NOVEL SIMPLE 074 – Interlude: Vice Captain Regalo V
Confusion occupied half of his thoughts, resignation a quarter, and the remaining was a blend of various emotions, with no trace of regret.
This was the state of mind for Regalo, once a leader in the Spade Territory's Magic Corps. Surprisingly, he didn't feel an ounce of regret about his current predicament.
He felt no urge to return to the Magic Corps, nor did he feel an overwhelming need to escape from his captors, the beastmen.
The reason for this was a girl named Euphemia.
It was astonishing enough to find demons among the beastmen, but even more so to see these demons showing clear respect for a human girl. At first glance, she appeared to be nothing more than a beautiful young girl.
Her slender limbs seemed fragile, her torso and waist delicate, and her long, golden hair shimmered brilliantly. Her features were stunningly perfect.
Yet, this girl was evidently revered by the demons. Not only them but, upon closer observation, some of the beastmen also held her in high regard.
When Euphemia approached to speak with the prisoners as if it was the most natural thing in the world, Regalo had an instinctive feeling.
He knew he shouldn't defy her.
Why? Any number of reasons could be given in hindsight: the demons respected her, the beastmen held her in high regard, she spoke on equal terms with the Beast King Randall.
But none of these reasons mattered.
The moment the golden-haired girl appeared, Regalo realized the gaping void within his heart. It had been there for a long time, expanding daily without him even knowing. Various things had spilled out of it, things that were hard to name.
After all, he hadn't smiled like that in a long time.
Crossing the forest by carriage was impractical, so the kobold Pookie Shamal and the curved blade-wielding demon Jade were left behind in Gaeriko Village.
Naturally, Regalo, who was both a prisoner and an information source, accompanied the group. His surviving subordinates had been released before dawn, entering the forest ahead of them. Regalo thought their treatment was rather rough, but Euphemia remarked, "It's because they're not interested."
Who wasn't interested?
The Beast King, of course.
Regalo was born and raised in the Spade Territory, meaning he lived closest to the beastmen's domain within the Louisse Kingdom. Despite this, he knew almost nothing about them due to the lack of interaction.
Thus, he never realized that Randall Kruger, the Beast King, led this motley crew of beastmen. He didn't even know of the Beast King's existence.
A giant lion beastman.
Even from a distance, Regalo was overwhelmed by the sheer presence of the Beast King. Just knowing Randall was there was terrifying.
This was a completely different feeling from when he started working at Spade Castle and faced the so-called "important people."
When meeting the Chief of the Magic Corps, the Captain and Vice-Captain of the Knights, or Lord Sol Soltice Spade, Regalo indeed felt fear. This was because they had the power to decide his fate with little effort.
They could easily alter his future.
In that sense, the Beast King was no different.
"That's instinct."
As they walked through the forest, discussing their fear of the Beast King, Euphemia nodded while sitting on the shoulder of a Boar Orc.
What was his name again? Zonda, if he remembered correctly. When they left the village, Zonda had been called upon by Euphemia, who designated his shoulder as her perch. He didn't seem to mind, which was rather peculiar.
After all, a boar beastman, while not as fearsome as the Beast King, was still terrifying. As a mage, Regalo could potentially defeat him if he maintained enough distance, but in close proximity, he stood no chance.
Especially for a delicate girl, distance shouldn't matter.
Yet, Euphemia showed no fear towards Zonda or Beast King Randall. It wasn't even a matter of hiding her fear—she genuinely wasn't afraid.
"Instinctual fear, huh?" Regalo mused.
"Exactly. Whether it's fear of the dark, the unknown, or future disadvantages, it all boils down to the same thing. No one wants to die. It's natural to fear something that clearly signals death. Beast King Randall is the epitome of fear," Euphemia explained nonchalantly.
Despite her understanding of the topic, her lack of fear made the conversation feel somewhat disjointed.
"I get it, though. I wouldn't want to face him head-on. He's an unfathomable entity," said Maya, the demon who had subdued Regalo. She carried a spear as long as her height with one hand and spoke with a slightly bitter expression.
Regalo was internally astounded at her frustration, the idea of confronting such a terrifying Beast King with sheer force was incredible.
"No one expects you to defeat the Beast King," Euphemia said with a light, amused laugh.
If one only saw her smile, she would look like a truly beautiful girl. Sitting on the Boar Orc's shoulder, ready to raid human territory, she might have appeared blissfully happy under different circumstances.
"Really? You seem pretty chummy with Randall. What are you planning?" Maya asked, puzzled.
"Have you ever understood what I'm thinking?" Euphemia retorted playfully.
It was rare for Junos, a demon who had been constantly at Euphemia's side, to speak up. His presence was so natural, like that of a royal bodyguard, that it was easy to overlook him. The fact that he could remain inconspicuous next to such a striking girl was, in itself, quite unusual.
Could anyone truly remain unnoticed beside this attention-grabbing girl?
What exactly were Euphemia and these demons? No matter how he thought about it or looked at it, they didn't seem to be subordinates of the Beast King. Yet, the Beast King Randall allowed Euphemia her freedom and permitted the actions of the demons.
Despite this, the unit's movements were seamless.
However, Regalo still couldn't voice his doubts.
He had a premonition.
Surely, the coming days would be far more peculiar than his previously monotonous ones. Whether they would be enjoyable was uncertain, but one thing was clear: there was no going back.
Not that he particularly wanted to return.
They moved through the forest.
The sunlight barely filtered through the dense canopy, illuminating the forest floor in patches. It was an area seldom traveled by humans. On their way there, they had trampled through with a human unit; now, they were retracing their steps with the beastmen.
What would happen next?
According to Euphemia, they planned to storm Spade Castle, confront the lord and the knights, and "make them understand." Somehow, it felt like they would succeed. If they aimed to occupy enemy territory like Regalo’s unit once tried, it would inevitably end in failure. But if their goal was to unleash violence and leave—especially with the Beast King leading them—then success seemed likely.
Yet, another thought crossed his mind.
What was the point of all this?
Euphemia didn’t seem like someone who wanted to cause such chaos. Why didn’t it seem that way? Regalo couldn’t quite articulate the reason.
They emerged from the forest.
After passing through a few villages and towns, they would soon reach Spade Castle.
"What do you think will happen?" Euphemia asked with a wide grin.
Regalo wanted to ask her the same question.
