Throne (6)
It was around sunset when Istius's walls came into Adelaide's view.
She'd walked the whole day. Her left arm was fixed in a splint, and Zenon's dagger was tucked into her belt. There were still leftovers from the food the old man had packed for her—pretty lucky. Her waterskin was half full too.
The scene before the walls was different from her last memory. Double barricades had been erected in front of the gates where there'd been none before, and the guard force had at least doubled. Probably fallout from the fight with Ailin.
Adelaide headed straight for the main gate.
"Halt. Please present your travel permit."
"Don't have one."
"No permit means no entry. Sorry, but—"
The guard's spear blocked her path. A dust-covered woman with one arm in a splint.
Before Adelaide could speak, one guard's gaze froze on her face.
"...Wait. Matches the wanted sketch—"
"Blue hair to the shoulders, black eyes—"
"Vice-Captain of the Royal Guard, Adelaide von Estia. That's me."
The two guards' attitudes shifted instantly. They straightened their crossed spears and snapped to attention. The Royal Guard—kingdom's strongest elites. To frontier city guards, it was like a tale from another world.
"We'll report to our superior immediately. Please wait a moment."
"Fine."
One ran off while the other stood ramrod straight. His eyes flicked over the splint and her filthy clothes, but his mouth stayed shut.
A short while later, an officer in full armor hurried over.
"You're the Royal Guard vice-captain?"
"Facial features match the search notice. Adela... Lady Adelaide? We'll escort you to the knight order branch."
"Good."
"Your Majesty, I have a report."
I lifted my head at Sahadin's voice. Must've been dozing off, slumped against the throne. Felt like sleep was becoming a habit.
"...Yeah. What is it."
"The humans are making moves."
"Humans?"
"Istius."
Istius. The name lingered in my mouth.
"A messenger flew from Istius to the kingdom's capital."
"Messenger? How do you know?"
"I planted a spy."
"Won't they get caught?"
"Used a doppelganger. No chance."
"...You'd know best. So?"
"The content... the Demon King's revival."
Sleep vanished in an instant.
"Demon King's revival, huh. Means they're coming for me."
"Precisely. The kingdom's aware now, so a subjugation army's likely. And they'll probably request aid from other nations."
"Subjugation army. NPCs swarming in, right?"
"Yes. And... the Hero will be included."
My fingers, drumming the throne's armrest, stopped.
"...The Hero."
"The human Your Majesty spared."
"I know."
"Traced the messenger's origin to the knight order branch... triggered by the Royal Guard vice-captain's return."
"Return?"
"She appeared directly in Istius and made contact with the branch. Reported the Demon King's revival and the demon race's existence."
Adelaide had gone back. To Istius. Alive.
"...She's alive."
"Of course. Your Majesty let her live."
"I didn't let her live."
"Your Majesty?"
"Letting her live and failing to kill her are different."
"...Is there a difference?"
"Yeah. Totally different."
"...Hard to understand, but I'll follow your words, Your Majesty."
Don't understand. I don't get it myself.
I stood from the throne. Sitting there suddenly felt uncomfortable.
"She reported on the demon race too?"
"Yes. Cadre existences and the Land of Darkness's location, from what we can tell."
"...Thorough."
Of course. Adelaide was always like that... as an NPC.
"Sahadin."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Did Adel send that messenger herself?"
"Who is Adel...?"
"...The Hero. Did the Hero do it personally?"
"Yes. She revealed her identity and testified to the Demon King's revival."
"About me?"
"No specific description of the Demon King's identity. Just shadows and darkness powers."
"...Name?"
"Needs confirmation, but no name or features mentioned."
My steps halted abruptly.
Why didn't she say my name? Silver hair, red eyes—just that. She knows the name Ailin.
Why?
It's key intel for the report. Why omit the Demon King's appearance? That's the core.
No, there's a reason. She'd have to spill everything she went through.
...That's it. That's why she didn't. No other reason.
But other possibilities kept flashing through my mind.
What if there's another reason? Not unnecessary for the report, but just didn't want to say it?
My name. My face. Didn't want to hand it to just anyone—
What bullshit. Why would Adelaide make that call?
"Sahadin."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Why do you think the... Hero didn't mention me?"
"...Probably to avoid exposing her own actions, which would reveal her humiliation. Logical, considering the vice-captain's reputation."
"...Reputation."
"Logical inference."
"Yeah. Logical."
That's right. Reputation. Obviously.
...Adelaide, the NPC who cared about her reputation.
She almost got burned at the stake because she couldn't cut down civilians, tried to save her subordinates—
Stop. Enough.
"Sahadin."
"Yes."
"Dangerous if humans learn the Land of Darkness's location?"
"Invasion isn't impossible. Especially with elites from each nation and the Hero."
"...All the way here? On foot?"
"Yes. Humans are slow, but eventually."
The Hero, Adelaide. Coming for me. To kill me.
She said she'd tear me apart. In this life, the next, and the one after. That's the kind of woman she is.
"...How long for a subjugation army to form?"
"Minimum three months. Could be longer."
"Three months."
"Plenty of time, Your Majesty. To prepare defenses."
Three months—my wounds will heal, and then she'll come. No way she won't.
"Your Majesty, your orders. Deploy troops, fortify the front—"
"...Sahadin."
"Yes."
"You sure... that Hero will join the subjugation army?"
Sahadin hesitated a moment.
"The sole survivor of a Demon King clash. No reason to exclude her."
"Sole survivor."
"Yes."
"...Yeah."
She survived losing to me... because I let her. No, because I couldn't kill her.
I paced to the front of the throne, then turned to the window. No glass, just black earth and dark sky beyond.
Back to the throne, gripping the armrest. Sitting again would make me sleepy, lead to dreams—with Adelaide in them.
"Sahadin."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"So in the end, it'll be me and that woman fighting again."
"No one but the Demon King can face the Hero. Only the throne's darkness counters the light."
Fighting again. Three days of battle on repeat.
Or maybe different this time. After three months, will emotions cool? Can I fight for real then?
...No idea.
Yeah, no clue. These feelings, the shadows, being the Demon King, the Hero being Adelaide, having to fight, why I kept choosing that path until I ended up here.
Why.
Why Adelaide looks human to me. Not like an NPC.
"...Haha...."
"Your Majesty, if the Hero worries you, we could strike first—"
"Not worried."
"Then what—"
"I'm not worried."
My voice came out louder than expected.
Sahadin bowed his head and asked no more.
...Not worried. That's true.
"...Sahadin."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"That's enough for today. Out."
"Orders on defenses—"
"Tomorrow. I'll make time tomorrow."
"...Understood. Rest well."
The door closed softly.
I slid back onto the throne. Adelaide coming.
Just that thought kickstarted what had stalled for days.
Three months. Three months... Yeah, three months. A little longer, and I'll see Adelaide. Then this boredom fades.
The shadow at my feet rippled faintly. No orders given, but it spread a bit wider than usual. Toward the west.
Toward Istius.
Toward Adelaide.
I quietly closed my eyes.