Chapter 17-A Kingdom Re-defined

Five days after the king fell.

Thanks to construction magic, the cathedral was already back to its original state, outside of the ruined floors which had to be replaced. Tsucko was sitting in the massive library researching in preparation for the coming invasion of the emerald kingdom.

The door creaked open and Tuskco turned to see Kalci entering the room wearing the same black cloak now cleaned and baggy black sweatpants. A red vest was under the cloak matching the color of his eyes.

" Always reading huh?"

" Ha...You know me," Tsucko closed a book that to Kalci looked over 1,000 pages long.

" My head is always in the books."

Tsucko stood up from his wooden chair and walked to the right side of the room where a large widow sat facing the rest of the city which had mostly recovered from Tsuckos and Kalci's attack.

" Finally a nice day. I've had enough rain." Kalci spoke. The sky was a bright blue, a stark contrast from the past days of straight rain. Kalci looked to the streets which hadn't seemed to change all that much since the king fell. Much to Kalcis's surprise. " The civilians seem to be taking the change in leader pretty well."

" Well, that was the whole point of our crusade...Get the civilians to feel as if their current king can't protect them."

"...Keeping the current general then was a good move. He seems to be liked by the commoners."

" Seeing as he grew up with them I would imagine."

" Uh...You knew he-" Kalci was shocked at this comment...It seemed Tsucko planned much further ahead than he thought.

" No, I didn't plan that far ahead." Kalci minde was read once again. " The books here carry the history of almost any general in this kingdom...Along with some information on the Emerald Kingdom."

The books in this library were extremely useful to Tsucko. Some dated back to the days of its creation leading to some interesting discoveries...but he was most interested in the present. 

" So you've been studying our opponent," Kalci spoke in a serious tone.

" I have. [ Along with some interesting history, but I'll keep that to myself."]

" What have you found."

Tuscko paused for a moment and looked to the street levels once more. He saw a young boy running from some shopkeepers presumably with food in his hands. Tsucko had already told the guards that they had every right to do what they wanted to with criminals they caught, but if they got away then they got off scot-free...A world of complete freedom as long as you can earn it.

" Were extremely outmatched...Outside of me and you, I don't know currently if we have anyone capable of keeping up with a single one of their generals...Then theirs the 8 deadly swordsmen."

Tsucko and Kalci when they fought Hebi were already stronger than most soldiers in the Kingdom of Aces, and they struggled with Hebi...Though Kalci and Tsucko both believe Hebi was in fact holding back for at least part of the fight.

" What about the King?" Kacl asked

" He isn't my biggest concern...From the notes I've read from some spies inside the Emerald Kingdom the previous king placed. He's hung up on some demon hunt."

" Demons...They went extinct centuries ago." while Kalci didn't enjoy reading...He did retain some history from books Nun Zasha placed in his room.

" More like a millennium, but demons live much longer than humans, actually know one nows the true life expectancy of a demon."

" Uh....Well even if they're still around. Why does he fear them so much."

Tsucko looked at the book he had out on the table. It was a history book tying back to the start of magic...and the great demon extermination.

" The details are vague, but it seems we humans did some screwed up things to them...The king seems to fear a hidden group slowly reproducing and gearing up for a revenge tour."

kalci stayed gazing out the window his eyes dancing between different shops and buildings. His eyes were full of doubt on the matter of demons.

" Anyway like I said...I'm not worried about that." The way Tsucko said it implied there was another thing he was indeed worried about causing Kalci's eyes to widen slightly.

" Then what are you worried-"

" The twins."