Chapter 2: Being harassed.

Sylvia struggled to her feet, picking up every last magic crystal and copper coin scattered on the ground before stuffing them into her pocket and leaving the hotel.

As she walked along the road, towering and ferocious demons were everywhere. Sylvia could only shrink her already petite body and weave her way through the demonic crowd.

The gazes cast her way were filled with undisguised contempt. Sylvia kept her head lowered, her silver hair nearly covering her entire pale, bloodless face. Relying solely on memory, she shuffled toward the cheapest black bread stall at the edge of the market.

Fingering the cold copper coins and magic crystals in her pocket gave Sylvia a faint sense of security. With this money, she could buy food for her daughters—they could survive!

She would buy a few black breads first. Just thinking about black bread made saliva pool in Sylvia’s mouth. Filling and cheap, it was her favorite food.

She finally arrived near the stall.

The air was thick with the mixed stench of cheap spices, rotting meat, and the bodily odor of demons. Yet to Sylvia, the rough, faintly sour scent of the black bread she was about to obtain was her only true desire.

She swallowed a mouthful of nonexistent saliva and licked her cracked lips.

Several low-ranking demons stood in front of the stall, haggling over prices. Sylvia waited until they left before mustering the courage to step forward.

Behind the counter was a demon with drooping eyelids and fine lizard-like scales, picking his teeth with a claw. He glanced at her and snorted through his nose, releasing a foul-smelling breath.

“I… I want two black breads.” Sylvia’s voice sounded small amid the noisy market. With trembling hands, she pulled out the few copper coins warmed by her body heat and carefully placed them on the stained counter.

The lizard demon flicked the coins with a sharp fingernail and let out a mocking laugh.

“Where did these copper coins come from? Junk from the human realm. They’re worthless here.”

He flicked the coins with a “ding,” sending them rolling onto the ground in front of Sylvia.

Sylvia hurriedly bent down to pick them up, then frantically fished out the few dull magic crystal fragments and offered them with both hands.

“Then… these… you accept magic crystals, right?”

The lizard demon pinched one, held it up to the dim light in a pretense of inspection, and tossed it back into her palm with considerable force.

“Too many impurities. The energy is mixed and impure—even if I took them, they’d be worthless scraps.”

The lizard demon grinned, revealing uneven yellow teeth.

“Still, seeing how pitiful you are, I’ll kindly dispose of these scraps for you. As for the bread… bring pure magic crystals next time, and I’ll give you some. Hehe.”

With that, the lizard demon reached out with his claw to snatch all the magic crystal fragments and copper coins from Sylvia’s palm.

“No… you can’t…” Sylvia jerked her hand back, clutching the meager money tightly to her chest. Blood rushed to her head, making her dizziness worse, yet it also sparked a thread of desperate courage.

“This… this money is clearly accepted everywhere… magic crystal fragments and copper coins… the market takes them… you… you can’t do this…”

Sylvia’s protest was weak and broken, almost inaudible against the noisy market background.

But a few demons who had not yet left noticed. They stopped, gathered around, and let out sharp, mocking laughs.

“Listen to that—the little mouse actually has quite the mouth.”

“It’s universal, but not for a little mouse like you.”

“Hurry up and hand over the scraps, then scram! Don’t waste the boss’s time!”

Laughter echoed from all directions.

Sylvia looked at the faces around her—each different in appearance, yet all filled with malice. She saw the lizard demon behind the counter watching her with the delighted eyes of someone toying with prey. An overwhelming sense of powerlessness, like black icy water, rose from her feet and instantly submerged her.

The strength to argue vanished. Even the arms clutching her chest began to go limp. The world spun, leaving only the piercing laughter and the hungry faces of her daughters flashing before her eyes.

Just as she was about to collapse, all the laughter abruptly stopped.

An icy, majestic aura enveloped the small area. The air seemed to freeze solid.

The watching demons looked as if an invisible hand had seized their throats. The arrogance vanished from their faces in an instant, replaced by respectful expressions.

They all lowered their heads and retreated in the same direction, clearing a path.

Sylvia lifted her eyes in confusion.

A figure approached against the murky light of the market. She had waist-length pure white hair and a beautiful face that lacked any warmth, like an ice sculpture.

Most striking were the pair of folded, flawless white wings behind her. Every feather shimmered with a faint glow, completely out of place in the filthy, dim surroundings.

She walked with calm, measured steps. Wherever she passed, even the noisiest corners fell into dead silence.

“Heavenly Winged Dragon Lord…” a low-ranking demon whispered in awe, bowing deeply and not daring to look up.

The being known as the Heavenly Winged Dragon did not even glance at the bowing demons. She walked straight to the bread stall.

Her gaze swept over the bloodless Sylvia and finally landed on the lizard demon behind the counter, who was trembling and trying to shrink into the corner.

The Heavenly Winged Dragon extended a dragon claw and lightly tapped the counter with her fingertip.

“Crack—”

Centered on her fingertip, the sturdy wooden counter instantly froze over with a thick layer of ice that spread rapidly, sealing the lizard demon’s unretracted claw to the counter.

The extreme cold drew a heart-wrenching scream from the demon.

Only then did the Heavenly Winged Dragon slightly turn her head toward Sylvia, her voice clear and cold.

“How much does he owe you?”

Sylvia’s mind went blank. She could only mutter instinctively.

“Two… two black breads…”

The Heavenly Winged Dragon’s gaze shifted to the frozen shopkeeper. The lizard demon struggled, using his one free claw to shakily grab two of the largest black breads from behind. He held them up with both hands (counting the frozen one as well) and begged for mercy.

“Heavenly Winged Dragon Lord, I was wrong! Please spare me!”

The Heavenly Winged Dragon did not take them. She merely glanced at Sylvia.

Sylvia snapped out of her daze and almost lunged forward. She snatched the two heavy black breads, which carried that familiar faintly sour scent, and clutched them tightly to her chest. Only after hastily covering them with a ragged cloth did she feel somewhat at ease.

“Th… thank you… Heavenly Winged Dragon Lord…”

Sylvia stammered her thanks.

The Heavenly Winged Dragon did not respond, as if she had done nothing more than a trivial favor.

She lifted her fingertip slightly. The ice on the counter shattered and melted with a crisp “crack,” vanishing as if it had never existed, leaving only wet water stains and the shopkeeper collapsed on the ground, nearly frightened unconscious.

The surroundings remained deathly silent. All the demons kept their heads deeply bowed.

Sylvia dared not linger another moment. Holding the black breads, she gave the Heavenly Winged Dragon a deep bow, then turned and stumbled toward home with every ounce of strength she had just recovered.

Her heart pounded wildly in her chest—not from running, but from lingering fear and the joy of having survived disaster.

Only one thought filled her mind: now, while this noble lady was still here, while all the demons were still cowed by her majesty and dared not act recklessly—run, run home quickly!

Bring the bread to Elia and Sophia!

Sylvia’s petite figure soon vanished into the intricate shadows of the market.