The Story of an Arrogant Succubus Princess Who Always Looked Down on Humans as Mere Food, Until She Fell in Love With an Ordinary Man - Chapter 36

“…Sigh. Why did things end up like this?”

Gran, the captain of the Knights, looked around the room, furnished with items a size bigger than he was used to, and let out a heavy sigh.

Gran was currently visiting the country of demons—the Cordia Federation. More specifically, he stood in a room within the mansion of Keydrec, the representative of the Lizardmen.

The average height of a Lizardman exceeded two meters, and naturally, the rooms and furnishings were also large. Forced to wait in such a room for a long time, Gran muttered quietly in exasperation.

“…It’s really getting on my nerves.”

Unlike Asbel, Gran didn’t have the strength to bring down a Lizardman by force. In fact, Gran wasn’t particularly skilled in combat. So, if the Lizardmen, who were watching him intently, decided to attack, he wouldn’t be able to resist and would likely be killed.

Gran was extremely nervous. Trying to encourage him, a man spoke up.

“Hey, sorry to put you in this position, alright? This is an unofficial meeting, so we had to be careful with choosing escorts. …Besides, there are quite a few in the Knights’ ranks who are loyal to Lord Balstein.”

The nobleman, Rai, who sat in a chair opposite Gran, laughed without any hint of remorse.

“I get that, but I’m not like my brother or Asbel—I’m not good at fighting. So, I’m not confident I can protect us if things go south, you know?”

“There’s no need to worry so much. Officially, we only needed an escort for appearances’ sake, not because we expect to fight. Lord Keydrec isn’t one to act without thinking. …If he were that simple-minded, I wouldn’t have come all this way.”

“If you say so…”

It had been a month since Asbel’s escape. Although the search continued, they still had no leads. Moreover, the Knights were increasingly short-staffed and unable to devote resources to the search.

The hero of the war had turned out to be a demon.

And Liliana, also a demon, had helped Asbel. Criticism poured in from both the public and the nobility, and Gran had been busy handling the fallout.

Anti-demon sentiment among the people was rising, and some nobles stirred things up, spreading news of every incident involving demons. Similarly, among the demons, rumors spread that Liliana had been abducted by humans, fueling hostility toward humans.

For now, there was no indication of an all-out war. Gran believed that this small flame would eventually die down as the public’s anger subsided over time.

That assumption wasn’t entirely wrong. …But one piece of information could change everything. It was to confirm the truth of this information that Gran and Rai had come to the demon nation.

“Thank you for waiting.”

A refined voice rang out, and a Lizardman, even larger than the others, appeared.

“I am Keydrec. Thank you for coming all this way. I’ve wanted to speak with you, Lord Rai.”

“No, no, the honor is mine. I’ve heard of you, Lord Keydrec, even in our country.”

“I’m flattered to hear that… However, our country has abolished the noble system, so please refrain from addressing me as ‘Lord Keydrec.'”

“My apologies, Representative Keydrec.”

Rai bowed his head.

He had addressed Keydrec as ‘Lord’ on purpose. He had heard that, despite his gentle appearance, Keydrec prioritized his pride above all else.

So, instead of flattering him, Rai had called him ‘Lord’ as a subtle test. But Keydrec showed no signs of pleasure at this—actually, Rai couldn’t read the expressions of the Lizardmen very well.

Rai forced a smile, and Keydrec opened his large mouth, speaking in a smooth tone.

“Now then, I apologize for calling you here, but this is an unofficial meeting. We’re both busy, so let’s skip the preliminaries and get to the main topic.”

Keydrec’s large mouth twisted into what seemed like a gentle smile. Yet, to Rai and Gran, it was unmistakably the smile of a predator.

“In our country, there are currently two opposing views. Should we immediately break the friendship treaty and invade the human nations? Or should we wait for the right moment?”

“…So, either way, you’re planning on going to war.”

“It’s the same on your side, isn’t it? We know that your country has been preparing its military.”

“Our country is only taking precautions.”

“Certainly, preparedness is essential. I just hope Lord Balstein shares that view…”

Keydrec looked at Rai, as if testing him. Rai replied without any change in his expression.

“What Lord Balstein thinks is beyond someone of my age and position. However, I don’t believe His Majesty the King wants the blood of his people to be spilled.”

“That’s very reassuring to hear. Many in our nation believe humans pose a serious threat and feel that if we don’t attack, we will be destroyed. …In particular, Representative Ilias holds that belief strongly.”

“That’s a misunderstanding. We only intend to draw our swords to defend ourselves.”

“Is that so? Well, but you know, his dear daughter, Miss Liliana, was taken by humans. I’d like you to understand his feelings…”

Keydrec’s face twisted again. Rai met his gaze with a steady smile.

“Is that so? I’ve heard that Liliana, the succubus, has negatively influenced the morale of our Knight Order. If she’s so free-spirited, we’ll have to respond accordingly.”

“…Are you sheltering her, Lord Rai?”

“Unfortunately, I’m dedicated to my wife, and no matter how beautiful a woman might be, my gaze doesn’t wander.”

Rai joked, but Keydrec didn’t take the bait.

“I’m sure you know, don’t you? The true power she holds. At peace, she’s just a young girl. But her true nature, as the Succubus Queen, holds the power to destroy an entire nation… no, perhaps the whole world.”

“That’s…”

Rai was at a loss for words.

Gran had seen an ancient document while researching Liliana. It explained why the Succubus Queen species had gone extinct. What he had dismissed as a myth now seemed to be a frightening reality.

Liliana was dangerous.

Even understanding Asbel’s feelings, she was dangerous enough to justify killing her immediately.

“She is connected to the gods. The failed rituals of the gods. Seven harbingers of doom that wander this world. The eternal remnants of the gods. Ideally, she should be locked away deep underground, in a prison fit for a monster like her.”

“Are you suggesting, Representative Keydrec, that we bring her back to you?”

“If you could, that would be ideal… but capturing her would be a difficult task, wouldn’t it? Therefore, I have just one request.”

Keydrec rose, looking down at them with the cold, contemptuous gaze one might use on ants.

“I want you to kill Liliana Liche Riden. If you agree, our friendship treaty will remain unbroken for the next hundred years.”

It wasn’t a negotiation but an order. However, in this situation, neither Rai nor Gran could oppose him.