As I sat next to the throne, I stifled a yawn while a demon baron named Fart delivered a loud and boastful speech. Despite his seemingly flattering words, there was an air of insincerity about him that I couldn’t shake.

“I have no doubt you’ll easily dispose of that insolent fool, my liege,” Fart said with a smug grin.

Wait no, what was his name again? Lord Fard? Lord Fat perhaps... Screw it. I don’t need to know who this butt-kisser is.

My eyes narrowed in distrust as the demon lord made his exit, his bow shallow and insincere. For a brief moment, I thought I saw a hint of hatred in his gaze when he looked at Valtair.

I wasn't surprised. Such hostility was nothing new in this world. Demons were all cut from the same cloth. All they cared about was power and dominance. The stronger you were, the more jealousy you attracted. And as the most formidable of them all, Valtair had long been the subject of their envy and resentment.

I was willing to bet all those demon lords fawning over Valtair wouldn’t hesitate to betray him if given the chance. But who could blame them? I was also one of the many in line, hoping to get a chance to kill him.

Will this damn ceremony ever come to an end?

After two hours of sitting still, my patience was wearing thin. The ceremony was stupid. It was a never-ending cycle of nobles approaching the throne, bowing, and kissing Valtair’s ass.

I couldn’t help but wonder how Valtair put up with such a farce day in and day out. The whole affair was a masquerade of lies and deceit. While the nobles pretended to support him, it was clear they were secretly hoping for his downfall.

Ok, that’s it! I thought to myself as I realized the meet-and-greet line had gotten longer. I’ve had enough of this...

Just as I moved to stand, my body froze as my eyes locked on the next person in line.

My eyes widened as I watched him kneel before Valtair, his long white hair cascading down his back. He wore a white robe, intricately embroidered with golden threads. Despite his piercing green eyes, his ears were what caught my attention.

I-Is that... Is that an elf!?!

“King Valtair,” the elf greeted in a deep, melodious voice.

Valtair acknowledged him with a nod, prompting the elf to rise to his feet. At that moment, I couldn’t help but notice the sparkling jewelry adorning his wrists and neck, shimmering like tiny diamonds.

“It’s been a while Lord Amos," Valtair said. "How long has it been?"

"It's been about ten years, Your Grace."

Valtair raised a brow. "I'm surprised you accepted my invitation... I thought your brother wouldn't let you come."

Lord Amos smiled, his eyes twinkling with mirth. “The Emperor is a bit thick-headed at times. However, improving the amicable relationship between our two domains is of the utmost importance to him.”

“I see,” Valtair responded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

The two remained silent, gazing at each other intently.

I stood silently on the side, watching the tension between them grow. Despite Lord Amos not appearing physically imposing, he seemed to be someone important. Why else would Valtair be acting so cautiously around him?

“I hope your trip here went smoothly?” Cynthia asked. It was obvious she was trying to ease the tension in the air.

Amos’s face brightened as his gaze shifted to my mother. “I’m feeling a little nauseous but it’s nothing to worry about, Your Grace. I usually feel this way after traveling through gates.”

While I wasn’t fully versed in the science behind it, it was common to feel wanky when traveling through gates. Especially when teleporting from one world to another.

“This must be your son,” Amos said, turning to me. “You look just like your father, my boy.”

I felt Valtair twitch beside me.

“Lucian,” I stated firmly. “My name is Lucian.”

For a fraction of a second, I caught a glint of anger in his eyes. It was so quick that if I had blinked, I would have missed it. The tension in the air was palpable, and I could feel the gaze of the other nobles on us.

“I see the rumors about you are true, Prince Lucian,” Lord Amos remarked, breaking the silence.

My heart raced with anger as I clenched my fists. After going to great lengths to keep a low profile, it angered me to hear that rumors about me were being spread.

Damn it all... I guess there’s no use in keeping a low profile when you’re the son of the Demon King.

“What have you heard about me?” I asked.

Amos shrugged. “Not much... Just that you were a clever child.”

I rolled my eyes, feeling slightly amused by Amos's feeble attempt to annoy me. I decided to remain quiet, hoping the topic would change.

Unfortunately, he wasn't done.

“May I just say, Your Highness," Amos began. "You remind me of my niece."

Ok, now he's starting to get on my nerves.

“I do?”

“Yes,” he replied, beaming with pride. “Speaking of her... Majesties, I’d like to present my niece, Princess Thalia Elessar.”

Son of a gun...

A girl who couldn’t have been more than two years older than me stepped toward the throne. Her long, white hair cascaded down her back in gentle waves, while her bright blue eyes sparkled with an energy that seemed to light up the entire room. She wore a simple yet elegant gown, made of the finest silks and embroidered with delicate floral patterns.

As she bowed before Valtair, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe at the sight of her. Despite her young age, she exuded an air of confidence and poise far beyond her years.

“Honor to meet you, Your Grace,” she said, her voice soft like the chiming of a bell.

“No, the honor is all mine,” Valtair replied, his cold demeanor now more lively in the presence of the young princess. “Have you enjoyed your stay in Valoria?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The capital is much bigger than I could have ever anticipated. There are so many things to do, to see, not to mention the vast variety of restaurants...”

As I watched the two of them converse, I couldn’t shake my surprise at Valtair’s treatment of the young princess.

It felt strange to see Valtair, who was usually cold to others, be nice for a change. Especially towards someone who wasn’t a demon. It was the first time I’d seen him extend such warmth to someone who wasn't family. He even went as far as to offer the princess recommendations for places to see and restaurants to visit.

Maybe it’s because she's the only person here who isn't scheming behind his back?

“Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying your time here," Valtair said, offering her an encouraging smile. "It’d be a shame not to get to see as much of the city as you can."

The princess bowed politely. “I will heed your recommendations, Your Grace. Once again, I’d like to thank you for the hospitality you’ve shown me.”

Valtair shook his head and chuckled. “Nonsense. There’s no need to thank me. You are an honored guest.”

Amos cleared his throat, making his presence known once again. “Your Grace, before I forget, I would like to present to you, Lady Ophelia Celeborn, the princess’s guardian and tutor. She is also one of the three vice commanders of the Divine Twelve.”

The Divine Twelve!!!

Elves had always been an enigma to me. I knew practically nothing about them, except for the vague mention of a group called the Divine Twelve. If my memory served, they were the twelve strongest mages in Alveria, each holding the prestigious title of Holy Knight.

Becoming a Holy Knight was the pinnacle of glory in the elvish world. It was a rank coveted by many but attained by few. Rumors spoke of their unimaginable power, said to rival even the strength of the Seven Grand Dukes of Azurax.

As Lady Ophelia stepped forward, I was immediately struck by her beauty. She was tall and slender with long, blonde hair that cascaded down her back in loose waves. Her skin was pale and her eyes were a vibrant shade of emerald that seemed to glow.

“Your Grace,” she said, bowing her head. “I thank you for your hospitality.”

The moment she opened her mouth, my blood ran cold. Despite her attempt to conceal her strength, I could still sense the immense amount of magic radiating from her. It was so potent that I had no doubt it could put even Valtair on his heels.

Glancing around, I noticed some of the guards and nobles had picked up on the sudden change in the air. It was an understatement to say that Ophelia was anything less than a force of nature.

Just by sensing a hint of her strength, I knew that not even Cassius, who was much stronger than I was, was anywhere near her level.

How unfair...

I felt my stomach boil with anger as I thought of my old life. Before I was betrayed, Cassius and I had been the only humans strong enough to fight against high-ranking demons.

While I liked to believe I was strong, the reality was that Cassius had been the only one capable of defeating a demon lord single-handedly. If only there had been someone as strong as Ophelia on our side, we might have stood a chance against the dukes and Valtair.

“What an honor it is to have a Holy Knight under my roof,” Valtair said, his voice pulling me from my thoughts.

Ophelia smiled politely. “No, the honor is mine, Your Grace.”

“Have you enjoyed your stay in Valoria? I hope you’ve had time to see the city.”

“Of course, Your Grace,” she replied. “As you’ve heard yourself, for the past couple of days, Princess Thalia has been dragging me all over the capital.”

“Hey!” Princess Thalia scoffed, pouting angrily. “I didn’t drag you anywhere. Why are you telling the King that I dragged you? You make me seem like a mean person.”

“My apologies princess.”

“Hmmm... Apology not accepted!”

“Thalia calm- “, Amos began to say but was immediately cut off.

“No, uncle! You calm down. Are you going to say that I’ve been dragging you too?!”

“Of course not.”

“You should both be thanking me!" Thalia exclaimed. "If it wasn’t for me, you’d both be bored...”

I found myself smiling as I watched the princess argue with her uncle and Ophelia.

When I first saw her, she seemed very composed. But now she appeared more like a kid. For some reason, that made me feel relieved...

After a couple of minutes, Amos finally managed to calm the princess down.

“I apologize for the princess’s outburst, Your Grace.”

Valtair snorted. “Don’t worry about it, Amos. It was amusing, to say the least.”

Wow... I can’t believe we agree on something, old man.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” Princess Thalia said, her face turning red in embarrassment.

“Don’t sweat it, my d-” Valtair stopped midsentence, his eyes widening as if he’d realized something.

After a few seconds of silence, his gaze fell on me. “Hey, I have an idea! Lucian, why don’t you take the princess on a tour of the palace.”

Wait, what!?

“Are you talking to me, father?”

“Do you know anybody else called Lucian?”

Crap! Please don’t leave me stuck with this crazy kid.

I looked at my mother with pleading eyes, hoping she’d me get out of this. When I realized she wasn’t going to be of any use, I sighed in defeat.

Traitor.

“Fine...”

I felt my stomach churn as Valtair’s eyes widened with excitement. “Great! Now go on, son. Show her around.”

Reluctantly, I rose from my seat and stepped off the throne. I turned to the princess who was looking at me with eager eyes and gestured for her to follow.

What are you all looking at? I sent daggers with my eyes, to all the lurking gazes that followed me as I left the throne room.

The elf princess followed me and I guided her toward the royal gardens, one of the few places in the palace I truly enjoyed. It served as a serene escape from the bustling and noisy halls of the palace.

As we walked past a long row of sunflowers, I tried to think of something to say to her, but my mind was completely blank. It wasn’t every day that I interacted with a princess, let alone an elf. Whenever I turned to look at her, her big blue eyes beamed with a sense of curiosity, giving her a look of innocence that was quite endearing.

“Your Highness, do you like flowers?” I asked, pointing towards a bed of blooming roses.

She nodded, her eyes widening with excitement. “I love flowers!”

I led her toward a bed of flowers, and we spent some time admiring the different colors and fragrances. The princess giggled as a butterfly landed on her finger, and she held it up for me to see. It was a small moment, but it made me realize that she was just a child, and I wanted to make this experience as enjoyable for her as possible.

As we walked through the garden, I told her about the history of the palace and the different rulers who had lived here. She listened with rapt attention, asking questions occasionally. Her curiosity was infectious, and it made me feel happy to be spending time with her.

After touring the gardens, I led her toward the stables, where the horses were kept. She was fascinated by the majestic creatures and kept asking questions about them. I could tell that she was enjoying herself, and it made me feel proud that I was able to show her a good time.

I guess hanging out with a kid isn’t too bad after all.