Chapter 66: Western Fantasy Romance (VIII)

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Chapter 66: Western Fantasy Romance (VIII)

Minea noticed that Aesop was looking at the little boy who had always been at odds with her with a questioning gaze, and she finally turned her attention toward Caelric. The first time she looked at her own fiancé, it was actually to ask him to keep another man by their side.

Caelric’s gaze moved between the three of them. The corners of his lips lifted slightly, and a trace of calculation flashed through his eyes. No matter how he looked at it, his fiancée seemed to have some other feelings toward this Pope. His years of experience navigating the world of romance were not for nothing. Although Minea had hidden it well, that faint trace of obvious affection still could not escape his eyes. He had no particular thoughts about the fact that the person his fiancée loved was not him. Their relationship was merely an open transaction, and whether they liked each other or not was irrelevant.

‘However…’ Caelric shifted his gaze to Servius. This seemingly innocent child gave him a strange sense of danger. Moreover, that look from earlier was not the admiration and dependence a child would have toward an elder. Rather, it was the gaze of a superior looking at something that belonged to him. Caelric’s smile became even more charming. This was much more interesting, wasn’t it? As long as he was not dragged into it, it would certainly be a spectacle impossible to resist. A boy who treated the Pope as his possession was truly… bold.

“Although Lopa County does have the presence of the Holy Church, my lord surely does not intend to disturb them at this time. Rather, it would be better to allow us to properly entertain you.” Caelric’s words were filled with sincerity. Naturally, he had not suggested that Aesop remain solely because of his fiancée’s request. Since this Pope had appeared in Lopa County, there were simply too many possible unexpected situations that could occur. To prevent any accidents beyond his control, it would be best to keep him somewhere he could personally oversee.

“Very well. I believe His Highness Caelric’s hospitality will certainly not disappoint me.” Miao Lichen seemed to ponder for a moment before nodding. He released the hand that had been holding Servius’s and instead pulled him fully into his embrace. Caelric knowingly walked ahead, while a gentle breeze wound around his body, making his journey appear even more effortless than that of Miao Lichen, a Saint.

As for Minea, she was naturally handed over to Caelric’s Great Swordmaster, Marlen. Although Caelric was her officially recognized fiancé, neither of them had any intention of acknowledging it openly, so there was naturally no intimacy between them.

Minea tightened her fingers slightly, a faint frown appearing between her brows. This body of hers was far more suitable for cultivating internal energy than her previous one. Although only two months had passed, she had already made considerable progress. Her current strength was roughly equivalent to that of an Advanced Swordsman in this world, with only a thin line separating her from becoming a Great Swordmaster.

Light-body techniques were her greatest specialty. However, Minea was known as a useless person in both magic and martial abilities , and this was not the right time to reveal her true strength. When Marlen had carried her away by force, that unfamiliar aura had almost caused her to release her killing intent instinctively. But in her current state, she was still unable to resist.

Caelric truly lived up to his identity as a member of the Mante Empire’s royal family. No matter where he went, he carried with him the luxury and extravagance befitting nobility. Even in the remote Lopa County, he fully maintained the noble preference for comfort and enjoyment. The place where they stayed was not a crowded inn filled with travelers, but rather several small courtyards.

The beds were covered with the fur of magic beasts, an extremely expensive material in this world. The softness of the touch clearly showed that such things were not something a small inn could provide. They were obviously personal belongings brought along by the group. Miao Lichen’s storage bracelet naturally contained similar items as well, but he had simply chosen not to take them out.

Taking his two swords into his hands, he placed them inside the backpack that truly belonged to him. His fingers casually slipped through his hair, loosening the red silk ribbon. A cascade of white hair fell over his shoulders, making that jade-like face appear even more delicate. “After staying in the magic beast forest for so long, you should properly clean yourself up. Little Arthur, do you want me to help you?”

Miao Lichen stopped his hand, which had already been placed at his waist, and took a step forward, moving closer to Servius, who was sitting on the bed. His garments from the Qixiu Sect had no buttons or anything similar, completely embodying the definition of an ethereal, immortal-like appearance. The loose folds of his robes flowed freely, making them extremely convenient to put on and take off.

“No need. I can do it myself!” Servius’s face suddenly flushed red. It was absolutely not because he was embarrassed, but because he was angry. Even if his current body was somewhat weak, it was not to the point where he could not even remove his own clothes, was it? He lowered his head and looked at the buttons on his black clothing. These were specially made garments belonging to the Demon King. In truth, as long as he willed it, he could remove them instantly. However… when it came to the normal method of taking off clothes, Servius genuinely had no idea how to do it.

His fingers struggled with the front of his garment. The buttons, which had originally seemed like nothing more than simple decorations to him, had now become an enormous challenge. Especially since the clothing was made from a special material. The fabric was exceptionally comfortable to the touch, yet the buttons themselves were sharp enough to be used as weapons. Just like their owner, this garment that belonged exclusively to him was filled with a sense of aggression in every detail. Rather than calling it clothing, it would be more accurate to call it a softened suit of armor. Although its current appearance showed no trace of offensive capability, as his body became younger, the clothing had also changed along with him.

Miao Lichen reached out and stopped Servius’s movements. Looking at his increasingly flushed face, the smile at the corner of his lips became even more genuine. Could it be that the Demon King’s temperament had become smaller along with his body? He truly looked somewhat adorable.

Miao Lichen’s fingers slid lightly along Servius’s clothing and naturally undid the buttons. The garment, which could be considered a treasure, easily slipped away from its owner’s body.

“I can do it myself!” Servius refused Aesop’s assistance again. In truth, as the Demon King, it was impossible for him not to have attendants. However, because he disliked unfamiliar presences in his life, he had always rejected having them by his side. Aesop could be said to be the person closest to him. Whether it was an embrace or helping him remove his clothes, both were firsts in his long life.

“Mm.” Miao Lichen nodded. He glanced at the extremely simple inner garments and no longer looked at the clearly embarrassed Servius. Reaching out, he untied his own belt. The red robes instantly loosened and fell open, revealing white inner garments that, unlike the strict and proper clothing of this world, carried a sense of effortless freedom. They appeared as though they might slip off at any moment. Both the outer robes and the inner garments were held together only by a single fragile belt, making it difficult to imagine what he looked like wearing such clothing while fighting.

Servius watched Aesop’s retreating figure slowly disappear into the distance. Only then did his stiff body begin to relax. Tugging lightly at his inner robe, he glanced at the intricate embroidered patterns woven into the fabric. With a single thought, the clothing vanished from his body. The skin beneath was far from the smooth complexion of an ordinary person. Mysterious demonic markings covered nearly half of his body, winding across his skin with an eerie, enigmatic beauty. Servius brushed his fingers over the markings on his arm, and they immediately faded from sight. Only then did he pick up the bath towel Aesop had prepared for him, wrap it around himself, and head toward the natural hot spring that was the greatest luxury of the courtyard.

When he reached the red robes Aesop had casually left on the ground, Servius paused for a moment. He bent down, picked them up, and tossed them together with the clothes he had taken off himself. His gaze then fell upon another bath towel hanging nearby, which he took with him as well. The embarrassment he had felt earlier over not knowing how to undress had already faded considerably. After all, even he was not omnipotent, was he? How could there possibly be anything truly perfect in this world?

By the time Servius arrived at the hot spring, Aesop had already entered the water, still dressed in his white inner robe. The flowing spring water did not soak the fabric. Instead, the robe floated gently upon the surface, faintly revealing the body beneath, as flawless as the finest white jade. Servius’s body stiffened for a brief instant before quickly returning to normal. Reaching out, he tossed one of the bath towels beside Aesop before stepping into the hot spring himself.

The flowing spring water carried not only the natural scent of the hot spring itself but also a faint fragrance of flowers. Servius, who was intimately familiar with that scent, knew it belonged to Aesop, and his body relaxed even further. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he leaned back in contentment. Gods were never tainted by filth, but that did not mean they rejected comfort and pleasure. Servius glanced at Aesop beside him. The human world was not entirely devoid of interest. At the very least, its ways of enjoying life and seeking leisure were things that neither celestials nor demons could ever have imagined.

∇ Capture Target Servius Joy Favorability: 35.

Miao Lichen opened his eyes and looked toward Servius, who was soaking in the shallow end of the hot spring. The corners of his lips curved into a faint smile. Rising to his feet, he used the bath towel Servius had thrown over to dry the water from his body before walking back toward the room.

The moment Aesop stood up, Servius opened his eyes as well, watching the tall figure disappear from his sight. Then, his own figure suddenly vanished beneath the water, diving toward the bottom of the hot spring. He swam for what seemed like a long time. Although he could no longer tell exactly where he was, he knew he had long since left the inn behind. After a considerable while, the white hair that Aesop liked so much was completely soaked, carrying the dark luster that had originally belonged to him. A black crystal of condensed magic appeared in his hand, within which surged the dark power most despised on the Kedor Continent. He had sensed it the moment he entered the hot spring. This place was connected to a mineral vein—and not just any vein, but one rich in dark crystals.

Servius slowly tightened his grip. The dark crystal gradually crumbled into powder, disappearing between his fingers. Demonic markings, too extensive to be concealed even by the bath towel, spread upward to his neck, while similar patterns appeared beneath his feet, seeming to extend deep into the earth itself. The childish softness faded slightly from his face, and his round cheeks gradually lengthened. In the blink of an eye, he had grown from a four or five-year-old child into a youth of fourteen or fifteen.

The sound of collapsing stone echoed from behind him, but Servius did not even turn his head. He simply left the place. By the time he returned to the hot spring, he had once again become a child of four or five. The faint traces of black that had stained the bath towel dissolved into the spring water, as though nothing had happened at all.

Miao Lichen had already changed back into his ever-present red robes. In his hands, he casually flipped through a book bound in a golden cover. Seeing Servius approach, he tossed the book in his direction.

Servius caught the book, but the instant his fingers touched it, his pupils narrowed slightly and his body stiffened. The book Aesop had given him clearly belonged to the Holy Church. The familiar golden radiance and the aura he loathed were enough to identify it. Even without opening it, he already understood Aesop’s intentions.

Aesop was not the sort of person who meddled in other people’s affairs. If he had rescued him, then was it because he had taken a liking to his talent? A body and soul of perfect purity were the favorite delicacies of demons and the ideal vessels for the descent of those winged fanatics. Whether he ultimately succeeded in cultivating it or not, Aesop would undoubtedly leave an unforgettable mark upon the history of the Holy Church. Having the Demon King study the cultivation methods of the celestial—even if it was only the most basic introductory text—would certainly be the first time such a thing had happened since the Creator first brought the world into being.

“Study it well. If all goes well, perhaps I’ll be able to retire a little sooner.” A faint smile rested on Miao Lichen’s lips. Even his characteristically gentle voice carried a trace of genuine amusement.

“I’ve never heard of anyone in the Holy Church retiring after achieving success. Unless they die, aren’t they supposed to devote their entire lives to serving the great God? I don’t possess that kind of dedication.” Servius casually flipped open the book. It was nothing more than a beginner’s guide to the Holy Church, filled mostly with praise for the Divine King and his boundless greatness. A strange light flickered through his eyes. It seemed that he had never truly fought Sathalia Campbell in earnest. Perhaps it would be interesting to test their strength against one another someday.

“Of course I don’t mean leaving the Holy Church. It’s just…” Miao Lichen smiled without continuing, apparently having no intention of revealing his identity to Servius just yet. Rising to his feet, he picked Servius up and gently ruffled his damp white hair. Wet from the bath, it was even softer than usual, and felt pleasant beneath his fingers. “If little Arthur doesn’t want to learn, that’s fine too. I just don’t know how long it’ll be before I find another suitable successor.”

“I never said I didn’t want to learn.” Servius stored the book away in his storage space. Within that otherwise empty space, there now rested a single book that had no business belonging to the Demon King.

“Good.” Miao Lichen set Servius down on the only large, soft bed in the bedroom and gently patted him. “Get some proper rest. Tomorrow I’ll take you around Lopa County and show you the sights.”

“Mm.” Servius obediently closed his eyes at Miao Lichen’s words. A faint red gleam flickered within them before disappearing, and the aura surrounding him gradually settled into calmness.

Miao Lichen lay down beside Servius and turned his head to glance at him. Resting one hand lightly against Servius’s chest, he quietly sensed the flow of energy within his body. As expected of the Demon King, the sovereign of demonkind—even though his strength had recovered to less than a tenth of its peak, he was already at the Divine rank in this world. Miao Lichen closed his own eyes and began his cultivation.

Deep within the pile of miscellaneous items stored inside Miao Lichen’s storage bracelet, the scepter stirred as though it had sensed something. It trembled once, producing a clear, melodious chime before falling silent again. At that very moment, in another realm, a man with the most brilliant golden hair slowly opened the eyes that had remained closed in slumber for nearly a thousand years. His sky-blue pupils were as vast and all-embracing as the sea itself, while the faint, compassionate curve of his lips carried the aloof majesty that belonged only to a god.

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