I'm fighting Kal'tsit? Really?

"...?"

Gerald glanced at the wall that had suddenly opened up and moved halfway through, and at the courtyard scenery peeking out from behind it. A question mark suddenly appeared above Pegasus's head.

Fine.

Although he didn't know what she was planning, Pegasus never refused an invitation to fight.

Stepping out of the hidden room, drawing his sword, and bracing himself, Gerald was now fully prepared to face the thorns around him.

Just as he had shattered the spells surrounding the courtyard with a single sword strike this morning, protecting the little banshees from the impact of spells at the level of the Lord of the Royal Court, with his in-depth research and analysis of the thorns, he had become thoroughly familiar with this type of spell—the key was to use magic to completely destroy them before they completely surrounded his vision.

"Come on, Lamaren."

Seeing this fiercely prepared demeanor, the Queen of the Demoness felt her agitation surge even more, and almost without hesitation, she swung down her bone pen.

In an instant, thorns seemed to grow from the void, their branches spreading wildly, carrying the whispers of ancient incantations, and surging towards Gerald with an overwhelming sense of oppression.

As he expected.

A flash of sword light appeared, like a storm sweeping across the wilderness, swiftly and decisively severing everything. The moment the blade struck, all the thorns, along with their accompanying incantations, crumbled and vanished into the air, as if they had never existed.

However, behind the thorns, the real killing move was quietly unleashed.

What the sword wind avoided was the incantation personally condensed by the Lord of the Royal Court.

Just as the thorns swept past the image of the celestial horse in her eyes, the Banshee Queen grasped the thorns that extended to her side, causing blood to flow and letting the pain linger in the incantation.

The blood did not dissipate or waver, but instead landed precisely on the bone pen in Ramallian's palm, gathering into a thick, eerie light—this domain belonging to the banshee allowed her to control everything in the space.

So she spoke:

"【Weakness】, 【Defeat the Demon】, 【Loss of Power】, 【Loss of Power】, 【Loss of Power】, 【Strong】, 【Abundant】, 【Vibrant】, 【Stronger】, 【Knocked Away】.

There were ten incantations in total, each word exactly correct, which landed on him at the very moment the Pegasus severed the incantation.

The moment the incantation was cast, Gerald's body shuddered violently, as if bound tightly by invisible chains, instantly stripping him of all his power.

His muscles instinctively resisted, and the fluctuations of Originium Arts struggled within him, trying to fight back. But the incantations that followed were like a storm, piling up layer upon layer on his body, as if someone was slowly hollowing out the power within him, leaving only an unyielding shell.

As his knees buckled, he was sent flying like a bird without wings by the curse onto the bed behind him.

The soft fabric enveloped his body, yet Gerald felt no sense of security, only a feeling of powerlessness that he could not resist.

At the edge of his vision, Ramalyn walked slowly toward him with graceful steps.

Her steps were so light they seemed weightless, and her skirt swayed slightly with her movements, like a shadow in the quiet night.

At the same time, her fingertips gently brushed across her shoulders, and incantations fell, while streams of light appeared around her, offering praise and blessings, and untying the straps on her shoulders.

The Banshee Queen slowly approached, looking down at her prey who was no longer able to struggle.

That familiar smile returned to her face.

--------

Wake up from sleep.

As his strength returned and his consciousness gradually returned, Gerald regained control of his body. He immediately began to recall the details of Ramalen's every move.

Pegasus was filled with shock.

So this is how the Queen of the Banshees' courtyard is... Fixed mindset is definitely a big no-no in battle. He shouldn't have let his guard down after cutting down the thorns.

Recalling yesterday's duel, the thorns, which served as the medium for the incantation, already occupied most of his perception. When they became the cover for the real killing move, almost no one could react to the dozens of incantations personally chanted by the Banshee Queen.

This is another tactic that needs to be considered, and it is very likely to be one of the most difficult problems to solve in the future showdown with Lamaren.

The most urgent task is to understand and practice the inspiration that Muirsay gave him.

Gerald let out a soft breath, trying to pull himself out of his thoughts and refocus on the real world.

But the moment his consciousness returned, he suddenly realized something was amiss—

The surrounding area was pitch black.

He felt that strange sensation he had experienced just yesterday, the same feeling of an octopus clinging to him, only this time the heartbeat seemed weaker.

The air was still filled with the scent of the siren.

"...Ramaren?"

"Hmm? Hmm. Hmm, I'm here."

Ramallen's heavenly voice now carried a hint of the hoarseness Gerald had once heard, as if she had fallen into a deep weariness. Only her slightly shifting body in her daze and her almost inaudible voice testified to her presence.

But that's not the problem.

The problem is that--

Why is he still in a dream?

Chapter 77 There's another show waiting for you tonight!

However, this development was exactly what he wanted.

For Gerald, what he probably lacks most right now is time.

Just as he knew exactly what kind of strength his brothers possessed, his brothers also knew him well. Although neither the active Silver Spear Pegasus nor the Grandmaster Russell believed they were capable of standing in his current state.

But his concerns weren't just about the Silver Spear Pegasus, who had been summoned after he acted and while waiting for things to escalate. His worries extended to other forces as well.

Some members of the Casimir Business Association may have had private dealings with powerful nations like Victoria, Colombia, and Letania.

Although he had previously encountered high-end military power from powerful nations like the Steam Knights, and had learned from history books how the famous Iron Duke dismantled the capital of Gaul, he did not believe that such a level of military power could influence his decision.

Gerald's real concern is the legacy left by some powerful nations, and their determination to take a slice of the pie after realizing the problems that Kazimierz will face in the future.

If one could achieve what the Witch King did, and single-handedly intimidate other nations, that would be ideal.

Moreover, putting aside the Cavaliers who got traded after playing a game without telling him, Maria should probably be looking for a job by now.

Based on his understanding of the Lin Guang family, the Supervisory Council wouldn't let go of this opportunity to make them give up their long riding positions; who knows, one of the ponies might go out to compete and play like her sister.

You can play if you want, but only under his rules.

Therefore, if the use of the illusion technique can be figured out soon, coupled with his dash ability, it might make up for some of his weaknesses. Although his speed allows him to instantly travel from one end of the Grand Knights' territory to the other, he inevitably faces the problem of being unable to be in two places at once.

Coincidentally, Lamaren has become very interested in sparring again since yesterday.

Let's slow down then. It's time to grow properly in the dream world, just like when we fought General Felin.

Gerald, who was distracted while combing the Banshee Queen's hair, was thinking about this problem.

"What are you thinking about?"

The Banshee Queen seemed to notice the distraction of the person behind her. She took her hand off the pendant on the table and placed it on Gerald's hand holding the comb, tapping it lightly a few times.

The mirror reflected her gaze, intertwined with that of Pegasus, and Gerald immediately replied:

"I was just wondering if doing this every night would be a bit tiring?"

Upon hearing this, Lamaren finally revealed a victorious smile: "If you feel a little uncomfortable, I can be gentler next time."

"...I'm fine, just go with your pace."

Gerald silently swallowed the words of understanding he had intended to say, and simply made his movements of combing hair even gentler, as if afraid of scratching the not-so-bright little head.

"Alright, it was just a joke." Seeing Gerald accept her lighthearted remark with tolerance, Ramalen smiled and promptly clarified her explanation:

"This is one of the few times I have actually had physical contact with someone. Normally, succubi rarely choose to hone their bodies."

"I never imagined that taking the initiative would be so tiring." The Banshee Queen's sigh revealed obvious exhaustion. "It's just like fighting on a battlefield."

Gerald suddenly wanted to ask whether it was more tiring to fight him or to "fight" him, but after thinking about it, he decided not to ask the question aloud.

Judging from the fact that Lamaren wasn't even out of breath after the battle, he figured that this answer would greatly hurt his pride, so it was better not to ask.

"but."

Ramalen took Pegasus's free left hand and placed it on her face. Feeling the warmth between them, she softly said, "Perhaps meeting you at this moment is just right."

"If I were to touch your body with hands that have touched wreckage and blood, I would probably only realize my own inferiority... not like I do now."

“Inferior?” Gerald couldn’t help but laugh. “Ha, why would you think that?”

“You underestimate your own charm, Gerald.” Ramallen thought of Theresa, who had found rest in the valley, and her eyes dimmed slightly.

"You don't understand what a normal person with your kind of power means to us."

"Are you referring to that power that couldn't even last a minute in the courtyard of the King of the Royal Court?" Pegasus's smile faded slightly as he spoke calmly.

"This is different."

Ramalen gripped her left hand tightly, her nails almost digging into her flesh, her tone growing increasingly harsh: "Our power is a curse, a malice passed down from the Sarkaz since ancient times. And our history is one of hatred and contempt. You don't care about appearances, you don't care about my race, you—"

"Fine, fine, disgusting." Gerald completely misunderstood her meaning, simply adjusting the head in his arms to avoid hurting her long hair. "So, are you happy after meeting me?"

"Even 'happy' doesn't do justice to how I feel." She gently shook her head, her long hair cascading down again with the movement, causing Tianma to involuntarily put down his comb. "I...can't think of the right words."

"That at least shows that the power that led you to this situation today allowed you to have the strength to protect the remaining female demons of the tribe, and enabled you and me to meet here."

"To make you happy because of me, and to make me joyful for you."

Gerald abandoned the idea of ​​continuing to comb her hair, and in the end simply smoothed her hair, gently leaned close to her enchanting ear, and lightly kissed it:

"Then this curse should be a blessing for both of us."

--------

By the time the dawn broke over the valley, the sun had moved about fifteen degrees in the sky.

And so the valley's inhabitants arrived before the Demon King early on.

Theresa had been looking forward to today's journey for a long time, but seeing the couple in front of her who were even more inseparable than yesterday, she couldn't help but feel a little envious.

The Demon King's power certainly shouldn't be used for such trivial matters, right...? But if we're really going to talk about it, the love life of the King of the Royal Court should also be included in the scope of attention. Sneaking a peek at someone else's happy life doesn't seem like a big deal... No, no, we still can't act so recklessly.

While she was struggling with her inner conflict, the couple opposite her calmed down and stared at Theresa as she was lost in thought.

"Ha!" The Demon King seemed to finally realize what was happening, and put on her usual gentle smile: "I'm sorry to have kept you two waiting, and I'll have to trouble you to accompany me for a stroll in the valley. If you don't mind, I can wander around by myself as I please."

"The Banshee Queen's curse wouldn't be targeted at me, right?" Theresa winked at the Banshee Queen, indicating that she could now enjoy a life with someone else. "Alright then, I'm off!"

Lamaren remained silent, only responding to Theresa's request with a smile: "You flatter me, Your Highness. It would be better if we went together. What if you end up in some unfamiliar places? Besides, I would also like you to make some requests regarding the development of the valley."

Do you think you can get away with this?

When Theresa heard this, the smile on her face froze slightly.

A bad feeling crept into my heart, but it seemed there was no other choice now.

So she had no choice but to regain her composure, raise her eyebrows slightly, and look at the two of them with a smile: "In that case, I shall respectfully comply."

Contrary to expectations, she didn't see the couple showing any affection during this trip.

Starting near the entrance to the valley, the first thing you see is a stream as clear as ice crystals. Around this time, the little succubi begin their morning prayers, and they gradually hear soft chanting drifting from afar along the river, flowing gently downstream through the heart of the valley, reaching their ears.

Pegasus didn't shy away from discussing the things he noticed along the way just because a demon king was with them. For example, after learning about some of the banshees' habits and traditions, he gradually realized that the plan to build a training ground in the forest was not feasible—it clearly contradicted the banshees' habit of being close to nature.

So he would bring up these issues in front of Theresa, and also see how the Demon King would react.

The result was indeed good.

Theresa's mixed heritage and tailoring background might initially draw some disdain, but her vision and courage are just as Gerald perceived them. While occasionally explaining Sarkaz history to him, she also shares her perspectives on various issues.

However, she showed significant hesitation on certain issues.

About war.

"As long as I remain the Demon King, the banshee will never be affected by war."

After hearing Gerald's other question, she gently shook her head. "The Sarkaz are not capable of handling the next war. In my opinion, it is not a good choice to teach those children about war in advance in order to prevent war."

“They can keep these skills in mind all the time, but they can’t be unable to master them when needed.” Gerald clearly disagreed. “The little banshees don’t need the time, and no one can be sure what will happen before the next war.”

"you are right."

Theresa smiled gently:

"In that case, how about leaving these courses for last? Children's characters shouldn't be tainted by the shadow of war so early. I hope that this blood and mud can come later, at least after those children have truly formed their understanding of the world."

“But they are orphans who survived the war. I’ve tried to understand their thoughts, and those children have begun to develop their own understanding.” Gerald shook his head: “Living in comfort will only lead to self-destruction. The sooner they realize this, the better.”

The more the debate rages, the more superfluous the beautiful yet distracting scenery of the valley seems.

So much so that the Queen of the Banshees had almost no room to interject between the two of them.