Becoming the Demon Lord: Taming the Demon Queen Begins

"Something's off, really off!"

"Yeah, definitely feels weird..."

No one expected it, but somehow, the heavy post-battle atmosphere from just moments ago had suddenly shifted. It was like someone had sprinkled a layer of sweetness over everything, leaving everyone with a strange, bittersweet feeling deep inside.

"So, it's settled then?"

"Tch, fine, let's go. I'm not scared of you!"

With a playful huff from Sylvia, the two of them had already decided on their next destination.

"Erelyn, if anything comes up, don't hesitate to reach out. We're heading off now."

"Princess Erelyn, we'll catch up another time."

Timothy and Sylvia, in perfect sync, said their goodbyes to Erelyn.

"Mm, I won't keep you today. You two go ahead."

Erelyn stood there, dazed for a moment, before quickly nodding.

She had originally planned to have them stay a few more days at the Netherworld Citadel.

But now...

She had just been force-fed a huge helping of "couple's PDA," and her plans were instantly derailed!

'Showing off your love in front of the living is one thing, but doing it in front of ghosts too? These two are just too much! Ugh!'

Erelyn looked up pitifully, watching the two of them walk away, practically glued together in their sweetness.

Yet, despite herself, a soft, gentle expression crept into her gaze.

After all, Sylvia, who had once been so cold and distant, unwilling to trust or get close to anyone, had found a love so sweet that even she hadn't expected it.

But...

Looking around at the ruins, the broken walls, and the ghost soldiers who had survived but were clearly badly injured, Erelyn's eyes darkened, and a sense of worry welled up inside her.

Though Timothy and Sylvia had saved the Netherworld Citadel and even killed Morganna, one of the Eight Ebon Goddesses, there was no way the Ninefold Underworld would just let this go.

If the other seven Ebon Goddesses decided to attack the Citadel as well, then...

"Don't worry. If we want to protect the Netherworld Citadel, all we have to do is beat the crap out of the other seven, right? Those little Ebon Goddesses haven't even asked for my permission to mess with the Citadel."

Just then, a voice echoed in Erelyn's ears.

It was Timothy, leaving behind a message before he left.

For some reason, even though they were about to face the entire Ninefold Underworld, Erelyn felt an odd sense of reassurance after hearing his words, which sounded almost like a joke.

She looked up, watching Timothy and Sylvia disappear into the horizon, and a peaceful smile slowly spread across her face.

...

"By the way, doesn't it feel like something's missing without Azura around?"

On the continent of Elant, the two of them soared through the skies, riding the wind.

It had been so long since Sylvia had flown on her own that she felt a bit lazy, strolling leisurely through the clouds.

Timothy chuckled. "You've only ridden Azura for a little while, and you're already getting lazy, huh?"

"Hey, that's not my fault! Flying on Azura is way easier than doing it myself!" Sylvia shot back.

"Oh? Is that so..." Timothy's voice came from beside her, and Sylvia's eyes flickered with curiosity.

She watched as Timothy opened his hand, and a small paper crane, seemingly folded from a single sheet of paper, fluttered out.

The crane flapped its wings, soaring through the air. Its pure white form danced in the wind, looking almost alive.

And then, as if it were a real bird, the paper crane lifted its head to the sky and let out a soft, distant cry.

Under the mystical glow, paper cranes began to materialize one after another.

One, two, three...

In the blink of an eye, the sky was filled with them, as if an entire flock of paper cranes had taken over the heavens.

They flew in formation, gliding gracefully through the air.

It seemed like there were 999 of them!

The distant calls of the cranes echoed through the sky, thousands of feet above the ground. The misty clouds only added to the ethereal, almost otherworldly atmosphere.

The lead crane, seemingly the wisest of them all, slowly flew toward Sylvia, spreading its wings as if inviting her to sit on its back.

Another crane approached Timothy, offering him the same.

With a flap of their wings, the two cranes soared side by side, their flight perfectly synchronized.

Thanks to the powerful spiritual energy surrounding them, not only were the cranes flying at incredible speed, but the rest of the flock also gathered around them, like a sea of white petals, encircling the two cranes at the center.

Looking around, the endless sky stretched out before them, while all around, the paper cranes danced like snowflakes.

Sitting gently on the crane, Sylvia couldn't help but feel a mix of surprise and delight in her eyes.

She had heard stories among mortals—stories about the beauty of paper cranes.

It was said that paper cranes symbolized pure love, as untainted as their snow-white color.

And when someone folded 999 paper cranes, it was said to represent a love that would last for eternity, a promise to love one person forever.

Even though Sylvia had heard these stories before, she had never seen a real paper crane in her life, despite her high status and the countless rare birds she had encountered. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire

This was not only her first time seeing one, but she was witnessing 999 of them at once.

Which could only mean...

"Tch!"

She glanced over at Timothy, only to realize she had accidentally locked eyes with him. Embarrassed, she quickly looked away.

"Why are you sneaking glances at me, huh?" Timothy teased, clearly not planning to let her off the hook so easily.

"I...!" Sylvia was momentarily at a loss for words.

But as she looked at the paper cranes flying around her, her clear eyes softened. After hesitating for a while, she finally spoke up: "This is the first time I've seen the legendary paper cranes.

But... hmph!

I have to admit, this romantic feeling... it's surprisingly nice."

With that, Sylvia turned her crane away, avoiding Timothy's gaze once more.

Her words, however, left Timothy genuinely surprised.

"Wow, getting a compliment from you, my dear wife? That's a rare treat!"

"What's so rare about it?"

"For a tsundere goddess like you, isn't this a once-in-a-century event?"

"You! Ugh, if I had known, I wouldn't have complimented you at all!"

"I don't believe you. In fact, I bet you're just pretending to be all cold and aloof, but secretly, you're holding back a smile."

"Absolutely not!"

"Heh, based on what I know about you..."

"Pfft."

Before Timothy could finish, Sylvia couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.

"So beautiful..."

Her laughter was like the melting of ice, her smile still carrying a hint of her usual coolness, but it was breathtakingly beautiful.

For a moment, even Timothy was stunned, completely captivated by her.

He had finally managed to break through her defenses, but now, he found himself speechless, unsure of how to celebrate his victory.

"What are you standing there for?"

Sylvia's voice broke through his daze as she looked at him, her tone soft.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb. With such a beautiful view, do you really expect me to sit here alone?"

There was a hint of playful reproach in her eyes as she patted the empty space behind her on the crane's back.

It took Timothy a second to catch on, but when he did, he couldn't help but chuckle.

He leaped onto the crane Sylvia was riding, gently wrapping his arms around her waist.

The sensation was captivating—her fragrance was subtle and alluring, her body soft and warm, like the smoothest silk.