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

to stare at his back, I

brief moment, I felt an incredible pressure coming

he wasn't even channeling his mana or anything of

'Overprotective dad…'

up with Lightning Dragon who looked at me with

"What?"

interested in

turned around

let's go. We don't

*

"This way…"

along with Edward and another figure,

current destination was the portal Lightning Dragon used to

there, and that was through portal

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

to enter a dungeon was through the portals

who was

have left till

"We're here."

Dragon abruptly halted

around the place. It soon dawned on

at Lightning

exactly is

"Eh…"

Dragon embarrassingly scratched the side of

look at his surroundings, a wry smile

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

I heard his words,

forgot about his crappy

seriously telling me that he is the key to escaping the

who was the one that told me

"You don't remember?"

echoed throughout the forest.

you say that you knew a way

"I did."

Liam nodded his

know that it's somewhere

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

you perhaps know of a way to

"...I can try."

his hood and displayed his horns before nodding

help out

to lend a hand as he too started

back on one of the threes, I shook my

the Duke had his

the coordinates of the two locations in order to set up a portal. And since the Duke had never been to earth, we

the portal, and since

was part of the

"Haaa…"

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

only hope

But...

the results

'How useless.'

me help out as

But upon realizing just

my take a

"I've found it!"

as I was about to start

appeared in the distance holding a small

"You found it?"

look filled with relief and excitement, Edward walked up

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

out from the demon's

Crack. Crack. Crack.

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

minutes, a black portal

demon's face while the portal was forming. It was evident that it took him a lot of

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

echoed throughout the forest. He

a

up to the demon, I calmly patted my hand

only doing

Crack—

demon in his abdomen area and

also

this, given the deal I made with the Duke, I had no

about the fact that

of the agreement

the core. But once he did, a breeze brushed past, scattering what

where the demon died, I glanced toward the portal before

It's

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Adramalech stared at a small letter in

mine might come soon, give this to

"An acquaintance?"

talking about? Duke Adramalech had no

at the figure, the

feel any strength from