After leaving the Recovery Atrium, Jubei thought about how he had arrived in this new world and mentally complained about the deity who had sent him there with clear malicious intentions, as they walked down the corridor.
"Ha, he's still alive."
"That bastard..."
"What a shame… My Lady Empress will be disappointed."
'Are they talking about me?' Jubei thought, not understanding why they would say that. However, at that moment, memories of similar situations came to him, so he decided to ignore it and keep walking without acting strangely.
Circe walked with him toward the kitchen. The higher-caste demons looked at them with contempt whenever they crossed paths in the corridor, muttering insults behind their backs.
"Ignore them, young Jubei," she took him by the arm and pulled him, forcing him to walk faster.
"Don't worry, it's not that I care much. I almost didn't notice they were talking about me."
He smiled; everything still felt unreal to Jubei to take it so seriously.
"But I can't stand it… the higher-caste demons are very cruel."
"But you don't treat me badly."
"Of course. I would never do something like that, just like Igniel."
'Igniel?'
"Who is Ig—?"
"Circe!" The voice came from behind, sharp.
"If the basta— if Jubei had woken up, why didn't you take him to the king? Those were your orders."
Circe crossed her arms and held his gaze firmly.
"I was taking him to eat first. He spent two days in the Recovery Atrium, Oscar."
'Who is this high-handed guy?'
"There are no excuses. Food can wait. Go to the king now, quickly."
"No. Young Jubei must eat first."
"Are you trying to defy the orders of the—?"
"Circe," Jubei interrupted. "Don't worry. I'm not hungry, so let's go, let's go."
He said that while gently pushing her forward. He did not want to get her into trouble when she had been so kind to him.
"But, young Jubei, this isn't the direction."
"Just hurry. Lords Aedan and Igniel are also in the throne room."
'That name… it sounds familiar,' Jubei thought.
"Isn't the Empress there?" Circe asked.
"No, she had to leave the castle."
Jubei followed Circe to the throne room. He noticed she was uneasy; it was normal, they were going to see the King.
'Wait a second… if we're demons… then the king is a… DEMON KING!'
Jubei walked behind Circe. He brought his hands to his mouth; they were cold. They entered the hall where the Demon King was, a spacious area illuminated by rounded fire lamps suspended from the ceiling.
Two clearly higher-caste demons, tall and handsome, stood a few meters from the center of the hall. Circe and Jubei advanced until they positioned themselves in front of the throne.
Jubei fixed his gaze on the throne. The demon seated there had his hand resting on his chin, with his forearm supported on the arm of the throne.
Circe knelt immediately before the Demon King.
"Father…" Jubei said. The words came out on their own.
"Idiot. When you are before the Demon King, you will call him Your Majesty," one of the demons present reprimanded him instantly.
"Agh—"
Jubei groaned in pain. He felt his knees begin to burn, a slow but intense pain.
Circe grabbed his pants, pulling him to force him to kneel. Jubei knelt. He did so with pain in his knees.
"Aedan, enough." The other demon spoke.
"Ha. Igniel… you're very considerate toward him."
Suddenly, the rising pain diminished.
'So this pain… was caused by the demon called Aedan?'Jubei thought, still feeling it in his knees, though he did not know what had caused the pain exactly.
Then he looked at Circe. She was still gripping his pants; her hands were trembling. Then, foreign memories struck his mind.
'These two… are my brothers.'
"Jubei…" The hoarse, intimidating voice came from the throne.
Immediately, he felt a shiver run from head to toe.
"Y-yes…" he replied, nervous.
"I want you to immediately return the relic you stole."
'Huh? Steal? Me?'
Jubei was about to respond, but a loud sound echoed, reverberating throughout the hall. The sound came from his stomach.
"Idiot. Do you dare mock His Majesty?" Aedan spoke, irritated.
"Hng—"
The instant Aedan finished his sentence, Jubei seemed to hear a muffled cry, filled with fear.
'Circe?' He turned his head to look at her, but suddenly a cloud of steam and smoke appeared in front of him. He did not know what had happened, but there was a huge bird of fire with its back to him and, ahead, remnants of flames dispersing in the air.
"Why do you defend him, Igniel? That idiot must receive a lesson!" Aedan reproached.
"Haha, calm down, calm down, Aedan. Father, Jubei has just woken up and must be hungry. Let him go and allow me to take care of this situation, all right?"
"Stupid…" Aedan complained, irritated.
"Very well. I will leave him in your hands," the Demon King declared.
"Haha, Jubei, you really are amusing. Go eat something and heal those injuries."
"Y-yes…" Jubei replied, bewildered, without fully realizing everything that had happened. Was he really the son of the Demon King? Many questions flooded his mind.
His new life was full of problems.
'There's no doubt that shitty that deity only wanted to screw me over...'