The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

With Ancil's invitation, everyone there except the knights had moved to the palace's royal guest reception room.

Lumia and Melika were rather nervous. Both were completely tense sitting there, and it even showed on their faces. Never mind speaking, they didn't even dare to breath loudly.

Shien and Vivian sat down facing Ancil and Lucy. Behind the two of them, that solid looking knight Aldia stood like a statue guarding the two of them. His features were like granite from start to end, giving the impression of weapon specifically meant for the defense of the royalty, but the presence he gave off was by no means weak.

Here though, Diere didn't sit with the rest of the group. Instead, she leaned on the wall in a corner of the reception room like she was trying to get away. She just folded her arms, giving off an antsy impression.

At this time, Lucy had already basically gone through everything that had happened.

Ancil also nodded thoughtfully.

"In other words, Lucy met Shien thanks to Vivian's introduction and knew that he was quite strong. Thus, she got exited at this rare chance and invited Shien out to the training grounds for a spar, right?" Ancil confirmed the entire chain of events.

"Indeed so." Lucy nodded. Her fascinatingly beautiful face was both cold and stern. She had completely entered princess mode.

Lucy, in her current mode, was quite awe-inspiring. Even more so than Aldia actually. Even Ancil, the king, paled next to her. Anyone would awestruck.

Actually, ever since the start, Lumia and Melika would keep sneaking peeks at Lucy with blushes. Their eyes were worshipful, making it obvious that they've all become fans.

In front of outsider, Lucy has always been like this. Perfect and flawless.

However…

"Since I never imagined that I'd be able to match strength with someone so strong that's also my age, I ended up going a bit overboard. I'm truly sorry for making so much trouble for everyone."

Lucy's apologies were from the heart though, so she had been apologizing all the while since the start.

"I also need to apologize to Shien for forcing you to accommodate my selfishness to such a state."

Lucy lowered her head to Shien to the surprise of everyone there.

Shien alone however just roller his eyes at Lucy. It was like he could see the image of Lucy crying for forgiveness with her hands clasped.

Although no one else could see that image, they did start offering replies to Lucy's apology.

"It's all good so long as everything's fine." Ancil gazed at Lucy with very indulgent eyes like he was looking at his greatest treasure, "If a mere training ground was enough to guarantee the safety of the successor to the Holy Sword that our family has waited a thousand years for, then I believe that no one in the Kingdom would mind. Rather, we'd consider us as getting the far better end of the deal, right?"

Compared to a case were Lucy really was attacked, then the Kingdom would be rather pay ten, a hundred, or even a thousand of such training grounds if it meant that Lucy got out of it safely.

Ancil had shown such a thought, and Vivian, Aldia, and the rest of them all silently agreed.

One could see from that just how much the people of the Kingdom valued and loved Lucy.

It's probably because Aldia was the same that he ended up attacking Shien back at the training grounds without even a word, right?

Because, at that time, Shien may very likely have been the attacker.

It's exactly because they were in a panic and, seeing someone capable of threatening Lucy, that both Ancil and Aldia acted so impatiently and did all they could to protect Lucy.

"Thank you."

Lucy understood that full well as well, and so she turned to give her thanks to everyone.

Only, Shien managed to see a kind of resignation from the princess.

After all, it's exactly that concern that turned into Lucy's prison, forcing her to keep her true nature secret.

Is being viewed with such importance by everyone something to be happy or resigned about? That's perhaps something more for the philosophers.

Perhaps it's exactly because of that that Lucy was forced to restrain herself and not allow herself to act too selfishly?

After all, the entire Kingdom may very well end up doing some really crazy things just to satisfy her minor whims, and that could very well lead to something terrible.

Lucy's position was far too special. The amount of effect she could cause was just way too much.

Thus, if she ended up acting selfishly, a lot of people may end up effected and meet tragic endings.

Shien basically understood as well just why Lucy had to show herself to be perfect in front of others instead of her true self.

It's because, given her surroundings, if Lucy doesn't hold herself back, then no one could hold her back.

At that thought, Shien finally gave Lucy a sympathetic look.

Lucy seemed to have received it too, and the resignation in her eyes became even thicker.

If not for the fact that there were still outsiders around, Shien was sure that Lucy would already have started complaining.

However, right now, all Lucy could do is to quietly sit there and do her best to act like a nice and proper princess.

However, now everyone's eyes were gathered upon Shien.

"I really had never imagined that there could be another youngster in this world who could match Lucy."

Ancil marveled at the situation and showed a warm and amiable expression toward Shien.

"You're a member of Vivian's adventuring party, so you must be born in Lamdrion, right?"

Ancil had started trying to probe Shien for his background.

Shien really did want to reply that he actually came from the great sea of stars.

Unfortunately, while it's fine to use that kind of nonsense as a joke, there's no way it'd be acceptable to say to the ruler of a nation.

Thus, Shien could only nod and do his best to act cold and distant.

Of course, by now, Shien's anger had already mostly cooled, so it's not like he's acting this way toward the king just because he was pissed off.

However, it's also because of the fact that he's the king. In Shien's opinion, when it comes to dealing with people high up in governance, it's best to avoid saying too much.

As the saying goes, he who talks much errs much. He had tried to actively hide his identity before, but the result was that he was seen through so many times in the end.

In order to prevent something similar from happening, Shien instead did his best to not talk at all and just give a cold and distant impression.

Ancil didn't seem to mind it all that much either.

"Truly a miracle." Ancil marveled, "Originally, just the birth of Lucy was already a miracle for the Kingdom and the entire Mortal Realm, but she could only come so far because she was a Hero's descendant. I truly never imagined that humanity could birth a prodigy on the same level as Lucy. Plus, logically speaking, such a prodigy should have immediately attracted divine attention at the moment of his birth, and as such should have been known by all. To suddenly appear just like that truly is far too unexpected."

Ancil's meaning was quite simple. He was basically showing his awe and puzzlement toward Shien's existence.

However, Shien had already decided not to respond to any of that.

(Go ahead and be as amazed and try to probe me as you like.)

Either way, I'm not going to say a word. Let's see how you're going to see through my identity like that.

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