Chapter 66

Posted by Kuze, ? Views, Released on February 4, 2025

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Year 394 of the Empire Calendar.

The Holy Kingdom is crying.

Because of one woman.

“Saintess! Please stop this!”

“If you leave, who will truly uphold the Holy Order?!”

“Stop this madness! This matter has already been decided by the Empire, why do you oppose it?!”

“The Demon Forest is a cursed place! It’s no place for someone as noble as you, Saintess!”

Everyone is crying, but the woman’s resolve doesn’t waver. She’s stubborn.

Thud, thud, thud, thud-.

She walks on. The path everyone desperately opposes. The path they scream is impossible and criticize as foolishness.

Her name is Saintess Irolwel.

*****

Alright, let’s imagine something fun.

There was food prepared for breakfast, but hey? When I checked in the morning, it had vanished without a trace!

“Confess now!”

We can’t just let this slide. I’m the leader here. I’m Aru’s captain, Beatrix’s lord, and Uriel’s commander. My dignity and authority are at stake here. This isn’t just about me; it’s about maintaining our group’s hierarchy.

“Confess now! This is serious.”

“Huh? What’s going on?”

“Our breakfast is gone.”

“…! Grrr! Grrrrr! Grrrrrr!”

Aruruu panicking over the missing meal.

I can’t trust appearances. He could be faking it. Since puberty, Aruruu’s acting skills have improved dramatically. These days, he’s good enough to fool even me.

As a director, I’d praise his performance, but not when he’s embezzling funds.

But…

“Wasn’t today’s breakfast a vegetable salad?”

Hm?!

“A wolf like Aruruu wouldn’t eat salad.”

Gulp-

“Knight Beatrix, why did you flinch and swallow hard just now?”

My sharp observation makes Beatrix narrow her eyes. Could it be… YOU were the thief? Always acting so high-and-mighty, but secretly stealing food?

“…I seem to recall seeing something faintly moving near your bag while I was half-asleep.”

“Huh?”

“A pale shape, moving around Lord’s supplies.”

…!

A pale shape!

There’s only ONE white thing in our group – Uriel, the former archangel who’s still stuck as a baby angel after a hundred years without growing any feathers.

Aru has long navy hair down to his thighs, and Beatrix always keeps her brown ponytail. Neither matches the pure white description.

“Uriel?”

Startled!

“I just heard your heartbeat speed up. Don’t think about running. Did you steal and eat it?”

“Yeah, so what.”

“Wait, what?”

“What are you surprised about? I said I ate it. I was hungry.”

What the hell, why is this guy so damn confident about stealing food?

“Are you planning to kill me or something?”

…

Uriel definitely had a plan.

His arrogant calculation relying on others’ restraint while doing whatever he wants.

It’s too simple yet perfect, leaving me speechless.

“Then you cook.”

“There’s no ingredients left.”

“Oh come on, just go get some from the mountain.”

“You want me to enter the Demon Forest?”

Hmm, thinking about it, Uriel probably couldn’t defeat even a regular monster these days. If he dies, we’d have Michael descending into the Demon Forest.

He really does have everything planned out.

This morning’s mood ruined thanks to him.

“Fine, forget it. Hey! Aru! Go get food!”

“Grrr! Isn’t the young demon responsible for meals today?”

You’re being too talkative for a pet! One more word and I’ll make your dinner all vegetables!

“Arrgh… evil demon… bad boss…”

Where did you learn those words? Am I some corporate CEO now?

Still, I’ve got my reliable assistant (slave) – Aru.

When Uriel acts smug, I act smug too. Though my target is Aru.

If Aru was just a bit smarter, he’d point out the “junior” status and pass it to Beatrix.

“Kyee… evil demon… making me do all the work…”

Poor Aru, whose intelligence lies somewhere between wolf and human, didn’t even think of that. Hanging his shoulders, he slowly gets up and trudges off into the Demon Forest.

Soon we hear the sounds of monsters being beaten far away. Our dear Aru has grown to be quite a strong fighter. Our group has built quite a reputation in the Demon Forest.

Of course, we’re nowhere near the level of the Five Kings yet. Only two hundred years of training – reaching that level would break the game balance.

Actually, I was the one who stole the food, but hehe. After seeing Uriel eat the salad, no one would suspect the pale-clad person sneaking around to take other foods was me. That’s why acting skills are important.

“Lord, may I ask a question?”

“What is it?”

“For the past few days, you’ve seemed excited about meeting someone soon. Who might this person be? A human in the Demon Forest…?”

“I’ve been curious about that too. Commander, what kind of person could you meet here in the center of the Demon Realm?”

Ah, that topic.

It’s about time to explain. Good thing Aru’s not here. Let me tell you about it.

“Beatrix, Uriel. Have you heard of a human king?”

“A human king? What’s that?”

“I know of it… Why bring it up? There’s no human king in this era.”

What do you mean ‘no’? They’re very much alive! You’re creating fake news again.

Every race has its innate ‘king’. Like Dragon Lords ruling dragons, each of the Five Kings representing their races, or Langwang Aru in the west. Or the Overlord of Demons.

Humans are no exception. There exists a human born as a true king, not artificially created or formal.

There’s no rule saying such humans must live within human society.

“Have you heard of a savage who caused trouble around the western Demon Forest twenty years ago?”

“…I’ve heard rumors.”

“Could it be the human known among monsters as the Human King? The sole rival to Western ruler Dragon King Endros? Hmm, could that person really be the human king?”

“That’s right. Famous as an incredible powerhouse, but disappeared twenty years ago.”

It’s now Year 414 of the Empire Calendar.

Twenty years ago, in Year 394, a human entered the Demon Forest. Reform Saintess Irolwel, with the ridiculous goal of reforming the Demon Forest.

Everyone laughed, but the saintess didn’t waver. Because the Empire had launched an ultra-long-term 220-year project – the ‘Demon Forest Annihilation’ plan. Saintess Irolwel argued burning the entire forest was going too far, and eventually stepped in personally.

Naturally, Saintess Irolwel’s efforts failed. But she bought time – nearly a hundred years. And during her time in the Demon Forest, facing hardships unimaginable from her days in the Holy Order, she continued spreading love and reform without fail.

Then, a savage was moved by her. A primitive human called the Human King, who didn’t even have proper language.

Saintess Irolwel passed away. Killed by subordinates of Western ruler Dragon King Endros. And after her death, for unknown reasons, the Human King went into hiding.

Later, after a long absence, he reappeared and caused massive events… Anyway.

Today, I will meet that Human King. And recruit him.

To become my ‘third assistant’.

Wait, if Uriel’s here, why third? When did Uriel become my assistant? He’s just a nuisance useful only for framing when I sneak snacks.

“The Human King is said to be an incredible powerhouse. Are you sure about this?”

“Why? Doubting yourself? Everyone except that bug-eater is pretty tough, right?”

“What?! Commander! Did you just call me a bug-eater?!”

“Well, it IS a bug-eater…”

“What?! A Holy Knight dares to speak against an Angel like this?!”

“Took away all the holy scriptures and ripped your wings off, and you’re still calling yourself an angel?”

“…! B, Beatrix…!”

Uriel’s choking. I burst out laughing.

“Just admit it already, Uriel. Falling is liberating.”

“Nonsense! I WILL return as an Archangel!”

“After a hundred years with not a single feather growing? Doesn’t sound convincing.”

“Kk…! Just wait! My wings will grow soon!”

“Pfft.”

“You… you’re laughing?! A Holy Knight dares to…!”

While ignoring my hearty laughter, Uriel reacts violently to Beatrix’s slight smile.

Seriously, when did he become such a comedian? He used to be a fiery judge wrapped in flames when we first met. Has his fall affected his mental state too? Getting teased by sword-wielding Beatrix now.

“Indeed, there is some risk. If the Human King decides to be hostile, all four of us could face disaster.”

Squeezing Beatrix’s collar and shaking her, I interrupt. Both look at me with round eyes, silently asking: Do we really need to meet him?

“But hey, when have we ever avoided dangerous things? As long as it’s not suicide, we should try everything!”

I even attempted suicide once for a plan. Compared to that, this is nothing.

“A hundred years ago…”

Beatrix speaks. That was when I first met her.

“At that time, Lord took great risks with your life. To subdue a god.”

“Did I? My memory’s a bit fuzzy.”

“Even when you were weaker than Lucifer back then, you stood tall before me. And even when Uriel was still an Archangel, you faced him without using any power.”

“Honestly, I was terrified back then. Why bring this up now?”

“I have a feeling Lord will do something similar to that again.”

As always, Beatrix is sharp. With excellent memory too. An ordinary human remembering events from a hundred years ago so clearly.

“Is that… instinct?”

“Yes?”

“Instinct, I mean. What you just said.”

“Ah, yes. Instinct.”

“Good instincts. Very warrior-like.”

Will you do something similar to what happened a hundred years ago?

I don’t know yet.

Because I don’t know the Human King.

What story does he carry? How did he meet Saintess Irolwel? Did he love her? Why did he choose to disappear?

And two hundred years from now, why did he team up with Great Sage Merlin Gregory to defeat Dragon King Endros?

I still don’t know. Haven’t gathered enough information yet. Don’t even know what color the paint in my hand is, so can’t predict what picture I’ll paint.

“Anyway, everyone prepare. We’ll meet the Human King today. I’ll be back in a bit. Give Aru some praise when he returns.”

“Yes, I’ll polish my Greatsword.”

“As for me…”

“You don’t have anything to do, baby angel. Just watch Beatrix. You’re neither above nor below that bug-eater, so stop pretending to be busy.”

“What?! What did you say…?!”

“Look at you, getting defensive. Anyway, stay put. Don’t cause trouble.”

“Kk…! Just wait! I may be a bug-eater now, but once I become an Archangel again…!!”

“Oh please, still dreaming about clouds.”

Based on the evidence of zero progress in a hundred years, it’ll take Uriel at least ten thousand years to become an Archangel.

Leaving behind Uriel grinding his teeth and muttering angrily, I slip away to the back of a large tree. Taking something out of my pocket.

A black rosary that still shines despite being handled for two hundred years.

“Tell.”