Chapter 1: She Resembles My Late Wife
"Hmph! Such offensive magic, it won't work"
I puff my chest and receive the magic fire in front of me.
I actually devoured some of the magic, it hurts a bit, but I'm trying to keep appearance so I endure it.
"Wha! Even The Mage Selene's attack magic doesn't work?!"
The enemy Hero Angelica was shocked.
Female Hero Angelica. I think she is still sixteen. Being a hero at that age and form a party while barely a woman is unthinkable.
However, it is a given, it is not enough to defeat me, a Demon King.
My name is Galt Ryuzen. I am a demon who ruled Masegenian continent.
That being said, there are many other Demon Kings in other continents. Even human nations compete with each other. Even if I am defeated, the human world won't achieve a peaceful happy end that easily. It must be the enemy of the female hero's country.
"I'm returning it, girl mage!"
I threw a fireball towards Selene.
Selene screams loudly and falls.
"Oh Angelica, you are still a child. So I shall give you a special opportunity to retreat."
"Hmph! I am a hero! I cannot turn away from a Demon King!"
She had dignity.
But I don't want to fight.
Moreover, this is a personal reason, but the female hero Angelica somehow has an image of my late wife.
My wife Sasaya died about 300 years ago.
One of my four heavenly kings at the time caused a revolt to kill me.
However when that one of four heavenly kings attacked, I was going out on an inspection. Thus, only my wife was present.
Of course, I received the information about the rebellion immediately and tore that traitorous four heavenly king limb by limb. But my wife Sasaya was in a dying state, and passed away a few days later.
Ever since I lost my wife, I have been living by myself, Becoming old enough to be called middle age even by demon standard.
There have been talks about remarriage, but I refuse them all.
For me, there is no other woman as gentle as Sasaya.
Even if I remarry, the new wife would feel uncomfortable to be always compared with the previous wife.
Still, who would've thought that the female hero would resemble Sasaya! Well, even for a demon is a bit...
Is this what you call fate? Anyway, I don't want to hurt her.
Also, recently, either in human countries, even the land I rule is getting that noisy. Doesn't matter if it's a child or a woman, we have the tendency to send back the enemy without harming them.
For those reasons above, I want to return Angelica back to her home.
"I can't lose! If I lose, then everything we've done until now will be for naught!"
Angelica is standing while using her sword as support.
Damn it, she's not giving up, isn't she?
"Wait, It's too much for you to say 'Everything will be for naught"! Your experience until now is certainly valuable, Go back. You are still young. You're still sixteen, there's still a lot of things to experience in your life"
"Why is a Demon King giving a lecture?! Just because you have a beard!"
Well, I am already middle aged so a beard comes with it. Please don't say terrible thing.
"Prepare yourself, Demon King Galt Ryuzen!"
The female hero grabs her sword
and thrusts it to my right arm.
"KYAAAA!"
Angelica's scream echoed through my ears. Just like that, she fell. I held back, so she won't die. But it was strong enough that she fainted.
She couldn't concentrate due to her wounds and fatigue.
Efforts alone don't always make good results.
"Well then... if I leave them in such place, they will become hell hound bait. Should I return them?"
I cast spatial magic.
I am a Demon King, so this kind of magic is nothing.
Thus, I arrived at the home town of the female mage.
Yes, it is not well known, but I can go to human towns.
There's a man that seem to be the female mage's older brother, I called out to him.
"Ah, pardon, this girl fell down in the battle on demon land, I come to bring her home."
"Oh, Selene, Selene!"
"She received some light burns, but it is not life-threatening. Please do not worry."
"Thank you for coming a long way to bring her home. So it is true that recently the demons won't have much violence against women."
I was thanked.
Yes, even if the enemy is captured, it is become unthinkable to do cruel punishment or torture. I have the feeling that the conflict between humans and demons is entering a new phase.
"Well then, I have to leave now. I have to send other party members as well."
"Sorry for bothering you!"
That's one person. At this rate, I might be able to return them safe and peacefully.
Treat this carelessly, I will receive complains from women demon union.
"Then, I shall only fight male heroes. That way I won't hurt any human women, right?" I tried saying that to them. But it seems that it is derogatory towards women.
Like how dangerous work such as adventurer isn't just a profession for men. Really, I was noisy.
Thus, I delivered every member or hero party one by one.
I could order my subordinates to do this, but they are they ones who have reached the throne room. So I have to send them back myself.
Finally, only the female hero Angelica remained.
"While you are unconscious, you do resemble her..."
Of course, I know she's different than my late wife Sasaya. To begin with, Sasaya had horns. Still, she resembles her to the point I recall memories of her.
"Can't think anything strange..."
I put Angelica within my arms and cast spatial magic.
The farm village the female hero came from is so famous, even I know where it is. It's not that the village it self is famous on its own, it is famous because it is the birthplace of the female hero.
If I recall, her father died soon after and she was raised by her mother alone.
Even so much more, I think she shouldn't work a dangerous profession such as being an adventurer and stay by her mother. Am I acting like an old man?
A woman was cleaning at the front of the female hero's house.
"Erm, is this the house of female hero? She was defeated at demon land, so I come to bring her home. She's is okay."
"Oh my, how kind of you. Truly, thank you very much~"
The lady who was cleaning raised her head.
At that moment, I thought I was struck by lightning magic.
She also resembles my late wife!
From the way her eyes drop a bit, to the relaxed manner of her tone.
Above all, the air that she emanates.
"Erm. excuse me, are you the female hero...'s sister?
"Oh my, such praise. I am that girl's mother."
Mother you said?! You don't look that old! No, Angelica was born about a decade ago. So it isn't strange if her mother looks that young.
So, so that's it. Angelica got Sasaya's resemblance from her
Indeed, if you take out the youth part and add adult element, it's natural that she resembles her more.
"Are you perhaps The Demon King? Seeing that firm body of your, I can only assume that."
The female hero's mother said that as if staring at me/
"Yes, I am the Demon King, Galt Ryusen!"
I introduced myself immediately. Maybe it's too formal.
"Umm, if you may, would you like to come in for a cup of tea? I was about to brew some herbal tea."
The way she acts so familiarly to the person she just met really resembles her.
"Well, I'm happy to have a cup..."
I entered the hourse of female hero as it is.
"Excuse me, this might be rude, but what is your name?"
"My name? I'm Lithia."
"Mrs. Lithia, is it?"
I was completely swoon over.