Chapter 515: Celebrity of Velmora

Damian stared through the carriage window for several seconds, watching the streets of Velmora pass by as the procession continued toward the city square. The capital was more crowded than he had expected.

Demons filled the streets, gathered around buildings and packed into every open space where they could catch even a glimpse of the royal procession. Soldiers stood at regular intervals along the roads, forcing the crowd to remain behind the designated boundaries while additional guards watched the rooftops and balconies for anything suspicious.

Damian eventually turned his attention back toward Lucy, his expression becoming considerably more serious.

"I should kill Amon for his contribution to the weakening of Velmora’s army, but I understand the desperation that comes with standing alone while surrounded by enemies. That’s the main reason I decided to keep him alive. But after what you just told me, I won’t lie, I’m a bit tempted to revoke the mercy extended to him." Damian said honestly.

Lucy understood exactly what he meant. The information she had just given him painted a far uglier picture of Velmora’s military decline than Damian had initially realized. According to the records and reports she had reviewed, the entire realm could not even boast of a hundred functional artillery weapons.

Most of those weapons had been left unattended for so long that they had deteriorated beyond practical use, leaving only twenty that were currently considered war ready. Even those twenty had been distributed sparsely across the capital’s walls, meaning that a coordinated assault could overwhelm individual defensive positions before reinforcements could arrive.

The problems extended far beyond artillery. Weapons, armor and other military equipment were so scarce that a considerable portion of Velmora’s soldiers could not be properly equipped for a serious war.

That weakness had been one of the major reasons Velmora had eventually lost control of its God Vein mine in the Dark Continent, a resource that should have been among the greatest strategic assets of the realm.

"I know. I honestly understand how you feel right now." Lucy said, her voice calm and sincere. "To be honest, I have been following your story from the very beginning, so I know everything you have gone through and I understand why you have done everything you have done so far. That is why our clan is prepared to dedicate its life to restoring everything it cost this realm and rebuilding it to its former glory. But you must understand, everything Amon did was to protect himself and his family against your... I mean Lin Qui’s wives and their family."

Damian silently nodded.

He understood that distinction, and that was precisely why Amon was still breathing. Amon had not weakened Velmora’s military simply because he wanted to see the realm suffer. He had been maneuvering to keep his family alive in an environment where he was treated like an outcast. Damian could condemn Amon’s actions while still recognizing the circumstances that had produced them.

"This mess will not be easy to deal with, and it came at the wrong time when your coronation is near. This means Hagrid’s rebellion will most likely have supporters from those three clans." Rin said from Damian’s shoulder.

Damian’s expression immediately hardened.

"Then every single one of them will be wiped off the face of the universe!" Damian hissed, his eyes suddenly turning pitch black.

Lucy froze.

The transformation lasted only a moment, but the sensation that accompanied it was enough to make her entire body tense. Damian’s already immense presence suddenly vanished as though someone had erased him from reality. He was still sitting directly across from her, yet for that brief moment Lucy could not sense him at all.

There was no demonic force, no spiritual pressure and no trace of his existence. It was as though the seat across from her had suddenly become empty, and somehow that absence was more terrifying than Damian’s overwhelming presence had ever been.

Damian quickly covered his right eye with his hand and slowly stabilized his breathing. The darkness gradually receded from his left eye, his normal violet gaze returning as the oppressive sensation disappeared along with it. He lowered his hand and leaned against the carriage seat, seemingly forcing himself back into control.

Lucy stared at him with genuine shock.

"I’m not sure what that inheritance is or where you got it from, but my lord really has deep expectations of you. He even claims he is certain you will be the next Demon Lord." Lucy said cautiously.

Damian leaned back and crossed his feet, his expression becoming calmer as his eyes settled on her again. "And you feel otherwise?" He asked.

"Of course not." Lucy replied immediately. "For one, I don’t think you are a fool, so I have come to the conclusion that whatever you are hiding makes you bold enough to challenge the order of things in the Underworld despite being a Demigod. Just the same way you shocked the universe when you defeated Kaizer and split the dragon in two. I believe you will come out on top in your battle against Greed during your coronation. I just want to be there to witness everything."

Damian nonchalantly nodded and returned his attention to the window. Outside, the crowd continued growing denser as the carriage approached the heart of the capital.

People were standing on balconies, climbing onto rooftops and gathering around intersections just to watch the procession pass. Most of them cheered when they saw the royal insignia, while others simply stared in silence.

Damian occasionally caught glimpses of individuals watching his carriage with cold expressions that contrasted sharply with the enthusiasm surrounding them. Those faces immediately reminded him why he could not afford to relax. Somewhere among millions of people could be enemies waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

Lucy seemed to notice his attention wandering toward those suspicious faces, so she decided to continue the conversation.

"I was told of the Skunk mask you got from Cinderfall, which you had put on a death row prisoner to change his appearance to that of Lord Amon. That way you can feign his execution. My lord said it was flawed compared to the fox deity mask you gave him to hide his true appearance while serving in the Dark World. He called it a cheap imitation, but it’s still disturbing that something that dangerous can be mass produced."

The comment immediately caught Damian’s interest. He turned away from the window and looked directly at her.

"I got it from Cinderfall, but they were all produced by the Sin of Envy." He said with a frown.

"Bel... I mean Envy?!" Lucy blurted out in surprise.

Damian nodded, his eyes tightening. He was not sure why, but everything about Belial bothered him more than he wanted to admit. Even Kaizer’s overwhelming presence and hatred did not produce quite the same irritation. Belial was different. The Prince of Envy seemed to operate from behind layers of schemes, technology and manipulation, and every time Damian encountered something connected to him, he discovered another reason to be cautious.

"That reminds me..." Damian said, his expression becoming thoughtful. "We need to get our hands on a large quantity of Soul Moths and incorporate them into our military. I got to understand the use of them in Cinderfall."

He opened one of his sleeves, and a rainbow colored Soul Moth fluttered out before landing gently on his shoulder. Lucy’s eyes widened as she watched the strange creature settle beside Rin. The Soul Moth shifted slightly before Damian addressed it.

"Loyd, are you there?"

The rainbow colored moth immediately turned crimson.

"Of course, sire. Our position is secured. The criminals are chained to the execution ground. All we are waiting for now is your arrival." Loyd’s voice rang from the moth, clear enough for both Damian and Lucy to hear.

"Have you found anything suspicious?" Damian asked calmly.

"Not at all, sire. The rooftops have been manned by our people across the rooftops. We believe they must be hiding amongst the insane crowd here." Loyd informed him.

Damian slowly nodded. "Good work. Keep your eyes peeled and await my arrival. If they do not show up, I will draw them out myself!" He hissed.

The conversation ended, and the Soul Moth returned to its normal rainbow coloration. Damian closed his sleeve and leaned back again. For another thirty minutes, the carriage continued through the packed streets while the security formation around it remained intact. Soldiers maintained the boundaries between the procession and the crowd, while commanders constantly communicated with one another to ensure that no suspicious movement went unnoticed. Every intersection they passed had additional guards stationed nearby, and the rooftops were occupied by soldiers and members of Loyd’s forces.

Eventually, the buildings opened into the enormous city square.

The scale of the gathering became immediately apparent.

The square itself was overflowing, while the roads leading into it were equally packed. Demons were pressed together so tightly that there was barely enough space for the royal procession to pass through. The crowd stretched far beyond the square, filling streets and spilling into surrounding districts. Those unable to get close to the execution grounds had climbed onto rooftops and balconies, while several of the larger magical viewing devices had been positioned throughout the capital so that people farther away could witness what was about to happen.

When the carriage finally stopped, William approached and opened the door. Damian stepped out with Rin standing proudly on his shoulder while Lucy followed behind him.

The moment Damian emerged, the entire city square erupted.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The roar of millions of voices struck the surrounding buildings and rolled across the capital like thunder. Damian remained still for several seconds, genuinely stunned by the scale of the support. He had expected a crowd, perhaps even a massive one, but he had not expected nearly the entire center of the capital to appear occupied.

Perhaps they supported him because of his recent acts of mercy. Perhaps it was because he had entered Cinderfall and rescued Fulgur from Kaizer’s forces. Perhaps they simply respected the overwhelming strength he had demonstrated since ascending to the throne. Whatever the reason, the reaction was far greater than Damian had anticipated.

A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

His gaze moved slowly across the crowd, and his eyes widened slightly as he took in the sheer numbers. People were literally packed together, shoulder against shoulder, stretching far beyond the boundaries of the city square. Now he understood why the roads had been so congested during the journey. The people who could not fit into the square had filled every surrounding street, desperate for even a distant glimpse of the event that would determine the future of Velmora.

At the center of the square stood the execution platform, constructed several meters above the ground so that the condemned could be seen clearly by those nearest to it. Damian could not yet see the prisoners from his position, and the same was true of the observation platform prepared for the royal family and senior officials. His gaze then shifted upward.

Several enormous bubbles of water floated freely through the air above the capital.

Damian’s eyes narrowed with curiosity before he realized what they were. Within each bubble, images of the execution square were being projected, allowing demons throughout Velmora to watch the proceedings remotely. The bubbles were scattered across the capital, positioned near the city gates, along major streets, throughout important districts and even near the Violet Palace. He had never known such a system existed, which was hardly surprising considering that he had spent most of his existence either fighting for survival or dealing with one crisis after another.

His attention eventually settled on the images visible within the nearest water bubble.

Duke Darbin, the fake Amon, Lilith, Malakor and Sargathis could be seen kneeling on the execution platform. They had been stripped of their noble garments and dressed in dirty white clothes, their bodies bound tightly with golden chains. Golden cracks spread across their bodies and faces, suppressing their demonic force and preventing them from using their abilities. Their mouths had been gagged as well, exactly as Damian had ordered.

He could not allow the fake Amon to scream to the world that he was not actually Amon.

Everything had been arranged carefully.

Damian looked toward William, who was already waiting several meters away. "This way, sire." William said, waving toward the observation platform.

Damian did not answer. He simply bent his knees slightly and shot into the air under the gaze of millions. His robes fluttered behind him as he crossed the distance in an instant before descending onto the observation platform.

The moment his feet touched the surface, the crowd erupted again, their combined voices shaking the entire square.

Damian ignored them. His vicious gaze was fixed on the prisoners seated near him.

Darbin’s face immediately tightened when he saw Damian. The others stared as well, their expressions ranging from hatred to fear and resignation. Damian slowly stepped forward, his eyes moving from one prisoner to another.

"Darbin, Amon, Lilith, Malakor, Sargathis... I have come to take your lives like I promised!"

The roar that followed was deafening.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"