Twelfth Night Ember and the Void Witch

"Oh, I never remember things that don't concern me very clearly."

"..."

Polyphonia's face was incredibly pale, cold sweat unconsciously ran down her forehead and back, her delicate red lips were cracked, and her body trembled slightly.

She looked as if she had seen something terrifying, with a frightened expression.

"Mr. Kaido, what's wrong with my mother?"

Seeing Polyphonia's unusual state, everyone except Mr. Kaido became anxious.

"I just showed her something she wanted to see; she'll be fine."

Mr. Kaido didn't use any authority or magic, yet the magic, far more immense than that of a True Ancestor, was enough to make the "knowledgeable" Queen tremble.

Soon, Polyphonia awoke from the medium's vision.

At that moment, she truly believed what kind of existence the seemingly unremarkable man in front of her was.

There are many strange things and secret arts in this world.

For example, many ancient magics could confuse a person's consciousness and eyes, using illusions to make the false seem true.

But the Lihavain family's medium ability could easily discern illusion from reality.

If Mr. Kaido were merely a charlatan specializing in illusory secret arts, Polyphonia could have distinguished him in an instant.

However, her human instinct told her that everything was real.

According to the information the Royal Family possesses, there were once gods in this world.

However, compared to the divine figures she saw through the medium's vision, there was a difference like that between a morning star and the moon reflected in water.

And this was an existence capable of slaying gods like a mortal.

Polyphonia didn't wipe the sweat from her forehead; she immediately turned to Mr. Kaido and said, "I am so sorry, please forgive my previous disrespect towards you."

"Polyphonia, what... what's happening?"

Her husband, Lucas, didn't understand what had happened.

"Sigh..."

The Queen of Aldikia sighed inwardly.

She didn't know why this "god," or rather, "Godslayer," had come, nor did she know what consequences his arrival would bring to Aldikia.

She even believed that, in this world...

Polyphonia had reason to believe that the True Ancestors were absolutely insignificant before him.

"Forgive my presumption, but could you tell us why you came to our country?"

"Simply traveling here, recording some interesting things about this world."

The demon girl's book would record Mr. Kaido's experiences as text and images, so he wasn't wrong.

Although Feizerinu said she was merely a theater-loving witch who liked to watch plays, she repeatedly reminded him not to forget her name.

Perhaps... when everyone forgets the existence of that Movie Witch, certain things might happen.

"If it were possible, we would provide you with the best tour guide."

"No need, you don't have to worry about me. I'll just stay in Aldikia for a while and then go to other places."

Mr. Kaido shook his head.

His contract with La Folia was merely a whim, and judging by the current timeline, the main plot of the original story hadn't even begun, so for both emotional and logical reasons, he wouldn't stay here for long.

After all, Itogami Island in the far east was the core of the entire story.

"Alright, if you have any needs, you can tell me anytime."

Polyphonia nodded.

After realizing that the other party had a status superior to a True Ancestor, her attitude had already changed.

From the previous conversation and his attitude towards La Folia, the other party was someone approachable.

He held no grudge; on the contrary, he showed favoritism to her daughter. If the Royal Family could forge a friendship with him, it would have an extraordinary effect on both the continuation of the royal bloodline and the maintenance of the nation's current stability.

Polyphonia thought extremely quickly and soon came up with countless ideas to win over Mr. Kaido.

From La Folia's behavior, it was evident that her daughter didn't dislike this man. Perhaps...

*Hmm, she needed to have a good talk with her tonight.*

---

The capital was exceptionally quiet at night.

The usually bustling streets appeared somewhat deserted; of course, "deserted" here referred to the contrast with the festive atmosphere of the past.

After the vampire attack on the Royal Family in broad daylight, everyone knew who was responsible.

However, without evidence, even the Royal Family couldn't cause trouble for that group of vampires.

But according to online leaks, the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Aldikia sent more troops and new equipment to the border adjacent to the War King's Domain.

And in contrast to these actions, deep within the Royal Palace, in a luxurious, women-only bathroom, the current Queen was watching La Folia play in the water in front of her.

Her expression was somewhat hesitant, and she asked with slight doubt: "Can you tell me how you met that adult?"

The Royal Family's guards were extremely strict; not even True Ancestors could quietly sneak into the current Princess's bedroom.

Although she had already learned about Mr. Kaido's origin through her medium ability, La Folia was her daughter after all, and she and Lucas were doing everything they could to protect her.

And La Folia, as they expected, grew up healthy and happy into an excellent princess.

In due time, after Lucas abdicates, she will be fully capable of serving as Queen of the Kingdom.

But La Folia was still too young.

Even though she had shown proper royal dignity and talent in multiple exchanges with foreign leaders, she was now facing not ordinary people, but a "human" even more powerful than a True Ancestor.

Unrestricted by laws or nations, a solitary individual possessing extremely powerful force, his sudden appearance forced them to be extremely cautious.

"When I woke up in bed at noon, I saw him, Mother. I know what you're worried about, but rest assured, if that adult had wanted to harm me, he would have been able to do anything to me during that time."

La Folia's tone was neither humble nor arrogant, and her expression was filled with confidence and fighting spirit.

She wasn't a sweet, naive girl who would fall head over heels the moment a man's imposing aura appeared.

"Mother, I can clearly feel his goodwill towards me. As long as my safety is guaranteed, I will do my best to earn more of his trust."

"Today's incident makes it clear that the mastermind must be those vampires from the War King's Domain. Although our Kingdom of Aldikia's national strength is enough to handle most problems, we are still somewhat powerless against a True Ancestor."

"If we gain his help, the Kingdom of Aldikia will no longer have to worry about the First True Ancestor's pressure."

Beads of sweat slowly slid down La Folia's beautiful face. Her words exuded absolute confidence, which greatly pleased Polyphonia.

The Queen's expression softened slightly, and her worry significantly lessened.

"Since you've said so, I will also fully support you."

After speaking, there was a moment of silent contemplation, then Polyphonia mused: "Putting other reasons aside, what do you think of that man?"

"Although his speech and demeanor are approachable, he should be someone who has held a high position for a long time..."

"No, no, I meant something else..."

La Folia was stunned for a moment, looking at her mother's gossipy expression, the girl's face couldn't help but blush, and she replied indistinctly, "He's... he's alright..."

---

### Kingdom of Aldikia, Royal Capital.

The morning sun reigned over the land, bringing life back to the city, which had been silent all night. Since ancient times, the sun has been the supreme object in the human heart, dispelling cold, bringing warmth, and leaving darkness without refuge.

However, the sun, so praised in many civilizations, was not very welcome to Athena.

Although the sun is one of the origins that nurtures all things, the goddess who governs the night would never like the feeling of sunbathing.

This was a hall used by the royal family to receive their honored guests. The interior decoration was of the highest quality, with luxurious furnishings and a decorating style from master artisans. Soft velvet carpets covered the floor, and there were some high-tech electronic devices that even Mr. Kaido didn't know how to operate.

The overall technological level of Blood Strike was undoubtedly far more advanced than that of the Godslayer World.

If it weren't for the power of a Godslayer by his side, he would now be like a country bumpkin who had just entered the city.

A charming maid had delivered breakfast a short while ago, and after Mr. Kaido teased her a few times, she ran out with a blushing face.

He turned on the enormous LCD television, which was broadcasting local news.

Mr. Kaido leaned back on the sofa like this, using a knife and fork to cut the steak, which was said to come from the rear thigh meat of a valuable magical beast, and then brought it to his mouth. Beside him was a glass of sparkling white wine called "Silent Ship," but after taking a sip, he felt it wasn't to his liking.

He then called Athena to get a bottle of happy water from the refrigerator.

Compared to the bitter and mellow taste, he preferred happy water, simple and direct.

The Chaos Empress established by the True Ancestor, a special administrative region mainly by demons and the gods who disappeared thousands of years ago...

The goddess looked up at the sky. The information she received through special means made Athena understand that she was no longer in her original world.

Her curiosity about the other world made her quite satisfied with Mr. Kaido, but she had some dissatisfaction with the seemingly existing gods in this world.

The God-cursed bloodline could hold a place in this world, while the elder gods only existed as legends in textbooks.

*How pathetic!*

Just as Athena was despising herself, two hands reached out from the side, pinching the goddess's small face and gently pulling it left and right.

"Don't always have such a stern face. Give me a smile."

"..."

Athena remained expressionless, some black lines appeared on her forehead, and her eyes grew even colder.

"Tsk..."

After a while, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

Through the contract connection, he knew who was outside the door.

La Folia wore a pure white dress and white silk stockings, her high heels matching her hair color, making her look saintly and radiant.

She had been very close to Mr. Kaido during this time.

Mr. Kaido knew what La Folia was thinking, but he didn't care.

Having a purpose was a good thing; it would be a problem if she approached him without any purpose.

"Mr. Kaido, the information you asked me to investigate has been found. Suspicious elements belonging to the Black Death Emperor Faction are said to have shown signs of appearing in the Republic of Malta."

A few days ago, Mr. Kaido found her and asked her to inquire about the "Black Death Emperor Faction," which advocated for the "Supremacy of Beastmen."

Although she didn't know why, with the capabilities of the Aldikia Kingdom, investigating such matters was very easy.

---

La Folia behaved very appropriately, possessing both the nobility of a princess and the playful spirit of a young girl.

After all, the Silver Princess wasn't yet as cunning as she would be four years later. Although she was more preco

cious than ordinary people, how much malice could a thirteen-year-old girl have?

After being discovered, La Folia no longer presented herself with a formal smile. Except when in front of her family, only when with Mr. Kaido could this Silver Princess drop her serious princess facade and regain the appearance fitting her age.

Besides deepening his relationship with this little princess, Mr. Kaido's remaining task was to ascertain where the current plot had progressed.

In the original work, La Folia first appeared when she was seventeen.

Now she is thirteen, meaning the timeline he descended to is four years before the official plot begins.

Itogami Island four years ago.

The central Fourth True Ancestor.

If these two terms are put together, it's easy to associate them with the beginning of all future incidents: the Banquet of the Flame Light.

For this world, the Banquet of the Flame Light was the guiding principle for everything. Whether it was the three True Ancestors who never appeared, or the Lion King Agency, they all had various relationships with the Fourth True Ancestor.

---

The information La Folia brought was crucial.

The executives of the Black Death Emperor Faction appearing in the Republic of Malta most likely meant they had found the sleeping place of the legendary "Host of Twelfth Night Ember."

Though there were no prequel scenes in the anime, Kaido, having read the novel, remembered it very clearly.

The sleeping beauty, sealed for thousands of years, the existence known as Twelfth Night Ember, was slumbering on an island called Gozzo Island in Malta.

"Looks like I have to leave."

Kaido sighed softly.

Life in the Kingdom of Aldikia was undoubtedly quite comfortable, but he couldn't stay there forever.

Besides, he was long accustomed to the high-class life in Godslayer World, so he didn't have much attachment to this place.

Well, except for La Folia, the clever little princess.

"Leave... leave? You're leaving?"

Hearing Kaido's murmur, the princess, who was originally sitting at the table watching the black-haired youth, suddenly panicked.

"Is it... is it because I made you angry? If I did anything wrong, I'll definitely change!"

Spending days together had made this princess truly enjoy playing with Kaido.

Listening to him tell the story of the Demon King slaying Gods Heretic and making goddesses kneel was one of La Folia's favorite parts.

She could even vividly imagine the magnificent and epic scenes in her mind from Kaido's words.

Later, the princess learned that this was a power called Word Magic.

"It's not about you, La Folia. Leaving is simply my intention. After all, always staying in the same place would be too boring, wouldn't it?"

In this world, Erica and Liliana didn't exist, only a thirteen-year-old loli.

He couldn't do anything he liked to pass the time this way.

You can't expect him to manipulate a thirteen-year-old loli, right? Doing something like that would be too degrading for a Godslayer!

"Well..."

La Folia pulled back the tears that were about to overflow and pursed her lips.

Of course, she knew how boring it was to stay in the palace all day, which was why she often coerced Knight Justina to go out with her and conduct "incognito visits" in the capital.

"But is Malta very interesting?"

The princess tilted her head and asked.

"To be precise, very interesting things will happen. I may be considered a passing traveler, but how can I not go and see?"

Kaido gently stroked La Folia's small head.

After a moment, the princess's pretty face was covered with a flattering smile.

"Then... can you take me with you? I've never been abroad in my life."

"You're only a thirteen-year-old child, what do you mean by 'growing up'?"

Kaido was speechless. At that age, he was still in middle school in his hometown.

He never dared to think about traveling abroad.

"Please... I definitely won't hold you back, I'll be very good."

La Folia immediately launched a cute and coquettish offensive.

"Sure..."

"Really?"

The princess was overjoyed, but before she could jump happily, she was sent back to hell by the next sentence.

"But first, I have to ask your parents their opinion. If they don't agree, there's nothing I can do."

Kaido shrugged.

"Dad and Mother definitely won't agree to me leaving..."

La Folia was extremely frustrated. The international situation was quite severe. If her secret departure were discovered, there would undoubtedly be constant trouble along the way. For security reasons, and even more so for traveling abroad, she was forbidden from leaving the palace.

"Then there's nothing I can do..."

Kaido expressed his helplessness.

There will definitely be battles this time, and the current La Folia is just a burden besides being a bit cute.

"Hmph... you still call yourself a Demon King, but you can't even manage to snatch a princess. And isn't it just because I'm too young?"

La Folia sadly turned her face, and the soft murmur was entirely intended for Kaido to hear.

The clever princess had long heard how wonderful the outside world was. Now, she longed for Kaido to show his power and forcefully take her, the princess, away.

*Pa.*

He flicked her forehead.

"A Demon King who kidnaps a princess isn't for taking her on a trip."

Kaido couldn't help but laugh.

"You should stay here obediently. When you become a reliable adult, when your parents can no longer control you, then tell me that sentence again."

"I know."

La Folia didn't continue to pester him without reason. Being a little headstrong might increase the Demon King's valuation of her, but being unreasonable without considering the occasion was completely courting death.

"You'll see, I'll definitely be more outstanding than you expect."

"I look forward to it, and then I'll prepare a small gift for you."

"Okay!"

La Folia happily nodded in response.

Soon, a plane departed from the international airport of the Kingdom of Aldikia, heading for Rome, Italy.

There were no direct flights from Aldikia Kingdom to Malta, so they could only fly to Rome, Italy first and then transfer.

This was the fastest and most convenient route.

"I didn't expect the second location to be Italy. I feel like I'm back."

After getting off the plane, Kaido stood in the crowded airport, looking at the familiar tall buildings in the distance.

"Nonsensical nostalgia."

Athena's disdainful voice came from his mind at just the right moment.

"You can't say that. Without a place of origin, where would it come from? Besides, the planet we live on isn't the original Earth in a strict sense."

The world of Blood Strike is quite peculiar.

In this world where demons and humans coexist, today's humans are descendants of invaders from another space.

A completely different human history from another world can actually develop the same civilization; it can only be said that a certain "Great Will of the Universe" is secretly "manipulating" it.

Italy in Blood Strike isn't very different from Italy in Godslayer.

If he had to say, he'd say there were many more non-human auras.

Undoubtedly, those that give Kaido the sense of being alien are demonic creatures.

"In any case, let's go stroll around other places first; I kind of miss the bacon spaghetti Liya used to make."

After finishing speaking to himself, Kaido took a taxi to the main city of Rome.

After getting out of the car, before he could walk a few steps, black car drivers and enthusiastic Latin American beauties approached, asking if he needed help.

However, Kaido wasn't interested in these "ordinary people." Especially when he spoke fluent Italian, several drivers who wanted to rip him off had to leave dejectedly, while those girls' eyes grew even brighter.

"Being too handsome isn't necessarily a good thing."

Such a sentiment was naturally despised by Athena.

At least from her aesthetic point of view, this narcissistic man could only be said to be... passable.

Fortunately, the map of Italy appearing here wasn't different from the one in his memory.

Therefore, after Kaido politely refused the people trying to strike up a conversation, he easily arrived at a very famous local restaurant.

The interior decoration wasn't considered very luxurious, but it was full of exotic local culture, and the biggest advantage was that it was quiet—after all, loud voices abroad aren't lesser than those in China.

If you meet some black moms, they'll let you see what real racial talent is called.

"Give me one of everything on the menu."

After dismissing the waiter, Kaido comfortably leaned back on the sofa.

After leaving the Kingdom of Aldikia, to better operate, he also didn't forget to ask La Folia to help him create a false identity, as well as activity funds.

In this regard, the royal family's help could be described as quite generous, so Kaido's living conditions hadn't declined in the slightest.

Athena originally wanted to sit across from him, but Kaido forcibly kept her by his side.

The goddess who knew this guy's nature just glared at him, then began to eat the cake in small bites.

"Didn't you say on the plane earlier that gods don't need to eat things?"

"Nonsense, mortals' food naturally cannot satisfy my appetite, but it can at least allow me to recall the taste of these offerings."

The young goddess's tsundere stance was undoubtedly revealed.

Kaido smiled and ruffled her long hair, and under the other party's angry eyes, he began to eat the various delicacies on the table.

The combination of a man and a woman sitting in the corner of the restaurant attracted many people's attention. Whether single or not, women glanced over from time to time, but more men secretly gazed at Athena's quiet figure.

Athena has rare long silver hair, and while her small figure is far from comparable to a plump woman, she has an extraordinary appeal, coupled with her delicate and beautiful face and her distant and elegant temperament. In this country known for its enthusiasm, such a woman is definitely outstanding.

At that moment, many people turned into lolicon, envying Kaido who was sitting with Athena.

And among all those envious people, there was a small, straight black-haired girl who looked about twelve or thirteen years old.

Judging by her face shape, she had a very outstanding appearance and was a beautiful girl with a very different style from Athena.

Her doll-like face, delicate and upright, gives people a sense of tenderness, but at the same time, it also conveys a bit of maturity, especially the majesty and nobility when she sips black tea, which is even more pleasing to the eye.

The girl's skin is as white as milk, and her black gothic lolita dress and black stockings covering her tiny feet create a strong contrast with her.

Maturity and cuteness coexist.

"It would be great if I could bring that child home to be a housemaid."

The black-haired, tender-faced girl thought that in her heart.

However, she quickly discarded that unrealistic idea and began to sigh about her trip to Europe from the Demon Zone in the Far East.

She originally wanted to take advantage of the rare vacation during school breaks to get some good rest, but a phone call from Chaos Empress interrupted her original schedule.

This made her impression of that Vampire drop by tens of points in her heart.

Though it was originally a negative number...

And Kaido at that moment also noticed the black-haired youth sitting alone in the corner.

After carefully comparing her with the image of that legal loli in his mind, he quickly confirmed the identity of the long, straight black loli.

Natsuki Minamiya.

One of the heroines of Blood Strike, on the surface she's an English teacher at Caihai Academy 7 on Itogami Island, but in reality, she has multiple identities as a National Mage Attack Officer and the Void Witch.

Her magnificent Space Control Magic makes European demons tremble in fear.

"I didn't expect to meet Natsuki-chan here..."

Kaido muttered to himself; staying in Rome was just for nostalgia, but he accidentally stumbled upon Natsuki Minamiya.

"...Let's go say hello first."

After thinking for less than three seconds, Kaido raised a wine glass, got up, and walked in Natsuki Minamiya's direction.