Alan sat in his office, wearing a pair of small circular reading glasses. He lifted his gaze from the various bills, requests, and parchnts. Asmodeus stood a few steps away, with Sariel standing a step behind him, wearing a glossy black dress.
The forr hero rubbed his forehead before his lips curled into a bitter smile.
"You insist on departing first, even knowing the dangers you will face?" Alan's brow lifted as he frowned, a stern but helpless voice resounding through the room.
"Sorry, Alan… It's sothing I have to do, and your n need rest."
He gazed at his so-called best friend, an urge to punch him growing, as his belly grey hot with rage, knowing the dangers. Alan planned to have the Grigorian knights and army push forward together, making it easier.
'Yet this fool!'
'No…' Alan understood Asmodeus and the plans in his mind.
He was grateful that his friend was still willing to face danger and hardships for their kingdom. Alan would do nothing more than follow his brother into battle, but the cold burdens of reality bound him.
He needed to wait for soone to co and take over managent of this territory, for the knights who would replenish those that might leave.
Should they just abandon it and head into the demon empire together?
What about the people who believed in him and resisted for the past few months?
These were thoughts and questions that Alan knew he couldn't ignore.
"I am not angry at you; this is the best plan of action. It's just that I always pictured us going together."
"Alan…"
The ti for acting young and foolish ended. Now, he needed to beco wise and manage things more maturely.
He would soon be a father, and the kingdom needed him.
After the recent attack, Alan noticed changes in his friend—a more focused and stern gaze faced him. No longer did Asmodeus act playful or foolish, which worried him.
'What if he does sothing stupid or reckless?' Alan wondered, watching as his friend sipped the pale and tasteless tea.
"When will you leave? Do you need my help with anything?"
"Tonight. If you let leave with a few knights, then I would be grateful, though the demon knights and Fredrika should be arriving before nightfall.
Alan didn't notice at the ti, but when Asmodeus travelled to the beast empire and visited his lovers there. However, while there, he also arranged for the troops, which left Grigor to return, the ones who used to serve Alan's niece, Anne.
'Oh… it's Vinea now.'
He struggled to avoid mixing up their demon and human nas, but Asmodeus and the won didn't mind. It seed the demonic nas were closer to their pet nas and sothing that carried significance for them as a group.
Not for outsiders.
"I see. Make sure you join for one last dinner in five hours… If I sent my best friend off like this, my ancestors would chase with a sword, haha."
Alan laughed nervously, his teeth clenching as he tried to hide his feelings. He clenched the pen in his hands and pushed back the thoughts.
'It'll be okay—nothing will happen to him before I can leave.'
'Ryuji won't die.'
The demon opposite him, oblivious to his worries, whispered and filtered with his little demon, pulling Sariel to sit on his lap while enjoying the sweet butter cookies on the table.
Alan might have complained normally, but as the sound of crunching biscuits and his pen dragging along the parchnt echoed, there was a sense of tranquillity and peace in his mind.
"You can always count on if you need help. Ryuji."
A nostalgic na—he noticed his friend's shoulders shake and a slight crack in his confident look before he turned to face him.
Alan didn't know that having a close friend could be so irritating yet pleasant before he t Ryuji; there might have been hundreds of nobles desperate to befriend him, but none of them for earnest reasons.
'That's why Ryuji is special—I cannot lose him.'
At so point, this annoying kid who loved to swing his axe and cause trouble beca as important as his brother, the kingdom, and a mber of his beloved family.
'Though he slept with my sister!'
Silence remained in the room as the two nodded seriously and slightly awkwardly. Ryuji's lips twitched before showing an evil grin, while Alan shook his head and lifted his lips, revealing a pearly white smile.
"If you lose, then I'll kill you myself, idiot."
"Haha, if you co late, then I'll take all the glory!"
A dull ache filled Alan's stomach, killing the mood or desire to finish his paperwork as he watched Ryuji and the succubus leave. He found it strange the succubus beca well-behaved. Normally, she might chatter on about strange things…
'I guess this is really it, the mont of truth.'
The skies beca dark, thunder and lightning rumbling and striking the ground.
The army gathered at the front of the city gate, thousands of n, criminals, knights, and commoners. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire
A ragtag bunch that would never fight together stood shoulder to shoulder. Besides their weapons and armour, they held their banners aloft—a mix of green, yellow, red and black banners blew proudly against the rain.
Asmodeus sat on top of a monster called a Dire wolf, staring back at Alan atop the walls and taking a deep breath while wearing leather riding gloves.
He could see Alan's worried gaze as his brows knit and his lips pressed together so tightly that they turned pale.
'Alan, forgive , but I have to leave early.'
"Levia, Velvet, Alice, are you ready?" His stern voice echoed, breaking the tense silence.
"I am always prepared, My Lord!"
"Whenever you're ready, darling."
"Ready, My dear." Alice beca softer after their nights together—now that he beca so tense, Alice beca sweeter and spoke with a comforting, silky tone.
"Check your weapons, maps and other resources. Vinea, Fuuka, Ciela and Aki, can we start?"
Vinea looked around for a few monts. While her hood hid most of her face, Asmodeus could see her gaze lingering on her uncle and then the people of Grigor. She turned to face him with a faint smile. "I'm ready, my king."
"My dear husband, the arrows and other items are prepared." Ciela humd while her horse trotted closer.
Aki and Fuuka stood behind him, giving an affirmative response. A forr classmate who now looked like a warrior with her two katana and black leather armour. She smiled brilliantly as if achieving a lifelong goal.
Asmodeus checked their gazes and ensured each woman showed no signs of worry or anxiety before he turned to the last group—a trio of beautiful won who seed oblivious to the storm or knights around them and only gazed at Asmodeus with focused eyes.
"Asmodea, Sariel, Erika, is everything in order?"
"Yes, my beloved. I am ready to depart whenever these won take too long!"
"Asmodeus, if you need anything, please let know." Erika followed Asmodea, the of them silently competing for his attention and affection.
anwhile, Sariel just gazed at him with a smile, her soft lips shining with a gloss, like her radiant body. After they spent the night together, she awakened as a true succubus.
Asmodeus took another look around, glancing at his lovers, feeling nervous about taking them all into such a long and arduous battle. But since they were adamant about being there for him, how could he refuse?
"Lumina, take good care of her."
"Anything for you, but please give a reward after." Sariel didn't mount a horse or wolf but sat on the back of Lumina, the white Arachne; maybe because they were both more monsters than demons, they got along better than the others.
Suddenly, Alan's voice bood from the walls, a regal and proud voice travelling through the stormy winds.
"All rise and salute the departure of our hero and hope. Our brave allies venture forward to defeat our enemy. This is the first step of the campaign to return our glorious world to its rightful state."
All those present bowed to him, their armour clanking and rattling while the rain pelted them.
"No longer will you have to fear the demons coming to take those you love, to invade our lands or burn down our hos. We have built this paradise together, and we shall protect it until our dying breath!"
The n stomped their feet, raising their swords and hamrs high in salute.
Alan spread his arms as the gates slowly lifted, a dramatic act but a welco gift of departure.
"This day, we, who have united despite race or history, stand against the forces of evil, tyranny, and despair! Never again will any harm co to our ho or families!"
"I swear, upon my na and title, Grand Duke Alan Grigor, that we shall not be defeated and, with our allies alongside us, I proclaim today is the first day of many in our glorious counterattack!"
"YEAH!"
"Long Live his Graces! Long Live Grigor!"
"For justice!" He raised a wine glass filled with expensive purple wine, smiling while watching Ryuji leave.
Thunder roared overhead, lightning tearing apart the sky above as though blessing the departure.
'This fool just wanted an excuse to open that expensive wine!'
"Haha…"
"What's the matter, My lord?"
"Nothing, I just rembered sothing funny."
The howl of wolves and clack of hooves soon resounded as the small army rode out.
They headed north and straight towards the heart of darkness—the Demon Capital, The Black Throne.
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