A Tea Party for Two

The night after the meeting with Princess Sofia had ended safely──

I was sitting in the garden of General Raizenga's estate, idly drinking tea.

A party celebrating the successful meeting had begun in the hall.

First, Demon Lord Lukie gave a greeting, and after that, everyone was free to let loose.

General Raizenga and the soldiers under his command were drinking and having a good time.

A little while ago, I saw Chancellor Kelv-san going around warning everyone not to drink too much.

Mabel and Agnis had gone to the kitchen.

There was a space for the Pixies in one corner of the kitchen.

Since the Pixies had worked so hard this time, Lukie had ordered that everyone be treated to something special.

Soleil, Rune, and the others were enjoying freshly prepared food and sweets there.

Mabel and Agnis were probably eating with them as well.

After participating in the party for a little while, I received some food and tea, then went outside.

I am not good at parties. I don't have many pleasant memories of them.

But the fact that I was staying near the venue like this meant that I might have grown a little.

In the past, I would have returned to my room and researched alchemy.

The Demon Lord's Territory was helping me grow. Yes. I would choose to think of it that way.

"──So this is where you were, Thor."

A voice called out.

When I turned around, Demon Lord Lukie was standing beneath the moonlight.

She was wearing a black dress and a Recognition Interference mask over her face.

"I thought you had returned to your room to research alchemy, but you really were staying near the venue."

"I'll stay until the party ends. Someone might call for me, after all."

"Hmm. I heard you did not want to attend the previous party, but you seem to have grown as well."

"I think so too."

"...Sorry. I meant that sarcastically. When you answer me so seriously, I feel guilty... May I sit beside you?"

"Sure. Go ahead."

I took some magic-woven cloth from the 'Extra-Small Simple Storage' and spread it over a chair.

Lukie placed her 'Recognition Interference' mask there, then sat down beside me.

"Is it all right for you to take off your mask?"

"Of course. The trees hide us here. They should not be able to see us from the hall."

"But wouldn't it be a problem if someone came by?"

"I asked Kelv to keep people away from this area. There is no problem."

Lukie accepted a teacup from me and smiled.

"Have you forgotten? I am Demon Lord Lukie Evargard. Since I am the Demon Lord, I can make people do things for my own personal interests. Heh-heh."

"Indeed. That much is only natural for Your Majesty."

I nodded.

"After all, Your Majesty defeated that giant centipede in no time this time, too. I wanted to watch Your Majesty control those black flames from closer up. It is only natural that Demon Lord Lukie-sama is strong, but it was a shame to miss the chance to see you look so cool──"

"Stop answering my jokes with such a serious face! You're making me embarrassed..."

"...Sorry."

What could I do? It was true that Lukie looked cool when she fought.

"I know you are speaking honestly, but... ugh."

Saying that, Lukie covered her face.

Since she told me not to look at her for a while, I munched on the baked sweets on the plate and said,

"Come to think of it, what will happen regarding the Empire's responsibility for the giant centipede incident? Princess Sofia said, 'I bear full responsibility.'"

"That is a difficult question. I know she was sickly as well."

"...Yes."

"I do not feel inclined to hold someone who was shunned by those around her until only recently responsible..."

"It seems the giant centipede was provoked because one of her subordinates ran out of control, too."

"However, that does not mean we can let the Empire off without any responsibility at all."

As we gazed absently at the moon, Lukie and I continued talking.

Lukie took a sip of tea, then said,

"The most reasonable compromise would be for Princess Sofia's side to provide more of the funds for the trading post."

"The trading post being built near the border?"

"Yes. Tents, road improvements, and various other expenses will require quite a lot of money. We will probably contribute funds jointly. At that point, they will take responsibility for what happened this time by paying their share."

I see.

There were ways of taking responsibility like that as well.

Certainly, that would make it easier for Princess Sofia's side to contribute money.

After all, if the trading post prospered, it would benefit the people living along the border.

"The funds will probably be divided thirty-seventy between the Demon Lord's Territory and the Empire."

"That seems reasonable."

"If we negotiated, we might be able to push them to twenty-eighty, but... we are going to trade with them from now on. If we profited one-sidedly, we would never earn their trust. This is the best compromise... And there is something else."

Lukie bit into a baked sweet and grinned.

"I intend to demand some of the 'giant centipede's' materials as well."

"That's fantastic."

"It will be so that we can investigate what it really is. Still, I will give you a little of it, Thor. If you insist, that is. If you say, 'Please, I really want it'──"

"Please, I really want it!"

"Learn to embellish your words a little more!"

I was scolded.

"Your honesty is one of your virtues, Thor, but could you try negotiating once in a while? I am beginning to worry about your future."

"Sorry. I just thought it might be useful as an alchemy material, and I got carried away."

"Well, you did a great deal this time──no, this time as well. Giving you some of the monster's materials is nothing."

"Thank you as well, Lukie-sama."

I had forgotten to thank her.

I bowed deeply to Lukie.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with Princess Sofia, and for making the meeting go well. Everything is thanks to you, Lukie-sama. Thank you very much."

"...Is that really something you need to thank me for?"

Lukie tilted her head.

"You are no longer an Imperial citizen. You are my citizen, a precious member of my family, and a citizen of the Demon Lord's Territory. Do you really need to thank me for the Empire's interests?"

"I'm not thanking you for the Empire's interests."

"You are not?"

"To be honest, I would be fine if that country were destroyed."

"...Do not say such dangerous things."

"I won't say it in front of people from the Empire."

Lukie knew my circumstances.

She knew that my father──Balga Ligas──and Count Galtia had tried to use me.

That was why I could speak honestly with her.

"Well, if the Empire really were destroyed... it would fall into chaos, and nobody would be able to clean up the mess, so I do not want that much. I only want them to remain peaceful and leave things as they are without doing anything. Princess Sofia is there, too, so I hope they will at least remain quiet enough for her to live in peace."

"I see."

"I thanked you because, thanks to you, Lukie-sama──Your Majesty the Demon Lord──I was able to learn that there are good people within the Empire as well."

I took a deep breath, then knelt before Lukie.

Then I looked up at her face and said,

"Because Your Majesty hired me as an alchemist, I was able to meet Princess Sofia. I learned that there are people within the Empire whom I cannot bring myself to hate... I would never have learned that if it were not for you, Your Majesty."

"...Thor."

"So thank you very much, Your Majesty Lukie Evargard."

I bowed my head again.

"Ah, but that doesn't mean I have come to like the Empire, all right? I hate that country itself, especially my father. But... I think I spend less time remembering what happened when I lived in the Empire, and less time thinking that I hate being born there. Only a little, though."

"...I see. Then I am glad."

Gently.

Lukie's slender fingers touched my hair.

"I am glad. If what I have done has made things easier for you... then I am glad."

"Ah, um. Your Majesty."

"Do not move."

"...Yes."

"Stay in that position and come a little closer. Put your head on my lap."

"Um, Lukie-sama?"

No, that wouldn't be good.

Even though this place had been cleared of people, we were still in the estate's garden. We had no idea who might be watching.

"Um, Lukie-sama. If someone finds us..."

"Q-quiet! Then... surely you can find no fault with this!?"

Lukie took a black cat-shaped set of 'dress-up pajamas' from her own 'Extra-Small Simple Storage'.

She slung it over her back and put on only the cat-ear hood──then looked satisfied.

"At a glance, I am merely an ordinary cat. Surely there is no problem with a cat letting a friend sit on its lap?"

"...No, that is stretching it a bit."

"Meow."

"...Lukie-sama? Your Majesty?"

"Meow!"

"...All right."

I surrendered.

An alchemist had no chance of defeating the Demon Lord.

"...Like this?"

I moved closer to Lukie while remaining on my knees on the ground.

Then──I leaned against the lap of Lukie, who was sitting in the chair, wrapped in her black dress.

"Y-yes. That is fine."

Lukie said that and stroked my hair.

Twice──then three times.

She repeated the motion with a gentle touch.

"Thor. I want you to live longer than anyone else."

"...Lukie-sama?"

"For a very long time. Long enough for most of your life to be spent in the Demon Lord's Territory──with me."

Lukie whispered into my ear.

"If that happens, the time you spent living in the Empire will become only a brief moment in your life. A fleeting instant. You will probably stop remembering it."

"...Is that what you mean?"

"That is what I mean."

"Then I'll do my best. In any case, I intend to spend the rest of my life in this Demon Lord's Territory."

"Yes. That is a promise."

Rustle, rustle.

Lukie's small hand slowly moved back and forth over my hair.

"Come to think of it, I had a favor to ask you, Lukie-sama."

"Yes. Go ahead."

"I haven't said what it is yet."

"You have accomplished a great deal this time."

Lukie whispered those words beside my ear.

"It was thanks to you that the Demon Lord's Territory was able to make contact with Princess Sofia. As a result, the Empire's military training was canceled, and it was decided that a trading post would be built near the border. That was all thanks to the items you made and the Pixies."

"I am the alchemist directly employed by the Demon Lord."

I answered while looking up at Lukie's face.

"My job is to make items and have people use them. I merely did my job."

"Do not lie. You make most of your items as a hobby, do you not?"

Lukie laughed.

"Well, never mind that. In any case, I will grant your request. Tell me what it is."

"About the 'Special Good-Luck Ring' I gave you..."

"Yes. The one Mabel has as well."

"Actually, when Princess Sofia met Mabel, she seemed to mistake it for an engagement ring."

"...Hmm?"

"Before we could correct that misunderstanding, Princess Sofia returned to the 'Town of Noza' just like that. But if it turns out that it is not an engagement ring, things could become complicated."

"...Princess Sofia wishes to become engaged to you, after all. In that case, for Thor to remain in the Demon Lord's Territory, it would be best for Mabel to remain your fiancée. Yet if there is trouble over the engagement ring, it may arouse suspicion on their side. Is that what you mean...?"

"As expected of you, Lukie-sama."

"...Yes."

"Why are you looking away?"

"...It is nothing."

"In any case, about the ring I gave you..."

"You are not going to tell me to return it, are you?"

For some reason, Lukie wore a cheerful smile.

But her eyes were not smiling.

She held my shoulder with one hand while staring intently at the hand wearing the ring.

"R-regardless of whether it is an engagement ring... you gave this to Mabel and me as a magic item. Even if it is unfinished, it was made by an alchemist who was confident in it, was it not? You cannot ask me to return it simply because it has become inconvenient..."

"I won't."

"...What?"

"I will add functions worthy of you later, so please lend it to me only while I work on it."

I still could not make the true 'Special Good-Luck Ring'.

So I planned to add different functions to Mabel's and Lukie's rings.

When I did that, I would make it possible to distinguish between the rings.

Then Princess Sofia would not think that Lukie and I were engaged. Probably.

"...I-if that is what you mean, then that is fine."

Lukie sighed in relief and touched the ring.

"Then I shall keep this."

"What kind of function would you like me to add to the ring, Lukie-sama?"

"Do you have any recommendations?"

"If you want something small with a powerful effect... perhaps a 'Security Alarm'?"

"...Rejected. I want something else."

"Specifically?"

"You should be able to guess."

"Please don't ask the impossible."

"Listen, Thor. You and I are going to be together for a long time from now on, are we not?"

Lukie looked straight into my face with her large eyes.

"Would it not be better to train yourself to understand my intentions while you have the chance? What I want. Think about what function you want in the ring you want from me, Thor Kanan."

"Understood."

I nodded.

If that was what she wanted, I would think about it.

The function of the ring that Lukie wanted, made for Lukie.

Yes. This was becoming fun. I would give it a try.

"As the alchemist directly employed by you, Your Majesty, I will try to make the ring you desire."

"Heh. Thank you, Thor."

Lukie stroked my hair again.

Then she placed her hand on my head and said,

"But do not overexert yourself. It is not urgent."

"I'm fine. I want to make you the best ring possible and... oh, right, there was also the magic sword. I want to make both of them good, so I'll take my time."

"I will be returning to the castle soon."

Lukie's eyes were right before me.

They were beautiful eyes that sparkled in the moonlight.

She continued staring intently at me and said,

"Do you understand? Do not stay up all night researching while I am not looking, or research endlessly without eating, or charge in carrying the 'UV-Cut Parasol' after tricking Princess Sofia into using Light magic, all right?"

"...Understood, Your Majesty."

"...Why are you looking away?"

"...It is embarrassing. Your face is so close."

"...Ugh."

Lukie's face turned red.

She turned aside, making the cat ears on the hood twitch.

"Meow."

"No, pulling the hood down over your eyes won't transform you into a cat."

"I-it is fine! We have kept everyone away from this place. If Thor and I do not tell anyone what happened here, then it will be as though nothing happened! That is perfectly fine!"

"...As though nothing happened."

Right now, I was leaning against Lukie's lap and gazing at her face from up close.

...Yes. It would be better to pretend nothing happened.

Chancellor Kelv-san would definitely scold us if he saw this.

"Well then, the party should be ending soon. Let us return."

Lukie held out her hand to me.

I stood up and took it.

When I saw her look toward the hall, I pulled her to her feet by the hand and began walking.

Lukie put on her 'Recognition Interference' mask again.

This time, she had wrapped up the negotiations with the Empire and defeated a huge demon beast. Even so, Lukie still did not seem ready to remove her mask.

To her──and to the Demon Lord's Territory──the position of Demon Lord must be an extremely important one.

The thing I could do for Lukie was──

"I suppose I should improve the 'Improved Body Pillow' further so that Lukie-sama can take time off more easily. I could extend its operating time to twenty-four hours and make it possible for you to use the 'Intimidation' Skill at will──"

"What are you thinking about, Thor?"

"I am thinking about something useful to you and the Demon Lord's Territory, Lukie-sama."

"I know. Well, if you are going to improve the body pillow, you may as well hug this for now."

Lukie took an 'Improved Body Pillow Cover' from her own 'Extra-Small Simple Storage'.

"You wanted to improve the 'Body Pillow,' did you not? Then let the Demon Lord test it out. If you are going to improve my 'Body Pillow,' you will need my impressions as well."

"Well, that may be true, but..."

"Then hurry up and hug it. Also, give me the 'Improved Body Pillow' you have."

"...Um, Lukie-sama."

"I will tell you my impressions before we return to the Demon Lord's Castle. That should be satisfactory, should it not?"

"You certainly ask for the impossible, Lukie-sama."

"I am the Demon Lord, after all. Heh-heh."

And so, the Improved Body Pillow I had been carrying became Lukie's.

After that, I led Lukie back to the party venue by the hand.

The party came to a close while everyone was still enjoying themselves, and I received the leftover sweets before returning to my room.

Then, while looking through the 'Mail-Order Catalog,' I thought about Lukie's ring.

"...Yawn."

I was getting sleepy. Perhaps I should go to bed soon.

The bed... no. I would leave it as it was.

Come to think of it, Mabel never came. I thought she would come after the party ended.

Was she with Agnis?

When I passed Agnis earlier, she had been clutching the 'Health-Boosting Pendant' with a bright-red face.

Were those childhood friends planning to have a pajama party or something...?

"──Benefactor. If you are going to sleep, you should get into bed──"

I heard Soleil's voice beside my ear.

But I was sleepy. Sorry, Soleil. I would sleep right here.

"──This is troublesome. I came to deliver a message. Mabel-sama said that today she will be talking with Agnis-sama in Her Majesty's room. For Her Majesty, who will be returning to the Demon Lord's Castle soon... something special..."

Soleil's voice gradually faded away.

As I listened to her words, I remembered the item I had just given Lukie, but──

──Unable to overcome my sleepiness──I fell asleep just as I was.