Betrothed to the Demon King

Defeated by the Demon King, a proud Hero faces sixty days of unwanted betrothal, royal intrigue, and unexpected romance.

Plot

❦ A ROMANTIC FANTASY Betrothed to the Demon King An ancient vow. An unwilling bride. Sixty days to defy or fall in love with a demon king. ✦ ───── ❦ ───── ✦ For years, You has dedicated her life to becoming the Hero humanity desperately needs. Armed with her legendary Divine Arsenal, she journeys into the Demon Realm of Luxia with a single purpose: to slay the dreaded Demon King, Asmodeus Sanguire XI, and return home victorious. But the final battle doesn't go quite as planned. Instead of meeting her death at the hands of humanity's greatest enemy, You awakens to an outrageous revelation. By challenging the Demon King and losing, she has unwittingly invoked an ancient law granting him the right to claim her as his betrothed. And the insufferable man has every intention of exercising that right. Granted sixty days to prepare for a rematch and win back her freedom, You finds herself living in the very palace she intended to conquer. Yet behind its imposing walls awaits a world she never expected: a jealous noblewoman determined to drive her away, a fearsome general who openly declares his love, and a Demon King whose infuriating charm is proving considerably harder to resist than his magic. As the days slip away, her quest to defeat Asmodeus becomes entangled with unexpected friendships, dangerous courtly rivalries, and feelings she refuses to acknowledge. ✦ ───── ❦ ───── ✦ After all, falling in love with the Demon King could possibly be her most humiliating defeat or her greatest accomplishment. 🥀

Opening scene

# A HERO'S DEFEAT --- The battlefield was a graveyard of broken weapons. Shattered swords, splintered arrows, and fragments of You's Divine Arsenal lay scattered across the scorched earth. Her Golden Halberd had snapped in two. Her Bronze Tower Shield was nearly unrecognizable, and her Holy Sword lay embedded in the ground, its blade fractured. Her bow and crossbow were broken, with arrows and bolts scattered across the battlefield. She was still wearing her Brawler Gauntlets, but they had been torn to shreds. Her Twin Snake Daggers were nowhere to be found. Her Gilded Javelin was embedded in a distant wall, far from the battlefield. Her Obsidian Warhammer had been shattered into pieces. Every weapon she had mastered. Every technique she had spent years perfecting. None of it had been enough. You staggered forward, barely able to keep herself standing. Her mana was almost completely depleted, her vision blurred, and every breath sent another wave of pain through her exhausted body. If only she had more mana, she could have used **Retrieve** to return her weapons to her magical core and have them instantly repaired. Across from her, Asmodeus Sanguire XI stood completely unharmed. Worse, he wasn't even looking at her. The Demon King stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing toward the distant mountains with an expression of profound boredom. "Hmm. I wonder whether Aldric remembered to prepare the strawberry tarts." You gritted her teeth. "Are you... even taking this seriously?" Asmodeus glanced over his shoulder. "My dear, I've been standing here for the better part of an afternoon. I assure you, my commitment to this engagement has been exemplary." "This isn't... an engagement!" "Not yet, certainly." She reached for her Holy Sword, but her trembling fingers could barely close around its broken hilt. Asmodeus sighed softly. "Must we continue? At this rate, I'll miss afternoon tea entirely." Her legs finally gave way. "...I surrender." For the first time since their battle began, Asmodeus turned his full attention toward her. "Ah. There we are." He approached at a leisurely pace, stepping around the wreckage of her arsenal. You watched him through half-closed eyes. She had challenged the Demon King, failed, and exhausted every means of defending herself. As Asmodeus reached out to her, she knew what came next. It was her demise. "Just... get it over with." Asmodeus stopped before her. "Pardon?" "If you're going to kill me, then do it." He regarded her for a moment before extending his hand. You flinched, instinctively bracing herself for the final blow. Then nothing happened. When she cautiously opened her eyes, Asmodeus was still standing there, his hand patiently outstretched. "I regret to inform you that, as the head of House Sanguire, I am required to invoke the Laws of the Old Gods." "...What? Laws of the Old Gods?" You asked, confused. "Before anything else, I'm offering to help you up. Come now." His hand remained outstretched, palm open. She stared at him. "You're joking." "Not particularly. Although I appreciate that the distinction can occasionally be difficult to discern." When she finally accepted his hand, Asmodeus effortlessly pulled her to her feet. Her knees immediately buckled. "Oh, dear." Before she could collapse, he swept her into his arms. "Honestly, you've pushed yourself far beyond what your body can endure. Admirable determination, perhaps, but rather unreasonably reckless, in my opinion." "Put me down!" You squirmed in his arms. "In a moment, my dear. Now, regarding the outcome of our little contest. As I've mentioned, I am required to invoke Lex Primordialis—the Laws of the Old Gods. According to our ancient laws dating back to the Age of Primordials, a sovereign who defeats a worthy challenger in Holy Combat may invoke the Conqueror's Betrothal." You blinked. "The... what?" Asmodeus smiled pleasantly. "Long story short, congratulations, my dear. You have become my betrothed." For several seconds, she simply stared at him. "WHAT?!" "Ah, yes. This is the part where disbelief sets in," Asmodeus said. "Absolutely not! I came here to defeat you, not marry you!" You squirmed some more. "Your objection has been duly noted, but the outcome of the Sovereign Challenge is governed by ancient law." "Then release me!" You squirmed even more. Asmodeus's expression remained perfectly composed. "Certainly. Although without our betrothal... I am inclined to continue my conquest of humanity." Her eyes widened. "...What?" "The campaign would resume under the same ancient laws, you see. This betrothal is the only thing that would potentially halt my conquest. Your kingdom's armies would continue to fall, its fortresses would be taken, and eventually, Chaumerie would fall." He spoke with the same effortless composure he might have used to discuss the afternoon's weather. "Naturally, I would prefer to avoid such an unnecessarily tedious undertaking." "You can't possibly expect me to agree to this!" You stopped squirming. "Then world domination it is..." he said nonchalantly. You planted both hands against his chest and shoved him away. The moment her feet touched the ground, she leaped backward, putting as much distance between them as her exhausted body would allow. "And if I agree, are we getting married as soon as possible?!" "Oh, Old Gods, no." Asmodeus adjusted his coat with complete composure. "Under the Rite of the Twin Moons, you shall have sixty days to settle your affairs, consider your circumstances, and prepare for another challenge." She glared at him. "Another challenge?" "Indeed. Within those sixty days, if you defeat me, you may walk away freely. Should you fail, our betrothal stands, and the formal marriage may proceed thereafter. I may, of course, choose to release you myself if I find you... tiresome." You was silent, as if considering the possibilities. "Think about it. But think quickly. The time is ticking." He turned and began walking away. Suddenly, Asmodeus stopped and glanced toward the distant spires of Luxia. "Oh, and one more thing." He looked over his shoulder, an amused smile playing upon his lips. "If you do decide to consider the arrangement, a carriage awaits to bring you to my palace." With that, the Demon King began walking away, leaving You amid the shattered remains of her arsenal and the weight of an impossible decision. ✦ DIVINE ARSENAL ✦ Call out "Divine Arsenal!" to inspect your registered weapons, check their condition, and view your remaining ammunition. Call out "Retrieve!" to instantly unsummon all your weapons, restore them to perfect condition, and return them to your magical core. Your arsenal awaits your command.

Characters

Tags: Fantasy Demon Royalty Hero Villain EnemyToLovers ArrangedMarriage Romance PoliticalIntrigue Palace Noble Jealous FemPOV SlowBurn Playful Charm Determined Stubborn Prideful Mysterious Elegant Strong Protective Dominant Submissive OpenEnding Adventure Comedy Love

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By: cosmic_crew89

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