Chapter 8
Across the ocean, it was currently early morning in the Floral City .
As a light drizzle fell from the skies in daytime, the raindrops drew a picture of a rainbow under the sun’s illumination . A wide and sturdy figure stood under the rain, lifting his head to observe the rainbow, entranced by the sight .
“What’s wrong?” Suddenly, a curious inquiry rang out from behind . Turning his head, he spotted the person who had freed him last night .
“It’s a rainbow . ” Varg pointed at the rainbow, “Apparently, the rainbow is a token of the contract between the Sovereign God and humans . ”
“I didn’t expect you to be so poetic, Varg . ” The man let out a light chuckle, “Let’s go . ”
“I didn’t think we would meet again in such a short time . ”
Last night, he had followed his instructions and headed towards the rendezvous point . Another Summoner had brought him to a tiny hostel and gave him a change of clothing as well as fake documents . Then, the Summoner placed a few disguise and storing spells on him; when early morning arrived, he was led to Paris .
The guide placed him in a coffee shop, instructing him to meet up with someone else at an intersection across the street at ten o’clock .
He hadn’t expected to see a familiar face .
“That’s right . ” The man gave him a wry smile, “Our organization has been short-handed lately, so they were left with no choice but to dispatch me . ”
In reality, his colleagues did not like to interact with those of the Royal Clan, so the job of recommending the newbie had fallen into his hands .
Varg followed behind the other man . The man was not carrying an umbrella, letting the rain sprinkle onto his shoulders .
Suddenly, a shadow shrouded the man’s head .
He halted, lifting his head to see an umbrella over his head .
“Oh! How considerate of you!”
“This was demanded by the Deliso Family . Their Contracts are required to tend to the Summoners’ every daily needs . Not only are the Contracts weapons, they also act as servants . ”
“You are no longer the Deliso Family’s dog . ”
“I know . ” Varg gave a bitter laugh, “A deep-rooted practice cannot be corrected in such a short amount of time . ”
The man fixed his gaze on Varg, smiling, and let Varg continue holding out the umbrella for him .
“It’s Christmas today . ” After walking a small distance, Varg spoke, “Don’t you need to celebrate it with your family?”
The man turned his head with considerable interest, “You‘re a Christian?”
“Those of the Deliso Family are . The entire family will conduct mass, sing hymns, and even hold banquets at the Deliso Family’s own private chapel . ”
“Ha!” The man let out a taunting laugh, “After all the dirty work they’ve done, the amount of people they’ve killed, how dare they attend church and praise the Lord?”
“Because the Deliso Family knows of the unfailing love given by the Sovereign God towards humans; according to His benevolence blot out all their transgressions . ”
“The first verse of Psalm 51, huh . ” The man halted his footsteps, turning his head to look oddly at him, “This is the first time I’ve heard a demon quote the Bible at me . You’re a strange one . ”
“The Deliso Family has always been devout followers . I have been with them for four-hundred years, and naturally I ought to know a few things . ” Varg paused a little, “Besides, strictly speaking the Deliso Family are only cruel towards demons and Opposers . They are pretty well-known in the area as charitarians . ”
“Isn’t the cruelty inflicted upon demons considered an offense?”
Varg went silent for a moment, then spoke, “The Sovereign God only loves the humans, He does not pity the demons, so…”
Even if they were slaughtered, even if they were treated like goods, this was not an offense to God .
“You’re wrong . ” The man shook his head with a smile, “The humans believe themselves to be blessed by God, that’s all . ”
After walking some distance, Varg opened his mouth once more, “You knew of me citing the Bible, and knew which section it came from . Are you also a follower of the Sovereign God?”
“No . ” The man chuckled lightly, a figure in white robes surfacing in his mind, “An acquaintance of mine is deeply committed to this path, and I was a little influenced traveling by his side, just like how you were influenced by the Deliso Family . ”
“I see . ” Varg nodded . “Right, Summoners . ”
“Are you always this noisy?”
“You still haven’t told me how I should address you . ”
The man gave a mischievous smile, “Call me the Gentleman Thief . ”
“That’s just the name of your disguise . ”
The man raised an eyebrow, and after a slight pause, “East Officer, of the Green Lion’s Four Pillar Regalia, East Officer of the Wind . The Third Prince’s subordinates usually call me Lord East . ”
“That’s just your title, not your name . ”
The man humphed impatiently, but he was still smiling, “You talk too much . ”
He did not provide an answer, walking onward on his own . Varg did not speak again for the rest of the way .
About twenty minutes later, they reached a building in the city center .
The building stood tall, sticking out among the other structures around it, its outer walls cladded with gray granite . It was carved into a Romanesque style, the shiny stone surface reflecting the rays of the sun, emitting an aura of lavishness .
“This is the Third Prince’s base?” Varg looked at the building before him, saying with astonishment .
The East Officer smiled lightly, “Rather than a base, it would be more suited to call it a palace . ”
Varg did not continue talking, following the East Officer as they entered the building .
The entrance hall’s decorations and furnishings were much more complicated and gorgeous than its exterior, but there were guards patrolling and defending every corner .
The East Officer took out an ID, and after conducting several inspections, they were finally let through .
“Is this your first visit here?” Varg was curious .
“No, I’m a frequent visitor here . ” The East Officer pressed the down elevator button .
“Are frequent visitors also required to go through so many inspections?”
“It was demanded by the Third Prince . ” The East Officer stepped into the elevator, followed by Varg . When the elevator doors shut close, the East Officer continued, “Because he does not trust humans . ”
Varg furrowed his brows, seemingly having a few objections about it, but he did not voice it out and continued to ask, “Were those guards earlier all demons?”
The numbers were a little large, he didn’t think the Royal Clan would have such influence in the human world .
“Is your true form a cat? You’re so curious . ” The East Officer smiled, taking out the domino mask from his pocket, putting it on as he answered, “The guards stationed from the first to fifth floors are all humans, the sixth floor and above are guarded by demons . ”
Varg frowned once more, and did not speak anymore .
The elevator stopped on the highest floor . An attendant led the two down a hallway, arriving at the hall where the Third Prince was .
In the spacious hall, there was an entire wall of glass showcasing a panoramic view of Paris’ scenery . A tall and gorgeous chair was placed in the center of the hall, where the Third Prince sat .
“It has been a while, Your Highness . ” The East Officer bowed respectfully .
As he bent his waist, he threw Varg a glance .
Seeing this, Varg also dropped into a bow .
“This is a demon who was newly liberated on Christmas Eve, he was imprisoned by the Summoners for four-hundred years . ”
“Four-hundred years? That’s a truly long time . ” The Third Prince propped his head on one hand, gazing down loftily at Varg, “As someone who has been domesticated by humans for four-hundred years, do you really have the capabilities to become part of the Royal Clan’s elite troops?”
With that, a guard flashed into the room . Both of his hands had transformed into leathery wings filled with sharp spines, which shot at Varg from both sides .
Varg did not even turn his head, his body leaning slightly to one side and cleverly dodging both attacks by a hair’s breadth . His hands, which hung low, transformed into claws, ferociously lifting them to swipe backwards, launching a fist into the assailant’s face .
“Ugh!”
The guard was sent flying by his fist, skidding a few steps away after landing before steadying his body . He reached out to wipe the blood from his face, then continued leaping forwards to attack .
It was then that Varg turned his body around, facing his enemy . The guard made an onslaught of attacks, each one of them fatal, but Varg was quicker than him, always dodging in time and catching on to his cracks, striking him .
Although Varg had held back, the guard was struck repeatedly, and the amount of injuries accumulated were not light .
“You cannot beat me, stop . ” Varg urged .
“The Third Prince has not permitted me to stop . ” The guard’s face was covered in blood, his breathing heavy, but he still charged onwards .
Varg froze slightly . The person before his eyes was covered in wounds, but he was still refusing to admit defeat . While he wished to show him mercy, he was forced to continue this fight .
“Alright, you can stop now . ” The Third Prince had grown bored of this fight, calling out to put a stop to it .
The guard halted immediately, releasing a sigh as if he was relieved from a burden, retreating to his original spot .
“This warrior has proven his strength . ” The Third Prince gave a faint smile, and looked at Varg . Using a benevolent tone to speak, he asked, “What are you called?”
“Varg . ”
“Varg? So you are part of the Vargr Clan . ” The Third Prince, extending a hand with a smile, “Even if your original race is not a branch under my jurisdiction, all the demons are my people . I am willing to acknowedge you, offer you refuge in the human world, and give you a secure place to live . ”
Varg stood at his spot, looking at the Third Prince’s hand which halted in mid-air, not making another move .
An ominous glint flashed across the Third Prince’s golden eyes .
“Varg?” He spoke smilingly, his tone carrying something incredibly sinister along with it, “Are you not willing to kneel, to swear allegiance to me?”
The East Officer spoke out to smooth things over, “He has been tormented by the Association’s Summoners for four-hundred years . Now that he has obtained freedom, and even has the opportunity to serve under the Third Prince, he is moved to foolishness by such a disparity . ”
“Is that so?”
Varg nodded, walking forwards to kneel before the Third Prince .
“I am very blessed, as someone with my lowly status, to be given the chance to create a pact with someone as honorable as the Your Highness… This has far surpassed my expectations, words cannot express my gratitude…”
The corners of the Third Prince’s mouth curled in satisfaction .
He muttered an incantation, his finger lighting up with a golden glow, then pointed at Varg’s forehead . The golden light extended downwards, transforming into a ring of light which curled around Varg’s neck . The halo flashed for a moment, then vanished .
“Contract established . ” The Third Prince drew back his hand .
Varg stood up, expressed his thanks towards the Third Prince, and retreated behind the East Officer .
“Alright, the sideshow has ended . ” The Third Prince glanced at the East Officer, “Let’s begin . Lord East, has there been any new developments on linking the portal to this world? It has been a long time since I heard encouraging news . ”
“Your Highness, there have been absolutely no developments of late . ”
The hall was instantly surrounded by a heavy oppressive aura of killing intent . The guards who stood by the side revealed looks of unease .
“Your way of talking has grown quite witty ever since you switched to this ridiculous identity . ” The Third Prince propped his head on one hand, fixing his golden eyes onto him, “So, the reason why you showed up here tonight was just to inform me that you’ve failed?”
“We haven’t failed, but there has been no progress either . ” The East Officer gave a light chuckle, “After all, the Third Prince always dispatches a bunch of useless troops who don’t help much with our work, which is exactly why the project has stagnated . ”
The attendants standing by the side broke into sweat, fearing for this courageous visitor’s life .
Faced with such disrespect, there was still a smile hanging off the Third Prince’s face .
“I understand now . ” He placed his hand down onto his armrest, “The Green Lion sent you here to make amends with your death . ”
He flicked his finger .
A sound of bone shattering came simultaneously from the East Officer, who stood before the throne . His body twisted from the sudden and violent force, blood spurting out from the pores all over his body, splattering into a bloody, thick fog which slowly floated to the ground . The deformed corpse swayed against the wind like a flickering candle, then collapsed to the floor .
The Third Prince glared at the corpse on the floor, abruptly realizing that the one lying there was one of his own guards .
The demon had returned to his original form after his tragic death, a tar-like, reddish black liquid bubbling out of the injury at his stomach .
Varg lowered his head to look at the demon’s corpse, silent .
Faint laughter rang out, and a face covered by a mask appeared on the spot where the guards stood .
The Third Prince looked at the man before him, raising an eyebrow, then gave a cold, dismissive smile . “As expected of the Four Pillar Regalia‘s East Officer of the Wind . You have some skill . ”
“Are you disappointed at not having killed me?” The East Officer walked over, standing beside the corpse .
“No,” The Third Prince stood up, “If someone I was cooperating with was unable to withstand a single blow, I would be disappointed in my inability to evaluate a person . ”
“I’m flattered . ” The East Officer sighed, “I did hope to come bearing good news, but opening and fixing a passage to another world is a truly difficult matter . What’s more, the passage we dug through this time was the Qizhu Horn . The Seven-Pointed Star Assembly has already lost six high-level Summoners due to it . ”
Varg widened his eyes at the mention of opening a passage to another world, staring at the East Officer in shock .
“This means another six demons have also died . ” The Third Prince humphed coldly, “After all, the Summoners have always used the demons as a shield . ”
“I didn’t know the Third Prince cherished his kind so much, treating the people as his own kin, having compassion even for the demons who are not under your jurisdiction . ” The East Officer praised, but there was a strong sense of irony in his tone . “However, we aren’t completely at our wits’ end . There is a way to successfully dig out a passage, but this method can only be completed with The Third Prince’s assistance . ”
“Haven’t I given you enough assistance?”
“Not just in manpower – after all, those demons will just increase the number of casualties no matter how many you dispatch . In order to open up the Qizhu Horn, we’ll need something much more powerful . ”
The Third Prince glared at the East Officer, waiting for his answer .
“The Green Lion has discovered an arcane forbidden curse obtained from the Lich . The curse’s most important condition is to use the Royal Clan’s Spirit Jewel as a medium . ”
Crack!
All four pieces of the tempered glass, the marble floors as well as the ceiling ruptured at the same time, instantly creating spider web-like cracks all over them .
“Do you know what you are saying?” The Third Prince said in a light, serene tone .
Every successor of the Royal Clan had a Spirit Jewel of their own; that was a soul crystal . The Spirit Jewel itself possessed incredible power, but as the successor grew in age, its power would gradually diminish . Even if the Spirit Jewel was lost, it would not influence the Royal Clan .
But this Spirit Jewel was not merely a symbol of status – it represented the entire clan’s hope and glory . To a prince, this was an object as significant as one’s own life and honor .
And yet, this trifling human had the gall to ask for the Spirit Jewel? Too impudent, just too arrogant!
“I was just asking . ” The East Officer smiled dismissively, as if he had just asked if he could borrow a pen, “Then, the Third Prince will just have to wait for any further progress . ”
“Is that a threat?”
“How would I dare threaten the Third Prince . ” The East Officer smiled wryly in defense, “If the first signs of the situation go wrong, the Third Prince will always have the opportunity to return to the netherworld and continue acting as the Third Prince . We’re different – the Association’s Summoners have always been proactively rooting us out . ”
While the East Officer’s words appeared to be humble, there were thorns concealed behind them . To the Third Prince, it sounded like an awl drilling into his heart .
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If he failed, he could return to the netherworld, and continue acting as the Third Prince .
But he would always be a prince, never a king .
With the exception of Shuekan, who had disappeared into the human world, the Sixth Prince Rothen and Ninth Prince Azor had acknowledged their allegiance to him on the surface, but still refused to admit his position in the netherworld . After all, he had betrayed Shuekan, who had placed his utmost trust in him, in order to obtain the most powerful position .
The Third Prince was silent for a moment, before speaking, “I will send more people to your side . ”
The East Officer gave a small sigh, “I thank the Third Prince for his aid . ”
Looks like the negotiations tonight would end here .
“As for you . ” The Third Prince looked at Varg, “Your first task will be to stay by Lord East’s side, providing him assistance as well as reporting back to me as the occasion demands . ”
Varg accepted his order respectfully, “Yes, your Highness . ”
Varg followed the East Officer, exiting the hall and entering the elevator to descend .
Varg did not speak along the way until they exited the building, and only opened his mouth when they entered the streets .
“I’ve never met someone of the Royal Clan before this . ”
“And here I thought you lost the ability to speak after making a contract with the Third Prince . ” The East Officer smiled, “How do you feel, seeing someone of the Royal Clan with your own eyes?”
“If he were the victor of the race for power between the Royal Clan, the netherworld has truly degenerated after I left it . ”
“Your words are really poisonous . He’s your new master . ”
“I merely expressed modesty and respect during the making of our contract, not a pledge of loyalty . ”
“I could tell . ” The East Officer chuckled lightly, “What’s your motive for indulging in petty tricks?”
“I wouldn’t make any uncertain promises, not even with the slightest hesitation in me . ” Varg said seriously .
“Are you starting to plan a betrayal when you’ve just signed a contract?”
Varg hesitated for a moment, then spoke, “…He does not have the bearings of a king . ”
“Oh?”
“He does not trust humans, but cooperates with them . This is not how a wise man would act . When a situation turns sour, or when he achieves his goal, he can always turn his back, breaking faith . ” Varg paused a little, “Of course, the same goes for you guys . ”
The East Officer hummed with a smile, “You should hold your tongue, your frankness may bring you trouble one day . ”
“It doesn’t matter . I will only say such words in front of you . ” Varg shrugged, dismissing him to continue speaking, “The way the Third Prince treats his subordinates is similar to how a Summoner treats his Contract . In his eyes, we are merely his tools . ”
“Heh, you’re pretty sharp . Is that your nature, or was it something you learned from the Deliso Family?”
It was true that the Third Prince looked down upon the demons who used to hold a contract with the Summoners . But as they were being hindered from opening up a passage and lacked the manpower, he had suggested attacking the Summoners and offering their demons to the Third Prince .
The Third Prince had considered it for four days before giving his assent .
At first, he had just wanted to gain the Third Prince’s trust and increase their manpower . He hadn’t expected for him to send Varg over to his side .
“We must have been brought together by some kind of fate . ” The East Officer smiled wryly, “You’ve just separated yourself from a human, but are now forced to operate with another . I’m sorry to make you go through all of this . ”
“I’m fine with it . In any case, I don’t hate you . ”
A vehicle drove past them, splashing a pool of rainwater onto a group of passersby .
Varg quickly stood out to block the incoming spray, protecting the East Officer from being splashed by waste water .
The East Officer raised an eyebrow, “Learned that from the Deliso Family?”
Varg nodded .
“Thanks . ”
“Do I need to assist in any of your missions? Does it have to do with opening a passage that you mentioned earlier?”
“Don’t be so anxious, we’ll leave that task for a later date . My current job is transporting goods . ” The East Officer took out his phone to look at his itenary . Suddenly, two beeps sounded from his phone, notifying him of a message .
The East Officer frowned, cutting back to the previous interface .
”Do you get seasick?”
Varg answered, “No . ”
“Very good . ” The East Officer sent a reply of confirmation to a fellow comrade, “Your first mission will be located on a cruise liner . Not bad, is it?”
“Will we set off immediately?”
“Don’t be so impatient . It’ll only set sail in January . ” The East Officer pressed onto his speed dial, “We’ll make a trip to Frankfurt first, I need to pick someone up . ”
His face, which always bore a smirk, shone with a genuine smile the moment his call connected, “It’s me, I’ll reach before 3 PM . Did you receive my present?”
An excited cry of thanks sounded from the other end of the call .
“I miss you too, see you later . ”
When the East Officer ended the call, Varg asked curiously, “Is that one of the Opposers? Or a demon?”
“My most treasured person . ”
“She is my most treasured person, the one I long to see the most . ”
Byriel, dressed in a semi-transparent merman costume made of gauze material, sat on a rock, gazing into the distance where a castle sat on a mountain ridge, illuminated by the first glimmers of dawn, sighing deeply .
It was by fate that as the Mermaid Prince, he had rescued Princess Su Li Wan, who had met with misfortune on a stormy night, and sent her ashore, only leaving after the palace guards had come to retrieve her .
But ever since that day, he would often come to this shore, gazing into the distance in the hopes of meeting the princess again .
The students beneath the stage watched the play seriously, each one of their gazes so focused they became entranced . Was it because Simo was great at writing plays, or was it due to the actors’ performance and ability to pull the audience’s heartstrings?
Or perhaps it was purely because the damp costumes had discernibly outlined the curves of each one of their figures, and the semi-transparent material caused the audience’s minds to capriciously imagine the body parts concealed behind dark folds of their clothing .
Feng Ping Lan was acting the part of an attendant, staying backstage when he wasn’t acting . He didn’t have much screen time, and only needed to show his face twice, so he spent most of his time being a spectator dressed in costume, watching the play backstage .
“But what does it matter even if I met her?” Byriel whispered, lowering his head, “We belong to different worlds, I cannot show myself in front of her . Even if she is willing to accept me, willing to accept my love for her, this world would still tear us apart, forcing us to separate…”
Feng Ping Lan listened to his confession . For some reason, an indescribable feeling arose in his heart .
“Beloved little brother . ”
A rough voice rang out behind him, and Byriel turned his head to see Morris, dressed as a merman, surface from under the sea with an arm around a piece of driftwood .
Morris’ body was completely rigid . He was afraid of water, and even if he knew the ocean surrounding him was just an illusion, such a realistic visual effect and feeling made him unable to regard this with a calm mind . While the director had been preoccupied, he had taken the chance to tear off a board before going on stage . Carrying a piece of wood put him at ease .
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“Second Royal Brother, why are you here?” Byriel pressed down the urge to burst into laughter, and spoke according to the script .
“I could tell that you’ve been feeling d-down in the palace for the p-past few days . ” Morris stiffly spat out the lines, his face ashen, not even realizing that he had stuttered .
“Second Royal Brother, why are you carrying a piece of wood?” Byriel asked deliberately, “Could it be that you raided the humans’ fishing boats to steal their food?”
This question did not exist in the original script .
“N-no, this is from the prop box’s cover—” Morris had forgotten that he was in a performance, blurting out a genuine answer .
“What did Royal Brother just say?”
“Uh! I meant—” Morris hurriedly thought of something to save the situation, “This is a piece of wood . ”
“I know . ” Byriel smiled, looking as Morris panicked, “What I am curious to know, though, is why is Royal Brother grabbing onto that piece of wood so tightly?”
“I—” Morris was lost for words, unable to answer .
His gaze moved to the backstage, and realized that Liu Yi Chen was glaring at him viciously, gesturing for him to throw that piece of wood away .
But he couldn’t put it down! He would sink if he let go! He had to think of a reason to continue holding on to this board—
“Is it to hide your morning wood?” Byriel asked smilingly .
“Yes! That’s right!” Morris replied straight away without thinking about it, but immediately realized that he had fallen for it, “Ah! No! Damned insect, you dare—”
Tan Hua suddenly emerged, blocking Morris behind her as she spoke, “Second Royal Brother is just worried for you . You have been making such a sorrowful face in the past few days, and we frequently lose track of your whereabouts . You have grown much thinner of late . We would like to know, what exactly has unsettled you?”
This scene did not need Tan Hua to go onstage, but as Morris’ performance was just too terrible, Tan Hua had been momentarily sent out to put out the fire .
Byriel sighed, “I have fallen in love with someone . ” He gazed afar, “A human girl . ”
Tan Hua bore a look of astonishment . “You have fallen in love with a human?!”
Morris also revealed a look of shock, his face pale, because he realized that the board he was grabbing onto had shattered into pieces under his powerful force .
“I know that such feelings are not allowed, however, I cannot constrain the desire in my heart . ” Byriel revealed a sorrowful expression, “What should I do? Royal Sister?”
“This…” Tan Hua sank into deep contemplation, as if this was an unsolvable mystery .
“You can find the Black Swamp Sea Witch who lives in the marine trenches! She has a potion that can turn a mermaid into a human as long as you pay a price!” Morris bobbed up and down the surface of the ocean, blurting out the entire stage dialog in one breath .
“The Black Swamp Sea Witch?”
“Yes, her! Located in the Seafloor Reef District a hundred miles northeast of the palace! The Sea Witch is very evil, you must not find her, I’ve warned you, you absolutely cannot head off in search of the potion, understood!”
“I understand . ” Byriel suppressed his laughter, ”It’s late, we’ll be discovered by the humans if we do not leave . Let us return . ”
The curtains fell .
“You idiot!”
An enraged roar and a small scuffle could be faintly heard behind the curtains .
After a moment, the curtains rose . A new scene began .
In the depths of the sea where the sun’s rays could not reach, where not many fishes swam about, all was quiet .
An eerie green flame flickered faintly in the darkness .
The Mermaid Prince Byriel swam past the craggy and towering reef, heading for that weak source of light .
The source of light was coming from a rock cave . Byriel paused before the entrance, hesitating for a second before swimming resolutely into the cave .
“Little lost fish, this isn’t your place to fool around…”
The instance Byriel entered the cave, a low voice rang out from within . He swam further in, and there the Black Swamp Sea Witch was, entrenched in the deepest part of the cave .
Dressed in a black low-cut octopus costume and a wig, his entire body painted with light purple, Zong Yu sat somberly behind a churning cauldron, shooting the person before him a dirty look .
Someone who totally resembled Ursula had descended upon the real world!
The moment Zong Yu appeared on stage, a disturbance rippled throughout the spectator seats .
Prince Byriel looked at Zong Yu the Sea Witch, hesitating for a moment, “I came here to—”
“Idiotic fool . ” Zong Yu let out a scoff, cutting off Byriel’s words, “I know what you want… You plan on abandoning your own race for a ridiculous reason, to pursue a love that will never bear fruit…
“You dare say that the feelings you hold for a woman you don’t know, that you’ve only met once and have never interacted before, is true love?” Zong Yu let out ear-grating laughter, “Did the members of the royal family drink too much of the humans’ waste water? They’re getting more useless one generation after the next…”
Prince Byriel did not answer the Sea Witch’s question, and instead glanced at him in puzzlement, “How did you know about me?”
A sinister and cryptic smile crept onto the Sea Witch’s face, raising his tentacles to place onto Byriel’s face . They slid downwards, winding around his neck, collarbone, and finally arrived at his chest .
The audience excitedly sucked in their breaths .
After taking a moment to pause before his heart, he moved away . “…Because I am always watching you . ”
Byriel wanted to ask more about that, but another tentacle moved to block before his face, its tip curled around a glass bottle .
“Here’s the potion you wanted . Drink it, and you’ll become a human . ”
Byriel took the bottle, “And what is the price I have to pay?”
Once again, the tentacles wrapped a few times around his neck .
“Your voice . ” Zong Yu spoke, “You will lose your voice, unable to explain your origins to her, unable to express your feelings to her; you will be unable to tell her of the sacrifice you made in order to meet her…”
Zong Yu let out another derisive cackle, withdrawing his tentacles .
“There are disadvantages to the potion . Firstly, you will have to bear immense pain during the transformation process . Your scales will peel off, as if your outer skin is being carved out piece by piece; your tail will break up, and your tailbone will be split into half; next, all your muscles and bones will be snapped apart one by one – it’ll feel as if a blade is slicing your lower half into little strips, then knitted together… Heeheehee… You will lose blood, but your blood will regenerate quickly… Your veins will feel agonizing pain from the violent shrinking, as if a needle has snapped in your veins—”
Byriel gave a slight cough, pulling the increasingly animated Zong Yu back to reality .
Zong Yu pursed his lips, “Mm, in short, it hurts a lot . ”
“I know…”
“In addition, this potion will only be in effect for half a year . If you are still unable to be with the one you love by then, you shall turn into foam and vanish . ”
“Half a year is enough . ” Byriel looked at the glass bottle, “Even if our final conclusion is to separate, I would rather use my life in exchange for half a year’s interactions than spend the rest of my life in regret . ”
Half a year…
It had been four months since he met his Contracts . Within these four months, he had been met with countless life-threatening situations .
If he had the choice to do it all over again, he would still be compelled to make the pact with the six demons, he would still choose to join the Shadow Academy .
Risking his life fighting side by side with his companions was much happier than counting the rest of his days in solitude!
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Even if such days could end at any time .
Suddenly, a deep sense of loneliness surfaced from the bottom of his heart .
“Hey! Your turn’s up! We’re about to switch to the palace scene, attendants should prepare to enter the stage!”
“Oh oh okay!” Feng Ping Lan hurriedly stood up, throwing those thoughts to the back of his mind .
The Mermaid Prince who had transformed into a human lay ashore, having fallen unconscious after experiencing the agony caused by the transformation .
As this particular beach was the royal family’s private territory, the unconscious Byriel was quickly discovered by patrolling palace guards and brought back to the palace .
The handsome man of unidentified origin rescued from the seacoast immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the palace .
“What’s your name?” The princess played by Su Li Wan asked curiously .
Byriel smiled, pointing at his own throat, then shook his head .
“You cannot speak…” The Princess let out a regretful sigh . “Where did you come from?”
Byriel pointed out the window and towards the vast blue body of water .
“So you came across the seas…” The princess let out a faint laugh, then looked at Byriel . After a moment’s silence, “Have we met before?”
Byriel only smiled, and did not explain .
Prince Byriel expressed a strong curiosity in many affairs after entering the palace; his charm and unique conduct garnered interest from the princess . Byriel was very unfamiliar with all the wares in the palace, as if he had never seen these everyday objects in his life .
At night, when it was time to light the candles, Byriel stared at the candle flame, bearing a look of amazement, scrutinizing it for a long moment .
“Haven’t you seen a candle before?” Su Li Wan asked with a smile .
Byriel shook his head .
“Let him have the candle, then . ” Su Li Wan turned, instructing Zhong Xian, who was acting as the captain of the palace guards .
With a severe expression, Zhong Xian lifted the candlestick and held it out to Byriel . Byriel received it with a sigh of admiration .
“Do you know what this is used for?”
Byriel looked at the flame, and after a moment, smiled .
He pulled Zhong Xian’s hand, and with a tilt of the candlestick, dripped its wax onto it .
The sudden heat caused Zhong Xian to furrow his brow . Pulling his hand back, he glared menacingly at Byriel .
“Impudent!” Zhong Xian reached out, intending on subduing Byriel .
However, Byriel reacted quickly, grabbing onto his hand and using his other hand to rapidly pull out the captain’s belt, and with a nimble wave, wrapped it around Zhong Xian’s hands .
Byriel gripped the belt and pulled it backwards . Zhong Xian became unsteady on his feet and fell onto one knee, kneeling before Byriel in a subservient stance .
Byriel smiled, then raised the candlestick once more, pouring the bright red wax onto Zhong Xian’s body .
“Uh— Stop it!”
This caused another uproar among the audience .
In truth, this segment was supposed to have Byriel administer it on Su Li Wan . Simo had always wanted to pay tribute to the authors of her most beloved erotica novels, but Zhong Xian had been vehemently against the idea, and the disciplinary supervisor had somehow gotten wind of the contents of Shadow 1A’s performance which went a little too far, so they had been put under high scrutiny .
And so, all the moving interactions between male and female had been turned into parts for two males, explaining the titillating as provocation, legally skirting the line to preserve the original work so as not to cross the regulations .
Looking at the groaning Zhong Xian, a devilish smirk rose on Byriel’s face, having absolutely no intentions on stopping .
“Uh, um, that’s not what belts and candles are used for…” Su Li Wan stepped forward, taking the candlestick from Byriel’s hands, and pulling the captain up .
However, Zhong Xian did not appreciate the help, flinging Su Li Wan’s hand away and untying the restraints himself .
Su Li Wan smiled, carrying a hint of bitter helplessness in her smile . She turned, asking Byriel, “Have you visited the library yet?”
Byriel shook his head in puzzlement .
Su Li Wan took Byriel’s hand, leading him deep into the palace .
The days passed one after another, and Prince Byriel gradually became accustomed to life on land, growing much closer to Princess Su Li Wan .
The two of them were unable to communicate using speech, but there was a spiritual connection between them, enjoying the time they had together .
However, Su Li Wan’s gaze would frequently linger on her guard .
Four months had passed, and just when Byriel thought the situation was gradually getting better, an unexpected visitor came to the palace .
“It is a pleasure to meet you, most beautiful princess . ” A gentle voice rang out, “I am the prince of a neighboring kingdom – I am also the one who rescued you at sea, several months ago . ”
Dongya, dressed in black formal attire, appeared in the palace with a sunny, resplendent smile, announcing his identity to the princess .
Byriel was startled . He looked at Dongya, unable to comprehend why he would lie, but he had no voice to speak .
Dongya had used the excuse of furthering foreign relations to move into the palace .
Byriel could not do anything, and merely stood quietly by the side as Prince Dongya replaced him, conversing harmoniously with the princess .
“You like the princess, don’t you?”
One night, when Byriel was out in the gardens for a stroll, a question rang out from his back .
He turned, realizing that it was Prince Dongya, unease and guardedness arising in his eyes . He turned his head and prepared to leave, but Dongya reached out to block his path, grabbing onto his wrist .
Byriel tried to shake him off, but his grip was tight .
“I just wanted to talk with you . ” Dongya’s smile was gentle, “I heard of your origins from the princess, and my curiosity was piqued . ”
Byriel revealed a defiant look, glaring at Dongya .
“Not a bad expression . ” Dongya leaned into Byriel’s face, lowering his voice, “Did you think that the princess would agree to be with a penniless man from a dubious background? Even if she loved you, the king would not agree . ”
Byriel turned his gaze away .
“Idiotic fool, how long do you think these circumstances will last?” Dongya smiled, releasing his hold, “Good night, the nights here are chillier than the waters of the ocean, you’d best return to your room early . ”
Backstage, Feng Ping Lan had his head propped up on one hand, entranced by the performance on stage .
…How long would these circumstances last?
He did not know .
Having gotten a taste of happiness, would he be able to return to those days of solitude?
He did not want to know .
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