In the Floor B6 teleportation hall, Antanas, Sinora, Pranay, and Hyperion chatted as they waited.
They sat gathered around a long table in the grand hall. Before long, the snacks on the table had vanished, and Hyperion's bottle of liquor had already hit bottom.
An eager anticipation hung in the frigid air as their eyes darted toward the frosty corridor from time to time.
"Hyperion, does the King know you can drink like this? She was doing everything she could to shield you from the alcohol back then."
Antanas marveled as she watched Hyperion drink it down like water.
"He definitely doesn't know. He might actually be quite afraid of alcohol himself."
Hyperion shook her head helplessly.
It was the first time she had ever seen Lanqi hesitate over something, though in the end, he had still resolutely refused to let her touch the snowfield liquor.
Antanas nodded repeatedly.
The new King truly cherished the Second Princess. If anyone dared cross the Second Princess, they would surely suffer all manner of retaliation from the new King.
As they chatted and laughed, a black-haired, green-eyed figure soon strolled slowly out from the frost.
Every stretch of the corridor she passed through seemed illuminated by her presence. Neither the harsh environment nor the swirling magical energy appeared to affect her in the slightest; strolling through this freezing, treacherous hallway was as effortless for her as taking a leisurely walk in a spring garden.
Soon, the Poet of Great Love arrived at the grand hall on Floor B6, standing completely unscathed before the group.
Seeing this with their own eyes, the three great demons couldn't help feeling as if they were looking at a monster.
Having just traversed that path twice themselves, they naturally knew how terrifying the illusion of the Inverted Path of Rebirth truly was.
Only a disgustingly powerful monster like the new King could treat it like an ordinary hallway and stroll through at will.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" the Poet of Great Love asked in confusion.
"Nothing, nothing at all."
Antanas waved her hands hurriedly, turning much more serious as she shifted her gaze toward the steps at the far end of the hall, where a deep purple, mirrored Void Gate stood.
Its surface already shimmered with a watery sheen—a resonance that only appeared on the void teleportation gate once they completed their mission and obtained clearance to pass through.
As long as they stepped through this door, they would be able to return to Herrom Prison's ground level and reemerge on the surface.
"Only the final hurdle remains," Sinora said with closed eyes and a vigilant expression.
The closer she came to success and freedom, the more cautious she felt they needed to be.
She feared that the happiness within her grasp might be upended at the very last moment.
Infected by her mood, even Antanas, who usually maintained a relaxed posture, uncharacteristically tensed her nerves.
The prison actually had seven levels in total. In addition to Floors B1 through B6 underground, there was the ground level above, which was guarded by the warden himself.
"Although Warden Bakas hasn't reached the eighth tier, he holds numerous authorities within Herrom Prison. This human is exceptionally cunning and ruthless, with extensive interrogation experience. We must not let ourselves be targeted by him," Pranay analyzed.
Their group was currently entirely composed of demons, so getting through Warden Bakas's inspection might not be an easy task.
This would be the final test they faced today.
The great demons all turned to the Poet of Great Love, awaiting their King's command.
"No need to be so nervous, you three... Warden Bakas is over at the Protos Royal Magic Academy today discussing a cooperative project. He's on official leave for the entire morning. We can just swagger right out," the Poet of Great Love said after a brief hesitation, sounding slightly apologetic.
He felt Warden Bakas was very easy to talk to and presented no real threat; he had almost forgotten Herrom Prison even had a warden stationed here.
"Huh?"
The three great demons looked at the black-haired, green-eyed figure and cried out in unison.
So their holiday had already begun?!
Antanas glanced at Hyperion. She remembered that when she had first seen Hyperion on Floor B4, the girl had still appeared somewhat nervous, yet now Hyperion was as at ease as a little creature nibbling snacks.
Antanas now finally understood Hyperion's feelings and change in mindset. Everything had gone so smoothly the entire way; she felt as though she, too, had boarded a baby bus.
"In a bit, head back to your respective homes first to rest and get sorted out. Around three this afternoon, just follow the map to the school's Redmond Building and meet me there."
As Lanqi ushered them toward the Void Gate, he briefed Antanas, Sinora, and Pranay on the tasks the three of them would be handling next in the Imperial Capital, Herrom.
The specific details would have to wait until they were outside the prison.
As the five figures drew near the teleportation gate, the deep purple radiance grew brighter, as though welcoming their arrival.
In the end, the demons stepped across the threshold of the Void Gate together. The radiance enveloped them, and one by one, their silhouettes vanished into the light, embarking on their journey back to the surface.
When their vision cleared again, they had already passed through a new deep purple mirror and arrived in a spacious hall.
What met their eyes were intricate crystal conduits and magical apparatuses sprawling across the towering walls, accompanied by the occasional low hum of functioning magical energy echoing from the distance.
These legacies of the Demon Realm's civilization gave off an undying glow, silently recounting tales of power and destruction from ancient times to the present.
Amid the interplay of light and shadow, the ground level of Herrom Prison slowly unveiled its ancient, solemn curtain.
Gazing upon this interior where Demon Realm architecture blended seamlessly with Protos Empire culture, the great demons couldn't help feeling as if a lifetime had passed.
Just as the new King had said, there was no sign of the warden on the ground level.
What followed was nearly half an hour of security inspections and registration checks at the exit.
After retrieving their checked identification and personal belongings, they successfully emerged from the labyrinthine ground level of Herrom Prison and stepped out into the sun-drenched, spring-kissed Imperial Capital, Herrom.
Herrom's cityscape still bore traces of the style from a century ago, yet everything was fundamentally different. Towering skyscrapers and grand architectural complexes complemented one another, bustling shops and cafes lined both sides of the streets, and people's faces brimmed with the vibrant warmth of daily life.
"You won't need to keep wearing those intern guard uniforms in a bit. I took the liberty of selecting a few sets of new clothes for you—leaning slightly formal—and they're all hanging in the wardrobes back at the residence. As for what styles you prefer, you can browse around Herrom over the next few days. The Protos Royal Magic Academy isn't far from the commercial district; it's easily within walking distance."
The Poet of Great Love spoke to the three great demons as she guided them toward the Protos Royal Magic Academy.
The three great demons nodded from time to time, looking somewhat dazed.
It was not merely because seeing sunlight again after a century felt so wonderful, but because they couldn't shake the sensation that they had gained a mother who was raising them, treating them like precious treasures and meticulously looking after their every need.
Chapter 453