Demonas - Chapter 20

The Demon (4)

Rowan looked at Altair with a face full of disapproval.

[…I was the one who asked him to give me a tour of the mansion because I wanted to look around.]

Even now, Altair could still remember her words.

“That- Ahin-”

‘Just how much should I tell him? If I were to exclude things from my previous life, what’s special about Ahin thus far is the fact that he is able to somewhat handle aura already. But if I were to tell him that, father might actually assassinate him.’

After thinking for a short while, Altair finally replied.

“Father may be correct. He has high self-esteem and a strong personality.”

“I’m glad you’re aware, then-”

“Even so, I still enjoy being with him.”

Rowan’s face, which had softened for a while, hardened once again. But Altair, who was looking at the duvet failed to notice the change.

“I find it exciting when I learn more unexpected things about him that I didn’t know about. I regret not being able to do something like this since the beginning. He’s the kind of person who would stay silent even if there was no one on his side, the fact I was so ignorant of all that, I-”

Altair paused, realising that she had ended up talking about the past. Slowly, she turned her eyes to gauge his reaction.

But even before she was able to sneak a glance at him, she was engulfed by his warm embrace.

“F-Father…”

He spoke softly, gently patting her head and he spoke.

“Altair, how could I have not known how anxious you must have felt after losing your mother…”

She blinked slowly and her eyes widened. His big hand gently clasped her cheeks.

“It’s no wonder you feel as if everyone is leaving you. No need to worry, father will always be by your side.”

“Father…”

Altair’s heart swelled as she thought back on how such a promise had been broken once. For a moment she thought that this all was just a dream. The next moment she would wake up to the sound of artillery fire in the barracks on the northern front. However, delicate scent and warm touch on her back were so vivid that he held her tightly in this dreamy reality.

“Right, I will protect him no matter what.”

When she looked back up at him, she was replied by a soft kiss on her forehead.

Her face spread into a large grin at the ticklish feeling. His comfortable embrace paired with his soft nightgown rubbing against her cheek eventually roused her to sleep.

***

The next morning, the dress Altair had ordered from the dressing room where she had put in a request for information.

Enclosed in the box is a small card with a blue ribbon. The card was an apology for her order being pushed back, resulting in the delivery of her dress being delayed. The dress has large sapphires that perfectly brought out the blues of Altair’s eyes, and is a work of a well-known designer.

Considering this dress was sent to her without any extra costs, any other child would be incredibly happy and try it on. Altair, on the other hand, was more interested in the box that came with the dress.

She flipped the box upside down and shook it, trying to search every section of it. It was then she found it.

The bottom of the box was double-layered.

‘There it is.’

Under a pink cushion was a hole the size of a needle. Upon inserting a hairpin into it, the second layer was unlocked with a click. Inside was a postcard with short concise lines in standard handwriting.

[The wizard’s name is Delphie. A native from the South. Has the appearance of someone in his twenties. Actual age is 45.

More than 10 years ago, he was selected as a court wizard after his performance in the war to suppress Gehen. Later he served three years in the dungeon for studying Gehen’s dark magic. Recently released on parole and currently serves as the Crown Prince’s Magic Advisor.]

There was also more information about him that was split into various categories such as his residential address, food preferences, and the pets he owns.

‘He’s experienced in Gehen’s dark magic… That’s far more dangerous than I had thought…’

Altair studied the card further and found a sentence hand-written by someone.

[I hope you will come and visit our guild again. I wish for your tremendous success in all your endeavours.

P.S. The line below is what was found in Delphie’s study journal.

‘We have plans in the near future to smuggle 5 demons into the mansion, keep that in mind.’]

Altair’s eyes widened as she read the last line once more.

‘He’s planning to bring demons into this mansion? Five of them too?’

Even if he’s slightly evil, then he’ll certainly be evil. The day he gets exposed, he’ll be instantly brought to the guillotine.

The wizard’s aim is to obtain concrete evidence that Ahin is evil. She didn’t even need to think deeply to guess what such animals are thinking.

Based on what she read in the forbidden area of the library, most demon’s have the ability to make low-class demons submit to them. So, if the demons become tame in Ahin’s presence, that can be used as strong evidence to prove he’s a demon.

Altair could feel a headache starting to form already.

‘This plan is completely insane! Seriously, these wizards are…!’

Plus, since she only had this one line from Delphie’s journal, there’s no way of telling when ‘in the near future’ could be. It could even be today.

In that case, he could already have smuggled in the demons and hidden them somewhere nearby. If they manage to get the evidence and bring it to the royal family, showing that Ahin is a demon. Then regardless of all the wrongdoings they had in the past, they’ll be completely pardoned as the demon is the most forbidden in the empire.

Altair had fingers on her temples when a thought flashed through her mind.

‘What if the demon that appeared in Lake Larak was the work of this wizard too?’

Maybe Delphi hid the demon in the forest, a great place to hide, and tried to send it into the Count’s residence at the right time. Though it would’ve been discovered by servants and be taken care of by Arsene.

As she settled into her chair, Altair rubbed her chin and got lost in her thoughts.

‘If there are traces of summoning magic still left behind along Lake Larak, we can take advantage of that and launch a counter-attack. Delphie needs to be caught by the end of his tail and thrown in jail before he can plan another attempt. But this doesn’t solve the issue though…’

Even after we get over this situation, there are still many chances for Ahin to come face to face with evil all throughout her life.

‘Demon controller.’

It was one of Ahin’s countless nicknames in his past life.

When Ahin didn’t appear, demons seemed to lessen too. Even so, Altair just dismissed it as him simply frightening the demons, but to think this could’ve been where such a story originated.

Considering in the future, there will be a massive demon invasion to take place. Of course Ahin had to end up developing his ability to control demons and manipulate them as he wanted.

She let out a deep sigh as she recalled the black cat that had intertwined itself with Ahin.

‘Teaching someone so young without a guide is so hard. I’ve never had a child in my life nor have I helped in taking care of one…’

To think that the first thing she raised in this life is a demon child and not a human being.

Altair got up from her seat, now thinking how great it would have been if someone published a book called the “Devil’s Parenting Textbook”.

Hide and Seek (1)

The Marquis of Lesen is a well-established family.

Their ancestor, Deven Lesen, was a brave governor who had been executed after speaking out against the tyrant, Alzeta II. The Marquis’ great-grandfather was also a war hero who contributed greatly to the reclamation and restoration of imperial lands that had previously been taken away by southern kingdoms. After several generations, the Marquis’ family climbed up the ranks and eventually became one of the top five families in the Empire.

On a sunny weekend, Altair, who had accompanied her father to the Marquess’ Salon, was now sitting on the sofa like a doll, looking sullen.

“-So that’s why, Daughter of the Duke of Chernobog. There was also another time when a hooligan, without permission, took a handkerchief that a girl had left on my seat.”

“Oh.”

“…I couldn’t stand the way he insulted the girl. In the end, I requested for a duel against him, in front of five others, including the girl.”

“Oh.”

Beside Altair was the Marquis’ oldest son, a boy with curly blonde hair, Viscount Edwin Lesen.

He had recently returned from a semester at the Royal Academy which he had joined as freshman at the beginning of the year. Now, he was chattering nonstop with Altair, who was three years younger than him.

“…Also, it was incredibly embarrassing when I found out my performance had spread so far that even the seniors knew about it. A lady had also written a letter to me saying how she really liked it and would like to visit the opera together some time…”

“Haha.”

‘He’s just as boring as he was in his last life.’

Altair could still remember where her father had taken her to for the first time in her last life.

It was hosted by Marquess of Lesen like now, but that time it had been to the opera instead of the salon. That was supposed to happen a few months from now.

Even then, she got tired of hearing of Viscount Edwin’s heroic acts and left her seat. Walking around the gallery and eavesdropping on adult conversations seemed to be a better use of her time.

Noticing how she was about to get up, the Viscount called for her.

“Chernobog’s Lady. Where are you going?”

“Ah… I’m going to take a look at the gallery.”

“The Duke, my father, and many other guests are over there right now.”

“I know.”

“If you were to enter the gallery now, won’t you end up interrupting their conversations?”

Altair, in a fit of nerves after his incessant talking and his now attempt to dissuade her, fired out.

“Let me be incredibly honest. I’m going to eavesdrop on their conversation, so don’t try to stop me.”

Contrary to her expectations, instead of being discouraged, he only replied with an even more curious expression.

“Then I have a better idea.”

He strode towards Altair and bent down, with an overly exaggerated gesture, he held out a hand towards Altair.

She almost lost her arm as he dragged her along.

“I’ll lead you to it!”