Chapter 16
1
“Ugh—ugh!” Lilith’s brother’s teeth were chattering. He felt like grinding them to dust. He’d lost. He’d lost all the girls.
But when he saw the flames in Lilith’s hand, he actually laughed. “Ahaha, Netherflame! My dear family members, all ending up in someone else’s harem. With quality like this, who could beat you? All I lost were some goods anyway. Too bad I’ll be leaving the stage early tonight.”
Clang!
He suddenly flew straight out the window and plunged into the Yu River.
“Every girl I won goes back to being free. I’ve got standards for my harem. No ‘merchandise’ here. Gamble with money, gamble with weapons, do whatever you want—just don’t gamble people.”
“You obviously just couldn’t stand him and wanted to snatch his harem, why make it sound so noble?” Lilith propped her cheek on one hand and gave me a very disdainful look.
“Look at how sneaky Master is. He just had a problem with that guy, that’s all. No need to take his words seriously. Bullying kids makes you feel better, helps you shake off that earlier tension.”
“Oooh, so you were faking being calm just now.”
No one else in the side hall could understand what the two of them were talking about. They only knew these two had no mercy when it came to exposing me.
“Pluto would like everyone to step outside for a bit.”
“Pluto finally came for you.” I saw the attendant enter, and Pluto’s reason for coming was obvious.
Only after all the young demons left the room did Pluto stride in. He didn’t look emotional. He was a seasoned Demon King. There were mercurial Demon Kings out there, but Pluto wasn’t one of them.
I went to the cabinet in the room and pulled out a bottle of wine. I didn’t even check the year before opening it. The smell that poured out was extremely strong.
“You guys… don’t worry about us.” I picked up another glass and handed it to Nofice, inviting her to sit and chat with me.
Pluto gave a small nod to show he understood.
“Nana.”
“Father?” Nana pulled back the hood of her black cloak and walked up to Pluto, tense and nervous.
“You… didn’t report to me.”
“I…”
“I was the one who wouldn’t let Sis say anything! I… I’m not that crybaby little girl anymore!” Lilith took off her iron mask and met Pluto’s gaze with the face of a grown woman. But as soon as Pluto saw that face, his emotions slipped out despite himself.
“Yuri!” Pluto reacted at once. “You’re… so much like her!”
“Mom, right? I don’t remember what Mom looks like anymore. Even though she used to be an actress, I don’t dare look. If Dad says I look like her, then maybe I just won’t look in the mirror again.”
“A girl who never looks in the mirror will turn ugly.”
“Qin Yang, will you die if you shut up for once? You ruined the mood I set up!”
“Enough nonsense. I’ll talk for you—First: Lilith was trying to surprise you, Lass. But your reaction just now was way too heartbreaking for your daughter. Second: Lilith wants to know what happened to her mother.”
“Hah.” Pluto finally let out a laugh and gently stroked Lilith’s face. “I thought you’d hate me for that slap all those years ago.”
“Oh? Tell me where Mom is and I won’t be mad.”
“She doesn’t like the red sky of The Demon Realm. She’s been in The Human Realm all this time, in an island nation. She’s still a big star. With the way your paths never crossed all these years… your luck’s been pretty bad.”
Seeing Pluto smile, Nana finally stopped holding herself so rigid. But then—
“Nana, your punishment for not reporting to me…” Nana instantly went from relaxed back to stiff. Pluto’s tone and expression turned into a superior giving orders to a subordinate. “You’ll continue to stay by His Majesty the Demon Dragon’s side until he leaves The Demon Realm. If anything happens, you’ll be the one switched out to The Human Realm.”
“Guess Nana’s whole itinerary needs to be changed again.”
“Relax, I won’t write one.” Nana knew I had issues with ‘itineraries.’
“Wait, Father!! Does Nana still have to stay with Qin Yang? With me around, he’s totally safe!”
Lilith spread her five fingers, and a wall of Netherflame rose up in front of Pluto. He answered with his own Netherflame. The pressure between them was intense and regal, perfectly matched, with neither side backing down an inch.
“Is this because of the contract? Lilith’s contract gives her power below the Demon Dragon but above the Demon King. Right now she’s just about managing to balance you. She’s still far from truly surpassing a Demon King.”
“Lilith only has a three-stage contract. She’s still a long way from surpassing a Demon King.” I took a few sips of that fiery liquor and decided it really wasn’t my taste.
“Lilith is truly blessed to have such a contract.”
“Let’s skip the pleasantries, Lass. What’s to the east from here?”
“At this time, it should be the Floating Smoke. Back then, His Majesty’s toughest mobile fortress. It’s been following a fixed route ever since. Right now it should be about three hundred kilometers to the north.”
“Floating Smoke, huh?” I wondered if that weird sound had anything to do with it. When I helped build that weapon, I’d felt nothing off. It shouldn’t be the source… but I had to check it first.
“Your Majesty, may I speak as your future father-in-law?”
“Father!” Lilith looked completely thrown off by Pluto talking like that.
“In that case, no need to call me ‘Your Majesty.’ Qin’s my family name, Yang’s my given name. Second year in the Chishin Academy’s high school division. And I’ve already pledged my life to your daughter.”
“For you to give Lilith that contract, you must’ve been through a lot together. But if you’re going to keep going down this road… you must protect her. You know very well what you’re lacking right now. If you don’t have enough strength, then leave her. And Yuzhe and I can’t keep this secret for very long.”
“Father-in-law. First time calling you that. I… will… definitely… protect her! And I definitely… won’t keep needing other people to protect me.” My eyes slid to Nana. This girl couldn’t be my bodyguard forever.
“Also, the Holy Dragon of The Divine Realm—really not you?”
“I’ve always known where the real Holy Dragon is.”
The strangeness in Pluto’s eyes was obvious. A Demon Dragon who knew where the Holy Dragon was, yet did nothing about it—very strange.
2
A week after the meeting, we were slowly making our way north through The Demon Realm. The lands we passed belonged to Yuzhe. A hundred kilometers ahead lay the mobile fortress, Floating Smoke. Even with a hundred kilometers between us, we could see that massive dark shape drifting on the clouds and mist.
Floating Smoke—floating above smoke and cloud, a fortress. Back then, people didn’t bother with fancy names. Simple was better.
“Keep going north past Floating Smoke and you’ll reach the Frost Lord’s territory. Hopefully we’ll find what you’re looking for on Floating Smoke.”
“Nana, is it that you don’t want to step over the Frost Lord’s border, or that you think once I go in, I won’t come back out?”
“Both.”
“Hey! That’s a choose-one question. Can you not answer it so casually?”
“First, it’s very cold there and I’ve never liked it. Second, the chance of you getting exposed is high. So this isn’t a casual answer.”
“Evidence?”
“Her.” Nana pointed at Lilith, who was still munching on sweets, and said in a very disgusted tone, “Lilith Guer is Pluto’s daughter. With what she said in the meeting room, Pluto can guess eight or nine parts of the truth.”
“Wuuuh…” Lilith was a bit blank. She was seriously wondering—was it really that easy to guess?
