The army of magical beasts came and went like a fleeting storm, leaving behind a battlefield scarred with blood, dust, and the shattered remnants of what once stood as mighty walls. Duchess Shia frowned at the sight, her expression one of clear distaste for the devastation that surrounded her.
Beside her, Lundy shook his head in a gesture of resigned acceptance and took a small step forward. "Your Grace, perhaps you should return and rest. We can handle things from here."
His words were a plea for the Duchess to take respite, for it was her and the Princess's arrival that had turned the tide of battle. Yet, both ladies seemed to bear the weight of their efforts, their exhaustion palpable. Now was the time for rest and recuperation.
Lundy looked at the soldiers, their faces filled with reverence as they gazed upon the Duchess and the Princess. He could only offer a wry smile. These two were not figures to be admired from afar. With a shout, he organized the lightly wounded to assist their more severely injured comrades back for treatment, while the unscathed were tasked with the grim duty of retrieving the dead, and perhaps salvaging the magical cores of the fallen beasts.
On the other side, Princess Erin stood with a cold gaze fixed upon the severely wounded Nadas, her stare so intense it drew cold sweat from his brow, forcing him to cower in fear.
Nadas cursed his luck in silence. Why was Lundy always the one to fare well in battle, while he found himself bested by the very beasts he sought to repel? Had it not been for the timely intervention of the Duchess and the Princess, his fate would have been sealed.
"Useless," Princess Erin scoffed, her disdain for Nadas's failure clear. With a final, dismissive glance, she turned and followed the slowly retreating figure of Duchess Shia. A faint smile played on her lips as she remarked, "It seems Lundy has distinguished himself once more. At the most critical moment, he managed to hold off four high-level magical beasts single-handedly!"
"Merely fortunate," Duchess Shia responded, her brow furrowed in concern rather than delight. "Why... do you concern yourself with such matters?"
Without further comment, Princess Erin followed the Duchess towards the palace that bore little resemblance to a traditional royal residence.
...
Carson and Angelina had been in the large crater for half a day, moving only when necessary.靠着 the strange powers of the fireseed, their injuries had significantly improved. Yet, without a few more days of rest, neither could stand without difficulty.
To Carson's delight, the fireseed's path of operation was reminiscent of the internal energy arts from his old world. Not only did it heal wounds, but it also strengthened the fireseed itself. Though the improvement was minimal in such a short time, every little bit helped, and he welcomed the growth of his power.
As the red moon, a celestial body that hung in the sky like a second sun, began its slow retreat towards the western horizon, Carson offered a faint smile. "Angelina, we should leave now. Those two women may return soon, and if they do, escape will be impossible."
"I won't go!" Angelina's childish stubbornness flared at the most inopportune moment. Her cheeks puffed out in a display of petulance, and she fixed Carson with an adorably stern gaze.
Carson chuckled, though it was tinged with a hint of helplessness. Before he could say more, a cold voice from outside interrupted them. "Bring these two inside!"
Carson froze. It seemed neither of them would be going anywhere now.
Two demonic soldiers, clad in armor that resembled tattered animal hides, descended into the crater. Their visages were twisted into expressions of malevolence, and a mere glare from them was enough to make Carson feel as though he was being stalked by a wild beast.
It was clear that these two demons were formidable.
Without resistance, Carson and Angelina were escorted into the Duke's residence. From the outside, the palace seemed no different from any other grand building. However, once inside, the true essence of a ducal palace became apparent.
Though some areas had begun to show signs of decay, the overall structure was impressive. There was an air of antiquity that hung heavy, as if the palace itself were a beast in repose, ready to awaken at any moment.
A grassy area, akin to a town square, exuded the scent of fresh grass so potent it induced a sense of lightheadedness. Beyond this verdant space lay a room that resembled a grand parlor.
The seats of honor were crafted from luxurious, finely upholstered materials. The luster of the fabrics alone spoke to their value. Along the sides stood chairs made from redwood, a type of timber that, in the demon world, was a symbol of wealth and nobility.
They had been standing in this grand hall for some time, the vastness of the room making it feel strangely empty. The two women who presided over this space watched them with unyielding scrutiny. It was difficult to feign confidence under such a gaze.
After a long while, to the surprise of the two women, the girl named Angelina regarded them with eyes that held only innocence. As for the other, he had done the unthinkable—fallen asleep!
Their intentions had been to create an atmosphere of压迫感, but the sleeping man had thrown their plans into disarray. What sort of pressure could be exerted by a man who could slumber so soundly in such circumstances? Was he naturally inclined to sleep, or had he truly devised such a bizarre strategy?
When Lundy and Nadas entered, they found a man sprawled in the center of the room, fast asleep, and a girl whose eyes still held a touch of innocence as she observed the two noble figures. Their expressions were a study in bewilderment.
"Princess, Your Grace, who are these..." Nadas's mouth twitched slightly as he regarded the twosome.
The reminder only served to infuriate Princess Erin further. Unlike the Duchess's indifference, she had no patience for such games. With a slap of her hand on the table and a sudden stand, she exclaimed, "Sister Shia, if you can wait, I cannot. Hmph, you wretched boy, daring to toy with me! See how I'll make you pay!"
With those words, she shot a cold glance at the Duchess and began to stride towards Carson's position. Angelina looked surprised and prodded Carson's side, signaling that it was time to rise and cease the pretense of sleep!
Unfortunately, Carson was genuinely asleep. After being nudged twice, he groggily swatted away the little girl's hand, clearly intent on returning to his dreams.
Princess Erin could endure no more. With a twitch of her lips, she delivered a swift kick to Carson's side. Though she did not employ her terrifying powers, the force of her physical strength was not to be underestimated.
In an instant, the unsuspecting young man was sent flying. Before Angelina's astonished gaze, Carson collided with the wall and slumped to the ground with a thud.
"Ah!" A pained groan escaped him as he cradled his side, his bleary eyes finally opening. He looked at the seething Erin, then to Shia and the others, before turning to Angelina as if to say, "Why didn't you wake me?" But one glance at her innocent expression made it clear she had tried, and his failure to awaken was not her fault.
Carson gritted his teeth and slowly rose to his feet. The simple act was laced with agony. Angelina quickly moved to support him, her once pure gaze now gone.
"Your Highness, Your Grace. There's no need to keep up this charade. Heh... You two share such a close relationship; is it necessary to pretend otherwise?" With a wry smile, Carson spoke words that left even the little girl stunned, and both Shia and Erin stood dumbfounded.
Lundy's eyes narrowed, and Nadas watched with a cold gaze, as if he were observing a play.
Erin's gaze flickered as she regarded Carson, then she burst into laughter, her voice as sultry as ever: "Oh, my dear boy, it seems you're quite unaware of your current predicament! Sister Shia, I trust you won't mind if this handsome young man meets his end before my eyes!"
Nadas snorted at this, even in such a situation, the princess sought to undermine the Duchess.
Her hand, as white and delicate as a lotus root, slowly rose above her head. In an instant, her aura peaked, and both the little girl and Carson felt the pressure mount, beads of cold sweat trickling down their foreheads.
"Why... Do you intend to kill and silence... Hmph... Besides that one, everyone here likely knows of your relationship!" Carson gritted his teeth and decided to reveal everything.
He pointed at Nadas, his expression one of utter disdain. It seemed the deputy captain of the city defense forces was oblivious to the true intentions of his masters.
Lundy's eyes widened, and he moved with incredible swiftness. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance and landed a punch in Carson's stomach. The attack was so sudden that Carson was left gasping for air, on the verge of losing consciousness.
His back pressed against the wall, the wall was even more exaggeratedly breaking apart slowly.
The wall was even more exaggeratedly breaking apart slowly.
"Kason!" The little girl exclaimed, and as she was about to punch Lundy, the Duke behind her finally spoke: "How do you know?"
At the same time, Eileen glared at Kason through gritted teeth, quickly returned to her seat, closed her eyes, and then slowly opened them: "Sister
, there are no outsiders." On the other side, Nadas stood there, dumbfounded. For a moment, he didn't know what was going on. He was even more unclear about what was happening between Princess Eileen and Duke Hsia.
For a while, his mind couldn't turn around.