The Crown Princess's Man (1)

Kaiston winced at the pain that felt like a woodpecker pecking his skull and opened his eyes. It was still dark, before dawn.

His mind was foggy. The naked Liris slept soundly in his arms.

Some memories hovered just out of reach, and Kaiston groaned, closing his eyes again. Then, like a flicker, last night’s memories began to replay rapidly in his head.

“Ugh…”

How on earth had he drunk himself into that state? He ground his teeth at himself. He regretted it, but it was already too late. No matter how he thought it over, there was no answer, and Kaiston finally resigned himself.

He opened his eyes again and looked down at Liris. If she woke, he didn’t know how he should face her. Still, surely… she wouldn’t tease him? She was unpredictable at times, but he chose to trust her for now.

Kaiston carefully slipped his arm out and sat up. He planted a light kiss on her lips as she mumbled in her sleep; she smacked her lips like it tasted good.

“……”

She looked so adorable he couldn’t help himself and kissed her again. He should have pulled away quickly, but she was so soft and pleasant that he stayed until their breaths mingled.

“Mmm…”

When Liris looked like she might wake, a flustered Kaiston covered her eyes with his hand to keep her from opening them.

“Sleep more.”

“Kaistoooon…”

Her voice stretched his name, and his whole body felt like it had melted.

“…Mm.”

“Are you sober now?”

“I don’t think I’m fully awake yet.”

Kaiston fudged the answer to avoid the issue for now. Liris laughed at his evasive reply.

“Liar. Our mischievous Kitten is even good at lying.”

Kaiston wanted to strangle himself over last night.

“Forget what I said…”

“Heh…”

Liris brushed his hand off her eyes and grinned.

“So what will you do for me?”

“What should I do for you?”

“Something nice?”

She tilted her head and said it boldly. Kaiston couldn’t possibly refuse such a request.

“Really?”

When Kaiston asked as if that would be enough, Liris reached her arm toward him.

“I’ll only forget the ‘Kitten’ part.”

“What about everything else?”

She rolled her eyes as if pondering for a moment, then smiled prettily.

“We’ll see.”

He was embarrassed and yet found her cute. Kaiston lowered his face into Liris’s chest and nuzzled her soft breasts.

“Ugh. Is this payback?”

“Yes.”

He nipped at the pink peak with his teeth, and Liris let out a faint moan.

“I like it when you’re as honest as last night.”

“It’s not like I’m not usually honest.”

As his hand wandered up the inside of her thigh, Liris wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes.

“Don’t hold back in front of me anymore. I want you to tell me everything.”

Kaiston sighed softly.

“If you do that, I feel like I’ll become your slave.”

When his hand brushed her plump petals, Liris writhed.

“Mm… I like that…”

Watching her amber eyes cloud with pleasure, Kaiston kissed her again; this time it was a deep, greedy kiss that explored her mouth.

“Mmm…”

They tangled tongues as if entwining feelings, shared breath as if sharing hearts. She liked being in his arms, and he liked being in hers.

Before dawn, in the still-dark hours, only their bedroom was packed with feverish heat.

Morning broke over the Red Moon. Though it was the New Year, nothing felt different from usual.

The knights who had finished dawn training chatted idly after breakfast; some were busy fixing swords or armor. Meanwhile, Ban, leader of the Magpie Corps, was showing off a tower shield he’d received as a gift from Sinal to Kaiston, and Zik was about to charge, channeling battle energy into his longsword.

Kaiston, who had been talking with Saik in the corridor beside the training ground, suddenly fell silent and stiffened, staring toward the fortress gate.

Thunk!

Not even ten seconds after the boundary stones sounded their alarm signaling an intrusion, a ground-shaking impact reverberated right in front of the fortress. The presence felt familiar. There was only one person who would dare to charge in like that.

“It’s Astarot. When I go out, switch to alert posture. Make sure absolutely no one goes out.”

Saik clenched his fists, unable to stop him.

“Be careful, Commander.”

Ignoring Saik’s worried look, Kaiston grabbed Pluto and Arzan and ran across the training ground.

“Lieutenant!”

The corps captains hurried over to Saik.

“Switch to first-level alert. Hold position until further orders.”

“The Commander went out?”

Saik nodded at Haris’s question.

“Damn those demon bastards.”

Zik gritted his teeth and glared toward the main gate.

“Keep quiet so there’s no trouble.”

“Sigh. Understood.”

After the captains ran to their lined-up corps, Saik glanced at the main hall where the Crown Princess likely was. He considered telling her, but he didn’t want her to think about Kaiston being in danger, so he let it go.

“What’s going on?”

Marquis Kyril burst out with Marian at his side.

“…It’s nothing. Please go inside.”

“Nothing, you say?”

The Marquis frowned at his son, who said that while the knights stood fully armed and ready.

“And the Duke?”

“……”

“Saik. I’m asking because I’m truly worried. You look awful.”

“Sometimes…”

Saik nervously splashed water on his face.

“Demons have come. The demons who rule the Demon King’s territory adjacent to ours.”

Marquis Kyril started, his eyes widening.

“The demons have crossed the border?”

“Yes. Ostensibly it’s to strengthen ties, but if things go wrong and they unleash chaotic magic… most knight casualties happen then. That’s why we’re preparing now.”

“Huh… I’ve never heard of that before.”

“I reported it several times, but the replies just said to handle it ourselves. Isn’t it always like that? Who cares about the Red Moon?”

As they spoke, a series of loud blasts echoed from outside the fortress, and Marian’s face went pale.

“Brother, is His Grace facing those demons right now?”

“…Yes. Anyway, it’s dangerous for you to be out here. Please go inside at once.”

“Saik.”

“Don’t worry. It’ll be over somehow.”

Saik said that and ran off, so Marquis Kyril and Marian had no choice but to follow his instructions and evacuate.

It was madness to have a knight face a high-ranking demon capable of unleashing raw magic without even needing to chant spells. The family’s seasonal wards offered some protection, barely holding, but it wasn’t easy.

Kaiston sent Pluto flying with the ‘victory blade’ technique to distract Astarot, which halted the barrage of fireballs. He then plunged Arzan into the core of the last fireball and shattered it, and he felt bile and blood rise in his throat. Straightening his staggering body, he glared at Astarot.

“Cut it out, Astarot.”

Astarot looked like a gentleman in a black suit, but with blazing red hair and red eyes. He caught Pluto’s blade with his hand to stop it and snickered.

“Just glad to see you, Kaiston. I’ve been at the Demon King’s castle for two years so we haven’t seen each other. Has Shul treated you well?”

“…Not as picky as you.”

“Hmm… is that so? But there’s no demon like me who controls monsters so well.”

“……”

Astarot, having tossed Pluto aside, walked toward Kaiston.

“See?”

Astarot leaned his face right up against Kaiston’s and asked again. Kaiston sighed quietly.

“I’ll let you believe that.”

This demon before him—brutal, ruthless, and aggressive—was, as Kaiston knew, a commander in the Demon King’s army. Fortunately, he had little interest in petty skirmishes.

One who considered lives as insignificant as ants didn’t control monsters for something like protecting humans; he simply hated seeing trivial things run amok.

The problem was that whenever he felt itchy, he’d intervene personally; and his magical prowess, probably the strongest in the demon army, was at a catastrophic level. Massive casualties could occur in an instant.

When Kaiston was in his early twenties, he once took a blow from him and was gravely injured and knocked unconscious; Astarot, not fully warmed up, had indiscriminately attacked the knights, and dozens had died in an instant.

Astarot was truly the nemesis of the fortress knights, but there was no real way to counter him. The Commander had to step in, hold out as best he could and appease him until he turned away. As Saik had told Marquis Kyril, defending the Red Moon was something they’d have to handle themselves.

‘Damn psycho.’

Kaiston cursed inwardly, trying to restrain his murderous intent. Astarot watched him quietly and stretched his mouth into a long grin.

“Kaiston. You know, I told my lord about you.”

By ‘my lord’ he meant the Demon King Shahharun.

“About me…?”

Kaiston felt a chill and snapped his gaze to those blood-red eyes.

“W-why…”

Astarot put a friendly hand on his shoulder.

“Your body can purify itself even when invaded by demon magic. It’s fascinating. Usually people go mad, right?”

Kaiston’s face went white in an instant. Dark demonic energy began to spread from the shoulder where Astarot’s hand rested into his body. He wanted to shove the hand away, but the madness in those blood-red eyes was unsettling. Not wanting to provoke a madman, Kaiston chose to endure for the moment. Swallowing a groan, he asked, “What is it… What are you getting at?”

“Well. Judging by my lord’s reaction, it’s not ordinary. He found it very interesting. He spent a long time asking about you—‘that’ Demon King, I mean.”

It was bad news in many ways. From what Astarot had said, Demon King Shahharun was someone who rarely took special interest in anything. His high-ranking subordinates apparently bothered him to provoke a reaction, but normally they were tossed out of the Demon King’s castle after a few years, like Astarot.

“Wanna just check if that’s still the case? Hmm?”

It was clear he had come to take out his frustrations on someone innocent.

‘Damn it.’

Kaiston clenched his teeth and swallowed dozens of curses.