The maid squad is too strong, what use is there for me, the Demon King?

It turned out that Gray arrived first.

Although Phoenix was with the hero team, his teleportation was difficult to locate in the desert where the secret realm was located (after all, it was a death desert where even "silence" could block it). The four of them had no choice but to walk out of the desert. Although they had a desert map provided by Gray, it still took them a lot of effort to get there.

Once they left the desert, they could use teleportation, which made them much faster. Unfortunately, they were already much slower than Gray. Unlike the Shadow Court, the hero team had crossed the desert many times and were already skilled at it.

Alpha, dressed in a smart, close-fitting outfit, stood silently behind Gray like the most loyal guard. His face mask had been removed, revealing a cold and beautiful face, and his sharp eyes swept over the newcomers.

Kappa, dressed in a striking fuchsia dress, leaned lazily against the swing beside her, her pink hair swaying. When she saw Philippa enter, a meaningful smile appeared on her lips.

Aita and Zeta seemed more interested in the rockery and fountain in the yard. One nimbly squatted on the top of the rockery, while the other was trying to scoop up fish from the water with her claws. They seemed out of place yet strangely harmonious with the tranquil courtyard.

Gamma, the apparent president of the Grand Chamber of Commerce, was dressed in standard attire for a high-ranking member of the Chamber of Commerce, standing a little distance away from Gray with a professional smile on his face, as if he were simply receiving an important business partner.

Ipsyron sat on a stone bench not far away, a thick book on his lap, seemingly completely immersed in his own world.

Seeing Philippa and the others enter, Gray put down his teacup, stood up, and went to greet them.

"Looks like my hunch was right; we arrived first." Gray's tone was relaxed, with a hint of teasing. His gaze fell on Philippa, looking her up and down. "How's your injury recovery?"

Seeing that he was safe and sound, Philippa felt a great weight lifted from her heart, and a smile involuntarily appeared on her face. She nodded and said, "With Sophia's treatment and the medicine provided by Grandpa Phoenix, I'm almost fully recovered."

She noticed that Gray had changed his attire, appearing less like a demon king and more like an aristocrat, which made her blush slightly.

Taric and Phoenix were secretly alarmed. They had arrived here without delay, but Gray and his group had managed to enter the seemingly heavily guarded core area of ​​the Merchant Guild headquarters even faster and so quietly. Their strength and methods once again made them feel that they were unfathomable.

Phoenix, in particular, keenly sensed that the courtyard was surrounded by an extremely sophisticated concealment and isolation barrier, far exceeding the ordinary level of ingenuity.

Sophia watched Gray and Philippa's oblivious interaction and the several women of varying appearances around them, then snorted unhappily and turned her head away.

"Let's rest for a while and then prepare for the next step."

Gray said softly, but his eyes were filled with unwavering determination.

—————————————————————

A few days later, in front of the headquarters of the Grand Merchant Guild in Bifeng Territory.

The warm sunlight shone on the smooth stone pavement, and the streets were bustling with people, full of the vitality of a commercial town. Philippa stood in the shadows beside the guild hall's gate, her head slightly bowed, nervously adjusting the dress she had carefully chosen.

This is a modern knee-length dress with a bright pale yellow main color, which makes her chestnut hair look even more gentle and her fair skin seem to glow.

The skirt was adorned with delicate white daisy embroidery, giving it a lively and fresh look. The waist tie accentuated her slender waist, making her appear full of youthful energy and sweetness.

I bought this outfit because Sophia strongly recommended it when we were shopping at a branch of the Grand Chamber of Commerce. At the time, I thought it was a bit too "eye-catching," but I never expected it would come in handy now, to be worn to see... him.

For this agreed-upon meeting, she left home a full half hour early, walking slowly towards him with anticipation and a touch of shyness. She hoped to appear before him in her best condition.

However, when she arrived at the agreed location with great excitement, she was surprised to find that the familiar figure was already standing quietly on the other side of the Chamber of Commerce's entrance, seemingly having been waiting for a while.

Gray also changed out of his usual dark casual clothes and into a more refined silver-gray stand-up collar tuxedo with subtle dark patterns on the fabric.

This outfit lacked his usual laziness and restraint, but instead exuded a more aristocratic formality and elegance, perfectly highlighting his tall figure and outstanding temperament.

He stood there quietly, his gaze calmly fixed on the street scene, as if he had only stopped there by chance, yet he had already attracted quite a few subtle glances from those around him.

Philippa's cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly walked over, speaking softly with a hint of embarrassment:

"Have you been waiting for a long time?"

Gray turned his head at the sound, and when his violet eyes fell on her, a faint glint of light flashed in them, as if he was touched by her bright appearance, which was different from her usual battle attire.

He smiled slightly, shook his head, and spoke gently:

"No, I just arrived."

In fact, this is all thanks to the "divine calculations" of a certain pink-haired succubus.

The day before Gray made his preparations, Kappa swayed over gracefully and whispered in his ear with a confident smile, "Lord Shadow~ Knowing that princess's little schemes, she'll definitely leave at least half an hour early, okay? If you want to be considerate, why don't you arrive at that time too? It'll surely surprise and delight her~"

Gray didn't comment at the time, but he clearly took the advice and it worked remarkably well.

Hearing Gray's reply, Philippa felt a sweet warmth in her heart, and the slight apology she felt for making him wait vanished.

The two walked side by side down the bustling street. Philippa looked at the various shop signs belonging to the Grand Chamber of Commerce and couldn't help but sigh softly, "So the Grand Chamber of Commerce is one of your businesses? It's really... omnipresent."

Gray tilted his head slightly, looking at her slightly surprised expression, and explained casually, "To be precise, Gamma is in charge of the main operations. Business operations are not my forte, and I have never interfered in the specifics." His tone was indifferent, as if he were talking about a trivial matter that had nothing to do with him.

“Oh…” Philippa nodded, indicating that she understood. But her gaze unconsciously drifted back to Gray’s hands, which were hanging naturally at his side. Her own small hands twitched slightly, her fingertips curling and relaxing, as if she wanted to get closer but was also a little timid. A blush quietly crept onto her fair cheeks.

If it were Gray a few days ago, he might have just thought she was a little strange, but he wouldn't have known why.

But after a pink-haired succubus's "edutainment" emergency training (including but not limited to observing women's micro-expressions, interpreting body language, and "the importance of taking appropriate initiative"), Gray almost instantly understood the shy yet expectant thoughts of the girl beside him.

A knowing smile flickered in his eyes, but he didn't point it out or let her continue to struggle with it. He simply reached out and precisely grasped Philippa's hesitant little hand.

The warm and soft touch from her palm made Philippa tremble almost imperceptibly. She seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, or perhaps she became even more shy. She instinctively wanted to lower her head, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.

Gray felt the slight dampness in her palm and the gentle squeeze of her hand. He turned his head to look at her, a clear smile curving his lips, his deep voice carrying a hint of softness:

"Let's go,"

"Let's begin our 'first date'."