Chapter 69: Reunion

The Demon King Castle’s dungeon.

Candlelight flickered from holders embedded in the moss-covered walls, their surfaces crawling with eerie, dark patterns.

Xing Yue walked at the front.

Behind her, Emily floated in midair, surrounded by a faint cyan glow.

Yes, floating.

That was the effect of the Levitation spell.

Though Xing Yue had said “carry her on my back” back in the room, she wasn’t foolish enough to actually carry a girl who looked noticeably heavier than herself all that way.

Besides, she still needed to bring a bento for Wei Anna.

So, the Levitation spell was the optimal solution.

Having the Wind Spirit support Emily was both effortless and stable, and it freed up her hands to carry things.

However—

“Princess Xingyue?”

Emily’s voice came from behind, tinged with a hint of grievance.

“This feels… kind of…”

“Kind of what?”

“Kind of like I’m being treated as luggage…”

Without turning her head, Xing Yue replied flatly, “You are luggage right now. The talking kind.”

Emily: How can this be…

(>口<)

“…Fine.”

She pouted, but ultimately chose to meekly accept her “luggage” identity.

The temperature around them dropped lower and lower, the air grew more damp and clammy, and the faint, musty odor of decay grew stronger.

Emily’s face was already pale.

Ever since leaving the room, she had seen all sorts of bizarre monsters along the way—some looked ferocious, some had seven or eight eyes, some were covered in tentacles… many were monsters she had never seen before, and each one made her face turn a shade whiter.

Here, she was so out of place, only the humanoid Demon Princess in front of her gave her a sense of security from being of the same kind.

Although Xing Yue had said this was the Demon King Castle before, Emily hadn’t mentally prepared herself at all.

So this is the Demon King Castle…

Wuwuwu… So scary… It really is a demon’s den!

“Emily, are you alright?”

At that moment, Xing Yue noticed something seemed off about Emily’s condition and asked with concern.

Emily nodded with difficulty, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s: “I’m… I’m fine.”

Right after she said that—

From the corner ahead, a rustling sound suddenly echoed.

The sound grew closer and clearer, like the friction of countless arthropod legs scraping across the ground at the same time.

Then, a massive shadow slowly emerged from the darkness.

It was a centipede-like hundred-legged monster.

Its body was as thick as two people hugging each other, and its length almost filled the entire passageway’s view. Dense rows of legs moved alternately on both sides of its body, each step making a soft “click.” On its pitch-black, glossy carapace, eerie patterns could be seen wriggling faintly.

The moment she saw this thing, a certain pink-haired girl turned completely gray and white, her entire body twisting into an abstract painting reminiscent of The Scream.

Arthropod.

Crawling creature.

And this big!

For a girl, this was a nightmare-level visual impact.

“Eeek—!”

Emily instinctively shrank back, but with nowhere to flee while floating in midair, she could only watch helplessly as the giant centipede approached them.

The centipede stopped in front of Xing Yue.

Xing Yue also halted, narrowing her eyes slightly.

What is this thing?

Why had she never seen it before when she came to the dungeon?

The centipede monster’s head lowered slightly, its countless compound eyes glinting with a dim light, and it spoke first.

“You must be the Princess.”

Its voice came from within its body, low but not lacking in gentleness, carrying an ancient majesty.

“This is my first time meeting you. I am the Prison Warden here. I’ve long heard that Your Highness often visits the dungeon to see the Holy Maiden, but I’ve never had the chance to welcome you. Please forgive me.”

Xing Yue looked directly at the gigantic creature before her, somewhat surprised: “Huh? You’re the Prison Warden?”

“Yes.”

“Then how come I’ve never seen you any of the times I came before? Aren’t you in charge of the dungeon?”

This was the first time Xing Yue had met this dungeon warden.

She had once complained that the Demon King Castle’s dungeon management seemed way too lax—the warden was perpetually absent. Wasn’t he afraid that the prisoners might one day escape?

Though Yang Dazhuang had said the warden was probably just out getting food, honestly, Xing Yue didn’t believe it. She thought there was no way Phyllis would let someone so negligent guard the dungeon. So she figured the warden must have been hiding in some dark corner of the dungeon all along, watching everything in the cells like a creep.

“Ahem… that’s correct…” The Warden coughed awkwardly, seemingly a bit embarrassed, “But I’m ashamed to say, I get hungry easily and have a bit of a gluttonous streak. Every time I deliver meals to the prisoners and watch them eat so happily, I end up feeling hungry myself.”

“So basically… I spend most of my time in the cafeteria…”

“Sorry, Your Highness, you must be amused…”

Xing Yue: “…”

So that’s how it was!

Xing Yue felt helpless. The Demon King Castle’s modus operandi was indeed different from what she had imagined; it couldn’t be judged by common sense.

“…It’s fine. I’m here to take someone to see Wei Anna. Is that alright?”

Upon hearing this, the Warden swept his compound eyes over Emily behind Xing Yue, showing no extra expression—if those countless compound eyes could have expressions.

“Of course, Your Highness. If you permit, allow me to guide you.”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

“It’s my honor. Please follow me, Your Highness.”

The Warden turned around, his hundred legs writhing as he led the way ahead.

Emily didn’t dare look at that writhing giant body, nor did she catch their conversation. She was pulled along behind by Xing Yue’s spell, keeping her eyes peacefully closed the whole time.

She seemed to be physically present, but her soul had already checked out for a while.

Thinking that the dungeon warden was such a terrifying monster made Emily even more worried about Wei Anna’s situation.

The pink-haired girl, whose soul had already drifted far away, could only silently repeat in her mind:

Wei’anna Jiejie… please be okay…

—

Finally, the Warden stopped in front of an iron door deep in the dungeon.

He writhed his hundred legs, picked out a key from among the dense rows of arthropod limbs, fiddled with the lock for a few moments, and with a “click,” the iron door slowly creaked open.

“Wake up, Emily, we’re here.”

Xing Yue reminded the pink-haired girl behind her.

Emily opened her eyes dazedly.

It was too dark.

She couldn’t see anything.

Only the faint candlelight on the walls barely illuminated a small area near the entrance. Beyond the door was deeper, thicker darkness.

Xing Yue had already stepped inside first, and Emily, still under the Levitation spell, was naturally pulled along with her.

As they entered the door, a silhouette finally emerged faintly from the darkness—

A figure sat leaning against the corner.

She tilted her head, her eyes covered by a black strip of cloth, and heavy shackles were fastened around her ankles.

Upon hearing the footsteps, the figure slightly lifted her head.

Xing Yue walked over, casually pulled up a small wooden stool—like she was just visiting a neighbor—and sat down in front of the figure.

“Wei Anna, I’m here.”

Her tone was natural and flat, as if greeting an ordinary friend.

“This time, I brought you a bento.”

The figure—Wei Anna—looked toward her as if trying to identify the voice.

Then, her nostrils moved slightly.

She smelled it.

That familiar scent.

It was…

A stir arose in Wei Anna’s heart, but her voice remained respectful: “Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Mhm.” Xing Yue set the bento aside and continued, “Also, I brought Emily here for you today, like I said before. Thanks to you, she woke up.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Anna was momentarily stunned.

Just then—

“Wei’anna Jiejie—!”

A voice tinged with tears rang out from the darkness.

Wei Anna’s body trembled violently.

That was—

That was the voice she knew so well.

“Emily?!”

Her voice suddenly rose, and she grew agitated, struggling to stand up.

“Emily! Is that you?! Is it really you?!”

Xing Yue promptly dispelled the Levitation spell on Emily.

Emily’s legs gave way, but she didn’t care. Stumbling, she ran all the way to Wei Anna.

“It’s me!”

Then, she threw herself into Wei Anna’s arms.

The two held each other tightly.

“Wei’anna Jiejie… I missed you so much…”

“Emily, you’re alive… thank goodness…”

Wei Anna’s voice was also choked with tears.

In those blindfolded eyes, something wet was seeping through the cloth.

As if she had finally found an outlet for her emotions, Emily buried her face in Wei Anna’s shoulder and cried even louder.

“I thought… I thought I’d never see you again… Everyone… everyone…”

“I know, I know.” Wei Anna gently patted her back, her voice tender like coaxing a child, “It’s okay, I’m here.”

“Wuwuwu… Wei’anna Jiejie, are you… are you okay? Did they mistreat you? Your eyes… your hands…”

“I’m fine, really.” Wei Anna’s voice was steady and soft, “I’m just locked up… I haven’t suffered much. Princess Xingyue has taken good care of me.”

She didn’t tell Emily what she had gone through.

Not a single word.

The long-lasting blindness, the world shrouded in darkness day and night, the mental torment that had worn her down, as well as the loneliness and despair she felt inside when Phyllis had tormented and toyed with her a few days ago—all were buried deep in her heart.

Because Wei Anna knew that the girl in her arms right now needed her comfort more.

“Really?”

“Really.”

Emily lifted her head and looked at her with tear-filled eyes.

Though Wei Anna couldn’t see, she could feel that gaze.

She reached out, fumbled to find Emily’s face, and gently wiped away her tears.

“Don’t cry, silly girl.”

“Instead, tell me—where did Phyllis take you before? I was really worried something bad had happened to you.”

Emily sniffled and began recounting her experience in fits and starts.

After they were defeated, Phyllis had taken her to the top of the Demon King Castle. There, she met a member of the Blood Clan, and then she completely lost consciousness. She only woke up just now. She had no memory of what happened in between, but she was truly terrified—it felt as if she had already died once.

Wei Anna listened quietly, occasionally gently patting her hand, or tenderly stroking Emily’s hair to calm her emotions.

Xing Yue sat to the side, watching the scene in silence.

She didn’t speak, nor did she interrupt.

She just watched the two of them hold each other tightly—one crying like a child, the other gentle like a beam of light.

The candlelight outside the cell flickered, casting dappled shadows across her face.

Xing Yue suddenly reached out and pressed her hand to her own chest.

Why…

Why did it suddenly ache a little here…