Chapter Summaries

Lanchi revealed himself as a six-mark Nameless Great Demon Race after Earl Gregory provoked him, and Lieutenant Colonel Luca killed the earl and offered his respect. Lanchi reassured Luca that he meant no harm to the Demon Realm, questioned the demons’ submissiveness toward the Blood Race, and prepared to continue toward Little Night City with Sigrid.

• Earl Gregory recognized Lanchi’s immense power and demanded to know what he was, but Lieutenant Colonel Luca attacked and beheaded the earl for offending a Great Demon Race.
• Luca knelt before Lanchi and asked how he should address him, and Lanchi told him to call him Nameless Qing.
• Luca realized Lanchi was an ancient, unrecognized Great Demon Race, and Lanchi explained that he had come to the Demon Realm on important business and did not intend to harm it.
• Lanchi questioned Luca about the demons’ deference to the Blood Race and encouraged him to consider what kind of demon he wanted to become.
• Lanchi looked toward the route ahead and decided that Sigrid could reach Little Night City in about ten hours if they borrowed a Skeletal War Steed.

Lanchi chose to take Sigrid with him to the Demon Realm after Earl Gregory threatened her, and she cried herself to sleep in his arms. In the Real World, Sigrid woke in Helrom and remembered the events as a vivid dream.

• Earl Gregory warned that the Fourth Progenitor Eduardo would come for Sigrid, but Lanchi offered to take her to the Demon Realm.
• Sigrid clung to Lanchi and broke down crying as he reassured her that none of what had happened was her fault.
• Sigrid fell asleep in Lanchi's arms, and Lanchi asked Officer Luka to escort them to the Demon Realm and conceal his identity.
• Sigrid woke in her Helrom home and reflected on her dream of being a child with Lanchi.

Hughberlian waited in the palace while Lisandra kept her company, and a sweet treat reminded her of Tata. She asked Lisandra to watch for new members of the Great Demon Race arriving in Nekaris, but Lisandra refused because Lady Kali Yella had forbidden her from sharing that information.

• Hughberlian told Lisandra she could leave, then asked her to stay and sit beside her.
• Lisandra brought Hughberlian Demon Realm Pear Caramel Pastry, which reminded Hughberlian of Tata.
• Lisandra asked whether Tata was gone, and Hughberlian quickly clarified that she was still around.
• Hughberlian asked Lisandra to keep an eye out for new members of the Great Demon Race arriving in Nekaris.
• Lisandra said she could not tell Hughberlian about arrivals because Lady Kali Yella had warned her not to.

Lisandra explained the painting contest’s rules to Hughberlian and worried that the Demon Race’s nobles were treating the princess as a bargaining chip. She then told Hughberlian about a wealthy, mysterious new neighbor who had bought the Palace Restaurant across the bay from the royal palace.

• Lisandra explained that each Great Demon Race contestant could bring one assistant, while Hughberlian would blindly choose the painting she liked best.
• Lisandra asked Hughberlian about her favorite painting style, but Hughberlian admitted she did not know what she liked.
• Lisandra reflected that the nobles sought information only to win and believed the Tenth Progenitor’s art surpassed theirs.
• Hughberlian asked Lisandra about happenings outside the castle, and Lisandra described her wealthy new neighbor on Lees Island.
• Lisandra said the neighbor had bought and renovated the Palace Restaurant, though no one knew who he was or why he had moved there.

Lisandra returned from her court duties to her home on Lees Island and received an invitation from her mysterious neighbor to dine at the Palace Restaurant. The neighbor's letter confirmed his name as Luo Qi McCarthy.

• Lisandra worried about keeping the princess happy, as Fallen Lord Kali Yella had ordered her to do.
• Lisandra traveled home to her isolated house on Lees Island beside the newly popular Palace Restaurant.
• Lisandra considered moving closer to the palace but decided to stay because she was comfortable in her current home.
• Luca, the restaurant's steward, delivered a letter inviting Lisandra to a gathering at the Palace Restaurant.
• Lisandra read the invitation and learned that her neighbor's name was Luo Qi McCarthy.

Lisandra attended a lavish banquet at her mysterious neighbor McCarthy’s mansion, hoping to meet him and learn more about the gathering’s ties to the princess’s painting-selection ceremony. She encountered Tia Nokta, who disparaged the princess and exposed how little control the princess had over her future marriage.

• Luca reassured Lisandra that McCarthy was not the kind of demon she feared, then guided her into the bustling banquet at McCarthy’s mansion.
• Lisandra overheard guests discussing the rival Great Demon families’ paintings for the princess’s selection ceremony and learned that the works would be submitted to Fallen Lord before the ceremony.
• A servant told Lisandra that McCarthy was paying for the banquet, but neither the servant nor the guests could tell her where to find him.
• Lisandra went to the dessert table, thinking of taking a Cat Head-shaped crème caramel to the princess, when Tia Nokta recognized her and brought her upstairs.
• Tia asked about Hughberlian, dismissed Lisandra’s praise, and called the princess useless as a marriage prospect; Lisandra held back her protest and reflected on the princess’s powerlessness.

At McCarthy’s restaurant, Lisandra heard nobles speculate about the mysterious owner and discuss the Blood Race envoy’s investigation scheduled for the next day. After Lisandra’s blunt remark upset Tia, the white-horned demon at the neighboring table offered to help.

• Lisandra joined Tia and other young nobles, who traded rumors about Luo Qi McCarthy’s past and wondered whether he would attend the royal ceremony.
• The nobles discussed Blood Race Earl Sergio’s planned search for the demon who had harmed the missing earl and the danger of a diplomatic crisis.
• Tia disparaged the princess’s prospects, and Lisandra snapped that the princess could choose Lei Mingqing while Tia could not.
• Tia began crying, and Lisandra panicked when she realized how deeply her words had hurt her old classmate.
• The white-horned demon offered help and gently settled the sleeping girl beside him onto the sofa.

Lanchi McCarthy comforted Tia and the other young demons at a banquet, then revealed his identity to Lisandra after offering her a ride to the palace. He left to meet with a minister, while Lisandra planned to tell the princess about the evening amid her worries over the Blood Race Investigator.

• Lanchi advised Tia to be less self-sacrificing and encouraged her to speak honestly with Lei Mingqing.
• The young demons asked Lanchi about their personal and family troubles, and he offered advice and invited them to join him on a trip to Neka Island.
• Lanchi offered Lisandra a ride to the palace the next morning, and she revealed that McCarthy had invited her to the restaurant.
• Lisandra realized that the helpful Radiant Demon was Lanchi McCarthy, and he introduced himself to the shocked demons.
• Lanchi left with his butler to speak with a minister, while Lisandra hoped to tell the princess about him and worried that the vampire detective might catch a demon murderer.

Lisandra rode with Lanqi toward the royal palace and questioned him about the rumors surrounding his past. Lanqi admitted that he had been a wartime spy and attended Purgatory Corridor Academy, but Lisandra doubted his evasive account and saw how carefully he tried to put her at ease.

• Lisandra woke early and found Lanqi waiting outside her cabin with his Magic-Powered Vehicle.
• Lanqi drove Lisandra toward the palace, explaining that his vehicle could travel across the sea.
• Lanqi asked Lisandra what she thought of him, and she said he seemed approachable and unlike a noble.
• Lisandra asked whether Lanqi had been a spy and studied at Purgatory Corridor Academy, and he admitted both while disputing the rumors.
• Lanqi claimed he had attended the academy twenty years earlier, and Lisandra recognized his story as a likely lie.
• Lanqi told Lisandra about his business career, and she realized his careful conversation was meant to help her relax.

Lanchi drove Lisandra to the royal palace on Neka Island as the Blood Race Envoy arrived in Nekaris and Earl Sergio began his investigation. They reached the palace amid heavy crowds, where Lanchi watched Princess Hughberlian appear on a giant screen and reassured Lisandra that she would be safe.

• Lanchi showed a pursuing Flying Dragon Cavalry officer his identification card and continued driving Lisandra toward the royal palace.
• Lanchi and Lisandra discussed the road closures, the canopy barrier, and the expense of accommodating the Blood Race Envoy.
• Lisandra explained that Earl Sergio used his power to identify a murderer and then had to prove his conclusion.
• Lanchi watched Princess Hughberlian descend the ceremonial platform on a giant screen while Lisandra worried that she was being tested.
• Lanchi told Lisandra that the princess looked fortunate and that Sergio's investigation might soon end without trouble.

Princess Hughberlian welcomed Blood Race detective Earl Sergio to the royal palace in Nekaris City, expecting to stall his investigation into a murder. Sergio activated his Blood Coordinates ability, only to see red light above most of the powerful demons in the city.

• Fallen Lord Kali Yella warned Hughberlian to mind her royal identity when greeting the Blood Race envoy.
• Earl Sergio arrived at the palace and told Hughberlian to cooperate with his investigation without interfering.
• Hughberlian agreed to let Sergio begin, while planning to obstruct his progress and prepare for a trial.
• Sergio activated Blood Coordinates to locate the murderer and saw red light above most of the powerful demons in Nekaris City.
• Sergio realized the demons' red light resembled congealed blood and feared how much of Earl Gregory's blood they had gotten on themselves.

Earl Sergio’s attempt to investigate the demons’ red lights left him convinced they were plotting against him, and a radio song drove him into a breakdown. Hughberlian was blamed for what happened, while she realized Lanchi had intervened and deducted merit.

• Earl Sergio repeated his spell and saw the same red lights, growing increasingly terrified of the demon nobles.
• Sergio accused the demons of trapping him and refused to let them approach, while Hughberlian and Kali Yella tried to calm him.
• Hughberlian sensed that Lanchi was watching as the Demon Realm radio played “So Cute I Want to Eat You.”
• Sergio heard the song, lost his grip on reality, and was subdued by the Fallen Lord before being sent to Demon King City Hospital.
• The demon nobles assumed Hughberlian had driven Sergio mad, and Hughberlian cried as she heard that merit had been deducted and recognized Lanchi’s love.

As dawn broke over Neka Island, Lisandra reached the palace after Lanqi drove her through the traffic and saw that he had been moved by Lanfu's singing. Lanqi gave her pastries for Princess Hughberlian, and Lisandra realized that his wealth and efforts had been driven by his simple wish to meet the princess.

• Demons watched Princess Hughberlian's trial on street screens as the eclipse ended and the sky barrier over Nekaris dispersed.
• Lisandra praised Lanfu's singing, and Lanqi said it reminded him of his uncle before driving her toward the palace.
• Lanqi dropped Lisandra near the palace and gave her pastries to share with Hughberlian.
• Lisandra asked whether Lanqi knew the princess, and he said it was no coincidence that he had bought the Palace Restaurant.
• Lisandra realized Lanqi had hoped to meet Hughberlian and had learned she was imprisoned in the palace.

Lisandra brought Hughberlian a cake from Luo Qi McCarthy and told her about his efforts to approach her, while Fallen Lord Kali Yella grew suspicious of McCarthy. Hughberlian said he would rescue her, but she had not considered what would happen if he won the Royal Ceremony, whose approach was drawing near.

• Lisandra told Lanchi how McCarthy had spent years preparing to meet Hughberlian and regretted that she could not invite the princess to his home.
• Fallen Lord Kali Yella questioned Lisandra about the pastries and noticed McCarthy as he drove away, while Mist Lord Orion Greenwald objected to anyone courting his future fiancée before the Royal Ceremony.
• Kali Yella wondered why McCarthy had shown no curiosity toward her, despite her illusion magic, then continued through the palace with Orion and Midnight Lord Esmod Belphégor.
• Lisandra brought Hughberlian McCarthy's cat-head ice cream cake, and Hughberlian correctly guessed who had sent it.
• Hughberlian said McCarthy would rescue her, then blushed when Lisandra suggested they would marry if he won; she insisted she would perform any pretend engagement with him well.

On the day of the Royal Ceremony, Lanchi prepared to compete for Hughberlian’s freedom with a painting he had kept secret. As he left for the ceremony, Sigrid warned him that the Blood Race visitors made the day dangerous and asked him to return soon.

• Cat Boss reviewed the Plant Empire’s rising public support and other scores, while the odds of success remained only 0.0013%.
• Lanchi reassured Cat Boss that he had put everything into his painting for Hughberlian and sent it to the Sealed Golden Cabinet without letting anyone see it.
• Lanchi learned that Marquis Ulysses would compete for Hughberlian’s hand at the Royal Ceremony, where she would choose a painting without knowing its creator.
• Lanchi finished breakfast and prepared to travel from McCarthy’s estate to the ceremony in Nekaris.
• Sigrid saw Lanchi off, warned him about the two dangerous Blood Race members in the capital, and asked him to come back soon.

Hughberlian prepared to meet McCarthy at the Royal Palace, confident he would win the contest for her. As the nobles gathered in the Regent Hall, Kali Yella watched McCarthy socialize and wondered why he still had not looked her way.

• Hughberlian told Lisandra she believed McCarthy would win against Ulysses, though she admitted she had never seen him paint.
• Lisandra teased Hughberlian about being ready to marry McCarthy, and Hughberlian blushed before insisting she would say yes if he proposed.
• Hughberlian and Lisandra descended to the Regent Hall, where witnesses and Demon Realm nobles had gathered for the occasion.
• Hughberlian saw Kali Yella beside her throne while Kali Yella watched McCarthy chatting with powerful nobles and muttered that he had ignored her again.

As the Royal Ceremony began, Lanchi and Lei Mingqing discussed the Blood Race Progenitors Ulysses and Eduardo while Hughberlian prepared to choose a consort. Kali Yella opened the Sealed Golden Cabinet, and the first painting was revealed for the princess to judge.

• Hughberlian sat beside Kali Yella as demons gathered for the Royal Ceremony, while Lanchi drew a crowd of admirers.
• Lei Mingqing joined Lanchi and warned him about Ulysses’s Blood Creation authority, unusual eyes, and Eduardo’s mysterious power.
• Kali Yella asked Hughberlian who she thought would win, and Hughberlian remained silent as the ceremony approached.
• At nine o’clock, Kali Yella announced that Hughberlian would choose from the highest-grade paintings and that contestants would be disqualified if they failed the requirements.
• Kali Yella opened the Sealed Golden Cabinet, released the canvases, and unveiled the first painting.

At the princess’s art contest, Mist Lord Orion and Midnight Lord Esmod unveiled divine-grade paintings that impressed the demons, while Lanchi offered casual appraisals and speculated that Midnight Lord might be a woman. Just as the hall assumed the delayed Tenth Progenitor Ulysses could not compete with their masterpieces, a dazzling golden light appeared.

• Kali Yella revealed the submitted paintings, and the demons discussed their grades and guessed who had made them.
• Lei Mingqing explained that he had submitted an ordinary painting and described Mist Lord Orion and Midnight Lord Esmod’s rivalry to Lanchi.
• Mist Lord Orion’s divine-grade painting, Throne Hall of the Nekaris Palace, was revealed and praised for its depiction of the princess and her ministers.
• Midnight Lord Esmod’s divine-grade painting, Bird in a Cage, appeared, prompting the demons to discuss its emotional portrayal of the princess’s longing.
• Lanchi asked Lei Mingqing whether Midnight Lord might be a woman, and Lei Mingqing was baffled by his friend’s speculation.
• As the demons expected Ulysses’s delayed painting to be unremarkable, golden light suddenly descended upon the palace.

At the Regent Hall, Marquis Ulysses’s Epic painting left the Demon Race facing humiliation and the apparent loss of their princess. Hughberlian insisted they continue to the final painting, which also proved to be Epic and revealed a hopeful turning point.

• Ulysses unveiled his Epic painting, On the Night the Stars Fell, and the Blood Race nobles taunted the silent Demon Race.
• Eduardo pressured Hughberlian to evaluate the painting, but McCarthy spoke in her place and praised her through his description of the artwork.
• Hughberlian urged Kali Yella to proceed with the final painting, and Kali Yella agreed despite the Blood Race’s confidence that the Demon Race had lost.
• Kali Yella drew Her Golden Moment from the Golden Cabinet, revealing another Epic painting that sparked a thunderous cheer among the Demon Race.
• The Demon Race followed Hughberlian’s gaze and realized the mysterious wealthy merchant and the princess had created the painting together.

McCarthy’s epic painting won over Ulysses’s, and Hughberlian chose it in the royal contest. She overcame her embarrassment and declared that she would marry its author, McCarthy.

• The Demon Race celebrated McCarthy’s painting, while Ulysses judged it outstanding among mortals and Giovanni dismissed its advantage as home-field conditions.
• Lisandra realized that the princess’s painting choice had been a signal to McCarthy, who watched Hughberlian calmly from the audience.
• Kali Yella asked Hughberlian to name the painting’s author she wished to marry, and Hughberlian struggled to speak as she considered what her answer could change.
• Hughberlian pointed to Painting: Her Golden Moment and shouted that she would marry McCarthy, prompting the Demon Race nobles to cheer.