Lin Ling was walking slowly through the corridor.
She hadn't gotten lost on purpose.
To be precise, she had been following right behind Niya.
But what Niya had just said was too heavy.
It was so heavy that Lin Ling didn't know how to process it for a moment.
That always-gentle young girl of the Horned Tribe had been fighting against magic since the moment she was born.
To keep her alive, her parents had transferred their own Stamina and magic foundations to her.
And then they died on this demon land they were supposed to be adapted to.
Thinking of this, Lin Ling felt as if something were pressing lightly against her heart.
She had intended to keep up with Niya.
But then, an arrow marker left by Cecil suddenly appeared on the side of the corridor.
【Kitchen →】
Next to it was a very punchable little emoji.
Lin Ling looked at the arrow.
She fell silent for a moment.
By the time she snapped out of it, Niya was already far away.
There was a fork in the road ahead.
Left.
Middle.
Right.
Lin Ling stood at the intersection, falling into a brief moment of thought.
“Normally, I should go after Niya.”
She looked to the right.
“But the kitchen is that way.”
She fell silent again.
“I’m just going to confirm the route.”
“This is a terrain survey.”
Thus, she naturally walked toward the kitchen.
The corridor was very quiet.
As she walked, she muttered softly to herself.
“That girl Niya...”
“She’s usually so cute, but she carries such a heavy past.”
“Is every demon a tragic hidden character?”
She let out a sigh.
“It’s normal that she was a bit dissatisfied with me at first.”
“After all, I started eating three meals a day as soon as I arrived.”
“I lived in a big room.”
“And I complained about the black bread every day.”
“If I were her, I’d want to flip the table too.”
Lin Ling paused.
“Still, hearing that makes me a little sad.”
She touched her chest.
“Just a little bit.”
“Really just a little bit.”
By the time she reached the kitchen door, she could already smell the aroma of bread.
This made her feel slightly better.
The kitchen was bustling.
Several demon chefs were busy.
The grain harvested from the new batch of experimental fields was being ground into flour and carefully packed into ceramic jars.
A faint fragrance wafted from the oven.
Lin Ling peeked inside.
No one noticed her.
Perfect.
She slipped in quietly.
A freshly baked loaf of bread sat on the table.
It was golden-brown, the crust looked soft, and it was still steaming.
Lin Ling’s gaze instantly froze.
Damn it, this fragrant, soft bread dares to tempt this Saintess.
This is the ultimate test of a Saintess’s will.
She looked left and right.
Then, she reached out.
“I’ll just take a little,” she whispered.
“This is a sampling test.”
“To ensure the quality of the experimental field’s grain is stable.”
Just as she broke off a small piece of bread, a deep voice came from behind her.
“Miss Saintess.”
Lin Ling froze completely.
She slowly turned her head.
The Head Chef was standing behind her, arms crossed.
His expression was stern.
“What are you doing?”
Lin Ling looked at the bread in her hand.
Then she looked at the Head Chef.
She was silent for two seconds.
“If I said I was conducting a food safety inspection, would you believe me?”
The Head Chef remained expressionless.
“No.”
Lin Ling: “...”
She looked down at the bread.
“Then should I put it back?”
The Head Chef looked at the bread she had already broken.
“You’ve already touched it.”
“Then...” Lin Ling said tentatively, “to avoid waste, should I just eat it?”
Head Chef: “...”
He looked at Lin Ling’s bright-eyed expression and the way she was clutching the bread, clearly showing no sign of remorse. Finally, he let out a long sigh.
“Miss Saintess.”
“The kitchen isn't a place for sneaking snacks. It wouldn't be good if some mindless fellow accidentally hurt you.”
Lin Ling lowered her head.
“I’m sorry.”
She admitted her mistake quickly.
Her attitude was excellent.
It was just that she didn't put the bread down at all.
The Head Chef looked at her, his expression slowly softening.
After all, the entire Demon King's Castle knew that the experimental field only existed today because of this Saintess.
She was watched by Phelan every day to make Magic Slow-Release Stones.
She was watched by Baroque to make sure she rested.
She was watched by Aliviel to ensure she didn't act recklessly.
Even though she always complained, she had truly allowed the Demon King's Castle to start having food.
And—
The Head Chef glanced at the bread in her hand.
She had only stolen a small piece.
Compared to what she had accomplished, this tiny bit of selfishness was really nothing.
“Forget it,” the Head Chef sighed. “That piece is yours.”
Lin Ling’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Lord Head Chef, you are magnificent.”
“Save the flattery.”
The Head Chef turned and took a small cup from the cabinet.
The cup contained a bit of deep red liquid.
Lin Ling blinked. “This is?”
“Demon Red Wine,” the Head Chef said. “It’s brewed from red fruits that are rare in the demon territory. Previously, only the Demon King and the Four Heavenly Kings could occasionally drink it. Now that the experimental fields have a harvest, everyone is in a good mood, so we opened a small bottle today.”
He handed the cup to Lin Ling. “You can only have a tiny bit.”
Lin Ling’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the deep red wine.
Alcohol.
Alcohol from another world.
It wasn't that she hadn't drunk before.
But this body hadn't.
And this was Demon Red Wine.
It sounded very high-class.
Lin Ling took the cup with a solemn expression. “I will savor it carefully.”
The Head Chef warned, “Really, only a tiny bit.”
Lin Ling nodded. “I understand.”
She lowered her head and took a tiny sip.
The liquid was slightly sweet upon entry.
It carried a fruity aroma.
And a faint heat of magic.
Lin Ling’s eyes lit up. “It’s delicious!”
And then—
Her face instantly turned red.
Head Chef: “?”
Lin Ling blinked.
Her vision began to drift.
“Eh?”
She looked down at the cup.
“This wine...”
“Why is it spinning in circles?”
The Head Chef’s expression changed. “Miss Saintess?”
Lin Ling slowly looked up.
Her expression was very serious.
“Lord Head Chef.”
“I think...”
“I’ve entered a new map.”
After saying that, her body swayed slightly.
Head Chef: “...”
It was over.
She was a one-sip wonder.
...
Near the main gate of the Demon King's Castle.
Ivelia, wearing a black outer robe, was preparing to leave.
Aliviel stood by her side, reporting in a low voice.
“The First Prince’s envoy has confirmed the location.”
“The other party only allows a few accompanying personnel to enter.”
Ivelia nodded. “I know.”
Baroque frowned. “I still don't agree with you going in person. The human First Prince has been making too many moves lately. This negotiation might not be safe.”
Ivelia said calmly, “That is exactly why I must go personally.”
Phelan stood nearby, holding several documents. “I have compiled the intelligence regarding the border grain routes, ore trade, and Hero summons.”
Cecil said with a smile, “I hope that First Prince speaks less nonsense today.”
Aliviel looked at Ivelia. “My Lord, the teleportation array is ready.”
Ivelia raised her hand.
A dark red magic circle slowly unfolded beneath her feet.
Complex patterns spread outward.
Space vibrated slightly.
Just as the teleportation was about to activate, a wavering voice suddenly came from the distance.
“My Lord—!”
Everyone was startled.
Ivelia turned around.
She saw Lin Ling swaying as she ran from the other end of the corridor.
She held half a piece of bread in one hand.
Her cheeks were flushed.
Her eyes were bright.
Her steps were so unsteady it looked like she was in a heated negotiation with the floor.
Baroque’s expression changed. “What’s wrong with her?”
The Head Chef chased after her from behind, his face pale. “My Lord! Miss Saintess took a sip of Demon Red Wine!”
Aliviel: “...”
Cecil: “...”
Phelan: “...”
Baroque shouted angrily, “Who let her drink?!”
The Head Chef said with a miserable face, “I didn't know she’d go down in one sip!”
Lin Ling didn't hear what they were saying at all.
She only saw Ivelia standing in the teleportation array.
The light was brightening.
For some reason, after getting drunk, only one thought remained in her head.
The Demon King is leaving.
She can't fall.
No.
She can't go to a dangerous place alone either.
Still not right.
Anyway, I have to get over there.
“My Lord!”
Lin Ling lunged toward Ivelia.
Baroque was about to stop her.
But Lin Ling’s foot slipped, and she tumbled forward.
Ivelia reached out almost instinctively.
She caught Lin Ling.
Lin Ling crashed into her arms, the half-piece of bread in her hand stubbornly remaining un-dropped.
Ivelia looked down at the Saintess in her arms, whose face was incredibly red.
“Lin Ling?”
Lin Ling looked up, her eyes misty.
“My Lord...”
“There are three of you...”
Ivelia: “...”
Aliviel reacted the fastest. “My Lord, the teleportation array!”
Ivelia’s expression shifted slightly.
She wanted to stop the technique.
But she was one step too late.
The dark red teleportation array beneath her feet brightened completely.
The spatial patterns closed.
Baroque reached out to pull Lin Ling out.
But his fingertips only touched a remnant of light.
The next instant.
The figures of Ivelia and Lin Ling vanished simultaneously before the main gate of the Demon King's Castle.
The air went quiet.
Everyone stood frozen in place.
Cecil slowly turned his head toward the Head Chef.
“So.”
“The situation now is... after getting drunk, Miss Saintess followed the Demon King and teleported to the human First Prince’s negotiation site?”
The Head Chef’s face was deathly pale. “...It seems so.”
Phelan looked down at his record board.
He was silent for a moment.
Then he wrote:
—Major emergency.
—Saintess Lin Ling became intoxicated after consuming a trace amount of Demon Red Wine.
—Lunged into the Demon King's arms at the moment of teleportation activation.
—Has now arrived at the border meeting room alongside the Demon King.
The veins on Baroque’s forehead bulged. “Is this the time to be recording?!”
Aliviel rubbed her brow. “Prepare the second teleportation array.”
Niya also ran over at this moment, panting for breath. “Has Miss Saintess been found?”
The air was silent for a second.
Everyone looked at her.
Niya’s face turned white bit by bit. “...Where is Miss Saintess?”
Cecil looked at her, trying to make his tone sound as light as possible.
“Well.”
“She was found.”
Niya breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”
Cecil paused. “But she might be meeting the human First Prince with the Demon King right now.”
Niya: “...”
She froze completely.
The next moment, a second loud crash echoed near the main gate of the Demon King's Castle.
Niya had accidentally crushed another stone pillar nearby.
Rate on N.U.
