In the central city of the Moon Demon Territory, inside the Supreme Castle at the very top floor, the Six Great Demons at the pinnacle of the Demon Realm were gathered together.
These six sisters also had not seen each other for quite a long time.
By rights, at such a time, the six sisters should all be very excited.
However, since the beginning, Ai Yi had been feeling impatient, as if she wanted to finish up quickly and leave, which made her seem somewhat restless.
The six sisters looked at Ai Yi in this state, each showing a different reaction.
"Return to the Human Realm?" Sera inquired with evident displeasure, "You just came back from the Human Realm a few days ago, and now you're in such a hurry to go back?"
Sera's resentment was quite obvious, and even had a slightly sour taste to it, resembling a mother who was about to marry off her daughter.
Clearly, Sera had guessed why Ai Yi was so eager to return to the Human Realm.
But Ai Yi remained impatient.
"Anyway, Sister Sera, you have surely almost finished what needs to be done, and you just need us to cooperate with you, right?" Ai Yi said briskly, "As for strategizing, with Sister Chafne and Sister Lide helping you, it's the same with or without me."
Ai Yi had always been this way, not that she couldn't think, but she didn't like to. She preferred to sleep, so she had always left various matters of the Demon Clan to Sera to handle, even entrusting the affairs within her territory to her subordinates, and completely dismissed herself from world affairs.
Otherwise, Ai Yi wouldn't have had so much freedom to roam around the Human Realm, even adventuring with Shane from south to north.
This time was no different. Ai Yi only planned to come back to help Sera and wasn't planning to do any particular work.
Who would have thought that in the time she returned to the Demon Realm, such a big event had occurred?
This made Ai Yi particularly restless, wishing she could hurry back to the Human Realm.
Not only had Sera noticed this, but the other sisters had seen it too.
Especially Lide, who, much like Sera, was not in a good mood.
"When did you become so anxious about a person?" Lide saw right through Ai Yi's thoughts.
After all, Lide had seen the person Ai Yi cared about.
Milu also tilted her head and muttered that name.
With this mention, the sisters present immediately showed interest.
"The Human that little Ai Yi has taken a liking to recently and even declared protection over, right?" Chafne said with great interest, her enthusiasm palpable, "I heard that this person is the Hero who has recently been the talk of the town?"
Chafne's words immediately brought Ai Yi's gaze over.
"What are you thinking of doing?"
Ai Yi looked both wary and warning.
However, this didn't deter Chafne's interest. In fact, it seemed to intensify it.
"Don't be nervous, little Ai Yi, your sister is just a little curious about the man you're interested in," Chafne said with a giggle, her words and laughter very suggestive, adding, "I had wanted to meet him when I first heard about it, and even planned a special trip to the Human Realm. Who knew such a big event would happen out of the blue, and that person turned out to be the Hero summoned after a thousand years. Your sister was really shocked!"
Camina echoed Chafne's sentiments.
"I was also a bit curious and planned to take a look at the Human Realm," Camina's eyes gleamed, as if deep in thought, "A Human that even the aloof Ai Yi couldn't help but favor makes one interested, but the fact that he is a Hero is indeed quite unexpected."
Camina spoke as if harboring some malevolence.
If Chafne's curiosity about Shane was like having an eye on a fun toy, then Camina's curiosity seemed tinged with discontent, as if her toy had been stolen.
It couldn't be helped.
"You've never been this concerned or anxious about our affairs," Camina expressed her dissatisfaction.
Clearly, these elder Demon sisters were all very invested, even worried about Ai Yi, the youngest sister's, affairs.
Otherwise, these renowned Demons wouldn't be paying so much attention to Shane simply because of Ai Yi's interest in him.
Of course, Ai Yi herself wasn't pleased with this.
"Don't even think about laying hands on him; he's not capable of withstanding the two of you being so reckless",
Ai Yi clearly warned her sisters.
Unfortunately, this had the complete opposite effect.
"Don't talk like that," Chafne said with a meaningful smile, "A man who could catch our sister's eye surely wouldn't be scared off by me, would he?"
"Exactly," Camina agreed, "After all, he is a Hero protected by the Holy Sword. Even if there's a bit of physical contact, he won't just 'melt away', right?"
The remarks of the two witches made Ai Yi frown deeply.
Speaking frankly, the last thing she wanted was for these two to interact with Shane.
The reason was simple—too dangerous.
Unlike Ai Yi, whose ferocity had somewhat mellowed after the war's end, Camina, the Poison Demon, known to be as cruel as the Dragon Demon, was still as unpredictable and volatile as ever, regardless of the era.
With Camina's profoundly terrifying abilities, if she were to personally interact with Shane, it wouldn't be a laughing matter.
While Milu was also very dangerous, her danger was controllable; with Lide by her side and as long as one could please her, the Ghost Demon generally did not lose control.
But Camina was different.
Milu's danger was not deliberate; she was actually quite naïve and romantic, her actions just occasionally a bit excessive.
Camina's danger was intentional. If she truly became displeased, she would not hesitate to obliterate one or two countries without a second thought.
Letting such an existence interact with Shane, how could Ai Yi not worry?
Fortunately, just as Camina said, Shane was a Hero guarded by the Holy Sword, so he should not be killed by Camina's abilities.
But if Chafne also became interested in Shane, that would be trouble.
Because the Demon's abilities were not within the range of protection by the Holy Sword.
If she made a move, it definitely wouldn't be something one could simply laugh off and ignore.
What would Shane become if he carelessly fell into her trap?
Ai Yi couldn't help but feel terrible at the thought.
Just as Ai Yi was about to raise her voice in warning once more, Lide spoke up first.
"Say, Ai Yi," Lide's gaze fixed on Ai Yi, said, "didn't you know that That Person was the Hero all along? His identity being exposed doesn't seem to have affected your impression of him at all. You must have known his identity long ago, or maybe it's precisely because of it that you became interested in him and stayed by his side, right?"
Lide finally pierced through the reason behind Ai Yi's previous actions.
Lide had always been puzzled why Ai Yi would suddenly go to the Human Realm and show such strong interest in a little guy from there.
Now, it seemed the answer was unveiled.
It was simply because this human was not at all ordinary.
Ai Yi didn't deny it.
"At first, it was indeed because I discovered his identity that I approached him," Ai Yi admitted.
But the Demons still heard the underlying message.
Milu was utterly confused.
"I see, at first, huh," Chafne giggled surreptitiously.
"At first?" Lide's tone was filled with resignation.
"So you mean to say, you are so fond of him now, not because he is the Hero, but because there's something else about him that has drawn you to him, right?" Camina hit the nail on the head.
Ai Yi was speechless.
Ai Yi didn't think she could deceive the sharp-witted sisters present.
So, she opted to remain silent, her youthful and cute face marked with displeasure.
Watching Ai Yi , Sera finally spoke up again.
"Who would have thought, Ai Yi would one day fall for a Hero−a shocking piece of news that could animate countless Demons who perished under the Heroic Holy Sword."
Sera had wanted to say this for a long time.
After all, among the Demons present, aside from Ai Yi, Sera was the first to become aware of Shane's existence as the Hero.
From that moment, Sera had been preparing for today.
She knew that once Shane's identity was exposed, it would inevitably cause a great upheaval among the Demon Clan and the Demon Realm, and might even disturb the thousand-year peace among the Three clans.
"Today, I've gathered you all here to discuss this matter," Sera knocked on the table and continued, "Let's talk about it. As for this Hero, what do you think would be the best way for us to handle him?"
Sera laid out the agenda for the day.
Originally, the reason for the Demons' gathering was not this, but to discuss how to deal with the emergence of the Primordial Demon.
But now, Shane's matter was undoubtedly the urgent priority that needed to be addressed first.
"We do need to think of a way to handle this," Lide said, feeling the matter deeply, "Recently, there have been quite a few bad-tempered fellows causing trouble in my territory."
"It's the same on my side," Camina said in the most nonchalant tone, uttering the most terrifying words, "I've dealt with several of the most troublesome ones myself. If I hadn't known this Hero was the human Ai Yi is fond of, I might have even let those fellows test the Hero."
"Is that so?" Ai Yi immediately interjected, "But I've heard that there's been quite a bit of neglect in the territories of you sisters, and by now, surely many from the Demon Clan have already caused trouble for my person, right?"
"How so?" Chafne teased, "Our Little Ai Yi, are you worried about that Hero?"
Ai Yi didn't even bother to answer that question.
As long as these women don't take action, there's no way they could threaten that man.
Ai Yi had at least that much confidence in herself.
Her continued attendance at this agitating meeting was precisely to restrain these sisters and prevent them from acting rashly.
Otherwise, Ai Yi would have already left the Demon Realm of her own accord and gone to the Human Realm.
She didn't want to return only to find that Shane had been taken away and protected by those Divine Race beings.
Her person could only be protected by her.
Don't even think about touching a hair on his head!
"I'll make this clear to you first,"
Ai Yi made a declaration there and then.
"This Hero is mine, and you better not think about doing anything to him."
Upon hearing this, the Demon sisters each raised an eyebrow.
"What if we really want to do something?" Camina challenged, looking at Ai Yi.
Ai Yi's face was emotionless.
The atmosphere suddenly turned hostile.