The moment Cadel vanished, the frontlines weakened, and the enemies surged forward. Chaos briefly erupted as the enemy forces attempted to infiltrate the human ranks. However, the humans stood firm.

Mamil’s flames burned fiercely, turning the tide of the battle as they scorched the enemies. Bolstered by the strength of the fire, the knights fought back relentlessly, their swords flashing through the air. The allied forces, emboldened, responded bravely to the onslaught of High Demons from the skies.

“……Just wait a little longer, Mendel. I won’t let your sacrifice be in vain. My love, my Mendel.”

As the black petals began to lose their vibrant color, Naviola felt Mendel’s presence growing weaker within them. The petals, once full of life, were now fading, and with them, the last traces of Mendel would vanish from this world. Naviola wiped the tears from her eyes, her gaze shifting in search of her target.

‘He’s gone.’

No matter how fast she looked or how far her vision stretched, the one she sought was nowhere to be found. Had he used some strange power to vanish, or had he escaped entirely? The uncertainty gnawed at her as the battle raged on.

The expression on Naviola’s face twisted frighteningly as she chased the vanished Cadel’s trace. Soon, she would be able to create a barrier to protect her kin. If that happened, the human forces, who had grown confident, would be quickly crushed, and the Demon Realm would be closer to the joy of liberation. But.

‘I must kill that guy with my own hands. I must tear him to pieces with my own hands, and eat his flesh.’

She could not let Mendel’s enemy escape unscathed.

‘He must have finally exhausted his strength after withstanding the onslaught of the monsters at the front. Too bad, but I won’t give him a chance to catch his breath from behind.’

Seeing Cadel’s absence as a sign of retreat, Naviola moved her wings. If he had escaped, he must have infiltrated through their ranks. As the energy of the black petals faded, Naviola’s anger grew stronger. In her mind, she saw herself walking across the battlefield, holding Cadel’s severed head.

“Where, where are you?”

Her breath rang in her ears, tight and hurried. The fist clutching the petals trembled with the force of her grip, her glaring eyes bloodshot with fury. Like a madwoman, she desperately and viciously searched for any trace of Cadel.

But even when the energy of the flower petals finally dissipated, she could not find Cadel. Floating in the air, she gritted her teeth in frustration. When she opened her hand, the crumbled petals scattered into powder.

“That damn rat……”

She muttered harshly, exhaling sharply. Catching and killing Cadel was clearly something she would risk her life for. However, she needed to think carefully. This was the final stronghold guarding the residence of Demon King Emilia. She could not allow the garden of the castle to be breached. Here, she had to wipe out all the humans and invade the Human Realm, trapping them in the underworld.

Personal emotions should not have swayed her. If the situation had been the same, Mendel would have surely set aside his personal feelings. Steadying her trembling breath, she began to slowly draw up her demonic energy. In the face of the relentless attacks from the humans, she would form an unbreakable shield of magic, one that could withstand even the might of the High Demons who had been driven back.

But just before her demonic energy could be unleashed.

Tick. Tick.

Cold raindrops began to fall above her head.

“……?”

Raindrops? There was no rain in the Demon Realm. How long had it been since the eternal drought dried the land? Sensing something wrong, Naviola instinctively tilted her head upward.

“Wha, what……!”

Her eyes were filled with a vast, sprawling pit of dark energy. Whoosh, dark energy flowed down over her raised face. Her stained face turned pale with horror.

Beneath the stillness of the lake-like pit, someone was emerging. A long-reaching hand and a face whose expression could not be read. As the body emerged little by little, dark red flames covered it. The heat from the surroundings began to rise, and the body drew closer bit by bit. After a moment, Naviola realized that the body before her belonged to Cadel, the sworn enemy of Mendel.

She had to stop this, no matter what. Instinctively sensing the danger, she tried to wrap a barrier around her body.

“Ugh…… Aaaahhh!”

Cadel, slipping out like a flash, fell straight down and embraced Naviola, who was positioned below. The fiery flames spread across their flesh from the friction. Naviola shook her body with a tearing scream, but no matter how much she struggled, Cadel didn’t fall off. Even though they were both surrounded by the same flames, only Naviola’s flesh was scorched black.

The face of the enemy looming in front of her was as black as darkness, and it sent chills down her spine like the shadow of a devil. She couldn’t die here alone in flames. As if fighting for her life, she drew upon demonic energy and aimed for Cadel’s head. Even as her body burned, she tried to take Cadel down with her, sending him to the afterlife.

But the demonic energy aimed at Cadel’s head passed through the air. Her gaze, wrapped in flames, turned downward. Cadel was falling, having slipped out of her grasp. Was he evading the attack as he fell? In that case, his fragile body, without wings, would surely burst and die. The corners of Naviola’s lips twisted into a strange curve as her skin tightened. But in the next moment.

“No, no……”

Instead of crashing into the ground, Cadel’s body passed through the earth itself. In an instant, the body disappeared, only to shoot up again as if bouncing, returning in its intact form. The original appearance, without a single wound, no dark energy, and no flames. Standing firm on both feet, Cadel looked up at Naviola in the sky.

“I’ve taken care of the most troublesome one.”

In the ensuing deafening explosion, Naviola’s desperate scream mixed in.

* * *

“Aaahh! Waargh! Stop, stop! Stop following me, you stupid fairy! I’m not your father!”

With tears in his eyes, Kash let out an unjust scream. Lydon, closely tailing him, relentlessly shot ice spears at him, and the cold wind that fiercely rushed at him felt like it was about to freeze his wings, bringing back terrifying memories.

Why did he always end up being tormented by the fairies? Targeted by Lydon through Hyron’s illusion, Kash cursed Hyron with all his might as he flew desperately.

Lydon’s murky gaze was fixed solely on Kash, disguised as Hyron. Yet, there was no murderous intent emanating from him. He was merely mechanically casting magic at the target input into his mind. He was nothing more than a puppet, devoid of any emotions or will.

Kash, glancing at Lydon, nearly lost his mind as he tugged at his disheveled hair.

“That b*tch Fauré, I never liked her from the start! Is this how it’s going to end, with that woman getting the better of me? With such disgusting, foul magic…… No, no! I can’t just go down like this. I won’t let the proud name of Solavis be stained any further!”

Although his attack power was nearly zero, he was confident in his ability to escape. How many times had he found safety zones to prolong his life? Not that it was much to brag about, but Kash increased his flight speed.

“I can’t let this damn fairy gain any distance. He’ll freeze me again and make me fall, like last time. I don’t know if the one who took Fauré’s side will think that far ahead, but…… better safe than sorry.”

He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. Dodging the ice spear by a hair’s breadth, he quickly lowered his altitude. High altitudes were too dangerous. It was better to maintain a lower height, where there were more obstacles and the chance of injury if he fell was minimal.

Kash’s scream, almost like a curse, escaped his lips as he dove through the collapsed maze. Lydon, having secured a higher altitude than him, pelted him with ice chunks the size of fists.

The chunks of ice exploded upon impact with the ground, sending sharp shards flying in all directions.

It was impossible to dodge the attack completely. Given Kash’s physical abilities, even finding a spot that would minimize the damage was difficult. His body, flailing in the air, was marked with numerous scratches. His gesture of raising his arms to try and block the attacks was pitiful.

“Stop! Stop!”

Although Kash knew it would be in vain, he still screamed, his throat aching. The more he screamed, the fiercer Lydon’s attacks became. A white frost covered the collapsed maze walls, and the ground where Kash had passed froze transparently.

If he slowed down even a little, he would be frozen solid. Foreseeing a terrible end, Kash desperately flapped his wings.

He couldn’t die so uselessly after coming this far. Did he endure all those humiliations from humans just to meet this kind of end?

The stubborn defiance blooming within him was quickly extinguished by the freezing cold.

Tears streaming down his face, Kash despaired at the fact that he couldn’t rely on anyone for help. He couldn’t die like this. No matter how much he repeated that to himself, he couldn’t think of a way out. A cold gust intensified and slammed into his back. It was the moment Kash realized his pitiful end was near.

“……!”

Something appeared unexpectedly and pulled him downward.

* * *

“Phew…… Thank you, Cadel. Thanks to you, I was able to catch Fauré sooner than expected.”

Hyron smiled as he threw Fauré’s frozen head aside. Cadel, facing Hyron, staggered slightly. Surprised, Hyron reached out, but before he could, a different arm appeared and wrapped around Cadel.

“Are you alright, Cadel?”

“Yozen……”

“The technique has ended. I wanted to maintain it longer, but…… I suppose this is my limit for now.”

As [The Oath of Immortality] ended, Yozen appeared. Supporting the disoriented Cadel, he checked his own energy. Having used quite a bit of dark energy, Yozen felt his body weakened, but after a brief moment to recover, he’d be able to join the battle without issue. If only they weren’t in the Demon Realm, he thought; he’d be in a much better state.

Cadel, having shaken off his dizziness, spoke to the slightly disappointed Yozen.

“I’m just glad I can keep fighting. Thanks to your technique, we were able to easily corner the enemies. Now, we just need to keep this momentum going.”

While waiting for the rest of the allied forces to arrive, they had successfully pressured the enemies from the front and eliminated the most troublesome High Demons. It had been a smooth start. If they hadn’t secured this much advantage, they wouldn’t have been able to prepare for the upcoming plans. Yozen’s timing for the awakening was truly perfect.

‘I didn’t expect two of my team members to fall for Fauré’s charm……’

After defeating Naviola, Cadel had looked around the battlefield and found Van and Lydon. He felt his blood run cold when he saw them.

Fauré’s power had been one of the major risks, but Cadel had thought the chances of his own team members falling under that influence were extremely low, given the number of knights around them.

‘Is charm really that easy to fall for? Those who claimed to like me were quickly stumbling around……’

Of all people, it was the two who often expressed their affection for him. Seeing them staggering around the battlefield with dazed eyes, even in such a serious situation, Cadel couldn’t help but feel his stomach turn. He frowned as he glanced at Van, who was far off.

Hyron had said that Lydon’s rampage had been influenced by his magic, and it seemed that Mamil had been the one controlling Van’s. Cadel briefly looked at Mamil, standing next to Van, before turning to Hyron.

“I’ll be back soon, Lord Hyron. Let’s go find Lydon together.”

“There’s no need for that. The charm spell has already been lifted, so Lydon will be fine shortly……”

“It’ll only be a moment.”

Hyron didn’t have much time left. Cadel, leaving behind Hyron who seemed to have more to say, ran toward Mamil.

“Is this the kind of person you call one of Cadel’s subordinates? Can’t even keep their head straight and ends up attacking allies? Do you have any idea how many lives would’ve been lost if it weren’t for me?”

“……I’m sorry.”

“An apology won’t do! I’m telling you to get your head together now!”

Van, shrinking under Mamil’s scolding, lowered his head. If these words had come from someone else, he would’ve easily ignored them and focused on his own anger. But this wasn’t just anyone; it was Mamil, Cadel’s teacher. He knew well that Cadel relied on him as though he were a parent. He had wanted to show Mamil a reliable side of himself, but instead, he had shown such a disgraceful scene. That only made him feel even more frustrated.

As Van continued to wallow in his defeat, Cadel approached Mamil and Van.

“Mr. Mamil!”

“It seems that strange magic has passed its expiration date?”

“Yes. It wasn’t magic, but a technique of my member. Anyway, I need to step out for a while.”

“You’re leaving now? If you’re trying to draw on the Scarlet Dragon’s power, it’s too soon. We still need to push forward……”

“No. I’m going to prepare a technique with Lord Hyron. It won’t take long. I’ll be back soon, so please fill in for me in the meantime. Look after my subordinates as well!”

Mamil’s expression showed disbelief at the numerous requests pouring in. Was this really the time to ask for such things? Still, Cadel seemed resolute, as though he had already made up his mind. It wasn’t like his disciple was someone who would run around recklessly without understanding the situation.

Mamil, who had been about to say something more, clicked his tongue and nodded irritably. As Cadel turned to leave, he suddenly stopped and, as though reconsidering, turned his gaze toward Van.

“I always believed that your preference was me, without a doubt. Was that just something you said to make me feel good? That demon looks completely different from me, after all.”

“Com, Commander……!”

Van, who had turned pale at Cadel’s teasing, hurriedly shook his head.

“That’s not it! While maintaining the technique, I didn’t have the chance to focus on anything else, so I didn’t notice that mental attack coming at me! There’s no way I would compare you to that demon, that’s ridiculous!”

Van quickly conveyed his sincerity to Cadel, who was about to walk past him. Cadel, letting out a soft laugh, lightly patted Van’s chest.

“I get it. Don’t get upset, and make sure to fight properly while I’m gone. I’ll bring Lydon back with me.”

Cadel would have liked to tease Van a little more if he could, but unfortunately, time was running out. Glancing at the system window, Cadel quickly turned to find Hyron and hurried off.

[Time remaining until removal: 0 hours 07 minutes 06 seconds]

* * *

“Lydon!”

Following Hyron’s guidance, they arrived at the place. Lydon, who they thought was either capturing or still searching for Kash, was collapsed on the remnants of the maze. The two men hurried to check Lydon’s condition. After a short while, Lydon slowly regained consciousness and opened his eyes.

“Are you okay, Lydon?”

“Are you hurt? Why are you lying here?”

Lydon blinked dully amidst their urgent concern. Rubbing his face, as if coming out of a long dream, he slowly lifted his upper body.

“What’s going on……? Why am I here?”

“That’s what we want to ask you…… Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like you’re injured.”

Had Fauré’s enchantment caused him to temporarily lose consciousness? However, Van, who had been in the same situation, had regained his senses the moment Fauré collapsed. Although he didn’t remember exactly what had happened, he was aware that he had fallen under the enchantment.

Supported by Cadel, Lydon scratched his head and furrowed his brows.

“It felt like I got hit and bounced away…… My memory’s a bit fuzzy.”

“Hit and bounced? You were chasing Kash, right? Did Kash attack you?”

“Hmmm, I’m not sure. Getting caught by some weird demon’s magic…… It’s so frustrating that I don’t even want to think about it!”

Lydon grumbled about not understanding why he had fallen for such a trivial demon’s mind tricks. Meanwhile, Hyron, who was stepping carefully over the maze’s remnants, was scanning the surroundings.

“I don’t see Kash. It seems like he managed to escape from Lydon. He must be hiding somewhere.”

Even when Hyron had used the enchantment to switch their appearances, he hadn’t had high expectations. Lydon’s pursuit speed was considerable, and being an excellent flyer, Hyron didn’t think Kash could fully escape. Even if Kash got hurt, it was something Hyron had accepted as inevitable.

Kash’s safety hadn’t been a concern in this plan at all. Yet, now that Kash had somehow survived, Hyron was unsure whether to be impressed or not. With a furrowed brow, Hyron spoke, and Cadel responded.

“It’s troublesome if Kash dies here. He’s been to the castle, so he’ll be helpful later on. He couldn’t have run far, so let’s go find him together.”

Danger would soon be approaching Hyron. Whatever the reason, Cadel was determined to stay by his side, so this was a perfect excuse to do so.

“Then I’ll go with you!”

“No, Lydon. Go back and protect our allies.”

“You two are going to spend time together without me? They’ll be fine fighting even without me!”

Lydon, as usual, tried to argue, but this time Cadel wasn’t willing to back down. Cadel stared at him firmly, a determined expression without any compromise.

If Lydon stayed, it would be much easier to protect Hyron from the unknown threats. But Cadel didn’t want to allow Lydon to get caught in the system’s manipulations as well. Kunra would take care of things, and there was no need to drag Lydon into it.

Eventually, Lydon had no choice but to give in to Cadel’s cold demeanor. Seeing his son’s disappointed expression, Hyron smiled faintly and spoke.

“Don’t worry, Lydon. I won’t keep Cadel for too long. Until then, be careful and deal with the enemies cautiously.”

“……Yes.”

Lydon, who had hesitated until the end, finally took off into the air, shaking off his lingering reluctance. Cadel, glancing at the countdown with just about 5 minutes left, stood next to Hyron.

“The maze collapsed, and walls are stacked on top of each other. He might have slipped through the gaps. It’s hard to find him since he’s not very big.”

“If he had been watching us from nearby, he would have noticed Lydon regaining consciousness right away. He’d have been the first to rush over, pleading for his life. The fact that he didn’t means he’s hiding somewhere far enough that he can’t see us.”

“Maybe he’s been caught by another High Demon. Lydon said he lost consciousness after bumping into something…… But then again, it’s strange that only Lydon was left behind while Kash was taken.”

Cadel had no intention of wasting time searching for just Kash, with a pile of other things waiting to be dealt with. As he continued the conversation, he scanned the surroundings for any potential threats to Hyron. Although he speculated about Kash’s whereabouts, his genuine desire to find him wasn’t there.

Hyron, calmly searching for Kash, paused and fixed his gaze on one spot. Beyond the slanted wall of the maze.

Kash, hidden carefully, was pressing his hand against his chest, catching his breath. It seemed like he noticed Hyron’s gaze, as he quickly turned his head, his eyes shaking slightly.

“Come out, Kash. It seems like you managed to escape safely, just as I expected.”

“……”

“Are you angry? I’m sorry. But to break the spell on Lydon, it was the only choice I had. I hope you understand.”

As Cadel approached Kash alongside Hyron, he kept his guard up, carefully scanning the surroundings. There were no particularly visible High Demons nearby. Their goal was to prevent humans from entering the castle, so as long as they were in the maze at the back of the garden, it would be unlikely to attract the attention of High Demons.

‘Even so, I can’t stay here for long. How exactly does the system plan to threaten Lord Hyron?’

As Cadel slowly gathered mana, ready to attack at any moment, he confirmed there were no visible enemies. His gaze shifted slightly to look at Kash. Kash, standing in front of the two men who had come to find him, cautiously rose to his feet.

His body was hunched, and his expression was one of nervous observation. Cadel had expected Kash to be furious about being used as bait, but instead, Kash remained silent, simply glancing back and forth between Hyron and Cadel.

“It looks like you’re not injured. We need to head back to the battlefield immediately. Stay close to me, and I’ll protect you as safely as I can. Come on, let’s go.”

“I, I don’t want to.”

Kash refused with a trembling voice. The unexpected response caused both Hyron and Cadel to immediately freeze their expressions. Was he rebelling against Hyron because of a sense of betrayal? That didn’t seem likely. Kash was a demon driven by a strong will to survive, and showing rebellion in this situation would almost certainly cost him his life.

‘Could it be…… Is Kash the culprit? Is the system using him to threaten Lord Hyron?’

For a moment, Cadel sharpened his thoughts, but quickly shook his head. Kash wasn’t a threat. He knew that, which is why he’d pushed to bring him along. Moreover, Kash’s body carried Yozen’s dark energy, which could tear him apart at any time. Even if Kash unleashed his hidden strength, he could be subdued at any moment.

Cadel stood in front of Kash, speaking on behalf of the silent Hyron.

“Tell me why you refuse. Hiding here alone is just a matter of time before a High Demon notices you. This might seem safe now, with all the attention focused ahead, but……”

“I guided you here, to the castle gardens. I brought you to my people. That’s where my job ends. I don’t have to follow your orders anymore.”

“Technically, your mission was to guide us to the castle. I don’t think your task is finished just yet.”

“What you call a mission doesn’t matter to me!”

Kash shouted angrily, but as if startled by his own outburst, he took a step back. His eyes, cold and hard, locked with Cadel’s. He bit his lip before his expression froze into one of contempt again.

“You will never stop the liberation of the Demon Realm. Never.”

“……Something’s going on, Kash. What are you hiding?”

“If you think I’d fall for your sweet words, you’re terribly mistaken. It’s unfortunate for you. I’ll never forgive the humans who killed Toto and my siblings. You thought I was weak, huh? Pathetic, with no one to protect, crying out that I wanted to live. I must have seemed like an easy toy to play with.”

“Kash, think again. If what you said about wanting to live was true, it would be far better for you to side with me. Don’t let yourself be swayed by temptation.”

“Temptation? Ha! Yeah, at first, I hesitated. I admit that. But the moment I realized that fairy…… that damn fairy’s words were lies, you became my enemies once more!”

The real danger was not Kash. It was the one who gave Kash the courage and hope when he was crying in fear. That entity was the true threat to Hyron.

In desperation, Cadel tried to extract information from Kash, but.

“Cadel!”

With Hyron’s shout from behind, a powerful surge of energy struck. Instinctively, Cadel turned, and what he saw before him left him stunned.

“Cynthi……?”