The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

Chapter 793: The Center of the World: The Royal Capital

Mitra Kingdom, Royal Capital.

Recently, the Royal Capital had become more bustling than ever, but also more heavily guarded. At every city gate, high-level knights stood guard, replacing the usual level thirty knights. Soldiers and knights patrolled the city walls, their expressions serious and vigilant, not daring to relax. A keen observer would also notice that the city’s protective barrier was operating at full power, and numerous hidden magic circles and tools formed a powerful defense system, protecting the capital both inside and out.

Long lines formed at each city gate. Everyone entering the city, whether commoners, merchants, or nobles, had to undergo strict inspections. Even the nobles, despite their impatience, had to comply, showing the strictness of the security.

This couldn’t be helped. Luxurious caravans frequently passed through the city streets, attracting the attention of the citizens.

“That’s the caravan of the king of the small neighboring country to the south, right?”

“And the royal guards of the western countries.”

“That one over there seems to be the caravan of the Dwarven higher-ups.”

“And that one, the caravan of the Beastmen priests.”

The citizens watched these luxurious caravans pass by, sighing.

“This is the first time I’ve seen so many foreign dignitaries appearing so frequently.”

“Same here.”

“I thought the number of foreign princes and nobles who came for Princess Lucy’s selection was already impressive.”

“Who knew that in just a short time, the Royal Capital would welcome so many important figures again.”

“This time, it’s the leaders of various races, countries, and factions.”

“They’re all true leaders with real power, much more impressive than those princes and nobles who rely on their backgrounds.”

“I heard that important figures from the God Race and the Demon Race will also come to the Royal Capital.”

“The Three Goddesses and the Six Demon Lords…”

“I originally thought that ordinary people like us would never have the chance to see such high-ranking figures.”

“If we’re lucky, we might be able to see them this time.”

“I… I want to see Nadue, the Goddess of Nature! I heard she’s the most perfect goddess in the God Race! I’ve admired her for a long time!”

“I want to see Shafney, the Succubus! She’s rumored to be the most beautiful woman in the world!”

“I’d rather see the Elven Queen. I heard her beauty is comparable to Princess Lucy’s!”

“The Saint of the Beastmen is also good. The elders said that fox people are as beautiful as elves!”

“Goddesses I wouldn’t even dare to dream of before are actually coming to the Royal Capital!”

“Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to see them.”

The citizens discussed these matters excitedly, the Royal Capital bustling with activity.

This scene would likely continue for a while. After all, with the three-race meeting approaching, important figures from various races, countries, and factions would continuously arrive, making the Royal Capital unprecedentedly lively. People knew that this place had been chosen as the venue for the three-race meeting, and those legendary figures might truly appear.

This made the citizens both excited and proud.

“Being chosen as the venue for the three-race meeting is an honor for our Mitra Kingdom.”

“After all, this is the Kingdom of Heroes.”

“There’s no better place for the three-race meeting than here.”

This was true.

When deciding on the venue, the God Race and the Demon Race considered their own territories, but ultimately rejected the idea. Both sides were suspicious of each other, the Demon Race believing that the God Race secretly summoned the Hero and was planning something, and the God Race believing that the Demon Race orchestrated the Hero’s summoning, intending to restart the war. Neither trusted the other, naturally unwilling to let their leaders enter enemy territory, lest they fall into a trap.

Therefore, holding the meeting in the Human Realm was inevitable.

And in the Human Realm, what place was more representative and symbolic than the Mitra Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heroes?

A thousand years ago, it was Hero Mitra who vanquished the Demon King and ended the war. He also established this kingdom where he slew the Demon King and held the first three-race meeting, bringing together the leaders of the God Race, the Human Race, and the Demon Race to establish a peace treaty.

Therefore, the final venue was decided to be the Royal Capital of the Mitra Kingdom, this Kingdom of Heroes hosting the meeting.

This was naturally an honor, but also a great responsibility.

Although the Mitra Kingdom was one of the most powerful human nations, its military strength second only to the Ragna Empire, its status still wasn’t particularly high in Omnipotence. It was just one of the human nations, and even within the Human Race, it was only a small part, not to mention compared to the entire Elven, Dwarven, and Beastmen races. Compared to the God Race and the Demon Race, one the object of the entire Human Race’s faith, guiding them since ancient times, their status and power undoubtedly above humans, the other even stronger than the God Race, recognized as the strongest in Omnipotence, even the combined forces of the God Race and the Human Race being slightly weaker in terms of pure combat power, the Mitra Kingdom was insignificant.

Therefore, for the Mitra Kingdom, a mere human nation, to host the leaders of all these races, countries, and factions, was a challenging task. Moreover, they also had to prepare the venue, ensure its security, and maintain balance between the various nations, races, and factions, preventing conflicts. One could imagine how much stress this would cause the royal family and the high-ranking nobles.

But even so, at this juncture, the Kingdom had to step up. And they weren’t afraid of anyone disrespecting them.

“The Hero, reappeared after a thousand years, is a noble of our Mitra Kingdom.”

“Our Kingdom once again has a true Hero.”

“And he’s also the fiancé of the Kingdom’s Treasure.”

“Even the Dragon Demon of the Demon Race is engaged to our Hero.”

“And a Goddess of the God Race, a goddess named Lilith, is said to be very close to our Hero.”

“Lildas, the Goddess of Fate, and Anima, the Goddess of Life, both attended Hero Shien’s engagement banquet.”

“The Elven Race and the Beastmen priests also publicly declared their support for Hero Shien, calling him their eternal friend.”

“With such a Hero, who would dare to cause trouble?”

“Exactly.”

The citizens were filled with confidence and pride.

However, there were also dissenting voices.

“A dignified Hero, abandoning Princess Lucy and getting engaged to a Demon Lord, what a joke.”

“Has Princess Lucy been betrayed?”

“He was already engaged to the Kingdom’s Treasure, why would he publicly announce his engagement to a Demon Lord?”

“Could it be that Hero Shien wants to depose Princess Lucy as his principal wife and make her a concubine to a Demon Lord?”

“If he dares to do that, we must demand he break off the engagement.”

“Indeed, why should our Kingdom’s Treasure be a mere accessory to the Demon Race?”

“Princess Lucy is such an outstanding, beautiful, and noble princess. Being a concubine would be a disgrace.”

“I think that Earl Buztout has been completely won over by the Demon Race.”

Such rumors spread throughout the Royal Capital, even the entire Kingdom. The more spectacular Shien and Lucy’s engagement banquet was, the stronger the backlash now. After all, the entire Kingdom celebrated their engagement, and the citizens had finally accepted this “prince charming,” envious and jealous of him marrying the Kingdom’s Treasure. Now, for him to turn around and get engaged to someone else, it was natural for them to be indignant.

Fortunately, the Kingdom hadn’t publicly condemned Shien, and the royal family remained silent, not making any statements. Moreover, Shien was the Hero, and Heroes still held a high position in the hearts of the people. Those who held animosity towards him were a minority.

Whether this minority would grow and cause uncontrollable chaos, no one knew.

But people knew that at the three-race meeting, not only would the leaders of various races, countries, and factions attend, but also Shien himself.

At that time, not only the matters regarding the Hero summoning, but also the issue of his engagements to both the Demon Lord and the Kingdom’s Treasure, would be discussed.

What would be the outcome?

Many were waiting and watching.

And at this very moment, above the Royal Capital, a pitch-black dragon descended from the sky.

“Roar—!!!” Its roar echoed through the heavens, reaching everyone’s ears.

For a moment, silence fell over the Royal Capital.

Then, chaos erupted.

Chapter 794: The Most High-Profile Return

“Roar—”

The dragon’s roar reverberated through the Royal Capital like a thunderclap, an invisible shockwave echoing through the city.

In that moment, all the citizens were stunned, then their eyes widened. Not just the ordinary citizens, but even the dignitaries from around the world, who had entered the Royal Capital to attend the upcoming three-race meeting, rushed out from their carriages, mansions, and buildings, looking up at the sky.

The sight of a pitch-black dragon spreading its wings and roaring shook everyone to their core. Along with shock came astonishment, hesitation, joy, and excitement.

“That… that is…!?”

“The Black Dragon of Atlus Gorge!”

“It’s the Black Dragon of Atlus Gorge!”

The citizens of the Royal Capital were the first to recognize the black dragon. After all, it had been soaring above the city not long ago, appearing from time to time. Everyone knew its master.

Now, its return meant only one thing.

“That lord has returned!”

“Earl Buztout has returned!”

“Our Hero has returned!”

Many citizens cheered.

“He… he’s back!”

“He finally returned…”

“He’s finally back…”

The nobles in the Royal Capital, those who knew Shien, whether they had a relationship with him or not, had complex expressions.

“Is that…?”

“Yes, that’s him.”

The dignitaries from around the world, seeing Yulin for the first time, were deeply shocked, speechless.

And in the Buztout residence, in the heart of the noble district, servants and maids rushed out, their faces filled with joy upon seeing the familiar black dragon.

“Master Shien…!” Lumia looked at the black dragon in the sky, overjoyed.

“Decided to come back, huh?” Vivian, still in her armor and carrying her giant shield, said with a gentle smile.

Beside her were two others.

One was Diere, cloaked and wearing a half-mask, staring intently at Yulin, her eyes flickering, her expression unreadable.

And the other was a long-lost acquaintance.

“Is that the dragon he supposedly tamed?” Riley asked, a glint in her eyes as she looked at Yulin. This young lady of the Lazareth family, the Guild Master of the Larmigion Adventurer’s Guild, who had helped Shien forge his identity and provided him with much assistance, Vivian’s childhood friend, had finally returned to the Royal Capital.

Of course, she wasn’t the only one. Behind Lumia were seven small figures, looking at Yulin with a mix of fear, timidity, adoration, and awe.

Outside the Royal Capital, in an unknown luxurious mansion, two figures also appeared, seeing the roaring black dragon in the sky.

“That guy actually remembers to come back?” Leisha asked, annoyed, “I thought he was already enjoying himself too much in the Demon Realm to remember us.”

Lasha stood beside her, her crimson eyes filled with an unreadable light, as if she could see the figure standing on the dragon’s back.

All those who knew Shien, whether familiar with him or not, whether they had a good relationship with him or not, their attention was captured by the dragon’s shadow in the sky.

Naturally, those in the Royal Palace were no exception.

“Quite the grand entrance, returning with such fanfare. Is he trying to intimidate us?”

Ancil, appearing on the balcony of a palace, looked at Yulin with a displeased expression.

“…” Aldia stood behind him, silent, but his eyes flickered with fighting spirit, his aura even stronger than when he last fought Shien.

Lia, also in her bedchamber, stood by the window, looking at the black dragon, her voice a mix of displeasure and relief.

“It’s good that he knows to come back,” she said, imagining her younger sister’s current feelings.

“The Hero…” Charl, standing behind Lia, looked at the sky with a mix of complex emotions and admiration.

Not just Charl, but many who knew Shien felt the same. After all, his current identity was completely different from before. Before, although outstanding and powerful, in many people’s eyes, he was still just a talented commoner who climbed his way up to nobility, eventually becoming the fiancé of the Kingdom’s Treasure by “climbing the social ladder.” Such a person, although admired, also caused envy and resentment.

But today, he was no longer just Earl Buztout, but a genuine Hero.

The significance of this identity in the Mitra Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heroes, was self-evident. To think that after two months, the renowned Earl Buztout had become the Hero, a figure not seen for a thousand years, a being who shouldn’t even exist, this naturally evoked complex emotions in many.

Only one person longed for Shien’s return, but not because of his identity as the Hero.

“—” On the balcony of a bedchamber deep within the Royal Palace, a figure that seemed to outshine everything around her stood, her golden eyes emotionless.

“Hmph!” After a while, she snorted coldly, the gold in her eyes fading, replaced by their original wine-red color, and a surge of intense emotions.

“Thump—Thump—” A mysterious rhythm, like a heartbeat, emanated from her, reaching the figure in the sky.

“Thump—Thump—” A similar rhythm echoed in his chest, and Shien, standing on the dragon’s back, holding Lilith, looking down at the Royal Capital with a mix of emotions, turned his head and looked in a certain direction.

That direction was the center of the Royal Capital, where the island in the middle of the lake was located, or rather, where the Royal Palace on that island stood.

Across the vast distance, their heartbeats resonated, their gazes meeting as if they could see each other at this moment.

Shien maintained this posture, looking in that direction for a long… long… time.

“Hmm?” Lilith, in his arms, seemed to sense something and tilted her head in confusion.

“It’s nothing,” Shien said, coming back to his senses and patting her head.

Then, he took a deep breath and said to Yulin below,

“Alright, let’s go in.”

As if waiting for this moment, Yulin roared joyfully and swooped down towards the Royal Capital.

This scene was naturally witnessed by everyone in the city.

“Wait!” Many cried out instinctively, including Ancil, Lia, and most of the nobles. They knew that the Royal Capital was no longer the same as before. For security and order during the three-race meeting, flying above the city was forbidden, and the barrier was active twenty-four hours a day. Entering the city was only possible through the city gates, after strict inspections.

Of course, no one doubted that the dragon could enter. Even the reinforced barrier of the Royal Capital couldn’t withstand a dragon’s breath, unless it was a protective barrier on the level of the Elven Race’s [Pure Flower Curtain]. If Yulin came down like this, she would either be stopped by the barrier or destroy it with her dragon breath.

And they feared it would be the latter.

Therefore, those who knew cried out.

Unfortunately, they underestimated Shien.

“Swoosh!” Just as Yulin was about to reach the barrier, her figure flickered, and like teleportation, she passed through it, appearing inside. Then, she continued downwards, unimpeded.

“Phew…” Many, including Lia, breathed a sigh of relief.

“That brat, just after returning, not only did he show off, but he also tried to scare me to death,” Ancil said angrily.

“…He can casually pass through the Royal Capital’s barrier now?” Aldia, however, noticed something else, looking intently at the sky, “It seems he’s become even stronger.”

“Stronger…?” Ancil calmed down and murmured, “Indeed, as the Hero, he will only grow stronger, not remain stagnant.”

He didn’t know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. After all, that guy still owed the royal family an explanation. The matter of his engagement to the Dragon Demon was already causing discontent among the commoners, let alone within the Royal Palace. If not for their exceptionally talented daughter having achieved that goal, completely transforming herself, making even the royal family hesitant to control her, this matter would have already caused a stir and infighting within the palace. Now, he had returned, even stronger. This wasn’t good news for the royal family, who wanted an explanation from him.

“Could it be that he anticipated this and deliberately made such a grand entrance, showing off his power to intimidate those who have ulterior motives?”

Ancil couldn’t help but suspect this.

“It’s very likely,” Aldia said indifferently, “How do you plan to handle this, Your Majesty?”

“Handle it?” Ancil was also troubled, then he snorted coldly, “Let’s see his attitude towards this matter first.”

Saying this, he turned and left.

Aldia silently followed, his hand gripping his sword tightening. He wasn’t concerned about the royal family’s matters; those were political issues, and he had never been interested in them. He was more interested in how much stronger Shien had become.

“Can I even reach his level now?” he wondered.

…

Actually, Ancil’s guess was correct.

Shien’s high-profile return was indeed meant to intimidate those with malicious intentions. He knew that his sudden engagement to someone with a higher status and strength than Lucy, while already engaged to her, would put the royal family in a difficult position.

They wouldn’t want their princess to become a secondary wife, let alone the Kingdom’s Treasure, a direct descendant of the royal family and a Hero, becoming someone’s concubine.

Therefore, even if Shien didn’t say anything, they would definitely have some thoughts. He could even guess that many would use this opportunity to publicly suggest canceling his engagement with Lucy.

Even if he was the Hero, the Kingdom of Heroes wouldn’t shamelessly force their precious princess on him. Even if Lucy remained his principal wife, he didn’t think everyone in the Kingdom would be happy about her marrying him.

After all, she was the Kingdom’s Treasure, the most beautiful woman in the Human Realm, the spiritual pillar of the Mitra Kingdom, an idol admired by all. Those who had feelings for Lucy probably wished for her to break off the engagement with Shien, so they could have a chance to pursue her.

Therefore, after careful consideration, Shien decided to make a grand entrance, showing his strength and making those with malicious intentions reconsider.

As for Lucy…

Well, he had been worried about being “rejected” before, but now that he was back, he no longer cared, only wanting to bring this beauty home.

With this impulse, he didn’t go straight to the Buztout residence, but to the Royal Palace.

“Roar—!” The black dragon, under the watchful eyes of everyone in the Royal Capital, flew across the sky and arrived at the island in the middle of the lake where the Royal Palace was located. While still in the Royal Capital, Shien often did this, riding Yulin directly into the palace. Now, he did the same, not holding back, even though the palace’s barrier was stronger and the security tighter than before. He had Yulin fly straight towards the palace, then, just before reaching the barrier, he used teleportation, bringing himself, Lilith, and Yulin inside.

After entering the palace, Shien didn’t let Yulin land in the familiar monster plaza, but continued flying inwards.

Until he saw that familiar bedchamber.

“Huh?” He suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

Even Yulin abruptly stopped, looking at the bedchamber ahead, her scales seemingly standing on end, and instinctively let out a low growl.

Even Lilith couldn’t help but look up at the bedchamber, surprised.

There, an indescribable aura fluctuated.