\'ll spare you."

As Vener had mentioned, the two warlocks were indeed attacking Frey and the woman who appeared to be his mother.

"I-I\'ll never give up!"

"R-Run away..."

Frey was the one standing between them, using a sturdy tree branch as a makeshift club to protect his mother, who was mortally wounded.

"Then, I\'ll have no choice but to kill you."

"Ugh..."

When I first saw that scene, I couldn\'t help but grind my teeth in silence.

Frey\'s body was battered.

Though not as severely as his mother, he still suffered serious injuries.

"Annoying."

It was slightly annoying to watch.

Not out of concern, of course.

It felt more like watching a playful kitten trying to fend off a pack of wild dogs alongside its mother.

- Crackle

"You bastards."

Regardless, immediate intervention seemed necessary. Even though the kitten might be putting up a fight, there was no chance of it defeating the ferocious dogs.

- Shaaaa

"Huh?"

But then, something unexpected happened.

Stellar mana began to emanate from Frey\'s wooden stick.

"Why...?"

For demons and warlocks, stellar mana was akin to poison. The only person I knew who used it was the Hero from a thousand years ago.

Why would this kid be using it? Could it be that he...

No… No way.

Sweat dripped down my back as I entertained that thought, but I quickly shook my head.

It was a thousand years later now. After the Hero\'s victory, he likely had many descendants.

So, this boy could just be one of his descendants. Being a hero\'s descendant didn\'t necessarily mean he was a hero himself.

- Boommm!

"Ahhhhhh!"

As I was lost in thought, the boy\'s powerful blow swept through the area.

He had only swung the club once, but the warlocks, who seemed quite skilled, were thrown back. His blow was so strong that even trees were uprooted.

I, too, could do a similar thing with just a wave of my finger, But… could a human of his age display such strength?

No, in the first place, he was a weak, sickly boy. He even used to visit me every day, begging me not to kill him.

“Cough, ugh…”

Lost in thought, I watched as the boy vomited blood and collapsed.

Did he strain himself? Well, it was natural. No human could wield such power so recklessly.

Then that settled it.

Anyone could do that much if they were a demon.

So, the boy couldn\'t be a hero. At most, he might just be a very talented boy.

Probably…

"He\'s finally down, annoying brat."

"Die."

With that, there shouldn\'t be any problems assisting him now.

After all, he\'s not a hero.

"You bastards, stop right there."

"W-What\'s this?"

I wasn’t saving humans. I still despised them.

"Kid, we\'re kind of busy right now, so..."

- Crackle! Crackle…!

"Huh, what?"

This was just rescuing the playful kitten that was sometimes affectionate with me.

"Step away from the boy."

That was within her tolerance.

.

.

.

.

.

"Huak, haa..."

"..."

The battle ended much quicker than I anticipated.

I vaguely knew that the dormant traits of the Demon King within me had awakened, but I never thought I would become this strong.

With a few swings of my finger, suddenly the man was unconscious, and the woman was barely conscious, gasping for breath.

With this level of power, I could conquer the world right now.

"..."

With a proud expression, I glanced at Frey, but his and his mother\'s expressions were anything but normal.

Clearly, they were bewildered.

Thinking about it, it\'s been a while since I\'ve showcased my true strength, unleashing my demonic energy so recklessly around me, wreaking havoc on the surroundings.

From what I knew, demons had long since disappeared in this day and age.

Perhaps, they realized my true identity and were now on guard?

"Sigh."

Why did it matter? I had always been treated like this.

If people knew I was a demon, then I had to leave this place. Perhaps my connection with this boy would end here too.

"Are you... a demon?"

"So you know, huh?."

As I moved away, one of the attackers, the woman who was still conscious, asked me with a trembling voice.

"Kukuk... Damn. We were almost done, and now, because of some demon girl..."

"Hmm."

Watching her muttering self-deprecatingly, I suddenly felt curious.

Why did they attack Frey and his mother?

"... You’re a curious demon, huh?"

"You’re noisy. If you don\'t speak, I\'ll stab your head."

So, I asked.

At that time, I was not driven by hatred towards humans but was fascinated by curiosity, being outside the Demon King’s Castle for the first time.

And this curiosity that arose now somewhat quelled my desire to slaughter the dogs who hurt the kitten.

"I had to save my daughter."

"Your daughter?"

As I brought a finger charged with demonic energy closer to her temple, her answer was quite surprising.

"My daughter was born with the strongest dark mana in history. But because of that, she was fated to self-destruct before she could reach adulthood."

"Hmm?"

"So, I thought. What if I infused her with the mana of the strongest stellar mage in history? Maybe it could neutralize her power."

"So, you tried to kill those people to save your daughter? Don’t you feel any guilt?"

When I asked, she chuckled in response.

"Huhu... It\'s amusing to hear such words from a demon."

"..."

"Whatever happens to those people doesn\'t matter to me. As long as I save my daughter."

Listening to her, I was certain.

These people were nothing more than trash.

"Ah... Of course, I also wanted to see the strongest warlock in history. If I had infused her with the stellar mana, the power... Cough!"

"What a lunatic."

They were not just trash, they were insane trash.

Father\'s subordinates used to say that humans were more wicked than demons, and until now, except for Frey, that statement held true.

But, I felt something different.

Even these scum, worse than demons, had \'paternal love\' and \'maternal love\'. There was love within them.

Though it was severely twisted, it was still a repulsive and disgusting emotion, but it was love nonetheless.

Anyway, they possessed \'love\'.

It was a fresh shock.

Humans were supposed to be worthless, evil, and despicable trash that needed to be eradicated.

That was my understanding of humans.

Even among such beings, the most despicable one still understood love.

Ever since meeting the boy named Frey, my common sense has been continually shattered.

"Mother!"

From behind, I could hear Frey\'s relieved sobbing. That must be normal love.

"I can\'t understand."

Demons didn’t understand love. They didn’t even know parental love or familial love.

They just prey on the weak, and propagate for the survival of the species.

The reason my parents abused me and Lulu, the reason no one protected me and my sister, was all because there was no love.

That was why I also thought that love was only for the weak.

But a lesser being such as humans understood love.

"Hmm..."

"Y-Young Master..."

"...?"

Lost in thought with a vacant expression, I heard a voice from afar.

"Sorry... Ugh... because of me..."

"...Kania."

The girl called Kania was now sitting beside Frey, sobbing.

She was the one who escaped with her sister from their parents\' madness and became Frey\'s servant, as Frey had told me.

I could sense immense dark mana from her.

Then, was she the daughter of these people?

"I... I\'ll leave. Even though I’ll no longer work here... I... I can\'t face you and the family head..."

- Shaa...

"...Y-Young Master?"

I silently observed them, I wondered how Frey would react this time.

"Who will make my snacks if Kania isn\'t here?"

With those words, Frey began to transfer his life force to her.

Could humans manipulate life force freely?

No, that was not the issue here.

The boy was giving away his own lifespan to the girl.

"But..."

"Stay by my side from now on. I\'ll make you better."

"Sniff, sniff."

"So, let\'s go back down and contact the people..."

Did he not understand what he had done? No, that was not it. He was sweating profusely and his face started to look pale.

"What a strange brat."

Truly, he was strange to the end. If it were me, I would have at least chased her away, not shared my life force with her.

That girl would probably live a little longer now. Frey\'s stellar mana was neutralizing the immense dark mana within her.

Well, not my problem.

Now it was time to leave. Since my identity as a demon has been exposed, I shouldn\'t delay any longer.

By the way... what is love?

As I walked away, I suddenly started pondering that question in my mind.

Originally, from the moment I awakened my strength, I intended to start invading.

But since humans commonly possessed an emotion called \'love,\' I became curious and intrigued.

Of course, it was not some foolish desire to experience love like a girl.

It was just that as a different species that didn’t understand love at all, I felt a slight curiosity and interest in it, as it could be an important criterion for judging whether to destroy humans or not...

"Ruby...!!!"

"Gahhh."

While I was thinking, I heard a familiar voice, and someone tackled-hugged me from behind.

"Brat."

"Th-thank youuu..."

Little Frey hugged me tightly, tears streaming down his face as he spoke.

"Really, really thank youuu... Ruby, I love you so much...!"

"Hmm."

He rubbed his cheek against mine.

Even though he knew that I was a demon, why did he seem so indifferent?

I couldn’t understand it.

- Rustle…

"Sniffle..."

Could it be that he wasn\'t a human but a catkin or a merfolk? But since he didn’t have animal ears, that didn’t seem to be the case.

Rubbing his cheek against mine while sniffling like that, he looked quite cute.

It was like… successfully taming a wary kitten?

"Let go. I\'m leaving this place."

"Pl-please! Don\'t go..."

"Do you want me to kill you? Let go."

However, now that my identity has been exposed, it would be a loss for me to stay here. So, I tried to push him away with my strength.

"You can kill me… Just please, don\'t go..."

"Uh, uhm."

"Come live with me, okay? I\'ll be sad if you leave..."

Then, he desperately hugged me tighter.

"L-Let go... You brat."

"I don’t want to! Let\'s live together!"

"..."

He hugged me so tightly that I couldn\'t shake him off.

Of course, if I wanted to, I could have used my full strength to push him away.

But if I did that, it would be a disaster if the kitten I rescued got hurt.

"Ugh..."

"Excuse me..."

As I was looking down at the brat covered in tears and snot with a slightly troubled expression, someone came up to me.

"Hello, I\'m the head of Starlight Duchy and Frey\'s mother."

Is she the mother of the kitten? I\'ve never met her before.

Could it be that they know that I’m a demon and want to attack me?

Of course, that was probably it. Humans hated demons.

So, if that was the case, I shouldn\'t just stand still–

"I want to express my gratitude for saving us... Do you want to come to the mansion?"

"...Hmm?"

As I was thinking that and staring at her, unexpected words reached my ears.

"Please don\'t go... Please, Ruby..."

"If it\'s burdensome, maybe a simple dinner..."

Hmm.

I was hungry anyway, so it was good..

.

.

.

.

.

"..."

Meanwhile...

"What is this..."

Frey, who was experiencing his Fourth Ordeal, looked pale as he watched his younger self snuggling into Ruby\'s arms with tears in his eyes.

"Fine, then, just dinner."

"I love you, Ruby!!"

"You’re noisy, I hate you."

"Hehe..."

Ruby pushed little Frey away and looked at him with a cold gaze. But he was unfazed and clung tightly to her.

- Step… Step…

Reality Frey, trembling with a gaze fixed on all those scenes, slowly moved his feet.

"...T-This strange brat."

The ‘strange bastard’ she used to call him recently… was it derived from this?

She even blushed when she called him by that nickname.

"Ufufu."

Following slowly behind them was his mother. The mother that he could only gaze at pictures.

With a fond gaze and a slight smile, she looked at the little Frey and Ruby.

"M-Mom..."

- Swoosh...

"...Ah."

Approaching her with a blank expression, Frey looked dismayed as his hand passed through her.

"Ruby! It\'s your first time going to my home, right?"

"You’re so loud."

"My house is very, very spacious! There are lots of empty rooms!"

"I don\'t plan to live there."

"Hmm..."

Passing by him, the younger Frey and Ruby continued talking.

"Ruby... Thank you for saving me and Mom today! And thanks for helping Vener too!!"

"I’m not doing it to save you. It was just out of curiosity..."

Hearing their conversation, Frey murmured, his face rapidly paled.

"Ruby... saved my mother..."

Frey\'s hand trembled.

"Kania, Irina... even Vener... Me, Mom... She saved us all..."

The Ruby he had despised and tried to kill had saved them all in the Zeroth Circle.

"I like you, Ruby!"

"Stop saying that..."

Struggling with the shocking truth, reality Frey followed after Ruby, who was making an annoyed expression.

"Ruby, I\'m sleepy..."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I-I just need a moment..."

"Troublesome brat."

Seeing little Frey slowly close his eyes, Ruby unconsciously began to stroke his chin.

“Purr…”

"...Are young humans naturally this cute?"

As Frey, who quickly fell asleep under her gentle touch, buried his head into her chest and made a purring noise, Ruby muttered with a troubled expression.

"It\'s because his life force is depleted."

With a check on Frey\'s condition, Ruby understood his condition.

"... This should be fine."

Glancing around, she then slipped her hand into Frey\'s clothes, placing her hand on his chest.

- Shaaa...

And then, secretly, Ruby began to infuse her life force into his heart.

"T-That\'s right. This brat is the child of a duke. He will be my stepping stone to infiltrate their society by gaining their trust..."

Even though nobody asked, she started explaining herself as she moved forward.

"... Ah."

Watching all this from behind, the real Frey reached out to Ruby, who was infusing life force into his younger self.

But once again, his hand just passed through the air.

"Um, would you like me to carry him if it\'s too heavy?"

"No need, human. Anyway, don’t you know my identity? Why are you being so kind? I don\'t sense any malice from you."

"Your identity? I’m not sure what you’re talking about."

"You\'re quick-witted, human."

"Ufufufu."

Leaving behind the real Frey who lost his balance and sat on the ground, Ruby went forward, supporting little Frey while supporting his mother down to the mansion.

"I like you... Ruby..."

"...Ugh."

As little Frey\'s sleep-talk reached her ears, Ruby, who was walking ahead, suddenly widened her eyes and stopped.

"What’s wrong?"

W-What is this?

Then, she murmured, visibly flustered.

- Thump… Thump…

C-Could it be that I got injured in the battle earlier?

Confused, Ruby grabbed her chest with a puzzled expression.

- Thump, thump...

Yes, that must be it. I\'m still not strong enough. Perhaps I should postpone the invasion of the human realm.

"Ufufufu..."

"W-Why have been you laughing so unpleasantly since earlier? Keep it down."

Thinking that her rapidly beating heart was due to a black mana attack, Ruby, with flushed cheeks, resumed walking.

"..."

And watching all of this while sitting on the ground, a lone tear escaped real Frey\'s eyes as he watched Ruby, carrying his younger self while bickering with his mother as they slowly moved away.

- Drip...

"Ruby truly was... someone precious to me."

Then, with a fearful expression, Frey started muttering.

"She saved my mother..."

The memories of the deceit, violence, and the final moments of the Fourth Ordeal he inflicted upon Ruby come flooding back to him.

And he recalled her slumped on the ground, growing colder and colder, her soul shattered by his deception. That scene replayed endlessly in his mind.

"... What have I done?"

Not only that, but the memories from the pendant he just witnessed vividly resurface in his mind.

With each scene, forgotten memories lingering in his subconscious begin to resurface.

"Ruby..."

Realizing all of this, Frey bowed his head and clutched his hair, gradually sinking into panic.

"No, this can\'t be... Her soul..."

- Buzz...!

But the memories within the pendant did not wait for him.

"Rubyyyy...!"

"Ughh."

As tears started streaming down Frey\'s face, his eyes filled with confusion and helplessness, the next set of memories unfolded before him.

.

.

.

.

.

"Rubyyyy...!"

"Ughh."

Several months later...

"I like you!"

"I\'ve said it countless times, but I hate you."

I had taken a job as a maid in his mansion. And now, I\'m engulfed in his embrace while he playfully tickled me all over.

"B-But, why...?"

"I hate humans."

"Gasp."

Of course, it was crucial not to misunderstand. I hadn’t surrendered to humans. I simply needed a stronghold before invading the human world, and I needed tools to use as stepping stones.

Yes, I currently exploit the members of this family as tools.

How wicked this plan is.

Indeed, I am well-suited to be the Demon King.

Oh, and I also needed to investigate the mysterious palpitations in my chest that had been occurring for the past few months.

Absolutely, it wasn\'t because I was deeply moved and rewarded that evening, or that I had developed affection.

"But still, I like Ruby!"

"Think as you wish. I hate you, that\'s the end of it."

And I don’t even like this boy.

"I like you!"

"..."

It was… yeah, that was it… It was just like raising a successfully tamed kitten.

Anyway, the plan is going smoothly.

In any case, the plan to gain trust from him and use him as a tool to invade the human world was progressing smoothly.

"Frey? How did you know I came here to say I love you...?"

Until \'she\' arrived.

"Let’s go together– Huh?"

“Hmmm…?”

As usual, the boy was cuddling up to me, tickling my cheeks, when a girl with light purple hair entered and stared at us with a shocked expression.

"... Excuse me?"

She looked at us in shock and asked.

"Serena? What are you doing here..."

"Who are you to monopolize my fiancé?"

That was my first encounter with Serena.