Julia looked at both sides alternately while holding onto her innocent skirt. With a low sigh, Barbatos soon led Bottis out and turned the doorknob.
Then, he turned his gaze and began to stare at Julia all of a sudden.
[▷ Barbatos
It seems like she doesn’t even know the source of her own power, so it’s actually useless to rush her then.]
The slender eyes that were just beyond the monocle looked alternately between Julia and the tower outside the window.
[▷ Barbatos
But I have a feeling that the answer to using the key lies within it. I need to check the tower records once again.]
Barbatos’s pupils gradually glowed with confidence. Bottis, who went out first, nudged at him and Barbatos, who eventually came to his senses a little while later, moved away before he finally closed the door.
Meanwhile, Julia just listened to the footsteps that were receding quickly as she unknowingly bit her lip. The sound of her heart pounding with anxiety seemed to reach even her own ears.
‘Did he notice that I’m quite odd?’
Barbatos was one of the most difficult demons for Julia to deal with due to his sharp sense of judgment. She was always careful of her actions and reserved her words so as not to appear glaringly suspicious. As she stood in front of his sharp eyes, she could not even check the system window properly.
If it was known that she had been a fake, if it were to be revealed that the real key was Estelle and the fact that she had just been an error of this world.
Julia wondered if she would then be reduced into a mere useless existence and finally be abandoned.
“Little key, don’t pay much attention to what he just said. He has been overworked lately. Humans are suddenly asking for diplomatic ties as well as a permanent peace with the Demon World. They’re a terrible tribe that doesn’t even know their place and in fact, they have no shame.”
“I see……”
“Of course, you’re an exception, so you don’t look anything like that at all. Anyway, that’s why from now on, the highest-ranking demons will soon be in charge of escorting you. If a human messenger were to come, you may be in contact with them, but above all, you are a precious being who protects the stability of our Master. Do you understand?”
“Wait, a messenger is coming?”
Legion widened his eyes and raised his voice.
“Even if a messenger did come, what does that have anything to do with Julia?”
Only then did Julia’s gaze finally turn to Agares. Now that the war was over, there would have to be some sort of agreements and there would then be some occasions where people might have to come and go.
But she was just a useless being that no one had ever wanted. Even if the envoys did come, they would have avoided her and furthermore, she didn’t want to contact them first either.
However, Agares’s words were the exact opposite of Julia’s own thoughts.
“They are actually asking for the return of Princess Julia Vestra.”
“What does that…”
Julia was at a loss for words. And behind her, there was the sound of teeth grinding about.
“But that’s not the real intention at all. Since the war is finally over and the urgent fire has gone out, their true intention is to retrieve the key as of now. It’s going to be difficult if the Demon God would truly be born after all.”
Surprised, her eyes widened in response. Having been thrown away, abandoned countless times before. No one ever wanted her, so they always told her to disappear. And she had finally found a place where she could barely stay. In fact, she even met some people who actually found value in herself.
“No, I don’t want it……”
“Little key?”
“I don’t want to go.”
“We will never let you go either. Who even dares to take this cute little thing without knowing their own place?”
Agares softly hugged Julia with a strong force. The military uniform that brushed against her cheek was as stiff as a blade, but Julia could feel that this touch had been more cozy than anything else in the whole world.
“The humans had abandoned you and even deceived us just in order to protect Estelle Vestra. Whatever the outcome is, I will never forget that grudge. It’s utterly absurd to hand you over to such a place.”
“Lady Agares…”
“I know how you will be treated if you were to go.”
Agares gently stroked the back of Julia’s head. As soon as she brought up the story about those humans, her big eyes seemed to have widened in annoyance.
[▷Agares
How hard it must have been for this tiny and tender thing on earth—to be crying only by just hearing it all. Those damn humans.]
She could feel Legion’s penetrating gaze right from behind. He had never revealed his dark past. Plus, she thought that Legion already had a hard time between life and death amidst the battlefield, so he didn’t deserve it at all.
However, she did not want to escape from Agares’s arms, who was currently hugging her. Then, Julia continued to burrow herself into her arms.
[▷Agares
Huht! Look at this, cheeky human Sword Master. This is the difference between me being loved by the little key and you; not being loved.]
“……shit.”
For some reason or another, she thought that it was rather quiet, but it seemed that both Agares and Legion were having a hard conversation only with their pairs of eyes. Julia unknowingly broke into a smile as she imagined that scene.
* * *
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