Chapter 61: I Will Protect You

*Knock, knock.*

The door was knocked two times and then gently pushed open.

“Lina, I’m coming in.”

“Mm.”

As usual, Demigula only needed to push the door to enter Gabriela’s room.

Seeing the other girl wearing a nightgown, Gabriela made some space for her on the bed.

“I ran into Qiaolin on my way here. Did you give him that doll?”

“Ah?”

Gabriela suddenly seemed to remember something, and a trace of fluster flashed across her face.

“Sorry, you gave that doll to me. I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s fine. I know your feelings for that guy,” Demigula said as she sat on the bed beside Gabriela, hugging her knees.

“If you like him, you should say it out loud. I like you very much, Lina. You’re the one who helped me find myself again.”

The red-haired girl rested her head on her knees and turned toward Gabriela.

Looking at her flushed and uneasy face, she smiled slightly.

The Crimson Empress was the current patriarch of the Vampires, though it was less of a tribe and more of a tiny family of no more than ten people.

When Demigula was young, the former Demon King, Archimondia, had slaughtered the Vampires who refused to submit to her rule.

Under her rampant massacre, the entire Vampire lineage withered, leaving only Demigula, who was still in her innocent years, as the sole survivor of the royal line.

Perhaps she saw Demigula’s talent, or perhaps she simply wanted to satisfy her desire for dominance, but Archimondia took her in as an adopted sister.

She raised her and turned her into the most loyal blade in her hand.

Back then, the Crimson Empress held the Frenzied Blood Scythe.

Wherever the flaming blade of the scythe swung, not a blade of grass remained.

Cold and arrogant, she was a powerful opponent faced by the Hero Party.

After a great deal of effort, she was defeated by the Hero Party.

However, out of the Hero’s personal selfishness, she was not wiped out like other demons.

Instead, she was taken into the team.

“Almost your entire race was killed by Archimondia. Why are you working for her?”

Saintess Tor asked.

“How could Big Sister possibly do something like that? She is the Demon King! It was clearly God who killed them!”

“Don’t doubt it. You will soon find out what kind of monster your beloved sister really is. But before that — “

The Hero sized up Demigula, whose skirt was shredded and stockings were torn, seemingly having some rather impolite thoughts.

“This Vampire girl is truly a pitiable sight.”

Fortunately, the Saintess extinguished the Hero’s wicked fire in time.

“Come with us and see. You will learn the truth.”

Demigula joined the Hero Party just like that.

She had always admired Archimondia’s strength and beauty until she met Gabriela, a demon girl who looked exactly like Archimondia.

Later, she learned that exactly as Tor had said, Archimondia had murdered her clansmen and kept her by her side only to satisfy her vanity as a victor!

That night, Demigula found a place where no one was around.

She knew she had been aiding a tyrant and had hurt many people for that demon, so she prepared to end her own life.

“I heard from Qiaolin that your name is Demigula, right? You’re a Vampire.”

Demigula turned her head. After seeing that face which was no different from Archimondia’s, a surge of anger suddenly rose in her heart.

She clenched her fists, wanting to vent her frustration on that face, but then she saw the girl’s clear and pure eyes.

Even if the other party was actually Archimondia’s blood relative, what had she done wrong?

The one who betrayed and harmed her was even her own biological older sister.

“What does it matter? After tonight, there will be no more Vampires like me in this world.”

Demigula turned all her anger into a lament, her face looking haggard.

Gabriela approached her and took the liberty of stroking her hair.

“What are you doing?”

Demigula took a wary step back.

“Your hair is really beautiful…”

Gabriela lifted her eyes.

Demigula had never seen such a youthful, sincere smile on that face before.

“I like it very much.”

Demigula’s eyes slowly widened.

At that moment, it felt as if something had been ignited in her heart.

She had met the light that could illuminate her future.

“I… we should sleep.”

Gabriela crawled into the blanket and pushed out a breeze with her hand, blowing out the candle.

The room went dark.

Gabriela only heard the *rustling* of the girl’s clothes rubbing against the bedsheets behind her.

Demigula shifted her body and moved closer to her.

“Lina…”

Demigula’s breath fell gently on Gabriela’s neck, followed by a sob.

“Demigula, you…”

Gabriela hurriedly turned her body around.

Although the room was dim, she could still see the traces of tears on the girl’s face.

“I’m sorry. I’m too weak. I once swore I would protect you, but today…”

Gabriela was stunned.

In her heart, Demigula had always been a mature and reliable older sister.

She was the one who taught her the stance and qualities a Demon King should possess, and she also taught her to dress up well, eat well, and love life outside of work.

Demigula’s determined and brave character had always attracted Gabriela.

Over these 300 years, she had always leaned closely on the other woman.

And now, this was the first time Gabriela had seen Demigula show such a vulnerable side.

At this moment, many words to comfort Demigula came to Gabriela’s mind.

Not even Qiaolin had expected Fafna to reach the Saint Rank.

Even in a competition between those of the same rank, the Dragon Race’s Ultimate Magic was naturally superior.

If Demigula had focused her mind on her own cultivation, she would at least be at the same level as her now, even if she hadn’t surpassed her…

Such words to comfort her reached Gabriela’s mouth, but she couldn’t say them.

Looking at the way Demigula wiped her tears, she thought of one thing.

Demigula had watched over her for 300 years.

Gabriela swallowed all those so-called comforting words and then reached out, hugging Demigula.

“Lina?”

Demigula was stunned by the other girl’s sudden action.

Although the relationship between the two had always been close, Gabriela had a shy and reserved personality.

She never rejected Demigula’s affection, but she rarely took the initiative.

This time, however…

“Thank you, Demigula. You are my best, best friend. From now on, let me be the one to protect you.”

Gabriela’s firm words rang in Demigula’s ear. Her eyes slowly widened, just like the first time she had heard the words the young Gabriela said to her.

The girl also hugged her tightly, and the two fell asleep in each other’s arms.

—

On an unnamed hillside hundreds of kilometers away from the Demon King’s Castle.

A black claw slowly reached out from a pile of rocks. With a low growl, the stones shattered, revealing the petite figure embedded inside.

“Damned Gabriela, I will definitely have my revenge!”

“Brother Qiaolin really is in the Demon King’s Castle. Let’s go find him right now!”

Fafna, whose face was originally gloomy, suddenly broke into a smile. A gentle blue light flashed through those golden dragon eyes.

“Tsk, fine, fine.”

“You can’t be so rowdy next time. We could have talked properly, but you insisted on showing off your power. Now you’ve learned your lesson, haven’t you?”

“What? That person clearly took advantage of my lack of attention to ambush me! Originally, with the two of us working together, no one below the Saint Rank could hurt us. It’s all because of…”

“You aren’t going to blame Brother Qiaolin, are you? When we get to the Demon King’s Castle, I will control the body. Otherwise, I won’t give my power to you. Humph!”

“Hey…”

While Fafna was lost in a self-argument of shifting moods, the Red Dragon that had been trailing behind finally arrived.

“Princess Fafna, are you alright?”

“You’ve come at the right time. Pampas, take me to the Demon King’s Castle again,” Fafna said.

“Ah? Again?” The Red Dragon named Pampas widened his dragon eyes. She had just been sent flying, and now she wanted to go back? He had exerted a lot of effort just to catch up.

But since Fafna surpassed him immensely in both strength and status, Pampas had no right to refuse.

“Well… alright then.”