Chapter 588: The Future

Under Vivian's painful screening and Luo Yan's spot checks, a few nuggets of gold were indeed panned from the mountain of letters piled like shit.

Three days later, in the afternoon, the side parlor on the first floor of Collin Estate.

Afternoon sunlight streamed through the glass windows, illuminating the eyelashes of a certain brat with a snowy white glow.

Vivian was slumped over one corner of the long table, lifelessly waving a feather pen as she made notes in a thick journal.

Beside her lay an unprocessed mountain of letters; her resentful gaze kept drifting toward her brother, who sat at the head of the table, calmly flipping through a book.

These letters could never be finished, for torrents of new ones arrived every day.

Is this the Demon King's method?

Hmm, not bad…

The only comfort was that the clearly defined Adam's apple on that neck looked utterly tempting, making the future Vampire Prince swallow hard.

Vivian did not know that the Demon King's methods went far beyond mere "placement play"—they included "haunted house scares," "Slime Hell," and a whole assembly-line system of fear-energy harvesting… the adventurers of Leyming City had learned this all too well.

The drained adventurers would not be wasted; the Demon King would release them, sending them among other adventurers to spread the fame of Leyming County's labyrinth.

On one hand, they would be terrified of Leyming County's demons; on the other, they would worship the Campbell family that subdued the Demon King.

But in truth, both sides were the Demon King's people.

Just left hand and right hand.

At this moment, a middle-aged gentleman named Luo Ke was being guided into the side parlor by the butler.

Hearing footsteps at the parlor entrance, Luo Yan finally closed the book he had been reading forever and cast a measuring gaze upon the gentleman.

Luo Ke's appearance clashed with the opulent estate, yet matched his own letter—his handwriting reflected his character.

He wore a faded gray coat with two darker patches on the elbows, his cuffs worn thin, yet his old leather shoes were polished to a shine.

Though poor, his spine was straight as a rod; his bright, piercing eyes reminded Luo Yan of a certain young man he'd met on the road to the Academy.

They were both idealists, but different: one a "rock-and-roll youth," wild and aggressively bold; the other a "poor scholar," ambitious yet restrained, his polite demeanor hiding stubborn resolve.

Upon meeting the Empire's Prince, Luo Ke did not react like other "petitioners"—he did not stammer in excitement or grovel excessively, but instead performed a proper gentleman's bow.

"Good day, Esteemed Prince Collin. I am Luo Ke, the one who wrote you the letter. Thank you for granting me the chance to articulate my dream."

"Please sit, Mr. Luo Ke. And do not be formal—I wish you to treat this as an ordinary tea gathering, not an interview." Luo Yan smiled and nodded for him to sit, showing no trace of condescension despite his poverty.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

? ￠O

Luo Ke glanced at him gratefully and sat on the sofa. Before the attendant could pour his tea, he began a concise self-introduction.

He was born into a family of clockmakers in Granston Castle and could have inherited his father's trade and lived a quiet life, but he refused to live passively within the lord's fortress. He registered as an adventurer with the Adventurers' Guild and spent twenty years traveling the coasts of the Vortex Sea, collecting scattered knowledge from every land.

To prove he wasn't lying, Luo Ke solemnly pulled from his heavily worn briefcase a thick stack of manuscripts and placed them gently on the table.

The yellowed paper edges curled, carrying the scent of ink and sea spray.

"Your Highness, this is what I wish to offer you—the manuscript of the Encyclopedia."

Luo Ke's voice carried uncontainable fervor as he continued, watching Prince Collin's surprised expression.

"You are the Empire's Prince—you know our Empire has built a glorious civilization and amassed mountains of wealth! Yet no one has ever compiled a catalog for the true treasures in our vaults—those very knowledge and wisdom."

"Craftsmen understand gear meshing; farmers know seasonal shifts; scholars comprehend the heavens above and the earth below. Yet they stand as isolated islands, unaware of each other's worlds. I wish to compile a book that links these scattered fragments."

He glanced at Vivian, who was idly biting her feather pen, then back at Collin, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"I dare to advise you: this Encyclopedia will greatly benefit the Leyming City University you are establishing!"

"Our newspapers tell us only what happened yesterday, but they won't tell our children what major to choose or where their future lies. But with this Encyclopedia, they can discover their own interests and stand on the shoulders of predecessors to continue unfinished endeavors!"

"Whether they wish to become adventurers or clockmakers!"

Having finished speaking, Luo Ke paused, observing the Prince's expression. Seeing Luo Yan silent, he grew anxious, fearing the Prince had no interest.

He hastily added:

"Your Highness, I know this sounds dull. Compiling this book demands immense manpower and resources—traveling to every craftsman and scholar, vast quantities of paper, printing costs. It lacks the storm-summoning power of magic or the endless wealth-generating potential of steam engines; at least in the short term, no profit is visible."

"But I believe you are a true man of insight! You must understand how vital my work is to our Empire!"

Hearing this, Vivian couldn't help but smirk.

Our Empire…

Kukuku, how hilarious!

Watching a subject of the Empire pitch his treasure to a demon councilor, she suddenly thought this trip to the human world wasn't entirely pointless.

At least she'd seen plenty of entertainment.

Luo Ke's voice lowered; he had prepared himself for rejection.

After all, before coming to Campbell, he had visited the Empire's Holy City and even sought out the respected Hilfen family.

Yet everyone thought him a fraud and turned him away without exception. They may not have lacked a few coins, but they certainly wouldn't let anyone think their family was a fool anyone could squeeze gold from.

Hearing that Prince Collin held a special fondness for this land, and remembering his own Campbell bloodline, he had come here with nothing more than a desperate hope.

Luo Yan set down his teacup gently; the porcelain saucer clinked with a clear sound.

Others didn't understand the value of his work, but he knew exactly what this Encyclopedia meant.

This was one of the sparks of the Enlightenment.

The Duchy of Campbell had no shortage of clever people, but cleverness didn't equal honesty—they spoke clever words, but not necessarily true ones.

They would cut knowledge into fragments, turn them into catchy doggerel, and feed them to fools who thought themselves wise but had never read more than a few books, making them believe they had learned something.

They exploited the arrogance, ignorance, and moral blindness of fools to achieve their sordid ends, weaving sweet traps from correct but useless nonsense.

The pub owner couldn't decide the Duchy of Campbell's future, nor did he have the chance to ruin it. Though his voice seemed loud, he was lucky just to hold his position among the clever—how could he possibly do harm?

But if a group of serfs joyfully lifted their slave-masters into parliament, then joyfully watched those slave-masters lash other serfs like spinning tops?

Then the good days of the Campbells would truly begin.

The pub owner was merely foolish and indecisive, but these slave-masters had countless ways to crush born slaves.

An encyclopedia alone couldn't eliminate these "learned illiterates," but the popular enlightenment it sparked could curb these clever people who lacked reverence or moral boundaries.

They didn't believe in afterlife or karmic retribution, but they would be pinned to the blackboard by countless "common sense" tacks—at least they wouldn't write their lies beyond its edges.

This was the true meaning of literacy.

And this was the fundamental divide between "feudalism" and "republicanism," the core conflict between the Kingdom of Ryan and the Duchy of Campbell.

Edward, having won the civil war, could co-rule his duchy with the pub owner; to preserve this "shared harmony," only enlightenment could counter the feudalism within the duchy.

But Theoden's rule rested on "feudal fiefdoms"; to maintain feudalism, he must make each class fight the others. He must make priests cold, nobles greedy, and citizens foolish—to prevent nobles from uniting with nobles, and citizens from uniting with citizens.

Both monarchs were men of insight, and both knew their differing strategies would inevitably lead to war.

Whether sovereignty lies with the monarch or the people—that was not a question for the year 1053 A. S.

Neither the Duchy of Campbell nor the Kingdom of Ryan truly possessed sovereignty; discussing such things was as meaningless as performance art.

Even in Leyming City, where industrialization raged, the concepts of nation and sovereignty had only just evolved from "weavers cursing the king" into unified outrage among all classes against the Kingdom of Ryan's arrogance.

They had only just realized their enemy was not in distant Hell, but beside them.

"... Mr. Luo Ke, you have underestimated the value of this project."

The generous Prince Collin did not refuse—he rose from the sofa and regarded the impoverished gentleman with solemn gravity.

"Leyming City University needs precisely such an Encyclopedia. To facilitate this project, I will build you a grand library—you may devote all your energy there."

He paused, then continued:

"Of course, this is not a task one man can complete. Gather your friends—whether neglected scholars, poets, or farmers in the fields, craftsmen in the castle… as long as they possess true talent and are willing to fight for your ideal, the Collin family will pay for their sweat!"

Luo Ke froze, barely believing his ears.

"Y-Your Highness… are you serious?"

Luo Yan nodded with a smile.

"Never more serious, Mr. Luo Ke. In my view, what you are doing is far greater than inventing a forbidden spell. Our supernatural power is built upon gathered hearts and common sense—and your blueprint has shown me the force capable of uniting them all."

Overwhelming joy struck Luo Ke's mind, leaving him speechless with excitement. He leapt to his feet and bowed deeply before the generous, wise Prince.

"Your Highness… your generosity will illuminate this age! When this great work is complete, I will inscribe your name prominently on the title page, so future generations forever remember your grace! To work alongside you is my supreme honor!"

"That won't be necessary, Mr. Luo Ke."

Luo Yan lifted his teacup again, sipped, and smiled lightly at the destitute yet idealistic gentleman.

"Just place my name alongside yours. My name will be honored by your cause."

The gilded title page would be trimmed as excess, but co-authorship would endure forever.

For a few hundred gold coins, one could leave a "visited here" mark on a masterpiece destined for immortality—no better bargain existed.

…

Footsteps came quickly, then departed just as swiftly.

The only difference: Luo Ke's footsteps now carried far less hesitation and anxiety, replaced by joy and anticipation for a new chapter in life.

From today on, he was the Empire Prince's man.

Even as he stepped out the estate gates, the middle-aged man clutching his thick stack of manuscripts still wore a dazed, dreamlike expression.

"Mr. Luo Ke, the carriage is ready."

Seeing Luo Ke standing motionless at the door, the servant in livery softly reminded him.

"Oh, sorry—I was just thinking about the task Prince Collin entrusted to me."

Luo Ke snapped back to reality, noticing the carriage door had been opened. Blushing, he offered a quick explanation and hurried inside.

The carriage soon departed, heading toward the distant outskirts several miles away.

That was where Luo Ke was currently staying—he was lodging with a distant relative. There, his luggage and remaining manuscripts were kept; it was also his only possession.

Prince Collin hadn't just funded his work—he had funded his impoverished life as well.

After retrieving his belongings, they would travel to the serene eastern outskirts of Leyming City to find a spacious standalone building as their office.

According to Prince Colin's wishes, that place serves as both his residence in Lei Ming City and the future headquarters of the Encyclopedia Compilation Committee.

Not far from there lies the under-construction main campus of Lei Ming University, as well as the library undergoing renovation.

At the same time, within the Colin Estate.

With the guests departed, the side hall returned to the quiet of the afternoon.

Vivian, who had long played the lady, finally tossed aside her feather pen and elegant posture, liberating her mischievous nature.

"Kukuku… No wonder you're my elder brother—so cunning and deceitful!"

Luo Yan picked up his teacup, took a sip, then retrieved the unfinished magical text.

"Do tell me, how exactly am I cunning?"

"That human bookworm!"

Her white knee-high socks swayed beneath her violet-blooming skirt, her crimson eyes glinting with a self-satisfied, all-knowing cunning.

"I've finally figured it out—you're not funding that bookworm to spread knowledge, but to use the Encyclopedia to destroy the Holy Word's authority in the mortal world!"

A faint curve of surprise touched Luo Yan's lips.

"Oh? You can see this far?"

"Of course!"

Vivian's lips curled into a wicked smile, as if exposing a grand conspiracy, and she continued with unwavering certainty.

"When every law of the world can be explained without recourse to the gods, the lies woven by the Holy Word vanish! Those priests always hoard the power to interpret the world, defining its black and white, telling people what is right and what is wrong. Once people can find answers in books, who will listen to those priests' nonsense?"

"This is undermining Saint Xis's foundation, shattering the Holy Word's monopoly on truth! Once this set of books is printed across the continent, the Church's foundation will cease to exist!"

Vivian grew more excited with every word, already envisioning the collapse of Saint Clement Cathedral.

In her eyes, rivers of blood were thrilling—but annihilating an enemy without a single drop shed was even more brilliant.

Far more satisfying than casting a forbidden spell!

No wonder he's her most revered elder brother!

Luo Yan wore a calm smile, neither affirming nor denying her naivety.

Even if such a thing might occur under extreme circumstances, it would take centuries to materialize.

"You're only half right, Vivian."

Half was generous—perhaps one-tenth.

The ghost hovering above the Holy Word is the New Covenant; the Encyclopedia is merely a ghost lingering around "feudalism."

Even if the world enters the next era, Saint Xis will not be utterly eradicated, just as the Elemental Gods of the First Era were not.

It will merely return to its original place, joining the other elemental deities on the cold bench, becoming a relic of the old age—and its cultural legacy to the next.

But for Vivian, understanding this much is enough. She doesn't need to start from scratch—only to preserve her ancestors' legacy.

Luo Yan turned a page in his book and continued in a leisurely tone.

"The Encyclopedia is indeed the second fire I ignited, but its purpose is not destruction—it is construction."

Vivian froze, her constantly swaying legs stilling.

"... Construction?"

"Precisely."

Luo Yan nodded, his voice gentle.

"Destroying the old order is easy—even a mob of brainless bandits, armed with a few muskets, can smash statues to dust. But soon, the giants who awaken will crush them into fragments. Neither empire nor kingdom needed to exert their full strength to deal with them."

Seeing Vivian's half-understanding gaze, his tone grew patient, guiding like a true elder brother.

"If you wish to establish a truly unshakable rule, you cannot merely think of destruction—you must offer a new set of rules acceptable to all, replacing the old. And if you wish to preserve the old order, you must vigilantly guard against those with ideas uniting."

"By the same principle, the Encyclopedia is not meant to blow up Saint Xis's churches, but to gather knowledgeable people to nurture new thought. More importantly, this grand project will draw together the era's brightest, most insatiable scholars under my banner… which is itself uniting those with ideas."

A faint curve formed on Luo Yan's lips.

Unlike the fire blazing atop Saint Clement Cathedral, this is not a future requiring centuries—it is one visible in the short term.

"They will form a new class, bound by shared ideals, raising the banner of 'Reason' to wage war against feudalism."

"They will become—the Encyclopedia Faction."

Vivian froze.

She had thought herself perceptive—but her brother's vision was so vast, he spoke words she had never even heard!

Though she didn't understand, she grasped one thing clearly—

The Demon Lord didn't merely intend to destroy the Church—he planned to sow a new world upon its corpse!

"I see…" Vivian murmured, her cunning fading, replaced by the glow of sudden understanding.

A master strategist never looks only three moves ahead!

He must calculate how to guide his opponent into his own path after victory!

No wonder her ambushes against her elder brother always failed…

Vivian bowed her head in solemn reverence.

"Elder Brother, I understand!"

Watching her sister clearly grasp something, Luo Yan felt a surge of satisfaction. Though she was often flighty, her insight was sharp—she was worth cultivating.

In good spirits, he turned his gaze to the window, where the estate's garden was now carpeted with tender green sprouts, vibrant flowers blooming freely beneath the warm sun, and occasional butterflies flitting around the hedges.

Spring had come.

The weather was growing warmer.

As he admired the scene, Luo Yan's brow relaxed—then froze for an instant.

Wait—

Human winter had long ended; summer was nearly here. This hellish winter break… was it really this long?

"By the way, Vivian—the winter on the northern shore of the Vortex Sea ended long ago. I forgot to ask: you're not planning to stay here until summer vacation, are you?"

"Ji—"

Vivian's expression instantly stiffened; she couldn't suppress a small whimper.

Those crimson eyes, which had just gleamed with wisdom, now darted like rabbits in the grass, avoiding Luo Yan's gaze entirely.

She lifted her teacup—even though the black tea had long gone cold—and pretended to sip with exaggerated delight.

"Ah… today's black tea is wonderful! Is it… the new tea from Bei Feng City? I think this batch was roasted perfectly—it has a certain… uh… spring flavor."

Luo Yan narrowed his eyes.

Vivian's shoulders trembled; tea nearly spilled from her cup.

"Don't try to distract me with such clumsy talk," Luo Yan fixed her with a piercing gaze. "Did you skip school?"

"Puh—"

Vivian nearly spat out her tea.

"Skip… skip school? Elder Brother, how can you say it so harshly… I—I didn't skip! I took a leave of absence!"

Luo Yan: "..."

Seeing this excuse wouldn't fool him, she frantically set down her cup and sat up straight on the soft velvet sofa.

"I'm telling the truth!"

"Someone as rare a genius as me has long outgrown the school curriculum. The professors all say it's better to gain experience in the wide world than to rot in a classroom. That's called 'social practice'! As long as I return one day, submit a decent internship report, I can get my diploma anytime."

"And it's not just me—demons with domains often leave school halfway to manage their lands, returning to the capital after three or five years. Lady Padrich surely understands!"

This wasn't fabricated.

Because it wasn't just hell—Ost Empire did the same.

Many nobles at Saint City's university would abandon studies mid-term when their domains went to war, return with a band of cronies to save the day, then come back adorned with medals.

Some never returned.

Like those sent away mid-war for political marriages.

Hell was no different—true nobles didn't need diplomas; they could be issued on the spot.

Luo Yan said nothing.

He simply stared at Vivian.

The honorable Councilor Luo Yan knew perfectly well she didn't need that paper—he merely thought of his own childhood, and grew angrier by the moment.

Why should these brats escape the rain he once endured?

Damn it!

Not only must homework be assigned—credit system must be implemented!

Under the suffocating silence, Vivian's excuses grew fainter, dwindling to a mosquito's hum.

Three seconds later, Lady Colin's psychological defenses collapsed completely.

"Heeesh…"

Vivian, with perfect self-awareness, slid off the sofa and carefully selected the softest spot on the thick red wool rug, then bent her knees and knelt with practiced ease.

The motion flowed like water.

Clearly not her first time.

"I'm sorry! Demon… Demon Lord!"

Vivian tugged her own ears, head bowed, eyes downcast, as if sincerely repenting.

Her lashes trembled as she whispered.

"Ji… ji… the semester started a month ago. Even if you send me back now, I couldn't catch up."

Before Luo Yan could scold her, she quickly lifted her head, boldly invoking her shield.

But I can't be blamed entirely! The old professors at the academy teach the most boring lessons imaginable, and no matter what I answer, they always twist it to make it right! At first I didn't even realize it—how could even my sneeze be correct? Only when Hainiwete reminded me did I catch on—they were mocking me!

These professors are utterly wicked, so I wrote a letter to Grandpa Caesar, telling him I'm studying advanced "Demon Lord's Way" here—like how to control a human kingdom through economic means, or how to use a stupid book to cut through Saint Xisi's veins!

As she spoke, Vivian's eyes lit up again, her face brimming with pride.

When Grandpa Caesar read my letter, he was overjoyed! He not only strongly supported me not returning to school, but went to the academy himself and gave all those deceiving professors a terrible scolding!

Luo Yan rubbed his forehead, feeling a pounding headache.

Caesar Colin was another chaos-loving madman, yet also a half-god whose power was grotesquely immense—and he doted on his granddaughter more than anyone.

Together, this old man and this girl were a disaster for the underworld's education system.

"…So this is why you refuse to leave me?"

Luo Yan sighed, then remembered another little tail always hiding behind her, "What about Nanfu? Why didn't he go back either?"

Mentioning this "accomplice," Vivian immediately and without hesitation betrayed her brother to lighten her own guilt.

"Nanfu too! And he's even worse than me!"

Vivian pointed outside the door, loudly accusing, "At least I'm learning your Way of the Demon King! But that guy doesn't even want to return to Demon Capital! Two days ago, he secretly asked me how to fill out forms—he wants to enroll as a foreign student at your Lei Ming City University! How can that be allowed? Unless Vivian stays here to watch him, he'll definitely get eaten by human priests!"

"Foreign student?" Luo Yan blinked. "What could a vampire possibly want to study?"

The Holy Scripture?

Vivian gave Nanfu zero privacy, spilling everything without restraint.

"He says he wants to apply for the History Department! He wants to study the war between humans and demons, claiming he'll find the possibility of peaceful coexistence among the dust of history… Kukuku, his brain must've been flooded with lava! If demons don't fight humans, are they supposed to fight goblins at home?"

Luo Yan was utterly speechless.

What legendary lover-king?

Still, this kid resembled his father—whereas Vivian didn't resemble him much at all. And Nanfu never mentioned this to him; he must've decided to be brave for once.

Actually, that's fine.

What the little guy lacked wasn't a guiding light for his life, but the courage to take the first step and the responsibility to bear the consequences of his choices.

Luo Yan was genuinely pleased—Nanfu truly wanted to become a man of honor and integrity.

Unlike his good brother far away.

Ig's gaze always sent chills down his back.

Kneeling on the carpet, Vivian stole glances at Luo Yan's expression, trying to read the Demon Lord's thoughts from his micro-expressions.

Seeing the faint, almost approving curve of his lips, she finally exhaled in relief—she wouldn't have to take on extra homework.

By the grace of Bael…

In all her life, this was the first time Vivian had written so many words—she had never endured such humiliation.

Thinking of it, Vivian's eyes filled again with grievance.

"…The demons of Hell are growing more corrupt by the day."

"Y-yes!"

"I'm talking about you!"

"Squeak—I'm sorry!"

Watching Vivian huddle, trembling with her tiny head in her hands, Luo Yan couldn't bring himself to scold her—and scolding seemed useless anyway.

He was only worried about one thing now.

If Mia found out Vivian had come here, the Demon Lord's plan might become more complicated than ever…

(End of Chapter)