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 the

No need to stiffen

he walked

to stare at his back, I secretly sighed

I felt an incredible pressure coming out of his body

his mana or anything of the

'Overprotective dad…'

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

"What?"

in his

a glare, I turned around and walked

on and let's go. We

*

"This way…"

Dragon, I, along with Edward and another

was the portal Lightning Dragon used to travel

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

used to access the demon realm, the same could not

through the portals

I stared at Lightning Dragon who was

we have left till

"We're here."

Dragon abruptly halted his

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

at Lightning Dragon

is this

"Eh…"

place, Lightning Dragon embarrassingly

a wry smile appeared on

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

I heard his words, I couldn't help

about his crappy

he is the key to

the one that told me that Lightning Dragon was

"You don't remember?"

echoed throughout the forest. Sharing the same dumbfounded

you say that you knew a way

"I did."

no, Liam

know that it's

he turned to look

of a way

"...I can try."

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

can help

he

the threes, I

the Duke had his

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 his

the portal, and since none

part 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

only hope they

But...

and the

'How useless.'

me help

I quickly scanned my surroundings. But upon realizing just how vast the place was, my

my take

"I've found it!"

to start searching, I heard Liam's

appeared in the distance holding a

"You found it?"

a look filled with relief and excitement, Edward walked up to him before looking at the

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

sprang out from

Crack. Crack. Crack.

threads appeared in the air, and minuscule tearing sounds could be

a black portal started

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

a good

I calmly patted

only doing this

Crack—

area and broke his core before he could finish

also doing this for the

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

the fact that I struck a deal

part of the agreement

But once he did, a

stared at the area where the demon died, I glanced toward the portal before turning my attention to the other

It's time

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

fingers over his desk, Duke Adramalech stared at a small

might come soon, give this to

"An acquaintance?"

talking about? Duke

figure, the Duke decided to

feel