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

my head to stare at his back, I secretly sighed

an incredible pressure coming out of his body that

he wasn't even channeling his mana or anything of

'Overprotective dad…'

him from behind and caught up with Lightning Dragon

"What?"

in

a glare, I turned around and walked

hoodie on and let's go. We don't

*

"This way…"

with Edward and another

current destination was the portal Lightning Dragon used to travel

to earth, there was only one way to get there, and that was through portal devices they

access the demon

through the portals that were set up

my hoodie, I stared at Lightning Dragon who was a little bit up ahead,

have

"We're here."

Dragon abruptly

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

glance at Lightning Dragon again, I

exactly is

"Eh…"

place, Lightning Dragon embarrassingly scratched

another look at his surroundings, a wry

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

heard his words,

about his

seriously telling me that he is the

my other self who was the one that told me

"You don't remember?"

the forest. Sharing the same dumbfounded look,

that you

"I did."

no, Liam nodded

that it's somewhere

on his face, he turned to

perhaps know of a way to sense

"...I can try."

disdain, the figure lowered his hood and

help out

as he too

back on one of the threes, I shook

Duke had his

in order to set up a portal.

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

part of the deal we

"Haaa…"

and tired sigh and stared at the sky. Although I wanted to help, my body was still aching from the side effect

could only hope they

But...

eventually passed, and the

'How useless.'

help out as

surroundings. But upon realizing just how

take

"I've found it!"

as I was about to start searching,

the distance holding a small

"You found it?"

a look filled with relief and excitement, Edward walked

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

out from the demon's body as he started channeling

Crack. Crack. Crack.

demon channeled his demonic energy, thin black threads appeared in the air, and minuscule tearing sounds could be

ten minutes, a black portal started to appear

of

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

echoed throughout the forest. He

a good

demon, I calmly patted my hand

doing this

Crack—

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

the same. I'm also doing this for

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

know about the fact that I

was part of

But once he did, a breeze brushed

died, I glanced toward the

go. It's

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

fingers over his desk, Duke Adramalech stared at a small

of mine might come soon, give this

"An acquaintance?"

talking about? Duke Adramalech

the figure, the Duke decided

couldn't feel