The following day…
"It's been two days. Why haven't you humans brought any reports?" Grondar asked.
Alaric was already irritated by the constant pestering of the two fools. They hadn't even sent members of their own races, yet they dared question him.
Kia didn't bother asking anything. She calmly sipped her tea, uninterested in the argument.
Just then, a magic bird flew in through the open air and dropped a letter into Alaric's palm before vanishing with a poof.
Alaric opened it.
The letter was from the Association of Guilds, the organization under which all human guilds were registered. It read:
"The members from various top guilds who were sent to confirm the birth of the Demon Lord have all been confirmed dead. Their life stones shattered on the same day."
Kia showed little reaction. She slowly set her teacup down.
"As expected," she said calmly. "If they had returned alive, we could have assumed the stones malfunctioned. Their deaths only confirm one thing."
She looked up.
"The Demon Lord has been born."
Grondar nodded. "Everyone knows arch-demons don't care about races or borders. Their loyalty lies only with their lord. It's the lower demons that cause chaos."
Alaric cleared his throat, forcing himself to calm down.
"Then we all know what must be done. It's time for each of our race to prepare the summoning of heroes from other worlds."
"Summoning heroes requires time and vast resources," Grondar added. "Hopefully, the Demon Lord doesn't grow too powerful before we finish."
"We have no alternatives," Kia replied. "According to legend and history, Demon Lords themselves are beings tied to other worlds. Only those like them can oppose them."
"Enough talk," Alaric said. "Prepare your resources and pray to your gods. That should be our priority."
He whistled sharply.
A massive creature descended from above, possessing the body and tail of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.
Alaric mounted it swiftly and took off into the sky.
Only Kia and Grondar remained.
"Always impatient," Kia muttered as she watched him leave.
Grondar sighed. "Typical humans."
"Well, I'll be leaving as well," Grondar said. "We'll meet again once our heroes are strong enough to face the Demon Lord."
With that, he stepped off the building. Moments later, a massive mechanical golem rose from below, carrying him away.
Kia remained seated, quietly sipping her tea.
A presence appeared beside her, as though it had always been there.
A figure in a grey cloak removed her hood, revealing pointed ears.
"Your Highness," the elf said, kneeling. "Should you not return to the Elf Kingdom to prepare as well?"
"What's the rush?" Kia replied, gazing into the distance. "It's not as though the Demon Lord will disappear anytime soon."
"…As you wish, Your Majesty."
The elf pulled her cloak back over herself and vanished from sight.
---
Meanwhile…
Raya and Lira finally arrived at the nearest city after days of travel.
It was also the town where Raya had spent nearly twenty years living in poverty. The Phoenix Guild was located here.
The memory alone made him clench his fist.
His former town, also known as 'The Fortress City of Raul' stood at the intersection of three borders, one leading to another human kingdom, one to the dwarves, and one to the demi-humans.
The city was divided by massive circular walls, each enclosing a different district.
The outer district housed public guilds, shops, plazas, merchants, and rundown homes where refugees gathered at the edges.
The innermost district was reserved for administration and the wealthy.
Between them lay the residential district, where most citizens lived and where private guilds built their headquarters.
The outer district streets were lively. Stall owners shouted their sales pitches, older women argued over prices, and the scent of roasted meat filled the air as young men bought skewers dripping with grease.
The atmosphere should have remained noisy until sunset.
But it suddenly fell silent.
Two figures were walking in the market.
Everyone paused what they were doing,
The girl appeared to be in her late teens. Her dark eyes were sharp, her black hair tied neatly into a ponytail, her skin gleamed under the sunlight. Though her robe was simple, the elegance surrounding her made it look refined.
Beside her stood a white-haired young man with sharp features and a calm expression.
"What a perfect couple," someone muttered.
The pair moved on, disappearing into the crowd as whispers followed them.
They walked down a narrow road in silence.
"My lo…"
"No," Raya interrupted quietly. "For now, my name is Ginpatsu. Gin is fine."
"Forgive me… Lord Gin."
"And don't call me 'Lord.' We're just companions."
"But…"
"That's an order."
"…Understood."
After a brief pause, Raya added, "We cannot reveal who we are here. You understand that, right?"
"Yes." Lira answered, Raya nodded his head as well as they began walking looking for a place to stay.
On their way, Raya hesitated before asking, "Do you think humans are inferior?"
"Yes," Lira answered immediately. "They are worthless creatures."
Raya sighed softly, 'What was I expecting from a demon?' he thought.
"…Just restrain yourself," he said. "This is a human city. We don't know what kind of exceptional individuals may be hiding here. Don't create unnecessary enemies."
She bowed deeply in response.
They eventually found an inn.
Raya paused briefly at the entrance.
Back when he was human, he could never afford a place like this.
He pushed the door open.
The interior was dim and filthy. The floor was littered with scraps of food and spilled drinks. The walls were stained, with mold growing in the corners.
A bald man with scarred arms stood behind the counter, gripping a mop, his sharp eyes sized Raya up.
"A room?" he asked gruffly. "For how long?"
Raya met his gaze calmly and replied, "Just for a day."