Chapter 37: Chapter 36 – Homeland IV

She puts her teacup on the table and rises from her seat elegantly before turning towards the margrave.

「I can attest to the hero's opinion on Xalvari's strength,」 she says without emotion.

Her fine features and perfect, pale skin shine in the intense daylight streaming through the window.

「It may certainly not be enough to send a small party if we want to deal with him. Hence, I propose we enlarge the unit to be company-sized,」 she says with rehearsed precision and locks gazes with the margrave before continuing, 「With that said, father, I wish to join Master Kharan in subduing Xalvari and rescuing the princess.」

Margrave Gauden studies her with a cold expression, hands on the table and frowning one of his eyebrows more intensely than the other.

He pulls open a small hidden shelf out of the side of the table in front of him and takes out a big cigar. The moment he puts it in his mouth, the servant Enowen is already a few paces away. Without any orders, he reaches his right hand out and lights it up with a single flame appearing on his finger, puts an ashtray on the table with his left, then retreats back into the corner, as if planned in advance.

Taking a big drag, the margrave turns his head up to release the smoke toward the ceiling, then gazes back on Astora, who's diligently keeping her stoic expression.

「How are you suggesting you deal with Xalvari if he keeps resisting,」 he asks while biting into his cigar.

「Kill him, Your Grace.」

Astora's voice stays monotone throughout. The margrave turns towards the other two, gauging their reactions, but neither of them shows any sign of defiance. Looking closer, he notices a faint smile on Elena's face, her eyes lightening up.

Taking another long drag and letting out the smoke, he hums to himself.

「Very well. If Hero approves of this, then I shall not be one of opposing opinion. Is that fine, Hero — all that we've laid out?」

Hero looks at Astora for a moment, then turns to Gauden. 「Ideally, I should have been the one to do it, but if Master Kharan is spearheading the effort, then it shall suffice,」 Hero pauses with a sigh then adds, 「However, when you send people after Xalvari, make sure to include first-class mages in your company.」

Astora faces Hero and dips into a bow, 「We will not disappoint you, hero.」

Margrave Gauden nods for a moment, scratching his chin. His face turns grim upon taking another drag.

「I still remember when you were all just fledgling kids, playing together, wet behind your ears. All of you training under my guidance. Xalvari was no swordsman, but he excelled elsewhere... I thought besides teaching you how to fight, I would also teach you how to get along, just like I wished my parents taught me to get along with my siblings,」 Margrave Gauden reminisces in a somber voice, turning his head to the side to look at a large landscape painting on the far wall of the room. 「How did it turn to this...」

Hero straightens his back.

「Master Gauden, the proph-」 he tries saying before getting interrupted by a raised hand from the margrave. He turns to look outside with a solemn face.

「This meeting is concluded, as far as I'm concerned. Be careful of any tricks the princes may pull. Enowen, lead them to the dining room, let's not keep our guests hungry.」

 

The meal, like most things in and around the palace, is lavish. After the three have eaten all four courses and rested, they walk out of the palace and onto the front yard. Elena catches up to Hero with hurried steps, both wearing their armor again. The carriage pulls up at a gentle pace.

「Hero, Sir, where to?」 Elena asks.

「The Royal Quarters, I wish to speak with Princess Lumira,」 he pauses on the first step and turns to her, 「do you not wish to stay here for longer?」

「No, Hero, Sir, I am your attendant, please do not concern yourself with-」

「No need to be so stiff Elena. Remember, we are friends before anything else, I don't go around calling you sword saint either, do I?,」 Hero interrupts her with a disapproving look.

「F-friend...」 disappointment shows on Elena's face for a split second before she lowers her gaze, 「Yes... I'm sorry Hero s- Hero...」 she mutters with concealed bitterness, as if having tasted charred food at an elegant dinner.

「Well, if you don't want to stay, let's get going!」 Hero exclaims.

「C-certainly!」 Elena's face brightens up while she enters the carriage just behind him.

§

The scenery zips past them, first the rural settings surrounding the Celesion palace, then after half about an hour, the first outposts of the capital's guard. Barns and detached houses start clumping together with staggering speed until they blur into rows of houses and, as they tumble onto smooth cobblestone, into streets flanked by multi-storey buildings of the outer city's biggest residential district. Using the largest thoroughfare, reserved for nobility and the king, they make quick work of the otherwise arduous ascent.

Figures of lawyers walking in and out of the capital's main court look like so many a black-robed apparition when they cross into the administrative district, only to vanish once they pass under a long colonnade that decorates the entrance to a plaza in front of the inner city gates. From there, the carriage only stops twice, the first time for a quick nod-through by the inner city guards, and the second time, having passed the buildings of militia and villas of the lesser barons, at the chokepoint of the castle gates.

There, the guards in distinctively more imposing armor take their time to inspect the carriage fully, and bow with respect to Hero as they open the door to see who travels with him. The large gates, taller than an outer city residential building, swing open, then a set of heavy iron gratings ascends to let them through.

Before the sun has kissed the horizon, they are already back in the most restricted place of the Kingdom.

Entering the Royal Quarters, they pass through an arched gate overgrown with meticulously pruned vines, exit the carriage and approach a plaza — a square of about a hundred meters in width and length. It has a tall fountain in the center, which appears to be carved out of a single, large block of marble, about twice as tall as the carriage, exuding the notion of majesty at passers-by. The stone gently swirls and curves around the statue of the Goddess, who stands in the very middle and casts her eyes down on the passers-by.

Once out of the carriage, Hero and Elena spot a girl sitting on the edge of the fountain. She has chest-length light pink hair that gradates to blonde towards the crown. It is partially tied in a bun at the back, with around half of its mass allowed to fall in strands onto her back, resembling a decorative bouquet more than a hairdo. She wears gold earrings, about a thumb's length in diameter that shimmer, reflecting the evening sun when she moves her dainty head. On her torso is a white dress with a knee-length gathered skirt, decorated with gold brocade that spirals around both parts, criss-crossing diagonally at the hem.

She faces a woman sitting to her right, with purple skin and tentacles running down her thighs and along her legs. The woman's clothes appear very suggestive, wrapping around her form, but the big nun hat with delicate fabrics hanging on the sides reveals her to have a more esteemed role.

Around them, keeping their distance, several maids and guards stand with stoic expressions, patiently observing the two.

Hero notices the girl giggle every now and then, engrossed in what looks like a pleasant conversation. Each time she does, she raises her hand in a practiced motion, and covers her mouth with her index and middle finger, taking care to barely reveal her pearly white teeth.

「Hehehe, really...? And then what happened?」 Hero hears the girl ask.

The purple woman appears amused as she leans in slightly and tells the girl something inaudible from a far distance, prompting the girl to giggle again.

As Hero and Elena get closer, the guards and maids surrounding the fountain notice them, and, after a nod from one of the guards, they bow and make way for them to approach the girl and woman.

Noticing the disturbance, the girl turns her head and spots the approaching figures.

You are reading story The Demon King Has Been Defeated! Now What? at novel35.com

「Hero!!!」 she suddenly yells excited, hops up and starts running toward him.

「Princess Lumira, good to see you in good health,」 Hero replies while getting down on one knee with open arms, letting the girl run into his arms.

They stay in embrace for a while, with the princess bearing a content face while sliding her head up and down Hero's cheek.

Elena is down on one knee behind Hero, with a downcast, respectful look on her face.

Having had her fill of hugs, Princess Lumira pulls back a little and looks at Hero with a wide smile.

「Listen, listen, Pope Leminas told me we're going to marry! I am so happy, oh, I can't wait!」 she exclaims as her big crystal green eyes appear to glimmer and her delicate eyelashes flutter.

Hero puts on an awkward smile and pulls her an arm's distance away from his body. With a gentle gaze and smile, he looks her in the eyes and says, 「Listen, Princess Lumira, we've found out where your sister has been abducted to, we are in the process of sending people to go save her.」

In the span of a second, the princess's face switches from a smile to an increasing frown before settling on having no emotion.

「Is that right? Heavens! I'm so happy they've found my dear sister. When will she come back?」 she asks with her voice slightly trembling.

「I don't know,」 Hero admits with furrowed brows, 「These strong people, powerful mages and warriors, they are going to a faraway land, way, way outside the Kingdom,」 he gestures to his side, 「filled with danger. It's going to take a while. I wish I could join them, but I need to stay here and protect you,」 Hero says, caressing her cheek with his index finger.

「You're going to stay!?」

The princess's wide smile returns and she takes his hand before jumping up and down squealing with joy.

「Oh Hero, with you here I shall always feel safe,」 she declares while looking at him with a dreamy face.

「You can count on me,」 Hero replies, patting her on the shoulder. 「Now, Princess Lumira, will you do something for me?」

Princess Lumira coils her arms around his neck and leans in, widening smile.

「Of course, anything for you!」 she says softly into his ear.

「Will you tell me about those prayers Pope Leminas is having you go through?」

The princess stays silent for a moment, weighing his words. She looks back at the surrounding guards, scanning through them until she spots the purple woman who is now speaking to some maids with a stern look while adjusting her hat. The maids, middle-aged and heavy-set, with signs of wrinkles near eyes and mouths, nod with frantic expressions before lifting their skirts and approaching the princess with brisk steps.

Princess Lumira leans in close to Hero's ear and whispers, 「I am not supposed to tell you, but if you agree to join my tea ceremony tomorrow, I will consider it,」

She pulls back with a mischievous grin to which Hero can only respond with a helpless smile.

The maids arrive and bow steeply before one announces, 「Your Highness, it is time to prepare for bed.」

The princess casts a glance at them, then retreats two steps with rehearsed steps.

「Now, if you'll excuse me, Hero. I am not allowed to stay up longer than this hour,」 she says and does a curtsy farewell, 「I shall bid thee good night.」

She turns around and lets the maids hold her hands on both sides as they escort her away. Before the guards and the rest of the maids completely obscure her view, she turns her head and winks, adding 「Remember to consider my offer.」

Hero stands up and as soon as she and her entourage are out of earshot, he notices the purple woman stepping forward with her hands held together in front of her chest.

「Oh, Hero, and Sword Saint Elena, good to see you here, how do you fare?」 she asks while bowing.

「Shanii, it's been a while. You've locked yourself up in the monastery ever since...」 Hero's voice tapers off as he frowns and looks down.

「Ever since the incident...? Akk-a, does it still weigh down on you? I've heard they've found the Princess' whereabouts, though.」

「Seems like everyone except me knew. I don't know how to feel about that,」 Hero says, looking sour and shaking his head slightly.

「I am sure it was all in your best interests. Remember, Hero, we all want you to fulfill the prophecy and lead us into a new age.」

Shanii gets closer and consoles him, gently running one of her tentacles over his upper back.

「I am sure all will be well, may I offer you a small prayer for the Goddess's favor?」

Hero gets down on one knee and lets Shanii put her hands on his shoulders. She closes her eyes and recites a few short verses.

「Goddess of Light, grant us thine providence. Thine servants and followers yearn for respite from the chaos of this world, and they turn to thee for shelter. Thine gentle look shall cast out the dark of our spirits, thine loving embrace shall comfort us in times of peril. Grant thine believer the kindness of thine divine nature, we pray. Let his path shine with thine glory,」 she says quietly and puts her right hand on Hero's head. 「For these are our humble words of worship. Kha-elith. Irling-o. Aima.」

 

A crow settled on the top of the fountain has been observing the three figures on the plaza with its red eyes. Tilting and angling its head, it sees a female figure in a long, flowing golden dress further ahead, approaching from the entrance with five knights in equally golden armor, with intricate relief and insets, walking alongside her. She has a stately, dignified aura to her presence, while the knights all look stern, heavy brows intimidating everything they look at as they escort the woman.

Upon noticing the entourage, the three figures all immediately fall down on their knees. The air feels tense, becoming quite difficult to breathe. The crow, unnerved by the sudden silence, cries out loud and flees.

Its wings bask in the glow of the setting sun, which has changed the city into a mosaic of bright honey yellow and inky, almost-black purples. It flies over the neighboring buildings, turning towards the gardens, passing over sheds, the servants' house, and finally the statues' caretaker's little cottage, managing to squeeze itself past the porticulis of the main gate and out the gate while it's still open.

Using the gentle evening breeze, which always blows upward along the castle walls at dusk, the bird glides steadily down until landing on a silver-tiled roof of a tower, overlooking a large building, with interior courtyards connected by tunnels, all surrounded by blocks.

The bird leans over the edge of the roof and tilts its head expectantly. Once ensured, it hops off and, after a short fall, flies up a bit to squeeze itself through the bars of a window on the tower's top floor. Without hesitation, it lands next to and starts pecking at a quarter of a bun lying on the floor, next to a low, worn-out table, ignoring a man standing at the other end of the room. Greedily tearing it to shreds and gulping down the fluffy chunks, it pauses upon hearing footsteps, and notices a woman with long legs and a musketeer outfit enter the room.

You can find story with these keywords: The Demon King Has Been Defeated! Now What?, Read The Demon King Has Been Defeated! Now What?, The Demon King Has Been Defeated! Now What? novel, The Demon King Has Been Defeated! Now What? book, The Demon King Has Been Defeated! Now What? story, The Demon King Has Been Defeated! Now What? full, The Demon King Has Been Defeated! Now What? Latest Chapter