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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: shyan
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A figure stood out wearing golden armor.
Elisia’s subordinates began showing slight interest in Nyadan, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Royal Guard.
“I never thought we’d meet Nyadan in a place like this.”
“Hey… since we’re here, should we invite her for a meal?”
The demons showed behavior similar to office workers trying to approach a colleague they’d been keeping an eye on.
Naturally, among ordinary demons, the Royal Guard and Corps Commanders held status equivalent to or greater than modern-day celebrities.
They were Heroes representing the nation and symbols of power.
As such, Elisia’s subordinates showed intense interest in Nyadan before them and began carefully approaching her.
“Ex-excuse me!”
“Hello, Ms. Nyadan!”
“You’re… Elisia’s subordinates?”
Nyadan responded in a brusque tone.
Although covered entirely in golden armor, from the clear voice I could tell the person was female.
Meanwhile, one of Elisia’s more outgoing subordinates continued speaking with a slightly nervous voice.
“Yes, that’s right, Ms. Nyadan. As you can see, we were just on patrol with Lady Elisia.”
“I see. Elisia. So you were here.”
With those words, Nyadan glanced at Elisia standing nearby.
Elisia responded with a smile showing genuine pleasure at meeting a friend, to which Nyadan slowly nodded in response.
Then, the demons who had addressed Nyadan spoke with hopeful voices.
“It’s truly an honor to meet you like this, Lady Nyadan”
“Actually, we were just about to have our meal time.”
“If you wouldn’t mind, would you like to join us?”
Elisia’s subordinates made quite an active invitation to join them.
However,
Nyadan responded to their proposal in a calm voice.
“I’m sorry, but I must return to the royal castle immediately. Perhaps we can arrange something another time.”
“Ah… yes.”
“That’s unfortunate… Then we’ll see you next time.”
After cleanly declining the invitation and giving one last glance at Elisia, Nyadan disappeared.
As Elisia’s subordinates began feeling somewhat bitter about Nyadan’s consistently aloof attitude from start to finish, that’s when:
“Good try, but not the best target.”
“Lady Elisia?”
“What do you mean…?”
Elisia spoke with a hint of consolation.
Her subordinates showed questioning expressions at her words, and Elisia responded with a slight smile:
“That one’s quite picky about socializing. While she’s not like that with friends like me, she tends to find it very burdensome to mingle with others.”
“Ah… I see.”
The demons showed disappointed reactions to Elisia’s explanation.
Elisia then added some additional information, almost as a bonus:
“That’s Nyadan for you. 330 years old, single. Though she’s the most diligent among the Royal Guard, she doesn’t show any particularly notable passion. She’s not a bad person, but perhaps due to her shy nature, she doesn’t try to mingle with others and rarely shows interest in anything. You could say she’s someone with a rather faint presence.”
“I see.”
As if proving that the term ‘friend’ wasn’t just for show, Elisia rattled off her profile,
and the other demons nodded in understanding of the situation.
“How should I put it… Now I understand why she’s not very noticeable despite wearing such flashy golden armor.”
“Still, it’s disappointing. I personally looked up to her as one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Royal Guard.”
“She at least greeted you because I was here; otherwise, she would have just vanished. Really… she’s a troublesome friend in many ways.”
Elisia said with a wry smile.
After the conversation about Nyadan ended, the demons began dispersing for their meal.
Meanwhile, watching the retreating figure of the demon called Nyadan who had appeared and disappeared so briefly, I carefully said to Elisia:
“Come to think of it… I think I’ve seen her before. She fought against Shude at the Demon King’s castle, right?”
“Shude? You mean that witch from the Magic Kingdom? That’s probably right. Though I was too busy dealing with Amelda to see it clearly.”
“I heard there aren’t even three magicians of Shude’s level in the Magic Kingdom, so someone who could face off against such an opponent must be quite extraordinary.”
“She’s definitely not ordinary. Among our Four Heavenly Kings, she’d be the strongest in pure combat ability. And I heard… surprisingly, she’s also planning to participate in the upcoming Narsil Selection.”
“I see… Depending on circumstances, she might end up being our opponent.”
“Indeed. That seems quite likely.”
With those words, Elisia showed a somewhat solemn determination.
Meanwhile, separate from her attitude, I began recalling the presence I felt from that demon called Nyadan just moments ago.
‘How should I put it… I got the feeling she didn’t particularly like me…’
That sensation similar to momentary hostility.
Although I couldn’t see her expression because of the helmet, I could tell it definitely wasn’t a positive feeling.
‘Though I haven’t had any particular interaction with her… I should still be careful. It might just be that she dislikes humans as a demon.’
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“Haah….”
Nyadan, having escaped from Elisia’s group’s sight, entered a deserted alley.
Immediately after, a heavy sigh escaped her lips.
Her body, concealed in golden armor, made it impossible to see her exact state.
However…
At this moment, Nyadan was trembling as if suppressing some emotion.
Her breathing was rough, and the aura emanating from her body clearly indicated she was greatly agitated.
And within this clearly visible unstable state,
At this moment, two intense emotions were writhing in Nyadan’s heart.
Taking out a pendant she always carried to suppress one of these emotions,
Inside it…
Was a small portrait of that person she had just seen.
A portrait of Elisia.
‘That was dangerous… Elisia… as always, you’re too unfairly beautiful…’
Her small silver-white friend whom she had just met by pure chance.
While repeatedly recalling her image, Nyadan was struggling to calm her trembling heart.
‘Ah.. Elisia… as I feel every time, you’re truly the best… Those sparkling red eyes and skin like white jade. How can you be so beautiful? When you looked at me with those eyes, my heart nearly stopped…’
To others, Elisia and Nyadan might appear to be just ordinary friends.
However, for Nyadan, Elisia was someone who could never be considered just an ordinary friend.
In the past, when Nyadan was just a military officer, she happened to encounter Elisia.
At that time, the moment she saw Elisia, who was already one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Royal Guard, Nyadan fell in love at first sight.
It was like a flower blooming in her barren life that had been devoid of any interest.
That feeling gave Nyadan, whose life had always been dull and dry, a single goal.
By any means necessary…
To possess that being of crystallized beauty named Elisia.
And as part of that goal, Nyadan devoted herself completely to combat training and career advancement, which she had previously shown little interest in. In the process, her innate talent, which even she hadn’t known about, manifested, and as a result,
Nyadan eventually rose to become one of the Four Heavenly Kings, naturally becoming close ‘colleagues’ with Elisia, whom she had long admired.
Thus, Nyadan succeeded in becoming Elisia’s friend as she had always wanted.
Although her shy personality prevented her from making any aggressive moves yet, Nyadan thought she was halfway to success now that this bridge had been built.
Indeed, they often dined together and spent time alone together, building a relationship that could be considered more than just friendship.
However.
In recent days,
An completely unexpected variable had entered Nyadan’s otherwise smoothly progressing plan.
‘The Hero… how dare some random pebble that rolled in from who knows where interfere with me…’
The Hero who had suddenly appeared by Elisia’s side.
The moment Nyadan saw Elisia with him, she could instantly recognize it.
The fact that in Elisia’s heart, there now resided feelings of love for the Hero.
For Nyadan, who had been aiming to capture Elisia’s body and heart, this was an absolutely unacceptable situation.
Just moments ago, watching that filthy Hero fooling around with Elisia had made Nyadan feel a twisting rage, and she had to use all her strength to leave the scene to suppress it.
However, suppressing these emotions was merely a temporary solution.
Even now, Nyadan was grinding her blade of anger against that filthy Hero, waiting for an opportunity for retribution.
And that opportunity…
Would come on the perfect stage of the upcoming Narcil Selection.
‘Though I don’t particularly enjoy stressful fights, when I get serious, I don’t lose to anyone. Hero… I will definitely crush that filthy pride of yours.’
