Chapter 457: The Demon King

Princess Ailin had a very, very long dream.

In the dream, she was no longer in that forest soaked in chaos and blood, but had returned to that manor in the countryside of Lei Ming City.

The afternoon sun crossed the treetops, casting dappled tree shadows in her teacup.

Prince Prince Kelin was sitting beside her, quietly reading a book, with a faint smile on his lips.

He was always very quiet, and those deep purple eyes held too many things she couldn't read.

Sometimes, she also felt quite sorry for him.

Although she had never mentioned this, and was even more embarrassed to bring it up.

Gradually, Princess Ailin felt a hint of fatigue from that dazzling light, so she yawned and fell into a deep sleep like a lazy cat.

And Prince Prince Kelin didn't leave, nor did he shake her awake, just sat quietly by her side, gently stroking her forehead with his warm palm, wiping away the fine sweat that had seeped out due to the nightmare.

That gentleness made her feel infinitely attached; she wanted to stay by his side like this forever and never wake up.

However—

She knew very well that she couldn't just fall asleep like this.

What she carried on her shoulders was not just armor, but the people of the Campbell Principality, and many things she couldn't let go of.

"... I'll take a nap, remember to wake me up." She whispered, as if she had returned to childhood, when her father was still by her side.

Prince Prince Kelin, who had his hand on her forehead, responded softly.

"Hmm."

Vaguely, she also heard other things—

That seemed to be a very evil voice, overlapping with those heartwarming words.

"... I will bestow upon you a new life."

The sweet dream passed away like quicksand between fingers. I don't know how much time had passed before Princess Ailin slowly opened her heavy eyelids.

What came into view was not the familiar manor, nor the quiet and peaceful Heaven, but a rock wall illuminated by a campfire.

She was still alive.

This was simply a miracle.

Princess Ailin slowly moved her neck, discovering that she was lying on a soft fur, covered with a heavy coat.

Prince Prince Kelin was gone.

That was obvious; being overseas, it was impossible for him to be here.

Princess Ailin subconsciously wanted to sit up, but immediately felt something unusual.

She discovered that the heavy plate armor she had been wearing had been removed, leaving her only in her inner lining, and even her collar was open, looking messy.

Feeling the gaze that was close at hand, the sleepy Princess Ailin's eyes instantly sharpened, and a cold murderous aura soared into the sky!

The "Light of Praise" was not far from her hand!

And it was maintaining the form of a sword!

Without any hesitation, her right hand grabbed the hilt like lightning, she flipped up, and slashed backhand at the black shadow in the corner beside her!

"Clang—!"

The golden sword light tore through the dimness in the cave, leaving a palm-wide sword mark on the heavy rock wall!

However, unfortunately, this sword hit empty air and did not kill that rude person!

That ethereal black shadow was like a feather without weight, drifting into the darkness deeper in the cave in front of her.

Immediately after, a hoarse and eerie laughter sounded from there.

"You're finally awake."

That voice carried no emotion, just like a Demon King overlooking a chessboard, whispering to his interesting chess piece.

"Who are you!"

Princess Ailin's murderous intent did not diminish.

She grabbed her collar with one hand, held the sword with the other, her whole body tense, staring vigilantly at the bottomless darkness.

Her heart ached faintly, but she didn't have time to confirm her injuries.

Intuition told her that this guy in front of her was very strong, even more terrifying than Rolandar who had toyed with her in the forest earlier!

However...

He didn't seem to have any hostility?

The calmed-down Princess Ailin gradually realized that the reason she had moved from the forest to here might be related to this person.

It should be him who saved her.

At least—

If he wanted to do something while she was unconscious, she would absolutely have had no chance to resist, let alone holding the Light of Praise the moment she opened her eyes.

But even after confirming this, Princess Ailin didn't dare to be the least bit careless. Who knew if this was a trick of the Chaos Apostles?

Their rituals were even more flashy than those of the demons in Hell.

"That's a good question."

Looking at Princess Ailin, who was still in chaos, Luo Yan, who had hidden his figure, thought for a moment and spat out a response.

"My name is Luo Yan."

This was the first time he had said his real name in front of Princess Ailin.

Following Saintess Kalian, who knew his two alter egos, now a person who knew his three alter egos was born. However, unlike Saintess Kalian, Princess Ailin didn't know that these three alter egos were the same person.

"... Luo Yan?"

A flash of confusion crossed Princess Ailin's eyes.

She tried hard to search for this name in her memory, but couldn't find any clues.

Whether it was the nobles of the Campbell Principality or the famous powerhouses on the Os Continent, it seemed no one was named this.

But she also felt that this name was so intimate, even familiar...

Just as Princess Ailin was confused, that deliberately lowered voice sounded again.

"We will meet again."

Princess Ailin was startled, sensing that he was about to leave, and hurriedly said.

"Wait a minute!"

That person didn't wait.

The moment the words fell, that black shadow, along with his unfathomable aura, disappeared completely into the darkness...

He was gone.

Watching the black shadow and his aura disappear into the depths of the cave, Princess Ailin had no way to stop him.

The strength of the man who called himself "Luo Yan" was as bottomless as the labyrinth of Lei Ming County, as if he came from a hell even deeper than that.

Even if she recovered to her peak state, she might not be his opponent, let alone now that she felt strenuous even standing.

It was better to join the main force first.

Reason made Princess Ailin dispel the idea of exploring deep into the cave, and with full vigilance and confusion, she turned back to the campfire.

Surprising.

Her equipment was all there, and stacked neatly.

That mysterious man seemed to be a very particular guy, doing even such small things meticulously.

Of course, even if he had a meticulous side, he was still a vast ocean away from the elegant and decent Mr. Prince Prince Kelin.

At least that gentleman would never do anything to make a lady feel embarrassed.

Nor would he disappear after throwing out an inexplicable sentence, leaving her alone here...

Suppressing the distracting thoughts in her heart, Princess Ailin quickly tidied up her messy clothes and put the cold and familiar armor back on her body.

The heaviness of the metal pressing on her shoulders gave her a sense of peace.

Under the last piece of armor, there was also a well-drawn map and a brass compass.

On the map, a small circle drawn with red ink clearly marked her current location.

This meticulous care contrasted strangely with that demon-like aura, making Princess Ailin's doubts even deeper.

What on earth was this guy trying to do?

She couldn't understand.

However, what she needed to do now was not to explore the truth, but to return to the people who cared about her as soon as possible, and figure out what the situation was outside.

Princess Ailin walked out of the cave; outside was a quiet forest shrouded in moonlight.

The night breeze gently stroked her face, and in the forest, she could vaguely hear insect chirps and the rustling sound of leaves.

Princess Ailin took a deep breath, raised the torch she had taken from the campfire, and guided by the map and compass, walked toward the military camp.

The night forest was pitch black, and no matter how bright the torch was, it could only dispel the shadows within five steps.

However, for Princess Ailin Campbell, this was enough.

She walked in the forest for a long time, and the view ahead finally opened up a bit, with low vegetation and flat land replacing the dense forest and mounds.

In the distance, campfires and cooking smoke could be vaguely seen, and a winding small river passed through the forest, the gurgling sound of water replacing the noisy insect chirps.

Princess Ailin stopped.

Continuous fierce battles and high mental tension made her feel a burst of fatigue; she wanted to wash her face before returning to the camp to make herself look more spirited.

She squatted down, stuck the torch into the soil beside her, and looked down at the river surface illuminated by the bright moonlight.

And at this very moment, she was stunned.

Only to see the river reflecting a pale face, different from the fair complexion that had been flushed red before, but almost as white as paper.

Not only that—

Her lips had also faded of blood color, with a dark blue tint in the thin red.

But this was not the point.

Princess Ailin knew she had lost too much blood, and her body was at its weakest, so pale lips and a face without blood color were normal.

What really made her stunned was that her golden hair, which should have been as shining as sunlight, had now turned as bright as moonlight!

"This is..."

Untying the braid behind her head.

Princess Ailin raised her trembling hands, not scooping up a handful of clear spring water to splash on her face, but scooping up a strand of her own hair.

That fragile touch clearly reminded her that what she saw was not an illusion.

Confusion and hesitation intertwined on that firm and pretty face; she stood there for a long time without saying a word.

What on earth happened?!

That appearance of trying to hold back heartbreak while still being determined was truly heartbreaking, but Luo Yan, standing in the distance, did not walk out from the shadows of the forest.

After Princess Ailin left the cave earlier, he didn't leave, but had been silently following behind her until she walked to the side of this small river.

Once here, she was basically safe.

Unless she wanted to die.

"Demon King, leaving her alone there... is it really okay?" The milky-white ghost floated beside Luo Yan, Hearing You You asked in a low voice.

As the master's Godhead and tag-along, it would naturally feel heartache for the person Luo Yan felt heartache for.

Watching that lonely back in the moonlight, Luo Yan was silent for a long time before slowly speaking.

"This is the best choice."

He had envisioned many possibilities, including directly showing his cards or leaving her alone; only this plan was the most reliable.

It was true that she was a strong person, but if she were to bear all the truth at once, even that strength would be easily destroyed.

It was clear that the name "Prince Prince Kelin" had been deified by her, and had even become her only spiritual pillar, and was even carved into the Light of Praise.

That was very likely the only straw left in her hand while drowning in water.

Therefore, Luo Yan made a compromise choice: let her adapt to the changes in her body first, and then leave the power of whether to accept this "new life" to herself.

If she really didn't want to continue living as a vampire, the "Light of Praise" was in her hand.

However, it was clear that Princess Ailin also thought she had unfinished business, so she didn't point the sword at herself...

Under Luo Yan's gaze, she endured all the emotions in her heart, washed the dirt off her face, then reorganized her emotions, and walked firmly toward the military camp.

She carried the expectations of her brother and all her people on her shoulders; she had to win this war and end the chaos corruption raging in the Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng...

At all costs!

Watching that back disappearing on the forest path and the heavy footprints left on the ground, Luo Yan, who was slightly relieved, said softly to Hearing You You beside him.

"We should show ourselves too."

He would go to comfort her.

But not under the name Luo Yan, but using the "Prince Prince Kelin" alter ego.

The colorful butterfly flew away from the tree shadows, and at the same time, Luo Yan's figure disappeared into the shadows, replacing the illusion more than ten kilometers away.

That was not far from the Campbell military camp.

The news of Princess Ailin's disappearance hadn't spread yet; most of the soldiers were celebrating the victory of the day, and heroic laughter could be vaguely heard in the campfire, as well as the bagpipes played by the dwarves.

Tanos had long been waiting here, and had prepared a half-dead horse for his respected Majesty.

Now, the role Luo Yan had to play was Prince Prince Kelin, who had just disembarked from the port of Lei Ming City and galloped to the front line...

"Stop! Who goes there!"

The patrolling sentry soon discovered Prince Prince Kelin, who was galloping alone toward the camp, immediately took down the musket on his back, and shouted sternly.

It was pitch black here, so they naturally couldn't recognize Prince Prince Kelin's identity, only feeling that the newcomer was extraordinary and didn't look like an ordinary person, so they felt a bit guilty and afraid that he was a noble, so they didn't dare to point their guns at him.

Luo Yan pulled the reins abruptly, and the warhorse under him, which only had one breath left, let out a tired neigh, shouting loudly toward the soldiers.

"Luo Kesai Prince Prince Kelin! I am the Prince of the Prince Prince Kelin Principality! Please tell your general, Princess Ailin Campbell, for me that I am here to find her!"

The soldiers present had naturally heard of Prince Prince Kelin's name, but no one thought that the noble Highness would actually appear here.

Wasn't he overseas?

That Cao Continent or something.

Of course, after the Great Storm event, this name seemed to have become the Gana Continent again, because a lizardman kingdom called the Gutav United Kingdom liked this new name better.

Just when everyone couldn't make up their minds, a heroic voice suddenly came from the entrance of the camp.

"You are Prince Prince Kelin?"

Luo Yan looked in the direction of the sound, only to see a dwarf wearing heavy armor with his beard braided into several braids walking toward him with big strides.

Unlike the Hell dwarves who shaved their hair, this guy's hair was quite dense, and the two eyes hanging above his beard were as big as copper bells.

Luo Yan looked at him and said reservedly.

"I am Prince Prince Kelin... may I ask who you are?"

"Kuitin Copper Furnace!"

The dwarf walked to him, hammered his chest heavily with his gauntlet, and said in a voice like a bell, "I am the Lord of the Gaoshan Kingdom! By the order of my King, I have come to support the Northern Border Rescue Army to quell the rebellion in the Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng and exterminate the Apostles of Chaos!"

"Nice to meet you, Lord of the Gaoshan Kingdom."

Luo Yan immediately performed a standard imperial noble etiquette, and Kuitin also responded with the noble etiquette of the Dwarf Kingdom.

Although they were meeting for the first time, both felt the calmness belonging to a powerhouse from the other, as well as the heavy genealogy behind them.

Although he didn't often deal with human nobles, Kuitin could see that this Mr. Prince Prince Kelin was a true imperial noble.

Anyway, he was very confident.

"Princess Ailin is in the camp... please follow me, I will take you to see her." Kuitin turned his barrel-like body and made a gesture of invitation awkwardly.

Although Luo Yan knew Princess Ailin wasn't here, he still followed him behind, pretending not to know, and walked into the command tent not far away.

The command tent was empty, with only a fire basin and a table, as well as a military map spread out on the table.

As soon as he entered the tent, Kuitin dismissed the left and right, and before Prince Prince Kelin could ask, a hint of solemnity appeared on that big, careless face.

"Mr. Prince Prince Kelin, forgive me for being blunt, you didn't come at the right time."

Luo Yan was stunned.

"What do you mean..."

Kuitin said in a deep voice.

"Her Highness Princess Ailin... is missing."

"Missing?! How could that be!" Luo Yan widened his eyes, full of disbelief, just like a bolt from the blue.

"During the decisive battle with the Chaos God-Chosen during the day... to avoid affecting the morale of the army, we blocked the news, hoping you would keep it a secret." Kuitin stared at him.

From that heartfelt anxiety, he could feel that this person wasn't lying. He was indeed a friend of Her Highness Princess Ailin, and their relationship wasn't shallow.

Before this, he had heard Princess Ailin mention this Prince Prince Prince Kelin more than once. It was said that he was a very noble and kind gentleman, a model and example of morality.

Now that he saw him, this gentleman was indeed a man of talent.

It's just...

The impact of Princess Ailin's disappearance on him was too great, so much so that he stood still for a long time without coming back to his senses.

After a long while, a hoarse and trembling voice squeezed out from those tightly closed lips.

That was trembling because of anger!

"You... just leave her alone like this?"

"How is that possible."

Kuitin sighed and said in a low voice, "Ms. Teresa has already taken her trusted aides to find her, but they haven't returned until now—"

"No! I'm going to find her too!"

After saying that, Luo Yan turned and was about to leave, with an anxious expression, as if he didn't want to stay here for even a moment.

Watching Prince Prince Kelin turn to leave, Kuitin was startled, hurriedly reaching out to pull the guy's arm, persuading him to take the overall situation into account.

If this news got out, what would happen?

Let alone Princess Ailin being missing, even if she were dead, the Allied Forces would have to remain silent, at least until they took Twilight City before announcing the funeral.

"Wait a minute—"

"I can't wait!"

"No! Listen to me, you must stay here! Believe me, young man, if Princess Ailin were here, she would definitely persuade you like this!"

"I came here from the Gana Continent just to help her! If she's not here, what's the point of me coming here! Let go!"

"Before you listen to me finish, I will absolutely not let go! Let alone you are an imperial prince, even if you were the Emperor himself, it would be useless!"

If he didn't use a mage's BUFF, relying purely on the tug-of-war of strength, Luo Yan really couldn't pull this dwarf who was as heavy as a mountain.

Even if this hairy egg was only Platinum Tier.

However, he didn't intend to win the tug-of-war anyway, just making a gesture of being determined to leave... let him pull if he wanted to, anyway Princess Ailin would be here soon.

He had calculated the time before coming.

Kuitin Copper Furnace bared his teeth, holding his arm hard, but didn't dare to use too much force, really crippling this guy.

But then again, wasn't this prince a mage?

Where did he get such great strength?!

Just when the two were "arguing" without end, the heavy curtain at the entrance of the tent was suddenly lifted from the outside.

Princess Ailin and Teresa's faces appeared at the entrance at the same time, both showing expressions of disbelief.

"Prince Prince Kelin?!"

"High, Highness?!"

At this moment, Princess Ailin was wearing a wide cloak, following beside the exhausted Teresa, the lowered hood covering her face.

Those emerald eyes were full of surprise and incredulity at the reunion, but besides that, there was also subconscious panic and a desire to escape.

"Princess Ailin—!"

Surprise rose in Luo Yan's eyes, and he was about to rush to Princess Ailin's side, but the big hand holding his arm didn't let go, instead clamping tighter like a tiger's pliers.

"Kid... don't be impulsive, that's not your little lover, stand behind me!"

Kuitin's voice lowered, pulling this young human prince behind him, his eyes like torches staring directly at Princess Ailin's face.

Princess Ailin didn't dodge, just responded calmly to the gaze burning with hostility, waiting for this ally to speak.

Luo Yan could tell that her heart wasn't as calm as she appeared; the trembling of her shoulders had already exposed the anxiety in her heart.

And this was perhaps because of himself.

The silence lasted for a long time.

Kuitin suddenly sneered, breaking the silence between the two.

"If you ask what we dwarves hate most besides the rats in the mine, the undead probably rank first, followed by demons. And coincidentally, I saw a combination of two things."

After a pause, he stared at Princess Ailin and continued.

"The Lord of the Gaoshan Kingdom needs an explanation."

Teresa's lips moved, wanting to say something for her lord, but was stopped by Princess Ailin.

She stepped forward, looking at the dwarf lord who was facing a formidable enemy, and said in a hoarse and sincere voice.

"I also want to give you an explanation, but to be honest, I am actually confused myself. I don't understand why I became like this. At that time, after I awakened the legendary power, I lost consciousness... and when I woke up, I was in a cave."

She swallowed her saliva and said with difficulty.

"I don't even know... if Rolandar is dead."

Saying these words, Princess Ailin couldn't help but glance at Prince Prince Kelin behind Kuitin, as if that was her only soft spot.

To be honest, that expression of wanting to explain but not knowing where to start was really heartbreaking.

She almost used a pleading tone, hoping that no matter what Kuitin saw, he wouldn't discuss her current condition in front of the person she loved.

At least change the place.

However, dwarves don't understand pitying the fragile, and don't have so-called emotional intelligence... at least these things are not prepared for the human race.

Vampires are the mortal enemies of dwarves.

Not only because they believe in evil demon gods, but also because these guys who drink blood and eat raw meat dared to mock dwarves for having no necks to bite!

This is a blatant slander!

Everyone knows dwarves have necks!

This slander is recorded on the first page of the "Book of Hatred," and every dwarf lord of the Gaoshan Kingdom keeps it in mind!

As for the second page, it writes about the guy who laughed out loud when seeing the first page.

"Is that so?"

Kuitin chuckled, his eyes narrowed dangerously, ruthlessly exposing the fact that Princess Ailin was desperately trying to cover up.

"Do you think I would believe what a vampire says? You vampire! My nose is very smart, don't think you can hide it from me!"

He saw it at a glance!

The air went quiet instantly.

Teresa was silent, while Princess Ailin closed her eyes in pain, hiding her sadness under her lowered eyelashes and hood.

She was powerless to argue.

This was the truth.

Standing from the position of "Prince Prince Kelin," perhaps Luo Yan should have acted more realistically, at least showing a certain degree of shock.

For example, exclaiming "Vampire?!"

However, looking at that pretty face that was about to cry but was desperately trying to be strong, he really couldn't bear to perform according to the script that had already been arranged, and changed it to an impromptu performance.

He was still a human after all.

It was agreed that he was here to comfort her.

"I think... there might be some misunderstanding here." Luo Yan, standing behind Kuitin, suddenly spoke, breaking the silent atmosphere in the tent.

That handsome face had swept away the previous panic, replaced by a sophistication and calmness inconsistent with his age, completely becoming a different person in front of Kuitin.

Kuitin widened his eyes looking at him, his copper-bell-sized eyes almost popping out, but he only dared to look at him once, and then shifted his gaze back to Princess Ailin.

He didn't dare to let his guard down for a moment!

Even if his neck was only a short section.

"Are you crazy?! That's a vampire! A vampire! A mosquito that bites people! A devil that eats people without spitting out bones—"

Those vicious curses were like nails, fiercely nailed into Princess Ailin's chest, attacking the most fragile part of her heart.

Looking at that sad face, even if Princess Ailin herself could hold back, Luo Yan didn't want to wait any longer.

That was, after all, a "dependent" of the Prince Prince Kelin family.

Was it your turn, a dwarf from the Peak of Hatred, to chew the tongue?

"Shut up."

The air went quiet instantly, as if grabbed by an invisible hand, as if a needle falling on the ground could be heard clearly.

That was Dragon Language—

It was also magic!

Just two syllables pressed the pause button on that noisy voice.

Kuitin's face, which was flushed with anger, froze instantly, his mouth open but unable to make any sound, only annoyance and confusion left in his eyes.

'Do you know what you are doing?'

Staring dead at Prince Prince Kelin, he seemed to be saying this with his eyes.

Luo Yan could "hear" with his eyes.

But he was also a prince with a temper, and whether he cared or not was another matter.

"You've been holding my arm for so long, I'll let you shut up for a while, this is very fair." Pulling his arm away from Kuitin's hand, Luo Yan waved his wand lightly, lifting the spell cast on Kuitin's chin. "Are you calm now?"

Kuitin stared with his eyes, just like an angry bullfrog.

He still didn't speak, but used a murderous gaze to stare at everyone, as if he wanted to carve everyone here into the Book of Hatred.

Being able to make him shut up with one sentence...

The strength of this prince was probably not to be underestimated, even more than his temperament.

Luo Yan didn't object to him doing this; after all, hatred was also a kind of faith, but now he still had to vent the fire for this dwarf lord.

"Prince Prince Kelin, I..."

"Don't speak yet."

Luo Yan glanced at Princess Ailin, who opened her mouth wanting to say something, gave her, who was lost and helpless, a reassuring look, and then looked at Kuitin Copper Furnace, who was blowing his beard and staring.

"I don't know what happened during the day, but I know that what our enemies want to see most at this moment is us falling into infighting."

This sentence was fine.

Seemingly realizing this, Kuitin's heaving chest gradually calmed down, but the burning anger and hostility didn't fade away.

"What if she is from Chaos?"

Luo Yan looked at him and answered without joking.

"If she were, you would already be dead."

Kuitin's eyes narrowed, and he sneered.

"Just by her? A vampire? My axe specializes in killing those half-human, half-ghost—"

Luo Yan interrupted his words and said quietly.

"What if you add me?"

The camp went quiet again.

But this time it wasn't because of any magic, but because of the imperial prince's rebellion—even blasphemous declaration.

Except for Luo Yan himself, the three faces all showed surprised expressions, including Princess Ailin, who was full of sadness.

Among them, Kuitin's expression was still the most exaggerated; those widened eyes were simply like saying you kid are crazy.

Pointing a wand at a dwarf friend for an undead!

Are you crazy?!

Even if the human race is fickle, even if they are forgetful, they shouldn't have thrown their brains away!

"Do you know what you are saying? The Tribunal will judge you! They will hang you on the gallows, you will lose all your titles! No matter who you are!"

Although Teresa didn't speak, the shocked expression on her face had already said everything she wanted to say.

Even if it was the Prince of the Empire...

This was too reckless!

"Then let them come. I will testify for her, and then persuade them, using the original words from the 'Book of Holy Words'—I will pardon the sins committed out of ignorance, because the life of a mortal is too short, and getting lost is not their intention."

That was indeed the original words from the "Book of Holy Words," not in the "New Testament" fabricated by the Son of God.

Facing that terrifying threat, there was not a hint of wavering on Luo Yan's face, just smiling at Kuitin Copper Furnace, who was panicked.

And—

Those eyes that were like tender leaves stained with morning dew, filled with water mist.

"I believe in Princess Ailin Campbell's character, including her piety, loyalty, bravery, as well as generosity and kindness... and all other beautiful qualities."

"At the same time, I also unconditionally believe every word she says. Things developing like this is absolutely not her intention, and even... perhaps all of this is the will of the gods!"

Those sonorous words were full of unquestionable firmness, as if the Prince standing here had really heard the oracle from the dark.

Actually, it couldn't be counted as "as if."

After all, no one said that the god couldn't be himself.

"Whether she is human, or a vampire—"

"I will stand with her!" ===== CHAPTER 458 =====