novelDragon Demon Princess (4)
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Chapter 10 - Dragon Demon Princess (4)
"The Dragon Demon race wanted to take over the world about 200 years ago, so a war happened?"
"So you know about that. After the hero Azell Karzark defeated the Dragon Demon King Atein in the Dragon Demon war.... ."
After speaking to that point, Rick glanced at Azell.
"Now that I think about it, your name is also Azell."
"So what?"
"Moreover, Azell Karzark had crimson hair color too."
"It can happen."
Azell felt guilty inside, but his outer appearance didn't change. Rick spoke.
"No, I just feel sorry for the legendary hero, who has the same name as you. You are in a very sorry state."
"......."
"Well, there were a good amount of humans that sided with the Dragon Demon race during the Dragon Demon war."
The Dragon Demon King Atein gathered numerous Dragon Demons to conquer the world. He dreamed about an empire where the Dragon Demon race was held above every other race.
However, not everyone from the Dragon Demon race sided with him. Those, who didn't like Atein, claimed neutrality and some even sided with the humans.
Azell remembered them.
'Now that I think about it they could still be alive."
Dragon Demon race lived far longer than humans. Therefore, those from the Dragon Demon race he fought along side with could still be alive after 220 years. He should have thought about this possibility, but since he didn't have a grasp on the situation, it didn't even reach his thoughts.
Azell's heart started beating faster after he realized this truth.
Currently, Azell was trying to positively accept everything he saw, but in the corner of his heart, he was despairing. He was tossed into a unknown world by himself, and it was difficult for him to endure the loneliness.
However... There were others who might have been alive during his time, even if they aren't humans. This fact planted a seed of expectation in Azell.
'However.... . '
Not too long after the Dragon Demon War ended, Azell retreated from the public eyes. The reason wasn't known to the public, but his health had deteriorated rapidly from the curse of Atein.
Therefore, he was in the dark as to how the world operated after the Dragon Demon war ended, but he was able to find out about this truth.
The public sentiment turned against those from the Dragon Demon race, who had cooperated with the humans.
'What happened afterwards?'
Even though they had fought with the humans, they were still from the Dragon Demon race. The Dragon Demon war instilled an unimaginable amount of fear and animosity towards the Dragon Demon race.
Rick's story was talking about that part.
"After the Dragon Demon war, the Dragon Demons, who chose to help the humans, had no choice but to retire from most of the world. Then there were the half-breeds who had inherited their blood....
In other words, the persecuted Dragon Demons made trouble in various places."
"......."
So that's what happened.
Amongst the Dragon Demon race, there were those who had fallen in love with humans, so they had sided with the humans. While they were treated as comrades during the war, they were denied from becoming members of their society.
'No, even then.... '
Even during the Dragon Demon war, they were isolated. They weren't treated as true comrades, but a tool with great power. The humans couldn't trust them, but they were treated as useful betrayers.
That is why the Dragon Demons treasured the relationship with those who came to them with open heart like Azell and Carlos. They wanted to trust the world, but it was only filled with animosity. It was very difficult for them to keep faith.
Rick continued with his story.
"The situation changed after some time had passed. The Nadick Empire was in decline, and Duke Rulein couldn't stand the tyranny that was spreading inside the war-torn empire. He gathered the surrounding lords, and they combined to form the Rulein Kingdom. Of course, after the Rulein Kingdom declared independence, the empire responded with military force."
The Rulein kindom's war of independence was the start of Nadick Empire's demise.
However, even if the Nadick Empire was impoverished by war, they were still the strongest in the world. From the start, the Rulein Kingdom was faced with desperate crisis.
This was when Duke Rulein made a bold decision.
The decision was the Dragon Demon race. He decided to ally with the Dragon Demon race, and the mixed-blood Dragon Demons. By giving them social status and a chance to live a decent life, the Rulein Kingdom was able to get their hands on a very powerful force in return.
"He had to marry a female of the Dragon Demon race to confirm their will. The following monarchs must also mate with someone who had inherited the blood of the Dragon Demon race. This law was made to preserve the blood of the Dragon Demon race in the Royal Family."
This was how the existences called the Dragon Demon Princess and the Dragon Demon Prince was formed. They were the living symbol of the alliance between the humans and those with Dragon Demon blood, who were living alongside each other.
"Since they cannot succeed the throne, it is impossible for them to threaten the royal authority. Until the new generation is born, they are required to fight for the the throne. That is why they are everyone's hero."
"So that's how it is...."
Azell was having fun listening to the history after he had bowed out.
He learned about what had happened to the Dragon Demon race after the Dragon Demon war had ended. His chest hurt from hearing about the collapse of the Nadick empire since it was his home country. However, he had a deep impression of the Ruelin Kingdom because of how they treated the Dragon Demon race.
'In the end, they exchanged the right to live in the human society for the strength of the Dragon Demon race. '
If he was cynical then he would interpret it that way. He needed to find out more information, but Azell didn't think his guess was wrong. The fact that humans and Dragon Demon race cannot co-exist without such an arrangement made Azell feel a bit bitter.
Azell queried.
"So why is the Dragon Demon Princess coming here?"
"Of course, it's the ruins."
"Huh?"
"It might be the ruins of Arch Mage Carlos. It is a possibility, so the Dragon Demon Princess was dispatched as the leader of the research team.
"Arch Mage Carlos.... ."
Before Azell fell asleep, Carlos had numerous titles. However, he wasn't called an Arch Mage since he was still young.
However, 220 years had already passed and he was recorded into history as a great man. Azell laughed bitterly at that fact.
6
There is only one Dragon Demon princess in each generation of the Rulein Kingdom.
The current Dragon Demon Princess' name was Arrieta Weil Rulein. She was two years older than her sibling, the Dragon Demon Prince Seiga Weil Rulein.
"Mmmm."
Arrieta had fallen asleep for a brief moment inside the royal carriage, and now her eyes opened.
She was still a 17 year old girl. Currently she didn't have any armor on, so it was hard to see her as an existence, who had gained her fame in the battlefield.
Her long silver hair was partly braided beneath her ears, and her eyes were like yellow jewels that glowed of sunset. Her skin didn't have any blemish, and her ears were slightly pointed like a fairy.
Above her left ear, there was a bluish feather-like horn protruding, and it looked like it was sculpted from snow. If someone who didn't know saw it then it could be mistaken for a unique accessory.
Accompanying the horn, she had two gems embedded on her hands, which gave away the fact that she wasn't completely human. The gems were colored the same as her yellow eyes.
There was a blurry shadow energy inside the gem named Dragon Magic Stone. It looked like a dragon's eyes, and the pupils were slit vertically. It gave off an eerie feeling as if a dragon was staring at you.
After staring at a blank space, she suddenly spoke.
"Enora."
"Yes."
The young servant sitting next to her was named Enora. She was around 14 years old. She had curly red blond hair with bright green eyes. She looked like a cute doll.
Arrieta queried.
"Have we arrived yet?" (TLN: All her speeches are very formal. )
She spoke in an antiquated way. Enora replied back.
"I heard that we are almost there."
"I woke up for no reason. However... What is it?"
Arietta gave a slight frown. Enora queried.
"What is wrong?"
"I thought I felt someone's gaze..."
"Someone's gaze?"
"It just felt like someone was watching me. I woke up, because it got on my nerve. So sleep well."
Arrieta closed her eyes again. Then she fell asleep before 3 seconds had passed.
Enora laughed awkwardly.
"I'm not allowed to sleep.... ."
The carriage was running slowly, but it wasn't comfortable since they were on a forest road. However, Arrieta slept as if she was sleeping on top of her mattress inside her room.
After Enora watched Arrieta sleep like a doll, she shifted her gaze outside the window. There were only two of them inside the carriage, so she was bored. If Arrieta was a normal girl then she would have passed the time gossiping, but she was definitely not normal.
'Still my Princess, how can you sleep so much?'
Enora had become Arrieta's exclusive maid only 2 month ago. At first, she was very nervous at the fact that she was the exclusive maid to the Dragon Demon Princess. Moreover, Arrieta didn't show any emotion in front of other people, and her speech was very antiquated. She was very overbearing.
However, after spending a lot of time with her, those sentiments were all gone. She found out Arrieta had a very loose personality. It even made her doubt if Arrieta was a high born.
'No matter what she doesn't wake up. '
She frequently fell asleep during the day, so in the servant's perspective, she didn't have to walk around on eggshells.
Enora was bored so she was looking out the window, while wiggling her toes. Suddenly, the noise outside became loud. They must have arrived.
"Princess. Princess."
".... oong?"
She started whispering in her ears, and Arrieta opened her eyes. She looked at Enora with sleepy eyes, while asking a question.
"We have arrived?"
"We'll arrive soon."
"Then let me sleep a little bit more...."
"You can't."
"Why?"
"You said you can't go out with sleepy eyes?"
"... did I say that?"
Arrieta tilted her head. Enora nodded her head furiously.
"You told me to stop you from falling asleep again."
"Is that right. Mmm. Oh well. Please tidy up adequately."
Arrieta yawned and she closed her eyes.
Enora moved quickly. She brushed the princess' tangled hair, and applied make-up near her eyes after washing them. Then she handed her the clothes that was hanging next to her. Her outerwear was styled like a uniform, and she quickly helped her put on a coat. Even though she was young, she had the skills to be an exclusive maid to the Dragon Demon Princess.
Unless it was a social event, Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta didn't wear dresses. The clothes that was similar to a uniform was comfortable to move around in. The coat had a white back ground with blue flame patterns, and it was a magical item made specifically for her.
Soon a knight outside the window spoke.
"Princess, we have arrived."
"I understand."
The voice that had answered the knight didn't have a trace of sleepiness. The voice was mature and dignified.
Not too long after Arrieta had replied back, they had arrived at their destination.
Arrieta spoke.
"Truthfully, I thought we would get ambushed at least once coming here...."
"Yes?"
Enora's eyes widened in surprise.
They had traveled from the castle to the fortress of the western border guard. Then they left the fortress to the site of the ruins in the Balan forest. Their trip was very peaceful. Since there were a lot of people, the bandits or creatures didn't dare to attack them lightly.
As a reference, about 30 people were dispatched by the royal family. There were 20 soldiers, who escorted the Dragon Demon Princess Arrieta. The rest were magicians, scholars, and servants.
Arrieta spoke.
"It is none other than the Balan Forest. I had heard that it was a very dangerous place, so I surmised that there would be at least one confrontation. Unexpectedly, nothing happened."
"Isn't it better that nothing happened?"
"Yes. I'm just saying."
Arrieta descended from the carriage after finishing those words. Then suddenly her gazed turned towards a single location.
"Mmm?"
(TLN: Description can always be tricky and hard to visualize. This pic shows the blue feather like horn above her left ear. )
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