Chapter 329: Stygians

'I knew perfectly well that that idiot would come looking for me at any moment.'

Ryan thought with immense heaviness as he held the communication relic in his right hand. The metallic artifact emitted a slight magical hum while the border guard's voice echoed throughout the throne room.

'But I was absolutely sure that I would first resolve the matter with the demon king's son before having to deal with these heroes.'

Ryan let out a very deep and extremely tired sigh after hearing the detailed report through the long-distance connection. While he processed all that information, the women of his group remained very attentive around him.

They listened closely and commented out loud about who the mysterious group could be. Of course, due to the clear and detailed visual description the guard gave, they identified him quickly.

They knew very well that it was William, the arrogant and solitary S-rank hero. But the demon guards at the border failed to identify the other three strange companions traveling with him.

'Now that I think things through much better, this could turn into a disaster. If William is right here walking through my territory, and Demon King Rohan decides to come for his son right now...'

Ryan quickly analyzed the worst possible scenario in his mind as he looked at his lively group of female warriors. Ryan pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers, feeling a strong headache coming on due to the sudden stress.

'Or worse yet, if that king sends his son Igniel as his official messenger for the exchange... shit.'

He knew perfectly well the history between Igniel and William; the solitary hero swore to kill Igniel for being the cause of his comrades' deaths.

'Those two idiots would try to kill each other instantly with all their magical power if they happen to cross paths in the halls of my castle. The biggest problem is that I couldn't stop them both without severely injuring them with my abilities.'

'And if I severely injure the emissary from Ignis, that could quickly be considered a dirty trap on my part.'

That would completely ruin the fragile truce that Lise had just achieved with immense effort and patience in the enemy capital.

Ryan looked toward the ceiling of the hall, getting completely lost in his preemptive thoughts.

'Being king is much more annoying and stressful than I initially thought.'

With that frustrating thought in mind and letting out another very heavy sigh, Ryan ordered them to bring William to him immediately. He instructed the border guards through the relic that they should not initiate any unnecessary combat against the blonde hero.

Although the guards would bring him quickly using the enormous and fast giant wolves as mounts to cross the thick snow. Ryan mentally calculated the great distance and determined that they would arrive at the castle by late afternoon or nightfall.

With that direct order confirmed, Helen, Mirian, and Karol exchanged looks full of pure hostility in the center of the grand hall.

The three human girls remembered very well their first and only encounter with William in the distant castle of Lunar Veil.

They began to aggressively conspire among themselves, muttering about the immense arrogance of that supposed hero. The three warriors stated with great certainty and venom in their voices that they would not show him even a bit of mercy this time.

They clearly stated that if William dared to move a single muscle in a threatening manner, move a finger, or even sneeze in front of Ryan, the three of them would give him a massive beating right there in the throne room.

'How exaggerated and violent they are sometimes.'

Ryan thought upon hearing their bloody and detailed assassination plans, showing a slight, forced smile because of his group's immense loyalty.

But Ryan had already come up with a brilliant idea to avoid getting into more trouble and to prevent a bloody massacre in his own home. He mapped out a mental plan to prevent whoever the emissary of Demon King Rohan was from coming face to face with William at all costs.

And feeling much calmer with that quick strategic solution, they continued with the grand meeting of the magical weapons delivery.

The only warrior of the elite group left to receive her new equipment was the dragon, Lise.

But the demon master blacksmith explained with a respectful bow that there were not enough materials left from the beast to forge something worthy for her. Lise required an extremely specific and complex weapon that could very well process the wind element and the cold of ice.

Those were her two natural affinities, and Rigal's pure concentrated power was not entirely compatible with that magic.

However, Alisa and the exhausted artisans did not leave her completely empty-handed in front of her talented companions.

Lise was given a beautiful and resistant special combat outfit that perfectly adjusted to her sensual curves when she was in her human form.

That clothing passively protected her against the dangerous mana theft by cunning enemies on the battlefield.

And that complex defensive mechanism worked without any problems due to her own constant wind magic feeding the runes.

Lise caressed the soft and resistant fabric with a radiant smile, highly satisfied with the final result and the weaver's great effort. Then, once absolutely everyone was satisfied with their intimidating new weapons, Ryan took control of the room.

He continued his important official speech right where he had left off before the annoying interruption from the border.

Ryan explained with an unwavering tone of voice that, because the human church had its annoying holy knights.

And the other demon kings of the world have their sentinels to maintain absolute control of their vast territories.

Then his own varied elite group would play extremely important and structured roles to ensure the future of the kingdom of Kowarre.

It had been implicitly decided a long time ago by their daily actions that Mirian and Helen would be the personal escorts. They would be Ryan's shadows, always staying by his side in any kind of situation.

Alicia would continue to maintain her vital position as his main assistant and direct right hand in boring administrative matters.

The dedicated beastwoman had more than proven to be as supremely beautiful as she was immensely lethal when duty required it.

Beatrice, Karol, Chloe, and Irina would not be left behind, and they would form separate groups with very specific and highly necessary tasks for the nation.

Beatrice and Karol would form an intelligence and assassination group.

Irina and Chloe would be in charge of dangerous exploration and terrain reconnaissance missions. With Irina's new power, she was given the task of locating dungeons.

And Lise, with all her dragon power, would be officially named as the eyes of the entire nation.

With that detailed and strict clarification of individual tasks, Ryan looked at each of his loyal followers with immense pride shining in his eyes.

Ryan specified with a loud and very clear voice that from this precise and marked moment on, they would all be Kowarre's fearsome main force.

They would all be known throughout the territory under the official title of the Stygians.