CHAPTER 27 (1): HUGE MISUNDERSTANDING

The next morning, Zeliker and Silvert woke early before the sky brightened and went for a run around the city. Zeliker has been doing the morning exercise since he realised he wasn’t strong enough. Silvert eyed him with a dumbfounded expression after hearing his complaints.

He quietly thought, if Zeliker feels he wasn’t strong, how about those who were a level lower than him. Stronger Zeliker means their gaps were getting much further. For that reason, he would come along to do the morning exercise along with Zeliker.

“Silvert, do you know that our ability has different levels of power?” Zeliker asked while they were on the way to return to the palace.

“Aren’t our powers based on our ranking?” Silvert was confused.

“No. I heard my father say before that I was only at the end of the Foundation Establishment Stage. I just remembered it now. Does that mean there were also stages for power? I wanted to ask him but I couldn’t get close to him. You know that… Right?” Zeliker's eyes slowly dim when he reminisces about something from his past.

“He means the king always avoids him or won’t see him if he wants to speak with him. Zeliker, I don’t know how to tell you. The king really cares for you but as for why he is avoiding you, I don’t know the reason… He always watches you from afar with deep thoughts. His eyes show so much concern for you but you don’t know any of it. And forgive me. I was silent by him and couldn’t tell you this.” Silvert apologised to Zeliker in his heart.

So, he smiled softly at Zeliker. “Maybe we can find the answer when we go to the Miko Kingdom later.”

“Hm, maybe you’re right. Who needs anyone to tell us since we have hands and legs to move and search for it on our own.” Zeliker returns to normal and speeds up.

Silvert followed from behind and he looked guilty at his prince. However, he had promised Nekruis to tell nothing of him to Zeliker, which was anything that Nekruis had done for his youngest prince and Silvert accidentally found out. He believes Nekruis will always love his children no matter how cruel he was to them. It’s part of their growing-up lesson.

Zeliker and Silvert meet with Xcerox, Gizelis, Nish and Trez. Trez wanted to see his friends in custody, so he had left the mansion after speaking with the teenagers. He wanted to know the reason for them being there and found out that they were all slaves. He was surprised again that they were rescued by Zeliker and Silvert. It seems he and them have the same life debt to make.

Then, Zeliker and his friends were called by a palace guard to meet Elamos once again. So, everyone went to the throne building. Elamos was seen sitting on his throne while Zelfon was standing beside him.

‘Ah, I forgot to ask Xcerox the reason for why he and Prince of Drick were having a dispute.’ Zeliker suddenly remembered something after seeing Zelfon.

He could see there was no longer a bright feeling coming from Zelfon’s eyes. It was cold and he looked expressionless at them like he was ignoring them. Before, Zelfon would show some feeling in his eyes but today, there was something different about him. Zeliker thought it must have something to do with yesterday's event where Zelfon gave the document for Xcerox to stamp on.

‘This can’t go on. If we want a peaceful environment, the first thing to do is to make friends not enemies.’ Zeliker frowns.

‘Who knows if this guy might turn to the bad side because of something between him and Xcerox.’

Zeliker couldn’t help but speculate because he had heard two demons' best friends from different demon cities have a dispute and end up making enemies with each other. Since they both were aristocraft and high-ranking demons, they would send low or mid-ranking demons to fight and assassinate each other.

Soon, one of them was dead and the other continued to live in triumph and satisfaction for killing his own best friend. This was something normal to happen in the demon kingdoms. The killing was normal everywhere there.

Zeliker doesn’t know if it happens to humans too but he doesn't want to see either Xcerox or Zelfon get hurt. He needs to talk with Xcerox after this meeting or Zelfon to find out the reason for Xcerox's grumpiness.

“Have you decided?” Elamos asked immediately after Zeliker and his friends bowed toward him.

“Yes. I will do it.” Zeliker answered with determination.

Elamos was glad to hear it and turned his head to Zelfon. Zelfon nodded at him and walked toward Zeliker. He stops and brings out a ring from his waist pouch and gives it to Zeliker. His eyes stare straight without looking at anyone else. After Zeliker received the ring, he went back to stand beside his father.

“The ring has a dimension bag in it. It may not be useful since you could have your own dimension storage for demons but the trust emblem for our kingdom is inside with a gift from me. Have a look at it later. Now, do you need anything else from me, Prince Xcerox? You can stay as long as you want here.” Elamos turns his sight to Xcerox next.

“No, Your Majesty. Thank you so much for your hospitality. We will return to Eskimos tomorrow morning.”

Elamos nodded. “Please send my regards to your father.”

“Alright, Your Majesty.”

“You’re dismissed. If you want to look around the city, you can take Zelfon to be your guide.”

Zeliker could see both Xcerox and Zelfon flinched by Elamos suggestion. Who could have thought that Elamos would propose such a thing?

‘Wait, could it be that Elamos knows that his son has a dispute with Xcerox? It must be. If not, he won’t recommend his son to show us around.’ Zeliker thought quietly.

Before Xcerox could refuse or Zelfon wanted to make an excuse to his father, Zeliker quickly spoke up.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. Prince Zelfon's guidance will be helpful to show us around. Who knows if there would be exquisite items that may need his help for a recommendation.” Zeliker smiled sweetly.

Huh?

Xcerox and Zelfon were dumbfounded. Both know that they don’t need each other at all because Xcerox already knew the city like the back of his hand. He had come here frequently when he was younger so there’s no need for Zelfon to show them.

As for Zelfon, he had an experiment he wanted to do and he didn’t want to meet Xcerox or get close to him anymore. Who knows if Xcerox would give more cruel sentences than before. He had enough pain from the latter words. His heart couldn’t take any more abuse from the misunderstanding that had no way to patch up.

Yet, Zeliker sentences destroy the refusal they wanted to make.

“Splendid! Zelfon, please show Zeliker and everyone around the city. I’m sure you can help Zeliker find memorable products he can bring back. After all, this is his first time coming to our kingdom. Treat them well, understand?”

“Erm, yes, father…” Zelfon had no choice but to follow Elamos' will.

He walked toward Zeliker again. “Do you want to go now?” He asked Zeliker but did not look at anyone else again.

Zeliker nodded. “Please guide us.”

“Alright, this way, please. Guard, go tell the ranch to ready the horses.” Zelfon walked toward the door and ordered one of the guards near it.

“Yes, Your Highness!” The guard saluted and quickly left the throne hall.

Afterwards, Zelfon bowed to his father and led Zeliker and others to the palace yard.

“Zeliker, I don’t like him.” Xcerox grit his teeth with annoyance on his expression.

“Reason?” Zeliker stayed normal while following Zelfon who had stood far away from them.

“Erm…” Xcerox went silent.

“Xcerox, I can see that Zelfon used to be your friend. Why are you no longer friends with him?”

“This… Sigh… In the past, my siblings and I, including Zelfon, had another friend. His name was Elgarb. He went missing when we were little. Elgarb's home was burned down and the only clue we had was that Zelfon’s pearl bracelets he wore were scattered nearby. There was an abandoned horse carriage with Drick totem on the carriage door…” Xcerox explained.

He also took a deep breath. “At that time, in the south of our kingdom, we had a war with the Entenoa Kingdom. But, no one knows if the enemies have a scout ahead and reach toward Elgarb village which is the southeast of Antonia. There were traces of fighting and dead bodies that belonged to Drick palace guards and the enemies...”