One Week To Annul The Marriage

"What do you mean by that!!"

King Melvin's furious roar echoed through the grand hall. His face, already red from the humiliation Azrael had dealt him, darkened further with rage. Since he couldn't take out his frustration on the Demon King, he directed it at the only person present who seemed weak enough to bear the brunt... Elliot.

Elliot instinctively flinched. "I... well... You clearly wanted to execute me." He stammered, shrinking under the king's glare. "So, I want to know when it will be done."

It was a simple question, but it sent the room into chaos.

A part of him had actually pitied Melvin earlier, when Azrael had humiliated him in front of the entire court. But no, scratch that. He took it back. The king deserved every single degrading word Azrael had thrown at him. And if anything, he deserved more.

"You dare insult me so blatantly?!" the king roared, surging to his feet, his face dark with rage "You dare mock me!? Are you trying to provoke me into doing something that will get me in trouble!?"

Elliot's lips parted in confusion. What? Didn't they literally just try to execute me minutes ago?

"He's really annoying," one of the officials muttered, glaring at Elliot. "Acting like he doesn't know exactly what will happen if we go through with the execution."

Excuse me?

Elliot's confusion deepened. Were these people insane? Just a moment ago, they had been ready to lop off his head without hesitation. But now that Azrael had "given permission" for them to proceed, they were suddenly reluctant? The audacity!.

"Your Majesty, honestly, you're all driving me insane," Elliot burst out, exasperated. "Just minutes ago, you were completely ready to kill me, before the Demon King interrupted. And now that he's given the green light, you're hesitating?"

They were literally moments away from executing him before Azrael's unexpected appearance interrupted them. And now, when he had resigned himself to his fate when he had simply asked them to get it over with, they were hesitating?

Typical.

Elliot gritted his teeth. If he was going to die, he at least wanted it to be quick. He had already resigned himself to his fate. The moment Azrael had left without so much as acknowledging him as his 'husband,' any delusions of being saved had crumbled. The demon king hadn't lifted a finger to stop the execution, he had simply mocked the council and left. That meant Azrael did not care.

Fine. Elliot would die.

And if there was a next life, he swore he would hunt Azrael down and make him suffer, For putting him in this mess.

Forgetting entirely that it had been his own failed summoning spell that started this entire mess, Elliot selfishly blamed Azrael for his predicament.

If he was going to die anyway, he at least wanted a quick and painless execution. The last thing he needed was the holy priests catching wind of this. If they got involved, according to the council, they'd turn his execution into some long, torturous purification ritual and he definitely did not want to die in their hands.

The council members exchanged looks, their expressions blank.

"..."

Then, King Melvin scoffed, his lips curling in irritation. "That's exactly the problem. Your husband—" He spat the word like it was poison. "—is the very reason we can't proceed with the execution."

Elliot blinked.

"You're mistaken, Your Majesty. He literally said, 'Go ahead with the execution.' So how are you twisting that around? If anything, you should be rushing to carry out his command."

The entire court went silent. A collective sigh of disbelief rippled through the room.

This guy... Is he an idiot?

Elliot, bless his clueless soul, had somehow failed to grasp the very obvious threat hidden in Azrael's words.

Anyone with a functional brain would have realized that the Demon King's "permission" was nothing more than a dare laced with a death threat. A very clear warning.

Yet here Elliot was, standing in the middle of the room, arguing about it like a complete fool.

The king rubbed his temples in frustration, his patience running dangerously thin. "You must be a fool if you seriously couldn't comprehend what he meant."

Elliot's patience snapped. "What is wrong with you people?! One minute you're ready to kill me, and now you're twisting things around? Are you all fools?"

That was the real question.

Why were they acting like this? They were the rulers of the mortal world, governing cities, commanding armies, making laws. And yet, at this moment, they resembled a group of clueless idiots too scared to make a move.

Had Elliot been a little smarter, he would have used this moment to flee. Anyone in his position—given the chance to escape execution—would have taken the opportunity to run. But instead, he stood there arguing with them, demanding that they carry on with his execution like some kind of suicidal lunatic.

"He's really muddle headed." A council member said.

Elliot scowled he still didn't get it. But then, finally! a dim light bulb flickered in his brain.

Oh.

Wait.

His brain flickered with a sudden realization, a small light in the dark confusion of the situation.

If what the king said was true… If the council was hesitating because of Azrael… then didn't that mean—

He wasn't going to be executed?

For the first time since this nightmare began, Elliot felt something shift inside him. The slight bitterness he had been feeling, the frustration, the anger, the resignation, of Azreal leaving him to die, all of it melted away and was replaced by something else.

A strange sense of relief.

Sweetness.

He didn't know why he felt it. He didn't understand it. But he didn't question it either.

The realization hit him like a brick, and before he could stop himself, he blurted out—

"Okayyyy! So, I'm not going to be executed—yay!"

He practically jumped to his feet, ready to bolt from the hall before they could change their minds.

But just as he took a step toward the exit, the king's voice halted him in his tracks.

"Good for you!!" Melvin sneered. "But don't think for a second that you can get away with breaking the rules just because you're married to that demon. I am still the ruler of this realm. The only reason I chose to obey Demon King Azrael was out of respect—and nothing more!"

Elliot raised an eyebrow.

Respect?

Was respect now defined as going completely pale and looking terrified out of your mind?

Because that was exactly how Melvin had looked earlier when Azrael was in the room.

Hah. The king was totally bluffing.

"Of course," Melvin continued, "because of the respect I have for him, I have decided to spare your life—on one condition."

Elliot tensed. Here we go...

"You have one week," the king declared, "to end whatever is going on between you and the Demon King. If you do, you will be allowed to live. If not, your execution will be carried out immediately."

Elliot's mouth dropped open.

What.

"Huh?" He gawked at Melvin, thinking he must have misheard.

"I said," the king repeated, irritation creeping into his tone, "you have one week to get rid of your so-called marriage with Azrael. Otherwise, you will be executed."

Elliot stared at him, utterly bewildered.

"What does my marriage—or whatever you want to call it—have to do with my execution? I thought I was being punished for breaking the barrier!"

And, more importantly, how the hell did they expect him to annul the marriage?! He had already tried that! Azrael hadn't complied and completely ignored him!

This wasn't a simple, "We're breaking up, have a nice life," kind of situation.

This was a demonically binding marriage.

The king's expression hardened. He had his own reasons.

There was more to this than he was letting on. In truth, Melvin had his own plans. He couldn't afford to go against Azrael completely, not now, not with his realm facing sudden attacks and the barrier already destroyed. The realm was vulnerable, and keeping peace with the demons—no matter how fragile—was essential.

If the Holy Priests found out that a mortal was married to the Demon King, they would see it as a grave sin. There would be no peace..... only a declaration of war.

If Elliot ended the marriage, things could go back to normal.

So yes, this was his only choice.

"I won't repeat myself," the king said coldly. "You have one week. Yes or no?"

Elliot gulped loudly.

This is a death trap no matter how I look at it.

If he failed to annul the marriage, he'd be executed.

If he tried to annul it, Azrael might kill him first.

But what choice did he have?

Taking a deep breath, Elliot forced the words out—

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will... do everything possible to end this marriage before next week."

As soon as he said it, an odd feeling clenched his chest.

A slight tightness.

A strange discomfort.

Why... does this feel so suffocating?

But he shook it off. The king merely nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. Now get out of my sight."

Elliot didn't need to be told that twice.