Chapter 48

Leaving aside the multitude of thoughts in Sheffy Harl’s mind for the moment.

King Celt Aurus’s sound amplification crystal—had already been swiftly prepared in the open square.

50. Impulse

Surrounded by the royal entourage, even though King Celt Aurus was standing on the ground, facing the proud and lofty Jeffriel hovering in the sky, his dignity remained entirely intact.

Though his words were those of negotiation.

His tone was still sufficiently stirring.

“Friend from the Demon Clan who has come from afar… you crossed the border between the Demon Domain and the Kingdom of Aurus without permission and released magic to attack us. May I take this to mean that you intend to reignite the flames of war? Peace has only just begun… why would you do this?”

The voice projected through the amplification crystal was clear and resonant.

This was in stark contrast to Jeffriel’s aged voice, which sounded like muffled thunder under the reinforcement of his magic.

“Ho… if this old one were to call it war, so be it. However… our entire army remains motionless. Today I came to the Royal Capital of my own accord, merely for sightseeing. Yet your human scenery… truly cannot compare to that of our Demon Domain…”

“Sightseeing…?”

Upon hearing this, had they not still been in negotiation, King Celt Aurus might well have laughed aloud.

“Your Excellency, as an elder, how could you say such a thing…? Alas… a Six-Winged Demon forcibly entering our territory can no longer be considered an individual act. You have already violated the balance agreement between the higher races. Let us do this… if you explain your purpose here, or withdraw at once, I can act as though today’s incident never occurred, and the higher races will not impose sanctions on the Demon Domain.”

In an instant.

Thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and fierce winds howled!

Jeffriel’s expression remained unchanged, yet this sudden shift in the weather seemed almost as if he were laughing wildly!

“Human king… how pitiful you are, always invoking the protection of the higher races when seeking to defend your nation. I say this is not war, so it is not war. The higher races are not so foolish as to strike against our Demon Domain. They too must weigh their actions. Enough, enough… this old one pities you. I shall now state my purpose. If you can meet my demand, I shall withdraw.”

“That would be most welcome.”

In truth, King Celt Aurus’s palm was already slick with sweat.

Invoking the higher races had been a bluff born of desperation.

Now that the Demon Clan Princess had effectively withdrawn from the battlefield, he had long been anxious about whether another Six-Winged Demon might enter the fray. With Jeffriel now intruding upon the Royal Capital and the higher races not intervening, it only confirmed that the balance between the races had not been broken.

The army was still making its way back toward the Royal Capital from outside…

Moreover, if battle were to break out now, who could say what chance of victory they truly had?

Thus, if negotiations were still possible, negotiate he would.

King Celt Aurus held his breath and focused his mind, patiently waiting for Jeffriel to state his terms.

After a brief, stifling silence.

The words that came from the elder’s mouth caused the king to furrow his brow tightly.

“This old one has come here to ensure the safety of our Demon Clan Princess. Bring her here now. Once I see that the princess is safe and unharmed, I shall withdraw in peace, providing an explanation to my people. Would you be willing to accept this?”

“……”

King Celt Aurus glanced back toward the direction where the Hero was standing.

Xiarette shook her head lightly, her meaning abundantly clear.

In truth, there was no need for the Hero to signal.

Celt Aurus already knew that certain matters, once temporarily compromised upon, would only lead to the grandest of destructions later on.

“I am sorry, Lord Jeffriel, but your proposal is unacceptable to us.”

“Oh? Human king, it was you who spoke of negotiation, yet now such a simple request, you say you cannot accept?”

“If Your Excellency merely wished to see the Demon Clan Princess, that would be one thing. But should we truly bring her out from the place where she is sealed, who can say whether Your Excellency would simply take her away… that remains unknown.”

Rolling thunder rumbled, black clouds surged.

“Haha… hahahaha! Human king, have your aged eyes grown dim and your mind lost to reason? This old one is offering you a chance, yet you are arrogant beyond measure! Very well… so be it! Since this old one has come here today, leaving shall not be so easy!”

“Hss… Your Excellency, be prudent! The Demon Clan Princess is now in our custody. Should you act recklessly, we will not hesitate to fight to the death!”

“Haha… hahahaha! Then let us see, let us see! This old one would very much like to know if you truly have the strength to do so!”

Negotiations completely collapsed, their echoes reverberating through the sky. In Jeffriel’s hand, lightning gathered and transformed into a staff of purple spectral light.

With a light tap toward the void, it unleashed a blast of thunder like a show of intimidation.

At that very moment—a streak of golden light shot through the sky from the opposite horizon.

Hearing the wind, Jeffriel turned his clouded gaze back, eyes filled with the dazzling radiance of the Holy Sword.

Jeffriel merely tilted his head slightly; the blade of the Holy Sword swept past the side of his head, taking only a few strands of his white hair, then continued its charge, embedding itself into the ground before Xiarette with a crisp and resonant clang.

Only then did this “golden meteor” that had split the sky finally halt its momentum.

“The Holy Sword, is it… ho… so the Hero is here as well.”

The elder looked on appreciatively as the golden-haired young girl pulled the Holy Sword from the ground, nodding in approval with a gentle motion.

At the same time, when he caught sight of the black-haired little girl hiding behind her… a look of puzzlement appeared between Jeffriel’s brows for the first time.

He shifted his position in the sky, seemingly trying to get a clearer look at something. Yet that little girl moved with nimble steps, almost like playing hide-and-seek, always keeping herself hidden behind the Hero.

Just moments ago, Xiarette had summoned the Holy Sword with a distant pull of her magic.

The first attempt to link her magic failed. When she called for the Holy Sword, Sylatrella replied that she was resting and refused to budge—completely unmoved by any persuasion.

It was only on the second attempt, when Xiarette infused a small message into the flow of her magic—”Sheffy needs your help”—that the golden light had burst forth across the sky!

Xiarette now held the Holy Sword firmly, ready for battle.

At this moment, her wine-red ceremonial dress looked more like a blood-stained battle robe. Her hair, once neatly tied up, had somehow come undone, fluttering in the wind—valiant and imposing.

The presence of the Hero naturally bolstered the nobles’ confidence; they now believed they would survive this day!

Yes… of course! The Hero was someone who had already defeated the Six-Winged Demon Clan Princess! Since there had been a first victory, there could surely be a second. If she could slay this incoming Six-Winged Demon here, wouldn’t those who stayed behind and did not flee gain some measure of glory?

However, just as Xiarette was preparing to leap into the air and confront the enemy.

Miss Shaya suddenly tugged lightly at her sleeve from behind.

“Sheffy?”

“Oh, if you really insist on going up there to fight, I’ll keep an eye out for that other fellow who’s still hiding in the shadows. We’ll chase him off. But… it doesn’t seem like you need to fight just yet? Hee hee… look over there, isn’t someone already itching to take the stage? Why not let her try first?”

“Ah?”

Having been focused entirely on the sky just now, Xiarette turned her head toward the king’s side after the reminder.

There, a certain young genius lady—who had just embarrassed herself by tripping and falling in the banquet hall—was now gripping her sword with one hand, her expression twisted with determination, locked in a struggle with her elder brother, Karl Wright!

“Karl, let me go…! Why should the Hero get all the glory again? I’ve long wanted to face off against a Six-Winged Demon…! I want to see for myself—if what Xiarette can do, I can’t do too!”

“Nona, don’t be reckless! A Six-Winged Demon isn’t someone you can handle! Second Uncle and the others are making preparations… put your sword away for now, do you hear me!”

“Hss… how will I know if I can’t unless I try! If you keep holding me back… the credit will go to her, Xiarette, once again! A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity… I have to fight today…!”

“Nona!!”

Even as a Ninth-Tier, Karl Wright couldn’t hold back Nona Wright by sheer arm strength alone—she had clearly been preparing her magic and strengthening herself well in advance for this moment.

Nona Wright seized the initiative, gripping a slender crystal sword forged from Magic Crystal, and leapt off the ground.

The entire royal court was present here now…

His Majesty the King was here, the Queen was here, and even the highly promising Third Princess was here.

If she didn’t showcase her abilities now, was she supposed to spend her life guarding the frontier territories?

【Float】【Advanced Acceleration】【Enhancement】【Magic Reinforcement】

Her Eighth-Tier strength was more than enough to propel her into the air toward Jeffriel within a few steps.

Before even leaving the ground, she turned her head and shot a proud, challenging glare at Xiarette, brimming with provocation.

“Uh… Sheffy? Should we stop her?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine~ Uncle Jeffriel doesn’t like to kill. Well… though I’m afraid this one’s bound to suffer a little for it.”

In Jeffriel’s aged eyes, the figure of the short-haired girl soaring toward him was reflected.

He chuckled softly twice, yet the lightning staff in his hand remained unmoved.

In fact, he made no move at all.

“Ah, youth comes with its own fierce drive… Courage is good, but courage without wisdom—now that is the most poisonous of all faults… alas.”

“Demon! Prepare to die! Eh…?!”

She had clearly used 【Advanced Acceleration】 to surge ahead and reach Jeffriel first.

And she swung her sword down at full speed.

Yet… the blade never fell.

Before her was Jeffriel’s withered face, unreadable in its expression.

And when she glanced aside slightly… Nona Wright discovered that the arm holding her sword had already been twisted backward—clearly broken.

Moments later, even the slender sword forged from sturdy Magic Crystal shattered into fragments and scattered.

The pain only registered after the fact, sweeping through Nona Wright’s body like a tidal wave. Her eyes widened with rage and disbelief—perhaps she thought she had simply been unlucky, and so she resolved to try again!

“Ah… aaah…!! Damn it…! Damn it all…!!”

“Foolish…”

The result was all too clear.

Her other arm—which had previously remained unharmed—also twisted backward with a crisp, sickening crack.

Regret and helplessness surged over the prideful girl’s mind like floodwaters.

Hey… Xiarette…

Just what kind of monsters… are you normally facing…?

Her scream, driven by agony, echoed through the sky.

51. You Must Not Go!

A gust of wind split the air, and just as Nona Wright was about to plummet straight down, Karl Wright shot upward and caught her mid-air, slowly landing on a patch of grass far from Jeffriel.

Nona Wright cried out in pain, both arms broken. She couldn’t even use one arm to hold the other—there was no way to even try easing the pain. Two streams of hot tears raced down her once-arrogant face.

Lying flat on the grass, she opened her eyes through the agony and clearly saw Karl Wright’s face. She didn’t even know how to begin expressing her regret.

“Karl…! Ugh…! I know I was wrong! I… I can’t beat him! It hurts… it really hurts! That demon… he didn’t even move!”

“Hss… don’t talk right now! Let me ease the pain with healing magic first… the court medics are already on their way! You better take this as a hard-learned lesson! Let me worry less, will you! Do you understand?!”

“I understand…! I understand! It hurts…!”

Karl Wright ached for his sister’s suffering.

But he didn’t think this was a bad thing.

Today, the man only broke your arms.

If you remained obsessed, unable to see the gap in strength, then one day… you’d die on the battlefield!

However…

Karl Wright looked back, gazing up at the thunderclouds swirling around Jeffriel.

That old man in the sky clearly had both the time and strength to go in for the kill… so why did he stop at merely breaking her arms without making any further moves? Could it be that he didn’t actually want to provoke excessive conflict this time…?

Regardless, this incident’s outcome would soon be decided.

And the reason for that was simple—

Second Uncle… was ready.

Jeffriel withdrew his emotionless gaze from the girl lying on the grass, shaking his head in disappointment. He raised his staff toward the king, the power of thunder poised to strike at any moment.

However—

“Hmm?”

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