Chapter 201 - 197: Assault
"Since you're all here, I wanted to tell you all something. I got the letters from all of you, inviting me to your Duchy for a visit. I have accepted all the invitations. Soon, I'll start the visits. The orders of the visit might be random or according to the letter that I saw first. I will inform you all of the time when it's decided. You guys can finish the preparation accordingly."
"I would also prefer to talk to the people of your Dukedom directly. Something like I did during the Coronation. I want to see and give my message to my citizens. You guys can arrange for an event like that," Ryder replied.
"Great, We would arrange everything, Your Highness," All the Dukes replied.
"Good. I'll also send some kind of message to the other Nine Dukes that couldn't be here for some reason. You can also inform them if any of you lives near their place. Anyway, the Twenty-Six of you can start preparation after going back since the visit will be very soon," Ryder nodded his head.
"That's enough about my matters. Since it's High Duke Oris' birthday, I..."
Ryder was speaking about something when there was an announcement of the arrival of a High Duke.
Ryder glanced towards the entrance of the Hall, and after some time, an older man walked inside with a younger boy. The young boy looked like he was in his early twenties.
Ryder recognized the older man as the strongest High Duke of the Demon Realm, High Duke Manga.
He still remembered how High Duke Magna tried to kill him the first time when he found out that he was from the Blood Demon Species, but he calmed down after the others intervened. That was before his official coronation when Ryder was just an unknown boy who came here to prove that he was a disciple of their King, but now he was a Prince. his position was equal to a High Duke in the Hierarchy.
His position was, in a way, even higher since he was able to use the Royal Command once as a prince, using that he could command the High Dukes to do anything. He didn't feel like he would need that, though. He wasn't going to wage war on the Death Domain or the Undead Region since he also liked peace.
"Old Man Oris, congratulations on another successful year," High Duke Manga let out as soon as he entered the Great Hall.
"Greetings to the Prince," He also greeted Ryder.
"Greetings to you as well, High Duke Magna. Who is this young boy with you?" Ryder inquired.
He was finding it weird that he was claiming a boy that seemed to be the same age as him like this, but because of his position, he was allowed to act like an older man.
"This is my kid. Introduce yourself, little boy," High Duke Magna looked at the young boy and said.
"Greetings, Your Highness. I'm Namag," The boy let out as he placed his hand on his chest and bowed his head lightly.
Even though Magna was a High Duke and he was allowed to skip the formality of bowing his head to a prince, Namag was only his son, and he didn't have that privilege. He had to follow the courtesy before the Prince. If Ryder were king, he would even need to get down to a Knee, while High Duke would've been required to bow his head.
The Demon Realm followed the hierarchy correctly. It was really important to them in most cases.
"Oh, Your Son. Nice. He does look like you," Ryder let out as he smiled.
"Take a seat," He told Magna.
Magna walked to the seat that was on the other side of Ryder and sat on it.
A chair was placed for Namag behind his father's seat since his position was lower than Dukes and the High Dukes. He wasn't yet allowed to sit beside them in the round chair formation.
His seat and the seat of the other Important people that were lower in importance than Dukes were sitting behind the one that brought them.
High Duke Magna had just seated when he was served the Wine. He took his first sip when another announcement was made of the arrival of another High Duke.
It was the High Duke that was in the third-ranking according to strength amongst High Dukes. That was a common perception, though. Since the High Duke hadn't fought in a long time, no one knew how strong they actually were. It was also a rumor that High Duke Oris had a possibility of being stronger than High Duke Magna.
The Third High Duke was called High Duke Mila. She was a beautiful High Duke that looked really young.
She was coming with another girl who looked like she was 18-19 years old.
High Duke Mila and the other girl stopped before Ryder and greeted him before they gave the birthday wishes to High Duke Oris.
"Who is this young girl? Is she your kid as well?" Ryder inquired.
Despite High Duke Mila looking super young, Ryder knew that she was probably as old as Oris and Magna. It was possible that she brought her daughter just like High Duke Magna brought his son.
"Not really. I don't have a kid. I haven't even found a man, so the kid seems impossible," Mila chucked as she heard Ryder's assumption.
"This is my Niece, Liasi. She is the daughter of my sister," She informed Ryder.
"Oh, I understand. Have a seat," Ryde responded as he nodded his head.
High Duke Mila wasn't even seated when another announcement of a High Duke's arrival was made.
Ryder already knew who it was since there was only one High Duke that was left.
It was the High Duke Eston, the Fourth High Duke.
High Duke Eston seemed like a middle-aged man who was very intellectual. Ryder had a good impression of Eston.
Ryder watched High Duke Eston coming with a young boy as well. The boy looked like he was 19-20 years old.
The boy's hair color was the same as the hair of High Duke Eston. He had light Green hair that came down to his shoulders.
'What is with all the High Dukes bringing a kid with them? Now all four of them have a kid with them here, whereas the Dukes came alone. Is this a tradition I don't know about?' Ryder thought with a frown.
"Greetings, Your Highness," High Duke Eston greeted Ryder. The young boy also gave the same greetings as he placed his hand near his heart and bowed his head.
"Happy birthday, old man."
"Happy Birthday, Uncle Oris."
After greeting Ryder, they wished Oris for his birthday.
"Greetings to you two as well. High Duke Eston, aren't you going to introduce me to this young man?" Ryder inquired as he glanced at High Duke Eston.
"This is my young boy, Nosam," High Duke Eston introduced his son.
"Oh, nice. Have a seat as well," Ryder responded to them.
They walked over to the seats as well and sat down.
Finally, everyone was there.
There were four High Dukes and Thirty-five Dukes in the Demon Realm. Except for nine Dukes that had to refuse the celebration invitation for some important matter related to their Duchy, everyone else was here.
One of the nine Dukes that wasn't here was Duke Wuxin Orisis, who was commonly referred to as Duke Wuxin. He was the Duke that had doubted Ryder's identity as the disciple of the King of Demon Realm and tried to take the Moon Scythe from him, but that only resulted in him getting poorly injured at that time.
Ryder wondered if the nine actually had some matter or were they just not willing to come. Still, Ryder had got the invitation from all the Dukes to visit their Duchy, and the nine were amongst them as well.
"Why is Rale not here?" High Duke Magna inquired as he noticed the absence of Rale.
High Duke Oris gave the explanation that Ryder had given him. Before High Duke Magna could follow up with another statement, High Duke Oris commanded the beginning of the celebration.
Floating tables appeared before them, and the servants started serving the food and even more wine.
*****
Far away from the Demon Realm existed the Undead Region.
One of the two strongest beings of the Undead Region was the Vampire King.
He was furious as he had found the existence of Demon Blood in the Valley of Wandering Souls, where Vampire General Viden had gone missing. He doubted the Demons, and now he was arranging to go to the Demon Realm.
"My King, are you really going to go alone? That place is dangerous. Please take our men with you. We can also talk with the forces of Death Domain if you wish to assault the Undead Region."
Vampire King was looking at a paper talisman in his hand when he heard a voice from behind him.