CHAPTER 15: FRIENDLY MATCH

"Sigh… When is our guest going to arrive?" Sektar asked his royal assistant.

Dasu Ashrew looked at the document in his hand. Height about 1.79 metres with eyeglasses, he touches them to lift them to his pointed nose. His hair, eyes and eyebrows have the same colour of grey. But, his attire has a slight gold to show his importance to the Eskimos' king. He was Sektar's trusted aide and his right-hand man.

Dasu looked back at his king. "They should be arriving next week according to schedule, Your Majesty."

Sektar, who was sitting in his office, tapped the table in front of him.

"Are Your Majesty thinking of asking Riseptos Algaia to battle their slave at the friendly match?"

Sektar shook his head. "Riseptos just recover. I can't let him participate in it. Moreover, we need a human participant instead of a demon."

"But the problem is they are going to use a demon slave to fight, Your Majesty."

"I can only think of Gizelis Auntom. He eventually managed to capture Prince Zeliker from his home. His skill should be enough to defeat the low-rank demon slave. What'd you think, Dasu?" Sektar asked for Dasu's opinion.

Dasu nodded his head. "He will be a good choice, Your Majesty."

"Then, summon him to me. I would like to talk more details with him if something else happens."

Dasu half-bow before he left to order some guard to find Gizelis. He and Sektar have been informed by Xcerox that his team would no longer need to move out because Silvert's ability can hide them from anyone searching for the demon prince.

Since the kidnapping incident, everyone starts to slowly lower their fear of Zeliker, especially the maidservants and manservants. They were always around to serve the princes and Princess Stiria that were always nearby the demon prince.

Looking at their friendly chat, they thought the demon prince was no longer that scary. There's also his action in rescuing the kidnapped people, so they were slowly accepting Zeliker as a friend to their prince and princess. As for the demon people, they slowly show their respect toward Zeliker for his help.

Now, Zeliker and Silvert have been staying in Antonia's palace for almost three months since the incident. And, Zeliker was no longer wearing the slave's collar. Currently, he looked like a normal human in other people's eyes who didn't know who he was.

Sektar chuckled when he remembered Zeliker wanted to keep his collar on his neck. It was because the collar could save him from anything slicing his neck, even himself. But, that would bring more trouble and tell the others that he was the demon prince. So, Sektar had to order him to remove it.

Zeliker instantly looked dejected at that time and Silvert, who was smiling, destroyed it for him. To make Zeliker look happy again, Sektar presents him with a gift. It was a new type of device that was almost similar to the slave collar with white colour. But, it turns invisible once someone wears it on their neck. It was invented as a shield to protect the demon's heart.

Since ancient times, demons have been born with their heart located inside their neck. It was truly a fragile place to be. So, Bekura and her team invented the collar shield to protect it.

"Ah, Nekruis… How can your youngest son be born so cute? He's nothing like you at all." Sektar chuckled.

The Nekruis he mentioned sneezed suddenly. He cupped his mouth with his right palm and looked out the window. He was in his bedroom chamber with eyes glinting dangerously somewhere outside.

"I will find them soon." He gave a low growl before he looked calm again.

"… I wonder if they are all safe…"

He thought silently. Behind him, on the double king bed, a letter with a stamp of Eskimos Kingdom situated on it. If anyone saw it, they would be very surprised and wonder what relationship Nekruis has with Eskimos Kingdom. Unfortunately, no one will know it except Zapter who silently stood outside the door of the chamber, guarding it seriously.

Back to Antonia's palace…

Zeliker and Silvert along with their new friends were sitting peacefully in the palace garden where they met Stiria before. They were having a nice breakfast while breathing the morning breeze.

Gizelis, Nish and their recovered friends, Riseptos, Frix and Ashla were eating at another table that had been prepared by the maidservants. While Zeliker and Silvert eat their meals with Xcerox, Miulwess and Stiria.

"I heard the king of Drick Kingdom would come visiting us next week," Miulwess told them while rubbing his lips with a napkin.

He and Stiria have gotten along with Zeliker and Silvert after learning about their activities during these three months. They also become their friends and get free rooms in the dimension too. Same for Riseptos, Frix and Ashla.

"Why?"

Stiria doesn't know of it. After all, the kingdom arrangement has nothing to do with her. Xcerox's eyes turn a little dimmed. Zeliker and Silvert noticed it.

"The Drick Kingdom has demons in their custody. They would like to send them to us but I think they would give them if we did win the friendly match next week. If not…"

Miulwess doesn't need to explain more. Everyone already understood it. Stiria's eyes widened after hearing it.

"How awful… They must have innocent children with them."

"Well, innocent or not, their choice of living in Drick silently becomes their problem when the royalty of Drick found them." Xcerox shook his head in sympathy.

The demons could have stayed in their kingdom. Why the need to live somewhere where other humans hate them?

"Is Drick like Shildia?" Silvert asked since he doesn't know much about human activities.

"Almost. Shildia is an extremely strict kingdom towards demons. And we all know their second prince is my little sister's fiance." Xcerox glared at his meal. Something about the engagement angered him.

"How did it happen?"

Zeliker finally asked this question. How can Stiria get engaged with their prince, knowing that Eskimos have demon residents? Didn't they hate demons?

"It came without warning. The Shildia's king sent his ambassador along with Prince Flare to tell our father that Prince Flare is interested in our sister. Prince Flare also says the same thing. It is difficult for our father to approve of it. After all, their arrangement is a silent threat by Shildia to Eskimos. Father didn't want a fight between human kingdoms since it might give an opening to the demon kingdom to raid us. So, he had to agree to the engagement." Miulwess looked furious when he explained it.

Stiria who listened to both of them looked sad. She was sacrificed for their kingdom's peace and harmony. But, she did accept the engagement willingly. It was her duty as the princess. When you were born as one, you were doomed to follow the royalty tradition by marrying other princes from another kingdom.

It doesn't matter who, as long as it will make a good and mutual relationship between the kingdoms. Of course, in human kingdoms only. There was no way the human kingdom would let their princess marry the demon kingdom's princes. They might be eaten the moment the marriage happens.

So, her brothers shouldn't be guilty of it. But, she didn't voice out though because she knew they would not be appeased.

Zeliker stares at them silently.

"Still, she's not fully human. If Shildia finds out, what'll happen to her then?" He thought with a little concern.

Stiria, who noticed his staring, looked at him with a small melancholy smile. Zeliker's eyes widened. Her smiling reminded him of the soldier's moment of death before they departed from the living world.

He was told by Silvert before that when people died, they would reminisce about their life and remember their loved ones. Although Stiria was alive right now, her expression looked almost the same as theirs. Which means…

She knows she will die after the marriage!

Stiria found Zeliker's bewilderment and stared at her with contempt. It was like he figured something out which made Stiria smart enough to guess what it was. She blinks at him with a plea in her eyes.

Please don't tell anyone…

Zeliker, who understood her silent message, grit his teeth hard.

"Why does she want to hide this?! Doesn't she care about her life?! What about her family who cares for her?! They… They didn't know?!"

Zeliker turns to Xcerox and Miulwess who eat with rage. It's like the food was at fault when it's actually not. But, then he realised that he was the same as her. They might have different reasons to die but she's not someone who he was close to. He couldn't interfere with her decision because he was not her family member.

Yet, why does he feel his chest tighten?

"What should I do? To help her when I myself is the same…" He closed his eyes, hiding his pain for her.

He felt so powerless. He and others were startled when they heard a clapping hand. It seems Miulwess directed their attention on him.

"Alright, we have talked way off-topic. It should be a question of who is going to partake in the friendly match. So, who do you think it is?"

His question subsided the gloomy atmosphere by a little bit.

"It's me, Your Highness."

Everyone snapped their heads at Gizelis. Their eyes show bewilderment. Xcerox stood up from his seat.

"What?! How'd you get chosen?!"

"Your Majesty has ordered me to do it. Wish me luck." Gizelis smiled.

He doesn't realise the horror in his friend's eyes.

"What?" He was confused when he felt their stare at him.

It's just a friendly match. It's not like he was going to his death.

"My god, Gizelis, do you think this is not serious? This. Is. Very. Serious! Why didn't you tell us?!" Frix scolded him.

Gizelis shrugged. "I thought you might know it soon. It will be announced later anyway."

Their eyes twitched at his easy-going attitude.

Can they hit him? No, that would be a problem since he needs to be in a good condition for the match.

Wait! Actually, that would be a good idea!

They stare at him like they were seeing a punching bag. Gizelis's body shuddered.

Why are they looking at him like that…?

"Gizelis, have you made preparations to do this?"

Zeliker with no expression asked since Gizelis doesn't seem to be afraid or nervous about the incoming match.

"I do have a secret weapon. So, no need to worry about it, everyone. I'll win the match, you'll see." Gizelis reassured them.

"Oh… Then, before the match starts, would you like to spar with me?"

Gizelis swallowed and his body gave out sweat. He saw Zeliker's eyes change to blazing red, meaning Zeliker was angry with him.

Why?! It was the king who ordered him to participate in it! Why are you angry with me for?! Someone save me!