https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-577-Princess-Sybeline-is-Ready-to-Agree/12584885/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-579-Is-Cardinal-Lanchi-Truly-Skilled-/12584894/
Chapter 578: Lanchi is More Princess-like than Shubellyan
Chapter 578: Lanchi is More Princess-like than Shubellyan
Within the Regency Hall of the Royal Palace, pillars of light crisscrossed and cascaded down from the wall sconces, illuminating the ancient demon realm palace.
On a raised platform facing the seats of the nobles and ministers, there rested a throne fit for a princess, and not far from it stood Callie, the Fallen Lord.
Princess Shubellyan sat quietly beside Callie, remaining silent.
It was evident that Callie, the Fallen Lord, was the true leader today.
The other demons in the chamber regarded Callie with reverence and also showed respect to Princess Shubellyan.
The princess's behavior from a week ago had truly baffled the demon race.
All the demons were walking on eggshells, cautious not to provoke her displeasure.
As the current ruler of the demon realm and the only ninth-rank civil official besides the generals of the First and Second Armies, Callie exuded an aura that instilled fear in the other demons just by standing there.
A hint of a smile played on her face, but her eyes held little interest.
Today, her role was merely to ensure that the grand ceremony proceeded smoothly according to the rules. If all went well, she would remain unmoved. However, should anyone dare to violate the rules of the demon realm, she would undoubtedly annihilate them.
Princess Shubellyan turned her gaze towards the other side of the chamber, where more and more prominent figures of the demon realm were taking their seats in the fan-shaped arrangement.
At the very right end of her line of sight, Lanchi was the center of attention, surrounded by demons who knew him. They would stop by to exchange a few words.
Princess Shubellyan was perplexed.
How was it that every time this guy entered a new environment, he quickly became the central figure and seamlessly blended in?
If it weren't for the fact that Lanchi was male, Princess Shubellyan would suspect that he was the beloved Demon-Adoring Princess.
After a while, the demons surrounding Lanchi gradually dispersed, and a figure striding towards them seemed to divide the atmosphere and the demons alike.
This demon had fiery, deep brown eyes and hair, a tall stature, and was dressed as austerely as a knight.
The noble demons who had been chatting amiably with Lanchi also tactfully made way, not wanting to disturb the private conversation between this Great Demon General and Mackesi.
"My dear friend, you're early," said Garreth, the Thunder Lord, as he approached and took a seat next to Lanchi.
At that moment, both Garreth and Mackesi sat at the far right end of the fan-shaped seating, closer to the princess's throne. On the other hand, the confidants of the Fallen Lords, like Misty Lord and True Night Lord, sat at the far left end, also close to the princess's throne.
Only the Vampire Envoy Group sat directly across from the throne and was the farthest from it.
"Garreth, do you like me that much? You sought me out as soon as you arrived," Lanchi said with a beaming smile, his gaze fixed on the Great Demon Lord beside him.
"Yes," Lord Garreth replied, his posture straight and his hands resting on his knees. He nodded solemnly, unbothered by Mackesi's playful remark.
Since the introduction by his cousin, Tia, he had also come to know this demon merchant, Mackesi.
Perhaps it was rare for both of them to be demons of thunder and light attributes, but he felt an innate closeness to this demon, and of course, he admired the other greatly.
In this demon realm, where desires and decadence ran rampant, Lord Garreth had seen far too many noble lords who placed their interests and power above all else. When war broke out, they would undoubtedly hinder the efforts of those on the front lines.
Lord Garreth was certain that the final battle between the demon realm and the vampire race was only a matter of time.
Having personally experienced the first great war against the vampires, Lord Garreth, as one of the survivors, knew all too well how ambitious and insidious the vampires were. The peace talks with them were merely a ploy to bide their time.
Initially, Lord Garreth had steeled himself to meet this wealthy merchant, Mackesi, hoping to gain his support for the Noctua family and the Sixth Army in the future.
But he never expected to find a demon like Mackesi, who, despite his high position, had managed to retain his integrity and not be consumed by desires.
This demon seemed to be a survivor of the war as well, and their conversation delved into the vampire race's conspiracies from years ago, the smoke of battlefields and lingering regrets, and the current situation in the northern continent.
Lord Garreth felt as if he had found a kindred spirit.
As the general of the Sixth Army of the demon realm, he rarely encountered radical demon tycoons like Mackesi.
They shared a common dream for the demon realm and an unwavering enmity towards their foes.
Lord Garreth's thoughts drifted as he slowly looked towards the far end of the hall, where the Vampire Envoy Group was seated directly across from the princess's throne.
Accompanying the vampire barons and viscounts was the progenitor of the vampire race.
Sitting at the very front, the Progenitor of the vampire race had long, white hair and eyes like rubies, a serene and restrained demeanor, appearing indifferent to worldly desires.
Unlike the other vampires, he seemed to possess no danger at all, and his very existence was like a work of art.
At this moment, as Thunder Lord Garreth looked at the vampire Progenitor, he felt that his gaze was returned with a gentle and polite smile.
"The 10th Progenitor Ulysses possesses the bloodline ability, 'Blood Creation,' which allows him to bring his artistic creations to life for a short duration. He can quickly generate a large number of summons depending on the situation, making him a formidable opponent," Garreth remarked, a hint of hostility in his voice as he regarded Ulysses.
Garreth, the Thunder Lord, shifted his gaze away from Ulysses and said to Lanchi beside him, "More crucially, there's something about his eyes. They're quite unique, and I suspect he could be a troublesome foe."
A slight frown creased Garreth's brow as he assessed the 10th Progenitor, their destined enemy.
To be precise, Garreth had only seen eyes like those of the 10th Progenitor Ulysses on one other individual within the demon race.
"His eyes are unique?" Lanchi asked curiously.
He had heard from Pranai that the strength of a Great Demon General was comparable to that of a Cardinal, capable of taking on three to four ordinary Eighth Ranks without difficulty.
If Garreth was giving such an evaluation, then the 10th Progenitor was likely strong enough to give even a Cardinal a headache.
"They're similar to yours, but also a little different. I can't quite put my finger on it," Garreth said, his eyes fixed on Lanchi's emerald orbs.
It was precisely because he knew how inscrutable the owner of those emerald eyes was that he considered an enemy with the same gaze to be a challenging opponent.
"Oh? Is that so?" Lanchi covered his mouth, feigning surprise.
"... "
Garreth fell silent for a moment.
He understood now what set them apart.
"But it's daytime, and the vampires wouldn't dare to make a move against us here in the heart of the Demon Realm. Otherwise, they'd be doomed to escape from Nakalis," Garreth added.
"After all, under the sun, even a Ninth Rank progenitor would be weakened to an Eighth Rank level," Lanchi mused, calculating.
According to Sigrid's description of a Ninth Rank domain, it would take at least three Eighth Rank Cardinals to stop one. And since a Cardinal could defeat three Tata, it roughly equated to a Ninth Rank having the combat power of nine Tata or more.
However, the sun weakened the vampires to a tenth of their strength.
So, during the day, even a Tata might be able to exchange a few moves with a Ninth Rank vampire.
"But the 4th Progenitor Eduardo's ability has always been shrouded in mystery," Garreth continued, his gaze shifting briefly to the 4th Progenitor Eduardo, who stood behind the 10th Progenitor Ulysses, his tone filled with wariness.
The 4th Progenitor wore an ancient vampire robe, as still as a sleeping statue, as if no one in the room was worth his attention except for the Fallen Lord, Callie.
The intangible pressure he exuded as he sat there made anyone who looked at him feel a sense of insignificance and helplessness. It seemed that if the 4th Progenitor were to make the slightest move, all sense of stability would tremble at his whim.
"As a vampire sage, he possesses an unfathomable number of spells. There are numerous speculations about which one is his bloodline ability, but no one has ever been able to definitively determine what the 4th Progenitor Eduardo's ability is," Garreth explained to Lanchi.
"Blood Infinity," Lanchi murmured.
"What did you say?" Garreth asked, confused, as he turned to look at Lanchi.
"Nothing," Lanchi shook his head nonchalantly, offering a smile.
He knew that the 4th Progenitor Eduardo could replicate the bloodline ability of any vampire by obtaining their blood, although it would be a slightly weakened version.
Coupled with his vast repertoire of spells as a vampire sage, his combat style was unpredictable, making it challenging to target him. Conversely, he could easily adapt his strategies to counter his opponents.
Explaining this ability in detail might not be believed by the demons, and it would be difficult to verify. Instead, they might question how he had come by such knowledge.
Whether Garreth believed him or not was unimportant. What mattered was that it would be challenging to convince the Fallen Lord, and if she became suspicious, it could spell trouble. She might attempt to use illusion techniques to enter his memory world and probe his past.
The 4th Progenitor's ability was inherently unpredictable and impossible to prepare for. Even if Lanchi knew what the ability was, he couldn't guess which vampire's ability the 4th Progenitor Eduardo currently possessed.
Time ticked by inside the Regency Hall.
The minute hand inched closer to nine o'clock, the scheduled start time for the grand ceremony.
"... "
Shubellyan sat calmly on her majestic throne, her presence filling the hall as she regarded the gathering of demons before her, no longer showing any signs of the fear she had initially displayed.
Her amber irises, no longer disguised as human, now revealed their true form as the eyes of a demon.
Without even needing to stare intently, a mere glance was enough for Shubellyan to recognize Garreth Thunderlord, who was standing beside Lanchi.
The two of them seemed as close as Lanchi and Pranai.
Seeing how intimate they were, Shubellyan couldn't help but think to herself: Should I leave now?
"Your Highness, you've finally put my mind at ease." A female voice, devoid of much emotion, sounded from behind.
Shubellyan turned her face to look at the speaker.
The Fallen Lord Callie, with her gentle appearance resembling Talia's, had calm yet profound eyes that seemed to see through everything.
Even the fleeting thought of leaving that had crossed Shubellyan's mind a moment ago had been caught by Callie.
However, Fallen Lord Callie also realized that the princess had no intention of actually escaping.
"Who do you think will win?" the Fallen Lord asked the princess, a rare moment of leisure for her.
"..." Shubellyan remained silent.
"It seems you already have an answer in mind, Your Highness," Fallen Lord Callie said with a smile.
She favored True Night Lord, and Misty Lord also had a chance as long as they could defeat the 10th Progenitor. If they succeeded, everything would be stable.
Of course, there was also the possibility of hidden powerful demons in this grand hall.
Unless they actively used their demonic aura to threaten someone at close range, they wouldn't arouse the resonance of other powerful demons.
Even though the Demon Realm had declined somewhat, the Fallen Lord herself was not so weak that she needed the help of powerful demons from other eras.
As the clock tower of Nakalis Palace struck nine, the chimes reverberated through the Regency Hall, each toll like a heavy wave crashing against the calm hall, stirring ripples in the quiet atmosphere.
All chatter gradually faded, and the gazes of the demons gathered in the hall focused on the raised platform in the center.
There, the royal ceremony to determine the princess's choice was about to officially begin.
As the clock finished chiming, Fallen Lord Callie took a step forward, her expression solemn.
The gazes of the high-ranking demons in the Demon Realm converged on her.
Although she didn't exude any magical pressure, her presence was exceptionally strong, and her mere appearance was enough to make the demons pause momentarily.
"Theoretically, I should reintroduce the rules for today's event, but I believe that all the esteemed guests present understand the rules, so I won't elaborate further. There is only one point I wish to emphasize—"
Fallen Lord Callie explained the following with an unwavering tone, her voice devoid of much emotion, each word clearly audible throughout the Regency Hall,
"To ensure the fairness of this grand ceremony and fulfill the princess's initial request, Her Highness will only make her choice from among the highest-grade paintings. After the princess has made her selection, I will verify the identity of the artist to ensure they comply with the rules. Any paintings that fail to meet the criteria, such as incorrect identity or completion outside the specified one-week period, will be disqualified."
Similarly, the Golden Cabinet had always been impossible to open before the set time, and no amount of force, not even from a peak ninth-rank demon, could break it open.
Now, finally, it was time to unseal it.
"Alright, let's begin."
As Fallen Lord Callie finished speaking, she raised her palm, and the Demon Race's treasure, the Golden Cabinet, which was located under the steps of the throne, began to rotate and unseal itself.
The gazes of the demon nobles, filled with anticipation and curiosity, kept shifting towards this famous treasure of the Demon Realm.
This renowned magical cabinet of the Demon Realm was a masterpiece crafted by ancient demon artisans. It stood about the height of an adult demon and was a deep dark golden color, adorned with ancient demon race beast carvings.
The intricate magical array seal on top ensured the safety of the treasures within and maintained their quality over the long term.
As Fallen Lord Callie's magic power pulled at it, the Golden Cabinet began to glow, and the cabinet door slowly opened, releasing pure magic that filled the entire grand hall.
The painting boards, protected within, floated out and hovered in the air, maintaining a certain distance from the princess as they waited to be appreciated.
"The first painting to be submitted will be at the very bottom of the Golden Cabinet, and the one on top will be the last painting to be placed inside."
As the Fallen Lord explained, she lightly flicked her fingers, unsealing the first painting. Immediately, the dull gray painting board radiated an unknown brilliance.
(End of Chapter)
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