Chapter 468: Dark Demon Rampages in the Capital City (8k)
Since he was taking guests out for a tour, Dark naturally did not bring his family along. He only brought the Imp Beast with him and then picked up the book “Around the World” before leaving the bedroom.
In his hand, he still held a bottle of “Candy Beans.”
These were magic potions for mana enrichment that Olivia had stayed up all night to concoct last night when she saw he needed them. They tasted sweet with a slight sourness.
After waiting a little at the agreed location, Aurora arrived wrapped in a fragrant breeze.
She wore a hollow embroidered sun hat on her head, a snow-white ruffled dress, white silk gloves, and a pair of cute short shoes.
Her hands clasped tightly in front of her, revealing a hint of nervousness.
Unlike Dark, who was already quite used to interacting with the opposite sex, Aurora did not often interact with unfamiliar males.
She had just turned twelve, and this was her first time going out alone with a boy, so she felt somewhat shy.
However, she knew quite a bit about Dark, so she wasn’t entirely a stranger to him.
“So let me introduce myself again. I am Dark Demon, your future senior.” As Aurora approached, Dark extended his hand.
Aurora raised her hand to shake it, bashfully saying, “I am Aurora Montiel Farley.”
Dark smiled slightly and released her hand. “Then let’s set off. Is there anywhere you want to go?” He had asked casually.
After all, Aurora hadn’t been to the capital city since she grew up, so she probably didn’t know much about its terrain.
But he never expected that after asking, Aurora actually took out a piece of paper from her small bag, neatly listing several locations on it. Clearly, she was well-prepared.
When Dark showed a look of surprise, Aurora glanced up quickly, her face turning red instantly. She stammered, “Just a few…”
She tried to cover her list by slightly curling it up to block Dark’s view.
Dark couldn’t help but smile, but he held back. “It’s fine. We can take them one by one; we have plenty of time.”
“Mm.” Aurora nodded slightly.
Dark then walked out first.
Aside from knowing that she was Diana’s cousin, he didn’t really know much about this little girl brought by the mayor of the Free City.
However, judging from her demeanor, she seemed like a very obedient and sensible girl.
Indeed, such girls were quite likable.
But ultimately, that was all there was to it.
As they neared the door, Dark slowed down and asked, “Where do you want to go first?”
Aurora thought for a moment and said, “Blue Jade Street.”
“Blue Jade Street?”
Dark repeated it in his mind and said, “Let’s go to Blue Jade Street first.”
Blue Jade Street was neither too far nor too close from the Duke’s Mansion. It would take about fifteen minutes by carriage.
He was not surprised that Aurora wanted to go to Blue Jade Street, as it was a fairly famous street known for its jewelry shops.
A daughter of the mayor wanting to visit jewelry shops was quite normal, wasn’t it?
However, upon closer observation, he noticed that Aurora was not wearing any jewelry, which was unusually simple compared to the noble ladies of the capital city.
Dark casually thought, “Since we’re going to Blue Jade Street, I might as well buy her some gifts as a token of gratitude, considering she gave us such a precious Flame Sun Elemental Egg.”
The main gate of the Duke’s Mansion was already opened ahead of time.
Two guards stood upright.
Beside the gate was a luxurious carriage emblazoned with the Diemon family crest. Next to the carriage waited a Dragon Tamer Guard.
The Duke’s Mansion housed several flying dragons, privately bred, and the Dragon Tamer Guard was responsible for their training and protection.
They not only knew how to train dragons but were also skilled fighters capable of riding dragons into battle.
Dark usually traveled with two guards, one serving as a driver and the other as a personal bodyguard.
Since the horses pulling the carriage had a touch of dragon blood, the driver was typically a Dragon Tamer Guard.
The personal bodyguard would be chosen from among the twelve head maids.
Previously, the one most often accompanying him was “Aries” Olivia.
But Olivia had many things to attend to today, so another head maid was given the chance.
As Dark and Aurora stepped out through the door, a head maid dressed in the standard maid uniform emerged from the other side of the carriage.
That was “Leo” Trina Diemon.
Trina stood at 1.8 meters tall, with short hair reaching her ears and extremely long legs.
Her hair color was slightly brown, matching her eyes, with slightly upward-slanted corners, giving her a fierce look.
Despite being a maid, she carried a sword and had a dagger hidden on the side of her thigh.
Trina was in charge of the “Leo Palace Maids,” whose duty was “battle.” The “Scorpio Palace Maids,” responsible for “assassination,” operated in the shadows.
Dark did not interact much with Trina, but in reality, she accompanied him outside more often than anyone except Olivia.
After all, she specialized in combat and had received personal training in swordsmanship from Alvaraite, whom she deeply trusted.
Dark did not reject her because she was “quiet.”
“Reporting to Young Master!” As Dark approached, Trina immediately knelt on one knee and looked up.
“Stand up,” Dark curiously asked, “Why haven’t I seen you these past few days?”
Trina only revealed a faint smile. “Just got back.”
“Yes, you do travel a lot,” Dark nodded and turned to walk towards the carriage.
He first climbed onto the carriage, then half-crouched down, extending his hand.
Aurora’s cheeks reddened slightly, but she placed her hand in his palm. With her other hand, she lifted her skirt slightly and stepped onto the carriage board.
Dark pulled her up with a little effort.
They both entered the carriage.
Inside, there were not many things, only a few pieces of fruit cut into small chunks on a small table in the middle, along with a few forks.
Dark guided Aurora to sit by the window, while he sat across from her and picked up a fork to eat a piece of fruit, savoring its sweet juice.
Immediately afterward, Trina bent down to enter and asked, “Where are we going?”
Dark replied, “Blue Jade Street.”
Trina then turned around and opened the door, instructing the Dragon Tamer Guard, “Blue Jade Street.”
“Understood,” the Dragon Tamer Guard responded and waved the reins.
The carriage began to move slowly.
Due to the special spell circle installed in the carriage’s chassis, the ride felt almost smooth inside.
Once the speed stabilized, Dark initiated conversation. “Aurora, what kind of city is the Free City?”
Aurora removed her hat and placed it on her lap, softly saying, “It’s a vibrant place. Although it hasn’t fully resolved the internal needs of its residents yet, it has been making progress and will surely improve in the future.”
Dark said, “I heard that the area outside the Free City is dangerous?”
Aurora nodded and said, “It was established on former demon territory, and every now and then, demon beasts invade. But we are actively developing the adventurer culture and have successfully applied to establish an Adventurer’s Guild. More and more people are coming to the city to help clear the surrounding demon beasts.”
Dark stated, “Demon beasts themselves are both danger and wealth. With a constant influx of demon beasts, it means the Free City can always obtain demon beast materials. Industries derived from processing and trading these materials might become the pillars of the Free City.”
Aurora said excitedly, “Exactly. I hope one day the Free City will become the world’s largest market for material trade. Then more and more people will come to the Free City, and during their interactions, they will put aside prejudices against half-breeds, gradually accepting them. Once half-breeds are treated equally elsewhere, the Free City will truly be free!”
Dark smiled and said, “That day will surely come.”
Aurora gripped the brim of her hat and lowered her head. “Thank you.”
…
The carriage moved swiftly under the pull of the dragon-horned horses, quickly entering the city center.
The speed slowed down.
Dark lifted the curtain to look outside, enjoying the pleasure of viewing familiar scenes with a different mindset.
Aurora imitated him, observing the ecology along the streets.
The Free City was naturally not as bustling as the capital city’s downtown.
Aurora looked around and suddenly asked, “Does the capital city have homeless people?”
Dark was curious about why she would ask this, so he replied, “What, did you see something?”
Aurora said, “I saw two homeless people arguing.”
Dark said, “The world moves forward, and some people can’t keep up. Moreover, the aftermath of war is countless. Homeless people are just one part of it. Some people have established shelters for homeless individuals, but not all homeless people are willing to accept help.”
Aurora asked in confusion, “Why wouldn’t they want to be helped?”
Dark paused for a moment and said, “Dignity, laziness. Some people can’t overcome their pride, others don’t want to work again. Shelters aim to help homeless people find jobs, rather than just providing food and shelter for free.”
Aurora pondered this thoughtfully.
…
Soon, the confusion flowed away, and the noise of the city enveloped them.
The wind howled fiercely.
Lapis Street had arrived.
The carriage pulled to the side and stopped. Trina was the first to get off, followed by Aurora, then Dak.
Aurora, being a child at heart, looked around at the bustling scene she had never seen before, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
People were coming and going on Lapis Street, and the occasional loud calls and arguments seemed to blend in seamlessly, not at all out of place.
This wasn’t a truly high-end jewelry district; the people here were a mix of various backgrounds.
Dak walked confidently ahead, introducing Aurora to the different shops.
Aurora listened on the side but showed no intention of entering any of them for inspection.
It wasn’t until Dak mentioned a jade shop called “Liantian Workshop” that her eyes lit up, and she asked, “Can I go in and take a look?”
Dak glanced at the new sign of Liantian Workshop, his expression showing a strange mix of emotions.
But he nodded, “Of course.”
Thus, the two entered Liantian Workshop under Trina’s accompaniment.
As one of the more famous shops among many on Lapis Street, Liantian Workshop primarily sold unprocessed raw stones. Of course, they also had jade ornaments, but these were made by the owner as a hobby.
When Dak entered, there were quite a few people inside.
However, as he walked through, those gathered there suddenly changed their expressions, putting down their work and quickly leaving the shop, looking hurried.
The shop owner’s face also changed dramatically, even showing signs of panic.
But seeing that Dak had no intention of leaving, the owner had no choice but to come out to greet him reluctantly, “Isn’t this Young Master Demon? What wind brought you here?”
The shop owner was in his forties or fifties, dressed simply, but wore a green jade ring around his neck and jade bracelets on his wrists, making him appear quite luxurious.
Dak had known him for several years and didn’t beat around the bush, “I brought someone along to play. Show me your best items.”
The shop owner glanced at the delicately beautiful Aurora and understood immediately.
But when he turned to fetch the hidden treasures from storage, Aurora spoke up, “No, I’m not here to buy jewelry. Do you have any uncut raw stones?”
“There are some,” the shop owner paused, wiping sweat from his forehead.
In fact, his business mainly involved gambling on raw stones.
But with the little ancestor present, he really didn’t dare to do so.
Aurora, however, said excitedly, “Then bring some out to look at.”
Reluctantly, the shop owner dragged out an uncovered box from behind the counter.
Inside the box were numerous uncut raw stones of various sizes.
These raw stones, having been deep underground, still had a layer of weathered skin after being extracted.
Without cutting open that layer of rock skin, one couldn’t see the true form within.
One couldn’t know the quality and size of the jade inside.
The merchant sets the price, the buyer buys, and then the merchant cuts open the stone’s skin on the spot to reveal the jade inside.
If the quality is higher than the purchase price, it’s a profit.
If the quality is lower than the purchase price, it’s a loss.
This is commonly known as “gambling on stones.”
However, here they gambled not only on jade raw stones but also on more expensive rare metals or magic stone ores.
Aurora squatted down, picking and choosing from the box of raw stones.
Dak accompanied her, with nothing else to do, he also peered inside.
But Aurora only looked, and after much deliberation, she stood up again.
Dak asked curiously, “Don’t want to give it a try?”
“No,” Aurora said happily, “I just wanted to take a look.”
After saying that, she didn’t even look at the jewelry and walked out of Liantian Workshop.
Dak was utterly confused.
The shop owner was overjoyed.
…
Aurora then entered several more jewelry shops that specialized in “gambling on stones.” Each time she did, she was enthusiastic, yet she didn’t buy anything.
As time passed, an hour almost gone, and she still didn’t buy anything. Even Dak couldn’t help but ask, “How about buying something?”
“No,” Aurora shook her head forcefully, “I don’t have enough money.”
The shop owners standing nearby didn’t dare say anything about the cheap raw stones in their stores.
They just wanted to get rid of this troublemaker quickly.
After leaving the last shop, Aurora seemed satisfied and pulled out a piece of paper, pointing to the second line and saying, “Let’s go to the next location?”
…
The carriage started moving again, and when it stopped, it was in front of a high-end dessert shop called “Sweet Sweet.”
Dak thought Aurora came because of its fame, but she didn’t buy anything despite her genuine interest.
The three of them spent about ten minutes inside, Aurora looked at all the displayed desserts.
When Dak suggested buying some, she shook her head.
But just as they were about to leave, the shop owner rushed out with a whole tray of pastries, still steaming hot.
He presented the pastries with a flattering smile, “Young Master Demon, this is our newest pastry. Please be sure to try it.”
Dak glanced at Aurora, who showed no interest, and instead said, “Then let’s try it. Bring a pot of black tea.”
“Good!” The shop owner visibly relaxed, leading them into the indoor dining area.
Dak invited Aurora to sit down, while Trina stood by.
The shop owner soon brought a pot of high-quality black tea and poured it into cups.
“You go do your own thing.”
Dak waved her away and began tasting the pastries.
The shop owner was delighted.
After tasting a bit, Dak said, “The taste is decent. Don’t you want to try some?”
Aurora no longer refused and picked up a piece of pastry, savoring it carefully, as if analyzing its ingredients.
After a while, she seemed to have figured it out and ate the whole piece.
Dak calmly asked, “What do you think of the taste?”
Aurora nodded slightly, “Great.”
“Alright,” Dak had nothing more to say.
He turned to look out the window at the bustling crowd, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.
…
After finishing the pastry, Dak declined the shop owner’s offer for more and had Trina pay in sacred coins.
Under the shop owner’s surprised gaze, the three left the high-end dessert shop.
They continued shopping.
“Where’s the next location?” Dak asked.
Aurora pointed to the third line on the paper, which read “Starry Sky Tower,” and said, “We should go to Starry Sky Tower.”
“Then let’s go to Starry Sky Tower.”
Dak felt quite relieved.
Having a clear destination was always better than aimless wandering.
He still preferred a planned life.
…
Starry Sky Tower was some distance away, so they got back into the carriage and continued on.
After about twenty minutes, they reached a bustling area.
From here on, it was the noble trading district, where prices were significantly different from the outside.
With dragon-horned horses leading the way, no one dared block the path.
But the noble offspring active here spread the news like the wind.
Despite the age gap causing different social circles, Dak’s identity naturally transcended such boundaries.
Some twelve or thirteen-year-olds who had been badly teased by him now avoided him like the plague.
Others, older ones, had their own intentions.
After nine months, the duke’s son returning to the capital city would stir up what kind of waves?
Starry Sky Tower was located at the most dazzling spot in this area, with six floors towering over twenty meters high, covering an area of more than three mu. It was hexagonal overall, with each corner having a stone pillar, and statues of six people standing on top of the pillars.
One statue was particularly prominent: it was a statue of Prince Charles.
The noble offspring mingling here took pride in having their statues placed on the pillars.
However, currently, one of the statues on the Starry Sky Tower had been cut in half at the waist, leaving only the lower half, with a perfectly smooth cut.
The statue had been severed for over a year, but no one dared to repair it, making it a unique feature of Starry Sky Tower.
“This is Starry Sky Tower?”
The carriage stopped about ten meters from Starry Sky Tower. Aurora leaned out the window, looking up at the tall Starry Sky Tower, her gaze finally settling on the severed statue, her eyes shining.
Dak followed her gaze, but his expression revealed embarrassment.
Impetuous youth, impetuous youth.
Trina lightly touched the sword hilt, but only hummed softly.
…
The bustling atmosphere of Starry Sky Tower, which had gradually increased due to the approaching noon, suddenly became silent as if a gust of wind had passed.
The carriage drove through the main gate passage and stopped in the inner square.
After Dak, Aurora, and Trina exited the carriage, a service staff member rushed over.
“Would you like to stay together? We will be staying at Starry Sky Tower for a long time,” Dak said to the dragon tamer guard.
The dragon tamer guard clearly looked stunned. It seemed that Young Master had never considered their feelings before.
But he still
Dutifully, he said, “No, if I’m not around, no one can manage this dragon-horned horse.”
“Mm.” Dark nodded and said, “Then just have someone buy what you want and get reimbursed.”
“Reimbursed…” The dragon tamer took a while to understand what that meant and couldn’t help feeling elated.
Who didn’t want a well-tended young master at home?
It seemed that the young master had truly changed after a year of schooling.
Saint Maryann was great; Saint Maryann was really great!
…
Once the dragon tamer led away the carriage with the waiter’s accompaniment, Dark and the other two turned into the building.
The concept of the Starry Sky Tower was actually quite similar to “Enchantment Hall.”
However, they catered to different client groups and levels.
The Starry Sky Tower could be considered the most frequented venue for noble children in the capital city. It also took into account their financial constraints, so not everything was high-end.
Of course, Dark Demon never worried about such matters.
After all, in the past, he never touched money, and payments were always made by the maids.
And now, it was still the same.
Dark Demon only had credits, not sacred coins.
…
“Welcome, Young Master Demon.”
The female attendant approaching them was quite beautiful.
Dark found her somewhat familiar.
He nodded slightly and said, “Introduce this young lady to the specialties of the Starry Sky Tower.”
Though her legs trembled slightly, she forced herself to stand straight and gave Aurora a very smooth introduction.
Aurora listened intently, and when the attendant finished, she suddenly blurted out, “Is the sword mark on the sixth floor still there?”
The female attendant immediately stiffened and turned her neck to look at Dark like a robot.
“It should have been patched up, after all, it’s not good to leave it open,” Dark said lightly.
The attendant’s expression changed dramatically, and her legs trembled even more violently.
The supervisor of the Starry Sky Tower had pushed her out to receive Young Master Demon, using her as a shield against any trouble.
When Young Master Demon had once ordered his maid to slash through a wall with a sword, not only did she pierce the sixth-floor wall but also decapitated a statue instantly. He had strictly forbidden its repair.
Because the supervisor had not been explicitly told not to patch the wall, and since Young Master Demon had miraculously been admitted to Saint Maryann Academy, and the statue’s owner was persistent, the supervisor had reluctantly repaired the wall but still dared not touch the statue…
Now that Young Master Demon had returned from the academy, no one dared to provoke him.
Only she, whose family background was tightly controlled, was forced to greet guests.
When she came, she still harbored a faint hope.
But she hadn’t expected Young Master Demon to become even more ruthless upon his return!
Although Young Master Demon had been domineering before, he spoke his mind directly and straightforwardly, which was easier to handle.
Now, starting off with such hidden words made people feel uneasy.
“They say the academy is a microcosm of society. Has Young Master Demon returned after gaining much experience?”
The attendant dared not speak.
Dark actually wasn’t concerned.
Aurora, however, was very interested in the sword mark on the sixth floor.
She even whispered, “Why don’t we go up to the sixth floor first?”
Dark looked at her oddly.
Since Aurora had taken out that piece of paper, he had felt something strange. And along the way, he sensed a peculiar feeling.
Now, at the Starry Sky Tower, Aurora’s intentions became clearer.
He finally realized that this child’s travel route might have been mapped out along his past glorious achievements.
That Lan Yu Street’s Liutian Workshop, he went there when he was eight years old because someone told him it was fun to gamble on stones. He took Olivia there specifically.
At that time, the owner of Liutian Workshop immediately recognized his noble status and tried hard to promote the quality of his raw stones.
Eight-year-old Dark had no concept of money and just wanted to open stones for fun, so he accepted all of them, opening up the entire inventory of Liutian Workshop!
Upon learning of this, a friend of the Duke’s mansion rushed over and appraised all the jade stones he had opened, concluding that their total value was less than one percent of the cost of the raw stones.
Dark didn’t know anything else, but he clearly knew the ratio was one hundred to one, so he smashed the Liutian Workshop’s signboard.
If the owner of Liutian Workshop hadn’t realized early on and cried desperately, saying he wouldn’t take a single coin, the shop would have been burned down.
Of course, “kind” little Dark ended up paying the equivalent of one percent in sacred coins and bought back the raw stones he had opened.
Those raw stones were eventually used to skip stones in the pond in the backyard.
As for the other shops on Lan Yu Street, he occasionally visited them and left some traces of his battles.
And that Sweet Sweets Shop was really burned down!
Not because of the shop itself, but because Dark had fought inside…
Although he couldn’t remember who the noble child who could cast fireballs was, there was indeed such an incident.
As for the Starry Sky Tower…
This happened last year in the first half.
Therefore, Dark still remembered it quite clearly.
At that time, for some reason, someone suddenly mocked that there was no statue of him among the six statues at the Starry Sky Tower.
So…
Whatever boys want, they must get!
Dark Demon called for the supervisor and demanded a statue be replaced.
But those six statues represented figures not to be trifled with; otherwise, they wouldn’t have been erected.
The supervisor, afraid of provoking these figures, chose to explain the rules for erecting statues.
In short, he listed the achievements required at various ages.
Then, based on the size of the achievements, they were ranked from top to bottom, totaling six.
Little Dark wasn’t unreasonable either.
He knew his achievements were limited to tearing down a few houses, so he didn’t force the supervisor to erect his statue.
After all, a statue like that would be misleading and easily become a laughing stock.
But not having a statue, would that feeling be released?
Of course not!
So, Dark ordered, and his personal maid, Trina, swung her sword.
Everyone felt a flash of sword light, and a long sword mark appeared on the wall.
The person who had mocked him in front of Dark—his statue was cut in half!
The statue falling from the sky shattered the entrance of the Starry Sky Tower, causing a huge roar that shook the entire noble trading district.
Of course, Trina had already sensed through her aura that no one was below when she drew her sword.
After that sword strike, the head of the person whose statue was severed suddenly had a tuft of hair fall off, scaring him so much that he almost collapsed.
Being the son of a marquis, he didn’t wet himself in fear.
His bodyguard suddenly drew his sword, but as Trina retracted hers, the sword’s aura surged backward, instantly suffocating the guard.
The famous sword in his hand even began to tremble.
The overwhelming disparity in strength between the two sides brought an instant bloodbath to a sudden halt.
It also caused everyone watching and the supervisor of the Starry Sky Tower to breathe a sigh of relief.
But now, it seems that the son of the Marquis has risen again during Young Master Demon’s year at Saint Maryann Academy?
Dark thought for a moment, what was the name of that Marquis’s child?
…
“Oh, who was the statue that was cut in half?” Dark casually asked.
Trina replied expressionlessly, “It was Joshua, the youngest son of Marquis Middleton.”
Dark nodded, “So that’s his name. I wonder if he’s around?”
“Thump!”
The poor attendant, hearing this conversation, collapsed to the ground with a thud, trembling like a pile of chaff.
“What’s wrong with her?”
Dark was puzzled.
But he quickly knelt down and grabbed her hand, concerned, “Miss, are you alright?”
“No, nothing—”
The attendant’s face was pale, her limbs weak. Her hand held by Dark felt like it was vibrating, and her voice was trembling.
It was as if the Marquis’s son had already been decapitated in front of her!
Her symptoms were so obvious that Dark couldn’t help frowning, “If you’re unwell, it’s best not to force yourself to work. If you have any difficulties, you can tell me.”
“No, no…” The attendant hurriedly said, “I just haven’t slept well.”
Dark sighed, “I didn’t expect places like the Starry Sky Tower to force employees to work. Go rest. I’ll talk to your supervisor later.”
“No, please don’t! I’m really fine!” The attendant suddenly burst forth with strength, managing to stand up.
Seeing that she no longer bent her waist or trembled, Dark shook his head helplessly, “Then let’s go up to the sixth floor.”
…
Beside him, Aurora’s mouth was slightly open, unsure what to say.
Although she had been helping the Lady of Montiel Farley with household affairs, she was still too naive in dealing with people.
Under the guidance of the strong maid, the three of them ascended to the sixth floor of the Starry Sky Tower.
