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

that, he walked up

his back, I secretly sighed

incredible pressure coming out of

wasn't even channeling his mana

'Overprotective dad…'

I followed him from behind and caught up with Lightning Dragon who looked

"What?"

interested in his

turned around and

your hoodie on and let's go.

*

"This way…"

with Edward and

portal Lightning Dragon used to travel to the

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

used to access

a dungeon was through the

stared at Lightning Dragon who was a little bit up

we have left till

"We're here."

Dragon abruptly halted his

looked around the place. It soon dawned on me that we were in the middle

to glance at Lightning Dragon again,

exactly is

"Eh…"

the place, Lightning Dragon embarrassingly scratched the side of his

another look at his surroundings, a wry

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

words, I couldn't help

about his

seriously telling me that he is the

course directed to my other self who was the one that told me that Lightning Dragon was

"You don't remember?"

throughout the forest.

you say that you knew a way

"I did."

Dragon, no, Liam nodded his

know that

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

know of a way to sense

"...I can try."

the figure lowered his hood and displayed

help

he too started to look

of the threes,

Duke had his

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

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

part of the deal we

"Haaa…"

I wanted to help, my body was still aching from the side effect of the skill, and although the pain

only hope they would

But...

the results remained the same.

'How useless.'

help

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

my take a

"I've found it!"

to start

the distance holding

"You found it?"

look filled with relief and excitement, Edward walked up to him

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

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

Crack. Crack. Crack.

black threads appeared in the air,

black portal started to

him a lot of demonic energy

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

throughout the forest. He looked

a good

up to the demon, I calmly patted my hand on

only doing this

Crack—

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

I'm also doing this for

I didn't want to do this, given the deal I made with the Duke, I had no

one could know about the fact that I

was part of

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

area where the demon died, I glanced toward

It's time to

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Adramalech stared at a small letter in front of

soon, give this to him

"An acquaintance?"

he talking about?

figure, the Duke decided

he couldn't feel any