Thin hair fluttering this way and that with the wind, six wings scattering the gaze chaotically, strong and smooth movements, and above all… the twinkling eyes that announce the scene is alive, like a picture.
Hills stared blankly at Arundel for a while.
And then their eyes met for a moment.
Arundel approached Hills as if choosing the next opponent. Soon, the spear was threateningly pointed under his neck.
“Draw your sword.”
A voice as cold as the icy eyes that could freeze everything flowed out.
Overwhelmed, Hills couldn’t take any action. He only realized that the meaningless sword he had brought was in his hand because of the angel’s words.
“…You don’t seem to have the will to fight.”
A slightly softened voice flowed out.
“Go. If you stay here, you’ll only lose your life.”
Arundel put away her spear. And then she disappeared somewhere else.
Perhaps she thought it was pitiful to just slay the inadequate demon.
By the time Arundel’s figure was no longer visible, Hills had returned to his nest.
His heart was still pounding, and his hands and feet seemed to be trembling.
It was a thrill he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
In the past, the young demon used to shudder when he defeated a strong enemy. Of course, he hadn’t experienced it at all since he realized it was all a futile act.
Hills felt his strong heartbeat and gathered the materials he had brought during the day.
He had drawn all the progress of the spell. He had also set up a solid barrier, so if he just recites the spell, he will be dormant for hundreds of years.
But his mouth wouldn’t open.
‘…’
Hills stared intently at the spell formation.
He was troubled. It was because of the angel he had seen earlier. It was an entity that had made him shudder after a long time.
However, it was not hasty to give up hibernation because of this moment’s emotion.
Hibernation was not something that could be done at any time, and if he gave up now, he would have to live with his eyes open for hundreds of years again.
‘Yes.’
He will not give up hibernation.
But if he wakes up and remembers that angel again, then he will go and see her.
Hoping that she is an existence that can cause ripples over this calm surface-like life.
****
And then a long time passed again.
The blue sprouts sprouted, the yellow sun spewed heat, the ground turned red with fallen leaves, and the white snow fell. How many hundreds of times had this cycle repeated?
Light poured into the eyes of the black dragon.
As the eyelids fluttered, the purple pupils appeared and disappeared repeatedly.
“Hmm.”
The dragon raised his stiff body. Soon, he was enveloped in bright light and transformed into a human form.
Hills sat blankly for a moment and chased away the sleep. Then his head cleared up.
“Um…”
And he got up.
As soon as he came to his senses, he realized what he had to do.
“Shall I go find that angel?”
As soon as he got up, his heart fluttered at the fact that there was something he wanted to do.
Hills went outside and looked at his reflection in the water. Hills, who was quietly looking at his face, thought.
First, wash a little.
He couldn’t show up like this.
****
Finding Arundel was not difficult. When he asked the demons, he quickly found out her location.
The angel was on a ship.
[I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I hate demons the most. So don’t say creepy things like let’s get along.]
But the solid guard, like a steel fortress, did not easily loosen.
It was from then on.
The relationship with Arundel began to deviate little by little.
He used a woman named Mary as bait to tempt Arundel. He didn’t want to break up like this. He wanted to be involved, even a little.
Even if it was a dangerous thing.
Well, in conclusion, the forbidden seed did become a reason to turn against Arundel.
And then decades passed again.
Time passed quickly. Leviathan stubbornly stuck to him, knowing that he had woken up from hibernation.
There was no way to go find Arundel, who had returned to heaven, and if he heard rumors that she had appeared in the human world, he thought he would go find her again.
Waiting was not boring. Because he spent every day looking forward to the day he would see that angel again.
The opportunity came again.
“Hills.”
The one who came to the nest was Leviathan.
“I heard you’ve been asking about an angel named Arundel.”
I wonder if the rumor has already reached Leviathan’s ears.
“But?”
Hills, who seemed to have no intention of making excuses, nodded and replied.
“I know where that angel is.”
Hills’ eyes widened for a moment.
“You seem curious.”
“Yes. Very.”
“I can’t just tell you, let’s make a deal.”
Hills scrutinized Leviathan.
He’s a despicable guy, but he wouldn’t lie since he even holds the title of Demon King.
“What do you want?”
“I’m looking for a finder that can detect ancient artifacts.”
“So, if I find that, you’ll tell me where Arundel is.”
“That’s right.”
At first, when he just heard the story, it didn’t seem too hard.
“Roughly where is it?”
“It’s in a place called the Shalbon Kingdom in the human world.”
“Shalbon Kingdom?”
“That’s right. If what I heard is correct, it should be kept under the kingdom’s castle.”
Hills nodded his head.
“But why don’t you find it yourself?”
“I’m not as adept at human life as you are. And I can’t leave the demon world.”
Hmm, he doesn’t seem to be doing anything. Hills grumbled inwardly, but he didn’t scratch Leviathan because he liked the not-so-bad trade conditions.
Hills ended the conversation and headed straight for the Shalbon Kingdom.
‘Come to think of it…’
What excuse to enter the palace.
Hills, who was scratching his head, was soon caught by a guard.
“Identify yourself.”
“Uh… um… I am.”
Hills, who was scratching his head, just blurted out any words.
“I am a merchant summoned by His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Then you must have received a pass. Show it.”
There’s nothing like that…I need to retreat for now. Use invisibility magic to sneak in…
“Stop.”
Then a voice of salvation was heard. When he turned his head, there was a handsome man standing there.
“He is the one I summoned.”
Hills blinked his surprised eyes.
Is that person really the crown prince…? Judging by the flustered guards, it seems he really is the crown prince. Well, it’s surprising, but it wasn’t a bad thing.
“Ah… let him in.”
The guard pushed Hills in. Hills stood next to the crown prince with a flustered expression.
“Follow me.”
The crown prince took the lead and spoke. Hills looked at the back of the crown prince and thought.
Things are going smoothly.
Once safely inside the palace, knock out this crown prince, disguise as a servant, and look for the finder.
Hills waited for the moment when only he and the crown prince were left.
And soon the opportunity came.
The crown prince brought Hills to his bedroom without suspicion. For some reason, even the maids were all gone.
‘The Demon God is helping.’
Now all I have to do is knock out the crown prince who is left alone…
“Do you have the item?”
The timing was missed because the crown prince suddenly turned around.
“Yes.”
I don’t know what he brought, but a natural answer popped out. And he took out a suitable item from the magic bag he always carried and handed it out.
In Hills’ hand was a small glass bottle with a purple liquid sloshing around.
“Is this it. The magic potion that makes you never tremble.”
A magic potion that makes you never tremble…? Not at all, but Hills nodded nonchalantly.
Only then did the crown prince make a somewhat relieved face.
“Thank you. How desperate must I have been to request this from the Black Mage Association.”
“Haha, don’t mention it.”
“Next week I’m going to the Croyden Empire, and the emperor of that country has such a bad reputation that I was too scared to go… With this, I can put aside the worry of trembling like a fool.”
Well, he’s the same person anyway, is he that scared?
Hills didn’t understand the crown prince in front of him, but it was someone else’s business anyway.
‘Maybe I should ask while I’m at it.’
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince. Did you know that these days, the Hunter’s Guild is eyeing a treasure under the Shalbon Kingdom?”
When Hills cheekily brought up the treasure, the crown prince showed a sneer.
“Foolish fellows. No one can touch the treasure managed by the kingdom. The top five magicians of the palace have set up a barrier.”
Oh, I see.
“Well, that’s a relief. I just mentioned it just in case.”
Hills got up from his seat without any lingering feelings about the sufficient information.
“I should go now. The next guest is waiting.”
And when he said goodbye, the crown prince looked worried.
“I trust you, but you must never talk about this deal to anyone else.”
“Of course.”
Hills smiled slyly and leisurely left the crown prince’s bedroom. And just in time, he quickly knocked out a servant who was coming.
Hills, who quickly changed into the clothes he was wearing, was the perfect image of a servant.
‘He said they set up a barrier.’
In their own way, they must have thought they were protecting it, but such a strong barrier was easy to detect.
It’s like advertising, “I’m here!”
Sure enough, when he closed his eyes and concentrated, he felt a strong energy from below. Hills followed the energy and walked a little at a time.
Soon he reached a flat ground outdoors, and a faint outline was visible between the grass.
When he tapped it a few times with his foot, the entrance opened wide.
Following the path down, as the crown prince had said, a strong barrier was set up.
Of course, breaking a barrier made by humans was as easy as crushing a cookie.
When the barrier collapsed, the treasures of the palace were revealed.
‘Why do humans collect these things? Even if they don’t know how to use them.’
Anyway, humans were sometimes more greedy than demons. They seemed to collect and see if it was just shiny and big.
Hills grumbled and looked around.
‘There it is.’
It was the finder that Leviathan had mentioned. Unlike the gold nugget-like object, the finder was emitting magic.
****
“Here.”
Hills, who had returned to the demon world, turned to Leviathan. Because he wanted to throw this magic tool quickly and go find Arundel.
“You found it well.”
“Now tell me. Where is Arundel?”
At Hills’ urging, Leviathan opened his mouth while examining the finder.
“You must know that the angel touched the forbidden seed and caused a commotion in heaven and the demon world for a while.”
“Uh… Yeah”
It was a well-known story. I know it too well.
“So she was punished.”
“Punished?”
Hills’ face stiffened for a moment.
“The rumor is that she was trapped in a human body.”
“Which human?”
“I don’t know that.”
At the irresponsible words, Hills glared at Leviathan. But Leviathan, who was engrossed in the finder, didn’t notice at all.
‘I’d like to hit him.’
But there was no time for that.
He was in a hurry. He didn’t feel good thinking about Arundel groaning alone, trapped in a human body.
When Hills tried to leave his spot, Leviathan called Hills to stop.
“Hills. Aren’t you curious what I’m going to do with this finder?”
‘What am I supposed to know about that?’
Hills thought it would be better to ignore it than to say a harsh word, so he left his spot without answering. If he kept talking with that guy, he might really hit him.
Hills, who had left the demon world, dug into Arundel’s location for a while.
And in just three days, Hills found out. That Arundel is in the body of the Empress of the Croyden Empire.
‘Wait a little, Arundel.’
With his heart fluttering with the expectation of finally seeing Arundel, Hills headed for the human world.
