Ygisburg wasn’t on the outskirts of the Dominion of Calbiac, but it was close. The town was one of the first places to be attacked by the Demon King’s army. What made Ygisburg different from all the raided towns and villages was the mayor’s deal with the Demon King. Filled with blacksmiths, Ygisburg provided the army with weapons and the army left them alone.

  Those who refused to serve the army were disposed of or fled. Grndal was one of the escapees, running all the way to Yutuver and meeting the Hero’s party. When they came to free Ygisburg, Grndal was hailed as the hometown hero. Now, he was about to return as a corpse to be burned.

  “So you got a speech ready?” Iris asked Yevon.

  “What do you think I should say?”

  “He liberated Ygisburg and fought as a warrior all the way until the end, yada yada.”

  Uriel pointed at the scars. “Make sure to point out that he died protecting the people he cared for.”

  He made sure not to fully heal Grndal’s wounds. It wouldn’t be to the orc’s tradition to die with a clean body for the injuries would be cleansed by fire. His ashes would either be scattered or kept in an urn depending on his family’s decision.

  The night before they entered Ygisburg, Agnus had an epiphany. Before everyone settled down, she told them her idea.

  “The Demon King has been enthralled by the Hero.” Her hand moved with each word like she was saying a headline.

  The ladies were confused, but Uriel caught on. “That might just work.”

  When Iris mockingly said that they should march into town with the Demon King a couple weeks ago, she hadn’t realized this would be the catalyst to Agnus’s plan. Still, if Uriel agreed with this, there was a chance of it working.

  “So you’re supposed to be under my command?” Yevon questioned.

  “Yeah.”

  If Agnus were to be ‘subjugated’, Yevon could make a point to the Imperial Prince that she could help rebuild the land. The Demon King had boundless magic and was a master of all three magic: Destruction, Support, and Restoration. It would allow her to join the Hero’s party and postpone her execution.

  “Will people believe us?” Iris wondered. This was the best and only plan they had so far, but doubt littered her mind.

  “Maybe you guys can smack me around to make an example.”

  The thought never crossed Iris, nobody could hurt Agnus. “That could work.”

  If Agnus didn’t fight back, then it was all the more convincing that she was under the control of Yevon. The evidence would be clear, and rumors would spread. How it happened, though. That was another story.

  “The Imperial Wizard is going to grill us.” Uriel frowned at the thought. “How are we going to explain this?”

  “Maybe we don’t?” Iris shrugged.

  Yevon thought back on that odd device strapped to Agnus. When they broke into the throne room, the Demon King latched herself to the machine that did not belong in this world. She couldn’t comprehend how the Demon King built it.

  Fused with metal and flesh, the machine was a horrifying sight. The hum that sounded more like screams froze her to her core. It was what gave the real Agnus a head start to the lever. A mistake Yevon should’ve never made.

  “We could say that Agnus tried to do… something with that machine of hers, but it didn’t work and now she’s under my control.”

  They were still missing a step. Hopefully the Court Wizard wasn’t going to question that. If they kept going with this story and the rumor circulated to an undeniable degree, it might just work.

  With everyone on board, for the most part, they rested until morning. Then it was time for Agnus’s debut.

  ———

  The clashing of steel began early in the morning, coming from the blacksmith working and the soldiers dueling. Ever since their liberation, the orcs were busy honing their skills for the next potential attack. The expected waves of demons never came, but that didn’t stop them from training.

  In no way were they ready to give up their town again, unlike Mayor Uugur who’d been hiding in his office since the takeover and release.

  Mayor Uugur could be dead and the townsfolk wouldn’t care. They might not even give him a proper send off. A coward deserved no more than to be put in the dirt.

  The gate guards were a bit groggy since they’d been vigilant for months, but they stood tall at the sudden sighting of—

  “The Demon King! She’s coming!” They shouted as they clanged the alarm bell. Then, giving another glance, they realized the Demon King wasn’t alone. “Huh? Isn’t that… it’s the Hero!”

  More confused than ever, the orcs rounded up near the gate with swords, mallets, and battleaxes in hand. A wave of demons they expected, not the king herself! It didn’t matter if she was somehow with the Hero’s party, she needed to die. A fruitless effort, but they’d rather trying.

  So without addressing the Hero, they rushed towards the Demon King and swung with all their might.

  Clang!

  Their swords bounced against Agnus’s skin.

  Thud!

  Their mallets cracked the moment it smashed Agnus’s head.

  Clunk!

  The battleaxes made no dents.

  Orcs had tough skins, enough to rebound blunt force, but was absurd! Before insanity set in and the soldiers made another attempt, Yevon stepped in front of Agnus.

  “Everyone, please! Stop!”

  Most followed her direction, except for one who blindly dashed in to stab Agnus with Yevon in front.

  “Argh!” The man tumbled into the ground, holding on to his leg that had been shot with an arrow.

  Uriel frowned at Iris, almost ready to scold her. Though he kept his cool, walking to the injured orc to heal his wound.

  “I’ve managed to restrain the Demon King! She won’t hurt you, as you can see.”

  Rooted to the ground, Agnus gawked at the crowd, causing discomfort as they winced under her gaze. The initial assault terrified her, until Iris reassured her that she wouldn’t be hurt. Still a little scary.

  She felt the weapons’ impact, but no pain came after. It was like a little kid punching you with a pillow acting as a buffer. At that moment, she understood why they were so afraid of her.

  Finally, a first hand experience.

  The orcs clung to their weapons, while making no advances. Their demands for more proof were clear. So Yevon turned to Agnus and ordered her to kneel. A flicker of unease passed through her as the Demon King obeyed without hesitation.

  The crowd gasped, turning to one another to whisper, “”

  “”

  “”

  One orc stepped out from the crowd, the rest stared at him. With Mayor Uugur hiding, Igor stepped up as the de facto mayor. If it were anyone to address this phenomenon, it was him. Or at least they thought so. Igor had another thing in mind.

  “Tell me, Hero, did the Demon King kill Grndal?”

  More gasps escaped the crowd’s lips. They were so busy focusing on Agnus that they paid no attention to their fallen hometown hero.

  Yevon shook her head. “No. He died from his wounds before he could fight the Demon King.”

  Igor sighed, ordering his men to take Grndal and prepare a pyre. They were almost tiptoeing around the kneeling Agnus, picking up their brethren and darting away from her. Relief washed over the Hero’s party.

  Iris mused. Stealing a glance at Uriel, she realized he knew what she was thinking about and stuck out her tongue in defiance.

  Laid on the pyre at the center of town, Grndal had the spotlight for the last time in his mortal body. Before his joining with the Hero’s party, he never found a way to bring glory to Ygisburg. He loved his people, and the people returned this by letting his soul be free. His family weeped, touching him one last time before walking back to the crowd.

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  Iris might’ve thought his death was meaningless, but she wasn’t going to ruin the funeral by talking. Unless they asked her for a speech, of course. This wouldn’t be the case since the speech often fell on the Hero.

  Yevon stood by the pyre alongside Igor who held a lit torch. He gave her a nod, signing that she was good to start. So she took a deep breath.

  “Today, we gather to bid farewell to Grndal, who refused to give in to the Demon King’s demand. He sought refuge with my party and with his help, liberated Ygisburg from the grip of the enemy. His return was nothing short of triumphant.

  “Grndal’s courage and dedication were unwavering. His scars, symbols of his valor, remind us of his commitment to protect those he cared for. In accordance with orc tradition, his wounds remain untouched, to be cleansed by the sacred fire.

  “As we say our farewells, let us carry Grndal’s legacy forward. May his memory inspire us, and may he rest among the soldiers of Ygisburg.”

  Agnus almost clapped at her eulogy, before remembering she wasn’t supposed to move without Yevon’s command. Then again, who would clap at a funeral? She was simply impressed by how Yevon delivered it. She had a lot of experience after all.

  Satisfied with the speech, Igor set the pyre ablaze. As the fire consumed, the Hero’s party couldn’t help but to reflect on their time with Grndal. He wasn’t the first to die in the party. This didn’t make it any easier.

  He wasn’t the brightest, but his kindness cut through everything. Iris thought it was too much sometimes. She hated orcs, and made it clear to Grndal. He wasn’t offended by it, and made invested efforts to change her mind. Disgruntled, Iris wished she could’ve told him that he succeeded, even if it was a little.

  Always confident in Uriel’s magic, Grndal made his body Uriel’s shield. This worried Uriel, and for good reasons. They spent a lot of time together as Uriel healed his wounds. He loved how reactive Grndal was with food, giving him joy in his cooking. Yevon gobbled anything down whether it was good or bad, and Iris was too stubborn to admit it. If he hadn’t ran out of magic back then…

  Uriel clasped his hands, and prayed for Grndal one last time.

  Yevon grimaced at the smell of burnt flesh. Last time this happened, she couldn’t eat meat for a week. To think that the smell would come from Grndal. Sickness sunk to her very bones, breaking out in hives through her skin before focusing on her rumbling stomach. She placed her hand on her mouth, hoping to keep her insides from coming out. This was worse than when she had to bury Lovlis.

  Agnus studied the Hero’s party and their reactions. Uriel was in prayer. Yevon was close to throwing up. And Iris, she looked away, catching Agnus’s gaze instead. Her intense furrowed brows shouted, “What?!”

  Agnus responded in her head, hoping it wormed into Iris. She stood behind the party, a bit away from the view of the orcs. Thankfully they were too busy mourning to care about her presence. She struggled with her emotions, knowing that she was attending a funeral indirectly caused by the body she occupied. From her dreams, everything felt like a movie and she was an observer.

  Perhaps it was because of her demon nose, the burning flesh didn’t make her nauseous like Yevon. Her hunger rose to the smell. It made her feel like… well… a demon.

  ———

  “Haaah! Finally!”

  Iris plopped down on a long awaited bed. For weeks it’d been nothing but dirt and Uriel’s body, so despite the thin mattress, it was heavenly. While no one was around, she rolled around in bliss.

  “Iris,” said Uriel, interrupting her playing. He could hear her grumbles through the door, but paid no mind as he opened the door. “How are you holding up?”

  “Go away.”

  “Will you be fine sleeping by yourself?”

  “I’m not a kid.” She folded her arms and huffed. “Besides, it’s not just the three of us here. People will get the wrong idea.”

  Sure, she slept together with Uriel, but they weren’t in sort of relationship. Outsiders wouldn’t understand. She was certain that Agnus probably thought something was going on with her and Uriel.

  “Alright. I’m next door if you need me.”

  A whiff of guilt made its way in as Uriel closed the door. She was enjoying the comforts. Now all she could think of was if she could sleep.

  “” she mumbled.

  Tonight should be fine. They weren’t out in the wild. The Demon King was gone and whoever this Agnus was wasn’t a threat. Ygisburg was the hometown of Grndal, so the orcs shouldn’t be all bad. None that would crash into her room, at least. Uriel was next door and he was a light sleeper like her, so he’d be here in no time.

  Outside of the inn stood the Demon King, looking like a statue made for advertising. If the advertisement was supposed to scare people away. Igor offered the Hero’s party refuge in the inn, though the innkeeper refused to let her in. Not that she could argue. Sleeping outside was like a norm to her at this point, and sleeping while standing seemed to be a feat for Agnus.

  “Ah! The Demon King! She’s going to eat us!” One of them yelled when they heard her stomach rumble.

  Agnus thought jokingly.

  Shaking away the bad thoughts, she saw the door open and behind it was Yevon with plates on each hand. Steam radiated from the food that consisted of mostly meat and some vegetables. Bread accompanied the plates.

  “Sorry I couldn’t get you in.”

  Agnus wasn’t sure if she was supposed to talk, so she nodded and took the plate. The braised beef, shredded and put in a reddish stew with carrots and potatoes, gave off a delectable smell. Before the both of them could sit down on the ground to eat, the innkeeper burst out the building.

  “Hero, please! Come in.” Sweat poured from his face, worried about how his fellow orc would see him if he let her eat outside like a dog.

  “You won’t let Agnus in, so I don’t see any problem in eating outside.”

  “Okay, okay! You can take her in too.”

  Sitting inside, Agnus wished she was outside instead. Everybody’s stare mixed with anxiety and curiosity made her uncomfortable. She reasoned that they had more reason to be wary of her than her being wary of them. It didn’t make her any less uncomfortable.

  The feeling lessened once she tasted the food. Sweet and sour, it matched perfectly with the tender meat. She wasn’t even bothered by the lack of utensils, using her bread like a spoon instead.

  Seeing the Demon King eat so passionately and the Hero smiling was such a bizarre sight. One had to see it in person to believe. That didn’t stop one of the orcs from jotting down notes. She was a traveling journalist who came to Ygisburg for a profile of their liberator, Grndal. What she didn’t realize was how she was going to get the story of a lifetime.

  Agnus noticed the peculiar orc writing, wondering if she was a writer or something. It wasn’t enough to keep her from cleaning her plate. Then she saw the orc pulling out what looked to be an old-timey camera and pointing it at them.

  Without realizing, she held up the peace sign the moment the camera snapped.

  Yevon looked at where Agnus was staring, realizing that to be Devana—a journalist from the Global News. They crossed paths a few times, sometimes even in the battlefield. Yevon read some of Devana’s writing and thought they were clear and informative, though her opinions were injected too often. Either way, this was a blessing in disguise. The rumors of the new Agnus needed a starting point, and if it were to be Devana, then that was a godsend.

  Still hungry, Agnus stared at Yevon’s plate, hoping to communicate it to her. This worked and she got three more plates before she was pleased.

  Then it was back out of the inn for her. The innkeeper only allowed her in because he didn’t want Yevon to eat outside. Before Yevon could make the same argument, Agnus placed her hand on her shoulder and held her back. This was a good opportunity to get a good night’s rest, so Yevon shouldn’t squander it.

  The stars were hidden behind the lanterns, but the lapis-like sky was always beautiful to watch. Agnus’s body was acclimated to the cold, so she’d much prefer to sleep outside under the nocturnal atmosphere. It was soothing. Agnus thought.

  “”

  Night was the time to sleep, but not for these kids. They saw how the Demon King deflected the onslaught of attacks (by doing nothing). The adults told stories about Agnus and her army, and they’d experience the army’s dominance first hand. Never had they seen the Demon King with their own eyes. To think that she had been tamed by the Hero!

  Now this figure of fear idled outside of the inn. While the rest of the kids were too scared to step forward, the brave—or stupid—one picked up a rock and threw it at Agnus’s head. A light tap was all she felt as she turned to their direction.

  “Wah!”

  They remained concealed until their yelps gave away their presence, emerging from the alleyway. Initially, the children had intentions to flee, but when Agnus showed no sign of pursuit, they hesitated.

  The Demon King stood there with an air of calm that was unsettling. Her eyes, once feared for their fiery intensity, now held a curious, almost serene expression as she observed the children. They couldn’t help but feel a mixture of fascination and anxiety.

  Agnus reflected on her time spent with kids in the common room of the hospital. Pure, free-spirited kids who held high hopes for the future despite some of their deadly conditions. She never got to tell them, but their gusto encouraged her to continue living.

  The children’s eyes widened as they witnessed this imposing figure descending to their eye level. They exchanged uncertain glances. The stories they heard painted a very different story of the fearsome Demon King. They expected fire and brimstone, destruction and chaos. Instead, they found themselves face to face with a figure who seemed civilized.

  Though the lighting wasn’t the best, they could see her starry eyes poking through the darkness. Her short black hair was cut below the chin, and she wore a dark circlet with a ruby gem slotted in the middle. One horn was cut, while the other stood tall and mighty. Agnus made a small smile, not enough to show her shark-like teeth.

  When she noticed their stares shifting to her arms, she looked down too. Unlike the rest of her fleshy body, her forearms to her hands were made of stone-like materials. It was hard, yet flexible enough to move like a regular fleshy hand. Her claws were thick and sharp. Though her stone-like hands were covered in small bumps, she figured it wouldn’t cut anyone if she held them gently.

  Agnus extended her hand toward the children, unsure if any would take it. It took a moment before one curious child stepped forward, but only for a single step.

  “Teej! What are you doing out here!” His mother yelled in panic. Her kid was within range of the Demon King, and she had to save him. Scooping him up in her arm, she scolded him for his irresponsibility.

  “Moooom! Let me go!” His words were left unanswered, and he screamed all the way back to his house.

  Additional adults arrived to whisk the children away. Agnus rose to her feet and offered the departing children little waves. Some waved back while others were forbidden by their parents.

  Agnus waved back at them, and then she sighed.

  

  “That’s what you get, you lumbering oaf!”

  “Iris, stop! He’s not here to hurt you!”

  The commotion inside gave Agnus some relief. At least she wasn’t the only one causing a ruckus.

  Iris had punched the orc so hard, his head broke the wall. Before she could land a few more, Uriel came out to stop her. The innkeeper headed upstairs to figure out what happen, and Yevon was there to explain it to him.

  “I’m sorry, I should’ve told you not to send anybody to Iris’s room at night. I’ll pay for the damage.”

  Behind her was Uriel healing the wound on the unconscious orc and then moving onto Iris’s bloody knuckles. The innkeeper was more amazed that the elf managed to cause damage than he was upset. As long as his worker was healed, he was willing to let it go because it was the Hero.

  Iris scoffed. “What’s the point of knocking if he’s just going to barge into my room anyway?”

  It would be a fair complaint if Iris hadn’t smashed her knuckles against the orc’s face.

  “I apologize for the trouble. I’ll be sure to reprimand him once he wakes up.”

  The innkeeper picked up his worker and brought him downstairs. Yevon sighed, glad that he was more reasonable compared to how he acted towards Agnus. With a yawn, she said goodnight to the both of them and headed back into her room.

  Uriel gawked at Iris, who glared in return. Iris already had her temper when Uriel first met her, but the paranoia that came after had made it worse. She was considered the most beautiful elf in her village, so it wasn’t a surprise when she caught a crowd. Uriel had lost count on how many times he had to heal her broken hands. It was the only thing he could do for Iris. There was no soul healing for Iris. Not from him, at least.

  Resigning to his own feebleness, he let out a sigh and said, “Let’s go to sleep. We’ll leave as soon as possible tomorrow.”

  “Yeah.”

  Iris could tell Uriel wasn’t looking to argue. Entering into their respective rooms, a sense of tranquility settled over the night.