#1314 Junior’s Adventure – Goetia's Truth 

Once the man once known as both one of the Demon King's Army’s Heavenly Four and humanity’s strongest, Belphgamilia, speaks up. 

“Prince Goetia... the one you fear is—” 
“...?!” 
“...” 
“...?” 
“…………zzzz.” 

Don’t fall asleep. 
This guy is the incarnation of Sloth itself, he’ll sneak in a nap whenever he spots an opening. 
Even in the middle of something important. 

Honestly, is he suited for public office at all? 

“Spring sleep knows no dawn.” 

Not helping, Sage. 
Please just be quiet a moment. 

Ah, on second thought, could you wake him up? This man whose average daily sleep time is 24 hours? 

“Understood. Lightning Whip!” 
“Ggyahhhhhhhhhhhh!” 

A flash of lightning snaps across the area and blasts Belphgamilia. 

All right, that’s enough stalling. Time to get to the actual topic. 
Belphgamilia! 
 

“We’ll continue after the commercial.” 

Stop doing that! 

“You’re afraid of Princess Marine, aren’t you, Prince Goetia?” 

Whoa, whoa, don’t just drop the topic straight back in! 
That curve was sharp enough to snap my neck! 

“Princess Marine, First Demon Princess of the Demon Kingdom… one of the new generation who inherited the Demon King’s blood through the Second Demon Queen Glasya.” 

Ah, Marine. 
I know her. She always drops by the farm and even visits Farm Kingdom. 

“She really grew into a beauty. Slim, delicate, a little ephemeral-looking. And yet she’s got a big chest. Everyone wonders how she ended up so slender with parents who are both walking mounds of muscle. But the chest stayed big.” 

Belphgamilia, you’re being gross. 
Fixating on the breasts of a woman young enough to be your daughter is just plain gross. 

“Gross, my disciple is gross.” 

Even his master calls him out directly. 

“And the strength that slender body puts out is clearly from her parents’ bloodline. Right now, no one can beat Princess Marine in pure power. Not her father Zedan, and certainly not her half-brother, Prince Goetia…” 

Huh? 
Prince Goetia flinches when his name comes up and looks away. 

“Princess Marine’s popularity is skyrocketing, both in and outside the country. I mean, unmatched strength, stunning beauty, refined but friendly personality… of course the public adores her.” 

Yeah, I get that. 
I’ve had chances to entertain her when she visits the farm. Marine is super kind. She’s knowledgeable, never runs out of topics, and she’s such a good conversationalist that once you start chatting, there’s no end. 

She laughs a lot too, so talking to her is genuinely fun. 
It’d be weirder if she weren’t popular. 

“Naturally, she’s got a ridiculous amount of fans. Thousands, tens of thousands. Enough to influence national politics.” 

The people’s voice matters. 

“She’s at a marriageable age now, so the proposals keep pouring in. From everywhere. King Arowana of the Mermaid Kingdom is apparently desperate to marry her into his family. And inside the Demon Kingdom? Upper-class demons line up by the dozens.” 

Totally spoiled for choice! 
Come to think of it, didn’t my mom once get all fired up going, ‘Wouldn’t she be perfect for Junior?!’ 

“Right now, she’s probably the top contender for ‘world’s best woman.’ But despite this avalanche of suitors, her father, Demon Lord Zedan, still hasn’t chosen a husband for her or even decided whether she should stay in the kingdom or marry abroad.” 

He’s cautious, huh? 
He probably wants to make sure she marries someone who’ll make her happy. 

“Maybe... And that uncertain attitude from the Demon King sparked a certain rumor.” 

A rumor? 

“And that rumor is the reason Goetia here is panicking.” 

Huh? 
Wait, why would Princess Marine’s marriage prospects stress out her half-brother Prince Goetia? 
He should just congratulate his sister, right? 

“Sure, if they were just a normal family. But with royal families with real power, it gets ugly.” 
“Blood eats blood.” 

Oh, wait. I get it. 
Junior gets it now. 

A king’s child is someone who might one day become king. 
That possibility belongs to all of the king’s children. 

Which means it also applies to Marine, Goetia’s younger sister. 

“Since Princess Marine is a demon princess, the moment she marries out of the royal family, her right of succession disappears. And if you consider that… together with Zedan’s refusal to choose her a husband...” 

Is the Demon King actually thinking of making Marine the next ruler? 
Is that why he’s avoiding choosing her a marriage partner? 

The moment I reach that conclusion, Prince Goetia stiffens. 
He jerks like a kid caught doing something naughty. 

“…That’s exactly how it looks to everyone. The rumor of ‘Marine as the next Demon King’ is whispered not just among the commoners but even inside the castle. Marine’s earned plenty of fame on her own, but last year, she single-handedly defeated the Dark Demon Beast that attacked the capital. Her popularity exploded.” 

Marine… what are you doing with your life? 

“Talk of ‘Princess Marine for the next Demon King’ really took off after that. People with no responsibility love to say whatever they want.” 

Belphgamilia says it with a cold, cynical smile. 

So apparently, Marine is trending hard in the Demon Kingdom right now. 
Well, she is funny and kind, so of course her popularity would shoot up. 
But to think it’s gone as far as talk of her becoming the next Demon King… 

When you put it that way… 
If someone says “Marine might become the next Demon King,” the person who would panic the most is… 

“......” 

Everyone present turns their gaze toward a single point. 
Toward Prince Goetia. 

“...” 

The prince himself is silent. 
At some point—maybe out of instinct—he’s already sitting in formal seiza. 

I see now. The final piece of the mystery falls into place. 
The true reason Prince Goetia dragged me along to climb Mt. Eternity and tried to rehire Belphgamilia into the Demon King’s Army was... 

To protect his own position as the next Demon King!!! 

“I, Belphgamilia, am returning to the Demon Army by Prince Goetia’s request. If that happens, it becomes a clean accomplishment credited to him. And if I, who once rose all the way to Commander of the Demon Army, agree to serve again, that alone raises Goetia's evaluation.” 
“Three visits to the cottage, three respectful visits.” 

Prince Goetia wanted to use that to prove he’s worthy of being the next Demon King. 
All to compete with Marine. 

So the Demon Kingdom is in a full-blown, neck-and-neck succession race now, huh? 

To win that chicken race, Prince Goetia needs a clear, visible achievement. 
Something he can wave around and say, “I deserve the throne.” 

All so he can become the next Demon King. 

Now that I understand the inside story… it’s kind of pathetic. 

“A small man is quick to chase small profit.” 
“Sage, he’s still a kid, okay? Please dull the edge of your verbal knives.” 

That’s how much Prince Goetia fears his half-sister. 

Well, Marine is kind, funny, strong, knowledgeable, quick-witted, artistic, can draw, can compose music. She can talk, she can do comedy, she can host events, she can do punchlines, she’s lucky, and she has big boobs. 

I honestly don’t know a more perfect woman. 

And compared to her, Prince Goetia is… 
Yeah... 

“What’s with the convinced look?!” 

Prince Goetia explodes in anger! 
Well, at least he’s good at rage-comedy. 

“It's been like this since childhood! I have always feared Marine! Even as a princess, she far surpasses me in ability! I knew better than anyone that she was more suited to being Demon King, more suited to magic than I am! That’s why I’ve kept working and pushing myself! To win the throne!” 

Ahh, I see. 
Prince Goetia really has been doing his best in his own way, never assuming he’d naturally become Demon King, but running desperately so he wouldn’t be left behind. 

“But Marine’s talent always gets ahead of my effort! For me to become Demon King, I need an achievement so grand it blows away her entire shining reputation!” 
“And if you think that’s bringing me back, then… sorry, but you’re a few points short.” 

Belphgamilia says it with a tired, exasperated tone. 

“The elders guide the young.” 
“I know, Master… geez, babysitting is such a pain.” 

Belphgamilia sighs deeply and crouches down beside Prince Goetia, looking genuinely worn out. 

“Prince Goetia… No, let me call you just Goetia.” 
“Wh-What is it?” 
“You’re making a huge misunderstanding. You can become Demon King. With or without ability.”