The Demon King's Paladin

Chapter 168. Royal Recounting

" Now I understand why you all might be thinking something along the lines of, " how is that a secret worth even keeping? Let alone telling anyone?" right?"

Delcan and Charlotte nodded their heads as the King kept staring trying to find the worth of my secret. Only the Queen's face hadn't changed much. I assume she thinks I'll lead them through why this secret matters.

" To begin with, let me explain that before arriving here, I was in the same place as the Hero and the Hero Party."

" What!?"

Charlotte was shocked to hear that part.

" How could you be here then?"

" Your Father asked for me to come here."

" You know that's not what I meant!"

Charlotte angrily replied to me as I teased her. Now she's staring at me with a grumpy look on her face. Her reactions are kind of funny to me. I guess I should continue on with the explanation now.

" Alright, alright. Continuing on. I was in an argument with the Hero at the time. We were probably going to start throwing punches. However, before it came to that, a white light surrounded myself, the Hero and the Hero Party. I felt a pair of eyes on me and then I blinked and ended up in the Royal Palace of Blackstone City."

I took a minute to allow them to work through the information I told them.

" So, you've been at odds with the Hero and his Party even before you arrived in Diablos?"

Delcan asked a question after everyone was thinking for a few moments.

" More or less, the Hero... Now that I think about it, I should also apologize to you first, Prince Delcan, I fabricated some of my past, as you can tell from what I've said so far."

" It's fine, we all have secrets, Marquess Drak... Marquess Ericsso... What do you want me to call you exactly?"

" In this room? Whatever you want, out there? Marquess Drake. I have reasons to keep my name and origin a secret after all."

" Well then, John. Did you and the Hero and his Party have problems before you all came to Gaia?"

" As I was saying... Yes, I did. If I had to explain it in a word, I'd say I was bullied by him while I was in school."

" Yet you were unfazed when my Father threatened you with killing intent and mana? Why didn't you cower like a bullying victim then?"

Charlotte seemed to be confused about what I said and how I've acted during the day and even now under pressure. I looked at her and answered her.

" Who said anything about me cowering? I never cowered; it was more like I just didn't want to cause any trouble at the time. So, I would do my best to hold back and then I'd reach my breaking point. then I would be stopped before it could reach a conclusion."

" Why was that?"

Charlotte asked a follow up question; it seems her and Delcan are interested in my past.

/STARE.../

Seems their parents are interested in this as well. I guess it might have something to do with the fact I'm avoiding answering the question... Since it would mean I needed to explain about my parents. I felt Sarah and Anna's hands on my own as they seemed to notice that I wasn't particularly happy about talking about my parent's deaths. The Royal Family looked at us and seemed to realize this part was hard for me.

" If you don't want to tell us, we can skip that part."

" No, it's okay. It's just something that I don't like to talk about."