The beast tamer exiled from the hero’s party and the cat eared girl from the strongest race meet
The human king who ruled over the three continents, Argus van Rollreeze,
sat upon his throne with a stern expression.
Standing before him was a young man.
He looked to be just shy of twenty.
Though he still carried a hint of boyishness, his face was strikingly handsome —
so much so that even men might find themselves drawn to him.
Yet he did not give off the impression of being a frivolous or shallow man.
His clear eyes held a strong and unwavering will,
a quiet strength that promised he would never flee from any hardship, no matter how great.
Yuki van Rollreeze.
Argus’s son, and the first prince.
"My king, thank you for granting me your time.
I have come here today because there is an urgent matter I felt you needed to hear."
"Very well. This is not a public audience — there’s no need to speak so stiffly."
"…Alright then. I’ll speak more casually, Father."
The sharp impression he carried softened into a gentle, relaxed air.
This, perhaps, was the true nature of the young man called Yuki.
"To be honest, I’m glad you said that.
I understand perfectly well that I’m the first prince, and I bear the weight of that responsibility…
but… well, I’ve never really been good at acting the part. It just doesn’t feel like me."
"Honestly… you’re more capable than anyone, and your swordsmanship is unmatched.
If one looked at ability alone, you are more suited than anyone to be the next king…
but your personality, well…"
"Sorry, Father. I don’t know why, but I just turned out this way."
"…It must be your mother’s influence. You resemble her greatly."
"Then I’m happy to hear it."
Yuki smiled warmly.
He respected his father, the ruler of the kingdom.
But even more than that, he deeply admired his mother,
who gave birth to him and raised him with care despite her frail health.
Being told he resembled her filled him with a joy beyond words.
A smile came to his face, and his heart felt light.
But now was not the time to enjoy a peaceful father-son chat.
He quickly composed himself and let his smile fade.
Sensing the change in his son’s demeanor, Argus moved the conversation forward.
"So then, what is this matter you wished to report to me privately?"
"…There are two reasons I asked for privacy.
First, because the information isn’t yet confirmed.
Second, because for now, I don’t want anyone other than you to know I’ve uncovered it."
"Hm… you suspect spies, then?"
"Of course."
"Good grief… I suppose it speaks well of your sharpness,
though it does make me look inept for failing to root them out."
"That’s not true. You’ve done a fine job, Father.
It’s just that the enemy is too cunning — some things are simply beyond our control."
"Even so, I can’t afford to grow complacent…
Now then, let’s hear the main point."
"Right."
Clearing his throat lightly, Yuki spoke of what he didn’t want anyone else to overhear yet.
"The westernmost point of the Central Continent… you know of Kriegland, of course?"
"Yes. The city closest to the Western Continent, also known as the Fortress City."
"There’s a chance the demons may attack Kriegland."
Argus’s brow twitched slightly.
As king, Argus was not one to show his emotions.
He wore his iron mask at all times.
But even he couldn’t entirely hide his surprise at this report —
that the demons were planning an invasion.
"Where did this information come from?"
"From my own network.
I couldn’t just leave everything to you, so I’ve been building my own channels…
and in the process, I came across something troubling."
"Let’s hear it."
Recently, there had been an increasing number of monsters sighted around Kriegland.
Furthermore, there were growing reports of sightings of beings resembling demons.
Of course, as the westernmost city, Kriegland sat right at the border of demon territory.
It wasn’t unheard of for monsters or even demons to increase in number there —
it had happened several times before.
"But what if I told you there were also sightings of one of the Demon Lords’ Four Generals?"
"…Is that certain?"
"Yes, without a doubt. Altera the Fierce Flame…
she was apparently seen near Kriegland."
"If one of their top figures is moving, then…
I see. This cannot be ignored."
"I just can’t confirm yet whether they truly intend to attack the city."
"Indeed… the higher-ranking demons tend to be very faithful to the Demon King’s will.
While the Demon King remains in hibernation, they shouldn’t be acting on their own…"
"I wondered about that too, so I checked into it.
The Demon King hasn’t awakened yet — but…
there are signs that his hibernation may soon end.
Which means… a war may not be far off."
Argus’s expression grew grim.
The periodic war between humanity and the Demon King.
It was about to repeat itself once more.
Argus had always wanted to uncover the true purpose of the Demon King…
or perhaps the secret of how the Demon King was able to reincarnate again and again…
so that somehow, this long, long war could finally end, and lasting peace could be won.
But if the Demon King’s period of activity was truly approaching, that would be a difficult dream to realize.
"Back to the matter at hand… I don’t know what the Four Generals are after, but this is certainly not something we can ignore. We’ll immediately assemble an investigation team and dispatch them to Kriegland."
"I was thinking of continuing to investigate myself too — is that alright?"
"Indeed, Yuki, your abilities are a great asset… though I’d much prefer you dedicate yourself to your studies as the next king."
"Oh, come on. I’m not king material. My sister and even my little sister are far more suited to the throne than me."
"Hm. Stubborn as always."
"I must’ve gotten that from you, Father."
Yuki smiled and let the conversation flow lightly.
He had no intention of becoming king.
That’s what his words — and his demeanor — seemed to say.
Faced with his son’s stubbornness, Argus nearly let out a heavy sigh.
But he restrained himself.
There was no need to maintain the dignity of a king here, since no retainers were present…
but his pride as a father made him hold back.
"So how do you plan to proceed, Yuki?"
"If the kingdom is sending an investigation team, then I’ll move with just a small group. I think there are things you can only notice when you’re few in number."
"Hm…"
Hearing Yuki’s plan, Argus fell into thought for a moment.
"Is something wrong?"
"…Even if it’s a small group, you’ll still need at least a few allies, won’t you?"
"That’s true. I wouldn’t have enough hands alone, and it’d be dangerous if something happened."
"Do you already have someone in mind?"
"That’s the troubling part… The demons have infiltrated our country’s inner circles more deeply than I thought. Just look at what happened with Monica. So, if only I had someone I could truly trust to watch my back… but…"
Yuki let out a frustrated sigh, unable to think of such a person.
Being royalty, he had plenty of allies.
But very few true allies he could entrust his heart to.
Most who approached him did so out of calculation and ambition…
and outside of his family, there was only one person who genuinely cared for him.
"Then leave it to me."
"Father, you know someone suitable?"
"Indeed. I cannot say for certain whether they’ll accept… but it’s worth talking to them. If you can gain their cooperation, they’ll be an incredibly reliable ally. Perhaps even a friend to you."
"It’s rare for you to speak so highly of someone, Father…"
As king, Argus always strove for fairness and impartiality.
He was usually very careful in his words, and it was rare for him to lavish praise on any individual.
Just who could this person be, that Argus spoke so highly of them?
Yuki felt a strong curiosity stirring within him.
"What’s their name?"
"Rain Shroud."
Thank you for the chapter!
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