A boy raised by a demon king and a dragon king seems to be peerless in his school life.

Volume 7 Chapter 38 At the evacuation site

In the southwest of the kingdom lies an area known as the Warehouse District.

This is where Ruisha and Wolf had come chasing after a band of thieves before.

Unlike regular shops, there are no stores here; instead, large warehouses line the area. It’s sparsely populated, and even the Kingdom’s knights rarely patrol, making it a notorious place with a poor security reputation, often harboring vagabonds and criminals.

Amidst this Warehouse District stood a run-down shack. It appeared as if an amateur had forcefully connected wooden planks to create a home. However, such shacks were not uncommon in the Warehouse District, so no one paid it any mind.

But for the inhabitant of this house, it was convenient.

“… I wonder what’s happening at the castle by now.”

Ibuki, a young man wearing a helmet and serving as both Ruisha’s classmate and Prince Yuri’s guard, grumbled while sitting rudely in a chair.

Contrary to its shabby exterior, the interior of Ibuki’s shack was impeccably arranged beyond what one could imagine. That’s because this shack was one of the emergency shelters used by members of the royal family during times of crisis.

The tattered exterior was a camouflage to conceal this fact. In reality, it was extremely sturdy and designed to withstand more than minor attacks.

And naturally, besides Ibuki, Prince Yuri, the master of the shack, was also inside.

“No matter how much we think here, we can’t know what’s happening to the castle. After all, this place is far from the castle. If we sense anything abnormal here, it’s likely too late for the castle,” Ibuki remarked.

“Yeah…” Yuri agreed.

A heavy atmosphere hung between them.

Both of them had been instructed by King Floyd, Yuri’s father, to live in seclusion here—a bitter decision to preserve the royal bloodline.

In this endlessly anxious situation, coupled with the sense of being cramped inside the small shack, the air was growing increasingly stifling.

(Ah, this is too suffocating…)

In this oppressive atmosphere, Ibuki, usually cheerful, had completely lost his spirit.

Yuri, engrossed in contemplation while seated in a chair, responded to questions with vague phrases like “I see” or “I wonder” and couldn’t even swing a sword to distract himself within the cramped space. How on earth could they pass the time? As they pondered this, the outside grew increasingly noisy with hurried footsteps.

“Ibuki, are those footsteps getting closer to us!?”

“…Yes, it seems so. Prince, stay towards the back of the room.”

Ibuki immediately shifted into a state of vigilance, unsheathing his sword. He positioned himself with Yuri at his back, aiming the tip of the sword at the shack’s only entrance.

Have the demon-kind discovered this place!? It’s too early for that…!

Although his expression remained composed, Ibuki was inwardly frantic. In such a confined space, he couldn’t fully utilize his skills as a swordsman. If a large-scale magic attack were to be launched in such a place, even if he could protect himself, it would be impossible to safeguard the prince.

“…They’re here.”

The footsteps they had heard stopped in front of the shack’s entrance. There was no mistake; the owner of the footsteps had arrived here. It wasn’t just one set of footsteps; they heard the overlapping sound of several footsteps. It was safe to assume they were dealing with a large group.

The group of footsteps had arrived at the shack but hadn’t entered. If one strained their ears, they could even hear what sounded like hushed conversations. Perhaps they were strategizing.

Regardless, it was only a matter of time before they would be invaded. Ibuki decided to open a floorboard and hide Yuri in a concealed space below, then go outside.

“Prince, I’m going to open it. If you sense danger, please leave without me.”

“Yeah, I understand.”

Having obtained Yuri’s approval, Ibuki steeled himself and opened the door with a creak.

To their surprise, the person outside the door was unexpected.

“Oh! It’s Ibuki, really didn’t expect to see you here! You’re amazing, Chisha!”

“You’re in high spirits, Burn. Or should I say, can you calm down a bit? I feel like I’m going to puke.”

“Hey, don’t puke here! You’ll soil Muu-chan!”

Standing there were three classmates Ibuki knew well: Burn, Chisha, and Kazaha. Strangely, the three of them were riding a giant centipede and were in front of the shack. Had they arrived on this? Chisha seemed to have motion sickness, looking quite pale.

“W-why are you all here!? I never told anyone about this place!”

The evacuation site for the royal family was known only to a handful of individuals, even among those related to the royal family. Even with trustworthy classmates, sharing this information was out of the question.

So why? Ibuki was more bewildered than he would have been if demons had arrived.

“Now’s not the time for discussions like that, Ibuki.”

Shaky but managing to stand on his own, Chisha approached Ibuki and spoke.

Upon hearing Chisha’s words, Ibuki sensed that something had happened.

“…The demon attack has begun.”

“Thanks for catching on so quickly. It seems they anticipated the demon rampage; truly worthy of the king.”

“Yeah, we appreciate your timely arrival. However, we can’t leave this place. It’s better for everyone to evacuate to avoid getting involved. The knight order should handle things.”

“…What if the knight order is trapped?”

Ibuki froze at Chisha’s words.

It couldn’t be true. He kept telling himself that, but the classmate in front of him wasn’t the type to make such jokes.

“Looks like you didn’t know. Right now, the royal castle is enclosed by barrier magic. To dispel the barrier, we have to go inside. We need your help with that.”

Chisha said this with a serious expression.

◇

Volume 7 Chapter 39 Trust

“Is that true…?”

Upon hearing Chisha’s words, Yuri emerged from the shack.

Seeing him, Chisha and the other two breathed a sigh of relief. They were safe, and that was a relief.

“It’s true, Yuri. The castle is completely sealed off by a barrier. The people inside can’t come out, and they don’t even know what’s happening outside,” Chisha explained.

“…Let’s discuss the details inside. It’s cramped, but please come in,” Yuri urged.

Following Yuri’s invitation, Chisha, Kazaha, and Burn entered the shack. Yuri’s invitation was sincere, as the interior was indeed very cramped with the three of them inside. They were standing in a tightly packed space.

Chisha briefly explained to Yuri what had transpired. With Burn bringing in a fainted demon, Yuri quickly grasped the current situation.

“I see, our kingdom is in a worse situation than I thought…”

“That’s right! That’s why we need your help! Yuri, you must know a way into the castle!”

Thinking that the barrier wouldn’t affect hidden passages in the castle, Chisha had searched for Yuri and Ibuki.

Fortunately, Chisha had analysis magic. With information about all their classmates in mind, tracing Yuri and Ibuki’s footsteps was a breeze.

If only they could find them, seeking help would be easy. That’s what the three of them believed. However, Yuri’s response was unexpected.

“I’m grateful for risking your safety to come this far. As a prince and personally, I’m genuinely glad. However… I ‘cannot’ lend my aid.”

“What…!”

Chisha was left speechless by those words.

Kazaha and Burn were equally stunned by Yuri’s unexpected statement.

To their shock, Yuri continued.

“The battle against the demon-kind will escalate further. You all should escape as soon as possible.”

Unbelievable. Yuri, so full of patriotism, was saying something like this.

Chisha was so shocked that he doubted whether the person in front of him was truly their well-known classmate. However, his analysis magic coldly confirmed that the man before him was undoubtedly their classmate.

As Chisha and Kazaha were reeling from the shock, Burn, unable to contain himself any longer, glared at Yuri and raised his voice.

“Are you serious about this…!?”

Glaring with intensity, Burn approached Yuri with a forceful voice.

Even Yuri was momentarily taken aback by Burn’s imposing presence. However, Yuri met the gaze head-on and glared back firmly.

“Yeah, I’m serious.”

“You! I’ll beat some sense into that rotten core of yours!!”

Burn raised his fist and swung, aiming for Yuri. The room was cramped, and there was no escape.

However, the attack he thought would undoubtedly hit unexpectedly failed to land.

“Whoops, I can’t overlook that, of course.”

Saying this, Ibuki, Yuri’s attendant, placed the tip of his sword against Burn’s neck. With blinding speed, he unsheathed the sword and pressed it against Burn’s neck, stopping him in his tracks.

“Ibuki, you…”

“Don’t take it personally. I wouldn’t have done this under normal circumstances, but this is my job.”

“Grr…”

Reluctantly, Burn backed down at Ibuki’s words. He, too, didn’t want to resort to hitting a friend.

However, he believed that in this situation, even if it meant acting recklessly, they had to make a change.

“Hey, Yuri, what do you think you’re doing?”

“If my father and I were to die, the royal bloodline would end. So, if I run away, it’s equivalent to saving the kingdom, Burn.”

“Does that mean you’re okay with abandoning your country? Ruisha is still fighting for the nation!”

“R-Ruisha is…?”

Yuri showed signs of agitation upon Burn’s words. He never thought that Ruisha would be fighting.

No, it would be more accurate to say he deliberately avoided thinking about it. He knew very well that Ruisha was someone who could fight for the sake of others.

“I see, Ruisha is…”

He also truly wanted to act for the sake of his country, but his responsibilities as a prince held him back. Clenching his teeth and even as blood dripped from his clenched fist, he couldn’t utter the words “I’ll fight” as a prince should.

Seeing Yuri’s painful struggle, Burn and the others couldn’t find the words, understanding his feelings.

In the somber atmosphere, it was Ibuki who spoke up to Yuri.

“Why the gloomy face, Your Highness? Come on, order us like you always do.”

“…What are you saying, Ibuki? Didn’t my father tell you to escape from the castle with me? At that point, I no longer have the authority to give orders.”

Hearing those words, Ibuki scratched his helmet and said, “Huh, as usual, my master is clueless.”

Yuri, suddenly mocked, raised his voice in protest.

“A-Am I being called an idiot? What’s the meaning of this, Ibuki!”

“I’m saying you’re an idiot because you’re an idiot. Got it? I’m not swearing loyalty to the kingdom or the king. It’s to you, Prince.”

Saying this, Ibuki pointed towards Yuri’s chest.

Yuri, unaware that Ibuki thought of him in such a way, was left dumbfounded. Ibuki always seemed frivolous and light-hearted, constantly joking around. However, at the core of it was an unwavering loyalty to Yuri. If Yuri wished for it, Ibuki was even prepared to turn his blade against the king.

“That’s why, Prince, you should do what you want. Even if it means defying the king’s commands, I’ll be the one to stand by your side.”

“Ibuki…!”

Yuri’s eyes welled up with emotion.

He didn’t know he was trusted this much, loved this much.

If that was the case, he had to live up to this loyalty. Not just as a prince, but as the future king.

“Good or bad, if you’re an ally, then count me in.”

Saying this, Chisha and the others looked at Yuri and smiled.

Seeing this, Yuri felt that all his previous worries seemed foolish. He didn’t have to tackle this alone; he had dependable comrades he could lean on.

“…Everyone, I’m sorry. I’ve finally made up my mind.”

“Haha, are you sure about defying the king’s orders? The exemplary prince is going against his image?”

“It’s fine. Before being a prince, I’m still a child. It’s okay to make mistakes.”

“Haha, I’d love to hear those words reach Ruisha.”

Burn laughed at Yuri’s words, which were quite unlike his usual self.

He seemed more noble than usual, exuding a kingly aura.

“There’s a hidden passage in this shack that leads to the castle. Will everyone come with me?”

In response to Yuri’s words, everyone in the room nodded.

And so, the operation to rescue the king from the castle began with just these five individuals.