NOVPUBTwo days later.
In the northern border of the Palante Empire, Bokin County, Qieke Manor.
This was a manor far from the capital’s hustle and bustle. Recently, it was no longer a place of rainy weather, and had now become the exclusive meeting site for diplomatic relations between the Palante Empire and the Demon World.
As night fell, the dark sky was adorned with stars, and at eight o’clock, Bokin County gradually revealed its unique scenery.
The Qieke Manor and its neighboring dreamlike forest lake merged into the nighttime natural landscape, with the contours of the buildings, layout of the city-states, and the manor’s evening meals all harmonized with the rhythm of nature.
Suddenly, a slight vibration came from the calm sky above the manor, followed by a low humming. The sound grew louder as several giant Demon World dragons slowly descended from the sky, their wings stirring up leaves and soil from the ground.
The Demon Dragons finally landed steadily in the distance from the estate, and several figures jumped down from them.
The leading Demon Race member had fiery, deep brown eyes and hair, tall in stature, dressed as neatly as a Knight.
"My dear friend, I hadn’t expected this to be your true appearance," said Lord Raeming Gareth as he shook hands with Lanci, who was waiting for him.
"I saw you deliver the Ancestor Bomb, what a tough job. Well done," Lanci, holding a cat in one arm, praised Lord Raeming.
The opening of trade routes by the Eternal Night Land, Beastman City-state, and the trade contracts with the Demon World would turn this city into the Palante Empire’s most important military and commercial location for a while. Therefore, maintaining a friendly relationship between the Palante Empire and the Demon Race was crucial.
Cat Boss was shivering.
It found it hard to imagine that Lanci could cheerfully yell "Excellent!" upon learning that a province had been bombed.
It’s a good thing there’s no war in the current world; otherwise, someone like Lanci would definitely have to face a military tribunal.
Wait a minute.
The one who might end up before the tribunal could be Dean Loren.
Suddenly, Cat Boss shrunk its head down, becoming a pure, unsweetened whole wheat loaf.
"Speaking of which, what happened to Orion and Esmod?" Lanci asked, walking towards the mansion with Lord Raeming Gareth by his side.
Today was his last day in the Shadow World with Hyperion and Cat Boss.
It was also the day that Calila had scheduled to return to the Demon World.
So, Lanci had come early to Bokin County, in the northern border of the Palante Empire, to bid farewell to his Demon Race friends.
Once Ninth-order Great Demon Calila left, True Night Sir Esmod, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Demon World, would soon arrive. General Mist Sir Orion of the seventh Army Group would accompany him.
The delegation they led, called "Envoys of the Demon World" and the technical advisors of the "Shalem Plan" team from the Demon World, were in fact Great Demons coming to assist Lanci and to help him clear out the Council in the Palante Empire.
Lord Raeming Gareth sighed with a sense of resignation.
He remembered that in Demon King Castle Necaris, when True Night Sir was about to depart, he had finally gathered the courage to remove his cloak. But seeing Mist Sir’s confounded expression was memorable.
"Do you know? When Mist Sir saw True Night Sir dressed as a woman, he blurted out ’Brother, why do you look like a lady today,’ which angered True Night Sir so much he ignored him for a full ten minutes," Lord Raeming said, spreading his hands.
"And then?"
"After that, both of them seemed tongue-tied and didn’t know how to act around each other."
"Sigh, I hope they arrive soon. It’s time I treated my good friend Orion to some Palante cuisine; only at the dinner table might they finally feel at ease," Lanci remarked.
"Meow meow meow, why are you always so happy watching Mist Sir eat, making him quite uncomfortable? I always suspect you have some strange thoughts about him," Cat Boss asked, looking up from Lanci’s arms.
"Is there?"
Lanci touched his cheek with a puzzled look and asked.
"I’m not sure meow..."
Cat Boss just felt relieved that Lanci wasn’t Lanqi.
It had actually taken note of Lord Raeming and True Night Sir in Demon King Castle Necaris with its little notebook.
Lord Raeming had the qualities of a king, but he was naturally lazy and stopped progressing after becoming a member of the Three-stamp Demon Clan.
If it weren’t for his family background and status, as well as the impression he left as a proud noble, he might have just given up completely.
By contrast, True Night Sir, with his exceedingly ordinary lineage, was extremely diligent, constantly striving to better himself.
By matchmaking them, Lanci had done a good deed.
It could be because Hyperion was by his side this time, his sickness had improved.
Just thinking of the accidents Lanci created in the real world—Dean Loren still had a date with Juliana, Knight Commander of the Arolan Kingdom, and Hyperion felt a headache coming on.
Once Lanci returned to the real world and Loren no longer had any pressure on him, that date was probably finally going to happen as promised.
"What if Lord Raeming and True Night Sir had a pair of twins, and one inherited all the strengths while the other got all the weaknesses? Wouldn’t that be funny?"
Lanci asked.
"How could they... even be there yet?"
Lord Raeming was stunned.
"Once True Night Sir takes the first step, the rest will follow quickly. There’s no reason Lord Raeming wouldn’t love True Night Sir."
Lanci chatted and laughed, leading Lord Raeming through the main entrance of the manor to the official residence.
The hall’s antique decor remained as it was decades ago when the manor was built, with warm lighting dispelling the chill of the garden at night.
Just as they reached a spacious reception room along the corridor, they saw Fallen Lord Calila, Hyperion, and Siegler waiting there.
The gentle melody of a harp and their voices permeated the space, the lights of the reception room under the night sky twinkling, reflecting the stars on the horizon.
Calila and Hyperion were seated on the couch chatting, waiting for the Demon World’s Sixth Army Group to return together.
"Lord Calila, the returning troops are ready."
Lord Raeming simply saluted Fallen Lord Calila and reported briefly, then withdrew alone to wait outside the residence.
"You continue your chat."
"Wait a minute."
While Lanci, seeing that Fallen Lord Calila seemed to have unfinished business with Hyperion, was also ready to leave, he was called back by Fallen Lord Calila.
"Do you need something, Miss Calila?"
Lanci sat next to Hyperion and asked Fallen Lord Calila on the side couch.
"When are you planning to hold the wedding?"
Calila looked at Lanci and Hyperion and asked seriously.
"Could you give us a little more time..."
Hyperion stammered.
If Calila hadn’t brought it up, she had almost forgotten about the wedding promise.
She felt relieved that the time in the Shadow World was too rushed to have a grand faux wedding with Lanci, but there was also a hint of disappointment in her heart.
At least she had experienced a bit of it in a dream...
