Chapter 186: The Triumph of Victory

Chapter 186: The Triumph of Victory

The disgraceful defeat of the demon race has become the hottest topic among adventurers in the Central Kingdoms.

One of the most renowned hero teams, known as the "Sword Hero" Phis, bluntly stated that with recent breakthroughs in magical research, the current level of the demon race makes it a walk in the park for humans to achieve victory.

And indeed, that was the case.

With the city-fortress of Var in the Bakuru Canyon as the dividing line, countless hero teams and armies from various nations advanced with high morale, crossing the Huvia Mountains, the Sword Village, Apetito, the Arter Forest, Rant, Bont, and other regions, pushing straight toward the demon race's main base.

The monsters and demons along the way were vanquished by the united efforts of the adventurers. The Northern Kingdoms were gradually reclaiming their lost territories, and the human forces were in high spirits, their voices thundering with confidence and determination, with a clear aim to storm the Demon Lord's capital, Eud.

- "The Sword Hero Advances to the Northern Trade City of Tiyua"

- "Humanity's Strongest Warrior Baska Slays the Demon General"

- "The Pious Monk Abu, Blessed by the Goddess, Reclaims Faber Village"

...

Luk couldn't help but frown as he read through the uplifting headlines in the Balum City Daily.

While they were all good news, he noticed that none of the headlines mentioned any famous demons being defeated.

The most powerful Demon Lord aside, there was no news about the Right Hand, the Corrupt Sage Guval, or the Left Hand, the Omniscient Shurahart. The Seven Sages and other prominent demons had also vanished without a trace.

Something was definitely amiss. There had to be a problem.

"What's wrong?"

A female voice sounded, and Trela, rubbing her sleepy eyes, approached Luk, who was sitting at his desk. She leaned her head on his shoulder and nuzzled him.

"Nothing."

Luk quickly put the newspaper away and glanced at Trela, who had recently become his wife. "Why not get more sleep? You just rested a bit."

The wedding had been exhausting, but the effects of the meteor shower and the flower fields were too strong. After the ceremony, Trela had kept him up all night, doing many things she had been too shy to do before. They only finished their battle just before dawn.

"Who made you get up so early? I woke up as soon as you did."

Trela mumbled, her voice sounding a bit hoarse.

"From now on, I'll wait until you're awake before getting up."

Noticing something was off, Luk's palm emitted a faint white light as he performed a simple healing spell on her throat.

Healing magic existed in the world, but its effects were quite limited. For more serious injuries, one needed to drink a potion from a physician or seek the help of a monk who worshipped the goddess.

Monks, akin to clerics in this world, were responsible for healing and removing negative statuses. They also had a natural resistance to curses due to the goddess's blessing.

Trela touched her throat, which felt much better. "Shouldn't we visit Lady Rhine?"

"No need. She doesn't care about that. You should rest."

After coaxing her back to sleep, Luk returned to the study and saw Fliaan sitting there, deep in thought.

"Your expression doesn't look right."

Luk noticed Fliaan's unusual demeanor. She was usually lazy and indifferent, but now she looked puzzled.

"Luk, do you know who your biological father is?"

This question caught Luk off guard. "No, Lainis never mentioned it to me."

"Have you never asked?"

Luk was silent for a moment before answering, "I assumed elves are emotionally detached and have low desires. She probably met a male elf, lived with him for a while, and then had me after they parted ways."

"Elves are indeed emotionally detached and have low desires, but if they can have a child, they shouldn't part ways so easily."

After a moment's contemplation, Fliaan seemed to give up and returned to her usual lackadaisical self.

"Never mind, it's nothing. Let's start our studies, or do you want a honeymoon break?"

"Let's discuss that later. Right now, I'm more curious about why you suddenly left yesterday and are now asking about my father."

Luk stared intently at Fliaan. "I had a vague feeling then, like something was watching us. Did you encounter someone or something?"

Fliaan was silent for a moment before shaking her head. "It's not a big deal. I'll talk to you once I have more information."

"..."

After a moment of silence, seeing that Fliaan wasn't going to say more, Luk gave up on pressing the issue and changed the topic.

"Recently, the demon race seems to be in a state of decline, constantly retreating. The human armies and heroes are in high spirits."

Fliaan responded calmly, "Killing ordinary demons is meaningless. The Seven Sages and other major demons are the key to peace."

"Have you heard of the Omniscient Shurahart? He's the Demon Lord's right-hand man. It's said that his eyes can see through the past and future, and he can foresee all possible events. With his planning, the demons shouldn't be so easily defeated."

It sounded like an otherworldly version of Doctor Strange.

Luk nodded solemnly. He had only seen the original anime, and after more than two decades, he had forgotten many details. He had been collecting information on this topic.

"Do you also think that the demons' current retreat might be a preparation for a major move?"

"It's not a possibility; it's a certainty."

At this point, Friel's expression became serious, and she sternly warned, "Although your current strength is commendable, you must flee if you ever encounter one of the Seven Sages. They are in a completely different league from other demons."

She had encountered the strongest of the Seven Sages, the Golden Mahat, several centuries ago. Mahat was a demon who could turn anything into eternal, undying gold with just a glance.

A single moment of eye contact had turned one of Friel's arms to gold, and it took her a hundred years to restore it.

And that had been just a casual act on his part, without any real effort. He probably didn't even know her name.

Even a millennium-old elf and one of the last great mages faced such a dire situation, so it was even more dangerous for others.

Each of the Seven Sages possessed magic that was nothing short of miraculous, and the other great demons were no less formidable. Some were even more powerful than the Sages, though their magic wasn't as insurmountable.

"I understand."

Luk nodded. He hadn't let his victories make him complacent about the demons. The flying magic had indeed been a significant boost for the human side, and many newspapers attributed their success to it.

Moreover, the mages in the army didn't need to buy magic books and could learn for free, which earned them much admiration. As a result, Luk's reputation soared, and some cities even planned to erect statues in his honor.

There were a few lesser-known heroes who felt resentful, as they were the ones who fought the demons on the battlefield, yet their fame was overshadowed by the inland mages, except for a few renowned heroes like the "Sword Hero" and the "Strongest Warrior."

However, they were in the minority. Most heroes admired Luk, as mage support was common in hero teams, and a few collaborations with the military could net them the flying magic for free, enhancing their squad's strength.

...

After finishing his studies, Luk returned to his room, deep in thought about the demons' movements.

Trella was already up, tidying the house, but the pampered noble lady clearly wasn't adept at it.

Watching her struggle with the bedding, Luk waited a moment, then, seeing that she wouldn't finish in time for a hot meal, he stepped in and quickly folded the blankets.

"These tasks are better left to me. You just stay put and relax."

"That's not acceptable. I'm your wife now; I can't just be a decoration."

Trella repeated the word "wife" with a hint of pride, then puffed out her cheeks, her eyes burning with determination. She looked at the bedding as if it were a demon.

Theoretically, a noble lady like Trella should have learned household management and social skills, like Lady Roine. However, Luk wasn't a noble with a landed estate or extensive social connections. He was more like a well-off, independent commoner.

This meant that the skills Trella had learned as a noble lady were largely useless, not that she had been very good at them anyway. She didn't feel inferior about this; if she had been as poised and elegant as other noble ladies, it would have been unlikely that she could have won over an elf.

Since her role as a noble wife was not applicable, she decided to be a good commoner wife, taking care of her husband's daily needs and managing his schedule.

"I might not be great at it now, but I'll surprise you in the future!"

Trella was brimming with confidence.

That noon, Luk didn't get the familiar meal prepared by Chef Bal, but instead, he received a heartfelt lunch from his wife.

A pot of meat that looked like charcoal, a plate of scrambled eggs mixed with eggshells, and a cup of soup that glinted with an otherworldly sheen.

Lady Roine, with a sympathetic look, explained, "This was made by Trella herself; it took her a long time."

The message was clear: she knew it was difficult, but he had to eat it.

Trella modestly waved her hand, "It's nothing, just my duty as Luk's wife," inadvertently revealing a hand wrapped in bandages from a few burns.

Faced with the combined pressure of his mother-like elder and his newlywed wife, Luk steeled himself and took a bite of the charcoal.

"How is it?"

Suppressing the churning in his stomach, Luk diplomatically replied, "The taste is unique, and there's a lot of room for improvement. It's quite an experience."

Trella nodded in satisfaction, "I heard Chef Bal mentioned that you like some unique dishes, different from what we usually have here, so I asked him to teach me."

She added, "If you like it, I can make it for you every day."

Luk's face turned pale, "That would be too much trouble."

"Not at all, it's my duty as your wife!"

Luk fell silent for a moment. He might need to design a spell that could temporarily numb his taste buds.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end