Chapter 1 : Peace?

“Jo’ou-sama...... Hime-sama...”

The faint sound of a maid out of breath calling for her master. A normal typical scene in the palace of the Human Kingdom <>. The sudden disappearance of the Queen and the princess is not uncommon even though each time they disappear the maid have to search the palace up and down calling for their name.

Walking through a garden full of flowers she finally saw what she was looking for. Basking in the sunlight a woman with a crimson hair sitting down on the ground brushing a girl’s hair that have the same intensity of red as her’s but slightly different because it is mixed with a few strand of black that reached to her waist.

“Raisha-samaaa, Raila-samaaaa!”

The maid smile but the intensity of her tone doesn’t fit to the smile on her mouth

“Ahh It’s Marie” Said the girl while getting up and run towards the maid. 

“Raila-sama, How many times have I said not to run while wearing your night gown. You can trip yourselves” Marie said to the girl, Raila a lively girl full of energy, wearing a pink night gown who is just laughing and hugging her ignoring a word that she said.

“I understand the princess, but why have you not change yet from your gown, Raisha-sama?” (Marie)

Raisha look back to the maid, a woman having a motherly aura in his 40’s having a black hair that is tied behind wearing a maid uniform, a black dress under a white apron. Your everyday normal maid. Raisha stand up and look towards the slow and steady rising sun when suddenly she is covered with a blanket.

“You are pregnant Raisha-sama, at the very least cover yourselves for the baby. Don’t you know that babies are very sensitive to the cold and it is not good for you to be ill when the time come. It’s not that far away if I recall, and I sure hope that it will be delivered without complication” (Marie)

With a look of concern shimmering in her eyes Marie keep on rambling about babies and the do’s and don’t for a pregnant lady.

Raisha look down to her overgrown belly and touch it delicately and smile when the one inside respond with a kick from her touch. Raila seeing that sprint to her,

“Is the baby kicking again mama?” (Raila)

while putting her hand towards her mother’s belly and become overjoyed to receive a respond with a kick.

“Marie too” (Raila)

She said while grabbing Marie’s hand and put it onto Raisha’s belly. 

“Wait Raila-sama, I couldn’t possibly do that” (Marie)

“Marie, you don’t need to be reserved about this” (Raisha)

This time Raisha took Marie’s hand and put it on her Belly. The two hands on her belly make the baby inside somehow active as it replies with a few kicks. Marie who is reluctant at first is now somehow trance by it.

Raisha feels satisfied by the two who is eagerly and fascinated by the new life in her belly but starting to get uncomfortable when the baby starts to kick more frequently maybe restless by the sudden touch. 

“So why are you looking for me, Marie?” (Raisha)

Trying to get out from the situation Raisha ask Marie about her purpose of finding her.

“*cough* *cough* Right.”

Marie said while releasing some small cough to gain her composure back. Marie forgot her real reason for finding Raisha and get too absorbed by the baby activeness.

“The king would like for you to be present in the Throne Chamber, Raisha-sama” (Marie)

“No” (Raisha)

“So let’s.... Whatttt?!”

Raisha with no intention of going sit back on the spot and tapping the ground asking for her daughter Raila to join her. Raila sit down and now she is tapping the ground asking for Marie to sit.

“No Raila-sama I still have my duty” 

“Mother always skip on her work”

“Ohooo... Really... Raisha-sama. I think we need to have a long conversation one of these days”

Raisha is starting to have a cold sweat, why do you need to talk about that oh daughter of mine she thinks.

Marie was about to continue when her hem of the skirt is pulled by Raila. She is still tapping the ground asking for her to sit down but now with a teary eye. Marie sigh and shake his head but sit nevertheless

“Just for a short while, would that do Raila-sama” 

Raila nod while smiling.

“But you still need to go to the Throne Room, Raisha-sama”

Raisha who kept silent just stare at Marie, the head maid who have been with her since she was a children and hand her something. She have handed Marie a comb and turn around. Marie just smile and start combing her hair and Raila just sit there watching.

After finishing, Marie bring Raisha to her room. The room is not what you would imagine a queen’s room would be. A big table with books scatter all around it is placed near a big glass window, next to it is a wood shelf filled with thick books and a small bed with a wooden frame just fit for one person. The only thing that makes the room looks more queen like is a mirror with various precious stone like ruby inlaid on it. Looking herself in the mirror, she sigh.

If he saw me like this, he will be laughing for sure. A once proud and noble warrior, one of the only two girls of the 12 Heroes reduce to this motherhood state. After the war, I went back to my own kingdom, where father King Edward Rudolh The 4th the current king of <> is overjoyed of my safe return. After losing mother, which is one of the factor making me stood up and join the battle even though receiving resistance from many party which can’t have the first princess of <> an heir to the throne to be in any danger, that doesn’t stop me from going

Since her return, the king have hosted many party in order to celebrate their victory in the war where she met a young king that receive the throne from his father. The young king Aaron governs the south of the human continent <> while King Edward governs the north area <>. This and that happen and I’m married to Aaron, under 3 conditions. The first one is I will stay at my place of birth the North Palace <>, the second one is I will do what I wants, there will be no restrictions on my freedom, and the last one is that I will choose my own aide and guard.

Her marriage with Aaron is not a political marriage or whatsoever, and its not because of love either. It’s just simply because both of them have merits of doing so.... Wait, when I think about it, it is a political marriage.

“Hahhhhh..” (Raisha)

A sigh escape her mouth

A king withot a Queen may be called an incompetent King and bad rumors can spread, while for Raisha herself it was a good way to learn to be a ruler as her days with the battle is over since the demon lord has been “defeated”, and she looks downward and grasp her belly. Having a children is a blessing she thinks while smiling. 

Marie brought her a white gown beaded with light pink diamond. Slipping off her night gown. Raisha look to her body and spot a scar at her right arm. A souvenir of war, a reminder of what happen on that day almost 10 years back. A reminder for herself about a bet she made with a demon lord. A bet that ends the war abruptly. A bet just between the two of them. Her arm twitches as if it remembered the feeling of being severed. Just thinking about that makes her clench her fist but released it after seeing that Marie is waiting for her to settle before continuing her duty of preparing her for the audience with the king. 

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Far away from the palace, from the busy day life of the merchant on the plaza, from the hustle and bustle of the town, across the border of the human continent, into the neutral land of <>. A hut made of wood stands sturdily inside the vicinity of the <>. A forest which merchant and even veteran adventurers tend to avoid because it is rumored to be the den of high ranked demon, and quite a few adventures have lost its live there.

The door of the hut made of Azur Tree open and show the contents of the hut, a sofa of 4x3 sets in the middle of the hut near a coffee table in front of the fireplace, a kitchen filled with cooking utensils like pot and knife, a table with a flower pot on it, few racks full with books of different genre and two bedroom. The inside is bigger than the outside appearance of the hut and a shadow of a woman came out from the hut walking towards a man. 

“As expected of Arvos-sama. You are good at using the hoe as you are with your katana”

Said the woman while giggling.

The man turn back showing his black hair that is keep short and a little bit spiky here and there, with a blue eye and height’s around 180cm. He carries an aura of superiority but with a hoe in his hand the aura dissipates somewhere else. The woman hands over a glass of water towards the man.

“Thanks Ilia”

The man said while taking the glass from her, Ilia having a long hazelnut colour hair reaching her waist with a green eye and an air of calmness. She is about 156 cm tall, wearing a white silk one piece and feet covered with vein. Even though she looks like human, Ilia is a nymph. A nymph is a nature spirit that typically associated with a particular location or land form. Ilia resides in the forest for more than 150 years but her appearance maintain. She flourishes the land and make sure the forest is free from destruction and intruder.

*Tap*Tap*Tap*

The sound of footsteps getting nearer can be heard from their position and from the forest emerge two shadow one appear quite small and another one appear almost 120 cm tall. The first shadow that emerges have a pointed ears a semi circular head, a green eye and its most attracting features, its green skin colour which determine it is a goblin and appear to be carrying an axe. The second shadow, smaller than the first one having a green-brownish like of tone colour, a round head, a green eye and have an ear similar of that to a man but much wider and longer which can be concluded as an imp and carrying a pile of firewood.

“Ah, Tobi and Timp. Sorry for always troubling you”

Arvos say referring to the goblin and imp respectively in an apologetic manner.

“Wo-od..... Foo-or you.... Happy to do i-itt”

The imp reply with a happy face not a full sentence and while stuttering but its enough to be understood. For an imp to speak the human language it will take a long time so to be able to speak like that is quite magnificent.While the goblin just nod expressionless.

When suddenly Tobi is lifted of the ground with a white not so delicate hand, Ilia’s. 

Tobi struggle to break free from her grasp when he stops as he look at Ilia who is smiling, but her smile is as if a demon is lurking behind her when she ask a question that makes the two pale.

“Where did you two get the wood if I may ask”

As the one who protects the forest she can’t have anyone to destroy it. That is why she ask, even though the author thinks it is wrong to use brute strength for questioning.

“Did you chop it from the trees here”

Again Ilia ask a question maintaining her demon smile, but as Tobi’s head is being hold she look at Timp for answer. Tobi couldn’t answer orally crushed by Ilia’s gaze so he just shake his head. Ilia have her doubt, so she keep glaring at Timp, making Timp shake his head much faster. Then she let Tobi down.

“What good children you two are, neh”

Tobi just nod slowly at Ilia’s remark

Suddenly, the wind that is just blowing slowly, rage and change direction making Ilia’s white one piece get blown upwards showing its content, but she hold it down as soon as that happens. After the winds pass, she turn to Arvos to ask but stops as he is wearing a serious face.

“It seems the wind have change”

Wind have always been a conductor of messenger. Wind can turn the table of a war if one knows how to use it. Wind also bring prediction and news about something mostly something big as the thoughts of people that turn into desire makes the wind unstable and run wildly. Arvos could not determine the source which change the winds but he can feel an obnoxious feeling coming from it. 

“Timp, go find Ariel for me”

Hearing that, Timp give the pile of wood to Tobi and run towards the forest.

“Where is she Ilia?”

“She’s at the usual place, My lord”

Arvos just nod hearing that.

At that time, at the palace of <>, Raisha is walking up a steps layered with a red carpet heading towards the throne room. She is now wearing the dress given by Marie. The stairs railing is decorated with a flower carving and after polishing it shines as if to show the flower is alive. There are also a few guards guarding and all of them lower their heads when Raisha walk pass them.

“By the way Marie”

Marie who is walking behind Raisha lift her head hearing her name.

“Why did father ask of me?”

Raisha ask, because usually his father doesn’t summon her to the throne room.

Marie just hold her head and sigh

“In case you forgot Raisha-sama. Today a messenger from <> is coming”

Raisha stop when she learns that. She turns back to face Marie, and before Marie can say anything, she just walk down and say

“I’m not going”

“Raisha-samaaaa”

Marie half screaming half crying run towards Raisha.

Back to the <>, while waiting for Timp. Arvos post a question towards Ilia.

“Ilia”

“Yes Arvos-sama”

“Are you wea-”

Arvos post a question regarding the content that is revealed when the wind blows her one piece.

“I’m wearing it Arvos-sama”

“Are you su-”

“I’m wearing it Arvos-sama”

Ilia answer Arvos question without waiting for him to finish and smile. A smile that says Don’t pursue this topic. 

“All right”

He answers with a cold sweat started breaking.