Chapter 163

The rebellion had been quelled, but from top to bottom, the kingdom still remained in a state of constant tension.

It was just like the current “traffic jam,” which had happened precisely because of that.

“Please step out of the carriage! We need to inspect your belongings. Present the royal invitation letter and cooperate with the inspection!”

At the gate, the fully armed knights in armor, spears in hand, stopped every noble carriage attempting to enter the Royal Capital.

They no longer cared about offending anyone.

Because His Majesty the King had given a death order: aside from members of the Wright Family, every other noble had to undergo a strict inspection before entering the Royal Capital, so that a farce like the one in the arena would never happen again.

Such an order… made the knights inevitably feel that His Majesty’s recent caution truly reflected the old saying:

Once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of the well rope.

The Celt Aurus who once dominated the battlefield, fearless and unyielding, had indeed grown old at last…

To think that way was only because they were young. They did not understand—when one grew older, there were more concerns, and such concerns were not necessarily cowardice.

Especially so for the royal family.

There was only one gate leading into Castle Cormier, and so, Xiarette and Sheffy’s carriage was temporarily stuck behind.

They could have cut in line and gone ahead without issue—it would have been perfectly reasonable. After all, tonight’s gathering, in a sense, was held precisely to commend their achievements.

But Xiarette chose not to do so.

After all…

There were so many strange creatures living at home, and lately, chances to chat alone with Sheffy had become rare!

To be able to talk face-to-face without worries like this, Xiarette almost wished the line would move even slower!

Gently stroking Sheffy’s hair as she sat in her lap, Xiarette wore a foolish smile, looking nothing like the so-called “Hero.”

Just moments ago, they had been chatting about the sustainable growth of giant fish in the lake, when suddenly, Sheffy brought up something completely unrelated.

“Xiarette, by the way, how does your kingdom determine tenth-rank, ninth-rank, and eighth-rank?”

“Sheffy, you really don’t know? Weren’t you once the commander of the Demon King’s Army?!”

“Eh~ you also know I never fought seriously. Besides, in real battle, do you really stop to ask what rank your opponent is? Most importantly, learning those things is such a hassle. The Demon Domain doesn’t even use your system of abilities. Learning it would’ve been pointless. I never learn knowledge that’s useless.”

“And what about useful knowledge?”

“Usually, I don’t learn that either.”

“You really said that with such confidence… lazy little thing…”

Xiarette lightly tapped her on the head. Feeling the carriage line move forward again, she hugged Sheffy closer and whispered.

“That may be true… but why ask this all of a sudden?”

“You’re still asking me… it’s all because of that unlucky aunt of mine saying you might have the potential to break through to the tenth rank.” Sheffy lowered her head in a spiral motion, her voice suddenly dropping very low. “If that’s the case… then I have to understand it. Since it concerns… concerns you, this is knowledge I absolutely must learn…”

What she did not learn was knowledge.

What she wanted to learn was what weighed on her heart.

Sheffy did not make it too clear.

Normally, Xiarette’s blockhead would not have understood.

But for some reason, whenever Sheffy spoke from her heart, Xiarette’s perception became unusually sharp.

It was that sharpness that stirred a warm current inside, lifting a smile to her brows.

“Sheffy, what you mean is… if I stay by your side, I might encounter many enemies even stronger and more dangerous than before, right? So you hope I can become stronger myself… at least strong enough to make sure I won’t get hurt, is that it?”

“Hss… even if your brain suddenly got sharper, don’t just say it out loud like that! Ugh… Sylatrella, you really need to teach Xiarette more about the importance of emotional intelligence!”

“Mm… I got it… haah… I’m a bit sleepy… Lady Sheffy, good night… Hero, while I’m asleep, make sure to take care of Lady Sheffy… don’t let her go hungry. Lady Sheffy, tomorrow morning… I’ll still crawl into your bed…”

“Don’t crawl in! Uh, wait—not… did she just fall asleep already?”

Sheffy poked the scabbard of the holy sword at Xiarette’s waist. No reaction. It seemed Sylatrella really had fallen asleep.

Hmm… lately Sylatrella seemed a bit more prone to drowsiness, though she had always been rather lazy.

Xiarette rhythmically tapped the scabbard, as if she were singing a gentle lullaby for Sylatrella.

“The human race’s power system… actually came from the myths of Aurus. Legend has it that the Human God planted a sky-reaching fruit tree at the center of the world. Its trunk was smooth and impossible to climb, its fruits unreachable. To teach humans self-reliance and the ability to protect themselves, the gods told them to train their strength. When they felt confident, they would come before the tree and strike its trunk with their fists. Everyone’s strength differed, and so the number of fruits shaken loose also differed. According to legend, the strongest person’s strike shook down ten fruits, and so the humans defined the strongest as the tenth rank. The remaining nine ranks… probably corresponded to the other numbers of fruits shaken down.”

“Eh… that’s quite an interesting story. So where is this fruit tree now? Let’s go see if it still has fruit! By the way, what kind of fruit was it? Sweet?”

“That’s just a myth… there really isn’t such a tree. Just like the World Tree—it’s also described in myths, right? But whether it was truly created by the Elf God, there isn’t a shred of proof… ahem, going off-topic. Sheffy, you were asking how the kingdom determines ranks, weren’t you?”

“Yes. At least we of the Demon Clan have wings—it’s quite straightforward. How about you all?”

Xiarette thought for a moment, considering how to explain the verification method in the simplest way possible for Sheffy.

Not because Sheffy lacked comprehension, but because Xiarette knew her own way of explaining was clumsy.

As Sheffy sat obediently opposite her, listening attentively—

Soon, Xiarette raised both hands.

One palm faced forward.

One hand clenched into a fist.

Her gaze first glanced at her left palm, then shifted to her right fist.

“Magic, and close-combat. The human race’s power stages are divided into ten ranks. One can pass the evaluation either through magic strength or close combat. The evaluation ceremonies are held four times a year, corresponding to the beginning of each season. At that time, anyone wishing to have their strength assessed must go to the designated venue to be tested.”

“The test is punching the fruit tree?”

“Let’s not mention the fruit tree again… there is no fruit tree.”

Xiarette opened her right fist into a palm: “Those who believe their physical strength is their advantage can undergo the close-combat sword challenge against the kingdom’s knights to receive rank evaluation. They continuously challenge stronger knights, and once they are finally defeated, their rank is determined after discussion among the Royal Knights.”

Then she closed her left palm into a fist: “Those who believe they have more talent in magic can use magic to strike a magic stone made from special materials that can absorb and store vast amounts of mana. Different levels of magic strength cause different degrees of cracks in the magic stone, and based on the extent of the damage, the caster’s rank can be determined.”

Lowering both hands, Xiarette smiled.

“Both methods are valid, Sheffy. For example, people like your aunt, who are born without mana, would not be discriminated against in the kingdom. They can still achieve the same recognition as magicians through close-combat sword battles.”

That part was quite good.

The Demon Clan had many advantages the kingdom did not, but the kingdom also had designs far warmer and more humane than the Demon Clan.

After all, if one could fight, that was the truth—why be bound by magic alone?

“I see… this really clears up a question I’ve had for years. I never understood why your system divided strength so precisely. So… the fruit tree?”

“I said there’s no fruit tree!”

“Eh eh, don’t hit me…! I misspoke…! I meant, which method did you use to get your tenth-rank evaluation? I think, Xiarette, you’re pretty good at both magic and close combat?”

“Me?”

Xiarette pointed at herself.

For once, she revealed a silly grin—part modesty, part secretly proud.

It was only natural. Who wouldn’t want to show their strong, reliable side in front of the person they liked?

“Me… at that time, I actually took both tests. I got a tenth-rank evaluation in close combat, and also a tenth-rank evaluation in magic. But… honestly, I still had a long way to go. In the close-combat test, my opponent was my father. As the Knight Commander, he personally acted as examiner. I relied on my sister Sylatrella’s power just to barely fight him to a draw…”

“Ohh, by the way, how old were you then?”

“I was… about twelve?”

“……”

Well then, I really can’t tell if you’re being humble or just showing off.

A twelve-year-old girl, wielding the Holy Sword, actually managing to fight the already tenth-rank Kingdom Knight Commander to a draw—surely, when the other knights saw that scene, their jaws must have dropped!

Bah, never mind. After all, Sheffy herself had beaten up her father at age ten. She wasn’t exactly an innocent flower either.

Sheffy and Xiarette sat facing each other, forming a world-class masterpiece—“The Two of Us”!

Jokes aside, Sheffy thought for a moment, then slapped her short legs and quickly came up with a short-term plan.

“Alright! Xiarette, don’t overthink it. From what you said, I feel your kingdom’s strength evaluation method is a bit outdated. Your true strength should already have surpassed your own expectations. You fought your father to a draw six years ago, and your magic also reached tenth-rank six years ago. In these six years, you haven’t slacked in training, and Sylatrella’s power has been gradually unsealed and growing stronger. Your upper limit definitely doesn’t stop here.”

Which meant… if the myth were true,

That fruit tree might not be impossible for someone to shake down the eleventh fruit with a single punch.

And if not—then throw another punch.

Sheffy’s words were like a powerful shot of courage to Xiarette.

“Sheffy, you mean I can still…!”

“I mean you have potential! You’re still far from it right now!”

“Eh…!”

“You’ve grown stronger, but your father has also grown stronger, hasn’t he? You saw him in the arena, fighting two of the Theocracy’s tenth-ranks alone, right? His combat ability should still be close to yours. But you also just said yourself—you relied on the Holy Sword to reach that level. That means your father is actually working harder than you!”

“Ugh… I really can’t compare to Father. Every morning he goes up the mountain to train under the waterfall, smashes his head with giant rocks, runs a hundred thousand meters, climbs sheer cliffs up and down, day after day—he’s practically a monster.”

“……”

Ahaha… well, in that case, it’s really not your fault.

So that’s how hardworking your tenth-ranks are… I’ll excuse myself, sorry to disturb!

“Well… anyway, let’s see how things go. I promised to teach Livra some magic before, so I can also help you look for a breakthrough point.”

“Sheffy… thank you. I know you’re saying this because you care about my safety, but—wait, when did you promise Livra…?!”

Knock, knock, knock.

Xiarette widened her eyes, just about to complain about the matter of Livra wanting to become Sheffy’s disciple.

But just then, the carriage was knocked on.

That meant the line had finally reached them.

“Please step out of the carriage, present the royal invitation letter, and cooperate with the inspection!”

As for cooperating—there was no need to.

Xiarette gently lifted a corner of the carriage curtain.

Her azure eyes, sharp and awe-inspiring, flashed for an instant against the backlight, and the knight outside was instantly frozen in place, intimidated by the sheer pressure.

It was hard to imagine that just a moment ago, Xiarette had been laughing and joking with Sheffy, yet in the next moment she could return to looking so strikingly dignified.

Immediately after, a more senior member of the knight order hurried over in a panic, slapping the younger knight’s armor in alarm.

“You… are you blind?! Didn’t you see the crest of the Wright Family on this carriage…?! Hero! Our deepest apologies! It’s so dark, he didn’t realize this was your carriage. I’ll have the gates opened right away…!”

The knight turned in a rush to order the gates opened.

But constrained by the King’s recent strict caution and uncompromising orders, he still turned back nervously, sweating, to ask one more question.

The Wright Family could pass freely, but that didn’t mean nothing should be checked.

“Hah… may I ask, there aren’t any suspicious individuals in your carriage, are there? Please forgive us, Hero, we are only asking on His Majesty’s orders.”

“Suspicious individuals? No, only the Demon Clan Princess is here.”

“Wha…!”

“Don’t react so nervously just from hearing that name. You are knights of the kingdom, protectors of the people—if you lose composure first, how can the people rely on you? Today, Her Highness the Princess came at His Majesty’s invitation. The invitation letter is with you—verify it yourself.”

“Y-yes! Open the gates, quickly! Let Hero and Her Highness the Princess pass!”

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73. Trust (4K)

“This doesn’t feel like a celebration at all… Xiarette, just look at those sour faces, one after another. This feast of honor feels more like a memorial service.”

“Not a celebration? Well, today isn’t a holiday in the first place…”

“I was making a comparison. How can you not even understand comparisons? You never grasp the point.”

The lavish carriage slowly rolled into the royal palace’s inner city.