Hellmode ~A Hardcore Gamer Becomes Peerless in Another World with Retro Game Settings~

Chapter 663: Shea's Dream (2)

The concubine Mea asked her daughter Shea to gather subordinates as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Luvanka had some comments, watching everything from a distance.

'She seems like a rather forceful mother.'

'You think so? This is her being tame.'

Luvanka and Shea could talk, without anyone else noticing them.

"Of course. Also, it seems we'll have a party tonight to celebrate Bek's participation in the Martial Arts Tournament!"

Shea gave the other news.

"Really? So he's going to take part after all. Then maybe someone will finally…"

"..."

Lud's silent stare made her stop. Wishing for the prince's death was too much.

"I know, don't glare at me like that. Still, it might be a good opportunity to break up Bek's stronghold on the palace. I'll leave Shea in your care."

"I will!"

Shea looked like she was about to break down, being so close to being able to leave that room. But she managed to remain composed to bow respectfully as was expected of a princess, and then left Mea's room.

"Lady Shea, are you going to be alright during tonight's party?"

Lud seemed worried about Shea, as she was tired from the appraisal ceremony, the audience with Beast King Muza, and the report to Mea.

"Of course. I'm fine."

Shea replied with a determined expression, heading towards the banquet hosted by Bek.

As the sun set and the castle became illuminated by moonlight, the nobles were bustling with excitement. Despite being only five years old, Shea made her way to the banquet hall while fighting her sleepiness.

"Lady Shea, be careful with who you approach. You can only recruit up to 100 troops."

"A hundred? That's not a lot?"

"Not at all. But it's dwarfed by the Beast Prince's army which can number up to 3000."

Even Bek, who had become the Beast Prince, only had around 1000 beastmen with him.

As they walked through the corridors towards the venue, Lud lightly explained about the private troops to Shea. Following the orders from the Beast King, the princes were entitled to have private troops led by a trustworthy caretaker. However, there were limits to the number of troops one could have, depending on their position and achievements.

"I'll choose my subordinates wisely!"

Shea understood and replied loudly as they arrived at the entrance to the banquet hall.

"This way, Your Highness Shea, please enter."

"Thank you!"

With Shea brimming with enthusiasm, the knights swung open the doors to the banquet hall.

In front of them was the head of the gigantic A Rank Monster Albaheron King, placed in the center of the venue. Bek, without relying on the power of his private troops, was allowed to participate in the Beast King Martial Arts Tournament by single-handedly hunting down an A Rank Monster. He had accomplished that, so in celebration of his participation in the tournament, the meat of the Albaheron King obtained by Bek was served to the nobles.

All of that happened when Bek was eighteen, Zew was fifteen, and Shea was five, a nostalgic memory for Shea as she watched the scenes change on the screen, but she could not derive joy from them.

Now, Zew was conversing with the nobles near the entrance. Surrounded by a dozen people, Zew seemed unaware of the presence of the small Shea.

In the center of the hall was Bek, surrounded by a large group, and standing a head taller than the rest. It seemed that the nobles of the castle were gathering there to congratulate him.

"Well, well, this is a splendid monster, isn't it? Did my foolish son help at all?"

"He's been a great asset, actually."

"Really?! Then, perhaps he has a chance to become a commander...?"

"Oh, Father, there's no way I could become a commander. Please don't take his compliments seriously!"

It seemed that the son of a certain noble had been enlisted in Bek's private troops. Bek responded with a gentle smile when asked about the son's performance. The position of the nobles was determined not only by their enlistment in Bek's private troops, but also by how much military merit they could achieve and what high positions they could attain thereafter.

'Bek was still so kind back then…'

'Hmm…'

Shea felt emotional seeing Bek again in her dream.

"What about my son? I believe he has the Sword Beast Master Talent..." "No, please enlist my son instead. I've heard there are still openings!" "But before that, please let me provide weapons and armor from our territory! I'll provide the best adamantite equipment for the tournament!"

The crowd of nobles was getting heated.

"Hey, everyone, I've said it many times, but stop trying to talk all at the same time... Lord Bek, Lady Shea just arrived!"

An attractive dog beastman standing next to the bothered Bek noticed Shea.

"Hm? Shea?"

"Excuse me, Lady Shea is here. Would you mind making some room?"

Kai, the captain of Bek's private troops, a dog beastman, instructed the crowd to step back.

The crowd that had gathered around Shea and Bek moved aside to give them space.

"Thank you, Kai."

"Don't mention it, Lord Lud. Congratulations on becoming Lady Shea's commander of her private troops."

Lud thanked Kai for being considerate and Kai calmly replied with praise for Lud's new position.

"What's the matter, Shea? You probably should head to bed soon, it's not good for your health to stay up late."

Bek said as he knelt down to speak, though even then he was more than two meters tall. He seemed to be somewhat concerned about Shea's health.

"Shea has come to look for subordinates!!"

Shea loudly declared why she was there.

"Ah, I see. Well, then, does anyone want to work under Shea? She has Lud with her, the winner of the Beast King Martial Arts Tournament. I'm sure working with him would be a valuable experience."

Bek stood up and addressed the gathering crowd.

"Hmm..."

Lud's confusion arose from the sudden silence that fell over the previously chatty nobles. They now seemed to avoid eye contact with Shea and turned away, almost like students trying to avoid being called on in class.

"Come on, everyone, there has to be someone. You there, didn't you say you had a son with a Talent?."

"...N-no, I never said such a thing."

The nobles, who had just been lively, now seemed hesitant. Some even started to distance themselves from Shea and Bek.

"I mean, who would want their son to work for the daughter of some foreigner's daughter..." "You fool! They can hear you." "But did you hear? It seems Lady Shea doesn't even have a chance to become the next Beast King."

The small murmurs among the nobles were all negative towards Shea.

"This is troublesome."

"Indeed. I wasn't expecting it to be this bad..."

Bek began trying to find a solution, and Lud seemed taken aback by the situation.

"Enough..."

Shea muttered softly, looking down.

"Huh? Shea?"

"I wouldn't want any of you as my subordinates anyway! It'll be too late even if you change your mind!! Lud! I feel sick. I'm leaving!!"

Shea stormed out, cutting through the circle of surrounding nobles. Lud hurried to catch up with her.

Shea went straight into her bed and ignored Lud's advice to not let it get to her head, which he muttered from outside the room.

'Lud grew up as an adventurer, so he never really understood how nobles thought.'

Shea muttered that, realizing how much she had worried Lud back then.

The scene transitioned swiftly from there, skipping a few days forward until Shea and Lud were summoned to Mea's chambers.

"I've just been told the very disrespectful things you said to the nobles serving the Beast King..."

In this royal castle, there were very few who acted as Mea's eyes and ears, so it took a few days for Mea to finally catch wind of Shea's behavior at the banquet. Mea, with a demonic expression, stood in front of Shea, who was forced to sit on her knees.

"I wouldn't want my soldiers to be one of those unmotivated-"

"No excuses! Do you understand what you've done? Do you think you can become the Beast King with such an attitude?!"

Whether it was from boiling anger or not, Mea berated her own five-year-old daughter. Shea was unsure of what to do and just trembled there.

"Lady Shea, we can recruit mercenaries from the Adventurers' Guild. I know plenty of adventurers who would give everything to serve you."

Using his past connections, Lud offered assistance to Shea, as he knew many adventurers.

"No, you cannot become the Beast King without power. Good subordinates can only come from good bloodlines, Shea."

"Yes."

"Go and apologize to everyone who attended that event."

"Huh? A-all of them?"

There were hundreds, if not thousands, of royal nobles and their children present. Even young Shea understood that it wasn't a realistic request and was utterly speechless.

"Of course. And you have to properly display your ambitions and prospects to each one of them."

"But they already refused..."

"What did you just say?! Are you talking back to me now?!"

"Wahh?!"

"What!? Lady Mea!!"

Mea's anger exploded the moment Shea showed a little bit of defiance. She grabbed Shea's hair, lifting her up until their eyes were on the same level, many strands of hair breaking off.

Seeing that, Lud stood up and shouted. Mea was not the only one overtaken with anger now.

"You're hurting her! Let her go!!"

Realizing she could not break free from Mea's hand, Shea opened her mouth wide and bit down hard. Her fangs pierced Mea's flesh, drawing blood.

Amidst the stunned silence of Lud, the head maid Nile, and the serving knights, Mea alone reveled in joy, seemingly unaffected by the pain.

"Yes, that's my child! But don't think you can seize the position of Beast King with that level of power alone!! Bite harder!! Tear it apart!!"

Encouraging the way her daughter was biting her own wrist, Mea began to praise Shea and laugh hysterically.

'Is this really…a mother and child..?'

As Luvanka shuddered at what he was seeing, but then footsteps approached from the corridor.

Knock knock

Nile cautiously opened the door a bit, talked in a low voice with someone outside, and then turned around to look at Mea.

"Hm? Who is it!!"

After letting Shea down on the carpet, Mea, still on edge, looked over to the door.

"Lady Mea, His Majesty the Beast King is summoning you."

Nile opened the door wide, revealing a royal servant on the other side. Seeing that, Shea breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, if the Beast King is calling!!"

Mea's face suddenly brightened.

"Lady Shea, you're to come as well."

Nile spoke to Shea next.

"Me too?"

Both were instructed to come to the audience, so Shea hastily tidied herself up as best she could and followed her mother to the audience hall, with Lud going next to her.