5 Chapter 5

Must say that, accusing Shi Yu of debauchery, the Heavenly Lord didn't lie too much, because most of the funds from the palace treasury went to the daily celebrations, organized by the Demon Lord.

Despite the fact that it wasn't customary to celebrate any holidays among the immortals of the upper and lower lands[1], Shi Yu often appeared in the human world, having previously hidden his real face behind a mask woven from enchantments. Having been several times at the ceremonial receptions hosted by the nobility on the occasion of the coming of age of their offspring, Shi Yu returned to the demon world, overcome by an attack of oppressive longing.

When one of the lower demons serving him decided to inquire about his master's strange thoughtfulness, the Demon Lord reacted rather strangely.

– Hey, you, – Shi Yu stared at the servant with all his eyes, as if he saw him for the first time in his life, – what's your name?

– He Tian, Lord, – the acolyte lowered his head so as not to meet his gaze.

– How old are you, He Tian? – Shi Yu hesitated before asking another question. – What class do you belong to? How long have you been working at the palace?

– I report to the Demon Lord, – He Tian backed away, knocking an inkstone off the table, – I was born under the former Lord, therefore, I am now more than one hundred and fifty years old; I am from the class of cursing; I have been serving you since you became the Lord.

Shi Yu thought about it, and his fingers squeezed the calligraphy brush, tracing thin crescents on the paper canvas.

– Do you like to cast curses, He Tian? – What is it? – he asked. – I could transfer you to another class if you want.

– My Lord, did I do something that I shouldn't have? – the demon shook slightly, still not looking up. – If that's the case, then punish me for my offense.

Shi Yu smiled absently, running his free hand through the ends of his hair. – Today I was in the world of people and had the pleasure to look at the great celebration held on the occasion of the coming of age of the merchant's son. People repeated the word "happiness" several times, and I suddenly realized that I didn't know it. I have everything I want, but I can't make myself or others happy. Is it possible that if I gave you one of my favours, you would be a little happier, He Tian?

– My Lord, I hate to remind you, but we are both pure-blooded demons. Does the spawn of evil forces have a right to happiness? We exist in this world only so that the Gods, whom everyone worships, can kill us, perpetuating and exalting themselves in the eyes of mortals, do you understand? – the acolyte's body began to grow and increase before our eyes. In a matter of moments, blue bumps appeared through the skin, and in those places where it was torn, traces of poisonous black smoke could be seen.

– Look at me, my Lord, – He Tian threw up his hands, slowly turning his back to him, on which an ugly hump hung. I was born a real monster, does it look like I can be happy? – But if you want, we can have a celebration similar to the one you saw in the mortal world, – he added, seeing the disbelief on Shi Yu's face. – Maybe I'm wrong after all, and demons can experience a little happiness.

Since then, noisy celebrations were held every day in the palace of the Demon Lord, to which Yuan Yi was even invited several times. Receiving refusal after refusal from the Heavenly Lord, Shi Yu laughed to his heart's content, imagining how angry the Supreme God when he was invited by the demon to another drunken party.

So more than a hundred years have passed. During this time, the state of affairs in the capital of the lower world has changed significantly: while Shi Yu was trying new types of quince and plum wine in an attempt to prove to He Tian that a demon can be happy, even if it isn't destined for him, Tan Lan De decided to expand his possessions, which was significantly hindered by the territories of Han Yue, occupying a vast part of the southeastern lands and located in the neighborhood.

If someone from the lower demons had been in Han Yue's place, Tan Lan De wouldn't have disdained killing to get what he wanted, but Han Yue wasn't inferior to him in strength, besides, Han Yue had a squad of winged demons entrusted to him by Shi Yu, which greatly complicated the matter.

No one suspected that the rumors that had spread in the middle world some time ago were true: Tan Lan De began to stealing mortals to make puppets of them and oppose the Demon of water, whom he hated, perhaps even more than Shi Yu.

[1] I mean the world of the Gods - that is, the upper and the world of demons - the lower. The mortal world is somewhere in the middle.