Adira, Triton and Heise, together with a group of survivors from the village that they took refuge in, walked deeper into the Alynthi Kingdom's territory to escape the ongoing war with the Versaillus Empire.
So far, as things stood, the Versaillus Army were pushing the Alynthi soldiers back which was why the fighting reached them. So in simple words, the Versaillus Army was winning under the two prince's combined efforts.
The first prince was personally leading their Army so it was understandable why their forces were so strong.
Come on, Casimir Athanasius Rozen Versaillus is worth thousands more soldiers. So having him at the helm was like having thousands of elite grade soldiers rushing at you.
"Mommy~~ Heise wanna walk with Mommy." The child, who was sitting on Triton's shoulders as stiffly as he could, finally let out a whine.
He didn't come as far as this just to ride the man's, who took his mother away from him, shoulders. If he wanted this kind of humiliation, he had one back at the capital—a shoulder he can ride as much as he wants!
And hey, it's the highest seat in the whole empire to boot.
"No. You stay there—"
"Okay. Come down."
Adira, as lenient as she used to be with Heise, agreed to the child's whines as she cut Triton's strict voice and opened up her arms to help him down.
"No. I will carry him, Adira."
"My love, the child's a bit heavy and we still have a bit of distance to walk to get to the next town. You must be tired now. So rest while you can, okay?"
Adira fluidly shut Triton down and successfully fulfilled the child's demands. Heise was walking, quite happily and energetically, alongside his mother—holding her hand.
The girl was happier than she's been these past few days and she couldn't wrap her mind around it.
Why? Is it because of the child? Did she want a child with Triton?
As she was thinking those things, a loud growling sound reached her ears and she turned to her side, where an adorable child was blushing red because of the sound he made.
"Oh... Are you hungry?" Adira, feeling her heart swell from an emotion she can't name, smiled sweetly and turned to Triton.
"Do we possibly have spares, dear?"
"Yes. Here." Triton handed a triangle-shaped rice wrapped in a green seaweed strip to the little boy, but the latter refused it.
"Baby, Papa Triton won't bite you. It's okay."
Adira giggled thinking that Heise was only being shy to Triton. It seems her husband wasn't that popular with kids as he was with girls.
"He's not my Daddy!"
And at the child's words, Triton shoved the food to Adira's hands and spoke of something totally random just to try and distract her away from this child's words.
He really is trouble.
"... So I think you should just give it to him. It seems as if I am not that popular with kids."
Adira giggled at her husband's words as she was also thinking the same thing before patting him comfortingly on his shoulder—already forgotten what the child last spoke of.
"I also thought the same, but it'll be fine. You can practice with Heise for when we have our own, right?"
And her words were enough to calm him down. If she can still say such words to him, then she was still under that spell. He just needs her to remain that way forever.
Cause if you learn what I did, I wonder what you will do to me, Adira? I wonder with what eyes will you look at me with?
But,
"Wait. Adira... How did you know his name?"
...
While back at Casimir's side, the Alynthi soldiers that came to take the capital were currently being chased back by Casimir and his team.
This particular fraction just had the worst luck to be matched up with Casimir.
"What the hell?! Who said that the demon lord would be weak now?! Isn't he as lively as hell?!!"
The soldiers grumbled while trying to fend off the attacks from the fifth squadron led by Casimir.
The reason why they were as brave as now at attacking the capital was because they received a tip that the Great Demon Lord of the Empire aka the Crown Prince was already weak and despondent.
It was the chance of their lifetime to tip the scales of dominion while the beast was down.
Oh, but they weren't entirely wrong though. If they had come a few days earlier then things might've been different.
If they had arrived when Casimir didn't care whether he lived or died since Adira wasn't with him and doesn't love him anymore, then they might've successfully tore down the Empire.
But Heise got to him first. Heise gave him a new hope. His son was able to pull him out of his rut and gave him a reason to chase his wife.
Because, wasn't she truly happy while she stayed by his side? Didn't she dream of giving Heise the perfect family? Wasn't she the prettiest, most beautiful and most enchanting when she's the happiest?
And she was. She was when she's together with him and their son.
So he will take her back. He will chase her again. If he has to do everything from scratch again then he doesn't care. He'll just have to repeat all the schemes that he did to tie her to him. If he did it once, who says he can't do it again?
And Casimir was brimming with life again. He needs to get this over with fast so he can catch up to them. He needs to see his wife in the flesh again—not only in his nightmares. He needs to feel her in his arms again.
"The crown prince was never weak you bastards! He's the strongest of them all! You better run back to your fortress with your tails in between your legs!"
A few of the Versaillus knights replied while waving their swords at their enemies.
And that was when Casimir came face to face with this hooded man that stood out like a sore thumb. He didn't seem like someone from the Alynthi Kingdom but he was standing in their midst. So that means he is an ally, right?
"My, I didn't expect you to bounce right back, your highness."
He chuckled with mockery and waved his hands as he brandished a black sword against Casimir.
"Why don't you crawl back into your office now? Let's leave all these menial fights to the lower echelon."
"Who are you?"
Notes:
Hi! I've been a little lazy this weekend 😅 gomenasai 🙇🏻♂️
Anyway, I'll be waiting for your comments, okay? Banzaaaiiii~ 🎉🎉🎉