Fantasy Library, Ch 426-430

Chapter 426 – The Kingdom of Aldegyr

Others might not know who was behind the incident at Itogami Island’s port, but there was no way Natsuki Minamiya wouldn’t.

She had known for a while that Vatler would be coming to the island—and exactly who he was coming for—so it hadn’t taken her long to piece together the truth. She knew who had fought that “serpent” at the port that night, causing such an uproar.

That person had not only destroyed one of Itogami Island’s ports but had also gone toe-to-toe with that dangerous serpent—and, on top of it all, happened to be her own business rival and an unwelcome outsider mage-for-hire. Layer all of those factors together, and it was no surprise that Natsuki was in an exceptionally foul mood.

As a result, she hadn’t shown Kaiser so much as a pleasant expression for the past few days, deliberately targeting him at every opportunity—just to vent her irritation.

If it weren’t for the fact that he had the Lion King Organization behind him, with even high-ranking national officials running cover and clearly unwilling to pursue him for the excessive damage he had caused, Natsuki would have loved nothing more than to treat him to an all-expenses-paid “one-day tour” of the local prison.

And now, this man had the nerve to casually bring up the incident, sending her temper flaring even higher.

“You—fooling around with that snake is one thing, but are you trying to get on my bad side too?” Natsuki’s eyes took on a dangerous glint. “Don’t think you’re all that just because you’ve got a few ‘pets’ living inside you, animal handler.”

“That level of power isn’t enough to impress me,” Kaiser shrugged. “I’m just returning the favor in conversation, Natsuki-chan.”

“And I told you, stop putting ‘-chan’ after a teacher’s name!” Natsuki clicked her tongue. “Forget it—talking to you just makes me more irritated. Let’s get to the point.”

“The point?” Kaiser smirked. “So there was something you wanted from me. That’s why you suddenly showed up?”

“What else? You think I’d want to see you for no reason?” Natsuki said sourly. “Even though talking to you about this is equally infuriating, I don’t have much of a choice—this matter might involve you.”

Without giving him time to voice his confusion, she shifted the topic.

“Last night, there was a serious assault in the West District. You know about it?”

Kaiser frowned.

“You mean that unregistered demon brawl they only reported on this morning?”

It had been on the news earlier that day, right after Vatler’s interview.

Since Nagisa Akatsuki had deliberately brought it up, Kaiser still remembered it.

It was said to have happened in the dead of night, in the West District. The quiet streets had suddenly erupted into large-scale destruction, as two highly dangerous unregistered demons fought high above the district for an extended time, causing extensive collateral damage to the surrounding buildings.

The destruction included several high-rises; even the streets had collapsed. Fires had spread to nearby structures, causing power outages, water supply cuts, and shattered windows across the area.

Afterward, a large number of Island Guard units had poured into the disaster zone, but they apparently hadn’t been able to stop the battle.

At the time, Kaiser had wondered if it was more of Vatler’s people stirring up trouble—after all, a demon capable of that level of destruction was most likely an Old Generation vampire.

But as it turned out, that wasn’t the case.

“They couldn’t prevent the incident, but the Island Guard did manage to arrest one of the two unregistered demons—seriously injured—at the scene,” Natsuki said with displeasure. “But they couldn’t identify him. The Demon Registration Database in Itogami City had no matching entry, which means we can’t pin down the other suspect’s identity or whereabouts.”

An unregistered demon—one without a registration card—was an illegal resident, making them nearly impossible to track.

“That does sound troublesome,” Kaiser said with a nod. “But what’s it got to do with me?”

“Of course it’s related,” Natsuki shot him a look. “According to our tracking data, the fugitive unregistered demon briefly hovered over the apartment building you live in.”

“And not long after that, an armored flying ship from the Kingdom of Aldegyr in Northern Europe went missing. Its coordinates cut off one hundred and sixty kilometers west of Itogami Island—likely the work of that unregistered demon.”

“For the record, when the suspect left your building’s airspace, they headed west.”

Kaiser fell silent.

“Aldegyr…”

It was a small Northern European country facing the Baltic Sea, famous for its natural beauty and advanced industry, especially in the field of magical engineering.

Ruled by the Rihavein Royal Family, its main industries were tourism and magic technology. Its borders touched the War King’s Domain and other demon territories, and it had been at odds with demonkind for centuries—winning some conflicts and losing others—gaining vast experience in anti-demon combat. Its anti-demon weaponry was considered world-class.

It was said that all royal women of Aldegyr were powerful spirit mediums, so the nation placed great importance on the female royal bloodline and combat prowess—earning it the nickname “Valkyria Kingdom.”

The country’s most famous military force, the Holy Ring Knights, included many women who had achieved great victories, earning them the reputation of being demons’ natural enemies.

The armored flying ship was one of the nation’s signature magical engineering marvels: a military airborne fortress bristling with countless autocannons.

And now, one such warship had apparently vanished.

“Frankly, this is a real problem,” Natsuki sighed. “Someone very important was on that ship, visiting Itogami Island. Now they’re missing, and the Kingdom of Aldegyr is on the verge of losing its mind.”

Kaiser knew exactly what she meant.

He hadn’t connected the dots at first, but the moment she mentioned Aldegyr, the whole picture clicked into place.

In his mind, a silver-haired girl’s image flickered by.

“You want me to investigate this?” he asked.

“No. I don’t want to,” Natsuki replied bluntly. “This is a magical crime on Itogami Island. How could we hand it over to business competitors like you? That would just make us look incompetent.”

Still, she muttered begrudgingly, “But since this might have something to do with you, you might be the most suitable person to handle it.”

Kaiser almost wanted to ask why she thought it was related to him. Just because the suspect had hovered above his apartment for a few seconds? That was a stretch.

Natsuki thought so too—but the incident had drawn the attention of the homeland, and the Lion King Organization had learned about it.

That wasn’t surprising. If the disappearance of an important foreign figure could escalate into a major diplomatic crisis, the Lion King Organization—Japan’s own intelligence and anti-magic disaster response agency—was bound to take notice. They were responsible for handling such large-scale magical incidents, gathering intelligence, and hosting important international guests while protecting and monitoring them.

And so, the order had come down to the Itogami Island Administration Bureau:

“The suspected incident leading to the disappearance of the Kingdom of Aldegyr’s armored flying ship is to be handled entirely by the Lion King Organization’s special attack mage—Kaiser.”

That was why Natsuki had come to him.

Unfortunately for Kaiser—who knew the original plot—he couldn’t refuse.

In truth, the incident had nothing to do with him… except that the unregistered demon who had hovered over his building did.

If that person was really her…

“…Fine,” Kaiser said after a pause, lifting his head. “I’ll handle it.”

“Then I’ll look forward to your good news,” Natsuki replied flatly. “I’ll send the relevant info to your phone later. No need to rush catching the culprit—just find that armored flying ship first.”

That was no doubt the Lion King Organization’s real priority.

After all, hosting and protecting important international figures was part of their job. Now that one had gone missing, of course they’d act.

She just didn’t know why they’d assign the task to this transfer student—someone with an even more important job: monitoring the Fourth Primogenitor.

And with his current level of power, they should have been more cautious…

Before she could figure it out, Kaiser turned and walked away.

Only then did Natsuki snap out of it. She glanced at his departing back, then at the tightly bound Sayaka Kirasaka beside her, and snorted.

“Whatever the reason, it’s none of my concern.”

With that, she vanished.

....

Saikai Academy, Middle School Division.

Just before lunch break ended, Kaiser arrived, making his way easily to the third-year Class A classroom.

Naturally, he was here to see Kanon Kanase.

Even though the younger boys in the middle school division glared at him with murderous eyes, Kaiser strode right in and asked for her.

To his surprise, one of Kanon’s classmates told him—

“Kanon-san took the day off today. She’s not at school.”

Chapter 427 – A Messy Dream

The school day ended quickly.

But today, Kaiser wasn’t surrounded by the usual group of eye-catching girls—he was, for once, completely on his own.

Kanon Kanase wasn’t at school, and Nagisa Akatsuki had decided to attend a club activity she’d been absent from for some time. She’d messaged Kaiser earlier, telling him not to wait for her and to go on home.

Normally, if Nagisa had a club meeting and couldn’t leave on time, Kaiser wouldn’t mind waiting at school for her. It was an excuse, sure—but with Avrora still sleeping inside Nagisa, there was no telling when she might wake up. If something like last time happened again and he wasn’t there, it could be a real problem.

That was why Kaiser had told Nagisa before that if she had club activities, he’d stay at school and wait for her.

But today, he couldn’t do that.

He had to take action.

So, while telling Nagisa he’d be leaving first, Kaiser walked over to the still tightly bound Sayaka Kirasaka.

“Hey, pervert girl, wake up.”

He patted the unconscious Sayaka, trying to rouse her.

Instead of waking, she mumbled,

“Mmm… Just let me keep holding you a little longer… just a little…”

Her face curled into a lecherous smile as she spoke, grinning with downright shameless delight.

A dark vein throbbed on Kaiser’s forehead. He stopped holding back and raised his hand high.

“What kind of filthy dream are you having? Wake up!”

The raised hand came down hard.

Smack!

With that crisp slap, the unconscious girl woke up in an instant.

“Ow! You—you bastard! You actually hit me!” Sayaka shouted through tear-filled eyes, a red handprint stamped on her cheek.

“You swing that giant sword at me practically every day—have I ever complained?” Kaiser glared. “You should be thanking me. If I hadn’t woken you up, who knows what embarrassing thing you might’ve let slip?”

“‘Just let me keep holding you’… Don’t tell me you were dreaming about cuddling Yukina Himeragi?”

Sayaka froze, her expression turning awkward.

Kaiser dropped three light, deadly words.

“Lesbian Freak.”

Sayaka immediately exploded.

“I am not a lesbian! I don’t like women! I just like Yukina!”

That only earned her an even more contemptuous look from Kaiser.

“That’s worse. I’d love to let Himeragi hear what kind of woman she treats like an older sister.” He pulled out his phone. “Want me to call her right now?”

“No!” Sayaka panicked—then caught herself. “Wait, Yukina doesn’t even have a phone. How would you call her?”

No one knew Yukina better than Sayaka.

That beloved underclassman was serious and honest, with a strong sense of justice and responsibility. Among the talents at the Lion King Organization, she was exceptional—well-educated but, having grown up entirely in the Sanctuary, she was unfamiliar with much of modern life and noticeably lacking in certain kinds of common sense.

Thanks to that, she rarely touched technological devices like cell phones, making her nearly impossible to contact directly.

If it weren’t for that, Sayaka would already be calling her every few days, chatting for hours and keeping her lovesick pining at bay.

Of course, Kaiser knew all of this.

“Are you stupid?” He gave her the kind of look reserved for idiots. “I could just call the Sanctuary and have someone put Himeragi on the line.”

The girl didn’t have a cell phone—but the Sanctuary certainly had a landline.

“Ah…” Sayaka was speechless.

Then panic struck.

“Y-you’re not actually going to call Yukina, are you?”

She admitted it—she was scared. If that beloved underclassman started looking at her with disgust, Sayaka might as well swallow a curse and die.

“You don’t want me telling Himeragi, right?” Kaiser’s smile turned calculating. “Then do me a favor.”

“A favor?” Sayaka narrowed her eyes warily. “You’re not going to make me do something indecent, are you?”

She’d read this plot before—in magazines you couldn’t show in public. Sure enough, this guy was a filthy man.

“You’re overthinking it.” Kaiser cut her off before she could finish preparing a spell. “Even if I had any thoughts about Himeragi, I wouldn’t have them about you, you yuri girl.”

“What?” Sayaka completely missed the point, eyes blazing. “So you do have thoughts about Yukina, you bastard!”

Kaiser: “…”

He was too tired to respond.

“Keep making things up about me and I might just deal with you right here and now.”

The flatness in his tone shut her up.

She didn’t like admitting it, but after years of love-hate bickering, she knew his personality well enough to tell when he was teasing her—and when he was serious.

Right now, he was edging toward serious. Push him too far, and she really would regret it.

“See? That wasn’t so hard.” Kaiser sighed at her sullen, cowed expression.

“Listen, pervert girl—I’ve got something important to take care of. I can’t keep watching the Fourth Primogenitor for now.” He fixed her with a look. “You’re free at the moment, so until I’m back, you’re going to keep an eye on Nagisa from the shadows.”

As a War Dancer, Sayaka wasn’t just skilled in curses and assassination—she also handled VIP protection and infiltration. Being a curse and assassination expert made her one of the best at countering them, too, so she could serve as a perfect antidote to such threats.

Under those conditions, she could easily take over his surveillance duty—without ever showing herself—protecting Nagisa in secret.

If she agreed, anyway.

“I have my own mission,” Sayaka refused flatly.

She was on Itogami Island to watch Vatler—why would she abandon that to cover for Kaiser?

“Oh, please.” Kaiser rolled his eyes. “If you were that dutiful, you wouldn’t have let that snake do whatever he wanted.”

They’d already fought once, and it had been a world-shaking battle that drew global attention. By her mission parameters, Sayaka should’ve intervened before Vatler’s people ever attacked Kaiser and Nagisa.

And yet… an entire port was gone. That was the result.

The mention made her bristle.

“That’s your fault!”

If this bastard hadn’t tied her up and let mice run around her feet, she wouldn’t have fainted from fright.

If she hadn’t fainted, she would have stopped Vatler.

“You’ve got some nerve blaming me,” Kaiser laughed in disbelief. “You’re the one who attacked me first.”

“I was only delivering a message!”

“And also attacking me.”

“I did not!”

“You think I believe that?”

They bickered right there in the hallway, the perfect picture of a squabbling duo.

“Forget it, I’m not wasting any more time on you.” Seeing the minutes drain away, Kaiser cut her off. “You clearly have plenty of free time—you show up to attack me every other day.”

“So you’ll take over for now. Watch over and protect Nagisa in secret.”

“And no refusing. What I’m doing is also an assignment from the Lion King Organization. If you turn me down, I’ll report you to the higher-ups.”

What could Sayaka do? Nothing but curse him under her breath, furious and helpless.

Not that Kaiser was leaving it all to her.

He’d already instructed the kittens at home and the birds that always circled above to keep watch over Nagisa at all times. He’d also given her the Gorgon Stone to carry—if something happened that Sayaka and his familiars couldn’t handle, Athena would emerge from it.

Only after making all these arrangements did Kaiser leave Saikai Academy.

Once outside, he ducked into a narrow alley and began setting up a spell.

“Heart of the south, pupil of the north, fingertips of the west, toes of the east—gather with the wind, scatter with the rain.”

A pattern took shape on the ground, and Kaiser invoked his kidō.

“Bakudō #58: Kakushitsuisaku!”

The design flared, sending out invisible waves that spread rapidly in all directions.

Last time, Kaiser had only set the search area to cover Saikai Academy. This time, he expanded it to all of Itogami Island.

The range of this search spell depended entirely on the amount of spiritual energy poured into it. Even a lieutenant-level shinigami skilled in its use could scan all of Seireitei.

With his power—and with the kidō inscribed in his grimoire—Kaiser could push the search to a near-divine level if he was willing to spend the energy.

And right now, he was.

Because he’d realized Kanon Kanase’s spiritual energy wasn’t anywhere on Itogami Island.

“…That way, huh?”

After a long moment, Kaiser turned his head toward a specific direction.

Kanon’s spiritual energy was there.

Chapter 428 – The Valkyrie in the Spring

Off the coast of Itogami Island, in the Pacific Ocean.

As evening settled and night slowly approached, the once-vivid blue sea had turned crimson. The sight was ominous—yet, for some reason, strangely tranquil.

Across the waters, ships of unknown nationality, faction, or organization drifted about, and the occasional silhouette of a submarine broke the surface—lingering proof that the chaos from some time ago had yet to fully subside.

In one corner of this now-familiar scene, from the direction of Itogami Island, a streak of light tore across the sky, leaving a long tail of radiance in its wake as it sped toward a distant point.

The light moved fast—breaking the sound barrier with ease, accelerating into supersonic speed. After ten-odd minutes, it reached the airspace above a small island.

It was an uncharted islet, close to Itogami Island yet almost entirely forgotten. Barely two kilometers across at its widest, it could be circled on foot in half a day. Grassland and dense forest covered its crescent-shaped form, and from above, not a single building could be seen—it appeared to be a true, untouched wilderness.

“This should be it.”

The streak of light faded to reveal Kaiser, white wings of the White Dragon Emperor unfurled behind him, as he gazed down at the island and confirmed his destination.

This wasn’t just any random island—it was part of Itogami Island’s administrative territory.

Itogami floated atop a ley line flowing through the ocean—an exceptional spiritual site from a magical perspective—but, being an artificial island, it shared the inherent limitation of not being able to fully block the effects of ocean waves and currents. This made it impossible to perform many types of earth-bound magic there, creating obstacles for demon research and technological development.

To compensate, companies based in the Demon District could apply for government permission to use nearby uninhabited islands under Itogami’s jurisdiction as controlled zones, establishing specialized research facilities there.

This particular island belonged to Magus Craft, a renowned manufacturer of industrial-use magical robots.

“Magus Craft…” Kaiser’s eyes glinted faintly.

Though famous, the company’s fortunes had been in decline recently.

And yet, it was directly connected to Kanon Kanase—because the person who had taken her in five years ago was a researcher from this very company.

Kaiser tried to resume tracking Kanon’s spiritual energy, but no matter how he searched, she was gone—as if her presence had vanished entirely. It made him wonder if she’d already left the island.

“…Better take a look.”

Retracting his White Dragon Emperor’s wings, Kaiser dropped from the sky and landed on a beach at the island’s edge.

Thud!

Sand exploded around him as he touched down, a cloud of dust rising. He waved a hand to clear it and stepped forward.

A glance around told him that, while this was no barren wasteland, it was even more lifeless than one. There wasn’t a single chirp of bird or insect. He couldn’t even summon wildlife as scouts—there was none to be found.

“Should’ve brought the bird flock with me…” he muttered, scratching his head.

Still, it wasn’t much of a problem.

“At worst, it’s only two kilometers across. I can just walk it.”

With that, he headed toward the forest bordering the beach.

The forest was utterly still, its darkness deepening as night fell—cold, silent, and heavy enough to stir unease.

The thick canopy blocked sunlight even during the day, so little undergrowth grew within. The terrain was level, and here and there, clear streams wound through cracks in the exposed bedrock—pure spring water, no doubt.

Rainfall was abundant in the waters around Itogami, so the island had no shortage of fresh water. But with no birds or beasts, and seemingly no fruit-bearing trees, food would likely be scarce.

For an ordinary person stranded here, survival would be uncertain.

Kaiser, however, was no ordinary person. While he still ate and drank, the immortality granted by the Hōgyoku meant he would never die from hunger or thirst—and he could fly away at any time. The surrounding sea was his domain, courtesy of the Trident.

The forest’s darkness posed no challenge—he could see perfectly, and the Eye of Horus made the night his element.

He moved through the woods as if they were empty space, silver short blades orbiting him in a loose formation. They sliced cleanly through obstructing branches and roots, carving a path toward the island’s center.

Eventually, he climbed a gentle slope, emerging at the shore of a mist-veiled spring surrounded by trees.

Splash…

The sound of water reached his ears. His gaze shifted instinctively toward one corner of the spring—and froze.

Something impossible had entered his sight.

Moonlight rippled across the surface, highlighting the center of the spring—where a figure stood.

The first thing he saw was a flawless, inviting white—skin, pale as snow.

Wet silver hair clung to a figure both slender and lithe like a fae, yet impossibly voluptuous.

The girl—no, young woman—paused mid-motion, water still cupped in her hands. Slowly, she turned her head toward him, their eyes meeting.

Glacial-blue irises, clear and brilliant as frozen rivers. An exquisite foreign face, the kind that could only be called divine.

“Kanon…” Kaiser’s voice slipped out before he could stop it.

Indeed—the resemblance was uncanny. The silver hair, the glacial eyes, the Northern European goddess-like features, the saintly purity of her form—all matched Kanon Kanase exactly as he remembered her.

But in the next instant, he saw the differences.

Her aura was different. Her age, too.

Kanon was pure and innocent like a saint, but this girl combined purity with elegance and nobility. Kanon was a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old middle schooler, her body still growing—this girl was mature, tall, long-limbed, her curves fully developed.

And her eyes—Kanon’s gaze was like that of a unicorn’s foal: innocent, a little naive, with a trace of loneliness. This girl’s were bright, resolute, filled with unshakable conviction and will.

If Kanon was an angel, this was a Valkyrie.

A Valkyrie who, right now, was utterly unguarded—and completely naked.

…

They stared at one another in perfect stillness, as though time itself had stopped.

Then—

Bang!

A flash of light and a sharp report split the air.

The flash was a bullet—one brimming with massive spiritual energy. Its source was the enormous, brass-instrument-like single-shot pistol that had appeared in the Valkyrie’s hands without him noticing.

She had drawn it and fired in one motion, the muzzle spitting a blinding bolt straight at him.

Kaiser judged instantly: that shot could punch through steel plating and shatter solid rock.

Without hesitation, one of his silver short blades shot forward.

Shhk!

The blade, sharp enough to cleave space, sliced the glowing bullet in half. The pieces dissolved into nothing.

Bang!

Unfazed, the naked girl fired again, another burst of light screaming toward him as she lunged out of the spring, moving with lithe, predatory grace to reach the shore.

Shhk!

A second blade cut the shot apart, but the girl used the opening to dart into the forest, on the verge of vanishing.

“Bakudō #61: Rikujōkōrō!”

The words left his mouth by reflex. Six beams of light flew in from all sides.

Her reaction was fast—she moved to counter—but the beams were faster, locking around her waist and pinning her in place.

Her expression shifted as she struggled, but no matter how she fought, the glowing restraints did not yield.

“Hadō #4: Byakurai.”

Lightning bloomed at his fingertip, lancing toward her in a blinding beam. Her pupils shrank—

Thud!

The bolt punched clean through a head—just not hers.

“…Huh?”

The girl blinked, looking over her shoulder.

At some point, a figure had appeared behind her, gun still raised in a firing stance… before slowly collapsing to the ground.

Chapter 429 – The Princess on the Uninhabited Island

Tap-tap-tap-tap—

In the stillness surrounding the spring, deep within the shadowed forest, a sudden rush of chaotic footsteps shattered the quiet world shared by only two people.

From both sides of the trees, black-armored soldiers emerged without warning, rifles of heavy military make leveled directly at the silver-haired girl bound in Rikujōkōrō.

“Tch—?!”

Her face paled.

Ratatatatatatatatatatata—!

Without a shred of hesitation, the soldiers pulled their triggers. There was no mercy for beauty, no distraction at her goddess-like form laid bare—only the roaring blaze of their guns as a storm of bullets poured toward her, an unrelenting hail meant to rip her apart.

The gunfire tore across the spring, ripped the silence to pieces, and screamed through the air with a metallic shriek. Trees along the line of fire splintered, shards of wood raining down like a storm.

Such a volley could turn any living thing into a sieve in an instant—and for a girl immobilized in place, it was nothing short of lethal.

“Bakudō #39: Enkōsen.”

Just as she thought she was finished, Kaiser’s voice rang out, chanting kidō.

A round spirit shield shimmered into existence before her, intercepting every bullet.

The downpour of lead clanged and sparked against its surface, bursts of fire streaking across the barrier—but not a single shot broke through to touch the silver-haired girl.

Ratatatatatatata—!

The soldiers, as though only just registering Kaiser’s presence—or perhaps simply recognizing him as an obstacle—swung their muzzles toward him and opened fire in a relentless barrage.

Kaiser didn’t even flinch. Several silver short blades slipped from his side, orbiting in front of him like a whirling wheel.

The bullets never reached him. Each one struck an unseen wall, stopped cold. The space around the blades had been severed, creating an absolute barrier no material could cross.

The Type-100 Heavy Anti-Demon Blade and the Type-6 Anti-Demon Bow shared a unique ability: severing the link between matter and space, creating a dimensional rift. Anything unable to cross that rift could not touch what lay beyond.

Within that severed space, Kaiser was untouchable.

The soldiers seemed to realize this and began to reposition. Despite their heavy armor, they moved with unsettling agility, circling to flank both Kaiser and the girl, preparing to strike from the side.

They never got the chance.

Shhk-shhk-shhk-shhk—!

Silver light burst forth as the blades streaked through the air, faster than bullets, cutting them off in an instant.

Skkrt! Skkrt! Skkrt! Skkrt! Skkrt!

One after another, the armored figures were sliced apart. Their bodies split cleanly, toppling in pieces—yet not a drop of blood spilled.

Instead of flesh, a scatter of metal parts clattered to the ground.

“Watch out!”

The girl finally snapped out of her shock, calling to him.

“They’re Magus Craft combat automatons, not living beings! As long as their cores are intact, they’ll keep moving!”

As if to prove her right, several mangled units—missing limbs or weapons—still lunged at Kaiser, some firing their guns, others drawing blades for close combat.

Kaiser wasn’t surprised. He could feel no spiritual or magical signature from them, no breath of life—just as in the original events he knew so well.

By the time she finished speaking, he was already moving.

“Hadō #58: Tenran.”

A spiraling tornado roared from his outstretched hand, tearing across the spring in a wave of raw force. Rock, tree, and water alike were ripped apart, scattered like dust before a storm.

The automatons fared no better. Whole or crippled, every one of them was swept up into the maelstrom.

Shhk-shhk-shhk—!

The silver blades followed, streaking into the airborne targets, slicing, crushing, and grinding them into fragments.

Within moments, nothing remained but piles of metal debris, flung far into the distance amid soil, stone, and shattered wood.

When the wind finally died, the area was unrecognizable—a scarred wasteland where the spring had once been tranquil.

“…Incredible sorcery!” the girl breathed, awe flashing in her ice-blue eyes.

“Your gun’s not bad either,” Kaiser replied, his voice reaching her again. “Though I was the one you were aiming at.”

She turned her gaze toward him as he approached.

Snap!

With a wave of his hand, the beams of Rikujōkōrō shattered, dissolving into motes of light.

“…Thank you.”

Now free, she offered him a word of gratitude.

Kaiser, however, openly let his gaze sweep over her, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“I should be the one thanking you. Who’d have thought I’d find a naked beauty in the middle of a deserted island? Truly generous of you—my eyes are grateful.”

A chill prickled her skin as she remembered her current state.

“… …”

No screaming. No fluster. Only a quiet lift of her arm to cover herself.

“Excuse me for a moment,” she said calmly, before turning and slipping into the trees. Fabric rustled faintly in the dark.

When she emerged again, the breathtaking form that could stir desire in any man—and envy in many women—was concealed beneath a set of ornate, noble attire.

A military parade-style uniform, high-laced boots, a gleaming pistol strapped to her thigh… she was every inch the Valkyrie, beautiful beyond compare and radiating fearless poise.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Kaiser-kun.”

She walked toward him with measured elegance, his name on her lips.

“You know me?” Kaiser raised a brow.

“Of course.” Her goddess-like face wore a flawless, composed smile, as though the earlier exposure hadn’t happened at all. “Special Attack Mage of the Lion King Organization. Watcher of the Fourth Primogenitor. The Beast King who keeps countless creatures of myth. Your name has echoed across the world lately.”

The implication was clear—knowing of him was no rare thing among those who moved in certain circles. Ordinary citizens wouldn’t, but individuals of high standing in governments and special agencies across the globe certainly would.

Her confident identification of him made her own exceptional status obvious.

“And that,” she added, gesturing toward the silver blade now fully assembled in his hand, “is the famed Type-100 Heavy Anti-Demon Blade - Silver Radiance Qilin—forged specifically for you by the Lion King Organization. Triple-layer pseudo-space cutting formula, an absolute defense barrier that nullifies physical attacks, a blade that can sever space itself, create dimensional rifts, even warp the fabric of space… Its presence alone told me who you were.”

Such intelligence-gathering ability was far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

“You flatter me,” Kaiser said with a shrug. “But your cursed gun is just as impressive.”

Cursed guns—crafted from precious metals infused with sorcery—were rare, costly, and devastating. Their ammunition was equally expensive, rendering them impractical for mass use. Only royals and nobles of considerable wealth could afford them. Many existing pieces sat locked behind museum glass.

The fact that she carried and used one so casually was yet another mark of her privileged status.

In truth, Kaiser already suspected who she was. Still, he asked,

“And you are…?”

Her smile bloomed like a flower.

“I am La Folia Rihavein.”

Rihavein—the surname of Aldegyr’s royal family.

Her identity was now beyond question.

“La Folia Rihavein, First Princess of the Northern European Kingdom of Aldegyr, daughter of King Lucas Rihavein. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

She spoke with a smile, blissfully unaware of just how much shock her introduction might bring.

Chapter 430 – I Suppose That Doesn’t Count as Dishonoring Me

Natsuki Minamiya had once told Kaiser that the Kingdom of Aldegyr had sent an important guest to visit Itogami Island—only for this person to be attacked, apparently by an unregistered demon. The armored airship carrying them had gone missing before reaching the island.

That guest, without question, was the king’s eldest daughter and First Princess—La Folia Rihavein.

Internationally, her popularity was enormous—so much so that her renown nearly eclipsed that of Aldegyr’s king, making her a symbolic figure of the nation.

The reason was simple: she possessed beauty worthy of a goddess, yet by the age of seventeen was already helping shoulder affairs of state. She was famed for her wisdom, her martial prowess, and her brilliance.

The Silver Princess—that was the title the world had given her.

In Aldegyr, she was the beloved and admired princess, the pride and treasure of the nation.

Abroad, she was a formidable figure even for the old guard of politics to contend with—someone not even the Duke of Ardeal would underestimate.

And now, here she was on this uninhabited island, face-to-face with Kaiser.

“An honor to meet you, O great King of Beasts.”

The illustrious Silver Princess gathered her skirts and curtseyed.

“Please, don’t use that title,” Kaiser said with a hint of discomfort. “And there’s no need to be so formal—you’ve no reason to bow to me.”

He was, after all, a special attack mage of the Lion King Organization—a government operative. By rights, it was his duty to protect and support someone like her, not to be honored by a royal princess.

La Folia clearly didn’t see it that way.

“Oh my, what’s wrong with paying respects to an ancient king before whom even a true ancestor must yield?” she said with a playful glint in her eyes. “With your strength, you could found a fourth Night Empire even in this age. I’m simply offering the courtesy due a future monarch.”

“Yeah, no thanks. I’m not the Fourth Primogenitor, and I’ve no interest in building a Night Empire.” Kaiser shook his head. “That ‘King of Beasts’ business was just a one-off to warn that snake.”

“I imagine the Duke of Ardeal was delighted,” La Folia said with a hand to her lips, smiling. “He does love to test himself against the strong. I’m sure you pleased him immensely.”

She knew Vatler well.

Aldegyr’s territory bordered the Warlord’s Domain, and the two had been in conflict for generations. The kingdom’s capital, Verterace, had suffered severe damage multiple times at the hands of demons from the Domain, leaving Aldegyr with no fondness for its inhabitants.

As a duke of the Domain, Vatler had clashed with Aldegyr often.

In other words, La Folia and Vatler were political enemies—arguably personal ones.

Given that, she could easily picture what had happened and offered her praise without reservation.

“To defeat the Duke of Ardeal so easily—splendid work. Don’t be fooled by his reckless behavior; he’s still called the one closest to a true ancestor. Only the likes of a true ancestor could normally put him down so easily.”

“If he’s smart enough to take the hint, then I suppose all that noise I made wasn’t wasted.” Kaiser’s mouth twisted. “But enough about him, Princess—what brings you here?”

“Just call me La Folia,” she said warmly—almost familiarly—with no trace of aristocratic aloofness. “As for why I’m here… that would be the result of saving myself.”

According to her, she’d been forced to flee en route to Itogami.

The armored flying ship carrying her had been attacked by an unknown demon before arrival and sent crashing toward the sea.

The assault had been sudden: the enemy appeared aboard at an altitude of a thousand meters, struck with overwhelming force, broke through the ship’s defenses in short order, and brought it down.

Under the protection of the Holy Ring Knights, La Folia had escaped aboard a lifeboat, plunging into the ocean.

She’d drifted for a long time before eventually washing up on this island.

“I thought I might starve before rescue arrived… but before that could happen, I found you—and those automatons.”

Clearly, she’d already encountered the machines before, or she couldn’t have identified them so quickly earlier.

“Magus Craft’s automatons, right?” Kaiser said. “Then the ones who attacked your ship, forcing you to escape, can only have been that struggling robotics company.”

“I suspect the same,” she said lightly, as if it were someone else’s problem. “Likely they coveted my body—seeking Aldegyr’s royal bloodline to reverse their decline.”

Aldegyr wasn’t only advanced in magic engineering; every royal-born woman was an exceptionally gifted spirit medium by nature—a living divine envoy. Many magical secrets and techniques required the abilities of such royal mediums to even be attempted.

Those arts were so intertwined with the royal bloodline that outsiders could rarely replicate them. And a spirit medium’s talents had countless uses, making the royal family a prime target for those with designs—perfect experimental subjects, invaluable magical resources.

Nagisa Akatsuki, as a hybrid with a strong medium’s constitution, had once helped her family locate buried ruins, decipher ancient inscriptions no one else could read, and even open the underground tomb that housed the Fourth Primogenitor’s base body. Avrora had survived within her after death, and the Root had once possessed her, nearly reviving as the Fourth and triggering the Blazing Banquet—all thanks to her medium’s qualities.

In other worlds, shrine maidens like Yuri Mariya could even see the future and foretell disasters. The value of such powers was beyond question.

It was only natural that some would target women like these—especially a company like Magus Craft, desperate to survive. If they could use Aldegyr’s royal blood to develop new magical technologies or unlock sealed secrets, they could revive their fortunes overnight.

Of course, there was likely more behind the attack on La Folia.

“In any case, since you’re here, that makes things simpler,” Kaiser said, letting the matter drop. “I’m here on assignment from the Lion King Organization—to find you.”

“I told you, call me La Folia.” She looked mildly displeased. “I’m tired of being called ‘Princess’ or ‘Your Highness’—especially by friends. I’d rather you used my name.”

“…You’re really not big on formalities, are you?” Kaiser sighed. “We’ve just met, and we’re already friends?”

“What choice do I have?” Her displeasure faded into a teasing smile. “After all, I was standing naked before you for quite some time. If we can’t even call that friendship, then my modesty was far too cheaply spent.”

Kaiser’s mouth twitched. That’s… one way to put it.

“Isn’t it?” She seemed to read his thoughts, her gaze steady, her tone deliberately suggestive. “It’s the first time I’ve been so compromised in front of a man. Even my father’s never seen my grown body. Yet here I am, in a foreign land, letting a boy my age see everything.”

“Fortunately, the one who saw me is a Beast King before whom even true ancestors bow—a man worthy of Aldegyr’s First Princess. I suppose that doesn’t count as dishonoring me.”

“Perhaps it’s fate’s guidance?”

She seemed genuinely pleased, with none of the shame or anger most girls would feel in such a situation.

“Maybe I should have word of this sent home—let my father and mother know.”

“My father might be unhappy, but from a national standpoint, it could be a good thing.”

“If I could secure the great Beast King as a husband, I’d never have to worry about being forced into a political marriage with someone I despise.”

She carried the conversation along by herself, ignoring Kaiser’s stunned expression, her smile blooming.

“What a splendid idea. Let’s do that.”

That finally snapped Kaiser out of it.

“Sorry, but if you’ll just allow me—”

He never finished. His head snapped toward a certain direction, sharp and alert.

La Folia’s smile vanished. She raised her gun.

(End of Chapter)