CHAPTER 69: DECIDE

"What?! A demon?" The King’s voice echoed through the grand hall, his shock mirrored by nearly everyone present.

A demon breaching the border and reaching deep into the mainland was unheard of. But what sent a chill down their spines was the fact that it had gone after her—the one person the world couldn’t afford to lose.

"This is a national emergency, Your Majesty," the Prime Minister said firmly, his expression grim. "We must deploy our forces at once."

The Child of Prophecy was in danger. And according to the Prince, the demon had awakened with one goal—to send Elowen into an endless sleep.

"Collen—" The King turned sharply, ready to command the Royal Order’s second-in-command to dispatch six of the seven Wings into the forest to rescue her.

But before he could finish, a voice cut in.

"It’s pointless, Father."

The hall fell silent.

Abel rarely spoke over his father. Never like this.

"No awakened being can enter the demon’s mirage. That’s why Sir Bennet and the others are still trapped inside. I only escaped because I was allowed to."

His tone was steady, but his eyes burned with urgency.

He stepped forward, closer to the throne’s steps.

"We must protect the Capital first. That savior warned me—if the demon fails to kill Elowen, it’ll turn its wrath on the people. Everyone will be at risk."

A heavy silence hung in the hall. The King’s clenched fists trembled slightly as he realized—this wasn’t just about saving one life anymore.

The King had no option but to contemplate his decision when suddenly, a voice broke through the heavy silence.

"Your Majesty, how can we trust a stranger? You’re suggesting we protect the Capital instead of sending forces to rescue the Princess?"

One of the ministers stepped forward, his words sharp with doubt.

Abel’s eyes snapped to him. His voice, low and cold, carried across the hall like a growl.

"That stranger saved Elowen from death’s jaws. You speak so easily, but you weren’t there. You didn’t see the monster that tore through ten elite soldiers like they were nothing. You didn’t see Sir Bennet—the strongest among us—kneel in fear. But he stood. That stranger didn’t run... he faced it head-on, and he sent me back with a promise: that he’d protect Elowen."

The minister’s jaw tightened. His pride flared—how dare this soft-spoken Prince raise his voice at him?

But just as he was about to fire back, another voice spoke.

"I believe the Prince is right," the Prime Minister said, his calm voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

A wave of murmurs rippled through the court.

It was one thing for the Prince to say it, but this was Dion, the King’s right hand. His word carried more weight than even the Chief Advisor’s.

The King’s voice dropped, barely holding back the storm in his chest. "Dion, speak clearly."

The Prime Minister took a step forward, his gaze steady.

"Your Majesty... I don’t think we should leave the forest completely unattended. That would be careless. But fortifying the Capital is no longer just a precaution—it’s a necessity."

He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle.

"If a demon were able to breach our borders and walk straight into the heart of Durnhalm, then this wasn’t just a random attack. He has a plan. And if that plan goes beyond the Princess... it may leave behind a scar our kingdom will never forget."

The murmurs grew louder, this time tinted with fear.

The King’s jaw clenched.

He was no longer just deciding between rescue and defense.

He was deciding what kind of wound Durnhalm would suffer—and whether it could survive it.

In the end, he gave the orders, "Collen, I want you to take a search team of the best trackers and a team of non-awakened soldiers to the forest immediately. And inform Carl to meet me."

The soldiers gave a salute before marching away.

Abel heaved a breath of relief. He was somehow able to convince them.

Dion approached him and patted his back, "You did well. Go get treated by the medic."

Abel slowly nodded.

He has done his job. Now it’s all up to the stranger.

’I hope you return safely, Elowen.’

*******

Elowen was still on the water swing, looking around and hearing noises regularly, which made her shudder.

It has been more than half an hour since the stranger disappeared, and ever since, she has been seeing things flying, and cries of demons that shook the forest, and so did her heart.

She was clutching the edge of the swing tightly and leaned toward the ground.

’Too high....’ If she falls, something definitely would break, and she doesn’t have the courage to climb down by herself.

’What does he think of himself...leaving me here unguarded...’ This was the first time she was feeling so vulnerable. She has seldom come out of the palace, and this one time, she thought of expanding her horizon by gaining some experience, and this happened.

"Are you regretting things now?"

A shudder ran through her spine upon hearing his voice.

She hurriedly turned toward her left and found him leaning against a branch.

There were a few cuts and bruises on him but he didn’t seem bothered at all.

"Y-You...did you kill the demon?" She asked, her tone held hope.

"Not yet. His mana is endless and the demons keep appearing from left and right." He spoke as he pulled a small white substance from his forearm...which seemed like a tooth.

"A-Are we running away?" She asked, this time her voice was shaky.

The black-haired teenager shook his head, "No, we are going to use you as bait and make him lose his cool. The summoning magic heavily relies on mental balance."

Elowen’s eyes widened at those words, "Me?! As bait? No chance I am going to endanger my life." She crossed her arms and made her point clear.

If he wanted to hunt the demon then he must do it by himself without risking her. She was the noble here and the Chosen One. It was his role to protect her.

In response to that, Arthur suddenly pulled a dagger from the side of his waist and started cutting the water ropes connecting the swing with the branches.

He actually didn’t need to but he purposely made himself clear about his decision.

"What are you doing?!" Elowen panicked as the whole thing started to vibrate, and the stranger’s dagger moved like a saw.

"What else, I am leaving you on your own. I can’t protect you unless you help me, so it’s better if we go our ways."

Elowen took a strong gulp....if she was left here alone with these monsters and the dense fog clinging to the grass ...she knew she wouldn’t survive.

She hurriedly held the other one’s hand to stop him before asking, "Is there no third way? You see, I am a very sheltered princess who has never been hunting alone before. And here you are asking me to risk my life-"

"You know the place I come from, children whose father has died in a war as a soldier are sold to slave traders if their mother couldn’t fill their stomachs."

Elowen was silenced by his words, staring at him in disbelief.

Arthur looked up at her as he continued, "Weaving a life after being sold is like walking on the edge of a knife; you continue to bleed with every single step, and stopping means death."

Elowen was now completely stunned, just staring at him as if she was suddenly hit with a spell. She had no idea there were places like that in the world.

Arthur drew closer to her and spoke in a dangerously low voice, "The only reason I am telling you this is because I want you to know that life can never be fair for everyone all the time. But only those survive who know how to accept and adapt."

Leaning back, he raised the dagger and asked, "Now choose: adapt or die?"

Elowen took a deep breath and looked at the forest.

There were still many demons who were slowly gathering and searching for them.

There was no way out and the soldiers couldn’t come in.

Under these circumstances, all she could do was trust this man who at least gave her a slight ember of hope.

In the end, she just nodded and said, "Okay, I will come with you."

Arthur smirked behind the fabric before pulling her in his arms and making water stairs in the sky which would lead him to the center.

While he climbed them, he told the girl, "Don’t panic or run away unless I tell you. I can only protect you if you listen to what I say."

Her little hands clung to his shirt, as she lowered her eyes and faintly hummed.

Now, whatever happens, she would consider it as her fate.

’Bless me, oh the Benevolent One.’

********

A/N:- Thank you for reading.