"Understood. Please wait a moment," The maid nodded slightly and jogged quickly toward the castle.
"Lord Ash."
"What is it?"
"Ah, no… it just feels a bit strange, but I don't know how to put it?"
Hearing what he said to the maid, Fern felt an indescribable sense of inconsistency. Her expression turned odd as she racked her brain, yet couldn't find the right way to describe that strange feeling.
Frieren, weighed down by her thoughts, didn't think much of it. She simply urged him to head back to the royal court together, wanting to thoroughly understand the situation of this country.
He didn't refuse. With a hint of trouble on his face, he took the lead and walked ahead.
———
Passing through the city walls, they could see the luxurious estate surrounding the royal court.
But inside the court, aside from the main road, there were no imperial guards to be seen at all. Only golems and maids moved about in the other areas.
The imperial guards seemed to only be stationed at the outer royal city and along this one road for security.
As they stepped onto the path leading to the core of power inside the castle, the walls on both sides formed a corridor adorned with dazzling paintings and exquisite artworks.
On either side of the corridor stood fully armed imperial guards, like iron walls. Their gazes were like cold sword tips. Though not directed at them, the invisible pressure still made Fern feel a heaviness in her chest. Even her breathing grew labored, and she instinctively hid behind Ash.
"These guys… they all look like they've killed quite a few people," Frieren glanced around a couple of times and nodded in satisfaction, "Not just decorative guards like in other countries. They've all been on the battlefield."
As they continued forward, the group finally reached the end of the corridor.
Before them stood a pair of enormous doors, so large they had to look up to see them fully, like city gates. Even closed, the doors exuded a nerve-wracking tension.
"We've been waiting for you, Lord Ash," Just as Fern was about to ask what to do, a guard at the door stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
The guards on both sides pushed open the massive doors.
What slowly unfolded before their eyes was a vast space. The floor was covered in a crimson carpet, as red as fire, giving off a sense of nobility and luxury.
The surrounding walls were made of golden marble, reflecting the brilliant chandeliers hanging high above, illuminating the audience hall with its towering ceiling.
In stark contrast to this wide space, at the far end of the hall, above a long flight of steps, were two chairs.
Closer to the front was a throne made entirely of gold. Behind it, one step higher at the very back, stood a dragon throne, several times larger, made from the preserved scales of the Imperial Prison Dragon, with its base carved from the dragon's skull.
On both sides of the dragon throne, the massive preserved horns of the Imperial Prison Dragon gave the impression that it was guarding from above, or perhaps watching over the throne, and even the entire kingdom.
Compared to the imposing golden throne, the dragon throne, forged from the remains of the strongest and most dangerous dragon of the northern plateau, completely overshadowed it with its unique arrangement, even radiating an overwhelming sense of supremacy.
Just by looking at that dragon throne, the lingering pressure alone allowed Frieren to feel how powerful that dragon had been in life.
Even the Hero's party would have struggled to deal with such a dragon. Alone, Frieren would have turned and run without hesitation. This made her instantly realize that the high-end power held by this kingdom… was something she simply couldn't contend with.
It also made her want to ask Ash why there was another chair above the throne. That just didn't make sense.
And for some reason, the area behind the throne's steps clearly had a powerful barrier. From her experience, it should have been a kind of concealment barrier, but for some reason it had been destroyed.
But the atmosphere didn't allow her to ask. The audience hall was filled with knights in black armor and black cloaks, standing motionless like statues.
On the throne sat a middle-aged man wearing a crown, radiating an imposing aura even without anger.
The king was already seated, so Frieren didn't say anything. As when meeting nobles normally, she and Fern silently knelt on one knee.
However… Ash didn't move at all.
Before they could even urge him, he silently walked up the steps and, under Frieren and Fern's stunned gaze, sat down on the chair higher than the throne.
At that moment, the air seemed to freeze.
"L-Lord Ash! Wh-What are you doing?", Fern was so shocked she almost rushed up to drag him down.
But remembering Frieren's emphasis on etiquette, she forced herself to hold back, though she still couldn't stop herself from crying out.
Under normal circumstances, Frieren would have stopped this to avoid them all being escorted out and happily sent to the execution block.
However… that dragon throne above the royal throne was undoubtedly the culmination of the kingdom's authority, radiating unquestionable power.
Yet the person sitting on it was someone far too familiar, making her vision blur. She even began to doubt her eyes… and whether this was a dream.
Before she could pinch herself, the king on the throne spoke from above the long steps.
"You are Frieren, the mage, the only survivor of the Hero's party, correct? What business do you have with me?"
The king's voice was strong and steady. Though not loud, it was amplified by magic tools in the hall, reaching their ears directly.
This brought Frieren back to her senses. For now, she set aside her confusion about why none of the black-armored knights were stopping Ash from sitting on the dragon throne, and carefully chose her words.
"Your Majesty, I came to your country because of what I've seen and heard along the way, which has left me uneasy. I wonder…"
"Speak freely."
"Yes… Over eighty years ago, we worked together to seal the Sage of Corruption Qual. But not long ago, when passing by the place of that seal, we discovered that Qual had already been freed by the demons…"
Out of courtesy, Frieren kept her head lowered and didn't look directly at the king. She organized her thoughts and recounted what she had seen and her suspicions.
That demons were plotting something, and perhaps a new Demon King had already ascended to the throne.
Finally, after speaking for a long time and feeling a bit tired, she cleared her throat and summarized, "In other words… the current war between your country and the empire has, to some extent, fallen into the demons' scheme. It will only lead to both sides weakening each other while the demons watch from the shadows. At that point, the entire north may fall under demon control, and even the whole world could be ruled by them."
"That is indeed dangerous."
After all that effort, the king only nodded slightly, without further reaction.
Her expression gradually stiffened, but she could only continue.
"If possible, I boldly request that your country reconcile with the empire. I hope to promote peace between the two nations. What does Your Majesty think? If you agree, I will continue north to meet the emperor of the empire."
"That sounds good."
"You agree?", A trace of surprise appeared on Frieren's face. She hadn't expected him to accept so easily.
But when she raised her head again, she saw that after a long silence, the king leaned on his armrest and turned back, asking Ash in a low voice, "What do you think?"
"I told you not to turn around."
"S-Sorry…", The king, who had turned back out of impatience after receiving no instruction, hurriedly lowered his head in fear.
At that moment, his kingly dignity shattered completely, leaving Frieren standing there as if petrified.
In fact, the moment he stepped into the audience hall, Ash had already been cursing inwardly.
Because Frieren's guess was correct. The dragon throne at the back had originally been hidden.
Under normal circumstances, the barrier would form a wall, completely concealing the dragon throne along with his presence and aura.
That way, when receiving foreign guests, he could occasionally stay behind and give instructions from the rear.
Due to the distance, others wouldn't hear anything from above. The amplification magic tools near the throne wouldn't work from far away.
But now that the barrier had been destroyed, the sudden appearance of the dragon throne would definitely arouse suspicion. With a resigned sigh, he walked up and sat down, covering his face in frustration.
When the king turned to look at him, he finally couldn't remain silent.
Even though he had reminded the king while passing by earlier to act as usual, the king, not understanding the situation after the barrier was broken, probably thought Ash wanted to speak personally and instinctively turned to seek instructions.
"Forget it," Ash didn't want to blame him too much. Covering his face, he shook his head and sighed, "Isn't it fine?"
"Can I agree to it?", the king asked cautiously.
"You can consider it."
"I understand."
After receiving approval, the king turned back and instantly regained his imposing demeanor. Then, as if recalling something, he spoke in a deep voice, "Frieren, I can consider your request. But before coming here, did no one tell you not to look up at me? In the audience hall, directly looking at the king, is a capital offense!"
"My deepest apologies. Please be merciful…"
Because Ash had been with them, no one had mentioned this rule. Hearing it now, Frieren was somewhat confused, but instinctively lowered her head again.
Her mind felt like a mess, unable to process what exactly was going on.
Above, Ash signaled the king not to pursue the matter for now, so the king let it go.
"Very well. Since you were unaware, I will not pursue your offense for now. Do you have anything else to say?"
"I've heard that your country has significant cooperation with demons. Not only great demons, but even ordinary demons are present here, even entering and leaving the royal court…"
"So what of it?"
"Your Majesty may not fully understand. Although demons have been defeated for now and scattered, even a group of them remains an undeniable threat."
"And why is that?"
"Demonic magic is strange and mysterious. Even today, how many kinds of magic demons possess remains unknown. The upper limits of their power are also beyond comprehension. Even Serie, an elf who has existed since the mythical age, cannot know it all. It's a level far beyond what human magic can imagine."
Fearing that this king, who stayed deep within the palace, might not understand the danger of demons, Frieren deliberately explained their terrifying aspects.
Aside from their nature, there was also their frightening magical talent. She didn't exaggerate anything.
Although their accumulation of mana wasn't faster than that of outstanding humans, their long lifespans made up for it.
The most terrifying part was that any demon, even without a foundation or teacher, could develop magic in decades or centuries that humanity as a whole could never reach.
Their only flaw was focusing on a single type of magic, making them overly specialized. Otherwise, even Serie might not be able to deal with Demon King-level great demons.
After all, no matter whether human or elf, there was a limit to how far a single spell could go. That was a biological limit, one that only great demons could surpass.
After once again carefully explaining the unreliable nature of demons, their terrifying magic, and the unpredictable spells they might possess…
Frieren, still without raising her head, spoke in a low voice:
"In summary, Your Majesty, I hope you will be wary of demons. If possible, cutting off all relations with them would be the best choice."
"I… understand. I will consider this matter carefully. You may withdraw and rest in the annex."
In normal governance, when Ash wasn't present, the king, being the figurehead, would handle things this way, vaguely brushing them off.
As for actual decisions, they would be made later… and how they were made wasn't up to him anyway.
Frieren wanted to say more, but the king had already waved to dismiss them. The doors behind them opened once more with a heavy grinding sound.
———
Having said everything she wanted, Frieren returned to the entrance of the royal court. Yet she felt as if she had just woken from a dream, staring blankly at the wide stone road of the royal city.
Despite the prosperity right before her eyes, everything felt strangely unreal. After a long while, she finally looked at Fern beside her.
"Fern… what do you think is going on right now?"
"Lord Ash is amazing!", Fern, still dazed, spoke her honest thoughts without hesitation, "Even the king of a country treats Lord Ash with such respect."
"That's not respect. That was submission, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, but doesn't that make it even more impressive?", Fern nodded as if it were only natural.
"As expected of Lord Ash. Well… actually, this is exactly the level Lord Ash should be at. But later, I should really ask him how much he's still hiding from me."
"..."
'This girl is beyond saving. Even though she sometimes criticizes Ash, she's still his devoted follower. Even if she were sold off, she'd probably count the money while crying, right?', Looking at the child she had watched grow up, Frieren found herself speechless.
After all, even she didn't think this mindset could be changed now. It just added another layer to the pile of thoughts weighing on her mind.
———
After failing to find Aura, Ash stepped out of the royal court with a troubled expression.
The moment he came out, he was met with Frieren's cold stare.
"You lied to me," Frieren stepped close, looking up at him.
"About what?"
"This country isn't ruled by a wise king at all. You're the one controlling everything from behind the scenes," After saying that, she couldn't help but mutter resentfully, "I should've realized sooner. That magic for growing wheat and crops, it's clearly Milliarde's trick. But she's always idle or thinking about drinking, she'd never do something like that. Which means… the one deliberately spreading that magic could only be you."
"You only figured that out now?"
"Say it. What else are you hiding from me? What else have you lied about?"
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