Chapter 40

Yuji POV.

We just took care of everyone within the fortress, seemingly easy to do at first, it turned out to be an annoying task. The bastards somehow got the courage to fight against the banners of the church, and forced us to use more strength, the lethal kind, hah. After wiping them all out, and of course suffering some negligible casualties, we searched through the fortress without being able to find what we were looking for…

The knights looked tired, but they didn’t dare complain, we are the hero party after all.

“Haru, did you get any update on their location?”

“It is faint, but it seems that they headed forward, they are within demonic lands…”

Renji then intervened

“We should chase after them. They can’t be left to live…”

“NO, actually, there is no need, though I have no idea how they even managed to get past this forest that is filled with ghosts, banshees, specters and werewolves, they will not survive in the swamps before the demonic kingdom, even if they did, they will be caught or killed, let the demons do our job for us.”

As I said the words we began heading out, after making sure to decapitate the heads of the captains and the ones that were in control over the fortress, this location was under the banner of the king’s second son, and now that they proved their ‘treason’ the third son who is under the control of the church will rise to position. Now the church will have control over one of the two major exits towards the demonic kingdom the first being controlled by the king himself, and now the second is at the hand of the church.

Some of the knights we brought with us were left to take control over the fortress, more will be sent here to fortify the defenses, and establish a better base of operation. Gaining an easy access towards the demonic kingdom will allow us to easily access the demon king, slaying him, and getting the magic to take us back home, that is if I want to go back home. I actually find it much more interesting here in this world, especially with the newfound powers, and the respect I get from everyone, I can easily have anything I ever want, and do whatever I want, under the name of the church and heroism, what an amazing time to be alive.

That was the case until one of our classmates screamed, followed by him every single one of us, me included. Pain that was indescribable washed over me, the back of my neck felt on fire like I was being skewered with a hot pike. After few moments of agonizing pain it stopped to be followed by a notification

You have been branded!

Your treason shall be repaid, your shame shall not be forbade. For that the one that fell shall rise again, for that the one that reigned shall fall within.

Run, for that you are being hunted, Run for that your life shall not be pardoned

Run for that the Herald asks tribute.

What the fuck is this?

“What the hell happened? Did anyone activate anything? Did you step on a spell or something? Is this a curse?”

Looking around, it seems that everyone is having the same thing…with the exception of the knights that came with us…its only upon the heroes, sigh this is the same like that day. Fucking stupid random curses…we can’t stay here any longer, we will be needing to head back to the church…

“Can Any of you remove this thing?” I asked the clerics.

“Could you please show us the notification?”

I did, willing the notification to appear to the cleric he read through it and said

“I've never heard of such a curse, its quite strange, what is this herald anyway…I can’t help, probably the bishop can, but there is a problem”

“What is it?” I asked

“This operation was supposed to last a long time, we were to camp here, before further instruction was given, now that the targets we were chasing are not within the fortress, we are not allowed to chase after them, the only thing left to do is for us to wait, but now that you have been afflicted with this strange brand, you will need to go back to the bishop who is no longer back in the mountain of the gods…”

“Where is he then?” I said with impatience

“He, The bishop went to meet his Holiness. The Pontiff asked to see him, you will be needing to head to the capital if you wish to meet with them. The bishop can remove the brand if not I don’t think the pontiff will have a problem with it at all…”

Hmm, meeting the pontiff will probably be a great way to boost my standings, propelling me forward into the society’s echelons…also I could use the chance to meet with the king, asking for titles and property, it is my right as a hero of the kingdom, and protector, is it not?

“Alright, we shall go then. The hero party and the first division of the knights shall follow us to the capital once the second battalion of knights arrives to fully secure the fortress. We shall move by then”

This brand is surly worrisome, but still, it is worth the wait now that I know that my future in this world is secured. A life of fulfillment awaits me and I will let nothing stop me from obtaining it.

Daiki POV

Moments after the maid went running I sighed to the situation I am in…

I need clothes to wear and I am currently butt naked. I love the breeze but I don’t think that the people around me will appreciate such display…

The maid had a towel on her before she left, so I grabbed it and placed it on my waist. Then waited for anyone to come in to explain the situation. Yet the ones that came were soldiers armed to the teeth, wearing black armor with swords that look too dangerous and too sharp.

“Human! How did you infiltrate this place?!” said one of the captains

“Wait. Wait. Wait” I said holding both my hands up in a surrender motion. “There seems to be a mistake here, you should ask the demon king to explain the situation. She knows what happened here”

“What do you mean with; she? The demon king is a man! This just proves you are lying” said the same guard, this time they all drew their weapons and approached closer.

I think I should get serious, but what the hell, that clearly looked like a girl…are they mistaken or is there another demon king?

“What’s with all the ruckus” said the girl that summoned me here…

“Well, it seems that these guys think that I am some sort of enemy to them, could you please explain the situation.”

“Your lordship, we are sorry for the inconvenience, your arrival was too sudden I was not able to assign a guard for you, the servant I sent was not fully informed thus this misunderstanding please forgive us.”

The soldiers began to whisper amongst themselves how that the demon king was speaking politely to a human, and how strange it was.

“Well, still, could you explain, why that these soldiers are calling you a he? I mean clearly you look like a girl to me…if not then you are a very pretty boy with boobs and a nice round ass…”

Once I said the words, the demon king, or Lilith got closer to me, and closed my mouth, her face red as a tomato and asking me to not say a single word.

Yet her sudden move made the towel that I had on my waist fall, adding to her surprise and even ‘bigger’ surprise, causing her to faint with a bloodied nose…

Well sorry…I can’t help it when it comes down to that…

The soldiers, fully forgetting what they were speaking about, and intensely ‘appreciating’ the view, until I cut their entertainment short, by replacing the towel on my waist.

Having regained their senses, they carried the still unconscious demon king out of the bathroom…

What a day…

I left the bathroom only covered with a towel, while my veil was inside my inventory, as I find that there was no need to scare anyone here with the creepiness of the veil.

I was inside some sort of enormous building, the walls paved with stones of enormous sizes, and the ceiling was quite high, the decoration on the walls, and the enormous red carpet on the floor indicates that this establishment belongs to some sort of high nobility. I kept on following the carpet on the floor, meeting with knights and noblemen of all kind. Some were wearing luxurious and extravagant looking outfits, looking at me with disdain and repulsion, yet the rest looked at me with embarrassment.

I inspected most of them, yet they didn’t strike me as anything surprising, they were all bellow level 200.

With the exception of one that I met, an old demon-kin with one horn, and a gray beard, he was wearing a butler’s outfit, and a saber on his waist a tail on his back that was cut in half.

He, unlike any of the rest, the moment he looked at me took a defensive position, sweat trickled down his forehead and you can see the seriousness in his red eyes. This one must have seen numerous battles to be this weary of a naked man within his own territory.

Balthazar Svinks

Level 440

Demon-kin

(Servant of the kingdom)

I approached the man, and he didn’t move a muscle. Still weary, but not defiant and not cowering.

Tilting my head I asked

“Where can I find something to eat? I missed food.”

The man looked surprised to hear me speak about food and said

“The kitchen is right around the corner. You can ask the cooks to give you what you need…we don’t have human flesh in reserve your lordship but we can arrange something for you in few days if you could wait.”

“Human flesh? Do I look like a cannibal? Sorry I just want some vegetables and meat, chicken will do, but lamb or even deer meat will be better”

“Cannibal? Are you a human your lordship?”

I looked at the man intently and grinned before saying.

“Former human”

The bearded demon then stopped in his place, gave a small bow and walked away.

They are quite gentle, really not caring for my existence within this place. I wonder if the demon king warned them of my existence here, or they are really not caring enough to bother with me.

Once I found the kitchen, the servants who were there all scrambled away and left. As if in a hurry, or afraid of something…

The kitchen was quite large, an enormous room filled with all foodstuff and utensils.

The moment I grabbed at one of them

Your body and soul still remembers your exploits in your former life.

Secondary class

The cook

Is available to you

Do you accept?

Y/N

Nice! I can have it back I pressed yes

You have regained what was once lost

The cook

Cooking proficiency

4/10

I even get to continue where I left.

Your hands still remember the art of making food and your soul strives for more

You have remembered something you have long since forgotten

Quest renewed

Find the food necromancer.

Again with that food necromancer… how the hell is that even a thing, really?

I began looking through the cooking tools and available food, there was some potatoes or something that looked like it, onion some herbs and a lot of meat, I made sure that the meat that was in the kitchen did not belong to any humanoid race, the words that the butler said before kind of scared me a bit.

Then I started, it feels very good being back in the kitchen, though a cook only wearing a towel is probably not often seen