The Demon Lord's Bride (BL)
Chapter 590: If you can’t beat someone with strength, beat them with numbers

Chapter 590: If you can’t beat someone with strength, beat them with numbers

To show that nothing wrong was happening, we walked together to the greenhouse after I was done changing my robe. Aunt Nezja, Amarein, and D’Ara were walking together with us, while Zia and Izzi went ahead to help Mara and Panne prepare the place.

Walking leisurely, we made sure to converse in a slightly louder voice than usual so the Castle staff and the guests who might still be around could hear us. It wasn’t difficult to appear cheery with Jade jumping around excitedly, feeling happy because I was no longer sad and because he could see Shwa again. Natha even had to catch him and ended up carrying him because Jade almost fell, and--

Hmm...it wasn’t a bad picture. We looked like a family with two kids like that, and I couldn’t help but giggle.

Also, for some reason, Jade became slightly clingy to Natha. Perhaps he finally realized that Natha was a part of his precious treasure.

Anyway, it helped me get out of my somber mood a lot. When we reached the greenhouse, I already felt like my usual self, despite the heavy topic waiting for us.

But first, I needed some food. The last time I ate anything was the light snack I had before the naming ceremony, so my stomach had been screaming. Thankfully, I had a troop of aunties with a high interest in playing with my son, so I had them babysit Shwa while I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with Natha and Jade--who scarved down three plates of jellies after being deprived of them for more than twenty-four hours.

After stuffing himself with jellies, the little boy--boys--finally fell asleep. Jade hadn’t been sleeping the whole journey, and they told me Shwa was restless the whole night, which made my heart clench in regret. But as they curled on the sofa bed in the corner of the greenhouse, they looked like two little angels, looking blissful.

That was it for the good part, however. Once I gave both of them pats and kisses, it was time to face the others and talk about the imminent problem.

"I asked Natha to tell me what happened yesterday so I can get a clear sense of it," D’Ara started when I took a seat around the tea table again. "I hope you don’t mind."

"No, he told me on the way," I shook my head. "I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you myself yesterday. I didn’t think...I could do that."

"Yes, I can see that..."

I smiled wryly--I guessed it was apparent that I ran away because I couldn’t manage my emotions well. I felt like I might end up rampaging if I stayed there instead of looking for the answer right away.

"And? Did you get it, the answer?" Amarein asked.

I looked at the back of my hand, where a glowing tree mark was still vaguely etched. "Yes."

"Is it as you feared?"

I glanced carefully at Natha, who was frowning and started to get restless. We didn’t talk much during the journey back, perhaps unconsciously avoiding the subject to not break the peace. But we had to face it now, so even if I had to shake my husband’s mind, I couldn’t help it.

Taking a deep breath, I raised my head and nodded. "Yes."

D’Ara closed her eyes as if she had expected it--which made me feel kind of good, knowing that she actually believed me from the start. Meanwhile, Amarein was frowning wordlessly, but Zia couldn’t contain herself.

"Umm...Val?"

"Yeah?"

"I still don’t understand," she bit her lips, looking confused but also trying not to offend me. "I mean...I heard Uncle’s story too, but...I don’t understand why His Majesty wants to keep the baby in the Sanctuary," her fingers fiddled nervously over her lap, and she added swiftly. "Ah--it’s not that I don’t believe you, it’s just...just...I don’t understand..."

Ah--as I looked at them, I was reminded that they had no idea about the Primordial One’s vessel. I wasn’t even sure Amarein knew about my soul being from a different world.

Oh, this would be more complicated than I thought. But D’Ara opened her eyes and gave me a shrug. Well...at this point...I didn’t think there was much sense in hiding things. Not in front of these people, whom I trust the most.

And that was how I finally told them the complete story, which could be summarized into this: that my grandmother was sent to another world so I could be born and received the pieces of soul breaking apart from the one in Valmeier’s body; that the purpose of my existence was to combine my essence with Natha to give birth to the vessel of Primordial One. The story ended with me conveying what Mother told me about the Demon God’s love and obsession toward the Primordial One--which in turn laid on Shwa.

It was a rather long story, and at the end of it, we were all staring at the peacefully sleeping baby. No one said anything, too stunned to speak. Except for D’Ara, it was their first time hearing it, so even Amarein was surprised. She knew the baby was important since Mother told her to ensure his safety, but the thought that the baby’s soul used to be the Primordial One had probably never crossed her mind.

I mean...what kind of sane person would assume that anyway?

"So...you’re telling me that Lord An’Hyang...really wants to keep the baby in the Sanctuary...forever?" Natha asked with slightly trembling eyes. It was clear that he had a meltdown.

Knowing he was under the King’s influence was one thing, but finding out the intention behind the summon was another thing. It must have been hard to accept, just like how devastating it was for me when I found out Mother had an inkling but did not inform me.

It was the kind of betrayal that couldn’t be fathomed. It was close to disappointment, coming from someone we had been referred to all this time. Our minds had a hard time comprehending it, as if a paradigm shift was happening inside our system.

It wasn’t just Natha; Izzi and Aunt Nezja also experienced it. Aunt Nezja was looking pale, while Zia was clasping her hands over her mouth. Angwi...was already harboring hatred toward the Demon God for letting the injustice happen to her for so long, so she wasn’t particularly affected.

It didn’t feel right to continue the conversation while the demons were having their perception reconstructed, so we took a break from the story time while I soothed my throat and my heart with warm tea.

"Haa..." Natha let out a long sigh and raised his face from his hand. He suddenly got down in front of me and pressed his forehead against my knees.

"I’m sorry--I’m truly, truly sorry..."

I had been hearing his apology since last night, and while I usually didn’t like hearing him like that too much, I savored every bit of his apology this time. In a way, his constant ’sorry’ told me that he was still in his right mind, still free of influence--and that calmed me down.

"As long as you know," I muttered. "But...how did you break out of it? The King’s influence, I mean..."

The one who replied was D’Ara instead of Natha. "He is supposed to have natural immunity, but that’s only if he actively repelled the influence. In the first place, the influence doesn’t work like hypnosis; it simply heightened the demons’ affection level--so high it creates a sense of worship and absolute loyalty."

Ah...so that was why Angwi did not get affected--because her original affection level was in the minus. As for Natha...

"This brat’s affection level had become high ever since he was sent to meet you all those years ago," D’Ara continued while clicking her tongue at the ashamed nightmare in front of my legs. "So all I had to do is point out that he was sent to you, not for his and your own good. The alpha seed took care of the rest."

And that was why only demons with alpha seed could become the King. It wasn’t just so the next King could insert their influence over the demons, but also because the King’s Candidate had to challenge the previous King to be crowned. How could the candidate have any chance of winning if their mind succumbed to the reigning King?

Perhaps, Natha wouldn’t get so affected if his affection level to the King and the God wasn’t that high.

A sigh escaped my lips and made Natha flinch. But I cusped his face and smiled wryly. It was so ironic, wasn’t it? The one who blinded him from the truth was his love for me. After all, the action of sending him to me wouldn’t affect him this much if he didn’t end up falling for me.

Didn’t the Demon God say so? They never intended for us to fall in love.

Ah, how annoying. I leaned down and kissed him briefly before letting out another sigh. Tsk--playing with my husband’s feelings like that...

Just wait for it. I’d make sure to kick your butt next time, An’Hyang.

"So?" D’Ara put down her teacup and looked at me curiously. "Do you have any plan to counter it?"

"Can’t they just not go?" Amarein frowned. "Just stay in our place an--"

"No," I shook my head. Well, I thought about that too, initially, but then realized it was more detrimental than beneficial. "Hiding Shwa might incite a war--one that involved two whole realms and the patron deities."

"Agh..."

’Agh’ was right. Who knew what that fanatic Demon God would do to get Shwa?

"We have to obey the summon to avoid conflict," I decided. "But it doesn’t mean I’ll let them take Shwa away from me," I glanced down and corrected with a smile. "From us."

Natha let out a long breath of relief, laying his head on my lap. D’Ara snickered for a second before looking at me in heightened interest. "So? How are you going to handle a deity and his proxy in their territory?"

Amarein gasped. "Were you asking Mother’s help?"

"Mm," I nodded.

"That won’t be enough," D’Ara tilted her head. "An’Hyang is strong in his territory."

"I know--that’s why we need to counter him with numbers."

"Numbers?" D’Ara raised her brow. "Do you want me to--"

"No," I shook my head. Even if D’Ara came, a Sacred Guardian was still weaker than a full-fledged deity. What we needed was another one like him, like Mother. Staring at the widened silver eyes, I smiled bitterly. "I’m going to search for the Human Goddess."

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