The Max Level Hero Has Returned!
chapter-355

Unfamiliar sensations overwhelmed Perserque as everything she saw, smelled, and tasted felt new yet bitter. She had longed for a physical form, but the cost of attaining it was steep. Among all the losses she had endured, the absence of a certain individual was the most significant.

The silver-haired girl had refrained from eating for two days already.

"Is the food not to your liking?" the green-haired girl, Tanya, cautiously asked.

Perserque paused, then shook her head.

"No... it's fine."

Unfamiliarity lingered. She had existed for a long time, spanning nearly three thousand years. Much of that time had been spent in slumber, but it was undeniably an eternity for a living being. She had spent ages as the Dark Lord without needing to respect anyone else. Even her imprisonment within a sword hadn't altered that.

Her speech mannerisms felt the most out of place.

"I heard from Rinne. She said you're going to marry Brother..."

"Ah..."

Upon hearing Tanya's remark, Perserque's eyes widened momentarily before she looked away.

'Davey, you jerk...'

What kind of madness had he instigated in her absence?

First, Rinne, who had seemingly been waiting for her, escorted her back to their territory and kept a watchful eye on her. Then, the servants showed her utmost respect, treating her like royalty. To top it off, rumors about her impending engagement circulated.

Even Yuria Helishana, the leader of the Moon Forest Elves, had approached her when she was shocked after awakening and offered her a ring blessed by a spirit, intended for the wedding ceremony.

These events had unfolded within just three days. It had been exactly three days since she had arrived. As she still found it incredibly hard to move away from her bed, she refrained from going out too much. She would only feel guilty if she collapsed, burdening the people of Heins territory who served her respectfully under Davey's orders.

Eventually, Perserque asked everyone she met to pass a message to Davey when they saw him: "You will get it from me when you are back." She knew that the message wouldn't reach him properly, but she yearned to confront him about his actions and ensure his safety.

"Ah..."

Lost in thought, Perserque realized she was a bit too concerned about him. She tightly shut her eyes.

"Are... Are you not feeling well?"

"No, I'm fine. I just don't have an appetite. I'm sorry to worry you."

Perserque's voice resembled a rolling marble.

Tanya smiled.

Perserque would have understood if suspicion and caution had been the immediate responses to the appearance of a girl with horns—a symbol of demons—and an unclear origin. Yet, those who followed Davey treated her with overwhelming respect unconditionally, as if her word was law. From a demon's perspective, it was almost guilt-inducing as their respect was overwhelming.

"Sigh... Please try to eat a little. If you feel unwell, I'll call the doctor."

"Thanks... I mean, thank you, Princess Tanya."

"I've heard that you're someone very important to my brother. That makes you as good as a sister to me."

"I... I don't think I can live up to such expectations, Princess."

"Oh, you're so modest." Tanya, flashing a bright smile, handed Perserque a gemstone. "This is a stone blessed by spirits. It's said in the legends to ease discomfort. I brought it for you."

"Thank you. I'll treasure it."

Under normal circumstances, she would have been relaxed. But her current state of anxiety made such composure impossible.

"Rest well." Tanya smiled and left the room.

The moment the door was closed, Perserque's expression hardened.

"Foolish girl..."

Perserque wanted to chastise herself for her foolishness, as she was the one who had brought about this situation. Silently sighing, she gazed out the window at the clear, sunny sky. Even if she didn't know where she belonged, she knew where she didn't. The world didn't recognize her, and to Perserque, it felt as awkward as if more than half of her body was paralyzed.

"It'll be okay... It has to be."

Was it because she had grown attached? Even the simplest movement felt odd, distracting her. Her thoughts were consumed by the fact that Davey had dragged her away from the Dark Lord's throne, assumed the position, received divine punishment, and then vanished.

She couldn't possibly be unaware of the divine punishment. The problem was that the punishment Davey had received was more severe than she had anticipated. She struggled to predict whether Goddess Freyja, who had crafted the grand flow of destiny, would forgive Davey for disrupting it or if she would be enraged enough to bestow divine punishment.

But that wasn't the only issue.

The fact that Illyna was also caught up in this and the anxiety over the abyss's potential actions now that she was no longer the Dark Lord weighed on her. What about the position of the Dark Lord? The seat of the Dark Lord imposed certain constraints. It required her to bear the responsibility of the demons in exchange for immense power. Davey, the new Dark Lord, had recently waged a war against humans. If this fact became known across the continent, nothing good would come of it. She had more than a few things to worry about.

"So please come back soon..."

She wished she could berate him for his actions. As she internally voiced these complaints, suddenly, the tightly shut door opened again.

Turning her head instinctively, Perserque was slightly surprised to see a little girl peeking in from beyond the large door. "Aeonitia... Princess."

She almost reflexively addressed her in a familiar way but quickly corrected herself. This was the first time Perserque and Aeonitia were meeting one-on-one.

Aeonitia, the quiet little girl who had just entered, gracefully brushed back her hair and lowered her head. "I'm sorry for intruding without any prior notice."

"Not at all. Please, come in."

"I've heard you're a wizard. A very skilled one. But this is my brother's bedroom. You seem...familiar with it."

Perserque instinctively reached toward the cabinet, then hesitated. This girl was incredibly observant. Despite her young age, Aeonitia had remarkably keen eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing. Just that... I've never seen you with my brother, but you seem very familiar with his room."

Aeonitia adjusted her small horn-rimmed glasses and murmured cautiously, "So, this implies that you've come here frequently."

At this matter-of-fact statement, Perserque responded with a wry smile, much like one would smile when seeing a precocious sibling.

"Oh, you're sharp, Princess."

"Please, speak freely. I've already heard the story."

That she was to be married to Davey. Marriage—why did that word sound so strange?

Perserque, who was silently clenching her fists, quickly used her demonic energy to open the cupboard, selecting the least peculiar tea leaves that Yuria had prepared and putting them in a teacup. She didn't know what he had said, but the word "marriage" still felt incredibly awkward. She was aware that she felt something different for him, but that was a separate issue.

"I presume you've spent a long time with my brother."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because your habits are similar. As if you were once one body."

Aeonitia’s observational skills were extraordinary.

Tanya and Winley—their skills were good, but their talents were commonly seen on the continent. Many could reach such a level with the right circumstances, effort, and talent. But Aeonitia was different.

Only then did Perserque understand why Davey had described Aeonitia as having unparalleled talent, albeit in a different way from Illyna.

Illyna, who had developed her own swordsmanship just by watching, and Aeonitia, who, despite her young age, had an extraordinary ability to observe, a rich imagination, and the ability to make cool-headed judgments, made his connections truly surprising.

Just as Perserque was about to slowly pour hot water and offer it to Aeonitia, the usually quiet area's silence was broken by ruckus for the first time in a while.

"Hey! Are you trying to dodge an inspection?!"

Without a word, Perserque glanced outside the window and spotted a few men bearing the emblem of the alliance, leading some knights.

"The Holy Empire has made an announcement."

"Announcement?"

"Yes, a divine revelation has been received. Annihilate the demons and vampires. Public execution of the demons and vampires. It seems that the Holy Empire is now actively hunting down any demons or vampires they can find. They say that anyone who hides or aids them will be referred to the heresy tribunal…"

How long had it been since the war ended?

As she expressed her surprise, Perserque suddenly realized that the knights and the men leading them outside the window were looking toward Davey's bedroom, where she was.

"Sister! Duck!"

At the same time, Aeonitia grabbed Perserque and pulled her down.

"I heard a rumor. They are the ruthless Paladins looking for demons and vampires. It'll be very troublesome if we're found out."

The Paladins' trials were quite infamous. They autonomously referred those deemed as demons to trial, with an almost one hundred percent conviction rate. The moment guilt was confirmed, they were well-known for sentencing entire families to the stake.

Without Davey, the central figure, the Heins territory was more insecure than ever.

But wasn't this strange? Their arrival was too well-timed, as if they knew there was a demon here.

Perserque's expression subtly hardened.