The Heavenly Demon Is Just Stuck In My Head

Chapter 350 : The Starvenger Ducal Family

The Starvenger Ducal Family.

There were two guards guarding its castle gate.

"Is it your first day today?"

"Yes, sir!"

That's right, the new guard, Avery!

Senior guard Hayden looked at the tense Avery as if he were cute, then patted his shoulder and said.

"Your shoulders are too tense. Don't be so nervous."

"Yes, sir! Don't worry! I will guard it like an iron wall! I will not let a single ant get near our great Starvenger family!"

Looking at Avery, Hayden was about to say something, but it seemed it wouldn't get through, so he gently shook his head.

'Well, I understand his overflowing enthusiasm...'

Hayden, remembering his own rookie days, could guess how he felt, so he decided to just leave him be.

In reality, there were no crazy bastards who would dare to invade the Starvenger Ducal Family, whose power pierced the heavens, so their job was not the great task of protecting the family from external invasion.

Their main job was inspection.

Even then, it was safe to say that there were no people who tried to enter by faking their identity.

Who in their right mind would try to sneak into the Starvenger family?

Therefore, they didn't have much to do.

Moreover, this was not the main gate where guests came and went, but the back gate mainly used by the family's servants, such as maids and servants.

'I had a time like that too.'

With the tense new guard Avery in front, Hayden stepped back slightly, savoring the memories.

'He'll come to his senses on his own after a few days.'

He leaned his back against the castle wall and gently closed his eyes.

As sleepiness crept in, past events came to mind one by one.

A few years ago.

Before the Black Crown Prince ascended to the throne.

When the Starvenger family was still a count's family.

Hayden had seen him in person.

He had let him in as he returned from a mission, and the memory of running with his feet on fire to deliver the news inside was still vivid.

A man who suddenly appeared one day with Ophosis's dagger and caused a storm in the calm Blake Kingdom.

A mysterious strongman who defeated the Knight of Frost and successively defeated two royal knights with a mysterious power in the sacred decisive battle that determined the owner of the throne.

A legendary swordsman who placed the Black Crown Prince on the throne with a single sword.

A terrifying man who was called the Red Eyed Devil.

A knight who received a knighthood directly from the king and became the king's free sword, and came to be called the Devil Knight.

The fact that he had seen the protagonist of that legendary story up close, with his own two eyes, was the boast he always brought up at drinking parties.

As Hayden was dozing off, leaning against the castle wall, lost in old thoughts.

"Halt!"

The voice of Avery, who was glaring in all directions with his eyes wide open, was heard.

Hayden woke up from his sleep, questioning the tense voice.

'No one is supposed to come today...?'

As he had gained experience, he could roughly grasp who would be coming in and out today.

'There are no personnel returning from vacation today, and it will be a long time before the knights who went on a mission a while ago return...?'

As far as he knew, no one was supposed to come today.

That's why he had been dozing off with a relaxed mind.

"Present your identification!"

"Ah, I don't have identification. But I have this instead."

"Hmm? This isn't identification!"

"Huh. I'm sure they said this would be enough?"

"Are you kidding me! Do you dare to insult the great Starvenger Ducal Family?"

"No, that's not it..."

"Did you think you could enter with a coin like this? Does the Starvenger Ducal Family look so easy to you?! You'd better get lost while I'm being nice!"

Hayden rubbed his eyes and looked at the three people in front of the rookie with drowsy eyes.

They were talking amongst themselves in front of Avery.

"What should we do? He's not listening. Should we just beat him up and go in?"

"Still, isn't this the Starvenger family that we once relied on?"

"What does it matter? This guy isn't Count Herman."

"Not a count. He's a duke now."

"Ah, right."

Avery slammed his spear on the ground and roared.

"You scoundrel! How dare you speak the name of the head of the family so carelessly! You must be truly mad!"

"Look at this. He's treating me like a madman and his eyes are rolling back just because I said the count's name. Is this a normal reaction? For guys like this, a beating is the only medicine. Let's just beat him up first."

"I said he's a duke. And it's not entirely wrong. This guy's words have a point."

"What? That I'm a madman?"

"You ask even though you know?"

"...You, come here for a second."

"Unyak! Why are you suddenly denying it! You've been admitting it just fine until now!"

"My Heavenly Demon master has acknowledged me as a sage. I am not just a madman. I am the sage Ashuban. Call me Sage-shuban for short."

"Sage, my ass!"

Thump, thump!

"Devil, should I put him to sleep for a moment? Then you wouldn't have to beat him up."

"Ah..."

"Look at this. You just wanted to beat him up."

Thump!

"You rude bastards! Can't you hear me! If you cause any more trouble, I, Avery, the gatekeeper of the Starvenger Ducal Family, will not forgive you!"

Hayden clicked his tongue, seeing the overly hostile rookie.

No matter what, they were guests who had come to the Starvenger family, and it was not right to be so rude without even knowing for sure who they were.

As he was approaching to scold the rude rookie and apologize on his behalf, rubbing his eyes.

The sight of a round medal in the hand of the man who was scratching his head came into Hayden's eyes.

'That's...!'

It was a token with the crest of the Starvenger family drawn on it.

A token of which there were only a few, and which only those of the knight commander level or higher could possess!

The famous one that the former head of the Starvenger family had given to the master craftsman Ophosis in the past!

'To be holding that means...!'

Soon, Hayden's gaze moved from the token to the face of the person holding it.

'...Huh?'

For a moment, he thought he had seen wrong.

He thought it was a dream.

Because, the man in front of him was clearly the Red Eyed Devil with blood-red eyes.

"...!"

Hayden's eyes flew open.

The sleepiness completely disappeared.

'Come to think of it, he just said Ashuban...! Did I not hear wrong...!'

Hayden immediately shot forward and slapped the back of Avery's head with all his might.

Thwack!

"You stupid bastard! You can't even recognize the crest of the Starvenger family!"

Avery, who had been hit on the head, said in a flustered voice.

"Uh... I-I thought it was a fake."

"A fake, my ass!"

Then he turned his gaze and looked at the man with blood-red eyes who was slightly dejected because he couldn't beat up Avery.

He asked in a trembling voice.

"By any chance... are you the Red Eyed Devil—ah, no. Are you Sir Ashuban, the Devil Knight?"

Then the red-eyed man glanced at Avery with a look of regret, then nodded his head and obediently admitted.

"It's me."

"...!"

Hayden immediately slapped the back of the stupid rookie's head and ordered.

"Go right now and report that Sir Ashuban, the Devil Knight, has arrived!"

"Uh, me? But I have a duty to guard the gate..."

Thwack!

"Aren't you going to get going? If you don't disappear from my sight in 3 seconds, I'll hang you upside down on the castle wall. 3, 2—"

Hurry!

Hayden, sweating profusely, guided Ashuban inside with all his heart and soul.

Ashuban, who was staring blankly at the back of Avery who was running with all his might, smacked his lips and entered through the back gate of the Starvenger family.

Hayden, watching his back as he passed by.

Could easily predict that the Starvenger family would be turned upside down today.

***

I was guided to the family's reception room.

"Not much has changed here."

I thought it would have become grand and splendid since it became a ducal family.

But surprisingly, not much seemed to have changed.

At that moment, the sound of urgent footsteps, almost running, was heard from outside.

The door burst open.

"Sir Ashuban!"

Seeing the young, brown-haired knight who appeared in the open door, I smiled.

"It's been a while, Sir Walpole."

I stood up from my seat to greet the long-unseen Walpole...

Embrace!

I was hugged.

Walpole hugged me as soon as he saw me.

"How long has it been!"

"...I understand, but how about we shake hands politely like knights?"

"Ah, sorry. I was just so happy to see you."

We stood a little apart and shook hands.

As soon as I held his calloused hand, I realized something had changed.

"Oho?"

Walpole looked at me.

"How is it? Have I changed a bit?"

I nodded my head.

"As expected of the hope of the Starvenger Knights, the next knight commander I've chosen, the hotly boiling young blood, the pulsating heart of the Starvenger Knights, the hardworking genius, Sir Walpole."

"Haha, you're the same as ever."

"What happened in the meantime? You've become unbelievably strong."

Walpole grinned and said.

"It's all thanks to you, Sir Ashuban. I trained steadily while also practicing the Breathing you taught me, and the results were good."

It wasn't an empty compliment, he had really become unbelievably strong in just a few years.

Just a few years ago, he was at a level where he would be miserably defeated by the first prince's knight, but now, he was just one or two steps away from the level of a royal knight.

Come to think of it, Walpole was a guy with a tremendous desire for strength.

A guy who, even after returning from the long and arduous mission of breaking through countless enemies and visiting Ophosis's tomb, didn't rest, but insisted on following me to learn the breathing, and even participated in the decisive battle, eventually surpassing his limits.

Thinking about it that way, it didn't feel so strange that he had become so strong in such a short time.

Rather, it was natural if anything.

A super genius with outstanding natural talent who never stopped working hard.

That was the brown-haired knight, Sir Walpole.

The originally good-natured fellow smiled and also greeted Shushuruta and Linda.

"Haha, it's nice to see you too, Linda and Shushuruta. It's been a long time."

"Hello!"

"A welcome face. Have you been well?"

We sat down and chatted for a while.

"I've heard the hero's tale."

"From whom?"

"From Sir Ashley. The story of how you broke through the countless magical beasts that were rushing in like waves with the Eight Sword Masters, and split the heart of the giant Evil God with a Ninencolored Rainbow Sword, man...! I never get tired of hearing it! Even the usually calm Sir Ashley couldn't hide her excitement while telling the story."

"Ahem, ahem. This is embarrassing."

"I was confident I could receive your sword a few times if you ever came back, but my goodness. Haven't you climbed too high in the time I haven't seen you?"

"Well, it turned out that way. Call me the second Heavenly Demon."

A burst of laughter swept through the room, and then Walpole took a sip of the tea that had been served with refreshments and said.

"By the way, you should have contacted us in advance."

"I was going to, but I was being chased by a mad archer."

"What? A mad archer?"

"More importantly, what about the others? Was Sir Walpole the only one who was eagerly waiting for me to come?"

"Of course not. The head of the family is currently away on business. I was in the family, and as soon as I heard the news, I dropped everything and ran over, so I was the first to arrive."

"Only Sir Walpole."

"Haha, don't mention it. The news must have been delivered to the captain as well, so he'll probably be here soon. It seems he's taking some time to finish up what he was doing."

I crossed my arms and asked what I was curious about.

"Hmm. Come to think of it, wasn't Sir Ashley the knight commander?"

"Yes. She was."

"Then the position of commander would have become vacant when she became a royal knight. Who became that lucky person?"

Walpole grinned.

"Sir Curtis has been reinstated as the knight commander."

"Ooh, as expected."

Sir Curtis.

That was also a welcome name.

I had saved him from being dragged around by Linda after he ate her poison, but who would have thought that the commander of the Starvenger Knights would be among them.

I had forced him to sit in the position of vice-commander when he said he would serve as a common soldier, but it seems he naturally became the commander when Sir Ashley left.

"Then the position of vice-commander would have become vacant again."

"That's right."

"Who became the vice-commander?"

Walpole grinned.

"Aren't you looking at him right now?"

My eyes flew open.

"This is a cause for celebration! Hey, bring on the music!"

"Oh yeah!"

At my words, Linda got up on the chair and diligently wiggled her butt, doing a butt dance.

Walpole and I also jumped up and showed off our equally exciting dance moves.

Only Shushuruta sighed and shook her head, elegantly drinking her tea.

A moment later, we calmly sat down again and continued our conversation.

"I was lucky. The overall atmosphere of the country was 'renewal, innovation, a bold break from the old, young blood!' At that time, I was boasting an unusual growth rate, so I quickly took over the position of vice-commander."

"As expected, opportunities come to those who are prepared. It's late, but congratulations."

"Thank you."

But there was one more person who had built a sense of camaraderie with me while visiting Ophosis's tomb together.

"The last piece of the three musketeers, Sir Schneider?"

"Ah, Senior Schneider became the vice-commander after Sir Curtis when Sir Ashley became a royal knight. Then, a year ago, he resigned from the position of vice-commander, passed the position on to me, and left for the countryside with his family."

"Aha."

"They say no news is good news, and since I haven't heard any news from him, it seems he's living well."

Speaking of family, there was someone who came to mind.

"Then what about Uncle Hans's family? Are they still here?"

"Sir Hans's skills were too outstanding... he was invited to the capital. He is currently making the weapons for the royal knights in the royal family."

"Then Julia and Joy must have gone with him."

"That's right."

I slowly nodded my head.

Since I was planning to go to the capital after stopping by the Starvenger family anyway, it wasn't a big problem.

The meeting was just being postponed a little.

"Is there anyone else you're looking for?"

"There is."

I nodded my head.

There was one more person I had planned to meet when I stopped by here.

After clashing swords with the three kids I had a connection with in Akenaten and talking with them, I observed them.

Unfortunately, Tina was not among them.

"Is that kid from back then here?"

"A kid? Which kid?"

Here, in the Starvenger family, there was also a kid I had a connection with.

Although it was for a short time, a kid with whom I had a master-disciple relationship.

"Who else? The kid who learned the sword from me for a short time."

At that, Walpole acted as if he knew.

"Ah, Hugo?"

"Yes, Hugo. Is he here?"

Walpole smiled playfully.

"He is. Would you like to go see him?"

"That would be great."

***

—Hap! Haap!

—Bigger movements!

—Hyaap!

—Who told you to just make your voice louder! I said make your movements bigger and more precise!

The training ground of the Starvenger Knights.

The apprentice knights were sweating profusely and diligently swinging their swords.

A young knight who seemed to be an instructor was walking among them, checking their posture.

"The basics are the most important! Hone your basics until you die! They will never betray you!"

—Hyaap!

—Haaat!

It was then.

"The basics are, so to speak, like the roots of a tree! You have to fix them firmly..."

Thwack!

Crash!

The voice that had been echoing in the training ground was cut off, and the young instructor flew and rolled on the training ground.

The apprentice knights' eyes widened at the sight of their instructor, who had suddenly flown away while talking.

In the spot where he had been, a man with red eyes was standing, grinning.

"Who are you to be teaching the kids?"

The young instructor, Hugo, who had rolled on the training ground, stood up and looked at him.

His eyes widened as if he couldn't believe it.

"...Mister?"

Ashuban grinned and said.

"Hey, kid. Have you been well?"

Hugo also grinned and drew the sword at his waist.

"Thanks to you."

Ashuban beckoned with his hand.

"Come. Let's see how well you've been."

Hugo, who had taken his stance, held his sword and rushed at Ashuban.

"Here I come...!"

(End of Chapter)