At daybreak, the square before the royal palace of the Demon Realm was already ablaze with lights, a dazzling weave of brilliance and shadow.
Countless court servants and guards bustled about, making the final preparations for the impending arrival of Count Sergio, special envoy of the Blood Clan.
The palace gates stood wide open. The vast forecourt was paved with steps, and floating lanterns drifted in the air as though welcoming this noble guest from the south.
The history of the forecourt of Naicalis Palace traced back thousands of years. Back when Naica Island and Lis Island were not yet separated, the land had been engulfed by the breath of purgatory. Only after the sea quenched the molten rock and reshaped the crust did this area gradually emerge as the chosen site for the thriving new capital.
Through the application of demonic sorcery and the unflagging efforts of master craftsmen, the natural, rolling terrain not only supported the entire forecourt and the palace perched at its summit, but also showcased the distinct architectural art and structural style of the demon race.
Having weathered countless eras and numerous expansions, the forecourt of Naicalis Palace had now become the political, cultural, and ruling center of the Demon Realm.
Many Demon Realm reporters and high nobles were gathered here, waiting, while figures stirred through the outer streets. All were eager to see whether this famed Blood Clan detective would stir up a storm of blood and slaughter in Naicalis today.
"Your Highness, I know you harbor past grievances against the Blood Clan, but please mind your station."
At the center of the palace forecourt, Fall Lord Caliera stood beside Hyperion, offering a gentle reminder.
"...Understood."
Crowned with a silver circlet that symbolized royal authority, Hyperion wore a dress whose shimmering light-blue hem sparkled like the brightest stars in the night sky. Her expression was cool and aloof as she responded with calm certainty.
From the corner of her eye, Hyperion could see that the Fall Lord had her eyes closed, wearing an indifferent expression as though none of this concerned her. In Hyperion's eyes, the Fall Lord's face still bore a striking resemblance to Tata, which made it impossible for Hyperion to genuinely dislike her.
To project the appearance of the woman someone was fondest of was truly deceitful.
After spending time with the Fall Lord over the past days, Hyperion had come to realize that beneath her polite demeanor, this tier 9 great demon was a smiling tiger who brooked no defiance.
The Fall Lord was indeed protecting her, but it was worlds apart from the genuine care Tata and the Ice Snow Witch showed her.
To the Fall Lord, she was nothing more than an invaluable yet fragile doll.
Still, the grievance the Fall Lord referred to surely meant the incident in the background of this Shadow World sixteen years ago, when Hyperion had nearly been killed by the Blood Clan at Lichtenstein Castle on the border of the Horning Empire.
As the eclipse-darkened sky settled over them, the grand spectacle before the palace reached its peak.
The celestial bodies shifted in the sky, creating a bizarre and magnificent sight. Beneath a veiled sun, the heavens took on a profound, deep purple.
Just as every demon's eyes were fixed on Princess Hyperion upon the palace steps, a black magitech vehicle approached along the distant road. Its exterior was adorned with blood-red motifs—a bespoke model crafted specifically for distinguished Blood Clan guests.
It pulled up in the square, drawing a low murmur of discussion.
Today marked the princess's first public appearance, where she would fully display her ability to handle Demon Realm affairs.
Whether she was merely a shield for the Fall Lord or a shrewd young royal who truly carried the Demon King's bloodline would depend on how she sparred with the Blood Clan's renowned detective, Count Sergio.
The black magitech apparatus opened slowly, and a man dressed in the noble attire of the southern Horning Empire stepped down onto the footboard.
His emergence instantly drew every gaze.
Tall and poised, with black hair and crimson eyes, the striking figure was unmistakably Count Sergio, the Blood Clan's special envoy.
Behind the count, an escort of Demon Realm military guards followed in rigid unison.
He glanced at the sky and strode forward briskly, clearly unwilling to waste any time.
"Princess Hyperion, on behalf of the Blood Clan, I thank you for your hospitable reception."
Count Sergio climbed the steps, approached the princess, and offered a simple bow.
"Welcome to our realm, Lord Sergio."
An elegant smile graced Hyperion's lips, yet her eyes carried a subtle, probing scrutiny.
Seeing any member of the Blood Clan grated on her nerves.
Her father, Duke Mikhail, had vanished because of the Blood Clan, and their hidden hand had been behind the incident in South Vantina that left Tata injured.
In truth, she despised the Blood Clan to the bone.
Yet at this moment, she had to play the part of a dignified demon princess, accommodating the Blood Clan envoy and offering him a cordial smile.
"Is there anything I might assist you with?" Hyperion asked politely.
The Ice Snow Witch had taught her that an agent must remain unruffled no matter the circumstances. Right now, she needed to play the role of an unflappable, graceful princess—just as composed as the Ice Snow Witch, never swayed by personal emotion.
Of course, she was an actual princess; no imposture was required.
"Your Highness need only facilitate my investigation when I seek assistance. Aside from that, pray do not interfere," Count Sergio replied with a faint smile, his voice deep and resonant.
In truth, both sides were well aware of their opposing positions. The more this princess tried to 'help,' the more likely she was to get in his way.
"I shall not take much time. Soon, the case will be solved," Count Sergio added, raising an index finger with utter confidence and sweeping it across the surrounding demon onlookers.
His gesture was like a warning to the culprit: no matter who you are, hiding somewhere within Naicalis, you will be dragged out in short order.
Such presence ratcheted up the tension throughout the palace forecourt. Even beneath the magitech projection screens broadcasting the scene across the city, demon residents craned their necks to watch the Blood Clan detective at the center of attention.
"Then I wish you every success, my lord."
Hyperion nodded, folding her hands before her in a posture of patient waiting.
As a master detective with a hundred-percent clearance rate for the Blood Clan, Hyperion had no doubt he would track down the culprit in Naicalis before long.
Once Detective Count Sergio completed his deductions and secured all the evidence, proceedings would fast-forward to a trial.
All of that was inevitable.
Yet Hyperion had stayed up late into the night preparing multiple countermeasures.
At every step, she had ways to throw wrenches into Count Sergio's gears. Meanwhile, the Fall Lord's subordinates would naturally move to destroy evidence. All she needed to do was keep Sergio occupied on the surface, anticipate his moves and desires, and play the long game so he couldn't crack the case in minutes.
And if worst came to worst, Lanqi had taught her how to handle the prosecution's momentum when on the verge of defeat:
Just slam the table with all your might.
The judge would rule that the defense was excessively agitated and call a recess to let her step out and collect herself.
Since this was their home turf in the Demon Realm, that would open up plenty of room to maneuver.
Amidst the rich artistic atmosphere of the palace forecourt, the formal reception solemnly continued. Ancient Demon Realm sculptures lined both sides alongside magnificent flowerbeds, every blossom a species unique to their land, giving off an intoxicating fragrance under the dim twilight of the eclipse.
Guards stood in formation along the stone steps, clad in silver-and-black armor and holding magitech armaments, their plate etched with solemn, imposing demonic glyphs.
At the top of the steps, Princess Hyperion and the assembly of demon nobles finally concluded their pleasantries with the Blood Clan envoy.
"May I begin my investigation, Your Highness?" Count Sergio inquired.
Without permission from the Demon Realm authorities, rashly invoking a Blood Clan authority within the capital of Naicalis might provoke the suppression of the city's defense barriers.
"Of course."
Hyperion cast a sidelong glance at the Fall Lord before answering Count Sergio.
"Once I identify the culprit, I trust Your Highness will fully cooperate with my investigation. Otherwise, should I be unable to deliver a proper report to the Progenitors upon returning to the Horning Empire, things will become rather difficult."
Count Sergio looked intently at Hyperion.
"Naturally," Hyperion agreed.
"Very good."
Count Sergio was well pleased.
If he pinned down a high-ranking demon culprit with airtight proof, the Blood Clan could force further concessions from the demons in the upcoming peace negotiations.
His mission this time was not merely to catch the killer and diminish the demon race's leverage at the bargaining table, but also to show all demons how thoroughly their royal house had been reduced to the Blood Clan's lapdogs.
This little princess was undeniably an amateur when it came to statecraft.
Far too green.
Count Sergio could see it at a glance.
She might possess innate intelligence, but she lacked experience and had never been forged in life-and-death struggles.
No matter what unreasonable demands he made shortly, he would force the princess to acquiesce, leading her step by step through a calculated trial.
How long it took to catch the killer did not matter in the slightest. If the princess wanted to stall, let her stall; everything remained within his grasp. The crucial point was that along the way, he would strip away her dignity and make her understand where the Demon Realm truly stood in relation to the Blood Clan.
Count Sergio muttered an incantation in the script of the Blood Clan under his breath, activating his authority: Blood Coordinates.
In the damp morning mist of the palace forecourt, Detective Sergio's gaze slipped quietly through the shadows, his crimson eyes gleaming faintly under the darkened sky.
This Demon King's Castle, gathering place of the Demon Realm's greatest elites, was a den teeming with demonic mana, every strand of which was plain to see.
Soon, very soon, he would find where the killer was.
Whoever had a red glow above their head was the murderer.
Once he had the answer, the rest would be nothing more than a foregone conclusion of an accusation.
As the incantation ended, a wisp of red mana leaked from his gaze, drifting like vapor as a crimson veil enveloped his eyes.
"..."
Count Sergio felt his mind buzz, and he froze on the spot.
In that instant, he saw an eerie red light begin to emanate from the bodies of nearly every single demon noble in the Demon King's Castle!
What was more, for some inexplicable reason, every demon with a red glow hovering over their head seemed to be subconsciously swallowing their saliva as they looked at him.
That radiance was the hue of congealed blood—brilliant, yet chilling to the marrow. A wave of unprecedented terror surged through Sergio's heart.
Just how much of Count Gregory's blood had to be drenched upon them to produce such a color?!
Chapter 571