Vol. 1 CH. 16 – The bright new day for the kingdom of flowers (Epilogue)

 

PART # 1

 

The kingdom of Ambrosia, revived from an old ancient kingdom called Aurolius, found itself in a predicament after the 9^th Demon Lord appeared in order to conquer the reviving kingdom of Ambrosia. However, thanks to the joint efforts of the Elven nation’s ruler, her soldiers and the Black army of the Black king as well as the heroes’ brave stand, Ambrosia was spared from destruction from the hands of a Demon Lord.

 

The kingdom didn’t sustain much damaged from the battle. The exterior walls were only cracked and the barrier that the Black king erected before protected the whole kingdom. The buildings weren’t much damaged but the pillars that support them underneath were worn out due to the endless earthshaking that was due to the attacks of the 9^th Demon Lord.

 

Fortunately, the shelters were spared.  The citizens that were no fighters like the young and old, men and women, were immediately treated. The soldiers that fought and wounded were given special care in order to get back to their feet immediately. The soldiers that perished during the relentless attacks of the monsters were immediately buried and as for the ones of the elf army, their bodies were given a proper preservation process before taking them back to their home country.

 

Truthfully, the estimated damages and lost should have been higher. However, thanks to the help of the heroes and the potions the Black Army had provided everyone, the death toll was merely ten. 7 were from the elf army and 3 were from the black army.

 

No one actually believed that the amount of death could be counted in the fingers of a hand. With the appearance of the Demon Lord like Kakal, everyone had thought that there would be thousands of dead.

 

But reality wasn’t so pretty that it would give such false numbers, everyone accepted the amount of death with just exasperated words like “The heck just happened….” as if they just woke up from a nightmare.

 

And then, as the new day came after completing the menial tasks like repairs and burials, the Kingdom of Ambrosia welcomed the new day with bright smiles.

 

“GAAAAAAAH!!?”

 

But the ear piercing scream of the black king who was covered in bandages allover his body welcomed the new day with terror in his face.

 

“Geez!! Disappearing like that without saying a word, you really got me worried you know!!”

 

“AAAAAAHHH!!?”

 

“That’s so right!! You got us all worried you lunatic!!”

 

“S-Stop!! AAARGH!! M-My wounds still hurt!!!”

 

With two lovely girls sitting atop of his arms with their hands pressing in his chest, Kyoushiro, with tears in his eyes pleaded the two to get off of him. However, his protest fell on deaf ears as Lucinda and Mikoto were pressing their hands on his wounds.

 

Right after Kyoushiro vanquished the 9^th Demon Lord, Kyoushiro’s unconscious body was taken back to the castle. His severe wounds reopened due to the fight and were bleeding out on the dessert. If no one got him back to the castle on time, he would have died by now.

 

Kyoushiro’s black arm also became an issue. Because it was due to a powerful curse, no one in the palace was able to remove it. It wasn’t due to lack of personnel that was adept in holy magic; it was because the curse itself had already latched itself on Kyoushiro’s arm.

 

But thanks to a certain Elven ruler that happened to be a High Elf Fairy Queen, the curse was purged and Kyoushiro’s arm returned back to its normal color albeit for a short time.

 

Then, after sleeping for two days straight, leaving all the jobs to his aide Kuro, Kyoushiro woke up with Lucinda sleeping on both of his side of the bed. The bed he has in his room was big enough to fit five people so three people sleeping on it, side by side, wasn’t a problem.

 

But the two woke up due to Kyoushiro’s surprised voice. Then just as natural as the wind, the next Queen of a Human country and another member of the 17 heroes brought their wrath upon the unfortunate king who was covered in bandages.

 

Kyoushiro held Lucinda’s and Mikoto’s arms as he sat up on the bed.

 

 

“Haaah… geez you two, are you planning to kill me?”

 

“Uuu…I am very sorry Kyoushiro-sama…”

 

“We were just… worried after all…”

 

‘I think I’m more worried about how I’ll survive in this kind of relationship…’ Kyoushiro exhaustedly thought as he let go of the two who were just concerned about his condition.

 

Just a month ago, Kyoushiro was abducted by Avfritzed, the Demon Goddess of this world. His body was nearly crushed by sheer pressure and his right arm was eaten by a curse. Not only that, he was corrupted by the Elder-God-Blade Hastur before he got out from that unknown place.

 

Because of that, it was very understandable that Lucinda and Mikoto to be worried. Kyoushiro recognize Lucinda as his wife so he was sweet with her and for Mikoto, it was just a promise he had to fulfil due to his negligence.

 

Although Kyoushiro had no plan on having a family in this world, in the end, he got one.

 

“Nah, I don’t really care anymore just don’t do it again”

 

Kyoushiro said so as he brushed the heads of the two girls that meaningfully fell in love with him. Though despite the fact that Kyoushiro sees Lucinda as his wife, he was very conflicted since Lucinda was allowing Mikoto to express her feeling to Kyoushiro; there seems to be a team forming with the two of them, Kyoushiro was very worried about this.

 

‘I don’t know why these two get along so well while I was away but it’s really freaky when the two of them agrees on the same thing. I’m scared that I might get pushed down by them one day…’

 

Even though usually there should be a feud between the two, they were both acting nice to each other. They even went to a point where they call themselves the “Wives of the Black Hero” there wasn’t any uproar just a tired sigh coming from Kyoushiro himself. Well, doubtful as it may be, Kyoushiro didn’t try to pursue the topic and just ended it there and then.

 

In the end, Kyoushiro just accepted what was in front of him and stayed quiet. Kyoushiro stood up from his bed and proceeded to dress himself.

 

After the battle with the 9^th Demon Lord, every one of the Ambrosia kingdom was working hard in order to immediately restore the previous state of the kingdom. Although there wasn’t much damage, the corpses of the demons were still in the battlefield. It was feared that if those corpses were not collected, it would resort in a major catastrophe with a disease running amok.

 

Kuro, Kyoushiro’s trusted retainer, immediately issued the retrieval of the monster corpses. With there being a million of them, there was a whole lot to gather. Fortunately, the kingdom had survived eating monster meat in the past. There were no one getting caught some sort of illness by eating those monster meat, it became a norm in the wasteland to make food out of them.

 

Kyoushiro had already made a cultivation of crops on the eastward of the kingdom; there he had turned the barren soil into something more appropriate for cultivating using his skills. It took a while but the crops that were planted before were already good for harvesting.

 

There was no issue in terms of food supply because of that so in the end, the problem with dealing with the monster corpse would land on Kyoushiro’s hands once he wakes up. Kyoushiro doesn’t know that this has already been decided and was completely clueless at the amount of work he was about to face later on.

 

Kyoushiro then finishes fixing himself and turned around. But as he faced back, the smiling faces of two supposedly innocent girls were grinning with flushed faces. It seems that they had watched Kyoushiro changed the whole time.

 

“You two…”

 

“K-Kyoushiro-sama!! I-It is alright for me to see!! I am your wife after all!!”

 

Sensing that Kyoushiro probably got angry that he was being watched when he was changing his clothes; Lucinda fustily made an excuse to avoid getting flick on the forehead. Mikoto seemed to be daydreaming on the side as her expression depicted her unusual dream. A water stream flowed down on the corners of her lips.

 

Kyoushiro just scoffed “Humph…” and went back to where the two were. Since the morning won’t wait for them if they dilly-dally, Kyoushiro brought the two down from the tower then to the royal palace just in front of the tower.

 

 

 

PART # 2

 

“Kyoushiro!!”

 

Just as Kyoushiro, Lucinda and Mikoto entered audience room of the loud voice of Arianne echoed. Within the wide audience room, Arianne was sitting a high throne on top of a pedestal. Surrounding the perimeter of the audience room were the powerful experienced knights that have been in the old ruins before. All knights wore black luster armors with readied swords and lances on their sides.

 

They saluted as they saw Kyoushiro entered and quickly went back to their post. The ones inside the audience hall beside Arianne and the guards were the heroes, Elf Queen Elfianna and her aid General Durif.

 

As they saw Kyoushiro and the girls entered, they turned their way towards them.

 

“You’ve done good protecting the place while I was good Arianne”

 

“Geez!! Don’t say that as if you’ve been only gone for days!!”

 

The sight of the beautiful purple headed Queen rushing to the chest of the young Black Hero was like seeing a fairy tale coming to life. Arianne was young but her position was a Queen. If this sorry sight of a young girl obviously in love with the Black hero gets out, it would shame her position as Queen. But as the whole capital already knows just how infatuated the young Queen Arianne was with the Black Hero Kyoushiro Kagami.

 

That was why, even when the guards were trying their best not to laugh, no one would reprimand Arianne for her actions. But there was one person that had an expression painted in shock as he watched Arianne jump into Kyoushiro’s chest.

 

The troublesome friend beside him was enduring not to laugh at the sight of the dumbstruck Katsuto.

 

“You… were you this clingy in the past?”

 

“Of course not. I was only holding back but since you made me worried, I can’t help showing this side of me”

 

Although Kyoushiro somehow gets why Arianne was acting so reckless when it comes to hiding her real feelings, it still felt complicated for Kyoushiro to be surrounded by women that has absolutely no shame in showing their real selves to him.

 

It wasn’t really a bother just that, he was conflicted on how he was supposed to react right now. Whilst showing a troubled smile, he still let Arianne nuzzle her head on his chest. It was sort of a reward of not leaving the citizens of Ambrosia in faced against a Demon Lord.

 

“Are you alright now?”

 

“Feeling better than I expected. My curse seemed to have died down a bit but some muscle aches are still there”

 

Kyoushiro smiled and showed the bandaged right arm to Arianne.

 

“I guess it was the Elf Queen’s doing?”

 

“Yes, it was Elfianna-sama’s power that we were able to reduce your arm’s curse”

 

As Kyoushiro has some idea of who was able to minimize the extent of the curse of his right arm, his eyes went over to the beautiful blonde haired elf standing along with Katsuto, Koizumi and Aizawa. Arianne smiled and told Kyoushiro that it was indeed Elfianna that helped him.

 

Then as Kyoushiro’s eyes met with Elfianna’s, he lowered his head and thanked her.

 

“I am very grateful for the help you have given me”

 

“It is alright. You too have helped in the battle with the 9^th Demon Lord”

 

 

Elfianna bowed elegantly as she greeted Kyoushiro with a smile. As the two were getting acquainted, there were two persons next to Koizumi that was silently watching Kyoushiro’s group with dead fish eyes.

 

Basically, Minami and Katsuto don’t like what they were seeing for some reason. Katsuto was eyeing the place where Arianne was resting her head onto as she leaned her body on Kyoushiro’s chest. Minami was somehow feeling left out as she was looking at Mikoto’s happy smile as she stand behind Kyoushiro. Lucinda was right next to Kyoushiro on her wheelchair wearing her usual loving smile.

 

Koizumi on the other hand was enduring not laugh at the two.

 

“Ah… Kyoushiro… I missed your smell…”

 

*Snap* at that those words filled with affection, something snapped inside Katsuto. In his line of sight was Arianne sniffing Kyoushiro’s chest and Kyoushiro getting creeped out and tearing her off of him. Looking at it closely, even Elfianna was looking at the two with shock eyes. It seems that she did not expect a respectable queen like Arianne to act so loosely.

 

“You!! Get off Arianne!! Lucinda and Aizawa are right here!!”

 

“Ufufu~ I won’t for a million years~”

 

“Kagami you bastard!!”

 

Unable to endure any longer, Katsuto lunged into action with tears spilling from the corner of his eyes. How embarrassing, Koizumi thought as he was already laughing at the sight of his best friend unable to endure his jealousy any longer.

 

Just as Katsuto’s loud voice echoed, the guards who were standing by the pillars instantly moved to protect the King and Arianne, who was supposedly the Queen of Ambrosia, and caught Katsuto’s body.

 

Even though there was a difference in attribute values, the knights easily caught Katsuto by holding him down by the waist, arms, neck and legs using their spears and hands. Then just like that, Katsuto stopped right in front of Kyoushiro and the girls.

 

“…What were you doing?”

 

“You! I don’t care how or why but why is it only you?!”

 

Confused as to why Katsuto was crying and yelling at him, Kyoushiro looked down on his chest and stared at the purple headed queen that as still clinging to him. Lucinda and Aizawa were tilting their heads as to why Kyoushiro was looking at them as well. Well, they were under the impression that Kyoushiro was merely admiring their beauty so they were smiling at him.

 

Still, as it was poor taste to leave the guy who helped saved Ambrosia be held down like that by the magically armed knights, Kyoushiro ordered them to stand down and return to their post.

 

The knights then silently let go of Katsuto and went back to the places they were standing before.

 

“Uuu…”

 

“Geh… Are you seriously crying? Those guys weren’t really rough on you right?”

 

“Damn it… That’s not it…!!”

 

Was Kyoushiro unable to see or was just oblivious? Or was he just pretending that he doesn’t see that Katsuto was obviously jealous of him with how Arianne was clinging to him? Koizumi, who already stopped laughing, was walking towards Kyoushiro and Katsuto along with Minami right by his side, who was smiling coldly at Kyoushiro.

 

“Are you really that dense or just playing?”

 

“I don’t get what you’re saying but can you take care of this guy? I can’t have him act like that right before I give everyone my thanks”

 

“Thanks huh? Are you in a position…? No, you are in the right position to give thanks huh?”

 

“I don’t get what you think of me but you’re right”

 

Setting aside the mumbling, broken hearted [Guardian], Koizumi was about to say that Kyoushiro doesn’t have any rights to give his thanks but as he remembered how everyone of the Ambrosia kingdom’s citizens and soldiers admire him and call him “His Majesty” Koizumi rethink and accepted Kyoushiro’s odd position as King.

 

Kyoushiro didn’t mind getting insulted as he was already used to it but since Koizumi switched how he thought of Kyoushiro himself, Kyoushiro didn’t bother saying anything. His eyes just silently said “Thanks for that” and exhaled.

 

“Haaa… Now then, since it’s still early and I doubt everyone here didn’t ate breakfast except for me and these two behind me, let’s have a light meal and talk about everyone’s rewards”

 

Although he was not the ruler of Ambrosia, he was still respected as the one who completely rebuilt the whole ruin. Even as Arianne as the Queen of Ambrosia, everyone recognizes Kyoushiro as the king. That was why; it well within his power to give something to the people that saved the place he rebuilt from scratch.

 

Durif, who stand right behind Elfianna the whole time, had his eyes wide when he heard about Kyoushiro giving rewards. His thought reached Elfianna somehow and was worried at what kind of reward the renowned Black hero would give them seeing as Ambrosia was currently the most advance city in the world.

 

Immediately after sorting things out with Katsuto, Kyoushiro lead everyone to a peaceful place that was hidden underneath the palace.

 

 

PART # 3

 

The place Kyoushiro lead everyone to was the secret underground garden. Here, the whole room around a complete 100 yards far was covered in greenery. The ceiling produces light that feeds the plants sunlight and a small canal system where water drawn from an underground vein was running through the whole room.

 

Not just plants like flowers, bushes and grass, there were even the trees here that touched the ceiling as they were taller than a few twenty meters. It was like they entered a different world, the deserted wasteland outside seemed nothing like a dead world compared to here.

 

“I didn’t know that something like this existed underneath the palace Kyoushiro”

 

With her eyes wandering around, Arianne was amazed as to how such vegetation was growing underneath the earth. The health of every plant as outstanding, it was as if they are just inside a small forest garden.

Kyoushiro made an accomplished smile as if he had done something god.

 

“Well, I made this whole place right before I rebuilt the palace. This place was once a Desert Ant monster house before so after clearing the whole place, I made used of it”

 

Instead of making a dungeon room to keep all criminals here, Kyoushiro made the whole thing to a beautiful garden. Kyoushiro truly hate the idea of staying inside or seeing a prison cell as he was once brought and tortured inside it. Making one would just make him remember what he experienced back when he was falsely accused.

 

“This has a lot of rooms so I made various arrangements myself. Things like water reservoir for emergencies of water shortage, a shelter house, a dummy treasure vault, a training arena and a testing room for my experiments. I usually stay here to sleep but I haven’t been here lately since I got caught up in some things”

 

Kyoushiro looked at the Queen that had left the tending of her kingdom to a hero. Arianne, who was sitting right next to Lucinda, was averting her eyes while sweating profusely. Arianne wasn’t good at lying to begin with so Kyoushiro didn’t think too much of it and just smiled.

 

In front of everyone was a lovely tea set and decorative sandwiches for a light lunch. Kyoushiro hasn’t eaten yet while Lucinda and Aizawa seemed to have eaten before. They both had early breakfast back in the tower right before Kyoushiro woke up.

 

As for the others, Elfianna, in particular, was admiring the nature around her. Her eyes wandered around the place as though curiously wanting to ask how such nature exist underground. Durif was of the same opinion as he sips his tea with a satisfied smile.

 

“You have been busy before the incident it seems. I apologize on behalf of Arianne as I was one of those that wished to see her in person and acknowledge her country”

 

“Its fine, I don’t mind it now since I’ve got some time to rest”

 

“It seems so”

 

Kyoushiro was already back to shape. Although most of his body was still covered in bandages, Kyoushiro’s complexion was already fine. His body had still a few spots where it still aches but overall it was fine.

 

Kyoushiro put down the cup he was holding next to his lips back on the saucer and begun what he wanted to do.

 

“Now then, since I’ve eaten how about you guys tell me what you guys want. I can only give what I can so please go easy on me”

 

Kyoushiro said that while shrugging his shoulders as though apologizing for being unable to give anything that what his guests wants.

 

“I want to be with Kyoushiro-sama”

 

“Me too!!”

 

“You two already got what you want so ask for something else”

 

Kyoushiro sighed at the two girls on both of his side as they already got what they wished for two days ago. Kyoushiro turned to Elfianna and Durif after Lucinda and Aizawa settled down.

 

“What about you two?”

 

“Hmm… If it is possible, could you please teach me how to build the large Magic party cannon?”

 

“Party? Do you mean Particle?”

 

“Oh yes… So that was how it called”

 

It seems that Elfianna had a hard time understanding the name of the Magic Particle Cannon that was used against the 9^th Demon Lord Kakal recently. Elfianna wore an bitter smile when she fumbled on her words.

 

Kyoushiro put his right hand on his chin and contemplate.

 

“If possible the surveillance item you have. That would be useful for us elves when guarding our border”

 

Durif added the 3D Magic projector. Even though that was a separate device made in order to receive the signal from the 5cm magic drones hovering in the sky, it was still something that could help elevating the problem of surveying the borders where foreign beings could enter easily.

 

Elfianna’s cheeks twitched as she heard Durif’s demand. Although she knows that the device in the command room would be great addition in a nationwide protection, she still thinks it was quite rude to ask for far too many things. The magic cannon were already enough for the protection of the borders of her nation.

 

Hearing such wishes, Kyoushiro silently gave his decision.

 

“Hmmm… I don’t mind giving you both but there’s a problem with the materials. The 3D magic… No, the [God’s eye] machine aside, the magic particle cannon itself isn’t finish yet”

 

As Kyoushiro had said before when he was still trapped in that unknown room, the Magic particle cannon weren’t finished. But after successfully shooting twice at Kakal, the cannon had its circuits fried and its parts blown to bits. Although Kyoushiro only caught a glimpse of it on the way, Kyoushiro was able to tell that it was already useless.

 

There was no use repairing it so replacing it was the only option but with the shortage of materials, it was far from being replaced completely. Even Kyoushiro doesn’t know where he would be able to get the parts for it since most of it was from the monolith that was used as the barrier stone for the whole capital.

 

“If only teaching how to make the cannon, I’ll give my cooperation. As for the [God’s eye] machine, give up on that. I can’t make a replica since the material for it was already exhausted”

 

Kyoushiro then presented a different offer for Durif, who looked disappointed with his wish getting refused.

 

“Instead, I’ll give you the blueprints for the magic weapons and armor”

 

“Eh?! Those weapons and armor?!”

 

It seems that what Kyoushiro offered was way more generous than the [God’s eye] machine. Durif’s calm facial expression broke when Kyoushiro said he was willing to hand over the blueprints for the weapons and armor the Black army has.

 

“What? Not enough? I’ll thrown in the recipe for the potions as well if you want”

 

“E-Even the potions?!!”

 

The potions Kyoushiro had made were highly potent in healing and recovering not only magic but also stamina. The Recovery potion for healing wounds could even cure disease and other illnesses. Having been blessed to be given the recipe for those were enough to break the common sense of negotiations. Kyoushiro was being too nice for just rewarding another country’s leader and general.

 

It almost as if Kyoushiro was planning something. But Kyoushiro’s face was like saying “Eh? Isn’t recipes and blueprints fine?” while watching Durif panic.

 

“It’s fine. I mean, I can make potions easily anyway so I don’t mind. The stocks out so I’ll make a fresh batch in a few days. I don’t know if you’ll stay long but I’ll work as fast as I can to get them ready”

 

“That is… very generous of you but is it alright? You have just woken up after all”

 

“No, I’m fine already. What’s more I’m the type of guy who likes to work himself to the bone”

 

Kyoushiro showed a wry smile as he turned to his right and brushed Lucinda’s hair. Feeling the caress of her beloved, Lucinda smiled lovingly and rested her head on Kyoushiro’s shoulder.

 

“Plus, I need to give thanks to the guys that died in the fight. Their families might not be able to accept the fate of their loves in this place after all”

 

As someone who experienced losing his family, Kyoushiro showed sympathy to the bereaved families. If what he was doing was enough to atone for being late showing up, before the fight even started, no one would have died. Of course, Kyoushiro doesn’t blame himself for their deaths, just that, it would leave a bad after taste if he didn’t showed a least bit of gratitude to the family of the dead.

 

“I can attest that losing a family member is awful. I’ve been there before so I know how it feels. Well, with how it is now, I think I can live with the guilt for a while…”

 

Kyoushiro smiled but such smile hid the painful past. The death of his parents and the horrible treatment he received from his relatives, it was something he can’t forgive however with Lucinda and the child with him, Kyoushiro was somehow saved from carrying a hatred and guilt he could never let go.

 

“I’ll also give some support in terms of military might. The magic ships are still in development stage but if you want, I’ll give you 10 battleships once it is over?”

 

“The thought is enough. Such things, please just use it for your selves for now. What you are giving us is already enough, thank you”

 

Elfianna lowered her head in gratitude as Kyoushiro showed not only kindness but also sympathy for those who perished and their families. Not all people were willing enough to give more than what they have to strangers so Elfianna was quite glad to be offered many things by Kyoushiro.

 

Durif too lowered his head as thanks.

 

“Well, I’ll prepare what your demands later. Next is… you guys huh?”

 

Kyoushiro gazed at the three who remained silent until now. From the right, next to Arianne were Minami, Koizumi then Katsuto. They were all enjoying the light snacks happily.

 

“I want a mountain of sweets and also I want my best friend back”

 

“I can grant both but the last one doesn’t seem possible. You can take her away anytime you want though”

 

Kyoushiro smiled at the young high school girl on his side that was leaning against his left shoulder. Aizawa pouted for a moment but such expression instantly turned to a smile. It seems that she saw through Kyoushiro’s intention and did not intend to leave his side.

 

Minami smiled wryly at the sight of her best friend being so in love with the guy right next to her. Although it does give her a bit of bitter feeling, Minami sighed and just surrendered.

 

“Just give her as much love then that much is enough for me”

 

“Minami!!”

 

Aizawa stood up and went to Minami’s side and embraced her. The two have been together for a long time now so being apart for a long time would be very sad for the two. But ell, Aizawa would still be returning with Minami since she was part of the two-part deal of the Trion Kingdom.

 

Kyoushiro just sighed after feeling relieved that one of his burdens will lessen for a while once Aizawa leaves with Minami and the elves later.

 

“How about you two? I can repair your weapons and armor if you’d like”

“That’s fine but instead of that, I’d like to-“

 

“What I want is you let Arianne go you bastard!!”

 

When Kyoushiro turned to Koizumi and Katsuto, Koizumi wanted something different than having their weapons and armor repaired. But, just as Koizumi was speaking, Katsuto interjected with a shout. Not only Kyoushiro, everyone except for Katsuto and Koizumi were taken aback.

 

Koizumi was holding his head while muttering “Haah… Really now”

 

“Huh? The heck do you mean by that?”

 

“It’s exactly what I mean!! Don’t you already have Lucinda-sama and Aizawa with you?! You little dip shit!! At least leave some for us unpopular ones!!”

 

As if crying tears of blood, Katsuto cried in jealousy. It seems that in his eyes, Kyoushiro was hoarding all the attainable beauties in the world. Although that much was something Kyoushiro did not wished even in his lifetime but to Katsuto, that what was how it looked like.

 

Kyoushiro sighed and shoed a face showing that he was annoyed and turned to Koizumi instead.

 

“What’s the deal with your friend here? I am already being generous enough to give you guys’ gifts and he start dissing me. Should I have him kick out instead?”

 

“No, just ignore him…”

 

Once more, Koizumi sighed.

 

“Well anyways, what I want is the truth”

 

“Truth? What truth?”

 

Was he acting oblivious? Kyoushiro tilted his head in puzzlement. Although it may seem that he was pretending that he doesn’t know what Koizumi was saying, Kyoushiro probably and truly have forgotten about the time when Kurosaki framed him.

 

Koizumi felt insulted but he didn’t let his emotions show. Still he pursues the topic that which Kyoushiro was very sensitive to remember…

 

“Did you really plan on killing us before?”

 

“………”

 

Suddenly the air became tensed and Kyoushiro’s friendly smile and calm expression switched to something murderous and heinous. The sight of the sharp deadly glint inside Kyoushiro’s eyes made Koizumi flinched and jumps back. For Koizumi, it felt as though Kyoushiro as about to strangle him to death in an instant.

 

The dark ominous cloud was sending deadly chills to everyone.

 

Kyoushiro begun to speak with a tone as if he was angered dragon…

 

“Do you really think I would be able to do that? I, who didn’t have anyone to talk to around the palace, had the time to visit a faraway place like that dungeon? Bastard, don’t going framing guys like me for your own greedy sake”

 

Somebody gulped. The pressure Kyoushiro was releasing was already enough to make anyone shiver in fear. Elfianna, Durif, Aizawa, Arianne, Minami, Katsuto and Koizumi was trembling at the sight of Kyoushiro’s rage filled expression.

 

However, Lucinda was different. Her slender arms soothed Kyoushiro’s rage as she rubbed his throbbing chest. The erupting anger soon dissipated and Kyoushiro returned to his usual calm face.

 

“Don’t worry Kyoushiro-sama I will always be by your side”

 

“Lucinda… thanks for that”

 

Kyoushiro smiled at Lucinda and wrapped his arms around her after that he returned his gaze at Koizumi, who went back to his seat.

 

“Answering that question, I didn’t do anything. Wasn’t I inside the castle all the time while you guys trained inside the dungeon?”

 

“T-That is…”

 

“Calm down for now… ah the tea went cold”

 

Kyoushiro said so with a tired sigh and took out a fresh batch of tea leaves and placed in the pot. After that, he took out a portable magic stove and placed the kettle there, filled it with water and served the tea. It only took a few minutes so the talk immediately resumed.

 

“For the most part of what happened there, I was back in the palace when you guys were out training. I was busy raising my level out in the fields and testing my Compounding skills when you guys got trapped there for a few days”

 

“Wait, does that mean that Kurosaki-sama has lied? I have heard that you went tried to kill him in the audience room in the Trion Kingdom?”

 

That was the only truth Kyoushiro would admit. In a fit of rage, Kyoushiro tried to attack Kurosaki but ended up getting blow away by someone’s magic. After that, he got beat up and thrown into the dungeon. It was a horrible experience Kyoushiro doesn’t want to remember.

 

It only made his blood boil even more…

 

“I did but that was out of pure emotion. Try and see how it would feel when everything you made and own got taken away from you after getting framed and shamed in front of tens of people. If I was sane at that time, I doubt killing that bastard wouldn’t be enough”

 

The pure hostility in Kyoushiro’s words made Durif straightened his back. It seems that he didn’t think that Kyoushiro would show so much hate for one person. Elfianna sighed and apologized in behalf of her general.

 

“Forgive him; Durif has a bit of looseness in his tongue sometimes”

 

“Its fine, I don’t care either way”

 

Kyoushiro roughly replied.

 

“Is there anymore you want to say?”

 

“That is… well about what happened before… I’m sorry”

 

Koizumi has always doubt that incident back in the palace. For him, someone like Kyoushiro doesn’t have the power to hurt anyone else back then. It was impossible for him to come to a dungeon located just two towns outside the capital city. Koizumi had always doubted that but didn’t believe it.

 

“For what you’ve been through, I don’t think a sorry is enough. In exchange, do you want something from us? If it’s the ones we took from you… we can give back only a portion of it since the potions were all consumables”

 

“I don’t need anything. Just make sure that son of a gun Kurosaki is out of my sight before I kill him. I still need to sharpen the swords that’ll stab his damn heart out after all”

 

“Haha… although that sounds too realistic I’ll do what I can”

 

Even though there was something that would happen once Kyoushiro meets with Kurosaki, Koizumi kept it to his self and just laughed dryly. The talked lasted for about 25 minutes more before everyone went back to the surface.

 

 

PART # 4

 

Around the time when the 9^th Demon Lord Kakal had lost his life, the Demon King of the Night, Vampire King Vlad, was sitting on his throne with the 3^rd Demon Lord Lady Snow, was having a sort of meeting with him.

The dark gloomy room where the 1^st Demon King was staying in was one of the few rooms that were left untouched by age. The cylindrical form with only windows and no doors was overlooking a vast dark sea of clouds.

 

This was the castle of Vlad the Vampire king located within the center of the Demon Continent.

 

“I see that you have been quite busy lately, Lady Snow”

 

“My, maybe not as busy as you for the past thousands of years”

 

Vlad, whose face was a handsome young man in his twenties with jet black hair and glowing red eye, was sipping tea right across the lady in pure white appearance.

 

The two gave sarcastic remarks to each other as though rebuking their own antiquity.

 

“Setting that aside, is it true that the 9^th Demon Lord has been slain?”

 

Vlad made a quick glance at the pure white lady in front of him. The gaze held no interest at the ageless beauty before him but to the news that had reached his ears through Lady Snow, the 3^rd Demon Lord.

 

Lady Snow scoffed at such gaze that was directed at her.

 

“Yes, it is seems that the one ho slayed him was none other than a hero”

 

“A hero… Was it the guy who has been barging in land for quite some time now?”

 

Vlad made a shock face as he learned that a hero killed Kakal. Although he could not careless about the 9^th Demon Lord that only wishes for destruction, the part where a hero appeared intrigued him.

 

But Lady Snow nodded left and right to answer Vlad’s question.

 

“It was not Taiga Kurosawa. That young boy has no power whatsoever to even beat one of your Four Great Generals after all”

 

“Then who was it?”

 

The Four Great Generals of Vlad’s courts are demonic beings that have enough power to wreak havoc on a country and destroy them completely. Kurosawa attacking only one base at the border of Vlad’s land wasn’t that much of a problem. Even him facing one of the Four Great Generals weren’t even noteworthy as Kurosawa could not even beat one by himself.

 

Vlad also witnessed Kurosawa’s lost with his own eyes and could very well say that Kurosawa only has a strength equaling a Hero but has no power that could slay a Demon Lord. Only a ridiculous sight of that hero remained inside Vlad’s memories.

 

Then, judging from how Lady Snow told Vlad about the hero who beat Kakal, it seems that this hero wasn’t well-known in the world.

 

“I believe his name was… Kyoushiro Kagami… From the reports I got from my snow sprites, he is a young man with pure black hair and eyes. He even restored a ruin kingdom and further improved in in just a short span of 3 months”

 

Lady Snow sipped the cold tea that she held in her hands after telling Vlad about Kyoushiro. After that, she continued…

 

“Furthermore, he was exiled from a human country and branded as a traitor and scum. It seems he attempted to kill the other heroes in order to claim glory for himself”

 

“And? You believed such tale?”

 

“Who do you think I am? A hero who had neither the skills nor even power to enter a dungeon alone is impossible to commit such deeds. In this case, it is one of those famed human jealousy and greed”

 

Lady Snow let out a scoff as though presuming that she was not the kind of person that would immediately believe a tall tale. In any case, the part where heroes are weaker than demon lords were true, there were even certain types of Demon Lord that tend to be far stronger than any of the other demon lords. The first Demon Lord, Vlad, was one of those demon Lords and of course, Lady Snow as well…

 

“It was a hero… No, humans have called him “Demon-Spawn” like those of black hairs and eyes"

 

“Kyoushiro…? Hmm…”

 

Vlad made a pondering face after hearing the name of the hero that slayed the 9^th Demon Lord. Although he has no recollection of the name whatsoever, it felt as though it was very familiar to him. Unusually so, it even became something that bothered Vlad…

 

Vlad touched his sharp chin as he ponders…

 

“I shall look into it then”

 

“Oh? This is a surprise… You looking into something is”

 

“Is that so? Well… I would not deny that”

 

As the meeting drawn to a close, the person that piqued the interest of the Vlad was slowly following a certain path of an unaged man. Having this meeting between two distinguished Demon Lords has not happened even a thousand years before. This was the very first meeting between the 1^st Demon Lord and the 3^rd Demon Lord.

 

The meeting itself was the warning signal for the second act…