Chapter 26: The Calm Before the Storm

This night, although Leoni slept huddled next to the fire, she felt a sense of security she had never experienced even in bed.

As dawn just began to break, Wuya woke Leoni up, and the first thing was to urge Leoni to quickly absorb her magic power. They hadn't had the chance to do this important task all day yesterday, and Wuya was genuinely worried that Leoni might fall asleep and never wake up again.

After absorbing Wuya's magic power, Leoni felt refreshed and spirited. Furthermore, Wuya said that if they flew a bit faster, they could reach the Demon Queen's Castle by tonight, which improved Leoni's mood even more.

Moreover, Leoni really helped out with his own strength last night, which was his first battle in this different world and the first time he stood in front of an enemy to resist. For someone who used to only be brave in games, this was a significant step forward.

On the other side, after Viola returned to the company's headquarters, she and Anna stayed up all night selecting promising future succubi and balancing the company's expenses and income.

Since Anna was worried about infiltration by unknown enemies into her management team, she arranged many tasks for Viola that she had not been exposed to before.

Viola, who had always been enjoying a leisurely life at the Succubus Academy, learned for the first time how closely the company was linked to the human world. She had previously thought that only succubi relied so much on the human world's magic power supply.

The development of the magic ore mines in the Demon Realm had almost come to a halt because Anna found that the costs of mining magic ores far exceeded expectations. Moreover, the monsters and local powers near the magic ore mines were becoming increasingly troublesome. In any case, it wasn't a sought-after task, so let whoever wants to exploit it do so.

In the end, the company still held the lifeline of magic power research in the Demon Realm. No matter how much these short-sighted folks caused trouble, they would eventually realize that the only ones willing to spend a lot of money on magic resources were always the company.

"Do you have any recommendations for good succubus prospects? Right now, the company's magic power transportation business needs the help of succubi more than ever before."

Viola shook her head; she had too much information to process at the moment. Since Viola had spent a long time in the demon army before, Anna also dumped all the company's military affairs onto her.

"I thought you might want to involve your little boyfriend in the company's business."

Anna flipped through pages filled with red numbers, pinching the bridge of her nose in contemplation. It seemed that the invisible enemy was causing far more damage than she had anticipated.

Their intent was clear: to conquer all the resources under Anna's control and leave the company powerless in the face of the Demon Lord, achieving victory without a fight.

"He... when I left, he was just about Level 4, hardly of any use."

"That's not the way to see it. Every life has its unique significance. Although his strength isn't great, he at least occupies the thoughts of our Miss Viola day and night, leaving her restless. That alone speaks volumes about his importance to you."

"Please, Anna, don't tease me. Are we really the only two left who can work in the entire company?"

Anna silently walked behind Viola and began massaging her shoulders. Viola, surprised and flattered that her superior was personally attending to her, quickly pushed Anna's hands away, looking at her with astonishment.

"Didn't I say? There are many who can work, but you are the only one I truly trust, Viola. I might need some unexpected strategies to turn the situation around. Otherwise, the business I've built up over the years will be devoured by an unseen enemy."

Anna gazed out the window with a worried expression. Over the years, she had made many enemies in the Demon Realm. The company needed to grow and expand, which often meant competing with many demons for resources.

But never had she felt such a great crisis, not like the actions of complacent demon nobility. Who could it be?

A name came to mind, but Anna couldn't fathom that they would devise such a meticulous plan to gradually erode the company's business in the Demon Realm, and all seemingly starting at the same time. Moreover, the idea of sending someone to threaten her collaboration was beyond her.

"Unexpected strategies? Where would we find such a thing? We can't expect me to go back to the Succubus City to call for help, can we? In times like these, succubi tend to be opportunists, siding with whoever is stronger."

"I can understand the succubi's mentality. After all, as a race, they are not adept at combat and can only seek survival in the cracks when faced with powerful enemies. The Demon Realm is in utter chaos now, and few can maintain their integrity in this turmoil."

Wuya was as good as her word, even arriving ahead of schedule. By dinner time, she had brought Leoni to the Demon Queen's Castle.

The Demon Queen's Castle, the capital of the Demon Realm, was as magnificent as the first time someone arrives at Orgrimmar in the game Shan Kou Shan, or the first glimpse of Los Santos. At this moment, Leoni was like a country bumpkin seeing the big city for the first time, finding everything novel as he followed behind Wuya.

The castle itself was like a man-made mountain, built up layer by layer, with the highest point being the residence of the Demon Queen. The sky over the castle was not clear like at the Succubus Academy. Instead, it was filled with deep purple clouds, occasionally pierced by lightning, creating the impression of a massive demon's den.

"It seems the Demon Lord is in a foul mood," Wuya said, holding Leoni's hand to prevent him from getting lost, as she looked up at the stormy sky. "Let's go grab something to eat first. I'm a bit tired after two days of flying."

Leoni agreed with Wuya's suggestion. Moreover, he was somewhat apprehensive about what might happen if they went to see Viola right away.

Would Viola and Wuya start fighting over him as soon as they met? Or would they join forces against him for being too flirtatious? Or, in the best-case scenario, would they both agree to become intimate with him?

Of course, Leoni hoped for the third option. However, given the current situation, his special constitution didn't seem to have a significant effect on Wuya anymore, and he guessed it would be the same with Viola, except for the initial surprise.

But that was enough for him. If he could just avoid Viola's initial wrath, that would be a victory. The rest he would leave to fate. After all, he couldn't meddle too much in the affairs between women, especially in a world where women were dominant, and men had little say.

"Hey, kiddo, let's go to the best restaurant in the Demon Queen's Castle. It's my treat this time."

"Okay, Wuya, I won't be polite then."

Meanwhile...

"Viola, let's take a break. I'll take you to the best restaurant to relax. It's my treat."

"Uh... then I shall graciously accept your offer."