The Little Demon King is Too Bothered by Her Brave Dads - Chapter 57

“Looks like I’m right.”

“…….” I clamped my mouth shut.

“Seeing Nicholas’s situation,” Cesar spoke in a soothing tone, “It reminds me of the Demon King’s castle. So, let’s add more cocoa, Tati.”

“……Third Dad.”

“I can understand that you would naturally worry about that, but,” Cesar turned to me calmly, “On the other hand, didn’t Miss Tati accept us as dads after we defeated the demon lords?”

“What? That’s…….”

“From the perspective of demons, we could have been despised enough to begin with,” Cesar smiled, his eyes taking on a half-moon shape. “Isn’t it similar to that?”

For a moment, I felt my heart beating wildly in my chest.

If my dads really believed that demons and humans could coexist.

If so, my dads…….

‘Would they accept me, a demon king?’

“So, stop thinking such thoughts anymore.”

“Cesar’s right, if we were going to hate you, we wouldn’t have taken you to begin with,” Siegfried spoke up. Then he sighed and addressed me in a blunt tone.

“The cocoa is getting cold, drink it.”

“Ah, yes.”

I took a sip of the cocoa in a hurry.

As the warm cocoa flowed down my throat, my tense body naturally relaxed, feeling lethargic.

“Kid, you got cocoa on your mouth. Let me wipe it for you.”

Kirios took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the corners of my mouth. Despite his grumbling voice, his touch was so tender.

I felt like I was going to cry. 

I know it’s greedy of me.

But, still.

I want to believe that even as the Demon King, I would be accepted as family by these people….

‘I want to believe that.’

* * *

A few days later.

I faced Nicholas in person.

“I greet you, Princess Orleans.”

Nicholas bowed politely.

Unlike when we first met at the publishing company, the current Nicholas had a much more composed demeanor.

“It’s very kind of you to look after my sister as well.”

“Oh no, I did it because I wanted to. Please, have a seat for now.”

I gestured for him to sit.

Nicholas sat across from me with a tense expression.

“There’s something I want to ask.”

“Please, go ahead and ask.”

Hmm, it’s a little hard to talk to a boy who’s seven years older than me, but…….

“Then, I will.”

What, since when was I ever picky about such things?

I threw the question casually, tilting my head.

“Well, why did you ask them to hide the fact that Nicholas was the one who illustrated the fairy tale book?”

In an instant, Nicholas’s face turned perplexed.

“What are you talking about? I’ve never said such a thing.”

At that comment, I felt a bit embarrassed for not guessing this beforehand.

Oh, I see.

That wicked manager must have completely mistreated him as an ignorant and clueless orphan teenager…

“Well, now, aren’t you interested in publishing a work under the name Nicholas Moore?”

In an instant, a spark flickered in Nicholas’s eyes.

“Do you mind if I ask you to explain?” He asked cautiously.

“I quite literally am offering you work, because I really like your drawings, Nicholas.”

“My drawings… You like them?”

Nicholas seemed extremely surprised at my answer.

No, was he just being deceived?

I nodded.

“Yes, I do. That’s why I want to hire you, Nicholas.”

“…… Are you serious?”

“Of course. Why would I waste my time otherwise?” I said with a shrug of my shoulders.

Then Nicholas’s face slowly crumbled, and he shook his head.

‘Huh? Why is he reacting like that?’

I looked at Nicholas in bewilderment.

After a moment, a trembling voice emerged from beneath his lowered head.

“I… thought I had no talent for drawing.”

“What?”

“So, I was contemplating giving up drawing….”

“No, what on earth are you talking about?!” I blurted out.

If Nicholas wasn’t talented at drawing, who in the world else could be?

I mean, you were such a famously belligerent painter that you were even mentioned in the original.

Of course, now I’m going to make you as famous as the original!

“But the manager said so. He asked who would buy my drawings if it wasn’t for him.”

Oh, typical gaslighting.

I barely suppressed the urge to swear.

“Until now, I’ve been painting because I have to support my sister, but I don’t make enough money and…….”

Instead of interrupting with random words, I quietly listened to Nicholas’s words. Nicholas hunched his shoulders and stumbled through his bitter story.

“So I said I’d look for something else to do, and…… and he got all pissed off.”

“…… I see.”

Sometimes, just having someone listen to your story can be comforting.

So, Nicholas.

‘I wish I could make you feel better.’

It was evident how much he had suffered, as the boy in front of me already wore a weary expression.

The face of a breadwinner who had to somehow provide for the family that depended on him.

……And he was only seventeen years old.

Come to think of it, it was the same in the original work.

Before making a name for himself as a war painter, Nicholas Moore claimed he didn’t really do much art…….

‘That’s why it was like that.’

When you’re being gaslighted like that by your publisher, you would really believe that you don’t have a talent for drawing.

At first, I was curious about how Nicholas, who had enlisted as a demon-slaying soldier, could have excelled as a military painter.

It all made sense now.

“Nicholas has talent,” I declared firmly.

Nicholas, who had kept his head down the entire time, slowly raised it.

I could see the emotion on his face. It was a hope he hadn’t let go of.

……The same hope I hold for my dads……

“If you can’t believe in yourself, believe in me for recognizing Nicholas’s talent.”

“…….”

Nicholas’s pupils shook vigorously.

I held out the contract I had prepared in advance.

“Would you like to take a look at this?”

“T-This is?”

“It’s a contract. The lawyer said he took great care to make sure there were no toxic clauses,” I added while shrugging my shoulders. “But still, take a good look just in case. If necessary, I’ll help you get advice from a lawyer.”

“…….”

Nicholas studied the contract in silence.

At the top of the contract my name and Nicholas’s name were written, respectively.

As he stared at it, he muttered under his breath, “Now… I don’t want to use the name Nicholas Moore anymore.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s the pen name I was given by the manager,” Nicholas laughed bitterly. “I’ve been known by the pen name, but in reality, it wasn’t even officially registered……”

Nicholas’s hand tightened around the contract.

“It’s just a fake name with no substance.”

Nicholas Moore.

A name that had been used to exploit the boy in front of me all this time. How heavy that name must have been, I dare not even begin to fathom.

But the only thing I can promise this boy…..

“Then what’s Nicholas’s real name?”

“My name is…….” Nicholas paused for a moment, then replied cautiously. “Antonio Christensen.”

“Okay,” I smiled.

“I guarantee you; your name will become one of the most famous names in the Empire.”

Well, even though he won’t be a military record painter.

Wouldn’t it be better for him to become a renowned comic artist who gives dreams and hope to children, rather than sacrificing himself as a demon-slaying soldier and losing his little sister?

As a side note, he’ll also be the artistic father of some of the most famous characters.

* * *

A few months later.

It was now early summer.

A warm breeze wafted in through the wide-open window.

I sat leaning against the sofa, reading a book with Lakius.

<Sword Master Siegfried: The Three Heroes Who Saved Humanity>.

The book Lakius was holding was a comic depicting the life of Siegfried in a legendary tale.

‘Is it interesting?’

I glanced at Lakius with a sidelong glance.

‘He seems quite absorbed in reading it……..’

His red eyes remained fixed on the book.

And then.

Then, after thoroughly reading the last page, Lakius closed the book with a loud thud.

“This is really interesting!” Lakius marveled. “To be honest, I’ve been reading legendary tales about my masters since I was young.”

“Really?”

“Well, there’s no one as great as my masters, so they deserve their own biography.” Lakius shrugged his shoulders and continued, “But among all the tales I’ve read, this one is the most interesting.”

I nodded in agreement.

Indeed, this comic adaptation turned out really well.

Even the three heroes themselves couldn’t help but tremble with shame, but still, they admitted that the book was enjoyable.

The authenticity was impeccable.

No wonder.

The people I consulted for authenticity were none other than my three dads.

By the way, I cleverly used this authenticity as a selling point to promote the legendary tales…