Their Respective Nights

The hooting of an owl quietly echoed through the nighttime forest.

When I entered the mansion bedroom, I laid Liricia down on the bed. Her large breasts swayed beneath her white nun’s habit.

She mumbled sleepily about something. It did not form words.

But the sight of her sleeping defenselessly looked innocent, yet also sensual.

I sat beside her and gave a wry smile while stroking Liricia’s head.

“Well, I guess searching for Hilda, the Dwarf Duke’s daughter, will have to wait until tomorrow.”

At my mutter, Liricia sat up.

She furrowed her well-shaped brows in dissatisfaction, puffed out her cheeks a little, and came closer to me.

“Nooo. Masterrr. Please look only at me right nowww.”

“No, that’s not what I meant—mmph!”

Liricia sealed my lips with a kiss.

Her tongue, moving as if it were alive, smoothly entwined with mine.

Then I was pushed down.

Her fingertips groped over me like snakes, stripping off my clothes.

She was bolder than usual.

While stroking her soft curves, I whispered by her ear.

“What’s gotten into you, Liricia?”

She looked up at me with an enraptured smile.

“Ahhn, your strong body, your gentle face. I love everything about you, Master.”

“Yeah, I love you too… But you’re somehow bold today—mm.”

Her red lips stopped me again.

Then Liricia climbed on top of me. As she entwined her hot, wet tongue with mine, she wriggled her whole body and sought me.

Her soft breasts slid over my skin, tickling me.

—I don’t really get it, but this is fine too.

I placed my hands on Liricia’s slender waist and drew her close as if to support her.

Liricia arched her thin throat, stretched her white wings straight out, and moaned.

“Aah—! Master!”

The heated night had only just begun.

Meanwhile.

In the Yamata Kingdom at dusk.

Mikoto was holding an audience in the great hall of the castle in the capital of Kyō.

Subordinates, officials, and samurai were giving reports and the like to Mikoto, who was behind the bamboo blind.

Behind the bamboo blind, Mikoto sat with his elbow propped up in boredom and sighed again and again.

Since he was handsome, even his melancholy profile was breathtakingly beautiful.

Inwardly, he had grown sick of the current state of maintaining the status quo.

—I was not born to become the king of humans, you know…

However, if he acted violently and ended up summoning Alec, that would be bad.

He tried to finish the audience with a peaceful attitude.

Even so, just as expected of one who had been called a wise ruler, he gave precise instructions and proposals.

The subordinates waiting in the lower seats feared and respected him while admiring his intelligence.

—Then.

One beautiful middle-aged man edged one step closer.

“I humbly beg you, Mikoto-sama. Could you please permit us to search other countries?”

“Hmm? You are, if I recall—”

The middle-aged man lowered his head, his hair swaying.

“Yes, this humble one is the acting head of the Northern Emi Clan.”

“What could it mean for you people, who are so exclusionary even within Yamata, to leave for other countries?”

“Yes, in truth. The ninja dog Hyoma, who was supposed to obey only the clan head, has run away. It appears he has crossed into another country. To assert the legitimacy of the clan head, he is an absolutely necessary being. Please, grant us permission to search.”

“I see… I am aware that the Emi Clan has customs that differ from others in many ways. —However, your target is a ninja dog. It would be difficult for people to pursue him. Let me see… White—no, Red Shadow, are you there?”

At Mikoto’s call, an old man dressed in red appeared with a swish beside the bamboo blind.

He knelt on one knee and bowed his head.

“Yes, Red Shadow is here.”

“Red Shadow, please go find the ninja dog belonging to the Emi Clan.”

“My, my, Mikoto-sama asks harsh things of an old body.”

“What are you saying? There is no need to hurry so much, so you may travel around the various countries as if sightseeing.”

“Ha ha, I am grateful for your consideration—then!”

Red Shadow’s figure vanished with a swish along with the wind.

Through the bamboo blind, Mikoto turned his cool, narrow gaze toward the man of the Emi Clan.

“Will this suffice?”

“Yes, I truly thank you for your consideration, Mikoto-sama!”

The handsome middle-aged man deeply lowered his head with a grateful smile.

At that moment, the man waiting at the side raised his voice loudly.

“With this, today’s audience is concluded!”

At those words as a signal, the people left.

Mikoto also rose gracefully and headed for his room.

In Mikoto’s private room inside the castle, the Demon King was standing in an imposing pose.

His loud laughter rang out.

“Fuhaha! Behold this perfect form! A heroic figure that can block Holy Wave energy while swinging a sword and using magic! Fuhahahaha!”

“As expected of you, Demon King-sama!”

Gobe, sitting nearby, said this with emotion.

The Demon King’s appearance was different from his usual black mantle and black tailcoat.

He had tanned skin, black sunglasses, half-pants, and a short-sleeved aloha shirt.

His hair was spiked up with hair product.

He had become extremely flashy and casual-looking.

The evil god Sklasis looked at him with a fed-up gaze while resting her cheek on her hand at the kotatsu.

“What’s with that outfit? Don’t tell me the thing you wanted to show me and called me here for was that?”

“Well noticed, as expected of Sklasis! My skin has been coated twice with medicine that blocks Holy Wave energy, and my eyes are protected by special glasses! If I wear heavy clothes, they rub and remove the medicine, so I wear clothing as light as possible! —What do you think? Is it not a magnificent figure? A victory of ideas! A victory of wisdom! Fuhahahaha!”

The Demon King threw back his chest and laughed loudly.

Sklasis shrugged.

“It’s amazing, sure, but after all that trial and error, what do you think about ending up looking like that?”

“Hmm? What’s wrong? Could it be jealousy!? —Fuhaha, there is no need to hold back. You should take on the same appearance too! It is unexpectedly refreshing, and it opens a new door!”

“I’ll pass.”

Sklasis looked away in exasperation.

The Demon King spoke while wearing a fierce smile.

“Well then, I shall go out for a bit.”

“Huh? Where are you going?”

“Hmmph, is it not obvious that I am going to test the results of my research? The place is the Royal Capital of Fortis, Alec’s shop! Fuhahahaha!”

Sklasis was surprised by the Demon King’s statement.

“Huh!? You’re going to test it yourself? That’s dangerous. Shouldn’t you test it with a subordinate first?”

She glanced at Gobe the goblin.

Gobe, who was sitting formally in the corner of the room, nodded with a serious face.

“That is exactly right, Demon King-sama. First, allow this humble one to serve as the test subject…”

The Demon King interrupted Gobe’s words and puffed out his chest. The rims of his sunglasses gleamed.

“What are you saying! Are you calling me a coward who fears Alec!? Besides, even in the unlikely event that it fails, I have means to escape from his Holy Wave energy! I cannot needlessly lose the lives of my subordinates!”

Gobe’s eyes grew moist with emotion.

“D-Demon King-sama… To think you worry about us that much…”

“Well, you did withstand it last time too, but… I’m still worried—ah! I-It’s not like I care what happens to you or anything, but as a comrade, you know, strictly as a comrade!”

Sklasis lowered her head while her refined face turned red. Her purple hair hid her cheeks.

However, the Demon King snorted and laughed it off.

“Hmph. Only when those who stand above take the initiative and act will those below follow them. This is a trial that I must undertake. Do you understand?”

“If you put it that way, I guess it can’t be helped. Be careful when you go.”

“That goes without saying! Only by piling up courageous failures can one obtain what one desires. Fuhaha!”

The Demon King showed a bold smile, his sharp fangs gleaming.

Gobe looked up at him with tears in his eyes.

“As expected of you, Demon King-sama! I will follow you for the rest of my life!”

“Hmmph, leave it to me! Then, I am off.”

The Demon King turned on his heel and headed toward the entrance.

Then the sliding door opened at just the right moment, and Mikoto, also known as the Evil Dragon King, entered.

He was a tall, gentle-looking man, slender and beautiful like a woman. His glossy black hair was tied up.

His straight nose and narrow eyes were filled with melancholy that enhanced his beauty.

Mikoto stepped aside from the front of the door and turned his eyes toward him.

“Where are you going?”

“Hmmph. Just to Alec’s place for a bit.”

“In that outfit?”

Mikoto narrowed his eyes suspiciously and looked the casually flashy Demon King up and down.

The Demon King swayed the hem of his aloha shirt and puffed out his chest powerfully.

“It is precisely because I am in this outfit! Fuhaha!”

“I see. …Well, I suppose you must have some chance of victory. Please take care.”

“Indeed. I am off! You may also take on this appearance without reservation. Fuhahahaha!”

The Demon King left the room while laughing loudly.

The room became quiet.

Mikoto sighed and headed to the writing desk by the wall.

When he happened to look over, Sklasis was resting her cheek on her hand and grinning.

“What is it?”

“I imagined you wearing that outfit, Mikoto. It might suit you better than expected, you know?”

“Please stop. I do not wish to lose even my dignity.”

Mikoto sat at the writing desk and spread out the documents.

Ignoring Sklasis, he smoothly ran his brush across the paper.

Sklasis turned her eyes toward Gobe, who was kneeling formally and making himself small.

“From now on, are all the monsters going to dress like the Demon King?”

“No, Sklasis-sama. Some prefer armor, some prefer the Demon King-sama style, and some make their own unique improvements. There are many kinds.”

“Oh, really? I thought they would match the Demon King.”

“Their heights and builds differ, as do things like the number of wings and arms they possess. Demon King-sama believes that only when each one customizes the countermeasure to suit themselves will it lead to the development of countermeasures against Holy Wave energy.”

Gobe took documents from his bag.

They were quickly drawn fashion style sketches. Blue, red, yellow, white, and black skin. Clothes designed to match various skin colors were depicted.

Sklasis widened her purple eyes as she picked up the illustrations.

“Hee… So you’ve thought about all kinds of things—ah… this outfit.”

Her hand stopped as she flipped through the documents. Her eyes had stopped on a single sheet of paper.

Gobe rubbed his hands together with a flattering smile.

“Does it please you? It is fashion that hides one’s true nature while blocking Holy Wave energy.”

“Hmmm. It’s an interesting design. Not bad taste at all. Maybe I’ll try it a little—Mikoto, won’t you?”

Sklasis fluttered the paper as she showed it to him.

With the bare minimum movement, Mikoto glanced at the paper, then immediately returned his gaze to the writing desk.

“…Well, if I find myself so bored that I have absolutely nothing else to do, I shall consider it.”

“Then it’s decided—but if it were me, I’d make it even more~”

Sklasis grinned and began adding changes to the illustration.

Although Gobe was sweating, he continued giving advice on the improvements.

Mikoto’s private room was wrapped in an unusually cheerful atmosphere.