The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 457 The Demon King's Most Human Episode

Eileen had a very, very long dream.

In her dream, she was no longer in that forest stained with chaos and blood, but returned to the manor in the countryside of Leiming Township.

The afternoon sun shone through the treetops, casting dappled shadows into her teacup.

Colin sat next to her, quietly flipping through a book, a faint smile playing on his lips.

He was always very quiet, and his deep purple eyes held too many things she couldn't understand.

Sometimes, she felt sorry for him.

Although she never mentioned this matter, and was even more embarrassed to bring it up.

Gradually, Eileen felt a little tired from the dazzling light, so she yawned and fell into a deep sleep like a lazy cat.

Colin didn't leave or wake her. He simply sat quietly beside her, gently stroking her forehead with his warm hand and wiping away the fine beads of sweat that had seeped out from her nightmare.

That tenderness made her feel incredibly attached, and she wanted to stay by his side forever and never wake up.

however--

She knew very well that she couldn't just fall asleep like that.

On her shoulders lay not only armor, but also the people of the Duchy of Campbell, and many other things she could not bear to let go of.

"...I'm going to take a nap. Remember to wake me up." She murmured softly, as if she had returned to her childhood, when her father was still by her side.

Colin placed his hand on her forehead and responded softly.

"Ah."

She also vaguely heard something else—

The seemingly malevolent voice overlapped with the heartwarming words.

"...I will give you a new life."

Sweet dreams are fleeting, like sand slipping through fingers. After an unknown amount of time, Eileen slowly opened her heavy eyelids.

What came into view was not the familiar manor, nor the peaceful paradise, but a rock wall illuminated by a campfire.

She is still alive.

It's simply a miracle.

Eileen slowly moved her neck and found herself lying on a soft fur coat, covered with a heavy coat.

Colin is missing.

That was obvious; he couldn't possibly be here if he were in a distant overseas location.

Eileen instinctively tried to sit up, but immediately sensed something was wrong.

She discovered that her heavy plate armor had been removed, leaving her only in her close-fitting undergarments, with even her collar open, looking disheveled.

Sensing the gaze so close at hand, Eileen's sleepy eyes instantly sharpened, and a chilling killing intent surged forth!

The Light of Praise is right at her fingertips!

And it is maintaining the shape of a sword!
Without the slightest hesitation, she grabbed the sword hilt with her right hand like lightning, flipped herself up, and slashed at the dark figure in the corner beside her with a backhand!

"clang--!"

The golden sword light tore through the darkness in the cave, leaving a palm-width sword mark on the thick rock wall!
Unfortunately, the sword struck empty air and failed to kill the rude man!
The ethereal black shadow, like a weightless feather, drifted deeper into the darkness of the cave before her.

Immediately afterwards, a hoarse and sinister laugh rang out from there.

"You finally woke up."

The voice was devoid of any emotion, like a demon king looking down at a chessboard, whispering to his interesting pieces.

"Who are you!"

Eileen's eyes still held a murderous intent.

She gripped her collar tightly with one hand, while holding her sword in the other, her whole body tense as she warily stared into the unfathomable darkness.

Her chest ached slightly, but she didn't have time to check her injuries.

Her intuition told her that this guy was very strong, even more terrifying than Rolandall who had toyed with her in the forest before!
but……

He didn't seem hostile?
As Eileen calmed down, she gradually realized that her journey from the forest to this place might be related to the person in front of her.

He must have saved me.

At least--

If he wanted to do something while she was unconscious, she would have absolutely no chance to resist, let alone grasp the Light of Utawarerumono the moment she opened her eyes.

Even after confirming this, Eileen dared not be careless in the slightest. Who knew if this was a trick by the Chaos Apostles?

Their rituals are far more elaborate than those of the demons in hell.

"That's a good question."

Looking at Eileen, who was still in a state of chaos, Luo Yan, who had hidden himself, pondered for a moment and then uttered a soft reply.

"My name is Luo Yan."

This was the first time he had revealed his real name to Eileen.

Following Karen, who knew about his two aliases, now someone knows about his three aliases. However, unlike Karen, Eileen doesn't know that all three aliases belong to the same person.

"...Luo Yan?"

A moment of confusion flashed in Eileen's eyes.

She tried hard to search her memory for the name, but couldn't find any trace of it.

It seems that no one, whether among the nobles of the Duchy of Campbell or the renowned powerhouses of the continent of Os, uses this name.

But then she felt a sense of warmth and familiarity with the name…

Just as Eileen was confused, the deliberately lowered voice rang out again.

"We will meet again."

Eileen was startled, realizing he was about to leave, and quickly spoke up.

"Wait a moment!"

The man did not wait.

The moment the words left his mouth, the dark figure, along with his unfathomable aura, vanished completely into the darkness…

he's gone.

Eileen could only watch helplessly as the dark figure, along with its presence, vanished into the depths of the cave.

The man who called himself "Luo Yan" possessed strength as unfathomable as the labyrinth of Leiming County, as if he came from an even deeper hell.

Even if she were to recover to her peak condition, she might not be his match, let alone now that she even finds it difficult to stand.

It's better to rejoin the main group first.

Reason made Eileen abandon the idea of ​​exploring deeper into the cave, and with a heart full of vigilance and confusion, she turned around and returned to the campfire.

Surprisingly.

Her equipment was all there, neatly stacked.

The mysterious man seemed to be a very meticulous fellow, even doing such small things with utmost care.

Of course, even though he has a thoughtful side, he is still a vast ocean away from the elegant and proper Mr. Colin.

At least that gentleman would never do anything to embarrass a lady.

He certainly wouldn't just leave her here alone with some random comment...

Suppressing the distracting thoughts in her mind, Eileen quickly tidied her disheveled clothes and put the cold yet familiar armor back on.

The heavy metal pressing down on her shoulders gave her a sense of security.

Beneath that last piece of armor lay a finely drawn map and a brass compass.

On the map, a small circle drawn in red ink clearly marked her current location.

This meticulous care and that devilish aura created a strange contradiction, deepening Eileen's suspicions.

What does this guy want to do?
She couldn't understand.

However, what needs to be done right now is not to explore the truth, but to return to the people who care about you as soon as possible and find out what is going on outside.

Eileen stepped out of the cave, where a tranquil forest bathed in moonlight stretched out before her.

The night breeze gently caressed her face, and the sounds of insects chirping and leaves rustling could be faintly heard in the forest.

Eileen took a deep breath, raised the torch she had taken from the campfire, and, guided by the map and compass, headed toward the military camp.

The forest at night is pitch black; even the brightest torch can only dispel the shadows within five steps.

But for Erin Campbell, that was enough.

She walked for a long time in the forest, and finally the view ahead opened up a bit, with low vegetation and flat land replacing the dense trees and hills.

Campfires and wisps of smoke could be faintly seen in the distance, and a winding stream flowed through the woods, the babbling of the water replacing the noisy chirping of insects.

Eileen stopped in her tracks.

The continuous fierce fighting and high mental tension left her feeling exhausted. She wanted to wash her face before returning to camp to make herself look more refreshed.

She crouched down, stuck the torch in the soil beside her, and looked down at the river surface, which was brightly lit by the moonlight.

In that instant, she froze completely.

A pale face was reflected in the river, unlike her previous rosy complexion, it was almost paper white.

not only that--

Her lips had also lost their color, turning a pale red with a bluish tinge.

But that's not the point.

Eileen knew she had lost too much blood and was at her weakest point; it was normal for her lips to be pale and her face to be bloodless.

What truly astonished her was that her golden hair, which should have shone like the sun, had turned as white as moonlight!

"This is……"

She untied the braid that was coiled at the back of her head.

Eileen raised her trembling index fingers and hands, but instead of scooping up a handful of spring water to splash on her face, she scooped up a strand of her own hair.

The delicate touch clearly reminded her that what she was seeing was not an illusion.

A mixture of astonishment and bewilderment clung to her resolute yet handsome face; she stood frozen in place for a long time, unable to utter a single word.

In the end what happened? !

……

His resolute yet heartbroken demeanor was truly heartbreaking, but Luo Yan, standing in the distance, did not emerge from the shadows of the woods.

After Eileen left the cave, he did not leave, but followed her silently until she reached the riverbank.

Once she got here, she was basically safe.

Unless she herself is having a mental breakdown.

"Demon King, is it really alright to leave her there alone?" A milky-white ghost floated beside Luo Yan and asked softly.

As a god-like being who also follows its master around, Luo Yan's affections are naturally shared by Luo Yan's affections.

Gazing at that figure that appeared particularly lonely in the moonlight, Luo Yan remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking.

"This is the best option."

He had considered many possibilities, including confronting the issue directly or letting it go, but this was the most reliable option.

She is indeed a strong person, but if she were to bear all the truth at once, even that strength would be easily destroyed.

It is clear that the name "Colin" has been deified by her, even becoming her sole spiritual pillar, and has been engraved into the light of legend.

That was most likely the last straw she had left as she drowned.

Therefore, Luo Yan made a compromise: first, let her adapt to the changes in her body, and then leave the power of whether or not to accept this "new life" to her.

If she truly doesn't want to continue living as a vampire, then the "Utawarerumono" is in her hands.

However, it was clear that Eileen also felt she had unfinished business, and therefore did not turn the sword against herself...

Under Luo Yan's watchful gaze, she suppressed her myriad emotions, washed the dirt off her face, composed herself, and resolutely continued walking towards the military camp.

She carries the hopes of her brother and all her people on her shoulders; she must win this war and end the rampant corruption of chaos ravaging the Twilight Province…

at all costs!
Watching the figure disappear into the forest path and the heavy footprints left on the ground, Luo Yan breathed a slight sigh of relief and whispered something to Youyou beside him.

"It's time for us to show ourselves."

He will comfort her.

However, he didn't use the name Luo Yan, but rather the pseudonym "Colin".

Colorful butterflies fluttered away from under the trees, and at the same time, Luo Yan's figure disappeared into the shadows, replacing the illusion several kilometers away.

It was not far from Campbell's military camp.

Before news of Eileen's disappearance could spread, most of the soldiers were celebrating their daytime victory, and the sounds of boisterous laughter and bagpipes played by dwarves could be faintly heard from the campfires.

Thanos was already waiting there, and had prepared a half-dead horse for his esteemed king.

Now, Luo Yan's role is that of Colin, who has just disembarked at the port of Thunder City and is riding at breakneck speed to the front lines...

"Stop! Who is it!"

The patrolling sentries quickly spotted Colin riding alone toward the camp, immediately took the musket off his back, and shouted sternly.

It was pitch black here, so they couldn't recognize Colin's identity. They only felt that the newcomer had an extraordinary bearing and was obviously not an ordinary person. Therefore, they were all a little uneasy, afraid that he was a nobleman, and did not dare to point their guns at him as well.

Luo Yan suddenly pulled on the reins, and his warhorse, barely clinging to life, let out a weary neigh and shouted loudly to the soldiers.

“Roxie Collin! I am a prince of the Duchy of Collin! Please tell your General Irene Campbell that I have come to see her!”

The soldiers present had certainly heard of Colin's name, but none of them expected that the esteemed prince would actually appear here.

Isn't he overseas?
That continent of Kao.

Of course, after the previous great storm, the name seems to have changed back to the continent of Gana, because a lizardman kingdom called the United Kingdom of Gutaf prefers the new name.

Just as everyone was undecided, a deep voice suddenly came from the entrance of the camp.

"You're Colin?"

Luo Yan looked in the direction of the sound and saw a dwarf wearing heavy armor and with his beard braided into several braids striding toward him.

Unlike the shaved-headed hellish dwarves, this guy had quite thick hair, and his two eyes above his beard were as big as copper bells.

Luo Yan looked at him and said reservedly.

"I am Colin... May I ask who you are?"

"Quitin Bronze Furnace!"

The dwarf walked up to him, pounded his chest heavily with his gauntlet, and said in a booming voice, "I am the lord of the High Mountain Kingdom! By order of my king, I have come to support the Northern Rescue Army in quelling the rebellion in the Twilight Province and eradicating the Apostles of Chaos!" "A pleasure to meet you, lord of the High Mountain Kingdom."

Luo Yan immediately performed a standard imperial noble greeting, and Quetin responded with the noble greeting of the dwarven kingdom.

Although it was their first meeting, both of them sensed the composure of a strong person and the weighty family lineage behind each other.

Although he didn't often interact with human nobles, Quitine could tell that this Mr. Colin was a true imperial noble.

Anyway, he is very confident.

“Eileen is in the camp… Please come with me, I’ll take you to see her.” Quittin awkwardly gestured for her, turning his barrel-shaped body to the side.

Although Luo Yan knew that Eileen was not here, he pretended not to know and followed behind her into the command tent not far away.

The command tent was empty except for a brazier, a table, and a military map spread out on the table.

Upon entering the tent, Quittin dismissed everyone around him, and before Colin could even ask a question, a serious expression appeared on his usually carefree face.

“Mr. Colin, if I may be so bold, you’ve come at the worst possible time.”

Luo Yan was stunned for a moment.

"What's the meaning……"

Quentin said in a deep voice.

"Princess Eileen...she has gone missing."

"Disappeared?! How could this be!" Luo Yan's eyes widened in disbelief, as if struck by lightning.

“Just during the day, in her final battle with the Chosen of Chaos… to avoid affecting morale, we’ve kept the news under wraps. We hope you can keep this a secret.” Quittin gazed at him.

From that heartfelt anxiety, he could tell the man wasn't lying. He was indeed a friend of Princess Eileen, and their relationship was quite close.

Before this, he had heard Eileen mention Prince Colin more than once. He was said to be a very noble and kind gentleman, a moral exemplar and role model.

Now that I see him, this gentleman is indeed a handsome and talented man.

only……

The shock of Eileen's disappearance was so great that he stood there for a long time, unable to come to his senses.

After a long while, a hoarse and trembling voice came out from those tightly closed lips.

That's because of anger that made them tremble!
"Are you... just going to leave her like this?"

"How can it be."

Quittin sighed and said in a low voice, "Ms. Theresa has gone to find her with her trusted followers, but they haven't returned yet—"

"No! I'm going to find her too!"

After saying that, Luo Yan turned to leave, his face showing great anxiety, as if he didn't want to stay there for even a moment longer.

Seeing Colin turn to leave, Quitine was startled and quickly reached out to grab the guy's arm, urging him to consider the bigger picture.

If this news gets out, it will be disastrous!
Even if Eileen is missing, or even if she is dead, the Allied Forces must remain silent until at least Twilight City has been captured before announcing her death.

"Wait a moment--"

"I can't wait!"

"No! Listen to me, you must stay here! Believe me, young man, if Eileen were here, she would definitely tell you the same thing!"

"I came all the way from the continent of Gana to help her! What's the point of me coming here if she's gone! Let go of her!"

"I will not let go until you finish speaking! It doesn't matter if you are an imperial prince or even the emperor himself!"

Without the magician's buff, Luo Yan really couldn't move this dwarf who was as heavy as a mountain, relying solely on brute force.

Even if this hairy hard-boiled egg is only platinum grade.

However, he never intended to win the argument; he was just making it clear that he was determined to leave... Let him try to pull me along if he wants, since Eileen will be here soon anyway.

He had timed his arrival perfectly.

Quittin Copperfurnace grimaced and gripped his arm tightly, but dared not squeeze too hard, lest he cripple the guy.

But then again, isn't this prince a magician?

Where does such incredible strength come from?!

Just as the two were arguing, the heavy curtain at the tent entrance was suddenly ripped open from the outside.

Eileen and Theresa's faces appeared simultaneously in the doorway, both of them wearing expressions of disbelief that had been heavy-hearted.

"Colin?!"

"Your Highness, Your Highness?!"

At this moment, Eileen was wearing a large cloak and following beside a tired-looking Theresa, her face hidden by the pulled-down hood.

Those emerald green eyes were filled with the joy and disbelief of a long-awaited reunion, but also with an unconscious panic and a desire to escape.

"Eileen—!"

A look of surprise appeared in Luo Yan's eyes, and he was about to rush to Eileen's side, but the large hand holding his arm did not let go, but instead gripped it even tighter like a vise.

"Kid... don't be impulsive, that's not your little sweetheart, stand behind me!"

Quittin's voice deepened as he pulled the young human prince behind him, his torch-like eyes fixed on Eileen's face.

Eileen did not flinch, but calmly met the hostile gaze, waiting for her ally to speak.

Luo Yan could tell that she wasn't as calm as she appeared; the trembling of her shoulders betrayed her unease.

And perhaps this is because of himself.

The silence lasted for a long time.

Quittin suddenly let out a cold laugh, breaking the silence between the two.

"If we dwarves were to ask what we hate most besides the rats in the mines, the undead would probably be number one, followed by demons. And coincidentally, I've encountered a combination of both."

He paused, staring intently at Eileen, and continued.

"The lord of the High Mountain Kingdom needs an explanation."

Theresa's lips moved as if she wanted to say something on behalf of her lord, but Eileen stopped her.

She stepped forward, looked at the dwarven lord who seemed to be facing a formidable enemy, and spoke in a hoarse but sincere voice.

“I’d like to give you an explanation, but to be honest, I’m completely baffled myself. I don’t understand why I ended up like this. After I awakened the legendary power, I lost consciousness… and when I woke up, I was in a cave.”

She swallowed hard and said with difficulty.

“I don’t even know…whether Roland Dahl is dead or not.”

As she said this, Eileen unconsciously glanced at Colin behind Quentin, as if he were her only weakness.

To be honest, that expression of wanting to explain but not knowing where to begin was really heartbreaking.

She almost pleaded, hoping that whatever Quitteen might have noticed, he wouldn't discuss her current situation in front of her beloved.

At least go somewhere else.

However, dwarves don't understand the concept of chivalry or tenderness, nor do they possess any emotional intelligence... at least these things are not intended for humans.

Vampires are the mortal enemies of dwarves.

Not only because they worship evil demons, but also because these savages dared to mock dwarves for not having necks and being unable to eat them!
This is blatant slander!

Everyone knows that dwarfs have necks!
This slander was recorded on the first page of the Book of Hatred, and every dwarf lord in the High Mountain Kingdom kept it in mind!

As for the second page, it says the guy who laughed out loud when he saw the first page.

"is it?"

Quittin chuckled, his eyes narrowing dangerously, and bluntly exposed the truth that Eileen was desperately trying to conceal.

"Do you think I'd believe a vampire? You vampire! My nose is very sensitive; you can't fool me!"

He saw it at a glance!

The air suddenly became quiet.

Theresa remained silent, while Eileen closed her eyes in anguish, hiding her sorrow beneath her lowered eyelashes and hood.

She was unable to defend herself.

This is a fact.

From Colin's perspective, perhaps Luo Yan should have acted more realistically, at least showing a certain degree of shock.

For example, exclaiming in surprise, "A vampire?!"

However, looking at that pretty face that was on the verge of tears yet desperately trying to be strong, he couldn't bear to follow the script he had already prepared, so he decided to improvise.

He is still a human being after all.

I had promised myself that I was there to comfort her.

“I think… there might be some misunderstanding here.” Luo Yan, standing behind Quitin, suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence in the tent.

The previous panic vanished from his handsome face, replaced by an air of maturity and composure beyond his years; he was a completely different person in front of Quentin.

Quentin stared at him with wide eyes, his large, bell-like eyes almost bulging out, but he only dared to glance at him once before turning his gaze back to Eileen.

He dared not let his guard down for a moment!

Even though his neck is only a short section.

"Are you crazy?! Those are vampires! Bloodlust! Biting mosquitoes! Devouring monsters that spit out bones—"

Those vicious curses were like nails, driven deep into Eileen's chest, attacking the most vulnerable part of her heart.

Seeing that sad face, even though Eileen herself could still hold back, Luo Yan didn't want to wait any longer.

They were, after all, "relatives" of the Colin family.

Do you think you, a dwarf on Hate Peak, have the right to gossip?
"Shut up."

The air fell silent instantly, as if an invisible hand had seized its throat, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

That's dragon language—

It is magic!

With just two syllables, the noisy sound was brought to a halt.

Quentin's face, flushed with anger, froze instantly. He opened his mouth but couldn't utter a sound; his eyes were filled with only annoyance and confusion.

Do you know what you're doing?

He stared intently at Colin, as if he were saying it with his eyes.

Luo Yan can "hear" with his eyes.

But he was also a prince with a temper, so whether he paid attention to him or not was another matter entirely.

“You’ve been holding my arm for so long, it’s fair I tell you to shut up for a bit.” Pulling his arm away from Quittin’s grasp, Luo Yan lightly waved his wand, dispelling the spell on Quittin’s chin. “Are you calm now?”

Quentin stared, his eyes wide like an angry bullfrog.

He remained silent, yet glared at everyone with murderous intent, as if he wanted to etch each and every one of them into a book of hatred.

One sentence can shut him up...

This prince's strength is probably even more formidable than his demeanor.

Luo Yan didn't object to him doing this, after all, hatred is also a kind of faith, but now he still had to cool down the dwarf lord.

"Colin, I..."

"Don't speak yet."

Luo Yan glanced at Eileen, who was about to say something, and gave her a reassuring look. Then he looked at Quentin Bronze Furnace, who was glaring at him with his beard bristling.

“I’m not entirely sure what happened during the day, but I know that what our enemies want most right now is for us to fall into infighting.”

There's nothing wrong with that statement.

Seemingly realizing this, Quittin's heaving chest gradually calmed down, but the burning anger and hostility did not subside.

"What if she is a chaotic person?"

Luo Yan looked at him and answered seriously.

"If so, you are already dead."

Quittin narrowed his eyes and gave a cold laugh.

"Her? A vampire? My axe is for killing those half-human, half-ghost creatures—"

Luo Yan interrupted him and spoke softly.

"What if you add me?"

The tent fell silent once more.

However, this time it wasn't because of any magic, but because of the Imperial Prince's rebellious—even blasphemous—declaration.

Apart from Luo Yan himself, all three faces showed expressions of surprise, including the sorrowful Eileen.

Quentin's expression was still the most exaggerated; his wide eyes seemed to be saying, "Are you crazy, kid?"

Point your wand at your dwarf friend for the sake of an undead!

Are you out of your mind?!
Even if humans are fickle and forgetful, they wouldn't throw away their brains!

"Do you know what you're saying? The court will try you! They'll hang you, and you'll lose all your titles! No matter who you are!"

Although Theresa did not speak, the shocked expression on her face said it all.

Even a prince of the empire...

That's incredibly reckless!

“Then let them come. I will testify for her and then persuade them, using the words of the Book of the Word: I will forgive sins committed out of ignorance, for the life of mortals is too short and they did not intend to go astray.”

That is indeed a direct quote from the Book of the Word, not from the New Testament, which was fabricated by the Son of God.

Despite the terrifying threat, Luo Yan's face remained unmoved; he simply smiled as he looked at the panicked Kuiting Copper Furnace.

as well as--

Those eyes, like tender leaves glistening with morning dew, were filled with mist.

"I believe in Erin Campbell's character, including her piety, loyalty, courage, generosity and kindness... and all her wonderful qualities."

"At the same time, I unconditionally believe every word she says. Things developing this way was definitely not her intention, and perhaps... it is all the will of the gods!"

Those resounding words were filled with an unquestionable firmness, as if His Highness the Prince standing there had truly heard a divine oracle from the heavens.

Actually, it can't really be described as "as if".

After all, no one said that the god couldn't be himself.

"Whether she is human or a vampire—"

"I will stand with her!"

(End of this chapter)