Part 1: Encounter of the Demon Lord and the Hero

The Demon Lord, a being that brings despair to the world as the ruler of the demon race.

A king who declared such, bestowed upon the chosen hero the mission to subjugate the Demon Lord.

Hero Oliver and his companions were supposed to obey that command and defeat the Demon Lord to bring peace to the world. Oliver was incredibly powerful, and no one believed that the hero would be defeated.

Naturally, even Hero Oliver himself thought so.

However, that prediction was overturned in a way that not even the hero himself could have foreseen.

It was almost as if they were blessing the Demon Lord? The intense thunderclap resounded through the deep forest, making people think such thoughts.

In the forest leading to the Demon Lord's castle, the first thing the hero's party encountered was a torrential downpour, as if someone was pouring water over them.

It took about a month to travel from the human-inhabited area to this forest. There were more monsters in this region than in the human territory, making the journey difficult.

It was a journey that an ordinary person could hardly endure, both physically and mentally.

The hero's party consisted of five members.

Olis, the shield-bearer. He had short blue hair, a tall and sturdy build, and held a massive shield. He bore the important responsibility of protecting his teammates from attacks.

Laine, the mage. With a slender figure, he scorned martial arts and was devoted to magic. Despite being male, his wrist movements were extraordinary as he cast spells, and his flowing orange hair made him oddly beautiful. He was also the only noble in the group.

Elena, the archer. She had silver hair tied to one side and was a wandering elf. She could accurately hit targets even from a hundred meters away.

Lastly, Aluna, the healer. She was both the princess of the country and an expert in recovery magic. With her fluffy peach-colored hair and a smiling expression, she looked just like an angel, having strong support from the citizens.

This was the hero's party chosen by the country.

Each person had confidence in their abilities and trusted their companions. The team members were certain that they could entrust their backs only to each other.

"... We're almost at the Demon Lord's castle."

"Even though it can't be helped in demon territory, it's really inconvenient without a carriage."

While nodding in agreement with Princess Aluna's words, Laine used wind magic to instantly dry the soaked clothes of everyone. They leaned against the cave wall and sat down.

They were currently in a shallow cave they had found near the forest's exit.

The hero's party was taking a break while making final preparations for their assault on the Demon Lord. Because they all had absolute confidence in their own abilities, their discussion focused on the items they carried and how they would cooperate as a team.

"Sigh, Oliver. Is this all the potions we have?"

"Yeah. One bottle of the highest-grade spirit elixir and ten bottles of high-level potions. Anyway, Olis, you should take more for defense."

Oliver nodded in response to Elena's remark and distributed the potions to the team members.

"Alright."

Olis, the vanguard, received five bottles, Laine, who lacked mobility, received two bottles, and the remaining two members each received one bottle. Oliver also reminded them with a smile not to hesitate to use them if anything unexpected happened. The spirit elixir was carried by Oliver, who was at the center of the team.

The Demon Lord's castle was right in front of them. Despite this, Oliver continued to wear an innocent smile that showed no sign of nervousness—because he believed that there was no stronger existence than himself.

A hero, Oliver, with absolute confidence.

Dark crimson hair exuded a hue that could not be tainted by anyone else, as if proclaiming its own strength. The azure eyes sparkled like a cluster of stars, harboring infinite possibilities.

The well-trained agile body had not a trace of uselessness.

Promoted by the king to become the world's strongest human, a youth who became a hero. No one could see through his sharp swordsmanship. His magical power was immense, and coupled with his precise control, using any magic was child's play.

He was truly a flawless human being without any flaws.

Ah, if there were to be any fault—it would be that he had no interest in women. Or rather, Oliver despised those perfumed women who approached him for the sake of his "hero" status… just that.

With only one bottle of spirit elixir left, Oliver held onto it and decided to rest for the night before setting out again. After saying so, everyone agreed and began discussing tomorrow's strategy.

"The only one we need to slay is the Demon Lord. As for the other monsters, we can leave them alone if they don't cause any trouble."

Even though they were here to subjugate the Demon Lord, Oliver was still a hero. He believed it was better not to engage in unnecessary killing. Until now, he had only killed monsters that posed a threat to humans.

Regarding this, team member Aluna shared the same viewpoint.

Despite acting like a "kind-hearted princess" to the citizens, she didn't indiscriminately slaughter monsters with the hero... Even for the good of the country, such a thing shouldn't happen.

The team's goal was solely to defeat the Demon Lord and protect the safety of the citizens. It was not about exterminating the demon race; they had made this clear to the citizens. Most of the citizens believed in the gentle princess and thought that she would use her healing powers to protect the hero's party and guide them to the Demon Lord.

"If there are too many monsters, I'll hold them back. During that time, you can locate the Demon Lord."

Even if his hair stands on end, he can block all attacks, and Olis took pride in his role as the shield-bearer. Upon hearing this, Oliver smiled and said, "I'll leave it to you."

"However, I really dislike the idea of a final battle in the rain."

While chuckling, Elena shrugged and said, "We are not welcome." The male mage, on the other hand, nodded as if negating it.

"How could one welcome those who come to subjugate them?"

"I know that, of course! I'm just saying, what does it matter? After we defeat the Demon Lord and return to the country, we'll be heroes."

"Does Elena want to become a hero?"

After widening her eyes, Aluna's expression turned into a smile again. As a princess, she believed that defeating the Demon Lord was only natural and necessary.

"Your Highness the Princess isn't interested in that kind of thing."

Elena pouted and said, "How boring."

At the end of the deep forest, the Demon Lord's castle stood silently.

Seemingly unwilling to be noticed by others, a faint mist enveloped its surroundings. The forest trees, drenched from the recent rain, reflected the sunlight, creating a mysterious atmosphere.

The Demon Lord's castle seemed to absorb a great amount of sunlight, adorned with numerous windows. All of this was to ensure that the master of this castle—the Demon Lord—could live comfortably, a desire from the subordinates.

As her gaze caught the morning dew, the Demon Lord Cecilia leaned back against the chair and dozed off for a moment.

"... So warm."

Wearing a top with excessively long sleeves and capri pants, she embraced one knee and rested her head on top of it. This way, she could take a nap anytime, adopting a sitting posture that might make others laugh if they saw it.

Her golden hair was loosely braided into three strands. She liked to twirl the ends of her hair with her hand, often absentmindedly touching her hair while lost in thought.

Her drowsy pupils shifted from a blue hue to gray. She resembled the dawn, and this comparison was a tribute to her deceased father—the former Demon Lord.

Her name was Cecilia Frosty.

The present Demon Lord.

Her outward appearance was about 152 centimeters tall, roughly equivalent to a fifteen-year-old human.

However, in reality, she was the leader of the demon clan who had lived for over two hundred years. After her father was killed by humans a hundred and thirty years ago, she inherited the position of Demon Lord.

That being said...

"...Quite idle."

To be honest, the occupation of a Demon Lord was quite leisurely.

"Hmm... should I read some books..."

Yet even this seemed bothersome to her now. And work of any kind was even more so.

If you were to mention any kind of task, it would probably be to exterminate humans. However, Cecilia, who had no interest in that, left it entirely to her subordinates and had no intention of taking action.

Even so, her close relationship with the monsters around her meant that they didn't bother humans either, since she showed no interest.

While it was a lie to say she felt no resentment towards the humans who killed her father, Cecilia believed that, given the clear opposition between the races, it was an unavoidable situation.

Her father had indeed been killed by humans, but at the same time, he, as the Demon Lord, had killed many humans.

...Am I too indifferent?

For instance, no matter how many monsters humans defeated today, Cecilia felt indifferent about it. She believed that Cecilia and her fellow demons would never truly understand humans.

Therefore, humans would eventually invade the Demon Lord's castle.

"I remember hearing rumors of a very strong hero appearing... But I can't fight like my father could."

Moreover, even her powerful father was defeated by humans.

In any case, she didn't think the fragile Cecilia stood a chance against such opponents. While she had plenty of magical power, she wouldn't have the upper hand in a physical fight.

...

—I hope heroes and the like never come...

It would be best to continue living in peace.

Is it because I think this way that it's impossible?

A massive explosion rocked the Demon Lord's castle, causing cold sweat to break out on Cecilia's back. Could it be...? Her heart raced irregularly. Clutching her body tightly, she once again—seriously gazed out the window.

The sight of monsters fleeing in all directions met her eyes. Ah, finally, is it time? She closed her eyes, thinking so.

After a slow deep breath, the anxious footsteps outside the room reached Cecilia's ears.

Though everything had been leisurely just a moment ago, the world had suddenly lost its normalcy so easily.

Upon hearing the forceful knocking sound, she immediately said, "Come in," and her panicked subordinate rushed in.

"Milady Cecilia, th-the hero, hero, hero-hero, hero!"

Tears welled up in her trembling subordinate's eyes, making Cecilia feel pity for him. The enemy, who was undoubtedly much stronger, must be attacking now, and he must be terrified.

Cecilia gently smiled at her trembling goblin subordinate, who was trying to keep his legs from shaking, as if trying to calm him down.

Then, on behalf of the goblin, Cecilia spoke the words he couldn't bring himself to say.

"...Hero?"

"Y-yes, that's right... The monsters inside the city have all been defeated. Those guys are like monsters themselves, incredibly powerful."

Who exactly are the monsters here? The goblin cried out in dismay.

—After all, goblins couldn't possibly stand against heroes.

Demons were divided into high-ranking demons and monsters, two types.

Cecilia, with a humanoid form like hers, belonged to the high-ranking demons. They possessed immense magical power and could assume appearances similar to humans. Distinguishing demons from their appearance was nearly impossible. But now, such beings were extremely rare.

Then there were goblins, referred to as monster demons. They had various forms, some could understand language, and some couldn't. Goblins belonged to the former category, and those who worked in the Demon Lord's castle were capable of independent thought and conversation. On the other hand, monsters who couldn't communicate were scattered around the world, indiscriminately attacking humans.

From this, one could understand that although this was the Demon Lord's castle and demons lived here—until now, it had been peaceful.

Thus, Cecilia had a good relationship with the monsters.

The goblin who rushed into the room headed straight for Cecilia and grabbed her hand.

"Please, hurry and escape, Lady Cecilia! We will do our best to hold off the hero. Please—"

Please escape to a distant place, where the hero won't find you. The goblin wanted to convey this. However, Cecilia shook her head slowly, rejecting his plea.

"I can't. Because I am the Demon Lord..."

"No, Lady Cecilia! Please, please don't do something like that!!"

Cecilia rose from her seated position, took a large cloak from the wardrobe that could cover her entire body, and draped it over herself.

Fastening a golden feather-adorned brooch and giving the cloak a flick.

Finally, she put on the Demon Lord mask, a relic left behind by her father, hanging on the wall. The mask, with a horn protruding from it, contained a large amount of demonic power and was meant to display her disdain for humans.

Although the goblin was tearful and begged her to escape—she couldn't possibly do such a thing.

Cecilia reassured, "It's okay. You go and escape quickly," and smiled gently beneath the mask at the goblin.

"I am... the Demon Lord. I will never run away."

"...! Lady Cecilia."

With her face hidden behind the mask and her body covered by the dark cloak, her adorable figure vanished completely—no matter how you looked at it, Cecilia had the dignified appearance befitting a Demon Lord. However, it was somewhat regrettable that her height of 152 centimeters was too cute, lacking a sense of majesty.

As Cecilia walked, the cloak swayed in response.

Passing through the open door, demons gathered in the corridor. Everyone was worried about Cecilia, and she realized once again how beloved she was by her subordinates.

"Everyone, hurry and escape. As the Demon Lord, I will settle this."

"...!"

Hearing Cecilia's resolute voice, all the gathered demons took a collective breath.

Most of the demons gathered here were not adept at combat. After confirming that no one was severely injured, Cecilia lifted her cloak and continued walking down the corridor.

Walking straight down the hallway covered in a red carpet, her destination was the Demon Lord's throne.

Watching Cecilia's retreating figure, the goblin knelt on the ground with tears in his eyes. Considering Cecilia's power and the hero's strength, the demons' chances of victory were extremely low.

"Lady Cecilia, please don't go...!"

Cecilia pretended not to hear the goblin's pleading voice. If she were to turn back now, her determination as the Demon Lord would surely waver.

—I really love the goblin's brewed tea.

The goblin, who had cared for Cecilia since childhood as her trusted companion, held a special place in her heart.

Among those in the castle, the one most concerned about Cecilia was likely the goblin. And Cecilia, too, hoped that the goblin would survive.

—At the very least, I must buy everyone time to escape.

With this thought in mind, she continued down the corridor, and the injured demons, one by one, came into Cecilia's view. There were even those who were unable to move, crouched in place.

Upon seeing Cecilia advancing in her Demon Lord posture, the demons within the castle trembled. After all, she usually wore loose clothing and lived a leisurely life.

"Lady Cecilia..."

Everyone recognized Cecilia's determination and called out her name through tearful cries.

Normally, they would salute Cecilia in a corner of the corridor. Just like usual, today too, they knelt in a corner of the corridor and paid the utmost respect to the Demon Lord—however, not in the usual manner.

With a voice louder than they had ever used before, all the demons shouted at Cecilia.

"Lady Cecilia, why are you dressed like this!"

"Goblins must have already asked you to escape, right!?"

"The hero is here! His target is the Demon Lord. Please, hurry and escape!"

"We will hold him back!!"

"..."

All the demons implored the Demon Lord—Cecilia—to escape immediately.

However, Cecilia's determination remained unshaken.

"I am the Demon Lord. I will not abandon the castle or everyone and flee."

"Lady Cecilia... But we hope that Lady Cecilia can escape."

Desperately, the demons pleaded with Cecilia.

Though they didn't say it directly, their intention was clear: even if it cost them their lives, they would delay the hero so Cecilia could escape during that time. After all, as demons, they could not avoid being targeted for extermination. Of course, Cecilia, as the Demon Lord, was the same...

That's why Cecilia couldn't fulfill their wish.

"...I can't. Please let me do the duty of the Demon Lord."

Cecilia's voice, spoken calmly, trembled.

Because they cared deeply for each other. That's why the demons didn't want Cecilia to die, and Cecilia didn't want the demons to die.

Closing her eyes tightly beneath the mask, Cecilia took a deep breath.

—It will be alright.

"I'm setting off."

"Lady Cecilia!"

Without looking back, Cecilia, as the Demon Lord, took that step forward.

Between the thrones, created for the Demon Lord.

The pitch-black door leading there was adorned with silver edges. The gleaming door seemed to proclaim that the Demon Lord was the supreme being in this world.

Opening that door and entering the deepest part of the room, she took a seat on the chair placed there. Waiting here for the hero's arrival was Cecilia's greatest and final duty as the Demon Lord.

—Today, I will be defeated by the hero.

Despite not wanting to die, her trembling had naturally subsided.

Though she was very frightened, she was able to stand resolutely, staring straight ahead.

She had trembled in fear just a moment ago, but now... she suddenly felt her mind calm down, returning to a state of tranquility.

"It will be alright."

—I am, the Demon Lord.

Though she had never done anything befitting a Demon Lord until now, she was indeed the daughter of the previous Demon Lord. A slight sense of pride remained in her heart.

—The hero's party has invaded the Demon Lord's castle.

Unconsciously, she held her breath.

The space between the thrones was eerily silent, with no indication of the battle taking place. However, just like the fact that Cecilia had been driven to the brink was laid bare before her, the luxurious door between the thrones slowly swung open.

She knew who would enter here. Clasping the hand on her knee, she stared fixedly at the door, forgetting even to blink.

"—Hero."

Softly, the voice slipped from Cecilia's lips.

The figure revealed upon opening the door was the hero, Oliver, holding the sacred sword. Behind him were four team members.

Their clothes were covered in stains and they were wounded. Those were the marks of their battle against the castle's demons.

"Everyone worked so hard. I'm a useless Demon Lord, I'm so sorry," Cecilia silently conveyed her thoughts to them.

The slaughtered demons were no longer visible. Suppressing the tears that were about to spill over, Cecilia welcomed the hero's arrival.

"Are you the Demon Lord...? The one who rules over all demons, the king."

Oliver's deep and resonant voice echoed between the thrones. That voice caused Cecilia's body to involuntarily recoil. But enduring her fear, she responded.

"...And if I am?"

"It doesn't matter. For now, I am the hero. Therefore, I haven't killed a single demon within the castle."

"—!!"

I am different from you; I won't take life without purpose.

She felt that he was subtly mocking her. But right now, there was no room to pay attention to such things. Cecilia's eyes widened in response to the hero's words.

Though her eyes were hidden by the mask, a single tear trickled down Cecilia's beautiful eyes, resembling the dawn.

—Everyone is still alive.

Just that was enough to satisfy Cecilia's heart.

To her, the most terrifying thing was seeing her cherished demons being killed. Though he didn't mention the demons outside the castle, at the very least, the demons under her protection were saved.

"However, only you, as the Demon Lord, must be defeated—I have received this duty."

"!"

The hero took a step forward, raising his sacred sword.

As if responding to him, Cecilia stood up and raised her staff. Even though she understood somewhere in her mind that victory was unlikely, she could only accept this frustrating reality.

Cecilia excelled in magic.

There was no way she could engage in sword combat.

Moreover, she was Cecilia, who often lazily sunbathed. Doing a push-up three times was her limit, and running fifty meters took her thirteen seconds.

Her physical strength was beyond hopeless. She couldn't move nimbly, let alone be aware of danger and unconsciously take actions to protect herself.

This is bad. Cecilia thought to herself.

If only she had trained her body a bit more, but it was too late now. However, she certainly had no intention of going down without a fight.

—As long as I deploy defensive magic, I should be able to buy some time!

"Darkness deeper than the night, wrap me in your protection."

The sparkling dark power descended as if to envelop Cecilia. At the same time, Oliver swung his holy sword towards Cecilia—only for it to be blocked by her dark magic.

"...Hm!"

—So fast!

Undoubtedly, Cecilia couldn't manage to evade or defend herself on a physical level. Not only was it swift, but his strike also shattered Cecilia's dark magic with ease.

—Didn't expect the defense to be crushed in a single blow.

At this rate, she wouldn't even be able to stall for time. While everyone was still alive, she still wished for them to escape from where the hero was.

"Hey..."

Oliver curled his lips, breaking into a smile. The admiring expression on his face caused Cecilia to furrowed her brows.

"To think you could withstand my attack. You truly live up to your title as the Demon Lord."

"!"

From Cecilia's perspective, being able to withstand just one blow was astonishing. However, Oliver wore a nonchalant expression and praised her for at least withstanding that one attack. He was mocking her with that beautiful smile.

—The gap between my power and the hero's is so vast.

The situation was even more dire than Cecilia had imagined. There might have been a chance through magic—but that possibility was almost non-existent.

She couldn't continue to withstand his attacks. If that was the case, she had no choice but to launch an attack herself.

"Power of darkness, shine forth!"

Cecilia shouted loudly, summoning orbs of dark magic around herself.

She had intended to use this attack against the hero's group—but Oliver, even faster than that, suddenly appeared before her.

"Don't think you can succeed—!"

Before her eyes was Oliver, raising his holy sword.

The holy sword flashed, easily slicing towards Cecilia's delicate frame.

A searing pain caused her to let out a moan.

"—Guh, ah!"

"Such a shame. The Demon Lord falls so easily. —And so, it ends."

Collapsed on the spot, Cecilia felt her own death.

"Wait—! You're kidding, right? The Demon Lord is this weak?"

"Well, no, Elena. It's just that Oliver is too strong. ...Although he won more decisively than I had anticipated."

The team members watching the battle couldn't hide their astonishment. They had never imagined that defeating the Demon Lord would be so easy.

Elena smiled and praised Oliver's strength.

"It's true that Oliver is the strongest... But judging by this, aren't the demons inside the castle even stronger than the Demon Lord?"

—Without a doubt, the demons are stronger.

Cecilia's only hope of winning against them lay in her magic.

Even though her consciousness was hazy, Cecilia responded in her mind this way. The memory of her never winning the goblin's 50-meter race flashed in her mind.

If she could be reborn, she promised herself that she would train her body next time... That's what she thought.

Oliver hadn't even taken a breath, and he had defeated the Demon Lord, Cecilia.

Sheathing his holy sword, he thought to himself, Could it be this easy to resolve it? After reporting the success of their mission to the king, it would be complete.

Looking down at the fallen Demon Lord, she seemed even shorter than he had imagined. After all, she was a demon, so her humanoid form was understandable, but from a human perspective, she looked like a child.

"...Huff. The Demon Lord is barely holding on. One last blow should finish it."

"Great! Let's have a feast when we get back!"

"Yeah... While we're at it, let's take a look at what the Demon Lord really looks like."

Oliver responded to Elena with a smile and removed Cecilia's mask. At that moment, a thunderous shock as if struck by lightning coursed through his body.

—The Demon Lord is so cute!!

Oliver couldn't help but cover his mouth with his hand and halt his breath.

Through tightly shut eyes, he could see her long eyelashes trembling softly. He couldn't see her eyes, which made him feel a great sense of regret.

From the gap in her cloak, he saw her loose blouse and shorts, a clothing style entirely unfitting for a Demon Lord. The loose ends of her three-part braid hung down to her thighs, giving off an unusual charm.

Even though there had been no issue during the battle, Oliver was now starting to feel his heart race and his breath quicken.

"...Huh? Is this... the Demon Lord?"

"So, she's a girl."

"A counterfeit?"

"No. The dark magic power is strong; she must be the Demon Lord."

The four team members peeked behind Oliver and started discussing Cecilia. Ultimately, the conclusion was drawn by the mage Laine, who determined based on magical energy that she was indeed the Demon Lord.

"..."

Suddenly, Oliver reached into the pouch at his waist and pulled out the highest-grade healing potion—a Holy Spirit Elixir. As he was about to open the bottle, Olis grabbed his hand to stop him.

"Hey, Oliver. What are you doing with that? You're not even injured, right?"

"If you're hurt somewhere, I can use healing magic to help, you know?"

Elena worriedly spoke, "I still have some power left," but Oliver remained silent, shaking his head.

He twisted his wrist and easily broke free from Olis' restraint—without hesitation, he sprinkled the Holy Spirit Elixir onto Demon Lord Cecilia.

"You! That's an incredibly precious and expensive Holy Spirit Elixir!?"

"Why!? Even though she's a girl, she's still the Demon Lord, right!?"

His abrupt action flustered his companions, who began to express their surprise and confusion at Oliver, who had used the elixir on the Demon Lord.

However, those words didn't reach his ears at all.

Because she was so adorable, the person he cherished appeared before his eyes. Could anyone remain calm in this situation? It was impossible.

"I'm going back first."

"What!? What's going on, Oliver!?"

Pretending not to hear the voices of his companions trying to stop him, he gently lifted the fallen Demon Lord. Cradling her carefully to avoid disturbing her, he smiled contentedly.

"Oliver, what are you doing!!"

Olis hastily grabbed Oliver's wrist, angrily telling him to stop fooling around. The other members looked at him with equal surprise.

"Indeed, Olis, you're quite strong, but I'm sorry... I'm even stronger."

Saying so, Oliver easily shook off Olis' grip.

Then, Oliver left his companions behind and, holding the Demon Lord, cast teleportation magic to return home.

Oliver, the Hero, aged nineteen.

Falling into love at first sight—... and it's his first love.

(If you like this novel, please go to novelupdate and recommend it as well as leave a review to it.)

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