Lyat was practically running as he walked through the corridor. He had been cooped up in the laboratory for so long that he was unaware of the outside world. Once he immersed himself in research, he would neither hear nor see anything, focusing solely on the task at hand.
He left the lab because he felt an immense presence of dark energy (magical energy). Such a level of dark energy should not exist in the human world. Was it the appearance of a monster? However, thinking it over, he realized that a few monsters couldn’t exert such overwhelming pressure. So, what exactly was happening?
“My lord!”
Lyat burst into the Demon King’s office.
Inside, the room was filled with a thick concentration of dark energy, even more than what he sensed from outside.
Thump, thump. Lyat’s heart pounded wildly. Could it be that the Demon King had regained his strength? Was that why he could emit such dark energy?
Lyat ran towards the Demon King, who was sitting with his back turned.
“What, what is going on?”
Lucart, who had been gazing out the window, slowly turned his head. His expression was as cold as usual, but Lyat noticed a subtle change.
‘Is he pleased?’
Lyat’s eyes widened slightly. He moved closer to Lucart.
“Did a monster appear? Or have you regained your power…?”
“It was the work of that little homunculus.”
“…Shekina?”
Lucart explained the situation to the bewildered Lyat. He explained that Shekina could summon and control monsters entirely and create a passage to the Demon Realm.
When talking about the summoning magic, Lyat seemed somewhat prepared, but the connection to the Demon Realm left him stunned. He gaped in disbelief.
“The Demon Realm? That Demon Realm? Really?”
Lyat swiped his palm across his face and laughed hollowly.
“How… is that possible…?”
But now, hope seemed to appear. The hope of returning, the hope of living their original lives again.
Lyat’s eye, behind his monocle, sparkled.
“Then, can we return?”
Lucart shook his head.
“There are more monsters than before.”
“Ah….”
“It’s still difficult.”
Lyat visibly showed his disappointment. Lucart felt the same but held onto a shred of hope.
“But that homunculus said she would help me regain my power.”
“Yo… your power, my lord?”
“It seems she knows where my power is.”
Lyat’s eyes widened.
“Then, we should go right away!”
“Lucifer has appeared.”
“…..….”
This time, Lyat thought he might have misheard. He tried to deny the reality, but nothing changed. He sighed deeply and held his forehead.
“Hold on. I’ve heard too much at once, and I can’t quite grasp it. So, Lucifer? That crazy bastard? That lunatic? Didn’t he die? I remember him being dead. How?”
Lucart chuckled.
“He is using black magic. It seems Yurian was used by him.”
Black magic.
Magic with such great risks that it disappeared long ago.
Why, how?
Lyat’s mind raced. If Lucifer’s resurrection, his actions, all connected to black magic…!
Lyat’s face hardened coldly.
“Give me the order. I’ll kill him.”
“No.”
“…What?”
I said it so confidently, and now he’s rejecting me outright? Lyat felt a bit dejected.
But Lucart had no choice but to say it.
– So kill that bastard for me.
Because he had made a promise to that homunculus.
“It’s something I must do.”
He must be the one to kill him.
Lucart grinned faintly and stood up.
“For now, we gather strength. We don’t know when he might appear.”
“But… there’s not much we can do in the human world.”
They must not reveal themselves as demons. Therefore, they must conceal their magical energy as much as possible and use magic discreetly, which weakens its power. Moreover, they had been deprived of dark energy for a long time. Everyone was starving for it. Fighting the Celestial beings or facing black magic in this state would be very risky.
Did Lucart sense Lyat’s thoughts?
He patted Lyat’s shoulder.
“It’s still dangerous to go to the Demon Realm, but we can bring things from there.”
Lyat’s eyes widened.
“Magical energy? We can bring magical energy?”
If that becomes possible, if they can feed magical energy to the demons, then they have a chance. They could make it work.
“We need to create something to contain the magical energy.”
Lucart nodded as he watched Lyat grin widely.
Yes.
There is hope.
The hope that I can return,
And the hope that I can take revenge.
Lucart realized that he had been an incredibly powerless being. He had been making excuses that his powers were sealed and was only trying to avoid reality and run away.
But not anymore.
He would no longer run away; he would fight those guys and regain his powers.
Lucart’s eyes gleamed.
“But… it’s a shame.”
What is?
Here I am, the Demon King, making a new resolve and having such cool thoughts?
Lucart furrowed his brows slightly as he saw the disappointment on Lyat’s face.
“It’s a shame that I wasn’t there to witness our Shekina showing such a cool side. Why was I in the lab? It brings tears to my eyes, really.”
“……….”
Ah.
That.
Lucart shook his head.
The lunatic wasn’t far away. He was right there.
***
Early morning.
Shekina sat on the sofa with her arms crossed, staring into space.
‘System.’
But nothing came out.
‘Seriously, isn’t it coming out?’
Still, nothing changed.
Shekina clicked her tongue and ruffled her hair.
[SYSTEM]
Don’t look for me for a while. And don’t curse at me.
Right, it had said that.
She knew the system wouldn’t respond for a while, but still, come on!
Isn’t this the crucial moment? There were so many things she was curious about and needed to know. She had to check her future plans.
Yet the system was diving away at this moment!
‘Is it because of what it told me about black magic that something went wrong?’
Because she didn’t know what the system was, there wasn’t much she could guess.
‘For now… let’s just wait.’
Shekina sighed and lowered her gaze again.
‘I need to dig more about black magic.’
To do that, she had to go to the Ice Wall.
But there, the first corps of demons were training.
If she went there, it would surely be odd. Moreover, they might discover she knew about black magic.
That was something she still wanted to avoid… what should she do? Shekina fell into thought.
At that moment.
“My Shekina. If you keep frowning like that, your cute face will get ruined.”
Arthur, who had approached unnoticed, pressed down on Shekina’s furrowed brows as he spoke. Shekina shrugged her shoulders and looked at Arthur. Somehow, he seemed to be smiling more brightly today.
“Arthur. Why do you seem in such a good mood today?”
“Because I received your heartfelt words.”
Arthur placed his hand on his chest and smiled.
“You told me I was precious to you.”
Ah.
Shekina’s cheeks flushed.
“……I never said that.”
Arthur found Shekina’s reaction unbearably cute. How could she be so adorable? Arthur wanted to hug her right away, but he held back, fearing he might get hit again.
“But why are you frowning like that? Do you have a problem?”
“Yes.”
Shekina thought for a moment and then nodded.
She thought maybe Arthur could help her.
“I need to go to the Ice Wall.”
“The Ice Wall?”
“Yes. But your guys are training there. I don’t want them to know.”
“Hmm.”
Arthur thought for a moment, then smiled brightly as if he had a good idea, and brought his face closer to Shekina.
“Shall I go with you then?”
Ugh, why is he clinging like this?
Shekina pulled her body back and asked.
“What difference would it make if you went with me?”
Arthur’s eyes sparkled.
“I can make those guys run around until they drop?”
“Oh……”
“Make them train so hard they can’t even pay attention to you?”
“Oh oh……”
“Or knock them out completely?”
As Arthur casually spoke of committing a crime, Shekina thought again.
No matter how normal Arthur seemed, she shouldn’t let her guard down.
