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“Wait a minute. You there, show your face.”

A young guard stepped forward, blocking the path with a spear in hand. Among our group, there was only one person wearing a robe—Lilith.

Lilith’s appearance concealed all the physical traits that would identify her as part of the demonic race, making her indistinguishable from a human. However, the reason for the robe was her nature as a Succubus. Perhaps due to her disguise, she didn’t seem particularly mesmerizing, but being born a Succubus, it was inevitable that she drew attention. Thus, whenever she walked through heavily populated areas, she would use the robe to hide her figure and pull up the hood to obscure her face.

To be frank, it was an unavoidable instinct for any man to turn his head when a woman with a figure like Lilith’s passed by. I can confirm this as a man. If someone claimed they didn’t look, they must be a eunuch.

However, despite the guard’s command, Lilith didn’t immediately remove her hood. Instead, she turned to me and cocked her head, probably asking if it was okay to take it off.

Lilith often asked me or Frecia for permission before taking action in any situation. While I appreciated that it had helped avoid any significant mishaps, it could sometimes be a tad annoying when she sought approval for even trivial matters.

As I nodded, Lilith beamed and tossed her hood back. Her pink hair flowed out like a curtain.

“Hmm… Well, she’s not a wanted criminal.”

In reality, she was one of the Four Heavenly Kings from the Demonic Race, but the guard had no idea.

The other kings often wreak havoc on the battlefield, making their identities widely known across the continent. However, due to her nature of staying hidden in her hideout, even among her followers, few humans recognized Lilith.

“Hey! You idiot! Do you even know who you’re interrogating?”

Originally, it was standard for the guards to operate in pairs. But while the other guard was briefly away on some other business, the guard who had removed Lilith’s hood received a hard smack on the back of his head from his superior, who seemed to be older.

“Ah! I’m sorry, Hero! The new guy has only just started, and he didn’t recognize you, so he made a mistake. I apologize to your party for the sudden request.”

“P-pardon me!”

Only then did the guard realize whom he had stopped, turning pale as he apologized.

“No, no. You were just doing your job, don’t worry about it.”

Considering that they were palace guards, it was normal for them to be thorough.

Of course, I couldn’t really say that since I had passed through the palace without much scrutiny, having visited for the Emperor’s summons or direct reports multiple times.

As I passed the guards and went inside, it seemed a room was already waiting for us. Now that I was officially recognized as a Hero, I no longer had to wait long as I did back in my days as an academy student, but it was also a courtesy from the Emperor, allowing us to stay as long as we needed.

“Wow… Wow…”

While Frecia, who was already accustomed to the Imperial Palace, and Luna, who had been following me a few times without much interest, quietly trailed behind the guide, Lilith, having come to the castle for the first time, was busy marveling at the splendor around her.

Ironically, as a Heavenly King, she could have built a castle at least as lavish if she truly desired.

For the record, Lindy was so busy that she returned to her original post. However, after the previous confession, she had either resolved to build an unshakable system or something like that.

“Now please wait in the room for a moment. The Emperor should be calling for you shortly.”

“Um, Master! Can I go out and explore?”

As soon as we entered the room and the door closed, Lilith turned to me with wide eyes, full of curiosity about the palace’s grandeur. Unfortunately, I couldn’t grant her request.

“Just wait quietly. You won’t have to wait long anyway.”

I worried not only about what kind of chaos she’d cause wandering around without purpose, but also hoped she wouldn’t end up lost. This wasn’t mere conjecture; it was a reasoned judgment based on my past experiences.

“Ugh…”

Lilith looked dejected as she glanced at her big master, Frecia, but Frecia remained silent, unpacking her things without granting any permission.

However, Lilith’s mood shifted quickly; since the room itself was so large it transcended the concept of a mere room, she began exploring enthusiastically.

Luna was playing with Gomtaengi and Tokki, Lilith was happily roaming the room, and Frecia had transformed back into a cat, curling up on my thigh.

After about an hour of enjoying this peaceful time, a soft knock came at the door, and an older butler entered to inform us that we were permitted to meet the Emperor.

It felt unreasonable to make a guest wait for an hour, but considering the Emperor’s status, even that was a remarkably short wait.

“Come on, wake up.”

I gently patted Frecia’s head, who had dozed off. The black cat perked up her ears and stretched, then with a poof, returned to her original form.

“Alright, alright. Luna, Lilith, come over now.”

Since I was currently the center of the party, I guided my companions toward the reception room. Upon entering, I saw the Emperor busily signing documents even while calling for someone.

“Ah, you’re here. Have a seat.”

In the past, I would have been overly tense just meeting him, but now, having grown accustomed to it, I sat down without any real anxiety at his gesture.

“Oh, your party has grown by one more?”

“Your Majesty, she is…”

Lifting his gaze from the documents, the Emperor noticed Lilith. When he began to speak, the wizard Isis, who was standing behind her, seemed to notice Lilith’s identity and opened her mouth to speak, but the Emperor raised a hand to stop her.

“Yeah. I heard one of the Four Heavenly Kings had been defeated, so I was curious. So that’s how it came to be. You certainly haven’t disappointed my expectations.”

Normally, I would just report in and not frequently visit the palace, but this report was special. Though I hadn’t killed a king, it was a fact that one less Heavenly King existed.

Thus, I had planned to visit the Emperor for a direct report, and knowing his nature, he would surely call for me out of curiosity.

However, for some reason, without asking for detailed explanations, the Emperor merely nodded as if he comprehended everything and grinned.

“Your Majesty, I actually wanted to discuss that matter with you.”

“I think I understand without needing too much explanation, but hearing it directly from you wouldn’t hurt. Go on.”

Even if it seemed like no explanation was needed, it wasn’t my place to make that judgment. So, with the Emperor’s permission, I briefly explained the events that had transpired. I told him about Lilith being one of the Four Heavenly Kings, that she hadn’t actually harmed any humans, and I assured him that she wouldn’t betray us.

The Emperor listened intently, reacting with light laughter, such as “Oh, really?” and the heavier, boisterous laughter of “Hahaha” as I finished my tale. In contrast, Isis, who was standing behind, seemed shocked to learn that Lilith was one of the Four Heavenly Kings. She must have known Lilith was a demon but probably didn’t have a clue she was a Heavenly King.

“Well then. It seems there would be some inconveniences traveling together, much like what just happened at the entrance.”

It seemed even the minor commotion at the entrance had reached the Emperor’s ears. I wasn’t sure if all the little incidents in the palace reached him or if he was simply curious since I was the Hero, but either way, it didn’t matter.

“Come here!”

The Emperor called loudly enough to be clearly heard, and a servant promptly stepped into the meeting room and bowed beside him.

“Make sure to issue a personal identification badge that guarantees her status from the royal family to provide to the Hero’s party.”

“Your Majesty!”

Isis seemed to panic even more than I did at the Emperor’s refreshing attitude, shooting to interject, but the Emperor lightly waved off the servant and spoke to Isis.

“Isis, do you think this demon would betray the Hero? You’ve seen his activities alongside me all this time, right?”

“W-well, that’s true.”

“Right. I understand your concern, but it’s unnecessary worry. In fact, you tend to worry too much.”

This was definitely a statement implying that he trusted me as the Hero. In any case, thanks to the Emperor’s consideration, I had one less worry now. After all, if something like being stopped at the entrance or Isis figuring out Lilith’s identity happened, the royal identification badge would be a significant help.

“That’s right! I wouldn’t even think about betraying my master!”

“Shut up, you fool!”

However, in between the Emperor and Isis’s conversation, Lilith suddenly raised her hand and interrupted. Despite Luna’s silent warning against Lilith’s foolishness, it was already spilled water.

“Puhaha! ‘Master,’ huh… that was unexpected. Anyway, Hero, you don’t have to worry. The royal family will guarantee her status. Once again, I’m pleased that you have not disappointed my expectations.”

Fortunately, the Emperor didn’t take issue with Lilith’s behavior. Instead, he burst out laughing, filling the room with mirth. I mean, it was rather amusing to see a Heavenly King referring to a Hero as “master,” after all.

“Well, it seems our business is concluded. Frecia, how have you been doing lately? Your expression seems brighter than before.”

“Yeah.”

To be honest, Frecia was even more audacious than Lilith in terms of attitude. But Frecia and the Emperor were already old acquaintances.

“Well then, I am glad. Isis, do you not have any words of advice for Frecia, whom you haven’t seen for a while as a senior wizard?”

“To give advice to someone who has already forged their own path? However, I do want to share a line, not as a wizard senior, but as a life senior.”

Isis, who had maintained a serious expression thus far, looked steadily at Frecia before relaxing her face into a warm smile.

“Lady Frecia, magic is really nothing special. Rather, your life is more like magic. I’m glad to see you happy again after being lost. I hope to see that side of you for a long time to come.”

Her warm smile and voice felt as comforting as a mother looking at her daughter. I knew about Frecia’s past indirectly, but Isis had witnessed that past firsthand. Given that Frecia had spent a substantial amount of time in the castle, it was only natural for Isis to exhibit such a demeanor.

“Oh, by the way, how is your daughter doing, Lady Isis?”

Seeing the motherly expression on Isis’s face reminded me of that playful daughter I had met in the past. I recall that on the day we went to see a play, we missed it because of Isis’s daughter, who had turned into Mia. Was her name Cindy?

“Haha! She’s doing just fine, I suppose.”

Isis’s strained smile and words made it feel like I had committed a blunder. It seemed that her mischievous daughter had not changed and continued to trouble her.

“Cough cough… I feel like if I keep this going, I might get an earful. Hero, well then, I shall take my leave to rest now. It feels like there will be something interesting happening soon, so I would appreciate your help then.”

“Well, I’ll take my leave now.”

Something interesting, huh? With the Emperor’s personality in mind, it made me worry for no reason. But since I couldn’t pry into what it was about, I stood up from my seat and performed a casual farewell.

Just like always, I followed the Emperor’s gesture that would replace my words as I exited the reception room.

 

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