“So, you’re not still planning to protect her, are you? The next time, the Divine Punishment might not be as simple as a warning… Although you are my possession, I won’t protect you every time.”
For Natalie, she certainly didn’t want her “lover” to be in life-threatening danger because of a completely unfamiliar little girl.
After all, if the God struck Emily with Divine Punishment while she wasn’t around, the consequences would be too severe.
And to cover up her act of protecting Emily just now,
Natalie used the excuse of not wanting her own things to be destroyed by others as her reason for protecting Emily.
Listening to Natalie’s words, Emily looked down at the Fox Girl sleeping in her arms.
Considering the risk, Emily understood that leaving the girl behind and following Natalie was the best choice now.
Emily had truly seen how petty that God could be.
Emily understood that her voluntary decision to become Natalie’s slave had genuinely displeased that God.
But because Emily’s actions were essentially for the greater good of humanity and to protect the Brave, no matter how dissatisfied the God was with Emily personally, He couldn’t punish her without a justifiable reason.
This time, however, He had found an opportunity.
Emily thought that if she continued to speak well of this girl, the Divine Punishment would definitely come again.
But Emily truly couldn’t bring herself to abandon an innocent girl and leave.
If she did that, Emily feared she would be consumed by guilt and unable to sleep.
Although Emily couldn’t be as virtuous as a real Saintess, as someone raised in a peaceful society, she couldn’t simply cast aside a poor girl in need without a second thought.
In the end, Emily could only look at Natalie with pleading eyes.
Since she couldn’t speak up for the girl herself, she had to get Natalie to voluntarily suggest taking her in.
But Emily wasn’t very confident either.
After all, she was just one of Natalie’s slaves—one that would be given away if Natalie lost interest.
Emily really couldn’t imagine Natalie taking in the girl for her sake.
Of course, if that didn’t work, Emily would have no choice but to give up helping this girl.
Emily was just an ordinary person; she couldn’t prioritize helping others over her own life.
Only a hero would value saving others above their own life, and Emily was clearly not one.
She had only helped because she didn’t know it would invite Divine Punishment.
Now that she knew the consequences, it was hard for Emily to continue risking her life for this girl.
Sensing Emily’s pleading gaze, Natalie naturally understood what she wanted.
For Natalie, taking in a little girl to increase Emily’s favor toward her was a no-brainer.
And although Natalie considered herself no longer the Demon King,
Deep down, there was still a sense of responsibility to protect her people, and this Fox Girl was one of them.
‘But I can’t just take her in like that…’
Natalie was worried that if she went along with Emily’s wishes, Emily might notice that she liked her.
After all, under normal circumstances, Natalie wouldn’t take in a strange girl just because of a slave’s opinion.
Moreover, Natalie, being tsundere, had said that Emily was just a slave and not important at all.
If she took in the girl now because of Emily’s plea, it would be like slapping her own face.
In her dilemma, Natalie looked at Emily again.
Emily still wore that desperately pleading expression.
‘Geez… looking at me like that, how could I possibly refuse!’
“…Now that I think about it, we really could use a servant. Emily, bring her back! That’s an order!”
To prevent the God from punishing Emily again, Natalie deliberately added the last part.
That way, Emily would be forced to bring the girl back because she had to follow the order.
That stingy God would have no way to make trouble.
“Yes!”
Although she had no idea why Natalie agreed to her request,
Natalie’s actions really did change Emily’s opinion of her a little.
‘Well… on second thought, for Emily and me to have some alone time, it’s really not good to have a man or adult woman as a servant. After all, those types might have designs on my Emily… So a child is definitely safer!’
To add a reason she could believe in, Natalie was frantically making excuses for taking in the girl.
*
While Natalie was giving in to Emily’s plea and taking the girl in,
At the fortress, Daphiel was naturally extremely irritated.
“Where in the world has the Lord Demon King gone?”
Although Daphiel had sent many people to search for the two after repelling the Imperial Army, so far, Daphiel had no leads at all.
“Still, there’s still a chance…”
Daphiel knew well that the Lord Demon King, Natalie, had been spoiled her whole life.
There was no way she would actually hide deep in the mountains with Emily and live a simple life.
To live in luxury, she would surely do something drastic.
Like robbing a mansion or stealing money.
After all, Daphiel couldn’t imagine Natalie working seriously to support Emily.
So when Daphiel sent her subordinates to search, she told them to specifically ask nobles and wealthy families if they had been robbed by a red-haired loli.
And with one Demon King and one Saintess,
Daphiel thought that if the two didn’t have servants, they probably couldn’t even live a normal life.
Just as Daphiel was worrying about this, a soldier rushed into her office in a panic.
“Well? Did you find them!”
Without even seeing the soldier’s face clearly, Daphiel immediately asked.
“I’m not sure if it’s the target, but a noble from a town about 100 kilometers away said someone robbed his mansion last night. The thief also threatened him not to tell anyone. I only got him to talk by invoking your name, Lady Daphiel!”
“That close? That lady is planning to hide right under our noses, isn’t she?”
‘But even if we find the Lord Demon King, it’s useless…’
After all, given Natalie’s strength, even if Daphiel laid a dragnet, she could escape in an instant.
If they didn’t solve Natalie’s psychological issues, acting rashly would only make things worse.
If they were found once, Natalie would only become more cautious.
‘I have no choice but to go discuss this with Miss Elodie first. As the Lord Demon King’s cousin, Miss Elodie should know better than I do how to convince a sulking Demon King.’