DKIE CH90: Victory Banquet

During the flight, Quill proposed many more outrageous ideas, perfectly demonstrating what is meant by psychological abuse.

Luka did his best to nip them all in the bud. As they crossed the border, his expression gradually became serious.

“I wonder what the situation is like in the fief?”

Every time a new demon ore mine was discovered on the continent, it brought a storm of blood. Not to mention special, rare demon ores; countless battles had erupted over the mining rights.

A never-before-mined rare demon ore was enough to make countless factions green with envy.

The griffin descended from the sky. The area around Klin Sentry Tower was surrounded by defending guards.

Luka swept his divine sense over the area and raised an eyebrow. “Huh? Not even one?”

He had been planning to find an evil faction to make an example of.

But there wasn’t a single ‘one’ to be found.

Quill walked forward and scanned the area. Indeed, there were no dangerous individuals to be seen.

Aman, who had been personally leading the troops to guard the mine, hurried over after a short while. “The situation was very grim before. If not for the fear of the dragons, a war would have probably broken out long ago.”

“…The Fourth and Sixth Highnesses tried several times to station their troops here under the pretext of providing reinforcements.”

Luka nodded casually. “They thought that even if I didn’t die, I’d be severely injured, and were waiting to pick up the scraps.”

While reporting, Aman’s gaze seemed to unintentionally sweep over Quill, who was standing behind Luka .

Those colorless eyes were enough to make a demon’s hair stand on end.

The image of him controlling the demon generals was still fresh in her mind. Who could have imagined that this person might be a legend of the continent’s past?

But this time, he had actually succeeded.

Does living a long life truly bring infinite possibilities?

Quill glanced sideways at her, and Aman quickly changed the subject. “What does Your Highness plan to do about the other royal heirs?”

If there were no accidents, the young half-breed before her would soon be the new Demon King, set in stone.

Luka said matter-of-factly, “Let them continue to be royal heirs.”

Alicia, who happened to be passing by on patrol, heard this and froze mid-stride.

Aman was shocked. “But in terms of seniority…”

Luka: “It doesn’t matter who they call ‘father’.”

Alicia, who was passing by, couldn’t hold back and said, her scalp tingling, “Brothers and sisters can also serve as royal heirs.”

It’s not necessary for someone to become an unwilling father.

Luka responded coldly, “In my world, such ethical relationships do not exist.”

Alicia: “…”

Luka was usually all smiles; when his face turned cold, it was actually more intimidating.

He had Aman send out invitations, asking these royal heirs to attend the victory banquet in a few days. He himself went to find the dwarven chieftain to thank him for the sponsored weapons and to ask for help in trying to repair the mandarin duck jade pendant.

The victory banquet was set to be held in the joint office building.

The circular hall was decorated in a very rustic style, with food consisting mainly of meat dishes, exuding a primitive aesthetic.

The teleportation array at Klin Sentry Tower was reopened, and there were many guests. Many city lords and princes from the central cities, even if they couldn’t attend in person, sent extremely precious treasures.

In truth, they were somewhat anxious. To hold such a large-scale banquet, it surely wasn’t just for celebration.

Luka wore a white robe, his black hair showing a reddish tint under the lights.

This young, future Demon King was currently sitting quietly among a pile of dragons, his beauty sharp, with the necromancer and the dwarven chieftain at his sides.

No royal member dared to associate him with the bullied prince from the corners of past banquets anymore.

A demon guard announced, “The elven delegation has arrived.”

After the great war, everything was waiting to be rebuilt. The human and elven races were the busiest right now. Luka hadn’t expected the elves to take the initiative to send a delegation.

“Quickly, invite them in.”

To the sound of suonas, the elven elders walked in with their delegation.

Luka’s breath hitched.

It was invite them in, not invite himself out.

Just as he forced a smile, the human delegation also arrived.

The ferret led them in.

It held a precious sword and danced gracefully to the sound of the suonas. Behind it, the young people of the delegation followed, managing to squeeze out a smile.

The ferret was acting like an old man reliving his youth, and they had to play along. This damned social etiquette.

Nellie watched this scene with curiosity, not quite understanding.

“Why are they dancing?”

The dwarven chieftain held his cup and sneered, “It’s all in the details. The ferret is dancing with the Saintess’s legacy sword. It’s an announcement that Luka’s strength is already above the Saintess’s. The Saintess is dead, so those who don’t have her strength better behave. Secondly, the Elven King’s delegation is playing the music themselves. This represents peace and prosperity!”

He took a large gulp of wine. “The elves, humans, and demons may enter a period of peaceful development and close exchange in the future.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but Luka heard it clearly.

As expected, a sensitive personality is better at reading comprehension.

The ‘peace and prosperity’ performance ended.

The ferret waved its paw, and a few lines of text appeared in the air: These are all exchange students, from the Cayleigh family, the Guy family…

The expressions of the guests gradually became strange. Weren’t these all families that were close to the Holy Court? They were all being sent to the demon realm as exchange students.

No wonder their expressions were so ugly.

Luka let out a soft “Hoh,” Brilliant.

These could be exchange students, or they could be hostages. Since they were here, they would inevitably be influenced by the environment over time, and their values would gradually change.

The key was, he could also take the opportunity to charge a hefty tuition fee.

As expected of the Saint, his moves were always big.

Seeing that the representatives of all races had arrived, Luka finally stood up.

The banquet hall automatically fell silent.

“Good evening. Thank you all for gracing today’s banquet with your presence.” He scanned the crowd. “I have a few pieces of good news to share.”

Without any preamble, he continued nonchalantly.

“The demon and human races have signed the ‘Exchange Student Program Agreement’. Soon, we will also establish the ‘House of Music’ project with the elves and dwarves, and launch a co-branded headphone.”

Luka had already confirmed this with the two races when he went to request the repair of the jade pendant.

Developing the music industry was what the elves hoped for most, so Luka naturally had to support it vigorously.

With the House of Music as a foundation, music companies, creators, singers, and others would be on this production line, which would also effectively increase employment rates.

Headphones? The unfamiliar word made the guests look at each other. Was it like 3D glasses, an object that could become a fashion item?

Luka didn’t answer publicly. “In addition, I have discussed with the other royal heirs that from the beginning of next month, nobles will no longer have the right to arbitrarily dispose of half-blood demons, and the unrestrained annual local funding will be stopped.”

He paused, then swept his gaze unapologetically over some of the seats. “In the future, major projects will be awarded through a bidding process, and the royal family will no longer have priority.”

Those who were looking at each other just a moment ago hadn’t even turned their heads back before they saw the shock on each other’s faces.

Isn’t this just abolishing the nobility system in a disguised form?!

There were many nobles present today. Their angry gazes didn’t dare to turn directly to the Legendary Grand Magus among the dragons, but instead looked at the other royal heirs.

The faces of the six royal heirs were also a sight to behold. “When did he discuss this with us?”

Alicia: “…Just now, probably. See, his mouth is moving.”

“…” Discussing with himself!

The Sixth Highness was about to stand up when he suddenly noticed that ahead, Quill had slightly turned his wrist.

The white bones under the black gloves seemed to carry a silent warning.

He suddenly realized a cruel fact: necromancers were adept at using living beings as puppets.

Even if they refused, they would most likely end up accomplishing Iliad’s goals as walking corpses.

Luka raised his cup full of fruit wine, toasting them from afar, and mouthed silently:

“Father King is not here, but I will continue his obligations and continue to raise you.”

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The face that looked so detestable to the royal heirs was utterly adorable in the eyes of the dragons.

Arrogant, yet well-behaved, and cute.

Isa, who never forgot to wear her pale yellow long dress wherever she went, said with sparkling eyes, “I really want to take him back to the golden nest and raise him for another two years.”

Her words spoke for all the other dragons.

Tonight’s speech covered almost every field, including education, military, technology, and even law enforcement.

Two points were the most eye-catching. One was the great development of technology and further clarification of the importance of patent rights. As long as one could invent a technological item that made life more convenient for everyone, they could potentially apply for a patent.

It was foreseeable that a technological wave would soon sweep the land in the race for patents.

The other point made many of the nobles present turn pale: the demon race had formally signed an extradition treaty with the eight major races.

This meant that the days of committing a crime in one’s own race’s territory and then running off to another race’s land to live a life of pleasure were officially over.

Of course, Luka didn’t go too far. He still offered a bit of a carrot: “Establishing cultural and entertainment industries such as music, movies, and novels will enjoy corresponding tax subsidies in the local area.”

The nobles did not lack connections and resources. With their foresight, it was easy to see that this was a lucrative piece of meat.

A stick and a carrot. For a moment, these demons couldn’t even drink their wine.

Throughout the entire banquet, there were voices of support and opposition, as well as those who were indifferent. In the end, the dwarven chieftain summarized: the demon realm would henceforth turn a new page.

The moon was dark and the wind was high. The victory banquet didn’t end until very late.

Luka went to the high railing to get some air, looking at the demon realm under the starry sky, for the first time quietly appreciating its beauty.

The wind was strong up high. A faint scent of grapes suddenly drifted through the air.

Luka turned around. A familiar figure was approaching.

“Fruit wine with Fissure-Melt Flower.”

The wind up high was strong, making Quill’s voice sound a bit faint. A wine cup appeared in front of him.

The two began their private celebration.

Luka took a sip. Indeed, a warmth spread through his blood.

Red lips, blood-red eyes, and a drop of fruit wine that disobeyed, leaving a red mark by his mouth.

Quill’s gaze froze on the other’s face for a few seconds. When he came to his senses, he subconsciously wanted to wipe away the red wine stain from the corner of his mouth.

A familiar touch came from the skin. He could almost imagine the colored wine spreading on the warm tip of his tongue, then down his throat.

Quill’s throat felt a little dry.

“Is it good?” he asked.

Luka praised honestly, “Fissure-Melt Flower and grapes are a perfect match. It’s especially delicious.”

There was at least a third of the wine left in the cup.

He leaned forward. “Have a taste.”

But Quill was looking at the lips, more rippling than water. After staring intently for a few seconds, reason took a backseat. He was like a hungry peregrine falcon, suddenly lowering his proud head.

The wine cup shattered on the ground.

Amidst the splattered red marks, a soft grunt was heard.

“Mm.”

It was a clumsy kiss. Luka’s eyes were open, and it took him two seconds to realize what was happening.

His heart stopped for a moment, then soared.

It was very sweet, with a hint of grape sweetness.

As delicious as Luka had said.

As the initiator who had leaned down, Quill was completely following his instincts, yet he didn’t show the expected aggressiveness.

In fact, he was even clumsier than Luka.

In the strong wind of the high tower, just a single kiss made both of them feel as if their hearts were about to explode.

After an unknown amount of time, when his lips were slightly numb, Luka gently pushed Quill away, his skin unnaturally hot.

“I…” Responding to someone’s affection with actions was a million times simpler than with words.

In the end, they stood facing each other, just letting the wind blow for a while.

After an unknown amount of time, Luka couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Anyone who didn’t know would think we were standing guard.”

Quill laughed too.

After his heartbeat finally calmed down, Luka tried to deflect the awkwardness after their first kiss.

He managed to find his voice and said, “The ferret brought back a lot of supplies plundered from the Holy Court, as well as some living demon general prisoners of war.”

Quill was indifferent to these things. Seeing Luka frown slightly, he knew what he was thinking. “Worried about the Demon King?”

Luka nodded. “I just feel that the whole thing is very strange.”

To get revenge on him, the priests and the Holy Court soldiers all self-sacrificed, just to set the stage for the Demon King?

When did the Holy Court become so magnanimous?

Quill hit the nail on the head. “Sacrificial offerings.”

Luka looked up at him.

“The effect the altar can produce depends on the offerings,” Quill said, feeling the lingering warmth on his lips, trying his best to look away from Luka’s face. “To counterattack, just the priests and the Holy Court soldiers are definitely not enough.”

Luka fell into deep thought. He knew this as well.

But where could they find a powerful sacrificial offering willing to self-destruct?

Suddenly, he vaguely thought of a possibility, and goosebumps rose all over his body under the night sky.

“The Demon King himself?!”

Quill nodded. “The Saintess probably wanted the Demon King to sacrifice himself, and then take you down to hell with him.”

To achieve a grand reunion underground.

But whether the Demon King was willing to take the bait was another matter.

He was probably hiding somewhere right now, feeling incredibly annoyed and troubled by the choice his deceased wife had left him.

My Demon King Father was written too brightly!

Luka cursed the Demon King’s ancestors back eighteen generations.

“Become a god, and all problems will be solved.” Quill took a half step forward and helped him smooth down a rebellious lock of hair. “Now is the best time. Strike while the iron is hot and integrate the demon realm in the short term.”

Previously, the demon race’s faith power mainly came from his fief, which was very limited compared to the entire demon territory.

“The ancestral reversion, felling the Tree of Life with your sword, plus your contributions in terminal movies and other areas, it won’t be difficult to gather faith. Right now, there is only one obstacle…”

“It’s still the Demon King,” Luka said.

Those forces that feared and supported the Demon King would never easily switch sides. It wasn’t about loyalty, but purely about the fear of retaliation after betting on the wrong horse.

Right now, most of them chose to show goodwill discreetly, trying to wait and see.

The fact that many didn’t attend the banquet in person today but sent heavy gifts was the best proof.

“We must shatter their illusion that the Demon King can make a comeback,” Luka gripped the railing and looked far into the distance. “Only then will they wholeheartedly acknowledge my absolute position.”

After an unknown amount of time, the clouds were blown away.

Under the starry sky, he suddenly revealed a cunning smile. “Let’s play dirty, shall we?”

————

As the only large-scale war in recent decades, although it had been over for half a month, the related news heat continued to rise every day.

The few survivors from the Holy Court’s inner court would face trial in the middle of the month.

The local churches that had helped the Holy Court send young children to the inner court to be raised as sacrificial offerings under the guise of blessings were completely purged.

Of the wealth plundered by the Holy Court in the past, one-third was distributed to the fallen soldiers, another portion was used to establish scholarships for the magic inscription major, and a part was transferred to Luka’s account according to the pre-war contract.

Luka used the inheritance left by his mother to jointly establish the first entertainment company with Cullen, which was currently holding a nationwide audition.

Movie production teams formed in various regions within the month also sprang up like mushrooms. The House of Music project, in particular, attracted bards from all over, and for a time, a hundred flowers bloomed.

Compared to war and fighting, culture and entertainment gradually became more attractive to everyone.

In short, the topics were different every day.

The discussion level of any single search term like #Luka’sCultivationSystem#, #Necromancer#, or #TreeOfLife# could exceed one hundred million. Under such a spectacular wave of popularity, a new topic, once it appeared, shot straight to the top of the community discussion rankings.
#WANTED#

Luka officially issued the highest-level wanted order for the Demon King. Anyone who provided information on the Demon King’s whereabouts would receive a reward of hundreds of millions of gold coins once confirmed.

He not only announced it through the network system but also issued an iron-fisted order within the demon realm:
Anyone who dares to harbor or protect the Demon King will be sentenced to death.
Anyone who dares to provide help to the Demon King will be sentenced to death.

For the sake of wealth, many speculators tried to create false information to trick the reward. As a result, they were identified by Luka’s truth-discerning spell. After a few tries, no one dared to create false information anymore.

New reporting mailboxes were added in various places. As long as you left your terminal number, you could report anonymously. Amidst the large-scale wave of reports, all races, including the demon realm, gradually accepted a fact:
The Demon King was utterly defeated, had been expelled from the demon race by Luka, and was being hunted down miserably.

In a town near the border of the human domain, in a dark alley on the street, a blood-red figure walked out of a torn space.

The sound of discussion from a shop on the corner drifted over.

“The former Demon King was so magnificent, to think he would end up being hunted down.”

“He’s the former Demon King now.”

“Uh, but it seems the demon realm hasn’t held an inauguration ceremony for a new Demon King.”

“What’s the difference? They’ve already started to publicly issue a wanted order for the former Demon King.”

“It must be true. Otherwise, why wouldn’t the former Demon King come forward to respond? If the person himself doesn’t respond, it’s basically confirmed.”

More confirmed than a dwarf’s hammer.

This sentence drew countless agreements.

The blood-red figure in the dark alley paused slightly. “…”

Excerpt from Luka’s Diary:

Because Alec died too early, and the others are set to have a different kind of ethical relationship, I never had the chance to write My Brothers From Different Parents.
The diary will now be updated sporadically as My Wandering Diary.

Opening:
After wandering for a year and a half, I became the new Demon King.
Alex liked this.
…The Demon King passed by, leaving a report.

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