*Thump, thump.*
A crisp, slightly urgent knocking sound rang out against the wooden gate of the courtyard.
Lü Erlu was squatting in the garden watering his roses.
He froze for a moment upon hearing the knock, then habitually patted the dust off his linen trousers.
As he stood up, he casually brushed back a few stray strands of hair that the wind had tousled across his forehead.
‘That’s strange. This secluded little courtyard rarely has visitors besides those three girls.’
*Creak—*
The wooden gate swung open, but there was no figure standing there as he had expected.
Only a scroll of parchment with a light brown sheen lay quietly on the doormat.
Unrolling the parchment, a familiar Royal Wax Seal came into view, causing Lü Erlu’s gaze to gradually fixate.
He then couldn’t help but let out a low chuckle.
The sender was actually that King whom he hadn’t seen in ten years.
The handwriting on the letter was neat yet betrayed a sense of urgency.
The Demon Race had reappeared, rebuilding their kingdom on the forgotten, barren lands, and their influence was quietly expanding.
The King earnestly requested that he use his past experience to once again accompany the Hero on an expedition, subjugating the Demon Race before they could stabilize their power.
Lü Erlu’s fingertips paused as he held the parchment.
While his expression appeared serious, a hint of helpless amusement was hidden in the depths of his eyes.
And what was his decision?
He simply turned around and walked into the house, tossing the urgent secret letter into the wicker trash can by the door without the slightest hesitation.
“Are you crazy?”
He muttered to himself, his tone devoid of any real anger, sounding more like a doting complaint.
“I’ve only lived a peaceful life for ten years, and they’re already coming to stir things up again.”
Back then, the Hero had beaten the Demon Race so badly their nation was destroyed and their homes were lost.
Now, only ten years later, they had restored their kingdom?
Either that damn System was at work, or they had run into a one-in-a-million stroke of good luck.
Lü Erlu leaned toward the former.
Aside from his own Longjiu, who else in this world carried the royal bloodline of the Dragon Race?
Even if Ziya and Baining had some kind of royal bloodline, they had grown up by his side since they were small.
Previously, they had almost burned down the kitchen just trying to cook; when would they have had the time or the ability to build a kingdom?
‘Unless one of those three little girls was reincarnated with the memories of the former Queen.’
Leaning against the doorframe, Lü Erlu remembered the sound of the three girls laughing as they played hide-and-seek in the yard this morning, and he couldn’t help but laugh.
‘If that’s really the case, I’ll castrate myself on the spot!’
Humming a nursery rhyme he had taught his daughters ten years ago, he turned back to the garden, picked up his watering can, and continued to tend to the plants.
The sun was just right, and the breeze was mild.
He couldn’t care less about the restoration of the Demon Race or the Hero’s expedition.
***
In the Great Hall of the Dragon Realm, the dragon throne shimmered with a gentle luster, complementing the warm light outside the hall.
Longjiu sat tall upon it, her golden dragon pupils slightly narrowed.
Her voice carried the majesty unique to the Dragon Race, yet it lacked any true malice.
“Mortal of common birth, you have trespassed upon the territory of my Dragon Realm. Do you acknowledge your crime?”
The human scout kneeling on the ground was shaking all over, his face smeared with tears and snot as he cried and begged for mercy.
“Spare my life, Lord Dragon King! I… I was only following military orders to scout. I intended to just take a quick look and leave. I didn’t expect to actually step into your territory! Please show mercy, waaaah!”
Longjiu frowned with dissatisfaction, her small nose twitching slightly.
‘The smell of human tears is terrible!’
She cleared her throat, her tone still majestic, but she quietly lessened the pressure of her aura.
“Coming here on orders? Hmph, nothing but an excuse! To dare enter my Dragon Realm with prying eyes is to harbor ill intent!”
“I sentence you to three months of labor in the Dragon Realm’s fruit orchard. Take good care of those Spirit Fruit Trees, and you shall be released once your sentence is served. If there is a next time, death awaits you!”
“Thank you for sparing my life, Dragon King! Thank you, Dragon King!”
The scout was overjoyed, kowtowing repeatedly in gratitude before being led out by two expressionless Dragon soldiers.
Sitting on her throne, Longjiu watched his departing figure disappear outside the hall, a flash of complex emotion crossing her golden pupils.
Humans truly were cowardly and weak, willing to throw away even their dignity just to save their lives.
But her Father was different.
Even though he was clearly just an ordinary human, and even though he knew the three sisters were part of the Demon Race that the world feared, he had still summoned immense courage to raise the three little ones.
When she was little and naughtily burned down the kitchen, Father hadn’t scolded her.
He had only smiled as he helped her clean up the mess and even taught her how to play with fire safely.
When Ziya was afraid of the dark, Father would light a warm lamp outside her room every night, not leaving until she had fallen asleep.
‘Father, your race limits your body, but your soul is stronger than any member of the Dragon Race.’
Longjiu sighed softly, her small fist quietly clenching as she made a silent calculation in her heart.
‘Once I become a bit stronger, I must find a way to let Father escape that weak body so he can stay with us forever.’
***
In the palace of the Vampires, warm red candlelight reflected the vine patterns on the walls, and the air was filled with a faint scent of red wine.
Baining sat gracefully upon her throne, her fingertips lightly stroking a crystal wine glass as the red wine within developed tiny bubbles.
“Your Majesty, forgive me for overstepping, but where have you been for these past ten years?” a Vampire maid asked as she bowed, her tone humble yet carrying a hint of concern.
Baining remained silent for a moment, her gaze drifting toward the moonlight outside the window.
Her tone was calm, yet it held a trace of imperceptible softness.
“I once concealed my true form and descended into the mortal world to experience the various facets of humanity. Furthermore, I lay dormant beside the Hero’s assistant, all to investigate how he possessed such immense power.”
“Then, Your Majesty, did you discover anything?”
“I discovered an absurd pattern.”
Baining took a small sip of the red wine.
“Whenever the name of a ‘Demon King’ appears in the world, the heavens bestow incomparable power upon the human Hero.”
“Demon King?”
The maid looked confused.
“Correct. Thinking back to when the Dragon King sister made a joke saying, ‘I am the Demon King,’ it actually brought about a disaster that nearly killed her. Such a ridiculous mechanism of cause and effect is truly laughable.”
“Your Majesty, now that you have returned, what are your plans?”
“The hatred of a fallen nation must naturally be avenged.”
Baining’s tone turned a few degrees colder, yet she remained composed.
“I have my two younger sisters. As long as we do not falsely claim the title of Demon King, I can lead them to crush those provocative humans.”
“Your Majesty is wise!”
A flash of excitement appeared in the maid’s eyes.
“The remaining remnants of the Vampires are all harboring a will for revenge, just waiting for your command!”
“Do not be in such a hurry.”
Baining raised a hand to stop her, her tone regaining its steadiness.
“Revenge is not a matter of the moment. First, we must accumulate military strength and organize the affairs of the restoration. Only when we are strong ourselves can we stand firm.”
“Your Majesty is quite right,” the maid replied with a bow.
Then, as if remembering something, she added, “You were previously undercover by that human’s side. Now that your mission is complete, should I arrange for someone to eliminate him to prevent your identity from being leaked?”
“How dare you!”
Baining suddenly raised her voice, a flash of severity crossing her blood-red eyes.
But the words paused at her lips, and her cheeks quietly flushed with an imperceptible crimson.
“He… He is an important person I have designated.
*Cough cough.*
This human is of great use.
Try hurting even a single hair on his head and see what happens.”
“I beg for forgiveness!”
The maid hurriedly knelt to plead for mercy, but she couldn’t help but sigh in her heart.
It was over.
During her time undercover, Her Majesty had probably gone and lost her heart to the target without even realizing it.
Under the candlelight, Baining picked up her wine glass and took another sip of wine to cover her embarrassment, but that gentle figure involuntarily surfaced in her mind.
The ten years of dormancy to investigate the source of the Hero’s power was true, but that phrase “important person” was certainly not a casual remark.