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

he walked up

his back, I secretly sighed

brief moment, I felt an incredible pressure coming out of

he wasn't even channeling his mana

'Overprotective dad…'

with Lightning Dragon who looked at me

"What?"

interested in

turned around

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

*

"This way…"

Edward and another

the portal Lightning Dragon used to travel to the demon

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

dungeon desyncs could be used to access

to enter a dungeon was through the portals that were

at Lightning Dragon who was a little bit up

we have left till

"We're here."

Dragon abruptly halted his

It soon dawned on me that we were in

head to glance at

exactly is this

"Eh…"

embarrassingly scratched the side

surroundings, a wry smile appeared

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

words, I

about his crappy

seriously telling me that he is the key to escaping the

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

"You don't remember?"

Edward's voice echoed throughout the forest. Sharing the same

you knew

"I did."

Dragon, no, Liam nodded his

know that

face, he turned to look at the other figure that

of a way

"...I can try."

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

can help

as he too started to look for the

one of the threes,

only the Duke had

locations in order to set up a portal. And

required in order to activate the portal, and since none of us could use it, the Duke

part of the deal we

"Haaa…"

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 still

hope

But...

passed, and the results remained the same.

'How useless.'

me help out

surroundings. But upon realizing just how

my take

"I've found it!"

was about to start

distance holding a

"You found it?"

look filled with relief and excitement, Edward walked up to him before looking at the

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

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

Crack. Crack. Crack.

his demonic energy, thin black threads

black portal started to appear before

amount of paleness appeared 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

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

breathing echoed throughout the forest. He

a

to the demon, I calmly patted

only doing

Crack—

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

also doing this

given the deal I

fact that I struck

part of

But once he did, a breeze brushed past, scattering what remained of

where the demon died, I glanced toward the portal

It's time to

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

stared at a small letter in front of

mine might come soon, give

"An acquaintance?"

talking about? Duke Adramalech had

thinking back at the figure, the Duke decided

couldn't feel any strength from