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 on

was just curious. No need

he walked up

my head to stare at his back, I secretly sighed in

brief moment, I felt an incredible pressure coming

he wasn't even channeling his

'Overprotective dad…'

behind and caught up with Lightning

"What?"

in

a glare, I turned around

on and let's go. We

*

"This way…"

along with Edward and another

Lightning Dragon used to

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

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

way to enter a dungeon was through

Dragon who was a little bit up

we have

"We're here."

abruptly

stopping, I curiously looked around the place. It soon dawned on me that we were in

to glance at Lightning Dragon

exactly is

"Eh…"

around the place, Lightning Dragon embarrassingly scratched the

his surroundings, a wry smile appeared

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

words, I

forgot about

is the key to escaping

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

"You don't remember?"

throughout the forest. Sharing the same dumbfounded look,

that you

"I did."

Liam nodded his

know that it's

a frown on his face, he turned to look at

perhaps know of a way to sense where the

"...I can try."

disdain, the figure lowered his hood and displayed his horns before nodding his head and scanning the

can help out

offered to lend a hand as he too started to look

of the threes,

the Duke had his own

to set up a portal. And since the Duke had never

to activate the portal, and since none of us could use it, the Duke had

was part of

"Haaa…"

sky. Although I wanted to help, my body was still aching from the side effect

only hope

But...

and the

'How useless.'

help out

But upon realizing just how vast the place was,

take a

"I've found it!"

about to

distance

"You found it?"

with relief and excitement, Edward walked up to him

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

suddenly sprang out from the demon's body

Crack. Crack. Crack.

threads

portal started to appear before

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

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

rough breathing echoed throughout the forest. He looked

a good

the demon, I calmly

doing this

Crack—

in his abdomen area and broke his core before he could finish

same. I'm also doing

do this, given the deal I made with the

that I

was part of the

a few seconds to disintegrate after I cracked the core. But once he

stared at the area where the demon died, I glanced toward

go. It's time to

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

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

of mine might come soon, give this

"An acquaintance?"

about? Duke Adramalech had

figure, the

couldn't feel