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CHAPTER 31
Midnight Adventure (1):
I thought we’d get caught right away as we left Persen Palace.
After all, it was just two boys and a kid barely the size of an acorn.
‘But these guys… they’re way more impressive than I expected.’
Kallion led the way, choosing the shadows carefully.
He focused as if he wouldn’t let even the smallest sound slip past.
Then he signaled to Ares, who was carrying me in his arms.
Right after that, the guards or an envoy would pass by—just barely missing us. It was uncanny.
‘This is truly the nation of willpower.’
And Ares, that rascal, ran swiftly without slowing down, even while carrying me.
‘What an incredible brute… using all that training for something like this.’
Ares and Kallion rushed toward the tree closest to the second-floor balcony.
Ares readjusted his grip on me and climbed up easily.
Kallion followed with effort, scrambling up after Ares.
‘The most useless one here is… me, isn’t it?’
Well, at least we got past the barrier around the Hydaes Palace thanks to me…
‘Using the fact that I’m the Demon King’s daughter… just for this.’
…
After a while, we entered the main palace. Fortunately, the dark corridors were empty.
Kallion took the lead again and whispered softly:
“Right now, they’re all in the basement.”
“The basement…? Ah!”
There’s a prison in the basement of Hydaes Palace.
So they were taken there?
Just before we headed for the stairs, Kallion stopped us.
“What is it, blue eyes? Why—”
“Shh! Behind us! Hide!”
Kallion frantically gestured for us to hide.
We fumbled and ducked into a side hallway.
Priests from Halkion, who had come with the envoy, were walking past, grumbling.
“Ugh, what a pain.”
“Right? So dumb…”
Their voices were too low to hear clearly.
‘Ah, if only I could hear them better!’
Maybe Ares sensed my desire, because he pressed himself closer to the wall.
Now and then, bits of their conversation reached us.
“…so, how long will the 14th last?”
“Who knows. If they don’t find….”
“Well, knowing Talos’ temper, he won’t just sit and watch.”
That name made my body tense.
The words that followed lodged in my brain.
“…but even if they find her, she’ll just be discarded anyway.”
My heart dropped with a thud.
‘What…?’
It wasn’t surprising. I already knew this would happen.
If they find the real Grand Saintess, the current fake would be eliminated to erase all evidence.
Just then, one of the priests tilted his head.
“Come to think of it, Lord Talos was also searching for—”
But they stopped talking, whispering quietly to each other before falling silent.
Soon, the corridor returned to perfect silence.
Ares, still watching their retreating figures, muttered softly:
“What the hell were they talking about?”
“Lord Zion, could it be that they…”
Kallion, still absorbed in the eavesdropping, turned to me.
But in that moment, his face froze.
“Kallion? What’s wro—”
“Princess. Lord Ares. Lady Alcyone…”
“Ugh?!”
We’d been so focused on the priests that we didn’t notice…
The Epikus sisters were standing behind us.
Minte gave Ares a faint smile first.
“Out again this late at night?”
“M-Master!”
“You’ll be doing five extra laps around the training grounds, Lord Ares.”
Lette tilted her head and stared at me with tired eyes.
“It’s well past bedtime. Why are you here…?”
“Th-that is! Well!”
Wow. It’s scary when someone who always smiles sweetly suddenly gets serious.
‘I’m supposed to protect Ares and Kallion! What excuse can I use?’
Then, a brilliant idea hit me.
“I! I wanted to see my dad!”
“…Pardon?”
“So I woke Ares up… and then we met Kallion too!”
“If you wanted to see His Majesty Erebus, you should’ve told me. You mustn’t go alone!”
“I thought Lette might be tired… I’m sorry…”
“Well, since it’s your birthday, I understand, but—”
“What are you doing here?”
Gasp. Goosebumps spread all over my body.
Ares and Kallion both visibly flinched.
When I turned around, the Demon King was there, watching us with a puzzled expression.
“Elysion? Why are you here at this hour—?”
“Ah… Daddy!”
Before he could get angry, I smiled brightly and clung to his leg.
“I missed you!”
“…!”
So embarrassing.
I could feel Kallion’s wide-eyed stare behind me.
‘But sometimes you must sacrifice for the greater good!’
Even the Demon King looked stunned.
I’d never shown him this much affection before.
‘And this might be… the first time I’ve actually called him “Daddy.”’
I surprised even myself by saying it.
Looking a bit flustered, he lifted me into his arms.
“Elysion. You shouldn’t be up this late.”
“B-but! We didn’t get to talk much today!”
“Ah…”
“Right? That’s why I came to see you!”
“…Haa. Sir Epikus, Lady Minte. I’ll take Elysion for a short walk. Please wait.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“Yes, sir!”
It seemed he planned to take a walk around the corridor and then return to the group.
In his arms, I glanced around, but found no helpful information.
‘I want to know what happened to Sisyphus and the others.’
But the Demon King was too quiet.
He was probably angry, so I didn’t dare ask.
“Daddy. A-are you very mad?”
“…No, not at all.”
He smiled warmly at me.
“My daughter is so mature and kind… I was worried.”
“Uh…”
“But seeing you being playful like this makes me happy.”
“…”
“But you must be careful. It could be dangerous.”
His voice held love, pride, and concern.
Moved by the emotion, I nestled deeper into his arms.
“I’m sorry we didn’t get to spend much time together today, Elysion. It’s your birthday.”
“No, it’s okay… Are you going back to work?”
“…Yes.”
His tone was gentle but firm.
A signal that it was something he would never tell a child.
‘No way I can get anything more out of him.’
We walked silently back to the others.
Along the way, portraits of Queen Asteria lined the walls.
Her beauty sparkled like the stars…
“…Daddy.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you really hate the people of the Holy Nation that much?”
The people of Halkion harmed the queen—Elysion’s mother.
So would his hatred last forever?
Would time change nothing?
He gripped me tighter in his arms.
“Someday, Elysion… if you have a family of your own, and then lose them…”
“…”
“Then you’ll understand.”
“…Okay.”
Am I a fool?
‘Or maybe… I just wanted a different answer in case I ever get exposed.’
But his answer was already more than enough.
There would never be peace between the demon realm and the Holy Nation.
‘And if my identity is ever discovered… the Demon King will no longer see me as his daughter.’
Even if, for now, I’m the most precious thing in the world to him…
* * *
In the underground torture chamber beneath the main palace—used only here—
The captives brought by Phobos and Minte writhed in pain.
There was no need to damage their bodies.
Most broke quickly under the demon torturer’s “confession magic.”
But this time was different.
“They’re holding out longer than expected.”
Erebus spoke dryly, without a change in expression.
The torturers grew more anxious.
“F-forgive us, Your Majesty…”
“It’s fine. Just confirms they’re hiding something.”
The fact they resisted the confession magic was proof enough.
Then, Phobos peeked his head in through the iron door.
“Ugh, is your stomach okay, Your Majesty? I don’t think I can handle this stuff anymore.”
“Don’t be dramatic, Phobos. You ride dragons for a living.”
“Yeah, but I’m built for offense. I don’t do well with this gross stuff…”
Just then, Sisyphus thrashed violently.
The torturers used a spell that felt like hammers pounding on his head, slowly breaking him down.
‘Damn it, Talos! Why aren’t you helping me at all?!’
He had understood when Talos ignored him in the garden.
But now an uneasy feeling crept in.
The day the 13th Saintess died…
In the Charon Temple, Talos had cradled her body and glared at the bloodied Sisyphus and his men with murderous fury.
“You left her alone?”
That was the first time Talos had ever shown such intense emotion.
