After Crushing the Final Boss, I Got Infinite Mana and Returned to Earth ～With Cheat-Level Power, I’ll Rule Both the Game World and the Real World～ - Chapter 19 & 20: I Think the Second Princess Is Giving Me a Heated Look | The Second Princess Proposed to Me

Chapter 19: I Think the Second Princess Is Giving Me a Heated Look

When I stepped closer to finish off the demon I’d ripped from Lucia, it fixed me with pure, steaming hatred and started shrieking.

“You!! You you you!! What are you!! How can you see us!! How can you touch us!!”

“No need to answer that.”

“GYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH!!!”

I ignored its screaming questions, so it just howled and cursed like a lunatic.

Then—suddenly—Yue sprinted forward and slammed her fist into its face.

DO-GON!!

“It popped up outta nowhere, so I hit it. But looks like punches don’t really do much. So, Minato, what is this thing?”

“That’s the demon that was clinging to Princess Lucia. The source of her curse.”

“M-My curse… the cause of it!?”

“Please step back, Your Highness. Yue, help me take it down.”

“Well, since this is an escort job, guess I can’t say no. If it’s threatening our client, we’ll just kill it.”

I shepherded Lucia behind us, and Yue and I stepped forward together.

As I began chanting, Yue launched herself at the demon and drove an elbow into its torso.

“Doesn’t work!! Doesn’t work doesn’t work doesn’t work!! Attacks from mere humans don’t hurt us!!”

“—Torch.”

“Hey, idiot!! Don’t fling spells around when I’m right in the middle of punching it!!”

As expected of a third-class adventurer—even while grumbling, Yue kept her movements sharp, never once stepping into my line of fire.

I timed my spells with her strikes, blasting away at the demon right alongside her.

…The wall behind it ended up full of holes, but hey, details.

The real problem? Neither Yue’s fists nor my magic were doing jack.

No feedback, no impact.

It was like every hit—physical or magical—was getting nullified the instant it connected.

The demon grinned, flashing its teeth.

“Useless!! Useless, useless, useless!! We are invincible!! Just die already!! Die, die, die!!”

Dozens of tentacles sprouted from its body, whipping through the air like living chains.

Lucia was about to get caught in the mess, so I threw up a barrier to shield her and myself. Yue, meanwhile, batted aside every lashing tentacle with her bare fists—parrying them one after another.

Seriously. That was impressive.

“This isn’t fair!! Our attacks don’t work, but yours do!? Fight clean, you idiot!!”

“GYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH!! We’re not idiots!! The one who calls someone an idiot is the real idiot!!”

Childish vocabulary aside, those tentacle strikes packed enough force to pulp a human body.

Even a glancing hit would mean a fatal injury.

And the worst part? The demon didn’t seem to have a cap on how many tentacles it could spawn.

If this kept up, we’d be worn down in no time.

“Diabel!!”

“I know!!”

The moment the tentacles slammed into my barrier, Diabel opened his jaws wide and bit down hard.

At first glance, it looked ridiculous—if neither fists nor magic worked, there was no way biting would.

If Diabel hadn’t explained it beforehand, I’d have thought the same.

But then… he tore the demon’s tentacle clean off with his teeth.

“…Huh?”

The demon stared in shock at its severed limb.

Diabel grimaced, forced down the disgusting chunk, and stuck out his tongue with a loud gag.

“Ugh… tastes like chomping on a clam stuffed with sand.”

“GYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH!! You!! You you you!! You ate us!? How!? How!?”

“If you need me to explain, then you’re a low-class demon after all.”

“Don’t mock us!! Don’t mock us don’t mock us don’t mock us!! We get it already!! You—you’re one of God’s Apostles, aren’t you!?”

…God’s Apostle?

“Hmph. I ditched being one of those useless dolls who ‘watch but never save’ a long time ago. I only kept the power.”

“Damn you, damn you damn you damn you!! Holy Dragon!! How long will you keep standing in our way!!”

“Diabel, what’s this about God’s Apostle and Holy Dragon?”

“Not your concern. Explaining’s a pain.”

Dropping a bombshell about “God’s Apostle” and “Holy Dragon,” then telling me not to worry? Yeah, easier said than done.

When I got home, I’d definitely sic Aoi on him—she’d pry the lore dump out of him in five minutes flat.

And then—

“Fuh… fuhahaha!! Power’s surging through me!! Right now I could wipe out hundreds, thousands of slimes—or even Shiva himself!! But first… demon, I’ll feast on you!!”

“Oi, your pet just bulked up outta nowhere!!”

“I am not a pet!! …But fine, I’ll let that slide, since I’m in a good mood!!”

Diabel’s body swelled grotesquely, bones cracking and muscles popping with nasty, visceral snaps as he ballooned larger.

With a whip of his tail, he smashed aside the demon’s tentacles, closed the distance in a blink, and sank his teeth deep.

“Stop it!! Stop stop stop!! Don’t consume us!! We’re not ready to die yet!! We finally found the perfect host!! No no no!!”

“Give it up, demon. Accept your fate—and become my food!!”

Crunch! Rip! Tear!!

Diabel shredded the demon to ribbons, chewing noisily before swallowing the whole mess down.

Gulp. Straight into his stomach.

…So that was it?

Was the demon actually defeated just like that?

The anticlimactic finish left me standing there, kind of dumbfounded.

“Can’t die, can’t die can’t die can’t die. We’re not ready to die yet.”

From the pile of severed tentacles, I spotted a tiny orb-like fragment of the demon trying to squirm away.

It didn’t even have the strength to resist, so I casually pinched it between my fingers.

…Hmm.

“So it tried to split off and escape, huh. Cute little trick. Oi, Georg, hand that over. I’ll eat it too—leave even a scrap behind and it might regenerate. Best shove the whole thing into my stomach.”

“What do demons taste like, anyway?”

“Mm? Not particularly good, but… wait, why are you asking that? Don’t tell me—you’re not actually thinking of eating it, are you!? That thing’s technically a sentient creature!!”

“…Diabel. Humanity evolved because of curiosity.”

And with that, I popped the demon fragment into my mouth and started chewing.

“Wh—!? Hey!! Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to just eat random things you pick up!?”

“Munch munch. …Huh. Surprisingly not bad. Texture’s like grilled eggplant—or no, maybe closer to cucumber, kind of crunchy…”

“This isn’t a food review!! Spit it out!! Spit it out right now!! Also—how are you even able to eat it!? You’re supposed to need divine protection for that!!”

“Gulp. Thanks for the meal.”

Honestly, with the right recipe, demon meat might end up downright delicious.

As I savored the lingering aftertaste, Lucia suddenly let out a cry—

Her cheeks streaked with tears, falling one after another.

“No way… that horrible power inside me… it’s gone…?”

“We tore out the demon that caused it. You’re no longer a cursed child.”

“Ah… n-no way… really…?”

“I wouldn’t joke about something like this. I swear it on the name of fifth-class adventurer, Quickbreaker.”

“You actually like that title, huh?”

…Truth be told, yeah. I kinda did. It sounded pretty cool.

And then—Lucia suddenly grabbed my hand, eyes sparkling as she thanked me again and again.

Her gaze, once dead and resigned, now shone with life.

“T-Thank you…!! I don’t even know how to repay you. You—you are my savior!!”

“I fought too, you know!!”

“And I ate it!!”

“Of course, I am deeply grateful to both of you as well!! Ahh, what a miracle!! The whole world looks radiant now!!”

Seeing someone that happy made me feel… well, yeah, a little happy too.

“Heh, I’m glad to hear it.”

“Y-Yes!!”

After that, we explained everything to the soldiers who came running from the commotion, went through the formalities, and finally escorted Lucia back to the capital.

For some reason, though, I felt like Lucia’s eyes on me were burning a little hotter than before…

…Probably just my imagination.

And with that, the escort mission wrapped up, and I headed home.

“Onii-chan!! The demon fight video totally blew up!! Over a million views in just one day!!”

“…What part did people even like that much?”

“Uh, looks like… comments like, ‘That chubby dragon’s adorable,’ and ‘The princess is stupidly cute!!’”

“I am not chubby!! This is a perfectly standard build!!”

“Dragons have a ‘standard build,’ huh?”

Yep. Another peaceful day in our household.

◇

“Well, well. Things just got interesting.”

In a certain regional city of Japan—

Inside a tiny apartment on the outskirts, a girl sat in a dimly lit room, grinning at her computer screen.

―――――――――――――――――――――

[Afterword]

A Random Tidbit

Lucia le Silverian

Because of her curse, everything precious to her turned to stone—so she lived a life where she couldn’t treasure anything. 

In the game, just when she thought the curse was broken and she finally tried to value herself, she turned to stone. Hidden under her dress, her chest is secretly melon-sized.

If that last bit in the afterword made you laugh, drop those ★s!

And if your thoughts were something like, “Too much juicy info,” “Wait, Diabel’s a Holy Dragon!?” or “Yue’s way too cute,” —then don’t forget to leave a comment, bookmark, ★rating, or review!

Chapter 20: The Second Princess Proposed to Me

It had been a few days since I brought Lucia to the Magiluke Kingdom with teleportation magic.

Today was finally the day of the big party.

Honestly? I was only here because I had no choice—and the thought of it weighed on me like a boulder.

“Munch munch… Saori’s cooking is way better than this.”

“Diabel, thoughts like that are best kept inside your head.”

Diabel, meanwhile, was having the time of his life. He hovered around the buffet, cheeks stuffed full, working his way through the menu one plate at a time.

For all his complaints, he clearly liked it—his cheeks puffed out like a squirrel as he chewed. The red bowtie I’d made him wear for the occasion only made the sight cuter.

Maybe because of that, some of the nobles started copying him, picking the same dishes Diabel had piled on his plate. They even nodded in approval, like, “Ah yes, truly exquisite.”

Of course… not everyone here was so charming.

“So that useless prince who couldn’t even use magic is engaged to the Second Princess of the Silverian Empire, huh.”

“I heard a rumor he somehow learned magic, but really, it can’t be anything impressive.”

“And what’s with that vulgar-looking lizard?”

“Apparently it’s Prince Georg’s familiar. Figures—when the master’s useless, the familiar’s shabby too.”

“Quite right.”

I could hear some nobles whispering behind my back.

Judging by their accents and smug attitudes, they were probably provincial nobles who’d only come to the capital for this party. Clearly, they didn’t know much about me.

Meanwhile, the nobles who actually lived in the capital looked pale as ghosts, sneaking nervous glances my way to see how I’d react. Honestly, that was kind of funny.

And then—

From the entrance of the hall, a ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd.

I turned to see what all the fuss was about… and there she was.

Lucia, dressed in a pure white gown.

“Oh. Munch munch… so that’s your fiancée, huh.”

“I was planning to refuse, actually. Marriage sounds like a pain.”

“If my instincts are right, she’s the type to devote herself completely once she falls in love. You’d probably have a happy marriage.”

“…And what exactly are you basing that on?”

“Easy. Munch munch… I studied recently through a popular drama. Originally a pure romance manga. Quite good, actually—I borrowed the full set from Aoi and binge-read it.”

“…Diabel, you’ve really gotten used to Japanese culture, huh.”

When we went to the movies the other day, Diabel had even nailed all the theater manners perfectly.

Afterward, he went on a merch-buying spree and rattled off his thoughts like a machine gun.

At this point, I might as well call him an honorary Japanese.

As I was mulling over that pointless thought, Lucia noticed me and started walking my way.

Her eyes were filled with firm resolve, locked straight onto mine.

Just what was she about to do?

“Your Highness Prince Georg, may I have a word wi—”

Lucia froze mid-sentence, her eyes landing on Diabel at my side. Her mouth fell open in shock.

Then, in a quiet murmur—

“Um… could it be… you’re Lord Minato?”

“…I don’t know what you mean.”

“Please don’t play dumb.”

I tried to brush it off, but Lucia spoke with absolute certainty.

“And what makes you think that?”

“The dragon following Prince Georg is the same as the one Lord Minato had. And besides, your build and your voice are far too similar.”

“…Careless of me.”

She wasn’t wrong. No matter how well I disguised myself, dragging Diabel around was basically a dead giveaway.

As Minato, I never dealt with nobles. As Georg, I never mixed with adventurers. Up until now, I hadn’t worried about overlap.

But now… what to do?

“And if you are right—what will you do with that knowledge?”

“P-Please… w-would you… marry me!?”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to—”

“I-I’ll take my own life if you refuse!!”

“Eh—wha—why!?”

“Ho! This princess has Georg totally cornered!!”

Diabel, cheeks stuffed with food, grinned ear to ear at the scene.

But really—saying she’d kill herself if I refused? That level of resolve was… yeah, just a bit much.

“First, calm down. This isn’t the place—we’ll stand out. Let’s move somewhere else.”

“Ah… y-yes.”

We slipped out onto the balcony, leaving the noise of the banquet hall behind. Just the two of us.

…Well, not entirely two. From the corner of my eye, I spotted Diabel inside, aiming a camera straight at us.

No doubt he was already planning to bring the footage home for Aoi and Saori to enjoy in some kind of “special viewing party.”

I’d definitely have to delete that data later. Quietly.

“I actually came today intending to reject the engagement with Prince Georg.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Because the one I truly admire is Lord Minato—the man who freed me from my curse. I was prepared to abandon my position as princess, abandon everything, just to go to his side.”

“…That’s some serious resolve you’ve got there.”

“Prince Georg, please allow me to confirm once more. Are you truly Lord Minato?”

At this point, lying was pointless.

“Yes, that’s right. Due to certain circumstances, I’ve been acting as an adventurer under that name.”

“I knew it!! …Prince Georg—no, Lord Minato, please, I beg of you! Make me your wife!!”

“As for that request…”

“If you refuse, then I’ll have no reason left to live—I’ll end my life!!”

Normally, I’d be able to flat-out refuse. If some stranger wanted to throw their life away, that had nothing to do with me.

But for some reason, when I looked at Lucia, the words just wouldn’t come.

If I were in her shoes… what then?

For her, I was what Diabel was for me.

Thanks to him, I’d gained infinite mana and the ability to use magic.

I don’t know what Diabel himself thinks, but to me, he’s a friend.

For Lucia, those feelings had simply shifted into love.

Turning her down here felt like denying myself—and I hated that.

…So be it.

“Very well. I accept the engagement.”

“Ah—Prince Georg, thank you!!”

If this really went all the way to marriage, I’d eventually have to introduce her to Aoi and Saori.

Yeah… that would be something.

“Shall we return to the hall?”

“Yes!! I’ll accompany you!!”

“…Isn’t linking arms right away a bit… sudden?”

“For fiancés, this much is perfectly normal!!”

Lucia slipped her arm through mine and pressed close.

Even through the gown, it was impossible not to notice. A full, soft weight pressed against my side.

…Hmm. 

I always thought I wasn’t much of a breast guy, but this wasn’t a bad feeling at all.

The moment we stepped back into the banquet hall together, the king approached us.

Standing beside him was none other than Gerald—the man I’d humiliated not long ago.

“O-Oh!! Georg! You and Princess Lucia already seem to be getting along splendidly.”

“Uh… well… yes.”

The king, clearly thrilled at what this meant for relations with the Empire, walked off wearing a broad grin.

Beside him, Gerald shot me a glare sharp enough to kill.

Still holding a grudge from last time, huh.

Not that I’d said anything wrong—his hatred was nothing but petty resentment.

I was mulling that over as I absentmindedly sipped the drink a servant handed me.

The next instant—blood spilled from my mouth.

“Gah—!”

“P-Prince Georg!?”

My throat burned like it was on fire.

Through my blurring vision, I caught the servant’s twisted grin.

…So. I’d been poisoned.

And right on cue, the windows of the grand hall shattered as a squad of black-clad assassins stormed inside.

Hmm. 

Not content with just poison—they’d prepared a full-on assassination strike. Carefully planned, all of it.

“—Tor—ugh!”

I tried to chant, to launch a spell, but my tongue felt heavy, my words slurred. Nothing came.

Even time manipulation, normally effortless, fizzled out. Whatever they’d slipped into that drink was blocking my casting.

Coughing violently, spitting blood, I barely noticed the assassin rushing in.

A dagger gleamed—then plunged deep into my gut.

“Guh—!”

“Prince Georg!?”

“…Ah, this isn’t good. Looks like I’m done for. Still, I don’t intend to die for free. —Diabel, I’ll send some mana back your way. Go wild.”

Through the master–servant link between us, I shoved a portion of my mana into Diabel.

―――――――――――――――――――――

[Afterword]

A Random Tidbit

Lucia was actually planning to drag him into bed that very night.

Too bad things turned out otherwise.

If you thought, “The princess is way too aggressive, lol,” drop those ★s!

And if your thoughts were something like, “Diabel the honorary Japanese cracked me up,” “Lucia’s resolve is insane,” or “That afterword got a little spicy,” —then don’t forget to leave a comment, bookmark, ★rating, or review!