My Celestial Ascension

Chapter 896: Duke Cedric Vaen

“I wonder what the Duke of Kharzûn City wants from us. It certainly doesn’t look like you’re here just to see us,” Yuan said as he looked at the man before him with a calm expression, his eyes carefully searching for any subtle change in Cedric’s demeanor.

“I’m here on behalf of our great monarch—the Demon Emperor. And my lord has specifically ordered me to bring all of you to the Eternal Demon City,” Cedric spoke in a neutral tone, his expression remaining composed as he observed their reactions.

“Word of your existence has reached the ears of our Monarch. A group of humans and demihumans crossing the storm barrier and entering our empire… it amused not only our Monarch, but many of the nobles as well.”

“Your arrival in our land is no trivial matter. There has never been anyone who successfully crossed the storm barrier from either side.”

“For now, many demons within the empire are already aware of your presence. Before anyone else approaches you, our Monarch wishes to meet you all personally in the Palace,” he explained, his expression neutral throughout, his gaze unwavering even for a split second.

’The Demon Emperor wants to meet us… this is no small matter. Should I agree to go with him?’ Yuan pondered as he continued studying the man before him.

Cedric Vaen—the Lord of Kharzûn City and head of the Vaen Household. This man was far from simple; every posture and movement carried purpose and intent.

Not only that, he carried the bearing of a seasoned war veteran. Moreover, Yuan and his wives could sense the vast amount of Spiritual Energy within Cedric—comparable to a Peak Spirit Warrior.

’Although following orders isn’t really my style, I’m curious about this Demon Emperor… I should see him for myself before traveling to other territories,’ Yuan thought inwardly.

“What do you think, darling? Should we follow this man to the Capital City of the Demon Empire?” Anna Grace asked with a curious expression, waiting for Yuan’s decision.

“We shall go. I’m rather curious about the Demon Emperor myself. It should be a fun little trip,” Yuan replied with a faint smile before turning his gaze back to Cedric.

“We will accompany you to meet the Emperor… however, there is one condition,” Yuan added calmly, a subtle smile appearing on his lips.

“Oh? Let’s hear it then. Speak your mind,” Cedric raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly not expecting Yuan to propose a condition so openly.

“My condition is simple. We do not wish to take part in any of your affairs—be it conflicts, wars, or political matters. We have no interest in becoming entangled in such things, that’s all,” Yuan said calmly, while his wives nodded in agreement.

“Absolutely. Unless you accept our terms, then forget about us meeting the Emperor. It’s either you accept the condition or not—the choice is entirely yours,” Valeria spoke with a wide grin as she stood beside Yuan.

’This female human… she possesses the physique and aura of a warrior. She must have fought countless battles,’ Cedric thought as he looked at Valeria, surprised by the confidence in her tone.

“Before agreeing to your condition, may I ask the reason behind it?” Cedric questioned, clearly wanting to understand their motives.

“It’s quite simple. We just want to mind our own business and don’t wish to get caught up in other people’s affairs,” Yuan replied calmly.

’I see… very cautious indeed. They’re clearly not the type to fall into schemes. In any case, I don’t seem to have much choice other than accepting their terms,’ Cedric sighed inwardly.

“I agree to your condition,” Cedric said a moment later, letting out a heavy sigh.

He had no choice but to accept Yuan’s demand. After all, he had received a direct order from the Demon Emperor to bring Yuan and the others to the palace.

“In that case, we’re ready to depart whenever you are,” Yuan responded with a smile.

“Excellent. Then come with me to my manor. We will be departing for the Eternal Demon City in a few hours,” Cedric said, his voice carrying a hint of excitement as he gestured toward the carriage.

Yuan glanced at the carriage briefly before saying, “You go ahead first. We’ll follow closely behind. Besides, I don’t think that small carriage could comfortably accommodate all of us.”

“In that case, I’ll be waiting for your arrival at my manor,” Cedric nodded before stepping into the carriage.

Soon after, the carriage disappeared from their sight, leaving a cloud of dust behind.

“Is it really a good idea to go with him? What if the Demon Emperor has some hidden agenda against us?” Angela stepped closer to Yuan, worry evident on her face once the carriage vanished from view.

Yuan smiled gently and pulled her into a reassuring hug. “Relax, Grandma. What threat could a mere Demon Emperor pose to us? Besides, isn’t this a perfect opportunity to meet him?”

“The Demon Emperor… I have fought their ancestor—the First Demon Emperor—multiple times. He was a terrifying existence, capable of killing even gods,” Selvariel spoke in a cold, distant voice as memories of the past resurfaced.

“Oh? You never told me you fought the First Demon Emperor. What else are you hiding from me?” Yuan asked, glancing at the angel standing beside Miss Zara and Little Zoe.

“It was in the distant past, when the Holy Church declared war against the Demons. As servants of the Gods, we angels took part in that war on the side of the Holy Church,” Selvariel replied almost immediately, her expression remaining cold and detached.

Yuan remained silent for a while after hearing this. He stared at her for a few moments, trying to determine whether she still harbored deep resentment toward the demon kind.

“Do you still resent them?” he asked.

“I-I don’t know… I have mixed feelings about this. I can’t say that I still resent them, but I also can’t say that I like them…” she replied, sounding somewhat awkward as she struggled to understand her own emotions.

After all, she had served the gods her entire life, hating demons from the very core of her being. She had fought countless battles against them in the past.

She had experienced victories and defeats alike, witnessed her fellow angels fall in battle, and personally slain thousands of demons with her sword.

It would be strange for her not to harbor hatred toward demons, and Yuan understood her feelings, considering she was an angel—a being of purity and light.

“I see… well, just don’t go on a killing spree if the Demon Emperor starts spouting nonsense,” Yuan chuckled lightly as his body slowly lifted off the ground.

“Don’t worry. I’m not some kind of maniac thirsty for blood,” Selvariel replied with a soft chuckle. She then stretched her magnificent wings wide and, with a graceful flap, soared into the sky.

A few minutes later, they were already hovering above the grand Vaen family manor, the sight appearing quite magnificent from the sky.

Numerous warriors were training in the massive training grounds beside the manor, each exerting themselves with relentless effort.

In the distance, a carriage sped toward the manor, kicking up clouds of dust behind it—it was the same carriage from earlier.

“It seems we arrived before him…” Vanessa chuckled as she noticed the approaching carriage.

“Mom, how can you compare the speed of a carriage to us? That thing is as slow as a turtle,” Valeria rolled her eyes in disbelief.

“Well, I completely forgot that we’re flying… it’s become so normal for me now,” Vanessa replied shyly after realizing her mistake.

Once the carriage came to a halt, Yuan and his wives slowly descended beside it, shocking everyone who witnessed the scene—including Cedric himself.

’D-Did they just fly down from the sky?!’ Cedric screamed inwardly in disbelief.

“W-What am I even witnessing? Those people… they were all flying just moments ago!!”

“Is this even possible?! Since when could people freely fly through the sky? This has to be some kind of trick!”

“And who are these people, really? They don’t look like anyone from the Demonic Continent at all!”

The servants working outside the manor began whispering among themselves, shock written across their faces as if they had just seen ghosts.

They even forgot what they had been doing moments earlier, their eyes fixed on Yuan and the others, whose appearances were vastly different from their own.

However, upon seeing their Lord standing before them, the servants hurriedly withdrew from the scene in silence.

“I didn’t expect such a method of travel… I’m truly speechless,” Duke Cedric spoke a moment later, his voice tinged with disbelief.

“Well, we’re not trying to surprise you. This is simply how we travel from one place to another. It saves a lot of time and effort,” Yuan replied calmly with a faint smile.

“In any case, welcome to my humble home. Let us go inside now,” Cedric said with a soft sigh, still struggling to believe what he had witnessed.

’Even the gods couldn’t do what these people can… just what is their origin? They don’t appear to be ordinary humans at all,’ he pondered inwardly as he led everyone inside.

As they walked, his eyes narrowed slightly when he caught sight of Selvariel following closely behind Yuan. He couldn’t mistake her for anyone else—he had fought against the Heroes back then.

’That woman… she’s one of the angels who aided the Heroes during the war. What kind of relationship does she have with this human?’ He could never forget that face, no matter how hard he tried—it was unmistakable.

’As long as she doesn’t cause trouble for us, I won’t take any action, regardless of what happened in the past… but that doesn’t mean I won’t keep an eye on her,’ he thought, casting another glance at Selvariel.

“I’ve arranged several servants for you. You may order them to bring anything you wish to eat. In the meantime, I’ll attend to some matters of my own,” Cedric said before leaving them inside the guest room.

After leaving the room, Cedric immediately ordered his men to prepare the carriages for the journey to the Eternal City. The road was long, and they would need ample supplies.

Aside from that, he also needed to assemble a group of elite warriors, as the journey itself would be dangerous.

The Demonic Continent was the largest continent in this world. The cities were separated by vast distances, and traveling from one city to another could easily take several days.