"Ah~~" The entire expeditionary force was teleported back to the base—alive or dead, all were sent back. The place was filled with wounded soldiers and severed limbs. "Is this… our starting point?" Kaia asked weakly. "It should be. It seems we're back at the base. Who on earth is that woman to wield such large-scale teleportation magic on her own?" Emily said, her face full of astonishment. "Even though she spared us, I won't forget that she killed Joe. The next time we meet, I'll avenge him!" Judo declared angrily. The base personnel gradually gathered around, asking all sorts of questions. General Leizhao and General Daikaton had been teleported back as well, but they were already dead. People surrounded the deceased, weeping in grief. No one had expected such an outcome. From departure to crushing defeat, it had only been a little over four hours. "I can't face the king, I can't face my master, and I got Joe killed," Kaia sobbed, kneeling on the ground."Quick, look for the others! Are Bai, Shinobu, and Kadi back with us? I don't know what happened, but it seems that woman sent everyone back," Noah said. Na'an was carried to the medical unit first, while Noah and Feigo continued searching the field for their comrades.Soon, a guard rushed over with urgent news: the holy capital of Tianlai was under attack by a demon army. The gates had been breached, and the demon forces had entered the city. The expeditionary force, already decimated, could barely muster the strength to reinforce the capital. Kaia was utterly exhausted, and Joe, General Leizhao, and General Daikaton were all dead. Of the thousand-strong expeditionary force, less than half remained, with the bodies of their comrades still unburied. "I… can't fall yet… Emily… help me… restore my strength. I have to go… save everyone," Kaia pleaded, gripping Emily's hand. Emily's heart ached seeing Kaia like this. "I understand," she said, beginning to use magic to restore Kaia's stamina. "Anyone who can still move and is willing, come with me to support the capital. The wounded stay here to recover," General Arnold shouted. Fortunately, the base had plenty of horses. The remaining able-bodied expeditionary soldiers followed the general, including Judo and Sisi. Emily and Kaia stayed behind at the base for treatment.In the Demon Realm's Rose Garden, "I let them go. I don't like my garden filled with corpses. With their meager skills, no matter how many come, they'll just die. Next time they show up, I'll teleport them to your side, deal?" Ennis finished her long-distance conversation with the Tyrant Emperor. "So annoying," she muttered unhappily to herself. Walking alone in the garden, she gazed at the black roses, her thoughts drifting to the human she met yesterday and the words he had said. For some reason, she suddenly wanted to see him again. With that, she flew toward the forest.Today, I was still exploring the forest. I realized that the demon beasts here weren't unreasonable—they only attacked because I, a human, had trespassed into their territory. I carefully avoided their lairs and moved forward, catching fish in the stream. "What are you doing?" a familiar voice called from behind me. I turned around, and sure enough, it was the mysterious woman who had threatened my life yesterday. Startled, I stopped fishing and prepared to flee. "Stop," she shouted. I froze, turned back, and looked at her, unsure of what she intended. "I'm not here to kill you. This forest is my domain, and I permit you to stay," she said. Her attitude was so different from yesterday—could this be a trap? "I'm sorry, my name is Bai. I got lost in the Demon Realm after coming here for some reason and have been wandering. May I ask your name, miss?" I asked respectfully. "Ennis," she replied softly. Ennis—what a refined name. Paired with her elegant attire and graceful appearance, I could believe she was a goddess descended to earth. "You haven't answered my question," she pressed. "I'm catching fish in the stream for tonight's dinner. Sorry, am I not allowed to fish here?" I answered cautiously. "Fish? I've never tried it. Can you make me a portion too?" she asked. "Of course, as long as you don't mind my cooking," I said, relaxing slightly. I resumed working the fishing net while she sat on a tree, watching. After a while, a fish finally took the bait. I quickly pulled up the net and caught it, then set it again. After about half an hour, I managed to catch three fish. I proudly showed my haul to Ennis, and she seemed to give me a faint smile. I processed the fish by the water, then started a fire as usual. "So you know magic too," she remarked. "Yes, I learned some in the human world," I replied. She prepared to sit by the fire. "Wait," I called out. "What's wrong?" she asked, puzzled. I plucked a large leaf from a tree and placed it on the ground. "Sit on this so your dress won't get dirty." "You're quite kind," Ennis said with a smile as she sat down. I began grilling the fish, slowly turning them and sprinkling some salt powder I had ground from salt crystals found in the valley. When the fish looked ready, I handed one to her. "Careful, it's hot." Ennis took the grilled fish, sniffed it, and took a small bite. "Not bad," she said as she ate. My cooking seemed to pass muster. I took a bite myself, and the salt indeed enhanced the flavor. We ate and chatted casually, hard to believe this was the same woman who nearly killed me yesterday. "Why did you come to the Demon Realm?" she asked. "I came with the expeditionary force to defeat the Demon King, but something went wrong with the teleportation magic, and we all got separated. I ended up wandering this unfamiliar forest alone, and then I met you," I explained. Ennis fell silent for a moment. "Can you forget about defeating the Demon King? He's not someone you can beat." "No, I promised my family in the human world I'd return triumphant after defeating the Demon King. I know I'm weak now, but I'll keep improving. After facing you, I know how powerful you are. Can I become your disciple? Please teach me stronger magic," I pleaded. "Become my disciple? Hahaha!" Ennis burst into laughter. "Do you think I'd teach you? Crushing you right now would be as easy as squashing an ant." "Please, I know it's a bold request, but if you take me as your student, I'll cook more delicious meals for you every day," I said, kowtowing again. "To the west lies a dragon's lair. If you can defeat a dragon, I might consider it," Ennis said. "It's a deal!" I replied.
