Chapter 188: What Is She Even After?

Dark Star City.

A crow landed on the woman’s arm, turned into a mass of shadow, and the false life finally died completely, replaced by a precious fragment of memory.

Young and powerful Human girls, a strange yet flawless formation, a suffocating tactic, and the White Bone Sword that pierced through a body.

And that line—

“Ask everyone for me—will they still laugh in the future?”

The woman’s pupils contracted.

She hurriedly left the window and ran to the highest room upstairs.

“Lord, the Noblewoman of Thorns requests an audience.”

After the attendant announced, she entered and knelt on one knee behind the curtain.

“Lord, I’ve just received news from the South. He’s returned. That legendary Human Hero Squad is there too. And that Succubus seems to be him in disguise!”

Hearing this, even the figure behind the curtain couldn’t help but stand up.

“Are you sure? Demon King Aio turned into a Succubus?”

This was undoubtedly the most absurd thing ever heard in this room.

“I’m not sure, but the possibility is high.”

The Noblewoman of Thorns spoke cautiously.

“If they’re truly on the same side, then…”

Could it be that the incident of defeat and disappearance at Misty Forest Castle back then was orchestrated by him from the start?

For what purpose?

In the highest room of Stargazing Castle at the center of Dark Star City, several of the most powerful and influential people among the demons were having their brains grilled by this statement.

Demon King Aio staged a battle with the Human Hero Squad, faked his death to escape the demons, turned into a beautiful pink-haired, big-chested Succubus, then returned with the Hero Squad to strike again—

Is that what you’re saying?

What was the point?

Just to experience being a Succubus?

***

Southern lands of the demons.

Bright Cross Star City.

The expedition army returned in triumph.

After the Blade Demon died, the other four naturally couldn’t escape and were taken down one by one in the shadows by Zero.

With all high-level combatants dead, the ten-thousand-strong army quickly collapsed, fleeing under their respective lords’ command.

Victory—utter and complete.

Back atop the tower, Ella explained her ‘kill-stealing’ actions:

You know, my sword can seize the souls of the dead, just like when I snatched Silitya from Xisha.

This time, capturing the Blade Demon’s soul was to extract information.

Reasonable.

The only issue was that it sounded a bit cruel.

“I don’t want to do such things either.”

Ella’s voice was small, her face full of grievance.

“But it’s for everyone’s sake—to gain intel from the enemy…”

“Enough, enough, capture if you must, interrogate if you must, but stop whining.”

Leah couldn’t help it.

“We didn’t blame you for anything.”

Still, the interrogation was left to Ella alone.

The girls silently chose to leave.

Too cruel to bear watching?

Unlikely.

The Hero Squad had plenty of blood on their hands.

More likely, they just wanted to spare Ella the effort of pretending she didn’t actually want to do it.

“Fine, just as I wished.”

Ella ran out onto the high platform, drew the Necromantic Sword, and the Soul Detention appeared.

The phantom of the Blade Demon looked at her in terror.

“You! You are…!”

“Shh.”

Ella pressed a finger to her lips.

“Don’t say things I don’t want to hear.”

“I won’t tell you anything… The Noblewoman of Thorns sent me, but there’s someone behind her too.”

The Blade Demon’s tough words crumbled, and he spilled the intel—not because he was sensible, but because his soul was forcibly under Ella’s control.

No need for an electric chair or torture.

She could obtain anything she wanted just by willing it.

Ella asked what she most wanted to know—

What had changed among the demons since the Demon King disappeared over half a year ago?

She got an excellent answer.

“I don’t know.”

As a top-tier member of Dark Star City, and even among the elite, the Blade Demon naturally didn’t care about common affairs.

But about the upper echelons, he could say something.

For instance, after the Demon King’s disappearance was confirmed, power within Dark Star City quietly reshuffled.

Many figures once hidden in the shadows surfaced.

Perhaps they were already important, simply operating behind the scenes before.

Now, seven nobles governed Dark Star City, alongside various tribal leaders, jointly ruling the vast and complex demon realm.

The Noblewoman of Thorns was one of them.

But rumors said even greater forces lurked behind them, still hiding in the dark.

Ella agreed with this.

Traditional academicians were like this—never exposing themselves easily.

“Noblewoman of Thorns.”

She knew of her.

Once a powerful and renowned figure among the demons, her true form was a vine with thorns.

She had ascended and undergone demonization after drinking the blood of a high-tier lifeform.

“Fine, since that’s all you know—farewell.”

Ella waved her small hand, sending the Blade Demon’s soul to the River of the Dead, completely erasing him from the world.

Time to go find her companions.

“Leah, Celes, Zero, Vina, are you all right? The interrogation is over. Sigh, it was too cruel, I didn’t want to either…”

***

This Great Victory brought some unexpected effects to Bright Cross Star City.

Within half a day, everyone knew the northern army’s attempt to reclaim the city had failed even before reaching the gates.

The city was abuzz.

“Our Succubus Lord seems truly capable.”

“What Succubus Lord? Show some respect, call her Lady Ella.”

“I think calling her by name isn’t respectful enough.”

“Using a profession is even less respectful!”

“Uh, actually, Succubus isn’t a profession—it’s a race.”

Hearing the street talk outside, the shopkeeper quietly tucked the small black flag under the counter, pressed it down with some knickknacks, and let the white flag flutter atop the table.

White stood for light.

Black for darkness.

Whoever won, he’d display their banner.

Now, it seemed the black flag would be gathering dust for a long time.

Ella didn’t notice the subtle shift in the city’s mood—she had no time, for the Hero Squad was busy with something else.

Preparing to return to the Royal City of the Human Kingdom.

[Little Celes, you’ve been gone too long. Many are asking. Old man can’t hold them off any longer. Please hurry back.]

It was a letter from General Glengo, just arrived.

Celes placed the letter on the table and turned to Ella.

Zero looked, Vina looked, and Leah—startled from her daze—also glanced over, following the others’ lead.

Ella understood what they meant.

The original plan was to keep everything secret until the first phase was complete.

Now that it had succeeded, she needed to come up with a good story for the Kingdom.