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

Volume 9 Chapter 45 Celebration

On the night after the finals, Ruisha and his friends held a celebratory party in the spacious garden of their dormitory.

Though calling it a party might be an exaggeration, as it was a small gathering limited to close friends. However, their victory allowed them to receive a plethora of luxurious ingredients, and their classmates were grilling and enjoying the feast over a charcoal fire.

“Phew.”

Having eaten to his heart’s content, Ruisha sat on a grassy patch a little away, watching his classmates having a great time in the distance.

“What’s the matter, getting lost in thought here of all places?”

Turning towards the voice, he found Yuri there. Interestingly, his attendant, Ibuki, was not with him.

“And what brings you to such an unpopular spot, Yuri?”

“Oh, you know, just came to thank our kingdom’s hero.”

Saying so, Yuri sat down beside Ruisha.

The grass was damp, but he seemed unfazed. Ruisha thought, if this is the art of winning people over, it’s quite impressive.

“First of all… ugh, it’s a bit… awkward to express formal gratitude like this. Back when we first met, I could say it easily.”

“It feels weird to earnestly thank a friend. You don’t have to thank me after all, I had my reasons to work hard for this too.”

“But even if you didn’t have those reasons, you would have still given your best, right?”

“…Caught me, huh?”

“Yeah, caught you red-handed.”

They looked at each other and laughed.

Though they had only met about four months ago, they had become close friends as if they had been together for years.

“No, regardless of that, I should thank you. Thank you, Ruisha. Thanks to you, the kingdom will further prosper. Next year, we’ll likely have many promising new students joining the Magic Academy. …Well, they probably won’t be as exceptional as you.”

“Oh, you never know? Maybe even more amazing kids will be popping in next year.”

“Please, I won’t have enough stomachs for that.”

“That’s true, hehe.”

After indulging in such light-hearted banter and taking a breather, Yuri got up.

“Well then, I should be going. I joked earlier, but my gratitude to you is genuine. If you ever have any troubles, feel free to rely on me. Even if I can’t listen as a prince, I might be able to respond as a friend.”

With these parting words, Yuri left.

Shortly after, Sharo and Iris arrived almost as if to take his place.

Sharo seemed a bit tipsy, swaying as she walked. Iris, looking helpless, was supporting her.

“Ruisha! Why are you lazing around here?”

“Hehe, looks like you’ve had quite a few drinks.”

“I’m sorry for not keeping up, even though I’m here with you.”

Ah, Iris looked frustrated.

Ruisha took Sharo from her and piggybacked her.

“I’ll take Sharo back to the room. Iris, you stay here and have fun with everyone.”

“But…?”

“Ah, then this is an ‘order.’ Iris, you’ll stay here and get closer to everyone! …It’s a challenging mission, you up for it?”

“…If it’s an order, I have no choice. Alright, I’ll definitely fulfill that mission.”

With a determined expression, Iris went back into the circle of friends.

Her figure was hardly recognizable compared to a few months ago when she didn’t talk to anyone.

“It’s okay; Iris now will surely manage.”

Ruisha whispered to himself as he watched her retreating figure and then entered the dormitory.

◇

Volume 9 Chapter 46 Night Attack

“Hey, where are you going, Ruisha?”

“I’m just going out. Be a good girl and sleep.”

“Don’t treat me like a child so much… zzz…”

“Phew, she’s finally asleep.”

Relieved that Sharo had finally fallen asleep in bed, Ruisha covered her with a blanket and left the room.

It was already past midnight; the party must have ended, and they were likely starting to clean up.

“It might be late, but maybe I should help with the cleanup.”

Muttering to himself, he walked down the dormitory corridor. As he looked at the beautiful moonlight shining outside the window, suddenly a sharp and killing intent pierced his body.

“—!?”

He quickly looked around, but there was no one there.

The killing intent seemed to come from above. Ruisha hurriedly went out of the window on the second floor to find the one emitting it. Climbing the walls of the four-story dormitory, he reached the rooftop.

The rooftop of the quiet and empty dormitory.

There stood a single person.

“Hey there, good evening. The moon looks beautiful tonight.”

Standing illuminated by the moonlight was none other than the Sword King, Chrome Remnant himself.

Ruisha hadn’t expected him to come so openly like this, and he remained cautious.

“I highly doubt you came here for a pleasant chat… What is the purpose of your visit?”

“No need to be so wary. I didn’t come for a fight today. …Well, depending on your response, it might turn into something less pleasant.”

Chrome grinned and extended his right arm toward Ruisha.

“Come to the Empire, Ruisha. You are not someone meant to rot away in the Kingdom.”

He declared firmly. His words seemed genuine and without deceit.

“Are you… serious?”

“Of course. I don’t say something like this as a joke.”

Having asserted this, Chrome continued.

“Your power is remarkable. With proper training, you could surpass me and become the strongest among the human race, perhaps even among the magical creatures and dragonkind! …But staying in the Kingdom as it is now, the possibility of achieving that is low. The Kingdom’s Knight Captain, Eckel… he’s an ‘ordinary man.’ He lacks the ability to nurture you. Staying in a Kingdom where there are no other significant skilled individuals would just lead you to stagnation.”

Ruisha listened quietly to Chrome’s words.

In fact, what Chrome was saying was true. The Kingdom indeed had significantly fewer dedicated individuals compared to the Empire.

During incidents where large magical beasts appeared in the city, they often relied on adventurers. This had made the citizens view them as unreliable.

“So come with me, Ruisha. If you come to the Empire, I will prepare everything you need. Let’s become strong together and reach the pinnacle of strength. I’ll make sure of that.”

It was an enticing proposition that anyone seeking strength would desire, not just those residing in the Empire.

However, Ruisha had already made up his mind.

“That’s a very tempting offer, but I’ll have to decline. I don’t intend to move from the Kingdom.”

“…I ask for your reasons?”

“Yes. Chrome-san offered to provide everything I need, but I don’t need anything more than what I have now. I am content as I am, and I can become strong enough just as I am.”

He declared firmly.

Seeing this, Chrome understood that verbal persuasion would be futile.

“I see, understood.”

“Thank you for your understanding. I feel honored to have been invited…”

“By force… if that’s what it takes.”

“!?”

In an instant, Chrome disappeared.

Ruisha instinctively crossed his arms and used his Qi to harden his entire body into a solid defense.

The moment his defensive stance was complete, an immense impact struck him. He desperately held his ground, but his body was sent flying, soaring from the city of Sanctria to a barren wasteland beyond.

“Ouch…”

Ruisha managed to execute a successful breakfall, hurting only his rear.

Upon assessing the situation, he realized he had been thrown quite a distance from the city of Sanctria. If his defense hadn’t held up, his body might have been torn apart. This realization sent shivers down his spine.

“Oh, you’re still alive. That’s a relief.”

Chrome landed near Ruisha.

Despite receiving such a powerful blow, he showed no signs of being out of breath.

Chrome drew the broadsword sheathed at his waist and pointed its blade towards Ruisha.

“Sorry, but whether you want to come or not doesn’t matter. I’ll take you even if I have to break both your arms and legs.”

“…Looks like I have no choice.”

Ruisha unsheathed the Dragon King Sword, determined to fight.

Amidst the brilliant moonlight, the true final battle began, with only the moon as a witness.