Chapter 10
The maids, who had grown up within the royal palace and castle, nervously arranged the magic crystals in place, then quickly lifted the hems of their skirts and left through the side gate of the palace, not daring to further disturb the noise within the great hall.
The kingdom’s main hall hadn’t been this lively in years—it was bustling with voices.
The lords and political rivals, who had always been at odds, were all lords of various territories across the kingdom. Though they had considered the possibility of one day gathering before the king, they never imagined that day would come so suddenly.
Aurus III, Celt Aurus, was already aged—nearing seventy years old.
He had ascended to the throne at the age of twenty, and now nearly fifty years had passed.
In fifty years, apart from his coronation, this was the first time the kingdom’s great nobles had all been summoned to the Royal Capital.
The more people there were, the more chaotic it became. The noise of heated discussions echoed continuously within the hall.
Wearing his crown, King Celt Aurus swept his sharp, weathered gaze across the hall full of nobles.
In the end, that gaze landed on the Head of the Wright Family, Eclight, who stood closest to him.
Eclight gave a slight nod, understanding immediately.
Without needing a word from the king, this awe-inspiring head of the Wright Family lightly raised the greatsword in his hand—
—then gently knocked the sword’s hilt, facing downward, against the floor...!
Boom!!
A terrifying surge of wind, like the roar of a giant dragon, instantly swept through the entire royal hall.
The previously chaotic discussions fell completely silent in an instant from the shock.
Everyone turned to look in Eclight’s direction.
The hilt of the greatsword in his hand remained standing against the ground as if it had never moved. Even though it had made such a terrifying noise just now, the point where the blade touched the crystal floor didn’t show a single crack.
There was a reason why Eclight had become the Head of the Wright Family.
Among the Human Race, there were only five tenth-rank powerhouses—and he was one of them.
A tenth rank was equivalent to the strength needed to battle a five-winged Demon Clan member. Rumors even said they could rival six-winged demons, though whether that was true remained uncertain, as there were no actual battle records for reference.
Six-winged Demon Clan members were far too rare—impossible to track down.
And the Wright Family’s deterrence wasn’t limited to that.
Eclight’s daughter, Xiarette, had reached the tenth rank at a young age, becoming the youngest tenth-rank warrior in Human history. She was blessed by the Hero’s Grace and acknowledged by the Holy Sword, her strength enough to rival the Demon King. Her talent was truly terrifying.
Other members of the family were mostly seventh or eighth rank—formidable enough to fight four-winged demons without falling behind.
The Wright Family was favored by the divine. Their status in the Kingdom of Aurus needed no explanation, and their loyalty was as clear as day.
Seeing the great hall finally quiet, King Celt Aurus knew it was time to speak.
His old age did nothing to diminish the bearing of a king who had spent decades campaigning on the battlefield.
As he rose, he flung back his red cloak, the luxurious fabric stirring the air like a flag fluttering in the wind.
The king’s voice, amplified by the enhancement of a sound crystal, echoed deeply within the hearts of everyone present.
“Everyone, this expedition was a victory for our Human Race. The Demon Clan has retreated in defeat. Rejoice! Glory be with the kingdom!”
After a brief silence...
This short yet powerful opening statement erupted into a thunderous wave of raised arms and cheers from the entire hall!
“Long live His Majesty the King!”
“Long live the Human Race!”
“Victory everlasting, long live peace!!”
Perhaps some of the great nobles were merely echoing the king’s sentiments as they shouted and raised their arms.
But there were also those lords who had long suffered from the ravages of war in their territories, who truly wept with their faces covered, overcome with gratitude that the kingdom had brought them such a hard-won victory.
Celt did not sit down.
He took the scepter handed to him by the queen and tapped it twice on the ground. Though it didn’t create the overwhelming wave that Eclight’s sword hilt had, it was still enough to quiet the hall once again.
There was no doubting the authority of a king who had ruled for decades.
“This victory... was not easily won. We’ve waited far too long for this day.”
“But I must tell you all—this victory can only bring us a brief peace. Today’s gathering is not merely a celebratory banquet.”
“The more practical purpose... is to ask all of you to remain vigilant in your territories, to report any movements of the Demon Clan to the Royal Capital without delay. War could reignite at any moment.”
His words did pour a bit of cold water on the excitement, but no one found fault with the king for lacking tact in such an emotional moment.
The Kingdom of Aurus had long been terrified by the Demon Clan. Everyone knew that this victory was far from final. The risks still remained.
At that moment—
A somewhat sharp and cutting voice, with a hint of mockery in its tone, suddenly rang out.
“Your Majesty, rest assured. With your wise leadership, none would dare grow complacent. You command the kingdom, and the Wright Family defends the Royal Capital! I can even declare with confidence—within ten years, the Demon Clan will not dare provoke war again!”
“Sigh... Lord Philex, if things truly go as you say, then the kingdom may finally enjoy a time of rest and recovery...”
The one who stepped forward, bowing as he spoke, was a lean man in his forties, dressed in a lavish purple robe.
He wore a thin, long mustache. His face was narrow and long, his short hair purple, and when he smiled, his eyes curled into an unsettling crescent shape.
He stood at the very front of the gathered nobles.
Philex was the current Chancellor of the Kingdom of Aurus.
Tears shimmered in his eyes as he saluted the king, then gave a slight nod in the direction of the Wright Family.
After that, he turned around and raised both arms toward the assembly of lords.
“My lords! His Majesty has made the stakes clear. From now on, may all territories remain vigilant. If there is any movement from the Demon Clan, it must be reported to the Royal Palace without delay!”
This time, compared to the king’s address, the response was noticeably more subdued.
After all, compared to the king’s authority, this newly appointed Chancellor—who had risen due to his family’s prestige and often sought to be in the spotlight—did not possess the same commanding influence.
Noticing the lack of response, Philex gave a bitter chuckle and returned to his position.
He stepped back into the ranks of the lords, and the king’s view once again opened up before him.
The king sat back down on his throne, gently holding the scepter in his hand. Not long after, he passed the scepter back to the queen, then pinched the space between his eyebrows with his fingers, looking troubled and weary.
At such a moment, the “attentive” great nobles below the steps naturally stepped forward and bowed in inquiry.
“Your Majesty, may we ask what troubles your mind?”
“Indeed... The reason I summoned you all from so far away isn’t just for that matter. There is another issue—one of far greater importance, and a most troublesome one at that.”
After a brief pause—
A fierce glint suddenly flashed in the king’s aged eyes, like the edge of a blade—just like the days when he personally set foot on the battlefield, crossing endless deserts with unstoppable resolve.
“You only know that this war was a hard-fought victory for the kingdom. What you don’t know is that, in this expedition, we achieved an even greater triumph.”
“In this battle, the vanguard led by the Hero captured alive the notorious and vile First Princess of the Demon Clan—Sheffy Harl.”
“This matter is of immense consequence. It concerns not just everyone present... no, it concerns the safety of every subject of the kingdom. I summoned you here today to discuss how best to deal with this fearsome demoness.”
10. Chill
By the time the king finished speaking, even with the amplification of the sound crystal, his words were barely audible.
Because—when he reached the critical point, the moment he said “the kingdom has captured the First Princess”...
The hall had already erupted in waves of astonishment, surging like a tide!
This time, whether they had been truly engaged earlier or merely pretending, all were utterly shaken by the king’s words.
Perhaps only a few great nobles who had received advance battlefield reports were not as stunned, but most had been left in the dark.
It was no exaggeration to say that this news was like a crashing tidal wave.
“So the rumors were true...! Our kingdom really captured the Demon Clan Princess?! That’s the so-called Princess of Calamity! A six-winged demon?!”
“Heavens above... Has the Hero really become this powerful? Unbelievable, truly unbelievable! Doesn’t this mean... we might even have a chance to counterattack the Demon Clan’s territory?!”
“We absolutely can, absolutely! The Hero is still young—given time, she’ll surely go down in history!”
“......”
The king let out a quiet sigh, never stopping the motion of pressing his fingers to his brow.
He found the contents of the discussion below to be nothing but a headache.
King Celt Aurus knew well that gathering this many lords together could only result in disorder and little constructive value.
But it was necessary.
All those present were prominent figures in the kingdom. On a matter that affected the kingdom’s survival, the king did not wish to make a unilateral decision.
A correct decision would no longer add much to his prestige.
But a wrong decision would undoubtedly shake the royal authority to some extent.
This was war... War was a raging tide. Any major issue had to be brought to the table for open discussion—it could not be taken lightly.
King Celt Aurus once again turned his gaze toward the Wright Family on the right side of the royal platform.
More precisely—
He looked toward the Hero of the kingdom, Xiarette, who stood beside the Head of the Wright Family, wearing a dark red cloak.
“Hero, you have returned victorious. Time has been tight—I haven’t yet had the chance to personally congratulate you.”
“Your Majesty flatters me.”
With grace and poise, Xiarette gave a light flick of her cloak and faced the throne.
Her golden hair danced with the breeze, and the gleam of the golden sheath at her waist—belonging to the Holy Sword—flashed with brilliance.
The king nodded in approval, then furrowed his brow slightly and asked in a low voice,
“Regarding the First Princess of the Demon Clan... I’ve heard you've already made arrangements?”
“Yes. As I reported through the communication crystal, she has been securely sealed.”
Xiarette first cast a sidelong glance to observe the members of the Wright Family, then turned her gaze toward the throne and gave her report.
“I’ve escorted Sheffy Harl to my territory, where she is suppressed with a massive quantity of Demon-Sealing Stones and the royal secret treasure bestowed by Your Majesty. There’s no possibility of failure.”
That was a lie.
Sheffy was probably sleeping soundly at home right now.
“So, if the Hero is here in person, it means that even in your absence, the Demon Princess cannot break free from the seal?”
“Of course. The sealing technique formed by the kingdom’s secret treasure is absolutely unbreakable.”
That too was a lie.
If Sheffy couldn’t break free from any kind of seal—it could only be a seal called “the warm cozy bed.”
“Excellent... truly excellent! Hero Xiarette, your achievements this time will surely be recorded in the annals of the kingdom!”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Guards! Grant the Hero several more fiefs!”
“......”
Upon hearing this, Xiarette could only sigh in quiet disappointment the moment she lowered her head.
She had originally hoped that, if the king were to reward her with some gold or silver, she could use it all to buy Sheffy the best local delicacies...
Unfortunately, when it came to royal rewards, ninety-nine percent of the time, money was never mentioned.
The reason was simple.
The kingdom had been through too much hardship during the war... Even the national treasury had been nearly emptied.
It was said that even the king’s personal assets had to be used to fund the military—proof enough that the Kingdom of Aurus, once unimaginably prosperous, was now so strapped for resources that even rewarding meritorious subjects with money had become unrealistic.
Still, the war had temporarily subsided. If the kingdom could truly recover and commerce flourished once more, then Sheffy’s life here might become a lot more comfortable, right?
But giving absolutely nothing... wasn’t quite acceptable either...