CHAPTER 171……………………………………………..
#171. Back in the Snowy Country (2)
The royal family of Erebus, the pinnacle of all demons, was coming to Styx!
The news turned the castle upside down.
In truth, after the previous lord died, things had been so busy that the castle’s steward had been pushed to the very bottom of the priority list.
“Wait… we’re supposed to welcome the demon princess here?”
Haemon, in charge of internal administration, quivered.
Lunai simply patted him on the shoulder.
It was a gentle way of saying they wouldn’t be offering much practical help.
“Lunai, I’m already working overtime every day because of the captain!”
“But we saved your life! You’d have died anyway if you’d stayed here.”
“Damn it, you evil demon bastard!” Haemon wanted to shout, but he held it in.
Then Lunai lowered his voice and whispered.
“Still, Haemon, this is a good thing!”
“In what way?!”
“Captain Ismenios is close to the princess…!”
Lunai’s eyes sparkled.
There was only one reason he had rushed to join Ares’s command right after graduating from the academy.
‘Because he’s known Princess Elysion the longest!’
Burning with the resolve that he would one day become the princess’s knight, Lunai tapped Haemon on the shoulder.
“So Haemon, just think of it as being on the right side of things and hang in there a little longer.”
“Ugh…”
But Haemon, remembering Ares’s reactions, stayed silent.
‘But the captain clearly cursed…’
…Even close friends probably didn’t like meeting each other on business.
Coming to terms with it alone, Haemon asked one more thing.
“Oh, but Lunai… the captain said to keep quiet about his hair color.”
“…Ah.”
Lunai’s expression shifted slightly at that.
But he shrugged and patted Haemon’s shoulder again.
“Something like that—tell the others to keep it to themselves too.”
“…? Yes.”
Haemon shrugged in resignation.
It was more important to prepare for the arrival of the royal family.
So Haemon cried again during his overtime.
Still, by the expected day of arrival, they had barely finished preparations to welcome the royals.
Even the people of Styx were amazed.
“Has the castle ever shone like this…?”
“The walls were originally white?”
“Did we even have carpets like this? And a chandelier too?”
Indeed, the higher the guest, the brighter everything appeared.
Finally, the fateful day arrived, and everyone lined up in their finest attire, tense with anticipation.
When the captain appeared, everyone held their breath in awe.
The largest man among those assembled, with flashing red eyes, appeared.
Ares already carried the dignity that came from his noble lineage.
But the contrast with his rough aura made him a presence impossible to ignore.
Clad in a black cloak lined with silver fur and black armor, his intimidation was formidable.
And the color of his hair, blown by the wind…
Haemon’s eyes widened.
“Huh? Red?”
The familiar white was gone, replaced by a dull reddish-brown, nearly black.
The humans from Styx exchanged glances.
‘Did the captain dye his hair in the meantime? Why?’
Yet, surprisingly, the demon knights said nothing.
Just as Haemon was about to ask them, a voice broke the silence.
“…They’re coming.”
Shiny black carriages began rolling over the snow-covered bridge.
As they crossed the still-frozen river, the grandeur of their approach became clearer.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for the first carriage door to open.
The first to step down was a demon woman with violet hair pinned up.
Haemon nearly gaped like a fool.
‘Absolutely stunning.’
Most demons were quite good-looking… but a beauty that made your eyes widen like this? Haemon had never seen one before.
‘Are all high-ranking nobles and the captain this stunning?’
The beauty smiled faintly at Captain Ares with a slightly wistful expression.
It was the kind of smile a mother or a much-older sister might give.
“Prince—no, Captain. It’s been a while.”
“And Master, it’s been a long time.”
Everyone’s ears perked up at that greeting.
Captain Ares has a master?
Unable to contain his curiosity, Haemon whispered to Lunai as quietly as possible.
“Lunai… who is that…?”
“She’s the daughter of Marquess Epikus, a capital noble.”
“…Really high-ranking, then?”
“Insanely high.”
Even Lunai struggled to hide his excitement.
No one expected the princess and her attendants to come all this way.
“She’s a high-ranking noble who personally serves the princess. Ordinary nobles can’t just approach her.”
“Oooooh…”
Haemon glanced around.
Other demon companions seemed excited too.
Relieved that he wasn’t the only one showing his naivety, Haemon relaxed slightly.
Then the stunning Epikus daughter carefully reached back toward the carriage.
“Princess, watch your step.”
“…Yes.”
A thin, delicate voice came from inside the carriage.
‘Hhh.’
Everyone, including Haemon, unconsciously held their breath.
The December north wind of Styx seemed to pass beneath their feet.
Though the voice from inside was objectively beautiful, the young woman who descended next froze everyone in awe.
Even a mere glance sent shivers down their spines.
‘Wow. Wow. Wow…’
Haemon’s vocabulary could only manage that.
Her pale, golden hair fluttered in the winter wind.
Her slender face was perfectly adorned with teal eyes and pink lips.
It was astonishing how it all fit together so beautifully.
Her teal irises shone with golden pupils.
Objectively, she was breathtaking.
Yet, no one dared admire her freely.
From that expressionless face and delicate figure emanated overwhelming authority.
‘Gah… my knees… it’s hard to even breathe.’
Haemon wasn’t the only one frozen.
Not only the humans from Styx, but even the demon knights stood rigid.
Even those who had faced countless hardships to get here.
Then a deep, calm voice rang out.
“Glory to the Princess of Great Tartarus.”
Ares broke the deathly silence, speaking first.
And naturally, he knelt on one knee before the princess.
His subordinates muttered in renewed respect.
He didn’t just make them do dirty work; their captain had guts!
The princess lightly nodded at the kneeling captain.
“…Ismenios, it’s been a while. Thank you for your efforts.”
Her voice was crystal clear.
Like the air on a dawn after a heavy snowfall.
The kneeling captain and the princess looked like something out of a fairy tale.
‘Beautiful picture… really beautiful…’
Haemon nervously glanced around.
Something felt off.
Lunai had explained that the captain was close to the princess.
‘They’ve known each other since childhood, right?’
But now, somehow, they seemed… angry at each other.
‘Is this okay?’
Haemon instinctively felt that this tense atmosphere would bring a storm to Styx Castle.
As expected, his ominous intuition was not wrong.
