"YOUR MAJESTY!! YOUR MAJESTY!!"
The gate guard shouted in the palace corridor, calling for Kerthos while supporting the weak body of Aethoniel, who had just been found collapsed helplessly at the city gate with a blood-soaked appearance. Panic throughout the palace was unavoidable upon learning that the Elf, the possessor of the strongest light mana blessing, was in such a gruesome condition.
"Niel!" Kerthos approached Aethoniel as fast as possible, then took over supporting his good friend's body. "What happened? Why are you in this condition? Where are the others?" Kerthos asked in an extremely worried tone.
Aethoniel's body almost collapsed before Kerthos strengthened his hold. "That monster... is not a match for us. You will only die if you face it." His body then fell because there was no strength left.
"Niel!! Wake up, Niel!!" Kerthos patted Aethoniel's cheeks as he lay in his lap. "Call the Doctor quickly!"
"O-okay, Your Majesty." The gate guard ran to call the palace Doctor at his private clinic.
"You've lost most of your mana and your mind is shaken. What exactly did you fight down there to end up like this?" Kerthos gazed at Aethoniel with a worried expression.
"You, who looked so strong, now look very weak. It seems you fought to the death." Kerthos began using his makeshift healing magic to prevent anything unexpected from happening.
"I brought the Doctor, Your Majesty!" The guard from earlier returned with a middle-aged man who was the palace Doctor.
The Doctor sat next to Aethoniel's body to give the first examination. Then, he looked politely at Kerthos. "Can you bring him inside? I need to examine his body further."
Without answering, Kerthos supported Aethoniel's body into an empty bedroom. Upon arriving, he laid the body down slowly, then the Doctor asked him to wait at a slight distance so as not to disturb the examination. A barrier magic spell was recited due to suspicion of poison mixed with black mana in Aethoniel's body.
"Your Majesty." An information messenger suddenly came like the wind and whispered to Kerthos. "We found the bodies of the seven lights in a gruesome condition. Their bodies were cut into several pieces to the point they were hard to recognize." He informed.
Kerthos held back the nausea spreading from within his body upon hearing the information messenger's words. "Do you know who did it?" he asked.
"No."
"Alright then. You may go."
The information messenger left, and the Doctor who was examining Aethoniel approached Kerthos with a relieved face. If bad news had come, a tremendous shock might have crumbled part of the kingdom's defenses and there was a high chance countries on other continents would come to attack.
"Lord Aethoniel did not sustain any fatal wounds. It's just that, losing a lot of mana and mental disturbance has made his health poor." Explained the palace Doctor. "Lord Aethoniel will soon regain consciousness. At that time, try not to ask him questions that burden him." He advised.
"Understood."
"I take my leave, Your Majesty. Call me anytime, even when I am on the brink of death." The Doctor bowed respectfully, then left.
"Thank you." Kerthos moved closer to the bed, sitting hunched on the wooden chair provided beside the bed, waiting for his good friend to regain consciousness. "Back then, if it weren't for you, I might have given up on the throne and lived full of regret forever."
"Seizing the throne from my tyrannical uncle was not easy, yet you made that impossibility into something real. We could free the people suffering under tyranny. Truly, the position of King suits you more than it suits a worthless human like me." Kerthos continued.
"Blessed with light mana, having pure royal blood, long-lived, I always envied you when I remembered it. What could a son of a concubine like me do before your perfection?"
"Seeing you, who are perfect, injured to the point of being helpless like this, it feels like the world is cursing me." Kerthos began to cry, seeing the man he considered an older brother now lying weak.
"Seriously..." Aethoniel's low voice made Kerthos quickly wipe away his tears. "You're a King, but you're so crybaby. As I recall, I don't have a sibling as crybaby as you."
"Niel!" Kerthos rushed to hug Aethoniel tightly, making the Elf man who had just managed to sit up on the bed startled. "Thank goodness... Thank goodness you're still alive."
Aethoniel patted Kerthos's trembling back gently. "Never say that again. If you want to say that, say it where I can't hear it. You're a good and wise King. The people love you and I am here as your support."
Kerthos loosened his hug, returning to his original sitting position. "I lost my parents and my other siblings during my uncle's rebellion. At that time I didn't know what to do. I was just a filthy human not blessed with anything like you. But you came in the midst of my despair and gave me support until I could reach this point."
Aethoniel smiled faintly seeing the little child who cried by the lakeside back then had grown up and become a King. Time passed very quickly and that child was now a true man.
"Because of that... what would become of me if you left me?" Kerthos looked at Aethoniel gently. "I could become a tyrant like my uncle back then."
Aethoniel reached out his hand to pat Kerthos's head, hoping to ease the worries of the man with the status of King even a little. "That's impossible, I guarantee it by betting my life. During this long life I've lived, you're the only King I can acknowledge."
"Thank you." Kerthos had calmed down again. "But, may I ask about the war? If you still hesitate to tell me, then I won't force you."
Aethoniel shook his head slowly. "At first I didn't feel a threat as small as a mustard seed, but right after that it was felt. Then, they died all at once after a gust of wind passed me. I couldn't understand his words. His magic was so tremendous even though it was just one word in a strange language he uttered. At that moment I realized that he, was a true demon. He is the bringer of destruction." He said with a sorrowful expression.
"Then, what is your next decision?"
"Issue a prohibition against entering the underworld. I don't want there to be any more victims." Aethoniel requested.
"Alright. But, are you okay?"
"Maybe I will stop being a hero of light and live as an ordinary citizen. Atoning for my sins by living and dying for the people. I could even continue my research at that time." Aethoniel answered with his gaze slightly lowered and a faint smile.
Karthos stood up, "Alright if that's your decision. I won't force you to continue the position of hero of light, and live well."
"Your words sound like I'm going to leave this palace and live as a wanderer." Aethoniel chuckled. "I'm still staying here, but not as a hero, rather as a volunteer and doing research." He corrected.
"I know, I know. It's just, make it dramatic so it feels like a farewell." Kerthos replied, a bit curt.
Aethoniel shook his head while laughing softly. "You're something else."
"If you really left, I would definitely forbid you by any means. I could use a royal decree on you if necessary."
"Hm?" Aethoniel seemed to hear Kerthos mutter something.
"No. It's just, if you're not here who will scold me later? If I have children and grandchildren later, who will they call grandfather?" Kerthos scratched the back of his neck which didn't itch.
"Even though I'm already thousands of years old, my face still doesn't deserve to be called an old man, you know!"
"Alright then, a young grandpa it is." Then, Kerthos walked away as fast as lightning before Aethoniel's shout could be heard.
"Get over here, kid!"
Aethoniel let out a rough sigh. Kerthos was really doing as he pleased. And he turned his gaze to look out the window. "The world is preparing an extraordinary surprise after being silent as a spectator for a hundred years. I hope the surprise isn't too shocking."