Chapter Summaries

Shien and Roxie set aside their discussion of the Hero, Goddess, and Demon Lord, then spent the afternoon together as he entertained her with strange stories from Another World. After leaving the palace, Shien hurried to Lilith's Patisserie to meet Aiyi, but froze at what he saw when he arrived.

• Shien decided to keep improving his strength while Roxie continued gathering information in the Divine Realm.
• Shien amused Roxie with fantastical stories from Another World, and she became engrossed in them despite their absurdity.
• Shien stayed in Roxie's room until sunset, frustrating the young noblemen waiting outside and prompting Roxie to ask him to visit again sooner.
• Shien left the royal palace carrying Roxie's books and hurried toward Lilith's Patisserie, where the sight that greeted him made him freeze.

Aiyi explained that she had beaten nobles, guards, and Knights who tried to take her away, and Shien used the Royal Token to make them apologize and leave. Shien asked Aiyi what she thought of the Hero, and she said she no longer knew, leaving her attitude toward the Hero unresolved.

• Aiyi told Shien she had sent nobles, their guards, and patrolling Knights flying after they tried to approach or detain her.
• Shien used the Royal Token to frighten the nobles and the Knights into apologizing and fleeing without pursuing the incident.
• Aiyi recognized the books about the Divine Realm and told Shien they contained secrets valuable in the Human Realm.
• Aiyi explained that the Hero and the Holy Sword were once enemies demons could not spare, and that the Old Demon Faction had come to the royal capital ten years earlier partly to kill the modern Hero.
• Shien asked what Aiyi thought of the Hero now, and Aiyi answered that she did not know.

Aiyi explained that she had stopped hating the Hero after realizing his actions ended the war, and she wanted to understand what motivated Heroes like Shien. After revealing she knew Shien was a Hero, Aiyi decided to live with him in the Human Realm.

• Aiyi told Shien that the Hero's actions had brought peace to the Three Races, and she now wanted to understand what a true Hero fought for.
• Aiyi recognized Shien as a Hero from the sealing ring on his Holy Sword and warned him not to remove it.
• Shien asked who Aiyi was, but she told him to figure it out himself and accepted his address of her as sister.
• Aiyi announced that she was going back with Shien and would live with him to learn about Heroes.
• Aiyi said few people in the Human Realm would recognize her and that she could send away her subordinates if they came looking.

Shien returned to House Razahad with Aiyi, who recognized Vivian as the Guardian God of the Kingdom. After Aiyi said she wanted to stay by Shien’s side, Vivian agreed to seek permission for her to live at the house.

• Shien arrived at House Razahad with Aiyi and found Vivian, Tier, Lumya, and Merika gathered in the courtyard.
• Aiyi recognized Vivian as the famous Guardian God of the Kingdom, surprising Shien, Lumya, and Merika.
• Aiyi introduced herself and said she would stay by Shien’s side without causing trouble.
• Shien asked Vivian to tell Uncle Migis and let Aiyi stay at House Razahad.
• Vivian agreed to seek permission, and Aiyi moved into House Razahad.

After dinner, Lumya and Merika invited Aiyi to bathe with them, and she reluctantly agreed. Their bath ended in tears after they saw Aiyi’s extraordinary figure, leaving Shien curious about what had happened.

• Migis treated Aiyi with courtesy, earning her initial approval, while Aiyi refused Lumya and Merika’s invitation to bathe together.
• Aiyi explained that her older sisters stared at her while bathing, then agreed to join Lumya and Merika just once.
• Lumya and Merika returned from the bathhouse in tears, admitting they could not compete with Aiyi’s natural gifts.
• Vivian and Tier saw Aiyi without her pillow and understood why she covered herself, while Shien remained unaware of what they had seen.
• Tier later told Shien that bathing with Aiyi hurt a woman’s self-esteem, and the mystery was not solved until much later.

Limjo Streim met with his father, Barry, who reminded him that the Streim Family had sent him to the royal capital to marry Princess Roxielusty and restore the family’s power. Barry then raised Shien as an obstacle to their plans, and Limjo’s reaction was left unclear.

• Limjo arrived at the Streim villa’s study and greeted his father, Barry.
• Barry asked whether Limjo understood that he had been sent to the capital to get close to Princess Roxielusty and marry her.
• Barry explained that the marriage could restore the Streim Family’s Hero bloodline and bring it back into the kingdom’s central power.
• Barry said Limjo could also seek command of the Royal Knights and end House Elbain’s long rule over them.
• Barry named Shien as the obstacle to their plans, and Limjo’s gaze flickered.

Shien’s growing connection with Princess Roxielusty made him a target of resentment among nobles and knights, disrupting Limjo’s plans to become her personal knight. Limjo’s father, Barry, decided to seek the King’s approval for a marriage proposal and planned to use Shien in the scheme.

• Nobles and knights learned of Shien’s accomplishments and his closeness to Princess Roxielusty, and many grew hostile toward him.
• Limjo recalled falling for Roxielusty and spending two years working toward becoming her Royal Knight.
• Barry told Limjo that Shien’s sudden prominence had disrupted their plans and that they could no longer wait.
• Barry ordered Limjo to accompany him to the palace in a few days to propose marriage to the King.
• Barry said he would arrange matters and use Shien, while Limjo agreed and clenched his fist as he thought of Roxielusty.

Shien spent several days adjusting to life at House Razahad while Aiyi followed him and revealed terrifying strength, prompting him to resolve to grow stronger. Vivian then announced that Shien and the others were to attend an audience with the King, where Aris, Lyon, and Beren confronted Shien about his connection to the Princess.

• Aiyi followed Shien everywhere and tried to protect Tier by throwing stones, but Shien forbade her after her throws caused dangerous destruction.
• Shien judged Aiyi to be far stronger than himself and decided he needed to learn new skills or magic and grow stronger.
• Vivian told Shien that the handover was complete and that he, Beren, Vivian, Aris, and Lyon would attend an audience with the King.
• At the royal palace, Aris, Lyon, and Beren greeted Shien with unusual looks and questioned him about his relationship with the Princess.
• Aris admitted his envy of Shien's closeness to the Princess, while Lyon's jealousy and hostility toward Shien became apparent.

Beren, Lyon, and Aris envied Shien’s rumored connection to Princess Roxie, while Shien tried to deny it. A female knight then summoned him at Princess Roxielusty’s request, leaving his companions staring at him in disbelief.

• Beren and the others discussed how rumors about Shien and Roxie had spread among nobles and knights.
• Beren and Lyon grew jealous of Shien, while Lyon reflected on his failures to impress people in the royal capital and wanted to return to Lamigium.
• Shien denied that he could have any hope of reaching the Princess.
• A female knight announced that Princess Roxielusty had requested Shien, and Beren, Lyon, and Aris stared at him in silence.

Shien confronted Roxie for summoning him alone, then teased her by pretending to threaten her until she realized he might genuinely want to take advantage of her. Roxie refused to be intimidated and challenged him to try, leaving them together before the audience at the Royal Hall.

• Shien scolded Roxie for summoning him in front of others and making him a target of their hostility.
• Shien pretended to pounce on Roxie, but they composed themselves when a female knight announced that Roxie must bring him to the Royal Hall for the audience.
• After the knight left, Shien hinted that he had genuinely wanted to pounce on Roxie, and she realized she might be in danger when alone with him.
• Roxie sat close to Shien rather than letting his teasing drive her away, and she challenged him to take advantage of her if he could.

Roxie warned Shien that the audience about the Old Demon Faction’s assassination ten years earlier would draw nobles and royal figures with conflicting motives. Shien realized that, as the person who helped resolve the incident, he could not avoid being caught up in their schemes.

• Roxie explained that the audience would include the royal family, nobles from across the Kingdom of Mithra, and the Royal Knights because of the assassination incident ten years earlier.
• Roxie described how the Old Demon Faction’s attackers killed nobles, targeted the Knights and royal palace, and harmed civilians before most of them were defeated and three masterminds escaped with a sealed item.
• Shien asked whether Roxie and the others had survived safely, and Roxie said she had defended herself while Vivian protected House Razahad.
• Roxie told Shien that the audience would bring together people seeking revenge, people who wanted to pressure the demon race, those who suspected a cover-up, and nobles pursuing personal gain.
• Shien grew irritated as he realized the audience would drag him into the nobles’ political conflicts.

Shien complained to Roxie that the Kingdom might distrust him despite his service, and she tried to reassure him by listing people who would support him. Their discussion left Roxie worried that Shien might take matters into his own hands at the upcoming audience.

• Shien complained that the Kingdom was treating him unfairly despite his role in defeating Kilian, Bedo, and the Old Demon Faction.
• Roxie named the royal family, House Razahad, and several groups of nobles as potential supporters, but Shien pointed out that his closeness to her could make nobles dislike him.
• Roxie suggested that Shien reveal he was the Hero, but he said the Three Races' conflicts did not concern him and he had already done enough.
• Shien hinted that he had his own way of responding if the audience upset him, making Roxie nervous enough to grab his hand and urge him not to act rashly.
• Shien claimed he was an honest man, while Roxie privately doubted him and feared he might be the audience's greatest problem.

Shien entered the Royal Hall for the audience and used his pressurization skill to overwhelm the assembled nobles, officials, and Royal Knights. As people fell to their knees, he continued toward the throne, where Roxie and Aridia remained standing.

• Roxie warned Shien not to let the nobles trap him with his words, but he ignored her as they were summoned to the Royal Hall.
• Shien and Roxie entered the Royal Hall, drawing the attention of the assembled Royal Knights, nobles, and officials.
• Shien released the aura of his max-level pressurization skill, shocking everyone in the hall.
• As Shien walked toward the throne and his pressure intensified, nobles and officials dropped to their knees, while Lyon collapsed and Beren and Aris knelt.
• Roxie stayed beside Shien, and Aridia stood her ground at the front of the Royal Knights as Shien approached the throne.

Shien intimidated the Royal Hall before the audience, making the nobles think twice about provoking him. King Anxi then called witnesses to explain the events surrounding Kilian and the Old Demon Faction, and Beren began a truthful account.

• Shien approached the dais under a powerful aura, then withdrew it and gave Anxi a knight's salute.
• Anxi praised Shien, while Yule and Jacinta silently observed him and Roxie joined Aridia and a noblewoman who resembled her.
• Anxi introduced Shien as the adventurer who subdued Kilian and defeated the Old Demon Faction, then called Beren, Vivian, Aris, and Lyon to testify.
• Beren recounted how Laisha's arrival in Lamigium led to the Old Demon Faction's infiltration, Shien's capture of Kilian, and the faction's attack during the escort.
• Beren described the events fairly and without withholding details, prompting the nobles to fall silent and consider what they had heard.

At the royal hearing, Anxi heard Beren’s account of the defeat of the Old Demon Faction and asked how Shien should be rewarded. Supporters urged a generous reward, but Duke Barry questioned Shien’s role and argued that the incident contained too many suspicious points for a judgment to be made yet.

• Beren recounted how Shien defeated Bedo and Kilian and the Old Demon Faction’s main force, and Anxi promised rewards for those who had served.
• Anxi asked Yule and Jacinta for their views on Shien’s reward, and both praised Shien and supported a substantial one.
• Migis, Liyadella, Aridia, and Roxie also voiced support for rewarding Shien.
• Duke Barry objected to discussing rewards yet and questioned why Shien had encountered Laisha, lured the Old Demon Faction into attacking, and become involved in Kilian’s betrayal and death.

At court, Barry challenged Shien’s account and opposed rewarding him, but Shien refused to explain or accept the reward without evidence against him. He then revealed that he had beaten Kilian for hours, leaving Barry wary of retaliation.

• Barry listed suspicious points in Shien’s account and urged the rulers not to reward him yet.
• Vivian defended Shien, and Anxi asked him to clear up the doubts.
• Shien refused to explain, argued that suspicion was not evidence, and rejected the reward.
• Shien said he had beaten Kilian savagely for three hours, prompting the nobles and Barry to recall his attack on the noble youths.

Anxi defended Shien’s right to receive his reward, but Barry proposed that Shien lead a campaign against the Old Demon Faction in Streim territory first. Shien appeared to accept, then refused outright.

• Liyadella teased Roxie about her closeness to Shien while the nobles grew wary of him.
• Anxi argued that Shien’s merit should be rewarded unless anyone could provide evidence against him.
• Barry revealed that Old Demon Faction forces had appeared in his territory and explained his proposal to send Shien there on a campaign.
• Vivian explained to Shien that Bedo’s group was only one of many Old Demon Faction branches.
• Barry proposed postponing Shien’s reward until he proved himself in Streim territory, and Anxi asked Shien what he thought.
• Shien seemed to accept Barry’s proposal, then declared that he still refused.

Shien refused to prove himself by fighting the Old Demon Faction again, claiming his Unique Skill could not currently help him and that he wanted no title or merit. He left the King and the others unable to deny him some compensation, then asked to study the kingdom’s magic books.

• Shien told Anxi that he had fought the Old Demon Faction to protect the kingdom and its people, not to earn merit or a noble title.
• When Barry urged him to fight the Old Demon Faction again, Shien claimed his Unique Skill worked only under certain conditions and that he was currently too weak to help.
• Shien warned that sending him to fight would amount to sending a meritorious adventurer to his death, making Anxi and the others reconsider their demand.
• Shien insisted that serving the kingdom was an ordinary citizen’s duty, leaving Anxi and the clergy unwilling to let him go unrewarded.
• Shien asked Anxi for permission to study the magic books of every branch, revealing that learning magic was the reward he truly wanted.

Shien rejected a noble title at the audience, arguing that suspicion still surrounded him, and persuaded the nobles to stop pressing him. He left with access to the royal Magic Library and other rewards, while a hostile young Royal Knight watched him depart.

• Anxi and the nobles urged Shien to accept a title, but Shien cited the doubts Barry had raised and asked only for magic books.
• The nobles turned their blame toward Barry, and Anxi ended the audience without granting Shien a title.
• Beren and the others received rewards, while Shien gained a month of access to the royal Magic Library, an invitation to the temple's Inner Sanctum, and a rare magic staff from the demons.
• Yule, Jacinta, and Liyadella spoke with Shien after the audience, while the nobles hurried away and Barry disappeared.
• Shien sensed hostility from the Royal Knights and warned that they should not trouble him again; a young knight watched him leave, his clenched hand bleeding.

After Shien and his companions discussed whether to leave the royal capital, Shien insisted he was staying only to study the underground Magic Library. Roxie overheard his oath that he would never stay for her, then dragged him away to talk.

• Beren planned to return to Lamigium with the Knights, Lyon agreed to go back, and Aris chose to remain in the royal capital with his party.
• Vivian asked Shien what he planned to do, and he said he wanted to stay for a month to explore the underground Magic Library.
• Beren, Aris, Lyon, and Vivian assumed Shien was staying because of Princess Roxie, despite his protests.
• Shien swore he would never stay for Roxie, and Roxie appeared behind him and asked if he hated her that much.
• Roxie seized Shien by the collar and dragged him away, while Vivian wondered if the two might end up together.