Chapter 507: On the Contagiousness of Dark Demon (4k)
For the upbringing of children, the Diemon family had always adhered to the “rich nurturing” policy.
This meant “abundant educational resources,” “ample study time,” and “lavish living conditions.”
Since returning to the Duke’s Mansion, Dark had provided each Mana Spirit with a personal maid—not just for supervision.
These maids customized meals according to the Mana Spirits’ preferences. When the Mana Spirits were tired from studying, they also provided additional relaxation services to help them quickly recover their energy and improve their learning efficiency.
This nightly night meal was just one small part of it.
However, the night meal was not mandatory. It being exam eve, many Mana Spirits chose to continue reviewing instead.
Those who came to eat and rest were mostly the more gluttonous Mana Spirits, like Little Cubone and Baby Blue-Eye Dragon… yes, Baby Blue-Eye Dragon!
…
A maid peered out from the restaurant entrance with an inquiring look at the young master sitting beside the dining table.
“Very well.”
Dark sighed slightly and nodded at her.
Logically, it wouldn’t be appropriate to have Mana Spirits come to this restaurant for a night meal when there were guests.
But tonight’s guest was special, so they didn’t need to be too formal.
The maid retreated after receiving the young master’s nod.
Then, a group of maids carrying trays filed in, setting up the Mana Spirits’ exclusive tables with a variety of dishes.
There were vegetables, fruits, cakes, and meats, along with milk and tea.
Mana Spirits did not discriminate between meat and vegetables, though their tastes varied slightly.
For example, Meow liked fish, Mana Spirit enjoyed sweets, Big Milk Jar preferred vegetables, and the Vampire Noble disliked garlic.
…
“I’ve been wanting to ask this for a while—what is that table for?” Pandora asked as she watched the maids enter the restaurant one after another.
Dark gestured to Pandora’s familiar, and the baby wing dragon holding a large piece of meat flew over, letting Dark play with its chin.
He said, “That’s the Mana Spirits’ dining table.”
Just as he spoke, the Mana Spirits, including Meow, flooded in.
Pandora’s mind stirred, and she immediately spotted the “Baby Blue-Eye Dragon” among them.
An idea flashed through her mind, and she exclaimed in surprise, “Could it be…?”
Dark glanced at Hefestus beside Pandora and quickly said, “Yes, that’s a Mana Spirit created by fusing the ‘Fusion Factor’ and the ‘White Dragon Egg’!”
Pandora’s lips curled into a smile, but she didn’t say anything further.
When Baby Blue-Eye Dragon entered the restaurant, it sensed something and naturally looked toward Pandora, its big round eyes shimmering like blue gems.
Pandora instinctively extended her hand toward it.
Baby Blue-Eye Dragon walked out of the Mana Spirits, looking back and forth between Pandora and Hefestus, puzzled.
Both Pandora and Hefestus had the same White Dragon aura, making it hard for the dragon to distinguish between them.
Hefestus, seeing the White Dragon, was surprised, “Is this Dark’s Mana Spirit?”
She had heard about Dark’s Mana Spirits from Pandora before, especially the one with apparent intelligence.
The intelligent behavior of Pandora’s baby wing dragon made her believe Pandora’s words.
Herself having only started learning Mana Technology a month ago, her growing understanding of Mana Technology made her increasingly curious about Dark’s abilities.
She naturally wanted a Mana Spirit with intelligence, ideally a baby White Dragon—it could fill the maternal void she’d felt for over ten years.
And the Baby Blue-Eye Dragon in front of her was exactly what she desired.
“This is Baby Blue-Eye Dragon, born… uh, two months ago.”
Dark wanted to introduce Baby Blue-Eye Dragon properly, but the dragon had already approached Pandora and Hefestus, sitting down gracefully to avoid appearing too tall.
Pandora and Hefestus each reached out to touch Baby Blue-Eye Dragon’s claws, feeling a similar sense of kinship.
Pandora then took a large piece of meat from the table and fed it to Baby Blue-Eye Dragon.
“Ah—”
Baby Blue-Eye Dragon glanced at Dark secretly, but seeing only a smiling owner, it opened its mouth and bit into the juicy meat, swallowing it with a “chomp.”
Satisfied with the feeding, Pandora immediately grabbed a second piece of meat.
Hefestus poured a large glass of cold drink for it.
Under the care of the two older sisters, Baby Blue-Eye Dragon happily meowed.
“Kraom.”
Little Cubone, enjoying its meal, suddenly walked over to Dark, biting its finger and looking up at him.
Dark couldn’t help but laugh and began feeding it meat.
But this caused the other Mana Spirits to protest, surrounding Dark.
One by one, they demanded to be fed.
However, Dark noticed something amiss and looked up, meeting Baby Blue-Eye Dragon’s pitiful gaze.
This dragon baby had abandoned Pandora and Hefestus and squeezed in too.
Dark looked at Pandora and Hefestus, noticing Pandora’s unhappy expression and Hefestus’ helpless face.
Aurora, watching the entire scene, stifled a laugh.
Such domestic comedy scenes always struck a chord with her.
Growing up in a single-parent household where her mother was busy with city construction, Pandora had to grow up quickly, and deep down, she longed for such heartwarming moments.
…
After the night meal, the Mana Spirits returned to their rooms under the maids’ supervision.
Only Dark and the others remained in the restaurant.
With this interruption, they finally turned the conversation to tomorrow’s “Demon King Execution Ritual.”
Pandora admitted, “In fact, my mother isn’t comfortable around the Church’s influence, so I brought her to the Duke’s Mansion. I don’t think there’s anywhere safer than here.”
Dark nodded and said, “No problem, stay as long as you like. We have plenty of empty rooms. The maids have already prepared your rooms, and if you’re not satisfied with the location, you can change them freely.”
Thinking of Pandora finding her mother, Dark had long suspected something about Hefestus’ background.
The only reason a loving mother wouldn’t search for her daughter for so long was because she couldn’t.
Pandora had been abandoned in Exile Forest since childhood, enduring the kindness of exiles and harsh conditions, witnessing those who cared for her die one by one.
If not for Principal Altair and Ms. Bella, her life might still be surrounded by despair and curses.
But fortunately, she did meet them.
Being taken into Saint Maryann Academy by Principal Altair was a turning point.
From then on, her luck had been consistently good.
At Christmas, she visited Exile Forest to pay respects to the dead and coincidentally met Hefestus, who had just escaped from Bustedia Prison and rushed to Exile Forest.
This once again changed her life.
She began to hope for a better future.
…
Dark didn’t allow unnecessary curiosity to get the better of him. He didn’t mention the Bustedia Prison breakout incident but assured Pandora that the Duke’s Mansion was safe.
However, he then asked curiously, “Are you planning to watch the Demon King’s execution?”
Pandora replied, “I have that intention. Aren’t you going?”
She thought they might go together.
Dark winked at her and said, “I have a better way to watch.”
“Watch?” Pandora pondered the word and smiled, “Tell me more.”
Dark snapped his fingers.
Eve and Irina emerged from the shadows.
Pandora wasn’t surprised.
Though her eyes weren’t as powerful as Hefestus’ “True Dragon Eye,” she could see through some illusions.
She knew Eve had been hiding in the shadows since entering the restaurant.
Then Irina appeared.
Seeing the two, Pandora’s eyes shifted, realizing they likely had instant communication.
Before she could ask, Dark said, “Irina can be our eyes. We can watch from within the Duke’s Mansion. She’s a professional infiltrator, capable of escaping even if the Demon King’s execution causes a big stir.”
Pandora keenly observed, “Do you think the Demon King’s execution won’t succeed?”
Dark chuckled, “They might have ulterior motives.”
Pandora considered for a moment, then looked at Hefestus.
Hefestus nodded at her.
She then turned back and said, “So going there in person would be pointless?”
Dark replied, “Therefore, why not watch with us from the mansion?”
Having received the invitation, Pandora saw no reason to refuse.
They discussed a bit more and agreed.
Watching from afar had significant advantages: it kept them away from danger and allowed them to eat and comment casually, which was much more comfortable.
Even if an accident happened, it would be hard for it to reach the mansion through Irina.
Dark had always been highly cautious about such large-scale events.
Watching through a screen helped him control his emotions better, preventing sudden incidents from causing emotional turmoil.
This was the true reason behind his plan.
With Pandora joining, the viewing experience became even richer.
…
The large amount of meat on the table was gradually cleared away.
Dark looked at the clock and found it was already past ten. He said, “It’s getting late. Auntie and Sister Pandora must be tired from the journey. It’s best to rest early. With enough rest, you’ll enjoy the show tomorrow.”
“Thank you for hosting us,” Hefestus said.
Pandora stood up and said, “Goodnight.”
Dark raised his hand and said, “See you in the morning.”
Pandora and Hefestus left under the guidance of the maids.
Once they were gone, Dark asked, “How was it?”
Olivia said, “Lady Hefestus is indeed a pure-blood dragon. Miss Pandora also has dragon blood.”
“What about the other half?” Dark asked curiously.
Olivia hesitated, “It seems human, but there’s something different.”
Dark nodded, “To be able to bond with a pure-blood dragon, she must be a powerful human, perhaps even a Saint. Little Aurora, did you notice anything else?”
Aurora thought for a moment and shook her head, “Apart from dragon blood, I can’t discern much else.”
“Alright, that’s it,” Dark waved to Eve and Irina.
The sisters came to his side.
Dark said, “Investigate Lady Hefestus Dragone. I want to know why she was imprisoned in Bustedia Prison.”
Not revealing it doesn’t mean ignoring it.
Though the Duke’s Mansion was safe, unnecessary risks still needed to be avoided.
Investigating Hefestus was a responsible action.
“The Knowledge God Religion, pure-blood White Dragons… things are getting interesting.”
Dark muttered, his face lighting up.
“How fascinating!”
Just staying in the Duke’s Mansion had already exposed him to so many intriguing characters.
Tomorrow’s grand spectacle will surely be a feast for the eyes.
It’s far more interesting than watching a movie.
Aurora, watching him, seemed to catch his excitement, her eyes gleaming.
Olivia eagerly added, “Shouldn’t we see many demi-humans tomorrow? Like cat-people, rabbit-people?”
Cat-girls and rabbit-girls?
Dark couldn’t help but scratch his head. Luckily, the young master had wisely chosen to watch remotely.
…
After settling all matters, Dark finally returned to his room.
Upon entering, he surveyed the room. All the Mana Spirits, except Little Cubone, were diligently working.
This scene reminded him of the night before an important exam, bringing a sense of satisfaction.
As for Little Cubone…
“Perhaps I should set up an additional incentive. For example, reduce the daily food standard from 100kg to 50kg, then adjust the daily food quantity based on performance…”
Considering such matters, Dark washed up and climbed into bed.
But he didn’t sleep, instead waiting quietly.
Until Olivia knocked and informed him that Alvaraite and Claire had safely returned, he closed his eyes.
Silence reigned throughout the night.
When he opened his eyes again, besides Eevee wearing a “Victory” headband, even Deoxys had returned to the little bed to rest.
Deoxys’ actions were clearly rational, but Eevee’s enthusiasm also pleased Dark.
He picked it up and said, “Sleep for a bit in the card first. I’ll release you after an hour.”
“Mia—” Eevee nuzzled his cheek and wrapped its ribbon antenna around his hand.
Knowing it agreed, Dark put it back into the Mana Card.
Mana Spirits could enter a deep sleep state in Mana Cards, recovering energy faster.
Turning to the window, he saw the rising sun casting golden rays, illuminating the intricately patterned curtains.
July 15th, early morning.
…
[Combined Chapter 4100+ (Yesterday)]
[Updated at midnight, get ready! Guess how many words I can write?]
①4000 minimum;
②6000 encouragement;
③8000 exciting;
④10000 impressive;
⑤12000 shocking;
