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- Rustle, rustle...

"Purr..."

By the way, I must have been mistaken yesterday, thinking that Frey had turned into a wolf.

If he’s a wolf, then who’s this little kitten purring contently as I scratch his chin in the carriage?

Indeed, he was still a kitten.

A kitten couldn’t turn into a wolf overnight.

"He must be exhausted."

"..."

Serena and Kania were glaring at me as I continued to pet Frey, they couldn’t do anything.

After all, I’m the Demon King. The most powerful Demon King, destined to burn this world.

"Hmm… his dedicated maid usually dislikes physical contact, but why does she pet Frey so much when he\'s sleeping?"

"It doesn\'t seem like she actually dislikes it. At least, that\'s how it looks to me."

Of course, I was currently dressed in a maid\'s uniform, holding Frey\'s belongings in my arms.

But still, I am the Demon King.

I had the right to pet a kitten I had tamed for years without worrying about others.

"Quiet."

"A maid... speaking informally?"

"If you annoy me, I\'ll burn down the entire academy."

Moreover, I would not be speaking respectfully to the nobles at the academy.

I was only doing this to infiltrate the academy as a spy before invading the Empire.

I\'ve been speaking informally to Frey and Serena for a long time, so there shouldn\'t be anyone else who minds me doing the same.

If anyone has a problem, Serena would deal with them.

"By the way, Ruby, the bets will continue at the academy, okay? Even if you say we\'re grown up now, there\'s no point in trying to stop it."

"..."

Serena\'s bets had become quite troublesome.

When we were younger, it was just a way to play along.

But at some point, it became difficult to maintain a tie without giving my all.

At this rate, I might get overtaken soon.

Truly, she was a scary opponent.

...I definitely shouldn’t tell her the conditions for fully lifting the Curse of Subordination.

"At the risk of being rude, may I offer you both a piece of advice?"

"...?"

As I was thinking that and scratching Frey\'s chin, the sly cat staring at us spoke up.

"There is a saying in the Eastern Continent: \'The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.\' So–"

"Don\'t worry, thieving cat. It doesn\'t look like you\'re the oriole."

"Even if a thieving cat can\'t catch a fish, it can still steal it."

"..."

Sparks started flying in the carriage as usual when those two conversed.

It seemed that the sly cat had changed her tactics lately.

Since a direct approach didn’t work, she started targeting the gaps.

It didn’t really concern me.

But still, I didn’t want to give my kitten to that shady cat.

That was a common sentiment between Serena and me.

"Why don\'t you try winning against Ruby first?"

"That goes for you too, Lady Serena..."

-Screeeech...!

As the two continued to bicker, I smiled, enjoying my monopoly on Frey, until the carriage slowed and eventually stopped. I quietly looked out the window.

"We\'ve arrived..."

This is the Sunrise Academy, which would soon fall into my hands through my wicked plans.

"Hmm..."

As I was grinning evilly, I quickly withdrew my hand and propped my chin when Frey slowly opened his eyes.

"… Ruby? What are you doing? Hurry and get out."

"G-Got it."

Fortunately, it seemed he hadn\'t noticed anything.

Good, now it\'s time to start my invasion plans.

"S-sorry... I\'m so sorry..."

"Hah, what a pathetic girl."

I got off the carriage with these thoughts, only to be greeted by a dreadful scene.

"A commoner like you dared to dirty my clothes with mud?"

"It-it wasn\'t on purpose... please believe me... I beg you..."

A girl, covered in mud as if she had rolled in them, was being bullied by a group of nobles.

"Do you have the money to pay for this? This is the finest fabric."

"N-no... I haven\'t eaten in three days..."

"There\'s no helping it, then. From now on, you\'re my slave."

"U-Uuuu..."

There was a tiny spot of mud on the noble girl\'s dress.

That could just be brushed off.

I really couldn’t understand the nobles of this country.

"Come to the freshmen welcome party tonight. If you do, I\'ll write off half of your deb–"

"Isabel, stop it."

"F-Frey?"

As I was quietly summoning my demonic energy, Frey stepped up to the noble girl and grabbed her arm.

"But this girl–"

"Do you not understand my words?"

"I\'m sorry!"

"To think such a vile practice still exists... looks like I\'ll be busy today."

Judging by her attire, this Isabel seemed to be from one of the highest noble families, yet she cowered immediately at Frey\'s words.

I hadn\'t paid much attention before, but just how powerful is Frey\'s family?

"Are you alright?"

"P-please don\'t touch me."

"Huh?"

Seeing the situation had deescalated, I quietly let the demonic energy dissipate. I really considered whether I, along with Serena and Frey, should break the academy’s bad traditions or not. But suddenly, I felt that something was off.

"If you touch me... you\'ll be cursed."

"Cursed?"

That girl looked so much like...

"Wait."

No, it was not just a resemblance.

"...Lulu?"

With eyes wide open, I walked towards her, trembling.

The girl, covered in wounds and self-inflicted scars, stared back at me.

"W-Who are you? How do you know my name..."

"Lulu!!!!!"

The next moment, I was hugging her, tears streaming down my face for the first time in ages.

"What... what happened to you... these scars..."

"Ruby? You know her?"

"Ugh..."

In the academy I had reluctantly come to…

I had found my sister.

"It\'s nothing much... I haven\'t been beaten much lately... hehe."

"..."

And along with her, my long-forgotten hatred towards humans resurfaced.

.

.

.

.

.

It felt like just yesterday that all this happened, but several months had already flown by.

"Ruby! I\'m back!"

"Yeah."

Frey, with his usual bright expression, walked into the dorm room and approached me.

We\'ve been through so much together during this time.

There was the time we, along with Serena, turned the freshman welcome party upside down on the first day of the entrance ceremony.

Then there was the time we successfully dealt with the \'commoner dormitory\' incident, orchestrated by a faction displeased with us.

And the countless times we thwarted the Church’s unholy schemes with Ferloche, whose actions were anything but holy.

So many things have happened in just a few months. As a result, it was only natural that Frey became the most popular person on campus.

He gained the respect of commoners, the support of enlightened or uncorrupted nobles, the admiration of some corrupt nobles, and even the fervent support of the faculty.

The largest faction in the academy wasn\'t led by the princess or the headmaster but by Frey himself.

"Today, you received a lot of love letters again."

"...Hmm?"

With his pretty face, it was only natural that Frey monopolized the affection of the female students at the academy.

I had long lost count of the number of love letters and confessions Frey has received since he enrolled.

Serena, however, seemed to be diligently keeping track of every single one.

- Tap, tap...!

"Come here."

But all those things were pointless.

In the end, I already tamed him.

"Hehe..."

"Good boy."

When I patted the bed, he scurried over and sat next to me, rubbing his cheek against mine.

His habit of clinging to me since childhood hadn\'t changed, even as he grew up.

The hero admired by the entire academy and the dream of all the female students was now snuggling up to me like a cat.

How delightful...

- Thump, thump...

"Ahem, ahem."

This was all part of my cunning plan and scheme. My wicked strategy, meticulously crafted over the years, was finally coming to fruition.

"You\'re my pet, Frey. Not a human. Understood?"

"Haha."

Now that I had claimed Frey, who would soon become the leader of the largest faction in the empire, conquering the empire was just a matter of time.

"You know, Ruby, I have a favor to ask."

"...Hmm?"

As I tried to ignore my pounding heart, Frey, who was rubbing his cheek against mine, whispered softly in my ear.

"I want to help Lulu."

"..."

My expression turned cold immediately upon hearing that.

Lulu was my achilles heel, and he knew that. So why bring her up?

"I think I can remove the Stigma of Misfortune she\'s under."

"Impossible."

I flatly rejected his proposal.

I already attempted to remove the curse several times, but all attempts failed.

There were two ways to remove the Stigma of Misfortune.\'

The first was for the one who cast the curse to lift it directly.

The second was to erode the curse\'s power with love.

But therein lay the problem.

The Stigma of Misfortune that Lulu bore couldn’t be lifted by simply receiving love.

She also had to genuinely love someone in return.

And that was impossible.

Neither she nor I know what \'love\' was, being demons. Her curse was never going to be lifted.

"Ruby... please, help me, okay?"

"Sigh..."

But, as he clung to me with a pitiful expression, he started to plead.

This was almost like his ultimate move.

Of course, the problem was that I always gave in to this ultimate move.

"Do as you wish."

Originally, I planned to take Lulu and join the Demon King\'s Army soon.

But... it wouldn\'t hurt to at least try to weaken the curse a little before that.

"Thank you, Ruby!"

"..."

Surely, Lulu wouldn’t fall for this mischievous kitten, right?

No way.

Even Frey couldn’t make that happen.

.

.

.

.

.

"Lord Frey!!"

"Lulu, you look happy today as well."

"Of course! Hehe..."

Did I underestimate Frey?

Lulu\'s stigma was weakening so quickly.

Just being showered with love wouldn\'t make it weaken this fast.

Then, could it be that Lulu...?

"...Grit."

My teeth were grinding.

Why did I grind my teeth again?

Jealousy?

That couldn’t be it.

Even if Lulu lost her demonic power and her memories, why am I...?

"Ah, Ruby!"

As I quietly tried to calm my confused mind, Frey approached me with a bright smile.

"I have a favor to ask..."

"W-What is it? Tell me. What do you need help with this time?"

Why was my voice so urgent today? What was this anxious feeling?

- Thump, thump...

Why was my heart pounding?

"Well... lately I\'ve been focusing on Lulu, so could you look after a friend of mine for a while?"

"A friend?"

"Yes, it\'s someone who has been following me around since long ago... These days they\'ve even taken a place near the inn and come to the academy, so it\'s hard to just leave them alone..."

"What kind of relationship do you have with this person?"

Hearing that, Frey scratched his head.

"Well, it\'s nothing special..."

"Don\'t tell me, did you save them or something like that again?"

"…Hehe."

He started to make a sheepish expression. What kind of person was this brat?

At least once a week, people he saved or who owe him their lives came to thank him.

Honestly, this brat...

"I wish all humans were like you..."

"Huh?"

"If they were, I, the Demon King, wouldn\'t have to invade the human world."

Frey, who had been staring blankly at me, smirked and opened his mouth.

"Where in the world is there such a kind Demon King?"

"..."

"Stop making those kinds of jokes, okay? Ruby is my maid."

"You fool, you\'re my pet."

"Then, please take care of me, okay?"

Saying that, Frey turned around, holding hands with the bewildered Lulu.

"Alright..."

"L-Lord Frey! Where are we going today..."

"How about we go for ice cream today?"

"Sounds good!"

Why did I feel this strange feeling? Lulu, my sister, was being saved by him, and Frey looked happy too.

Yet… a part of my heart felt so bitter.

"...Hmph."

Watching Lulu and Frey walk away, I quietly turned around and started heading to the address Frey had given me.

"Let\'s see what this guy looks like."

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"Hello! Nice to meet you. You\'re Ruby, right? Lord Frey\'s personal maid, his closest confidant, and the unsung hero behind the abolition of the freshman welcome party, the suppression of the commoner dormitory raid, and the resolution of the Holy Undead incident!"

"..."

"I\'ve really wanted to meet you. You\'re the person closest to Lord Frey. I also want to know what kind of relationship you have with him..."

Who on earth was this girl?

The girl Frey asked me to take care of, a year younger than him, started babbling excitedly the moment we met.

"...Ah, forget what I just said. There\'s already a rumor around the academy that you\'re in some sort of relationship with Lord Frey."

"W-What are you talking about..."

"Of course, I need to surpass you to win Lord Frey\'s heart, right? I won\'t lose. In that sense, I\'ll start by targeting you. As someone closer to Lord Frey than anyone else, you\'re my rival and the person I respect most– Mmph."

"Sigh."

I covered the mouth of the girl who wouldn\'t stop talking, frowning deeply.

"Who are you?"

"Roswyn!"

"Roswyn?"

"Roswyn Solar Sunset. Eldest daughter of the great Three Dukes and the sole helper of the Hero..."

"Enough, enough– Wait, what?"

I was about to brush her off, but she said something I couldn\'t ignore.

Roswyn Solar \'Sunset\'?

And, ‘Helper of the Hero\'?

"I\'m the Hero\'s helper. That\'s my identity and life\'s goal."

"..."

"The reason I like Frey is because of that."

While I stood there stunned, the girl named Roswyn continued to chatter away.

"From the moment the Hero saved me, my life\'s goal has been solely to support Lord Frey..."

"Ah..."

"Oh, this is a secret, but you probably know, right? Even Serena seems to know to some extent..."

My mind started to go blank.

The truth I had been denying ever since I met him was closing in on me once again.

"R-Ruby?"

"Ugh..."

Am I destined to fight him after all?

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Meanwhile, at a dessert café.

"Nom nom..."

"So, why did you go to such lengths to deceive Ruby and come here?"

Frey, who usually wore a cute expression, sat next to Lulu, who was munching on a giant ice cream with a blank look. However, he now wore a serious face, resting his chin on his hand.

"Well, I have a favor to ask."

"What is it?"

Serena, blushing as she watched the rarely seen serious side of Frey, drizzled syrup over her ice cream and asked.

"Teach me mind control."

"What?"

Serena looked momentarily startled by his request, then asked with a puzzled expression.

"I can teach you, but... why?"

Frey scooped a spoonful of ice cream and replied with a smile.

"Because there\'s someone I must never hate."

"Are you saying...?"

"Even if I become the Hero."

"..."

The bright sunlight coming from the window was quietly shining on them.

"Hic, ugh..."

Reality Frey, who had been sitting at a nearby empty table with his head down, silently shed tears.