Inside the royal palace's Regency Hall, crisscrossing beams of light poured down from wall sconces, illuminating the ancient architecture of the Demon Realm palace.
On the elevated dais opposite the seating for the nobles and ministers sat the princess's throne, and standing not far from it was Fall Lord Caliera.
Princess Hyperion sat quietly beside Caliera, not saying a single word thereafter.
It was evident that Fall Lord was the true authority in charge today.
The other demons in the audience held Fall Lord in awe and now showed respect toward Hyperion as well.
Her performance a week ago had genuinely left the demons unable to read her.
Every demon was treading carefully so as not to provoke her displeasure.
As the current ruler of the Demon Realm and the sole tier 9 civil official aside from the generals of the First and Second Army Groups, Caliera exuded an aura that struck terror into other demons simply by standing there.
A faint, elusive smile seemed to linger on her face, yet very little interest could be seen in her eyes.
Today she was merely responsible for ensuring the grand ceremony proceeded smoothly according to the rules. If everything went well, she would make no move; however, should anyone dare violate the Demon Realm's laws, she would eradicate them without hesitation.
Hyperion glanced toward the other side of the hall, where Demon Realm dignitaries were continually filing into the fan-shaped tiered seating.
At the far right edge swept by her gaze, Lanqi was surrounded like a moon cradled by stars, with every demon who knew him coming over to exchange a few words.
Hyperion simply could not understand it.
How on earth did this guy manage, in just a few short days after arriving in a new environment every single time, to become a core figure and blend in so completely?
If Lanqi weren't a man, Hyperion would have suspected that he was the truly beloved, crowd-pleasing princess whom all demons adored.
After a while, the demons gathered around Lanqi gradually dispersed as an approaching figure seemed to slice straight through the crowd and the atmosphere.
This demon had fiery deep-brown eyes and hair, stood tall, and was dressed as upright and proper as a knight.
The demon nobles who had been chatting with Lanqi tactfully stepped aside, taking care not to disturb this great demon general's private conversation with McCarthy.
"My dear friend, you're here early," Thunder Lord Gareth said as he stepped forward and sat in the seat beside Lanqi.
At this moment, Thunder Lord and McCarthy both sat on the far right of the fan-shaped seating area, relatively close to the princess's throne, while Fall Lord's confidants, such as Mist Lord and Midnight Lord, sat on the far left, likewise near the throne.
Only the Blood Clan delegation in the dead center directly faced the throne, positioned furthest from it.
"Gareth, do you like me that much? Finding me the moment you arrived," Lanqi said with a beaming smile, looking at the great demon Thunder Lord beside him.
"Yes." Thunder Lord nodded solemnly and respectfully, sitting with his back ramrod straight and hands pressed against his knees, not minding McCarthy's jest in the slightest.
Ever since his cousin Tia introduced them, he had gotten to know this wealthy demon merchant.
Perhaps because it was rare for demons to share both thunder and light attributes, he felt a natural closeness to him, but above all, he deeply admired the man.
In this corrupt and materialistic Demon Realm, Thunder Lord had seen far too many noble lords who placed profit and power above all else; should war break out, they would inevitably hold back the front lines from the rear.
Thunder Lord was certain that the final war between the Demon Realm and the Blood Clan was only a matter of time.
Having personally lived through the first great war against the Blood Clan, Thunder Lord, as a survivor, knew better than anyone how monstrously swollen their ambitions were; the peace talks were merely to bide time.
Initially, Thunder Lord had braced himself to meet this wealthy merchant McCarthy, hoping to win his future support for the Nocta family and the Sixth Army Group.
He had never imagined that there could still be a demon like McCarthy—one who held a high station yet remained true to his core, never swallowed by desire.
McCarthy appeared to be a survivor of the war as well; they had discussed the Blood Clan's schemes from years ago, the smoke and lingering regrets of the battlefield, and the current state of affairs across the Northern Continent.
Thunder Lord felt as though he had found a kindred spirit.
As the general of the Demon Realm's Sixth Army Group, he rarely encountered such a radical, hawkish demon tycoon as McCarthy.
They shared a common Demon Realm dream and an unshakeable enemy.
With these thoughts in mind, Thunder Lord Gareth gradually turned his gaze toward the far end of the hall furthest from the throne, where the Blood Clan delegation sat directly facing it.
Aside from several accompanying Blood Clan barons and viscounts, at their head sat a Blood Clan Progenitor.
The vampire seated in the front possessed long white hair and ruby-like eyes; his brilliance was restrained, making him appear completely free of worldly desire.
Unlike other vampires, he gave off no hint of danger; his very existence resembled a natural masterpiece of art.
At that moment, the Blood Clan Progenitor Thunder Lord was watching seemed to notice Gareth's gaze and returned a gentle, polite smile.
"The Tenth Progenitor Ulysses's authority, [Blood Creation], allows what he paints to materialize for a short time. He can rapidly produce large numbers of summons depending on the situation, making him formidable to deal with."
Hostility flickered in Thunder Lord's eyes as he looked at the Tenth Progenitor before quickly averting his gaze, saying to Lanqi beside him, "More importantly, that look in his eyes is quite peculiar. Facing him as an enemy would likely prove extraordinarily troublesome."
Frowning slightly, Thunder Lord assessed the Tenth Progenitor, who was destined to become an enemy of the demon race.
To be precise, Gareth had only ever seen that look of Ulysses's on one other demon.
"Is his look that special?" Lanqi asked curiously.
He had heard from Pranay that a general-tier great demon was comparable to a Cardinal, capable of fighting three or four ordinary tier 8s without issue.
For Thunder Lord to offer such an assessment, the Tenth Progenitor was likely formidable enough to give even a Cardinal a headache.
"It's like yours, but also slightly different. I can't put my finger on the exact distinction," Thunder Lord said, gazing into Lanqi's eyes.
Precisely because he knew how unfathomable the owner of these emerald eyes was, he felt that an enemy with that same gaze would be difficult to handle.
"Oh? Is that so?" Lanqi lightly covered his mouth, feigning surprise.
"..." Thunder Lord fell silent for a moment.
He understood where the difference lay.
"Still, it's daytime now. The Blood Clan wouldn't dare strike us in the heart of the Demon Realm, or they'd never escape Naicalis," Thunder Lord Gareth added.
"After all, under the sunlight, even a tier 9 Progenitor gets weakened to tier 8 level," Lanqi counted on his fingers.
According to the tier 9 realm Sigrid had described to him, stopping one tier 9 required at least three Cardinal-tier tier 8s, and one Cardinal could take on three Tatas. By that rough conversion, a tier 9 had a combat strength of over nine Tatas.
But under the sun, the Blood Clan was reduced to a tenth of their power.
So during the day, even Tata might be able to trade a couple of blows with a tier 9 vampire.
"However, Fourth Progenitor Eduardo's authority has always been a mystery," Thunder Lord continued, shifting his gaze briefly to Fourth Progenitor Eduardo behind Tenth Progenitor Ulysses, his voice and expression noticeably more wary.
The Fourth Progenitor wore an ancient, austere Blood Clan robe, sitting motionless like a slumbering stone statue—or perhaps feeling that aside from Fall Lord Caliera, no demon present was worth looking at directly.
As he sat there, the invisible pressure radiating from him left any creature who looked upon him feeling small and helpless, as though the slightest movement from the Fourth Progenitor would make all sense of security tremble.
"As a sage of the Blood Clan, the repertoire of spells at his disposal is unfathomable. While there are countless theories as to which one is his authority, no one has ever been able to definitively determine what Fourth Progenitor Eduardo's Blood Clan authority actually is," Thunder Lord Gareth explained to Lanqi.
"[Blood Infinity]," Lanqi murmured under his breath.
"What did you say?" Thunder Lord looked at Lanqi in confusion.
"Nothing." Lanqi shook his head nonchalantly with a smile.
He knew that Fourth Progenitor Eduardo could replicate the authority of any fellow vampire by obtaining their blood, albeit in a slightly weakened form.
Coupled with his vast arsenal of spells as a Blood Clan sage, his combat style was ever-shifting and unpredictable. It was exceedingly hard to counter him, whereas countering his opponents was effortless for him.
Even if he explained this authority in detail, the demons might not believe him, nor would they have any way to verify it. Instead, they would demand to know how he had come by such information.
Whether Thunder Lord believed him did not matter; the problem lay in convincing Fall Lord. If Fall Lord grew suspicious, it would create immense trouble—she might attempt to use illusion magic to delve into one's memory world and scour their past.
The Fourth Progenitor's authority was inherently mercurial and impossible to prepare against; even though Lanqi knew what it was, he could not guess which vampire's authority Eduardo was currently carrying.
Minute by minute, time ticked away in the Regency Hall.
The hour hand gradually drew closer to nine o'clock, the scheduled start of the grand ceremony.
"..."
Hyperion sat composed upon the magnificent throne, looking out over the crowd of demons gathered in the tiered seating, no longer feeling the fear she had initially harbored.
Her amber pupils were no longer disguised to resemble a human's; they had resumed their true form as demon eyes.
Though she didn't deliberately stare at Lanqi, a casual sweep of her eyes was enough to recognize Thunder Lord Gareth beside him.
Their relationship seemed as close as the bond between Lanqi and Pranay.
Seeing how intimate the two appeared, Hyperion couldn't help thinking: *Should I just leave, then?*
"Your Highness, you have finally put my mind at ease," a woman's voice came from behind, flat and devoid of inflection.
Hyperion turned her head slightly to look at her.
The seemingly gentle Fall Lord Caliera bore a face that still resembled Talia's so strongly, her eyes calm yet fathomless, as if capable of seeing through everything.
Even the fleeting thought Hyperion had just entertained about leaving had been caught by Caliera.
Yet Fall Lord Caliera also realized that the princess did not truly intend to flee.
"Who do you think will win?" Fall Lord asked the princess, an uncharacteristic bout of idle curiosity.
"..."
Hyperion did not answer.
"It seems you already have an answer in your heart, Your Highness," Fall Lord Caliera said with a smile.
The one she favored was Midnight Lord, though Mist Lord had a decent chance as well. As long as one of them could best the Tenth Progenitor, everything would be secured.
Of course, she could not rule out the possibility that other master great demons were hiding in the hall.
Unless one deliberately threatened another at close range with great demon pressure, it would not trigger a great demon resonance.
Even if the Demon Realm had declined somewhat, she, the grand Fall Lord, had not fallen so low that she needed aid from great demons of another era.
Finally, outside the Regency Hall, the hour hand on the Naicalis palace clock tower struck nine, and the bell began to toll.
At that moment, each heavy strike echoed like ocean waves rolling across the city of Naicalis, sending ripples through the quiet hall.
All murmurs gradually died down, and the demons turned their attention toward the central dais.
There, the royal ceremony to decide the princess's future was about to officially commence.
As the tolls ended in solemn silence, Fall Lord Caliera stepped forward.
The gazes of the Demon Realm's grand dignitaries converged upon her.
Although she emitted not a shred of mana pressure, her presence was extraordinarily overwhelming; her face alone was enough to make demons freeze in a momentary daze.
"In theory, I should reiterate today's rules once more. However, I believe that every distinguished guest gathered here understands them, so I shall not dwell on the details, save for one point—"
Fall Lord Caliera delivered the following remarks in an unvarying cadence, her voice nearly devoid of emotion, each word ringing clear throughout the Regency Hall:
"To ensure the fairness of this grand ceremony and satisfy Her Highness's initial request, Princess Hyperion will select only from among the paintings of the highest grade. Once Her Highness has made her choice, I will verify whether the painter complies with all regulations. Should any discrepancies arise—such as an unqualified identity or failure to complete the work within the mandated one-week window—their eligibility will be revoked."
Likewise, the golden chest could never be opened by any means before the appointed time; even a peak tier 9 specialized in offense would have to expend immense effort to force it open.
Now, the time for unsealing had finally arrived.
"Well then, let us begin."
As Fall Lord Caliera's voice fell, she raised a hand, and the demon secret treasure—the sealed golden chest at the foot of the dais stairs before the throne—began to twist and unseal.
Eyes filled with anticipation and curiosity darted toward this sacred relic of the Demon Realm.
This famed secret treasure chest was a masterpiece meticulously crafted by ancient demon magic artificers. Standing roughly the height of an adult demon, it displayed a deep, dark golden hue and was covered in relief carvings of mythical Demon Realm beasts from a thousand years ago.
The intricate magic circle sealing core atop the chest ensured the security of the treasures within and preserved their quality over long periods.
Guided by Fall Lord Caliera's mana, the golden chest burst into a luminous halo, its doors slowly swinging open as a haze of pure mana drifted through the entire hall.
The protected canvases emerged from inside the golden chest and floated in midair, maintaining a set distance from the princess in an orderly queue, awaiting her viewing.
"The earliest submitted painting lies at the very bottom of the chest, while the one at the very top was the last to be placed inside," Fall Lord explained. With a flick of her finger, she unsealed the first painting, and an unfamiliar brilliance instantly blossomed across the dark gray canvas.
Chapter 577