The King's Gamma (#Wattys2024)

Sixty Nine

Millicent

Now, to tell you what happened in the four years that I had been gone in a little more detail. Four years ago, I was in the demon forest too deep. I knew that, and yet I could not get rid of the anger that fueled my intense desire to maim and murder everything in front of me. The goblin horde was the last of my missions before I had to return. It had taken me six days to find the nest, even if it was in the middle of the demon forest where we were told never to go.

I wiped the blood from my cheek, a bit pissed that they were all dead. Why couldn't they have multiplied at least a little more? Useless things.

I sat down on the corpse of the largest one, taking out a flask of water that I greedily gulped down. Looking around to assure they were all eliminated, I quickly opened my bag just as a twig snapped behind me. I twisted in time to find several men staring at the carnage around me with astonishment. All of them had several different types of horns sticking out of their heads, displaying their status as demons for all to see.

"Did the gods hear my prayers and send me more opponents?" I asked as I stood up, taking out the sword at my side.

"A human?" The one at the front seemed strangely intrigued as he approached me. "Nullify."

When he spoke, I could feel my power strip away immediately, and with it, the spell that kept my true gender a secret stripped away as well. Almost immediately, I could feel the change in my appearance, startling them as they watched me as well.

"A human woman disguising as a man." He stopped right in front of me, his eerily red eyes watching me for a moment. Thick black horns protruded from his forehead and curved back almost graciously. "Did you take down this horde by yourself, woman?"

"So what if I did?" I huffed, feeling the strain on my powers as he watched me with interest. "Release."

I broke through his power as soon as I spoke the word, but I left the spell down. It wasn't like anyone from my kingdom was here that could spread the news about me. "What do you want, demon?"

"You're quite daring for a human. Stepping so far into the Demon forest, attacking and slaughtering on lands that do not belong to you..." He picked up a lock of my hair and sniffed it. "An enchanting woman like you... I think I should take you to meet my King."

"Like hell I'll..."

His smile grew when I suddenly lost my footing and landed right up against his chest. I could almost roll my eyes at how cliche this felt. I had seen many of the more feminine boys try this on me, Azrael or Ora. It never worked, but it always managed to irritate me.

"Ha, still trying to fight in your condition?" he held his hand up for me to see it stained with blood. He suddenly picked me up and started walking back in the direction they had come from. "You can call me Heiji." he spoke.

I noticed soon enough that his hand was constantly resting over my open wound with care, ensuring that the skin remained closed.

I huffed and initiated a healing spell without saying anything. 

"You can put me down."

"No, you're..." he frowned. "...wounded?" He looked down, seeing the wound was gone and placed me back on my feet. "You healed yourself? How?"

I rolled my eyes, took a knife out, and cut my finger with it, immediately initiating a spell to heal the wound.

"Casting without chanting?" one of the other demons asked, sounding surprised. "That's impossible."

I sighed, cutting my hand this time and healing it again while looking at them. "I don't think it is impossible. I have been casting like this since I was a child."

"Can you cast elemental magic the same way?"

I shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"Yes, it does." A new voice said. "I intend to take you in."

I turned around to meet the eyes of a smiling brute with a cunning look in his black eyes.

"You will be my new heir. Sylvia will be pleased!"

I was grabbed by the arm and immediately felt the teleportation spell he was obviously reciting in demonic working. I huffed, ripping my arm out of his hold  and immediately smacked his chest, causing him to cough and breaking off the spell before it could complete.

"That wasn't very nice of you, my darling daughter." He said with the same smile as before, placing a hand on my head. "Heiji, take the Princess to her new home. I'm sure she will settle in quite well with your assistance as her personal aide."

He started up the spell again, this time holding both my hands more firmly. Likely an attempt to stop further interference with his spell. I quickly jumped, seeing his expression change to surprise and in the same instance I threw my head forward, smacking my head to his mouth. He let go of my arms giving me the chance to jump away from him. I stood a few metres away from them, scanning their figures up and down, assessing their abilities before I relaxed my posture.

"Is there a reason for this madness? For insisting that I should be your daughter?"

"I have no children and my dearest wife has wanted a child for several hundreds of years. You are a little orphan lost in my realm. It's perfect. She will enjoy having a little girl to play with."

"Are you always this delusional? How the fuck do you run a kingdom?"

"My wife runs it."

"Makes perfect sense." I turned to the red eyed demon who was watching us with his men, seeming very amused at this point. "Your explanation?"

"Our King and Queen are nearing their death cycle. Every ten thousand years they sleep for a hundred years, which is called the death cycle. This renews and replenishes their mana pools and rejuvenate their powers. But in the hundred years the land of demons are besieged by internal strife and attacks from the outside. During the last cycle the great demon attacks happened. Generals who fought for complete control over our lands and the annihilation of every other race in existence rose to power and nearly killed our King and Queen during this time. We fear this may happen again should they have no heir to maintain the throne and Kingdom.

"We were on our way to see one of the generals who has a promising young son our King and Queen intended to adopt. However, we felt your presence and watched you clear the horde. Congratulations. You are now our chosen Princess."

"You intend to make a decision such as this without your Queen's input?"

"I already saw everything, Darling daughter!" a strange voice sounded out. The King drew my attention to what seemed to be a figure floating above his arm. "I have already advised the servants to ready your room!"

"What if I refuse?"

"Then..." The King's smile turned strange, almost threatening. "Heiji."

"Heiji?" I turned to find the demon from earlier standing with a sword held to my throat.

"Would you kindly follow us, Princess?"

I shrugged. To be honest, I was still fairly indignant towards my own parents. Perhaps this will assist in distracting me from my anger. "Very well."