Lina stared at that ostrich-like back, silently returning to the seat across from her.
This time, though, her gaze kept drifting over to check on Seraphina, whose combat power had plummeted to zero because of motion sickness.
For a while, the carriage was filled only with the rapid galloping of the vehicle, the jolting noises, and Seraphina’s occasional, pitiful suppressed dry heaves.
Of course, a carriage this fast would definitely reach its destination before dark.
In this spare time, Lina pondered the gender issue Seraphina had just brought up.
Everything visible to the eye pointed to a girl, except for places she couldn’t see…
Maybe Seraphina was lying? To maintain a tough image, she deliberately claimed the wrong gender?
…
The wind at the Demon Realm border was completely different from that of the Demon King’s Castle.
It was rough, savage, carrying fine grains of sand and a faint sulfur smell that stung the face like tiny needles.
The sky was a deeper, more ominous dark purple, like congealed bruises, pressing down so heavily it was hard to breathe.
This was their destination: Blackrock Outpost.
The place humans whispered about as the Land of Calamity…
Seraphina pulled her black velvet-edged cloak—symbol of her status—tighter around herself and stood before the temporary command tent, gazing at the outpost ahead.
It was less an outpost and more a cluster of fortresses built against the naturally jagged black stone mountains.
Not luxurious, but not overly crude either.
The walls were stacked from rough black mountain rock, covered in scars from wind, rain, and violent impacts—silent testimony to every hardship this place had endured.
The ground held only thorny dark-red shrubs and moss clinging to crevices, a scene of utter desolation and deathly silence.
This was the farthest east of the Demon Realm, the place where it bordered the world’s chronic disease—Abyssal Catastrophe.
The so-called Abyssal Lesser Demons were demons that crawled out of the abyss.
Unfortunately, they had no intelligence and were uniformly despised by all true demons.
Five hundred elite demon knights stood silently in formation behind her.
Their mounts—enormous beasts covered in dark scaled armor, snorting hot breath from their nostrils—emitted low, muffled rumbles that mingled with the howling wind, composing a symphony of killing intent.
“Your Highness.”
A demon officer in heavier, battle-worn armor stepped forward, dropping to one knee. His voice was as deep as thunder.
“I am Bask, commander of Blackrock Outpost, at your service! The outpost is now at maximum alert. Those filthy lesser demons are like maggots under the earth—they retreat the moment they sense movement. Traces of human adventurers have also vanished into the eastern valley.”
“They still dared to go east?!”
Seraphina glanced toward the even darker, more ominous mountain silhouettes farther east, a landscape that looked as if it had survived an apocalyptic war. She couldn’t help but sigh.
The lives of those humans meant nothing to her, as long as they didn’t interfere with her mission.
She withdrew her gaze, letting it fall on Bask’s bowed head. She could smell the thick scent of blood and fire on him, along with a trace of… weariness and disdain.
That was within her expectations.
This officer, stationed year-round in this bitter cold land, naturally had little faith in a “civilian Princess Regent” from the Demon King’s Castle who looked like a single gust could blow her away.
Suppressing the slight discomfort caused by the sudden change in environment, her voice remained steady and calm.
“Rise. The survival of humans is irrelevant to us. Just because the maggots have burrowed back underground doesn’t mean we can lower our guard. Take me to the map.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Bask stood and made an inviting gesture. “This way, please. The path is somewhat rugged—watch your step.”
Inside the main military tent, the conditions were exactly as Seraphina had imagined—extremely harsh.
A few stones piled together formed table legs, topped with a wooden plank to make a desk.
A huge sheet of paper hung on the wall—clearly the map—though it was currently folded.
“Your Highness, everything on this map is top military secret. Your…”
Bask glanced at Lina standing beside Seraphina.
Any demon could tell Lina was pure human.
No one knew how a human had become Seraphina’s maid, but necessary caution was still required.
“It’s fine. She’s just a captive.”
The cruel words coming from Seraphina’s mouth made even Lina tremble.
“…Very well.”
In a world without high technology, a map was an absolute military secret.
Obtaining one meant gaining control over every piece of land it depicted!
Though magic could lift someone into the sky for an overhead view, it was still far less practical than a map.
If the eastern border of the Demon Realm were compared to a human body, Blackrock Outpost would be its most vital heart, connecting all the surrounding smaller outposts.
“What is this place?”
Seraphina immediately noticed a completely blackened area nearby, starkly out of place against the surrounding gray terrain.
“Reporting to Your Highness, it is a patch of land… but the soil is black.”
“Black? Land?”
Seraphina’s slender finger tapped the abrupt black spot, her tone filled with confusion.
Most soil in the Demon Realm was barren gray-black or dark brown, but this… was pure black.
A trace of natural disgust appeared on Bask’s weather-beaten face. He answered gruffly, “Yes, Your Highness. A patch of dead, pure black, as if thoroughly corrupted by the abyss.
Nothing grows there—not even the hardiest demonic moss will touch it.”
“We have sent inspection teams multiple times. Although no lesser demons appear, everyone considers it a symbol of death and ill omen. Patrol teams have deliberately avoided the area ever since.”
“Death and ill omen?”
Seraphina frowned slightly.
Demons didn’t rely on farming; most ate all manner of bizarre meat and knew next to nothing about soil.
Thus Bask’s conclusion was hardly credible.
“Take me there.”
Seraphina’s tone left no room for refusal. She stood, her cloak sweeping with the motion.
“Huh? Your Highness?”
Bask was clearly stunned, disapproval written all over his face.
“The environment there is terrible. And while lesser demons don’t appear, we can’t guarantee there’s no lingering danger. It would be best if you didn’t go…”
“Precisely because you’ve labeled it a ‘dead zone,’ yet I believe it is not, I must see it with my own eyes. My safety is the responsibility of His Majesty’s personal guard. You and your men need only guide the way.”
“…Understood, Your Highness.”
Though still doubtful, Bask dared not disobey.
The party mounted their magical horses and, escorted by a small squad of knights, headed toward the black region marked on the map.
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