"Your abode, my lord," Purply stated, addressing the castle perched on the edge of a cliff that rose in the distance. Lightning intermittently appeared, enchanting and shattering the sky.

"That castle... is my abode?"

Artoris's eyes sparkled with an unprecedented brightness. From now on, he would live in a castle; it wasn't as he had imagined, but a dwelling was still a dwelling.

His torments vanished into thin air, for he would now live a king's life.

They continued along the arid and rocky path that led them to a large silver gate, guarded by two sentinels wielding spears.

"Who goes there!" they exclaimed in unison.

As soon as their figures were highlighted by the moon's glow, one sentinel blinked repeatedly in disbelief.

"I...I can't believe it! This isn't a dream, is it?"

Their spears dropped from their hands.

"M...Master Artoris!" the second sentinel echoed.

Both knelt, bowing deeply.

Arturo suddenly blushed.

Come on! It's embarrassing when they do it so formally!

The sentinels opened the gate.

They stepped onto the royal gardens, a barren land where plants and flowers hadn't bloomed for centuries.

Luminescent beings resembling fireflies floated around the bare trees. The scenery was dark, and the moon was enveloped by clouds; these beings emitted a genuine white glow that illuminated the surroundings.

Walking through that garden felt like strolling through a cemetery at night, in complete desolation, where the only sound stirring the place was the wind.

Arturo scratched his nose and then stepped through the arched doorway leading to his entrance.

"Wow, it's huge!"

The interior was lit by a magical chandelier, casting a purple light around. At the center stood a throne, covered in rough fur that seemed to resemble dragon skin, with skulls scattered beside the armrests.

I'm eternally grateful to whoever summoned me to this world! Incredible, I have a throne all to myself!

Purply and Dan bowed before their master. Their task of bringing the master back was accomplished. After that bow, no more words followed; Dan withdrew from the castle and returned to his duties. Meanwhile, Purply moved swiftly with its limbs, blending completely into a wall, likely slipping into some crevice where it could rest, possibly a place full of webs and prey it had lured.

Suddenly, soft footsteps were heard from a dimly lit corner.

Descending the staircase was a figure, slowly walking towards the light. As the light brought her into view, the enchanting figure of a girl appeared.

Arturo locked eyes with her strikingly white ones, feeling as if he were looking into a mirror. Her long silver hair cascaded in soft waves around her neck. He couldn't help but notice the halo that adorned her neck.

Who is this?!

Arturo's gaze shifted to her blue dress adorned with golden ornaments.

Her bust pressed outward from the neckline, and her face was so delicate it exuded pure innocence. As the figure took another step forward, two feathery wings unfolded from her back.

She clasped her palms tightly together, one over the other, and with a blushing face, she spoke her first words.

“Master Artoris!”

More than a demon, she resembled an angel. There was no sign of horns on her forehead, probably belonging to a different rank.

“Welcome back to Abylissalum Castle.”

She was too beautiful to approach. If it had been Sara, she would have sent Arturo packing, but the clear eyes of this girl showed no disgust; she was entirely at his service.

How do you talk to a girl? Damn it!

Despite the complexities, Arturo swallowed hard and kept calm.

“T-thank you!” Arturo responded, almost bowing his head. Indeed, it seemed odd that the master himself should bow. Arturo lifted his gaze and, with enduring embarrassment, lowered it again.

Damn! She’s really pretty!

The servant girl let out a gentle smile. She was calm, neutral, and in that smile was all the kindness of the world, unbecoming of a demon's race.

Could she be his lifeline? Arturo still harbored a human soul, and perhaps the company of this angelic figure would soothe him more than necessary.

From the edge of the hall, a robust demon guard appeared, wearing a helmet from which two horns protruded, and holding a whip in his hands.

“YOU?!” He addressed the servant girl. “You've run away again, eh?”

Archeas squinted her eyes, trying to hold back tears.

“Wretched slave!”

The guard lashed her across the back with the whip, the blow so forceful it echoed throughout the hall. A piece of fabric flew off, revealing a wound on her back. The girl knelt down, holding back the pain.

“Instead of disobeying, you angels should heed what we demons command!”

“Y-yes!”

The guard gripped the whip as if to strike her again. Archeas quickly stood up. “Do you understand?”

“Y-yes, I understand!”

The guard gritted his teeth. “No, you don't, you don't understand a damn thing!”

Another lash struck her legs, tearing the fabric and exposing her thighs, and moreover, Archeas covered her now visible panties with her hands.

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They’re white…

“And now take the king downstairs!” commanded the guard.

Poor thing…

The girl turned her gaze towards Artoris.

“Come, Master Artoris, I’ll take you downstairs.”

Arturo followed her; at the edge, there were steps which they descended to reach the lower floor, where spiral staircases awaited, winding downwards.

“During your absence, I behaved well, obeyed orders, and got whipped as many times as I was asked. I was obedient.”

Arturo forced a smile. “Ah…good girl!”

“We did nothing but hope, hope for your return, because it’s only with you, Master Artoris, that we can rebel against the humans and take over the surface world.”

As Arturo climbed the stairs, he was busy admiring Archeas's lovely backside. He examined it thoroughly, almost wanting to slap it; he could do it, he was in charge this time.

After the spiral stairs, they reached another door.

The slave girl pushed the door open, and as the room came into full view, Arturo was dazzled; the room was spacious, housing a double bed next to the window.

He felt the smooth, clean floor under his feet. From the window, he enjoyed an excellent view of the entire kingdom, where he could examine every twisted aspect of the realm.

It reminds me of a boss's castle I defeated!

“Master Artoris, I wish you a good rest.”

The girl slightly bowed her head, turned giving her back to him, and then began walking towards the exit.

Her back was clearly visible, apart from the wound, it seemed well-defined and smooth. Not to mention the exposed shoulders, which created a sinuous movement with every step.

"W-wait!"

The girl stopped abruptly.

"T-thank you!"

The girl smiled and turned around again.

"You need not worry, I am your slave and you are my master. I would do anything to make you comfortable."

How kind!

"I, Archeas, do not deserve your praise, I am merely a humble slave who must obey your every command."

Arturo coughed twice in a row and attempted to simulate an intimidating voice as a true king would.

"Slave! How dare you contradict your king!"

Archeas hunched her shoulders.

"I-I'm sorry!"

"If I praise you, it means you must not oppose in any way, is that clear?"

Archeas lowered her head.

"Y-yes!"

"Good. Now go away and let me rest!"

"By your leave, my master."

Archeas withdrew and gently closed the door.

Arturo collapsed, becoming one with the bed. He glanced at the window, at the bleak view of the entire kingdom.

He just had to half-close his eyes to be engulfed in a deep sleep.

"That's good enough for today, goodnight..."

As his mind clouded over, suddenly, flickering lights covered his vision. Arturo strained to look despite the light, and it didn't take long for him to realize it was the flash from phones.

He looked around, seeing a circle of students surrounding him.

"Ha ha ha! Fatty!"

"You're just a bowling ball, can't even stand up?"

Arturo extended his arm as far as he could, but his hand couldn't reach the pen that had fallen to the ground. He was in oblivion; if he had stretched his arm any further, he would have fallen to the ground and never gotten back up. None of his classmates intended to help him; on the contrary, one of them approached and placed the pen even further away, to hinder Arturo.

The flashes dazzled Arturo's face, the light was so blinding he couldn't see anything. Humiliating photos from their phones captured a poor loser who couldn't even pick up a pen that had fallen from the desk.

"P-please! Stop it! I beg you!"

But the laughter continued endlessly. As he looked up, he saw that his classmates had taken on metamorphic appearances, he could see into their souls, the pure essence of wickedness. They no longer looked human but were mere white ghosts laughing at the sight of the bowling ball.

"Please!"

Among those shadows, a student came forward, holding a fire extinguisher. He was the one who smiled the most.

"N-no! Don't do it! Please, don't!"

"Fool!"

The figure loosened the extinguisher as if to smash it over his head.

"DON'T DO IT!"

Everything vanished in an instant. Arturo opened his eyes, sat up in bed, and gasped so hard he went into tachycardia. His forehead was sweaty, his heart rate accelerated.

"I-it was a nightmare!"

"Bring me some toast, something that's not meat, bring me some honey, you have honey, right?"

Archeas nodded her head.

Afterward, Archeas returned with burnt toast spread with honey, leftovers stolen from humans. Arturo rejoiced, returning to chewing on what was truly food for him. He dug his canines into the toast and crumbled it before swallowing.

After leaving the tray empty, Arturo gestured for the girl to sit beside the bed.

"Archeas, come on, sit next to me!"

"M-master, I must inform you that the ceremony is about to start, you can't miss it."

"Come on, sit by me!"

Archeas did as told and sat beside him.

"What's your favorite food?"

"M-master, is this really the time?"

"Answer me, Archeas, I like pizza, you know? You should try it, I don't know if you make it in this world."

"P-pizza?"

"Ha! Coffee, Archeas, could you bring me some coffee? I'm feeling weak!"

"C-coffee?!"

"Eh?"

"What's this coffee?"

"What?! I-I can't function without coffee, do you realize I'm half asleep here, don't you have something like caffeine to keep me energized?"

Arturo's hand slipped onto Archeas's behind, groping it several times.

"Soft… feels like two hard-boiled eggs, eh eh."

Archeas let out moans, her gaze turning very red.

"Y-you may continue if you wish, Master Artoris."

She consents! What an extraordinary slave, eh, eh, I can perform these obscene acts whenever I want, with no one to scold me!

After that groping, he sent Archeas down from the bed, telling her he would wait for her outside.

Meanwhile, Arturo tried to calm down, indeed, he had to reacclimate to the different norms that coexisted in that world, although, without coffee, it seemed hard to get going.

After a hot bath in the thermal waters, he descended the stairs to reach the reception hall at one of the many entrances to the catacomb. It seemed endless with so many passages; in any case, he had to be very careful. Fortunately, Archeas was there to guide him.

They reached the vast space illuminated by fluorescent chandeliers.

There were a lot of demons, growling and guzzling wine to exhaustion.

A demon, upon seeing Artoris, dropped his pitcher to the ground. All gazes unified in one direction, that of Master Artoris.

Arturo looked elsewhere, trying to find a point of reference, but it didn't take long to realize that the surprised gaze was directed at him.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"Master Artoris, it's you!"

"Me?"

"Master, you're about to receive the coronation, are you pleased?"

"What's this coronation, do you mean coronation?"

Ha! So many people! I can't handle my social anxiety!

Purply waded through the crowd, intervening.

"Don't worry! Master Artoris has developed a sense of humor since his time in the underworld, you know, he endured loneliness!"

The demons murmured among themselves, doing nothing but nodding and understanding their master's behavior.

"Poor master…" Purply said, looking at Arturo. "You've stared death in the face."

A man with two large horns and a robust appearance staggered forward, spilling all his wine on the ground.

"I can't believe it!" he continued, taking one heavy step after another.

"Is it really you, dear nephew!"

The uncle rushed towards him but couldn't help guzzling the wine at the same time. He tenderly embraced his nephew, even crying.

"I've really missed you!"

He squeezed the king, crushing him in his arms.

"I was about to become king but, look at that, you've come back from the underworld out of nowhere!"

He growled fiercely, released his grip, and gave him a sharp look as he walked away. "Take care, my nephew!"

This guy isn't exactly happy to see me!