"A... a demigod?!" Upon hearing Jay's introduction, the Four Dukes were completely stunned, especially Duchess Witch's Hat. She had previously suspected the Golden Portal was powered by Seventh-Level or Eighth-Level magic, but now it seemed she had vastly underestimated it. Could this actually be a manifestation of divine power?
While titles like "Holy Maiden," "Angel," "Prophet," and "Teacher of All" sounded impressive, they paled in comparison to the single word "demigod."
A nation blessed by a god... What an enviable and awe-inspiring phrase.
In this light, the Kingdom of Ukel's defeat was no surprise. The last sliver of hope lingering in the Dukes' hearts vanished.
They had undoubtedly considered signing the unequal treaty now, then tearing it up once they returned safely home. After all, they had prepared thoroughly this time—how could they possibly be ambushed and captured again?
Now it seemed clear: if they dared break the treaty, they might indeed find themselves captured once more.
However, what did "Demigod of Passage" mean? The question arose simultaneously in all four dukes' minds. A god who opens passages? The Golden Teleportation Gate was undeniably powerful, but if that was all, this demigod didn't seem particularly formidable.
Of course, a demigod remained a demigod, possessing power far beyond mortal comprehension. Even with just one gateway, they could easily slaughter the Four Dukes. The dukes knew this well, their faces now betraying an unspoken plea: We've learned our lesson, please spare us.
Duke Glasses, the bespectacled duke, took the treaty Olivia had just signed and glanced at it. He then asked, puzzled, "Wait, you... er, Your Royal Highness, you've only written your given name? What about your family name?"
"Family name...?" Olivia began to reply, but Jay swiftly pulled her away, whispering urgently, "Crap, I completely forgot about that!"
"What is it?" Olivia tilted her head slightly. Jay explained, "Only commoners lack family names. Both the Royal Family and the nobility possess inherited family names that represent their status and symbolize their glory. Like me, my full name is Jay Roberts."
In essence, a noble's fundamental skill was memorizing the family names of all other nobles. Only then could they accurately assess the power dynamics of the nobility, determine whether a noble was dangerous to provoke, and decide on the appropriate attitude to adopt when dealing with them.
Everything a noble does can be understood as managing their family's prestige. The exorbitant prices nobles pay for luxury art from the Grand Duchy of Augustus in the Kingdom of Ukel—isn't that just to make their families look more powerful?
If they can afford such rare treasures and casually spend vast sums, other nobles will remember their family name. If a conflict ever arises with someone bearing that name, they might think twice before acting.
But Olivia's grandfather was born a slave and had no family name. Although both her grandfather and father became kings, they never understood this custom and never created a surname for themselves. Thus, Olivia's full name is simply "Olivia."
Jay explained, "So, from everyone else's perspective, you didn't even finish writing your name. Naturally, the treaty would be considered invalid!"
After all, who would ever imagine that the princess signing a treaty with them wouldn't have a surname? If this weren't a treaty of surrender but an equal agreement, the other party might assume Olivia was mocking them if she only wrote half her name.
"You didn't even write your full name! Does that mean you never intended to sign the treaty? Were you just toying with us this whole time?"
Olivia blinked in surprise. "Ah? Is that really how it works? What should I do now?"
"Easy," Jay said. "Since your grandfather and father never created a surname, just come up with one on the spot."
Olivia's eyes widened further. "You can just make up something so important like that?"
"Of course," Jay replied. "Didn't all noble surnames originate that way? Well, sometimes the king bestowed them, but that's not the point. The important thing is you only get one chance to choose now. Once you pick it, neither you nor any of your descendants can ever change it. So pick something that sounds good and isn't already in use."
"Hmm..." Olivia pondered, her brow furrowing. She wasn't exactly gifted at naming things, let alone something as significant as a surname.
Perhaps Olivia's deliberation took too long, because Duke Glasses couldn't help but ask, "Um, so what's the situation exactly?"
Tribios stepped forward and said, "It seems Her Royal Highness has some minor reservations about certain clauses in the treaty."
As the saying goes, "Keep your family's dirty laundry out of sight." They certainly couldn't reveal that Olivia didn't have a surname right now—they were currently making one up. It was too embarrassing. Tribios then opened a Century Gate, and the mere act of doing so startled the Four Dukes.
Tribios stepped through the Century Gate and quickly returned with four bottles of beer. "No rush. Why don't you try these first? They have a very pleasant flavor."
The Fat Duke spoke up first: "Indeed! This fine brew is exceptionally delicious. Speaking of which, does your nation produce much of this? I've only seen a few bottles on the market—rare as hen's teeth and impossible to purchase."
Tribios smiled faintly. "Not in great quantities, but if you gentlemen wish to purchase some, it's not entirely out of the question..."
Soon, the Four Dukes' attention had been completely drawn away by Tribios. Seeing this, Jay couldn't help but sigh in relief, silently marveling, What a timely rescue!
After a while, Olivia finally invented a surname. After confirming with Jay that no noble family currently bore that name to avoid duplicates, she swiftly signed her name on the treaty.
Carrying the treaty, she approached Tribios and the Four Dukes. "Alright, alright! This treaty has no issues. I've reviewed it again, and it's fine."
This could be considered a way to smooth over Tribios's lie, but when she glanced at the treaty and saw Olivia's signature, she froze.
There, clearly written, were the words: Olivia Benitez.
Olivia, thinking Tribios was puzzled by her fabricated surname, quietly explained, "When I was little, I heard a bard tell a story. Benitez was the protagonist's name—a dragon attacked his hometown, but he ultimately repelled it through his own efforts, protecting everyone. I thought the name was cool and the story meaningful, so I adopted it as my surname. What do you think? It sounds pretty good, right?"
"No... could it be?" Tribios murmured to herself, as if she hadn't heard Olivia at all. "But... Benitez is the Demon Lord's name!"
Three hundred years later, in the Ice Cave, the only thing the half-elf Druid Hero still remembered was the Demon Lord's name: Benitez.
Truth be told, Tribios had long suspected Olivia might be the Demon Lord. After all, she had been teleported three hundred years into the past after stepping on a Magic Circle in Chaos City, the site of the final battle between the Demon Lord and Hero. Shortly after arriving, she had encountered Olivia right next to the Grand Duchy of Augustus.
But when Tribios had asked before, Olivia had confirmed that her name was simply "Olivia," with no other parts. Tribios never imagined that "Benitez" was actually a surname Olivia had given herself under such circumstances.
Tribios's voice was so soft that Olivia couldn't hear her. "What was that?" she asked, puzzled.
A faint, bitter smile appeared on Tribios's face. "Can this surname... be changed?"
Jay strolled over at that moment. "The contracts are already signed. It's definitely non-negotiable. But this is the first time I've seen you look so troubled. Is there something wrong with the surname?"
Tribios fell silent, completely at a loss for how to explain. She couldn't understand it either. Olivia, by every measure, was an absolutely good person. How could she possibly want to destroy the world?
No, the possibility wasn't truly zero. Olivia loved her country so deeply that if it were ever destroyed and all those she cherished perished, she might indeed transform into a Demon Lord. But... wouldn't that be even more tragic?
Yet that didn't seem right either. Olivia was a Paladin, her power derived from her Oath of Overlord, a vow deeply bound to the Grand Duchy of Augustus. If the Grand Duchy fell, Olivia should theoretically lose her Paladin powers.
Her Oath was to protect the nation, and the Grand Duchy's destruction would mean she had failed to uphold it, breaking her vow. How could she possibly retain the power to become a Demon Lord and destroy the world?
Moreover, wasn't the Demon Lord supposed to wield ice-based powers? Olivia was clearly a fire-aligned character.
But then Tribios remembered Olivia's Lord, Half. Beyond being a Paladin, Olivia was also a Warlock, after all.
Seeing Tribios's troubled expression, Olivia's spirits dampened. "Is... is my naming sense really that bad? Should I just say I accidentally wrote it wrong, get the treaty back, and change it? They already think I'm a bit dim, I could just play dumb..."
Tribios shook her head. "It's fine, let it be. It's not about the name itself. I'm sorry, Olivia."
In truth, even if Olivia changed her name right now, it wouldn't matter. It wasn't because she adopted the surname 'Benitez' that she became the Demon Lord; rather, it was because she was the Demon Lord that the name 'Benitez' would be forever remembered.
Understanding the cause-and-effect relationship, if Olivia was destined to be the Demon Lord, changing her name would alter nothing.
Regardless of Tribios' mental turmoil, negotiations between the Grand Duchy of Augustus and the Kingdom of Ukel continued. After reviewing the treaty and finding no issues, the Four Dukes approached the King of Ukel.
Though the Four Dukes wielded immense power, only the King's signature could legitimize such an unequal treaty; the Dukes' signatures alone would be meaningless.
Just then, the King of Ukel slowly awoke. The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was the Four Dukes surrounding him—even the Fat Duke, who should have been captured, was present.
The King immediately burst into laughter. "My loyal ministers," he chuckled, "did our soldiers drive back the invaders and rescue Duke Phat? Is that why you're all here?"
"Uh..." The four dukes exchanged uneasy glances. Finally, Duke Glasses, the man with spectacles, approached the king with the treaty. "Your Majesty, please sign this."
The king looked utterly bewildered. "What is this?"
After skimming the treaty, his eyes rolled back, his neck lolled to the side, and he succumbed to the shock, slipping back into a remarkably sound sleep. If this were a comic, a white soul might have drifted from his lips.
Seeing this, Duke Moustache chuckled awkwardly at Tribios. "Uh, sorry you had to see that. His Majesty is just like that—he sleeps like a log. He can doze off in an instant whenever he wants. We're all so envious."
Meanwhile, Duchess Witch's Hat grabbed the king by the collar and began shaking him vigorously. "Wake up! Wake up now!"
After a prolonged struggle, the king finally stirred. His right hand trembling, he picked up the pen and signed the treaty.
Seeing his signature, the Four Dukes breathed a collective sigh of relief. This meant their lives were now guaranteed. The Fat Duke even remarked casually, "May I take a stroll around your country? I'm quite curious about this place."
After all, the Grand Duchy of Augustus was shrouded in mystery. To this day, the Fat Duke and the others only knew the nation's name from the treaty—nothing more.
However, Tribios directly opened a Century Gate, saying in a rather indifferent tone, "My apologies, but I have matters to attend to now. We can arrange a tour later. Please, return."
The Four Dukes exchanged bewildered glances. This Demigod had been all smiles moments ago, chatting with them about beer. Why the sudden change in demeanor?
But remembering her divine nature, perhaps such mood swings were normal for a Demigod? Since Tribios had given them the order to leave, the Four Dukes and the King swiftly stepped through the Century Gate, instantly returning to the Kingdom of Ukel.
Back in the Grand Duchy of Augustus, after the Dukes and King had departed, Jay asked, "So, what's wrong? Your face has been pale since this morning."
Olivia, her face creased with worry, added, "So, my naming skills really are that bad?"