Chapter 338: The Tour That Lasted Less Than a Minute
Chapter 338: The Tour That Lasted Less Than a Minute
Elyn’s POV
If anyone had asked me who was showing us around the Golemhold Territory, I would have confidently answered, "Brixton."
I would have been wrong.
Very wrong.
Because somehow, somewhere between leaving the entrance hall and walking through the castle corridors, Thalira had quietly assumed complete control of the expedition.
Brixton walked beside her, opening his mouth every now and then as though he intended to explain something about his homeland.
Unfortunately, Thalira always beat him to it.
"And over there," she announced proudly, pointing toward a large corridor, "is where important people walk."
Brixton frowned.
"...Everyone walks there."
"I know."
"So why are you explaining it?"
"Because I’m the guide."
"...It’s my territory."
"I know."
"So shouldn’t I be guiding everyone?"
She waved dismissively.
"Details."
Retheris snorted.
"I knew she’d steal your job."
"I did not steal anything," Thalira replied. "I’m simply... assisting."
"You’ve been assisting since we left the hall."
"I’m very helpful."
Brixton looked as though he wanted to argue before eventually giving up with a defeated sigh.
"...This way," he muttered quietly.
"Exactly!" Thalira declared, pointing in the very same direction. "Follow me."
I hid a smile behind my hand.
Poor Brixton.
Even Zorathys, who was still walking beside me with our hands intertwined, looked mildly entertained.
His expression remained as sleepy as ever, but I had learned that the smallest curve of his lips was practically the equivalent of laughter.
After several minutes of walking through broad stone corridors lined with glowing Lunacite Stones, we eventually stepped outside into an enormous open courtyard.
Calling it a training ground felt almost insulting.
It was massive.
Dozens upon dozens of Stone Demons occupied the area, sparring in pairs, lifting boulders that looked far too large to exist, or practicing with weapons that would have required several humans just to carry.
The rhythmic sounds of clashing steel echoed throughout the grounds.
Hammers struck anvils somewhere nearby.
Orders rang across the field.
It was loud, busy, and also disciplined.
The very moment we entered... everything stopped.
Every single Demon froze.
Then, almost as though someone had issued a silent command, they all dropped to one knee.
Their heads lowered until they nearly touched the ground.
"Your Majesties."
Their voices thundered across the courtyard as one.
"We greet the King."
"We greet the Queen."
The greeting echoed so loudly that I nearly jumped.
I stared at the countless kneeling demons before me.
"...Oh."
This was... a lot.
I suddenly became very aware of the fact that they were all bowing because of me too.
Heat crept into my cheeks.
This was still something I wasn’t accustomed to.
I offered them a small smile before giving an awkward little nod.
"Y-you may stand," I said softly. "Please."
The demons obeyed immediately.
Not one questioned it.
Not one hesitated.
They simply rose together before quietly returning to whatever they had been doing moments earlier.
"...I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that," I admitted.
"It becomes normal after a few centuries," Zorathys replied lazily.
I looked at him.
"...That’s not helping."
"It helped me."
I wasn’t entirely convinced that counted.
"Your Majesty."
Brixton’s timid voice drew my attention.
He smiled shyly before gesturing farther into the training grounds.
"If you come this way... I’d like to show you something."
This time, thankfully, Thalira merely nodded in approval instead of speaking over him.
Progress.
We followed Brixton across the training yard until we reached several enormous weapon racks.
There were swords, spears, axes, war hammers, polearms, and even some I had never seen before or read about in my past life.
Weapons of every imaginable shape and size rested neatly upon reinforced stone stands.
Some were beautifully decorated.
Others appeared almost primitive.
Every single one looked heavy enough to flatten me if it accidentally tipped over.
I found myself staring.
"...I have a question."
"Hm?" Zorathys hummed beside me.
"If demons can use magic..." I gestured toward the countless weapons. "...why do you still use all of these?"
He followed my gaze.
"Because having magic does not eliminate the usefulness of weapons."
"It doesn’t?"
He shook his head.
"Magic can be exhausted."
He casually picked up an enormous spear with one hand before setting it back exactly where it had been.
"Weapons require skill, they require discipline, they require training, and unlike magic..."
He looked toward several younger demons practicing nearby.
"...they ensure demons do not become lazy."
I slowly turned toward him.
"...You are saying that?"
"Yes."
"The man who disappears whenever work appears?"
I folded my arms.
"You really shouldn’t be saying anything about laziness, Zorathys."
He looked genuinely confused.
"How does disliking work make me lazy?"
I stared at him.
"...What exactly do you think being lazy means?"
He answered immediately.
"It is the condition in which other people wrongly expect an individual to perform unnecessary labor despite that individual possessing both competent subordinates and a perfectly comfortable place to sleep."
I looked at him.
"...You just defined yourself."
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
"That is an objective definition."
"No."
"It is."
"It really isn’t."
He looked faintly offended.
"I believe your fondness for work has clouded your judgment."
"My fondness for work?"
"Yes."
"You enjoy accomplishing things. You therefore possess an inherent bias."
I couldn’t help laughing.
"So because I like getting things done, my opinion doesn’t count?"
"It counts."
"But?"
"It is simply... influenced."
I shook my head.
"I don’t even know how to respond to that."
"I accept your surrender."
"I wasn’t surrendering."
"You sounded close."
"I was absolutely not close."
Before he could continue insisting that laziness was apparently a misunderstood lifestyle choice...
A loud crash echoed across the training grounds.
It was immediately followed by an extremely offended voice.
"It isn’t sweet!"
I turned toward the sound.
Azerion stood in the middle of the courtyard with his face scrunched up in utter disappointment.
Tiny glittering fragments of Lunacite Stone clung around his mouth.
He looked positively betrayed.
"It tastes like rock!" he complained loudly.
"...Because it is a rock," Brixton replied.
"I thought you said it was sweet! It tastes terrible!"
"To you."
Azerion stared accusingly at the crystal in his hand before tossing it away.
"I’ve been deceived."
As I looked around...
I realized that was somehow the least concerning thing happening.
Several practice weapons had partially melted into shapeless lumps of glowing metal.
Judging from the lingering heat in the air...
Aziren.
Nearby, Velira had apparently used her powers again.
The adult Demons surrounded the children with dreamy smiles plastered across their faces.
"You all did wonderfully."
"What adorable little demons."
"You deserve praise."
One demon had somehow picked up Aziren and was complimenting his tiny flames.
"...Excellent fire."
"Very... fiery."
I sighed.
Velira smiled innocently.
Nearby, Thalira was suspiciously attempting to hide an enormous boulder behind her back.
The only issue was that the boulder was at least three times her size.
"...Thalira."
"What?"
"...Was that rock there before?"
She looked behind herself.
"Oh... no?"
Retheris, meanwhile, had wandered over to Vaelory.
"You know, VV," he said smoothly, "I think stone castles are beautiful."
Vaelory smiled dreamily.
"I agree."
"But not nearly as beautiful as you."
"Oh." She smiled even wider. "That’s very sweet."
The Vaelory I knew wouldn’t have accepted that compliment, which meant Velira’s magic was working.
Rin was praising Azerion for eating Lunacite Stones instead of laughing at him like she normally would.
Dracolthar was laughing loudly at the disaster, meanwhile Zayrion was nowhere to be found.
It had not even been up to a full minute, and there was already a disaster.