#592 Princess Shaymiri Sneaks into the Farm

My name is Shaymiri, 18 years old and eldest daughter of the glorious True Demon King Azar. In short, I am a princess. 

Although my younger brother will succeed to the throne after Father, I will still do my best as the first-born child to fulfill the duties of a noble!

Alas, I failed that very duty.

Our forces suffered a crushing defeat against the mainland demons, whom we’ve reunited with after 500 years, in a contest of strength.

We lost all four battles against one unexpectedly formidable opponent—a young human in training.

Does this mean the mainland demons had defeated their arch-enemy, the human race, in a war and had dominated them?

They called him half a man, but if we were to rephrase things, that means even the stronger humans were vanquished by the demon race! 

I can understand Father’s fear and desire to press forward with peace negotiations with them.

He has stopped calling our island the True Demon Kingdom. Now, it is known as the Demon Isle, governed by the Demon King of the Isle. 

I have no qualms as long as the world is at peace, but I am still filled with a sense of inadequacy.

After all, I failed as his daughter.

I had received elite training since I was a child, and I was proud to say that my swordsmanship was the best on the island. In fact, these days, I never lost to anyone.

I believe Father did not give me the island’s treasured Daemon Sword just because he doted on me!

But neither my swordsmanship nor sword could penetrate that human.

Where did he acquire such powers?!

Do all people on the mainland have swords emitting a glowing aura that can pierce through the sky?!

If that’s true, our difference is too overwhelming.

This is a crisis for the island.

I have to ascertain things at any cost.

Thus, I set out to get to the root of the matter.

Unlike Nefer, Barilla, and Ramie, who were mercilessly defeated, I wasn’t seriously injured in the match, so I was able to get back on my feet immediately.

Getting out of danger unscathed is part of one’s abilities!

...That being said, where should I start?

My target is on the other end of the sea, far from us. I doubt Father would permit me to cross the ocean to do some research, either. In fact, I have no such means to do so!

I have no choice but to start from the nearest place.

Even if I don’t go far, I have a valuable source of information within reach—it’s that man named Ritheseus!

I’m sure he’s still here on Demon Isle since our battle just ended not too long ago. I suppose I’ll directly extract the secret from the person himself!!

That way, our island’s elites will be the strongest on earth!

Let’s go find Ritheseus!

Now that the battles are over, he must be wandering around in his spare time!

Maybe he’s over there? Or there?

I look like I have special feelings for Ritheseus with how I’m so desperate to find him! 

Ah! There he is! How dare a commoner like him make me run around all over the place!

I did everything on my own accord, though!

All right, what am I supposed to do now?

It’s best to avoid contact as much as possible so he won’t figure out my plan.

For now, I’ll observe from afar, peeking from the thicket...

...?!

Oh no, our eyes just met!

Not with Ritheseus, but with the person he’s with.

He seems human but much older, almost like an uncle. I could’ve sworn he was looking this way for a brief moment! 

...?

......?!

......Nothing?

Phew. I thought he knew I was here, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Thank goodness he's somewhat airheaded.

Perhaps I’ll hold my breath like a cat stalking its prey and keep a close eye on their every move.

Hmhmhm, watch me uncover your secrets and apply them to myself! 

And to do that, I’m going to gather information!

First, I’ll eavesdrop on their conversation and pick up the classified secrets that slip from their tongues! 

...Hm? I hear the uncle say something.

“All right, let’s go home and tell this to Eryngear.”

?!

Tell what? And who’s Eryngear?

That’s obviously a girl’s name, right?

What’s their business with her? How is she related to Ritheseus?!

“Huh? Why are you bringing up her name, Lord Saint? Wait a minute, I don’t know what’s happening, but I sense a scene!”

The way Ritheseus started panicking is suspicious!

I’ve figured out the primary goal of investigating the enemy’s movements! I must find out who this ‘Eryngear’ is!

Ah! Something’s happening!

Ritheseus is trying to use teleportation magic!

I’ve heard of that spell. The old demons used it to travel between distant places!

Our ancestors lost touch with the spell upon migration during the Great Collapse, but isn’t it supposed to be an alchemy spell, magic of the demons?

It’s impressive how a human like Ritheseus knows how to use it! 

...Wait, this is no time to be impressed by others!

By casting that spell, Ritheseus is going to go somewhere far away! 

If he leaves, when will he come back here again?

Maybe never!

My body moved on its own at the thought of that.

I ran up behind Ritheseus and...

...clung to his waist!

At the same time, my vision began to warp.

Rather than returning to normal, it became more intense, the silhouette of the landscape became dimmer, and all the colors blended into one color.

After some time, the brain-splitting, jumbled mess gradually began to take concrete form until...

* * *

A new landscape appeared before my eyes.

It was a completely different landscape from the one I had seen just a few minutes ago.

The smell of the sea is not so different from that of the Demon Isle, but there’s no sign of the reserved bustle, just a place filled with the silence of nature.

A large expanse of grassland. Mountains in the distance. The horizon is just beyond, and waves can be heard, albeit faintly.

The smell of the sea must be coming from there.

No, that’s not it.

This clearly isn’t the Demon Isle!

Ritheseus was about to use the teleportation magic when I clung to him, and then I got caught up in it and teleported with him!

And since Ritheseus was born and raised on the mainland, it’s likely that he lives there as well.

If he teleported to return to where he lives, this must be...

...the mainland?!

Did I just leave the island for the first time in my life?!

Still, where am I?

It looks like a deserted, uncharted land! Not a shred of civilization!

I thought the mainland was much more developed than the Demon Isle. Perhaps I was wrong?