Episode 180 Operation: Escape from the Demon King's Castle (2)
Siana was in charge of the Immortal Fortress's residential area, but she hadn't completely abandoned her identity as an imperial noble.
Actually, the reason she had taken over a minor noble family was to gain easier access to the higher-ups, so now that she was part of the immortal army, there was no need for her to cling to her status.
But it was a shame to just throw away what she had painstakingly built.
Fortunately, her master, Immortal King Hans, also judged that it was still useful, so he allowed her to periodically visit her family.
And that short time was practically a vacation for her, a chance to escape this stuffy and smelly space and enjoy a noble life again.
"Hmm, hmm~♪"
It was only natural for her to hum to herself.
'As soon as I get there, I'll start by refreshing myself with the finest black tea and cake. Then I'll go shopping and enjoy some luxury. Money doesn't matter anymore, so let's spend it freely. First, I'll fill up my shoe collection…'
Siana walked through the gloomy castle with energetic steps, organizing her to-do list in her head.
And as she was about to head towards the teleportation magic circle that the Immortal King had personally set up for her, she decided to take one last look around her jurisdiction before leaving…
And she encountered an undead with an unusual appearance in the residential area's dining hall.
"Oh my, Andrew? Is that really you?"
"Ah? Ha, hahaha… It's been a while, Sis."
No… upon closer inspection, it wasn't an undead, but a human, Andrew Weber, the awakened one from Earth who had been dragged here with her.
His face was pale and haggard, his hair was greasy as if he hadn't washed it in a while, he had dark circles under his eyes, and his gaze was unfocused and dull.
He was mechanically shoveling food into his mouth to survive and turned his head to look at her blankly at her voice.
"…It's pointless to ask if you're okay, looking at you like that. You don't look okay at all."
"Ahaha… Ah, it's good to see a familiar face after a while. I thought you forgot about me because I haven't seen you in so long."
"Ahem, you know it can't be helped. But I did subtly mention it to Olivia last time…"
She subtly looked away at his words, which had a bite to them despite his weak voice.
Honestly, she had thought about visiting him a while ago but then forgot.
'Well, it can't be helped. And come to think of it, it's not like I did anything wrong.'
Of course, her apology didn't last long, as expected of a demon.
They were in a superior-subordinate relationship from the beginning, and he was just a fellow recruit, so she was already being generous enough to even care about him.
"But is work that hard? I thought you would be able to handle it with some tricks."
He could just close his eyes and relax, using his ability, since it wasn't noticeable…
She couldn't understand why he was being overworked in a job that wasn't even manual labor.
"…It's not like I didn't try. But that woman, she can sense it. She said she can tell just by looking at my bio-signals…"
"Ah, I see."
The undead's basic ability to sense life force.
It would be easy for someone like Olivia to use it to grasp someone's condition.
She was literally a ghost.
"After I got caught a few times… she even set a quota. And I couldn't even return to my lodging if I didn't meet it! To think she wouldn't even let me rest properly in that environment filled with undead and dark magic power, she's practically a demon!"
Andrew's voice gradually grew louder, as if he was frustrated.
And Siana, a real demon, also felt offended.
Being called demonic was a compliment to demons, but it was a different matter to use it as an insult.
"Yes, yes. I'm glad you still have some energy left. But do you have time to be chatting like this? It would be better to finish eating quickly and get some sleep."
"Ugh! R-right. I got a bit excited. But you're the one who started talking to me…"
He grumbled at her scolding and then sat down again, stuffing food into his mouth.
Siana shrugged lightly and turned around to resume her inspection.
She wanted to finish her task quickly and leave this dreadful place, as she had finally greeted him after a long time.
And so, in her haste—, she missed Andrew's suspicious behavior, who was left in the dining hall.
"Whew—"
He stared at Siana's retreating figure with a look of relief and regret, and then turned his head away with a short sigh.
'It's hard to see her, so this must be the last time I see Sis Siana. It's a bit sad that we're parting ways like this… but it can't be helped.'
It had been well over nine years since he was transferred to Auterica.
He was finally on the verge of returning and continued to eat aggressively to endure the remaining time.
'Just… just a little more… I just have to endure a little longer.'
Dreaming of escaping this hell.
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The second residential area of the Immortal Fortress, where contact with the outside world was restricted.
"…Today, right?"
"Yes, today."
Princess Riley and Hesperon, who were diligently practicing magic as usual, exchanged words in a low voice.
The moment she had been longing for had finally arrived.
The day she would escape the Immortal King's grasp and regain her freedom.
"The timing is good. The fact that Lilith, the woman who was watching us, is away means that the possibility of them immediately noticing and responding is reduced."
It had only been yesterday that she left a pile of food, telling them to eat on their own because she wouldn't be able to come for a while.
Normally, it would be unthinkable to tell prisoners such information, but this wasn't an ordinary prison, so it wasn't a big deal.
But there was an unexpected problem…
"I was relieved that I didn't have to see that face, but it's a shame."
"What are you whispering about, Riley? You seem very relaxed. You must have been living comfortably, eating the food they gave you. Like livestock."
It was that the Crown Prince, who hadn't been able to leave his room, was now free.
Simon Carte Azeria, the Crown Prince, who had been tormented by Andrew at first and then became Siana's plaything.
He was so exhausted from the daily torment that he would just stay in his room and rest even when he was alone, but it seemed like he had recovered enough to wander around after resting all day yesterday.
'As expected of someone who grew up eating good food. His stamina is amazing.'
And he was also a knight who had trained his body to some extent, so it wasn't completely incomprehensible.
Of course, Siana would just be happy to see him healthy and strong.
"Oh my, isn't that brother? Did you finish your laundry and cleaning for today? You might get scolded if you forget even for a day. They might say you need more obedience training."
"Ugh! Y-you…!"
He blushed and stammered, having been poked in a sore spot after picking a fight first.
She couldn't understand why he would start a fight when he had no chance of winning.
"…Ha! You two are a perfect match. To think you would be hanging out with such a nobody. As expected, you can't hide your lowly blood."
He eventually dragged Hesperon, who had been quietly standing next to her, into the insult and mocked her entire maternal family.
Riley's eyebrows twitched.
Her maternal family was a noble family, but they had the weakness of being from a merchant family with a short history.
And even her maternal grandmother was from a wealthy merchant family, so they were a frequent target of criticism from the conservatives, led by the Crown Prince.
Just as she was about to retort,
"Seriously."
Hesperon, who had been quietly watching, scratched the back of his head and subtly stepped in front of her.
'Even if it's a fight, crossing the line with insults towards family is too much.'
And come to think of it, he was also included in the 'lowly blood' comment, wasn't he?
He was also someone who had been born and raised as a precious only child, so this was an insult he couldn't tolerate.
"It's pathetic to see a Crown Prince talking to his sister like that. And then he talks about dignity, it's ridiculous."
"…What? Who are you? How dare you interfere?"
To ask why he was interfering when he was the one who started the fight.
It clearly showed his self-centered thought process.
It seemed like the training he had received wasn't very effective.
'I should tell Siana. It seems like she's been spoiling him too much because he's her favorite toy.'
He had been tormented every day for over a month, but he still wasn't intimidated, so his ego must have been quite high.
To completely subjugate someone like him, constant attention and management were needed.
"I should really tell the owner about this. Because the training is lacking, the beast they were raising ran outside and is baring its teeth at everyone. It seems like the trainer isn't very skilled."
Crack—!
"…Heron?"
Simon's teeth gritted as even a seemingly insignificant commoner mocked him.
Riley also had a worried expression.
It was an everyday occurrence for her, who was also a member of the imperial family, but she could imagine what would happen when someone he considered to be of a lower rank insulted him.
And the guard who could control the situation was away…
"Heh— Well, it wouldn't be bad to teach him a lesson. I've been very annoyed lately. …They won't say anything if I don't kill him, right?"
His reaction was as she expected.
"Wait! Are you thinking of using force here…!"
She hurriedly tried to defuse the situation, but Simon's patience had already run out.
He had come outside despite his condition because he wanted to vent his frustration, so this was a good excuse.
Wooong—
Aura, which seemed to be activated with determination, instantly strengthened his body and sharpened his dulled combat senses.
He hadn't spent much time training like Riley, but his age, in his late twenties, and his decent talent were enough to make him a knight.
"Hehehe— Let's see if you have the skills to match that mouth."
He wasn't an opponent that the two of them, who had just barely become novice mages, could face.
Even if he wasn't in his best condition.
And Crown Prince Simon, who had once again grasped the opponent's level with his sharpened senses, knew that very well.
That they couldn't stop him!
"Heron! Wait…!"
He cut off Riley's words—.
Boom!
"I'll make you crawl! You lowlife!"
And charged at Hesperon with a twisted expression.
His fist, which cut through the air as if to crush Hesperon's face.
And he…
Thwack!
"Ugh!"
Thud—!
He was hit squarely and rolled on the ground after a smooth dodge and counterattack.
Crawling on the ground, as he had said.
"Ugh, what… the?"
"…Huh?"
Both Simon, the person involved, and Riley, who was hurriedly preparing magic, blinked in disbelief at the unexpected situation.
He wasn't a veteran high-ranking knight, but he was at a fairly high level among ordinary knights.
After all, knights were human weapons who only honed their combat skills.
He wasn't someone a low-ranking mage with no preparation could resist…
"You're impatient. How can someone like this be the Crown Prince? I'm worried about the Empire's future."
But Hesperon just grumbled casually, ignoring their reactions.
He was subtly emitting magic power from his entire body, as if support magic had been activated at some point.