Chapter 253 – Night on the Royal Road

000

A blond young man with a tattered face was running through the dark forest.

The reason why he could n’t stop his legs even with his breath up to his chin was because there were pursuers following him.

Between the sound of the wind cutting, I could hear the sound of arrows flying and the wolf running.

The guys were chasing the young man, guided by the moonlight pouring down through the thick bushes.

He wanted to scream, but his mouth his wouldn’t open.

I wanted to fight back, but I had no weapons.

The young man’s companion, the young man’s weapon, and the young man’s holy sword were all stolen by others.

Just hoping that her arrow that was chasing her would miss luckily, while she was running like crazy through the forest.

She didn’t get caught on anything, but she felt her body her roll forward.

She felt no pain, but something grabbed her leg her.

If you stumble and lift your upper body and look back –

Her ankles were pierced by black arrows, and she could see that even her bones were pierced by her.

A soundless scream rang out.

The next moment, I felt a presence from above.

Her green eyes of her, like those of an animal, were torn apart by vertical pupils and she silently looked down at herself.

A sharp dagger and Marang’s claws sharper than that dagger.

A huge wolf was with her.

She tried to call out her name, but still no sound came out of the young man’s mouth.

The girl lowered her stance and lunged at the young man with a beastly movement.

And, with those sharp claws and daggers, the young man’s body—

001

At that moment, Albein opened her eyes and roughly raised herself from the bed.

Looking around her, all she could see was a room allotted to her in her mansion her, to which Belle Lily had shown her.

Cold sweat broke out all over her body her, especially her forehead her.

When she raised her left arm and wiped her forehead, she could see that her body her had returned to its original form.

Then, when she suddenly turned her gaze to the back of her left hand.

It was seen that the imprint of the reverse pentagram was engraved.

With that trigger, her memories before she lost consciousness came to mind.

Albain made a contract with the devil.

Everything was to get rid of Cleon and get back everything she had stolen from him.

She promised Albein her powers her.

Like Cleon, she thought she could win if she was sincere, but having power was better than not having it.

But in return, Belili told Alvein to give her all her.

‘Everything is… Literally everything. Master Alvein.`

When I asked her what she was all about, her voice that answered like that echoed in her head.

`Body, mind, soul, magic, possibility, future, past… It’s all about you.`

Saying so, what she handed was a black pill.

It was said that it was an elixir specially made for Albain.

After taking a sip of the medicine, Alvein lost her mind.

Exactly what powers the drug gave him was unknown.

No, she rather felt heavier and had a headache than before she lost consciousness.

However, I said that it takes time for the medicinal effect to appear, so I will have to wait a little bit first.

Alvein recalled the advice to keep it a secret from Lord Setos, and put the medicine in a drawer.

And just in time, there was a knock on the door.

“Albein-sama, are you awake?”

It’s the first male voice he’s ever heard. Alvein carefully approaches the door and opens it.

I saw the figure of an elderly man wearing a butler’s uniform.

There were deep shadows and wrinkles around his eyes, and it was easy to imagine how long he had served Setos as a butler, with his gray hair back.

“You’re awake. I heard from Belili that the young master had fallen, and I came running. I am ‘Meraud’, the butler of the Tromeia family who serves Master Setos.”

Alvein looked at the old man who bowed while saying that, with an expression that he did not know how to treat him.

“It must have been because of the harsh things you went through in the North. Until the work Setos-sama ordered is completed, I will serve Alvein-sama.”

The old man, who speaks in a gentle and courteous manner, smiles benevolently.

“Lord Sethos ordered-“

Alvein spoke as if he could not stand his rising curiosity of him, and Maraud replied.

“It’s a succession ceremony. It’s the succession of the holy sword.”

“A holy sword?”

At the word holy sword, Alvein’s eyes widened.

Maraud nods his head and talks.

“Arondite is an item given to the rightful heir to the Tromeia family. Even by mistake… It should not fall into the hands of a cheeky girl.”

Maraud spreads his arms as he says so.

“The Tromeia family has a long tradition. From the first time they received the title as a ducal family of the kingdom. Arondaite was to be inherited by the ‘eldest son’ of this family. Not only did Aurelia fail to bear a son, but she conspired to ensure that her daughter inherited the Arondite.”

The look on Maraud’s face when he said that made Alvein look… He looks at it as if it were his own `hope` his.

“That’s why I, who has been protecting this family since Percy’s father’s generation, is now leaving him and being with Setos. And, you appeared. Master Alvein.”

Maraud’s hand reached out and held Alvein’s hand firmly.

“As Lord Setos’ son, you are the ‘eldest son’ of the Tromeia family. You are the rightful heir to Arondite.”

No matter how immature Albain was, I felt madness from Maraud’s words his.

Albain could not understand what had bound him to such a tradition.

However-

Something in his throbbing head whispered to him.

`Are you okay? Anyway, you need power. There is no shortage of holy swords. You want to get revenge on Cleon, right?`

Such a voice buried Alvein’s thoughts into darkness.

“…What can I do?”

Albain asked Maraud.

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about anything, Bocchan. Lord Sethos will do everything for you.”

“I have no intention of hiding in his shadow. … I still have not acknowledged that Lord Sethos is my father.”

At Alvein’s reply, Maraud fell silent for a moment.

But soon, he will smile again.

“Then… Why don’t you study a bit of social studies?”

“…Social studies?”

“That’s right. Master Alvein’s existence and the succession ceremony… It’s a secret for now. However, there is a party for nobles every day in the royal capital. It’s time to find fellow nobles. Wear a mask, dress up. Go out there and mingle with the nobles.”

The words Maraud uttered were words that satisfied Alvein’s shallow ‘longing for specialness’.

Aside from his friends his, he was a country boy, and his heart his raced at the thought of being able to talk to noble women at a party in the kingdom.

Albein nodded his head without thinking deeply.

His mind was already filled with the desire to lead an aristocratic life.

002

Ferdia woke up in the monastery.

Beside him sat Rubera, holding in her hand the towel she had been wiping off the little girl’s sweat.

“I’m sorry…”

The whole body screams.

The recovery was over with the power of the True Elixir, but the side effects of the forced strengthening by hemolysis still remained in her body.

“…Thank you, Luvera-sama.”

When Perdia muttered that, Ruba looked into her Perdia’s eyes her and gave a small reply.
“Sometimes the other way around. Cleon took me to you, to heal you.”

“Is this the first time we met… Back then… I was a bit grumpy because I was wary of Rubera-sama.”

She had a girl who was several years younger than her, and she was jealous of men.

Thinking about it now, it was just a cute little deviation, Ruba raised her hand to her forehead to her.

“I still have a fever. Did you learn to fight recklessly from Cleon?”

“…Because he told me to come back after winning. I just did everything for that… Is Cleon-sama all right?`

Looking at Fer Dia, who was more concerned about her Cleon her than her her own broken body her, Ruba nodded her head.

“That’s fine, but it seems like her co-worker lost her mind of her and took her to her quarters of her.”

“Ah… That’s right. In that case, her treatment of her also comes from Cleon-sama…”

Ferdia sighed in relief as she recalled her thoughts about the drugs he had handed her.

“…?”

Ruba made an expression as if she wasn’t sure what she was talking about, but then she looked up at the moon outside her window.

“The opponent you fought – my teacher. ‘Eveline’ seems to have joined hands with the demons.”

“The ‘Hydra’s Blade’ was an assassination group belonging to the Imperial Army. I heard that there was a considerable confrontation with the ‘Veil’s Tooth’ that fought on the side of the kingdom.”

And, the devils who joined hands with Evelyn – Astarothe is a group formed mainly by women from the Empire.

In a way, it might be natural for her to belong there.

“…I’ll deal with her next time.”

“Even if he’s your teacher?”

For Perdia, a teacher is no different from her parents.

That’s why, Ruba’s words her didn’t make much sense.

“Aren’t you well aware that even if you are a teacher, you are not a person with a personality like your teacher?”

Lubera smiled self-deprecatingly and looked at her barisada hanging beside her.

“She taught me only at the direction of the Marquis of Wood Knocker. She will not harbor any feelings for me as her teacher her.”

“…”

Recalling her memories of her childhood her, with Evelyn, who had forged her as she passed through death several times, Lubera shook her head in disgust.

“…I decided to fight Astarote in order to save the dark horse clan. Whenever that happens, the ties from the past cling to each other and interfere with it.”

It has already been over a month since they came to the capital, but their traces have not yet been caught.

Rather, the more they cornered Astarothe, the more they couldn’t even figure out where they were hiding their people and what they were plotting.

“You seem tired.”

Ferdia looks at Ruba and talks.

“Not as much as you are now.”

When I answered that to Perdia, who was lying in a hospital bed, Perdia stopped talking for a while.

“…I… Plan to go to Mr. Cleon as soon as I feel better.”

When Ferdia, who had been silent for a while, said that, her Ruba looked down at her with her subtle expression.

Suddenly? I thought, but Perdia spoke with a smile on her lips, covered with a soft bed and a warm blanket.

“Cleon-sama is a bit clumsy in expressing emotions, but if I want to be praised by him, he pats my hair. If I ask for a hug, he hugs me.

“…”

As the sight of her and her Cleon her clinging to her mind her popped up in her head, Lubera was to become ethereal once again.

“Spending time with someone you care about can energize you. Especially if you share the same pain or worries.”

When Ferdia said that, Ruba quietly shut her mouth.

No way—she looked like she never expected to hear a sermon from a girl a little over 10 years old.

“It’s okay if I give in.”

When Per Dia raised the corner of her mouth and said that, her Ruba looked at her like that for a while-

Raising her hand her, she squeezed her nose.

“Ubud”

After looking for a moment at Ferdia, who makes her strange noises and frowns, Ruba pulls her body up.

“Still, he’s not a cute kid. He’s cracked up on his feet his…”

“Yeah, because I don’t want to be taken away from anyone.”

As she said that, she looked at Per Dia, who began to blink and blink as if she was having a hard time getting out of the hands of the slowly approaching Suma.

Ruba had a smile on her lips for the first time in a while.

“…Well then. Concessions are gratefully accepted.”

Saying so, she left the monastery behind the sleeping girl.

She had no intention of not using the rights she had been conceded to.

003

“Keuheum… Cleon.”

At the sound of her voice her calling her name her, Cleon’s eyes flashed open.

When she raised her body and looked back, there was Askaron in her human form, looking at her.

“You’re back.”

“Yes. Thanks to you. In many ways… Thank you. Something about the lady…”

She turns her gaze to the side and talks as if something is a little awkward.

“…”

“But, sleeping naked with two women next to you is a bit…”

Only then, realizing that he still hadn’t worn a thread, Cleon hurriedly turned his gaze to find the clothes he had taken off.

Then, there were his clothes, neatly arranged as if someone had folded them.

[I woke up earlier than expected. Lyla called.]

At that time, Galatea’s voice her, lying on the bed next to her, flowed into Cleon’s head her.

[Lyla?]

After changing her clothes and getting ready to leave, Cleon hangs her Galatea around her waist her, and Ascaron bows her head to her her.

“Thank you again, Cleon.”

“No, this one. Thanks for helping me save the child.”

“It was a natural thing to do to protect the kingdom’s citizens. Rather, it was an honor to be able to help.”

When Ascaron said that, Cleon pondered for a while before opening his mouth.

“… Asuka Ron, is her holy sword her? Why does n’t she formally sign a contract with her?”

In a way, it could have been a bit sensitive for them.

Ascaron’s loyalty to Merca seemed sincere, and it felt like there was no pretense or embellishment there.

But that’s why he couldn’t help but wonder that there was no contract between the two of them as a hero and a holy sword.

Of course, she said that it was because of her own low magic power of hers.

If you put it that way, Albedo, the amount of magic he possessed was insignificant.

Perhaps there was a different reason between the two, Cleon guessed.

After receiving Cleon’s question, Askaron shut her mouth for a moment.

Soon, she quietly opened her mouth to answer.

“It’s because they made a pact. Her father – the predecessor of Alcadias.”

When Cleon heard the story, his eyes widened her slightly.

“If it were my predecessors—they committed treason… “

“… Yes. It was before he rebelled against the kingdom. The additional contract he made with me, saying that he needed greater power… In exchange for not making her daughter a hero, she gave some of her power to herself .That’s what I’m going to write.”

“…Why did you accept it?”

At Cleon’s question, Askaron looked down at her hand.

“Because I thought the age of the holy sword must end.”

“…”

“The power of the holy sword… Is much stronger than that of humans. What if it were a world with a huge enemy called the Empire, a being called the ‘Demon King’? You have to hide your face.”

So-isn’t it that her daughter her is trying to create a future where her daughter does n’t become a hero on the condition that her ancestors her end the contract with Ron Aska in their generation her?

That’s what Ascaron thought.

As a result, though she came close to using that power for treason.

“…Do you regret it?”

“Yes. I regret it now. Full justice has not been realized yet, and Lady Merca needs my strength, but I can’t respond to that… If Lady Merca gives birth to the next generation of Arcadias. Then the contract is It’s possible, but… Before that, I’m worried about what will happen to his body.”

The oath remains in effect even after the target dies.

As long as both sides don’t disappear, they will remain in the world and become shackles to each other.

So, now there was no way to make her wish her come true.

“… Merka is strong even without the power of her holy sword.”

“Yes. I am a proud lady.”

“But maybe because of you, I’m strong.”

Cleon’s seemingly contradictory words made Ascaron blink for a moment.

However, she soon smiled as if she understood the meaning.

“Thank you. Please, I really hope so.”

“…Sorry. I’m not good with words.”

“No, it was properly conveyed. Not as her Holy Sword her, but as her servant her. And as her her family her. If we can protect her … Certainly, her formal contract her may not be important.”

Cleon nodded her head in response, and she was seen off from her inn room her.

She had to return to the lodging where she and her family were waiting.

[Cleon.]

Galatea quietly called Cleon’s name her.

Alas, yes. To myself, obviously. Not just power or a demonic sword—as a family member, as a friend. A presence that stayed by her side of her.

[Whoops. If you know, that’s fine.]

Being able to communicate meant that words were not needed.

Galatea smiled contentedly.

The streets of the kingdom, which had been walking for a long time, were illuminated by moonlight.

It was a unique light that inspired each other’s hearts.