Dozens of demon nobles could not help but whisper among themselves, their voices filled with astonishment and disdain.
Seraphina’s heart tightened instantly.
She looked worriedly at Lina, then glanced at Movira, her eyes pleading silently for her not to let Lina face this…
Movira paid no attention to Seraphina’s small gesture.
Her next words were not loud, yet they clearly echoed through the grand hall, reaching the ears of every minister.
“Lina, City Lord, report the situation in Asma directly here!”
“City Lord?!”
The term once again caused a commotion.
Hearing this, Seraphina felt the world go dark before her eyes.
She thought back to the last time Lina had faced these demons—she had been so terrified that she could only stand frozen in place.
This time would surely be the same…
But Lina’s reaction was beyond everyone’s expectations, especially Seraphina’s.
Lina acted as if she hadn’t heard the murmurs at all.
She strode straight into the hall, her boots striking the floor with clear, resonant clacks.
As she approached, the whispers in the hall gradually died down.
Everyone wanted to see what this human intended to do.
She reached the front center of the hall and gave a slight nod.
“By order of His Majesty and Her Highness the Princess Regent, I am temporarily acting as City Lord of Asma. The initial restoration is complete, and I have come to report!”
This short statement left Seraphina stunned in Movira’s arms, the blush on her face fading considerably.
“During this period, several cases were re-examined, and over a hundred people were exonerated; more than a hundred serious criminals involved in looting and murder were publicly tried; among them, forty-seven whose crimes were heinous beyond reckoning have already been… executed in accordance with the law!”
When she reached the end, her tone carried no fluctuation, as if she were discussing something trivial.
She might still feel some pity for her fellow humans, but when facing demons, that pity vanished without a trace.
“Arrangements were made for the lower-class demons, distributing basic rations and supplies; dozens of temporary arbitration offices were established, and to date they have handled hundreds of disputes.”
“Asma is now patrolling daily, cleaning, and calming the populace. Although breakdowns in order still occur, basic operations have been restored, and the hearts of the people… are somewhat settled.”
Her report was extremely concise, without any exaggerated embellishment—only cold, hard data and results.
The iron and fire behind each achievement were brushed over lightly.
The private whispers in the hall had long since ceased.
All the demons were now re-evaluating this human “City Lord.”
Standing in the center, Lina could still vividly recall the scene from several days ago.
That day, she had taken over a city in complete chaos.
She had every reason to ignore it— even the soldiers temporarily under her command would not have objected.
After all, this place was filled with demons, with only the occasional human merchant.
And indeed, that was what she had done at first.
She spent a few hours writing some meaningless instructions and handed them to her subordinates.
Neither Seraphina nor Movira would likely have blamed her severely for it.
But every time she closed her eyes, she could see the light shining in Seraphina’s eyes— an almost naive desire to change this land.
…She will come eventually…
Lina’s quiet mutter lingered over the ruins before her.
With her personality, she will sooner or later step onto this filthy land again.
This realization filled Lina with an inexplicable panic.
In just a few short days, she had come to understand Asma.
It was a place where every shadow hid a dagger, and every word of flattery was laced with deadly poison.
Seraphina’s gentle policies would never work here.
Her kindness would only be seen as weakness, her goodwill trampled underfoot.
Truly… even ten years wouldn’t be enough for her to clean it up…
Though there was some exaggeration in that thought, it did not diminish Lina’s deep worry.
The idea that time would stretch out for Seraphina— and that one day danger would inevitably find her— made Lina’s gaze gradually sharpen with resolve.
It’s just… for Seraphina’s sake.
She is a very special ‘demon’— special enough to be the only brilliant starlight in a sky full of dust!
Even among the pompous royalty…
And besides, if the Demon Realm could become the next human world, wouldn’t that mean… no more war?
Beneath the approaching winter chill, a lone figure turned and descended from the tower, walking toward the ruins below.
The arc of her skirt sliced through the air, severing the heads of the wicked.
At least for this period, no one could block her distant gaze.
Lina even thought back to the lie she had told at the very beginning.
In the end, she stood here— in the very center of the grand hall.
I have never witnessed…
…
This already signified her success.
After so many days of trials, moving among numerous demons, her fear had greatly diminished.
Though there were still faint traces of trembling in her fingertips.
Seraphina had almost stopped breathing.
Her eyes widened in disbelief, fixed on the familiar yet unfamiliar figure below.
Lina—
That upright figure standing in the center of the hall, reporting with clear logic and an icy tone— was that truly the same Lina who had silently spoken in low voices in the study, the one who had once been so terrified she knelt on the ground?
…When did she become like this…
So…
Or perhaps… had she been pretending all along?!
As her mind flooded with enormous confusion, anger began to seep into the gaps.
Movira keenly noticed the subtle changes in the girl in her arms.
She lowered her head with a soft chuckle, letting only Seraphina hear.
“Surprised?” She tilted her head, her lips nearly brushing Seraphina’s sensitive earlobe. “I’m not. My dear Seraphina, did you think her obedience and silence around you was all there was to her?”
Movira’s voice carried a lazy tone of complete insight. “Lina… she’s a deeply thoughtful person. She knows her position and knows exactly how to survive.”
“But at the beginning… what she showed was just a weak…” Seraphina recalled her first meeting with Lina— well, excluding the time Lina had tried to kill her.
She had truly seemed like an ordinary human girl, though… with a resilience uncommon in a slave.
“Hmm? Perhaps that was true at the time? We can talk about it later.”
…
…
Movira interrupted her, for they were still in court, and it would not do to chat with Seraphina for too long.
“Asma was entrusted to you, and it suits you well. Well done. Return and rest.”
“Is there any other state matter to report? If not, today’s court session is adjourned.”
The silence that blanketed the hall served as an indirect answer to Movira’s question.
While the other demon representatives and leaders remained stunned in place, Dekrian’s eyes flashed as a shrewd calculation passed through them.
Yet another excellent opportunity to expand his influence!
In his view, only profit mattered.
Whoever brought him profit— whichever demon, or even if it was not a demon at all…
He was willing to draw close.
Lina has finally risen… I’ve been laying the groundwork for so long, all for the sake of better patching things up in the future.