Chapter 8.1

Chapter 8 – The Former Demon King, Leaves Home

That night. I was back in the mountains again.

“So, I’m going to the royal capital. Who wants to follow me?”

‘Master.’ ‘Gi-Gi-Gi.’ ‘Kii-Kii.’ ‘…Kii.’

All the bats in the mountains agreed.

“There’s too many of you. I’ll take Dick and only two more.”

So I said.

A fierce battle between the bats began.

The result.

“Okay. The two of you then. Your names will be Gale and Neal. I’ll give you ‘Magical Blood, Mistel Blood’ as well.”

‘Kii.’ ‘Ki-Kii.’

I cut my finger, and blood began to flow.

The two bats, Gale and Neal, licked the blood.

With this, they will be able to talk as well. And do as I say.

“What I need you guys to do is to scout the royal capital. Also, information on the guild and the town. I also want you guys to check out the routes I can take to hide in case of an emergency.”

‘Master.’ ‘Understood.’ ‘Got it.’

Dick, Gale, and Neal replied.

Let’s have them help me live the way of a human.

I’m still a novice at being a human. So I want to make sure I do not get found out.

I have learned my lesson. I do not want anything like what had happened in my previous life to occur again.

“We’re leaving tomorrow. So I’ll end it early today. Until then, please accompany me in practicing ‘Ancient Magic’.”

‘‘‘Kii-Kii!’’’

And so, after practicing ‘Ancient Magic’ for a while, I returned to the mansion ──

The next day.

The day for me to leave for the royal capital has finally come.

“I’ll be going, then. Father, Xellos nii-sama, Rumia.”

“Yeah, please do your best.”

Father holds my hands.

“If it’s you, I know you’ll be fine, Yuuki.”

Xellos nii-sama gave a refreshing smile.

“P-Please take care and write to me, Yuuki nii-sama.”

said Rumia, with tears flowing down her face.

“Her Royal Highness wants you to be a knight escort, but there is no need to push yourself. Always try to favor the high-ranking nobles. Don’t forget that our Grossalia family is considered an upstart.”

“I understand. Father.”

“There are many children of nobles who will be going to the royal capital as well. I have also told the nobles of other families about you. Please don’t be rude to them.”

Father, you do not need to be concerned about that.

I have a feeling that getting involved with the other nobles… will be troublesome.

“Martha. Please take good care of Yuuki for me.”

“To be honest, Martha doesn’t really like you, since Xellos-sama disliked Yuuki-sama.”

“…You always speak frankly, don’t you.”

“Martha is Yuuki-sama’s personal maid, after all.”

“I understand. I apologize for what I have done so far. In return, I’m going to back up Yuuki with the entire Grossalia family. Can you please believe me on that?”

“Yes. Xellos-sama.”

“And don’t worry about your mother, Melissa. We’ll take good care of her.”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

Martha bowed and began to load her baggage into the carriage.

But before that, I wish she would tear off Rumia, who is still hugging me.

“It’s not like we won’t see each other anymore, right? And you also won’t mind if Rumia goes to visit you, right?”

“There are holidays too, and I think I can at least have a family visit. So it will be fine.”

“Take care, Martha. Even if we’re far apart, we’ll always be friends, won’t we?”

“Yes. Please come and visit us, Rumia-sama.”

“Yeah… yeah.”

“Come on now, Rumia. It’s about time.”

said Father. 

Rumia finally moved away from me.

Father, Xellos nii-sama, Rumia, maids, and servants are all lined up in rows in front of the mansion.

Speaking of which, this is the first time I’ve been sent off on a journey by someone.

In my previous life, I was asked, ‘Why don’t you age!?’, ‘Get out of here, you monster!’. I was chased off all the time, and after I settled down in ‘Fila Village’, I hardly ever went out of the village.

I see. So this is how humans send off their families.

“Thank you for everything.”

“What are you talking about, Yuuki?”

Xellos nii-sama held out his fist to me.

“This is your home. If you need anything, you can always come back. ‘My Lord’.”

“Xellos? What do you mean by ‘My Lord’?”

“It’s a secret between Yuuki and me. Hey, Yuuki.”

“…Yes, nii-sama.”

Xellos nii-sama and I put our fists together.

This is what it means to be human.

I’m no match for them. Seriously.

And so, the carriage carrying Martha and I departed Baron Grossalia’s territory.

The carriage carrying Martha and I is going smoothly along the road.

It takes about fifteen days by carriage from the Baron’s territory to the royal capital.

Today is the 14th day, so we should be able to see the royal capital tomorrow.

“There’s no need for a carriage, though.”

“That’s not how it works. Young Master Yuuki.”

said the coachman.

He is an old soldier over fifty years old, who had been patrolling the territory.

“We have social norms. Besides, young master is going to be Her Royal Highness’s knight escort. It’s a great honor to be given the task of escorting young master to the royal capital.”

“Don’t get all teary about it. Also, you don’t need to call me young master.”

“Please don’t worry about it, ‘Young Master Yuuki’.”

“Stop it, Martha.”

“Hehe.”

Martha smiled happily while sitting on the vibration suppression blanket.

“Martha never thought that Martha would be going to the royal capital.”

“I’m sorry, you had to come with me.”

“Martha is Yuuki-sama’s partner, after all.”

“It’s to survive in this world.”

“Martha realized that this is not a kind world when Martha’s father died.”

“I’m not going to die, so don’t worry.”

“Martha trust you. Yuuki-sama.”

“Thank you. Anyway… isn’t the carriage slowing down?”

I looked out of the carriage window.

The scenery has hardly changed for a while now.

“Pardon me, young master, Martha-chan.”

“Please stop adding the ‘-chan’.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about it, ‘Martha-chan’.”

“…Mm.”

“Is something the matter?”

“No, the carriage in front of us isn’t really moving…”

The coachman bowed to Martha and me.

“Dick. Are you there?”

‘Yes. Master.’

Dick, who had been hiding among the baggage, appeared.

“I’m sorry, but I need you to see what’s going on.”

‘Certainly.’

Dick flew out of the carriage window.

“That’s my familiar, Dick. There are also Gale and Neal.”

“You have many friends, don’t you? Yuuki-sama.”

“I thought you’d be surprised.”

“It’s only natural that Yuuki-sama is amazing.”

“I’d like to surprise Martha for once, though.”

“No, Martha doesn’t get surprised anymore because Yuuki-sama surprised Martha so much when Martha was still a child.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. It was good training for Martha to become Yuuki-sama’s personal maid.”

“Martha is amazing.”

“Right back at you.”

While we were having that conversation, Dick returned.

‘The road is empty, but the carriage in front of us is moving slowly. Together with a large parade of soldiers.’

“A large parade of soldiers?”

‘Yes. Three carriages. And many guards.’

“It’s really a large parade. Do you know who the carriages belong to?”

‘The carriages have Wyvern emblems on them.’

“Wyvern emblem, huh. Martha, do you know?”

“In that case… Marquess-sama? No, Duke-sama’s…?”

“The Wyvern is Duke Sorey’s family crest. Young master, Martha-chan.”

said the coachman at the driver’s seat.

“It’s a historic noble family. We can’t overtake that large parade.”

“No, they seem to have stopped.”

I looked out the window and saw that the Duke’s carriages had indeed stopped.

A little later, our carriage also came to a halt.

“Martha, do you remember what Father said to me when we were about to leave?”

“Please do your best.”

“Then Father said that there are many children of nobles who will be going to the royal capital as well.”

“Martha remembers. Baron-sama also told the nobles of other families about you.”

“I wonder what Father told them.”

“Martha thinks it was bragging about Yuuki-sama.”

Martha and I looked at each other. 

We had a bad feeling about this. 

“Young master. Someone is getting out of the carriage in front of us.”

“I’ll handle it. Martha, get my clothes ready.”

“Yes, Yuuki-sama.”

I turned my back to Martha.

Martha took the best coat out of the baggage and put it on my shoulders.

As soon as I unfasten my belt, she turns her face to the side and gives me ironed trousers. While I change out of my casual clothes into something more formal, Martha takes a comb out from the chest pocket of her maid’s uniform and fixes my hair. She then smooths out the wrinkles of my coat, adjusted the collar, and I was done.

“…You two are in tune with each other, like a married couple who have been together for twenty years.”

“We are partners, after all.”

“Martha has pledged her allegiance to Yuuki-sama.”

I got out of the carriage, leaving Martha and the coachman behind.