As we entered the dense treeline of the forest, the rough rope bound tightly around my wrists dug uncomfortably into my skin.
"Um… excuse me, Commander… may I ask why you tied my hands too?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder while awkwardly trying to adjust my restricted arms.
"Well, I know it must feel uncomfortable," the Commander replied, his tone gruff and unyielding. "But bear with it. We found you deep inside enemy territory. Even if you did provide assistance, this could just as easily be a trap orchestrated by the demons."
"I see… understandable." My eyes shifted ahead toward Verixa. She walked bound and blindfolded, her tiny frame stumbling slightly as the soldiers pushed her forward. "Then… what will happen to her?"
"You don't need to concern yourself with a demon," the Commander said firmly. "Focus on your reward instead—and how you're going to spend it."
I fell silent for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. "I heard… she's to be beheaded publicly, as a declaration of the demon race's end. Is that true?"
The Commander shot a sharp, piercing glance in my direction. "Oh? So you caught a glimpse of the truth, huh? Yes, you're right."
I lowered my head, staring intently at the dirt path beneath our boots. My voice came out much quieter this time. "But… isn't she just a child? She hasn't even done anything yet."
"Boy, you have absolutely no idea," the Commander growled. "A single adult demon is worth ten trained human soldiers. And that girl? If she is spared, she will inevitably become the next Demon Queen. Even if she's just a child now, one day she could wipe out an entire kingdom on her own."
She...
I almost cut him off. Even after spending only a few brief hours with Verixa, I couldn't bring myself to believe his words. If she were truly the heartless monster he described, I wouldn't still be breathing after rejecting her initial demands.
But I held my tongue, keeping my silence as the squad marched deeper into the brush.
Eventually, the trees parted, and we reached a wide, flat clearing in the heart of the forest. The perfect spot. My lips curled into a grin.
"Sorry, Commander," I said, lifting my head high. "But maybe next time, if you're going to capture someone, you should check their pockets first."
With a flick of my fingers, I dropped a small smoke gem to the ground.
Crack!
Instantly, thick, suffocating gray smoke erupted from the earth, swallowing the clearing in a dense haze. Using the sharp knife Valkira had returned to me, I sliced cleanly through my ropes.
Right on cue, Valkira burst out from the foliage like a shadow. Taking full advantage of the utter chaos, her blade flashed through the fog, cutting down the soldiers restraining Verixa. Simultaneously, a volley of arrows fired by hidden demon scouts tore through the mist, taking out the human magicians before they could even begin to chant.
"Everyone, it's a trap!" the Commander's voice roared through the blinding gray. "Be alert! Protect the target—they'll try to free her!"
But when the heavy haze finally began to dissipate, the sight made the Commander's blood run cold. The infantrymen were still standing, but the specific guards holding Verixa now lay motionless on the grass with clean sword wounds, and the spellcasters lay dead with arrows piercing their chests.
"Damn it!" he snarled, his face contorting with rage. "They've already taken her! Find them! They can't have gone far!"
By then, I was already sprinting through the thickets with Verixa hoisted onto my back, Valkira easily keeping pace right beside me.
"Hey! Run faster, human! If you don't, we'll be caught in no time!" Verixa complained, wriggling aggressively against my shoulders.
"Can you shut up for just a single moment?!" I snapped, struggling to maintain my balance.
"As you say, human," Valkira cut in, ignoring our bickering. "I told the villagers to escape and scatter until the right time comes for us to reunite. I also assigned ten armed guards to each group for their protection."
"That's good," I replied, panting heavily as my lungs burned. "What about the magic-disabling barrier? And the fire and wind magicians?"
"They'll activate the barrier soon," Valkira answered, though a hint of doubt crossed her face. "But don't you think leaving holes large enough for air to pass through is a mistake? It will heavily weaken the structural strength of the barrier."
"Don't worry about that. Believe in me," I said, a smirk playing on my lips despite the exhaustion. "Even if I can't use magic, I know how to use science."
"Science? What is that?" Verixa asked, her head popping over my shoulder, suddenly curious despite the literal army chasing us.
"It's something humans use… back in my world."
We reached the secondary location exactly as planned. The demons stationed in the trees spotted us and immediately activated the magic-disabling barrier. But a split second before the seal clicked into place, the fire magicians unleashed their remaining mana, setting the surrounding forest ablaze in a towering ring of fire.
"Good," I said, patting one of the panting demon's shoulders.
As the flames spread rapidly, I shouted the next command. The wind magicians channeled their gale forces, fueling the fire until it roared higher into the canopy. Once the inferno grew fierce enough, I gave the final signal to fully close the barrier, ensuring absolutely nothing could pass through.
Inside the blazing ring of the forest, pure panic broke out among the pursuing human vanguard.
"Commander, we're completely surrounded by fire!" one of the infantrymen screamed.
"Anyone who can use water magic, put it out now!" the Commander barked.
"Sir, our magic isn't working! The barrier's blocking our connection to the mana!" another soldier reported desperately, coughing violently.
Thick, black smoke filled the enclosed space. Deprived of oxygen, the soldiers began falling unconscious one after another, slumping into the grass.
"Damn it…! Demons don't use tactics like this…" The Commander froze mid-cough, a terrifying realization dawning on him as he looked toward the treeline. "This must be… the boy's doing…"
As the controlled fire began to die down due to the lack of airflow, the three of us returned to assess the clearing.
"Are… are they all dead?" Verixa asked quietly. Her crimson eyes scanned the fallen battalion, a rare trace of genuine concern softening her voice.
"Nah." I shook my head, stretching my sore back. "They're just unconscious. The fire rapidly burned up most of the oxygen in the air, so their brains didn't get enough of it. It basically forced their bodies to shut down."
"Oxy… what?" Verixa tilted her head, her brow furrowing in complete confusion.
"Sometimes, even I feel completely lost when you speak, human," Valkira muttered with a soft sigh.
"Never mind, forget it," I waved it off.
One of the remaining demon soldiers stepped forward, his expression scowling as he drew a dagger. "They're still breathing. It is better to kill them all now. If we do not, they will simply chase us down later."
"Wait! Please, leave them be," I said quickly, stepping between the demon and the unconscious soldiers. "I know they're the enemy, but…"
"Tch. Showing pity just because you're a human?" the soldier sneered, narrowing his eyes at me.
"Silence!"
Verixa's sharp, authoritative voice cut through the clearing like a whip. Her red eyes gleamed with absolute, terrifying royal majesty as she stepped forward, standing right in front of me. "Do exactly as this human says."
The demon soldiers immediately fell dead silent, bowing their heads and obeying the command without a single word of argument.
"Uh… thanks, kid," I muttered, genuinely surprised.
"I'm just returning the favor," she said curtly, crossing her arms and turning her back to me. Then, she addressed the rest of her forces. "The rest of you must find immediate shelter. I will send a royal summon when the time comes to reunite."
The demons bowed deeply and began dispersing into the thick forest until only the three of us remained in the quiet, smoldering woods. Valkira kept her hand resting firmly on the pommel of her sword, scanning the perimeter, while Verixa walked quietly at my side.
"So?" she said suddenly, her voice carrying a distinct, nervous edge.
"So… what?" I asked, glancing down at her.
Her lips pressed into a tight, thin line. "Are you… going to…"
Before she could finish her sentence, a ragged, scraping voice echoed from the shadows behind us.
"You absolute moron."
I spun around. It was the Commander. Severely burned, bloodied, and breathing in ragged gasps, he was somehow still standing. His body swayed precariously with every step, but his eyes were filled with pure madness as he staggered toward us, sword raised high.
I didn't think. I threw my body forward, violently pushing Verixa out of the way just as the Commander lunged.
Squelch.
Cold steel tore straight into my side.
"Zacken!" Verixa's voice cracked into a desperate shriek, her crimson eyes widening in sheer horror.
Valkira moved in a fraction of a second, her blade flashing through the air like lightning. With a single, brutal slash, the Commander collapsed into the dirt, his hatred silenced forever.
I stumbled backward, coughing up a metallic taste of blood. I pulled the sword free from my waist with a painful groan before collapsing heavily onto the forest floor. Darkness rapidly rushed in from the edges of my vision as the frantic voices of the two demon women calling my name faded into nothingness.
When I finally opened my eyes again, the world felt significantly softer.
The first thing that entered my blurry vision was Verixa's face hovering directly above mine. Her crimson eyes were shimmering, and her lips trembled violently as if she were desperately fighting back a sob. My head was resting against something incredibly warm and cushioned.
Her lap.
"So… I'm still dreaming, huh?" I muttered, letting out a weak, raspy laugh. "Seeing a daring little queen actually cry for me?"
"Shut up, idiot," Verixa snapped immediately, her voice cracking as a single tear finally spilled over her long lashes. "You're just a weak, fragile human… I… I didn't want a mere human to go and die for me."
"You're right," I grinned faintly, wincing as a sharp pain shot through my side. "I still feel that. Definitely not a dream."
Verixa sniffed loudly and turned her face away, muttering incomprehensible insults under her breath. Valkira knelt right beside us, her hands neatly folded in her lap, her expression composed but her shoulders visibly relaxed with profound relief.
"We don't have an official medic with us," Verixa admitted, looking down at her hands. "And neither Valkira nor I can use advanced healing magic. But thanks to Valkira's field experience, we managed to treat you enough to completely stop the bleeding."
"Miss Valkira," I said, forcing myself to weakly lift a hand toward her. "Thank you for saving my life. I really thought my isekai journey was about to end way too soon."
"It was my absolute honor to save you, Sir Zacken," Valkira replied, inclining her head in a deeply respectful bow.
"Wait—Sir Zacken?" I blinked, completely caught off guard. "Not just 'human' anymore?"
She shook her head firmly, a soft expression crossing her features. "You saved the Queen. To call you simply 'human' from this day forward would be a grave disrespect."
A genuine laugh escaped me, despite the dull throb in my ribs. "Well, if that's truly the case… then instead of formal titles, I think I'd much prefer a different kind of reward."
"A reward?" Both of them tilted their heads in identical confusion.
"Yeah. Valkira, switch spots with this brat. I'd much rather enjoy my youth lying on the lap of a beautiful, mature demon warrior… instead of a kid who only knows how to yell and shout at me."
"Wha—?!" Valkira's cheeks instantly flushed a bright, radiant red. She snatched her face away, completely flustered. "Idiot human! Who even says things like that aloud?!"
"You utterly ungrateful fool!" Verixa's voice screeched, her face exploding into a mix of pure irritation and embarrassment. With a huff, she reached down and aggressively shoved my head down harder into her lap. "After everything I've done to keep you alive, you still find a way to complain?!"
As I closed my eyes against the playful shouting, a small smile forced its way onto my face.
Yeah... maybe getting summoned by a demon queen isn't that bad after all.