CHAPTER 148…………………………………………………….
The Summit Begins! (1)
The day even Dad arrived in the South.
“Dad, welcome!”
The guest palace was perfectly prepared to receive VIPs.
With Dad’s party now joined, all that remained was to wait for the emissaries from the Priamos royal family of Illiod.
‘Dad doesn’t really like humans…’
Still, Halkion was the poorest country, its royal family having already fallen, and Akidalia was rumored to be on the brink of daily ruin.
In that sense, an alliance with Illiod had become even more important.
Once Dad had checked over the guest palace, he gave me a proud smile.
“You checked everything perfectly by yourself. Good job.”
“No, it’s nothing. We’ve had it planned for a long time already.”
“Hmm… Elysion.”
“Yes?”
Dad tilted his head toward me and smiled kindly.
…But in that moment, the air suddenly turned icy.
“If you had planned it for a long time, then why did you leave so early without me?”
“Huh? Uh…!”
“Surely there isn’t some other reason, is there?”
“…….”
“Hmm?”
A cold sweat ran down my back as I listened.
‘No, no way he found out… he couldn’t have.’
The reason I had left a little early to see Ares…
Out of everyone, Dad absolutely must not know.
‘Because the reason no marriage proposals have come my way until now… is because of Dad.’
I had often wondered why Dad would use the fireplace even in the heat of midday.
Then one day, I realized he was burning all the marriage proposals that came to me.
‘He won’t let anyone get away with it.’
Even if it’s a friend’s younger sibling, their life could be at risk.
So while Dad is here, I have to make sure Ares stays completely unaware.
‘Even if I confess first… the kid has to be alive, at least.’
I smiled as sweetly as I could at Dad and tilted my head.
“Oh, there’s no other reason.”
“I see…?”
“I just wanted to check that preparations were going smoothly and also enjoy the lake after such a long time.”
“Hmm?”
“Oh, speaking of which! The king of Illiod said he’d bring along his youngest sibling. I think he’s ten this year!”
“…That’s right.”
Dad answered a little slowly to my quick topic change.
The Southern region had been unstable for a while, so the King of Illiod wrote that for safety, he would bring along his young younger brother.
But that child…
“There were rumors he wasn’t feeling well, right?”
“Yes. If it’s something a magician can’t fix, then it’s not going to heal completely.”
“….”
Though I had become friendly with the Illiod trade guild, even they refrained from speaking about their royal family.
‘But just what exactly is wrong with him?’
My heart sank for a moment, but I shook my head.
Hearing that the child was unwell naturally made me feel the pressure that I should ‘do something’…
‘But I’m not the 13th Great Saint anymore.’
Since leaving Halkion, I had fully accepted my role as the Demon Princess and had already turned fifteen.
Even if I had set up an academy for coexistence with humans, I now had to think of the demons’ benefit first.
‘…Enough. Let’s work, work!’
The time for the princess to work was fast approaching.
The magician kingdom’s emissaries appeared across the misty lake.
From the enormous silver ship they had arrived on, the Priamos royal family members began to appear.
Among them, I recognized the queen at first glance.
She was wearing a crown decorated with pearls and shells.
‘That must be the reigning queen, Etina.’
She was a young woman with tanned skin and dull greenish-black hair.
She had eliminated all her half-siblings, leaving only her full younger brother alive.
Dad greeted the VIPs without showing any dislike.
Though expressionless.
“Welcome, King of Illiod.”
“Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Erebus. It is an honor to meet the Demon King in person.”
“It has been a long time since we have seen magicians in person as well.”
“Sending magicians to Tartarus isn’t common. And…”
Etina’s eyes sparkled as she looked at me standing beside Dad.
“Hoho, may it be an honor to the Demon Princess as well.”
“To the King of Priamos as well. Thank you for traveling such a long way.”
“Oh, it wasn’t much of a journey. By the way, the rumors are true.”
“Rumors…?”
What’s this about?
I almost showed in my expression that I thought it was a weird rumor, but Etina had a smile like a laughing lion.
“The rumor that the Demon Princess is as beautiful as a black rose.”
“Ugh!”
I nearly bit my tongue.
I managed to close my mouth to muffle the sound, but everyone nearby probably heard anyway.
…By the way, Theia, upon hearing that, proudly held her head high.
Etina laughed playfully at my reaction.
“Though I think our nickname is more fitting. We call her the Morning Star.”
“Morning Star, you say? About me?”
“Haha, that’s right. Isn’t that so, Cassandros?”
At that moment, a boy who had been a step behind Etina cautiously approached.
He had the same dull greenish-black curly hair and silver-gray eyes.
‘Is this the prince who has health issues?’
Yet the prince greeted Dad and me normally, alternating between us.
Though his face was slightly flushed.
“Glory to the King of the Darkness Clan and to the Princess.”
After greeting, the prince kept glancing at me.
Somehow, it reminded me of the time young Kalyon came to Tartarus, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Prince Cassandros.”
“…!”
“Please enjoy your time on our land.”
The prince, having just emerged from hibernation underground, looked as startled as a rabbit with wide eyes.
He tried to respond to me but ended up bowing his head deeply.
Etina quickly placed her hand on the prince’s shoulder.
“Oh my. This one is too shy and has caused a slight breach of etiquette.”
“It’s okay. It must be tiring after such a long journey.”
“Thank you for understanding, Princess. But if it’s alright…”
“Alright?”
“Ahem, could you perhaps look at our party just once?”
I could do it, but why?
When I turned my head toward the Illiod party, groans erupted from every direction.
“Demon Princess, please! Just once, this way!”
“Black Rose!”
“Even better in person!”
…Looking around, I became increasingly puzzled.
‘Why are they so excited about a foreign princess like me?’
Demons like me, but it feels slightly different from how they like me…
And what is with all the black rose bouquets they are holding?
“…Wait a minute.”
When were those even exported?!
The demons didn’t know, but the Illiod party had been looking forward to this meeting.
Etina giggled as she observed Laocoon and his subordinates in the royal quarters.
“Oh my. The hologram couldn’t match the real thing. The Mage Tower must step up.”
The magicians had nothing to say and simply cleared their throats.
Ever since the Illiod side had caught the speech the Demon Princess gave at age twelve, their reaction had been explosive.
“This figure is surely the living Morning Star!”
Then the Kreusa trade guild led the way, displaying “Black Rose Princess” items.
The Illiod people were honestly surprised.
Until now, they had thought of demons as “strong, yes, but culture…?”
Yet these things were beautifully crafted.
So people happily took all the items.
“Huh, demons are sneakier than I thought.”
“Yeah, I hope they stay this sneaky.”
As a result, they became curious if the Demon Princess was really this adorable.
The Illiod people’s expectations were more than satisfied.
Etina smiled slightly as she looked down at her younger brother.
The frail brother’s cheeks were still rosy, likely from seeing the princess earlier.
“Hmm? Why didn’t you greet more boldly earlier, Cassandros?”
“Sis…”
“You always stare like that whenever the princess’s hologram comes on?”
“B-but…”
Cassandros stammered in protest.
But this wasn’t because he was a weak coward.
“The two men standing behind the princess were looking too intimidating…”
