Chapter 619: Laura Pikons

Elsa clung to Damian as the golden palanquin moved through the streets of the Imperial Capital, her arms wrapped around his waist while her head rested against his chest.

Several baskets and wooden boxes filled the space around them, containing an assortment of packed food they had purchased from the Dark Pavilion before leaving. The meal had originally been intended for their private dining room, but the destruction of the VIP quarters had forced them to abandon those plans.

Besides, Damian’s clothes were scorched in several places, and he had little interest in sitting in another restaurant while half the Princes in the capital were looking for an opportunity to attack him. There was no telling when Kaizer or another hot-headed Prince might decide to pick a fight.

"It’s a pity we are going back this early. There is a lot we could do outside." Damian sighed, adjusting his arm around Elsa as the palanquin swayed gently.

Elsa raised her head and frowned at him. "You are the one with the enemies, not me."

Damian rolled his eyes. "Do you see me complaining about the fights? I don’t mind squabbling a hundred times today. You are the one who’s scared."

Elsa struck his shoulder playfully, though the look she gave him carried a mixture of annoyance and amusement. "Of course I’m scared. You just crashed through a building while protecting me, and then you woke up making jokes. Do you expect me to pretend that’s normal?"

"Considering the number of times Lazarus buried me beneath buildings in my territory, I’d say it’s becoming a habit."

"That’s not reassuring."

"It wasn’t supposed to be."

Elsa stared at him before letting out a reluctant laugh. Damian joined her, and for a brief moment, the tension left their shoulders. The palanquin continued along the broad avenue, passing merchants, noble carriages, and groups of demons who quickly moved aside when they recognized the golden insignia on its sides.

Through the curtains, Elsa could see the towering buildings and the distant spires of the Imperial Palace, but she soon returned her attention to the man beside her.

She leaned against his arm again, her fingers resting lightly against the fabric of his scorched robes. "I finally understand why you want the attention of the Princes to be diverted. If they are allowed to enter the Dark Continent with you, many will definitely seek you out to kill you."

Damian nodded. "They certainly will. Some will pretend to be interested in cooperation, others will offer to help me explore, and a few will probably try to convince me that joining forces is in everyone’s best interest. Then, when we’re far enough from the borders and nobody can interfere, they’ll attempt to kill me and claim my inheritance."

He spoke without the slightest hint of concern, as though describing an inconvenience rather than a conspiracy that could cost him his life.

Elsa knew he was not exaggerating. The death of Lazarus had already upset the balance of power in the Underworld, and Damian’s possession of both Lust and Greed made him a threat to every Prince who hoped to become the next Demon Lord.

Allowing him to grow stronger without interference would be foolish, particularly for those who understood what happened when a Sin inheritance fell into the hands of a sufficiently powerful demon.

"But that will change soon," Damian continued. "Once I become a God, I’ll be the one doing the hunting. I should be the Demon Lord before the century runs out."

Elsa jerked away from his arm and blinked at him. "That fast?"

Damian chuckled at her reaction. "If I get my hands on another inheritance and reach the God realm, do you think these people will be willing to overlook my existence?"

Elsa opened her mouth, then closed it as the implications settled over her. She had known Damian intended to become the Demon Lord, but hearing him speak about it as though the outcome were already decided made the prospect feel far more immediate.

Becoming a God would place him among the most powerful beings in the Underworld, while acquiring another Sin inheritance would make his position even more threatening. The other Princes might tolerate his existence while they believed he could be contained, but a God wielding multiple Sins would be another matter entirely.

Her eyes shifted as she considered the possible consequences. First came the disbelief, then the realization that Damian was probably right, followed by the uncomfortable understanding that the future he envisioned would be anything but peaceful.

Damian laughed when he noticed her expression. "They will most likely form a coalition against me, and there will be a final showdown. If I win, I will then make my way to Aurelios for the last battle with the Prince of Pride. And finally, I’ll become the true Demon Lord, ending the thirty-thousand-year reincarnation cycle of the Seven Deadly Sins for good."

He delivered the final words with a casualness that made Elsa’s stomach tighten.

"And if you lose?" Elsa asked.

Damian’s smile disappeared. "There will be an all-out war over who claims my inheritances. Every surviving Prince will fight to take the Abyss, Lust and Greed, and the Underworld will descend into chaos. The Prince of Pride will take advantage of the confusion to wipe out the remaining Princes and then the entire demon race. From there, he will begin a purge of anything non-human across the universe until there is nothing left."

Elsa shuddered. The thought of the Underworld being consumed by civil war was terrifying enough, but Sol’s ambition made the possibility far worse.

She caught Damian’s robe and gave him a stern look. "You can’t lose."

Damian glanced down at her before a chuckle escaped his lips. He placed a hand on her head and gently brushed his fingers through her hair.

"I know. Failure is not an option, and that’s why the Abyss has chosen me."

Elsa did not answer immediately. She wanted to believe his confidence was justified, yet she knew the dangers he faced were real. Even so, he spoke with such certainty that she found herself leaning into him again, drawing some comfort from the steady warmth of his body.

The palanquin continued toward their residence, and the streets gradually grew quieter as the procession left the busier districts behind. Damian had just reached for one of the food boxes when he sensed two presences waiting beyond the gates. His hand stopped, and his attention shifted toward the entrance.

"Duke Paimon is here."

Elsa straightened. "For what?"

"Let’s find out."

Damian knocked lightly against the wooden wall of the palanquin, signalling the bearers to stop. The procession came to a halt before the gates of their residence, where Duke Paimon stood patiently beside a young woman. The Duke’s tiger-like features were unmistakable, but his companion looked considerably different. She possessed a mostly human appearance, with subtle leopard-like traits that became more apparent the longer Damian looked at her. Her ears were rounded and covered in fine fur, while a slender tail emerged from behind her clothes.

Damian pushed open the palanquin door and stepped outside. Elsa followed close behind him, still holding onto his arm as he approached their visitors.

"Duke Paimon," Damian greeted him. "I didn’t expect to see you again so soon. Is there a problem?"

Paimon shook his head, his expression warm. "Not at all, my lord. My daughter, Laura, was just so eager to see you, so I decided to bring her over to share a drink with you while we discuss matters of the Council meeting."

Damian shifted his attention toward the young woman standing beside the Duke.

Laura wore simple but fashionable clothes, a fitted top and dark trousers that looked strikingly different from the elaborate robes and traditional garments Damian had grown accustomed to seeing in the Underworld. Her slender frame carried generous curves, and her appearance possessed a peculiar charm that came from the mixture of human and feline features. Yet it was not her appearance that held Damian’s attention for long.

It was her eyes.

Laura stared at him with an intensity that seemed entirely disconnected from the presence of everyone else around her. There was no hesitation in her gaze, no attempt to hide her interest, and no apparent concern for the fact that her father stood beside her. She looked at Damian as though the entire world had narrowed to the man before her, and everything else had become irrelevant.

Elsa noticed it too.

Her fingers tightened around Damian’s arm, and a faint frown appeared on her face. She did not voice her complaint, but her displeasure was evident in the way she positioned herself closer to her husband.

Paimon either failed to notice or chose not to acknowledge the change in Elsa’s expression. He continued smiling as though bringing his daughter to visit Damian were the most ordinary thing in the world.

Laura, meanwhile, showed no sign of embarrassment. Her gaze remained fixed on Damian, and when he finally met her eyes directly, a subtle smile touched her lips.

Damian returned the smile, though a trace of curiosity entered his expression. However, judging by Elsa’s grip on his arm, this visit might prove considerably more complicated than the Council itself.