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 on

was just curious. No

he

his

coming out of his body that I couldn't quite

channeling his mana

'Overprotective dad…'

behind and caught up with Lightning Dragon who looked at me with a

"What?"

in

turned

let's

*

"This way…"

Edward

current destination was the portal Lightning Dragon used

there, and that was through portal devices they created. Not only that, but they also needed to have specific coordinates installed in

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

to enter a dungeon was through the portals that were set

stared at Lightning Dragon who

we have left till

"We're here."

abruptly

place. It soon dawned on me that we

my head to glance at Lightning

is

"Eh…"

Dragon embarrassingly scratched the side of his

look at his surroundings, a wry smile appeared on

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

his words, I couldn't help but

about his

telling me that he is the key to

to my other self who was the one that told me

"You don't remember?"

voice echoed throughout the forest. Sharing

you knew a way

"I did."

Dragon, no, Liam nodded his

that it's somewhere

turned to look at the other figure that was with

way to sense

"...I can try."

his hood and displayed his horns

can help

a hand as he too started to look for the

of the threes,

the Duke had

of the two locations in order to set up a portal. And

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

was part of

"Haaa…"

tired 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 lot less than before,

only hope they

But...

hour eventually passed, and the results remained the same. My mouth

'How useless.'

me help out

I quickly scanned my surroundings. But upon realizing just how vast

take a

"I've found it!"

as I was about to start searching, I

then appeared in the distance holding a small circular

"You found it?"

Edward walked up to him before looking

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

sprang out from the

Crack. Crack. Crack.

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

ten minutes, a black portal

evident that it took him a lot of demonic energy

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

echoed throughout the forest. He

done a

up to the demon, I calmly patted my

only doing this

Crack—

and broke his core before he

I'm also doing this for the

want to do this, given the

about the fact that I struck a deal with

was part of the agreement

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

area where the demon died, I glanced toward the

It's

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Adramalech stared at a

might come soon, give this to him if you meet

"An acquaintance?"

talking about? Duke

the figure, the Duke decided to

couldn't feel any strength