The maid squad is too strong, what use is there for me, the Demon King?

Once they crossed the border between Westphalia and Olmec, they thought they could find a small town on the Olmec border and then find a small inn in that town to rest for a while.

I never expected to encounter something evil here...

It might be impolite to say this, but for Gray, who knows that killing the hero is useless and that the hero can kill him without any hindrance, encountering the hero is equivalent to encountering something unclean or a plague god!

Well, it's not aimed at Philippa, it's just that the hero in question happens to be Philippa.

What left Gray speechless was that they even discovered each other at the same time.

If Gray had discovered Philippa first, there would have been room for maneuver.

He made a lightning-fast escape before Philippa noticed him, and there was no way he could stay in this town any longer.

However, once both parties have noticed each other and Philippa has already called out his name, this tactic naturally becomes impossible.

Should they ignore Philippa and run away, risking being chased by the hero's team, or should they honestly go up and say hello before taking a chance to leave?

Now is the time to make a decision.

Ultimately, why did the two of them discover each other at the same time?

Isn't this unreasonable?

With my current world-class mental strength, I should be the one who discovered Philippa first and successfully escaped, right?

But at the same time, they discovered that the other party...

This can only be explained by the irrational intuition of a brave person.

There have been instances in the past where Philippa noticed when she secretly spied on someone or used the Demon King's magic slightly.

Ultimately, Gray opted for a policy of friendly communication.

"Philippa? What a coincidence, to run into you here."

He was smiling, but all Gray could think about right now was "MMP".

Depend on!

Similarly, there was another person whose complexion wasn't much better than Gray's.

Sofia clenched her small fists, her face contorted with rage.

Aren't you the adopted son of a noble family in Bifeng Territory? Why do you keep appearing outside of Bifeng Territory? You even appear in places that are almost the middle of Bifeng Territory, separated by nearly the entire Olmec Kingdom!

Gray: You make it sound like I wanted to run into you guys...

When her question was confirmed, Philippa beamed with joy, and all the day's fatigue vanished.

"What a coincidence! We came here to hunt monsters and train for the future battle against the Demon King. What brings you here?"

Gray silently ignored the part about "preparing for the future battle against the Demon King".

Also, I didn't even ask you what you were doing here, and you just blurted it out yourself? And then you asked me what I was doing here?

Gray certainly couldn't directly answer, "I just killed an archbishop in Westphalia, and now I'm going to Demillia to kill another archbishop."

As for the excuse, we've had it for a long time, and it's always been used this way. It just so happens that we received official permission from our adoptive father during the month we were home.

Gray replied, "I'm still undergoing training. My father wants me to train until Lia graduates, and then return to Bifeng Territory to take over the family affairs with Lia."

During the conversation, Philippa gradually approached.

"So you could say that in a few more years you'll be a minor lord of Bifeng Territory? Congratulations!"

Although Philippa's approach was not malicious, Gray still felt inexplicably uneasy.

Being approached by a hero is never a good thing.

Gray suppressed the trembling of the Demon King's body, which was much easier than when he had to endure the angel's magical restraint.

"No, not as good as our princess and hero."

Sofia desperately wanted to interrupt their conversation, but she knew that doing so would lower Philippa's favorability, which was not advisable, so she could only stand aside, seething with resentment.

Philippa smiled, her beautiful eyes fixed on Gray: "For now, I'm still giving up my status as a princess... It's a pity I can't give it up forever. For now, I'll be the hero Philippa, not the princess of Olmec."

Gray really wanted to run away immediately, but Philippa in front of him clearly wanted to continue the conversation, so Gray had no choice but to go along with it.

After all, they had known each other since they were six years old. Gray and Philippa had a good relationship. Gray always listened to Philippa's complaints about being "locked up" in the palace, and Philippa always listened to Gray's stories about the outside world.

They have a good relationship. Putting aside the antagonistic relationship between the Demon King and the Hero, Gray is willing to get along with Philippa amicably.

Unfortunately, it backfired.

But at least for now, while his identity remains unrevealed, he can still talk to Philippa normally.

In the future, there will definitely be a time when my identity is exposed. At that time, how will Philippa treat me?

Gray didn't want to become enemies.

However, if Philippa insists on completing her mission and taking his life, Gray will not hesitate to take action against his old friend.

Gray's expression remained unchanged, just as it always was.

"You used to complain about being 'locked up' in the palace. Now that you've become a hero, you've been given the arduous mission of defeating the Demon King, but you've also gained freedom. How is life as a hero? How does it compare to when you were a princess? Are you happy?"

"what……"

Upon hearing Gray's series of questions, Philippa was initially surprised, but immediately broke into a smile.

Actually, whether it was just her imagination or not, ever since becoming a hero, Philippa always felt that Gray treated her somewhat coldly.

Even though they meet more often than before, they no longer have long periods of time together. Even if it's not just the two of them, they can't spend much time together before they have to separate.

She has a mission to defeat the Demon King, and Gray... well, he's already married.

Philippa had always suspected that Gray was intentionally distancing himself from her, or that their relationship had grown distant, which was giving her this misconception.

Now, when Gray asks her how she feels about becoming the hero, Philippa is very happy.

If you're really estranged or deliberately distancing yourself, you certainly wouldn't ask her how she feels, right?

She is the hero, not Gray. If Gray doesn't care about her, what's the point of asking the hero about her feelings?

Philippa's eyes welled up with tears, and the flutter in her heart was no lie.

As expected, I like it.

I like how he tells me about the outside world, describes all sorts of stories, and constantly encourages me, who is "locked" in the palace, that one day I will be free.

Because of Grey Brandt's hidden intentions, but was stirred by the concern he himself perceived.

"I'm very happy."

To become a hero, one does not need to be arranged by one's father to learn etiquette or to meet noble children.

Although the daily adventures were exhausting, the money he earned couldn't compare to the riches and luxury he could enjoy in the palace.

But at least they gained freedom, being unrestrained and able to do whatever they wanted.

Even after the demon king is defeated, I will never want to return to the life of a princess!

The caged birds released back into the mountains and forests never want to return to their cold cages.