Leave a comment

Bernardo discarded his remaining reservations upon hearing Maroudo’s unconventional perspective.

“Indeed. Until we meet again in the afterlife, Maroudo.”

Bernardo murmured and was just about to bridge the gap, leaning forward when,

“Yaa-hoo!”

A cheerful shout reverberated through the area, and in sync, a silver obi-like object flew towards Bernardo, attacking from unpredictable angles. Simultaneously, a massive halberd spun towards him from behind Maroudo. Maroudo quickly sidestepped, avoiding the halberd’s trajectory.

Bernardo also instantly scrapped his plan to advance and retreated. The halberd embedded itself in the corridor where he had stood moments before, gouging out a trench. The silver obi wrapped around the halberd’s shaft, seemingly retrieving it, and promptly extracted it from the ground.

“Took your sweet time, didn’t you, foolish disciples?”

The Beast King looked towards the source of the voice, unleashing a qi technique that sent a knight and his shield flying. At his gaze’s endpoint, two towering «Oni-kin», both lean and over two meters tall, stood.

One, clad in a hunter’s attire with a chest protector, was a tri-horned, black-haired Oni-kin youth wielding a spiral-shaped sword, his handsome features contrasting with his wild aura. Beside him stood an Oni of stunning beauty, with reddish-brown hair and five horns, garbed in minimal chest armor, a short skirt for agility, and leg and arm guards, hefting a large halberd.

“I’m at a loss for words to apologize, Master. This fool here hasn’t stopped complaining.”

The Oni woman deeply inclined her head in apology, her tone filled with deference, even as she shot a sideways glare at the black-haired Oni.

“What did you expect, for me to lay an egg? I was told I’d get to impress Lady Hiyuki, but there’s no point if she’s not even here,” the Oni-kin youth grumbled, his demeanor akin to a reluctant child dragged along by his parents, as he turned away.

“So, Master, are these two your disciples?”

Maroudo inquired with a hint of bemusement.

Upon noticing the arrival of new enemies, the knights swiftly regrouped around Bernardo.

In the eerie silence that had fallen, Beast King nodded affirmatively.

“Indeed, it was the Princess’ wish for them to undergo rigorous training. They’re exceptionally resilient; unlike human practitioners, they’re quick learners, incredibly durable, and don’t balk at the sight of their own blood. Their tenacity is commendable; recently, they’ve been training non-stop for 180 hours, showcasing their immense dedication and promising potential.”

Beast King spoke of the intense training regime with a light-heartedness. Maroudo, murmuring to himself, expressed relief at not being a direct apprentice of the old warrior before posing another query.

“They appear to be well-acquainted with the Princess, yet…I don’t recall ever meeting either of them?”

“Kuin was personally selected by the Princess for his sharp intellect and has been under my tutelage ever since, which is why you’re unfamiliar with him. As for Kohaku, you’ve encountered her numerous times. However, this would be your first time seeing her post-evolution,” Beast King explained, casting a look towards his female Oni disciple.

“Ahh—”

Suddenly, the concepts of ‘Evolution,’ ‘Oni,’ ‘Woman,’ and ‘Five Horns’ merged together in Maroudo’s mind, forming a coherent image.

“Could it be… Are you the Ogre Princess, Miss Sofia?” Maroudo inquired, his voice tinged with uncertainty, prompting a reassuring smile from her.

“Now, I’m known as ‘Roaring Oni Princess Kohaku.’ Alongside this somewhat obtuse younger disciple, Lady Hiyuki has graciously bestowed upon us our titles. Despite my many flaws, I hope for your support when the need arises.”

Her once-familiar features, though still marked by her formidable muscles and numerous horns, had transformed, now embodying the grace of Kohaku, who mischievously winked at him.

“Ah, certainly, I will,” Maroudo, momentarily at a loss for words, managed only a faint nod in response. He then turned to a sulking Kuin, offering, “You as well, Kuin. Together, we’ll strive for the Princess’ cause.”

Maroudo’s greeting was meant as nothing more than a polite gesture between compatriots. Yet, Kuin shot him a wary look, accusing, “For the Princess? Hold on, you’re not harboring ambitions to court her, are you? Affirm that, and consider yourself my sworn foe.”

“Huuuhhh?!” Maroudo’s voice hit a hysterical pitch as Kuin blurted out his preposterous claim. Unfazed, Kuin stepped closer, his threat sharpening, ready to hammer in his final point.

“Mark my words. My entire endeavor is solely dedicated to securing a blissful future alongside her, where she’ll bear my offspring. Dare to obstruct me in the slightest, and brace for outright war—I’m dead serious.”

“Wait just a moment!” No sooner had Kuin finished his declaration than the white-masked man, up to now overlooked by his opponents, swiftly interceded. “Refrain from spouting nonsense at will. Hiyuki is destined to be my bride, understand? Now, echo my words, Hiyuki is—”

“Nonsense!”

In a burst of rage, Kuin adopted a battle stance, brandishing his drill-like sword, Caladbolg. Mirroring him, the white-masked man materialized a gallant sword from nowhere, confronting Kuin with a determined (`・ω・´) emoticon adorning his mask.

Maroudo’s lips twisted to their utmost as he witnessed the situation devolve into utter absurdity.

“……Listen up. Your incessant chatter only exacerbates our predicament. It astonishes me that I must impart such elementary etiquette, but let it be known: embarking upon matrimonial planning or claiming her as a bride without her consent crosses the bounds of propriety. Proceedings must adhere to a sequence. —On that note, my petition for marriage to the Princess has been officially lodged.”

He articulated, the grip on his Haurvatat Blade tightening.

“……”
“……”
“……”

After a fleeting pause, the trio simultaneously erupted, “““The heavens themselves could not compel me to share a realm with you both!”””

Subsequently ensued a confounding showdown amongst the trio.

◆◇◆◇

“Ahahahahhahahaha… enough…… stop… it’s too much… huff oh my…… ha-ha-ha…… stop, please… I can’t take it anymore……”

Meanwhile, in another location—

Upon learning of Nidhogg’s assault on the Sky Castle, Hiyuki attempted to use her player skill «Return», set to teleport her to Sky Garden, her designated save point. However, this decision sparked a conflict with Tengai and the others, who strongly opposed her acting alone, resulting in them restraining her to the point where she was immobilized.

The method of restraint involved Mikoto and her subordinate angels, the principality sisters, pinning Hiyuki down on Tengai’s back in a prone position.

“My goodness, your hair has come undone, Princess. We simply cannot have that. Allow me to fix it for you.”

“Oh dear, your shoulders are incredibly tense, Princess. Allow me to massage them for you.”

“Alas, your skin seems somewhat dry, possibly from the conditions here. I shall apply lotion all over your body.”

“Heavens, your undergarments, Princess, are simply not fitting for such a momentous occasion. As your loyal retainer, I must insist on replacing them with something more delicate and silky, perhaps even more revealing.”

“Ahahaha… please, no… let…me…go… I beg you…!!”

You could say this was probably a disaster for Hiyuki in her own way.