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 on

No need to

that, he walked

his back,

coming out of his body that

even channeling his mana or anything of

'Overprotective dad…'

with Lightning Dragon who looked at me with a strange look on his

"What?"

in

glare, I turned around and

your hoodie on and let's go. We

*

"This way…"

Lightning Dragon, I, along with Edward and another

destination was the portal Lightning Dragon used to travel

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

fact that dungeon desyncs could be used to access the demon realm,

a dungeon was through the portals that were set

Dragon who was a

have left

"We're here."

Dragon abruptly halted his

the place. It soon dawned on me that we were in the middle of

glance at Lightning

is

"Eh…"

place, Lightning Dragon embarrassingly scratched

surroundings, a wry smile appeared on

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

heard his words,

about his crappy

telling me that he is the key

to my other self who was the one that told me that Lightning Dragon was the only one

"You don't remember?"

echoed throughout the forest.

you say that you knew a way

"I did."

no, Liam

know that it's

a frown on his face, he turned to look at the other figure that

perhaps know of a way to sense

"...I can try."

figure lowered his hood and displayed

can help out

to lend a hand as he too

on one of the threes, I

Duke had his

up a portal. And since

was required in order to activate the portal, and since

was part of the

"Haaa…"

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 lot less than before, it was

only hope they would

But...

and the

'How useless.'

help out

back, I quickly scanned my surroundings. But upon realizing just how vast the place was, my face

take a

"I've found it!"

about to start

then appeared in the distance

"You found it?"

filled with relief and excitement, Edward

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

energy suddenly sprang out from the demon's body as

Crack. Crack. Crack.

threads appeared in

a black portal started

on the demon's face while the portal was forming. It was evident that it took him a lot of demonic energy to activate the portal. In the end, he struggled for a couple more minutes before he finally

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

throughout the forest.

done a good

up to the demon, I calmly patted my hand

doing this

Crack—

stabbed the demon in his abdomen area and broke his

I'm also doing this for the

want to do this, given the deal I made with the Duke, I had no

about the fact that I struck a

was part of the agreement we

the core. But once

the area where the demon died, I glanced toward the portal before turning my attention

go. It's

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Adramalech stared at a small letter in front

might come soon, give this to him

"An acquaintance?"

he talking about? Duke Adramalech had

figure, the

feel any strength