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

No need

he

at his back, I secretly sighed in

moment, I felt an incredible pressure coming out of his body that I

wasn't 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 me with

"What?"

in

I turned around and walked

and let's go.

*

"This way…"

Edward and another figure,

portal Lightning Dragon used

the demon realm to earth, there was only one way to get there, and that was through

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

dungeon was through the portals that were set

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

we have left till we

"We're here."

Dragon abruptly

place. It soon dawned on me that

at

is

"Eh…"

embarrassingly scratched

another look at his surroundings, a wry smile appeared

"…I forgot."

"Shit."

his words, I couldn't help

forgot about his crappy

seriously telling me that he is the key to escaping

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?"

the forest. Sharing the

you say that you knew a

"I did."

Dragon, no, Liam

that it's

his face, he turned to look

way to sense where the

"...I can try."

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

can help

lend a hand as he too started to look for the

the threes,

only the Duke had his own

know the coordinates of the two locations in order to set up a portal. And

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

was part of

"Haaa…"

let out a long and tired sigh and stared at the sky. Although I wanted to help, my body was still aching

only hope

But...

an hour eventually passed, and the results remained the same. My

'How useless.'

me help out as

surroundings. But upon realizing just how vast

take

"I've found it!"

to start searching, I heard

appeared in the distance holding a small circular

"You found it?"

look filled with relief and excitement, Edward walked up to

"Can you activate it?"

"Yes."

from Liam's hand, demonic energy suddenly sprang out from the demon's body

Crack. Crack. Crack.

thin black threads appeared in the air,

minutes, a black portal started

lot of demonic energy to activate the portal. In the end, he

"Haaa…haa…haa…I'm done."

breathing echoed throughout

done a good

calmly patted

only doing this

Crack—

demon in his abdomen area and

same. I'm also doing this for

want to do this, given the deal I made with the Duke, I had

the fact that I struck a deal with the

was part of the agreement we

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

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

go. It's time

***

Duke Adramalech's voice.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Duke Adramalech stared at a small letter in front

acquaintance of mine might come soon, give this to him if you

"An acquaintance?"

was he talking about? Duke Adramalech had

at the figure,

couldn't feel any