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CHAPTER 20
#20. The Worst Blasphemy (1)
Not only I, but the demons also fell silent.
Hatred once again flared in their eyes.
I swallowed hard as I stared at the familiar flag, embroidered with a kingfisher in gold leaf.
“They came, after all.”
Sure, as the heirs of the defeated kingdom, they were expected to grovel before the victors…
But was this my sleep-deprived brain playing tricks on me?
Why was a priest’s carriage entering the grounds?
“That’s strange. Priests weren’t supposed to attend foreign state events.”
Among them, I recognized several high-ranking priests from the capital temple.
Very familiar faces—just the sight of them made my chest tighten.
And yet…
I didn’t dislike the Demon King’s arm tightening protectively around me. In fact, I was quietly grateful for it.
Then a man stepped out of the priest’s carriage.
When his silver hair caught the sunlight with an icy gleam, my heart dropped.
“Talos. That bastard came in person!”
He was second only to High Priest Yulipos in status.
There were even fools who admired him, calling him “elegant.”
A young priest who looked like an ice sculpture, supposedly.
But the moment I saw those cold, razor-sharp eyes, chills ran down my spine.
Especially when those eyes fell on me, nestled in the Demon King’s arms.
Gasp…!
As his piercing gaze swept over me, I instinctively held my breath.
“No way… He couldn’t have recognized me just from a glance… right?”
Thankfully, it seemed my fears were wrong. Talos bowed politely.
Before the air grew any colder, a boy stepped out of the royal carriage.
A boy with dazzling blond hair.
He looked perfectly suited to the deep blue ceremonial robes, the symbolic color of Alcyone.
But I had never seen that boy dressed so lavishly before.
He had always kept his head down, quiet and wary in the palace.
The bastard son of Alcyone.
“Why is Kallion here?”
It wasn’t the arrogant eldest son—it was him, sent in fine clothes…
“No… They couldn’t have… They wouldn’t sink that low…!”
But as always, bad premonitions proved right.
Kallion had already approached the Demon King’s feet and knelt on one knee.
Perfect submission from the prince of a defeated kingdom.
And what should have been the first prince’s duty was being carried out by the second.
“O great master of Tartarus,”
“…”
“On behalf of the royal house of Alcyone, I offer our greetings.”
The hall went dead silent.
The demons whispered angrily. Even the foreign envoys exchanged awkward looks.
But Kallion raised his head with steady eyes, fearless.
“I am Deucalion Nereus Alcyone, Prince of the Holy Kingdom of Halkion.”
His blue eyes first turned to the Demon King.
Then—he looked at me.
“…!”
The moment he saw me, Kallion’s rigid expression softened completely.
Like lighting a lantern in a dark room, his face brightened.
If the mood here weren’t so grim, he might’ve smiled outright.
“Why? No—more importantly! Why are you making that face?!”
You were keeping a mature, composed expression until just now!
Why switch to that radiant look all of a sudden?!
“…It seems the prince of Halkion is quite interested in my daughter.”
That voice came from directly behind me.
That’s the Demon King speaking—who sulked when I paid slight attention to Ares!
The demons around me were also glaring daggers at Kallion.
But at the Demon King’s remark, Kallion quickly returned to a proper expression.
“I apologize, Lord Erebus. Forgive my boldness—but after such a long journey, seeing the guest of honor before me…”
“Hm.”
“…I was simply overwhelmed with gratitude, and my greeting was delayed.”
It was a sincere, heartfelt greeting—devoid of pretension.
Then, in a voice barely audible to me, Ares ground his teeth.
“That damn blue-eyed brat… I don’t like him.”
Blue-eyed… what now?
I covered my face with both hands.
“My head hurts. I feel like it’s about to explode.”
This birthday celebration was supposed to last three days, and it already felt like a disaster from the very start.
After the envoy’s greetings ended, the sound of demons gritting their teeth echoed in the background.
And I could hear Minte complaining to Lethe.
“They really showed up? Even if His Majesty gave permission!”
“I told you already. And that prince who came with them is—”
I tugged at Lethe’s sleeve as she held me in her arms.
“Lethe…”
I was supposed to go back into the banquet hall soon, but I couldn’t go in just yet.
“I… I wanna get some fresh air, just for a bit…”
“Oh, are you feeling unwell? Shall we stop by the greenhouse?”
“Mmhmm…”
Noticing how quiet I’d gotten, Lethe immediately headed for Hades Palace’s magical greenhouse.
She seated me at a tea table, and I gazed at the still-blooming roses nearby.
The scent of flowers definitely helped calm me down.
But still. This was insane.
“Why did all the priests I hated the most come here? With Talos at the front, no less!”
My body began trembling involuntarily.
Okay, time for some positive thinking?
At least High Priest Yulipos wasn’t here.
That old man who hated me more than anyone.
The man who wanted nothing more than to crush me into the dirt.
I was an uncooperative Saintess, after all.
“…No, who am I kidding? Talos being here while Yulipos isn’t doesn’t bring me any comfort at all.”
Just seeing Talos’s gaze again after all this time made my chest tighten like I was chained up.
Like I was an animal with no escape.
“And Kallion, that kid, actually came too.”
He wasn’t a “kid” anymore—he was taller than me now.
More than anything, the look he gave me made me uneasy.
“He’s always had unusual abilities… but could they actually work on someone who isn’t human?”
At that moment, I felt a presence behind me. Ares approached.
“What the—Minte-sensei’s not around, and you’re skipping out here?”
“Ares…”
“Why are you still here? Not going back in?”
“…I don’t wanna…”
I hugged my knees and bowed my head.
Lethe fidgeted nervously beside me, but I couldn’t help it.
Even though I looked nothing like I had as the Saintess, I was terrified the people from the Holy Kingdom would recognize my selfishness.
I didn’t want to go back.
Everyone among the demons had been so kind to me.
“This guilt… betraying my homeland just to live comfortably.”
And the fear that my identity might be revealed.
“It feels like a dozen bugs are crawling across my skin.”
And…
What if Talos, or one of the priests, realized the truth and exposed me?
Minte, Lethe, Ares…
And the Demon King?
“Happy birthday. To the most beautiful daughter in the world.”
The man who’d called me his beloved daughter while wishing me a happy birthday…
Would his expression twist in disgust? Would he cast me out?
“What if it doesn’t stop at just being cast out?”
My heart pounded like I was about to vomit.
Ares scratched his cheek and whispered.
“You hate this event that much? You’re the star of the show.”
“…It’s not the event. It’s the people who came.”
“Who? Hey, which bastard said something to you? Who was it?”
“…”
Wow. Ares’s vulgar mouth actually helped ease my nausea.
Lethe sighed and held her head.
“Master Ares, where do you even learn such language?”
But I couldn’t even muster the energy to correct him.
Ares furrowed his brow and leaned closer.
“Shion, tell me. What’s going on?”
“…Seeing people from Halkion made me feel… sick.”
Seeing those who emotionally tormented me for over ten years… it scared me a little.
The guilt they reminded me of was no joke either.
“There’s nothing to be scared of. If those fu—”
“Watch your language, Ares.”
“Tch. Even if those bastards come near you, I’ll be right next to you.”
“….”
“Even if His Majesty and Master Minte can’t stay with you, you don’t have to be scared.”
He spoke like he was stronger than the Demon King or the Epikus sisters. So very Ares.
Thanks to that, I managed a small smile.
And honestly, whining like this to a kid wasn’t a good look.
“Hey, but Shion.”
“Mmh? What is it?”
“That blue-eyed punk—do you know him?”
“Blue-eyed… who?”
“You know, that prince from Halkion.”
