Chapter 2: The Visitor

The moment Al returned to the castle he headed for his father’s study, found every book he could on Heavenly Surges and abominations, and then spent the whole night studying them in his office.

“Phew!”

But he couldn’t find a lead. He stretched out, his joints cracking after being in the same position for hours.

“Ugh... I’m beat.”

He looked around, sleepily rubbing his eyes. The nights in Althos were unexpectedly cold, even in the springtime. The lively fire burning away in the room’s fireplace was all that was keeping Al safe from the chill. Just as Al was about to doze off watching the dancing flames, a gentle knock on the door snapped him back awake.

“King Al, are you awake? Oh, were you working overnight?”

Lilicia entered the room.

“I slept a little... About 30 minutes in my bed by the fire.”

Al answered absentmindedly, hoping that Lilicia could pick up the gist of the situation on her own.

“By the way, did you get me the additional documents I asked for?”

Lilicia’s expression shifted immediately into work mode. Al couldn’t take his eyes off of her as she got closer and closer. Her cleavage was clearly emphasized and her plump thighs peeked out from under her skirt. He was just now realizing how revealing their maid uniform could be when worn in the right way.

Why?

Seeing Al dumbfounded, Lilicia smiled.

“I thought I’d give your eyes something pleasant to rest on for a change. I also came to inform you that your breakfast is ready, but I assume you’d rather get some sleep?”

I really appreciate the thought, Lilicia, but...

Ignoring Al’s bewilderment, Lilicia cheerfully slipped into his bed.

Why?

Al shot Lilicia a confused look, but she paid it no mind. Instead, she sent back a seductive smile.

“Lilicia, I’m not a kid anymore. I’m not afraid of thunderstorms; I can sleep alone. Also, your clothes will reek of smoke if you sleep there!”

“Huh? What’s wrong? Come, I’ll sing you a lullaby, like back in the old days! Just this once, okay?”

“I don’t need to be lulled to sleep!”

Why is she making that sound so suggestive?

Lilicia pouted like a little kid. Her mannerisms helped get Al’s mind back on track. He was in a really delicate position. On one hand, the king sleeping with his maid in his royal chambers would be a highly scandalous offense that could result in a beheading if they were discovered. On the other hand, Lilicia had looked after him since he was little. She was like a second mother to him. Al didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

My sister has been pulling these kinds of unfunny jokes a lot lately, too.

Thinking about the dilemma, he pushed his forehead with his finger.

“What’s the problem? You’ll get wrinkles if you keep scrunching up your brow like that. Don’t worry, I’m your loyal maid. Your wish is my command, King Al.”

Lilicia lifted up the blanket and tapped the bed, inviting Al in with her.

“Lilicia, I’m not a kid anymore. Even as a joke, sleeping together would be taking things too far.”

“Oh, don’t you worry. Whatever happens between us, stays between us.”

Lilicia placed her index finger on her lips and smiled.

“No, I can’t do it!”

He resisted Lilicia’s sweet invitation a shake of his head.

“Oh... Well, you should at least have some breakfast! Everyone’s waiting in the dining room.”

As if her playtime had come to an end, Lilicia energetically jumped out of bed and quietly stood beside the door.

Man. It’s impossible to tell what’s a joke and what’s not with her. Maybe she doesn’t see me as an adult since she’s been taking care of me since I was a kid?

Lilicia gave a quiet sigh of disappointment.

“King Al. Even if you couldn’t find what you were looking for last night, I’m sure you’ll learn it soon.”

What does she mean by that?

“Yeah, thank you.”

He answered without giving it much thought and followed her to the dining room.

“Miss Lilicia!”

Along the way, another maid rushed up to Lilicia and whispered something into her ear.

“Your Majesty, my sincerest apologies for disturbing you before breakfast, but it seems we have a guest who would like to see you.”

“And? What do they want?”

Lilicia was about to answer, but their conversation was interrupted with impeccable timing. The two Divas approached from behind Lilicia.

“Hey, Al. Remember when you promised you’d tell us everything there is to know about this country?” Sharon asked with a smile.

“No, I don’t, actually.”

Al’s objection was short-lived. He soon gave up and let out a defeated sigh.

“Okay, I’ll tell you two everything you want to know, but on one condition. You have to sit and behave through the whole discussion. I hope you’re ready to learn my darkest secrets!”

“...It’s okay. Keeping her husband’s secrets is the duty of a good wife.”

“That’s right! And information on my enemy will come in handy when I try to kill them!”

Why do you two only agree with each other when it comes to stuff like this!?

With the arrangements done, Al headed towards the back gate of the castle.

“So, you said we have a guest?”

Lilicia fielded Al’s whispered question with a concerned expression.

“Yes. What would you like to do?”

“What’re you two whispering for? You don’t want us to hear?” Sharon asked, completely oblivious to their conversation. “Or would it be bad if someone heard? Wow, I didn’t think you could be so caring, Al!”

“I don’t want to hear that from you!”

Al shot Sharon’s sarcastic comment right back at her.

“King Al is a really caring person. Moreover, our current guest is a slave trader. Most people working here are liberated slaves, so it wouldn’t be a good idea to let them know that we have a slave trader in the house.”

Help came to Al from an unexpected source, as Lilicia explained the situation to the others in a clear but quiet voice.

She was quiet, but she really should’ve whispered it.

Her efforts were insufficient; the nearby staff clearly overheard her. They immediately stopped what they were doing and frowned. Hearing that explanation stopped even Sharon in her tracks, and Feena looked at Al in astonishment.

Their reaction was only natural. A slave trader was one who bought and sold other human beings. Arms dealers were sometimes referred to as death dealers, but that title was much more fitting for slave traders. There were likely slaves there who had been separated from their families and treated like livestock by a slave trader. Bought, collared and chained, then sold at an auction.

Amid that heavy atmosphere, Al’s clumsy but bright voice resounded through the corridor.

"Oh, come on, guys! How many years have you been working here, now? How long are you going to let the word 'slave' control you?"

“King Alnoa, we’re not bound by that word. As ex-slaves, we are facing it head-on.”

A nearby staff member gave the king a dignified answer, which made everyone around him burst out in a smile.

I was wrong. I didn’t need to worry about them, for the human spirit is strong. They are already living fulfilling lives as free citizens of Althos. Though maybe they’re grinning a bit too much...

Al looked at them happily and flashed them an exaggerated, reassuring smile.

“I see. I’m glad to hear that!”

With their conversation in the corridor over, they headed for the castle’s back gate. On the other side was a large, open space used as training grounds for their troops. Due to Al’s orders, it had been largely abandoned. Only a handful of guards were allowed to remain in the area.

Parked to the side of the gate so as not to stand out were a handful of carts.

“Oh, what a magnificent welcome, Your Majesty!”

A short and skinny old man flanked by his guards appeared from behind the carts and bowed to Al. He was Bouzen, the famous slave trader from the independent merchant city Labona. Al didn’t think very highly of the man. The rumor went that he once sold his own siblings to fatten his own pockets.

It was a rumor Al couldn’t substantiate, but that mattered little. Even as they exchanged greetings, the old man leered at Sharon and Feena, clearly considering what kind of price he could fetch for them on the slave market. He was one of the lowest scumbags one could ever have the misfortune of meeting. But it was hard for Al to deny his usefulness. Not many merchants would deal with an impoverished kingdom like Althos.

“They were just curious, so they tagged along. Anyway, sorry for calling you here on such short notice, Bouzen. I want to talk about something before we get down to business.”

Al forced a smile and stepped forward in order to stop Bouzen from glaring at the girls. Of course, Al couldn’t just tell him that they were Divas from neighboring countries.

“Of course. Your Majesty is a valuable customer, so I’m willing to listen.”

Bouzen directed his creepy smile to Al. He seemed to care more about business than the girls.

“A valuable customer?”

Sharon raised a concerned whisper from behind, but Al didn’t have time to answer her. Bouzen maintained his yellowed and rotted grin, making it hard to tell if he heard Sharon or not.

“So, I heard that the Empire abuses their slaves quite a bit...”

I can’t trust this man, so I’ll try my best to share as little as possible.

“Hmm? And?”

He answered with the same grin.

It’s rare to find someone with such an unpleasant smile.

“I know they’re slaves, but don’t you feel bad when your merchandise is treated like trash?”

“......”

“So I was wondering if you would ever consider cutting ties with—”

“Should I take this as interference in Labona’s governmental affairs, Your Majesty?”

Bouzen asked with a glint in his eyes.

“N-No, I was just...”

Al stuttered, taken aback by the sudden change in Bouzen’s personality.

“We’re just merchants, Your Majesty. A merchant prepares their product to the client on the designated day, for the desired amount. That is our reason for being, and we take pride in it.”

“Ugh...”

Bouzen, shrewd merchant as he was, continued without giving a chance to Al to react.

“If Your Majesty were to try influencing us with your military might behind you, then I’m sure that Labona’s merchants, prideful as we are, would stop trading with Your Majesty’s kingdom.”

“......”

Al realized his naivety. Even slave traders had their own livelihoods and pride to protect. Bouzen had him fair and square.

“Honestly, as long as my clients pay for my goods, whatever happens to them after that is none of my concern.”

I was a fool to ever think I could argue with this man’s greed.

“Okay, let’s end our discussion there and get to the business. Show me your goods.”

Al felt bad for using the word goods, but he had no other choice.

“My apologies for getting so high and mighty. Your Majesty is a valuable customer who pays a good price for goods that would otherwise be disposed of.”

Still maintaining his creepy smile, he signaled to the two henchmen behind his back. They went around to the back of the carts and produced the so-called goods.

“Slaves...”

The Divas knew this was about slaves, but still, seeing them in person provided quite the shock. Sharon was aghast at their appearance.

“That’s horrible.”

Even the usually expressionless Feena’s eyes showed a hint of discomfort.

“I guess seeing slaves first-hand is a bit too much for them.”
The henchman pulled the slaves out of the cart by their chains and lined them up in front of Al. With iron collars clamped around their necks and their limbs chained together, they were robbed of any semblance of human dignity.

Al was mainly interested in the slaves in the worst possible condition. They were all malnourished and covered in scrapes and scratches, but among them were a few who could barely stand on their feet anymore.

“Your Majesty always buys the most useless slaves... Unlike the Empire.”

Bouzen gave a sinister laugh, implying that he figured out why Al was so curious about them. Al dodged his gaze and handed him a suspicious-looking sack full of gold coins.

“I have received some extra income lately, so excuse me if this takes a while, but I would like to purchase as many slaves as possible.”

Al showed Bouzen a nearby pile of goods looted from the invading Freiyan army a few days ago.

“Hoho! Well, look at this... I better get counting.”

Bouzen joyfully started estimating the loot’s worth.

“Hey, Al. If you plan on treating them the same way the Empire treats their slaves, I’ll never forgive you!”

Sharon did her best to quell her rage and tone down her voice in front of the slave trader.

“As your wife, I’ll just sit around all day and never lift a finger for you.”

Feena directed her icy gaze towards the bachelor Al.

“Did you not pay attention to what Lilicia said? These are our future citizens. Why would I turn my own people into mindless abominations?”

“But they’re...”

Sharon looked at the slaves, confused. She might have a sharp tongue, but she was not stupid enough to dig her own grave.

“Don’t worry. We’ll patch them up. We have something even better than doctors for that.”

“Something better?”

The girls’ rage gradually cooled into bewilderment.

Bouzen approached the group with an eerie smile.

“Ah, you’ve got some pretty good loot, if I might say so. I can offer you this much.”

Bouzen stuck out three of his skinny, twig-like fingers.

“Three-hundred coins, huh? That’s a pretty good sum.”

Al crossed his arms as if he was considering his offer for a second, but he had already made up his mind that it was a fair trade.

“Our armor was worth way more than that!”

The fiery Diva shouted out from behind them, but she was summarily ignored.

“So, how many will that get me?”

Al had already bought one cartful of slaves—the twenty so-called useless slaves.

I’d like to get as many slaves as possible, maybe two carts’ worth. Though that might not be possible. I’ll see what I can do.

“Let’s see, if I subtract the handling charges and such, Your Majesty could get about... ten more slaves, I think.”

“What!?”

Al was taken aback by the unexpectedly low number.

“Hey, wait a second! I should be able to get more than that for this money!”

Bouzen stared coldly at the fuming Al.

“No, you see, some of the slaves are on their way for training. And this cart right here is headed for the Empire.”

Al clicked his tongue upon realizing the mistakes he had made. After Al’s botched request, Bouzen figured out why Al was asking that and raised his prices. Bouzen looked at him with a broad grin on his face.

Shit, I’m about to lose it! I want to knock this jackass flat on his ass! He’s playing with human lives!

Al closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

I can’t forgive this!

He balled his hand into a fist, picked the right timing, and...

“Wha!?”
Something cold touched Al’s clenched fist.

“What’s this?”

The blue-haired Diva was trying to give him something.

“Use this.”

Upon taking a look at her offering, Al’s raging blood cooled down in a second. He was now holding a magnificent necklace inlaid with blue magic crystals—the necklace she always wore.

“I couldn’t possibly. Why would you offer this? There’s nothing in it for you.”

He couldn’t understand why she would go so far. She had never once been seen without that necklace since arriving. It should have been much more valuable to her than this, by Al’s estimation.

“Hm?” Feena didn’t comprehend Al’s confusion. “But I read that it is the job of a good wife to support her puppet... I mean, her husband from the shadows.”

“Uh, is it?”

“It is.”

Feena confidently nodded. Her eyes brimmed with determination.

I guess she can’t look the other way and ignore these slaves. I’ll pay you back somehow, Feena.

“Okay. Thank you, Feena.”

Al dangled the expensive-looking necklace in front of Bouzen without explaining what it was.

“With this, I should have enough to purchase two carts.”

No longer furious, Al proudly gave the necklace to the slave trader.

“Ooh, lemme see!”

Bouzen took the necklace, pulled his aged lenses from his pockets, and began appraising the item.

“Huh. Unfortunately, the socket is rather old and there are scratches on the bezel. Even with this, one and a half carts is the best I can offer.”

This son of a...

Al’s anger was quickly flaring up again.

“Then throw this in too.”

But before he could do anything, an elegant hand holding a silver hair ornament appeared before him.

“Ooh!”

“It’s a silver ornament from Freiya. It’s high-grade silver, and the best craftsman in the country made it. If you play your cards right, it could buy you an entire mansion!”

According to what Sharon said, her ornament was worth about the same or even more than Feena’s necklace.

“Are you sure?”

Al was taken aback by her decision. It was surprising enough for Feena to offer her help, but Sharon had even less to gain.

In this one way, Al was like those slaves—unused to kindness. He could only gape in astonishment at Sharon.

“What’s the problem!?”

Sharon broke eye contact out of embarrassment.

“Why would you...”

Al couldn’t figure out what he wanted to say, or for that matter, hear. He was baffled.

“It’s fine. It was a present in the first place... Just take it!”

Unable to bear his gaze any longer, Sharon pushed the ornament into his hands.

“So? If that ornament isn’t enough, I’ll just sell it to another merchant and buy slaves with that money. I have a feeling that I could get a lot more out of it that way.”

Sharon took over the negotiations and pressed the merchant. Al couldn’t tell if she was bluffing or not, but it was hard to deny the conviction in her eyes.

“Uhh...”

Bouzen appeared to feel the same way. He wasn’t nearly as arrogant as he was moments ago.

“You drive a hard bargain.” Bouzen looked between Sharon and the ornament for a moment but eventually gave in. “Okay. This is more than enough.”

Sharon’s eyes lit up at Bouzen’s flustered display.

“You’re right. It is more than enough. Which means that we can subtract the equipment offered at the start, right?”

Sharon proposed a really aggressive bargain, but after switching his eyes between her and the necklace and the ornament in his hands, Bouzen gave in.

“Fine. You win.” The seasoned veteran broke. “It’s my loss this time.”

He promptly signed the paperwork, grumbling all the while. But for all his complaints, he headed home with a grin on his face. It was certain that he still turned an admirable profit.

“Thank you Feena, Sharon. You were both so helpful.”
Al bowed to the two Divas.

“Thanks. I just did what any good wife would.”

Feena stuck out her modest chest.

“It’s not like I did it for you! I just didn’t want to let those slaves be sold to the Empire and turned into abominations!”

Sharon turned her head away from Al. This would’ve normally hurt him, but he was already used to this behavior.

“Yes, I know. But, still. Thank you.”

He bowed to the girls one more time.

“Oh, I see your meeting with him went well.”

Cecilia and several of her fellow members of the clergy arrived at the gate, carrying a large supply of medicine and bandages. They happily got to work untying the liberated slaves and splitting them into groups based on their injuries and illnesses. Of course, Al helped as well. Sharon and Feena also hesitantly pitched in.

“Ah, so she’s the ‘something better than doctors’ you mentioned?”

Sharon glanced towards them, seeking confirmation.

“Yes. Cecilia is a priestess and Diva who specializes in holy magic.”

Exhausted from his meeting with the creepy slave trader, Al murmured absentmindedly as he watched his sister assist the liberated slaves.

“Though she’s only with the church because of me.”

Al’s exhaustion led him to divulge more information than he should have, something Sharon and Feena immediately picked up on.

“Because of you?”

“A puppet has to tell everything to his wife.”

Really? Do I have to?

He didn’t know if it was a good idea to tell them the truth, but since they helped him out with Bouzen, he decided to talk.

“After my father passed away, the country split into two parts with the threat of civil war looming. The ministers and military officers wanted the country’s Diva, my sister, to inherit the throne, but there were people who strongly opposed to that idea.”

Although about ninety percent of the military power was on my sister’s side, mainly because of her combat prowess, so the opposing faction never really stood a chance.

“At that point, I was heavily considering leaving the country, when my sister declared in front of everyone that she would abdicate the throne and join the church.”

His smile disappeared from his face as he watched his sister lovingly heal the liberated slaves. It was easy to imagine what a good queen she would have been, had her love for her brother not gotten in the way.

“Her words from back then still stick with me. She said, ‘Maybe this will end up being one big mistake, but I believe in you. Even if the ministers and nobles don’t understand you now, I hope that one day your dream will become their dream as well. Don’t listen to what anyone else says about you. Just keep at it and remember... I’ll always be by your side.’ Seriously. If we weren’t siblings, I would’ve fallen in love with her for sure.”

Sharon and Feena looked at him, perplexed, though their stares could never make a dent in the pride he had for his sister.

“Anyway, she’s really only a priestess in name; she doesn’t actually study with them or anything. She’s always at the castle doing whatever she wants. Her current pet project is a proposed law that would allow anyone to marry anyone else, whether they are peasant and royalty, brother and sister, or parent and child.”

“Is that... normal?”

Sharon, who had been quietly listening until then, threw in an ambiguous question, though it was not difficult for Al to figure out what she was referring to. Priests and priestesses were expected to lead regimented lives bereft of indulgence in order to learn their holy magics—a form of magic far different from sorcery, where the focus was instead on healing.

“Probably not, but they’re not very strict with my sister.”

Al flashed a wry smile at the irony of his own statement.

“Well, it will take some time for them to fully recover, so they’re still weak, but there weren’t any major problems.”

Having finished healing everyone, Cecilia arrived in the middle of their happy conversation. She spoke with a light tone, but quite a bit of sweat had formed on her brow. Using a vast amount of magical power took a lot out of her.

“Thank you for your hard work, Cecilia.”

With the previous conversation still in his head, he bowed before her.

“Oh my. A king shouldn’t carelessly bow his head before a simple retainer like me,” she rebuked him like always. Al laughed at their usual exchange with a slight blush on his face.

However, sensing a pressure on his back, Al turned around.

“What, do you still have any questions?”

There was Sharon, looking pensive.

“Yes.”

Sharon leaned close and lowered her voice.

Whoa, she’s so close. And she smells really nice.

He pulled himself back a bit and urged Sharon with his eyes to get on with her business.

“Is the church aware that you’re the Demon King’s vessel? You know, because priestesses can’t lie to the church or hide things from them.”

She tried to whisper it so only Al could hear, but it didn’t work out for her.

“Oh my. You’re very well informed. Of course I’m not hiding anything from the church.”

“Wait, but then...”

“Like I said, I am not hiding anything from the church.”

Cecilia repeated herself proudly and stuck out her well-endowed chest.

The church of the continent considered the Valkyrie as just one of the many gods, and the Demon King as the absolute evil. The girls had an idea as to why the church left Al alone, but they quietly listened to the explanation.

“I told everything to them. I told them that Al is the Demon King’s vessel and that I’m a Diva. I also told them if they were to kill Al, I would climb on top of the cathedral and commit suicide after cursing them for three and a half hours straight.”

Why three and a half hours!? That’s oddly specific.

Sharon and Feena were dumbfounded by her menacing words.

“You threatened the church?”

“That’s what it sounds like...”

Cecilia’s statement made her relationship with the church clear. In order for the church to stay relevant on the continent, they prioritized keeping a Diva on their side over killing the Demon King’s vessel. After grasping the reason behind the current situation, they switched their focus from Cecilia.

“Al, wouldn’t it have been better to leave the negotiation with the slave trader to your sister?”

“Absolutely not. It would’ve devolved into physical violence immediately.”

“Ahh...”

While Al was shaking his head in disappointment, Sharon nodded in understanding.

“Oh my. Al, do you really think that I would—oh, things are getting pretty noisy back there.”

Cecilia noticed a commotion occurring behind them. She tilted her head and listened carefully.

Something’s certainly happening back there.

“I am not becoming a slave! You can bet on that!”

“Yeah! I’d rather fight and die here than live as a slave!”

Some of the liberated slaves were getting worked up. Avoiding the confrontation, the priests just left the scene.

I see. As the slave trader said, they haven’t received any training yet. They’re still unbroken and ferocious. It looks like a fight could break out at any moment.

---

---

---

Al motioned the guards to stand down and then rushed towards the source of the commotion.

“Stand back! That’s an order!”

Al gulped down his saliva and steeled his heart. He then tossed aside his short sword, took a deep breath, and then approached the source of the disturbance with his arms raised.

“What’s the problem here? Don’t you realize that you are being set free?”

He intended to calm them down by talking in a soft, gentle manner, but it didn’t work. The crowd only got more agitated.

“Shut up! I won’t let you deceive us anymore!”

A tall, well-built girl stood apart from the crowd and stared doubtfully at Al. He didn’t know what happened to her to make her this way, but her eyes, her body language, her expression... her whole body was signaling her suspicion.

“Hey, I just—”

“I said, shut up!!”

She took a furious swing at Al.

“Whoa!”

Al barely managed to dodge her attack, but he lost his balance in the exchange and clumsily fell to the ground. He could spy Sharon and Feena from the corner of his eye, following the ruckus from afar with bewildered looks.

This is bad.

He could already see how this would play out.

“Come on, let’s beat the snot out of this guy!”

I knew it!

A few of the men immediately surrounded him and started beating and kicking him to their hearts’ content, releasing their pent-up resentment and anger on him.

“Wait, stop!”

Despite several people ganging up on him, Al didn’t feel much pain. This wasn’t just because Sharon’s relentless assaults had toughened him up (or so Al hoped). It was because their punches carried no weight. Their enraged faces made it clear that they weren’t holding back. Most likely, their impudence had led to Bouzen underfeeding them.

The muscular girl’s hits carried as much weight as a little kid’s punch. He could take their beating without a problem as long as he protected his vital parts. He could take it all. He shot a look towards his sister as he lay on the ground.

Cecilia understood his intent and simply shook her head. It was clear that Al wasn’t in any real danger, especially with the two other Divas watching over the situation on the sidelines.

“Damn it!”

Just as they expected, they quickly ran out of strength and ceased their assault. Some of them were so winded that they fell to their knees.

“Ouch... So, have you calmed down yet?”

Al sat up and grimaced a little. Their attacks may not have carried much strength, but the number of hits he took caused him to dully ache all over his body.

Al stumbled to his feet and came face-to-face with a little girl. Judging from her features and her hair, she was still growing. Probably. She was short and skinny, and her limbs were completely skin and bone. Her dark skin was filthy and her hair was unkempt.

“Come, now. Why don’t we all eat lunch together and talk things through?”

Al extended his arms kindly towards the girl.

“Don’t worry, you can trust—gahh!”

He groaned in pain and collapsed to his knees, having no idea what happened at first. The kindness on his face quickly turned to immense pain. He had just experienced the kind of sharp agony only men can experience.

“I’m a warrior from the same tribe as Juju! I’d rather die fighting than be fooled into becoming a slave!”

She gracefully and proudly proclaimed her intent to Al, who was writhing in pain on the ground. Her speech would have deeply moved him, were it not for the blinding trauma he was suffering.

“Gahh! Ahh...”

Al broke into a cold sweat. But when it rained, it poured. The fiery princess dealt a devastating blow of another variety from behind.

“Are you really letting little girls touch your junk just because you can’t get any action from a girl your own age!?”
Sharon’s cold gaze pierced through his back.

How could this happen to me... I thought I was being kind to her! And it’s not like I let her fondle me. She kicked me!

On the outside, Al cried out in pain, but on the inside, his heart howled in agony from Sharon’s surprise attack.

“Let me ask you something,” Sharon said quietly, completely ignoring Al’s inner sorrow.

“What do you want!? If you get in my way, I’ll take you down too!”

“The heck you say!?”

The girl had said something unforgivable to Sharon. Sharon scowled at the girl, intimidating not just her and the surrounding men, but the strong girl known as Juju as well. Everyone took a few steps back. Cecilia and Feena then joined Al and Sharon, causing the crowd to take several more steps back.

“I understand that you feel sorry for these people. So do I. But there must be better resources out there for building a country! Why are you so focused on these slaves?”

It was a fair argument.

He couldn’t see her face, but he was sure that Sharon was serious.

She’s right. You don’t need slaves if you want to make a country. I know that, but...

“It will take a while to explain, so...”

Al tapped his lower back, recovering from the previous attack. He tried to ward Sharon off with a vague answer, but her sharp gaze told him that she was expecting an answer then and there.

He let out a long sigh. After a moment spent collecting his thoughts, he began talking.

“I used to live with my mother and twin brother, in addition to my father and older sister. It was a cozy family. Together, we considered what we should do about my becoming the Demon King’s vessel.”

“What!?”

I guess this story was a bit out of the blue.

After her initial surprise, Sharon fixed her eyes on Al. Overpowered by her gaze, Al straightened his back and continued.

“My loving parents, my kind siblings—it really was a warm family. I think of them dearly to this day.”

His expression relaxed as he recalled the past.

“But our happy days didn’t last long. They ended soon after I turned six.”

His relaxed expression turned into a bitter smile full of guilt.

“One day when my dad and sister were out, my mom took me and my brother out for a stroll through the forest to stop a tantrum I was throwing.”

Behind his forced smile, Al was grinding his teeth. He continued the story, forcing the words out of his mouth one by one.

“During our walk, we were attacked by bandits. I only heard this later, but it seems they were actually assassins hired by some nobles aiming for the throne. Of course, I was completely unarmed. And even if I wasn’t, I would have been helpless to defend myself. I should have died that day.”

He continued his bitter monologue.

“But my mother protected me and my brother... even though she had already passed the Valkyrie’s power onto my sister.”

“Al...”

“And that’s how she died—protecting me. My brother tried to protect me too, but there was only so much he could do. Even on the verge of death, my mom didn’t cry. She hugged me and said, ‘Al, my dear son. It’s okay to cry now. But once you stop crying, steel yourself. Become a strong man. Become a man who protects the weak. You still have... ’ And then she closed her eyes.”

Al let out all the air left in his lungs with a deep sigh.

“Her last words may not have been the most profound. They were almost cliched, even. But those were the last words my mother left me. That was her last wish to me.”

After a short pause, he continued.

“So, just as my mother wished, I have to become strong. I have to be a king who saves as many people as possible, no matter the cost.”

With his story finished, Al finally stood up.

“So that’s why you help runaway citizens and slaves.”

Sharon averted her gaze from Al, but...

“Well, I heard what I wanted to hear, so I guess I ought to lend you a hand now.”

Her smiled looked much warmer than usual.

“You heard the man,” Sharon said, in a dignified but cold voice. “If you still don’t want to cooperate, then I’ll force you to change your mind. I hope you’re all prepared for that.”

Sharon pulled out her longsword to intimidate the crowd.

“So, what do you say?”

She fearlessly took a step forward, but unfortunately, her strategy backfired.

“Back off! You’re just making up a sob story to make us feel miserable!”

Juju focused her magical energy into her hands. Seeing it, the surrounding men imitated her as well. It seemed like they could use magic without a catalyst.

“Don’t!”

I have to put a stop to this right now, or else...

Al was desperately looking for any words he could use to calm the agitated crowd down.

“Wait a minute! You’re misunderstanding my intentions!”

Sharon hurriedly sheathed her sword, but it was too late. Much too late.

Will we really have to fight them? Is there no other way!?

Feena appeared next to him while he was still desperately searching for an answer.

“H-Hey!”

Feena shot Al a reassuring glance before continuing towards the crowd.

“I told you to back off!”

Feena and Juju were in a stand-off. Juju was a large, muscular girl. She looked slightly taller than Al, even. Feena would ordinarily look like a little kid next to her, but to Al, in that moment, Feena towered over Juju.

“Do you think you can save anyone with your measly magical power?”

Chill ran through Al and Sharon’s spines upon hearing Feena’s cold words.

“Feena?”

Feena took another step forward.

“What do you hope to save with that pathetic magic of yours? Yourself, who became a slave? Your heart, lost when you became a slave? Or maybe...” Feena narrowed her eyes into deadly-sharp slits. “You just wish to save your weak, fragile pride?”

Feena mercilessly shattered Juju’s last remaining pillar of support with her hollow, emotionless words.

“Argh! Shut up! Just shut up, already!”

Juju fired her spell, filled with all her pent-up fury.

“Aarrrgh!”

Her spell sparked a chain reaction, setting off the others’ attacks as well. The entire crowd aimed their magic towards Feena, but...

“That’s the best you can do?”

With a light swipe of her magic wand, Feena caused their magic to fizzle before her.

“Damn it! We can’t do anything!”

“No! I refuse to give up!”

Juju pushed her way through the crowd and charged towards Feena, putting all her remaining strength into her fist. Feena stood perfectly still, calmly tracking Juju’s assault. The exhausted girl closed in on Feena with an unfaltering determination in her eyes.

Her fist connected with Feena’s cheek and then lightly brushed past it, inflicting no harm. Juju was completely sapped of both magical and physical strength. The fight ended in her complete failure.

Or, at least, that’s how it should’ve been.

“Ouch. I lost,” Feena declared in a monotone voice, and then dramatically collapsed onto the ground.

“Whaaat!?”

Even Juju couldn’t grasp what just transpired. She alternated her gaze between her fist and Feena, collapsed on the ground.

What’s going on?

Feena then stood up, as if nothing had happened, and looked the dumbfounded Juju in the eyes, confirming that it was nothing more than an act.

“I’m sorry for testing you like that. You are a strong warrior and a strong mage. And you have a strong heart.”

“Huh? What?”

Feena slowly reached out to the completely dumbfounded girl and grabbed her hands. With Juju’s hands in hers, she looked over the crowd before her.

“You are all strong. Slaves or not, I...no, Althos is in need of strong citizens. We need a strong bond in order to build a country. A bond not unlike the one between family members. Yes, it is true that we bought you, but that wasn’t so we could keep you as slaves. We made an investment... believing that you would become one of us, that you would be able to help us achieve our dreams, that you would be able to help us to build a country. So please, I’m begging you. Set yourselves free of your chains. You are slaves no longer. You are citizens of Althos. You are a part of our family now.”

Her small voice carried through the abandoned training grounds. Much to Al’s surprise, Feena’s speech had a huge effect on the furious mob.

“Wooo!”

Some of them screamed in joy, while others cried or hugged each other. The liberated slaves were filled with happiness.

Well, all’s well that ends well, I guess.

Al placed his hand on his chest in relief.

“Wahhh, Missy! I don’t know how we can help you yet, but we’re not gonna let you or your country down!”

The deeply moved Juju wrapped her arms around Feena and hugged her tightly.

“Ah!”

The confused Diva couldn’t pull the girl off even if she wanted to. She had no choice but to accept Juju’s affection.

Al watched on, not letting the truth get in the way of the heartwarming scene before him. He didn’t care that Feena wasn’t a citizen of Althos, or that it wasn’t him who resolved the issue. The only thing that mattered was that Feena accomplished in just a matter of minutes what had taken him years before. She managed to free them of their binds. Al couldn’t help but admire her.

Feena curled the corners of her mouth into an awkward smile and waved at the crowd, then returned to Al’s side.

“Nice work, I guess.”

“Good job, Feena.”

Sharon and Al welcomed Feena back. Feena had returned to her usual stoic self while Al had a huge grin on his face and Sharon was pouting for some reason.

“That was nothing special... I was just being a good wife, as the book said.”

Feena’s fair cheeks were stained light pink for a good while after the day’s events.

“Prepare yourself, you damn kiddie fiddler! You sex-crazed weirdo!”

The next day, Al’s office had once again turned into a battlefield. Sharon unsheathed her sword and pointed it towards Al, who was resting his cheek on his brand-new table. This time, however, she wasn’t striking down at him.

“Hah! Do you think I’m stupid enough to keep repeating that same mistake? I won’t swing at you just to have my sword deflected again! But like I said, today is the day. Prepare yourself!”

“That’s enough.”

“Hey, I’m in the middle of assassinating him! Get out of here!”

“You’ll regret disturbing my alone time with him.”

“Uhm, didn’t we have this same conversation yesterday?”

Al was getting a strong sense of deja vu. It seemed the girls were going to fight it out no matter how much he protested. But then, just as Al was about to accept his cruel fate, an unexpected savior arrived.

“Al, are you here!? I have something to... Whoa.”

A young, burly, heavily-tanned man who was slightly older than Al and clad in leather armor stood completely bewildered at the door. He then waltzed into the room right between the charging Sharon and Feena’s fireball. It was a move that would’ve signed most other men’s death warrant, but this one didn’t even flinch at the danger. In one smooth motion, he unsheathed the sword attached to his back and deflected Sharon’s swing, while also erecting an ice wall to protect himself from Feena’s fireball.

“Whoa, now!”

He innocently looked around the room after parrying both Divas’ attacks at the same time.

“Who are you?”

Immediately realizing the young man’s potential, Sharon took a few steps back and readjusted her grip on her sword.

“He’s dangerous... We should take him out before he gets to Al.”

Feena narrowed her eyes and prepared herself to fire off more magic at a moment’s notice.

“Wait, no, he’s—”

Al tried to take control of the volatile situation but, after looking back and forth between Sharon and Feena for a moment, the young man interrupted Al before he could continue.

“Al, you goddamn playboy! When did you pick up these two hotties? As if you didn’t already have it good enough! All you damn kings are like this! Don’t make me burn your castle down!”

“Hey, Jamka! I see you still don’t have a filter on that big mouth of yours!”

Al heaved a sigh and moved to introduce the man to the two Divas, when he was interrupted again.

“Alnoaaaa!”

A nimble shadow darted out from behind Jamka and launched herself at Al’s chest.

“Oomph!”

The shadow knocked the defenseless Al down to the floor.

“Ouch... That was one heck of a greeting, Brusch.”

Despite Al’s pain, he hugged the girl’s head. She happily nuzzled against Al’s chest as he gently stroked her short, messy hair.

“Ehehe! I’m giving you four days worth of love, Alnoa!”

Brusch energetically lifted her tanned face from Al’s chest. Her young, childlike eyes brimmed with happiness.

“Haha, yes. Four days worth.”

She’ll certainly grow up to be a gorgeous woman.

He patted her one last time before he tried to get up, but...

“I knew you were a kiddy fiddler!”

“I can pretend to be a kid too... if that’s what you’re into.”

“Al, how many times do I have to tell you not to fondle my little sister!?”

The young king found himself caught in a three-way crossfire before he could release himself from little Brusch’s embrace. Al weighed his options. On one hand, he wanted to protest their claims, but, looking at the happy girl in his arms, he couldn’t let her take all the blame. All he could do was to let out a defeated sigh.

---

---

---

“Let me introduce these two. The guy standing there is my commander in chief, the minister of public finances, and a very close friend of mine. He’s my right-hand man, Jamka.”

Al carried on with the introduction, ignoring everyone’s cold gazes.

“And this girl is his sister, the current head of intellig—”

“Hi, I’m Brusch! In the future, I’m going to become Alnoa’s wife! Ehehe! Wow, I really said it!”

She innocently declared her innermost aspiration while clinging to Al.

Crap.

Dead silence filled the room, followed by an anger so thick that it was palpable.

“I can not let this stand...”

Feena stepped up to the little girl.

“I’m Al’s soon-to-be wife, Lesfina. I am the clear favorite among his fiancée candidates. Since you’re a friend of Al’s, call me Feena. Pleased to meet you.”

She was really emphasizing the friend part, wasn’t she?

“Wait a minute. What makes you the favorite!?” Sharon said. “Well, not that I mind, but... Actually, I do mind!”

Sharon turned towards Brusch and flashed her a stiff smile.

“I’m Al’s strongest fiancée candidate, Sharon. It’s nice to meet someone who isn’t in the picture in any way.”

Sharon then turned back towards Feena and returned her ice-cold gaze with a challenging glare. Red and blue sparks flew through the room.

“You know, you really don’t have to fight over everything just because you’re both Divas,” Al quietly grumbled.

“I pushed him to the ground the moment we met,” Feena said, taking the initiative.

“Yeah? That’s nothing! Not only did I push him down to the ground, he, um, touched me. You know, up there...”

Sharon trailed off a little, but nevertheless, her eyes were gleaming with fire.

“That was just an accident. That doesn’t count.”

“Yours was an accident too!”

“Ahaha! You’ve already recruited some concubines before our marriage? You’re so thoughtful, Alnoa!”

“Concubines!?” exclaimed both Sharon and Feena.

Their glares combined would make anyone run for the hills, but Brusch bravely stood her ground in the three-way standoff.

“Wow, Al, you beast! You’re a real lady-killer, aren’t you? I hope you die in a fire, come back to life, then die again!” Jamka added, half-jokingly.

“Oh! And, you see, Alnoa and I already did it....”

“What!?”

In trying to compete with her rivals, Brusch, with rosy cheeks, let slip one of her wild delusions.

“Um, Brusch, I’m pretty sure I’d remember—”

Al immediately tried to protest her outrageous claims, but he was cut off by the two Divas.

“Haha, nice joke. He doesn’t have the balls to do something like that!”

“Agreed. Al won’t lay a finger on us, no matter how much we try to get him to... He’d never do anything with you.”

“Hey, I’m still here, you know! Why does every fight between you girls tear my soul apart!?”

“Arghh! I bust my balls for you day after day, only for you to corrupt my little sister!? All while toying with two other girls!? Is this some kind of game to you?”
Jamka mercilessly dealt the final blow.

Guys, enough is enough!

“I’m not after Brusch, and I’m not playing around with those two! They’re the ones who—”

“Argh!”

“Die.”

Sharon sliced an old book lying around clean in half, while Feena conjured a fireball larger than her upper body. Al had no choice but to concede defeat.

“Okay. I’m sorry... Wait! Jamka! Did you only come here to make me look like an idiot?!”

“Why are you mad, now!?”

Venting his anger, Al glared at Jamka. After interrupting his work and tearing his heart apart with their wild accusations, no one there could blame Al for his sudden flare-up.

Seeing Al so frustrated, everyone decided to call a temporary truce. Jamka hopped on the sofa, ignoring the angry mood in the room.

“So, you bought another batch of slaves, huh? I know we need more population, but now we have so much bureaucratic crap to deal with! We have to chart everyone’s relationships, find places for them to live, test their vocational aptitudes... At least let me know about this stuff in advance!”

Jamka finally remembered what he came for and tried to pull the conversation back on track.

“Oh. My bad.”

But Al promptly shot down his complaints with a single phrase. Everyone in the room other than Al realized who was the real backbone of Althos.

“Well,” Jamka continued. “Our finances will be secure for a little while thanks to the loot we got from the battle with Freiya the other day, but... I don’t think we’ll be buying any more slaves for a while.”

“Why not?”

Jamka chuckled and smirked at Al, cruelly stalling for a moment before dropping the big news.

“You see, that’s because the Empire occupied Labona last night.”

“Huh?”

Al understood what Jamka said, but all he could do was to gasp in surprise. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since he met with Bouzen, the famous slave trader from Labona.

“All of ten of their governors were beheaded, and they slaughtered anyone who resisted or fled. The rest were enslaved by the Empire. Only a small skeleton crew was left to keep the city up and running.”

Jamka shrugged before continuing.

“The lucky fellows who were away from the city at the time of the attack are still safe. A handful of people also managed to slip through the Empire’s claws, but there aren’t that many of them. Only about fifty merchants or so, in total.”

That reminds me, I think Bouzen mentioned that he was taking a detour to the east, peddling along the way, before returning to Labona. I guess his luck ran out.

“I’m sorry, Alnoa. Labona fell before I could warn them...”

Brusch fidgeted and hung her head in disappointment. Despite her age, she still shouldered the responsibility of leading Althos’ intelligence agency.

“Don’t worry. It’s not your fault.”

Disregarding the Diva’s cold gaze, Alnoa gently patted her head.

“How did this happen so quickly?” Al asked. “I know they were neutral and lacked alliances, but they had quite a bit of military power. The city was swarming with mercenaries and private armies.”

“I don’t know.”

Jamka raised his hands and shrugged as he answered Al.

“The lucky few who escaped all had outlandish stories about bear monsters or flying creatures rampaging through the city. Does the Empire have magic like that?”

Are those like that monster I fought during the manhunt incident? Oh, that’s right. Jamka stayed behind to defend the city, so he doesn’t know about them.

Al and the Divas shared a look and then explained to Jamka and Brusch about the abominations.

“I see. They used a creature like that out there?”

Intrigued, Jamka raised his eyebrows.

“Yeah. Feena is looking into the details, but I’m sure them occupying the main trade hub for slaves is related to abominations in some way.”

We really need more information.

With Al lost in thought, the room fell silent for a while.

“I’ll... I’ll look into it!”

Brusch, who was still latched on to Al’s arm, was the one who broke the silence. The tiny Head of Intelligence looked up at Al, her eyes brimming with determination.

“No, I won’t let you. There are too many things we don’t know yet. It’s too dangerous.”

Al immediately rejected the idea, but then someone unexpected intervened.

“That just makes her looking into it even more important.”

Jamka, who had a serious case of sister complex, got on her defense.

“Huh!? But still...”

Jamka confidently puffed up his chest at the flustered Al.

“Don’t worry! I’ll make sure our most capable people accompany her! Even if she fails, she’ll—Ouch!”

Brusch quickly moved behind Jamka and kicked him in the rear.

“I don’t want to hear that from someone who can’t even cover their own butt! Alnoa, don’t worry! I’ll gather all the information I can. I’ll be home before you even realize I left!”

Brusch sprinted out of the room, not giving Al a chance to stop her.

“Seriously, why doesn’t anyone listen to my orders!?”

Boisterous laughter erupted from Jamka beside him.

“Don’t worry, Al! I’ve personally trained her! I taught her everything there is to know about magic and the sword, and she has a real knack for the bow! And there’s no one in the kingdom better than her at information gathering. She’ll come back safe and sound for sure.”

Jamka’s trust in his sister was absolute.

“You’re right. I should have some faith in her.”

Jamka’s unwavering smile put Al at ease. Al was still worried, but he decided to trust Brusch as well.

“Well, I had some other things to say, but I think I’ve scolded Al enough for one day. I guess I’ll get back to work.”

“Thank you.”

Jamka stretched himself out and started to leave the room, but he stopped at the doorway.

“Huh? What’s up?” asked Al.

“Say, Al. I know their treatment in the Empire is unacceptable, but do you really think that liberating slaves can bring them true happiness?”

With his back still turned towards Al, Jamka asked an unexpected question.

“Of course. You’re happy, aren’t you?”

Not grasping the meaning behind Jamka’s words, Al gave a prompt, simple answer.

“Haha. Yeah, I guess. Sorry. Forget I ever asked.”

His usual light and cheerful voice felt empty.

The sound of galloping horses filled the pitch-black night.

“Captain Brusch, enemies on our—gahh!”

“Luu!”

Brusch didn’t have the luxury of stopping and checking on her subordinate. Shouting his name was all she could do.

“What are we even fighting against!?”

There was no one there to answer her question.

Brusch’s reconnaissance team had come under attack by an unknown assailant. The elite crew Jamka hand-picked for his precious little sister had sensed the danger. They had staged a swift and orderly retreat, leaving behind a trap to slow down their pursuers. But the enemy charged forward with reckless abandon, tearing right through the recon team’s trap and staying hot on their heels.

“How did they get through Alnoa’s pepper bomb!?”

Brusch found herself in a very dangerous situation. Her elite team of scouts was completely wiped out, leaving her isolated. She couldn’t even tell if they were captured or killed. But despite the gravity of her situation, Brusch suppressed her anxiety and galloped through the field as fast as she could. She mournfully promised her fallen team that she’d come back for them.

Jamka’s first rule of the reconnaissance team: Never falter, even if your comrades have fallen. Bring home the information safely, even if you return alone. It was a part of the team’s internal code of conduct, kept secret from even King Alnoa. Brusch kept repeating that rule to herself, trying to keep her broken heart together.

“Ahh!”

From the darkness came a fireball, crashing into her horse’s flank. Its entire abdomen was blown to pieces, killing it instantly and sending it crashing into the ground.

“What’s going on!?”

Brusch leapt off of the dead horse and safely landed.

“Wha—”

Her words were caught in her throat. An unspeakable darkness, darker than the starless sky, slowly consumed her.

“Alnoa...”

She could only mutter out that one last word. Silence then ruled on the pitch-black plains. Complete and utter silence, far removed from the typical silence of night. Not a single living thing could be heard or seen amid the impenetrable darkness.