The heavy, tightly sealed doors of the Demon King’s Castle began to open, even before Duke Winterly could finish speaking.
The sound was bone-chilling, echoing with a weight that sent shivers down one’s spine.
“The Demon King is welcoming !”
Winterly trembled with exhilaration, overwheld by the honor.
Behind him, Crescent concealed her face beneath a deep black hooded cloak.
She still couldn’t quite believe it—having just been in the bitterly cold Winter Domain monts ago, and now standing at the threshold of the Demon King’s Castle.
‘That lunatic really killed the Demon King’s gatekeepers….’
She swallowed dryly.
No matter how vile demons could be, killing the gatekeepers of the Demon King was absurd.
What if the Demon King banished them before she could even show him the cake? Yet, surprisingly, the Demon King opened the gates for Winterly.
As he strode confidently into the castle, Crescent followed at a cautious distance.
She hadn’t expected to ever reach this place. Pretending to be this lunatic’s attendant had turned out to be a golden opportunity to see the Demon King’s Castle firsthand.
Crescent glanced up at the towering structure. It was massive, so imnse that her eyes couldn’t capture its highest points.
‘Sowhere in there is the Demon King… My dad.’
Her cautious steps took her into her father’s new ho.
True to its reputation, the castle radiated a dense, oppressive aura of Magi.
The line of demons offering birthday tributes to the Demon King was so long that if Winterly hadn’t been of high rank, they would’ve waited for hours.
If she hadn’t eaten the food of the Demon Realm, her human identity would’ve been exposed imdiately.
Demonic food allowed her to masquerade as one of their own.
The doors to the inner sanctum opened one after another.
Curiosity tugged at Crescent as she passed through the corridors, wondering what would unfold.
She checked her pocket for the cookies from the Demon Realm. If the effects of the food she had eaten earlier wore off, she’d need to eat more imdiately. Getting caught as a human here was unthinkable.
Finally, she entered the heart of the castle, and her eyes widened in genuine awe.
‘So this is where Dad lives now. It’s like the ultimate palace of a maniacal overlord.’
The interior was pitch-black and polished to a mirror-like sheen, immaculate to the point of rejecting even a speck of dust.
Faintly glowing lights dotted the space, subdued as if hiding within the darkness.
The vastness of the castle, where the Demon King lived alone, was staggering. Compared to their old ho in Neverland, it was an overwhelming leap in status.
An absurd thought crossed her mind:
‘Co to think of it, Dad and I both got a status upgrade after that day.’
She had beco a noble’s daughter, and her father, the Demon King.
Shaking her head, Crescent dismissed the ridiculous notion.
After all, she wasn’t even sure if her father’s soul was still intact.
At that mont, the corridor they were walking through rotated with a loud clang before coming to a halt.
Crescent steadied herself and looked straight ahead.
In the distance, an enormous black throne ca into view, with a figure lounging upon it, exuding an air of indifference and ease.
Her heart plumted.
‘The Demon King.’
She froze, bowing her head deeply. Now was not the ti to reveal her identity.
Winterly, however, approached the Demon King with a face full of glee.
“Your Majesty! You truly summoned !”
The Demon King cast a cold, disinterested glance down from the throne.
Winterly held a large box wrapped in thorny ribbons. Of course, the Demon King had no interest in the cake brought by a low-ranking demon.
Resting his chin on his hand, the Demon King’s eyes glimred darkly.
“How did you know I enjoy wine?”
It was a taste he had developed during his ti in the human world, less than two centuries ago.
How could a lowly duke know such a detail?
Winterly grinned broadly at the question.
“I have studied extensively to please Your Majesty. There is no one among the demons more devoted to learning about you. I will obsess over and imrse myself in everything about Your Majesty until I know you better than anyone else!”
The Demon King’s tone turned sharp as he shifted in his seat.
“…Hm. That’s oddly unsettling.”
He added with a scowl, “No, openly unpleasant.”
Winterly’s face lit up, undeterred by the obvious disapproval.
“Even if my devotion displeases you, may I present Your Majesty’s birthday cake? Just one bite—or even half a bite—would be the greatest honor my family could ever receive!”
“…Fine.”
The Demon King gave a reluctant nod.
Winterly eagerly began to untie the thorny ribbons. The mont the box sprang open, it startled everyone.
Pop!
“What…?”
Winterly blinked at the unexpected surprise.
This hadn’t been part of the plan.
As the lid of the cake box disappeared, a ribbon sprang upward, bearing words written in bold letters.
Winterly squinted at it, trying to read it upside-down:
‘Heart? Dad… Happy… Birthday?’
And another heart.
Confusion washed over him.
‘Why would it say ‘Dad’? Oh! Perhaps it ans he’s the father of all demons!’
Winterly bead, convinced he had figured it out.
The Demon King, however, stared at the ssage, his fists clenching white with fury.
[♥ Dad, Happy Birthday! ♥]
He couldn’t believe his eyes.
Grinding his teeth, he muttered in a low, lethal tone:
“Dad… Happy Birthday?”
Winterly, still oblivious, smiled brightly.
“Yes! Your Majesty, as the father of all demons, I wanted to dedicate this cake to you with that sentint.”
“Shut your mouth.”
With a flick of the Demon King’s hand, the cake box flew across the room, smashing against the wall.
The wine-soaked red cake slid down like bloodied flesh.
Winterly’s eyes widened in admiration.
‘His Majesty’s power! Is this his way of praising the cake I brought?’
His heart raced with excitent. No other demon could hope for such an honor!
At that mont, a clear, ringing voice spoke from behind.
“Dad! It’s , Crescent. How have you been?”
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