NOVPUBOn the streets of Naka Island, the main thoroughfare leading to the royal palace was much more congested than usual, with a variety of Demon World-specific vehicles moving sluggishly.
Despite the near-paralysis of traffic, the atmosphere on the streets was unusually lively and bubbling, filled with the clamor and excitement of a festival.
Many of the Demon Race paused in their steps, eyes glued to the screens, watching the situation in front of the royal palace square through the giant screens hung between buildings.
On the screen, Princess Hyperion was covering her forehead with her hand, her shoulders trembling slightly, her expression unclear.
"Look, the princess can’t hold it in anymore, she’s going to laugh out loud, she can’t pretend anymore," they said.
The demons all marveled at how the princess had dismissed Earl Sergio of the Blood Clan, the master detective, in no time at all.
And her hands were clean; she had no intention of harming the master detective of the Blood Clan—it was the detective himself who had gone mad.
But in reality, everyone knew it must have been the princess who played a dirty trick!
Lisandra in the car was also full of question marks as she looked outside.
Was the princess acting out her last night?
She had just been worried sick about the princess, thinking the test was fraught with danger, never imagining the princess was actually so steady.
No, that’s not right, the princess seemed to be choking up, not at all like she was trying to sneak in a laugh!
Lisandra knew the princess better than anyone else.
After some thought, Lisandra decided not to dwell on it anymore; as long as it was over, that was good enough, and she could chat with the princess at length later.
As the Canopy Barrier above Naikarisu slowly dissipated, the spectacle of the eclipse gradually ended, and the sky in the Demon World began to welcome the dawn’s early light.
She let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the back of her chair.
The stars in the sky gradually lost their glow, giving way to the rising sun, which brought a long-missed warmth and brightness to this mysterious world through the loose clouds.
At this moment, the sky completely transformed from deep purple to a warm orange-yellow, enveloping the entire Naka Island in a gentle radiance.
The previously dim environment between the nearby tall buildings, darkened by the Canopy Barrier, also instantly brightened, with shadows replaced by columns of light; the buildings, sculptures, and pillars on the square became more three-dimensional and intricate, the Demon World’s flora seemed to awaken to Lan Fu’s singing, their branches and leaves swaying gently in the breeze, rustling softly.
The cheerful melody echoing through the streets was in perfect harmony with Lisandra’s mood at that moment.
Lanci was still caught in traffic, but he was almost at the royal palace with Lisandra.
The rising sun in the sky once again made its appearance, and the bright air, along with the Great Love Poet’s sweet voice, revitalized the whole of Naikarisu.
"Miss Lan Fu’s singing is really so lovely, I wish I could meet her," Lisandra remarked with a palpable excitement.
It’s said that the voice of this Demon World songstress could stir the soul and even cause demons to suffocate; today, upon hearing her voice, Lisandra became convinced that she would soon become a huge star in the Demon World.
However, this songstress of the Demon World had always been very mysterious.
Miss Lan Fu’s own strength was important, of course, but there surely was capital behind her vigorously promoting her, which had led to her unstoppable surge in popularity recently.
"McCarthy, what’s wrong with you?"
Lisandra noticed that McCarthy’s expression was a bit stiff, and the veins on his forehead trembled slightly, as if the song had stirred some deeply engraved memory within him.
"It’s nothing, I just suddenly remembered my uncle," McCarthy replied quickly, shaking his head and rubbing his brow.
Perhaps it was the sunlight after sunrise that was too dazzling; he took out a pair of sunglasses from a drawer and put them on one-handed.
"..."
There’s definitely something wrong.
Lisandra thought so, seeing Lanci in his sorrowful state at that moment.
"Don’t be sad, your uncle in another world surely hopes you are happy every day, loving life," Lisandra offered some consolation.
"Right," Lanci nodded, his gaze lowered, responding with a sense of relief.
He drove on, slowly carrying Lisandra to a street not far from the royal palace.
"We can’t park any further up, so I can only let you off here,"
Finally, he pulled over to the side of the road, turned his head and said to Lisandra.
"Thank you very much, Mr. McCarthy!"
Lisandra sincerely expressed her gratitude.
"Then I’ll see you tomorrow."
Lanci gently raised his hand, waving as he bid her farewell.
"Tomorrow?"
Lisandra cocked her head to the side.
Could it be that she could hitch another ride tomorrow?
Lanci took a box of pastries out of the food box and handed them to Lisandra.
Lisandra was slightly stunned and didn’t immediately take it.
She certainly knew these were high-end treats from McCarthy’s shop.
Generally speaking, being this nice to a girl and winning her affection could easily lead to misunderstandings, but Lisandra was very clear that McCarthy was certainly not interested in her, because his thoughts were pure, so pure that sometimes he would wear his heart on his sleeve.
She certainly couldn’t finish a whole box by herself, so she would have to share it.
"These are pastries for you and the princess,"
Lanci confessed to her.
"You know the princess?"
Lisandra asked in surprise.
At that moment, she finally understood why McCarthy had been so kind to her and why he had been so captivated by the princess before.
Many things seemed to connect all at once.
Of course, Lisandra believed that McCarthy wasn’t using her, because she could feel that he truly regarded her as a friend, and even without such a position, Lisandra believed that if she encountered any trouble, McCarthy would definitely help her with enthusiasm, just like how he sincerely won Tia’s heart yesterday.
"Of course,"
Lanci still admitted it.
"I see,"
In this unintended moment, Lisandra let out a sigh,
"This coincidence is just too bizarre."
She muttered to herself.
"This is no coincidence."
However, Lanci calmly and softly rebuked.
Before Lisandra could open her mouth to ask further,
she understood that McCarthy had bought that palace restaurant solely because Princess Hyperion lived across the bay.
He had originally hoped that Princess Hyperion would attend one of his banquets one evening, but she never did.
Then he began to casually inquire about the princess among the Demon Race.
It was only later that he learned that the princess, having failed many attempts at stealthy escapes, was now confined by the Fallen Queen and could no longer step out of the royal palace.
This revelation made Lisandra light up with understanding.
So on that July night, what he gazed upon was not just the stars in the sky.
In Lisandra’s heart, his image suddenly took on a fuller dimension, no longer just the Demon World tycoon who squandered wealth to curry favor with the influential of the Demon Race.
His purpose was actually far more simple than she had imagined, countless times more.
Merely for one gentle woman he wished to see.
