At the entrance to the castle town, the aftermath of yesterday’s battle lingered vividly. The charred walls of buildings, shattered rubble, and the scent of burnt wood mingled with the crisp morning air. Amidst this scene, the backs of two figures could be seen in the distance. Their stride was calm, yet there was something divine in the way they walked, as if they were beings destined to carve through the world itself.
Christopher, without taking a moment to catch his breath, propelled himself forward with all his strength. His boots pounded against the stone pavement, dodging debris as he sprinted toward the two figures. His heart throbbed violently, the memories of yesterday’s battlefield pressing against his chest. Those two—Hero Zieg and the Demon Queen—their backs etched themselves into his mind, and now he longed with every fiber of his being to chase after them, to follow their journey as it began.
“Zieg! Demon Queen! Wait, please!”
His voice, still trembling, carried across the morning air. The two figures halted and slowly turned to face him. In that instant, a sharp mix of tension and anticipation surged through Christopher’s chest.
“Christopher! What is it? Has something happened again?”
Zieg’s eyebrows shot upward in surprise, and his eyes—usually so composed on the battlefield—revealed a flicker of confusion.
“No… nothing has happened. I just… please allow me to accompany you on your journey. I have already obtained the king’s permission,” Christopher said, his voice steady despite the tremor in his heart.
Zieg’s eyes widened further, astonishment overtaking his features.
“Eh…!? So, does this mean you’ve resigned as the commander of the knights?”
“No, I haven’t resigned. This is only a temporary leave for training,” Christopher replied, his words carrying a mixture of resolve, nervousness, and a quiet pride.
The Demon Queen, listening, tilted her head slightly and spoke.
“Do you really think that we will be traveling together? Think about it—I’m a Demon Queen and he’s a Hero. We are enemies. Under normal circumstances, traveling together toward the same goal would be impossible.”
Indeed, she was right. Yesterday’s battle had been nothing more than a temporary truce out of necessity and gratitude. Yet, Christopher’s eyes, fixed unwaveringly on the two in front of him, shone with resolute determination.
Zieg’s lips twitched in a small, almost amused smile, and he shrugged lightly.
“Yeah, it is strange for a Hero and a Demon Queen to journey together… But this time is different. Our goals align, and with those troublesome Dragon God Clan members still around, traveling together might actually be the safer option.”
The Demon Queen let out a small, soft laugh. It was not mocking, nor malicious; it carried a faint sense of amusement and a strangely human warmth.
“Are you scared?” she asked.
“A little, I admit,” Zieg replied, glancing downward.
“Didn’t you notice during yesterday’s battle? For some reason, our magic was halved, and we couldn’t fight at full strength. On top of that, our favorite weapons got lost when we were transported to this world. We borrowed swords from the knights, but even those cannot withstand the force of our halved power.”
Christopher swallowed hard. They hadn’t even been at full strength yesterday?! What kind of power did they truly possess?
“And besides,” Zieg continued, “those Dragon God Clan brutes… their strength is unnerving. Even the ordinary soldiers we fought yesterday had enhancements to their physical abilities through magic. And the fact they can do it remotely suggests either enormous magic or spells unknown to our world.”
He took a deep breath, then said, “…We have no choice. For now, returning to our world takes precedence over defeating you. Until we can return, a temporary truce will hold.”
With those words, the Demon Queen extended her right hand, her palm radiating a force that was neither light nor shadow, but pure and resolute.
For a moment, Zieg hesitated, then firmly grasped her hand. Their combined grip sealed their shared resolve.
And so, Hero Zieg and the Demon Queen—enemies yet bound by a common purpose—quietly began their grand adventure.
The morning light poured over them, painting the lingering smoke in shades of gold. As they stepped over the rubble of the castle town, their shadows mirrored the pain of yesterday’s battlefield and the promise of the unknown journey ahead.
And behind them, the figure of one knight—Christopher—followed with a shadow full of unwavering determination, stepping forward with strength and resolve.
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