“Ugh!” With the adrenaline rush fading, a sharp pain shot from my back.

Shiki genuflected, head low and hand on chest. “I have failed you, my liege. I shall accept any punishment.”

I groaned harder, the pain was so intense that nothing was registering to me anymore. I couldn’t even respond to Shiki. My body hit the hardwood of our house with a heavy thud. My shrill cries filled the room. Something cold dripped onto my back, and a refreshing, soothing feeling spread throughout. Gradually, the pain subsided.

Even though the pain had vanished, I was still heaving. My whole body was as heavy as lead, and my face was covered in sweat. A ghastly pale hand holding a vial with yellow liquid appeared on my view.

“Drink this, Kaito,” Bria said in a soft, weak voice.

I looked up and stared at her face. Finally, I managed to let out a long sigh of relief. However, I immediately noticed that she herself wasn’t in the best condition. Her skin was a lot paler than usual, and her body was covered in cuts and bruises. I wanted to grit my teeth, but generally lacked the strength to do so. With what I had, I said, “Bria… drink a potion…”She shook her head and put the vial’s mouth to mine, pouring the liquid down my throat. The moment I swallowed, energy surged through my body. Although still far from my typical stamina, it was enough for me to sit and talk comfortably.

Finally, I managed to prop myself on my wooden chair in a comfortable position. Ah I missed this. The inn’s bed wasn’t necessarily bad, it was just that home still felt like home.

I took a few deep breaths, then scanned the room. Everything was exactly how we left it a few days ago. There wasn’t a single speck of dust or dirt. Even the fire on the fireplace was still going. But when my eyes shifted downwards, a battered figure laid on the ground. Hey! Did she use the last of her strength to make me drink that potion?

I mustered my srength and stood up, but my knees buckled and hit the ground. “Damn it! Shiki, how long has she sprawled there?”

Shiki, as flat as ever, replied, “Right after you sat down, my liege.”

“What?! And you haven’t helped her?!” I caught myself shouting, but didn’t bother lowering my voice.

“She won’t die with those wounds, my liege. She has just exhausted her mana. Also, it’s her fault for ending that way.”

My ears flared up, and my brows furrowed. “Shiki! How dare you?! She’s our friend, our family! Help her now!”

“She doesn’t deserve her position, my liege. She not only got abducted by foes a third of her power, but had put you in danger.”

“Now!” I shouted, ignoring his reasons.

Finally, the black armor started to creak. He picked up Bria, without any care, then put her down the cushioned chair. After that, my back felt the sculpted designs of the chair’s splat, then my vision blurred.

***

I slowly opened my eyes. My body was still heavy, but no longer painful.

“Oh, you have woken up, Kaito,” a cheerful female voice greeted from behind.

The voice snapped me to my senses. “Bria! How--how are you feeling? Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere.”

She simply smiled coyly, then placed a tray of steaming meat on the table. “I’m okay. Don’t worry. Actually, I would like to apologize for my carelessness.” She knelt on one knee. “My weakness has brought you harm.”

Patting her shoulder, a smile crept on my face. “Since when did you start talking like Shiki? Come on. We’re family. There’s no need for this. Besides, you will do the same if I was the one abducted, right?”

A soft chuckle came. She stood up, her face just a tad bit brighter. But before she could reply, a deep, husky voice interjected, “Yes. Of course, we will, my liege.”

Instantly, Bria’s complexion paled again. She bowed her head and echoed what Shiki said. “Yes, Kaito.”

I glared at Shiki, but I couldn’t figure out whether or not it had an effect based on just jet black armor. Changing the topic, I said, “Where’s Rihoku and the others?”

“I have already given them potions. They are pretty much battle ready again,” Bria replied in a lackluster manner. “I noticed that you have picked up some more friends.” A smile crept to her face, but it was nowhere near the genuine smile she flashes when discovering something. It was forced and fake.

Seeing her like that broke my heart. Veering the topic again, I asked, “Anyway, Bria can you tell us what happened? How did they manage to abduct you?” I checked the level hovering on top of her head. True enough, it still stated level 60. “How can a level 60 like you be abducted by a group of mid level twenties.”

Hearing that, Shiki came closer. Bria slumped on the chair, then began, “Well…”

Bria explained what had happened. That night, she had redone the trap spells and enchantments on both our rooms, which she said exhausted her of most of her mana. But even though she had set up all of that, she said that she couldn’t use stronger and demonic enchantments, lest we wanted our cover blown. When she had gone to rest to recuperate her mana, there were already human adventurers who had invaded her room. They bound her with rope that could restrict mana flow and carried her out of Castel in the middle of the night.

Bria also reported that even though the enchantments she used weren’t the best, mere humans couldn’t have easily broken through them. She hypothesized that they must have been studying the enchantments for the past couple of days we were there and had prepared accordingly. Nevertheless, they had been underestimating the humans.

Without her mana and her hands being bound, Bria was basically rendered helpless. She was taken on horseback towards the cave. Along the way, however, she heard her abductors talking about getting a lot of shlings in exchange for her. They even talked about getting themselves new equipment to increase their chances of being recruited. However, their views changed after they had reached the cave.

With Bria’s mana being restricted, Phantasm had also worn off. Under the moonless sky, her silver skin wasn’t as obvious. But once she entered the torch lit cave, her true form was unveiled.

Shocked, the adventurers initially thought that she had used a spell, but they eventually figured out the truth when she didn’t retaliate. At that moment, their attitude changed. They no longer treated her as a hostage, but a prisoner. They were brutal and ruthless, often beating and cutting her up. But thanks to Bria’s level and regeneration, they weren’t able to kill her. Of course, she also had various trump cards and near death enchantments. That, however, didn’t spare her from the pain. She was tortured again and again.

Apparently, her abductors were planning to abandon her the night we found her since she was a demon, and they couldn’t kill her. Unfortunately for them, we found them before they could flee.

All throughout her story, my rage was swelling up inside me. It was like a dam that was ready to burst.

After Bria’s explanation, Shiki shifted to me and asked, “What’s your plan, my liege? What should we do next?”

I looked at them in turn, and with gritted teeth, proclaimed, “We have to go to Lureschka. She must know that something big is coming.”

***

Lureschka’s huge black throne imposed an eerie aura that filled the entire chamber. Unlike the first time I was here, my mind was clear and crisp. I could sense the threats and danger the room alone gave off. Has it always been this… heavy in here?

I swept the room with another gaze. Before, I couldn’t pay attention to the figures beside each gigantic pillar, thinking that those were ornamental armors. This time, however, I knew better. Squinting, I tried focusing on their features, but they were well hidden. I couldn’t clearly describe their looks. I only managed to see a goblin that was two to three times larger than my subordinates. Isn’t that the same as the one in Bria’s aura? Across it was a black horse with fires acting as its mane and tail. Standing beside it was a silhouette of a black armor. Unlike Shiki, however, the armor was more polished and round. It was similar to the knights in medieval times.

I was about to look at the other generals, but I caught myself clocking in front of the massive black throne. Lureschka, in her young form, was seated on the throne, her grotesquely pleasing cloak fluttering around her ankles. Upon seeing her, Shiki and Bria immediately fell on one knee. I was about to follow, but my nerves got the better part of me and I froze. Rihoku, who I brought along, stood beside me. The goblins and the other Nighthowls were left in the house.

“Yay! You’re back, Kaito!” squealed a tiny, young voice.