Alef was so shocked upon hearing Via’s self-introduction that he couldn’t speak for a moment.
The pink-haired girl in front of him couldn’t possibly be joking with him, right?
In the Desolate Fallen Continent, becoming the Demon King of the demonkin wasn’t that simple.
It required the support of the Ancient Families.
After Ville’s death, how could the Ancient Families possibly support the child of a human Saintess to become the Demon King?
Even a comic wouldn’t fabricate something like this.
“Mr. Alef, it seems you don’t quite believe that I am the Demon King.”
Via crossed her legs, a faint smile hanging on her face.
“Your reaction clearly shows you’re doubting my words.”
“The Ancient Families won’t support you. Those old fogeys, no matter how crazy they are, wouldn’t go so far as to push you to become the Demon King.”
“The Ancient Families?”
“Yes. Besides, don’t think I don’t know. Without the support of the Ancient Families in the Desolate Fallen Continent, it’s absolutely impossible to become the Demon King,” Via replied nonchalantly. “But I still became the Demon King.”
“What do you mean?”
“Those opponents have already gone to the afterlife.”
“Ah?!”
Alef didn’t react at first.
Then he understood.
Via meant that the Ancient Families had already been swept away.
“Don’t say it’s impossible. Feel it for yourself, Mr. Alef.” Via raised her finger and lightly tapped her knee.
Alef’s head was as if pressed down by an invisible giant hand.
It suddenly lowered.
He felt as if heavy lead had been poured into his blood, dragging his entire body toward the ground.
Although he didn’t want to kneel before Via, the more he resisted, the more he felt a strong sense of suffocation.
It was as if the air around him had been drained.
His lungs hurt unbearably, as if needles were pricking them.
Only by lowering his posture could this pain be slightly relieved.
“I… I…”
Alef felt as if he had fallen into an abyss, continuously plummeting downward.
He had clearly felt with his body the gulf-like gap in strength between himself and the other party.
This was definitely a power that only top-tier Legendary-rank experts could master.
The other party hadn’t lied.
“Ah…”
Just as Alef’s knees were about to touch the ground, Via withdrew the invisible pressure, giving him a chance to breathe.
He collapsed like mud.
“Mr. Alef, do you still doubt my words now?” Via asked.
“I believe… you are the Demon King. This pressure has already surpassed that of the previous Demon King Ville,” Alef quickly adjusted his expression of losing composure. “I’m truly sorry. I was still doubtful just now.”
“It’s fine. Demon King, let’s continue talking. You said the Ancient Families have been swept away by you, correct?” Alef changed his form of address to Via.
“Yes. The Ancient Families supported the Demon King only to make it easier for them to manipulate the Desolate Fallen Continent from behind the scenes. I didn’t want to become their puppet, so I crushed those guys,” Via explained. “Afterward, I also subdued all the families that held sway in various regions of the Desolate Fallen Continent.”
“In other words, Your power in the Desolate Fallen Continent is now absolute?” Alef quickly understood the current situation.
Compared to the previous Demon King Ville, Via’s methods were more decisive.
Not only was she not satisfied with being a mediator, she had actually centralized power.
“Mr. Alef, with just one word from me, I can wash away the fact that you fled from the Desolate Fallen Continent and even let you become a hero who endured hardships in silence.” Via made a statement that Alef cared about very much.
“I want to completely change the relationship between the demonkin and humans. The Desolate Fallen Continent wants to change its poor and backward situation. It needs human assistance and investment.”
“This is very difficult!”
“Yes, extremely difficult. For the demonkin, it’s almost impossible.”
“But… I’m different,” Via smiled. “I am a mixed-blood of demonkin and human.”
“So that’s how it is?”
Alef had already guessed some of it.
Via was previously a saintess candidate in the Holy Land and had now become the Demon King of the Desolate Fallen Continent.
Only being mixed-blood could explain this.
The identity of Saintess Sylvia’s husband had never been made public.
There had been many speculations in the outside world, some of which were extremely treasonous… that the Saintess had an affair with a demonkin.
He hadn’t expected it to actually be true.
“Demon King, how do you plan to achieve this?”
“I want to support her in becoming the next emperor of the Saint Luo Empire. Of course, Stella and I once made a promise. If I became the Demon King, I would return to the human world to help her ascend the throne.”
“Stella Julius?” Alef was very surprised. “You know her?”
“You’re serious?”
“If you can really assist Stella in ascending the throne, then the relationship between the demonkin and humans can indeed be improved.”
Alef already understood Via’s intention.
“This is why I came to find you, Mr. Alef. You have experienced many years in the human world. If you provide me assistance in this matter, when the day Stella ascends the throne arrives, you will be one of the important contributors. At that time, you can stay in the human world as an important ambassador between the humans and demonkin.” Via had already laid out her conditions.
Alef was very tempted.
If this really succeeds, he would completely clear his name on both sides.
“I can ask, what if I refuse?”
“Nothing will happen, Mr. Alef. I don’t like forcing others against their will. Only those willing to follow me are sincere.”
“If Stella doesn’t ascend the throne, then for the future of the Desolate Fallen Continent, we would have no choice but to launch another war against the human world.” Via paused. “A war between humans and demonkin… With a Demon King who has already centralized power, the war would become even more intense.”
Alef knew very well that this war would be different from before.
By then, no matter whether he chose the demonkin camp or the human camp, it wouldn’t be good for him.
Neither the demonkin nor the humans would give him a chance.
This was a single path that had become blocked at both ends.
His eyes darted around several times as he thought rapidly.
Although supporting a throne successor with no reputation or future was too risky.
But as the saying goes, the greater the risk, the greater the reward.
If he entered the game at the very beginning, then upon success he would be infinitely glorious.
In the worst case, he would lose all his operations in the human world but could still earn the reputation of being loyal to the Demon King, gain Via’s recognition, and return to the Desolate Fallen Continent to secure a fallback.
No matter how he looked at it, it was much better than the outcome after launching a war.
Thinking of this, he quickly bowed to Via, showing full respect.
He knelt on one knee in a subordinate posture, fully acknowledging this Demon King of the demonkin in every aspect.
“Demon King, I have made my choice. Please allow me to provide my full support for all your actions in the human world!”