The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 451 The Demon King Arrives in His Loyal Thunder City
A loud whistle pierced through the thin, gauze-like morning mist, and the benevolent and wealthy Prince Corin finally arrived at the port of Thunder City, which he had always been loyal to.

Without a doubt, the royal family of the Duchy of Campbell is the true ruler of this port.

But there is no doubt that His Highness the Imperial Prince, who owns vast territories overseas, is the true spiritual home of the citizens of Thunder City…

He's finally back!

On the deck of the steamship, the colorful butterfly had disappeared, replaced by a well-tailored dark blue woolen long coat.

He was a handsome young man.

He had a high, straight nose and a slender build. His right hand rested casually on the oak railing, and the silver clasp gleamed faintly in the hazy sunlight.

The white lotus leaf collar accentuated his slender neck, and the chain of a gold pocket watch dangled from his vest, billowing in the noisy sea breeze along with the hem of his clothes, damp with the morning dew in the forest... He looked like someone who had stepped out of a painting.

Along with the clamorous sea breeze, the fluttering purple moon flag and the port, thrown into chaos by the sound of ship horns, were also caught in the turmoil.

The crowd on the dock was like a swarm of ants disturbed by a storm. Officials shouted themselves hoarse as they directed the guards to maintain order, but they still couldn't stop the citizens rushing between Queen Street and the harbor.

The only things that seemed to remain still were the female workers squatting by the dock shucking oysters and the dockworkers watching the spectacle in disbelief.

They were probably among the few people in this port who had no direct connection with Prince Colin.

After all, these jobs in the remote corners are often not done by locals, but by farmers or rural women from the countryside.

Most of them, who had just arrived at the port not long ago, had only recently gained their bewildered freedom.

"Pfft... It seems you don't have a good reputation here. Everyone runs away as soon as they see you."

Leaning close to Luo Yan's trouser leg, Taf covered her mouth with her paw and let out a gloating laugh.

This little guy was so eager to win that he didn't miss any opportunity to make a fool of the Demon King, which ironically made him one of the Demon King's sources of amusement during his leisure time.

Seeing that Taf always gloated too soon, Luo Yan smiled slightly and said in a casual tone.

"You don't understand this."

"What don't I understand?"

"We can't just look at the surface of a problem. Running away doesn't necessarily mean we're not welcome; it could be a run-up before we do. Just like raising your hands above your head doesn't always mean surrender; it could also mean you're embracing the sun."

"What kind of twisted logic is this?"

"I call it—Demon King Studies! If you learn it, you can become a Demon King too."

"???"

Ok.

The last sentence was actually Luo Yan bragging.

Even if you learn his "twisted theories," not everyone has the chance to become a demon king. At least, not every demon can get into the Demon King Academy and stand out from the crowd.

At most, they can only become a little more cunning, so they won't be taken advantage of by those who pretend to be ignorant.

Just as Luo Yan was admiring the crowds of people swarming like ants at the port, Youyou's shadow silently appeared beside him.

Its voice carried a hint of confusion as it asked softly.

"My Lord Demon King, didn't you say you were going to find Irene Campbell? Why did you fly to Thunder City instead?"

"Is that even a question?" Luo Yan smiled slightly and answered in his heart, "We left from here in the first place, so naturally we have to come back from here again."

When he first arrived in Thunder City, he wove a beautiful story for the name Prince Corin.

It was only on his journey from the Holy City to the Academy and then to the Kingdom of Ryan that he was able to bring this story to a complete conclusion.

If he were to meet Eileen in the Kingdom of Ryan, then the story he fabricated would lose its meaning.

It's true that he intended to go find Eileen.

However, before that, he must first disembark at the port of Thunder City, even if it's just for a short while and he doesn't go inside.

In this way, his carefully crafted story and the footprints he left along the way can form a closed loop that connects the beginning and the end.

Just as Luo Yan was quietly waiting for the brewing crowd to surge into the port, heavy footsteps came from deep on the deck.

That was a tall Wind Howl lizardman.

He was over two meters tall, with bony wing-like feathers extending from his back, swaying slightly in the sea breeze.

His scales gleamed with a cold, bluish-gray luster in the misty light, and his chest, waist, and arms were adorned with heavy gold ornaments. Every step he took seemed to be accompanied by the low, metallic clanging of metal.

The Wind Howling Clan doesn't actually like wearing gold and silver; that's something only the Earth Leopard of the Sacred Armor Dragon Clan would do. Cumbersome metal ornaments would only hinder a free soul from flying in the sky.

however--

Unfortunately, the Demon King liked it.

As an envoy of the Windhowl Kingdom of the Gutaf United Kingdom, Sak Gale dared not disobey this true emperor.

He knelt on one knee, lowered his broad chest, crossed his arms in front of his chest to pay the highest respect, and spoke in a deep and respectful voice.

"Greetings... Your Highness Colin."

Hearing the voice behind him, Luo Yan turned around and looked at the envoy of the Wind Howl Clan, smiling and nodding as he spoke.

"Get up, Mr. Sack. Here, we can use the Imperial etiquette; there's no need for the customs of the Gana Continent."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Sak respectfully rose and stood to the side with his hands at his sides.

Several months ago, the United Kingdom of Gutaf received a message from the Great Tomb of Nazarick. The esteemed Demon Lord requested that they send a steamship to the northeastern shore of the Whirlpool Sea to establish diplomatic relations with the Duchy of Campbell, located on the eastern border of the Empire.

Because the Knights Templar from the Holy City had been building ports and settlements on the territory of the "Prince of Colin" some time ago, the lizard people of the continent of Gana were no longer as unfamiliar with the human race, this "foreign species," as they were a year or so ago.

Establishing diplomatic relations meant being able to sell corn to more distant places, which was naturally welcomed by the chiefs and priests of the United Kingdom.

After a heated discussion, this glorious and arduous task ultimately fell to the Windhowl Clan, and thus Sak Gale appeared on the ship.

In fact, Ethermata, the matriarch of the Sand Ridge tribe, also longed to send her people to serve the Demon King.

Unfortunately, the Sand Ridge tribe had already received too many benefits from the Demon King, which aroused the dissatisfaction of other chiefdoms, so Aethermata had no choice but to regretfully concede.

To showcase the prosperity of the Gutaf United Kingdom, Urga Windcrack was giving it his all and taking this visit very seriously.

As an envoy accompanying Prince Colin on his visit to the Duchy of Campbell, Sak Gale not only brought gold and jewelry from the continent of Gana, but also a number of advanced industrial products that were "imported and then exported" from North Peak City!

For example, there were further improvements to the steam engine, pocket watches with more precise accuracy, and more accurate spring mattresses, etc.

After all, in the story woven by Prince Colin, the natives of the continent of Gana are not at all rustic.

The hardworking and courageous descendants of Gutaf not only built a highly prosperous and civilized nation, but also shared their improved steam turbine and boiler technology with the imperial merchant ships suffering in the great storm!
With the support of the Great Cemetery, Sack was absolutely confident that he could complete this mission brilliantly and intimidate the earth leopards of the Duchy of Campbell!
Seeing the confident Sak, Luo Yan smiled and asked him about the recent situation on the continent of Gana, such as how the various tribes were getting along after he left.

Although he had already learned about this information from the official website, he still expressed his concern from the Demon King's perspective.

So that the people of the continent of Gana wouldn't feel neglected.

In the short time he and Sack were chatting, many familiar figures appeared on the port not far away.

Including the mayor and governor of Thunder City, as well as Luo Yan's old friend Jan Andes—a key figure in the listing of the Collin Group!

Seeing that it was almost time, Luo Yan interrupted Sak's endless chatter and gave him the first task after they met up.

"From now on, your identity is not only that of an envoy of the United Kingdom of Gutaf, but also that of the cousin of Urga Windcrack, the chieftain of Windhowl."

"If anyone asks what a chiefdom is, just use the provinces or duchies of the empire as examples. Make sure the Campbellians don't look down on you."

Sak was taken aback by what he heard.

Although he obeyed the Demon King's orders without hesitation, this sudden change in identity still left him stunned.

Urga's cousin?

Can this thing do two jobs at once?

Cold sweat broke out from the sweat glands beneath his scales, and he lowered his head in fear and trepidation as he spoke.

“Your Highness, Chief Urga…he doesn’t have a cousin.”

As if he had anticipated this, Luo Yan's expression remained unchanged, and he simply uttered a sentence in an unquestionable tone.

"Really? Then he has it now."

"Yes, but..."

“That person is you, I’m telling you.”

Although Luo Yan did not doubt Urga's loyalty, it was naturally easier to use someone else's subordinates than one's own.

Let's increase this guy's strength first.

Moreover, this identity is not a bad thing for Sack himself; at least it allows him to integrate more naturally into the upper class of Thunder City.

Even without my help.

That's right.

The Demon King, a master of time management, is about to "skip the deadline" again.

It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; Luo Yan had planned it this way from the beginning—to just loiter around Thunder City without actually going in, make a brief appearance, and then jump back to Twilight Province.

Just after Luo Yan finished explaining the things to pay attention to to Sack, Sarah, who had disappeared for a while, came walking over from the back of the deck.

She held a freshly printed newspaper in her hand, which she had just bought from the port of Thunder City and was still warm.

Taking the newspaper from Sarah, Luo Yan glanced at it and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

The headline of the newspaper was exactly the news he was looking for—

The cover featured a lifelike image of Erin Campbell, her magician pose strikingly beautiful, with the Northern Rescue Army flag and heavily armed soldiers behind her.

Compared to a year ago, this naive girl has matured a lot, and she seems to be growing up along with the ever-developing Thunder City.

Whether it's temperament or magnanimity.

Luo Yan took the newspaper, glanced at it only symbolically, and then handed it to Sack, who was still struggling to digest the massive amount of information.

Clearing his throat, Luo Yan began to speak.

"Prince Colin was worried about Princess Eileen's safety. He said that she was an important friend of his and he could not leave her unattended, so he did not linger for a moment and immediately set off for the Province of Twilight with his personal guards after disembarking."

"He instructed his companion, Sack Gale, to give his regards to his old friends, telling them not to worry about him, that he would be back soon, and that the Holy Light would bless him... What do you think of this story?"

“I…” Sak opened his mouth, but couldn’t say whether it was good or bad.

After all, he had never heard such a complicated story before, so he didn't remember it at all. But he didn't dare tell the demon king in front of him and begged the demon king to tell it again.

"Don't be nervous. If you don't know, just shut up and think it through before you speak. As for excuses, those who believe in us will naturally come up with them for us, and you don't need to convince those who don't believe us one by one."

Luo Yan smiled and patted Sack Gale on the shoulder, giving the sweaty guy an encouraging look.

"Work hard, I believe you can do it well!"

It doesn't really matter if Sak didn't remember it.

Anyway, he believed that with Andes' intelligence, he would understand everything from the newspaper in that guy's hand, and at most he would just need to add some details.

He had witnessed Sak's bravery; this guy was the first messenger to come before him after he set foot on the continent of Gana after the Great Tomb.

Although they were brought here tied up.

Taff glanced at the large figure in front of the Demon King in surprise.

These lizardmen were all sculpted by her own hands in her past life. It's true that they have sweat glands, but it's rare to see them sweating so much.

Could it be that they evolved again without her knowledge?

This is unbelievable...

...The dark blue woolen overcoat disappeared into the sea breeze, and the colorful butterfly reappeared on the deck, fluttering its transparent wings as it flew to the top of the mast.

Although the "Myriad Butterflies" do not fly very fast, Luo Yan, who possesses diamond-level strength, can operate multiple Myriad Butterflies at the same time and deploy them in advance to the required locations.

Physical distance is not a problem.

After all, according to the "curator," this thing can even cross galaxies, so this distance on this planet is naturally no problem.

Just as Luo Yan was about to leave, the enthusiastic citizens of Thunder City finally crowded onto the port, blocking the dock completely.

"Oh! Damn it! Move aside! I was here first!"

"My shoes! My shoes!"

"Are you all insane! I am a baron!" Victor Guts, standing on the terrace of the port square, was furious, his face flushed red.

He shouted and waved his cane, trying to push his way forward.

Long ago, Gus and his family moved from the rural town of Silverpine to Thunder City, completely escaping the morally corrupt and troublesome place of Silverpine, and made a fortune from Thunder City's booming real estate market.

He couldn't wait to shake Prince Colin's hand and express his gratitude to that gentleman!

Unfortunately, this was the Grand Duke's Thunder City, not his barony, so he couldn't just kick the unruly commoner blocking his way down the stairs.

Because Archduke Edward was a "people-friendly" ruler who even unprecedentedly agreed to lend money to citizens instead of raising taxes, many things that were insignificant during Archduke Aaron's time suddenly became important today.

Moreover, there were many nobles like him here, who also had the same idea of ​​squeezing to the front, and he was really afraid of kicking the wrong person.

At this moment, Victor Guts, obsessed with Prince Colin, failed to notice that behind him, Lady Marina Guts was flushed and looked as if she was about to faint from excitement.

She still remembered that day when she was in the same room with Prince Colin—

Well, actually nothing happened that day. She just personally took the gentleman to the guest room in the annex, and then it was all her own business after she returned to her room.

Although the relationship between Prince Colin and Princess Irene was common knowledge in the upper echelons of Thunder City, this did not stop the ladies who were interested in Prince Colin from being even more excited.

What we can't have is always the most alluring.

It must be said that the citizens of Thunder City are still a step behind the citizens of Holy City in terms of cultural refinement. There are just too many nouveau riche here, who are enthusiastic but lack restraint.

Mayor Lucius looked anxiously at Governor Wilson, signaling with his eyes that the latter should think of a solution quickly.

However, the latter also had a helpless expression, and then turned his pleading gaze to the Grand Duke's right-hand man, Yan Andes.

This man is the most resourceful person in the entire Duchy of Campbell; his wisdom and resourcefulness have solved many urgent problems for the Grand Duke.

Even the recent government bonds were the Andean idea.

With eyes fixed on him, the shrewd and calculating Andes came up with several ways to achieve the best of both worlds.

But when he saw the person coming down the gangway, he froze on the spot, his jaw dropping in astonishment.

To be precise, that wasn't one person.

They are lizard people.

Its bluish-gray scales gleamed with a cold light, its thick tail resembled a python coiled between its legs, and its pterosaur-like wings were folded behind it. However, more eye-catching than its scales and muscles were its glittering gold ornaments… to the point that even the shareholders of the Colin Group couldn't help but twitch their brows.

About a dozen lizardman servants followed behind him, along with about twenty human servants who were curiously observing their surroundings.

They were clearly from the New World, and this was their first time in such an eastern place.

Baron Guts, who was trying to squeeze forward, stopped in his tracks, his small eyes staring at the gold on the lizardman's body, and he couldn't help but swallow.

He had previously cursed his neighbor as a nouveau riche, but now he must sincerely retract that statement.

Because it was obvious that compared to this guest from the continent of Gana, his boastful neighbor was nothing but a small fry compared to a big fish...

"Lizard, lizard man?"

"How could a lizardman be on Prince Colin's ship...?"

"I think I read in some newspaper that there are quite a few lizard people on the New World where the Principality of Colin is located."

"By Saint Sith...I thought those guys were savages!"

In the Duchy of Campbell, lizardmen are not exactly well-liked; they are considered "bugs" of the southwestern swamps.

The feud between the two has nothing to do with hell.

It was purely a territorial conflict that occurred a thousand years ago between the Leon people during the Isaac dynasty and the dragon god's people who remained in the area.

There's really nothing strange about that.

Although the Campbellians always complained that the Empire had taken all their colonies, they clearly did not realize that before they became Campbellians, they were a group of colonists who rowed their small boats and sang songs as they crossed the rapids southward.

At that time, Gutaf's descendants lived happily along the shores of the Whirlpool Sea, because Gutaf suddenly ran away with a large group of lizardmen.

As for how these lizardmen acquired their land, that requires a story of blood and tears involving orcs and elves.

Just as humans were not born to possess this Old World, the territory of the Lizardmen certainly did not fall from the sky.

Far away.

In short, most people don't remember things from that far back; they only remember that on the northeastern shore of the Whirlpool Sea, lizardmen were like insects.

Looking at those pairs of eyes staring straight at him, Sak Gale felt a little scared. He could only remember the Demon King's teachings: when he didn't know what expression to make, he would remain expressionless; when he didn't know what to say, he would remain silent.

Interestingly, his "aloofness" actually worked, intimidating a group of Thunder City residents who initially looked down on lizardmen.

Taking advantage of the eerie silence that fell over the crowd, Governor Wilson quickly seized the opportunity to order his guards to step forward and clear a path through the crowd.

Lucius glanced at Andes furtively and whispered to him.

"Where's Colin? I haven't seen him."

"How was I supposed to know... He didn't even tell me he was coming back beforehand," Andes said in a low voice, unable to suppress a complaint in his heart.

Although he welcomed Prince Colin back with open arms, it was so sudden that he was completely unprepared.

Putting everything else aside, at least give him a few days to prepare and let him boost the stock price of the Colin Group in advance, right?
Of course, these are all secondary issues.

Andes didn't care about the small profits in the secondary market; what he really cared about was why Prince Colin chose to return at this time.

"Why don't you go and ask?" Mayor Lucius said in a low voice.

"Why don't you go?"

"I...I'm not as familiar with him as you are."

I'm not familiar with lizardmen at all!
Andes cursed inwardly, but faced with Mayor Lucius's pleading gaze, he finally sighed and stepped forward.

Everyone in the harbor watched him with bated breath.

Whether it was Mayor Lucius urging him to step forward, the female worker shucking oysters by the dock, or the Baron Gus family standing in the crowd...

Seeing someone approaching him, Sack Gale, though his expression remained tense, breathed a sigh of relief.

Stared at by that sharp gaze, Andes felt a chill run down his spine, but he still managed to suppress his unease, cleared his throat, and took the initiative to speak.

"Hello, excuse me for bothering you. My name is Jan Andes. May I ask... how would you like to address me?"

His heart was pounding as he said those words, especially when he saw that tightly closed "blood-red maw" open a crack.

“Sak Gale, brother of Chief Urga of the United Kingdom of Gutaf. You can think of our chief as the king of the human race.”

To Andes' surprise, what came out of that savage mouth was not the growl of a wild beast, but rather a calmness and composure that surpassed his own.

A murmur of surprise rippled through the crowd.

The king's brother?!

So... this person is also a prince?!
“I’ve heard His Highness Colin mention you,” Sack said with a grin, looking at the astonished human before him. “He said you’re a smart guy, you learn things quickly, and you grasp many things immediately.”

"Thank you, thank you... It is my honor to be so highly regarded by His Highness." Andes nodded, bewildered, yet still somewhat confused by these words.

It's true that he learned a couple of tricks from Colin, but when did he become Colin's student?

And how did Colin find out about this on the continent of Gana?
However, this is not the point.

After all, he had heard that Princess Eileen often wrote letters to Colin, and perhaps they mentioned him in their correspondence.

Seeing that "Prince Gale" still wanted to say something, Andes quickly interrupted and asked the question that everyone was eagerly waiting for.

"Where's Mr. Colin?! I heard someone saw him at the harbor! Why...didn't he come down with you?"

Sak remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking.

"He...left."

Andes' eyes widened.

"gone?!"

"Um……"

"What else did he say?!"

"..."

Seeing that the human was relentless, Sak was so anxious that he gripped the ground with his toes, but he dared not show it on his face.

Seeing the atmosphere growing increasingly tense, with no sign of the situation being smoothed over, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration and remembered another instruction from the Demon King—

"...Don't talk about what you don't know, only talk about what you do know!"

“He said she’s a very important person to him,” Sack Gale said in a hoarse voice, pointing to the woman in the newspaper and looking at the startled humans in front of him. “He’s going to find her; he can’t leave her alone… in that dangerous place.”

The harbor was silent.

All the nobles and citizens who had been watching the spectacle from the harbor, including Governor Wilson and Mayor Lucius, were stunned into silence.

Princess Eileen... is a very important person.

He's going to find her!
Mrs. Marina Guss's eyes welled up with tears.

Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she raised her hands to cover her mouth, moved to tears by this sincere love.

What loyalty this is!
Even Baron Gus, who was indifferent to love, couldn't help but sniffle after hearing those words.

Honestly, he knew he wouldn't dare go to such a dangerous place as Twilight Province if it were for Marina or his mistress in the suburbs.

After all, the farmers there really do eat people!
"By Saint Sith! His Highness... for the sake of his beloved princess, he wouldn't even stay a moment longer!"

"This is true chivalry! He'd go to hell for her!"

May the Holy Light protect them...

The most touching and heartfelt emotions are often hidden in the simplest confessions, and the voices of these confessions echoed through the crowd.

A disappointing wait unexpectedly ignited everyone's enthusiasm.

This romantic tale of a thousand-mile chase seems to touch Campbell's heart more than His Highness the Prince himself appearing to receive the cheers of the people.

The people of Thunder City's admiration for this kind, generous, and loyal prince has risen to a whole new level, like the ever-flowing river!

Although some less determined individuals have begun to hesitate about whether to sell the stocks they just bought...

Ha, those traitors deserve to lose money!
Looking at the Andean gentleman before him, who seemed both disappointed and somewhat relieved, Sack finally breathed a sigh of relief and silently gave himself a thumbs-up for his resourcefulness.

A troublesome matter was resolved quietly, just as the Demon King said, people will naturally fill in the blanks with the truth they want to believe.

I'm a fucking genius!

For some reason, Sack always felt an itch on his scalp, as if a gaze was staring at him...

(End of this chapter)