"Your Imperial Majesty, there's trouble!"

A soldier came rushing through the door, this would be the scene where some nobles would call the man rude and then continue to berate him but only the empress, her aide, and the very few guards were here.

"Calm yourself first."

The soldier was out of breath and panicking but under the words of the empress, he seemed to have calmed down though only slightly.

"Demons are attacking from fifteen different locations throughout the Empire! It's been reported that they were hiding underground and none of them came from any hideouts because they'd all been destroyed by arrows. We would send troops to assist them but some of them are at the other side of the country, even our fastest troops won't arrive in a week!"

Hearing this, the empress furrowed her brows beneath her veil and clenched her throne's armrest.

"Quickly prioritize those you are able to help, We will deal with a way to take care of the rest."

Saying that, the empress stood up and walked out. Normally, one would send a messenger but she was taking the trip herself, the soldier was taken aback but only for an instant, he quickly issued orders and sent out troops to help some nearby areas- though even then, they might be too late. The demons weren't attacking towns, only rural villages and areas, most of which have no A-class to assist them.

Kai had already heard everything and was waiting for the empress to arrive at his door. Although she said that she wouldn't ask him of anything other than protecting the palace, they already made an alliance.

Lightly knocking on the door twice before calling out, the empress still managed to retain her composure.

"Sir Kai, can We speak with you?"

The empress didn't receive an answer, the door simply opened and revealed Kai standing by the window.

"Your Majesty, what seems to be the problem?"

"We- no, this country needs your help. We have established an alliance and I will definitely pay you back so please assist me in saving this country from the attacking demons."

She broke away from her normal way of speaking, she was now referring to herself as 'I' and not 'We'.

"What would you like me to do?"

The empress took on a firm expression and bowed deeply. The door behind them had already closed at some point, this scene would've shocked anyone inside the kingdom- no, it would even shock the other kingdoms. Even King Atsushi doesn't bow to Kai in public, he's probably only ever bowed behind closed doors once or twice.

The empress was well-known for being firm, righteous, and strict. She's only raised the hems of her long skirt in greetings but has never bowed once to even other monarchs after she became the empress.

"I, Heliana Evernight, beg you to save this Empire with your bow!"

"No."

Hearing his answer, the empress first became surprised enough to raise her head with a pained expression on her face. He didn't even hesitate to deny her request, what of the alliance?

"Please, I will provide proper compensation so-!"

"Wait, I'm not done. I can't use the bow because that magic requires a buffer time between each use, I haven't denied your request, I just denied using a bow."

Realizing she had been tricked, the empress, Heliana felt her blood boiling in anger. It was a serious situation yet he intentionally left his words ambiguous so that she'd panic.

"Then, what can you do?"

Her mood evidently worse, she asked Kai.

"Easy, I'll go to the places myself."

"Most of them are on the other side of the country! If we could send our A-class towards there within the day, then it would work but it would take a little less than a week if they abandoned the horses' conditions!"

(A/N: The 'we' here isn't capitalized since she's referring to herself normally and not with the royal We.)

"I'm S-class, I have ways. Don't worry, you don't even have to send soldiers to fight, they just need to clean up. I'll be back."

Kai placed a hand on her head and rubbed it, much like he did to Natsumi and Angelina though it was a bit harder because she had a crown and her hair had ornaments.

Crap.

Kai inwardly cursed. This was a habit he gained from the other timeline, he did it to Angelina and Heliana a lot but the empress has no memories of that, this would just be thought of as rude.

I'll just brush it off.

Kai thought so and walked towards the door without looking at the empress' response.

Needless to say, he'd find out in the future that this was the worst decision he could have ever made.

Cyne, The Empire

"Father, the demons are gaining ground!"

"What happened to the adventurers and soldiers?!"

"The demons suddenly had a third-class join in!"

A father and son duo of farmers were talking while holding spears. They were jsut a few of the remaining people left behind, the demons were attacking from behind. The women and children were being evacuated while the men stayed behind to slow them down.

They were only farmers, they could only hold off the demons for so long. Luckily, there were soldiers who were dispatched here the other week but there were only about ten of them. Passing adventurers were paid money to defend against the village as well but it was doubtful if they'd risk their lives and not retreat even if the farmers lose.

They already sent word to the capital but it was impossible for word to travel that fast, they had long since given up on help from there. Though the demons were outnumbered, most of the forces from the village were farmers and hunters, they had little to no experience fighting demons and actual monsters.

"Tyke, leave now, we'll hold them off."

"Father, I can't do that!"

Tyke shouted.

Everyone in the village quickly sprung into action once the first demon was sighted, they were prepared for this situation but they weren't prepared to face a third-class- that was something that none of them could fight against. The adventurer had one A-class with them but it was doubtful if he could defeat the third-class with his already fatigued state. Everyone has been fighting for over an hour, there were about three hundred in the village with two hundred being women and children. So, a hundred farmers, ten soldiers, and a handful of adventurers were holding off a demon horde, no matter how one looked this was a very dangerous situation with no chance of survival.

Tyke's father grabbed him by the collar and shouted at his face.

"We can't leave your sister and mother alone! Who will take care of them once we're gone?! What about the unborn child in your mother's stomach?! You are the man of the house now, go and take care of them!"

"Father..."

Tyke had tears streaming down his face as he hugged his father.

"I-I will!"

"...I'm sorry for interrupting."

The two of them jumped at the sight of a man wearing a black trench coat. Somehow, this man had appeared right beside them during the emotional scene.

"W-who are you?"

Tyke's father asked cautiously.

"Someone employed by the empress, Heliana Evernight. I'll take care of the demons so rest assured and bring back everyone from the village, they haven't gotten far."

"E-eh?"

Without waiting for their reply, Kai donned a scythe on his shoulders and began walking at a leisurely pace towards the front lines.

"Boke!"

"Yeah, Ensha dodge!"

A duo of a female knight and a male mage fought the demons. The woman was the Gold rank adventurer, A-class knight, Ensha. Behind her was another Gold rank adventurer, B-class mage, Boken.

A giant earth spike protruded from the floor and pierced through several demons, Ensha used that opening to strike the dumbfounded demons. They weren't mindless beasts, they didn't rely on instinct to fight so they also made mistakes.

But in the instant that Ensha striked, the third-class demon swooped in and attacked. Using darkness to cloud Ensha and Boken's vision, the demon attacked from her blind spots but each time, she barely managed to defend.

{Die!}

The demon shouted in demon tongue. A strike was headed straight for Ensha's throat.

Seeing that, Ensha was about to defend but was caught off-guard when she heard a ridiculous voice.

"Kak!"

It was the sound of the demon biting its tongue. She couldn't understand demon tongue but she could very well understand the sound of pain.

A few seconds after, the darkness around her disappeared and revealed the sight of the third-class demon with its head buried in the floor.

"Eh?"

Looking around, Ensha saw that everyone was dumbfounded too. Boken was looking around cautiously, earlier he panicked when Ensha was trapped in darkness and couldn't help because blindly attacking would end bad for both parties.

All around them were demons without heads or crushed, most of which were the former. It was a clean cut from the neck that you wouldn't think they were attached in the first place but the blood made it evident that they were.

Looking at the far end of the battlefield, they saw the back of a man wearing a black trench coat with a scythe on his shoulders but as soon as everyone caught sight of him, he disappeared.

The Empire's Capital

It was a few hours after the incident at the village of Cyne.

"What did you say?"

The empress used informal speech against the soldier.

"J-just like the report said, Your Majesty. All over the battlefields, they all saw the back of a single man wearing a black trench coat with a scythe on his shoulders along with beheaded demons."

"...You are dismissed."

All over the palace, Kai wore mostly black but he never wore a trench coat. Very few would link the man inside the capital to the mysterious man destroying demons, only the empress knew of the truth.

Before she could get out of her throne, a ghostly figured appeared in the center of the room along with a gust of wind.

The empress would normally call for guards but she had a hunch about who this figure was.

"Sir Kai, how did it go?"

"Your Majesty, just as you've received in the report, the threats have been taken care of and there are absolutely no demons left in the areas surrounding the attacks."

Heliana sighed in relief and slumped down on her throne. Right now, she was sure that there was nobody else in the throne room.

"Sir Kai, I thank you for this. Whatever compensation you require, whether they be riches, fame, or women- that includes even I, the Empress, I will provide to you no matter the means."

"..."

Kai was silent.

"What's wrong?"

"...Your Highness, please do not take that conversation and tell them."

He was careless, he only activated [Soul Call] in the immediate area and didn't realize that Kazuki was nearing the throne room. Right now, he was outside the door and with his enhanced hearing, he could hear what the empress said perfectly.

"I don't know... My precious little sister always has this pest lingering around her and reporting this situation to them might solve that."

"...I'll refrain from physical contact."

"Good."

Kazuki had a smirk on his face as he leaned on the open door. Heliana was at a loss for words. The crown prince of another country heard her say such words.

"Sir Kai, might I borrow a sword?"

"What for?"

"...I can't live with the shame."

"Denied."

Kai sighed.

The crown prince just heard the empress of a country offer herself to his own country's S-class.

"Prince Kazuki, do tell us what this visit is for."

The empress, assuming that Kazuki had an agenda used that to change the conversation.

"I'm just informing Your Majesty that I'm going to depart a few days earlier due to sudden business. Of course, the deal will continue with Kai staying here to assist the Empire."

"We thank you."

Kazuki bowed deeply before going through the door.

"I wonder how I should inform the duke's daughter..."

"Oi."

Kai was about to go after him but was stopped by the empress' next words.

"Sir Kai, who were you two talking about when you referred to them?"

"...Friends."

"That doesn't seem the least bit true."

"I shall take my leave now."

Heliana wasn't in the right state of mind as a ruler right now. Her shameless side was seen by the crown prince so if she finds out that the man she was offering herself to someone who already had lovers, she may very well just commit suicide to preserve her honor.