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.

me on

was just curious. No need

he

at his back,

felt an incredible pressure coming out of his

channeling his mana or

'Overprotective dad…'

caught up with Lightning Dragon who looked at me with a strange

"What?"

interested in his

turned

your hoodie on and let's go. We

*

"This way…"

Lightning Dragon, I, along with Edward and another figure,

Dragon used to travel to

that was through portal

desyncs could be used to access the demon realm, the same could not be said for

enter a dungeon was through the portals that were

Lightning Dragon who

long do we have left

"We're here."

abruptly halted

curiously looked around the place. It soon dawned on me that

to glance at Lightning Dragon again,

exactly is

"Eh…"

Dragon embarrassingly scratched

surroundings, a wry smile appeared on his

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

heard his words, I couldn't

forgot about

telling me that he is the

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

"You don't remember?"

echoed throughout the forest. Sharing

you knew

"I did."

Liam

that it's

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

a way to sense where

"...I can try."

and displayed his horns before nodding his

help

a hand as he too started to look for

on one of the threes, I shook my

the Duke had his own

two locations in order to set up a portal. And since the Duke had never

order to activate the portal, and since none of us could use it, the Duke had a

of the deal

"Haaa…"

to help, my body was still aching

hope they

But...

an hour eventually passed, and the

'How useless.'

me help

surroundings. But upon realizing just

take a

"I've found it!"

I was about to start searching, I heard

in the distance holding a small circular

"You found it?"

excitement, Edward walked

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

from the demon's body as he started channeling

Crack. Crack. Crack.

black threads appeared

a black portal started

of demonic energy to activate the portal. In the end, he struggled for a couple more

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

echoed throughout the forest. He

a

the demon, I calmly

only doing this

Crack—

stabbed the demon in his abdomen area and broke his core before he

I'm also doing this for

didn't want to do this, given the

about the fact that I struck a deal with the

of the agreement

seconds to disintegrate after I cracked the core. But once he did, a breeze brushed

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

go. It's time

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

over his desk, Duke Adramalech stared

of mine might come soon, give

"An acquaintance?"

talking about?

back at the figure, the Duke

feel any strength from