I’m a freelance mercenary, but I do have a country. The Fire Kingdom of Arcadia.
It understood the threat of the demon king sooner than the others, and gathered powerful people from various places in the world to combat the demon king. Basically, it’s the country where the hero’s party originated.
As the name implies, its most prominent characteristic is fire.
Most citizens have an aptitude for fire magic, and it has the most gifted mages who use it.
It’s also known as the country ruled by Galatia Von Fingerland, a martial artist who can use the strongest spell of the fire element, Meteor Rain.
“Just to be certain, can you tell me your father’s name?”
I’d like that to be a lie.
My stomach has its limits. I don’t want to cause it more pain.
Please be wrong!
“Baldia Von Fingerland.”
I get dizzy as she says that proudly.
That’s the name of a minister. The king’s younger brother, and famously capable minister.
I have to accept she’s royalty. The daughter of a mistress, so an illegitimate child, but still…
That’s fine. It is, but…
The problem is that her mother is a demon. This makes her a half demon princess. Obviously, this would be top secret in our country. Especially with people scared by the demon king’s return.
Her existence being revealed would definitely shake the country.
“One more thing, Dal.”
“What? You may ask me anything, not just one thing!”
That tense feeling is no longer here.
A different stomachache is assaulting me, and while this back and forth also pains me a bit, let’s push through.
“You’re a princess of Arcadia, right?”
“There was never an official announcement, but I am treated as royalty by the king!”
“Didn’t they tell you not to reveal that?”
“Yes, my father and the king both told me not to state my name just in case.”
“And to be careful not to reveal you’re half demon?”
“They did say that, and so did my mother.”
“I see…”
“Yes!”
Why did she tell me?
Well, I asked, but I didn’t want to know.
How did I learn this country’s secret like this? It’s not something for a commoner to know…
I’m in the hero’s party, but I’m still just Kyle the mercenary.
“Can I ask something too, Kyle?”
“Sure.”
She looks unsure. What is she going to say now?
“Aren’t you scared of a half demon like myself?”
That’s scary in a different way. Especially if another country finds out.
“I’m not. Even if you’re half demon, or a full demon, you’re still my friend who fought with me this whole time. I trust you, and I’ll keep trusting you.”
That’s not a lie, she’s trustworthy.
I smile at Dal, who’s been keeping this to herself this whole time, and see tears welling up in her wide open eyes.
I think she’s been scared. She talks about it with a bright tone, but I can tell it’s tough on her. Her eyes seem fearful when she looks at me.
I’m sure she was afraid of rejection. That her companions wouldn’t accept her.
“Kyyyyle!”
Dal jumps at me. I brace, so we don’t fall together.
“Kyle…”
“What?”
She says my name with her face buried in my chest. And let’s not mind the snot and tears getting on my clothes.
“I was scared to say it. Telling I had demon blood in my veins to someone, to you…”
“Sorry for forcing your hand.”
“It’s fine. I didn’t want to lie to you either. I wanted to be honest…”
“Thanks Dal. Thanks for telling me even though it wasn’t easy.”
“I’m happy enough being accepted by you.”
Her voice sounds a little tearful, but bright.
That shows her worries are gone. Although my worries are just marching forward…
“I won’t tell this to anyone.”
“Yes. The king was very clear about that.”
Then why did you tell me?
“It will be our secret, Kyle!”
Dal’s family and the king also know about it, so that’s not really true, but it still feels heavy.
It’s like a big responsibility. Looking for the demon is already a big burden, and now I have to hide that she’s half demon.
The risk of people finding out is bigger than I was expecting. I want to at least tell Sasha, and get her involved. She’s the one who started this after all.
But come to think of it, why is Dal after the demon king? She’s an illegitimate child, but she has been accepted as royalty by the king. Wouldn’t they stop her?
“Dal…”
“What is it Kyle?”
She raises her head from my clothes to smile up at me.
That smile is annoying.
“Why did you agree to go after the demon king?”
“Well…”
“Well?”
“…I wanted to travel with you, Kyle…”
What did she say? She buried her face in my clothes halfway through that sentence, so I couldn’t hear it. I heard my name, but what did she mean?
She keeps mumbling, and I suddenly notice her whole face is red.
“What about me?”
“…”
“Dal?”
She’s shaking a little. Is she mad? That’s the feeling I get.
Then she suddenly raises her head again.
“I can’t forgive the demon king for hurting innocent people! That’s why!”
She throws out that answer, and I feel like I shouldn’t question that any further.
“I see. And the king and the others didn’t object?”
I imagine they did. Thinking about it from the king and family’s point of view, it would increase the chances of her secret being revealed. It would be safer to stay in the country, where her secret would never come out unless something big happened.
“Yes, but I threw a tantrum until I got my way.”
“…”
I have nothing to say. Especially when I consider how the king must have felt.
Dal is basically a huge bomb waiting to go off in the Kingdom of Arcadia. That bomb leaving the king’s hands and going away somewhere must have been pretty bad.
Come to think of it, the king looked pretty pale when he sent us off.
Didn’t he have his hand on his stomach when he said ‘now go forth, my heroes’…
So you’re my stomachache friend. Suddenly I feel this bond with him.
I’m sure he’s nervous every day thinking about her secret being revealed. Now I’m the same.
Let’s find the right timing to get Sasha involved. Yes, since she also has it mostly figured out anyway, that shouldn’t be a problem.
“Kyle.”
“What?”
“I want you to know my real name.”
Come to think of it, Dal isn’t her real name. She’s been traveling as Dal the thief to hide that she’s royalty.
“My name is Dalphia Von Fingerland.”
“Dalphia…”
“Yes! You can keep calling me Dal, but call me Dalphia when it’s just the two of us.”
“Okay.”
Dal… Dalphia looks happy.
I have more problems, but one has been settled.
There’s a low chance that she’s the demon king. I don’t think this is all a lie she came up with to trick me.
Most importantly, the existence of my stomachache friend backs up the fact that she’s not the demon king. His anxious face back then reassures me.
“Did he tell you not to tell your name to anyone you didn’t trust?”
“No, the king told me to never say it to anyone, since it would increase the risk of being found out.”
How hard it must be for you, king.
“But since it would be hard to keep it to myself, my mother talked him into allowing me to reveal it to one person.”
“Really? And that’s me?”
“Yes! I figured I could say it to the one I want to marry and keep as a lifelong companion.”
What did she just say to me?
