"Why do you look so serious, my child? Don't worry. If anything bad happens, I’ll protect you. Your mom is really strong, you know," she said while playfully pinching my cheeks.

  "Ugh, stop it, Mom. But… do you know where the bath is in this castle? You've been here for hundreds of years, right?" I asked, pushing her hands away, genuinely curious.

  "I have no idea," she replied with a small frown. "I was stuck under that damn bookshelf for over a hundred years. I couldn't move more than five meters away from the book..."

  Seeing her expression, I felt a twinge of sadness.

  "Aww, my sweet child, don’t be sad," she said, suddenly hugging me tightly and gently stroking my hair. "Thanks to you, I can finally be free. You saved me."

  Right… I forgot she could feel my emotions whenever I touched her book. Of course she’d know the moment I felt down.

  "I’ll make sure you get to see so much more of the world once we escape from this place. Just wait a little longer, okay, Mom?" I said, gazing out the bedroom window.

  "Kyaaah! My child is just too cute!" she squealed with delight, hugging me even tighter.

  "Mom… you're hugging me too hard. I can't move," I groaned. "Anyway, I need to keep studying so we can get out of here faster. Can you give me something to eat? I can't focus on an empty stomach."

  She finally let go, and I had my breakfast before diving into my studies like usual.

  After sunset, I had dinner, courtesy of Mom, and waited for Alice to show up. But even after hours passed, she still hadn’t come. I started hearing a commotion somewhere in the castle, like a large group of people gathering.

  I peeked out the window. From here, I had a clear view of the castle gates, and I was stunned.

  A huge crowd was lined up outside, all of them dressed in luxurious clothes and flashy accessories made of gold and gemstones.

  "Mom, do you know why so many rich people are lining up to enter the castle right now?" I asked, confused.

  "Ah, that’s probably the hero’s welcome party," she replied, pointing toward the gate. "They always throw one after summoning a hero."

  "But... we were summoned over a week ago. Why are they doing this now?" I asked.

  "Big parties take time to prepare, sweetheart. Especially one for a hero," she explained gently.

  "Do you know where exactly the party’s being held? Can I go take a look too?" I asked while watching the stream of nobles pass through the gate.

  "My poor child..." she muttered with a hint of anger. "You were supposed to be there too. After all, you were summoned just like the others. But it seems they purposely didn’t invite you… Those bastards."

  "Still… is it okay if I at least see it from a distance? Where exactly is it being held?" I asked again, my curiosity growing.

  I had spent over a week stuck in this room, only stepping out a few times to go to the dining hall. Hearing there was a lively event happening nearby made me want to at least catch a glimpse of it.

  "Aww, my sweet little one, of course you can see it. I’ll make sure of it! Just bring me with you, and I’ll help you get there," she said with determination.

  And so, I got ready, hiding the book carefully under my clothes before heading out.

  After that, I slowly stepped out of my room and gently closed the door behind me. We walked straight ahead toward the dining room, then continued past it. This was the first time I had walked this far in the palace, and I couldn’t help but feel a little excited. Mother led the way in front of me, making sure I wouldn’t run into any guards or servants. With her help, it was surprisingly easy to avoid the maids, and strangely enough, there were no guards at all.

  As we kept walking, the sound of people talking and laughing grew louder. Finally, I reached the place where the banquet was being held. Dozens of tables and chairs filled the area. Small crystal balls hovered in the air, glowing softly like lamps. People in extravagant clothing, young and old, men and women, gathered together with cheerful faces. Almost all eyes were focused on the stage, where the heroes and the king were seated. Alice and the others wore beautiful clothes decorated with gems.

  I stood on the upper floor, while the banquet took place below. A grand staircase connected both floors, heavily guarded at the bottom.

  "Mother… they're really enjoying this party, aren’t they? The guests, the heroes, even the king… So why am I the only one…?" I muttered, my voice heavy with sadness.

  Mother didn’t reply. Instead, she floated over and wrapped her arms around me. We stood there in silence for several minutes.

  “…Darling,” she said softly but coldly, her eyes glaring down at the crowd. “Should we just kill them all? Every single one of those bastards… They deserve to die.”

  “I don’t know, Mother. Even if I wanted to… I can’t. They’re powerful, they have magic and armies. We’re alone… We can’t do it…” I said quietly, tears unknowingly falling down my cheeks.

  Mother held me tighter, perhaps feeling my emotions through our connection. “It’s okay, my sweet child. I’m here. Even if the whole world turns against you, I will always stand by your side. No matter what.”

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  Her words calmed me. I took a deep breath.

  “…Alright. I think I’ve seen enough. Time to go back and sleep. We still have a lot to prepare tomorrow. Let’s go back, Mother,” I said as I slowly turned to leave.

  But just as I moved away, I suddenly felt it, an intense wave of hatred, directed straight at me. My body froze.

  “Shit. Where is that coming from?! Mother, scan the area! Is someone watching me right now?!” I said sharply, trying not to panic.

  Mother reacted instantly, circling around me like a wisp. “There’s nothing, sweetheart! There are a lot of people downstairs, but none of them are looking this way!”

  “Then where the hell is it coming from? Are they hiding among the guests? …Wait. No… They’re getting closer. Damn it, they’re not down there… they’re behind me! And they’re closing in fast?! That can’t be… I’m on the upper floor! There’s no way to get up here except, unless they can fly!”

  I turned around sharply, but there was nothing behind me, just a stone wall. Yet I could feel it, so clearly, whatever it was, it was rushing straight toward me.

  “If they’re not slowing down, then they’re going to crash right through!”

  “Mother! Something’s charging at us, fast! We have to move now!”

  I sprinted forward, barely in time. A split second later, something slammed into the stone wall behind me, shattering it into pieces. I leapt ahead, dodging the flying debris, then ran without looking back.

  “Mother! Did you see what hit the wall just now?!”

  “That energy…! No way! That’s impossible! How could one of the Five Demon Kings suddenly show up and break into the palace like this?!”

  “Mother, can you defeat it?! With that speed, it’ll catch me in seconds no matter how fast I run!”

  "As long as I can touch it, I should be able to destroy it!" Mother shouted, darting toward the creature at full speed.

  But just as she was about to reach it, the creature swiftly dodged.

  "Darling! I can’t touch it at all! It keeps evading me like… like it can see me!" Mother said in a panic.

  Damn it, damn it, damn it, why does this kind of crap always happen to me?!

  Wait a second. It can see Mother… but all it’s doing is dodging her attacks?

  "Mother! Come to me now!" I shouted, stopping in my tracks and turning around to face the Demon King who had been chasing me.

  To my surprise, the Demon King… was a woman? Shouldn’t that make her a Demon Queen? Ugh, I don’t have time for this.

  "Mother, stay right in front of me and block her path!" I commanded, stepping behind her.

  Just as I expected, she couldn’t approach carelessly now that I was standing right behind Mother. That hesitation gave me a bit of time. After all that chaos, the guards and palace soldiers should notice soon and rush to this spot. I just had to hold out a little longer.

  "Wait, where is she?!" I muttered. "She vanished? No… I can still feel her emotion, she's… she's right behind... "

  UGHH!

  She struck me in the stomach before I could even tell Mother to switch positions.

  Shit…

  My body went limp in an instant. I could barely stand.

  She then tried to lift me up, as if she intended to take me away.

  Mother kept attacking her, even though every single strike was dodged with ease.

  Then, out of nowhere, a blazing blue fireball shot through the air, aimed straight at the Demon King's head.

  She threw me to the side and dodged the fireball in one swift movement.

  Turns out, the palace guards had finally arrived, along with the King, the Hero, and several powerful looking nobles.

  The Demon King clicked her tongue in annoyance before leaping up, smashing through the stone palace wall, and vanishing into the sky.

  Damn it… My body felt broken. Every part of me ached, especially my stomach. I tried my best to stand.

  Suddenly, Alice came running toward me.

  "Bayu! Are you okay?! Who was that person who attacked you?! What on earth is going on?!" she cried, her voice trembling with worry.

  "Alice… Why do you look worried now? If only you'd come to my room… or at least told me you weren’t coming…”

  Damn it.

  “What the hell do you people even want from me?! From the moment I arrived in this world, you’ve all treated me like a stranger! Like I’m some disgusting mistake that should’ve never been brought here!

  You think I wanted to be summoned to this place?! It was you who dragged us here in the first place! So why is it only me, why just me?! ANSWER ME, DAMN IT! YOU BASTARDS, ALL OF YO... Ughh...!”

  Before I could finish, I coughed up blood.

  Damn… At least I’ve learned enough of this world’s language to curse at people properly.

  I collapsed, I couldn’t stand anymore. I could only sit, barely conscious.

  Alice flinched at my sudden outburst and had stepped back, but now she hesitantly approached again.

  “Bayu… I didn’t know you were waiting for me. Please… I’m sorry…” she said softly, her voice shaking. Maybe she was in shock, either from my words, or from seeing me like this.

  “Alice… My cute little Alice… Do you know something? You’re the only one here who actually looked sad.

  The rest of them… they were all just waiting for me to disappear…” I whispered, my vision fading.

  Alice looked around.

  Then she fell silent.

  Because she realized… every word I said was true.

  My body was growing colder. I couldn’t even sit anymore.

  Panicking, Alice grabbed my hand, trying to transfer her mana into me, but it didn’t work. My body instinctively rejected all forms of magic.

  The air around me grew colder. And that cold was rising fast.

  “Ah, Mother… I guess you’re really mad this time, huh? Sorry… Looks like your son can’t keep his promise to take you out of this damned palace and show you the world.”

  With trembling hands, I pulled the book out from under my clothes… and hugged it tightly in front of everyone.

  "It's alright, my darling... Mother is already so happy just to be with you. Now close your eyes and rest for a while. Let me take care of these filthy humans," Mother said calmly.

  But I knew... her rage had reached its limit.

  The air grew colder. Much colder.

  The people who had looked at me like I was insane just moments ago now began to panic.

  One by one, they tried to flee.

  But the moment they moved... BOOM... Their legs exploded.

  Leg after leg burst apart in a flash of blood and bone. Screams filled the hall as panic turned to pure horror.

  One by one, everyone, everyone except the king and the heroes, lost their legs.

  Blood gushed across the once-pristine marble floor.

  They tried to crawl away, even without legs.

  But then... BOOM... Their arms followed.

  Now, no one could move.

  The air grew colder still, icy, almost unbearable.

  Yet Alice didn't seem to care.

  She gently cupped my face with both hands, still trying to heal me, even as her mana failed again and again.

  Lisa, on the other hand, had gone completely pale.

  Terror overtook her as she collapsed to the ground, unable to even scream.

  Jayden trembled uncontrollably, paralyzed by fear. His body wouldn't obey him anymore.

  And the king…

  The king remained calm. Cold and composed.

  "Bayu... please hold on. I'm so sorry. Don’t leave me. I’ll do anything, anything, if it means you can stay alive, so please... please..." Alice cried, her voice trembling with desperation.

  But it was pointless.

  My consciousness continued to fade, and I could no longer keep my eyes open.

  Darkness swallowed everything.

  Yet... I could still hear.

  Then, suddenly, silence.

  What happened?

  I heard Alice's voice again, faint and quivering.

  She whispered, "Demon King..."

  What...? What’s happening now?

  The Demon King... Did she come back?

  I figured she hadn’t gone far. Not with her speed. She couldn’t have gotten far in just a few seconds.

  So she was hiding all along... waiting.

  But why reappear now?

  Does she want to kill the heroes?

  Then why did she only attack me?

  Damn it... my consciousness...

  Damn it... am I going to die here?