### Chapter 3: Demon Realm (4)
==============================
“This must be Lord Lin that Tom and Jerry were talking about.”
In the surprised gaze of Trissa’s mother, Bellamy, Monroe bowed deeply to Lin Nan, his right hand placed on his left shoulder, executing the kind of formal salute you’d expect when meeting royalty.
This… Seriously, old chap, are you overdoing it?
From what Trissa had mentioned, Lin Nan was an exceptionally skilled harpist.
Though she was surprised that Lin wasn’t a demon, given how well she had cared for Trissa on their journey, being graciously hosted by their family was already a royal treatment!
Even if the old chap knew about the situation, a simple greeting would have sufficed. But to her astonishment, he walked in and gave Lin Nan a grand bow!
That’s pretty much the highest greeting in imperial etiquette, second only to kneeling!
Yet, Trissa and the newly acquainted Adeline looked on as if it was the most natural thing ever, while the human harpist appeared utterly unfazed.
What is going on here? Why is this esteemed imperial nobility treating a mere human with such respect?
As Bellamy’s bewilderment was palpable, Lin Nan calmly said, “It seems you all are already informed?”
Monroe replied, “Since we aren’t sure of Lord Lin’s purpose in the empire, I am the only one privy to this information for now.”
Lin Nan nodded, “Good. After all, such matters can be quite extraordinary to share, I can understand your dilemma.”
Monroe quickly corrected him, “No, no, there’s no dilemma here! You’re just overreacting.”
Seeing the distinguished minister of imperial affairs treat this young and beautiful lady with utmost caution as if she were royalty herself made Bellamy think twice. Despite her overwhelming doubts, she didn’t dare to say a word more.
From this, it was clear that Lord Lin was no ordinary person.
After all, with the dual role of duke and minister of affairs, aside from bowing to the emperor, he wouldn’t have to give anyone else the courtesy!
Realizing this, Bellamy, who usually stayed out of court matters, quickly stood up and declared, “You all continue your discussion; I’ll check on the kitchen. Lord Lin has come from afar, and we must ensure he enjoys the authentic cuisine of the empire!”
Lin Nan smiled, “I appreciate it.”
Once Bellamy left, Adeline, as a maid, appeared to be a mere servant to outsiders.
However, with Morris imprisoned, she could reluctantly represent him and join the conversation.
Since Tom and Jerry vanished after the expedition began, they must have hurried on ahead to the imperial capital.
This gave Monroe the time to prepare, using his trust with the emperor to remove Trissa from the list of those to be punished.
After all, there were spies of the emperor even within the elite guard, and news of the elite guard encountering trials in the Sky Tower, of Eric’s demise, and of Lin Nan entering Monroe’s estate would reach the emperor’s desk in no time.
“The emperor is very interested in the Sky Tower.”
Monroe explained, “Ever since that ancient text describing the Four Warriors’ adventure in the Sky Tower was unearthed, it has become something His Majesty inquires about daily.
Then, the tragic news of Prince Eric’s d*ath in the Sky Tower came in first.
The emperor was furious and ordered the immediate arrest of all returning emissaries and high-ranking members of the elite guard. I’m sure you understand; after all, Prince Eric was one of his most trusted royals, and to think he died far from home.”
Lin Nan nodded, “I certainly understand, but I hope he doesn’t blame Morris and the others. A bit of time in detention to let off some steam is acceptable, I suppose.”
Monroe forced a smile, “Lord Lin may not be familiar with His Majesty’s temperament; I fear he won’t easily let it go.”
“Perhaps you, Lord Monroe, have some way to temporarily hold back the emperor? As a former companion, I’d rather not hear of their dismemberment.”
Monroe assured him, “Of course, I will do my utmost.”
While Lin Nan had no idea how Tom and Jerry described her to Monroe, seeing Monroe speaking so rigidly made her feel as though he was treating her like a school child in class; it felt a bit over the top.
Am I really that unapproachable?
Yet, after a long journey, encountering troublesome situations in the capital, Lin Nan couldn’t help but feel a bit weary.
Trissa, sensing this, quickly stood up, “Father, let’s not disturb Lord Lin further; he needs to rest after the exhausting trip.”
“Right, right! Lord Lin, please rest. Let’s not keep you.”
Lin Nan returned to his guest room and locked the door.
“Xi! I need your help. How are things in Sky Void City?”
“Your Highness, Sky Void City is basically in a standoff between both sides. If you want to resolve it completely, it may require your personal presence.”
“Alright, hand over command to Little Musashi. You have one hour to pass on the responsibilities, after which I will retrieve the bl**d Moon Team cards and release them here in the empire.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
An hour later, the bl**d Moon Team appeared in the guest room’s living area.
All four looked travel-weary, as if they had just completed a long journey to the capital.
But Lin Nan knew it was the result of the battle in Sky Void City; various creatures, including the Fallen Species, which had leaked from the Small Thousand World, posed significant threats to the Asking Dao continent. It was no small feat for them to hold their ground against giants in Sky Void City.
Hopefully, Little Musashi will lead the remaining teams to withstand the giant’s assaults for now.
Once the demon affairs are settled, it will be her time to unify the Asking Dao continent.
“The bl**d Moon Team is made up of demons, but the imperial capital may already differ significantly from what you remember.
I hope you can familiarize yourselves with this place quickly and gather any intelligence related to the Sky Tower and the Four Warriors. Your most critical task is to locate the human miners detained by the demons. I need their exact location.”
“Understood, Your Highness!”
The four replied in unison.
Xi’s face had always been pale, but her lips looked like they had been smeared with bl**d—so strikingly red.
“My lord, you are alone here; it might be unwise. I’ll send someone to act as your bodyguard.”
“No need.”
Lin Nan shook her head, “If you have confidence, you can try to sneak into the palace to scout the terrain there.
But whatever actions you take, remember to protect yourselves well and do not let anyone discover your true identity.”
After the bl**d Moon Team received their orders, they promptly vanished beyond the courtyard walls.
With four loyal subordinates now in the capital, Lin Nan felt a twinge of security.
Although she didn’t necessarily need this feeling, as a woman, sometimes one had to admit that no matter how strong she was, having someone behind her to support her could make a difference.
Shiyuan? Never mind…
Those three are probably busy sealing off all the dimensional rifts in the Small Thousand World; best not to disturb them for now.
