chapter 174………………………………………..
The Three Meet Again in the Winter Kingdom (1)
After Theia burst out in anger, the room fell silent for a moment.
“…What are you talking about?”
Ares was the first to speak.
Shion never got out of her sickbed?
When he left for the last time, he had known her condition wasn’t good—but still.
Ares clenched his fist, irritation surging up his throat.
And that tone.
The way they spoke—as if Shion had grown worse because he hadn’t known anything—grated on him unbearably.
“You think I’ve never watched the vision stones?”
When Shion resumed her official duties, she had appeared through the vision stones.
Lovely. Perfectly fine.
There hadn’t been the slightest trace of illness on her face.
And even now—
Shion looks fine even now, doesn’t she?
She might have lost the nagging-older-sister air she once had, replaced with a chill like the winds of this place—
But Ares’ heart pounded violently.
As if an unwelcome truth were knocking at the door, demanding to be let in.
Glauco adjusted his glasses and sighed.
“Do you remember Iliod unveiling a more advanced ‘doll’?”
“…? I remember.”
Wasn’t that mentioned during talks with the royal family of Iliod long ago?
They said they’d created a perfect doll that could link with a person’s ego.
In exchange for enrolling Prince Cassandros into Shion’s academy, the demons had gradually imported those “dolls.”
They were meant to assist people with physical disabilities.
I wondered if it could be used for my brother.
But Phobos’ illness wasn’t that kind, and the ducal house had abandoned the idea.
“Wait.”
Ares looked back and forth between Glauco and Theia.
Why else would they bring this up?
“No way.”
“……”
“No way, right?”
Theia closed her eyes and let out a breath.
“Since you and Prince Alcyone left, Her Highness has remained in the Persen Palace.”
“With what illness…?”
“No one has been able to find out.”
Theia blinked slowly.
For the past three years, Lord Erebos secretly summoned every renowned physician he could find.
Not one of them managed to improve the princess’s condition.
She barely managed to swallow food and lay in bed.
She could speak—but moving her body caused unbearable pain.
And so…
“This is the first time in three years she’s come out for official duties.”
“What…?”
Ares felt dizzy for a moment.
The first time in three years?
Why was this the first he was hearing of it?
“Wait. Then why did no one—!”
He raised his voice, then bit down on his lip.
Why had southern nobles like Count Stenel acted so arrogantly in the past?
Even though Shion was Erebos’ only daughter?
Because she looked weak.
A weakness that provoked the demons’ aggressive instincts.
Ares covered his face with trembling hands.
“…Why.”
Why hadn’t his two masters—or these aides—even hinted at this?
Even if he’d been dispatched with the northern reinforcements, it wasn’t as if he’d never returned to Tartarus.
I had to check on my brother’s condition.
Then why—
Just then, the door burst open without so much as a knock.
The Styx lot were country bumpkins; manners weren’t their strength.
“Uh, Captain. I have a report—oh!”
Haemon was the worst of them.
The moment he saw Theia and Glauco’s icy expressions, his face went pale.
“What is it?”
“Th-the Princess is calling for you, Captain.”
“What did you do?”
“I—I didn’t do anything!”
“……”
“She just said she wanted to discuss something and told me to bring you!”
A cold wind ran down Ares’ spine.
This felt ominous.
For three years, he’d seen that exact expression whenever his subordinates had caused trouble.
Ares sighed at Haemon’s fidgeting.
“…Fine. Lead the way. Eunomian, Nestor—you two as well—”
“Ah—no, sir. I was ordered to bring only you.”
“…Ha.”
This was getting worse by the second.
His nerves were already frayed from what he’d just heard.
As he followed Haemon, Ares bit the inside of his cheek.
Shion was that sick?
Nestor and Eunomian must have exaggerated.
They didn’t like how he treated the princess and were trying some drastic measure to snap him out of it.
She was that sick and didn’t tell me?
No—could Shion have even thought to tell him?
After he’d caused that scene in the cottage and left her like he was fleeing…
Without even waiting for her to stand again?
“S-she’s waiting inside.”
Haemon left him at the door and fled like an arrow.
For a moment, Ares thought he’d punch him later.
But the thought of the person inside made his breath tighten.
So he clasped his hands behind his back and lowered his voice more than usual.
“Your Highness, I’ve come as summoned.”
“…Come in, Ismenios.”
At the sound of that voice, his heart leapt anew.
When he opened the door, the princess stood revealed against the backlight.
Gone was the lively fifteen-year-old.
In her place stood eighteen-year-old Shion, carrying an icy elegance.
Her tightly pressed lips parted coldly.
“It’s an order.”
Ares had thought he’d seen Shion at her angriest during their explosive fight in the cottage.
He realized now he had been completely wrong.
“Right now, remove that pathetic dye and come back.”
This—this was Shion at her most furious.
…It had been such a long time since I could see Ares again.
For the past three years, my condition hadn’t been something I could show anyone.
Especially not someone I once liked.
Unable to move, my body kept growing thinner.
There were many times I couldn’t do anything without help.
Honestly, I’d shown the Epicus sisters plenty of undignified sights.
I never imagined the power of Invitation would be this taxing.
With an ordinary human body, I would’ve died.
…So when I finally regained my strength to its former level—
“I want to see Ares.”
That was the first wish that came to mind.
Everyone objected, of course. But I insisted and came all the way here.
And when I saw how demons and humans coexisted here, I realized something.
I see. You really haven’t changed.
Of the three of us, Ares had always been the one who cared most about others.
Kind to demons and humans alike.
The only thing that changed was our relationship.
My heart had fluttered the first time I saw him again…
Yet he’d been so cold that I couldn’t bring myself to say more.
Was I no longer able to see him as anything beyond the future Demon King I was meant to serve?
Would I have to leave without ever speaking about what happened?
It was then—
“Uh, the Captain’s hair wasn’t reddish-brown when he first came here.”
Haemon, was it?
Hearing his human adjutant speak, I realized.
“Before Her Highness arrived, we were ordered not to say anything… and since the other demon comrades weren’t saying much either…”
So there was something you hadn’t told me these past three years either.
After I gave the order, some time later the door opened again.
“Your Highness.”
“……”
“I’ve done as you ordered.”
After that, silence settled over the room.
We stared at each other for a long time.
Looking up at his face, I let out a faint scoff.
“Serves you right.”
“……”
“You never listen to me. This is what you get.”
Time had passed, but Ares’ essence hadn’t changed.
A demon prince who first extended his hand to humans.
The kindest—and the proudest.
The one who hurt my heart the most.
“You… really, how…”
Standing before me was my love—
his hair now completely white.
