Chapter 42: Awareness

10,000 years ago, the red dragon destroyed all the civilizations in the Demon World.

Numerous species lost their civilizations. There had been a loss of history and traditions, as well as culture and technology. Some species even lost their language.

Among the various species, there had been one with a particularly brilliant and great civilization. Those who ruled the Demon World drove the rebellion against the red dragon and, as a result, lost everything.

Unlike other species which had lost civilizations but still had survivors, this species had not even a single survivor. Their names had been erased along with their civilization and their history forgotten. However, they had also left something behind. The ruins of where the indigenous species used to live, as well as their relics, were scattered all over the Demon World.

Then someone thought…

It was strange. Why had the indigenous species been wiped out? Unlike the other species, why were there no survivors?

No, from the outset—were they really wiped out?

&

As the Black Flame Dragon rode the wind, Silvan left the control room and headed to the bridge. All the key personnel, except for Silvan, were already gathered there. Felicia, who had been waiting for Silvan to arrive, looked around and asked,

“Sword Duke, where will we join up with Zephyr orabeoni?”

Zephyr was currently near the Aegis Gate. Due to the fact that he was already in the north, the meetup point would differ depending on the party’s destination. Felicia’s question included the location of Arch Lich Shutenberg. The sword duke stroked his beard and replied,

“Well, we have taken off, so I can talk about it now. You won’t be joining 2nd Prince.”

“Sword Duke?”

Felicia narrowed her eyes. The others were reacted in a similar way, so the sword duke added an explanation immediately.

“To be more precise, I alone will join the 2nd Prince.”

“Sword… Duke?”

The doubts of those in the bridge deepened. Everyone, including Felicia, looked confused, while the sword duke just stroked his beard and laughed.

“Don’t look at me with that expression. I am going to explain it, so relax.”

The sword duke placed several models on the map of the Demon World spread out in the bridge. Each of them were in a position which seemed to represent In-gong’s group, Zephyr’s group, and Shutenberg.

“It is very important for the Demon King’s Palace and the whole Demon World that Arch Lich Shutenberg is defeated. In fact, I asked if you wanted to participate, but I was actually going to compel you using the demon king’s name. I’m glad that it worked out well.”

Everyone’s eyes widened at the declaration that the sword duke was going to forcibly drag them along from the very beginning. However, all those gathered here were children of the demon king. They had already fought with enemies of the Demon World in the form of missions, so this wasn’t a new thing for them.

The sword duke laughed at the subtle looks of the princes and princesses and continued talking.

“1st Prince and 4th Princess will also participate in this work. Actually, all the princes and princesses are fighting, except for 3rd Prince who is still in Curtis.”

The sword duke placed two additional models on the map of the Demon World. The model representing Baikal was placed at the Aegis Gate, while the model of Anastasia was placed in a very familiar place to In-gong.

‘Master, Enger Plains!’

Green Wind shouted. It was a cry only for In-gong’s ears, but the sword duke smiled like he had heard it.

“You will join 4th Princess at Enger Plains. I will go alone to the north and join 2nd Prince.”

The sword duke moved his hands, and the models were split into two groups. Chris looked at it and asked,

“Sword Duke, are you thinking about creating a pincer attack?”

“Yes.”

The group centered on In-gong would head to the north, while Zephyr’s group would march to the west.

“Arch Lich Shutenberg isn’t a fool. He will notice if we move. So, we have to scatter his gaze.”

That made sense, but Chris spoke with a bit of displeasure,

“Then Sword Duke and Hyung-nim will be doing everything?”

Their group had the advantage in numbers, but Zephyr dominated them in power. Among the children of the demon king, Baikal and Zephyr would move together with the sword duke. If so, In-gong’s group was just bait, so it was natural to feel bad.

The sword duke shook his head.

“That isn’t it. This side also needs to succeed. If either side knocks down Shutenberg, then that is enough. It isn’t just 4th Princess at Enger Plains. My sura warriors will be arriving right now. Make them your guides.”

Chris frowned at the sword duke’s further explanation but nodded. Despite the sword duke joining Zephyr, having more troops sounded good.

However, In-gong had other thoughts. No matter how many troops they had, it was impossible to make up for the sword duke’s absolute power. When the sword duke said that either side could succeed, In-gong felt like there was something which was still being concealed.

“Sword Duke, why aren’t the captains coming out?”

The captains were the best military power of the Demon King’s Palace. No matter how important defending the north was, this was a mission where the sword duke was moving personally. If the captains didn’t move in this situation, then what was the point of their positions?

The sword duke looked at Felicia’s disgruntled face, which looked just like Chris’, and replied,

“Princess, aren’t I enough?”

“No, it isn’t like that…”

Although the sword duke was laughing loudly, it was a serious incident. Felicia started fidgeting, and the sword duke laughed again.

“Princess is really funny.”

Felicia’s face wrinkled again at his words, but the sword duke disregarded it. He stroked his beard and explained,

“The captains need to defend Aegis Gate. The Winter King seems to have started moving.”

“The Winter King!”

Felicia exclaimed with surprise. The Winter King wasn’t just the king of the northern barbarians, but also the king of all things beyond the Aegis Gate. He had only appeared as a background story in Knight Saga, but he had power comparable to the demon king.

“Originally, the princes and princesses would’ve gathered at the Aegis Gate to confront the Winter King. But Shutenberg’s invasion is closer.”

If the opponent was the Winter King, then it was understandable to put the captains on standby. It was already 200 years ago, but when the demon king and the Winter King first clashed, two captains had been lost. It was the first and last time that a captain had been killed in the history of the Demon King’s Palace.

“Both of them… It is clear that something unusual is happening.”

The Winter King was the Winter King, but Shutenberg wasn’t ordinary either. Apart from the sword duke, the children of the demon king and the sura warriors were also being mobilized. Therefore, Shutenberg might be much stronger than Chris thought.

The sword duke nodded at Chris’ words.

“Yes, tremendous things are happening in the destiny of the Demon World. Then please do this.”

&

After the meeting in the bridge ended, the demon king’s children scattered to rest. The story was heavier than they thought, so the mental fatigue was significant. Rather than following the others, In-gong went up to the deck where the sword duke was enjoying the wind. It was stuffy inside the narrow cabin, but he had a more important reason.

“Sword Duke.”

“Prince.”

The sword duke turned like he had been waiting for In-gong’s call. It was as if he had been waiting in a place where no one was present, knowing that In-gong would come. In-gong took a deep breath as he stood next to the sword duke and said,

“I’d like to ask you one thing.”

“I can guess what it is, but go ahead. Ask.”

The sword duke was smiling, but his eyes were blank. After seeing them, In-gong was convinced of it. It was clear that the sword duke already knew.

‘Sword Duke, am I a pure-blooded gandharva?’

‘Correct. Prince is a pure-blooded gandharva. You don’t have a single drop of blood from the demon king.’

In-gong asked using message magic, and the sword duke used Trill to reply. The sword duke answered so naturally that In-gong felt awkward.

‘The 5th Queen… No, my mother…’

‘It wasn’t an affair.’

The sword duke interrupted In-gong. He laughed and gazed far away.

‘The 5th Queen wasn’t like that. She truly loved the demon king.’

‘But…’

‘Prince, I will tell you the most important thing. The demon king recognized you as a prince. No matter what anyone says, you are one of the two people closest to the throne of the demon king.’

This was an expected story. The demon king already knew everything, and yet, he had delivered the Seed of Extreme Nothingness to In-gong. The sword duke sighed and took out a blue ball the size of his thumb.

‘Watch this.’

In-gong felt a tremendous magic power in his hand. It was a magic power which he had encountered for the first time in his life, but In-gong knew its identity immediately. It was the magic power of 5th Queen Semita Ignus.

‘This bead contains the truth about the secret of Prince’s birth. You can only watch it once, so when you are ready, watch it with those you want to share the secret with.’

After those words, the sword duke left the deck. Once left alone, In-gong grasped the bead and prepared his heart. There was no reason to delay any further.

“Green Wind, ask Carack, and my brothers and sisters to come to my room. Tell them not to come with their aides.”

‘I understand, Master.’

Green Wind left In-gong’s side. In-gong fell deep into thought as he headed for the bridge.

He had already shared the most important secret about the Conquest Knight with Felicia. So, there was no reason to hide this from her. Caitlin shared the Moonlight and Starlight Core with In-gong and was a member of the King’s Knights. So, she was trustworthy. Silvan was the same. He was also a member of the King’s Knights. Chris didn’t belong to the King’s Knights, and he was the most political person among the children of the demon king. However, he was a strong supporter of In-gong. He was a political person, so it was better to confide the story now instead of having it come out later.

This was a situation where the sword duke and demon king already knew In-gong’s status. Moreover, Chris knew about Caitlin’s birth secret. It was beneficial for the lycanthropes to side with In-gong.

In-gong sat in the room as the children of the demon king started to gather. When Felicia and Caitlin arrived, it was still okay. However, after Silvan and Chris appeared, the cabin instantly became cramped.

In-gong sat in the middle of his small single bed, with Felicia and Caitlin on his right and left. Silvan and Chris sat on chairs in front of the bed.

“Shutra, what did you call us to talk about?”

Once seated, Caitlin asked as if she was representing everyone else. In-gong smiled at her and sighed. He raised the blue bead the sword duke had given him.

“Everyone, I wanted you to watch this with me.”

Everyone’s eyes became focused, and In-gong injected magic power into the bead.

5th Queen Semita Ignus’ magic power wrapped around In-gong’s magic power, which was flowing into the bead. The two magic powers naturally intertwined and became one. As the blue bead gave off a soft light, a familiar yet strong magic power emerged from inside it. This magic power was the demon king’s magic power.

“Aba…mama?”

Felicia cried out with surprise at the demon king’s magic power, while everyone else simply gulped.

With a nervous expression, In-gong stopped supplying power for a moment in order to breathe. That was when the images and voices coming from the bead paused like there a seal had been placed on it.

Naturally, everyone’s gazes turned from the bead to In-gong. With his eyes, In-gong asked Chris to wait for a moment, and then he took deep breaths. At that moment, the person he had been waiting for opened the door and entered.

“Prince.”

“Carack, I was waiting.”

“I’m sorry. I am a little late.”

Carack scratched his head and smiled before closing the door. The cabin was already full, so he was forced to stand.

“Shutra?”

It was In-gong who had forbidden the aides from attending this meeting. However, In-gong’s aide, Carack, had entered. Chris sent In-gong a questioning gaze, but In-gong just smiled. In-gong was going to reveal an important secret in this place. The sword duke had said the bead would only play the video one time, so it was natural to bring Carack.

‘It is Carack.’

He didn’t need any more reasons or rationale. As Felicia glanced at Carack, she was convinced. After all, she was the one who knew best that Carack was always with In-gong. Chris let out a discontented breath but gave up as he leaned back. It was a signal to finish this quickly.

However, before injecting magic power into the bead, In-gong turned to face everyone. The reason he paused hadn’t just been to wait for Carack.

“First of all, I have something to say.”

“Say?”

“It is about my birth.”

Chris flinched reflexively at the word ‘birth’. Felicia and Silvan had no idea what to say, while Caitlin was just curious, since she knew nothing about her birth.

In-gong breathed out to speak again. He was already Shutra, so when he tried to tell the story, his lips didn’t work well because of nerves. The sword was already half-drawn, so In-gong squeezed his heart firmly. He then opened his mouth, and a surprisingly low and detached voice emerged.

“I talked to the sword duke. The sword duke said that no matter what happens, I’m still the son of the demon king… and one of the two candidates closest to the throne.”

He stated the two most important things first. It was not just Chris. The other children of the demon king also reacted after hearing that In-gong was one of the two closest candidates to the throne of the demon king. However, it was generally a good response.

“Shutra, what are you talking about?”

Felicia asked cautiously. It was nice to have a declaration from the sword duke about In-gong’s position, but his previous words were also in her mind.

‘No matter what happens, he’s still the son of the demon king’ sounded sinister.

No, it was more than that. Felicia’s expression and voice were quite rigid. She didn’t forget the first thing In-gong said. There was clearly something regarding In-gong’s birth. Chris’ face was stiff as well. Chris was very political, but he was still only in his late teens. With the thought that In-gong might know Caitlin’s secret, Chris’ face was filled with tension and confusion.

“The sword duke… he said that the demon king knew all of it. And this bead contains all the answers.”

In-gong started injecting his magic power into the bead again. A warm light was once again emitted from the blue bead.

“This is a video that can only be seen once. So, I called all of you here.”

In-gong had already decided to reveal his secrets to Felicia, Silvan, Caitlin, and Chris. So, instead of talking about it, they would see the video together. As In-gong kept injecting magic power, the bead started to float. The bead stopped at In-gong’s chest height and started to show a holographic video. As expected, it showed the demon king.

“Abamama.”

Felicia said with a low moan. The image of the demon king, which was the same size as the real demon king, faced In-gong and opened his mouth.

“Shutra, Semita’s child. If you are watching this video, then you have somehow realized the truth about your birth.”

It wasn’t a real-time conversation; this was a recorded video.

“It is as you already know. You are not a child born from me and Semita.”

Dismayed silence filled the cabin at the demon king’s blunt words. In particular, Chris showed a huge reaction. He barely prevented a sound from emerging, but his eyes were huge.

“Shutra, listen to my words carefully. This is all true with nothing omitted.”

The demon king began telling the story. It was a story which couldn’t be imagined, even by In-gong.

“The gandharva felt a sense of crisis. They seemed to have felt desperate after being defeated by the draconians. Maybe the gandharva hoped to get revenge on the draconians.”

Zentra Ignus, 5th Queen Semita Ignus’ uncle and king of the gandharvas, had wanted the next demon king to be a gandharva. However, Semita hadn’t been able to have the demon king’s child. To make matters worse, the draconian 1st Prince, Baikal, and 2nd Prince, Zephyr, had been born with exceptional talent.

“The nervous Zentra had a dangerous idea. So, he whispered sweet lies to his niece and my wife, Semita.”

Zentra had then placed the essence of the gandharva god, Dhrtarastra, which the gandharva had been protecting, into Semita’s womb. He wanted to created a divine gandharva child through powerful magic rituals.

At the time, Semita had thought the child would be born with the demon king’s blood. Perhaps, Semita had thought this because she either believed in Zentra too much or because she so desperately wanted to believe it. Maybe it was both.

“Thus, you were born Shutra.”

Zentra’s plan had failed. Shutra had been born without a soul and couldn’t communicate properly, while Semita noticed that the child was unrelated to the demon king. She could have deceived the demon king, but she hadn’t been able to do it. Then the demon king recognized that Shutra wasn’t his child.

The demon king had gone on to punish the gandharvas. Rather than slaughtering them, the entire species would be imprisoned for 200 years. Semita had blamed herself. She had asked to be stripped of her position as queen and punished. However, the demon king hadn’t allowed it. Semita retained her position, and the demon king recognized Shutra as his child.

“Shutra, no matter what anyone says, you are the 9th Prince of the Demon King’s Palace. This fact will never change.”

The demon king ended with these emphatic words.

Then all the pieces fell into place. The demon king loved the 5th Queen as well. In-gong could only think of it like that.

As In-gong manipulated the bead, he found out that the video of the demon king was added recently. Therefore, he could understand the feelings of the demon king more deeply. It had been more than 10 years since 5th Queen Semita died, but the demon king still retained his feelings for the 5th Queen.

The image of the demon king vanished, and a new video emerged of 5th Queen Semita Ignus. The pale faced Semita repeated the story the demon king had just told. As she spoke, there were a few moments in which she seemed to be on the verge of tears.

Perhaps the demon king had added his video because he had been expecting this. Semita looked bad in the video, like she had an immense guilt pressing down upon her. As she whispered, Semita finally started crying. Her words were filled with a sense of guilt and love for Shutra, who had been born without a soul.

Tears filled In-gong’s eyes. They were tears shed by the body of Shutra who had been born without a soul—no, they were In-gong’s tears, rather than Shutra’s. In-gong and Shutra had already become one a long time ago.

Then the blue bead lost its light. The video ended, and the bead turned into powder after fulfilling its task.

The atmosphere was heavy inside the cabin. Everybody looked at each other, but none of them could open their mouths. In-gong wasn’t the child of the demon king. However, the demon king recognized In-gong as his child.

Chris was convinced by this and felt like he had finally realized the secret to In-gong’s rapid growth. It was due to the essence of the gandharva god, Dhrtarastra.

At the same time, Chris also felt some fear. If the demon king recognized In-gong as his child, then what about Caitlin? Had the demon king also noticed the truth about Caitlin? If so, why did the demon king remain silent? Did he not know about Caitlin yet?

Chris took deep breaths to calm himself down. The important thing right now wasn’t Caitlin but In-gong.

Caitlin was the one who moved first. She wiped away In-gong’s tears without speaking. Then Felicia covered In-gong’s hands with her own and said,

“Shutra.”

In-gong turned at the call. Felicia smiled brightly and winked as she spoke in a bright voice,

“It’s okay. It is as Abamama said. There is no change. You are still my brother, and I am still your sister.”

“Felicia noona.”

Felicia grabbed In-gong’s hand gently. Her hands were very warm. Silvan laughed too.

“Both Abamama and the sword duke acknowledges that there is no problem. Shutra, I am also like Felicia. I am still your older brother and you are still my younger brother.”

The reaction of the dark elves was as expected. However, even though it was expected, In-gong still felt touched, and his heart warmed at their words. That was when a heated gaze headed his way.

“Okay, that is your decision. Rather, it is a good thing.”

Chris said abruptly as he shook off his concerns about Caitlin.

“Chris?”

Felicia looked at Chris with a puzzled expression. Why did it seem as though he really liked this situation?

“It is good. Now, there is nothing in the way.”

Chris laughed and placed a hand on In-gong’s shoulder.

“It does make a difference Shutra. The future bride candidate… no, is Caitlin a future queen candidate?”

“Eh?”

In-gong blinked. It was the same with the rest of the group. They had never imagined that the words ‘queen candidate’ would appear in this situation. Moreover, the other person was none other than Caitlin.

As Caitlin panicked, Chris continued to speak,

“There is no blood shared between both of you, so it doesn’t matter. In any case, the demon king is the law in the Demon World. If you marry Caitlin after becoming the demon king, then the lycanthropes will be relieved.”

In the midst of his panic, In-gong was convinced of something, but it wasn’t because of Chris’ logic. A thought flashed through his mind. 4th Queen Elaine Moonlight often said that the demon king was the law. She had also asked In-gong who he thought was better between Caitlin and Felicia. Additionally, Chris’ response didn’t seem to be one that he had just thought up. It was clear that he already had the idea of marrying Caitlin to In-gong.

This was because the blood of the demon king didn’t flow in Caitlin.

‘No, that still matters. What is this really? Is is possible?’

Were they intending to reveal Caitlin’s birth secret? Or would In-gong and Caitlin just get married? Did they want to destroy any dispute about Caitlin’s birth using the power of the demon king? Even if he had the power of the demon king, it was still far-fetched. However, Chris and Elaine were the ones who planned this. The two people wouldn’t have thought about it if it wasn’t possible.

As In-gong continued to drown in his chaotic thoughts, Chris laughed even louder. Then while everyone was still in a state of confusion, he turned to Caitlin and asked,

“Caitlin, what do you think? If it is Shutra, is it good? No good?”

“Eh? Uh… t-that…”

Caitlin shrugged from where she was sitting next to In-gong and wiping his tears. Her pale face turned red so quickly it seemed like she would burst. Until In-gong and Shutra had become one, she had no encounters with Shutra. They didn’t grow up together, so there wasn’t the so-called Westermarck effect.

“No good? This is Shutra who you always call amazing.”

“O-Oppa!”

Caitlin shouted loudly. Chris patted Caitlin on the head.

“So, tell me honestly. How is it? Not bad?”

Caitlin gulped several times and then glanced at In-gong who was feeling tense and nervous. Caitlin’s already red face turned redder as she poked her fingers together and said in a low voice,

“Y-Yes… g-good…”

Then she covered her face with both hands like she was hiding her embarrassment.

‘W-What? This fierce cuteness.’

In-gong could barely breathe. It felt like his heart would burst at any moment. Chris’ smile widened. It was at that moment that…

“W-Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Chris?”

Felicia cried out angrily. Chris just chuckled at her and replied easily,

“Felicia noonim already declared that you are Shutra’s sister. So, back off.”

She had said that. Just a few minutes ago, it had been a very warm discussion. As Chris taunted Felicia, her expression changed wildly. Her eyes shook like an earthquake was occurring. However, it was only for a second. Felicia stared at In-gong and Caitlin, and barely managed to speak.

“Ah, no? I-I also like Shutra? I-I-I see him as a man?”

Her face was red, and her eyes were a little teary. It was obvious that she felt tremendous embarrassment saying this. All eyes, including In-gong’s, turned to Felicia. Even Caitlin, who was struggling with her embarrassment, stared at Felicia with surprised eyes.

“Ah…uh…I-I mean! I see you as a man!”

Felicia screamed and turned her head away, but she didn’t open her fan as usual. Rather, her hand holding In-gong’s squeezed tighter. It was like she was determined not to back down.

“Kuk!”

In-gong groaned without realising it. This situation was an assault on his heart. He felt like he was going to explode from Caitlin’s and Felicia’s cuteness.

“Felicia! I love you too!”

Silvan exclaimed suddenly with both arms wide open. Some of his brotherly love ran wild, but it seemed to be an attempt to relieve her embarrassment.

“Ah, come on!”

However, it only worsened Felicia’s embarrassment. The atmosphere in the cabin was chaotic.

While the demon king’s children were in a panic, Carack alone shook his head. The significance of the meeting was lost, but it didn’t bother him much. It felt good.

“This is youth.”

Carack relaxed against the door with folded arms and smiled warmly.

&

“What is with this subtly sweet, happy, and dangerous atmosphere?”

It was Chris who broke the deadlock even though he was sitting still. He watched the tension with a delighted expression before laughing and pulling Caitlin up.

“I’d like to finish it today, but I’ll let it go for now.”

Chris’ words caused everyone to stir uneasily. The one with the greatest reaction was Felicia.

“F-Finish! Chris! What the hell are you imagining?”

Felicia shouted with a red face. Shame was clearly present in Felicia’s voice, causing Chris to widen his eyes and speak with a coy expression,

“What is Noonim imagining? Huh?”

In-gong also wondered this. What did she imagine from Chris’ words? In-gong’s face turned redder at the thought, and it was the same with Felicia. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that her whole body was red.

“Ah, no… I mean…”

She stammered in a tearful voice, but she couldn’t think of a proper excuse. Chris grinned, while Caitlin asked with confusion,

“Unni?”

Her eyes were innocent and clear. Seeing Caitlin’s expression, Felicia groaned with dismay like it was hard to face that pureness. Once again, it was Silvan who saved Felicia.

“Sob, sob. Felicia, this is the heart of a father who is giving his daughter away in marriage.”

“Ah, come on!”

Felicia reacted like usual, but her eyes were filled with gratitude toward Silvan.

“Hmm, hmm. Then shall we end it here? Delia, Seira, and Sepira will be worried.”

Carack, who had been watching the situation calmly, spoke and wrapped up the situation. Silvan, who had been struggling to overcome this situation, immediately agreed with Carack.

“Yes, let’s get up first. It isn’t just today. Let’s talk about this slowly in the future.”

Time was needed for everyone to cool down and think. Chris seemed to agree, but then he laughed and said roguishly,

“Think about it Shutra. Caitlin will be an even more beautiful woman in the future.”

“O-Oppa.”

Caitlin felt his share of shame. As In-gong watched Caitlin try to hide behind Chris’ big body, he nodded inadvertently. Caitlin, who was just ahead of her 16th birthday, was still a teenage girl. As Chris said, she would become even more amazing in the future. Once Chris spoke like this, Silvan felt some rivalry as he gazed toward Felicia.

“Shutra, our Felicia is already an amazing beauty, but she will become more so in the future. Felicia is always the best.”

Unlike Caitlin who had risen from her seat, Felicia was still sitting next to In-gong. When he thought about it, they were still holding hands. Felicia flinched and turned her head away again. Thanks to that, she exposed her red neck and ears.

“Prince, the situation is reoccurring.”

Carack once again organized the situation. Silvan was immediately aware that he had embarrassed Felicia further and backpedalled.

“Well, yes. I should stop now. Good night, Shutra.”

Silvan then reached out and pulled Felicia up. She staggered instantly, like she had lost strength in her legs, but soon stood upright and opened her fan.

“Yes, good night. Shutra.”

Felicia stuttered like she couldn’t shake off her agitation even with the fan, making her cuter in In-gong’s eyes.

‘It is too much.’

Everything she did looked cute. As In-gong was thinking this, Caitlin also opened her mouth. Her cheeks were still red, but she showed a more relaxed smile than Felicia.

“Have a good night’s sleep. Have good dreams.”

“Yes, dream of Caitlin.”

“Yes.”

Chris interjected, and In-gong replied automatically, making the mood odd again.

Silvan seemed to want to tell In-gong to dream of Felicia, while Caitlin punched Chris with resentment and Felicia buried her face in her fan. Carack couldn’t stand this endless loop anymore, so he said to the princes and princesses,

“Come on, go to sleep. It’s late in the night.”

He waved his hand and chased them away.

“Huoong…”

After everyone left and only Carack remained, In-gong let out a long breath. It was a sigh filled with many emotions. Carack gazed at him and said,

“Prince, it was hard to look at. I felt embarrassed for you.”

“Hey, why should I be embarrassed?”

“Isn’t your mouth smiling too much? That is why. You will understand if you look in a mirror.”

Carack was as sharp as always, and In-gong flinched for a moment before smiling coolly.

“Well… it is great.”

They were Felicia and Caitlin, not anybody else. The two people liked In-gong despite their embarrassment, so why shouldn’t he feel good? Carack shook his head at In-gong’s shameless words.

“I was aware of this after meeting you, but you really were far from your brothers and sisters.”

If their period of growing up together had been long, then things might have been different today. In-gong nodded in agreement.

“Well… there was nothing in the first place.”

It wasn’t an exaggeration. Before becoming one with In-gong, Shutra had virtually no relationship with his other siblings. The Red Lightning Tribe mission was the first time he had seen Caitlin, let alone talked to her. It was no different with Felicia.

‘And…’

Felicia and Caitlin weren’t In-gong’s sisters in the first place. However, he couldn’t say this, even if the other person was Carack. It was a story that he hadn’t even shared with Felicia, who he had shared almost all his other secrets.

“Anyway… thank you. I didn’t think that Prince would tell me this secret.”

Carack said, turning his head sideways. It was embarrassing for Carack to say something like this. In fact, Carack’s reaction was natural. Other than Carack, the other aides hadn’t been invited and then a very shocking fact had been revealed.

“Of course, I should tell you. You are Carack.”

In-gong laughed, and Carack scratched his head awkwardly. Tonight seemed to be a night of embarrassment.

“Then I’m asking as Carack… Prince, who truly is the better one?”

Carack asked, turning the warm atmosphere awkward. In-gong cleared his mind and then took a deep breath.

“I think I should become the demon king first. Otherwise, what is the point of discussing it?”

“Such a big goal?”

“Of course.”

This world was very different from Knight Saga in many ways, but In-gong still had the Day of Massacre in his head. He wouldn’t allow himself to be truly happy until he was the demon king. Elaine’s and Chris’ plans for marriage would’ve been established on the premise that In-gong would become the demon king.

“Understood. Then, I will really go now. Will you use the dream pillow so that you don’t lose your strength?”

“Ah, no. I won’t use the pillow today.”

In-gong was already in a situation where his delusions were running wild. He was afraid of what he would dream the moment he used the pillow.

“Then Master, go for a walk. Master is disgusting right now.”

Green Wind suddenly appeared behind In-gong and hugged his neck. Carack nodded as well.

“It is a good idea. The cold wind is the best to restore your spirit at night.”

In other words, it would calm him down.

“Okay, then I will be going for a while.”

He had just been in a heated situation, so the cool wind at night sounded quite nice.

“Go safely.”

Carack opened the door of the cabin with a chuckle.

&

There were some dark elves on the deck, but fortunately, Felicia and Caitlin weren’t present. In-gong greeted the dark elves before heading to a place that was deserted. The cool night breeze cleared his head.

In-gong became emotional and raised his head toward the night sky. It felt like the stars in the sky were falling toward him.

“Prince.”

“Sword Duke.”

The sword duke approached from behind. He grabbed a seat next to In-gong and stretched.

“That look… you seem refreshed.”

“Yes.”

The sword duke had been worrying about his reaction. Once In-gong answered calmly, the sword duke sighed and smiled.

“I am relieved. Yes, what about the reaction of the others… Prince? What is with that expression?”

The sword duke frowned and tilted his head. He had expected a reaction, but he didn’t think In-gong would look so embarrassed.

“Uh, um. That…”

In-gong hesitated before telling the sword duke the story. He didn’t tell every detail, but the flow was straightforward, making the sword duke curious.

“What can I say… I imagined this development to happen further in the future.”

“I-Is that so?”

The shock of In-gong’s birth secret being revealed had changed to confusion and embarrassment.

“The 4th Queen’s mindset… I thought it would come eventually… But uh, well, this is quick… Moreover…”

“Moreover?”

“It is strange to say something like this, but shouldn’t you normally feel distress over your identity or something like that?”

The sword duke asked.

“Uh…”

It was like he said. As far as Shutra’s birth was concerned, Shutra wasn’t a child born out of a natural process but an artificially created one. Usually in this situation, the novel or manhwa protagonist would feel a serious confusion over their identity.

‘I am not XX,’ or ‘I’m not human,’ or ‘I don’t care, I am human!’… They would think things like that. Then they would usually accept their identity through some dramatic situation.

However, In-gong was different. He didn’t feel any confusion over his identity.

‘Well, Shutra…’

In-gong was already Shutra, but something still felt separate. If he had many memories of the 5th Queen, then it might be different. However, it had only been a year since In-gong became Shutra. Additionally, the problem of Felicia and Caitlin was far more important than some confusion over his identity.

After seeing that In-gong didn’t feel any identity crisis, the sword duke laughed once again.

“Well, you don’t have to react like that. It is good. Prince actually seems more dependable. You are mentally tough.”

“Thank you.”

In-gong replied coolly. The sword duke didn’t continue talking about In-gong’s identity but switched the topic instead.

“Prince, do you remember the first time we met?”

“I remember.”

It was when In-gong had been facing the man with the blue aura at Thunderdoom Fortress. In-gong had been incapable of beating the enemy before him ,and everyone was prepared for death. That memory was still vivid.

The sword duke laughed and stared straight at In-gong. In-gong had been impressed by the sword duke, and now the sword duke was impressed by In-gong. It wasn’t because In-gong was a being created using the essence of the gandharva god. There was something more special about In-gong.

“It isn’t because of the divinity of the gandharva. I am really looking forward to Prince’s future. Someday, I might bow to you after you are the demon king.”

This was why the demon king had given In-gong the Seed of Extreme Nothingness.

“The group led by Prince is important. Look after the other princes and princesses.”

“Yes, Sword Duke.”

There were no more questions and answers.

The sword duke patted In-gong’s shoulder and left, while In-gong stayed on the deck for a bit longer.

&

Two days later, the Black Flame Dragon arrived at Enger Plains. Anastasia had already arrived first, so she greeted the party.

As elegant as always, she frowned when she saw the party before her.

“What is with this subtly sweet, happy, and dangerous atmosphere?”

The feeling around Shutra was quite different from when she last saw them. Chris was smiling more wickedly than usual, while Silvan was unsure about what to do. Felicia and Caitlin on In-gong’s left and right looked unnatural, as Caitlin kept on fidgeting and Felicia never removed the fan from her face.

In the centre of all that, In-gong was just smiling. Anastasia felt quite favourable toward In-gong, but she couldn’t help wanting to beat that expression off his face.

“T-That… it is nothing. Yes, there is nothing.”

Felicia said quickly. Anastasia looked dubious as her eyes narrowed even further.

“Hrmm…?”

Her questioning gaze was scary, but no one opened their mouths. In-gong was familiar with Anastasia, but there was a clear difference in position between Anastasia’s faction and Shutra’s faction. Anastasia was still a powerful adversary and head of a rival faction, so she couldn’t be told his birth secret.

“What—what are you doing?”

Anastasia attacked Felicia, who was the closest and seemed the easiest. The normal Felicia would’ve replied in a certain way, but she didn’t answer.

“How suspicious.”

Anastasia’s eyes narrowed even more. Felicia, who was in charge of Anastasia, was in a helpless state, so there was no one to deal with her. Chris was able to compete with Anastasia, but he just laughed like the situation was funny. Then just as In-gong was about to open his mouth…

“4th Princess, shouldn’t you move? It seems like there are more people who want to say hello.”

The sword duke moved like the wind and spoke to Anastasia. She was surprised by the sword duke’s appearance but regained her poise as always.

“4th Princess Anastasia Nekrion greets the sword duke.”

“A pleasure. You are still as beautiful as ever.”

Anastasia was one of several people who had gathered at the Enger Plains to greet them, and she displayed a formal greeting to the sword duke. Felicia sighed with relief when Anastasia’s attention was turned away from her and toward the sword duke instead.

“Come this way. We have prepared a small welcoming ceremony. It would be better to exchange greetings there.”

Anastasia said gracefully as she led the way. At that moment, In-gong saw the people behind Anastasia. There was some good faces.

‘Ferocious Eyes.’

As the name suggests, the eyes were ferocious. However, despite the scary eyes, In-gong just smiled at him. It wasn’t just Ferocious Eyes who In-gong greeted gladly. Among the crowd at Enger Plains, many of them were In-gong’s people.

Vandal’s large size made him stand out as he smiled at In-gong, and there was a beautiful woman smiling beside Vandal.

The succubus, Nayatra…

It was her.

&

“Your Highness, I will report about the information I’ve collected.”

“Yes.”

Anastasia’s welcoming party consisted of a mixture of nightmares and centaurs.

It was an outdoor banquet hall for the centaurs, while the nightmares provided the cold alcohol and spicy dishes. The centaurs sat down around a large fire with the sword duke, children of the demon king, and Ferocious Eyes.

Satyrs were dancing around the big fire. There were also various musical instruments playing. However, the traditional music of the centaurs were based on the drums, so the whole atmosphere was reminiscent of being in an army.

After the satyrs, it was the succubi who showed off their dancing skills. Unlike the satyrs’ dance which was energetic and raw, the succubi were gorgeous and sensual.

Everyone had already drunk some alcohol, so they couldn’t help swallowing at the sight, while Chris covered Caitlin’s eyes with a big palm. Caitlin pouted and complained, but no one took her side.

The party was a prelude to the introductions of three groups which had arrived through the transportation formation. In-gong already knew Anastasia’s and Vandal’s groups.

So, the sword duke introduced the last group, the sura warriors, to In-gong.

“Prince, you were introduced to Indara before.”

“It is great to see 9th Prince.”

Indara greeted him in a cool voice, and In-gong nodded. In-gong had already knew Indara from the mission at the Sanctuary, so only brief greetings were exchanged. With Indara as the leader, 20 sura warriors had left the Sanctuary. This was a considerable number when considering the fact that there were only dozens of sura warriors.

By the time the greetings were over, the succubi’s dance had finished. As the music stopped, Caitlin stared at Chris’ palm and asked in an uncomfortable voice,

“Has it finished?”

“It has finished. You can now look.”

Chris removed his palm and patted Caitlin’s head. It was a sweet touch, but Caitlin was still upset.

“I can see it. It is me.”

“Uh, you can’t watch it yet. It is too stimulating.”

Chris knocked on Caitlin’s head lightly. He was more like a father taking care of his daughter, instead of a brother.

However, Caitlin was still dissatisfied. Caitlin was already 15 years old, and her 16th birthday would soon be arriving. In the Demon King’s Palace, 18 was considered the age of adulthood. However, in the lycanthrope society, it was actually 16 years old. She was tired of being so controlled that she couldn’t even watch the succubi dance. While Caitlin was pouting, the sword duke chuckled and said,

“Princess, don’t be too upset. The sura will show you their sword dance.”

“The sura’s sword dance?”

“Yes, it is quite exciting.”

The sword duke shrugged and gestured to Indara, who delivered a brief request to the satyr musicians and stood in front of the large fire with nine sura warriors.

“I will start.”

As soon as Indara laughed, a strong aura storm pushed around the big fire. It was because 10 powerful suras had opened their aura at the same time.

Once everyone’s gazes were focused on them, Indara and the suras started moving their swords. Thanks to their aura, the swords shone in different ways as they danced among the flames, creating a spectacular sight.

Caitlin quickly fell for the sword dance. Anastasia, who was still questioning Felicia about what was going on, soon forgot about that matter for a while.

In-gong also watched the sword dance with excited eyes. It was due to the splendor and beauty as well as the hidden meanings in the sura sword dance.

[Sura Sword Dance Lv1 has been learnt.]

[Understanding of Sura Heart Law has increased.]

The clear voice of the woman melted naturally into the music.

Then some time passed by. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that everyone in the banquet hall was captured by the suras. The excited centaurs and satyrs woke up from their daze and applauded. During this exciting atmosphere, the sword duke laughed and glanced at In-gong.

“Prince. Can Prince give us a show?”

“Huh?”

“The gandharva are a species of heavenly dancers. Please fulfill this request for me.”

The sword duke’s voice was louder than usual. It seemed to be directed at those around him, rather than In-gong. And it worked. All eyes gazed at In-gong expectantly, with Caitlin’s shining the brightest. The sword duke observed Caitlin as he asked,

“Do you want to see?”

“Yes, yes! I want to see!”

She was shouting so excitedly that it couldn’t be helped.

‘I received a bunch of gandharva passives, so it should be okay somehow.’

He had also just learnt Sura Sword Dance. When In-gong got up from his seat, the atmosphere of the banquet suddenly became heated. In-gong thought about it as he walked slowly toward the big fire.

‘Let’s go for something brilliant.’

However, he felt embarrassed to dance alone.

“Green Wind.”

Green Wind showed up in solid form the moment In-gong called her. In-gong grabbed one of Green Wind’s hands naturally and moved like he was escorting his wife.

“Ohhh!”

The surrounding people quickly became noisier and more excited, and In-gong commanded Green Wind to scatter the heat of the big fire. Then because of what In-gong was going to do next, he took a deep breath.

“Spiritualism, Four Heavenly Kings.”

“Apostle Appointment, Green Wind.”

In-gong and Green Wind whispered at the same time, and at that moment, a brilliant light appeared and they transformed. The centaurs and satyrs couldn’t even speak to express their admiration. In his divine state, In-gong was beautiful. The fragrance of his Divine Scent spread about and made everyone fall into ecstasy. Green Wind was also formidable. The centaurs and satyrs still prayed to her, a beautiful goddess of the wind.

In-gong and Green Wind held hands and started dancing. It was an awkward dance, but that didn’t matter.

“Ahh…”

The satyrs held their hands together, like they were praying, and burst into tears, while some of the centaurs grabbed their chests, and Amita sniffed happily. However, that wasn’t the end. The succubi watching the dance moaned and fainted.

Yet, no one looked at them. They were too engrossed in In-gong and Green Wind’s dance.

&

‘A failure.’

In-gong thought as he saw the devastated banquet hall. He had consumed a huge amount of magic power when using Pheromones and Divine Scent.

‘There are even people who fainted.’

However, that was natural.

The succubus species were very sensitive to pheromones. For them, In-gong’s pheromones were effective enough to be a natural enemy.

The expression in everyone’s gazes toward In-gong changed after the welcoming party. Even Anastasia was looking at In-gong with envious eyes. Thanks to this, Felicia’s struggle with Anastasia was alleviated. There was one more person who was fascinated by In-gong.

“Your Highness, I will report about the information I collected.”

“Yes.”

After the banquet, Nayatra came up with him with a blank face, and In-gong nodded awkwardly. Nayatra’s reaction wasn’t burdensome, nor did In-gong feel burdened because of his beauty. The reason why he felt awkward was because of Nayatra’s mission.

‘I can’t say it.’

Nayatra had left the Demon King’s Palace to figure out the sin of the gandharva. Despite her months of hard work and information gathering, In-gong already knew what the sin was. Additionally, Nayatra played no role in In-gong figuring out that information.

‘Ugh…’

He was struggling because he felt sorry toward her. In-gong pinched his thigh and took deep breaths as Nayatra started her report.

This was a summary of Nayatra’s report:

She found out where the gandharva were confined.

Contacting the gandharva was also a success.

However, she couldn’t figure out what the sin of the gandharva was. Everybody’s mouths were shut firmly.

“I’m sorry. I am still lacking.”

“No, that is good enough. You did really well.”

He meant it sincerely. In retrospect, it was natural that Nayatra couldn’t figure it out. This was a secret involving the birth of a prince of the Demon King’s Palace. No matter how talented Nayatra was, she wouldn’t be able to figure it out in just a few months.

Additionally, unlike the lycanthropes, the gandharva were all imprisoned. Just getting into contact with them was a significant achievement.

“Your Highness, the gandharva had no access to outside information. Therefore, they didn’t know anything about Your Highness’ performance.”

The gandharva hadn’t received any external information for the last 15 years since after Shutra’s birth, to be exact. However, that was natural. Nayatra paused and gulped. She licked his lips before lowering her voice.

“Your Highness, I used some unreasonable methods to collect information. Please understand.”

“Nayatra?”

“I contacted a gandharva and said that Your Highness was seeking cooperation with him.”

In-gong understood what Nayatra was worried about. The gandharva were confined, so it was a sin to approach them without authorization. If the story of In-gong contacting the gandharva leaked, then it would be a big problem for him.

“The gandharva didn’t reveal their sin, but they are very pleased about Your Highness.”

Nayatra pulled out a bead from a box she had prepared in advance. It wasn’t a bead which recorded images like the one the sword duke had given him. In-gong could feel the power of divinity the moment he touched the bead.

‘It contains divine power.’

The bead was a bit strange, but it was clearly something to strengthen In-gong’s divinity. This was probably one of the artifacts of Dhrtarastra that the gandharva kept.

It was a very helpful harvest. In-gong patted Nayatra on the shoulder.

“Thanks for the trouble. You have distinguished yourself.”

Nayatra was very pleased by In-gong’s compliment and spoke in an excited voice,

“Your Highness, I will try to contact the gandharva again. With a little more effort, I will be able to discover what their sin is.”

Enthusiasm was flowing in her eyes and voice. In-gong calmed Nayatra down.

“It’s okay, Nayatra. This degree of investigation is enough.”

“But Your Highness!”

Nayatra objected. In-gong stared straight into her eyes and declared,

“No, it is okay. More research is too risky. And I don’t want Nayatra to be in danger. Nayatra is a very precious person to me.”

“Ahhh…”

Nayatra sighed. It wouldn’t be strange if she fainted. In-gong thought it was strange, but he decided to be glad that she wasn’t stubborn anymore. He laughed and gave Nayatra a bottle of Heavenly Wine he had prepared in advance.

“Here, Nayatra. It is too early to call it a prize, but this is a gift from me. It is made from a mixture of my magic power and other things.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Nayatra hugged the Heavenly Wine and thanked In-gong again. It seemed like she was still enchanted by his dance at the banquet hall.

‘Ah, I look like a bad guy.’

In-gong coughed a few times at the thought before leaving Nayatra. He wanted to stay with her longer, but there was still one more person In-gong needed to meet.

“Your popularity is great.”

“It is Sword Duke’s fault.”

The sword duke laughed at In-gong’s rebuke when he appeared like the wind in the barracks.

“Prince, I will be leaving Enger Plains tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“The north doesn’t have many transportation formations, so there are many places to where I need to run. I must hurry to join 2nd Prince as well as 1st Prince.”

The sword duke said with a smile before raising a hand to In-gong’s shoulder.

“Indara and 4th Princess will know the detailed schedule. I recommend that you leave the schedule to those two people.”

“I understand.”

The number of people who joined him on Enger Plains was over 100. There were the 20 suras led by Indara as well as Vandal’s independent unit which consisted of 100 troops. Anastasia led an elite unit too, so it was impossible to carry all of them on the Black Flame Dragon. Whether they liked it or not, they had to travel by land.

After finishing his talk, the sword duke tapped In-gong’s shoulder again.

“Prince, I wish you good luck.”

“Good luck to you as well.”

Their next meeting would be beyond the Northern Limit Line, in front of Shutenberg’s castle. The sword duke left the barracks with a quiet smile, and In-gong watched him leave.

Then the next afternoon…

In-gong’s group headed toward the Northern Limit Line and beyond it.

&

“Having three batteries is really reliable.”

“Shutra, isn’t it too crude to call your sisters that?”

“Having three batteries is really reliable.”

“Shutra, isn’t it too crude to call your sisters that?”

Anastasia frowned at In-gong’s words.  In fact, although it was a joke, he was almost serious.

She had felt it when she met In-gong the other day. In-gong seemed to care about Felicia a lot, but he also had a habit of eating his resources, including Felicia. Right now, Anastasia had used her magic until she was almost exhausted. Felicia had been with In-gong for a while, so she had already experienced this burn out several times.

After hearing Anastasia’s words, In-gong looked at her in surprise. Despite the content of her words being a complaint, Anastasia still sounded elegant.

“Well, it seems to be working.”

Carack spoke from where he was watching alone. Amita, who was more dissatisfied than Anastasia, cut into the conversation.

“Give Daphne the Heavenly Wine! This unscrupulous employer! You should guarantee a fair remuneration!”

Felicia, Anastasia, and Daphne were in charge of recovery for ‘faster than the wind’. Carack shook his head in disbelief at Amita.

“Raccoon, the Heavenly Wine is good, but why are you so obsessed with it?”

“There is nothing better than the Heavenly Wine!”

Amita jumped up and yelled, then they started to pant. They were excited just thinking about the Heavenly Wine.

“Umm… it won’t last forever. This is why addiction is so terrible.”

Carack looked at Daphne for sympathy, and Daphne couldn’t help smiling. It was at that moment that…

“Shutra, what is the Heavenly Wine?”

Anastasia tilted her head and asked. She couldn’t follow the flow of the conversation because she didn’t know what the Heavenly Wine was.

“Eh? Ah, yes. I never gave Anastasia noona the Heavenly Wine.”

It really seemed like that was the case. He thought he had given it to Anastasia because he had given it to everyone else, but it seemed like she had never even smelt it, let alone tasted it.

“Heavenly Wine? Isn’t the name too grand?”

Anastasia said with a slight frown, inducing backlash from Amita.

“It is lacking! The Heavenly Wine is really amazing! You will be amazed after drinking it!”

“Hoh, isn’t that intriguing?”

Anastasia said in a coy voice and looked at In-gong with slightly fluttering eyes. Instead of responding, In-gong thought about something else.

‘I can’t just give it to her.’

Last night, he had drawn blood after using Spiritualism. Due to the activation of Pheromones and Divine Scent while dancing, they were infused into taste and smell of the wine, making it different from the previous Heavenly Wine. It was obvious that the effect would be great if he gave it to Anastasia without diluting it with alcohol or water. In-gong couldn’t help smiling as he imagined Anastasia reacting like Amita. Then Carack frowned and said,

“Prince, you are thinking something dangerous. Your eyes are sneaky. They are burning with more ambition than usual.”

In-gong had revealed too much. He quickly fixed his expression and spoke to Anastasia,

“Right now, I have none to spare. I will give it to you later.”

“Hrmm.”

Anastasia stared at In-gong. Her gaze showed that she knew something wasn’t right. In-gong nodded and grabbed Anastasia’s hand, kissing the back of it.

“Anastasia noona is a precious battery. I’ll make sure to give it to you at a later time.”

“Didn’t I just say that it is crude to call me that?”

Anastasia said, gazing at In-gong gracefully. She truly was very elegant.

“I want to help too.”

Caitlin sighed as she listened to the conversation. She could use spells, but they were only the basics. Unlike the expert magicians, Felicia and Anastasia, Caitlin was unable to use recovery magic. In-gong was about to say something to comfort Caitlin, but he managed to hold it back before committing the mistake. Caitlin was looking around at her surroundings with delighted eyes.

‘It’s okay, Noona is my aura battery.’

In-gong smiled at the thought, feeling that Anastasia’s words were somewhat reasonable. The three princesses weren’t batteries. In-gong didn’t think so even as a joke. He knew he shouldn’t think that way.

“Anyway… we are now approaching the limit line. Once beyond the limit line, we won’t be able to march like this.”

Anastasia changed the topic. Then Caitlin asked with shining eyes,

“Has Anastasia unni ever crossed over?”

Caitlin’s voice was friendly, like they had become closer after the welcoming party. Anastasia responded with a gentle expression, like she didn’t dislike Caitlin.

“I’ve only done it twice. But both times were only near the limit line. This is the first time that I will be entering the depths.”

She sounded strangely more polite than when she talked to In-gong and Felicia. Anastasia continued to explain,

“Basically, it has rough terrain. Beyond the Northern Limit Line is pretty much just a cold land, so we will need to take some measures against the cold.

“There will also be creatures and barbarians… It won’t be easy to reach Shutenberg’s castle.”

Chris, who had been silent until now, spoke up. He was training to become the next king of the lycanthropes, but he still felt afraid to go far beyond the limit line.

“It is a shame that there is a limit on the number of people who can board the Black Flame Dragon.”

The number of soldiers led by the royal children reached nearly 200. That was over the limit for the Black Flame Dragon, so they needed to move on land. Anastasia looked up at the Black Flame Dragon and narrowed her eyes.

“Even if it was possible to fit them, riding it is impossible. There is severe turbulence beyond the Northern Limit Line, so it won’t be able to fly as fast as before.”

The altitude was likely to not be particularly high. Beyond the Northern Limit Line, the winds were as sharp as knives, so the sails of the Black Flame Dragon were likely to be damaged. They hadn’t even reached the castle of Arch Lich Shutenberg, yet there were already ominous thoughts. Chris shrugged and said in a cool voice,

“Well, there are many magicians, and there are no ordinary people among the soldiers. Won’t it be okay somehow?”

Along with the dark elves who had come from Sky Forest, the lycanthropes, the nightmares, and the suras, who had joined at Enger Plains, were all the best of their kind. In-gong’s independent unit was unconventional and didn’t contain anyone ordinary either. There were many strong troops like the ogres and golems.

As the conversation continued, their voices naturally became louder. Then Felicia, who had been resting in a separate place, approached.

“What are you talking about?”

Felicia was currently taking a break, but she had been maintaining ‘faster than the wind’ for nearly two hours. She had laid down and rested as soon as the march stopped, but there was still fatigue on her face.

In-gong felt sorry toward her, while Anastasia just sighed. Chris watched from the side and laughed.

“I was telling Shutra that he is using Noonim too much.”

“Yes. Isn’t that right? He has drained his sisters.”

Felicia smiled wearily, while Caitlin laughed and looked at In-gong.

“Yes, yes. Shutra is too much. I’ve also had my aura drained.”

It was filled with affection rather than criticism. Then, instead of replying, In-gong stood up and declared,

“Now, let’s depart. Anastasia noonim, I’ll be asking for your magic power next.”

“Are you treating me as a battery now?”

“I am too.”

“How childish.”

However, the princesses then burst out laughing at In-gong’s expression.

“Yes, let’s start.”

As Anastasia moved to the centre of the army, the aide beside her signalled for the soldiers to prepare to move. In-gong climbed on top of Maybach and thought about Shutenberg.

It had always been Warrior Locke who took out Shutenberg in Knight Saga. Additionally, the place where Shutenberg had fallen wasn’t beyond the Northern Limit Line, but at the border with the Demon World and Human World.

‘I think that Locke probably took down a clone.’

In-gong took a deep breath and looked beyond the Northern Limit Line with a serious expression in his eyes.

&

Locke’s party arrived at that location almost half an hour after In-gong’s party left. Carlov gazed at the trail of the army and huffed.

“How can an army march so fast? Are they overflowing with magic power? No, isn’t this too much even if they are?”

The speed of the army was even faster than the flying ship. There were 200 troops, but they were moving at a super fast speed. Carlov had experience marching through countless battlefields, so he was confused.

However, Beatrice was worried about something else.

“Doesn’t it seem like they have no luggage? How are they getting their supplies?”

They could supplement their supplies in the Demon World, but the destination was beyond the limit line. Each soldier would need to carry a large burden, but the baggage for each soldier was too light. It was almost like they were carrying nothing.

Carlov’s and Beatrice’s worries deepened. They travelled all over the Demon World, but they had never encountered such an unusual maneuver.

“Well, aren’t we able to go unnoticed thanks to that?”

Locke said brightly, but Carlov wasn’t cheered up.

“Rather, I am worried that we will miss them.”

Their movement speed was too fast. Until now, it had been easy to catch up due to the traces left behind. However, these traces might disappear beyond the limit line.

“Beyond the limit line, we will have to narrow the distance a little further.”

Locke’s group hadn’t moved beyond the limit line yet. Compared to the children of the demon king, they were lacking in information.

“Shouldn’t we just join with the children of the demon king? Their purpose is the same as ours.”

Carlov scratched his chin as he spoke, but Locke shook his head.

“It isn’t easy to decide. The Guardian told me to maintain a distance.”

Guardian Queian didn’t trust Conquest. Although Locke wondered if he needed to be so careful, he would follow Queian’s words for now.

“Anyway, let’s depart. Otherwise, we really will miss them.”

Carlov said lightly. The children of the demon king had likely already reached the Northern Limit Line at this speed.

“Beatrice, please use recovery.”

“Yes, Locke.”

Beatrice was Locke’s battery. She closed her eyes and prayed quietly to her god.

&

In-gong’s group reached the Northern Limit Line. In pursuit of In-gong’s party, Locke’s party headed toward the Northern Limit Line. Additionally, there were those who were going beyond the Northern Limit Line but toward the west.

“1st P

rince Baikal Ragnaros greets the sword duke.”

“2nd Prince Zephyr Ragnaros greets the sword duke.”

“Greetings, I am the saintess, Zephyr’s fiancee!”

A youthful voice was added at the end. Baikal laughed, while Zephyr just closed his eyes with a bitter smile.

The sword duke couldn’t help laughing. He knew about the Dark Saintess, but he had never imagined she would have such a bright personality. Furthermore, he didn’t know she was the 2nd Prince’s fiancee.

“I am Sword Duke Ishgard. It is a pleasure to see 1st Prince and 2nd Prince.”

In response to the sword duke, Baikal smiled mildly while Zephyr opened his eyes. Altesia grinned as she approached Zephyr.

The sword duke looked at the three people before turning his gaze away. In addition to the Order of Erebos knights Altesia had brought along, there were the draconians led by Baikal and Zephyr respectively. However, the most prominent one was Quanta.

She looked like a gandharva, but the sword duke immediately identified her as a dragon. 2nd Prince was just as amazing as 9th Prince.

Quanta wasn’t the same as when she met Altesia, but just like before, she was still blindfolded.

The sword duke looked at Quanta with interest before turning his attention back to the three people.

“The preparations are ready. Then there is no need to delay. Let’s depart immediately.”

The number of troops led by Baikal and Zephyr combined to make 500. Due to them being cavalry, the amount of supplies needed was enormous. Therefore, in terms of mobility, they had to hurry or they would lag behind In-gong’s party.

The sword duke glided smoothly along the ground, immediately followed by Baikal and Zephyr.

Half a day later, aside from Victor, all the demon king’s children and Warrior Locke crossed the limit line.

In different places, the War Knight and the Death Knight looked at the same place.