Victoria returned to the Demon King’s castle and reflected on the day’s events.
She recalled throwing herself to protect Kalian, how Kalian had been enraged on her behalf, and the happenings at the banquet.
Swish
She took out a handkerchief.
It was the one she had received from Kalian.
She fidgeted with it, examining it closely.
It was just a mere piece of cloth, but since it was from Kalian…
Sniff sniff.
Though it had been cleaned thoroughly, she still brought it to her nose and inhaled.
Somehow, it seemed to carry Kalian’s scent.
As she rolled around on her bed, clutching the handkerchief, she sensed someone approaching from outside her room.
Bang!
“You’ve returned, My Lord.”
Alcatraz entered, pushing open the door.
“What were you doing?”
“Nothing.”
Victoria quickly hid the handkerchief behind her back and shook her head.
Alcatraz stared at her, stepping forward.
“Are you hiding something from me?”
“No, nothing.”
“Then what’s that behind your back?”
“It’s nothing important.”
“Lying to me? I see you’ve picked up some bad habits from your time outside. But in a way, I suppose it means you’ve grown.”
Victoria refused to reveal the handkerchief.
After all, if the people here found out it was a gift from a human, they wouldn’t take it well.
Alcatraz sat down in a chair and asked,
“So, how was the outside world? Despite my warnings about its dangers, you insisted on going.”
“The outside is wonderful. The food is delicious, the sunlight is warm. There are many interesting and kind people.”
Victoria reminisced about her experiences in the human world.
Alcatraz sighed.
“We were all so worried when you ran off against our wishes. Everyone in the castle was concerned.”
“There’s no need to be. The outside world is much safer than you think.”
“Hah… is that so? The world is not as it seems. Everything appears beautiful until the truth is revealed.”
He pulled out a flower.
Covering it with a cloth for a moment, he then removed it, revealing that the once-beautiful bloom had withered.
“My Lord, the happiness you feel in the outside world is an illusion. You are being deceived.”
“That’s not true.”
“It’s just like one of those plays you love so much. People may act kind, but the moment an opportunity arises, they will not hesitate to turn against you.”
“You’re being too cynical.”
“No, this is reality.”
He approached her and held up a mirror.
“Take a look.”
The reflection in the mirror did not show her human disguise.
Instead, it revealed her true form.
A monstrous being with three rings floating around it.
Her entire body was cloaked in darkness, burning like the scorched lands of hell.
“What do you think would happen if you walked around in this form? Who would ever accept you?”
“I can just hide my true form.”
“That’s true… But what if they discover it? Imagine it.”
“The people who were kind to you would turn their backs. And the first thing they would do is raise their spears against you.”
“That’s enough.”
Victoria smacked Alcatraz’s arm away.
Crash!
The mirror shattered as it hit the floor, but Victoria didn’t care.
She stood up from the bed.
“Humans aren’t as ugly and dangerous as you think. I understand you’re trying to protect me, but you worry too much.”
“My Lord.”
“As long as my true identity is kept secret, I can be friends with everyone.”
“My Lord, please listen to me—”
“I don’t want to hear it anymore. I have to attend Arcana Academy tomorrow, so I need to prepare.”
Victoria cut him off and left the room.
There was no point in continuing the conversation—it would just go in circles.
Hah…
Left alone, Alcatraz chuckled.
He muttered as he watched Victoria’s retreating figure.
“This is completely unexpected. Your role was to bring about humanity’s extinction. I wanted to see you shedding tears of blood, your soul torn apart in the process.”
Who would have thought she would become so close to humans?
Moreover, her relationship with that man, Kalian, was showing signs of deepening.
This was turning into quite a troublesome situation.
“But in a way, this might not be so bad either. The moment your relationship with Kalian crumbles into ruin, you’ll plummet even further into despair. Just imagining it makes my whole body tremble with excitement.”
He smiled broadly.
Several days had passed since the Belmore family was saved.
Elia had taken a break from school to sort out the issues that had piled up in the family over the past five years and help her relatives adjust to their new situation.
I turned to Kalian and asked,
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah. I pushed myself a little too hard fighting Belphegor, but I think I’ve mostly recovered.”
“You’re practically blessed. Any normal person would’ve died after going through that. You should be grateful.”
“I know.”
“Well… that just means you need to train harder. You realized again this time how much you’re still lacking, right?”
We were sitting on a bench in Arcana Park, having a quiet conversation.
“This time, the Apostle was a relatively friendly one, so it worked out. But if it had been an aggressive one, you wouldn’t have stood a chance.”
“Yeah.”
“The Demon King’s castle is full of guys like that. Enough to fill an entire plaza. You need to get stronger.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
A warm breeze drifted by under the gentle afternoon sun, and people all around were enjoying their peaceful moments.
As I gazed at the park, a thought suddenly came to mind.
“Come to think of it, you said you entered Arcana Academy not to kill the Demon King, but to become like me. Were you serious about that?”
“Yeah, I was serious.”
“Then was your hatred for the Demon King fake?”
At my question, Kalian scratched his cheek.
“Well… uh, I guess I don’t really want to hate him that much.”
“But the Demon King’s army tormented your territory in the past.”
“I know. But demons probably have their own reasons for what they do, right? Weren’t you the one who kept emphasizing that?”
I had said things like that to him since we were young, but I never expected him to take it this far.
In the original story, Kalian’s entire purpose revolved around killing the Demon King.
Who would have thought that core aspect of the story would shift so drastically?
A part of me had wished for something like this, but now that it was actually happening, it felt unsettling.
And more importantly, the fact that Kalian was forming a connection with Victoria carried significant implications.
“Kalian, what if the Demon King turns out to be a better person than you expected?”
“What’s with that question all of a sudden?”
“What if one day the Demon King appears in front of you and says, ‘Let’s stop fighting and get along from now on’?”
“Uh… I don’t know? That’s a pretty sudden question. I don’t think it’s something I can decide on my own. Too many people are involved when it comes to the Demon King.”
He stroked his chin in thought.
“But if I had to answer…”
Just as Kalian was about to open his mouth—
She suddenly popped her head out from behind us.
“There you are.”
Elia, as always, wore a bright smile as she stepped forward.
Beside her was Victoria.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you. If not for the crowd of girls gathered around, I would’ve had a harder time.”
“What’s the occasion?”
“What do you mean, ‘what’s the occasion’? I haven’t seen you for days—do you know how much I missed you? Wade, didn’t you miss me? I’ve been waiting for this day.”
“So, I take it you’re done sorting out your family affairs?”
Elia greeted Kalian briefly before leaning closer to me.
She wasn’t outright making physical contact, but I could tell she was subtly closing the distance. It seemed like she’d developed feelings for me.
“I owe you all a great debt. My family must repay you somehow…”
“No need for that. You need every coin you can get to rebuild your house. If you really want to repay me, do it when you’re in a better position.”
“What do you mean ‘better position’? Don’t underestimate Belmore’s strength. We still have plenty of resources, and I’ve been saving up money myself.”
She took out three small gift boxes and handed one each to me, Kalian, and Victoria.
Opening mine, I found a shimmering gemstone inside.
It radiated a soft glow even in the shadows—definitely not an ordinary jewel, but a magic crystal.
Magic crystals were compressed forms of mana, used for crafting magical artifacts or unleashing large-scale spells.
“As expected of a family renowned for their magic. Even their gifts are different. These are nearly the size of a fist—are you sure you’re not overdoing it?”
“For those who saved my family, this is the least I can do. Please, just accept it.”
“You’re practically a walking treasury. I’m guessing you gave Ibelin the same thing? Even if I combined my family’s annual budget, we wouldn’t be able to afford something like this.”
“Hehe, the Belmore family motto is ‘Magic and Practicality.’ We don’t just research magic—we also know how to make money.”
Elia stepped even closer, her body brushing against mine.
I could feel the warmth of her skin, her breath steady and calm.
“If you were to join our family, you could enjoy luxuries like this all the time.”
“Why are you being so blunt about it?”
“Oh my, blunt? Whatever do you mean? I was simply making an observation.”
She grinned meaningfully before stepping back.
Meanwhile, Kalian had turned his attention to Victoria.
She was blankly staring at the magic crystal in her hands, seemingly trying to figure out what it was.
Upon realizing it wasn’t food, she looked visibly disappointed.
Kalian chuckled.
“Victoria, hold that out for a second. I’ll show you something fun.”
“Hm? Like this?”
“Yes, now watch.”
He brought his magic crystal close to Victoria’s and channeled a steady stream of mana.
The energy swirling inside the crystals expanded and intertwined, forming a luminous sphere that gently enveloped us.
Soft, warm lights twirled like a living aurora, taking on the shapes of different animals—birds, cats, and puppies made of pure mana pranced around Victoria.
“Wow…!”
Victoria gasped, eyes wide with childlike wonder.
She reached out to pet the glowing creatures, her fingers passing through the ethereal forms like a warm breeze.
Kalian watched her with a pleased smile.
Looking at the two of them, a thought crossed my mind.
Should I set them up on a date?