《The Demons In the Reverse Harem Game Are Obsessed With Me》 Prologue It was a night with a bloody crescent moon. The torn white negligee was lying on the floor, and her slender naked body was dyed red in the moonlight. Julia turned around in front of the huge window that couldn¡¯t open no matter how hard she pushed. A dark shadow was approaching her. ¡°No, no. Please¡­¡± Despite her earnest pleas, the red eyes glazed over Yulia¡¯s naked body. Skinny, round shoulders, puffy breasts and quivering nipples, past her slim waist to the deep, damp place between her legs. The demon¡¯s gaze ran through her body like a touch. It was then that Julia realized that no matter how much she begged, it was of no avail. Because the other person was Bael, the king of demons. Tears were dripping down her despairing cheeks. ¡°When will you realize it?¡± The demon, who sat on the floor, approached her with his huge wings spread out. Yulia was caught in fear and staggered back, but she had nowhere else to go. Her hair was gripped by a strong force. ¡°Even if you die, you can¡¯t escape my grasp.¡± ¡°Huh, huhk¡­¡± ¡°A finger, a strand of hair, and everything here is mine.¡± Bael¡¯s long, thick fingers slid straight between Julia¡¯s legs. The already damp hole welcomed the sudden intruder. The sound of lewd water echoed through the heavy night air. ¡°Ah, ah!¡± ¡°You like it so much.¡± Every time the fingers moved in and out, Julia¡¯s body shook violently. The movement of Bael¡¯s hand clearly resembled a penis. Every time his thick fingers scraped through her inner walls, she bit her lip desperately. Her stomach was throbbing hot. ¡°Hnng, ahng!¡± ¡°You¡¯re squeezing me out. You¡¯ll take any number I put in.¡± The fingers that went into the hole had grown to four. As Bael spread his fingers wide, drops of clear liquid flowed down her thighs. It was a rare sight. Bael took his hand and rubbed her love liquid into his genitals. The penis, swollen and bulging as much as her forearm, bent terribly in search of a hole through which it needs to push its head. ¡°If you obey me quietly, I will give you a pleasure you have never experienced before.¡± ¡°No, ah, don¡¯t!¡± ¡°It¡¯s already too late.¡± Bael twisted the corners of his mouth and grabbed the inside of Julia¡¯s knees one by one and lifted them up. Her thighs were wide open without resistance. The liquids soaked entrance fluttered lewdly as it searched for something to be swallowed. Bael, who found it, lost his composure. He aligned Julia¡¯s entrance with the tip of his pillar and slammed it straight down. ¡°Ah, ahng!¡± Her throat was clogged by the strong piston movements. Yulia, engulfed in the excruciating pleasure, was unable to breathe and cried and tightened on Bael¡¯s penis. He lifted his chin, feeling the warm flesh clinging to his genitals. A high purity of magic was filling Bael¡¯s body. The demon¡¯s night has just begun. * * * It was a day when the war with humans was in full swing. The sound of controlled footsteps resounded in the grand and quiet hall. The demons eyes moved slowly towards the source of the sound. The party who broke the silence in the hall, Grand Duke Agares, went up the high stairs without paying attention to the numerous gazes on him, and calmly knelt down on one of her knees. ¡°Master, I have finally found it.¡± The air, which had been hanging idly, changed abruptly at the words of the Grand Duke. Many of the eyes stared straight at her, even the blinking stopped. Agares raised her head and spoke calmly. ¡°Princess of the humans, the noblest human Estelle Vestra. She is the key to turning the master into the Demon God.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you allow me, I¡¯ll bring the key to you right away.¡± In Agares¡¯s words, the phrase ¡®to destroy Abeldishim, the capital of mankind,¡¯ was omitted. Recognizing this, Barbatos, the strategist, put the brakes on the king¡¯s behalf. ¡°Will it work out? A new Sword Master bloomed on the human side a while ago.¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough if you kill them all.¡± ¡°Think about the future.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Agares¡¯s gaze, glaring at Barbatos, was mixed with clear hostility. She was entrusted with the command of the army by the demon king and led the demon army at the forefront. She did not like Barbatos¡¯ attitude, who seemed to be on the side of the enemy humans. On the other hand, Barbatos was frustrated with Agares¡¯s way of thinking. Due to the long war between demons and humans, the human world was devastated with no trace of what it used to be. Of course, there was no way she could easily bring an important human who would become the future emperor. Although each human was weaker than the lowest-class demons, their headcount greatly overwhelmed the demons. Barbatos decided that now was the time to end the useless attrition. He spoke directly to the king. ¡°Master, since the war situation is turning against humans, how about showing our mercy at this point?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Verid is good at information about the human race, so I send him as a messenger. If he brings the princess from Vestra, she will see the sincerity and end the war.¡± The man, who had been resting his chin in a slack, stretched posture, slowly opened his eyes. The red eyes gleamed through the long jet-black hair. Even though it was just a simple action, a wave of powerful magic surged through the huge hall. Realizing that the king was not very pleased, Agares and Barbatos quickly prostrated themselves. At the same time, a demon rose from the throne. Robes made of the finest fabrics wrapped tightly around his sculptural muscles. ¡°The key was born in the Vestra family. Interesting.¡± His sharp, snake-like pupils scanned the wide hall slowly. All the demons who received the king¡¯s gaze lowered their heads at once. A profound sense of oppression overtook them. An unavoidable, instinctive fear slammed their shoulders without mercy. This was the power of the Demon King Bael, who unified the underworld with unprecedentedly powerful magical power and is now surpassing even the status of a demon God. With each step he took, the absolute power of the king became more evident. It was so pure and powerful magic that it was impossible to even dare to compare it. In the end, those who did not reach the status of 72th demon could not withstand the power of the king and began to faint one by one. ¡°Bring the magic stone¡¯s key to me by all means. That woman belongs only to me.¡± Bael spread his gigantic wings, not caring what happened to the other demons. At the end of his tenacious gaze, there was the power of a demonic spirit, the magic stone, which flickered dangerously in purple as if responding to the high-purity magic. ¡°This time it has to be real. If you let me down again¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, Master.¡± Agares and Barbatos answered without delay, and the corner of the king¡¯s lips twisted with satisfaction. Bael, standing on the vast terrace, sprinted into the air and flew up. The two demons softly exchanged glances as they watched the back of the king receding farther and farther under the red moon of hell. ¡°Okay, either Verid or Nabal, go. Because I want to live a long time.¡± ¡°We will also proceed with the armistice negotiations.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Damn it.¡± Grand Duke Agares swears with dissatisfaction. There was still a lot of debt to be repaid to the cheeky humans, but no matter what, she couldn¡¯t go against the will of the king. She replaced her answer by summoning familiar spirits and sending a message to Verid. * * * The cheers of the people resounded in Abeldishim, the capital of the empire Vestra. The evil demon group finally retreated from the human land and peace was restored to the human world. This was the first time in 30 years since the outbreak of the Human-Demon War. When the news that the expedition forces would soon be returned soon spread hope in the faces of the people who had been weary from the long war. Those mobilized on the bloody battlefield were someone¡¯s parents, brothers, or children. Those who did not have a day to feel comfortable after letting them go waited eagerly for the return of the expedition forces. Those who were ahead of the trend also predicted things much later than that. Enormous materials that had been supplied to the front will be returned to the domestic market, and commercial exchanges between countries that have been blocked will be resumed. Fierce behind-the-scenes competition continued, trying to finish preparations ahead of others. Each of them began to envision the future with inflated dreams. Forgetting the only existence that brought them hope. A slender figure stood at the edge of the canyon soaring steeply. With both her hands bound, she struggled in front of the boiling lava that spewed a pungent steam. But the more she resisted, the more the knights with spears pushed her into the corner. ¡°Go in.¡± ¡°Go in, what can I do with this kind of fire¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all for the sake of the Empire¡¯s peace. Please understand that if you continue to resist, we will have no choice but to enforce it.¡± Numerous scars had already been carved on her fragile body. It was created in the process of resisting while being dragged to the border. In front of her were the emperor, Ingrem V, and the first princess Estelle, and the imperial knights who served the members of the imperial family. Behind her was a simmering sulphur, radiating scorching heat. An instinctive fear was vidi in her large eyes that alternately stared at her surrounding. The siege of sharp spears was gradually narrowing. But there was no sign of guilt on the faces of the men who aimed at her. They had an expression as if they were throwing away things, or even unnecessary garbage, not people. Finally giving up her last hope, she closed her eyes. Her body, pushed by the strong force, fell down the distant cliff. CH 1 A blood-red crescent moon hung in the night. A white negligee laid on the floor, torn. A slender, naked figure was bathed in the red moonlight pouring through the large windows. Yulia struggled in front of the window, pushing with all her might. But no matter how hard she pushed, it wouldn¡¯t open, and a black shadow was slowly approaching her. ¡°No¡­ Please¡­.no¡­¡± Hearing her pleas, red eyes swept across Yulia¡¯s exposed body. From her smooth, round shoulders, full breasts, and pink nipples to her narrow waist and the hidden area between her legs, already damp with her arousal. The demon¡¯s gaze flitted across her body like a soft touch. Only then did Yulia realize it was hopeless. It didn¡¯t matter how much she begged. The shadow that closed in was Bael, the merciless king of demons. Tears fell down her cheeks in despair. ¡°When will you realize?¡± The demon approached her as she sat on the floor, his wings spread. Yulia was caught in fear and faltered, but there was no place left to retreat. A strong force tightly gripped her hair. ¡°You will never escape my clutches. Even if you died.¡± She couldn¡¯t help it as a soft sob escaped her lips. ¡°This finger, this hair¨C everything is mine.¡± Bael¡¯s long, thick fingers went straight between her legs. Her entrance was wet and easily welcomed the sudden intruder. Lewd squelching sounds rang through the night. ¡°Ah, ah!¡± ¡°You love this.¡± Yulia¡¯s body shook in time to the rhythm of his fingers. The thrusts seem to hint at what was to come later. Whenever his thick fingers rubbed against her inner wall, her stomach would throb with heat. She bit her lips desperately to stifle her cries. ¡°Ah, nngh!¡± ¡°Hnn, you¡¯re so wet. I think I can fit a couple more.¡± Before she knew it, she was being stretched wide by four thick fingers. Bael¡¯s fingers were drenched with her clear fluids that were also dripping down her thighs. What an enticing sight. Bael pulled his hand away and rubbed her juices on his swollen member. It was thick as a forearm with heavy veins running along the length. His penis probed along her slit, seeking entrance. Yulia struggled fearfully. ¡°If you obey me, I will give you pleasure you¡¯ve never experienced before.¡± ¡°No, no, no! Don¡¯t! ¡° ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡± Bael¡¯s mouth twisted at her response. He gripped her knees tightly, one in each hand, and spread her legs apart. Her thighs fell wide open without a chance to resist. Her glistening vagina twitched obscenely, as if in search of something to swallow. Bael¡¯s brow knit as the head of his cock got caught in the crevice he had been searching for. He adjusted himself briefly before plunging straight in. ¡°Ah, ah, ah! Her breath caught in her throat with each thrust. Yulia was engulfed in pleasure. She could barely breathe. She cried out as she tightened around him. Bael tilted his head back, savoring the warmth that surrounded his shaft. Pure, high-quality mana filled his body. The Devil¡¯s Night was just beginning. The war against the humans was in full swing. Footsteps echoed in the grand but desolate hall. Piercing eyes slowly moved toward the source of the sound. The person who broke the silence of the hall was Grand Duke Agares. He calmly ascended the stairs of the throne and knelt down on one knee, not paying any mind to the numerous gazes on him. ¡°My Lord, I¡¯ve finally found it.¡± The air, which had been growing indolent, suddenly changed from the words of the Grand Duke. A number of eyes stopped blinking and stared at him. Agares raised his head and eloquently said, ¡°Esther Vesdra, the noblest human and also the princess of the humans. She is the key to turn the Lord into the Devil.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you allow me, I¡¯ll bring the key right away.¡± Agares conveniently omitted the part, ¡°And turn Abeldissim, the capital of humans, into ruins.¡± Barbatos, the chancellor, noticed it, and stepped in on the king¡¯s behalf. ¡°Do you think that will work? Not long ago, a new swordmaster blossomed on the human side.¡± ¡°If we kill them all, there will be no issue.¡± ¡°Think about the future.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is.¡± Agares gazed at Barbatos with obvious hostility. He was commissioned by the Demon King to command the military and lead the troops on the front line. Barbatos¡¯ attitude, which seemed to favor the enemy, was unacceptable. Barbatos, on the other hand, was frustrated with Agares¡¯ way of thinking. The long war between the demons and humans had devastated the human race. Of course, these hardships could not so easily produce an important human being who would later become the emperor. Although human beings were weaker than the lowest of beasts, their numbers far exceeded that of the demon race. Barbatos judged that it was time to end this useless war. He spoke bluntly to the king, ¡°My Lord, since the tides of war are starting to turn against us, why don¡¯t you show mercy to our kin?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Berid is good at human relations, so send him into the lion¡¯s den. If you just request the princess from Vesdra, they will see our sincerity and agree to end the war. On the throne sat a man with his chin resting in his hand, his posture a bit languid. He opened his eyes slowly. Red eyes glowed through his long black hair. Even though it was a simple act, a powerful mana wave traveled through the grand hall. Agares and Barbatos realized the king was not in a good mood and hurriedly turned away. At the same time, the demon rose from the throne. Robes of the finest fabric draped his sculpted figure. ¡°So the key was born to the royal family of Vesdra. Interesting.¡± Snake-like pupils slowly swept through the wide hall. The demons who received the king¡¯s gaze all raised their heads in unison. A heavy pressure dominated them. The inevitable instinctive fear crushed down on their shoulders. This was the power of the demon king Bael.. With his unprecedentedly powerful mana, he unified the underworld and now ruled from his throne. With each step he took, the absolute power of the king became more and more evident. It was so pure and overwhelming that nothing could compare. In the end, 720 people were unable to withstand the pressure and passed out. ¡°By all means, bring me the Spirit Stone key. That woman is mine.¡± Bael spread his impressive wings, not caring for the other demons¡¯ response. In the end, he only had eyes for the spirit stone, the power of the devil. His mana flashed dangerously purple, as if responding to high-quality mana. ¡°It had better be real this time. If you let me down again¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, my Lord.¡± Agares and Barbatos answered without delay, and the corners of the king¡¯s mouth twisted upward upon hearing it. Standing on the vast terrace, Bael leapt into the air and flew away. Looking towards the king, who grew farther away under the red moon of hell, the two demons exchanged gazes. ¡°Okay, send in Verid or Nabal first¡­ I would like to live a long life.¡± (Agares) ¡°We also have to proceed with the truce talks.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Damn it.¡± Grand Duke Agares cursed with a dissatisfied expression. The arrogant humans still had an enormous debt to repay, but they could not disobey the king¡¯s wishes. Barbatos blankly answered Agares by summoning the page and sending a message to Verid. The people¡¯s cheers rang out in Abeldissim, the capital of the Vesdra Empire. The horde of evil demons finally withdrew from the land of the humans and peace was achieved. It was the first peace in 30 years since the Inma War broke out. As news spread that the expeditionary troops would soon return, hope returned to the faces of the populace, who were tired of the long war. Those who were mobilized to join the bloody battlefield were parents, brothers, or children. Everyone was anxiously awaiting the return of the expeditionary forces after watching them go off to war. Those who were ahead of the current trend of events also predicted what would happen much later. The enormous amount of supplies that had been dedicated to the front lines would soon return for domestic consumption, and commercial trade between countries would also resume. Competition was fierce to finish preparations ahead of others and gain a market advantage. Everyone soon started to dream of their own futures. They seem to have forgotten the existence of the one that actually brought them this hope. ¡ª¨C A thin figure stood at the edge of a towering cliff. With her hands tied, she struggled away from the boiling lava that spewed acrid steam down below. However, the more she resisted, the further the knights with spears pushed her towards the ledge. ¡°Come on, jump in!¡± ¡°Jump in? But this is lava.¡­ !¡± ¡°It¡¯s for the peace of the Empire. You must understand! If you continue to resist, we will have no choice but to force you.¡± Her delicate body had already been marred by numerous injuries. While being dragged to the border, she resisted and tried to flee. In front of her stood the imperial knights, sworn to follow the current Emperor, Ingrem V, and the First Empress, Ethel. Behind her flowed boiling lava throwing off extreme heat. Fear could be seen in her large eyes as they flitted between the two sides. The siege of spears gradually moved closer as the knights closed in. She searched their faces, but couldn¡¯t find a trace of guilt. It seemed like they were simply throwing away unnecessary garbage, not a human being. With that, she finally lost her last bit of hope and closed her eyes. Her body was roughly pushed off the cliff, and she fell. It¡¯s been a little over four years since Yulia was brought into the world of the 19+ rated reverse harem game, [Devil¡¯s Paradise]. The game begins on the 18th birthday of the main character, Esther. A demon visits the emperor and makes a proposal after Esther returns to the inner palace following her birthday celebration. ¡®Give her to our Lord and we¡¯ll end this war.¡¯ The demon king¡¯s goal was to become the Devil by absorbing the immense power for the Spirit Stone. However, after repeated failures, he hears a prophecy that the seal of the Spirit Stone can be completely lifted if the noblest human is used as a medium. Therefore, the demons demanded that Esther, the most noble and well-known princess of the humans, be the ¡°key to the Spirit Stone.¡± At first, the emperor refused the absurd demand. However, the favor of war gradually turned against the human side, and, in the end, Esther sacrificed herself to hell. After she opened her eyes to physical pleasure by performing various deeds with the handsome demons of the underworld, it was as if she were doing her best in the name of the game being a ¡°19+ rated reverse harem.¡± Well, I remember that the story roughly went like that. ¡®It was a game that my senior at work forced me to play, so I don¡¯t remember it clearly.¡¯ When I first opened my eyes, I was really confused. I thought I was dead, but I couldn¡¯t believe, while retaining common sense, that this was the world of a game. That I was the second princess, Yulia, who was not in the original storyline. For the first few months, I wondered if I was dreaming. Perhaps I was actually in a coma because I failed to successfully take my own life. And since then, my body has been lying in a hospital, and my mind created this strange world. However, life here was too similar to my miserable reality for this to be dismissed as a dream. This was the room of the Princess Yulia, where dust bunnies rolled randomly on the floor, long spider webs covered every corner of the ceiling, and a musty smell clung to the air. How long had she been neglected? Her arms and legs, which should have been fully grown by now, were thin, and her skin, which had not seen the sun, was paler than snow. Maids often came in without knocking to deliver their messages, which were never good. Some said, ¡°Don¡¯t come out of the room because there are noble guests in the palace,¡± or ¡°It is the anniversary of the late Empress, so refrain from acting rashly,¡± or even ¡°Fast for three days because his Majesty is angry.¡± Afterwards, I really wouldn¡¯t get anything. The treatment was so cruel that it reminded me of my difficult past. Nevertheless, when I finally decided to live in this world because I couldn¡¯t find a way out of the game, the first thought that selfishly came to mind was the fact that I wasn¡¯t Esther. ¡®I¡¯m definitely going to get out of the palace. I¡¯ll run away to a foreign country and live quietly and peacefully. So let¡¯s just hang in there a little longer. It¡¯ll be okay¡­ ¡® Esther, the emperor¡¯s daughter, who was loved by everyone, is taken to the underworld upon her 18th birthday. The imperial palace, and even the entire empire, is turned upside down due to the unexpected tragedy. In other words, that is the best time to escape. It is the only chance to run away from these cruel people. These cruel people who keep me locked up perpetually to prevent a stain on the imperial family. It¡¯s not like I have a personal grudge against Esther, but I can¡¯t do anything. Or so I thought. But the emperor had a different idea. ¡°You will go to the underworld. I can¡¯t possibly let Esther go.¡± ¡°But what the demons asked for is the noblest human being, so how can I¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, Esther is the noblest child. She¡¯s different from you, who eats like a pig and constantly causes trouble. So now, do what you¡¯ve been raised for. Or do you want to be thrown out naked?¡± Yulia had no choice but to nod when the emperor told her to pretend to be Esther and risk her life to seduce the demon king. With Yulia¡¯s nod, the Emperor¡¯s eyes were filled with relief at having dealt with such a bothersome task. Esther didn¡¯t even look her way, ignoring her as if she were a lowly ant. CH 2.1 ¡°But I just can¡¯t believe that it¡¯s going to be like this¡­¡± As she woke up from reminiscing while watching the full red moon that was soaring right above her head, Julia cautiously rose from her bed. She slightly groaned from all that vertigo before rolling up the sheets abruptly and looked downwards to her arms and legs. They were still quite brittle and pale, but fortunately, no visible wounds could be found. She had thrown herself into the boiling pit of sulfur blaze. To be precise, she was mercilessly shoved by those spears. The feeling of being hurled from a high place, the sound of wind gusting in her ears and the blistering heat that had swallowed her whole body were still extremely vivid. She somehow knew that she would end up being fine inside her head as it had been the same way to how Estelle herself had travelled to the underworld within the game, but when she had truly awakened, she could do nothing other than trembling in fear while losing her mind. When she looked over her body, she began to feel curious about her current situation. As she peered around carefully, the first thing she could see was a stone wall¡ªcold and gray. ¡®A familiar background¡­¡­¡¯ It was the background that she had seen in a CG within that game. Although the size of the room was rather spacious, it had an unenclosed atmosphere without any sense of brimming life¡ªjust as if only the necessities were left behind. The floor was all covered with hides of an unknown creature and the air that brushed against her lungs was just cold and terrifying. There was a thick chain hanging by the bedside, which she decided instantly not to think about its purpose at all. ¡®I¡¯ve really arrived at the Demon Realm. Originally, this is where Estelle should be brought to, but now, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s here.¡¯ The first thing that she had thought about was what to do if she were to be found out and whether the fact that she would be killed right away. What the demons had demanded was ¡®the noblest human being¡¯, but she was not even a noble person¡ªmerely a useless human who had been living her whole life by getting fingers pointed at her. Her anxious eyes slowly turned to the dark night sky beyond the terrace window. A large, bloody full moon was dyeing the entire Demon Realm in red. Amidst the gloomy atmosphere that was completely different from the perpetually gleaming Vestra Imperial Palace, a chilling energy instantly ran up her spine. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die like this. What do I do now?¡± Julia lowered her eyelids helplessly while burying her head into her raised knees. Her heart prickled, but she only bit her lower lip quietly in patience¡ªall alone. ¡®Do I have to pretend to be Estelle in order to live or ¡­¡­¡¯ Even her corpse would never be left intact when they found out that it was not her at all. Even Estelle, the real key to the Magic Stone, had suffered all kinds of horrific things from those demons before she finally broke down. When she was merely sighing softly due to her bleak future, the surroundings eventually became noisy for some reason. A number of footsteps began getting closer and closer while an extremely light voice could be heard intermittently. ¡°You already got the key that you¡¯ve been waiting for after so long, so why don¡¯t you just send it over to the tower right away? We need to unseal the Magic Stone as soon as possible!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± ¡°Does the door even open by itself just by looking at it? Anyway, Brother¡¯s frustration is just too much.¡± ¡°If you happen to fail, you will instantly lose the Magic Stone and the key as well. So, will your Master be very pleased with that?¡± A cold voice suddenly stopped right in front of the door. As soon as Julia took a breath while she had been listening without realizing it, the door slammed open. The gazes of those two demons who were standing side by side had met hers directly, while she was desperately clutching the bedsheets like a lifeline. Julia lowered her gaze, but she saw that the men had entered even faster. ¡®Really. It really is a demon¡­¡­¡¯ With long slit pupils like a cat, extremely sharp fangs, a pair of black wings on their backs and above all, those familiar faces¡ªeven though she was seeing them for the first time, Julia had immediately recognized their identities. The slurred voice and the slightly droopy corners of the eyes were evidently similar to the appearance of the demon, ¡®Lerazier¡¯ within the game. Although he looked just like a beautiful young man, he was actually the 14th highest demon in the Demon Realm as he ruled over love and pleasure. The other one was his twin brother, the 8th highest demon in the demon world, ¡®Barbatos¡¯. At a first glance, it was easy to see him as a mere scholar, but his hands were actually quite cruel and brutal as he was in charge of despair, cruelty and ruthlessness. ¡®It¡¯s exactly the same as the game¡¯s prologue.¡¯ In the original story, they had dragged Estelle directly in front of the Demon God¡¯s Crystal Ball in the tower. But perhaps things wouldn¡¯t be just as fun if they had been going well from the beginning, so she collapsed under the mighty power of the Magic Stone before wandering through death for a very long time. ¡®Estelle, the main character, had suffered the same exact way, but I, who was never in the original, would definitely die.¡¯ There was no interest towards the peace of the human world or anything like which Emperor Ingrem V had spoken of before. She just wanted to live. Even if it was just once, no, she terribly wanted only one day, for her to live a normal life just like everyone else. Her hands trembled as she grabbed onto the unfamiliar sheets. ¡°Does the key look strange?¡± ¡°She must have been scared. Humans are weak after all.¡± ¡°Still, are they usually this frail? It¡¯s even smaller than the wolf I raise.¡± ¡°There is no other human being that could be bigger than that. Stop being stupid.¡± Julia carefully looked up at the two of them who were casually having a conversation. In the original story, Estelle was very proud of herself. So, when she first met the two of them, she acted bravely and vainly right until the very end. Her appearance was already enough to pique the demons¡¯ twisted interest. But Julia simply didn¡¯t have such audacity. She had just turned to stone in fear of when they would actually kill her. In fact, she had no idea what to do at all. Then, her eyes met with Lerazier¡¯s all of a sudden. ¡°¡­!¡± As she bowed her head in surprise, there was an abrupt popping sound over her head as the wind gusted. ¡°What, she¡¯s actually cuter than I thought? Since she¡¯s such a great princess, I was really looking forward to how we would break her spirit.¡± Lerazier strode along before grabbing the sheet that she had been holding onto like a lifeline with one of her hands and lifted it away. Julia tried her best to not let it get taken away, but she just could not win against the power of a demon. In fact, her slender and fragile body wouldn¡¯t have been able to withstand the power of anyone, not to mention a demon as well. CH 2.2 A long shadow loomed over her head as she stumbled right onto the bed. It was Barbatos, the one who had been silent all this while. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to see here. Let¡¯s just take her to the tower.¡± ¡°What? You just shouted how it wasn¡¯t a simple problem at all, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No matter how hard you look at it, isn¡¯t it quite strange?¡± Barbatos took out a handkerchief and grabbed Julia¡¯s chin as if he just didn¡¯t want to touch any insignificant humans directly. A pair of thin, snake-like eyes had ripped apart her whole appearance. ¡°The appearance is roughly the same, but this attitude¡ªit¡¯s not that of a princess. She is a human being who has been accustomed to submission.¡± ¡°Are you implying that she¡¯s a substitute? But there¡¯s no doubt that pinkish platinum hair is the symbol of Vestra¡¯s Imperial Family!¡± Lerazier, who had grabbed Julia from his brother, began to look closely at her face once again. Her hair that was as pale as an unripe fruit had been messed up in his hands. As her cheeks moved to and fro between the two brothers, a firm conviction eventually settled in Julia¡¯s mind. And the fact was that if it were to go eventually like this, she would ultimately die with much certainty and clarity¡ªwhether she would be swept away by the power of the Magic Stone or end up dead because of the felony that dared to deceive the demons. If she were to die, she should at least make an effort to live. Julia gathered all her courage before she carefully opened her mouth. ¡°I¡ªI am a princess¡­¡± As soon as she said it, she regretted it terribly. Her voice was dreadfully trembling, even when she heard of it herself. Unsurprisingly, Barbatos¡¯ eyes turned even colder over those glasses. Even before Lerazier could say anything, he had opened his mouth first. ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I didn¡¯t have any time to play around, human.¡± ¡°I, I really¡­¡± ¡°If you stand in front of the Magic Stone, everything will be clear instantly. Follow me right away.¡± He turned around mercilessly as he gave no room for excuses at all. Even before Julia could grasp the meaning of his last words, Lerazier had grabbed a hold of her lightly with one hand and embraced her. Then, as if he was fond of it, his steps began to trail airily after his brother¡¯s footsteps. Eventually, he added some words of comfort in his own way. ¡°If Brother comes out too strong, I can¡¯t really help it either. Instead, I¡¯ll carefully weave your body into a doll, so don¡¯t worry about it too much.¡± ¡°A doll¡­¡± ¡°Of course, if there are still any parts being intact though, kekkek!¡± To be honest, Julia had an absolutely minuscule amount of courage¡ªshe feared turning into a doll much more so than simply dying. She tossed her head forcefully to live while struggling to avoid Lerazier¡¯s touch, which was already holding onto her slender waist. Although her identity had been questioned, the situation itself was proceeding exactly the same as the game¡¯s prologue. Estelle, who had finally reached the top floor of the Demon God Tower, was forcibly dragged into a space where the crystal ball had already been sealed by two demons. However, the magical power that was emitted by the magic crystal had been so strong until it could no longer survive as a human body, which had yet to be blossomed into a ¡®key¡¯ before she merely fainted while having barely saved her own life. After that, the full-fledged story finally began and she had to raise her various stats, but Julia could not possibly think that she would be able to get that far. It would be sheer luck if she didn¡¯t die while frothing away as soon as she entered the Demon Tower, let alone in front of the crystal ball itself. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡­¡¯ Unknowingly, Julia¡¯s hand that was still grabbing onto Lerazier¡¯s hem began trembling. To anyone else, they would have felt pity for her slender figure, but Lerazier even had loosened his own grip against her as if it was such a pleasure to let Julia dangle from the side. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m going to fall like this!¡± ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you hold me a bit tighter? Hang on to me with all your might. I won¡¯t exactly help you even if you were to fall.¡± The gigantic wings spread out like countless petals bursting from his back. Barbatos, who was walking ahead of him, suddenly leaped into the air and flew through the dark night sky. Julia¡¯s fear finally reached its peak when Lerazier leaped over the window sill as well. She clung onto the demon¡¯s neck with all her might, lest she would unknowingly fall onto the distant ground. On top of that, she was only thinking of just one thing. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die, I don¡¯t want to die, I don¡¯t want to die!¡¯ She eventually reached the Demon Tower while still hanging from Lerazier¡¯s neck. The two demons had struggled against the pulsating magic power before climbing up the stairs and finally stood in front of the great altar. By the time she had regained her senses, it was already too late. Right before her eyes was a huge sphere of deep purple that was glowing with a buzzing sound. Just like her eyes would go blind if she had stared directly into the sun, it was rather difficult for Julia to gaze at it for a long time since it was emitting such a huge wave. ¡°Oh, Brother¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking at it.¡± A slightly confused groan could be heard in Julia¡¯s ears, who was merely standing awkwardly. She slowly shifted her gaze before turning around to look at them and only then did she realize the situation she was currently in. ¡®It¡¯s exactly the same as the CG in the game. This is definitely the Demon God¡¯s crystal ball.¡¯ The entire hall, which was as grand and huge as the stadium, had existed solely for the sake of the magic stone. It was definitely the same as in her own memories, but a different kind of pressure than back when she had simply looked through the monitor was weighing down against her. As if she was just standing in front of a primeval nature, a boundless state of awe had swallowed up all of Julia¡¯s other sorts of emotions. CH 3.1 A huge number of arched pillars were lined up endlessly around the magic stone while the long history of the Demon Realm had been engraved on the ceiling that was high enough to exceed 20 times the normal height itself. On the other hand, a vast magic circle had already been spread out on the floor to suppress the power of the magic stone and whenever the crystal ball flickered, it instantly lit up in all different kinds of colors. Even though it wasn¡¯t alive at all, it still felt rather difficult to be repressing the power of the magic stone. ¡°Hmm, luckily enough, it doesn¡¯t seem to be in vain.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this just useless?!¡± The two demons, who had just carried Julia away like luggage, were looking up at her with such hardened faces while being situated underneath the altar¡ªfar away from her. It was then did Julia finally realize that she was already standing still right in front of the magic stone. Estelle, the real key, had collapsed as she was unable to withstand the potent power when she first encountered the magic stone. However, the counterfeit self of hers was simply admiring the surrounding landscape instead. ¡®How did this even happen?¡¯ The sense of fear had occurred extremely late but to the point where she could no longer breathe and felt completely suffocated. She looked like she was about to collapse miserably at any moment, but she persevered with all her might. It was due to her instinctive feeling that she would at least be able to live even a little bit longer if only she pretended to be okay at present. And so, her prediction was ultimately correct. The demons had been secretly searching for the key to the magic stone in the human world, but they failed every single time. In some cases, they were crushed by the force and exploded to death even before they could be put down right at the Demon God Tower and the only successful case ever was that of a human who had eventually lost her mind before breaking down in front of the Magic Stone itself. After hundreds of chances just like that, the possibility of success was opened for the first time at long last. A chance for their great Master to metamorphose into a Demon God! The eyes of those two demons who gazed intensely at Julia were shining eerily¡ªlike a beast with such a coveted prey right in front of them. * * * Barbatos¡¯ attitude towards Julia changed in an instant and it started right with the incident back in the tower. He was still the exact same in treating all humans like those trifling inconsequential creatures, but at least, throughout the whole journey down from the Demon God Tower, he didn¡¯t forget to take great care not to damage her frail body. On the other hand, Lerazier¡¯s attitude did not change that much. He still treated her like a mere pretty toy and when his brother wasn¡¯t looking, he put his hands completely in the air as he enjoyed watching Julia dangling on his back. ¡°This is too much¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to fall, you can just hold onto me even tighter.¡± Despite the fact that Julia eventually felt a little better as she gathered her courage and protested, Lerazier only shrugged his shoulders yet again. Julia then moved to the room where she first woke up before she was washed, combed and dressed up in no time. Ever since she fell into the Demon Realm, she was in an utter mess all along and finally, she had found her human form. Not only Lerazier, who had adorned her all by himself, but even Barbatos¡ªthat rarely revealed his emotions¡ªcame to a pause as well. ¡°This is that key from earlier.¡± ¡°It¡¯s great now, isn¡¯t it?¡± As she stood in front of the mirror, Julia blinked her eyes blankly. The dress that she donned was all black. However, the hem of her skirt had wrapped around her body and even with the slightest flutter, it could reveal the generous gush of delicate laces and splendid jewels. Besides, the jet-black fabric went extremely well with that pure white, delicate skin of hers. ¡°Just before, you¡¯re exactly like a beggar, but I¡¯m sure the Master will finally believe that this is the key itself.¡± ¡°What do you mean a beggar, you bastard! You¡¯re talking a bit too much to my doll, Brother!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She wanted to proclaim proudly how she was never a key¡ªeven more so, a doll itself. However, even for that kind of reason, Julia¡¯s courage was still that of the size of a pea while the momentum of those demons in question was just so colossal that it seemed to have pierced the sky. Julia crouched under the table as she avoided the two brothers who were still arguing. The prologue¡¯s test seemed to have successfully been solved somehow, but it was just a mountain beyond another mountain. [The first monarch to unify the Demon Realm, the Great Evil Bael] Bael was utterly strong and cruel enough to completely reorganize the chaotic and disordered hell under his own name. Nevertheless, his lust did not know an end at all as he started the Human-Demon war. At the same time, he had also discovered a magic crystal that was buried deep in the abyss of hell before he eventually tried to directly swallow the mighty power all up. ¡®But it wasn¡¯t that easy even for Bael¡­¡­¡¯ Within the Magic Stone itself, the power of the Demon God was so strong that even the high-ranking demons, such as Barbatos and Lerazier, could not properly withstand it. Bael was able to at least stand in front of it completely, but absorbing its power had failed every single time. Thus, as a result of that reaction, he had to experience a terrible magic outburst time and again. The cost of failure was different for each time. There were times when it had been a one-time outburst, but in most cases, he could not really control his raging magic before wrecking all the surrounding area in an instant. It was difficult even for a high-ranking demon to escape safely if they were faced with his outburst directly. Given the circumstances, the demons¡¯ fears were actually significant. They eventually came to discover the old record of using ¡®the noblest human¡¯ as a key to quell the King¡¯s wrath. Such circumstances were apparently hidden in the fact that the demons had been constantly looking for a human who could be the key even though they failed every single time so far. ¡°I hope that it will produce a good result this time.¡± Just as Barbatos was muttering softly, a bat flew in through the slightly opened window. Lerazier¡¯s eyes that came into contact with it eventually narrowed. ¡°Agares is looking for you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The Master¡¯s outburst has already started. If you don¡¯t want to die, get the key right away.¡± ¡°¡­it had gotten rather complicated.¡± Barbatos¡¯ gaze while he was kneading his forehead eventually turned to Julia, who was all quiet under the table. It was difficult even for himself to endure the Master in that outburst state and it was utterly tough to think of what to do if he were to be seriously injured or even killed while giving the key to such a Master. Julia was also able to read the worries that had crept into his mind rather easily. Actually, right from the point after she had just finished the prologue¡­ CH 3.2 [?Barbatos I don¡¯t even know what to do if I get seriously injured or killed while giving the key to such a Master.] This was due to the fact that the thoughts of the characters began to emerge just like fingerprints. It disappeared because it had obstructed her view when she was walking or moving, but when she remained in one place, it came out quite naturally. There was a SKIP button at the corner, but Julia couldn¡¯t afford to operate it just yet. ¡®What¡¯s even more worrisome is that¡­¡­¡¯ In the upper right corner of her field of vision, there was a purple icon that looked just like a magic stone. She wanted to see for herself what it was, but she had to stretch out her arm in order to do so. Therefore, Julia began to wiggle her fingers vaguely instead. Meanwhile, the two brothers continued discussing among themselves. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we just wait outside until the outburst is finally over?¡± ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s the Master¡¯s order. Take the key, but still, keep it as safe as possible.¡± ¡°If you just want to die like that, I will tell you to do your best on your own¡­ but this time, it really is the key, so there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. Hence, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± He looked at Julia and arched the corners of his slightly droopy eyes fascinatingly¡ªsimilar to a spider that was enticing a coveted butterfly. [?Lerazier If she was lucky¡ªfor the Master to throw her away, I might have a lick myself.] However, when she looked at the window that floated below, she just couldn¡¯t imagine how beautiful that smile was. Besides, she didn¡¯t even want to picture what the phrase, ¡®have a lick¡¯ meant since she was absolutely terrified. Fortunately this time, they seemed to be moving only within the castle itself. Thanks to this, Julia was then able to move directly with her own two legs without the need to hang herself onto Lerazier at all. Still, the demons were so tall that she almost had to run just to catch up with their speed. After walking for a while, the three of them soon arrived at the entrance of a magnificent corridor that was lined with such huge columns. Just as the brothers were about to enter first, a high and sharp cry pierced their eardrums instantly. ¡°I told you to bring her right away, but why did it have to take so long?!¡± Surprised, Julia unknowingly took a step backwards, but Lerazier was even faster in grabbing her by the waist before dragging her forward. ¡°It took me a while to dress her up in order to catch the Master¡¯s eyes. How is it?¡± ¡°How useless¡­ it must be another fake again anyway.¡± ¡°It¡¯s totally different this time! She endured it well in front of that magic stone.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see for myself.¡± The piercing sound echoed sharply through the dome-shaped ceiling. A beautiful woman who was a lot taller than Julia had already been looking down upon her with such a coercive gaze. [The Demon King¡¯s agent and the second person in the Demon Realm, Grand Duke Agares] Julia couldn¡¯t help but just blinked at the tremendous force that Agares was radiating. The slender and toned body was wrapped tightly in a black military uniform. Her long hair that reached even down to her waist, was tied high in a ponytail while a sword and a whip were hung around her waist. With every single step she had taken, the epaulettes on her shoulders shook with a regular metallic sound. Suddenly, she approached right in front of Julia before grabbing her chin and lifted it towards herself. The pupils that were as thin as a crocodile¡¯s eventually gleamed. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I see¡ªI got it.¡± It was just a fleeting moment. What did Agares really see in that meantime when there was a clear favor in her eyes as soon as she met with Julia. Just in time, a new window popped up all of a sudden. [?Agares What¡¯s with this human? So cute. Truly, isn¡¯t she just lovely? I simply want to lay her down on my bed and suck her up to her every toe.] Although the context of the favor was quite a bit¡­¡­ no, even if the content was not very pleasant at all. ¡°Little key, I¡¯m telling you first to not be afraid, so just listen carefully.¡± Agares continued to speak while licking her rose-red lips with the tip of her tongue. ¡°From where you stand right now to where the hallway ends, my shield has already been set up. But the moment you cross the last pillar, you¡¯ll encounter a mighty force that you might have never experienced before.¡± Julia¡¯s gaze then naturally turned towards the huge door right at the end of the long corridor. It was a scene which she had already seen in the game. Beyond that door was the nest of the Demon King Bael. Every time he failed to swallow the magic crystal, it would cause a serious magic outburst and therefore, destroy everything around him. In order to prevent the castle from being wrecked every single time, high-ranking demons would come forward and put up a shield. However, if the second person from the Demon Realm had come out on her own, the scale of this current outburst seemed to be quite large. Her frightened face flickered towards her and Agares smiled enchantingly once again. ¡°Since I¡¯m with you, you won¡¯t die. But it could get a little painful though.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not even talk about it. The momentum is not really good right now.¡± Barbatos, who had been staring at the thunderclouds swirling outside the hallway, soon interrupted those words. Agares clasped his shoulders tightly as if she had gotten annoyed, but still, she reached out to Julia to say goodbye¡ªdespite the immensely urgent situation at hand. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Feeling extremely frightened, Julia did not answer her, but started biting her own mouth tightly instead. However, at the gaze of those three demons who kept on staring at her as if they were pushing her, she was instantly forced to grab upon Agares¡¯ hand¡ªjust like she had been shoved away. CH 4.1 Their footsteps echoed horribly through the empty corridor. Then, Julia began to stare blankly at the door that seemed to be several times more than her own height. She recalled the first meeting between Estelle and the Demon King, which she had already seen in the original story before. Even though the Demon King at that time was not in a serious state of outburst like today, he still showed such powerful magic and eventually caused the main character to be left half-dead. In other words, it meant that there was a lot of distrust in the ¡®key¡¯ itself. Perhaps he had noticed Julia¡¯s hesitation, Barbatos started walking out of the barrier first. In the stillness similar to the deep sea, a groan that was mixed with a tad of pain immediately flowed from his mouth. Even Lerazier, who appeared to be smirking all the time since they first met, had his face stiffened with tension. ¡°Master, this is Barbatos.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought along the key. May I come in?¡± Clink! Instead of giving any sort of consent, something just cracked and exploded in the room. Barbatos shrugged his shoulders before turning around. ¡°He has allowed it, so go inside.¡± ¡°Allowed? Th, that?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t tell us to leave, so it¡¯s considered as a permission. Let¡¯s go inside, little key.¡± Agares wrapped her arms around Julia¡¯s shoulders. Then, Agares proceeded without hesitation, even while being aware that the slender, limp body was trembling under her own palm. As she had been driven by that strength, Julia took her last step without any resistance at all. And¡­¡­ Boom¡ªa tremendous sense of pressure that had been completely different from before was weighing down upon Julia¡¯s shoulder. She couldn¡¯t even breathe properly, just as if she had been buried under a huge rock. An absolute power that would never allow even a small gasp to leak at all. A supernatural power that made her feel like she was compelled to get down on her knees and bow her head right at that moment. Even though the thick door was blocking it, Julia could still feel the strength clearly. ¡°Go inside.¡± Barbatos grabbed the doorknob even without her having prepared her own heart just yet. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Wow, you seem to look hot today as well, Master.¡± The barrier behind his back began to shatter with a terrible burst. If she was still at that place, it was clear that her whole body would have been torn from those fragments of broken magic. Among those three demons, Agares had the finest features, but that had only been her appearance. Julia felt that her nails were digging deeper and fiercer into her shoulder. Plus, even Lerazier appeared nervous. A gust of magical power just like the blast of wind was constantly rushing in. Julia¡¯s long hair could no longer overcome the wild momentum as it fluttered wildly into the air. ¡°Brother, quick!¡± ¡°I¡¯m still doing it even if you don¡¯t say that.¡± The dark sphere, which had grown in size from the grasp of those two brothers¡¯, began to suck in the waves of magical energy like a black hole. While the strength of the gale had weakened a little, Julia hurriedly regained her consciousness once again before peering inside the door. The inside was a total mess. The windows that had occupied one side of the huge bedroom were completely shattered, leaving only the bare frame, while the expensive drapes and carpets had already turned into such shabby rags. All the pieces and interior materials were also broken and shattered¡ªscattered all over the floor. In the middle of such a room, there he lay¡ªthe Demon King, Bael. The long black hair was all disheveled upon the white sheet while his firm chest was already exposed without any clothes on and it was moving up and down violently as if it was struggling with the power. Bael¡¯s blood-red eyes suddenly turned to look at the uninvited guests who were right outside the door. Just like a rabbit that had stood in front of a wild beast, Julia was numbed and frozen. [?Bael ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­] Similar to before, a dialogue window that informed the thoughts of the character popped up in her mind. However, there was only the name while the contents were completely hidden from guesswork¡ªwhether or not he was currently feeling good or even bad¡­¡­ At a first glance, it appeared to be the worst. ¡°Master, you¡¯ve already been through a lot.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°As you may have heard before, this key is highly likely to be genuine. That was the first time that a human has actually survived in front of that magic stone like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­therefore.¡± Bael¡¯s voice was low and gloomy as if it was gashing against iron. The bodies of those three demons who had received his gaze began to collapse¡ªone after another. ¡°Kugh, Master!¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably not the kind of answer that I¡¯m looking for.¡± He then slowly raised his body up from lying on the bed. Even though he only lifted his upper body, the three demons still had to do their best not to fall over without raising their heads. [?Lerazier God, you got me all wrong. It really is no joke today. I might truly die like this!] As she caught a glimpse of Lerazier¡¯s thoughts, Julia immediately clasped her hands tightly in fear. If he¡ªa high-ranking demon¡ªhad to struggle so much, she would soon be the same as well. Since she was never the main character, Estelle, she didn¡¯t even know if she would really end up dead this time. Her body trembled as she closed her eyes tightly in fear of the rushing terror. However, she didn¡¯t realize that due to that reason, the people around her began changing gradually¡ªfrom being surprised to astonished. Crash, crash. The sound of solid debris being heavily trampled into powder eventually grew closer and closer. [?Bael ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­] The back of Julia¡¯s hair was quickly caught and tugged back. Her head was lifted forcibly and she had no other choice but to merely open her eyes once again. The pair of eyes that were burning like flaming fire were simply staring down at her. ¡°How are you holding up?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± Feeling confused, Julia tried to turn her gaze away, but she couldn¡¯t move since the back of her head was still being held tightly in his grasp. As she attempted to roll her eyes downwards, the grip on the back of her head grew even stronger as if he wasn¡¯t fond of it. In the end, Julia had no choice but to keep her gaze directly at Bael. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Within those blood-red eyes, there was a creepy chill like the pupils of a snake. Even though she knew that it was dangerous, she could still glance at him without really knowing why. It was at that moment when she unconsciously began reaching out to the corner of Bael¡¯s eyes. CH 4.2 ¡°Master, please! All of us will definitely die like this!¡± Lerazier¡¯s shriek instantly broke down the heavy silence. Bael threw her away before wiping his face and instead, the hastily risen Agares was able to grab the staggering Julia from her fall. Agares had boasted her high confidence and dignified attitude right from their first meeting. However, there was a glimmer of wonder in her eyes as she looked at Julia who had currently been in her arms. ¡°Little key, what¡¯s your name? Estelle?¡± ¡°That, that¡­¡± ¡°Estelle Vestra, the Princess of those humans.¡± Barbatos, who had completely fixed his disheveled appearance within that short duration of time, raised his one-eyed glasses and began answering instead. While he¡ªwho also served as a librarian¡ªcontinued to explain in regard to Estelle, Bael simply turned around as if he was uninterested before burying himself into the big and deep sofa. He furrowed his brows as he kept on getting headaches and started ruffling his dark hair wildly. ¡°The human returned safely from the presence of the Magic Stone.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± ¡°Then, was the seal released?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, it still remains the same. But I think it will certainly be for sure this time.¡± The Demon King¡¯s gaze, who had been staring at Barbatos, proceeded to shift towards Julia. His eyes narrowed even more¡ªjust like he was calculating something. Bael then rubbed his forehead and tilted his head slowly. His neck was bulging out as he moved. ¡°It looks that way. How do you even use the key?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡­¡± Barbatos, who had always answered confidently, paused for the first time ever. Even in the game, what method would Estelle, a human being, become a ¡®key¡® was thoroughly concealed in secret. She was told that she could actually find out by finishing the hidden ending, but Julia didn¡¯t have such a passionate personality during her lifetime. On top of that, she just couldn¡¯t win over the likability and thus, she had only won a few of the endings. And by the way, they were all those dead endings¡­¡­ From her standpoint, it was clearly natural to be concerned about the way humans could actually become the key. She could only think of such dreadful ways like melting everything down by throwing it into a furnace along with the magic stone or killing it while having some blood sprinkled all over it. Plus, even the genre was an R-19 tragic one. Even to have taken the most seemingly normal¡ªhuman warrior¡ªroute, she just couldn¡¯t afford to take upon the wrong option. Still, she didn¡¯t really want to think about it all. At that moment, Lerazier, who was fiddling with his chin, muttered abruptly. ¡°I think we should eat it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Eating is the best way to absorb power anyway. That¡¯s why the Master would eat magic crystals every time an incident occurs.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡°What are you talking about! Master, please wait for a moment!¡± Even Bael nodded his head as if he had been in agreement, but Barbatos was still contemplating. He then continued to speak while prostrating himself in front of the Demon King. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just see it then! This is the key that we¡¯ve just barely found. This may be your last chance, but I still think that we need to be much more careful.¡± ¡°Are you trying to hinder my way right now?¡± ¡°It is this Barbatos¡¯ lifelong wish for the Master to become the Demon God. But please consider it more this time. It won¡¯t be too long before we find an actual way.¡± It was the first time he had seen Barbatos, who was always reticent, expressing himself extensively. Even Lerazier had gazed upon his brother up and down¡ªappearing curious¡ªbefore he raised his hand once again and offered a different opinion then. ¡°If you can¡¯t really eat it, what about having a love affair instead?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes began to turn towards Julia at that instant. She, who had just been slipping away, was immediately seized by a shaky premonition. ¡°Since time immemorial, there was nothing like a love affair to actually absorb the human spirit anyway.¡± ¡°Killing the little key perhaps is a bit sloppy, but if it¡¯s just about a love affair, then it¡¯s absolutely fine.¡± ¡°Indeed, if that¡¯s the case, we can try it out right now.¡± Lerazier, Agares and Barbatos proceeded speaking in turn. Julia¡¯s will, however, the one that would be deprived of her own spirit, didn¡¯t seem to have mattered that much. And so, all of them were asking permission only from their Master. ¡°No.¡± Of course anyone would have allowed it. Even from Bael¡¯s point of view, there was nothing to lose anyway¡­¡­ hmm? Julia, whose hair was all messed up in fear, parted her lips blankly. It was all because she could not comprehend Bael¡¯s answer really well. She thought maybe due to the fact that she was so frightened that her ears had gotten deafened at that moment. But whether or not she had heard anything wrong, all of the three demons opened both of their eyes in unison before they questioned. ¡°Master, but why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± [?Agares What actually happened to the Master¡¯s eyes? Is it a side effect from the magic outburst?] Grand Duke Agares, the second person in the Demon Realm and practically the only demon who was capable of getting close to the Demon King, slowly embraced Julia from behind and began to appeal. ¡°Master, open your eyes widely and take a good look! Have you ever seen a human being so pretty and pitiful who¡¯s just like a doll? This soft skin that seems to melt under your touch, this evidently ripe fruit-colored hair, these round, obedient eyes and this naive atmosphere. To be honest, even if it wasn¡¯t for the Master, I would still want to peel her off and eat it whole.¡± Agares gently pulled down at the chest of Julia¡¯s dress with the tip of her fingernails and naturally curved her eyes. In fact, it was something that Julia had never agreed to at all. Nevertheless, she did not have the courage to intervene in the conversation between the two demons of the highest status within the Demon Realm, so she could only bite her mouth instead. [?Bael ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­] Julia wondered if she could perceive the thoughts of the Demon King, so she tried looking at Bael carefully. But unlike the other characters, his heart was still shrouded in a veil. She pondered why the system would have worked differently only for Bael, but Julia didn¡¯t actually know anything about it. In the beginning, the Demon King was already a character, which had been complained even among the users, that the difficulty of targeting was just too high. On top of that, Julia did not even dare to think of touching him. In return, Julia was then compelled to entrust her own fate to his mere words. CH 5.1 ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°May I ask the reason?¡± ¡°I am the Master of this Demon Realm. To imitate things which only those incubi do¡­¡± Her skin was tingling. She could again feel that the air surrounding her, which had barely subsided, was trying to run rampant once more. If one were to interpret Bael¡¯s words, it seemed to have brought the meaning that he¡ªthe absolute monarch who had accomplished the feat of unifying the whole Demon Realm¡ªhad been utterly dissatisfied that he were to gain powers through such affairs, like those merely low-level incubi did. Whatever he had in mind, it was actually good. Julia nodded her head passionately since she, herself, didn¡¯t wish to be devoured by him either way. Regardless of the fact, Lerazier, whose senses seemed to have completely evaporated, soon came up with a much more and more unpleasant plan. ¡°Then, Master, simply leave it by your side for now and just watch instead.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter if you roast or even boil the key. You¡¯ll need an attendant anyway, right? He died a few days ago. To be honest, whenever the Master goes on a rampage, it¡¯s actually too annoying to clean up¡­¡± The main point appeared to be in that last sentence, but the two other demons started showing their empathy instead as they thought that it might have been a not-so-bad suggestion anyway. The three of them, who had been arguing with each other, eventually took a step back and closed the door just when Bael had turned away for a moment¡ªas if they were running away. As she witnessed it, Julia immediately screamed inwards. ¡®You said that you¡¯d be protecting me from dying!¡¯ Julia was rather timid basically and yet that wasn¡¯t consistent at all, even when her life was at stake. The shards of magical power that had shattered and scattered all over amongst the heavy air, which had already crushed the lungs, still seemed to have come alive. The woman who was simply left in the middle of the spacious bedroom hadn¡¯t dared to follow the demons through the closed door, but still, she couldn¡¯t even approach the Demon King. Thus, there she stood¡ªstunned. She felt a sense of uneasiness as she began thinking if she were to draw her foot by mistake, even if it was just a little, a magical storm would have about to hit her in an instant. Bael wrinkled his brow as if his head was still throbbing. Yet his red eyes were all fixed on Julia. Feeling frightened, she then hunched her shoulders and merely leveled her gaze towards the floor. ¡®I¡¯m scared. I want to run away.¡¯ Even though his eyes were closed tightly, she could still feel his gaze blatantly on her body. The gaze was moving slowly upwards from her toes, then passed through her slender waist and skinny chest before stopping right at her face. The suffocating silence began to press her down. How would he actually rate her as a human being? She was not as noble as Estelle, who had been the real key, nor was she as beautiful and enchanting like those mistresses of Ingrem V. In Bael¡¯s set of eyes, she must have looked completely unappealing. ¡°Alright, human.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Tell me what it is that you can do.¡± Bael had only uttered that one sentence, but once Julia heard it, she immediately felt as if she was just worthless. Perhaps Bael had already despised her. She hadn¡¯t been sure of what was the actual truth since she couldn¡¯t perceive his expression, but based on her experience so far, it was certainly so. She had barely spread her slouched shoulders before she continued her words with much difficulty. ¡°Cleaning, washing and also a little bit of cooking¡­¡± ¡°Does it look like I¡¯m actually free enough to listen to such kind of jokes?¡± Despite her own hard work, her shoulders still shrank, albeit slightly. She appeared to be an 18-year-old Princess, but in reality, she had already lived for 20 years in the modern world where their common sense couldn¡¯t be applied here. Even with the memories of both worlds being put together, she still couldn¡¯t do anything but just those merely chores to live on. She didn¡¯t know what kind of grandiose thing Bael was actually expecting, though. He then smirked at her, perhaps knowing that Julia¡¯s words weren¡¯t exactly a joke at all. ¡°Are you serious? That¡¯s just so trivial. It¡¯s not even worth touching on.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Then, just do that cleaning of yours with such confidence. Don¡¯t even think about being silly.¡± Along with a voice that was mixed with irritation, he looked quite fatigued as he closed his eyes altogether. After she had quietly cleaned up the messy room for a rather long time, Julia suddenly realized that Bael had already fallen into a deep sleep. As if his insomnia had long been thrown away, a low, regular breathing sound could be then heard. ¡®Is it the power of that white noise?¡¯ He had been the object of fear when he was awake, but when she thought how he had fallen asleep to the sound of her cleaning away, she lifted her head while feeling absurdly proud. She had put the Demon King to sleep. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ Julia recalled the fact that she had forgotten about the icon right after the prologue scene. As she had carefully examined her left and right sides, she then made sure that Bael was completely asleep before she crouched her body down under the table and sat down. The icon was still at the upper-right corner within her field of view. Julia slowly reached her hand out to it. [Julia Vestra] STATUS ?PROGRESS ?SKILL ?ITEM ?SETTING The name appeared right at the top while the selection window was lined up straight away below it. It was just like what she had seen on the game screen. Julia mechanically selected STATUS. And again, a familiar set of figures came to her mind. She then lowered the short scroll at once. ?HP ?SP . . ?REP ?LUK SIGHT A few types of stats eventually stopped moving at the last sight. It was the first time that the screen appeared in those 4 years after she had entered the game world. Julia began to wonder why the icon had just come into existence. [Demon¡¯s Paradise] was a game in which, like any other dating simulation games, one would train the protagonist to raise her ability level before using that ability to target a character, then solve the whole case and eventually, reach the ending. Of course, there were some elements that had been quite different from those normal games. The fact that one could create a reverse harem ending merely by aiming as many characters as one desired, which could then develop independently from the main episode titled, ¡®Key of the Magic Stone¡¯ as well as a rather lot of gory episodes and endings that were absolutely befitting of the tragic R-19 genre. CH 5.2 It was possible since the degree of freedom in the game was high and the worldbuilding was vast. Even before she got recommended, various media used to send out advertisements every day through numerous channels. ¡®It¡¯s just the beginning anyway, so all the abilities will have to start back with the basics.¡¯ As she tried to turn off the window that was without much result, she suddenly found a menu that actually stood out from the initial screen. ?STATUS PROGRESS ?SKILL ?ITEM (items) ?SETTING ¡®Progress¡­¡­?¡¯ Julia immediately stopped. When she first started the game, only the PROGRESS button had been shining particularly brightly, as if it was urging her to follow the tutorial. She instantly chose it as if she was possessed. A simple window that was quite different from her memory had appeared in her mind. [?SYSTEM Story progress 1%] [The first monarch to unify the Demon Realm, the Great Demon Bael] ¡®Bael¡ªwhy?¡¯ In the actual game, if she were to select PROGRESS, a series of capturable characters were listed as the story eventually progressed. But currently, despite the fact that only the prologue had just ended, Bael¡¯s name was the one that appeared right away. On the other hand, those two brothers, Agares, whom she just met for the first time in the Demon Realm, and even the human warrior whom she had encountered several times since four years ago were all blocked by a set of achromatic colors in such a way that she wouldn¡¯t be able to choose. ¡®It¡¯s like I can only aim for Bael instead¡­¡­¡¯ Julia, who had been so immersed in her own thoughts, stopped moving all of a sudden. As expected, it was just strange right from the beginning. The dialogue windows of other characters had been displayed properly, but only Bael¡¯s was covered up. Plus, even when the three demons had fallen helplessly under the rampaging magic, she definitely felt afraid of the intimidation that he exuded before, but she did not feel any pain. ¡®From where you stand right now to where the hallway ends, my shield has already been set up. But the moment you cross the last pillar, you¡¯ll encounter a mighty force that you might have never experienced before.¡¯ ¡®Since I¡¯m with you, you won¡¯t die. But it could get a little painful though.¡¯ Julia left the window and opened STATUS instead. There were several reasons why the target difficulty of Demon King Bael was called the worst of the worst, but the biggest factor was the fact that he had been a character who was deeply intertwined with the main story of the game itself, ¡®Key of the Magic Stone¡¯. In order to approach the Magic Stone safely, some relevant stats had to be accumulated to a fairly high level first. ¡®After seeing that Magic Stone in person, why didn¡¯t I doubt it at all?¡¯ And amongst them, the magic resistance, which had supposedly been the most difficult to raise, was¡­¡­ [?REP : ¡Þ] actually marked with an infinity symbol instead. Feeling rather surprised, Julia intended to look at the other stats as well. ¡°Ugh, kuhk¡­¡± Right at the sudden occurrence, she quickly shut the screen down and raised her head. Fortunately, no one turned up. However, a painful gleam had spread across Bael¡¯s face as he leaned against the sofa while having a rather brief sleep. She approached him as carefully as possible in order to not alert him at all. ¡®It looks extremely painful.¡¯ Thick veins had popped on the back of his hand as he clutched on the sofa. Cold sweat was already beading all over his bloodless forehead. It was the price of striking against the Magic Stone immensely in order to become a Demon God. The massive magical power that was sleeping inside Bael could not withstand the wave of the Magic Stone and thus, it went berserk while propelling him into excruciating pain. As she watched everything, her heart soon became heavy. It hadn¡¯t just been beyond the screen, but someone who actually existed was suffering so much in front of her. He was enduring the torment that surged like a wave all by himself. Julia eventually saw herself in him. Before she died, after she had died and even when she was dragged into the game. She had no one to take care of her during the time she was sick. She always had to put a blanket on herself while alleviating all her pain. Days became weeks, up till she looked just fine on the outside¡ªuntil she could finally say it was okay. ¡®If I had been Bael, I would even be satisfied enough right now. He was already so strong, so why does he keep on craving for the power of the Demon God?¡¯ Julia wiped his cold sweat away as she unconsciously reached out her hand. However, right at the moment she had touched his skin, for some reason, a tingling sensation began spreading out just like a stream of electricity from the periphery. Startled, she immediately tried pulling back her hand, but the sleeping Bael¡¯s head was so much quicker to follow after her naturally. He then wrapped around Julia¡¯s waist and snatched her into his own arms before he squeezed her close towards his body as if he was hugging a pillow. For some reason, a satisfied hint of breath had tickled the ears. On the other hand, a look of embarrassment was fused all over Julia¡¯s face. ¡®What do we do¡ªthis kind of position¡­¡­¡¯ She had been cuddled by him while being on his hard thighs. Due to their height difference, her feet did not touch the ground, which made it rather difficult for her to descend by herself. Still, she did not give up as she tried moving ever so gently. Nevertheless, at each time, Bael would wrinkle his brow as he pulled her even closer. She could not even rouse him from his sleep, on top of the fact that she could not move, so Julia could only look down towards him instead. How much time had passed that Bael¡¯s breathing sound eventually became more stable than before? Convinced that he was already in deep sleep, Julia muttered inwardly while loosening her stiff shoulders that had been rather tensed up. ¡®I don¡¯t really know what it is, but I¡¯m just glad that he finally feels comfortable¡­¡­¡¯ If she had known that things would actually turn out like this, she thought that she wouldn¡¯t have to give up since it was already so difficult. Therefore, she would then target Bael¡¯s own route as well. Maybe he had been the clue to all of this. Julia sighed softly and began lowering her eyes. At the end of the veil of darkness, the red moon had dipped below the horizon. CH 6.1 It was early in the morning when the sun had not yet risen did Bael wake up feeling rather light. He possessed the most powerful magic that no one had dared to surpass at all and for that sole reason, he could completely conquer the chaotic Demon Realm at once before erecting a huge nest right next to the tower where the ancient Demon God had been resting. Some had referred to it as the Demon King¡¯s Castle, but to Bael, it was just a meaningless place to stay and also leave. He had no intention of playing as King in the first place. It was just that the demons, who ruled all over the Demon Realm, had been drawn to Bael¡¯s mighty power as they eventually gathered in his nest at will. Bael actually left them alone since it was just too cumbersome to deal with. Plus, it was also due to the fact that they could be a good tool to use and throw away later. In truth, the problem lay somewhere else instead. Perhaps due to the reason that he possessed an unprecedentedly compelling magical power, he was born in the outskirts of Hell while he had to suffer from constant pain ever since the moment he had an ego. His body was so strong and special that no other demons could dare to compare them. However, even his body was not really enough to handle his own churning magic from time to time. He could not withstand the changes on the outside or according to the cycle of the moon and therefore, he would ultimately go into a frenzied berserk then. When he eventually regained his senses, nothing else was left around him. A state of complete nothingness. Whenever Bael woke up from a rampage, that had always been the usual appearance. ¡®It¡¯s quite strange today. It doesn¡¯t feel very bad.¡¯ As he heard that the key had finally arrived yesterday, he straight away headed to the tower on impulse. His annoyance simultaneously rose as well. He initially wanted to prove that he could wholly swallow the power of the Demon God without any insignificant human beings at all. After his thoughts came to a stop, the corners of his mouth spontaneously grew twisted. In the end, he started running out once again and seemed to have regained his senses only for a while later that night, but he had no absolute memory right after that. Yet still, his movements were currently light¡ªas if he had just awakened from a deep sleep. He slowly clenched his fists at the alien sensation that he was feeling for the first time as he found a small shadow had been sleeping while leaning against his chest. It was that human who had been abandoned in his nest last night. It took some time for him to recognize it fully since it was just as small and light as a feather. Bael looked down towards her with such cold eyes. Still, instead of waking up, she just tossed her body back and forth to find a much more comfortable position. ¡°To whom now¡­ you¡¯re just another human being.¡± As he grinded his teeth in displeasure, he suddenly felt funny somehow. This other person was so small and insignificant that he didn¡¯t even feel angry at all. The woman¡¯s face, whom was sleeping soundly while not being aware to what kind of dangers she had gotten into, appeared even more stupid. Normally, it would not have been enough even if he were to tear things apart for invading his nest, but now, he strangely felt rather generous. Bael eventually surmised the reason. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all because she¡¯s the key. Perhaps she is actually real.¡± Julia leaked out a soft whimper as if his faint murmur had somewhat bothered her. Bael eventually rose after tapping her forehead with his finger. As he began to brush his hair slowly, his gaze turned once more to Julia, who was still sleeping on the sofa. Her petite body curled even smaller as she let out a weary sigh. When Bael was not seated on the sofa, which had previously been as snug as clothes, it became rather too large for her. His face, which had been smirking, suddenly hardened itself. ¡°That¡¯s not even funny.¡± His cold gaze, which he actually crunched for himself, was then withdrawn from Julia without any hint of regret. The sound of leaden footsteps¡ªjust like the gait of a beast¡ªslowly disappeared through the silent corridor. * * * The warm shade of sun eventually shone through the large window. Julia¡¯s eyes began to reveal her pupils as she uttered a small sigh in drowsiness. Her eyelashes were soaked in tears as they gleamed like jewels. ¡°Hhng¡­¡± As she gave a little yawn, the events of last night suddenly flashed through her mind. During the time she was cleaning out the messy room, she took a break to check the game¡¯s icons when there were no gazes around. She also came to know that Bael was the only active target and the magic resistance, which was the most necessary stat to capture him with, had already been increased to infinity. ¡®Did the system wish to tell me something?¡¯ A different memory flashed through her mind this time as she shook her head in confusion. For example, the time when she was caught by Bael last night and got placed onto his thigh. In addition, even though she had never moved to another since that moment, the sun was already up in the middle of the sky¡­¡­ ¡°Uh, huh?!¡± Surprised, she immediately rose and a voice that seemed to be waiting could be heard behind her back. ¡°Are you finally awake?¡± [Marquis Kimaris, the 66th demon in the Demon World who steadily led the way] A young man with dark skin and well-balanced muscles slowly stood up before leaning against the window sill. He was the first to foretell the existence of the ¡®key¡¯ within the game and also the one who had constantly monitored Estelle right by the protagonist¡¯s side. As a person who was already attached to the main character from the beginning of almost every single route, Julia apparently knew a lot about Kimaris. Whenever the protagonist tried to run away, he would ultimately use all sorts of vicious measures to sabotage the act¡ªeven when the protagonist had tried to commit suicide. However, during the time she was in danger, he offered no help at all. ¡®In such a way that it was all good as long as she¡¯s just alive¡­¡­¡¯ Julia shook her head and woke up from her own thoughts. She didn¡¯t like looking weird from the start since that would always get stuck eventually. CH 6.2 ¡°Oh, hello.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re very carefree indeed.¡± Kimaris smiled and sat down on the armrest of the sofa, which she had fallen asleep on before. ¡°Did you know that you are the first to survive the night in the Master¡¯s nest safely? So, don¡¯t be afraid. Everyone will be absolutely shocked to hear of this.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± ¡°My name is Kimaris. I have been ordered to keep an eye on you until the time I turn you into a perfect key. We¡¯ll be spending a lot of time together, so just call me comfortably.¡± Julia nodded her head and lowered her gaze carefully. The current him appeared to be very close to the appeal of common sense amongst all of the demons in the Demon Realm. However, that kind of figure was entirely fabricated. Hidden deep within him was a terrible madness that had been no less than the other demons. Whether the fact that she knew of his bounds or not, Kimaris slowly continued. ¡°It must have been your first time to be in the Demon World. So, do you have any questions? Feel free to ask anything at all.¡± ¡°Then, I¡­¡± Would she be able to return to earth ever again? Provided that she might still be alive after completing her role as the key. There had only been one question up her very throat. Nevertheless, it must have been a trap after all¡ªto determine whether or not he should be taking his mask off in front of her in the future. ¡®I don¡¯t like scary things. Even that smiley face is just another kind of appearance anyway.¡¯ As she swept the sweat off her palms, she then asked her next question. ¡°What can I do next?¡± ¡°Do? Work?¡± Kimaris¡¯s eyes widened as if he was in doubt. Just like he had heard something that he shouldn¡¯t have, Julia continued her words once again. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly a guest and I can¡¯t just eat away¡­ If you were to order me on anything, I¡¯ll do my very best.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite surprising since that was an unexpectedly bizarre idea, but is there anything that you can actually do?¡± ¡°Cooking or something.¡± ¡°Our kitchen¡ªyou¡¯ll definitely faint once you see it.¡± Julia blankly blinked her eyes. In the game, the demons seldom had any meals, but it seemed that they would not be eating such ordinary things like how humans did. She nodded and began changing her words coldly. ¡°Cleaning¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± As he swung his hand around, the room that had been in a mess last night since it wasn¡¯t able to get cleaned up yet was then restored to its original state at that instant. ¡°The Demon King¡¯s Castle is a fortress as well as a nest that was built by the Master himself with his own magical power. So, just with a little modification like this, it will eventually return to its original form. Can you do it then?¡± When he posed a question to the person who was without magic, she had nothing to answer with. Julia clenched her lips and shook her head slowly. No matter how much she scoured in her head, there was nothing else that she could actually do. Everything she had learned in the modern world was utterly useless here. She had then fallen into the game and right after she became a princess, she was already left in an abandoned Palace where she wasn¡¯t able to learn the most basic common sense which she should have been learning about. ¡®I don¡¯t want to be deemed as useless, but¡­¡­¡¯ She knew that it could have been a nuisance for her to cling in this situation where there was absolutely nothing that she could even do. As her shoulders began to sag helplessly, Kimaris suddenly opened his mouth as if he had thought of something. ¡°Still, if it¡¯s Revenna, she might have an inkling of what to do.¡± ¡°No, I¡­¡± ¡°Maybe she can talk rather well with you. Revenna adores pretty things¡ªlike dolls.¡± As he praised himself thinking that it was a rather good idea, he instantly stood by the door while nudging his chin. It was a gesture that meant for her to get moving. Kimaris had been the one who suggested this, but she just couldn¡¯t refuse anyway. In the end, Julia carefully rose to her feet before following behind him. * * * Julia looked up at the beautiful, doll-like woman who was right in front of her. Demons basically had such attention-grabbing appearances, but it seemed like she was unable to express any words towards the splendid beauty of the person who was now in front of her eyes. The dazzlingly saturated blonde locks fluttered down like a wave while her large eyes sparkled like jewels. The sheer amount of frills and laces were adorning her dress that an average person could not have even borne that kind of weight. The size of that dangling jewel was exactly the same as well. If she had not moved, Julia could actually believe that she wasn¡¯t a demon but just another porcelain doll. However, seeing how Julia had withdrawn herself, she raised her voice as if she was utterly delighted. ¡°Are you that Estelle? You¡¯re just as small and cute as I heard though?¡± ¡°Looks like the rumors have already spread over here as well.¡± ¡°Kimaris too¡ªright after the Master¡¯s emergence, he no longer had anything to do. But still, he was someone who had once led the 26 legions before?¡± ¡°To be honest¡ªLerazier was the actual culprit.¡± ¡°You caught it though.¡± Seeing that she had openly conceded, her personality seemed rather good as well. Although she wasn¡¯t seen precisely in the game, she was still likable enough at first sight. Her voice was bright and charismatic, but when put together with her unique way of speaking that seemed to raise the end of her words¡ªlike posing a question instead¡ªhad felt even more noble and elegant than it was just cute. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up just before the sun goes down. Then, I look forward to your cooperation, Revenna.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kimaris.¡± For some reason, Kimaris¡¯s voice felt a little bit weak as he turned around. Revenna then took Julia¡¯s hand before leading her right into the room. Although she tended to not judge something by appearance, Revenna¡¯s room was just as splendid and beautiful to thoroughly match the dazzling appearance of its own owner. It seemed to have reminded her of Estelle¡¯s luxurious bedroom back then, which Julia had somehow envied once. Aside from all that, Revenna¡¯s lovely atmosphere was such a great help in alleviating Julia¡¯s tension. For the first time ever since she arrived in the Demon Realm, where even a single passing demon was absolutely fear-inducing, it felt like she had finally been given some permission to be at peace. CH 7.1 ¡°Well, how poor is my manner of welcoming a guest? Can you wait just a minute?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°You have no complaints? It¡¯s just that I simply adore pretty things.¡± Revenna fluttered a wide fan and began to push away the embroidered frame that had been dangling from the table. A gorgeous set of tea table was already completed in the blink of an eye. It was up to the point where she even hesitated to have dared taking a seat over there. As she noticed Julia¡¯s timid look, Revenna¡¯s red lips soon curled fascinatingly. ¡°Aren¡¯t those clothes uncomfortable? It must have been Lerazier¡¯s work. Without any single sense¡ªas long as it¡¯s black and shiny, it¡¯s pretty. You¡¯re not even a crow.¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± ¡°Are you going to cover up for Lerazier? You¡¯re already small and cute¡ªon top of that, you¡¯re even this kind?¡± She then fluttered her long lashes as she waved her fingers gracefully. She soon changed the clothes that Julia was wearing to a dress with a bright sky blue hue. The fabric that brushed against her fingertips was ever so soft as it fit her body and to be honest, it was much lighter and more comfortable than the bulky dress which she had just donned before. Revenna, who was now taking a seat at the table, naturally motioned to the other side. As soon as Julia sat down, she poured out some tea and straight away got to the main point. ¡°Then, Estelle? So, like, you want to work?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If I ask you why, will you honestly answer me?¡± ¡°I would just¡­ like to fulfill my responsibilities.¡± She was about to say that she merely didn¡¯t wish to be left behind, but she quickly changed her mind instead. To all the demons, she was Estelle¡ªnot Julia. The most noble of humans, the star of Vestra and the one who would soon become the future Empress. In other words, Estelle wouldn¡¯t have given such a shabby answer like herself. She was just repeating what Estelle would have said, but Revenna still blinked her eyes once more as if she was in surprise. ¡°That is a rather surprising answer. Have you forgotten? How you were first brought over here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already seen a lot of human keys so far. And each of them had despaired or trembled¡ªand they even threw curses too. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not all that welcoming from your point of view as well?¡± As Julia lowered her gaze without uttering a single word, she quickly changed the subject as if she wasn¡¯t trying to create this kind of atmosphere in the first place. ¡°You know, even if I do entrust you with some work, you still won¡¯t be able to leave the castle? Besides, you can¡¯t even roam around freely in the castle.¡± ¡°I know. Well¡­ Lady Revenna?¡± As if she was fond of the title that Julia had decided on, Revenna instantly burst into laughter. ¡°If it¡¯s still okay, how about taking care of the beast¡¯s stable instead?¡± ¡°Beasts¡ªas in monsters?¡± In the bad ending of the game, there had also been a really hardcore one during the moment of being eaten after Estelle was attacked by a monster. She immediately recalled having been shocked as she nearly dropped the game console. Revenna resolutely shook her head at Julia¡¯s question that was mixed with concern. ¡°First of all, since it is a beast that lives in the Demon Realm, you may call it a monster. However, it is not unconditionally ferocious like how humans had stereotyped. Besides, the ones that have been quietly locked in the stable as instructed are only those young ones who were just born.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± ¡°Working in the stable will be rather hard on your body, but it will at least put your mind at ease. A young individual is always adorable regardless of its own species. Is it perfect for you now?¡± Julia gently nodded her head. It was due to the fact that she was reminiscing back on her memories before she had fallen to the Demon Realm. She was always on the edge of human relationships, but animals had approached her without any sort of hesitation at all. As she could only sit on a cushion of thorns like this, if she were able to take care of even just a young animal, then it was clear that¡ªas Revenna had said before¡ªher mind would definitely be at ease. As she agreed, the corners of Revenna¡¯s eyes began to crease brightly. ¡°Then, is that a yes?¡± As Revenna stroked her fingers just like she did before, Julia¡¯s vision began to distort as if she was flickering. When she finally woke up, she was already standing near the entrance of the stable that was on the one side of the Demon King¡¯s Castle. ¡®Call for me if you happen to face any kind of difficulties. So, let¡¯s all work hard.¡¯ Revenna¡¯s high, chirping voice echoed through the air before it slowly faded away. * * * Julia then steadily took a look around the stable, which seemed to have nothing to be done about. She didn¡¯t know if there was another manager or whether they would have utilized magic like Kimaris did. All she had to do was to fill up the empty feeding bin as she played with the young but bored beasts instead. The ¡®newborn¡¯ beast that Revenna had talked about was roughly around the size of a large dog and she was able to spend her time playing without the need to worry about being hit during that time. Kururuk. Julia, who was dragged along under the guise of playing around, had eventually missed the rope. The wolf cub, who had then been enjoying itself happily, could no longer restrain its strength as she tumbled onto the floor. ¡°Kking!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I lost my strength for a second there!¡± As she was about to get up in a hurry, she suddenly slumped onto the ground at the dizzying tingle that struck in front of her eyes. Upon reflection, ever since she arrived at the Demon Realm, she hadn¡¯t been able to even take a sip of water¡ªlet alone, to eat. CH 7.2 Since she was just brought in like a mere slave, the demons never felt the need to take special care of her. If only her life was the one at stake, perhaps it would have been better for them to have her lie down helplessly instead. ¡®Hungry¡­¡­¡¯ She had her shoulders slouched weakly as something moist and warm brushed against her cheek. The wolf cub that had been playing with her just then was now staring at her with much anticipation in its eyes while leaning towards her face. It also seemed to have thought that this was another different game altogether. ¡®Even if it¡¯s just an animal, it still feels good to have someone who actually needs me¡­¡­¡¯ It was a sense of warmth which she had not seen in a very long time. Julia hoped that she would not be rejected as she gently embraced the wolf. Although it had still been quite young, the bulky feeling in her arms gradually filled up her void heart. ¡°Kking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, are you getting bored? I¡¯ll play with you once again. I just keep on mentioning that I¡¯m sorry. I guess I just wouldn¡¯t like to be hated by you.¡± When she picked up the disc-shaped tray that she had just seen earlier, the wolf cub began wagging its tail with another look of anticipation. By the time Julia was looking around in which direction to make a throw, she could see a camel was grazing leisurely outside the stable. By general standard, it was much larger than that of an adult, but it had been the same with the wolf which was right in front of her. It was bigger than a large dog, but it had some fluffy fur on its belly, so it was rather clear for it to appear like a ball of dust rolling from a very, very far distance away. ¡°Is it okay if I just leave it like that?¡± Revenna had already said that this was a stable for those newborn beasts. Then, it also meant that the camel was another young beast as well. However, if it had gotten out that far and eventually injured itself, she would not be able to face Revenna, who was the one entrusted this to her in the first place. She put the discus down and started her steps carefully so as not to startle the camel. Nevertheless, Julia¡¯s hair got pulled back abruptly for a moment. ¡°Kiiing, Kking!¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Kkang, kkang!!¡± As she turned around, she saw that the wolf cub was already dangling from her own hair. The figure seemed to have insisted strongly for her not to leave, so Julia gradually hesitated as she tried to grab on her hair that had been bitten tightly by that wolf cub. ¡°I¡¯ll just put away the camel safely over there before I come back soon, okay?¡± ¡°Kuuung!¡± ¡°Let, just let go of this first.¡± ¡°Kuuunngg!¡± It wasn¡¯t painful enough by the sheer intensity of it, but it still had a rather vital size. Therefore, whenever the wolf had shaken her head, Julia was swung along by it. With so much hair locked in its mouth until it could no longer bark properly, the wolf lay down all over the ground as it rolled around on that dirt floor. The headdress, which Revenna had attached to her, was instantly ripped off at the wolf cub¡¯s fierce struggle. Julia toppled over on her behind and began to breathe heavily, but the wolf was just unaware of everything as it merely rolled around in a trance while begging her to play. It was a relief actually. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a good boy? I¡¯ll be back very soon.¡± Julia mumbled softly and quickly backed herself away. The camel that was grazing on the grass began raising its head as if it could sense a presence while its big eyes started twitching blankly in response. ¡°Baaaaeeeekk¡­¡± ¡°Oh no.¡± ¡°Meeeeehhh¡­¡± For the first ever, she was aware that camels could actually cry. Upon reflection, it could definitely make a sound due to its own vocal chords, but this was unexpectedly unique. Was it similar to the blare of a long siren? ¡®Maybe it was a sudden surprise for it to see people for its very own first time.¡¯ She then grabbed hold of the nearby grass and pulled it out before shaking them slowly. The camel¡¯s long, moist tongue soon crept a little closer. ¡®Does it want to eat? It would be nice if I could lure him inside eventually like this.¡¯ Julia gently waved the grass and opened the door to the stable. It was at that moment when she was about to step back inside slowly. Huwak¡ª! The camel had breathed in a black energy that appeared out of nowhere and turned into a huge, muscular black horse in an instant. The black horse that was already several times even higher than Julia herself suddenly bit the back of her neck before tossing her into the air. She was extremely surprised that her voice couldn¡¯t even come out properly. ¡°Uhk¡­!¡± ¡°Hhiiinnggg!¡± The black horse immediately snatched her as she fell helplessly onto the floor. Then, it started running like crazy all of a sudden. Her vision began to flip haphazardly and she couldn¡¯t come back to her senses. Julia could only hang onto the back of the saddleless horse with all her might instead. ¡°St-stop!¡± Her pathetic screams were utterly overshadowed by the roaring of the horseshoes. She crouched down while clutching on the mane tightly, but the sharp vines and many branches of the forest still scratched her delicate skin. The black horse started raging even harder at her as if it was trying to drop her, who was still clinging onto it. On the other hand, she was unable to think properly because of her frantically shaky vision. She didn¡¯t really know why the horse had suddenly appeared or why it became so agitated or even where it was actually going. Just that it was running fiercely across the forest surrounding the Demon King¡¯s Castle instead. ¡®Where, where is this? How long has it already been?¡¯ The landscape that came into her view was changing rapidly. Her eyes were soon dyed with confusion as she belatedly faced the current reality. ¡®No way¡ªam I already out of the castle right now?!¡¯ As if it was answering her own bewildered question, the giant spire of the Demon King¡¯s Castle gradually got smaller behind her back and began to vanish immediately. Now, she couldn¡¯t even guess the direction she got bolted into. At some point, the road became more and more difficult before it soon turned into a complete wasteland with nothing ever laid on it. A strange sound rang in her ears, which had already hardened with tension. ¡°Grrooowwlll¡­¡± ¡°It smells like a human.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that sweet, soft scent of a human.¡± The lustful gazes were greedily scanning Julia¡¯s whole body. A girl¡ªpowerless to even defend herself¡ªhad fallen among the demons with her own bare body. A girl, who was pure and unripe, appeared very delicious. An instinctive beep instantly echoed in Julia¡¯s brain. She didn¡¯t even want to imagine what it would be like if she were to fall into their hands. Her fingertips that were still clutching onto the mane eventually turned white. ¡°Let¡¯s all surround her from the other side.¡± ¡°Catch it, kik kik.¡± A gruesome laughter as if an iron being scratched had penetrated Julia¡¯s eardrums. She felt like a helpless herbivore in front of a wild beast. However, the reality was far worse than that. Demons possessed higher intelligence and superior physical abilities than that of wild beasts. On the other hand, she was slower and weaker than those mere herbivores. It was then that she bit her lips with an eerie sort of feeling. The black horse, whose eyes were burning red, suddenly raised its front hooves and began running recklessly. ¡°Hhhinngggg!¡± ¡°Kyaak!¡± Julia¡¯s vision, which had eventually missed the mane, turned around wildly in return. CH 8.1 ¡°Ugh! Huuk¡­¡± Thump, thudump. In the end, Julia had fallen off the horse¡¯s back before rolling helplessly on the dry ground. She had first plunged on the bush as she bounced back to the floor, so she didn¡¯t break her neck right away. Nevertheless, that never changed the fact that she had already been abandoned bare amongst those ravenous demons. Her clothes were torn all the way from her right shoulder and warm blood was gushing out from her broken knees to the stone floor. Julia couldn¡¯t even crouch her body at the shock of being thrown as she could only breath in pants right now. However, her body wasn¡¯t even allowed to have a moment to relax at all. ¡°It smells like blood.¡± ¡°Soft and immature¡­¡± ¡°If I lick it, will it taste as sweet?¡± Those demons whose half of their body portion were in beast form while the other half in a state of imperfect men, started looking at Julia with thick, slimy saliva dripping down sloppily. She eventually staggered backwards from the gazes that were staring straight at her. However, the speed at which the demons had gathered was much faster than ever. Their eyes that had tinged with madness were already glistening with lust, as if they would rush at her at any moment before tearing her apart in an instant. The lower the level of any existing demon, the more limited in terms of the ways they could actually gain powers. Julia, who had fallen right in front of them, was currently no different from an oasis in the midst of an extremely dry desert. ¡®Someone, someone please help¡­¡­¡¯ Her earnest wish did not bear a sound at all. It was due to the sudden realization that came abruptly. ¡®No one here can truly save me.¡¯ Tears began welling up in her large eyes¡ªand it wasn¡¯t just out of sheer terror. She had always been like that ever since a long time ago, from her own childhood which she couldn¡¯t even remember when she was exactly born. She was abandoned right in front of the country nursery in the middle of winter when the cold and snowy days were falling away. As she grew up, she tried helping out at the orphanage, which was always in need as she diligently worked at night before falling asleep at school due to immense exhaustion. From the moment her memories unfolded, she had always been raised with many contemptuous eyes thrown from those around her. Since it had been a village on the very outskirts, where even the buses did not run properly, people mostly knew of each other¡¯s circumstances. Therefore, the fact that she was an orphan without any parents had been added to all sorts of provocative rumors before they propagated like crazy. As she watched her friends who promised to still be close with her during the beginning of the school year had turned into sullen eyes just after a few days, she was compelled to experience such things over and over again. In the end, she had no other choice but to finally realize that there was absolutely no one in the world who would willingly reach out to her. But, but¡­¡­ ¡®Then, why was I even brought here?¡¯ Just to become a substitute for Estelle? To die while being played around like a mere toy among those dull and bored demons? If that was the reason, wouldn¡¯t it be so miserable then? She had already died once, thus why did she even have to do this twice? It would have been much better to not have been born again since only such terrible memories could be left behind at most. ¡°Sob, sob.¡± Julia gently wiped away the tears from her own cheeks. Nevertheless, she truly wanted to live. Even if she had to roll in the mud while being crushed by those wretched memories, even if she were to be thrown away eventually just like a mere rug¡ªshe still wanted to live. I want to live. A sobbing scream erupted abruptly out from her very mouth. ¡°Anyone¡­ Please save me! I want to live!!¡± At the same time, a large dark shadow had loomed over Julia¡¯s head. The pitch-black darkness eventually enveloped her whole being as if it was blocking her view. Then, a huge wave of magical power started striking the earth terrifyingly with a loud bang¡ªthump, thump. Even though her vision had been blocked, she could still feel it clearly. The black and disgusting blood that dripped down onto the floor, the desperate howls of those slaughtered beasts together with the fishy and unpleasant stench of death that kept on haunting the lungs. Julia was utterly stunned that she couldn¡¯t even make a single blink with her eyes. The overbearing murderous energy that was exuded by a single person had ultimately forced and bound her whole body just like a noose. ¡°¡­¡­¡± For a rather long time, only such terrible sounds of breaking and bursting could be heard, but a sudden silence came to the surroundings at once. It felt creepy once again as her heart began pounding like mad. She could feel it instinctively that someone¡¯s clear gaze was directed towards her hidden self. She thought that it would have been better if time could just stop like this. She was hoping that someone would forcefully tell her how things were actually going. Even if she were to stretch her hand out a little, she could still tell with all kinds of terrible thoughts running wild in her head, which eventually made her stiffened up. If it wasn¡¯t for that someone who truly came to help her out¡­¡­ ¡®I still want to live and I have already decided to live even if I were to be miserably abandoned anyway.¡¯ Blood started oozing out of her lips, but she soon regained her composure back. Julia took a deep breath and lifted the pitch-black cloth that had covered her slowly. ¡°Heuk!¡± The scene of an appalling massacre was right in front of her. Everything in sight was seen to be only in red¡ªit was literally hell. And amongst them had stood a demon. Even after such a horrific slaughter had been committed until it would be engraved in her mind as it would never be forgotten at all, she still possessed a terribly indolent face. Bael slowly turned his head just as if he had noticed her gaze on him. That pair of blood-red eyes were staring piercingly at her. CH 8.2 She couldn¡¯t really fathom the emotion in his eyes. Maybe he was angry that she had bothered him or the fact that he had arbitrarily gone out of his way just for a mere human subject. ¡®But first, I have to say a word of thanks. Since he was the one who saved me.¡¯ Julia swallowed her saliva and she was just about to rise when a thunderous roar could be heard from somewhere else. ¡°Master, why did you have to go first! Didn¡¯t you always trust me as you also entrust me to do such trivial things!¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± The two demons, Barbatos and Agares, could be seen to be flying through the lightly lifted cloth. And amongst all of them, Agares eventually found Julia who was lying under the black cloth before she immediately landed next to her and held her close. ¡°It¡¯s the small key¡ªare you okay?¡± ¡°Miss Agares¡­¡± ¡°Revenna and Kimaris¡ªthose bastards, how dare they!¡± The black cloth that covered Julia before was probably Bael¡¯s own clothes. Agares threw it away like she was peeling it off before peering all over Julia¡¯s body. The half torn dress and scarlet scars that had carved underneath her were eventually revealed. Agares instantly saw it and began growling faintly as if she was the one who had been injured. ¡°I know you¡¯ll never be able to kill her nicely.¡± ¡°Who¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Why did you let the little key look like this when you were the one who left first?¡± She was very concerned about who the target actually was. Julia tried very hard to justify that it wasn¡¯t her intention to get out of her castle, but Agares didn¡¯t listen to her as she took off her military jacket and hugged her tightly instead. Then, she snarled back at Bael. ¡°Agares, you are being rude to your own Master.¡± It was Barbatos, the loyal servant of Bael, who instantly stopped her from doing so. Of course, there was no way that Agares¡¯s ears could hear his remarks by then. ¡°You had already gone far ahead of us, so you could have stopped it all before the little key got to this point, couldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough to keep her life instead?¡± Just for a very short time, Bael was unable to take his eyes off Julia¡¯s wounds. Then, he wrinkled his brow¡ªseemingly annoyed¡ªas he began to spread his wings and return back to the castle first. Barbatos also followed after his Master straight away before leaving only Julia and Agares at the scene of that ghastly carnage. ¡°Tsk, it¡¯s annoying.¡± A sound of something being clenched could be heard over Julia¡¯s head at once. Nevertheless, the moment Julia had looked up at her, Agares was only raising the corners of her lips seductively in return as she made eye contact with Julia who was now already in her arms. * * * A day eventually passed ever since Julia, who had arrived in the Demon Realm, entered Bael¡¯s bedroom. In the late afternoon when the sun was still up in the middle of the sky, Lerazier was walking out as he trod along the hall of the castle. From a distance, he appeared to be quite dissatisfied. ¡°Older Brother is just too easy. He actually tells this body, which boasts the 14th highest magical power, to serve as a mere human servant.¡± Nevertheless, as one listened more closely to what he was talking about¡­¡­ ¡°Still, the key isn¡¯t really that bad. She¡¯s appetizingly cute too. Might as well give her a little bit of touch in addition to the monitoring?¡± In fact, Lerazier¡¯s aesthetics were actually quite high. Besides, he was a gourmet as well. He hated the demon-like and ungraceful people¡ªthose picky and greedy ones¡ªthe most. Just being in the same space as them made him feel like they were entirely out of his own league. In that sense, the key that had fallen a while ago became an object that stimulated his desire for over a long time. Just thinking about that innocent face had made a pool of saliva secreting in his mouth. ¡°Older Brother must have expected this when he entrusted it all to me.¡± Everyone in the Demon Castle was only watching that one human. It was not possible for them to have their nose up in the air, but it was not that they did not understand it at all either. It was actually to find an existence with a high possibility of being the real ¡®key¡¯ in return. So far, humans who had been sacrificed or dragged away as keys would have been dead as soon as they entered the Demon Tower while the other half of them would either die or just went crazy the moment they stood in front of the Magic Stone itself. And each time, the Master became very displeased and began turning the Demon Realm into ashes. The reason why only demons who were up to the 72nd rank could reside in his nest was hidden behind that very reason. Not all magic could truly withstand the wrath of the King himself. Even if they never said a word of their pride, everyone would have still felt like they were treading on thin ice every day. Therefore, being able to stand in front of those supernatural powers while feeling that visceral fear at the same time was a completely different story in all. ¡®Even though the key is only a mere human, she didn¡¯t even blink an eye at the Master¡¯s powerful magic. The Master must have been inwardly surprised as well?¡¯ The possibility that she might have been the real key then turned into some sort of a certainty. Those guys who had never seen her in person still talked a lot about this and that, but Lerazier was positively confident. This time, ¡®Estelle Vetra¡¯ had truly been the real key. ¡®Thanks to that, the Master seemed to be in a good mood. He didn¡¯t say anything special though, but from the wavelength of his magic, he was definitely calmer than usual.¡¯ The complaints and grievances that had been accumulated up until now eventually slipped from Lerazier¡¯s mind, who had reached the conclusion by himself. He had been given the task of monitoring the key that would turn his Master into the Demon God. It was unthinkable that the little pitiful key would escape with her own two feet, so it was actually closer to having kept someone from harm than to just watch over her. He opened Bael¡¯s door with such a light step before he could only freeze up in an instant. The key wasn¡¯t there at all. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what kind of mouse it is, but they can¡¯t fool these eyes of mine.¡± A dark tinge of murderous energy slowly permeated the slightly lowered corners of his eyes. The unpleasant magic trail left in the air seemed to have no intention of hiding its own identity, which made him even more so annoyed. ¡°This bastard¡­ actually dares to challenge this body?¡± Lerazier, who instantly drew his sword, turned around with no delay at all. The nervous set of footsteps quickly faded away in the distance. CH 9.1 7-8 minutes 31.01.2022 Bael looked down at Kimaris, who had been forced to kneel at his feet, with a rather indifferent face. Only a few high-ranking demons who had been tasked with guarding the King began peering at Lerazier with a face that demanded an explanation. He instantly started kicking Kimaris in the face with his heel. ¡°Say it so yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Will you be coming back to your senses after all your eyes are plucked out then?¡± ¡°I was the one who stole the key.¡± Kimaris eventually let out a low sigh. It appeared that he had no intention of hiding his work from the very beginning at all. Nevertheless, Lerazier didn¡¯t stop there. He trampled over the other¡¯s head with his sharp heel while preventing him from resisting before he ripped off his clothes and then smashed through them. When his chest was fully exposed, Lerazier proceeded to grab his hair and forced him to stand up while seemingly satisfied. ¡°You didn¡¯t do it alone, did you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°At a first glance, you seem to be following the Master.¡± Lerazier¡¯s long, sharp claws gradually cut into Kimaris¡¯s left chest. The blood dripped as it revealed his bare flesh, but he was still not content with it before he pierced his fingernails even deeper inside. Crunch, crush. The sound of those ribs being crushed open forcibly was echoing horribly throughout. He then used his opposite hand to wrench open Kimaris¡¯s chest completely. At that moment, the eyes of the demons who had worn such puzzling expressions began to turn suspiciously. The place where his heart should have been was absolutely empty. It could be seen as proof that he was already being held as a slave by another demon in lieu. ¡°However, your Master is apparently different, is it not?¡± He was just about to be interrogated about the place which he had stolen the key to. However, a relaxed and noble set of footsteps that obviously did not fit the current situation slowly began to approach the open hall. ¡°I think the time has come for you to find me then.¡± The uninvited guest who had received everyone¡¯s sole attention, Revenna, was smiling ever so softly. ¡°How can I not be angry at all? How can I merely stand still when my Master, who has never given me a night in any way even if I were to beg so earnestly, suddenly allowed a lowly human woman to serve him instead?¡± ¡°Oh, the real criminal has come by on her own feet.¡± A gorgeous dress with layers of lace daintily fluttered following Revenna¡¯s pace. She was standing right in front of Bael as she swept up her bright blonde locks that pricked the eyes. Then, she frowned before adding more words to her own. ¡°Even though Kimaris is just a tool of mine, I still don¡¯t feel very good. What you¡¯re doing right now is so very frivolous, Lerazier.¡± ¡°Why are you all decked up in that rude attire?¡± ¡°Is your sense of beauty still a mess?¡± The two of them were considered to be the most difficult ones in the demon world. There were parts where they could actually communicate very well, but in other words, it actually meant that they could understand each other much better than anyone else. Therefore, Lerazier was already aware of Revenna¡¯s inner feelings. The most primal instinct as a demon could have was to spend the night with the Demon King while absorbing his absolutely powerful magical energy¡ªand also the removal of any person who dared to interfere with it. The reason why Lerazier left her just like that was because no harm had yet been done at all¡ªuntil the fact that the key had suddenly disappeared. ¡°You didn¡¯t run away and revealed yourself well.¡± A low, dangerous voice instantaneously made the two demons shut their mouths. Even at the slightest commotion, Bael still maintained a calm face right from the very beginning. No matter how it was, the key could not be unimportant in the first place. Since it was essentially the only way to swallow down the power of the Demon God in itself. Barbatos, who was silently observing the whole situation, eventually inferred his Master¡¯s feelings carefully. ¡°Did you know from the very beginning?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, why did you just leave her alone¡­¡± ¡°I have casted a spell on the key. If she was more than a certain distance away from my nest, she would then destroy everything surrounding her.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a real problem if the key escapes, but it seems that she doesn¡¯t have any ability to do so. On top of that, if someone actually dares to steal my stuff, they should, of course, be punished.¡± As he listened to the Master¡¯s words, Barbatos slowly touched his chin as if he began to immerse himself in his own thoughts. ¡°Looking at the quiet situation outside, it seems like the key was not really stolen per se. We will have the castle searched immediately.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± A curious light flashed across both Revenna and Kimaris¡¯ faces, who were just listening in to their conversation. Barbatos wrinkled his brow while he was unaware of the meaning, but Bael stood up suddenly instead. The demons who had been in the hall fell upon their knees all at once at the tremendous surge of magical power that reverberated as if it was just in a state before a rampage. A red burst of high purity magic eventually flickered from the King¡¯s fingertips. Nevertheless, that was just all. He didn¡¯t say anything at all, but they knew what meaning it had actually brought. ¡®The magic that had been planted in the key was returned back.¡± The key never did withstand the King¡¯s power. His magical power was completely repelled just like oil on water. To be even more precise, the key was never spellbound from the very beginning. Bael¡¯s face when he was looking down at his own hand seemed to be contorted with surprise. Then, a wave of violent magic swept through the huge hall in an instant. Bael moved while smashing through the terrace window with a single gesture as he spread his wings. His enchanting wings that were as vast as his enormous magical power had created a gust of wind yet again. It was long after he had left did the chains that bind the demons were finally released. Grand Duke Agares immediately stepped forward then. ¡°I¡¯ll go. Let the rest of them wait here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make your own decisions. I¡¯ll be going as well.¡± ¡°Cheeky¡­¡­¡± After staring at Barbatos, she eventually turned around without saying a word at all. Barbatos had worshiped his Master very much. It was nearly impossible to leave him merely like that. The remaining demons had sensed a foreboding storm that was approaching the Demon Castle in return. However, there was a certainty that even they hadn¡¯t known of yet, the fact that the order within the Demon Realm would be completely reorganized from today¡¯s event onwards. CH 9.2 Even after returning to the Demon Castle, Julia could hardly regain her consciousness. Although she was originally weak, she had become tense all the time after she was thrown into the Demon Realm and eventually pushed into a state of extreme stress. In such a way, it was quite natural for her to collapse like a mere doll with broken strings when she descended off from Agares¡¯s arms. The demons eventually had her carried to the bedroom nearby and provided her with some magic to heal her wounds. Nevertheless, the problem started there. ¡°She doesn¡¯t really take in any magic.¡± ¡°Is it due to the fact that she¡¯s human?¡± ¡°But the previous fakes had no problem at all. How many times have we previously saved those things that were about to die¡­¡± ¡°Move away. All is useless already.¡± Agares, who was unable to stand it any longer, eventually intervened. Although she had never used her magical powers for healing before, her mighty power was still enough to directly succeed the Demon King Bael himself. The demons that had gathered around Julia gradually retreated and Agares proceeded to place her palm on her forehead while she was merely lying like a corpse. Immediately afterwards, a surge of a powerful magical storm had engulfed the spacious bedroom. Crackle, sizzle! The pure black magic eventually faded away. Agares twisted the corners of her lips as she was confident of success, but her face soon hardened instead. The scars that had been inflicted on that white skin were all the same as before she touched her. ¡°I just can¡¯t believe it.¡± All of those high-leveled demons who were proficient in healing had already been summoned to observe her condition. ¡®Estelle Vestra¡¯ was a human who not only returned alive from being in front of the Magic Stone, but also had endured the Demon King¡¯s rampage. Thus, proving it certain that she was the real key in itself. Her importance was so significant that even the demons who hid themselves within the corner of Hell had been brought to her for healing purposes. Still, there was no way since even that mighty magic of Agares was deemed to be useless as well. It was only then did the demons have no other choice but to finally realize. None of the magic power had actually worked on this key. On the other hand, she was infinitely weak against physical power too. It then became the most painful situation instead. Lerazier, who had been standing guard at Julia¡¯s bedside all this while, eventually looked downwards at her. For a brief moment, a dark expression drifted over the corners of his slightly lowered eyes. ¡°Then, will the key die just like this?¡± ¡°Stop that nonsense at once, Lerazier.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not entirely wrong. Humans are too weak. They will die without even giving us a chance to play properly at all.¡± He gently fiddled with the tips of Julia¡¯s pale pink hair. Another demon who had been listening in to their conversation eventually murmured. ¡°In a situation like this, the only one who can resolve it is the Master.¡± ¡°The magic is not working at all. So, who¡¯s going to solve all this again?¡± ¡°The Master¡¯s formidable power is beyond common sense. Wasn¡¯t it him who built such a huge nest right next to the Magic Stone, in a land of ruins where no one could actually survive to begin with? At first, everyone laughed at him, but what about now?¡± Those who had previously sneered at Bael were now living within his nest. The high-ranking demons who once ruled all over the Demon Realm had eventually gathered here because of one, sole existence. Agares swept down the nape of her neck as if she was also in agreement. ¡°After hearing that, it seems that there might be such a possibility¡­¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s move the key right to the Master¡¯s bedroom immediately.¡± ¡°What if the King gets angry?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s run away then.¡± Lerazier¡¯s answer was utterly neat and clear. As Bael¡¯s strength was truly beyond the realm of common sense, during the time he got angry, everyone in the Demon Castle would have to hold their breath in order to survive. Nevertheless, his anger was fleeting and he held no grudges too. It would have been more accurate to say that his personality was rather slothful, but he never cared about anything else other than his own business. If the key continued to die in this manner, it would then be better to try at least one possibility as well. ¡°Then, it¡¯s a deal.¡± Without saying anything more, Agares gently proceeded to hold Julia, who was sweltering with fever. Then, Lerazier slowly followed after herself. * * * That night, a red moon that closely resembled the eyes of the Demon King rose in the sky of hell. It had then reminded everyone; who was the absolute strong man who had taken total control of this hell and what would happen if they were to oppose him? Bael, who had been sitting on the window sill, was staring at the demon tower that stood directly opposite from his own nest. A dazzling wave was flickering right at the top floor. The power of the Demon God that had been bound inside of it was pulsating like that of a vicious one. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Bael looked down at his hand. If it was just like the usual, the magic within his body which had already assimilated with the Magic Stone should have been running like crazy by now. But currently, he felt no pain at all. Like the vast lake of death, similar to the surface of the cradle where he was born and raised from. His gaze quickly turned to the woman who was lying like the dead on his bed. The long, whip-like wounds on her white body that had not seemed much different from the bed sheets were all bare and exposed. She just walked through the forest while in her bare state, but he couldn¡¯t understand why such tragic wounds occurred in return. ¡°Huhhk, uhk¡­¡± Even in her deep sleep, she still let out a faint moan from time to time. He wondered if she was merely dreaming or she had muttered them painfully. It was the first alien existence that appeared in his nest, which had always been immersed in such deep silence. Bael, who had just brushed his long black hair, slowly stepped onto the floor. Humans had naturally been small and weak, but this woman was especially slender. He seemed to have finally realized why Agares did what she had already done with the little key so much so that his ears eventually started stinging. But that was merely all of it¡ªthe impression of his. ¡°You are just so weak.¡± CH 10.1 The reason why Bael had wiped out the entire Demon Realm was rather simple. Weak things didn¡¯t deserve to exist and the mere sight of them in front of him had been disgusting and annoying, thus he eradicated them himself. Afterwards, the small fries who had been constantly hovering around the area while claiming to be the limbs also became quite irritating, which consequently made him erect a huge nest as he restricted the ones who could actually enter inside. What the King had been supposed to do was just to appoint them as his own agents while supervising them. Instead, he simply challenged the power of the Demon God as he went rampant again and again. Other demons had to replenish their spirits periodically, but Bael was entirely different. The enormous magical power that was sleeping inside of his inner core had been constantly expanding by drawing in other magical powers around him. Since he never needed to even eat anything, his movements were then naturally limited to what he was fond of. His large, cold palms, along with those bulging fingers were gently pressing against Julia¡¯s slender neck. He could then clearly feel the thin veins that were running under her thin, tender skin. ¡°Huu¡­¡± He only exerted a little bit of his own strength, but the pulse that ran under his hand eventually grew weaker and weaker. Nevertheless, Bael felt a tad rather strange. The magic that usually ran ferociously, the pain from that very magic which had been tormenting him terribly from the moment he was born in the swamp of despair on the outskirts of hell itself¡­¡­ At the exact moment when he had brushed against her skin, all the fog cleared away. His red eyes eventually narrowed thinly. That unfamiliar feeling did not last very long. As he began to realize that her pulse, which had been steadily slowing down before it completely stopped, he instantly pulled his hand without realizing it. ¡°Gasp, cough¡­¡± The human, whose shoulders were already trembling, had slumped helplessly. As he saw that, Bael¡¯s heart pounded at that very moment¡ªthump-thump. Unknowingly, he somehow had become impatient. A red wave started manifesting underneath his palm, which seemingly just about to kill her. It was known that the purest magic power had been completely jet black. And that was only until Bael had ultimately appeared in Hell. The most noble and pure kind of red magic, which could be used exclusively by one person, was now condensed under his own hand. He then gently pressed it down onto Julia¡¯s heart. Buzz, buzz! There was a rejection that retaliated, but it had already been expected in the first place. Bael continued adding even more power. A surge of red magic eventually spread in vastness as if it would cover the whole room in no time. The whole castle began trembling altogether. This was simply enough to let the other demons know the anomalies that were occuring in the nest. Still, there was no apparent change within Julia¡¯s body. She was still pale and white¡ªjust like a wounded little bird that had shrunk. ¡°Huu.¡± The magical energy that had been shrieking like a vicious scream ultimately bounced off and melted in the air while drawing in a red trail. His face soon contorted with displeasure. Bael had already seen this ability before. It was Magic Resistance or anti-magic. It had been the highest-level kind of principle that could block all kinds of magic at its source. He couldn¡¯t believe that such a rare principle had been engraved on a mere human. A long time ago, an existence which he discovered that had possessed such a power was eventually torn to pieces before finally rendered dead. It was a price to simply offend his nerves by using the same little trick. A long time ago, the being who he discovered had such a power was eventually torn to pieces and died. It was a price to offend his nerves with the same little trick. But it was a tad different this time. The key¡¯s magic resistance was not only protecting her whole body, but it also had an effect on himself as soon as he came in direct contact against her skin. He instinctively knew that he just couldn¡¯t break it in any way at all. ¡°You actually dare to challenge my own power.¡± A deep chill had leaked from his voice, which was lowered infuriatingly. His indolence originated from the agonizing headaches that he had to suffer daily and the fact that no one could actually match his power as well. If he were to lift his finger, anyone would definitely fall over and crawl onto the ground. Who could honestly feel the need to be diligent in such a situation after all? His indolence was, in other words, a tragedy, but Bael was not aware of it. Now, when an existence that could really oppose him appeared, the desire that had been sleeping deep inside himself eventually lifted its head with a great amount of effort. ¡°If so¡­¡­¡± His fingers then slid slowly against the back of Julia¡¯s head. Her pale yet pinkish blonde hair had been entangled between his fingers before it was pulled out gently. ¡°I¡¯ll see if you can really survive like this.¡± As the corners of his lips twisted, he lifted Julia¡¯s upper body at the same time. Their lips proceeded to overlap intensely with each other. Bael then shoved himself deep into her mouth while closing her tiny, hot tongue. A mouth that was as cramped as her petite body was trying to push him away as she panted intermittently, perhaps she found that it had been too much to accept him. The more she did that, the more obstinately Bael continued sucking her tongue without releasing the woman whom he was holding close at all. A wet sound eventually echoed through the silent bedroom as Bael shoved his saliva into her. When he separated his body right after confirming that her neck had twitched a little even though she was still unconscious, his eyes instantly caught onto her already flushed cheeks. ¡°Kuh¡ªas expected.¡± He contentedly licked his lips that were glistening with saliva. No matter how hard the magic resistance was, if he were to plunge the magic power directly into the organ, there would be nothing else to be done. As he watched the scars had quickly disappeared, his eyes then shone with much satisfaction in return. CH 10.2 Julia repeatedly regained and lost her consciousness amidst the terrible pain. It was as if her whole body was being drenched in a boiling fire of sulfur. It had been painful to even breathe while her throat was already stinging and she was lying on something that seemed to be shaking just like a horse¡¯s back. She was inside her own dream. The feeling of having been floating from a rather far high up place, the sound of wind gusting in her ears and a poor orphan¡ªbarely 20 years old¡ªwho was already plummeting downwards. Subsequently, the scenery began to change. A scorching heat was now swallowing the girl who had been as slender as a doll. She then eroded far away¡ªin the distance. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Julia slowly opened her eyes. The pitch-black darkness had ultimately met up with her. After having rolled off the horse¡¯s back, her memories began to fade every so often, but she was still able to recall that Bael had saved her. However, as if all of those things were only a mere dream, a red moon was visible just outside the huge window. The surroundings were all in silence. When she closed her eyes once again, it appeared that she might have mistakenly thought of the moment when she seemed to have already died alone within the walls of the Vestra Imperial Castle. ¡°You¡¯ve finally awakened.¡± Her wish was shattered all of a sudden by an interrupting voice. Julia instantly burst out a tiny chuckle at the situation. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± It was a little interesting to see how long it had been ever since she plummeted into the Demon Realm. On top of that, Barbatos¡¯s rigid voice felt rather kind as if it contained some worries as well. It was even more so than those people of the Vestra Imperial Family itself. She thought that perhaps she was still dreaming as she muffled her words. ¡°I just thought that I really wanted to live.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I was never able to convey my greetings back then. Thank you for saving me.¡± As she strained her arms to get up, she suddenly collapsed back. However, she avoided having her face shoved into the pillow instead. It was all thanks to Barbatos who had held onto her just before that. As she was surprised by the unexpected help, Julia straight away looked upwards to him, but beyond the monocle, Barbatos¡¯s eyes appeared even more startled than herself. Then, there was a strange silence lingered in the air. As she was unable to stand it any longer, Julia began to speak up first. ¡°I¡­¡­¡± Barbatos¡¯s gaze immediately turned towards her. Julia looked down at his hand that was still holding onto her shoulder. When he first met her, he didn¡¯t even want to touch her directly, so he took out a handkerchief, but he was now holding her shoulders with both of his own hands. Her gaze slowly descended downwards. The wounds from being kidnapped by the horse before rolling amidst the woods and lurching against the bare ground were all gone already. Not only that, but the scars that were caused from being dragged towards the entrance earlier had completely vanished as well. The problem was only the fact that she was currently not wearing a single thread at all. Surprised, her heart began racing rapidly, but she tried to not show her inner heart in response. Amongst the demons themselves, there were quite a few who did not wear any clothes while saying that it was cumbersome. Therefore, she didn¡¯t wish to be seen as fussy. Still, she was much more ashamed than she had expected to reveal her nudity to others. She couldn¡¯t stand it eventually as she carefully tugged the sheet upwards, whereas Barbatos was already backing away from her in a hurry. ¡°Uggh!¡± Thanks to that, Julia ultimately fell down and hit the bed face first. Barbatos proceeded to continue his words with a subtly averted gaze. ¡°Say your thanks to the Master, not me. If it wasn¡¯t for the Master, you would have been torn into pieces and simply died without leaving even a single bone at all.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡­¡± ¡°Also, I¡¯m not a troublesome person like that Lerazier. Just be content with this.¡± As he spread out his palm, a large, black robe began to appear all over the place. It seemed like he wanted her to cover up her body with only this. Julia picked it up and conveyed her gratitude once again. However, the expression on her face as she was rummaging through the robe soon changed, albeit vaguely. ¡°Excuse me, but where¡¯s the underwear¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Un-underwear.¡± As he heard the word underwear, Barbatos¡¯s expression instantly hardened as if he was looking at a dead worm. Julia recalled if she had said something wrong, but there was nothing bothering her at all. She just asked for some underwear. She was actually going to ask Revenna for some proper clothes, but she was still ashamed to even think about walking around with only a robe draped over her naked body. Even so, Barbatos¡¯s expression that was looking down towards her had been very murderous, which made Julia quickly shook her head in response. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± This other person had been Barbatos who was famously known for his hatred against humanity, so she wondered the reason he had thrown the robe at her. Julia donned the robe and tied it tight against her waist while still struggling to contain her dizziness. Although the length was dragged onto the floor, it had covered her entire body regardless. At this kind of level, she didn¡¯t think that it would actually pose any big problems for her to move meanwhile. As she had already asked for her underwear earlier, Julia began to open her mouth even more carefully so that she wouldn¡¯t offend his heart then. ¡°Excuse me, Mister Barbatos.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, may I possibly meet with Miss Revenna¡­¡± Julia couldn¡¯t finish her words at all. It was due to Barbatos¡¯s look which had rotted to an extent that it could never be compared with the previous ¡®underwear¡¯ incident at all. Barbatos¡¯s expression that was staring at her appeared just as if he was scrutinizing at an incomparable suicidal fool. The problem seemed to be the fact that she had asked for something when she was just a trivial human being. Julia proceeded to apologize quickly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I never meant to bother you, Mister Barbatos.¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? Do you even have a brain inside there?¡± ¡°It just feels like I¡¯m still running¡­¡± ¡°Do you even know who was the one that made you that way?¡± Surprised by the sudden criticism, Julia herself stuttered, but Barbatos seemed frustrated as well as he then wiped his face away. Julia stopped her words abruptly and started peering at him instead. No way. Julia¡¯s expression which seemed to reveal her honest emotions had made him take off his monocle and proceeded to rub his forehead. ¡°It would have been impossible normally, but you are a precious key that will eventually turn the Master into the Demon God.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Try to see it for yourself then¡ªwith your very own eyes, human.¡± CH 11.1 Within the basement of the Castle where the surroundings were all engulfed in darkness, the slashes of whips and those slight piercing cries reverberated through the humid air as if there was someone who had been enduring the whole pain. Agares, who now possessed such bloody eyes, eventually flung the flesh-stained whip. A trail of black blood then slithered right next to where it had fallen. Just from the outside, it had become so horribly distorted that it was ultimately impossible to tell who the person truly was. However, her identity could be identified from those laces and jewels that had fallen off all around her. ¡°You¡¯re strong.¡± ¡°¡­was I even better than you?¡± Agares grumbled while Revenna was just laughing weakly. Next to those two were Kimaris, whose skin had already become like rags, as well as Lerazier¡ªwho was the one that tortured him. Along with a shallow smile, Lerazier proceeded to lower his body slowly. The slightly lowered corners of his eyes had curved in such a charming way, but his hands were still clutching onto Kimaris¡¯s hair relentlessly. ¡°It truly was so much fun, huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you would finally be satisfied with this. Kill me then.¡± ¡°Who would want that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t like slavery extremely so, you shouldn¡¯t have touched the key and on the contrary, you should have asked for it. I might have even listened to it then.¡± At a first glance, Lerazier, who was entirely covered in blood with his eyes all curled, seemed to have a rather erotic atmosphere. But as much as he was, his eyes were simply gleaming with a thick murderous energy instead. Kimaris closed his eyes as if he had already resigned himself. After all, high-level demons could be injured amply from having their entire body crushed yet still would not die from all the bleeding. Someone who had more magical power might even have their heart exploded completely. It was quite similar to how Revenna had stolen Kimaris¡¯s heart and turned him into a slave in the first place. Lerazier, who eventually felt that Kimaris was just ignoring him, put in more strength to his grasp. However, Kimaris only uttered a low moan without any signs of pain at all. At that moment, the continuous sounds of footsteps from a pair of two people echoed throughout the stairway that was leading down straight to the prison. ¡°Hmm?¡± Bael¡¯s eyes, which had been watching the whole process as if he was merely bored, eventually gleamed in a glare. As he beckoned, a huge snake that was slithering near the Demon King¡ªwhich was also the 17th ranked demon, Bottis¡ªstood up. It was to welcome those guests who suddenly turned up without any notice. On the other hand, Julia, who had been following Barbatos along that long flight of stairs, was surprised to sense the humid air and stench that immediately hit her the moment she entered the basement. And above all else, a huge snake with a hideous appearance was all the while holding its own head upright. It wasn¡¯t just that at all. Amidst that entirely dark surroundings where she could not even tell what it was right in front of her, she was met with dozens of pairs of eyes that were all gleaming towards her. ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Her whole body became frozen just like a rat that was hurled before a predator and she was no longer able to move. Barbatos¡¯s cold gaze was simply pressing upon herself. It was just like if she were to run away now, it would ultimately be the end forever. Eventually, Julia began to lift her feet off slowly before stepping into the prison. Splish, splash. Something invisible was apparently clinging onto her pure white bare feet. The disgust was ultimately intense, but Julia simply bit her lips as she endured it. In fact, Barbatos had already proposed to Julia the option of not seeing it at all while ignoring the details. It was herself who turned down the offer. She chose to be right here out of her own free will. And since she wanted to live, she no longer wished to live a life being swayed by other people¡¯s circumstances anymore. Revenna who had hated her and Kimaris who approached her only as Revenna¡¯s slave. ¡®The choice is all mine. I¡¯m going to see it with my very own eyes¡­¡­¡¯ Even she, herself, could not help but to be astonished when she saw the whole misery that was unfolding right before her eyes. The two demons, who could now be considered practically like chunks of meat, were all entangled in chains while reeling against the dirty floor. Even Agares and Lerazier, who would always show such amicable faces to her, had the eyes of a ferocious beast that seemed able to tear them apart right away. As she heaved a deep breath, Julia quickly moved her steps and proceeded to approach them. Agares raised her arm as if she was blocking her path, but Julia shook her head softly instead. ¡°Please tell me the whole truth. I don¡¯t want to judge someone based on what others have to say.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Did you really do that? Miss Revenna, Mister Kimaris.¡± After a moment of endless silence, a pair of eyes appeared amidst the blood. Even though the appearance was completely different from when they had first met, Julia immediately knew that it was, in fact, Revenna herself. ¡°You were such a kind person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny¡­¡± The high, hoarse voice cracked harshly just like metal. Her unique tone of voice, which usually had cheerful raised endings before, had turned rather cold and harsh as well. With only that one statement, Revenna closed her mouth once again, but Julia still waited. Even though she didn¡¯t know what to do as she always made some trouble around her, she was confident that she could wait. She could then do anything. And again, it was Revenna¡¯s part who eventually ran out of patience first. She proceeded to laugh at Julia with a sharp tone in her voice. ¡°I can control the human mind. If I just lift this hand of mine, I can make anyone like me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I really liked Miss Revenna.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s all you have for me. It was actually made by force since I had poured out a tremendous amount of magical power just to attract you.¡± The curious gazes of those demons were eventually focused on just the two of them. She had been imprisoned and tortured all the time here, so the both of them didn¡¯t know that her magic never worked on Julia at all. It was a fact known to everyone within the nest¡ªexcept for Revenna and Kimaris themselves. They then expected to see Julia burst out laughing at Revenna. The petite and fragile human, who could not even exert any physical powers, but still, she was never able to leave Revenna alone despite the fact that she was the very person who had led Julia to her own death. It was always fun to watch the weak squirm with all their might. And it would be even more enjoyable to see the humiliation of the strong¡ªdealt by the weak. CH 11.2 ¡°Miss Revenna, I¡­¡± Julia remembered the moment when she was kidnapped by a huge black horse before it ran aimlessly through a rough forest road. She then recalled the time when she had fallen from the back of that very horse as she plunged into the hands of some horrifying demons while she desperately cried out that she wanted to live at the verge of death. ¡°Magic doesn¡¯t really work on me. My feelings for you were absolutely sincere.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I really liked Miss Revenna. Although I have only been here for a while, Miss Revenna was the first one who actually thought and understood my situation.¡± ¡°And so¡ªthat¡¯s actually my magic power to exploit you¡­!¡± ¡°And I¡¯m saying that it doesn¡¯t matter how much magic you put into it. That¡¯s not the only reason why I liked Miss Revenna.¡± Even before this person, there was another demon who had exhibited some kind of favor towards her¡ªlike that of Agares or even Lerazier. However, the favor that was shown by Revenna had been fundamentally different from their own. ¡®I¡¯ve already seen countless numbers of human keys. All of them had despaired, trembled and even cursed as well. Wouldn¡¯t it be quite nice if you were able to live here from your point of view as well?¡¯ She was utterly terrified of the sound of wind as she trembled. Even the clack of footsteps trudging from far away, lest more so the instant change of footsteps rushing towards herself, would make her whole body stiffen instinctively as her head went blank. With every single action that she took and every word that she spoke, she felt as if she was treading on a fragile, thin sheet of ice. It was nothing more than just a precarious silence that could never be broken¡ªeven if it apparently seemed safe right now. Revenna alone did not reveal her own feelings as if they were simply forced upon Julia. Instead, she understood Julia¡¯s anxiety entirely. It might have sounded simple at a first glance, but it would never be possible if the aspect of consideration had not been ingrained into her body as a habit in itself. Thus, this was the first reason why Julia was fond of Revenna. A pair of large bloody eyes was blinking blankly as Julia proceeded to crouched down and meet her eye level. Then, Revenna¡¯s confused feelings became even more evident in the end. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t possess any magical powers, Miss Revenna is truly a lovely person after all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, how could I not like you at all?¡± ¡°Me¡­ Really?¡± Her eyes were full with deep distrust and at the same time, a slight hint of hope. Revenna had always been a strong demon. And it wasn¡¯t just about power itself. No matter how strong a being was, a scar would definitely be left on the heart as long as the memories existed. ¡®I can control the human mind. If I just lift this hand of mine, I can make anyone like me.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s all you actually have for me.¡¯ For some reason, it seemed like Revenna¡¯s inner wounds were reflected clearly through her own eyes. The memories of the past had been endlessly disappointing as they eventually broke down the walls of her heart. If it was only sugar-coated, Julia would never even care to this extent. However, Revenna didn¡¯t refer to the other person as a trivial human being. In other words, she truly understood Julia¡¯s anxiety and she knew what Julia really needed at that exact moment. Julia was envious of her courage that never dismissed her own gentle nature at all. She wanted to be someone who could actually take in all of Revenna¡¯s memories. Julia had a past when she, too, got hurt by someone before closing off her heart. So, she just wanted to hold onto Revenna¡¯s hand. ¡°Please don¡¯t use that kind heart of yours to hate people like that. Miss Revenna is a person who can receive enough love even without your beautiful looks or that ability to seduce others too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Revenna did not speak for a while. Julia began to wait again until she could eventually clear up her mind. Her eyes gradually changed. A look of distrust, confusion, maybe, but¡­¡­ Julia became heartbroken to see her like that. It was just like a hedgehog¡ªretaining its sharp thorns while keeping not a single thing from touching her own heart at all. That was the moment when Julia, who could no longer bear to see it, had just about to open her mouth once again. Drip, drip. Tears began dripping down from Revenna¡¯s bloodshot eyes. Something had upset her, but she just kept her mouth shut as only tears trickled downwards without any words. Julia sat down with her knees on the floor, amidst those puddles of blood, before placing her forehead against Revenna¡¯s own withered forehead. Although she was a human, she had only been a mere human being¡ªincomparably weak and vulnerable against those demons. Nevertheless, she still could. ¡°I forgive you.¡± ¡°Huff, sniff¡­¡± The demons merely looked at the pair of them with such strange eyes. Revenna had deceived the key. It still would not have been enough for the key to vent out her anger as she threw insults to such a person, but the key was now kneeling on the filthy floor while weeping for Revenna instead. The demons, who had already lived for so long, were all aware. The certainty that humans were never pure and the fact that there had been countless numbers of human beings who were more demonic than demons themselves. To them, Julia¡¯s ¡®forgiveness¡¯ was in fact, all too foreign. CH 12.1 The 17th demon, Bottis, looked up at the highest point with eyes filled with utter confusion. Whether the human had forgiven Revenna or not, this was the Demon King¡¯s nest and only he, himself, could decide how to treat Revenna in entirety. ¡°Master, it is time for the execution.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I will be killing Kimaris first.¡± It was an incident where they had almost lost their hard-earned, valuable key. Even if Revenna was kept alive for some time in consideration for the key, Kimaris still needed to set an example for the future ahead. In regard to the fact of the price they would have to bear if they were to lay a hand on the King¡¯s possessions. At that time, Julia, who heard of Bottis¡¯s sudden words, immediately raised her head. Her exhausted limbs trembled uncontrollably, but she didn¡¯t care at all as she ran towards Bael and knelt down on her knees right in front of him. ¡°I, I didn¡¯t act wisely enough.¡± ¡°Therefore?¡± ¡°Mister Kimaris has his heart held onto as collateral. So, please listen to the whole situation. He probably didn¡¯t even wish to go against the Demon King at all.¡± Bael¡¯s high-pressure gaze fell directly towards her. Just because his magical powers hadn¡¯t worked, it didn¡¯t mean that she could ignore the sense of absolute intimidation which he exuded. Julia¡¯s small shoulders instantly trembled with fear. Nevertheless, she still did not withdraw her standpoint at all. After a brief moment of silence, the Demon King who twisted the corners of his lips began to ask. ¡°Then, what will you be able to give me?¡± ¡°I¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You belong to me. Those two pieces of trash dared to actually covet their Master¡¯s belonging.¡± An extremely bored voice eventually resounded through the whole damp prison. Bael¡¯s eyes that had been looking down on Julia were mixed with a sneer which could not be hidden at all. ¡°If something leaves, then something else must come instead. If I really save them, what would you give me in return?¡± Julia instantly hesitated. She had possessed nothing of her own. Even this fragile body of hers that would die with just a touch of Bael¡¯s hand was already as good as his own when she had first fallen into the Demon Realm. Bael simply read her thoughts without much difficulty. His eyes were already gleaming with satisfaction. ¡°Make me into the Demon God. Whatever method it will be, be happy to accept it all as the key.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You can never escape. That body of yours and even a single strand of your hair.¡± The methods that used humans as a medium were often rather irregular. This was because there had been several types that got affected by the will or even the emotions of the medium itself. If a way could actually be found and it required the voluntary help of the key itself, the situation was bound to become difficult then. ¡°I understand.¡± As she realized Bael¡¯s actual intentions, Julia nodded her head without any single hesitation. Then, the Demon King heavily descended the high stairs with an ultimately satisfied face. As much as that transpired, the pressure he was simultaneously exuding had also increased and not only Julia, herself, but the other demons had no other choice but to bow their heads. He bent his head before grabbing onto Julia¡¯s soft hair. Then, Bael whispered in her ear as she was dragged upwards. ¡°Even if you die.¡± ¡°¡­even if I die.¡± As if she became possessed by something, Julia began to follow his words. Bael¡¯s breath, which had kept a vague distance as if it could just touch her earlobe at any time, moved along her thin neckline before crawling down to her chin and slowly within a circular trajectory, along with his soft lips as well. He stopped moving at a distance where their lips could just brush against each other while their breath seemed could intermingle with at any moment before he then continued. ¡°Accept all of it gladly as you turn me into the Demon God.¡± ¡°¡­I will gladly accept it all and turn you into the Demon God.¡± The moment Bael¡¯s hot tongue invaded her lips right after finishing the sentence, the most noble and pure red magic began to wreathe around her neck. It soon turned into an unrecognizable ancient sentence that eventually entwined into layers of chains all over her neck. Julia instantly knew that this was a contract with the devil. And the price of such a particular contract was life itself. Still, she couldn¡¯t refuse. From the very beginning, she had neither the justification nor the ability to refuse it all. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Cough, cough!¡± When the Demon King finally opened his lips and let go of his hand, she immediately dropped upon the floor. Barbatos, who was then the closest to her, grabbed a hold of her reflexively. An engraving was ultimately left on the heart of whom had already lost her consciousness. If she didn¡¯t fulfill the contract, it would then devour her life in an instant. And accompanied by such terrible pain¡ªjust like hell. Bael eventually turned around as if he had already lost all interest. Only then did all the other demons become able to break free from the bondage of their King, like magic. * * * Julia slowly blinked her eyes, albeit blankly. A bright streak of sunlight was streaming in through the large window. The structure of the room was rather unfamiliar, but there was the Demon God¡¯s tower standing right outside the window. So, she could realize that this current place was still the Demon King¡¯s Castle. ¡°Little key, have you awakened?¡± ¡°Miss Agares¡­¡± Julia made eye contact with the person who was gazing down at her from the bedside. Amidst Agares¡¯s sharp pair of pupils lay a deep concern for her. Julia suppressed her dizziness as she tried to get up straight away. Agares quickly restrained her and placed a cup to her lips. Julia, who looked down puzzlingly, instantly knew that it was water. Still, normal water that could be drunk by humans would never come from the Demon Realm itself. At the same time, she immediately felt the thirst that she had forgotten all about at an instant. She grabbed onto the large cup in her hands and drank in haste. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Julia began coughing very hard, but Agares, who had wrinkled her eyebrows just momentarily before, subtly avoided her gaze in return. The expression on her face that always painted in confidence had seemed dark somehow. CH 12.2 ¡°I¡¯m sorry, little key. I never knew that humans, unlike us, have to absorb some power every day.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m fine¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just because you¡¯re so stupid. You should have told me to let me know. Or did you really want to die?¡± Suddenly, a thorny voice interrupted their conversation. It was Lerazier. He was already glaring at Julia with a slightly nervous gaze that appeared to have lost his usual ease as well. ¡°It was just a little sleep though.¡± ¡°You had slept for three days, so I had to make excuses as much as possible.¡± ¡°Three days¡­¡± Her eyes widened in surprise. She was surprised that she had lost consciousness for so long, but what astonished her even more was the fact that when she opened her eyes, Agares and Lerazier were all right there. Even though they never knew when exactly the patient would wake up, it ultimately meant that they had watched over her for that long of a time without any sort of guarantee at all. Nevertheless, Lerazier did not come close to the already awakened Julia, only that he seemed sharply nervous somehow. And only then did Julia finally realize that there had been two other demons standing behind him as well. They were Revenna and Kimaris themselves. Back in the prison, their flesh had been mangled so much that even their shape could not be recognized fully, but now, they were already neatly restored to their own original form. Julia again became aware of the fact that they were really demons. ¡°You have protected me. Thank you for that.¡± ¡°You are the key to the Magic Stone. It¡¯s only a must.¡± ¡°Nevertheless, you even got me some water¡­¡± Although water was available in the Demon Realm, if humans were to consume it for a long period of time, symptoms of poisoning would then appear. If not because of the deadly poison, it was apparently clear that it would have an adverse effect on the body. This was especially true for Julia, who had always been physically weak. After she stopped coughing, she eventually emptied the glass of water. Agares took the empty glass back and this time, she offered an easy-to-eat suitable food such as bread and fruit. Agares¡¯s expression hardened as she began to watch Julia stuffing them into her tiny mouth. It had been a face that was blaming herself for not paying attention to Julia properly. ¡°It was Revenna who went to the Human Realm. It won¡¯t be like this time again, but I¡¯ll send Kimaris later as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± ¡°From now on, you can treat them just like slaves. I already took hold of their hearts.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Her eyes widened in shock. Still, Agares just shrugged her shoulders as if she found no problem with it all. ¡°They should be grateful for the rest of their petty lives just for you who had saved them.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that kind of payment at all.¡± ¡°Then, do you truly want to starve again? If you want to die, just tell me in advance. This time, I will make you into my doll and love you for a long time.¡± Lerazier stared at the two who were the cause of her kidnapping until the end before taking a seat on the bed that was right opposite of Agares, which Julia was lying on. Then, as if he couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, he began to stroke Julia¡¯s cheek gently. ¡°It looks really delicious. It makes me want to eat it right away.¡± ¡°Shut up, you filthy bastard.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re drooling on the inside too. How are you pretending to be so polite?¡± ¡°Barbatos is going to stab you for coveting the key, though?¡± ¡°Does he even have time to worry about this human? Brother is a little too busy these days!¡± As the two demons clashed with each other as Julia stuck in between them, she struggled to raise her upper body while she endured the still dizzying vertigo. Kimaris¡¯s eyes met with hers and he proceeded to lower his head softly. Revenna, on the other hand, flinched as she quickly avoided her gaze in return. Julia¡¯s shoulder then slumped inwardly. She never meant to be condescending, but nonetheless, the feelings she had for Revenna were ultimately sincere, so she wanted to be friends with Revenna as much as possible. However, Revenna had now lost her heart because of her. Was Kimaris not deprived of his own heart as well? It was only natural that they would hate her then. ¡°Little key, what¡¯s wrong? Do you feel weak all of a sudden?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to anything, so just tell me. As you thought about it again makes you want me to burst their heart? Do you really want me to?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to do it yourself? It feels really good.¡± ¡°Oh, no! No!¡± Julia, who became dismayed, quickly waved her hand. Agares and Lerazier might be thinking about it all in their own way, but it was just disastrous for Julia herself. Nevertheless, as the two demons continued to speak, Julia cautiously opened her mouth in reluctance. ¡°If it¡¯s okay, can I talk to the two of them separately?¡± ¡°With those two?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­.¡± Agares gestured her chin without saying a word as if she was asking the actual meaning of the particular ¡®two¡¯. It was rather obvious, but Julia gently nodded her head to signify that it had been true all along. Agares looked at her in surprise, which seemed to say something like, ¡®little key, have you gone crazy?¡¯ She was clearly asserting that. However, Julia¡¯s thoughts did not change at all. She continued to face Agares with her big, sharp eyes. In the end, Agares and Lerazier, who were defeated by the eye attack in the end, left the room. Still, they did not forget to threaten Revenna and Kimaris to the end that if they were to lay a single touch on Julia, they would definitely die. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Tak¡ªthe door then closed while leaving only the three of them to remain within the spacious room. No one was moving and no one had opened their mouths, so there was only an awkward atmosphere permeating in the room. In the end, Julia was the one who moved first. Her body was drooping like a wet towel as she carefully stepped on the ground right at her feet. But as soon as she tried to get up, she became dizzy once again. Julia staggered as she leaned against the pillar of the bed. ¡°I¡¯ve been fine¡­¡± In the end, the two of them who just couldn¡¯t bear to look at it any longer eventually walked a few steps closer. Unable to actually see it, Julia ultimately collapsed onto the bed. CH 13.1 Her head was pounding while her heart was racing violently. She pretended to be okay at first, but the truth had been the fact that she was still afraid. This was especially the case with Kimaris. And it was all because she knew that the previously huge black horse which kidnapped her had been Kimaris himself. His dark skin and shiny hair overlapped with the mane that she had held on to as it reminded her of the nightmare during that particular day. However, Julia soon pulled her heart together. At that time, Kimaris had already lost his literal heart to Revenna. Moreover, when he gave herself to Revenna, there was a slight hint of hesitation in his eyes. She hadn¡¯t known the reason at the time, but when he said that it was due to the feeling of guilt, everything was finally explained. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I was worried about the two of you back in prison since all of your wounds looked absolutely terrible.¡± ¡°Who are you teasing now? Or are you just pretending to be nice?¡± Revenna¡¯s voice was as clear and hoarse as usual, but if she were to listen carefully, the ends sounded a little bit cracked. Revenna had already looked fine on the outside, but she didn¡¯t seem to be getting any better on the inside. ¡°Did you ever forget? The fact that I tried to kill you.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not like that now.¡± ¡°That¡ªthat¡¯s because Agares had threatened me with my own heart¡­!¡± ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Perhaps her body had already grown cold since she got out of the blanket for a long time as her cough kept on bursting out. Thanks to that, Revenna soon stopped her words as she began to appear a little bit uncomfortable. As Julia became exhausted from coughing for a long time, she leaned her body helplessly on the bedside with her shoulders still shaking. She was also trembling restlessly as her feet twitched. Revenna wanted to approach her, but she couldn¡¯t really do so that even the human Julia could actually see deep inside of her. Julia proceeded to stare at Kimaris this time. He was standing in a typical soldier¡¯s posture¡ªwith his legs spread apart and his hands behind his back. She never thought that she wouldn¡¯t have known Revenna¡¯s thoughts, but his insides on the other hand, were still murky. It was at that moment when Julia gazed at him with a frustrated heart. Then, a red error window instantly appeared right in front of her. [?SYSTEM SIGHT is unable to operate due to a lack of HP.] Julia, who began to stop herself, stiffened her shoulders instantly. The sight function seemed to have worked whenever she thought that she wished to know what the other person was thinking while looking directly at them. The reason why this function didn¡¯t even appear after she had been kidnapped was because¡ªborrowing from the system¡¯s explanation¡ªher health was low. She blinked her eyes blankly as she got startled by what she had just learned all of a sudden and how she deduced it by herself before Revenna approached her with a somewhat nervous gait as she slowly held her. ¡°Just lie down, you idiot.¡± ¡°Miss Revenna¡­¡± ¡°Is it your sickness to wander around when you can¡¯t even take care of your own self?¡± Even though Revenna was of a rather small size among all the other demons, she could still hold Julia with just one hand. She then tapped the pillow to its appropriate height before laying Julia right in the middle of the large bed and pulled the duvet up to her neck. Her touch seemed quite mechanical at first glance, but in reality, it was actually very attentive and kind. The corners of Julia¡¯s eyes began trembling as they burned red when Revenna added while turning her head in a hurry. ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t get me wrong though? It¡¯s only because my heart now belongs to Agares.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Revenna.¡± ¡°Where is a kind of fool who¡¯d actually call a slave by the title, Miss?¡± As Revenna showed signs of moving away once again, Julia unconsciously stretched out her arm and grabbed onto her hand. All she did was clutch onto the hem of her sleeve for fear of being rejected. Nevertheless, Revenna flinched yet she never flicked away that little hand which had barely approached her. ¡°Then, thank you¡ªRevenna.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡­¡± She then reluctantly sat down by Julia¡¯s side just like a person who was being dragged away. Still, she had never forgotten to tuck in the hem of her voluminous dress as well as her other accessories with her own other hand in order for them to not rub against Julia¡¯s face. And she had such a beautiful face too. Even before her death¡ªeven when she first entered into this world, she had never seen anyone who ever looked so unrealistically similar to a doll. Could she be reading her thoughts just now as Revenna seemed to have proceeded to mutter ever so softly in return right after. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just good to have a pretty face? Since most people will get obsessed with my looks as they won¡¯t even care to know what kind of a demon I am. Without this face, I¡¯ll be spurned around and thrown all away. In that case, I¡¯d rather look like a monster from the very beginning¡ªlike Bottis.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s truly the first time I¡¯ve ever met with a human like you. It¡¯s kind of nice to see you approaching me like that even though I was in the shape of a mere piece of meat?¡± ¡°Only because it is Revenna. It didn¡¯t matter what you looked like.¡± ¡°The more I look at you, the stranger you have become.¡± Revenna appeared to become a bit embarrassed even after she was the one who said it herself, so she fiddled with her hair a little before making a glance at Kimaris. She never asked, but Revenna began to explain the master-slave relationship situation to her. ¡°That guy has now become a slave to Agares too? She took away my heart and took along his as well with her. Still, Agares seems to be good, so don¡¯t worry about it at all.¡± ¡°The heart¡­ Must you obey the words of the person who had taken it without any sorts of conditions at all?¡± ¡°In general? There aren¡¯t many species that would want to go out in the world and die anyway?¡± But Julia had already heard it all. As she was following Barbatos down the stairs to the prison before, she could hear Kimaris¡¯s voice telling the other party to kill him. ¡®You would have finally been satisfied with this. Kill me then.¡¯ His indifferent voice was still clear in her mind. When they first met, he had a rather cool atmosphere, but was it all just an act to slowly entice her? CH 13.2 Although the topic of their conversation had changed to himself, Kimaris still kept a cold face as he stared at Julia. She thought for a moment that if there was any physical power in his gaze, it might have already pierced her face at that instant. ¡°Mister Kimaris, if you stand for that long, your legs will eventually hurt¡­¡± However, she couldn¡¯t finish her words at all. It was because he had begun approaching silently and proceeded to kneel down on one of his knees at her feet. Astonished, Julia immediately rose from the bed and pulled him upwards, but Kimaris did not even budge as he continued to bow his head. ¡°Mister Kimaris¡ªwhy?¡± ¡°A servant¡¯s head is never allowed to be higher than its own master.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t do this.¡± In Julia¡¯s eyes, there was a painful light along with a hint of embarrassment. She didn¡¯t actually save them for all of this. In fact, if she really didn¡¯t like the fact of being dragged into the Demon Realm, she could still have rejected it with death¡ªsince she had already done it once before¡­¡­ Nevertheless, she eventually came here in the end because she had the hope that she would finally be freed from all those who terribly hated her so much. She wanted to take root in a completely new land that was entirely different from before. As she pretended to be kind to the demons, she merely wanted to receive even a tiny piece of affection. She didn¡¯t want it to end up like this at all. It then felt like she was going to wind up hating herself too much as well. Wouldn¡¯t it feel like she was the one who caused damage to others just by herself being there? Maybe this had also been a selfish thought, but¡­¡­ ¡°I was actually going to ask Agares to return your heart back to you. I¡¯m not really sure if she¡¯ll like it, but please wait for a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I give you my promise. So, please don¡¯t do this right now.¡± Julia stood facing Kimaris in front of her and soon grabbed his hand. Due to his height, Julia was already standing at the same eye level as Kimaris even as he was still prostrating himself. Kimaris looked downwards piercingly at his caught hand for some reason. As she thought that perhaps her sincerity had passed through somehow, Julia exerted a little more strength to the hand that was holding on to him. She never knew the whole details, but she heard that he had lost his heart to Revenna right after the Demon King¡¯s Castle was erected. He had been a slave for so long that he might have already resigned himself. However, she still wanted to tell him not to do that at all. ¡°Don¡¯t give up. One day, Mister Kimaris may be able to live as freely as you ever wanted.¡± They might have laughed at a human being who was bound by the Demon King for saying something like this, but Julia¡¯s words were incredibly sincere. Ironically, she was much more free now than the way she had been back at Vestra¡¯s Castle. Things that she could never have imagined if it had been in the past were still happening each and every day. Perhaps such earnestness had paid off, Kimaris¡¯s head proceeded to be raised slowly. Julia, who encountered his gaze, leaned her forehead against his hand and whispered as if she was confessing. ¡°I, as well, have always hoped to be free someday.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°In truth, I have lied to Mister Kimaris. When you asked me if I had any questions at all, there was actually something else that I really wanted to say. It would be good if even in the very distant future, I can finally live after finishing my role as the key.¡± Tears began to well up in Julia¡¯s eyes. Her sincerity, which had never been able to get voiced out all the time, was sadly blended into her weeping voice as well. ¡°And at that particular time, I actually wanted to ask if I could live freely.¡± A small sob instantly escaped from her lips, which she had already bitten to hold herself back. After such a long time, she finally met someone who looked into her eyes and listened to her. She was absolutely glad about that¡­¡­ The lump that had been curled up tightly in her chest was finally unfettered like ink being dipped into the water. Then, tears began to leak down from her big eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± Julia suddenly noticed that the tears she had shed were trickling down on the back of Kimaris¡¯s hands. What if he thought that human tears were all dirty? To her surprise, she became on the verge of stepping back from him quickly. Still, her wrists were unexpectedly clasped with a gentle force. Then, a low, resonant voice slowly tickled her ears. ¡°Your wish is all mine.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I, Kimaris, will absolutely make your wish come true, even if I have to sacrifice my own life for it.¡± His eyes were shining brightly as if a thick fog had already been lifted. ¡°Please give me the back of your hand, if you¡¯d allow me to.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± As she was startled, she quickly blinked her eyes. Kimaris¡¯s request was a rather common greeting amidst the social circles. A sign of respect for the other person was often expressed by kissing the back of one¡¯s hand. But so far, no one had ever greeted the back of Julia¡¯s hand. Within the Imperial Court, she was not in a position to deserve anyone¡¯s respect at all. She simply watched from afar as the nobles kissed the back of the Emperor¡¯s hand or even Estelle¡¯s very own. Her heart started thumping little by little. She feared whether she should allow it or she would be disappointing Kimaris then. Nevertheless, even while she was apparently hesitating, Kimaris still gazed at her with his straight eyes. Julia nodded her head softly while making sure that her voice wouldn¡¯t tremble at all. ¡°¡­¡­it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°My Master.¡± It was at that moment when his lips gently brushed against the back of her hand. A dark indigo magic that resembled his hair closely began to surround Julia entirely like a breeze. However, it neither hurt nor scared her at all. In fact, the gentle and warm feeling was just enveloping her as if she got pulled in within a pleasant zephyr. CH 14.1 The breeze subsided quickly as soon as Kimaris removed his lips. He soon blinked in embarrassment for a moment before he started muttering to himself. ¡°It is true that magic powers wouldn¡¯t work at all.¡± ¡°Are you trying to do something to me?¡± ¡°I just wanted to make a contract to serve you as my Master.¡± ¡°What?¡± Demons would often sign a contract to subordinate themselves to someone but it was a very rare occurrence for the high-ranked demons. Until the contractor released the seal, they would become slaves to the Master for all eternity. They would turn into a kind of ¡®beast¡¯ that could be summoned whenever needed. However, a high-ranking demon such as Kimaris himself would have chosen to die rather than having themselves turned into such beasts. It was such a humiliating contract in a way. Julia could never understand Kimaris¡¯s choice. This was the first time she thought that it was lucky that his magic didn¡¯t work at all. ¡°Why would you even do that?¡± ¡°Because you saved me.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re talking about that thing back in the prison, it was¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Kimaris was about to shake his head in denial. Then, a being that had been forgotten for a while eventually interrupted their conversation. ¡°If possible, just accept it. Kimaris has a rather single-minded temperament. Surprisingly, he¡¯s actually bad-tempered?¡± Revenna stood up from the bed while folding over her fluttering fan. Then, with such strides yet gracefully moving her steps along, she glared at Kimaris terrifyingly. ¡°By the way, are you in a bad mood? Kimaris, did you actually go easy on me when you lost your heart?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°Or? Come to think of it, you didn¡¯t resist me properly back then as well? Do you like being beaten in pain? Would you like me to hit you hard then¡ªright now?¡± ¡°While wielding a battle ax loaded with magical power like a monster?¡± Kimaris¡¯s forehead eventually creased. He looked at her with goosebumps once again as he recalled the time when he had fought with her. ¡°It¡¯s true that I ran towards you with the intention of dying. But I really did my best in my own way.¡± Revenna¡¯s strange past, which Julia had never known at all, was finally revealed. Before Bael swept through the whole Demon Realm, she was the one who led the 26 battalions¡­¡­ Julia was curious about it, but she just decided to put up with it. No, at the very least, she decided to not ask about it in front of Kimaris. It was due to his face that appeared extremely hateful when he looked at Revenna. Revenna, too, seemed to be satisfied with his answer in her own way that she eventually unfolded her fan once again and clapped elegantly. Then, she began to throw out some words. ¡°So, that¡¯s it. Now, can I say that you¡¯re on Julia¡¯s side at present?¡± Julia¡¯s eyes, which were about to skip along without thinking, became extremely wide. The words seemed to get passed by, but the impact that the single word had on her was just exceptional. ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡± ¡°I knew it? You¡¯re not truly Estelle, are you?¡± ¡°What, what are you talking about? I am Estelle.¡± Julia reflexively shook her head. She didn¡¯t even have the time to calculate whether or not she had actually donned a proper face on herself. In fact, all she could ever think of in her head was that she couldn¡¯t afford to get caught at all. Unfortunately, she was not that good at hiding her expression though. Kimaris, who could make a good sense out of Julia¡¯s countenance, immediately wrapped his arms around her and glared at Revenna in return. ¡°Revenna, don¡¯t you change the subject and speak up.¡± Kimaris¡¯s expression had changed in an instant. His eyes flickered horribly as if he was about to twist her neck in case anything were to happen at all. ¡°You really didn¡¯t know from the very beginning? I went to the Human Realm in search of water without using any demonic magic and saw Estelle Vestra. She¡¯s doing well though? While you¡¯re the one who got stuck here in hell?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually a shame since you are the real key and do you know that something really bad could have happened to you? The Master really hates being deceived.¡± ¡°Then, am I going to¡­ die now?¡± Julia¡¯s voice, which had already given up on all her own excuses, began trembling devastatingly. The truth had now been discovered. Besides, Revenna also thought of her as the key, but that was just wrong. She knew of it because she had already seen through the original story after all. The real key had always been Estelle and Julia was just like a foreign figure that shouldn¡¯t have even existed. But how could she explain this? If they found out that she was worth nothing, even they would eventually despise her. How could she then dare to say that¡­¡­ Just as Julia¡¯s vision became blurred with her own tears, Revenna grabbed her shoulders in return. ¡°I think I can slightly understand it even if I haven¡¯t heard it all. There must have been some very difficult circumstances before you arrived here, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry? No matter what might happen, me and Kimaris will absolutely protect you.¡± ¡°If you actually want to leave this place, please give me an order, Master.¡± The two demons¡¯ gazes were all directed towards her. As they looked at Julia, there was a tint of sincere concern within their eyes. Thus, she soon decided to gather up her courage as well. She confided the events that occurred in Vestra Imperial Palace, one after another, before Julia had been passed over to the Demon Realm. She appeared so calm that her worries if she were to burst into tears had been overshadowed thoroughly. Unknowingly, she was actually making the two of them wrathful once again. ¡°So, His Majesty eventually decided to send me over instead of Estelle. Estelle is a noble person who will soon become the Empress in the future and while I am useless, I am also difficult to deal with¡­¡± ¡°No way! Where could there be such a saying!¡± ¡°I truly understand His Majesty¡¯s entire decision, although the method was a tad bit coercive too.¡± It was in the middle of the night when some men had come upon her all of a sudden before they dragged her helplessly out of her own abandoned Palace. The place where she arrived later had been the Emperor¡¯s bedroom and Estelle was already standing next to him¡ªjust like usual. CH 14.2 Julia pleaded tearfully to the both of them who had instructed her immediate departure in order to end the war with the demons. ¡®Then, please let me leave behind a letter at least. I have someone who worries about me.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re simply making all sorts of excuses now. Who is even worried about you.¡¯ ¡®Just for an hour, no, even for only ten minutes¡­¡­!¡¯ ¡®There is nothing more to say. Get her out of here right now!¡¯ A towel was gagged over her mouth to prevent her from making a sound and a thick sack had been placed over her face. Shortly after that, she was forced into a carriage that sprinted nonstop for days and nights. Estelle¡¯s set of clothings and accessories had been forcibly draped over her along the way and the restraints that were ensnaring her grew more and more whenever she tried to escape it all. So, when she finally arrived at the entrance to hell, Julia was already in such shambles that it had been utterly difficult for her to lift even her own finger up. ¡°Eventually, I had no other choice but to come here in the end.¡± Many people had died in the war with the demons. Even she, herself, who had been locked in a corner of the Imperial Palace, could still be able to feel the cruel reality sometimes. The number of maids who had been caught robbing the imperial property increased, even though they were all punished afterwards. The soldiers were replaced each time which made it difficult to find anyone who would be over twenty. But what bothered her more than anything else was the existence of a friend, who had been fighting at the forefront against the bloody war. He was dragged to the battlefield and deprived of his own free future all because of herself. Then, another warmth was overlaid on top of Julia¡¯s hand when she still had her gaze casted down helplessly. Revenna looked at Julia as tears began to well up in the corners of her eyes. Nevertheless, she opened her eyes terrifyingly once again, as if she was holding back the urge to cry. ¡°Human beings are inherently cunning creatures, but your family is truly more demonic than those demons themselves.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t ever want to return to where you have lived before, I¡¯ll absolutely go with you wherever you want.¡± ¡°I want to be here. But I don¡¯t really know how long I will be able to live¡­¡± Julia suddenly flopped down on the floor. As she was supported by the two demons, they then placed her on the bed once again. Revenna slowly muttered in an anxious voice at once. ¡°We don¡¯t care, but if the Master knows of this truth, he won¡¯t ever let Julia go. The key or whatever, no one could be alive after going against him. He¡¯s that kind of a scary person.¡± ¡°Hiding Miss Julia¡¯s identity is the most urgent thing after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, the less people know about this, the better it¡¯ll be as a secret.¡± Revenna thought deeply before she slowly added. ¡°Julia, while we¡¯re outside, I would have to refer you as the key just like everyone else. But I don¡¯t want to call you by the name of a completely different stranger.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± It had been absolutely fortunate that the war was finally over and Bael had locked the gates of the Demon Realm. The three of them ultimately decided to hide Julia¡¯s real identity¡ªno matter what. * * * At the same time, numerous knights with the flag of victory were entering the Imperial Capital of Vestra, Abeldishim. And at the forefront of them all was the young hero who had led this war to sheer victory, Sword Master Legion himself. As a native of the heavenly beings, he had a natural talent for swords and participated in the war at a very young age. Moreover, amidst the devastating battle with the demons, he had finally reached the status of becoming one of the only three Sword Masters in the whole continent. Legion and his comrades had defeated the enemy by triumphing with many victories in such countless battlefields and as a result, they were all honored by Ingrem V, the Emperor of Vestra, while taking the lead during the victory procession. Within the central hall of the Imperial Palace, where all the nobles of the Empire had gathered, he crossed along the red carpet and eventually knelt down on one of his knees modestly. ¡°This Legion greets His Majesty, Ingrem V of Vestra.¡± ¡°You have worked hard to come a long way. We sincerely welcome you, the Hero of the continent.¡± With the permission of the Emperor, he proceeded to rise. He was standing in the center of a beautiful banquet hall that had been utterly unimaginable just a few years ago. The jewels that were adorning the walls and ceiling had shone splendidly as all the lights reflected. He had become a Sword Master at a rather young age and he, who had never even possessed a proper nationality, was coveted by many countries. However, Legion had taken upon Vestra¡¯s hand without any sign of hesitation at all. Legion then simply looked around the Emperor while leaving behind those countless gazes that had been gazing up at himself. ¡®Is she not here yet?¡¯ Following the back of the Emperor was the beautifully dressed Princess Estelle. Nevertheless, she wasn¡¯t actually the one whom Legion had been waiting for all this while. The Emperor smiled dazzlingly as he slowly spread out his hands. ¡°Since there are only three of the Sword Masters on the continent who have made their way here, I will then treat you like a hero. I will bestow on you the position of a Duke and a territory that will also be inheritable. Furthermore¡­¡± ¡°Forgive me, Your Majesty. I have but only one wish.¡± The young hero eventually interrupted the Emperor, but no one had dared to point out his rudeness. It was all because of Legion¡¯s eyes that were looking up with dignity as they shone brightly as the sky in one autumn day. ¡°I would like to propose to the Second Princess, Julia. I do not need any glory other than her own self.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Just for a moment, there was a slight sense of discomfort flashed through the Emperor¡¯s face. There was no way that Legion, who had been in the ultimate tier amongst the human beings, would actually be unaware of the change, but he merely guessed the reason before keeping his mouth shut. Julia¡ªlike Estelle who had been standing here¡ªwas a princess but she never acted like one. Julia was always shy yet as beautiful as when she smiled. As he heard of the unexpected name, the Emperor became obviously bewildered and Legion could judge it so as well. However, the Emperor¡¯s subsequent reaction was a tad little different from his prior expectations. CH 15.1 ¡°Hmm, is there anything else that you would like? I have Princess Estelle, who will eventually inherit the throne. If you want, you can even marry the Princess and become a public servant as well as delegating the authority too. I have already discussed it with Estelle anyway.¡± Estelle, who learned of her father¡¯s gaze, raised her chin and took a single step closer. As she peeled off her transparent gloves, she reached out her hand in front of Legion while waiting for him to kiss it. But once again, Legion took a step back in return. ¡°Forgive me, but the Princess¡­¡± ¡°Duke Legion, I apologize, but Julia is not feeling rather well. So, she won¡¯t be able to go outside for the time being.¡± ¡°Then, I would like to see her in person. Please allow me to do so.¡± ¡°That is proven to be quite difficult.¡± The Emperor soon interrupted the conversation between Legion and Estelle. The discomfort that settled in through the Emperor¡¯s expression had apparently increased a little more. Legion was expecting that it would not be easy for him to bring Julia in the first place. Although she had been a Princess who was hated by everyone else while being imprisoned in that detached Palace, she was actually everything¡ªamidst this whole wide world¡ªto Legion. He never intended to hide that fact, but he thought that the Empire would eventually demand something from him for taking Julia away. ¡®However, this is very different from what I had expected.¡¯ Something was truly strange. Estelle¡¯s expression still complemented her natural noble blood, which brought off her confidence and pride. However, there was a slight tinge of uneasiness in the faces of several people around her¡ªincluding the Emperor, himself. Legion eventually unleashed the power of being a Sword Master without any delay as he noticed that she was nowhere to be found in this very Imperial Castle. Her body had been weak and she was always sensitive to the vivid, evil gazes surrounding her, so she never went outside of the Imperial Castle. Legion¡¯s pair of eyes began to feel anxious before they pierced straight to the Emperor. Estelle then blocked Legion¡¯s path in the end. ¡°That¡¯s just rude, Duke Legion. How dare you cast such a disrespectful gaze in His Majesty¡¯s presence.¡± ¡°Please step back, Princess. I will have to hear this whole story right from His Majesty himself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re looking for Julia, but she¡¯s only a Princess by name and she¡¯s not even worth anything as well.¡± ¡°Her worth is never for the Princess to decide at all.¡± The two pairs of eyes were sharply opposed to each other. While they were currently facing one another without a single step backwards, someone could be heard whispering something. ¡°How do you even save someone who has already fallen into the Valley of Death anyway¡­?¡± ¡°Shut up. Be quiet.¡± However, it was not that difficult for Legion to be aware of that tiny sound with his extremely developed five senses. His eyes that became round in an instant with such bursting anger were then directed straight towards the Emperor and Estelle. ¡°What did you do with Princess Julia?¡± He had thought that it was strange. The confrontation between humans and demons had been continuing sharply for the longest time. And the battlefield was literally like a land of death. A place where if one were to let go of their heart even for just a moment, they would only end up as one of the many corpses that were already lying on the ground. But one sudden day, the demons had temporarily stopped attacking as they withdrew the army as well. At first, he thought that it was a trap, but after a while, a rumor began spreading like a myth instead. It was the fact that the demons had wanted the ¡®Princess¡¯ Estelle. But the very Princess ¡®Estelle¡¯ was still here. ¡°I am asking what have you done to Julia!¡± A blue flash eventually shone at the tips of Legion¡¯s fingers as he suppressed his wrath before it eventually took on the form of a greatsword. It was the symbol of the Sword Master, the Soul Sword itself. Many nobles eventually fell onto their knees in agony at the powerful sword that he had emanated. During the time when Ingrem V had also stumbled at the end, only Estelle was standing upright as she struggled while twisting the corners of her own mouth. ¡°I think that you¡¯ve already noticed, but Julia isn¡¯t here right now. It¡¯s only right to say that she¡¯s no longer in this land.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°In exchange for a truce, we have handed that child over to the demons.¡± Struck¡ªcrash! The blue sword in his hand had completely split the marble floor of the banquet hall in utter half. Legion turned around by knocking down the numerous knights who began to block his path at once with only his sword while his companions trailed after him as they eventually left the Imperial Palace of Vestra. ¡®We need to find Julia.¡¯ Even if there were only three Sword Masters in the continent, he still had aimed his Soul Sword at the Emperor. At that point onwards, it was as if he had already become a traitor, but Legion¡¯s blue eyes were simply darkening and sinking sternly instead. * * * 02. The Demons Are Just Strange It took a rather long time for Julia to recover her health fully after the kidnapping incident. Initially, some of the demons had come over to visit Julia¡¯s face in bed. And so, the bedroom was quite crowded without a single day of silence at all. Meanwhile, Bael¡¯s daily life did not change that much. Nevertheless, after having collided with the Magic Stone with his bare body, he could not truly overcome the strength as he would go on a rampage. Otherwise, he would just spend his time lying about lazily in his nest instead. Whenever Bael had gone on a rampage, the entire castle would thump and pound, and even though she was somewhat immune to it for a certain extent, Julia could still feel the terror as she dug herself into the blanket. And every time that transpired, Revenna would run up to her and spend some time along with her. In fact, even when other demons came over, Revenna directly declared that it had turned noisy as she drove them all out. And it was still the same for today. ¡°How can it not be completely erased and what kind of magic is so strong like this? It looks exactly like the Master¡¯s right?¡± ¡°Is it even poisonous¡ªI don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m a demon and Julia is human, so it¡¯s literally obvious, right?¡± Julia was standing in front of a full-length mirror with her rather loose front. Beside her was Revenna with a wrinkled brow as she looked down towards the Demon King¡¯s engraving before making a groan. Julia carefully raised her hand and stroked her left chest where her heart was still thumping. The engravings of some ancient characters had been inscribed as clearly as a tattoo. CH 15.2 This was the price for saving Revenna and Kimaris. In the future, if she ever were to oppose the King or even act against the terms of the contract, her heart would eventually burst as she died an instant death. ¡®I can¡¯t really believe it. My heart is already in someone else¡¯s hand.¡¯ It was only later did she find out that nothing could ever break through the magic resistance¡ªby any means at all. After Kimaris had made several surprise attempts to form a master-servant contract, he still nonetheless failed every time because of her resistance towards magic. ¡®Make me into the Demon God. Whatever method it will be, by all means, be happy to accept it all as the key.¡¯ ¡®Even if you die.¡¯ That day, Bael¡¯s insensitive voice was vividly revived inside her mind. He was essentially the only demon who was capable of breaking through her infinite magic resistance. If so, then how strong could he be? He was already that strong, so why did he have to keep on seeking the power of the Demon God? He was suffering tremendously from the rampage, yet he seemed like a man who merely wanted to harm himself instead¡­¡­ Her eyelids sank helplessly as she heard the regular sounds of footsteps outside the door. It had come by so often that she could immediately tell just by hearing the sound. Eventually, Agares swung open the door without having to knock at all. ¡°Little key, how are you doing?¡± ¡°Hello. Good morning.¡± Agares, who then nodded her head, began to look over Revenna this time. ¡°How can you be here whenever I come over? If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you just live here then?¡± ¡°Are you actually going to worry about my business now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even have the time to be alone with the little key. It¡¯s all because of you!¡± Agares placed the whip that Julia was rather afraid of¡ªafter having it seen to be used for torture back in the prison¡ªon the table at the entrance. Then, she flopped down at the cute tea table that Revenna had set up before. A military uniform that was as stiff as a knife and a table full of frills and lace had exuded a feeling of a rather inappropriate combination. Either way, Agares eventually raised the corners of her lips while staring intently at Julia¡¯s disheveled chest. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s really cute.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­!¡± Julia was startled as she closed up her front once again. One of the two representative demons in all of the Demon Realm, Agares, was right here¡ªjust looking at her. The reason why she couldn¡¯t even feel comfortable with women was the fact that [Demon¡¯s Paradise] had been a game that allowed same-sex characters to be targeted as well. Currently, all of them¡ªexcept for Bael¡ªhad been blocked by the setting, but if it was like in the original, Agares should also exist as one of the targetable characters too. ¡°Shall I prepare another teacup then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to get poisoned.¡± ¡°Me¡ªto you, Agares?¡± Revenna sighed openly as if it was really bothersome before taking a seat on the farthest one from Agares. There had been three chairs before and so, only one seat was left right now. In the end, Julia was seated right between the two demons. It turned into a rather happy(?) seating arrangement for everyone. Although some seemingly normal conversations were taking place, Julia eventually found out the real reason why Agares had come over in the first place through the SIGHT function. It wasn¡¯t that long before she got right to the point. ¡°Ah, what annoying bastards.¡± ¡°They still don¡¯t want to come forward at all?¡± ¡°You know it already, so why are you asking again anyway?¡± Agares ruffled her own hair, which was already tied high up as if it was ready to hit a goal. Within the Demon Realm, there had been very few demons who were actually friendly to the human Julia. There were some of the central demons who would eventually stand by her at the will of their King, Bael, but most of the rest of them had loathed her, a human being¡ªa mere worm. To be more specific, those who had directly witnessed Julia¡¯s magic resistance made up the former while those who hadn¡¯t truly seen it, constituted the latter bit. [?Agares How many of those demons and beasts bastards were already caught only through last night. Tsk, how annoying.] [?Revenna Whoo, is it now the time to finally take out my Battle Ax after a long while?] Julia silently read the dialogue window that appeared right in front of her. They never said anything out of their mouths as they feared that Julia might be afraid. Nevertheless, numerous demons had already attacked her bedroom in that meantime. Just to confirm the fact of Julia¡¯s absolute magic resistance, which some had only heard of before or alternately, in order to kill and destroy that human whom they had only heard rumors of as well. Thus, the demons who were truly close to Julia eventually set themselves up as her sentinels in order to protect her then. In particular, Kimaris had been standing guard at her door all day and night¡ªdespite the fact that he never opened his mouth in front of Julia at all. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°For example, gathering the demons before showing them the way through getting in and out of the tower¡­¡± ¡°Small key, did you already know about the outside world?¡± ¡°Last time, I had seen the blood on Lerazier¡¯s sleeve, so I simply guessed it.¡± Julia, who had accidentally thrown Lerazier under the bus like that, was immediately pricked by her conscience as she avoided her gaze. The real key was Estelle, the lead of the original story. She, herself, was just a fake in order to replace her¡ªas a mere substitute. So, she couldn¡¯t really show the demons some of the great things such as unsealing the magic stone. Nevertheless, it seemed like she could do a little trick by using her infinite magic resistance instead. But still, the situation was not as rosy as she had initially thought. [?Agares I don¡¯t think the Master will really allow her to enter the tower. But if I tell her the truth, she will definitely be disappointed.] [?Revenna I don¡¯t even know if the demons would like to come together? Besides, if Julia¡ªa human¡ªwere to actually summon them, I don¡¯t think anyone would want to come out due to their pride as well?] The thoughts of the two demons were unfurled and unfiltered. That was actually the good and the sad thing about the SIGHT function. Still, it was better than being rejected in person. The fact that she never had to literally embarrass the other person by forcing them to do something that should have never been done at all. Julia then struggled to smile before changing her words eventually. CH 16.1 ¡°But, it¡¯s not really going to work now, is it? It¡¯s a tower where the ancient Demon God is sleeping anyway and if I, a mere human being were to enter without any sort of permission, it would definitely be rendered blasphemous¡­¡± ¡°Little key, you¡¯re cute and lovable, so I think even that Demon God will understand. Nevertheless, thank you for thinking like that.¡± [?Agares I¡¯ve heard that humans have a different conception of God than us, but is it really true though? Anyway, I¡¯m just glad.] [?Revenna Still, I don¡¯t even know if I should tell the truth now, do I? Maybe that¡¯ll be much better?] Revenna bit her lips as if she wanted to say something, but Agares was just glaring at her on the other hand. As the atmosphere shifted sharply, Julia smiled brightly just like she knew nothing at all. She didn¡¯t wish the two demons to go against each other just because of her. ¡°I¡ªI would like to learn about the Demon God. Are there any scriptures or laws that I can follow over here as well?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much of a difference from what humans actually know? He¡¯s the one who created darkness in the world. He¡¯s also the father of our own Demon Tribe. After he had finally completed the role of creation, he then fell asleep in the inner core of the earth. And thus, the remaining magic eventually gathered inside the tower¡¯s crystal.¡± In conclusion, the Demon God was worshiped only because he was strong¡ªjust like King Bael. On top of that, they had no special feelings other than pure reverence towards such strong beings. Julia nodded her head and slowly comprehended Revenna¡¯s explanation. But on the other hand, she had other thoughts as well. For the sake of those demons who had been struggling to protect her, she would do the least that she could as a mere human being like herself. * * * Later that night, when most of the demons were already asleep, Julia opened the closet and donned a black cloak right till the top of her head. As she thought about what she was going to do once again, her heart immediately felt like it would burst open with fear. ¡®It¡¯s okay. you can do it.¡¯ She eventually terminated the SIGHT function, which was only obstructing her vision that in fact, was going to be completely useless towards the target whom she wished to meet, before she had confirmed that her magic resistance was still filled to its infinity. Then, a large, dark shadow was slowly approaching her vision as she opened the door ever so carefully. As if he had already been standing all the time in front of the bedroom, Kimaris came closer and prostrated himself. ¡°Why did you come out here? It¡¯s very dangerous.¡± ¡°Mister Kimaris.¡± ¡°If you need anything, just order me instead.¡± ¡°Please stand up.¡± Julia began to pull him up. In spite of the slightest force, the tall man only raised his head. While she had been lying down on the bed, she eventually managed to get Kimaris consented to abstain from calling her ¡®Master¡¯. However, his attitude towards Julia still appeared to be dealing with a savior whom he could not even dare to touch at all. Julia had asked him to be more comfortable with her, but it was absolutely impossible to negotiate. So in the end, she had no other choice but to accept his rather burdensome respect. ¡°It¡¯s something that I have to do by myself. Can¡¯t you pretend that you never saw me here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kimaris hardened his lips as if he was in refusal. Still, it was difficult for Julia to tell him the actual truth. It had been all because of the fact that she was going to meet the one and only monarch in the entire Demon Realm, the Demon King Bael. She was going to meet him and explain the whole situation before imploring some help. If the Demon King were to directly summon all of the demons to the front of that tower, even those with such strong dogmatic tendencies would never be able to refuse. And ultimately, the goal of this plan was to stand in front of the magic stone while showing everyone of her entirely intact self. If that didn¡¯t work out, she was still going to get his help¡ªeven by tricking him into thinking that she had been the real key after all. If the key were to die and disappear, the most difficult situation would definitely fall onto the one who wished to become the Demon God himself. ¡°Tell me where you¡¯re actually going.¡± ¡°Actually, to the Demon King¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± As soon as she opened her mouth, his refusal was retorted back. Kimaris¡¯s eyes instantly hardened as if he had already seen something dangerous. When Julia appeared to be nervous, he began to relax himself quickly, but his wary expression was still lingering over. He was already full of will to put his hands over her body before placing her back into the bedroom. However, Julia¡¯s determination was not that simple either. At first, she already expected that someone would be guarding her room. If it had been Revenna, things would at least be much easier, but she knew that Kimaris would definitely be this resolute for herself. She calmed her frustrated heart and continued with her explanation step by step. ¡°If I can just show the demons that I¡¯m fine in front of the magic stone, then Mister Kimaris will no longer have to work hard in protecting me all night long.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not hard at all.¡± ¡°But still, I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ll be much safer. I¡¯ve already been imprisoned in the Vestra Imperial Castle all the time and I don¡¯t want that to be done here as well.¡± There was no answer in return, but she could feel that Kimaris¡¯s momentum was softening a little. What she had experienced in the human world seemed to be such a shock from his point of view after all. With all sincerity, Julia then carefully placed her hands on his forearm. Kimaris, who was looking downwards at those slender, pair of white hands, rose himself immediately. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Will you be alright? I¡¯m insensitive to magic, but Mister Kimaris¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± The reason Julia had waited until night fell was to sneak out, but it was also due to the fact that the whole castle had been throbbing all day long. That pulse¡ªterribly similar to Bael¡¯s own heartbeat¡ªhad been proof that he was already running rampant. It was only late at night that the sound had gradually subsided, albeit a little. ¡°Thank you.¡± And this would serve to be his compromise. Julia nodded her head and proceeded with her steps first. Kimaris then followed her quietly. CH 16.2 Shortly thereafter, a magnificent corridor with an endless number of columns appeared. The Demon King¡¯s nest that was right at the end had still been tightly closed and there was a thick mass of thundercloud outside the castle¡ªpossibly due to the aftermath of the rampage itself. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Mister Barbatos.¡± ¡°The Master did not seek for you. Go back.¡± There was a stiff tension in his voice that was speaking to Julia. It appeared like he was the one who got deployed for today¡¯s defense. Julia then slowly stepped into the corridor despite his dissuasion. A slight look of bewilderment had immediately crossed Barbatos¡¯s face. That sudden look of himself, who had always been submissive, was rather surprising to see. ¡®Mister Barbatos is completely different from Mister Kimaris. If I were to tell him the truth, he would never let me in. Since he hates me¡­¡­¡¯ And once more, Barbatos had stopped her from putting her hand on the particular door. ¡°If you disturb the Master¡¯s rest, I will have no other choice but to use physical force on you.¡± ¡°Please let me go¡ªit hurts.¡± ¡°You should be the one to let go.¡± ¡°No, you have to step back instead.¡± Kimaris straight away snatched Barbatos¡¯s wrist, which was still holding on to Julia. The light in Barbatos¡¯s eyes after he had stopped at the words: ¡®it hurts¡¯, was instantly mixed with such murderous energy. ¡°What is this, Kimaris?¡± ¡°Let her go.¡± ¡°You dare to challenge me?¡± Sparks started flashing as they gazed against one another. Then, a gust of wind suddenly swept through the corridor, which had been silent before, as if one was using a force of magical power. However, Julia, who was not really affected by this, took advantage of her hand being free as she immediately moved her body. The two of them eventually looked towards each other, but it was already too late. ¡°Uugh!¡± The heavy, gigantic door was barely opened up till she had finally pushed it with all her might. The gap was small, but since Julia¡¯s body was even smaller than that, she could eventually push her body inside. The King¡¯s nest was still in a state of mess. She knew that it could be restored with magic, but she still felt rather amazed and afraid of the ability that was able to turn such a huge room into a swamp in just one day. As she gasped for breath, a low, cracked voice had pierced her eardrums. ¡°¡­¡­what.¡± Did he just awaken from his slumber or was he feeling offended by the presence of a sudden intruder? With only one word, she could clearly ascertain that Bael¡¯s mood was just bottoming out. Julia moved as carefully as possible so as not to irritate him before kneeling at the feet of the sofa where the King was currently leaning against. She could then distinctly feel the blood-red eyes that were trailing along with her own movements. A sneer was heard mixed in his voice as it rolled over the top of her head. ¡°Do you want to die?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Magic resistance¡ªif you try to use that trick, it¡¯s still going to be over with just one strangulation.¡± Bael then squeezed against his forehead slowly. His expression completely appeared like someone who was really contemplating whether or not to do it at all. Julia had already faced numerous kinds of hostility throughout her whole life. So, she couldn¡¯t help but to know that his murmurs were rather sincere. Her throat was immediately inflamed. Her heart eventually felt like it was going to burst in fear. Just outside the slightly opened door, the sound of a fight could be heard between Barbatos, who was about to enter, and Kimaris, who had been blocking him all the way. There was no one else that could help Julia. In other words, the conversation with Bael had to be done all alone. Julia then lowered her head down to the floor and carefully opened her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t you need a key?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already made a contract with me. The evidence is clearly what has been engraved over your heart. If you go against my will, I can just break the spell and burst your heart in a split second.¡± ¡°I still have a way to escape from the Demon King.¡± A low snort could be heard above her head. Nevertheless, Julia still continued talking without paying much attention to it. ¡°The method is quite simple. If I were to die first before the King destroyed the spell¡­¡± While she was bedridden, the demons had told many stories about their own Master, Bael. He was so strong that no one in the Demon Realm could even dare to go against him. That was why he had become lazy. No one had ever seen him genuinely unleashed his magnificent powers. And that particular power was growing stronger day by day. Most important of all, Bael simply didn¡¯t like to have anyone upset him at all. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he had been born too strong and lived as an absolute existence for a long time already, he just could not stand being protested against his will. And thus, Julia aimed at it. ¡°There are many demons who hate me within this Demon King¡¯s castle. Did you know that? A lot of demons as well as beasts had come every night to kill me.¡± ¡°Therefore.¡± Contrary to the tone that indicated it had nothing to do with him, Bael¡¯s eyes, which were raised along halfway of his upper body, sank eerily low. The emotion that had been immersed in him was obviously anger. ¡°If I just get out of this room right now and return to my bedroom, I could then die. And free myself from your hands¡­¡± Julia couldn¡¯t finish her words. It was because Bael had lifted up her chin. Her jaw was instantly tightened by that strong grip, but Julia still did not avoid his gaze at all. Even though her eyes were trembling in fear, facing him till the end was the only last pride she could protect. And just then, Julia¡¯s heart suddenly became hot as if it was on fire. It felt painful at first and she immediately thought that Bael was trying to kill her, but something was quite different. There was also a slight confusion painted across his face. It was proof that he had also felt the same strange sensation. In the end, Julia could not overcome the dizziness and eventually shifted her gaze. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The engraving on her chest burned like it was on fire. The longer she had contact with him, the stranger the sensations began to flutter down to her spine. Her breathing was brief and her stomach kept throbbing deep inside. Bael also wrinkled his brows while not knowing the reason why. Still, Julia continued speaking without missing an opportunity at all. ¡°You can do anything. All I want is something that only the Demon King can do. Please gather the demons¡ªas many as possible. And in that tower with me as the key¡­¡± ¡°Shit!¡± He ran out of patience with all the alien sensations surrounding his body before he eventually threw Julia aside. Barbatos, who had entered the bedroom just in time, took a hold of her as she collapsed helplessly. Behind him was Kimaris, who had been only a step behind while standing with such dismayed eyes. CH 17.1 ¡°Master, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Barbatos really excelled at his calculations. Therefore, he must have already understood her true intentions just by listening to Julia¡¯s words briefly. Nevertheless, he still asked Bael to confirm his own intention as well. For the stability of the Demon World, Julia¡¯s proposal was in fact, not too bad at all. The question now was whether or not Bael would accept it. Since only Bael, himself, could truly summon all the demons of the underworld. As she gained back her courage, Julia eventually knelt once again at his feet. ¡°Please think about it just once. Then, I will definitely adhere to the commands of the Demon King from now onwards.¡± ¡°So, the point is¡­¡± The corners of his lips while he faced them were twisting ominously. A warning bell suddenly rang in Julia¡¯s mind to alert her of thedanger. ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough to just let them know that you are all mine?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°No one can touch you as you¡¯re only mine, right?¡± Bael then stared at Barbatos¡¯s hand that was still holding on to Julia¡¯s shoulder. Only a step later did he withdraw his hand and prostrate himself. The King eventually ordered: ¡°Everyone, leave.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Except for the key.¡± Julia, who was just about to go out along with those two demons, immediately stopped. Bael met with her gaze and simply shrugged his shoulders in return. ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯ll be deciding on the method. Don¡¯t even tell me if you don¡¯t like this or that. Still, you¡¯re not really going to complain, are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°As you¡¯ve said, this is my kingdom.¡± The King¡¯s face as he reclined against the soft sofa, appeared to be looking absolutely generous. However, there was a deep intention that he would never allow any kind of rejection at all. Barbatos then dragged away Kimaris, who was still protesting violently. Within that brief silence, numerous whispers could be heard which hinted the fact that he should heed while the King was still showing a shred of mercy. Thump¡ªthe door was eventually closed and Julia¡¯s small shoulders immediately fluttered in surprise. The Demon King and herself were the only two who got left behind in that completely sealed off room. The pressure was definitely greater than expected, but she quickly comforted herself in return. ¡®It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid. It has already worked out the way I wanted it to anyway.¡¯ She didn¡¯t really know which method that Bael would eventually use, but having her alone in the bedroom had meant that he was willing to accept the offer. She wondered what would have happened earlier if he didn¡¯t even blink in response to the provocation since only a human could actually die, but it was truly fortunate. She then waited for Bael¡¯s next move while thinking that Bael had his own train of thoughts as well. There was a sound of soft cloth fluttered down to the floor. It had been the black robe which Bael was wearing before. Bael was moving his steps slowly while she just stared blankly at him¡ªnot knowing the meaning of his actions. Then, a dangerous creak could be heard eventually. ¡°What are you doing there¡ªstanding all stupidly?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± Bael, who was already leaning against the bed, immediately entered Julia¡¯s field of vision as she raised her head. There was no longer a single thread on his broad shoulders as well as that torso of those muscles that could seemingly burst, but a loincloth that had been wrapped tightly around his waist as it covered his lower body was there instead. Through that thin piece of fabric, the firm curves of his thighs were all exposed. It was embarrassing enough for Julia, who possessed no such immunity towards men at all. Nevertheless, Bael only gestured his chin at the bed that he had reclined against and did not even bother to explain anything else. ¡®You mean¡ªlie down over there?¡¯ No way at all. Julia immediately shook her head. She eventually recalled what had happened during her first meeting with Bael. He was truly angry with Lerazier for suggesting a mere affair. He said that it was such a trivial thing which only low-level demons like those incubi would ever do. Although it was not that comparable to Bael, who possessed a significantly longer lifespan than a mere human being, Julia had also lived for about 24 years in the human world. Therefore, she roughly knew what an affair was about and what meaning it brought along. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Bael¡¯s eyes became sharper as she faltered on the spot. She was already on the verge of losing the barely-obtained opportunity just then. Julia finally lifted her body up. She felt that every step that she took to approach him was in utter jeopardy. She also felt like she was stepping into a ferocious tiger¡¯s lair that had opened its mouth all by herself. ¡®I don¡¯t really know.¡¯ Her mind instantly went blank. Each minute and every second felt like a billion eons instead. Did she stop walking without even her realizing it? Tsk¡ªBael clicked his tongue as he staggered closer and grabbed her arm. Then, he shoved her like he was just tossing her on the bed. ¡°Uhk!¡± The bed was big and soft, so it didn¡¯t hurt at all. However, the soft bedding that brushed against her skin and the soft, bouncing mattress had stimulated her anxiety in response. As soon as Bael got onto the bed, she scooted her hips back. The size of the bed was generous enough that Bael had enough room to lie down while Julia could still sit on the other side of it without falling off. Bael, who was already lying on the large bed ever so greedily, slowly closed his eyes. His red eyes then steadily began to disappear under his eyelids. ¡®Are you going to sleep just like this? I guess I must have been worried for nothing then.¡¯ It was the moment when Julia, who was softly relieved, was about to carefully step her foot out of the bed. ¡°Lie down.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°When have I ever allowed you to leave?¡± Julia, who stopped herself, began to curl up quietly at the edge of the bed before taking a seat. She had become very anxious and was already on her nerves, but Bael never responded ever since. CH 17.2 Only after a while, when she was ultimately convinced that he had fallen asleep, did Julia raise her head. ¡®I really don¡¯t know what this Demon King is actually thinking¡­¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t know that perhaps now was her chance. A one-of-a-kind opportunity to find out why the settings were working rather differently only for Bael himself. She turned her back to hide from Bael¡¯s gaze and reached for the shiny icon at the upper right corner. After seeing it several times, a familiar window eventually came to her mind. [Julia Vestra] STATUS ?PROGRESS ?SKILL ?ITEM ?SETTING Without any hesitation, she immediately selected STATUS and scrolled down to the very bottom. . . ?REP (Magic Resistance) ?LUK (Luck) SIGHT Using SIGHT was rather simple. After activating the function, she would then be able to know the thoughts of the other person just by looking at them. However, there were some restrictions during its use. For example, SIGHT could not be used in situations where her HP is low since it required stamina continuously, even if in small quantities. Also, it could not be used against those beast-type demons such as the snake, Bottis. Nevertheless, for some reason, it still could not be used in the same way with Bael even though he was a humanoid demon. The hypothesis that was finally established by Julia had been along this line. Since Bael¡¯s stats had almost been the highest amongst the demons, in order to wield SIGHT on him, the remaining HP must also be set to a high level as well. Thanks to the fact that she had been sleeping well in her bedroom, Julia¡¯s stamina level was now at the highest which she had ever seen before. In order to reduce her stamina consumption, even for just a little bit, she had to turn off the SIGHT function whenever possible. In additon, even if she didn¡¯t have an appetite, she still ate as much as possible with the preserved food that Revenna had brought over from the human world. If the hypothesis held itself, then Bael¡¯s thoughts would be visible by now. Julia turned back her gaze ever so carefully. Normally, she would not have been allowed to stare at him , so the moment which he was asleep was effectively her only chance. [?Bael ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­] Julia stared at him with a glimmer of hope, but that soon turned into an utter disappointment. ¡®I can¡¯t see it.¡¯ Her shoulders slumped helplessly. In order to increase her stamina, she had already used her body to the point of frustration, but it was all meaningless. The other stats had already been checked out even before visiting Bael¡¯s bedroom. There was no big difference from when she had first plunged into the Demon Realm. She then pressed PROGRESS with feeling half resignedly. In any case, she thought that if the system had wanted Bael, something would have changed in that present situation. [?SYSTEM Story progress 3%] [The first monarch to unify the Demon Realm, the Great Evil Bael] It had increased only by 2%. Eventually, she had already rolled around here and there as she passed the point of death, but the progress of the story was still hovering about the starting point. Even if she tried to activate the other characters, there was no other way except for Bael himself. ¡®I don¡¯t really know what to do. Do I truly have no choice but to just die after being used as a tool like this? Why is this only happening to me¡­¡­¡¯ She stood on her knees and curled her body into a small squat. Then, she buried her head restlessly into her lap. The surroundings were all in dark¡ªpitch-black¡ªand in the seat that was right next to her in bed, lay the most feared being of all. Her own future had looked just like this as well. She couldn¡¯t even see an inch ahead as she became at a loss as to what to do. She had the courage to come over to the Demon King¡¯s bedroom at best, but the result was only the fact that she had gotten on his nerves while being locked inside the bedroom. ¡°Huff¡­¡± Both of her knees, which were already in her embrace, began to grow wet silently. However, regardless of the deep despair that she was currently feeling, Bael¡¯s wave which had been trembling the whole Demon King¡¯s Castle felt like it was slowly subsided as it found its rightful place. * * * It was only late in the afternoon when the sun was already rising in the middle of the sky did Julia wake up while rubbing her stiff eyes. Due to her low blood pressure, she tended to spend quite a longer time compared to others in order to be fully awakened from her sleep. ¡°Uhh¡­¡­¡± However, even Julia couldn¡¯t help but to be astonished at the sight that had unfolded right before her eyes. The first thing that caught her blurry vision was a man¡¯s firm, chiseled chest. Surprised, her sleepiness instantly fled away in return. Even though she was rustling in his arms, Bael¡¯s wide and thick chest still went up and down regularly. He was sleeping so deeply that it looked like he was not waking up any soon. Julia¡¯s mind immediately turned white. She had no idea how the hell she had ended up falling asleep buried on his chest. ¡®How¡ªhow can this be? I was just in that corner of the bed yesterday¡­¡­¡¯ She had squatted before crying herself to sleep amidst that dark night. As she recalled that time, Julia took a deep breath as she felt that those vague feelings would rise up once again. Her vision was still blurry and her eyes were all stiff as if all her tears had already been dried up. Nevertheless, it would be more of a problem if Bael were to wake up when she was just trying to wipe them off. Especially if he somehow were to realize that he, who had been treating humans in an extremely insignificant manner, fell asleep with her in this state itself. Her thought circuit had immediately come to a complete halt. Julia lay still while blinking her eyes. A long set of smooth, jet-black hair had tickled her face¡ªit belonged to Bael. ¡®It¡¯s rather unexpected, but his face is absolutely beautiful.¡¯ Perhaps due to his deep sleep, his usually sharp impression had somewhat softened. Thanks to that, his perfect appearance eventually caught her eye and it was just like an ancient statue. Even herself, who was not that interested in men, exclaimed as soon as she saw his face. In addition, Revenna, who was only targeting him for the purpose of increasing her own magic, had felt that it was rather great in a certain sense as well. It was quite similar to a ginseng digger who would cry out: ¡®oh, what good health!¡¯, when they suddenly saw a thousand-year-old wild ginseng while not even thinking about the price? CH 18.1 Even those vain thoughts were all her own and Julia began to gradually regain her rather bewildered mind. At this point in time, she thought that she wouldn¡¯t feel any dizziness when she woke up, but she was still worried about Bael¡¯s reaction. As she was now, if she were to sit still, it had become rather ambiguous for her to continue being held within the arms of this human-hating man and even if she did, she would then move, which eventually broke the order that demanded her not to get out of the bed without his very permission. ¡®If both of them might not end very well, wouldn¡¯t it be better to just get scolded for sneaking out then?¡¯ Julia laid down his heavy arms that were around her waist very carefully. She then curled her body up a little before rolling herself over and out of the spacious bed. She had heard from Agares that Bael was a rather sensitive sleeper, so whenever a disturbance was going on inside the castle, he would immediately get angry and send forth his magic. However, he was now sleeping very deeply in front of her. Just like the mocking goes, he wouldn¡¯t even know that he was being carried on someone¡¯s back*. (T/N : an idiom that means a heavy sleeper, one who could sleep through anything) ¡®Anyway, that¡¯s a relief.¡¯ Julia finally reached the entrance by walking so carefully in order to not let her footsteps be heard. And then, she struggled again for quite a long time to open the heavy door silently. It was then when she carefully stuck her face into the ever so slightly open gap. ¡°¡­!¡± It was now only morning yet her heart had become all stiff due to the absolutely many surprises. Beyond the majestic corridor, dozens of demons were staring at her, including Barbatos and Kimaris who had been at the forefront. Even while in the dungeon, she had already encountered some demons, but now, they were more numerous than it was back then. ¡°Barbatos¡¯s words were actually true. It seems that the Master really liked the key¡¯s different side as well.¡± ¡°For some reason, I thought that it was rather odd that Revenna and Kimaris were left alive.¡± ¡°It seems that the curtain lecture* works well. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a very good thing though.¡± (T/N : a private rebuke by a woman to her spouse as she complains, especially during nighttime) ¡°It¡¯s all the Master¡¯s decision. Don¡¯t complain about it.¡± Barbatos had already restrained those demons who were buzzing with one another. The SIGHT function, which she turned on until she had finally fallen asleep last night, was working once again. [?Barbatos My prediction was proven right. As expected, this way will work much more efficiently. I¡¯ve already brought all the demons whom I could gather, so the rumors will then spread out pretty quickly.] Julia instantly took a step backwards. She didn¡¯t even know what kind of ¡®efficiency¡¯ that Barbatos was talking about, but she felt that it wouldn¡¯t be very good for her either. It was just then. ¡°Little key!¡± ¡°Lady Agares?¡± ¡°This is just ridiculous. How badly did he actually do till your eyes had swelled up like this? Your cute and adorable face is all ruined now!¡± [?Agares Damn, I thought that the Master wouldn¡¯t have any interest in things like affairs. Had I known this could truly happen, I would have eaten her first! Or maybe, even now¡­¡­] Agares¡¯s hand, which was holding onto Julia, slowly shifted to her waist. She was only wearing a cloak over her pajamas, so she felt a little uncomfortable with Agares¡¯s meaningful touch. At that moment, an approaching sound of footsteps began to grab Agares¡¯s hand, albeit lightly. ¡°Can¡¯t you even see her dying? And can you tell the difference between drooling and holding back?¡± ¡°You¡¯re aiming for the Master anyway and I¡¯m just aiming for the little key. Let¡¯s not interfere with each other¡¯s wishes, shall we?¡± ¡°Can you please say it properly? I¡¯m actually aiming for the Master¡¯s ¡®magic¡¯ and you¡¯re just¡­¡± Revenna paused for an instant. She found it particularly difficult to refer to her as Julia in front of the others. In addition, she didn¡¯t want to call Julia as the ¡®key¡¯ as it would then treat her like a mere tool, but she didn¡¯t want to call her Estelle even more so. ¡°Anyway! What¡¯s the point of drooling over a child who has already been so messed up? The Master wouldn¡¯t have been very gentle with her, so how could this fragile body endure it more?¡± Her soft hands that were clad in silk gloves gently caressed Julia¡¯s tear-dried eyelids. Julia was a bit puzzled by the whole situation. It was rather accurate to say that Bael had a violent personality, but that was actually verbal at most and he didn¡¯t threaten her physically. Nevertheless, Revenna had been treating Julia with much caution as if she was dealing with a fragile thing that was about to break. When the murmurs of the demons who had been watching them grew louder, Kimaris began approaching without a sound before he stood right in front of Julia. He appeared to be by the door all night long as he was still wearing the same clothes from last night. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. Were you here all night?¡± ¡°Of course. You are my¡­¡­¡± Just as Kimaris¡¯s hand began reaching out towards Julia, the door behind her back had opened. Bael, who emerged eventually, was still only half-dressed. He slept until the sun rose right in the middle of the sky and currently, he was slowly relaxing himself while rubbing his nape as if this whole condition had not been so bad after all. It seemed to be just that, but all of the demons in front of the room had fallen to their knees and Kimaris, who was standing right at the end, stepped forward as well before prostrating himself¡ªas if to protect Julia. ¡®Should I kneel as well?¡¯ They had all been soldiers before they were demons. On the other hand, she was just an ordinary slave. It was not appropriate at all to greet Bael in that same exact manner. CH 18.2 As Julia was left alone while pondering on what to do, she finally decided to say a normal morning greeting instead. ¡°Did you sleep well, Demon King?¡± ¡°I already told you not to get out of bed without my permission.¡± ¡°That is¡­¡­¡± His frosty voice pierced through Julia¡¯s head. He must have been displeased since she had disobeyed his last night¡¯s orders. ¡®Nevertheless, I¡¯m still the key in my own way, so wouldn¡¯t it be okay if I were to complain that it had been a health problem instead? It really does hurt¡­¡­¡¯ Maybe it was because she had been sitting uncomfortably on the edge of the bed until she fell asleep or perhaps due to the fact that she was supporting Bael¡¯s heavy arms all night long. She didn¡¯t think that any emotional appeal against him would actually work, but she decided to give it a try anyway. ¡°I never intended to disobey the Demon King¡¯s orders. However, my back hurts so much that I thought it would get better with just a little walk. But for some reason, the demons were all gathered¡­¡± Bael stared at her without uttering a single word at all. Everyone was already on their knees while she was just standing alone, so she wondered if she might have stood out like that. Nevertheless, the size of those demons had been so enormous that there was no difference in height in comparison to when they knelt down or even when she was standing alone. Anyway, Julia tried her level best to get out of the whole situation. ¡°I was thinking of going back in just a minute¡ªI really do.¡± ¡°So, you actually dare lie to me?¡± ¡°Lie?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you mean that when you¡¯re trying to get out of my bed without even waking a single soul after all?¡± How could a person be twisted on the inside? ¡­no, how could a devil interpret those words in this manner? But her thought only remained as a thought since she was aware that she could straight away depart to the underworld if it was emitted from her mouth. Julia shook her head frigidly, but Bael had spoken far faster than that. ¡°Remember, you are mine.¡± As he walked slowly, he pointed to the heart right behind Julia¡¯s robe. It didn¡¯t even touch the slightest of her skin right away, but her heart was already pounding really fast. ¡°And I¡¯ll say this once again. I¡¯m not generous enough to share what¡¯s mine with others.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Then, next time¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that humans can actually eat lies. One will just have to wait and see, so stay in my nest from now onwards. If you don¡¯t want to be tied down, you¡¯d better behave.¡± ¡°Master, my apologies, but what do you mean by ¡®nest¡¯?¡± Just as Julia was about to protest, Barbatos had stepped out instead. The word ¡®nest¡¯ could be applied in several meanings depending on the situation itself. For the low-ranking demons, who could not even approach the nearby area, the entire neighborhood¡ªincluding the castle and the tower as well¡ªwas the Demon King¡¯s nest and for the high-ranking demons, who had a certain access to some degree, the castle that Bael had built himself was the nest in itself. However, if it was limited to only Bael, then the meaning became infinitely narrower. Bael snorted at his words before grabbing onto Julia¡¯s slender waist. After he put her in his arms, the corners of his lips twisted in return. ¡°I need some more sleep, so just don¡¯t disturb me and go back.¡± [?Barbatos With this, it¡¯s obviously clear that he is in possession of the key, so it¡¯s a good thing, but don¡¯t tell me that they really did spend the night¡­¡­] While all kinds of dialogue windows were popping up at random within Julia¡¯s vision, the door was slammed shut in Barbatos¡¯s face and they all ended everything at once. Julia was eventually dragged to the bed without being able to have run away successfully before she got forcibly laid down by Bael. On top of that, he fell asleep right away and Julia had to watch him for a long time under those heavy arms of his. * * * Bael, who had already fallen into a deep sleep, woke up all of a sudden with an unexpected feeling of drowsiness. It appeared that his arms were empty and the magic, which got assimilated into the Magic Stone¡¯s wave, seemed like it was trying to run rampant once again. The first thing that came into his line of sight when he woke up was the Demon God¡¯s Tower. The magic crystal that had been sleeping at the top was longing for an explosion as always and the formulas that were engraved on the entire corridor glowed intermittently as if to block it all while emitting an enormous amount of light. But even with the same scenery as always, he felt a cool and empty feeling in return. His gaze then shifted slowly. ¡®The key¡¯s not here.¡¯ At the spot that was right next to the bed, there was a small wrinkle of the right size for the key¡¯s petite body. However, it seemed that it had been quite a while since she left since there was no warmth left in the space he looked at. ¡®Did she run away?¡¯ Bael¡¯s eyes immediately narrowed. He already knew the eyes of those who courted death. He had seen it countless times until the time he wiped out the Demon Realm before erecting a nest right here. ¡®There are many demons who hate me within this Demon King¡¯s castle. Did you know that? A lot of demons as well as beasts had come every night to kill me.¡¯ ¡®If I just get out of this room right now and return to my bedroom, I could then die. And free myself from your hands¡­¡¯ The key¡¯s weak voice had crossed his mind and his gaze suddenly turned to the outside of the door. Although their power was far from reaching his toes, he could still feel the flow of magic from those many demons that were gathering outside. Bael got up from the bed quickly as if he was possessed by something. An unpleasant feeling for no apparent reason had lifted his head. Just as if he was being urged by some other thing, his pace grew faster and quicker. ¡°I¡¯d rather cut off their limbs and put them in cages.¡± During the brief time he had crossed over the room, Bael eventually concluded so. It was now clear why he was really offended: to dare wield against the King when she had just been a trivial human was absolutely rude and disgraceful. Just the fact that there was an existence which he had to pay much attention to made him so annoyed. He couldn¡¯t even predict the time he would finally be able to find the way to use the key, but up to that point, he still couldn¡¯t keep his mind on the key every single time. ¡°¡­¡­¡± However, just before opening the door, he paused. He could feel that the key¡¯s heart was fluttering lightly just beyond one step away. That particular feeling had been transmitted through the engraving itself. Bael looked down at his palms that were full of magic, not knowing the reason why. It would be all over with just one simple gesture, but for some reason, it felt like someone was pulling his hair from the back of his head. It was such a strange feeling that he had never felt before at all. ¡®Why? She¡¯s merely a human who could die in just a snap anyway.¡¯ CH 19.1 No, the key had a rather rare ability. He knew early on that the magic resistance formula had existed, but it was only limited to the person who already had the formula engraved on. But the key was affecting everyone who came in contact with her. Even when they were in the same space, it had just a slight effect, but as soon as they got into direct contact with her, their resistance would increase as if they, themselves, had been the very people with the formula itself. So, even though it had only been a short while, it was still rather convenient. ¡®It¡¯s a pity, but that¡¯s just all.¡¯ He had already lived for a long time. He knew from experience that everything in the world would always provide a much better substitute. In the end, he opened the door along with a deadly look painted on his face. ¡°Were you here all night?¡± ¡°Of course. You are my¡­¡­¡± The first thing that caught his eye as soon as he had stepped outside was the small round back of the key¡¯s head. Did she take a step out of the door? The key was already surrounded by many demons. Something eventually caught in Bael¡¯s eyes as he just turned to look away. It was Kimaris who was with a very sad face as he was reaching out for the key. At that instance, his insides got briefly twisted for no apparent reason at all. Before Bael could even show his displeasure, his magical power had instinctively run wild already. The demons who took notice of their King¡¯s uncomfortable feelings just by standing still, instantly fell upon their knees all at that moment. Kimaris, who kneeled only a step later than the others, was quite annoying, but for now, there had been something even more important that made him move on soon. Everyone within that spot was obviously afraid of him as they obeyed him at once, but the key was simply tilting her head as if she never noticed it at all. ¡°Did you sleep well, Demon King?¡± It was so ridiculous that he couldn¡¯t even let out a laugh. The murderous intent that had just soared instantly disappeared without a trace when she pulled that pathetic face right in front of him. As if she was aware that she could die just about now, she looked at him as well as the demons one after another with a blushing face that was as red as the forbidden fruit, which exuded a belated look of embarrassment. It was indeed, utterly pathetic. Bael continued while ignoring the demons who were listening in to the whole conversation. ¡°I already told you not to get out of bed without my permission.¡± ¡°That is¡­¡­¡± He could clearly see in his eyes that she was spinning her little head around to get out of the current situation. Bael then looked downwards with a look that was watching a spectacle to whatever kind of idea the key would soon utter out. ¡°I never intended to disobey the Demon King¡¯s orders. However, my back hurts so much that I thought it would get better with just a little walk. But for some reason, the demons were all gathered¡­¡± While rolling her eyes, she then carefully lifted her gaze and looked up at Bael. When he looked at what she was going to do, it appeared that she was actually trying to act out some cuteness in her and he was completely speechless. In the meantime, the key had her shoulders shaken with a small and feeble voice just like her own appearance. ¡°I was thinking of going back in just a minute¡ªI really do.¡± ¡°So, you actually dare lie to me?¡± ¡°Lie?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you mean that when you¡¯re trying to get out of my bed without even waking a single soul after all?¡± The other guys might have just let her off the hook if she acted that cute, but it wasn¡¯t the case for Bael. As Barbatos said before, he had no intention of treating the key better in the first place and he had no such plan to put on a show that wasn¡¯t even funny right inside the tower. Since it was a guaranteed proof that he already had her in his hands. ¡°Remember, you are mine.¡± Bael stretched his hand over to the key¡¯s heart. Even though the cumbersome clothes were in the way, he could still feel her heart was pounding even faster than usual under her tender skin. He didn¡¯t come in direct contact with her skin, so it was probably not influenced by the engraving anyway. But he could never know. He was a little bit senseless after all and he also had a knack for turning the demons inside out. So, he might just do things which he hadn¡¯t even heard of when it came to this small human being. ¡°And I¡¯ll say this once again. I¡¯m not generous enough to share what¡¯s mine with others.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Then, next time¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that humans can actually eat lies. One will just have to wait and see, so stay in my nest from now onwards. If you don¡¯t want to be tied down, you¡¯d better behave.¡± Estelle Vestra, wasn¡¯t she the Princess of those humans? He never thought that it would be so bad to see a human who wielded such high power falling to the ground after all. No, it was even fun to imagine her plunging into the abyss while being in an utter despair too. In other words, he just had to keep her by his side. It was a human subject that the demons had been expecting anyway. Bael then grabbed her waist and wrapped it around himself as if he was only taking along his own object before twisting the corners of his mouth. ¡°I need some more sleep, so don¡¯t disturb me at all.¡± He needed this opportunity to deal with those who were still coveting the key. In fact, who was the actual owner of the key and what kind of powers he truly possessed. Bael shoved the key into the bedroom, albeit sullenly. The decision was rather impulsive, but he regretted nothing at all. Anyway, the key was a pretty useful tool in stabilizing the magic that had been constantly expanding as well. The key¡¯s pair of eyes, which had already lost their place to go as they wandered here and there, calmly found their place right at the moment when the door was closed. And instead, she began to appear frightened while looking up at Bael who was now approaching her before she stepped back a little. Only then did Bael finally feel satisfied. He was already done with his work, so he just needed to get enough sleep. He then pulled the key onto the bed before locking her in his arms and soon, he fell into a deep sleep yet again. * * * CH 19.2 Julia was currently walking through the Demon King¡¯s Castle¡¯s hallway that had already been surrounded by many demons. She was dragged into the Demon King¡¯s bedroom before and only after three days after did she safely escape at long last. During that time, the Demon King¡¯s flow had become very stable and solid. Thus, the demons eventually accepted that Julia and Bael had already slept together. Also, rumors that Bael was quite fond of Julia were also circulating around. From her point of view, it only started to be very difficult. ¡®We did sleep¡­¡­ on the same bed. Since he only slept for that whole three days.¡¯ Anyone who saw that would begin to think that he was actually a sleeping demon. How could he seriously sleep for such a long time just like a corpse? But if she had told them the truth, it was obviously clear that her life would be threatened once again. At the most, the reward for taking such risks while entering the Demon King¡¯s bedroom would definitely disappear. She decided to only inform l Agares or Revenna later on as she gratefully accepted the escort, whom Barbatos had officially assigned under the pretext of her being ¡®The Demon King¡¯s lover¡¯. However, the composition was a bit burdensome with Revenna and Kimaris as well as Agares, who was always busy as the second in command within the Demon Realm. Not to mention, Lerazier, who was just busy even though he had no real responsibilities, and also the young wolf that he was currently raising. It had been the young wolf which she had met at the stable the other day. ¡°How¡¯s your body?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Where do you feel uncomfortable?¡± ¡°Nothing at all.¡± ¡°Kiing, kiing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll play with you a little while later.¡± Although she was busy responding to those people one word at a time, Julia worked really hard. It was a little awkward, but it was still energetic¡ªthump thump. Yes, the demons around her were all so tall and had long legs, so as she walked along with them, she would lag behind further and further. In the end, the wolf cub was already walking a long way ahead of her as well. It was kind of a magical beast which she hadn¡¯t seen only for a few days, but it had already doubled in size. If it wasn¡¯t for those soft pink jelly paw pads, she would have mistaken it for an adult. Then, Agares, who was already moving ahead, looked behind. ¡°Little key, why are you walking so slowly? Are you in pain somewhere?¡± ¡°Hoo¡­¡± As she was unable to bear it any longer, Julia eventually stood still. Then, the demons, who had already gone all the way in front of her for that moment, stopped as if they were puzzled by her. Julia puffed up her cheeks and she began to whine in her own way. ¡°There is such a difference in height and even if I walk at full speed, I still can¡¯t follow after you.¡± ¡°Huh, so that¡¯s why you were walking as slowly as possible.¡± ¡°I already thought of our race difference!¡± ¡°Kking?¡± ¡°Not you.¡± The young wolf returned and tilted his head. Julia calmly held out her palm. Being cute was definitely cute, but large dogs still needed to be properly trained so that she wouldn¡¯t have to suffer later. Just as she was about to praise the wolf who took a seat quietly as she had taught it the other day, Lerazier quickly approached her before he carried her off. Julia was startled by the sudden rise in her eye level as she clung onto his neck tightly. ¡°Please, please put me down!¡± ¡°If we just move on like this, it¡¯s going to be nice and comfortable for each other, isn¡¯t it?¡± [?Lerazier Actually, I¡¯m all fine with this. Hoho, such a sweet and delicious smell.] A proper dialogue window popped out to her after a long time away from Bael, but the content was still not that pleasant. Julia pretended to push him away while pressing the SKIP button to turn off the window. A sword was suddenly aimed at Lerazier¡¯s neck. Kimaris¡¯s ferocious glare was already piercing intently against him. ¡°Put her down.¡± ¡°Hoh, are you actually trying me? Your confinement spell has not come off yet, right?¡± Even though there was already a red mark on his neck, Lerazier just glinted his eyes in amusement. Julia unknowingly covered her eyes as she began to watch the wound grow deeper and deeper. When he realized that she was frightened, only then did Kimaris withdraw the sword. ¡°Are you not able to think too? Stop being so stupid.¡± Revenna, who came to her, instantly took Julia from Lerazier and held onto her instead. Although Revenna was on the short side amongst the demons, her physical strength itself was still superior to that of her own race, so she grasped Julia and moved her steps lightly at once. Agares¡¯s eyes gleamed as if she had found a prey, but Julia begged her not to while waving her hands away from Revenna¡¯s gaze. ¡°If that¡¯s what the little key wants¡­¡± Thanks to that, the battle for Julia had ended before it could even get started. Nevertheless, after fighting several more times, they eventually arrived at their destination: the main hall of the Demon King¡¯s Castle. It was said that this space, which had been once enlarged so that all 72 demons could enter, would sometimes be used to announce some important meetings or events. ¡®I always get help from Barbatos.¡¯ In truth, the matter that Julia was finally able to escape from Bael¡¯s bedroom as well as the fact that she could then be able to go out like this had all been Barbatos¡¯s work. The Demon King Bael had been born and lived alone for a long time. Plus, he never gave his side up to anyone at all. Many demons were dubious as they did not believe that he suddenly had a ¡®lover¡¯. And today was finally the time to prove it. It would be much easier if Bael had come forward himself, but there was no chance of that, so it became Barbatos¡¯s plan to play around with the engraving that Bael had already etched on. ¡°That woman is¡­¡± ¡°You seriously brought the Princess of the human world for real.¡± Most of the 72 demons had gathered except for those who could not be summoned due to reasons such as they were dispatched to various parts of the Demon Realm or were all sleeping in the inner core of Hell. As she stood behind Agares¡¯s back, Julia carefully scanned through their faces. She thought that it would only be full of scary-looking demons like Bottis, but surprisingly, there were also demons who appeared dazzlingly beautiful like Revenna or even had an innocent-looking face like a child. When Julia looked around the room with a curious expression, she suddenly met with a certain devil¡¯s gaze. Startled, she immediately tried to turn her gaze away, but it was quicker for the demon to raise the corners of their lips softly instead. It was that demon from before, the one with a blinding appearance that had been as dazzling as Revenna herself. CH 20.1 [Duke Berith, the 28th demon who was in charge of alchemy and knowledge.] His calm and seductive smile stood out even amongst those many demons. It was, in fact, the sculptural face that she couldn¡¯t help but to keep her eyes on all along. Julia began to stare at him as if she had been possessed unknowingly. Berith also noticed her attention and softly bent his eyes once again. ¡®Still, I¡¯m just glad that not everyone hates me.¡¯ It had been at that moment when Julia was just about to shyly raise a smile after him. Lerazier, who had intervened at the wrong time, suddenly reached out his hand right in front of her face. As she couldn¡¯t possibly comprehend the meaning and simply looked down instead, he started to ask while appearing to be rather frustrated. ¡°What are you doing, aren¡¯t you coming down? You want to live up there for the rest of your life then?¡± ¡°Is this¡­ not an escort?¡± ¡°Lord Lerazier is best at accommodating humans.¡± When Julia carefully asked the question, he instantly widened his eyes in dissatisfaction. ¡°Ah.¡± Actually, the problem did not lie with him, but with Julia herself. She had never been escorted by anyone at all. When she finally realized that his hand was extended solely for her, Lerazier had already looked very puzzled. It was unimaginable for her, who was a Princess, to not have any sort of escort experience. Only Revenna and Kimaris, who had known of her true past, grew stiff in the face of anxiety. Eventually, Revenna sighed and took a very thick glove out of her arms before placing her hand on top of Lerazier¡¯s. ¡°Let¡¯s go?¡± ¡°Eh, what. I don¡¯t even want to hold you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving you the honor of escorting this Lady Revenna, is there any problem with that?¡± ¡°Many!¡± Thanks to Revenna¡¯s squabble and not Julia¡¯s, the awkward mood vanished in an instant. A new hand then reached out right before her as the two demons clashed with each other in front of the stairs. This time, as if he was obviously offering an escort, the man with one hand behind his back began to bow politely. Berith, who had just been sitting while leaning against the sofa in the hall earlier, was now standing right in front of her. ¡°Please give me the honor of escorting you instead.¡± ¡°Who¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh, excuse me. I¡¯d like it if you could call me by my first name, Duke Berith.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir Berith.¡± Julia carefully placed her hand on top of his own large hand. He smiled and began to walk slowly down the stairs in line with Julia¡¯s tiny steps. It was then that the appearance of the key, ¡®Estelle Vestra¡¯, had officially been revealed. Lerazier and the demons were ultimately deprived of their chance by Berith, who appeared out of the blue, yet they had no other choice but to just chew on their handkerchief in jealousy, lest it would harm Julia¡¯s reputation. Berith had a thoughtful personality in his own way, so he kept a small conversation going on to avoid awkwardness as they descended along the long stairs. ¡°I was amazed at how resolute you had been. It must be the first time human could actually see so many demons like this.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m actually trembling right now.¡± Julia then looked down at her hand, which was placed on top of Berith¡¯s. Her small hand was trembling, which ultimately made the white and pretty gloves of Revenna, become rather insignificant at best. There was no way Berith, who was already in direct contact with her, couldn¡¯t feel it at all. However, while pretending not to notice it, he straight away continued along with an even deeper smile. ¡°Even this is simply amazing. Is it because human is actually a Princess?¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered¡­¡± The moment he put the word Princess in his mouth, Julia instantly felt awkward as if she was currently donning the wrong clothes. Although she was also a Princess, she had never been treated properly like one back in the human world since she was only a child from the Emperor¡¯s own affair. The ¡®Princess¡¯ whom Berith was speaking of had most probably been Estelle Vestra, the most noble and beautiful sister in the whole world. Julia¡¯s eyelids sank helplessly and right at that moment, Berith eventually wrapped himself around her slender waist before pressing it against him. Berith then whispered softly to her while lifting his gaze so that she wouldn¡¯t think of anything else. ¡°You look uncomfortable. Is there any problem?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just a little bit awkward for me to receive such compliments¡­¡± ¡°I think Ingrem V¡¯s education was quite strict then. I¡¯ve heard that humans sometimes raise their children as if they were to be dropped from a cliff.¡± Ingrem V, it was a name which she never thought that she would hear again here in the Demon King¡¯s Castle. The demons had looked down on humans like worms. Compared to themselves, humans¡¯ physical abilities were infinitely lagged behind and they possessed no special abilities either. It had already been a universal thought that humans were merely a race that was known to run wild without knowing their place by believing themselves in only one thing. So, the demons would refer to humans in a rough manner regardless of their status, but Berith was aware of the exact name of Ingrem V, the Emperor of Vestra himself. Noticing her query, he proceeded to add more strength, albeit gently, to his hand that was still wrapped around Julia¡¯s waist. ¡°How is he?¡± ¡°I¡­¡­¡± When she was asked about their father-and-daughter relationship, she became confused as to what to answer him with. Julia then took a deep breath while still looking at Berith¡¯s gentle gaze. In the character window that popped out before, it was stated that he had been the demon in charge of ¡®alchemy and knowledge¡¯. She thought that perhaps Berith had simply been curious about the way of life that was experienced by human beings, a race completely different from his own. ¡®I wish I had turned on the sight function then.¡¯ On the way to the central hall, she had already turned off the window with the feeling of not seeing Agares¡¯s and Lerazier¡¯s windows would be much better as she kept feeling uncomfortable. She was now regretting it all, but it had been utterly unavoidable. Eventually, she chose an answer that could be easily looked over. CH 20.2 ¡°As Sir Berith said before, he wasn¡¯t really a caring father.¡± ¡°I understand. How hard it must have been.¡± ¡°No¡­¡­¡± ¡°The culprit that had driven the Empress, who was loved by the people, right towards her death. That was such evidence of the injustice of a lowly and dirty blood and on top of that, a soul worthy of the curse itself.¡± As he calmly continued each of his words, Julia¡¯s mind grew colder. They were the exact words which got tethered to her that she was made to hear so much until they had been nailed into her ears for the past 4 years of her life back in the Imperial Palace. As he proceeded to clasp her trembling shoulders gently, he then whispered ever so pleasantly. ¡°Julia Vestra.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Her body had suddenly gotten so weak that she couldn¡¯t stand on her own legs any longer. At the same time, she could feel that Berith was lifting his fingers that had been holding her by the shoulder one by one. If he were to pull away like this, she would then definitely fall to the ground in front of those countless demons. She ultimately choked on her breath. Her vision darkened and the stairs began shaking dizzyingly. Her red cheeks had already been drained of blood and they eventually turned white. A nightmare of the past instantly swept through before her very eyes. In this manner, Berith must have seen her weakness as he finally realized the answer. Julia was truly desperate. She then hated herself because she was weak. She also resented herself for not being able to deal with it properly. ¡°Kukuku.¡± Berith¡¯s vicious laughter eventually pierced her eardrums. Besides, she just couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. Right at that moment when Julia, who had already lost her strength, was about to collapse helplessly, something strong pulled her straight into their arms. At the same time, everyone in the hall¡ªincluding Berith¡ªbegan to prostrate themselves. ¡°I should have told you not to touch what¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°Master.¡± Bael¡¯s cool, red eyes slowly glanced over all the demons within the hall. He didn¡¯t know why, but he had been feeling utterly terrible right from the very beginning, so he imprinted his eyes on each and every demon as if he was reminiscing something. ¡°Only I, myself, can touch, possess and restrain the key.¡± Then, he hugged Julia¡¯s waist tighter in return. ¡°Do you have any excuses, Berith?¡± ¡°There is none at all.¡± In the case of Bael, that absurd excuse had somewhat brought anger. Berith instantly shut his mouth and shook his head, but it didn¡¯t just end there. As soon as the Demon King looked away for a moment, a twisted smile appeared on the man¡¯s lips who were only gazing at Julia. ¡®If you don¡¯t want to get caught and die, you¡¯d better off following my words instead.¡¯ He made some silent movements with his mouth. Julia wanted to avoid his gaze, but she completely couldn¡¯t. If she were found to be fake, Bael would inevitably kill her whether she had been the real key or not. That would be the case for both Revenna and Kimaris as well. As he noticed that she had already been gripped by fear, a thick and sticky desire flashed across Berith¡¯s beautiful face. ¡®I¡¯ll be waiting. We¡¯ll see each other again very soon.¡¯ Her eyes eventually darkened. As she bit down her lips, Julia had no other choice but to be simply held in Bael¡¯s arms while waiting helplessly for him to leave post-haste. * * * The meeting in the hall ended as soon as it started due to Bael¡¯s sudden appearance and Julia¡¯s condition that started deteriorating rapidly. Nevertheless, in terms of results, Barbatos¡¯s plan was still a great success. Although Bael didn¡¯t exactly roll up his arms and cooperated¡ªconsidering the fact that Julia moved away which made his magical powers become unsettled and soon woke him up¡ªhe still came down directly to the hall in search of her. And just as if he was protecting her when she was found to be in a rather poor condition, he had even released a surge of powerful magic. Each of the 72 demons was once a great figure who had ruled over various parts of the Demon Realm. But now, they were merely servants that gathered under the wing of Bael. As a result, they knew for a fact that even the great demons who had laid a touch on the King¡¯s woman, ¡®Estelle Vestra¡¯, would definitely disappear. ¡°Hey, why are you like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a little nervous¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already forgive you for leaving the bedroom with such a generous heart?¡± Julia was very embarrassed at that particular moment. As she walked out of the hall, she was already just about to discuss the case with Revenna and Kimaris right away when the suddenly intervening Bael had hugged her tightly before returning with her back to the bedroom. It had been an added bonus that she was eventually rolled up in an oversized blanket as her skin emitted such strange sensations right when he touched her directly. The blanket was black while Julia¡¯s face had already turned all white, so she was just like a small kimbab at that moment. ¡°Could you put your hand a little to the other side¡­¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°No, please continue sleeping¡­¡± Bael¡¯s hands had kept on rubbing against her waist and hips, which ultimately caused her to panic. But of course, that wouldn¡¯t be his intention at all. He possessed no such regard in sexual intercourse and he only had a huge interest over a quality time sleep. On top of that, her body was, sadly, not as sensual or sexy as the demons themselves. Therefore, she was literally just a pillow to Bael. ¡®Besides, he already allowed me to go out at some point anyway.¡¯ Although he was already asleep, he nodded his head as if he was still annoyed by Barbatos nagging. Barbatos said that he had been dealing with Bael¡¯s approval in this manner even till now. ¡®Then, should I just try it?¡¯ Before Berith could speak of it elsewhere, she had to meet up with Revenna and Kimaris first. However, to get out of the arms of the Demon King himself was a tad bit difficult. At that moment, Bael¡¯s breathing sounds could be heard blending around with such heavy drowsiness. She then strengthened her resolve and began to open her mouth. ¡°May I please go out for a while?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I know that you¡¯ve already given me permission¡­¡± ¡°Lie down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Julia, who was just trying to unfold the blanket, instantly returned to her previous kimbab posture. A small crease that was filled with utter sadness could already be seen engraved on her chin. CH 21.1 Julia hurriedly ran down along the corridor of the Demon King¡¯s castle. Right after enduring the drowsiness at the same time followed by confirming that Bael was already sleeping deeply, she then slyly rolled herself and escaped from the bed at that instant. If she was away for a long time, the effect of the magic resistance would soon disappear and would then wake Bael up. As soon as he opened his eyes just like that, he would instantly feel even worse than usual. Yesterday, the 72 demons who had already gathered in the hall served as a shield, but this time, there was a high possibility that his anger would definitely affect her as well. ¡®Before Berith could carry out his work, I need to meet up with Miss Revenna and Mister Kimaris.¡¯ She proceeded to run down the path that she was now used to and finally arrived in front of her bedroom door. During the time she was at the hall earlier, she had given a glance at Revenna which signaled the fact that she would be coming soon before she could get caught by Bael and taken away once again. As she opened the door, she could immediately see that Revenna was just drinking her tea elegantly. And only a little further away, Kimaris could also be seen there. After having confirmed that she was the only one who got there, she sighed in relief before locking the door. ¡°You¡¯re here, Julia?¡± ¡°You had gotten out way better than I thought. What¡¯s going on, by the way?¡± ¡°The, the gates of the Demon Realm¡­¡± The two demons immediately exchanged their glances while wondering about the fact that it was strange for her to suddenly stutter without completing her sentence. Julia was also in a state of perplexity. She had a lot of things that she wanted to say, but when it finally came to be, she was speechless as to which one should be brought out. ¡°Sir Berith¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± There were two things that Julia had been curious about. The gate to the Human Realm was completely closed off by Bael right after the war had been over. Only a few selected demons were allowed to go in and out through it. And in fact, even the second-in-command, Agares, was unable to go in and out at her own will. Revenna, who was quickly aware of her question, soon responded. ¡°Berith had already gone back and forth between the Human Realm and the Demon Realm when we realized the existence of the key. There was no other demon who wanted to wander through the earth in search of a single human.¡± ¡°But I heard that the gate was completely closed right after I arrived¡­¡± ¡°Is there a problem with Berith?¡± Revenna eventually narrowed her eyes and raised her body halfway up. At the same time, it already seemed strange that he was particularly friendly to Julia back in the hall previously. Then, even before Revenna could reach out her extended hand towards Julia, she had murmured instead. ¡°I got caught.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°He knew¡ªmy real name.¡± His vicious laughter had pierced her eardrums and her eyes darkened once again. ¡®The culprit that had driven the Empress, who was loved by the people, right towards her death. That was such evidence of the injustice of a lowly and dirty blood and on top of that, a soul worthy of the curse itself.¡¯ ¡®Julia Vestra.¡¯ A tight set of arms grabbed her as she staggered before collapsing. She looked up while barely exhaling the breath that had already reached the tip of her own throat and for some reason, Kimaris was gazing downwards at herself with such painful eyes. ¡°I will kill him.¡± He gently stroked her slender shoulder with his firm hand as if he was reassuring Julia at that moment. ¡°So, don¡¯t you worry.¡± ¡°However¡­¡­¡± [?Kimaris If you can finally be at ease, even at the cost of this life of mine then.] Kimaris¡¯s thoughts eventually came to her mind. It seemed that Berith was not an easy opponent at all, considering the fact that Kimaris was already prepared to risk his life in such a short time. Julia instantly held on to his sleeve along with a worried face. Nevertheless, he calmly shook his head just like she had nothing to worry about at any cost. ¡°Because of him? Did that sly Berith actually do things without any sort of preparation at all?¡± ¡°Revenna, careful.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t Julia have the right to know? Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯m no expert in covering things up anyway?¡± Revenna rose herself as she folded her fan and immediately slammed the back of Kimaris¡¯s hand. She then supported Julia before she had her sit in the chair while calmly waiting until she was all ready to speak. Her usual reaction eventually calmed Julia¡¯s present fears. ¡°He told me that if I didn¡¯t want to die once my identity was revealed, I had to follow him.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see each other soon¡­ still, I don¡¯t exactly know what method he would bring into play.¡± ¡°Hmm, Berith is actually a bit of a weirdo out of the 72 demons though? He was worshiped by humans.¡± Revenna remarked on the fact that she somehow knew how things would go and she proceeded to explain one by one right away. For humans, the demons had always been the object of absolute fear. However, Berith was exceptionally worshiped by some groups of people as he presided over alchemy and knowledge. Those who sought knowledge were mostly those high-ranking people who could afford to make a living. In contrast to how Estelle was still making her appearance normally, he must have realized something when Julia had been the one who disappeared. For example, the heartbreaking truth that the Emperor, who loved Estelle dearly, would let go of a troublesome burden that merely looked like Estelle right into hell on the behalf of his own precious daughter. ¡°But the real question is; why did he do that? There¡¯s no way he never knew what the consequences would be like if he ever messed with Master¡¯s belongings? It would be a relief if only he were to just die alone.¡± ¡°Berith is really greedy. He has a rather strong obsession with hierarchy.¡± ¡°The hierarchy was initially determined by the strength of magical power, so how was he going to overturn it all?¡± Revenna brought the ivory teacup to her lips and fell into rather deep thoughts. CH 21.2 [?Revenna If he were to get into the top 20, he would then be treated in a completely different manner. Was that the reason why he became so greedy?] Julia roughly knew the setting of the current world as well. High-level demons had all been divided into 72 ranks, but the difference between the number 20th and below was quite equal. The disparity between the 1st, Bael and the 2nd, Agares had been utterly unpredictable while the difference between the 8th, Barbatos and the 17th, Bottis was also rather overwhelming. However, when it had passed the rank of number 20th, the degree of strength was only decided by a single margin. Thus, it would be absolutely possible to increase their place in hierarchy significantly by just adding a rather small number. ¡°No way¡­¡­¡± At that moment, Kimaris¡¯s eyes proceeded to dim coldly. He muttered in a voice with no certainty at all, which ultimately received some questioning glances from the other two. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible, but he might be thinking of using the key¡ªJulia, herself¡ªto actually swallow the magic crystal.¡± ¡°No matter how greedy Berith is, would he do it up till that much? The power of the Demon God is even beyond the Master¡¯s control and the cost of failure is too high as well, isn¡¯t it?¡± Bael would just run rampant for a few days, but with Berith¡¯s level, his heart would literally be ripped out to pieces. It was all because of the fact that his magic was enough to merely set foot on the tower at best. While thinking so, Revenna eventually received Kimaris¡¯s quiet glance. In order to not worry Julia, he instantly refrained her from speaking, but unfortunately, she had already read their thoughts. [?Kimaris What if there was truly a way to increase the magic power without having to swallow the power of the Demon God at all? Master¡¯s wave had already proven it anyway.] [?Revenna Is this perhaps a plot to take Julia away by force? As long as he doesn¡¯t pay any close attention to his body, there won¡¯t be any apparent abnormality. On top of that, Berith¡¯s loss risk will naturally be lowered too, right?] While unaware that Julia was still reading their thoughts, Kimaris could no longer contain his anger as he clenched his chin. ¡°How dare¡­¡­¡± His fists proceeded to tremble under the table. Revenna would have already stopped it in her usual way, but even she was now clenching her own hand tightly as if she was just about to snap her fan in two. ¡®If I don¡¯t want to be discovered and die, he wants me¡­¡­ to offer my body.¡¯ Her breath eventually became choked. Julia¡¯s vision which had finally realized Berith¡¯s main purpose slowly began to grow dimly lit. * * * There was a lot of discussion regarding how to actually deal with Berith himself. They finally came to the conclusion that it might be dangerous for Barbatos and Lerazier, but at the very least, they could ask Agares for some help. Agares had commanded the demon army at the forefront of that particular fierce battlefield not so long ago. She possessed a strong hatred for humans and if she were to discover that she had been deceived, there was a high possibility that she would become greatly angered. Nevertheless, she still had a strong affinity towards Julia. They eventually had no other choice but to simply depend on her for now. Meanwhile, Julia returned to the Demon King¡¯s bedroom as she had been pushed away. It was so that Bael would not wake up, but it had also been due to the fact that Revenna and Kimaris were already thinking of killing Berith even at the risk of their own lives¡ªin case of emergency. Moreover, the two demons didn¡¯t wish for Julia to find out about their plans. ¡®What do we do? If we fail to convince Lady Agares, then the two of them¡­¡­¡¯ As she returned to the Demon King¡¯s bedroom, she then proceeded to sit down slowly on the floor with her back against the door. There was nothing else that she could have done with that fragile human body of hers. At the very least, it might have been rather different if she was truly the real Estelle. A man¡¯s bare feet suddenly entered Julia¡¯s eyes as he began squatting down and bobbed his head. Surprised, she immediately raised her head in return. A set of red piercing eyes were already staringdown at her. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Demon King.¡± ¡°I already condoned the fact that you were wandering around, but you kept on coming back¡ªhurt. Do I really need to tie you up just for you to come back to your senses?¡± Bael¡¯s gaze slowly turned to the corner of her eyes, which were all flushed red. Then, Julia rose herself while rubbing her eyes lightly. ¡°I, I didn¡¯t go that far, but did you just wake up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a rather light sleeper.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡­¡± That was not true at all. He had never woken up even when Barbatos kept on nagging at him back and forth. However, her thoughts were only stored as thoughts. It was never a good choice to go against his heart in an already precarious situation anyway. Besides, she hated being tied up even more so. Julia then smiled broadly as she merely dismissed it as nothing. But the more she did that, the deeper Bael¡¯s forehead became subtly contorted. ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Usually, placing you near me is very comfortable since the magic eventually stabilizes, but now, that stupid smile makes me very uncomfortable indeed.¡± Thus, the idiom that went along the lines which said something like you wouldn¡¯t even spit on a smiling face had turned out to be utterly false. Julia loosened her lips in a blink of an eye and Bael cleared away the wrinkles between his brows before stretching himself languidly. As he started walking, he continued to stare at the Demon God¡¯s Tower. Julia¡¯s gaze naturally turned to that place as well. She still remembered the overwhelming sensation that she felt as soon as she first stood in front of the magic stone. A huge purple sphere had glowed with a hum. Just like how her eyes would go blind if she looked directly at the sun, it was also difficult for her to look at it for a long time because it was emitting such a huge wave. Since her magic resistance had already been infinitely filled, she was probably not affected directly by the magic itself. However, the power of the Demon God, the creator of darkness as well as the father of all demons, was still asleep within that particular magic stone. It had such an overwhelming sense of awe as if she was standing in front of a primordial nature all in itself. CH 22.1 [?Bael ¡­¡­.¡­¡­.¡­¡­] Bael didn¡¯t even notice that her gaze was fixed on himself as he was already in deep thought. Julia then slowly walked along behind him before stopping with just a little bit of distance. While Bael was awake, he would become reluctant to approach almost anyone at all. He was rather accustomed to solitude instead. ¡°May I ask what it is that you¡¯re thinking of?¡± The question was utterly impulsive. It was all because of Bael¡¯s eyes that seemed to have overlapped with the past. Her past self of which when she had looked at the brightly shining Imperial Palace of Vestra right in the corner of the Abandoned Palace where she was being imprisoned. It was quite strange. She, herself, was only a forsaken Princess, but he was a great monarch who had unified the underworld at once before. Still, she kept on being worried about his loneliness¡­¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was too presumptuous.¡± ¡°¡­the power of the Demon God.¡± She quickly apologized in case he felt offended, but Bael continued to mutter softly as if he had not heard of it in return. A cool night breeze was wafting in from the wide opened window. A wave of long, beautiful jet-black hair fluttered gently in the wind. Bael¡¯s red eyes then turned towards Julia just like a beast that was searching for its prey. However, she didn¡¯t feel afraid of Bael at all¡ªfor now, at the very least. ¡°Do you actually wish to become a God?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you satisfied with your current strength as of now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already full.¡± Bael¡¯s magic power had gradually increased in size to the point where he would even suffer from it at times. Unbeknownst to himself, Bael was already drawn towards Julia, who could make him feel at ease even for just a while. The proof of this fact was that he had always hated the thought of sharing his space with others, yet he was the one who had inevitably dragged her to bed. And it was a fact that everyone knew. Only Bael and Julia had not realized it at all. ¡®Then, why are you still chasing the power of the Demon God?¡¯ The most important question eventually lingered inside of Julia¡¯s mouth without ever turning into a sentence. Instinct was telling her that she shouldn¡¯t ask, the fact that it could then break the precarious yet peaceful atmosphere which was akin to a tightrope. An unexpected word suddenly came out of Bael¡¯s mouth. ¡°Sometimes I even thought of using you. In fact, even the idea of using the methods of those lowly incubi, if that is truly the way in utilizing the key.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If I could just absorb the power of the Demon God like that, I would then be able to achieve what I have been longing for in all of my life.¡± Julia listened to his words quietly. Bael¡¯s words had been extremely intimidating, but the emotions that they contained were calm and almost seemed to be ridiculing something instead. ¡°Then, why can¡¯t I still reach out to you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°What am I so afraid of?¡± To be afraid; who was he so afraid of as the absolute ruler of the underworld? Julia became really confused. In the meantime, the giant wings began to spread out like a flower blooming on his back as they gently brushed against his hair. As a magical storm started raging itself and the objects in the room eventually toppled over, Bael¡¯s red eyes escaped from Julia before he set forth to head for the tower. The wave that was emanating from the tower grew stronger, probably due to the fact that it felt a threat. The flashing speed of the light also became increasingly faster and more intense. The Demon King¡¯s nest began to thump and throb again. This castle was his own heart itself. It was only then did Julia finally realize it. ¡°Keep still. If I don¡¯t see you by the time I return, I definitely won¡¯t forgive you this time.¡± As he proceeded to walk towards the terrace, he then stepped on the railing before jumping out without any hesitation. Julia, who had just been staring at his rapidly moving back, was not able to feel another presence approaching right behind her back. As soon as she attempted to look away, it was already too late. ¡°Finally, the King is all gone.¡± ¡°Uhp¡­¡­!¡± Julia¡¯s lips were instantly gagged by a strong grip. She tried to fight, but she could only collapse helplessly in front of that overwhelming difference in physique. She was then forcibly dragged away while she still struggled to look behind. Berith was already gazing down at her with those eyes that glistened with sheer lust. * * * ¡°Nonsense.¡± ¡°Agares, just calm down for a moment¡­¡± ¡°Those human bastards had exchanged the key which we asked for? How dare they mock our demon race when they¡¯re the ones of the lower race?!¡± Agares¡¯s black magic fluttered like fire, which revealed her displeasure. Kimaris and Revenna, who had spoken out just then, immediately looked at each other without saying a word at all. After sending Julia back to the King¡¯s quarters, the two of them eventually decided that it would be better to kill Berith and shut his mouth once and for all. Nevertheless, something like this could still happen at any time. Even if it had only been a very small number, it was because there were no other demons who could actually go in and out of the human world like so. This time, Berith got caught off guard and they were able to buy some time, but it was difficult to expect that such luck would therefore exist twice. Thus, the decision was conclusively made to ask for help from Grand Duke Agares, the only demon who could replace King Bael in case of any emergency. If she could just block the information that went right up in the line, that would then be the best preventative measure. ¡°At this rate, she¡¯s definitely going to get caught. Agares, please!¡± ¡°Haha! We¡¯ve been merciful that we ended the war with only one princess, but should I just let this go?¡± ¡°Then, what will you do? Are you going to rip Julia¡¯s limbs apart and break her neck just to fulfill your duty then?¡± ¡°That¡­¡­!¡± At Revenna¡¯s realistic remark, Agares instantly shrugged her shoulders. She tried to suppress her anger, but the thought that she had already been deceived made her become absolutely irritable. ¡°Still, the humans¡ªhow dare¡­¡± The situation of the little key was really pitiful. Right after she was born, Julia had been treated with only scorn all her life before she got abandoned in the Demon Realm, where she would eventually die in place of her own older sister. Still, how could Agares tear apart and kill that little key who had said that living here was so much happier than back in the Human Realm? She didn¡¯t even want to waste a single being to her fingertip at all. But her anger towards those humans was different. As she stood at the forefront of the battlefield, she was well aware of how vicious humans could truly be. At first, they would gently invade the boundaries of the Demon Realm before they eventually took a hold of the seeds of the demons or those young beasts that had not even opened their eyes yet, all because of the fact that they would ultimately become money. CH 22.2 Demons tended to have strong individualistic tendencies, but not all of them were like that. It was similar to how Barbatos and Lerazier stayed next to each other merely because they had woken up in the same place on the same day. ¡°As expected, I should have wiped them all away. I shouldn¡¯t have let them off the hook at all!¡± She walked through her room while puffing rough breaths that were mixed with agitation. Her long hair, which had been already tied up high in a ponytail, whisked as she moved. Kimaris, who could no longer wait, stepped out once again. Now, all they could count on was only Agares herself. ¡°You are not the only demon with such hatred for those humans. But the moment when the truth is revealed, she will definitely die.¡± ¡°If I protect¡­!¡± ¡°How long¡ªhumans¡¯ lifespan is so short, can you even live with her for more than a few decades? Don¡¯t forget that. Humans are just too fragile. The moment it happens, you¡¯ll never be able to turn it back.¡± Kimaris recalled the time when Julia had collapsed amongst the demons and was seriously injured as well. Even demons with deep knowledge in medical arts¡ªeven Agares¡¯s own magic¡ªcould not break through her magic resistance. She didn¡¯t know how Bael had treated Julia, but Agares knew better than anyone else that it was definitely difficult for her to expect his mercy twice at some time. ¡°If he were really going to kill Julia in order to relieve his wrath, what couldn¡¯t he do? We have no choice but to take off with Julia and run away to the human realm then?¡± ¡°The little key is what the Master really needs.¡± ¡°But is she truly an existence that only the Master needs?¡± Revenna blinked her fan-long lashes slowly. Her eyes were asking as well. Julia had been the ¡®key¡¯, so she was really precious. Agares bit her lips and slammed the table. The thick wooden top was simply split in two and the numerous papers that had piled on top eventually fluttered to the floor. ¡°Why did you even come to me?! There¡¯s Barbatos or even Lerazier!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Just like hurling a whip to the wall, the door instantly opened wide as she kicked the door of her office. The surprised Kimaris soon followed after. ¡°Where are you going¡ª!¡± ¡°Berith had some personal contact with the humans. I will then have him executed according to the military law. Any objections?¡± The two demons, who had received her fierce gaze, instantly shook their heads. Even if Agares just spoke like that, they knew that she had already planned to kill Berith and shut his mouth. The sound of her footsteps that were filled with anger eventually echoed through the quiet hallway. * * * Julia was currently being carried somewhere while she had already been forcibly stuffed into a black sack. In the meantime, Bael¡¯s heartbeat was still pounding over her eardrums. It seemed that Berith had no intention of leaving a mark by moving far away for nothing and it appeared like he intended on ignoring her right after finishing his work in the Demon King¡¯s castle as well. Then, the sound of the door opening could be heard and the sack that was shaking all the time eventually came to a stop. Julia stood vigilant at once. ¡°If you don¡¯t stay calm, you won¡¯t be able to come back alive.¡± She couldn¡¯t use the SIGHT function since the sack was blocking her vision all the way. Instead, she hurriedly glanced at every nook and cranny of the icon list, which she had never paid much attention to before this. When she was finally able to enter the skill window, a rather complicated linked tree came to her mind, but it was all still deactivated from the root as if there was an unlockable condition. Berith ripped the sack and pulled her roughly while wondering the reason Julia was being very quiet. ¡°Why is there no response?¡± [?Berith She is surprisingly obedient. If I do well, I can then periodically absorb the magical energy.] Her field of vision was eventually unfurled and the dialogue window came to her view then. As Julia began to read it, she quickly shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡± ¡°Well, if you follow my orders, it will probably be a very good time for you too.¡± His lips rose in a seductive curl. It had been the usual method used to seduce humans, but it didn¡¯t really work towards Julia at all. It was all because of his thoughts that swiftly passed through her eyes which appeared so utterly disgusting. [?Berith Once the Master leaves the tower, it will then take at least half a day or even as long as three to four days before returning. There is a lot of time left, so I should enjoy it carefully¡ªtaste her down to her very bones.] The King had left for the tower after a long rest and a thought crossed his mind that it must be a few days. Immediately afterwards, Berith¡¯s shoulders started to relax more and more. In order to draw the magic from Julia in the long run, it seemed that it was actually better to seduce her and make her act cooperatively with him instead. ¡°Can you drink wine?¡± ¡°No¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t eat anything from the Demon World, could you? But don¡¯t worry, these are tributes offered to me by humans themselves.¡± He opened the cupboard and took out a pair of wine glasses. The sweet scent of wine permeated through the air and the blood-red wine was eventually passed to her hands. ¡°I know that demon food is harmful to the human body. And I really want you to stay here as long as possible.¡± She accepted the glass without refusing. And right at that moment¡ª [?SYSTEM Story Progress 3%] Even though she didn¡¯t choose it, she still remembered the progress guide. Then, another window was created. [?SYSTEM 1st Episode. The First Death] [?SYSTEM ¨C Mission: Survive. ¨C Reward: Activate Skill Tree. ¨C Failure penalty: Player dies.] The first incident that was required to enter Bael¡¯s Route soon came to her mind. CH 23.1 At a first glance, the top of the tower where the magic stone was left sleeping looked like an open hall. The dome-shaped ceiling had been supported by the heavy arched columns and the history of the Demon World was majestically inscribed on the corridors as well as the stairs which people had to go through in order to get up there. As soon as they ascended to the top, what they could eventually see was a vast magic circle that had been spread all over the floor just to suppress the power of the magic stone itself. With the aim of quelling the power of the Demon God, a large formula had to be placed. The hall of the tower was built to fit its size, but every time the magic stone flickered, the defenses had glimmered rapidly as well along with all kinds of colors¡ªas if it was struggling while barely holding on. ¡°Ku-ugh, kuhk!¡± Bael¡¯s body, which had bounced off the magic stone, was thrown violently onto the floor. His gigantic jet-black wings were torn in pieces while his blood dripped from his nose and mouth just like his internal organs had been terribly ruptured. ¡°Ho-ohk, ugh¡­¡± His eyes that appeared redder than blood glared with such great momentum at the magic stone that was emitting light right from the center. In the aftermath of the collision between the two huge magical powers, sharp waves like lightning began striking all over the hall. Even as the pillars were broken and a strong gust of wind blew, the magic stone was still floating in the center as it stood upright. When Bael stood up, more and more blood started gushing out while forming a puddle underneath him. Nevertheless, his momentum did not fade away, but ran even more wildly instead. ¡°No wonder I thought that it was rather easy today.¡± Amidst the hall where the magic stone had been resting, shields of spheres were already hanging from above and even below. Only Bael would be able to break through it and charge directly into the air. Perhaps it was because he had been with the key just until before, the shield broke helplessly right in front of his own strong magic. It felt like he was merely tearing open a curtain instead. Bael, who had gained much momentum, immediately fired the most powerful magic ball at the magic stone. A huge red storm eventually engulfed the whole vast space. It seemed to have worked, but¡­¡­ ¡°I didn¡¯t know that there was such a trick.¡± The magic stone had repelled Bael¡¯s power as it was. It was the first ability that he had ever seen after fighting the Demon God for hundreds of years. In the end, Bael had no other choice but to be helpless when his own magic was returned intact. The lightning that was emitted by the magic stone struck the place where Bael had been standing. He leaped to avoid it, but as if it had already grasped Bael¡¯s path in advance, a trailing attack swept over there as well. The purple sphere glowed horribly. He then felt a strong will not to let go of the tenacious usurper this time. The vast hall that used to protect the Demon God¡¯s magic stone was now becoming a perfect cage to entrap Bael. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s just try it somewhere else.¡± High-purity red magic slowly began to rise from Bael¡¯s body. It enveloped his body like a storm before spreading even widely. As if it was also preparing for an upcoming attack, the magic stone started to expand its area by emitting a purple wavelength as well. Uunng, wooonng! The formula that was engraved on the floor fizzled like crazy as if it had already been on the verge of destruction. After a while, Bael, who flew through the air, then leaped towards the magic stone. ¡°¡­¡­¡± In an instant, the surroundings were enveloped in silence. And after a moment, an intense blinding light along with a huge blast of explosion covered the entire sky of the Demon Realm. Bael¡¯s eyes gleamed with an intense joy while still being amidst the pain of his limbs having been torn apart. * * * Clink! ¡°Ah.¡± [?SYSTEM 1st Episode. The First Death] As soon as Julia dropped the wine glass, the system window also disappeared. Right via her esophagus, where the wine had passed, a hot sensation began to rise. Then, her body eventually curled up in surprise. ¡®Poison? But Berith didn¡¯t want me to die¡­¡­¡¯ Of course she was worried that he might have put something strange inside. However, once she had given Berith¡¯s thoughts a read, she knew that he did nothing to the wine. He was just trying to soften the mood with this act. As if he was reading her surprise, Berith slowly walked over to her with his own drink. He then pushed her shoulder gently and laid her on the bed while stroking her flushed cheek softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not poison.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡± ¡°I just added a little bit of something to help loosen up the mood¡ªto make you feel much better.¡± He gracefully unknotted the cravat that was tucked against his neck. As he put down the helplessly draped cloth nearby, he flashed along a dazzling, dark smile too. [?Berith Alright, we can now slowly give a start.] Julia realized only later that the ¡®soft atmosphere¡¯ that she had expected was completely different from his own thoughts. He took off his gloves as he revealed his long, pure white fingers. He then doffed Julia¡¯s shoes one by one along with them. She let out a hot breath while gasping in her chest. Even with only her shoes and a few accessories being taken away from her, a strange and eerie sensation¡ªlike bugs crawling all over her body¡ªbegan to take over her entire mind. She bit her lips unknowingly, which made Berith raise the corners of his lips with a worried gaze at a first glance. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t compare me to your Master. He¡¯s only going to be rough, but I¡¯m very different. You can expect the ultimate pleasure with me.¡± Berith¡¯s muffled voice did not reach her ears. Instead, she was just clenching her teeth while trying to correct her increasingly blurred vision. Then, a dagger suddenly appeared in her eyes. A well-forged dagger with a blue luster was resting loosely on the bedside table. Why was the dagger laying out from its own sheath and placed right within her very reach? It was as if it had been telling her to use it. CH 23.2 Normally, she would have had some doubts, but she just couldn¡¯t afford to think like that right now. Berith¡¯s eyes eventually narrowed as she raised her body halfway. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The knot on the dress is at the back¡­¡± It was such a natural excuse that she couldn¡¯t even believe herself. As Julia brought up her torso, Berith¡¯s fingers crept along her waistline and naturally went behind her back. In that brief moment when he had lowered his gaze towards the knot, Julia rushed out of the bed and instantly stretched her hand towards the dagger. ¡°Uhkk!¡± As soon as she stood up, the strength in her legs loosened before she fell and rolled over the floor. She had accidentally bled out from the palms that were gripping on the blade, but she eventually managed to get the dagger into her hands. Julia then fixed the dagger properly in haste and gripped it hard. Berith, who was still sitting on the bed, simply shed a sneer as he watched everything unfolded. ¡°Is that really your intention?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to just let you, huh, have your way¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s really pathetic and pitiful. Have you not yet realized that things like that are no different from toys to us, demons?¡± His expression, which had his eyes narrowed, suddenly hardened. The direction in which the blade was headed had no longer been to Berith, but to Julia¡¯s slender neck now. Her hand immediately trembled from the intoxication. A surge of red blush had increased all over her pure white skin. ¡°If I die, you won¡¯t be safe either.¡± ¡°What are you up to?¡± ¡°I am the Demon King¡¯s¡­¡± Even though her eyes were blurred by the drug, her will towards death remained sincere. At the same time, the gentlemanly mask that Berith had been wearing since before was now peeled off. He took one step closer to her while revealing his serpentine eyes. ¡°It would be a pity if you died, but it¡¯s simply enough to throw your body somewhere far away. The Master¡¯s rampage is imminent and no one else has seen you anyway, so who knows what will happen?¡± ¡°Before you, those who already knew my real name, hu-uhk!¡± It was only her own hair that brushed against her back, but an intense, stinging sensation had spread throughout her entire body. As her waist flinched, the blade that was held very close to her neck began to cut deep into her skin. The blood that seeped down the nape of her neck eventually dyed the pure white dress in red. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that someone else had known it before me, who is it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Julia couldn¡¯t bear to open her mouth. Berith was the 28th demon. The top 20 and below had rather equal magical powers that were only a little bit different from each other, but that was just in case. She could not rule out the possibility that he would be angry with Revenna and Kimaris as well. ¡°Kukuk.¡± When she finally could no longer open her mouth, Berith¡¯s eyes became dazzled with complete ecstasy as he thought that it was a mere lie. He then declared the end of the game and began rushing straight to Julia. Julia eventually added a little more strength to her hand that was still holding onto the dagger. Rather than having become his instrument while being humiliatingly deprived of her power, she would rather stab herself in the vital point and lose her own breath. ¡®In the end, it¡¯s going to be like this¡­¡­¡¯ Right at the moment when she aimed the blade, all the sounds around her were tinged with a creepy silence. Not the sound of Berith¡¯s laughter or even the sound of her own hot, stifling breath. And then¡ª ¡°Aaaaaaccckkkk!!¡± From behind her, an unimaginable amount of light began to pour in through the huge window. Her vision instantly turned white. It was like the moment when the world ended. Julia, who had her back against it, closed her eyes without her realizing it, but Berith eventually fell down with a painful scream as he was facing the same light directly. Then, the huge glass window shattered. Everything in the castle had been swept away by the powerful pressure difference and the whole thing in the castle was oriented towards the Demon God¡¯s tower. ¡°Huh¡­¡­?¡± Julia¡¯s small and light body was no exception too. Unbeknownst to her, she was also being swept out the window along with the huge pieces of furniture. It was right then that she¡ªin astonishment¡ªtried desperately to reach out her hand in return. ¡°It¡¯s the small key!!¡± An arm had stretched out from the black military jacket and gripped tightly onto Julia¡¯s wrist. The hair in a high ponytail fluttered like crazy amidst the gust of wind. ¡°What are you doing! Help me out quickly!¡± ¡°You really thought that we¡¯re all monsters like you, huh?!¡± Revenna¡¯s high pitched scream could be heard behind Agares¡¯s back. Julia, who had the magic resistance, did not know the fact that the large explosion from the tower had swept through the castle and all nearby territories as well. Every single demon that could not withstand the explosion was eventually destroyed without a trace. The same was also true for the familiars that had been raised by those high-ranking demons. At that moment, Julia realized that a lot of loud shouts and screams could be heard from all over the castle. Then, her eyes widened. ¡°Julia, hands¡­!¡± ¡°Mister Kimaris!¡± At the risk of being swept away by sudden squall, she immediately reached out towards Agares. Julia then threw away the dagger that she had been holding on without any ounce of hesitation at all and she began stretching out her own hands towards her. Her hands, which had been staggering in the air for a short time, eventually brushed against one another. ¡°Pull up! Damn it¡ªwhat the hell are you even doing!¡± ¡°Huuuuhh.¡± ¡°Are you hurt?!¡± Revenna screamed in surprise as she ripped out the hem of her dress that had obstructed her steps and ran in haste. The cut wound across her neck had become even bigger during the whole chaos just then. Julia¡¯s white dress was all drenched in red now. A jet-black surge of magical energy gradually erupted from Revenna¡¯s hands. Although the range was not that wide, it was still enough to block the magical storm for a while. ¡°Little key, just let me take a look first!¡± Meanwhile, Agares pulled Julia deep into her arms. And when her hands were finally free, she then created a complete, solid shield. Only the space where they were currently sitting had regained its original stillness amidst the blast of gale that was still raging in all different kinds of directions. CH 24.1 Agares took off her black leather gloves and looked at Julia¡¯s neck. However, the moment when her fingers had brushed against it, Julia¡¯s small body suddenly leaped out. ¡°Ah, nng!¡± ¡°Little key?¡± ¡°Hu-ugh, uht!¡± As she sensed something about Julia¡¯s abnormality, her eyes turned sharp. Meanwhile, Revenna had found a large number of drug bottles lying around in the cupboard, which made her voice eventually grow cold. ¡°Berith?¡± Berith, who had been blinded by the intense light, was eventually regaining his sight due to the healing power that demons possessed. He then laughed as he looked at those demons who had all surrounded Julia. ¡°What is everyone doing now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hey, Agares! Have you forgotten your comrades who had already died on the battlefield?!¡± The areas of which Berith presided over were alchemy and knowledge. However, he didn¡¯t just work everything out in a good way. Just because he was aware of something, it didn¡¯t mean that he had to tell the truth anyway. And the other area that he oversaw was ¡®falsehood¡¯. ¡°That human made a fool of us¡ªthe demons! She was mocking the deaths of those who had honorably fallen before!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Think of how vicious and mean-spirited humans truly are! She even came here to make fun of us as well! How ridiculous we must have been to get fooled around like that! Are you going to harm me¡ªyour own kind¡ªjust for the sake of such a human being?!¡± Berith was digging into her most painful spot. Agares¡¯s expression, which had been immersed in thought, quickly cooled off in return. As he saw this, Berith¡¯s face flashed with light that was sure of success while Revenna and Kimaris were already clenching their fists nervously. ¡°Yes, humans have made fun of us by swapping the key. But there¡¯s nothing wrong with this small key.¡± ¡°Agares! Your pride as the Commander¡­!¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m going to give you a chance.¡± Agares sat down and grasped onto the dagger in Julia¡¯s hand while she was still panting hard. The dagger, which had just vanished amidst the storm, was already in her hand yet again for some reason. The only difference was the fact that the blue-black blade was glinting as if it had been struck by lightning earlier. Julia¡¯s eyes that were staring down upon it were all drenched with pure pleasure. ¡°Huh, why¡­¡± ¡°Berith had disobeyed Master¡¯s orders and communicated with the humans. He can be considered as a traitor to us, the demons.¡± ¡°Please, Agares.¡± Berith¡¯s shaky eyes were gazing at the dagger that had been wrapped in lightning as Julia puffed continuously in flushed red eventually made Agares curl her lips. She then gently stroked the nape of Julia¡¯s neck before she whispered in her ear. ¡°This is a sword that has been loaded with my magic. Use this to stab straight into Berith¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°Agares!!¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± You would soon become the hero who punished the traitor. Agares, who had mumbled softly, was stomping on Berith¡¯s head as she took Julia¡¯s arms. Kimaris, who realized Agares¡¯s intentions, tried to step in, but Revenna had stopped him completely. No matter how much she thought about it, she just couldn¡¯t come up with a more reliable way in order to turn Agares into an ally. Agares was fond of Julia¡ªfrom an ¡®individual¡¯ point of view. Nevertheless, Agares had too much pride as a Commander. The discipline that Agares had already set in the military was her life in itself. The only way to have her as a complete ally as well as to clear all the entire contradictions that had been within her was for Julia to directly kill Berith, who had some connections with the humans. ¡°Hu-ugh, huht!¡± With Julia lowered on the floor as the audience, Berith¡¯s ribs were ripped open. The heart, with its bare skin exposed, was pounding rapidly as if to exhibit the fear of its owner. ¡°What is this¡ª!¡± ¡°Shut up, traitor.¡± ¡°Are you really going to hand me over to a mere human?!¡± A terrible flurry that was mixed with Berith¡¯s curse had pierced Julia¡¯s eardrums. Everything that brushed against her skin felt rather annoying at the moment. Even the prickle of the soft carpet on the floor stimulated her own desire. A burning sensation was constantly surging through the peripheral nerves throughout her entire body. It felt like her brain was about to fall apart as it could not really withstand the overload like so. Then, a sweet whisper came out from somewhere. ¡®It¡¯s okay. Just lower the dagger. Or are you just going to let yourself die like this? Do you want to get torn alive and thrown into a hellfire?¡¯ ¡°No, no¡­¡­¡± ¡®This will be much easier. Just once. Just one move and everything is going to be all over. What will come after this burning torment¡ªweren¡¯t you really looking forward to it?¡¯ She eventually managed to grab a hold of her shaking spirit. What was good and what was evil as well as what was right and what was actually wrong. Her hand that was holding onto the dagger trembled. She was swept away by lust and she almost got pulled down by her conscience as well. Agares simply watched her as if she was waiting for her, but it didn¡¯t last very long. It was due to the fact of Julia¡¯s own physical condition. She was small and fragile. Although it might have been a moderately pleasing drug for the demons, the dose was far too much for herself. If the drug¡¯s energy was not relieved promptly, she would eventually collapse in less than a few hours. It was such a great mental power that she could manage to retain her consciousness as it had been right now. ¡°Don¡¯t forgive me, Julia.¡± At that time, Kimaris, who gritted his teeth, eventually came forward. As he kneeled down on one knee behind Julia, who was already crouched down on her back, he then carefully placed his hand over her slender shoulder. ¡°Uuhng!¡± ¡°Grab the dagger.¡± The hoarse voice slowly dug deep into her eardrums. Her reddish skin was gently enveloped into Kimaris¡¯s cold palms. CH 24.2 He skimmed over her small shoulders before he wrapped her in his large hands and began whispering for her to grab the dagger even stronger once again. A hot breath eventually brushed against Julia¡¯s neck. As she could not bear it any longer, she slipped and fell back deep into Kimaris¡¯s arms. ¡°Heuk, ah!¡± Julia¡¯s voice could be heard to be mixed with a faint moan little by little. A burning sensation had begun to rise from the depths between her legs, where nothing was ever touched before. It was utterly hot and damp. Her toes ultimately curled up as she struggled to contain all the throbbing sensations. Kimaris gazed downwards at the lovely person, who had her head buried in his own chest. Just with a gentle touch, all reasons vanished from her eyes. At this point, she was no longer able to differentiate between reality and dreams properly. Kimaris grabbed her arm and raised the dagger. And soon after he had glanced at Agares, he lowered his gaze towards the beating heart as he wanted her to take a look as well. Whoosh¡ªthe blade cut along cleanly. Berith, who had been spouting curses in anger, ceased to move at that instant and his heart that was beating right till the very end had splattered some of its thick blood all over Julia¡¯s face. That was her very own, first murder. [?SYSTEM 1st Episode. The First Death] [Completed] * * * Kimaris hurriedly ran down the halls of the swaying castle while holding onto Julia¡¯s droopy body. With every strong step he took, a painful moan leaked out from Julia¡¯s mouth. Flying might have made her much more comfortable, but everything was chaotic. Granted the fact that if he were to use his magic power, it still could not be fully restored and it would be squirming like a living creature as well. ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯ Therefore, he just couldn¡¯t fly easily in this situation. If she fell, she would be seriously injured¡ªeven if Julia was not that utterly fragile. ¡®This is very troubling. The blood doesn¡¯t seem to be stopping anytime soon.¡¯ She had already moved her hand and slammed it into Berith¡¯s heart earlier. But now, all the blood that Kimaris was all drenched in came from Julia¡¯s own neck. The only thing that could heal through her magic resistance was Bael, who had the strongest magic in all of the Demon Realm. He was in a terrible hurry. He hastened his steps as he hugged Julia more strongly as she tossed and turned with more noises. His collar was suddenly gripped by a small force. As Kimaris looked downwards at her, a pale face eventually met his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s painful. It¡¯s also hard¡­¡± ¡°Hold on just a little bit more.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡ªstrange. It tickles and it hurts.¡± Her fingers were twitching instinctively as she traced through her dress and tried to find the place right between her legs. Nevertheless, there were a lot of peering eyes around her. Each of them was busy with their own lives and didn¡¯t really care, but once the situation had calmed down, they would surely gaze at Julia with those lustful eyes. Kimaris quickly realized the contradictions and struggled himself. He had already lusted for her as well. He then hugged her tightly as if he was restraining Julia¡¯s movements. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else to see you. Just a little while longer.¡± ¡°Uhng!¡± A faint voice that was not known whether it had been an answer or merely a moan slowly passed through his ear. It was soon the King¡¯s nest. Just as he was about to run down the long corridor, Barbatos¡¯s back came into his sight. The magic that he developed had already covered the entire nest. But still, it had to come up to this point. ¡°Barbatos?!¡± ¡°This is good to hear. I can¡¯t just do this all alone. Get Agares, now!¡± Kimaris recalled Agares¡¯s last appearance. She was smiling bitterly as she gazed down at Berith¡¯s charred ashes. She blamed herself for choosing the latter between demons and humans. At the same time, she also wanted Julia to live. It was she, herself, that told Kimaris to take Julia to the Master who had just arrived at the nest. ¡°Agares is not able to come anytime soon. Is the King inside?¡± ¡°Yes, there was an explosion earlier and he is now just around the corner.¡± As he was concentrating on the development of his magic earlier, he then opened his eyes all of a sudden. It was only then did Julia¡¯s blood-soaked figure come into view. ¡°What¡ªwhy is the key like that?¡± ¡°I have to go to the King. To save her¡­¡± ¡°Are you crazy?! I¡¯ve never even seen the Master in this state before. I don¡¯t know how strong her magic resistance is, but if you were to go in, both the key and you, yourself, would ultimately die!¡± Inside Barbatos¡¯s eyes which were crying out, there was an assertion that they would surely die¡ªeven if he wasn¡¯t so sure about the key herself. Kimaris then nodded his head softly in return. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter though.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If the King is inside, then it¡¯s enough.¡± An episode from a long time ago slowly flashed through his mind. The lifespan of a demon was unpredictably long and distant. At some point, he had even stopped as he forgot the flow of time. Humans had just been jealous of their longevity, but they were not aware of what was really important. What a terrible curse was this called life, in which they couldn¡¯t even forget about it at will. ¡®I forgive you.¡¯ The little voice that caught him, who had been living without ever forgiving the past. A miraculous salvation¡­¡­. Even if a demon could have a savior, it would only be Julia Vestra herself. Kimaris, whose eyes had lit up, quickly broke through the gust of wind and went out of the defense barrier before Barbatos could even stop him. A terrible pain that was similar to a cut by the knife came gushing in, but he simply drew Julia even deeper into his arms to protect her. At the end of the Demon King¡¯s nest that was just on the other side of the half-broken door lay Bael along with his huge wings spread out. Whatever had happened to the tower, it made the wall that was facing the tower all torn off. As he was lying amidst the pool of blood, he appeared to be clearly unconscious. It was only the remnants of his magic that had ultimately turned the castle into this kind of level. It was definitely an eerie fact, but it didn¡¯t matter to Kimaris at all. Bael¡¯s loss of consciousness meant that Julia¡¯s wounds could not be healed at that instant. CH 25.1 ¡°¡­¡­¡± Determined, he began to lay her down carefully on the edge of the bed as she had been squirming around in his arms. Then, as Kimaris kneeled in between her thighs, her legs started to spread themselves naturally. Julia¡¯s hands, which had become much more relaxed than before, went back to the area between her legs. This time, even Kimaris didn¡¯t stop her. The white, slender fingers eventually tugged upon her dress and hovered around her thighs. She knew that the cause of her suffering was nearby, but it seemed like she just could not touch it directly. ¡°Miss Julia, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Uhng¡­¡­¡± She should have already had a relationship with the Demon King. Hadn¡¯t she been making the King¡¯s rampant magic grow stronger every time? Her panting face, her fingers that roamed endlessly near her thighs and Kimaris¡¯s own eyes that had been staring through them before they were instantly dyed with embarrassment. The realization had been fleeting, but the impact was great after all. His gaze then turned to Bael, who was still in that pool of blood, once again. A brief resentment and a tiny sense of relief were intricately mixed in his expression as he kept on staring at the King. ¡°It hurts¡­¡­¡± Right after he looked away from her for a moment, Julia began to lift her nails and scrape around her thighs. Her skin, which had turned red, appeared utterly painful. However, Kimaris¡¯s lower body, which had been blocked by his own hand since before, also seemed to be swelling up as if it was just about to burst. He muttered as he bit down his dry lips. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Julia.¡± The dress, which had been held in her hands like a lifeline, was ripped in half ever so easily. Her red-hot naked body immediately entered his eyes. His palm, which was slowly sliding all over that female figure right from the nape of her neck as if he was touching a delicate craft, eventually reached the place between Julia¡¯s legs. He put his finger on her already soaked undergarment before tracing over it ever so carefully. She began to twitch and convulse as the heavily drenched area widened a little. Julia¡¯s legs dangled over the edge of the bed as she trembled. Kimaris, who was still kneeling on the floor right between her thighs, gazed at the inside of her already dripping spot. He ripped off her undergarments and her red, plump, ripe mound immediately came into his view. ¡°Julia.¡± He spread her thighs even wider as they flinched over and over again. Her entrance, which had been closed tightly, began to reveal its inner flesh as well. Kimaris softly kissed her labia then. His lips, which had gotten dry from all the tension, were already drenched wet by her. ¡°Uhng! Ah, ah!¡± The pointed tongue gently swept through the area that was very near to her clenched opening before it started sweeping up and down the slit. On the other hand, his thumb was twirling around the increasingly swollen clitoris. The moaning that came from right above Kimaris¡¯s head was mixed with a sweet voice. His movements eventually grew a little faster. ¡°My dear Master.¡± ¡°Ah, ahng, aht!¡± He pressed down his lips and breathed such heated air through his nose. He groaned in excitement before he sweetly sucked all the spilled fluids as he then shoved his wet tongue straight into the orifice. The narrow, hot interior had welcomed its first intruder as it convulsed. Kimaris pushed his tongue even further into the still spasming interior just as he was slurping on nectar. He buried his face deep between her slender thighs in such a way that he was simply kissing it before he ran through its inner walls and began sucking hard in return. ¡°Ah-ung, haahk¡­¡± Julia moaned as his tongue already felt too heavy. Her breathing continued to pause in gasps intermittently. Then, Kimaris lifted his hand that was rolling against her clitoris before it slid up right to her chest. He softly whispered while pinching her upright nipples provocatively. ¡°Julia, breathe.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Julia.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± As he poked his tongue out and reached straight into her depth, she let out a choked breath. Kimaris carried on with rubbing and scraping her nipple a little rougher than before. Strings of sighs that had gotten mixed with satisfaction leaked out one after another, which eventually made her secret place become even more soaked. He wanted to drink more. Her fluid was simply as sweet as fruit wine. As he lusted, his grip on Julia¡¯s thigh grew stronger and more powerful. Her hips had become so wide that she couldn¡¯t even open them anymore. Kimaris could no longer hold it in as he eventually leaned his body down with one arm against the bedside. Her secret place, which had suddenly lost the hot tongue, trembled at the unexpected chill. Kimaris, who gazed at it rather sadly, was just about to plant a kiss on Julia¡¯s neck. Boom, boom. Bael¡¯s magic, which seemed to have weakened for a while due to Julia¡¯s magic resistance, resounded in the castle while still fluctuating over again all of a sudden. As the huge bedpost was being pulled out with a roar, Kimaris hugged Julia tightly to protect her at that instant. It was just then¡ª ¡°Out of my way.¡± Bael, whose eyes appeared to have lost their reason, looked down at the two of them with such a ferocious gaze. His stare, which was accompanied by some wrinkles in his eyebrows as he looked at Kimaris¡¯s naked back, instantly turned towards Julia, who was already panting underneath him. Every time she rustled as she shed a moan, Bael¡¯s eyes grew sharper as well. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Move.¡± ¡°To you, this may be just a key. However, to me, she is my one and only Master.¡± The corners of Bael¡¯s lips twisted menacingly in return. Kimaris knew that Bael would never speak twice. Also, he couldn¡¯t have expected any mercy at all. However, if Julia were to be taken away just like this, she would be in even greater danger. He couldn¡¯t even know what terrible things that the King, who had already lost his reason, would actually do to her. CH 25.2 Bael¡¯s eyes slowly widened. At that moment, Kimaris¡¯s arms and legs, which had been held tightly by magic, were being cut off one by one. Even when his last arm was the only limb he had left, his body that had been protecting Julia right until the very end still suppressed the pain before he eventually fell on to the floor, albeit forcefully. ¡°Ugh, kuhk¡­!¡± ¡°Just take a look around there. It¡¯s a place that suits you really well.¡± Bael stared at him right till the end and instantly grabbed upon Julia¡¯s soft hair. He lifted the back of her little head before he swallowed Julia¡¯s lips in an instant. Bael tore her cumbersome top off and mounted Julia¡¯s naked body that was already on the bed. Then, he kissed Julia as he ran his fingers roughly between her legs. The loose flesh convulsed like it was rejecting the sudden intruder. Nevertheless, Bael¡¯s long, thick fingers pricked hard against the cramped inner walls while widening the gap. The seal that had been engraved on her heart eventually exuded a faint red glow. ¡°Ahng, huht! It hurts!¡± ¡°Bael¡­!¡± Kimaris, who was furious at her pain, immediately screamed out. Bael became displeased with Kimaris¡¯s own desire for what was truly his. The long hair that fluttered down from his back and those huge wings had completely blocked the milky-white woman from Kimaris¡¯s view. The only thing that Kimaris had been allowed to do was only to see those little toes that were scratching against the bed sheets in agony. In that of a perfect cage made from those gigantic wings, Julia¡¯s sky blue eyes looked up at the one who had imprisoned her. She didn¡¯t know who the other person really was. Just like a young bird that followed its own mother, she spread her arms wide and slowly caressed the nape of Bael¡¯s neck. ¡°Please do more¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Scrape it.¡± Julia, who had no initial concept of sexual act, took his gesture of shoving his fingers between her legs to arouse her own pleasure. As if it was to scratch an itch, she tried scratching her throb and her hot inner walls just to relieve this anguish. ¡°If my key really wants to.¡± Bael slowly parted his lips together in disappointment before he shoved one more finger into her inside. As his hand movements came to be faster and faster, the squeaky sounds grew as well and her toes, which were still scratching against the sheet, also began to twitch faintly. Every time he pushed his finger all the way in, the beautifully swollen clitoris instantly clung to his palm. The pleasure that was from both sides at the same time had caused her to get distracted while tossing her back to and fro. Bael squeezed her lower belly tightly. ¡°You can¡¯t come without my permission.¡± ¡°Scrape it. Just scrape it¡­¡± She cried in a moistened voice that was asking for more. At that delicate plea, Bael¡¯s shaft raised a tent in his pants from that firm erection in response. When he threw away the loin cloth that was wrapped around his waist, the ferocious pillar immediately sprang up. His thick, bulging genitals were already glistening with fluids that spilled from its tip. Julia looked down at the lump of flesh that was constantly prodding against her secret place beyond her agonized vision. An object that was really the size of a man¡¯s forearm had been tucked in between her crotch. Even as she lost her reason, her expression was still stained with utter fear. ¡°It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s not going in.¡± ¡°You were the one who asked me to do it.¡± ¡°Ha, hand, hng!¡± Julia¡¯s neck stiffened back as Bael pulled his fingers out from her. As if she had reached a light climax, her movements as well as her breathing paused for a while and that small chest puffed up. He spread Julia¡¯s thighs wide and pointed his tip right at her entrance. The little hole was twitching around as if it was looking for something that had just left and he eventually considered if he could actually get even half of himself in. Bael grabbed Julia¡¯s waist, which was sliding upwards while being frightened, and pulled her back down right away. She gripped the sheet as if she was resisting, but her secret place, which had been hauled helplessly, came into direct contact with Bael¡¯s thing at an instant. Unlike herself, who was still shrieking, the space between her legs had already been wet with anticipation and she was leaking out with that transparent fluid. ¡°N, no¡­ ah!!¡± ¡°Ku-uhk.¡± Bael moved his back hard as soon as the thick glans could fit inside. His huge penis slammed straight into her tiny hole. Julia¡¯s lips were all wide open, but she was unable to even moan. Her insides were filled too much and she couldn¡¯t even breathe, let alone open her eyes. Her walls that were already wet and damp opened themselves to the fullest in order to accept Bael¡¯s flesh. Bael glanced at the place where they were joined together, which was very tight, with a distorted brow. There was no shortage of fluids at all, so it was really just a matter of size. ¡°Don¡¯t tense up.¡± ¡°Take it, take it out¡­!¡± Bael forcefully suppressed the shuddering naked body. He had only gone in halfway, but it felt like his shaft would break at any minute. Her inner walls tightened and shrank up again as if it had been pushing out something that was trying to break in. Bael instantly clenched his teeth hard. ¡°It would be better if you were cooperative.¡± The influence of the seal that had been engraved on her heart was not only limited to Julia. Bael, the caster of the magic, was also engulfed in the pleasure that seemed to crush his own brain. His offer to cooperate was truly the last consideration from him before he shoved it all through the way in. As she realized it as a threat to her, Julia took a deep breath amidst all her confusion. Under the pressure of her body being torn in half, she began to raise her head ever so slightly. Perhaps trying to bring out an excitement, Bael also slid his entire palm all across Julia¡¯s delicate, callow breasts. Small mounds rolled around under his rough palms. The heat that spread from his tip slowly pierced her stomach. A woeful moan leaked out from Julia¡¯s mouth yet again. As her inner walls tightened, Bael¡¯s mouth could no longer hold it in as a moan escaped from it too. Her inner walls were all soggy, hot and damp as they clung closely to him. Wouldn¡¯t it be just great if this had covered his whole cock as well. Bael instinctively pulled back a little and shoved it in once again. The fluids that had already coated his own object slid deep into her crevice within that secret place of hers. CH 26.1 The shape of the male shaft that plunged deep into Julia¡¯s trembling abdomen was clearly revealed in an instant. Bael slid his palm that was teasing her nipples right to her lower abdomen before he pressed down on the protruding part. ¡°Ah, huht!¡± While her body was writhing about, she also struggled with all her limbs, which couldn¡¯t really be reached by her own strength. She then fumbled upwards little by little in order to get away from the sudden intruder. He looked down at her as well as the place where his penis was halfway gone before grabbing her by the waist once again and slamming her down¡ªhard. ¡°¡­!¡± Bael and Julia immediately had their breathing stopped amidst the heavy pleasure that seemed to bash the back of their heads. The electrifying sense that spread from their connected parts quietly penetrated their whole bodies before it escaped in the end. Each of their nerves that comprised all the edges was scorched and burned by the hot blaze. It was so pleasurable to die for. All their reasoning was cut off right there and then. Without another second thought, Bael just started pounding his hips to his own pleasure right away. A gush of clear fluids instantly splashed all over her stomach and thighs. Her small hand, which had been half-lifted from her lower body while trembling frantically, clasped upon Bael¡¯s arm that was holding onto her waist heedlessly in entirety. Then, the thing that had filled up her insides grew bigger and bigger before it eventually put pressure upon her organs. She could clearly feel the thick weapon that was savagely scraping her inner walls. Something warm then seeped out from inside of her and at the same time, the splash of fluids grew even louder. ¡°Ahng! Ah, ah! Hng!¡± ¡°Kugh!¡± Julia was actually quite quick to learn herself. She remembered the pleasure when Kimaris rolled her clitoris earlier. This time, her fingers had settled in straight towards the right place. Bael¡¯s voice lowered coldly as he pressed down on it with both of his hands in response. ¡°Are you now using what you have learned from another guy?¡± ¡°No¡­¡­!¡± Then, Bael held her hands up over her head before he used his other hand to rub hard against the plump, warm bud. A high-pitched scream straight away erupted from Julia¡¯s mouth, which was already sobbing at the pleasure, and quite a satisfactory light flashed across Bael¡¯s face at that same time. ¡°Yes, just like this.¡± ¡°Ha-ugh, ahng!¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Bael¡¯s tongue proceeded to lick his dry lips slowly. However, unlike her upper body, her lower part was throbbing as she was being shoved upon. As the thick glans scraped her inner walls, Julia¡¯s scream eventually grew louder and higher. How many times did she achieve climax? Finally, Bael¡¯s thrusting began to move even faster and harder. The sound of the flesh slapping against one another and the creaking of the bed instantly filled the ruined nest. ¡°Hua, please, ah! Too, fast, ah¡­!¡± Bubbling foam rose from the place where she was being pierced and rubbed upon quickly. In the end, Julia could no longer overcome the intense surge of pleasure and lost her mind at that instant. Her body, which was now droopy and weak, had eased up the movement for Bael¡¯s gigantic thing. As he held on to her quivering waist, even amidst her fainting, he accelerated his final spurt. His cock twitched like a living creature. As if it was to dig even further into the deepest as well as the purest of the wet and damp hole. ¡°Ugh!¡± Eventually, his groaning came to a stop. The splashing of fluids all over the skin that had been clinging on to each other was also cut off in an instant. The seeds that he spouted had gradually filled up Julia¡¯s narrow inner walls. Right until there was no more room left to pour into and the fluids seeped out of the hole. It was a terrifyingly pleasurable thrill that he had never even felt before. Bael¡¯s red eyes were all dyed black just like that of the inner core of hell. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Tears started trickling back from the corners of Julia¡¯s eyes, which had already been blurry since. A shade of light pink blood could be seen in full bloom right on the pure white sheet. * * * Julia opened her eyes while feeling an indescribable burning sensation between her own legs. Her vision, which had become all hazy and dried up initially, gradually became clearer as time passed. ¡°Unng, where am I¡­?¡± Her voice that had been screaming all night sounded cracked. As she struggled to stand up from the bedside, she fell on her back once again. It felt like her whole body was being ripped apart by the dull pain throbbing in her back. Julia, who had been struggling in agony, then stopped all of a sudden. ¡®I went to Berith¡¯s room last night, so why am I back here again?¡¯ Her memory was all shattered in pieces like a broken film. She had drunk the wine which he gave her, but there was a drug inside and while she was trying to run away, she suddenly found a dagger. However, an unexpected explosion had broken out in the tower¡­¡­ ¡°Ugh.¡± Julia eventually stopped thinking. It seemed like in her own vision, her hands got dyed in red. It was clinging tightly and wouldn¡¯t even disappear no matter how hard she wiped it off. Her head instantly felt like it was going to break apart. And that was the end of all her memories. Red eyes that gleamed within a pitch-black cage. Her thoughts did not last long either. She saw the icon at the top of the flashing status window. When she selected it, she saw that every option was stamped with a red dot which indicated a new notification. [Julia Vestra] STATUS ¡ã ?PROGRESS ¡ã ?SKILL ¡ã ?ITEM ¡ã ?SETTING ¡ã It was obviously clear that last night¡¯s events had a major impact on the story¡¯s progression. Julia looked around once again before she soon checked out the icon. Within the spacious bedroom, she had been the only one, who was currently lying on her back. However, since Bael was rather lazy, he did not leave the nest that far wherever he had gone away. In addition, Barbatos also came in and out more often than expected, so she could not be completely relieved after all. Julia then pressed the progress button first. Before she lost her consciousness yesterday, the first chapter in Bael as a target had come up. So, what was the actual result? CH 26.2 [?SYSTEM Story progression 20%] [The first monarch to unify the Demon Realm, the Great Evil Bael] It had been 3% when she looked at it before, so there was an exact 17% addition now. In order to reach the ending branch, she had to reach 80% of the story¡¯s overall progress. But if things were to continue like this, she had no guarantee that she would be alive until then. Moreover, no matter how she reached the ending, there was no way of knowing what would happen afterwards as well. It was due to the fact that she did not have such time to think properly since she had already been overwhelmed in the situation. But one thing was absolutely certain. The penalty for failure was death and she didn¡¯t want to die. In order to do that, she had no other choice but to cooperate with all the system¡¯s demands and proceed with the story for now¡ªwhatever it was. ¡®I was barely conscious, but last night¡­¡­¡¯ Her consciousness then shifted to her throbbing legs. Julia instantly shook her head at the thoughts that gradually followed. There was no way to check the favorability level of a target within the game. When the final chapter had eventually been reached, the types of endings were then divided by the combination of stats and favorability that got accumulated during the playing process. If it had been in the real world, she could have already run a cheat program, but in this kind of situation, it was obviously impossible. She then had no choice but to wait until the ending that depended on the game system itself. It was better not to worry too much about things that couldn¡¯t be done after all. She left her regret behind and selected SKILL up next. A huge golden tree eventually bloomed right in front of her. ¡®What is this? Have the roots been all unlocked now?¡¯ When she looked at it yesterday, the skill tree was all inactive still. But now, the roots were shining brightly. In addition, a total of three leaf-shaped skill points had appeared. She slowly zoomed in on the screen. Each branch had a different ability to specialize and there were types that could raise her basic stats too, but the ¡®Magic Stone¡¯s key¡¯ skills which had been related to magic resistance was the one that stood out as the main story of the game. It was actually possible to check all the preceding skills that determined the characteristics of a specific character. However, the final ability that was right at the top of the tree was still locked and could not be viewed under these current circumstances. She wanted to take a closer look, but she didn¡¯t have much time. She then moved to the previous window once more and this time, she clicked on ITEM instead. An item had been set alone on the screen that was originally blank. Julia pressed the description of it. [?Magic Dagger A dagger that contains the powerful magic of Grand Duke Agares. Consumption: 1] ¡°What¡­¡­¡± Julia¡¯s face was filled with doubts before it suddenly hardened. A surprisingly caring voice of Agares had crossed her mind then. ¡®This is a sword that has been loaded with my magic. Use this to stab straight into Berith¡¯s heart. Then, I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡¯ In her sparsely interrupted memory, she could see that her hand was directly piercing Berith¡¯s heart. Blood had splattered everywhere and his body slowly turned black just like ashes. ¡®Was I the one who killed him? Really?¡¯ Julia looked down at her hand all of a sudden. Her hands were white and dry¡ªwith absolutely no scars. But without her realizing it, she was already rubbing them against her thigh. A murmur began to permeate through the silent bedroom. She knew that she had to kill him. Otherwise, she would have been torn to pieces by the angry Bael as well as demons by now and she would have already died without a trace. Still, it was terrifying and scary. It was just not enough that she had fallen into the world in a game, she was also thrown into the Devil¡¯s castle and on top of that, she was afraid that she would eventually lose all of ¡®herself¡¯ as she eventually became a mere part of this unrealistic world. No, she had already passed the blame to Kimaris on the pretext that she was all too weak. Wasn¡¯t that what happened when she stabbed into Berith¡¯s heart? ¡°What should I do¡­¡­¡± Tears began filling up Julia¡¯s big eyes. She shook her head while she was still wiping off her hands. Droplets of water slowly dripped onto the white sheet. Between the guilt of her own first murder and the subsequent fear of being disqualified as a human being, the latter felt even much heavier and she was indescribably afraid. She then buried her head close to her body while crouching slightly before her chin was suddenly tugged upon. As soon as he entered inside, Bael had looked down at her face and appeared unpleasant. Right behind him were Barbatos and Lerazier who came to her view. ¡°Where are you looking?¡± ¡°What?¡± Julia, who was unaware of the situation, blinked her eyes and the tears which were trickling down her cheeks eventually reached his fingers that held her chin. Bael¡¯s eyes that saw it all sunk down with a chill. A sense of danger instantly ran up her spine. Even though they had spent the night together, it felt like they became further apart than before instead of getting even closer. She still had no idea why he was that angry¡­¡­ At the moment Bael grabbed Julia, who was trying to avoid his rather burdensome gaze, Lerazier had suddenly slumped himself right at the foot of the bed. He crossed his long legs gracefully and squinted his eyes before he started staring at Bael in return. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do continue, Master. I am just a mere spectator after all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I can instinctively feel where lust and pleasure abound.¡± Lerazier recounted the area he was in charge of and rested his chin. But even with that kind of explanation, Lerazier already knew that Bael wouldn¡¯t pay any attention to it at all. His twinkling eyes looked at Bael and Julia alternately. No matter what had transpired, he felt a strong will to stay in that place right until the end. ¡°It¡¯s not even funny at all¡­¡± Bael took his hand off Julia¡¯s face without hiding his displeasure at all. Then, he just turned around and stormed out of the bedroom. Barbatos hurriedly followed after him, but Lerazier simply remained and stared at Julia instead. CH 27.1 ¡°Hhhmmm.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to do it with you too. I think it¡¯s going to be absolutely good. But if I really do, Master will definitely kill me then.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Julia¡¯s mouth became wide open. She had just understood what Lerazier meant. He said that he instinctively felt when there might be lust and pleasure abound. ¡®Was Bael just trying to do it again?¡¯ She glanced down at the bed sheets. It was so crisp and clean that she couldn¡¯t even find any signs of last night¡¯s uproar. The mark of the dagger that had been on her neck was clearly gone as well. However, the body that had still been under the sheet was unquestionably naked. Lerazier smiled gleefully as he skimmed through her brightly crimson face. ¡°Yes, I was the one who cleaned up all the mess.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way that the Master would actually do such a complicated thing. So, you¡¯d better thank me, right?¡± Julia didn¡¯t know what to say, but she also couldn¡¯t think of any words that came to mind. Her memories of that time were all blurry, but it must have been incredibly bad anyway. Nevertheless, to think that she had shown it to another man instantly made her feel insanely ashamed. Lerazier, who giggled as he watched her blankly shed tears in blank, then continued saying to her¡ªalbeit belatedly. ¡°It was just a joke. How strong is the Master¡¯s desire for monopoly after all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But they¡¯re not all lies anyway. If it wasn¡¯t for Brother, Kimaris would have already died by now.¡± Her expression, which had grown cold earlier, stiffened awkwardly at the moment she heard Kimaris¡¯s name. It had been difficult for her to expect that the demons would divulge the truth at first, but when she got told that his well-being was in danger, she just couldn¡¯t let it go. ¡°There was no such scene like that at all. If I was the one who had been there other than that guy, I would have definitely enjoyed it all properly.¡± So much had transpired in just one day. In fact, she could barely remember what happened after she had killed Berith. Only the insanely fervent pleasures were etched deep in her mind. And the person who engraved it was probably Bael himself. Julia then slowly asked while pulling the pure white sheet up to just below her nose. ¡°What happened to Mister Kimaris?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no big deal really. He got his limbs cut off and was then put in prison. He was making a great fuss in attacking the Master with his eyes completely wheeled around all over¡ªooffff.¡± The more she listened to it, the more she couldn¡¯t understand it all. Why did the man, who was very fine until yesterday, get his limbs cut off and why did he even try to attack Bael anyway? However, one thing that eventually became more certain once she listened more to Lerazier was the fact that she had more of the feeling that Kimaris did such a thing simply for her own self. ¡®If I¡ªas a mere human¡ªwere to ask for mercy, the situation would only get even worse.¡¯ No matter how close she had become with demons, she was still only an outsider in the Demon Realm. In such a case, she could then have put him cornered back in prison once again if she recklessly acted out all on her own. And the only consolation was that his limbs would be returned to their original state since he possessed an amazing trait of resilience. Besides, she was also concerned about how Agares had dealt with her true identity after the whole thing transpired with Berith. She might have harmed even Revenna and Kimaris, who had been hiding the truth all along. ¡®I¡¯m only causing trouble to those around me right until the end¡­¡­¡¯ As she scolded herself and had her shoulders drooped helplessly, Lerazier clicked his tongue in boredom. ¡°What¡ªyou¡¯re actually calmer than I think, even after you listened to everything.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Brother told me to watch over you so that you don¡¯t run away. Well, considering your personality, I¡¯m sure that you would run away and this time, Kimaris will definitely die.¡± So, what he had mentioned to her right now was something that Barbatos told him not to say at all. It had been a good thing to be thankful for her lack of stamina and the fact of not being able to use the SIGHT feature, but was it really okay for her to just be like this still? ¡®Anyway, it was right not to take any action. Then, Mister Kimaris¡ªhe should be fine now.¡¯ It was like treading on a very thin sheet of ice. Even the slightest mistake could really plunge her down to hell. If it had been just a game, restarting would already be enough, but this was reality. The unmistakable reality where raw hostility and the weight of life could be directly felt on her own skin. ¡°Ah, I really should say this first. Revenna has gone to the Human Realm for the time being. She says that she¡¯s going to heal you.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± ¡°It became a real fuss when you were down unconscious. It was quite fun to watch the Demon Realm get overturned because of one mere human, but I still don¡¯t want to experience it twice. So, you should behave well.¡± Lerazier continued to talk about all kinds of stories to the extent that she wondered if it was really okay to just be like this. And to sum his words all up, it was said that after Berith¡¯s death, Agares used her political power which she possessed to completely rewrite the Demon Realm¡¯s records instead. To say that Estelle Vestra was the key had been a lie which got made up by the Master himself. Bael knew from the very beginning that the key was actually ¡®Julia Vestra¡¯, but Estelle was presented as a shield just in case there had been a threat to her life. It would have been inevitable at other times, but it was now clear that Julia had been the real key and Bael also tolerated Agares¡¯s remarks in the end. CH 27.2 It was a rather different story for the few high-ranking demons who had been aware of everything including Berith¡¯s case of death, but in any case, this incident eventually led Julia¡¯s real name to be found out. ¡°By the way, did you do anything big this time? How did you really calm the Master¡¯s mad rampage? In fact, I really thought that it was going to be over this time. It wasn¡¯t actually bad to live a life while running a territory, but I actually like it better now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, I owe you in my own way. And I wish I had a chance to pay it back.¡± Lerazier¡¯s fingers, which had approached her before, naturally slid down across her blushing cheeks. The ¡®opportunity to pay back¡¯ didn¡¯t seem like a particularly pleasant thing to see since he was grabbing the sheet, so Julia moved her bottom and moved back. ¡°Is it really okay to tell me everything like this? Sir Barbatos had told you not to say it¡­¡± ¡°Is Brother going to punish me? This Lerazier?¡± ¡°You two seem to get along very well.¡± ¡°Of course. My brother and I woke up in the same place at the very same time. You don¡¯t know how rare this phenomenon is in the Demon Realm.¡± It was true that she did not know of it, but it was also true that she had not been particularly curious about it. Nevertheless, Julia simply nodded her head eagerly and Lerazier seemed satisfied before he proceeded to tell her a few more other stories. When he finally became bored, he threw in the familiar young wolf and left her there. Julia, who was left all alone, could only blink her eyes blankly. ¡°¡­it¡¯s like a storm has just passed.¡± ¡°Kiingg?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± She placed the beast that was tilting its head on the floor before she quickly changed her clothes. There were two things that she was not aware of: the first being the fact that Lerazier had been greatly scolded by Barbatos immediately after leaving the room before he got kicked out to the outskirts of the Demon Realm and one more thing that belonged in Julia¡¯s item window had popped out, another useless object called ¡®Lerazier¡¯s opportunity to pay back¡¯. * * * The sound of Bael¡¯s footsteps echoed through the absolutely silent hall. The robe that was roughly draped over his shoulders dragged along the marble floor. There was no emotion that could be found amidst his hard expression¡ªas always. But strangely enough, in Bael¡¯s head, those eyes that were filled with tears had crept in slowly. ¡®Please do more¡­¡­¡¯ Those thighs that were trembling with pleasure which she couldn¡¯t completely handle. Those cheeks as well as those feverish breaths. And that opened red lips. He couldn¡¯t just handle it as he fell straight into it. Even after the unpleasant magic had subsided and he could regain consciousness, Bael still continued to covet the key¡¯s slender body. He wanted her to let out her voice more and he wanted to make it even more painful too. Her panting voice and those high-pitched screams were quite pleasing to his ears. But, why? ¡®What should I do¡­¡­¡¯ Even though she was crying just the same as last night, his mood went down in an instant. He didn¡¯t wish to see that, so he was simply going to force her mouth shut. He certainly would have already done it if no one else had intervened. However, the moment he met with that woman¡¯s large eyes, he felt alien even to himself until he thought that he should close his eyes at least once. There were many times when he was swept away by whims, but he never recalled an outcome that ended up in anything other than death itself. ¡®Why¡ª¡¯ Just because he had been a demon and she was the key? So did that mean the red magic which flowed through that body of his was attracted even to the shards of that hateful Demon God unknowingly? At that moment, Bael¡¯s eyes became wild like a wild beast before Barbatos, who had been following him, proceeded to shout out hastily. ¡°Master!¡± His hair ruffled uncontrollably as heran along. It was because of the fact that Bael¡¯s pace had been much faster than usual. He looked like he was being chased by something. It would have sounded like nothing if one knew even just a little about their King, but Barbatos had truly felt that way. Anyway, he eventually decided to ask the most important thing first. ¡°What the hell had happened to you back in the tower?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The other demons didn¡¯t really notice it, but I definitely felt it all. I could feel a different wave than the usual right from the magic stone. Was that the reason Master¡¯s rampage had been so out of control?¡± Bael¡¯s rampage was truly normal. The one and only King of the Demon Realm, the Great Conqueror, Bael, wanted more magical power in accordance with the instinct of the demons and at the end of it all was the power of the Demon God. But this time, something was rather different. He also felt it himself as he stood all the way in front of his bedroom while stopping a storm of magical powers that had been rushing in only to reduce any damages inflicted to the castle. ¡°Usually, the amplification of magic would gradually subside just by touching the key, but this time, you had to spend the whole night trying to calm yourself down!¡± Then, Bael had stopped walking. Barbatos could feel the King¡¯s red gaze fixed on him and instantly knelt down on one of his knees before bowing his head in response. The King¡¯s mighty energy flowed right in front of his nose. However, it had been so calm and stable that it was absolutely incomparable to the moment before. So, he could feel that the magical energy which had already overflowed through the vessel was now fully under control. And it was inimitable to the time when Bael had simply touched the key too. Even if all the keys that were weak at that time didn¡¯t die, he still wanted to recommend them periodically¡­¡­ ¡°It was definitely strange.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How much longer do we have to wait for the magic stone to move?¡± In order to absorb the power of the Demon God, he had to disarm all of the magic circles on the floor within the hall and pull the magic stone out from the altar. The tower was actually a kind of cage for suppressing the demons. In other words, it could also be seen as a watchman to keep intact the power of the Demon God itself. Barbatos, who thought of Bael¡¯s self monologue as a rebuke, prostrated once again. ¡°Forgive me. This Barbatos will definitely find out how to use the key by any means in haste.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Bael, who had the corners of his lips twisted ever so slightly, moved his steps once again. Nevertheless, Barbatos did not follow him any longer this time. CH 28.1 Invader of the Demon Castle (1) ¡®No, no! Please¡­¡­!¡¯ It was midwinter when a sharp blizzard had suddenly raged all across Vestra. Julia had been pursuing Legion with all her might as he was being dragged away by the soldiers. A trail of red bloodstains were clearly drawn under his limp feet. Julia continued to follow him with all her strength right until her very last breath. But the huge door, which had swallowed Legion, coldly shut itself before her eagerly outstretched hand. ¡®Open up, please!¡¯ She plopped down in front of the tightly closed door and cried endlessly. It was utterly unknown where the power for that endless cry had come from within that small body and perhaps that was the first time in her life. Nevertheless, the Emperor as well as Estelle¡¯s own expressions while watching the scene unfurled had been as spotless as the finest porcelain. Right behind Julia¡¯s back, she could hear the Emperor¡¯s command. She was dragged and thrown before the Emperor with her arms all bound by the soldiers. Drip, drip. Droplets of tears trickled onto the clean floor that was all covered with ivory marble. The Emperor merely looked at her and clicked his tongue in displeasure. On behalf of her father, the First Princess, Estelle Vestra, eventually stepped forward. She looked down at Julia who was already on all fours on the floor with such revolted eyes. ¡®No matter how ugly you are, as a member of the Imperial Family, you have to always retain your basic dignity.¡¯ ¡®Please save Legion. He did nothing wrong at all.¡¯ ¡®Nothing wrong? Are you really saying that now?¡¯ Her eyes that were colder than the wind blowing outside had pierced directly towards Julia. As she was unable to merely don a single proper coat, her slender body had shrunken even smaller while she was still shedding her continuous tears. She hated herself so much for the fact that she couldn¡¯t even save her precious friend and she knew that the thorny road he had to tread upon would be more painful than the pain which she was feeling as of now. So, she could just cry unceasingly instead. ¡ªblankly¡­¡­ ¡°Hey, Julia?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± ¡°Is it not to your taste? Although I was the one who went all over the human realm to get it.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s delicious.¡± Julia woke up from her nostalgia and immediately loosened her stiff face. Right in front of her were the delicacies that Revenna had obtained by going to Abeldishim, the capital of Vestra, which spread out plentifully. ¡°Small key, what is this? It¡¯s not like you can¡¯t eat any human food.¡± ¡°Do you think that I brought it only for you to eat? Hands off¡ªright now.¡± ¡°You want some, little key?¡± ¡°Uhhh!¡± Even though it had been a huge table for several people to sit around, Agares and Revenna were still seated close to each other with Julia right in between them. It all started when Julia recalled her old memories while looking at human food. When she had been confined in the Abandoned Palace, she would sometimes envy Estelle who could dine or chat away with the noble ladies. Twinkling lace tablecloths and pretty peers of the same age. Sets of fully decorated plates and the joyful, high-pitched sounds of laughter. As she sat crouching in the Abandoned Palace while looking downwards at everything, Julia used to close her eyes and imagine what it would feel like if only she was physically there. It seemed like a passing story, but Revenna immediately sent a familiar to call upon Agares. And the final result was eventually this. ¡°I¡¯ve made the wrong choice! I should have called another one!¡± ¡°Who¡ªKimaris that has already been imprisoned? Lerazier, who has been kicked out to the border for using his mouth uselessly? Or should I just call Barbatos to make it all tasteless somehow?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Revenna puffed up her cheeks and put some food on Julia¡¯s plate then. According to Julia¡¯s own standards, it was ultimately too much to eat all day long, but Agares still dragged along another plate towards her as if it wasn¡¯t enough at all. It was a slightly different dinner party than what Julia had ever seen, but she still felt happy nonetheless. ¡°Just pass it on to me slowly, please. I seriously can¡¯t eat it all.¡± ¡°Are you really okay? If you truly can¡¯t eat it, do you want to leave it then?¡± ¡°Still, you¡¯ve traveled all this far¡­ so, umm, I¡¯ll eat everything!¡± Julia picked up the knife and fork that had been set with her eyes firmly lit. In the demon¡¯s eyes, her light style of eating was not very satisfying indeed, but what could they truly do? In fact, this was the second time that Revenna, who had already kept a pile of preserved food, airlifted a proper dinner from the human world. At first, Julia ate recklessly according to the demon¡¯s standards as she could not refuse at all. Then, the same Julia, who had eaten it all, eventually lay ill for an entire week. It became an added bonus since Barbatos, who was secretly planning for Bael and Julia¡¯s very own next affair, had gotten very angry at the whole thing. So, they had no other choice but to be content with her way of eating them little by little. The well-roasted lamb ribs were cut into small pieces and she munched on it like a squirrel. Agares, who was just about to poke her soft cheek without even realizing it, slowly lowered her finger once again when she saw Revenna¡¯s eyes glaring openly from the other side. Still, it was hard for her to give up, so she just licked her lips instead. CH 28.2 Invader of the Demon Castle (2) [?Agares As expected, humans should like human food better. So small, soft and very cute¡­¡­] The SIGHT function, which had been silent for quite a while, started to work again¡ªprobably due to the increase in her stamina. Julia, who had her shoulders suddenly stiffened, quickly pressed the SKIP button and continued to focus on her own meal. ¡®Still, it got changed because of the skill level.¡¯ After much deliberation, Julia eventually decided to use her skill points to raise her basic stats. This was due to the fact that the magic resistance skills were using a large amount of HP only as a basis. As it was the only stat that would be infinitely filled and an essential element to target Bael, Julia did not think about other factors and solely focused on her magic resistance in return. Therefore, she decided to use one leaf to increase the HP gauge, another leaf to increase the amount of HP/SP recovery per hour and one more leaf for the active skill called ¡®resistance transition¡¯. [?Resistance Transition Lv.1 The range of magic resistance can be expanded for a certain period of time. Consumes 50% of remaining HP. SP 30] ¡®Yes, it¡¯s only just a little bit, but it is still a few steps away¡­¡­¡¯ As she progressed to a higher level of skills, the range gradually became wider and wider. The top-level skill that was still hidden would then probably allow her to use a much broader range in total. When she nodded her head proudly, she picked up the fork once again along with Agares and Revenna¡¯s cheering. Just out of the parlor window, she could see several high-level demons, whom she had only known of their faces, flying about in haste. ¡°Uh, what¡¯s going on?¡± When Julia¡¯s fork paused itself, the two demons wrinkled their brows in disappointment. They then glanced out the window and simply shrugged. ¡°Well, there¡¯s not really anything these days anyway.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a powerful demon¡¯s seed being born somewhere? Since the Master had gone on a rampage in the tower, the underground magic must have fluctuated once again?¡± ¡°But there¡¯s going to be only 72 demons still.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re surprisingly smart, aren¡¯t you?¡± When a powerful demon opened its eyes for the first time, they would scatter a wave of magical power that corresponded to it. It wasn¡¯t even unusual to see the militant demons who began waiting for such a signal in order to compete with each other. Even if they did fight, at times like this, they were in such perfect harmony. Julia also relaxed her surprised face and started letting out a small smile. But the peace did not last for long. ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡± ¡°Who is that? Isn¡¯t that Lerazier?¡± The demons that had just flown out were returning home while carrying someone who had fainted. Trails of blood were dripping from the tips of the black wings that had fallen helplessly and its limbs that dangled down had nowhere which did not get burned at all. It was a horrific look that appeared just like a corpse. Considering the wonders of the demon¡¯s resilience, this image was almost impossible. Even Revenna and Kimaris, who had lost their appearance due to severe torture, recovered their original appearance just within two or three days. ¡®Besides, Lord Lerazier is the 14th demon, so why?¡¯ The first to react was Commander Agares. She spread out her huge wings and slowly patted Julia¡¯s cheek. ¡°It¡¯s nothing big, so just be quiet, little key.¡± Then, she looked at Revenna for a moment. With a gentle nod from her head, Agares then flew out from the terrace at once. Julia had suddenly lost her appetite. It wasn¡¯t even because she saw the blood or someone who had been with her just left. ¡®Do continue, Master. I am just a mere spectator after all.¡¯ ¡®I can instinctively feel where lust and pleasure abound.¡¯ After such a long night then, when she opened her eyes for the first time, Bael was just looking at her in extreme anger for some reason. His hand had gripped her chin with such great strength and his eyes were horribly dark. There had been men who never liked women who cried, so there must have been enough demons who didn¡¯t like humans crying as well. ¡®Lord Lerazier must have saved me then.¡¯ He must have taken the risk and met with Bael¡¯s wrath instead. When she froze all of a sudden, Revenna leaned closer next to her and tilted her head. ¡°Why? Even if it¡¯s just the two of us, we can simply call Bottis¡­ No, I hate that baldhead.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t Lord Lerazier have the ability to heal his wounds?¡± ¡°No? He¡¯s the one who has been the most aggressive among us, so if he gets hurt even just a little bit, the whole castle will roll around.¡± Revenna recalled the past in joy and closed her mouth in an instant. It would have meant that it was not normal for Lerazier to return to the castle in such a miserable state since he could not really recover at all, so she easily gave out a hint that the situation had been strange as well. In the end, Julia stomped her feet and silently looked into Revenna¡¯s eyes. It was because her habit of being imprisoned in Vestra was still embedded there. Knowing that, Revenna let out a deep sigh and rose to her feet first. ¡°Would you like to go there together?¡± ¡°Would that be okay¡­¡­¡± ¡°Did I ever get orders from the Master to lock you up?¡± Upon hearing Revenna¡¯s words, Julia¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. Julia left the room without any further delay and Revenna, who used her magic to clean the table up, eventually followed her straight ahead. * * * The huge central hall of the Demon King¡¯s Castle was in such a mess. To be precise, the curses and screams that Lerazier had spat out echoed before they sharply pierced the eardrums. ¡°Damn, who was that person? How dare¡ªto this me!¡± ¡°What happened, Lerazier.¡± ¡°You should have seen it in person! That damn human, ahhh!!¡± The skin from the bottom of his neck had been completely burned and Lerazier, who already had a ghastly face, could not bear it any longer as he let out a scream that was mixed with pain. Barbatos gave his brother some magic to heal him, but a blue wave that felt somewhat different from magic resistance was preventing Lerazier from being healed. Barbatos looked downwards on it with his forehead wrinkled slightly. Meanwhile, Julia, who had crossed the wide castle within Revenna¡¯s arms, finally reached the hall. However, the atmosphere was rather unusual. Although there had not been that many, some highest-ranking demons, including Agares and Barbatos, were all gathered around. And all of them had such serious faces. CH 29.1 ¡°The entrance to the Demon Realm must have been closed, so how could a mere human get inside?¡± ¡°Is there a traitor inside then?¡± ¡°The door had been tightly closed by the Master himself. No matter how many traitors there are, they won¡¯t be strong enough at all. It seems like the human being who got enlightened this time is far more impressive than I thought.¡± Barbatos, who muttered softly, eventually got up. No matter how much magical power was injected, Lerazier¡¯s body just couldn¡¯t accept it. Therefore, to continue in doing so would just be a waste of time then. ¡°What about that human then?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Okay, just get some rest.¡± Despite Barbatos¡¯s question, Lerazier remained silent as he turned his head away. The one who had been kicked out for speaking needlessly was now shutting his own mouth, so the result appeared rather obvious. Barbatos beckoned and a familiar eventually appeared before it lifted Lerazier carefully. Amongst the remaining demons, opinions soon became divided as to the purpose of the human¡¯s sudden invasion into the Demon Realm. Julia, who had been watching the scene from the top of the stairs, became unable to move as she froze. When Barbatos asked Lerazier about the intruder, she had read the words which he had not been able to say with her own SIGHT function. [?Lerazier I couldn¡¯t even brush my finger against him. That little snub-nosed punk who is only around 20 years old!] When humans had reached the status of a Sword Master, their lifespan would then increase dramatically. They would also look much younger than their actual age and although she had never seen one in person before, she did hear that the two Sword Masters on the continent appeared like they were only in their early 30s, even though they had already been over two hundred years old. ¡®They said that the third Sword Master got enlightened in this war. A blonde warrior who has just turned 20¡ªwith no nationality or even status.¡¯ An ominous feeling instantly flashed through Julia¡¯s mind. He wouldn¡¯t have really come here, right. There was no way¡­¡­ Revenna softly tapped her shoulder as she was chewing on her lips. ¡°Julia, aren¡¯t you going?¡± ¡°The atmosphere is¡­ I don¡¯t think I should be here.¡± ¡°You are Master¡¯s, no matter what anyone says, do you not know that there is a much stronger protection than just this?¡± Revenna was trying to encourage her in her own way, but unfortunately, it didn¡¯t help Julia at all. In fact, she was currently under Bael¡¯s watch as she had disobeyed his order and was now punished for going out of bed against his will. ¡®I can¡¯t really believe it since humans lie just like breathing. I¡¯ll have to wait and see, so stay in my nest from now onwards. If you don¡¯t want to be tied down, you¡¯d better be very quiet.¡¯ At that moment, the blood on Julia¡¯s fingertips as she was recalling Bael¡¯s terrifying expression, suddenly drained out. A bad thought immediately flashed through her mind. ¡®If the intruder was truly Legion, he would then do anything to find me. But if he ever runs into Bael, what will happen to Legion then?¡¯ From the day they had a relationship together, it was fortunate that Bael did not force anything at all. Still, right after the sun went down, she had to stay in the nest where his eyes could always be in reach. The demons who had experienced Bael¡¯s severe magic rampage took it for granted, but those who did not know the circumstances would certainly think that it was a tad bit strange. They said that the Princess who was taken away like a slave had been locked up in the Demon King¡¯s bed for every night and couldn¡¯t get out at all. Her vision suddenly went black. The cold that cut into her flesh like a knife and the blood that had dyed the white snow-covered floor in crimson red¡­¡­ ¡®It will be like that time yet again.¡¯ Julia unknowingly stumbled and leaned against the railing. Even though she had been standing on such an ordinary staircase, the memory of that day was etched into her mind like an afterimage that could never be erased. ¡°Do you know where the Demon King is right now?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really feel his presence in the castle, but maybe he hasn¡¯t gone too far yet?¡± Bael¡¯s magical power had been enormous and he did not even try to hide his mighty power as well, so the demons could easily guess where he was. After hearing Revenna¡¯s answer, Julia gently nodded her head. ¡°It would be better to go in early for today. There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask the Demon King¡­¡± ¡°Well, it looks like the Demon Realm is going to be noisy for a while, so that place should actually be safer? But please, if you could just tell me, you don¡¯t have to wait until night, right?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not really a big deal.¡± There was a fleeting hesitation, but the quick-witted Revenna knew that it wasn¡¯t the kind of thing which she could actually listen to. Revenna then casually nodded her head and grabbed Julia¡¯s hand before tugging her out, which made it the end of the day¡¯s short outing. * * * It was King¡¯s spacious bedroom. As she sat in the corner, Julia looked out the window where the setting sun was sinking with such an anxious face. After returning early during the day, she had been listening to the news of the outside world. She wondered if Bael had gone back to the tower again or what if someone else had returned just almost like a corpse like Lerazier or in fact, if there was at least one news story about the one who broke through the gate of the Demon Realm had truly been Legion himself? But right until the sun went down, it was just quiet as usual and at the same time, she felt a sense of relief while feeling rather fatigued too. ¡°I feel quite dizzy¡­¡± Her pulse was slow and she was now about to rest her head briefly. But from the outside of the hallway, a set of slow thumping yet heavy footsteps could be heard. That was ultimately Bael. She quickly raised her body from the chair. Then, she put on a bright face so that she wouldn¡¯t be showing any pain. It was fortunate that he had not been in his rampaging state. If that had been the case, her request would not have been accepted either way. The door eventually opened, but Bael entered without paying any attention to Julia who was currently looking at him. Even Barbatos, who was following behind him, just closed the door as if she was invisible and went straight inside. CH 29.2 Julia, who was just about to open her mouth as she was given Bael¡¯s robe, eventually seated herself quietly first so as not to offend the nerves of those two demons. ¡°Master, do you know that the gates of the Demon Realm have been opened?¡± Barbatos threw a bomb right from his very first word. Julia immediately gulped in her breath without realizing it. ¡°Some humans tried to force open the entrance. So, I simply opened it myself.¡± ¡°You opened it yourself, may I ask why?¡± ¡°If one were to leave it as it is, it¡¯s definitely going to be a bother for a few days.¡± ¡°Aahh¡­¡­¡± Although his own brother had been so badly injured, Barbatos did not even retaliate against the King for opening the door. He even seemed relieved that things were now going under control once again. ¡®Maybe one day will come when I can truly understand a demon¡¯s way of thinking.¡¯ Julia shook off her thoughts and quietly listened to their conversation. Barbatos then continued. ¡°I heard from Lerazier that the purpose of the human is presumed to be here itself, the Master¡¯s Castle. It looks like he wants to play the hero, so what do we have to do?¡± ¡°A Sword Master who just got advanced?¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Bael leisurely crossed the room and headed towards the window where he could see the Demon God¡¯s Tower. He then mumbled softly as he tapped on the tightly closed window with his fingertips. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to come all the way here without a problem, but if they do come¡­¡± After a brief silence, the King¡¯s insensitive voice began to echo throughout the room. ¡°I can then enjoy a rather short game instead.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take measures so that the others don¡¯t touch it.¡± Julia¡¯s shoulder twitched slightly. In fact, she was actually planning to borrow Revenna¡¯s familiar and ask Legion to return to the Human Realm immediately, but with this kind of development, Legion would definitely be brought right in front of Bael himself. ¡®No matter how much a Sword Master is able to defeat the Demon King by any means, I still have to get him to run away somehow¡­¡­¡¯ Then, a dialogue window popped up in front of her. [?Barbatos It seems that the human¡¯s purpose is not just to play the hero though.] He was quick-witted and seemed to intuit the correlation between the two humans just by Julia¡¯s ever so slight reaction. Julia looked at the disappearing window and straightened her back. It was simply enough for her who failed to protect her friend because of her own fault once. No, she actually deserved to feel guilty for her whole life, even if it had just happened for once. Bael and Barbatos ended the conversation after a few more short words. Barbatos, who was now leaving the bedroom, took notice of Julia, who had just been sitting nearby, and their eyes eventually met. She opened her mouth without realizing it in response. ¡°I¡­¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a story that I wished to hear, but I didn¡¯t have a clue at all. I¡¯ll go somewhere else next time. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Barbatos did not answer for a while. She bowed her head before looking up timidly, but in fact, her eyes were showing that she actually wanted to hear all sorts of strange things. ¡°What can you do by listening to Master and myself anyway?¡± ¡°However¡­¡­¡± ¡°Besides, you won¡¯t be able to leave the castle alive, so there¡¯s no need to waste time being on guard unnecessarily anyhow.¡± The voice that loomed over Julia¡¯s head was cold, but it wasn¡¯t really his intention to dig up on her wounds. From Barbatos¡¯s own standpoint, he was just telling the truth. He simply left the King¡¯s bedroom while leaving behind her increasingly blurry gaze. The door soon closed and Julia glanced at Bael¡¯s back where he was sitting by the window. He was staring at the tower as usual as if he had no interest in what was actually happening within the nest. ¡®My heart is¡­¡­¡¯ When she and Bael were left all alone, the imprint would then elicit a strange sensation as if it was asserting its existence. Maybe it was a kind of pressure to complete the contract without ever thinking much. ¡®Make me the Demon God. Whatever method it is then, I¡¯ll be happy to accept you as the key¡ªwith pleasure.¡¯ ¡®You can never escape. Your body, even a single strand of that hair of yours.¡¯ His sneering voice had crossed her mind. Julia suppressed her thumping heart as she cautiously approached him from behind. With another few steps left, she paused and waited for him to turn around. She had noticed that he was also being slightly influenced by herself, the small human, so he would have definitely known that she was approaching. Sure enough, he briskly asked while still not paying much attention. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I have a request for the Demon King.¡± Julia, who took a deep breath, carefully opened her mouth. She needed a chance to meet Legion without anyone¡¯s eyes looking at all¡ªin order to send him back to the human world. ¡°I would like to go back to the room which I used to use. It¡¯s just for a while.¡± The red eyes that were fixed outside the window slowly shifted towards her. It felt as if she was thrown naked in front of him even when she had only been given a silent stare. ¡°The reason being.¡± ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m quite tired and I would like to sleep alone.¡± She didn¡¯t expect him to even ask the reason. She had not known Bael for a long time, but he was basically not interested in anyone at all. Even on the day she was taken away by Berith, the Demon Realm had been in chaos due to the explosion that occurred in the tower, yet he did not even blink. It was an excuse that she provided in a hurry, but she thought that it made sense in its own way. However, his forehead became wrinkled as if he simply couldn¡¯t understand it. CH 30.1 ¡°Aren¡¯t you already sleeping alone enough by now?¡± ¡°That is so, but¡­¡± Julia pretended to look around the bed while avoiding Bael¡¯s gaze. He never needed any physical contact when he wasn¡¯t on a rampage, so the left corner of the bed just naturally became her own side of it. It might have been just a corner. But for Julia, who was already small in stature, the bed had become the size of a playground where she could simply roll over without any worries. And Bael merely pointed that out. ¡°You looked very comfortable nonetheless.¡± ¡°Actually, I tend to sleep a little bit¡­ that, that¡ªwere you watching me when I was asleep?¡± ¡°It would be even stranger if I wasn¡¯t aware of it when it had happened on my own bed.¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Julia tried to keep her face together when it was already burning up for no apparent reason. Her heart felt as if it had been in Bael¡¯s hand because of the engraving. Even a small change could not have been not noticed by him, who was sensitive. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m quite sure that you¡¯d allow it¡­¡± ¡°When did I, though?¡± He seemed to have a disposition of not letting go of whatever that was already in his grasp. His eyes, which had originally been piercing since earlier, gleamed even more horribly. Thanks to this, Julia¡¯s shoulders, which were just trying to claim her right to a good quality sleep, began shrinking little by little. ¡°Aren¡¯t you uncomfortable with me? I, a mere human being, have invaded the Demon King¡¯s nest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t been to the tower these days, so your magic seems to be rather stable. Therefore, I¡¯m thinking that I won¡¯t be needed for a while¡­¡± Then, there was a long shadow looming over Julia¡¯s head while she continued to speak her words timidly, but confidently in her own way. Afterwards, Bael had already gotten up from the window and stood right in front of her all of a sudden. He did not even pay any attention to her flinching in surprise as he simply grabbed Julia¡¯s chin straight away. Then, he stared at her with eyes that were trying to grasp her true intentions. ¡°De, Demon King?¡± ¡°What a strange thing to say. It would be much more convenient if you were just locked up somewhere.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m tired.¡± He murmured softly before grabbing Julia by the waist and headed for the bed. She thought that he would straight away lie down as usual. But instead, Bael glanced at her exposed shoulders and took off his robe before draping it over her head. Due to the huge difference between the height of the two of them, it immediately dragged down to her feet even though it was being worn right on top of her head first. Anyway, after completing his own handiwork(?), he snatched Julia once again and laid down on the bed. At the same time, Julia, who was already lying next to him as the surroundings fell silent, carefully lifted the robe and looked back to the spot that was right next to her. Bael had his eyes closed as he heaved out a rather long sigh. His slightly wrinkled forehead seemed to display his state of fatigue as well. ¡®I think that Bael also has been strongly influenced by the engraving more than I thought.¡¯ When she brushed against him, she felt an electric current running through her spine. The sensation quickly split into smaller parts before spreading all over her body like a splash. Actually, it wasn¡¯t a very good feeling which eventually made her think that it might have just been a side effect of the engraving at first. However, within this Demon Realm, magic itself is a rather universal thing. Thus, there was actually no way to tell if it was truly just a side effect. Even if she were to ask around, everyone would just roll their eyes with responses like they hadn¡¯t any slightest idea in return¡­¡­ ¡®Anyway, they didn¡¯t say no either, so it¡¯ll probably be fine.¡¯ If he didn¡¯t like her talking about changing her sleeping place, Bael would have definitely spoken about it earlier with that kind of personality of his. Julia slowly rolled her body under his heavy arms and lay down while looking at the ceiling. Then, she looked carefully next to her and stumbled upon Bael¡¯s sleeping face straight away. His loosely shut eyes, sculpted nose and slightly thick lips were all neatly closed. It was definitely cool yet beautiful. Objectively, his face was absolutely up to Julia¡¯s taste. ¡®It would be nice if I could just live with a comfortable face such as this.¡¯ A subtle feeling rose as she gazed at the still sleeping Bael. It was a little sad to only possess such a wonderful face. She wished to see this face with a smile at least once as well. But perhaps, that wouldn¡¯t be happening, though. ¡°Good night, Demon King.¡± Julia quietly closed her eyes while searching for a rather comfortable position. And thus, the night of the Demon King¡¯s castle was finally over. * * * The sound of a fierce battle rang through the dry and devastated land. Whenever the blue flash cut through the air, the blood of beasts would soon be scattered everywhere. While the wizard was striking upon the shield, the archer who had been supporting the rear quickly fired those poison-coated arrows like rain. Nevertheless, there was no end to the hordes of beasts that were flocking all around them. Since a number of humans had suddenly appeared on the outskirts of the Demon Realm, a land where there was no proper thing to eat at all. In addition, these humans were deemed to be very fresh and tasty¡ªalong with the existence of their supernatural powers too. ¡°Damn¡ªwhen the hell is it truly going to end?¡± ¡°That ghastly devil bastard had done such a terrific thing indeed!¡± ¡°If I run into him again, I will never let him go!¡± The man who threw a chakram towards the running beast grinded his teeth. At the end of that gaze, there was the Sword Master, Legion, who had completely opened up his mana as he turned the whole surrounding area into a complete wasteland. He rose to fame as a Sword Master during a bloody battle with the demons. Nevertheless, as soon as the war was over, he headed straight to Abeldishim, the capital of Vestra. And it was actually to recover the name which was so familiar to them, Princess Julia Vestra. The allies who had each owed their own lives to Legion eventually followed in his footsteps. They wondered what kind of woman that Legion was so hung up about, but above all else, they simply wanted to see him truly happy. She was the only condition of happiness to Legion, who had been wallowing in the mud for all of his life. ¡°Everyone, crouch down your head!¡± ¡°Hey, Legion?¡± Legion, who firmly put his sword down right on the barren floor, slowly concentrated his blue mana in both hands. His sword then began to scatter a flash of light like hot iron, along with a crackling, electric splutter. The moment when everyone¡ªexcept for him¡ªjumped into the wizard¡¯s defense, the land, which had been infested with those numerous beasts, instantly collapsed in a powerless manner just like crumbs. The sound of rocks and beasts that had fallen through the fissures of hell with its reddish jaws open wide rang out loudly. With the exception of the place where Legion was currently standing, the whole area had turned into chaos. Right beneath the magic circle that flashed transparently in the air, they could all see the devastation even at a single glance. ¡°As expected, Legion is amazing¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s our Captain.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The four humans who had followed him down to the Demon Realm all nodded at once. The blue light that had brightly lit the atmosphere of the Demon Realm eventually faded away, but only after a long time. CH 30.2 His companions then gathered behind him, who had drawn his sword before securing his mana neatly. ¡°Legion, are you okay?¡± ¡°You definitely did it brilliantly. Still, I don¡¯t know if this is actually enough to be seen right from the Demon King¡¯s Castle though?¡± ¡°Yes, I just wish it did.¡± Right under the short blonde hair, his blue eyes shone clearly. His gaze was looking up at the dark red sky of the Demon Realm with such apparent longing. When Legion and his companions slipped through the cracks in the Demon Realm, unfortunately, there was already a demon who presumably of a high rank nearby. The demon, whose eyes were slightly lowered and appeared rather unpleasant, had not been able to overcome Legion¡¯s sword as he ran away, but he sprinkled a lot of high-purity magic to entice those beasts instead. Thanks to that, their feet got tied immediately and they were struggling for a while. Finally, after a short break, his companions sank to the floor helplessly. Legion, who had used his mana up close to the limit when he had just transcended before, sighed deeply before taking a seat on the nearby rock. ¡°I came here with a single purpose, but it¡¯s absolutely hard as expected.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be giving up though. Isn¡¯t that right, Captain?¡± ¡°Of course. Julia is waiting for me.¡± Finally, he was standing under the same sky as herself. She had been the only jewel in the world that made it possible for him to survive and move on even amidst the battlefield where every single day was just utterly terrifying. When he first heard that Julia had been taken to the Demon Realm, it felt like everything was going to crumble to pieces. She was born miserable and had always been looked down on with contempt. On top of that, she had been brutally kicked out of the world just because she was descended from Ingrem V. The person who should be held responsible was doing just as well as usual, in such a way that the tragedy was actually no one¡¯s at all. It was his companions and the two Sword Masters whom Legion had become acquainted with right on the battlefield that eventually stopped Legion himself, who got angry as he immediately wanted to turn the Imperial Castle into ruins. As the news was heard, they ran straight to Vestra and carefully pointed out the place where there was a gap in the Demon Realm. Then, they carefully voiced their opinions. ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure that this went rather well. Even if a Sword Master were to belong to a country, the work would only increase. And how much would that trouble you if the weak Princess were to take advantage of you then?¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t fate actually a miracle itself? I think that happiness comes after hard work and the fact that you can still achieve your childhood dream even now. If you succeed in saving the Princess, you can then stay anywhere in the countryside and live there quietly.¡¯ ¡®Ah, in that manner, just be happy so you won¡¯t regret it later. And also, do contact me when the time comes¡­¡­¡¯ It had been true that the lifespan of a Sword Master was not as infinite as that of a demon¡¯s, but it could still be seen as absurdly long compared to some ordinary humans. The two Sword Masters who transcended previously appeared like they had been in their early 30s, even though they were already over 200 years old. Legion had no choice but to just nod his head without uttering another word at their nagging jokes that ultimately asked him to come to them after Julia¡¯s death. ¡°If everyone has already rested, shall we just get a move? It¡¯s going to be difficult once the beasts are here again.¡± ¡°No, wait a minute. I have something that I want you guys to listen to first.¡± Legion stood up and grabbed a hold of his companion who was just about to get up before starting to walk away. ¡°From now onwards, it would be better for me to move on my own. You all should return to the Human Realm.¡± ¡°I thought that the matter had already been settled before. Of course it won¡¯t be comparable to you as a Sword Master, but each of us has the strength of one unit to spare.¡± ¡°But this is only the outskirts of the Demon Realm. The closer you get to the center, the more powerful those beasts and demons¡­¡± ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t you be needing one more hand to save your precious Princess?¡± After a brief moment of silence, Legion shook his head. Right after opening a rift in the Demon Realm along with all kinds of hardship, they had butted heads countless of times. Legion wished to send them all back, but they still wanted to follow alongside Legion himself. The talk was then muddled by the sudden appearance of those disgusting demons yet Legion still thought that it had already been time to send them back. And that was the way it should be. ¡°If any situation arises, I will definitely choose Julia without any hesitation¡ªand not you.¡± ¡°I know. So, you¡¯re welcome to use us freely.¡± ¡°But I¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Legion. Your dream is our dream too. We will save the Princess whom you really love at any cost. Since, in a way, we were saved by her as well.¡± At that moment, Aaron, who had been silently listening in to their conversation, got up and dusted himself off before tapping Legion¡¯s chest with the tip of his staff. He had been a talented person who was just about to become an Archwizard¡ªan equivalent status to a Sword Master in the magic world. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to that guy. If it really gets dangerous, he¡¯ll definitely leave you alone before running away quickly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m really serious, so don¡¯t feel so burdened after all. Though, it is a bit unfortunate that I wouldn¡¯t be able to meet your Julia before going back.¡± CH 31.1 As Aaron eventually reached a certain level as a wizard, his judgment became quite superior to that of the others. He feared the certainty that they would definitely be helpful in the outskirts of the Demon Realm, but in the long run, they would then be clutching onto Legion¡¯s ankles amidst the monster-infested center instead. As a matter of fact, it wasn¡¯t just Aaron who had thought of it that way. He then wickedly curled the corners of his mouth and looked back at the rest of his companions. ¡°These guys, they just feel heartbroken since they couldn¡¯t go with you right until the end, so they¡¯re just ranting for nothing actually.¡± ¡°Ugh! Don¡¯t just use that creepy mind-reading skill of yours at times like this¡­¡± The man who had made the loudest noise in the group was scratching the back of his head shyly. Everyone laughed along, but the amicable atmosphere did not last very long. It was due to the group of beasts who eventually discovered them had begun to gather once again. ¡°Damn, they¡¯re not giving us any break.¡± ¡°If we keep going like this, there will be no end. I will clear the road as far as I can with my magic, so you just focus on running with all your might.¡± ¡°Will you be okay though?¡± ¡°Since the atmosphere is truly full of magical power, it¡¯s actually my first time ever being able to use this power so easily. I think I can now understand why people are always so reluctant to be wizards. To actually be alive again¡ªin hell.¡± Aaron, who smiled bitterly, fixed his staff and straight away concentrated his power at the end. The dense magical energy that dissolved in the atmosphere eventually gathered together as if it was simply obeying his spell. He then smiled as he shook his head. ¡°Goodbye, my friend.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Legion could not answer, but he just looked back at the faces of his companions one by one instead. Everyone made eye contact with him with such confident looks. In that brief moment of silence, the sincerity of his companions who had fought alongside together on the fierce battlefield touched him like a fluttering wave. ¡®Yes, let¡¯s just believe in them.¡¯ He eventually decided not to think of this as the end. The next time when he and his companions were to finally meet, they would be standing right under the beautiful sun on earth. And of course, along with Julia as well. After making up his mind, Legion looked at the direction where Aaron¡¯s staff was currently pointing at. As a signal, a magic ball of an enormous diameter was fired straight away. The beasts that were right in the path disappeared without a trace as if they all had evaporated in an instant. Aaron¡¯s attack with the tremendous magical power continued for a long time even beyond the dark red horizon. ¡°Now, Legion!¡± ¡°GOO!!¡± He straight away equipped himself with the blue sword aura all over his body and smashed the ground along the path which the magic ball had passed previously. Legion could then feel the presence of numerous beasts flocking to the place which he had just left. Nevertheless, all he could do now was to move forward with the last chance that his companions had sincerely given him. ¡®Wait for me, Julia. I¡¯m coming for you!¡¯ * * * Julia slowly opened her eyes amidst the peaceful silence. She had slept so deeply that Bael was no longer there and the sun was already rising right in the middle of the sky. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy¡­¡­¡± While suffering from low blood pressure, Julia, who had almost fallen back asleep, struggled to wake up at the sign of some presence that was just outside her door. A trail of footsteps were slowly pacing in place. Apparently, Revenna had already come over before she waited all along. It was just recently that she discovered the fact that Julia¡ªor her very own self¡ªand Barbatos had been the only two who could freely enter Bael¡¯s bedroom. After hearing that, she woke up a little early in order to get ready, but she had fallen asleep a little later than usual last night. Julia, who immediately collapsed as she tried to get up in a hurry, brushed her hair quickly and tied the waistband of her nightgown that had gone loose overnight. She didn¡¯t have to wear any specific clothes separately since Revenna would eventually choose them according to her mood that day. After a kick on the door, Julia blinked her eyes when she saw that there had been two demons and a beast standing right in front of her. Revenna, the young wolf and Barbatos were standing side by side against each other. ¡°Oh, did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Kking?¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite later than usual. I wasted some time already.¡± Julia took a step back before shutting the path door and went inside. Her big eyes were still stained with her own doubts. ¡°Uung¡­¡­?¡± Even Revenna and the young beast had understood it. It was originally a wolf cub that had been raised by Lerazier, but she eventually became close friends with it as she even named it ¡®Bero¡¯. It was actually an abbreviation from Cerberus, the famous watchdog of hell. Regardless of the fact that Bero had only one head intact. ¡®But, why Barbatos?¡¯ He was arguably the busiest demon here¡ªin the Demon King¡¯s Castle. If Agares mainly handled the work outside the nest, Barbatos performed the Demon King¡¯s duties that were both inside and outside of the castle itself. At first glance, she wondered if he even had time to sleep, but she simply couldn¡¯t figure out why he was there waiting for her. ¡®He wasn¡¯t probably waiting for me. It must have been the fact that he actually had some business with the Demon King.¡¯ Just as Julia shook her head, the door behind had suddenly opened. Barbatos¡¯s hand stuck inside and gripped the nape of her neck before hauling her out. CH 31.2 [?Barbatos You just keep on bothering me. In such a situation like this, it would be much better to fix a leash on her.] Julia, who initially struggled to escape, then calmly entrusted her body to him when the SIGHT window popped out. She didn¡¯t even think to ask him why he was suddenly doing that. She could just vaguely conjecture that it was related to the human who was currently invading the underworld. ¡®Now, I have to really prepare my heart. In regard to the possibility that the intruder was truly Legion himself¡­¡­¡¯ As she thought about him all through last night, doubts started to get piled up in her head on the other hand as well. What did it mean to be her, a Princess who was abandoned simply for being useless and ignorant? What did it then mean to be him, who had grown to be a Sword Master, but eventually threw away all his wealth and fame before plunging into the depths of this hell? Besides, she was the one who had driven him into the mud¡­¡­ ¡°Usually, you¡¯d be walking around briskly, but what¡¯s going on today?¡± ¡°Is Julia actually a dog? If you hold on to her like that, her heart would definitely wane though?¡± Revenna straight away rescued Julia by snatching her, who was already dangling by the nape of her neck. Then, as she used her magic power, she quickly dressed Julia up into an outfit. She got donned in a bright yellow mini-dress that resembled spring petals and a large ribbon was attached around her waist with a sky blue fabric. From a distance, she appeared like a yellow lily of the valley that was dangling from a large leaf. Julia hurriedly shouted ¡®sit¡¯ to Bero, who rushed towards her, while wondering if it had mistaken her for a toy before looking back at Barbatos once again. In her big eyes, Barbatos¡¯s stiffened face¡ªfor some reason¡ªwas reflected. ¡°Well, what did you come here for today? The Demon King is not inside.¡± ¡°I¡¯m keeping my eyes on you¡­ kuhk!¡± Barbatos, who had been speaking well enough, closed his mouth all of sudden. Revenna¡¯s high, pointed heels were all lodged at his feet. It looked very painful, which made Julia heave a deep breath unknowingly. At the same time, a dialogue window popped in her mind. [?Barbatos The key must be closely monitored until the reason of which the Sword Master has invaded the Demon Realm is clearly revealed. They are such a cunning and clever race that they can¡¯t be trusted at all, so you don¡¯t really know what she¡¯s actually hiding under that such innocent face.] Julia immediately changed her mind. When she swung her thumb up and showed it to Revenna, Revenna gave a seductive smile in return before twisting her heel even more strongly. * * * As the day started later than usual, time eventually passed rather quickly. Julia was still not allowed to go out of the castle, but she, who had already been weak in stamina, found it difficult to even look inside. The Demon King¡¯s Castle was huge and complex while it was all divided into districts. Nevertheless, she had wandered around a little each day yet there were still many more of it left. Julia let out a small sigh as she felt Barbatos¡¯s gaze staring straight at her from behind. ¡®It¡¯d be easy to ask for a favor if it¡¯s just me and Revenna, so what should I do?¡¯ Julia tried to borrow Revenna¡¯s familiar whenever she had the opportunity for it. All because it was her own plan to persuade Legion to leave the underworld immediately by sending him a letter. However, she could not easily open her mouth knowing that Barbatos had his eyes wide open while following her everywhere and the fact that if things were to go wrong, Revenna would not be able to avoid the consequences as well. As Julia grew restless as she tried spying on a chance, the sun quickly set. The red moon was already rising in the darkened sky of the Demon Realm. Julia looked out of the window and she stopped walking back to Bael¡¯s nest. Then, the other two demons turned towards her. ¡°Why? Do you want me to hold you if you¡¯re tired?¡± Revenna rushed towards her while being aware that Julia was just as weak as a sugar doll. Before any sound could be heard, Julia took a step back as she shook her head quickly. ¡°That¡¯s right¡ªfor the time being, I¡¯m going to stay in my room instead of the Demon King¡¯s bedroom. In order to do that, we have to separate here then¡­¡± ¡°You mean the room where you stayed in for a while? I kept managing it, but why all of a sudden anyway? Did the Master drive you out?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Barbatos, who had been following after Julia while keeping his mouth shut all day long, spoke out for the first time. Demons almost had good hearing, so he must have fully listened in to their previous conversation. For all that, the reason why he asked again contained some disapproval in it. However, Julia was not discouraged at all. ¡°I told the Demon King about it last night too.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gotten the Master¡¯s permission¡ªare you sure?¡± ¡°Yes, maybe¡­¡± When she asked him last night, Bael didn¡¯t really respond much. If he had truly refused, he would have clearly answered her. Julia then gently nodded her head. [?Barbatos That¡¯s weird. Somehow, the key is acting out at such a sensitive time. Is she finally done with her whims or is this human just spouting lies?] Again, Barbatos was suspicious. Even Julia, who was confident at first, ended up flopping like a deflated balloon in front of his direct cold gaze. [?Barbatos If it¡¯s true, it would then be absurd to bring the human back to the Master¡¯s nest. However, if it is actually false, it would be like playing around with the key¡¯s prank instead¡ªwhich is definitely a problem.] Numerous calculations were going on under the indifferent and cold expression of his. In such a case, adding more words could raise suspicion once again, so Julia just waited patiently for his thoughts to end in return. Barbatos eventually took off his monocle and rubbed his forehead in exhaustion. ¡°Just wait in your room for now. I¡¯ll ask the Master directly if that¡¯s actually true or not. And I¡¯ll also put a watchman at the door, so don¡¯t you dare think about fooling around.¡± ¡°Yes, but can I sleep with Bero instead? I¡¯m still scared and lonely by myself¡­¡± ¡°Heh heh.¡± Bero, who had received Julia¡¯s gaze, quickly approached as it wagged its tail. Unaware that Julia was already jiggling a snack behind her back, Barbatos simply nodded his head thoughtlessly this time. ¡°It follows you quite well. It¡¯s Lerazier¡¯s familiar anyway, so I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± While he looked away, Julia quickly popped the snack into Bero¡¯s mouth. Then, she gently stroked the huge young beast. CH 32.1 Since the Demon King was now absent from the castle, Barbatos placed two familiars in front of Julia¡¯s door. His familiar was an eagle the size of a human with a ferocious eyesight and a sharp beak, as if it would be stopping anything by force if she were to proceed with something annoying. After hiding behind Bero while trembling timidly, Julia could then let out a sigh of relief but only after the door was finally closed. ¡°Phew, I¡¯ve never seen such a big bird in all my life.¡± To be more precise, it was a beast rather than a mere bird. Anyway, there was no time to waste. She straight away changed into a negligee before pulling out the paper and pen which she had kept hidden in her outdoor clothes. It wasn¡¯t a particularly precious item, but amidst the current situation, it would actually feel strange to ask for it all of a sudden. Therefore, she secretly brought it along from the room while pretending to be waiting for Agares, who had already gone out on official business. There were many similar items back in Agares¡¯s office, so even if she had stolen one, it would not be noticeable at all. Julia wrote the letters line by line while making only such tiny sounds so that the eagles which were still standing guard in the hallway would not feel odd at all. [Legion, I heard that one of the Sword Masters has come down to the underworld. Is that you? Did you come here to find me? If that is really the case then, please don¡¯t waste your time anymore and go back to the Human Realm now. I won¡¯t be following you. I don¡¯t even want to meet you. I¡¯m afraid that seeing you will bring back all my miserable nightmares on earth. So, don¡¯t worry about me, don¡¯t even think of me for the rest of your life and in fact, just completely erase me from your own mind.] Julia, who was writing it down hastily, suddenly bit her lower lip. A terrifying sense of shame eventually made her lift her head. ¡®What is this? The nerve I have to actually point a finger at someone else?¡¯ When she didn¡¯t even hold onto him from leaving back when it was four years ago. No, even if she did grab his hand that was reaching out to her without hesitation¡­¡­ She had shoved her friend, who would have been free by now, straight into the mud. And it wasn¡¯t enough for the just and weak-minded Legion that she was now spitting out words that could really hurt him like this. Julia rubbed the corners of her eyes, which started to get a bit stinging, and grabbed the pen. ¡®Let¡¯s not be weak. It¡¯s already the path that I¡¯ve chosen.¡¯ The more she thought about it, the deeper the guilt that seemed to eventually sink in. Yet this was the only way that he would be aware of her own thoughts. In exchange for incriminating Legion, she would then survive. And that was not the end at all since she was starting to give her heart to the demons which Legion had been fighting with his life. She didn¡¯t have the courage to tell him the truth, so that was why she became afraid to meet Legion. ¡®I can¡¯t bear to expose myself as being so selfish and it¡¯s not good enough even if I were to just apologize for the rest of my life, but still the only one who¡¯d be happy. I¡¯m afraid of being hated by Legion himself¡­¡­¡¯ He, who was always smiling like the sun, would give her a contemptuous look in return. He would definitely hate her being amidst all of his very own enemies¡ªthe demons. Just thinking about it had made her heart ache greatly. [The fact that you are looking for me is terribly inconvenient to me. It¡¯s just so creepy and suffocating. Please, I beg of you, go back to the ground above. And don¡¯t come here again.] ¡®I don¡¯t want you to be in danger. I want you to live happily under the warm sun for a long time with my set of shares as well. And this time, don¡¯t get tied to me and be free¡­¡­¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter if the reason why everyone became nice to her was merely because she had been useful as a key. She could feel a sense of security only when she was bound by someone. She had been relieved to know that there was someone who had strongly supported her, who had been wandering all her whole life. Even if happiness was only temporary and the final end was death itself. As she bit her lip, Julia then cut the tip of her hair a little and enclosed it between her written letter. Just this afternoon, Julia saw a flash of blue light and black magic alternately flickering beyond the horizon of the Demon Realm. And each time, Barbatos and Revenna would try to keep her out from noticing it, but everything was useless in front of Julia who had already used the sight function. She could be sure that it was Legion at the end of those flashing lights. ¡°Bero, I have a little request, can you do it?¡± ¡°Kiingg?¡± ¡°If you keep going in that direction, you¡¯ll eventually run into someone, whom I¡¯d like you to deliver this to. He¡¯s a very nice warrior with bright blonde hair and blue eyes. He¡¯s very kind and caring and he¡¯s also an old friend of mine, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯d like Bero as well.¡± Bero¡¯s twinkling gaze slowly followed Julia¡¯s fingertips that were beyond the red horizon where moonlight had already fallen, right towards the place where Legion was coming from. ¡°What do you think?¡± Julia swallowed her saliva with tension and looked at Bero. Its tail was wagging like a propeller as she began wondering if it truly understood her or was it just having fun. She hung the letter at Bero¡¯s neck before she carefully opened the window that was leading right to the terrace, so that no sound could be heard outside at all. The night wind that flurried through the crevice softly ruffled Julia¡¯s hair. In spite of the cold, she went out to the terrace first and took out the toys that she had been hiding since earlier. ¡°Bero, shall we play catch? Catch?¡± ¡°Heh heh heh heh!¡± ¡°Okay, catch it.¡± The young wolf¡¯s eyes changed at once when she raised her voice while tapping her lap as she normally would. It was ready to run ahead just at the sight of her throwing something. And as usual, whenever Revenna or Lerazier threw the toys right to the end of the horizon, it would bolt like the wind and tackle it on. CH 32.2 Julia double-checked that the letter was securely tied around Bero¡¯s neck. She then posed as if she was just about to throw a large discus. ¡®I¡¯m sorry for deceiving you. Instead, I¡¯ll give you lots of delicious food as soon as you come back.¡¯ She didn¡¯t have the strength to throw something straight into the horizon. Even crossing the small garden in front of the bedroom was already a miracle, so let alone the horizon itself. She therefore intended to deceive Bero by pretending that she was truly throwing something. If it was the good looking Legion, it would definitely recognize his soon passing hair. ¡°Come on, get ready.¡± ¡°Heh heh!¡± ¡°Run¡­ kyaak!¡± It was the moment when Julia was about to pretend to throw the toy. As it became unable to contain its excitement, Bero grabbed her waist while biting her before it ran out of the terrace. Her vision was reversed in an instant and the cold night air slapped her cheeks relentlessly. Julia couldn¡¯t even let out a scream as she froze. The bite was not as painful since Bero hadn¡¯t even had its teeth properly grown yet. She instinctively stiffened because it was the first time she had been kidnapped and escaped her way out of the castle in this manner. Julia looked at the Demon King¡¯s castle as it slowly drifted away while she was still clinging onto the oversized young beast. She was afraid of how Bael would react if he found out that she had escaped from the castle once again. Needless to say, about Barbatos¡ªwho distrusted humans terribly¡ªas well. ¡®What to do? Should I go back now?¡¯ Julia glanced up. Bero had been sprinting furiously as its saliva was scattering like a shower, just like it became excited by its first night walk right after birth. No matter how much she thought about it, it was already impossible for her to calm this guy down. ¡°Ah, Bero¡­¡± ¡°Woof woof! Woof!¡± As her vision shook wildly, motion sickness appeared to have upset her stomach too. She seemed to be aware of her own face that had turned all white even without looking at it in the mirror. With her heavy panting breath as well as her struggle to look down, Julia noticed that the condition of the ground was a tad bit strange. The ground was all charred as if it had been struck by a powerful flamethrower. It was a straight line straight from the horizon to the vicinity of the Demon King¡¯s Castle and around that area, an unknown flicker of ashes fluttering could be seen in the air. ¡®Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t even run into a single demon since I ran out of the castle.¡¯ In the past, it would have been more than enough to get surrounded by the beasts who came out in search of prey right at an instant. The moment she felt the abnormality, her shoulders stiffened instinctively in response. ¡°Julia!!¡± From somewhere far away, someone¡¯s screaming voice could be heard. It had been low and rough, but it was a voice that felt nostalgic somehow. [?SYSTEM Story progression 20%] At the moment she lifted her gaze, a system window appeared right in front of her. [?SYSTEM 2nd Episode. Trajectory of the Past.] [?SYSTEM ¨C Mission: Convince Bael. ¨C Reward: Target addition. ¨C Penalty of Failure: Legion¡¯s death.] It was the second chapter of Bael¡¯s route, which was the same as when she had been taken away by Berith. She was startled by the sudden situation, but she did not have any time to think long. The voice that had been calling out her name grew much closer than before. ¡°Julia, wait! I¡¯ll save you right now!¡± Legion immediately loaded his blue energy into the greatsword and slammed onto the ground before leaping up. His flustered eyes were exactly aimed at the beast who had supposedly kidnapped Julia. He had misunderstood the whole situation. He currently intended to kill Bero instead. ¡°No! No, don¡¯t!¡± ¡°Gggrrrr!¡± As Julia screamed in shock, Bero realized that something had gone wrong, which made it stop running and vigorously revealed its teeth instead. However, as it was still a young one, it did not appear intimidating in the slightest. All of Bero¡¯s teeth were simply the tips of its fangs that had been barely protruded as well. As he saw that, Legion¡¯s eyes began to get wrinkled slightly. The mana which he released was still viciously enveloping around his greatsword. However, he seemed to have sensed something with the beast¡¯s attitude as it was wrapping its body around Julia and baring its teeth towards him. His furious voice eventually softened a little. ¡°What¡¯s going on with this right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be asking. What¡¯s going on? Why are you roaming around the Demon King¡¯s Castle?¡± ¡°Grr! Woof!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Bero. I¡¯m sorry for yelling. He¡¯s not a bad person at all.¡± Perhaps due to the fact that Julia had raised her voice, Bero barked with such eagerness at the same time. In an attempt to calm the young wolf, Julia then gave a small whisper as usual before staring down at Legion¡¯s sword piercingly. As he noticed the signal, Legion completely calmed his sword and ran towards Julia. Then, without any chance to escape at all, he straight away hugged her tightly. ¡°I missed you, Julia.¡± ¡°Legion¡­¡± ¡°Damn those Vestra bastards. How could they¡ªwhat ignorance!¡± Julia couldn¡¯t push him away or even hug him face to face with the feeling of crying that came from his trembling hands as she stood there blankly. As though it was displaying how long he had been running, his chest pounded as if it was just about to explode and everything had been transmitted through her own chest. Legion had grown so much more than what she remembered him four years ago and he was suddenly taking more of the in-game look which she had been aware about. His tall stature and wide shoulders exuded a youthful atmosphere and his short blonde hair along with those blue eyes reminded her of a beautiful Prince in a fairy tale. ¡°It¡¯s all fine now. I¡¯m here to save you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Let us return.¡± Even though he had asked her to go, he did not loosen those arms that still held Julia captive. A low, trembling breath could then be heard in her ears. ¡®Why would you even commit such a reckless thing to follow me straight into the underworld?¡¯ Legion simply couldn¡¯t let the small and weak go like that. He pretended not to, but he was outright just and virtuous. So, he must have risked his life to cross the Imperial Palace¡¯s wall in order to meet the imprisoned Princess. He never turned away from any of those weak ones, even when he, himself, had already reached a point of danger. ¡®But this isn¡¯t Abeldishim, it¡¯s the Demon Realm. How hard and dangerous it must have been for him to actually come here.¡¯ Julia stopped and faced reality for a moment. If it really had been for her, then such an ambiguous attitude was rather poisonous. If she really wanted to dissuade him and send him right back to the ground above, she simply had to be cold. CH 33.1 She instantly shoved away Legion¡¯s chest with all her might. Compared to him who had already been a Sword Master, her strength was absolutely weak yet he still stepped backwards like a person who got pushed by a rock. He then smiled awkwardly as if to cover up the momentary silence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I must have been a little dirty because of all the dust, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Julia avoided his gaze without saying a single word. A look of disappointment flashed across Legion¡¯s face, but he didn¡¯t show it outwardly and simply smiled apologetically in bitterness once again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I came here so late. I understand. You don¡¯t even want to see my face anymore. For a man with this kind of incompetence to be a warrior, how would you trust and go along with me?¡± ¡°If you know that then, why¡­¡± ¡°Then, if I were to fight with the Demon King, would you be able to understand my sincerity? If I defeat him and bring you his heart, will you trust me in return?¡± ¡°What¡ªall of a sudden, what kind of nonsense is that? No matter how much you are as a Sword Master, how can you truly defeat the Demon King!¡± It was utterly embarrassing. She didn¡¯t expect that kind of an answer at all, but his eyes had a very clear determination towards the Demon King. However, unless he really wanted to die, why would he even touch Bael? In fact, how to even deal with Bael¡¯s enormous magical power? ¡®Just go back to earth and forget about me. Then, live happily ever after, you idiot!¡¯ He was blatantly ignoring her feelings as he kept on going back and forth. Unwittingly, Julia straight away slammed her fist upon his shoulder without her even realizing it. Even though her fists were just like cotton bats which meant that there should be no pain, Legion suddenly shuddered as he got pushed back and frowned slightly. Julia instantly stopped hitting him in response. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you get hurt somewhere?¡± ¡°No, everything¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°But why do you keep on avoiding my eyes? Look at me, okay?¡± He seldom made a weak sound, so that was very obvious right now. She grew to be so worried about how serious his current condition had become. Julia immediately hovered around Legion who was still avoiding her. He then raised his arm to cover his face while not making any eye contact right until the very end. Nevertheless, the tight lips that went underneath his arm seemed to be speaking of his bad condition instead. ¡°Legion, Legion.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Lower your arms. What¡¯s going on with you?¡± ¡°Kukuku.¡± Just as tears were about to well up because she started to be so worried, a laugh had eventually burst out from the corner of his stiff lips. Under the arm that had finally gone down, a pair of twinkling blue eyes shone straight towards Julia. A straight forehead, a straight nose and a sharper jawline than before. Legion, who was looking at her, had the face of a full-fledged man now. Nevertheless, the smile on his lips had been the same as when he was playing hiding behind the Abandoned Palace back as a child. Julia¡¯s expression, which had forgotten the whole situation for a moment, instantly hardened with despair. ¡°Did you just deceive me?¡± ¡°Kukuku, wasn¡¯t it obvious? How can you actually go to the Demon King in the first place? He¡¯ll straight up run away from you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really saying that now? You idiot, idiot!¡± ¡°In that case, you shouldn¡¯t have tried to deceive me like that in the first place. I¡¯m afraid that you no longer know me because we¡¯ve been apart for merely a few years.¡± Legion, who had received all her cotton fist punches, suddenly bowed his head to meet her gaze. A pair of blue and deep eyes just like the sky on an autumn day had reflected Julia. Legion put away his combat gloves and brushed her cheek softly. There was something new about Julia that he hadn¡¯t noticed before as a low groan flowed from between his teeth. ¡°You¡¯re too skinny. Those damn demons.¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡ªI am actually doing quite well though? I already ate too much just yesterday as well¡­¡± ¡°With those forearms, can you even lift a tea cup properly? Hah, I can¡¯t help it. I have no other choice but to feed you myself for the rest of your life.¡± Legion then checked Julia¡¯s slender arms with his strong muscles. In the first place, as a Sword Master, it was obviously absurd for him to compare his own physical condition with an ordinary person. ¡®His exaggeration has definitely increased while we were apart.¡¯ While Julia grumbled inwardly, Legion¡¯s fingers, which were still scanning her cheeks carefully for several times, suddenly came to a stop. His gaze turned to the block of magical power right near Julia¡¯s heart, as if it was stagnant. Something very impure and peculiar had appeared twisted as it completely obstructed the normal flow of energy. ¡°Legion?¡± It was very strange that he just stopped all of a sudden. However, despite Julia¡¯s questioning gaze, his face became increasingly furrowed as if he was seeing something terrible. Legion held her close and tugged her long, fluttering hair away. The red engraving on her left upper chest, which had not been covered with clothes, was clearly visible under the thin negligee that appeared just like a butterfly¡¯s wings. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The feeling of his calloused fingers was rough and painful. Nevertheless, he did not stop as he simply wiped down Julia¡¯s upper breast just like he was pressing against it. ¡°Who engraved this on you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°No way, I hope it isn¡¯t.¡± He took his hand off the engraving as he stood around in place before he began to brush his hair and wipe his face down. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts as he started swearing as well. Now, he certainly looked nervous and it was definitely not the Legion whom she always knew. CH 33.2 Julia stood there blankly while looking at her friend. It had been a face that she could not see in a long time, but why was he suddenly angry? ¡®Oh, that was not what¡¯s important right now.¡¯ Half of it was an accident, but she had already met up with Legion anyway. She was relieved to see that he had survived the battlefield and she wished to talk more, but she still had to get him back to the ground above quickly before the other demons could notice anything. Julia narrowed her distance once again and grabbed Legion¡¯s arm. A long shadow of the moon loomed over his head as he really did grow taller after a long time. ¡°Oh, sorry. Were you surprised? For now, let¡¯s just share our stories instead. If Aaron is still here in the Demon Realm, he¡¯ll be able to take a closer look at that engraving.¡± ¡°Legion, wait a minute.¡± ¡°What?¡± Julia firmly pushed Legion¡¯s shoulder away. As he hadn¡¯t expected the refusal at all, Julia blankly pretended not to see his hardened eyes while she secretly avoided his gaze. ¡°I actually sneaked out of the castle, but this was an accident. I have to get back before anyone else notices soon.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Hurry back to the ground above.¡± ¡°Then, together¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who¡¯ll be going, Legion. I¡¯m staying here¡ªin the Demon Realm.¡± Legion quickly caught a hold of Julia, who was taking a step backwards. The little bit of relaxation eventually faded from his face. ¡°Why are you saying that? Is it because I made you wait for so long? Then, are you mad?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Were you very scared? I know¡ªit¡¯s so clear how those demons had really dealt with you.¡± Legion¡¯s gaze was continuously fixed on Julia¡¯s chest, in fact, nailed to it. Julia felt ashamed for some reason, so she couldn¡¯t look straight at him and still avoided his gaze in return. It would have never been easy for him to get here. Since Bael had already locked the gates of the Demon Realm and everyone seemed to be surprised to hear that someone forcibly broke in. Besides, didn¡¯t he face Lerazier earlier, that high-ranking, 14th demon? She was sorry and thankful that he was willing to sacrifice so much just to save her. ¡°Julia.¡± While she pondered her thoughts, Legion cautiously approached and took her hand. He locked her small white hand in his very own big hand, lest she ever get hurt at all. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best from now on. I¡¯ll do my level best so that those harsh memories won¡¯t ever come back anymore.¡± ¡°Legion¡­¡± ¡°Remember when we were young? You said that you wanted to live freely in a small foreign port city with a view of the sea. You¡¯re smart, so you can just work in the merchant¡¯s accounting section and I told you that I would work as a mercenary at the same merchant.¡± How could she ever forget about that time? How could she dare to forget? However, Legion moved his hand that was holding her without a single moment for her complexion to darken in response. ¡°It¡¯s different than it used to be now. There¡¯s no one to disturb us anymore. You¡¯re already come out of Ingrem V¡¯s grasp and I have grown to be a good swordsman in my own way. I¡¯ve made many friends abroad too and in fact, I¡¯ve already chosen a few villages where we could stay.¡± Julia stared blankly at him as he added various things with a very bright face. The conversation passed so quickly that even she had lost track of it. She never expected that he was preparing everything so meticulously. ¡®How do I stop Legion from saving me?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t just obstruct his future, which was barely livable right now. However, Legion never overturned what he had already decided. In other words, it was because being hard-willed brought the meaning of being stubborn as well. Julia bit hard on the inside of her cheek. She then worked hard to make her face and voice appear all cold. ¡°Now, what¡¯s the real use of all that?¡± ¡°Julia.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know what I¡¯ve been through while I¡¯m here. Even after coming here¡­¡± Julia abruptly stopped. She couldn¡¯t quite get it out of her own mouth. No matter how hard she went through, it was nothing compared to Legion¡¯s own kind of torments. Right in front of him, how could she actually whine like that. How absolutely shameless. At that moment, Legion¡¯s shoulders stiffened. Then, Julia¡¯s eyes opened wide. The pebbles beneath her feet began to creak and tremble. Not long after that, there was a thick thundercloud in the night sky as a strong gust of wind started to blow as well. Bero, who was simply sitting quietly nearby, curled its tail inwards and straight away hid its head behind Julia¡¯s back. Legion, whose expression hardened in an instant, drew upon his greatsword and spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Julia. Let us talk later.¡± ¡°What are you even thinking? Hurry back to the Human Realm¡ªquickly now!¡± Julia, who gradually realized that he was going to fight, clung desperately onto his shoulder. However, he did not budge at all as he pushed Julia to the back once again. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, so you just run away with that dog.¡± ¡°You idiot? Don¡¯t you understand people? I hate you!¡± ¡°Hate me later¡­ and I¡¯ll listen to it all later as well.¡± Legion¡¯s face as he was ignoring Julia hardened like a wounded person. But as if nothing had truly happened, he shook his head and started pouring mana into his greatsword. The blue light that emanated from the sword eventually flickered as if it was swallowing the surrounding air whole. Julia did not know what to do and immediately covered her face. This was definitely Bael¡¯s magic. He was the only one who could control the Demon God¡¯s Tower as well as the area around the Demon King¡¯s Castle in this manner. ¡®What should I do? It¡¯s all because of me again¡­¡­¡¯ The long red trail of blood that had strewn across the white snow popped up in her mind. She definitely couldn¡¯t let that happen once more. CH 34.1 As she was finally awakened from despair, Julia instinctively moved to keep Legion alive. When she entered the system into the skill window, her most recent skill immediately came to her mind. She had never used it in real life, so she wasn¡¯t that sure of how well it would go and what the effective range would actually be. However, she didn¡¯t have the time to think about it right now. Julia executed the said skill straight away. [?Resistance Transition Lv.1 Expand the range of the resistance magic for a certain period of time. Consumes 50% of the remaining HP. SP 30] At the same time, a transparent and luminous veil escaped from her body before it began to expand. It eventually stopped growing after it had completely enveloped Legion. Although he was a Sword Master with an extremely developed five senses, he seemed to be unaware of the existence of this very veil perhaps due to the fact that he had been extremely nervous. Nevertheless, Julia¡¯s current power was also useless in front of such a powerful physical power. Before long, the vibration on the ground grew louder and louder until the tremors began to become even so severe that she could no longer stand properly. ¡°What kind of a spectacle is this? I just looked at where the thing that had been supposed to decorate the bedroom was running so hard to and she was simply hanging out in the front yard.¡± A low, eerie voice eventually pierced their eardrums. Under the red night sky, Bael had appeared with his set of huge wings. Right behind him, she could see the shadows of some high-ranking demons flapping their wings as well. ¡°Demon King, how are you here¡­?¡± ¡°Thing? Are you really calling Julia; a thing, now?¡± Legion¡¯s greatsword was quivering with blue light while vibrating loudly. And against him was the high-purity red magic that gathered around Bael instead. [?Resistance Transition Lv.1 Time limit: 4 minutes 47 seconds.] The remaining time of the skill appeared right at the top of her field of vision. She could at least last for the next 5 minutes or so, but this was just not enough at all. Besides, the shield¡¯s range was only a few steps around, so she had to stay close to him in order to protect Legion and she was absolutely sure to be separated from him right away once a battle were to break out. ¡®What to do? What should I do¡­¡­¡¯ She looked at the demons who were sitting right behind Bael with such ferocious eyes. Barbatos, Bottis and the other demons whom she had only known of their faces while there were no middle-class demons who could actually mediate the present situation. Besides, in the episode that had just been created, the role given to her was none other than being Bael¡¯s mediation. It was clear that Legion¡¯s life or death depended on how she had persuaded him. Therefore, there was only one way to choose. She then shut her eyes tightly. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but don¡¯t forgive me.¡¯ Julia slowly moved forward. One step, then two. Legion, who was now out of the range of the resistance transition, suddenly stumbled before falling to his knee and eventually collapsed. As expected, Bael was already using his power. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Demon King. I thought that Bero was getting a little frustrated, so I wanted to play with it for a while. But a small accident had suddenly happened to which I came out this far.¡± Perhaps Bael or the other demons had felt something was wrong that the skill was eventually terminated on the way as well. When her stamina, which was not very high in the first place, dropped by half, she immediately felt dizzy enough to feel like vomiting. ¡°I thought that you had allowed me to leave the Demon King¡¯s bedroom¡­ Plus, you didn¡¯t really say anything last night, did you?¡± Even though the tremors of the earth had stopped, the world still seemed to be shaking to and fro. Julia, who had her foot caught from a small stone, lost her balance and fell into Bael¡¯s arms. She could straight away feel that his body stiffened up for a moment. ¡°Please forgive me. I¡¯m terribly sorry. I was wrong.¡± Legion¡¯s piercing gaze could be clearly felt behind her own back instead. In order to appear natural, Julia mixed her voice with as much aegyo as possible and smiled broadly. Bael hated seeing her smile, but she just couldn¡¯t help it. First and foremost, she had to send Legion back safely. Bael¡¯s expression hardened as he looked downwards at Julia¡¯s rather mischievous smile. She already felt guilty inside, but she still wanted to look as plausible as it was now. Julia then buried herself even deeper into Bael¡¯s arms. His sharply cleaved muscles eventually clasped heatedly over her thin negligee. At that moment, a sneering voice loomed over Julia¡¯s head. ¡°You look just like a female cat in heat. If you wanted to mate that much, you could have simply told me in advance.¡± Bael¡¯s hand then rested on top of Julia¡¯s slender shoulder. His grip on her was stronger and tougher than usual. The imprint that had just been above her heart was currently scattering a faint red light. It was evidence that Bael already felt excited through the contact. ¡®Anyway, this much is fine. Just by returning to the castle with the Demon King like this¡­¡­¡¯ As she was relieved of fear, her vision had suddenly gotten distorted once again. Julia could only gasp for breath before resting her head upon Bael¡¯s chest. The side effects of the imprint appeared immediately. A tingling sensation bolted down her spine and weighed all over her body. Her lower belly tightened and her deeper insides throbbed with such heat as well. It was a semi-intentional situation, but when she actually did it, she became a little terrified. She was afraid that she would show her bad side in front of all these many eyes. ¡°Ung, ah!¡± Before that, Julia, who was just about to fall, had been caught with a strong force and entrapped in Bael¡¯s arms once more. Bael¡¯s abs, which were accidentally brushed against her as she fell, tightened in response. Feeling astonished, she reflexively tried to remove her hand before she could feel the gaze behind her back and stopped immediately. CH 34.2 A swirl of blue black smoke was churning in a huge wave. She could just know even without seeing the figure of the man who was not able to use his power recklessly because of her presence. Barbatos got down to the ground and whispered softly in Bael¡¯s ear. ¡°Master, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Julia shut her mouth as she carefully placed her hand on Bael¡¯s forearm, which had her all bound. This should have been enough, right? She already confirmed that Legion was fine. And she made it clear to him that she had no intention of returning to the ground above either. Although Lerazier had been seriously injured, he was still a demon and would definitely recover soon. As long as Legion got released as it was, everything could go back to normal once he left for the world above. Julia gently lifted her eyes wide with tears welling up. Bael¡¯s face had a rather inorganic light just like a sculpture. The moment she closed her lips in nervousness, Bael¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°Kill it.¡± Julia¡¯s eyes were instantly filled with astonishment. Regardless, Bael merely reiterated the situation as if he was absolutely enjoying it. ¡°Dig up the Sword Master¡¯s heart and bring it to me. It¡¯s been quite a while since I¡¯ve tasted such a delicacy.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± ¡°No! Such a thing¡ªLegion¡­!¡± At the moment when Julia was hurriedly trying to grab a hold of Barbatos, Bael clasped onto her waist tightly and lowered his head as if he wouldn¡¯t allow it at all. ¡°Uhhp!¡± His hot, hard tongue rammed against her chapped lips and dug in deep. He then entangled her little tongue as she kept on trying to run away and pulled her quivering waist even stronger. She twisted her body with all her might to escape, but she was utterly helpless in front of Bael. Having already parted her lips, Bael simply lifted Julia¡¯s light body over his shoulder. Her center of gravity was in jeopardy since she would have fallen to the floor immediately if she didn¡¯t cling around his neck as there was absolutely nothing for her hand to hold on to. And there were no other options as well, so Julia could only hug his neck in a hurry instead. ¡°Kuh¡­¡± A low roar that was mixed with laughter instantly pierced her ears. Right there and then, Bael spread out his huge wings before taking flight into the night sky. ¡°Demon King!¡± ¡°You were the one who seduced me first, so don¡¯t you even think about getting away.¡± ¡°I, I didn¡¯t wish for this to happen! We were already able to solve everything smoothly anyway!¡± Julia hurriedly looked downwards. The ground, which was already buried in the ashes, quickly shifted away. The last sight in her eyes was the back of the demons that rushed along and the blue mana that was desperately resisting all of them. * * * Four years ago¡ªthe banquet hall that was glimmering brilliantly alone amidst the dark surroundings shone clearly through the dusty window. A banquet was being held to commemorate Estelle¡¯s 14th birthday. At that time, Julia had just been brought into the game world. She was utterly confused about everything, but she could have been so sure that she hadn¡¯t been very welcomed even here¡ªin this place. An Abandoned Palace where every single entrance to a room was gagged upon with chains and locks. The maids shuddered even at the touch of her fingertips as if she was cursed and the soldiers were closely watching her every move just like a surveillance camera. She couldn¡¯t have not known it¡ªunless she was an idiot. To them, she was merely a toy for fun. To even forget the very first reason of ¡®revenge for the death of the Empress¡¯, harassing a powerless girl had then turned into a habit instead. She felt no absurdity at all since Julia Vestra was only born for that right from the very beginning. ¡®It¡¯s okay though. If you just wait for 4 more years¡­¡­¡¯ She hung her head down on her little crouched lap. If Estelle was like a banquet hall with scattering colorful and beautiful lights, she was the darkness that would serve to make it stand out even more. So, their current locations must be the best fit for each other. Julia closed her eyes while ignoring the voice inside her head that had been constantly whispering the fact that she was sick. But just then, for some reason or another, the surroundings soon became noisy. The muffled footsteps gradually grew closer and closer and some presumably male adult-sounding voices could be heard. ¡®What¡¯s going on? To come to such a closed palace especially on Estelle¡¯s birthday.¡¯ As usual, today was a special day. In Julia¡¯s mind, which had already been immersed in loneliness, the anticipation slowly lifted her head. A rush of expectation that someone might have come to see her instead. But at the same time, an apparent intuition that something was somehow wrong had caught her by the ankle as well. ¡®Isn¡¯t it okay to only look at it for a while? If it¡¯s truly a lost guest, then I can just point out the way to the banquet hall.¡¯ Julia¡¯s troubles didn¡¯t last long at all. Her loneliness had submerged before it slowly clouded her own judgment. As she blinked her eyes helplessly, Julia carefully raised her body and eventually stepped out of her room. The dimly lit hallway was all gloomy without a single sign of presence and only the sound of grass bugs was resounding ever so eerily. ¡°I must have just misunderstood. Who would even come to such a place¡­¡± It was right at the moment when Julia heaved out a small sigh and went back to the bedroom. A shadow had suddenly appeared from somewhere and shut her mouth tightly. ¡°Uhp¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Be quiet!¡± She struggled like crazy to resist, but she was very slender and her weak body had made it impossible for her to resist the man. Even if she was madly scratching against the back of the hand that had covered her right till her room, he simply subdued Julia as if those felt like nothing at all before entering the said room instead. A cry was wildly yelling out in her head that she didn¡¯t wish to die at all. The moment she tried to bite the hand that was right in front of her with all her might, the strength that had bound her gradually loosened itself. ¡°Are you a maid here? I¡¯ll release you soon, so just hold still for a minute.¡± There was a feeling of childishness mixed in the voice that had whispered urgently. When she glanced behind her back, he was apparently not that tall at all which made him seem like more of a boy than that of a man. CH 35.1 After Julia had calmed down a bit, the boy carefully closed the door and whispered to her while still leaning against the wall. ¡°If I let you go, will you keep quiet?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Julia blinked her eyes brightly and looked up at the figure that was right behind her back. The first thing that caught her eye was the blonde hair, which had been covered in dust, and those eyes that were in deep blue like the autumn sky. Thump, thump. The sound of heavy footsteps through the thin door eventually approached closer and closer. The boy¡¯s chest quickly hit against her back. As she realized something at the same time, Julia¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. His appearance was a little younger than she had remembered, but Julia could still recognize his identity nonetheless. ¡®No way¡ªLegion?¡¯ As one of the characters who could be targeted in the game [Demon¡¯s Paradise], his basic story was the fact that he had been a sword master from a lowly background. During the war with the demons, he had manifested his supernatural powers and eventually became a hero who single-handedly blocked all the demons from helplessly shoving inside. Afterwards, he made a contract with Emperor Ingrem V to infiltrate the Demon Realm in order to save Princess Estelle. However, befitting of the genre, ¡®tragedy¡¯, Legion was cruel, ruthless and absolutely calculating. He had already been promised a lot by the Emperor in exchange for saving Estelle, but he hid that fact from the key, Estelle, herself and continuously tortured her with hope. A dizzying peal echoed in Julia¡¯s ears as she recalled the facts. ¡®Nonsense. Why would Legion appear in the Imperial Palace already?¡¯ There were still another four years left until the game¡¯s prologue finally began. She was very surprised because it had been the first target character whom she met, but her fear towards Legion was actually even greater than that. The priority was to give him whatever he wanted and survive in the end. She immediately as well as frantically nodded her head in response. ¡°¡­?¡± The boy¡¯s gaze appeared a bit wary, but what about it? Julia was very desperate at the moment after all. ¡®I don¡¯t really know what it is, but please let me go. I don¡¯t want to die so absurdly!¡¯ Perhaps her appeal which was done wholeheartedly had worked, the boy who was holding her back eventually loosened her a little. However, the footsteps that were just outside the door felt even closer than before as well. She could already hear their conversation pretty clearly now. ¡°Could a petty thief sneak all the way here? This is the Second Princess¡¯s Residence after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s actually a nice thing to say to the Princess. It¡¯s her birthday, but she can¡¯t even attend it.¡± ¡°You have to say it properly. Today¡¯s banquet was held for Princess Estelle. Somehow, the date just overlapped. The Empress had left unjustly, is there anything we can actually do anyway?¡± The footsteps gradually stopped right in front of the door. They could have already confronted each other with the presence of that single thin wall in between them. She could feel that the boy¡¯s chest was pounding against her back. As if he had finally noticed her true identity through the men¡¯s conversation from outside the door, she could sense the disappointment in the eyes that were looking downwards at the back of her head. ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s going to be like this¡­¡± As she heard the boy¡¯s menacing voice, Julia helplessly lowered her eyes. His gaze towards her was mixed with the same deep disgust as the many others. It was actually a very familiar thing to be glared at by the people around her or even got regarded as something ominous. However, to be treated like that even by a boy whom she only met for the first time had made her feel rather emotional at once. She wanted to prove it. She was not a stone that would just roll silently when got kicked. Julia immediately grabbed the boy¡¯s wrist in response. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°What are you doing¡­!¡± ¡°They¡¯re not the ones who wouldn¡¯t be looking for the Princess¡¯s room.¡± An annoyed gaze followed from behind her, but Julia simply tried to ignore it. She acted impulsively, but it wasn¡¯t a decision that had been based solely on emotion itself. She couldn¡¯t just watch and see him get caught in trouble like this. ¡°Quickly. Hurry up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch me carelessly!¡± ¡°No. You shouldn¡¯t be getting caught in a place like this.¡± Judging from the contents of the conversation between the previous men, it seemed that Legion was seriously trying to rob the Imperial Palace by targeting the birthday party itself. In the meantime, the place where he finally decided to hide himself was, of course, an Abandoned Palace like this. As he traced along his waist, several small jewels dropped onto the floor. Julia immediately picked it up and shoved him under the bed before the boy could even have the time to utter a single word at all. Suddenly, the door opened wide. ¡°Who, who is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to search the room for a while.¡± ¡°I just asked you who you are.¡± Julia hid her trembling hands behind her back. Just by standing in the way of the men who were holding onto weapons, the momentum that soared just now had cooled down at a ridiculously fast rate. Their tall stature with muscles trained to their limit and those ferocious eyes like beasts had aroused fear as well as pressure just by remaining within the same space. The knights, who had been pushing all the way inside with their boots, must have been annoyed by the small, shabby woman who was currently standing around in front of them. ¡°We are the Imperial Guards. We are looking for a petty thief who had stolen some jewels that were to be presented to Her Highness Princess Estelle. So, do not interfere and back away slowly.¡± Julia clenched her fists tightly as she saw that the men were already rushing inside mercilessly to open things up before rummaging through every one of them. CH 35.2 If this were to continue, Legion, who was hiding under the bed, would be discovered soon enough. Since he had touched the property of Estelle, who was the only star in the whole Empire, he would then have to face the death penalty no matter what kind of value the jewel actually possessed. ¡®If Legion were to die now, what would happen to the human world then?¡¯ He played a blinding role during the human-demon war in the near future, which he would then press on the battle situation where the demon side drove a certain victory to a stalemate once again. This eventually became a clue for the demons to demand negotiations in order to end the war for an exchange of the ¡®key¡¯. If the human beings got pushed back helplessly, the demons would have had no more qualms about breaking through the defense of Abeldisihm and started plundering against Estelle. If demons had won through that manner, humans would have eventually fallen into becoming slaves for the demons themselves. ¡®No, absolutely not.¡¯ Her body moved even before she could think. Julia slowly opened her palms and the object which had been in her grasp dropped onto the floor. Even at that tiny sound, the knights quickly turned their heads and found several little jewels rolling around Julia¡¯s feet. Even though no one had opened their mouths at first, their demanding gaze for an explanation was clearly fixed on her. ¡°¡­I was the one who stole it.¡± As she felt the gaze towards her had turned to contempt and disgust, she slowly drew in a breath. It didn¡¯t hurt at all as she was already used to it all. Really, not even a little. * * * Julia stood in front of the bed where Bael was currently seated. The crimson moonlight reflected from the huge window was bleakly illuminating her feet. As she was flown to the castle, the side effects of the imprint had begun to reach their climax. It was fortunate that she didn¡¯t show an ugly appearance in front of others, but she still couldn¡¯t feel relieved even at this moment. The insides of her underwear were already slippery. She was afraid that if she were to even move ever so slightly, she would then make an embarrassing sound. But that wasn¡¯t the real reason why she was staring out of the window with tears trickling down. ¡®Since Legion is a Sword Master, he should be able to hold out for a while though. Nevertheless, it still won¡¯t be for long.¡¯ He was one of the three top men when it came to strength. However, even though it was Legion himself, it was ultimately difficult for him to escape safely when several top-tier demons rushed towards him directly. In any case, she had to help him out. ¡®But, how?¡¯ She was stumped. Her overflowing despair caused her tears to drop even further. And the more they did, the more Bael¡¯s gaze towards her became even fiercer. ¡°Whooo.¡± He lazily rubbed the nape of his neck with his wings still drooping. As the robe slipped off, the wide shoulders and those deeply curved muscles shifted menacingly. On top of that, the tightly toned bottoms had exposed Bael¡¯s strong hip muscles and thighs as well. The light in his eyes was glaring straight at Julia as if he wanted to devour her right away. She was aware of the fact that she couldn¡¯t just keep on crying. Was there not a man who was already in front of her whom even Agares, the one that had command over the military, couldn¡¯t do anything about? That man, just like herself, might also be feeling the embarrassing side effects of their imprinting. ¡°Demon King¡­¡± Hesitantly, Julia began to walk as slowly as possible in order to not make any embarrassing sounds between her legs before she eventually placed her hand against Bael¡¯s chest. Even though it was a very small and light force, she still could feel that his gaze was solely focused on her. She had to open her mouth, but she just didn¡¯t know how to do it. Julia opened and closed her mouth before she inhaled and let it out as she repeatedly bit her lips while beating over herself for how foolish she had been. In the meantime, time was passing ever so relentlessly. Without ever being aware that Bael¡¯s patience was gradually reaching its utmost limit. ¡°Right.¡± He began stroking Julia¡¯s pale pink hair with an amiable glance. As he followed the flow of her long hair, his hand eventually passed behind her back and suddenly hugged her slender waist before pulling it in closer. The more he looked at his key, the more his thirst grew as if the craving kept on appearing again and again. For unknown reasons, he had disguised his bubbling inside with a poor shell and eventually pointed out Julia¡¯s foolish appearance in a fearfully cool voice. ¡°Were you so tempted to actually stand there just like an idiot?¡± A low, damp yet high-pitched voice touched upon Julia¡¯s eardrums. That alone had made her back twitch. She unknowingly held her gasping breath and bit her lip, but with no words out from her, Bael tugged on her back. ¡°No one can lay a hand on what¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°Uhng¡­¡­!¡± He sat on the bed and held onto her thin negligee, which was already shaking in front of his eyes. His cold hands slowly moved up to her flat stomach and across her soft breasts before they gently brushed against Julia¡¯s reddened lower lip. A tingling heat started spreading everywhere to where he touched. Julia froze as she never knew what to do with the man¡¯s hand that was already trampling all over her body. As she wriggled her waist, she tried to pull her body away, but Bael¡¯s other hand had restrained her from moving. The pure white skirt was pulled up near her lips as it fluttered softly. He then tapped on Julia¡¯s lower lip. ¡°Bite it.¡± The order was simple yet absolutely menacing. Bael shoved her skirt deep in between her hesitantly parted red lips. When he lowered his gaze, the naked slender body was revealed in front of his eyes without a single line of thread. Her body, soft and white like ivory, was all tinged red like an unripe fruit. Although there was not a single flower around at all, Bael¡¯s vision darkened at the permeating fragrant scent of flesh. CH 36.1 The man¡¯s large hand then slipped past Julia¡¯s legs without any hesitation. She screamed as Bael pierced into her sensitive area before the nightgown slid to his wrist. Her secret place, which was already soaked through, had allowed his intrusion all too easily. ¡°Ah, gently, please¡­!¡± Julia¡¯s body began to tremble dangerously in line with the squelching sounds. Her inner thighs were twitching weakly at the sensation that had been creeping up all the way from her rubbed area. Even though she had already lost the strength to stay standing up, Bael¡¯s fingers simply continued to thrust in and out of her tender flesh. Julia, whose legs had been shaking, collapsed into his arms, but Bael forced her torso to stand upright and shoved yet another finger inside. As her center of gravity shifted and he invaded even deeper, Julia could no longer bear it as only tears continued flowing down. Bael rolled her skirt up again while feeling the fact that her sticky flesh was already tightening around his fingers as if they wanted to cut them off. With his fingers still between her legs, he then twisted his lips leisurely. ¡°Bite it again¡ªstrongly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m scared. Like this¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you if you missed it again. But if that¡¯s your hobby, then there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± ¡°Do-don¡¯t, hu-uhp!¡± As soon as Julia bit her clothes, he shoved his fingers back in hard. A muffled moan immediately escaped from her mouth. The sensation of those long, straight fingers that scraped all the way inside while slipping out and entering yet again echoed through her spine. His rough movements had made her inner thighs twitch once more and the strength in her legs gradually loosened. Julia¡¯s torso, which was slowly leaning closer to the front, finally grazed the mattress of the bed. Bael¡¯s hair then gently brushed against her chin in return. In an instant, the force of his hand that was shoved inside grew even stronger. His fingers resembled the movement like that of a penis itself as it became faster and more intense. The excruciating pleasure suffocated her whole being painfully. ¡°Hu, uhp, uhp, huu!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Uh, uh, uuuhnng!¡± Only her suppressed moans and squelching sounds echoed through the silent nest. Just before the pleasure, which had been rushing in like a wave, reached its peak, Bael pulled his fingers out of her and immediately lowered her soaked underwear down to her knees. A cold chill rushed over her lower abdomen that had been immersed in the heat of passion just then. The unreachable desires crushed Julia¡¯s mind that pricked every nook and cranny of her whole body. Without even noticing the fact that her skirt was fluttered down, she gasped and twisted her body immensely. ¡°Ahng, ah!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°De, Demon King. It feels strange. My, my stomach, ung¡­¡± ¡°I must already have told you not to let it go.¡± His cold palms crept upwards like a snake slithering against the nape of Julia¡¯s neck. Bael was pounding all over Julia, who had already been trembling down with very little energy. As she eventually kneeled on the floor, she took in a breath while she was forced to watch the scene unfold before her eyes. A huge pillar with prominent veins was prodding in search of a hole to be burrowed in right away. He pulled in the back of Julia¡¯s head and touched the nape of her neck kindly. ¡°Suck it.¡± ¡°But, but how¡­¡± Just in time she was to open her mouth, Bael tightened his grip. The heavy lump of flesh instantly slipped into her mouth. ¡°You must be thoroughly punished for breaking my orders.¡± ¡°Uuhpp, uhk!¡± ¡°It is such a lenient punishment that other people will be absolutely surprised to hear of it.¡± In contrast to his bored voice, his touch that was crushing her had been even more brutal. The object that had dug mercilessly continued to ravage her little mouth. A series of sobbing that resembled a scream immediately leaked out of Julia¡¯s throat. The blunt glans had penetrated all over the esophagus and it was terribly painful, but she became more afraid of not being able to breathe. The more she struggled to break free from Bael¡¯s grasp, the stronger his power became to constrain her. ¡°Kohk, hoohk¡­!¡± Her desire to live came into conflict with the sheer sadism of domination. At that moment, his forehead, which had been moving wildly, wrinkled for a split second while he was holding onto her hair. Julia¡¯s teeth brushed against his penis. ¡°Damn it, you really are useless. Can¡¯t you even do at least one thing right?¡± ¡°Cough! Hup-ugh, kuhp!¡± As his hand that held her by the hair moved away, Julia slumped down as she fell onto her bottom helplessly. Her cheeks were already stained wet with tears. Her mind became blank and she didn¡¯t even think of wiping off the saliva that dripped down her chin. But sadly, the tears that trickled down had fueled Bael¡¯s sadism yet again. Instead of his penis shrinking away, it then wriggled and increased to an astonishing size in return. Bael¡¯s red eyes stared straight into her weeping eyes. As he got driven by a wild, seething lust, he began to pleasure himself by touching his flesh. The foreskin, which had been pushed right up to its tip, was pulled down tight. The crackling, dry rubbing sound irritatingly stuck to Julia¡¯s eardrum. ¡®I feel weird. I¡¯m scared¡­¡­¡¯ Bael¡¯s abdominal muscles, which were originally clear, contracted with a darker shadow. Bael solely followed after Julia¡¯s figure viciously until he eventually reached his climax. The semen which his penis spewed out profusely splashed onto her stomach and thighs. As she looked at it, her mouth dried up in an instant. She became absolutely afraid and terrified. At the same time, the sensation of when it had entered and moved inside of her was entangling all in her head. The ruthless movements that pressed against her inner walls while penetrating between her wide opened legs before making her reached climax. ¡°Hoo.¡± As he took in a deep breath, he then gestured to Julia with his chin¡ªtelling her to come even closer. As she saw that his thing had gained its strength once again with increasing volume, Julia shook her head automatically. She was afraid of being treated harshly by him. ¡°Demon King¡­¡± CH 36.2 ¡°Are you in any position to actually reject me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m already out of breath. My jaw hurts, it also tastes weird and I don¡¯t really like it.¡± Bael¡¯s impression grew colder and colder the more she refused. After cutting off Julia¡¯s words, he raised his finger once again with a grim face. Julia looked up at the King of Darkness beyond her vision that was blurred by her own tears. As he was still seated on the bed, he roughly wiped away the white turbid liquid with the sheet and threw it away. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°Demon King, please¡ª¡± ¡°If you want me to be cruel, then there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± ¡°Uht¡­¡± As his voice broke through the freezing point, the gigantic weapon groaned like it was showing off its presence. Just as if he was saying that if she kept on procrastinating and wasting time like this, she would utterly end up in a really bad way. In the end, Julia got up while her tears were still seeping down. ¡°Closer.¡± Julia bit her lip and inched just a step closer. ¡°More.¡± His long legs, which had been seated on the bed, were already in front of Julia¡¯s knees. To get closer in this state, she therefore had to spread her legs and get on top of his thighs. The gurgle that came from her fear grew even louder. Her two hands were clasping onto her thin skirt just like a lifeline. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Bael¡¯s forehead when he was looking down at her, wrinkled and at the same time, the negligee that she had been holding onto got simply torn. The trembling white woman instantly appeared naked in front of Bael¡¯s eyes. His neck went up and down violently in return. Then, as she was bound by his tight arms, Julia fell over his body in the blink of an eye. Bael was lying on the bed while Julia was already sitting on his chest with her thighs wide open. This posture alone seemed to have made her feel ashamed to death, but he was still not satisfied with it as he demanded even more. ¡°Come up here.¡± ¡°Whe, where¡­¡± Julia was already seated on his chest, which meant that going up even more would be where his face was. She didn¡¯t think that he really meant to sit there, so she waited for an answer, but Bael didn¡¯t even say a single thing at all. Instead, his eyes just gleamed with a ghastly glow. ¡°Do you actually want me to put it in forcefully?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know what you mean by going up there. I really don¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But if I go much higher up, it¡¯ll be at your face. So, if I really go up there, you¡¯ll just tear me to death.¡± The thought of a human actually dared to sit on the Demon King¡¯s face made her eyes muddled. Aside from the shame of being naked, she could be sure that Bael wouldn¡¯t have really forgiven her if she did something like that. Although her skin had been in direct contact with him while the imprints on her heart spread a red kind of glow, it was more important to Julia than the unfamiliar sensation that kept on creeping up her back. ¡°I really don¡¯t know, I¡¯m not lying at all.¡± ¡°Come up here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything like this before and I don¡¯t even know how to do it all¡­¡± Julia, who had been making excuses while her tears trickled down, stopped moving for an instant. Whether he had really meant for her to come up on his own face, Bael eventually pointed out the tip of his tongue like it was digging through a deep hole. She had to figure out what he truly wanted. Perhaps he was trying to urge Julia, who had stiffened in fear, Bael grabbed her butt tightly with both of his hands. At the same time, the pain as well as a subtle kind of pleasure instantly ran through her body. ¡°Uung!¡± Not even missing a single moment when she had unwittingly stood halfway up on her knees, Bael thrusted his finger inside of her once again. Her inner walls, which had already been dried up from fear, pushed away his fingers hard. Nevertheless, Bael simply shoved his middle finger right until the end. Julia couldn¡¯t stand the power that was pulling inside of her own stomach. She eventually crawled on her knees towards his face, albeit hesitatingly, with his hands still clasped in between her crotch. ¡°More.¡± Julia finally stopped near Bael¡¯s chin and her face was all dyed red with shame. The higher she went from there, the more details he could see within his field of vision. It would be like showing the ultimate secret space between her legs. Even that place was warmly squelching like a living creature. As she hesitated, Bael drew his finger back inside. The fear that he might tear her apart had forced her to take a step closer. Bael took her two hands that were covering her secret place at once and tied them behind her back. Her shoulders stretched backwards and her chest, which had cowered slightly, began to get protruded. With his finger pulled out of her hole, he then slowly rolled the pinkish tip of her breast. The pleasure made her slowly lift her head. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Uhng¡ªn, no. If I were to sit down¡­¡± Her deepest and her most secret place would then touch his lips directly. She didn¡¯t know what was going to happen after that, but she had an instinctive feeling that something very painful would be happening soon enough. As he noticed Julia¡¯s hesitation, Bael then rolled her clitoris with his thumb. She couldn¡¯t stand it as she was brushing against him with her bare body and a waft of hot, wet breath leaked out from her as his long, hard fingers kept on rubbing her clitoris. She closed her mouth tightly and only the corners of her eyes turned red, but eventually, she could no longer bear it as she began to shake uncontrollably. As her thighs loosened and she sat down on him, Bael spread her flesh with his hands before he thrusted his tongue straight into her insides. ¡°Uhnng!¡± From the sole place where she came in contact with him, she could then hear a muffled, wet sound. Julia didn¡¯t know what to do as her bottom trembled, but in the end, she could only cover her lips with both of her hands as she could not escape at all. CH 37.1 ¡°Hu-uh, ah!¡± A sensation that she couldn¡¯t simply adapt with was slowly spreading from her waist downwards. The unattainable pleasure was eating away at her nervous system with a direct shock to the stomach. His thick, hot tongue prowled every inch of her opening while exploring every single nook and cranny. It was at such a depth where the human tongue could have never even reached. As she handed him all her secrets, Julia clung to the head of the bed and gasped for breath. His fingers, which had spread her red petals, slipped out before he clasped onto her immature breasts as he rolled her nipples around. The stimulation rushed up and down incessantly. ¡°Ah, Demon King¡ªtoo, deep.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get up.¡± ¡°Do, don¡¯t, heuk¡­!¡± The irregular movements of his tongue began to take on a certain pattern just like a pistoning motion. In line with that, Julia¡¯s waist shook without her even realizing it. It was such a small movement, but there would be no way that Bael was unaware of it all. As he opened his mouth, he thrusted and licked even harder at her cute opening. He then swallowed every single drop of the sweet fluids that were continuously leaking out. His throat swelled wildly with excitement in return. The moist sound eventually filled the whole room. Bael grabbed Julia¡¯s slender waist and started moving wildly up and down at once. As she was bobbed up and down in his hand, Julia didn¡¯t know what to do as she was left only to let out her moanings incessantly. ¡°No, not there!!¡± The moment Bael¡¯s tongue pressed down on a certain place, her soft and smooth inner walls trembled before they tightened in an instant. As she reached her orgasm, Julia¡¯s head tilted back and jerked, which caused her fine hair to flutter all over Bael¡¯s stomach. He then forcefully spread her thighs wide so that he could drink her juices better. He stuck out his tongue all the way and ran it all over her secret place in order to guzzle even a little more of her love juices without leaving a single drop behind. ¡°Are you, huh-uhk¡­¡± Bael then reversed their posture in an instant while holding onto the back of her neck as she fell limply in exhaustion. He ran his fingertips through the pure white body beneath him and murmured in her ear. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be losing your mind simply like this. This is just the beginning.¡± ¡°Still, going on¡ªah!¡± Bael opened Julia¡¯s buttocks wide open and slid his swollen flesh right between them. Even without penetration, whenever he moved his waist slowly, her clitoris was pinned on and a thrill of pleasure instantly flooded in. ¡°The night in this Demon Realm is really long.¡± ¡°Huuu¡­¡± ¡°And if I say night, then it will be called night¡ªeven if the sun has already risen in the sky.¡± Bael shifted his posture while pulling back his torso. He pulled in Julia¡¯s slender waist so that it aligned with his own red flesh and without a moment¡¯s haste, he pierced her soft, wet hole all at once. ¡°Aang!!¡± The tight-fitting penis put pressure against her entire inner walls with just its mere presence. Seeing that his little prey was writhing her body as she could not bear the pleasure, the King twisted his lips in satisfaction. ¡°You can¡¯t run away.¡± He gripped Julia¡¯s waist firmly with both of his hands and thrusted his back with all his might. Her tiny hole swallowed his entire huge penis wholly right up to its root. Without any moment of waiting, he moved his back once again. The connection instantly deepened as he pulled her lower back that was being held along with his movement. ¡°Please, Demon King, too fast!¡± ¡°Kuhk.¡± ¡°Hu-uhhk, stop¡­!¡± She felt like she was choking amidst all the maddening pleasure. Julia tried to stop him from rushing even more, but her wrists simply ended up being pinned above her head. The wave-like heat surged from all over the area whenever he thrusted his back. Eventually, she couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. The mind that she was holding on to just like a thread had already flown off. The sound of flesh clashing in haste, Julia¡¯s high-pitched moans and the King¡¯s red eyes were the things that filled the entire night away. * * * After a very long night, the dusky dawn soon rose. As he raised himself from the bed, Bael let out a deep sigh and brushed his disheveled black hair roughly. ¡°¡­¡± As he turned his head, he saw that the key, who had been moaning painfully all night long, had already fallen into a deep sleep. Traces of dried tears were clearly visible on her reddened cheeks. Bael gently brushed her swollen eyes with his fingertips. They were very soft, just like a ripe fruit. His gaze then went downwards. There were blue bruises in places that had been pure white without a single trace of thread. Every time he lifted his lower body, the key kept on trembling because of the movement, which had been rather annoying. ¡®You are weak.¡¯ Even though he held her softly, it still left a dark mark like it had been tightened with damped leather. Her waist, thighs, forearms and wrists. Bael scanned the marks one by one and he began to frown unknowingly. She was so weak that anyone would have simply clicked their tongues. ¡®It was just clumsy of you to seduce me when you¡¯re just like that. She didn¡¯t even know that she was actually risking her life here.¡¯ His self-control was like a thread that could have just snapped at any moment. When he saw the human man was caressing the key¡¯s chest or when he saw that she was obediently entrusting her own body into the hands of others¡ªeven though he, himself, knew that it was merely an act that had been related to the imprint¡ªhis eyes started seething with anger. The two would have already been dead by now if Julia hadn¡¯t been willingly throwing herself into Bael¡¯s embrace. CH 37.2 Bael was the most powerful demon who had been born with the fate of a King, the absolute man of hell who had never succumbed to anything at all. He didn¡¯t have to be patient, much less to comfort others too. Again, if something similar were to happen and provided the fact that Bael did not regain his mind properly, the result would simply be the key¡¯s own death. ¡®My throat is burning.¡¯ The palm of his hand, which had been caressing her bruised thigh, naturally slid deeper and deeper inside. He was well aware of how the spring between them had driven him crazy while giving him a deep comfort and satisfaction, which he never even felt before. Was it similar to the feeling of having to stare at a bait that had been so appetizing yet he couldn¡¯t even eat it? As he thought that he couldn¡¯t do it had made him even more tired and drier in the mouth. ¡°Tsk.¡± He struggled to remove his hand before he finally drew away his body with a click on his tongue. If he had just continued like this, she would really die soon. He had already found her somehow, so he couldn¡¯t afford to lose her over a mere coital death. Bael stood up and looked around. The nest, which had become a mess due to their intense love affair that took place all night, eventually regained its original state in the blink of an eye with only a single gesture from him. However, there was only one existence that had not been affected by his magic as it was still asleep as if it had been dead whilst in a messy state. As he saw that, his nerves began to be on edge as if someone was tugging the back of his hair. ¡®I can¡¯t help it since her body will get cold if I just leave it alone for a while.¡¯ Every time he thrusted during the act, the image of her trembling due to the fact that she could no longer stand it lingered in his mind like an afterimage. The more he tried to shake it off, the more it stuck onto him. Just like it was tempting him to relive the sadism and pleasure which he had felt right at that particular moment¡ªas though it was whispering that if he just stretched out his hand, he could already taste it again. Just as his eyes darkened, a cautious knock reverberated from outside of the nest. Bael did not promptly answer, but the guest who was outside still opened the door without any ounce of hesitation. ¡°I truly apologize for the early hour. But the matter was very urgent and I simply couldn¡¯t help it.¡± As she stood there alone, Revenna did not enter at all. However, she threw a brief glance at Julia, who was already collapsed from exhaustion, before she then slowly prostrated herself. ¡°I have something to inform you about the human Sword Master. It won¡¯t take very long.¡± Hidden behind Revenna¡¯s hard-face was a small letter that hadn¡¯t reached its original destination just yet. * * * The attacks of the four demons spurted endlessly over the blue dome-shaped defense within the desolate land where the flutter of black ash had rippled. The mana that melted thickly in the air was filling up their power infinitely. If it was a battle at the border between mana and magic power, it was definitely now that the demons had a clear victory. Legion planted the greatsword on the floor and concentrated on injecting mana while clutching the handle with both of his hands. The Soul Sword, the symbol of a Sword Master as well as a medium that helped out the operation of mana itself, proceeded to vibrate with a bluish light. Similar to an electric current that flowed through the surface of the shield, a wave instantly transpired. It gradually grew in size and soon began to attack indiscriminately along the trail of the magic that brushed against anyone. ¡°Stand back! Everyone, stop attacking!¡± ¡°Kugh, a mere human¡­!¡± Bottis¡¯s tail that got touched by the blue light immediately became charred just like Lerazier¡¯s body from before. As soon as it was confirmed, Barbatos quickly called for a retreat. It was the first attack that had been done by the human who continued muttering something with a blank face ever since the King and the key left earlier. Everything that was born in the demon realm had been burned black the moment it touched the mana and soon, they disappeared without a form. The demons looked extremely tired as they watched the ground turn into ruins in an instant. ¡°This is just terrible. It will be no different from the Master¡¯s rampage.¡± ¡°No, even that thing will soon reveal its limits. How can a human actually gather much strength in an atmosphere that is utterly filled with magical energy? He¡¯s just eating his own flesh anyhow. We just have to wait.¡± Beyond the monocle, Barbatos¡¯s eyes had already narrowed cynically. As he had predicted, Legion¡¯s mana was gradually reaching its limit. Just like a person who was drowning in a deep lake, the feeling of sinking into the dark bottom clung heavily on his limbs. He could not hold on to the life force that was currently escaping from his body. He couldn¡¯t control his mana at all. ¡°Julia, why¡­¡± Endless questions filled his head to the brim. Her petite back when she left him alone as she burrowed herself into the arms of the Demon King. A sweet voice that murmured in a complaint. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Demon King. I thought that Bero was getting a little frustrated, so I wanted to play with it for a while. But a small accident had suddenly happened to which I came out this far.¡¯ ¡®I thought that you had allowed me to leave the Demon King¡¯s bedroom¡­ Plus, you didn¡¯t really say anything last night, did you?¡¯ All of those were the things that she had shown only to himself in the past¡ªsolely to himself. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, really?¡± As he stood alone in the wilderness, he rummaged through his past memories. He was confused and his eyes gradually went distant. He knew that Julia never saw him as anything more than a mere friend. Nevertheless, he still thought that it was unlikely that she would ever see another man as a man too. Due to her many scars, she was careful and prudent when conducting herself with others. Even if someone else hovered around her, she was afraid to reach out first and they still had to crack on her hard shell outside just to get her to raise her head and make eye contact. How long had he even waited for her to be exactly like that? He thought that he could. As he led the triumphal procession back to the Imperial Capital of Abeldishim, he was determined to shatter Julia¡¯s last remaining shell completely, no matter how long it would take in order to make her truly see him as a man. But¡ªwhy? CH 38.1 ¡°Ugh! Cough!¡± He was momentarily short of breath. He could feel that the mana inside his body was pulsating vehemently as it flowed backwards all through his body. He couldn¡¯t control the power that was slipping out just like grains of sand. His blood vessels were bursting and the whites of his eyes were stained red. As it was unable to overcome the shock of his exploding mana, the ground cracked extensively before it finally collapsed. He could feel the demons were currently looking down at him with their mocking faces. They must have realized that his end was utterly imminent. ¡°Shit¡­¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t actually thinking of anything. He just wanted to go to Julia at once. He didn¡¯t wish to be forgotten at all. He wanted to engrave this mad yearning in her mind and etch a scar that she would never forget for the rest of her life. No one else could touch her if he wasn¡¯t able to have her for himself¡ªeven if he would have gotten pointed at for being immensely selfish. As they ignored the screams of the body and started moving one step at a time, the demons, who judged that Legion¡¯s time had already come, immediately began to pour upon such fierce attacks over Legion¡¯s head. The shield had deflected the mana, but the shock was still transmitted to Legion who was inside. ¡°KUAAGGHH!¡± ¡°It¡¯s such a pity. He became a Sword Master at best, but eventually died in vain.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why he should have known his own standing as a mere human in the first place!¡± ¡°A Sword Master who dies just because he can¡¯t control his mana. I¡¯m going to see such a rare sight today.¡± Legion raised his head in terrible agony as his intestines felt like they were already bursting and his muscles were being torn apart. A red moon hung from the dizzying spire of the Demon Castle where Julia had hidden herself all along. It was a red crescent moon that resembled the eyes of the Demon King Bael himself. ¡°Gasp, gasp¡­!¡± Within the Demon King¡¯s eyes that were looking at Julia, the clear emotions shone through. It was as dark as the depths of hell and it had been infested with maggots like in a corpse. That was definitely a male obsession. The Demon King, who had always been indifferent to everything when he never even appeared on the battlefield himself, was actually lusting after Julia. When Legion had realized that, his vision soon darkened. A fierce rage thoroughly consumed Legion and the color of the mana that he had emitted gradually turned into a darker hue. ¡°What is that? Doesn¡¯t it feel stronger than before?¡± ¡°I have a bad feeling about this.¡± The demons instinctively sensed the danger and stopped attacking at once. Barbatos¡¯s eyes soon narrowed as he watched the situation unfolded. The jewel that was embedded in the center of the sword began to turn black like it had been charred. If the soul sword played the role of amplifying the Sword Master¡¯s mana, the stone at its center was the source of overflowing vitality and the main body of the transcending ability itself. ¡°Even if that is the case, there can only be one conclusion. Since the soul is already broken, that human will be finished no matter what he does.¡± ¡°Then, what shall we do?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t really bother the Master by leaving some room for more trouble¡­¡± The Sword Master¡¯s status was the pinnacle of his ability to transcend as a mere human being. It was an unheard-of situation that such an existence could have a mana surge and even more so, lose their stones. Although the day when the Master would be gaining the power of the Demon God was not that far away, even the slightest risk of variables couldn¡¯t be left here¡ªin this Demon Realm. And whatever it was, it still had the potential to get in the way. ¡°We have to kill him.¡± Right in Barbatos¡¯s hand as he was muttering quietly, a black sphere had gradually grown in size like a black hole. In response to his will to end Legion¡¯s breath at once, the other demons also proceeded to prepare for the final blow. Just then, a huge ax suddenly flew from the direction of the King¡¯s nest. It rushed so fast that its shape could not even be seen properly before it eventually took a direct hit upon Legion¡¯s defenses. A huge shockwave reverberated like the ground would have been split as the ax shattered in response. However, the item that had been tied to the sack dropped to Legion¡¯s feet without a single scratch at all. In between the long folded papers, there was a familiar lock of light pink hair. Legion, who noticed it, eventually bent down and picked it up¡ªas if possessed. A few strands of hair softly fluttered on his calloused palms. As he was staring at it blankly, he could then hear a high, clear voice that pierced his ears. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time and read the content! And if you¡¯re going to do something stupid in front of Julia, it¡¯s better to go back to the Human Realm right away!¡± Revenna¡¯s gaze turned to the young man whose eyes were glowing grotesquely within the pitch black distorted sphere. In her hand was another ax that looked very identical to the ax that had just flown earlier. ¡°You stupid human being! She¡¯d rather get hurt than to hurt someone else. For Julia to say that, I really don¡¯t even know what the whole truth behind the letter is?!¡± ¡°You demon¡ªtalking as if you actually know Julia!¡± ¡°At least I seem to know her better than you do right now though? If you die like this, what do you think will happen to Julia? If you really want to die, then at least get out of here! As long as Julia is happy, that¡¯ll be just enough!¡± With a roar, Revenna struck the shield once again with the ax. The weapon shattered with a boom that rang through the eardrums. All of the four demons who were watching the situation from behind frowned, but Revenna and Legion simply stared at each other without being wavered at all. However, as if he had realized something from the shock just now, Legion blinked slowly while still clutching onto the letter that was in his hand. In fact, from the moment he touched Julia¡¯s locks, his mind, which had been blurry and distant, was gradually clearing up. As he raised his gaze, he saw the bright blonde demon who was already standing right in front of him. And just a little away from her, the four demons who came over with the Demon King from earlier were all staring at the blonde-haired demon that had taken an unexpected action with such an empty face. This meant that the current situation was not what they had wished for. CH 38.2 ¡°I have nothing to say about being helped by that of the demons.¡± All the violent thoughts that he had just uttered flashed through his mind. He was just cursing and resenting Julia¡¯s choice as he even decided to put an engraving on her heart that could never be erased for the rest of her life. That mere thought was absolutely so cruel that he would have to apologize to her for the rest of her life. ¡°Yes¡­ I haven¡¯t been able to save Julia yet, so I can¡¯t just die like this.¡± Julia¡¯s strands of hair that were in his hand felt exceptionally warm. He then took a deep breath. He could feel that the power which had been raging through his body while being regurgitated in pain was slowly returning to its proper place. Instead of the mana that had been completely drained from exhaustion, the newly filled power reconstructed his whole body. It was similar to the mana which Legion originally used, but still a little bit different. It had a warm and friendly feeling¡ªdefinitely, it was a power that had been similar to that of Julia¡¯s. After a long night, the dawn finally began to rise. Legion slowly closed his eyes as he watched the sky soon dyed in crimson. * * * ¡°¡­I was the one who stole it.¡± The boy, who was lying on his stomach under the bed while holding his breath, instantly widened his eyes. Due to his low vision, he could only see a limited number of places, but he could clearly make out the small hand that trembled while clutching onto the hem of her own skirt. The men who had been searching the room quickly gathered around the girl. One of the knights snatched up the jewel that had fallen by her feet and with the help of a cheap candle light by the old bedside, he confirmed that it was the missing item from earlier. ¡°Why did you do this?¡± ¡°I thought that Estelle wouldn¡¯t mind if things that she wouldn¡¯t even notice were gone. Plus, today is my birthday too, so it¡¯s a bit¡­¡± ¡°Did you steal just for that mere reason? The goods which had been presented for Princess Estelle herself?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really got a thick face. To be greedy for your own sister¡¯s things¡ªeven a street bum would be more proud than this.¡± ¡°No matter what you say, that was still too much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I said anything wrong anyway!¡± The conversation between the men who were surrounding the girl gradually became more harsh. As they closed in on a girl who was less than half their size, they never even hesitated to make threatening remarks without any sort of consideration at all. ¡°If it¡¯s like this, can we really get credit for finding out who the thief truly was? We should just keep quiet and bury all the tricks that this girl did after all!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something that I can¡¯t actually say anywhere else though.¡± ¡°If you were a commoner, you would have been beaten up already, but this kind of thing is also of imperial blood¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± For the first time ever, a hint of bewilderment was mixed in the man¡¯s voice. This birthday party was actually a golden opportunity to impress the powerful people who had been in control of each field throughout the entire Empire. He understood the unfair feeling of not being able to attend such a meeting, but the ¡®imperial blood¡¯ that his colleague had just mentioned actually came from nothing other than the highest dignity itself. If such a story was relayed to the upper ranks, their lives could definitely be in danger, so he glanced at Julia before rubbing his forehead in a troubling manner. ¡°No one will truly believe what you say anyway. They¡¯ll just think that you¡¯re uttering nonsense. I¡¯ll advise you not to say anything in the meantime.¡± ¡°You, you don¡¯t have to worry¡­¡± ¡°Many soldiers have already been punished for not managing the gifts that were brought to Her Highness Estelle properly. Now, even the Imperial Guards are searching the entire Palace. Just because of some greed that some light-headed people were never able to handle at all.¡± His voice as he spoke in low, muffled words had been far more menacing and horrifying than the other man who was just shouting loudly. After he took a half step back, he then returned to his normal knightly face. But before she could even have the time to adapt to the rapid change, the man simply continued. ¡°I¡¯ll just report this back to His Majesty and Her Highness immediately. Just keep quiet inside here until someone else comes.¡± With his final verdict as a signal, the knights then left the place and the man who had been murmuring until the end eventually left the room as well. As she felt exhausted from all the tension, the girl plopped down on the floor helplessly. The boy, who had been holding his breath all the time under the bed, got up with his head all jerked about. The girl¡¯s crouched back seemed to induce a subtle feeling of guilt inside of him. If those men¡¯s eyes were needles, he thought, she might have blood oozing out of her very body. He lifted his head with feelings of pity in his heart as she was now suffering only because of his own fault. However, he was born and lived in the streets all his life. He had never heard or even handed such warm words to anyone. Therefore, the boy¡¯s voice came out rather bluntly. ¡°Who is actually sympathizing with who now? Did you think I would appreciate it if you cover up for me like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re no different from me anyway. No¡ªeven you have the cursed blood!¡± For that single moment, the boy began to hesitate. Tears had already welled up in the girl¡¯s wide eyes as she slowly looked up at him in silence. ¡°Why, why are you crying! Are you trying to blame me instead now?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you dumb? Say something!¡± The expression which went something like a thief whose feet went numb (T/N: an idiom that means the state in which someone felt automatically uncomfortable because of their guilt when doing something wrong, just like a thief who was going to steal) could probably be used in this case. The boy started pacing around the room restlessly. On the other hand, the girl kept her mouth shut as she uttered nothing at all, but still, her teary eyes continued to follow his movements instead. CH 39/1 ¡°Oh, really!¡± In the end, the boy had raised his white flag first. He took the girl into his arms without a moment¡¯s surprise and walked right over before dropping her onto the worn-out bed. The girl blinked her eyes blankly. Pure white and very gentle like snow, she was just like a newborn lamb. It seemed even more so since her cheeks were all flushed red like an unripe fruit. However, an unexpected stream of firm words came out of her mouth as she took a slow breath. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t say anything about you. I¡¯m the one who stole the jewels tonight anyway, so just erase this from your memory.¡± ¡°What¡ªare you actually pitying me right now? Do I look that pitiful!¡± Unknowingly, an accusation had leaked out from the surprised boy¡¯s mouth. The girl made a painful face for a moment, but she soon smiled faintly. As he saw it all, his chest strangely felt rather tight. His nerves were on the edge as he thought that his head would¡¯ve definitely gone crazy if he were to stay there any longer. He wondered where would that kind of atmosphere come from in the form of a skinny girl with big eyes and just as if he was immersed in lukewarm water, it felt both comfortable and nostalgic. She seemed to be whispering the fact that he could just put down the tension and relax. ¡®Nonsense.¡¯ Common sense made it impossible to feel that way just from someone whom he had just seen for the first time, but there was only one ending that would await for a street child with no adults left to protect him than to let go of his tension and vigilance. It was right then that the boy, who suddenly regained his senses once again, clicked his tongue and turned around. His wrists were held with a little bit of force. ¡°At times like this, just say thank you for helping.¡± The girl muttered calmly as if she had already cooled off for a moment before she finally withdrew her hand away. ¡°And it wasn¡¯t anything like sympathy at all. I¡¯m really sorry if I offended you. Then, goodbye.¡± Perhaps her words were already concluded, the girl helplessly turned her body and stared out of the window. At the end of that field of vision was a large and beautiful banquet hall. Occasionally, an upbeat flow of music and laughter surged out, which made this place¡ªthe only one that was quiet¡ªfeel even much colder. In the boy¡¯s mind, an image of the Princess who was laughing joyfully among the numerous distinguished guests and these small, slender shoulders of hers that continued crouching alone in a decrepit, abandoned Palace flashed through alternately. ¡®Shit.¡¯ No matter how much he resisted, it was a battle that had been decided from the very beginning. The boy, who eventually tousled his hair in anguish, then began to take a seat down at the foot of the bed. ¡°Well, this must be fate then. My name is Legion. What about you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Julia.¡± The girl hesitated for a moment before she finally opened her mouth. Then, Legion proceeded to carefully hold her outstretched hand. * * * A bright light slowly leaked through her closed eyes. As she felt like her consciousness was floating pleasantly above the surface of the water, Julia softly began to lift her eyelids. Bael¡¯s bedroom¡ªa familiar sight instantly entered her eye. It was a kind of silence that hadn¡¯t been gained for a long time ever since arriving at the Demon Realm. The huge room with no other presence looked like it was deeply asleep. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± However, the time to slowly enjoy the quiet atmosphere was not for long. It was because the moment when Julia simply tossed and turned slightly, a terrible pain immediately surged through her body, which caused her muscles to scream out. She gasped in astonishment as she drew in a breath. Every time she moved, her joints grated violently and her body proceeded to sink under the bed. Both the swelling and bitter pain that was felt in an embarrassing place had been an added bonus too. As she suffered from the pain that surged through her body, she then sipped the water that had been placed by the bedside while barely leaning against the head of the bed. Even in her own field of vision, her naked body was already a mess. Her limbs were all bruised like those of a battered person whereas her breasts were full of reddish scars and teeth marks as if something had taken bites out of them. She wanted to check the situation underneath by pulling up the sheet that was all bundled around her belly, but she just couldn¡¯t do it. It would actually be a lot worse than what was revealed on the outside and she knew full well that it would not be less at all. The memory of the love affair with Bael on that very bed was just that strong. It had been so clearly imprinted in her brain that she was not able to shake it all off. Her shoulders suddenly stiffened as she traced back to her dotted memories with all the brutal sense of pleasures. ¡°Out there, Legion¡­¡± The sun had already risen right in the middle of the sky. Since the battle had already taken place late at night, it would have already been half a day if they were still fighting. ¡®How can a Sword Master even survive this long against those four high-ranking demons?¡¯ A terrible thought that it might be too late immediately reared in her head. As she trembled while stepping out of the bed, Julia straight away tumbled helplessly onto the floor. ¡°Huhk!¡± When she fell, she must have accidentally touched something as a series of system windows popped up in front of her eyes. [?SYSTEM Unable to check progress.] [?SYSTEM 2nd Episode. ¡®Trajectory of the Past¡¯ is in progress.] Julia caught a hold of her wobbly arm and raised her body while blinking her eyes blankly. ¡°What¡¯s the use of all this then?¡± In a sense of embarrassment, Julia turned off the window without even reading the whole content. Instead, she then activated the SIGHT function and a window immediately popped up. [?SYSTEM Remaining HP is less than 10%. Turning off all skills except those which are vital to life.] The edge of her field of vision flashed red for a few seconds before it eventually returned to normal. Nevertheless, she ignored it and lifted her body. She wrapped her body in a long robe that had been hanging nearby and tried to tear off the part that was dragging on the ground, but she ended up grabbing it tightly in her hand instead. ¡°I have to go outside. To those ruins¡­¡± When she opened the door, only a cold drop of silence hovered in the wide hallway. She didn¡¯t know where everyone had gone, but she thought that it was for the better. She had to leave the castle in search of Bero again. Then, she had to save the Legion. CH 39.2 Julia ran like crazy. Every time she encountered the demons, she checked her SIGHT function and hid herself before repeatedly running again when they soon passed by. How long did it take? Eventually, it appeared that her stamina had already fallen to a dangerous level. [?SYSTEM Remaining HP is less than 5%. All skills have been forcibly turned off except for those vital to life.] The status window that popped up whenever a demon approached nearby soon disappeared like it was turned off. In addition, the edge of her field of vision became red as well before it began its area expansion little by little. It had been the sign of the player¡¯s death. All in all, at such an important moment, it was truly a disaster. ¡®But I¡¯ve already taken too much time to wait for my stamina to kick back in. What should we do now?¡¯ The amount of HP recovered per hour was 2% of her total physical strength, but even this was raised by one level through skill points. If she continued to move like this without any countermeasures, her stamina would run out and she would eventually die. However, if she didn¡¯t make a move, it was clear that Legion would definitely die from all those demons. Julia stared impatiently across the hallway. If she turned there, she would soon find a staircase that eventually led down to the first floor along with a huge hall. It hadn¡¯t been the only way out of the castle, but going through this route was the fastest way to get Bero out of the barn. Her back was already drenched with cold sweat. There was absolutely nothing that she could do. In order to save her, Legion¡ªwho was her only friend¡ªhad invaded the Devil¡¯s Castle single-handedly, but her stupid and foolish self was only hiding behind a pillar while lingering about instead. This time, Legion would really die. A sense of helplessness eventually plunged her deep into the darkness. [?SYSTEM Remaining HP is less than 4%.] When Julia knelt down on the floor helplessly, roars of shouts from under the stairs were carried down the long aisle and right into the hallway¡ªright where she was currently hiding. ¡°What kind of nonsense is this? What about who again?¡± ¡°Calm down, Lerazier.¡± ¡°Do I look like I can really calm down right now? Who was the one that made me look like such an idiot anyway!¡± ¡°That is why, I sorted it all for you. In the first place, if you hadn¡¯t rushed recklessly when we met on the outskirts, this wouldn¡¯t have happened after all. Is this actually a lack of learning ability or just a lack of intelligence?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Julia, who unknowingly stood up, descended the stairs as if she was possessed. Those who hadn¡¯t noticed the fact that she was approaching still continued on with their heated argument. Lerazier jumped up and down while Legion simply snorted with a cynical look. Revenna gave a long yawn as she stroked Bero and Barbatos was taking off his monocle before setting it down on the table. In addition to them, there were two more other demons including Agares and Bottis as well. It was a combination that she could never have imagined before. Julia blankly blinked her eyes, but that still didn¡¯t stop her from seeing an unfamiliar sight before her very pair of eyes. ¡°You stupid demon. Do you think I sorted it out just because I actually liked you? If you keep acting like that, you will not see the good things. You only get to keep on pretending to be close to Julia.¡± [?SYSTEM Remaining HP is less than 3%.] A loud echoing sound suddenly muffled the voice of Legion¡¯s words. When she came back to her senses, those who had felt her presence stopped at once. ¡°Ju, Julia? Did you hear that?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± [?SYSTEM Remaining HP is less than 2%. Entering life support mode to protect the player.] She didn¡¯t know why Legion¡¯s face had stiffened awkwardly and the reason Agares and Revenna were screaming as they got up. Before she even had the time to prepare, her vision already turned all black. * * * Julia opened her eyes again when she was already in her private bedroom. It seemed that this fainting spell didn¡¯t last too long, so the position of the sun hadn¡¯t changed much from the moment she collapsed earlier. ¡°Oh, have you awakened?¡± A cold palm rested on Julia¡¯s forehead. Revenna¡¯s blonde hair was reflected in the sun and they shimmered with a scatter of bright light. ¡°Even in the dungeon, your complexion wasn¡¯t that pale, but if you were really sick, you shouldn¡¯t be moving and just wait for someone to come instead?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Julia stammered at her query. She was at a loss for words since she had more than one question herself. What had happened to Legion, who was left all alone in the wilderness last night, why was he calmly entering the Demon¡¯s Castle right now and whether there was actually anything that could have threatened his life too. Revenna seemed to have noticed Julia¡¯s intentions and smiled as if she was telling her to slow down. ¡°I¡¯m actually a bit disappointed, you know? Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you had left such an important person behind back in the Human Realm? In fact, I was only looking around while being completely unaware until I eventually found your letter? But I¡¯m just glad that it¡¯s still not too late.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the other guys have realized it, but you can¡¯t fool my eyes at all. That human Sword Master is actually your lover? If not, why in the world would he come all the way right here then?¡± CH 40.1 Julia opened her mouth blankly as she was not expecting Revenna¡¯s words. Nevertheless, Revenna quickly stood up from the chair. Her long, full eyelashes cast a fluttering shadow over her soft cheeks. ¡°You can just ask yourself what you¡¯re truly curious about. Since it has been the long-awaited reunion, I¡¯ll stop anyone from interfering.¡± She walked out with a bit of excitement before giving a tap on someone who was right outside the door. A brief exchange took place between the two and soon, Legion entered inside. It was such a fleeting moment, but his eyes, which had been directly exposed to the sunlight, appeared to be in a deep purple hue. Still, they soon returned to their original blue color, but Julia could already feel a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu from him. However, her thoughts did not last for very long. Legion had already taken a seat at the bedside. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°I was so surprised when you suddenly collapsed. What would have happened if I were just a little bit later.¡± Julia couldn¡¯t find anything to answer, so she just wiggled her fingertips awkwardly. With each blink of an eye, she still could not easily keep up with the situation that was rapidly moving onwards. ¡°Legion, what really happened last night? How did you get into the castle and why didn¡¯t you go back to the Human Realm straight away?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ this and that happened all night. It¡¯s a bit too long to say them now, but it all went well anyway. And I¡¯m going to stay here from now on as well.¡± Just by listening to his voice, he sounded like someone who just went to play somewhere near his house, but the content was actually beyond any kind of imagination. To think that a human¡ªin fact, a Sword Master¡ªwould take a seat down in the underworld. Even more so, to live in the same space with the demons who he had once risked his life to. Her mood became heavy at an instant. She raised her head with the feeling of guilt which had him grabbed by the ankle. ¡°It must be because of me.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s actually a reason for that. I want to be by your side even now¡­¡± ¡°Are you being threatened with me as an excuse?¡± ¡°What do you mean? There¡¯s just no way. Why would you even think like that?¡± Legion, who muttered in a barely audible voice, had his eyes widened in surprise. Julia, who then lifted her body, began to cling onto his arm. ¡°Then, what else could be the reason? If it¡¯s not my fault, why do you have to stay in this kind of dangerous place?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself. I¡¯m here only because I, myself, wanted to.¡± ¡°Legion.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be going back even if you look at me with those eyes. I will never go.¡± While Legion was grumbling away, he subtly lowered his gaze. He used to avoid eye contact in this manner when he had nothing to say or during the time he was about to get scolded. It became rather difficult to communicate at times like this, so Julia simply sighed and changed the topic of conversation instead. ¡°By the way, what happened with Revenna? She has misunderstood us in a rather¡­ ridiculous way.¡± ¡°Revenna? Ah, if you¡¯re talking about the blonde demon from before, I actually got some help. I asked her to help me get a stay in the Demon¡¯s Castle because I liked you. When I did that, she said that I don¡¯t have to explain anymore and surprisingly, she easily agreed to it. I was a bit surprised, myself.¡± Julia¡¯s mouth opened wide as she listened to him, just like a frightened baby bird. She immediately jumped out of the bed and leaned against Legion¡¯s chest. ¡°You did that to Revenna? Are you kidding me? You actually lied?¡± ¡°Kuhm.¡± Legion shifted his posture to make it easier for her to cling to him with his eyes all twinkling along with a little anticipation too. However, in the eyes of the bewildered Julia, she found no such change at all. In fact, she proceeded to stomp her feet while her face had already flushed red. ¡°Oh, why would you lie like that? Crazy¡ªjust crazy! What kind of face should I look at Revenna from now on then!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying though¡­¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± As he faced Julia¡¯s burning gaze, Legion hurriedly lowered his eyes. Julia¡¯s fists erupted all over his shoulders, but unfortunately, they were simply the same as those cotton. Julia, who had been pounding Legion in a string of punches, eventually collapsed on the bed while rubbing her tingling hands. Legion slumped down right next to her later on. Then, he brushed Julia¡¯s disheveled hair and smiled at her. ¡°Regardless, one thing is definitely for sure.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°You look much happier now than when you were back in Vestra. I hate to admit it though.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But I will never give up on you. My desire to return to the Human Realm together is still the same. I just decided to wait until your heart is all ready. Also, did you know? That my lifespan is much longer than yours.¡± Legion¡¯s hard fingers slowly slid downwards as they trailed along her pinkish blonde hair. By the time they reached her chin, the slightly crouching Legion had already cast a long shadow over her. ¡°I hope it won¡¯t take too long, though.¡± On the other hand, something soft had touched and fallen upon Julia¡¯s forehead. At the same time, a system window that was utterly bright in her field of vision had popped up. [?SYSTEM HP has been forcibly restored by 5%.] [?SYSTEM The target character ¡®Legion¡¯ has been activated.] [?SYSTEM 2nd Episode. Trajectory of the Past.] [Completed.] CH 40.2 On a night when the Demon¡¯s Castle was immersed in deep silence for such a long time, the sound of pen scraping that echoed through the spacious office suddenly ceased to move. A drop of black ink splattered onto the pure white paper. As he looked down upon it, Barbatos¡¯s eyes hardened slightly. ¡°Whoa, damn it.¡± When he was just about to crumple up the paper, he let out a shallow sigh and leaned against the backrest. The two vultures that were preening their feathers in a corner of the office looked at their Master before looking away. Barbatos liked the clear hue of black and white. The world which was divided into the Demon Realm and the Human Realm as well as the order of the underworld where the strong and the weak had been separated were all to his taste. In his very long life, he had never seen anything that could break the rules. What had been, would always be it. And he categorized work based on experience as well. ¡®Well, there is only one conclusion anyway. Since his soul is already broken, that human will be finished no matter what.¡¯ As he looked down at the burning wilderness under the red crescent moon, Barbatos vented. The color of mana that was emitted by the Sword Master had already reached an irreversible point. The stone, the source of vitality as well as the body of the enlightened supernatural force, had also lost its original power. The only ending left for him was a miserable death due to mana reflux. It was an unusual sight, but not that unexpected. Mana and magical power had the opposite properties. They couldn¡¯t coexist in the same vessel and even if they were forced to do so, only the stronger power would have survived. ¡°But that Sword Master was truly different.¡± He had controlled the mutated stone and converted the magical energy in the air into mana. On top of that, he changed the form of the Soul Sword to reduce the burden on his own body and re-established the flow of the energy too. With all these, the Sword Master who had received the blessing of mana was able to gain unlimited power like those demons in the underworld. So, was he now a human or actually a demon? ¡°What really went wrong¡­¡± Upon contemplation, everything had started to go wrong when the key first opened her eyes in the Demon Realm. The human whom they originally needed was Estelle Vestra, the noblest star on earth. However, the one who actually arrived was Julia Vestra, whom they had not even realized existed before. Humans would have simply wanted to protect their precious Princess by sacrificing a fake one, but surprisingly, Julia Vestra was actually the real key. She had a powerful magical resistance that was unheard of and it thoroughly blocked even the magic crystal as well as the Master¡¯s magical power. Even if she had truly been the key, at the end of the day, she was still another weak human being. Yes, up to this point, he was able to think of it as the key¡¯s own uniqueness as he eventually moved on. But that wasn¡¯t the only strange thing at all. The tower where the Demon God had slept in and the magic stone itself were going through a change as well. It was revealed just once, so only few people would have noticed it, but on the day when the castle had been overturned, the tower¡¯s magic circle had restrained the King and the magic stone¡¯s blade was pointed straight at the Master¡¯s neck. It was the first time that the magic stone, which had always been called a flawless fortress of iron walls, actually attacked someone. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be absurd to say that it was all because of the key that came nearby.¡¯ Still, he couldn¡¯t let it go. The law of black and white, which had been sustained ever since the creation of the world, was now vaguely swaying. It eventually got on Barbatos¡¯s nerves. ¡°What was the fragment that the Master had said before? The fragment of the Demon God¡­¡± Barbatos¡¯s teeth became clenched as he murmured. He stared at the blank sheet of paper silently, but that never gave him any means to solve any of these bizarre things. As he thought that he should stop by the tower and check the records as soon as possible, he then stood up without any ounce of hesitation. * * * 04. The Demon God¡¯s Tower. It was a late afternoon under the warm sun, only a few days after Julia had eventually finished the second episode. After that night, she could no longer see where Bael had gone to and Revenna already fell into a long sleep in order to restore her magical power while saying that she was all exhausted from using her strength. For the first few days, Legion had been on the edge as he observed the environment in which he was currently living in. In the meantime, Julia naturally ended up living in the King¡¯s nest without an owner. It was also the safest place in the Demon Realm since she wouldn¡¯t become a subject to external aggression. On top of that, it was because Barbatos dared to push onto her, who had already been puzzled by the exact words that said; ¡®This is the will of the Master himself¡¯. As she leaned against the head of the bed, Julia checked the progress of the story while being buried deep in thoughts. [?SYSTEM Story progress 30%.] [The first monarch to unify the Demon Realm, the Great Evil Bael.] [The young hero of the Human Realm, Sword Master Legion.] As a reward for completing the episode, the progress rate had increased by 10%. Legion was eventually added to the target character, where only Bael existed before while 3 skill points had gotten added as well. Other than that, her basic stats also rose slightly, but the biggest change was the fact that ¡®Legion¡¯ had been unlocked. ¡®It must have been too late for Legion to return back to the surface now. Then¡­¡­¡¯ Julia had never really given a thought about the ending. She was thinking that if she could survive after unsealing the Magic Stone, she would be better off going back to the Human Realm and live amongst the humans. It wasn¡¯t that she disliked her daily life in the Demon Realm. In fact, she was very happy and grateful every day that it felt rather undeserved. However, as a human being, staying here would only make everyone uncomfortable. She was so weak that they had to constantly bring her water and food. On top of that, she also needed someone¡¯s protection even for just a brief outing. Nevertheless, there was nothing else she could actually do for them. She also preferred to live among the ordinary people. The things that transpired over here would be soon cherished as happy memories. When everything was already over, Julia vaguely thought that she would eventually return to the surface alongside Legion. She entered the skill window next. A huge golden tree bloomed brightly while being lighted up all away from the roots. And three pieces of leaves were shining vividly right at the edge of the screen¡ªwaiting for a decision. CH 41.1 ¡®First of all, I have to raise my stamina. Magic resistance type skills have already consumed a lot of stamina, but I still can¡¯t cause a nuisance to those around me by collapsing every single time.¡¯ She found out that some physical contact with Legion could restore her physical strength under the influence of mana, but it was actually quite difficult to fully utilize it. A close kind of contact such as kissing was necessary, yet everyday skinship had been utterly useless. As she had made up her mind, Julia grabbed one of the golden leaves and headed towards the basic stats. As soon as she chose VIT -VITAL-, which she had previously increased, an explanation immediately popped up to her mind. [?VIT Lv.2 Increases HP/SP recovery rate by 2% per hour.] After spending a single leaf on this, Julia exited once again back to the whole tree. Next was to finally decide on an active skill. She alternately clicked on the two skills that she had already taken a look at beforehand. [?Resistance Transition Lv.2 Expands the range of resistance magic for a certain period of time. Consumes 40% of one¡¯s remaining HP. SP 30] [?Resistance Base Lv.1 Resistance magic can be given to the designated coordinates provided by the player for a certain period of time. Consumes 50% of one¡¯s remaining HP. SP 40] Considering the fact that during acquiring a low-level skill, one point was already enough yet there were often times when two or more points had been needed as the level eventually rose. One point was required for the resistance base and two more for the transition of resistance. Therefore, an insufficient amount of points were left to raise both of the skills. ¡®What to do?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure which one would be more useful right away. On top of that, she only possessed one chance to use the skill and even that had to be terminated midway¡ªin fear that Bael would find it all strange. ¡®But right now, I have to focus on reducing my stamina consumption. Then, would it actually be better to raise the resistance transition instead?¡¯ When the skill level was raised, the power would increase compared to the previous one and at the same time, the consumption of mana would be reduced by 10%. Therefore, it meant that it was possible to use the skill twice in a row with just a little effort. As she made up her mind, she reached out her hand towards the two remaining leaves when she could hear a knock just outside her door. ¡°Julia, are you already awake? I¡¯m coming in.¡± ¡°Wa, wait just a minute¡­!¡± Surprised, Julia shut down the popped up window without even raising her skills. Right after the huge golden tree had disappeared, the door burst open at once. Legion, who began to look around the interior with a stern look, eventually strode inside and smiled brightly. Thanks to Bael¡¯s absence, he was able to enter and exit the Demon King¡¯s bedroom freely. ¡°Looks like that foul-mouthed bat hasn¡¯t returned yet.¡± ¡°The Demon King?¡± ¡°What¡ªjust call him ¡®that bastard¡¯ instead. It¡¯s even better if you won¡¯t be seeing each other¡¯s faces forever.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being like that again.¡± No matter what, this place was still the Demons¡¯ castle and a place where Bael¡¯s power had touched upon. She didn¡¯t want to see Legion being all surrounded by those demons while being attacked helplessly. Just as Julia glared coldly, she then felt another presence just outside the door. ¡°Are you inside? Julia, the door is all open¡­¡± As Kimaris entered the room, his expression stiffened awkwardly. His gaze first went to Julia who had been on the bed before it shifted to Legion who was currently brushing her hair ever so gently. Julia, who became embarrassed belatedly, tried to avoid his hand, but Legion just ruffled her hair unknowingly while asking the reason. ¡°Aside from that blonde one, was there another demon whom you already got close with?¡± For some reason, Legion¡¯s voice felt a bit chilly. Julia, who took notice of this, was just about to look back at him, but Kimaris had already approached abruptly before kneeling at her feet. ¡°It¡¯s been quite some time, my Master.¡± ¡°Mister Kimaris, how are your injuries?¡± ¡°They¡¯re nothing. I¡¯m really glad that Julia seems to be doing well so far too.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± Julia awkwardly fiddled with her fingertips. Initially, she didn¡¯t know why he was hurt and being put in jail. However, while she was talking to Barbatos, her sight function accidentally started to kick in and she eventually realized why such a thing had happened to Kimaris in the first place. ¡®When I was having a hard time because of Berith¡¯s aphrodisiac previously, Kimaris had helped me.¡¯ At that time, only Barbatos had seen it. He was someone with tight lips, so she didn¡¯t really have to be worried that a rumor would soon be spread to the other demons. However, the shock that she felt when she found out about the truth was too great to just pass the whole incident simply as a relief. ¡®That was so embarrassing. It would have been better if I hadn¡¯t known of it. Mister Kimaris even went through such a hard kind of work just to make me feel better¡­¡­¡¯ Julia¡¯s face soon became red hot as she thought of it. Barbatos had a rather insipid personality, so it was really fortunate that he only remembered that much. ¡°Julia, your face turned red all of a sudden. Are you alright?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I think it¡¯s getting a little hot.¡± ¡°You feel hot in this weather¡ªare you having a fever? Let me see.¡± A hand came out from behind her back and brushed against her forehead. At the same time, the SIGHT screen popped up at once. [? Kimaris Is that person the Sword Master whom Barbatos was talking about? How childish. I should be making enough provocation then.] Julia blinked her eyes blankly. Legion appeared to be quiet for a while, but it also seemed like he was secretly plotting something behind her back. She quickly averted his gaze. Then, Legion¡¯s mouth immediately froze. He naturally curved his lips, but it was already too late. ¡°Legion, what did you just do?¡± ¡°¡­¡­nothing?¡± CH 41.2 There was a brief but apparent silence right before his response. Julia could only lower her eyelids helplessly in return. ¡°Be nice to Mister Kimaris as well. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll be very sad. Both of you are really important to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Julia. It was just a brief glance anyway.¡± Kimaris cut off Legion¡¯s stammering excuses as he carefully grabbed a hold of her hand. He cautiously kissed the back of her thin, white hand before raising his gaze once again. ¡°And if you have any inconveniences in the future, please tell me instead. I am now entrusted with escorting Julia after all.¡± ¡°My escort?¡± ¡°I heard roughly about the story from Barbatos. Revenna is now asleep.¡± Julia quietly nodded her head. It was only recently did she discover that Revenna was the oldest of the demons around. Revenna herself had even said that she stopped counting right after she was over three thousand years old. Revenna was still young and attractive on the outside, but her magical power consumption had not been the same as before. Therefore, she had to go to sleep periodically like this. In fact, she also comforted Julia when she was very surprised. ¡®Isn¡¯t this a very natural thing to do anyway?¡¯; she laughed like that. Julia eventually returned from her brief thoughts. Kimaris was still looking upwards at her while lowering his body. ¡°She can¡¯t be by your side for now, so I must have been chosen instead. It¡¯s all thanks to Julia that I was released anyway.¡± ¡°No, you hurt yourself trying to help me. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°Did you hear about that?¡± Kimaris¡¯s pupils narrowed momentarily. With just that short question, Julia knew what he was actually asking about. He was trying to see if she remembered exactly what happened since she had been intoxicated all along. However, the only thing that she could recall, albeit vaguely, was until Berith¡¯s death. Besides, Barbatos did not mention directly what had truly transpired within the bedroom. As a matter of fact, Julia was only reading his thoughts. ¡°That¡¯s all I heard. Mister Barbatos didn¡¯t tell me the details¡­¡± As she shook her head, Kimaris appeared to be subtly relaxed after a brief silence. ¡°It is my duty as a faithful servant to protect you. So, please don¡¯t mind about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry though.¡± ¡°Julia.¡± It was then did Kimaris, who finally lifted his body, stretch out his hand towards Julia. Legion, who had been silent all this while, immediately slammed Kimaris¡¯s hand away. Then, he glared at him with such a hostile pair of eyes. ¡°You¡¯re such a good talker. An escort is a good thing to say, but in the end, you¡¯re just a watchman. It would be difficult if the important key were to escape.¡± ¡°Legion, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°That demon just kissed you on the back of your hand! You don¡¯t mind that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a greeting anyway. This is the Demon Realm, so it may not really fit the human way of thinking?¡± All of the demons seemed to be very fond of skinship. Agares and Lerazier always looked like they wanted to eat her when they saw her, but since they couldn¡¯t, they became eager to lick(?) her instead. Then, Bael and Revenna usually hugged her from time to time, so it was a needless thing to say as well. Even Barbatos would sometimes touch her cheek while she was sleeping like he was poking a mochi. Kimaris nodded his head as he agreed with Julia¡¯s choice of words. ¡°It really is just a greeting, so don¡¯t bother Julia with everything.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even notice your own eyes, do you? Why did you stare at me so intently when I entered the bedroom then!¡± ¡°That¡­¡­¡± Legion words soon ended in a trail of air. His gaze suddenly turned towards the window. Kimaris¡¯s shoulders also stiffened as he looked up at the Demon God¡¯s tower through the huge window. Waves of magical power were pulsating violently from the crystal ball that was right at the top of the tower. Julia thought that there was nothing different, but she soon realized that she was utterly mistaken. The purple magic began to expand its range like it was swallowing the surrounding sky whole. ¡°Julia, get away!¡± ¡°Watch out!¡± A blue flash lingered in Legion¡¯s grip before a huge greatsword soon appeared. At the same time, Kimaris hurriedly pulled her close. Bael¡¯s heart itself, the Demon Castle, was trembling like mad. She could feel that the demons were already disappearing from the nest one by one as it started with the weakest one while letting out a final scream. The shadow of death was already looming over the Demon King¡¯s territory. Legion raised his sword as he aimed towards the tower with a warlike spirit and Kimaris, who had his back turned from the tower, was exuding his magic while trapping Julia in his arms. However, she still looked up at the glowing magic stone over Kimaris¡¯s shoulder. As she became fascinated by the brilliant colors, she instinctively felt the urge to come into contact with the light. Kimaris instantly blocked her as she tried to approach it unknowingly. Perhaps he could sense a small scuffle behind his back, Legion exclaimed urgently. ¡°Julia, it¡¯s dangerous¡ªso stay away!¡± ¡°I should have had it back with me.¡± ¡°Damn it¡ªeveryone, put your heads down!¡± The rapidly flickering waves from the magic stone were declaring the fact that its limit had been imminent. The moment Legion tried to offset the shock by exploding a large amount of mana, Julia suddenly regained her senses and opened the system at once. She then activated her skill without even thinking about it at all. [?Resistance Transition Lv.1 Expands the range of the resistance magic for a certain period of time. Consumes 50% of one¡¯s remaining HP. SP 30] CH 42.1 A five-minute timer floated above her vision all of a sudden. When the waves of the furious rampage were blocked by her magical resistance, the pair¡¯s set of eyes instantaneously turned straight towards her. They were amazed at the mighty power that Julia seemed to possess, but they still held her tightly in preparation for the upcoming physical impact. Shortly thereafter, the glass in the room was shattered to pieces. Just like everything had been swept away by a typhoon, the fearsome pressure of the wind wrecked the whole room while flashes and thunder began striking one after another as if they were trying to blind them all. It was definitely not something that a normal person could endure at all. Legion then anchored his greatsword deep into the floor before pulling Julia even more strongly into his arms. He was shocked at the mess which even he had never experienced in such close battles. ¡°Damn, what the hell! What¡¯s with all of this?!¡± ¡°Julia, cover your eyes or your eyesight might get hurt.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Julia?¡± As she was hedged in between the two of them, Julia started to stare at some place with a blank look. It was due to the fact that she had noticed how someone was somehow trapped inside the tower itself. It was too far away, but she could still see it clearly. A jet-black shadow with its wings being spread wide and Bael¡¯s body that was being torn apart. The very sight of it had been so terrifying and miserable that Julia couldn¡¯t even open her own mouth. The magic, which was gushing out like a huge waterfall, eventually faded but only after it had already killed all of the weak beings in that single burst. Just in time, 5 minutes gradually passed before her skill finally came to an end. Julia felt that her physical strength had also been cut in half, which made her stumble. Nevertheless, all of the vibrations within the castle were still ongoing. Legion then held her by the shoulder while still remaining vigilant. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Your complexion has turned so bad. For now, I¡¯ll carry you on my back. Let¡¯s just get out.¡± ¡°If you want to escape, then go alone, you human. It¡¯s actually much safer to stay here in the King¡¯s nest right now.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t the culprit who had really wrecked the whole castle, that King of yours? You coward.¡± They glared at each other with sharp eyes, but the quarrel did not last that long. There was a sound of a sudden burst right from the tower as if something had exploded and the surroundings began to flash brightly. The magic stone¡¯s rampage was not over just yet. ¡°Uh, huh?!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Julia, get back!¡± The two of them reached an agreement in the blink of an eye just like they had never even fought before. They took Julia away and ran straight towards the hallway. The magic that flurried in like the strike of a huge meteor had completely shattered the bars of the window and scraped the ceiling as well as floor before it then stopped moving entirely. Amidst the middle of all the gray dust, the three of them weren¡¯t able to regain their senses for a while. The purple energy crackled among the long streaks on the floor before it slowly disappeared like a melting vapor. The trajectory of the second wave was clearly heading towards Julia¡ªonly herself. ¡°What is this¡­¡± ¡°Damn it, what the hell is he up to now?¡± The two pairs of eyes which had quickly noticed the situation narrowed in an instant. They whispered softly so that Julia wouldn¡¯t hear it all. ¡°Hey, demon. I think that we have much more pressing matters now. Why don¡¯t we just take care of our business separately later?¡± ¡°I never thought that the day would come when I would actually agree with your offer.¡± Unaware of the secret deal that was going on just behind her back, Julia eventually tumbled to her feet. As the dust that was obscuring her view settled down, the appearance of the tower which seemingly appeared dead earlier had come into view. ¡®What had actually happened to the Demon King?¡¯ She waited silently, but she couldn¡¯t feel any signs from the tower at all. Julia unconsciously bit her lip in response. No matter how powerful the magic power he had possessed, he still wouldn¡¯t be unscathed if he were to get hit by such a terrifying magic power directly. She didn¡¯t even know if he was, perhaps, dying inside or even losing his mind. An anxious foreboding began to ripple at large. ¡°Mister Kimaris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is Lord Barbatos nearby?¡± ¡°I can feel that his presence is not too far away. Still, may I ask what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°That¡­¡­¡± She heard that amongst all the 72 demons, only those with the highest rank could actually enter and exit the Demon God¡¯s tower without much pressure. Moreover, on the day she had first opened her eyes in the Demon Realm, he was the one who personally followed her to the tower and confirmed her qualifications as the key. If that was so, then he would definitely be able to carry her to the tower right now. Did Kimaris get a read on Julia¡¯s intentions as she stared out the window? He then stood in front of her all of a sudden. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I have to save him. I¡¯m the only one who can move freely in front of the magic crystal after all.¡± ¡°Bael can do that as well.¡± ¡°He must have been seriously injured. If he can walk around unharmed, why hasn¡¯t he gotten out yet?¡± Her heart was beating fast for no apparent reason at all. Even as his whole body was getting torn apart by the magic, the image of him willingly giving up his own body lingered in her mind like an afterimage. He shouldn¡¯t be dying like this, so she just had to go. She was overwhelmed with compulsions that even she could not fully understand. ¡°I need to go to the tower. Please take me to Lord Barbatos.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s dangerous. Please think about it again, Julia.¡± In fact, Kimaris¡¯s expression as he looked downwards at her was utterly determined. His face appeared like he could never let her go at all. Julia bit her lips. If Kimaris had rejected it, there was no way that she could make it to the tower. If truth be told, there was no way that a weak human could have even left the castle alone before passing through the wilderness and eventually reached the tower safely. As she had lost her spirits while fiddling with her fingers, she raised her gaze in hopes that she would try to convince Kimaris once again. Nevertheless, Kimaris was forced to step back for a moment as he had gotten pushed by a strong energy. Legion had shoved Kimaris away while smiling just like an evil villain. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for changing my words, but I have to break the alliance. Come with me, Julia.¡± ¡°Hey, human!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? That¡¯s what Julia wants anyway. I want to give Julia her own freedom. I want her to do whatever she has decided to do. That¡¯s what makes me stronger after all.¡± After saying so, Legion took a hold of Julia before anyone could even have the time to utter a word. Then, he ran across the devastated bedroom before kicking away the bony window frame¡ªshattering it completely¡ªand leapt over it. As he was left alone, Kimaris silently stared at the two figures who had already moved away from him. A cold gust of wind blew right in the space where they had just disappeared. * * * CH 42.2 Julia slowly got down from Legion¡¯s arms and landed her feet on the ground. She looked up and saw that the top of the tower was still far up high. That daunting appearance appeared just like one would look at a magnificent temple. Without her even realizing it, Julia became slightly discouraged. Legion, who was already standing next to her, muttered with a rather fatigued face. ¡°The demonic energy here is just terrible. I can¡¯t even put a single foot in it.¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± ¡°A demonic energy usually has a slightly different atmosphere depending on the tendency of the owner itself. Nevertheless, the magical power over here seems like it¡¯s desperately trying to rip apart and kill off almost everything. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s particularly aggressive to me simply because I¡¯m a Sword Master, but that¡¯s just how I feel.¡± Julia, who had the magic resistance tolerance, couldn¡¯t easily relate to Legion¡¯s words. However, since he was never that weak to say something like this, she could only guess, albeit vaguely, how terrible it truly appeared to be. ¡®Actually, my impression is a tad bit different¡­¡­¡¯ She couldn¡¯t really detect the demonic energy like Legion. However, Julia could somehow feel a rather favorable atmosphere in the overbearing air instead. It felt like it was actually beckoning her to come inside. Julia eventually clenched her fists tightly before turning to her friend. ¡°Legion, are you alright? I can just go inside alone instead.¡± ¡°Look who¡¯s talking. Are you sure that you¡¯re okay? I know that your magic resistance is amazing, but I don¡¯t even know if something could actually go wrong since the magic is simply too strong.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve been here before after all. It¡¯s just¡­ I feel a little bit weird.¡± As one were to look at it from Bael¡¯s bedroom, the tower appeared just like a part of the landscape. It didn¡¯t feel special at all. But now, as she gazed at the flickering purple magic, she felt as if she had finally returned to her sad, distant home. In the first place, the place where she had been born was not here, but in an entirely different world. So, to say that it was like her own hometown was utterly nonsense. Julia immediately shook her head in order to clear out her thoughts. ¡°I really need to go in right now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go in together then.¡± ¡°But Legion, you just said that the demonic energy had been terrible and it was absolutely hard to endure.¡± ¡°It feels bad but it¡¯s not that hard. Who do you think I am in the first place? I¡¯m the Sword Master, Lord Legion, one of the three strongest beings back in the Human Realm. Now, let¡¯s go.¡± Julia was guided by Legion¡¯s hand as they eventually went inside. Suddenly, she started to hesitate. A system window had popped up right before her eyes at that instant. [?SYSTEM Main Quest. Secret of the Tower.] [?SYSTEM ¨C Conditions to unlock: Enter the base, ¡®Demon God¡¯s Tower¡¯ together with Bael and Legion. ¨C Mission: To investigate the inside of the tower. The time limit is 7 days. ¨C Reward: Activation of the command system. ¨C Failure Penalty: Permanent inability to enter the base, ¡®Demon God¡¯s Tower¡¯.] [?SYSTEM Player level is too low. The probability of failure has increased. This event is not allowed to be attempted again.] The quest, ¡®Secret of the Tower¡¯ had been unlocked all of a sudden. While she skimmed through the contents, Julia¡¯s gaze eventually stopped at the reward. ¡®Activation of the command system? What is that?¡¯ She didn¡¯t know what exactly the command system had meant, but it seemed like she could get some pretty useful-looking features simply by looking at the meaning itself. Julia closed the system window and lowered her gaze. Right on the floor of the entrance, a circular magic circle that could only be seen by her eyes was shining brightly. Julia was aware that it had been a portal that would meet the unlocking conditions. Bael was already inside of the tower, so if she and Legion were to enter the tower as well, she would then have to start the quest at once. ¡®Still, you have to think about it carefully. If you won¡¯t be able to enter the tower forever, it means that you can no longer feign being the key¡­¡­¡¯ Julia tried to hold on to Legion who was already walking ahead of her. It would have certainly been so if not for the newly popped up system window that had unexpectedly blocked her view. [?SYSTEM Main Quest. ¡®Secret of the Tower¡¯ is now in progress.] Julia looked down at the floor which she had just stepped on. The circular portal was already way behind her. As she flinched in surprise, Legion who had been walking in front of her instantly turned back. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s¡­¡± Julia suddenly clammed her mouth shut. Legion¡¯s eyes appeared to have been dyed in deep purple before they returned to their original color of a blue hue in just a blink of an eye. The change was absolutely vivid, but it was so fleeting that she never even had the time to think about it deeply. ¡®Was it just an illusion? I must have seen it wrong. The tower is where the Demon God rests, so it could be because I was nervous as well.¡¯ The atmosphere became a little awkward as she tried to stare into his eyes. Nevertheless, Julia swung her arms wide and straight away entered the tower¡¯s hallway right ahead of Legion himself. CH 43.1 ¡°The inside is much more colorful than I imagined it to be, so I was a little surprised.¡± The interior had been built with black bricks yet it was magnificent and beautiful despite the passage of time. Purple vines were spread between the huge pillars and windows while the pitch-black walls as well as floors glistened like stars in the night sky with the light from outside. Legion looked around the room and moved closer to the wall. From a distance, he thought that it was just shining due to the material of the stone itself, but when he looked at it closely, the pieces had been reminiscent of murals that were all detailed and intricately engraved. All of the three sides with the only exception of the floor were completely connected like a work of art. ¡°What is this? Was it carved?¡± ¡°I heard that it¡¯s like a myth about the creation of the Demon Realm itself. It was said that it contained the history of the Demon God from right until he had fallen asleep. Still, I¡¯m not actually sure, but¡­¡± Since the sculpture was so elaborate, they had to get very close in order to see the shape in more detail. Just by looking at it had felt so grand and splendid that it was almost daunting, but Agares and Revenna both added that the inscriptions on the stone wall were all, in fact, naturally formed. It was said that it had never been touched by anyone at all, but it changed little by little and had now taken on the form it possessed today. Julia tried to touch the sculpture, but shook her head at once. There was an entirely independent goal for entering the tower, so she shouldn¡¯t be wasting time like this. She soon pointed to a spiral staircase that was right across the long hallway. ¡°The Demon King will surely be on the top floor. Let¡¯s go upstairs.¡± ¡°You want to go¡ªjust like that?¡± ¡°Yes, why?¡± As she was unsure of the intent of his sudden question, she only blinked her eyes, but Legion let out a small sigh before he knelt down with his back in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s completely impossible to climb all the way up there with your stamina. Come on, get on my back.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªthat¡¯s really stupid of me. I understand. How could I even try to go up there all alone?¡± Julia smiled innocently as she climbed onto Legion¡¯s back. He further remarked; ¡®such an idiot¡¯, but she couldn¡¯t hear him then. Right after he rose up, Legion seemed to have almost flown through the steep stairs. The ground was moving away at a rapid pace, which she could clearly see. As she watched him run furiously without letting out a single gasp, Julia secretly lowered her gaze in return. Stupidly enough, only now did she realize that she had done such a terrible thing to Legion. He had already spent a long time on the hellish battlefield. And it was not to die, but to only fight off those demons. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t really be good to go and rescue Bael, the King of his own enemy.¡¯ But she just couldn¡¯t turn away now. His image as he was swept away by the waves of the magic crystal before getting torn into pieces, his face as he laughed madly with such red eyes that glistened¡­¡­ While she was lost amidst her brief thoughts, Legion ceased his movements before she even knew it. The current floor was higher than any of the other floors that she had ever been through. And right at the end of the long corridor stood a huge door that was made out of stone. Legion wrinkled his brow and scanned through the engravings on the said door. ¡°His taste is just terrible¡ªthat Demon God fellow.¡± Countless numbers of skeletons were intertwined like a mountain and a shadow with a scythe that had been raised right till the top seemed to be slicing the throat of a demon, whose half of his bones were clearly exposed. The torn wings were drooping limply on the floor while the demon¡¯s blood had pooled into a puddle along the lengthy black hair. Julia eventually realized who the demon really was right before his very death. ¡°De, Demon King¡ª!¡± ¡°Julia, wait a minute!¡± The door, which seemed like it wouldn¡¯t budge at all even if pushed, parted open slowly as if to welcome Julia. Nevertheless, the view beyond that was absolutely terrifying. All of the walls and floors were covered in crimson blood. And a dreadful bloody smell stung her nose at an instant. Someone was dangling helplessly right in the center of such a hellish space. [?Bael ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­] Bael, who had been smothered in blood, was suspended in the air while being bound by that purple magic. It was just like seeing a Noble God hanging on a cross. The scars that came from being whipped hundreds and even thousands of times had shattered his bones as well as ripped out his flesh. His muscles were still beautiful as if it had been sculpted out by a sculptor, but a trail of glistening blood and pieces of flesh seeped from between the gaping wounds. At that moment, as she approached Bael¡¯s feet, a drop of blood splattered across her cheek. The thick stench of death permeated both her nostrils. It was such a gruesome sight for Julia to behold. ¡°Blech!¡± She covered her mouth and retched repeatedly. Her stomach felt contorted as she could hardly stand upright. It wasn¡¯t just because of the reek of blood that had been disgusting as well as the undoubtedly frightening sight. She simply couldn¡¯t understand why he was driving himself to ruin so much. If he didn¡¯t like everything, wouldn¡¯t it be much better to just throw it all away and live freely instead? He had more power than anyone else in the entire Demon Realm, so why? Tears started to well up in Julia¡¯s big eyes. She seemed to be buried with him within the terrible solitude that could be felt from himself. ¡®I¡¯m going to listen to the reason this time¡ªno matter what.¡¯ Julia, who wiped away her tears roughly, raised her body at once. As soon as she approached closer, much more of the magical powers that kept a hold of Bael began to recede little by little. It was just as if it had been trying to protect her from ever getting hurt. But Julia, who was unaware of it all, just reached out to his droopy wings. The power of the magic crystal had completely withdrawn itself before she even realized it. She then placed the now freed Bael carefully on the floor. CH 43.2 She had only brushed against it for a moment, but her pure white hand was already stained red at the same time. Through close-up, his wounds appeared even more serious. His flesh was all ripped apart, revealing his bones. It was so horrible that she couldn¡¯t even dare to touch it at all. ¡®Could it be that every time he went to the tower, he became like this? So, whenever he feels better, he will then go again and again¡­¡­¡¯ It was simply a horrific case of self-harm. It had been nothing more and nothing less. Just because he couldn¡¯t die, it didn¡¯t mean that he wouldn¡¯t feel any pain. Something eventually came into Julia¡¯s field of vision as she was breathing heavily. Underneath Bael¡¯s gaping flesh, a thin purple object¡ªsimilar to a bug¡ªwriggled. It twisted its shape in a writhing struggle before ripping through Bael¡¯s wounds even larger and sharper. ¡®The magical power of the crystal ball is interfering with his recovery.¡¯ She instantly recalled Lerazier¡¯s wound the other day. His older brother, Barbatos, had tried to cure him by infusing some magic power, but since the blue mana intercepted it, Lerazier had to lie in bed for a long time unlike the usual. It was the same even right now. Bael¡¯s body was endlessly trying to heal itself, but the magic of the crystal tore it off and pulled apart the segment where it had been trying to heal every time. Therefore, instead of recovering, the wound would only get worse. It was so cruel and appalling. ¡®I¡¯m not so sure if this method will work, but it¡¯s still worth a try.¡¯ [Julia Vestra] STATUS ?PROGRESS ?SKILL ?ITEM ?SETTING She proceeded to click on the icon right at the top of the window. She first checked out her stats, but her remaining health was still too low for her to wield her skills. She had already used her skill to prevent the first rampage back in the Demon King¡¯s Castle as well. She went into the skill window and immediately grabbed two pieces of leaves. Since there was no way to replenish her stamina right away, she had no other choice but to reduce her consumption as the next best thing. [?Resistance Transition Lv.2 Expands the range of resistance magic for a certain period of time. Consumes 40% of one¡¯s remaining HP. SP 30.] ¡®If I raise my skill level, the consumption of stamina will decrease by 10%. If it¡¯s just this much, I won¡¯t collapse even if I were to use the skill right away.¡¯ Julia raised her level and immediately used the skill. A shimmering membrane slowly slipped from her body and grew in size. Then, it wrapped completely around the body of Bael, who had already lost his consciousness. [?Resistance Transition Lv.2 The time limit is 9 minutes and 58 seconds.] She glanced at the timer that was floating on top before lowering her gaze. As expected, the purple mana was struggling violently as it began to slither away like a snake. When the thing which was hindering his recovery had been gone, the wounds that got torn while dripping with blood proceeded to reattach themselves one by one naturally. Julia let out a sigh of relief as she was just about to wipe off the cold sweat from Bael¡¯s forehead. At the same time, her wrists were suddenly caught and the eyelids, which had been tightly closed, popped open. The eyes that appeared even redder and clearer than blood itself had captured her. ¡°Why are you here? Uhuk, how did you even come here?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± A terrifying sound scratched her eardrums. Surprised, she wasn¡¯t able to let her wrist go and she couldn¡¯t even give him the answer that he wanted as she became frozen. Bael¡¯s gaze, which was gazing at her, suddenly shifted. Legion was already staring at Julia from behind with a pair of fierce eyes. The corners of Bael¡¯s lips immediately twitched. ¡°You took the opportunity to come here and kill me. You really are just a human.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± ¡°Just like the other night a few days ago, you can¡¯t survive without clinging onto a man even for a single moment?¡± The force that gripped her wrists grew even stronger. As soon as a small moan leaked out of Julia¡¯s mouth when she could no longer overcome the pain, Legion approached her and snatched away Bael¡¯s wrist. ¡°You filthy devil! Don¡¯t make a fool out of yourself. Julia was seriously worried about you, you brutish thing. She still came here even at the risk of her dying.¡± ¡°Let go of your hands right now. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll kill you off at once.¡± ¡°Then, try it? It seems like all of your bones and joints have been crushed anyway, so I think that I¡¯m the one who can kill you instead.¡± Legion¡¯s grip on Bael¡¯s wrist suddenly grew stronger. At the same time, Bael¡¯s hands, which had already coiled together with Julia¡¯s, also tightened and her face immediately turned white with pain. As he noticed that, Legion reluctantly let go of his own strength and started pulling Julia by the waist. ¡°Let¡¯s just go. I don¡¯t even want to be in a place like this any longer.¡± ¡°But if I were to leave just like that right now, the magic stone will definitely attack the Demon King again¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s a bastard who wouldn¡¯t even realize the fact that you¡¯re the one who actually helped him out. Besides, do you know that your complexion gets worse and worse every time you use that power of yours? You¡¯re really going to faint soon.¡± Legion stirred the shimmering membrane with his hand. Yet it didn¡¯t disappear or shake, it was just maintaining the same shape. It meant that it wouldn¡¯t be affected by outside influences. He bitterly clicked his tongue and looked at Julia, who was still seated down. He tried to get up as he narrowed his eyes. Bael¡¯s blood was splattered all over before seeping through the crevices of the building. It looked as if the Demon God¡¯s tower was simply absorbing the King¡¯s blood sweetly. He then looked up. The power of the magic crystal, which had been pushed back by Julia¡¯s magical resistance, shook viciously as if it would launch an attack to her right now before swallowing the Demon King as long as they went on. ¡®The Demon God is already dead and gone, but it still moves around as if it has a will. That really gives me a bad feeling.¡¯ CH 44.1 The shield that was on the top floor of the tower, which appeared just like a beautiful bead of light from the outside, had been no different from a completely pristine cage with no chance to escape from the inside at all. That smooth, seamless shape had made him feel as though he was actually trapped within the deep sea. Legion lowered his gaze as he began to sense the fervent discomfort. On the other hand, Julia was still feeling conflicted while sitting right beside the Demon King. On top of that, Bael¡¯s eyes were fixed on Julia. To be exact, he had actually been staring at Legion¡¯s hand that was wrapped around her waist. Upon seeing those intensely burning eyes as if he wanted to cut that hand off at any moment, Legion began clenching his teeth in response. ¡®Disgusting bastard.¡¯ All of the demons¡¯ mindset was basically the same. Whether it was for fun or for the sake of survival, they would skillfully dig into their opponents¡¯ weak spots. No matter how strong a person could be, in the end, there were still some imperfect gaps that got left behind since they had only been human beings. And the demons would touch the things that they had never wanted to reveal at all¡ªthey were truly the worst of those evils. ¡®I still can¡¯t forgive you for deceiving Julia. And in that case, I¡¯d rather¡­¡­¡¯ A trail of blue mana started to swirl from Legion¡¯s grip. Now that the Demon King was rendered incapacitated on a rare occasion, it became an opportunity to take a chance and kill him before returning to the Human Realm together with Julia. Julia might be shocked and taken aback at first, but eventually, she would come to understand his true feelings. No matter what she herself had thought about it, this place was definitely harmful to Julia. The moment when the soul sword had started to vibrate, the trudge of rough footsteps were quickly approaching beyond the wide open door at the same time. A demon who was wearing a black military uniform and a long ponytail jumped inside as soon as Legion had clicked his tongue while pulling back his strength. ¡°Little key, are you okay?!¡± ¡°Agares.¡± ¡°I heard from Kimaris and came here right away. Did you get hurt?¡± She¡ªthe second person in charge of the Demon Realm¡ªseemed to have already guessed the situation just by taking a quick look at the vast top floor. She hesitated for a moment right at the front of the unfamiliar shimmering veil before she straight away ran inside and hugged Julia. ¡°What a relief that this had happened as I was still away from the nest for a while.¡± ¡°Did the inspection go well for you?¡± ¡°Little key.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thank you for saving the Master.¡± Her face stiffened awkwardly at her first thank you which she had ever heard. Agares brushed Julia¡¯s cheek once before she then proceeded to lift the King from the floor. Shortly thereafter, a somewhat exhausted Barbatos made his appearance. He leaned against the door while panting hard and soon, he raised his head. His gaze was directed straight at the magical power that was pushing behind Julia¡¯s shield. ¡°To think the power of magic resistance is actually this much¡­¡± As he narrowed his forehead, Barbatos gradually passed the vast altar and stood in front of the glistening shield. Then, after taking a quick deep breath, he eventually continued his steps and got down on one knee. Even during that brief moment, Bael¡¯s wounds were already healing themselves at an astounding rate. The exposed bones eventually became concealed behind his reddened skin. ¡°Master, I¡¯ve come to pick you up.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk for too long here and get down soon. Little key, do keep up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Julia slowly let out a sigh of relief as the three demons gradually left. With this, they had all been safe. She glanced at the top of her view, then hurried her steps altogether. [?Resistance Transition Lv.2 The time limit is 0 minutes and 14 seconds.] Meanwhile, Legion, who was simply trailing after them from behind, suddenly looked back before leaving the door. Right in the center of the huge open hall, the crystal ball was still standing there while emitting such a brilliant light. ¡®I thought that someone had called out.¡¯ With the exception of the sound of the wind gusting about, the vast space was as quiet as the dead. After shrugging his shoulders, he followed after Julia and turned his head without any signs of hesitation. An altar in the tower with no one there at all. Nevertheless, a stream of purple magic was slowly permeating through the bleak air. * * * It was a night where the blood-red moonlight flowed through the window. The Demon Castle, which had been devastated by the rampage of the magic stone from earlier, was once again submerged in such heavy silence. It was all in order to not disturb the resting King who had finally returned, but with a serious injury. A demon¡¯s resilience was proportional to their own magic power. In that sense, Bael¡¯s resilience was completely unmatched. However, in today¡¯s case, his entire body had literally been damaged right after confronting the Demon God head-on. Therefore, even Bael would have needed a good night¡¯s rest. ¡°¡­¡± As he woke up from a deep slumber, Bael slowly proceeded to lift his eyelids. His body was all heavy and sore. He didn¡¯t have any memories after being swept away by the rampaging magic stone, so it felt like he was just having a long nightmare instead. It had been the moment when Bael was just about to raise his upper body while touching his throbbing forehead. A small, thin breath softly tickled his ears. The soft moonlight was drifting across Julia¡¯s forehead as she slept while leaning against him. ¡®What kind of a situation is this?¡¯ Bael then found a half-dried towel in her hand. There was a pool of blood in the wash bowl, which had already been placed on a table just a short distance away. This alone was enough to discover the reason why this human had fallen asleep while leaning against his bedside. Still, he couldn¡¯t understand it at all. ¡®Why would you even do such a useless thing¡­¡­ CH 44.2 A weak human being was showing sympathy for him, the absolute being in the Demon Realm. Even if she had the magical resistance, she would still die if he were to just lift his hand. ¡®How insignificant and stupid.¡¯ Bael¡¯s fingertips brushed against Julia¡¯s face. He trailed down the round white forehead, past the small, high bridge of her nose before touching the soft crimson lips while tickling the slim jawline. His hand was cautious as if he was exploring an unknown existence. And an unfamiliar set of emotions began to surge. It was at that particular moment when Bael¡¯s head had been getting closer to her little by little that Revenna¡¯s cynical voice quickly crossed his mind. ¡®You will regret it if you simply let the human Sword Master who came here to visit Julia just die like that. Since that person¡­¡­¡¯ His trembling eyes straight away hardened coldly. He instantly had the urge to strangle the key, but he couldn¡¯t do it at all. It was because of her neck which appeared so weak and thin that she could definitely die just by him brushing against it. Bael jerked his head away before stepping out of the bed and rose himself. When the sheet that had draped over him fell off, his long, stocky body¡ªlike that of a beast¡ªwas exposed under the moonlight. Those deeply sculpted muscles created such dark shadows whenever he moved. ¡°Whoo.¡± He sighed as he brushed his long hair and suddenly, he wrinkled his brow. Every time he changed his position, there was a sharp pain as if his bones and muscles would rip apart. There seemed to be some parts that hadn¡¯t been fully recovered even though it was already half a day since he returned from the tower. Then, something had caught in his vision as he slowly rubbed the nape of his neck to warm himself up. A bandage had been loosely wrapped around his shoulder. There was no one in the demon tribe who could have touched the King himself and even if there truly were, there had been no way that they would have tied such a clumsy ribbon knot like this. In other words, there was only one culprit. All his nerves were directed towards the woman who was lying face down on the bed. A small, immature human who had just become an adult. Her scent and appearance were just like red ripe fruits¡ªa fragile woman whose sweet juice seemed to wet his tongue whenever he took a bite. Just by looking at it had made his chest feel rather uncomfortable. Violent urges that had been difficult to express in words were gushing within him. It was a very unpleasant feeling that he had never felt before. ¡°Even when you¡¯re just so insignificant, you still dare to show such cheap sympathy to the King¡­¡± Bael tore the bandages off from his shoulders. The wound reopened and his red blood began oozing out, but his face appeared much more comfortable than before. He threw away the bandages and walked to the window where the red moonlight was shining still. The tower, which had been quiet until just a moment ago, seemed to have noticed Bael¡¯s gaze that was glaring at it and began to emit much mana¡ªdispersing it all. His mouth instantly twisted in satisfaction. ¡°Yes, you just want to eat me. And I¡¯m sure that I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s already bored with this current situation.¡± He ran his bloody palm down the window. The red traces had stained the glass and blocked the view from outside the window, but it didn¡¯t matter anyway. After all, he was aware of the Demon God¡¯s intentions and the Demon God also knew of his very own objectives. So, he had no choice but to fight in order to reach the desired outcome. All because their fates could never coexist together. The magic stone had made its mana even stronger. But anyway, Bael was relaxed. Above all else, the key was now in his hands. Bael walked back to the bed and ran his fingertips through the sleeping Julia¡¯s hair. ¡°Wake up quickly or I¡¯ll eat you soon enough.¡± Bael¡¯s head tilted deeply and leisurely towards Julia. Right at the tip of his nose, the key¡¯s scent felt unbearably sweet and luscious. Maybe he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop until he had messed with her, so Bael involuntarily grabbed the head of the bed. He touched Julia¡¯s lips as if he was testing them before parting her closed mouth open and dug deep into her. It was just like alcohol¡ªthe more he drank, the more indulged he became. Bael was desperately clinging onto a smaller and more delicate human being than he had ever realized. The wet, entangled sounds were the only traces amidst the heavy silence. * * * Early that morning, Julia opened her eyes only to find that Bael was still in a deep sleep right next to her. She rubbed her eyes and pulled herself up. Shortly after coming down to the Demon Realm, there were many days when she had gone to bed together in order to stabilize Bael¡¯s mana, but it was rare to lie in the same bed until morning like this as of late. It was due to the fact that he had always left first. Today, it seemed that he was sleeping late owing to the aftermath of the injury that he sustained from the day before. ¡®Oh, did I fall asleep on the bed too?¡¯ As Julia stepped out of the bed, she suddenly had a thought. All she remembered last night was sitting by Bael¡¯s bedside and falling asleep while tending to his wounds with a dangerously low amount of HP. As she was immersed deep in her thoughts, she then immediately shook her head. ¡®Whatever, then?¡¯ She continued to stretch and brush her fingers through her tousled, light pink hair. Even so, she thought that she had slept rather quietly, but the area around the back of her hair was all messed up today. Perhaps it was from how rowdy she rolled around all night and it seemed like she had already caused an enormous amount of trouble while being right next to the sickly patient. CH 45.1 Something had caught at her feet as she let out a small sigh while putting on her robe. As she looked down, she could see the blood-soaked bandages¡ªall torn up in a mess¡ªlying on the floor. Julia proceeded to pick them up silently. ¡®It must have hurt¡­¡­¡¯ She had already seen every time Bael ran out of control just because he couldn¡¯t overcome the overflowing power. Even though he was in utter pain that his whole body was trembling, he still didn¡¯t show any hint of it whenever she looked at his face. Even then, he would become unconsciously drawn to her, who had the resistance against mana, at night. Sometimes, when she were to wake up in the middle of the night, she would find herself being held tightly in his arms. She thought that deep down, he was just like an immature child. And it was until she saw that he had collapsed horribly from the magic stone¡­¡­ ¡®There¡¯s no way that he was the one who¡¯d like to suffer such a terrible situation like that.¡¯ As she thought of the mana that had grievously dug into his open wound, Julia¡¯s shoulders shuddered before she quickly shrugged the goosebumps off from her arms. She couldn¡¯t help but to realize that Bael must have had a compelling reason to fight against the magic stone in the first place. He had never backed down and he would definitely repeat that of whatever was tantamount to self-injury whenever he felt better. No matter how cold-hearted she was, it had only been natural that she would still be bothered and worried once she saw that. She tidied up the bed along with the sleeping Demon King who had a comfortable face for the first time after a while and rationalized her own actions. As she moved busily while removing the blood-soaked bandages, towels and toiletries, the sight of the quietly asleep tower soon came into her eyes. Only then did Julia remember the quest which she had received just the day before. [?SYSTEM Main Quest. Secret of the Tower.] [?SYSTEM ¨C Conditions to unlock: Enter the base, ¡®Demon God¡¯s Tower¡¯ together with Bael and Legion. ¨C Mission: To investigate the inside of the tower. The time limit is 6 days. ¨C Reward: Activation of the command system. ¨C Failure Penalty: Permanent inability to enter the base, ¡®Demon God¡¯s Tower¡¯.] [?SYSTEM Player level is too low. The probability of failure has increased. This event is not allowed to be attempted again.] Nothing had really changed from yesterday. However, the time limit was reduced by one day¡ªfrom 7 to 6 days left. ¡®Unable to permanently enter the Demon God¡¯s Tower¡­¡­¡¯ Julia checked the penalty of failure first. Whether it was because of the given circumstances or due to her own cautious nature, she naturally went for failure rather than the reward before anything else. The Demon God¡¯s Tower was a key theme of the main story of the game itself. Both the key and the infinite magic resistance had ultimately existed for the ¡®magic stone¡¯ that was essentially sleeping in the tower. Therefore, being unable to enter it meant that her usefulness would also disappear. She would go back to being useless once again¡ªat the moment when she had just barely started to get along with everyone. ¡®No, no.¡¯ Julia bit her lips and shook her head. As soon as she thought of a future where she would be abandoned, she instantly felt insecure. Nevertheless, she tried to think that everything might never come to that point. All she had to do now was to look inside the tower while finding out what the system wanted and everything would turn out fine. ¡®And only then can I keep on pretending to be the key.¡¯ She slowly took a deep breath to calm her throbbing heart. Just then, she could hear the familiar sound of such mechanical footsteps right outside the door. Apparently, Barbatos had come over to see Bael¡¯s condition. As soon as Julia had quickly tied the belt of her robe, the door burst open. [? Barbatos Hmm, you were already awake. The talk will be done fast then.] Julia was standing in one place as she only blinked her eyes blankly. On the other hand, Agares and Bottis had stood right behind Barbatos. They pointed their fingers curiously at Barbatos, who had fearlessly entered the King¡¯s nest, before trailing after him quietly. Barbatos sat down on the sofa first and proceeded to gesture in the opposite direction. ¡°Take a seat for now.¡± ¡°Um, what happened¡­¡± ¡°I have something to ask of you. Master feels safe when you are by his side, so let¡¯s just have a talk here instead.¡± He spat out words that could easily be mistaken for some other meanings with such a calm face. In the meantime, Agares took a seat down next to Julia and Bottis, for some reason, had curled up behind her as if to protect her while holding its head upright. It didn¡¯t feel very refreshing to see a huge snake hissing its tongue right behind her back, but she eventually decided to respect Bottis¡¯s own choice of seat for now. ¡°Little key, we¡¯ve come here to listen more about what had happened back in the tower before.¡± ¡°The tower? But at that time, you two were there as well.¡± ¡°I was on my way back from the inspection, so I don¡¯t exactly know what really happened. Plus, Barbatos isn¡¯t opening his mouth at all.¡± ¡°Anyway, tell me everything that you¡¯ve seen. Everything that had happened before we arrived there.¡± [? Barbatos If my feelings aren¡¯t wrong, then there must be something strange going on with the magic stone itself. And the cause of it all is the key, Julia Vestra¡­¡­] She avoided Barbatos¡¯s gaze. It actually helped a lot to make sure it didn¡¯t seem awkward since Agares was already licking her lips as if she was going to devour her right away. Julia confided in as much detail as possible, including the fact that she had suffered from the waves and what really transpired right after entering the tower. CH 45.2 The demons expressed great surprise when she told them that the second wave¡¯s trajectory was aiming straight towards herself. They had their mouths literally gaped open when she spoke of how terrible Bael¡¯s condition was on the top floor of the tower. [?Agares Master was actually pushed back by the power of the Demon God? Does this make any sense though?] [? Barbatos What the hell was the Master thinking anyway? To actually allow the crystal ball to absorb all the red magic.] Bottis was still in its demonic form, so she couldn¡¯t really read its thoughts. Nevertheless, just by staring at it had been enough for her to know that it felt surprised as well. Even though she had toned it down a little in consideration of Bael¡¯s honor, the reaction was still this much. Julia regretted that she should have said something smoother instead. No matter what, he was still the Demon King, so to imagine him gaining such sympathy from his subjects had made her feel rather sorry for him. As she struggled hard on her own, the demons who shared their gazes together eventually rose from their seats and backed away quietly. It was only after she could hear the click of the door closing did Julia raise her head. She then looked back with an ominous feeling and saw that Bael, whom she hadn¡¯t known when he had even woken up, was already flashing his eyes fiercely. ¡®How could they all leave me behind like this?!¡¯ Julia, who would throw off her typical timidity only when she felt threatened, instantly screamed inside. But even so, there was no one that could listen to it. Bael¡¯s gaze that directed at her spoke in a very clear and distinct manner. ¡®Shall I go or will you come here.¡¯ It seemed that she forgot about it for a while, but Bael, who had just woken up, could be really mercilessly frightening. Julia got off the couch with quick steps and straight away approached the bed. She was lifted before she finally returned to Bael¡¯s arms. Julia waited for him as she was laid on the bed while blinking her eyes, but Bael simply put a hand over her face. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy. So, sleep some more.¡± ¡°But I already slept a lot.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I still want to sleep some more¡­¡± It was utterly strange. Even at this moment, the time limit for the tower quest would have been shortened, but there was also the issue of the Demon King¡¯s honor that had been tarnished all because of her (?). The miscellaneous worries that had been messing around in her head until recently disappeared like melting snow once she got trapped in Bael¡¯s firm arms and finally, they felt like nothing indeed. Maybe it was because he had been surprisingly unconcerned about everything. As she saw him wishing to sleep more even though he had just been seriously injured until his subjects became so worried, she eventually came to think about what she should actually be doing at this point. ¡®It would really be nice if I could become a strong and nonchalant person like this Demon King one day.¡¯ The sun was shining and it felt so good. Julia listened to the low rhythm of breathing next to herself and slowly closed her eyes. * * * Julia had been lying in a daze since early morning while simply staring at the system window. [?SYSTEM ¨C Conditions to unlock: Enter the base, ¡®Demon God¡¯s Tower¡¯ together with Bael and Legion. ¨C Mission: To investigate the inside of the tower. The time limit is 2 days. ¨C Reward: Activation of the command system. ¨C Failure Penalty: Permanent inability to enter the base, ¡®Demon God¡¯s Tower¡¯.] Even though she was relaxed at first, her heart became more desperate as the days went by. It was due to the fact that Bael would actually follow her wherever she went or even use his long limbs to wrap her up like a vine, thus preventing her from getting out of the bed at all. ¡®Only two days left. I haven¡¯t been able to do anything at all, but there are only two days left.¡¯ She was willing to take back what she had thought when she wanted to be like Bael one day¡ªif only she could just get out of this current situation right now. Nevertheless, Bael was still in his deep sleep, not caring whether the fact that Julia had screamed or not. He never let her go even if she hit him, in fact, he didn¡¯t even flinch when she pinched him. As she could no longer stand it, she rolled up the sheets and tried to cover her bare skin, but the weapon on his lower body suddenly made its utterly frightening presence that she almost got into serious trouble. Julia only realized that a man¡¯s thing could actually stiffen up even while sleeping. It was an epiphany that she didn¡¯t particularly wish to know, but it had happened anyway. ¡®Could this probably be the difficulty level that the system was actually talking about? If it¡¯s so, then this is just too much. Shouldn¡¯t it at least allow me to enter the tower first?¡¯ Julia felt utterly sad. A small sadness sprouted inside of her, but no one had ever noticed. All because Bael had thoroughly prevented anyone from coming near his nest at all and only Barbatos was allowed to deliver a meal just once a day as well. Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t simply give up after all. In order to avoid the failure penalty, she must still enter the tower and complete the investigation quest. ¡®Hold your breath and roll over little by little¡ªjust by a very tiny bit.¡¯ She held onto her heart calmly and wriggled her way out of Bael¡¯s arm. She then quickly pulled a pillow and placed it right in his arms instead. At first, his brows furrowed as if he was rather uncomfortable, but he quickly fell into a deep sleep once again. In the meantime, Julia had eventually succeeded in ¡®getting out of Bael¡¯s arms¡¯, which had been the number one reason for her failure to escape. After doing the hardest thing, it became easy right after that. Julia smoothly rolled over the wide bed before moving without making a sound to change her clothes and finally, she walked out of the bedroom with backward steps¡ªjust like a stream of flowing water. ¡°Whoo, now that¡¯s a success.¡± ¡°How is it so?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ah.¡± Julia instantly broke into cold sweat as her lips began to curve upwards awkwardly. Since when had he been awake? Bael was simply standing at an angle while holding on to the door. On the other hand, Julia once again screamed inwardly amidst the situation which she didn¡¯t want to believe in at all. CH 46.1 She smiled prettily while trying to look as harmless as possible. But the more she did that, the more Bael¡¯s eyes began to grow fiercer. As she realized that she couldn¡¯t get over the situation simply by glossing it over, Julia eventually opened her mouth, albeit reluctantly. ¡°I, I have a place that I need to go for a while¡­¡± ¡°Where.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I don¡¯t mean to run away at all. In fact, I was just planning to go out for a bit.¡± ¡°So, where is it?¡± Julia couldn¡¯t answer that easily. The Demon God¡¯s Tower was a very important place for demons and she was already considered as the key to unlocking the magic stone itself. Therefore, she had to act cautiously because if she did something wrong, it could definitely look suspicious. Bael¡¯s pupils narrowed ominously as she squeezed her mouth shut and searched for an appropriate answer. A cold wave of energy flowed from the King¡¯s red pair of eyes. ¡°But it looks like you and that human man were trying to run away, right?¡± ¡°Why do you keep on accusing Legion in that manner?¡± ¡°Is it right on the spot, then? Are you feeling anxious because you can¡¯t easily be with the man you love?¡± ¡°I already said that it¡¯s not like that at all. Legion and I are nothing more than friends. If you keep doing that, I¡¯ll get really angry.¡± She was already nervous of the fact that she might not be able to complete the quest. On top of that, she was also anxious if she were to be caught that she had not been the real key. Nevertheless, when Bael had doused her in oil before sparking a fire, Julia¡¯s patience instantly snapped. She proceeded to cross her arms and turn away her head. ¡°I was actually going to go to the Demon God¡¯s Tower.¡± She wanted to try it if she actually could. Even if she was¡­¡­ not, in fact, the key, he still wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with a similar being easily anyway. Since he wished to swallow the Demon God¡¯s power and the other demons had wanted to make their one and only Master the Demon God as well. Julia pursed her lips and grunted, but Bael simply took a step forward. His menacingly well-knit muscles and tall height was approaching her like that, which made even Julia, who had held up well at first, could no longer help but to wince little by little. ¡®What did I just do?¡¯ Just like a crow in front of a black leopard, her eyes immediately looked down. The violently sensual and vivid abs eventually came into her gaze. Since he had just woken up, the only clothes that he had donned was a low-waist loincloth. She was staring at his pubic bone, which stood out sharply even with his small movements, when she could hear the gust of wind blowing from above her head. Then, her vision began to change in an instant. ¡°Kyaaak!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t scream in my ear.¡± ¡°Why¡ªwhy are you doing this? I, I just made a grave mistake. It was definitely a slip of my tongue.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t mean to go to the tower then?¡± She immediately went frozen on the shoulder of the Demon King, just like a sack as she couldn¡¯t even struggle before she stopped all of a sudden and looked back at Bael. She wondered if she had heard it wrong, but Bael¡¯s gaze was clearly directed to a single place. Right towards the Demon God¡¯s Tower that soared high enough to even pierce the sky. ¡°I thought that you would ask me more. What am I going to do in the tower or why do I even want to go¡­¡± ¡°Do I really need to know all that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, but what if I¡¯m actually plotting a scary plan¡ªlike putting the Demon King in danger.¡± A puff of wind passed over Julia¡¯s head when she was seriously making a dangerous remark. Instead, there was a very obvious sneer that could be heard in his voice. Bael carried her across the large bedroom while she draped around his shoulders. He broke the window with just his foot and climbed onto the terrace railing before spreading out his huge wings. Only then did Julia, who finally realized the Demon King¡¯s intentions, open her eyes wide. Nevertheless, Bael had already leaped at once. Julia¡¯s high-pitched scream instantly went away at an incredibly rapid pace. * * * [?SYSTEM Main Quest. The ¡®Secret of the Tower¡¯ is in progress.] The strong gust of wind blasted Julia¡¯s hair wildly. She looked down at her feet while clutching onto her fluttering skirt. She was now standing on an open floor with no apparent walls at all. It was clear that if she got tossed away by the wind, she would immediately plunge far into the ground. Unlike the tower¡¯s image, each floor had a different appearance altogether. The first place where Bael had landed was the indoor garden located right on the upper middle level of the tower. The plants were all arranged so geometrically that it became simply hard to believe that they hadn¡¯t been touched by that of humans, but contrary to her expectations, Julia couldn¡¯t find any single clue out there. It was only after several floors that Julia finally realized. She was, in fact, literally clueless. ¡®No matter what I do, this is just too much. There should be a degree of difficulty¡­¡­¡¯ When she was playing the game, [Demon¡¯s Paradise], she had never tried to capture Bael at all. Nevertheless, she did undertake the quest through another character¡¯s route. The system then provided the players with some hints and supplies. Alternatively, they could also place several settings in advance so that one would be able to finish it just by reasoning only. CH 46.2 Julia filtered through the quests for the past few days while reliving her memories of those days back then. However, the only information that was given to her had been ¡®to investigate the inside of the tower¡¯ itself. As she squatted helplessly while tapping on the stone floor, Bael, who had been watching her actions from afar, eventually threw some words at her. ¡°Do you still have any business left to do?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anything will change just by you stupidly tapping on the floor.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that because you don¡¯t actually know.¡± Bael¡¯s voice echoed through the hallway languidly. She had the feeling that he would be telling her to go back soon just because he was sleepy. She propped up her limp shoulders and stood up vigorously. It was an opportunity that she had somehow seized, but it seemed that she just let it slip away like this. ¡°I¡¯ve already seen everything here, so I¡¯ll be going up to the next floor now.¡± She pretended to not notice Bael¡¯s gaze and walked up the steps. Unlike downstairs where the sun was shining through since it was all open, the view had suddenly turned dark. She groped all over the wall as she was only relying on the faint light streaming in from behind her. The texture of the densely piled up bricks could be felt rather clearly against her fingertips. Around the area that had been adjacent to the stairs, it became possible to roughly distinguish its shape all thanks to the light from the lower floor. However, inside of it, the darkness was so thick that she could not discern anything even right in front of her nose. ¡®It feels a little creepy for some reason.¡¯ The interior was just like a deep cave and she couldn¡¯t even sense where Bael, who was only standing in the hallway downstairs, had disappeared for that moment. It felt like she had been left alone in a place where all her senses were already blocked. ¡°Demon King.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you there?¡± Her faint voice echoed through the empty hallway. Still, even though she had waited, no answer was returned at all. Julia then took a deep breath to calm her pounding heart. ¡®It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not really scary if I just think that I¡¯m alone anyway.¡¯ There shouldn¡¯t be anyone else here besides only herself and Bael. Ordinary demons couldn¡¯t even come close to the tower and only demons with the highest level would be able to enter the tower itself. Therefore, there was no reason for them to appear right here all of a sudden. Julia slowly stepped out her foot into the pitch-black darkness. The chilly air immediately enveloped her skin and the sound of her lonely footsteps rang in her ears. Fortunately, the floor was flat and there were walls as well as pillars everywhere. Just within a few steps, she was faced with a wall and after a while, she had encountered an obstacle. Something would be caught on her fingertips from time to time, so even if she couldn¡¯t really see, she was still able to move forward without stumbling. ¡®But still, just walking like this would actually make the investigation itself difficult.¡¯ After a short thought, she fumbled with her arm. She then swiped several times where the system icon might be located and the system window eventually popped up. [Julia Vestra] STATUS ?PROGRESS ?SKILL ?ITEM ?SETTING As expected, her sight began to brighten slightly. She then slowly moved the translucent glowing letters around in lieu of a flashlight. However, the conclusion that drew to a close was a bit unsettling. ¡®A maze?¡¯ The walls and pillars surrounding it all had the same shape. Unbeknownst to her, she had already entered right in the middle of a maze. She hurried back to the way she came from, but even after walking, there was no such exit. Her mind started to get utterly confused. ¡®Did I really come all this way?¡¯ Julia eventually stopped walking. Her feet felt dizzy and a ringing was buzzing about. Amidst the heavy darkness and an endless silence that followed without a signpost at all, she had finally lost her sense of direction at that instant. ¡°Is anybody there?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Anybody?¡± As if the endlessly lined walls had absorbed even the sound, there was no longer an echo at all. Her frightened heart began to beat dangerously. ¡°¡­!¡± Just then, right behind Julia¡¯s back, she could feel a sign of something had just passed by. Her spine instantly sprang up. ¡°Now, don¡¯t play around. It¡¯s not scary at all.¡± Julia soon hunched her shoulders again as she was startled. She could hear a ringing sound even when everything was still too quiet. She couldn¡¯t even tell if it was actually real or just an illusion. ¡°Demon King, please stop this. Do come out now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you really not there? You¡ªyou meanie.¡± She wanted to curse, albeit nicely, but that was all which came out of her own mouth. She resented her timidity, but she couldn¡¯t help it. She was so afraid of what would happen next if Bael were to hear of it. Just in time, she could hear the sound of wheezing and a flurry of wind through the thick walls. Surprised, Julia shut down the system window and the surroundings, who had just lost even the faint light from before, became once again immersed in that deep darkness. ¡°How do I get out of here¡­¡± Julia¡¯s shoulders eventually jolted in hopelessness. She thought very hard about it, but she just couldn¡¯t see a way out of this place at all. In addition, the surrounding walls had absorbed all the sounds like a sound barrier, so shouting loudly was utterly useless. Eventually, she had to escape on her own¡ªsomehow or rather. She soon tried to sort things out calmly. ¡®This is just a game quest, not reality. Even though it was definitely difficult, they wouldn¡¯t have thrown me into an utterly impossible situation, so I just have to find my way. I can do that.¡¯ The moment she clenched her fists, a reddish light began to shine right at the end of the cramped passage. It was the first light that she could see after entering the maze. It was blinking very slowly. If it seemed to have vanished before, it then reappeared soon and now it looked like it had been turned on properly. Her heart raced at the thought of not knowing when the light might go out once again. Julia hurriedly sprinted before it completely vanished into thin air. ¡°Ugh!¡± Then, her body suddenly got thrown away. Her shoe had been caught in a crack that was in the protruding stone floor. As she stumbled, her palms and knees had gotten scratched while a throbbing pain rode straight up her nerves. Nevertheless, even when she was groaning while crouching still, she hastily raised her body in a daze. The lights were already approaching at a very high speed. As a huge shadow started looming over Julia¡¯s head, the beast then unsheathed its venom-filled claws. The identity of that flickering light was none other than the eyes of a ferocious beast. CH 47.1 There was a sudden bang and the stone wall eventually collapsed. Julia couldn¡¯t even let out a scream as she rolled her body to the side. Her legs gave out and she slumped onto the floor, but she still couldn¡¯t afford to lie still. As it had missed its prey once, the beast then turned its head towards her while exhaling such fetid breaths. Julia had no intention of being treated like this. She hurriedly sprinted down the endless corridor all the while ignoring the sharp pain that had been digging into her legs. [? Magical Dagger A dagger that had been imbued with the powerful magic of Grand Duke Agares. Number of usage left : 1.] She called forth the system window in order to try and distinguish her path, but then, she thought of an item she had already forgotten about. She didn¡¯t think too much about it and immediately equipped herself with it. A sharp dagger was grasped inside her hand with a snap at once. She could definitely do it¡ªwas what she thought. No matter how strong that monster was, it would still not be able to reach Agares¡¯s magic. She then calculated that if she were to hide herself in a corner and stabbed it with the dagger as soon as it appeared, she might have a chance to win. But her hopes were shattered right at an instant. The end of the aisle, which was simply a dead end, was already right in front of her. ¡°Grrrrrr.¡± She could still hear the sound of a four-legged beast chasing after her frantically from behind. Julia turned her body around while clutching on the sword with both of her hands. A pair of pupils, just like those slits of a crocodile¡¯s, were keenly watching her with a terrifying glow. ¡®I¡¯m scared. I don¡¯t want to die.¡¯ The wall that had been hit by the beast crumbled away helplessly like crumbs of biscuits. As she looked at it closely, it had not been just the fingernails, but all over its body was dripping with venom as well. She could be sure that a human like her would have melted right away at the slightest touch of it. ¡®I will live. I will definitely live¡ªno matter what¡­¡­¡¯ She had no intention of dying like this in vain. Her shoulders trembled with visceral fear, but she still tightened her grip on the grasped sword. The beast¡¯s dark red mouth slowly widened itself. In response, she opened her eyes and raised the dagger at once. ¡°Just stop sleeping and save me now, you bad Bael!¡± ¡°You¡¯re even gutsier than I thought. You actually dare to call upon the King¡¯s name.¡± The moment when the beast¡¯s shadow had touched her, a red magic circle instantly bloomed all around herself. As he made an appearance amidst the flickering magical powers, Bael tugged Julia to his back and narrowed his eyes. At the same time, a suffocating weight began to permeate through the cramped space. ¡°Kieeeekk!¡± With her eyes wide open, she caught a sight of the rapidly changing situation right before her eyes. Bael had only stepped forward, but the beast that seemed nearly three meters tall was already screaming in agony. In addition, a ghastly sound was emitted from the monster¡¯s body. All the bones in its body appeared to be crushed and shattered as if they had been pulverized by a lump of iron. But Bael wasn¡¯t done with it at all. After killing the beast with a complete burst, he slowly stretched out his hand. Then, a dull crackling sound began to echo from the floor that they had been standing on. It seemed like Bael intended to tear apart the whole space itself. Surprised, Julia instantly grabbed onto his arm. ¡°Demon King, if the tower were to collapse like this¡­!¡± ¡°They still have to pay the price for trying to take what is rightfully mine.¡± As he twisted his lips, a powerful surge of magic began swirling from his fingertips. The pitch-black space shattered like a piece of paper and the sun¡¯s rays from the outside eventually stung her eyes. As if everything she had experienced was just a mere dream, they were already standing right in the middle of an ordinary hall before she even realized it. * * * As the sun went down, the vast field was all dyed golden. The nearby trees and flowers swayed slightly in the wind that was caused by the huge wings fluttering about. Bael folded his wings and landed while Julia crept out of his arms before putting down her feet on the floor. ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± She could feel a sense of pain in her knee, which had been scratched hard by her own previous fall. Julia stumbled and was just about to fall, but Bael supported her waist. She apologized softly and waited for Bael to let her go, but he didn¡¯t open his mouth nor did he loosen his arms at all. A moment of silence soon passed and as he reluctantly let go of her waist, Julia eventually walked off alone and took a seat among the flowers in full bloom. All she could ever see were flowering blossoms as well as the slow-moving clouds over the horizon. It was an unrealistic space that had been entirely different from the psychedelic labyrinth from earlier. Nevertheless, the scenery was so beautiful that Julia eventually relaxed her body which had been tensed up all along. ¡®I almost died, but it was just a hallucination.¡¯ After getting out of the dark labyrinth, Julia became dazed by the sight of the tower in front of her. Bael had already destroyed the space itself, but the tower was still intact¡ªwithout a scratch at all. In fact, not even a single piece of debris could be found. Bael then gave her a brief explanation. It was said that this floor had been enchanted to dig into the weaknesses of its prey while creating a virtual space before imprisoning them forever. Julia was rather dubious at first. No matter how hallucinatory it might have been, the tense moments that remained were still so vivid in her mind. Meanwhile, she discovered an object that stood right in front of the pillar. The beast, which had just tried to kill her, was guarding the entrance in the form of an ordinary stone sculpture. The roaring figure along with its opened mouth had been utterly vivid as if it was alive. Nevertheless, it was just a stone statue and even if she had waited for it, it wouldn¡¯t be rushing over to devour Julia. ¡°¡­¡± CH 47.2 As she looked down at the scars on her palms, Julia woke up from her flashbacks and felt a presence right next to her. When she finally came to, Bael was already lying beside her. ¡°I¡¯ve always been alone since I was young. Since I¡¯m a real loner, there¡¯s no one by my side at all. So, I usually pretend to be with someone else from time to time.¡± When she was about to leave the empty house, she would reflexively utter; ¡®I¡¯m going now¡¯ or the time when she had just returned home, she would remark; ¡®I¡¯ve come back already¡¯ or when she was about to eat something, she would say; ¡®I will enjoy the meal¡¯ or even when it was time for her to head to bed, she would also wish out loud; ¡®good night¡¯. But during the time she was really sick and lonely, she couldn¡¯t say a single word. And no matter how much she said it, there wouldn¡¯t be an answer at all. She could eventually feel the reality amidst the lonely echo. ¡°This is the first time that someone had really shown up when I called. So¡­¡± Julia lazily twisted the long strands of hair with her fingertips. In order to say this one phrase, she jumbled up a long story instead. Of course, this was probably all rather annoying to him as he might have just wanted to fall asleep while admiring this beautiful scenery in the first place. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was actually worried about not being able to tell you this earlier.¡± The hallucinatory labyrinth was a dark trap that had existed only in a person¡¯s inner world. How much force did he even have to use in order to squeeze through the very gap? As she thought about it, it was just like that when she was first kidnapped out of the Demon¡¯s Castle as well. He could have sent other demons, but he had come to find her himself. When she desperately cried out that she wanted to live, he appeared¡ªjust to save her life. Julia slowly stroked the red mark on her left chest with her fingertips. ¡®My heart is racing. But it¡¯s probably just because of that imprint.¡¯ She really wished that Bael would be able to sleep peacefully without feeling any pain. Since their life spans were very different, she just couldn¡¯t stay by her side forever. Nevertheless, at the very least, she wanted to stop him from walking with his own feet towards a much greater pain. Julia carefully wrapped his fingertips so that her magic resistance could touch him directly. However, Bael was simply staring at Julia as if he had no intention of falling asleep just yet. As she felt the hot gaze, Julia soon realized where his intent stare was directed at. It was right towards her own bloody palm. ¡°Are you concerned about me?¡± Julia held out her hand unknowingly before she regretted it at once. It had been because she thought that she was just like a child who complained about her pain. Her face turned red right away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was simply joking.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It really was just a jok¡­¡± Bael, who had looked down at her wounds without a word, suddenly snatched her hand as she tried to pull it back. He then slowly stuck out his tongue and licked up the drops of blood trickled down. Unsatisfied with just once, he began to dig his red-stained tongue into the wound until it eventually tingled. Bael¡¯s well-toned back muscles twitched with excitement in response. ¡°You¡¯re pretty good at seducing.¡± ¡°Uht!¡± As he raised his upper body, he softly whispered in Julia¡¯s ear. She leaned back under Bael¡¯s ferocity while breathing out such hot breaths. A wild, destructive lust for conquest was burning in his pair of eyes. Bael trapped her slender wrists from over her head and pulled up her skirt. Those reddish thighs were clearly visible under the red sunset. Her skin, which would have normally been whiter than snow, became tinged in red as if it got dipped in some wine. ¡°What kind of blood carries a very sweet scent?¡± ¡°It, it hurts¡­¡± ¡°It really is distracting my eyes.¡± Bael gave her a strong grip on the inside of her thigh and bent his head. Tiny drops of blood eventually glistened from the wounds on her knees under all the pressure. He placed his nose on her wide opened thigh and took a deep breath. The urge to rip apart and swallow that soft skin was already boiling over along with a mixture of strong lust as well as appetite. From the time he had opened the gap in the labyrinth and got a whiff of her faintly pervaded blood, Bael had already been in heat. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Not enough.¡± Bael covered her wound with his lips and began to suck it hard enough that even his cheeks went hollow. Her blood was as ecstatic as her own body and the intoxication had drenched all over his dry mouth. But that one sip was all it took. That mad thirst was still raging within Bael¡¯s body, but Julia¡¯s wounds simply healed as soon as it brushed against his flesh. ¡°It¡¯s still not enough.¡± His unsatisfied appetite snowballed into his other needs instead. Then, the blood-red eyes shimmered into a rather dangerous level. In fact, he already knew of a spring that would utterly give him something of a more satisfying water. His long, hard fingers slowly crept up her tender thighs before digging it deeper and deeper. Julia¡¯s eyes that started gasping out for pleasure widened at that instant. ¡°No, no. If someone were to see¡­!¡± ¡°Let them look. So that they¡¯ll know¡ªyou are mine.¡± ¡°Uuung!¡± ¡°As long as your heart beats, you will be mine forever. Only mine.¡± Her hot and sweet yet secret part was no more than the size of a palm that had been covered by a small piece of thin cloth. How pitiful and futile was this all? Her body jolted against the rough fingers that invaded her as soon as he pushed her underwear aside. Bael slid his middle finger across her cleft before he gently rolled the clitoris that had brushed against his fingertips. The small and obedient nub of flesh, which really resembled that of its own master, was then crushed by Bael¡¯s fingers. The fact that this had been in the open outdoors left her head bleached in white and only a simmering sense of pleasure was overflowing through her delicate body. Finally, she could let out her long-held breath. ¡°Ha-uht, ah!¡± ¡°Can you hear that? You¡¯re feeling good with just a single finger.¡± ¡°That¡ªDemon King, ah!¡± The fluids from her spring had soaked all over her legs. As he saw that Julia was blushing in shame, Bael instantly burned black with excitement. He wanted to bury himself in that inner flesh of hers right away, but even for that reason, Julia¡¯s path was still far too cramped. Instead, Bael proceeded to thrust his finger right into her hole. It was a hasty measure, but her insides had already melted away before giving a welcome to the intruder who eventually plunged in and out of her. CH 48.1 He stared intently at Julia¡¯s face before plunging deep into her hot, cramped hole. Not only his middle finger, but all of his whole fingers went into it so violently as well as hard and intense that it actually made a loud squelch. ¡°¡­!¡± Every time those thick, hard fingers slid in and out, she instantly reached her climax. Bael¡¯s movements felt breathtakingly pleasing. Her back shook terribly and her fluff of hair straight away stood on its end even at the slightest stimulation. Every fiber of her nerves were all focusing on her insides that had already been messed around by him. Julia, who continued to convulse miserably, tried to hide her face due to her shame of her own appearance. Nevertheless, her body that was still preoccupied with the pleasure didn¡¯t seem to listen at all. The sight of her biting on her lips in shame had nudged against Bael¡¯s sense of sadism. He grasped down both of Julia¡¯s wrists tightly and wiggled his fingers even more violently in return. ¡°Just relax your thighs.¡± ¡°Please¡ªplease don¡¯t look, uh-uht.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re just going to reject it, then you shouldn¡¯t have swallowed it all so deliciously. Every time I shove it in, you immediately become all over the place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the imprint¡¯s¡ªside effect, aahh!¡± She gasped with panting breaths and her body momentarily stiffened up all of a sudden. After Bael had opened up the collapsed female body right to its utmost limit, he inserted his huge penis at once. ¡°Haa, damn it.¡± Bael groaned in satisfaction as he dangled Julia¡¯s silky legs around his elbows. Her thighs were stretched open before completely exposing the red flesh in the air. Julia¡¯s hole was struggling to swallow the entire penis that had been tight right inside of her. ¡°Take, take it out¡ªI¡¯m scared, what if it rips¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing just great.¡± He drew Julia in even harder as she struggled to break free. Then, while licking his dry lips, he immediately began to thrust. He continued to plunge in and out as he headed for her very deep and secret place that he had not yet reached before. Liquids started splattering out and white foam gurgled from their own union. Every time his thick glans had scratched her inner walls, Julia would let out a faint moan. ¡°Uh-huk, slowly¡ªhurts¡­!¡± ¡°Lies.¡± ¡°No¡ªheuk, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°I hate lies. It makes me feel dirty since it seems like I¡¯m being deceived.¡± Her neck jerked back as she throbbed with pleasure. Bael immediately clutched onto Julia¡¯s hair as he accelerated his piston-like movements. Along with those sudden violent motions, Julia could only let out a choked kind of sound. She felt as if she would eventually suffocate amidst the overflow of pleasure. Bael¡¯s gaze, as he lifted her back, slowly turned to her bobbing breasts. There should be a clear sort of proof that this woman had belonged to him, but it could not be seen through that thin piece of cloth. ¡°I don¡¯t like that.¡± Bael gritted his teeth and tore it off from Julia¡¯s chest carelessly. The buttons flew off in a splatter and the bright red nipples quickly swayed up and down right into his line of sight. Thus, the red imprint was revealed to be shining brightly, which reflected the maddening pleasure that she had been currently feeling. Bael¡¯s lips eventually curved in satisfaction. As she perceived a subtle sensation before lowering her gaze, Julia then noticed that Bael¡¯s gaze was already fixed on her swaying breasts. Her body instantly turned crimson with shame. ¡°Don, don¡¯t look. Why are you¡­!¡± As he let go of her wrists, Julia straight away cupped her breasts with her arms. Nevertheless, even if she did resist, her body was still under Bael¡¯s sole control. He began to thrust his back. ¡°Should I then go back to the castle and show all of this to everyone? What the shape of your breasts are like, the color of your nipples and even how tight this hole tightens up every time I touch this something of a bean-sized thing. And while we¡¯re at it, why don¡¯t we call Kimaris as well and let him check it out himself.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡ªno, no.¡± ¡°Then, put your arms down.¡± ¡°Heuk, uht, uuhnng!¡± As she shook her head, Bael¡¯s eyes grew even more ferocious. He thrusted up his lower body with such force that seemed to have almost lunged in his own testicles as well. His forearm-sized penis was digging deep into her womb. And as the rough insertion persisted to continue, a completely different thrill from before began surging up like a tidal wave. Her slender belly bulged up and down along with his movements. She could no longer stand it since it felt like her mind was just about to break soon. She eventually chose to push Bael¡¯s shoulders away instead of covering her own breasts. And at the same time, Bael¡¯s penis was already etched against her cervix. Julia now began to shed new tears without her even realizing it. Those light-colored eyelashes became pathetically wet, but that appearance had incited Bael¡¯s desire of conquest even more. He smiled leisurely as he sensed a sign of pleasure that started slicing down his spine. ¡°Eat it all up¡ªwithout leaving a single drop of it at all.¡± He draped Julia¡¯s legs over his shoulders before holding her slender waist with both of his hands. Then, in line with his own movements, he began to thrust. Right at the end of those violent movements, her body appeared to tremble uncontrollably. Bael¡¯s neck, which ceased to move together, quickly rose before it dropped wildly. His climax soon continued for a long time. Bael then swallowed her lips while still being inside of her. A hot thrill had engulfed his mind and their shadows overlapped once more against the red sunset as a backdrop CH 48.2 Later that night, when the sun had completely set, Bael looked down at the petite woman who was already sound asleep while leaning against his own chest. She had been crying out that she couldn¡¯t go outdoors, but now, she was simply tossing and turning around with her naked body all exposed. As he saw that she was flinching and twisting her back, it seemed as though the object that had been buried deep inside of her appeared to be making her uncomfortable. Nevertheless, Bael had no intention of pulling it out at all. Instead, he was actually enduring the urge to pound onto her just like a beast. ¡°Ha, do you really want to cut me off?¡± He spread Julia¡¯s thighs apart and ran his fingers over the place where they were connected. It had been greedy as it wriggled like it was actually trying to thoroughly swallow the tightly jammed stuff right up to its root. And each moment, Bael could clearly feel the pleasure as well as another surge of emotion at the same time. A deep sense of contentment that this woman had been his own¡ªeverything was only his. It was rather strange. The key was already his right from the very beginning. It had been like that ever since the distant beginning and the moment when he had gotten his hands on her heart, the ownership grew even more certain. As long as the red imprint on her chest was there, she would never be able to escape it. ¡®I¡¯ve already seen everything here, so I¡¯ll be going up to the next floor right away.¡¯ What did he actually feel when he eventually realized that the key had gone up the stairs and fallen into the hallucinatory labyrinth? Why had he been so furious that her jaw was trembling when he found her on the verge of being attacked by the huge beast? ¡®Thank you.¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ ¡®I was actually worried about not being able to tell you this earlier.¡¯ In fact, why did he get swept away so easily? Did he actually lose his reason at the small, pale fingers that were held out in front of his eyes? He wished that those hands of hers would slide across his chest and stroke his own shaft, those arms would cling eagerly to his neck whereas her skinny shoulders and plump breasts bounced off wildly as her red lips cried out while calling for his name. He just couldn¡¯t admit it as the absolute monarch who had subjugated the Demon World would actually feel such an indescribable satisfaction only by entering that of a merely cramped hole. ¡°Fuck.¡± Awakened from his own thoughts, his face was already contorted with desire. Simply by imagining it had made his penis twitch and her inner walls, which were not yet ready to be stretched, began to squeeze hard on what it was currently clinging onto. Bael¡¯s breathing gradually jumbled with such fervid heat. ¡°Uung¡­¡­¡± A faint moan softly echoed from under his chin. The key¡¯s eyelids were slowly rising themselves. Perhaps it was because of her weak body, she would drag out a while every time she woke up, but even right now, she was just blinking blankly as if she had yet grasped the situation at all. Bael¡¯s eyes, which had always been rather insensitive, suddenly took on a certain light without his knowledge. He then lightly brushed against Julia¡¯s cheek with the tip of his finger. ¡°Are you awake now?¡± ¡°Yeees¡­¡­¡± ¡°Then, I want to keep on doing what I already have been.¡± ¡°What¡­ uht!¡± Her eyes opened wide at an instant before her upper body was forced to stand up. Even so, she soon dropped helplessly on top of Bael himself. She seemed to have finally realized where and in what kind of position she was actually riding on. Her warm, wet inner walls eventually trembled and tightened themselves. The imprint was also blinking in red. Bael observed the key that became stiffened with pleasure. She twisted her body to escape, but each time Bael just lifted his back gently instead, which only agitated her even more. ¡°Ahng, n, no¡­¡± ¡°Kugh¡ªyou¡¯re really going to cut it off.¡± ¡°If you move¡ªno, ah, ah!¡± Her voice was precariously cut off whenever Bael had moved his waist. If she really wanted to make it all stop at once, he would rather have made her keep her mouth shut and soon quelled his interest, but Bael didn¡¯t bother to point it out at all. Every time he lifted his lower body, her breasts would then be crushed as they rubbed against Bael¡¯s chest. Julia cried out in pain, but everything still seemed to feel quite short for him. He wished to look at them, he wanted to touch them, he needed to suck them all up until they were utterly swollen. They had been rather fleshy, so even if he were to suck on them a few times, they would still become flushed red in no time before her nipples soon perked up again. ¡°Raise your upper body.¡± ¡°Why, why¡­¡­¡± Perhaps she sensed that their affair was about to begin once again, the key hesitated and stiffened her body at that instant. And at the same time, the hole had tightened up firmly as well, which eventually made Bael really lose his sense of reason. If the key didn¡¯t wish to abide, he could just force her to obey. Then, he lifted the key¡¯s torso and gently scraped her nipples with his fingernails. The key¡¯s body, which had been easily swept away by such little pleasures, began to tremble yet again. An unknown stream of juices slowly trickled from the part where they were connected. Her condition suddenly got a little strange. Feeling restless¡ªhe pounded and clamped down her waist with both of his hands. She was writhing about like it had just been torture instead. Then, Julia whispered while her tears were still dripping. ¡°I¡¯m feeling strange, it¡¯s all strange¡ªhand, let go.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It feels, strange¡ªbottom, the bottom¡­¡± ¡°You have to say it properly.¡± With their bare bodies touching against each other, her bottom was being stabbed hard while her top had been scratched with his fingernails and her ear got trampled down by his own hot tongue. The swaying woman with her eyes just half-opened, seemed to not know what she was even talking about. Her insides twitched incessantly while simply squeezing upon Bael. Soon after, Bael, who gradually felt his incoming climax, lifted her ass so that only his glans could touch her before he lowered her roughly once again and stabbed himself hard into her soaking wet insides. ¡°Ku-ugh!¡± ¡°Don¡ªdon¡¯t, ah, AHHH!!¡± Along with the driving force as well as its weight, the huge glans began to powerfully hit against Julia¡¯s cervix. And at the same time, a clear liquid began to trickle out from her urethra. It had neither been urine nor her own love juice, but it still poured down upon Bael¡¯s stomach for a long time before it eventually subsided¡ªyet that was only when her passion had finally come to a stop. CH 49.1 Julia was angry. She genuinely felt very upset. As soon as she woke up, there was a huge monster under herself. Even if she had really put her heart out and simply let it pass¡ªbut still, in actual fact, that was absolutely not possible since right after that, she had been subjected to all sorts of shameful things and she eventually made a mess out of herself too. After the pleasure subsided and she finally came to her senses, she could see Bael¡¯s drenched body and hair as well as her own lower body part, which had utterly made Julia feel like she really wanted to die at that moment. But she couldn¡¯t have simply died, so the anger went straight to Bael instead. ¡°How could you even do that to a person who¡¯s asleep? Even a beast wouldn¡¯t have done that at all!¡± On the other hand, if only Julia had just known that she would still be really upset once Bael showed no signs of remorse at all even while listening to her complaints. Rather, she merely appeared like a little rabbit with her eyes wide open along with those puffed out cheeks of hers, which eventually made him laugh. Moreover, in the eyes of that so-called ¡®worse than a beast¡¯, a crouching naked rabbit was truly a very appetizing prey indeed. Of course, Julia, who hadn¡¯t been aware of any of that, was still busy venting out her anger. From her own point of view, getting woken up right in the middle of the night by such a terrifying pillar¡ªthe expression of which she truly came back to life straight after dying was just utterly right. ¡°You already know that having skin contact with me gives¡ªgives me such a strange cra, craving so then, you should have just let me go!¡± She always blushed and stammered her words when they were those that related to that kind of an affair. Still, compared to when she had first fallen into the Demon Realm, it was actually a great improvement instead. At that time, she couldn¡¯t even raise her head properly, let alone for her to speak up an opinion like this. Julia, who had just about to get really angry at her newfound emotion, could suddenly feel that something was playfully touching her cheek. Her eyes immediately widened in response. ¡°And how could you even tease me at a time like this!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± As he met with her gaze, Bael instantly looked half-bewildered. Yet he was simply leaning on his elbow while he appeared to be silently appreciating Julia¡¯s chatter. And Julia had noticed that as well. Then, who was the real culprit? Just as Julia, who was dumbfounded, opened her mouth in a daze, the thing that had tickled her face before shifted right in front of her eyes. The culprit was none other than a fluffy white pollen. Julia instantly thought that this was actually a wonderful timing. ¡°Why is this here¡­¡± When Julia looked downwards at the pollen, the surrounding scenery suddenly came into her line of sight. Stars were all shining brightly amidst the pitch-black night sky. Nevertheless, that wasn¡¯t what had really caught her attention. The entire field of flowers on which they had been lying about was glistening with a silver light. Julia softly tapped on the petals that bloomed right in front of her. Then, the stamens trembled as they were tickled before emitting even more light. She opened her eyes wide as she had forgotten all about her anger just now. ¡°Demon King, what is this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­some luminous flowers.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a pretty sight ever since I was born. I didn¡¯t even notice when it had gotten so bright, but it must have been a flower that could only bloom at night. How can it shine so beautifully like this?¡± She gently caressed the flower petals that were already in full bloom before raising her head. The entire world¡ªright from one end to another¡ªwas all covered in those luminous flowers. Amidst the murky darkness, countless lights were swaying in the wind. It was so beautiful that Julia¡¯s eyes became unknowingly blurry. She didn¡¯t have to peek through those dusty windows any longer. She also felt like she had already been given something far much better in exchange for that. In fact, she had a hunch that she would never be able to forget this sight that was currently unfolding before her eyes even until the day she would soon die. ¡°Huuff¡ªI tend to cry a lot, but perhaps it was because I had been so surprised. My tears have all dried up.¡± ¡°It must have been due to the fact that you cried too much earlier.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Julia quickly muttered with a strange face that was neither laughing nor crying. She sat with her back against Bael as she was just about to enjoy the scenery when a red light had flashed behind her all of a sudden. Then, before she could even turn her head, Bael had already approached. The long hair that was covering Julia¡¯s pure white nape was slid off and a necklace with a jewel as red as her own blood had been placed instead. ¡°Always carry it with you.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°A crystal ball that contains my magic.¡± ¡°Why are you giving this to me¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯d better accept it gently before you could even change your mind.¡± Julia looked down at the jewel that was dancing around her chest. It was bijou in size, but when she looked at it closely, there had been a red energy that kept on squirming inside, albeit slowly. She carefully raised her gaze and faced Bael in return. After all, this jewel had resembled those of his own pupils. [?Red Magic Necklace A necklace that was made by the Demon King Bael, which got infused with his own powerful magic. It can block the access of all demons except for Bael himself. Usage: 3] [?Luminous flowers Flowers that glow at night. They can only grow in the land of the dead. Usage: 1] ¡®I only received the necklace, but why are the flowers¡­¡­?¡¯ Julia, who widened her eyes at an instant, proceeded to stare at it. In Bael¡¯s hand, there was a shining flower that could be seen. He continued to tuck it into Julia¡¯s ear with a thoughtless face. Then, he naturally brushed her ear and thanks to that, the innocent woman had her body shrank ever so slightly. CH 49.2 If he just touched her skin¡­¡­ this time, even she wouldn¡¯t be able to walk properly on her own two legs. She quickly turned the subject around at that moment. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we get back to the castle by now? Everyone would have been so worried.¡± ¡°Just do it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little cold because the night wind is chilly.¡± ¡°Hold it in.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten anything all day, so I¡¯m quite hungry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bael, who simply swept his bangs with a rather annoyed face, eventually stood up at the word ¡®hungry¡¯. He then took out a black cloth before draping it around Julia and lifted her up. ¡°Hold tight. If you were to fall, I¡¯ll just leave you behind.¡± Contrary to his words, however, his arms had already been firmly supporting Julia¡¯s hips. She smiled softly while burying her face under the cloth. The daunting size of his wings spread at once and those two figures eventually soared into the night sky under the red moon. Before she even knew it, a new system window had popped right in front of her. [?ERROR ERROR? ERROR? ERROR?] [?? ? Necklace ? necklace ? ? ? Demon King Bael ? ? ? ? ? ?. It can block ? access ? all ? except for Bael himself. Usage: ?] * * * Julia was currently standing at the entrance of the tower. She grabbed the huge doorknob before leaving Bero that was wagging its tail eagerly behind her. [?SYSTEM Main Quest. Secret of the Tower.] [?SYSTEM ¨C Conditions to unlock: Enter the base, ¡®Demon God¡¯s Tower¡¯ together with Bael and Legion. ¨C Mission: To investigate the inside of the tower. The time limit is 7 days. ¨C Reward: Activation of the command system. ¨C Failure Penalty: Permanent inability to enter the base, ¡®Demon God¡¯s Tower¡¯.] As she peered at the quest window that was floating in front of her eyes, she grasped her trembling heart. ¡®Whoo, I can still do it.¡¯ Today was the last day of the quest, ¡®Secret of the Tower¡¯. Although she had made a rather huge vain attempt for the past six days, she still couldn¡¯t give up that easily. And thus, she decided to risk her life and make an escape from the castle alone with only Bero. She planned on using the necklace that she had just received from Bael if she were to get in a dangerous situation, but as luck would have it seemingly, she was eventually able to reach the tower safely without ever encountering any single beast at all. The heavy door creaked wide open as if to welcome Julia herself. The landscape that could be seen there was no different from the previous day. Once she had entered, the door closed by itself slowly as if to cut her off from the outside world. Julia then clenched her fists tightly. She had fully realized yesterday that it was not something that could be done just by using her own body. ¡®First of all, you have to carefully consider the quest title itself. It can be an important hint after all.¡¯ For example, the answer to the first episode, ¡®The First Death¡¯, was actually Berith¡¯s death. It would have been kind of a deal like if she didn¡¯t kill him, she would be the one to die instead. ¡®And another hint is hidden within the inner wall of the tower itself.¡¯ Julia had actually been convinced that the ¡®Secret of The Tower¡¯ was hidden in the Demon God¡¯s creation myth. The role of this gigantic tower was as a watchman that continued to protect the magic stone and everything from the first floor right to the top had been a kind of a bible that narrated the genesis of the whole Demon Realm. It was said that the role of the magic stone had been closely related to the game¡¯s main keyword; ¡®key¡¯, but then, what about the genesis itself? There was no way that an element which possessed no significant role had been placed right in the most central being, the Demon God¡¯s Tower. At the end of those thoughts, Julia began to find some clues towards this quest. ¡°I knew that there were hints etched within the carvings on the walls, but the scope is still too broad.¡± Julia slowly skimmed through the story that had started from the hallway entrance. A seed was awakened in a space of an utterly complete nothingness. It was actually a being that would eventually grow into the Demon God in the future. ¡®Turn me into the Demon God. Whatever the method is, then I will accept you as the key.¡¯ Bael¡¯s compassionless voice that echoed through the underground prison still lingered in her mind. Even though he was gradually getting closer to the day when he would finally become the Demon God¡ªwhom he had been longing for¡ªafter he had obtained the key¡¯s heart, why was he still¡­¡­ As her hand naturally shifted to the red necklace¡ª [?ERROR ERROR? ERROR? ERROR?] [?? ? Necklace ? necklace ? ? ? Demon King Bael ? ? ? ? ? ?. It can block ? access ? all ? except for Bael himself. Usage: ?] A red light instantly spread out along the grooves that were carved into the sculpture. A trail of light bolted at high speed down the long hallway and eventually disappeared from sight as it mounted the stairs. Instead of following it, Julia immediately hurled her body towards the other side of the said hallway. ¡°Bero!¡± ¡°Woof, woof¡ªwoof!¡± She jumped on the wolf¡¯s back and opened the skill window. This was the only best way to get Bero into the tower safely. [?Resistance Transition Lv.2 The time limit is 9 minutes and 59 seconds.] She checked the time bar that was floating above her and gestured straight inside the tower. ¡°We have to follow the Demon King¡¯s magic¡ªas soon as possible!¡± ¡°Woof, woof!¡± Bero, which was now quite mature, jumped into the tower as soon as Julia gave a shout. It ran up the stairs that seemed for a long time in just a blink of an eye. Julia gradually managed to keep her own balance upon the frantically swaying back. It was difficult for her to sit up properly as she got dizzy from the sudden change in vision, but she just gritted her teeth and persevered. She couldn¡¯t afford to let go of an opportunity that she had barely gotten a grasp of. Then, her eyes had finally caught onto the end of the red trail. ¡°Over there! Bero, right through the hallway on the next floor!¡± ¡°Groowl!¡± As it followed her gesture, Bero quickly turned around. The place where they had finally pulled a stop was a huge lake with a falling cascade. Bael¡¯s magic was hovering around the lake before it slowly receded from view as it melted into the water. CH 50.1 Before Julia had gotten off Bero¡¯s back, she glanced at the time bar that was just at the top of the window. 0 minutes and 26 seconds. Bero had already climbed up at a tremendous speed, but it seemed like it would still be quite difficult to get out safely with just one or two skills. Therefore, she decided to trust her own mental strength and eventually used her skills once again before setting her foot on land. ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡­¡± Her eyes, which staggered with a slight tinge of dizziness, became wide open. If she hadn¡¯t actually seen it, she wouldn¡¯t have believed that a place like this could truly exist within the tower. As she looked closely, the waterfall was actually made up of several flows¡ªnot just one. And each flow was a little different in color as if it had been painted before blending into the lake and it was shimmering under the beautiful aurora light. As though she was being possessed, Julia gradually walked into the thick mist. However, just as she was about to sit down by the lake, a red burst of magic flashed again behind her. Her dimly dilated pupils suddenly returned to their original light. Her toes were already on the verge of toppling into the lake. ¡®What was that just now?¡¯ She was taken aback, but due to her skill¡¯s time limit, she didn¡¯t have any time to think about it for too long. She quickly turned her body away and saw that there was a small cave right at the base of the waterfall. And at its entrance, a circular magic circle that could be seen during the beginning of the first quest was shining brightly. Stepping on the portal had made Julia¡¯s eyes turn all white. [?SYSTEM Command system has been activated.] [?SYSTEM Main Quest. Secret of the Tower.] [Completed.] Right after her vision had returned to normal, she looked back at the scenery that was no different from earlier to her. She didn¡¯t really expect anything special, but she thought that they would at least let her know about the results of the said investigation. However, all that ever happened was that the portal had eventually disappeared along with an information window that popped out while announcing that she had completed the quest. ¡°Could it just end like this?¡± She looked around, but in vain. The entrance to the cave was only big enough for her to stretch out her arms to the side. She even thought that it would be more appropriate to call it a den rather than a cave in itself. The deeper it got inside eventually turned dark and invisible. And right above her head, the skill termination countdown had already begun. [?Resistance Transition Lv.2 Time limit is 0 minutes and 05 seconds] ¡°Kiingg¡­¡± ¡°Ah, Bero!¡± ¡°Kiing kiing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m all fine now.¡± Bero, who had been restless ever since they arrived on this floor, bit onto Julia¡¯s skirt. She hurriedly used her skill once again before she got dragged out of the cave by Bero¡¯s power. ¡°Yes, I guess it was too much with those three times.¡± [?SYSTEM The remaining HP is already less than 10%. All skills have been disengaged except for those that are essential to life support.] The edges of her vision turned blood red for a few seconds before it soon returned. Julia leaned against Bero¡¯s back while enduring such extreme dizziness. She wanted to check the inside of the cave even more, but it was definitely difficult to do in this state. Her remaining SP was insufficient to reuse the skill and above all, her HP was almost at the rock bottom already. As it sensed that Julia¡¯s condition had become rather strange, Bero restlessly twisted its body to glance back at her. Julia muttered weakly while still holding on to Bero¡¯s back so that she wouldn¡¯t have fallen off. ¡°Let us return to the castle now.¡± ¡°Woof, woof woof!¡± Bero quickly ran down the steps. Julia, who had been restless as she thought that her skill might terminate on the way out, was finally able to close her eyes before passing out only after she had reached the hallway on the very first floor. * * * Julia, who had disappeared without a trace all morning, eventually came back on the wolf¡¯s back while having lost consciousness. Kimaris blamed himself as Agares was furious and even the brothers; Barbatos and Lerazier, couldn¡¯t hide their surprise at all. Only Julia was able to slowly calm the overturned Demon¡¯s Castle. All of the demons were waiting with bated breath for her to wake up before the anxiety of those high-ranking demons could reach the sky. Meanwhile, Julia had luckily opened her eyes before the day was actually over. She felt like she had a very long and sad dream, but unfortunately, she just couldn¡¯t remember anything when she finally opened her eyes. ¡°I really am fine. I didn¡¯t even fall down, I just fell asleep instead.¡± She waved her hand as she saw the demons had already lined up before her eyes. Still, Agares had thought differently in exchange. ¡°Little key, I don¡¯t usually describe it as sleeping when you won¡¯t even wake up when shaken.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Not waking up to a bunch who was crying out¡ªthat is not merely sleeping.¡± ¡°You too, had made a lot of fuss out of that surprise.¡± ¡°What nonsense? When did I¡ªdo you even have any proof?!¡± Lerazier, who was simply wandering around Julia¡¯s bed, yelled out loud. He shook his head as Agares glared at him, but he still didn¡¯t leave the bedroom and instead, he sat cross-legged at the tea table. CH 50.2 On the other hand, Kimaris, who always had a dark expression on him, knelt down on one knee by the bedside and brought himself to her eye level. ¡°Julia, are you actually going to tell me¡ªanything at all?¡± ¡°I was just feeling frustrated and so, I wanted to get some fresh air.¡± ¡°You were dragged away by the Demon King and left the castle all night before disappearing once again in just a span of a few hours. In any case something were to happen to you, I¡­¡± Kimaris was quite suspicious. Even though the delicate Julia had been going through such severe hardships because of Bael, was she still deliberately lying in order to protect him? Bael was cruel and relentless with his hands. He had been the kind of demon who was capable of tossing Julia to the beasts and happily watching her die. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t go that crazy since he needed the key right now, but still, they never knew. ¡°The Demon King is far more despicable than what Julia really thought. I feel rather uneasy.¡± It was rather dissatisfying that Julia kept on giving her side to Bael. His heart felt heavy every time he saw some different emotions other than fear lingering in her eyes, such as an intense feeling of pity or even an absolutely tiny tinge of intimacy. Even if it couldn¡¯t be himself, at least he wished that it just wasn¡¯t Bael. He hoped that this concern of his was just for nothing instead. ¡°You¡¯ve become noisy as well, Kimaris. You can¡¯t just make such noises in front of the sick. Just sit quietly next to Lerazier or go outside and cool your head instead.¡± It was Agares who had cut off the endless thoughts in Kimaris¡¯s head. While he was uncharacteristically biting his lips in front of Julia, he suddenly relaxed his expression and gave a silent smile. ¡°Julia, you can simply forget what I said earlier and just focus on getting well soon. I was being too short-sighted.¡± ¡°I know that you¡¯re worried about me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be just outside the door, so call me if you need me.¡± ¡°But you really don¡¯t need to¡­¡± ¡°I want to get some fresh air.¡± As he turned and left the room, his shoulders seemed to have drooped a bit for some reason. However, before Julia could even pay much attention to it, Agares spoke up first. ¡°Anyway, all the men here are useless, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡­.¡± Agares slowly stroked Julia¡¯s cheek as she smiled awkwardly. Then, as Julia had already woken up, Agares was about to leave the bedroom while taking Lerazier and Barbatos in tow so that Julia could rest in peace when Julia suddenly held onto her. ¡°Excuse me, Agares.¡± ¡°Huh? Why¡ª¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to see Legion for the past few days, so I actually wonder where he had gone¡­¡± She hadn¡¯t seen him ever since she rescued him from the top floor of the tower. She wondered if it was because he had been held captive by Bael as she had fallen asleep for a long time. But as a matter of fact, Legion was not afraid of anyone at all. If he had wanted to, he would have already broken down even the Demon¡¯s Castle¡¯s own door. At first, she was nervous that a fight would break out if he really did break in. However, looking back now, she wondered if he had truly left the Demon¡¯s Castle already. ¡®I was being too selfish. I shouldn¡¯t have worried about the Demon King right in front of Legion who simply loathes demons. I¡¯m pretty sure that he was disappointed in me.¡¯ In her head, she knew that it was only right for him to leave. But when that really happened, she kept on thinking about things that she would eventually regret. ¡°Your human friend? Well, I was busy taking care of someone who had just inspected the cave of death. Shall I look for him now then?¡± ¡°N, no.¡± ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ve seen that damned swordsman go out in the middle of the night just about a week ago. Judging by the fact that he still left all his belongings here, it doesn¡¯t seem like he truly had left.¡± ¡°How do you even know that?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t really know. I was just going to mess with his stuff.¡± Lerazier slowly showed his charred left hand with a nervous face. The shape and size of the wounds were really similar to the books that Legion had often read. Therefore, just by looking at them was truly enough to explain it all. Agares and Barbatos glared at Lerazier with their extremely pitiful eyes. Alternatively, Julia simply scratched her chin awkwardly before looking away in the end. * * * A dry sandy wind was softly brewing from over the horizon. Legion raised the collar of his coat and began to frown. As a matter of fact, the real reason why he was so adamant to remain in the Demon Realm had been due to his other thoughts besides wanting to be by Julia¡¯s side. And seeing that Julia had run straight to the Demon God¡¯s tower just a week ago, his thoughts instantly hardened with much conviction. ¡®Must prevent the Demon King from turning into the Demon God at all costs.¡¯ The moment Bael awakened as the Demon God, Julia would have been dead. And the reason why she would die wasn¡¯t just because of that bright red mark on her chest. Of course, that thing was definitely very malicious as well. On that day, the very day he fought the demons in the wilderness of the Demon Realm, Legion had woken up to such new memories. To put it more precisely, it was more like a kind of ¡®instinct¡¯ rather than just a mere memory. Instead of being completely depleted of mana, his body was filled with magic power. It was the most primal and fundamental product of anything that had been born from the Demon God. His body, which got shattered and broken down due to the backflow of mana, was eventually resurrected by magic. As he looked back at the terrible memories of that time, Legion¡¯s eyes widened all of a sudden. He could feel a rather familiar presence not too far away. ¡°That¡¯s actually the tree of death.¡± Amidst the desolate and dried up land, a huge tree had stood proudly as if it was boasting of its own majesty. There would have been no nutrients since the ground where the tree was rooted had definitely been barren, but the leaves on the branches were as green and fresh as a garden on a summer day. ¡°No, does it even have enough nutrients?¡± Legion¡¯s gaze eventually turned to the roots of the tree that were above the ground. Originally, the roots of an old tree would be as complicated as its years, but the tree of death was a tad little different. It had been none other than the devilkin itself that was entangled amongst its roots. Once alive, but had now become only such shriveled corpses¡ªjust like those mummies¡ªthat were tightly entangled within those layers of roots. CH 51.1 It already wasn¡¯t a very nice sight to see from a distance, so Legion¡¯s eyebrows crumpled in return. Nevertheless, as he moved a little closer to investigate, a mark had appeared to be seen. Deep cuts were clearly engraved on the trunk, which had been thick enough to be hugged by four or five adults. ¡°I can already tell who the culprit is without even looking at it.¡± The tree of death had clearly belonged to the strong within the underground where strong and weak were strictly distinguished between one another. This was true not only for this tree, but also for all the other places with the title of ¡®death¡¯ in them, which had caused such abnormal phenomena in the Demon Realm. Right after Legion had settled down in the Demon Realm, he began to search and investigate such locations one by one. ¡®Should I then go back to the castle and show all of this to everyone? What the shape of your breasts are like, the color of your nipples and even how tight this hole tightens up every time I touch this something of a bean-sized thing. And while we¡¯re at it, why don¡¯t we call Kimaris as well and let him check it out himself.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t, don¡ªno, no.¡¯ ¡®Then, put your arms down.¡¯ ¡®Heuk, uht, uuhnng!¡¯ He was heading to the land of the dead when he saw them. The figure of a single pair of naked man and woman with their bodies entangled amidst the open plains. A voice that shook violently as it gave out a faint scream from time to time. And the image of a ferocious beast that was relentlessly devouring that pure white body whole. It was so deeply imprinted in his brain that he just could no longer get rid of it. Then, every so often, it would pop up and eventually make him suffer. However, the most painful thing was seeing that Julia had been fond of it and ultimately seemed to have gotten excited about it. As he watched her with another man, he was feeling both; despaired and lustful as well. He wished that the name which had leaked out from her mouth was his own¡ªand not Bael¡¯s. Legion¡¯s eyes began to burn dark. ¡°Damn, I shouldn¡¯t be like this.¡± Since Julia was simply too soft-hearted, she had already fallen for that bastard¡¯s trick. She was now possessed by the Demon King himself. So, it was absolutely impossible for him to be greedy for Julia in such an obscene manner. She had to be cherished more than anything else in this whole wide world. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s not be greedy. If only I could just see Julia smiling¡­¡± Her smiling face along with her cheeks blushing red started flashing through his mind. The moment when Legion¡¯s mouth relaxed itself¡ªkuaaangg. A tremendous roar rang the ground which he was currently standing on. ¡°Kugh!¡± Right before a black wave that resembled a whip flew straight to his neck, Legion swiftly avoided himself as soon as he noticed the abnormality and created a greatsword. After a brief flash of blue light appeared, the soul sword had already been in the grip of his hand. Chaeng! A sharp metal sound that seemed to have ripped the eardrums spread through the space. Legion stepped back, but the mana that emanated from the tree was still pursuing him swiftly. A trail of blue mana began to rise from Legion¡¯s body as he opened his eyes. ¡°Idiot, you should have really picked your opponent before you started an attack.¡± He leaped in just one motion and mounted onto a branch that had slammed down on him indiscriminately. At the same time, the tree twisted like a snake that was being hunted, but Legion¡¯s eyes were already fixed on a single spot. In the deep wounds of the stems, a burst of red magic was shining like the eyes of the Demon King himself. ¡°To whom do you even dare¡ªan insignificant creature who can¡¯t even recognize its own master!¡± He rode frantically up and down the swaying branches before he quickly made his way right to the very top. Then, he aimed at the tree¡¯s core while holding his hilt with both hands so that the blade would go straight down. Legion¡¯s pupils turned dark purple and the stone in the middle of the sword had also become black as if it was being burned. Right after that, the greatsword began to pierce in one blow. Kuaang! A huge rupture shook the desolate land and thick clouds of dust rose, which eventually made it difficult to breathe. However, the person who had appeared in the midst of them immediately swung his sword in an undisturbed position before brushing off the debris. As he left the shattered tree behind, Legion started gnawing upon his quivering jaw. ¡®If I can¡¯t stop the Demon King at all, then I¡­¡­¡¯ * * * 05. The Demon¡¯s Savior On a leisurely afternoon that was not too long after completing the quest; ¡®Secret of the Tower¡¯, Julia stood alone in Bael¡¯s bedroom while muttering quietly. ¡°Command system.¡± A bright light spread from her fingertips similar to a light that was switched on. Julia straight away looked at it with curious eyes. It shimmered like her aurora before slowly fading away as she no longer continued her words. It was still an amazing sight even after she had already seen it many times. Julia had been recovering well for the past few days due to the demons¡¯ fuss and suddenly, the thought of that reward which she had obtained from the previous quest came to mind. Command system. Just by looking at those words, it seemed to have meant something to the system itself. But she knew nothing of the function at all. There was not even a new icon when she had looked for the particular feature. She eventually murmured in agony. Command system. As she awakened from her brief flashback, she unfurled her hands again and opened her mouth. ¡°Command system. Skill.¡± A huge golden tree bloomed right in front of Julia¡¯s pair of eyes. There were three skill points on the edge, which had been obtained as a reward for completing the previous quest. She immediately raised her ¡®Resistance Base¡¯ to level 2. CH 51.2 [?Resistance Base Lv.2 Resistance magic that can be given to a designated set of coordinates provided by the player for a certain period of time. It consumes 40% of one¡¯s remaining HP. SP 40] She raised all the 2 basic skills of the resistance system with this feature. Then, an even taller tree had been unlocked. Upon closer inspection, there was a very basic level of physical shield and a skill that could rob a specific target of its own resistance magic. ¡°Resistance steal¡­¡± When she became embarrassed by the unexpected and rather offensive word, the skill was instantly selected as it assumed that she had used the command in itself. [? Resistance Steal Lv.1 Steals 50% of the resistance from a designated target provided by the player for a certain period of time. It consumes 70% of one¡¯s remaining HP. SP 60] [?SYSTEM You do not have enough skill points. The skill is unable to be unlocked.] A total of two windows began popping up in succession. Resistance Steal would consume a lot of SP, but the amount of HP that would have evaporated was even more frightening. Still, she thought that it might be useful to some extent. It was a skill that could make it possible for her to support allies in the unlikely event of a fight between demons themselves. ¡®Since there¡¯s no rule which says that Berith¡¯s incident won¡¯t be happening again.¡¯ Demons had a certain level of resistance in proportion to the amount of magic which they possessed. She didn¡¯t know if the expression ¡®magic defense¡¯ would actually be more accurate instead. After memorizing the skill, Julia eventually closed the system window. A set of footsteps were gradually approaching in the hallway. Utilizing the command system was rather convenient since she didn¡¯t have to press each of the icons individually, but there was a fatal flaw instead¡ªthe other demons could clearly see the light that glinted at her fingertips. The door had been slammed open just as she shook her hand away. Bael swept his bangs up while looking very annoyed since he had just returned to the castle after a few days. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy, so get out.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just place the key¡¯s meal here before taking my leave. Kimaris was the one who asked for it.¡± ¡°Why would he?¡± ¡°Humans will die if they skip their meals¡ªunlike us, Master.¡± Barbatos shrugged his shoulders as he placed a bunch of bread, cheese, dried fruit and milk that he had just brought over from the Human Realm on the table. His gesture implied that he didn¡¯t fully understand, but it could be because of the fact that humans were such a weak race. Julia, who had suddenly turned into a weak race, pouted her lips softly. Of course, it was actually true, so she couldn¡¯t actually refute it. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be on my way. Please rest comfortably.¡± Barbatos silently bowed to the King before leaving the bedroom. Julia glanced back at Bael and he seemed to appear somehow uncomfortable instead. He looked rather displeased and showed signs like he was actually offended by something. Julia eventually felt like she could understand his dissatisfaction. ¡°You don¡¯t really have to wait. It has already been a few days. So, you must have been tired. I¡¯ll get ready for bed now.¡± She put on her long robe while carefully covering her bare skin before she lay down on the bed first. Bael¡¯s expression unexpectedly hardened a little more than before. ¡°Your meal.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really have that much of an appetite¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you put anything in that mouth of yours. Do you actually want to die now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten what I said before? I clearly said that you would only dare to think that by dying, you could actually defy me and escape my clutches.¡± Julia blankly blinked her eyes. Shortly after falling into the Demon Realm, when everything had been fearful and dangerous, she came to this room to make a deal with him in order to ensure her safety as well as those around her. He then said something similar, but she just couldn¡¯t figure out the reason he brought it up all of a sudden. Bael unfurled the bedsheets and pulled Julia up while she was inside. Then, he hugged her roughly before throwing her on the couch. The cushions were so soft that they didn¡¯t hurt at all, but she still felt rather dumbfounded. Soon after, something large and blunt was thrust into her mouth abruptly. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± ¡°Uht!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to eat it, I¡¯ll just shove it in.¡± There was a hint of ferocity mixed in his voice. He was making a face that if she didn¡¯t open her mouth, he would really wrench open her jaw to feed her. Normally, it would have been a very frightening situation. Bael¡¯s expression was also dangerous and risky as if he would straight away explode if she had touched it. However, the only thing in the Demon King¡¯s hand was bread and he had been mobilizing all sorts of threats to simply shove it into her mouth. As she bit her lips while trying to hold it in, she eventually burst into laughter. Bael¡¯s expression as he looked downwards at her stiffened subtly, but Julia, who didn¡¯t realize that, was just smiling brightly instead. ¡°Is it because of what Barbatos has said earlier? If I don¡¯t really eat, I will soon die in return?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Um¡ªahem! It¡¯s not actually wrong, but it won¡¯t be what the Demon King really thinks of.¡± As she cleared her throat and lightened her expression, Julia explained that she had no problem even if a single meal was skipped. Even so, Bael¡¯s doubtful expression did not seem to be resolved at all. As expected, the words of his loyal subjects were much more trustworthy than that of humans¡¯. Julia calmly pulled down what was pressing against her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense¡ª?¡± ¡°I already promised to turn the Demon King into the Demon God¡ªin exchange for saving Revenna and Kimaris, who had disobeyed the Demon King¡¯s orders previously. I haven¡¯t forgotten any of that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Until then, I won¡¯t die. Look¡ªI¡¯m eating them, alright?¡± Julia then rolled her eyes and took a bite of the bread. She chewed and swallowed before picking up the sweet fruit that Kimaris had found which really suited her taste. Her small stomach quickly made her feel like she was munching on some gritty sand, but she moved around earnestly in order to unravel Bael¡¯s expression. CH 52.1 After having been so engrossed for a rather long time, she began to roll her eyes slowly. Bael¡¯s gaze had been fixed on her chewing lips for quite some time. He even rested his chin leisurely as he sat with his back leaning against the backrest. It had been as if he was simply watching an interesting play. ¡°Excuse me, Demon King.¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°Would you like to dine together?¡± It was actually a burdensome amount for her to eat alone anyway. She also wondered if he¡ªjust like the other demons¡ªwas, in fact, curious about human food so she carefully asked, but he gave no answer in return. After she struggled for a moment, Julia eventually realized that his gaze was still transfixed on a single spot. She thought that maybe Bael was curious, but he couldn¡¯t simply speak up in order to protect his face. It was something that others would have a laugh at: the absolute monarch of the Demon Realm was actually curious about some mere human food. Julia, having made up her mind, was just about to reach out her hand towards the table when a trail of long black hair cascaded down gently against the back of her hand. Then, Bael bit a little off the bread which she had eaten. Julia instantly lowered her head slightly in return to hide her suddenly feverish face for some reason. ¡°¡­¡± Bael mumbled with an impetuous expression as his brow wrinkled all of a sudden. He didn¡¯t really express it from his own mouth, but Julia could already tell. His eyes seemed to think about the real reason he was currently eating that garbage. As she was afraid that this displeasure of his would eventually spark towards the innocent Kimaris, Julia hurriedly added in. ¡°I-I was the one who asked for this. It¡¯s often not possible to go back and forth between the Demon World and the Human World, so please find food that can be stored for a long time instead. Originally, the Human World¡¯s food wasn¡¯t always this bad.¡± ¡°The bottom line is that they don¡¯t actually taste good.¡± ¡°¡­¡­umm.¡± ¡°You keep on eating this garbage anyway. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t really have control over your body properly.¡± Julia vaguely rolled her eyes away. She had never been as weak as he thought she was. However, the reason why she often collapsed was because of her physical strength that usually decreased due to the use of skill or also because of Bael who had pushed her too hard even during a single affair¡­¡­ ¡®Come to think of it, it¡¯s actually all the Demon King¡¯s fault.¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t have happened if she hadn¡¯t touched the Tower or Legion and of course, if he hadn¡¯t touched her at all. However, she didn¡¯t have the courage to speak up directly in front of the Demon King, so she simply bit into the bread without thinking instead. It was the spot which Bael had just nibbled previously. Right at the moment when Bael¡¯s eyes began to glow strangely as he looked at Julia, a loud fanfare had resonated from the entrance of the Demon¡¯s Castle all of a sudden. She waited for the sound to simmer down, but the distant sound started growing closer and closer by contrast. In fact, it was clearly facing towards the Demon King¡¯s bedroom. Bael, who had perhaps realized the reason, rubbed his forehead with a very tired face in response. ¡°Ha, the troublesome guy is here again.¡± ¡°A guest? But then, I¡¯m only dressed like this¡­¡± Since she had just woken up after being sick, all she had on was a pair of thin negligee and an outer robe. It was embarrassing to even call it a set of indoor clothes, so it wasn¡¯t appropriate to greet guests at all. However, Bael grabbed Julia as she tried to get up and instantly pulled her towards himself. The door slid open just as she had fallen onto Bael¡¯s lap. What appeared from beyond was a very beautiful boy who could have been mistaken for an angel¡ªhad the place not been the underworld itself. ¡°Ah, the Great Lord of the Demon Realm.¡± The boy immediately approached him with an extremely honored face before kneeling down on one of his knees. Unlike his youthful appearance, his behavior and manner of speaking could be seen to be quite classic. ¡°This Paimon greets you.¡± [Paimon, the King of the Four Realms, the 9th demon in the Demon Realm who rules over the west as well as fire.] Paimon rose from his seat and smiled delightedly at Bael as well as Julia who was currently sitting on his lap. ¡°Ah, while I was living in the west, I heard that the Master had obtained a concubine. Please forgive me for coming so late to visit and congratulate you as there have been some busy matters at work.¡± ¡°You have shown your face already. Now, just get out of here.¡± ¡°Demon King, what are you doing to a child¡­!¡± Julia, who twisted her body in surprise, suddenly felt something heavy under her hips that was gradually increasing in volume. Even when it was still, it had been so monstrous in size that the slightest amount of strength made it feel terrifyingly oppressive all over. At this rate, she really couldn¡¯t guarantee her future. Julia started to sit down slightly forward before wiping off the cold sweat from her palms. As she slowly calmed down, Bael¡¯s strength loosened a little in return. ¡°You¡¯re really kind, but don¡¯t you worry. If the Master is really angry, it won¡¯t just end at this point. The reason why he simply forgave my sudden rudeness unlike the usual has been because of you, his beloved concubine, who is right by his side.¡± A child who seemed to be about eight years old at most was speaking so eloquently and even though she already knew that a demon¡¯s appearance and actual age could be different, it was still awkward as she couldn¡¯t really adapt with it. CH 52.2 Oblivious to Julia¡¯s inner feelings, Paimon eventually took a step closer. ¡°You are very beautiful. It is indeed a beautiful color that will definitely captivate the Master¡¯s heart. Would you give me the honor of kissing the back of your hand?¡± ¡°Please feel free to call me Julia.¡± ¡°Since you are the Master¡¯s woman, I simply cannot speak of your name carelessly. Nevertheless, I will keep this favor of yours that is as wide as the sea in my heart.¡± Julia tried to get down from Bael¡¯s lap, but the more she tried, the tighter the arms that wrapped around her waist had become¡ªcoiled around just like a snake. She finally held out her hand while sitting all awkwardly. As she looked downwards from above, Paimon¡¯s hair looked just like a rich strand of fur. ¡®Will it be rude to say that he¡¯s cute? But he¡¯s just so lovely.¡¯ Her love for children had melted into her heart. And that was just at the moment when the boy¡¯s small hand brushed against her. [?Paimon Kehk, it¡¯s all ugly. She¡¯s so skinny that if all of the hair gets pulled out, you won¡¯t even get to tell between the front and the back. Did Bael finally lose his sight or something? And why is she pretending to be so close? Ah, my lips will definitely rot.] Countless thoughts had passed through the window at a breathtaking speed. While Julia could only stand still, Paimon kissed her on the back of her hand with a still angelic face before he eventually withdrew himself. [?Paimon What is it¡ªwhy are you so blank? Don¡¯t you know what politeness is? My mood is all ruined now. As expected, it must have been due to hanging out with this Bael.] Paimon¡¯s upright posture appeared to be sculpted and his eyes were glittering like jewels, but the dialogue window that swept swiftly under his face had been utterly full of profanity. It was hard for her to come back to her senses since she was looking at both sides alternately, but at the very least, Julia still flashed out an awkward smile. ¡°Lord Paimon, you said that you¡¯ve been living in the west, so will you be staying here in the castle from now on then?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just not true. This body of mine is based in the west, where the Mountain of Death is and this was only a matter of stopping by the Master¡¯s nest for a while. Unlike the other demons, this body has already received the territory right in the west.¡± ¡°I just kicked him out because he was really annoying.¡± ¡°Master has always been saying that, but I do know that he trusts me.¡± At eight years old at most, he began to laugh heartily. Julia was completely dumbfounded. She shouldn¡¯t have said this, but she thought that she had very little idea why Bael had sent him so far in the west. ¡®The Demon King must have been very tired, but something will really happen if he keeps on doing this.¡¯ Bael had been suffering from insomnia due to his rampaging magic for a very long time. She was told that he would be struggling with pain every night and he could not sleep comfortably even for an hour a day¡ªonly to find some peace after having her by his side. Perhaps because of that, Bael was truly obsessed with sleep. Besides, he had just returned from wandering somewhere in the Demon Realm for the past few days. She could really see that even now, he desperately wanted to take a rest. ¡°Whoo, I¡¯m so tired.¡± Sure enough, a long sigh eventually came from above Julia¡¯s head. Bael¡¯s patience was definitely thinning out in real time. Even if Paimon was actually nasty, she still couldn¡¯t bear for him to be exposed to Bael¡¯s wrath as she looked into the bright eyes of a child. She soon opened her mouth directly. ¡°Lord Paimon, I¡¯m truly glad that you have come to visit me like this. However, the Demon King and I were just about to rest. Will it be possible for us to share the unfinished story tomorrow?¡± ¡°Oh no, my lack of awareness has interfered with the love that was shared between the two of you.¡± ¡°Ah, haha¡­¡± Seeing Paimon¡¯s eyebrows had risen subtly, it seemed that he had misunderstood again, but Julia just gave it up neatly. For now, she decided to only think about getting him out of there quickly. ¡°I hope that you will be comfortable while you¡¯re in the Demon¡¯s Castle.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± [?Paimon What¡ªare you the Master of this castle now? Why are you the one showing off when even Bael doesn¡¯t?] Julia, who smiled brightly just then, had relaxed her shoulders only after Paimon left as the door closed shut. It felt like something huge had just passed. An extreme sense of fatigue set in. Then, Bael picked up the already limp Julia before walking over to the bed. He laid her on top, but he sat himself on the edge before rubbing between his eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s just mind-boggling. I already kicked him out, so what if he came back then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time that I¡¯ve seen the Demon King hate someone so much¡­¡± ¡°Everything just bothers me.¡± Julia smiled faintly while she was falling asleep. That was what he said, but if he had really hated it, he wouldn¡¯t have put all those 72 demons in the castle. And that wasn¡¯t really sure after all, but why did he still feel that way? Bael squeezed both of Julia¡¯s reddened cheeks with his hands. Her lips instantly protruded like a carp. ¡°You, in particular, better not trust him at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just a little surprised.¡± She didn¡¯t expect that Bael would actually know. He was basically indifferent to others, so she thought that he wouldn¡¯t even care what anyone was truly thinking about. Bael then added more. ¡°That demon who is still wet behind the ears has been endowed with enough magical power, so he won¡¯t be able to see much clearly. If you leave him alone, he¡¯ll eventually go wild and self-destruct.¡± ¡°I guess Paimon is still young. Has he been born for about a hundred years then?¡± ¡°A hundred years? That¡¯s just ridiculous.¡± Bael laughed before laying himself down right next to her and closed his eyes. Julia waited for his next words, but Bael already seemed unwilling to explain even further. It was only the very next day that Julia, who eventually gave up for an answer and went straight to sleep, had finally found out Paimon¡¯s real age. CH 53.1 ¡°Little key, do you have something you want to ask? Paimon? He¡¯s only around eight years old. He is cute, but in my eyes, you¡¯re definitely much cuter. Oh, I just can¡¯t stand it any longer! Don¡¯t you want to be eaten by me right now?¡± ¡°Why would you even ask that? You¡¯re saying that simply because you want to be of help to the Master? Hmm, then, him being talkative and loud is just bad. But he¡¯s kind of sociable. I¡¯m not really that interested, so I wouldn¡¯t know anymore.¡± ¡°Sociable? Brother, have you finally gone senile?! That stupid bastard. If you were to give me a piece of land in the west, I¡¯m definitely going to play King and stay right there. Why would he come all the way to the nest itself?¡± ¡°Julia, it¡¯s better to not get close to Paimon. He has recently been gifted with rare magical powers, but he can¡¯t really control that power of his. He will surely have problems one day that you might not be able to handle at all.¡± The next day, Julia was eventually able to hear things about Paimon from the surrounding demons without much difficulty. As the ninth highest ranked demon, he had a relatively favorable reputation with the strong demons, but not a very good one amongst those of the lower ranks. ¡®Even so, the Demon King had already noticed Paimon¡¯s true nature.¡¯ As Julia was on her way to meet Paimon, whom she had promised to from the day before, she could hear an urgent array of footsteps that was following her through the hallway. When she turned around, Kimaris was already there standing right behind her. He asked Julia her matter of business, perhaps because he was rather uneasy about her asking about Paimon previously. ¡°The reason why Paimon got called as the King of the Four Realms was the fact that he had been born with the power of fire, one of the four elements. In terms of fire magic, there is no other demon that could compete with him and his resistance to fire is, of course, very strong. His attribute resistance can still be destroyed completely though, but probably only by Bael or Agares.¡± ¡°But still, he¡¯s just an eight-year-old child. He¡¯s not that dangerous¡­¡± ¡°Julia.¡± Kimaris, who took a step ahead of her, immediately stood while facing her. He began to stare at his beautiful yet fragile Master along with a serious face. ¡°If anything should happen to you, the lives of your enemies will definitely pay for it.¡± ¡°Mister Kimaris.¡± ¡°And not just myself, but everyone else too. In regards to Paimon, really, stay away from him and make sure to have me or even someone else with you wherever you go while he¡¯s still in the nest.¡± Kimaris was aware of Julia¡¯s altruistic nature. She wouldn¡¯t bat an eye if she had been told that she was in grave danger, but when she heard that someone else would be in danger, she would have definitely reacted right away. She was certainly too ill-suited to survive in this underworld. Julia nodded her head quietly as she adjusted her expression in order to avoid revealing her own mixed feelings. ¡°Yes, I know. I¡¯m a rather important material for turning the Demon King into the Demon God. Until then, I¡¯ll be much more careful not to get hurt at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­!¡± ¡°Still, please watch over me today. That¡¯s a promise, right?¡± Julia softly smiled and walked past him. Kimaris let out a rough breath as if he was blaming himself, but there had been nothing more he could actually do. After making their way across the castle, the two soon arrived at Paimon¡¯s residence. Somehow, it was already dazzling right from the beginning of the hallway, but his bedroom had boasted a different level of splendor from the door itself. It wouldn¡¯t even be strange to call it a gold bar rather than a mere door. ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure that my hand will definitely break if I were to knock on it.¡¯ Julia, who was hesitant in front of the doorknob, eventually decided to speak out loud. ¡°Lord Paimon, are you inside?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Excuse me, Lord Paimon?¡± While Julia was waiting for a reaction from the inside, Kimaris, who had been standing behind her, opened the door with such ferocious force and entered the bedroom first instead. And at the same time, a sharp voice began to erupt from within. ¡°What¡ªwhy did you come in without permission?!¡± ¡°As expected, you deliberately ignored her while you were simply inside. The sun has risen in the middle of the sky. Is it not enough to tell Julia to come here on her own¡ªso why are you still being like that?¡± ¡°What does it matter where this body is or what it truly does! Even if this body were to simply lift its hand, you should have already been crying and screaming as well as pleading to be saved all the while kneeling down as you beg! Why are you even attending to a lowly human being anyway! Aren¡¯t you just a slave who will soon die either way?!¡± Julia, who was still treading in the hallway, eventually realized that the air inside had subtly become frozen. She then carefully opened the door. Paimon, who seemed to have just woken up from his slumber, was currently glaring at Kimaris with a fierce gaze. ¡°What, you actually dare to look down at this body right now? You, who¡¯s just an insignificant worm that can¡¯t even reach the tip of this body with your own magical powers?¡± ¡°¡­¡­apologize to Julia right this instant.¡± ¡°Why does this body have to do something like that? How utterly arrogant.¡± The corners of Paimon¡¯s mouth twisted ominously. A lump of lava blazed in his grasp, rapidly growing in size. It soon turned into a huge spear and aimed at Kimaris¡¯s head. ¡°Now, if you want to live, kneel before this body. Kimaris.¡± ¡°I told you to apologize to Julia.¡± ¡°I heard that Agares had stolen your heart? So, you¡¯re not going to die all at once¡ªthat¡¯s actually even better.¡± The moment Paimon¡¯s fingers had snapped, Julia quickly rushed in between the two of them. ¡°Command. Transfer!¡± A bright white light instantly emanated from her hand. It escaped from Julia¡¯s body in the form of a sphere before it completely wrapped around Kimaris. The fast-rushing spear hit the shield and eventually shattered. The fire that had moved to the surrounding furniture started to burn away fiercely. Puffs of smoke and blazing heat swiftly overtook her. Nevertheless, Julia couldn¡¯t even afford to be surprised. CH 53.2 [?SYSTEM Story progress 32%] Time had stopped short all of a sudden and a system window that announced the third episode popped up in her mind. [?SYSTEM 3rd Episode. The Demon¡¯s Savior.] [?SYSTEM ¨C Mission: Convince Paimon. ¨C Reward: Activation of a new episode. ¨C Failure Penalty: Player¡¯s death.] [?SYSTEM ¡®The Demon¡¯s Savior¡¯ is the prequel episode to the ¡®Whereabouts of Magic¡¯, which consists of separate rewards for each of the stages.] When the window disappeared, Julia was returned to reality once again. Kimaris hurriedly looked around while supporting her as she stumbled. Since Paimon¡¯s fire had already been so powerful, the surrounding area began to get engulfed into a sea of fire. ¡°Julia, Julia, open your eyes! Why would you even protect me!¡± ¡°Hiick, how dare you actually block this body¡¯s attack?! I won¡¯t let you go. I won¡¯t forgive you!¡± Paimon¡¯s whole body started burning fiercely like that of fire itself. He then hurled huge fireballs that were made of magic without stopping while Julia still blocked them all. However, it was simply impossible to block any physical impairment, so the fire and smoke could still pass through the shield intact. Julia let out a violent cough as she confirmed the time limit to parry the attack. ¡®We still have about 9 minutes left. It¡¯s okay, at this rate, Lady Agares will definitely come soon.¡¯ Only Bael and Agares could actually break Paimon¡¯s attribute resistance of Paimon himself, who was the highest leveled demon. Kimaris muttered quietly as well while he covered his respiratory tract just like he was having the same thought too. ¡°I¡¯ll lure Paimon outside. So, in the meantime, Julia, don¡¯t look back and just run to Agares¡¯s office instead.¡± ¡°Absolutely not¡ªcough cough! If I leave now, you will definitely be attacked by Lord Paimon. If I can just hold out a little longer, Lady Agares will soon come¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Julia.¡± He calmly brushed Julia¡¯s hair to make her believe him. However, the more he did that, the more Julia grew anxious. ¡®If anything should happen to you, the lives of your enemies will definitely pay for it.¡¯ ¡®And not just myself, but everyone else too. In regards to Paimon, really, stay away from him and make sure to have me or even someone else with you wherever you go while he¡¯s still in the nest.¡¯ She had a hunch that if she were to leave now, it was either Kimaris or Paimon who would inevitably be hurt. And the scapegoat would probably be Kimaris¡­¡­ He was also a member of the 72 demons, but still, he couldn¡¯t be compared to Paimon¡¯s magical power. ¡°I can¡¯t help it even if they say that I¡¯m overly greedy. But I just don¡¯t want to survive alone by sacrificing someone else instead.¡± She tightly grasped onto Kimaris by the collar. In the meantime, Paimon, who had been indiscriminately blowing fire, was screaming in anger as his attacks still got blocked. ¡°I can¡¯t do this! It¡¯s just a mere human and a bug-like slave! Why are you blocking this body¡¯s attacks every time?!¡± ¡°And this time, I feel like I can make it as well.¡± Her gaze eventually turned to the tiny figure that was being devoured by the raging fire. Kimaris, who had read Julia¡¯s firm determination in her eyes, instantly hugged her without saying a word. Then, she began to run outside in order to avoid the blazing smoke. Paimon chased after them as soon as they ran away. However, when the attack didn¡¯t work, he could no longer contain his anger and turned the area around him into a sea of fire once again. Julia looked up at the skill window as the time limit was rapidly decreasing. If this situation were to still continue, she would eventually have to use her skills one after another. It was okay for her to collapse due to her own lack of stamina, but it still bothered her that every time something had happened, it would cause her surroundings great worry. She muttered desperately within herself with her eyes tightly closed. ¡®Lady Agares, please hurry.¡¯ Each time a fireball with the size of a house had struck the shield, her feet shook and her eardrums rang with a roaring roar. Kimaris hugged Julia, who kept on cowering, even tighter in return. ¡°I just can¡¯t stand it anymore. I really can¡¯t stand it. I will kill all the worms that dare to go up against this body!!¡± ¡°Uht, what is this all of the sudden¡­¡± Julia slowly lifted her head while frantically clutching onto her fluttering hair. Paimon, who had now been floating in the air, was sucking in all the surrounding air using his ability. The fire that contained all the oxygen was suddenly increasing in size just like a bomb trying to explode. Then, a rapidly spreading flame blocked right at Kimaris¡¯s feet. The hot air instantly rushed through her respiratory system. Julia clutched her chest while her body started writhing with much difficulty. ¡°Uhhukk! Cough cough!¡± ¡°Julia!¡± ¡°I, I can¡¯t breathe¡­¡± A dangerous rasp squeaked out from her throat. Paimon laughed madly as he watched the two of them being cornered. A huge mass of lava appeared above his head, which was glowing just like the sun. It was the final blow that had been prepared by Paimon himself. ¡°Haha! Get all burned and die!¡± It was at the time when Julia¡¯s eyes had been tightly closed that beyond her pitch-black vision, a distant red flash could be seen. And at the same time, a cool voice seeped in her ears. ¡°Out of the way.¡± While standing on the highest spire in the Devil Castle, Bael stretched out his hand. The red magic that he just released had eaten up all the fires that surrounded Julia and Kimaris before rushing towards Paimon. The burning child¡¯s body was swallowed by an even larger fireball than before. Two flames of a set of subtle different colors were intertwining violently. Paimon resisted with all his might, but his purple flames were simply pushed back helplessly by the much stronger crimson flames. CH 54.1 ¡°Ku-uhk!¡± The boy¡¯s small body soon dropped helplessly onto the floor. The sight of him shriveling black from head to toe was utterly terrifying and grotesque. Julia involuntarily ceased to breathe at the instinctive feeling of such repulsion. ¡°It hurts! It huuuurtttsssuughh!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°AAAAHHH!¡± ¡°How noisy.¡± Nevertheless, Bael did not end it there at all. The fire magic that had just swallowed Paimon eventually turned into a red spider that was just like the size of a house. It bit off Paimon¡¯s neck with its sharp mouth before straight injecting its venom. The boy, who had been rolling around while screaming, ultimately stopped thrashing about. A hellish sort of stillness ensued. Julia¡¯s shaky gaze slowly turned towards the pieces of rubble that scattered randomly all over the floor. Kimaris then carefully enveloped her trembling shoulders. ¡°He¡¯s not dead at all. As long as the demon¡¯s heart is intact, they can simply recover to normal.¡± ¡°But¡ªcough, what about the memories then?¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡± ¡°Even if the body recovers¡ªcough cough.¡± Julia stopped her words abruptly. Before she even knew it, Bael had already landed on the ground while staring fixedly at her. Kimaris exerted more strength to his arms as if to protect Julia, but the more he did that, the darker Bael¡¯s eyes had become. ¡°Right, that¡¯s quite fun too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In the human world, those who are greedy for their Master¡¯s things are simply called traitors.¡± Kimaris, whose face hardened in response, shoved Julia¡¯s back before tucking in her disheveled skirt. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Paimon. Just go inside. I can feel that Agares and Lerazier are already nearby.¡± ¡°Ah, ugh¡ªcough!¡± But still, Julia didn¡¯t utter anything as she sat down. She could feel a burning pain that was gnawing at her windpipe. She must have inhaled the hot fumes as she was currently suffering burns in her airway. ¡°Cough, cough! Ah¡­¡± Her body, which had been coughing really hard, was pulled upwards all of a sudden. Bael¡¯s red eyes straight away scanned through Julia¡¯s face. As he saw her up close, she instantly turned white and looked like she would just collapse in no time. The King¡¯s gaze soon fell upon Kimaris, who displayed such hostility from behind the key. Bael proceeded to hug Julia proudly before he gently brushed against her slender body. The key¡¯s waist twitched every time his fingers had touched it. ¡°You have a lot of greed, but you don¡¯t even know how to protect her.¡± ¡°The only person I will ever apologize for is Julia.¡± ¡°Whatever. Just take a good look instead.¡± Bael forced Julia¡¯s chin upwards and immediately swallowed her lips. He pressed his way through the flesh that got hardened in panic before licking her tender skin with his tongue as if he was trampling all over it. A trembling breath slowly hit upon Bael¡¯s face. The feeling of it had fueled Bael¡¯s desire even more. His throat rose and fell wildly while a low moan began to echo from the inside of his own vocal chords. He had already fallen for and in fact, immersed himself in Julia before he even knew it. Bael¡¯s large palms continued to knead her bottom with such obvious intent. Julia, who was struggling to accept the kiss with her head bent due to their considerable height difference, suddenly trembled her eyelids. ¡°Haa, uhng¡­¡± The sharp scratching pain on the inside of her neck had disappeared as she kissed Bael. Her breathing, which had been brutal before, returned softly as per usual and her coughing stopped leaking out as well. As she watched the wounds on her palms and knees healed after their previous love affair in the field not too long ago, she learned that her wounds would disappear if she just shared an intimate act with Bael. As a matter of fact, even when she had suffered a huge cut on her neck while trying to avoid Berith, she got healed without a single trace right after she had a relationship with Bael. She tapped on Bael¡¯s tongue to indicate that it was already enough. While his body flinched, Julia naturally escaped him and curled her eyes softly. ¡°Thank you, Demon King. Were you just trying to heal me? Thanks to you, I¡¯m feeling much better now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bael looked down at Julia¡¯s innocent face in silence. When he stopped, she tilted her head and could eventually hear the incoming sound of several distant footsteps. As Kimaris had said earlier, it seemed that Agares and Lerazier were approaching soon. ¡°Ah, finally!¡± As she was relieved by the appearance of those familiar subjects, she quickly turned around and rushed towards them. The two men who got left behind glared at each other while not knowing what kind of expression they were truly making on their own. * * * Amidst the maze-like underground of the Devil¡¯s Castle, a baby dragon that had not yet reached its adulthood was howling. A sharp scream echoed through the damp stone walls, but it did not leak outside at all. Bael didn¡¯t even need to use his own hands. Even without him, the other demons had already participated in Paimon¡¯s torture by choice. More than double the number of demons during the previous interrogation of Revenna and Kimaris had been there in Bael¡¯s place. ¡°This kid is still wet behind the ears, but actually dares to touch his own Master¡¯s thing.¡± ¡°Let go¡ªlet go of me! I¡¯m going to kill all of you!!¡± ¡°The human that you attacked is the woman who has been favored by the Master.¡± ¡°In addition, she is also the key to the crystal ball that contains all the Demon God¡¯s power. There is absolutely no way that you don¡¯t know of that. It hasn¡¯t been long since Berith died as a result of treason, so I kind of question this guy¡¯s real purpose.¡± ¡°What nonsense! As long as this body is freed from here, all of you¡­ AAAHHH!¡± Immediately after, another nail was driven into the palm of his hand and Paimon¡¯s shriek as well as the rattling sound of chains pierced through their eardrums. Bael, who was simply sitting in the seat of honor, leaned against his chin and looked down with pleasure as Paimon screamed in pain. Realizing what the King had truly wanted, the demons stepped out even more boldly than before. It was yet unknown if Paimon would still be forgiven, but even in a situation where his death was confirmed, there was nothing else to fear. CH 54.2 ¡°That¡¯s why I could recognize him from the time he ran amok, he was using that small fire.¡± ¡°You dare call the magical power of this King of the Four Realms merely like that?!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get tired at all, you cheeky kid.¡± ¡°Aaaaagh! So noisy¡ªshut up, I don¡¯t want to hear it! Aaaaaaagh!!¡± Paimon appeared absolutely frantic. But the wounds on his body would simply disappear in a day anyway. Nevertheless, he felt unfair and resentful as to why he had to suffer such an insult. He just couldn¡¯t understand what was really happening to him. Amongst the demons who spat out such curse words above his head, there were also those who once claimed to be Paimon¡¯s own limbs. Those who had been whispering sweetly while moving like slithering tongues in his mouth, were now looking down at him with such cold, contemptuous eyes. ¡°Why, why?! Humans are mere slaves! You can just torture and kill them as you please! Nobody told me what to do back in the western land!¡± ¡°Of course it was. No one would have even cared whether you broke a taboo or simply died because of it.¡± ¡°No! Shut up, shut up, shut up!!¡± ¡°Do you even know why you were banished to the west in the first place? It was only because something that should have not been born got actually born. Just because of you, all of us got demoted from the hierarchy. No one welcomed you in the first place. No one, not even a single one!¡± There were two main reasons why all the demons had gathered here. The first was to get within the line of the King¡¯s sight and the second had been to settle off a personal grudge. Despite being ranked 56th and 66th respectively, at the end of the hierarchy, Revenna and Kimaris could still enjoy the same level of authority as the highest-ranking demon simply by winning the key¡¯s favor. If Paimon were to die at this time, the ninth place would immediately be vacant. The demons were then expecting to win the favor of their own Master or his concubine through this sudden incident. In addition, Paimon had already acted excessively careless and made an unmanageable number of enemies. That was the main reason why the nails and hammers that had pierced his tiny body possessed so much force. The lust for power and their own personal grudges were falling promiscuously over Paimon¡¯s head. ¡°Master, it¡¯s time for the execution.¡± Judging that the atmosphere had already dropped to a lull, Bottis looked up at the seat of honor. The demons¡¯ glistening gazes soon turned to their silent King. Bael then lazily swept through his long black hair. ¡°I¡¯ll just leave it up to you.¡± ¡°Yes, I will definitely give him more pain than death itself.¡± Bottis¡¯s body began to swell greatly and from his pitch-black breath, countless numbers of venomous snakes poured out before they clung onto Paimon¡¯s body. In regards to poison, there was undoubtedly no one who could compete with Bottis both above and also below ground. Just enough to not die, but still, painful enough that even death would actually look like mercy. As long as Bottis was alive, Paimon would be imprisoned and become a living corpse¡ªunable to live or even die for an incalculable amount of time. That was the price that he had to pay for touching Julia Vestra, the King¡¯s woman. When Bael rose from his seat, all the demons in the prison moved out of the way before bowing down while honoring him. Barbatos soon followed his master. ¡°Would you like to go to the tower?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going back to the nest.¡± ¡°Julia Vestra has fallen asleep. There are no apparent wounds on her body and Lerazier as well Kimaris are keeping guard by the entrance.¡± As he could guess Bael¡¯s purpose, Barbatos quickly added in. He also noticed that the moment Kimaris¡¯s name had come out, the Master¡¯s expression turned slightly distorted. Then, he added on even more quickly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my own negligence.¡± ¡°How should I deal with a servant who keeps on coveting his Master¡¯s things?¡± ¡°Please give me your order.¡± Barbatos immediately got down on one knee. Nevertheless, Bael didn¡¯t spare him a glance as he just moved on. ¡°Don¡¯t let me see him.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°But my key seems to be quite close to him, so it would be better to leave his disposition alone.¡± Even after speaking, Bael could feel that his mood was very heavy. He still couldn¡¯t figure out why his heart was feeling irritated for no reason. He wanted to release this anger of his even if he had to shed tears from the key¡¯s eyes. As he thought of the little human who would begin crying and clinging onto him had made him even more intrigued. ¡°¡­¡± His impulse was broken right at the moment he saw Julia, who was purely in deep sleep. Falling asleep in a nest that he had built while wearing a robe which was much larger than her own body, her face looked very comfortable. The small, faint sound of her breathing had calmed even the meaningless discomfort that he had been feeling until just now. He took a seat silently at the head of the bed. It was just like that from the beginning too. As he looked at the key, all the destructive impulses that had been invading his brain all this while seemed utterly meaningless. Then, he just languidly closed his eyes as he wanted to fall asleep like that forever. ¡®Thank you, Demon King. Were you just trying to heal me? Thanks to you, I¡¯m feeling much better now.¡¯ At the time when Paimon had been running rampant, Bael, who was heading to the tower, could feel the waves of magical energy that was swirling unsteadily within the castle. The first thing that came to his mind was the clear stupid face of Julia Vestra. He finally turned around and found that the woman was staggering while being trapped inside a huge blazing fire as well as thick smoke. Bael¡¯s rationality instantly snapped as he saw her being pale and ready to collapse at any moment. He just couldn¡¯t understand. No matter how important the key was, she had only been a tool, but the reason why his anger had soared to the top or even why he didn¡¯t tear Paimon to pieces on the spot and¡­¡­ ¡®Ah, finally!¡¯ The reason why he wanted to grab a hold of the woman who was simply walking away with her back turned to him before pulling her for a kiss once again. CH 55.1 After waking up from his short thoughts, he slowly tapped the forehead of the woman who was still sound asleep. Even in the midst of sleeping, she still turned her head while wrinkling her brow, which showed that she could feel bothered by him. As he saw this, Bael¡¯s lips began to relax involuntarily. ¡°What have you done to me? What do you even want?¡± He wasn¡¯t actually asking the key herself. His eyes were fixed on the Demon God¡¯s tower that had just been beyond the window. As it sensed his gaze, the crystal ball proceeded to radiate the purple magic. ¡°I¡¯ll just find out soon. The moment when the seal is broken and you finally wake up¡­¡± His eyes soon drew to a close. He didn¡¯t know what the future would hold, but for now, he just wanted to take a rest¡ªbeside Julia Vestra, who was simply sound asleep with a calm face without knowing anything about cruelty at all. * * * On a late night when the red moon rose brightly, a pair of black shadows were walking silently through the basement of the Demon¡¯s Castle. It clung to the walls as it moved stealthily, but whenever it felt the presence of people around, it would quickly hide behind any sort of pillar. The sound of footsteps soon became farther and farther away. Then, the small shadow began to sigh as it clutched its own chest. ¡°Phew, I really thought that we¡¯re going to get caught this time.¡± ¡°Woof! Heh heh.¡± ¡°Shh, shh.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The large shadow that had just been praised instantly stretched out its tongue while wagging its tail. Due to its own size, the wind would flurry every time its tail made a waggle. But even if she were to stop it from doing that by saying so, it still wasn¡¯t a part that could be arbitrarily controlled, so Julia eventually chose to move on quickly instead. ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ ¡®He won¡¯t be able to leave the castle anymore¡ªalive, that is. I somehow feel relieved inside, just like my aching tooth is now finally gone. Of course, you would feel that way as well.¡¯ ¡®But I¡¯m just safe and sound. Thanks to the Demon King¡¯s treatment, I didn¡¯t even get hurt¡­¡­¡¯ ¡®The reason why the Lord directly ordered Paimon¡¯s punishment was because of the fact that you, the key, had almost died. But then, there were many other guys who still had some grudges against him. They would never want to miss this kind of opportunity then, right?¡¯ Lerazier, who was utterly oblivious to his brother¡¯s intentions, chatted excitedly in front of Julia, which ultimately made Julia sneak away right in the middle of the night. Bero, who had already become her watchdog in its own way, eventually turned into a great helper too. If someone were to ask her if she wasn¡¯t afraid of Paimon or even if she didn¡¯t hate him, she wouldn¡¯t have the confidence to honestly answer it with a no. She still trembled in fear when she thought of that time as she got trapped in a huge wall of fire and was cornered as well. ¡®If I didn¡¯t have any magic resistance, I would have definitely died the moment I sustained the first attack from before. But both Kimaris and I had managed to survive safely in the end and above all else, Paimon¡­¡­¡¯ She recalled the old memories of her own time back at the orphanage. They only pointed a finger at her as an orphan and in fact, no one listened to her words at all. Adults were in a hurry to pass her on to one another as they remarked how it was annoying whenever she cried during the time she had gotten hurt. As time passed, she would then shut herself up and hide away her feelings. Even if she were to talk about it, she would only become a nuisance to those around her anyway. If there had been just a single one who held her by the hand and listened to her story without any words, what would she have turned out like by now? Julia actually knew the answer herself. She might have lacked by a whole lot compared to the others, but she was still changing little by little right after arriving here. And it was all thanks to the kind people who had been around her. There were even times when she wondered if this had been a mere dream since she was too unfamiliar with the reality where everyone would smile at her even though she was just being silly. ¡®I want to be that sort of thing to Paimon. It may be too greedy of me, but I just don¡¯t want to be a naive person who would simply watch a child getting abandoned alone in the far west.¡¯ This was the second time where she had come down to the underground of the Demon¡¯s Castle. Due to that reason, only after wandering through the maze-like hallways for a while did she finally find the staircase that was rather familiar to herself. If she were to proceed down there, it would be directly connected to the prison itself. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so glad that I¡¯m not too late.¡± Julia swept down her heart as she opened the door that was fortunately unlocked and entered. She then froze at the terrifying sight that instantly unfolded before her pair of eyes. Hundreds of venomous snakes were clumped together in just one corner of the prison. Every time the snakes slithered around, something in the center would be revealed, but it was long before Julia could finally realize the identity of that strange being. ¡°Why is it so terrible¡­¡± There were no words that could come out at all. Julia didn¡¯t even care about the venomous snakes that were holding their heads upright as she dashed frantically before picking up that bloodied lump. The distraught baby dragon drooped helplessly in her arms. When she lowered her head at the tingling sensation of her own fingertips, several nails which were the size of forearms could be seen to be driven into Paimon¡¯s small body. An innumerable amount of fangs had pierced its skin and its entire body was stained with dark red by the deadly poison. She tried to take Paimon out, but the shackles that had entwined tightly around his body were preventing her from doing so. It had been so thick that it was simply not enough to break it apart on her own. She hurriedly looked around. Hundreds of snakes encircled around her as if they were threatening her, but Julia realized that their shapes were awkward somehow or rather. The tip of their tails were billowing like that of puffs of black smoke¡ªwhich meant that they were not real snakes after all. ¡°Command. Transfer.¡± As a bright effect emerged from her hand, the magic snakes within the range of resistance soon disappeared like evaporating fog. ¡°Bero, come here and break the chain.¡± ¡°Woof, woof!¡± Bero, who had been running away from the snakes as if it was afraid of them, soon came running and bit the restraint that hung on the wall. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t really know what to do next. The wounds were so severe that they could not be healed at all. She was afraid that if she were to wrongly touch it, the nail would pierce even deeper. CH 55.2 It was during the time Julia hesitated as she was at a loss whether to do this or that when Paimon¡¯s tightly closed eyes opened, albeit slowly. After groaning for a little while, he stiffened his body when he finally realized whose embrace he was currently in. ¡°Lord Paimon, are you awake?¡± ¡°What¡ªwhy are you here?¡± Paimon, who was gasping for breath, had a face that was painted with such genuine disgust. He instantly twisted and struggled to free himself from Julia¡¯s arms. ¡°Why, haah, are you here! Get your, dirty hands off now¡­!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t afford to move right now. The wounds will burst open.¡± ¡°Go away!! Get off¡ªcan¡¯t you hear me?!¡± The more Paimon had struggled, the stronger the chains that hadn¡¯t been loosened just yet tightened around his whole body. In the end, Julia had no other choice but to let go of him. The baby dragon frantically scratched the floor in order to get even further away from her. ¡°Die, die, die, die, you humans¡ªit¡¯s all because of you!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of you! It¡¯s all because of you! How does it feel to see this body become like this? It must be so much fun! That¡¯s why you came back to mock this body of mine! If I get to be released from here, I¡¯ll definitely kill you first!!¡± Paimon struggled and scuffled until the veins in his eyes burst and blood started gushing out from his own throat. Julia only accepted the anger that erupted out and simply waited without saying anything at all. Only after a long time when he finally had exhausted all his strength did Paimon return from his dragon form back to the state of a young boy. He then lay on the floor weakly while gasping heavily. Then only Julia began to take a seat down in front of him before she asked him calmly. ¡°Are you done with the things that you want to say?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You can still do more. I can listen to you as much as you like. If that will make Lord Paimon feel much better.¡± Julia undid the waist strap of her robe before she carefully draped it over Paimon¡¯s body. The air over there was simply too cold for a child to lie down. ¡°But don¡¯t hurt yourself out of anger. It¡¯s going to hurt too much then.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Come visit me whenever you feel better then. I¡¯ll listen to everything¡ªany trifle is fine as well. You can just say that you feel good because the weather is nice today or that you feel happy because you ate something delicious or even when you are sad because a plant that you¡¯ve been growing died. In fact, even when you are upset because you had a fight with a friend. Anything at all.¡± The boy¡¯s glassy eyes slowly looked up towards Julia. His face seemed to be very confused about the current situation. ¡°Why are you even doing this? This body, I, had tried to kill you before.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯m probably weak to loners.¡± Whenever she saw a lonely person, she would see her own lonely past through them. And she had the feeling that if she were to simply reach out to them, her childhood days back when she had been trapped in darkness would also be saved. It might have just been a selfish thought on her own, but still¡­¡­ ¡°It hurts.¡± Paimon, who had been silent all along, slowly tossed out a single phrase. The sound of breathing within the prison eventually grew a little louder. A thick trail of tears was already streaming down his cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m hurt. It hurts. It really hurts.¡± His bruised arm that became congealed with venom and blood slowly stretched out towards her. He still hesitated in case he would be rejected, but he just couldn¡¯t let go of that sliver of hope in the end. In the search of warmth which he had never even touched before. Julia knelt down and cradled the boy carefully. ¡°You¡¯re okay now.¡± ¡°It hurts, I¡¯m hurt¡­¡± ¡°Everything will soon be okay.¡± She closed her eyes as a sign of prayer and pressed her forehead against the boy¡¯s. The child¡¯s sad cry slowly resounded all forlorn amidst the empty underground. [?SYSTEM 3rd Episode. The Demon¡¯s Savior.] [Completed.] * * * Julia couldn¡¯t sleep all night as she had been very busy. After sneaking Paimon out of the prison, she turned to Agares first. It was only because of the fact that during the other day, she had seen when Barbatos had infused some magical powers for Lerazier¡¯s recovery. She thought all over the place and the only demon that could be of help to Paimon, who had been making many enemies from before, was her. Agares was utterly delighted to see Julia who had paid a visit late at night before wrinkling her forehead as soon as she saw the young boy in her arms. ¡®Little key, it¡¯s not that difficult to share a little bit of magic power, but Paimon tried to kill you before. Even if you did help him, he was the type who wouldn¡¯t even know such grace, so why do I need to save him after all?¡¯ ¡®Paimon just didn¡¯t know that it wasn¡¯t supposed to be like that. Since no one had ever taught him before.¡¯ ¡®Demons are completely different from humans. They don¡¯t need any help from their own mothers. Newborns already possess powerful strength and intelligence from the first time they awaken in order to survive amidst the Demon Realm. That¡¯s why they have to pay the full price for their own mistakes.¡¯ Agares¡¯s reaction was unexpectedly firm. When she couldn¡¯t keep up with her being hesitant, she even tried to throw Paimon back into the dungeon. In the end, Julia had no choice but to bring out the trump card that she had already prepared. ¡®If you save Paimon, you can then eat a little of me¡­¡­¡¯ ¡®A little?¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­A, a lot.¡¯ From the moment Julia¡¯s cheeks blushed, the corners of Agares¡¯s mouth, which had been unable to control its excitement, curved in a very seductive arc. The deal came to a very successful conclusion that was promising of a future date ahead. Julia eventually went to Lerazier next. It was because of the fact that this problem would not end with just healing his wounds. After listening to Paimon¡¯s wrongdoings from an objective standpoint, she thought of scolding him for the part that needed to be scolded for and if there had been something that was asking for forgiveness, he should definitely go around and apologize properly. However, Lerazier¡¯s reaction was still very cold. ¡®Huh, that¡¯s really suspicious. His life is already over anyway, so what are you trying to do by judging the right and wrong? I¡¯m saying this just in case, but you¡¯d better not think about saving him like that last time. Because the weight of this matter is entirely different from that of back then.¡¯ CH 56.1 ¡®What does it mean that the weight is rather different?¡¯ ¡®No one had really wanted to do anything to both Revenna and Kimaris. So, I don¡¯t even care if you wished to forgive them or not, but this time, everyone really wanted to kill Paimon¡ªno matter what. Unless, the Master himself declared an order to forgive him.¡¯ ¡®The Demon King himself¡­¡­¡¯ It was very different from what Lerazier had honestly intended, but thanks to him, Julia thought of a very decisive clue in order to solve the case. She waited all night for Bael to return back to the castle. She deliberately crouched down right in the central hallway where many demons came and went as she stood by. It was because she already knew that when Bael returned home and saw the empty bedroom, he would immediately proceed to look for her first. Julia then continued to beg him who had just entered with a rather frightening force¡ªas expected. ¡®If you were to forgive Paimon, I would then never step out of bed for a week and I¡¯ll even stay by your side. If you wish, I will also give you a massage and sing for you a lullaby¡­¡­¡¯ As a result, Julia could achieve what she had truly wanted. Even while she was enduring the somewhat embarrassing misunderstandings between the two as she stood right in front of those many demons. However, Julia never expected that things would actually escalate further like this. Even Bael had a terribly dumbfounded look painted all over his face. ¡°Julia, Paimon is really bored.¡± Julia didn¡¯t get out of bed as what had been promised. Instead, Paimon simply followed her inside. He then burrowed himself between Julia and Bael while making his own self get cradled in her arms, seemingly unwilling to let go even for just a single moment. ¡°Out.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you to get out right this instant¡­¡± ¡°De, Demon King.¡± Julia was startled before she grabbed a hold of Bael¡¯s arm. She could see that he was very uncomfortable, but it still didn¡¯t mean that he could just drive away the small child who was purely snuggling in search of warmth. She then patted Paimon on the shoulder before continuing her words. ¡°The bed is so wide after all. I¡¯ll speak to him properly so that he won¡¯t interfere with the Demon King¡¯s rest. Will that be alright?¡± ¡°Are you going to kick Paimon out? Will you be throwing Paimon away?¡± ¡°No. The Demon King is extremely tired, so let¡¯s just be quiet for a while.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you go out and play with Paimon then? Isn¡¯t it very frustrating to simply stay in the nest? Master would have preferred us to go out as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bael¡¯s brow instantly crumpled in displeasure. Paimon stuck out his tongue as he looked at the King, but Julia, who had been unaware of what was happening around her, softly whispered in the boy¡¯s ear. ¡°It¡¯s because the Demon King can only sleep comfortably when I¡¯m right by his side.¡± ¡°Paimon is very different from Master. Paimon likes Julia even if you are not the key or possess any magic resistance. Paimon likes you the most in the whole world.¡± ¡°I like Paimon the most too.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The boy¡¯s angelic face immediately brightened up. As the tail, which had not yet transformed into that of a human part due to the previous major injury, swayed violently like a dog¡¯s tail before a cute sound leaked throughout the entire bedroom. In the end, Julia could not stand it any longer and kissed Paimon on the cheek. ¡°Why are you so cute, huh?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Then, a strong forearm proceeded to coil around Julia¡¯s waist. His palms went down along the curve of her side as he kneaded her flat stomach before sliding slowly down towards her lower body. Before he could reach in between her legs, Julia captured a hold of Bael¡¯s wrist in a flash. She looked back at him with such resentful eyes, but Bael simply twisted the corners of his mouth as if he was asking what had been wrong instead. ¡°If you can¡¯t fulfill your promise, then I have no other choice but to take it all my way.¡± ¡°But now, uht¡­¡± ¡°Demons are very good at counting. If you really want to break your promise, you¡¯d better be prepared for the price.¡± His palms began to dig into the inside of her thighs while gripping tightly against her soft, white thighs. As she could barely swallow her moans, she became restless that Paimon might have found her strange and simply bit her lips without uttering a single word in response. The boy¡¯s eyes seemed to have grown sharp for an instant, but he just smiled and clung onto Julia¡¯s neck as if everything would soon melt away. ¡°Do you want Paimon to tell you about the west where Paimon had been living? Aren¡¯t you curious about that?¡± ¡°Uh, ung! I am curious.¡± It was a good opportunity to divert his attention. Besides, she was also quite curious about the sort of western land where Paimon had been living alone, so she quickly nodded her head. Then, the boy proceeded to speak in an excited voice. ¡°The west, where Paimon was born, is actually a land of fire. The energy of fire is so strong that it can easily catch fire here and there. Everything has already burned down, so there are no animals or even plants there.¡± ¡°Did Paimon burn it all down? Did you want to retain its original appearance?¡± ¡°No, not Paimon, the Mountain of Death had been the one that burned it.¡± Julia tilted her head. She thought that Paimon was actually trying to show off how beautiful the western land had been or even the things that could be seen, but the story that Paimon brought out was far from that. As she listened to his words, it seemed like an inferno, but Paimon¡¯s expression had appeared to be very proud. And amongst them, the thing that Paimon really wanted to boast the most about appeared to be the Mountain of Death itself. CH 56.2 Julia suddenly recalled her old memories. The Land of the Dead where luminous flowers bloomed as well as the Cave of Death that Agares had paid a visit to recently. All of them were referred to with the word, ¡®Death¡¯. ¡®I heard that the place where the Demon King had woken up was also called the Lake of Death. Does it have a special meaning then?¡¯ Julia asked about the Mountain of Death in further detail. Then, Paimon¡¯s eyes lit up as if he had assumed that she was really interested in the western lands. ¡°The name, death, is only given to a very special place in the underworld where some unusual phenomena occur! There are only two places in the west; one is the Mountain of Death and the other is the Tree of Death.¡± ¡°Unusual phenomena? What kind of a phenomenon is that?¡± ¡°Where the demons get eaten.¡± ¡°Eat¡­ en?¡± ¡°Yes, it eats up all the magical powers that approach nearby. It¡¯s very, very strong. Isn¡¯t that just amazing? Oh, of course, Paimon is much stronger. That¡¯s why it won¡¯t even matter if Paimon were to go into the Mountain of Death itself! That¡¯s why Paimon is so much more amazing!¡± The boy hurriedly added as if he was afraid of losing Julia¡¯s attention. However, Julia couldn¡¯t answer that quickly. It was because of a system window that unexpectedly appeared right in front of her eyes. [?SYSTEM Story progress 35%.] [?SYSTEM 4th Episode. The Whereabouts of Magical Power.] As she blinked her eyes, the screen instantly shifted to the next one. [?SYSTEM To enter this episode, players must proceed to the base, ¡®Mountain of Death¡¯.] Julia, who had been lost in thought, returned to reality all of a sudden. Tears were already welling up in Paimon¡¯s eyes as he looked up at her. ¡°You don¡¯t need Paimon anymore? Because Paimon is not strong enough?¡± ¡°No, absolutely not.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡± ¡°Even if I consider that mountain as special, it is only because that has been the hometown where Paimon was born. For humans, hometowns are a very meaningful place.¡± ¡°Like Vestra?¡± When the child had innocently asked, Julia could just laugh back. Only then did the hand, which had been pressing onto Julia¡¯s waist, loosen a little bit. Nevertheless, peace did not last for long. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go to the western land with Paimon!¡± ¡°Wh, what?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hot spring right near the Mountain of Death! Paimon had previously heard that humans go to hot springs for recuperation whenever they feel unwell? Julia is also weak, so come over with Paimon. You will surely like it there!¡± Bael¡¯s arms began to tighten once again. She secretly slipped her own hand under the sheet, just in case he were to grab something else instead. While she did her best to impede Bael¡¯s movements, the ignorant Paimon simply smiled as he poured even more oil upon Bael¡¯s temper. ¡°And you might see something interesting too. There¡¯s a Tree of Death that was just along the way to the Master¡¯s castle from the west and I saw that a human Sword Master was fighting against the tree over there!¡± ¡°Wh, who?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a human, but even Paimon was surprised that he came all over to the western land. But he¡¯ll be dead soon anyway, so if you go quickly, you¡¯ll get to see a dead Sword Master then!¡± ¡°Why would Legion¡­ uht!¡± As Julia halted in surprise, Bael¡¯s large palm began to stroke her chest up and down. The escalated heat from the tip that was rubbing all over had posed a problem as well, but the white sheet that gradually rose in a strange shape had been even more problematic. Anyone could actually see that he was currently massaging her chest from the inside. Bael¡¯s strong abs were brushed against her as she hurriedly reached her hand behind her back. But the more she pushed him away, the rougher his breath on the nape of her neck had become. Even if she tried to turn around and look at Bael, his strength wouldn¡¯t just allow it. Then, Julia started to whisper¡ªalmost like she was crying instead. ¡°Demon King, why all of a sudden¡­¡± ¡°Are you going there?¡± ¡°If you were, to give, permission¡­¡± She really had to go to the western lands. While she actually needed to go in order to progress with the episode, Legion seemed to be in danger as well. She didn¡¯t know if her own magic resistance would work over there, but it was something that she couldn¡¯t have known unless she gave it a try. Above all else, she hadn¡¯t even used the skill points which she had received from completing the previous episode yet. Nevertheless, her thoughts didn¡¯t last long at all. For some reason, Bael¡¯s strength that was bounding her grew even stronger. ¡°Do you think that I¡¯ll just allow it?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± At that time, Paimon, who was simply standing on the bed, jumped over Julia and stood right in front of the King. She was working so hard to restrain Bael¡¯s fingers that she didn¡¯t realize Paimon had moved. Behind her, Paimon slowly narrowed his pupils¡ªjust like the time he had first reached the Demon¡¯s Castle. He then proceeded to whisper ever so softly. ¡°This won¡¯t be a very harmful proposal to the Master either. If the human Sword Master were to die there, there will soon be even fewer people to share Julia with. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to turn all those arrows of resentment towards the Tree of Death, then?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Since ancient times, demons have always been the incarnation of possessive desire. No matter how powerful they are, can they truly escape from their own true nature?¡± Bael¡¯s cool gaze eventually turned towards Paimon. Unbeknownst to the real person in concern, a silent contract between the two demons had been concluded at once. * * * 06. Whereabouts of the Lost Magical Power. The sky in the western parts of the Demon Realm was very clear and pleasant in the morning. It was a bit warmer than the center of Bael¡¯s own nest, but it hadn¡¯t been in a complete ruin like she had originally imagined. Only a huge mountain burning in red stood tall in the center of her vision. ¡®That¡¯s the Mountain of Death.¡¯ While Julia was standing on the balcony of the golden mansion while observing things around, Lerazier and Paimon had slumped on the sofa with a very dissatisfied look instead. ¡°Why is it so different from what you just said before? You said that you would show a spectacle of a dying human Sword Master, but it¡¯s only the Tree of Death that had disappeared without a trace though?¡± ¡°So what, you actually dare to argue with this body?¡± ¡°If you were me, would you have gotten mad or not? Thanks to you, I couldn¡¯t even play around and ended up working instead! Why did you even lose a very fine tree, damn it!¡± The two vultures, which had been Barbatos¡¯s familiars, continued circling around Lerazier¡¯s head. It was an obvious sign of urging him to investigate the site and report them quickly. Lerazier, who was just lying on the sofa as he hopped around wildly, got up once again and put on his coat. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going. Ah¡ªI¡¯m really going! No, I¡¯m not annoyed¡­¡± The weak voice quickly receded right across the hallway. After sending out one of the competitors, Paimon¡¯s gaze then immediately turned to Kimaris, who was standing just behind Julia herself. CH 57.1 This trip was made with only a small number of people. There were only four of them: Paimon; the Master of the West, Julia; the guest, Kimaris; her escort and Lerazier, who simply interrupted in order to have fun together with them. Agares, who had hoped strongly in participating right from the very beginning, ended up not appearing there due to an overloaded amount of work. She felt absolutely dejected. Bael, of course, was also absent. As per usual, he disappeared all of a sudden somewhere and did not even turn up until the day of the trip. In fact, it was quite a natural reaction since no one even expected him to join anyway. Paimon jumped off the sofa abruptly and clung to Julia¡¯s skirt right away. ¡°Julia, are you also upset that the tree had suddenly disappeared? Do you regret coming to Paimon¡¯s nest, then?¡± ¡°Uung, no.¡± Julia quickly shook her head. In fact, she felt glad that the tree was gone. On the way to the West, she had heard how terrifying the Tree of Death was, so she became rather worried that something might have even happened to the Legion himself. Just for a moment, Paimon, who had been looking up at her in silence, began to smile widely. ¡°Do you like the view right outside the window?¡± This time, Paimon took her hand and waved it around. Perhaps since it had been a familiar place for him, his expression became much brighter and even more childish than when he was back in the Demon King¡¯s Castle. Julia moved her steps as the boy led her. The mansion which he lived alone had been so vast and splendid that there was no end in where to put her eyes on. Numerous doors and windows were opened, otherwise closed, with just a single of Paimon¡¯s gesture. After he had excitedly explained for a while, he tilted his head when a fork in the road suddenly appeared. ¡°There are hot springs inside and even outside! Where would you like to go first, Julia?¡± ¡°Well, I am fine where¡­ at-choo!¡± ¡°Julia, are you cold?¡± Julia tried to shake her head. But even before that, Paimon had already closed the surrounding windows all at once. Then, he coldly glared at Kimaris, who had been following after Julia from a few steps behind. ¡°What are you doing¡ªjust standing there? Are you here only to play? Julia is feeling cold right now!¡± ¡°Paimon, what did I say about when you shout at others?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Julia said that she would be sad.¡± After she realized that it would be utterly useless to associate the concept of good and evil to a demon, who was lacking in the ability to empathize, Julia began to explain Paimon¡¯s behavior in relation to her own feelings. Therefore, when Paimon had acted like this, Julia would immediately respond that she was either sad or upset. Fortunately, Paimon had adapted well to this kind of method. She squatted on the floor and eventually made eye contact with the boy. ¡°Then, what should we do now?¡± ¡°Paimon hates it when Julia is sad. So, Paimon will get rid of everything that makes Julia sad.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°In other words, Paimon should apologize to Kimaris¡­¡± As Julia narrowed her brows, Paimon, who was looking around, quickly replied with the correct answer. Meanwhile, Kimaris took off his robe and carefully wrapped it around Julia¡¯s shoulder. Their height difference had been so great that it was like putting a sack over herself, but Kimaris still continued to carefully tie it at her waist before he eventually bowed his head. ¡°The Master¡¯s inconvenience is, in fact, the servant¡¯s fault. I¡¯m sorry about that, Julia.¡± ¡°Then, is Paimon okay now?¡± ¡°No, you still have to apologize properly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Paimon, who was delighted only for a moment, instantly gave an unexpectedly neat apology as Julia had resolutely affirmed. Then, he looked up at her. Only after letting out a small sigh did Julia finally hug Paimon and winked at Kimaris. ¡®I¡¯m so sorry, Mister Kimaris.¡¯ Julia murmured softly with his mouth when the boy did not notice it. Kimaris, who caught sight of that, immediately responded by simply lowering his gaze in silence. * * * Julia eventually placed Paimon, who had been asleep ever since the early evening, on the bed before she soon returned to her own room. The guest room that had been given to her was right next to Paimon¡¯s own bedroom. In other words, it overlooked the Western Land that was already dyed red by the sunset. To end the day, she took off her outerwear and leaned back on the soft sofa. As she relaxed, her limbs eventually stretched out loosely. ¡°Whoo, I¡¯m tired.¡± The sun felt so warm that it seemed like her eyes were gradually getting closed. Nevertheless, there was a reason why she had come back to her room rather early. Actually, after she had completed the quest in the tower, she couldn¡¯t really afford to check the system properly due to a series of unforeseen incidents. She hadn¡¯t been able to figure out the exact function of the command system, so she only used it as if she was just licking the skin of a watermelon* (T/N: Korean proverb, which means ¡®to do something in a superficial manner without fully knowing or understanding it¡¯) before. In fact, she still hadn¡¯t even used the skill points that she received as her reward from the earlier episode. CH 57.2 ¡°Command system.¡± [Julia Vestra] STATUS ?PROGRESS ?SKILL ?ITEM ?SETTING As Julia murmured softly, a faint glow started to appear on her palm. In the menu window that had just popped up, a new notification was displayed in the ¡®Skills and Settings¡¯ command. She first went into the skill window and picked up 3 unused skill points. There were two skills that she could learn as of now. [? Resistance Steal Lv.1 Steals 50% of a specific target¡¯s Magic Resistance that is designated by the player for a certain period of time. Consumes 70% of one¡¯s remaining HP. SP 60] [?Physical Shield Lv.1 Protects the player¡¯s body from physical shock for one time. Consumes 70% of one¡¯s remaining HP. SP 60] ¡°70% of my HP consumption is just too much¡­¡± Julia, who saw the number that was much bigger than she had thought, became somehow troubled, albeit briefly. Originally, she had planned on increasing each skill by one level, but then, there was also the possibility that she would become unable to move immediately after using the skill. Considering the fact that she would usually use the skills in case of an emergency, it was quite the risk. ¡®Each time the skill level increases, my stamina consumption will be reduced by 10%. If it¡¯s 60% consumption then, it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t really afford it.¡¯ However, she needed a total of 3 points in order to make it to skill level 2. It was due to the fact that level 1 required 1 point and level 2 demanded 2 points in return. In other words, she could only learn one skill altogether. Julia remembered that the location of this episode was the ¡®Mountain of Death¡¯. That place was deeply related to magical powers. Besides, having the Resistance Steal at this point in time obviously meant one thing¡ªit was an essential skill for this episode itself. Nevertheless, Julia couldn¡¯t just make a decision easily. How she had been troubling those around her all because she possessed no strength to defend herself so far eventually passed through her mind. ¡®At that time, if only I could use the physical shield¡­¡­ I¡¯m not just going to increase the shield, but wouldn¡¯t it be okay to learn both of them one by one instead?¡¯ In the end, Julia increased both her Resistance Steal and Physical Shield one by one and let go of the remaining points yet again. A golden leaf softly floated in the air and landed right next to the skill tree. ¡°Setting.¡± In fact, Julia did not expect much from the SETTING menu. She had entered it countless times, but there were only environmental settings or introductions to the company that had been common in existing games. And in truth, she was even blocked from reading that as well. But this time, a different screen had opened. [?SYSTEM Switching to administrator mode. Some functions may be restricted depending on the administrator¡¯s privileges.] [?ERROR ERROR?? ERROR?? ERROR??] ¡°Uht!¡± The error window flickered and her eyes instantly flashed red. As she tried to adapt to the light, she could barely open her eyes to check the screen. Most of them had been grayed out, but some of the menus were still accessible. [HIDDEN STATUS] CHARM ?FAME ?DEVILISM ?STRESS Next to the hidden status, there was a rather small question mark that could convey its explanation. Julia eventually decided on choosing it. [?SYSTEM This STATUS is a section where players are not allowed to be involved as it increases or decreases arbitrarily according to the play process. It is an important factor that affects the ending.] Even if she had been aware of this, it still meant that there was nothing that the player could actually do. Nonetheless, Julia selected the status individually with the feeling that she just had to make ends meet for now. Eventually, four windows appeared in succession. [?CHARM : 420] [?FAME : 110] [?DEVILISM : 80] [?STRESS : 780] She tilted her head once again. She didn¡¯t have a strategy book and she never knew the initial numbers, so there was no way for her to evaluate it in the current situation. The only thing that she could tell was the stress level, which had been rather high, and that devilism value that existed in the stats. ¡®What is devilism anyway? Does that mean I¡¯m already addicted to magic? I was being careful about the food though, but¡­¡­¡¯ Still, she thought that she might have accidentally eaten some after all. Fortunately, the number was still low. Julia then closed all of the windows and eventually moved on. [HIDDEN STORY] ?EPISODE ?QUEST ?CHARACTER ?ERROR Regrettably, all of them were utterly disabled. Nevertheless, from the outside of it, she thought that it might have been some kind of album instead. Julia soon exited the screen once again. She must have stayed in the system for a longer time than one had expected since the sunset sky was completely dark now. Tomorrow, Paimon would be leading her here and there as well, so she had to go to bed early in order to keep up with the child¡¯s stamina. She then changed into her negligee and lay down on the bed. However, as she had always been falling asleep lying next to Bael all the time and since she would also be sleeping alone for the first time in a while, her side felt rather empty in return. ¡®I guess this is the reason why habits are simply terrifying.¡¯ She didn¡¯t really mind being alone all this time, but as she had been with someone for a few months, she could already feel quite lonely even then. Julia smiled bitterly before she soon closed her eyes. The curtains of the day at her own voyage destination had finally come to a fall. * * * Right in the middle of the desert where darkness had already fallen, a man suddenly stumbled while holding his waist before he soon took a seat down with his back against a rock. A thick bloody smell wafted in between his own breaths. It was a tempting smell that could seduce many monsters. ¡°Ku-ugh, it really hurts so bad.¡± Legion swallowed his groan that was leaking out as he took off his blood-clotted shirt. He succeeded in knocking down the Tree of Death, but he had to give away his body in return. And amongst them, his side was in the most severe condition. The black magic had gnawed deep into his wounds. He wanted to wash it off as he took a closer look at his condition, but the Western Part of the Demon World was originally a desert area, so it had been rather difficult to find water itself. He had no other choice but to cease using mana in order to stop the magical power from eating away at his body. Then, he wrapped the torn shirt all over it just like a bandage. The blood that seeped from his wound had soaked the rock which he sat on. If Legion had been a normal human being, he would have already died earlier. ¡°Yes, I had been absolutely careless. I never thought that it¡¯d actually be this hard CH 58.1 When Legion had first gone to the West, it was simply to carry out an investigation. A huge amount of magic was being absorbed before disappearing from all over the Demon Realm. The Land of Death, the Tree of Death, the Cave of Death and such more. The unknown source had eaten up all the magic that wandered around. The demons didn¡¯t really find it strange since it had been like that for a very long time already. However, Legion, who was a mere stranger, saw it from a different angle altogether. Did the magical power consumed by the singularity disappear just like that? If not, where was the lost power truly headed then? He began to question so. If mana was the power used to circulate the ecology of the Human Realm, magic had been the power to maintain the laws of the Demon Realm instead. It had existed since the creation of the world and neither did it ever increase nor decrease. Legion, who had been blessed by Mother Nature, was aware that misalignment would eventually lead to cracks and collapse. ¡°The whereabouts of the lost magical power¡­¡± As he muttered quietly, he was suddenly awakened from those thoughts by the murderous intent that had pierced his skin. While Legion was fighting the Tree of Death, he eventually came to a hypothesis that if the tree was to be completely annihilated, the whereabouts of the missing magical power might then be known. The idea was rather abrupt, but the decision taken had been quick. However, even after defeating the Tree of Death, not only did he not get the clue that he was aiming for, but to make matters even worse, his strength had been greatly consumed as well. ¡°That and I¡¯m now being cornered by such a trivial monster.¡± ¡°Grrrroowll.¡± The true identity of the murderous intent that he felt from earlier had come from none other than the demon¡¯s eyes. With the smell of blood, enormous creatures began to rush in before they completely surrounded the rock that he was sitting on. Amidst the pitch-black darkness, numerous bright yellow eyeballs were glistening unpleasantly. Legion immediately summoned the Soul Sword and estimated the amount of mana that still remained in his body. After that, he felt even worse than before. ¡°Damn it¡ªnothing¡¯s working at all.¡± Legion shook his head and lowered his gaze. As soon as he opened his eyes, his pupils straight away glowed with a strange hue of purple color. The aura that was enveloping his body suddenly amplified like an explosion. The monsters started trembling at the sudden change of atmosphere and above all, at the overwhelming scene of power that was emitted by a single human being. However, as he saw that, Legion¡¯s mood went down right after taking a freezing point in return. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± As he breathed in, the blackened sword flashed menacingly in equal measure. The person who had hit the ground suddenly disappeared from sight just in the blink of an eye. ¡°I¡¯m still human¡ªno matter what anyone says¡­!¡± The trail of the greatsword eventually cut through the thick darkness that soon followed. * * * Early that morning, Julia was woken up to a disturbing sound that pierced her eardrums out of the blue. She couldn¡¯t even adapt to her surroundings for a while. She had apparently fallen asleep in her own room last night, but the ceiling that she could now see was very high, blue and even very spacious. ¡®What kind of a ceiling is like this¡­¡­¡¯ As she groped over the bed, her eyes suddenly opened wide in response. What she held in her hand was not the white soft sheet from before, but some red soil as well as pebbles that were already drying and crumbling away. [?ERROR ERROR?? ERROR?? ERROR??] [???? ????? Necklace ? necklace ???? ?? ??? Demon King Bael ??????? ???? ??? ??? ???????? ?????. Blocks ??? access ?? all ?????? except Bael. Usage: ?] ¡°Uht!¡± The red error window became too irritating for her eyes that were still fresh off sleep. However, even when she tried to close her eyes, she couldn¡¯t really take her eyes off it as she was afraid that another system window would suddenly pop up. She then looked around once again while rubbing her already reddened eyes. ¡°What the hell is all this?¡± Julia was lying alone in the open air. She was lying absolutely straight on what had been supposed to be the middle of a mountain, to be exact. The surroundings were simply red soil and rocks. On top of that, the only plants that were available had been those faded old trees and dry bushes instead. As far as she knew, there was only one mountain that looked precisely like this. ¡®The Mountain of Death.¡¯ Her heart instantly raced with fear. The Mountain of Death that she had heard before, would devour all the magic around it, but there were some exceptions. It was the magic of demons who had been born in the mountain crater itself. Even the sound of the rustling leaves in the wind had caught her nerves as she thought that perhaps they might be hovering around her. She did not have the ability to survive unharmed if she were to face them any time soon. ¡®How long will it take for everyone to notice that I¡¯m really gone? No, even if they did find out, they might not even search for me. They will surely think that I ran away and the fact that I am actually a traitor. I may have to survive alone on this mountain with only the best of my ability then¡­¡­¡¯ Julia remembered the necklace that she had received from Bael earlier. It had been an object which Bael infused with some red magic power in order to block the access of all demons except for himself and it was still dangling around her neck. However, she couldn¡¯t use it that easily and since she had received it from Bael himself, an error window kept on popping up. Thanks to the Demon God¡¯s Tower, she was able to solve the quest with great help, but in the current situation, it was not that easy to predict whether this error would truly be beneficial to her or just another poison instead. CH 58.2 ¡°It¡¯s quite fortunate that the system is still working properly.¡± When she called out the command, the effect came out normally and other reaction speeds were just the same as before. When she took a quick look at it, there was no problem in utilizing it at all. She brushed the dirt off her negligee and eventually got up. She had no way of knowing why she had landed here, but she was certain that she never wanted to die simply like this. Just in time, it seemed like Julia could faintly hear the sound of water nearby, so she eventually decided to head towards there. Shwaaa¡ªthe sound of a little waterfall hit her eardrums. Julia carefully poked her head out from among all those thick trees. ¡°Okay, nobody¡¯s there.¡± She actually saw quite a few pools of blood on her way to this place. She was so surprised that she had almost collapsed several times, conflicted over the fact whether it would have been much better for her to stay still at the place where she had first opened her eyes. Nevertheless, she felt fortunate that she had moved from there now. Compared to earlier, when there was no cover at all, there were actually many places to hide near the waterfall right now and one side of it had been like an open steep¡ªsimilar to a cliff. It appeared like she could stand on the edge and look down the mountain view if she were being a little careful. At the same time, if she could find Paimon¡¯s mansion, it would definitely be a little more helpful for her plan to escape. As she was just about to step out into the water, her eyes suddenly shimmered. A light set of footsteps echoed right behind her. When the blue eyes had captured a sight of Julia¡¯s face, everything was already irreversible. ¡°Kyaaak!¡± ¡°Ju, Julia?!¡± Kuaang¡ª! The roaring sound of rocks that collapsed against the blue power as well as the rattling of something small plunging into the water had erupted at the same time. ¡°Julia!!¡± ¡°Afuu, kohk, huhk¡­¡­¡± As she struggled in the water, Julia suddenly realized that she was already in a sitting position. Plus, the fact that she had no problems breathing at all eventually showed that the depth of water where she had fallen into was no more than just a knee high. While she began to relax herself and blinked her eyes, Legion hurriedly rushed before kneeling down right in front of her. Then, he uttered some gibberish that was quite hard to understand. ¡°Are you okay? I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really sorry, Julia. I thought that I was hallucinating, I thought that the monster was doing something really terrible and I felt like it was you after feeling the mana, but how dare I, I, I¡ªto you¡­¡± ¡°Calm down, Legion. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you hurt? I launched an attack right before then, but it¡¯s already too late to recall the mana back. Ugh, let me have a look!¡± Julia was helplessly shaken by Legion¡¯s power and opened her eyes wide all of a sudden. A red puddle of blood was spreading on the surface where he had just taken a seat. The amount of blood that seeped out from his side had been so great that it was still being washed away endlessly even by the water current. ¡°What is this? Legion, you should actually be looking at your own self?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s just a little scratch anyway, ugh!¡± His actions differed entirely from his words. The moment Julia had grabbed Legion by the shoulder, a groan that was mixed with pain straight away escaped from his mouth. She became startled and immediately withdrew her hand, but her palms were already drenched in red. It seemed that it was not only his side that had been gravely injured. She silently swallowed her rebuke that ended up getting caught in her own throat. His slumped face appeared unusually downcast as well. ¡°The one who fell from the Tree of Death was actually Legion, then? I know that you¡¯re a sword master and a very strong one as well, but I really want you to cut back on this recklessness of yours.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ung.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get out of the water for now. You¡¯ll definitely catch a cold like this.¡± She held onto Legion¡¯s wrist and led the way. Legion trailed behind her while looking like a drooping puppy drenched in the rain. ¡°Let¡¯s hide behind that tree for now, in case any of the beasts appear.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t really feel any energy of a monster nearby. And if it does appear, don¡¯t you worry. I¡­¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Sounds¡ªit sounds like a really good idea.¡± When Julia puffed out her cheeks, Legion hurriedly agreed with her. As they hid behind the shadows, she held onto the persistently resisting Legion and forcibly checked his wounds. The most severe condition had been on his side, but there were also several large and small wounds in some other areas. Julia struggled to swallow her nagging once again. However, Legion also had a lot to say in his own way. He then carefully opened his mouth. ¡°Julia, do you know how dangerous the situation you are in right now? How the hell did you come here? It would have been utterly impossible for you to come alone since you are far away from the Demon¡¯s Castle, but did someone forcefully drag you over here?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡­.¡± She was truly in a dilemma. She wanted to be honest, but no one would have believed her even if she did. Who would agree with her if she said that an item that she possessed had an error and when she woke up, she was already right in the Mountain of Death. Julia eventually glossed over the situation in an absolutely plausible way. She went out to look for Legion when she heard that he was in the West and before long, she had lost her way. She even twisted her words just enough that even when she were to talk to Kimaris or Lerazier later, it wouldn¡¯t sound that strange. Fortunately, Legion didn¡¯t ask anymore; perhaps since he could read her confused expression. Julia felt a little relief inwardly as she examined Legion¡¯s wounds once more. This time, he just surrendered himself obediently. ¡°Where are your things? Are there any more medicines or bandages for you to recover?¡± ¡°I lost it while fighting the Tree of Death.¡± ¡°It would have been nice if I could stop the bleeding properly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s not okay.¡± As Julia hurriedly looked around, the end of her own white negligee caught her eyes. It had been soaked from the previous fall, but the cloth itself was still clean. Besides, the length was long enough to reach her ankle, so she thought it would be quite okay for her to tear a lot from it. CH 59.1 She tossed it to one side and wrung her skirt to extract the water out. She then tried to rip the hem off, but it wasn¡¯t easy since a thick layer of lace had been sewn into the hem itself. Julia eventually held out a handful of the hem of her skirt towards Legion. ¡°Legion, tear some my clothes off.¡± ¡°What, what are you even talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to tear up till the thighs¡ªor even more¡­ if you want to.¡± Since his wound was so large, she thought that the cloth might not even be enough. As she was roughly gauging how far she should actually tear it, Legion¡¯s face turned red for no apparent reason. Julia simply tilted her head and looked up at him instead. ¡°Huh? Quickly now.¡± The hand that was covering his eyes straight away trembled as if he hadn¡¯t retained enough blood. Julia stepped closer towards him and tugged upon Legion¡¯s hand. His eyes were tinted with such strange heat. ¡°Julia, are you actually testing me right now?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stop the bleeding? Oh, oh no? More blood is seeping out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hurry!¡± The hesitant Legion ruthlessly ruffled his hair with his other hand that was not being held by her at once. Even though his shiny blonde hair had gotten tousled like a bird¡¯s nest, he simply let out a painful groan in succession before he finally raised his head. He lifted her up and tore off her negligee right close to her knees. The lace, which didn¡¯t even budge when Julia was tearing it, had ripped off like paper just with a little bit of Legion¡¯s strength. ¡°If a monster were to appear, I¡¯ll then have to fight it, so let me do some first aid first. Thank you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But be careful with your words from now on, uhh, no¡ªwhat am I saying?¡± ¡°Um, I¡¯ll listen to what you¡¯d say later, so why don¡¯t you turn around for now? Isn¡¯t it hard to do it all on your own?¡± One side had already been tightly wrapped, but the wound on his shoulder seemed rather difficult for him to treat it on his own. The hesitant Legion eventually passed the cloth to her before showing his back without saying a single word at all. Amidst the silent surroundings, only the soft sound of fabric smearing rang in their ears. Legion¡¯s ears had turned furiously red as if his wound felt very painful. Julia instantly hastened the treatment in response. ¡®Next time, I feel like I have to put a little kit of emergency medicine in the item window. I never imagined that this would actually happen¡­¡± Legion was not looking behind when her shoulders appeared to be drooping sadly. * * * Since it was deep in the mountains, the sun had set even faster than usual. Legion, who was steadily climbing the steep mountain path ahead, suddenly ceased to move. Julia had been trailing behind him silently before she shifted her gaze at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is something there?¡± ¡°Sorry, I hadn¡¯t been careful. I should have noticed it sooner.¡± ¡°What?¡± He quickly turned back and touched Julia¡¯s forehead with the back of his hand gently. She let out a soft sigh at the feeling of coolness against her own skin, but the sound of teeth clenching together could suddenly be heard above her head. ¡°You have a fever.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have happened if you didn¡¯t fall into the water earlier. If only I had dried off the water¡­¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped just then. There was a possibility that the fire would ultimately attract the beasts in return.¡± Initially, the two of them had planned on going down the mountain almost immediately. In reality, Julia didn¡¯t fall down the Mountain of Death simply because she wanted to and Legion¡¯s injuries were too immense for them to continue moving forward, so that was actually a very natural decision to take. However, shortly after leaving the falls, they were forced to revise their plans entirely. It was due to the fact that a huge number of large monsters had already lined up on the mountainside. Even if Legion were to clear the road ahead, the safety of Julia, who would remain behind him, could not be guaranteed at all. Therefore, the two of them eventually decided to find a safe way even if they had to go through the long path. That was, until they gradually realized that they had been circling the same exact spot. ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. Let¡¯s take a little rest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can still walk further.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s having a hard time. It¡¯d be better for us not to move after the sun goes down in a mountain like this unless it¡¯s truly urgent.¡± Legion made Julia take a seat on a rock and in just the blink of an eye, he finished preparing for camp. After lighting the fire with his familiar skills, he straight away looked back at Julia with a satisfied face. ¡°Here, come closer.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like the color of your face right now. Get some sleep for a moment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a little bit dizzy.¡± Legion did not respond to that. Nevertheless, he must have seen through Julia¡¯s lies as he proceeded to press her small head firmly against his shoulder and made her lean against his body. She then gently rubbed her palms closed up to his icy forearms. His calluses had been as rough as stone, but his touch against her skin was just like handling a fragile doll, so her expression became blurred without her even knowing it. ¡®It¡¯s all because of my own weakness. Why does Legion put up with me like this when I¡¯m just a mere friend of his?¡¯ Just like the moment when he had encountered a group of monsters during the day, if it hadn¡¯t been for her, Legion wouldn¡¯t have chosen the long way back. Even if he couldn¡¯t get rid of them all, he still would have been able to push ahead a path before rushing straight through it. However, because of her, he had been imprisoned on this mountain instead. CH 59.2 Julia¡¯s breathing suddenly trembled, albeit slightly. Legion was staring at the crackling bonfire when he eventually looked upwards. ¡°Julia, do you know what I¡¯m feeling right now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t be saying it in a situation like this, but I was thinking about what it would be like if only we were four years younger. I would be sixteen and you¡¯d be fourteen.¡± His memories slowly went back to the time when the two of them still had simply been a couple of ordinary boys and girls¡ªbefore he was eventually taken to the battlefield. ¡°In winter, we would finally succeed in escaping the palace. We managed to break through the strict security of the Imperial Capital of Abeldishim before we made our way straight to the border port of Vestra. We would have to flee to a foreign country by boat, but the situation was not going that well, so we eventually decided to hide in the mountains and oversee the situation for a while instead.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, look¡ªwe could see an army marching down over there. Looking at the flag, it appeared just like those of the Imperial Guard. They must have come to look for us, right? Even so, they wouldn¡¯t be able to find us at all.¡± He spread his palms over his eyes and began to move his head from side to side. Just like it was truly a reality, Julia unknowingly became immersed in the situation that he was currently talking about. ¡°After a few days like that, the guards, who eventually got tired and nervous, wondered if they actually missed something in the run. They had looked down on where we could go if we ran away since both of us were just children anyway.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°They started dispatching their troops here and there and the place was encircled quickly. Of course, we got lucky. We escaped very nicely without missing a single moment and eventually succeeded in sneaking away.¡± He looked into Julia¡¯s eyes and coolly raised the corners of his mouth. A what-if world that would have never actually happened. But it was something that Legion had always been dreaming of. Julia seemed to understand why he was really strong. While he kept on replaying his regrets all along, Legion still risked his life to make this ¡®what-if world¡¯ a reality. ¡°So, what we¡¯re going through right now is kind of an ordeal for us to be happy. And who knows? There might be a wonderful reward awaiting right after we finally escaped the mountain safely?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, Legion is absolutely right. I won¡¯t be thinking weakly.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± ¡°Am I a kid to you?¡± When Julia gave a faint smile, Legion¡¯s eyes suddenly turned fierce. He kicked down the bonfire and put it out before he took Julia¡¯s hand as they proceeded to hide behind a large rock. ¡°Legion?¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Julia, who was dragged away in surprise, tried to open her mouth, but even before that, Legion pressed onto her lips tightly. And only after a while did Julia finally be able to realize why Legion was trying to hide themselves. ¡°Grrrrr.¡± Beyond the chilling wind, a beast¡¯s angry howl of breathing emerged. And it was not just one, but a lot of them and both Julia and Legion were already being surrounded. Legion¡¯s eyes glared at the horde of demon beasts before they sank coldly. He had been avoiding battles all along for Julia¡¯s safety, but the current situation had given him no choice at all. He pressed Julia¡¯s head firmly as he forced her to hide amidst a crevice under the rock. The hole was small, but Julia¡¯s body was even slender than that, so she could definitely fit in without much difficulty. Legion then got down on one knee and made eye contact with her. ¡°Close your eyes and count to a hundred.¡± ¡°Are you really going to fight? Please don¡¯t. There are too many beasts out there and above all, your wounds¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you for fear that you would get worried, but I¡¯ve been through a lot worse than all of this.¡± ¡°Legion.¡± ¡°I promise. I will never die without you.¡± He disappeared from her sight before Julia could even catch him. The sound of footsteps kicking off the ground, the excited howls of those beasts as well as the rattle of sharp objects clashing against each other had made the night air appear even more chilling. Julia held her breath and sharpened her nerves. Every time she heard a ghastly scream, she became worried if Legion was the one who might have gotten hurt and her heart began pounding like crazy. ¡°Ku-uhk, how dare you¡­!¡± ¡°Kiiiieeekk!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never let you go!¡± The beasts¡¯ ferocious howls mercilessly pierced into Julia¡¯s eardrums. The distance of the battle sounded much closer than before. It felt like the fight was right behind her back between those rocks. ¡°Kyaaaaak!¡± Julia¡¯s shoulders flinched whenever she heard a loud noise. She could already tell without looking at herself that her face was all pale and her hands were also trembling. The battle did not fade over time, but rather, it became more and more intense. The hundred seconds that Legion said before had already passed a long time ago. Julia was worried about the situation behind her, but she still couldn¡¯t bear to go outside. She knew that if she were to do that, she would become a burden to Legion instead. Boom¡ª! Her eyes instantly widened in shock. A gigantic beast that was emitting some black demonic energy stood right in front of her. Its eyes, which shone with such bright yellow, were staring straight down at the fragile, white creature who had been hiding in the cleft of the rock. ¡°JULIA!!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Legion belatedly noticed the situation and cried out madly. However, it was already too late. The beast¡¯s huge claws were right on top of Julia¡¯s head at that moment. She gritted her teeth. She instinctively wanted to avert her gaze, but she still had many reasons to persevere. All because she never wanted to die in vain like this¡­¡­! ¡°Command. Item!¡± A bright effect immediately appeared on her hand and an item window popped up. Julia quickly snatched the black object that appeared right in front of her eyes. [? Magical Dagger A dagger that had been imbued with the powerful magic of Grand Duke Agares. Number of usage left: 1.] CH 60.1 ¡°Ahhk!¡± ¡°Kieeekk!¡± Before she even had the time to prepare, the monster¡¯s nails already met head-on with Julia¡¯s dagger. A crushing, electric blow took place and a powerful shockwave swept the entire area. As she was thrown backwards, Julia eventually collided into a huge tree and collapsed helplessly. ¡°Hu-uhk, haaah!¡± Julia¡¯s slender fingers desperately scratched upon the floor. Just like her lungs had suddenly caved in, she couldn¡¯t even breathe properly. Her shoulder, which had suffered the most, gradually caused her such unimaginable pain. ¡°Julia, Julia! Are you okay? Get yourself together!¡± ¡°My, heuk, breath¡­¡± Julia couldn¡¯t really speak anymore. A lump of red flesh was shattered like a bomb before it exploded in the place where the monster had been earlier. Looking at it had sent a chill down her spine. If it hadn¡¯t been for the dagger or the timing was just a little bit late, it could have been herself who would die in such a terrible way. ¡°Look at me. It¡¯s okay.¡± Legion noticed that she was actually hyperventilating. So, he tried to lower her breathing and started whispering softly. ¡°It¡¯s okay now. Everything is okay.¡± ¡°Kuhk, haahh!¡± ¡°You¡¯re okay. I¡¯m here as well. The monsters are all dead. There¡¯s no more problem.¡± He brought his hands together and cupped over Julia¡¯s nose and mouth so that she could breathe properly. As he repeatedly said that it had been alright and everything was now okay several more times, the sound of her desperate panting over breathing began to subside. ¡°You¡¯re doing just great.¡± ¡°Huuuh¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Julia¡¯s forehead was all drenched with cold beads of sweat. As he gazed at it pitifully, Legion proceeded to carefully brush her wet bangs away. A long time had passed when Julia¡¯s eyes could finally find their original transparent light. Legion eventually let out a sigh of relief before he hugged her tight. * * * As soon as Julia had calmed down, Legion left the place where the skirmish had transpired earlier. It was because of Agares¡¯s magical power that had been so strong which made all the monsters around them shattered to pieces. However, there was still a possibility that the other monsters who had smelled the scent of blood would rush in all of a sudden. While searching for water to wash away the blood, Legion didn¡¯t even question where she had gotten the dagger from. Instead, he simply hugged her without even asking anything as she was still struggling about. She refused several times saying that it was okay, but he didn¡¯t even listen to her. Julia felt nervous. If he had asked about the dagger, it would have definitely been very difficult for her to answer. Nevertheless, while she was truly grateful for his consideration, she was still uneasy about him not saying anything at all on the other hand. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s actually mad at me.¡¯ He didn¡¯t utter a single word the whole way. His expression had been uncharacteristically dull as well. But even though she had thought hard about it, she still couldn¡¯t find a reason for his anger at all. Julia eventually changed her mind. ¡®Maybe he was just tired. Since he had to deal with dozens of monsters all on his own. Besides, he¡¯s even carrying me right now.¡¯ Just then, a faint splash of water could be heard from nearby. It felt like it wasn¡¯t too far away from the place where they were. Julia slowly tapped on Legion and called out to him. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re almost at the water?¡± ¡°Just a little further.¡± ¡°You can put me down now. I can walk alone already.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Just stay put.¡± No matter how stupid she had been, she could still sense that something was truly wrong. Julia then carefully tapped on Legion, who was just walking steadily forward. ¡°Are you mad? Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not as quick as other people, so I don¡¯t even know if I have foolishly offended anyone.¡± Legion was still silent. Julia¡¯s eyelids sank down helplessly as she waited for an answer. ¡°So, I¡¯d like you to tell me. I will listen to it and fix it immediately. And I won¡¯t do that again from now onwards. If it¡¯s annoying that I just kept on being a burden, I don¡¯t mind, but please allow me to stay by your side at least until we get down the mountain.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Mister Kimaris and Lord Lerazier are already in the west. And a child named Paimon is also with them. They will come and look for me.¡± Julia carefully looked up at Legion, but this time, an answer had come straight back at her. ¡°You did nothing wrong. I don¡¯t need those demons either.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re actually mad right now, no? Then, whatever the reason may be, it¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°Well, perhaps I¡¯d better stay still. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The more she opened her mouth, the more Legion¡¯s face seemed to have become hardened. Julia¡¯s voice became so tiny¡ªjust like a crawling ant¡ªbut he, who had been silent while listening all along, simply stood still. He was not able to face Julia properly as his own face had been heavily distorted. ¡°How far will you turn me into a lousy man?¡± Legion chewed on his lower lip. It must have been painful, which made Julia become worried as she cautiously reached out to him, but he turned his head away instead. ¡°Right¡ªactually, I¡¯m quite mad right now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. In fact, it¡¯s mine. I¡¯m actually mad at myself for not being able to protect you. I shouted out loud that I¡¯d definitely protect you, but I didn¡¯t even realize anything right until the monster was trying to kill you. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, I had only gotten help from you as well!¡± His mouth crumpled bitterly in response. ¡°So, I took out my anger upon the innocent you. I think it¡¯s only natural for you to point your finger at me for being so petty.¡± ¡°Legion.¡± ¡°Sorry to bother you. It¡¯s all my fault actually.¡± Legion simply couldn¡¯t bear to see her as he avoided her gaze. Julia was a little surprised since she had never imagined that he would think in this manner and instantly shook her head in return. CH 60.2 ¡°Don¡¯t think of it like that. You saved me. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I would have already died when I ran into a bunch of monsters on the mountainside or maybe, even way before that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This is the most demonic land in the West. Legion has already fought several times before and there was no time to refill your mana anyway.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s no excuse for not being able to protect you.¡± ¡°Then, protect me from now onwards.¡± If I could survive after turning Bael into the Demon God¡ªif I could somehow return to the surface again. Julia eventually swallowed those words¡­ Then, she could hear the sound of water that was clearer than before. Julia¡¯s nerves naturally shifted its focus there instead. ¡°Yes, definitely¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± Legion seemed to be muttering something to her, but she couldn¡¯t hear it well as it was drowned out by the roaring water. Just as though he hadn¡¯t said anything at all, he shut his lips and started walking all the way before dropping her off right in front of the stream. While Julia softly twirled the water with her toe to gauge its temperature, Legion casually jumped into the stream with only his pants on. Clear splashes of water lingered around his waist. He dove all the way in and stood up before running a hand through his drenched hair. Droplets of water slowly trickled down between the tightly bulging back muscles. His perfectly split abs went up and down each time he sighed in satisfaction. As she stood by the water, Julia kept her gaze locked at him curiously. Even though she could see mist rising from his body that had been illuminated by the moonlight, he was still swimming freely without blinking an eye. Perhaps he had realized her gaze, Legion smiled and turned his head. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it cold?¡± ¡°Just by this much.¡± ¡°Really? Shall I just go in as well then?¡± As she took a deep breath, Julia eventually stretched her legs out into the water. However, Legion hastily approached before grabbing a hold of her foot. ¡°I¡¯m lying. In fact, it¡¯s actually very cold. So, come in while being fully prepared.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so though?¡± When Julia tilted her head in disapproval, he firmly added in response. ¡°And you have a fever too. What if you suddenly collapse?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± ¡°You see this?¡± Legion held out his forearm that was soaked with water. He pointed to the steam that was rising over his flexed muscles and carefully placed Julia¡¯s feet back on the ground. As she nodded her head and sat quietly by the water¡¯s edge, Legion swam back to the depths. Julia was resting against her chin as she watched him when she suddenly got startled. He was drinking straight from the stream casually. ¡°Hey, that water.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Due to their demonic nature, humans wouldn¡¯t be able to ingest that carelessly. Didn¡¯t you know that?¡± Nevertheless, she never thought that he would not have known that as he had been on the battlefield for so long already. It was because the most important material for the army at the border area had been clean military supplies without any trace of demonic nature at all. He became awkwardly stiffened at Julia¡¯s question. However, it was a rather fleeting action before he started scratching his head as if it was not a big deal as usual. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m fine. Since I¡¯m a Sword Master, my being itself is a bit different from normal humans.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°It looks like all the blood has been washed away, albeit just roughly.¡± Legion was already about to finish his bath when he came ashore and brushed off the dripping water abruptly. The droplets of water looked very cold, but he raised his head regardless. His gaze was suddenly directed to a certain point right on the top of the mountain. ¡°The flow of the magical power is a little¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I thought that it was just a coincidence, but there is a place up there where you can strongly feel some sort of magic. It feels like a miniature magic stone, but I don¡¯t really have a good feeling about it.¡± ¡°Is there a very strong demonkin then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± When her voice faded without any conviction, a strong beam of light suddenly leaked into Julia¡¯s vision. [?SYSTEM Story progress 35%] [?SYSTEM 4th Episode. The Whereabouts of Magical Power] [?SYSTEM ¨C Mission: To destroy the demonic stone in the Mountain Crater. The time limit is 24 hours. ¨C Reward: An increase of the hidden stats. ¨C Failure Penalty: Unable to escape from the base, ¡®Mountain of Death¡¯ permanently. [?SYSTEM Be careful with the use of your skill. It is not allowed to be retried.] Julia felt as if she finally understood the identity of that sense of incongruity which she had felt back in the mountains. A group of monsters that Legion had defeated while climbing the mountain were now densely blocking the mountainside. After they retreated to find a new path, they began to constantly hover around the same place in the forest. The fact that she had fallen into the mountain might have been a sudden mistake, but it still felt a little strange since even Legion was lost before he started wandering around. They had a feeling that something was deliberately blocking them in order to keep them from going out. ¡®The failure penalty is being permanently stuck¡­¡­¡¯ It would have been impossible to escape from the base as it stated, so it was just like a death ending anyway. The moment when she finally realized the truth, a terrifying fear ran down her spine. However, she shook her head vigorously in response. ¡°Legion, let¡¯s go up there.¡± ¡°Follow the flow of that magic power? Then, we will be going even deeper into the mountains and it¡¯d definitely be more difficult to find our way out later.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been lost all this while. And I¡¯m not sure, but I feel like the answer to escape is right up there.¡± ¡°Is that your intuition as the key?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡­¡± When he asked the reason why, she became at a loss as to how she could evade it, but it was fortunate that Legion also gave her an appropriate excuse just in time. As she dusted the dirt off her negligee, she held out her hand towards Legion. She was thinking of pulling him up, but Legion had already gotten up without even trying before he pulled her hand forward instead. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go¡ªwherever you want to.¡± The red moonlight was bleakly illuminating the mountain path where they had currently been treading on. CH 61.1 Kimaris was standing in front of Julia¡¯s tightly closed door. Normally, it would have already been the time for her to get up, but she didn¡¯t even come out until the afternoon for today. There was a sense that she might have gotten late considering the fact that her schedule from the day before had been a bit too much for her. Lerazier, who had just returned from examining the fallen tree, sarcastically said that Kimaris was being rather overprotective, but Kimaris simply listened to it all through one ear and let everything out from the other. All his attention was locked on the woman who was currently asleep beyond the door. He knew that this was not normal even in his own opinion, but when he eventually came to his senses, he had already gone looking for her. ¡®Was Lerazier¡¯s statement that wrong though?¡¯ A demon¡¯s life was ultimately too long. That was why they tended to be quite indolent as they let things pass as they went. To have an explosive passion for something was only possible for a newborn demon like Paimon and just after a few hundred years, even that would gradually be dismissed as a mere futility. Kimaris was no different from them at all. Rather, he was a demon who had been more insensitive than anyone else. He didn¡¯t even blink an eye after having his heart stolen by Revenna as well. But lately, he had somehow changed. His insensitive personality towards others remained the same, but as far as Julia was concerned, he would become obsessively engrossed even with those like trifles. He got worried if he couldn¡¯t see her for too long and his nerves became on edge when someone else were to linger all around her. With just a tiny change in Julia¡¯s expression, he kept oscillating between happiness and despair. He simply realized that he should have no feelings for his own master, but it did not mean that he would be revealing this feeling of his. He knew that just by being trapped in Bael¡¯s clutches would have already been unbearably painful for her. ¡®Still, it wouldn¡¯t be good to starve for too long.¡¯ He remembered that Julia had no appetite just the day before. Nevertheless, it was already past lunchtime. At this rate, she would be skipping dinner as well. Eventually, as he had found a good reason to enter, he softly gave a knock on the door. ¡°Julia, this is Kimaris.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°May I come in?¡± Kimaris waited in silence for an answer. It was because he knew that Julia¡¯s body had been weak and that it would gradually take a long time for her to be fully awake. However, even after much time had passed, there was no sign of any presence inside. Kimaris suppressed his impatience as he took a step closer to the door. ¡°Julia, are you okay?¡± Just as Kimaris raised his voice, the bedroom door that was just next to it burst open. Paimon, whose hair had become a large nest, was glaring at Kimaris fiercely. ¡°What¡¯s with all the noise in the hallway? You woke me up!¡± ¡°The key overslept.¡± ¡°Julia is still sleeping? Then, I want to sleep with her too!¡± As soon as Lerazier, who was simply watching from nearby, helped with just some words, Paimon instantly jumped out. Then, before anyone could even stop him, he had already opened the door to Julia¡¯s room and rushed to the bed. ¡°Julia! Paimon had a nightmare!¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s good that those newborns are always full of energy.¡± ¡°Lerazier, you¡­¡± ¡°If you have any complaints, why don¡¯t you tell the key directly? It¡¯s not me who¡¯ll be covering up for that unlucky kid, it¡¯s you.¡± Lerazier¡¯s drooping eyes curled enticingly. Kimaris turned away without ever replying, even though he could clearly guess that Lerazier was simply trying to make fun of him. And it was because he saw that Paimon was just about to jump into the bed. ¡°Heh?¡± ¡°¡­¡± But Kimaris, Paimon and even Lerazier, who was just laughing outside the door, froze at once. The inside of the sheet that Paimon had rolled up was empty without a single crease at all. The Western Land was rather different from the Devil¡¯s Nest. Right amidst the center of the Demon Realm, monsters would not be able to enter within a certain radius due to the powerful demonic energy that was emitted both by the Magic Stone and Bael himself. The number of demons which were capable of withstanding the murderous wave had been extremely limited and they were all under Agares¡¯s restraint. Therefore, even if Julia were to stroll around alone, there would not be much trouble. However, there was no such safety mechanism in Paimon¡¯s territory. His demonic energy could only affect the inside of the mansion and if she took only a few steps outside the entrance, countless hoards of monsters without any intelligence would start to wander around straight away. Kimaris¡¯s head burned black as he wondered if something had happened to her who couldn¡¯t really protect her own body. ¡°Gone¡ªJulia is not here!¡± Paimon¡¯s eyes widened at once as he grabbed the empty bed. He mobilized all his magic power and started searching the inside of the mansion. Lerazier, who entered the bedroom, also began looking around the room with a subdued face. ¡°There is no sign of any intrusion. Could it be that she escaped?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± ¡°The key doesn¡¯t just have magic resistance, right? How long do you expect the secret would last even if you kept your mouth shut all the while?¡± Lerazier approached him sarcastically before tapping Kimaris on his stiff shoulder. ¡°At Master¡¯s nest, the key was the one who intervened and stopped Paimon from attacking you? Did she mix some magic resistance with expansion magic? It was just basic, but that had definitely been a rather complex magic.¡± ¡°Why are you bringing that up now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with such scary eyes. It¡¯s just that I feel quite suspicious. You don¡¯t really know how many other monstrous abilities are hidden behind that docile face, right? You don¡¯t even know the limits of the key¡¯s power exactly, do you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you meddle. If you insult Julia again, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± ¡°By the way, the only ones who know about it are me and my older brother. It¡¯s also that older brother of mine that told me to keep my mouth shut.¡± ¡°Then, you must have been the culprit. Someone who fell for your big mouth could have dragged Julia away by force.¡± Basically, Barbatos had almost no interaction with the other demons except for Bael, Agares, and Bottis. Even if it hadn¡¯t been for that reason, he wasn¡¯t the type to open his mouth unnecessarily too. CH 61.2 On the other hand, that Lerazier? He had countless accidents that had already been caused by that reckless mouth of his. Julia¡¯s power could be seen as a double-edged sword. Magic resistance alone had actually been a rare and appealing ability, but there were still limited places for it to be used. So, there hadn¡¯t been that many people who were aiming for it. However, if it had been known that she had some other abilities, there was a possibility that someone would even risk Bael¡¯s wrath in order to take her away. That was what Kimaris had truly been worried about. ¡°What, did Lerazier hurt Julia? How dare you do that in this body¡¯s nest?!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± ¡°Give Julia back! Give her back right now! If she gets even slightly injured, this body will absolutely kill you!!¡± Paimon, who straight away howled while clutching the sheet, turned into a dragon and spewed out such powerful flames. The mansion which he had painstakingly built was quickly engulfed in that fire. However, a stronger and more ominous power eventually passed through those three demons¡¯ senses. It was a very brief moment, but their intuition didn¡¯t miss a clue at all. All the three demons¡¯s gazes turned to one particular place in an instant. ¡°Could it be¡ªthe Mountain of Death?¡± ¡°Such nonsense¡­¡± ¡°This body knows. The demonic stone is responding at the moment. Julia is right over there!¡± Paimon was born in the West and had been more sensitive to the changes in that specific land than anyone else. Lerazier¡¯s eyes soon narrowed when he heard the cry. ¡°Julia Vestra is a unique and powerful key that can even unlock the magic crystal. If that kind of key were to meet the demonic stone, what will happen to the demonic crystal¡¯s seal then?¡± ¡°¡­¡­shit.¡± At the end of his thoughts, Kimaris¡¯s face became hesitant. It was the same for Paimon and even Lerazier, who had brought it up. One price for a single life. Julia Vestra would die as the reward for unlocking the demonic stone. ¡°No, if I lose her, I¡¯ll¡­!¡± Kimaris, who stifled a despairing moan, immediately spread his wings and kicked against the floor. Paimon and Lerazier, who briefly exchanged glances with each other, hurriedly jumped up and followed after him as well. * * * [?SYSTEM 4th Episode. The Whereabouts of Magical Power] With each inhalation, a surge of hot steam rushed into her lungs. Legion¡¯s figure that was already far ahead, swayed like a windy river and the path beneath her feet became blurry like an out-of-focus lens. Julia held her breath against the wall as she felt that she might trip at any moment. The pebbles that were kicked at her feet seemed to crumble down a thousand mill cliff. ¡®How long will it really take to get down to the bottom of the cliff?¡¯ Through all kinds of hardships, she eventually reached the crater right at the top of the mountain. As expected, there was a demonic stone, which had been the stone of magical power as well as the source of the monsters¡¯ birth. However, in order to reach the demonic stone itself, they still had to go down another steep cliff. A path could be seen there, probably out of consideration for some players who possessed an insufficient amount of physical strength, but it was only wide enough for a single person to pass through. Legion tried to get past it by carrying or holding Julia on his back, but after realizing that it was utterly impossible, he left her in a safe place before trying to go down through the path alone. Julia had to spend a considerable amount of time to convince him. Furthermore, in order to not become a burden to Legion, she pretended that she was able to endure as much as possible when she got down the cliff. But even right now, she seemed to have reached her limits already. ¡®What to do¡ªI can no longer move even a single step.¡¯ The cliff was so narrow that only one foot could truly step upon it. On top of that, there had been no place to sit and rest even if it was for a while. Her exhausted limbs gradually trembled. To make matters worse, even Legion himself, who just descended up ahead earlier, had now completely disappeared from her sight. ¡®I¡¯m going to eventually fall like this. Please let me see my front properly.¡¯ As she was already all worn out and no longer able to focus properly, a thick cloud of steam obstructed her vision and it occasionally shimmered in red amidst the reflection of the fire. In addition, she was right in the midpoint where she could neither go up nor down. It was literally the worst situation ever. [?SYSTEM The current remaining HP is less than 50%. Be cautious with the use of skill. It is not allowed to be retried.] ¡°Uht!¡± A sudden flash of light in front of her eyes had almost thrown Julia off her balance. She could see more pebbles that were pouring down than before. And as soon as she took a deep breath, Legion¡¯s cry rang from down below. ¡°Julia, are you okay?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m okay. My legs felt weak just for a second.¡± ¡°Are you sure? No, I¡¯ll go up right now. Just stay there for a moment!¡± ¡°I really am fine, so don¡¯t come over. Just stay there and catch your breath. Plus, you¡¯ve got to be fine.¡± Legion, who had been checking her condition whenever he had the time, eventually showed signs of trying to come up. But the path was so narrow that there was no room for him to turn around at all. In fact, since it had been like that for her, Legion, who was much bigger than herself, would have been even in a more difficult predicament. After Julia tried to dissuade him several more times while Legion kept on asking again and again as he demanded that if she could no longer stand it, she should tell him at once. Only after she had reassured him did she finally take a look at the system window once again.