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To be precise, Lord Raeming, Gareth had seen that kind of gaze in only one member of the Demon Race.
"Was his gaze very special?"
Lanci asked curiously.
He had heard from Pranay that General Level members of the Great Demon Clan were comparable to Cardinal Bishops, managing three to four common Eighth-order with no problems.
If even Lord Raeming considered the Tenth Ancestor formidable enough to give the Cardinal Bishops a headache, it was likely that the Tenth Ancestor was fearsomely strong.
"It’s like yours, but also a little different, I can’t pinpoint the exact difference."
Lord Raeming said, gazing into Lanci’s eyes.
It was precisely because he couldn’t fathom the extent of the enigma behind those emerald eyes that he found an enemy with the same gaze to be troublesome.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Lanci said, covering his mouth in surprise.
"..."
Lord Raeming fell silent for a moment.
He understood what was different.
"However, it’s daytime now, and members of the Blood Clan dare not act against us in the heart of the Demon World, otherwise they are doomed to never escape Naikarisu." 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
Lord Raeming, Gareth added.
"After all, even Ninth-order Ancestors are weakened to the level of Eighth-order under sunlight."
Lanci began to calculate.
Based on the description of the Ninth-order realm given to him by Sigrid, a Ninth-order required at least three Bishop Level Eighth-order to hold them back, and one Bishop could handle three Tata, roughly equating a Ninth-order to a combat strength of more than nine Tata.
However, under the sun, members of the Blood Clan would be weakened to one tenth of their strength.
So, during the day, even a Tata might be able to go several rounds with a Ninth-order Blood Clan member.
"But the power of the Fourth Ancestor, Eduado, has always been a mystery."
Lord Raeming continued, briefly shifting his gaze towards the Fourth Ancestor, Eduado, behind the Tenth Ancestor, Ulysses, his tone filled with much more wariness.
The Fourth Ancestor was dressed in a simple Blood Clan robe and sat motionless like a sleeping statue, or perhaps only the Fallen Lord Calila was worthy of his direct gaze.
When he sat there, the invisible pressure emanating from him caused any creature looking his way to feel lowly and helpless as if the mere slightest movement from the Fourth Ancestor could send shivers of instability through everything.
"As a sage of the Blood Clan, he possesses an unfathomable number of spells. There are many theories about which one is his authority, but no one has ever been able to determine exactly what the Blood Clan Authority of the Fourth Ancestor Eduado is."
Lord Raeming, Gareth and Lanci discussed.
"[Unlimited Blood]."
Lanci murmured to himself.
"What did you say?"
Lord Raeming looked at Lanci, puzzled.
"Nothing."
Lanci shook his head nonchalantly and smiled.
He knew that the Fourth Ancestor, Eduado, could copy the authority of any Blood Clan member by obtaining their blood, albeit in a somewhat weakened form.
Together with his own spell repertoire as a sage of the Blood Clan, his methods of combat were unpredictable and hard to counter. In contrast, it was easier for him to counter his opponents.
Even if he explained this authority in detail, the Demon Race might not believe it, let alone verify it, and they would probably question how he knew this.
Whether Lord Raeming believed it or not was not important; what mattered was that it would be very difficult to convince the Fallen Queen, and once the Fallen Queen became suspicious, it could get very troublesome. She might attempt to use an Illusion Technique to enter your memory world and search through your past.
The authority of the Fourth Ancestor was innately versatile and difficult to contend with; even if Lanci knew what the authority was, he couldn’t guess which Blood Clan member’s authority the Fourth Ancestor Eduado was currently using.
Seconds and minutes passed within the Regency Hall.
The hands of the clock were gradually approaching nine, the scheduled start of the ceremony.
"..."
Hugh sat tranquil and composed on the majestic throne, watching the Demon Race assemble in the hall’s seating. He was no longer as fearful of anything as he used to be.
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Her amber pupils no longer masqueraded as those of a human; instead, they reverted to their truest demon form.
Although she wasn’t deliberately staring at Lanci, a mere glance was enough for her to recognize that the person beside him was Lord Raeming Gareth.
They seemed as close as Lanci and Pranay were.
Observing their intimate demeanor, Hyperion couldn’t help but think, "Shall I go then?"
"Your Highness, you have finally eased my mind."
A woman’s voice came from behind, devoid of much intonation.
Hyperion turned her cheek to look at her.
The seemingly gentle Fallen Lord Calila, still bearing a striking resemblance to Talia, had a calm yet profound gaze, as if penetrating everything.
Even Hyperion’s fleeting thought of leaving the place had been caught by Calila.
However, Fallen Lord Calila also realized that the princess wasn’t truly trying to flee.
"Who do you think will win?"
Fallen Lord Calila, with time on her hands, asked the princess.
"..."
Hyperion did not answer.
"It seems you already have an answer in mind, Princess Your Highness," said Calila with a slight smile.
She favored True Night Sir, and Mist Sir also stood a chance, as long as they could defeat the tenth Ancestor, all would be steady.
Of course, she also didn’t rule out the possibility that there were hidden masters from the Great Demon Clan within this hall.
Unless one deliberately used the Great Demon Clan’s pressure to threaten someone up close, it wouldn’t cause the Great Demon Clan resonance.
However, even though the Demon World had somewhat declined, she, the mighty Fallen Queen, was certainly not reduced to the point where she needed the help of the Great Demon Clan from other eras.
It was not until the chimes of the clock tower of Naikarisu’s royal palace struck nine outside the Regency Hall that the ceremony began.
At that moment, each heavy strike resonated like the echo of waves crashing through the city of Naikarisu, and in the tranquil hall, it stirred ripples upon ripples.
All murmurs gradually silenced, and the Demon Race’s gaze converged on the high platform at the center.
There, the royal ceremony that would determine the destiny of the princess was about to officially start.
With the chimes ending, in reverent quiet, Fallen Lord Calila took a step forward.
The gazes of the Demon World’s nobility collectively focused on her.
Even though she exerted no magic power pressure, her presence was exceptionally strong; her visage alone was enough to momentarily mesmerize the Demon Race.
"In theory, I need to reiterate today’s rules once more, but I think that all the distinguished guests present understand what the rules are, so I will not elaborate further. There is just one thing—"
Fallen Lord Calila spoke in an unchanging tone, her voice devoid of much emotion, each word echoing clearly within the Regency Hall,
"To ensure the fairness of the ceremony and to satisfy the princess’s initial demands, Princess Your Highness will only choose from amongst the highest quality paintings. Once the princess has made her choice, I will verify whether the author of the painting is in compliance. If any issues such as discrepancies in identity or completion outside of the designated week arise, their eligibility will be disqualified."
Similarly, the golden chest containing the sealed treasures of the Demon Race could not be opened by any means within the set time, even a peak Ninth-order attack would require a lot of effort to forcibly breach it.
The appointed time for the unsealing had finally arrived.
"All right, let’s begin," said Calila.
As Fallen Lord Calila finished speaking and raised her hand, the golden chest sealing the Demon Race’s secret treasure at the base of the throne’s steps also began to twist and unlock.
The Demon Race’s nobility, full of anticipation and curiosity, cast their gaze on this sacred artifact of the Demon World.
This famous treasure chest of the Demon World, a masterpiece crafted by magic artisans of ancient times, stood as tall as an adult Demon Race, its entirety presenting a deep, dark gold hue, adorned with the bas-reliefs of divine beasts from a millennium ago.
The intricate spellwork at the top of the chest secured the heart of the seal, ensuring the safekeeping of the treasures within and maintaining their quality over long periods.
Guided by Fallen Lord Calila’s magic power, the golden chest began to emit a halo of light, and the door of the chest slowly opened, a pure magical aura diffusing throughout the entire hall.
The protected canvases emerged from within the golden chest, floating in mid-air, maintaining a certain distance from the princess in a lined sequence, awaiting her appraisal.
"The first painting submitted will be at the very bottom of the chest, while the last one to be put in will be at the top," Calila explained as she gently waved her finger, unlocking the seal of the first canvas, which instantly blossomed with an unknown luminescence.
