When Damien arrived at the palace of Verne, he thought he would be let in without an issue like all the other times he arrived. Unfortunately, that wasn’t what happened. He ran into some trouble, which he wouldn’t have much of an issue with.

But Lena and Aria were here. So he felt embarrassed about what had happened, especially because he had reassured them that getting into the palace wasn’t going to be a problem. After all, he was the savior of the city, right?

Well, he was wrong. But fortunately for Damien, Hilda showed up and saved the day. So not only did she save him the trouble of entering the palace, she also served as a distraction. And right now, as the group made their way through the gilded halls of the palace, Aria was gushing over the former princess.

“You’re a princess?” Aria asked with glittering eyes, although her hood was still covering her face.

And Hilda just chuckled as she smiled down at the little demon girl. “Before, I was. But even though I am no longer one, I still have the etiquette and decorum of one.”

“Wow, that’s amazing…” Aria whispered in awe as she slowed down to a near halt. Then she glanced back at Damien and tilted her head. “Papa, what’s a princess?”

Damien scratched the back of his head, before ushering her forward. “I’ll explain later, alright?”

“‘Mkay!” Aria nodded excitedly.

Hilda glanced back towards Damien, then looked at both Lena and Aria. The former princess grinned as she raised a brow back at him.

“You know, I never knew the Savior of Verne was a father,” Hilda remarked simply. “I haven't seen you for only a few weeks and you’ve already started a family. You really work fast, huh?”

Damien rolled his eyes, and Lena chuckled.

“Please don’t even question it. It’s complicated.” Damien shook his head.

“I won’t, since you insist,” Hilda said, before tilting her head back. “But you’ll probably have to do some explaining to Ulric— he’s been searching everywhere for you because he thinks that without you around, he’s going to get arrested again.”

“Which, unfortunately, won’t happen,” Aloysius grumbled from the side with his arms crossed. “I still can’t believe that man— who is literally known as the Savage Gladiator who has taken countless lives— is allowed to walk freely.”

“Well, I’m not going to defend him, but I did need his help.” Damien shrugged back in response.

“I know,” the [Knight] sighed, before shaking his head. “I don’t blame you. I just find it infuriating.”

Damien wasn’t sure what to say in reply. He just trailed behind Aloysius and Hilda as they led the way. And as the group continued on, they eventually passed by the throne room. Ordinarily, it would be quite empty, but this time, it was bustling with crowds of officials and noblemen gathered and causing a commotion.

While Damien didn’t particularly eavesdrop on what was being said, he could overhear some of the voices over all the shouting.

“...at this rate, it’ll be war!”

“Good— that’s what they’ve always wanted!”

“We can’t keep letting them trample on our sovereignty!”

“Are you crazy? If we wage war on the Empire of Julin, it will result in millions of deaths—”

Damien turned to Hilda as they left the throne room behind.

“So I take it things haven’t been going well since I’ve been gone?” he asked casually.

The former princess sighed. “Unfortunately, no. Tensions have only been growing worse between us and the Empire of Julin since I returned. And now that they have that brand new warhawk of an emperor, it is very likely we’ll be embroiled in a war with them soon.”

Stolen story; please report.

“At the very least, you’re no longer a princess, right?” Damien shrugged. “So you don’t have to deal with most of the politicking going around.”

“But it is still my country— my people.” Hilda shook her head as they turned a corner. “Unfortunately, if war does befall our nation, I will have to step up and help my citizens somehow.”

“I see…” Damien nodded along, before glancing back towards Lena and Aria. And he understood how the former princess felt immediately, even if he perhaps could not have related to her before. “I get how you feel. All I can wish you is good luck on that.”

“Thank you. I can only wish you the same too.” Hilda smiled at him as she came to a halt right before the entrance to Archmage Fornus’s tower.

Stepping to the side, both Hilda and Aloysius bowed their heads.

“It was a pleasure to meet with you again, Sir Damien,” Aloysius said as he raised his head.

Damien waved a hand at that. “Please don’t be so formal with me. It makes me feel awkward.”

Hilda walked up to Lena and smiled at the Leviathan-turned-human. “And I am glad I could finally meet you, Mrs Thorne.”

Lena just blinked a few times. “Mrs Thorne?”

“Yes, you are Damien’s wife, are you not?” Hilda raised a brow.

And Lena furrowed her brows. “But I am not his wife.”

Damien pursed his lips as he glanced between the two women. He knew that if the conversation continued, it would become really difficult to explain to the former princess. So he decided to step in before things got too complicated.

“But—” Hilda started, glancing down at the little demon girl to the side.

And Damien grabbed both Lena and Aria by the hand. “Alright, let’s go meet with Archmage Fornus now!”

Hilda watched as Damien dragged both Lena and Aria into the tower, hurrying up the stairs. And when they were gone, she could only place a hand on her chin as Aloysius scratched the back of his head next to her.

“Having a child out of wedlock, huh? I didn’t expect that from Damien…” the former princess whispered. “It is no wonder he did not wish to discuss this matter.”

“It is certainly unexpected.” Aloysius nodded in agreement.

***

It was finally time to check up on Elana’s status. Damien was excited. He had been waiting for this day for what felt like forever, although it had only been a few weeks.

When he arrived at the top, the door swung open on its own, like Archmage Fornus was expecting them. Aria stared in amazement at the sight as Lena ushered her forward. Meanwhile, Damien stepped into the room first and glanced around.

Compared to when Damien last visited the tower, the room was much more well-organized now— mostly because previously, he had broken into the tower through the window. The only reason Damien didn’t do the same again now was because he didn’t want to upset Archmage Fornus, and because both Lena and Aria were here.

To the side of the room was a fireplace and a velvet couch. There, Archmage Fornus was serving some tea to an elderly lady which Damien didn’t recognize at first. But as Damien drew closer to them, he remembered who she was.

“I forgot this was how you looked like without your Ring of Transformation, Elana.” Damien grinned as he came to a halt right before the old lady.

Behind him, Aria was hopping up and down trying to catch one of the floating books as Lena fussed over her. Elana shook her head as she rose to her feet.

“I would prefer if you do not bring up my unsightly appearance. Not especially when I am about to do you a massive favor.” Elana sighed as she faced Damien.

Archmage Fornus rubbed his beard as he piped up from the side, glancing over at Lena and Aria, “I am surprised you brought guests with you, Damien. I would have thought you were someone who worked alone.”

“Well, a few things changed while I was gone. But my goal is still the same.” Damien looked over at Elana and placed his hands on his hips. “Are you ready to lead me to the edge of the world?”

Elana smirked as she tilted her head at him. “Do I have much of a choice on the matter?”

“Not really,” Damien said simply.

“Then I am as ready as I’ll ever be. After all, I am still alive.” Elana chuckled as she hobbled forward. “Let me just get ready, and we can get going.”

“Alright, then. This was easier than I thought it would be.” Damien watched as the [Enchantress] headed to the next room over. “I thought there would be another complication, but I guess not.”

Archmage Fornus shook his head as he met Damien’s gaze.

“Damien, you remember your promise to me, do you not?” Fornus asked simply.

Pausing, Damien tilted his head back as he recalled what the archmage had asked of him— to not kill Adam the First Explorer. Or Adam the First Slayer, as he was now called.

“Yes, I remember,” Damien said simply.

“Please, try your best to fulfill it. But I understand if you cannot.” Archmage Fornus sighed as he lowered his head.

“Don’t worry,” Damien said as he nodded at the archmage. “I’ll try.”

And once Elana was finished getting ready, the group headed down from the tower, getting ready to depart on their journey to the edge of the world.

But as they were on their way out of the city, a figure watched them from afar…