Reborn As A Maid

Chapter 163: Chapter 163 - Draven’s Fear ( Part 2 )

The Hall of the Seven Generals remained silent.

Nobody dared to utter even a single word.

The invisible pressure emanating from Noctis still pressed on all Demon Generals with an incredible weight. Although he had already pulled back his power, numerous cracks started to spread in the floor of obsidian where Draven kneeled.

The third Demon General remained kneeling.

His severed hand still bled slowly.

His head still lowered.

Not because he had been ordered to do so—but because he no longer had the strength to stand before the Lord of the Seven Generals.

Noctis still stood behind the enormous map of the continent, turning his back to everybody. He calmly observed the glowing indicators showing locations of kingdoms, ruins, and ancient battlegrounds.

Several moments later, Noctis finally turned towards the assembled Demon Generals.

"Draven."

Black Warlord responded immediately. "...Yes, Lord Noctis."

"When you fought Jennie Queens—what did you see?"

Draven closed his eyes. He tried to recall that battle. The way how she wielded her sword. Her serenity. How Excalibur, Leviathan, and Tempest worked together in perfect harmony.

Then he spoke. "I saw the Sword King."

"No," Noctis shook his head.

That one word resounded across the hall.

"You saw only the surface."

Noctis slowly turned towards all the assembled Demon Generals.

His crimson eyes passed across every single of them.

"You think Jennie Queens is our greatest danger." He stared straight at Draven. "She isn’t."

Expressions of confusion could be seen on some of the Demon Generals’ faces.

Even Morgatha frowned. "If not the Sword King, then what threatens us?"

Noctis raised his hand. Three symbols started to glow above his palm—a golden sword, a blue sword, and a silver sword. Excalibur. Leviathan. Tempest.

These symbols started rotating.

"They are."

Every Demon General remained silent.

Noctis continued speaking. "During one thousand years the Divine Swords remained scattered. Separated. Dormant. Therefore, the resurrection of the Demon Emperor became possible."

His voice remained calm.

"But now—"

Suddenly, the three symbols merged into a single radiant sword. The whole hall lit up as if from an explosion. Even though that was an illusion, it made the demonic fire to flicker with rage. Several lesser demons collapsed in the corridors outside of the hall.

Noctis looked at the shining sword. "This... is our true enemy."

Azrael quietly crossed his arms. "So you reached the same conclusion."

Noctis nodded. "The Sword King can be defeated. The Divine Blade cannot."

That statement resounded in the hall.

Lokiar slowly stood up. "I don’t understand. It’s still only one girl."

Noctis looked at him. "Exactly. But... three Divine Swords already chose her."

Lokiar fell silent.

Noctis dismissed the illusion.

"The Seven Divine Swords have their own will. They can’t be stolen. They can’t be forced. They choose."

He looked towards Draven. "Tell them."

Draven hesitated. Perhaps for the first time in centuries he felt ashamed.

At last, he spoke. "I killed Luka—the bearer of Tempest." He clenched his fist. "The sword didn’t listen to me. It didn’t obey my orders. It flew... to Jennie."

The hall fell silent again.

Grom growled quietly. "So even murdering the bearer of the sword failed."

"No." Draven answered bitterly. "Only gave her another sword."

Noctis nodded once. "Exactly."

He started walking around the hall, his footsteps echoing inside.

"You still don’t understand. Murdering her companions. Destroying villages. Attacking kingdoms." He stared at every single General. "All that doesn’t weaken her."

On the contrary—it made her stronger.

Azrael quietly smiled. "Just as Leonis did one thousand years ago."

Noctis stopped in front of Draven again.

"Why did Tempest choose Luka?"

Draven frowned. "...I don’t know."

Noctis answered for him. "Because he protected others."

"Why did Tempest choose Jennie?"

Silence.

"Because she inherited that heart."

Noctis slowly clenched his fist.

"You fought her with hatred. She fought for protecting other people. You had already lost."

These words hit Draven harder than any physical attack.

His fight with Jennie was decided before the first stroke of the sword.

Not by the force—but by conviction.

Morgatha broke the silence. "If the swords will continue gathering... what will happen?"

Noctis answered immediately. "Astraeus awakens."

This name alone made the hall to tremble. Even ancient runes inscribed in its walls started glowing.

Lokiar swallowed nervously. "So the legends are true."

"They are."

Noctis started approaching the enormous stained-glass mural depicting the Great Demon War. At its center stood the Demon Emperor Zuko. Opposite him—an ancient Sword King Leonis.

Noctis looked at the mural for several moments. Then he quietly said, "The world remembers Leonis as a hero who imprisoned the Demon Emperor."

Then he turned towards the others. "They remember wrong."

Confused expressions appeared across the hall.

"It wasn’t Leonis alone. It was Astraeus."

Silence.

Even Azrael looked surprised.

Noctis continued. "Complete Divine Blade had authority above gods and demons. It injured beings that should have been immortal. It cut the fate itself."

His crimson eyes darkened.

"If Jennie unites Astraeus—the Demon Emperor’s resurrection..." He paused. "...will lose its meaning."

For the first time since his awakening Noctis showed a hint of urgency.

Not out of fear—but out of calculation.

He led armies for more than a thousand years. He always knew when a battle started going against him.

That was the moment.

He looked towards Draven. "You wanted to kill Jennie."

Draven lowered his head. "Yes."

"Mistake."

Noctis’s voice remained calm. "What if there will be another bearer? And another? And another?"

At last, Draven understood.

Even if Jennie would die, the Divine Swords would simply find another bearer.

The true danger was not a single person.

It was the reunification of the Divine Blade itself.

Noctis nodded slightly seeing understanding on Draven’s face.

"Now you see. Our enemy is not Jennie Queens. Our enemy..." He looked towards distant human continent. "...is the gathering of the Seven Divine Swords."

At last, every Demon General understood.

For centuries they hunted heroes. Kings. Saints. Legendary warriors—while ignoring the ancient relics sleeping under the ground.

Now these relics were awakening. Choosing masters. Gathering.

The balance, created after the Great Demon War was falling apart.

Noctis raised his hand. A new map of the continent appeared in front of every throne.

Six bright spots were shining on it. Three of them were shining brightly—Excalibur, Leviathan, and Tempest. Four other were faintly blinking somewhere far away.

Noctis looked at them with firm determination.

"The next phase begins now. We won’t chase the Sword King anymore. We’ll hunt destiny itself."

The illusion disappeared. Silence filled the Hall of the Seven Generals.

But every Demon General understood that the war had changed.

It wouldn’t be decided only with armies anymore.

The future of the world would belong to whoever will gather the remaining Divine Swords faster.

Above the center of the Hall of the Seven, there was a map of the whole world which glowed with a soft light.

There were seven spots of light across the globe: Excalibur, Leviathan, Tempest, as well as some other spots whose locations could not be disclosed.

Noctis stood in front of the map with his hands folded behind his back.

Every Demon General watched him silently.

Atmosphere was totally different now than several minutes ago when the conversation was about Jennie Queens. Everything had changed, though.

For worse.

Noctis slowly raised his hand and made Jennie’s image disappear with a gesture.

"Noctis!" Draven protested. "But the Sword King..."

Noctis did not even cast a look on him. "I’ve said everything I needed to say," he replied. "Our main enemy is not Jennie Queens. It is this..."

He pointed at the remaining four spots. "These fragments are sleeping now. They have no masters. They have no alliances. Once they are awaken – they will choose."

Azrael nodded. "As usual."

"So..." continued Noctis. "If Jennie awakens them – everything is over."

Nobody dared to make any comments.

Not even Grom.

"I guess we don’t chase the girl anymore?" Lokiar asked.

"No. We give her less priority," replied Noctis. "That is the difference."

Once again, he made some gesture – and now dozens of red spots were scattered all over the map.

Ancient ruins. Abandoned temples. Collapsed kingdoms. Sacred forests. Volcanic caves.

Unspoiled places which were not visited for centuries.

"The remaining Divine Swords are hiding in the places which are lost for the history. Many of them are protected. Some are sealed. Others are waiting for the masters."

His voice sounded coldly.

"And we shall find them first."

"And if we do?" Morgatha stepped forward.

"We destroy all the seals. If the sword cannot be claimed – we bury it. If it cannot be buried – we guard it. And if it cannot be guarded – we assure that no master can reach it."

The Demon Witch smiled. "I understand."

Draven slowly rose up from the chair, still feeling the consequences of his defeat. "My lord, if I meet the Jennie again..."

"You retreat," replied Noctis and looked right into his eyes.

It was an unusual reply for everybody there.

Draven blinked. "... Retreat?"

"Yes. If the defeat delays your mission – you fail it."

Even Draven was stunned.

Retreat? For hundreds of years, this word had never been accepted for a Demon General.

But now the Demon Emperor himself had said that!

"Commander who ignores the strategy in favor of the pride is unfit to command," Noctis explained seeing their confusion.

His look stayed on Draven. "You wanted the revenge. You forgot about the war."

These words hurt much.

Draven lowered his head. "... I understand."

It was not just an apologia. It was an acceptance.

Noctis started moving towards the window of the Hall which opened views on the whole Demon Continent.

Beyond the fortress, there were millions of armies assembled. There were many wyverns circling above black towers. There were siege beasts roaring on volcanic fields. Millions and millions of warriors waited for an order.

The most powerful military force of all times in demon history was ready to fight.

But Noctis did not plan to waste them in the reckless attacks.

He remembered the Great Demon War.

"I was granted with the command, since I know that victory is not synonymous with destruction," he told, not turning back.

"I do not need to conquer all the kingdoms. I need to prevent one sword to turn into seven."

Azrael smiled. "The simplest answer is always correct one."

Noctis nodded. "Exactly."

Then he turned back and addressed all the Generals.

"I will assign missions to each of you."

"Grom."

Beast King took a step forward.

"My beasts will be sent into the action immediately. You will search the northern wilderness and the frozen kingdoms. There will be no shrine which will stay unexplored."

Grom gave a hard strike of the fist to his breast. "It will be done."

"Morgatha."

The witch gracefully inclined her head.

"Send your familiars to every human kingdom. I want every legend, every prophecy, every old information about the Divine Swords."

She smiled. "Knowledge is my favorite weapon."

"Lokiar."

Illusionist twirled his dagger.

"Infiltrate the royal courts. Spread the false rumors. If the heroes chase the wrong legends – they waste their time."

Lokiar laughed. "Delightful mission!"

Finally... Noctis turned his face to Draven.

"Western campaign is over. You will not lead another invasion."

Draven remained silent.

"However, you will lead the Shadow Legions from now on. These legions exist for only one purpose. Locate the remaining Divine Swords."

Draven bowed low. "I accept."

The assignments continued until all the Generals got theirs.

None of them included the direct chase of Jennie.

Instead, the whole Demon Continent would start looking for the remaining Divine Swords.

The operation covering the whole world began.

When the conversation seemed over, Azrael asked. "My lord, and what if Jennie locates one of the swords before us?"

The whole chamber became silent. All the eyes of the Generals fell on Noctis.

The Seventh Demon General answered coolly. "We adapt."

"What if she gathers five?"

"We adapt."

"What if she gathers six?"

Again. "We adapt."

But then... Noctis became hard-nosed.

"But if she gathers seven..." Even Noctis had to pause after these words. "... then there will be no room left for mistakes."

Slowly closing his hand, he made the magical map disappear in a second.

"The era of the hunting heroes is over. The era of hunting the Divine Swords starts today."

His voice resounded in the fortress.

"Every legion. Every spy. Every servant. Every monster. All the resources under demon control... will be used for one mission only."

His crimson eyes burned with the unbreakable determination.

"Prevent the creation of the Seven Divine Swords."

Outside the fortress, the war horns were blown in the Demon Continent.

The orders flew from one fortress to another. The messenger wyverns filled the air. The ancient monsters were awakened. The spies inside the human kingdoms received the orders.

The biggest search in the history began.

Farther away, under the peaceful southern sky, Jennie, Roxy and Snow continued their journey unaware of the fact that they are not the main target of the demons anymore.

Because the whole world became the battlefield.

As the race of finding the remaining four Divine Swords had just begun.