Chapter: 2. Arrival at the Border
“Alright, alright, Xiya, your new look doesn’t fall short of your original appearance at all. Be optimistic and show some confidence!”
“What confidence…! The problem is, why do I feel like I don’t look like myself at all now!”
“That’s why I said you need to show confidence. You’re completely different from your original self. If you looked the same, wouldn’t that expose you?”
“!”
So this is what ‘confidence’ means!
On the carriage traveling from the mansion along the Aulus Path to the Demon King’s Castle, a “strange girl” appeared.
This girl had silver hair that reached her waist — the same hair color as Princess Xue Fei and Princess Belis.
However, unlike their purple eyes representing the Demon Royal Family, this graceful and tall girl had crystal-clear blue eyes.
She shyly tried to use a straw hat to cover her stunning beauty, but the hat couldn’t hide the rosy blush on her cheeks, and her modesty showed in the way she awkwardly crossed her legs.
Yet this “stranger” was not unfamiliar at all.
She was the Hero of the Aulus Kingdom, Xialet! (Disguised version)
Livra clapped her hands together with surprise and amazement. Even this third princess, known as the “Jade of the Kingdom,” praised Xiya’s new look.
“Wow…! Lady Xialet, you really suit this hair color…! Although your face shape is slightly different, your beauty remains impeccable, just like your original appearance! The most important thing is your aura!”
“Ugh… Your Highness, you can maintain your original appearance in the Demon Territory, just quietly enjoy it and don’t say unnecessary things, okay…?”
“Alright, I forgot, Miss Shaya told me that during this trip, I should keep quiet.”
The carriage bounced, eliciting different reactions from everyone.
Livra was in admiration.
But Belis was a stark contrast.
Belis seemed quite disdainful of Xiya’s new image, sitting as far away from her as possible since getting on the carriage.
Perhaps it wasn’t just her disdain for Xiya’s new image but a complete disdain for her as a person.
“Tsk… Why did the Queen Sister give her the hair color that only the two of us have… It feels awful… I really want to cut it all off!”
“Don’t cut it, alright? Did you see the Holy Sword in her hand? You might just get killed in return. Also, have you thought about your mistakes while facing the wall? Stop complaining about it.”
“Let’s continue.”
Yes, Belis sitting in the corner wasn’t just because she disliked Xiya; primarily, it was more convenient to listen to the Queen Sister’s words there while continuing to reflect.
However, Xue Fei didn’t hesitate to clarify Belis’s earlier question.
She crossed her legs, swaying her small feet in white ball-dangling shoes, waving her left hand as she explained.
“This is to make it easier for Xiya to move around once we reach the Demon King’s Castle. Silver hair is proof of being a part of the Demon King’s family bloodline and its relatives. I can just say Xiya is my distant cousin, and anyway, no one will be bored enough to verify it. This will allow her to navigate in the Demon King’s Castle without any hindrance. Isn’t it convenient?”
“The problem isn’t here, Xue Fei…” Xiya blushed and finally protested.
She puffed out her proud chest.
— But that once-proud source now revealed a sense of loneliness.
It wasn’t exactly flat, but it was just slightly larger than Belis and Livra’s.
To this, Xue Fei naturally had a reasonable explanation.
“This is for the sake of reason, Xiya. You don’t understand, among our Demon King’s family, everyone’s development isn’t that great. Even the strongest is no match for your exaggeration. If you maintain your original form, your disguise will definitely be exposed immediately; it wouldn’t be reasonable at all.”
“This…! But how is this accomplished? Isn’t this just a disguise?! How can you even change your body shape?”
“The body shape hasn’t changed. Didn’t you forget? My inherent magic is visual magic, developed by me! Visual magic can directly distort space! So don’t worry, Xiya, your body shape hasn’t changed; it’s just that the exaggerated parts have been folded away. Isn’t that quite impressive?”
“The Queen Sister is amazing!” “Lady Xue Fei is the best!”
“Hehehe, it’s alright to praise me profusely, you know?”
When the carriage gathered the likes of the sister complex Belis and the mother complex Xialet, every act of demanding praise from Xue Fei was bound to receive a warm response.
This feeling is simply delightful!
But why does Xiya find Xue Fei’s explanation so frightening… folding away?
She dazedly placed her hands on the significantly diminished areas.
The touch really felt like it had shrunk proportionally, without any abnormalities.
“Xiya… I’m telling you… don’t go off in the carriage; just hold it in. How could you get your hands on it? Is it uncomfortable?! How unbecoming!”
“I didn’t do anything?! Ugh… forget it. Since it has come to this, I’ll just go with the flow.”
“That’s the attitude~”
Ahem, of course, not every member of the Demon Royal Family is underdeveloped.
For instance, the current Demon Queen has a very perfect figure.
So that remark only applies to most.
Thus, what Xue Fei just said wasn’t entirely true.
Ha… she just wanted to take this opportunity to let Xiya experience life’s variety, not always ruling the world from the perspective of a strong person but occasionally thinking from the perspective of a weak one to empathize.
Of course, not only Xiya was disguised.
There was also her carriage.
The carriage had undergone some renovations as well.
The originally luxurious Hero carriage had been replaced with a more ordinary, inconspicuous type.
The horses remained the same few good horses, but the carriage was not overly flashy.
There was no need to lift the carriage curtains.
Xue Fei could use visual magic to check the external situation.
“We’re almost at the Demon Border Fortress Lide Qidu. In a few more minutes, we’ll be leaving the Aulus borders. Livra, remember, you don’t need to speak; I’ll speak for you.”
“……”
She was really obedient, already maintaining silence.
Preparing for the last part of the journey out of the Aulus Kingdom…
At this moment.
Finally, a presence that wasn’t very strong but raised her left hand timidly and asked weakly, “Um… have you finished chatting? Can I ask something?”
“Fire Lizard, go ahead.”
“So, you all have family visits and state affairs, I understand that. But… why do I have to come along?!”
Timani was truly exasperated.
She had been sleeping well in bed, almost dreaming of catching a wild rabbit, only to be snatched away by a gigantic eagle-type magical beast at the last moment.
When she woke from her dream, she saw Xue Fei shouting at her with a trumpet-like scroll, “Get up quickly, we’re setting off!” or something like that.
Confused and hazy from sleep, she was dragged up.
Confusedly changed clothes and sat on the carriage.
Still confusedly arrived at the Demon Border.
Timani had even begun to panic.
“Oh no… are you planning to sell me to the Demon Territory because you think I eat too much and don’t work? Witch…! I’m telling you… I can actually fight. If I use my full strength, you might not be able to sell me…!”
“Come on, how much do you think you’re worth?”
“You really want to sell me?!”
“No, put away your paranoid thoughts. I’m taking you along for a more important reason.”
“More important…? What new idea do you have?”
“Not really; I initially didn’t plan to bring you, but after thinking about it, if I leave you at home, you might steal my snacks, so you better come along, just in case.”
“……”
This insult is no better than selling me.
Timani had nothing to say and quietly hid the strawberries and hawthorns she had brought from the mansion in her skirt pocket.
This doesn’t count, right…? This is food given to me by the Witch that I can access freely now?
Timani wasn’t foolish either.
She always felt that Xue Fei must have some other reason for bringing her along.
She just didn’t want to say it now.
If this were in the past, Timani would certainly have jumped off the carriage and run away.
But now…
She actually didn’t mind going with the Witch to have a look and walk around.
“We’re almost there.”
Xue Fei propped her chin up and yawned, voicing this while everyone’s attention was drawn.
The motion of the carriage gradually came to a stop.
Outside the carriage, a rugged voice belonging to someone who had been stationed at the border for years suddenly rang out.
“Stop! Are you merchants from Aulus? Do you have a permit from the Demon Territory Commerce Association? If not, turn back immediately!”
