Ash was completely baffled the whole time. But as soon as he returned to his room, he found out, exactly what that strange grin from Gal meant.
Before Ash got back to his room, the so-called "stress relievers" had already been delivered.
However, when he actually pushed open the door, the scene before him was completely different from the amusing magical tools he'd imagined.
In the previously somewhat empty room, there now stood a girl with golden hair.
She stood there quietly, like a beam of golden sunlight falling from heaven to earth, enough to draw anyone's gaze.
The girl, who had been told what was going on when she was brought in, rose gracefully the moment she saw Ash enter, carefully sizing him up and confirming his identity.
Her movements were light and elegant. She bent slightly, lifting her skirt lightly, and performed a textbook curtsy toward Ash.
"Greetings... You must be the Evil God, yes? I am Ariel Anemoi Asura, the Second Princess of the Asura Kingdom."
The girl's voice was like a clear mountain stream, crisp and pleasant, carrying an innate elegance and nobility that made anyone who heard it feel at ease.
Her brilliant golden hair cascaded loosely over her slender shoulders, swaying gently with her movements like a curtain of light.
Her eyes were like deep blue lakes, her lips soft pink, the corners of her mouth carrying a perfectly measured smile, innocent like a girl, yet dignified like royalty.
She wore a magnificent red dress, like a blooming lotus.
She gave off a mature aura, like a fairy from a fairy tale, making even approaching her feel like a breach of romance.
"So this is what Gal meant... what an old pervert," Complaints aside, the scene before him was exactly as Gal had implied.
From slaves to princesses, they'd line up and offer themselves on a silver platter.
But at least this was the normal state of things, right? Back in his hometown, even the strong had to submit to the state, they wouldn't even resist, now that was abnormal.
Though it was also possible Gal had been running his mouth outside, making those nations send their princesses one after another.
And laying a hand on her like this would take a serious toll on his morals and decency, so he couldn't exactly be happy about it. With a hint of a headache, he sat down at the desk.
He rested his chin on one hand and looked at the girl before him, serenely smiling, the very embodiment of words like princess, dignity, and elegance, and asked, "Ariel, right?"
"Yes, please call me Ariel. May I ask if you could—"
"Rather than my name," For a girl with the same name as someone he knew, his feelings were somewhat mixed, but he still studied her and asked, "I'm more curious how you knew I was here."
"Because after you entered the Sword Sanctuary, there was no record of you leaving, correct?", Ariel didn't seem bothered by his refusal to answer, maintaining her unchanging smile as she met his eyes.
"Actually, I'm curious. What's it like being sent here as a gift?"
"Would you like the truth or a lie?", Ariel lowered her eyes slightly, looking a bit troubled.
"The truth, of course."
"I'm a little conflicted, but meeting you in person has put me somewhat at ease."
"At ease?"
"Yes. Though I'm the only daughter of the First Queen and third in line for succession, my older sisters are already set to marry abroad, and my brothers are fiercely fighting for the throne. I have practically no chance of becoming Queen, so this is actually a fairly good outcome."
Ariel kept her unchanging smile as she gazed at his face and parted her lips, "After all, even if you hadn't become the Evil God, my fate would have been the same as my sisters', married off to some powerful old man in another country. Given your looks and age, there's nothing for me to complain about, is there?"
"Unexpectedly open-minded."
"Incidentally, I've been curious from the start, how many women have you had before me? And do you plan to have me be the first to share your bed, or... all of us together?", The girl blushed slightly, pressing a hand to her chest, saying things that made one question their ears.
"Huh?"
"Th-though it's a bit hard to say, since I'm the most valuable commodity the kingdom has to offer, I've never been intimate with a man before. So... if possible, could you please be gentle? I'd be very grateful."
"..."
The fragile girl wore a troubled expression and said strangely excessive things, making Ash feel like he was being assaulted by the nobility's way of thinking.
He knew well enough that people in this era had different values from his, but for a girl to say such things... it was just too jarring.
He held his forehead with one hand, let out a sigh, and shook his head, "Act normal first."
"I am being normal?", Ariel tilted her head in confusion.
"I am not attracted towards you."
"Oh my~ Is this... a moral constraint?", Ariel covered her mouth in slight surprise, but an even sweeter smile bloomed on her face, and she praised without reservation, "How wonderful. In this day and age, a strong person with morals like you is truly a rare treasure... I'm so fortunate to have gained a husband like you."
"Hold on. I never said I'd marry you."
"But if someone like me is sent back, I'll probably end up alone for life, you know?", Her expression stiffened slightly, but she tried not to show it.
That only puzzled Ash, "Why?"
"Actually, we've already been here for some time. Even if you do nothing now, people will certainly think I've already been toyed with, used up, broken, and thrown back."
Ariel elegantly folded her hands over her stomach, showing a troubled expression as she said, "That would reflect poorly not just on me, but on your reputation as well."
"I'm already called the Evil God. Is my reputation even good?"
He said it jokingly, but Ariel's words really did give him the feeling of humans making a sacrifice to an evil god.
And the sacrifice was a princess.
"You may not care, but for weaklings like us, it matters greatly. If you don't find me too repulsive, please at least let me stay by your side and serve you," Compared to his exasperated calmness, Ariel carefully sat beside him, looked up timidly, and spoke with a tearful voice, "...even as a personal maid would be fine. Please don't send me away."
"Haaah... fine, do what you want."
Though he could tell the princess's words and actions were likely a performance of her role, he grudgingly agreed anyway, finding it too much trouble to refuse.
After all, having a princess as a maid wasn't bad at all, especially since she shared a name with a certain Demon Lord... that alone made it hard for him to say no.
[T/N: She's 18. Every character in this story is 18 or above.]
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