"So, who does this sword belong to?" Alicia asked, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity as she sat beside Van at the table near the throne. Her hand rested gently atop his, her fingers brushing his palm's bare skin as she glanced at the sword laid out before them.
"Some kid's," Van replied calmly, meeting her gaze. "She was using it irresponsibly, so I took it to calm the boy (Liliac) down." His eyes remained steady on hers.
"I see," Alicia mused, her curiosity shifting. "Either way, that dragon didn't cause any damage?" She prodded further, her tone light.
"No..." Van admitted, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he looked away, his voice trailing off. "The one who caused damage... was me."
"And you say she was using it irresponsibly..." Alicia sighed, amusement flickering in her eyes.
"Well, no one got hurt... And..."
"And what?" She pressed, her gaze narrowing slightly as she studied him.
Van hesitated, his thoughts briefly drifting. 'Ah right,' he thought, catching himself as he looked into her crimson eyes. 'I don't really have anything to hide from her.'
"...I really wanted to see how strong I've gotten after slaying Arutol," he murmured, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice.
Alicia's interest piqued at his words, a spark igniting in her eyes as she saw the flame of determination flicker within him. "Hah, spoken like a true demon."
"Well, they say a husband merely mirrors his wife's desires..." Van hinted.
"Oh? So, you must REALLY love yourself, then," she replied slyly, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
"Uh... Not more than usual..." He blurted, narrowing his eyes in confusion. "Funny, you never seemed like the narcissistic type... Well, not too much..."
"IMBECILE!!! I'M SAYING I REALLY LOVE YOU!!" She spat, a burst of flames escaping her mouth in her flustered state.
"Oooh~OOOOH!!!" Van cried out, feeling the sudden, fierce grip Alicia tightened on his hand.
'Dear Archdevil...' Alicia thought as she felt the strength in his hand, noting how it had grown. "You've gotten really strong, huh? Usually, that'd break your hand..." She remarked, a touch of admiration in her voice.
"So you wanted to break it, my dear wife...!!??" Van countered, barely holding back from squirming in agony.
"I mean, you could be revived... So, no harm done." She shrugged nonchalantly, her grip loosening slightly but still maintaining their connection.
"Speaking of which—"
"Alicia, listen, I—" They both spoke at the same time, their words colliding in the air.
"... You first," Van offered, gesturing for her to continue.
Alicia sighed softly, releasing his hand as she stood up, her expression shifting to one of seriousness. "Everyone here considers you a demon-kin," she began, "And before the wedding, you are not considered my equal. As your queen, I order you to go first." She straightened her posture, her regal bearing unmistakable.
Van's lips curled into a smirk. "... You're so hot when you're dominating. Keep doing that after the wedding as well, my wife."
"I SAID GO FIRST ALREADY!!" She screamed bashfully, flames shooting from her mouth in her embarrassment. Van merely shrugged off the display, his smile widening.
"Right..." He sighed deeply, the smile slowly fading as a more somber expression took over. "... I... still have things to do there. In the capital, I mean." He admitted, standing up to face her squarely.
"... I heard from Varlog," Alicia replied, her tone shifting as she cleared her throat, "The Dragon King, right? Apparently, he's been attacking Varolon for the past 16 years. Your... former companion, who had been defending it, died two years ago. The capital is practically defenseless now."
Van nodded. "Yeah. The full story is that there's a prophecy from their goddess. The Dragon King wants something that's in the royal capital. So, I have to defend it. Find out what the Dragon King is after and—"
"Stop." Alicia's voice cut through his words, firm and resolute. She stepped closer, her eyes locking onto his.
"Van, admittedly, I haven't known you for long, and the same goes for you with me." Her voice softened as she moved gracefully toward him, her gaze never leaving his.
"I've yet to fully explore my feelings for you, or even understand them. But what I do know... is that I have them. Undoubtedly." She continued, drawing nearer.
"The fact that I have them means I've accepted you, so far. Are we clear?" She stopped just inches from him, her gaze unwavering as she awaited his response.
"... We're clear." Van replied with a firm nod, meeting her intensity with his own.
Alicia's expression shifted slightly. "And among the things I've accepted about you... is that you are, by no means, a good person." Her voice was smooth, causing Van to momentarily avert his gaze. "... Remarkable, tenacious, charming when you choose to be... but not good."
She placed her hands on his armored chest, her touch light yet deliberate. "You took the hand of your sworn enemy, even though we're under a peaceful oath. An enemy who has slain thousands of humans, many of them innocent... including one of your former teammates, causing you countless grief. And just by being human and coming here to seek my hand in marriage, you've risked a Second Great War..." Her voice dropped to a whisper, her tone husky as her palms rested against his chestplate.
"So I wonder... why would you protect them, instead of staying here with me? Doing things like taking a kid's sword because it was used wrongly, and going off to defend a capital where everyone despises you... Give me a satisfactory answer, and I'll allow you to leave. Don't, and I shall battle you to my last breath to keep you here." She muttered, her eyes locked onto his.
Van glanced down at Alicia's palm resting on his chest. 'It's so soft and small,' he thought as he gently cupped it in his hand. 'You'd never guess she's one of the strongest beings in this world.'
"... Alicia," Van began, his voice quiet. "There's something I haven't told you about my travels." He lifted his gaze from her palm back to meet hers.
"Back when I was in the Hero party..." He hesitated, clearing his throat as he searched for the courage to continue under her steady gaze. "I was in a relationship." He watched her reaction carefully, but she remained completely still, her attention fully on him.
"... Being despised by most humans, and watching every woman I met fall for Magus, I... I was flattered when a woman showed interest in me, despite everything." His voice wavered slightly as he pushed on. "Despite her initial assurances, she was..." He looked away, his voice trembling. "... Seeing him, behind my back the whole time. She only confessed about it after we won."
Alicia shifted slightly, turning her gaze away as she furrowed her brows, biting her lip. Noticing her discomfort, Van gently tightened his grip on her palm, offering silent reassurance.
"That was the main reason I left the party. When I found you, it felt like striking gold."
Van raised his eyes, noticing she was still looking away, her expression clouded with shame. He reached out with his other hand, gently guiding her head back to face him.
"... It's only after I left that I realized what I found in you can't be measured by anything material... and how it was my fault for leaving." He whispered, causing her to gasp softly as her gaze softened, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly.
"But..." He continued, lowering his eyes. "I was in a bad place before I understood that. Everything piled on all at once—seeing you like that, finding out Magus died... I couldn't make sense of what I was feeling or what to do anymore. I was lost." His voice carried a trace of guilt. "... And my former party brought me back." He added, raising his gaze once more.
"... So... you owe them?" Alicia muttered, her voice almost a whisper.
"Yeah," Van replied firmly. "I promised to keep them safe—them and their kids. But that's not the main reason I have to go back."
"What...?" Her curiosity was piqued.
"You're right, Alicia. I'm not a good person, because the moment I knew you accepted my feelings, I ran straight to you. Dragon threat, prophecy, the people I care about in the capital, debts, and promises—none of it mattered anymore." He smiled, watching as her eyes widened slightly.
"But the other, more important reason I have to go back is because Varlog, Yilla, and the boy are still there. They promised to help Varolon because of me, and it's thanks to them that I even know your true feelings. I have to help them. I have to see it through, at the very least, and make sure they come back safe, because they're family. Everything else that gets resolved... is just a bonus." His voice was resolute.
"... And... I'm already kind of late. They're probably waiting for me." He added reluctantly, slowly releasing her palm as he stepped back.
"I... I understand." She breathed deeply as he stepped away, her hand lingering in the air for a moment, as if savoring his touch before she finally lowered it. "Leave, then." She said softly, turning away.
Van turned and began walking toward the doors of the throne room.
"Ah," he murmured, stopping in his tracks.
"What was it you wanted to say?" Van asked as he glanced back at her.
"... It can wait. Go," she replied.
"... Then say it quickly. I don't know when I'll see you again, so I want to hear your voice a bit more before I go," Van urged as he turned around.
"... Very well," She began, taking yet another deep breath, "Van, I've noticed... You don't age like other humans. And with how you die and revive..." Alicia began, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. Van flinched at the observation. "Do you have some kind of longevity trait? As Demon Lord, I can live up to 30,000 years. Most demons only live to 3,000, and even the Dragon King doesn't have my lifespan. But you... How long will you live?" Alicia pressed on, her voice growing softer, as she looked down "I used to joke about it, but now... I can't bear the thought of you growing old and dying before me."
Van's response was confident and calm. "You won't have to worry about that."
Alicia looked up, surprised by his certainty. "You say that so confidently..."
He smiled, his eyes steady on hers. "I mean it."
"So... do you know how long you'll live?" she asked, trying to gauge the truth.
Van paused, then shrugged lightly. "As long as you, I suppose... I hope."
She chuckled softly, still unsure, but comforted by his words. "I think about it more than I should, considering it is still in the distant future... How I can't imagine my life without you, even though we've only known each other for two years."
Van's gaze softened, a fleeting shadow passing through his eyes before he quickly masked it with a small smile.
"... I should get back to Varlog." Van murmured, his voice slightly raspy as he turned around, his face now hidden away from Alicia.
It was as Alicia looked at Van's broad back, that she felt there was something else he was keeping from her; sensing his muscles slightly more tense than usual.
"Is... everything alright, Van?" she asked softly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied him.
"Yeah," he replied, swiftly turning around to face her with a casual smirk. "Nothing you need to worry about. I'll finish up there and get back to you as fast as possible." He added before turning once more and heading toward the exit.
'...To make the most out of the 29,959 years we have left. I will always be there. I will never leave your side until death do us part... Forget how that's part of our oaths as newlyweds... It is my oath more than anything.' He resolved as he opened the great doors of the throne room.
'I swear to you, I will hold your hand as I look into your elderly eyes, all the way until you take your last breath on our bed... Hopefully with a smile as you look into mine.' He thought, his heart clenching violently in his chest. His lips contorted as he swallowed his tears and finally exited the throne room.
[HELLO! AUTHOR HERE! I JUST WANTED TO SAY THA—"Wait," Alicia added as she grabbed Van by his armor collar, stopping him in place.
"We don't have to tell each other everything," she said sternly. "And right now, there isn't enough time to try and vaporize that burden I sense you're carrying. You're already late in helping my precious subordinates." Van lowered his gaze, remaining silent.
"... But..." She softened her tone, leaning in as she bit her lower lip, whispering in his ear as she rested her chin on his shoulder from behind.
"I'll have you be late just a little bit longer... so I can try to lessen that burden of yours, even if just for now," she added, gently wrapping her arms around his stomach as she leaned into him.
[BACKGROUND MUSIC: Stephen Sanchez - "Until I Found You" (Piano Version)]
She then gently guided Van to turn toward her once more.
"... As you lessened mine, by coming back to me," she purred, holding both of his palms in hers.
"So, come to my room..." Her voice was filled with both lust and determination as she led Van, who remained silent, up the castle and into her vast, meticulously cleaned bedroom. The room was adorned with large, decorated windows that overlooked the entire castle and the surrounding villages. In the center stood a grand bed, draped in dark plush and velvet blankets, with a rich red curtain flowing down, partially concealing the bed's interior.
Without a word, Alicia faced the bed, with Van standing behind her, and gracefully slipped out of her dress, revealing her seamless, bare form. Van, despite the turmoil within him, could only gasp at the sight. Her silky-smooth, glistening skin caught the fading sunlight, highlighting the curves of her hourglass shaped-waist extending up to her black wings, neatly pulled back and hidden beneath her long, fragrant red hair that cascaded down past her nape to her lower back.
She then turned to face Van, who, in turn, began to slowly and methodically remove his armor, placing each piece gently on the ground in a neat arrangement. As the armor came off, it revealed the casual clothes underneath, clinging to his muscles that bulged through the fabric. Alicia couldn't help but gasp herself, her gaze fixated on the sight of his chest muscles pressing against the cloth and the biceps that stretched out of the short, sweaty sleeves.
As she swallowed, Van moved toward her, his movements slow and deliberate. He began undoing the string of his shirt, his eyes captivated by her exposed form. His gaze lingered on her red, inviting lips, slightly parted, as if waiting for him to close the distance between them.
Finally, Van removed his shirt and tossed it aside, revealing his toned and chiseled body. He then pushed her onto the bed, swiftly climbing atop her as she murmured.
"You've... just committed a grave sin, human... Tossing your shirt in my room... And me, The Demon Lord... I might kill you..." She whispered, tilting her head aside slyly.
"Do it then..." He whispered, his lips brushing against her ear, causing her to flinch and moan softly.
"... But not now," he whispered as he began to kiss his way down her body, impatiently marking each inch from her neck downward with his lips.
Just before he reached her most intimate place, she gently held his head and guided him to look up at her.
"How impatient..." She murmured with a soft, knowing smile, causing Van to avert his gaze awkwardly.
"... I offered to lessen your burden," she muttered as she flipped him over, climbing on top of him.
"So leave it to me this time around..." she said confidently, a warm smile on her lips as she slowly took the awestruck Van in... and thus, they became one.
[... AS. I. WAS. SAYING! AUTHOR HERE! JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS FOR EVERYONE WHO WERE ALONG FOR THE RIDE! THIS IS THE END OF SEASON 1! SEASON 2 WILL COME AFTER I FINISH WORKING ON ANTI-NTR MAN'S 3rd ARC. (Maybe sooner... We'll see! There's also a new piece of work I want to release that's already over 11 chapters in the making about Zombies.)]
[Additionally, in between the seasons, I thought about releasing Character Cards and Trivia about Varolon and the world Van is in, whenever I can.]
[THAT ASIDE!!!! THANKS FOR READING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT WAS A PLEASURE!!!!!!]