I Got a Job as the Demon King’s Toy - Chapter 96

“Communication? Don’t make me laugh. You seized lands that were peacefully thriving and turned them into your Demon King’s castle! What kind of communication starts with pillaging? There’s no place for demons in the human realm! Look at what you’ve done—you tore apart half the empire over a single missing woman! You’re evil! Evil must be eradicated!”

As Lucas raged, Teshiel chuckled. He didn’t bother bringing up the fact that the land he seized had originally been taken from a corrupt lord who taxed his people into starvation, nor did he mention that the citizens were relieved under his rule. And he certainly wasn’t going to point out that, to demons, being called “evil” by humans was considered a badge of honor.

“And you’re the one who thinks you should be the one to eradicate evil? Is that because you need your father’s approval?”

“Shut up! What would someone like you know about anything? And you were going to discard her anyway! Do you even know what it’s like to be born unwanted? Born to the same father, but one becomes the Crown Prince of the Empire while the other is forced to live in the shadows as a bastard? Do you understand how I feel?”

Teshiel scoffed.

“Why would I know, and more importantly, why would I care? That’s an issue for you to take up with your father. But what I’m asking is, why did you take your anger out on an innocent woman?”

“Your spawn of a… ugh!”

“Shut up already!”

Mikhail shoved Lucas hard with his shoulder, sending him sprawling to the ground. Then, Mikhail pressed his forehead to the floor, begging.

“If we had known that the lady was someone the Demon King cherished, we would never have taken her so carelessly. It was all this imperial bastard’s idea! We never laid a finger on the lady. Please show mercy to those of us who were ignorant!”

Teshiel’s smile vanished. He stood up from the throne and descended the steps, walking over to Mikhail, who was groveling on the floor. With a slow, deliberate motion, Teshiel pressed his foot down on Mikhail’s head. Black flames ignited from the tip of his boot.

“Ahhh! Aaargh!”

The infernal flames from the demon realm spread over Mikhail’s body, consuming him alive. Lucas, watching his companion burn, finally turned pale with fear. He opened his mouth to say something.

“Ah, stop. I don’t want to hear any more. This feels like a waste of time.”

With a snap of Teshiel’s fingers, the same flames spread onto Lucas’s body.

“Khahhh…!”

Lucas screamed as he looked back, his gaze falling on the Emperor. But the Emperor averted his eyes, refusing to acknowledge him, unlike when he had begged for the Crown Prince’s life. He remained silent, not uttering a single word.

Kuku. Teshiel chuckled darkly as he watched the scene unfold.

It had been a stretch of time that could be seen as either long or short. Once the flames had consumed the lives of the two men and completed their task, only silence remained in the hall. The demons stood around, looking satisfied, having witnessed the agonizing deaths of the men who had burned alive.

Teshiel rose from his seat, his expression calm and composed.

“Well, I suppose that’s enough for today. We can discuss the rest later. I need to return before Bonita wakes up.”

He muttered quietly, almost to himself,

“I don’t want her to wake up alone in an unfamiliar place.”

What exactly was Bonita to the Demon King, for him to behave like this? The Emperor trembled, clutching the hem of his robe tightly. He had touched what should never have been touched—a woman so important that the Demon King was willing to trade an entire empire for her. Watching Lucas burn before his eyes hadn’t even brought him relief. He wished he could undo the time he had recognized such a foolish man as his bastard son.

Rento glanced at the Emperor before speaking.

“There is still one more of their group in the underground dungeon. What should we do?”

“Since they stayed put without trying to escape, we can let them live for another day or two. Leave them for now. Escort these two to the next room.”

Teshiel gestured toward the Emperor and the Crown Prince with a nod. Both of their faces turned pale at the thought of being thrown into the underground dungeon.