Claude cleared his throat.
"Aven, let us discuss your relationship with Lilith seriously while everyone is gathered here."
Nia covered her mouth with both hands.
"Aven? You and Lilith are getting married?"
Aven's face turned red "No! I mean… what?"
"I am just hearing about this too, you know, sis."
"Lilith, you are joking, right? Right?"
Lilith tilted her head, placing a finger on her lips as a sly smile formed.
"Am I joking? I wonder..."
Alice clapped her hands excitedly.
"I agree! Aven and Lilith should get married, and I give my blessing!"
Aven immediately panicked.
"M-Madam Alice? Y-you are joking, right?"
Lilith smiled and clapped softly.
"Aven, please~"
Lucas patted Aven's shoulder and rubbed his back.
"Congratulations."
Cecilia and Tia also clapped.
"Congratulations" they said in unison.
Mika looked at Aven, then at Lilith, her gaze shifting back and forth.
Her eyes then moved toward Claude, her cheeks puffing slightly.
"Papa… w-what about me?"
Claude raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
Mika fidgeted with her fingers.
"I… I also want Aven…"
"Not just big sis Lilith… I want him too."
Lilith smiled and held Mika's shoulders before pulling her into a hug.
"Come on, we can share~"
"Right, Father?"
Claude smiled calmly.
"Of course. You too, Mika. Do not worry."
Mika's face lit up instantly "Yay~"
Lilith giggled and glanced at Cecilia and Tia.
"What about you two? Do you not want him as well?"
Cecilia rolled her eyes "We will see."
Tia smiled softly "I will ask my mother first~"
"Get ready, Aven~"
Aven stared at them in horror.
Lucas chuckled.
"I only need one..."
Nia turned toward Lucas with a cold stare.
"What? You want more? Like Aven? Three? Do you need three too?"
Lucas shivered.
"N-no! I only want one, and that is you."
Nia smiled brightly. "Aw~"
Claude simply smiled and clapped his hands.
"I will begin preparing everything for your wedding. Once the situation settles down, you may proceed with it immediately."
"And Tia, inform your mother soon."
"We will also arrange Lucas and Nia's marriage so it can be held in the same ceremony."
Lucas and Nia both blushed deeply but nodded quietly.
Aven closed his eyes in surrender.
Alice giggled.
"I will take care of the outfits and the party~"
"Yeay~" Lilith shouted happily
LUMINARA KINGDOM
Blood flowed and pooled across the ground. The bodies of demons and knights from Eidolan lay scattered everywhere.
One of the fifth demon generals, Raizen, knelt miserably before Marcel, who held a spear formed from his own blood.
Raizen gasped for breath, fear clearly visible in his restless eyes as they searched desperately for someone, anyone, who might come to save him.
Marcel drove the tip of his spear into Raizen's left arm, then swiftly cut it off.
Raizen screamed in pain, but the moment he opened his mouth, Marcel forced the shaft of the spear into it, pressing a finger to his lips as if telling him to be quiet.
"Be silent. Many knights of Luminara died at your hands without ever having the chance to scream as loudly as you do now."
"As punishment, you deserve the same silence… and as for the rest…" Marcel smiled coldly.
"I will decide what to do with you."
"I could push this deeper and see how far it goes before it pierces through you."
"Or… perhaps I should cut your wings piece by piece."
"Choose… before I choose for you."
Raizen trembled violently, his breath ragged, pure terror filling his eyes.
He said nothing.
Marcel tapped his forehead.
"Oh right, I forgot."
He pulled the spear out of Raizen's mouth.
Raizen coughed violently, still too terrified to speak.
Marcel clicked his tongue.
"You are boring."
He raised the spear, aiming straight for Raizen's face.
The spear shot forward but stopped just centimeters away.
Raizen glanced behind him as a knight from Luminara approached.
"Lord Marcel… do not kill that demon. The king needs to extract information from him."
The knight staggered forward, clearly exhausted from his injuries.
Marcel stepped away and drove the spear into Raizen's leg to keep him from escaping.
Raizen held back his scream, too afraid to make another sound.
"I understand. You should go inside and treat your wounds first."
Marcel moved to support the knight.
SRAK!
A sharp stab cut into the left side of Marcel's abdomen. He groaned and instantly manipulated his blood, sending sharp spikes toward the attacker.
The knight dodged swiftly, then grabbed Raizen and pulled him free.
The knight's form shifted into that of a woman. Leila, the second demon general, a succubus.
Marcel clicked his tongue and drew his blood back into his body. The wound quickly closed due to his regeneration.
Leila shook Raizen.
"Hey! You look pathetic. Are you really a demon general?"
Raizen looked at her with tired eyes.
"You have no idea what I went through just to stay sane under the pressure of fighting that vampire."
Leila glanced at Marcel with unease.
Marcel formed another blood spear and pointed it at them.
"I will not say this twice."
"Surrender now before I change my mind."
Leila smirked.
"And if I refuse?"
"What will you do, vamp—"
Her words were cut off as a needle of blood shot past, piercing her ear.
Marcel tightened his grip on the spear, his gaze cold and overwhelming.
"I am serious."
Leila's legs trembled slightly. Marcel felt like an insurmountable wall.
She clenched her teeth.
"We are leaving."
A dark purple magic circle appeared beneath them as Leila began teleporting away.
Marcel's eyes widened.
"You will not escape."
He hurled his spear with incredible speed. The blood left in Leila's ear exploded, but just as they vanished, the spear pierced Raizen's abdomen.
Raizen was thrown and pinned to a tree.
Meanwhile, in the demon king's castle, Leila clutched her bleeding ear while holding Raizen's severed arm.
She tossed it aside in disgust.
"Disgusting. Raizen has been captured. Damn it, what a waste."
"I lost him and my ear as well!"
Back at the tree, Raizen hung weakly, bleeding heavily, both arms gone.
Marcel pulled the spear from his body.
"You will stay alive. Your business with Luminara is not finished."
Marcel stepped on him, and they teleported back.
Knights of Luminara and Arcadia rushed around, tending to the wounded. Vampire forces and Red Dragon troops assisted with healing and guarding the gates.
Amid the chaos, Marcel appeared with Raizen beneath his foot.
All eyes turned toward him in fear.
Marcel kicked Raizen aside.
He pointed at one of his subordinates.
"You. Treat him. Do not let him die. Keep him alive enough to speak."
Marcel walked toward the gate, clapping his hands.
"You all, clear the battlefield. Burn the bodies of demons and Eidolan knights. Bring back Luminara knights intact so they may be properly buried."
"Yes, Commander Marcel!" they replied in unison before flying off.
Marcel pointed at another vampire.
"Inform Lord Cain, Lord Claude, and Lady Lucia that Luminara has survived."
"Understood!"
"Marcel."
A hoarse voice called from behind.
Marcel turned.
"Lord Levi, why are you here? You should still be resting."
Levi smiled gently.
"It is nothing. Injuries like this will not stop me from checking on the people who fought to protect this kingdom."
He held Marcel's hand firmly.
"Thank you."
Marcel smiled warmly.
"Lord Levi, do not thank me. Thank Lord Cain, Lord Claude, and Lady Lucia. I am only following orders."
Levi nodded.
"Even so, you still chose to protect this kingdom with everything you had. Thank you."
Marcel bowed slightly, his hand over his chest.
"It is my honor,Lord Levi."