The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

Chapter 795: A Changed Lucy?

“—Thump—Thump—”

The rhythmic pulse in Shien’s chest intensified. He even felt a burning sensation on his arm and rolled up his sleeve. There, a mysterious, ancient mark glowed, pulsed, and radiated heat, synchronized with his heartbeat. He knew what this mark was.

“Lucy’s bite mark…”

This same mark was also on his other arm, Lilith’s [True Mark]. He remembered Nien telling him that this mark Lucy left was also a [True Mark], the core of a God Race goddess’s existence. But Lucy was a human, why would she have the core of a God Race goddess? This question had bothered him for a long time, but seeing that Lucy didn’t want to explain, he suppressed his curiosity and didn’t ask. He had almost forgotten about it.

Unexpectedly, today, this [True Mark] was reacting strangely.

“No, this isn’t a strange reaction.”

The reason for the [True Mark]’s reaction was the aura emanating from Lucy’s bedchamber, a transcendent, holy aura he had only sensed from one type of being: goddesses, and not ordinary goddesses.

“What happened?” Shien wondered, uneasy.

Not just Shien, but even Lilith stared intently at the bedchamber, a serious look on her small face, and Yulin almost growled, as if threatened. This showed the strength and density of that divine aura.

After a moment of thought, Shien said,

“Land, Yulin.” He didn’t plan to enter directly with Lilith and Yulin.

“Master,” Yulin said in a low voice, seemingly urging him to be careful.

“Don’t worry,” Shien said softly, “I have a feeling this isn’t a bad thing.”

Yulin hesitated, then nodded and descended.

“Thud…” With a heavy thud, the black dragon landed before the bedchamber’s gate, kicking up dust.

Shien jumped down, carrying Lilith.

“Clang!” Yulin’s body shone with magic power as she shrunk, transforming into a beautiful girl with long, straight black hair and landing beside Shien.

At the same time, the bedchamber’s doors opened.

A group of female knights emerged and came before them.

They were the Holy Sword Knights.

“Earl Buztout!” they said in unison, giving Shien a knight’s salute.

Shien nodded and asked, “Where’s Lucy?” This was his only concern.

A female knight stepped forward and bowed to Shien.

“Her Highness has been waiting for you,” she said.

Clearly, this was all arranged by Lucy.

A solemn, serious, and strict atmosphere filled the bedchamber. The pressure was considerable.

Fortunately, Shien was no longer a country bumpkin, having experienced even grander scenes.

“Lead the way,” he said, handing Lilith to Yulin and patting her head, “Wait for me outside.”

“Mm-hmm.” Lilith, always obedient, nodded readily, sensing the seriousness of the situation.

“Be careful, Master,” Yulin said, worried. The divine aura emanating from the bedchamber was incredibly powerful, even threatening to her, a Limit Level dragon who had transformed and awakened her [Dragon Transformation] Unique Skill. This meant that the source of this divine aura, even if not a Transcendent Level being, was far stronger than ordinary Limit Level experts. She even wondered if the Three Goddesses or the Goddess of Justice were here, deliberately releasing their auras to intimidate them. Even Yulin, usually fearless, couldn’t help but feel apprehensive.

Shien, however, feeling the pulse in his chest and the heat from the [True Mark], wasn’t worried at all.

“Don’t worry,” he said, then, under the escort of the female knights, entered the bedchamber.

Yulin and Lilith were left outside, their attention focused on the bedchamber, ready to barge in if anything happened.

However, this seemed unnecessary.

…

After two months, Lucy’s bedchamber was naturally unchanged, still as luxurious and magnificent as before. Without the numerous noble sons from his first visit, and without those hostile gazes, Shien walked through the quiet and solemn corridor, as if entering a temple.

Along the way, female knights saluted him. They stood guard every few steps, filling every corner of the bedchamber, the security far stricter and more solemn than before.

Seeing this, Shien pondered.

“The Holy Sword Knights couldn’t have done this before.”

The Holy Sword Knights’ numbers weren’t large enough to fill every corner of the bedchamber. They usually only guarded the corridor leading to Lucy’s room, not every corner like now.

What did this mean?

“The Holy Sword Knights’ size has increased,” he realized, and not just slightly. The many unfamiliar female knights told him that the current Holy Sword Knights were much larger than before, possibly numbering in the thousands, even tens of thousands, far exceeding the size of an ordinary noble’s private knight order. Even the Royal Knights, at their peak, only numbered tens of thousands, and the Royal Guard only had seventy-seven members. If Lucy’s Holy Sword Knights numbered in the thousands, or even tens of thousands, then this force would be a significant military power in the Kingdom.

However, assembling such a large knight order wasn’t easy. Shien noticed that the highest level among these female knights was only sixty, the lowest only thirty, and only the female knight who led them out to greet him earlier was level seventy-three. And he had never seen this level seventy-three knight before, meaning she was recruited in the past two months.

“It seems Lucy’s status in the Kingdom has become even more special,” Shien deduced. Otherwise, why would the Kingdom suddenly grant her permission to create such a large private knight order? This could only mean that her status had risen, and the Kingdom not only valued her more, increasing her security, but also granted her greater authority.

Thinking of this, Shien finally arrived at Lucy’s door. Three female knights above level seventy stood guard here. Including the one who led him, there were four female knights above level seventy in Lucy’s Holy Sword Knights. For the Mitra Kingdom, this was the highest level of security, comparable to the knight orders of dukes with their own territories.

“Duke-level treatment?” Shien murmured, “Interesting.”

Just then…

“Your Highness, Earl Buztout has arrived,” the female knight who led him knocked on the door and reported softly.

In the next second, a familiar yet indifferent voice came from inside,

“Let him in.”

The door opened.

“Please enter, Earl Buztout,” the female knight said, gesturing for him to enter.

Shien entered silently.

“Click.” The door closed behind him, and silence filled the room.

He walked through the familiar room and looked up.

There, the figure from his dreams stood.

“You’re back?” the princess asked, turning around from the window.

Her face was still delicate and beautiful.

Her figure was still slender and graceful.

Her voice was still pleasant.

Her aura was still transcendent.

However, her voice was cold and indifferent, and the usual wine-red color in her eyes was gone, replaced by a pair of noble, brilliant, elegant, and cold golden eyes.

Shien felt an immense pressure, as if trying to crush him, under her gaze. And what was even more oppressive was the lack of emotion on her beautiful face, staring at him as if he were a stranger, not her beloved.

Shien’s heart sank.

Lucy, as if performing a routine task, said indifferently,

“Welcome back.” Just these two words, nothing more.

Her demeanor was incredibly cold.

Shien was silent.

Then, unable to bear it any longer, he teleported, appearing before Lucy.

He reached out and grabbed her head.

The iron claw activated.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch, that hurts, aaaaaah…!”

The cold and indifferent princess instantly broke character and screamed.

The golden eyes vanished without a trace.

Chapter 796: A Terrified Shien?

“Aaaaaaaaaaah…!”

As a rather pleasant scream echoed from the room, reaching the ears of the female knights outside, most of them were startled, their faces changing drastically.

“Your Highness!”

“Princess!”

“Princess Roselucia!”

Several high-level knights above level seventy immediately drew their swords, ready to rush into Lucy’s room.

However, the veteran Holy Sword Knights stopped them.

“Don’t! Don’t go in!”

“Her Highness is fine!”

“Now’s not the time to barge in!”

The veteran knights stopped the panicked newcomers, sighing and looking like experienced adults.

This confused the new knights.

“Why can’t we go in?” a high-level knight asked.

“Her Highness screamed!”

“I… I’ve never heard Princess Lucy make such a sound…!”

“Something terrible must have happened, right?”

The new knights were worried. In their eyes, Lucy was the perfect princess, the Kingdom’s Treasure, a high and mighty figure, how could she possibly scream like this? Unless she was in grave danger! Thinking of this, these female knights, who undoubtedly admired Lucy, were incredibly anxious.

But the veteran knights still sighed, their expressions serious.

“You don’t understand.”

“Yes, you don’t understand.”

“How could Princess Lucy and Earl Buztout be alone together without making some noise?”

“It’s normal to hear any kind of sound when those two are together.”

“That’s right.”

“We’re used to it.”

The veteran knights seemed unfazed.

“???” The new knights were confused. Were they implying something?No?Then why did it feel like they were run over by a truck?Although there’s no evidence, do you really think this is normal?We don’t!

The new knights were dumbfounded.

But a veteran knight said something that convinced them.

“You’ve all felt how strong Her Highness has become. Plus, the Hero himself is inside, and they’re engaged. Do you really think Her Highness is in danger under such circumstances?”

This was a very convincing argument.

“But…” The new knights still wanted to say something.

Unfortunately, the veteran knights didn’t give them a chance.

“Alright, alright, everyone back to your posts. It’s fine.”

“We’ve all been through this. You’ll get used to it.”

“Normally, it’s fine, but when Her Highness and Earl Buztout are alone, don’t mind any sounds you hear.”

“That’s right, today it’s screams, tomorrow it might be wails, and the day after tomorrow, it might be cries of pain.”

“Get used to it, understand?”

The veteran knights’ words made the new knights’ eyes twitch.

…It seems those two are quite “active” in private. Many of the female knights clearly had the wrong idea, their faces flushing as they listened to the suggestive sounds coming from the room.

“As expected of the Hero, getting to the ‘main event’ in less than ten seconds, and so intensely too.” Some even admired him inwardly.

Of course, they didn’t know that this time, Lucy was truly in danger.

Because Shien clearly wasn’t going to let her off easily.

…

“It hurts! It hurts! Let go of me!”

Inside the room, Lucy, her head gripped by Shien’s iron claw, her skull creaking, struggled and cried, tears streaming down her face.

But Shien showed no mercy, his heart filled with growing anger.

“Good heavens, I was only gone for two months, and you’re already acting up,” he said impassively, “Putting on this cold and indifferent act, treating me like I’m here for a royal audience. Did you really think you could maintain this fake persona for seventeen years and become a different person?”

As he spoke, Shien increased the pressure, making Lucy’s screams even louder, terrifying the new knights outside.

Lucy could only struggle and complain tearfully,

“Who told you to go away for two months and cause so much trouble? And even bringing back such a terrifying fiancée! Do you know how much effort I put into cleaning up your messes!?” She felt incredibly wronged.

Shien also felt a pang of guilt.

But guilt aside, this girl dared to treat him like this after his return. If he didn’t discipline her now, she might truly become unruly in the future.

This couldn’t be allowed!

So, Shien hardened his heart and said mercilessly,

“One thing at a time. I’ll take responsibility for my mistakes, and you’ll also have to take responsibility for yours.”

His sophistry enraged Lucy.

“You’re trying to avoid the issue! Not only are you not admitting your mistake, but you’re also trying to shift the blame! Damn it! Are you even a man…!?”

The moment these words left her mouth, Lucy regretted them. Knowing Shien, she could predict what would happen next.

As expected, a chilling smile appeared on Shien’s face.

“Whether I’m a man or not, you can test it yourself and find out,” he said, his smile seemingly kind and gentle.

But Lucy just wanted to shout,

“Help…”

Before she could even finish the word, the pitiful princess was dragged away.

…

“—”

Outside, the female knights had fallen silent, a terrifying silence. Whether veterans or newcomers, even the four high-level knights above level seventy, their faces were flushed crimson, listening to the suggestive sounds coming from the room.

After a long while, one of the veteran knights who had tried to stop them earlier said softly,

“See? I told you, it’s normal to hear any kind of sound when those two are together.”

Hearing this, the new knights nodded, their faces burning with shame.

Thus, from this day on, a new rule, known only to the members of the Holy Sword Knights, was established: when Shien and Lucy were alone, no matter what sounds they heard, they couldn’t enter.

…

At the same time, in the King’s bedchamber, Ancil was waiting for Shien. He had naturally seen Shien riding the black dragon and barging into the Royal Palace. He knew that Shien must have gone to see his precious daughter first. Having caused so much trouble, he must be feeling guilty, which was why he rushed to his daughter’s bedchamber before even returning home.

Ancil understood this.

“After all, my precious daughter is the most beautiful woman in the Human Realm, the Kingdom’s Treasure. Even if her rival is a Demon Lord, and her fiancé is the Hero, with her beauty and excellence, how could she be underestimated?”

“So what if he’s the Hero? He definitely can’t bear to leave my daughter, right?”

“See? He still has to come and beg for forgiveness.”

Ancil was secretly smug, confident in his daughter’s charm. He also knew that men were greedy and wouldn’t let such a beauty leave them, even if it was just out of possessiveness. Therefore, he didn’t believe Shien would mistreat his daughter just because he was engaged to the Dragon Demon. Rather, in terms of charm, his daughter was clearly superior. She was beautiful and had such a great figure. Although the Dragon Demon was also cute, she still had a childlike body. How could she compare to his daughter’s charm? (At this time, Ancil was still unaware of the severity of the situation.)

That man would definitely be completely controlled by his daughter! Yes!

But…

“My precious daughter is no longer the same. Even you, Hero Shien, won’t easily gain her forgiveness.”

Ancil sneered. Although it took his daughter so long to reach this point, and she still had feelings for that man who got engaged to another woman without her consent, refusing to break off the engagement and even beating those who suggested it half to death, he could still see the resentment in her heart. Even as a member of the royal family, having long accepted the reality of polygamy, she still felt wronged. After all, her fiancé getting engaged to someone else, someone with a more prominent background and greater power, without her consent, putting her in such an awkward position, it was natural for her to feel resentful.

“Let’s see if you can make the current Lucy yield.”

Ancil could already imagine that hateful brat’s fate. Seeing the transformed Lucy, he must be terrified, right? The current Lucy, even against a Demon Lord, could put up a good fight.

Thinking of this, Ancil couldn’t help but smile.

…

“I give up,” Shien said, finally releasing the struggling Lucy, his voice filled with exhaustion.

Lucy lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, her body limp, tears streaming down her face.

How… how could she be so useless?

She couldn’t even face her family and friends anymore…

She hated this!