V3 Chapter 38
“…Haaa.”
Oriel let out a deep sigh.
Ruka looked at Oriel staring out of the carriage window, then spoke to her in a careful voice.
“Your Highness, are you okay?”
Ruka had been supporting Oriel as much as she could due to her beloved master’s orders. Managing her meals, rest time, and environment, she had done as many things as she could. However, Oriel had been looking worse each day, and she knows the reason behind it.
She was the only one who knew of Oriel’s intimate relationship with her brother, Ruka’s beloved master. In fact, her master had told her about it because he wanted her to support and take care of Oriel like how she had cared for him, whenever he could not. And without making any suspicions.
After her Master’s departure, Oriel had been in the dazed state ever since. She looked like a lovesick girl and Ruka could somehow share the same feelings.
She had missed her master dearly, and every night she longed for him. However, she was able to endure it because she wanted to uphold the fact that she was her master’s most reliable and dependable servant. And also, because she was given the task of taking care of Oriel under the [Garden’s Order].
Not just her Master’s order, but also the [Garden of Eden].
Her Master’s order was already absolute, but with the [Garden’s] will, it became even more important. And so, she took this mission very seriously. She can never compensate if anything happens to Oriel under her care. However, Oriel's character is not the type that would allow anyone other than her little brother to care for her or her business. Making this mission very difficult.
“Unnecessary meddling only brings bad luck, Ruka. You’re a smart girl and I know you know that.” she glared at her.
“O-Oh yes, My Lady,”
Ruka bit her lips and nodded her head in understanding. She knows that the first princess hated her. In fact, she hated everyone except her master. She would never allow anyone to enter her heart—though she was proficient in hiding it and appear well-mannered, especially in front of her Master, when he was absent, however, she would become extremely cold and distant.
Perhaps, this is the true self of the Ice Princess.
She was like a lone wolf that distrusts everything in this world.
If you carelessly approach her, you will be frozen in eternal ice before you realize it.
The two of them lost in their own worlds as the carriage quickly took Oriel and Ruka back to the Imperial Demon Castle.
“…Ah.”
A breath of fresh wind tickled Oriel’s cheek. It was a feeling that was completely different from what she had gotten used to. If possible, she didn’t want to come back here. Unfortunately, she cannot. She was still the Princess of the Demon Empire. Even with her status, her Mother’s summon is something she cannot ignore.
She turned her face towards the outside and appreciated the endless array of trees passing by.
The clear cloudless sky and the tranquil breeze made her strangely solemn...calm.
While her mind was caught up in her complicated thoughts, her heart knew this road was headed back for the family she never likes the most.
The thought of seeing her mother and her accursed brother made her face darkened even more.
I heard him having troubles in the central plain… though if it would have been better if he had died without a problem…
But Oriel knows that it would be impossible.
Even if you stabbed a stake on that scum’s heart, that venomous snake will still slither away, like an undying cockroach, and will return once again to bite you in revenge.
But it seems like you’re also getting impatient…
Even still, did you really think that you can already stand against mother?
Do you think our mother had gone senile…?
Just like Lucifalion, Oriel also has many loyal supporters and spies planted around the Capital. Unlike her brother’s focus on military power, she was different as she prioritizes her information network to expand and cover the entire empire, like the back of her hand. Hence, despite being always away from the Empire, she had never been out of the circle, not even once. She was able to understand the peculiar movements occurring on any part of the Empire the moment it happened.
Lucifalion’s strange actions these past few months had not been out of her awareness.
This banquet… I don’t think it would pass without a problem.
“Your Highness…”
As she was in deep thought, suddenly Ruka called out to her.
Displeased, she turned at her with a frown. However—
She immediately realized Ruka’s expression. And her eyes narrowed dangerously. And just as expected, strange sounds appeared from the outside of the carriage.
“Who are you?!! Do you know whose carriage this belongs to?!”
“Who are we, is not of your concern… if I were you, I best surrender, or else death is the result,”
Sounds and noises of metals colliding rang out in the area.
“You bastards!! Are you looking down on the Royal Demon Knights?! Brothers kill them all!! Protect the Princess at all cost!!”
“Aaahhh!!”
“Protect the Carriage!”
“Protect the Princess!!”
“Your highness, please stay here.”
Ruka bowed deeply and then opened the door of the carriage to step outside. Protecting her highness Oriel was her mission. However-
“Are you treating me for a decorative vase, Ruka?”
A menacing cold voice replied to her.
“It’s not my intention, your highness. But I don’t believe there is a need for you to venture on a dangerous scheme. Fear not, as I shall lay my life to protect you,” Ruka answered respectfully.
“Don’t make me repeat myself, Ruka…” Oriel said coldly as she stood and pushed the carriage door opened, and with an expressionless face, she stepped out.
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“Dogs came for me, as the princess do you think I will leave visitors unattended!?”
Ruka sigh as she knows that she cannot stop the princess anymore. Hence, she could only sigh and follow.
Master… this mission is too hard…
… …
No one dared exhale.
Oriel took a step down the metal stair of the carriage. She moved like a graceful fairy descending into the mortal world, with no ounce of worry or concern—her demeanor and aura calm, cold, and completely confident in her control of the situation.
When they walked out of the carriage, they were then greeted by a chaotic scene. Oriel’s over twenty Royal Knights were fighting desperately over a hundred demons and monsters surrounding them. If not for the fact that they are all elites among elites, they would have been annihilated in the instant.
Even Oriel couldn’t help but furrow her brows.
They are just too many…
Did they prepare an ambush here?
But how?
No one knows about her arrival today.
Then, suddenly her eyes flashed with coldness.
The only explanation would be that there’s a traitor in her inner circle.
“Your Highness, please step back!”
The Captain of Royal Knights that protects Oriel spoke while standing protectively beside Oriel. It was a woman almost akin to that of a centaur, but with a lower but of a tiger. She came from a very rare race even among werebeasts known as Beastaurion.
On her upper human body, she was wearing light body armor and a helmet, standing almost three meters tall, on her forehead was a longhorn that looked like that of a unicorn.
However, Oriel only stared at the group of demons and demi-humans standing at the center of the magical beasts and didn’t give attention to the Knight Captain.
Four people… three were demi-humans and a demon.
An ugly half-man half-bull that stands three meters tall with a bulky body and a scar on his right face. A monster resembling a large shaved gorilla with warty green skin and possessing a sinister aura and a greater deal of muscle mass. Even besides the other ugly monsters, it looks menacing with jutting jaws sharply protruding out. An Ogre. The third one was a muscular man wielding a long mace, centaur-like with a lower part of a reptilian quadruped like that of a crocodile.
And lastly, a female demon with red skin, wings, and a pair of horns on each side of her head. Judging from her appearance, she was none other than a Succubus.
“Your Highness, please do forgive our rudeness… we didn’t come here to make trouble, instead, we came here with good intentions,” the ugly half-man half-bull said as he did an aristocratic bow, completely out of place with his horrifying appearance.
“That’s quite a claim after killing a number of my men…though, even if you didn’t, the sole crime of disturbing my journey already warrants death,”
Oriel took half a step forward, while Ruka silently followed from behind.
“Nevertheless, first meetings usually warrant introductions. As a born noble and royal, I have my manners. Why don’t you name yourself, if you are so courageous that you dare block my path.”
“My apologies Your Highness, for this rather sudden and abrupt meeting. We are just an unknown group; Julian of the War of Beasts Organization and these are my comrades, Dreka, Ardon, and Sorieta…please to meet you,”
War of Beasts…?
“What is the War of Beasts want from this princess?”
Oriel’s brows furrowed. Though she remained cold, outside, she was actually somewhat surprised.
War of Beasts, had always known to be neutral, and never bothered with the matter of the Imperial Court, for they only have one purpose, to kill and replace the royal family of the Beastman Race.
They had always been troublemakers, but because they didn’t interfere with the issues on the Demon Court, Sitana turned a blind eye to them. But now, it seems like the wind had turned. And they are also planning to dive into this muddy water.
“It’s very simple, our Master wants to invite Her Highness for a tea. If the princess honored the invitation, we will surely not let down her highness,” Julian, the Minotaur muttered. Despite his appearance, it seems like he has a way of words.
“Hmph! Who do you think your Master is? If he wants to meet this princess, he should come by himself. Did he think himself the King of the Gods?!”
Oriel scowled in anger.
“Go back. In the face of the help the War of Beasts had done in protecting the Demon Empire from invaders, I shall let this rudeness slide. But there would be no next time!”
Oriel’s words immediately caused a reaction to the War of Beasts, and their expression simultaneously darkened.
“Then, we can only be rude…”
Julian said coldly.
“No matter what happens, her highness must come with us today,”
“Ill-bred inferior race! Who do you think you are?!”
Oriel scowled. Immediately after, a cold breeze swirled around her, covering everything with frost, and causing the temperature to plummet.
Seeing her enrage, Julian and the others frown. However, unexpected, despite knowing the infamy of the Demon Princess, they are still unfazed. Their expressions are calm, and immediately reissued the attack against them.
The Tiger Centaurion hurriedly issued an attack as well, and the demons engaged a heated battle against the dozens of magical beasts. Oriel’s guards only numbered twenty, while the monster horde numbered more than triple of the amount.
It seems like the War of Beasts really intended to capture Oriel no matter what happens. Still, Oriel’s knights were not the type to be afraid. And they courageously fought to protect their Master.
More than half of them are Viscount and Earl-level Demons, and even four of them, including the Tiger Centaurion was at Marquis rank.
Though the enemies have a greater number, the knights were still able to stand up against them without being overwhelmed.
“Aaarrggg!!!”
In just a few moments, one after another, magical beasts started crying out in pain as they felt the chilling metal bite into their bodies. In a flash, many more magical beasts were quickly cut to pieces and a few of the more nimble demons killed two or three in an instant.
“Protect her highness at all costs!!”
“Kill them all!!”
A shout emerged from each demon knight as they charged toward the savage magical beasts almost as if they were wild beasts themselves. Wielding their swords, spears, and many kinds of weapons, every Demon Knights rallied on the battle without fear.
RRRooooOOOaaaAAAArrrrRRRRR———!!!
RRRooooOOOaaaAAAArrrrRRRRR———!!!
Rumble rumble rumble!
The stampeding vicious beasts were just like billowing thunder. The dozens of vicious beasts charged toward them, wild and savage. This scene was both terrifying and spectacular, still, not a single one retreated, as they stood protectively around Oriel. Because of absolute loyalty, these men were not afraid of death.
Underneath the power of every demon knight, every single magical beast was swiftly killed. The Demon Knights made a two-layer encirclement around the royal carriage. And just behind them were Oriel standing coldly, and Ruka behind still, indifferent. There’s no hint of fear or anxiety that could be seen in her expression.
Though they were doing great, alas, they know they were only delaying the inevitable. More and more magical beasts came out from the forests around them, causing the pressure to increase. It was at this moment, that Oriel made a step forward. And then, the temperature dropped down. A strong gust of chilling wind appeared. The ground she stepped on was immediately covered by a solid layer of white frost.
The only place that remained a bit colder was the lace where the Demon Knights stood. But the place outside the outer circle the demon knights made, was suddenly covered by a white mist, which slowly condensed into a tornado. And the frost turned the air bitterly cold.
“Measly beasts, how dare you stood in front of me, baring your fangs and swaying your filthy claws! Know your place!!”
Oriel raised her hand as she stood like the Queen of Ice about to render judgment upon the damned.
Her voice filled with majesty, judgment, and authority were in no way incompatible with her beautiful appearance.
Screams and wails echoed in the area, as gradually, the cold corroded the monsters' bodies. The faces of the vicious beasts were contorted with sheer terror and utter despair.
In an instant, the entire area was covered with a tornado of white mist.
Silent screams permeated the deepening mist.
“Tsk! As expected of the infamous Princess of Ice,”
Four figures hurriedly shot out from the white mist, landing outside the doom of chilling cold.
“Her reputation is deserved!”
Julian snorted like an angry bull.
An annoyed expression appeared in his eyes.
Meter-long icicles followed after them, shooting towards them. However, they were easily swatted away. Julian, the Minotaurian, held a blazing fire axe in his hands, and the others also pulled out their respective weapons.
“You cannot escape!”
A cold voice echoed, and a blue figure shot out from the chilling blizzard. White and blue colored beautiful dress. Oriel floated in the air, with a cold, but beautiful goddess-like face. Radiating with coldness, her eyebrows were clear and slender, her skin was pearly, and although her lips and face were as white as paper, this was unable to cover up the cold, arrogant nobility which was bone-deep.
This cold nobility seemed to make her transcend the dust of the world and made it so that anyone who faced her wouldn’t dare to profane her in the slightest, only feel ashamed of their own inferiority.
From behind her was a pair of translucent, crystal-like wings seemly made of crystal ice. But even just looking at them, would feel as if one would freeze into the chilling cold.
[The Ice Queen’s Wings] Oriel’s treasure weapon bestowed to her by Sitana, the Demon Empress.
The precious treasure that is said to be the crown owned by the Monarch of Ice.
With one flap of her wings, she could usher a chilling blizzard that would torture her enemies with a freezing cold.
A melodic voice echoed, and countless sharp icicles appeared.
“You cannot run from me!”
It was at this moment when the balance of the Demon Empire had begun to overturn.
The attack of the War of Beasts signifies their declaration in entering the chaos that was going to cover the entire Demon Empire.
… …