Reincarnated in a Shounen Manga

Chapter 206: Others Growing Strong

To say that I was having a good day would be an understatement of epic proportionsthings were finally turning my way. Despite lingering anxiety that something might suddenly ruin everything, a part of me remained unconcerned, trusting Carpy to handle security.

I noticed Wis seemed absent-minded, so I snapped my fingers, pulling her out of her stupor. She looked at me and smiled, "Ah, sorry, today has been a bit of a long day."

In response, I sipped wine, masking any expression on my face. There was an unusual hunger in Wis' eyes, a greed typically associated with someone who desired to hold the world in their palms.

Nonetheless, there was no reason for suspicion at the moment. Perhaps she had simply realized that life as a ruler wasn't as glamorous as it seemed, restricted by the watchful eyes of the Exorcist Clans.

"Whatever is on your mind, you can tell me," I reassured her.

She stared at me, desperation flickering in her eyes, and confessed, "I really want to be you."

That was a strange statement, and Wis realized it too. She nodded at me and walked away. "Excuse me, I have to go and talk to some of my other subjects."

Her peculiar behavior extended to the way she spoke as well. It could be attributed to the weight of responsibility sinking in or some secret held by the royal family that was affecting her. After all, I had eliminated the King, leaving her with no one to seek guidance from about any secrets the family might have.

This revelation worried me, as I was unaware of any secrets the royal family might possess. Nevertheless, as a long-standing ruling family, they were likely to have some hidden knowledge, even though they were forbidden from learning Ord.

"Why are you smiling so much? Your face looks odd when you do that," Ellen chimed in, interrupting my thoughts. "Did aging up twenty years mess with your brain?"

Bringing up an exorcist's lost lifespan was in poor taste. However, Ellen and I were close friends, and she probably understood why I had taken that drastic step. After all, she was the one who would heal me after our training sessions. "No, I just wanted to ensure that next time you use your special ability on me, you can't claim ignorance of my real age, Pedo Exorcist."

She frowned, looking ready to hit me, but closed her eyes for a couple of seconds before reopening them. Her calm demeanor indicated that she had grown wiser. If it was before, she wouldn't have calmed down so fast, even if she knew I was teasing her.

Ellen's unique ability involved healing through kissing someone, it also emitted a seductive charm aura that she couldn't control before, which she now seemed to have mastered. There was a slight increase in her Ord, but aside from that, Ellen remained the same person I trained with a year ago.

However, personal power alone wasn't a reliable indicator of a Master's strength; their primary combat abilities resided in their demons. With the drawbacks of her ability eliminated, there was only one logical conclusion: she had somehow evolved her Lovers Demon into an Ultimate Class. Being capable of fusion with her demon was no longer a trivial matter.

She now probably had more demons to compensate for her weaknesses, unlike me, who was limited to just one.

Who among us would win in an all-out fight?

Her demon had given up its self-protective nature, which hurt those who harbored certain emotions. Yet, having shed its nearly invincible defense, it likely acquired an overpowered ability.

Considering that the demon's power operated on the premise of love, it was reasonable to assume that it possessed some formidable abilities, given that this was a shounen.

"You called me here if the lousy priest started trouble, and now you mock me?" she retorted, her tone harsh.

I shrugged casually. "Well, I'm not lying, am I?"

She narrowed her eyes, but her lips betrayed a hint of amusement. It was difficult for her to maintain a serious expression because she knew me better than most. After spending considerable time together, she understood that my insults held little weight, particularly when delivered with a smile.

"So, how's the world treating you?" I inquired.

Adjusting to a life outside the confines of the forest couldn't have been easy for her. Considering she had spent years isolated since twelve, it was understandable if she harbored social anxiety.

"Pretty okay," she replied, and I dropped the subject after seeing the look in her eyes.

Despite our propensity to tease each other whenever we were together, I genuinely cared for Ellen. She had been an invaluable ally, always offering assistance without prying into the origins of my inexplicable knowledge.

In a peculiar way, I even tolerated her occasional flirtatious tendencies toward me. Which bordered on stranger-danger territory. Still, I would never let her forget those instances, because that's what friends do.

"So, do you think the priest might be thinking something crazy?" I asked her, glancing at Hierophant, the 5th-ranked exorcist. He possessed a pretty strong special ability, and he was the one I was most worried about here. Though there was no shortage of dangerous people at this party.

"No, he seems normal. But beneath that, I sense deep despair, loathing, and a trace of murderous intent, but not directed at anyone here," she stated.

Oh, she could sense emotions so deeply? Well, technically her demon could, and it relayed that information to her. But it was still impressive.

As if reading my mind, Ellen turned toward me and smirked. "You're feeling surprised, foreboding, happy, and a tinge of murderous intent for anyone who dares interrupt your plans."

The last part was probably just her guessing, but overall, she was right. It seemed like she had grown considerably on her journey and could probably stand side-by-side with me.

Later, I should propose the Avalon Expedition plan to her.

I looked around, making sure to lock eyes with any of the wolves in here who were hiding their claws and getting ready to strike as soon as they got the chance.

Maybe leaving someone here to look over Wis would be better than having an extra hand with me. Avalon Island was a death trap either way, and it would be a shame if Ellen were to die there.

...

The ceremony proceeded without any notable incidents. I mainly kept an eye on the Kuro Clan Head and the Raion Clan Head engaged in conversation. From the outside, they seemed friendly in their interaction. However, anyone with knowledge knew that these two clans were at each other's throats, as each aimed to become the leading clan in the country.

In the opposite corner of the room, Natalia and Delia exchanged glances, further fueling my suspicions about their relationship. There was something peculiar going on between them.

During the afterparty, the nobles approached one by one to swear their vows. I stood by Wis' side while this happened, with the royal guards stationed in each corner of the room.

It was a deliberate show of power for me to be closer to the princess than the Royal Guards. It was a message to anyone outside the inner circle that I had emerged victorious. It was also a warning. If they refused to submit, they would face dire consequences.

Fortunately, there were no peculiar incidents after everyone pledged their allegiance. I was relieved I hadn't invited Agon, as that would inevitably stirred up some strange trouble.

"Ladies and gentlemen, as the newly crowned queen, I would like to make an announcement," Wis suddenly declared. I tensed up by her side.

What? This wasn't part of the plan.

"As all of you know, my path to the throne has been arduous and filled with pain. It was marked by a river of blood flowing alongside the road," she said.

Everyone looked at her strangely. While the royal battle was widely known, it was an unspoken rule not to mention it directly, especially for a royal family member.

Wis glanced at me and a genuine smile blossomed on her face. Without hesitation, she announced, "I would like to express my gratitude to my fianc, Kon of the Dark Sword Clan, for supporting me throughout this journey."

I almost choked on my spit when she said that and coughed.

Why did she say that? We could have used her not being engaged to our advantage!

Enemies of the country might have considered marrying their sons to her before attacking. Ambitious individuals would have thought of marrying her before resorting to violence. Even if she didn't actually marry, the mere possibility of marriage could have deterred some enemies.

However, since it had already been said and there was nothing else I could do about it, I simply nodded in response to the shocked faces of the people around me. Instead, I resolved to think of a plan and make the best of this situation.

For now, I should act confidently and show I wasn't afraid of enemies.

...

After everyone said their goodbyes, only a few people remained, and I was escorting Wis to her bedroom when my mask broke. It was here that I felt comfortable asking Wis, "Why did you say that?"