"Then let's go to the castle, Princess," the Saintess said, falling in beside me.
"Allow me to lead the way," I replied smoothly.
"Come on, people. We have a mission to complete," she called back to her companions.
"Yes, ma'am," the four soldiers replied in perfect sync, straightening up immediately.
"You've got them well-trained," I remarked, amused by their discipline.
"One of my friends once said the best way to get stronger is to have real balls around me," she said with a smirk.
"Pfft! What?! Who says that?!" I yelped.
She laughed, rubbing the back of her head. "Okay, not quite like that. She said, 'People will die for me.'"
"Ah. Makes sense—especially with your power."
"Sorry?"
"Your healing ability. It works best when people are willing to risk their lives near you. You're a walking reinforcement engine."
"Hmm... Do you like strategizing, Princess?"
"I do," I said. "Even if my status is technically under wraps."
"Oh? I didn't know secrecy was such a priority among demons."
"There's a lot humans don't know about demons."
"Then I guess it's good we're allies. We have a lot to learn from each other."
"And a common enemy—the Silver Soldiers," I added, recalling Uwe's latest intel.
She nodded solemnly.
"Wait. Are we really walking to the castle from here?" Leam grumbled. "You demons don't have transport for guests?"
"We do," I replied, keeping my voice even. "But your delegation requested to see the city. We can walk, take the train, or ride."
"Hah. The EU's capital still looks more impressive than this place," Leam muttered, puffing his chest.
I gave Artemis a subtle nod. "Carriage, it is."
"What do you mean by 'how we think' back there?" the Saintess asked.
"Not all humans," I clarified. "But arrogant ones equate defense with strength. Fortresses with victory. They forget that infantry wins wars."
She tilted her head. "Most of us think that way, unfortunately. It's how we were trained."
"You're not offended?"
"Why should I be? Truth isn't always polite."
A line of pegasi arrived on cue, sleek and disciplined.
"You all know how to ride?" I asked.
"Yes," the Saintess said confidently.
"Of course," Leam snapped.
"Perfect. We fly."
"...You can't be serious," Leam muttered, paling.
"They're pegasi, not horses. Hold tight."
The Saintess practically squealed as she vaulted onto hers. The others followed with more hesitation—especially Leam.
[10 Minutes Later—Castle Gates]
"Welcome back, Princess Ren, Sergeant White," one of the royal guards greeted with a respectful bow.
"Ren?" I heard the saintess muttered confused.
'Well that dint last loing, hahaha." I thought with a laugh.
"Thanks for the quick transport," I said, clapping the stablemaster, Sara's boyfriend, on the shoulder.
"That's my job, Princess."
"Funny, that's not what Sara says," I teased as I turned.
"What does she say?!"
"Ask her yourself."
"Anyway," I said, returning to the group. "Let's go meet the Demon King."
"Why say 'Demon King' instead of 'Father'? Too embarrassed?" Leam taunted.
"I'm adopted," I said bluntly.
"Oh." Leam paused. "I see."
"Apologies if that was too personal," the Saintess offered.
"Don't worry about it. Doesn't matter."
At the doors, Leah and Lina appeared in full battle gear.
"Welcome to the demon realm, humans," Leah said coolly.
"More ladies joining the party?" Leam said with a grin.
"We're your guides. And the only ones fluent enough in English not to embarrass you," Leah replied without flinching.
"But Sergeant White—"
"Doesn't speak English," Leah cut in. "Princess Ren does."
The saintess gave me a look. "You were introduced as the translator."
I looked away. "Delegation is an art."
"She dumped the job on the sergeant," Leah laughed.
"Hey!"
"Anyway," the Saintess said, bowing slightly, "we bring critical information for the Demon King. If it isn't delivered, our strategy could collapse."
"Then follow me," Leah said. Lina took the lead, Artemis and I falling in behind. The humans followed.
[Five Minutes Later—Dining Room]
The obsidian dining table gleamed under the soft blue chandelier light. Tension hung thick, unspoken.
Uwe sat at the head, fingers steepled beneath his chin. Hendrian lounged nearby, casual but alert. Leam was stone-silent, his earlier swagger vanished.
"Now then, let's get down to business," Uwe said, looking toward the human side.
"Yes," the Saintess replied, "as we mentioned, we're here to exchange some information."
"Hmm. I was under the impression you were only delivering information in person because it was highly classified. Now you want to exchange information?" Uwe's tone was skeptical, narrowing his eyes at the Saintess.
"Apologies, Demon King. I didn't mean it like that," the Saintess said, her voice carrying a trace of apology. "One of the topics relates to the prisoner exchange from a few months ago."
Hearing that, my ears perked up, though I kept my expression neutral.
"Oh, you mean Ren Bell," Leah said with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, her. We didn't mention it at the time, but she had a lover," the Saintess added, a bit awkward under the weight of our attention.
"We know of her, yes. Could you please explain how this relates to us?" Uwe asked sharply, shutting her down.
"She has gone rogue," the Saintess said, her tone pained.
'Liny did what now?' I thought, stunned.
"So again—what does that have to do with us? Or must I see this as a threat?"
"No, please don't. She was also SSS-rank, and her ability is extremely powerful. She's been using it to get revenge for Ren's death. We're worried it could affect our alliance."
"Oh, so you think she'll be coming for our heads?"
"I'm not sure."
"Right. So if she attacks us, it's not your fault," Uwe said casually.
"..."
"Don't worry, I understand. Thank you for informing us," Uwe added, his smile disarming.
'But if she does, you'll kill her, won't you?' I thought, glaring at him.
"Thank you for your understanding, Demon King," the Saintess said, bowing her head.
"Alright, on to the second topic," Leah said, bringing the conversation back.
"Yes. This concerns the monsters in Africa."
"They've become more active. Over the past few years, we've documented their territory. One by one, the monster leaders have been killed by a single, unknown monster," the Saintess explained.
"You think they're being united?" Uwe asked.
"We do, yes."
"They're monsters. How is that even possible?" Hendrian asked, surprisingly in clear English.
I blinked. 'I hadn't expected him to speak it.'
"Hendrian," Lina interjected, "monsters aren't the same as beasts in this world."
"There can't be that much of a difference, right?"
"Well, young prince, that's the thing—we don't know. All we can do is anticipate the worst," Leam said evenly.
"And what's the worst-case scenario?" Leah asked.
"Wait—she didn't mean it badly," I quickly said. "Leah just wants to assess the risks."
"It's fine," Leam replied. "We believe the monsters are uniting and may launch an organized attack on the EU—with a proper army."
"That's something we're not prepared to handle," the Saintess added.
"How many monster leaders are left?" I asked.
"Three."
"When do you think the attacks will begin?" Leah asked.
"A leader falls every few weeks. Based on that, scouting parties may begin next month," Leam replied.
"You believe monsters understand tactics?" Uwe asked.
"Yes. After 15 years of contact, they likely understand what scouts are and what they do."
'At least they think further than the US military system,' I thought.
"So what do you want from us?" Uwe asked.
"Support."
"In what way? Infantry? Powerhouses? Weapons?"
"Infantry won't be effective," the Saintess murmured. "So powerhouses or weapons. Though we don't know what weapons you demons even have."
'Not that I do either,' I thought to myself, looking at my three swords next to me.
"As she said," Leam continued, "we need powerhouses who can take out multiple monsters. A few would be ideal."
"Why not reassign more troops?" Uwe asked.
"That's our third problem: the Soldiers in Silver. They're fighting guerrilla-style. We can't spare more."
"So, you're asking us to help with monsters—but not the Soldiers in Silver?"
"It's not about trust. Our Silver Border operations are sensitive. New allies might cause issues," Leam explained diplomatically.
"So you still underestimate the monsters," Uwe said, eyes narrowing.
"We're minimizing casualties. Even if that means some initial chaos," Leam replied.
"Very well. We'll send support. Ren, do you believe you'll be recovered by then?"
'Huh? She's injured? But she feels so powerful!' the Saintess thought.
"I should be," I said, then added firmly, "But Sara is not going." Selena can come, but Sara isn't ready."
"Sigh. I hoped to send all of you except the youngest," Uwe said.
"That's six. And five of them have never seen the human realm or battlefields."
"Don't worry. I'll send one of my generals with you. You'll meet them during the banquet."
'He must be strong,' I thought, narrowing my eyes.
"How many?"
"One should be enough—with you there," Leah interjected.
"You mean the kids?"
"Yes. You, Ren, Leam, and one general will protect them," Uwe agreed.
"Demon King," the Saintess said hesitantly, "is it wise to send untrained youth?"
"They need to grow. And with Ren, they'll be fine."
"Hey, that makes it sound like I alone am protecting them!"
"You're not?" Lina asked, tilting her head.
"...I don't know. I've never worked with others before."
"Haha! Then it's settled. Six kids, two generals—manageable," Uwe said.
"Yes, thank you, Demon King," Leam replied.
"Now then, anything else?"
"Uhm… I have a question," one of the Saintess's guards said.
"Yes, go ahead."
"Princess Ren… Are you a half-demon?"
"Yes, I am."
"I see. So you came from one of those towns?"
"If you mean where humans and demons lived together, yes. Mine was destroyed during the last battle—before the general was killed."
"I see. I'm sorry for your loss."
"Don't worry about it. The ones responsible are already dead."
"Right… she's dead," the Saintess echoed softly, nodding.
I looked at her.
She didn't recognize me.
And thank the gods for that.
The clink of silverware against crystal plates broke the tension. Demon servants entered with an elegant synchronicity, laying out platters of spiced meats, jewel-toned fruits, and shimmering loaves of crystalline bread. The light from the chandeliers made the food look almost ethereal.
The saintess looked down at the bread curiously. "Is this… glowing?"
"It's crystal yeast bread," Leah explained. "A staple here. It absorbs mana from the air and glows slightly when fresh. It's common, but humans usually find it exotic."
"Interesting," the Saintess murmured. "It's beautiful."
"Beauty has value to us," Lina said. "We don't just make things to last—we make them to reflect meaning. Our food, our weapons, even our architecture… it all says something."
"So… those carved pillars in the hall?" one of the guards asked, glancing over his shoulder.
"Each one tells a story," Hendrian said smoothly, surprising them again with his perfect English. "War, peace, betrayal, unity. We carry our history visibly. It's not meant to intimidate—it's to remind us."
"I always thought demons were secretive," the Saintess said quietly.
"Misunderstanding breeds fear," Uwe interjected, picking up a piece of spiced meat. "Humans think we hide things, but in truth, we just don't explain ourselves to outsiders. The last time we did… it ended badly."
There was a pause.
"And now?" she asked.
"Now we try again," he replied simply.
The Saintess took a bite of the glowing bread, visibly surprised by the delicate sweetness. "This is… delicious."
"It was made this morning," Lina said, almost proudly. "Some of our ingredients can't be exported. They spoil too fast unless stored in mana-rich environments."
"Makes sense," Leam muttered. "Never trusted the reports we got on demon cuisine."
"You were probably reading outdated war propaganda," I said dryly.
He huffed but didn't argue.
"You know," the Saintess said, glancing around the table, "this isn't what I imagined. I expected stone walls, fire pits, horns, and shouting."
"Those exist," Leah said with a small grin. "Just not during diplomatic dinners."
"Demons have etiquette," Lina added. "Sometimes stricter than human courts. Some of us even train for years just to serve in these halls."
"I admit… I underestimated you," the Saintess said.
"We're used to it," Leah said. "But you're here now. You'll see the difference."
Another round of soft laughter and low conversation followed. Even Leam remained quiet, though his eyes lingered on me more than the food.
And as they all adjusted to this new reality—to the warmth behind the cold myths—I couldn't help but wonder if this dinner would mark a real turning point.
Or just the calm before the next storm.
Uwe tapped his fingers against the table lightly, drawing attention back. "Now, about deployment. I trust the six of you understand the risks."
"I do," I said. "Though I'd like clearer parameters."
"You'll be assigned to a forward base near the Congo perimeter: small presence, high mobility. A joint command between demon and human forces," Uwe explained.
"What exactly are the six supposed to contribute?" Leam asked. "Aside from being symbolic?"
"They're not symbols," Uwe said, tone sharpened. "They're each selected for their unique abilities and balance as a field unit. Lucas—adaptive martial combat. Timy—still developing, but her barrier support potential is already critical. Sara—spatial perception that verges on precognition. Selena brings elemental control and calm under pressure. Ren is our battlefield anchor. And Hendrian, a hybrid born of one of our late wives, is capable of rapid reinforcement magic and aerial coordination."
"Wait," Leah said, blinking. "Sara's going?"
"Yes," Uwe said, more firmly this time. "I had reservations, but I thought about the structure. With Marasuki and Ren covering the frontlines, she'll be positioned for mid-range defense. It's safer."
"Understood," Lina said with a short nod. "This team reflects more than raw strength. They're being tested as the future of our joint command vision."
"And what of Artemis and Nyx?" the Saintess asked.
"They won't be joining this mission," Leah answered. "They have other stuff going on."
"The six selected haven't seen real war," Lina acknowledged. "But they're not unprepared. They've been through years of drills, pressure chambers, and coordinated raids on rogue enclaves."
"Demon culture doesn't raise observers," Leah added. "They raise leaders. If they fall, they fall leading."
"They're not lambs, Saintess," Uwe continued. "They're future lions. This deployment will forge them."
"And what about cohesion with the human troops?" Leam asked, still skeptical.
"They'll adapt," I said flatly. "And if not, they'll learn. Fast."
"They'll be under the command of one of my generals," Uwe added, his gaze sweeping the room. "You'll meet them during the banquet. Consider this their final briefing before deployment."
That statement settled like a blade on the table—sharp, clear, and final.
"Very well," Leam said after a beat. "Then we'll coordinate with your side for deployment schedules."
"Good," Uwe said. "Then may this mission forge what war could not—true unity."
"Ah, before we move on, what did you mean about a banquet?" The saintess said, interjecting.
"Well, with that out of the way, I have an invite for you 6. Would you like to join our banquet this evening and then head home tomorrow instead of today?" Uwe said this, which surprised everyone at the table except for Lina and Leah.