The Demon Lord's Bride (BL)-Chapter 722: Reconstruction needs a lot of money, you know

After the announcement, I gave them two hours to have breakfast and make a decision. Whether they decided to leave or to stay, they had to declare it by submitting their residential documents to our agents.

While waiting for the process, we also had our own simple breakfast at the palace; on the balcony of the ballroom where we could see the plaza and a portion of the city. When I left earlier, the princess was immediately talking to some of the people, discussing what they should do going forward.

I had no idea what she was telling them, but I could still see a small congregation with the princess at the center. Seeing their reaction earlier, it seemed like this girl was the type of royal who actually touched some grass. They could even talk easily with her, which meant she often went out of the castle to mingle with the general population.

Seemed like she was a real people’s princess.

"Did you tell her to do it?" I asked Natha while snacking on sliced fruit packed by Mara as dessert.

I mean, it was so perfect. I had already planned to let them stay, but through this dramatic event, it seemed like I truly gave them grace. Well, it also helped that I was seriously angry before. It wasn’t my intention, but they probably thought I would really kill them.

This was good, though. With this, I could ascertain her standing among the citizens, and whether or not she could be a pillar for the humans who decided to stay.

But again, it was so perfect. Last I remembered, she was inside the palace with the treasurer. If she wanted to go to the plaza, she would have to go through the shapeshifter and, of course, Natha.

"I told her to do what she had been thinking about," Natha replied while wiping the berry juice around my lips.

"Huh?"

"She had been thinking about it--begging, I mean," he explained. "But she was second-guessing herself, maybe out of habit, so I told her to just do it," he paused and winked. "At the right time, of course."

See? I couldn’t help but chuckle at my crafty husband. "Her heart seems to be in the right place, don’t you think?"

"Yes," he glanced at the plaza. "I have to admit, your plan to make him a leader figure for the human citizens is a good one."

"Hehe!" I grinned proudly.

"And you were so cool earlier," he leaned closer, slipping his hand around my waist while leaning down, whispering above my ear. "So sexy."

I looked around in flusters to make sure no one was around before glaring at him. "Hey!" I smacked the naughty demon, only for him to laugh against my neck.

"It’s fine, isn’t it? The kids are not here."

Indeed, my little companions were taking their time exploring the city--even Ignis. Still!

"We’re in public, my Lord," I hissed.

That didn’t really work, since he still went ahead to kiss my cheek. Oh, well...I guessed cheek was acceptable. Just two seconds later, however, Natha clicked his tongue and turned his head toward the door.

"What is it?" he asked before the person could knock.

Heraz cleared his throat and replied behind the closed door. "There’s this...lady, who had been begging to see Young--I mean, Your Majesty."

The usually nonchalant shapeshifters sounded helpless. It had been almost an hour after the announcement, and I could imagine this ’lady’ had been crying and begging in front of the shapeshifters all this time.

When we let the lady in, I understood why Heraz couldn’t stand it anymore. The lady did look very miserable. Her hair was messy, and while her clothes were of decent quality, she looked disheveled. There was also a bruise on her face.

I had wondered if she was faking it, but her energy level was way too low for that. "Y-Your Majesty..." the woman, perhaps in her thirties, was trembling on the floor. Just like the young princess, she immediately kneeled in front of me.

"Speak."

"May I...may I stay too?" she spoke with a tired, but desperate voice. "I swear I won’t make any trouble. I can work in anything, I can work for anyone. I don’t mind being a servant to another race, Your Majesty, just..." she hugged herself, clutching her arms tightly as her voice turned hoarse. "Please...please don’t send me back with...with them..."

Natha narrowed his eyes. "Aren’t you the Consort’s lady-in-waiting?"

Instead of answering, the lady looked up and shaking harder, before bursting into tears. She sounded so miserable that even Natha looked sympathized. I glanced at him and he nodded, meaning she was not pretending.

"I understand," I sighed. Since the servants were being detained, the Prince’s wife must have called her lady-in-waiting to serve her and vent her anger while at it. "You may stay. Go and serve the young princess...well, I guess we can call her Lady Selene now."

If they could abuse their daughter in front of us, gods knew what they could do to other people they deemed beneath them. Yeah, I could see it clearly when the lady burst into tears again, but looked much more energetic.

"T-thank you! Thank you so much, Your Majesty!" she gave me a deep, deep bow before running out like a bride escaping the altar from her abusive groom.

Well...how should I say this? I was glad that not everyone was rotten in this place. A lady-in-waiting should come from a noble house, right? But to think she was willing to become a servant...she must have been enduring a lot of abuse too.

Haa...what a rotten royal couple. I was also glad to kick them out of this place.

"How’s the condition outside?" I asked Heraz since he was here anyway.

"Around one-third seemed to decide to stay," the shapeshifter replied. "But it’s not two hours yet, Young Master."

Hmm...not as much as I thought, considering the protest I heard earlier.

"Those with money or people who still have families in the Empire decided to leave," Heraz continued.

"What about the land certificate?" Natha asked.

"We have confiscated them based on the registry that the treasurer gave us. Once the calculation is complete, we will return the money they paid for the land by the percentage of what’s left in the coffers."

"Good; just empty the coffers and send the calculation to the Empire," the silver eyes narrowed coldly. "We will not have them saying they will compensate for the war damage through the Principality’s treasury."

I nodded and crossed my arms in agreement. "And I will not them say we build this city with their money!"

"Certainly," Natha smirked.

While we had agreed that the funds to build the city would come from all three realms, I knew Natha could support me with just his wealth alone. I remembered the nights when he said he amassed his wealth for that purpose, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with him all over again.

"How much do you think we’ll need?" I asked him when we returned to the balcony again.

He chuckled and held my waist again, standing behind me as we looked at the bustling--or rather, panicking--city. "That depends on what you’ll build."

Right. Perhaps because the Empire felt wary about retaliation, they made a strong wall around the city, like Luxeana. It was a nice bonus, even if we had no intention to make this place a closed-off city. The urban planning was not bad, but the demons and the children of nature who would reside here would want to build something on their own, based on their aesthetic. That, however, should be left to the stakeholders--to the residents and the merchants.

There were a few things, however, that I wanted to build with my--well, Natha’s--own money.

"First, I want the palace to look like it used to be," I turned around and looked up, looking at the facade that made me want to sigh. "Like something belonging to the druids."

Even if the Seahls will no longer stay there, I want the palace to be returned to how it should be, like the painting I had framed and placed in our upstairs drawing room.

"It shall be done," Natha replied without hesitation, as usual.

I chuckled and turned my head toward the city again. "A magic tower will be nice, don’t you think?"

"Magic tower?" Natha narrowed his eyes.

"For research and such. Imagine if the geniuses of three realms could share their brilliant brains together!"

"Like your inventor friends?"

"Uh-huh," I looked up and grinned. "Don’t you think it’ll be amazing?"

Just how many inventions had been born on our side simply by making them work with each other? I knew that they also had the advantage of vision, knowing modern Earth technology. But still, there was a limit on what each realm could develop on its own.

Oh...maybe I should name it Research Tower rather than Magic Tower? Hmm...

"I think that’s a good idea," Natha nodded. "But don’t tell me you will put that magician as the manager?"

His hands tightened around my waist, and I looked at him while frowning. "Why would I do that? Hmph!"

I didn’t even want to give her the tower on the island--why would I give her the management of the Research Tower that would bring more technology to this world?

"I already have a strong candidate for a magic tower," I told Natha.

"Oh?"

"I don’t know if he will accept though," I stroked my chin in contemplation. "Maybe I should ask Aunt Nezja to recruit him instead..."

"Oh?" Natha arched his brow, until realization filled his eyes two seconds later. "Ah..."

[Papa!]

[Master!]

Suddenly, my exploring kids returned while making noises inside my head. Ugh...I had to tell them to tone down the screaming next time.

I raised my hand to let Jade swoop in and had Shiny jump to my other arm. "Are you finished exploring?"

[Papa, we found something!] the bird wasted no time with the news.

"Hmm?"

[Strange! Strange energy!] the mole nodded quickly before jumping in surprise when my arm suddenly vibrated.

Wait...Alveitya too? It had been making a fuss ever since I stepped into the palace, but...could it be that rather than old sentiment, the spear actually felt something?

As if reading my thoughts, the spear buzzed again and, without my permission, shot out of my arm.

Bzz! Bzzzzz!

It was not anger; more like frantic desperation. The spear was moving around me, nudging me with its staff as if telling me to move.

"Could it be..." I blinked and stared at the white scepter. "Alveitya?"

Not the spear. The tree.

The original Great Tree of the Druid.