Currently, the Kingdom of Ferasi was in a lockdown.

Every person in the vicinity of the colosseum had experienced the horrid feeling of being touched by a demonic aura some days ago.

News travelled fast in the Kingdom and the Church had immediately sprang to action, ready to take it down. However, the royal palace declared the demon dead before the church was able to do anything.

This was not the usual reaction to the presence of a demon in a Kingdom but this one was a unique situation. The reason for all the hassle was the intensity of the demonic aura that was felt by many. Experienced warriors said that nothing less than a rank 4 demon could release a demonic aura of that intensity

And a warlock from the church actually said the aura rivaled that of a demon lord.

If the aura wasn’t so vile, priests and paladins wouldn’t have bothered to come out and the adventurer’s guild would probably have put up a quest to slay it.

Due to the people still reeling from the experience as it reminded them of the death of their previous King, paladins patrolled the Kingdom and the King placed the Kingdom on lockdown.

The Church was still investigating on the demon because it truly came out of nowhere. Not because there was no body of the demon; everyone knew that demons dissipated into dark mana a while after their death. But because there was always some kind of sign that a demon was being birthed or released from the Lucic realm but it didn’t happen for this one.

It didn’t help that all the witnesses to this demonic fight were dead, including the valiant warrior who took it down, Raven Inagon.

Raven Inagon, the Marshall of the now eradicated colosseum had killed the demon but was in the process infected with demon blood and had to be incinerated. For an extremely skill advanced warrior to die with the demon, it was most likely a rank 5 demon so Raven was hailed as a hero and his tainted identity as a Marshall was ignored.

The amount of damage a rank 5 demon could do was ridiculous according to stories from warriors and the like. The citizens of Ferasi were glad they didn’t have to personally find out just how much damage it could do first-hand.

Of course, the numerous casualties of the colosseum slaves didn’t matter. After all, slaves could always be replaced.

Regardless, as all the colosseum slaves were dead, the colosseum was shut down until further notice.

Truly for the church, investigating the demon was just a show to allow the citizens to relax, the Royal family had proved themselves trustworthy over decades and they definitely weren’t going to shelter a demon.

For one, sheltering a demon was utter madness, one could smell a demon a mile away. And secondly, keeping a demon would definitely going to end up with your demise.

According to history, a long time ago, a group of human scientists had once payed adventurers to subdue a demon, which they then bound, wishing to study it. Unlike an intellectual being, demons never stop struggling, they didn’t know the word tired.

They didn’t know words if we were being technical but the stamina of a demon is regarded as endless and whilst trying to study the demon as it struggled, they got themselves killed.

Another group of elven scientists wanted to study a demon. They obviously thought they were smarter than the humans and this time they made sure to stay away from its predatory claws. Well, they didn’t die from its claws. These scientists actually succeeded in showing a capability of demons that was previously unknown before this incident

Demons could apparently ignite their souls, shattering it for all eternity and that was exactly what that particular demon did. Not all demons have souls, only corrupted demons do.

As it is impossible to differentiate a natural demon and a corrupted demon, everyone just generalizes that all demons could do it. This was a rare thing though. In a hundred years, out of 7000 demons, only 8 would ignite their souls. No one knew the triggers and nobody wanted to find out the triggers.

So in conclusion, the prospect of the royal family harboring a demon was so ridiculous that the church didn’t really think about that idea. It was more of a passing thought during the council meeting. The Church did however, watch out for any suspicious movement in the palace and among the nobles, after all, one could never be too sure.

The vile aura was definitely a demon’s. If it didn’t appear natural or migrate from somewhere, then it was summoned and the amount of mana needed for a demon summoning could only be powered by a noble or by the palace in the Kingdom of Ferasi.

***

A guard stood silently and at attention, practically touching the door he was supposed to guard. His fellow guard had taken a break and so he was alone and in charge, something that he didn’t really care about.

His job was to guard the royal dungeon which was under the royal palace so people breaking into it happened once in a century. Mainly because the royal dungeon was empty 90% of the time.

He was startled by a thump and a figure dropped from the ceiling and in front of him. He immediately went on guard but if it was a true assailant he’d probably be dead already. His brain finally registered the figure in front of him and he relaxed his guard performing a salute.

The short bald woman… girl wearing a fox mask that was the figure, gave him a brief nod. He opened the dungeon gates wide and bowed as she passed through. She looked like a child than an adult honestly.

As the masked girl walked into the deeper parts of the dungeon, she received the same treatment but judging by her reaction, she was obviously used to the treatment. She suddenly paused in the middle of an empty passage that led to the lower parts of the dungeon and jumped up attaching herself to the ceiling. She then cast a spell and seemingly melted into the shadows.

Almost immediately after she had taken this action, voices in discussion could be heard coming from the stairs encroaching onto her previous location.

“I offered your suggestion to the remaining slaves and I think it would work” a deep voice boomed.

“If they refuse just pack them and throw them in with the demon” another voice, much lighter than the first one replied emotionlessly.

“Yes, Your Highness. But I am of the opinion they will jump at the opportunity to leave their prison. The colosseum was not a restrictive place so they are not used to staying in one place” the deep voice drew closer to the masked girl’s area.

“Hmm… you’re right. They will definitely feel trapped even though they haven’t been there for long” The figured in discussion had now reached the top of the stairs.

“Yes” the deep voice came out of the huge man. They both wore quite mundane outfit but their bearing meant they were anything but mundane.

“Good. I look forward to seeing results. If Abigail weren’t like that, she’d definitely spearhead this experiment. Too bad” said the slim man with an eye catching combination of red eyes and red hair. He was definitely the crown Prince of Ferasi, Eliot Salvador.

“Yes. Princess Abigail’s situation is sad” the huge man replied.

Eliot stopped walking and glanced at the man following closely behind him, “Anyways, results are needed. The church is poking around so definitely be careful. This was handled very poorly in the first place, the church wasn’t supposed to be involved”

“Sorry, Your Highness” the huge man bowed his head in apology.

Eliot sighed, “If I had my way I would eliminate that demon but the King seem to have found some sick fascination in it. From his experience with demons I thought he would loathe to see one alive”

“If I may gauge the King’s mind…” the man began and looked towards Eliot for approval to continue. Eliot nodded and he continued his train of thought, “I believe His Majesty is trying to make a demonic blood antidote. A never before seen half-demon could be the answer”

Eliot tapped a finger on his chin and smiled a smile that wasn’t a smile, “Oh?”

The man only nodded in response.

“As expected of Father” Eliot acknowledged, “If you’re right and that is his goal, the prestige of the Ferasi Kingdom will soar to new heights”

The man said nothing in reply.

Eliot began to walk again and the man followed. He stopped and the man did the same. Eliot sighed and ordered, “Don’t follow me. Stay here and watch over my sister”

He began walking again and this time the huge man didn’t follow, just stayed in a bowing position.

The man didn’t move an inch until Eliot was out of sigh after which he straightened up. A shadow dropped from the ceiling in front of him and he wasn’t startled in the slightest.

“Aren’t you having fun?” he sneered at the figure in front of him.

“It’s nice to see you too, Marshall” the masked-and-bald girl said, a smile evident in her voice.

“I’m not a Marshall anymore” Marshall replied curtly.

“Eh… then, nice to see you, Raven” she chuckled.

“Raven is dead. I don’t know who you’re talking about”

“Really? So frustrating. Just answer the name. It’s not going to kill you”

Marshall didn’t reply to that.

The girl sighed and flicked her imaginary hair, “Ok. Qivane then”

“Qivane died 800 years ago. I don’t know who yo----” he began again.

“Oh fuck you” she cursed and walked away towards the stairs Marshall… no, Raven and Eliot came from. Towards this man whose name changed faster than a girl changed purses, she wasn’t going to bother herself.

Raven couldn’t stop the smile that appeared on his face and followed after her.

“Is she still like that?” the masked-and-bald girl asked after a period of silence between them.

“Yes. Actually, she seems to have gotten worse” he replied.

The bald girl smiled, “See? I was right to cut it off when I did”

“I agree but the King isn’t so happy with your actions”

“He ordered it though”

“I know but he’s still unhappy. At least he’s less of a baby than he was a thousand years ago or he’d be throwing a tantrum right now” Raven chuckled.

The bald girl burst out laughing, “I agree!” she didn’t stop laughing for a while after which she rubbed the edges of the eyes on the fox mask as though wiping away tears, “He’ll get over it”

“It was a hard decision for him” Raven said solemnly.

“I know” the laughter was gone from her voice, “he had to choose one daughter over the other after all”

He nodded, “Princess Mayenne. What a disastrous fate that girl has”

“She chose it herself and we have to be grateful. Without her, we’d be looking for another royal family”

“She could have become Empress” Raven objected.

“Ha” The bald girl scoffed, “She’d be overthrown in days”

Raven smirked, “Princess Mayenne was never made for ruling”

At this point, they began to hear the echoes of a scream but payed it no heed.

“Yes. Sadly. Princess Abigail on the other hand is a natural born ruler even though she doesn’t want to”

“I wonder what made her dislike the throne so much” he wondered aloud.

“I don’t know and I don’t care enough to find out. We’re on our way to fix that, isn’t that right?” the bald girl replied as they stepped down the last stair.

As the two walked, the screams they heard on their way down the steep stairway became even more pronounced.

They continued discussing, not even changing their expressions as though they couldn’t hear it.

“How are you planning on ‘fixing’ it?” Raven asked.

“Well… that’s a secret”

Raven chuckled, “I already expected that answer”

“Actually, why did you come with me?” the masked-girl questioned.

“You didn’t want me to?” he asked innocently.

“No” she playfully replied.

“I’ll stop here” Raven suddenly stopped walking and gesture towards a thin hallway.

“Let me go!” an enraged voice from within that hallway could be heard.

“Ok” the bald girl nodded to that and kept on walking, entering the thin hallway.

“Let me go!” the same voice screamed again, “I’ll kill all of you”

“Let me go! Who do you think I am?!”

“How dare you do this me?!”

“I have to kill that demon!”

“Let me out!”

“You will regret this!”

Screams of this manner continued non-stop and the masked girl felt tempted to actually hum to it as it made for an odd harmony but she didn’t. That would just jeopardize what she came here for.

She kept walking until she reached the source of the screams.

Bound to four mana suppressing chains was the once elegant looking Princess Abigail.

The saying that mana users were physically weak didn’t seem to apply to her as she struggled ferociously to free herself.

Chain rattled and clanged enhancing her angry roars. She looked completely disheveled, her black hair in a complete mess and a crazed look in her eyes.

“Tsk tsk tsk” the bald girl couldn’t help but click her tongue.

The angry Abigail grew silent, finally noticing the presence in front of her. Her eyes widened in recognition and she screamed in delight, “Jewel!”

The bald girl didn’t reply.

“Jewel come release me! Finally! They thought they can simply lock me here! But no! Here you are to rescue me!” she was obvious a tad unhinged as she spoke.

Jewel just stood motionless, staring at her. When Abigail saw that Jewel wasn’t coming to her rescue, she screamed hysterically, “What are you doing?!”

Jewel sighed inwardly adjusted her fox mask and pushed open the unlocked bars that led to Abigail’s jail

Her eyes grew even more crazed as Jewel walked inside the jail and her eyes were glazed with excitement, “I can’t believe they would dare to this to me! Me!” She cried, “It seems they didn’t account for you” then laughed crazily. She ended up stunned to silence when Jewel made no move to undo her binds.

“Who are you?” Jewel squatted down making Abigail have to look down.

“Wha---this isn’t a time for jokes! Release me!” Abigail roared furious at Jewel’s actions.

“Who are you?” Jewel asked again, ignoring Abigail’s anger.

Abigail breathing grew quicker at this and her eyes grew redder.

Jewel watched her in silence for a few then stood back up.

“Abigail, unless you regain some of your rationale and we talk, you aren’t leaving here” Jewel stated firmly walked out of the jail.

“No! No!! No!!!” Abigail screamed futilely as Jewel walked out the door, “Come back here!”

Jewel stood beside the door and waited for the effects of her words to sink in.

After 10 minutes of obviously useless screaming, Abigail finally calmed down.

Jewel came back in and threw a bottle of water in Abigail’s direction.

Abigail glanced at the bottle then at Jewel. She did this twice and then dropped to floor, grabbing the bottle of water and downing it.

Jewel waited for Abigail to finish the bottle of water and fling the projectile at her. Which she dodged of course.

“Abigail” Jewel spoke softly and sat down meeting the crazed eyes of the female in front of her.

“Your Highness” Jewel spoke again, her voice now laced with venom.

Abigail visibly flinched at that and the intensity of her glare softened for an instant before blazing even more than before.

Jewel chuckled at that, “Do you know why his Majesty Aiagez named me Jewel?”

Abigail didn’t answer her.

“No profound reason. He was trying to select an appropriate diamond for his queen and since the late queen liked my selection so much, he named me Jewel” She said softly, her eyes looking up at the ceiling, obviously reminiscent.

She dragged her gaze down to Abigail, “If you’re wondering how that story relates to you in anyway… it doesn’t. I was trying the break the ice” she then laughed.

Princess Abigail wasn’t impressed.

Jewel then stood and walked around, her playful atmosphere vanished in an instant, “I asked you, Who are you?!”

“Abigail” Abigail growled, almost forcing the words out of her mouth

“Abigail” Jewel repeated, “Abigail what?”

Abigail didn’t answer just glared at her.

“Answer me!” Jewels angrily stomped and the shockwave threw Abigail against the wall and some debris fell from the ceiling as a result.

“Princess Abigail of Ferasi” Abigail spat full of spite, some blood dripped by the side of her mouth.

“Good” Jewel nodded, “Good. Princess”

The way she said the word made Abigail narrow her eyes at her.

Jewels squatted to be on the same eye level, “Dear, who locked you in here?”

No answer.

“Probably the King” Jewel chuckled grimly, “Why?”

No answer.

“Because you dumbly wanted to get revenge for May?”

Abigail twitched at that question.

“Wrong!” Jewel spat with a tone of finality, “Then because you were about to reveal the existence of the demon to the church in your anger?”

Abigail began to breathe heavily. Jewel’s words were akin to rubbing salt on her wounds.

“No!” Jewels mana infused voice boomed throughout the lower dungeon.

Abigail’s eyes widened in surprise. If it wasn’t those things then what?

“Because you’re a princess” Jewels spoke very slowly.

Abigail froze at Jewel’s words.

“If you were the crown princess, who would dare touch you?” Jewel sneered, “Just who would dare touch the future Queen. The future Empress of this Kingdom?”

Abigail turned her gaze away and moved to cover her ears. She didn’t want to listen to this.

Jewel moved to grab her hands, “You must listen. The throne is yours and you must take it. Look at where shying away from the throne has left you!”

Abigail shook her head furiously, “I don’t want to”

“Abigail!”

“I don’t want to!” the girl was almost crying.

Jewel let go of her hand, “I see. You do not wish to avenge May”

Abigail turned swiftly to Jewel, stunned.

Jewel nodded her head, “I understand. You can stay here while that demon is allowed to live without paying for what it’s done”

Abigail shook her head, “No, that can’t happen…”

“Yes” Jewel chuckled, “It’s happening right now”

Abigail shook her head. She had been trying not to think about that.

“Y’know, I couldn’t make it in time but I saw…” Jewel began siniterly

“Noo…” Abigail cried out immediately. It was as though she knew Jewel’s next words weren’t pretty.

“…The demon ripping May’s limbs out of their sockets…”

“No!” Abigail screamed desperately.

“…,gouged out May’s heart and licked it…” Jewel chuckled evily.

“Stop…”

“Ate it”

“Stop…”

“And roared in delight at its wonderful taste” Jewel made a mocking squeal of delight, “Wonderful, don’t you think?”

“Stop! Please! I’m begging you to stop” Abigail broke down crying.

“Why? If you actually cared---”

“I’ll do it” Abigail interrupted her. Her voice was firm as tears dripped down her face, “I’ll do it” she repeated herself.

“I’ll become Queen”

Jewel didn’t say anything for a while, staring at Abigail dumbfounded. Then a crazed laughter escaped from her mouth, growing louder every second.

When the laughter finally stopped, Jewel brought her face inches away from Abigail’s and removed her mask.

A stunned gasp escaped from the lips of the Princess.

***

Jewels walked out of Abigail’s jail satisfied. She hadn’t released Abigail yet. The girl needed more time to cooldown. She walked past the hallway and into the large expanse.

She found Marshall…oops, Raven standing where she’d left him. The man was giving her a look that she’d recognize anywhere.

“No” she protested before he even opened his mouth, “I did not drug her”

He raised a brow, “Princess Abigail has the strongest mental fortitude I’ve ever seen. Simple words like that should not have that effect”

“True but I really didn’t drug her”

His gaze said he didn’t believe a word she said.

Jewel sighed, “That’s why we killed May. Not because Abigail was growing too attached like we told Eliot”

“Oh?” was Raven’s reply.

“We had to cut off the one thing Abigail cared about” Jewel continued, “That’s the only way she would breakdown and listen to me”

“Wouldn’t that backfire?” Raven couldn’t help but ask.

Sure, it was public knowledge that Princess Abigail was very strong headed about never taking the throne. As to why, Raven was never told but he had to guess it had to do with Princess Mayenne.

If the one thing that Abigail had an emotional attachment to was gone, her rule would not be a soft one.

“It could backfire, yes, but even that is better than Prince Eliot taking the throne”

Raven grew silent at that.

“Prince Eliot is a good man. A bit nuts but a good man nonetheless”, Jewels said softly.

She turned around to stare into Raven’s eyes stressing her next words, “However, he must never rule. Or the Kingdom of Ferasi will fall”