Chapter 437: Lending You Little Shaye
Being rebuked by a mere girl, a surge of anger washed over Edson. But the king quickly composed himself, a cold smile playing on his lips. She was just a child, her strength and talent notwithstanding. She lacked experience and… perspective.
Did she really think her disguise had fooled the Hero? If so, he wouldn’t have kept glancing at her during the banquet. Her performance had been too obvious, too unnatural.
…
Meanwhile, Qin Chu, escorted by Milo, Phine, and Selma, left the palace.
Phine and Selma, while acknowledging their own beauty, even after being praised by the Hero, sensed his lack of genuine interest.
He had seemed more at ease with Milo.
They exchanged a look. If the Hero didn’t mind Milo’s condition, and treated her well, then their elder sister would finally be settled.
And compared to that arrogant elf, Alfred, they found the Hero far more agreeable. Alfred, besides his handsome face, had little to offer. While he had helped quell the rebellion, he had become increasingly arrogant and entitled afterwards. No royal family would tolerate such behavior.
“Your Highnesses, is Princess Suna always so shy?” Qin Chu asked casually, steering the conversation towards the youngest princess.
Milo sighed: “She’s always been afraid of strangers. We’ve tried to correct it, but it’s no use.”
Phine giggled: “So, you’ve taken a liking to my little sister, Hero?” Such teasing came naturally to her.
“Of course not. Just curious. I’ve met shy people before, but never this extreme,” he replied.
Phine also found it strange: “Now that you mention it, while she’s always been shy, she usually maintains her composure in public. Today was unusual.”
But the simple-minded foxgirl didn’t dwell on it: “Perhaps it’s because you’re the Hero, such an important figure. It must have intimidated her.”
“My apologies, then,” he chuckled, accepting her explanation.
But inwardly, he was still thinking about Suna’s behavior during the banquet. She had sat beside her father, not at the lowest seat, as protocol dictated.
And Edson had kept glancing at her, as if seeking her approval.
He even felt as if Edson had been deliberately trying to draw his attention to her.
According to Phine, while shy, she usually maintained her composure. But today, she had deliberately avoided his gaze.
She seemed to be hiding something.
And the unnatural crimson glint in her blue eyes…
He continued to chat with the princesses as they returned to the inn.
As they were about to leave, he called out to Milo.
“Is there something else, Hero?” she asked, puzzled, glancing at her sisters. If he was interested in any of them, it would be them, not her.
“I know a very skilled ma… mage,” he said, his voice slightly hesitant. “Perhaps she could help you with your condition.”
Her eyes lit up, then quickly dimmed. She had consulted countless healers, priests, and mages, but they had all failed. She had given up hope.
“It’s alright. Don’t trouble yourself, Hero…” she began, but Phine and Selma interrupted, rushing towards him, grabbing his arms: “You can help her?”
“Please, Hero, help our sister! Otherwise, she’ll never get married!”
“An unmarried princess would be a disgrace to the royal family!”
You two little…!
Milo was furious. She had been touched by their concern, but their words were insulting.
She didn’t need a man!
Phine and Selma exchanged a look, their suspicion confirmed.
Perhaps the Hero had unusual tastes. Did he prefer larger, hairier women?
What a strange preference.
No, wait, if he didn’t mind her appearance, he wouldn’t have offered to help her.
He was clearly interested in her.
He found himself surrounded by the two princesses, their bodies pressed against him, their scent intoxicating. He was slightly flustered, not by their allure, but by the curious gazes of the onlookers. He gently disentangled himself, placing his hand on his ear.
The skilled mage he had in mind was, of course, Shaye.
She seemed to be busy. It took a while for the connection to be established. He didn’t hear her voice, but the rustling of paper, as if she were counting money.
After the implementation of his innovative fine system, the Holy See’s coffers were overflowing.
And the ransacking of those executed clerics’ homes had yielded a considerable sum.
“How’s it going?” he asked.
“Excellent. Just this morning, we confiscated over a hundred million mana. And there’s a long queue outside the Holy See, all eager to confess and pay their fines. It’ll take days to process them all,” she replied, her voice cheerful.
Despite being a Witch, she seemed strangely enthusiastic about money.
That queue wasn’t a line of people, but a line of walking wallets.
“You didn’t contact me just to ask about this, did you? And I’m warning you, I’m doing all the work here. I’m taking 70%,” she added.
It’s all yours. Your money is my money, isn’t it? No need to be so meticulous.
He chuckled inwardly: “Of course not. There’s something else…”
He briefly explained Milo’s situation, seeking her opinion.
A moment of silence, then: “Atavism… I’ve encountered it before, but it’s rare. I can’t say for sure without examining her personally.”
“I’ll lend you Little Shaye.”
“And I’m warning you, don’t… touch her, understand?”
“And if you’re busy, there’s no rush. Take your time. Don’t overexert yourself,” she added, her tone almost… concerned.
Lend her? And touch Little Shaye?
He wasn’t suicidal.
Despite his increased strength and his mastery of Reverse Prophecy, he was still no match for her. She was a true demigod.
And the situation in Exeter seemed unusual. He wasn’t sure if he, Sylph, and Athena could handle it alone. Little Shaye’s assistance would be valuable.
And her last comment… was she worried he would steal her money? Not everyone was as greedy as she was.
As he ended the call, his ear itched again. He instinctively touched it, and Candice’s voice echoed in his mind.
She had only one piece of news: Diabolique had reappeared.
The First Prince, whom he had killed, whose body had been retrieved by Nagath.
He had been suspicious then, and now even more so. Had Nagath resurrected him?
Did the Demon King also possess a resurrection technique?
And Candice added that Diabolique, after leaving the Demon King’s Palace, was heading towards Exeter.
Lomond was proving to be a useful pawn.
“I received this information last night, but it was so shocking, that I asked Lomond to confirm it,” Candice continued.
“And this morning, he reported seeing another Diabolique in the Demon King’s Palace.”
“What?”
Even Qin Chu was stunned.
The First Prince, not only resurrected, but also… duplicated?
What the hell was going on?
…
Meanwhile, in his room, Alfred, the Elven King, was rampaging, his sword slashing through the furniture, his eyes blazing, red patterns spreading across his face, his roars echoing.
“Qin Chu! Qin Chu! I’ll kill you! Kill you! Kill you!”
“Aaaaaaaaaah!”
He looked like a demon, his face twisted in rage, his voice a guttural growl.
Then, a soft, almost playful voice echoed behind him:
“Such… impotent rage.”
Chapter 438: The Most Perfect Creation in the World
Alfred, consumed by rage, froze, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.
Without hesitation, his sword flashed, aimed at the figure behind him.
As he turned, he saw a small girl with crimson hair and eyes.
His blade, like a cold star, enveloped her.
He didn’t care who she was. He wanted to tear her apart.
Since his humiliation at Qin Chu’s hands, he had been consumed by rage, his only desire… blood.
Only the sight of blood, the sound of bones breaking, could quell the fire within him.
As his blade was about to strike, piercing her countless times, he felt a pang of regret. It would be more satisfying to dissect her slowly, while she was still alive.
Alfred’s corruption was progressing faster than Qin Chu had anticipated. The Elven King, though slightly weaker than Karsus, was still far stronger than O’Niens.
But his will was weaker than the Saint Son’s.
The girl’s form shattered like glass.
Alfred’s heart lurched. He tried to dodge, but she was already before him, a silver thread wrapping around his neck, stopping him instantly.
He felt as if his head would be torn from his body if he moved.
The girl, barely reaching his chest, her fingers twirling the silver thread, a mocking smile on her face, was Eileen.
“Impotent rage, was it? Not convinced?”
“You can’t even defeat me. You think you can kill Qin Chu? Dream on!”
Alfred, already enraged, now furious, glared at her, wanting to tear her apart.
“Are you also his woman?”
Eileen sighed. Had she chosen the wrong partner? She had thought he would be useful, his strength considerable, his hatred for Qin Chu intense after his humiliation. But now, it seemed his mind was addled.
She tightened the thread slightly, making him flinch. “If I were, your head would already be rolling on the ground,” she said coldly.
She flicked her wrist, retracting the thread. “He beat you quite badly last night. You should know his strength by now.”
“Cooperate with me. You can’t defeat him alone.”
“Cooperate?” He touched his neck gingerly.
Her eyes gleamed: “Yes, let’s kill him together.”
…
Meanwhile, outside the inn, Qin Chu, unaware of Eileen’s plot, was stunned by another piece of news.
Diabolique, not only alive, but also duplicated?
Was that even possible?
Milo, Phine, and Selma, startled by his reaction, assumed it was about the treatment for Milo’s condition, their faces creased with concern.
He smiled reassuringly, then lowered his voice: “Are you certain? Could there be another explanation?”
“After informing me, Lomond remained near the Demon King’s Palace. He didn’t see Diabolique return. So, unless there’s a secret passage or a teleportation array, it wasn’t the same one,” Candice explained. “And the next day, another Diabolique appeared.”
“While they looked identical, Lomond noticed something off. He said they looked like stitched-together corpses. And the stitching was different.”
“And this second Diabolique is also heading towards Exeter.”
Qin Chu took a deep breath, telling Candice to monitor the situation and be careful, then ended the call.
He turned to the princesses, about to speak, when a circular portal appeared between him and Milo, mana surging from it.
Selma, Phine, and Milo’s faces paled, sensing the powerful energy emanating from it.
An assassin?
The Hero couldn’t be allowed to die here, in Exeter.
Instinctively, Milo grabbed her club, her face hardening.
Selma and Phine also prepared for battle, Selma’s cat ears twitching, her fingers extending into claws, Phine’s eyes narrowing, strange blue-green flames flickering around her.
While not as strong as Milo, they were still powerful, comparable to O’Niens or the pre-Grand Mage Angelica.
A slender figure materialized within the portal.
A tall, graceful woman, her silver hair swirling around her as she emerged, her long skirt concealing her legs.
And her face…
Even Phine and Selma, beauties in their own right, felt a pang of inadequacy.
No woman could compare.
She was a vision of perfect beauty.
They stared, mesmerized, even Milo, her eyes fixed on that flawless face, a hint of envy.
Despite their earlier readiness, they hesitated.
After a moment, the woman opened her eyes, their crimson depths captivating.
She seemed slightly tired, yawning delicately, her every movement graceful and alluring.
She glanced at Qin Chu, flanked by the foxgirl and the catgirl, a mocking smile: “Qin Chu, it seems you’re enjoying yourself. Which one of you has the unusual condition?”
He chuckled, stepping away from the princesses, their faces a mixture of surprise and curiosity. So, he knew this woman, and she was the powerful mage he had mentioned? And her sudden appearance… she was clearly not to be underestimated, though they couldn’t sense her true power. The difference in strength was too great.
“This is Princess Milo,” he said, gesturing towards her. “Little Shaye, I didn’t expect you so soon.”
“I was bored at the Residence. And after hearing from my other self, I decided to come. And I’ve told you not to call me that,” she said, glaring at him.
“Of course, Little Shaye,” he replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
She sighed, giving up on correcting him, and walked towards Milo, her movements graceful and elegant.
Despite being a princess, and usually fearless, Milo felt strangely nervous, instinctively hiding her club behind her back: “You… hello…”
“Don’t move…”
Little Shaye reached out, as if to touch Milo’s forehead, then paused: “Could you… squat down?”
Despite her height, she was still much shorter than Milo.
You just told me not to move… Milo grumbled inwardly, but she obediently squatted.
Shaye placed a finger on her forehead.
A strange energy flowed into Milo, spreading through her body.
The sensation was unusual. After almost fifteen minutes, Shaye withdrew her finger, her arms crossed, one hand supporting her chin, deep in thought.
After a while, she finally spoke, her voice cold and clear: “Your atavism… there’s a problem.”
“It’s not just physical, but also affects your soul and mind. Has your temper become more volatile with age?”
Milo paused, unsure. She hadn’t noticed anything unusual. But her sisters nodded emphatically. Who carried a giant club everywhere? And who single-handedly slaughtered thousands of Demon Beasts, turning their bodies into mush?
“You’ve probably tried shaving, even plucking the fur, but it always grows back.”
Milo nodded. She loathed the fur and had tried everything to get rid of it.
“If left untreated, your condition will worsen. Your temper will become more uncontrollable, and the fur will become thicker, longer, darker, coarser.”
What kind of description was that? Qin Chu wondered.
“Within seven years, you might fully transform into a gorilla, losing your human mind, becoming a beast,” Shaye continued.
Milo’s face paled, her body trembling. This was her greatest fear.
Selma and Phine also looked worried.
Qin Chu frowned: “Little Shaye, there’s a solution, right?”
She raised an eyebrow, glancing at him disdainfully: “Who do you think I am?”
Pride and confidence. This was Shaye.
Then, she asked, “But I’m curious… are you interested in her?”
“Of course not,” he said modestly. “She’s a princess. I’m not worthy.”
Milo smiled wryly. It should be the other way around. She, a hairy gorilla of a princess, wasn’t worthy of him, the Hero and Pope.
But his words were still strangely comforting.
Shaye was suspicious. Knowing him, he wouldn’t bother helping someone he wasn’t interested in.
Compared to Milo, Selma and Phine seemed more his type.
Well, whatever. She was just helping out. “I’ll need to prepare a potion. Gather the ingredients.”
…
In the deepest chamber of the Demon King’s Palace.
A tall figure lay chained to a stone slab, his screams echoing through the darkness.
His body was covered in wounds, his skin flayed, his flesh torn.
It was Diabolique, the First Prince.
His eyes were filled with terror, his body trembling, the chains rattling.
Footsteps approached, and his eyes widened, his lips trembling, his fear reaching a new peak.
A figure appeared beside him, a sharp knife glinting in its hand.
