The Hero Stole My Lover, So I Decided to Steal the Hero's Lover Instead - Chapter 10-11

Chapter 10

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A flower shop. Just as the name suggested, it was a store that sold flowers. Rows of colorful blooms lined the space.

I suddenly remembered that I had once—though not all that long ago—bought a bouquet for Sheryl and given it to her. The memory made me feel strangely sad. I felt like crying. Well, not that I actually would…

Alicia was changing the water for the flowers. She was dressed plainly, probably because she was working, but even so, her beauty couldn’t be hidden.

“Hey, Demon King-sama.”

Hiding in the shadow of a nearby building, I spoke with Sharon in a hushed voice. I felt like a petty thief. Not that we were doing anything wrong or shady though…

“If you weaken the Hero and kill him… What happens after that?”

I asked Sharon the question that had been lingering on my mind.

“What happens?”

Sharon tilted her head in confusion, not seeming to understand what I meant.

“What happens, like… After that? Are you going to invade this country—the Holy Kingdom or something?”

“Why would we have to invade the Holy Kingdom?”

“What do you mean, why…”

Isn’t that how these things usually go?

But when I really thought about it, there wasn’t any rule that said you had to invade other nations to expand your territory.

People went to war for profit, because there were benefits in doing so. But if their own country was already sufficient, and their land more fertile, then there was no need for invasion.

In fact, launching an invasion might have upset the delicate balance that had been working in their favor.

“Then why go out of your way to kill the Hero?”

“Why, you ask…? Because he’s trying to kill me.” 

Sharon answered flatly. 

“If someone is trying to kill you, you take the initiative and kill them first so they don’t succeed. That’s how it works, right?”

My head was filled with question marks. We were taught that the Demon King was the root of all evil.

“If only the Demon King were defeated, the world would finally know peace,” they said.

But clearly, that wasn’t the full story. Sharon didn’t seem like someone who was truly evil at heart. If anything, Cain looked more like a Demon King than Sharon did.

What a bitter irony.

“To the Holy Kingdom, we’re probably the villains. Or rather, it’s simply convenient for them if we’re seen that way. If they invade the land of evil people, no one will criticize them—on the contrary, they’ll be praised for it. A fine thing, really.”

“I see…” 

I muttered. 

“I was taught the Demon King was the source of all evil, but that’s not the case, huh.”

“Indeed. I’m not exactly a saint, but I’m not a complete monster either.” 

Sharon said.

“Well, the truth is, there’s no such thing as the one true source of all evil anywhere in the world.”

She said it with conviction and then, she gave me a firm pat on the back.

“Alright. Time to go, Luke.”

“…How exactly am I supposed to talk to her?”

“As it happens, I have a bit of a connection with Alicia. You’ll introduce yourself as my slave—no, my subordinate—no, my friend… Or an acquaintance? Anyway, just say hello to her.”

That setup sounded incredibly half-baked. But I figured even something half-baked could work if I played it right.

“Listen carefully. Do your best to leave a good impression.”

“Got it. I’ll do my best.”

All I had to do was smile pleasantly, right? If I tried too hard to put on a front, it would just crack. Better to stay natural than to pretend to be something I wasn’t. If she didn’t like me that way—if she outright disliked me—then I’d just have to give up gracefully.

“Let’s go.” 

Sharon said.

“Yeah.” 

I replied and just like warriors marching into battle, the two of us boldly headed toward the flower shop.

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Chapter 11

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“Ah. Hello, Sharon-san.”

When she saw Sharon approaching, Alicia came closer. Her smile was bright and innocent, like a sunflower.

“It’s been a while.”

Sharon responded with the air of authority befitting a Demon King. So this was how she acted even around people besides me. Well, there was no need for a Demon King to be polite to humans—especially regular civilians.

“I’m here to buy some flowers.”

Sharon declared it boldly.

Well, this is a flower shop. There’s no other reason to come here.

The place wasn’t crowded, but a few customers were sneaking glances at Alicia. They were probably there just to admire her, using flower-buying as an excuse.

“—Although, I’m not the one buying them.”

Sharon grabbed my arm and pulled me toward her.

“This man is.”

Wait, I’m the one buying them?

Flowers were surprisingly expensive. After all, they took time and care to grow. I took out my wallet and discreetly checked inside. I had enough to buy some flowers, at least.

“Is this gentleman an acquaintance of yours, Sharon-san?”

“Yes. We’re old friends from childhood.”

We just met, though!? She lied so smoothly it was almost impressive. As expected of the ruler of demonkind, the Demon King.

Well, she’s a woman, but still a Demon King. Calling her a Demon Queen would sound a little awkward, I guess.

“Nice to meet you.”

I put on my (self-proclaimed) charming smile and greeted her.

“I’m Luke, Sharon’s childhood friend.” 

I said, holding out my hand to Alicia. 

“Pleasure to meet you.”

“Yes, pleasure to meet you as well.”

A handshake. Maybe my face was starting to grin too much, because Sharon jabbed me repeatedly in the side with her elbow. It hurt. I made sure to maintain my cheerful smile without wincing.

“So, what kind of flowers would you like?”

“Eh?”

I felt like I’d been caught off guard. W-What kind…? She must be asking about the type of flower, right…?But I didn’t know any flower names.

“Uh, I’ll leave it up to you, please.”

“Are you planning to give them to someone?”

“Ah—uhm… Hmm?”

I gave a vague smile and tilted my head ambiguously.

“Oh, could it be… A girlfriend?”

Ugh—

My smile froze. Seeing me paralyzed, Sharon stepped in with a mischievous grin and explained.

“This fellow here was just recently cheated on by his girlfriend.”

“Oh my!”

Alicia covered her mouth with her hand and looked like she’d just stepped on a landmine.

“I-I’m so sorry…”

“H-Haha… No problem. It’s totally fine.”

“With his heart wounded, Luke-kun is planning to buy some beautiful flowers and decorate his room with them.”

“I see.”

Alicia smiled kindly and selected a few flowers for me. Each was a different color, and the finished bouquet turned out beautifully vibrant.

“How does this look?”

“It’s wonderful!”

I took the bouquet and paid her. It was fairly expensive, but I got to talk (kind of?) casually with Alicia, so I figured it was worth it.

“Thank you very much!”

Alicia bowed politely. Satisfied, I left the flower shop. I walked down the street beside Sharon, admiring the colorful bouquet.

We walked… And walked… 

Huh?

“…That ended surprisingly quickly, didn’t it?”

“Well, it was just the first round.”

“First round?”

“Listen, boy.” 

Sharon said, coming to a stop. 

“To steal someone—meaning to become intimate with them—you have to follow a proper process. Understand?”

“Yeah, of course…”

“Today was just an introduction. A light jab.”

With that, Sharon started walking briskly again.

“Now then, let’s head back to the inn for a strategy meeting.”

“Hey, what should I do with these flowers? I’d use it to decorate my place, but Cain kicked me out.”

“So you got your home stolen too, not just your girlfriend?”

Sharon laughed softly at her own joke, then snatched the bouquet from my hands.

“Well, it can’t be helped. Let’s decorate my inn room with it.”

Then, in a deserted spot, she activated a <Teleport Gate>.

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