The deep darkness settled in the Demon Realm.
There, deep underground, there was a cave stretching far and wide.
This enormous cave was none other than the domain of the Second Legion Commander, the battle-crazed Lycan.
In the depths of the cave, ferocious howls filled the air, overflowing with a deadly aura.
Following the sound of the roars, one could see a massive circular space.
There, countless monstrosities and demons fluttered their killing intent while cheering wildly.
Among them, one towering figure looked down from a throne. A giant beast with the face of a lion.
As the Second Legion Commander Lycan swung his arm broadly, the ear-splitting cheers were silenced almost instantly.
“We are hungry for blood.”
He stood up with an imposing voice, eyes shining fiercely as he shouted.
“Our reason for existence is singular! For intense battles that shatter flesh and splinter bones!”
“Oooooo!”
“However, the Demon King has taken away our only joy.”
Hearing the deep roar of the crowd, Lycan growled calmly.
“He has closed the gates of the Demon Realm, ensuring we can no longer engage in battles, and has become entranced by some human girl.”
At his words, the atmosphere instantly turned cold.
All demons glared at Lycan with expressions of anger.
Lycan, his own face turning red, continued speaking.
“The one who stands over us now is not the Demon King we once knew!!”
With a huge grin on his face, Lycan slammed his fist on the ground, causing it to shake violently as if an earthquake had occurred.
“I will ascend as the Demon King and grant you endless slaughter.”
With the conclusion of his words, the atmosphere reached its peak, and a thunderous roar resounded like a bomb that had just detonated.
“The firmly closed gates of the Demon Realm… can be reopened with the Demon King’s life.”
After uttering his final words, Lycan stepped back with a satisfied expression.
As he walked deeper into the cave, he encountered a Lich wrapped in a black cloak who had been waiting for him.
[Hehehe… That was a moving speech, Lycan.]
The massive lion snorted at his words, raising one eyebrow.
“It was unexpected. A coward like you joining our plans.”
[Because there’s something I want badly.]
Seeing Melrum’s eerily wide-open mouth, Lycan frowned.
“By the way, were you asking for that woman?”
[Yes. That will suffice. You can have your fun sitting on the Demon King’s throne.]
“How pathetic. Are you really interested in just a woman?”
Even amidst Lycan’s jabs, Melrum merely smiled.
[My apologies for showing such a pitiful side of myself.]
“A woman? You handle that yourself.”
With those words, Lycan strode forward with determination.
‘Fool. He doesn’t even understand what value that woman holds. But I guess that makes things easier. Hehehe…’
Anticipating the day when the ultimate material he had never seen before would rise in his experiments, Melrum vanished into the shadows.
*
Is this a dream?
If so, I never wanted to wake up.
“Hera.”
Athena’s voice tickled my heart more than ever.
A longing that felt like a fever started to shake my body, and tears began to well in my eyes.
“Ah… Athena…”
“I’ve come to save you.”
With an expression I couldn’t decipher, but with eyes undoubtedly filled with something intense, Athena reached out her hand to me.
And I ran to her without a moment’s hesitation.
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I stepped into Athena’s embrace, and she gently wrapped her arms around me.
“Uh… how did you get into the Demon Realm…? I was sure the Demon King had closed the gates!”
In a trembling voice filled with emotions, I spoke to Athena.
“Hera, did you think I wouldn’t be able to find you because of that?”
With a gentle smile, Athena stroked my head.
Her touch, which I had yearned for so desperately, made another tear slide down my cheek.
“Hm… Athena… I… I was so scared…”
The heart that I thought had collapsed and turned to nothingness.
The eyes that had given up searching for even the slightest hope began to throb violently again upon seeing her.
“… Hera.”
“Y-yes!”
Determined not to let go, I pulled Athena close and looked up at her.
“What’s with those horns?”
She looked down at me with eyes that seemed icy cold.
Thud-
It felt as though my heart had dropped to the floor at her words.
Taking a creaking step back, I gazed at Athena.
“Ah… Athena… th-that’s…”
“Please tell me you haven’t become affiliated with the demons?”
As she touched my head with shaking eyes, I felt the horns that I had desperately tried to forget, rigidly growing out of me.
“Ah… No, this is… the Demon King forced me!”
“You should have endured.”
“Uh…?”
Taking another step back, Athena now had a look of anger on her face as she glared at me.
“You should have held out until I came to save you.”
“I couldn’t… endure…”
“If you have become a demon… what should I do?”
“Ah… Athena…”
As Athena extended her hand, the fierce flames that danced transformed into the shape of a sword, resting firmly in her grasp.
And without a moment’s hesitation, Athena thrust the sword toward me.
“I’m sorry, Hera. I really don’t want to do this.”
“Ah… Athena…”
“Meeting you has made me reflect on so much.”
With a sorrowful yet serious gaze, Athena continued to speak.
“I’ve realized how terrible of a person I was, how selfish I’ve been, all thanks to you, Hera.”
Athena, who had always been so kind, seemed to rage fiercely in this moment.
“I vow to uphold the promise I made to you, to protect those I have so horribly failed.”
– I will slay all demons for you.
Athena’s previous words echoed in my mind.
“Ah…”
The heart that had soared high with anticipation shattered into pieces upon hitting the ground.
I seemed to have run out of tears, as my eyes only stung with pain.
I didn’t want to die like this.
I had endured so much pain just to meet Athena again.
To think I would have to die by her hand.
There was no worse joke than this.
Yet, I forcibly suppressed those emotions trying to surface, kneeling on the ground and closing my trembling eyes.
“Why did humanity… why did you betray me?”
Athena spoke with a cold voice.
‘It’s okay.’
I silently reassured myself, calming my trembling body.
It wasn’t Athena’s fault.
It was I who had asked Athena to stop the demons.
She was merely trying to honor the promise we made.
‘So, it’s okay.’
Moreover, as soon as she handed me the sword, there was no longer any reason for me to live.
After all, since becoming a demon, I had longed for death until now.
This was liberation.
A form of salvation, a gentle heart Athena offered me.
So it was okay.
So…
“Alright… huff…”
Unintentionally, a sob escaped my lips.
I thought all my tears had dried up, yet it seemed there was still some left.
Overwhelmed by such profound sadness, I had no choice but to hide my face and let the tears flow.
‘I don’t want to die.’
I didn’t want to leave Mari behind.
I wanted to spend a little more time with Lily, Dania’s sister.
I wanted to enjoy more time at the academy with Iris and Ariel.
Swish.
At that moment, a sharp ray of sunlight in the shape of a blade pricked my throat.
With a sting of pain, blood began to flow from my neck.
Looking up, I met Athena’s complex gaze staring down at me.
“… I’m sorry, Hera.”
I couldn’t say a word.
If I opened my mouth, only weak sounds would surely come out.
So I stayed silent, looking at her.
Then, with all my strength, I forced a smile to assure her it would be alright.
And just like that.
As the horrific sensation of death surged through my body.
Athena’s sword pierced my neck.
“Haack!!”
I clasped my throat with my hands and bolted upright in bed.
With trembling eyes, I surveyed the area, and my familiar bedroom came into view.
Slowly removing my hands from my throat, I realized my neck was intact.
With ragged breaths, cold sweat cascaded down my back.
“I… I clearly…”
In a typical situation, one might dismiss it as just a dream.
But instinctively, I knew.
This was no dream.
The abnormal sensation of having my throat cut and the horrific pain crashing upon my mind was too vivid to be anything but real.
“What… what happened…”
Bang-!
Just then, a massive explosion echoed from outside the room.
For some reason, that familiar sound drew me to burst outside.
– Kreeeak!!
I heard a scream that I had heard once before.
Steadying my trembling breath, I followed the sound.
“This… this is…”
“I’ve come to save you, Hera.”
Standing before me was Athena, the one who had just severed my neck, looking at me intensely.
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