Chapter 426: A Demon’s Methods
"Thank you, my lord."
The sudden attack had nearly scared the soldier out of his wits. When he finally came back to his senses, he dropped to his knees and repeatedly kowtowed in gratitude.
The fact that Lady Ashina had saved his life was already beyond anything he could have imagined. As for a noble baron personally stepping in to rescue him, that was something he would never have dared dream of.
After all, the attacker was a vicious Divine Chosen who could tear an ordinary person to pieces at any moment.
"I would gladly die for you, my lord!" the soldier declared fanatically as he threw himself to the ground.
"Be more careful next time. All of you may leave. I need to interrogate the prisoner."
Phield waved his hand with a smile.
"Yes, my lord!"
The soldiers immediately withdrew.
"Damn it. She almost cost me one of my men."
The smile disappeared from Phield’s face as his expression darkened with irritation.
Training an elite soldier took a tremendous amount of time, discipline, education, and real combat experience. They received the best food the territory could provide because they were the backbone of future battles. Once they grew old, they could even become instructors for the next generation.
Some of them were men whose names he knew personally.
They were never expendable cannon fodder.
"Bah. Lackey of demons. Scum who sides with demi humans."
Elin glared at him in anger. Having only just regained consciousness, she spoke with an adorable little girl’s voice that completely contradicted the maturity of her words.
"You parasite!"
"Hmph. You sure have a lot to say for a prisoner. Shut your mouth."
The moment Ashina heard Elin insulting her lord, she drove a punch straight into the girl’s stomach.
She had even activated her Armor Break skill, turning the strike into a devastating critical hit.
"Ugh..."
Drool spilled from Elin’s lips as her slender legs twitched weakly against the floor. Her entire body tensed before going limp again.
Ashina’s nose twitched as a strange expression appeared on her face. There wasn’t the slightest trace of pity in her crimson eyes.
"The scent of cowardice. You’re far too fragile. Don’t dirty the floor."
In front of her lord, Ashina was obedient enough to resemble an eager puppy.
In reality, she was cunning and ruthless.
Like a true wolf, she showed no mercy once the killing began and excelled at wiping cities off the map.
"My lord, they’re spoils of war. Do with them as you please."
Ashina turned around, her wolf tail swaying lazily behind her.
"Weak prey should be dealt with according to tradition and consumed until there’s nothing left."
"Tradition? You mean the traditions of wolf demi humans? Tell me more."
Phield looked genuinely curious.
"Of course. They become the lord’s personal property. If they can bear the chief’s children, then they still have some value. If my lord grows tired of them, they can be rewarded to the soldiers to raise morale or traded with other races."
Ashina scratched her head.
"Enemies defeated honorably on the battlefield deserve a warrior’s death. Rats hiding in the shadows don’t deserve such an honor."
"I see."
Phield nodded.
Every nation and race across the continent had its own customs and culture.
The harsh environment the demi humans lived in had made their traditions especially brutal.
"Elin, answer me this."
Phield’s expression became serious.
"What is the Hero King’s real name? When was your organization founded? The famine across the three provinces has only lasted a year. How did things deteriorate this badly?"
"Pah!"
Elin spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva.
"I’d rather die than tell you anything. You bastard who works with demons and demi humans. We’ll never surrender. We’ve already learned everything about you. Everything you have came from making deals with demons."
If Ashina hadn’t already picked up her artifact, Elin would have blown herself up on the spot.
Phield’s anger continued to rise.
"I won’t explain this a second time. My hands are stained with blood, but I have never harmed my own people. Everything this territory has today was built through everyone’s hard work together."
Back in the territory, Rosalia split boulders apart.
Ashina handled transportation.
The little fox spent every day forging weapons.
Everyone devoted themselves to building the territory.
Yet in her eyes, all of it had simply come from bargains with demons.
"I don’t believe you. None of you are good people. Damn demon. The Hero King’s army will kill you and every one of your lackeys."
"Good. Since every one of you insists I’m a demon, then I’ll show you exactly what a demon can do."
Phield finally exploded.
His family had oppressed him.
The Shadow World Sect had oppressed him.
The Empire had oppressed him.
Fine.
He had endured it all.
He had hidden himself away in Nightfall Domain, painstakingly developing his territory, only for the Empress of The Ancient Moon Empire to lure him into a trap that had nearly gotten him killed.
Now Night Owl had come looking for trouble as well.
Did everyone really think he had no temper at all?
He strode forward, roughly grabbing Elin.
"H Hey! W What are you doing?"
The girl’s pupils shook violently as her body stiffened like she had been struck by lightning.
Phield seized her in one motion, heavily censored everything that followed, and then...
Omitted.
"Waaah... Once I’m free, I’ll beat you up nine times in three days! Damn demon!"
"Oh? A demon, am I?"
Omitted.
"Waaah... I won’t tell you anything."
"You still won’t talk?"
Omitted.
"Uh... Mmph..."
Elin’s words dissolved into incoherent muttering.
"I can’t hear you!"
Omitted.
Hwaily slowly woke after hearing the strange sounds.
The moment she saw what was happening, her face instantly turned pale.
"Ah! What are you doing?"
"I almost forgot to educate you too."
Still consumed by rage, Phield continued.
"You idiot. You’re obviously not the type I can get information out of. Looks like your personality needs some serious correction."
Omitted...
The following morning, Phield looked completely refreshed.
While eating breakfast, he sketched blueprints across a map.
"The first residential district is being completed even faster than I expected. Once the construction crews finish building the new houses, I’ll have them take the newly arrived slaves to the borders of the territory and build defensive walls."
He marked wall symbols across the strategic routes connecting the Viscount’s territory, Dragonberry Domain, Dawnfall Domain, and Cloud Veil Domain.
"That should improve our security even further."
"Mhm, my lord."
Ashina bit into a steak while pointing at the map with greasy fingers.
"I think we should build an outpost on the road leading to Maple Leaf Domain. Simon may have eased tensions with us, but he’s still a potential enemy."
"Exactly. I’ve already made arrangements."
Phield set the map aside.
"I’ll assign the right people to station outside the Maple Leaf fortress."
He then looked toward the other side of the breakfast table.
Hwaily and Elin sat there looking like crying kittens.
They ate their breakfast while tears and snot streamed down their faces. Their eyes were swollen red, yet neither dared utter a single complaint. They behaved with perfect obedience.
"How strange."
Phield rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Whenever he discussed problems with Ashina, he always felt exhausted afterward.
Yet whenever he debated philosophy with Night Owl’s people, he woke up the next day feeling completely energized.
"I wonder why that is."
Shaking the random thought from his mind, Phield looked at the two girls with a serious expression.
"So, ladies, are you finally willing to tell me about Night Owl?"
"N No..."
The two girls clutched their bread and stubbornly shook their heads.
"Forget it. Since you enjoy working so much, you can become laborers instead."
Phield sighed helplessly and waved his hand.
"I’ll pay you wages."