On the other side, the discussions in the meeting room had just come to an end.
Leticia stood up.
Her gaze instinctively drifted toward the door.
“So, may I go see Lin Ling now?”
Ivelia, sitting at the head of the table, did not answer immediately.
She watched Leticia.
Those dark red eyes still held a look of scrutiny.
Leticia had shown enough sincerity during their conversation just now.
At the very least, she was much more pleasant to look at than the high-and-mighty, arrogant Saintess of the Holy See from yesterday.
But being pleasant didn't mean she could just let her approach Lin Ling as she pleased.
Ivelia slowly rose from her seat.
“Let’s eat first.”
Leticia was slightly taken aback.
“Eat?”
“It’s almost time for lunch,” Ivelia said.
“It is not the custom of the Demon King’s Castle to have guests attend meetings on an empty stomach.”
Leticia fell silent for a moment.
She wanted to say that she wasn't hungry right now.
She wanted to see Lin Ling more.
She wanted to ask her why she could reach out to a strange child without a moment's hesitation.
She wanted to ask her what it truly meant to be a Saintess.
But Ivelia had already turned and was walking toward the door.
Leticia watched her back and eventually followed.
The two of them arrived at the dining room of the Demon King’s Castle.
The dining room wasn't particularly luxurious.
At the very least, it was completely different from the noble banquet halls in the Camillaya capital.
The stone tables here were heavy, the chairs were simple, and there were no extravagant gold or silver decorations on the walls—only a few magic stone lamps emitting a steady light.
However, it was clean.
It was also surprisingly quiet.
So quiet that Leticia could even hear the sound of a spatula from the kitchen.
Before long, the Head Chef personally walked out carrying trays.
“My Lord Demon King.”
He bowed first to Ivelia and then looked at Leticia.
His gaze lingered on her for a while.
He was likely remembering the bread that had been knocked over yesterday.
After all, it was quite a blow to a chef when the food they meticulously prepared was rejected by a guest.
However, the Head Chef said nothing and simply placed the two lunches on the table.
Leticia lowered her eyes.
On her plate were several slices of cut soft bread, a small dish of deep red jam, and a serving of fairly well-roasted lamb.
The meat was cut into bite-sized pieces, the edges were slightly charred, and a simple sauce had been drizzled over the surface.
While it couldn't be called the exquisite cuisine found at capital banquets, it was clearly food that had been prepared with care.
Leticia was about to give her thanks when her gaze suddenly fell on the tray in front of Ivelia.
There were only a few pieces of soft bread there.
And a small dish of jam.
Leticia froze for a moment.
“Is that all you’re eating for lunch?”
Ivelia thought she was complaining that the meal wasn't lavish enough.
So, she spoke indifferently.
“My apologies.”
“The food on our side is not as abundant as in Camillaya.”
Leticia looked up at the Demon King who was apologizing to her.
“That’s not what I meant.”
She looked at the overly simple lunch in front of Ivelia.
“I mean, you are the esteemed Demon King.”
“Is this all you eat for lunch?”
Ivelia had already picked up a piece of bread.
Hearing this, she simply took a calm bite.
The soft bread entered her mouth.
It was much better than the black bread that used to be as hard as stone.
For the current Demon King’s Castle, this was still food worth cherishing.
Only after swallowing did she speak.
“A few days ago, we couldn't even afford to eat bread.”
“Saintess of the Holy See.”
Leticia’s hand holding her utensils paused slightly.
She remembered yesterday.
She remembered the maid named Niya.
When she had knocked the soft bread to the floor, the anger in that girl’s eyes had been almost impossible to suppress.
At that time, she only felt insulted.
She thought a demon maid actually dared to look at her with such eyes.
But now, she finally understood the weight of that anger.
It wasn't because of a single piece of bread.
It was because the thing she had casually knocked over was once food that the entire Demon King’s Castle could not easily obtain.
Leticia lowered her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly.
“I didn't know about these things.”
Ivelia didn't say “it’s okay.”
She just quietly continued eating her bread.
Leticia looked at the lamb on her plate.
For the current Demon King’s Castle, that meat probably wasn't something that could be brought out casually either.
Yet it had been placed in front of her.
Was it because she had looked down on the food of the Demon King’s Castle yesterday? So they had upgraded her meal?
Leticia remained silent for a while before picking up the bread on the table.
She didn't touch the meat.
Instead, imitating Ivelia, she took a bite of the bread first.
The bread was very soft.
Leticia chewed slowly and suddenly asked, “Does Lin Ling eat this too?”
Ivelia’s movements stopped for a split second.
“Lin Ling?”
She seemed to think of something.
Her gaze softened slightly.
“The day she first arrived, she only ate a piece of black bread that was as hard as a rock.”
Leticia was stunned.
“Black bread?”
“Yes.”
Ivelia said in a low voice, “She didn't know the situation of the demons at that time either.”
“She didn't even know why she had been brought here.”
“Locked in a strange room, her dinner was only a single piece of black bread.”
As she spoke, she suddenly turned her head to look out the dining room window.
“She complained about it later.”
“She said that thing didn't seem like bread; it was more like a self-defense weapon.”
Leticia imagined the scene.
Lin Ling holding a piece of bread as hard as stone, sitting in a room with a face full of despair.
She suddenly felt like laughing.
But as soon as that trace of amusement appeared, it was quickly suppressed by another complex emotion.
A person like Lin Ling still chose to do those things for the demons afterward.
To let the people here eat soft bread.
To let the demon children survive.
Leticia looked down at the bread in her hand.
“She is the one who truly should be...”
She paused for a long time.
In the end, she didn't finish her sentence.
The lunch was eaten in silence.
Ivelia didn't initiate any conversation.
Leticia didn't ask any more questions either.
She ate the bread and also had some of the jam and lamb.
Every bite was far simpler than the meals she had eaten in the White Tower.
Yet for some reason, she remembered them exceptionally clearly.
When lunch was over, Leticia put down her utensils.
“Now, can I go find Lin Ling?”
Ivelia glanced at her.
“I will go with you.”
Leticia wasn't surprised.
In fact, she had already guessed as much.
“The Lord Demon King is quite cautious.”
Ivelia said calmly, “Since the subject is you, it is necessary.”
Leticia let out a light chuckle.
“Then let’s go together.”
Along the way, Leticia could feel Ivelia’s gaze occasionally falling on her.
The gaze carried a very clear warning.
If she made any dangerous move toward Lin Ling, Ivelia would likely act immediately.
Leticia didn't argue with this.
Because if she were in her shoes, she might do the same.
Soon, the two arrived at the door to Lin Ling’s room.
Ivelia raised her hand and knocked.
Knock, knock.
The room was quiet for a moment.
Then, there was a slight movement from the bed.
Niya opened her eyes groggily.
She had been sleeping very soundly.
Her nerves had been taut all last night, and then she had been forced into bed by Lin Ling to rest.
Once she fell asleep, she hadn't even noticed the time passing.
Hearing the knock, Niya rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed.
“Miss Saintess?”
She spoke instinctively.
There was no response.
The knock sounded again.
Only then did Niya wake up a bit more.
She looked down at the quilt over her.
Then she looked around the room.
And then, she suddenly froze.
Wait.
This seemed to be Miss Saintess’s room.
She had just slept directly in Miss Saintess’s bed?
Niya’s face turned red bit by bit.
The knock sounded for a third time.
She didn't have time to keep thinking. She scrambled out of bed, tidied her clothes, and hurried to the door.
The door opened.
Two people were standing outside.
One was the Lord Demon King.
The other was the Saintess of the Holy See.
Niya: “...”
Ivelia: “...”
Leticia: “...”
The atmosphere seemed somewhat awkward.
Niya looked at Ivelia outside the door.
Then she looked at Leticia beside her.
Finally, Niya slowly realized her current situation.
She had just gotten up from Miss Saintess’s bed, and her clothes seemed a bit messy.
It looked like the Lord Demon King’s expression wasn't very good.
The color drained from Niya’s face for a second before it flushed red again.
“Ah.”
“Haha.”
“Um...”
She gave a couple of dry laughs.
“I’ll go get back to work now!”
The moment the words left her mouth, Niya flashed past the door like a startled small beast.
Before long, she had already vanished from sight.
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