Chapter 434: The Last Chance

    “Uh... um...”

    “...”

    “Is this really the right way?”

    Frey, slightly blushing, asked Miho with a puzzled expression.

    “Do I really need to ingest it like this?”

    “Are you questioning a doctor’s prescription?!”

    “No, but...”

    Miho flared up and got angry.

    “Isn’t this method a bit... too burdensome for you?”

    Miho’s sticky saliva was entwined with his tongue while she was sitting on his lap.

    “To preserve the yin energy and transfer life force optimally, there’s no other way.”

    “...”

    “It’s true. Don’t ignore the doctor.”@@@@

    Miho spat out the completely shriveled fox bead into her hand.

    “See, it’s absorbed better now.”

    “Is that so...?”

    While Frey still looked uncertain, Miho turned her gaze aside with a flushed face.

    - Swoosh...

    Then she pulled out another fox bead from her pouch.

    “Hmph.”

    She put it in her mouth again.

    “Haa, Haaa...”

    She stuck out her tongue again, looking up at Frey, who hesitantly brought his tongue to the bead.

    - Flinch...

    Miho’s body shuddered involuntarily as she felt the soft yet hot sensation on her tongue.

    “...Huff.”

    She sneaked a glance at Frey’s face.

    “...?”

    Frey, with a cautious expression, focused on licking the bead then he tilted his head.

    Miho watched him intently and then quietly lowered her head.

    “...”

    Time passed awkwardly.

    “Um... Miho?”

    When Miho had used up all the beads, Frey carefully called out to her.

    “...”

    But Miho kept her head down, quietly wagging her tail.

    “Come to think of it, I have a favor to ask.”

    “...Huh?”

    She slowly lifted her head at Frey’s words.

    Her face was filled with anticipation.

    “Could you come with me for a moment?”

    Frey, looking at her with an incomprehensible expression, stood up causing Miho to wordlessly nod and get up.

    “I... okay...”

    The awkward way she had been speaking was already long gone.

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    - Creak...

    As Frey’s door opened, everyone waiting outside focused their attention.

    “This way. Follow me...”

    Frey walked through the heroines.

    “...”

    Miho, her face completely red, hid her face with her tail and kept her head down.

    The heroines’ expressions grew even colder as they watched her.

    - Step, step...

    Unlike before, Miho followed Frey closely, ignoring the heroines.

    “Here.”

    - Twitch, twitch...

    When Frey stopped, Miho stopped too, her ears twitching as she looked at Frey.

    “W-what are you going to do here...?”

    “...Just come in.”

    “Ugh.”

    Frey’s gentle push led Miho into the room.

    “You’re still... perverted... oh?”

    She noticed a girl lying on the bed, groaning.

    “Ugh...”

    Glare, who seemed to have overexerted herself, was lying there.

    “She seems to have pushed herself too hard yesterday. She hasn’t woken up and keeps groaning like this.”

    Frey, worriedly looking at Glare, wiped the sweat from her forehead with a towel.

    “I stayed up all night to take care of her, but she hasn’t gotten any better. I was hoping you could look after her.”

    “Ah...”

    Miho, who had been staring blankly at Frey, quickly nodded.

    “That... that sounds good. I’ll stay here and take care of her.”

    “Huh? You don’t have to stay...”

    “Her condition is quite severe. I need to examine her and provide intensive care.”

    “Hmm...”

    Frey pondered her words for a moment.

    “Well, if you say so.”

    When he finally nodded, Miho turned her gaze and fidgeted with her fingers.

    “And... I need to regularly give you the fox bead... I mean, provide it.”

    “Oh, right. Thank you.”

    “Frey.”

    If we defeat the ‘God of Chaos’ that Kania mentioned, it will all be over.

    We’ll reach the end.

    So, as always, we needed to overcome this trial with ease.

    I assigned Miho, the best doctor, to Glare, and if that wasn’t enough, I would enlist Serena, Irina, and the imperial doctors to attend to her.

    It was only right to take such measures for someone who has done so much for me. Besides, Glare seemed like she had something important to say to me.

    For some reason, I felt I should hear it before the final battle.

    And as for Lulu...

    - Swish!!

    While lost in thought, I suddenly heard a quick movement behind me.

    “...?”

    I turned around to see what it was, but there was no one there.

    What was that?

    “...Grrrr.”

    “...!?”

    As I scratched my head and turned back around, Lulu appeared right in front of me.

    - Thud...!

    “Ah!”

    Before I could react, she lunged at me, pinning me down.

    “Take that! And that!”

    As I lay there, stunned, she began to pummel me with her fists.

    “...”

    Of course, it was all in vain.

    Her punches were so weak, they felt like soft taps.

    “Hmm...”

    I watched her with amusement and gently reached out.

    - Flick!

    “Ouch!”

    A light flick to her forehead brought her to a halt, clutching her head in pain.

    - Thud...

    She collapsed beside me, clutching her forehead.

    “The Demon King has been defeated... Master... no, Hero...”

    With an earnest look, she spoke.

    “I’ve lost completely... Now, do as you wish...”

    She lay there, belly up, with her hands raised in surrender, speaking in a solemn tone.

    Was she acting as... the Demon King?

    - Stroke, stroke...

    “Hehe...”

    I petted her cheek, and she happily nuzzled into my hand.

    This definitely didn’t feel like the Demon King.

    More like a well-behaved pet.

    “Ah! Don’t pet me like that!”

    As I ran my fingers through her hair, she widened her eyes and shook her head.

    “Then what?”

    “I’m the Demon King now! So... you should...”

    She hesitated, looking pained.

    “...kill me.”

    Her eyes glowed ruby red, and my right arm twitched, moving toward her neck.

    “Living as your pet was truly a joy...”

    As my hand reached her neck, she looked at me with tearful eyes.

    “Thanks to you, I found life, happiness, and love.”

    “...”

    “So, if I can die for you, I’ll be content.”

    A tear rolled down from her eye.

    “Just... make a grave for me.”

    She wiped the tear away and added.

    “A small gravestone that says ‘Lulu, your eternal pet...’”

    - Flick!

    “Ouch!”

    I released her neck and flicked her forehead again, making her cry out and clutch her head.

    “How...?”

    “My mental strength is at its peak now. That won’t work on me.”

    “Oh...”

    In truth, it was a lie.

    If Lulu used her full power, even I would have trouble resisting.

    “And besides.”

    But I had no reason to worry.

    “A Demon King doesn’t die from a little neck-squeezing.”

    “Gasp.”

    “With your current power, you’re practically invincible. You’re probably stronger than your sister until I don the Hero’s Armament.”

    “...!”

    She looked startled by my words.

    “Then... what should I do?”

    “...”

    “I don’t want to kill you! I just want to lose!”

    “Hmm.”

    It seemed the time had come to tell Lulu my plan.

    “No, you don’t have to do that.”

    “...?”

    “We’ll just follow the prophecy.”

    My final plan.

    “Lulu.”

    “Yes.”

    “Let’s commit suicide together.”

    “...What?”