~ Chapter 167: Bun Bun doesn’t like Illsy ~

[Nanya’s point of view]

I sent out the call just as Illsy taught me. Red for nothing important and Green for very important... or was it the other way around? Well, it did not matter. Since I had won this duel now, every single demon and demoness within the Demonarkiar Empire would learn that the Weakest Daughter of Akardia was not that weak anymore. I was all grown up and with more power at my fingertips than they could dream of.

The way my parent requested to meet my husband sounded more like an order, a command, rather than the simple desire to meet their son in law. It was true that he was Godlike Dungeon, and their kind was often portrayed as being merciless, corrupt, and eager to steal everything that caught their fancy. Father often warned me as a child to stay clear of Dungeons who were not born on the Dungeon Continent.

On the Sealed Continents, they had an even worse reputation than here, but recently, Illsy was starting to change those rumors and give birth to new ones. Certainly, with time, there would be Dungeons who would strive to take up another path, a non-violent one, I was planning on making sure that none of my children were going to end up as savage monsters... at worst, they would be perverts like their father.

For now, though, I had to patiently wait for my foolish husband to arrive. Meanwhile, I had plenty of spare time to play with my cute little sister Sunsun! Or so I was hoping…

“Why are you here, father?” I asked glaring at him.

“I’m Bun Bun.” father declared in a serious tone of voice as he picked up a big pink plush bunny, leaving only his eyes to peek from between the toy’s ears.

“Bun Bun and Bear Bear, play nice!” Sunsun cried out.

Yup, I was Bear Bear, the harbinger of tea cakes and bringer of sunshine... in the land of demons.

To take this back almost an hour ago, after my father and mother told me they wished to meet Illsy, I pressed the red button on that calling device of his and then entered in a glaring competition with them. Since this was a matter that concerned the Royal Family and only the Royal Family, the other demons and demonesses who gathered here did not really had anything else to do but wait for an order from my mother, Akardia Demonarkiar, whom I represented in today’s duel.

That being said, there was the small matter of how and when my beloved parents were going to meet my beloved husband, but since I didn’t really know the exact time it would take for him to fly over here, I could only guess that it could be anywhere between a couple of hours to a couple of days. As such, I came clean about this info, since keeping this glaring competition between us for that long would have been a killer on my back. Hearing this, Sunsun then jumped up with the proposal of actually playing house with her plush toys, and that was how I ended up as Bear Bear and father as Bun Bun. Mother had successfully avoided this situation by claiming to have something important to talk with some nobles, or rather, she forced them to join her.

“I’m surprised you are so good with children, Nanya.” father said as he looked at Sunsun and then back at me.

“My sister-wife Shanteya already gave birth to two very adorable children which I already consider them as my own.” I immediately retorted.

“Two half-Dungeons... it won’t be an easy life for them, especially among the weaklings of the Sealed Continents.” he said as he had his plush bunny take a cup of tea and pretend to sip it.

The subject of what happened to my Dungeon sibling was not something I wished to bring up right now. Both for me and everyone here, this was a matter that was as dangerous and volatile as Ayuseya’s Over Supreme Skill. It was easy to guess what might have happened to them, however, especially if father was not aware of the method employed by Illsy during my pregnancy.

The question that laid heavy on my heart now was whether revealing this secret was going to crush them with guilt or not?

“How is Bun Bun’s tea?” Sunsun asked.

“Spicy.” father replied.

“Oh no~! Bear Bear should give you some of his sugar then!” she said in make-believe shock and then looked at me expectantly.

“Ugh... Yes, Bear Bear ads sugar to Bun Bun’s... tea.” I said as I glared at father.

“That’s a bad stare, Bear Bear. Smile! Smile!” Sunsun said, and I forced a smile.

“I feel like the Gods of Death and Destruction are looking at me.” father commented narrowing his eyes at me.

“You are imagining it.” I replied through my smile.

“Wouldn’t my dear wife wish to join us well?” he asked and sent a meaningful glance towards mother.

“Do you wish to die?” she replied with a cold smile that could freeze the oceans.

“Sigh... I’m being bullied by my own wife.” father said dejectedly.

We continued this loving family moment while we were waiting for Illsy to arrive. Although I said I had no idea how long it would take him to get here, my parents chose to meet him here rather than within the comfort of our palace back at the capital. The reason for this was rather obvious if I knew my parents at all... The battlefield where I fought against High Demio Dragmator Avarice was already being cleaned up and smoothed by several demons.

Since the Royal Family was not planning on leaving the Proving Ground, the other demios here were waiting patiently for a potentially interesting show. There were many eyes looking towards us with disdain and malice in them, but their owners had neither the strength nor the political power to make a move against us. However, just how there were those who looked at us like that, there were also those who held admiration and respect in their gazes.

There wasn’t anything to say that there were those among them who foolishly believed that after such an incredible battle, I was weak and easy to defeat. That was why, to those who raised their killing intent and aimed it at me, I replied in a similar fashion.

“Are you bothered by them?” father asked at one point.

“Hm? By whom?” I replied in measure.

“The fools who pester you?” he answered.

“I don’t feel the need to spare the time and effort for such a thing. If they wish to confront me, then they are free to do so, but they shouldn’t blame me when I don’t show them any mercy.” I told him.

“Maybe they are curious to see your husband just as much as we are?” he asked with a smirk rising up on his lips.

I looked up into his eyes and after a second had passed, I told him: “He’ll come.”

There wasn’t room of doubt in my heart that Illsy would choose to forsake my signal. Even if he were to arrive late here, it would certainly be as a result of some unforeseen circumstances. After all, it was his beloved wife who was calling him here, the mother of his children.

I wonder if Kormian and Natrasku are missing their mommy... I thought as I lifted my head up and looked towards the horizon.

Around three and half hours after I first pressed the call button, I finally felt the first sign of my beloved’s approach. With a jolt of energy, I was washed over by his powerful presence. Like a raging titan, who was unleashing his wrath and fury upon the world, he was heading towards me, cracking the sky in half with thundering force. The moment they felt his overwhelming presence, all the demons and demonesses looked up towards him, curious and worried as to what manner of being could project such a presence over them. Mother flinched and got up from her chair, while father narrowed his eyes at the horizon. Sunsun just looked up at the curious event with big curious eyes.

In the next moment, the clouds above us were cut in half as a metal bird made its appearance, pushing itself forward by a blue flame. What followed next was the thundering roar of a beast no demon or demoness had ever heard before. The weaker ones immediately hid from it and several of them released a high pitch scream of fear. The strong ones stood their ground and gathered their Magic Energy to strengthen their armors and prepare their offensive or defensive spells. My family was the same, with Sunsun hiding behind me, the curiosity in her eyes having vanished and was now replaced with a bit of fear.

Among all those present here; I was the only one who showed neither fear nor worry.

How could I when for me this overwhelming presence was so familiar. It belonged to my husband, the Dungeon Lord who granted me some of the happiest moments of my life and the most wondrous gifts a woman like me could receive, her children.

The metal bird vanished and in its place the silhouette of a man could be seen. With jade green hair, and a stern look on his face, wearing a pitch-black cloak with a power armor underneath it, the man allowed himself to fall from the sky, not bothering to stop or reduce his descent with the help of spells. Illsy made a power-landing right in the middle of the Proving Grounds, sending cracks running through the ground and rising a cloud of dust into the air, which masked his presence.

Then, from within that cloud of dust, he rushed forward at a speed which probably only I could follow. He was running towards me, but his eyes were going left and right, analyzing the surrounding area, the waves of killing intent, the strength of everyone’s Magic Armor, and flow of Magic Energy in the air. I knew he was doing this because it was something we often practiced in our mock battles. Everyone in the Deus Family first went through this process before engaging any potential foe. That was why in some situations we did not even bother to react, while in others we immediately switched to our serious mode.

Before mother’s guards could even draw their swords, Illsy already made his way to me, stopping right in front of me, this time using magic in order to neutralize the effect such an action might have on the surrounding environment. He probably saw Sunsun hiding behind me and realized that it would have been bad if the aftershock hit her, not like I would have allowed something like that to happen, Bear Bear was going to protect Sunsun!

“Huh?” was all one of the demon guards could say before he realized that the intruder was now standing too close to the Royal Family for his own liking.

“Welcome, Illsyore.” I told him with a soft smile.

“Happy to be here, Nanya, but... where’s the emergency?” he asked and then looked around curiously, but he didn’t see anything he would have otherwise considered as a threat to me, that was... until his eyes landed on father.

Illsy narrowed his eyes at him and stepped between us.

“Oh? So... he really is a Dungeon.” father said.

“Yes.” I nodded.

“How... disappointing.” he remarked in a bored tone of voice.

“Huh?” I blinked surprised.

“Daddy?” Sunsun asked.

“Graymore!” mother also reacted surprised to his words.

“Of all the creatures you could have found to mate with, you chose something like this Dungeon? Didn’t I warn you not to take one as your husband?” he asked me.

I was so shocked by his words, I didn’t even know how to react to his words. This was not the way I was expecting him to react upon meeting my husband. Illsy, however, who did not know my father, stepped forward and glared right at him.

“Disappointing? You speak as though your opinion should matter when it comes to whom Nanya falls in love with.”

“Eh? It matters. I’m her father.” he retorted.

“Still doesn’t matter. Parents don’t decide who their children marry with, their responsibility only stops at raising them with a strong set of principles and morals that will be able to guide them in choosing the one they truly desire.”

The harsh tone in his voice almost made me think that rather than family, he was speaking with an enemy. Father was the same, but I couldn’t understand what brought this sort of reaction from both of them. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought they were ancient enemies sworn to one day destroy each other. Then again, it could simply be that Illsy was taking up his role as a husband and defending me while father took his role as a parent and tried to pull me away from the ‘bad influence’.

The other demons and demoness were all watching this showdown with great interest, although, they didn’t seem to understand who the newcomer was or why my father took on such an approach with him.

Looking at these two, I knew that I couldn’t stay silent for too long. Moving between them, I glared at father and then sent a look towards Illsy as well.

“I don’t know why either of you are ruffling your feathers as if you are trying to put on a show of who is the mightiest of the two, but I want to remind you both that we are all family here.” I then looked at father “I know I wasn’t the best daughter you could want and that in many ways I was a disappointment for both of you.” I sent a quick gaze at mother, but I couldn’t see any change in her expression to my words, which only made me believe that what I said was true. “However, the reason why I came here was...” before I could finish my words, my father interjected.

“Nanya, I don’t know what sort of weird ideas this pretentious Dungeon Lord implanted in your head, but I can tell that they are of no good. We are family, true, but recognizing and accepting each other as such is another matter.” he declared.

“Graymore, I don’t think if that...” mother tried to say.

“I’m sorry dear, but this is the truth.” he said glaring at us.

So, even after showing my strength in this duel, he feels nothing towards me? He thinks that I’m not worthy to be his daughter? I thought as I looked down, clenching my fists.

“Big sister...” Sunsun said as she looked at me with worry in her eyes.

I showed her a soft weak smile and then looked back at father.

“What do you want from me?” I asked. How can I prove myself to you that I am indeed my mother’s daughter... yours as well? I thought.

“There’s nothing you could do or show. It would be irrelevant. Him, however, there’s plenty he could show. I want to see if he truly has the strength to be your man.” he declared.

“I don’t think that’s your business.” Illsy growled.

“Actually, it is. This Half-Dungeon woman is still my daughter. I don’t care who you are, unless I approve of you, I’m not giving her to you!” he declared.

What? Am I some sort of item for you to trade? How could you say something like that?! I thought as my heart ached at the idea that my own parents weren’t even thinking of me as a living being now.

Illsy, seeing my pain, placed his hand on my shoulder and then glared at father.

“I agree. Let’s duel.” he said.

“Towards the arena then.” father snorted and then jumped from the tribune into the Proving Grounds.

This wasn’t an official demon duel like the one I had with Dragmator Avarice but a fight between two Dungeons who wished to make their claim on my fate. Well, Illsy was trying to protect me, and I could understand that, but what I couldn’t understand was why was father of all people was acting with so much hostility towards him. This wasn’t even something that could be brushed off as a joke, and I seriously feared that they might end up harming each other in this fight.

Looking back at mother, I could see that her expression remained unchanged, cold and merciless like that of a true Demon Queen.

“I guess... I was hoping for too much?” I wondered out loud as I looked back towards the fight.

If at any point in time I thought this battle was going to become too dangerous, I planned on jumping in and stopping both of them. How did my simple desire of wanting to let my parents know that they were grandparents led to a situation where two Godlike Dungeon Lords wanted to fight each other in an arena of blood and death?