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

just curious. No need to

he walked up

to stare at his back, I secretly

I felt an incredible pressure coming out of his body that

even channeling his mana or anything of

'Overprotective dad…'

I followed him from behind and caught up with Lightning Dragon who looked at me with a strange look on his

"What?"

interested in

a glare, I turned

and let's go. We don't

*

"This way…"

Edward and another

Dragon used to

there, and that was through portal devices

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

way to enter a dungeon was through the portals that were

my hoodie, I stared at Lightning Dragon who

do we have left till we

"We're here."

Dragon abruptly halted his

place. It soon dawned on me that we were in

my head to glance at Lightning Dragon again, I

is this

"Eh…"

around the place, Lightning Dragon embarrassingly scratched the side

surroundings, a wry

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

his words, I couldn't

forgot about his crappy

you seriously telling me that he is

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

"You don't remember?"

the forest. Sharing the same dumbfounded

you knew a

"I did."

Liam nodded his

that it's

turned to look at the other

of a way to

"...I can try."

of disdain, the figure lowered his hood and displayed

help

as he too started to look

one of the threes,

only the Duke

to know the coordinates of the two locations in order to set up a portal. And since the Duke had never been to earth, we couldn't use his

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

was part of the deal

"Haaa…"

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, it was

could only hope they

But...

the results remained the

'How useless.'

me help out as

my surroundings. But upon realizing just how vast the place was,

my take a

"I've found it!"

about to start searching,

then appeared in the distance holding a small

"You found it?"

and excitement, Edward

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

out from

Crack. Crack. Crack.

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

a black portal started

that it took him a lot of demonic energy to activate the portal. In the end, he struggled for a couple more minutes

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

rough breathing echoed throughout the forest.

a

demon, I calmly patted my hand

only doing

Crack—

I stabbed the demon in his abdomen area and broke

also doing this

didn't want to do this, given the deal I made with the Duke,

that

of the agreement we

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

demon died, I glanced toward the portal before

go. It's time

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Adramalech stared at a small

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

"An acquaintance?"

he talking about? Duke Adramalech

at the figure, the Duke decided

couldn't feel