HETT Chapter 29

“Tell them I’m not here, Belle!”

The number of people who would visit the Empress’s Palace was limited.

Hills, Royden, Bianca? It was probably one of the three.

She thought of Zion, but he would allow himself in.

He was the kind of person who didn’t have the word ‘permission’ in his brain, always barging in as if the door was broken.

Sorry, but if the guest was one of those three, it was enough to see them next time.

Arundel buried her face in the pillow and closed her eyes.

But then,

Bang-!

“Arund… no, Your Majesty the Empress! It’s difficult if you leave us standing at the door like this!”

Hills, who had opened the door with a bang, cried out as if he was upset.

Ah, that useless guy.

But he said ‘we’…?

It seemed there was another unwelcome guest.

“Your Majesty the Empress, we were so worried when you suddenly disappeared yesterday!”

Bianca came in one after another.

“I’m here too.”

And then there was Royden.

Was it a group visit to the sick, what was this strange combination?

She wanted to bury herself in the blanket and let go of her senses, but she couldn’t ignore them who had visited her in a group for her sake.

Arundel forced herself to sit up.

“Ahaha, hello. What brings you all here?”

“Of course, we came because we were worried after the Empress collapsed yesterday!”

Hills said excitedly.

“I also rushed over as soon as I heard about yesterday’s incident!”

Bianca also seemed worried, clutching her skirt tightly.

‘Who told Bianca…’

Arundel glared at Hills and Royden in reproach.

“I didn’t say anything.”

Royden quietly denied it, shaking his head, and Bianca cheerfully explained.

“Ah! I heard it from the Crown Prince! I met him around the end of the party.”

That damned demon.

Arundel looked at Hills with suspicious eyes, wondering if he had told Bianca about yesterday’s situation.

“The Crown Prince said that the Empress had a fever and collapsed, and he took her away. I was so surprised then!”

At Bianca’s continuing words, Arundel was relieved. Fortunately, it didn’t seem like Hills had said anything unnecessary.

“So, did His Majesty the Emperor take good care of you yesterday?”

“…..”

“…..”

“…..”

There was a moment of silence at Bianca’s innocent question.

‘Why are they looking so stiff when I’m just embarrassed to say that I slept in Zion’s room yesterday?’

Arundel looked at Hills and Royden, who were stiff.

As the silence showed no signs of breaking, Arundel opened her mouth first.

“He took good care of me yesterday.”

“That’s a relief! But there’s a strange rumor going around.”

“What rumor…?”

There was an uneasy atmosphere.

“They say that the Empress and the Emperor spent the night together yesterday.”

“…”

“People are really bad. The person just took a sick person and they’re saying they spent the night together. Anyway, everyone is so naughty.”

“…That’s right.”

“Huh?”

“I slept in His Majesty the Emperor’s room yesterday…”

Arundel confessed with a resigned feeling. It seemed like everyone already knew.

Bianca, thinking she had made a slip of the tongue, hurriedly covered her mouth.

The atmosphere was already irreversible.

‘Bianca is one thing! Why do you guys keep looking so dark!’

Before they could misunderstand further, Arundel hurriedly added an explanation about this situation.

“But don’t misunderstand! He just…took care of me.”

“Huh…?”

“Nothing happened like people are thinking!”

She resented yesterday’s situation for making her explain so much.

In fact, it wasn’t strange because she and Zion were a couple on the surface.

But she didn’t like the idea of untrue things being spread as true, and above all, she didn’t like Hills thinking that way.

It was as if,

‘You’re just a boring angel who is faithful to your desires. You’re no different from a demon, are you?’

He seemed to be laughing at her.

“I see…”

For some reason, Bianca looked a little regretful. But Hills and Royden were the opposite.

The clouds on their faces had all cleared up and it seemed like the sun was shining.

“Of course! I believed in Arun… no, the Empress. She wouldn’t mix with such a rascal!”

Hills’ expression was cheerful, but his words were quite direct. At his colorful expression, Arundel’s face heated up for a moment.

“I’m glad you look well.”

Royden, who was next to her, finally smiled. It was the usual gentle look of Royden.

“We should go now. The Empress seems to be very tired.”

As expected of Royden…!

He seemed to have noticed that she was tired of this situation.

“That’s right. We’ve confirmed that the Empress is safe, so we’ll go now.”

“Ah! I have something to talk to the Empress about.”

At Bianca’s words, Hills hurriedly spoke. But Royden grabbed Hills with a firm expression.

“…If the Emperor finds out that you two talked, he won’t be pleased.”

He was right.

If it was found out that Hills and she were together again after the commotion yesterday, Zion might really kill Hills.

It wouldn’t matter if that demon got killed, he wouldn’t die anyway, but it would be very difficult if the crown prince of another country died.

I don’t want a war to happen because of me. That would be game over.

“…Then shall we talk next time?”

At Arundel’s words, Hills looked sullen.

But… soon Hills’ face brightened again.

‘That guy… what is he thinking.’

At the suspicious reaction, Arundel narrowed her eyes.

However, Hills surprisingly obediently joined Bianca and Royden.

“I’ll see you in the library when you’re healthy, Your Majesty!”

“See you next time.”

Bianca and Royden said their goodbyes in turn.

And Hills winked at Arundel before leaving.

‘…What.’

Arundel was momentarily taken aback.

But her bad mood was only temporary, she could generously forgive Hills’ ridiculous behavior.

It was the moment she had been waiting for. As soon as the people left, the bustling bedroom became quiet in an instant.

Arundel lay straight back on the bed and closed her eyes to fall into a nap…

****

Tap-

A strange sound came from around her.

Feeling as if something was there, Arundel was extremely annoyed. Can’t they just leave me alone!

Arundel got up with an annoyed expression and looked around.

“What…what is it!”

But a strange figure appeared in front of Arundel’s eyes.

It looked like a ghost, transparent, but the refracted shape indicated that something was there.

Arundel was startled and stuck close to the wall of the bed.

But something unknown was gradually approaching.

‘…I don’t care!’

Arundel resorted to the method she always used when she was in a crisis.

That is, throwing a punch.

“Cough-!”

The ghost made a sound and revealed its form. As the shape gradually took on a human form, Arundel frowned.

A pretty man with dark blue hair.

“Hills!”

“…Your punch is quite spicy, Arundel.”

Hills coughed and spoke.

“You scared me!”

“Ahaha, I thought Arundel might be in trouble earlier, so I sneaked in.”

“What’s with the ghost-like transformation? Did you use magic?”

“Yeah. This level of magic is easier than eating soup.”

Arundel glared at Hills, who always seemed to have high self-esteem.

“I have something important to tell Arundel about yesterday.”

“Yesterday? If it’s about yesterday, I have a lot to say too! You, you said you would help me, but you almost ruined everything!”

“Sorry, but I couldn’t help it yesterday.”

“Huh… It’s a thing of the past, but if you act emotionally like that again, I’ll never see you again.”

At Arundel’s words, Hills looked shocked.

“…Yeah.”

“So. What do you want to say?”

“I thought I could easily beat that guy yesterday.”

Another self-praise.

She thought, but seeing Hills’ rather serious expression, Arundel decided to listen for now.

Hills’ eyes were serious.

“That guy. He definitely doesn’t have human power. Even though I’m in a human body, there’s no human who can oppose me.”

Really, then you’re not weak, are you…?

Arundel had doubts deep in her heart, but she swallowed her words. If she said it, he would definitely be upset.

“And that guy. He didn’t recite any spells. I’ve never seen that before.”

So, what do you want to say? Hurry up and say it.

Arundel muttered to herself.

“I might have been fooled by Mannheim. This matter may not be as simple as I thought.”

“…Yeah.”

That’s a rather unpleasant thing to hear. It’s complicated enough as it is.

Arundel knew what Hills wanted to say. She had clearly seen Zion’s monstrous power with her own eyes.

But,

“I don’t care if Zion is an alien or an experimental subject. I just need to complete my mission and go back to heaven. That’s it.”

“…But I’m worried about Arundel.”

“You don’t have to worry. Just as you are the great demon Hills, I am the Archangel Arundel.”

Arundel waved her hand as she spoke.

But then,

Thud-!

The wrist she was waving was caught in mid-air by Hills.

“What…what is it. Let go.”

Arundel was tense at the sudden change in Hills’ demeanor.

But the other wrist was also caught by Hills.

Both of Arundel’s wrists were caught by Hills and she was spread out.

“Let… let go!”

“Arundel… I know how strong Arundel is.”

“…”

“But now you’re so weak. You can’t even get away from a human man.”

“…”

“You’re too weak.”

Arundel’s face turned red with shame.

“If you don’t let go in three seconds, I’ll really kill you.”

As Arundel growled, the strength left Hills’ hand.

Thud-!

As soon as her wrists were freed, Arundel hit Hills hard in the solar plexus.

“That’s punishment for just now.”

He bent over from the sudden attack. But soon he stood up with an unaffected expression.

“I don’t mind getting hit by you as much as you want. But I wish Arundel would be more careful.”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Do you know?”

Hills’ expression darkened a bit.

“I’m talking about the fact that a demon has started to appear near the capital of the Croyden Empire.”

Arundel had heard a similar story from Zion yesterday.

The reason he had been so busy lately was because demons had started to appear near the capital and the cults that worshiped such demons were reviving.

“Be careful. They might be targeting Arundel.”

Hills, who reminded her of the fact she didn’t want to think about, was hateful, but his words were right.

Thinking rationally, it was not a simple matter to think about.

There would probably be many demons targeting her weakened self, and the body of Empress Irina could not retaliate at all.

The situation he had staged earlier was too much, but Hills was sincerely worried about her.

‘Did I go too far…’

Thinking about it, she had been too cold to Hills so far.

Of course, Hills had done something wrong in the past, but she couldn’t hate him forever for that.

‘Right, I’m an angel.’

Reminding herself of her forgotten status, Arundel opened her mouth.

“…Thank you.”

“Hmm, don’t mention it. I should go now.”

Whether Arundel’s thank you was embarrassing, Hills was restless and got up from his seat.

Hills cast a transparency spell again as if to leave. Hills, whose body was gradually becoming transparent, spoke belatedly.

“You don’t have to worry about that kid.”

“What?”

“We talked this morning.”

“How did you resolve it!”

“We made a peace agreement.”

“What? Speak more clearly…!”

In the end, she didn’t get an answer.

Hills’ body became transparent and disappeared.

‘Peace agreement…?’

Thinking of the two who were like natural enemies, it was an unbelievable conclusion, but it was a great relief.

At least the possibility of a war breaking out due to an absurd incident was eliminated.

‘Come to think of it, Hills is going back soon.’

In two days, the crown prince would return to the Shalbon Kingdom. Of course, she didn’t know where Hills’ main body would go.

Arundel regretted a little that she had hated Hills so much since he came.

At first, she thought Hills had come to take advantage of her. But not now.

She suddenly remembered when he had serious eyes that were light and playful.

‘Don’t hate me.’

It was a condition he had asked from Arundel in return for checking Bianca’s magic talent.

Originally, demons do not ask for such ambiguous rewards. Hills really wanted her not to hate him.

Just now, he was sincerely worried about her. But she had hit him twice.

She felt guilty.

‘…Strange guy.’

Unnecessarily sorry.

Arundel, who was looking up at the ceiling, closed her eyes quietly.