What a naive assumption. Since there were no rumors that I was with a woman, he probably thought I was just pitiful, which led to his questions. Although I hadn’t experienced much passion since being reborn as a human, I understood everything perfectly. I had done it all in my previous life. After surviving over 80 years in the demon realm, there was nothing I hadn’t seen – no question could surprise me.

I met Bapharos’ gaze and replied, “Of course, I’m the one in control. Are you saying he would come to me, pushing and demanding?”

I deliberately used a crude remark to discourage him from asking such questions again. But instead, it was Bapharos who seemed taken aback, his face showing clear surprise. A few nearby nobles who had been listening cleared their throats awkwardly, probably shocked that a member of the royal family would speak so crudely.

I turned back to Bapharos and decided to emphasize my point once more.

“Think about it,” I said, my tone pointed. “Given his size – doesn’t he seem completely incapable of fitting in?”

Bapharos, clearly flustered, stammered, “O-oh, right,” and quickly averted his gaze. I couldn’t help but notice him stealing glances at Zetak, particularly at his lower half. It seemed like Zetak was about to glare daggers at me.

Then again, monsters were known for their strong s*xual desires and pride in that area. Although Zetak might look underdeveloped at first glance, I was certain he took great pride in his attributes. “I’m quite impressive,” was probably what he thought.

At least now I hoped Bapharos wouldn’t ask any more unnecessary questions. He would likely believe the rumors about Zetak being my favorite.

“So, really, nine times…”

I overheard Bapharos muttering to himself, the look of defeat evident in his eyes.

“When did you even… No, I suppose I could manage that much,” he grumbled, his fists clenched tightly. Then, almost under his breath, I heard him mutter, ‘Tonight with Marianne…”

A chill ran down my spine, and an unexpected sense of unease settled over me. Why did I suddenly feel so cold?

“Are you satisfied with the nine times?”

Zetak’s voice whispered from behind me. I turned slightly to find his eyes glowing a dark, menacing red as he stared down at me. There was something disturbingly intense in those eyes—not just unsettling, but laced with a dangerous edge. It seemed my earlier remark had struck a nerve.

“Don’t worry. It was just a joke, so there’s no need for you to come to me nine times,” I said, signaling with my eyes. Yet for some reason, Zetak’s gaze seemed to burn an even fiercer red.

“Don’t worry. Thanks to Your Highness… well, it’s quite possible, isn’t it? I am a monster, after all,” Zetak whispered back.

The other nobles probably wouldn’t have heard his words, but they were loud enough for Bapharos to hear. That’s when I realized that Zetak had spoken deliberately, playing into the lie that I had a lover. He was trying to maintain the illusion, to reinforce the story I had set in motion.

But as I watched Zetak’s eyes burn with intensity, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to this than simple cooperation.

To be treated as the lover of someone who hated me would be quite repulsive. However, seeing Zetak act like this, it was clear that he was ensuring his safety. It was a wise decision; if my relationship with him became known, no one would dare treat him lightly. It seemed he had chosen to suppress his present feelings for the sake of the future. I nodded in agreement, impressed by his foresight.

“So can I,” he suddenly declared.

I turned to Bapharos, caught off guard by his unexpected statement. He looked at me with a determined glint in his eyes, as if burning with competitive spirit.

“Nine times? That’s nothing. If you’re a man, it should be easy, right?”

“Exactly. It’s only nine times.”

“…Only?”

Bapharos’ complexion seemed to pale. That’s when I realized something was wrong. His reaction suggested that I might have exaggerated the number. Maybe I should have said a lower number. I must have been thinking too much in terms of the Demon Realm’s standards.

In the Demon Realm, there was no clear distinction between day and night. The thick fog and dark clouds made it hard to tell if it was day or night. Days when the sun was visible were few and far between. As a result, monsters would typically perceive a single event as happening an average of ten to twelve times without worrying about how long it would take to end.

Whether it was one day, two days, or three days, it didn’t matter. For the monsters, it was simply a matter of releasing pent-up desires, nothing more. I guess I was thinking too much in terms of human standards. When I think about it, humans probably have a limited amount of time for intimacy. So nine times seems like a questionable number.

“There are times when it’s less.”

I added hastily, trying to clarify, but Bapharos’ expression didn’t change.

“Of course, it should be less… unless you’re trying to kill the poor boy,” he muttered, glancing at Zetak, who was standing behind me.

For some reason, there was a look of pity in his eyes. It felt as if Zetak nodded slightly at the mention of ‘killing’.

“Well, anyway, let’s put your monstrous… ahem, stamina aside for now. I’ll help you with your meal after class.”

“Are you offering to help, brother?”

“As important as rehabilitation is, soup is not like a pen; if you drop it, you can’t pick it up again.”

I could easily guess his intentions. He was trying to set me up with Karial again. Since my arm ended up like this, I could no longer use the excuse of teaching her swordsmanship. So he’s trying another approach. Anyway, I had already intended to find out more about Zetac and their relationship, so there was no reason to refuse.

“Thank you for your kindness.”

At those words, Bapharos stared at me intently. He pinched my cheeks from both sides with his fingers and pushed them upward.

“If you’re thankful, why not say it with a smile?”

The sound of the professor’s writing stopped. The nobles pretended not to notice, glancing here and there, clearly interested in the scene. Until now, our conversation had been quiet enough to avoid attracting attention, but with such blatant antics, we’d caught everyone’s eye. Bapharos seemed completely unfazed by the attention, or perhaps it was I who was the spectacle.

“If you smiled more often, a lot of the bad rumors would disappear. The hostile rumors about you come from your rigid attitude.”

“……”

“I understand that your condition makes it difficult for you to feel emotions. But that doesn’t mean you can’t show any expression, does it? You should at least try to greet people with a smile.”

“I… I’ve tried.”

With him still pulling on my cheeks, my words came out a little awkwardly. Bapharos let go of my cheeks and frowned.

“Is that the expression of someone who says they’ve tried? If you don’t want to live your whole life in hostility towards others, why don’t you practice smiling in front of a mirror?”

“I… I’ve tried.”

“Don’t lie. I’ve never seen you try.”

“It’s not a lie.”

“Good. From now on, try to smile a little when you interact with others. As your older brother, you should at least take my advice.”

“……”

I know he doesn’t mean any harm. He just wants to make sure I get on well with Karial before he introduces us. He hopes I’ll be able to greet her with a smile.

I had been given similar advice as a child. No, it wasn’t advice; it was coercion. My father and mother forced me to express emotions every day.

“You should smile at times like this. You should cry at times like this. Why don’t you get angry?”

Of course, there were moments after my reincarnation when I felt the desire to experience human emotions. But when you’re forced to feel emotions you don’t even understand, those thoughts fade away. They even brought in actors to make me show some expression and made me watch clowns all day long to make me smile.

After several years of this, all I could think about was how to put an end to their demands.

Six years. It took a full six years for them to stop pressuring me, and yet here was Bapharos, making the same demands on me again.

I rubbed my cheeks, numb from his pressure, and looked up at him. Then I smiled, lifting the corners of my mouth slightly. My lips parted just enough to reveal a flash of white teeth and I narrowed my eyes, giving him a playful smile.

The students, who had been watching us like monkeys, froze, their eyes wide. The professor blinked in disbelief as he looked at me as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It seemed fascinating to them that the person they had called a corpse was suddenly smiling.

I practiced smiling endlessly when I was a child. I even had private lessons to learn how to express myself. My father always told me to keep a smile on my face when dealing with others.

To make my point, I flashed a bright smile, looking genuinely happy. My eyes curved into crescent moons as I grinned widely.

But forcing myself to feel emotions I didn’t understand was too much for a six-year-old. After I jumped from the fortress, my father stopped pressuring me to show my feelings.

With that, I wiped the smile from my face. Bapharo’s expression stiffened and he looked puzzled for a moment before belatedly adding a comment.

“Was it public knowledge that you had an accident? It wasn’t an accident. I remember it clearly, even though I was young.”

“I was trying to find peace in death.”

As I said this, Bapharos fell silent. Not just him, but the whole classroom was eerily quiet. Of course, what I had just said was a lie.