Chapter 16: The Twilight’s Elegy and a Sooty Demon Lord

Cough, cough…

Pffft—

A sooty head emerged from the furnace, and Qiaolun couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

While it was undeniably impolite, the sight of the Demon Lord in such a dishevelled state was so inherently comical that even forcing himself to conjure unpleasant thoughts couldn’t quell Qiaolun’s amusement.

Her face, smeared with ash, made her look utterly like a tiny charcoal figure.

“Demon Lord!” Almilina moved to pull Yunajin out, but the newcomer waved her off.

“It’s fine…”

Yunajin crawled out, dusting the black ash from her clothes.

“So, this is it? Why does it look like a fire poker?” Yunajin grumbled, gazing with disdain at the dark, stick-like object in her hand.

‘If this is my weapon, it’s far too inferior to Lord Hero’s!’

‘I don’t like it!’

‘The feel of it, however, is quite good.’

Yunajin swung it casually, finding its weight perfectly balanced in her hand—neither too heavy nor too light.

The blade’s surface was coated with a considerable amount of dust, making it barely resemble a one-handed sword at first glance.

Noticing the water vat used for quenching nearby, Yunajin promptly tossed the object into it.

“Don’t just casually…”

Boom—

In that instant, the water vat exploded as if struck by a massive object, and the ground beneath them trembled.

“Huh?! What happened?” Yunajin’s eyes widened.

“Demon Lord, this weapon was custom-made for you. While it may feel light in your hands, that doesn’t mean it lacks significant weight,” Moore explained.

“Oh, right, that makes sense.”

Yunajin walked over to the shattered vat and picked up the jet-black sword.

Freed from the grime of the furnace ash, it now reflected an obsidian-like sheen, not due to its color, but because its surface was as smooth as a mirror.

The blade faintly mirrored Yunajin’s silhouette, making her appear like the ultimate figure draped in a black curtain, exuding a subtle nobility amidst its understated presence, revealing a profound and unassailable dignity, much like its wielder.

If Qiaolun’s sword was the dawn’s first light, then Yunajin’s Demonic Armament was the encroaching twilight, a domineering force poised to swallow the last vestiges of light.

“Twilight’s Elegy,” Moore reminded her.

‘What a strange name. Still, the blacksmith should have the right to name the weapon they forge, I suppose.’

Yunajin nodded, accepting the scabbard Moore offered her. “You’ve gone to such trouble. What reward do you desire?”

Yunajin always ensured rewards and punishments were clear, never stinting on those who performed meritorious deeds.

“No…” Moore smiled. “I’ve already received what I desired.”

Forging a Demonic Armament to restrain the Demon Lord’s power was an immense honor for every Minotaur of the Steelhoof Tribe; even merely participating, providing the venue and equipment, was cause for pride.

Moore’s ambition extended beyond merely undertaking the task of crafting the Demon Lord’s armament; what she truly yearned for was a forging process that demanded her complete concentration, culminating in a magnificent and effortless finish.

This was an exhilarating battle, a struggle of her utmost effort.

Yunajin didn’t know how much effort Moore had poured into this, but the look of contentment in her eyes was proof enough of her satisfaction.

Yunajin understood implicitly; a client sought the outcome, and sometimes, the arduous process needn’t be questioned further.

“Lady Meredith, look! This is my own exclusive weapon!”

Like a child with a new toy, excitedly sharing her joy with a parent, Yunajin enthusiastically recounted all the features of her ‘Twilight’s Elegy,’ and a faint smile touched Meredith’s deep violet eyes.

“Even with the Demonic Armament temporarily suppressing your power, you must not be negligent in your training. You need to master your abilities as quickly as possible.”

“I know, I know,” Yunajin pouted, clearly displeased. Meredith was always like this; no matter what she said, the other woman would always respond with such earnest advice and suggestions.

In truth, Yunajin understood that the Demon Lord’s exclusive weapon was, to some extent, a restraint, a shackle designed to prevent her power from spiraling out of control during her early, immature years. Such a power-limiting tool could sometimes be easily exploited by others.

Therefore, it wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

But for Yunajin, she cared little for any decrease in power.

‘Clearly, today is a day worth remembering. As a commemoration, then…’

“Good! It’s decided! I shall declare today a holiday, and all demons will have three days off! Lady Meredith, prepare a banquet for me tonight, and invite all the demonic executives!”

“Ah?”

“Uh…”

“Hmm…”

Meredith was long accustomed to such displays; she remained expressionless, silently averting her gaze.

The succubus Almilina, the chimera Andros, and the King of Vampires Edesbond all wore varying expressions on their faces.

“Huh? Why aren’t you speaking?” Yunajin seemed oblivious to the subtle atmosphere permeating the air. They couldn’t believe it, nor dared to, that someone wearing power-restricting handcuffs could be so joyous.

Truly worthy of being the Demon Lord; even the Eight Demon Generals lacked such magnanimity.

“Hey, three-headed freak! What the hell are you laughing at?” Almilina snapped, hearing Andros’s low chuckle.

“Which ear heard me laugh?”

“You act like this in front of the Demon Lord; in private, you’re probably plotting to find an opportunity to harm the King whose strength is restricted!”

“What did you say? Explain yourself!”

The two demon elders, who had lived for countless millennia, were now bickering like children. To an outsider, this showed complete disregard for the Demon Lord.

Yunajin, however, didn’t feel they were ignoring her. If she gave a single command, they would stop immediately. On the contrary, she rather enjoyed watching them argue; it was lively and amusing, like siblings.

‘Perhaps like siblings, though I’ve never experienced it, neither in my former world nor in this one…’

“Since the tradition of ‘witnessing the Demonic Armament’ has been completed, Demon Lord, I shall take my leave,” the King of Vampires stated, bowing respectfully to Yunajin. His voice remained soft, and though he stood some distance away, it felt as if he were whispering in her ear.

“Mm, go carefully.”

Edesbond was not only the leader of the vampires but also one of their most ancient progenitors. Legend had it that during the period when the Third Demon Lord feigned death, the demon realm was leaderless, and he vied for supremacy. However, he was obstructed by the Demon Lord’s blood relatives at the time, and coupled with his inherently arrogant personality, he failed to gain the support of most demons.

When Meredith had once introduced the characteristics of the Eight Demon Generals to Yunajin, she described this Blood-soaked Monarch as “the most capable person to become the Demon Lord during wartime.”

She had also said that if he had become the Fourth Demon Lord, the human United Kingdom and the human kingdoms of the north on this continent would have been utterly annihilated.

Edesbond’s departure allowed Yunajin to breathe a sigh of relief. Beneath his seemingly charming golden hair, hidden were those crimson blood-red eyes. His sweeping gaze always made Yunajin’s face sting, though she couldn’t tell if it was intentional or merely an inherent passive effect, much like how a succubus perpetually exuded a strange allure.

“Demon Lord.”

Yunajin turned abruptly, hearing Qiaolun call her.

In a public setting, Yunajin didn’t need Qiaolun to use her name, though he had never addressed her by her full name anyway.

“What is it, human? You’ve got your weapon as you wished; aren’t you going to thank me?” Yunajin said, crossing her arms proudly.

‘What is this guy talking about? Didn’t you break my weapon?’

Qiaolun pursed his lips, then composed himself, declaring righteously, “Demon Lord, let us resume our battle!”

The Hero gripped his sword with both hands, adopting a proper stance. The blade shimmered with silver light, his aura imposing.

‘This weapon truly suits him…’

However, the moment Qiaolun saw Yunajin’s small face still smudged with soot, his body involuntarily trembled, and the powerful stance he had just adopted completely dissipated.

“Pfft, could you… please wash your face first?”

“Oh…” Yunajin touched her face, and Moore, ever astute, promptly brought her a basin of water.

“It’s clean now!”

“Excellent!” Qiaolun’s face showed satisfaction once Yunajin’s face was pristine.

“Now, let us bring an end to all of this together!”

‘Together… Together! Are we moving a bit too fast? I still want to get to know you better!’

Qiaolun pushed off with his legs, surging towards Yunajin like a meteor. She stood rooted to the spot, clutching her slightly flushed cheeks, utterly bewildered.

“What was that speed?”

Thud—

Qiaolun had no time to be alarmed by his own speed; out of control, he shot past Yunajin, slamming deep into the hard rock wall, completely embedding himself within it.

“Did something just fly past? Did you see that, Almilina?”

“What was that… it looked like that human. Can a human body really reach that speed?”

“Hey, hey! Lord Hero! Lord Hero, are you alright? Lady Meredith, quickly, help him!”