Following Bryce's gaze, a massive complex of stone palaces came into view.
A pavilion every five steps, a tower every ten, with winding corridors and upturned eaves reaching toward the sky, there were easily hundreds of them.
Long bridges spanned the rushing clear waters, and two gateposts over thirty meters high stood on either side.
Two lifelike feathered serpents with wings spread wide were carved onto the pillars.
Breath misted from their mouths, forming an arch like a bridge where they met in the center to create a massive gate.
On either side of the gate, armored soldiers stood solemnly, their eyes the only visible part of their bodies.
Looking at the magnificent palace before her, Luo Li's shock was beyond words.
Did the mere demon race truly possess such craftsmanship?
However, after a second thought, she shook her head and smiled bitterly to herself.
How could the demon race alone have such skill?
A palace of this caliber could likely only be rivaled by the Holy See of the human kingdoms.
It was certainly not something the demons, who lacked any foundational technology, could build.
In other words... this structure was either built by humans enslaved by the demons.
Or this city originally belonged to the indigenous people of this island and was simply taken over by the demons.
Given such a luxurious architectural complex, one could imagine how much manpower and resources were consumed.
But could the half-demons outside have achieved all this?
Absolutely not!
As for the purebred demons in the inner city, though she hadn't seen them all yet.
Judging by its size, this inner city was not even as large as a single district in Brilliant City.
A district in Brilliant City might house around eight to ten thousand people, with the largest holding over thirty thousand.
It was inconceivable that only thirty thousand high-intelligence purebred demons could build such a complex and luxurious palace.
Thinking of this, Luo Li raised an eyebrow and asked.
"This city is not something our race could have built. Where did it come from?"
Bryce smiled upon hearing her question.
"This inner city was originally the palace of the island's indigenous people. As for the outer city, it was built by human craftsmen we purchased."
Purchased?
That word echoed in Luo Li's mind, and a flicker of anger rose within her.
"Are you saying you can trade with the West Continent?"
Bryce nodded.
"Of course. Humans are a race very adept at civil war, and they never show mercy to their own kind. If not for that, how could this West Demon City be as prosperous as it is today?"
Hearing this, Luo Li secretly took a sharp breath.
In her heart, she felt a wave of resentment.
The human race really lacked backbone.
Her Kingdom of the Moon didn't even have such a vast and magnificent palace, yet the demons, a hostile race, were living in such luxury.
If only humans had more spine, fought fewer civil wars, and showed more unity, they wouldn't have been bullied by the demons to this extent!
Later, she would have to settle the score; she could no longer allow them to supply the enemy like this.
"When those humans were sent here, didn't the human kings suspect anything?"
Luo Li asked casually, but she actually wanted to know where these craftsmen came from.
These were the treasures of the human race, experts with exquisite skills accumulated over countless years.
How could they flow into the demon island in such large numbers?
It didn't make sense.
"Lady Queen, from the way you speak, it seems you rarely have contact with humans?"
"Oh? Why do you ask?"
Luo Li countered, only to see Bryce's mouth split into a wide grin.
"If you dealt with humans often, you would know that they really do not deserve to live in this world."
Bryce's smile was filled with cruelty, yet beneath it, there was a faint trace of sorrow.
Why would he show such an expression?
It wasn't hard to see from his words that this man seemed to have a massive prejudice against humans.
Luo Li turned her head, pretending to observe Bryce, and asked.
"Looking at you, you are also a half-demon?"
Bryce nodded.
"You are perceptive, Lady Queen. I joined the demon race a thousand years ago. Before that... I was human."
Hearing this, Luo Li's brow furrowed slightly, but she didn't say much more.
She still didn't fully understand the behaviors and personalities of the demons, and asking too much might reveal her own differences.
Especially when dealing with someone like him.
A human who had turned into a demon a thousand years ago was clearly very familiar with human behavior.
She had to be extremely careful when talking to such a person.
Because he understood better than anyone where the gap between humans and demons lay.
A single mistake could expose her.
Fortunately, no one would believe that a Saintess could be demonized.
No one would even suspect her; even if he had slight doubts, he would likely just assume she was from an outer island and thus unfamiliar with local ways.
"I see..."
Luo Li nodded and looked up at the palace complex before her.
Facing the massive ox-horse beast approaching them, not a single demon showed any fear.
The leader stepped forward and raised a hand to stop the beast's progress.
"The Queen's palace lies ahead. Passage is forbidden. Please show your identification."
At this, Bryce quickly leaned out and looked at the general blocking their path.
"I am Bryce. I am escorting a Lady Queen from the outer islands to her residence."
"Oh? A Queen from the outer islands?"
The officer paused and looked up at Bryce.
"Bryce, there is a decennial giant typhoon raging outside right now. How could a Queen from the outer islands arrive here at a time like this?"
Clearly, this officer was very familiar with Bryce, as they greeted each other by name without any hesitation.
"Capri, if you don't believe me, come up and see for yourself."
The officer named Capri looked up at the ox-horse beast, exerted force in his legs, and flipped himself up onto the beast.
He glanced at Bryce first, then turned his gaze toward the young girl sitting in the carriage.
Large areas of her fair skin were exposed, with only her chestplate and armor skirt covering her charms.
She wore arm guards, and her long, slender fingers ended in nails that glinted like sharp blades.
Her long, shapely legs were protected by greaves with bee-sting-like protrusions at the front.
Just a single glance was enough to make one's hair stand on end.
After checking her combat boots, his gaze finally moved to the top of Luo Li's head.
Capri did not look as cursorily as Bryce had; he inspected her thoroughly.
He even seemed to be counting something.
Luo Li didn't move, simply watching Capri in silence.
This man's aura felt very similar to Bryce's.
If she wasn't mistaken, this man was also a demon marshal.
Excluding the butcher Zuka she had captured in the Kingdom of the Moon, this was the third demon marshal she had encountered.
She didn't know Bryce's title, and this Capri didn't seem to have much of a reputation either.
Luo Li had never even heard of Capri's name.
This person had likely never participated in an invasion of the continent in a thousand years.
This also meant that Capri was probably stationed at the Queen's palace year-round.
In other words, he was a guard of the imperial city and a highly trusted one at that.
Because he had a pair of horns on his head.
Unlike Luo Li's delicate, mysterious black horns with a hint of red, Capri's horns were massive.
They curved upward and backward from his head before curving upward again.
These two horns were nearly as thick as a forearm, sharp at the tips, and covered in tiny barbs.
Their height even exceeded the length of his head.
The entirety of the horns was pitch black.
Such massive horns made Capri look incredibly imposing.
While Luo Li observed Capri, Capri was also observing the young girl.
'Only sixteen annual rings on her horns... she is such a young Queen?'
This thought flashed through Capri's mind the moment he saw her horns.
'Black with a hint of red... that is a color only top-tier purebred demons possess.'
He looked down at the girl's face.
Her skin was delicate, and her eyes were like starlight, bright and dazzling, with pupils as clear as a deep pool.
One could tell at a glance that such eyes could only belong to a being of high intelligence.
Her nose was slightly upturned, her lips were a thin pale red, and even without any expression, her face exuded an air of nobility.
Her phoenix eyes seemed to carry a trace of disdain and indifference.
It made him feel an instinctive urge to submit to her.
The moment their eyes met, Capri even felt a sudden impulse to kneel!
This was a feeling he had only ever experienced in the presence of the Queen Empress!
"Please forgive my rudeness, Lady Queen. I, Capri, have been disrespectful!"
Driven by that impulse, his body followed suit, and he dropped to one knee on the ground.
"It is fine. Rise."
Luo Li looked at Capri indifferently.
It seemed the status of purebred demon females was indeed exceptionally high among the demons.
If this were a trap, Bryce alone would have been enough to capture her.
In other words, she hadn't shown any flaws from start to finish.
Or rather, any flaws were dismissed because of the phrase 'from the outer islands'.
As of now, she had officially entered the inner circle of the demons.
"Thank you, Lady Queen."
Capri stood up, and his previously sharp gaze now didn't dare to meet Luo Li's eyes at all.
"I was unaware of your arrival and have failed to prepare a proper welcome. Please forgive me."
"It is no matter. I have come to West Demon City just to look around. Of course, if I find someone suitable, I may take them as a sub-lover."
At these words, Capri's heart skipped a beat.
In the past, other Queens had said such things to him, but none had ever moved his heart like this.
Capri took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm.
He had been the gatekeeper of the Queen's palace for nearly a thousand years because he could withstand the attraction of the Lady Queens.
A purebred demon Queen's attraction to demons was unparalleled.
There was almost nothing that could make a demon as frenzied as a Queen could!
However, demon Queens had another trait that made all demons tremble with fear.
That was... any demon who violated a Queen without permission would be completely drained of their life force and die.
The process was agonizingly painful, and even demons, whose sense of pain was suppressed to the limit, were not immune.
A demon Queen could absorb the other's life force through the act of procreation!
The more pure the blood, the stronger this suction was. The most noble Queen Empress could even refrain from procreation entirely.
A mere kiss was enough to drain any demon dry.
Even the Demon Emperor was somewhat wary of this.
Let alone a demon marshal like himself.
And the mysterious black horns on this girl's head proved her incredibly noble bloodline.
This was a color only the most noble of true purebred demons possessed.
This Lady Queen before him could definitely become a Queen Empress.
She wouldn't even need any act of procreation; a kiss alone would be enough to instantly seize someone's life force.
This was why Capri, despite his attraction, did not dare to be disrespectful.
Every living creature has an instinct for survival.
The higher the intelligence, the more true this was.
Even low-intelligence half-demons understood this principle.
No demon was willing to offend a Queen.
Furthermore, purebred Queens were so rare that if they were gone, the demon race would truly face extinction.
Whether for personal or racial reasons, a Queen's status in the demon race was almost equal to that of the Demon Emperor.
The demons could afford to lose a Demon Emperor, as another could be chosen.
But losing a Queen meant losing a significant portion of their reproductive capacity.
At this thought, Capri grew even more excited; he had never met a Queen who could make his heart flutter like this.
"Lady Queen, the palace is just ahead. If you only intend to stay for a short period, you may need to meet with the Queen Empress."
"Oh? Do I need to pay my respects?"
"No, no, no. I mean you should just say hello. A purebred Queen like yourself does not need to bow to any demon."
Capri explained hurriedly.
Luo Li nodded.
It seemed this greeting was a tradition among the demons.
It was equivalent to one ruler entering another ruler's territory; both sides needed to meet.
Based on the current situation, the state of the streets, and Bryce's reports, the number of female demons was indeed incredibly low.
This city could probably accommodate nearly a million demons.
Yet this inner city likely held no more than forty or fifty thousand purebred demons.
And in this city of a million, there were only seventy-three purebred Queens.
Comparing those numbers...
Seventy-three out of a million meant seven point three out of a hundred thousand, or zero point seven three out of ten thousand.
You couldn't even find one whole purebred Queen in ten thousand demons.
Their preciousness was self-evident.
It was basically certain now.
The reproduction of half-demons relied primarily on breeding beds from other races.
The reproduction of purebred demons, however, relied entirely on the Queens.
This fact alone allowed her to breathe a sigh of relief.
At least for the time being, she wouldn't encounter any trouble in this Demon King's Castle.
She might even enjoy VIP treatment.
Finally, she wouldn't have to stay out in the rain.
Thinking of this, Luo Li nodded.
"Take me to see that Empress first."
"As you command."
Capri turned toward the outside of the carriage and waved his hand.
"Open the palace gates! Welcome the Lady Queen from the outer islands!"
A moment later, the massive stone gates before them slowly began to open with a heavy grinding sound.
'Rumble...'
The huge stone doors parted.
Capri watched the palace gates open, then knelt before the young girl.
"Please descend from the carriage, Lady Queen."
Rate on N.U.
