The Start of the Journey
People gaze around in awe. Green sprouts burst through the blackened earth. It's like spring has truly arrived. Dew clings to the grass blades, filling the air with freshness.
Pop— pop— pop— Everything had burned to ash, but now tender shoots sprout relentlessly from the barren ground.
"Th-this is a miracle…."
Roin murmurs, gently caressing a cotyledon smaller than her pinky nail. The sprouts keep growing right before their eyes.
"Pfft... bleh... total crap... super... contrived... plot~~ right?"
Hatse shakes her head, disgusted by the sudden heartwarming vibe. But inwardly, she seems pleased by the hydrangeas blooming yellow amid the charcoal piles.
Cosmos, marigolds, camellias, maples, azaleas, rhododendrons, magnolias, cherry blossoms, hydrangeas, forsythia… Flowers from all four seasons bloom side by side. Plants that would never meet in nature now flourish together amiably on the devastated mountain, offering a comforting sight.
But then.
Groooowl….
Something's off with these plants. The cotyledons drop, and they shoot up, budding flowers and fruit. Wait—
"Uh… aren't they… growing a bit… too fast?"
The moment Roin voices her unease, whoosh! The plants surge upward.
"Gah, what the hell!? How big are they gonna get?!"
A refugee screams at a peach the size of a house.
"H-huge and beautiful!"
"Wh-what keeps poking me from behind! Branches?!"
"That's not a branch, Johnson."
Giant hydrangeas, giant tomatoes, giant reeds, beanstalks scraping the sky… Every blade of grass swells to baobab proportions. People shriek at house-sized peaches and bananas. Watermelons, already massive, now resemble ancient boulders. The scorched wasteland turns into a dense jungle in seconds.
"Did I overdo it?"
Cliche scratches his head, mumbling awkwardly.
Slash— Hatse starts hacking at the massive plants, clearing space. But they're so thick, even all-night chopping won't open a view.
"Damn... grass... size... ridiculous... look... suddenly... totally... isolated... bullshit~~"
But Hatse's grumbling stops short. Fortunately(?). The overgrown plants can't support their bulk and topple over with thuds.
Thud! Crumble….
They wither and dry up instantly. Edible fruits remain on the ground, solving the villagers' food shortage for now.
As Roin stares blankly around, a scream pierces the air.
"Kyaaaaah!"
The embarrassed shriek comes from straight ahead—where the great demon Hamask stands.
"Wh-whoa?"
Hatse's eyes widen, mouth agape. So do Roin and the villagers.
The great demon Hamask. She's… blushing in embarrassment!
"Kyaa— indecent! So indecent! How can she wear something like this?!"
She's slapping her skimpy tights, fussing dramatically. Face flushed, she glances around, then grabs a huge leaf to cover herself. With surprising politeness, she bows to Cliche.
"Hello? Let me introduce myself properly. My real name is Unicef."
?
What sudden change is this?
"Pfft... quick... change-up... see~~ As expected... great demon... class... huh..."
Hatse snickers. Whatever. Hamask—no, Unicef—scurries over, clasping Cliche's hands in hers.
"Your pink light of love(?) converted me. I'll abandon my blood-soaked, violent past and become a new demon!"
Unicef has turned inexplicably sweet. Probably from taking that pink breath head-on—side effects lingering strong.
"Not converted... brainwashed... right?"
Hatse mutters her jab. Glare— Unicef shoots her a look. Tension crackles between the women.
"Phew. I'm done with violence—makes me sick. The world is love and peace."
Unicef beams, glomping Cliche's side. This mentally glitched great demon is clearly smitten. She even apologizes to the villagers for devastating the mountain.
"This was all my fault. I'm so sorry. I've committed an unforgivable sin against the plants and animals here."
Unicef weeps in remorse.
"…."
The villagers suddenly star in humanity's first-ever demon apology.
Done, Unicef trots back to Cliche.
"Um, if it's okay… could I get one more pink breath?"
Her eyes turn heart-shaped as she clings to his arm, pleading. But Cliche shakes his head.
"Too tiring after one use. Can't."
"But I'm addicted now—I can't live without that pink glow!"
"If you promise not to burn land anymore and treat it kindly, maybe."
Unicef squirms but nods eagerly.
"Heh heh... wanna be... my slave too~~"
Hatse smirks creepily, poking Unicef's horn with her blade tip. Smack! Unicef swats it away, eyes narrowing.
"You reek of old man. Buzz off."
"O-old...? You... bitch... son of a... fu—"
Hatse's vein pops as Unicef, icy only to her, gears up for round two.
"Cliche."
A frail voice calls from behind him. Turning, he sees a burly bald man—Swain. But not his voice.
"…."
Out steps Roin. Blue straight hair, blue eyes. Big eyes, pert nose. No need to describe the beauty.
She approaches with moist eyes.
"Cliche. After watching you, I realized."
"What?"
"You're my one lifeline."
Cliche, Hatse, and Unicef all tilt heads.
"…."
Roin undoes her ponytail. Blue locks sway in the warm pink breeze. She meets his gaze.
"I'll tell you my full name."
Cliche nods. He'd guessed this knowledgeable girl wasn't ordinary village folk. Faint dragon scent clings to her….
"As I said, my surname is Hi. First name Roin."
She inhales, steels herself, eyes widening. Deep blue irises gleam at Cliche.
She utters the hidden middle name.
"Middle name 'Os'. Hi Os Roin. First princess of the Rok Kingdom on the western continent."
…!
Shock ripples through everyone.
"No way! Roin was royalty?!"
"Knew something was off! Too elegant and smart for our village!"
"Swain! You've been protecting her—spill!"
Swain bows his head.
"I was a knight aspirant at the palace. Escorted Princess Roin after she lost succession rights and left. She wanted a normal life…."
He seems flustered by her reveal. But three aren't fazed.
"Who~ asked?"
"Ho ho ho. First princess of some backwater? I'm rank two in the demon world—higher."
"Princess who?"
Hatse and Unicef aside, Cliche doesn't even know what a princess is.
"Well… a princess is…."
Roin explains nations and kings basics. Cliche nods after.
"Ah, rulers lording over hardworking commoners, sucking their blood to live."
"…."
Not sure how he got there, but not wrong, so Roin nods.
"So you want that spot?"
She nods.
"Brothers love war. Succession fights drag on, hurting people more. Can't let Dad's blood-and-sweat kingdom fall—help me, please."
Cliche narrows eyes.
"Your 'hometown' means the palace, not here?"
"Yeah."
"…."
He ponders, chin in hand. Dragon scent links to Rok palace, surely.
"Any dragon stuff in your kingdom?"
She thinks, then claps.
"Heard palace treasury has dragon-related treasure. But only the king enters."
"Become queen, open it."
"Exactly."
Cliche's simple. He dives in.
"Fine. I'll make you queen."
"Yay!"
Roin pumps fists. Villagers gawk at the fate-of-a-nation drama.
* * *
"Take care."
Bandaged Swain regrets not escorting her fully. Can't blame Unicef, so he waves, tears streaming.
"You're my kind neighbor first."
Aunt Benny hugs her, sobbing, stuffing bread and dried fruit bundle.
"Bye everyone!"
Roin waves to all. Thus, the four—Cliche, Hatse, Unicef, Roin—head beyond the distant mountains.
In the dawn haze, the walls of prosperous Rok Kingdom flicker on the horizon—maybe.