Published at 1st of November 2022 10:20 am

Volume 4, Chapter 3: Prince

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

“Huh? Milord, do you know this…”

Partway through his question, Rainfall was unsure how to continue. Calling him a “gentleman” was too formal, since this demon was just a child, but if he didn’t address him respectfully, he might offend him—offending someone who knew demon royalty wasn’t something any demon wished to do.

The prince and Shooting Star stared at each other. A bead of sweat dripped down both of their foreheads. Neither knew how to respond.

“Demon?”

Alan also walked out, not at all hiding the disgust on his face.

Rainfall couldn’t help his confusion. Even though there were plenty of people who hated demons, wasn’t it a bit strange for him to hate demons so much when he had one among his companions?

Bai Saya glanced at the two demons who were staring wide-eyed at each other. He asked in curiosity, “Shooting Star, do you know him? Oh right, his demonic emblem and yours are…” So similar.

Before he spoke the final two words, a nearly identical scowl came over both Shooting Star and the prince. Then, as if coordinated in advance, they pounced on Bai Saya. Shooting Star was responsible for grabbing Bai Saya’s head and covering his mouth simultaneously, while the prince was responsible for lifting his feet. Three people on four legs rushed into the room next door. Afterwards, the door slammed shut with a “bang,” leaving the two groups to stare at each other.

“What is Shooting Star up to?” Saiximili was carrying all of his mushroom crackers. He poked his head out of the room to ask with mild interest but was too lazy to leave the room.

“Don’t know, don’t care. I’m going to feed Yaya.” Alan answered coldly and glanced at the two demon guards haughtily before he returned to the room. Unfortunately, the room no longer had a door, or else he would have definitely slammed it shut to emphasize just how much he despised demons.

“Should we protect milord?” the demon guards asked Rainfall, not knowing what to do.

They repeated the question several times before Rainfall finally recovered from the prince’s odd behavior. “What? Oh, oh! Keep your distance from the door but continue to guard Milord.”

After seeing the guards nod, Rainfall still wasn’t reassured and said, “Remember to keep your distance. Since Milord ducked into the room, then he definitely does not want any living being to hear his conversation.”

The guards nodded seriously. As bodyguards of the royal family, they clearly understood that some conversations weren’t meant to be heard.

After Bai Saya was carried into the room with his mouth covered, he was immediately thrown down by the two demons. He blinked. He didn’t understand what was going on.

“Why are you here?”

The two people… No! The two demons were both pulling on their hair crazily before stopping and shouting at each other. Their actions made them appear like the same person.

“This is my ship. Why can’t I be here?” The prince shouted in disbelief.

“This is my pet’s ship. Of course I’m here!” Shooting Star answered as if it were a matter of fact.

Both of them stared at each other with wide eyes, as if they could uncover the other person’s lie in their gaze.

“C-calm down.” Bai Saya tried to smooth things over. Worried, he told Shooting Star, “Shooting Star! We might have boarded the wrong ship.”

“What? Why are we in the wrong?” Shooting Star shouted angrily.

Even though he had realized it awhile ago—after all, they were the ones who had randomly boarded a ship, and the other party was a demon prince, so it was unlikely that he would board the wrong ship—Bleh! What am I saying? It’s like I’m kicking myself in the foot! After all, I’m also…

“Hey, little bro, how’d you go from our Nuosi Continent of the demons all the way to the southern Shaosi Continent?”

The prince sighed. His little brother cared too much about appearances. Even though his little bro knew he was in the wrong, he wouldn’t admit it. But there was no need for him to fight over it with his little brother. “When you left home, didn’t you say you wanted to go to the western Weisite Continent?”

“L-little bro?” Bai Saya looked at Shooting Star in shock. He gestured at Shooting Star and then at the prince. “H-he’s your…”

Shooting Star scratched his face and admitted the truth, “He’s my big brother. His name is Phoenix Gold.”

“So you’re Shooting Star’s big brother.” Bai Saya finally understood. What a coincidence. He politely bowed. “Hello, nice to meet you. I am Bai Saya, Shooting Star’s travel companion.”

“…” Phoenix Gold speechlessly scratched his face. He gestured at Bai Saya and asked his little bro, “Did he know from the start that you’re a demon prince?”

How could stupid Xiao Bai know that?! Shooting Star rolled his eyes. Even if he had personally told Xiao Bai, that guy might think Shooting Star was trying to pull his leg!

Bai Saya blinked and then laughingly said, “What? You must be joking, right? How could Shooting Star be a prince?”

An odd expression came over Phoenix Gold’s face. He pointed at himself and asked, “Do you know who I am?”

“Shooting Star’s brother,” Bai Saya honestly answered.

Phoenix Gold held his forehead. His head hurt a ton. Where did my little bro find such a dumb companion? He still hasn’t figured out who I am? He pointed helplessly at the inverted pentagram by his eye and asked again, “Then tell me, what is this?”

This guy has to know my identity now, right? The inverted pentagram of the demon race’s royal family was a symbol that everyone in the world knew. It was even better known than the countless national emblems of human nations.

Bai Saya replied seriously, “I know this! It’s a demonic emblem!”

“…What else?” Phoenix Gold asked in disbelief.

“Huh?”

“Tell me ‘who’ has this demonic emblem!” Phoenix Gold’s voice had gone up by an octave.

“Huh?” Bai Saya blinked. He pondered over it for a while before he hit his fist against his palm. Realization flashed across his face. Then, under Phoenix Gold’s hopeful gaze, Bai Saya answered with a wide smile, “Demons have this demonic emblem!”

“…” Phoenix Gold suddenly had the urge to fall to his knees powerlessly.

“Hahaha!” Shooting Star grabbed his belly and guffawed. He mockingly said, “Stupid fourth brother. Xiao Bai can’t even tell demons apart from elves. Why do you think he would know what an inverted pentagram is?”

“I can tell demons and elves apart now!” Bai Saya quickly clarified. But when Shooting Star lifted an eyebrow in doubt, Bai Saya added on a bit hesitantly, “I just have to see if they have a demonic emblem or not.”

Hearing that, Phoenix Gold really didn’t know how to respond. Leaving demons aside, an elf’s delicate features and slightly glowing skin really made it difficult for anyone not to recognize them. With a pained voice, he asked, “Little bro, just where in the world did you find such an airhead who can’t even tell demons and elves apart?”

“I found him under a tree,” Shooting Star answered simply.

“Other than him, do your other companions know your identity?” Phoenix Gold suddenly thought to ask.

“No, no one knows!” Shooting Star raised his eyebrows and said, “Even Xiao Bai doesn’t know. I didn’t tell anyone!”

He even knows that your demonic emblem is an inverted pentagram. How can you say you didn’t tell anyone? Phoenix Gold looked at Bai Saya, who still appeared confused. Fine, he doesn’t count.

“Fine, you didn’t tell anyone.”

Phoenix Gold sighed. It seemed that his little brother hadn’t actually let it slip, but who would have thought that they would run into each other? Just how low were the odds? And it was under a situation where they couldn’t avoid each other. If they weren’t on a ship, making it so he couldn’t leave, Phoenix Gold would definitely choose to avoid Shooting Star if he had spotted him.

“Shooting Star, just who are you?” Bai Saya was getting more and more confused.

After hearing Bai Saya’s question, Shooting Star knew in his heart that even if he revealed his true identity, Xiao Bai probably wouldn’t get mad. But whenever he thought about admitting his identity, he always felt nervous. He couldn’t help but hesitate. “I…”

“I’m the fourth prince of the demons—Phoenix Gold. As for this guy…” Phoenix Gold used his big hand to rub Shooting Star’s head. “He’s my little brother. Tell me, just who could he be?”

“Phoenix!” Shooting Star protested and grabbed the big hand on his head. He was a little nervous and almost couldn’t bring himself to look at Bai Saya.

“Shooting Star’s big brother is a prince?” Bai Saya mumbled a bit sluggishly. “Then isn’t Shooting Star the younger brother of a prince? The prince’s younger brother…”

Xiao Bai’s head is about to turn to mush—No! His head was already mush from the start! Shooting Star was frustrated. He had already spelled it out. Why hasn’t Xiao Bai gotten his mind wrapped around it yet? Do I have to admit it myself? Stupid Xiao Bai!

Shooting Star clenched his teeth and acknowledged loudly, “Stupid Xiao Bai. Me and Phoenix are both demon princes!”

Bai Saya’s eyes shot wide open, and his mind came to an abrupt stop with a “thud.” Only his mouth moved reflexively to mutter, “Shooting Star is a prince? How can that be! He’s mischievous, playful, and a total glutton. He even likes to treat other people as pets. How can someone like Shooting Star be a prince?”

“I think the same way.” Phoenix Gold lamented, “Father must have gotten the wrong kid back then.”

“Hey! What does that mean?!” Shooting Star shouted with clenched fists.

“Hahaha!” Phoenix Gold patted Bai Saya’s shoulder while laughing heartily. “You sure are interesting. No wonder you’re my little bro’s companion.”

“Shooting Star, are you really a prince?”

Bai Saya stared at Shooting Star in disbelief. From his messy, wildfire-like hair at the top, to his muddy shoes at the bottom, no part of Shooting Star made him look like a “prince.”

“Technically speaking, he indeed isn’t yet.”

Phoenix Gold spoke before his little brother could, who rolled his eyes at him for that. But once Shooting Star gave it some thought, he realized that having someone else help him explain was a good thing. If he explained it himself, Xiao Bai might not believe him!

“Before any demon prince reaches thirty years of age, they are raised deep in the palace. Not only are they not allowed to appear in public, they are not recognized as princes either. They must wait until they reach thirty years of age and go through their coming of age trial before they are officially recognized as princes. My little bro is currently undergoing his coming of age trial!”

Phoenix Gold didn’t pay any attention to Shooting Star’s avoidance and disgust. He kept rubbing that wildfire-like head.

Seeing that Shooting Star was like a kitten about to go crazy, Phoenix Gold quickly added to his explanation, “By the way, during the coming of age trial, keeping one’s identity a secret is a must. That’s why my little bro here couldn’t tell anyone his identity. Don’t blame Shooting Star.”

Hearing Phoenix Gold’s added explanation, Shooting Star pursed his lips and said, “Good save, or else I’m going to tell Big Sis Fire Blossom that you’re bullying me!”

As he spoke, he snuck a glance at Xiao Bai’s reaction. He won’t blame me, will he? With Xiao Bai’s personality, he probably won’t be mad. At most, he just won’t like that I lied, right?

“Shooting Star!” Bai Saya seriously told Shooting Star, “Because it was a requirement of the trial, I don’t blame you, but you can’t tell any more lies after this. Telling lies is bad conduct.”

Xiao Bai, your way of thinking is really too easy to guess! Shooting Star felt defeated. It’s so easy to guess that I don’t feel any sense of satisfaction from guessing right!

Bai Saya was staring at Shooting Star with an expression that said, “Hurry and promise me that you won’t lie anymore.”

Annoyed, Shooting Star poked Bai Saya in the chest and said, “Idiot! To us demons, telling lies is a virtue! Asking a demon to promise not to lie is the same as forcing an elf to lie! Why don’t you go and have Alan learn how to lie first? Then I’ll promise never to lie again!”

“That’s…” Bai Saya hesitated. Alan’s fiery temper and an elf’s characteristic stubbornness were enough to ward him off. Moreover, forcing someone to lie wasn’t something Bai Saya would do.

“It’s hard, right!” After Shooting Star successfully trapped Bai Saya in a quandary, he conveniently changed the topic. “Xiao Bai, I’m telling you, don’t ever reveal my identity or go around saying that my demonic emblem is an inverted pentagram!”

The last part made Phoenix Gold not know whether to laugh or cry. Telling someone that his demonic emblem was an inverted pentagram was no different from revealing his identity as a prince. Even a world-wide search wouldn’t produce any entities who didn’t know that an inverted pentagram equated to demon royalty.

Someday, he should also look under a tree to see if he could take in such a hilarious human to be his subordinate. After all, Rainfall was great in all aspects except humor and wouldn’t help with boredom.

“Okay.” Bai Saya nodded but suddenly thought of something and asked, “But can’t I tell Alan and the others?”

Xiao Bai had just asked the thing that bothered Shooting Star the most. He was so frustrated that he bunched up his entire face.

Telling Saiximili and Yaya was not a problem at all. Saiximili probably wouldn’t care that Shooting Star was a prince, while Yaya was just a baby who still couldn’t talk. The problem was the elf. His identity as a demon had already made Alan leave before. Now, with the addition of his identity as a prince, Shooting Star really didn’t know what kind of reaction Alan would have, but he was certain that it wouldn’t be a good one.

Phoenix Gold coughed and spoke up. “Shooting Star, it’s fine to let just a few companions know. Breaking the rules a tiny bit is something everyone will turn a blind eye to. It’s no big deal as long as nothing is made public.” In the beginning, the princes weren’t allowed to bring anything on their coming of age trial, but nowadays, which prince didn’t sneak things out with them to make the days easier?

“No!” Shooting Star shook his head and said, “Telling Saimi is fine, but Alan is an elf. He already hates demons. If he learns that I’m royalty, he’ll explode!”

“There’s an elf? Then, things really are difficult.” Phoenix Gold rubbed his chin. The elves’ hatred of demons was a deep-rooted problem that pretty much had no solution. He hadn’t expected that his little brother could kidnap an elf to become his companion. That was no easy task.

Bai Saya worriedly said, “Shooting Star, lying to our companions isn’t right. Besides, if Alan discovered it on his own, he would be even angrier.”

Hearing that, Shooting Star couldn’t help but picture Alan seething with thunderous anger. Shooting Star was so frightened that his hands and feet felt numb. Just imagining it made him feel like he had already gotten shocked!

He quickly slapped his face hard and shook away the thunderstorm occupying his head. With a swollen face, Shooting Star put on a brave front and said, “T-that’s a later problem!”

Bai Saya could only sigh to himself. He had a feeling that this “later” wouldn’t be very far.

Shooting Star turned and threatened his own brother, “Phoenix, I’m telling you, you’re not allowed to reveal my identity either, or else I’ll tell Big Sis Fire Blossom that you’re bullying me!”

Phoenix Gold unhappily retorted, “You’re always using Fire Blossom to threaten me. Are you out of your mind? You’re my checkmate, not hers!”

Bai Saya exclaimed in great surprise, “What? Shooting Star, you’re your brother’s checkmate?”

“That’s right! This little fellow is a damn debt collector! If I knew this in advance, I would have accidentally dropped him when I held him back then, saving me all this trouble!”

Shooting Star had nearly forgotten that he was Phoenix’s checkmate. After all, Phoenix was always out. They didn’t spend much time together, and Shooting Star couldn’t leave the inner palace either. He basically had few chances to take advantage of his identity and his “checkmate.”

His large, golden eyes shimmered, and he immediately used a sweet voice paired with a big smile to cajole, “Fine, I know that Big Bro Phoenix treats me the best~”

Phoenix Gold was clearly not very flattered. Instead, he took measure of his own little brother with great doubt. “What? What do you want now?”

“Who says I want anything? Your little brother is just being cute.” Shooting Star blinked his innocent, large eyes, as if he were even purer than elves.

To the side, Bai Saya suddenly retreated several steps.

Phoenix Gold rolled his eyes and huffed, “I recall ‘every’ time you try to be cute with me, you’ll immediately ask a ‘teeny tiny favor’ from me that makes me want to cough up blood. Besides, look, even your own companion is so scared that he has retreated to the wall!”

Shooting Star glared fiercely at Bai Saya, who had plastered himself against the wall. Then, he turned his head back and asked with innocent eyes, “I just want to ask Big Bro Phoenix where you plan to go!”

“I’m heading back to the palace. I’ve completed my assignment, so I’m heading back to report to our eldest brother.”

Phoenix Gold added on meaningfully, “You know that eldest brother never likes tardiness.”

Eldest brother… Shooting Star couldn’t help but sneeze and wiggle his butt without thinking about it. He had lost count how many times his eldest brother had spanked him on the butt until it was all swollen for all the troubles he caused.

Residing deep in the palace, the person Shooting Star knew the best was actually the first prince. After all, back then, the demon emperor had tossed Shooting Star as an infant into the eldest prince’s hands and then disappeared again. It wouldn’t even be wrong to claim that the eldest prince was pretty much Shooting Star’s father.

On top of that, other than Shooting Star, who had yet to come of age, the only other member of the royal family who stayed all year round in the palace was the eldest prince who had gained control of the demon’s palace long ago.

Even though the eldest prince was such an important and familiar person, Shooting Star both feared and avoided him. The entire demon race knew of the eldest prince’s strictness and cold demeanor. He was such a stickler for the rules while Shooting Star, who he had raised, had somehow grown up to be the number one mischievous kid. He had been punished countless times since he was a child.

If the eldest prince knew that he had gotten involved with something as serious as the end of the world, Shooting Star would be a goner! Shooting Star quickly shook his head, shaking away the thoughts that his butt would be spanked badly, and tried to negotiate, “But I’m heading to the eastern Yisite Continent.”

Phoenix Gold snapped out his response, “First, you went to the Weisite Continent, then you’ve come to the Shaosi Continent. Now you’re planning on going to the Yisite Continent. I’ve never heard that the coming of age trial required you to travel around the world.”

Shooting Star bit his lips. At first, he wanted to ask Phoenix Gold if he could solve the problem of Ice Chess. This way, maybe Shooting Star really could go back to the Northern Continent. No! Impossible! Alan has always wanted to return to the Yisite Continent. If he discovered in the end that he has actually arrived at the continent of the demons…

The elf might become even scarier than a thousand year old demon!

After thinking it through, Shooting Star immediately complained loudly, “I don’t care! Phoenix, you have to bring us to Yisite!”

“No way!” Phoenix Gold couldn’t help but hit his little brother on the head. “Have you considered the elves’ relationship with us? Sure, maybe an unknown demon who hasn’t come of age yet like you could go to the Yisite Continent, since no matter how much the elves hate demons, they wouldn’t make things difficult for a child. But if our entire ship, which even includes a prince, were to enter Yisite’s harbor, what do you think will happen?”

Shooting Star had on a bitter expression. What will happen? Alan would probably reunite with the elves and then together, they’ll kill me with lightning?

“Come with me to the Northern Continent first. I’ll find a human merchant ship to take you to the Eastern Continent.” Phoenix Gold shrugged and made this relaxed conclusion.

Shooting Star pitifully begged, “Alan will definitely kill me!”

“I’ll protect you if he really does want to kill you.” Bai Saya said in a small voice by the corner of the wall. His declaration wasn’t very convincing.

Pisce was randomly walking along the port, seemingly bored, but his eyes were shrewdly sweeping across all the money bags. If it weren’t for the captain’s incomprehensible high moral standards that he even required his teammates to follow, he would have already used the supportive instincts of a thief to “borrow” enough money from the passersby at the port to get them off the Southern Continent by boat.

Just as the thief was thinking, “I can’t borrow boat fees, but what about money for lunch,” his hand had already moved. There was no way that the captain with high moral standards could stop the thief in time.

“Pisce!”

Pisce gloomily returned to the captain’s side. He didn’t understand. He really didn’t. How are the captain’s eyes so sharp? Why is he always able to stop me from borrowing stuff in time?

Philo glared at Pisce unhappily, his gaze full of warning.

Pisce was a bit embarrassed. He quickly changed the topic. “Who would have thought that we wouldn’t even see Bai Saya? Those bird people were so ruthless. They didn’t allow us to meet her for any reason. We already told them we’re friends!”

“Stop going over it, Pisce.” Philo looked exhausted as he spoke, “As long as Saya is fine, it’s fine. Right now, what’s important is that I haven’t completed the assignment entrusted to me by Prince Fylost. Sacrificing those beastmen isn’t a big deal, but those mages were important military strength for the guild. They have actually all perished. How am I to face His Highness…”

“It wasn’t our fault!” Pisce started shouting. “No one could win against such scary magic, not even Fylost if he had been present!”

“You need to call the prince His Highness,” Philo warned.

Pisce said tiredly, “Yeah yeah, even His Highness, Prince Fylost wouldn’t have been able to do anything in that kind of situation. So Captain, don’t blame yourself anymore, okay?”

“No, no, if Prince Fylost had been here, even if he couldn’t block the magic, he would have been able to do something.” Philo pondered. If Prince Fylost had been present, what would he have done with that intellect of his? He might have discovered the fatal magic’s existence in advance and thought of a way to deal with it early on, or he might have at least been powerful enough to save the mages. Or perhaps by the end, he could have persuaded the avians to let them meet Bai Saya and the others.

He’s at it again! Pisce knelt down painfully. Ever since surviving the ordeal, Captain endlessly questioned himself, his mind full of thoughts wondering what the great Prince Fylost would have done.

Ah, ah! Dear Captain, why don’t you think about how it’s noontime, so it’s time for lunch? Isn’t it more important to consider our next meal?

Pisce knocked on his head, trying his utmost to make his scarcely used brain cells do some work. How can I make Captain feel that lunch is more important than the prince?

“If it were Prince Fylost,” Pisce whispered to the side, “the great Prince Fylost, he would never think too long about those failures. He would definitely—”

“Think about how to turn the situation around!” Philo interrupted Pisce and then excitedly grabbed the thief’s shoulders. He gratefully said, “Pisce, thank you for waking me up. You’re right. Prince Fylost would never dwell on past failures. He would turn failure into the foundation of success! Let’s go. We have to catch up with White Feather’s starseer and the extremely evil Guide of Doom!”

After he finished speaking, the holy knight seemed as if he was off to slay a dragon. He straightened his back and gripped his weapon, striding toward the harbor’s edge. It was as if GOD would make a ship drop from the skies in the name of justice, benevolence, and so on, and escort the great holy knight to punish evildoers—even though they didn’t have money for a ship.

—think about what to eat before anything else. That was what Pisce had wanted to say.

The depressed and hungry thief helplessly followed his high-spirited captain.

“We really did board the wrong ship. Fortunately, Shooting Star knows someone on this ship, the demon’s fourth prince, Phoenix Gold. He agreed to let us take the ship together to the Northern Continent.”

Bai Saya explained with a forced smile while Shooting Star hid behind him, afraid to even let a single hair show. Any part of him that could be seen would instantly get struck by lightning and turned into charcoal. The pile of ash would get blown away by the sea breeze, never to be seen again.

Alan’s expression was solemn the entire time he listened to the explanation. He asked suspiciously, “Why would you know the demon’s prince? Could you—”

“That’s right!” Shooting Star was nervous and quickly stuck his head out to shout and interrupt Alan’s guess. Then, he spun a lie that he had used many brain cells to form.

“Because my mom’s the fourth prince’s nanny, His Highness watched me grow up since he was a child. He’s like my brother!”

He is your brother. Bai Saya had his head lowered. He was afraid his expression would give it away. It would be bad for Alan to find out.

Alan silently took measure of Shooting Star with sharp eyes, completely unlike an indifferent elf. Shooting Star knew that if his lie were to be exposed, he would definitely get shocked by lightning and turned into “charcoal,” then “ash,” and receive a sea burial.

“It isn’t your fault that we boarded the wrong ship. I don’t blame you for that, but I believe that your words definitely contain a lie.”

The elf, who clearly distinguished between right and wrong, turned toward Saiximili, who was doing everything he could to shrink into himself, hoping to lower his presence to nothing.

Alan narrowed his eyes and said, “You…”

“This must be GOD’s decree!” Saiximili firmly said, “GOD must want us to go to the Northern Continent, so deliberately made me pick the wrong ship!”

Liar! Shooting Star, Bai Saya, and Alan immediately saw through Saiximili’s fraudulent declaration. Compared to Shooting Star’s lying abilities, Saiximili was pretty much plastering on his face the four words “I am a liar.” Against three companions who had the three words “You’re a liar” clearly displayed across their faces, even someone as thick-skinned as Shooting Star would probably feel embarrassed, let alone Saiximili, who was as sensitive as a feather. He threw a tantrum on the spot, turning his back on his companions, and said, “In any case, I picked the wrong ship! If you want to shock me, go ahead!”

This time, Alan unexpectedly had high tolerance and did not use lightning to shock anyone. He only said, “If you’re willing to divine whether we should think of a way to head to the Yisite Continent, or if we should just follow the demons to the Nuosi Continent, then I will forgive you for the mistake of picking the wrong ship.”

Since when has the elf trusted Saiximili’s divinations? Shooting Star and Bai Saya both looked at Alan strangely.

“Really? I can divine? Will you listen?” Saiximili immediately turned back around, his pink eyes shining. He didn’t dare to believe what had been said and kept asking the elf.

Alan nodded seriously. On his way back to find everyone, the branch he had stepped on had broken twice, causing him to fall down the cliff, acquire the Stone of Pride, and get taken by Philo back to the camp. In the end, he had even suffered through Encroaching Death, a devastating magic spell. He had heard Shooting Star say that this had all happened because of the “crossroad” Saiximili had activated, so he believed that the starseer’s divination must be authentic.

“Xiao Bai, don’t you feel that even though Alan says he forgives Saimi, his eyes seem about to shoot out lightning to turn Saimi into a roasted bird?”

To the side, Shooting Star was whispering into Bai Saya’s ear. The latter immediately nodded in agreement after glancing at Alan. Even though other people were worried, Saiximili, on the other hand, was so excited that he didn’t notice. He merely lifted his precious crystal ball carefully, and slowly closed his eyes halfway, letting his mind enter the starry sky…

The starseer’s expression gradually grew serene. His voice seemed to come from far away, and even seemed to echo emptily.

“Give your fate to the eternally unchanging race, and everything will remain the same. But be careful not to lose what is important. Once you step foot into ever-changing territory, the stars’ trajectory will also be full of uncertainties. Yet, the moment of choice approaches.”

After saying that, Saiximili’s face returned to how it was like before. He stared at Shooting Star with wide eyes, and the way his limbs moved made him appear like a shy child presenting his best work of art, nervously awaiting evaluation.

Shooting Star’s expression wasn’t the same as usual either. He appeared serious. Rather, it was Bai Saya who was the same as always, full of confusion. He hadn’t understood a single thing.

“That’s why I said we don’t need Saimi’s divinations!” Suddenly, Shooting Star’s serious expression vanished without a trace. He pouted and nonchalantly said, “Even when we listen to them, we don’t know what they mean!”

Bai Saya nodded along. He hadn’t understood Saimi’s divination at all either.

“Ah ah ah!” Yaya imitated Shooting Star and also tilted her little head. She pouted her pink lips and then nodded her head up and down hard.

Saiximili lowered his head, shoulders drooping. His expression was dark as he slowly walked to the corner of the cabin… Alan earnestly said, “It is different this time. I believe the prophecy indeed reveals some things.”

Saiximili stopped walking.

As an elf who often listened to all sorts of complicated and difficult to understand hymns, Alan was able to decipher some of the hidden meaning behind the prophecy.

“The eternally unchanging race refers to us elves. We abide by ancient, elegant traditions. We will not change even with the passage of ten million years. That means if we head to the Yisite Continent, nothing will change. The ever-changing race, given our journey thus far, should be referring to the demons. Even though I do not understand why the demon race would be described in such a way, as change is a unique trait of humans, in any case, if we choose a continent other than Yisite, then our journey will be full of uncertainties.”

“That’s right! That has to be the case! Alan, you really know me well! Sob sob sob… why aren’t you my Guide?”

In an instant, Saiximili turned and rushed back to Alan’s side, gazing at the elf with great emotion over how his talent had finally been recognized. Then, he glanced at Shooting Star with grievance.

Shooting Star unhappily said, “Ever-changing should be referring to how the demon’s territory changes so much. Even though demon royalty isn’t to be disturbed, the people below them are allowed to fight over territory. Today, you may be standing on Grand Duke Ekan’s land, but tomorrow you might become a citizen of the beautiful Lady Lillo.”

“I see.” Alan nodded. He had been unable to understand the prophecy because of his unfamiliarity with demons.

“According to Saimi’s prophecy, should we go to the Yisite Continent?” Bai Saya felt that current conditions weren’t bad, so they should probably choose, “everything will remain the same?”

“If we head to the elves, we might lose something important!”

Shooting Star felt uneasy. He had an inkling of what the important thing might be, so he really didn’t want to go.

“Even though we don’t know what will be lost,” Bai Saya smiled with difficulty, “we don’t really have a way to get to Yisite anyway, right? Prince Phoenix Gold’s ship can’t enter Yisite, or else the elves would attack it. It’s not like we can swim there.”

However, Alan couldn’t give up on returning to his homeland so easily. He tried to think of a way.

“They don’t need to get too close, just to the seas nearby. I can use the Spell of Flight and bring Shooting Star to land. Saiximili is an avian, so he can fly Bai Saya…”

The elf suddenly stopped speaking because he saw the odd expression that had come over the other three. He couldn’t help but ask, “Is something wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

Bai Saya said a bit hesitatingly, “No, nothing, but…” He glanced at the avian out of the corner of his eye. His kind personality meant he was unable to bear revealing the avian’s “incurable disease.” Alan looked at Saiximili in confusion.

“This fellow…” Shooting Star pulled on Saiximili’s robes and unkindly shouted, “has a fear of heights! He doesn’t know how to fly!”

It was as if the elf’s mind had been struck by his own lightning and turned into paste on the spot.

An avian is actually afraid of heights!

Saiximili shouted with a flushed face, “I know how to fly! I’m just too frightened to!”

“How is that any different from not knowing how to fly?” Shooting Star didn’t give Saiximili any chance of redemption.

“It’s not the same at all!” Saiximili protested unhappily, but after doing so, he suddenly shivered, and Shooting Star, who had just been arguing with him, hid behind Bai Saya like a chick. When he stealthily poked his head out to look around, his eyes were full of fear.

Saiximili suddenly felt a chill from behind. He turned and looked… Alan had an expression as scary as the devil’s as he took measure of Saiximili. His voice was as serious and oppressive as if they were in hell.

“Don’t tell me you’re not able to teach Yaya how to fly with her wings?”

Saiximili was so scared he was nearly about to burst into tears. Like a sinner, he trembled and divulged, “I know how to fly. I can teach her. I really can! I’ll definitely teach Yaya how to fly. I promise she’ll be able to fly before the ship reaches shore!”

Alan’s expression finally gentled. It was because Saiximili had joined them that it was fine for Yaya to leave the avian city without learning how to fly yet. If Alan were to discover that Saimi actually couldn’t teach Yaya how to fly, then he might get so angry that he would snap those decorative wings off of Saimi and give them to Yaya to play with.

“Since we don’t have a choice, let’s head to the Nuosi Continent first, switch ships, and then head to the Yisite Continent.”

Alan had no choice but to compromise, given the situation. Doom’s companions—or, perhaps it was only Alan who could make the final decision—finally decided to head to the demon’s continent, Nuosi.

Share