Chapter : 130
Tiptoe.
Quietly slipping out of my room, I made my way down to the parlor.
“It’s not like this is someone else’s house… why am I acting like this in my own home…”
The reason I wanted to eavesdrop on the conversation in the parlor was…
This morning, the emperor—whose crimes had finally been exposed—had fled to the demon realm.
It was assumed that Allen, who had been imprisoned in the crown prince’s palace, went with him.
The imperial knights chased after them, but ultimately lost track of the two.
At this moment, the captain of the knights had come to our house, where my aunt, who also happens to be a high-ranking minister, was staying, to report the situation.
I had wanted to understand what was going on too!
“Vivian, you stay here and rest. Don’t even think about interfering.”
“Alright. We’ll handle the rest. Don’t go anywhere until you’re fully recovered.”
Not just my dad, but Rahedis too, pressed me back onto the bed with a firm warning.
“This is a matter that affects the fate of the nation—how can you just lie there, listening to the news quietly?” I protested, but neither of them paid me any attention.
“These two, always so wary of each other, and yet…!”
They only seem to get along perfectly in moments like this.
But just because they told me to stay put didn’t mean I actually would.
Taking advantage of the fact that Linzy, my assigned watcher, had dozed off, I successfully snuck out of the room.
I gently cracked open the door to the parlor and listened closely to the voices inside.
“…The portal on the other side didn’t work or was destroyed, so we had no choice but to return.”
The first voice I heard was that of the knight captain.
“We’re planning to quickly assemble a pursuit team to send to the demon realm. We’ll keep the group small to avoid unnecessary conflict with the demons.”
“I’ll go.”
Next came a deep, calm voice—my dad’s.
I had heard that Dad and the knight captain joined the Imperial Knights at the same time. Dad proved his skills first and became the second-in-command, and after the previous captain passed away following the war, the current captain rose to the position.
Although the captain is technically Dad’s superior now, they seemed comfortable speaking casually in private.
“I know the demon realm best among us, and I was the one who told the emperor the way there.”
“…”
“I want to take responsibility for this matter.”
“I’ll accompany you.”
Then Rahedis’s voice came.
Dad responded with his usual sharp sarcasm:
“…You’re not coming just because you’re worried about sending an outdated hero, are you?”
Dad had a habit of twisting his words only when speaking to Rahedis. Secretly, he was concerned about him, wanting to take the burden himself.
“I have to go too, or Vivian won’t be at ease.”
Rahedis replied calmly, but in his mind, he thought something very different:
“At ease? She’ll only double my worries!”
While I muttered this internally, Rahedis skillfully shifted the conversation after finishing a subtle battle of wits with Dad.
“How long would it take to reach the Demon King’s castle without using the portal?”
“I can’t guarantee anything. Beyond the barrier is full of demons.”
“Aren’t the demon lords clearing out the monsters?”
“They’ve deliberately left them. Even before the barrier was created, there was no need to clear the path for humans, whom they are hostile to.”
Following Dad’s explanation, Aunt’s voice chimed in.
“So there’s no other way to the Demon King’s castle?”
“Beyond the barrier, there’s also the Forest of Illusions. After passing through it, there’s another portal.”
“…So there’s a reason we can’t go through that forest.”
Rahedis quickly picked up why Dad and the captain hadn’t mentioned that path.
“The Forest of Illusions shows… illusions. It’s a magical mental defense to block outsiders.”
“Mental magic…”
“Some can escape the illusions quickly, but many can’t distinguish reality from illusion and remain trapped forever.”
“Is there a way to prevent that?”
A brief silence followed.
Dad answered after a short pause:
“…With a light elemental, it’s possible.”
Finally, I understood why he hesitated before answering. Even though I was the most suitable candidate, he didn’t want to bring me there.
“Elementals are part of nature; they see essence, not appearances. Illusions are like dreams—they grow stronger in darkness.”
So to get through the Forest of Illusions safely, a light elemental mage needed to accompany them.
But elemental mages were rare, and light elementals even more so.
“That means I have to go, no matter what.”
Honestly, it wasn’t just this reason that made me want to take part.
It wasn’t only my sense of justice or desire for revenge against the emperor…
“It’s about Mom.”
The emperor had started a war out of greed, killed Mom, and even sought her heart.
As a child, I had no power, no knowledge. But now, I couldn’t just stand by.
No—I didn’t want to stand by.
“I won’t let Dad shoulder this alone anymore.”
As I steeled myself and waited for the right moment to join the conversation, a voice suddenly came from behind.
“Miss? What are you doing here?”
“Ah!”
Startled by Mr. Roper’s sudden appearance, I dropped the doorknob and let out a scream.
Immediately, everyone’s attention in the parlor turned to me—Dad, Rahedis, Aunt, the Duke, and even the knight captain.
Clearly, I had been caught eavesdropping.
“Ugh, my plan for a dramatic entrance!”
Roper was no help at all!
Since I was already caught, I decided to be bold.
“Take me with you to the Demon King’s castle.”
The knight captain gave me a skeptical look, while Dad’s expression hardened.
But I preemptively spoke before he could stop me.
“You need a light elemental, right?”
At that, the previously cold knight captain’s eyes flickered with doubt.
“Vivian.”
“Vivian, you’ve only just woken. You need rest for now.”
Dad’s stern voice was followed by Rahedis, slightly agitated with worry.
But I had my reasons for standing firm.
“I can’t protect myself while the emperor gets the Demon King’s heart. What if he does while you’re rescuing another light elemental?”
“…”
“If the human emperor obtains the previous Demon King’s heart, a real war will break out.”
No one in the parlor, including Dad and Rahedis, could argue with that.
“So let me go.”
This time, I wanted to save Mom… and Dad.
I looked at Dad with earnest eyes. This wasn’t a game, nor childish obstinacy.
A tense silence stretched between us.
It was broken by the Duke.
“Let Vivian go too.”
“Grandfather.”
“I understand your feelings, but isn’t Vivian right? This isn’t the time to fuss over things.”
The Duke looked at Dad.
“Don’t you want to save the world your wife loved?”
I knew what was left unsaid—and Dad seemed to understand too.
His gaze, filled with a mix of anger and sorrow, lingered on me for a moment before he sighed and nodded.
“…Alright. Let’s go together.”
Finally, a smile spread across my face—the answer I had been hoping for.
