The Demon Lord's Bride (BL)-Chapter 729: Parents know there’s so much power packed in a baby’s hands

Chapter 729: Parents know there’s so much power packed in a baby’s hands

The Demon King tilted his head--and so did I, because we had never discussed this before.

"A deal?" the Demon King took the plate he had been preparing--was it a cheese board?--to the table. "From my competitor?"

Natha did not reply, just waiting for the Demon King to make a decision. We watched him relaxedly enjoy his snack for a while, before he finally chuckled.

"Interesting," he snapped his hand to conjure an ice bucket with champagne bottles inside and a flute glass. "I’ll at least hear you out."

Natha looked at me and nodded, so, albeit reluctantly, I followed him to the table. The Demon King did not bother to offer us refreshment, but I actually preferred that. I wouldn’t dare to eat or drink anything from this place anyway, so I merely sat down to rest my hands a little bit.

Carrying a baby was a heavy exercise, you know.

"Speak," the Demon King said. "What is your offer?"

Natha put on his business face and smiled. "I shall not challenge you," he said, with hands on the table, showing the glowing bracelet. "I shall rescind my candidacy after we return."

The King arched his brow. "How funny. Do you think your existence threatens me enough to warrant a deal?" he sneered.

"You did tell my husband that I am a threat," Natha smirked.

The King’s eyes twitched. "Boy, don’t be mistaken that you can defeat me because of that."

"Maybe not," Natha smiled, the silver eyes gleamed and rippled like the surface of the moonlit lake. "But I can be very, very annoying."

The King’s eyes narrowed, and I became more and more intrigued about what exactly Natha was planning with this. Since he didn’t tell me, it seemed like it was quite an impromptu plan.

Natha continued while pulling his hands off the table, crossing them as he leaned on the chair relaxedly. "I might not be able to defeat you, but I can bite," he let out his cold, just a little bit. "I can bite a lot. I can make everlasting bites. It will be very, very tiring and annoying for you to get rid of them."

Oh! I kind of get it now.

The cold vanished, and the nice, business smile returned to Natha’s face. "So, why bother, Your Majesty?" he even used honorifics again. "Wouldn’t it be better to not do the challenge at all?"

[This is quite entertaining] Ignis whispered in my head.

Was it? I glanced at Jade, who had climbed to the chair beside me, and he was staring back and forth between Natha and the Demon King like it was a ping-pong tournament.

The King looked at Natha like a grandpa looking at a petulant child; full of exasperation. Perhaps more because he didn’t like thinking that he was being defeated by logic.

"Very well," the King exhaled harshly. "What do you want me to do in exchange?"

I looked at Natha too, curiously. Well, I had a hunch, but...

"I’d like you to be on our side, Your Majesty," Natha said. "Help us to keep our child for ourselves."

I gasped inwardly, and raised Shwa so the King could see him clearly. Never before did I think that we could also ask for the King’s cooperation. I mean, the King was like the God’s ’apostle’, so I was under the impression that they had one heart and one mind.

But!

Peeking behind my son’s back, I added in a threatening whisper. "Babysitting is really, really hard, you know."

Hearing my voice, Shwa thought it was okay for him to make a noise again. "Ungwaah!"

My smart little boy wiggled his entire limbs, and smacked the table so strongly the cheese board and the glass were jostling a little bit.

"Agaah!"

The Demon King snatched his glass before the champagne could spill, looking at my baby warily. "I see your point."

Right? Right?!

"That being said, I don’t know if I can do anything about it," the King said.

Tsk.

"I will not partake in anything to force your hand, however," the King continued. "The most I can do is agreeing if you make a compelling argument."

I exchanged glances with Natha. Well...that was still better than nothing, right? Honestly, Natha had no intention to challenge the King from the start, and we never planned to ask for the King’s cooperation either.

So...a bonus is still a bonus!

Natha nodded and stood up, reaching out his hand. "Very well, Your Majesty. Thank you for your cooperation."

A similarly patterned hand shook Natha’s, and Jade and Shiny clapped their hands, despite not fully understanding what had happened.

Well, that was...smooth? I guessed the King really didn’t fancy having a baby around.

"That’s good and all, but..." the King released Natha’s hand and looked up. "I’m at my limit of shielding the Lord’s eyes."

He stepped back and promptly, a knock was heard. It didn’t come from the door, however, but enveloped the whole room. It was like a giant knocking on a snow globe, if that made sense. Jade and Shiny jumped in surprise, looking around to guess where the sound was coming from exactly.

The King waved his hand and the ’pilot’ who escorted us there appeared again, reminding me of how Heraz loved to appear and disappear from thin air like that. So...the demon was under the King’s order to take us to his territory?

I wondered what the reason was...maybe because he wanted to gauge Natha’s intention? The King caught my eyes and shrugged.

"He’s going to offer you something, and you’ll have the answer to that question," he said.

...were demons all mind readers, or was my thought written that clearly on my face?

"You’re just very expressive," the King said again.

Ah, damn it.

I pursed my lips and fixed my hold on Shwa, before standing up and turning toward the door. Jade and Shiny slid down and for whatever reason hid beneath the table--which was funny and lowered my tension a bit.

Just a bit.

As I wondered about the offer the King mentioned, the pilot demon proceeded to open the door and the suited man I always saw was there, looking into the room unimpressedly.

"I thought I told you to take them to me?" An’Hyang narrowed his red eyes before stepping into the room.

"Just a little tour so the little ones can rest," the King said, looking down the table with an amused smirk.

Look at this old demon using my children to make excuses? But he passed the cheeseboard to the kids playing fortress beneath the table, so...maybe he was kind of chill.

An’Hyang sighed and pointed outside, looking at me and Natha. Looking at Shwa, especially. "Then let’s go. I’ve prepared a fine dining for you."

"No, we’re already eaten," I replied dryly while taking a seat again with my son. "We’re good here, thank you very much."

First, we did eat before the summoning. Second, if we were going, then the King might be unable to follow--which meant we would have less ally.

Besides...if this place was the King’s territory, An’Hyang would have less power here, right? Even if it was just slightly less.

The red eyes twitched, and the Demon God looked almost as exhausted as that time in the church’s plaza. He did not look angry, however, which made me feel suspicious instead.

I mean, he didn’t even offer a snarky comment like usual, making me think he was up to something.

Especially when he started to smile. "Very well, just tell me if you need refreshment. We have several cafes and coffee shops here," he said. "I was planning to take you around the nice location with good scenery, but alas..."

Why did he talk like a tour guide? Or...a mayor trying to promote his city?

"You must have seen this place while traveling to the palace, haven’t you?" he continued, walking to the wide window where we could see part of the cityscape. "What do you think, Valen? Isn’t it nice?"

I glanced at Natha, who was smiling awkwardly at me. "Well...it’s certainly interesting."

"Isn’t it?" he turned around and smiled charmingly, the kind of smile you would see on a celebrity. "Don’t you think it would be nice to live here?"

Wait...

"Are you...telling me to live here?" I raised my brows and blinked, making sure I didn’t understand it wrongly.

In response, the Demon God let out a regretful sigh. "Look, I’m not trying to separate you from your child, okay? I’m sorry if I made you think like that."

Wow. Did he just say he was sorry?

"But the world is still a dangerous place, and I don’t want the vessel of the Primordial One to get hurt after working so hard to have him born safely," he continued. "Wouldn’t it be better for you and him to live here, away from any harm? You can even bring your little companions there."

...damn, so you really prepared all that to lure us to stay? It wasn’t just for your aesthetic satisfaction?

"Look, there are a lot of interesting things you can introduce him to--things from your previous world!" the Demon God spread his arms, gesturing toward the window. "I saw how excited he looked earlier. Don’t you think he would be happy here? We even have an amusement park and arcade!"

"Park?" Jade gasped, peeking up from between the chairs. "What’s arcade, Ignis? Do you know? Is it fun?"

Not the time, Jade. I sighed when the Demon God was smiling wider. Glancing at the King, who was silently clicking his tongue, I kind of understood what he had meant earlier.

If I were to stay in the Sanctuary with Shwa, there was no way Natha would let me unless he could stay in this place. Most likely, the King thought that An’Hyang would have Natha become the next King as an extra warranty so we wouldn’t leave the Sanctuary.

That was why the King acted vigilant.

And now, An’Hyang even talked to my son directly. "How about it, Navardi? Wouldn’t you like to stay here?"

"Gugaah!" Shwa wriggled in my hold, arm raised and hand pointed at the Demon God. "Uhh! Awaah!"

"Oh, do you want to come to me?" An’Hyang perked up, raising his arms. "Why don’t you let me carry him for a bit, Valen?"

I scowled in reflex. "Are you kidding me?"

The Demon God rolled his eyes. "Fine, you can hold him. I just want to see him closer, okay?"

"Baah!" Shwa wriggled again and kept pointing to the Demon God. As I bit my lips in contemplation, Natha stroked my back and leaned down.

"It’s okay, sweetheart."

I turned and frowned at him, thinking he was being influenced again. But his eyes were clear, and both the bracelet as well as his patterns glowed. My brow arched in curiosity, but he just smiled and nodded.

Pursing my lips, I stood up and walked toward the Demon God, who was standing not far from the table. I stopped two steps in front of him, holding Shwa while glaring. He smirked and held up his hands, as if taunting me.

Taking a deep breath, I held Shwa under his armpits and carefully, cautiously, held him up between me and the Demon God.

"Hello, Navardi. Won’t you let me hold you for a bit?" the red eyes curled, followed with a charming and gentle smile.

"Mwaah!" Shwa raised his arms, like a baby usually did when someone was about to carry them.

An’Hyang smiled wider, before the raised arms landed strongly, harshly, loudly on his face. freēwēbnovel.com

"Agaaah!"

And the little hands did it again and again.