Chapter 18 – Names and Truths
Xavier finally spoke.
"…Sure."
Ignes replied just as calmly,
"Yes."
Maximilian von Ace Xavier's older twin looked between them and frowned.
"Xav… why are you being antagonistic toward Igna?"
Xavier ignored him completely.
Instead, he looked straight at Ignes.
"…Or are you against killing your own kind?"
"Demon King Nyx."
The room went silent.
William immediately reacted.
"Xavier, stop talking nonsense."
There was clear anger in his voice.
Ignes, however, tilted his head slightly.
"…Oh."
"Paperwork man."
Xavier's cold aura broke instantly.
He almost slipped from his chair.
"…That is not my name."
Ignes looked at him calmly.
"I asked for your name."
"You didn't tell me."
"So… paperwork man it is."
Frederick suddenly leaned forward.
"When?" he asked quickly.
"Before the apocalypse or after?"
"And… did you fight him?"
"Ignes… are you the Demon King?"
Ignes blinked.
"Wow, Frey."
"You're very excited for one of the Empire fighting against demons."
William sighed.
"Igna… at least call His Majesty 'uncle.'"
At that moment, the Dukes realized something.
Ignes had stopped calling Frederick "uncle"—
And was calling him "Frey" instead.
Alexander was about to say something—
That it was fine between them—
But Ignes spoke first.
"Alright."
"Then it's Max."
William immediately reacted.
"Igna! You can't call him by his majesty son name!"
Ignes shrugged.
"That's his name."
"He just gave that name to his son too."
"That's all."
Frederick nodded.
"Yes."
"Max is my name."
William blinked.
"…That's really your name?"
Frederick smiled slightly.
"Yes."
"By the way—this is Izar."
"The one I told you about."
William looked at Ignes in shock.
"…Is that true?"
Ignes nodded.
"Yes."
Then he glanced at Frederick.
"You didn't say anything weird, right?"
Xavier, who had been silent again, spoke.
"…No. He didn't."
"He just said how great and holy your "
His tone was no longer as cold as before.
---
Frederick sighed dramatically.
"My own son…"
"Gone for ten years…"
"And now he refuses to call me 'father.'"
---
Ignes leaned back slightly.
"Xavier is like that."
"If his friend suddenly becomes his father…"
He smirked faintly.
"…there's no way he's calling that person him father "