Am I Allowed to Kill the Male Lead? - Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Translator: Yonnee

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Of course, Bel was shocked. Since the creation of the heavens and the earth and since we gained sentience in Chapter 1, when we realized what genre of novel we were supposed to create, this was the first time I saw Bel so startled. He looked at me as if I were the most despicable trash on earth.

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Do it. Or should I do it for you?”

I grabbed the dithering manhood in front of me. Bel fell as if he had been seriously violated, collapsing onto the carpet and scooting back.

“I, I, I am a man, after all. Treat me as a man.”

“What does it mean to treat someone as a man?”

“A man’s… p-precious place shouldn’t be just…”

Curling his legs together and wiping his eyes with his sleeve, he didn’t look particularly manly. It seemed my concept of a man and Bel’s concept of a man were different.

Then, Bel must be wrong, and I must be right.

I’m always right, after all.

I leaned forward and diligently sucked on my cigarette.

“Touch yourself.”

“I refuse.”

“You need to develop some resistance to erotic situations.”

“There’s no need to go this far. Even this much won’t be a problem for writing ‘the next part’.”

“That’s your opinion.”

“Your constant pressure is also a problem. Depending on what you do, I could become a sadist or a masochist.”

That sounded like something a training camp instructor would say.

I snapped my fingers.

“Come here.”

Bel looked at me suspiciously before cautiously approaching again. He still clasped one arm over his nether region, legs pulled to one side to cover himself.

Being utterly defenseless and not knowing what to do under my gaze was somewhat erotic. It was an educational experience to think that I must have looked this way during the ‘main story’ filming.

Education was one thing, and I wanted to slap the cheek of the male lead who spoke absurdly. However, I had decided not to resort to direct violence today.

“Stick out your tongue.”

So, I used the male lead as an ashtray instead.

“……”

Belzebuth’s gaze briefly landed on the glass ashtray on the lounge table. Then, begrudgingly, he stuck out his tongue, and I rubbed out my cigarette on it.

He’s a fire demon, so it shouldn’t hurt. This is quite lenient. I’ve really softened up.

Bel glared at me, lighting the cigarette with his tongue, then swallowed it whole, likely intending to incinerate it inside his stomach. His look was one of reproof.

“What’s with that insolent look? Is it my fault you haven’t been able to use a whip properly so far?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“If you’re going to blame me, we might as well take out the tentacles again.”

“It’s not about shifting blame. You seemed unaware.”

Bel said coldly… or perhaps petulantly.

“My tastes and personality are likely to change according to how you lead. I can already feel that distinctly.”

This was news to me.

I’m not sure what expression I had on my face, but Bel hurriedly added more, as if frightened.

“I’m not blaming you for the end of the world. But as I’ve said time and again, if you could just reduce the intensity of the violence or… for example, stop making me do such shameless acts, it would be nice.”

Essentially, he didn’t want to mast*rbate, but I crossed my arms and thought for a moment. Seeing me silent, Bel became fidgety, wanting to do something but unable to move much because he was naked, only his tail fluttering.

Tastes and personality change according to how one is led? But our characterizations had already been decided from day one. No matter how much we tried to influence each other, we couldn’t deviate from those characterizations.

What exactly was Bel trying to say?

Then, suddenly, I realized the truth.

“You’re right. It’s my responsibility.”

Bel tensed up his shoulders, thinking my admission was a precursor to some act of violence.

“You’re admitting it?”

“Right… the end of the world is ultimately my responsibility.”

This was a romance novel called Devil’s Vivace.

Men rule the world, and women rule over men.

Belzebuth governs the earth, and I govern Belzebuth. However, because this novel’s worldbuilding hadn’t been meticulously designed, in reality, he had no ‘earth’ to rule over. He’s just a nominal Demon King.

Without subordinates, he couldn’t perform his role as a ‘king’. Since there were no servants to undress him, he had to undress himself.

Transparent laws, flawless sentences, an addictive substance that allows countless readers to live another day. Even though those laws might cover up painful truths with sweet lies ‘outside of the novel’, to me, they were as good as laws of physics. Insights cascaded one after another.

“Female leads are all like teachers, and male leads are all like badly behaved students who don’t listen well, something like that.”

This is roughly my interpretation of the rules.

Bel grimaced, uncomfortable.

“Don’t compare us to teachers and students. In that kind of relationship, sexual activity must never occur. Just thinking about it hurts my conscience.”

“But you’re a #BadBoyML. What if it hurts your conscience?”

However, Bel’s conscience aside, it seems like it wasn’t a fitting comparison upon hearing it.

“Then let’s say all female leads are custodians, and all male leads are human livestock.”

Bel seemed more at ease with this.

“If that’s the relationship, then having a sexual relationship is fine, I guess.”

With that, we reached an agreement.

“Then, touch yourself.”

“What? Why?”

We’re back to square one.

Bel had just acknowledged himself as human livestock, yet he still refused my command, trying to protect his dignity and honor.

Strip shows were somehow fine, but anything more than that he just couldn’t do?

Was his defiance part of what he considers ‘playing the role of a sub’? Was that why he’s rebelling?