Chapter 20: Lan’s Visitor

After the emergency incident that took place in the evening, Lan Tuls took off her military uniform, changed into casual clothes, and returned home.

As her surname suggests, this young girl, who had just turned twenty, was a noble.

The Tuls Family was no small name; on the contrary, they were well-known throughout the United Kingdom, especially in the northern region, with Demon Town as their stronghold.

For example, the current City Lord of Demon Town, a first-class Marquis of the United Kingdom, is none other than Tyler Tuls.

Another example would be Lord Griffiths Tuls, the current Chancellor of the United Kingdom, a three-term veteran revered even by Her Majesty the Queen, and the contemporary head of the Tuls Family.

The Tuls Family stands as one of the two major pillars of the United Kingdom, almost on par with the noble Stephens family, representing both defense and offense. Established since the founding of the nation, they possess a rich heritage spanning hundreds of years.

There’s a saying in the noble circles of the United Kingdom:

“A king, two powers, myriad subjects.”

This singular king naturally refers to the royal Meikeland family, the undisputed rulers at the pinnacle of the kingdom.

The two powers, on the other hand, are the aforementioned Tuls and Stephens families, forming the two great peaks of the country’s noble circle—historically significant and utterly loyal, they command a degree of respect from even the royal family.

Thus, one can see the lofty status held by the Tuls Family in this nation.

Another significant point is that the Tuls Family leads the anti-other-race faction of the country, holding overwhelming influence in the mainstream cultural consciousness of the United Kingdom.

Yet, as a member of the Tuls Family, Lan Tuls, though often subjected to similar education, actually feels no distinct difference.

Lan is an exception and a bit of a weirdo; although born into a civilian family, she has an inherent affinity for martial arts and possesses astonishing martial skills. At a young age, through her relentless efforts and without a teacher, she mastered a martial art that had serendipitously entered the Tuls Family three hundred years ago. Now, she has even reached the Sky Realm.

Few in Demon Town can claim a steady victory over her in a one-on-one fight.

The “Demon Slayer Blade” is also a precious magical weapon painstakingly crafted by Lan, designed to complement her martial arts techniques based on ancient texts. Of course, she named it the Demon Slayer herself.

Her biological father, City Lord Tyler Tuls, had often critiqued her martial pursuits, and for various reasons, the annoyed girl simply moved out of the city lord’s mansion upon turning eighteen, using her savings to buy a small house in the city, thus finding peace.

Lan isn’t a pampered lady; even without the maidens constantly fluttering around her, she can manage her own living needs quite well.

After placing the takeout container on the table, the girl didn’t rush to eat but instead freed her long ponytails, letting her sleek black hair fall naturally. She then set her beloved sword on the shelf and went to the bathroom for a cool shower, changing into a pre-prepared clean nightgown before returning to the table to feast.

Lan is a very disciplined girl. She enjoys planning everything in advance, knowing exactly when to do what and strictly adhering to it. Therefore, to outsiders—other officials in the Internal Guard Bureau and her subordinates—the third squad captain always seems calm and methodical.

Or rather, they might describe her as dull, monotonous, and unsociable, like an alchemical automaton programmed for perfection, showing no hint of emotional depth.

Lan’s third squad is also the only special force in the Internal Guard Bureau dedicated specifically to combating and capturing human criminals. Ninety percent of the major criminals imprisoned in Demon Town were personally captured by Miss Lan.

After finishing dinner, Lan tossed the disposable container into the trash, washed her hands, and untied the tablecloth, planning to head to her bedroom.

She intended to do half an hour of post-meal conditioning exercises, which can aid digestion and maintain her physique’s harmony and naturalness.

In fact, this is one of the aspects Lan takes considerable pride in: her explosive physical power akin to that of a cheetah and her graceful curves, which inevitably draw glances from the opposite sex, are all the result of her consistent training over the years.

However, when the girl pushed open her bedroom door and turned her gaze inside, her pupils instantly constricted.

In her supposedly empty room, at her desk sat a girl with black hair, clad in a white robe, her delicate legs swinging awkwardly in the air because the wooden chair was too high!

The girl was holding Lan’s martial arts secret text, curiously flipping through it, seemingly unaware of the room’s owner returning. Realizing this, Lan instinctively recoiled and dashed toward the hall!

Although she didn’t manage to see the intruder’s identity in her hurried state, there was no way someone familiar would suddenly visit, especially so rudely as to cross directly into her bedroom.

Clearly, this was an enemy, a strangely powerful foe with unknown methods, so she needed a weapon—Lan’s Demon Slayer Blade was still resting on the offering table in the hall.

The intruder appeared completely oblivious to Lan’s movements until she grasped the hilt of the long knife; at that moment, the girl in the white robe didn’t even flinch.

“……?”

Just as Lan felt steadied by grasping her weapon and intended to go back and see what was going on.

A dark shadow flickered, and another girl with blonde hair suddenly appeared nearby!

She wore a bizarre skin-tight shirt that only covered her upper body and arms, along with simple leather shorts that exposed her long, smooth legs and bare feet, exuding a carefree yet rebellious aura.

Lan recognized her identity almost immediately.

She was one of the guilt-ridden runaway girls encountered at the “Black Knight” garrison that evening!

The other party was a criminal who ambushed the military with ulterior motives, so without a moment’s hesitation, Lan swung her knife at the blonde girl!

“Single Slash!”

This was one of the powerful abilities Lan comprehended from that book. With a swift draw of her quick blade, she unleashed a lightning-fast strike, so powerful that even a giant shield infused with Ink Steel used to block castle-crossbow bolts could be sliced in half.

The blonde girl, who had approached with lightning speed that Lan had completely missed, was already on high alert. Given her audacity to invade the home of the captain of this special force from the Internal Guard Bureau, she must have been quite confident, so Lan unleashed all her might from the very first strike.

However.

The blade’s light, as swift as thunder, cut through the air almost imperceptibly, only to halt in the next instant. In Lan’s incredulous gaze, the oddly dressed blonde girl merely stretched out her delicate, elongated fingers and easily caught the rapidly moving Demon Slayer Blade, extinguishing her assault.

“What?!”

Even someone as composed as Lan couldn’t help but impulsively make an odd cry, reminiscent of a goose screeching when its neck was cruelly pinched.

Lan attempted to retract her blade and strike again, but the blonde girl’s fingers gripping the sword were as unyielding as if cast from bronze, remaining immovable no matter how much she struggled.

Then, that girl with monstrous strength gently shook her fingers.

“Bang!”

The important magical weapon that had accompanied Lan for almost ten years, witnessing her growth from a little girl who just stepped into this path to the powerful being she was now, shattered into two pieces.

   

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