The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 467 Everyone talks about it
Fate is full of coincidences; sometimes, the more you worry about something, the more likely it is to happen.

Filled with the joy of victory and the anticipation of sharing it, Eileen and Karen, riding their horses, arrived in front of Luo Yan almost simultaneously.

However, the moment they saw each other, their overflowing joy subsided in unison.

That was the intuition of the "chosen one".

Two unseen blades collided in mid-air, seemingly sparking invisible flames.

Their warhorses instinctively slowed their pace, emitting soft neighs, as if sensing the pressure of the powerful from their silent descent.

That's a horse's intuition.

'Huh? Demon Lord, why are your shoulders shaking too—'

'Shut up, Youyou.'

'Woooo...'

抖？
nonexistent.

At this moment, Luo Yan still maintained a calm and composed expression, his smile as bright as the sunshine after the clouds had cleared, showing no sign of sweating over such a small matter.

As it turns out, even the gods who govern karma cannot escape the cause and effect of the mortal world.

Once you put on a vest, it's destined to fall off someday; it's just a matter of time.

"Colin, are you alright? I was so worried about you... What happened?"

Eileen was the first to break the silence.

Her voice was gentler than ever before, so much so that Luo Yan almost didn't realize it was her speaking.

Eileen deftly dismounted.

She retracted the Light of Praise to her waist, settled her warhorse, and strode up to Colin with an "invincible" air.

Whether it's fighting or "battle," she belongs to the "preemptive strike" type.

Those emerald green eyes, which always shone with unwavering determination, were now overflowing with tenderness and dependence.

That's a side of her that she only shows in front of certain people.

To outsiders, she was always Campbell's hero, but only in front of that "god" who was soft-hearted only towards her could she become that carefree girl.

That statement isn't entirely accurate.

Luo Yan is actually often "soft-hearted." Even when Thanos betrayed him once, he just smiled and let it go.

"I am fine--"

Before he could finish speaking, Karen, who never interrupted him, suddenly spoke up for the first time.

“Miss Eileen Campbell, please allow me to say something.”

Karen dismounted and walked to Eileen's side. She glanced at Colin with a soft look in her eyes, then looked at Eileen again. Her kind eyes remained unchanged, but she suppressed any excess admiration.

“Mr. Colin has just defeated the Chosen Ones of Chaos. What he needs most now is rest, not questioning.”

"Question? Question?" Eileen panicked for a moment, then quickly replied, "I didn't mean that, I was just concerned—"

“If you really care about him, you should let him catch his breath first.”

Although she said that, Karen didn't give Colin a chance to catch his breath.

Taking advantage of Miss Eileen's panic, she stepped forward, naturally put her hands together, and took his hand.

"Your Highness, seeing that you are safe and sound, my heart that was hanging in suspense has finally been put at ease."

Those pure and innocent eyes seemed to be enticing that hand with its distinct knuckles to take another step forward, to feel the devout and fervent heartbeat up close.

This was the first time Karen had ever done something so daring.

Her rosy cheeks were like apples in the golden autumn of October, so ripe they seemed about to fall off the branch.

However, she did not regret it.

Even for the sake of the people of Twilight Province, she would represent them and preserve this benevolent divine being for this land of despair!
The more devout a person is, the more likely they are to deceive themselves.

Karen had clearly forgotten that she was not a Ryan, but a Rhodes from further north.

Even from a distance of just a few inches, Luo Yan could feel the heartbeat transmitted across the distance.

However, it was obvious that someone else's heart was beating faster and their blood pressure was higher.

"...What are you doing?!"

Eileen spoke incoherently, her ears burning red like a steam boiler, as if she wanted to rush up and cleave those tightly clasped fingers apart with a sword.

This is... such blasphemy!
How can someone who isn't engaged so brazenly grab a member of the opposite sex's hand?!

That was clearly not a polite handshake.

She had thought that her elegant demeanor would make this country girl from who-knows-where feel inferior, but to her surprise, the girl not only didn't back down, but actually took Mr. Colin's virginity right in front of her...

and many more.

Suddenly realizing something, Eileen's face paled slightly as she fell into deeper reverie.

Mr. Colin did not shake off the woman's hand.

Is it...

He's actually quite good at it?!
A hint of sorrow appeared in her emerald green eyes, and her lips trembled slightly as she was unable to speak.

That kind of thing—

No! !

Xiao Chunu always tends to overthink things, and Luo Yan could guess what Eileen had misunderstood without even having to guess.

Seeing through the cunning hidden behind those innocent eyes, he sighed softly, his voice carrying a hint of authority.

"Karen."

Sensing the displeasure in the voice, Karen realized that her joke had gone too far, so she lowered her head apologetically and obediently released her clasped hands.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, I was just too excited to see you again... Please punish me."

Her apology lacked sincerity; otherwise, she wouldn't have deliberately used such an easily misunderstood wording.

However, she was perfectly justified.

After all, who asked the other party to provoke them first?

The gods may not be able to see the little thoughts of mortals, but she sees them clearly.

Although the people of the Twilight Province are a bit poor, their determination and piety are no less than those of the cunning Campbell people!

At this moment, the people of Ryan had no idea that they were once again being represented by a cunning little fox.

Responsibility, punishment?!
Upon hearing those words, Eileen's shoulders swayed slightly, as if an arrow had pierced her heart.

The armor, blessed by the gods, could shield her from stray arrows on the battlefield, but it couldn't stop the spiritual arrows.

She thought of the chivalric romances that Teresa had buried deep within the bookshelves, and although she had never punished anyone, the well-informed bards had described the process in detail.

Do not……

Prince Colin is definitely not that kind of person!
but……

Seeing Eileen's increasingly pale face, Luo Yan couldn't help but worry about her.

"Eileen, are you... alright?"

"I……"

Eileen wanted to say she was alright, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. Her eyes gradually filled with sorrow, and she bit her pale lips. After a moment, she managed to squeeze out a soft sentence.

"Did I... disturb you?"

That timid voice was so unlike her.

Even the chosen ones of Chaos had never forced her into such a dilemma.

Looking at the "teetering" Eileen, Karen felt a pang of guilt, wondering if she had really gone too far.

but……

I don't think I did anything special.
As Karen was thinking this, she suddenly realized a possibility, and a hint of panic flashed in her gentle eyes.

This is... a strategic retreat!

Miss Campbell, a master of military strategy, deliberately feigned weakness to arouse Prince Colin's protective instincts!
Karen's face paled slightly, her gentle eyes narrowed, and she raised her sleeve to gently wipe the sweat that had slid down her cheek.

No wonder they're city people...

What a good idea!
"Hahahaha!" Watching the two idiots pecking at each other, Youyou, who was hiding to the side and spying, laughed so hard her stomach almost split open, and she started rolling around in the woods.

Luo Yan didn't look at it, because he was worried he wouldn't be able to hold back.

Seeing Eileen's sorrowful face, he chose not to notice it, and with a gentle smile, answered her question literally.

“No, you’ve come at the perfect time… I was just about to introduce you to Her Highness Karen, the Holy Maiden of the Salvation Army.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness Eileen,” Karen said, lifting her skirt and performing a polite commoner’s bow. “On behalf of all the people of Twilight Province, I thank the Duchy of Campbell for their assistance.”

"Eileen Campbell".

Seeing Karen adopt a formal demeanor, Eileen also snapped out of her girlish affectation, responded with a nobleman's courtesy, and gave a formal self-introduction.

“Nice to meet you… Miss Karen, I’ve heard stories about you from the refugees. Everyone I meet says that you are the saint sent by Saint Sith to save them.”

She gradually realized that she might be overthinking things.

Perhaps... clasping hands together and holding each other's hands is just a folk custom in the northern part of the Kingdom of Ryan?

Eileen convinced herself of this.

Because she suddenly remembered that when Prince Colin first came to the Duchy of Campbell, he came from the Academy, which would inevitably have passed through the northern part of the Kingdom of Ryan.

It's not surprising that the two knew each other.

It is likely that Mr. Colin was moved by the devastation of starvation in the Twilight Province and subsequently generously provided her with some financial assistance.

Given his kind nature, he will almost certainly do this!
Eileen still remembers his generous and gentlemanly act of kindness at the charity gala in Thunder City.

It was from that moment that she was drawn to his noble soul…

Thinking about this, Eileen suddenly felt ashamed of her wild thoughts.

To think that I, a kind-hearted Mr. Colin, could be so despicable... what a blasphemy!

Seeing that Eileen seemed to have returned to normal, Luo Yan breathed a sigh of relief.

He guessed right again.

Children love to explain themselves everywhere, but they end up making things worse and falling into the trap of self-justification, which makes even those who originally believed in themselves insecure.

The Demon King never explains!

Because no explanation is the best explanation. Those who believe him will naturally come up with a thousand reasons for him, while those who don't believe him will always find a thousand tricky angles to doubt him.

Luo Yan calls this "Demon King Studies" because he summarized this theory at the Demon King Academy.

Only Youyou, who was rolling around on the ground, stood there awkwardly, staring at Eileen in disbelief, unable to understand how that silly child had convinced herself.

“That’s a misunderstanding,” Karen said with a gentle smile, as if the previous power struggles had never happened. “I’m just an ordinary nun. My Lord didn’t send me anywhere, but I did hear the divine message from my Lord.”

Eileen asked with great interest.

"Oh? What did He say?"

Karen extended her index finger and gently made the sign of the cross on her chest, speaking in a devout voice.

"He said, 'I must save the people of the province of Twilight, spread the gospel of God to those who are suffering, and persuade them to turn away from darkness and embrace the light.'"

“It seems you’ve succeeded,” Eileen said with a relieved smile. This was the first time she had shown such a positive expression to Miss Karen. “Congratulations, you’ve saved yourselves.”

“We also owe a debt of gratitude to you,” Karen nodded with a smile. “If it weren’t for you holding back the power of Chaos on the front lines, and if it weren’t for the God Child’s selfless help to us, we would probably have turned into fertilizer for the Nest City, with our beautiful dreams for the future still in our hearts.”

The atmosphere between the two gradually became friendly, and Luo Yan relaxed his guard for a moment.

Until Eileen's next sentence—

"A divine child?" Eileen blinked, her face showing confusion. "What is that?"

Luo Yan's heart, which had just calmed down, was instantly jolted into his throat, and he subconsciously glanced in Karen's direction.

"The Divine Child is..."

Karen glanced at Colin subconsciously and saw a hint of nervousness in his purple eyes.

The quick-witted girl immediately realized what was going on, and a pleasant smile instantly spread across her surprised face.

what……

That's it!

Princess Campbell was unaware that the Mr. Colin before her was none other than the Divine Child.

"...In short, he is a very kind person."

That joyful smile gradually took on a hint of victor's composure. Karen looked at Eileen like a true nun, lovingly gazing at a lost child.

Hearing this ambiguous answer, Eileen felt even more confused and said with a wry smile.

Could you be more specific?

There are so many kind people.

For example, Mr. Colin is very kind, and he seems much kinder than that charlatan.

Seeing how sensible Karen was, Luo Yan's worries were relieved, and he handed over the work of spreading the "God's Gospel" to more professional people.

Not disappointing His Holiness the Divine Child, Karen, with a compassionate expression on her face, continued to spread the Divine Child's gospel like a lost lamb.

"He is a hermit from the depths of the Wanren Mountains, always benevolent and helpful to everyone in distress."

"Some say he was born from a volcano spewing lava, and only Saint Sis witnessed his cries."

"Therefore, people also call this child who survived the great calamity the Divine Child... or, the Flame King."

"Flame King?! He... is the Son of God?!" Eileen's face was filled with disbelief as she blurted out, "I've heard this legend in Thunder City!"

"Really? That's quite a coincidence."

Karen glanced furtively at Colin, and seeing that Eileen still hadn't recognized the revered Divine Child standing right in front of her, a smug gleam appeared in her eyes. The outcome was decided.

Although Miss Eileen met Prince Colin before I did, it was clear that she knew him far less well than I did.

She not only knew him well, but they also shared a secret.

Without a doubt, I am the one closest to the Divine Child!
As for this Princess Campbell—

It seems they were merely pawns of the divine child.

Once Karen realized this, all her hostility towards Eileen vanished, and she even became more willing to share.

There are many nuns who serve God.

She never dared to hope for all the blessings; as long as she was the one closest to the God... or at least a little closer than this Campbell, that would be enough.

Karen harbored a deep-seated inferiority complex, especially when facing noble people. She would restrain herself from showing her true self and instead play the role of the saintess that the divine child wanted her to play.

Under normal circumstances, she would never reveal her deep-seated inferiority complex unless she felt threatened.

For example, a nobleman who already had everything, yet still snatched the last umbrella from her when she had nothing.

Perhaps this is the source of the previous hostility.

She never harbored any hostility towards Miss Sarah; in fact, she was exceptionally kind to her… even though Miss Sarah always had a distant, unapproachable expression, making it difficult to even exchange a single word with her, let alone get close to her.

"...I could talk about his story for three days and three nights, and if you are interested, I would be happy to share his gospel with you."

Karen stepped forward and took Eileen's hand, the way their fingers intertwined startled the latter.

However, when she met those pure and innocent eyes, Eileen restrained the urge to pull her hand back, forced a bright and cheerful smile, and laughed as she spoke.

“Ah…really? That’s wonderful. I’m very interested in his story…although I have reservations about the so-called divine child.”

Firstly, she was worried that her power might hurt this gentle and kind girl; secondly, she was feeling ashamed for having misunderstood their pure friendship.

The person Miss Karen admires seems to be "Flame King," not Prince Colin.

Moreover, it turns out that such indecent... cough, unusual customs really exist in the northern part of the Kingdom of Ryan.

Great.

With another reason to clear Mr. Colin's name, Eileen felt even more at ease.

Seeing Eileen's sunny smile, Karen's smile grew even brighter.

Holding that soft hand tightly, she spoke in a warm and sincere voice, as if they were sisters.

"...It's alright. We don't force others to follow our truth. Our God told us that people have the right to believe and the right not to believe."

"Really? That's a truly noble idea."

Eileen was filled with respect and continued speaking.

"By the way, could you introduce me to Mr. Yan Wang? I would like to express my gratitude to him in person for helping the royal family rescue the refugees outside Thunder City."

“That might be difficult,” Karen said, a hint of trouble on her face, as she released Eileen’s hand. “That gentleman doesn’t like being disturbed during his cultivation, and even if I wanted to see him, it would depend on fate.”

“I see… Then please convey my greetings to the Campbell royal family. I won’t bother that gentleman any longer.” A look of disappointment appeared on Eileen’s face, as if she regretted not being able to meet that kind person.

Karen noticed her disappointment, blinked gently, and offered her a word of comfort.

"Actually... you don't need to feel regretful. Perhaps that kind gentleman has already received your thanks."

“Thank you for your comfort, Ms. Karen,” Eileen smiled, regaining her spirits, and looked at the exhausted and taciturn Prince Colin, continuing with gentle eyes, “I have no regrets… because…”

She probably thought of some "brilliant" romantic words, but unfortunately, she was too shy and couldn't say them.

Karen wore an ambiguous smile, her gentle eyes seeming to say, "I understand you."

It even carries the meaning of "May God bless you".

What a perverse sense of humor.

Luo Yan found that he seemed to have encountered an unusually large number of "guys with a twisted sense of humor" today.

Poor Eileen was completely manipulated by this cunning country bumpkin, without even realizing it.

Of course, Luo Yan believed that Karen did not do this out of malice; she was simply "following orders."

He had hinted to her long ago that she should be Eileen's "preacher".

A righteous soul is traveling from the Duchy of Campbell toward Twilight City, and now she has finally arrived, standing at the crossroads that will determine her fate.

It would be much more convenient to convey what he wanted Irene to know through Kallen than to tell the legend of the Flame King himself.

not to mention--

He needs Karen to do something else right now.

Seeing the two women suddenly acting like sisters, Luo Yan coughed lightly, interrupting their conversation.

“Karen,” Luo Yan’s expression turned serious, “I have something to tell you, and I hope… you can keep Miss Eileen’s secret.”

Confidential?

Karen paused for a moment, then suddenly panicked. How could there be secrets she didn't know?

However, Eileen was clearly more flustered than her, looking at Colin like a startled fawn, her eyes seemingly asking a silent question—

Should I tell her?

She guessed what Prince Colin was going to say, but to be honest, she didn't completely trust this so-called saintess.

She did not doubt that her kindness was genuine, but no one knew whether she had truly heard the oracle.

Prince Colin's problem is that he is too trusting of others, but not everyone is as honest as he is.

'This is necessary.'

Luo Yan responded to Eileen with a firm look, indicating that she could rest assured and entrust everything to him.

Eileen calmed down and nodded gently after some hesitation, keeping her mouth shut and leaving everything to him.

"Excuse me...what is it?"

Karen's voice carried a hint of melancholy, but she still displayed a broad-mindedness and tolerance, fulfilling her duties as a nun, and watched Mr. Colin take his vow.

“I swear to the god I serve that I will keep silent about every word I hear today.”

"I believe you will keep quiet."

Luo Yan looked at Karen and said something that made the smile on her face freeze instantly.

"For some reason, Miss Eileen became a vampire... what people commonly call a vampire."

"Right now, I'm afraid only you can help her."

……

In the western border of Twilight Province, a vast army is advancing towards Dusk City.

Walking at the head of the army, Hagmer de Valle was riding a white steed.

He was handsome, tall, and wore a full suit of plate armor with a lion emblem. His slightly curly blond hair fluttered in the breeze.

Although he was over fifty years old, he looked no different from someone in his early thirties. Perhaps only his eyes showed the weariness that befitted his age.

As the "Radiant Knight" of the Kingdom of Laine, Hagmer is often praised by those who admire him as the "Knight King of the Knights' Land" and "An Epic That Runs Across the Land".

A staunch adherent of chivalry, he was Saint Sith's most loyal follower and the Papacy's most devout ally. He and his knights were always there for Saint Sith where they were most needed.

Hagmer was not only a noble knight, but also a devout believer.

He was willing to lead his knights in response to any sacred war, spreading the glory of the Devalu family to every corner of the continent... even though his brother had no interest in it.

Beyond worldly praise, as the younger brother of King Theodore, he also wielded power second only to the king.

He is not only the leader of the Lionheart Knights, but also the only demigod-level powerhouse in the Kingdom of Ryan!
It was precisely because of his demigod-level strength that, although he was only a few years younger than Theodore, he looked much younger than the latter, who had no interest in honing his knightly skills.

For this very reason, his elder brother always harbored deep suspicion towards him, to the point that he didn't reveal a single word to him about the severe disaster that had struck the province directly under the royal family's control...

So much so that what was originally an ordinary rebellion turned into such a blasphemous disaster.

When he learned of this, he immediately mobilized the Knights and conscripted soldiers from his territory to set out.

Hagmer, riding on horseback, had been traveling with the procession for a long time when he suddenly looked at his squire and asked.

How much longer until we arrive?

Upon hearing the question from the Grand Master of the Knights, the squire immediately reported.

"Your Highness, Griffin Cliff Territory is just ahead. We should reach Twilight City in three days at the latest!"

Three days...

A hint of worry appeared on Hagmer's face as he looked up at the horizon.

However, his gaze was not directed towards Twilight City, but towards the distant west.

Before long, a dense cluster of black dots appeared in his field of vision and began to move toward him.

Those were a flock of griffins.

On the back of each griffin rode a knight clad in black robes.

Unlike the knights on the ground, these griffin riders were much more taciturn and exuded a fearsome aura.

Led by the lead griffin rider, the overwhelming number of griffin riders descended, just like a flock of crows.

Seeing the griffins descending from the sky, many conscripts who had never seen a magical beast in their lives showed fear on their faces and pushed each other to the side to avoid them.

Campbells usually receive one to two weeks of training before going to war, but they were still farming until three days ago.

The only ones who remained calm were probably the knights of the Lionheart Order.

However, many people remained on edge when faced with those taciturn knights in black robes.

Although he had guessed who the group of people were, Hagmer still drew his short sword and shouted with great momentum.

"who!"

A man in a black robe leaped down from the griffin and took out a sword-shaped cross pendant from his robes.

Amidst the tinkling, crisp sound, a hoarse voice emerged from his mouth, like the cry of a vulture.

"Inquisition."

Upon hearing this name, the knights all showed expressions of surprise, exchanging bewildered glances.

Hagmer's pupils contracted slightly, but he still sheathed his sword and softened his tone as he spoke.

"There are only devout people and herds of cattle and sheep here. What is the court doing here?"

The man in the black robe said expressionlessly.

"Suppress the rebellion."

Hagmer stared at him and said.

"That's the kingdom's internal affair. We just learned about it and are about to deal with it!"

The man in the black robe revealed a playful smile, his hoarse voice sounding almost sarcastic.

"You should have dealt with this a long time ago."

Hagmer was speechless for a moment, unable to utter a word, but his fists clenched tightly.

perhaps……

That was his brother's true purpose.

After learning that the fires in Twilight Province were completely out of control, His Majesty the King was even less inclined to intervene.

Because once it gets to that point, the empire will bail them out.

However, this is not without cost. Incurring the disgrace of the court will cause the Kingdom of Ryan to lose prestige, bring shame to the Devalu family, and cause innocent people to suffer far more than famine.

Theodore didn't care.

But he cares.

"The blasphemy has already incurred divine punishment, and the divine judgment has executed the chosen ones of chaos, but the corruption has not been eradicated." The man in the black robe said expressionlessly, "I have been ordered by the Pope to go to the land of the forsaken to eradicate all chaos, and now I need you to obey my orders."

Anyone who massacres clergy will be burned at the stake.

Anyone who ignores the massacre of priests will have their eyes gouged out.

Anyone who slanders the Word of God will have their tongue cut out.

Anyone who desecrates a corpse will be left to rot in the wilderness.

There are fifty articles in total... and each article corresponds to the most severe punishment!

This is not only an eye for an eye against the Chaos Apostles, but also a necessary means to eradicate the corruption of Chaos.

Even if the entire province is barren in the twilight, it is not a pity!
In fact, compared to a thousand years ago, they were already quite civilized—even benevolent.

A thousand years ago, when the Empire and the people of the Dragon God were allies, the Mad Talkers, bewitched by the "Mysterious Mist," once captured the Empire's capital and nearly destroyed the Empire's territory.

At that time, they didn't have fifty commandments or a court of judgment; instead, they burned everyone to the ground.

Whether they are perpetrators, victims, or neither, but merely implicated.

Hagmer looked at the man in the black robe, staring directly into his eyes.

"May I have your name."

The man in the black robe retrieved the cross pendant, answered calmly, and also stated his position.

"Jiménez, Chief Referee."

“Jiménez, now that you have brought the Pope’s decree, I will obey your orders, but I reiterate once again, our swords will not be pointed at the subjects of the Empire.”

Hagmer looked him in the eyes and emphasized it again.

"The Ryan people are also subjects of the Empire, although they do not live in the Holy City."

Jiménez nodded slightly, his face still expressionless.

"of course."

"That's exactly what it says in the Book of the Word."

(End of this chapter)