These factors combined meant that those working in the Supreme Castle had to be strong.
Therefore…
“The minimum requirement for working here is being a Higher Demon. Those who aren’t can only serve tea and water, acting as servants,” Liel said, snorting coldly and glaring at Hartley, “Otherwise, why do you think the Moon Demon, the supreme being of the Demon Race, has all three Limit Level experts of the Demon Race as her subordinates?”
The reason was that Sara, the Moon Demon, was the supreme being, responsible for interacting with other races. Whether for status or practical reasons, her subordinates had to be the strongest in the Demon Race. And just being Legendary Level wasn’t enough.
After all, the Demon Race was once the strongest, suppressing even the God Race and the Human Race. To control these two races, they needed Limit Level experts who had reached the limits of life.
That’s why all three Limit Level experts of the Demon Race were under Sara’s command. These experts, who had reached the limits of life and were even rarer than Transcendent Level beings, were the most powerful representatives of each race. Even Transcendent Level beings respected them.
Currently, all transcendent beings were born that way, not through cultivation. Only a few Heroes throughout history had reached Transcendence through gradual growth. Other beings, under the rules of the world’s Logic, could only reach level one hundred, the limit of life. They competed with their own kind, fought against other races, and finally, after countless battles, reached Limit Level, the highest level the world could tolerate. Such beings naturally deserved the respect of those born with Transcendence.
This was also why Shafney, who usually ignored others, responded to Hartley’s greeting and didn’t completely ignore her.
Limit Level was the highest level attainable under normal circumstances, the ultimate goal for ordinary beings, the pinnacle of life. Those who reached it were incredibly rare, and they could be proud of their achievements, seeing it as the highest honor. Perhaps because of this, Hartley could maintain her composure before Shafney.
Led by Hartley, every demon along the way bowed respectfully, showing her high status here. Of course, most of them looked at Shafney with fascination, adoration, and infatuation.
Shafney, however, simply walked beside Shien, looking curiously at Lilith in his arms, seemingly interested in her.
“This child is quite cute. Although she’s a goddess, I can accept her if she’s an Evil God,” she said to Shien excitedly.
“Can I hold her?” she asked.
Shien’s reply to this mischievous witch’s request was a simple,
“No.” He refused without hesitation.
“Stingy, just a hug won’t hurt,” Shafney said, displeased, “I’ll let you hold little Airi. We can trade.”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” Shien said with a forced smile, “If I remember correctly, she’s my fiancée. I can hold her anytime I want. Why would I need to trade with you?”
“Naive,” Shafney chuckled, “Do you think you can do whatever you want to my little Airi just because she’s your fiancée? I’m telling you, that’s impossible. My little Airi has more pride than anyone. Not just you, even we, her older sisters, if we want to hug her, she’ll refuse mercilessly.”
Shafney didn’t notice the strange look on Shien’s face.
“Is… is that so?” he asked, his tone slightly odd.
“Of course,” Shafney confirmed without hesitation, “Besides our mother, the Demon King, no one has ever casually hugged little Airi. That girl is very rebellious, even more heartless than me in some ways. If she’s displeased, she’ll even attack her own sisters. I, as her second oldest sister, don’t know how many times I’ve been rejected by her.”
“Really?” Shien narrowed his eyes, “Then what if I told you that when I’m with her, I can hug her whenever I want, and she’s never refused?”
Shafney stopped abruptly.
Shien also stopped, and they looked at each other in silence.
After a while…
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Are you lying?”
“Since you’re asking me this, it means your [Ripple Heart Demon] has already sensed that I’m not lying, right?”
“So… little Airi really doesn’t refuse you at all?”
“Absolutely.”
“…Just hugging?”
“We’ve also slept together, we just haven’t bathed together yet.”
“…”
“…”
“Alright! Draw your swords!”
“Don’t use [Ripple Heart Demon] to read my internet slang from my previous life!”
As expected, Shien and Shafney started bickering again. Their playful banter made the surrounding demons stare, dumbfounded.
“Who… who is that man?”
“How can he be so… close… to the Succubus?”
“This… this is impossible!”
“How can Her Highness be so close to a man…!?”
The demons were in an uproar.
“?” Lilith, held by Shien, tilted her head in confusion.
Hartley, Liel, and the others were also speechless.
“Master Shafney, she…?” Hartley, seemingly seeing Shafney bickering with Shien like this for the first time, was also surprised.
“Tsk…” Liel’s displeasure was evident. This entire journey had been filled with frustrations, her mood worse than ever.
As for Gray and Hart, they no longer looked surprised or uncertain, but their expressions were incredibly complex, one no longer daring to feel jealous, the other filled with fear and awe, both falling silent.
These three were truly unlucky, nothing going their way today.
Until…
“Stop messing around and come here,” a displeased voice echoed from above, making everyone look up.
“Lady Sara,” Hartley immediately bowed towards the sky.
“Oh my, it seems big sister couldn’t wait,” Shafney said with a chuckle.
Shien also recognized Sara’s voice.
Sara then said impatiently,
“Bring Shien, Shafney, and Lilith here. The rest of you stay outside, Hartley.”
“Yes,” Hartley replied.