Chapter 25

“Please excuse us, Your Majesty. We will accept any punishment you deem fit, but please hear our warnings.”

After the sudden attack, Meline teleported back to the castle, where she questioned the group that attacked her. They were all arakins, with genuine cat ears poking out of their heads. They kneeled before Meline. It was hard to believe they attacked her out of malice.

“Explain yourselves,” Meline said, sitting on top of her throne, Kade and Linda standing next to her. Meline looked like a proper ruler, a demon lord with dignity.

“Yes, we-”

“Sorry, but I need to say something.”

Everyone's attention turned to Linda.

“What is it?” Meline asked, looking rather displeased at her interruption.

“You sure you want to keep those on?” Linda pointed to the cat ears above Meline's hand. Meline's cheeks went red and she rushed to take them off.

“You should have told me earlier!” Meline complained. Kade had seen them, but he decided not to tell her. She did look cute wearing them.

“Ehem. Sorry about that. You may continue.”

“Yes. We have found that a part of the wolfkins is staging a rebellion.”

Meline raised an eyebrow. “Why don't you report to me through the official channels?”

The Demon Lands had its own security force. They could have reported it to them through that.

“We have, Your Majesty.”

“When?”

“Three months ago.”

Kade had never heard about it. Judging from Meline's reaction, it seemed that she had never heard about it, either.

“We fear that there might be a mole within the system, and the news might not have reached you.”

“I see… Now, tell me what you find directly.”

There were some of Meline's attendants there as well, and they prepared their notes.

“A faction within the wolfkins is planning to raise one of your ancestors from the dead,” the leader said. The entire throne room fell silent.

“... Are you serious?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

A rebellion. It was a collaboration between her own ancestor and the wolfkins. A serious issue. The situation in the wolfkin village pretty much confirmed this.

Kade gasped, recalling the mission she had given him. Keep the demon lord away from the hero. Prevent her from fighting against the hero's sword. There was a chance this had something to do with that.

“But… why…”

“Didn't your grandmother hate humans?” Linda asked. “Maybe that's why she tried instilling the idea that you need to fight the hero.”

Meline shook her head. “The idea of a final fight between the demon lord and the hero didn't come from her.”

It wasn’t a new tale created just by her. It had been around for thousands of years. It was said that whenever the demon lord wanted to fight the hero, the hero would disappear, similar to what Meline was dealing with. Linda looked surprised when Meline said this.

“Is that why in the past, there had never been a fight between the two?”

Meline nodded. “Not all demon lords wanted to fight humans. Some wanted peace. At times like this, it was said that the hero would appear out of hiding and help around, fighting monsters and protecting villages. But, when the demon lord changed stances and wanted to fight, they would disappear.”

“So… why do you want to fight him?” Linda asked, realizing that there might still be a part of the tale that Meline hadn’t told her.

Meline took a deep breath. “Because it leads to peace.”

“... Peace?”

“It is said that after the fated battle, there will be peace. Demons and humans would return together, living peacefully with each other.”

“Is that why…?”

Meline nodded. “That is my reason for wanting to fight the hero. Even if I must sacrifice myself, I am willing, if that means peace upon my lands.”

Kade and Linda were rendered speechless. Both of them heard her wanting to fight the hero multiple times, but never this part. It was the weight Meline had been carrying these last eleven years, ever since her troops first marched into human territory.

Meline shifted her gaze back toward the arakins. She had a dignified air around her, looking like a proper ruler-

“Still, can’t you tell that to us peacefully!? Why attack us!? It’s surprising, I tell you!”

“Our deepest apologies, Your Majesty, but we fear you might not take us seriously.”

“A- And we’re in wolfkin territory. Someone might have overheard us!”

“Who do you think I am? Have I not been paying enough attention to your requests?”

Meline had a special criticism box. People could mail their complaints and suggestions, and her staff would compile them. She would then approve and disapprove the requests, depending on how reasonable they were.

“Sigh, fine. Whatever. I’ll let you off the hook for this one.”

Meline told one of the guards to prepare an escort to bring them home.

“Next time, if you see me, just talk to me. No need to attack.”

The four arakins sighed in relief. “Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty.”

The guards escorted the four of them out, leaving Meline, Kade, Linda, and the advisor in the room with them.

“I’m surprised you let them off that easily.”

“Well, there aren't many people who witnessed the incident. The wolfkin would assume that it’s an arakin internal conflict. Either that or they’ll think the demon lord has been dealt with.”

“Will they give up that easily?”

Meline shrugged. “It’s hard to tell.”

The wolfkin used to be loyal supporters of the demon lord several generations back. Some kind of conflict strained their relationship. Some said the strained relationship played a role in the construction of the new demon lord’s castle.

“But enough of that. Now, what are our plans?”

The incident might have effects on the wolfkin village. The situation there remained a mystery. Meline asked the guards to send some spies to the wolfkin village, but it would take a while before they could report their findings.

Regardless, the arakins shed a light on the situation they were dealing with. The wolfkins, or at least a part of it, were staging a rebellion. Such a thing couldn’t be taken lightly.

“This also implies that they have a way to raise souls from the dead.”

“Are we sure it’s from the dead?” Kade asked.

“That’s anyone's guess.”

The wolfkin did have a way of moving souls between items. Maybe the soul of Meline’s ancestor still lingered in this world, and they plan on giving that soul a different body or shape.

“... By the way, the hero had arrived in Nordeux.”

Meline turned to Linda. “It is time for our meeting, I see.”

“Just, don’t fight, alright?”

“Yeah, yeah. No need to remind me, I tell you.”

Kade chuckled, hoping inside that Meline was serious about not fighting.