Chapter 3: To the Land of Cards

 

 

 

Chapter 3: To the Land of Cards

 

“THE monsters around here are a complete joke. Didn’t even break a sweat!” Hatta said, single-handedly fending off some monsters.

“Do you have someone you like, Alice?”

Haigha and Alice, meanwhile, were having some typical girl talk.

“Not at the moment, though I doubt I’ll ever find anyone even remotely close to my level. What about you?”

“I love everyone equally.”

“Come to think of it, you did mention something about making lots of love with animals.”

“I did not! I said I’d make them happier with my love magic!”

“Huh, my mistake.”

On second thought, maybe it wasn’t exactly that typical.

“What about the White Rabbit? Do you love him?”

“He’s…just an acquaintance.”

So much for everyone. Alice felt a sliver of pity for the rabbit.

Once the monster attacks ceased, they got to enjoy a brief moment of rest and relaxation.

“A certain someone is blocking our path, my lady…” Seb suddenly stopped their coach.

“A certain someone? Oh, you mean the Red Knight. The one that really knows how to get under your skin.”

Alice got out of the coach and approached the Red Knight, otherwise known simply as Red. Hatta and Haigha followed closely behind out of curiosity.

“Why, if it isn’t Princess Alice. Beautiful as always.”

“I’m glad to see you’re doing well too, Red.”

“Seb’s not coming down to greet me, I see. How cold, old chum of mine! Oh! My apologies. Was he perhaps bedazzled by my unspeakable beauty? Hahaha! Can’t say I blame him; I would be too, after all this time.”

“He just can’t stand that part of your personality, supposedly.”

Red had, to put it lightly, an intense personality.

“And who might those two in the back be?”

“My fellow companions Hatta and Haigha. They run an item shop in the city.”

“I’m Hatta. It’s a pleasure.”

“And I’m Haigha. Pleased to meet you.”

“I’m the Red Knight, but feel free to call me Red. I serve the Red Queen. But enough about her; let’s talk more about me! Don’t even try hiding it; I can tell you two are just itching to hear all about my gorgeous looks. It all started one full moon night when I, the son of God, was born.” Red entered storytime mode, tossing his hair back.

No wonder Seb can’t stand this guy, Alice thought.

“Red has no friends,” she said out loud.

Never would’ve guessed, Hatta thought.

“And so, this cute little angel… Hmm? Did someone just say they wanted to be friends? Or was it just me?”

“Just you. I said you have no friends,” Alice said drily.

“Why, I never! Of course, I have friends. Everyone does! Alice, allow me to introduce you to my good friend, Dan.” Red held out a roly-poly. Hatta and Haigha’s fight-or-flight instinct kicked in, prompting them to step back.

“You and Haigha might have something in common.”

“Do not go there!” The comparison peeved Haigha so much, she stepped forward again.

“Haigha, was it? I think we can be friends, if your little onion monster is anything to go off of.” Red locked on to Haigha immediately, entering her into his potential friend list. With the onion monster chilling by her side, Haigha’s excuses were doomed to fall flat.

“What are you doing here anyway, Red?” Alice asked.

“I’m here on the Red Queen’s orders. She’s collecting rare sweet ingredients, one of which, the mind-blowingly sweet purple yams, can be found at the flower field up ahead. And where might you be heading, princess?”

“To see the Red Queen. There’s something I need to borrow.”

“You want to see the Red Queen? I’m afraid you’ve come at a bad time. The town’s in total lockdown due to the ongoing search for the tart thief. To get through, you’ll need to pass a whole series of checks which, at worst, can take anywhere from one to two days.”

The tart thief incident appeared to have ballooned into something much more serious than the party had initially expected.

“We’re in a hurry. Can you get us through somehow?” Alice asked.

“I can write you an invitation letter, for a small favor, that is. I need you to take care of this pesky little monster terrorizing the flower field. It’s right up ahead; it won’t even take you that long.”

“Why don’t you handle it, Red?” Alice asked. “Not that we mind. It’s just your combat abilities are the only aspect of you the Red Queen ever speaks highly of.”

“Why do you have to put it like that? Regardless, why don’t you just go ahead and see it for yourselves? You’ll see what I mean.” Red got in the coach, and they set off for the flower field, which they got to in no time at all. “There it is. Look.”

They hopped out of the coach and got up closer to the unidentified source of movement in the center. It appeared to be a slime monster.

“Wh-What is that?!” Hatta turned pale. “Alice, we can’t get any closer.” He forcefully halted the group.

“Why’s that?”

“Once you get close, it reads your memories, and then it turns into the thing you fear most. Everyone’s had at least one or two traumatic experiences in their life, yeah? It’ll use them against you, that insidious bastard.”

“Traumatic experiences? I’m sold.”

“Huh?! What’re you—”

Alice circled around Hatta and gave him a good shove, sending him flying in front of the slime monster.

“N-No. No. Noooo!!!”

The slime shapeshifted into Alice from the Dodo race, the one enveloped by an ominous black aura. This was, apparently, Hatta’s number one traumatic experience.

“Who’s that pretty young lady, Red?” asked Alice.

“Why, that’s you, Princess Alice.”

“Who’s that young lady with the refined air around her, Seb?” asked Alice.

“Why, it’s you, of course. Although the real Lady Alice shines all the more brightly.”

Seb and Red were suddenly in perfect sync thanks to Alice, not that it really mattered.

“Hatta?!”

Haigha rushed over to her unconscious brother, leading the slime monster to shapeshift into Alice from the Cheshire hunt. Nothing really changed besides the inexplicable knife in her hand and the ominous smile.

“Who’s that beautiful young lady, Red?” asked Alice.

“A blind man could see that it’s you, Princess Alice.”

“Who’s that sweet, elegant young lady, Seb?” asked Alice.

“Why, it’s you, of course. Although she’ll never truly match the original.”

The three were entirely unfazed.

This time, a concerned onion monster approached Haigha’s unconscious body, leading the slime monster to shapeshift into Alice hungrily drooling from her mouth. The onion monster began shivering in fear.

No matter who dared approach, the slime monster would only take on various forms of Alice.

Is Alice synonymous with trauma? The words never left Red’s mouth.

The slime monster, returning to its original form, started lightly tapping Hatta and Haigha’s unconscious bodies.

“What’s it doing, Red?”

“First, it makes you pass out, then it starts attacking. The attacks themselves are so weak, they don’t deal any actual physical damage, but the lingering psychological damage more than makes up for it. In my case, it was the Red Queen when she gets absolutely livid.”

“My condolences. Anyway, play time’s over; let’s go take care of it. Red, you stay put.”

Alice and Seb approached the slime monster. Yet it, for some inexplicable reason, didn’t shapeshift into anything. Seb first froze it with ice magic. Then Alice just picked it up and tossed it beyond the horizon. The seemingly unbeatable monster had been handled with ease.

“Do they…not have any traumatic experiences?”

The disturbing realization hit. It was rather surreal how Red, a known whack job, seemed relatively normal compared to Alice and Seb.

“Wakey wakey, sleepyheads.”

“Huh? What—what happened to the slime monster?”

“Don’t worry; we took care of it. Now get up; there’s still work ahead of us.”

They collected a bunch of tasty-looking purple yams.

“I say, we deserve a little reward after all that hard work. Seb, you know what to do.”

They moved away from the flower field and watched Seb roast up some yams. The smell was so good, Hatta and Haigha managed to recover from the psychological damage they’d suffered earlier.

“Bon appétit!” Seb said.

They dug in, a smile spreading across everyone’s faces the moment the piping-hot-roasted yams reached their tongues, except for Seb.

“As deadpan as always, I see,” smirked Red. “Could you maybe, I don’t know, try smiling a little like the rest of us?”

“Be careful what you wish for,” Seb said, smiling fearlessly.

“Not quite what I had in mind.”

“Don’t forget to write up that invitation letter you promised.”

“Completely slipped my mind. Pen and paper, if you could.” Red began working on the invitation letter with Alice observing him from the side.

Seb put out the fire. Hatta laid down, massaging his stomach. And Haigha, bored out of her mind, was playing with the onion monster.

“Alice, can I go play in the field?”

“Go ahead. We’ll pick you up after we’re done resting.”

“Thanks!” Haigha ran off into the flower field.

❤❤❤

“IT’S so beautiful! And is that… a bunny!” Haigha’s excitement blew through the roof. “Alice won’t be here for a while. I’m safe!” Haigha bunny-hopped after it, making bunny ears with her hands. “Bouncy bounce! Wait up, Mr. Rabbit, let’s play together! Oh, I didn’t see you there, Mr. Fox. You want to play too? What’s that? You’d like to introduce me to a friend? I can’t wait to meet—” Haigha looked up, only to see Red standing right in front of her, “…th-th-them.”

“Something wrong?”

“What’re you doing here, R-Red?!”

“I’m here to bring you back. Alice changed her mind and said, ‘We’ll be leaving immediately, so go fetch Haigha.’”

“D-Did you…see?”

“See what? Oh, you mean how you were frolicking around with the bunnies?”

He saw everything!

“Y-You didn’t see anything, okay?”

“But you were so cute. I like talking with insects; I know how you feel.”

Don’t even go there, Haigha thought as she continued to plead with him.

“Please forget everything you just saw. Please forget everything you just saw. Please forget everything you just saw. Please, please, please!”

“Hmm…well, you know what, fine. I can do that…if you become friends with me.”

Haigha was suddenly faced with the toughest choice of her life, bar none.

He seems to get on well with Alice, she thought. But, judging by their difference in rank, he probably wouldn’t go as far as to call her a friend. If I accept, I’ll likely be his very first friend and, honestly, I don’t want him parading that fact around. But I guess we won’t be seeing each other often anyways, so I might as well go along with it.

“…Deal.”

“My very first friend! Oh, what a day to be alive!”

I knew it.

“Just think of all the things we can do together. We’ll moon gaze and write poems together! We’ll chase after the sunset together. We’ll scream into the big blue sea together!”

That’s not what friends do at all…but still, no thanks! Go do that stuff by yourself!

“I must get going now. The next ingredient isn’t going to find itself after all. Send Alice my best regards. Oh, and once I’m done with my assignment, let’s go do some friend things together, friend!” Red left, all smiles.

He’s not a bad guy. I just really don’t want to see him ever again. Haigha saw him off, praying in silence that her wish would come true

❤❤❤

ALICE and the gang set course for the Land of Cards. Alice was dozing off, as always, while Haigha played with the onion monster she now lovingly called “Onion Boy.”

Can Seb really beat the Demon Lord? Hatta heaved a heavy sigh.

“How come you know where the Demon Lord’s castle is?” he asked.

“I just happened to pass by it some time ago,” Seb replied with the casualness of someone who spotted a nice inn on their way back home.

How do you just happen to pass by the Demon Lord’s castle? Haigha thought but chose not to ask.

“Haigha, do you know anything about the Poem of Jabberwocky, the one Cheshire brought up?” Hatta asked. “The name rings a bell, but I’m blanking on it.”

“The Poem of Jabberwocky is a blanket term for a series of ancient spellbooks written by a wizard of the same name.”

“Now it’s coming back to me. Those spellbooks contain a slew of forbidden spells that, by my understanding, can be learned but can only be cast under a certain condition…that I also can’t remember.”

“The spellbooks themselves act as a source of magical energy and, without them physically in your possession, their spells are rendered unusable,” Haigha explained. “The one we’re after dispels illusions, at least according to Cheshire. I’m getting a little excited just thinking about laying my hands on one!”

“You can have mine, if you’d like,” Seb, who never spoke unless spoken to, interjected.

“Wait, you have one?”

“Yes, please!”

Hatta, not being a magic user, wasn’t all that interested. But Haigha’s eyes lit up on the spot.

Seb pulled a black book out of his pocket and handed it to them.

“What kind of magic’s in here? Since it’s yours, I’m guessing offensive magic or maybe summoning magic.”

“Magic that allows the user to distinguish between a raw and boiled egg without touching them.”

Very funny, the siblings thought as they opened the book only to find out that it did, in fact, contain egg-distinguishing magic. The fact that it exuded powerful magical energy mystified them even further.

Why would I ever want to use this? Hatta thought as she closed the book, handing it back to Seb.

“What kind of a person was this Jabberwocky anyway?”

“I’d love to know myself….” Haigha’s inner thoughts leaked out for a brief moment.

“We’ve arrived. Wake up Princess Alice, if you could.”

“We’re there already? Oh! Yeah, we are.”

Just as the conversation had reached its natural end, they arrived at the Land of Cards.

“Hatta, will there be card soldiers?”

“Yeah, there will.”

“I hope they’re cute…” Haigha drifted off, fantasizing about the card soldiers.

They woke up Alice and headed to town.

“Halt! We are not allowed to let you through without a written invitation.” A group of soldiers stopped them.

“You can rest assured we mean no harm. Here’s our invitation, courtesy of the Red Knight.” Seb handed them the letter.

“The Red Knight?” They looked at the invitation. “We’re terribly sorry for the inconvenience, Princess Alice and her entourage. You may enter.” They bowed, smiling.

Thanks to a surprise run-in with Red, they were able to get into town without a hitch.

They parked their coach at a local inn and headed for the castle.

“It smells of sugary goodness.”

“Alice, how about we grab a bite to eat?” The sweet, pervading aroma had gotten the best of Haigha.

“Sounds like a plan!”

They went into a nearby tavern and ordered tarts, as per the chef’s recommendation. The freshly baked tarts came in after a short wait.

“They’re good…but not ‘worth stealing’ good,” Alice muttered.

“What did you expect? They’re not the Queen’s tarts.” The tavern owner came up to them.

“There’s a difference?”

“The Queen’s tarts are on a whole ’nother level! They’re made by top-class chefs using only the finest of ingredients. No wonder somebody stole them! Though it hurts not having access to the castle.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’ve locked down the town as well as the castle ’til they find the perpetrator. They only allow potential suspects or helpers in. It’s a darn shame, too; selling sweets to card soldiers was really good for business. Now, we’re kinda in a tough spot.”

“What about the White Queen? She never would’ve allowed this! And she’s the only person who can oppose the Red Queen.”

“The White Queen left quite a while back. Apparently, she got so sick and tired of the Red Queen doing all the actual governing that she just up and left. She pops back in every once in a while and then leaves just as quickly.”

With no one to rein in the Red Queen, the tart thief hunt had grown into something much larger than it needed to be. If they couldn’t find a way in, the Poem of Jabberwocky was as good as lost.

“What’s the plan? Want me to sneak in?” Hatta offered.

“Don’t bother,” Alice said. “It’d be a complete waste of time. We don’t have even the slightest clue where it could be stashed. Let’s just try going there first. Maybe they’ll let us through if we’re lucky. And, if not, we’re forcing our way in.”

“Let’s get going, then.”

“Wait, Hatta,” Haigha pleaded.

“Don’t tell me you’re still eating.”

“I’m not. But he is.”

The onion monster munched ever so happily on a tiny piece of tart.

“Why won’t you just set him free already?”

“I tried; he just keeps coming back.”

“You just don’t get it, Hatta! She’s clearly trying to fatten the little guy up before feasting on his flesh.” Alice sized-up the onion monster, causing it to shiver in fear.

“I’d never do such a thing!”

❤❤❤

A whole slew of beefed-up guards was manning the gate. It didn’t seem like the gang were getting through any time soon.

“Do not let anyone through. Do I make myself clear?”

“Sir! Yes, sir!”

“That’s what I like to hear. Don’t let me down, boys!”

“Sir! Yes, sir!”

They were almost as insufferable as the Dodo.

“What’s up with you, Haigha?” Hatta asked.

“You lied! Those aren’t card soldiers.”

“Yes, they are. See?” Hatta pointed at the cards casually sticking out of their chest pockets. “Cute and gentlemanly! Am I right, or am I right?”

How can you say that with a straight face? They’re neither of those things! They’re…they’re jacked! Haigha fell to her knees, crying on the inside.

“Long time, no see, General Ace of Spades.” Alice approached the guards, ignoring Haigha’s mental breakdown.

“Who do you think you—” He recognized Alice. “Well, if it isn’t Princess Alice! What brings you here?”

“I’ve come to see the Red Queen. Mind letting us through?”

“We were explicitly instructed not to let anyone through. Not even you, Princess Alice.” He bowed. “I hope you understand.”

Well, this just got a little awkward, Alice thought.

Alice was brainstorming solutions when a nearby scream cut off her thought process.

“Monsters on the loose!”

They turned around and saw an onion and a mushroom monster wreaking havoc.

“Don’t let them near the castle!” The card soldiers fearlessly rushed in, their general leading the charge.

“Alice…”

“What is it, Hatta?”

“Now’s our chance.”

“You’re right. Time to kill two birds with one stone. Seb, fire up the pan.”

“I already have,” Seb said, holding out a hot pan.

“That’s not what I meant by that at all!”

“But there’s a mushroom and an onion just waiting to be devoured,” Alice argued hungrily.

“How many times do I have to tell you? They’re monsters, not veggies, Alice! Whatever; let’s just get inside while they’re distracted.”

“Completely slipped my mind. But before we go, Haigha…”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you want to watch them beat the ever-living hell out of those monsters? You said you liked card soldiers…”

“No, thank you!”

“I could also introduce you to Dodo, this super-jacked monster, if that’s the kind of thing you’re into.”

“No, I’m not!”

“Let us hurry, my lady. Time is not on our side.” Seb took the initiative before the conversation spiraled out of control, the frying pan still resting in his left hand.

❤❤❤

ALTHOUGH they eventually managed to make it inside, the guards patrolling the place didn’t allow them to move around as freely as they would’ve liked.

“Alice, look here.” Hatta beckoned her over. “We can disguise ourselves as card soldiers.”

Alice peeked inside and saw a row of armor. Upon reflection, she remembered the card soldiers outside weren’t wearing any. They probably weren’t expecting monsters to come knocking on their doorstep.

“That’s a line I’m not crossing,” Alice said.

“Just thinking about wearing the same suit of armor as them makes me feel sick,” Haigha declared.

“I’ll have to politely decline,” Seb said.

They all shot down Hatta’s suggestion in unison.

Have it your way, then. Hatta reached for a set of armor. It was so moist with sweat, he immediately changed his mind.

“We still have to find a way through. Any ideas, Seb?” Alice asked.

“My lady, can you feel the ominous presence?”

“Now that you mention it, I think it’s coming from somewhere around,” Alice grabbed Cheshire out of the air, “here.”

“How’d you find me?! I used a dimensional veil to completely mask my presence.”

“I had a feeling.”

“What feeling?”

“It doesn’t matter right now. What does matter is what you’re doing here. Were you trying to get the drop on us?”

“I wasn’t and never will. You have my word. I heard they caught the tart thief, so I thought I’d stop by to take a look.”

“They did?”

“I had my minions investigate. This is fresh stuff.”

It genuinely felt like Cheshire was telling the truth. He just came here to see the show, thought Alice.

“The trial starts shortly. See ya around.”

“Take us with you.”

“Wanna come with? Sure thing.” Cheshire waved his hand, enveloping them in strange black smoke.

“My dimensional veil should make you virtually undetectable. The trial’s taking place in the throne room. Let’s get moving.”

With Chesire’s unexpected help, they successfully made their way into the throne room. The trial appeared to have already started as the Red Queen pressured the suspect into confessing.

“I know it was you. Confess to your crimes.”

“I wasn’t even in the Land of Cards when they were being stolen! Call Princess Alice; she’ll prove my innocence!”

Said suspect was the White Rabbit.

“Even after all that rewinding, you failed to pinpoint the perpetrator. Why? Because it’s you.”

“You have no proof!”

The absurd debate raged on.

Not only is what she’s saying completely absurd, but she also doesn’t have any proof, as the White Rabbit correctly pointed out. But if so, then who is the tart thief? Hatta thought.

“Haigha, do you see what I see?”

“Yeah, I think I do.”

Hatta and Haigha appeared to have noticed something. Their gazes were fixed on a guard munching on a tart right behind the Red Queen.

“Fess up!” cried the Red Queen.

“Call Princess Alice first!”

“Do you think you can pull the wool over my eyes? I know a tart thief when I smell one; I eat at least one every day.”

“I’m not pulling anything!”

How has nobody noticed? Do they want to make him out to be a criminal?

“Lift the veil,” commanded Alice.

“As you wish,” purred Cheshire.

They appeared before the Red Queen.

“Alice? How did you—”

“Alice?! Have you come to rescue me?” The White Rabbit skipped around with joy.

“I came to see the trial firsthand. Quick question: what if the tart thief was actually one of your guards?”

“I’d lock them up in the dungeon for the rest of their natural life.”

She really hasn’t noticed.

“Well, you’re in luck. I know who did it.”

“You do?!”

“Yes! You really did come to rescue me!” The White Rabbit got so excited, he dove face-first into Alice’s chest. “Thank you, thank you, thank—” Alice grabbed him by the ears, a black aura enveloping her. “Y-Your chest is a little bigger than Hai—” She smashed him into the ground, instantly rendering him unconscious.

“Go die in a ditch,” Alice snarled, trampling all over the White Rabbit with her high heels. “He did it.” She handed him over to the Red Queen, holding him by the neck.

“Throw him in the dungeon!”

“You reap what you sow,” Hatta and Haigha whispered to each other as the guards dragged the White Rabbit away.

“Can we just leave him like this?”

“He’s got his pocket watch. I’m sure he’ll escape in no time.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“You’ve been a great help, Alice! If there’s anything I can do to return the favor, feel free to ask away.”

“Mind if I borrow the Poem of Jabberwocky?”

“The Poem of Jabberwocky? Oh…that. It should be in the storage room. Jack, escort our guests.”

“Understood.”

They followed Jack—the guard that ate the tart.

“You’re the real tart thief, aren’t you?’

“I’ve been caught red-handed. Just kidding! Truth is, there never was a tart thief. The Red Queen just generously shared one of her tarts with me.”

“Elaborate.”

“No one ever stole any tarts; that’s just something the Red Queen made up to teach the White Rabbit a lesson for all his chicanery.”

“I thought it was a little silly to have a trial over some stolen tarts, even if they were one of a kind. Now it all adds up.”

Cheshire’s presence had suddenly faded. He likely turned around and left due to the case officially being closed, Alice thought.

“And here we are.” Jack led them inside a room full of books. “Let me just find it real quick, and…there it is: the Poem of Jabberwocky. There are plenty of fakes circulating, but this one’s undoubtedly the real thing. You can just feel the magical energy.”

The magical energy was so powerful they could indeed feel it bleed through the box. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that it was, in fact, the real thing.

Alice opened up the spellbook.

“Gibberish, as expected. It’s your time to shine, Haigha.”

“It sure is.”

Please don’t be egg-distinguishing magic, please don’t be egg-distinguishing magic, prayed Haigha as she opened the spellbook.

“It dispels illusions, just like Cheshy said. There’s also magic that protects from illusions.”

“Jackpot. Ridge of Illusions, consider yourself crossed,” Hatta said.

“You’re going to be crossing the Ridge of Illusions?” Jack asked. “Well, in that case, I’ve got some pretty exciting news for you. Somewhere along the ridge, there’s this item shop called Deedledumdee. There you’ll find rare items not sold anywhere else, or so the rumor goes.”

“You had me at ‘item shop!’” Hatta exclaimed. “Alice, we have to stop by there.”

“If, and only if, we happen to find it,” replied Alice. “Thank you, Jack. We’ll be on our way now.”

Parting with the Land of Cards, Alice and the gang set off for the Ridge of Illusions, where a mysterious item shop awaited.

❤❤❤

MEANWHILE…

“Wow! Just think of all the historically significant books hidden inside these shelves.” Jean marveled at the library, whose shelves were simply bursting and stretched all around the room.

“All the knowledge you’ll ever need is within these four walls. Not me, though; I’ve already read through most of them,” the Demon Lord said a little smugly.

“You’re surprisingly well-rea—” A speck of dust flew into Jean’s eye. “Ouch!”

“What happened?”

“I got something in my eye.”

“Show me.” He lifted Jean’s chin, their eyes meeting. The Demon Lord felt like his heart was about to explode.

Do I go in for the kiss? No, that’d come off too strong. Maybe I should hand her a handkerchief like a proper gentleman would? On the one hand, he wanted nothing more than to cherish and treasure Jean. On the other hand, his carnal urges were screaming at him to go all the way.

“Here, use this,” he said, handing over a handkerchief.

“Thanks.”

In the end, the Demon Lord pushed his carnal urges down and was rewarded with Jean’s beautiful smile as a result. He promised himself to always treat Jean with the utmost respect going forward.

“Is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing. Now, what say we treat ourselves to some tea?”

The Demon Lord had one of his minions make tea as they moved into a different room.

“It’s nice.”

“Made with only the finest tea leaves. Cookie?”

“Why are you so nice to me, Demon Lord?”

“For you, I’d take on God Himself.”

Jean clutched his chest, desperately trying to stop himself from diving into the Demon Lord’s arms.

You’re a guy, remember? What’s with you? Jean felt so embarrassed, he kept his face down, sneaking glances at the Demon Lord.

“Something wrong?” The Demon Lord’s precious smile pierced through Jean’s heart, knocking him out instantly. “Jean? Jean?!”