Mil, however, was overjoyed to hear of the creatures Alvin was taking her to see.
“You’re an odd life-form,” Alvin commented.
“You don’t know how long I’ve been dreaming about them! I’ve always wanted to know what they look like. I still can’t believe I’m going to see them... Wow, I can’t wait! I’ve heard that alraune have glistening ivy, and I wanna know how much of a lamia’s body is like a snake and how much is like a person! Do trolls really smell?!”
“Calm down. And keep still. You keep getting stranger. Aren’t humans afraid of demonkin?”
To Mil, meeting demonkin was like meeting a character from a story. She only knew them from books she’d read. Now she was going to see them for real. She’d already started to fantasize about how they’d greet her.
Alvin groaned and stopped looking at her. “I can’t figure you out. But it’s all the same to me.”
“Uh heh heh. Uh heh heh heh.” Left to her fantasy, Mil was giggling and squirming in his arm.
✧✧✧
Mil wasn’t sure how long the journey had taken, but it had been more than a full day. They’d stopped once to rest overnight, then took flight again in the morning and kept going until night had fallen once more. All the while they’d been flying through the air at a speed Mil had never experienced, so they had to be a long way from the royal capital.
Their current location was presumably the throne room in the Demon King’s Castle.
Compared to what Mil was used to in her own castle, this place looked sinister. Or perhaps nightmarish was a better word.
The ceiling was high and the room itself spacious enough that she could have run laps inside. Much like the royal capital’s throne room, there was a crimson carpet that led from the large entrance doors to the throne. On either side of the carpet were demonic statues, and stained glass windows featuring bats were positioned at regular intervals along the walls.
“You’re the first human to enter this room,” Alvin said before directing Mil to sit on the throne.
The throne was similar to those in the royal capital too, except it was embellished with gaudy decorations made from gold, and full of little details. It was so big that three people Mil’s size could have sat on it side by side. She must have looked like a doll sitting right in the center.
“Wow. So this is the Demon King’s Castle.”
Feeling like a tourist, she wondered what more there was to see. There might be treasure vaults, libraries, and maybe some rooms that the royal capital’s castle didn’t even have.
“I know you only just arrived, but I’d like you to use your powers right away. I’ve already explained what you need to do during our flight.”
“First I wanna meet an alraune and an orc!”
“Calm down. It’s already late. You’ll look at just one of us as a test. The rest of the demonkin can wait until tomorrow.”
“Aww. Well, all right...”
Since it was already bedtime, Mil knew it would be selfish to insist that all the demonkin wake up for her sake. “Patience, patience,” she whispered to herself.
Alvin put his hand to his forehead and shook his head. “They didn’t tell me the princess was going to be like this.”
“Someone told you about me?”
“There are demonkin loyal to me concealed in the royal capital. That’s all.”
There are demonkin disguised as humans? Mil had no idea such spies existed.
“Okay... So who am I going to look at?” Mil asked.
“Let me ask one question first. Does Goddess Eye work on demonkin?”
“It should. Goddess Eye works on living things, and some other stuff besides.”
“Ah, so your power really does work on weapons and enchanted items?”
“You already knew?”
“Didn’t I just say? I have demonkin positioned in the royal capital.”
All there was to know about Goddess Eye must have leaked out already.
Mil’s power wasn’t limited to use on humans. For example, if she used it on weapons and items, she could see their enchantments, as well as the nature of any curses placed on them. If she used it on a spell book, she could see what spell it contained.
“Now, here’s what really interests me. I’ve heard you have another power: You can help others learn new skills related to their existing experience.”
“You mean Blessings of the Goddess...?”
“This skill awakening power...will it work on our kind?”
“Hmm...” Mil wasn’t entirely sure. It certainly worked on adventurers, but she’d never tried it on any other life-form. If demonkin were similar to humans, then there was a chance.
“Well, we’ll know when we test it,” Alvin said. “Let’s not waste time.” He snapped his fingers, creating a sound that echoed through the spacious throne room.
The large doors opened immediately and a demonkin entered. “I am at your service, Sire.”
“Come closer. The goddess’s priestess is going to test her powers on you.”
“As you wish.” The demonkin approached the throne and then knelt.
This demonkin looked similar to the Demon King, except his wings and the horns on his head were smaller. He was clearly another higher demonkin.
Mil was about to raise her hand, but then stopped.
“Go on Mil. What’s wrong? You can’t be getting scared now.”
Mil made a point of pausing to clear her throat before replying. “I’ll do it on one condition,” she announced in her most ceremonious tone of voice.
“Oh?” Alvin replied with a bemused smile. “You’d make demands of me? I don’t think you understand your situation.”
“I do, but I won’t use my power for you unless you accept.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“It’s about your horns...”
“My horns?”
“I wanna touch your horns!”
“Huh?” Alvin’s jaw dropped. His expression said, She can’t be serious.
“You’ve been making sure I couldn’t touch them this whole time! I tried so hard to grab them while we were flying!”
“Of course I won’t let you touch me however you please! So that’s why you kept creeping over to me while we were resting?!”
“I thought you’d at least let your guard down while you’re sleeping!”
“You want to touch my horns that badly?”
“Of course! It’s my first time seeing a demon’s horns with my own eyes! Are they bumpy? Smooth? And the surface of your wings looks so rough! Let me touch the wings too! Do they have hair growing on them? Are they fluffy? Or maybe they’re slimy?” Unable to hold back any longer, Mil hopped off the throne and started walking toward Alvin.