Chapter: 44. Silence (4K)
【Perception Shield Barrier】
【Visual Obstruction】
【Auditory Barrier】
A three-layered protective barrier enveloped the high platform where the Demon King sat.
This was magic cast by Queen Herlith.
It was natural that she needed to cut off external views to have a quiet chat with her two daughters.
Just now, Herlith had heard about the events occurring in the domain, and from her perspective as a mother, this was undoubtedly something to feel happy about!
“Alright…! Great news, my children, Mother is so glad you two have made up! Hmm, sisters should say whatever they need to, and not hold grudges overnight. If you talk things out, isn’t that it? The distance that used to be distant should become closer from now on! Phew… You scared me! I was worried you two might actually fight in the domain…”
Herlith embraced her two daughters, one with each arm.
Princess Xue Fei and Princess Belis were almost pressing their faces together!
Mother…! I think when you say “get closer,” you mean it in a spiritual sense, not a physical sense, right!
Xue Fei struggled to sit up straight, sniffling; her proud little thoughts were nakedly exposed.
“Making up… is making up… but I want to say first! Just because we’ve made up doesn’t mean anything’s changed; I still have to live my life as I do…! Ugh!”
“Aw… Queen Sister is so cute! I can’t stand it… hug me again!”
“I’ve already told you… you shouldn’t get carried away!”
Hehe, Queen Sister says nothing will change, but changes have clearly occurred.
That is, I can stick to Queen Sister like this, and I won’t be kicked away anymore!
Not that I won’t kick you, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other means of punishment.
While poking Belis’s forehead with my finger, pushing her to a safe distance, Xue Fei simultaneously observed her father and mother.
Father seemed to still be in a heated state after just experiencing battle; his disdainful expression suggested he wanted to say—tsk tsk tsk, siblings reconciling is only natural, this little matter shouldn’t be making such a fuss!
So why did he want to say it but didn’t?
The reason was naturally that Mother was “smiling” at him.
That smile was captivating and had a “devastating” impact.
The first captivating refers to a general sense, while the second devastating signifies physical destructive power.
Alright, enough of that sibling love; let me ask you about the big matters.
“Father, how did you solve things over there? Did you beat up the Pope? Look at his long face… and what about Aimeres? She wasn’t also beaten up, was she?!”
“Oh! My daughter, you finally asked something serious!” The Demon King was exceedingly pleased to hear his daughter ask this!
“Dizna…?” Herlith clenched her fist, her smile slightly twisted, “How many times have I said… family matters are also serious? Why did you only think about battles? I really want to knock your head to see what’s inside.”
“My wife, I beg you, don’t knock.”
Under the influence of his wise wife, Dizna finally managed to rein in his arrogance.
He sat upright on the temporary throne, and as he did so, the blood-red armor made a dull sound, and he cleared his throat to begin recounting the details of what had just happened.
“Ahem! It’s nothing much, that Pope Gustavo is just someone who relies on magical tools and tricks; he uses some cunning tricks which angered me so much that I snatched away his hat and burned it. This time, I took action just to see what hidden trump card that golden light had behind it.”
“The golden light claims to be Aimeres.” Xue Fei shared the information she knew, “She said she is one of the Four Creation Gods. The authenticity of that statement cannot be verified yet; did any of you find anything while fighting her?”
Ah…?
Belis tilted her head in confusion, listening in a daze.
Ahahaha… So while I was gone, everyone already encountered a deity? Truly unpredictable is the world!
“We didn’t discover anything.”
The next words were spoken by Herlith.
“Because we didn’t truly battle against that golden light.”
“Didn’t fight…?”
“Yes, I and your father repelled the Pope; your father was in high spirits, thinking of pursuing the victory to deliver a heavy blow to the Pope, but that golden light suddenly appeared, materializing from a phantom, blocking your father’s magical attacks.”
“Being able to block Father’s attack…? That indicates good defense, doesn’t it?”
“She was blown away.”
“……”
That… that goddess seems to be a bit embarrassed, huh?
Herlith hadn’t finished her words yet.
In her typically calm eyes, there was a hint of concern as she continued.
“But what’s strange is… she clearly took on your father’s [Dissolution] head-on but didn’t suffer any actual damage. After that golden light rose again, she had a few conversations with us, and this battle which was meaningless ended.”
“Uh… But my father is a battle maniac; how can a fight end so easily…? What did you say?”
“That golden light said—‘Give me face, let’s call it a day.’”
“!”
Wow…
Xue Fei had considered many possible outcomes for the end of the battle, yet she never imagined that Aimeres would present such an unremarkable situation!
Giving you face, huh.
What’s that face worth, looking all shiny; does it drop gold coins?!
In the end, just because of that line, Dizna lost all fighting spirit.
Demon King Dizna waved his broad palm, his tone filled with disappointment.
“Boring, I thought that guy would show some trump card, but in reality, there was no combat strength at all. The way of the Demon King does not disdain to bully the weak! If you don’t want to fight, then don’t; fighting would only smear the Demon Race’s name!”
If those guys spread the word saying I, the Demon King, bully the weak, I couldn’t afford to lose this.
Unexpectedly, Aimeres was so disappointing… which makes Xue Fei a bit troubled.
After some thought, she didn’t notice that her finger was secretly clasped by Belis.
“So… can you determine whether she is truly a deity or just putting on airs, not living up to her name?”
“It’s hard to say for sure.”
Dizna also wasn’t only capable of battle.
His keen sense as a Demon King also led to some conclusions during combat.
“That guy seems to lack fighting ability… but I always feel she is hiding something. There must be a reason she can’t take action, or she just can’t take action yet.”
Herlith added, “Also, her magical power is extremely unique and pure. Your father and I have encountered so many races and enemies, but we’ve never seen a magical attribute like that. To describe it specifically… it’s like a locust without long legs among a pond full of fish, very odd.”
“……”
Wow, Mother, your description is really not abstract at all.
I find myself always saying the wrong thing these days—it must be inherited from your speech genes.
Continuing to discuss this matter won’t yield any further conclusions.
There is only so much information both sides can share; though the truth hasn’t been reached, the purpose of this Demon King’s expedition has been achieved.
—He wanted to confirm that there are indeed some mysterious beings behind the Church State.
The next matters should be left to Ailer, who has been traveling for years since she is better at investigations.
As a king, one cannot do everything personally; utilizing the abilities of subordinates properly is the way of a king.
After making a decision, the Demon King stood up, slapping the fresh red armor on his thigh, looking into the distance.
“Alright…! Herlith, let’s head back!”
“Yes, the time is about right.”
“Already leaving?”
As soon as Xue Fei asked this question, she quickly lowered her head and fell silent, as if wanting to retract her statement.
Ugh… doesn’t that make her look like a little child reluctant to see her parents leave?!
What’s so wrong with having a childlike temper?
Herlith gently patted the top of Xue Fei’s head with a smile on her face.
“Your Father and Mother can’t stay away from Demon Territory for too long… but Xue Fei, you are free. I actually don’t want you to take the same path as Father and Mother; to be honest… it’s very tiring. You are like a migratory bird longing for the sky, and with your personality, that’s just fine. Just if you miss home… come back to see us,
Don’t drift too long outside, okay?”
“Um… I… I know… I was actually planning to go home for a visit in a few days…”
“Hmm, good child, we shall head back first, and let Belis stay to accompany you for a while. Mother can see that you truly miss home…”
“Well… not exactly… uh… just a bit…”
There is something in this world that cannot be resisted.
That is a mother’s embrace.
Here, there are no lies or any irrelevant stubbornness.
This warm scene is something Belis hasn’t appreciated in a long time.
She quietly retreated to the side, gazing, relishing the feeling as if returning to her childhood.
Queen Sister always bears so many expectations; how wonderful it would be if she could relax like this.
The Demon King cannot stand these displays of familial affection!
He swaggered with his hands on his hips and let out two hearty laughs, patting his chest armor, pointing at the throne behind him.
“Xue Fei, you decide how you want to do things! Anyway, this next position of Demon King doesn’t necessarily have to be yours; I see Belis has potential too! I advise you to work hard early; otherwise, this Demon King position might just go to your sister—aren’t you worried?!”
“Oh, oh, let anyone sit in that position; I sat there once when I was little, and it was uncomfortable, I didn’t like it.”
“What…!”
The Demon King was severely shocked.
Why is my daughter so unambitious!
In a family, there is no need to fuss over small matters, and Dizna has already risen from that throne.
Meanwhile, Belis walked to the seat, crossed her legs, and her magically endowed eyes radiated a naturally dignified demeanor that even had a hint of a little Demon King vibe.
She snapped her fingers and teased with a smile.
“If I become the Demon King, Queen Sister becomes the Queen, so it’s all good~”
“Hahaha!! Look at my daughter, she just loves to joke around! This is definitely the funniest joke I’ve heard this year!”
The Demon King laughed heartily.
But he was the only one laughing; no one responded to his smile.
Because everyone knows…
Whether this is a joke or not, is really hard to say.
Before leaving, Herlith quietly leaned in to Xue Fei’s ear and whispered something.
“Xue Fei… if you have the opportunity when you go home, bring that little girlfriend of yours along? Let Father and Mother meet her. Of course, do it quietly, don’t draw too much attention; after all, her identity… isn’t particularly convenient, right?”
“Mother, you already know…?”
“Pfft, how could I not be aware of your matters? You are my daughter. Just looking at her eyes, those little gestures of protecting you behind, I understand it all at a glance! I just didn’t expect Xue Fei to fancy girls!”
“This… isn’t it very normal?!”
“Of course~ No matter what, my Xue Fei is very normal.”
What a coincidence, Dizna was nearby but only caught the middle section of the conversation.
He clapped his hands, enlightened.
“Now I see… quietly bringing the Hero to the Demon King’s Castle, then setting up a web to trap them, right? Herlith, good strategy!”
“……”
Soon, both the Demon King and the Queen exited the stage.
What Xue Fei saw was her Father being led away by her Mother by the ear.
Moreover, Mother was still murmuring.
Seemingly utterly exasperated with Father’s emotional intelligence.
Hurry up…
Don’t embarrass the Demon King family.
……………………………….
With the finals approaching, the staff on-site were using earth attribute magic to adjust the Gladiatorial Arena.
Ah… the difficulty of this year’s competition lies in the venue itself; facing strong beast-like opponents, it has been destroyed many times!
Down below, it was bustling, and the viewing platforms and audience sections were alive with excitement.
The soldier responsible for delivering information brought the news of the Demon King’s departure to King Celtic, who was seated on the high platform.
The King nodded to indicate understanding and waved his hand for the soldier to return to their post.
He turned his head to scan the area.
It was getting late, but the atmosphere in the audience didn’t diminish.
From the King’s perspective, he was particularly satisfied with tonight’s competition.
“Livra.”
“What is it, Father? Is the final about to start?”
“Not yet. I wanted to say, what you said before was right; peace may indeed be achieved through unexpected means. Look at those demons and humans, clearly so close… yet not fighting; they are even discussing tonight’s victor together—this scene… is really quite magical.”
“Right!” Livra sparkled among the royal family members, “This is thanks to Princess Xue Fei being willing to help us; I believe proceedings need pioneers. At first, I thought it would be bad luck to approach Princess Xue Fei about this, but… how do you know unless you try? Hehe… though luck played a big part too.”
“You are correct.”
Indeed.
But what you did required quite a lot of courage.
King Celtic questioned himself; even if he were dozens of years younger, he probably wouldn’t be able to achieve what Livra has done.
It seems the next candidate for the kingdom’s ruler has become increasingly clear.
“Livra, pay more attention to discern right from wrong and seek the truth.”
“Ugh… I didn’t understand…”
“It’s fine; these are things you’ll gradually learn later.”
The other royal family members in line remained silent.
Some didn’t grasp the King’s words, while others understood their father’s implied meaning.
Some expressed agreement with the achievements Livra might attain in the future.
But there were still some who… felt their father’s decision was too hasty and wanted to prove their own capabilities for handling great responsibilities.
What they thought is not something the King should concern himself with at this moment.
What he could do now was to take advantage of this favorable situation and wrap up the competition successfully.
Using the royal scepter to prop himself up, he stood.
He gazed at the chancellor, Philex, who was at the edge of the high platform, overseeing the situation in the venue.
“Philex, go down and inform the organizers; the finals can begin.”
“……”
A strange silence.
“Philex?”
Inquiring again, still, there was no response.
In fact, he didn’t even turn around.
This was disrespectful.
Though it was known that Philex held ulterior motives, he had always been efficient in his work; this time, under the King’s command, he hadn’t taken any action at all.
So much so that the knights responsible for guarding the high platform instantly drew their blades, pointing them at this foreign chancellor they had long looked down upon.
