Chapter 475: As Swift As A Fox

"Enough! Damian is a human prince. You will give him the respect deserving of one. He has given you no reason for this hostility."

Sol’s cold voice resounded across the vast royal court, carrying an authority that immediately changed the atmosphere.

The pressure surrounding the room became noticeably heavier, and even the distant ministers listening beyond the doors instinctively lowered their heads.

Leo frowned deeply, his golden eyes shifting toward Sol with clear disagreement.

"Don’t allow your sentiments to cloud your judgment," Leo argued, his voice low but firm.

He clearly believed his concerns were justified, and unlike the others who blindly feared Sol’s temper, Leo had existed beside him for far too long to remain completely silent when he believed his master was making a mistake.

Sol, however, was not having it.

"I said enough," he hissed, and the warmth that had been present in his expression disappeared completely.

Leo’s frown deepened. For several tense seconds, the lion remained standing where he was, his massive body blocking part of Sol’s throne. His instincts clearly urged him to continue arguing, but under Sol’s increasingly cold gaze, he eventually turned away.

The golden lion reluctantly retreated to the side of the throne and laid down, though his eyes remained fixed on Damian with obvious distrust.

Damian let out a slow sigh and leaned back into his throne, casually crossing his legs as though the confrontation had never happened.

Internally, however, he was already adjusting his plans. Leo was far more observant than he had expected, and if he wanted to continue using Sol as a shield without exposing his true intentions, he would have to be careful.

"I’ve no intention of letting Amon or Darbin survive," he finally said.

Buzz!

Sol and Leo immediately turned toward him, their eyes widening in surprise. Even the ministers gathered beyond the massive doors exchanged shocked glances.

Sol had been preparing to question Damian about the two captured Dukes again, but Damian had taken the initiative and answered before anyone could force the subject.

His eyes briefly shifted toward Leo, and there was almost a mocking amusement in his expression. The look seemed to tell the lion that this conversation would have reached the same conclusion much sooner if Leo had not been so determined to interrogate him like a criminal.

"Really?" Sol asked, the coldness in his eyes slowly fading.

Damian nodded firmly and leaned against the side of his throne, resting his chin on his palm.

"The Dukes are the power base of all demons and princes in the Underworld. The more I kill, the more I permanently weaken them. I will never give up such an opportunity."

Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha!

Sol burst into loud laughter, satisfaction spreading across his face. The sound echoed through the court as he leaned back on his throne, clearly pleased by Damian’s ruthless logic.

"I like the way you think. You have never disappointed me!" Sol laughed.

Leo, however, looked genuinely stunned. His eyes remained fixed on Damian as the implications of those words settled in his mind. This was not a statement Damian could casually take back later. If Amon and Darbin survived, Sol would immediately question his loyalty and begin wondering whether the Prince of Lust was simply another puppet being controlled by the demon race.

"And the aftermath?" Leo asked after Sol’s laughter finally faded. His voice was noticeably calmer than before, though his suspicion had not completely disappeared.

"How will you deal with it?"

Damian glanced at him and shrugged indifferently. "I’ll deal with it as it comes, just like I have dealt with every other problem."

He reached into his robe and pulled out a small cigar box. Without rushing, he opened it and removed one of the remaining sticks before placing it between his lips. Purple flames appeared at the other end, and Damian leaned back before taking a slow drag. The smoke filled his lungs for a moment before he released it through his nose.

"In all of this, do you know what the greatest obstacle to my success is?" Damian asked, his voice slightly muffled by the cigar between his lips.

Sol and Leo exchanged a brief glance. Slowly, Damian lowered his face and met their slightly confused gazes.

"What?" Sol and Leo asked almost at the same time.

Damian removed the cigar from his mouth and pointed it toward them.

"You two."

Buzz!

Leo’s eyes narrowed immediately, while Sol’s expression became thoughtful instead of offended.

"How so?" Sol asked.

Damian took another drag before releasing a thick plume of purple smoke into the air.

"My greatest strength is that everyone underestimates me. I’m just a Demigod who gained his inheritance barely a decade ago. It would be shameful if several princes united or exerted too much effort just to deal with someone like me."

He paused and slowly knocked the ash from his cigar onto the polished floor without showing the slightest concern.

"But what happens when they realize I have the backing of the strongest prince in the Underworld?"

Buzz!

Sol and Leo’s expressions changed at once. The realization was immediate, but Damian did not give either of them time to respond.

"If the other princes have reason to believe I follow you, then they have all the justification they need to end me. They will unite and bring me down before I can reach the God realm and become a proper addition to your already overwhelming force." Damian’s gaze became serious as he leaned forward. "That is why I cannot be seen taking your side in any way. Those spies that were caught must die publicly for my image of neutrality to remain intact. That way, all my attacks against the demon race can be written off as the actions of a new reckless prince drunk on his newfound power."

Buzz!

Leo slowly rose to his feet, his golden eyes trembling as he considered everything Damian had said. For the first time since the conversation began, the lion had no immediate argument. The situation truly became clearer the more he thought about it.

If Damian publicly executed Duke Darbin and Amon, the other powers in the Underworld would likely dismiss it as the reckless behavior of a newly empowered prince desperately trying to regain control of his realm. They might hate him, but hatred alone would not necessarily unite them. However, if evidence emerged that Damian was secretly associated with Sol, the entire situation would change.

The executions could immediately be portrayed as an attempt by Sol to use Damian to weaken the power of the Council. That accusation alone could give rival princes the excuse they needed to rally their forces together. Velmora could find itself besieged from several directions before Damian even has the opportunity to properly consolidate his authority.

Leo slowly lowered his head. He could find no fault in Damian’s reasoning.

"If that’s what you have to do, kill them," Sol finally said, breaking the silence. "But make it quick and painless."

Leo’s eyes widened as he turned toward him. Even he had not expected Sol to make such a decision so quickly, especially when it involved the possible deaths of humans.

Sol noticed the surprise in Leo’s expression and calmly continued. "We are giving you two humans for two Duke level demons. While it pains me, their deaths are not without meaning."

Leo’s expression tightened, but he eventually nodded. "I understand."

He could not argue with that logic. From Sol’s perspective, sacrificing two ordinary humans to preserve the image of Damian’s political independence was an acceptable exchange for the deaths of two powerful demons who had will form part of the foundation supporting the other princes if allowed to survive.

Sol then returned his attention to Damian, and a friendly smile appeared on his lips.

"We are the only human princes in the Underworld. We must stick together for the sake of our race."

Leo nodded without hesitation.

"Of course. I learned that the hard way while on Earth," Damian replied.

His expression remained calm, but his fists slowly clenched beneath his sleeves until they began trembling.

Sol smiled in satisfaction before rising from his throne. His enormous figure moved toward Damian with heavy, deliberate steps. He stopped directly in front of him and stretched out his hand.

"The next time we meet will be at the Council of Princes. I look forward to hearing more stories about you traumatizing demons," he said with amusement.

A small smile tugged at Damian’s lips as he rose to his feet and looked up. Only now that they were standing face to face did he truly appreciate the difference in their physiques. Sol towered over him, broad shouldered and powerfully built like a figure carved from the image of an ancient god. Standing before him, Damian appeared significantly smaller, yet there was no fear in his eyes.

"Of course," Damian replied. "With the Order of Demons breathing down my neck, you will definitely be entertained."

Sol laughed softly, and Damian reached forward, firmly shaking his hand.