Chapter 72 - The King of Humans (Part 1)

  Nathan Evenhart:

  We reached the room, and my mother unched into a speeore like a sermon about how we should behave arouain people. We were a family that served the royal family, but even so, we had to show respect to everyone.

  "How do I look?" Kinue asked me.

  Eveoo? I'm doomed.

  "You look beautiful as well, but are you sure you want to stick with that uniform?" I asked.

  Kinue had grown taller tha 13 years old, she was dressed in a maid's uniform, though it was a more formal version, fitting for parties as.

  "I don't mind staying in the maid’s uniform. I feel more fortable in it and less anxious. It also makes it easier for people to uand why there’s a demi-human with you all. They’ll just see the uniform and assume I’m a servant of the family."

  I sighed and nodded. We had already talked about how she didn’t o wear the uniform, even if she retending to act like a servant. After all, some servants who apany nobles are allowed to wear regur clothes, but she insisted that the maid’s uniform would avoid unnecessary questions. Kinue was a distaive, but she liked to act as if she were a ‘warrior maid,’ a niame she gave to our bat-trained maids.

  The pce we were in rivate property of the royal family, guarded by an army of soldiers. The event would take p the main hall of the mansion, where there would be a ceremony with the king giving a speech. We would have to stay silent and pay attention during that part. Afterward, the king would go around to greet various families at their tables. When the king es to our table, we are expected to stand and make a quick bow. We are also not allowed to interrupt him while he speaks, as it is sidered disrespectful.

  My head ounding from all this information…

  Respect was also exteo the royal family’s guards, as they might be retives of the king or his family of Grand Dukes. Even if they didn’t have nds to govern, they were sidered members of the royal family, and so there were specific etiquette rules to follow.

  "Do I really have to bow to a little kid?" I asked, chug internally.

  "You will, doesn’t matter who the person is; you o show respect," my mother said.

  From Sn God to this… I never had to do anything like this during my time as General Icarus. I’ve killed people for far less…

  "Did you hear me, Nate? You must resped be courteous to everyone in the king’s ente, from the king himself down to a baby or even a pet dog," my mother emphasized.

  No way…

  "A dog? I have to bow to a dog?" I asked, shocked.

  Chloe burst out ughing at my question.

  My aunt came over and ruffled my hair.

  "Your mother’s exaggerating. If they have a ‘dog,’ you just o respect it, that’s all. Don’t touy of their animals without permission. It’s sidered disrespectful or something like that. You won’t have to bow to them, just make a respectful gesture," my aunt expined.

  I felt slightly relieved by her words.

  I never bowed to Cerberus, who was a 20-meter-tall dog with three heads. If I had to bow to a tiny dog here, I’m sure it would be a joke Athena would remind me of until the day I die.

  “I'm relieved that I don’t have to kneel…” I said, sinking into a chair.

  The only time I almost did that after being Emperor was in this body when I met my aunt, but I was a five-year-old child then, easily influenced by the emotions of the body. Now that I'm getting older, I trol myself better... for the most part, though Chloe still tries to get on my nerves, but that doesn’t t.

  Seeing that I was relieved by those words, my mother came over to me.

  “If the king asks you to kneel, you’ll have to obey. Don’t fet that,” she reminded me.

  I made a strange face.

  “Don’t worry, hat almost never happens, and it’s usually only done in throne rooms,” Aunt Margie reassured me.

  We listened again as they went over everything we o do. I three years, while I trained in swords and magic, I also had lessons iiquette. I learhat there are specific forks and spoons for every type of food.

  In my past life, otlefield, I used to eat with my hands… but here, if I mess up which fork to use for the sad, I'll be a ughingstock.

  Kinue:

  I had been living with the Evenharts, my family, for three years. Even though there was no blood e, I would have adopted them as my eternal family regardless. Living with them in that castle felt like something out of a storybook. Sometimes, I couldn’t believe the childhood I was having. I was happy with the professor after she rescued me from the vilge, but when she brought me to the Evenharts, where I could be with Chloe and Nathan, my happiness grew even more. They were my first friends—the ones I pyed with, ughed with, and even cried with at times.

  The time I spent barely surviving in the demi-human kingdom may have left its mark on me, but I wish I could go bad hug my younger self, tellihat everything would be okay. One day, she would meet special people who would make her want to keep living and wouldn’t care about her different appearance.

  Their family might be a bit peculiar, but they are still good people.

  As I grew up in that pce, I learned a few things. Like how it’s best not to ask the maids where the blood on their uniforms sometimes came from, and how it’s safer not to walk through the corridors at night. I was being traio be a warrior maid, and I was getting good at it.

  I’ll never let anyone hurt me or my friends because of how I look. I’ll protect those I care about.

  Learning to fight and act as a maid gave me the fidence I once cked. The world was harsh, but now I had the strength to defend myself and friends who would stand by me.

  Maybe the only problem with living in the castle was that killer animal…

  Ohe professave me a bestiary to read, and that’s where I learned about dangerous animals and monsters. At the top of the list was the moon panther—a relentless assassin. A single moon panther could wreak havo a vilge, and no one would be able to stop it. Moon panthers could grow to 2 meters i and 5 meters ih. They were extremely strong and resilient.

  It was said they had special powers that made them invisible in the darkness. A mere mage could op such a creature, and when I asked how the family had tamed that pahey told me it wasn’t tamed and roamed the corridors freely at night.

  I was so terrified that I spent a few days in my room with the door locked, even though I k would be useless sihe panther was strong enough to break it down.

  Those two fools ughed at me back then, but they eventually helped me overy fear of ellian.

  I told them I wao be a maid who worked in the castle forever, but Professor Adrihna and Aunt Katie said they would talk to me about my future when I got older.

  “Hey, Kinue! e on, I’m excited to try all those different foods,” Chloe called out to me.

  “Alright, Chloe. I was just cheg how I looked in the mirror,” I said, gng at myself in my maid uniform.

  I had found something I wao do with my life.

  I ran to catch up with Aunt Katie and Aunt Margie.