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Join the Server“What is your connection to the owner of this garment?”
Upon awakening, Qiaolun found himself seated, completely unharmed, before a table laden with a lavish spread. Yet, an unseen force held him captive in the chair, rendering him utterly immobile.
‘Had I not been dismembered by those vagrants? What a stroke of luck… But where exactly am I?’
“Hey, human, I’m speaking to you,”
A light, feminine voice drifted to him, prompting Qiaolun to gaze across the long table. The last time he had seen someone occupying that seat, it had been a pink-haired maiden.
“Who are you? And why am I here?” Qiaolun managed to ask, his voice barely a whisper.
“Oh?”
A swish of dark blue hair preceded the figure, who materialized before Qiaolun with an unsettling swiftness. The curtains, stirred by the sudden movement, billowed open, letting in a flood of bright outdoor light, and in that instant, he discerned the person’s features.
Qiaolun found himself utterly unable to pinpoint her age. Beneath a visage that seemed no older than sixteen or seventeen, a pair of dark blue eyes, mirroring the shade of her hair, held a profound depth utterly unsuited to her youthful appearance—a gaze that plunged one into the sensation of a bottomless ice cavern. Yet, the subtle upward curve of the girl’s lips offered a fleeting glimpse of a dreamlike candlelight flickering beneath the frigid ice, only to see it struggle and waver under her openly playful, almost mocking, expression.
From Qiaolun’s extensive experience, one truth became undeniably clear.
‘This woman—she is absolutely not human!’
“I saved your life, simple as that.” The girl let out a chilling cackle, a sound that seemed to mock Qiaolun’s helplessness. “Therefore, you are now my s*ave, and you shall willingly surrender your soul to me…”
“What?!”
At her words, an involuntary tremor ran through Qiaolun’s body. Bound as he was by magic to the chair, even the thought of escape was now a futile delusion.
“Now, s*ave, enlighten me.” The girl conjured the dust-covered white greatcoat from thin air, holding it aloft. “You recognize the owner of this garment, don’t you? Is he her newest paramour?”
“How… how could that possibly be?!”
Qiaolun’s pupils constricted, his face frozen in an expression of disbelief. Inside, a wave of profound shock had already washed over him at the girl’s words.
‘What does this imply? Could it be that…’
‘That Demon Lord, does she truly treat others with such casual disregard? Am I not the only one to suffer this fate? Could it be… that I am merely another plaything?!’
A profound sense of indignation, stemming from being inexplicably toyed with and utterly powerless to resist, surged through him, causing Qiaolun to lower his head in a daze.
‘This garment bears Meredith’s magical aura, a presence easily discernible to any high-ranking member of the Demonkind. She is, after all, the High Priestess of the Demonkind, a fact that would ensure every city-state within the Demon Realm opens its gates to you, treating you as their most distinguished guest…’
The unease that had flickered across Yunajin’s rosy countenance in days past still lingered vividly in Qiaolun’s mind. It was the genuine concern of a maiden setting out on a journey, an emotion so heartfelt, it could not possibly have been feigned.
Perhaps I had misjudged the situation.
“Meredith…” Qiaolun uttered the name, testing its resonance.
“Ha! I knew it!” The blue-haired girl exclaimed, as if Qiaolun’s answer had merely confirmed her prior suspicions. “That woman killed her previous paramour, and now she’s already found another. Tsk, tsk, tsk…”
The girl shook her head, dismissing the matter with a languid wave of her hand, and the magical bonds confining Qiaolun instantly dissolved.
“You know Meredith, the Demon Lord’s mentor, the High Priestess of the Demonkind? Then who, precisely, are you?”
“I am your mistress. Until Meredith herself arrives, you shall serve no one but me as my s*ave.”
Without the slightest warning, the girl materialized beside Qiaolun, her cold, commanding whisper echoing intimately in his ear.
“Therefore, commence eating.” Straightening to her full height, she gestured towards the laden table. “Though your status is undeniably lowly and humble, as my personal s*ave, you shall partake of fare far nobler than the slop fed to wild curs. Take up your utensils, chew deliberately, and should I find your manner of eating displeasing, I shall grind you into dust.”
‘Oh, wow~ It seems your slaves are quite exalted, aren’t they? May I then interpret this as an indirect compliment to your own undeniable nobility?’
Qiaolun mused silently, a wry remark forming in his mind. Just as he reached for the knife and fork to carve a piece of pork chop, a sharp crack rent the air.
CRACK—
“Ouch!”
The girl retracted her whip, her voice laced with displeasure. “Who taught you such barbaric table manners? Keep that knife in your hand; you are not to set it down!”
‘What in the world?! Is this some absurd aristocratic dining custom? Such ridiculous rules for merely eating a meal?’
Wincing in pain, Qiaolun gingerly re-gripped the knife and fork, then cautiously consumed the pork chop, adhering strictly to her bizarre instructions.
He stole a furtive glance at the girl’s demeanor.
“Acceptable. Very obedient.”
‘Damn it, wasn’t I under the impression that bearing the High Priestess of the Demonkind’s aura would ensure a warm reception? Oh, that’s right, this place appears to be…’
“Young mistress, might I inquire if this is the neutral city of Madal City?”
“Hm?!” Upon hearing the address, the girl initially bristled, but a moment’s consideration revealed it wasn’t entirely unfitting.
“It seems your wits are still intact. Indeed, this is Madal City, and I am its sovereign lord, Duke Madal, Ramola Madal.”
****
Massive wings spread to shield against the encroaching dust, as Yunajin’s pristine white boots touched the dry earth. She stood gazing intently at the towering walls of Madal City, partially obscured by the swirling sandstorm.
Madal City, a bastion forged at the very nexus of two warring races. No one could fathom how, amidst such a harsh, resource-depleted environment, Duke Madal had managed to lead a disparate group of border refugees and conjure forth this miraculous city-state.
“Demon Lord, this is Madal City.” Andros Chimera rumbled with a continuous, low growl, and an unseen wave of demonic energy spread outwards. In an instant, the rampant sandstorm was quelled, revealing a rare expanse of clear blue sky above Madal City.
The colossal city gates swung open, and pairs of fully armed soldiers streamed forth. Clad in dust-proof masks and helmets, their faces obscured, it was impossible to discern whether they were demi-humans, humans, or members of the Demonkind.
“A distinguished guest has graced us with their presence. Pray tell your esteemed name, that I may relay it to His Grace, the Duke.”
A diminutive fox-like demi-human tremulously emerged from the throng. Andros, craning his massive neck, gazed down upon the approaching demi-human.
“Do not intimidate him, Andros. I shall speak myself.” Yunajin gently stroked the Chimera’s coarse, leonine head, then addressed the fox-like demi-human. “I am the Fifth Generation Demon Lord of the Demonkind, the Tranquil Demon Lord, and I have come to pay my respects to His Grace, Duke Madal.”
“Ah?!” Yunajin’s voice, though not loud, carried sufficient gravitas and self-assurance. Indeed, no other being across this vast land would dare to invoke the title of Demon Lord.
“Your… Your Majesty, the Demon Lord! Forgive our lack of proper welcome, forgive us! This lowly one shall hasten to inform His Grace, the Duke!” The fox-like demi-human, utterly aghast, swiftly executed a flawless Demonkind court bow, then scurried away, vanishing into the throng.
“Meredith, do I appear so terrifying?” Yunajin muttered, furrowing her brow at the demi-human’s reaction.
“Perhaps they were intimidated by the Chimera at your side.”
“Meredith, you mustn’t joke so. It is merely that Your Majesty’s formidable reputation precedes you; their fear is entirely warranted.”
Andros’s timely flattery, however, failed to lift Yunajin’s spirits. She had long grown accustomed to the sight of her three-headed Chimera.
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