Ch.10 Village or Junkyard?

After walking through the forest for an entire week, we finally arrived at the demon village called *Kraven.*
It wasn't nearly as big as the demon city we had visited before. The population seemed small, and the whole place felt less like a proper village and more like a temporary shelter for demons.

At the entrance gate, I called out,
"Oii…?" I glanced at Valkira and Verixa, my eyes already saying what I was thinking.
"Hm?" Verixa responded.
"This is the place, right? I'm not mistaken… right? Because this doesn't look like a village at all."

"What are you saying? Didn't I just tell you this *is* the village?" Valkira asked, unaware of how bad it looked.

Alira leaned close to my ear, whispering with confusion and concern,
"Isn't this… a junkyard?"

"I was thinking the same thing," I replied quietly, but apparently Valkira heard us.
"Don't insult the village! Maybe it's not in the best condition right now… but still!" she said, her eyes following a group of demons nearby fighting over a bottle of beer. Her voice fell as she lowered her head.

Seeing her disappointment, I tried to cheer her up.
"Hey, maybe this is just the entrance. Once we go deeper in, it'll probably look more like a proper village…" I paused, then muttered under my breath, "Probably…"

"Yeah, you're right!" Valkira said quickly, trying to convince herself. "This might *seem* like a junkya— I mean, a bad village, but the demons here are definitely… supportive and well-mannered."

Verixa pinched her nose to block the stench. "For a demon village, this really is a junkyard."

We all fell silent, our heads drooping in collective disappointment.

"I think we should meet the village chief first," I finally said.
We started walking in, asking directions from the villagers. They looked at me and Alira like we were enemies they might attack any moment—but thanks to Valkira's presence, they hesitated, fear flashing in their eyes.

Eventually, we arrived at what looked like the only house that seemed even remotely normal. I stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Coming…!" a voice called from inside.

The door creaked open, and I froze mid-sentence.
An old, bald demon with a long white beard and a height barely reaching my chest stood there—hugging two beautiful female demons, the strong smell of liquor wafting out from him.

"Huh… *hiccup*…" he counted us with squinted eyes. "One… two… three… four… *hiccup* What do you all want? If it's something important, come tomorrow. I'm busy."
Then he shut the door right in our faces.

"This place is hopeless," Alira sighed. "At least *my* village chief isn't like this." She crossed her arms proudly.

Valkira gritted her teeth and took a step forward, but Verixa stopped her.
"Let me handle this. Once he realizes the *Demon Queen* herself is here, he'll drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness," she said, puffing out her chest confidently.

Verixa knocked again, and the old man opened the door.
"Hey, old man! Be grateful that *I*, the mighty Demon Queen, have come here to—"

Before she could finish, he gave her a long look up and down, eyes pausing at her chest.
"Rejected. Too flat," he said bluntly, and slammed the door shut again.

I couldn't help it—a laugh escaped me.
Verixa's face fell instantly. Alira nudged me, whispering, "Stop laughing, you'll make it worse!" as she tried to cheer Verixa up.

"That's enough!" Valkira snapped, her voice ringing with fury. She kicked the door open with such force it flew off its hinges.

"Hey! *hiccup* You kids got no manners?!" the old man shouted.

Before he could say more, Valkira threw her sword—it whizzed past his head and stuck into the wall behind him. The two women who were with him screamed and ran off.

"Wha— *hiccup* Wait! Please, spare me! I'll give you anything, just don't kill me!" the old demon stammered, trembling.

"How *dare* you insult our queen like that!" Valkira grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the ground. "Don't you see her charm? Her beauty? Her bravery? So what if she's flat—she's still our queen! And yes, she might look ten and—"

"Valkira," I said, tapping her shoulder. "You're not helping." I pointed at Verixa, who was kneeling in the corner, a dark aura of depression around her. Alira was patting her back, whispering words of comfort.

The old man gulped, glancing between us nervously. "Alright, alright! I'll talk! Just put me down already!"

Valkira released him, and he stumbled back, wiping sweat from his brow. He sighed deeply, the drunken slur in his voice fading as his tone grew heavier.

"Umm....I know this might be hard to explain but can you please tell us what happened to village"

I asked

"This village… it wasn't always like this," he said quietly. "After the previous Demon Queen was defeated, we had no one left to protect us. The humans came soon after… demanded we surrender. Those who resisted were killed, and those who survived…" He hesitated. "We became their servants. Entertainment for them. Tools. Slaves."

His hands trembled as he picked up his bottle again but didn't drink.
"The proud demons of Kraven lost everything—our strength, our pride, even our will to live. That's why this village looks like a junkyard to you outsiders. We're nothing but broken remnants of what we once were."

The air fell silent. Even Verixa, still kneeling, looked up—her eyes softening as she listened.

"…So that's why," I murmured. "That's why the demons here look so lifeless."

The old man nodded weakly. "There's no queen to lead us anymore. No light left to follow."

Verixa slowly stood up, brushing off her cloths her expression now serious.
"Then maybe," she said softly, "it's time we gave them one again."

Verixa took a deep breath, straightening her posture. Her eyes scanned the small area and then old man, curious but wary.

"I am Verixa," she began, her voice steady and commanding. "Daughter of the Demon Queen… and rightful heir to the throne. I have come to—"

Before she could finish, the old man burst into a loud, wheezy laugh that echoed through the courtyard.

"*Hahaha!* Daughter of the queen, you say? Oh, this I *have* to see!" he said, wiping tears from his eyes from laughing so hard. "Do you think I'm some fool to fall for a little girl claiming she's royalty?"

Verixa's face flushed, her hands clenching into fists. "I am not joking!" she snapped. "I may be young, but I carry the blood of the Demon Queen herself! I have come to lead you, to restore Kraven to its former glory!"

The old man shook his head, chuckling. "Glory, eh? Hah! You barely reach my shoulders! And look at that face—so serious, yet so… pint-sized. I'd call you cute if it weren't so insulting to my age!"

Alira whispered under her breath to me, "This isn't going well…"

I tried to suppress a grin. Verixa's proud stance didn't waver, but her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

"Enough of your mockery, old man!" Valkira roared, stepping beside her with a glare sharp enough to cut metal. "Show some respect! She is the future of this village!"

The old man raised his hands defensively, his laughter fading into a sheepish grin. "Alright, alright, alright… maybe I overdid it. But if you truly are who you say you are, then let's see what you've got. Actions speak louder than words, little queen."

Verixa's eyes narrowed with determination then turns to me and give a sharp smile"Then I will show you, every one of you, that the blood of the Demon Queen still flows strong in me plus I have someone who knows how to deals with problems."