Volume 6 Chapter 9: Arrival at the Imperial Capital

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Author: 夜州 (Yashu)

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Perhaps the guards had been contacted beforehand, because the carriages passed through the gates without even being stopped.

Both sides of the road were covered by the imperial capital’s citizens as far as the eye could see.

They might have been told that the imperial princess was returning.

Welcoming voices rose high up from the city.

The guards were controlling the crowd, and the carriages passed through right in between them.

“I must say, this really is a warm welcome…”

“Hmm. It might be because I was absent from here for so long… I will get embarrassed if they do this.”

Said Lisabeth with a strained laugh, but even then, she stuck her head out of the carriage’s small window and waved to the residents.

Cain also followed suit and waved out of the window. Honestly speaking, Cain knew this wasn’t his own welcome, but as someone accompanying her in the same carriage, he thought he couldn’t just sit there doing nothing.

The carriages proceeded through the cheers of welcome, then passed through the gates of a towering castle in the city centre.

The ones who stood on either side of the gate were also demons, with splendid horns, but this was the first time ever that a human had entered the imperial capital.

The carriage stopped in front of the castle, its door opened, and Cain got down.

He held his hand out to Lisabeth, who was to get off next, and she, taking it, elegantly disembarked from the carriage.

What greeted them were welcoming gazes at Lisabeth at her return, and hostility towards Cain, who was a human.

Cain also felt some hostility towards Lisabeth, although only a little.

(They really are hostile, aren’t they… Well, I guess it’s only natural, the pro-war faction has many members here… Lisa probably feels it too.)

Cain could have released his killing intent in all directions to get them to shut up, but acting hostile from the very start, especially when he was visiting as the representative of the Kingdom of Esfort, would be a disgrace.

He was aware that as he was there for diplomacy, he had to act as a gentleman, and had also been reminded of that by the king.

Although, there had also been the unreasonable request of ‘If it comes to a war, go turn the whole place on its head.’

Ignoring the hostility, Cain smiled at Lisabeth.

Getting down next was Seto, and he also went to Lisabeth’s side, and all three of them started slowly walking.

A large number of presumably nobles and servants had lined up in front of the castle’s entrance.

One person stepped out forwards from among them. He was wearing remarkably luxurious clothes, and just like Lisabeth, he had five horns.

Surely, he must be the crown prince Lisabeth was talking about, thought Cain.

“Lisa, welcome home. That you came home safe, I am happy.”

“Onii-sama, I am terribly sorry for causing you to worry. I have returned safely.”

Lisabeth greeted him, curtseying gracefully.

“Well, it would not do to speak here. It seems we have a guest as well. Seto-dono too, it’s been a long time.”

“It has been a long time, crown prince. I am most glad to see Your Highness doing well.”

While a little surprised by Seto’s different-from-normal attitude, Cain made sure not to let it show on his face, and followed their guide.

Fitting for a castle that was at the very centre of many countries of demons, it had beautiful decorations, and while they weren’t flashy or in bad taste, they gave off a sense of luxury.

Walking down a corridor, they were shown into a reception room.

Cain sat down in the indicated seat.

Sitting side-by-side with Seto, the crown prince and Lisabeth sat opposite them.

Darmeshia stood behind Cain.

“Let’s greet each other once again. I am the Benestos Demon Empire’s crown prince, Logsia van Benestos. It seems Lisabeth was in your care.”

“Nice to meet you, I am a margrave in the Kingdom of Esfort, Cain von Silford Drintor.”

Logsia made a slightly surprised expression at Cain’s introduction.

While Cain had grown, he was still only fourteen. That a boy who hadn’t even reached adulthood yet was governing a whole area as a margrave would surprise anyone who didn’t know Cain.

“To serve as a margrave at that age, you must be really talented.”

“That’s right. Cain’s home is even more nice and cosy than here. And the food is also delicious. I did not really want to leave, if possible.”

Lisabeth explained at Logsia’s statement instead of Cain.

However, Logsia frowned and sent a sharp glance at Lisabeth at that explanation.

“…So then, Lisa, you’ve been in Sir Silford’s home the whole time…?”

“That’s right. I was a slave, and then Cain saved me when I was in danger, and we’ve been together the whole time since.”

“……”

Logsia frowned even more.

With her position as imperial princess, if she was unmarried, no matter if she was still a minor, if it became known that she had stayed a long time at an unmarried boy’s place, there would be problems.

Especially as Logsia wanted to have her marry the Demon King who had been supporting him, setting his position as next emperor in stone.

“Lisa, it’s been planned that you’re to be married to a Demon King I know. No matter how well-protected you might be there, it would cause problems if you stayed at a single boy’s home for a long time…”

“–––– I will not marry that person. I have already decided on my partner. I will marry Cain. I have –––– already proposed to him as well.”

“Wh-!?”

Cain and Seto had remained as bystanders in Logsia and Lisabeth’s conversation, but at Lisabeth’s bomb-like statement, Cain’s shoulders began to shake, and Seto stared at him suspiciously.

Logsia’s eyes widened in surprise, then he glared at Cain.

“Sir Silford, what is the meaning of this? Depending on the situation, your life might not be enough.”

“Even if you say that, I have put my answer to that on hold. I heard there was a possibility that the demon countries would declare war on the human countries. I only accompanied Her Highness Lisabeth to persuade you to stop that from happening.”

Cain was only visiting the demon countries to persuade them to stop the war.

He couldn’t let himself be swept away by personal feelings. Although, Cain also knew that Lisabeth was an enchantingly attractive girl. However, he already had multiple fiancées, one of them even a princess.

He couldn’t just ignore the country and decide to increase the number of his fiancées on his own.

Seto seemed to be welcome to their marriage, and he was against the war.

He knew that the demons would most certainly lose if they went to war with the humans.

––Due to the being called Cain.

“Your Highness Logsia, all nobles of my country are unanimously against this war, a fact I have also announced to the public. I am also friends with Sir Silford, and will not go to war no matter what happens.”

While Seto had been silent up until then, he spoke to Logsia with a serious look.

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