“…Did that guy take the wrong medicine?”
Xia Li sat on the bed in the room the villa had set aside for her, utterly baffled.
Even though she was the heroine now, her charm shouldn’t be strong enough to make someone propose marriage upon first meeting her.
Thinking of the smile Firiya had given, a chill ran down her spine.
That guy must have some hidden scheme!
“After all, she’s supposed to be a righteous character—the Saintess—why is she acting like Liliviel?”
The situation Xia Li was facing had clearly deviated from the game’s storyline, and the character portrayal had gone completely off the rails.
She couldn’t for the life of her figure out what Firiya intended.
“Well, since it’s come to this, I’ll just accept it and get some rest.”
No matter how strong Xia Li’s constitution was, she couldn’t keep up with the back-and-forth travel of today; her eyelids had already grown heavy without her noticing.
……
In the Demon King’s castle palace, Cissilia opened her eyes once more.
“Hm? After falling asleep, my consciousness immediately arrives here?”
Could the Hero really get proper rest?
Physical fatigue was one thing, but mental exhaustion was another—if every time she slept she switched to this place, wouldn’t that mean she was essentially always awake?
If her mental state could recover, she wouldn’t mind at all.
“That means I have more time than others.”
Cissilia was contemplating this when she suddenly sensed something.
Someone was outside the door.
Though the person had suppressed their magical aura to an extremely low level, like a stone standing still, Cissilia’s Demon King-level senses still detected them.
Was it Liliviel?
No, the magic aura was different.
But the strength was roughly the same.
Meaning it was one of the other six Demon Generals.
Rather than letting them continue standing outside preparing whatever, it was better to take the initiative.
Cissilia snapped her fingers, and the palace gates slowly opened.
A figure knelt on one knee, head bowed, right hand pressed to her chest, motionless and silent.
“Come in.” Cissilia’s gaze swept over her.
The Demon General was tall and slender, with a pair of curved horns amidst her long black hair, and faintly heart-shaped pupils in her pale red eyes.
She wore a sharp butler’s uniform, and behind her extended a thin tail tipped with a heart-shaped end.
Every inch of her radiated the classic succubus traits.
Judging by the snow around her feet and on her clothes, she had probably knelt in the snowstorm for hours.
“Lucifer Rosaline,” Xia Li spoke the name aloud.
Leader of the succubus clan, Lucifer was unparalleled in power, status, and influence among the entire demon race—truly “second only to the Demon King, above all others.”
Fortunately, Lucifer wasn’t like that “traitor” Liliviel who had tried to make a move the moment she woke.
Three hundred years ago, Lucifer had served as a general following the Demon King in his conquests.
After the Demon King’s slumber, she took on the troublesome task of managing the demon race herself.
Her loyalty was absolutely rock-solid.
Though, perhaps too loyal!
Given the relationship between the Demon King and Lucifer three centuries ago, she probably knew every little secret down to the hairs on the Demon King’s body.
Even Cissilia’s knowledge of the Demon King wasn’t as deep as hers!
She must not suspect that I’m a fake… Cissilia rested her elbow on the armrest and propped her chin on her hand, a faint smile curling on her lips.
“It’s been such a long time.”
“Demon King, that’s not like your style of greeting,” Lucifer replied with a faint smile.
“Bang!”
Cissilia felt her heart shatter as if shot.
No way! I exposed myself on the very first sentence?!
Though panicking inside, she kept her composure on the surface and changed the subject bluntly.
“I heard from Liliviel that you’ve been managing the demon race all these years.”
“I have only done what a Demon General should do,” Lucifer shook her head slightly. “The development of the demon race these years is nowhere near what it was during your reign.”
“You’ve brought us to stand on par with the Engria Empire, making the elves and dwarves wary. That’s already good enough.” Cissilia gave her an approving look.
“Not enough,” Lucifer shook her head again. “Our greatest enemy is not the Engria Empire, but this barren land beneath our feet.”
Over the years, the demon race had made significant advances in magic technology.
Countless magicians capable of casting forbidden spells and innumerable supreme-level archmages had appeared.
By comparison, the Engria Empire only had ten Saints capable of forbidden spells.
Yet, because of the harsh environment, the demons couldn’t even meet the basic food needs of their people.
Many demons ventured out to hunt monsters—not for their crystal cores, but to drag them back and roast them like livestock.
Compared to the Engria Empire, blessed by the gods, this place was like a wasteland abandoned by divinity.
Even forbidden magic couldn’t forever dispel the snow and ice.
Not even the Demon King could do that.
Lucifer thought of the miracle at the Demon King’s awakening—the sun rising in the sky… but sadly, that divine wonder lasted only a few seconds.
Still, there was a simpler solution than improving the land.
“Demon King, now that you have awakened, it’s time to resume what was left unfinished three hundred years ago.” Lucifer stepped forward.
“To launch a counterattack on the Engria Empire and reclaim the territories that were once ours!”
No, sister, this is going way too far?! Cissilia’s heart skipped a beat.
She had thought Liliviel was already extreme enough, planning to strike directly against the Saints, but Lucifer, who had governed diligently for three centuries, should be a conservative.
Now she saw that she was.
Only the conservative faction thought the radicals were too conservative.
“Demon King, if you need it, I can gather the demon army in three days, bringing all six other Demon Generals, Liliviel included, without leaving anyone behind.”
Lucifer’s lips curled into a grin, the long-missed excitement and fervor bubbling within.
“Demon King, I will be the sharpest sword in your hand, just like three hundred years ago!”
“…” Cissilia’s mouth twitched imperceptibly.
Though she had long known Lucifer’s character from the story, hearing this still made her want to comment.
Shouldn’t a succubus be associated with keywords like ‘sensuality’ and ‘desire’?
Why does she sound like a Paradox Interactive player?!
After some thought, Cissilia decided to follow Lucifer’s line of thought and asked the most critical question.
“How do you plan to deal with the Night’s Protection?”
The goddess of night had set up a blessing in the Engria Empire that suppressed the demon race.
Especially for the Seven Demon Generals and someone of her level, under the influence of divine power, they could only use less than ten percent of their strength.
If they couldn’t solve that, any war was just empty talk.
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