Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

"Merry!"

Samael turned and roared, but all he saw was the swaying window frame and the pitch-black night; the person in question had already vanished.

I'll f*** you!

At this moment, Gu She's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. He finally understood why this scumbag woman had skillfully darted to the window the moment he entered the room.

When you come back, I promise I won't kill you!

Samael's eyes were sinister, his teeth grinding as he secretly added another entry to the list of Melie's numerous crimes in his mental notebook.

With Camelot's army blocked in the north, the plan to infiltrate the Knights of the Round Table remains unresolved.

Left with no other choice, the ancient snake had to clean up the mess left by Meryl first, and carrying the drunken Bagst, went out to buy some hangover remedy.

Perhaps due to the aftereffects of the canine attack, or perhaps because the residents sensed an impending crisis, Cornwall under the cover of night became desolate and deathly quiet.

As I walked along, the houses on both sides were sparsely lit. Stepping on the long, renovated street, I could almost hear my own footsteps and heartbeat clearly.

Moreover, the number of patrol teams had increased significantly, and sentry posts had been set up at the street corner ahead, guarded by the same captain of the guard who had led him to the manor to discuss matters during the day.

"Sir Knight, what brings you out so late?"

Samael pointed to the baby in his arms, and the captain of the guard's expression softened slightly upon seeing this.

"My lord, given the chaos caused by the dog demon last time, a curfew has been imposed in town at night. If you need to buy medicine, I know there's a potion shop up ahead that's open. I'll take you there right away."

After briefly explaining the situation, the middle-aged man, who had a good impression of Samael, gave a few instructions and offered to lead the way.

"What's it like out there now?"

"To be honest, it's not good, especially Darlington. It has been completely cut off from information by those undead that have crawled out of the ground. Now Cornwall has also begun a state of martial law. No one is allowed to leave the city without Sir Hector's order."

On the way, the two chatted about their recent situations. The captain of the guard looked serious, and after speaking, he glanced back at the castle behind him and quietly reminded him.

"My lord, Sir Hector is gathering men. The Southern Territory is short of troops, and all able-bodied men who can be mobilized will likely be recruited. You will probably be conscripted as well. Until then, it would be best to place your child in the care of a family."

Samael nodded his thanks to the captain of the guard for his kindness. After purchasing the medicine, he returned to the inn and put the little one in his arms to sleep in the room.

After the blush on Bagst's face faded, he gently placed him on the bed. The ancient snake got up and came to the half-open bedside, gazing into the distance at the tightly closed city gate under the night sky, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

Discussions in the morning, martial law declared in the afternoon.

It seems that Sir Hector, who was short of manpower, was not pedantic and had long ago set his sights on these idle people.

Mixing in with the troops in the southern border to fight disasters is quite inconvenient.

Samael frowned slightly, but after glancing at the ancient castle under the night sky, his brows relaxed.

However, someone should solve this problem.

Chapter Eighteen: The Free Dream Demon

Meanwhile, Cornish Castle.

An unexpected visitor arrived at the old knight Hector's guest room.

"Your Highness Morgan, what brings you here?"

"Why can't I come?"

The aloof witch casually quipped, then stopped the old knight from offering her his seat, going straight to the point.

"I already know what's going on outside. You've done a great job. I'll leave the task of guarding the town and maintaining order to you. I'll be responsible for finding the root of the disaster. We'll set off first thing tomorrow morning."

"So rushed? Isn't it too hasty? How about heading to the Holy Capital..."

Hector paused slightly, then tentatively asked.

Morgan coldly replied: "This is a notification, not a request!"

The old knight smiled and nodded humbly, completely unconcerned about the forceful attitude.

However, when it came to dealing with calamities, Sir Hector couldn't help but mention it.

"Your Highness, this turmoil is no small matter. Should I send more men to investigate the cause with you?"

"No need, I have someone better."

Morgan understood the old knight's good intentions, but instead of being aggressive, he simply declined.

"Very well, with you personally taking charge of suppressing the disaster, the crisis should pass quickly. I, this old man, can finally arrange defenses with peace of mind."

Upon hearing this, Hector stopped insisting, laughed heartily, and tactfully signed the letter, personally escorting Morgan to the door.

"Also, just pretend I was never here..."

"clear."

Having received the promise, the veiled witch did not linger, disappearing into the darkness like smoke and mist.

"My lord, the king is not here. Your trust in this man is rather..."

In the darkness, the squire who had accompanied Hector for many years stepped forward and couldn't help but offer a reminder.

"If you don't want to go back to your hometown to raise horses, then pretend you didn't see anything and shut your stinking mouth!"

The old knight rolled his eyes at the equally gray-haired old man, paused, and then looked deep and bright.

“What is there to worry about? This is my king’s Britain, and also her southern territory…”

As night deepened, the figure ascending the stairs unconsciously slowed their pace as they approached their residence.

The door creaked open, and the room was dimly lit. The man by the bed was humming an unnamed lullaby, gently lulling the restless little one into a deeper sleep.

Oh...

Samael lowered his hand to pat the baby's back, then raised his right index finger to make a shushing gesture, which Morgan immediately understood.

The two tiptoed out of the porch and into the quiet room next door, where they lit the lamps and sat facing each other.

"I accepted the appointment and am prepared to assemble a small team to find the source of the crisis and quell the disaster."

Morgan spread Sir Ector's warrant out on the table, paused, and then solemnly extended an invitation to the man before him.

"Then, Samael, would you like to travel with me?"

As he reached out his hand to await a reply, Morgan felt a strange sense of unease; every minute, every second seemed to stretch out.

"Before making a decision, may I ask one question?"

Samael's expression turned serious, and his imposing aura made Morgan somewhat nervous.

"you say……"

Does it include meals and accommodation?

"Of course!"

Morgan paused for a moment, then answered instinctively.

"That's no problem!"

As Samael readily agreed, Morgan, having come to her senses, noticed the smile in the man's eyes and immediately realized that he had clearly already made his decision and was merely toying with her earlier.

"What, you're afraid I can't afford the commission? Hmph, once you help me quell the calamity, not only will you have food and lodging, a manor, a fief, honor... whatever you want, as long as I have it, I can bestow it upon you!"

Morgan turned her head away, pursed her lips and hummed softly. An unnatural blush seemed to rise on her face beneath the veil.

"Then, in this battle, this sword is in your hands, and this body is at your command!"

Samael smiled and faced his employer, giving a standard knightly salute.

Morgan nodded in satisfaction, turned and left with a reserved air, unaware that a strange solemnity flickered in his lowered vertical pupils under the lamplight.

Just one night later, the witch's employer was deeply grateful for her decision.

The next day, just as dawn broke, Morgan got up and went downstairs, only to see Samael waiting outside in a carriage full of horses on the long street.

Inside were plenty of supplies that needed to be prepared, including seasonings, drinking water, food, maps, and more.

Even in the corner of the carriage, there was a fixed baby cradle, showing the utmost thoughtfulness.

Morgan couldn't be more satisfied with his partner, as everything was arranged perfectly without him having to put in any effort.

However, the only drawback was that a whining, drunken woman was crammed into the somewhat cramped carriage.

Its white fur was tangled up in a messy ball, and its pointed ears were bloodshot and purplish-red, as if it had been violently ravaged for a long time.

Meanwhile, the woman was curled up in the carriage in a prone position, her high-raised buttocks stretching her loose clothing to its limit, making it difficult for her to even turn over.

The slightest bump on the road caused the man, who had been so spirited and cheerful the night before, to let out an unconscious groan of sorrow.

"I only invited you, not her..."

Morgan pushed away the white-haired, caring older sister who was using her arm as a pillow with some disgust, and moved a little further away, her expression slightly displeased.

I never liked this frivolous and lazy woman to begin with.

Last night I heard that she actually forced the newborn Bagst to drink alcohol, and Morgan even labeled Mary as "scum of the earth," so naturally he was not willing to be in the same room with this woman.

"I only have to pay if you invite me, she's practically giving it away for free!"

Samael blinked, teasingly.

Morgan couldn't help but chuckle at the humorous response, which greatly improved his mood. Even the white-furred creature sleeping soundly next to him, clutching a wine bottle, seemed much more pleasing to the eye.

To be honest, Samael wasn't too keen on bringing along such a troublesome person as Melly.

However, given that fairies cannot fathom or judge good and evil, leaving this woman outside might cause even more trouble.

Rather than going through the trouble of cleaning up the mess afterward, it's better to keep Mary close by beforehand, discipline her strictly, and reduce the possibility of her getting out of control.

So, after finishing his morning shopping, Samael dragged out a drunken nightmare from a nearby tavern.

Of course, a beating is inevitable before containment.

Anyway, dream demons are creatures that exist between the real and the unreal, born from dreams. In fact, no matter how many times they are killed by conventional means, they will always reappear from somewhere.

Therefore, the ancient serpent found it quite comfortable to strike.

Well, I have to say, it's very white, very big, and very soft.

Samael glanced at the kind older sister who was fast asleep, her buttocks sticking out, buried in a pile of junk. He couldn't help but savor the lingering feeling of her hand on his palm. A hint of malice flashed in his vertical pupils, and his fingertips inexplicably felt hot and itchy.

Perhaps eating, sleeping, and beating up Meryl could become the three fixed daily routines from now on?

After a moment of contemplation, the ancient snake gathered its thoughts and turned to Morgan to discuss the next steps of the trip.

"Currently, we have destroyed the hound demon's lair, and the beast plagues in various places have been initially brought under control. Darlington is the most severely affected by the insect plague. Let's go there first and take a look, hoping to find some useful clues."

Morgan spread out the map and planned the route with Samael. Thinking of the intelligence he had read, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

"However, Darlington is now out of contact, and all the passages have been blocked by the resurrected corpses, so the road will probably be difficult to travel."

"So, what's the next stop?"

"The Northern Wilderness!"

The witch's pale fingertips landed on the large, bright red dot. A sudden jolt ran through her, and her hair stood on end, as if some indescribable terror was waiting for her on the way.

Chapter Nineteen: The Caterpillar War

Several days later, in the wasteland, for some unknown reason, a terrifying tide of magic gathered wildly, forming a blue-black vortex in mid-air that resembled a deep sea eye.

"Lordless Camelot, a paradise long since unreachable!"

In an instant, dense clouds exploded, and holy lances woven from ether plummeted from the sky with the force of thunder.

Under the chaotic arcs of light, the earth was torn open with spiderweb-like cracks, grass, trees, sand and stones turned into dust, and the area within a hundred meters became a white expanse, with thumb-sized, charred black strips of carbonized material all around.

The bombardment lasted for four or five minutes before the fierce etheric tide finally subsided.

As the dust settled, in the eye of the storm, a graceful figure stood atop a protruding bedrock, wand in hand, exuding an imposing and awe-inspiring presence, like a queen reigning over the land, touring her kingdom.

"Hmph, weak! Too weak! I finally got my blood pumping, and it's over already. How boring..."

The Queen's low murmur echoed across the devastated wilderness, her disdain evident in her words.

"Yes, yes, you're right..."

After a perfunctory reply, the weak voice turned mournful.

"So, now, can you open your eyes, employer?"