The Demon Lord's Bride (BL)
Chapter 248: Indigestion is not a good experience, trust me

Chapter 248: Indigestion is not a good experience, trust me

Ahh...finally! My popcorn!

I had no idea how they knew when we would be back, but by the time we arrived at the Lord’s quarters, there were already several bowls of popcorn waiting at the table in front of the fireplace. There was even a small bowl of sweet butter caramel popcorn just for Jade on the side, in a deep bowl where the little bird could dive into.

But like a good bird, Jade waited for my permission. Aww...look at my baby growing! The moment I gave an affirmative nod, however, Jade immediately dove into the bowl—literally, like a swimmer jumping into the pool.

"Popcorn!!" the same enthusiastic cheer came from Zia and Izzi, who immediately crowded the table. Izzi, especially, stayed as close as he could to the fireplace without actually jumping into the fire.

I had to say though, the chef really outdid themselves making all of these new flavors. Did Natha really hound them to create all of these? There was even one which tasted like a sour candy, and one with a spicy kick!

The twins and Caba were also staying while the other vassals got back to work—because this wasn’t a holiday, folks—and they also trying the new snacks while getting cozy around the table in front of the fireplace. Caba said it was too soft for him, but Arta looked like she found a new continent or something.

"We should sell this," Lesta muttered, money-oriented as he was trained to be, while munching on the spicy one.

Right?! It’s easy to make too! I turned to look at Izzi, who was crouching against the side of the fireplace with a bowl of popcorn he shared with Ignis. "Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a video recording device so we could have a movie theater?"

"That would be nice, but it’s not my expertise," Izzi shrugged.

Lesta tilted his head in interest. Sometimes, I felt like he was more business-oriented than Natha. "What’s a movie?"

Uhh, wait...how do we explain this?

"It’s like a...hmm, a play? We captured the play with a recording device, and showed it on a big screen, so we could see it again and again without the actors of the play needing to do it all over again."

I tried to explain it as best as I could, but I had no idea if that would make sense. "Hmm...that means we can also show it in other places despite the play being only done in one place?"

"Yes!" as expected of Lesta, he understood it well!

"That would be nice. They could charge for the viewing, and the actors wouldn’t need to go around on tour. People who want to see it won’t have to travel far too," Lesta nodded, immediately saw through the financial appeal. "But would that be possible?"

"Again, not my expertise," Izzi shook his head. "Recording moving images needs someone excellent in magic—especially light magic, or an illusionist. I’m more of a smith, you know."

"But...you’re an elf?" Zia tilted her head. "Aren’t you supposed to excel in...light magic?"

"Hey, don’t discriminate!"

"I’m not! It’s a general knowledge!"

"Stop! I don’t want anyone fighting today!" I stood up and glared at the two, who immediately concentrated on their popcorn again.

That’s right! It was a good day, a winning day, so it better be peaceful for the rest of it. I huffed and sat back again on the couch, shifting close to Natha’s side. I understood what Izzi meant, though, and recalled that there was someone else who had tried to make the recording device.

"Which one is it that tried to make a phone? Can we try recruiting them now?"

"We could, but let’s refrain from any business talk today," Natha patted my head, and I put a salty popcorn in his mouth while grinning.

Yes, let’s just have a leisurely evening today, celebrating the relative success of the trial. "So there’s nothing to worry about now, right?"

"Well, nothing immediate, at least," Natha nodded. "Nothing from within."

So there might still be a threat from the outside. Now that my lineage had been revealed, it would spread to the whole realm, and who knows...there might be people who saw it as a threat. Or perhaps the human kingdom would realize it was me. To put it simply, both I and Natha had enemies, even the ones we didn’t know.

But at least, inside this golden fortress of Natha’s realm, I would be safe.

"So we can plan the wedding now, right?" Arta suddenly exclaimed with a high spirit.

"Huh?"

Why were we getting back to this topic?! I started to shake my head in protest, but Natha, my traitorous Demon Lord, replied differently. "You can make a proper, structured proposal first."

"Yes!" Arta pumped her fists in the air, and Zia chimed in energetically.

"I want in! I want it!"

Jade lifted its face from the deep bowl, and, seeing Zia’s energetic response, chirping loudly in kind. [Jade also! Jade also!]

"Of course, you’re in! We need as many brains as possible!" Arta nodded firmly and laughed in satisfaction.

"H-hey..."

I started looking at them in a slight panic. T-this should be leisure time, so why were they adamant about making me into a boiled crab?

"Can we go crazy with it?" Zia stood on her knees and slammed the table as if she was suddenly struck with a eureka moment.

What ’crazy’? What shit were you trying to pull that would warrant an event to be coined as crazy?!

Arta scoffed and looked at Zia the way Eruha looked at me. "What are you talking about, little one?" damn, she even mimicked the vampire’s tone as she spread her arms. "This is the Lord of Greed we’re talking about. And, technically, it would be a Royal Wedding."

"Royal Wedding!" Zia clasped her cheeks with a gasp.

[Royal wedding?]

Aargh! They were corrupting my baby!

"We will host guests from two realms," Lesta said from the side while jostling three pieces of popcorn in his hand. "Certainly, you don’t think we can do it the usual way, right?"

Now that the Lord’s right-hand man was in on it too, the rest of the troop—and by that, I mean Arta and Zia—threw their hands in the air, clearly more excited about it than the result of the trial.

"N-Nat..." I shifted closer to my fiancé and grabbed his arm, feeling kind of scared from the enthusiasm.

"Just let them be," Natha laughed softly and patted my head. "They’re just having fun. We still have the final say on what we’ll really do."

I turned to look at him and asked in a quiet voice. "Are we going to do it that soon?"

I mean...I knew that people were engaged to get married, but...it just felt really sudden? Like...I was a total virgin who had never been in a relationship just last year, and then suddenly I was in a relationship with a sugar daddy demon, got engaged, and...and...

And yeah, it might be weird to hesitate after saying yes, after living together all this time. Nothing would even change after we tied the knot, probably. We were already bound, we were already living together, we were already raising a...seed, and he was already putting my name on his property.

But...it was just like...a storm, and my feeble mind could not handle the thought of it. You know how we get indigestion from eating too fast?

Yeah, it felt like that.

"I don’t see the need to delay it since we already have Lord An’Hyang’s blessing," Natha told me, caressing my cheek with the back of his fingers before holding my hand gently. "But of course, the main character of the day would be you, so you’ll be the one to decide when."

I looked up to see into his silver eyes, and I could see that he was genuine about it. He looked calm, and smiling contentedly. At least he didn’t seem like he got offended by how much I tried to get away from the conversation.

"Okay," I nodded and breathed in relief, inching closer and kissing his cheek briefly. "Thank you," I whispered.

He pinched my cheek and in a relieved laugh, I mulled over something. "I think...I want to see my...kin, first," I bit my lips in hesitation as my cheek started to get warm. "Umm, you know, since I already used the name and all..."

"Your Royal Highness," Zia stood up and curtsied to me, totally in a teasing way.

"Sush!"

"Oh, now that I think about it, I’m an elf, so..." Izzi tilted his head and smirked. "Wow, Boss—I mean, Your Highness," he bowed while sitting down, somehow.

"Shut up! You’re an elf, not a druid!"

They always bickered with each other, so why were they only united when they wanted to tease me?!

"Eh—those Sarterians also called you that, so..." he shrugged, and I threw a piece of popcorn toward him.

"Go back to your research!"

"Tsk—so stingy."

Huff. Was it so hard for them to stop teasing me for a second? I already expended all my poker face quota inside the courthouse, so now I had no energy to face their giggling face and curling eyes.

While they were still giggling and continued to make a sudden wedding plan, I sighed and turned to Natha again. "We’re going to see your teacher too, right?"

"Yes," Natha nodded and turned to his vassals. "Lesta,"

"I already made the arrangement, just waiting for the logistic team to stop daydreaming about the wedding and get to work," Lesta shrugged.

That’s it! That’s the Lesta I know and love! You should have been on my side from the start!

"Tsk—can you let me have fun?" Arta pursed her lips, much like Zia when she was sulking.

Lesta put on an expressionless face and mimicked their older sister’s stern tone. "You may have fun after you’re done with your work, Dhuarta."

"Woo..." Arta gave her twin a thumbs down for ruining her fun, before getting back to her wedding daydreaming.

Haa...I wouldn’t be able to distract her, huh? "How are we going there?"

"Intra-realm teleportation portal," Natha said, taking popcorn and putting it in my mouth. "It’ll be only us when we’re going to Teacher’s place, so we won’t be going with a lot of people," he pointed to the male twin who looked busy determining which flavor of popcorn would be most cost-effective. "Lesta and Eruha will be enough."

"Ugh—" Lesta looked up and winced. "Just say you’ll put all the work on me."

"Don’t you know me so well, Lesta," Natha smirked, and I gave the demon a long-distance pat. I had to say, though, for someone who should be busy, Lesta seemed like he had a lot of free time with how often he hung out with me, as if babysitting me was part of his job.

Wait...is it?!