The Damned Demon

Chapter 736  The Devils Have Smiled

The air in the Damned Dimension was scorching, the very atmosphere oppressive and suffocating. The sky—if it could even be called that—was a cracked mirror of darkness, the shards reflecting nothing but despair.

Broken pieces hung high above like jagged, shattered glass, each one reflecting a world long lost.

Dark green lava spewed from volcanoes, thick molten rock flowing like blood from an open wound, cascading down into the blackened earth below. The ground itself was a twisted, ever-shifting terrain of magma, jagged rocks, and shifting shadows.

In the midst of this desolate, hellish landscape, Asher stood alone, carrying Emiko's lifeless body in his arms. His footsteps were silent against the infernal backdrop, but every step he took seemed to echo with the weight of his choice. He wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do, bringing her here, to this place where the very air seemed to scream torment. But one thing was certain: in this forsaken dimension, her body would be safe. Here, in a realm of eternal suffering, there was nothing that could harm her now.

Asher paused in the middle of the land, his dark green flames flickering faintly around his form, his skeletal hand gripping the still form of Emiko. He gazed down at her peaceful face, though he knew she was beyond his reach now. His heart twisted as he whispered, "May you find peace." The words felt so hollow in such a place—an ironic wish when he was laying her to rest in a place of eternal damnation. He shook his head, the weight of the situation pressing down on him, but there was a part of him that clung to the belief that her soul, at least, would be in a better place. She had been a good person. She deserved that.

Suddenly, the ground before him cracked open. It was as if the very earth itself parted to make room for her resting place. The rocks shifted and slithered away, revealing a cavity just large enough to hold her. Without hesitation, Asher gently lowered Emiko's body into the hollowed space, watching as the rocky earth slowly closed over her, burying her deep within the desolate ground.

His heart was heavy as the terrain shifted back into place, sealing her in this forsaken grave. For a moment, Asher stood there, staring down at the place where she now lay. His eyes were calm yet somber, his hand still pressed against the dirt as if to offer one last bit of comfort. 'You were one of the few worth protecting,' he thought, his voice lost to the winds that howled around him. He took a deep breath, then turned away, disappearing from the Damned Dimension with the same eerie silence he had arrived with, leaving only the tortured land behind.

—

The morning sun rose slowly over the kingdom, the crimson light casting a dark hue across the horizon. Rowena sat at her desk, her gaze fixed on the documents in front of her, the weight of her responsibilities pulling at her like a heavy chain. Beside her, Ceti was organizing some papers, her sharp eyes scanning the room before finally resting on Rowena. Her face was tense as if something was gnawing at her.

"Our Crimson Army is only 55,000 strong, even after we tried to train as many soldiers as possible in the past year," Rowena said, her voice steady but filled with concern. "Even if we gather all the soldiers the noble Houses have to offer, it would, at best, be around 40-45,000. It wouldn't be enough to go against the 250,000-strong Draconian Blight army, the strongest army of the Draconis Kingdom, personally raised by Drakar himself. And this is not even considering the soldiers he can gather from the rest of the noble families in his kingdom and his vassals, which could amount to that number or more."

The seriousness of her words echoed across.

Ceti's expression became grim as she heard the words she had feared. She could feel the heavy aura of uncertainty surrounding Rowena as she spoke, and she squeezed Rowena's hand in support.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty," Ceti said softly, her voice filled with reassurance, "We were able to train thousands of men for our Crimson Army in such a short time, and that is a big achievement in itself. Usually, it would have taken at least a decade. We've done everything we can, and I'm sure Asher will pull through with Lysandra. He'll make sure we don't have to worry about Drakar or his armies. Isn't that one of the reasons why he's constantly out there?"

Rowena's eyes softened slightly at Ceti's words, her expression lightening ever so slightly.

She nodded and let out a small sigh of relief, "I know but we still have to be prepared and do our duty. But as you said, it is a big achievement that we trained so many soldiers in such a short time, and the credit is mostly yours. Without you coming up with the perfect training plan, this wouldn't have been possible. At least we are considerably stronger than we were last year."

Ceti gave a warm smile, her eyes filled with pride, "We all had our roles to play, Your Majesty. And I—"

"Unn..." Rowena suddenly grimaced, placing her hand on her stomach as she let out a sharp breath. Her face twisted with discomfort, a faint sheen of sweat forming on her brow.

Ceti immediately looked up in alarm, her concern flooding her features, "Your Majesty, are you alright?"

Rowena's crimson eyes flickered with confusion, her brow furrowing, "I... I don't feel good for some reason," she murmured, her voice low, strained.

"Maybe something you ate or drank was spoiled," Ceti suggested, her voice laced with concern and a hint of anger seeped into her tone as she added, "I'll look into it and see who was careless enough to not check properly."

Rowena shook her head weakly, still clutching her stomach as her discomfort deepened, "No… it can't be that. I always inspect them myself, and they weren't bad," she mumbled as she slowly got up while grimacing.

Ceti's worry deepened, and she immediately got up from her seat, rushing to Rowena's side, "I will call Senior Igrid!" she said, not wasting any time. The royal physician was the only one capable of understanding what was happening, and Ceti knew that they couldn't afford to delay any longer.

"No... Let's head to my room first," Rowena said weakly, her body swaying slightly as she stood up. She reached for Ceti's hand, gripping it tightly as she grimaced in discomfort, "I'll be fine. I just need to lie down for a moment."

Ceti wasn't sure about this but she nodded, her face still filled with worry. And the next moment both of their figures disappeared from the hall.

-

The heavy wooden doors of the queen's chambers clicked softly, the faint sound of a respectful knock preceding the arrival of the royal physician.

As the doors gently swung open, Igrid stood in the doorway, his deep bow carrying the weight of respect he held for his queen. His tone was calm but filled with urgency as he addressed the queen.

"I came as fast as I could, Your Majesty. May I?" Igrid asked, his voice full of propriety, his eyes scanning the room before resting on Rowena, who sat propped up against the bedrest.

A faint grimace was etched on her face, her features drawn with discomfort, while Ceti sat by her side, an expression of deep concern marking her usually calm demeanor.

Rowena nodded with a weary expression, though she tried to mask her unease, "Come in, Igrid," she murmured, her voice soft but with an edge of forced calmness.

As Igrid closed the doors behind him, he walked to the queen's side, still maintaining a respectful distance. He observed Rowena, noting her exhaustion.

"You didn't have to come. I will be fine soon," Rowena said, her expression composed despite the tiredness in her eyes.

She attempted to remain calm, but the discomfort was apparent, and Ceti's worried gaze never left her.

"That's not enough, Your Majesty," Ceti suddenly said with a firm tone, but one that carried concern. "At times like this, we can't take any risks with your wellbeing. I would have called Isola and the other consorts, but I know you've insisted on not disturbing them."

Rowena sighed softly but gave a faint nod of agreement, "I know, Ceti. But I just... didn't want to trouble them. I'm fine."

Igrid's expression softened with compassion as he nodded to her, "I know you wouldn't want to trouble anyone, Your Majesty. But now, please, let me take a look at your condition."

Rowena, too exhausted to protest further, nodded, "Very well, Igrid."

Igrid moved closer, his calm demeanor unwavering. He hovered his hand just above Rowena's abdomen, his fingers glowing faintly with a dark blue light, which emanated like a soft mist, enveloping her stomach with an almost otherworldly glow. But then, Igrid's calm eyes widened ever so slightly. His brows furrowed, and for a brief moment, a flicker of disbelief flashed across his face. Both Rowena and Ceti saw it, and the tension in the room grew as both of them looked up in concern.

"Is something wrong?" they both asked in unison, their voices tinged with worry. The simultaneous question made them glance at each other, both sharing an unspoken fear.

Igrid's expression softened, his hand slowly lowering from Rowena's abdomen. He met her gaze, his voice a little more cautious now, but with a warmth that only grew, "Your Majesty... did you vomit or feel very nauseous recently?"

Rowena, still contemplative, gave a slow nod, though she didn't quite understand where this line of questioning was going, "Yes, I've been feeling rather unwell for the past few days... nausea, fatigue... but I thought it was just stress. I... didn't think much of it until it just got worse today."

Ceti's brow furrowed as her anxiety grew. She had never seen Igrid react like this—his usually composed demeanor had shifted, and she felt an uneasy knot in her stomach as she anxiously waited for his next words.

Igrid lowered his hand, his gaze softening, and he gave her a reassuring smile, "The devils have smiled upon your womb, Your Majesty."

There was a long pause as Rowena and Ceti both looked at him, not fully understanding at first. And then, as his words sank in, both women's eyes widened with shock and disbelief.

"You are now… pregnant, Your Majesty," Igrid said warmly, though his words were filled with gravity.

The room fell silent for a moment. The weight of his statement hit Rowena like a bolt of lightning, her hand instinctively pressing against her stomach as she tried to process what she had just heard. Pregnant? Her? It didn't make sense.