“Luca!” Kelsey released Emmeline’s tail and ran straight into her husband’s arms.
“You know this is my favorite place.” Her playful remark earned a delighted smile from him.
Watching the two of them exchange such warmth and affection, Emmeline wondered fleetingly if she was dreaming.
Not long ago, Luca had regarded her clone with icy indifference and crushed it without mercy.
When Kelsey first laid eyes on her, the human girl had been wary—even if she’d lowered her guard after touching Emmeline’s tail.
And yet now…
Now they stood before her smiling, gazing at each other as though the world belonged solely to them.
Emmeline could no longer reconcile this scene with the ruthless Demon King she had faced earlier.
“Stand up,” Luca ordered calmly.
Emmeline rose at once.
She neither spoke nor asked permission to leave.
She simply listened as the newlyweds spoke.
“Luca, did you send Lady Emmeline here?” Kelsey asked cheerfully.
“No.” Even his short answer sounded gentle and warm.
“Then why is she here?”
“I don’t know.” Luca’s gaze shifted toward the fox demoness.
“What do you think, Lady Emmeline?
Why are you here?”
To kill that human girl.
The thought surfaced instinctively—yet the desire itself was gone.
Unable to find the hatred she once harbored, Emmeline remained silent.
“It seems my wife enjoys your presence,” Luca said mildly.
“How about becoming her lady-in-waiting?”
“That’s not funny!” Kelsey protested.
“How could you order a noble demon to be my lady-in-waiting?”
“It’s only natural.
A mid- or low-rank demon wouldn’t be worthy of serving the Demon Queen.
Even Iom is a noble—yet he became my right hand.”
“But she has no reason to serve me.”
“She does,” Luca replied smoothly.
“You saved her once.
Have you forgotten?”
Emmeline frowned in confusion.
When had this human ever saved her?
“Even so,” Kelsey said, “we should ask her opinion.
I don’t want to force anyone.”
Luca nodded.
“Very well.
Lady Emmeline, what do you think?”
Emmeline knelt once more, all nine of her tails bowing with her.
“It would be my honour to serve you, my queen.
Kelsey stared at her for a moment, stunned—then her face lit up.
She rushed over and helped Emmeline to her feet.
“If that’s the case,” she said eagerly, “instead of being my lady-in-waiting… will you be my friend?”
“Friend?” The unfamiliar word made Emmeline pause, her brows knitting in puzzlement.
“You see,” Kelsey explained, “Luca is always busy.
He doesn’t have time to play with me.”
Luca cleared his throat awkwardly, guilt flashing across his face.
Not that he couldn’t make time, but he couldn’t ignore the emperor’s demand for his new ruling in the north.
He wasn’t afraid of other kings, but he couldn’t afford to make an emperor his enemy, yet.
“So whenever he’s away,” Kelsey continued, “I hope you’ll stay with me.
You can tell me interesting stories about the Capital, and I’ll listen if something troubles you.
How about it?”
Emmeline hesitated.
She looked to Luca for guidance.
The Demon King turned his head away—silent permission granted.
“…As you wish, my queen.”
“Please, call me Kelsey,” she said warmly.
“And what should I call you?”
This human girl truly was… too friendly.
Emmeline had already been shocked hearing Kelsey call the Demon King by name.
Even previous queens had addressed him as Your Majesty.
After a moment’s hesitation, she replied, “Those closest to me call me Emy.”
“Then, Emy,” Kelsey said with a bright smile, “I’m happy to be your friend.”
That pure joy stirred something deep within Emmeline’s chest.
“The pleasure is mine,” she answered softly.
“It’s settled,” Luca concluded.
“Lady Emmeline, I entrust my wife’s safety to you whenever I’m not here.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” The fox princess knelt once again in respect.
She was once a pride princess of the fox clan, but right now, she willingly humbles herself before the demon king and his human queen.
“Dear wife, you may leave the palace to explore the city—but you must take her with you.”
“Alright,” Kelsey agreed playfully.
“Don’t blame me if I have more fun than you.”
Luca pinched her cheek lightly.
“That’s my hope.
I’ll be leaving now.”
“I’ll wait for you,” Kelsey replied.
Luca then glanced at Emmeline, noticing the fox princess wished to voice her mind.
“Is there something you wish to say?”
“Yes,” she said quietly.
He stroked Kelsey’s hair once more.
“I’ll return before sunset.”
Kelsey nodded and resumed reading her book, paying no attention as Emmeline followed Luca aside.
“Speak,” Luca said. New chapters come out on g.com first.
“I don’t have much time.”
“You set me up.” Emmeline’s voice should have been filled with hatred, but she said it flatly.
“You placed a soul-controlling spell in that pill.”
Luca smiled faintly.
“Did I?”
“If you hadn’t, I would have opposed you.” She sighed, finding herself that she didn’t mind her current state.
“What did you use to create it?
Even I cannot deny its effect.”
With an Eternal’s blood.
But most of all, the Eternal herself who drew the magic spell.
It bound not only the soul, but heart and body alike.
Luca, of course, said nothing.
For now.
“Isn’t my wife lovely?” he said instead.
“It’s difficult to hate her.
Don’t you agree?”
You shameless bastard.
Cursed Emmeline inside her mind.
Still, she couldn’t deny it.
The human girl was beautiful… and unsettlingly endearing.
“I suppose I can’t win in this argument,” she said aloud at last.
She was too exhausted to resist—and didn’t dare provoke him further.
Satisfied, Luca left in a flash of teleportation magic.
Emmeline returned to Kelsey’s side.
When she followed Luca, she could still see traces of joy radiating from Kelsey’s face.
Why was the human girl so gloomy now?
“Your Ma… Kelsey,” Emmeline corrected herself.
“Is that book sad?”
Kelsey lifted her gaze, something unreadable glimmering in her eyes.
Emmeline didn’t know that she had overheard the entire conversation—or that she understood the spell binding her.
“Sit here, Emy.” Kelsey patted the space beside her and leaned against her shoulder, like a little sister seeking comfort.
“I promise I’ll treat you well.”
“You don’t have to,” Emmeline replied stiffly.
“I’m merely your servant.”
“Didn’t you agree to be my friend?”
“…” Emmeline remained silent.
She had agreed—yet she couldn’t believe it was sincere.
She was young, not yet twenty, but she knew better than to trust humans.
Humans never befriended demons without motive.
Even kindness came at a price.
So she treated Kelsey’s words as nothing more than polite goodwill—unaware that this human girl might be far more dangerous, and far kinder, than she ever imagined.
I hope you keep reading my story.