Hels betrayed me.
Via was utterly disappointed in him. Her expression grew complicated.
Hels had disguised himself as a seemingly ordinary grassroots demonkin and thereby gained the opportunity to join the royal court and showcase his abilities.
However, such an unremarkable background most likely came from the time when Demon King Ville had given Hels a chance, allowing this man to approach her with some definite purpose in mind and win her trust.
“If that command wasn’t issued by Lord Demon King, then it must have been forged?” Melu concluded.
“If it was Hels, he certainly would have had the chance to access my seal. After all, he was once my most trusted aide. I really didn’t expect that guy to have such audacity.”
Via had roughly pieced together what had happened that night.
Hels had secretly misused the Demon King’s seal, forged her handwriting, and issued a false order that deactivated the defensive devices within the Demon King’s Castle while reassigning the guards.
Through a series of maneuvers, this allowed Selina to suddenly appear before her, forcing her into battle against her arch-enemy without any prior preparation and ultimately resulting in their mutual death.
What was Hels’s goal in approaching her now and betraying her?
Still, there were some lingering doubts about the matter.
Moreover, through what channels had Hels learned the specific movements of the Silver Sword Princess?
The Silver Sword Princess entering the Demon King’s Castle to fight her should have been a secret plan on the humans’ side.
“Do you know where Hels is now?”
“I don’t know. How could I have gone out all these years?” Melu replied. “I tried finding some work, but those employers were awful—nothing compared to Lord Demon King—so I didn’t stick with it.”
“I don’t know either, Lord Demon King. Actually, after your death, the Desolate Fallen Continent went back to how it used to be. All the factions started fighting each other again, with endless internal conflicts and too many issues to count. There weren’t any particularly memorable major events. Most of your former subordinates probably just returned to their original places. As for someone like Hels… I’m not too sure.”
Kurei also expressed that she had no knowledge of his whereabouts.
“Alright.”
Via was not surprised by their answers.
Hels’s true background had always been a secret to begin with. Who knew where that guy had gone off to?
If he didn’t show his face publicly, it would indeed be difficult to find him.
But I did hear about one major event, Lord Demon King.
Kurei suddenly recalled something.
“What is it?”
“After a meeting among several major factions, they decided to put an end to the civil war in the Desolate Fallen Continent and take the lead in reorganizing the royal court. A new Demon King… supposedly already has a suitable candidate.” Kurei shared some rather heavyweight news.
“Who is it?!”
“I don’t know. It hasn’t been publicly announced yet, but they say the new Demon King’s identity is quite mysterious.”
Via felt a twinge of concern.
Hmm… A competitor is showing up so soon?
The current situation felt rather troublesome to Via.
If the new Demon King took the position, it would become much harder for her to claim the title herself.
If the other party became active before her, they would inevitably draw in many of the royal court members who had remained neutral and watchful.
After all, most people had already assumed she was dead and gone, simply waiting for the next powerful demonkin to rise.
It seems my time is limited. I need to hurry and take the next step.
Many years ago.
Dressed in formal attire, Hels followed behind the black-haired, crimson-eyed young Demon King as they walked along a red carpet toward a grand building.
The demonkin lining both sides of the path all lowered their heads, saluting Ville respectfully.
Ville ignored them completely. He simply gazed straight ahead, as if everyone else were insignificant insects unworthy of his notice. He strode forward with long, confident steps, the arrogance unique to youth blending seamlessly with the self-assurance of the strong, fully evident on his person.
“Hels, is this the Starlight Palace?” Ville asked casually.
“Yes, Lord Demon King,” Hels replied. “The Starlight Palace is a highly renowned neutral territory in the Desolate Fallen Continent. This structure was built in ancient times and has miraculously survived until now. It is currently jointly owned by nine ancient and prestigious families.”
“Oh.”
Ville responded with an expressionless face, his tone revealing little emotion.
Several elders stood before the Starlight Palace. Unlike the other demonkin, they did not bow or yield upon seeing Ville. Instead, they offered faint smiles, like hosts greeting arriving guests.
“Lord Demon King, the one at the front is Mr. Sali, patriarch of the Shadow Family,” Hels quietly reminded him. “The rest are the leaders of the other ancient families.”
The implication was clear: Ville should go and greet them.
However, Ville gave no response. He did something quite astonishing—he ignored the leaders of those ancient families entirely, not even glancing at them, and walked straight past them into the Starlight Palace.
As if he were the rightful owner of the palace.
“Lord Demon King?” Hels was taken aback.
“What?”
“Aren’t those old fossils the true culprits behind the endless internal wars in the Desolate Fallen Continent?” A cold chill laced Ville’s words.
Hels, what are you thinking about?
An elderly demonkin leaning on a cane glanced at Hels beside him.
“It’s nothing, Mr. Sali.”
Hels pulled his thoughts back to the present. He raised his head and gazed at the Starlight Palace ahead.
“I was simply reminded of some past events.”
“Events concerning Demon King Ville?”
“Yes.”
“Heh.” Sali let out a cold laugh. “Ville was indeed a young man with considerable potential. He possessed a tenacious will and outstanding determination. Unfortunately… his greatest flaw was being far too radical and unwilling to heed others’ advice.”
Ville’s personality was precisely like that.
It was truly a shame that he could not remain on the Demon King’s throne for long.
If only Ville had been more willing to listen, they could have helped him establish the royal court, stabilize the situation, and reduce the chaos.
They had hoped he would bring stability to the demonkin. Instead, he constantly pursued actions that harmed unity.
Recalling Ville’s deeds, Hels could not help but smile.
That was exactly right.
What they needed more than a powerful Demon King was an obedient one.
Sali lifted his cane and tapped it against the red carpet, expressing his dissatisfaction with Ville.
“Good thing we’ve finally found one.”