Chapter 244 : White Mist Forest Meeting
After hearing Nalonaté's account, Lonis felt her heart filled with mixed emotions, not knowing what to say.
Actually, just like the old man she had encountered on her adventure journey who wanted to die, sometimes in this world, there simply was no correct choice.
Like justice.
As a hero, one must uphold justice... but what is justice?
Does serving the interests of the majority constitute justice?
How should the minority who are sacrificed be weighed... Nalonaté was only 11 years old back then, yet was forced to accept responsibilities that didn't match her age.
Elucia was the same. Back then, she undoubtedly pursued justice, but she was attacked by rebels, with no one able to understand her pain.
So justice in this world was inherently limited—limited by identity, limited by country, limited by faction.
Most people just used the banner of justice to make themselves feel more at ease.
But...
Hope existed objectively.
Although compared to justice, hope was such an ethereal thing, it existed objectively.
Why did Lonis originally want to save the world?
It wasn't because of justice—at first it was just because she wanted to conquer that silver-haired beautiful girl, wanted to marry her as his wife.
And the reason Elucia became partners with her was only hoping that the dead souls could find peace.
Sethilu hoped the country could improve, Luozhi Sheng hoped not to disappoint Yue Linyi's expectations, Nalonaté hoped to protect those she cherished.
Everyone came here because of hope.
So...
Looking toward the distant starry sky, something seemed to flow in Lonis's eyes.
...
❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
That night, Lonis secretly found Elucia.
...
"Hehe, Lonis, are you crazy? Making such a request?"
"Mm... i-is it not okay?"
"Hmph, it's not that it's not okay. I just didn't expect you to make such a bold choice."
"After all, I'm also a hero..."
"Fine, but you're thinking too simply... I already have a plan. Just follow my orders."
...
❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
...
After three days of trekking, everyone arrived at the location specified in the letter—White Mist Forest.
This was a forest on the border of the Bright Ember Kingdom, shrouded year-round in sky-blocking fog with visibility under 100 meters, and very rugged terrain, perfect for hiding ambushes.
So to outsiders, this was a very dangerous place—the demons choosing here definitely had ulterior motives.
But...
The truth was exactly the opposite.
Precisely because you suspect the opponent has ambushes, the opponent will also suspect you've positioned ambushes nearby.
When unclear about the opponent's cards, no one would act rashly... which is why White Mist Forest became the safest place instead.
"Princess Sethilu, please be careful."
"Mm."
After entering the forest, vehicles couldn't be used. So even the noble Princess Elucia had to walk personally.
Nalonaté and the other Sword and Shield Guards led the way, clearing branches and fallen leaves for the princess. After walking for about three hours, they arrived at a circular plaza.
This might have once been some kind of teleportation magic circle, but had long been abandoned... The stone slabs were covered with traces left by time, fallen leaves piled up, making rustling sounds underfoot.
Thick fog pervaded, making it impossible to see far, but the Sword and Shield Guards still discovered a group of people standing on the opposite side of the plaza.
This group wore black cloaks, indistinct in the thick fog, except for the leading loli who stood there confidently.
She had fiery red hair and a petite frame under 4'9".
A pitch-black windcoat covered her snow-white skin. Though her chest was flat, she wore long leather boots, and those crimson eyes looked down on everything as if nothing in the world mattered to her.
Although she didn't announce her name, every Sword and Shield Guard knew she was the Vampire Queen, leader of the demons—Candel.
...
"Are you the Demon Leader Candel?"
Nalonaté stepped forward and questioned.
"Hmph, making me wait so long... But compared to my impatience, I think they might be even more anxious."
"What?"
"Poor slaves, you are liberated."
With Candel's wave, all the black-cloaked figures had their hoods removed at once.
But the scene that met their eyes left Nalonaté stunned.
All these people wore the same attire as Evan... pitch-black slave collars tightly locked around their necks.
Their waists, legs, and chests were bound by strange leather clothing, making them constantly endure humiliating torment.
But this wasn't the worst part.
The worst part was that all these people had undergone "modification surgery"—males transformed into petite girls, while females were transformed into boys.
They had all originally been soldiers of the Bright Ember Kingdom, but now they couldn't even control their own bodies... The moment their black cloaks were removed, everyone almost simultaneously let out wails.
"Ah, ahh! I can't take it anymore, can't hold on!"
"It's coming out, drool is coming out!"
...
Instantly, wails filled the air. Even battle-hardened women would probably blush like little girls and look away.
"You..."
Seeing this scene, Nalonaté and the accompanying Sword and Shield Guards were naturally furious beyond measure.
After all, those were their comrades—having their comrades undergo such terrible modifications was truly too much.
But Elucia?
As if accustomed to such sights, she merely smiled faintly:
"Hah, is that all? How boring."
"What?"
"They have crests placed on them, right? These crests restrict expression, but the moment clothing is removed, the accumulated suffering of these days is instantly released... Hmph, while the punishment level is acceptable, such a spectacle is truly unseemly! Do you vampires only play with such low-level toys?"
After speaking, Elucia stepped forward indifferently.
Just this one step made the surrounding air seem to cool several degrees... The aura the girl emanated in that instant not only suppressed those moans but even overwhelmed Candel's presence, immediately becoming the master of the meeting.
"H-how could you possibly know our crests?"
"How could I not know such an outdated thing?"
"I know! You're not Princess Sethilu, you're that impostor! Who exactly are you?!"
As if unwilling to have her carefully planned entrance upstaged by Elucia, Candel demanded harshly.
And Elucia smiled coldly: "Hehe, of course I'm not Princess Sethilu. I'm Princess Sethilu's master, the actual controller of the Bright Ember Kingdom."
"What..."
"And the real Princess Sethilu is actually here... Little slave princess, come out and let everyone see how you look now."
Elucia lifted a travel case behind her.
Immediately after, muffled girl's sobs came from inside.