The Demon Realm was exactly what Ren expected. Dark skies, purple moon, lava rivers. Very Halloween chic.
They arrived at the castle. It was a giant black spire made of obsidian.
Malphas dumped Ren onto a large bed with black silk sheets.
"Stay here," Malphas ordered. "I have a war council to attend. Don't leave the room unless you want to be eaten by the shadow hounds outside."
Ren bounced on the bed. "Ooh, firm but comfy. Hey, wait."
Malphas paused at the door. "What?"
"I'm bored. And hungry," Ren said, crossing his arms. "Unless you want me to starve, bring me food. And not raw meat. I want soup."
Malphas's eye twitched. "You are a prisoner. You don't make demands."
"And you are a Demon King who clearly needs a therapist," Ren countered, lying back on the pillows. "Whatever. Go to your meeting. I'll just nap."
Ren closed his eyes, feigning sleep. He heard Malphas growl, then stomp out of the room.
[DING! Affection Level: 5%. It's a start!]
"System," Ren whispered, opening one eye. "Tell me about the plot twist."
[In the original story, the Saint discovers that Malphas destroys the world because he is in pain. The Dragon Stone mentioned earlier is actually the heart of his deceased lover from 500 years ago. He wants to resurrect her but needs the Saint's holy blood to do it. The ritual fails, and he goes berserk.]
Ren sat up. "Resurrect a lover? Wow, cliché. Wait... does he actually love her, or is it guilt?"
[Analysis: Guilt. He killed her accidentally during a rage episode. He wants to bring her back to say sorry.]
"So, he's a big baby who throws tantrums when he feels guilty," Ren deduced. "Got it. I need to fix his guilt."
Suddenly, the door burst open. A tall, handsome demon with blue skin walked in. It was Malphas's general.
"Human," the General sneered. "The King left you unguarded. Foolish."
He lunged at Ren with a clawed hand.
Ren didn't scream. He grabbed the heavy iron candlestick from the bedside table. As the General pounced, Ren smashed it into the General's face with surprising accuracy.
BONK!
The General stumbled back, holding his bleeding nose. "You...!"
"I warned you," Ren said, holding the candlestick like a bat. "I might be weak, but I have good aim. Get out. The King said I'm his... jester. Touch me, and he'll be mad."
The General hesitated. He knew Malphas's temper.
"Tch. Weak human tricks." The General left, slamming the door.
Ren let out a breath. His arms were shaking. "System, that took all my stamina."
[You gained 10 Strength points! Good job, Host!]
The door opened again. It was Malphas. He looked angry.
"I heard noise," Malphas said, seeing the dropped candlestick and the blood on the floor. "Did Vex try to hurt you?"
Ren flopped back onto the bed. "He wanted to play baseball with my head. I declined. By the way, you have terrible staff. Very rude."
Malphas looked at the blood, then at Ren. A strange feeling bubbled in his chest. No one had ever defended themselves in his castle before. Usually, they just cried until he killed them.
This human... Ren... was different.
"Vex," Malphas shouted into the hallway. "You touched my property?"
"No, my King! Just a scratch!" Vex's voice trembled from outside.
"Cut off his hand," Malphas ordered calmly.
"What? No!" Ren sat up. "Don't do that! It's gross and bloody! Just... make him clean the floors or something. He clearly needs supervision."
Malphas looked at Ren, confused. "You show mercy? To someone who wanted to kill you?"
"It's not mercy," Ren lied (it was mercy, but he wouldn't admit it). "It's practicality. Who will clean the castle if you kill all the staff? I'm not doing it."
Malphas stared. Then, he chuckled. "You are odd, Ren. Fine. Vex, you are demoted to janitor. Now, leave us."
Malphas walked into the room, shutting the door. He locked it.
"I brought your soup," Malphas said, placing a bowl on the table.
"Thanks." Ren got up and tasted it. It was surprisingly good. "So... tell me about this Dragon Stone you wanted."
Malphas stiffened. "How do you know about that?"
"The dead priest mentioned it," Ren lied smoothly. "I figured you wanted it for a reason. Power? Revenge? Boredom?"
Malphas sat on the edge of the bed. The big bad Demon King looked suddenly tired. "None of your business, Saint."
"Ren," he corrected again, sipping soup. "And it is my business if I'm stuck here with a grumpy King. Talk to me. I'm a good listener. Better than a wall."
Malphas looked at the small human eating soup on his bed. For the first time in centuries, he felt the urge to vent.
"Centuries ago... I made a mistake," Malphas started, his voice low. "I hurt someone I cared about. The Stone can bring her back."
Ren hummed. "Magic resurrection. Always a bad idea. Usually comes with a curse. Ever read Pet Sematary?"
"What is that?"
"Never mind. Look," Ren put the spoon down and looked Malphas in the eye. "Bringing back the dead won't fix the past. It just makes a mess of the present."
"You know nothing of pain," Malphas hissed, his eyes glowing red.
"I died yesterday," Ren said flatly. "I know a thing or two about letting go."
Malphas paused. The human's eyes were calm. No fear. Just understanding.
[DING! Affection Level: 15%. Villain's Mental State: Stabilizing.]
Ren smirked internally. Hook, line, and sinker.