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 the

just curious. No need

that, he walked up

stare at his back,

an incredible pressure coming out of his body that

wasn't even channeling his mana or anything of the

'Overprotective dad…'

up with Lightning Dragon who looked

"What?"

in his

a glare, I turned around

your hoodie on and let's

*

"This way…"

Lightning Dragon, I, along with Edward and another figure, navigated dense

current destination was the portal Lightning Dragon

earth, there was only one way to get there, and that was through portal devices they created. Not only

used to access the demon realm, the

enter a dungeon was through the portals that were set

stared at Lightning Dragon who was

have left till we

"We're here."

abruptly halted

looked around the place. It soon dawned on

at Lightning Dragon again,

is this

"Eh…"

embarrassingly scratched the side

surroundings, a wry smile appeared on his

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

I heard his words, I

forgot about his

me that he is the

were of course directed to my other self who was the one that told me that Lightning Dragon was the only one

"You don't remember?"

Edward's voice echoed throughout the forest. Sharing the same dumbfounded

you say that you knew

"I did."

Liam nodded his

that

he turned to

of a way to sense where the portal

"...I can try."

of disdain, the figure lowered his hood and displayed his

help

a hand as he too

one of the threes, I

Duke had his own

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

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

was part of the

"Haaa…"

help, my body was still aching from the side effect of the skill, and although

could only hope

But...

eventually passed, and the results remained the same.

'How useless.'

help out

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

take a

"I've found it!"

was about to start searching, I heard Liam's

distance holding

"You found it?"

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

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

from the demon's body as

Crack. Crack. Crack.

thin black threads

portal started

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

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

echoed throughout the

done a good

calmly patted my hand on

doing

Crack—

and broke his core before he could

also doing

this, given the deal I made with the Duke, I

the fact that I struck a

was part of the agreement we

a few seconds to disintegrate after I cracked the core. But once he did, a breeze brushed past,

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

It's time to

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

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

of mine might come soon, give this to

"An acquaintance?"

he talking about? Duke Adramalech

the figure,

he couldn't feel any