Dressed in black, he looked like a battle flag standing at the top of a mountain after successfully conquering it, fluttering and swaying against the first cold wind in the morning.
Demon King——Fred Danlitaire.
He looked out from the top and saw the far northern town of Snowa, dyed in pure and brilliant colors, completely within his sight.
However, he is not here today to implement his grand plan of conquering the mainland, nor is he here to find the holy stone, nor is he here to visit his useless son.
"——I'm just here to inspect the people."
"Ah, the Demon King came here today. Didn't he increase his followers through killing?" A soft female voice came from the space-time wormhole behind him.
"Nothing, today I am here to feel the atmosphere of the human holiday. Besides, Snow is quite 'red' now," he pointed at the people on the street who were dressed up in their seventies, wearing Santa Claus costumes and wearing white flowers. The bearded resident said, "It seems they don't need me to add more red to them."
"Pfft -" the girl behind him burst into laughter, "The monarch who is about to rule this continent is really interesting."
"Stop dragging your feet, why are you still hiding in the wormhole?"
"Well...it's so cold here at the top of the mountain!" The girl huddled in the warm space-time tunnel and refused to come out.
"Didn't I tell you that Snow is at the northernmost point of the continent? Why don't you come out with me wearing something like this?"
"I didn't know the temperature on this continent in Fan Lun was so low!"
"You've been practicing for five thousand years and you're still afraid of the cold?"
"Coldness has nothing to do with cultivation!"
"Okay, I'm afraid of you. I'll buy you some clothes when I get to Snowa later." If I wait any longer, it will be dark.
After hesitating for a moment, the girl carefully jumped out of the hole, shivering when exposed to the cold wind, wearing only a sleeveless dress.
"Hurry!" Fred, who had already walked away, urged the girl behind him for the last time.
"Humph." The girl curled her lips in dissatisfaction, crossed her arms tremblingly, and quickly followed Fred in front.
Hazelnut-shaped magic crystals of various colors and exquisite lamps and candles are all connected in slender ribbons. These ribbons are wrapped around the small pine trees that are as tall as a person. Today, such a Christmas tree is displayed in front of almost every store.
The gentle sun had just risen and illuminated the boundless sky above. Soon, the main street of Snowy was filled with a festive atmosphere. Couples, relatives, friends, everyone you can see here has a happy smile on their face. But the ones who are having the most fun are the childish children, who wear Santa hats and hold five-pointed stars in their hands, chasing each other through the streets and alleys.
The adventurers, whether they were from other places or locals, took off their heavy armor, put away their swords and shields, and devoted themselves to the annual celebration.
Even the Blade Knights who patrol the streets and are on duty greet passers-by with enthusiasm.
In fact, today is also a special holiday for the prestigious Royal College located here, so there are also many young campus students.
Colorful garlands, candies, and crowds blend into one scene to embellish this dreamy and imaginary Christmas.
"By the way, girl, what's your name?"
"I'm not a girl! My name is Rhea!" The girl protested dissatisfiedly from behind, but her voice was quickly drowned out by the Christmas songs floating in the air.
Fred ignored the shouts of the girl behind him and pointed to the clothing store ten meters away. Through the glass display window, he could see the various costumes of boys and girls displayed inside.
"Go in, this store should be the best in town."
"Damn! Be careful, I'll summon a volcano here to blow you up!"
"If this store is bombed, you won't have anything to wear. But it doesn't matter to me. It's up to you. The cold wind is so cold." Fred raised the corner of his mouth and retorted calmly.
"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" Riya gritted her teeth in anger and vowed to find an opportunity to take revenge on this hateful man later.
At this time, Fred walked over and greeted the saleswoman.
"Did the father and daughter only come to buy gifts during Christmas? You are really incompetent as a father. Look, this little girl has so little clothes!" the salesperson scolded with pity. He looked at the "little girl" with his eyes.
Father and daughter...
There were black lines on Fred's forehead, and Rhea, who was shaking with anger just now, was now laughing.
"Yeah, yeah, dad is usually very busy! He doesn't even care about me anymore! Humph."
"You...I will let this girl like you freeze to death on the street."
"Then you have to at least give me a match!"
At this time, the saleswoman interjected, "Oh my, my, how can a father talk to his daughter like this, and put on an official airs. You are so young, you don't have much experience as a father."
The "father" suddenly lost the ability to speak due to the aunt's divine understanding, and the "daughter" glanced at him slyly.
"Hahahahaha, the devil of this continent finally played a trick on me today, hahahahaha." Riya smiled evilly in her heart.
...In this way, Rhea successfully defrauded Fred of a set of the most expensive fashion in this town.
Rhea looked at herself in the mirror with satisfaction - a beret decorated with red knots, a silk coat with a dark purple shawl, a plain white lace miniskirt, white stockings, and amber tube shoes. ——A set of gorgeous fashions that can transform any girl into a member of the nobility.
"Boy, spend more time with your daughter from now on!" the aunt finally said sternly "urging" Fred who was about to leave.
"You are really good at cheating people," Fred walked while watching the people strolling on the street, and found that there were many men shopping with their children. At the same time, he kept complaining, "I have never bought gifts for others. .”
Rhea ran to a display window in front and looked at the Christmas-themed oil paintings and posters placed there with great interest, as well as the glowing decorative magic crystals below.
"Hehehe," she smiled slyly, and then noticed something was wrong in the Demon Lord's words, "You...have never bought gifts for your son and daughter?"
The Demon Lord did not look back, but looked at the family of four in the distance: a pair of parents with happy smiles on their faces, and two excited siblings sandwiched between them.
"Tsk, that's really not frank."
"Ah, what did you say?"
"Nothing! I just said I was hungry!"
"...I really shouldn't have agreed to take you to Snowva in the first place. Follow me." After saying this, Fred turned to a less traveled path.
"Hey! Wait! Where are you going?"
"Didn't you say you want something to eat? If so, don't ask and come with me. By the way, I may not have tasted food in the human world for a long time."
Rhea was curious. There were private houses like small villas on both sides. Isn't this a residential area? The Demon Lord explained impatiently that this was a shortcut to the other end of the main street.
Fred led the way, walking silently. Seeing this, the girl behind her, in order to avoid boredom, Rhea casually raised a topic.
"Why don't we talk about our respective deeds in different continents!"
"My deeds? There is nothing to mention. But I am interested in your so-called five thousand years of practice."
"Although the attitude of your request seems not to be pleasing to the eye," an angry hash mark appeared on Riya's head, "but let me let you, the Demon King, see it for the time being..."
"……Huh?"
While Rhea was happily recounting her deeds in the demon world, she noticed that Fred suddenly stopped in front of the iron fence of a double-story pearl white house, and his eyes were blank for a moment.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Let's keep walking. 'Chinese Cuisine' is almost here."
"It's already dusk. Although night is the time when the real Christmas atmosphere is present, the space-time wormhole leading to 'over there' has begun to be unsustainable. So, let's end it today! I have to be there Went back before sunset."
"I wish you could have a nice trip, girl!"
"Although your words may sound a bit harsh and displeasing to me, but no matter what, out of politeness I still have to say: Thank you for today!"
"Then I'll accept it."
"Uh-huh! You were still so venomous in the end!"
"Ah, what did you say?"
"Nothing! I'm leaving first!" Rhea finally got into the blue dimensional tunnel. As soon as the girl entered, the hole gradually shrank and became blurry.
"Hey! Why don't you come in!"
"I forgot to tell you, because we are on the same continent, I can travel freely. I will stay for a while. Goodbye, girl!"
The hole was closed, and there was no trace of the dimension cracking.
The Demon Lord looked alone at the golden setting sun from the untouchable other side, with a hint of color that could not be seen through in his deep eyes, like a past event or a memory.
A familiar male voice came from behind, as well as the pleasant sound of wine rippling in the container, "Why don't you have two drinks?"
"Oh, it turns out you are free today."
Saint-Zel threw a glass bottle filled with crystal red wine towards Fred, and then the two sat on the floor.
"How's that guy doing?"
"Philsa?"
"Nonsense, does my family have a second bastard son?"
"...After returning from a trip to the Southern Continent, my skills have indeed improved a lot. In the clock tower, I was defeated by his awakening skills. It's like the waves behind the Yangtze River push the waves ahead. It's time for you to lead The heir is proud of it." Saint Zell looked up at the starlight that gradually lit up in the night, and soon it covered up the brilliance of the single bright blue star next to it.
"...Did you regress or something?"
"But when he fought with me that day, Firsa didn't use the 'Emblem'. It's probably because he can no longer use the power of the emblem after the battle with you."
Fred was silent.
"However, a new mark appeared on his right cheek again. It should be the 'Traveler's Certificate' circulated in the Adventurer's Guild."
"It really does exist. At first I thought it was just a rumor spread by the Adventurer's Guild to scare the demons."
"...In short, you have embarked on two completely different paths for your respective beliefs. One day you will meet and confront each other again."
Fred stood up, leaving the unfinished bottle of wine on the snow.
"I will use the prosperous continent of Valentino to prove to you that the path I have chosen is correct. After tonight, we will become enemies again tomorrow."
"By the way, don't you ask about Ifei's situation?"
"His sister is the least of my worries."
Fred swung his sword forward, cutting through the dimension, and the cracks in the time wormhole opened again. Then he turned his back to his friend, took out the ice mask from his clothes and put on the ice mask that symbolized the Demon Lord. Without looking back, his figure gradually disappeared into the endless dimensional tunnel until he disappeared.
After Fred left, Saint-Zel picked up the two wine bottles on the ground and walked towards the only light on the top of the mountain - the Royal Academy of Magic and Martial Arts in the Far North.
The flying white snow covers all traces left here, including the fragrance of red wine, footprints in the snow, and the heat of people. Everything comes and goes in a hurry and disappears without a trace.
