Chapter – 11
Children of Destiny
The history of warfare between humans and monsters is long.
The existence called “monsters” first appeared in history books about 3,700 years ago.
The primordial witch was killed by the Demon King.
Since then, it is said that many humans have been killed by the Demon King and his minions, the monstersā.
If one is to go to the royal palace, even a three-year-old toddler must approach the occasion in proper attire.
The maids had hastily chosen a refreshing mint-green dress perfect for spring. The white lace decorations on the collar and sleeves, along with the sash ribbon, were lovely. The bell-shaped skirt flared out softly, falling just enough to hide my knees, and I paired it with leather boots.
When I arrived at the royal palace, led by my father, we first encountered the Duke of Forsten and his son. Al was also properly dressed for a child. He looked quite dashing in a navy jacket adorned with silver embroidery, a white lace cravat tied neatly at his neck.
And today, he…
The moment he saw my face, a smile sweet as cotton candy spread across his features, and he offered a textbook bow.
“Good day, Lady Lilietta. You look absolutely lovely today as well.”
Being praised caused my mana to surge. While a deep warmth filled my chest, my cheek twitched.
(So you’re still going to play the goody-two-shoes…)
Al took my hand with fluid grace.
A lovely young boy with a meltingly sweet smile took the hand of a girl his own age to escort her. Passing noblewomen and maids working at the castle gazed at the sight, utterly enraptured.
The House of Rosenford was widely disliked, but the House of Forsten was the exact opposite. This father and son boasted immense popularity among the nobles.
(Just you wait. I’ll make you realize that I’m cute, too!)
I clenched my fist in my heart. Until now, I rarely had opportunities to go outside the mansion, but from now on, I had to work hard to create chances to be praised as cute out in public.
Seeing the two of us start walking hand-in-hand, Al’s father nodded with satisfaction, while my father wore a rather complicated expression. But that lasted only for a few seconds. Soon, the two men leaned their heads close and began whispering.
It must be a conversation not meant for children’s ears.
“What do you think they want?”
Since the adults had started their secret talk, Al took advantage of the situation and spoke to me in a low whisper. Though his expression remained perfectly pleasant, his voice was that of an arrogant brat.
(How skillful of him.)
I couldn’t help but be impressed.
“It’s about the monster from the other day, obviously.” “But if that were the case, they could have just called the adults, right?”
True, he had a point.
“Why did they call us?”
At Al’s sharp observation, I groaned in spite of myself. I had lightly assumed we were called because the King wanted to hear a detailed account of the monster that attacked us that night… But if that were the case, it would suffice to call only the adults who had heard the story from us.
Despite having experience facing a monster, the fact that they called Al and meāwho were just childrenāmeant there was a reason pertaining to something about us.
“Are we somehow involved in the resurrection of the Demon King?” “Who knows? Maybe they have high expectations for us?”
Al smirked, and a smile slipped onto my face as well.
“The King? For three-year-old children?”
There was no way.
“Yeah, true~”
It seemed Al had just been throwing ideas out there. He looked a bit disappointed.
However, this prediction would be completely overturned.
“These two are the key to defeating the Demon King.”
In the audience chamber, the King spoke up the moment he saw our faces.
“These children are?” my father raised his voice, clearly taken aback. The Duke of Forsten was also surprised.
“Yes. …First, let us speak of the Demon King.”
After saying this, the King gestured to someone. Responding to the summons, a white-bearded old man who looked very much like Professor Caleb stepped forward gracefully. In his hand, he held a long staff.
And what was most notable, of course, was the gemstone on his chest. It was a sapphire-like gem, and its brilliance possessed great depth.
(A veteran mage.)
Though inferior to my father, he was no ordinary magician.
With a sweep of the old mage’s staff, a round silver water basin appeared between us and the King. Furthermore, when the old mage touched the water’s surface, an image was projected onto it.
(The Water Mirror magic!)
It was a magic that projected distant scenery or what one imagined in their head onto a water surfaceāa difficult spell that required the application of multiple alteration magics.
“The Demon King is an evil existence that has repeatedly died and resurrected over thousands of years.”
Inside the basin, a pitch-black mountain was projected. It was Mount Omrix, where the soul of the Demon King is said to reside.
“When the Demon King dies, his soul returns deep beneath Mount Omrix, only to resurrect hundreds of years later. The last time the Demon King was defeated was about 570 years ago. I believe you all were already aware that the time for his resurrection is drawing near.”
To this, both fathers nodded. The resurrection of the Demon King was as expected, and they were already prepared for it.
“Yesterday, news arrived that about a week ago, the dark cap clouds of Mount Omrix cleared.”
The Duke of Forsten gulped.
“The clearing of Mount Omrix’s peak. That is the sign of the Demon King’s resurrection.”
A week agoāthat coincided with the time Al and I were attacked. In other words, that attack was also related to the Demon King’s resurrection.
“The recent attack on the House of Rosenford was undoubtedly ordered by the Demon King,” the old mage stated definitively.
“If so, that is strange,” it was my father who spoke up. “On that day, I was away from home to subjugate monsters. We can assume that was also a ploy by the attacking monsters. In that case, the Demon King’s targets from the very beginning were Lilietta and Alverio.”
Yes. It was strange.
To devise such a large-scale plan just to attack mere three-year-old children who couldn’t even use magic properly. If he wanted to eliminate a threat, he should have targeted my father instead.
“Exactly. The Demon King considers Lady Lilietta and Master Alverio to be the true threats.”
With that, the old mage waved his staff. Next to be projected on the water mirror were four youths. They looked to be in their mid-teens.
“These are the mages who defeated the Demon King last time.”
At this, even my father gasped in shock. “No way, such young mages?”
Everyone present probably harbored the same question. In the first place, in the history we knew, no such thing was recorded at all.
“From here on, it is a state secret,” the King announced in a solemn voice.
Seeing the two fathers nod in bewilderment, Al and I followed suit and nodded. What we saw and heard here must absolutely never be leaked to the outside.
“Almost at the same time the Demon King resurrects, children with extraordinary talent are born in the human nations.”
At the old mage’s words, Al and I exchanged glances.
“Is that… us?” I asked instinctively, and the old mage nodded.
“Yes. The fact that the Demon King attacked you is proof of that. We do not know why. However, children born at the same time as the Demon King’s resurrection, possessing special talents, defeat the Demon King. We humans have repeated this cycle.”
“Why is that a state secret?” this time, Al’s father asked.
“Even if the Demon King dies, the monsters do not completely perish. Furthermore, it is said that monsters cleverly hide and operate within human society. There have been incidents in the past where these monsters killed the children destined to defeat the Demon King while they were still helpless infants.”
Those who defeated the Demon King throughout history were always the children born around the same time as his resurrection. Paradoxically, it meant that only these children could defeat the Demon King. To protect these children, the royal family had kept this fact a secret.
“There is one more thing that must be conveyed,” the King spoke heavily. “It is not guaranteed that the children of destiny will always defeat the Demon King.”
The air grew heavy.
“There was an era when the human race accepted the Demon King’s rule until the next children of destiny were born because the previous ones failed to defeat him.”
I knew about that because it was in the history books. The era known as the Dark Seven Hundred Years. Humans were ruled by the Demon King, and it is said the population was reduced to a third.
“Also, not a few children died before they could defeat the Demon King.”
The King stood up and looked straight at the two fathers.
“The two of them must face the Demon King prepared for death.”
The audience was suspended here for the moment.
Taking consideration for the two fathers who were left speechless by such a heavy topic, the King suggested a recess to regroup.
We were guided to a waiting room amidst the heavy atmosphere, but Al and I decided to leave our fathers and take a stroll through the royal palace’s gardens. Because we needed a change of pace.
Hand-in-hand, we walked through the rose garden. Al, who had been excited earlier thinking, ‘Maybe they have high expectations for us,’ probably felt heavy-hearted after being told to be prepared for death.
Neither of us could find any words.
In front of us…
āāAn angel fell from the sky.
A boy with fluffy strawberry-blond hair, sapphire eyes, and a pristine white dress shirt. He fell right out of a tree.
“Waaaaah! Out of the wayyyy!” he screamed as he plunged down.
There was no time to dodge. Al and I ended up pinned underneath the angel together.
