Chapter 15: Goodbye, Little Sister Ke.

“Mommy?”

Chloe reached out her small hand and waved it in front of Yalith’s eyes.

Her mother’s confusion seemed to create even more unease for this little demon princess who had just finished a nightmare and received an important mission.

“Mommy, don’t look at me like that… Even if you are my mom, I’ll still feel shy.”

Seeing Yalith staring at her in a daze, eyes filled with probing curiosity, Chloe lowered her head somewhat uncomfortably.

“Chloe, do you really think I am your mother?”

“Don’t you want me anymore? These past few days I’ve been very decadent and really unbecoming. I thought you were sending me to infiltrate the Hero’s party because you didn’t want me anymore, so I…”

As Chloe spoke, she began to choke up as if she had suffered a tremendous grievance.

That fragile and helpless appearance was seen clearly by Yalith.

An inexplicable feeling surged in her heart.

It felt a little sour—guilt, or…

She couldn’t find the answer. But the moment she recalled what the original Clay had been like and what kind of personality he had possessed, the maternal glow that had briefly invaded Yalith’s heart instantly sharpened into something colder.

It must be an act.

Even if she couldn’t find any flaws, the daughter she had created—with darkness as its foundation—was definitely performing.

The little girl’s fragile look became more and more disgusting the longer she looked at it.

Being toyed with by a human using worthless familial affection?

Such a thing might suit anyone else, but it should never happen to her—the Demon King.

Even if Chloe truly saw herself as a demon now, as her mother, Yalith’s dignity would not allow this little girl to manipulate her so freely.

Yet the colder Yalith’s gaze became, the heavier the guilt on her face grew. She pulled Chloe into a tight embrace, burying the girl’s face against her chest, and said with heartache:

“Perhaps I was wrong. Chloe, my good daughter, I’m sorry. It seems some of my actions have given you strange ideas.”

“Mommy, I…”

Chloe sobbed softly. A trace of triumph flashed in her eyes as she lifted her head, wanting to look at Yalith’s face.

But the mother she had called “Mommy” for five years—the Demon King—used her massive and evil “weapons” to stop her.

Chloe gave up on that small struggle and contentedly enjoyed the suffocating sensation of this facial cleanser.

All the panic, humiliation, and unease had vanished completely within the ten or so seconds after she regained her memories.

First, her current identity and life were actually quite good. At least it was far better than the original ending of wandering the streets, and she could interact with many cute demon girls.

Although there was always the risk of being dragged off for breeding, Chloe was confident that with the various necromancy spells she now remembered, she could quickly stabilize her strength without needing to rely on bluffing anymore.

Second, the word “Hero” that Yalith had mentioned instantly removed any possibility of her disliking her current identity.

The moment she heard “Hero,” Chloe remembered her greatest wish—to take revenge on those detestable people.

Those despicable scum who didn’t understand what real talent was and only knew how to harm their own kind for profit. Dealing with them as the Demon King’s princess was simply too perfect.

Perhaps Yalith had only arranged for her to infiltrate the Hero’s party to see how much fun she could cause, but Chloe had already decided to use this as the starting point to destroy the human empire and the order of this world.

Therefore…

She could not reveal these thoughts. She could not laugh too soon.

She had to maintain the state of that useless demon princess from the past five years and first muddle through with Yalith.

“I have never wanted to abandon you, but you also know that I am the king of the demon race. Some things are not up to me alone.”

“It was me who was too willful, Mommy…”

Chloe said these words without any effort.

“I won’t force Chloe to do things she doesn’t want to do anymore.”

“Wuu…”

Chloe let out a low, deliberately moved sound.

“So you don’t have to go infiltrate the Hero’s party. As for the successor, I will find someone more suitable from the clan. From now on, you can stay by my side forever. Perhaps this Demon King should also properly enjoy some mother-daughter affection.”

“Good… Huh?”

Chloe was just about to agree when she realized what Yalith had actually said. She abruptly raised her head, looked at her Demon King mother, and said righteously and indignantly:

“No! Since it’s a task arranged by Mother, as your daughter, I will definitely work hard to complete it!”

Yalith pursed her lips and frowned with some headache:

“But I can’t bear to let you go. I know your strength clearly—the undercover mission is too dangerous, Chloe. I’m not joking. You don’t need to work hard anymore. I also have no intention of turning you into a breeding stallion. Just stay by my side. In the future, you can play however you want. I will protect you well.”

Wouldn’t that just be raising her as a pet?

No, absolutely not!

Chloe struggled free from Yalith’s embrace and grabbed her shoulders somewhat urgently.

“Mommy, I’ve made up my mind to take responsibility. Didn’t I prove my ability by defeating Big Sister Rita? I don’t want to be a good-for-nothing anymore…”

“But didn’t someone say they wanted to sit back and enjoy the massive family business I built?”

Yalith looked at the anxious little girl with a half-smile. The flickering warm yellow firelight from the fireplace reflected on her fair face, casting a shadow that pulled out a trace of teasing.

“That was before, this is now! I… I was woken up by Big Sister Rita, ahahaha…”

Chloe suddenly felt a little guilty. Under Yalith’s gaze that seemed capable of seeing through the soul, she subconsciously lowered her head.

“I will have other, stronger subordinates deal with the Hero. Since you want to take responsibility, just stay by my side and learn. If you want to challenge strong enemies, I can discuss it with the other great lords.”

Yalith spoke unhurriedly. She stood up, walked to the fireplace, sat down, picked up the cup of tea on the table, took a light sip, and then glanced at the little girl with the ugly expression.

“You can’t possibly have developed an irreconcilable hatred for the Hero just because of that nightmare, right, my good daughter.”

Chloe did not answer, only lowering her head.

Yalith sighed.

“Come here.”

The little girl obediently came to her side, was pulled into her arms, and sat on her lap.

“So what is our relationship now?”

Chloe held back any further reaction and asked softly.

She really didn’t understand what Yalith’s attitude toward her actually was.

“What relationship do you hope we have? Enemies, cooperative partners, or…”

Yalith’s voice was very gentle. This time she used no threatening or coercive aura at all.

Chloe remained silent for a long time, simply staring blankly at the flames in the fireplace while in her arms. Yalith did not urge her and also watched the fire.

She herself did not know the answer to this question either.

A toy created on a whim had, over time, given birth to feelings. This was inevitable. The key lay in how to handle and respond to it.

If Chloe said enemies or partners, Yalith would be very happy and continue to maintain her Demon King’s majesty and coldness. But if…

“I think you are a good mother.”

Yalith closed her eyes.

A certain emotion she couldn’t identify surged in her heart.

She believed Chloe’s answer was not false, because the five years after she had taken away Chloe’s memories were not fake. The personality Chloe had developed during that time had now gained the original Clay’s memories. At most, her current character had gained a bit more maturity.

“Then can you tell me, what do you most want to do right now? What do you… want to say to me?”

In the end, Yalith still handed the choice over to Chloe.

This was the moment of decision—abandon everything about Clay Sheens and completely fall as the Demon King’s daughter, or pick up that man’s memories and treat this woman who had turned her into her current form with nothing more than mutual exploitation?

She would only have this one chance in her life to make such a choice.

Chloe pondered for a long time before looking at Yalith.

She had made her decision.

“If at this moment… I want to go mining, Mommy, can you step out for a bit?”

“?”