CHAPTER 52…………..
#52. The Boy Who Hurts the Heart (2)
The investiture ceremony of Princess Elision as the representative of the Veled district.
It was the first event held in the capital since the death of the Demon Queen.
Naturally, the streets were packed with people, their faces full of expectation.
But then, from a red-roofed building close to the procession, a deafening explosion rang out.
In an instant, screams erupted from every direction.
“What was that?!”
“That building!”
“The building’s collapsing!”
Panic spread as people began to scatter in confusion.
Meanwhile, a human man in plain clothes stared quietly up at the building.
Secretly, he whispered to the ring on his finger.
“How is it, Captain?”
Through the gem, Andvari’s chuckle echoed.
—Better than expected. Doesn’t even get caught by proper mana detection.
Andvari’s band of mercenaries had brought in “new weapons” from Akidalia.
Watching one wall of the building crumble, Andvari smiled.
‘The demons have never seen anything like this, have they?’
Bombs that exploded on their own with time.
For demons who lived by sorcery and mana, it was a shocking sight.
And of course, only humans would dare bring such things in to sabotage a royal ceremony.
‘This should be more than enough to satisfy the Talos priests’ request. It’ll plant the seed of war.’
Just then, one of her subordinates asked.
—But why did you choose that building?
“Ah, first of all, I saw some Iliod merchants’ heirs go in…”
The southernmost kingdom of Iliod, land of mages and sea-fairies.
It was also famous for its trading guilds that monopolized rare magical artifacts.
And the heirs of those guilds boasted backgrounds on par with noble children.
‘If children like that get hurt in the heart of Tartarus… what then?’
Naturally, Iliod would harbor resentment toward Tartarus.
And if the two kingdoms came into conflict, Halcyon could step in as Iliod’s ally.
But Andvari had another reason for choosing this building.
“I’ve got a grudge against those horned nobles.”
—You really hold a grudge over everything.
“Shut up. Use that time to retreat.”
After all, the Demon King himself was here.
A mere building—Erebos could deal with it easily.
‘But if it ends there, that’d be disappointing.’
Andvari waited a few seconds, and then a shrill cry rang out from somewhere.
“This is the work of Halcyon humans! No mistake about it!”
At those words, everyone around the collapsing building froze.
An old demon was shouting, his voice thick with hatred.
“As if killing the Queen wasn’t enough! Now they’re trying to kill the Princess too!”
Andvari sneered at the old man.
‘Says the one shouting because we paid him…’
But in a crisis, the effect was undeniable.
In the eyes of the demons, who had been screaming in panic, the spark of hatred now blazed.
The humans on the street began to retreat in fear.
In moments, the avenue descended into chaos, filled with the sounds of demons and humans clashing.
Andvari slammed a demon who tried to seize him to the ground and grinned savagely.
‘Yes, rage more!’
Once again, Halcyon would have its excuse to march into this land.
And this time, with other human kingdoms dragged in as well!
‘Phew. Thank goodness the ceremony went better than I feared.’
Relief loosened my knees, which were trembling.
All along, I had been worried I’d trip in front of Father, or that people would boo at Calion.
‘It’s fine now. I just have to sit and accept the flowers!’
Soon, the young ladies would ascend the platform, wouldn’t they?
I sat in the ornate chair placed at the center of the stage, catching my breath.
As my tension eased, my view widened much more than before.
Now it was time to pay attention to our dragon.
‘He must be sulking that he couldn’t come with us. How should I make it up to him—huh?’
I spotted Minte’s violet hair in the procession, and naturally assumed the red-brown-haired boy would be there too.
But Ares was nowhere to be seen.
‘What? Where did Ares go?’
On another day, I might have laughed, thinking, ‘Did our youngest really sulk so much he went into hiding?’
But instead, an ominous unease gripped me.
Like in the Charon temple, when we had saved them only for them to march back into war…
The same dread as seeing a knight return in a coffin.
‘Why do I feel so uneasy? Why—?’
Just then, a piercing rupture split the air.
I couldn’t make sense of it.
Why was a building near the procession shaking?
Why was one of its walls collapsing outright?
In that instant, Father swept me into his arms and shouted.
“Lady Epikus! Take Elision down, now!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Rete scooped me up, gripping Calion’s hand tightly with her other, and moved quickly.
Knights surrounded us, urging us toward safety.
“Please endure just a little longer, both of you! The carriage is just ahead!”
“Rete, what about Father?!”
When one building falls, the neighboring ones are at risk too.
Dust already billowed all the way over here.
But Rete didn’t need to answer.
From where Father stood, massive shadows stretched out in every direction.
Before Rete could push us into the carriage, Calion clutched the door and cried out urgently.
“Wait! Just wait, Lady, Lady Sion—”
“Prince Alcyone, you must get inside quickly!”
“Ares is still in there!”
“What?!”
Rete’s face went pale, and Calion seized the moment to point desperately.
“The gnat! I can hear his ‘sound’ coming from there!”
He was pointing at the very building where the blast had first rung out.
The red-roofed shop was leaning dangerously, on the verge of collapse.
‘Why? Why is Ares inside that crumbling building?’
Of course Father and the knights were busy preventing nearby buildings from falling too.
But inside my mind, everything went blank.
‘What were the last words I said to Ares?’
I couldn’t remember.
Only that I’d snapped at him for teasing my cheek.
‘If only I’d insisted on keeping Ares at my side…!’
Rete gritted her teeth and shoved me firmly into the carriage.
“…Master Minte will save the young lord! For now, both of you must—”
Boom.
In that moment, before my eyes, the red-roofed shop fully collapsed.
Rete, Calion, and I were struck silent.
The strength drained from Rete’s arms, and I bolted from the carriage, sprinting forward in a daze.
“Your Highness!”
“Lady Sion!”
I saw Rete and the knights reaching for me.
But suddenly, black motes rose around me like mist.
With a harsh crack, they lashed out, repelling the hands trying to grab me.
“Ugh…! Your Highness?!”
“Princess!”
The motes hardened into a wall of darkness, cutting me off from my companions.
I tore free from the hands still trying to hold me back and ran forward.
“Huff, Ares…!”
Miraculously avoiding the trampling crowd, I dashed right up to the ruined building.
Was Ares really in that wreck?
If alive, how badly was he hurt?
If alive at all…!
‘Could he… be dead…?’
Just then, a man seized my shoulder.
“Princess, why are you here?!”
“Duke…!”
“Where is Lady Epikus? The other knights?!”
“That, Ares—Ares is still inside—”
My tear-choked voice made Dracon turn his head.
And there—beneath Dracon’s cloak—lay the familiar red-brown-haired boy.
Blood stained the right side of his face, and his arm was bleeding too.
Ares didn’t move.
My mouth went dry, my mind went blank.
But just before my heart stopped, Ares blinked weakly.
“Ugh…”
“Ares!”
