#1203 A Family-Oriented Demon King 

It’s me again. 

I was planning to relax on the farm for the first time in ages… when something unfamiliar unfolded right before my eyes. 

“Oryaryaaaaaaargh!!! Next up, the vortex-making spear move!” 
“Yes, Master!!!” 

For some reason, Arowana and Goetia are getting along swimmingly. 

Arowana is the Mermaid King, and Goetia’s a prince of the Demon Kingdom. 

It’s wonderful for world peace that they’re so chummy, but since I’ve never seen this combo before, it feels a little off. 
When did those two even become friends? 

“Just now. Like, literally a few minutes ago,” explains Platy as she strolls past, and I mutter, “Figures.” 

Seriously? Just a few minutes ago…? 
People really can click at warp speed. That’s extrovert territory my shut-in brain can’t fathom. 

Arowana may not look it, but he’s definitely on the sunny side of the social spectrum. 
Makes sense. He’s royalty, after all. 
Plus, he gives off surfer-dude vibes... 

“Assuming all royals are cheerful is a bit much, isn’t it, Dear?” 

Platy jumps into my monologue.  
How does she do that? 

“Have you forgotten I’m royalty, too? But I’m also a potion researcher, the nerdiest of nerd classes, thank you.” 

So many layers of prejudice, it’s making my head spin. 
Still, Platy sparkles brighter than a rave glow stick appearance-wise. 
She’s not just an extrovert; she’s a full-on prism character. 

“Tsk, tsk... You’re missing the point, Dear. The trend these days is the sparkly girl playing shy, getting dumped, and then being doted on by an even hotter high-spec guy.” 

You were the one who did the dumping, remember… 
And what’s this “trend” talk from a mother of three…? 

"Are you trying to imply I’m an old lady?! Graaaaaaaah!!!” 

Wah- What's gotten into her all of a sudden? 
Has Platy finally reached the age where age jokes sting? 

“What’s wrong with being a mom of three?! I’m proud of it, but I can still be an ‘older-sister’ type! Those roles can coexist! They’ve done so since the dawn of time!!!” 

While Platy rages against the passage of time… 

“Hmhmhm... Lord Saint, you and your wife do get along. Such lively banter…” 

Oh, Demon King? 
I didn’t notice you dropped by. Welcome, welcome. 

“I happened to have a gap in my schedule. I thought I’d check on my son, since he’s studying here, but…” 

The said son is over there having the time of his life with a certain merfolk uncle. 

“Mermaid King Sixteen-Strike Assault!!!” 
“That’s amazing, King Arowana! Please teach me that move, too!!!” 

Goetia's dad watches, chewing his fingers in envy. 

“Nghhhh… The Demon King line even has a traditional Twenty-Four-Strike finisher…!” 
“Excuse me? The Mermaid King’s clan’s trump card is a Fifty-Six-Hit combo! Arowana’s just showing him the kiddie version!” 

Can we not have a combo-count arms race? 

But, Demon King, if you’re that jealous, why not jump in yourself? 
You came all this way to see your boy; there’s no point lurking on the sidelines. 

“Well… but…!” 

? What’s wrong? 
You’re usually so decisive… 

“Goetia’s so lively right now. I might spoil his fun if I barge in…!” 

Huh? 
I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t…! 

“In a normal family, maybe not. But a Demon King and his heir is another story. Goetia tenses up around me…!” 

Now that he mentions it, I vaguely recall that happening once or twice… 

Their relationship isn’t just father and son; it’s king and heir, rulers of demonkind. Heavy stuff. 

No wonder they can’t just hang out like a normal family. 

“Yet there’s a certain king who treats other people’s kids like a fun-loving uncle…” 

Cue Arowana lifting Goetia overhead in a “waaay-up-you-go” airplane ride. 

“My brother’s the eldest of a huge family, so he’s used to handling kids,” explains Platy, second child and eldest daughter. “He always looked after the littles...well, more like he was made to. Mom and Dad called it ‘practice for when you’re a parent.’” 
“Ughhh… Thinking back, I barely had any ‘parenting’ growing up, so I never learned how to deal with kids…!!!” 

The Demon King clutches his head. 

Come to think of it, I was an only child, too. Raising my own kids from scratch was rough… 

I guess the Demon King’s in the same boat? 

“No… I actually had plenty of siblings…!” 

Then your family’s like Arowana’s, right? 
Must’ve been lively. 

“But my father, the previous Demon King, had a mountain of consorts. At his peak, he kept over ten queens. Add concubines and one-night partners and the number skyrockets.” 

Oh. My. God. 
Classic medieval-royalty bedroom shenanigans. 

“The more partners, the more offspring… and I was just one of them. With only half our blood shared, ties were weak. Worse, we tried to kill each other over the throne…!” 

Their relationship had long since strayed from anything resembling a warm, happy family. It was just plain hostile. 

The former Mermaid King and the former Demon King. 
Both had a ton of children, yet their family dynamics couldn’t be more different. Strange how that works. 

“All of my siblings were born from Mom, you know. Thinking back on it now, it’s kind of amazing she did it all on her own,” says Platy in a tone that’s somewhere between impressed and exasperated. “Still, from a royal standpoint, the Demon King setup is way more common. My parents are just too lovey-dovey.” 
“I’m not blaming my parents, but because of all that, I don’t know how to treat my own kids… A Demon King lacking parenting skills, how pitiful…” 

Right, that’s what we were talking about. 

The Demon King is an ideal ruler: ended a war, launched a slew of reforms. 
And now he wants the perfect home life, too? 
Most people would settle for nailing just one of those. 

“I have two queens. It’s nothing compared to Father, but still. Some of my children are half-siblings. I can’t let them become enemies. I suffered enough in that environment myself.” 

He doesn’t want them repeating his pain. 
That’s honestly admirable. 

Though, in my opinion, his kids aren’t likely to start feuding. 

Because among them is little Marine. 
No matter how much Goetia bristles, she’ll flatten him with pure aura and flawless logic. 

Hm? That’s not the issue? 

“No, avoiding what I’m bad at won’t help me grow! Only by facing hardship can one ascend!” 
“Just showing the kids that attitude should be educational enough.” 
“I mustn’t drown in paperwork alone. I’ll treasure time with my children and become a father they’ll respect forever!!!” 

But you’ve already been trying pretty hard, Demon King. 

Remember that one time? 
The God Figure thing? 

“Oh, that… I got too into it and creeped Goetia out. He got bored first and went back to studying.” 

Oof. 
A classic case of the father getting more obsessed with the hobby. 

“That failure made me gun-shy, but a Demon King does not flee! I’ll truly bond with Goetia and the others and forge a healthy family this time!” 

Bold words from the Demon King. 
I clap without thinking. “Woo!” 

Which means it’s time for us farm people to lend a hand. 

All right then. 
Let’s set up a special event to bridge the gap between the Demon King and his kids, just watch!