The Villain's Retirement-Chapter 30: Duchy (2)

A few days later.

Pale stone walls gleamed beneath the sun, the vast city defenses of the duchy standing as wide and imposing as ever. Carriages rumbled along the stone-paved roads, passing through iron gates that opened into the palace grounds. Men and women clad in fine pourpoints and flowing kirtles moved with measured steps toward the grand hall, where banners bearing eagle crests snapped proudly from the towering battlements above.

Then—

In the grand hall, a young man stepped forward and sank to one knee at the center of the chamber. In doing so, the sunlight poured from white-stained glass windows and spilling across his face and catching on his long lashes, casting soft shadows that framed his features.

Above, one could see the ceiling arched high above. There were pale stone pillars etched with old crests and banners.

Behind him were rows of wooden benches packed with nobles in coats and dresses painted with ceremonial colors.

Every eye was fixed forward into the raised platform. Then onto him and the man standing before him.

Upon it, the Duke of Jian, Reynard Von Jian, stood in formal regalia, his presence heavy and unquestionable and behind him bore the dukedom sigil of Eagle and there a tall young handsome man with his slightly long hair tied neatly on a ponytail was kneeling before the foot of the dais.

"This hall recognizes merit above birth," the duke declared, his voice echoing cleanly through the chamber. "On this day, you are honored for delivering the citizens of a land ravaged by the demon race—ending their suffering and freeing them from further ruin and despair. Thus, in recognition of your great deed—"

He paused, letting the silence build.

"—in defeating of the demon lord who terrorized Salience, I grant you land and title. From this day forth, you shall be known as Lord Ard de Salience."

A murmur rippled through the hall.

Ard stood there, expression steady, while inside his thoughts lagged behind reality.

’...How did this happen?’

Apparently, slaying a demon lord carried enough weight that even a slave could be elevated straight into nobility. As to commoners, they may be granted land, a name, and a place amongst the ruling class.

Like those old friendly folks singing praises and exaggerated stories of heroes outside would say, there was no need to join the military, decades of service, or lineage. Just take up your sword and slay a demon lord.

Ard sighed inwardly.

Due to the former baron having no legitimate children and death, the laws of succession no longer applied. The title passed instead to the one who had saved Salience from the demon lord that had corrupted the previous baron.

So, who was the former baron or the corrupted human turned demon he had killed?

It was none other the the former Baron of Salience, Lewis Von Jian, who belonged to House Jian, one of the three ducal houses of the Lorynthia Kingdom.

As he received his sword from a familiar tall knight, Duke Reynard, sharing the almost the same features as the demon-possessed baron, studied the kneeling young man with a measured yet gentle gaze. He then lowered the blade, resting it briefly upon each of Ard’s shoulders in turn.

"May you rule your territory wisely," he continued, "and may Salience never forget the debt it owes you."

Ard bowed, because that seemed to be what one did in moments like this.

Inside, he could only think one thing:

When will he leave?

The hall erupted into applause.

"Long live, Baron Ard de Salience!"

"Long live, Baron Ard de Salience!"

--

--

--

Later, Ard found myself in the room the duke had prepared specially for—spacious, tasteful, and bright. He laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling as if it might explain how his quiet departure from the demon continent had somehow turned him into nobility. But in contrast to all the other absurd things that had happened after leaving the continent, this was nothing grand and just as absurd.

An hour passed.

Then the door opened.

A boy who looked no older than twelve slipped inside, practically glowing, and showing off his new outfit.

This boy has golden hair, blue eyes, and a slightly abundant amount of mana within him. Secretly, however, this child was actually an heir of who used to be the most powerful and feared existence in the world. He was a demon.

This boy was of course none other than Zayn. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Apparently, after his brief fight with Sileus, Sileus had not stayed any longer.

The fight itself was shocking enough—but what truly stunned the knights was what followed. Sileus bound Zayn to the creature with robes reinforced by dense layers of mana, then calmly stacked sealing spell after sealing spell upon him, as though even the slightest risk was unacceptable.

"What happened...?" one knight had whispered.

"Lord Sileus."

"Then," Sileuss only said and chuckled with the same easygoing expression.

By the time anyone realized it, the griffin was already airborne.

Zayn, terrified and barely able to breathe beneath the weight of the bindings, could only stare as the ground vanished below him. Then—just like that—it was over. They were gone.

Reinforcements arrived later and everyone travelled back to the Duchy.

The adventurers were rewarded beyond expectation—gold enough to weigh down wagons, promotions in rank, and public commendations. Right now, the members of the Iron Brigade were currently the lead party to assist with the rehabilitation and restoration of the devastated barony especially in clearing the demonic infestation in the area.

The knights, too, were formally honored—especially the fallen. The fall of a famed healer mage in Angelo also shocked the academy and military circles alike.

became a somber point of discussion, sending shockwaves through the academy and military circles alike.

Because of all these, adding on top that all the residents of the barony were either murdered or corrupted by demons including the Baron and Baroness themselves, the officials and the other noble families had placed sanctions and penalties on the ducal house.

The Patriarch of the Ducal House then heard of the unknown young swordmage—a traveler—who had helped them and ultimately ended up facing the corrupted Baron alone who had the same might as a demon lord, saving them all.

But then, for reasons no one could fully explain, that same swordmage had been taken away by the Archmage himself. From that moment on, the Duke had been in huge stress and politics while he had to mourn for the passing of his younger brother.

It was then that he had arrived.