https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-771-Sybrian-Feels-Like-She-s-Repeating-History/12585314/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-773-Merogass-Has-Spoiled-the-Great-Demon-Clan/12585316/
Chapter 772: Sybeline Finds a Little Grey Cat
Chapter 772: Sybeline Finds a Little Grey Cat
Within the Demon Lord's Palace, adorned with a dome engraved with celestial patterns, the Profane Lord, Merogass, gazed at the princess seated on the throne with a look of satisfaction.
"Excellent," she thought. "Her Highness's reaction is spot-on."
It was this very display of weakness that would ensure she remained firmly under his control.
Merogass averted her gaze from Sybeline, scanning the audience and causing the other demons to look away as well, no longer daring to stare at her and the princess.
The Hall of Thrones fell into an even deeper silence.
Aside from the ticking of the clockwork, the two women on the dais remained silent.
The demons in attendance were keenly attuned to the Profane Lord's moods.
When the Ice Witch opened her mouth as if to speak, she was quickly silenced by a glance from Planar.
There were more than just the four great demon tribes present in the Hall of Thrones.
It was likely that these four had replaced the Princess of the Demon Realm's confidants, and the other great demons might be more inclined towards neutrality or even favor the Profane Lord.
Without a clear understanding of the other tribes' positions, it was best not to provoke the terrifyingly powerful Profane Lord.
The optimal strategy was to first observe and understand the current state of affairs in the Demon Realm.
A single misstep could lead to the failure of their mission, which required all of them to remain alive.
On the other side of the hall, Antanas sighed.
Knowing Sybeline well, she could tell that her performance was flawless. Her fear and earlier tears were genuine, and the Profane Lord was gradually lowering her guard around Sybeline.
Sybeline had always been a sensitive girl. After her father's disappearance, she would cry alone, and her grief was indescribable when she learned of Caliyla's death.
Having spent time with Lanchi, she understood that her best strategy was to choose a conservative approach to survival, avoiding risky moves, and waiting to join forces with Lanchi, as together they were certain to win.
And the world line foretold by the Goddess of Fate showed Sybeline with little resistance against an overwhelming enemy, leading to her swift death.
All of this made Sybeline realize how to win the game.
The optimal solution was to wait for Lanchi to make a move, rather than attempting any reckless strategies herself.
Thus, her deck choices gradually shifted from aggressive to defensive, and she learned the art of survival by presenting herself as a weak opponent.
However, there would always be those who failed to understand.
Some even scoffed at Sybeline, deeming her a useless princess.
On the throne, Sybeline quietly dabbed at her tears.
Seeing that the Ice Witch teacher and Planar had agreed to a wait-and-see approach, Sybeline felt relieved.
Antanas and Cynora usually followed Planar's lead, and the Ice Witch was known for her strict and uncompromising demeanor.
The teacher had no chance of defeating the Profane Lord, especially considering that Merogass possessed the power of at least a Cardinal, and as a Quasi-Prince with six seals, her abilities would grant her a powerful advantage against other great demons. Even if the four of them joined forces, it would still be extremely dangerous.
There might also be many great demons in the Hall of Thrones who supported the Profane Lord.
Although Sybeline felt anger towards Merogass for usurping Caliyla's rightful victory and ascending to the position of regent, she understood that only by appearing weak and helpless would she gain the Profane Lord's trust.
One of their mission objectives was to protect the little spark that Caliyla had left behind.
Until she found a clue as to its whereabouts, she would not act rashly.
"It seems the time is right," Merogass announced, addressing the assembly in her capacity as regent.
Tall and slender, the Profane Lord's black robe accentuated her alluring curves, yet exuded a chilling aura. Her eyes, a haze of violet, sparkled with a piercing sharpness.
Merogass curved her lips into a meaningful smile.
As the clock struck the hour, she waved her hand gracefully, her fingertips dancing with violet flames. A terrifying shriek filled the Hall of Thrones as ghostly shadows sealed off the exits.
Many of the demons shuddered involuntarily, lowering their heads even further.
"My fellow demons, I have gathered you here today to announce an important message—one that concerns the future transformation of our Demon Realm."
Merogass surveyed the hall, her gaze sweeping across each demon, sharp and icy like a blade.
"I believe many of you have already guessed," she continued, her voice melodious yet commanding.
Silence reigned in the hall. Not a single demon dared to utter a word.
"Indeed," Merogass confirmed. "The Fallen Lord Caliyla has perished, and from this day forward, there shall be no more Fallen Lord. I, the Profane Lord, shall take up the mantle of Caliyla and continue to support Her Highness the Princess in ruling the Demon Realm. Together, we shall usher in a glorious era and restore the Demon Realm to its former splendor."
A cold smile played on Merogass's lips as she added, "During Caliyla's reign, we were forced to sign the humiliating North-South Treaty with the Blood Tribe, a disgrace in the history of the Demon Realm. We even came close to losing our princess due to her incompetence. But I am different. Under my leadership, the Honing Empire and the Blood Tribe have been driven back to the south. This means that we have the power to become the rulers of this world. It was only because of Caliyla's ineptitude that we find ourselves in the current global situation."
As she spoke, she turned her gaze towards Sybeline, studying her reaction.
"Merogass, you've gone too far! You shouldn't..." A elderly demon rose from his seat, his voice filled with accusation.
Before he could even stand fully, his body was pierced by a silken strand of magic, exploding into a shower of bloody mist that rained down upon the terrified faces of the surrounding demons, spattering them with fragments.
The silken strand of magic was being pulled by Merogass, who seemed oblivious to the corpse as she nonchalantly retracted her raised fingertip, causing the magic to dissipate.
The hall fell silent once more for a moment.
Even the reasonable demons among the crowd dared not speak out against Merogass.
Over the past twelve years of fierce battles, the core members of Caliyla's faction had perished or been left crippled, with almost all of their capable fighters sacrificed.
Meanwhile, Merogass had focused on forming alliances to protect herself, and now she stood alone as the most powerful force.
"It seems I overheard some nonsense from a demon earlier. I trust no one will interrupt me again?"
Profane Lord Merogass placed her hand to her ear and turned her face to listen to the crowd below.
This time, none of the demons dared to speak up.
Only then did she continue.
"But..."
Merogass' tone suddenly turned icy, "But if Her Highness still clings to old sentiments and insists on governing the Demon Realm according to the strategies left by Caliyla, our grand endeavor will be in vain. My fellow demons, tell me, what am I to do?"
Merogass' words exploded in the Hall of Thrones like thunder.
The crowd of demons exchanged glances, their eyes darting nervously as they felt a chill down their spines.
Merogass' words were veiled with a clear intent to shake the demons' loyalty to the princess, aiming to sideline and ultimately replace her.
"My Lady Merogass, forgive my bluntness."
At that moment, a young male demon from the seats spoke up, his voice filled with flattery as he addressed Merogass, "Her Highness finally returned to the Demon Realm after much difficulty, and she has never forgotten the human realm. Essentially, she sees herself as human, and Caliyla indulged her, resulting in a weak and tearful princess. Should we really allow a human girl in demon's skin to lead us?"
Before he could finish, a black light flashed by, piercing his chest like a bolt of lightning.
The demon's body stiffened, and he crumpled to the ground, his corpse dissolving into a pool of dark liquid.
In an instant, another demon met the same fate.
The black light had come from Merogass' scorpion tail, its stinger now pointed at the seats.
Once again, Merogass had made the kill.
The other demons truly dared not utter a sound, not even daring to swallow their saliva.
Merogass was on a killing spree.
"Human?"
Merogass glanced at the remains of the demon on the floor, her tone icy, "Are you questioning our princess? I will not tolerate anyone who dares to speak ill of her again."
She glared at the crowd, her body emanating a murderous aura.
As her words landed, the entire Hall of Thrones fell into a heavy silence, the demons filled with dread.
Even those who tried to side with her were not spared.
Merogass intentionally killed the demon who had openly supported her, solely to assert her dominance and display her loyalty and legitimacy.
"Princess, only I will treat you this well. After all, I am your aunt."
Profane Lord Merogass lowered her head, looking at Sybeline with a soft expression, her lips quivering.
"..."
Sybeline tightly clenched the armrests of her throne, her knuckles turning white.
She swallowed hard, her throat feeling parched.
If she could, she truly wished her real aunt, Talia, would come and beat up this wicked aunt, Merogass.
However, the cruel reality was that Talia, a three-seal civilian, stood no chance against Merogass, a six-seal general.
"It seems you understand my good intentions, Your Highness."
And Sybeline's subtle reaction only caused Merogass' smile to widen.
She reached out as if to caress Sybeline's cheek but stopped herself, considering the occasion.
Instead, Merogass' scorpion tail slowly wrapped around Sybeline's throne, forming a heart shape.
While she craved the princess' body, she was in no rush.
"..."
Sybeline felt that Merogass' "good intentions" were even more terrifying than her malice.
A chill ran up her spine, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end.
This was the first time she had encountered such a female demon.
Unlike Caliyla, Sybeline felt no sense of closeness or trust towards this Profane Lord Merogass, only endless desire and decadence.
"Alright, everyone, relax. Don't scare the princess."
Fortunately, Merogass soon shifted her attention away from Sybeline and let out a silvery laugh, sharing her opinions and important matters with the crowd of demons.
...
Sybeline endured the excruciating time in the Hall of Thrones and finally breathed a sigh of relief as the assembly came to an end.
She stood up, feeling relieved, and descended the steps, walking towards the exit under the gaze of Merogass and the other demons.
Leaving that suffocating space, she finally felt like she could breathe fresh air again.
If she took the initiative to find Planar and the others now, it would undoubtedly arouse Merogass' suspicion.
It was better to wait for Planar and Antanas to contact her. With their unique abilities, they could find a suitable opportunity to get in touch without alerting Merogass.
The Demon Lord's Palace had a large circular regency hall on the first floor.
The upper floors were exclusive to the royal family and included various facilities such as a study, bedrooms, and conference rooms, as one would expect in a grand mansion.
In the past, only the Fallen Lord Caliyla and the demons she permitted were allowed to enter the upper levels of the palace.
Now, it seemed that this tradition was still being observed.
Syberline walked down the long corridor, past the ancient and sturdy stone pillars that lined it.
She quickened her pace, eager to return to the familiarity of her own chambers.
Finally, she reached the second floor of the palace and pushed open the door to her bedroom.
The spacious room was filled with the purple-red light of dusk filtering through sheer curtains, casting a soft glow on the plush carpet.
The heavy drapes blocked out much of the outside light.
Syberline stood quietly, gazing around the room, her eyes drifting to the courtyard and the distant barrier beyond.
Her gaze pierced through the semi-transparent barrier, taking in the inland bay of the royal capital.
The last time…
He had found her at the restaurant across the bay.
And then there was that dreamlike, unforgettable midsummer.
But now, upon her return to the Demon Realm, everything had changed. Caliyla was no longer in the Demon Lord's Palace, and Lanchi was also gone from the mansion across the bay.
Exhaustion weighed on Syberline as she leaned against the door, taking a deep breath to calm her frayed nerves. Only then did she fully draw back the curtains.
However, at that moment, she sensed some slight movement under the dressing table.
Syberline's heart tightened, and her instinct was to summon her dagger.
But as she looked more closely, she realized it was just a gray ball of fur.
She crouched down, her curiosity piqued, and took a couple of steps forward.
Taking advantage of the dim evening light, Syberline could make out a small gray kitten cowering in the corner, its shadow cast on the carpet.
It seemed to dislike the light, disturbed by Syberline's action of drawing back the curtains.
Syberline crouched in front of the dressing table, her curiosity piqued.
The shadows of the girl and the kitten faced each other on the carpet.
The gray kitten was thin and bore scars on its small body. Its eyes held a dull, lonely, and wary gleam.
The more Syberline looked at it, the more she felt a strange sense of familiarity with the little cat.
The familiar demonic magic emanating from it confirmed her suspicion that this was not an ordinary kitten but a young demon child who had transformed into a cat and curled up in the corner.
A pendant engraved with the demonic words "Tamisha" hung around its neck.
Syberline reached out tentatively.
The gray kitten backed away.
But with its back against the wall, it had nowhere else to go.
"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you," Syberline reassured the kitten, softening her voice.
Finally, she gently picked up the tiny ball of gray fur.
As soon as she touched it, she felt a surge of familiar magic.
A warm current resonated along her fingertips, like an echo of Caliyla's power.
Undoubtedly, this young demon child had inherited a fraction of Caliyla's most fundamental strength.
"Wonderful… it's the life you protected," Syberline whispered, tears streaming down her pale cheeks as she tried to force a smile.
She pressed the kitten close to her chest, her tears a mixture of bitterness, relief, and emotion.
Her heart aching at the sight of the kitten's wounds, she quickly set it down on the bed and began rummaging through the cabinet for some healing salve.
Desecration Lord seemed to take great pleasure in tormenting this kitten, which carried only Caliyla's essence, and while he enjoyed abusing it, something seemed to stay his hand from delivering a fatal blow. Nonetheless, the constant abuse had caused the already timid kitten to become completely reclusive, and it now eyed Syberline with hostility.
As Syberline turned back with the medicine box in hand, she noticed the little gray kitten had scurried back under the dressing table, retreating into the shadows.
"So, you really hate being here…" Syberline murmured, her eyes sad and understanding.
It was no wonder, given that this palace felt like a cage. The little gray kitten was probably just waiting for Caliyla to return and find it again.
But Caliyla would never come back.
Staying here any longer could be dangerous, especially with the unpredictable Desecration Lord, who might soon start purging all traces of Caliyla.
"It's alright, let's leave together," Syberline said, once again reaching under the dressing table to pick up the kitten.
She glanced at the Shadow World information.
[Mission Objective 1: Protect the little spark that Caliyla left behind.]
[Mission Objective 2: Understand the state of mind of Black Sun Lancarus: 0.13%. (Incomplete)]
Even in the short time she hadn't been checking, there had been some progress on the second objective.
Although she still didn't understand what the second objective entailed, the first one now seemed crystal clear.
If she wanted to ensure the kitten's safety, the best place to go would be the demon ancestral land in the city of Pasquar, the Inferno.
As the only legitimate member of the royal family, she would be untouchable by any demon once she reached the ancestral land.
So, her mission objective could also be interpreted as successfully reaching the ancestral land.
"Let's go together, okay?" Syberline murmured to herself, her tone filled with comfort.
"Let's go to a safe place where no demon will bully you."
She closed her eyes, her cheek resting against the kitten that carried Caliyla's magical essence.
"…."
The little gray kitten ignored Syberline.
It struggled in her arms, its paws pushing against her in an attempt to break free.
It disliked this young demon woman who pretended to be motherly and refused to revert to its human form in front of her.
No one could tame it, and it would never part with Caliyla's treasure.
(End of Chapter)
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