The Demon Lord Is An Angel
Chapter 304: Unsaid Words

Chapter 304: Unsaid Words

As the journey back to Norneau began, Kir stood on the deck of the Riverleaf, safe in his restored disguise as Professor Kiryu Nasumi.

After the battle it had taken hours of tugging on his bond with Stella to summon her to the small island on which he made his landing. She’d arrived with a retinue that included a Chancellor Lumin so furious the old hag had come out the other side to a sort of zen-like patience. One thing Lumin made clear was that their deal still stood, even when he threw down the suitcase at her feet and declared that he was going to break Norneau away from the idea that gold was money.

When she asked "What the Hell does that mean?" the only thing he said was "Watch." Her silence was all the answer Kir wanted, and she gave it. That, or as Kiryu put it, "Why piss off the living nuclear bomb she just hitched her fortunes to?"

Kir was angry at at how things turned out, and thinking through the contradictions it might introduce to his Ghostheart persona had been unpleasant. But regardless of what he wanted, the reality was that he would need to stop being Ghostheart for the near future if he wanted those he was leaving behind in Amrita to be safe.

Kir found himself sharing Kiryu’s cynicism when it came to the people he was now involved with. He didn’t have a good impression of Quilliam, and Imogen seemed sincere but comfortable where she was.

From Imogen, he learned the druid controlling the tree was likely Princess Tulia Anmes, who was bonded to the great spirit of the world tree.

Kordia had much to say about feeling the mana shifting through the world tree, and she showed great concern for Kir, especially after learning about his encounter with Rainier’s brother.

Despite the Prince’s threats, Kir was able to work his way back into the city, once Quilliam came through with a new ring. Until then, he lay low by camping out in the woods further north.

The sudden disappearance of the richest vault in the city was covered up, with the King claiming that after a fire the gold was safely relocated to the palace and that the Kingdom would handle and protect banking directly until the Heavenswar passed.

Wanted posters for Ghostheart went up all over the city, with a truly staggering hundred and fifteen orichalc offered for him, dead. Seeing this, the already few demonkin in Amrita started withdraw from public life as the lives of their menfolk came under threat, with the wealthier ones leaving the city entirely.

These were all effects that Kir saw as he lay low and conducted his field trip properly with Lumin’s supervision. Imogen took the lead on behalf of his abolition goals, pumping anti-slavery brochures and Ghostheart comics into the academic and public spheres through anonymous backchannels.

He undertook no further missions as Ghostheart, until at last it was time to leave. The night before, he struck at the Syndicate-owned plantations and quarries near Thun Laita, a large village almost centered between Amrita and the east coast of the continent, and far to the south. He would need to plan appearances further south, if not somewhere else along the lake. But that would have to wait as he established himself amidst the new duties and plans he was making for Norneau... He just hoped Stella and her collective would be fine. She said she would visit...

"Are you alright... Professor?" Kordia asked, sliding up to Kir at a respectful student-teacher distance.

"I could use a hug," Kir confessed, looking backward quickly to confirm there was no one of concern to watch for. "I don’t like leaving Stella and her people here with Imogen."

"Do you wish she accepted your offer?" Kordia asked, lowering her voice. "I for one will be a little happy to have you to myself for a bit..."

Kir smiled at the sentiment and at her. "There is that... but I think she made the right choice... and who knows, maybe looking after the people in her orbit will help her mature a bit."

Kordia snorted in disbelief. "If she starts acting all motherly I’ll eat my tails."

"I never said anything about her being a mom."

"Gods help that child if it comes to pass," Lumin said as she approached from behind, her hands behind her back. "Though I rather liked her once I got to know her and she stopped trying to flirt with me." "I sent the students below."

"Chancellor," Kir greeted.

"Professor," she greeted back. "I wanted to share a revelation I had earlier, one that resulted from a research scroll given to me by Quill. You would find its subject fascinating, given your heritage." She produced the very scroll and handed it to him. "Don’t read it here. The gist of it is that for all that there is much fear and hatred surrounding the metatron, but beneath all that is a truth... that they are agents of change."

"Are you telling me now that the world needs to change? I’ve understood that for a long time, ever since I tried to find my place in it."

"Hah. I’m not so senile I think I know what the world needs. No, I’ll leave that to you. I just wanted to share with you because there is... an argument forming, within my circle of friends. We are old, and we’ve grown this way through caution and cunning... but now there are those who want to start moving things along. Imogen is one, and even if he’s grumpy about secrets, so is Quill..."

The way she so freely talked made Kir look around him, and he realized that he was unable to hear anything going on from behind, as Lumin had surrounded the three of them in an invisible dome that kept their noises in and those of the bustling ship out.

"I have seen you fight harder than any youth for what you want. In one year you have survived trials that would have killed even a seasoned mage... and for all the trouble you bring with you, I can see your potential... Which is part of why I wish to trust you more than I have been doing."

"How so?"

Lumin reached into her storage and produced a stack of documents. "Your mothers’ letters. I collected them while you were... indisposed in that dungeon. I never found the right time to give them to you, and at times I considered it punishment deserved for some of your troublemaking. But I’m past it now."

"You’re past it... You were keeping these from me, the whole time?"

"I am sorry," Lumin said, looking him in the eyes.

Hearing an apology from her, as well as this display of humility, was unexpected enough that Kir’s emotions began to unravel from their tense state. He was still angry, but he also knew he had far more to be concerned about, and at least she was trying to fix her bad, if not petty, decision. "We’ll talk about this later." He shoved the letters and the scroll into his storage.

"Understood," she said, taking the hint. "I appreciate your patience... I hope you can appreciate the restraint I’m showing despite feeling like you’ve aged me another century."

Kir watched her go before returning his attention to the lake and Kordia.

"I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Lumin apologizing," Kordia said, her hand almost touching his as she also leaned. For a long moment, she shared the newfound silence with him. "Do you think Rain will get your message?"

"I hope so... I hope that wherever he is, he’s happy. Just like I hope all of us will be together again one day."

"We will," Kordia promised. "I’ve finally decided that I want to make us work... at least you, me, Rain, and Stella. Even if I still have to marry... even if I wind up bound to my home..." Her pause dragged out for al long time. "I think... now that we know something about what you are... how alone you are... I think you need love... and I do. I mean... I love you. I have for longer than I’ve been willing to just admit it. I don’t want to lose you like we lost Rain. I don’t want to wind up looking back and saying ’We could have been us.’ I wish I’d just asked, ’Will you m-’"

Kir took Kordia in his arms and kissed her, not caring who was watching, and she returned his affection almost instantly.

"Kir!" Kordia was in full blush as she pulled away, jabbing him in the chest with her fingers.

Reaching up he took her hand, lacing their fingers together, and smiled.

Words could not express how happy he felt.

Kordia’s ears tilted forward, and her tails wagged, and he finally found his words.

"Sorry, I couldn’t help it. You’re just so adorable..." Kir said as they parted a bit more. "What were you going to say?"

"N-Nothing!" Kordia stammered. "I’m just... Don’t think I’m letting you get any more sleep once we get back!" If she’d said what he thought she’d meant to... they’d have to be a lot more cautious going forward. He wanted to spare her that, for as long as he could.

Kir laughed. "Alright. You don’t have to say it if you aren’t ready." His eyes glittered with the same intelligent wit that had drawn her to him, long ago when she’d first drawn him in at the gates of Norneau.

He leaned in.

He looked Kordia in the eyes...

"One day I will," she said.

"I love you too."