"I'm not angry... I'm even wondering what kind of image I have in your hearts."
Yila pressed his hand helplessly against the blade resting on his neck.
"How many magical creatures have you killed? I hope, Yila, you have some idea yourself..."
"..."
For some reason, Yila found this voice sounded very familiar. His gaze drifted from the Ghostly Knight and the giant Insect Man to the direction of the sarcastic voice and saw a pale-skinned woman wearing a wizard's hat.
"Vera..."
Yila called out her name, frowning, unsure of what to say.
"Ms. Vera, do you know Mr. Yila?"
As he said this, Satan Ye stepped out from behind Yila and waved his hand, signaling the leaders of the magical creatures to retract their weapons.
"She is the Empire's traitor."
Yila said.
"I worked with Yila for ten years."
But Vera had a different story.
"A witch demon... You said you came from the Empire, but you never mentioned holding a high position there."
The giant Insect Man, with an exoskeleton like armor on its body, spoke, its reflective black eyes fixed questioningly on their colleague known as Vera, who had joined them for decades.
"It wasn't a high position..."
Vera said simply.
"She was a court magic wizard, Isabella's magic teacher, but she chose to become a witch demon instead."
And Yila revealed this fact.
"..."
Although it seemed like a cheerful atmosphere, the tension had unknowingly become extremely heavy. Although each leader had put down their blades, in their hearts, a sharp knife still hung.
It wasn't that they didn't want to let go of their hostility, but rather that they didn't dare to.
"So, was it the Demon King who let you out? To avenge the Empire?"
Cold sweat beaded on Vera's forehead. Although she didn't quite understand the [Governor], she was certain that Yila's body now coursed with Satan Ye's mana, which was not a good sign.
Either Yila stole it, or Satan Ye gave it... The former seemed more likely.
"Or have you decided to join us? The Demon King is cute, isn't she? I remember you fancy lolis?"
Faced with Vera's nonsensical remarks, Yila immediately shook his head decisively, saying: "What nonsense are you talking? I didn't betray the Empire like you, but was betrayed by the Empire... I'm going to the Silver Moon Tree Court later."
This was the best option Yila could think of at the moment. Although the elves of the Silver Moon Tree Court didn't have a good relationship with the Empire, Yila himself had decent private relations with them.
Going there for refuge was evidently not a problem.
"Betrayed the Empire? Quite bold of you to say, Yila... I hadn't initially planned to hide my transformation into a witch demon, just wanted to work well in the Empire after all?"
Vera, looking young and beautiful, spoke, sighing: "I too was betrayed by the Empire, right? Why can't the Empire tolerate witch demons, just as they cannot tolerate you?"
"..."
Those words left Yila in silence.
The Empire could never tolerate residents transforming into magic creatures; that was the nation's founding principle. Vera was undoubtedly sophisticating, yet he couldn't find the words to refute her at this moment... could not find the point in refuting.
"I'm leaving... Anyway, thank you for your help, Demon King."
With a brief expression of gratitude, Yila softly chanted in the hall of the Demon King City: "First Wing Pillar·Crimson Dragon·Wing Spread."
As the serene chant echoed, crimson wings appeared behind Yila, and under the vigilant gazes of all the magical creatures in the hall, he looked out to the starry sky outside the window.
It was a beautiful scene, with mana transforming into radiant light from the spine, forming the bones of the wings, which then quickly became fully shaped. The ethereal wings gently fanned, scattering delicate crimson dust.
But on the battlefield, such chanting often accompanied slaughter and death, so no one would have the mind to appreciate it... it only brought fear, deeply embedding the terror within every magical creature that had witnessed the massacre.
"Wait, Mr. Yila, you were unconscious for three days, aren't you hungry? The dinner the Demon King instructed earlier..."
The succubus named Hilena voiced to stop Yila from taking flight, but he didn't care about whether there was a dinner or not, even though he was indeed a bit hungry now.
He wouldn't care... probably.
...
So hungry, I want to eat something.
Feeling somewhat awkward, Yila halted his takeoff, the crimson wings folded back into his body, and he turned to the puzzled magical creatures, saying, "I'll trouble you... consider it a favor I owe you."
"..."
Vera: Right, it was Yila who proposed that food should be exquisite and cooking meticulous.
————Dining Divider————
The dinner at the Demon King City... was a feast lacking in any magical creature atmosphere.
According to custom, all the magical creature leaders would go to their own areas to eat and deal with some business, so usually, only the Demon King's line, along with the butler and maid, would handle dinner-related arrangements.
Calling it dinner, it was more like a family gathering... especially since all the leaders stayed today. Otherwise, if it were only Yila and Satan Ye eating, it would have been more like a candlelight dinner than a gathering.
"The salad chosen isn't fresh enough, and the snake fruit tastes too sour. What do you think?"
Yila critiqued the salad, and the Insect Man he asked could only nod and agree.
Because Yila was right.
"The main dish is mushroom, which seems too strange. No matter the race, everyone needs to ensure a good carbohydrate intake."
To Yila's words, Vera nodded in agreement... though witch demons eat just for the taste, not because they actually need to consume food.
"The steak is too tough, and without any sides, it's too bland. Even by Crimson Dragon's standards, I can't eat it!"
Frowning, Yila complained, unable to understand why the cooks took such little care with the Demon King's preferred dish. Under everyone's gaze, he stood up and asked, "Can someone take me to the kitchen?"
Though phrased as a question, it was with an undeniable tone, as if he were the master of this Demon King City.
"Yes... Lord Yila, please this way."
Standing aside, Hilena twitched the corners of her mouth and respectfully led Yila away from the table, heading towards another room across the hall, leaving Satan Ye and the other leaders looking at each other.
"A witch demon... that Yila Elkaras, is he always like that?"
A young girl with small bat-like wings on her back asked Vera.
For some reason, everyone felt that the Yila they had in mind, as an enemy, was quite different from the image he now presented.
"Yes, he is indeed very particular in odd places... I wish Mr. Lime good luck."
With that, Vera lightly squinted her eyes, sharing her thoughts: "I've always heard a rumor... Yila is not the pure royalist the Empire citizens imagine, but a stubborn dreamer."
"You, are, say, ing, WHAT?"
Faced with the interrupted speaking of a demon statue, Vera showed a sly smile, looking at Satan Ye, she said: "Demon King, the future of magical creatures rests on you~"
"Hmm?"
Satan Ye tilted his head in confusion, sporting an innocent expression.