"Hey Daer Daer. Please give this princess a glass of water."

"Get me some more chicken son. My plates already clean."

"I think I got some sauce stuck on my cheek. Mind being a prince and wiping it off Darry-Poo?"

Darian put up a fake smile while trying to suppress his rage. As if getting his balls crushed by his dad wasn't bad enough, he got his ass kicked by Alicia in another match earlier. The embarassment he experienced so far cancelled out all his excitement from learning [Presence Detection].

Adding to the humiliation, his father forced him to be a butler during lunchtime as punishment. Made to cook, serve and call Alicia and Levion "master," it was easily part of his top three most mortifying experiences.

"Oh but of course my beautiful master."

Grabbing a napkin roughly as if he were choking it, he dabbed Alicia's face as she sat with a very satisfied smile. His face twitched while trying to keep his fake smile on.

"Make sure to clean up our plates. Hell, maybe I'll even leave a tip." Levion said in a mocking tone.

Internally fighting his desire to smash his father's face, he forefully grabbed both Alicia's and Levion's dirty dishes and headed to the washing bucket. He cursed under his breath while begrudgingly washing off those plates.

After finishing, he got up and went back to the lunchtable and bowed down with a strained smile.

"I hope my service was acceptable for my venerable masters."

Unable to take it anymore, Levion burst out laughing as he watched his son try his best to act like a butler. Originally, he thought that he went a bit overboard by threatening to tear off his manhood and hang it in the middle of the village if he didn't comply. However, seeing his soon making a fool of himself, he no longer had any more regrets.

"Damn, this is so fucking good," he remarked between howls. "Maybe I should get you to be a butler everyday."

"Yes please do so father!" Alicia chimed in with a dreamy face. "Darian's finally acting more like a wonderful prince gentleman just for me!"

Darian's head pounded as he watched the two brats in front of him laugh hysterically.

Valurn was sitting out on guard duty once again. He dozed off for a bit until suddenly he detected an unusual cloaked person walking towards the village.

He vigilently checked the man out with [Presence Detection]. However, his skill did not pick up any hostile intentions. Sighing in relief, he got up and went to greet the man in welcome.

"Hey. We don't usually get visitors around this part. What are you doing around here?"

The man smiled as he reached out and brought out a small bag with documentation.

"I hail from the territory of Jenio on the outskirts of the Alyastia Kingdom. I came hear after hearing some rumors about you guys harvesting some good potatoes soon and came to trade for a few of them."

Valurn nodded in understanding. He remembered seeing plenty of people come from the Jenio region and trade a few times a year, so the man's story was nothing unusual. After all, even he had to admit Tanquai grew some of the best potatoes he's ever eaten.

"Haha alright. Your story checks out," Valurn smiled as stretched out his hand. "Welcome to Tanquai! I recommend you head towards the red building about fifty houses down to the right. That's where you'll find all those potatoes you're looking for."

"Thanks a ton!" The man nodded as he shook his hand.

Watching the cloaked man enter the village, the assassin suddenly felt his intuition warning him to watch out for that man. However, [Presence Detection] still did not ring off any warning bells whatsoever. He shook that uneasy feeling off as he thought it was just him overthinking things.

Fuck. I had to touch that freak's hand.

Cursing silently in his head was Landon, the [Hero of the Sword] himself. For a split second, he looked in disgust at his hand that he used to shake the Demon's. However, he soon put a stop that and quickly reverted back to a neutral expression.

Calm down. Can't blow my cover just yet.

He understood that the guard he met in the front of the gate was no simple man. In fact, he felt the guard's [Presence Detection] nearly exposed his true intentions. It took every bit of willpower and use of his [Actor] skill to trick the vigilent man and his skill.

The Hero disguised himself as a poor merchant from some rebel territory outside of the Alyastia Kingdom. While he could technically power his way through from the beginning and likely wipe out the village anyways, he didn't want to risk any of the villagers running away.

He planned on making sure no one had any chance to react when he activates his ultimate move.

It's almost time. Landon thought to himself smiling.

Out in the fields, Levion was watching Darian and Alicia harvest some potatoes.

"Darry-Poo. I'm tired. As I'm a weak and feeble princess, you should be a man and do the work for for me."

"Says the one who beat me up this morning. Weak my ass."

"But princesses aren't supposed to do dirty hard work like this."

"Shut up you lazy brat and keep picking up these potatoes."

The two of them continued going back and forth as they worked. Levion chuckled to himself as he watched their exchange.

"If only you were here to see your son now Evelyn." He muttered to himself while clutching a red gem on his necklace.

HIs thoughts started flying off to the day he met Darian's mother. How he saved her from a bunch of pursuers while hunting in the forest. The moment he fell in love with her. The moment their son was born and the look of pure joy on her face. And the sad moment where they made that fateful vow as she left him forever.

However, there was nothing he could do about it. He knew of his wife's circumstances and still loved her anyway even until the end. Even if he knew earlier his wife would be gone forever so soon, he would still cherish her without a second thought.

Returning his thoughts back to reality, he gazed once more at the two bickering thirteen year olds in front of him with a smile.

It's now time.

The [Hero of the Sword] walked right into the middle of the village. Looking around, he watched in dismay as he saw Humans and Demons interacting with each other like good friends and neighbors. The cheery vibe he felt from the people in this village was sickening to see, especially watching Demons act civilized.

If only these Humans around here could understand just how barbaric Demons truly innately are. I'd do anything for that.

He let out a sigh as he realized that idea was impossible. However, remembering his earlier silent vow, his mood went back to one of determination as he understood he still could save the Humans in another way.

Don't worry. I'll finally end this humilation for all the Humans here once and for all.

"[Sword Blast]"

He yelled out as a sword suddenly appeared in his hands. Immediately, he raised the glowing sharp object and plunged it into the ground.

Valurn stared out into the grasslands as he continued his guard work. His worries from earlier about that cloaked man diminished into nothingness.

It sure is a nice day...

He let himself immerse in the nice cool breezes massaging his body while the sun bathed his skin. The birds chirped and flew around the village in harmony.

However, this peaceful atmosphere didn't last much longer.

Suddenly, [Presence Detection] and every other instinctive warning bell blared off in a fury inside him as he felt a huge explosion of power pop up. He jerked his head towards the village and braced himself with defensive buffs as a bad premonition overwhelmed him.

Jauvin let out a groan as he woke up in pain.

Last night, after giving up chasing the four brats, he went and somehow washed off all the muck on him despite the pain. He then went to his bed to recover and didn't wake up until after lunchtime.

Ders damned basturds

He cursed internally as he looked over his body. While he didn't have any broken bones, he had plenty of purple and dark bruises covering him. The deep sore pain pulsed throughout his body as he got up and walked towards his cane.

Lumbering into his kitchen, he comtemplated what he should eat for a late lunch. However, as soon as he decided on bread, he suddenly felt an unusual powerful energy swell up outside.

Der hell?

He ignored the pain as he tried to quickly run towards the window. Looking towards the middle of town, he saw a bright golden light shine and expand rapidly.

Seeing that, he immediately braced himself as he realized something bad was about to happen.

"Come on Chloe! Hurry up!"

Faveon yelled out to his female friend as they both jogged towards Darian's place. Since they were both bored, they decided to meet up with Darian and Alicia and see if he wanted to hang for the afternoon.

However, Faveon decided to turn their walk over into a sprint as he grew impatient. For the less athletically gifted Chloe, she was unable to keep up with her Demon friend, much to his disappointment.

"Damn Faveon. You know I'm not that fast." She complained while scowling.

"That's what you get for not exercising," Faveon quipped back, "No wonder you're starting to get a little heavier. Didn't you gain--"

Chloe interrupted her stupid friend's rant by punching down his head.

"Talk about my weight again and you'll be wishing you were dead when I'm through with you."

Faveon immediately shut up.

As they started walking again, suddenly they noticed a bright light entering the edges of their vision.

"What is that..."

Both of them looking over towards the source, they saw a bright golden light shine from the middle of the village. A sudden spike of dread rose in the both of them as the felt something was completely wrong.

"NO!"

Faveon pushed down Chloe in an embrace towards the ground while screaming. He felt that light contained some unimaginable power that could easily flatten this village. Hoping some miracle would happen, he wished with all his heart that at the very least Chloe would be spared as he tried shielding her with his body.

However, reality was cruel.

The golden light exploded with a huge boom. An unfathomably strong blast wave formed and pushed out rapidly, engulfing the both of them as they forever disappeared from the planet into ice cold darkness.

"Damn it Alicia."

Darian smacked the back of his friend's head as she tried to act like she was "too weak and tired" to continue picking potatoes. Of course, her pathetically bad acting fooled nobody.

Alicia winced as she reflexively yelped and rubbed her hands tenderly on her hurt spot. She looked back at Darian teary eyed and pouting as she complained in a whiny voice.

"That hurt Darry! Why'd you hit me?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe because you're sitting there whining like a brat trying to get out of work."

Darian continued glaring at Alicia as she solemnly looked down. Soon, he let out a tired breath as he noticed her remain quiet and depressed.

"Hey. I'm sorry for hurting you," he continued. "However, it gets real annoying when you don't put in your fair share of effort. No prince would want a useless princess who can't do anything."

Alicia looked up at Darian in thought. Soon, her face changed from depressed to pouty as she frowned and puffed up her cheeks.

"Hey! I'm not useless!"

Laughing, Darian pinched her puffed cheek teasingly.

"Well then, prove it to me by helping finish up digging out these potatoes."

"Hmph! I'll show you!"

With a resolute look in her eyes, Alicia started digging and picking potatoes at a very fast pace. Darian looked at his motivated friend with amusement. He chuckled as he thought about how simple-minded she was and started digging for potatoes himself.

However, this atmosphere didn't last for long.

Suddenly, they felt a power surge ripple through the air. Both of them immediately perked their head up and looked towards the source.

A bad feeling swelled up in the both of them as they saw a golden yellow light shine from the middle of town.

"NOOOO!!!"

Levion looked over towards shining yellow light in absolute horror as he recognized what that light meant.

Fuck that's [Sword Blast]!!!

Just a few moments ago, he was looking over at his son and Alicia picking potatoes in the peaceful afternoon sun. However, a sudden surge in power coming out of nowhere completely shattered that mood.

How the hell did the [Hero of the Sword] get in here?!!

Frantically, he activated [Defensive Barrier] in absolute panic and expanded it towards his son and Alicia. The last thing he wanted was for either of them to get vaporized. That was his worst fear as of now.

Suddenly, the golden light exploded as it sent its powerful sonic blast across the whole village. Levion, Darian, and Alicia closed their eyes and ears in terror as the circular boom flew right at them.