THE DEMON KING'S EMPRESS
200 Years (Going Forever)

"Why? Aren't you happy that I'm alive?"

"No. It's not like that."

"Then?"

"I'm glad you're back. I'm glad to see you're alive. But, why are you in a girl's body?"

"You're wrong."

"Wrongly? What's wrong?"

"I've been dead for decades."

Like being struck by lightning in broad daylight, the empress was shocked not to play. He did not believe what he heard.

"No. Not likely. You... You must be lying!!!"

"When have I ever lied to you?"

"..."

"Do you not want to tell me anything, after what has happened in these years?"

"..."

"I don't think it's necessary."

"sorry. Ii'm sorry. I'm..."

Hearing the empress apologize to him, the man walked over to her.

"That's it. My arrival here just wanted to ask you one thing."

"Please."

"Where's my son?"

"Since you left and never came back, he'd rather wander outside than in the palace."

"That's it."

"Yes. He was also reluctant to accept the title as crown prince."

"You mean.. Did he reject it?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"What's the reason?"

"That's, I don't know."

"I want to apologize to you too."

"Why?"

"For so many years, you must have suffered so much from raising our child alone. Ii'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't keep you company."

"You're not wrong. After all, everyone's been looking for you everywhere. However, none of them have managed to find your whereabouts" the empress said as she gently touched her ex-husband's cheek."

"You're right. You also already have someone to replace me" said her ex-husband while releasing the empress' hand that was still stuck to her cheek.

"Are you jealous?"

"You think?"

"This, not my wish. It was because of the pressure from my parents. They don't want to see me and my son suffer."

"Are you happy now?"

"Eh?"

"My time is not much. After this, I'll disappear forever. There's something I want to tell you."

"Please, don't disappear just yet. At least you should meet your son. Our son."

"I'm sorry, I can't be empress."

"What's? What did you just say?!"

"Empress. Wh why? Is something wrong?"

"Why do you call me that?!"

"Why?! Don't you know your status now. You are not a princess. But you're a queen. Empress. Wife of the present king, the other is my own sister."

"I told you! Not like that! You misunderstood me! I did this because I had to!"

"Did you marry me because you had to?!"

"Of course not. I married you because I love you."

"If you love me, then why won't you wait for my return? Didn't you promise, you'll wait for me to come home? Have you forgotten your own promise?"

Suddenly the memories of the past, when the empress was young and still bears the title of princess, as well as the status as the wife of her ex-husband, who was none other than a prince. A promise she made to usher in the departure of her husband because of the duties given by her father-in-law, who used to be king.

...~20 Years Ago ~...

"Are you going to wait for me to come home?"

"certain. I'll wait for your return. I-i promise. I will not turn away from you. We're going to raise this child together" said Katie's daughter, holding her sleeping baby in her cradle.

"I can't wait to see that. I'll be right back after the task my father gave me has been completed."

"Yes." Yeah."

Lovingly, Prince Nathan kissed his wife on the forehead and looked at her. A sad look was clearly visible on his face. Seeing the sad expression on her husband's face, Katie's daughter grabbed the collar of her husband's shirt with her right hand, and kissed his lips. The same was felt by Prince Nathan. He hugged his wife's waist as if he didn't want to part with her. Slowly the two let go of each other's kisses, and looked at each other.

"I'm leaving."

Prince Nathan said goodbye to his wife and immediately flew away with his power. It flew as fast as a flash of light and disappeared behind the clouds.

Deathly Forest

Prince Nathan was surrounded by some unknown people wearing ghost masks with all-black clothes and robes they wore.

"Who are you?!"

"It's none of your business! We're here to kill you!"

"Kill me?! Tell me who is your master?! What's the reason for killing me?!!!"

"You just ask the King of Hell over there!!"

They were also involved in a fierce fight. With the ability and dexterity of prince Nathan, he manages to cripple some of them. Unfortunately, he fell sprawled on the ground due to a sneaky attack from one of them. He was hit by a poisoned needle in his chest that was fired without him noticing. He coughed up blood and pulled out a lump of blood from his mouth. While enduring the pain from the poisonous needle, he held onto his chest. He tried to pull out the needle that was still stuck in his chest and began to press the acupoints in his chest so that the poison from the needle did not spread to the core of his body. Seeing that, the three of them who were still alive walked up to Prince Nathan. One of them kicked Prince Nathan who was sitting cross-legged, trying to suppress the poison in him, until it fell toppled and sprawled on the ground. Then he stepped on Prince Nathan's right hand with his right foot. Prince Nathan cried out in pain as he tried to pull his hand which was still stepped on by the masked man.

"I didn't expect it. The prince who was once very famous for his terrifying power, had obtained it by a perverse way!"

"Akhh... a.. What do you mean?!"

"That's naive. Everyone in this country knows that you learned black magic!"

"lik! That's slander!!!"

"Defamation or not, one you should know. That today you must die!" shouted the man while sticking his sword right in the chest of prince Nathan.

Jelbbbb!!!

Blood spurted out. The sword was filled with blood. Prince Nathan died on the spot. As he was dying before dying, he vaguely saw and heard the conversation of the three men.

"Tsk. I can't believe he's really become a banished prince!" ledek the first man while unmasking his ghost followed by his two colleagues.

"Hustt. Why did you say that?"

"You're blind, huh?! Obviously the king ordered us to kill his own son!"

"Even his own father was more concerned with his pride than his son. Therefore, he wanted the death of his son. Hahaha.it's ironic!"

"If I were king, I would do the same. It's a shame to have a child who's learned the science of perversion!"

"You're right! Let's leave this place and report!"

"Yes!"

The three people in an instant disappeared from that place. Slowly, Prince Nathan closed his eyes. In his heart he said "Dad, what's my fault?"

Lightning began to rumble above the sky. Shortly after, the rain came down hard. The forest became quiet. The rain swept away the blood that soaked the man's body. The rain was increasingly rushing across the blood flowing from the bodies of the thousands of corpses lying in this nameless forest.

...^^^***^^^...

"For many years, my spirit and my body were trapped in that forest. No one dared to cross the forest. Until it finally spread that news of my disappearance spread across the country."

"So you mean.no. Father couldn't have done this to you. You must have misunderstood."

"Shut up!!!"

"Eh?"

"What you see is actually the outer mask. He never considered me his son. You know why? Because I...I am a useless child in his eyes!!!."

"What?!"

"I always thought there would be a day when my father would look at me and hold my hand. Taught me a lot of things I never knew. But all is just my wish. How hard I studied in school, how great I was in the eyes of others. In my father's eyes, I am just an ant that deserves to be stepped on!!!"

"My husband. I think you..."

"Enough! Don't come any closer!!! You'll never know what it's like to be ignored, what it's like to struggle, but it all feels worth it just because of one thing."

"What's that?"

"Hate!"

"hate?"

"Yes. If it wasn't for my father hating me, I wouldn't have ended horribly! And my wife, my son, they will not leave me like this! By the time my death came, no one was with me. It hurts more than loneliness.

"My husband, I'm sorry. I'm..."

"That's it. We are no longer a couple. You're married and living happily with another man. I hope you can take care of our son. That's more than enough for me."

"Where is your body now?"

"Humphs. You don't need to know where my body is buried. I just came here to tell you the truth about my death. And I have one wish."

"What?"

"Protect this girl and her family. If it wasn't for this girl, my soul would forever be trapped and confined there."

"good. I'll grant it."

"Thank you and sorry for everything, Your Majesty the empress."

Hearing that, the empress' heart was torn to shreds. The pain began to rage in his heart. She felt like a wife who would hurt her husband. She felt that she was a cruel woman, who had no feelings. When she was about to apologize to her ex-husband, she saw that Lili had already laughed unconscious in front of her. He also tried to wake Lili. Slowly, Lili opened her eyes. He saw the queen smiling at him. He tried to sit.

"Empress."

"You okay?"

"I'm doing fine. What about you, queen?"

"Mmm. Thank you." Thank you."

"For what?"

"Thank you for bringing us together."

"Your Majesty, you..."