https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-561-The-Arrival-of-the-Great-Demon-at-Lanchi/12584869/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-563-Sigrid-Felt-as-if-She-Had-a-Very-Long-Dream/12584871/
Chapter 562: Lanchi, the Nameless Lord
Chapter 562: Lanchi, the Nameless Lord
The night was shrouded in darkness as howling winds and swirling snow continued to rage, while silvery moonlight seeped through the thick cloud layers, casting an ethereal glow upon the snowy landscape.
Amid this tempestuous storm, a golden flash of lightning caused the demons to recall one thing and one thing only—
Their powerful ancestors.
That infinite power.
Even as daylight faded, the demons could still choose to meet their end in the dying rays of sunset.
Count Gregory's laughter abruptly ceased, as if he had suddenly been choked. His expression shifted rapidly from joy to pallor, his lips quivering as panic clouded his vision like a dark, menacing fog. He stared, transfixed, at the radiant demon before him.
"Lochy McCassy... What in the underworld are you?!"
How could an ordinary member of the Paltan Empire, an unknown royal craftsman, turn out to be a high-ranking demon from the demon world?
Count Gregory could imagine a myriad of ways the rest of this day could unfold, but never had he anticipated that this frail human had been toying with him all along.
Before the count could utter another insult, Lieutenant Luca dashed forward, brandishing his weapon, and brought it down on Count Gregory's head with full force.
"How dare you offend His Excellency! Do you have any idea who he is?!"
Lieutenant Luca's attitude underwent a swift transformation as he roared in anger.
If a vampire count had instigated an attack on a high-ranking demon, the latter could easily retaliate and capture him. According to the North-South Treaty, the vampire clan would bear full responsibility for such an incident. For a seventh-rank vampire count to treat a high-ranking demon as if he were a mere human and attempt to capture him was nothing short of suicidal!
Only by possessing at least one mental seal and one martial seal in addition to the other seals bestowed by the high-ranking demons could one become a high-ranking demon themselves and command respect from the rest of the demon clan.
The mental seal indicated exceptional mental attributes beyond the realm of common sense, enabling one to overcome stronger opponents, while the martial seal denoted at least an eighth-rank demon with a specialized combat skill.
However, Lieutenant Luca was certain that this radiant high-ranking demon before him emitted neither the aura of a martial artist nor any discernible magical fluctuations, to the extent that he felt no sense of danger from him at all. And that, ironically, made him all the more terrifying.
At this moment, Lieutenant Luca struggled to discern whether this demon was of the eighth or ninth rank.
In the end, Lieutenant Luca severed Count Gregory's head with a clean strike and sent it rolling away with a kick, silencing the vampire count forever.
"May I inquire as to your esteemed title, milord?"
Lieutenant Luca sheathed his sword and knelt on one knee, addressing the demon with utmost respect.
Each high-ranking demon in the present-day demon world was an esteemed noble of untouchable status.
Even the generals of their second army group did not possess six title seals.
This mysterious demon with six unfamiliar seals was likely not one of the prominent demons of this era.
"..."
Lanchi paused for a moment, as if pondering a question he hadn't heard in a long time.
According to demon etiquette, one could address a demon by their title as a sign of respect. For example, he could call Pranai the 'Lord of Truth.'
But he had no title.
"Just... call me Lord Nameless."
Lanchi replied softly, his words carrying a weight of their own.
Pranai had once instructed him to respond in this manner if he ever encountered other demons.
"......?"
Lieutenant Luca's shoulders trembled, and he dared to lift his gaze slightly, peering at the demon from under the brim of his military cap.
This was the first time he had laid eyes on a living, nameless high-ranking demon.
If one of the three seals included the Ancestral Soul Trial or recognition from the current Demon King, they would be further bestowed with a title. Otherwise, even if they attained the status of a high-ranking demon, they would be an unrecognized "Nameless High-Ranking Demon."
For the demon tribe, the very existence of a "nameless high-ranking demon" was taboo, an entity so abhorrent that even other demons were loath to acknowledge them, often posing a greater threat than their recognized counterparts.
Moreover, this was an ancient demon bearing six seals.
Even the current ruler of the demon tribe, Kaliyeira, possessed only seven seals.
"Rest assured, I am not an enemy of the Demon Realm. I have come here on important business."
Seeing the reaction of the demon officer, Lanchi sighed and offered a helpless smile.
The main reason he had become a nameless high-ranking demon was due to the circumstances of his era; he simply had no way to undergo the ancestral trial or gain recognition from the previous Demon King.
"So that's how it is..."
Lieutenant Colonel Luca now understood the intentions of this mysterious high-ranking demon.
Previously, this demon had concealed his identity, masquerading as a human and living outside the Demon Realm for many years, even attaining a high position within the Paltan Empire.
Now, with the northern continent in chaos and the old Demon King dead, he intended to bring the exiled princess, a descendant of the demon tribe, under his control.
Although he was an ancient demon and the age difference with the princess might be a bit vast, the demon tribe had always been unconcerned about age gaps. It was not uncommon for betrothals to have several hundred or even a thousand years between them.
"Milord, is there anything we can do for you? I will do my best to make amends," offered Lieutenant Colonel Luca, aware that he had no right to ask, especially after offending this high-ranking demon earlier.
However, he believed that since this demon had stayed away from the Demon Realm for so long, he would surely need a guide upon his return. Moreover, if his goal was the princess, he would naturally refrain from wanton slaughter and abide by the rules of the Demon Realm.
"I wouldn't want to trouble you; this is your job, and I understand that," Lanchi replied amicably, waving his hand to dismiss any notion of blame or the need for amends. "But have you ever considered that as a middle-ranking officer and a non-commissioned officer on the border, you might often encounter such troubles in the future? In my opinion, the human realm is currently far from peaceful, and the vampire clan is already stirring. The North-South Treaty will only make your position more difficult."
He glanced at the distant corpse of the count.
Earlier, Lanchi had noticed that Lieutenant Colonel Luca's compliance with the count's demands was less than enthusiastic, each step heavy with hesitation, his heart clearly unwilling.
Based on Lanchi's understanding of the demon tribe, even someone as patient as Pranai would be infuriated if the North-South Treaty was thrown in his face.
"..."
Luca fell silent, his grip tightening on his sword hilt.
"Don't you think the demon tribe is being too weak and yielding?" Lanchi continued.
It wasn't that he was trying to torment the officer; it was just that, after being away from the Demon Realm for so many years, he found himself genuinely curious from his perspective.
"..."
Lieutenant Colonel Luca had no response to the high-ranking demon's question.
Truthfully, he yearned to share the same enlightened mindset as this noble being, free from the need to kowtow to the vampire clan. But this wasn't something he could change; he was merely an officer of middling rank.
"Think carefully about what kind of demon you want to be," Lanchi said, patting Luca's shoulder with one hand before falling silent.
He sensed that Lieutenant Colonel Luca was a pragmatic individual, and spending time on the border might be a waste of his potential. Later, during their journey, he would communicate with him and his subordinates to see if he could offer them some guidance.
Subsequently, Lanchi turned his gaze in the direction from which he had come.
Now that the snowfield was presumably free of danger, he just needed to borrow a bone warhorse from the demon officer, and Sigree would be able to reach Xiaoye City in about ten hours.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
