“Tell me, how to save Mary.”
As if he had expected it, Hills grinned. Somehow, she felt like a rat caught in a trap, but it was already too late.
“The forbidden seed.”
Seed…? At Hills’ unclear words, wrinkles formed on Arundel’s beautiful forehead.
“If it’s the ‘forbidden seed’, you can save the woman.”
“A seed, you say…?”
It was an unusual name.
An item with the word ‘forbidden’ in it was either in an incredibly dangerous place or required a tremendous price to pay, one of the two.
“It’s a treasure of the demon world.”
She thought so. Arundel spat out words in annoyance without realizing it.
“Now, to me, an angel, touch the treasure of the demon world? Are you out of your mind?”
Yes, even though she asked, a part of her heart was anxious.
She asked because she was intrigued by Hills’ confident words, but it was indeed an impossible task.
Saving a dying life is impossible, whether it’s an angel with outstanding abilities, a demon, or even a god.
Whether it’s a forbidden seed or whatever, it’s a treasure of the demon world, and I, an angel, can’t touch it, and even if I bring it over, there was no guarantee that it would heal Mary as he said.
Arundel stood up from her spot as if she had no more business to talk to him.
“I was a fool for expecting.”
“Why? Don’t you have confidence?”
At Hills’ provocative voice, Arundel, who was momentarily angry, hit his chest hard. And she grabbed the neck that was leaning against the wall.
“Do you find it funny that I’m desperate for a human right now?”
“I never said that.”
Even though his throat was being choked, Hills didn’t seem scared.
“I told you how to save the woman, and Arundel is the one who makes the choice.”
She took back the hand that was grabbing his throat. There was a red mark on his throat, but he didn’t seem to care much.
Arundel looked straight at Hills.
“Where is the seed?”
“In the abyss of the demon world.”
Arundel had to hold back her anger once again.
If it was the ‘abyss of the demon world’, it was a place where even Arundel, who had been traveling between the demon world and the heavenly world, had never set foot.
It was known to be a very deep place in the demon world and also a dangerous place.
‘Yeah… it’s a treasure of the demon world… it’s right to be in a deep and dangerous place…’
Arundel thought as if she was giving up.
“Don’t worry. I, Hills, am here.”
Arundel squinted her eyes and looked at Hills. His expression looked confident.
“You thought I would send Arundel alone to that dangerous place? Of course, I’m going too.”
“No. I don’t need you.”
Arundel refused outright.
She didn’t want to owe him any more. She was already sick of getting food from him for her stomach.
She refused to owe the demon guy again.
“You can’t go alone. You’ll be discovered by demons while you’re going, and you don’t know the way. Can you even recognize the seed?”
At his correct words, Arundel showed a flustered look for the first time.
“Even if it’s the Archangel Arundel, she can’t handle that many demons.”
But she couldn’t agree right away because of her pride. Arundel asked with a smirk.
“So, if you go with me, we won’t be discovered?”
“Of course.”
Hills nodded with some kind of confidence.
“I have a cloak of the night.”
…? What’s that?
Hills explained about the item when he noticed Arundel’s wrinkled forehead.
“The cloak of the night is one of the magical tools that can hide any energy. With this cloak, you can hide even the strongest energy.”
“You have such a magical tool…?”
Just by hearing the explanation, it was a magical tool equivalent to a treasure.
Does this demon have such an expensive and precious tool…?
When Hills saw Arundel’s disbelieving face, he pulled out a sparkling black cloak from the black hole-like bag.
“Here, look.”
When Hills deliberately exhaled magic and put on the cloak, the energy was not felt as if it was not there in the first place.
Soon after taking off the cloak and collecting the energy, Hills had a triumphant expression.
“Did you see?”
“…I see.”
Now she was starting to question his identity.
His actions looked like a clumsy lower demon, and so did the wings he took off.
It was unusual to have a black hole-like bag and a strange cloak like a high-end magical tool.
‘Anyway, that’s not important.’
Arundel suppressed her suspicion and spoke to Hills.
“You didn’t lie about what you said, did you?”
“Of course! You even have my wings!”
That’s right. She still had his wings. But she was still not at ease.
In fact, even without wings, it’s inconvenient, but it’s not a big problem to live.
“Oh, you still don’t trust me?”
“…”
Yes. Arundel answered with her eyes.
Hills hit his chest a few times as if he was frustrated, and his eyes sparkled.
“I didn’t want to do this.”
Hills put his hand into his own chest. Like passing through the body of a ghost, his hand went through his body smoothly.
And in the hand he pulled out, there was a black heart.
“What, what are you doing? Put it back in…!”
Arundel, who was surprised, tried to stop Hills, but Hills didn’t seem to have any intention of doing so.
As he muttered something, the heart turned into a jewel with a black glow like wings.
Hills handed over the jewel.
“Here.”
“Are you crazy, why should I take this!”
“You don’t trust me, Arundel.”
“I’ll trust you, I’ll trust you! Put it back in right away!”
“You crazy bastard!”
As Arundel strongly protested, Hills looked down at the jewel and put it back into his chest.
“You really, what’s wrong with you?”
Why is it, it was clearly a demon’s heart that was taken out, but it feels like my heart was the one being taken out. Her hand was all sweaty.
“Because you don’t trust me.”
“So you give your heart to anyone?”
“Not just anyone. I’m giving it because it’s Arundel.”
At his matter-of-fact tone, Arundel momentarily wore a dumbfounded expression, but quickly erased it.
“That’s it. We don’t have time for this, let’s go.”
Hills nodded his head. Arundel, who had taken the cloak, wrapped it around her body.
Hills asked Arundel, who was ready.
“Are you ready?”
“Yeah.”
Hills’ hand hesitated at Arundel’s waist.
“What are you doing?”
“Ah…well…if you want to go, we have to stick together…”
Arundel grabbed Hills’ hand and wrapped it around her waist. And likewise, she put his hand on Hills’ back.
“Is this okay?”
“Ah…yeah.”
Hmm…? The body is a bit hot? As she thought that, the two disappeared with a strong light.
****
Arundel staggered, unable to hold her body due to the strong shock.
“Ugh!”
Hills quickly reached out and grabbed Arundel’s shoulder.
Suddenly, the incoming magic made her dizzy. Arundel had to strain her head to regain her senses.
Fortunately, her body soon returned to normal. Arundel took off Hills’ hand.
“I’m fine now.”
Arundel looked around.
“The entrance to the demon world…?”
“You recognize it. That’s right.”
She had swept through here and there during the Heavenly Demon War, so she knew roughly about the demon world. Especially the entrance, she could never forget.
It was a place where she had calmed her nerves before the battle.
“From here, we have to go to the gorge, but it takes too long to walk.”
“Then?”
“Magic can be easily noticed, so we have to fly.”
That’s a good idea. Arundel, who was nodding her head, reached out her hand.
“Can you give me back my wings?”
Arundel took out Hills’ wings, which she had put in her robe pocket, and handed them over.
The black jewel made a crackling sound and shattered in an instant, and black wings sprouted on Hills’ back.
He stood in front of Arundel, flapping his wings.
“I’ll tell you what to watch out for.”
“Yeah.”
“First, never take off the cloak. The moment you take it off, the energy will leak out.”
Arundel once again opened the cloak.
“Second, never answer if another demon talks to you. Don’t ever show your face either. Arundel is a famous person in the demon world.”
…I see. Arundel nodded her head.
“Lastly, I’ll show you the way, but when you arrive at the gorge, Arundel has to get the seed by herself. I have to keep watch just in case.”
“I understand.”
“Oh, and just a moment.”
Saying that, Hills closed his eyes and concentrated. Then a yellow jewel emitting a brilliant light appeared in his hand.
“You need something to switch.”
…Smart guy. Suddenly, she felt like he was looking at a different demon. Is this because the demon world is his territory?
Arundel secretly admired Hills’ changed appearance. Of course, she never showed it on the outside.
“Hold it well.”
Arundel carefully put the fake seed she received into her pocket.
“Let’s go now.”
Hills flapped his wings hard. And he put his hands behind Arundel’s shoulders and knees and lifted her.
They took off to the air in an instant. At the incredibly fast speed, Arundel had to close her eyes.
“How long do we have to go like this?”
“Well, probably about an hour?”
Wow, we have to go like this for an hour.
“But Arundel, who had a conscience, didn’t complain. The one being carried was harder than the one carrying.
“Just be quiet for a moment.”
Hills whispered urgently towards Arundel. Arundel nodded her head, looking puzzled.
“Oh, Hills! Where are you going?”
Soon she found out why. A strange demon spoke in a friendly voice.
Arundel had to hold her breath as well as her words. The strange demon who spoke was emitting an enormous amount of magic. It was dizzying mixed with the energy of the demon world.
Apparently, it was hard to withstand the magic alone, without other angels.
“Just a moment, to the nest.”
Hills answered in a completely different voice than the one he had been speaking to her. The colorful voice became monotonous.
“What is that human? A sacrifice?”
“Mind your own business.”
A cold voice flowed from Hills. It was hard to believe that he was the same person as the immature demon who had been fluttering in front of her.
“Kid, you’re grumpy. You know the Demon King worries a lot about you, right? You should visit sometime.”
“Ugh.”
It was a voice that seemed like he would never visit.
“Yeah, see you next time.”
Hills flew away without even answering. But the other party was friendly enough to talk, Hills didn’t seem to think so.
And above all,
‘The Demon King…?’
If he could talk to the Demon King, he’s not an ordinary demon.
Of course, in the demon world, the existence of the Demon King was not as absolute as in Mannheim, but it was still number two.
Arundel, who couldn’t contain her curiosity, asked.
“Are you close to the Demon King?”
“No!”
Hills answered in surprise.
“…Then why does the Demon King look for you?”
“He probably needs someone to use. That’s why being a popular demon is tiring.”
Hills answered with a cheeky expression. Arundel, who was looking up at him from below, was a little surprised at his atmosphere.
It was definitely different from when he was talking to that strange demon earlier.
“We’ll be arriving soon!”
Arundel looked ahead around Hills. As he said, a rugged gorge was visible.
Arundel thought, calming her tense heart.
Now that she had come this far, she had to get the seed and save Mary and the child in her belly.
Her silver pupils were filled with determination.
