Volume 1. Chapter 20. The Appearance of Demist and The Hope Behind the Darkness

The atmosphere changed, and Rii became increasingly confused. He did not expect that Nia would suffer without him realizing it.

"If you have a problem, at least tell us."

"Tell you...? What’s the point?"

Nia said sorrowfully, still gazing at Rii with a pained and conflicted expression.

"Will they understand the problems that befell me, and will talking about it change all my problems?"

"Of course not!"

Rii was silent for a moment before she dared to speak again.

"I admit, it's true that talking about your problems won't change anything. But it's still much better than ending your life. Do you really want to disappoint him?"

Rii's words made Nia briefly remember the mysterious figure who had appeared to help the city of Norf.

"Then what should I do?"

Nia asked after hearing Rii's words, crying because she was confused by the problems she was facing.

Rii hugged her without asking about the problems that befell her. Having Rii by her side, holding her close, slowly soothed Nia's heart.

They leaned under one of the trees there without hugging.

"Do you think he will be disappointed?"

Nia wondered whether the figure would be disappointed and realized why the black gem earrings were no longer with her.

"Not only him, but all of us will also be disappointed too."

Rii's words made Nia look at his face.

"Everyone?"

Nia asked, a little surprised.

"Yes, us... the hero, Cindy, Elia, Nita, Sara, Erik, and our colleagues in the guild. They will all be sad if you end your life."

After hearing Rii's words, Nia turned her face away, looked down, and regretted what she was about to do.

"I…"

They were shocked by the appearance of a fragment of darkness that turned into a Demist, an item resembling an ancient dagger made of onxy stone.

Demist floated before their eyes, and Nia slowly took the dagger.

"This... is it possible…"

Nia said, stopping her words and looking at Demist with curiosity.

At that moment, Rii once again had a vision of the city of Norf being attacked by a demon army with a much larger number than the previous attack.

Just like Mansa, Rii chose to remain silent. He didn't know whether his vision was real or just a coincidence.

"Rii?"

Nia was confused seeing Rii, who was silent and thinking about something.

"Sorry, I didn't know what to say when that thing appeared."

Rii said, hiding what he knew.

"Alright, it's time to take you back. I'm sure Cindy is looking for you right now."

After dropping Nia off, Rii decided to go to the Gerna castle to meet King Ligt. But his arrival had been anticipated. He was surprised to see Cini, Vail, and the two demon kings there.

"I know you're confused, Rii. But since we've gathered, Cini. Can you lead the conversation?"

Vail said, gesturing for Cini to lead the discussion.

Rii sat down, curious about what conversation they would talk about.

"Okay, we know if the union has betrayed the Gerna kingdom. And King Ligt desires revenge, but let's put that aside."

"Before you came... Vail, King Ligt, and I had discussed creating a fairy tale world. Where everyone can live side by side regardless of race."

Cini said what they had discussed before Rii, Neii, and Lina came to the castle to fulfill Vail's request, except for Rii, who came by himself.

"Isn't that impossible?"

Rii knew that the plan sounded unreasonable.

"That's why you're here, that way. This kingdom has unmatched power."

Neii laughed at Vail's words.

"I see, this sounds interesting. Can this ridiculous wish bring the world to peace regardless of who their neighbors are?"

Neii said with a smirk, amused by the ridiculous plan, unsure if humans could live with races other than humans.

"Can I speak?"

Lina said, raising one of her hands.

"Sure, opinions are more important here."

Cini didn't mind the question that Lina was going to ask.

"How can this kingdom make everyone in the world live side by side?"

"We've been waiting for that question,"

Vail was a little pleased that Lina asked that.

"The Gerna Kingdom will send a group of merchants filled with certain races. And pay adventurers to spread rumors about our peaceful kingdom."

"That sounds sketchy. What if the merchants this kingdom sends are killed by bandits or soldiers in other regions?"

Said Lina, who felt that the plan would not work.

"That's where we place people from the selected soldiers, disguised as merchants among them."

Cini answered Lina's doubts, but that made her even more uncertain.

"Forget about your plans for now. How do we deal with the Ancestor?"

Neii asked curiously.

"In a way, Ligt—who had just become his subordinate—has already chosen to rebel. And put this kingdom in danger before your plan could proceed."

"Indeed, this cannot be denied, but I am sure. We can overcome this problem if the ancestors attack this kingdom."

King Ligt said this, telling Neii what he said was true and asking them to unite against the demon king's Ancestor.

Rii was silent momentarily, thinking about something he saw when Demist appeared and about the war in Norf City.

"Rii, is there something bothering you?"

Vail asked when he realized his friend seemed to be thinking about something.

"The words of the demon king Neii may have something to do with what I saw."

Rii answered, making them even more curious.

"Is there a connection?"

Cini was curious about his friend's words.

"Nia sent me a letter, asking me to return to Norf City, and—"

"Just tell me the important thing."

Cini cut off his friend's words and asked Rii to say something more critical. Cini's request made Rii groan.

"Alright. A fragment of darkness appeared—now taking the form of a dagger with an Onxy stone. At that moment, I saw Norf City being attacked by the demon army again."

They were shocked to hear Rii's words, while Neii became convinced. In the future, the ancestors will mobilize all their troops to fight humans again.

"Wait, you said Nia got something related to that mysterious person again?"

Vail wanted to make sure that his ears were not mishearing.

"Yes, but this time, it's not an accessory—it's a dagger replica, made entirely of Onxy Crystal stone."

Rii informed and explained Demist's form to all of them.

"So, after Clara used the earrings and disappeared. Can it be said that the item that left Nia returned to her?"

Cini said with curiosity.

"I don't think so. Maybe the reason Nia got that item was because she tried to end her life." Rii's words shocked Vail and Cini again. They didn't expect Nia to commit suicide.

"Did you manage to prevent her from doing that?!" Vail replied in surprise.

"Of course, and before that happened. I had a vision. It was about Nia hugging me and taking me to die with her."

"If only I hadn't had that vision, maybe Nia and I would have died," Rii said he was lucky to have had that vision.

"Okay, let's end this conversation. For now, we must be aware of the ancestors and the union that can attack this kingdom simultaneously," Vail replied and clapped his hands once.

Before the three of them left, King Ligt gave them a roll of paper about the restaurant that Cini was talking about.

King Ligt gave them a royal symbol. The king said that the medal was real proof that the Gerna kingdom was on their side.

When they arrived home, they were silent. Surprised to see people gathered in their yard, Clara came to give drinks to one of the invited guests at the same time.

"Clara!"

Clara turned and saw Rii, Cini, and Vail coming to her.

"Finally, you guys are home."

Clara smiled, happy to see them home at last.

"Why are there so many people here?"

Cini was so curious about all the people who almost filled their yard.

"I don't know what to say, but they are people who come with their children."

They were even more confused by Clara's words.

"What does it mean?"

Rii's words disappointed Clara, and she sighed.

"Today is your little brother's birthday,"

"Zein's birthday?!"

They were shocked to hear Clara say their adopted little brother had a birthday.

"Can you help? We're short on people here," Clara said, asking them to help her.

They agreed, though they still couldn't believe that today was Zein's birthday.

Julian stepped outside and saw her three adopted children helping Clara. The sight warmed her heart, and she thought her late husband must have regretted not seeing it.

"Finally, it's over…"

They said after the birthday party ended at night.

"Drink. Mother brought some refreshing drinks for you."

Julian brought a tray with a jug of squeezed orange juice.

"Thank you, Mrs. Julian."

Vail took an empty glass, and Julian poured some squeezed orange juice to enjoy.

"Everyone, come in. Mom has prepared a special meal for the four of you."

Julian invited them to come into the house and eat together. One by one, they got up and immediately followed Julian, who walked towards the door.

"Isn't it strange?"

Clara said, still unable to believe how much her life had changed, watching her mother walk alongside Cini and Rii.

"All this is too fast for me. We just came, and I only ignored one night."

"Then Mrs. Julian and Zein showed up to accept the offer my friend made and made us adopted children without me knowing."

Vail said, explaining that everything had happened so fast, without any real process.

"How long are you two going to be there !?"

Rii shouted at Clara and Vail, still standing in the yard.

"If you don't come in soon, I'll eat all the food!"

Cini chimed in with a warning.

"Come on, we should also go in soon."

Clara said, nudging Vail to go in as she headed for the door.

"Our life in this other world has been going too smoothly, without any real obstacles,"

"Will this be okay?"

Before walking, Vail took the time to look up at the stars in the night sky, feeling strange after all the events that had happened.

Little did he know, the goddess of love was watching him afar.

"Vail…"

She smiled as she whispered the mortal's name, then vanished as someone passed by her.