Slowly and carefully, I emerged from the confines of the tent, mindful of my injury and the delicate stitches holding me together. All around me, the soldiers were bustling about, storing their supplies and preparing to depart. The royal army had graciously allowed me to stay and recover, but now it was time for them to continue their journey.
Before they left, however, they would first pay their respects to the count and his son for their hospitality, and also for my heroic actions . It was no small feat to have single-handedly saved an entire army and defeated the enemy commander, an event that would soon spread throughout the continent. I knew that there were only a handful of others , less than ten people on the entire continent that were actual demon-slayer,and were still alive, so it was bound for the word to spread around .
All the soldier's eyes were drawn towards me, wherever I went soldiers murmured to each other while pointing at me , other instead simply bowed, as they were aware that it was my fight that saved the day.
But deep down, I knew that my victory over him had come at a great cost.
As I limped towards them, Alistair, Victor, and the princess all turned to face me. It was clear from my slow movements and visible bandages that I had not fully recovered yet.
"You didn't have to come," Victor said with a worried tone, his eyes scanning over my figure. "You should be resting."
"I will have plenty of time to rest once I return to my mansion," I replied with a small smile. The thought of finally sleeping in a real bed again was enough to make me ignore the fact that these stressful people would soon be leaving.
"Don't worry, Favian," Alistair chimed in with a friendly smile. "We shall meet again soon at the royal palace."
I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his statement. Royal palace? What did he mean by that?
"Excuse me?" I asked, my tone full of curiosity. "Why would we meet there?"
The three of them exchanged confused glances before the princess spoke up. "Of course, for the reward ceremony and banquet to celebrate our success. You must know that our victories against the demons are not too many , so this event will surely be milked for all it's worth, to raise morale at home . We will be hailed as heroes, especially you as the youngest demon slayer in history.I am sure the other war-saint will come too to seize you up, after all you are the newest demon slayer, so they will certainly want to see you with their own eyes."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.Bloody...hell I could not fucking rest even after this battle, seriously can I catch a break?If yes when? Well obviously I will not go there, and make the king send my reward to the mansion, he owes me that at least, after all I saved his sorry ass...
"I don't know if I'll be able to make it," I sighed, feeling defeated. "After all, I will need time to recover from my injuries."
"Don't be ridiculous," Victor scoffed. "They can't possibly embark on this expedition without their star player. They will have to wait for you to heal in order to have any chance of success. And think about the reward you'll receive! The king would never treat the savior of the kingdom in any ill way."
He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, but quickly withdrew it when he saw me flinch. "Sorry about that," he offered in a small apology.
"It's fine," I assured him, eager to end this meeting as soon as possible.
With that, they all turned and began walking towards the carriage that would take them back to court. But then suddenly, the princess turned around and started walking towards me with a mischievous glint in her eye.
As she drew closer, she leaned in and whispered something into my ear while taking hold of my hand. "I eagerly await your arrival at the academy," she purred, her lips dangerously close to my ear before giving me a teasing smile and turning back to join the others.
As I watched the princess walk away with a mischievous glint in her eye, a troublesom look appeared in my eye. I wasn't some oblivious shonen protagonist, dense as a rock, unable to decipher subtle cues. No, I recognized that look in her eyes, the hint of interest she didn't bother hiding.
It made sense on a political level too.Linking someone who showed promise to become a war-saint to the royal family could undoubtedly strengthen the crown.
However, romance and politics were realms I hadn't delved into much. I preferred the straightforwardness of battle over the intricacies of courtship and diplomacy.
As I contemplated the princess's apparent interest, another thought crossed my mind. While her advances were clear, I couldn't shake the feeling that she was a bit too... bothersome. Pursuing someone like her, a battle maniac, seemed like a perilous endeavor. After all, if she was someone to bleed and smile as she searches for a worthy fight, how would she behave if she wanted to pursue someone?
It was one thing to face demons on the battlefield; it was an entirely different challenge to navigate the complexities of matters of the heart, especially when dealing with someone as potentially dangerous as the princess. As I pondered the situation, I couldn't help but consider the possibility that ignoring her advances might be the key to diffusing the situation. Perhaps, by downplaying her signs of interest, she would eventually lose interest – or, at the very least, I hoped so.
Sighing deeply, I made my way back to the tent. The brief exchange of goodbyes had left me feeling somewhat drained. I knew I needed to focus on recovering as quickly as possible, especially with the looming uncertainty of when Lucas might strike. After all I still had a crazy bastard over my head, and next time we meet, I am sure he will have already heard of my accomplishment in the previous battle, which will mean that he will not dare to underestimate me.