Night deepened.
Xia Li stepped out onto the balcony of the second-floor hall and looked over at Filia, who was leaning against the railing, enjoying the evening breeze. She moved closer to her side. “The kids are all asleep already.”
“…Don’t you think what you just said could cause a lot of misunderstandings if others heard it?” Filia gave up her spot.
“Eh~ What kind of misunderstanding?”
“Like we’ve been married for a long time… never mind.”
“I know I’m beautiful and have a lot of charisma, but you’re not really fantasizing about me like that, are you?”
“Tsk… Did you do that on purpose?”
“You caught me.” Xia Li grinned mischievously.
Seeing that expression on Filia’s face was just too amusing.
“I really don’t understand why other girls like you so much.” Filia sighed.
“You said something similar just yesterday.”
“Who would’ve thought it’s only been one day, and you’ve already hit on new targets.” Filia had expected her sister to react, but Ainis was actually getting along quite well with Luya?
She really couldn’t figure it out.
“Let’s be precise with our words—how can that be called hitting on someone? I haven’t crossed any lines with them.” Xia Li paused. “Yeah, not at all.”
“Then why was I watching you holding Luya’s foot?”
“I was giving her a massage! Besides, I was just holding it, not licking it.”
“Licking?” Filia’s mind involuntarily conjured up that image, and her expression shifted slightly. “Pervert!”
“Don’t pin the blame on me just because you imagined something terrible.” Xia Li held up her small hands innocently.
“You said that on purpose just to mess with my head!”
“Hehe…”
“I really can’t figure out what you’re thinking.” Filia was growing more and more unable to understand Xia Li.
In this whole arranged marriage affair, whether it was her, Ainis, Luya, or the two great families behind them, everyone had clear objectives.
But Xia Li’s purpose in doing all this…
“Why are you interfering in the arranged marriage?” Filia couldn’t help but ask. “It doesn’t benefit you in the slightest, and it will only bring you unnecessary trouble.”
Especially with the Kafus and Steinthain families!
If something like this happened at the arranged marriage event, how could the two great families possibly let Xia Li off so easily? They might arbitrarily pin charges on her, throw her in prison, or even execute her in secret.
Filia knew very well the ruthless methods of these nobles!
“Because it’s fun.” Xia Li shrugged.
“Such a dismissive excuse again…”
“Then… because I don’t want to see a beautiful girl sad?”
“Saying that just makes me more convinced you’re a pervert.”
“I’m serious.” Xia Li looked up at the full moon in the sky, smiling softly. “I did it because I thought it would be interesting.”
“Aren’t you afraid of the two families’ retaliation?”
“Hmm, thinking about it carefully afterward, it’s indeed troublesome, but there are always ways to deal with it, right?”
“I still can’t understand…”
“I wasn’t like this before.” Xia Li’s voice lowered. “Back then, I had to face the same monotonous work every day. Life was so dull it made me feel like a walking corpse.”
Thinking about her life before transmigrating, Xia Li fell silent inside.
Now fate had given her a chance to start over in this world.
She didn’t want to be as ordinary as before. She wanted a grand adventure, a life different from the past—exciting and extraordinary.
“You make it sound like you’re really old…”
Filia looked at the girl in front of her who was even younger, but the seriousness in her profile was unmistakable.
“Maybe I really am.” Xia Li chuckled and continued.
“More than chasing results, I care about the process of everything I do—whether each choice follows my heart and whether I can find joy and gain from it.”
“…I guess you and I are completely different types of people.” Filia pursed her lips. “But at least I understand why Ainis and Luya both like you.”
“I told you—it’s because I’m pretty.”
“Fine, you are pretty… if only you weren’t so full of yourself.” Filia said half-heartedly and headed back inside.
“Going to sleep?”
“Mm.”
“Want to join me?”
“Tsk… pervert.”
“Phew, the arranged marriage thing is finally settled…”
Cecilia sat on the throne, reviewing her actions over the past two days as the Hero.
She’d made some money, found a place to stay, showed off in front of a bunch of nobles, and even managed to abduct the eldest daughter of the Steinthain family.
She really didn’t expect all of that to happen in just two days.
The next problem was already on her mind.
The Saint, Verennica Helvel.
“She’s already appeared at Steinthain Castle…”
Cecilia thought about how to deal with that woman when suddenly a bat flew in through the window, flapping its wings and landing on the armrest of the throne.
“Demon Lord!”
A familiar female voice came from the bat.
It was Lilivier… Just thinking about her gave Cecilia a slight headache, but as the Demon Lord, she had to respond. “What is it?”
“Lucyphiel and I have finished remodeling the magic crystal mine. Would you like to come inspect the results?” Lilivier’s voice was filled with barely concealed excitement and anticipation.
What trouble was she scheming this time? Cecilia responded cautiously, “I’m coming.”
She moved her mind, releasing a forbidden-level spatial magic.
In the blink of an eye, she appeared miles away at the magic crystal mine.
All around was pitch black.
But something was rushing toward her!
Cecilia raised her fingertip, and a blinding light like the sun appeared out of nowhere in front of her, illuminating the mine.
The things rushing at her were revealed in the light.
Several bats imbued with blood magic.
With a snap, Cecilia turned the little creatures into ashes.
“Demon Lord, you’re so careless to have triggered the trap I set.”
Lilivier’s figure emerged from the darkness, flying in front of Cecilia. Her blood-ink colored eyes scanned her. “Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Magic of this level doesn’t affect me.”
Cecilia was already amused by Lilivier.
Even a fool could see what this little blood clan member was really up to!
“High-level blood magic doesn’t work at all…” Lilivier muttered, then gave a sly smile. “Good to hear. Truly worthy of the Demon Lord.”
“Is it just you here? Where’s Lucyphiel?” Cecilia preferred dealing with Lucyphiel, who was loyal to her, over Lilivier.
“She said she had other matters to attend to and left first.”
Lilivier moved closer to Cecilia, licking her lips. “Demon Lord, I can also help you relax and enjoy yourself just like Lucyphiel.”