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.

then patted me

curious. No need

that, he walked up

at his back,

brief moment, I felt an incredible pressure coming out of his body that I couldn't

wasn't even channeling his mana or anything

'Overprotective dad…'

behind and caught up with Lightning Dragon who looked at

"What?"

in

turned around and walked

your hoodie on and let's go. We don't have much

*

"This way…"

Lightning Dragon, I, along with Edward and

current destination was the portal Lightning Dragon

demon realm to earth, there was only one way to get there, and that was through portal devices they created. Not only that, but they also needed to have specific coordinates installed

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

to enter a dungeon was through the portals that

my hoodie, I stared at Lightning Dragon who

have left

"We're here."

abruptly halted

It soon dawned on me that we were in

head to glance at Lightning Dragon again, I

exactly is this

"Eh…"

place, Lightning Dragon embarrassingly scratched the side of

at his surroundings, a wry

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

I heard his words, I couldn't help but

about his crappy

he is

of course directed to my other self who was the one that told me that Lightning Dragon was the only one that could help

"You don't remember?"

forest. Sharing the same dumbfounded look,

you say that you knew a

"I did."

Dragon, no, Liam nodded his

that it's somewhere

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

a way to sense where the portal

"...I can try."

a look of disdain, the figure lowered his hood and displayed his

can help out

lend a hand as he too started

one of the

the Duke had his

of the two locations in order to set up

in order to activate the portal, and since none

of the

"Haaa…"

tired sigh and stared at the sky. Although I wanted to help, my body was still aching from

hope

But...

passed, and the results remained the same. My

'How useless.'

help

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

my take

"I've found it!"

was about to start searching,

the distance holding a small

"You found it?"

filled with relief and excitement, Edward

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

from Liam's hand, demonic energy suddenly sprang out from the demon's body as he started channeling it toward

Crack. Crack. Crack.

his demonic energy, thin black threads appeared in the air, and minuscule tearing

black portal

It was evident that it took him a lot of demonic energy to activate the portal. In the end, he struggled for a

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

throughout the forest.

a good

the demon, I calmly patted my hand on

only doing

Crack—

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

I'm also doing this for the

do this, given the deal I made with

one could know about the fact that I struck a deal with the

of the

after I cracked the core. But once he did, a breeze brushed past, scattering what remained of him in the

I glanced toward the portal before turning my attention to

go. It's time

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

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

acquaintance of mine might come soon, give this to him if

"An acquaintance?"

about? Duke

back at the figure,

couldn't feel any strength