Chapter 594: The Colin Family

In March, Huesheng City was always drizzling, the sky like a perpetually dirty rag smothering everyone's mouth and nose.

In the attic of a hotel not far from the central cathedral, the air reeked of damp, moldy wood, and beneath the floorboards, rats seemed to scurry past.

Elin, wrapped in a wool shawl long enough to drag on the ground, huddled on an old wooden chair by the window, her tall, straight back appearing lonely.

Not only the "Radiant Knight" was trapped by the "Bishop," but also the legend of the Campbell people.

She had endured here for nearly half a year, and the Tribunal showed no sign of leaving. She did not know how much longer she would stay, nor what purpose remained in staying.

She still remembered that the Northern Relief Army had come to deal with the Chaos Corruption ravaging Dusk Province.

But perhaps only she still remembered.

"Theresa."

"I'm here, Your Highness."

Hearing the voice behind her, Elin did not turn, and after a moment of silence, she spoke.

"How is things outside lately?"

Theresa replied respectfully.

"Huesheng City remains the same, but changes outside have been significant. The spring plowing in Jingshui Tan has begun, and at Qijiu Pass… thanks to you, the warriors who followed us to Dusk Province have all been granted their own land."

"Is that so."

A faint warmth stirred in Elin's heart, dispersing some of the dark clouds weighing on her brow.

Her gaze passed through the dusty window, toward the bleak, muddy street where occasional patrols walked, and gaunt citizens sat by the roadside.

Though many still lived in fear, at least those behind her were spared death and terror.

It seemed… there was nothing to regret.

As she thought this, a sudden, unannounced pain clawed up her chest, making her fingers involuntarily tighten around the shawl.

It was not physical pain, but like a string tied to her heart's tip, plucked by unseen fingers with a brief, trembling note.

"Your Highness?"

Theresa sharply sensed Elin's distress, immediately rising and stepping to the chair's side, her eyes filled with concern.

"Are you… unwell?"

Sarah, silent until now, also looked up; her shadowed cat ears twitched slightly, her amber pupils unreadable.

"Nothing. Just… suddenly felt a pang of unease."

Elin took a deep breath; the heart-pounding sensation came fast and vanished quickly, leaving only an empty, phantom ache.

She slowly shook her head and loosened her grip on the shawl.

Theresa, unsure what to say, was about to offer comfort when Elin, head bowed, suddenly spoke in a dreamy whisper.

"Theresa, do you remember the summer when I was eight?"

Theresa thought for a moment.

"I remember that year you awakened your extraordinary power. The late King seemed very pleased."

Awakening extraordinary power at eight was rare—indeed, it was exceptional talent.

On the continent of Aus, the typical awakening period for extraordinary power ranged from twelve to sixteen years old, with growth beginning after sixteen.

The speed of growth depended on environment, innate limits, and post-awakening encounters.

Some remained Bronze at sixteen, yet rose to Platinum or even Diamond within just four years.

Elin was one such case.

Theresa clearly recalled Duke Aaron Campbell's joy at the time. Yet to her surprise, Elin gently shook her head.

She was not speaking of that.

"That summer, I found a red-tailed finch with a wounded wing in the castle garden. It stayed in my palm all summer, singing to me each morning, waiting for me to wake."

Sarah thought for a moment, murmuring to herself in a voice only she could hear.

"It was probably hungry."

Elin did not hear Sarah's tactless interjection and continued on her own.

"It spent a joyful summer with me. But when autumn winds scattered the birch leaves, it flew from my sight—and never returned."

Here, Elin's gaze grew distant, as if reliving that childhood summer.

"I searched for a long time, but never found it again. My heart now feels much the same… I keep sensing something important slipping away from me."

Sarah had no intention of speaking, but opportunities to speak were so rare she could not help herself.

"From my experience, if spring doesn't return… it probably nested elsewhere, or got eaten by a wild cat."

Theresa: "..."

"Is that so…" Elin paused, then smiled gently, "Then I hope it found its own happiness, and wasn't eaten by a wild cat during migration."

Sarah said nothing.

The Campbell people did not eat birds, but the demon who ate anything might—especially when starving, she'd even steal the Demon King's food.

Elin turned her gaze back to the window, gazing blankly outside, murmuring softly without reason:

"Please don't leave me…"

She did not know why she had suddenly said that, but the feeling welling inside felt exactly like that summer in her memory.

Though later her father gave her a talking parrot, she never found that pure, simple joy again.

Not everything in this world has a replacement, nor can everything be bought or exchanged with power.

Theresa fell silent.

Though she read no less than Elin—sometimes even borrowed books from her—she still could not grasp the princess's poetic metaphor.

After all, the books she read were straightforward, like the sword in her hand: broad, direct, unadorned.

"Your Highness, I think… you may be suffering from homesickness."

Theresa attempted analysis.

"Dusk Province is too cold and scarce in supplies. In Leiming City, you loved the sweet cherries from Nanxi Valley, but here you can't even buy a fresh apple… I'll go to the black market later and see if I can get some honey."

"I went already. There was none," Sarah said flatly, lowering her arms and sighing, "I'll handle it."

Though she disliked humans—especially the Campbell family—she had lived with them long enough to soften some of her prejudice.

Friend?

Perhaps that was the word.

Humans always complicated simple relationships. She preferred the rules of the Great Cemetery: one lifelong master was enough.

Everything else was excess.

"Thank you."

Elin nodded lightly at Sarah, offering a grateful smile to the girl with a sharp tongue and a soft heart, then buried her chin in her drawn-up knees.

Perhaps—

In answering Sarah, she also answered Theresa's guess. She too felt she might simply be homesick.

Was the sun in Leiming City warm now? Had the flowers in the manor bloomed? Had the spice merchant from Wuyuan Port brought nuts from the eastern shores of the Vortex Sea?

She loved figs best.

And all sweet fruits.

After all, practicing swordsmanship and horsemanship consumed great energy.

And the happiest thing in the world was, after sweating profusely, eating a salted pineapple—she could devour three in a row without stopping!

"Theresa, what do you think… what is Prince Colin doing now?"

The sentimental warrior princess murmured again; this time, Sarah's ears perked up too—not out of interest, but pure instinct.

"I heard he's recently been establishing Leiming City University. Speaking of which, Leiming City has changed so much—when you return, you'll be astonished."

"Is that so? I hope he hasn't been tangled in some strange trouble."

A woman's intuition could be utterly unreasonable.

Though hundreds of kilometers away, she felt a sinister presence drawing near to the simple-minded Prince Colin.

Hearing the princess's concern, Theresa smiled reassuringly, pressing her right fist against her upright chest.

"Rest easy, Your Highness. Prince Colin is the most capable man I've ever seen—no less than your brother. Even dragons bow before him… I believe no trouble is too great for him to handle easily."

Hearing this, Sarah's perked ears flattened sideways, as if agreeing.

Listening to Theresa's confident reassurance, Elin finally allowed herself a small smile, whispering softly:

"I hope so."

…

The sunset's glow dyed the courtyard of Colin's manor blood-red—when suddenly, a neatly trimmed hedge exploded outward—

What flew out was not merely the hedge.

Amid the swirling dust, eight-year-old Duke Richard struggled to rise from broken branches and fallen leaves, his fine silk shirt caked with grass and dirt, his young face filled with confusion and terror.

So fast!

To protect his three-year-old brother, he had reacted instinctively—his arm took a solid flying kick.

He hadn't even seen Vivian's afterimage!

On the lawn nearby, Vivian clutched her chest with one hand and leaned on a flowerbed with the other, her expression as if shot through the heart.

"Ji—"

A trembling sound escaped her lips.

What's happening?

An unprecedented, fierce pain surged from deep within her soul, resonating with the unseen ripples from beyond.

This damned familiar—

Dares to covet her own brother!

Vivian's lips trembled with rage.

Even if Padric's fox spirit is one thing, but doesn't that guy already have his own brother? Why steal someone else's toy?!

Watching Vivian, who was in unbearable pain, young Richard was stunned.

I was the one who got kicked—so why is it Vivian Young Lady who's hurt?

Could it be…

I'm actually strong?!

Out of gentlemanly courtesy, the little boy didn't press his advantage against the injured lady; instead, he offered a concerned word.

"V-Vivian big sister, are you alright?"

"Me? I'm fine! Perfectly fine!"

That clearly wasn't "perfectly fine."

Richard knew well: only when someone is trying to hide the truth do they repeat the same thing more than twice.

Like a drunkard insisting over and over that he hasn't had too much.

Poor little "Campbell" had just reached the age where a crowd of sycophants would swarm around him—but before he'd even enjoyed a few days of peer admiration, he was forced to learn how to read people's expressions.

Watching Vivian Young Lady, whose teeth were nearly ground to dust, he swallowed hard and tried to mimic his father's calmness, speaking in a trembling voice.

"B-but I can see you're badly hurt… Why don't we call it a truce… next time, next time we settle who's better?"

Saint Cis, he really didn't want to play with Vivian Young Lady anymore.

This was terrifying!

Alfred, hugging his head and shivering, felt the same.

His father said Vivian Young Lady would play with them—but this wasn't her playing with them; it was them being brutally beaten.

In the past, Vivian probably wouldn't have hit so hard, but today she clearly couldn't control her emotions.

All because, through the manor's glass window, she had clearly seen her brother's expression—something she'd never seen before: embarrassment.

Why on earth was this happening?!

A blood-soaked wedding flashed in her mind: guests drinking Minotaur's blood, clinking glasses in celebration, while the happy bride wasn't herself… Thinking of that tragic world, Vivian felt another sharp pang in her chest—so intense she couldn't breathe.

I got here first!

Damn it—

Her pent-up fury surged wildly through her narrow chest, finally crystallizing into two vicious glares fixed on Richard and Alfred, who had just tried to slip away.

"Who said I'm badly hurt?!"

Seeing the purple-haired witch clenching her fists with audible cracks, Richard panicked completely and shouted at his brother.

"Alfred, run!"

"Brother!! I won't leave you!"

"Go! The Campbell honor cannot end with us!!"

What a pair of doomed lovers.

Facing the undefeated little tyrant of the Modou, the Campbell "country nobles" were simply too young.

Of course, even the nobles from the Holy City would have been the same.

After all, the human world is civilized—even Marshal Ebergh, at eight, had never been beaten by a Platinum-tier powerhouse.

Even though Vivian honored her promise and didn't use her supernatural power, nor her vampire's sharpest claws or fangs, those tiny fists that had subdued all the Modou 's second-generation demons were still too much for two human children to withstand—the latter were instantly reduced to fleeting shadows in the courtyard.

"I'm done! I'm going home! Waaahhh—"

"Crying? Crying counts as time!"

"You… demon!"

"Kukuku, little Campbells, this is the adult world! Kneel before the Collin family and feel fear!"

In the spring of OS 1054, the future Duke Richard left a riddle in his diary that would baffle countless historians—

【That day, the Demon King descended upon the Collin Manor.】

No one knew what he experienced that day, or what astonishing secret he witnessed.

Darkness enveloped the entire field of historiography.

Research into the Demon King once again hit a dead end.

…

In the evening, the tea gathering in the manor's parlor finally ended, and Duke Edward's party stepped out of the main building to take their leave.

Luo Yan urged the couple to stay for dinner, but Edward insisted that Sir Andes had already prepared a banquet to welcome them.

Edward emphasized again that he had come to Lei Ming City solely for the summer hunt, and had merely detoured here after receiving a reply—not to intrude deliberately.

"Lady Mitiya, please rest well. If you need any help with daily matters, do tell me," Lady Antoinette held Yaya's hand, her face filled with concern and pity.

Mia smiled shyly, embarrassed.

"Mm… I will."

"Also, regarding the establishment of the art department at Lei Ming University, please keep an eye out for us, Lady Mitiya."

After the lady, Edward also nodded farewell to Mia, adding another mention of Lei Ming University.

Whether for the future of the Campbell Duchy or for his sister's happiness, giving this distant guest, Miss Yaya, something to do was a good idea.

At least she couldn't just linger here.

It was too dangerous.

Edward himself was a man—he knew how difficult it was to resist such temptation…

On the other side, the royal physician was examining the two young masters' injuries, using holy light to heal their bruised and swollen faces.

At that moment, the physician applying ointment to Richard suddenly gasped and shouted toward the approaching duke.

"Saint Cis above… Your Grace, look!"

All eyes turned instantly.

On Richard's previously bruised arm, a faint golden glow was now faintly emerging.

Though weak, the light carried a startlingly pure, heart-stopping aura, autonomously repairing the subcutaneous bruises.

This was clearly not the physician's magic.

Duke Edward's pupils shrank sharply—he, as a Gold-tier powerhouse, recognized at once: the sign of supernatural power awakening!

This is—

Iron-tier?!

Edward stepped forward, seized his son's wrist. Feeling the subtle yet real force pulsing like a heartbeat, his face broke into incredulous joy.

"Richard, you've awakened?!"

In Campbell family history, awakening "Sacred Qi" before age ten was already considered genius—yet Richard had crossed into the supernatural realm at just eight!

No wonder he's my son!

This talent rivals Eileen's!

Though for nobles, supernatural power isn't as crucial as commoners imagine, having it is still better than not.

Besides, from Edward's experience, a healthy body is the foundation of work—supernaturalists simply endure longer than mortals.

Richard was also dazed, watching his excited father, his cheeks flushing with involuntary pride.

"I, I guess so?"

At this moment, he didn't know what kind of childhood his father had already planned for him after seeing his talent.

In contrast, Alfred was far luckier.

Having learned from the Winter Coup, Edward was determined to fully implement the happy education of Princess Lino and his second son.

The future of the Campbell—

Must be borne by the eldest son!

"Miss Vivian!"

Setting down his son's arm, Edward strode excitedly toward Vivian.

Seeing Richard's father approaching, experienced Vivian assumed he'd come to demand an explanation. She quickly glanced around, searching for her brother's presence.

Not that she needed a parent—her brother had forbidden her from using supernatural power, and without it, she wasn't sure she could defeat a full-power Gold-tier warrior.

No—

She'd definitely lose, right?!

Just as she was about to assume a defensive stance, Edward's action took her by surprise. This noble human duke bowed slightly to her in greeting.

"Miss Vivian, you are truly the finest instructor I've ever seen! The Campbell knight tutors were helpless with him—yet you awakened him in just one afternoon! This debt, the Campbell family will forever remember!"

Vivian froze.

Huh??

Is this allowed?!

"W-wait—"

By Bayeli, she, Vivian the Great, had never helped a human awaken supernatural power—this was outright framing!

She didn't care about Bayeli—just as few human nobles cared about Saint Cis. She was mainly afraid Padric Young Lady would seize this as leverage to threaten her brother.

That would be bad.

The Collin family's little brat always assumed the worst about Padric's fox spirit—though she didn't realize she was wasting her intelligence here entirely.

Mia wouldn't even think of this level, and even if she did, she'd never risk Colin disliking her by doing something only goblins would actually do.

Back then, some lowly succubus threatened some lowly human purely because she saw her beloved rushing into a firepit and couldn't help but briefly misuse her power in a childish fit.

At the time, the labyrinth in Lei Ming County wasn't like today—it wasn't a coveted assignment for juniors and juniors; going meant almost certain death.

Eighteen demon generals were reduced to just four—this was a high-intensity war by any standard in Hell; humans and demons usually didn't fight each other with such lethal intent.

And even setting aside Mia's scheming, she could never truly harm Vivian.

Miss Padrich still saw Vivian as her younger sister in her heart.

But this younger sister was a typical Colin vampire—mentally unstable, and not just possessive, but fiercely so, forcing Miss Padrich to bring out her true abilities to deal with her.

If Vivian would just surrender and give up half, she'd immediately take Vivian's hand, agree to reconciliation, and treat her affectionately as her own little sister, just like before.

Maybe she'd even share a bite with her.

But Edward didn't listen to Vivian's frantic protests. Seeing her open her mouth to refuse, he pressed on without pause.

"I humbly beg Miss Vivian to offer your guidance—I'll frequently bring my two unworthy children to trouble you! Please don't hold back!"

Whether to offer guidance or not is secondary.

Even transcendent power is secondary.

The main point is to come visit Prince Colin's estate more often!

Richard and Alfred, just awakened, heard their father using them as bait and instantly went pale, nearly fainting right there.

Vivian wanted to refuse, but feeling the gaze behind her burning brighter than holy light, she could only grit her teeth and force out a smile uglier than crying.

"... Ji, ji is my honor."

Ji?

Edward paused, but didn't think much of it—he assumed Vivian had bitten her tongue from running too fast.

After bidding farewell once more to Prince Colin, who had seen him to the door, the respected Duke took his children and wife aboard the carriage waiting at the estate gate, heading toward Andis Estate.

The carriage finally moved.

The rumble of wheels carried the last traces of noise into the night beyond the estate.

Richard and Alfred sat stiffly in the carriage's corner, vowing never again to see anything purple—not even eggplant.

Only little Princess Lino remained full of energy.

She pressed against the window, waving vigorously at the purple-haired boy standing at the door, her eyes shining.

"Gutaf brother! Next time, bring me to catch butterflies again!"

"Don't forget me—!"

She thought her father was brilliant—she'd never realized that simply praising Gutaf brother could turn the estate's hedges into blurs.

Hehehe, she'd do this again!

Nan Fu stood at the estate gate, wearing a shy, happy smile, waving until the carriage vanished at the road's end.

Then he cautiously glanced at his older sister's stormy expression, ducked his neck, and slipped back into the main hall.

Though his sister's face was dark, he felt today's sunlight was unusually brilliant, while his favorite night felt unbearably long.

He had never before longed so desperately for tomorrow's sun to rise—even if its scorching light threatened to burn him to ash.

But compared to Princess Lino's smile, nothing else mattered.

No one had ever praised him for running fast, climbing high, being clever, strong, or remarkable...

But Princess Lino was different!

In her eyes, he seemed an all-powerful hero, her bright gaze forever sparkling with admiration.

That feeling of being praised and needed made him feel as if he'd been soaked in a vat of honey.

Today, he gained many precious first-time memories.

His heart pounded fiercely; the sensation of being alive had never been so intense. Nan Fu touched his burning cheeks, his resolve stronger than ever.

Humans—

Are simply amazing!

The Colin family's lover talent continued to perform flawlessly.

The goblins of the Demon Capital would never know that the greatest threat to Hell was neither the mentally unstable Vivian Colin nor the easily flustered Mia Padrich.

But the rising legendary Lover King—

Nan Fu Colin.

Night fell over the Colin Estate.

Miss Padrich was grinning foolishly as she talked to a teapot, while trembling Miss Colin received her brother's lecture.

Meanwhile, the Level Three Assembly of the Leyn Kingdom convened as scheduled, concluding its first day's agenda in this ordinary dusk.

Coincidentally,

The citizens of Roland City had no idea what nonsense Mr. Newcastle had been praising the imperial chef for during the long-table meeting.

(End of Chapter)