"Hmm, interesting… So Grace has finally found a life partner. In that case, let's meet again soon."
With those words, the mysterious figure vanished in an instant.
---
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Celestia…
The royal messenger had just arrived at the palace, his body covered in bruises and wounds from Ryutaro's beating.
"Your Majesty, I have returned," the messenger said, kneeling before King Albert.
Seated on his throne, King Albert was shocked to see his envoy in such a battered state.
"What happened to you?" the king asked.
"Your Majesty, I was beaten by Ryutaro," the messenger replied.
"What?! How dare he! So, did he accept my invitation?" King Albert questioned.
"No, Your Majesty. He rejected your decree outright," the messenger reported.
The nobles in the hall immediately started whispering amongst themselves.
"What? He dared to refuse the king's decree?"
"Who does he think he is to reject such an order?"
"If I were in his place, I would have accepted without question!"
As the nobles continued their discussions, King Albert spoke up again.
"So, he dares to defy my decree?" the king said, his voice filled with anger.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Not only did he reject it, but he also sent you a message," the messenger added hesitantly.
"What message?" King Albert asked.
The messenger relayed Ryutaro's words, and upon hearing them, the king's face twisted in rage.
"He said that if Your Majesty dares to disturb their peaceful life, he will personally come to Celestia and reduce our kingdom to ruins," the messenger said, his voice trembling.
"HOW DARE HE?!!" King Albert roared in fury.
The once-silent throne room erupted into chaos once more.
"What?! He dares to threaten our kingdom?"
"Who is this man, thinking he can challenge us?"
"He's just a lowly farmer! How arrogant of him!"
"ENOUGH!!" King Albert bellowed, slamming his hand against the throne.
The hall fell silent immediately.
The king then turned to the messenger once more.
"So, you mentioned 'we.' Who else is with him?"
"Your Majesty… he is not alone. And… he is not an ordinary being," the messenger stammered.
"What do you mean? Is the one with him not human?" King Albert narrowed his eyes.
"That is correct, Your Majesty," the messenger confirmed.
"Then tell me, who is it?"
"Your Majesty… she is a demon," the messenger answered hesitantly.
The hall erupted into another wave of shock and outrage.
"A demon?!"
"Has he betrayed humanity?"
"How dare he live with such a monster?"
The messenger raised his voice to interrupt their commotion.
"But… she is not just any demon, Your Majesty," he added.
"What do you mean?" King Albert asked.
"She… is the Demon Queen who was sealed away for 500 years in the Black Forest," the messenger revealed.
"There is only one Demon Queen that was sealed in that place… Are you saying she is none other than the Demon Queen, Grace?" King Albert questioned.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the messenger confirmed.
Gasps of horror filled the room.
"The Demon Queen, Grace?!"
"Has he lost his mind, freeing that monster?"
"Hmm… Interesting," King Albert muttered, regaining his composure. "So he has a powerful ally as well. Summon the knights and the representatives of the church. I wish to speak with them."
"Understood, Your Majesty," the messenger replied before hurrying off to carry out the order.
---
Meanwhile, at Ryutaro's farm…
After learning about Grace's past, Ryutaro comforted her as she struggled with her emotions.
"Let it go. The past is the past. There's no need to dwell on it," Ryutaro said.
"I know, but… I still feel sad. I'm afraid that my power will hurt you… and that you'll end up like my parents," Grace said, her voice filled with sorrow.
"I already told you, don't worry about that. If you ever lose control, I'll just bring you back to your senses, just like you did for me when I lost control," Ryutaro reassured her.
"But…" Grace hesitated.
Before she could finish her sentence, Ryutaro interrupted her.
"No more 'buts.' Remember, I'm your husband, aren't I? Trust me."
"Hmm… Alright, I trust you," Grace said with a small smile.
"That's my wife! Now, let's go check the backfield. It's been a while since I last harvested," Ryutaro said cheerfully.
"You were just gone for a few hours," Grace pointed out.
"Hehe, still feels like a long time," Ryutaro replied, scratching his head.
"Yeah, yeah… Whatever you say," Grace sighed as they walked toward the field.
However, when they arrived, they were both completely shocked—especially Ryutaro.
"What?! Who did this?!" Ryutaro exclaimed.
"Ryutaro, look up," Grace said.
"Huh? What is it?" Ryutaro asked, turning his gaze toward the sky.
From above, a massive white dragon descended toward them.
"What is that?!" Ryutaro shouted.
"That's a Dragonkin," Grace replied.
"A Dragonkin?" Ryutaro repeated.
"Yes. They are one of the rarest races in existence. Many seek them out because their scales can be sold for an incredibly high price," Grace explained.
"So why would such a rare being come here?" Ryutaro wondered.
"I don't know… but I have a bad feeling about this. We should be cautious," Grace warned.
"Alright," Ryutaro nodded.
The enormous dragon finally landed and transformed into a breathtakingly beautiful woman. Her long, white hair shimmered under the sunlight, and her regal presence exuded elegance.
"Are you the owner of this land, human?" the woman asked.
"Yes, and who are you?" Ryutaro asked, clenching his fist as he gathered energy in his hand.
"My apologies for my rudeness. My name is Aurelia Snowmourne, Queen of Dragons," she said, bowing gracefully in noble fashion.
"The Dragon Queen? What are you doing here?" Ryutaro asked.
"I came here searching for food. While flying, I saw fruits unlike any I've ever encountered before," Aurelia explained.
Before Ryutaro could respond, Grace cut in.
"Since when does the esteemed Dragon Queen visit a place like this?" Grace questioned.
"Forgive me, but who are you?" Aurelia asked.
Ryutaro quickly introduced them.
"Ah, my bad. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Ryutaro, a hero who was summoned to this world against my will and then discarded. And this…"
"I'm Grace, the Demon Queen and his wife," Grace stated confidently.
"I see…" Aurelia murmured.
"So, is food really the only reason you came here, or is there something else?" Grace pressed.
"Indeed, food was my primary purpose," Aurelia admitted.
"But there's another reason, isn't there? What is it?" Grace asked.
"My other reason… is that I seek refuge," Aurelia revealed.
"Refuge? From what?" Ryutaro asked.
"From the Ashen Fang," Aurelia answered.
"The Ashen Fang? Are you serious?!" Grace reacted in shock.
"Yes. At first, I thought they were just ordinary dragon hunters, but I was wrong. They are the Ashen Fang, and they massacred my people," Aurelia said.
"Dragon hunters? Who are they?" Ryutaro asked.
"Ashen Fang are not normal dragon hunters. While regular hunters only kill what they need for missions, the Ashen Fang are different. They hunt dragons mercilessly, slaughtering entire populations and selling their remains on the black market," Grace explained.
"That's horrific," Ryutaro said.
"But it's strange… How did they find you?" Grace asked.
"It's because someone from the Kingdom of Celestia sent them," Aurelia revealed.
"Celestia again? How many times do I have to deal with them today?" Ryutaro groaned.
As he complained, a group of individuals riding mechanical dragons appeared before them.
"So, here you are, Dragon Queen," one of the hunters sneered.
"You'd best surrender and come with us," another added.
Before Aurelia could respond, Ryutaro stepped forward.
"Who are you people, and what do you want here?" he demanded.
"We are the infamous dragon hunters—Ashen Fang," the hunter declared.
What will Ryutaro do? Will he fight them all and protect Aurelia? And what will King Albert do after the church envoy arrives?
Stay tuned for the continuation in Chapter 8!
*If I made any minor mistakes that might be distracting, I sincerely apologize. I have done my best for this novel, and if you enjoy it, please consider giving it a like and sharing your feedback, suggestions, or criticism so I can learn and improve. Thank you for reading, and see you in the next chapter!*