* * *

Meanwhile, Lumen, who had chosen the first circle, found himself in a far more peaceful situation compared to Van, who was thrown into a fierce battle the moment he arrived.

“A weapon storage…… There are quite a few decent weapons here. Even some interesting magical artifacts…… But no matter how I look at it, this doesn’t seem like a place Lydon would be.”

The dimly lit armory was illuminated by glowing bats clinging to the ceiling. They were not living creatures but rather a type of lighting fixture shaped like bats. With their wings folded, they hung motionless, casting a faint glow over the vast space.

Thanks to them, Lumen was able to thoroughly scan the expansive armory.

Many of the weapons had already been taken—most likely claimed by the High Demons fighting outside—but even so, a significant number remained. Glass bottles filled with ominous-looking potions, accessories radiating strong energy…… Many of these items could pose a serious threat to human forces if used properly.

“It’d be best to deal with them now, but touching them carelessly might be dangerous.”

Some of the magical artifacts were complete unknowns. If he wasn’t careful, he could trigger something disastrous.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Lumen muttered,

“I’ll just break some weapons and leave.”

Lydon was nowhere to be found.

There were no secret doors leading to another location either—this truly seemed like an ordinary armory. Perhaps he should consider himself lucky to have landed in such a quiet place. If only Cadel had ended up here instead, Lumen would have felt much more at ease.

As he absentmindedly thought about Cadel, methodically smashing weapons as he went, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“……This one looks promising.”

It wasn’t displayed proudly on the wall, nor was it grouped with similar weapons. Instead, it lay discarded in the corner of the armory, leaning against the wall like some forgotten piece of junk. It was covered in thick layers of dust.

And yet—Lumen could tell at a glance. This was a masterpiece.

As if drawn to it, he reached out and picked up the sword. The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt, a faint vibration rippled through his palm.

His expression hardened as he instinctively tensed—but after a brief pause, the sensation vanished.

“……Did I imagine that?”

Brushing off the dust, he uncovered a dark, deep green scabbard.

He ran his fingers over the engraved patterns for a moment, then quickly snapped back to reality. This wasn’t the time for distractions. Securing a spare sword just in case wasn’t a bad idea, so he attached it to his waist.

“The weight feels just right. I’ll just carry it around, and if it becomes a hassle, I can toss it later…… Now, I need to finish up and get out of here.”

There was nothing more for him in this armory.

He had to clear the remaining weapons quickly and move on. Somewhere in this castle, Cadel and Lydon were waiting.

* * *

Until the moment he opened his eyes after stepping through the magic circle, Garuel was certain he would find Lydon.

Why? Because the screams and the stench of blood in the air were overwhelming.

If Lydon had been captured as a hostage, there was no way he had been given a warm bed and a cup of tea.

However, when Garuel finally opened his eyes, he was not met with a tortured, relieved Lydon—nor with a dungeon where such suffering might occur.

“Where the hell are those screams coming from?”

The screams continued. The smell of blood lingered. But nothing in the room before him suggested either of those things belonged here.

This place looked more like a research lab.

Shelves lined with herbs, potions, powders, and even surgical tools, all neatly arranged. Towering bookcases filled with medical texts and research materials related to healing.

“What, are they trying to make an elixir of immortality?”

The demons already had unnaturally long lifespans, but perhaps that wasn’t enough for them. Maybe they were chasing eternity.

It was a plausible theory.

Moving cautiously through the laboratory, Garuel approached a desk piled high with research journals. Next to it, a long workbench held half-mixed herbs and completed potions.

Lifting the lid of one particular vial, Garuel took a deep breath—only to immediately recoil.

“Ugh. What the hell is this? It’s so damn strong.”

The overpowering scent nearly knocked him back.

This place was fascinating, no doubt. But unfortunately, he didn’t have the luxury of investigating demonic experiments.

Swiftly rummaging through the desk, he grabbed the thinnest research journal he could find and tucked it into his coat. Then—

He froze.

“……Ah. So that’s where the sound is coming from.”

Beyond a cracked bookshelf, he spotted a narrow, descending staircase leading into pitch-black darkness.

There was no light, but it was obvious—something was down there.

However, instead of heading straight for the stairs, Garuel pressed himself against the bookshelf, holding his breath.

‘That staircase was supposed to be hidden. If it’s exposed, that means…… the owner of this room is currently down there.’

It would be smarter to wait. If he got caught, he might alert the other demons. Worse, he might put his allies at risk.

‘But if they take too long, I’ll have to risk it.’

Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long.

Footsteps.

Slow, methodical.

Garuel held his breath, pressing his body further into the shadows.

Between the books on the shelf, he peered through the small gap—his gaze locking onto the entrance of the stairs.

A bright light flickered against the stone. Someone was carrying a lamp as they ascended. A long shadow stretched across the floor.

Finally, a figure emerged from the darkness.

“Tch. Of all times to be dealing with those wretches…… My status has fallen so low I’m stuck handling chores.”

“……Her Majesty might visit. I should at least tidy up.”

A familiar face. White hair, radiant as the moon. Eyes—piercing violet. A man he could never forget.

Garuel’s uncle.

‘Lawrence Hywyl.’

Garuel’s breath caught. His usually steady gaze wavered violently.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yozen stood motionless in the Demon King’s study.

Or at least, that’s what he assumed this place was.

The neatly arranged books, the faint scent of coffee, the heavy presence of demonic energy that moved like a living thing……

There had to be something here. Some important information was hidden within these pages.

But unfortunately—

Yozen was blind.

And no matter how carefully he ran his fingers over the paper, it wouldn’t tell him what he needed to know.

‘A shame.’

There might be information that could bring them closer to victory in the war. Even so, the fact that he couldn’t retrieve anything useful for Cadel left him feeling disappointed.

‘Lydon isn’t here either. There’s no hidden space…… This place is a bust.’

It was a complete waste. If someone other than himself had arrived here, it might have been more useful. Frustration creased his usually smooth forehead.

‘No choice. I have to get out.’

No matter how regretful he felt, there was no time to linger. Yozen chose to either leave the library and continue searching for Lydon or regroup with his other comrades. But just as he took a step toward the library’s exit—

‘……A presence.’

Footsteps approaching the library. Sneaking out unnoticed was impossible without knowing the structure of the castle. After a brief hesitation, Yozen hid himself in a corner of the library. He scattered thick dark energy, suppressing every trace of his presence, including his breathing.

Before long, the library door opened.

“……”

The woman who entered closed the door behind her and paused for a moment. As if sensing something amiss, she stood still before eventually moving forward without concern. The moment her aura crossed the demonic energy in the library, Yozen realized—

It was her. She was the Demon King.

If he wanted to confirm her identity, he could have coated his surroundings in dark energy to feel out her outline. But he didn’t. He didn’t need to.

That was a level of demonic energy he had never felt in his life—so pure it was almost unbearable. It was vicious. There was no room for doubt; this was the aura of the Demon King.

If this wasn’t the Demon King’s power, if there was something even more overwhelming than this—then humans could never defeat demons. The sheer force of her naturally emanating demonic energy made that painfully clear.

She let out a soft sigh, sat down at the desk, and took a sip of now-lukewarm coffee. The rustling of paper followed.

With all his senses heightened, Yozen, for the first time in a long while, felt primal fear.

It was the same fear he had felt as a child, drenched in blood, being chased by monsters. The terror of facing an opponent so powerful that no trick or strategy could close the gap. The crushing survival instinct and helplessness when that overwhelming killing intent was directed solely at him.

‘She noticed me.’

From the moment he stepped into the library, Emilia had already detected his presence.

It wasn’t that she sensed his movement—she had perceived his dark energy. Ever since he reached his current level, no enemy had ever detected him before. And yet, Emilia, as if flaunting her title as the Demon King, had instantly picked out the foreign energy in her domain.

She revealed her killing intent openly yet didn’t attack immediately. That meant she was confident—she had room to spare.

Which was why Yozen made the first move.

As he slowly emerged from the shadows, a faint smile formed on Emilia’s lips. Without even looking at him, she continued scanning the documents in front of her and spoke.

“Don’t expect to leave here alive. I’m neither generous nor foolish enough to spare a human who set foot in my domain.”

“……”

“You didn’t come alone, did you? Looks like you brought your friends. You must have entered through the door I left open for Sellev…… Honestly, that child is impossible to deal with.”

A soft, pleasant voice echoed through the library. However, Yozen could feel it—the demonic energy filling the room was growing denser, tightening around his throat like an invisible noose.

He needed to escape. That thought was clear, yet taking even a single step forward felt impossibly difficult. Because the moment he moved, he would be forced to face the Demon King head-on.

Emilia drained the last sip from her cup, set down the documents, and slowly rose from her seat. Turning leisurely, she placed a hand on the desk and smiled directly at Yozen.

“Luckily, you haven’t stolen anything. It’s bothersome having to be careful when killing someone who’s carrying something important.”

At that moment, an explosion of demonic energy erupted from her body, swallowing the room in its darkness.

Yozen instinctively drew upon his dark energy and hurled himself toward the library door.

But—

“I told you, you’re not leaving here alive.”

In the blink of an eye, Emilia was already in front of the door. Before he could react, her hand shot toward his abdomen.

“Die.”

* * *

The air against his skin felt thick and sticky. The oppressive humidity and the darkness that shrouded his vision heightened Cadel’s senses.

‘I’m sick of places this dark. And I can’t just light a fire carelessly……’

If he carelessly conjured flames, he risked being discovered by an enemy lurking somewhere in the shadows. Since this was a stealth mission, he needed to move as cautiously as possible. Fortunately, there was a wall right beside him, so Cadel pressed his hand against it and moved forward in silence.

As his vision gradually adjusted to the darkness, a strangely familiar outline filled his sight.

‘Bars……? That’s what it looks like.’

He was walking down a long corridor. On one side was the wall he was using for guidance, while on the other was a series of tightly spaced iron bars, each sealing off a section of space beyond them.

It didn’t take long for Cadel to realize—this was an underground prison.

‘If they caught him, they’d definitely lock Lydon up. In his current state, he wouldn’t have the strength to resist.’

But no matter how powerless Lydon might be, there was no way they would have left him unguarded. Anticipating an inevitable battle, Cadel measured the mana he had left.

‘……Kunra still isn’t responding.’

Without Kunra’s power, relying solely on his own mana for the upcoming fight would be a heavy burden. And even if he managed to win, the bigger issue lay ahead—how to escape the Demon King’s castle with Lydon and reunite with the allied forces. He needed to conserve enough mana for their escape, but whether that was even possible was uncertain.

Deep in thought, he meticulously examined each prison cell he passed. While he couldn’t see clearly, he could at least determine whether they were empty.

‘All of them are empty. Is it because of the war?’

They probably had no prisoners to spare—anyone who could fight would have already been sent to the battlefield.

‘Well, at least that makes things easier.’

Forcing himself to stay optimistic, Cadel continued forward. That was when, beyond the suffocating darkness, he caught sight of a faint light.

A solitary torch hung on the wall, illuminating only one prison cell ahead.

‘Is that the one?’

There were no guards in sight. Maybe they were hiding nearby—or had momentarily left their post. Praying that they weren’t around, Cadel began to gather mana.

But the closer he got, the stranger the sounds from inside the cell became.

The sharp tear of something being ripped apart. A bizarre laugh. The rattle of chains and the faint drip of water.

As the sounds grew clearer, Cadel’s expression hardened. The smell of blood. It was so thick it churned his stomach.

Moving just outside the torch’s glow, Cadel pressed himself against the wall. Holding his breath, he peered inside.

Two figures stood within the dimly lit cell.

The one with his back to Cadel had a tall, unnaturally thin frame, his body so skeletal it looked like only bones remained. He was at least two heads taller than Cadel, and with that frail-looking body, he was mercilessly swinging something.

Narrowing his eyes, Cadel soon recognized it—it was a whip.

‘What…… is he hitting?’

As if refusing to acknowledge the truth, his eyes stiffly followed the motion of the whip. Beyond the gaunt figure, slumped and motionless, was the second captive figure.

A head hanging low, swaying lifelessly with each impact. A body chained up, unable to fully collapse, bent awkwardly forward. And beyond that—

A pair of wings, faintly illuminated by the red glow.

“It’s no fun if you don’t scream. Get up already. If you refuse to open your eyes, I’ll just have to force them open. Now then…… If I tear off these wings, will you wake up?”

A strange, metallic laughter rang out. Droplets of blood scattered along the whip’s path. Golden hair trembled with each impact. A crimson pool spread across the floor. A uniform, mercilessly slashed apart.

Each image twisted through Cadel’s mind, driving him to a singular, overwhelming emotion.

What was there to hold back? What was there to endure? To wait for? To spare?

Like a man possessed, Cadel strode forward, unconcerned with the sound of his footsteps echoing through the empty corridor. The guard flinched at the noise, turning his head—but before he could fully register what was happening—

“Gah……!”

A fireball struck him squarely in the face. He collapsed backward with a dull thud, hands clutching at his burned skin. Before he could recover, Cadel stepped forward, slamming his boot into the guard’s abdomen with a vicious snarl.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

There was no restraint in his voice, no patience left in his body. Every brutal kick he delivered was fueled solely by rage. His eyes, burning with killing intent, glared down at the crumpled figure. Another fireball ignited in his palm.

His mind was pitch black as if drenched in ink. His body burned hot, his muscles locked with tension, his every nerve screaming with a singular, violent impulse—

To tear this creature apart. To make him suffer. To make him feel a hundred, a thousand times the pain he had inflicted on Lydon.

How could he do it? How could he make this thing suffer enough?

Cadel tightened his grip on the guard’s fragile, skeletal throat, his breath ragged, his chest heaving. His foot pressed down harder, watching as the man beneath him twitched and struggled.

And then—

“Heh…… heh…… heh……”

A strangled, laughing cough.

The body beneath him convulsed with sick amusement.

“You’re laughing?”

Cadel pressed down harder. He felt the thin bones beneath his sole creak, but the guard kept laughing, his voice rasping with strain.

Had he lost his mind? Or did he think he still had a way out of this?

Not that it mattered. Cadel had no intention of letting him live.

“Do…… you hear it?”

“What?”

The guard’s hollow, laughing voice rasped on.

“His…… breathing…… Do you hear it?”

A tremor ran through Cadel’s fingers. The murderous glare in his eyes wavered. His throat bobbed as he swallowed dryly.

“Shut up.”

“Che, check…… for yourself……!”

Even with his windpipe crushed, the guard kept talking. His ghastly thin face, illuminated by the fire’s glow, looked skeletal, his sunken eyes gleaming with something vile.

Maybe that was why.

Why Cadel suddenly felt an unbearable sense of dread, so crushing he couldn’t turn his head.

There was no sound.

His own breathing was deafening. The guard’s ragged gasps filled the room. The echoes of their presence rang through the prison walls.

But from Lydon, bound in chains against the wall—

There was nothing. Not a breath. Not a single sound.

With a sharp inhale, Cadel reached out toward the guard, and thick [Fire Chains] coiled tightly around his body. Leaving the guard writhing in agony from the scorching heat, Cadel stepped forward.

His movements were stiff, unwilling. His vision, darkened with rage just moments ago, now felt too clear.

Lydon hung limp, unresponsive.

Cadel stopped in front of him, staring at his unmoving form. His throat felt tight like something was crushing it from the inside.

His voice came out soft, breaking at the edges.

“……I’m sorry, Lydon. I was too late, wasn’t I?”

Cadel’s complexion was pale, his expression awkward, and his gaze unsteady. His breathing was choppy, making it difficult for him to string words together, yet he still attempted to converse with Lydon as if nothing were wrong.

“I should have come sooner. Really, who just up and leaves without a word? You scared me. Don’t ever do that again.”

Even with Lydon right in front of him, he couldn’t look at his face properly. His tightly clenched fists couldn’t even reach out to brush against his cheek. Behind Cadel, the laughter of the guard bound by [Fire Chains] grew louder and louder.

“Figuring out how to get you out of here is a problem too. We need to find the others quickly and escape the castle. I hope we find Garuel first. ……Lydon, just how badly were you beaten? You’re covered in wounds.”

No. That can’t be. That can’t be right.

“Why aren’t you answering? Did you pass out? It’s okay. I’ll make sure to kill the ones who did this to you, so don’t be too upset.”

“”Kuhuhu, kuhuhuhu…… kuhahahah!”

“I won’t let them get away with it.”

The guard’s crazed laughter echoed through the prison. Instead of reacting to it, Cadel raised his trembling hands and cupped Lydon’s face. Carefully lifting his face, he saw bloodless lips, pale skin, and a peaceful expression, as if he were simply asleep.

“……Lydon.”

After hesitating for a long time, he placed his fingers under Lydon’s nose, inhaled sharply, and then fumbled down to check his pulse. He carefully pressed his fingers against the skin, rubbed the area, applied more pressure, and then clutched as if squeezing.

“Lydon.”

Tears welled up in his eyes, filled with disbelief, as dark despair surfaced in his quivering gaze.

“Ah…… no, no. No……”

Cadel jerked his hands away like he had been burned, staggering backward. His parted lips could not even exhale a breath. His expression, twisted in shock, confusion, disbelief, and despair, was utterly devastated. The guard drilled his maniacal laughter into Cadel’s ears.

“Khhuhuhu! Khaha! Khahahaha! That face! That reaction! It’s exhilarating, exhilarating, ah! Aaaaah!”

Despite the blatant mockery, Cadel only stared at Lydon. He did not blink, desperately willing even the faintest sign of life to emerge from Lydon’s unresponsive body.

But the guard, his voice growing more frenzied, pulled Cadel’s attention toward him.

“Look at this, it’s his heart! His heart!”

“……?”

Cadel’s gaze reflexively shifted to the guard bound on the ground. His entire body was now soaked in demonic energy, but it wasn’t particularly threatening. Cadel’s mana was still suppressing him without issue.

The real problem was his hand.

His right hand, which had previously held only a whip, was now clutching something—a lump, pulsing at a steady rhythm.

Cadel’s dazed eyes locked onto it, flickering with an odd light. A heart. The thing gripped in the guard’s hand was a living, beating heart.

Was it Lydon’s? But there was no gaping wound on Lydon’s body. It couldn’t be a real heart. A normal heart couldn’t just be plucked from a body and continue beating like that.

It wasn’t real, and it couldn’t be Lydon’s.

Even as he reasoned this, Cadel couldn’t contain his agitation. The guard, watching Cadel approach as if entranced, grinned in delight.

“I can extract hearts from the living. A body without a heart is nothing but an empty shell. But if the heart is returned, it will live again. Kkhuh…… Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“That’s…… Lydon’s heart?”

“Yes! This is his heart. His life is in my hands.”

“Give it to me.”

Cadel urgently reached for the heart, but before his hand could touch it, the heart vanished, swallowed by demonic energy. His fingers grasped at the empty air as his hollow gaze locked onto the guard. The guard shuddered in ecstasy, whispering,

“Release me, and I will return his heart.”

“Liar.”

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me! You can’t kill me anyway. If I die, the heart I hold will burst along with me.”

“……”

“Make your choice. Free me, or let me die along with him. If you fear I’ll attack you the moment I’m released, don’t worry. I plan to run straight to Her Majesty and report your intrusion. Even if I don’t act, you’re already a dead man.”

This was a trap.

The moment the guard was freed, he would use some trick to corner Cadel and Lydon even further. But……

“……If that heart is returned, Lydon will live?”

“Of course.”

Even if this deal was a straight path to hell—Cadel had no choice but to step into the trap.

Lydon dying was a fate worse than hell, a fear more terrifying than losing the entire world.

Cadel did not hesitate for long. As he withdrew his mana, the [Fire Chains] binding the guard disappeared. Confirming his newfound freedom, the guard slowly rose to his feet.

“Don’t try anything stupid.”

“I know, I know. I have no intention of acting recklessly before my own safety is secured.”

Still wearing his unsettling grin, the guard raised his hand. Dark demonic energy gathered in his palm, and the heart reappeared, beating steadily.

Cadel couldn’t hide his desperation as he stared at the heart.

“Return it. Now.”

The guard shot Cadel a sidelong glance before pressing the heart against Lydon’s chest. The demonic energy swirled violently, and slowly, the heart began to sink back into Lydon’s body.

Once it had fully disappeared, Cadel roughly shoved the guard aside.

“Lydon! Lydon, are you alive?”

Grabbing Lydon’s face, he pressed his ear against his chest. Focusing intently through his furrowed brows, he caught the sudden, sharp exhale of breath.

Lydon’s breathing.

Relief flashed across Cadel’s face, and a radiant smile broke through as he pulled Lydon into a tight embrace.

“I really thought you were gone……”

The lingering fear left his legs trembling. One hand clutched at Lydon’s chains, while the other cradled his face. As Lydon, heart restored, let out a faint groan, his eyelashes—stuck together with dried blood—fluttered. His consciousness was slowly returning.

“Are you awake? You’re really…… Hah, never mind. It’s enough that you woke up.”

“Ca, Cadel……”

“Yeah, it’s me. I’m going to get these chains off now, so don’t—”

“Why……?”

“Huh?”

“Why…… did you come……?”

Why did he come? He must still be groggy.

Cadel let out a small laugh, shaking his head as he channeled mana into the chains. But Lydon, having now fully registered Cadel’s presence, flinched violently.

“No, Cadel, run……!”

“What are you talking about? Stop mumbling nonsense and—”

The chains rattled loudly as they refused to break.

And with that jarring sound, Lydon’s unsteady vision caught sight of a figure—Cadel, his body limp, crumpling to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut.

“Cadel!”

Beyond the fallen Cadel, the guard stifled his laughter with a hand over his mouth. He gave a slow, mocking wave, the heart still pulsing in his grip.

Seeing Lydon’s stricken face, the guard sneered.

“What a splendid bait!”