The Demon Lord's Bride (BL)-Chapter 653: Careful what you wish for

My mind was blank for a few seconds.

"H-huh? Me? What do you mean? Why me?" I straightened my back and gripped the communication orb tighter. "Wait--does that mean you are being chased?"

[Calm down, girl]

"How can I--"

"Sweetheart," Natha’s voice brought me back from my nearly panicked state. He was also holding Shwa in his arms, patting the baby who looked on the verge of crying. "Let her explain."

[Oh, hello Lord Banker] Zarfa said with a laugh, and hearing how light her voice was calmed me further. Without realizing it, I fell into my old habit.

"Haa...I’m sorry," I patted the green hair of the boy who hugged me tightly. My children must have sensed my distress, and I reached out to stroke Shwa’s cheek too after placing the communication orb on the mattress. "Please continue."

[Anyway, it’s not that people go around searching from house to house, so you don’t have to worry. It’s more like something Caleb got from the information guild]

"What is it?"

[Someone told Lenaar that they saw a majestic, sentient spear]

Wait--so the sighting wasn’t on me, but Alveitya? But...we always made sure to fight when we were away from other groups inside the ruins and the dungeon, so how could...

Oh. There was another place where I used Alveitya.

"Damn it!" I groaned unconsciously at the realization.

"Damn it!"

I clasped the boy’s mouth and shook my head. "No, Jade."

"Nyo demit?" Jade blinked and mumbled into my palms. frёewebηovel.cѳm

But still...how did they know? Whether it was the forest or the clearing, it was so far from Lenaar, like...north-and-south far. Alveitya didn’t even look the same as the ’Sacred Spear’ that Valmeier used, so how could someone know? Was that kingdom spread its net that far?

[Well, it seems like one of the people we beat up last time was a mercenary for the war. He knew Lenaar was looking for the priest with a sentient spear]

I groaned in frustration again. "They are still looking for me?"

[They are looking for the spear, Val] Zarfa corrected.

"Oh, yeah. Right..."

The most striking thing about Valmeier was not his appearance--which was still rugged and malnourished in the past--but the Sacred Spear that was supposed to be the Kingdom’s ’treasure’. If it was a mercenary, they would be placed in the same battalion as Valmeier, because it was generally a place for disposable people.

I had never even considered that those people would be able to recognize me. I thought since I looked different and so did Alveitya, no one would recognize me as Valmeier even if I sauntered to Lenaar. I did not consider the fact that a spear that could move on its own was something so rare people would be able to tie it up to the Demon’s Slaughterer.

[Anyway, Lenaar and the church are spreading a quest to guilds to look for the owner of that sentient spear] Zarfa continued. [Thankfully, the place where you were last seen is far from this city, so...]

Yeah, it should throw the tracking a bit, since I never showed Alveitya outside. That being said, I couldn’t help feeling worried about it. "But...what if they look for the three of you?"

[Don’t worry--it’s not like our faces are memorable like you] Zarfa’s laugh was crisp and light, truly giving a sense far from emergency. [I’m going to give Ian a new set of armor to be worn for now, but the most important is you. Just stay there for now, because Lenaar also giving out a sketch of your face]

"Ugh..."

[Granted, it’s your old face--I mean, Valmeier’s] Zarfa added quickly. [But just in case...]

"Yeah, I understand," I took the glowing red orb again, trying to calm my racing mind which started to frantically calculate the remaining time until our deadline. "So...how long should I be here?"

[Well, we still need to look for more information] Zarfa hummed in contemplation. [Let’s decide after we know more]

I didn’t want to, but a sigh escaped my lips nonetheless. It was already disappointing enough to not find anything during the ruins expedition, but to have everything halted because I was too careless and, funnily enough, too merciful...

I almost wanted to turn back time and kill everyone who had ever seen Alveitya.

No--what were you thinking, Val? You shouldn’t desensitize yourself that much.

[Don’t worry, Val] Zarfa made a knocking sound on the communication orb, as if she knew my mind would be wandering around. [We’ll still continue our search, okay?]

"...sorry," I sighed and bit my lips. It was, after all, because of my carelessness. I was too sure of my own change and underestimated the situation just because no one had found out my identity outside the Hero’s companion.

It was sheer arrogance to think that a kingdom backed by the church wouldn’t have the resources to seek me all over the realm.

[How silly] Zarfa, however, merely gave me a scoff. [Searching for the Goddess is not your mission alone]

Oh. Oh. I had been so focused on my own goal that I forgot it wasn’t just about finding an ally for my custody trial. In fact, in their case, it would be akin to saving the whole realm from the clutch of the blasphemous church.

"Yeah," I took a deep breath and nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. "Thank you, Ceci."

[Anyway, just treat it as a long vacation, okay?]

I glanced at my little family; my smiling husband and children. "Yeah, you’re right," I chuckled softly, stroking the orb in gratitude. "Be careful there."

[Pfft--this is not even dangerous] Zarfa scoffed. [Good night]

"Good night."

"Good night, Ceci!"

[Oh, you’re still awake, Jade? Good night!]

Gradually, the orb’s light dimmed until it disappeared completely, filling the bedroom with another silence. After a few seconds of sitting in a daze, I grasped my face and groaned into my palm. "Argh--I’m so careless!"

"Hmm...I’ll tell Heraz to find out more," Natha patted my back, and I could feel him getting out of bed. Probably to call the spies.

I raised my head and sighed heavily into the arm air. "Thanks, Nat."

"I can’t say I’m not glad, though."

He turned his head and smirked, looking totally delighted. His silver eyes sparkled as bright as Jade’s green ones. Pfft--ah, I couldn’t help but laugh, even if I was distressed about not being able to look for the Goddess relic. But honestly...I couldn’t say staying longer here was a bad thing. Far from it. "Ah, this gives me such complicated feelings."

"Mine is fairly uncomplicated," Natha shrugged his shoulder while casting a piece of parchment into the fireplace.

I grabbed a pillow and threw it at him just to be petty. Couldn’t you understand me a bit, my Lord?! But of course, he caught the pillow easily, making it even more annoying for me.

Before I could throw another pillow, however, Jade was pulling on my sleeve, staring at me with sparkling eyes. "Papa, we’ll stay?"

Nggh...

"Yes, Jade," I sighed and nodded. "We’ll stay."

"Yaaay!" plushies were thrown into the air as a sign of happiness. He held back from jumping on the mattress because Shwa was there, but I said nothing about making confetti out of plushies, so that was a mistake on my part.

Natha returned to the bed and caught all the thrown plushies before they could hit us; the smirk still prevalent on his lips. "It is uncomplicated for this one too," he said while ruffling Jade’s green hair.

Ah, I couldn’t take it anymore. I laughed and tackled Jade to the mattress, rolling joyfully toward Shwa.

"Uaaaa!"

"Yes, baby," I picked my son and swayed him in my arms, letting my lips grin widely. "I’m going to stay longer."

"Waaa!"

"You’re happy? Are you happy?" I laughed and nuzzled his face, which only made Shwa laugh even more. "Okay, then I’m happy too!"

I was worried--I was still worried. But I couldn’t lie; the happiness of having a justification for staying with my little family longer overshadowed that worry. I mean...if I had to make a reason for halting my search, then it would be the best for it to be spending time with my family.

Later on, I kind of wondered if it had something to do with my husband and children wanting me to stay. They hadn’t acted like this before--I mean, of course, they wanted me to stay, but they understood and just told me to come home safely and quickly.

This time, though...even Shwa cried so much and clung to me till the very end. And just before I had to return, something happened that made me unable to do so. It was such a happy coincidence that I didn’t think too much of it, but...

Thinking back to it, I wouldn’t take it past Natha to create such a situation. But no--of course Natha wouldn’t do anything that would increase the chance of me failing to get the Goddess’s help.

Well, maybe it was just fate taking pity on me somewhat. Or...

I glanced at the baby gripping my hair while laughing joyfully, as if knowing I had to stay longer now.

Hmm...it wasn’t your doing, right...son?