Just as the Earth Dragon race and the Gray Fin Tribe joined hands, the banquet in the Land of Nightmare finally reached its conclusion.

Little Demons don't eat much.

A pot of wheat porridge sufficient for a hundred people was enough to fill the bellies of a thousand Little Demons.

All the Little Demons feasted to their heart's content.

Even Mi Xi, who had been obsessing over the Earth Dragon race's dinner, temporarily forgot her complaints as she held her bulging stomach and loudly expressed her satisfaction.

"Burp—Damn! I really can't eat another bite."

To prevent the food that had reached her throat from coming back up, she was trying very hard to digest it.

In the entire Land of Nightmare, now plunged into revelry, only Queen Qianqian, sitting on her throne, still managed to retain a semblance of her majestic and dignified image.

But just barely.

Leaning against the armrest of her stone seat, with a languid expression, Qianqian squinted her crimson pupils, savoring the sweet wine she hadn't tasted in ages. The bright red, like a grape's hue, trailed over her fair neck, past the collar and up her bare ankles, dripping onto the steps below.

That wasn't because it suddenly came upon her.

Mostly, it was because she had spilled her drink.

A Little Demon who hadn't visited the restroom even once, had already guzzled an entire bottle of wine as tall as herself!

If she didn't possess silver-level strength, she might be already gone for a walk by now.

"Heh."

Letting out a short burp, Qianqian finally snapped out of her daze and vanished for a bit, her face flushing.

When she returned to her throne, the unbecoming appearance had vanished without a trace.

As she re-entered the great hall, cheers filled the air to welcome her back!

"Praise the Demon God!"

"Praise Lord Demon King!"

"Praise the ever-scheming Queen Qianqian!"

Pleased by the compliments, a hint of proud drunkenness crept onto Qianqian's cheeks.

"Hahaha... My subjects, there's no need for formalities! Continue enjoying the feast!"

She waved her hand, indicating that everyone should carry on without minding her, and then she instructed the gargoyle next to her to distribute the after-dinner wine to everyone as a dessert to follow the roasted sausages.

As for herself, she had already had her fill and would probably not want to touch alcohol for quite some time.

Noticing another hero of the banquet, Qianqian's gaze fell on Mi Xi.

"Hey, Mi Xi!"

Immersed in the intoxicating scent of the wine she was holding, Mi Xi turned excitedly to look at the queen.

"What is it, Your Majesty?"

"I owe you a lot for this! After the banquet ends, I must reward you properly."

"I dare not, I dare not, to share Your Majesty's worries is satisfaction enough for me." Mi Xi bowed her head with a frightened sincerity, nervously voicing her words.

What she said was not false.

It's just that, during execution, there was a little deviation...

Still not quite done, Qianqian licked the crimson corner of her mouth, paused, then said with a laugh.

"Speaking of which... the flavor of the Demon King is really quite good."

"Yes, yes, yes..."

"Perhaps I should agree to him after all, then you'll all have better days ahead."

"Eh?"

Mi Xi shivered all over, broke out in a cold sweat, and almost dropped the wine glass she was clutching.

"Your Majesty... You, you mustn't agree! If you go... what will we do?!"

The Demon King hadn't even replied yet!

Fortunately, Qianqian was a sensible Little Demon, and with a laugh, waved her hand that was resting on the armrest.

"Hahaha, look how nervous you are; I'm just joking. I wouldn't really abandon you."

It was still nice to know that her subjects couldn't bear to let her go.

As for the Demon King.

Although she had no idea why that besotted old man was interested in her, a Little Demon, that fondness could still be used to her advantage for the time being...

"Mi Xi, convey a message to the Demon King for me, tell him... thanks for the gift, Qianqian quite likes it. Although a Vampire and a Little Demon is impossible, Qianqian is willing to be his most loyal servant, ready to serve at his beck and call."

As she spoke, Qianqian removed the necklace she wore around her neck.

Attached to the silver chain was a pink horn, about the size of a seashell, which she had shed during her growth period.

As long as she infused it with magic power, she could sense that call from the depths of her soul.

No matter how far away.

After a moment of consideration, she finally spoke the words that Mi Xi feared the most.

"This horn..."

"I'll send it as a return gift."

...

While some Demons feasted until their bellies were round, other Demons went hungry.

Right now, unbeknownst to Mi Xi, Yousi, who had accompanied her on the visit, was facing a cruel ordeal.

In the labyrinth's first layer, within the depths of the sewer corridor.

Having gone without food for an entire day, Yousi was at death's door, slumped in a corner of her cell like a dead bat.

The pile of skeletons not far from her seemed to foreshadow her fate.

At this moment, she radiated an aura of defeat, having lost her previously rebellious demeanor.

However, the group of snakes with four feet seemed to have no intention of just killing her.

Noises came from outside the bars, and soon, two roasted frogs were thrown in.

"Hey, take and eat."

Upon smelling the food, Yousi pounced on it without any pretense or hesitation, swallowing it down without even sparing the bones.

Watching this miserable creature, the Dragon guards standing at the entrance of the cell laughed mockingly.

"Want to join us at the table?"

"At the table?"

Yousi blinked in surprise, then frantically clung to the bars with teary eyes.

"Yes! Yes! I'll do anything!"

Looking at this ugly, winged rodent, the Dragon guard sneered viciously.

"Wait a bit longer, the guests will be here soon."

Guests?

Wait—

Could it mean... that?!

Yousi paused for a moment before realizing the malice in their gaze, her face turning pale.

She fled from the bars as if electrocuted and huddled fearfully in the corner of the cell.

"I... I don't taste good."

The Dragon guard scoffed.

"That's not for you to decide."

...

The next day.

Blood Palace.

Groveling on the stony floor, Mi Xi nervously explained the situation and presented the "reciprocal gift" to the Lord Demon King's enforcers.

The exchange of tributes between the Great Graveyard and the Land of Nightmare seemed endless.

Although the current situation seemed to favor the Land of Nightmare, Mi Xi felt her end was drawing closer...

Taking a necklace from Octo's hand, Luo Yan, standing in the shadows, carefully studied it.

"A horn?"

Mi Xi nodded, trembling.

"Yes, yes, yes... It was shed during Her Majesty's molting period."

Upon hearing this, Luo Yan nearly let go of it.

He had little interaction with Little Demons during his time in Demon City and lacked a deeper understanding of what this meant.

He simply thought that giving a milk tooth as a gift was rather demeaning.

Sensing the Lord Demon King's silence, Mi Xi hastily explained.

"It's a... special horn! As long as you infuse it with Magic Power, Queen Qianqian will feel it."

"She'll feel it? I see, so it's like a communication device, right?" Although the Little Demon's description was flawed, Luo Yan had become somewhat used to it.

There was no one in this world without their own issues.

Including humans themselves.

"That's right," Mi Xi sighed in relief, seeing that the Lord Demon King grasped it so quickly, and quietly wiped the sweat from her brow, "Queen Qianqian... cares about you... of course, as friends! In short, if you're in danger, the Land of Nightmare will care... so we will intervene..."

So, does that mean a clause of "automatic involvement in the suzerain's wars" was added to the fealty agreement?

Such an advantageous deal for merely twenty tons of food? This trade was a steal!

Moreover, the key point was that the item was a "tribute" and wasn't worth much, even less than the equipment he bought from Jack.

"Hahaha," Luo Yan laughed heartily, tucking the necklace into his chest, "Excellent! Very good! The Lord Demon King is pleased! Although I still cannot fulfill your queen's request, I do like this gift."

The second layer of the labyrinth!

To think he had secured it just like that!

Listening to the malevolent laughter, Mi Xi, crouching on the ground, managed a smile as well, while silently breathing a sigh of relief inside.

There would be no need for a counter-gift now.

Though she wouldn't mind bringing more food back to the tribe, she was more worried about the farce caused by the mistaken assumptions.

Yet, just as she thought this, that authoritative voice once again descended upon her, causing her fragile and sensitive nerves to tense up.

"... Well, the Lord Demon King is a principled person and cannot just accept your items for no reason."

"No... Lord Demon King, this is just a little token from Queen Qianqian, it's okay even if you decline—" Mi Xi spoke in a fearful and anxious tone, attempting to persuade, but the inscrutable Lord Demon King had his own plans.

"... Starting from next month, the Great Graveyard will aid you with a batch of food every month at this time, until the food shortage crisis of the Land of Nightmare is alleviated."

"Besides, we will help you solve the problem of having enough food."

Adding an extra budget of 20,000 silver monthly was but a trifle to him, and well worth it to maintain the loyalty and stability of a vassal.

Luo Yan had learned from the Adela security chief that Reggie Dragon's army, despite its size, had particularly low morale with frontline cannon fodder often collapsing at the first touch, very likely because they were being squeezed too hard.

Judging by the combat strength shown by the rebels, they clearly hadn't given their all when fighting for the former Demon King.

He had to learn from the previous Demon King's lesson and sustainably exploit the monsters in the labyrinth.

As for losing the "inhuman competition"... well, losing was losing, since the winner's grave already had grass several inches tall.

Listening to the bait thrown out by the Lord Demon King, Mi Xi's mouth went from an 'o' shape to a perfect 'O'.

Unable to refuse.

Simply no way to refuse!

Although it may seem like she was selling out her queen, having had enough of the stench of rotten mushrooms, she couldn't bring herself to say "no."

Even though it was on the tip of her tongue.

With tears filling her eyes, Mi Xi nodded her little head in pain and happiness.

"Thank you, Lord Demon King!"

-

(Although there are only two chapters, it's nearly ten thousand words, quietly asking for a monthly ticket.)

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