Chapter 91: Meeting the Demon Princess

As I walked through the corridors, I received strange gazes from everyone I passed. All of them were obviously Demons. It was an unusual sight for someone like me, who was accustomed to seeing humans. The Demons, whether knights or workers, looked at me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion, but none of them acted on their thoughts. I assumed they knew who I was.

My current cold expression seemed to intimidate them, causing them to refrain from saying anything. Unlike the enthusiastic welcome I had received from the population of the Light Empire, this one was far less warm, but I felt more comfortable with it. At least the Demons were honest in their reactions.

Many of them clearly doubted me. With my ragged appearance, like a peasant who hadn't eaten in days, and my need to lean against the wall to walk with one leg, their skepticism was understandable. They questioned whether I was truly a Hero or just a random man.

I needed to meet the people who had summoned me first, regardless of any decisions made while I slept. Whatever their plans, I had to know and act accordingly.

The corridors I walked through had a distinctly demonic style, but there was a certain charm to it. The walls were adorned with dark, intricate designs, and torches cast flickering shadows, adding to the eerie ambiance. As I passed windows, I caught glimpses of a large city outside. Unlike the bright, bustling capital of the Light Empire, this city was sinister and silent.

I could see people walking through the dim streets, but they didn't look healthy. They stumbled along, searching for food or money in the polluted, darkened environment.

"Am I really in the capital of Tenebria?" I wondered. If the Demons had summoned me to fight for them, it made sense that I would be in their capital. And this building, with its grand architecture and imposing presence, certainly looked like a royal castle.

"This way, Sir Hero," a demon knight called out to me as I paused in my steps.

I looked at him and stretched out my hand. "Sir?"

"Your sword," I said, glancing at the long sword hanging from his waist.

"Milord, I can't—"

"It's an order from your Hero," I cut him off icily.

The knight flinched at my gaze, looking around nervously as the other knights exchanged uneasy glances. Despite my crippled state and seemingly inoffensive appearance, I needed to appear dangerous in their eyes.

In the end, the knight nodded and handed me his sword. Without unsheathing it, I used it as a cane, leaning on it for support as I walked. My long, white hair, inherited from Khione, swayed with each step, giving me the appearance of an old man. Once vibrant and shining, my hair was now disheveled, some strands charred black from my injuries.

"Lucky?" The Princess's lips also twisted into a smirk. "For all these six months, we have treated you without expecting anything. We are the unlucky side."

Six months? That's a lot. So what? I have a month or two to live?

For some reason, my smile widened at the prospect. Maybe I had lost a part of myself in that dying experience. The Princess looked confused by my eerie smile, while the others seemed more scared.

"Princess... this man is dangerous..." a woman, who seemed like the Princess's secretary, muttered in her ear. My enhanced ears picked up everything.

"I will make it simple for you, Demon Princess," I tapped the sword on the ground once before pulling it from its scabbard.

All the knights around me stepped back and drew their swords in panic.

"Leave that weapon!" "Or else we will kill you!" "Princess!"

Guards warned and others shielded the Princess. I ignored them and stood upright with the sword pointed at her.

"It's okay, move," the Princess commanded.

"But Princess—"

"Move, I said. I want to see him," she replied, staring back at me seriously.

I met her gaze coldly. "The Divine Knights are my enemies, as they are yours," I declared.

When I mentioned the Divine Knights, the Demons seemed even more confused and curious about my identity.

"I shall lend my strength to you, and you shall provide everything I wish for. A mutual alliance. If you do that, I guarantee that I will rid this world of every single Divine Knight and bring the Empire of Light to its knees."