Chapter 75: Happiness

That evening, a grand victory banquet was held to celebrate the Queen reclaiming her rule over the Demon Realm.

And so, another magnificent stroke was added to the legend of the Demon Queen.

Demons danced in wild revelry; the atmosphere was incredibly lively.

Little Mountain drank until his face was flushed bright red, while Orlando cradled a small wine flask, looking quite tipsy. Usan and Kaan Tung had disappeared somewhere to share whispered secrets.

Alastor remained like a social butterfly, weaving among the beauties of the demon race, embracing them on both sides, thoroughly enjoying himself.

"Noble Queen, may I have the honor of offering you a toast?" asked an elegant, gentle voice. I turned my head to see a man dressed in opulent clothing.

It was undeniable that he was a handsome man—strikingly so.

Seeing me look at him, he lightly swirled the liquid in his crystal glass, his smile becoming even more refined.

Suddenly, a slender, pale hand reached out from beside me and took the glass just in time. I turned around; it was Alastor.

"Her Majesty never drinks." He had somehow extricated himself from the swarm of "butterflies." Intercepting the glass, he tilted his head back and drained it in one gulp, his expression blank.

I froze for a moment. This scene was so familiar, except the one who used to block the drinks for me was Albus.

"The Archon certainly has a strong capacity for wine. Since that's the case, why not have another?" the man laughed loudly.

I remembered how Albus had been forcibly pulled into a drinking contest because of such a moment, maintaining a cold face while drinking, and a sharp pain shot through my heart.

But Alastor was not Albus. He smiled and flicked his finger. With a

poof

, a cloud of smoke erupted. After the mist cleared, I blinked; the handsome man was gone.

"Eh? Where did he go?" I looked left and right, puzzled.

Alastor smiled and pointed at the ground. I looked down, and my forehead filled with black lines. There was a cockroach on the floor...

Was that the true form of the handsome man?

Handsome man = Cockroach?

The gap... was a bit too disappointing, wasn't it?

Stomping on the cockroach, Alastor looked at me and spoke with earnest concern, "Aurora, you really can't go around attracting more 'stray flowers' anymore."

I was speechless.

"Lord Archon..." a beauty behind him called out in a tender wail. Alastor immediately made a magnificent turn and greeted her with a beaming smile.

I remained speechless.

The drinkers continued their contests, and the revelers continued their dalliances. Watching the hall grow increasingly rowdy, I turned and left the castle.

Climbing to the very top of the castle, I stood at the point closest to the moon and did something incredibly cliché and foolish: I gazed at the moon!

"Boss, I want to go back to the Candy House," I spoke softly, sensing someone standing behind me.

"Then let's go back," Yang said flatly from behind.

I turned around, leaned into his embrace, and wailed loudly.

From beginning to end, he didn't say a word, letting me cry until I had my fill.

Morven once said I was the first vampire he had ever seen who could shed tears.

Actually, he was wrong. I am a vampire whose tears are the least valuable.

Because of the desolate pain in my heart, I must use tears to wash it away; otherwise, I could not face this long, eternal life.

When word got out that I was returning to the Splendid Candy House, Alastor was the first to declare he was coming along.

"Didn't you say the Demon Realm has eternal spring and plenty of beauties?" I asked him lazily.

"Without Aurora, every season is freezing cold. Without Aurora, beauties have no grace. Without Aurora..."

I quickly cut off his long-winded speech and nodded my agreement for him to join us before Yang could lose his temper.

Little Mountain and Orlando stayed in the Demon Realm. Usan decided to go to the human world because of Kaan Tung.

Since the Splendid Candy House reopened, business had only increased, with the shop packed every day. However, Usan's mood had been poor lately.

The reason was that Kaan Tung was twenty-six this year. Her parents were anxious for a grandchild and were forcing her into blind dates every day. Of course, Usan couldn't go meet the parents; he was the "underground" boyfriend who couldn't see the light of day. Since Kaan Tung's father was an exorcist, sending Usan to meet them would be suicide.

At three in the afternoon, the tailor shop next door was still tightly closed. After leaning out for the Nth time to check, Usan finally reached the brink of a breakdown.

I was dozing off behind the counter when I suddenly heard a series of crashing sounds. I looked up to see Usan looking like a fire-breathing Tyrannosaurus Rex, pacing back and forth in a rage.

"I ordered a hot chocolate..." a petite girl raised her hand and said.

"What?! You clearly ordered a coffee! How did it turn into chocolate? Are you here specifically to cause trouble!"

"I..."

"Shut up! How long has it been since you came here? Why haven't you come?!"

"Eh? I come to support this shop quite often..."

"Dammit, what do you take me for! What do you take me for!" The Tyrannosaurus Rex was raging.

I wiped away a bead of sweat, hurried forward to shove the exploding Usan away, and comforted the little girl who was about to cry.

I peeked outside; the tailor shop was indeed still closed.

By evening, Kaan Tung finally appeared. Usan, sitting at Table Six, had a face longer than a donkey's and a complexion darker than the bottom of a pot.

The quintessential portrait of a resentful man.

Kaan Tung walked timidly to Table Six and looked at Usan.

"My mom introduced me to another boyfriend..." Kaan Tung bit her lip, her face tight with distress.

Hearing this, Usan's eyes went wide, and his face darkened even further. "What?!"

"I told them I already have a boyfriend..." Kaan Tung continued.

Usan let out a grunt of acknowledgement and nodded, crossing his arms, his expression improving slightly.

"My dad said... he wants to meet you..." Kaan Tung dropped a bombshell. "Otherwise... he'll make me get married."

Usan froze slightly.

The smile also vanished from my lips.

The tragic end of inter-species romance—Morven and Li, Selene and Albus, Cass and I... and now another one. Does this old cliché have to keep repeating itself?

"I'll go meet your father." Usan slammed the table heroically, stood up, and started toward the door.

"Get back here!" I shouted.

Usan turned around, looking resolute. "I must go."

"You plan to go like that?" I glared at him. Recently, to match the Candy House's theme, Usan had switched back to his old look—topless and carrying a massive bow on his back...

Kaan Tung's eyes welled with tears.

Usan sat back down at Table Six, dejected.

And so, the top priority after returning to the human world was helping Usan prepare for the meeting.

First, Usan's hairstyle was a major problem. Hair that long made him look like a delinquent at first glance; it would be detrimental if he left a bad impression on the elders... it was better to cut it short for a sunny, healthy look.

"Don't touch my hair!" Usan roared, clutching his head.

I held the scissors and let out a wicked laugh. "Which is more important—your hair or Kaan Tung?"

Usan lowered his hands, looking like he was facing a painful execution.

Secondly, as the saying goes, "Buddha needs gold plating, and man needs fine clothes." Clothing was also a big issue.

"Reporting... the outfit has arrived!" Alastor's voice rang out theatrically.

A white shirt, a black suit—yes, very stylish.

"Stand up so I can see," I said, tilting my chin.

Usan, wearing the suit, stood up and found he couldn't even walk properly.

I rubbed my chin and circled him a few times, lost in thought. Then I raised my hand and conjured a pair of rimless glasses, placing them on the bridge of his nose.

Because of Cass, I felt that men in glasses were more handsome...

Everything was ready. Usan was off to the execution grounds... uh, no, to meet the parents.

Leaving the rest of the crew to mind the shop, I accompanied Usan to Kaan Tung's house as his "sister."

Knock, knock, knock...

I tapped on the door.

The door opened. Kaan Tung poked her head out, and seeing Usan in his formal suit, she couldn't help but burst into a giggle.

Usan glared at her. Kaan Tung quickly stopped laughing and pulled him into the house. "Mom, Dad... Usan and Aurora are here!"

Upon entering, I saw a plump middle-aged man and a beautiful woman who looked much like Kaan Tung.

"Hello, Uncle." Seeing Usan standing there stiffly, I hurried to greet them politely, giving Usan a kick in the process. When I turned, I saw the beautiful woman staring at me. I quickly offered a beaming smile. "Are you Kaan Tung's sister? You're so beautiful."

She laughed. "I am her mother."

I was stunned.

"Hello, Uncle and Auntie!" Usan glanced at me, his smile a bit smug.

He didn't stop to think who I was doing all this for.

"Please, have a seat. Kaan Tung, go pour some tea." Her father smiled like a Maitreya Buddha. After watching Kaan Tung go to the kitchen, he turned to Usan. "So you're Usan. Our daughter mentions you often."

Her mother stood by, smiling without a word.

I pretentiously ate a slice of fruit, relaxing slightly. It seemed things weren't so bad.

"You aren't human, are you?" her father asked, still smiling.

Pfft!

I nearly sprayed my fruit.

Usan's expression changed slightly.

"Don't worry," the beautiful mother laughed, wagging her tail.

Wagging her tail?!

Yes, indeed! She was wagging a tail!

I blinked, then my eyes went wide. That... was a tail!

"Hehehehe..." Her mother covered her mouth and laughed.

I was completely speechless. What exactly was the situation here?

"Did you really not notice Kaan Tung's monstrous strength?" her father asked with a compassionate smile.

Usan and I nodded vigorously. We had certainly seen it.

"Kaan Tung is a half-demon," her mother explained with a smile. "I am from the Fox Clan. I was caught by her father when I first arrived in the human world, and later I married him. Because I was worried she would be rejected by humans, I never told her. But I was also afraid her future husband wouldn't be able to accept her secret. Later, when she spoke of Usan, her father and I guessed a few things and forced her to bring you to see us."

Usan and I looked at each other, stunned.

The result was far beyond our expectations, but... it was wonderful!

When Kaan Tung came out of the kitchen with the tea, everyone fell silent in unison.

Seeing her looking anxious, her father laughed. "I like this young man very much. When do you plan to get married?"

Kaan Tung's face turned red instantly, but her eyes were filled with incredible joy.

Watching her lean shyly into Usan's embrace, I couldn't help but smile. At least they... were happy.