The Demon Lord's Bride (BL)-Chapter 623: Nothing is really empty and barren in this world

There was a vastly different vibe between our arrival and departure. When we got ready to leave the next day, they almost didn’t want to let us go.

Whether it was the residents, the priests, or the children--rather than hiding inside their homes, they came out to see us go. Renna was very much glowing at this improvement, even if it came through materialistic processes. Jade even left another two jars of candy for the children as a farewell gift.

The Bishop and the other priest couldn’t stop talking about ’miracle’ and whatnot even though they could probably find the mine themselves one day. Ignis was just finding it while exploring, and I had no time to take care of such a thing.

Honestly, I was glad to empower the group opposing the church, but their sudden enthusiasm after the dry reception when we first came was a bit uncomfortable, and I wished they would stop doing it around me.

I don’t know...perhaps because it felt like they only liked me because I gave them money, after only being kind because I was Vashakin’s son.

I knew it wasn’t exactly wrong for them to do that, since we didn’t have enough time to really know each other that well yet, but...it was just a bit uncomfortable. Would they treat me the same if I told them only this body was the ’son’ of Vashakin? Would they still think I was kind if they knew my identity as the Consort of Greed?

I had no idea, and my instinct told me I didn’t want to know.

Ah...I started feeling homesick again after only a few days.

"Stop making a fuss," I couldn’t hold back the frown from forming, however much I tried to keep a poker face. "I’m not doing a charity."

"If that is not a charity, I don’t know what kind of benevolence should be classified as such," the Bishop replied with a smile that hadn’t left his lips since yesterday.

"What we have is a contract," I told them firmly. Let’s clear up any misunderstanding before we leave this place. "Don’t think what I told you is just an empty threat. My Salamander will really burn everything ."

Of course, after I moved the graves to the Lair or somewhere safe. And the children, I guessed. But that was obvious.

I narrowed my eyes to make sure they knew I wasn’t spouting bullshit. "You’re not going to underestimate my Salamander, aren’t you?"

"Of course not, we wouldn’t dare," the Bishop replied quickly, shifting his gaze toward my shoulder, where Ignis was standing--well...crouching?--proudly there with a flaming mane. "After all, this is all thanks to the Great Salamander."

"Ignis," the Salamander spoke with a slight growl.

The Bishop blinked. "Yes?"

"I am not just a Great Salamander," the flaming head raised high. "Valen gave me the name Ignis."

As expected from the quick-witted Bishop, he bowed politely toward the blazing lizard. "Of course, Great Salamander Ignis."

"Great Salamander Ignis," the priests behind the Bishop bowed following the Bishop and, well...from the way that tail kept flicking my shoulder, seemed like Ignis was happy.

"Hmph."

Although the great salamander kept its cool and tough persona with a simple grunt.

I had to use every ounce of my acting ability to keep myself from laughing out loud. I was just done delivering a threat, so wouldn’t it be disastrous if I let out even a chuckle? So I thought hard about my sweet baby flower back home and felt homesick again. The twitch in the corner of my lips stopped immediately at the surge of sadness, and I was able to maintain a cold expression.

That did not deter the Bishop’s and the other priests’ smiles, however. They were still following me with sparkling eyes toward the carriage, and my uncomfortableness slightly turned into pity.

Uhh...maybe they had been living as an outcast for so long that just a slight show of ’kindness’ made them like this? I sighed inwardly--oh, I had no idea anymore.

"Please come again sometimes," the Bishop said. "We will always welcome you."

"...I’ll think about it."

Weird people--wouldn’t it be better for them if I didn’t return? I wouldn’t be able to change the contract and take the mine for myself then.

Thankfully, my other travel companions were gathering near the carriage, so the Bishop and the priests shifted toward them, and I was freed.

"Phew..."

"A lot happened yesterday, huh?" Zarfa laughed. "So much for rest."

Tell me about it. The thought of randomly finding a mine and making a contract never crossed my mind when we just arrived in this place. I was thinking of passing this event quietly, just visiting the graves for Valmeier’s sake and tried to look for hints that could help my personal mission. And suddenly, I found myself being looked at as if I was a savior or something.

Well, I guessed it wasn’t bad if it meant I had more people working on this secret mission of mine. They might not know that I was looking for Her to back me up in a verbal fight with the Demon God over child custody, but...did it matter?

"Papa! Jade want to go with Horsey!"

Jade, who was having his farewell giveaway with the children earlier, ran to me and pointed at the horse the Hero rode to this settlement. Renna smiled awkwardly and told me about how yesterday’s lesson was about animals and they spent a while learning about horses--because the horses were there.

Heh--I wondered if Jade just wanted to practice what he learned or brag to the children. At any rate: atta boy! I ruffled the green hair and turned toward the Hero. "Jin?"

"Uhh...sure, I guess?" he shrugged. "I mean, the horse was bought with your money, anyway. Are you going to be alright, though?"

"Well, let’s just see how long Jade’s whim last," I chuckled as Jade yelled happily and ran toward the horse.

"Alright," Jin laughed while watching Jade. "Just holler when you’re tired."

I wouldn’t get tired, but Jade might get bored. The only horse riding we did was during my purification mission last year. I reckoned this time the distance was longer, but I thought it would be nice to travel with the wind on our faces once in a while.

"Horseeey!" Jade jumped to try and reach the horse’s tall head, and the horse obediently lowered its head to Jade. I guessed, all animals could be tamed by elemental birds--or it could be because he was a druid’s familiar. "Papa, let’s name him!"

"What do you want to name him?"

"Mm...mm..." Jade tilted his head here and there while feeding the horse a block of sugar. The green eyes stared at the majestic dark brown coat glistening under the sun, and came up with a cute name. "Chocolate!"

Zarfa laughed at the cute-sounding name for a majestic figure worthy of becoming a Hero’s mount. "Because he’s brown?"

The horse glared at Zarfa, who immediately hid behind me while giggling, and Jade defended his own naming sense. "Not just brown! Shiny and good! Pretty!"

All sweets were pretty in the eyes of a child, but the horse did not seem to care as he nuzzled Jade’s face in response. Well, ’Chocolate’ it is!

"Okay, okay," I clapped softly in agreement. "Let’s just call him Choco."

"Choco!" Jade laughed and patted the handsome horse with a cute name once more before running back at me so I could carry him and get on the horse together. Once we did, Jin and Ian climbed to the carriage’s driver seats while the girls entered the box. "Oh! Oh! Jade will say it again."

I patted the green hair in front of my chest and laughed, glancing at the chuckling Jin and a pouting Ian. "Alright, alright--let’s start."

With two arms in the air, Jade shouted as loud as he could until his voice echoed around the mountain. "Lee~et’s~gooooooo!"

"How energetic."

With the echoing start, the magnificent Choco strutted forward, following the path that the guard priest opened. It was a similar-looking path with the entrance, but this one was a bit more complicated with more twists and turns and fake paths branching to a dead end or a trap. Ignis pointed the correct way and I didn’t have to keep looking back to ask Jin for the way. In no time, we exited the mountain and, after about an hour of traversing across a forest, we reached a vast, empty plain.

"Papa, let’s go fast!"

I relayed what Jade said to Jin, and told them that we would ride first and find them later. Honestly though? I wanted to go fast too.

Hiding my smile, I told Choco to go wild and we raced with the wind. Jade was laughing and shrieking happily while Ignis crawled inside my hood and grumbled. But I got Jade’s happiness--the sensation of the wind upon our faces reminded us of riding Vrida. Well, not as fun as Vrida, but still fun nonetheless.

Just like when I was riding Vrida, there was no need for reins, because I could communicate with the horse through our senses. I just told him where to go, and Choco would run there immediately. It was such a nice place for racing around, and I could tell that Choco was also happy to be able to run with all his might.

Hmm...should I take this one back home too?

Oh, well--let’s think about that later, because Jade was pointing at a point in the horizon. "Papa, go there! There! Something shiny there!"

My eyes squinted in the pointed direction, but I couldn’t see anything. Still, there was no harm in checking it, so Choco galloped to that place. It was quite far, actually, but when we arrived, there was nothing. It was an empty plot of land with sparse bushes here and there...like any other part of the plains, honestly.

"Is this the place?" I tilted my head. "Where’s the shiny thing, Jade?"

"Weird..." Jade patted his fingers. "Jade see something spark spark."

It was unlikely for an elemental bird to see falsely, so I reached out inside my hood. "Ignis, do you feel anything?"

"What? Wha--" Ignis was in a daze at first, but soon regained its focus back after realizing we had stopped. "Huh?"

Oh? Did the Salamander also feel something? Perhaps it was only detectable by legendary and mythical beasts?

"There’s something like us around here," the light blue eyes flickered.

"You mean...a magical beast?"

"Yeah," the Salamander suddenly jumped off my shoulder and shot a fireball into the air at our two o’clock.

And something shrieked as the ground erupted.