The Author's POV

Hearing Edward's brittle voice that was pent up with all his emotions, I smiled softly.

"Sorry, I had to take a little detour."

Clank—! Clank—!

With my sword unsheathed, I hacked at the chains that bound him and freed his arms and legs.

Following the release of the chains, he started to fall down. In response, I lowered my body and pressed my hand on his shoulder, preventing his fall.

"Are you okay?"

"…yeah."

Glancing at me, Edward had a bitter look on his face.

"It's been a while since I've moved, and with my mana sealed for this long, my muscles just gave out."

"It's alright. I'll help you out for now."

Supporting Edward's body up, I helped him out of the room. On our way out, Edward opened his mouth and asked.

"…Did you do it?"

His voice sounded rather weak and frail. Glancing at him from the corner of my eyes, I nodded.

"Yeah."

When I recalled my other self's conversation with the Duke, there were times when I was afraid that the deal would've fallen apart.

Especially during that time, my other self had threatened him.

If there was one thing you learned at the Lock about demons, it was never to threaten a demon belonging to the Pride clan.

If he hadn't been wary of the rumors about my strength, I would've been afraid he would have just attacked me then and there.

Fortunately, my other self knew when to back down, and from there was able to make a deal with the Duke.

Thankfully, I didn't have to give anything up. Initially, the Duke was against the idea of me keeping my stuff, but considering what he would gain, he eventually relented.

It wasn't every day he would get a core belonging to a Duke-ranked demon. Furthermore, with multiple alibis pointing out the fact that I had killed him, he could consume it without worrying.

No Duke would refuse such a tempting offer.

Well, it wasn't like my other self gave him any choice to begin with.

"Took you a while."

While I was carrying Edward on my shoulders, appearing right in front of us was Lightning Dragon.

His appearance shocked Edward as he looked at me.

"What is he doing here?"

Nodding in Lightning Dragon's direction, I glanced at Edward.

"He's our ticket out of the Demon Realm."

"Our ticket out?"

"Yeah. He knows of a portal that can lead us back to earth."

Edward's face relaxed as soon as he heard those words. Staring in Lightning Dragon's direction, he nodded his head.

"I'll be in your care."

"Don't worry about it."

Waving his hand to brush him off, Lightning Dragon took a couple of black robes from his dimensional space and handed them to us.

"For now it's best if you wear this."

"Sure."

"Okay."

Simultaneously nodding our heads, Edward and I took the hoodies and put them on.

This was something that the Duke had ordered.

Since he was planning on consuming the core, he couldn't let it seem as though he was working with me.

If it did, his plans would instantly crumble. Well, that was unless he decided to kill all witnesses, and realistically speaking, that was a bit more of a hassle than doing things this way.

"So…"

In the midst of putting on the robe, I suddenly heard Edward's voice.

I turned my head to look his way. Did he need something?

His next words made my expression harden.

"…I've been meaning to ask this for quite a while, but what's your relationship with my daughter?"

"Ehm…"

Scratching the side of my cheek, I carefully answered.

"The both of us attended the same academy, so we can say we're classmates."

Honestly, it was a bit more complicated than that, but my gut told me to leave it as it was.

"I see.."

As Edward raised the hoodie to cover his face, he nodded his head.

patted me

No need to stiffen

that, he

at his

I felt an incredible pressure coming out of his body

even channeling his mana or anything

'Overprotective dad…'

head, I followed him from behind and caught up with Lightning

"What?"

interested in

glare, I turned around

on and let's

*

"This way…"

along with Edward and

current destination was the portal Lightning Dragon

to earth, there was only one way to get there, and that was through portal devices they created. Not only

fact that dungeon desyncs could be used to access the demon realm, the same could not be

way to enter a dungeon was through the portals that

Lightning Dragon who was a little

do we have left till we

"We're here."

abruptly

curiously looked around the place. It soon dawned on me

to glance at Lightning Dragon

exactly is this

"Eh…"

embarrassingly scratched the side of

his surroundings, a wry smile appeared on

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

his words, I couldn't help but

about

is the key to

one that told me that

"You don't remember?"

throughout the forest. Sharing the same dumbfounded

you knew

"I did."

no, Liam nodded his

that it's

his face, he turned to look at

you perhaps know of a way to sense

"...I can try."

hood and displayed his horns before nodding his head and scanning the

can help out

a hand as he too

of the threes, I

only the Duke had his

to set up a portal. And since the Duke had never been to earth, we

was required in order to activate the portal, and since none of

part of the deal we

"Haaa…"

sigh and stared at the sky. Although I wanted to help, my body was still aching from the side effect of the skill, and although the pain was a

could only hope they would

But...

the results remained the same.

'How useless.'

help out

my surroundings. But upon realizing just how

take a

"I've found it!"

about to start searching, I

distance holding a small

"You found it?"

with relief and excitement, Edward walked up

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

from Liam's hand, demonic energy suddenly sprang out from the demon's

Crack. Crack. Crack.

demonic energy, thin black threads appeared in the air, and minuscule tearing sounds could be

minutes, a black portal started to appear before

took him a lot of demonic energy to activate the portal. In the end,

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

breathing echoed throughout the forest.

a good

to the demon, I calmly patted

doing this

Crack—

demon in his abdomen area and broke his

I'm also doing

I didn't want to do this, given the deal I made with the Duke, I had no

know about the fact that I struck a deal

of

the demon a few seconds to disintegrate after I cracked the core. But once he did,

I glanced toward the portal before turning

It's time

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

his fingers over his desk, Duke Adramalech stared at a small letter in front

of mine might come soon, give this to him if

"An acquaintance?"

he talking about? Duke Adramalech

thinking back at the figure, the Duke decided to

feel any strength from