I Got a Job as the Demon King's Plaything - Chapter 22
“I tolerated your little pranks since they were somewhat harmless, but this… this has gone way too far.”
The guard flailed helplessly in mid-air, suspended by some invisible force. Rento, keeping his hand outstretched, turned to Bonita and asked,
“Are you alright?”
Bonita nodded, still shaken. Rento frowned.
“What would you like me to do with him? I can hand him over to the Demon King, or I can take care of him myself.”
Seeing Bonita’s hesitation, Rento continued,
“If it helps you decide, know that if I hand him over to His Majesty, you’ll likely witness him having his eyes and tongue torn out, his wrists severed, and only after that will the real punishment begin.”
Bonita gasped, quickly shaking her head. As much as the guard deserved punishment, she didn’t want to see something so horrific.
“I thought so. I’ll handle it, then.”
The color drained from the guard’s face, panic replacing the arrogance he once held. Rento raised a hand toward the window, which promptly flew open. The guard’s body floated toward it, hovering closer to the opening. As soon as his entire body was outside, Rento lowered his hands. A few seconds later, a scream rang out, followed by a heavy thud from beyond the window.
Rento staggered as he approached, cutting the ropes and removing the gag. With her hands now free, Bonita quickly pulled her bathrobe closed, covering herself.
“Sorry, but I’ll need to borrow this chair. My energy’s drained. Telekinesis isn’t really my specialty,” Rento said, collapsing into the chair beside the bed, breathing heavily.
“T-thank you,” Bonita said softly.
“No need.”
After a brief moment, Bonita hesitated before speaking again.
“Um… there’s something I want to ask.”
Rento looked up, curious. In a trembling voice, Bonita continued,
“That man… he said that all the women who served the Demon King… none of them lasted a week. They all either… died or went mad.”
“Ah.”
“Am I… Am I going to end up like that? Will I die or lose my mind too?”
Tears welled up in Bonita’s eyes, but Rento shook his head gently.
“I don’t think so. You’re different from the others.”
“Different? How?”
“Let me guess… You’re twenty years old, born in December, and your birthday is close to the end of the month, right? The 30th or 31st?”
“…The 31st.”
Again with my birthday, Bonita thought. What does that have to do with anything?
Rento continued,
“This explanation might be a bit dull, but… do you know much about theology, Bonita?”
“Theology?” Bonita shook her head in confusion.
“You know that when a human child is born, they are blessed by the twenty-nine gods, right?”
“Yes, I know that much…”
“Well, when a demon child is born, they are blessed by the thirteen demon gods. Now, the gods and demon gods don’t get along. Because of this, when a human enters the Demon Realm, they usually get sick and die quickly. Similarly, when demons come to the human world, they suffer considerable pain. The stronger the demon and their magic, the more intense the suffering. That’s why most demons who live in the human realm are usually weaklings, or like me, hybrids.”
Rento gave her a wry smile.
“To remain in the human realm without suffering, demons must find ways to ease their pain. There are several methods, but the simplest one is drinking tea made from plants native to the Demon Realm.”
“Then the tea I serve every day…?”
“Exactly. Be careful not to accidentally ingest it. It’s poisonous to humans,” Rento warned, causing Bonita to swallow nervously.
“For someone like me, that tea is enough to manage. But for someone as powerful as the Demon King, it’s a different story. That’s where human emotions come in.”
Rento leaned back into the chair, continuing his explanation.
“When humans experience strong emotions, they emit a certain… aura? Energy? Let’s call it qi for now. When someone feels intense emotions, this qi becomes something only those with magical power can sense. Certain types of qi can break the curse of the twenty-nine gods on demons, easing their pain. Emotions like anger, suffering, and shame are particularly effective. In the presence of extreme anger, demons can forget their pain and feel comfort. That’s why demons often act violently in the human realm.”
“So when I feel shame…” Bonita trailed off, piecing it together.
“And the sweetest emotion for a demon to absorb is human s****l pleasure.”
Bonita’s face turned crimson, and she quickly covered her mouth with her hands.
