Chapter 195 - From Negotiation to Proposal (2/2)

“Isn’t that too much to ask?”

“If so, let someone else do it. I don’t want to get stuck with some commission I can’t do.”

“Even in exchange for your own life?”

The threat was clear in her choice of words and tone. Lapis made a move, but Loren stopped her.

All Lapis did was lightly pulled at Loren’s sleeve, and all Loren did was slightly raise his other hand, but Judie knew what those movements meant.

If Lapis were to fight with Judie here, she would certainly lose. She knew that, so when she realized that Loren was being threatened, she pulled his sleeve, indicating that she had chosen to run away. Fighting was impossible, but they might have a chance to live if they ran. However, Loren had stopped her.

“Dying when doing an impossible commission is no different from being killed here.”

“Being killed here might be certain for you, but how can you be sure that you’ll die doing the commission?”

At this point, Judie had begun to intimidate Loren without hiding it. ‘You know what will happen if you refuse my commission, don’t you?’ was what she was actually saying. In response, Loren snorted, looked straight at her and said bluntly:

“So that’s how a Demon King sees things, huh.”

“Ah, so here we come.”

Judie smiled at him as if the intimidating atmosphere just now was a lie, and Loren somehow realized that she was not seriously trying to push the commission onto them without offering any assistance. He wondered what the hell she had been playing at, but had no immediate answer. In the end, he decided that though uncommon, it was just how Demon Kings, or rather demons, were killing their time.

“I don’t like to be taken as a fool, either.”

“In that case…”

“But it won’t be befitting a Demon King to offer their services just because they’re asked, right?”

Judie asked, and Loren kept silent. What Loren had been implying was, was a Demon King like Judie so naive that she thinks their party could complete this commission without any aids from the demons, or was she so stupid that she couldn’t realize it? His implication seemed to have been conveyed to Judie, but he suspected that the talk was now going in a different direction. He could tell it from the Demon King’s tone and expression.

“I have no idea what a Demon King should be like, since I don’t have any Demon Kings as acquaintances.”

“Then I’ll be your first. Nice to meet you~”

Judie smiled and waved her hand. Not knowing how to react to this, Loren turned to Lapis, who was looking up at him worriedly while still holding his sleeve. She should know how to act in this situation, but she also seemed to be at a loss. She just tilted her head while looking at Loren with a troubled expression.

Seeing the two of them being like that, Judie stopped waving and lowered her hand, then with a slightly more serious face, she said:

“It’s definitely not like a Demon King to give something to someone just because they’ve asked for it. So, if you want something, take it yourself. That’s more like how demons are, isn’t it?”

“Are you asking him to fight you, mother?”

That was even more unreasonable, or so Lapis believed. Loren’s opponent would be someone who was excellent at eliminating powerful individuals. After all, only those who came out at the top of the pack could earn the title of ‘Demon King’. Fighting such an opponent to win something was out of the question, unless the challenger was one of those heroes that appeared very rarely in human history.

But Judie quickly shook her head at Lapis’ question.

“That’s absurd.”

“Ah, so you do know that it’s absurd. I’m a little relieved.”

“No, if that boyfriend next to you is a hero, I will consider it.”

“That’s differ… Uhm? Errr… Huh? Should I deny it?”

“I’m not a hero, aren’t I?”

“Th-that’s right. Loren is not a hero.”

Lapis seemed confused by something, and her reply was incoherent. But after Loren pointed it out, she finally gave a clear denial. Judie seemed to find it amusing, she rested her chin on one hand and tapped the desktop with the index finger of her other hand.

“That’s why a Demon King might be too much for you to handle. But you’ll manage if it’s her aide, won’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You want support and extra pay. I want to have the job done as cheaply as possible. The rest is simple, isn’t it? We’ll fight to decide how much of each other’s claims we’ll accept. Very demon-like.”

“I’m a demon myself, but if you’re asking me whether that’s demon-like or not, I’m inclined to say no.”

Lapis said with a sour expression, but Judie shook her head.

“It’s a difference of opinion. I’m not going to dwell on it.”

Lapis understood that it meant she wouldn’t make concessions any further, so she let Loren make the decision.

“Your representative will fight with my representative, and the loser will have to accept the winner’s terms. Take it or leave it, it’s all up to you. Choose as you please. How is it?”

How the hell should he answer?

Judie seemed to enjoy herself. Wondering how he should answer, Loren gazed back at the Demon King, who were observing him with her purple eyes.