~ Chapter 152: Family Reunion ~

[Nanya’s point of view]

As I made my way towards the Demonarkiar Palace, walking at a slow step on the main road, I tried to replay in my mind the words I wished to share with my parents once I had the chance to speak with them. It was a bit awkward to just go to them and tell them that they were grandparents, it probably was not something that unusual either given the fact that I wasn’t the youngest of their children.

Right now, it was late in the evening, close to when most audiences with the Queen ended, but while I did not hold any hopes for seeing her today, I did intend to at least program one for tomorrow. Whether she wanted to see me or not remained to be seen, but my presence within the palace where I was born was going to be made known.

My first hurdle, however, was not going to be to get an audience but to actually step onto the Palace Grounds. As I was right now, the guards here were completely unfamiliar with me. For them, I was just some stranger, a nobody, someone who did not resemble the long-lost princess even in the slightest. Not only was I now far more powerful, but even when it came to pure aspect, I had changed quite a bit.

Weak and frail were not words to describe me anymore.

But still, I had to get past the many guards at the gates. With a strict unforgiving gaze, they tried to appear as intimidating, domineering, far more powerful than me, but such stares felt like those of an ant staring up at a Leviathan. To be honest, there was a part of me that wondered why I even bothered to go through all of these formalities when I was powerful enough to make any idiotic demio here kneel before me?

The answer to this question was rather simple, honestly speaking, it was far too bothersome to deal with the aftermath. I did not want to have the entire Demon Continent fight against me, I wanted for it to at least take up the role of a neutral political power when it came to me or Illsyorea.

Having stopped right at the front of the gates, it was clear that my intentions were to go inside. Thus, the first thing the guards asked was my name, then what my intentions were and if I had an invitation to this place, for which I would have to state the name and title of that demon or demoness who signed it.

These were all normal questions, for a commoner, which I did not mind answering, but from this point on, the commotion would start because I was, after all, the long-lost princess of whom nothing was heard of for more than 100 years.

“My name is Nanya Demonarkiar the 2nd Deus, Princess of this Demonarkiar Empire, wife of Illsyore Deus and political representative of Illsyorea! I am the daughter of Queen Akardia Demonarkiar!” I declared.

Immediately murmurs spread throughout the guards as they wondered about whether or not I should be allowed to pass through the gates.

A moment passed and no answer was given back. I waited patiently for them to make the first step, then, when almost half an hour had passed since I revealed who I was, a single demon guard stepped forward to greet me.

“We believe that you are lying.” he said.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I asked “Why so?”

“I have met the princess when she was young, and you are nothing like her!” he declared and then slammed the butt of his halberd into the ground, trying to appear intimidating and frightening.

“I don’t remember you, and I certainly do believe that children grow as they get older.” I scoffed at him.

My words seemed to have angered him because he was now squinting his eyes at me and a pulsing vein could be seen on his forehead.

“Then how do you wish to prove to me, Ballador Horros, that you speak the truth?” he asked.

“More than one hundred years have passed since I left, and I had changed in more ways than one, but above all, I know that this palace has hardly changed in the past one thousand years. I can see from here the window to my mother’s bedroom and to the other side the window to my former room. My siblings had rooms either at the upper or lower floors, and for some reason, I was the only one who was allowed to stay on the same floor as mother.” I replied as I looked at the respective locations.

Ballador Horros looked like a demon with honor. Before dismissing me as a potential liar, he turned around and confided with his fellow guards. The elder ones told him something while the youngest seemed to be shaking his head. They were probably talking about whether or not I was saying the truth.

“Well?” I asked and then showed them a smile “Will you let me pass or not?”

The tension and time it took him to think about his decision felt like it was bit too much, but in the end, he nodded approvingly and then stepped aside.

All the guards allowed me to enter, surprising some of the demons who were watching the commotion, after all, I came to the Demonarkiar Palace without being escorted by someone or by presenting myself as a pompous demio with pedigree and prestige to reach the skies. I was not an official either and my appearance was no different than that of a brave.

The thing was that I was not just barging in uninvited in the Palace, I was returning home. Just like all of my other siblings in the Royal Family, I believed I had the right to be here. I had the right to greet my own mother and father and let them know of the young lives I created. It was my right as a part of their family, and if anyone tried to get in my way, well... they could bring their complains to my fists.

The moment you walked past the gates, you were met with the gardens that served as a beauty enhancer for the palace. There were flowers that had been carefully planted in order to generate certain models when they bloomed in the spring. They gave of an incredible beauty that captivated your eyes and could help you calm down your mind.

I was in no rush to reach the Palace, so I stopped to admire the pretty flowers. Kneeling next to them, I gently touched their colorful petals and closed my eyes, letting the memories of my past rush back to me.

I remembered well these gardens from my youth because I was always that little energetic kid who loved to play around among the flowers and the bees. The scent here was absolutely fascinating, intoxicating even. And although there were some flowers here who were quite dangerous because of the poison in their petals, no one was mad enough to try to use them. Although, in theory, most humans on the sealed continents could easily fall prey to them. Maybe even some of those weaker demons could as well.

The funny part was that no one really knew who planted these flowers year after year, but one night, I did manage to capture the culprit in question. I was just four years old at that time, so I sneaked out of my room and came here. It was then when I saw my mother, the Queen of this Demonarkiar Empire, on her knees, with her hands buried in dirt all the way to her elbows, planting flowers, one at a time according to a drawing she kept next to her.

The secret gardener of the Palace was none other than the Queen who ruled over it. But at that time, like the innocent little girl I was, I tried to sneak up behind mother and give her a scare. Back then, I believed that I was stealthy enough for her not to spot, and when I thought I was clear for attack, I pounced on her tail. Mother pretended to have been caught by her foolish little daughter. I was happy and giggled, thinking that I had won over the Queen, but she was only doing it in order to entertain me.

“Mother was gentle and kind back then, maybe she was sad that I didn’t fulfill her expectations of me?” I wondered as I took out the piece of cloth that was once the ribbon seal on my tail.

Mother gave it to me as a gift so I could pass undetected in the human lands and also get through the seal that surrounded the three continents, although, even back then, I was far too weak for the seal to work on me. In truth, rather than protect me, it only brought a lot of trouble my way. Sorone, Allasn, and Thorya, all three continents were filled with people who looked down upon a young and weak demoness like me.

While true, there were a lot of weak demons and demi-demons who managed to flee there from the Demon Continents, none of them were that powerful or the sealed continents would have already been conquered by the likes of them. I, for one, tried my best to have a friendly relationship with them.

Rather, I was surprisingly friendly for someone born with Akardia’s blood? Maybe it was the Dungeon part of me that was kind? I could not tell, and I did not really care, to be honest.

Letting out a sigh, I got back up on my feet and looked over towards the giant palace, which none of the human kingdoms or empires managed to reach it in its size and grandeur, but I had a feeling that if Illsy tried, he could do it.

“Well! Well! Look what we have over here, little sister!” said one of the many demons I couldn’t even stand the sight of.

“It appears to be a rat, a useless and weak rat, older brother! Ohohoho!” she laughed while hiding her face behind a very expensive-looking fan.

These two were my older half-brother and half-sister: Lucianus Demonarkiar the 1st and Krimarea Demonarkiar the 1st. They were the children of my mother and her previous husband. If this was a normal Royal Family, they would have been privileged to inherit the throne from mother, but this wasn’t the case. If they wanted it, they just had to fight for it. When I was young, they tried to do so, several times, and they failed miserably each and every time.

“I’m surprised you recognize me, Lucianus, Krimarea.” I said as I narrowed my eyes at them.

“Recognize you? Not really, your face is too plain to spot in a crowd of demons. We just heard a bunch of guards saying that the wayward princess has finally returned to home. Although, we honestly thought you had died already. Maybe you are a fake?” Krimarea said and then giggled.

“Indeed, sister. This one could be a fake who intends on sullying the name of our dear departed sibling.” Lucianus said with an evil smirk forming on his lips.

“After all, that impure child had no chance of surviving in this world!” Krimarea laughed.

I looked at these two as they were trying to appear imposing and mighty before me, but whether it was them or some foolish demio believing they had more power than they actually did, I couldn’t see the difference. Their arrogance was reinforced by the fact that they were born as Royals and pure bloods, maybe this was the reason why they acted like this?

A long time ago, I would have coward before them, fearing their wrath and power, but today, I had absolutely no reason to do so.

Ignoring their mocking words, I tried to step past them and head to the palace, but Lucianus placed his hand on my shoulder in an attempt to stop.

“Just where do you think you’re going, you vile Impure?!” he asked.

“Hm?” I raised an eyebrow and then looked at his hand.

He wasn’t even able to get past my Magic Armor. Indeed, he was powerful if you were to compare him with the average human adventurer or even a demon brave, but I was neither.

Grabbing his hand, I then twisted it and pushed him on the ground, forcing him into a lock.

“ARGH! You impure! How dare you touch me?!” he retorted.

“Oh, dear brother, please stop acting like an idiot.” I told him.

“You, despicable demoness! Get off of him this instant!” shouted Krimarea.

“Despicable? Why thank you for the compliment!” I replied with a smile and then looked down at demon caught in my lock. “Now, unless you have mud for brain, I do believe you understand who is the most powerful here. I could snap your hand with ease or rip it right out of its socket, either would work for me.”

“What?! Do you really think I would allow myself to bow down to the likes of you? G-GET OFF!” he growled and then pushed himself off.

I jumped back and allowed him to recover his footing, but although Magic Energy was beginning to flow around him, increasing his might, I did not feel threatened by it at all.

Lucianus was a demon with the general appearance of a human, if you had it in you to ignore his bear-like features. With a tall and robust frame, hairy hands, two rounded ears on top of his head, sharp fangs, and an imposing glare, he was someone who would not step back from a confrontation against a Duke of Chaos. He also had a tail and wings just like mine. Demons with human characteristics could also change and hide various parts of their bodies as they pleased and if it was biologically impossible, there was always magic. In the case of Lucianus, he was hiding his bone-metal spikes, the type that grew from his back and arms.

When he pushed me back, he extended those spikes from his body in an attempt to skewer me, unfortunately for him, I was not that easy to harm now. When I was little, maybe he could have just given me a light tap and my Magic Armor would have shattered, but now, it wouldn’t even be funny if it did.

“I’ll make you regret this insolence, you Impure!” Lucianus shouted at me.

“Oh my, where is this rage coming from? In the end, do you really dare to act this way on Queen Akardia’s grounds?” I asked him in a calm tone of voice, to which the one to react was his sister.

“Lucianus, wait! She’s not worth angering mother.” she told him.

“What do you mean?! This Impure dared to come back to this place after fleeing like a coward with her tail between her legs!” he shouted.

Hm, did I really look like that to them? A coward fleeing with her tail between her legs? Maybe... I thought as I gazed over at my half-sister.

She was sporting a pair of beautiful black curved horns, her lips were supple, waiting with anticipation, the markings of a natural born seductress. She had deep purple eyes, not slit but round like those of a human. The long fingernails of her hands were black like the abyss itself and probably sharper than a sword. Her whole aura and demeanor made you scream noble and at the same time released the sense of an elegance that bewitched the eyes. When compared to my brutish brother, my sister Krimarea looked like a mesmerizing rose next to a goblin.

Or maybe I simply detested that foolish attitude of my half-brother and respected my half-sister delicate and yet calculated approach?

“For one, she is indeed right. We are her half-siblings, true, but if there’s anyone who should be kicking her out of this courtyard, it isn’t us but the Queen, our mother.” she said and then pierced me with her gaze.

“She is indeed right.” I nodded. “I, for one, don’t wish to pick a fight with either of you, but if you force my hand, I won’t hesitate to bite back.”

“Do you think we’re afraid of you, Impure?!” my idiotic half-brother growled and showed me his fist.

“Not yet but do remember that since the last time you saw me, over a century has passed. I am neither the same weak little girl nor the foolish woman I was back then.” I retorted and narrowed my eyes at him.

It was a warning and also a statement.

“Let us go, brother. We’re wasting our time here.” Krimarea said.

Lucianus clicked his tongue but did not intend to go against his sister’s wishes. He quietly followed her, retracting his spikes and tossed a couple of curses my way. I ignored him and instead turned my sight towards the palace. This gigantic construction, beautiful and serene as it may have looked like, it was still the home to the most powerful demons and demonesses on this entire continent, some would say a Dayuk’s den.

The moment when I stepped inside the Demonarkiar Palace, I felt a chill run down my back. I could almost see myself as a young demoness running through these halls, pulling pranks on the guards here and there, or trying to catch mother’s tail. I would look curiously at the paintings on the walls or try to peek from around the corner at the strange demon demios who walked around in their fancy clothes, showing of their high and mighty attitude while speaking in a weird manner.

Then there was father, a mysterious figure within the palace, but someone for whom you could say I held great respect. He was a Dungeon with a territory spread far enough to encompass the entire city, yet at the same time, with a dungeon deep underground where not many could venture to. Of course, under special conditions, he would allow respectable demons and demonesses to visit it. Mother often spent her time there, but us, the children were the only ones forbidden from stepping in.

“It feels like nothing much has changed.” I scoffed and then made my way deeper into the Palace, following the path I knew would lead me to the audience room.

The thing was, that unlike when I was still a Princess who lurked through the passages of this castle, right now I felt as though it would be rather impolite, even rude, to just barge in uninvited and unannounced inside the audience room. As such, I made my way to the demon official who was tasked with announcing any such requests. If my memory served me right, then there had to be one not far from where the actual throne room was.