Slave of the Demon King’s Castle 52

## Chapter 52 – No. 25. The Returned Demon Lord’s Castle

The 7th District, reached before sunset, was no different from when they had left.

However, the feeling was distinctly different. It was the first time in a week that the desolate streets felt welcoming. Even the drug-addled women standing against the building walls, staring blankly, were nothing compared to Orca.

Aser, too, wasn’t working today, nor did he look at the loudly shouting, drugged women with a disgusted gaze. What if he didn’t work for a bit? At least they wouldn’t lay their hands on No. 25 like the prostitutes in the 6th District.

Aser watched No. 25, who was walking beside him, wipe away sweat and asked with a worried tone,

“Aren’t you a little tired? Should we go straight to the estate?”

No. 25 nodded once.
No sooner had that brief action ended than a crisp ‘pop!’ sounded, and the scenery before them instantly changed. The lingering smell of cigarettes in the street vanished in an instant, replaced by the aroma of food, stimulating their appetites.

The market inside the estate. The merchants didn’t even glance at Aser’s sudden appearance, as if they were used to it by now. Instead, they were focused on their duties, recommending food to Aser, who had just appeared, or trying to lure him into their shops, claiming they had good items.

Aser, using the excuse of being tired to dismiss the merchants, pointed to a shop and spoke to No. 25.

“Ah, you liked that, right? Should we buy one and eat together?”

Aser was pointing at the sandwich they had bought and eaten when they first went out to the estate. From No. 25’s perspective, who loved to eat, there was no reason to refuse, but for some reason, he shook his head from side to side, indicating his refusal.

“Why? Do you not have an appetite?”

“It’s not that, I don’t mind if you eat what you like, Master.”

“What I like?”

He didn’t want to disparage the food made by the merchants’ labor, but Aser didn’t particularly like buying and eating food from the streets. If it weren’t for No. 25, he wouldn’t have even glanced at the shops and would have headed straight to the castle.

However, he couldn’t just cut off the kindness No. 25 offered out of consideration for Aser.
Aser pondered for a moment, then, with a face gradually turning red, gave an absurd answer.

“I, I like your lips the most.”

The noise that filled the estate subsided in an instant, and the attention of the surrounding merchants was immediately focused on them. He regretted saying it as soon as the words left his mouth. What kind of trashy line was this, not even found in third-rate novels? But he couldn’t take back the words that had already been spoken. If there were no eyes watching, he would have clutched his head and screamed in shame.

However, contrary to Aser’s feelings, the words brought about quite a good result.

No. 25 stood on tiptoe and gave Aser, who was beside himself with shame, a light kiss on the lips. A quick kiss with a ‘peck’ sound. Aser looked as if he was trying to figure out what had just happened.

No. 25 averted his gaze and opened his mouth with a trembling voice.

“I, is this okay?”

The merchants around them looked at Aser with envious eyes. Some even verbally expressed their envy.
Aser grabbed No. 25’s shoulders and said firmly.

“Sorry, do it one more time.”

“One more time…?”

A kiss that ended without even having time to feel it properly; he couldn’t possibly be satisfied with such fleeting pleasure. Aser demanded another kiss even though people were watching.
At Aser’s proactive behavior, this time No. 25 hesitated.

He had briefly kissed Aser because the atmosphere made it seem like he had to, but when he came to his senses, there were too many people around. If he kissed Aser again in this state of intense attention, he would die of embarrassment.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to do it with Aser, though.

“I want to do the next one in the castle…”

Upon hearing those words, Aser’s reason snapped as cleanly as if cut with a knife. He even forgot the option of going to the castle instantly using magic.

He grabbed No. 25’s hand and headed towards the castle, passing through the crowd.

Although they were met with a cool breeze, their faces gradually flushed and slowly turned red.
Their hearts began to beat faster than ever before, and their footsteps were accelerating as if being chased by something.

No. 25, who was being led by Aser and running along, was breathing heavily.
He didn’t intend to make No. 25 struggle. If he was having a hard time running at his pace, he could just hold him and run.

Aser hugged No. 25, who was running slowly beside him, with both arms. A princess carry; this was the second time he had held him in this position. The same embarrassment as the first time was nonexistent. Right now, No. 25 just wanted to get to the castle quickly and continue the kiss with Aser.

As No. 25, who had been running slowly beside him, was embraced by Aser and ran solely at her speed, they arrived at the castle in the blink of an eye.

“You can put me down now.”

From here, he could walk on his own. Aser carefully placed No. 25 on the ground and then opened the castle gate.
Charlotte must have somehow found out that they had arrived, as she was already out in the middle of the courtyard to greet them.

A week, a time that could be said to be long if it was long, and short if it was short. For Charlotte, a week without No. 25 felt like an eternity. Seeing No. 25’s face after a long time, a bright smile bloomed on Charlotte’s face.

She wanted to talk to No. 25 right away, but it would be rude to speak to No. 25 before Aser. Charlotte bowed to Aser politely and then opened her mouth, as if pouring out the words she had been holding back.

“How was the 6th District after a long time? Did you happen to meet Orca? Ah, I hope no strange people approached No. 25?”

Each question was difficult to answer. The 6th District after a long time was still the worst street full of solicitations, and they met Orca, whom he didn’t want to meet so much, in the worst way, and a prostitute even spoke to No. 25.

He couldn’t possibly say that Orca had kidnapped No. 25 while he was drunk and his mind was wandering.

If all these facts were revealed, Charlotte’s nagging would probably continue for a whole month until his ears were calloused. He had to avoid such a thing.

Aser glossed over it to Charlotte. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to sit down in a quiet place and have a cup of tea while catching up. However, beyond that was a great desire to spend enjoyable time with No. 25.

“Well, not really? Nothing special happened. Right?”

The last ‘Right?’ was directed at No. 25. No. 25 nodded in agreement, adding, ‘Yes, that’s right.’

Charlotte’s smile also stopped there.

No. 25, sticking close to Aser and blushing, and Aser, who was also flushed and panting, seemingly wanting to end the conversation quickly. Charlotte’s instincts told her that there was something between them.

Charlotte asked cautiously in a seemingly nonchalant voice.

“Still, it’s a relief that you seem to be getting along much better than before.”

Aser averted his gaze from Charlotte’s eyes and answered vaguely.

“I, does it look like that?”

“Yes, did something good happen in the 6th District?”

Of course, something good happened. He had his first relationship with the person he loved; if that wasn’t a good thing, what was it? He wanted to boast about that day’s experience to Charlotte like a war story right away.

However, the relationship wasn’t something Aser had alone. He couldn’t talk about it to others without asking for No. 25’s opinion. Instead of going into detail, Aser glossed over it.

“Well… something good did happen. Sorry to say this after seeing you for the first time in a while, but I have something to talk about with No. 25 for a bit… Can we talk again later?”

Charlotte forced a stiff smile and replied.

“Of course.”

Aser, as if unable to bear it any longer, grabbed No. 25’s hand and led him up the stairs, heading inside the Demon Lord’s Castle.

Charlotte watched the backs of the two leaving until they had completely disappeared.

Seeing that, she was certain. It was something she had expected, and in a way, it was natural. A woman and a man alone together, on a trip for a week. The woman didn’t touch the man she went with, and nothing happened? That would be a serious problem in itself.

It was definitely something to celebrate that Aser and No. 25 had a relationship; hadn’t she resolved to do so before the two left? But when she clearly witnessed the reality of the two getting so close, her resolution at that time was slowly melting away like snow in the warm heat of spring.

Aser, who was climbing the stairs to the third floor, told the maids who greeted him each time he passed by not to come to the third floor until after dinner, and then entered his room with No. 25, locking the door tightly.

According to a rumor from a maid who later went up to the third floor to clean the hallway, unaware of this, all she heard whenever she passed by Aser’s door was the sound of a creaking bed and the moans of two men, and Aser’s voice begging for help, saying, ‘No, no more…’