Chapter 25: A Contradictory Farewell

Demon Lord’s Castle: Prometheus

In the demon race’s ancient texts, it stood as Karkunda’s first true city, boasting towering walls, formidable gates, and bustling marketplaces.

Human history recounted how Prometheus had repeatedly endured incursions by unknown natural disasters, each rebuilding effort fortifying its protective barrier further. Gazing at the faint, shimmering purple shield in the sky, Qiaolun found himself utterly baffled as to how he had ever stormed the Demon Lord’s Castle. Recalling the descriptions from his books, he remembered the barrier here was said to be capable of withstanding even the highest ‘Divine Judgment-tier’ magic.

It seemed that in his fervent desire to be a hero, he had utterly disregarded whether he had truly broken into the Demon Lord’s Castle through his own prowess, repelling the Demon Lord’s army and even overpowering the Eight Demon Generals, or if the Demon Lord had simply allowed him entry.

How utterly reckless he had been, sparks and lightning trailing in his wake, genuinely believing it was all due to his own magnificent skill.

****

Twilight had already descended as Qiaolun navigated the city’s narrow alleyways, eventually emerging onto a bustling street.

From atop a tall building, he had once clearly observed the Demon Lord’s Castle gate from a distance, noting that apart from a few regularly patrolling soldiers, no guards were stationed there. This meant Qiaolun could simply walk out the main entrance, just like any other ordinary demon.

The Demon Lord’s Castle was particularly lively at night, and Qiaolun intended to use the throngs of people to his advantage, easily evading soldiers and their watchful eyes.

Yet… this was perhaps a little *too* lively.

Disregarding the towering buildings, the vibrant lanterns, and the clamor of crowds filling the bustling, traffic-laden streets, the sheer number of shops lining both sides of the road stretched on endlessly, disappearing into the distant end of the street.

Qiaolun paused, stunned. Perhaps only during a grand festival would such a scene unfold… Oh, and there was a conspicuously large banner strung overhead—

“Celebrating the Day Demon Lord Triumphed Over the Human Hero.”

“What?! Has this become their holiday now?” Qiaolun gritted his teeth, clenching his fists, but quickly regained his composure.

‘Forget it, it’s not like it isn’t true.’

‘How they choose to celebrate is their business; as the vanquished, I should quietly make my exit.’

Qiaolun pulled his hood lower and tightened his clothes, trying his best to conceal his face.

The street teemed with beastfolk and demi-humans of various forms, among whom one could also spot other Demigodkin (referred to as Demon-Godkin by humans) and Soul-Eaters, including a blonde Vampire maiden outside a tavern, loudly soliciting customers, and a robust Demon-Human man performing street magic, captivating passersby with dazzling spells that drew applause.

Qiaolun was drawn by the burst of sparks erupting from the crowd. Just as he was about to push his way through the onlookers, a large hand clamped down on his shoulder.

“Who!”

He spun around, only to see the newcomer raise both hands, a smiling expression on their face conveying their harmless intentions.

“Oh my, you’re clearly an outsider, a fox-kin, a cat-kin…” The person rattled off a few demi-human racial names. “Surely not a centaur!”

‘It doesn’t seem to be someone trying to capture me.’

Qiaolun calmed himself, scrutinizing the suddenly appearing canine-like demi-human. Not only this individual, but the demi-humans in the Demon Lord’s Castle generally bore a stronger resemblance to beastfolk than those in Aldelit.

“May I ask if you need something?” Qiaolun inquired.

“If, dear guest, you are not a treant or a Slime from the Slime Forest, then you absolutely must try the fruits from there.”

He presented Qiaolun with his dazzling array of fruits, an assortment of vibrant colors Qiaolun had never before witnessed.

Nevertheless, Qiaolun recognized a fruit called a “Golden Apple.” He had never tasted it himself, but knew that in Aldelit, its price had once soared to ten gold Glaudes per fruit.

“That one…” Qiaolun pointed to the golden apple, hesitant to call it by its human name, unsure of what the demons might call it.

“A Glauden Fruit? This fruit is not only affordable and delicious but also beneficial for the skin; you have excellent taste.”

“How much is it?”

“Three catties for one silver Glaude.”

“What did you say?” Qiaolun wondered if his ears were deceiving him.

“Guest, the Demon Lord’s Castle is not close to the Slime Forest; at the very least, you must account for shipping costs.” The fruit vendor, fearing Qiaolun found it too expensive, added this, knowing it was a wild fruit commonly found throughout the Slime Forest.

“For cheaper prices, you’d have to go to other cities, where three catties would cost only eight copper coins.”

Qiaolun turned and walked away without a backward glance.

Of course, he wasn’t displeased by the high price, as the vendor had assumed. On the contrary, this fruit, so exorbitantly priced in the human realm, was astonishingly cheap here, even costing less than common apples.

Qiaolun naturally felt a sense of disparity, and also…

He was currently penniless.

Ignoring the fruit vendor’s calls from behind, Qiaolun resolutely decided to leave this troublesome place.

Having roamed the wilderness for so long, Qiaolun had not seen such a civilized and prosperous city in ages. Even in Aldelit, within the human realm, he had only ever visited frontier cities, his sole purpose being to join the Hero’s army.

Perhaps his understanding of large cities was limited, but Qiaolun knew well that a racially diverse city or nation often harbored inherent crises.

Conflicts arising from differences between races were inevitable, as not everyone possessed a tolerant heart to treat others kindly.

At Aldelit’s annual joint summit, the three races would quarrel incessantly, each refusing to yield to the other. Were it not for the seemingly menacing demons to the west, the nation would likely have long since fragmented into war.

Yet, among the numerous races of demons, there was consistently only one voice.

Under the Demon Lord’s rule, even the most populous city, Demon Lord’s Castle Prometheus, required few guards, as if from beginning to end, they had never concerned themselves with conflicts or disputes.

“Demon Lord, who would have thought that someone like you would have such a knack for governing a nation.”

Qiaolun gazed indifferently at the towering Morningstar Tower, marveling inwardly at how this journey had altered his perception of demons.

****

*Thump—*

The surging crowd shifted in a certain direction, and Qiaolun’s shoulder was brushed by someone.

The stage was brightly lit, and a pair of pristine white feet pirouetted gracefully on a carpet of roses.

Qiaolun looked towards the stage ahead, where a captivating succubus maiden danced gracefully, her alluring form enchanting the hearts and minds of almost every audience member facing her, who shouted along with her swaying rhythm.

“Yunajin?”

Qiaolun instinctively blinked, gradually discerning the incoming person’s rose-red long hair.

‘No, it’s just a slight resemblance.’

No matter how the succubus on stage swayed her body or struck seductive poses, Qiaolun remained unmoved. He merely glanced, confirmed his eyes had played tricks on him, and calmly departed.

The captivating succubus with red hair curved her lips slightly.

“How interesting. My charm has absolutely no effect on this person?”

****

The streets of the Demon Lord’s Castle were long; by the time Qiaolun exited the city gates, night had fully descended.

“Finally out. To be honest, this place is far more interesting than the small towns around my hometown.”

“Then… why not stay?”

Qiaolun suddenly caught the familiar, delicate scent of roses.

“Woah—” Qiaolun leaped back in alarm, for a soft, pink cheek was pressed right against his ear.

“Demon Lord!”

Yunajin, a smile gracing her face, waved at Qiaolun.

‘Tch, so I was discovered after all?’

A look of unwillingness crossed Qiaolun’s face; with her abilities, apprehending him and taking him back would be effortless.

“Lord Hero, you should have told me you were leaving, so I could see you off.”

“What? You’d let me leave?” Qiaolun, fearing he had misheard, began, “You’d be willing…”

Qiaolun did not continue, noticing Yunajin’s expression gradually dimming.

“Of course I don’t want you to,” Yunajin said. “We’ve only spent a few days together, and I don’t even know what you like to eat. But every time I saw you eat, you always liked to drizzle sweet sauce on your food, so I just thought…”

As Yunajin spoke, she reached a hand towards her chest.

“You would like chocolate.”

Producing a beautifully packaged box of chocolates from her modest chest, Yunajin finally put Qiaolun at ease.

‘Phew, good thing it wasn’t pulled out of her butt like last time. (If Yunajin knew he was thinking this, she’d have to explain that she carries things by coiling them with her tail.)’

‘Wait a minute, where *did* she pull it from this time?’

In the human realm, the art of chocolate making was a closely guarded secret of the nobility, accessible only to them. Qiaolun, who indeed had a sweet tooth, had been captivated by its delicate, sweet, and smooth taste the very first time he tried it.

“Tha… thank you.”

“Consider this a farewell gift for your journey. Oh, and you’ll probably need travel expenses, won’t you? The journey from the Demon Lord’s Castle to the nearest city in Aldelit is quite long…”

Yunajin rummaged through her pockets, then gave an embarrassed laugh. “Oh dear, I rushed out a bit too quickly and forgot to bring any money.”

“How about this?” Yunajin said, taking off her white overcoat and handing it to Qiaolun.

The coat felt light and its surface was smooth; it was impossible to discern what material it was made from.

“This carries Meredith’s magical aura, which most high-ranking demons can detect. She’s the High Priestess of the demon race, you know? Every city-state in the demon realm will open its gates to you, treating you as an honored guest.”

“The wilderness of the demon realm is very dangerous; try to rest in the city-states whenever possible.”

Qiaolun stared blankly at the chattering Yunajin. This feeling wasn’t like a mother’s nagging farewell, nor a sister’s concern; it was more like a…

“Do you need anything else?” Yunajin asked, tilting her head.

‘You really are a contradictory one, aren’t you.’

Qiaolun’s expression softened. The other person claimed she didn’t want him to leave, yet didn’t stop him. She meticulously prepared a gift, only to forget something due to her haste.

“Could you give me some rose seeds? I think roses smell wonderful.”

“You…” Yunajin’s cheeks flushed slightly, as if she had interpreted some other meaning from his words.

“Of course! But you only need to take their stems; just plant them in soil, and they’ll take root and sprout.”

The Demon Lord’s Castle had no shortage of roses. Yunajin broke off a few stem buds from the roses at the corner of the city and gave them to Qiaolun, who carefully wrapped them in a handkerchief bearing a magical inscription.

“There.” Qiaolun looked up, meeting Yunajin’s expressive gaze.

They gazed at each other for a moment before the maiden shyly lowered her head.

“Couldn’t you stay, Qiaolun…” Yunajin’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, but the other person remained silent.

“Just a few more days?” she ventured, yet failed to notice Qiaolun had already brushed past her.

“Yunajin, can you dance?”

A clear voice rang out under the night sky. Yunajin stared blankly ahead, not pondering the question, but rather the fact that Qiaolun had spoken her name.

He had called her name earnestly, clearly, and directly to her face.

“Eh?”

Yunajin could not dance; she had never delved into that art.

‘Why would he ask that question?’

The smile on the man’s face offered no answer. His silver-grey hair, like Yunajin’s long locks, swayed in the wind, shimmering under the moonlight…