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

No need

that, he

my head to stare at his back,

coming

even channeling his mana or anything of

'Overprotective dad…'

my head, I followed him from behind and caught up with Lightning Dragon who looked at

"What?"

in

turned around

and let's go. We

*

"This way…"

Edward and another figure, navigated dense

current destination was the portal Lightning Dragon used to

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

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

only way to enter a dungeon was through the portals

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

do we have left till

"We're here."

abruptly halted his

around the place. It soon dawned on me that

head to glance at Lightning Dragon

exactly is

"Eh…"

embarrassingly scratched the side of

surroundings, a wry smile

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

his words, I couldn't help

about his

me that he is the

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, he

that you knew

"I did."

Liam nodded

that it's

he turned to

you perhaps know of a way to sense

"...I can try."

lowered his hood and

help out

lend a hand as he too started

of the threes,

only the Duke had his

order to set up

energy was required in order to activate the portal, and since none of us could use it,

of the deal we

"Haaa…"

let out a long and tired sigh and 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

hope they would

But...

an hour eventually passed, and the

'How useless.'

help out as

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

my take

"I've found it!"

to start searching, I

appeared in the distance holding

"You found it?"

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

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

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

Crack. Crack. Crack.

channeled his demonic energy, thin black threads appeared in

a black portal started to appear

amount of paleness appeared on the demon's face while the portal was forming. It was evident that it took him a lot of demonic energy to activate the portal. In the end, he struggled for a couple more minutes before he finally dropped it to

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

breathing echoed throughout the

done a good

up to the demon, I calmly patted my hand on his

doing this

Crack—

the demon in his abdomen area and broke his core before he could

I'm also doing this

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

that I struck

was part of the

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

the demon died, I glanced toward the portal before turning my attention

It's time to

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

over his desk, Duke Adramalech stared at a small letter

give this to him if

"An acquaintance?"

about? Duke Adramalech had

the figure, the Duke

couldn't feel