I Brought a Deal

With a “Lady Demon Lord, I don’t want to die” expression plastered on her face, Lucia finally crumbled under Vivian’s unquestionable gaze and set off with great reluctance.

She practically dragged her feet, looking back every three steps, staring at Vivian with wide eyes that screamed, “Are you sure you won’t take it back? I really don’t want to go.”

Finally, after seeing Vivian looking at her as if she were an amusing spectacle, she put on a tragic expression as if marching to her death and set off on the road to meet the Heroes.

It had to be said that although Lucia appeared quite elegant and poised on the surface, she could sometimes reveal some inexplicable expressions.

After all, right now, only Lucia was suitable to go and negotiate with them.

The others weren’t strong enough, and Aria was truly busy leading the demon soldiers in pursuit of the retreating crusade army, unable to be in two places at once.

What if the other party didn’t agree to Vivian’s terms? Wouldn’t it all be over?

So, to be safe, Vivian wanted someone to make contact with the group of Heroes first.

If things went south, they could just freeze them and run away.

That left Lucia as the only candidate.

It wasn’t that Vivian was targeting her; it was purely a case of picking the best from a bad lot, and Lucia became the most “suitable” unlucky soul.

‘Well, what can you do? She did say I had full command. It would be a great waste of virtue not to make good use of that, wouldn’t it?’

“Don’t wear that ‘going to the execution ground’ expression,” Vivian said, both amused and exasperated, as she watched Lucia’s face just before she left.

“Don’t be afraid. In war, you don’t kill the messenger. If you die, they can likely forget about getting their companion back.

Since they’ve stayed behind and haven’t actively engaged with other demon squads, it means Garen understands my hint.

Even so, if the situation turns bad, just run.”

“Easier said than done. Let’s see if I can even escape.”

Lucia’s face was a mask of conflict, her ice-blue eyes filled with resentment.

“By the way, although we are currently under the full command of Her Excellency the Demon Lord, we will still refuse to carry out suicide missions.”

“I know, I’m not actually sending you to your death.”

Vivian let out a breath and continued to soothe Lucia.

“It’s just that we really don’t have any extra hands right now, as you can see.”

“Fine. Just this once.”

With that, Lucia turned and set off, carrying the task of negotiation and Vivian’s will.

And after Lucia had gone, Vivian turned her head to look at Mira, who was standing beside her, the corners of her mouth turning up in a mischievous smile.

Garen charged at the very front, his face expressionless, while the other four apprentice Heroes and the Gospel Holy Knights followed closely behind.

The archer, Sela, was full of worry.

‘The demons… will the demons really spare Mira’s life? Are they really willing to hand Mira over…’

“Don’t worry, Sela. Lord Garen said so himself. If that Demon Lord Vivian wanted to take Mira’s life, she could have snapped her neck in the first instant. Since she took her away alive, there must be conditions.”

Sela’s voice trembled, and the captain, Ren, responded to the regretful and incredibly worried elven archer.

At the same time, he lowered his voice.

“It’s just, I never expected the Demon Lord of Evernight, Vivian, to be so cunning. This is not at all like what we understood of her before.”

With that, Ren’s face darkened.

“But no matter what, we must all go home together.”

“Yes!”

Sela bit her lower lip slightly and nodded after hearing Ren’s words.

Whoosh—

Suddenly, without any warning, the temperature plummeted.

A bone-chilling cold current rushed toward them from the darkness ahead.

The surrounding grass and trees were instantly coated in a thick layer of white frost, and the ground congealed into a slick sheet of ice.

The breath they exhaled turned into visible white mist in the air, and frost rapidly crawled over the surfaces of their weapons and armor.

The biting cold was like countless fine needles, piercing through their clothes and straight to the bone.

“On guard.”

Garen stopped immediately, drawing his sword, the Radiant Blade, and the other members of the team also entered a combat stance.

“Hehe… No need to be so tense.”

And then, Lucia, the Frost Banshee and Winter Messenger, appeared before them, bringing with her the extremely low temperature.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lucia, the Winter Messenger from under the throne of the Winter Demon Lord, currently serving the Demon Lord of Evernight for the time being. And I bring a deal, a deal from the Lady Demon Lord.”

Lucia spoke faintly, while Garen’s gaze remained locked on the Frost Banshee before him.

To be honest, facing the locked gaze of a powerful Hero was immensely stressful even for Lucia, but she forced a smile and continued speaking.

“Is Mira safe? Is she still safe?!”

Sela, at the side, couldn’t hold back and asked Lucia first.

“She is safe. And that is the purpose of my visit.”

Lucia paused, then continued, “Heroes. The Lady Demon Lord says that the pitiful little mage can be returned to you.”

“Then what is the price?”

Garen narrowed his eyes, asking Lucia warily.

“What’s the price? What does Vivian want?”

“The price? The price is simply your retreat. Nothing more.”

She continued, her tone incredibly light.

“The Lady Demon Lord does not demand much from you.”

As she spoke, Lucia’s aura flared completely, the power of a top-tier Frost Banshee instantly causing the entire space to drop below freezing.

“That is all. She doesn’t even demand a promise that you will not step foot in the Evernight territory for the time being—this is merely the lightest warning and price you must pay for this invasion. If there is a next time, the Lady Demon Lord will no longer show mercy.”

With the eruption of Lucia’s terrifying ice mana, the moisture in the air instantly condensed into sharp, falling icicles.

The thick layer of ice on the ground emitted a teeth-grinding “crack” as it continued to thicken and spread.

Even with the protection of their Hero’s power, Ren, Sela, and the others couldn’t help but shiver.

Their teeth chattered from the cold, their eyebrows and eyelashes were instantly covered in white frost, and their movements became incredibly stiff.

A powerful Frost Banshee, a Winter Messenger capable of conveying a Demon Lord’s will—at this moment, Lucia’s strength was an overwhelmingly powerful opponent that this fledgling team of Heroes had no hope of defeating.

Only Garen remained like a stabilizing pillar in a turbulent sea.

A silver radiance formed a tough barrier around his body, staunchly blocking the lethal cold.

Only the light from his Radiant Blade seemed to be suppressed and dimmed by the frost, while the Gospel Holy Knights stood motionless in the cold wave, like lifeless statues.

“…I understand.”

Facing the terrifying presence of Lucia, while Ren, Sela, and the others shivered from the dreadful cold, the expressionless and unflappable Garen simply nodded.

“Return the Hero, Mira, and we will withdraw from this crusade.”