406. Exposed

General Zura, the highest-leveled [Warrior] in the city of Alyras, was dead. He had not been equivalent to an Elite Ranked adventurer. Not even close. He was level 130. A mid Diamond Ranked adventurer at best. So, perhaps the Elites gathered in Alyras didn’t treat his death like it had been a major blowback. At least, compared to losing a Level 150 adventurer.

However, Rana not only knew Zura, he was also the small city state’s— in the grand scheme of things— best general. Losing him meant a lot to Alyras as a whole.

The city was in lockdown. No one could leave the city. Entering was possible but hard. All travelers who were headed to Alyras were warned to stay as far away from the region as possible. Especially after Prime Minister Marlowe of the Sunmere Republic’s death.

It was all because of those Demons. The six Demons who each equaled an Elite in strength. They were hunting down as many important figures as they could. And they were elusive, hard to find.

Helena Warshade, the Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy, and leader of the Rising Veterans Company was working together with Orgaf the Thief of the Golden Scales to hunt them down. Yet, even with their best efforts, they weren’t able to catch the Demons.

Rana found it frustrating. Not only was the Conference of Alyras delayed until this was resolved, something else was delayed for her. Something on a more personal level…

“It was my birthday…”

She sighed as she lay in her bed. Hugging her pillow, she flipped over and faced her best friend. Her maid. Sevika was there, tending to the princess as per usual. Partially because of her maid duties, but also because she was her bodyguard.

“I can’t believe my birthday celebrations were postponed because of those stupid Demons.”

“Princess Rana, you are aware that there are far more pressing matters than your birthday celebration, right?”

Sevika spoke in a flat voice as per usual. Rana looked up at her maid, trying to protest.

“I understand that! But…”

She trailed off and pouted. The maid shook her head.

“This is a childish tantrum unbefitting a princess. You know that as well as I do.”

Rana could rationally tell that Sevika was right. But it was especially upsetting since this was her eighteenth birthday. It would be her coming of age party. She was officially an adult, and it was one of the most important days of her life.

Unfortunately, it was ruined because of this whole ordeal. Yes, there were far more significant events displaced because of it, but this was important to Rana on a personal level. It was entirely an irrational feeling, but she was never the bastion of rationality.

She lay there quietly as Sevika just sighed. The maid opened her mouth, about to either offer a quip or her empathy— probably the former— when there was a rapping at the door. Rana froze.

“Sevika? Are we supposed to have guests this late at night?”

“I do not believe so, princess Rana.”

The maid and bodyguard frowned. She drew a handful of needle-like daggers in between her fingers and approached the doorway. Rana held her breath, fearing the worst as the door creaked open, and—

Sevika lowered her guard. She stepped to the side, bowing her head. Rana herself blinked as an ostentatious man entered the room. He bowed at her with a flair.

“Hello, my dear Rana.”

“Peris?”

Her eyes narrowed. For a moment, she relaxed. But then her shoulders tensed. Getting off her bed, she faced him warily.

“What do you want from me?”

“Ah, but do I need to have a reason to visit my dear betrothed?”

He proffered a hand to her, and she pushed it away. Rana glared at him.

“I have nothing to say to you, you selfish bastard. I can’t believe you convinced most of the Helbir League against forming this grand coalition against the Inoria Empire.”

The Crown Prince of Dolonia paused. His gaze darkened as he whispered.

“I believe you are misrepresenting my stance, my lovely Rana.”

“I am not. You’re just a coward.”

She gritted her teeth as she spoke. But Peris didn’t reply with the same acerbic tone. Instead, he raised his head and shrugged.

“The Inoria Empire is a single nation, very much capable of being overwhelmed by the Vaun Qieur Empire and the Eastern Kingdom Alliance alone. I see no reason to involve the loss of life on our end. I am simply being rational.”

“How is that the rational move?”

Rana pointed at him accusingly.

“You are actively pushing the problem to someone else hoping they’ll deal with it. If everyone approaches this issue the same way, then no one will confront the Demon threat. We will all die.”

“Perhaps…”

Peris tapped a finger on his forearm.

“But that is not the case, is it? After all, it seems that most of the world will be siding against the Demons.”

He raised a brow at her, and she blinked.

“What?”

Shrugging, Peris Dolonia started away from the bedside.

“I have come here only to wish you my birthday wishes, my dear princess Rana. I do not wish to quarrel with you. Not tonight.”

He halted by the doorway as Sevika held it open for him. He glanced back at Rana as she stared at him in irritation. Then he smirked.

“And, if you must know, I am heading out with Helena Warshade tomorrow alongside a few other Elites. We will be finding those pesky Archdemons plaguing this meeting. If you think I am that much of a coward, well, don’t think I haven’t heard of that new best friend of yours. That prodigious adventurer, Salvos, the great Liberator of the Plaguelands, who is… nowhere to be found.”

He shook his head and stepped out into the outside halls.

“I wonder who’s the real coward here?”

Chuckling, the door closed behind him. Rana tightly gripped the side of her pillow and got to her feet.

“That jerk!”

She threw the pillow across the room, and it bounced off the wall and landed fluffily on Sevika’s face.

“Ow.”

The maid spoke in a monotonous voice. Rana was upset over it. She couldn’t lie and say his words didn’t get to her. They always did. But especially so this time since it held some truth in it. After all, Rana couldn’t say she wasn’t thinking the same thing.

It was the question on everyone’s mind.

“Just where are you, Salvos?”

Where was Salvos? For some reason, everyone approached Daniel Song with this question. He was, after all, her most well-known partner. More so than even Edithe Dawnrise who was also a Liberator of the Plaguelands, or Saffron Merryster, who was Salvos’ roommate in Mavos academy.

But Daniel was the one who’d first met Salvos. He entered the Brilsum Ruins with her, and together, they reported the first instance of the now-deceased Primeval Demon when it was only an Archdemon. He was the first person seen with her all the way back in Hazelbury, although Edithe joined them soon after.

Regardless, everyone expected the young man to know the answer to their question. After all, the city of Alyras was under an emergency lockdown, and they needed every help they could get to hunt down these Demons threatening the city.

Unfortunately, Daniel didn’t know the answer to the question either.

“Seriously, why does everyone expect me to know where Salvos went.”

He scowled as he marched down the gilded hallway of the palace of Alyras. Amanda trailed behind him, her hands behind her back as she cast her gaze around the decorations.

“I mean, it’s only natural everyone expects her boyfriend to know where she’s at, right?”

She grinned as she turned to him. He twisted his lips.

“I’m not her boyfriend, Amanda. How many times must I tell you that?”

She rubbed her ears and turned away.

“Sorry, what? I didn’t catch that.”

Daniel rolled his eyes but didn’t otherwise argue with her. He wasn’t in the mood for it. And he was in the palace of Alyras for something important, anyway.

He came to a halt just outside of the meeting room Helena Warshade had requested his presence in. Amanda paused behind him.

“So, what do you think this is going to be about?”

She raised a brow at him.

“Think they’re gonna torture you until you tell them where Salvos went?”

“Look, I already said this before, but I can’t even call for her because that stupid barrier over the city prevents the Enhanced Horn of the Caller from reaching beyond its boundaries.”

“Antimagic, right.”

Amanda shrugged as he explained. She smirked at him.

“I guess you’ll just have to be tortured, then.”

He scoffed at that. Then he hesitated as he placed a hand on the doorknob. Was.. Amanda right? That straight thought crossed his mind, making him second guess just casually entering the meeting room.

But the door swung open without his help. A spell. He blinked and looked up as half a dozen figures loomed over him from the other side of the room. He recognized them all immediately. They were Elite Ranked adventurers. And at the center of the gathering was Helena Warshade.

She spoke simply as the door closed and an enchantment activated at its handles.

“Does that assassin know about your secret too, Daniel Song?”

He blinked and looked back at Amanda.

“My… secret?”

It took him a moment to parse what Helena was saying, although Amanda picked up on it immediately. The assassin nodded.

“Yes, I am aware.”

Helena’s eyes flickered— some kind of truth spell? And she nodded slowly as Daniel still glanced around, a puzzled look on his face.

“Very well then.”

The Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy cleared her throat as his eyes grew wide.

“Daniel Song, [Hero] from Earth A1, we need your help.”

“What…?”

His heart skipped a beat.