Chapter 53: Hino Wuma (Part III)

However, being a hero always comes with a price. Several days later, I was sitting feebly in my pitch-black cell, gasping for breath from sheer starvation. This twisted cell was specially made to block teleportation; even if I actually grew wings, it was unlikely I could fly out.

The efficiency of that demon king was truly nothing to boast about. He talked big, didn't he? Claiming he could sense my dark power, claiming he could find me no matter where I was—the guy was definitely bluffing! Leaning against the cold, sturdy walls of the reinforced cell with zero dignity, I grumbled inwardly.

Facts teach us that the consequences of lying are severe. If it weren't for that guy's confident boasting back then, how would I have ended up in this predicament, foolishly waiting for him to come knocking and start trouble?

The Inquisition's efficiency was also ridiculously poor. Weren't they supposed to put me on trial? There hadn't been a peep for days, as if they had completely forgotten someone like me existed. I am the Queen of the Demon Realm, the reincarnation of Lilith, a Boss-level figure in my own right! How could my presence be so insignificant...

Most, most, most importantly, I want to sue them for prisoner abuse. Humans are made of iron and food is steel; skipping one meal makes you feel the hunger, but even though I'm a vampire, you shouldn't discriminate against me. Vampires need to eat too!

If, years from now, my descendants ask how their great Queen died, I can't exactly say she starved to death, can I? A death can be as light as a feather or as heavy as a mountain, and starving to death is just too pathetic...

Besides... starving to death is the most inhumane way to go in the world!

"Squeak..." Just as I was getting dizzy from hunger, I suddenly saw something scurrying to my feet in the darkness.

A rat? I gulped, my eyes glowing with a green light as I lunged forward to catch it!

"Squeak! Squeak!" It seemed terrified by my predatory green gaze and struggled desperately.

Perhaps the little thing struggled so hard that it brought back my last shred of sanity. Giving up the idea of biting it, I thought for a moment and began to wonder: how could a rat be inside a reinforced cell so secure that not even a fly could get in?

In the darkness, I saw a pair of cold eyes that felt very familiar.

I gradually realized the little fellow was snowy white all over. What kind of rat is this beautiful?

"Snowy?" I widened my eyes and whispered in disbelief. It was actually the pet I picked up in the Demon Realm and who had later mysteriously disappeared—Snowy, that little snowy-white furball!

Seeing that I recognized it, the furball let out a little "guji" and lunged into my arms.

"Snowy, how did you get in? How did you find me? Why did you suddenly run away last time?" Perhaps because it had been too long since anyone had spoken to me, I forgot that Snowy didn't have the gift of speech and bombarded it with questions.

It nuzzled against me affectionately, being very well-behaved.

Sniffing the air, I caught a faint scent of blood. I pulled it out to check and, sure enough, its tiny paws were covered in fresh blood.

"How did this happen?" Staring intently at the wound, I couldn't stop swallowing.

Looking at me with its beady black eyes, Snowy held out its injured paw.

"Uh... are you treating me to a meal?" I licked my lips and continued to gulp.

It actually nodded its furry little head.

With a mischievous grin, I took its tiny paw and licked it thoroughly. One mustn't waste food... The little furball arched its tiny body slightly, turning pink all over.

A shy little furball...

I reluctantly reached out and covered the wound, stroking it slowly. Of course, I couldn't actually use it to fill my stomach; it was so small that before I was full, it would have breathed its last.

As I stroked the wound, a golden light gradually gathered at my fingertips, masking the injury. When the soft golden glow vanished, its snowy-white paw was perfectly intact, without a single scar.

"How did you get hurt? Was it to get in here to find me?" I patted its furry head and asked softly.

The furball snuggled into my chest. Holding it, I finally felt a trace of warmth.

Just when I thought I would be forgotten by everyone and starve to death in the Inquisition's dungeon, the unscrupulous author finally realized the story couldn't go on without the protagonist.

Luckily, I'm not a side character; I am the protagonist. Protagonists are like unkillable cockroaches—they never go "GAME OVER" until the very end. I can be absolutely sure of that.

So, for the sake of his wife Lilith, that inefficient demon king flew into a rage for a beautiful woman. After leveling the Demon Realm, he stormed the Inquisition.

I have finally seen the light of day again.

The consequence of seeing the light of day was jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.

I looked coldly at the demon king who had broken into the dungeon. Heaven knows how much effort I spent maintaining my "cold" aura, because I was truly, incredibly hungry.

So hungry I was about to pass out.

Standing before me, he wore a black robe with long hair reaching the floor, looking so handsome it was a crime against gods and men. In contrast, I was covered in grime, in a state of utter disarray, and on the verge of death from starvation.

And whose fault was all this! A warrior can be killed but not insulted! I tucked Snowy into my shirt, leaned against the wall to stand up indignantly, and walked toward him step by step.

He stood his ground and watched me approach, his expression haughty.

Are you kidding me! I gnashed my teeth in hatred; do I have to be the one to throw myself into his arms? This culprit who destroyed the Demon Realm! I had originally decided to fight him to the death the moment I saw him, but now... the gap in our strength was just too large...

My legs gave way, and I tumbled forward, falling directly into his embrace.

However! I have integrity. Faced with an enemy, one cannot be soft-mouthed. Immediately seizing the high ground, I grabbed him, opened my mouth wide, and took a big "crunch" of a bite out of his fair neck.

Drinking a demon king's blood is like plucking hair from a tiger's head! Driven by a spirit of fearlessness, I unceremoniously drank until I was full.

Patting my stomach, I let out a satisfied burp and let go of him.

"Alright, let's fight to the death now," I said, wiping my mouth.

His icy expression finally cracked. He stared at me, seemingly possessing a strong urge to slap me to death.

But I wasn't afraid of him.

"Give me back Alastor!" I glared at him fiercely, then thought for a moment and added, "And give back Aurora's Albus too!"

I'm quite loyal, aren't I?

"They deserved their fate," he snorted coldly.

I finally snapped.

I lunged forward, ready to fight.

"Little Yang, those old guys from the Inquisition are so hard to deal with! How could you be so heartless as to leave me alone to deal with those ugly freaks while you come here to play the hero saving the beauty? That's not fair, it's really not fair!" A familiar, noisy chatter came from the doorway.

The demon king's face went dark.

I froze.

That noisy, gossipy voice...

"Ah, Aurora! My dear Aurora! Your most loyal knight has come to save you!"