Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

Commercial area.

Lin Gui manipulated the levitation technique, with a string of wooden boxes tied with straw ropes swaying behind him.

It was filled with freshly purchased supplies.

He squeezed into the bustling crowds in the commercial district, surrounded by a noisy celebratory atmosphere.

The store entrance was covered with promotional ribbons and banners:

"Blessed by the Holy Maiden, everything is 10% off!"

"Celebrating the eternal existence of the capital, buy one get one free!"

Celebrating crowds flooded the streets, the smells of alcohol, food, and sweat mingling together.

Everyone's face was filled with the ecstatic joy of surviving a disaster.

Lin Gui was pushed and shoved by the crowd, struggling to move forward.

He had to go and buy those outrageous novels for Sia.

Following the vague address on Shea's note, he turned into a slightly quieter alley.

Deep in the alley, a shop sign features a picture of books and quill pens, and the shop's name is "Ink Fragrance and Dragon Scale Bookstore".

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, the doorbell rang softly.

The store is warm and quiet, isolated from the hustle and bustle outside.

The air was filled with the smell of old paper and ink.

Several elegantly dressed noble ladies gathered in front of the bookshelf, discussing the latest love stories in hushed tones.

A noble young man leaned against the counter, haggling with the shopkeeper over a finely bound collection of poems.

Their maids stood quietly behind them, holding several books in their hands.

His face turned red.

Meanwhile, several ordinary girls with anxious expressions secretly huddled together in a corner to watch.

Lin Gui's simple mage robe, coupled with the string of boxes floating behind him, made him seem out of place.

He ignored the curious glances directed at him, pulled out the list, and began searching against the bookshelf.

"The Elf Princess's Runaway Sweetheart"... Found it.

"The Overbearing Dragon's Little Darling"... Hmm, this one.

"The Story I Had to Tell with the Seven Knights"... There's even an illustrated version.

He was reaching for the book, "The Cold-Faced Duke's Contract Lover".

Suddenly, someone poked me in the back, not too hard, not too soft.

Lin Gui frowned and turned his head.

A girl dressed in the standard mage robes of the Northwind Caravan was puffing out her cheeks and glaring at him angrily.

He was a member of the North Wind Caravan whom I had met once at the transport guild.

Betty.

Her robe was covered in dust.

Her hair was a little messy, and there was a faint bluish tinge under her eyes.

He looked exhausted and sleep-deprived.

"Little mage!" Betty practically gritted her teeth as she spoke.

"You rascal! Where have you been these past few days?! We've been looking for you like crazy!"

She got angrier and angrier as she spoke, her words coming out like a machine gun.

"I turned the entire capital upside down to find you!"

"Ask where the sewer entrance is from the hotels in the upper-level area!"

"My legs are about to break! I almost went to report him missing!"

She raised her hand, seemingly wanting to give Lin Gui a flick on the forehead, or some other kind of lesson.

Lin Gui stepped aside and looked at her speechlessly.

"The agreed departure date was the day after tomorrow. You changed your plans, so how can you blame me for that?"

Betty's hand, which was raised halfway, froze, and the anger on her face instantly solidified, turning her into a somewhat embarrassed person.

This matter really cannot be blamed on Lin Gui.

Moreover, the caravan set off early because the reward offered by King Carter was too generous.

Freya couldn't refuse.

She coughed awkwardly and lowered her hand.

"Ahem... well... anyway, you're coming with me now."

"We must set off tonight to meet at Twilight Fortress."

"Teacher Freya, after we deal with the demon tide, we need to head to Aegis City."

Lin Gui shook his head immediately: "No, I have important things to do."

Betty frowned: "What could be more important than getting somewhere?"

Lin Gui fell silent.

Besides informing the saint of his agreement with Carlyle, so that she and the church could be informed, he also...

It seems there's nothing else.

The image of Xia's expectant eyes flashed through Lin Gui's mind, and he could only apologize to Xia in his heart.

"Tomorrow," Lin Gui said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"How about we leave after the Church of Light's forces leave the capital?"

Betty stared at him for a few seconds, noticing his persistence.

She sighed helplessly, "Fine! Tomorrow it is! But where am I supposed to find you then?"

"Wait for me outside the city gate at noon."

After finishing his sentence, Lin Gui ignored her and walked towards the counter with the ten novels he had chosen.

He presented his bank receipt, but the clerk told him there was no money left in the account.

He had no choice but to take out his own money from his pocket.

After the shop assistant finished counting the books, he announced a price: "Thank you, one thousand gold coins."

Lin Gui's hand, which was offering gold coins, froze in mid-air. He slowly raised his head:

"……How many?"

The prices in this doomsday city-state always far exceeded his expectations.

Lin Gui returned to the post office.

He went up to the attic and found that Saint Eve had already woken up.

She was sitting by the bed, her palms emitting a soft white light, healing the pale-faced Elvia.

Elvia leaned back in her chair, humming weakly.

Shea is no longer in the room.

Clearly, she left the capital immediately after the saintess awoke.

The Church of Light's forces were still in the city; she couldn't stay any longer.

"You're back." Eve turned her head, her purple eyes looking at Lin Gui, calm and undisturbed.

Lin Gui put down the supplies, walked up to her, and got straight to the point.

"Carlyle has planted a mark in your soul."

"He made a promise with me that I would watch over you."

"From now on, you must follow my lead."

Eve smiled faintly, as if she had expected this all along.

"OK."

She agreed readily and decisively, without the slightest hesitation.

Lin Gui frowned as he looked at her calm demeanor and asked:

"Will the Vatican let you come with me?"

Eve nodded slightly, her tone carrying a peculiar calmness.

"rest assured."

"To the Holy See, the saint herself... is not important."

"The important thing is whether the divination can be activated."

"As long as I can go back and complete my 'mission,' they won't care where I've been or what I've done during this time."

Her voice was ethereal, yet it carried a subtle hint of coldness.

Under the cover of night.

Lin Gui brought Eve to the luxury hotel where the church personnel in the upper district were stationed.

Eve stood in a relatively quiet corner outside the hotel and did not go inside.

She stretched out her fair fingers and drew them in the air.

A tiny, exquisitely structured rune, composed of faint golden light, quietly appeared and then disappeared into the air.

Before long, the tall and imposing figure of Discipline Knight Daniel appeared at the hotel entrance.

He strode over, his metal boots striking the ground with a steady sound.

The gaze behind the mask swept over Lin Gui and finally landed on Eve.

"Your Highness."

Eve spoke calmly.

"Daniel, I'm about to leave with Mr. Lin Gui to find Avalon."

Daniel remained silent for a moment.

The air seemed to freeze for a few seconds.

Finally, he bowed slightly, his voice sounding somewhat muffled through his visor.

"Yes, Your Highness."

He neither questioned nor dissuaded them.

But he paused for a moment before turning to leave.

The deep voice carried an unquestionable tone.

"Please remember not to miss the 'Sign of the Warrior' next spring."

Lin Gui noticed that whenever Eve heard this word, a very faint shadow would almost imperceptibly cross her usually calm expression.

A sign of courage.

This was the most tragic and desperate action launched by the surviving race alliance after the Demon God descended to earth.

After each Kuroshio Current recedes...

The alliance will then gather the most outstanding geniuses and strongmen from various races.

They formed a team, ventured deep into the demon realm, and set their sights on the demon god, attempting a decapitation strike.

Forty years since the Demon God descended to earth, the Alliance has launched twenty "Hero's Conquests".

Not a single attempt was successful.

Countless geniuses and heroes have perished in the Demon Realm, their blood staining the path of conquest.

It's like a cyclical ritual, using the freshest blood to prove the invincibility of the demon god.

Daniel said no more, turned and left, his heavy footsteps fading into the distance.

Eve stood quietly in the spot, gazing in the direction he had disappeared, without saying a word for a long time.