The night was pitch black, a silver moon hung high in the sky, and below, the entire city of Kalandu was immersed in revelry. Bright lights illuminated every street, and countless monsters were indulging in unrestrained celebration. The lively atmosphere could even be clearly heard within the royal palace.
The previously subdued and oppressive atmosphere in Kalandu, caused by the failed war and the sudden appearance of rampaging monsters throughout the Edras Kingdom, was replaced today when their king announced Sally as the next ruler—a Ghoul who possessed multiple unique skills, became a High-ranking monster at the young age of ten, and would awaken as a True Demon Lord in the future, leading Edras out of its predicament and ushering in an era of peak prosperity.
The entire royal capital plunged into immense revelry and celebration. Countless monsters began preparations from the moment the announcement was made, and endless amounts of fine wine and delicacies were continuously brought out. As night fell, a grand celebration began in the entire capital, celebrating the imminent end of their plight and the next ruler, the Demon Lord Sally.
"Oz, do you hear that?"
Inside the royal palace, Edras, sitting high on the throne, rested his chin on his hand, a faint smile on his lips as he looked out beyond the palace. There, the bright lights illuminated the sky above the entire city, and the cheers and laughter of countless monsters echoed through the night, with many monsters even seen soaring through the sky, waving their wings.
Looking at this lively and vibrant scene, Edras smiled from the bottom of his heart. For a king, what could be more pleasing than such a sight? What could be more important than giving hope to subjects mired in despair?
"I hear it. It's been a long time since I've seen the people so happy," Oz nodded, looking at the boisterous and lively scene outside the palace, his usually indifferent eyes filled with tenderness.
"Edras, have you really decided to let that Sally be the next queen, and to use the power of the entire kingdom to help her grow into a Demon Lord species and then awaken as quickly as possible?"
At that moment, a female Ghoul who looked like a young girl but possessed a noble demeanor looked at Edras and asked softly, her eyes filled with a strange light.
"Ena, what do you mean? Am I not being clear enough? Or have Flander and the others begged you again to change my mind?"
Edras slowly turned his head to look at the female Ghoul named Ena beside him, but his cold eyes unconsciously revealed a trace of tenderness when he looked at her. She was Edras's queen, and the partner who had always been by his side from the very beginning.
"...Edras, I just... I just don't want the kingdom you've struggled for your whole life to be given to someone else. Can't we find another way? Like the [Summoners] of humans, we could control Sally's soul with a curse. That way, we can both save the Edras Kingdom and gain Demon Lord-level combat power, and in the end, you will still be the king of the Edras Kingdom."
Ena looked at Edras, who was looking at her, hesitated for a few seconds, and then told Edras all of her thoughts. Although she knew that Edras's decision was right, as someone who had always been by Edras's side, watching him grow from the Ghoul who left the village to gradually build the Edras Kingdom, become a Demon Lord species, and wear the crown to become king.
From the bottom of her heart, she didn't want Edras to give up the kingdom he had struggled for his whole life. Moreover, as she said, by controlling Sally's soul with a curse, they could perfectly solve all the current difficulties of the Edras Kingdom, making Edras the king a savior, and Sally would perfectly become a weapon of war in their hands.
"Ena! I don't want to hear any more about controlling Sally with a curse! Remember, she is destined to be the next queen of the Edras Kingdom, the future true Demon Lord!"
Across from her, after hearing Ena's words, the tenderness in Edras's eyes had disappeared without a trace, replaced by endless indifference and rationality. His face was full of seriousness and earnestness. The idea of controlling Sally with a curse had never occurred to Edras from beginning to end.
He sincerely wanted Sally to become the next queen of the Edras Kingdom, because he understood that he, whose potential had reached its limit, no longer had the power to shield his people from all disasters. Sally was different; she had the potential to awaken as a true Demon Lord.
Sally would become the new queen of Edras, shield the people from all disasters, become the hope of the people, and become a true Demon Lord... And this was what Edras needed and hoped for. He would never allow anyone to interfere with Sally becoming queen!
"Remember, Ena, Sally will be the true queen, and how can a queen be controlled? A queen is free, powerful, and absolute, and only such a queen can lead the Edras Kingdom to become a top kingdom in the world, and only such a queen can give the people true hope!"
The earnest and solemn voice echoed in the silent palace hall, and all the monsters present raised their heads and quietly looked at their king. His handsome face was full of the domineering and coldness of a king, but it was precisely this kind of king that made all the monsters present submit to him, because their king was like this... He was a true king.
"Edras, you haven't changed at all."
Looking at Edras across from her, Ena was not angry that he had rejected her proposal. Instead, a faint smile appeared on her lips as she raised her hand to caress Edras's face, her memories returning to hundreds of years ago.
At that time, the Edras Kingdom was just an unclaimed land surrounded by many human kingdoms. A large number of monsters lived here, and the monsters were frantically hunted and captured by the surrounding humans. Edras, who grew up in this environment, left the village after adulthood, vowing to become the king of monsters, to bring hope and stability to monsters, and to shield monsters from all disasters.
Ena, who was not yet an adult at that time, stood at the entrance of the village, caressing Edras's face, just like now, sending him her blessings. And in the hundreds of years that followed, Edras had been striving for his oath. During that time, countless monsters united under his leadership.
Finally, at the moment when Edras became a Demon Lord species, he established the current Edras Kingdom, just like the oath he had made, bringing hope and peace to monsters, and shielding them from disasters.
It was just that the current Edras was unable to protect his people and bring them hope, but Edras had already kept his original promise. Since he could not become the hope of the people, then let Sally, who could bring hope to the people, become queen.
"Ena, thank you."
Edras looked at his wife, who had been silently supporting him behind him for hundreds of years, and the coldness on his face quietly turned into a smile. He reached out and directly embraced her in his arms. When the many monsters below saw this scene, they all smiled and then exchanged glances before leaving the hall, leaving the place to them.
.......
*Snap!*
"Alright, the following scene is not suitable for children to watch."
On the other side, in a certain room in the palace, Lu Minghao snapped his fingers and shattered the water mirror in mid-air, saying to Sally, who was looking at him with wide eyes. Lu Minghao and Sally had been watching the events in the palace hall.
Whether it was Edras's decision or the previous matter of Ena wanting to control Sally with a curse, Lu Minghao and Sally had seen it clearly. After all, Lu Minghao had no interest in placing his and Sally's safety in the hands of other people or monsters.
Since Sally had come to this room with that Great Ghoul before, Lu Minghao had secretly monitored the actions of Edras and his group of monsters by forming water mirrors using the principle of water surface refraction.
"Minghao... that uncle really intends to let Sally become the queen."
Sally, pouting her small mouth and glaring at Lu Minghao, realized after half a minute that Lu Minghao had no intention of restoring the water mirror, so she pursed her small mouth and continued, through the surveillance just now, Sally had understood Edras's true thoughts.
Although there was the intention of using her, he really wanted her to become the queen of the Edras Kingdom, to make her the hope of this kingdom, and to shield all the people from all disasters.
"What, Sally, do you want to be the queen of this country or save them?"
Lu Minghao gently flicked himself, pulling himself out of Sally's Ghoul horns, landing across from her and asking softly.
"....... No, why should Sally become their queen, why should she save them."
Looking at Lu Minghao in front of her, Sally was silent for a few seconds before shaking her head with a determined face, a look of disgust and nausea on her small face. Why should she become the queen of this kingdom, why should Sally save them, why should Sally become their hope, and shield them from all disasters?
Just because she has such strength, must she save them?
Before meeting Lu Minghao and Grandma Oran, no one had ever thought of saving Sally, and the world was full of malice towards her... And for Sally, this inexplicable mission imposed on her regardless of her own thoughts is the greatest sin!
"Well, Sally, do whatever you want. There's no problem whether you want to save this kingdom or completely destroy it."
Lu Minghao gently reached out and stroked Sally's hair. Lu Minghao would not help Sally make this decision. This was a kind of growth for Sally, and such hopeful monsters were also more beneficial to Lu Minghao's experiments. After all, the desire to survive and the will full of hope are completely different from the desire to survive in despair.
Although before, when he heard those monster residents shouting and recognizing Sally as the queen who would definitely save them before Sally even agreed, Lu Minghao almost couldn't help but kill them all. After all, Lu Minghao hated this kind of thing the most. Just because you think you need to be saved, must Sally save them?
