At noon, the sky over the Holy City was crystal clear, a pristine blue.
The bells of Saint Bahari Cathedral chimed, and bell towers across the Holy City responded in kind, their hum echoing throughout the Holy City.
Two weeks had passed since Mil accidentally woke Lilith.
After investigations by the Exorcists, Mil was initially cleared of any suspicion of possessing genuine abilities.
Things had not spiraled out of control, and Mil was in a pleasant mood…
Currently, the Holy City's tranquility was merely superficial; battle reports from afar had already spread fear—
The Undead army had suddenly mobilized a week ago, flattening Gannonford Fortress in a single night!
Now, the Demon Race still didn't know that the Demon God's Child had appeared.
Mil needed to find a way to gather information on the Blood Race and the Great Tomb, and contact them as soon as possible.
But Mil didn't plan to go directly to the front lines to find them; firstly, he lacked the ability to protect himself; secondly, he didn't know their attitude towards him. What if they were two traitors?
Mil was a king who understood people's hearts.
Inside the Grand Library of Sibyl Magic Academy, sunlight streamed through a large, openwork iron-glass wall, penetrating the dim library, illuminating a corner of a giant bookshelf, and also illuminating the yellowed pages in Mil's hand.
Mil wasn't a student at this academy; he was merely here to meet with a “mole” and, incidentally, browse some related magical knowledge.
This was the Holy City's only magic academy, ranking among the top three in the entire Atla Continent, renowned for its Golden Prophecy, and also Lilith's academy.
Those who could enter this academy were either rich or noble, but that was far from enough; without sufficient talent and solid strength, one couldn't even touch the threshold.
Shortly after the bells chimed, the sound of footsteps approached from a distance. It seemed a class had ended, and students were bustling towards the library.
Mil amplified his perception, hoping to gather some useful information—
“That bunch of useless Church people! My fiancée still hasn’t woken up!”
“It’s the same for everyone. Except for Miss Lilith, no one else has woken up. But at least there haven’t been any new victims.”
“Who said that? My goddess has been asleep for two months, but last night I saw her at the tavern entrance. Unfortunately, when I went this morning, her cousin said she had fallen asleep again!”
“Hiss… Brother, are you Baron Gotham Tom?”
The six thousand-plus young girls in the Holy City still showed no signs of waking, which greatly reassured Mil.
In fact, the Demon Race behind the “mole” Mil was meeting today were precisely the ones assisting in the spread of the sleeping magic.
It was said to be a Lord-level Demon Lord. As long as he could contact her, he could find the caster of the sleeping magic—Theron.
The Holy City was in a state of panic; with internal strife and external threats, the pressure fell squarely on the Church…
Now, in the homes of those sleeping girls, there were also a few more saws and axes hanging on the walls.
The bishops criticized this, saying it showed a lack of faith…
But Mil had faith; he suggested people switch to hammers and sickles, as they would be more effective!
“Such a big incident happened, and you haven’t heard? Miss Lilith’s admirer, half a month ago, rushed a hundred miles overnight to Mian Ruo Village and caught a group of Cultists in one swoop!”
“Ah? Isn’t that the job of the Church’s Holy Knights? Just them?”
“There were many of them! One was the second son of the Holy Knights Commander’s family; he alone brought over 80 people. There was also a wealthy young master from a prominent family whose father sent 6 fifth-tier mages with him. The strongest of those Cultists were only 3 fourth-tier ones…”
“Moreover, as soon as that group of Cultists was cleared out, Lilith woke up immediately!”
After listening, Mil rubbed his temples. It was indeed a miscalculation, but fortunately, the Cultists who were wiped out were not large in scale.
Hiss… The Demon God wouldn't think I'm putting on a show for him, right?
Fortunately, in the setting, the Demon God has no subjective consciousness.
Yesterday, the Leia Tower sent a letter. Mil’s adoptive father spent the entire letter advising Mil not to get involved in this mess, and especially not to insist on marrying Lilith!
In reality, Mil hadn’t written to his family about this, nor had Alice or the butler mentioned it. The Duke most likely wouldn’t twist the truth to Mil’s adoptive father.
So, he could pretty much guess how the Duke was messing with the Empire…
Mil wrote a reply to his adoptive father, briefly explaining the situation, then he couldn't be bothered with it anymore. Anyway, Lilith was sent back to the Duchy, and he wouldn't be seeing her anytime soon.
“I heard that half a month ago, a carpenter was caught. He was supposed to repair the cathedral, but when he opened his box… Good heavens, guess what? Inside was a complete set of Black Magic tools!”
Hearing the chatter from the next table, Mil sneered, thinking, “Serves him right!”
He still needed to find a way to get the Nightmare Wheel back; that thing wasn't cheap.
“Seeking death! So, did that carpenter confess?”
“He did confess, but he confessed too quickly… He was an Abyss fanatic. He shouted ‘For the Demon King!’ and bit off his tongue to commit suicide!”
Mil’s hand trembled, and he awkwardly licked his lips, selectively ignoring the voices of these people.
Actually, Mil had always wanted to be a mage, but unfortunately, he had no talent before, and both his adoptive father and his Earl grandfather wanted him to join the Church.
However, Mil couldn't memorize a single word of the Holy Bible, the law, the doctrines, or the hymns…
Disobedient? If you have the guts, expel me from humanity!
As a result, Mil was chosen by the “chaos holy stone” and became the Demon King.
Hmm, if you have the guts, make me transmigrate back and unfortunately fall in love with a kind and gentle rich second-generation school belle who insists on marrying me, only to be tragically given a 2 billion red packet by my father-in-law, but then accidentally succeed in starting a business and be forced to go public.
Inside the Grand Library, the students quieted down after taking their seats, but within a few minutes, commotion erupted again from a distance—
A group of boys surrounded a girl, bustling into the library…
The girl wore a third-tier mage’s tall pointed hat, her steps graceful.
A black wizard’s robe was draped over her shoulders, beneath which was a British-style JK uniform, a dark blue plaid skirt, and a pair of long legs in over-the-knee black stockings, delicate, slender, and beautifully contoured…
The silver-threaded openwork lace at the top of the stockings peeked out from under her skirt, subtly, making one’s thoughts wander.
Mil stared intently. Lilith?
Wasn’t she sent back to the Duchy? When did she return?
He sighed, his mind growing irritated. He hoped this woman would know when to quit and not threaten him again with her magical affinity.
But then he suddenly remembered that the “mole” he was meeting today was from Paradise Duchy, and they had coincidentally arranged to meet at this academy…
Perhaps…
Was it Lilith’s accompanying servant?
In the Grand Library, everyone’s gaze was drawn to her. There was envy, adoration, and also jealousy.
It seemed that just being close to her would allow one to share in the world’s brilliance and beauty.
Mil turned his face away, covering himself with a book, preparing to find an opportunity to slip away, but unexpectedly, Lilith spotted him at a glance.
“Excuse me, everyone, my fiancé has come to find me.”
With that, Lilith walked towards Mil amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd…
Mil instantly felt a prickling sensation on his back, his head throbbing. She had a hundred reasons to find him, yet she chose the one that would cause the most stir.
Just as he was about to get up and slip away, slender fingers already intertwined with his arm:
“Let’s go. I was just looking for you. We can talk next door.”
In an instant, the students behind them, disregarding the library’s rules, descended into chaos…
Outside the Grand Library, by the steps, Lilith released his hand, crossed her arms, and said confidently:
“No need to explain. I’m not stupid. You and that carpenter must have swapped boxes, right?”
“You guessed that?”
Although Mil hadn’t intended to explain, he was still somewhat surprised. Lilith raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly:
“He came to our house to repair the stables, and then you arrived. And the Nightmare Wheel… it clearly looks like it’s meant to deal with me. It’s not hard to guess.”
“Alright then… Can you explain how you woke up?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps the magic wore off?”
Lilith spread her hands and shrugged. Mil felt a little relieved, realizing that the pause in the sleeping incident was probably not his doing:
“So what exactly do you want to do? A genius beauty, you can’t possibly be genuinely interested in me, can you?”
“I’m just giving myself… a way out. Mother wants me to serve ‘that Lord,’ but what if… what if Mother’s plan doesn’t succeed? For me, marrying into the royal family would be a dead end. They would definitely discover my secret.”
As she spoke, Lilith turned her head, her forlorn gaze fixed on the towering symbol of wisdom at Sibyl Academy, like a bird with broken wings looking at the sky.
In fact, Lilith’s ability to become a magic genius had nothing to do with her Demon Race identity. She hadn’t even touched dark-attribute magic until now.
On the contrary, if she weren’t a Demon Race, with her magical talent, she would undoubtedly become an epic-level mage with boundless prospects.
A way out, that Lord, successful plan, dead end, her secret…
For Mil, who desperately needed to gather information, this made his blood pressure rise:
“If you don’t want to say it, you don’t have to mention it. I’m not very interested in your affairs, okay? You’d better control your mouth and not reveal my business.”
Seeing Mil’s cold attitude, Lilith was somewhat surprised, even a little angry…
Although the current Lilith had not yet transformed into a true Demon Lord, the inherent beauty and bone structure of a high-ranking succubus naturally exuded a charming allure.
Compared to those seductive lower-ranking succubi, her exquisite face lacked any excessive charm, instead possessing a touch of aristocratic elegance and aloofness.
Yet, her bright and captivating eyes drew people in, making them fantasize about intoxicating tenderness.
Lilith curled a charming smile, suddenly leaning closer, and sneered in a low voice:
“Mr. Mil… Do you have no desire for me at all?”
“Does aggressive desire count?”
Mil’s reply seemed to instantly shatter all of Lilith’s arrogance. Her smile froze on her face, her eyes twitching slightly, even wanting to laugh out of anger:
“I haven’t even settled the score with you for planning to use the Nightmare Wheel against me yet!
You should understand that once your involvement with the Abyss is made public, not even your sister can save you!”
“So what? Are you going to report me?”
Lilith sighed and continued:
“Forget it… We can have a cooperative relationship. Do you want to learn magic? I can teach you. You don’t need to risk pursuing the Abyss to walk this path!”
“Hmm, first, please settle the five million Taylors. Thank you.”
Mil, with a look of disdain, sneered. Perhaps in the eyes of this great genius, he was willing to break taboos just to learn magic.
And Lilith, likewise, gritted her teeth, but still patiently continued:
“You’re unyielding… But a pure Abyss scholar like you is rare.
If I truly go to serve ‘that Lord,’ before Mother’s plan succeeds, I will also need to break off my engagement with the Third Prince.
At that time, just a little favor from ‘that Lord’ will ensure your smooth journey in exploring the Abyss!”
“So, can you settle the five million Taylors?”
Mil helplessly pouted. This woman must think the conditions she offered were very tempting, right?
Lilith’s eyes rolled back, and after covering her forehead and sighing, she still agreed:
“Yes, I’ll give it to you after it’s done. Father will negotiate with the Empire; it might not succeed, but you must not cause trouble. And please cooperate a little with the Lyata Family. I won’t treat you unfairly. I have other things to do, so that’s all! Take care.”
With that, Lilith turned and left. Mil cursed her stinginess under his breath and also left the library.
However, it seemed this woman was at least emotionally stable. As long as she didn’t reveal his dark-attribute secret when she was in a bad mood, it would be fine.
The current situation was still favorable for Mil. At least Mil’s plan was going even smoother than expected.
Mil himself hadn’t anticipated Alice’s incredibly high efficiency.
The Cultists and the Abyss Society in the Holy City had basically all been contacted.
Now, letters from various Demon Race forces and Abyss believers had piled up on Mil’s desk.
However, these people were all very cautious…
Most of the letters piled on Mil’s desk were questioning whether the “Demon God’s Child” had truly descended and demanded proof.
Mil would usually meet with their leaders as a “spokesperson,” branding the Abyss Curse Mark onto the letters as a token from the Demon God’s Child.
Of course, even as a “spokesperson,” Mil would not reveal his true face.
During this time, he and Alice had reached an understanding: Alice would search for Abyss forces in the Holy City, and Mil would be responsible for further communication and gaining trust.
Things are looking up!
The upcoming preaching session is bound to be unprecedentedly grand!
A moment later, Mil arrived at the academy’s cafe, donned a black rain cloak, and a mask, then sat in a corner, waiting for his contact.
However, even Mil hadn’t expected that Paradise, the backyard of the Theocracy, would have a Demon Race group’s stronghold.
Soon after, a female student came to the cafe and sat in front of Mil.
Mil could sense that the other party had used disguise magic, but he couldn’t perceive her true appearance. She was a powerful mage.
“Hello, are you the esteemed Spokesperson?”
“Yes.”
Mil nodded. The other person handed him a package that looked like a book, wrapped in brown paper and tied with a thin hemp string.
“Please deliver this to ‘that Lord.’ Do not open it privately.”
Upon hearing this, Mil’s expression suddenly froze, but he quickly recovered and nodded in response:
“Understood.”
…
The plan’s overly smooth progress also made Mil feel uneasy at times. After returning home in the evening, Mil again pressed Alice:
“Alice, have you asked? What’s the situation?”
“Yes, big brother, don’t worry! The plan is going smoothly. The Tribunal hasn’t detected our actions!”
“What about the Holy Knights?”
“Uh… I probed Commander Siegfried, and he hasn’t received any similar news either.”
Alice nodded with a bright smile, and Mil finally felt a little more at ease.
After dinner, Mil returned to his room and unwrapped the brown paper packaging. As soon as he unfolded a corner, blood seeped out through the Gap.
The entire book seemed to have a life of its own, and he could even feel its body temperature.
Untying the bandages, the cover was skin as fair as jade; opening it and turning to the back of the cover, one could see ribs like a comb, supporting the frame of the cover, somewhat resembling the roof of a mouth; the spine seemed to be a segment of a spine, also covered by skin, and would tremble slightly when gently stroked; the pages were like lung lobes, pulsating with a “heartbeat”;
It was evident that this Demon Lord also possessed very high magical attainment, having inversely fitted the “Abyss Curse Mark” Mil sent her and applied it as a seal on the book.
Aside from Mil, it was highly probable that no one else could open this book.
Mil was so excited he couldn’t express it. After going to throw up his dinner, he calmly and collectedly pried open the pages…
A gentle female voice emanated:
“May I ask, are you the Master of the Abyss?”
