Yuna grabbed a chicken leg and gnawed on it hungrily. Watching the fleeting glint in Ethan Gray's eyes, she mumbled vaguely, "So scary..." She couldn't help but feel sorry for anyone who got schemed against by the Dark Lord.
Her forehead was flicked, and Ethan Gray looked at her with a half-smile. Don't think he hadn't heard her—this little kitten was getting bolder by the day!
"Hehe..." Yuna grinned at him, trying to please, then added, "But I like it..."
Ethan Gray raised his eyebrows. Hmm, she was getting cleverer too. But he liked that as well.
True to his word, Ethan Gray set out for the capital early the next morning. Still, the journey was leisurely.
They finally entered the capital at a relaxed pace, not rushing to the palace and not hurrying to the Ghost King's Manor. Instead, they found an inn to rest.
During this time, Cynthia Qi remained silent and looked unwell. After dinner, she retired early to her room to rest.
Ethan Gray paid her no mind. Cynthia Qi was just a pawn—no matter how cunning, she was a minor player, not worth his attention. He wasn't worried about her causing trouble; rather than removing her, it was better to make use of her.
Throughout the journey, Ethan Gray and Yuna acted as usual. Lynn Yee was already used to Ethan's ways and found nothing surprising, while Cynthia Qi was too anxious to pay attention to anything else.
Cynthia Qi brought along a maid but no guards—after all, with the Demon Lord present, her safety was assured, so long as Ethan Gray didn't want her dead. The maid was diligent, attending only to Cynthia, never prying or asking questions. Clearly, she too feared the legendary Demon Lord. Thus, no one paid attention to the open flirtation between man and cat.
Although she was anxious, Cynthia Qi hadn't dared to act rashly these past days. But now that they were in the capital, tomorrow she'd enter the palace—by then, it would be too late.
Cynthia Qi sent her maid out of the room and sat alone, twisting her sleeve until it was misshapen, her expression constantly shifting.
At last, as if making up her mind, she suddenly stood up, her eyes filled with a desperate resolve.
She looked up and saw a crescent moon outside the window. Night had fallen—it seemed she'd been sitting for a long time. But darkness was just what she needed.
They were staying in a secluded little courtyard, perfectly quiet. Now, with night fallen, not a sound could be heard, which made Cynthia Qi feel uneasy. She took a deep breath and silently headed toward Ethan Gray's room.
Standing before the door, Cynthia Qi listened carefully for any sounds inside. After a long while, she heard nothing but breathing—it seemed Ethan Gray was asleep.
Cynthia Qi bit her lip, then finally reached out and gently pushed open the door, making no sound at all.
There was no light in the room, but by the moonlight outside the window, she could vaguely see someone lying on the bed. Cynthia Qi carefully closed the door and tiptoed toward the bedside.
She saw the person on the bed frowning, a trace of sweat on his forehead, as if he were sleeping uneasily.
Cynthia Qi stared at him in a daze. She considered herself attractive—why did he find it unnecessary to spare her even a glance? Instead, his gaze always lingered on that cat, eating and sleeping together, treating her gently. Cynthia found it hard to believe that, in his eyes, she was worth less than a cat.
Her gaze swept the room, but she didn't see any sign of the cat. She assumed it had gone out to mingle with strays, not realizing she'd forgotten Yuna was a Divine Beast. Though she looked like a cat, she wasn't one, and would never have such habits.
She glanced at the man on the bed again, then slowly raised her hand and untied her sash. Her robe slipped off, revealing her graceful figure, alluring under the moonlight.
A bitter smile tugged at Cynthia Qi's lips. She never thought she'd come to this—using her body to keep a man from leaving.
She leaned down and gently kissed his thin lips. The heat made her tremble slightly. Looking up, she met a pair of blood-red eyes filled with murderous intent. Cynthia Qi clung to him, tears in her eyes, pleading, "Don't push me away..." She didn't want to enter the palace; she only wanted to stay by his side.
The murderous aura gradually faded. Those blood-red eyes narrowed as he looked at her for a moment. Suddenly, he pulled her into his arms, rolled over, and his scorching lips covered hers, urgent and hungry, beginning his conquest.
Cynthia Qi couldn't think of anything—she simply melted in his embrace, rising and falling with him, surrendering to his possession again and again. Her worries slowly faded. Perhaps, in the end, he did care for her a little. After tonight, surely he wouldn't send her into the palace.
"Ethan Gray, I'm going to kill you!" Early in the morning, a furious roar echoed from the little courtyard behind the inn.
Bang! The door was kicked open, and a handsome man, blazing with fury, stormed in. He glared at the large bed behind the closed curtains, nearly steaming with anger.
Damn it! He'd been tricked again!
A slender, well-defined hand reached out and lazily pulled back the bed curtains. Ethan Gray got out of bed, a loose robe draped over him, looking both lazy and seductive, a satisfied smile on his lips. He grinned wickedly—the face was identical to the intruder's, and both men were disheveled, their chests covered with kiss marks.
Ethan Gray sat down to the side, glanced at the man before him, and shook his head. "Your Majesty, instead of handling affairs in the palace, why disguise yourself as your humble servant and sneak out? I have too many enemies—if you run into any dangerous people, your safety can't be guaranteed." His words were polite enough, but his tone was anything but respectful; he showed no sign of deference to his sovereign.
Emperor Augustus clenched his fists, his narrowed eyes blazing with fury. He sneered, "I doubt there's anyone in this world more dangerous than the Dark Lord!"
Ethan Gray raised his eyebrows indifferently. "There's always someone stronger, something greater."
Emperor Augustus gritted his teeth in frustration. "Ethan Gray, how dare you drug me? That's a capital offense!"
Ethan Gray leisurely poured himself a cup of tea before responding, "Is Your Majesty here to pass judgment?"
Seeing his utter indifference, Emperor Augustus exploded. "Ethan Gray, you bastard! Don't think I won't dare!" His anger was so great, he even changed the way he addressed him.