The Welcoming Banquet at the Demon King's Castle

“Knock, knock.”

Two soft knocks came from outside Kainster’s room.

Hearing the sound, Zona immediately tidied her clothes, which had become a bit disheveled from dragging the prince just now.

After making sure her collar and cuffs were neat and tidy, she walked over to the door and opened it.

Standing outside was a petite girl dressed in a maid outfit.

Zona looked at Niya, a hint of confusion surfacing on her face.

“Is there something I can help you with?”

On the surface, she maintained a dignified and proper demeanor.

Beneath that calm exterior, however, her mind was screaming in sheer panic.

Although she had already imagined the Demon King's Castle to be a terrifying place that subjected prisoners to mysterious and agonizing torture, Zona still maintained a polite smile on her face.

“Hello.”

Niya bowed deeply to Zona.

“I am Niya.”

“We met earlier.”

Looking at Niya bowing to her, Zona fell silent for a moment.

She slowly crouched down so that her gaze was level with Niya's.

She did her best to make her smile look as gentle as possible.

“Hello, Niya.”

“Is there something you need?”

Watching Zona suddenly crouch down, Niya blinked.

Although she didn't know why this guest was doing this, she still answered earnestly, “Ah, it's getting late. The Demon King asked me to inform you, and the gentleman over there...”

Niya looked up and glanced inside the room.

Only then did she realize that Kainster was still plastered to the window, seriously observing the experimental fields outside the Demon King's Castle.

“Uh... My apologies. I don't know your names yet. The Demon King said I should take you both to the dining hall for dinner now.”

Having said that, Niya stepped aside into the corridor and extended her hand, gesturing for them to proceed.

“Please follow me.”

Zona turned around to look at Kainster, who was still glued to the window.

“...”

Kainster hadn't noticed what was happening at the door at all.

His face was practically pressed against the glass.

He was still muttering softly to himself.

A vein throbbed on Zona's forehead.

To Niya's utter shock, Zona's arm shot forward in an incredibly exaggerated motion.

She grabbed Kainster's clothes directly.

If Lin Ling were here, she would probably have been reminded of a certain boy wearing a straw hat.

“Your Highness! Please, behave yourself!”

“Eh?”

Before Kainster could even react, he was dragged away from the window to Zona's side.

Looking at her prince in this state, Zona felt her blood pressure rising.

They were currently in the Demon King's Castle. Why was this prince not feeling even a shred of tension? Or rather, had he exhausted all his anxiety in one go?

Zona took a deep breath.

When she turned back to Niya, she put on a proper smile.

“Very well, please lead the way.”

“Okay!”

Niya nodded.

Then she turned and walked down the corridor.

But before turning, she glanced once more at Kainster, who was being held by Zona but was still turning back to look at the fields outside.

For some reason, Niya felt as if she was seeing her own Miss Saintess in this prince.

Even though the person beside him was worried sick, he himself was completely oblivious to the issue.

She glanced at Zona, who was tightly gripping the prince's clothes.

Niya gave Zona a look of deep empathy.

Zona: “...”

She froze.

Then, her mind instantly exploded.

Just now, those demons were discussing the clock tower around the corner of the corridor.

And right after that, an incredibly agonizing shriek had echoed.

Now, they were suddenly being notified to go to a dining hall where who-knows-what was waiting for them.

Could it be that it was finally their turn to face some horrific torture?

Thinking of this, Zona stared at Niya's back as she walked into the dim corridor, unable to take a step forward.

“Y-Your Highness. Are we really going to follow her?”

Zona swallowed hard.

She turned around to look at Kainster, whom she had been holding just a second ago.

She froze completely.

All she held in her hand was Kainster's plain cloth coat.

Kainster was no longer beside her!

Zona: “...”

She turned her head, only to see her prince already jogging to catch up with Niya.

He was even smiling warmly at Niya, actively starting a conversation with her.

“Miss Niya, who is usually in charge of managing the fields outside?”

“It's Lord Baroque and everyone in the residential district.”

“Can I go visit them later?”

“You will have to ask the Demon King first.”

“I see.”

Kainster nodded seriously.

“YOUR HIGHNESS!!!”

Zona's voice instantly echoed through the corridor.

Seeing her prince already walking away with Niya, she had no choice.

She could only grab the coat Kainster had left behind and hurriedly chase after them into the dark corridor.

When Zona finally followed the two into the dining hall, she saw a scene that completely shattered her worldview.

The dining hall was extremely lively.

In fact, it was a bit too lively.

A tall beastkin, bruised and swollen all over his face, sat meekly by the dining table with his arms crossed.

Beside him, a blonde lion-kin beastkin clenched her fists, lecturing him in the beastkin tongue.

“Who told you to charge in on your own! If Miss Saintess hadn't shown up, were you planning to just stay behind and die alone?!”

With every sentence she spoke, her fist would rain down. Could this be the legendary repetitive flailing fist?!

The massive beastkin kept his head low, not resisting at all.

He was even repeatedly admitting his mistake.

“It was my fault. It won't happen next time.”

“You still want a next time?!”

The lion-kin beastkin put a bit more force into her punches.

On the other side, a succubus and a demon were constantly clashing with the knives and forks in their hands.

The cutlery clashed in mid-air, making crisp, clinking sounds.

“Not bad, Cecil, but you're still far from my level.”

“Heh, I'm just playing along with a succubus who loves to act fragile.”

“Oh? It seems you want to experience the wind on the clock tower again.”

“I should be the one saying that.”

The knives and forks of the two rapidly crossed over their plates.

Their movements were even faster than a formal duel between soldiers.

Zona's gaze continued to wander, and then she saw an even more incomprehensible scene.

The girl dressed in Saintess vestments was sitting right next to the Demon King.

And the Demon King herself was holding a small piece of bread, offering it to the Saintess's mouth.

Lin Ling opened her mouth and naturally bit into the bread.

Zona: “...”

Zona's mind was on the verge of a total breakdown.

This was completely different from the etiquette she usually saw at human royal dining tables!

What was even more unacceptable to Zona was that her own prince seemed to have already started blending in.

Kainster didn't care about the chaos in the dining hall at all.

When he saw the Head Chef bring out a new dish, he quickly rushed to the dining table.

On the large platter in the Head Chef's hands lay a golden-brown roasted chicken.

Even though the chicken was fully roasted, its body still maintained a forward-striking posture.

Its right leg was half-bent, and its wing was raised toward the upper right.

It looked as if, in the final moment of its life, it was still trying to charge at some powerful enemy.

And for some reason, a faint glow even emanated from around the platter.

Kainster's eyes lit up instantly.

“This... Chicken... you are so beautiful.”

He stared at this glowing dish, his deep blue eyes reflecting this chicken that remained incredibly stubborn even after being turned into food.

“Right! I knew this chicken was beautiful!”

Lin Ling had left Ivelia's side at some point.

She huddled close to Kainster, and the two of them crowded around the chicken, starting to discuss it seriously.

“Can you also see its fighting spirit in its final moment?”

“Of course!”

Lin Ling pointed at the chicken's Iron Mountain Lean posture.

“Look at this posture. Even though it's roasted, it's still fighting!”

Kainster's eyes gradually grew misty.

“I never expected... that there would actually be someone here who understands me.”

Lin Ling likewise showed the expression of someone who had found a kindred spirit.

“Miss Saintess never expected this either. To think someone actually understands the art of this chicken!”

Finally, as Zona's eyes gradually lost their luster, the two of them hugged each other tightly, as if they were long-lost soulmates.

Kainster even began to cry out loud.

“Waaah!”

Zona: “...”

She stood at the entrance of the dining hall, feeling as though the noble etiquette she had maintained all along, her royal education, and her expectations for the prince's future had all shattered into a million pieces at this very moment.

Just then, another set of footsteps came from outside the dining hall, along with the voices of two women chatting.

One of the voices even sounded somewhat familiar to Zona.

“Sia, you've got some mud on your face here.”

“Danasuo, is it real this time?”

“Really, just a little bit, right here.”

Along with the voices, two figures entered the dining hall.

Zona instinctively looked up.

When she clearly saw who had arrived, “WHY IS THE MISSING SAINTESS HERE TOO?!!!”

Her voice instantly drowned out all other noises in the dining hall.

Leticia also spotted the utterly incredulous Zona standing near the seats.

Her footsteps paused slightly.

Then, Leticia gave Zona a slight bow in greeting.

“Sia, who is this red-haired woman?”

Danasuo was standing on Leticia's shoulder.

She held a small piece of cloth, earnestly wiping away the dirt on Leticia's face.

Leticia glanced at Zona.

Then, she continued walking toward the lively dining table.

As she walked, she calmly answered Danasuo's question.

“It's fine. She's nobody.”