Chapter 205

“You…!”

The atmosphere burned with heated excitement and passionate fervor.

If no one were maintaining order, the grand hall would surely have turned into a battleground for seizing command at any moment.

A few words of discussion further stirred the fiery air, announcing the stark contrast between the Demon Clan and the human kingdoms.

An innate belligerence and aggression, versus a constant inclination toward caution and restraint—this was the greatest difference branded into the blood of both races.

Even Livra, a princess of the human race, couldn’t help but praise this unique atmosphere during the Demon Clan’s council.

“Eh… Everyone’s so eager. Unlike the ministers in Aurus, who always say things like ‘analyze according to common logic’ or ‘we should act with caution,’ the Demon Clan’s ministers don’t analyze at all… No wonder people always say the Demon Clan is full of reckless brutes—there’s both good and bad in that, and it kind of makes sen—ugh, Miss Shaya, help! Did they hear what I said? I feel like my life is in danger…!”

“It’s fine, Livra. In a place this loud, no one can hear you. Though, your life actually being in danger—that part is true.”

“!”

“You’d best walk closer to me. Otherwise, there might be trouble.”

Then I’ll stick right next to you!

That was indeed the truth. The Demon Clan harbored hostility toward Livra not because of what she had said—

—but simply because of who she was. As a human princess, she naturally provoked animosity and rejection from them. After all, the Demon Clan and the humans had long been mortal enemies.

Everyone present was a high-ranking noble of the Demon Clan, and quite a few recognized the Third Princess of Aurus.

Dragged back and forth away from Sheffy by Belith and Xiarette, Livra had no choice but to cling tightly to Sheffy with teary determination, just like a little magnet. At the same time, she tried her best to maintain her dignity and grace as a princess of the human race.

Livra’s hearing was not as sharp as Sheffy’s.

Some of the whispered discussions—Sheffy could hear them clearly.

“Tch… Isn’t that the human princess? Why’d they bring her here.”

“Who cares? Isn’t she just some plaything the King of Aurus gave to Princess Sheffy? Didn’t you see how scared she looked? She’s definitely already been… tamed and broken in by Her Highness. And it’s only been a few days. Her Highness really is ruthless… Ha! But to us Demons, ruthlessness is a gift!”

“Exactly. I heard the same thing—the King of Aurus gave his daughter to our Princess just to form an alliance with our Demon Domain? That old king is such a joke… Totally not like when he was younger… ugh!”

Though he had been speaking in a barely audible voice—

The noble who dared to speak out suddenly turned his head—and was met with the chill of a frozen abyss.

Princess Sheffy didn’t even look at him directly.

But that passing glance, like frozen ice that could pierce to the bone, sent a frigid dread through him.

Naturally, he shut his mouth and dared not utter another word.

Only then did they remember what they were supposed to say at this moment.

“Congratulations to Princess Sheffy on her return home!”

“Her Highness is still as sho—valiant as ever!”

“Today’s chaos still requires your judgment, Your Highness. Who do you believe is most suited to lead troops and wipe out the rebels?”

Sheffy nodded in response, but her footsteps did not pause for a moment, continuing to lead the group forward.

There were some things that could be said.

But matters unworthy of discussion—things Sheffy didn’t want to hear—were better left unsaid.

The nobles in the hall all instinctively stood in two rows, opening up a clear path toward the Demon King’s elevated platform for Sheffy and the others to pass through.

Some people always harbored a mindset of wanting to watch a good show. They believed that Princess Sheffy, having been imprisoned for several months, might have lost her edge upon returning—that the once proud, ruthless princess would now be as meek as a puppy, trembling at the slightest disturbance.

But in truth—

That suffocating pressure where even one extra word might get someone thrown into the lake to feed the fish was no different from before.

She was still the same.

Still that indisputable figure, once known for leading the Second Army Corps in campaigns across the land—【Princess of Calamity】.

Of course, some had also noticed Xiarette’s silver-haired appearance, a symbol of the royal family’s collateral lineage.

A few were confused and didn’t recognize her, but with the situation still in turmoil, since she had been brought here by Princess Sheffy and Princess Belith, there was naturally no need for them to ask further.

As Sheffy and the others reached the platform, Queen Herilet stood gracefully on the dais. With just a slight lift of her head and a wave of her hand, four radiant crystal chairs appeared out of thin air and floated down onto the space just ahead of the high platform.

Clearly, this was her way of saying she wanted everyone to sit and hear about the progression of the situation.

Perhaps the Queen didn’t require the children to give any suggestions, but she had always believed that involving Sheffy and the others more in matters of state would be beneficial to them.

At the very least, it was far better than just staying wrapped in blankets and sleeping the day away.

Everyone took their seats. Xiarette and Livra hesitated for quite some time before sitting down as well, trying to remain inconspicuous and blend in.

It was only then they noticed—a man was half-kneeling before the Demon King’s platform.

Head lowered and eyes downcast, his left gloved hand clenched in a fist against the floor, he was currently reporting to the Demon King and Queen.

Wearing a monocle chained on one side, with tousled black hair partially obscuring his sharp face, he was dressed in a crisp formal uniform, his expression solemn and focused.

Xiarette leaned slightly toward Sheffy and asked in a low voice:

“Sheffy, why does this guy look kind of familiar…?”

“Look at that memory of yours. Isn’t that the First Army Corps’ Chief Strategist who blocked the gate and refused to let us in on our first day here at the Demon King’s Castle? Salnor Yarin. I can’t stand this guy. He even tried to control where I fished, going on about sustainable fishing and whether the fish in the lake could be depleted—like I wouldn’t know that myself.”

“Well, considering you could barely catch any… I didn’t say anything! But… you said Chief Strategist of the First Army Corps…? That’s a pretty important position, right? They gave such a role to someone so young?”

“But Salnor is over a hundred years old already. He’s a stubborn old coot. What part of him looks young to you?”

“!”

Fair enough.

Among the Demon Clan, appearance really didn’t reflect age. Judging a person by their looks here was definitely a mistake.

This man, who looked youthful and refined, the Chief Strategist of the First Army Corps, acknowledged Sheffy and the others’ arrival with a slight lowering of his head.

Then—

Salnor Yarin once again lowered his head, turning fully toward the Demon King and Queen on the high platform.

His report continued without pause.

“Your Majesty, as this subject has stated, the Third Army Corps is advancing with a forced march toward the Northern Territory’s borders. The stretch from the frontier city to the Northern Territory is poorly defended. This subject suggests immediately deploying the First Army Corps to the front line to intercept them…”

“Lord Salnor? Before you continue explaining the situation, shouldn’t you first answer the question I asked you earlier?”

“My apologies, Your Majesty.”

Today, Demon King Dielzner’s tone and expression were especially stern and serious.

Rebellion—this matter had already crossed his bottom line.

Whether it concerned the Demon Domain—

Or his own family.

Because the commander of the Third Army Corps… was none other than the Demon King’s own younger sister, the Grand Princess of the Demon Domain, Ailellek.

If the Third Army Corps had rebelled, then where was Ailellek now?

That was exactly the question the Demon King had asked moments ago.

Before receiving an answer to that question, he didn’t want to hear any other information. If anything had happened to Ailellek, then no plan would matter—the Demon King would personally lead the nation’s fiercest warriors to slaughter the rebels.

Having served at the Demon King’s side for so long, Salnor naturally understood how much His Majesty valued his family.

That said, he didn’t really believe that his unfortunate little sister would be in any real danger.

Still, he had specifically ordered a thorough investigation into all intelligence related to her.

Salnor slowly opened his closed eyes.

Just moments ago, his subordinates had reported the latest developments to him through a long-distance telepathic voice.

“Your Majesty, Your Highness the Queen—this subordinate has just received word that Her Highness the Grand Princess departed two days ago for the frontier city of Riedekidu, and successfully arrived yesterday. However, for unknown reasons… not long after that, the Third Army Corps rebelled.”

The moment those words were spoken, a wave of uproar spread across the hall.

Ailellek had barely returned to her corps, and rebellion broke out?

Did that mean… the instigator was the Grand Princess herself?

However—

None of that noise so much as shook Demon King Dielzner’s judgment.

“What I’m asking is, what’s Ailellek’s current situation? Is that such a hard question? Or must I go verify it myself?”

Impatience began to surface in the Demon King’s blood-red eyes.

He hadn’t asked whether the rebellion had anything to do with Ailellek—because he knew there was no need to.

That woman, though frequently troublesome, was not one to lust for power.

In matters like this, she would never do something so meaningless.

Salnor hadn’t responded right away because he was still using telepathic communication to confirm the latest details.

Reporting in the grand hall had to be absolutely error-free.

“Her Highness the Grand Princess is safe, but… it appears she did not act together with the Third Army Corps.”

“In other words, she’s still in Riedekidu?”

“Yes… The majority of the Third Army Corps has already left the frontier city. Only a small contingent remains stationed there, and Her Highness is also still in Riedekidu. I believe she was… delayed by something… hmm?!”

For the first time, a trace of surprise flickered across Salnor’s typically composed face.

A bead of cold sweat appeared at his temple, as he relayed the latest intel honestly.

“Our intelligence agents are unable to describe it clearly, because Her Highness the Grand Princess… appears to be trapped by some kind of sealing magic…?”

The Demon King raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lips curving into a smile laced with intrigue. At the same time, a twitch at his temple betrayed a faint surge of anger.

The murmurs in the hall didn’t stop. Many had already begun to question the reliability of Salnor’s report.

A Six-Winged Demon being trapped by a sealing magic…? What kind of joke was that—did such magic even exist in this world? Were they sure it wasn’t just faulty intel?!

Ignoring their baseless speculation, Salnor’s report adhered strictly to the facts.

“My subordinates have never encountered this type of sealing magic before either. According to them, a golden pillar of light suddenly descended from the sky. Her Highness the Grand Princess was engulfed by the golden radiance, and has since been sealed within, unable to break free.”

“Oh? And how do you know it was just a sealing spell?”

“My subordinates risked their lives to investigate and heard bursts of laughter coming from within the pillar. They determined it was the Grand Princess laughing, so it can be safely assumed that Her Highness remains unharmed.”

“Ha… hahahahaha!”

Yes, precisely, Your Majesty—it was laughter like yours that helped them make that determination.

You and Her Highness the Grand Princess laugh in exactly the same deranged way. That saved our intelligence officers quite a bit of effort.

The Demon King slapped the armrest of his throne and rose to his feet, wild laughter on his face. There was anger in it, yes—but even more than that, a haughty delight, as if he had discovered something truly entertaining.

“Ha! Not bad! Interesting! Who would’ve thought there’s actually a magic in this world that can trap Ailellek?! Didn’t she always say she’d go wherever she pleased, and no one could stop her?! Hahaha—now you’ve all heard it! The enemy is well prepared. No one is to be careless or underestimate them!”

Of course, the Demon King’s warning was hardly necessary.

The mere fact that Grand Princess Ailellek—a Six-Winged Demon—had been trapped by magic was enough for Salnor to assess the rebellion’s threat level as extremely high.

Sheffy reflected deeply.

Truth be told, she was also somewhat surprised.

“Did you hear that, Belith? Auntie actually got trapped.”

“Well, she’s still laughing, so I doubt she’s dead.”

“Uh… Yeah, she probably isn’t dead… I just mean, to trap Auntie with magic… is there really anyone in the Third Army Corps capable of that?”

“There shouldn’t be. It really is strange. Not only that—Aunt Ailellek was the original commander of the Third Army Corps… and the entire corps betrayed her?”

“Oh, oh, now that’s not surprising. She was always off wandering around, never taking her duties seriously. Totally brought it on herself.”

Xiarette listened to one comment from the left, then another from the right.

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