Chapter 430
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Chapter 430: The Demon Empire
Published Mar 30, 2026, 07:37 AM
This was not just any dragonāit was a giant one, with gleaming obsidian-black scales, enormous wings that cast a shadow over the earth, and piercing golden eyes that locked onto her with sharp intensity.
Eve had been younger back then, perhaps only fifteen. At the time, she had instinctively dropped into a battle stance, summoning dark energy into her palms. Her motherās words had always been clearādemons had no allies, only enemies waiting to strike.
"A dragon⦠if I kill it, I wonder how many experience points Iāll get," she had thought naively, with a smile. She was about to launch an attack when she heard a voice.
"Whoa, whoa! Donāt attack him!"
A boy had stepped forward from behind the dragon. He was tallāprobably a little older than herāwith tousled dark hair that shimmered under the sun. His eyes were a sharp, dangerous shade of black, like a dark hole that sucked all things around it, yet they held no malice. He wore simple yet elegant black clothing with silver embroidery, and despite the imposing presence of the dragon behind him, he looked utterly relaxed.
Eve had hesitated for the first time, and her nose twitched.
This boy! He was a human. What is he doing in the Demon Empire?
Her magic crackled in her hands, but she didnāt release it.
Humans were the sworn enemies of demons. She was supposed to attack him, but her curiosity made her hold back.
"Heās mine," the boy had said with a smirk, patting the dragonās side. The beast let out a deep rumbling noise, almost like a growl, but there was no hostility in its gaze anymore. "Youād lose if you fought him, you know."
Heās not attacking despite knowing Iām a demon. Why is he not attacking? Mother said theyād attack on sight. Little Eveās mind was in turmoil.
"Hey, Iām very handsome, but donāt get too entranced." The boy smirked.
Eve had scoffed. "Tch. You must think highly of yourself. This is just the first time Iām meeting you, but your face is already punchable."
The boy only grinned. "Youāre not the first one to say that."
Something about his confidence irritated her. And yet⦠it intrigued her too.
Over the next few days, they kept running into each other, something that confused her greatly.
He was a human in the Demon Empire, and no one had tried apprehending him? Was he hiding from the adult demons?
Over the past days, Eve learned about the handsome, confident boy.
He wasnāt afraid of her being a demon, nor did he treat her differently. Unlike the rumors about humans, he spoke to her directly, without hesitation.
And somehow, without realizing it, she had enjoyed his company.
They sparred together, raced across the fields, and even played by the lake. His dragonāwhom she had eventually grown to trustāhad carried her on its back, letting her soar through the sky. It had been the first time she had ever flown.
Somewhere along the way, she started to look forward to meeting him every day. She had laughedātruly laughedāfor the first time in years.
And then, before she even knew itāshe had fallen in love.
Not just with the boy, but with the world he showed her. A world that wasnāt just cruelty and survival.
But those days were gone now.
---
The memory shattered, and Eveās consciousness snapped back to reality.
She was once again atop her horse. They had arrived at their destination.
Her fingers curled slightly around the reins. Her heart, which she had long thought to be cold and unfeeling, ached.
"Arthur..."
She hadnāt spoken his name in so long.
And yet, it still felt like yesterday.
Are you still alive!?
"Miss, weāre here." One of the cloaked figures spoke, jolting Eve out of her thoughts. Her eyes darted ahead toward the group of similar robed men standing in the distance.
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"Miss Eve, you finally decided to honor the Emperorās call," one of the figures spoke.
Eve didnāt respond, as if the people werenāt worth her time. She gracefully unmounted her horse and started to walk toward them.
The figure that had spoken stiffened when he noticed that Eve was approaching him. A bead of sweat slid down from his temple.
The others behind him stiffened as well, and when she grew closer, they became even more restless. The tension in the air thickened as Eve approached. The robed figures, though emissaries of the Demon Emperor himself, couldnāt hide their unease. Even among demons, Eveās presence demanded respectāno, fear.
Eveās ruby eyes gleamed under the moonlight, unreadable as she gazed at the emissaries. They were high-ranking officials, envoys of the most powerful entity in the empire, yet here they wereāvisibly stiff and restless before a single woman.
Eve knew why.
She was no ordinary demon.
And though they wouldnāt dare speak it aloud, they all knew the stories. The rumors of what she was capable of.
Her lips curled into the faintest smirk. "Honor?" she repeated in a soft voice. "Donāt misunderstand. I donāt want to be here, so donāt get too comfortable."
The lead emissary, a tall demon with sharp horns curling backward, flinched but quickly masked his reaction. "O-Of course, Lady Eve," he recovered swiftly, bowing slightly. "The Emperor awaits. He has been expecting you for some time now."
Eve said nothing, merely stepping forward, forcing the man to shift aside. The others did the same.
As soon as she stepped onto the elevated platform just behind the group of men, an intricate magic circle lit up beneath her. Eveās world was briefly blinded by a brilliant white light.
When she opened her eyes once again, she was no longer in the human domain.
Gone was the pleasant and warm air. Now, the atmosphere was harsh and hot. Even the sky here was gray, as if something terrible was about to happen.
"Home." Eveās face twisted into a frown, her eyes filled with disgust. "I hate being here."
***
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