A low voice echoed through the hall. Aidan, who was kneeling on one knee, lifted his head. The boy's steady red eyes met the figure seated on the throne. Veron Arthur Devlica, the emperor of Devlin, was looking down at him. Veron's hair was long enough to cover his neck. The rumors that the mad magician emperor of Devlin never had time to trim his hair and would lock himself in his laboratory, skipping meals, were true. His eyes, the same color as his hair, purple, looked down at Aidan with a cold, despicable gaze.
Veron, who had his chin in his right hand, smiled contentedly. Aidan's gaze shifted to Veron's left arm. There was only an empty sleeve fluttering in the wind, devoid of a limb. The severed arm. It was Veron's shame and the biggest reason why Ermanno's regent, Esteban, trembled in fear. Aidan bowed his head with an expressionless face.
'I've done enough of the dog's work.'
Since he had walked into Devlin's imperial palace, Aidan had never once disobeyed Veron's orders and had carried out his missions like a loyal dog. Whether it was secretly infiltrating to stab hearts or being thrown into various battles to commit massacres, he had done it all. This should be enough to prove his worth.
"Finally, you seem to have realized your position."
"Would you like a reward?"
Veron, with a slight curl of his lips, asked softly. His voice was so languid that it could lull one to sleep. Aidan did not answer. Veron's question did not seek an answer.
The smile vanished from Veron's face.
"Would you like me to crush you so you can't rise any further?"
The hall was enveloped in silence at the chilling voice. Aidan, still expressionless, lowered his gaze. The emperor of Devlin was known for his capricious nature, often killing people on a whim. Aidan, who had observed him for a long time, knew how to handle him. He had to respond with complete indifference, showing no hint of interest.
Veron clicked his tongue and raised his glass, sipping a strong drink. He then scanned Aidan as if appraising him.
"Since we're talking, do you have any wishes?"
Aidan's immediate answer, without a moment's hesitation, made Veron smile in satisfaction. It seemed Aidan's rebellious spirit had been tamed.
'Indeed, he needs to be disciplined.'
The effort of throwing Aidan into every battlefield, whether he went berserk or not, had paid off. In the end, he followed orders. Feeling unusually pleased, Veron asked indulgently.
"Let me ask again. Do you really have no wishes? I wouldn't let you miss this opportunity."
"......I have one request."
Aidan lifted his head. His red eyes sparkled with a glint.
"Give me an army. I will attack Ermanno."
Veron was taken aback by the unexpected request. Aidan had never before taken to the battlefield of his own will. Recently, he had followed orders without question, but Veron had thought it was just a phase.
Offering a reward, Aidan had instead declared his intention to serve the empire. There was no reason to refuse.
"Very well. I will give you an army. Return victorious, Aidan."
Aidan bowed and then walked out of the hall, his back to Veron. A fleeting smile crossed his face, though it quickly disappeared.
After enduring so much, Aidan had finally obtained what he desired. When he returned to Devlin, this palace would be in ruins.
"The Demon of Devlin. Who else could it be? The battlefield butcher who kills friend and foe alike!"
'I thought I'd never have to face him again!'
When I heard the sudden news of the attack, I was stunned, but surprisingly, Lisandro remained calm.
"Storming straight into the palace gates, how reckless. They must have used a large-scale magic to transport their troops."
"Yes. Veron Arthur Devlica, the emperor of Devlin, is one of the top mages on the continent. Transporting troops to the capital wouldn't have been difficult for him."
Lisandro explained kindly to me and signaled the other guards. They moved to protect me in unison.
'What should I do in a situation like this?'
While clinging to Lisandro, I fell into deep thought. As the emperor, I should do something, but what could I possibly do?
'At least I don't picky eat.'
That was about the only thing I could do well. I thought about using the power of animals or insects, but I was afraid to use it recklessly without knowing the extent of my abilities.
"Your Majesty, it would be best for you to take refuge in a safe place."
If I were to be exposed to the enemy's sight and taken hostage, it would be troublesome. Hiding in the depths of the palace was undoubtedly the best option. I looked at Lisandro's back with worried eyes. Servants and maids were moving busily, their faces tense.
The Devlin troops had not yet entered the palace. They had failed to break the massive palace gates and the protective barrier surrounding the palace.
I returned to my bedroom and sat quietly, hugging the rabbit doll the nanny handed me.
"There's no need to be afraid, Your Majesty. Ermanno's forces are already concentrated here."
'He's not even trying to use simple words for me anymore.'
I briefly reflected on my recent behavior. Nonetheless, it seemed the nanny was right, and the situation wasn't as dire as I thought. No matter how many troops Devlin brought, they could only reach Ermanno's stronghold. The idea that the Demon of Devlin had walked into the heart of the enemy lines seemed foolish.
"Perhaps he has some secret plan?"
I rolled around on the bed, lost in thought, but no plausible theory came to mind. Not long after, Xavier rushed in, and Larima, wide-eyed, asked:
"What is it? What's going on? Why are you in such a hurry?"
"All our soldiers... are dead."
"What? You mean our soldiers?"
"No, Devlin's soldiers... are all dead."
"What? Of course. Why worry when the regent is here?"
Larima burst into laughter, but Xavier's expression did not improve. Curious, I sat up slightly.
"That's... the regent didn't kill them."
"......The Demon of Devlin killed his own troops."
"Devlin's Demon killed all the troops he brought here...!"
Thud. I dropped the rabbit doll in disbelief.
Aidan wiped the blood droplets from his cheek with a black sleeve that barely showed any signs of it. He looked around. None of Devlin's soldiers were alive. Beyond the scattered corpses, Ermanno's soldiers watched him in shock.
The theory that there was something special about Ermanno's baby emperor was correct. The closer he got to Ermanno's palace, the clearer his muddled mind became. With the hypothesis proven true, Aidan did not want to miss this opportunity.
'As long as I have that baby.'
It was fine if he didn't return to Devlin. It didn't matter if he no longer followed Veron's orders and committed massacres. This realization breathed life into Aidan's dead emotions. He had considered killing everyone and taking the baby, but that would mean being pursued by both Devlin and Ermanno, which would be very troublesome. He stepped over the pile of corpses and the pool of blood toward the palace gates. The archers and long-range mages guarding the walls were on high alert, but they couldn't attack rashly, not understanding Aidan's sudden slaughter of his own troops.
"Killing friend and foe alike, is that what you meant?"
"Not really. I have no interest in Ermanno's soldiers."
"Hmm, who knows. He might suddenly turn and attack."
Ermanno's soldiers murmured, waiting for the order to engage. When Aidan finally approached the wall, Regent Esteban appeared.
Aidan halted. Esteban, holding his sword loosely, jumped down from the wall. The soldiers were shocked by the regent's approach, unarmed except for his sword. They had momentarily forgotten he was a Swordmaster, a fact that quickly calmed their unease.
"First time seeing you, Demon of Devlin."
While Aidan had been brought to the palace as a hostage before, this was their first direct confrontation. Aidan's red eyes stared intently at Esteban.
"Are you Regent Esteban?"
Shouts of outrage erupted from various points, but Aidan did not flinch. Esteban smiled, intrigued.
"Your reckless bravery is somewhat admirable. Why did you attack Ermanno's palace?"
Despite the situation, no one questioned the absurdity of Aidan's actions. Leading troops to the palace gates was a threat in itself. Esteban watched Aidan, who remained silent. The small boy, around Oscar's age, had red eyes that glowed ominously. What had he experienced to have such a gaze?
'He's not as uncontrollable as I thought.'
Why had he gone berserk and lost his mind? Esteban cautiously observed Aidan, suspecting Veron might have set up something he hadn't noticed. Esteban's brow furrowed.
'If a prolonged battle damages the walls...'
He was confident he could subdue Aidan, but he wasn't sure he could avoid damaging the surroundings. As he deliberated, Aidan spoke.
Esteban's expression relaxed slightly.
"Bring the emperor here, not you."
The word "emperor" made Esteban's aura turn menacing. Aidan had immediately struck a nerve.
'Was his goal Mabel all along?'
This suspicious attack, the sudden slaughter of his own troops, all led to Mabel. Despite the threatening stance, Aidan's expression remained unchanged. Esteban, suppressing his rising emotions, firmly stated:
"I cannot grant your request."
"I will speak to the emperor directly."
Their gazes clashed in the air.
As Esteban gathered his energy, a gust of wind blew, and the ground began to scrape. Aidan also gathered his energy. A sinister black mist rose around the boy, ready to clash at any moment. Esteban tightened his grip on his sword, intending to end the fight quickly to minimize damage. Just as he was about to leap—
A clear voice split the air between them.