Akatsuki Translations

“Thank you, Your Majesty, the King. I promise to obtain a wealth of information from the captured demons. After all, they are valuable prisoners I risked my life to save. I will make sure to use this information effectively to bring peace to the Kingdom and live up to Your Majesty’s expectations.” -Farsa

Farsa spoke these insincere words flawlessly while gracefully bowing toward the direction where the King sat.

In truth, the information Farsa possessed was nothing more than what Roux, the demon girl, knew, and since he was certain about the entry route being teleportation magic, providing information would not be a problem.

Roux was currently hidden in one of Farsa’s safehouses within the capital, still unconscious. Had anyone other than Farsa, especially from opposing factions, taken custody of Roux, there might have been a possibility of relentless interrogation, or perhaps even torture, during the short time leading up to the conference.

To justify hiding Roux on her own accord, Farsa hinted at the possibility of an assassination attempt by the Demon Lord’s forces using teleportation magic and an insider, making the demon prisoner a valuable source of information.

The upper echelons of the Valois Kingdom were well aware that the relentless and brutal Cruel’s army ruled the southern lands as one of the four demon armies, and that they had been fighting them for years. The information on the other three Four Heavenly Kings was extremely scarce, leading them to believe that facing a simultaneous invasion by all demon armies would be a formidable challenge.

Hence, they trained individuals like the Hero who could take on entire armies. Additionally, when it came to extracting information from captured demons, they would do whatever it took.

But in truth, Farsa’s main intention was simply to protect Roux. However, his clever act made it sound as though he risked his life for the Kingdom and the King. This shrewdness left no room for his enemies to object, as long as Farsa succeeded in obtaining information from the captured demon.

Of course, failure on Farsa’s part was inconceivable.

“Farsa, I have high expectations for your efforts. By the way, concerning the matter of you and the Hero, Julia, intentionally informing about the appearance of the demon, how do you explain it? It seems like a plot to use the demon as bait to eliminate you both, but it appears rather poorly planned…” -King

“…I also have my doubts about that, Your Majesty. Most likely, the primary objective was to assess the Hero Julia’s capabilities. From the perspective of the demons, the Hero is not only a threat,  but more than that, a figure we cannot afford to have the demons underestimate. Confirming the hero’s power takes precedence, and silencing the demon used as bait or killing me would likely have been secondary. Well, the true objectives in this area will become clearer gradually, especially since we have captured the demon who is privy to this information.” -Farsa

Naturally, Farsa’s statements were blatant lies.

What mattered more was the matter of those having disguised as Mirage and Astarte, as well as them having brought Roux from the Wolf Demon Clan’s village to a human kingdom. It was undoubtedly intended as a provocation towards Mirage of Illusions. Both the Hero Julia and Roux were mere pawns in this scheme.

If it were the Hero Julia, trained to counter the demons, she would have killed Roux, and that was what the enemies predicted. In fact, if Farsa hadn’t intervened, that outcome would have become a reality.

Information about the appearance of demons in the capital would spread throughout the Kingdom in no time and even reach the demon territory. The resulting consequences would involve suspicions against Mirage and worsen relations with the wolf demon tribe.

However, if they could securely hold Roux captive, they could prove that the masked demon who appeared at the southern gate of the capital was a fake. The perpetrators behind this scheme would be exposed.

The miscalculation of the perpetrators was not knowing that Mirage and Farsa were the same person.

Of course, Farsa’s top priority as a human was to ensure Roux’s capture, and everything else would have to be considered according to the evolving circumstances.

“In any case, the amount of information we can obtain from the demon in question will determine our course of action. I believe only Farsa is suitable for handling the situation, including countering teleportation magic. Does anyone have any objections?” -King

Countering unknown magic like teleportation was clearly beyond anyone’s capabilities.

Other court mages may wish to step up and offer their services, but dealing with magic of such a nature was a completely unimaginable task.

For them, the confirmation of a magic seal was only speculation by Farsa, and they might be considering the possibility that the demons could use it freely or even be using entirely different magic.

That’s why, of course, one cannot volunteer for roles that involve a high likelihood of failure in addressing teleportation magic and the like.

For individuals other than Farsa, countering the magic of the demons who deal with unknown spells was like trying to catch a cloud.

“Haha, with Farsa-sama on the job, a task like this is mere child’s play. Father can retire peacefully now, you know?” -Aurelia

“Indeed, Aurelia, you’re as lively as ever. But I intend to remain active for some time longer, so it won’t be easy to hand over the throne just yet.” -King

Aurelia’s words changed the King’s demeanor from regal to that of a friendly father figure, but Farsa knew that it wasn’t his true nature.

His Majesty the King, as the head of the nation, possessed both good and bad qualities, often showing a ruthless side. He contemplated the succession of the next king, even if it meant bypassing the rights of the first or second prince, in favor of Princess Aurelia or her partner.

This wasn’t merely about paternal affection; until Farsa began working as a court mage, Aurelia’s position in the line of succession was quite low among the royal family. No matter how capable she might be, Aurelia had earned a reputation as a willful princess, and she hadn’t been recognized as someone fit to lead others.

However, Aurelia’s shrewdness and skill in eliminating corruption within the court, thanks to Farsa and Zenobia’s inclusion in her faction, as well as the fall of other royal family members supporting rival factions, had gained her significant acclaim. She had now risen to the top position in the line of succession.

The King knew that to maintain the Valois Kingdom amidst political struggles within the court and the challenges posed by the elusive and formidable demons, he needed to strengthen his own power.

Furthermore, the third consort, who had plotted Aurelia’s assassination, along with her child, the fourth prince, had been secretly eliminated following the exposure of their conspiracy, per the King’s orders. They were publicly claimed to be in secluded recovery at a royal retreat, but they would never return to the spotlight.

However, the King didn’t give Aurelia complete freedom either; he cleverly utilized her abilities to bolster his own power. For instance, Aurelia’s initiative in eradicating corruption among local nobles weakened their influence and bolstered the power of the royal family, that is, the King’s influence.

While Aurelia’s claim to the throne might be in the first place, the King’s authority naturally outweighed hers.

Whenever significant policies were implemented, seeking the King’s consent was essential, and not all of Aurelia’s proposals were readily accepted.

“If you push yourself too much in your old age, those beneath you will have a hard time cleaning up after you.” -Aurelia

“Well, I don’t see any old folks around… Come to think of it, due to some mischievous imp who drove the troublesome elders, I had forgotten those in this conference room seemed to have grown considerably younger, I had forgotten.” -King

“Oh my, I certainly don’t engage in such barbaric behavior. It’s a wonder if you’ve already started losing your mind, dear father? Fufufufu.” -Aurelia

“If I were to lose my mind, I might even forget the order of succession to the throne, huh, fohohoho.” -King

Though Aurelia treated the King as an old man, he was in his mid-forties and at the peak of his power. Their light-hearted banter might appear as if they were good friends, but the content of their conversation was rather dark, and more than half of the people in the conference room forced smiles.

These people were the former superiors or leaders of factions that had been ousted and replaced by those who now held key positions in the Valois Kingdom.

In other factions, discussing such matters lightly would be taboo, but it seemed to have no effect on the father and daughter present.

The princess and the king, both gracefully masking their inner thoughts with smiles, bore an unmistakable resemblance to each other in the eyes of all.

Politically, they collaborated when it benefited them both, and there was no shortage of familial warmth. However, their opinions diverge when it comes to the timing of the succession to the throne. Aurelia was confident in her solid foundation and believed she could lead the Kingdom effectively, while the King thought it was still premature.

While the succession rights had been placed in favor of Aurelia considering any contingency, the future remained uncertain, and the possibility of change loomed large.

Especially Farsa, Aurelia’s right-hand man, carried both reassurance and unease—a dual facet that couldn’t be denied.

The King’s judgment as the ruler of the Valois Kingdom, Louis de Valois, was astute, and if the bombshell of Farsa’s demonic heritage were to be revealed, it would cause a tumultuous upheaval in the line of succession, surpassing the current concerns about Aurelia’s claim.

“Your Majesty, Princess Aurelia, while I appreciate your harmonious rapport, shall we move on to the next agenda?” Farsa interjected, urging them to proceed with the meeting, even though deep down, he was silently complaining and wishing the meeting would progress more quickly.

Farsa was a valuable presence in a sense, as he interjected into the interactions between the two that others were hesitant to touch upon.

And so, they continued discussing various matters throughout the meeting: the finer details of the demons’ response, plans for strengthening security within the kingdom, apprehension of suspicious individuals, and more. The discussions about the possible actions they could take continued until dusk fell.