On the stone path, an antique car glided gracefully through the morning mist. Its presence evoked nostalgia for bygone eras, boasting a gleaming dark metal body. Headlights, like embedded jewels, framed the vehicle's front, casting flashes of light that cut through the gloom. Its wheels, adorned with shiny spokes, clattered on the cobblestone pavement, creating quite a noise for the eerily silent streets.
The car's interior exuded classic luxury: seats upholstered in soft leather, polished wood ornaments adorning the dashboard and panels, and intricately crafted metal details adding a touch of refinement. The seating arrangement allowed space for four people, but this dawn found it occupied by five individuals.
Henry's bodyguard sat at the wheel, having shed the voluminous cloak that once enveloped her figure. Instead, she sported a maid's attire, a dress embellished with frills and a green apron matching her hair tone. The ankle-length skirt completed her attire, giving her an image that was both elegant and functional.
The girl, seated on Henry's lap in the front, couldn't tear her gaze away from the woman whose eyes were fixed on the road. Her new master held her still on his legs with his left hand while intermittently stroking her head with the right, as if she were a pet; oddly, the girl never protested. However, the scene suggested that the aristocrat's interest lay more with the lizard-like girl than with the woman with a demonic appearance, for whom he had gone through countless troubles.
In the back of the car, the demon king with a feminine appearance remained motionless and silent, her gaze lost out the window with the same indifference she had shown toward Henry moments before. Next to her, a young woman dressed similarly, with the same hair tone as the woman at the wheel but a more cheerful attitude, had joined the journey.
"Sister, who are our new guests?" she asked, giggling, addressing the woman at the wheel.
The young woman had stayed in the car to watch over it but hadn't expected visitors. Henry hadn't informed her of his plans for that night; he had just asked her to stay put and wait. Nonetheless, she didn't complain and accepted that order.
"From now on, they'll be part of the family," Henry responded instead of his sister and continued, "The girl on my lap is your new sister, and it'll be your duty to teach her from now on."
"How exciting! Now I have a little sister, which means I won't be the youngest anymore..." she paused, as if noticing something, and then continued, "And is she our sister too?"
"You'll know when we get home," he replied. "This is something I must share with everyone."
"Alright," she muttered disappointedly.
"What's your name, little one?" he asked the salamander girl on his lap.
The girl looked at him and said, "Thirsty, I'm very thirsty."
"You're a little salamander, I noticed that as soon as I saw you. Don't worry, when we get home, you can drink plenty of water and take a bath to moisturize your dry skin."
"R-really?" she asked softly.
Most likely, the girl had been sold to him to get rid of her due to the difficulties in her care, requiring constant attention and a considerable water supply, generating expenses for the slave traders. Additionally, the low demand for such species further complicated her sale.
However, nobody had warned him about these difficulties when he acquired her, which evidenced dishonesty on the sellers' part, though honesty couldn't be expected from criminals like them, he reflected. Nevertheless, his experience dealing with reptiles and amphibians had made him aware of all that and one more thing.
"Are you poisonous?" he asked, still stroking her yellow hair like her spots.
Henry finally concluded that the girl's absence in the lineup with the other slaves was due to the poisonous secretions her skin produced in stressful or threatening situations. Despite this, he reflected to himself, they had no intention of getting rid of her or causing her harm. Instead, they saw an opportunity to sell her at a good price.
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"Sorry," she murmured sadly.
"Don't worry, we just need to make sure you always smile," he reassured her with a hug. After all, she wasn't to blame for being as she was or for ending up in the hands of vile people.
The salamander girl started crying on Henry's chest, but it wasn't a cry of sadness, rather of happiness. She realized she wasn't secreting any toxin through her skin.
"Hey, don't cry, little sister. When we get home, I'll give you my toys. Now that I'm older, I don't need them anymore," he said, leaning between the front seats to plant a kiss on her head.
"Hey, don't do that! It's dangerous to move while we're in motion! Stay still!" he scolded his younger sister without taking his eyes off the road.
The journey had become quite emotional and noisy, but none of it seemed to move the heart of the demon king, who remained indifferent throughout the journey. She couldn't shake off how she had been discovered. For many years, she had remained anonymous, surviving as best she could until slave traders captured her.
In fact, he believed they had declared him dead the same day his kingdom was destroyed. His stratagem of swapping places with his servant had been perfect, except for a crucial detail: His magical powers had remained confined in his true body and hadn't transferred with him.
The life he had to lead was a true hell; without powers, without a kingdom, and without money, he had to fend for himself as best he could. Over the years, he was forced to take on all sorts of jobs, from a servant to a farm laborer, facing all kinds of abuse due to his inferior status and belonging to the demon race.
In the end, he had earned it. His reign had lasted millennia and had been ruthless to numerous kingdoms, although he had always believed his actions were just and meant to protect his people. However, others were exhausted and allied, forming a coalition that overthrew his rule, claiming millions of lives on all sides.
His vassals fell into poverty; many ended up enslaved, sharing his fate. The few fortunate ones roamed from kingdom to kingdom in search of a new home.
The car starting to halt brought him out of his reverie. The demon king looked out the window and observed the imposing mansion surrounded by meticulously tended gardens. Framed by high precision-trimmed boxwood hedges, the winding path led to the main entrance, adorned with a solid oak double door carved with intricate designs of winged creatures spitting fire.
As he descended from the car, after the woman at the wheel opened the door for him, he noticed the stillness that enveloped the place, interrupted only by the rustle of leaves swayed by the morning breeze. The architectural details of the mansion contrasted with the softness of the climbing vines clinging to its walls, as if wanting to embrace each stone with their green leaves.
The facade, illuminated by the first rays of the sun, reflected a palette of warm and golden colors. However, an imposing shadow loomed over part of the structure, giving a sense of mystery and an aura of intrigue that seemed to envelop the mansion. It was a majestic yet evocative place, as if steeped in stories and secrets waiting to be discovered.
If his master hadn't called him "demon king," he would have thought his new job was that of a servant at best or a woman destined for an aristocratic man's pleasure at worst. However, now he felt his new identity was in danger and feared what the future might hold for him.
Eight maids emerged from the imposing mansion, each distinct in height and appearance, but they shared something in common: their beauty and hair of the same color, a green reminiscent of the boxwood, adorned with flowers adorning their heads. All approached with radiant smiles to welcome them.
At that moment, the youngest of them all got out of the car and rushed toward her sisters, overflowing with excitement to share everything she had experienced and to introduce her new little sister, who had stolen her title as the youngest in the group. She ran straight to the tallest and, with a shout, hugged her with all her might, exclaiming, "Mommy, mommy!"
Apparently, the tallest turned out to be her mother, and not all were sisters as he had initially assumed. Despite their youthful appearance, they could be the same age or older than him, who was several thousand years old, although only a few hundred as a woman.
His new master got out of the car with the salamander girl still in his arms, and the other maids hurried toward him. Carefully, he set her on the ground, and the maids took care of the little salamander. During the journey, it seemed, he had communicated with them through a magical stone, informing them of their arrival and the instructions to follow.
One of the maids approached the girl with a magical cloak and gently placed it on her, leaving the girl surprised by the welcoming gesture. Another handed her a flask with a sweet tea of red berries, which the girl drank with amazement, marveling at its taste. Finally, a maid with glasses led her to the mansion.
After tending to the girl, the other maids approached Henry: one got into the car to drive it to the garage outside the mansion in the garden as if it were a small house, while mother and daughter took care of the demon king. Then, they were guided toward the mansion along the winding path, and the doors magically opened to welcome them.