Our journey finally reached the end of the swamp where in the distance we could see a city that seemed very peaceful.

Since that night where I had a strange nightmare, Issei had been watching over me all night without me knowing whether he was asleep or not. He also keep close an eye around corner it just like he expects something will come

"Ojou-sama, are you still able to walk?"

"I think so"

We then walked again through these swamps where before long we arrived at the main road that took us directly to the city at the corner of the eye.

"We will arrive at Roosvielt City, I heard the Duke over there is quite good with the people"

"Have you ever been here, Issei?"

"Several times in the past"

At the main gate, guards in knight armor were the first to welcome any newcomer to this city.

"Welcome to Roosvielt City, I am Captain Jonas, on behalf of Duke Gorfland we warmly welcome you and wish you a comfortable stay in our city"

Seeing the good reception from the knights, I immediately stepped forward and gave the two of them a greeting back. "I am Duchess Koneko Toujo from Yorjazk City, Thank you for welcoming us. This is my knight, Issei please introduce yourself"

"With pleasure, Mrs. Koneko" Issei then knelt down with one hand he placed on his chest with a respectful aura towards the two knights. "My name is Issei J. Hyoudo, I am vassal Koneko Toujo, I hope you can become good friends with me"

"Issei, I am vice-captain Kurzke. We are both very honored by your presence, please come in and I hope your time here is well worth it"

When the gate opened we could see the beautiful city in our eyes, Issei and I then walked into the city where we could see the sights of civilians doing activities, many of them seem to be very happy here and I'm a little curious about how the duke manages this city.

"Ojou-sama I think we should find a place to spend the night here, while waiting for our wagon to arrive."

"Great idea" Issei and I walked again looking for a temporary inn while looking around the city.

Before long we found a normal inn, Issei took care of everything while I just sat on the chair waiting for him to finish things I didn't understand.

"You look not from here, are you a newcomer?"

A voice came and when I glanced to my side, I saw a woman dressed like an explorer from the local guild.

"Uhm, yes. I just arrived in this town"

"Oh? What made you want to come to this town, little girl?"

"I'm not a little girl!" I protested to the girl when she mentioned a little girl towards me, somehow everyone always calls me like that, and it really pissed me off for several reasons.

"Anyway"

Did she just ignore it!? Did she!?

"Wanna go adventure together?"

She definitely didn't care about my protests at all. I tried to calm myself for a moment and then look at her once again.

"N..."

"Okay, let's go!"

She doesn't even let me finished my sentence! All I know after that she drag me out from inn to do some quest she has.

But

"Where you want to take my lady, Stranger?"

A cold voice along with a dark aura came from behind us, just as I was about to say something I could see a sword almost stuck to this girl's neck.

It was Issei who just gave this girl a very intimidating tone.

"And you?"

This girl is very calm even though the sword on her neck she doesn't look scared.

The girl glanced at Issei, I didn't understand what the girl was thinking but I could see a faint smile on her face.

"Based on your uniform, you seem to be from a semi-military organization, am I right?"

"I won't answer you until you tell me who you are and what you want from Ojou-sama"

"Borriiing~... Why don't we take a little chat outside, shall we?"

The girl then led us out of the inn to the outdoor dining area where there were several people who seemed to be enjoying their time at this restaurant.

When we arrived Issei then pulled up a chair letting me sit down and after I sat down he started sitting next to me with the girl sitting across from us

"talk"

Issei got straight to the point without any small talk, which irritates me quite a bit with the way he treats strangers other than who he knows, wait a minute, doesn't he treat those he knows the same way?

"Fufufu... You're so impatient"

"We don't have time for the person who almost kidnapped Ojou-sama"

"I'm not trying to kidnap her, you know."

"I didn't ask"

"You just did"

Issei started to get annoyed with the way the girl was playing with her words, Issei then glared at the girl with full of threats.

"Don't you dare test my patience, young lady."

"What if I did?"

"I will make you perish from this world"

"Ohhh~ So scary~"

...

...

Seeing that the girl was so brave to test Issei's patience, I couldn't help but stare at the two in silence.

"You know, I heard a rumor, you know. A rumor about a hero being chosen by fate"

"And that mysterious hero has managed to draw the legendary sword, The Holy Sword of Seven Stars, one of the world's most treasured relics."

When the girl looks at me I get a little tensed, especially when she talks about the chosen hero.

"Do you perhaps know something, Mr. Knight?"

The girl's smile was clearly mocking Issei, because it seemed that the girl already knew something about who the chosen hero was.

"What do you want?" Issei asked without reducing his threatening tone to the girl

"Nothing~"

"You still haven't answered my question, who are you and what do you want?"

"hmmm... Okay, My Name Gabriel and I'm a 3rd Saints in the Kingdom, currently I'm working as 3rd ranked Explorer in this city so hopefully you can be nice to me"

"Never heard and don't want to be friends with someone like you. Also, you better stay away from my lady or else I will make you regret"

"Ojou-sama, we're leaving"

Issei then stood up and led me away from the girl named Gabriel, the girl in a dress-like outfit covered in light armor who declared herself to be one of the Saints in the kingdom made me a little curious about Gabriel.

"See you later, Chose Heroes"

When Gabriel said that, I immediately turned towards the place where we had been sitting but strangely she wasn't there anymore as if her presence had just disappeared.

-0-

The day has passed and I feel that today will be much better than yesterday.

"Ojou-sama, would you like some tea?"

"Yes please"

Issei then came to bring the tea he had made in the kitchen of this inn, I don't know how Issei convinced the innkeeper but I was very satisfied with Issei's tea.

"Ojou-sama, do you have any plans today?"

"No, do you want something from me Issei?"

"Something like that, Ojou-sama"

"Okay, you can guide me later after this, Issei"

"Thank you very much, Ojou-sama"

When I thought that Issei would take me out on a date, I immediately regretted that my imagination turned out to be so different from reality.

"Ojou-sama, you should focus more"

Outside the gate, precisely in the training area where the city soldiers were training, we or rather 'I' who was training on controlling the power I got from the sword.

"Try to imagine the flow of energy through your veins"

I closed my eyes and tried to follow what Issei instructed. A moment later I felt something warm start to enveloping me, strange but when I tried to increase my concentration power I started to feel something, it was so strange

"Good job, Ojou-sama. Keep it up, you're almost there."

A moment later, a bright white colored energy started oozing out of me, and when I opened my eyes I could see myself being enveloped with this energy.

Issei clapped when he saw that I managed to draw out the energy in this sword. "Now Ojou-sama, let's learn the basics of swordsmanship"

"First you have to learn the technique of the stance"

The next thing I know, Issei teaches me almost everything about the swordsmanship.

-0-

"Duke, I have confirmed that the little princess has arrived in our city"

"Good job, Gabriel. Make sure that they feel at home in our city. We can't let them feel uncomfortable here."

"With pleasure, Duke"

"Also, I have something to ask you. Gabriel"

"Anything, Duke"

"Tell me where Saints number 7 Jonathan is. Do you know where he is now?"

"Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find where Saint Jonathan is."

"Is that so"

"Do you need him urgently, Duke?"

"Something like that, right now we have information that Dukes in other areas are targeting Princess Koneko, there is a possibility that they will do something in the city, I want you to take care this issue right away. Do you understand"

"I understand, My Duke"

"Good, now you can leave"

Gabriel left the Duke's room and headed in another direction where she was going to do something.

Meanwhile the duke was staring intently at the door where he was imagining something 'I won't let you destroy this place'

-0-

Demon Queen Castle, far north of the human kingdom.

"My Lady, the hero has been chosen by fate"

"Do you have any information about who he is?"

"Yeah, she seems to be a girl and from what we know she looks weak"

... "Is there a way to stop this pathetic fate from repeating itself"

"My lady?"

A woman sitting in the throne room with an appearance like a mix between a human and a demon made her look like a human with a pair of ordinary ornate horns on her head.

"Can you imagine what it's like to become the seven hundredth demon lord only to meet death at the edge of a human's sword?"

"To be honest I'm scared and sick of it, however... What can I do to change destiny?"

"I really want to live freely and fly in the sky, but the world is so pathetic that I can't even cry anymore"

"Anyone, please. Save me from this cruel fate"