I Was Reborn in Another World, but Hold On – No Parents? Was I Abandoned? - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Friends are a Lifelong Treasure

“Good morning, Your Highness.”

After oversleeping for the first time in a while, I was awakened by the maid, Sora, and managed to rub my eyes open.

“Good morning, Sora. But, I’m still sleepy… yawn…”

Stretching and rubbing my eyes, I struggled to wake up fully.

“Were you reading a book?”

“Yeah. I was reading a book on the history of the demon race until late at night…”

It was a book recommended by my tutor.

“You’re diligent as always, Your Highness.”

“Huh? Nah, not really! Just some light reading.”

“Hehe, that’s what diligence looks like.”

Sora smiled slightly and praised me.

It’s been over a week since Sora arrived. Time flies…

Oh! That’s right, today is my birthday. The day I officially learned about it after coming to the Demon Kingdom. It was the day I met Seires.

“Today… it’s my birthday.”

“Did you just remember? Yes, Your Highness! Happy birthday!”

“Thank you…”

I see, I’m already 10 years old.

Ten years have passed since I came here.

When I went to breakfast, everyone was already seated.

“Oh… Did you oversleep, Arus? Good morning! And happy birthday! Come here, I’ll fix your hair for you.”

“Ah, thank you…”

I thanked my mother and took my seat, letting her fix my hair.

“Arus… Happy birthday. I’m glad we can celebrate like this.”

“Father… Thank you.”

“Happy birthday, Arus.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Happy birthday, Arus! You’re already 10!”

“Yeah, thanks, Mom.”

“Happy birthday, big brother.”

“Thanks, Mel.”

Being congratulated by everyone… yeah, it’s a good day today.

After finishing breakfast, I was changed by a maid other than Sora in my room, and then as I walked through the castle, I was greeted with birthday wishes by everyone I met.

“Congratulations, Your Highness!”

“Oh, Your Highness!! Happy birthday!”

“Your Highness, happy birthday!”

“Your Highness, congratulations!!”

Yeah, it’s tiring but it feels good.

As I walked, I ran into Reno.

“Oh, Arus… I mean, Your Highness!! Happy birthday!”

“It’s okay, you can call me Arus when it’s just the two of us…”

“Huh? Ah… thank you.”

“Anyway, are you going somewhere?”

“Um, I wanted to read a book, but when I asked the head maid, she said only members of the royal family can enter the library… So, I thought I’d take a little walk!”

“Hmm, is that okay? Want to go to the library together?”

“Huh, really? Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I don’t think my parents will say anything. And I’m with you, too.”

And so, we arrived at the library… It was like a grand library.

There were shelves reaching up to the ceiling, almost as high as a three-story building, with a depth of several tens of meters on each side.

“Wow!!! So many books!!!”

“It’s amazing, right? I was surprised the first time I came here.”

In this world, books are expensive and rare.

So, gathering this amount is remarkable.

Truly befitting of the Demon King’s castle…

“So, what do you want to read?”

“Maybe some basic spellbooks, or perhaps a story…”

“If that’s the case…”

I walked through the familiar library and picked up a few books to hand to Reno.

“Maybe these ones!”

“Thank you… Are you going to read something too, Arus?”

“Hmm, yeah. Today, I think I’ll go for some imperial studies and maybe delve into the history of the demon race…”

“You really are of royal blood, Arus.”

“Even if I’m not of royal blood, I’d still read them, you know? Knowledge is valuable.”

“I see…”

The two of us sat at the table set in the library and began reading our books.

But imperial studies are tough.

It’s hard to give off that “I’m royalty!” vibe.

More than that, lately, I’ve been finding the history of the demon race fascinating.

The past demon kings… they were all insanely powerful.

Like the Demon King of Inferno from thousands of years ago.

He supposedly incinerated an entire southern continent in a war against the human race… Like, what kind of magic and magical power did he possess?

He must have been several times stronger than me. Talk about overpowered.

And the Demon King from three generations ago was incredible too.

The Thunderous Demon King. In a war against the Dragon Nation, he unleashed the highest-level magic, creating lightning dragons, and wiped out hundreds of dragons with a single blow.

Seriously… How much magical power did this guy have?

Demon kings are truly something else.

And then, there’s something else that caught my attention.

The War of Succession of Demon Kings, a war from two thousand years ago.

Strong demons who were dissatisfied with the tradition of the demon king being passed down through the royal family rebelled and waged war.

These demons were also monstrously powerful, but in the end, they were defeated, or rather, completely obliterated by an ancient magic used by the demon king.

Completely obliterated? What kind of magic… is that?

“But yeah, you’re right. A unified nation that spans the entire continent is unparalleled.

No wonder some people aren’t happy about it.

There might still be dissenters today.

An internal war among the demon race… That would be too much, I hope it never happens.

Can’t everyone just live in peace?

“…Rus… Arus!”

“Hmm? Sorry, I was lost in thought.”

“It’s okay, but… it’s been quite some time. Are you okay with lunch?”

“Huh? Already?!”

“Yeah!”

“In that case, let’s call it a day for now. I want to do some combat training and practice magic in the afternoon.”

“Sure, sounds good! Um… is it okay if I watch?”

“Huh? Sure, you want to watch?”

“Yeah! I’d love to!”

“Alright, then at lunchtime! Um… let’s meet at the training grounds.”

“Got it!!”

With that, I headed to the cafeteria for lunch.

While having lunch with my family…

The cafeteria doors opened with a creak, and soldiers hurriedly approached my father.

“Your Majesty… There’s something we need to inform you about…”

And then, they whispered something in his ear.

“What!? It seems like it would be better to ask Arus about that… Arus!”

Called upon by my father, I paused, placing my fork and knife down.

“Well, it seems that children from the human race, along with human soldiers, have been apprehended at the castle gates… They claim to be acquaintances of Arus… Do you know anyone by the names of Maria Reistov, Mira Beloush, Torus Longdard, and Leo Triden?”

Maria, Mira, Torus, Leo…?

Whaaaat!?

“I know them. I mean… they’re friends!”

“Reistov, Triden, Longdard? The children of a count, a viscount, and a margrave!?”

Both my father and I stood up in surprise.

“I see… so they are indeed friends. In that case, escort them to the reception room with care.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

As soon as my father spoke, the soldier swiftly left the room.

“Father… I’m sorry to interrupt our meal… May I also go?”

“Oh… sure. Keires, would you like to come too?”

“Yes! I’ll go as well!”

And so, my father and I headed to the reception room.

Upon arrival, there they were – four familiar faces I hadn’t seen in a while.

“Maria… Mira… Torus… Leo… What’s going on?”

“Arusss!!”

“Arus…”

Maria and Mira rushed towards me, embracing me tightly.

“Big brother!!!”

“Arus… I’m glad you’re safe.”

And then, Torus and Leo also stood up, their eyes fixed on me.

“We were so worried! We saw the footage of you returning to the demon kingdom… and we were so worried… That’s why…”

Maria was crying.

“We all decided to come to Arus’s place together, and if you were captured or something, we’d definitely help… We secretly got on a ship and came here without telling our parents…”

Mira’s eyes were also filled with tears.

“I see… I thought you guys hated me.”

“What are you saying? There’s no way we could hate you!”

“You’re still such a big idiot, Arus… you don’t understand anything about us.”

“Big brother… we’ve always liked you!”

“We’re friends… I never thought otherwise.”

After hearing their story, it seemed that they came to rescue me because they heard I was the son of the Demon King and might have been captured.

During their journey, they encountered some difficulties, but were helped by a soldier who had also come along with them after the war ended.

Looking at that soldier… although he was currently dressed as a traveler, it became clear that he was quite a formidable figure among the human race.

Seeing the soldier, my father’s eyes widened.

“…Mash. You’re alive!!”

“General, you’re safe as well…”

Apparently, this soldier was a close aide to my father and served as his deputy.

Since there was much to discuss, we all sat down on the sofas in the reception room for the time being.

“So, Arus, you really are the son of the Demon King…”

“But you can tell just by looking at them that they’re living happily… That’s good to know.”

Maria and Mira looked at me with a sense of relief.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I pondered what to say.

In contrast, Torus and Leo quickly adapted.

“Big brother, is the Demon King really super strong?”

“Hmm? My father? Yeah, I think he’s probably strong enough to take on all of humanity by himself if he gets serious… maybe.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. He truly is the Demon King.”

“Arus… By the way, can you compete with the demons?”

“Huh? Oh right, Kaito and the others are already living here and having matches, so I think if I ask, Leo, you can probably join too.”

“Huh? Kaito is here too!? Wow, I wanna try it!”

Torus seemed carefree, and Leo remained as straightforward as ever.

“Both of you, can’t it wait for another time?”

“Seriously, idiots…”

Maria and Mira seemed a bit irritated with the two.

Well, for me, it was quite a relief…

“So, how long can you stay in the demon kingdom?”

“Hmm, since we came without telling our parents… maybe up to three days at most? The return journey will take quite a while too.”

Maria answered on behalf of them.

“Huh? Oh, you don’t have to worry about the return journey. If I tell my father, he’ll probably send us back with teleportation magic.”

“…Teleportation magic. The Demon King’s teleportation magic!?”

Mira muttered something with a distant look in her eyes.

“If that’s possible, well, I guess we could stay for up to a week…”

“But, our parents must be worried, so we can’t stay too long… Let’s go ask Father for permission to stay, for now.”

“…The Demon King, right?”

“…The Demon King…”

“Aniki’s real father…”

“The strongest Demon King…”

“Huh? Oh, but you don’t have to be so formal with him, I think he’s pretty easy going about that kind of stuff.”

Since my father and Mashu seemed to still want to talk privately, they stayed in the reception room, so I took everyone to find my father.

“The Demon King’s castle! It’s amazing… It’s probably several times bigger than a normal kingdom’s castle…”

“It’s so cool that you get to live here… I’m kinda jealous.”

Maria and Mira were excitedly looking around the castle.

“That demon over there… looks really strong…”

“Nah, that one over there looks even stronger, no doubt.”

Torus and Leo commented as they watched passing soldiers.

Just then, Zes passed by.

Today, he wasn’t wearing his cloak, but instead a black robe, showcasing his blonde hair.

“Lord Arus! Happy birthday!”

He bowed as he approached.

Oh right, it’s my birthday, I totally forgot.

“Thanks, Zes. By the way, I’m looking for my father. Do you know where he is?”

“The King? He was in the courtyard with the Queen just a moment ago.”

“The courtyard, huh? Thanks… Oh, by the way, next time, could you tell me more about demon history? My tutor said you’re quite knowledgeable about it, Zes!”

“Demon history? Hehe, of course! I’d be happy to share it with you sometime.”

“That’s great! Thank you…”

With that, I parted ways with Zes and headed to the courtyard…

“Who was that person? He seemed really powerful…”

“That’s Zes, one of Father’s close aides. He’s considered quite strong even among the high-ranking officials.”

“Aide to the Demon King…”

Maria’s face paled slightly.

Well, if you put it that way, it does sound intimidating.

Finally, we arrived at the courtyard.

There stood my father, towering over 2 meters tall, and my mother, who could be described as nothing less than an angel or a beautiful girl.

“Father! Mother! Let me introduce you. These are my friends, Maria, Mira, Torus, and Leo…”

“Oh, Arus’ friends… To come from afar in these circumstances, quite impressive. Welcome… I am the Demon King, Silva Viberui Belzebute.”

His golden eyes, just like mine, scanned over Maria and the others.

“Arus’ friends! Nice to meet you! I am Arus’ mother, Elizabeth Febr Belzebute.”

Mother greeted them with a gentle smile.

“Pleased to meet you… Demon King… Queen… I am Maria Reistov, eldest daughter of the Reistov family, counts of the Rosen Kingdom in the Central Continent.”

Somehow, Maria and the others ended up kneeling.

They’re quite serious after all…

“I am Mira Beloush, the daughter of the head of the Beloush Trading Company, located in the Rosen Kingdom.”

“Rosen Kingdom… I’m Leo Triden, the eldest son of the Triden Marchioness.”

“I’m Torus Longdard, the eldest son of the Longdard Viscount family. I’m your brother’s follower.”

Hey, Torus… you’re the odd one out here, aren’t you?

“No need to be formal. They’re our son’s friends… Species and nationality don’t matter. Our son seemed lonely, so thank you for coming.”

“Oh, no… Thank you for accepting us during this time after the war.”

Maria looked somewhat shocked as she bowed her head.

Well, Father really doesn’t seem like a typical Demon King.

“So, Arus… You didn’t come just for introductions, did you?”

“Yes. I’d like permission for my friends to stay for a few days, and… could you arrange for teleportation for them afterward?”

“Hmm? Is that all? I was just discussing it with Elizabeth earlier. Of course, it’s fine.”

“Thank you very much…”

“Haha, occasionally, act like a child and have fun. You may not need it now, but if you want escorts, you can tour the capital. It’s fine, right?”

“Huh!? Is that okay?”

“It’s fine.”

Father said with a smile as he gently ruffled my hair.

Looking at him like this, he’s more of a father than a Demon King, isn’t he?

“Oh, Arus! It’s fine to go to the capital, but make sure to invite Reno too!”

Mother reminded me, and suddenly, I remembered.

“Oh! I forgot about the promise with Reno!!”

“Ah, no good! You can’t forget promises with girls!”

Mother pinched my cheek.

“Sorry… I’ll go find her and apologize later.”

“Make sure to apologize properly, okay?”

“Yes! Of course.”

Then I walked through the castle to find Reno.

She’s probably near the training grounds, right?

“Demon King… He’s completely different from the impression I had!”

“Yeah… He had this intense aura, but somehow, he seems gentle…”

I felt a little proud when Maria and Mira said that.

“Yeah, Father is kind. And so is Mother.”

“Queen… At first, I thought she was your older sister, Arus.”

Mira continued with her impressions, and she was really cute.

“She’s truly a beauty. She’s definitely your brother’s mother.”

“But, Demon King… He’s not just strong. There’s absolutely no chance of winning against him.”

Why does Leo seem a bit down?

He’s really into battles, huh?

When we arrived at the training grounds, Reno was sitting there.

“Ah, Ar… Your Highness! Um, who are they?”

Reno stood up and came over to us.

“Sorry for being late. Let me introduce you! These are my friends, Maria, Mira, Torus, and Leo.”

“Um, I’m Maria! Nice to meet you!”

“…Cute. Oh, I’m Mira! Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Torus, Arus’s right-hand man! Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Leo! Nice to meet you.”

Somehow, yeah… it feels good!

I never imagined being surrounded by friends like this recently.

“So, are we going to the capital?”

“Maria, do you want to go right away? Well, everyone must be tired today, right? So let’s do that tomorrow… Today, I promised Reno that she could watch my training and experiments, so we have to do that first.”

“You’re still doing experiments…”

“Mira… cut it out with that look.”

“Can I join in too?”

“Bro! I wanna do it too!”

And so, Leo, Torus, and I ended up sparring with swords in a corner of the training grounds.

I’ve become too strong, huh? Is it okay?

Well, that’s a story for another time…