Tales of the Immortal Star [Aria's Tales]

Arc 2: Chapter 10

The banquet continued with gentle waves of laughter, finally granting everyone a moment to breathe. The poor souls had been subjected to too much shock; that night, sleep eluded them all. Thankfully, their bodies were not as susceptible to fatigue as humans', else the higher class might have sported dark circles in the morning.

Meanwhile, in a grey tent nestled deep within a forest, Brand held a stack of papers with trembling hands. He clenched them tightly, tearing them apart as if his life depended on it. Then, he panted, his eyes bloodshot and his face red with rage. He was truly furious. Sevianna had been taken away by the demon crown prince!

The papers he tore apart were reports from his guards' investigation, the identity of the man who took Sevianna were clearly written in bold letters.

The demon crown prince Adounis!

Brand seethed with anger. He might have been calmer if the man's identity had been simpler. He couldn't believe his bad luck! His nemesis' son had successfully bewitched his trump card! Fuck!

Brand's chest heaved as he struggled to contain his urge to go insane. Sevianna was too valuable, too precious. He refused to hand her over without a fight!

His eyes snapped open, the glow within them reflecting his obsessive determination. He raised his hand, and one of his shadow guards silently materialized. "Tell the Marshal we're heading to the Antitheus Kingdom."

His orders shook the shadow guard to the core. The Antitheus Kingdom was the heart of the demon's territory. His master was actually planning to expedite their operations! Excitement and anxiety welled up within him. He quickly bowed and vanished. He didn't notice that his master's expression was not right.

"Brand~" A sweet voice called out from outside the tent. It was Myla.

Brand's contorted face softened momentarily, but then he frowned. The way Myla had called him somehow reminded him of when Sevianna was still a pure angel. She had the habit of dragging out her words when they spoke. Restlessness gnawed at his heart. He couldn't wait to take her back.

Without waiting for Myla to enter, Brand roughly flung the tent open, startling her as she approached. He fixed his penetrating gaze on each of the girls outside. "Pack up. We're heading to Antitheus."

The girls simultaneously widened their eyes. Already? Hadn't they planned to go there a year after making an alliance with the Stella Kingdom? Stella hadn't responded to their request, but they had confirmed that they have received it. They were just waiting for an answer. What had happened?

Everyone looked at each other, then to Diffei. Since Diffei and Brand were both adventurers and had known each other longer than the girls, she held senior authority. Previously, it had been Sevianna who ranked higher than them.

"Brand, what exactly happened?" Diffei asked, a bit of pride sprouting in her heart. She could finally assume her rightful position as Brand's first lady. She waited for Brand's answer, but he remained silent.

He merely cast another, colder glance, then turned back to his tent to start packing.

His cold demeanor suddenly enveloped the girls like an icy wind, leaving them feeling chilled until he departed. Their hearts quivered with the thought that something terrible might have occurred. Perhaps Stella had rejected their request? Or had one of the kingdoms backed out?

Little did they know, Brand was on edge simply because he couldn't wait to get Sevianna back.

The road to the Antitheus Kingdom was gloomy. Deathly silent and eerie, it unnerved the girls, unaccustomed to such an atmosphere. Seeking distraction, they decided to "play" with Brand. They initiated a game to see who could attract his attention first, engaging in outright seductive behavior.