Cai'er, Is That You?

A phantom silver-purple crescent moon silently appeared behind her, radiating an aura of destruction and finality.

"Seventh-Tier Moon Demon Secret Technique: Moonfall!"

The instant the crescent appeared, it transformed into a streak of Flowing Light, carrying the might to purify and annihilate everything as it hurtled toward Valen and all the Undead Demon Race members behind him.

Its speed was astonishing, its power immense—so much so that even space twisted around it.

"Are you insane?!"

The smugness and arrogance on Valen's face froze in an instant, replaced by boundless terror.

He had never dreamed that Yueye would possess such a terrifying trump card!

He had even less expected Yueye to go to any lengths—even disregarding the reputation of the entire Moon Demon Race—to kill him for a traitor she didn't even know!

For a traitor... was it worth it?

Did you even know him?!

That was Valen's final thought before his consciousness faded.

The next instant, silver-purple flames engulfed the entire clearing.

There were no screams, no cries of agony.

Wherever the light passed, whether it was Valen, a Sixth-Tier demon, or the Fifth- and Fourth-Tier demons, they—and their souls—were completely vaporized and purified in an instant, leaving not even a trace of ash.

The world was at peace.

"Your Highness!"

The few surviving Moon Demon Race maids stared at the levelled clearing before them, their faces deathly pale and their bodies trembling.

"Y-You can't do this!"

"Valen was an Earl under the Star Demon God! You killed him—the Undead Demon Race will go mad!"

"Our Moon Demon Race... we're finished! Lord Agareus will surely confine you!"

"And what about this traitor... what are we supposed to do with him? This has all gotten so out of hand..."

The maids' voices trembled with tears, filled with despair.

But Yueye paid no heed to their cries.

She walked slowly, step by step, toward the center of the devastated clearing, toward the one figure who had survived.

Xuan Ye knelt there in a daze, his mind utterly blank as he stared at the incomprehensible scene before him.

Then he felt a soft, warm body gently draw him into her arms.

Just like... Cai'er holding him.

A soft voice, tinged with apology, sounded by his ear.

"I'm sorry I'm late."

"But it's all right now."

"Everyone who hurt you is dead."

As she spoke those final words, a suppressed flame flickered in Yueye's purple eyes.

She remembered now.

Those demons from her childhood who had pelted her with stones and called her a mongrel... were still alive!

She had thought that killing Valen would quell the anger in her heart.

But in truth, Valen had never been the one she truly wanted to kill.

She was clearly comforting the young man in her arms.

Then why was her heart growing more and more upset, furious, and resentful?

Xuan Ye's consciousness drifted in an endless darkness. The last sliver of clarity left to him let him feel a soft body holding him close.

Warm. Familiar.

He summoned all his strength to open his eyes, but a hazy veil of blood and exhaustion clouded his vision.

All he could see was a pair of purple eyes.

They were filled with complicated emotions he couldn't understand, but clearest of all was an overwhelming concern for him.

In his daze, he saw those eyes overlap with another pair in his memories.

"Cai'er... you're here."

Those were his final murmured words.

As soon as they left his lips, darkness completely swallowed Xuan Ye's consciousness. His head drooped, and he passed out.

The body in her arms suddenly went limp.

At that unfamiliar name, Yueye stiffened for the briefest moment.

Cai'er?

Who was that?

But the thought passed in an instant, stirring not the slightest ripple in her heart.

She didn't care.

She only tightened her arms, holding the battered young man even closer.

Her beautiful face was turned toward Xuan Ye, her silver eyes fixed on him, yet their depths were hollow, as if she were gazing through him at some distant phantom.

She gently pressed her cheek against his hair and closed her eyes.

She was the one embracing someone else, yet she looked as though she were savoring this hard-won warmth.

"It's all right now..."

"It's all right now..."

She murmured the words over and over, as if comforting Xuan Ye, or perhaps soothing the girl she had once been.

In the depths of the sea of consciousness.

[Divine Choice complete.]

[Congratulations, Host. Your rewards have been generated. Would you like to claim them now?]

In the chaos, the last trace of reason Xuan Ye had left was roused by the voice.

Claim them?

Where was he now?

Who had saved him?

Was it Cai'er?

If Cai'er really had taken him back to the Assassin's Sanctuary, how would he explain a Glorious Grade Equipment suddenly appearing?

One could never be too cautious around others.

Relying on his last scrap of willpower, he made his decision.

"Claim all rewards except the Glorious Grade Equipment."

[Command confirmed.]

[Claiming rewards...]

After an unknown amount of time.

Xuan Ye's eyelids fluttered a few times before he finally opened them.

Instead of the familiar ceiling of a tent, he saw a luxurious purple gauze canopy.

A pair of identical-looking girls stood beside the bed.

Both were beautiful and petite, dressed in the tailored uniform of the Moon Demon Race, which accentuated their shapely figures.

Though Xuan Ye was still young, his body had been tempered time and again by External Spirit Power. He stood tall, and was only a little shorter than them.

One of the girls seemed to notice he was awake and spoke first.

"Yue Chen, the 'traitor' of our race has finally woken up."

The older sister, Yue Chen, immediately turned around and chided her softly.

"Yue Xing, don't say things like that."

Then she turned back to Xuan Ye on the bed and bowed slightly, her expression calm.

"He is the esteemed guest of Princess Yueye, and one of our own."

She stepped forward and spoke politely.

"Fellow demon from human territory, you don't need to worry anymore."

"You're 'home' now, back in the territory of our Moon Demon Race."

Her words sounded gentle.

But to Xuan Ye, they were more unpleasant than the barbed words of her younger sister, Yue Xing.

Yue Xing's hostility was simple and direct.

Yue Chen, however, hid all her loathing beneath impeccable politeness.

Xuan Ye had been born on the border, where every family struggled. He had learned long ago to read people's expressions in order to live a better life.

"Thank you."

Xuan Ye struggled to sit up.

The sisters immediately stepped forward, one on either side, ready to help him.

"Your injuries haven't healed yet. Please let us help you change."

Xuan Ye was an adult in mind, and was hardly used to being attended to so closely by two unfamiliar girls. He immediately waved them off.

"No need. I can manage."

But he had only just recovered from serious injuries and was weak all over. How could he resist two capable demon maids?