Chu Tian’s heart was burning with irritation.
Since she dared to use the Exploding Candy item against him, he would likewise use a “retaliation” item.
Unlike Su Nian’s current “retaliation,” which was being indefinitely postponed, his revenge as the Horned Demon Master would take place immediately!
He couldn’t stop his heart from racing with excitement at the thought of the Star-Moon Saintess—a woman the world regarded as powerful, noble, and inviolable—being forced to show her most humiliated and submissive side to him on the very night her prestige reached its peak.
This extreme contrast, the sense of conquest from dragging a holy, goddess-like girl off her pedestal and dyeing her in his own colors, made his blood boil.
At this moment, if Su Nian could hear the Horned Demon’s inner thoughts, she would surely curse him as a pervert, a lecher, and a big villain!
However, unlike before, a tiny, secret sliver of expectation now lingered deep within the girl’s heart.
***
That day, earth-shattering news struck Academy City like a bolt of lightning.
“Did you hear? The Star-Moon Saintess, who has been missing for several days, will reappear tomorrow at noon in Academy City’s Central Square!”
“Is that true? The beautiful hero who closed the Demon Race’s portal single-handedly and saved the city while riding a giant dragon?”
“It’s absolutely true!”
“The source is reliable. It was confirmed by the intelligence organization ‘Secret Whisper Dove’!”
“Then tomorrow at noon—no, I’m going to the Central Square early tomorrow morning to wait!”
“Why wait for morning? I’m going now to claim a spot. I’ll sleep there tonight!”
In a tavern, a mercenary who had just downed a large gulp of ale slammed his heavy wooden mug onto the table.
Not even the splashing foam could hide the fanatical look on his face.
The companions beside him instantly forgot the gold coins on the gambling table and the dancing girls in their arms.
Their eyes widened, and their breathing grew heavy.
That was their savior.
She was the goddess who brought dawn during their time of despair.
In the streets and alleys, citizens spread the news, causing the streets—which had been somewhat quiet due to post-war reconstruction—to boil over once again.
Children chased each other, shouting, “The Holy Lady is coming back!” while women clasped their hands at their windows, praying to the heavens and thanking the gods for not abandoning them.
The entire city felt as if it were waking up from a long nightmare, injected with fresh vitality.
Inside the Magic Academy, an elderly, white-haired professor was explaining the complex structure of magic circuits, only to find that the students below him were already distracted.
Whispers surged like undercurrents.
As one of them saw the news on their Magic Phone, the entire classroom instantly erupted.
“The mentor is coming back!”
“Teacher Su Nian didn’t die!”
The students could no longer restrain their excitement.
They jumped from their seats one after another, raising their arms and cheering.
Books slid to the floor and ink bottles were overturned, but no one cared.
They rushed out of the classroom and into the hallway, their young faces overflowing with the purest admiration and joy.
In the backstage of Magic Feather Fantasy, the girls hugged each other and wept with joy.
The young women cheered and jumped, the area filled with the relief and happiness of having survived a disaster.
Amy and Lise looked at each other and smiled.
They had known earlier than others that Su Nian had not died, and they had kept the secret well, telling no one.
The Griffin Knight Order patrolling the city and the powerful mages who had once fought alongside Su Nian acted more composed.
A knight was wiping his spear with a soft cloth.
Hearing the joyful cry from his griffon’s throat, he stopped his movements, looked up, and gazed at the sky.
A smile of relief slowly spread across his weathered face.
The Saintess had not fallen.
In an instant, the name Su Nian ignited the hearts of countless people once again, with Academy City as the epicenter.
***
In stark contrast to the boiling excitement outside, the atmosphere inside the residence where Third Prince Elvin was staying was different.
A very complex expression appeared on Elvin’s handsome but slightly feminine face.
There was shock and suspicion.
Ultimately, however, it was replaced by an uncontrollable surge of ecstasy.
The shock came from the fact that his original plan was built on the premise that Su Nian was missing or perhaps even “fallen.”
If so, he could have logically taken over everything, turning the massive funds for reconstruction and pensions into bargaining chips for his struggle for the throne.
He could have carefully placed the “hero’s” crown on his own head and profited from the city’s restoration.
Su Nian’s return would disrupt his plans but that panic only lasted for a moment.
A much stronger surprise, mixed with possessiveness, erupted from his heart like a volcano.
That figure.
That beautiful figure who appeared repeatedly in his dreams over countless nights, making him toss and turn with a desire to conquer her, was finally going to appear again.
In private, he had watched the footage of the girl fighting above the Floating Fortress, recorded on a magic crystal, no fewer than 100 times.
Every time he watched it, his heart surged.
Her long blonde hair flying in the gale, her beautiful figure shrouded in Holy Light, and her supreme majesty as she rode the Giant Dragon and looked down upon the demons…
She was pure, powerful, noble, and unreachable.
‘If I could hold such a woman in my arms and make her bloom only for me…’
Not only would it completely consolidate his upcoming throne, but it would also satisfy the extreme craving in his heart for the most perfect thing.
He thought that only the Star-Moon Saintess, with her peerless beauty and unparalleled combat strength, was worthy of a future king like him.
And only he was qualified to possess such a treasure.
“Pass down my order!” Elvin’s voice trembled slightly with extreme excitement, his eyes burning with the fire of ambition.
“Prepare the royal family’s most magnificent guard of honor immediately!”
‘I will personally go to welcome our kingdom’s hero! And… My future princess.’
He silently added in his heart, his lips curling into a smile of absolute certainty.
***
At the Holy See, a bishop dressed in red looked at the intelligence from the Red Maple Kingdom.
A sharp light flashed in his cloudy, old eyes.
“A ‘Saintess’ who is not controlled by any force, yet possesses Saint Level healing power and is followed by a giant dragon…” he muttered to himself, his withered fingers tapping lightly on the table.
“She must… be brought into the system of the Holy See.”
***
Inside the dungeon of Shadowmoon Manor, which had been converted into a princess’s room…
Chu Tian placed a set of neatly folded clothes on the dressing table in front of Su Nian.
It was a moon-white astral dress with complex star-track patterns embroidered on the hem with silver thread.
It was the very dress Su Nian had worn during the battle at the Floating Fortress.
Seeing this familiar dress, Su Nian quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
‘Thankfully… this horned demon bastard actually has a shred of humanity left. He isn’t making me wear some strange outfit for such an important occasion.’
It seemed he also knew that this plan was of great importance and couldn’t be messed with.
However, her thought lasted for less than a second.
As if performing a magic trick, the man produced an exquisite velvet box.
The box was completely black and sat quietly in his large palm, creating a sharp contrast with the moon-white, holy dress beside it.
He didn’t open it immediately.
Instead, he looked at Su Nian playfully with his dark eyes, enjoying the brief moment of peace she felt from seeing her familiar battle attire.
Then, with an almost slow, malicious elegance, he flipped open the lid.
“Click.”
Inside the box lay a bodysuit made of a material similar to thin, sheer stockings.
It was as thin as a cicada’s wing and purely black, reflecting an oily luster under the light of the magic orbs.
Its style was so bold and its design so revealing that it could hardly be called clothing.
Su Nian’s mind went blank with a loud boom.
Immediately after, a searing heat rushed to the top of her head, causing her pale cheeks, delicate earlobes, and even her slender neck to be instantly stained with a layer of crimson.
Chu Tian simply curled his lips, his face wearing that wicked, “everything is under control” smile she knew all too well.
“When executing the plan, wear this under the dress.”
His voice was flat, even carrying a hint of imperceptible hoarseness, but it was wrapped in a command that brooked no argument.
“Ma… Master… how can you do this!”
Su Nian was trembling with anger.
Her slender finger pointed at the shameless garment, her voice carrying a hint of a sob due to extreme shame and indignation.
On such a high-profile occasion tomorrow, under that star dress that symbolized holiness and glory, he actually wanted her to wear… this kind of thing that only the most fallen harlots and succubi would wear!
Chu Tian stepped forward slowly, his tall figure casting a large shadow that completely enveloped her.
He lowered his head, his hot breath nearly brushing against her cheek.
“Because I want to be the only one who knows…”
“Just what kind of… charm our holy and flawless Star-Moon Saintess hides beneath that radiant dress.” The man’s voice was like a devil’s whisper.
The Horned Demon was still the Horned Demon; his twisted nature of taking pleasure in conquering her had never changed.
“Humiliation Value +20,000”
“Annoyance Value +20,000”
The system notifications arrived.
With the Humiliation Value pouring in, the humiliation Su Nian felt and her anger toward the Horned Demon were strangely alleviated.
‘Fine…’
No matter how disgraceful this thing was, it was ultimately an undergarment.
It had no sleeves and was miserably short. If she wore it as underwear…
‘If I add an extra layer of protection using light magic, no one will be able to see it. Besides, this stocking-like material is actually quite comfortable against the skin…’
“This is a communication device. Put it on.”
Before she could recover from the massive shame, Chu Tian took out a shimmering metal earring.
The style of the earring was exactly a miniature version of the [Lover’s Prison Collar], reduced dozens of times in size.
It even had the same densely packed, strange runes carved on it, flashing in the light.
When worn on the ear, it actually looked quite exquisite.
“At that time, I will give you instructions through it.”
He leaned down and pressed close to the girl’s ear, adding a sentence in a voice only the two of them could hear.
“Execute my plan well. If you don’t listen… or if you say something you shouldn’t in public…”
A cold smile entered the man’s voice.
“The [Lover’s Prison Collar] around your neck will revert to its original form in front of everyone.”
“And then… I’ll give you a small electric shock as punishment, one that absolutely no one will notice.”
“You don’t want to suddenly let out a strange cry in front of a massive crowd, do you?”