A lump suddenly formed in his throat at the smell of fish as the maid passed. Throwing decorum to the wind, Yuri fled the dining room for the nearest loo; to pay his patronage to the porcelain gods once more.
After he finished puking his guts out, Yuri sighed as he leaned over the toilet. Puking was very tiring and it was giving him a headache. He would have thought he'd gotten used to the local food by now! He'd tried sending healing magic through his body more than once but there was nothing to heal apparently. Caloria's food hadn't been much different to the food found in the Demon Kingdom, if a bit more meat heavy, but maybe there was a magic resistant bug he didn't know about?
It wasn't long before Conrart found him.
"Are you alright sire?"
Yuri nodded, too tired to admonish Conrart for the sire nonsenses. "I think I may had picked up a bug somewhere" a bug that was very good at hiding from healers.
"We should have Gisela take a look at you." Ordered Conrart, Yuri knew when he used the tone that he had no choice in the matter, so he simply nodded his consent. Picking Yuri up, Conrart started making his way to the Kings bedroom.
"Highness!"
"Please inform Gisela her services are needed in his majesties room Gunter."
"Right away!"
Letting Gunter run on ahead of them, Conrart followed at a steadier pace as he tried not to jostle King Yuri too much as they traversed the corridors.
When they arrived, Gisela quickly took charge even as she ushered he and her father from the room.
0-
"You were right!" exclaimed Gisela the moment Conrart entered her office an hour later.
"What are you talking about Gisela?" inquired Conrart of the crazy women. Watching her demolish her book shelf look in it for something
"I remembered when I was giving his highness his examination what you wanted me to look for a number of months ago, but when his highness suddenly disappeared during his coronation I completely forgot about it!" exclaimed Gisela hysterically, startling Conrart with her behaviour.
"Gis-"
"His Majesty is Pregnant with Twins!" cried Gisela, before promptly fainting while Conrart stood there looking like a goldfish, even as she lay on the floor.
It took Conrart a while to find the smelling salts to wake her up.
"How long?" demanded Conrart after she was conscious.
"How long what?" inquired Gisela confusedly, wondering what Conrart was talking about and how she'd gotten on a bed when the last ling she remembered she was standing.
"How long has his highness been pregnant?"
Gisela's eyes went wide as she remembered, "4 months" she breathed
Conrart nodded. It was around the time Yuri and Yozak had been going at it like rabbits on the way to the castle.
"Does he know?"
Gisela shook her head, "Wolfram was in the room, he came in about halfway through and wouldn't leave. I had enough sense to tell them I needed to run some more tests and wait for the results to come in while I did some research. That it may be a reaction of travelling to different worlds all the time"
Conrart breathed a sigh of relief. As much as he cared for his brother, unlike Gwendal and their mother, he wasn't blind to his little brothers' faults and past actions, having to cover his blunders up more than once in the past by either covering it up, or claiming it as his own.
"Let's keep this between us for now"
"His hig-"
"Will know." interrupted Conrart, even as he thought of his different options, "but only once we put physical distance been him and Wolfram. We don't know what Wolfram will attempt to do once he finds out." he had a very good idea, which was why he was so hesitant in informing Yuri while Wolfram was in the castle.
Nodding to Gisela, Conrart made his way to Gwendal's office.
0-0Concentrating, Yuri worked at changing his magic's pure energy into air elemental magic. It was the element he felt he was pants at most …next to fire, so he needed to practice! He had the power; he just needed the control now. Gathering the wind to concentrate it at the tip of his two fingers, Yuri brought it down sharply at the block of wood. A small scratch appeared where the wind had struck. Frowning, Yuri tried again, this time adding a twist to his wrist.
There was barely a scratch.
Forgetting the twist, Yuri tried condensing the air more this time.
The scratch was deeper.
"It never ceases to amaze me when his eyes turn slitted like that." Gushed Gunter happily as he and Conrart watched his Highness practice his magic. Though Gunter admitted privately to himself that he didn't recognise the exercises his majesty was using to practice his magic. Though he seemed to be progressing marvellously with them; the exercises seemed to focus more on control rather than brute force.
Which he approved of.
"The House of Wincott is descended from the Dragon clans of the Demon world. This is why our eye's become slitted when our emotions or magic are high." Ry informed the demons before him. "As a half demon, the most Yuri will be able to acquire from a transformation -beside the eyes- is a pair of dragon wings and small claws or fangs, but this in unlikely and very rare." There were very rare instances when a half-breed's blood was powerful enough to produce a set of horns, but it was too rare to bother mentioning. They only knew about possible transformations due to their ancestor's journal describing one of his family transforming in order to protect their family during a war.
"What about the strange circles around the boxes?" inquired Gunter questionably, he had wanted to ask his majesty, but he had been too busy at the time and hadn't wanted to distract him.
"Purification rings" commented Ryuu lazily, having noticed them himself. "They were originally designed to purify the human's contamination back on Earth in the environment surrounding our territories." Bob's private fishing spot was littered with the rune works. "But Yuri tweaked these ones." Ryuu noted absently as he mentally translated the array in his head once more. Changing the rune for Earth into Heaven, which would change what was being purified from being physical into spiritual, while adding a rune so make sure only negative spiritual energy was targeted. Protecting the Great One.
"What exactly are these… purification rings supposed to do." Demanded Gwendal grumpily, not trusting the odd newcomer, despite how trusted he was by the new King.
"Each ring purifies to a different degree specified by the caster. Going by the rings Yuri cast, expanding outwards, each ring purifies the energy seeping from the boxes a little finer each ring it passes" no doubt so that he didn't overload each rune work with how...carnal the energy seeping from each box was. By linking the rune pattern into a multi-layer system the overall process was strengthened again by each runic circle added.
Looking back at it now, the process was so simple, but he didn't understand how Yuri had come about this stroke of genius…anytime he did really. He'd just come out with a simple but highly effective plan out of thin air without warning sometimes. But reworking an environmental purifier into an energy purifier was even above his expectations of Yuri's craziness.
"Why does Lord Shori dislike you so much Lord Ryuu?" inquired Conrart curiously. The animosity Lord Shori showed for Lord Ryuu was palpable to everyone.
"During the war Yuri enlisted after an incident that you'll need to get him to tell you about if you want to know. Well, anyway, Shori wanted me to assign Yuri to running errands when it became known he was placed in my platoon"
"Shortly into his first term after enlistment training, Yuri got a large number of our platoon killed when he tried to stop us fighting during the middle of a battle." In reality only they and the twins had survived that battle. "As punishment, he was tortured."
Conrart's eyes went wide at that. "Pardon?!"
"It was either that or have him executed" Ry waved it off lightly; with the deaths of so many allies resting solely on Yuri's shoulders, the men in the other platoons and regiment's were out for blood.
Literally.
"The torture was as much punishment as protection. But because I was the one tasked with the job, Shori-chan holds a grudge," Chirped Ry thoughtfully. Remembering the time with amusement as Shori -a civilian- had tried bossing him around. The torture had been mostly sociological in nature, aimed at desensitizing Yuri to violence more than anything in a violent manner. In reality he'd just been violently torturing prisoners in front of Yuri, before making him deliver the final blow.
"I keep hearing mention of this war, but not what it was about," Inquired a curious voice as its owner emerged from the shadows.
Ry was silent for a time as he studied the newcomer, "a few years ago the Bielefelt family's resentment towards the prosperous Wincott family of Earth came to a head, and they attacked the family heads of each country by going after the children. While I am the head of the Wincott family in Britain, Yuri's father is the head of the Japanese's branches." Explained Ryuu calmly, it was old news back home. For all the easy going nature of the Wincott's, when their family was attacked that easy nature made way for a creature of nightmares.
"I wasn't aware there were any other noble families beside Yuri's on Earth." Commented Conrart suspiciously.
"For a long time that was true" admitted Ryuu as he tried to remember the date, "But about 100yrs ago a family of Bielefelt washed up on Earth in France and started causing trouble right off the bat." Leaning off the wall, Ryuu left the demon tribesmen to watch Yuri in peace, while he left to continue his research into Big Cimarron. Not feeling like disclosing anymore. He needed to get the box quickly so he could get home.
He didn't want the nanny to run the bill up any more than necessary.
0-0
Yuri was just finishing the last stack of paperwork when Gunter returned with a tea service and more paperwork. Gwendal was allowing him to ease into the workload thankfully. Gwendal increased what he covered each month. Next month he knew Gwendal planned to have him start handling the legal matters.
"Have all the invitations for the gala been sent?"
"Yes your highness," Gunter confirmed, "most of our nations allies have already sent reply's in the affirmative, though they were curious about the request for children to be among their number." It was indeed an unusual request, as well as a dangerous one to fulfil for the other nations and for them to ask for. It will show a great deal of trust if any of them actually comply with the request.
Yuri paused, "Were they informed?"
"Yes, they understand you wish to see the fruits of your labour first hand." gushed Gunter happily, "It appears your first collections are doing quite well even outside of the Great Demon Kingdom!" visiting merchants had started purchasing crates of the books to sell in neighbouring countries when they had heard of the Kings endorsement of the books.
Fingering the rim of his tea cup, Yuri was deep in thought as he stared at his latest report absently. After much research he'd learned the closest thing to a school in this world was the military academy in the Demon Kingdom. Other than that children were home schooled or their parents hired tutors. If they were educated at all.
He wanted to change that.
"The free land beside the village below us on both sides, if I wish to purchase it, how would I go about it Gunter?" it was a good location; close to the castle but away from the town on easily transformable land. He needed three locations for what he had planned, but while the second location was big enough to house two of the buildings easily, he knew thanks to Anissina's experiments that he was better off having the university building more spread out encase of explosions.
"The land is already yours your majesty." Gunter informed him, surprised as he remembered the plots of land currently displayed before his majesty as he leaned forward to get a better look. "Previous generations of Maoh have kept the land surrounding the town and castle vacant as a security measure for times of war."
Yuri nodded, happy at this news, "I want to build two schools modelled after Voltaire castle." The grid system would offer privacy for separate classes or research while offering a mode of defence as well as an easy way to add additions.
"A school your highness?" he couldn't see why. They had a perfectly fine Military academy, while tutors handled the rest.
Yuri nodded, "a central location where the students can learn the basics of a few professions as well as life skills." Yuri explained, "On Earth, there are around five different levels and types of institutions geared to education. I wish to instil three of them here in this world. "
Taking out the list he'd created, Yuri let Gunter peruse it.
"Many Master's don't like taking on an Apprentice because they don't want to go through the basics, they waste a lot of resources doing so." he'd done his research in this, so he knew what was going on.
The lowest level will be geared towards teaching literacy and numeracy skills as well as skill's they'd need around the house. The second will teach the basic's required in a number of apprenticeships, while the third will be where students can gain their mastery."
Letting Gunter stew over his words, Yuri rubbed his growing stomach; the skin of his stomach felt tight; like he had eaten too much. He was getting fat, and his magic acted up whenever he tried to practice his combat magic.
Paying attention once more, Yuri sipped his tea as Gunter started going through the particulars of his plan. Taking notes when appropriate.
0-0
Days later, as the musicians played a combination of both worlds instruments, the leaders of the different nations danced and chatted among themselves.
"Where is his majesty going?" inquired Heathcrife as he watched King Yuri leave the room.
"His majesty is probably sneaking off to observe the children. He's been quite nervous about the children's reactions to his books." Yozak grinned in amusement, Gwendal and Gunter had received the brunt of Yuri's fretting.
Heathcrife laughed at that, well able to imagine a fretting King Yuri driving his retainers barmy in his worry over his latest endeavour.
0
Standing in the doorway, Yuri watched the enchanted children listen to Gisela as she read the current story; the one that recounted Tom's adventures through the Great Demon Kingdom. He, Conrart and Yozak had originally discussed reading the human books first, but both agreed it was too good an opportunity to humanise the demons to the human children to pass up. They would be reading the human books, but it would be mixed up with demon tribe ones as well.
During the course of their visit the visiting children would be entertained with stories, games and crafts from different cultures.
Beatrice and Greta were getting along like two peas in a pod.
He'd arranged with Heathcrife for Greta to be schooled with Beatrice for six months of the year, before the two returned to the Demon Kingdom for another six months of education.
This arrangement would allow both children to have fond memories of both humans and demon tribesmen, which would hopfully keep both nations form waring in the future.
0-0
When Yozak found Yuri long after the ball had finished, he was staring with dead eyes at the three forbidden boxes they had already been able to claim; Yuri, his brother and that Ryuu would be heading to Earth soon to pick up the last one from the Earth Demon King. It was a look he didn't like to see in his Yuri's eyes; a look he recognised from the eyes of what comrades from other platoons had survived the war.
Yozak said nothing, merely went and hugged his little lover loosely while he waited for Yuri to emerge from his mind.
"When you see the children so excited over a simple story, it makes the horrors in this room not seen so real" mumbled Yuri, or question if the children's happiness was real or faked. But Yozak still heard him.