A boy raised by a demon king and a dragon king seems to be peerless in his school life. - Volume 9 Chapter 11 & 12

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

Volume 9 Chapter 11    Unexpected Encounter

“The Eternal Neutral Nation of Sanctria.”

In Sanctria, a land dotted with towering buildings, Ruisha and his companions ventured into one of the tallest and most prominent structures.

“Wow, I’ve never seen a building like this before,” Ruisha exclaimed.

He said this, his eyes scanning the surroundings in awe.

“While wood and stone are commonly used in conventional construction materials, ‘metal’ is predominant in the materials used here in Sanctria. Therefore, the floors and ceilings have a metallic appearance. It’s no wonder Ruisha, unaccustomed to this sight, is captivated.”

“Sanctria ‘s metalworking technology is the best on the continent. They must have many skilled magic craftsmen. I can’t help but envy them,” Yuri said as he walked at the front, grumbling.

“The kingdom still has many people with antiquated beliefs. The idea of creating buildings with magic doesn’t exist. Even if someone were to attempt it, the regular craftsmen would likely protest. They’d say, ‘Our jobs are being taken over by magic.'”

The perception that magic is a tool for warfare remains deeply entrenched.

The magical beings, closely tied to magic throughout their history, frequently integrate it into their daily lives. However, human society doesn’t easily embrace this notion.

Whenever convenient magical technology seems to advance, opposing forces inevitably arise. Yuri’s father, King Floyd, is trying to utilize magical technology in various fields within the capital. Yet, each time, opposing factions appear, hindering progress as they fear that ‘work will be taken over by magic.’

“I had a renewed realization after seeing the magical airships of the Merchant Nation. We’re definitely lagging behind in the kingdom. We need to urgently push forward the development of magical technology, or the empire will outpace us.”

The empire that Yuri mentioned is the “Vivrania Empire,” a powerful nation located in the western part of the Kitarica continent. While the kingdom has had a long-standing rivalry with the empire, their magical technology has significantly improved in the past decade.

Naturally, King Floyd feels a sense of crisis about this and has implemented various measures. However, he is falling behind the bold policies of the current emperor.

Yuri muttered to himself, pondering how to somehow bridge that gap. As he walked, a figure appeared ahead.

“Hmm? Oh, isn’t that Yuri! Are you accompanying your father?”

The words came from a tall, well-featured man with a vibrant red cape billowing behind him. He exuded a mix of freshness and wildness, and he approached Yuri, his white teeth shining.

Behind the man in the cape were soldiers dressed in black military uniforms. Ruisha didn’t know the person in the cape, but he recognized the soldiers.

“Could it be true? Is that person Chrome…!?”

When Ruisha mentioned “Chrome,” he was referring to the Empire’s strongest swordsman, “Chrome Remnant.” While he hadn’t directly seen him, he had encountered him numerous times in the card game ‘Genesis King.’ He wore a black military uniform with a deep-set military cap and had a distinctive appearance with a broad black sword at his waist. There was no mistaking his identity.

“Hey, Ibuki, is that…?”

“As Ruisha thought, that swordsman is ‘Sword of the Empire’ Chrome himself. And the person walking with Chrome is the current emperor of Vivrania Empire, ‘Cobaldius Aggrisivia.'”

Upon hearing that name, Ruisha swallowed nervously.

Ruisha knew quite well about Emperor Cobaldius. He was known by nicknames such as the “darling of the era” and the “man who propelled the empire a hundred years ahead.” A skilled emperor who was fond of novelties and rapidly incorporated magical technology into his own country, propelling the empire to rapid development.

Naturally, like in the kingdom, there were many opposing voices. However, the emperor silenced them with a ruthless crackdown, wielding the sword of the strongest, Chrome. This effectively deterred foolish citizens from raising a rebellion against the empire.

The emperor had anticipated this and carried out purges accordingly. Yuri was deeply wary of him.

“Long time no see, Your Majesty. I’m glad to see you in good health.”

“Haha! There’s no need to be so formal, Yuri. I bet you think I’m a bother, don’t you?”

“W-well, that’s certainly not the case.”

Even the adept Yuri found himself at a loss for words at the unexpected statement from the Emperor. Seeing his reaction, the Emperor grinned knowingly.

“You’re quite transparent,” Yuri sighed inwardly. Behind the facade of seeming thoughtlessness lay the face of a shrewd tactician. Yuri couldn’t help but reaffirm that this individual was indeed dangerous.

“By the way, where is your father? Surely you didn’t come alone?”

“…My father is not here, Your Majesty. I am here as the representative of the Exadore Kingdom for this school festival.”

“Hmm…”

In that moment, the atmosphere around the Emperor shifted.

The previously calm and playful demeanor vanished, revealing the cold nature that lay beneath.

“You knew that I, the Emperor, would be coming this time. However, the fact that you’re here… I can interpret this as an insult to the Empire, can’t I?”

He, who held the alias “Purge Emperor” in addition to the two mentioned earlier, locked eyes with Yuri with a sharp gaze, seemingly ready to shoot out his words.

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Volume 9 Chapter 12   Purge Emperor

The sudden transformation of the Emperor from his earlier calm demeanor surprised and alarmed Yuri and the others.

(“This is bad… How can we get through this?”)

Yuri, who had heard stories of those who incurred the Emperor’s wrath and met a dire end, felt sweat bead on his forehead.

Surely, as a member of the royal family, he wouldn’t directly harm him. He had been somewhat complacent in thinking that way, but he now realized that his perception had been naive.

“If I have offended you, I offer my apologies. I’m sincerely sorry. However, I hope you understand that I had no intention of disrespecting Your Majesty in this matter.”

“Annoying. Your opinion doesn’t matter to me. The only thing that’s important is whether I find this situation displeasing or not.”

Yuri desperately apologized, but the Emperor didn’t accept his apology.

The Purge Emperor. The title floated through Yuri’s mind.

“Chrome.”

When the Emperor said this short word, the person in military attire standing behind, Chrome Remnant, stepped forward.

Despite not laying a hand on the sword at his waist, Yuri felt an illusion as if a sword were pressed against his neck. Chrome’s aura was so sharp that it felt as if he were indeed ready to draw the sword.

“Prince, take a step back,” Ibuki said.

Saying this, Ibuki stepped forward in front of Yuri. He was about to reach for the sword at his waist—his hand halted.

It wasn’t a matter of logic. Following an animalistic instinct that warned him it would be dangerous to draw that sword, Ibuki stopped his hand. Chrome, witnessing this, let out an impressed “Hmm” and smiled faintly.

“A wise judgment. The moment you grip that sword in front of me, I’d deem you an enemy and sever your head. You have good instincts.”

“Haha, thanks for that.”

They narrowly escaped a life-threatening situation, but the circumstances had not improved. Yuri and Ibuki desperately racked their brains to find a way out, but the opponent this time was formidable.

The Emperor, renowned for his exceptional charisma, and the continent’s strongest swordsman. A young and still inexperienced prince and his attendant were not a match for them.

(“If my death can resolve this, so be it. But if an incident occurs here, it could escalate into war!”)

In this critical situation, Yuri was more concerned about his country than his own life.

The empire, rapidly advancing like a soaring bird, and the kingdom whose strength had declined due to the inept former king. Yuri understood well that in a clash, the kingdom was at a disadvantage.

Hence, he couldn’t afford to die here. However, whether Chrome, the empire’s strongest swordsman, understood this or not, he was approaching Yuri and Ibuki, gripping the sword at his waist.

“Prince and his accompanying swordsman, you have quite the fighting spirit for students. Very well, let’s have a little taste. If you manage to impress me, I might let you go.”

“Haha, y-yes… very kind of you.”

Standing before Chrome, emanating an immense fighting spirit and aura of death, Ibuki was mentally drained just by being in his presence. Even in perfect condition, facing him in battle was out of the question. And in this situation, it seemed utterly impossible.

At the height of tension, when Ibuki’s legs were beginning to tremble, Ruisha stepped forward in front of Ibuki.

“Ruisha…”

“I’m sorry. Let me step in.”

Saying this, Ruisha looked straight at the strongest swordsman standing before him.

His demeanor, aura, the movement of his gaze, and shifts in body weight—all conveyed to Ruisha without a doubt that the person in front of him was undeniably a true powerhouse.

Delighted to confirm that the most formidable being he had long been curious about was indeed the formidable individual rumored, Ruisha felt a smile almost escape his lips, but he suppressed it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Chrome.”

“…And who might you be?”

Saying this, Chrome observed the reckless young boy standing defiantly before him.

At first glance, the boy appeared fragile. He was short and slender, with features that could be seen as androgynous depending on the attire.

The magical power and aura emanating from him weren’t overwhelming, but Chrome saw through that the boy was skillfully controlling these attributes.

Furthermore, Chrome simultaneously deduced that despite Ruisha appearing slender at first glance, his body was meticulously honed to the extreme, a body of finely crafted steel.

“Interesting… Interesting indeed! So, the kingdom has someone intriguing, huh!”

Chrome chuckled in high spirits, wearing a wicked grin as he looked at Ruisha.

“Young one, can you give me a taste of defeat? I’m quite bored, it’s been a while since I’ve faced someone with whom I can spar to the point of exchanging blows…!”

Saying this, just as Chrome was about to draw his sword, the Emperor grabbed Chrome’s shoulder firmly, stopping him from attacking.

“It’s over, Chrome. It seems we’ve attracted too much attention.”

“Hmm? Ah, I see… I might have enjoyed it a bit too much.”

Looking around, they noticed people gathering, drawn by the commotion.

It was prudent to avoid drawing excessive attention in this situation. Recognizing this, the Emperor ordered Chrome to retreat.

“In consideration of the courage of this unknown boy, let’s withdraw, Yuri-kun. However, do not forget that your position is not as secure as you may think.”

“…Your caution is duly noted, Your Majesty. I have learned a valuable lesson through personal experience.”

In response to Yuri’s remark, laced with irony, the Emperor smiled faintly and left the scene.

“Young man, you’re also a participant in the school festival, aren’t you? If so, that means you might face my students in battles. Make sure not to lose before then.”

Leaving this message behind, Chrome followed the Emperor.

Once the Emperor and Chrome were out of sight, Yuri dropped to his knees at the spot, letting out a heavy sigh.

“Haha, I truly prepared for the worst this time. Thank you both, I couldn’t have overcome this alone.”

“…I haven’t been of much help. At this rate, I’m unworthy of being the prince’s shield.”

“Don’t say that. Just having you with me gives me courage.”

Saying this, Yuri comfortingly patted Ibuki’s trembling shoulders in frustration.

In reality, facing Chrome, who possessed the abilities of the supernatural class, Ibuki was exceptional for not fleeing or losing consciousness. But Ibuki didn’t seem to accept this, and he looked down.

On the other hand, Ruisha watched the direction in which the Emperor and others had departed, his heart leaping with anticipation.

“A student trained by the strongest swordsman… I wonder how strong they really are.”

With each person carrying their own thoughts, the eventful school festival began to unfold.