"Rubrignis? My name is Lawrend Horiel. I'm not a part of the Rubrignis Clan," Lawrend calmly replied.
"I don't believe you. Follow me and explain what's going on with you and my granddaughter," Junova said as he flew to the lake's shore.
"Clova, follow him," Lawrend said.
Junova didn't fail to notice that Lawrend commanded Clova Whitebird. He furrowed his eyebrows and realized that things were not as simple as he thought they were.
They returned to the lake's shore and jumped down from Clova's back.
"Kasina, explain," Junova said solemnly.
"Grandfather, h-he's my Master, and I'm now h-his maid," Humility replied in a stutter.
She was embarrassed to admit to someone from her family that she was now a maid for someone they didn't know.
"MAID!? I know you, Kasina. We're not proud of your lacking academic results, but you're still a princess. If you think that you can escape your responsibilities by becoming someone's maid, then you're wrong!" Junova shouted angrily.
His beard swayed as he talked, and Humility couldn't help but hide behind Lawrend.
"Master…" Humility called out in a whisper.
"Junova Undrasil, was it? Who are you to talk to her like that?" Lawrend asked him with a raised eyebrow.
"Kid, even if Clova Whitebird will support you, I'm not fazed. Do you think that I can't match that bird brain?" Junova asked him as he stood straight imposingly.
"Junova, you must've forgotten that I can raid your capital with all the monsters in the Undrasil Monster Forest," Clova replied snappily.
"Heh. You don't dare as we have the empire's backing. Do you really want the Earth Mages to kill you?" Junova asked with a smirk on his face.
"..."
Clova didn't respond. She merely stared at him eye-to-eye.
"I thought so. Then, kid, explain yourself. WHO are you to talk to me like that?" Junova asked Lawrend furiously.
Lawrend grabbed Humility's hand and pulled her beside him, causing her to turn red and blush. She felt like he was exposing their relationship to her grandfather.
"I'm taking responsibility," Lawrend said.
"..."
Junova stared at him blankly. He was trying to process the meaning of his words.
A few seconds later, he widened his eyes and stared at Humility's face.
"Y-You're pregnant!?" Junova exclaimed in disbelief.
"Y-Yes," Humility replied in embarrassment.
"You're expelled from the Royal Undrasil Family!" Junova shouted angrily.
"Aren't you being hasty?" Lawrend asked as he took a step forward.
"If you didn't impregnate her, I wouldn't have expelled her. You're the reason. Blame yourself, not me," Junova reasoned.
"Master, it's alright," Humility said to him bitterly and tightened her grip on his hand.
"It doesn't matter to me anyway," Lawrend muttered.
"It matters to me. Clova Whitebird, don't interfere! This is a matter between the Royal Undrasil Family and this kid," Junova shouted to Clova and extended his hand to grab Lawrend.
Clova Whitebird calmly watched it happen. She looked at Aezel, who had been silent this whole time.
"Don't you dare touch my Master!" Aezel shouted and slapped Junova's hand away.
"Huh? This aura… You're that demon from before!" Junova shouted in realization.
"This is payback for kidnapping me and daring to touch Master!"
Aezel pointed her finger to him and shot a small arc of her golden lightning.
"AHH! What the hell is that lightning?!" Junova screamed in pain when it hit his shoulder.
"Fufufu," Aezel chuckled.
*SPLAT!*
Without any warning, Junova's shoulder suddenly exploded into a bloody mess.
"AHHHHHH!" Junova shouted in pain and horror.
He stared at his exploded shoulder. There was a huge chunk of meat missing that was about 3 inches in size.
"D-D-Demon! What was that lightning!!?"
Junova flew to the sky and gripped his bleeding shoulder tightly. He couldn't understand how it happened. He thought that it was just a stinging electric shock at first, but he was totally wrong.
"Fufufufu. That's just my warning to you. You dare lock me up, and now, you dare touch my master with your filthy hands!?" Aezel raised her voice angrily.
"Aezel! That's Humility's grandfather!" Lawrend shouted.
"A-Ah!? Sister Humility, I'm sorry!"
Aezel immediately realized her mistake. She turned around and looked at Humility worriedly.
"Heh…"
"Heh?" Aezel repeated her in confusion.
"Hehehehehe… Sister Aezel, do you think I care about someone who's not my family? After all, Master and his maids are my only family," Humility said with a crazed expression on her face.
"K-Kasina…"
Junova furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. The current her was someone he didn't recognize. She was always calm and smiling when he sees her.
"Fufufufu. I was worried for nothing. Master, give me your order," Aezel said as she turned around to face Junova again.
"... Capture him," Lawrend replied.
"Hm?"
Aezel was about to swing her arm and attack with her divine lightning when she realized what his words meant.
"He's still her family. I don't want her to regret it in the future," Lawrend continued.
"Fine," Aezel responded unhappily.
She flew towards Junova in an instant.
"Hmph. I didn't live for over 200 years to get captured by a demon," Junova said.
He flicked his finger, and a burst of flames appeared in front of him. It instantly engulfed the whole area, and Clova swung her wings to get rid of it and protect Lawrend's group.
"He's flying away!" Clova shouted.
Aezel realized what she meant and flew up to get a good view of the surrounding area.
"Fufufu. Petty tricks," Aezel sneered.
She caught eye of a small dot in the distance and flew to it.
But to her surprise, even with her current strength, he was still faster than her. Soon, he left her behind without any way for her to know where he was headed.
Aezel could only turn back around and return to Lawrend's side.
"He escaped?"
Lawrend immediately guessed.
"Mm. I don't know how, but he's so fast. It was as if he was a whole level above me in terms of speed," Aezel replied.
"Master, I think that's the Kingdom Treasure that the Bluemin Empire bestowed to the kingdom," Humility said.