Oh…
Am I going to die like this?
Shekina looked up at the collapsing ceiling with a dazed expression.
‘Sera.’
– Why are you calling me?
‘Can’t you teleport us again?’
– If I could, I would have already done it myself.
Ah,
A familiar servant who only thinks of herself and abandons her master. Got it.
Shekina glanced around.
The ceiling was cracking and crumbling with loud noises.
They say even when the sky falls, there’s always a way out.
Hmm.
No matter how much she searched, there was nothing.
“This is really bad.”
If she stayed there, she would either die from being crushed by the debris, buried alive, or suffocated. One way or another, she was going to die.
“Hahaha.”
Isn’t this too harsh a punishment just for playing a little trick on Lucifer?
I have so many more tricks to play. I can’t die like this. I still want to mess with him at least one more time!
“Lady Shekina!”
At that moment, Dehan rushed over and grabbed Shekina by the shoulder. Just then, debris crashed down right where Shekina had been standing.
Hiccup! Shekina hiccuped and trembled.
“There must be a door to the outside in the basement. We just need to find it. So be careful around you. I’ll look around.”
“Huh? Oh… okay.”
Shekina raised her chin. Dehan’s face was slightly stiff. He was only five years old, a small and cute child who hadn’t even lost his baby fat.
But why?
Why does Dehan look so much like someone she had seen before?
– Please hold my hand!
– I will save you!
That hand that held me, the warmth that embraced her, the kind gaze.
All these memories flooded Shekina’s mind.
“Lady Shekina?”
Dehan tilted his head in confusion as he looked at Shekina, then quickly continued speaking.
“Didn’t I say I wanted to stay by your side? So, it should be me who protects you.”
These were words she had heard before.
– I always want to be by your side.
– That’s the only way I can protect you.
Her heart felt strange.
It churned as if she was about to vomit.
Because it feels like the same emotions are surfacing as before…
“Damn it! Seriously!”
Shekina grabbed the back of her neck and closed her eyes tightly.
After all that, again! Again! This foolish Shekina! Stupid Shekina!
“Get lost! I’m leaving!”
“…What?”
“Don’t touch me. If you do, I’ll kill you.”
“…What?”
“Lead the way! Hurry!”
Shekina pushed Dehan ahead, forcing him to go first. She couldn’t bear to look at his face because it would stir up those old emotions, and she wouldn’t be able to stay sane.
Of course, not that she was exactly in her right mind, but still.
“Uh… Okay. I’ll go that way.”
Is it anger management issues? Dehan was confused but did as Shekina commanded.
Rumble!
A loud noise came from above.
It felt like the passageway might collapse at any moment. Dehan had no choice but to grab Shekina’s wrist and start running.
“Run!”
“I told you not to touch me!”
“Just run for now!”
Is he raising his voice at me? Right now?
Shekina stared at Dehan with her mouth wide open, but his determined back didn’t seem to care. So Shekina reluctantly bowed her head and let herself be dragged by Dehan as they ran.
– Do you like that guy?
Sera, who was running beside them, asked.
‘What are you talking about? No, I don’t.’
– But it seems like you do.
‘No, I don’t!’
– The more you deny it, the more…
‘One week locked in Calvin’s room.’
– Hey!
Ignoring Sera’s outburst, Shekina turned her gaze back to Dehan.
She knew. She couldn’t just see Dehan as a mere friend. She had loved him countless times before.
But still, she didn’t want to feel that way this time.
Ring!
[SYSTEM]
The main quest’s success condition is ‘killing the hero!’
If you fail, you will die!
There’s no time to be sentimental, huh? Haha. That’s just great.
‘Shut up. I know already.’
Shekina gave a half-hearted response and shook her head a few times.
Focus on what’s in front of you for now. Think about everything else later. After everything is over…
Rumble!
“Lady Shekina!”
At that moment, the ceiling of the passage they were running through suddenly collapsed. Dehan, who was ahead, still had some space, but Shekina had no room to avoid it. So she tightly curled her shoulders and closed her eyes, hoping to lessen the impact.
But then…
“Huh?”
Why doesn’t it hurt?
Shekina slowly opened her eyes.
She saw Dehan holding her tightly in his arms, shielding her. She also saw the debris falling behind Dehan’s back. What? What’s happening?
“Hold your breath. It’ll be over soon.”
No, you’ll die if you do that…!
Boom!
Everything went black.
Before losing consciousness, Shekina smelled blood at the tip of her nose.
No, this can’t be happening…
***
Turning back time, right after Shekina left for the papal palace with Dehan.
The Demon King, Lucart, was still in a foul mood.
“My lord. How long are you going to stay like this?”
Arthur grumbled as he scolded Lucart.
“You’re acting just like a rebellious young demon…”
“Shut up.”
Lucart snapped, letting out a long sigh and rubbing his forehead. Noticing the emotion in that sigh, Arthur narrowed his eyes and studied Lucart.
“Do you still doubt Shekina? Do you think she’ll do something else at the papal palace?”
This is really frustrating.
How kind, innocent, and adorable is our Shekina!
How long is he going to keep doubting her!
If he doubts her one more time, I’ll hit him, Demon King or not, and then deal with the consequences.
Just as Arthur’s anger was about to reach its peak.
“That’s part of it, but…”
Lucart continued.
“I have a bad feeling.”
“…What?”
“Something feels off.”
Lucart frowned as he stroked his chin.
“I have a bad premonition. Like something is about to happen…”
Lucart’s premonitions were often accurate, thanks to the power of future foresight inherited from the previous Demon King.
But they weren’t perfect, and sometimes he was wrong.
“Isn’t it just a baseless fear?”
Arthur shrugged his shoulders.
“We’re in the capital. It’s full of humans. What could happen? The worst thing might be some humans fighting among themselves.”
Arthur muttered as he gazed out at the peaceful street through the window.
“Unless some crazy person decides to stir up trouble… Wait, what?”
What? What the…
Arthur’s eyes widened.
“Now that I think about it, Shekina is a bit crazy.”
Oops. I forgot about that.
“Should we… go check on her?”
They quickly left the room.
***
And now, in the present.
“Khueeeekkk!”
Lucart rubbed his eyes a few times, but the scene before him remained unchanged.
There were monsters.
And not just one or two, but a lot of big ones.
And to make matters worse, they were inside… the Central Temple.
One, two, three… How many of them are there?
“What… is this?”
Lucart muttered as he looked at the completely collapsed temple building.
“Where’s Shekina?”
