* * *
Jian squeezed his eyes shut and took a large stride.
It was unfair enough that he was stabbed, but he couldn’t possibly be eaten by a wolf without even seeing their faces.
Kee-ing.
As Jian crossed a certain point in the forest, a black light burst forth.
Thwack!
“Kiiing!”
Jian stopped running and turned his head.
The wolf had been flung away by something.
There had clearly been nothing when Jian passed, but suddenly a translucent black barrier had blocked the wolf.
Jian finally caught his breath and examined the shimmering barrier.
The violently oscillating barrier quickly vanished.
Was it some kind of protective shield?
Beyond the disappeared barrier, he saw the wolf whimpering before it disappeared.
Jian slowly turned his head, and a long path came into view.
This was probably the Ocules Forest, where the Seven Demon Lords were said to live.
The forest where the rulers of the Demon Realm, who secretly controlled the Triat Empire, resided.
‘Let’s try to sort things out first.’
Jian took a long breath and pressed down on his injured shoulder.
With no more growling sounds around, he managed to calm his mind a little and began to calmly assess his situation.
He was in the novel he had only read the prologue of before he died.
The novel was titled, ‘The Lord’s Castle.’
A novel he had casually glanced at the prologue of out of boredom, as it hadn’t been particularly eye-catching.
It was an R-rated BL novel, but Jian knew almost nothing about it.
He only knew who the body he now occupied belonged to and the brief background of this novel.
This place was the Triat Empire, located in the western continent.
It was the undisputed greatest empire on the continent, overflowing with resources on the strongest and most fertile land, and filled with talented individuals possessing formidable magic power and aura.
The Triat Imperial Family had led the empire wisely and benevolently for quite some time, and the people cheered, respected, and revered the Imperial Family along with the Imperial Gods.
Unaware of who truly resided behind that beautiful and powerful empire.
The forest situated behind the Imperial Palace appeared to be nothing more than a large, strange, black forest.
The walls of the Imperial Palace rose high around it, and since the plants in the forest were all black and purple, people called it ominous.
Entry was only possible through the back gate of the Imperial Palace, and as those who passed through were extremely rare, the unsettling rumors grew even wilder.
Yet, the reason the Imperial Family did not suppress the rumors was to prevent anyone from entering this place.
In fact, this was the forest where the castle of the Seven Demon Lords, who governed the Triat Empire from behind, was located.
Simply put, the Imperial Family was merely a puppet, and the Seven Demon Lords were the true power.
The Imperial Family offered up a member of the imperial house every 50 years, and the Seven Demon Lords were willing to help the empire prosper.
This year’s sacrifice was the troublesome Fourth Prince, Hayden.
‘That Hayden is now me, and I seem to have just arrived in this forest…’
For reasons unknown, it seemed he had transmigrated to the time period just before Hayden stabbed his own heart.
This path led to the Demon Lords’ castle, and the barrier seemed to mark the boundary point the knight had mentioned earlier.
Hayden must have stabbed his heart here.
‘Then the Demon Lords now…’
This meant that the Seven Demon Lords were watching Jian through the crystal ball.
Jian swallowed hard and covered his mouth with his hand.
Outwardly, it looked like he was steadying his breath to hide his trembling heart, but in reality, Jian was busy concealing the corners of his mouth from curling up.
Those Seven Demon Lords were here.
Although he hadn’t seen their names or descriptions, he had high expectations since they were the dominant leads in an R-rated BL novel.
Furthermore, abilities or magic that can read a person’s mind did not exist in this world.
It must be true because the introduction had included such a setting for whatever reason.
Perhaps the main submissive lead was a fox as clever as Jian.
There was no way to confirm that, though.
‘No matter what…’
Jian, who wet his dry lips with his tongue, lowered the corners of his mouth and took his hand away.
‘I’ll just enjoy what I can enjoy.’
He had already died, so there was nothing to be afraid of.
Jian had lived almost like a sex addict even in his previous life.
The main submissive lead?
Who cares?
Hayden was here first.
If he hadn’t stabbed his own heart, who knows what might have happened.
Maybe the Seven Demon Lords would have liked Hayden’s appearance.
Even if this world somehow forces the main submissive lead and the Seven Demon Lords together, Hayden can just enjoy himself until the main submissive lead appears.
There would be many other good men in the fantasy world.
Having decided that, Jian, or rather, Hayden, showed hesitation as if he was nervous, but soon took a step forward.
He was very conscious of the Seven Demon Lords who must be watching him through the crystal ball.
Creak.
The gray-haired and gray-eyed attendant of the Demon Lords, Liefel, entered the audience chamber.
In the large, fan-shaped audience chamber, the thrones of the Demon Lords were arranged along the edges on small platforms.
The thrones, each bearing their own emblem, were of various shapes reflecting the Demon Lords’ personalities, and the Demon Lords sat there, indifferently gazing at the crystal ball floating in the air.
“I greet the Demon Lords.”
Liefel placed his hand over his left chest, where his heart was, and slightly bowed his head, showing respect.
“Is that the current sacrifice?”
“Yes, it is.”
Lucifer, seated in the center, crossed his legs, rested his chin on his hand, and tapped the armrest.
His long, thick fingers moved with a steady rhythm.
Sharp, red eyes beneath his dark black hair slowly scrutinized the sacrifice in the crystal ball.
The sacrifice, with long silver hair falling to his waist and pale violet eyes, was very slender, looking as if he would stop breathing if he were lightly touched.
Even in the uniform, there was no part of him that looked sturdy.
Hadn’t he just struggled with a minor demon?
Lucifer frowned and looked down at Liefel.
“Is he even capable of working, looking like that?”
“If he is strictly trained, he will adapt quickly.”
“The last one was too incompetent.”
Belzebub said with his mouth full, putting a sweet pudding into it.
Mammon, Leviathan, Satan, and Asmodeus all nodded in agreement.
The last human who came was not very good at his job and was punished by Liefel almost every day.
It was only natural that the work was delayed when corporal punishment continued daily.
The sacrifice, who was supposed to serve the Seven Demon Lords, ended up hindering their work, so he was simply tossed to the low-ranking demons before 30 years were up.
He was probably being eaten by a low-ranking demon or living as a plaything of the demons, feeding on semen.
Low and mid-ranking demons cannot control their urges.
Liefel politely bowed his head, recalling that foolish human from last time.
“That was my oversight. I will ensure thorough training this time.”
To Liefel, a sacrifice arriving after a long time was a very welcome presence.
The previous sacrifice had been discarded before completing 50 years, so the Demon Lords’ discomfort had piled up, and it was twice as hard as usual to quell the wrath of the increasingly sensitive Demon Lords.
This sacrifice had better last long.
* * *
