Chapter 81: The Reunion with Lan and the Encounter

The atmosphere in Demon Town seems to have improved quite a bit after both sides reached a preliminary agreement; though the roadblocks are still in place, the disturbances from magical beasts have lessened. With the royal family taking charge, public sentiment is stabilizing.

Once the results of the negotiations are out and trade routes reopen, this crucial hub connecting the kingdom with the northern realms may continue to head in a positive direction.

Walking down the street with Tilysha and the Little Dragon Daughter, Miss Vilyric is planning to visit Lan today.

These past few days, Miss Lan has been just as busy as Princess Mona; with Tyler imprisoned and Griffith stepping down, the Tuls family’s reputation and status have taken an unprecedented hit.

Although Lan is rebellious, she is still a member of the family, and given the severity of the situation, she couldn’t possibly stay uninvolved.

Thanks to the intelligence gathered by Mona, it has been proven that Lan did not participate in the family’s schemes. Moreover, her prior assistance in eliminating the remnants of the Ghost Thieves and rescuing Noviya from the Moonshadow Royal Family earned her not only the Queen’s favor but also the position of clan leader that Griffith abdicated.

Griffith himself seems to have no objections to this.

So now, at just 20 years old, Lan has become the clan leader of the Tuls family, a position equal to that of a noble duke.

Whether this is lucky or unfortunate to be thrust into such a position amid chaos is debatable, but if Lan doesn’t take on the role, no one else is more suited since, among direct bloodlines, she is the only one left.

Having inherited the clan leader role and taken on the responsibilities of the Acting City Lord, Lan moved back into the City Lord’s mansion to handle various complex matters alongside Mona a few days ago.

And that’s where Vilyric is headed.

The reason for bringing Tilysha along is quite intentional.

Soon, they arrived at their destination.

The City Lord’s mansion in Demon Town is a place Vilyric has been to quite frequently lately. Although she usually doesn’t handle affairs and just wanders around, leaving Mona and the others to manage things, she is still keeping an eye on some important issues.

After all, she had promised Tiyelu to help resolve matters here and bring back the Source of Magic.

In order to thoroughly eliminate Tyler’s lingering influence in Demon Town, many guards and servants in the mansion have been replaced. The third special unit that Lan had led has transformed into the inner guards of the City Lord’s mansion.

It is said that these guards were all promoted and assembled by Lan personally to deal with internal human disputes and crimes. Their bias against non-humans is far less severe than that of other inner guard members, making them suitable for important positions at this critical juncture.

As Vilyric has visited many times before, the guards naturally recognize her—a somewhat mysterious girl highly favored and trusted by the Princess and the new City Lord. With the Priestess vouching for her, they allowed the three girls to pass after merely asking a couple of questions.

The City Lord’s mansion is still buzzing with activity because, according to the United Kingdom’s basic national policy, non-humans are generally not allowed to freely enter towns. Even Liliya cannot easily change this. Naturally, with many slaves saved, Mona cannot allow them to roam freely and can only find a place to temporarily settle them together.

The City Lord’s mansion is one such settlement point.

So recently, it can be said that this place is rather overcrowded.

Upon inquiring with the guards, they found Lan in a pavilion conversing with a girl whose exposed skin has scale-like patterns, six beauty spots at the corners of her eyes, and hair of an unusual blend of white and blue. On the stone table, fragrant tea and snacks are laid out.

“Hmm? Why is she here too…”

“Do you know this magical creature, Master?”

Upon hearing this, the Little Dragon Daughter turned around in surprise, and Tilysha immediately cast a sparkling, curious—or rather gossipy—glance, while the Priestess could only shake her head helplessly.

“A little bit, but you can treat it as if we don’t know each other.”

This girl, clearly a Bright Merman, Vilyric indeed met once before. She was one of the members saved by the Priestess when the Ghost Thieves had put her life at risk by using a special method to detonate her internal magic.

However, at that time, Vilyric had approached them under her identity as “Xī,” using a different appearance and her voice markedly altered due to props, making it impossible for her to be recognized.

Since this Bright Merman girl was treated individually, Vilyric has a clear memory of her. She didn’t expect that she had been placed in the City Lord’s mansion and coincidentally run into her.

After greeting the two girls beside her and reminding them not to talk recklessly, Vilyric walked up, smiling and waving at the twin-tailed girl who turned her gaze upon hearing their footsteps.

“Hey, it’s been a few days, did you miss me?”

As soon as she recognized the identity of the person, a hint of smile involuntarily appeared on Lan’s fatigued face.

“Ah, it’s you, our Miss Vilyric. Weren’t you supposed to be merrily exploring the world? What brings you here?”

“Why, can’t I come? Just because I’m the City Lord now, does that mean I should distance myself from folks like you? Alas, I never knew you were such a person, it’s heartbreaking!”

“You could tone it down a bit…”

The Acting City Lord covered her face, unable to bear looking directly. The Bright Merman girl behind her stood up, surprised and curious, cautiously eyeing the Priestess and the others.

“Lady Lan, who are these…?”

Hearing this, the twin-tailed girl snapped back to attention and nodded.

“Oh, perfect timing! Let me introduce you. This is Miss Vilyric, a traveler reported to be wandering the world without a permanent residence. This is her companion, Miss Xiao Guang, an exceptionally strong expert. As for this one…”

Lan’s gaze lingered on Tilysha for a moment, unsure how to introduce her. After all, she had seen this girl with blue hair and eyes on the wanted poster, but it had been confirmed as a false identity.

Fortunately, after so long, the Little Village Girl is now much more astute and quickly perceives the Acting City Lord’s dilemma. She cheerfully introduces herself.

“I’m Tilysha! Just an ordinary person with no significant background or power. I’m currently traveling with Miss Vilyric, so you don’t need to mind me~”

“Ah, I see. Nice to meet you, Miss Tilysha.”

Lan smiled knowingly, then slightly tilted her head to look at the Bright Merman girl beside her, now dressed in elegant attire that made her appear dignified and graceful compared to last time. Vilyric and the others also shifted their gaze.

The girl indeed has a striking figure; though her face is still somewhat youthful, the fitted dress accentuates her flat stomach, making Vilyric remember that smooth feeling that leaves one wanting for more. Embarrassed, her eyes slightly drifted.

“This is the daughter of the Bright Merman clan, Princess Nitira Mingjiao. Due to certain circumstances, she was kidnapped by poachers and was rescued during the ambush organized by Princess Mona the other day. She is currently temporarily residing here, and according to the plan, once the negotiations with the Mountains of Ten Thousand Demons are complete, she should be sent back home.”

   

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