The Lord Demon King is Unfathomable!

At this moment, Socduo was completely unaware that the truth was even more terrifying than he had imagined.

The influence of the Demon King had long since infiltrated Silver Pine Town; even the renowned Trident Knights secretly harbored the Demon King's "spies." Yet, the vast majority of the Campbell Duchy's citizens remained blissfully ignorant of this fact.

As the members of the caravan were finally persuaded by the revered Father Matt, loosening the bonds of their employer and leaving the church, Charles paced back and forth in the tower's upper chamber at the Trident Knights' headquarters in Thunder City, deliberating over these matters repeatedly.

Since the Deceitful Fog dispersed, for the first time in hundreds of years, the looming shadow of war over Thunder County revealed a glimmer of hope for peace.

Using the opportunity of joining forces with the Demon King Army to face Chaos, not only had they established an unprecedented set of rules for engagement, but they had also confined the scope of the conflict to the limited areas within the Maze.

Both sides refrained from interfering with each other, maintaining peace, and the Demon King Army indeed ceased invading the surface villages.

However, it didn't last long.

The esteemed Princess Erin Campbell, of all times, chose this moment of calm after chaos had subsided to step onto this land, bearing the "Light of Praise" inherited from the former Duke.

If her visit were merely for sightseeing, this would be fine. The true fear lay in her desire to use the sword gifted by her father to achieve some grand ambition.

Every noble's ambition, throughout history, had always concluded with the destruction of countless ordinary families.

This was a near-unbroken pattern in the history of the Aus Continent.

The citizens of the Campbell Duchy needed time to heal and rebuild, especially with Chaos looming as an imminent threat. They could not afford another war and its devastating costs.

Charles could not deduce her intentions upon arriving here and could only pray that she did not harbor naive ideas like "proving her worth by hunting down the Demon King with the Divine Artifact in her hand."

Moreover, beyond the intentions of Princess Erin, another matter worried him even more—her arrival might provoke the Demon King within the Maze.

Generations of Demon Kings in Thunder County had been slain by the "Light of Praise" to the extent that the weapon gained the moniker "Bane of Demons."

If Luo Yan interpreted the arrival of the "Light of Praise" as a breach of their mutual understanding, then all of his sacrifice and efforts for Peace in Thunder County would vanish into thin air.

Before figuring out Princess Erin's motives, Charles had to first soothe the Demon King's emotions.

"...Saint Sis above, please forgive me, and please believe me. This was not for personal ambition but for the countless common folk of Thunder County. Defeating one Demon King will never truly end Hell; it will only lead Demons to return to this land time and again... The people here have already suffered enough from endless death."

After much hesitation, Charles finally made his decision, defying his ancestors as he walked to the wooden desk near the window. He sat down, retrieved pen and paper, and began writing thoughtfully.

[Honored Demon King, ruler of the Great Graveyard:

The surface world has become turbulent and unpredictable recently—not just in Thunder City but throughout the Campbell Duchy, which finds itself in troubled times. I wonder if you, far away in the Underworld, are doing well?

I write this letter to greet you and to discuss the leadership changes within the Campbell Duchy's upper echelon.

You must have already heard that Aaron Campbell has passed away.

The title of Duke within the Campbell Duchy has now been inherited by his eldest son, Edward Campbell. However, for reasons unknown, the ancestral Divine Artifact of the Campbell family, "Light of Praise," has not been handed down to his eldest son but rather bestowed upon his beloved daughter, Princess Erin.

I cannot speculate on Duke Aaron Campbell's intentions; perhaps he received divine guidance in his final moments, or perhaps he made an impulsive decision. Nevertheless, I can assure you that, at the very least, his eldest son Edward Campbell is an enlightened man.

Under his leadership, the Campbell Duchy harbors no military ambitions, nor do we seek to provoke new conflicts.

As for Princess Erin's arrival, it is not by the command of Duke Edward; it is entirely by her own will... We harbor no intention of offending you.

I hope our mutual understanding remains intact, and I trust you can empathize with our predicament.

——Charles, your ally and comrade who fought beside you to defeat Nuoville, the Deceitful Fog]

Charles paused, reread the letter several times to ensure there were no issues in phrasing, then rolled it up and placed it inside a small copper tube, no larger than a coin.

After completing these tasks, he went to the window and tapped on the wooden windowsill three times with his fingers.

After a brief wait, a bat fluttered its wings and landed on the windowsill, its round eyes staring into his. Then, with a dramatic flair, it stretched out one leg.

Charles carefully tied the letter to its leg, extended a finger, and gently stroked its head.

The bat flicked its wings, brushed away his hand, and then took off, disappearing into the deepening night with a series of soft "flapping" sounds.

Charles watched its figure vanish into the distance, and after a long pause, he crossed himself over his chest in prayer.

May the Holy Light protect the people of Thunder City...

...

The corruption of the Great Graveyard spread relentlessly, and those engulfed by it remained blissfully unaware.

However, compared to the corruption of wealth, that emanating from the Undead paled in significance...