Chapter 203 The Hero and the Demon King's Joint Visit

The winter morning light passed through the heavy curtains, through the lace-edged draperies and tassels, and shone on a face as bright as moonlight.

The delicate facial features were like a sculpture, and the perky nose perfectly divided the picture in front of the mirror into two worlds of light and dark.

Standing behind a white oak stool, the young maid carefully held a strand of golden hair and meticulously braided it into a neat braid.

The breath-holding look was as if he was treating a work of art, as if he was afraid of leaving an unnecessary ink spot on a perfect painting.

Although she understood her subordinates' concern for her, the braid had been done for too long, so that Irene Campbell, who was usually very calm, gradually became unable to sit still.

"Your Highness, please hold on a little longer. You'll be fine soon." Seeing that Her Highness was restless, the maid standing behind the chair comforted her softly.

"I think it's about right..." Irene protested in a low voice, unable to help but glance at the pocket watch on the table.

However, the maid standing behind her remained unmoved and spoke seriously.

"Almost? How can that be! You personally told us to take this trip seriously, and for such an important date, don't you want to leave a perfect impression on Mr. Colin?"

"Yes, Your Highness, please hold on a little longer, it will be fine soon." The maid standing next to her also echoed.

"Date? No, I shouldn't have said that..." A blush appeared on her fair cheeks, and Irene's voice was as soft as a mosquito. She wanted to explain but was met with the smile in the mirror. In the end, she reluctantly gave up her excuses which made things worse.

No one knew who started the rumor, but now everyone in the manor thought something had happened between her and Mr. Colin.

But Irene did not blame the servants.

In fact, she knew in her heart that if it was someone she had no feelings for or hated, those servants who were good at observing people's words and expressions would never mention that person's name in front of her.

Perhaps deep down in my heart I am not that resistant, and I even feel a little secretly happy, and hope that the other party has also noticed those rumors.

If he is like me, and actually doesn't hate it deep down, and even has the same secret joy...

Irene felt a little hot on her back, as if what was sticking to her was not the back of a chair, but the flame of the fireplace.

Time always flies by when you are daydreaming.

When she came to her senses, her golden braid had been elegantly tied into a circle at the back of her head, and with the embellishment of silver ornaments, it looked as holy as a crown.

Everyone loves beauty, and Erin Campbell is no exception.

Looking at herself shining in the mirror, the corners of her mouth rose unconsciously, and she suddenly felt that this long wait was worth it...

…

In the lobby of the main building of the manor, Theresa, wearing light armor, sat upright and waited until a burst of brisk footsteps came from the corridor not far away.

When she heard the voice, she immediately stood up and looked towards the door, only to see Her Highness Irene Campbell, dressed in gorgeous attire, walking towards her, surrounded by her maids.

Even though she had seen Her Royal Highness Irene Campbell dressed up many times, Theresa was still stunned for a second by the princess's stunning beauty.

She was wearing a dark green tight-fitting riding suit with delicate gold embroidery, a narrow leather belt around her waist, and her fur-gray trouser legs were tucked into brown horsehide boots. She looked heroic and elegant.

Theresa also noticed that she deliberately wore the pocket watch given to her by Mr. Colin, and hung it where it could be seen at a glance but not too conspicuous.

Seeing Theresa looking straight at her, Irene couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed. She glanced down awkwardly and said.

"Will it not seem dignified enough?"

"We are going to inspect the countryside, not to attend a banquet, Your Highness." Looking at the shy Princess, Theresa smiled and paused for a moment before saying, "Besides, this dress suits you very well. I believe Mr. Colin will be so surprised when he sees you that he will not be able to take his eyes away."

"Really? Thank you for the compliment. I didn't choose this dress for him, but just because everyone thinks it's the most suitable." Irene's mouth corners raised slightly, unable to hide the joy in her heart.

In fact, her dress matched the white silk that was popular in Campbell Court recently, and it might even remind Mr. Colin of his hometown. Unfortunately, she heard that it was the dress of male nobles in the distant empire, so she gave up after hesitating for a moment.

"Where's Mr. Colin? Has he arrived yet?"

Theresa nodded slightly.

"He is waiting in the annex, and Mr. Andes is currently entertaining him."

“He’s already here?!” Erin muttered as she glanced at her pocket watch hastily. “I hope I didn’t keep him waiting too long.”

Looking at Her Royal Highness the Princess who was worried about gains and losses, Theresa smiled and said.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind if it was you."

Moreover, he and Mr. Andes seemed to be having a pleasant conversation.

Although she didn't know what they were talking about.

…

Just as Theresa said, when Irene Campbell appeared in the living room of the annex, Mr. Colin couldn't take his eyes off her.

Irene was very satisfied with the expression on his face. It was worth it for her to sit in the chair in the same position for so long, allowing the maids to manipulate her.

Especially the first hour, which was even more uncomfortable for her than the physical training after learning swordsmanship.

"We meet again, Mr. Colin. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long." She winked playfully, gracefully and graciously reminding him of his gaffe.

After restraining his fleeting "gaffe", Luo Yan stood up from the sofa, nodded slightly, and a perfect smile appeared on his face.

"It's my honor to wait for you. Especially now... I feel so even more."

He was able to remain calm even when facing Professor Lilith, so of course he would not be captured by this level of "charm". It was just his politeness to act surprised and appreciative.

Although he admitted that Erin Campbell was indeed beautiful, he was the devil.

"It seems I should leave now," Andes stood up from the sofa opposite and bowed slightly to the two of them with a gentleman's smile on his face. "I wish you two a pleasant journey, and be careful on the road... I heard that there are signs of monster activities in Silver Pine Forest recently."

"Solving the villagers' problems is one of the purposes of my trip," Irene said with a calm smile, "If I really encounter a monster, I will definitely not disgrace the mission bestowed upon me by the late king."

"I believe it, but please consider it carefully." Andes nodded slightly, then followed the princess's guards and escorted the two of them to the carriage.

At Irene's invitation, Luo Yan got on the same carriage with her, while Punk drove along in the convoy.

Watching the royal procession, although Punk appeared calm on the surface, his heart was pounding wildly. Sweat appeared on the palms of his hands holding the reins. He was both nervous and excited.

However, compared with a month ago, his performance was much better. At least his legs did not go weak when he saw the Campbell family emblem.

The convoy slowly drove out of the manor and drove along the clean and tidy streets towards the city gate. People along the way saluted them with respectful eyes, and some even stopped and took off their hats to salute them.

In Thunder City, the prestige of the Campbell family is second only to that of Saint Sith himself, which is unmatched by either Colin's name or the Andes family.

The guards at the city gate made way for the carriage, and the convoy quickly entered the suburbs outside the north gate of Leiming City.

Looking at the newly renovated refugee camp, Irene's smile showed a little more relief, and she spoke in a gentle voice.

"I still remember when I first passed by here, people didn't even have a decent tent. Now they finally have a home that can shelter them from the wind and rain."

Luo Yan: “This is a good start.”

"Yes," Irene blinked, looked at Mr. Colin sitting opposite her, and continued, "Our work is not over yet. Next, I plan to call a meeting of powerful industrialists and businessmen in the city to discuss building an industrial park near the refugee camp."

"Thanks to Mr. Andes' help, the land ownership problem there has finally been solved. If we can introduce industries such as textiles, brick making, and basic metal processing, it will not only boost Thunder City's economy, but also provide stable jobs for people who have lost their homes, and help them participate in the reconstruction of the Twilight Province by the Kingdom of Ryan. That's exactly what they need... Sorry, are you bored by what I'm saying?"

"How come?" Looking at the somewhat nervous Irene, Luo Yan smiled gently and said, "It's amazing that you can think of these things. I always thought that these were things that only businessmen would consider."

Irene smiled shyly, with a hint of pride on the corners of her slightly raised mouth.

"My thoughts are actually very similar to my brother's. We can't always indulge in the glory of the past. Although we don't know how to open a factory, fortunately there are many talented people in the Principality of Campbell. As the owner of this land, we should at least provide them with an environment where they can do something. And it happens that these jobs are exactly what those refugees need... I think this is the obligation that Saint Sith has given to our Campbell family."

After a pause, she continued.

"So far, we have only spent less than 10,000 gold coins, and we can do a lot of things with the remaining money."

There was a hint of excitement in her voice, like a child who got good grades but pretended to be calm, wanting to be praised by someone she cared about but pretending not to care.

Frankly speaking, what she wanted was not much compared to the effort she had put in, and she really deserved a compliment.

The only flaw is probably that it's not sinister enough.

As we all know, human beings are hypocritical animals. Although most people say that they want to be friends with pure and kind people, their bodies and souls are always more honest to the black-bellied person, and then they choose the more black-bellied person to be their master.

"This is a remarkable undertaking, Your Highness." Luo Yan obediently gave her the compliment she was expecting, and then kindly reminded her, "However, such an important matter should not be disclosed to others in advance."

Irene said with a smile.

"Will you betray me?"

"Of course not, but... I thought you would say that I was not someone else." Luo Yan had a melancholy expression on his face.

Not someone else?

What does that mean? Irene's cheeks quickly flushed, but when she saw Colin's "deeply shocked" look, she immediately panicked and didn't bother to question him for a while.

"I didn't mean that. I..."

Luo Yan looked into her eyes.

"Aren't we friends?"

friend……

The heart that had just jumped into my throat fell back into my heart.

Thinking that it was all her misunderstanding, and that the misunderstanding was so far-reaching, she was so ashamed that she wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into, but then she was met with the cunning in those eyes.

This guy did it on purpose! Wait——

So he actually knew?

The restless heartbeat went up and down, causing the crimson clouds to cross the white neck.

But she is the respected Princess Campbell after all, who has received a good education in court etiquette. Even the Demon King who graduated from the Demon King Academy cannot always "play" with her emotions.

Irene coughed lightly and her elegant and dignified smile returned to her face.

"Is it fun to tease a lady, Mr. Colin?"

That is a precursor to anger.

"I'm sorry, it's just that Your Highness looked so adorable that I couldn't help myself at the moment... Please forgive my rudeness." Luo Yan apologized sincerely, knowing when to quit. He really didn't have any ill intentions, he just wanted to create some ripples on the calm waves to bring them closer together.

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Looking at Mr. Colin who seemed to be reflecting on himself, Irene relaxed her tense brows and softened the lines of her face.

She certainly wasn't really angry.

Rather, I was just using anger to cover up my inner panic.

"I accept your apology. To be honest, I told you those things not just for your praise, but also for your advice and help."

"I am happy to serve you, Your Highness," Luo Yan said respectfully, "I have no objection to your plan. Work-for-relief is a good idea at any time, especially since Thunder City has such a foundation. If the royal family is willing to mobilize the business owners of Thunder City, I believe this will be of great benefit to the economy and prestige of the Principality of Campbell. I am willing to help you to the best of my ability, even if it means everything I have. But I still have to remind you that it is better for you to discuss such an important matter with Grand Duke Edward, otherwise even if you have good intentions, you may end up doing something bad."

Perhaps because he also has a younger sister, he couldn't help but touch his conscience.

Irene hesitated a little, but still smiled and spoke softly.

"I will discuss this with my brother. In fact, I have been doing this all along. In addition, thank you for helping me when I needed it the most. I believe that not only I, but also the people here must be grateful to you. When everything is over, I plan to build a park for the residents here to commemorate what happened here. There will be a statue of you in the park."

Luo Yan looked at Irene in surprise, then nodded with a happy smile.

"Thanks."

Of course he would not refuse such a thing. The statue could help him to gather faith without having to be there in person.

Besides, this is a statue that Saint Sis's chosen one built for himself.

If Saint Sith himself knew about this, I wonder if he would go crazy.

certainly.

Luo Yan didn't think that this alone was enough to shake the foundation of Saint Sith.

That guy should be more stable than Youyou. If I want to attract his attention, I'm afraid I'll have to make a bigger noise than Lint Isaac...

…

Shortly after Irene Campbell's carriage left Thunder City, a group of carriages, surrounded by palace guards, arrived at the outskirts of Thunder City.

The shining golden badge and the neat guard of honor attracted countless people's attention. The refugees who were working on the construction site stopped what they were doing and gathered on both sides of the road.

Awe and heartfelt gratitude were written on their faces, because it was the Campbell family's warmth like the scorching sun that dispelled the frost in their lives.

"May the Holy Light protect the Campbell family!"

"Long live His Majesty the Grand Duke!"

“Praise our King!”

Looking at the bustling crowd, Edward, sitting in the carriage, accepted people's praises calmly, with a smile on his lips.

Although he does not think the love of a group of sheep is important, it does not prevent him from enjoying people's applause and crowds.

This is one of the few valuable things they can do besides burying their heads in work.

His crown needs these touches.

The city gate not far away opened, and Governor Wilson and Mayor Lucius of Thunder City hurried over to greet them, including Jan Andes and others.

Although Andes had learned long before that Edward was planning to meet with the mysterious imperial noble, he did not expect that His Majesty would come to Thunder City in person.

This was probably the first time he had left Fort Campbell since he ascended the throne.

Governor Wilson hurriedly came to the side of the carriage, bowed his waist, and spoke respectfully like a servant.

"Your Majesty? Why are you here?"

"Of course I came to see my dear people. You have suffered a lot this winter." Edward, sitting in the carriage, had a humble smile on his face, showing his people-friendly side to everyone as this winter was about to pass.

Governor Wilson and others were moved, and they all thanked Archduke Edward for his consideration. The passers-by who had mistaken them for his subjects also showed touched expressions on their faces, and responded to the benevolent Archduke with cheers and applause of gratitude.

"Everyone is very excited. We didn't expect you to come here." Looking at the people lining the streets to welcome him, Governor Wilson smiled and took credit for it to Edward who was sitting in the carriage.

Edward smiled warmly, and did not ignore the enthusiasm of the people. He waved to the crowd and motioned a devout Saint Sith believer to come to his carriage.

The middle-aged man was flattered. He carefully squeezed through the crowd, came to the side of the carriage, and knelt on one knee to salute.

"Your Majesty, thank you for everything you have done for us!"

"Please get up," Edward looked at him and said gently, "and tell me how your life is going recently? Has it improved?"

"Of course, compared to the Twilight Province, this place is like heaven..." The middle-aged man had an excited expression on his face as he described everything that had happened during this period.

Listening to his real experiences, many people around him who had just ended their wandering life were touched and some were even moved to tears.

Edward enjoyed listening at first, until the name of Irene Campbell occupied more and more space in the mouth of this peasant.

"...If it weren't for your sister, my child would have starved to death in the cold wind. Thank you, Lord Saint Sith. He must have personally sent down the oracle and sent this angel to us."

This sentence was probably the last straw that broke the camel's back, and the guy who said it didn't even realize that he had made a slip of the tongue.

As he had just become a citizen of the Principality of Campbell, he might not even know about the Light of Legend, and the oracle's statement was undoubtedly the most suicidal interpretation.

Seeing this guy who didn't know how to read people's expressions and was still talking non-stop in his self-righteous manner, the sharp-eyed Mayor Lucius quickly took the initiative to play the role of the villain and pulled this guy aside.

"That's enough. Do you want His Majesty to stay with you in the cold wind until the evening? You are such an ungrateful guy! Get out of the way!"

Looking at Mayor Lucius who rudely pulled the servant away, Edward smiled in his heart, but still spoke with a straight face.

"Please don't blame him, Mr. Lucius. He means no harm, and I don't mind him talking about my sister for a while longer."

The man who was pulled away looked reluctant, but he did not dare to offend the mayor. It was not until he heard His Majesty speaking for him that he toughened up a little and glared at the mayor who was pulling him.

"Yes, I mean no harm! I just want to show His Majesty that we all respect him... Why are you stopping me from doing this?"

There was booing all around, with the criticism directed at Mayor Lucius, as if they were looking at a clown.

This idiot!

How dare you ask why! Listening to the boos and jeers from those around him, Lucius cursed in his heart, but still put on a smiling expression on his face.

At least Your Majesty appreciated his kindness, otherwise he would not have called him by his last name.

Governor Wilson wiped the sweat from his head and signaled to the guards around him, asking them not to stand there stupidly but to quickly clear the way in front of the carriage.

The brighter the smile on His Majesty's face, the more afraid he was. Fortunately, that bastard Lucius gave His Majesty a chance to keep a straight face.

Although the Governor's Office representing the royal power and the City Hall representing the citizens have always been at odds, he has to say that this guy did one thing right.

Not wanting to continue on this topic, Edward looked at his favorite servant, Jan Andes, who had been silent.

"Where's Mr. Roxel Colin? I've been wanting to talk to him for a long time. Where is he now?"

The stories about Colin's family have spread to the neighboring dukedom. At least half of his purpose in coming to Thunder City this time is to meet the mysterious imperial noble.

Hearing His Majesty's question, Andes hesitated for a few seconds, but finally answered truthfully.

"He was invited by your sister to the Silver Pine Forest..."

Although he knew that His Majesty did not want to hear that person's name anymore, he did not want to be misunderstood as protecting Irene Campbell, which would not be good for anyone.

Neither one nor the other is here.

Edward was annoyed, but in the end he said nothing.

He couldn't just let go of his dignity as a grand duke and chase after him.

Edward looked away, pretending not to care.

"Really? Then let's wait until they come back."

(End of this chapter)