It was a star-studded summer night on the Atla Continent.
Sleepy roses climbed the dark brown iron railings, and behind the tranquil garden stood a Baroque-style mansion.
This was the residence of the Duke of Paradiso, with banners bearing the golden apple crest fluttering in the night wind, while the Duke's beautiful daughter, Lilith, had been in a coma for three months...
To visit the Duke, Mil hurried along, carrying a basket of fruit and a heavy toolbox;
Inside the box was a set of Black Magic tools—the Nightmare Wheel—which Mil had spent another 88,000 to acquire.
As the Demon God's Child, Mil's purpose for this trip was certainly not to awaken the Duke's daughter, but to find the caster behind it—
The Black Magician, Theron.
This set of Nightmare Wheel could help Mil delve into Lilith's dream and directly converse with the caster behind the scenes.
The Lyata Family and the Duke were old family friends, maintaining close ties and never missing any banquets, large or small, hosted by either side. Mil and Lilith were the same age and had known each other since childhood.
Dignified in demeanor, graceful in figure, with alluring eyes and delicate, fruitful branches—this was the impression of Lilith from their meeting last year.
When they were 12, the two of them participated in the Magic Academy entrance examination together. Lilith's displayed magical talent shocked everyone and made her widely renowned.
Mil, now in his early twenties, had done well to become a second-tier Magician by virtue of his identity as the Demon God's Child. Among his peers, only one-tenth entered the first tier, and second-tier Magicians were even rarer.
But Lilith was already a third-tier Magician.
However, as soon as Mil retrieves the chaos holy stone, he will be able to leap up and surpass the sages, becoming a demigod with infinite lifespan!
Choosing the right path is very important. Isn't this faster than cultivating immortals?
But before that, the dark attribute magic he uses must never be exposed...
Mil pondered as he quickened his pace. Perhaps he was walking too fast, as he bumped into someone at the corner:
"Watch where you're going?!"
"S-sorry, my lord..."
The person Mil collided with appeared to be a carpenter. Seeing that Mil was a priest, he quickly scrambled to his feet, grabbed his toolbox, and ran off.
Mil didn't bother to pursue. He picked up his box and grumbled as he walked towards the mansion, not noticing the subtle change in the weight of the box in his hand.
...
Even though it was already eight or nine o'clock in the evening, a group of Lilith's classmates still stood at the mansion gate.
Some were drunk and wailing, some were singing with guitars, some were holding a bouquet of roses and staring blankly at the utility room on the second floor of the mansion. I heard someone even cut their wrist a few days ago?
Someone else was pestering the butler at the door, claiming that only his true love's kiss could wake Lilith...
In Mil's memory, Lilith was not universally considered the most beautiful, but she certainly had the most admirers.
Seeing this lively scene, Mil showed a wicked smile, walked into the crowd, and whispered:
"No way, brothers, do you really think Lilith is in a coma? I saw her a while ago! She was in the northern park of a village called Mian Ruo Village, on the southwestern border. It seems she couldn't stand the family marriage alliance and ran away! It's absolutely true, I have inside information! No time to explain, I'm afraid something will happen to her if we're a second late!"
The crowd stirred, their blood boiling.
The location Mil pointed out was precisely a sacrificial site of the Cultists, guarded by three fourth-tier Black Magicians.
You fools, become sacrifices for my divinity!
Mil knew that the chaos holy stone would corrupt people's hearts, and this power was influencing him, but it only brought out evil thoughts and disintegrated conscience.
He still had control over his self-awareness; if he really lost his temper, he wouldn't care about smashing the chaos holy stone.
But if one overestimates their abilities and foolishly tries to resist with their own will, they will quickly become an empty shell, their soul imprisoned forever.
Some people disagreed, saying, "Can't I just commit suicide?"
It's not that it's impossible, but it's not highly recommended to harm the "sacred body" of the Demon God's Child...
A separate layer of hell would open.
Mil had an appointment. After tricking the crowd away, he entered the mansion with the butler.
Inside the mansion, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, eerily silent and lifeless. Even the maid leading the way spoke in hushed tones.
In the wide corridor, a row of long spears was slanted on the walls on both sides, with colorful flags bearing the golden apple family crest hanging below them, and a row of knight armor displayed.
The butler pulled open the heavy door. In the luxurious and exquisite room, the Duke, looking troubled and surrounded by countless empty wine bottles, sat on the sofa.
"Your Grace, Duke of Paradiso, it's been a long time. I am Mil, the adopted son of the Lyata Family. You even held me when I was a child, do you still remember?"
The Duke looked up, his eyes filled with confusion, and beckoned, saying:
"There are no outsiders here, just call me Uncle Charles. Alice told me... you have a way to wake Lilith?"
Although Charles appeared drunk, his words were remarkably clear, and he went straight to the point without further ado.
Only when Mil approached did he realize how incredibly haggard the Duke looked; his face was sallow and thin, with heavy dark circles under his eyes, as if he had just been pulled out of a rehabilitation center...
But his weathered eyes still held a sharp glint.
"Yes, I have indeed found some ways to break Black Magic curses, and I'd like to try them."
Mil wasn't lying; he truly could do it, but unfortunately, he had no such intention.
For three whole months, the incident of the girls falling into a coma continued, and the Church was at a loss.
On the surface, it was a sleeping curse, but in reality, it was a soul-sacrifice ritual conducted by the Cultists, in collusion with the Black Magician Theron.
The souls of those comatose girls were no longer in their bodies; instead, they were collected as energy to break the seal of the "chaos holy stone."
The Duke nodded, seemingly too exhausted to say another word...
He familiarly put his arm around Mil's shoulder and led him upstairs directly. Mil, who had prepared a bellyful of polite remarks and reasons to make the Duke believe him, could only swallow them back for now.
The Grand Duke and his wife were deeply in love. As the ruler of the Paradise Duchy, he didn't even have a mistress and doted on his daughter immensely.
His Holy Flame Knights, though few in number, were the elite of the elite, serving as the last line of defense for the Holy City as a vassal state of the Theocracy.
At this moment, inside the room...
Lilith, who should have been asleep, was sitting by the bed, leaning in her mother's arms, complaining:
"How much longer do I have to pretend? I'm almost suffocating..."
Duchess Charles had a pair of reddish-purple eyes. In front of Lilith, she unhesitatingly revealed her sheep-like horns, a pair of black wings behind her waist, and a spade-shaped tail.
She gently stroked Lilith's hair and comforted her:
"Soon, child. At this rate, a week should be enough... Once the seal is broken, a new Demon God's Child will be born. For the Demon God, for the Demon King, for the entire demon race, just hold on for a few more days."
"Mother, do we... really have to do this?"
Ever since this plan began, Lilith had to undergo investigations and probes from various sages, scholars, holy officials, and great Magicians from the Holy City every now and then.
However, succubi are natural infiltrators, and young succubi born to humans are basically indistinguishable from humans before their first night, making it very difficult to expose their identity.
"Lilith, you must know who you are. You must have the resolve to dedicate everything to the Demon God's Child. The liberation of the chaos holy stone is a make-or-break moment."
"After the chaos holy stone is liberated, what exactly will happen to the Holy City?"
Seeing Lilith's reluctant expression, Duchess Charles's eyes showed a hint of disappointment. She gripped Lilith's shoulder and asked in a low voice:
"Do you think you can be a Princess of Paradise your entire life? Or are you reluctant to give up your title as a genius girl? If you abandon the plan and continue your current life, then you'll have to marry that pig-like Third Prince. The royal family isn't as easy to fool as your father. After your first night, you won't be able to hide your identity like I have!"
After speaking, the mother's eyes suddenly sharpened. She glanced at the door and held her breath.
"Someone's coming, quickly lie down."
"Knock, knock, knock..."
The door was knocked. After the mother covered Lilith with a quilt, she placed a curse mark on her forehead and then concealed her own identity before opening the door:
"Oh, it's Mil? Long time no see..."
"Good evening, Duchess Charles."
The moment he saw the Duke's wife, Mil seemed to understand why the Duke was so haggard...
With fair, smooth skin, a plump and enchanting figure, and a beautiful and moving face, how could he not be haggard with a wife who looked like a succubus?
As soon as the door opened, a clear and sweet fragrance wafted over. The room's decor was lavish and opulent;
Every piece of furniture was handcrafted, precisely cut, ornately carved, and adorned with holy patterns and angels, crowns and vines.
In the center was a luxurious large bed, with four bedposts carved with angel patterns supporting deep red velvet curtains.
On the enormous bed lay a beautiful young girl, her delicate and pretty face nestled in the fluffy pillows, her long hair spread out, barely covering her jade-white shoulders and collarbones.
Moonlight streamed through the sheer curtains, flowing across her face. Even in deep sleep, her naturally upturned eye corners were tinged with a faint blush, like a demonic mark sketched with rose juice.
And on her forehead, the Black Magic curse mark for sacrificing to the Demon God emanated an ominous aura...
When Lilith heard that it was Mil, she relaxed slightly. This guy wasn't very capable, he was at the bottom of his class at the seminary, and only barely managed to become a priest thanks to his sister.
But when she heard his next sentence, she suddenly felt something was off.
"Excuse me, Uncle Charles, Madam, both of you need to step out for a moment."
“Why is this? This… this isn't very good, is it?”
Mil wore a kind smile, but Lady Charles was clearly uneasy. It was the first time anyone had made such an unreasonable request…
However, Duke Charles trusted Mil greatly:
“Go on, Mil is an upright and good boy.”
“Thank you, Uncle Charles! Madam, I swear on the honor of the Lyata Family, and on the honor of Adjudicator Kramer, my teacher from the Tribunal.”
“Mil, just do your best. If you really wake Lilith, I will definitely take you as my son-in-law!”
The slightly tipsy Duke casually said, shaking his index finger. By now, he had long given up hope, as everyone of note in the entire Holy City had already tried.
The Lyata Family treated Mil as their own, which was well-known in aristocratic circles…
But regarding Mil's background, the only Earl who knew the truth never spoke of it, rejecting all suitors who came seeking marriage, always wanting to keep Mil within the family;
And the Duke also knew that the Earl of Leia Tower was an old fox, who wouldn't rise early without profit, but he had never been able to investigate clearly.
“Don't worry, Uncle Charles, I will definitely give it my all.”
Mil agreed verbally, but secretly thought, 'This King will absolutely not let your daughter wake up!'
Afterward, at the Duke's urging, Lady Charles reluctantly left the room with a worried expression; after the two left, the door closed, and Mil revealed a sinister smile.
He locked the door, then moved a wardrobe and sofa to barricade it. These actions made Lilith, who was secretly peeking, feel a sense of unease…
Something's not right, what exactly does this guy want to do?
If those powerful Sages came, Lady Charles would temporarily let Lilith's soul leave her body, using a magic spell mark with no origin to deceive their eyes…
But there was no need to do that for Mil.
Subsequently, Mil activated a dark-attributed magic stone, sat by the bed, and gently traced Lilith's cheek with his finger, sneering:
“Heh, an upright and good boy? Too bad… In this world, there won't be anyone more evil than me! Don't worry, I will treat this skin of yours very well later.”
Lilith on the bed clenched her fists, trembling incessantly…
She could clearly feel Mil's dark-attributed magic power surging, probing the Black Magic spell mark on her forehead!
This guy, clearly without magic talent, why can he activate a second-tier magic stone?
Compared to her mother, Lilith was even more stunning, with fair, rosy skin and delicate, elegant features; just looking at her would make one's blood boil;
The curve of her neck was like a slaughtered swan, and her smooth shoulders peeked out from beneath the thin blanket.
Although young, one could already discern her voluptuous curves and streamlined body through the thin blanket.
In the story mode of the game 'Dark Soul Age II', six or seven mages of the same age became hero units, even though their models were all the same…
But Lilith was never mentioned…
Now it seems she might be… gone?
This was also a good thing; such a monstrous talent, if left in the opposing faction, would indeed be a headache.
It's just a pretty good shell, it would be a shame to bury it. I'll turn her into a host for a necromancer later.
After completing the analysis of the spell mark, Mil lifted a heavy box and placed it on the nightstand. As he opened the box, he grinned maliciously:
“I don't have a spirit of cherishing beauty. On the contrary… this thing was originally used for interrogation, so the whole process will be very painful, little sister Lilith, you have to bear with it~”
During the use of the Nightmare Wheel, the caster's mental burden would be very great, and they would become more deeply entangled in the dream…
Accompanying Mil's verbal teasing, Lilith's heart pounded in her throat. This Mil, he wasn't here to wake her up at all!
What does this pervert want to do?!
However, when Mil opened the box, he looked at the saw in his hand and fell into thought…
Where's my Nightmare Wheel?
Where did my entire set of Nightmare Wheel go?
Oh… that damned carpenter!
It must have been that collision between the two of them that caused him to pick up the wrong box…
Seeing no movement for a long time, Lilith cautiously narrowed her eyes to a slit, only to suddenly see the sharp saw in Mil's hand!
Then, she saw Mil fumbling around and picking up an axe?
She thought he would at most play things a little more elaborately, but…
This is too much, isn't it?
Lilith's heart trembled, and she unconsciously squeezed her legs together, her breathing becoming rapid…
Mil seemed to be defying fate, still frantically searching, but he accidentally knocked over the box, and hammers, axes, chisels, and nails clattered all over the floor…
He had just bent down to pick up an axe when he suddenly heard a movement on the bed?
“Whoosh—”
He looked up, and a wind blade spell came flying, fortunately blocked by Mil's passive defense.
And the previously sleeping Lilith was now clutching the blanket, huddled in a corner, hugging the bedpost, glaring at Mil, and trembling:
“Don't come any closer…”
Her silk nightgown slipped down her swan-like neck, revealing her rounded shoulders.
As she breathed, her waist outlined a breathtaking curve in the moonlight, as if a concrete manifestation of desire sculpted by the Creator's own hands;
Even in her panic, when her eyes darted around, they still carried a hint of misty moisture, and as her eyelashes fluttered, tiny crystal dust seemed to fall.
Since she didn't have a magic stone nearby and hadn't gone through her first night, Lilith could only cast low-level magic. Facing Mil, who had activated a second-tier magic stone, she was completely defenseless…
At the same time, the door was suddenly burst open by Lady Charles, and the Duke rushed in with a worried expression, only to meet his daughter's eyes on the bed.
Mil quickly hid the axe in his hand behind his back, but the pile of tools on the ground had nowhere to hide.
“Uncle Charles… please calm down first, listen to my explanation…”
However, before Mil could clear his thoughts, the overjoyed Duke quickly stepped forward and embraced him:
“Oh! Gods bless! Mil! Good boy, I knew all along that you were different from those useless Sages, you are the greatest priest in the Holy City!”
What kind of priest uses an axe?
“Where's the butler? Quick! Go to the cellar, open that bottle of Lafite from Holy Calendar 882 for me—!”
…
With that shout from the Duke, the entire mansion erupted. The silent hall was instantly brightly lit, and many noble guests came to congratulate him overnight;
Even the sleeping old hen was dragged out and slaughtered…
The famous Exorcist, Jasont, arrived at the Duke's house in 10 minutes, wearing a pajama, holding a beer mug, and grasping Mil's hand, asking him how he managed to do it.
The Lyata Family members were not in the Holy City; only the butler who took care of Mil and Alice was there, crying tears of joy.
This time, the Duke might have truly been drunk.
“That old fox of the Leia Tower is always hiding things. This kid, to marry my daughter, has finally shown some real skill!”
Who cares about that?
Facing the Duke's warm hospitality, Mil couldn't smile at all…
“Uncle Charles, forget about marrying Lilith, can you settle the five million Taelers?”
“What do you mean? You don't like my Lilith?”
“No, I mean… a genius girl like Lilith would definitely not be interested in me. You should still think about your daughter's happiness.”
Mil's heart was clear about the Duke's intentions…
The territory of the Theocracy was very small, only as large as the Holy City, surrounded by the territory of the Paradise Duchy, making it a state within a state;
And the Paradise Duchy was previously a vassal state of the Empire…
Eighteen years ago, there was a coup in the Empire. The new emperor, to gain recognition from the Pope, voluntarily offered territory, transferring the Paradise Duchy to be a vassal state of the Theocracy.
But the condition was that the future Duchess Lilith would marry the Empire's Third Prince.
Duke Charles intended to use the alcohol today to shift the conflict to the Lyata Family…
Heh, how could the Empire agree? Pure drunken fantasy!
At this moment, Lilith sat beside Mil and gently took his hand:
“Father, I am willing to marry Mister Mil.”
After speaking, she lowered her voice, her warm breath accompanied by her body scent, spraying into Mil's ear…
“Mister Mil also doesn't want others to know what his magic attribute is, does he?”
Hearing this, Mil felt his world collapse!
This woman is a bad one!
The caster of the sleeping magic wasn't found, the Nightmare Wheel was lost, not to mention waking someone up, but also having his magic attribute discovered;
You wretched girl, I saved you, and now you're trying to control me?
“Uncle Charles, please settle the five million Taelers, I beg you!”
“Hiss… You kid, you're taking and taking, aren't you? Ask Lilith, if she agrees, I'll give it to you!”
Duke Charles finished speaking, lifted his wine, and chugged it. Lilith smiled calmly, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and softly murmured:
“That depends on whether my fiancé is obedient, doesn't it?”
But Mil's back molars were almost ground to dust!
This banquet lasted until late at night. To prevent his daughter from falling asleep again, the Duke had the mother and daughter get into a carriage and sent them back to the Paradise Duchy overnight.
And after Mil returned home, he looked at that box of tools and thought about it all night, not that he understood, but that dawn had broken…