I went on a total destruction spree of any and all Demons roaming around the capital and nearby towns, but it felt like they just kept on popping up so I was constantly on the job. My MP raised about 100 points for every night, which scared me like crazy and got me sick because it was too much at once. You'd think that with my already insane MP rate, I wouldn't be affected, right?
Wrong.
But anyway, I met with the king again in an awkward silence, then reported about all the rise and fall in activity. He would get to the "bottom of it" and see where all these things were coming from, since if there was one Demon there were bound to be plenty more.
That also meant plenty of sacrifices, too. If it takes one extra powerful mage like the one who summoned skyscraper sludge guy two years ago, imagine how many ordinary people would have to be used to summon even an ordinary one.
But yes, after I met with the king, five days later was the twins' birthday.
The last time we had their birthday it was at home, so it was okay. And the time before that, too. Now that they were turning six and had lots of friends, likely stuck up noble friends who's parents were close to dabbling their hands in Demonic activity, I couldn't reassure myself it would be okay. I mean, their third birthday had been a complete disaster for me after all. I never had a good feeling for birthdays nowadays.
But yes, the time came for all the little children to get together for a birthday. They dressed cutely, brought their manners (hopefully), and were hugging presents under their arms as they all trailed in past where I stood. I was leaning against a wall and surveying them invisibly, since I didn't want to be found.
There were many rough-looking boys, energetic and excited as they looked for Adri. There were all these adorable little girls in pretty dresses who absolutely had to find Hera, to tell her all the latest things and meet Chord. All fifteen boys and girls went off by following some servant, their own servants staying behind with the carriages.
I listened to their chatter, wanting to gag as I thought about my own debut into society. Please tell me I won't be forced to mingle with these simple-minded things.
A vein twitched on my forehead at the thought of that, until I realized there was one child left. This one had one servant with him, one that did not stay behind but stuck close at all times. Their eyes were constantly roaming around, checking for danger of some sort as the dark blue haired boy strolled forward.
For some reason, just as they were about to pass me, the servant stopped. They looked at the place I was, giving me chills with that beady eye, and then moved on. The boy's golden eyes trailed back to where I was, wide eyed, and he smiled.
I blinked, feeling something like familiarity come over me. I'd met him before, but I had no clue where.
I wasn't foolish enough to let it escape my mind that he was the second son of the king, and that he looked almost exactly like the king himself. Besides that, I knew I had met him somewhere...agh! It's on the tip of my tongue, yet it escapes me!
Whatever!
I watched over the party from afar, as they enjoyed tea like they were taught to and talked avidly. The talking part got a little out of hand, and one six year old had to take off his coat in this spring weather because he spilled something on it.
Besides that, the girls went and picked flowers to make daisy chains with Chord and Hera, the boys watching Adri do magic since none of them were to be taught until they were seven.
That was the age where you entered primary school, as expected of every child in Bytriste. It was mandatory to attend school until you were an adult of fifteen, but most people stayed in the system for a full education until they were eighteen. Fifteen was just a legal thing, say if you had to quit early because you needed to help the family business or something. There was a major loophole there because of how old you had to be, but I left it alone. That's how this world functioned, and that's how I would leave it.
I wasn't saddened at all to know that my siblings would be attending school in the capital for some time until I joined them, because I loathed the idea of going to school again. The otome setting was in a school, but even then I didn't want to go. I'll just ignore the fact that I was part of the game in the first place, and everything will turn out to be just alright...
How could I even think of that?! Of course I need to go to the school, it's where major developments of the country takes place! Many nobles marry, for love or not, and build the foundation until it becomes a good place to be again.
It's not like Bytriste was on the verge of collapsing, since I was around, but economically and moral wise things were going down the drain. I could count at least ten more nobles that I gave to the king to be tried after they tried to defend themselves with Demons they'd summoned. When I found the bodies of slaves, servants, children, and random people off the street in their basements, I decided it was high time to make things much harder for them. So no, they didn't just get a trial and be sentenced to death.
I became karma and delivered a little punishment to them.
It was short, but after half a day had passed from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, the children started going home. The party had been completely uneventful for me, but for the rest of the people in this household it was a joyous occasion.
It became even more joyous when we found out Father would be coming back in a few months, a soldier from the castle having come to report this on a personal request. I teleported back home and told some people of the news, which made them both nervous and excited at the same time since they knew their loved ones were coming back.
Or not coming back.
The days passed, time flew again, and finally another year had come to a close.
More important things happened.
Louise's engagement to the second prince, the final end to the Demon summonings as they finally figured out Knight was always watching, a steady rise in Bytriste's overall health and societal balance, and much more. The one that stuck out to me the most was when Mother sent me over to her parents under the pretense of getting to know them after she'd traveled over there (I brought her back since she was worried about us), whereas I had to run like a bat out of hell since Tear Fang chased me off at first sight.
As he went off chasing a [Double] I made, I sneaked back in for some tea and snacks while chatting with Lucia and Lawrence. I told them about Mother, general life, stuff like that. News of the war didn't really reach them, so of course I had to update them.
For some reason, they demanded a cake of me for the next time I came. I found it odd they knew I baked, but guessing of Mother and her ways I knew she was the source of it. One way or another, things spread.
At that point Tear Fang had come back with smoke coming from his jaws, so I teleported out of there so fast it was like I actually feared for my life.
Of course, Adoray got a forceful visit from me and I got a scolding from Marinette about not coming for some time, but all was good.
Well, not exactly. The year that passed wasn't actually a year, but ten months of fourteen. That meant it was the first of the year that rolled around.
Oh, goody me, I thought sarcastically. My fifth birthday was here, and so was my debut.
How utterly disappointing.