“What… what did you just say?”
I looked up at the Demon King with trembling eyes.
With a strange smile, the Demon King kept groping my face.
“Your cheeks are wonderfully bouncy and addictive.”
“J-just a moment…”
Her busy hands began pulling my cheeks, tickling my eyes, and touching my ears, making my mind spiral into chaos.
Pushing aside my flustered feelings, I slapped her hand away from my face and asked again.
“What did you just say?”
“I said live as my doll.”
“D-doll?”
As I pushed her away, the Demon King frowned as if dissatisfied and spoke.
“Even you have come here with determination to lead your subordinates. You can’t just go back empty-handed.”
“S-so…?”
At my trembling voice, the Demon King looked at me with a wicked smile.
“You have to decide. Will you be the only one to sacrifice yourself? Or will you watch everyone, including the hero, die?”
“Y-you can’t do that…!”
“Then it would be best to decide quickly. Even as we speak, my legion is devouring your lives.”
She added one more word, as if something had come to mind.
“Oh, and if you’re thinking of waiting for reinforcements… you might as well give up. I’ve already played my cards before you arrived.”
At her words, my heart began to race.
According to the Demon King’s words, this was not a situation to be leisurely.
Even as I hesitated, someone could be dying.
‘T-doll…’
I didn’t think there would be a good life there.
I’d assume the demon race is inherently vicious.
Being dragged into a realm inhabited by such demons could very well be a punishment worse than death.
I might end up living a life worse than hell.
“I guess you aren’t confident enough to hesitate. Well, take your time thinking here. I’ll be back shortly.”
“N-no!!”
As the Demon King tried to walk past me, I instinctively grabbed her arm and stopped her.
“I’ll do it… I’ll become a doll, so please stop the attacks!”
I was terrified.
I couldn’t imagine what they’d do to me once dragged away by the demon race.
But…
But still…
I wanted to protect everyone.
This isn’t the world from the novels I used to enjoy; this is the world I live in now.
No longer mere characters, but the people I love.
How terrifying it was when Lily got hit by the Dark Knight’s sword, flying away.
When Melrum’s venom approached Iris and Ariel.
When Darkhan was critically wounded by Arbes.
If my one sacrifice could ensure that they survive safely…
This silly fear, I could somehow overcome it.
“If I tell you to roll, will you roll? If I tell you to bark, do you have the confidence to bark?”
The Demon King lifted my chin with a sadistic smile.
Tears brimmed in my eyes from fear.
I wanted to flee even now.
I was so terrified of the unknown pain that awaited me.
But still…
I was sure that the regret of my hesitation causing harm to those I love would be far worse.
‘……I barely got to see you again.’
I’m sorry, Dania-eonni.
I’m sorry, Lily.
For being such a useless person that I can’t even be there with you.
I wiped away the tears that trickled down my cheek and looked at the Demon King.
“It’s… I’ll become a doll…”
The Demon King looked at me with an interested expression as my trembling voice naturally emerged.
“I’ll be… the doll-”
“Who do you think you are?”
Just as I was about to accept everything, someone else’s voice interrupted me.
Even after years apart, I recognized her in an instant.
Her voice was too familiar to me.
BOOM-!
A golden spear from the sky struck down, encasing us in a blinding light as if it held the sun.
“Ugh!”
But unlike the light surrounding us, there was a clear difference in effect between the Demon King and me.
The sunlight was burning the Demon King’s flesh, while I felt only warmth enveloping me.
As I panicked at the sudden situation, someone pulled my waist away from the Demon King.
“Ugh?!”
As the buoyancy in my body faded and my feet hit the ground, I quickly turned to see who wrapped around my waist.
“Long time no see, my slave… Or should I say, not anymore.”
“You… you…!”
My heart started pounding as I saw her face.
A mix of lingering hate and resentment, yet overwhelming nostalgia and affection, along with love swirled within me.
Her golden eyes still held intense light, and her beautifully shining golden hair…
Most of all, her dignified face.
Athena.
Athena had appeared before me.
“Athena..! How did you get here— Ugh?!”
Once again, I couldn’t finish my sentence before Athena’s lips collided with mine.
“Ah… no! Aah…”
Like two lovers reuniting after parting, her tongue rushed into my mouth, exploring eagerly everywhere.
Though I felt flustered, I couldn’t reject Athena’s intense feelings and ended up closing my eyes, letting my hands drop.
“Haa… hnn…”
After a long time of her tongue dancing around mine, her lips finally left.
With a teasing smile as she let our saliva connect, she spoke.
“It’s been two years since we met. You’ll let this slide, right?”
“You… how did you find me?”
“It was just a coincidence.”
I looked at her with a confused expression.
What kind of coincidence…
Could it be she had known my whereabouts all along…?
“You’re quite prickly.”
At the fierce voice from the side, chills ran down my spine.
Athena effortlessly lifted me and hid me behind her, turning to face the Demon King with a smile.
“Why did a coward hiding in the Demon Realm suddenly come out?”
“Heh, bold of you, girl…”
Even though flames engulfed her skin, the Demon King replied without a care.
In an instant, with a wave of her hand, the flames that seemed impossible to extinguish vanished, and the Demon King regained her calm demeanor as if nothing had happened.
“You still have that monstrous regeneration.”
As Athena let out a soft laugh, the Demon King smiled in response.
“You also still have monstrous power.”
“Hmm? You seem quite relaxed, right in the heart of the Empire.”
At Athena’s words, the Demon King glanced at me and spoke.
“That’s what I should be saying. It doesn’t seem like a calm situation at all, does it?”
At her words, fear surged up in my heart again.
I hurriedly grabbed the hem of Athena’s clothing from behind and pleaded.
Even now, as we stood here, someone might be threatened with death.
And that terrified me greatly.
“A-Athena..! I’m okay, so please save the others..!!”
I tried begging her, but despite my desperate wishes, Athena gently caressed my cheek.
Her actions made frustration rise in my chest.
“No, this is not the time to-”
“Shh. My master.”
She placed a finger against my lips, silencing me.
I looked at Athena, as her unreasonable behavior left me in shock.
Did she not know how dire the situation at the Academy was?
‘I’m so worried right now!!’
As I glared at her resentfully, Athena pulled me in closer and whispered in my ear.
“Look at the sky, Hera.”
“…The sky?”
Following Athena’s words, I lifted my gaze to the sky.
“Th-that’s…”
My eyes widened in disbelief at the unexpected sight.
The sky, which had just been shrouded in darkness, now radiated a bright blue color.
But that wasn’t all.
From the vast sky, countless blue rays were descending, freezing all the monsters in their tracks.
A grand spell surpassing even typical magic.
Moreover, this blue light was a color I found so very familiar.
“Mari…”
“Are you feeling relieved now?”
“…….Haa.”
I exhaled deeply at Athena’s words.
Indeed, my heart that had been trembling began to calm a little at her reassurance.
If Mari had arrived, it felt like it would be okay.
The biggest problem was the Demon King, but with Athena here…
The remaining professors, Lily, and Mari should be able to handle it.
Seeing me sigh, Athena began to ruffle my hair before turning back to face the Demon King.
“It seems the urgent ones are you.”
“…….It seems so.”
The Demon King clicked her tongue in annoyance.
‘…What a relief.’
Seeing her admit that, I finally felt at ease.
…Truly, it was a relief.
That we could get through this with such minimal harm.
That no one would end up seriously injured.
When Athena smiled at me, I naturally smiled back.
Surely… she was so annoying and spiteful.
But in this moment, I felt like I wanted to plant hundreds of kisses on her.
‘…Thank you, Athena.’
Just a moment ago, you looked like a real hero.
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