The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 458 feels even stranger.
The air was so still it was as if it were covered in frost.

At this moment, all was quiet except for the crackling campfire and Eileen's wildly beating heart.

The vampires in this world have heartbeats.

She's still alive!

And this feeling has never been so intense!

All the dark clouds that had been hanging over her heart vanished because of that promise.

Unlike Eileen, who was moved to tears, Quentin Copperfurnace was utterly desperate.

I never imagined that the empire had become so terminally ill that it could even tolerate vampires!

Seeing how persistent this prince of the empire was, even at the cost of breaking ties with his ally, he finally gave up his insistence after much deliberation.

Of course, the main reason was that he realized he really couldn't win, and even if he did win, it wouldn't be worth it.

Erin Campbell was originally a Platinum-level player, and the kind who could fight on equal terms with a Purple-level Chosen of Chaos.

Even though she is seriously injured now, it will still take me a lot of effort to deal with her.

Moreover, these humans are ungrateful and only care about their own positions, not right or wrong!
From the unfathomably powerful Prince Colin to the loyal knights around her, everyone chose to ignore them as if they hadn't seen anything.

How to fight this?
Having figured this out, Quittin's tense muscles relaxed, and he no longer glared at her with a cold expression, letting go of his rigidity.

"...Since the prince of the empire has said so, then the lord of the High Mountain Kingdom should just pretend he didn't see it. The war is the priority."

Eileen, who was in a state of panic, looked at the dwarf with disbelief in her eyes, as she stared in astonishment at his sudden change of stance.

She had thought it would take a long time to convince this ally to continue fighting alongside the Duchy of Campbell, but to her surprise, Prince Colin resolved the issue with just a few words.

Once again, when she needed help the most, he generously reached out and pulled her up...

"Thank you for your understanding," Luo Yan nodded slightly. "Just as you told me before, I hope you will also prioritize the overall situation."

Quentin stared at him expressionlessly, a cold snort escaping from beneath his thick beard.

"I declare beforehand that if any consequences arise as a result of your foolish actions, the Copper Furnace family will have nothing to do with it! We are simply upholding an ancient covenant and fighting for our common destiny."

“I can testify for you and your family, with the reputation of an Imperial Prince as my guarantee… If anyone questions this matter, just say that the Empire forced you to do so.”

Luo Yan raised two index fingers to swear an oath. After making the first vow, he lowered one index finger, turned to face Eileen, and continued speaking gently.

"In addition, I also want to issue a statement that no matter what the outcome, the Principality of Colin will always stand with Eileen Campbell!"

These words were like a warm current, instantly touching the softest spot in Eileen's heart.

Her face flushed red instantly, from her cheeks all the way to her ears, and it seemed as if hot steam was rising from her head.

"I……"

She opened her mouth, instinctively wanting to say that she wasn't worth him going to such lengths. She was already grateful that he believed her words, that she had never sold her soul to Chaos, nor made any pact with any demon…
However, remembering his earlier words, "Don't speak yet," she subconsciously shut her mouth, hiding her slightly trembling lips and flushed face under the shadow of her lowered hood.

She seemed to have returned to that unfinished dream.

That intoxicating sense of security brought her back to her childhood...

Theresa, who was standing to the side, was initially surprised, but then looked at Colin with a look of solemn respect.

She was right—

This gentleman is a truly noble knight!

Even though he wasn't a knight.

Quittin shrugged, indicating that he had no objection.

Regardless of how the Principality of Colin treats Eileen, that is an internal matter for the human race. He only cares about the Copper Furnace family's foothold in the High Mountain Kingdom.

However, out of concern for his neck, he couldn't help but ask:
"I'm just asking because I thought it was just me being nosy... what if she goes berserk and bites people? I've heard that some vampires can be ruthless and indiscriminate when they go berserk."

Regarding this matter, Luo Yan was undoubtedly the one with the most authority to speak among everyone present.

He had seen many vampires when he was at the Demon King Academy. Those who pretended that they would die without blood were probably not craving blood, but something else entirely.

From the perspective of the ingredients themselves, the blood of the Minotaur is undoubtedly the most delicious, but there are countless substitutes.

At least the vampires of Hell no longer bite directly on the neck. It's like how even if humans love beef, they wouldn't take a knife and fork and eat it from a cow.

but--

That's not the point.

Luo Yan smiled and looked at Eileen.

"Eileen."

Caught off guard, Eileen instinctively responded.

"……Um?"

Luo Yan looked at her and said in a gentle tone.

Promise me you won't hurt anyone.

"If you're really hungry, you can borrow my neck."

……

The meeting that would decide the future of the "Northern Rescue Army" finally ended, and Quedin Bronzeforge, the commander of the dwarven reinforcements, ultimately decided to turn a blind eye.

However, he also suggested that in order to prevent the morale of the troops from wavering, Campbell's side must find a way to keep Eileen's identity a secret!
At the very least, they had to conceal her scent so the dwarves wouldn't discover that their commander was a shameful vampire!
Although Luo Yan thought Eileen smelled quite nice, he knew what the dwarves meant by "scent".

That's a racial trait of dwarves.

After all, in the mines, they often didn't use their eyes to identify each other, but rather their noses.

Their nemesis, the ratmen, also possess this talent; they can smell a vampire standing in front of them in an instant.

but--

This was not a problem for Luo Yan.

"Leave this to me; I happen to be an expert in potions," Luo Yan said with a smile, confidently looking at Quentin's suspicious expression.

He's so good at this!
Especially for blending perfumes that conceal the scent of the dead!

To this day, no one has discovered that none of the priests in the Silverpine Town church are living people; they are all spirits planted by the Demon King…

After leaving the command tent, Luo Yan followed Eileen to her camp.

The two remained silent the entire way until they stood at the tent entrance. Eileen held back for a long time before finally managing to utter a barely audible sentence.

"Can I...can I speak now?"

Luo Yan was taken aback for a moment, then remembered what had happened, and chuckled as he spoke.

"Of course... now is fine."

I didn't expect this guy to be so obedient.

In his memory, this princess was clearly a very opinionated person, but he never expected her to have such an interesting side.

It was definitely worth the trip.

'Eh, Demon King, I never expected you to be like this—'

'Shut up, Youyou.'

'Well--'

The white mist that had just emanated from Luo Yan vanished as if it had been shot in the chest, looking utterly dejected...

Seemingly realizing her own odd behavior, Eileen hurriedly lifted the tent flap with her head down and strode inside, her movements as stiff as an old steam engine.

Luo Yan glanced at Theresa standing beside him, who gave him a "please" look before standing guard outside the tent like a loyal gargoyle.

That look seemed to imply, "I'll keep watch for you," but it lacked any sense of self-awareness in trying to hide...

Seeing that the knight lady was pretending to be stupid, Luo Yan gave up on his silent hints and followed Eileen into the tent.

Anyway, he didn't intend to do anything bad.

The atmosphere inside the tent was very quiet.

Eileen lit the candle on the table, dispelling the darkness in the tent.

The furnishings here are quite simple, with only a cot, a wooden table with a map on it, and an empty shelf.

That area was probably used to hang armor and weapons.

Eileen reached for her chest, seemingly intending to take off her cloak and hang it up, but she stopped just as her index finger unbuttoned the first button.

Silence spread through the tent.

Just as Luo Yan was pondering whether to speak first, Eileen finally spoke, breaking the unsettling silence.

"Sorry……"

Luo Yan couldn't help but smile.

Why are you apologizing all of a sudden?

Eileen turned around and whispered.

"You came because...you didn't receive a reply from me, right?"

Luo Yan was taken aback, his expression somewhat subtle.

However, Eileen took this as an admission and explained somewhat anxiously.

"I'm sorry, I didn't tell you anything, but I swear I didn't mean to hide anything from you, I just..."

"You don't want me to worry."

Eileen nodded gently, this time responding to his questioning gaze with silence.

Luo Yan did not continue on this delicate topic, but simply looked into those strong yet somewhat evasive emerald green eyes.

"Can you let me see it?"

That expression seemed to indicate rejection; she needed to prepare further.

However, Luo Yan did not give her the chance to process this anxiety on her own.

He walked up to her, ignoring her eyes which were initially evasive but then closed in a half-hearted manner, and slowly reached out to remove her hood.

Her long, silvery-white hair, as pure as moonlight, cascaded down like a waterfall.

Her eyes, which had reopened, were filled with despair. Eileen instinctively wanted to back away, but was stopped by a pair of gentle yet firm eyes.

"To be honest, it's quite beautiful."

“…You don’t need to comfort me.” Eileen lowered her head and bit her lip lightly.

Luo Yan shook his head slightly and said in a serious tone.

"I never lie."

This is the truth.

While the "white hair" design might be a bit ahead of its time for Campbell's aesthetic, it's just right for players of "Catastrophe Online".

So does he.

Of course, Professor Lilith is a different story.

"Thanks……"

Seeing Eileen suddenly start thanking him again, Luo Yan couldn't help but smile once more.

"Why are you suddenly thanking me again?"

Avoiding his searing gaze, which felt like a branding iron, Eileen blushed and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice.

"Because of... what happened just now. Thank you... for getting me out of that predicament."

“I was just telling the truth.” Luo Yan’s voice was very soft, as if he were talking about something trivial. “The Eileen Campbell I know is not the kind of person who would sell her soul to Chaos for power or other desires.”

This unreserved trust caused a crack to appear in Eileen's usually guarded heart.

"Can you tell me?" Luo Yan looked at her earnestly and continued in a concerned voice, "Tell me what you know."

Eileen took a deep breath, and her emerald green eyes, which had been unfocused due to confusion, gradually regained their determination and confidence.

She recounted everything that had happened during the day.

From how Rolandar's eerie music shattered the morale of the allied forces, to her invoking the power of her ancestors to protect her men, to her reckless charge into the forest to fight Rolandar, to being driven to the brink of despair by the endless chaos beasts, and to her last thought before losing consciousness...

This includes her summoning "Colin" with Utawarerumono, and her inexplicable awakening in a cave...

She told everything to Mr. Colin, whom she trusted most, without reservation, even though some parts were difficult for her to talk about.

For example, that man named "Luo Yan".

Luo Yan listened quietly without uttering a single word.

Even when mentioning "Luo Yan," at least eight out of ten sentences she uttered were variations on how to describe a shameless rogue.

Only after Eileen finished speaking, her face flushed, did a thoughtful expression appear on his handsome face, as if he were carefully analyzing an extremely complex academic problem.

He had told Eileen about his experience studying at the Academy, which made it easy for him to spout some nonsense from the perspective of an Academy mage. "In my rudimentary understanding, the essence of 'Echoing Light' is not a weapon, but rather the honor passed down through generations of the Campbell family and the faith in the hearts of the Campbell people. Simply put, it is a manifestation of 'faith'... Am I right?"

Eileen nodded gently.

"That's one way to explain it."

The explanation was so accurate that it surprised her, because even she herself had taken a long time to understand these secrets.

The Campbell family did not include these things in the epic, because some things lose their effectiveness once written down.

There will always be people who think they're being clever and want to take shortcuts.

"If that's the case, can I make an assumption?"

Luo Yan looked at Eileen and continued speaking in a guessing tone.

"In the battle, to protect Campbell's people, you pushed the power of the Light of Praise to its limit, even at the cost of your own life. This act has gone beyond the scope of a 'weapon' and is more like a sacrifice... to pray to the gods for victory."

"...Sacrifice?" Eileen looked at him blankly.

"Yes."

Luo Yan nodded and continued.

"The Light of Praise has answered your prayer, or rather... the deity who has bestowed miracles upon the Campbell family has answered your prayer."

His voice was gentle yet powerful, as if he were explaining sacred doctrines to Eileen—

Although it was a doctrine he had just made up.

"...Every miracle comes at a price, and your life force was no longer sufficient to pay that price, so that price ultimately manifested itself in the form of a curse."

"Simply put, your life has been reduced to a negative number—uh, I mean, you've overdrawn something that none of us can see, but the gods can."

Eileen's eyes widened, and she remained stunned for a long time before managing to squeeze out a sentence.

"A curse? But..."

How could the loving Saint Sis curse His child?

Besides, she was doing the right thing.

"Of course, the word 'curse' might be hard for you to accept, so perhaps I should use a more accurate term—divine 'compensation'."

Seeing that Eileen found it hard to accept this "curse theory," Luo Yan quickly put a new label on his own theory.

After his swift and decisive maneuver, Eileen was no longer confused, and hope gradually returned to her eyes.

I see--

It is a sacred compensation!

That makes sense!

Gazing into those eyes that had regained their brilliance, Luo Yan seized the opportunity and, in the name of holiness, continued to add to his theory.

It's not to make it sound more complete and reliable.

It's simply stuffing in a bunch of correct but useless garbage, increasing the difficulty of memorizing the original text and the cost of discussion and exchange, thereby indirectly reducing the probability of being exposed in theoretical exchanges.

Eileen was completely stunned. Her mind was filled with the sacred compensation and the image of Prince Colin trying to offer her advice.

She never saw herself as a savior who sacrificed herself; she simply felt she should do it, so she went without hesitation.

However, that wonderful explanation was like a ray of light falling from the sky, cleaving through all the darkness and fog in her heart.

The guilt and self-doubt that had plagued her since leaving the cave found a radiant outlet at this moment.

Just as His Highness Colin said, although she became a vampire, she was not a vampire who sold her soul to the devil.

Rather, they were the "chosen ones" who were reborn after burning themselves out to protect Campbell's people!
Whether others believe it or not—

At least he believed it.

“But that ‘Luo Yan’…”

"It does not matter!"

Luo Yan quickly interrupted Eileen, and the haste of his words even surprised Eileen, making it hard for her not to think about it more deeply.

Seeing that face growing increasingly red, Luo Yan continued speaking without stopping.

"As you said before, that guy wasn't a good person, but I'm more inclined to believe he didn't do anything, just played the role of an 'observer.' I'm assuming he's a vampire living in seclusion deep in the mountains. What would you find if you put yourself in his shoes? A vampire who wasn't born from the Embrace of the Blood Clan! She was even born from the Holy Light!"

"If I were him, it would be hard for me not to feel curious about this special fellow human, and thus want to study him—"

"Um, can I say something..." Eileen looked up at Colin with a flushed face, finally unable to hold back and spoke again, gently interrupting his "talking to himself".

Maybe she was overthinking it.

But she didn't want the person she admired to hold a grudge because of some non-existent misunderstanding, and to keep their distress to themselves.

Especially that explanation, which seemed to be both comforting herself and self-consolation, truly made Eileen feel sorry for him.

Even though she admitted that there was a hint of happiness mixed with this bitterness, at least Mr. Colin's reaction showed that she was more than just a respectable friend in his eyes.

Luo Yan stopped talking and looked at Eileen, who seemed to have something to say.

"what happened?"

Suppressing the shame that made her want to avert her gaze, Eileen, unusually displaying the bravery she usually showed on the battlefield, answered him in a tone as if making a vow.

"That shameless man... he didn't even get a chance to do anything to me!"

Seemingly feeling that this wasn't convincing enough, Eileen blushed and stammered on, "Although, although one button was undone, but, but I was wearing clothes underneath!"

"…………???"

"I... I sensed you seemed a little nervous about his name... but there's really no need for that, I... I... I'm innocent!"

Eileen's face turned even redder, and this time her voice went off-key, as if her brain had been fried.

With Luo Yan's intelligence, he could certainly see what Xiao Chunu was thinking, which was why he almost couldn't keep his expression in check.

I'm okay with being jealous of myself...

no--

Where did you see that I was jealous?!

An untimely thought suddenly popped out from the side, clearly carrying a hint of mockery.

'My Lord! Don't panic. I remember you said that most vampires are a bit slow-witted, like the little devil's head—'

'Shut up, Youyou.'

"Woo—"

Luo Yan felt his mind was a bit of a mess and didn't have time to argue with his own godhood.

However, it was clear that someone here was even more confused than him; the flush on his cheeks was gradually spreading into his emerald green eyes…

Eileen's eyes turned scarlet, like a datura blooming in hell, shimmering with a noble yet eerie light beneath her silver-white bangs.

However, the strange thing is—

Her expression, however, was anything but noble; it even carried a hint of sickness, as if she had spotted a fresh and delicious prey.

"So hot……"

"Blood... ah... blood!"

Eileen, her eyes vacant, murmured loudly, her shoulders swaying slightly. Suddenly, as if she had lost her mind, she lunged forward, opening her small mouth, where tiger teeth had appeared out of nowhere.

Although Eileen seemed to have lost her mind, Luo Yan instantly regained his senses.

With a swift movement of his left hand, he deployed several barriers in quick succession without hesitation, while simultaneously reaching forward with his right hand and grabbing the forehead of the person attacking him.

"Vivian! You've got some nerve!"

He really didn't know that the Colin family possessed this hidden ability, which not only allowed them to control their own family members, but also to "summon gods" from afar.

However, Luo Yan was such a meticulous person that he could guess the truth of the matter even with his toes.

The Demon King's majesty was unleashed in an instant, and "Eileen's" eyes cleared instantly, her thirst for blood turning into fear of being whipped.

She instinctively wanted to play dumb and run away, but when she met those imposing eyes, she instantly knew her trick had been exposed.

Her clear red eyes welled up with tears of grievance. "Eileen" pouted and complained in a voice that was completely out of character for her handsome face.

"I...I just wanted to see which vixen had stolen the keepsake that your dear Vivian gave you."

Luo Yan interrupted her without expression.

"sit down."

Her knees trembled slightly, and "Eileen" immediately sat up obediently, not daring to be negligent or resist in the slightest. However, what flickered in her scarlet eyes was not fear, but rather a light of expectation.

There's nothing to look forward to.

Luo Yan just wanted to ask her some questions.

"I ask you a question, and you answer it."

"Yes!"

Have you noticed any changes in yourself lately?

"I've grown taller!"

"Seriously."

"I...I've grown—oops, I've grown platinum!"

Platinum.

Luo Yan nodded slightly.

"not bad."

"hey-hey……"

"Eileen" chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of her head in a feigned modesty, "It was alright... I guess I was good enough to punch the demon examiner flying during the final exam!"

Luo Yan raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Then you've really made a name for yourself."

"Oh dear, it's alright, it's alright!"

Eileen's nose was practically pointing to the sky. She said modestly that she was alright, but her face looked like she wanted to hear more praise.

Luo Yan's face remained unchanged, but he couldn't help but smile inwardly.

To be honest, after being away from home for so long, he really missed it.

I'll go back and take a look after things settle down here.

After telling her own story, Vivian blinked curiously and turned the conversation to her beloved brother.

"Speaking of which, elder brother, has your strength increased recently?"

That slap on the forehead was absolutely brilliant; she couldn't move an inch!

Luo Yan smiled faintly upon hearing this and calmly replied.

"It's alright, I'm at the Amethyst level now."

"Amethyst grade!!!"

Unconsciously, "Eileen" opened her mouth wide, her eyes turning into tiny stars as she cast an incredulous look at him.

A purple crystal-level powerhouse before the age of twenty-five!
what is this? !!

This is practically a demon god reincarnated!
At this moment, the adoration in her heart was as endless as the lava outside the magic city!
Looking at Miss Vivian Colin, who was preparing to flatter him, Luo Yan suddenly thought of something and frowned slightly.

"By the way, your 'family' won't hear me talking to you here, will they?"

"No, no!" Vivian waved her non-her own little hand and said with a grin, "She'll only remember that she took a nap, she won't have any other memories, hee hee..."

That being said, there was actually nothing she could do. It just so happened that this person's mental and physical strength had reached their limits, which gave her the opportunity to project her consciousness through the power of the ritual.

Once she arouses the other party's will to resist, she instantly loses control. Only when her followers genuinely submit to her can she truly come and go as she pleases; otherwise, she can at most resort to some petty tricks to "control" them.

Incidentally, it was Heneway who taught her this obscure ritual.

Some vampires of lower bloodlines might find this skill useful, but for a prominent family like the Colin family...

Does controlling several puppets require extraordinary power?
Ordinary human nobles are not worth developing into their dependents, and they generally cannot obtain truly valuable chosen ones.

Although Vivian's desire to strangle this vixen was genuine, she did indeed gain a great advantage from this incident.

Thanks to her incredibly wise and powerful older brother!
While the two were having a long talk, Theresa outside the tent blushed and kept glancing at the closed curtain, curious but not daring to look inside.

She had just heard an unnatural commotion, but suddenly there was no sound!

It feels even stranger now...

(End of this chapter)