Black Hero
Zen and the queen of the Kingdom of Zetes

In the morning, the Palace was already crowded with servants who were busy preparing for the party. The girls are ready with their dresses which makes them look charming. Brull was also tidy with his black suit.

Riska looked worried and wanted to check on Zen's room but the door was unlocked and no one was there.

Riska asked the waiter who was passing by her.

"Did you see Zen?"

"So I saw him go outside."

"That's it, thank you."

The waiter went and continued his work. Riska did not know where Zen had gone but she did not have time to look for him. Riska believes Zen will return.

After the preparations had been completed, the guests arrived one by one. They look elegant and classy.

"Alright, this show is for the return of the hero!"

Akira cheered as he brandished the cup filled with wine. The guests followed him by raising their cups while shouting "Hore!!".

The party is very lively with music from the piano and some couples who dance. Some are chatting, some are eating food that has been served. All sorts of people gathered at this party.

Elsewhere, Zen had been wandering around the palace since morning and his ears heard a suspicious sound. He walked towards the voice and found some people in strange clothes.

"Suspicious. Are they a killer?"

Zen followed them from behind. Those people were unaware of Zen who was following them calmly.

"He's the one."

The assassins found a woman sitting on a palace garden chair watching her two daughters.

The assassins walked silently and tried not to make a sound. The assassins got closer and Zen picked up a nearby twig and beat the killers unconscious.

"God ...!"

"Ugh...!"

"Oh...!"

The three immediately turned around and found Zen standing while carrying a twig in his hand.

"Who are you?"

"I'm sorry, your honor. I'm Zen and it looks like they're trying to kill you."

Zen bowed and apologized. The woman looked down and there were some people lying on the ground. He could not believe that he defeated the killer with just a tree branch.

The guards came and caught all the murders lying on the ground.

He had Zen sit next to him and his two daughters approached Zen because of his unique eyes.

"Sister, sister. What are you doing here?"

"Let's play together."

Both are very enthusiastic. Zen only smiled gently at the two and stroked their heads.

"So you're the Zen my husband said. I heard you were in contact with the devil."

Zen had guessed that Akira would tell his wife. Zen did not deny it and his eyes looked at the sky.

"Well, this just happened."

"so yeah. I heard the hero came back and my husband was having a party, so why don't you come?"

"I don't like crowds."

The queen still smiled gently looking at Zen and she was surprised to feel like she knew someone when she saw Zen's expression.

"Why do you look like someone."

Zen was confused and turned to the queen. He looked at Zen gently as if looking at his old friend who was rarely seen again.

"Who's your mother's name?"

"sorry. I don't know who my parents are let alone their names."

"I'm sorry, I don't know."

"It's okay."

The atmosphere was filled with silence but the silence was shattered by the two princesses who suddenly rose into Zen's lap.

"Sister, there's no need to be sad."

"Mm. don't be sad."

"thank you. Do you want to play together?"

"REally?!"

"certain."

Zen and the two princesses were playing a chase. Zen pretended to be a ferocious monster intent on eating them. The queen chuckled at Zen and his two daughters seeming to be having fun.

"Here you look, Zen."

"Biom..."

Brull came over and brought a plate containing various foods and bottles of wine.

"What's wrong?"

"I brought you some food. You know, even if you don't party at least your bowels."

"All right, thank you."

Zen received a plate full of food.

"Fufu, you guys are very familiar."

The queen chuckled at Zen and Brull.

"ah! I'm sorry for not saying hello."

Brull bowed and introduced himself politely.

"My name is Bruce Will, Zen's friend."

"Fra. Courtly. I'm Yuriko."

Zen immediately took the food and devoured it while the two were still introducing themselves. But Brull was surprised to realize the food he was carrying just disappeared.

"You just spent it?! Are you that hungry?"

"You have a complaint about that?"

Brull reflex shook his head as soon as he saw Zen's sharp gaze. It was a frightening look for Brull and only this time did he see such an eye gaze from Zen.

"Oh right. Looks like king Akira is looking for you, it seems like there's something important for him to say."

Hearing that Zen stood up and gave the dirty dishes to Brull. However, before leaving he stood in front of the queen.

"Your highness. Aren't you partying with the others because of your petrified feet?"

The Queen's eyes widened. She was shocked because her legs were covered by her dress so could not realize that her legs had turned to stone. She was about to ask him why he could figure it out but Zen immediately answered her as if he was reading her mind.

"My eyes can see everything. And also I'm sure the person who sent the killer to you is the same person who made your legs like this isn't it?"

The queen fell silent and nodded in response. Although Zen could know the mastermind of this incident but he could not figure out the motive behind it.

"I could have healed your leg but instead could you tell me the purpose of the mastermind."

"Y-Yes, sure."

Zen used his healing magic to remove the unification on the queen's legs. As the healing took a long time, the queen began to tell him about the mastermind.

"This happened about 3 years ago. While my husband was on his way to the kingdom of Agate, he saved a woman who was attacked by a pack of wyverns. The woman fell in love with my husband and declared her love but he rejected her and said that he already had a wife. As a result the woman did not accept and was very angry and then she sent me a curse and as you can see now."

The queen's legs were no longer petrified and Zen helped her stand up to move her legs.

"How's it?"

"It's..."

""Mother?!"'

Both of his daughters were shocked to see his mother walking back to normal. They hugged their mother and cried happily. Zen and Brull smiled seeing them happy.

"Shall I beat this woman up, Zen?"

Brull hit his arm with vigor.

"If I could just kill him instead of beating him."

The queen bowed and thanked Zen for helping her.

"I'm so grateful to you. Thanks to you I can walk back."

"Yes, no problem."