“Did you have fun?” a voice from behind me asks.

I jump as I feel the warmth of the person’s breath.

“Nakamatsu!”

He freezes. Maybe he's not used to people calling him by name. Maybe he forgot he came clean about it already. Maybe he doesn’t want to be reminded of his father.

“Sinensis,” he corrects, recovering quickly. “While I can’t deny the appeal in hearing you call my name, I don’t go by it in this castle.”

“I’m not going to play along with your little fantasy.”

“No, I don’t suppose you will.” He looks at me sharply. “If no amount of magic this far has convinced you, it seems we’ll need to resort to stronger methods of persuasion.”

“Violent ones? You won’t get away with it.”

“Nothing so crass.”

Does this hypocrite hear the words coming out of his own mouth? He’s the king of crass.

“Then what?”

“Follow me.” He takes a few steps down the hall, then looks back over his shoulder at me. “I’ll take you to something you can’t ignore.”

I fall into step behind him, reluctant to follow but eager to learn more about my person of interest. We finally come to an empty chamber as wide as two or three high school gymnasiums. Strange contraptions litter the floor. We stop in front of an oversized dog bed, big enough for a horse at least.

“Princess!”

I snap to attention. “I knew it! Keeping a princess hostage! You dirty—”

A red, lizardlike creature scurries up his arm onto his shoulder and flicks its tongue against his ear. He pets it with one finger and laughs.

“Hardly.”

I concentrate, and sure enough, a label appears:

Red dragon (level 18)

The dragon leaps off his shoulder and lands directly in the center of the bed. The air around it seems to twist and warp with sudden heat. I blink a few times. Surely it’s not getting bigger. My eyes have to be playing tricks on me.

As the dragon grows in size, I can see scales all over its body. Its teeth are sharp, its eyes a predatory yellow.

"The previous Demon Lord was in possession of a rather unique weapon,” Sinensis explains. “Her name is Hibiscus.”

“Hibiscus?” I echo dumbly.

It — she — nods, as if in understanding. A small plume of smoke curls out of her nostrils, and I jump back reflexively.

“She’s... breathing fire...” I mumble. “She’s actually breathing fire.”

“Yes, that’s generally what dragons do.” Sinensis smiles, and for once, it’s got no trace of malice.

Does he actually like this thing? He’s acting like it’s a child or a puppy. I mean, maybe it might be? I don’t know how old dragons get. Wait, why am I accepting this? I don’t— I can’t believe there’s a dragon!

“No, no, no. This isn’t real.”

I close my eyes, but soon feel something warm nuzzle into my side. I’ve never been afraid of reptiles before, and I’m not about to start now. When I open my eyes, the dragon meets and holds my gaze.

“Nice dragon?”

Thank you, a voice responds. The sound echoes throughout my head, like I’m receiving a transmission from a walkie-talkie.

Now I’ve heard everything. Literally.

“What?”

“How could he mistreat such a beautiful little lady?” Sinensis rubs the dragon’s nose lovingly. He pays no mind to here huge dinosaur teeth. She’s so happy that her tail wags. This is what it feels like to lose your mind.

“You didn’t hear that?”

The dragon squeaks.

“She does that when she’s happy,” he explains.

I don’t like talking to papa, the static voice whispers in my head. Girl’s secret?

I drop that line of questioning immediately, though I can’t believe I’m agreeing to a dragon’s terms. “Forget it. I need to sit down.”

“Don’t fall on her.”

Ignoring him entirely, I put a hand out and touch the dragon’s shoulder to steady myself. Her scales are cool and smooth. Growing bolder, I even step a little closer.

Yeah! Dragons aren’t so scary up close! I could do this all day.

She huffs, then sneezes. A torrent of flame shoots out of her mouth and I jump back, accompanied by the obnoxious sound of laughter.

I feel my ears turn as red as the dragon’s scales. This is why I’d been on guard. If I allow myself to relax, I’ll be laughed at by this criminal and I won’t be able to arrest him. I want to do it even more now that he’s shown me this world of sword and sorcery. I resent him for taking away my nice, normal, ordinary days.

“Go to hell, Sinensis,” I grumble.

"Don’t throw a tantrum, Chiba." He crosses his arms and frowns.

"I'm not throwing a tantrum." I stand my ground. "This is a perfectly normal reaction to imprisonment.”

"I'm not forcing you to stay."

"Then what are these?" I take my high heels off and gesture rudely with them.

"Shoes?"

"Prisons."

"Put them back on, Chiba. Your feet are stinking up my princess’s bedroom."

I flip him off in lieu of a retort.

“Real mature.”

He snaps his fingers and a cold breeze chills me. Before I can demand to know what he's doing, it becomes clear.

A demon in a maid outfit appears by his side, her skin as pale blue as frostbite.

Demon (level 8)

"You called, Lord Sinensis?" she asks expectantly, peeking over silver spectacles.

"Escort Chiba back to her clothes and remove her from my castle."

"Yes, my lord." She turns to me. “This way.”

As I follow her down the hallway and back to my belongings, I hear a voice in the back of my head, cheerful and genuine. Bye! Come back soon!

“Wasting perfectly good tea on a human. I’ll never understand,” the maid sighs. “You really are an uncultured species.”

“What’s all of this you about?” Her attitude is really pissing me off. “Your lord is one of us.”

She barks a laugh. “Do you fancy yourself a storyteller?”

“I’m being serious!”

“Imagine! Lord Sinensis, a human!” She holds her stomach and doubles over in the most exaggerated peals of laughter. She even bangs a hand on the nearest door, calling inside, “Lavender, come quick.”

The demon in question opens the door as the maid invokes their name. “Mint?”

Mint’s laughter, interrupted by undignified snorts, only continues. “This brat is trying to tell me that Lord Sinesis is a human.”

“Lies are unbecoming of a lady,” Lavender says gently.

“I’m not a lady—”

“Lady or not,” Mint interrupts. “No matter how clever a bard you are, you are now unwelcome in the Demon Lord’s castle. Stop delaying the inevitable. Dress yourself and we’ll be off.”

“Some privacy would be nice first.”

“As you wish.”

Mint and Lavender leave the room, and I’m able to dress without fear of being seen. I don’t appreciate the time alone with my thoughts, honestly.

When I open the door, Lavender hands me a heavy pouch. “Please accept this starting gold as a sign of His Majesty’s good faith.”

“I’m not thanking him for it,” I say.

“He does not need your thanks. He only asks that you accept his generosity.”

I say a few words that I won’t repeat in polite company.

“Take care, my lady.”

Lavender turns elegantly and heads deeper into the castle, leaving me alone with Mint.

I’m taken outside the castle to a carriage drawn by jet black horses with fiery manes - each one a Nightmare (level 3) - and we’re off. Mint keeps quiet as she guides the carriage, and all I can do is marvel at the scenery. It’s wild and green, but the forest soon fades away in favor of civilization.