Demon Realm, Hall of Ten Thousand Demons,
"You look like you've hit a wall too," Ding Er mocked.
"Speak for yourself," Jia Hu retorted disdainfully.
"All hail His Majesty!" the demon official shouted.
Ding Er and Jia Hu knelt as Emperor Ba slowly emerged from the door and took his throne.
"I've summoned you today to assign anew task. The Second and Seventh Armies are struggling. Go support them. Ignore the Hero for now; let him come to us."
"Does Your Majesty have a new strategy?" Ding Er asked.
"The Holy Kingdom of Tianlai has always been the cradle of Heroes. Start there," Emperor Ba said slowly.
"I see. Please give your orders, Your Majesty," Ding Er pressed.
"Minuo's insider is awaiting the right moment. For now, focus on supporting the armies."
"As you command!" Ding Er and Jia Hu saluted and withdrew.
Rose Garden,Enis and I had been working all day without realizing it. I grabbed a towel to wipe her face and combed the mud from her dirtied hair. Despite being as muddy as me, she looked joyful. But I couldn't bear to let this beauty toil any longer.
"Enis, take a break. I'll handle the last few plants," I said, conjuring a chair for her to rest in and handing her a glass of water.
"This is the first time I've felt so happy in the Demon Realm," she said, sipping.
"Oh? Didn't you plant tons of roses in your garden?"
"Those were made with magic. Planting them myself is way more fun," Enis replied. After finishing the wheat, it was getting late, and dinner needed preparing. I went to the meadow to milk the black cow, herded it back to the shed, and caught a chicken to slaughter. Tonight, we'd make a creamy stew. I brought the milk to the kitchen, mixed in eggs, and started stirring. Enis, with nothing to do, wandered in.
"Can I help?" she asked.
"Hmm, how about you keep stirring the milk? I'll prep the chicken," I said.
We divided the tasks. I killed and fried the chicken, set it aside to drain, then chopped wild vegetables and tossed them into a pot to simmer. When they were nearly done, I added simple spices and the chicken, stirring. Finally, I poured in the cream Enis had prepared. It wasn't authentic creamy stew due to the ingredients, but it tasted decent.
"Smells amazing! You're incredible," Enis praised.
"When we get a chance to visit the Human Realm, I'll make an even better stew with their ingredients," I said with a smile.I carried the stew to the dining room, where Enis had set the table, placing our seats closer together. Well, we'd already confirmed our relationship, so it wasn't a big deal. I lifted the pot lid, and we each served ourselves a bowl.
"Let's eat!" I said, but noticed Enis watching me.
"Oh, sorry, in the Human Realm, people have this little ritual before eating," I explained.
"I see. Let's eat!" Enis mimicked me, clasping her hands before digging in.Enis: "This is delicious! I've never had anything like it."
Me: "Not bad, huh? Seems Demon Realm ingredients aren't inferior to the Human Realm's. By the way, Enis, what did you eat daily before I came?"
Enis: "High-level demons don't need food; we sustain ourselves with demonic energy. But I love your cooking. I want to eat your food every day."
Me: "Got it. Starting tomorrow, teach me more magic and combat skills. In our spare time, we can experiment with new recipes."
Enis: "Sure, though I've never taught anyone. I'll go easy on you."
Me: "Haha, alright, I'll brace myself."After dinner, I cleaned up in the kitchen. Enis disappeared somewhere. After washing the dishes, I went to the garden to relax, gazing at the moonlight. I thought of Bona's family, my roommate, the late Kadi, and my family and friends in the real world. A cigarette would've been nice.
"White, come quick!" Enis called from the doorway.
"Coming!" I walked over. "What's up?"
"I've prepared bathwater. Let's bathe together," she said.
What?! Did I hear that right? Bathing together in the Demon Realm? No, no, no, that's too intimate, too soon.
"No way! Men and women shouldn't be so casual about physical contact," I refused hastily.
"What? I don't get it. Stop talking and come with me—it's your master's order," she said, pulling me along.
I tried to break free, but with a wave of her hand, my clothes vanished.
"What?!" I covered myself in a panic. "How could you?!"
With another wave, her clothes disappeared too. Now we were both "completely honest" with each other. I turned away, but she relentlessly dragged me toward the bathroom.I kept my eyes shut the whole time, washing her hair and scrubbing her back. She returned the favor, cleaning me. After surviving that ordeal, she pulled me to her bedroom, pushed me onto the bed, and kissed me deeply. What happened next… well, you can guess.Afterward, I lay staring at the ceiling, dazed. It'd only been about a week since we met. This was crazier than a shotgun wedding. How did I end up giving her my first time? Though, I was pretty enthusiastic during it… Enis snuggled against me.
"From now on, I'm yours, and you're mine. We'll never be apart," she said coyly.
It was done. I had no choice but to take responsibility. I held her close and vowed to love only her for the rest of my life.