Return to calm

"Congratulations on coming home, my love~" I said, holding Enis's hand. "It's our home," Enis replied with a smile. The familiar courtyard, the fragrant roses, the distant farm and amusement park—everything felt so familiar. No matter where we are, being with the one you love brings the greatest happiness.

We were still basking in the joy of our reunion when a familiar figure suddenly appeared—it was Emperor Ba. "Enis, you're finally back! I sensed a familiar presence reappear, and it was indeed you!" Emperor Ba walked over and hugged Enis. "Thanks to my husband's tireless efforts, I was brought back to life," Enis said. The two chatted happily. "By the way, I haven't thanked you yet," Emperor Ba turned to me. "I acknowledge you as the rightful Chosen One. I can rest assured knowing the Demon Realm will be managed by you two."

"You're too kind, Your Majesty. I'm just an ordinary junior—how could I possibly take charge of the Demon Realm?" I quickly declined. "Oh, young man, you're being modest again," Emperor Ba said with a laugh. "Your defeat of the Blood Demon was witnessed by all. Even I, an old man, feel inferior. Who else could be the Lord of the Demon Realm but you?" I waved my hands, deflecting, "No, no, no. Now that we've finally defeated the enemy, all I want is to live a happy, simple life with Enis. I don't want to deal with saving the world anymore." Emperor Ba relented, "Fine, but the greater the power, the greater the responsibility. The task of bringing the Demon Clan back to the Human Realm ultimately rests on you." I confidently promised, "Yes, Your Majesty. Enis and I will serve as a bridge between the Demon Clan and humanity, working to bring the demons back to the Human Realm." Emperor Ba smiled with relief, "That puts my mind at ease."

We invited Emperor Ba to stay for dinner. Enis and I worked together in the kitchen, preparing a feast. During dinner, the three of us, reunited after so long, shared delicious food. It was my first time dining with Emperor Ba, so I made sure to be attentive. "Hahaha, I didn't expect you two to be thriving in this corner of the Demon Realm," Emperor Ba said, sipping wine. "Running a farm and an amusement park! My Ten Thousand Demon Hall pales in comparison."

"I'd like to ask Your Majesty about Enis's father and the origin of the Blood Demon," I said, setting down my utensils. Emperor Ba pondered for a moment before speaking. "It was in ancient times. My brother Batian and I were born in a chaotic era. The Demon Clan still lived in the Human Realm, coexisting with humans, each claiming their own territories. Back then, the Demon Clan had three powerful factions: the Ba Clan, the Blood Clan, and the Beast Clan. As you might guess, the Ba Clan was our family, the Blood Clan was the Blood Demon's lineage, and the Beast Clan consisted mainly of beastmen. Though the three factions had their differences, they united against their common enemy—humans. The Blood Clan and Beast Clan favored annihilating humans, while the Ba Clan hoped for coexistence. But humans were more cunning than we imagined. They assassinated the Blood Clan's queen, sparking a war between the Blood Clan and the Beast Clan. As the two factions suffered heavy losses, humans seized the opportunity, conquering the Beast Clan's stronghold. From then on, beastmen were enslaved by humans as labor tools. The surviving Blood Clan members sought refuge with the Ba Clan. My brother Batian, a magical genius from a young age, saw through human treachery and decided to lead the Demon Clan to a new home. After studying ancient texts, he mastered space-creation magic and rallied all magic-wielding members to create a new magical world—the Demon Realm we know today. However, creating a new world required immense magical power, far beyond what even our combined forces could muster. Though the new world was successfully created, it was flawed, as you can see outside—forever dark and gloomy. Still, this world was free of humans, our enemy. My brother led everyone to migrate to this new world." Emperor Ba paused to take a sip of wine.

"The Blood Clan despised humans, but as guests in our world, they had no choice but to move to the Demon Realm. Their unique nature meant they could only survive on blood, but the blood of Demon Realm creatures was too impure for them. They secretly returned to the Human Realm to hunt humans, which provoked human outrage and resistance. Humans amassed an army and marched on the Demon Realm, sparking the first Human-Demon War. During the conflict between humans and the Ba Clan, the Blood Clan stole the Ba Clan's energy crystal to bolster their power, aiming to seize control of the Demon Realm. In that war, the Blood Clan leader defeated the human commander and drove humans out of the Demon Realm, elevating the Blood Clan's status. Their leader, Xingluo, challenged my brother Batian for the throne of the Demon Realm. In a deadly duel, Batian narrowly defeated Xingluo, earning the title of Demon King. Xingluo's son, Xingli—the Blood Demon—was taken in by Batian. His exceptional talent soon made him Batian's right-hand man. Together, we supported Batian. After years of recovery and growth, Batian decided the time was ripe to launch an attack on humans to reclaim our homeland, initiating the second Human-Demon War. By then, humans had grown complacent and their strength had waned. The Demon Clan's offensive was unstoppable, quickly conquering many nations. But then, a mysterious hero emerged. His strength was formidable, even Batian dared not underestimate him. During a critical siege, Xingli betrayed Batian, attacking him while he was locked in combat with the hero. Despite years of mentorship, Xingli's hatred for his father's death could not be erased. Though wounded, Batian continued to fight the hero. Seizing the opportunity, the hero used sealing magic to lock away both their powers and self-destructed, taking Batian with him. After that battle, I banished Xingli from the Demon Clan, forbidding his return forever. The rest, you know." Emperor Ba finished his long recollection, sipping his wine somberly.

"What a history. Thank you for sharing, Your Majesty," I said, deeply moved. "The past is gone, and so are the people. Let's not dwell on it. Cheers to your happy marriage!" Emperor Ba raised his glass. Enis and I toasted in return. After the long banquet, Emperor Ba stood to leave. "I had a great time tonight. I trust Batian would approve of entrusting Enis to you. Come visit me at the Ten Thousand Demon Hall sometime." "Thank you for gracing our home tonight, Your Majesty. We'll definitely visit you with Enis," I replied respectfully. "Still calling me Your Majesty? Time to drop the formalities," Emperor Ba said, turning with a smile. "Haha," I scratched my head, chuckling awkwardly. We bid farewell, and Emperor Ba teleported away.