And that was when I learned everything.
In fact, I might have already suspected it.
The people’s gaze, the abilities I’ve had since birth, the ability my father never showed me, the identity of the ability he would never reveal.
And above all, my mother, who was nothing like me.
I am not the daughter of Nephthys Archbold.
So, I gave up on my dreams.
I am the key brought from the Demon Realm.
As such, I will eliminate the threats to the Demon Realm and protect the world as the key.
– It’s just a matter of sacrificing me, right? My mother is always like this!
– I told you it’s not allowed! Absolutely not!
My mother opposed it.
But, as always, her objections were nothing more than stubbornness. In fact, she had no solid solution to the Cult’s attack using the Demon Realm, and all she could do was slow the approach of the Demon Realm by manipulating time.
At this rate, the continent would be in danger. There were even rumors that ‘otherworldly’ creatures could already be seen in the skies of the northern region.
In the end, I secretly crossed into the Demon Realm with my abilities, without my mother knowing.
The Demon Realm was barren, dark, and suffocating, but I felt at home here, and I could move freely.
I also discovered what the “key” the elders had spoken of was. It was something that could control the Demon Realm.
The Demon Realm was actually a collection of massive drifting objects, constantly sailing along random paths. When they got caught in the gravity of another world, the creatures from the Demon Realm would invade that world and destroy it.
After the gravity of the destroyed world disappeared, the creatures of the Demon Realm would move to another world, and the cycle continued.
The entity that controlled this path of the Demon Realm was the “key.” A creature with the blood of the Demon Realm would gain this right.
Upon entering the Demon Realm, I first killed the “other key” that the Cult had planted and absorbed its power to form a contract.
Now, I became the key and guided the Demon Realm to move on a different trajectory, not towards the continent.
Spatial coordinates could easily be lost with even a slight miscalculation. The Cult would no longer be able to access the Demon Realm through portals.
Now, everything was safe.
But there was one thing that bothered me.
– There is a world with a fixed dimensional passage to the Demon Realm.
So, I waited.
Eventually, the Cult would attempt to enter the Demon Realm through that world.
And, as expected,
The cunning enemy appeared right before my eyes.
* * *
“Kuh!”
Bastion of the Cult was pushed back, coughing up blood.
He, wearing a large red scar on his body, lifted his head.
Step by step.
Lorraine, with red horns on her forehead and demonic wings spreading from her back, was staring down at him with cold eyes.
– Kiiiii!
– Gegegege!
Behind her, numerous horned Demon Realm creatures were toying with the Golden Army soldiers. Bird-like monsters were swallowing the soldiers, and horned demons were grabbing the soldiers and dropping them below the surface of the Demon Realm.
“…The people of the Thousand Year Fragrance really would call this place hell.”
Swoosh.
Wiping the blood from his lips, Bastion glared at Lorraine.
The scar on his chest, inflicted by Lorraine, was turning bright red. She was strong.
“Do you think the people of the continent will recognize you for this? Lorraine Archbold! No, you’re just a survivor of an experiment with no record!”
“…”
She slowly closed her eyes.
“I had a dream.”
“?”
“I dreamed of being with them, laughing, crying, and leading the world in the right way.”
Her eyes slowly opened.
“But that wasn’t my fate. This is my fate. Whether they acknowledge it or not, I will protect the things that I cherish in my own way.”
“…A monster.”
It was hard to breathe.
After catching his breath, Bastion grinned faintly.
“This is not over.”
He threw the chains into the crack he entered from, and his body was sucked into the crack.
Whoosh!
Just like that, Bastion quickly emerged from the painting and returned to the snowy winter forest of the Thousand Year Fragrance.
The Golden Army soldiers waiting nearby approached in surprise.
[What happened, Bastion?]
[That wound…]
Cough, cough!
After spitting out blood, he wiped his lips and glared at the painting.
“There’s been an unexpected problem. Call Jin-Hyun here.”
[Yes.]
Just as one of the Golden Army soldiers was preparing to leave the winter forest,
Chwaaa!
A red slash cut through, and a blood spurt rose from the Golden Army soldier’s back. The soldier fell, and someone slowly walked out of the painting.
“Did you think I would just wait quietly in the Demon Realm?”
She spoke in a cold voice.
“I won’t let you escape.”
“Lorraine Archbold…!”
Bastion gritted his teeth, leading with his chain sword, then examined her appearance. Her body was turning to ashes and was on the verge of collapse.
“You’ve already become a creature of the Demon Realm.”
He raised his lips.
“Did you absorb the power and contract as the key? It’s dangerous to stay outside the Demon Realm for too long with that body. Isn’t it?”
“I don’t care.”
She raised her hand, and red light flickered, condensing into the form of a dagger.
“Before that, I’ll just eliminate all of you.”
“We’ll see.”
At Bastion’s signal,
Hmm- um- hmmm- um-
The recorded song of Jin-Hyun echoed. Thousands of immortal soldiers began to raise their heads and brandish their weapons.
“No matter how much you have the power of the Demon Realm, how will you handle this many undead soldiers…”
His triumphant words were suddenly cut off.
Kuguguguguk-
A strong vibration shook the ground. Everyone turned around.
Kwa- kwa- kwa- kwa- kwa-!
A huge black tidal wave was heading toward them.
Within the moving black wave, countless eyes were flashing.
[Undead!]
A black flag was raised high.
The notorious ‘Legion of Evil,’ the 7th Legion’s dead, poured out fiercely. Countless undead soldiers relentlessly struck the backline of the immortal army.
“Damn it!”
Bastion and the Golden Army soldiers rushed out to block it.
“Simooooon…!”
Lorraine’s pupils shook.
She had decided to fulfill her fate to protect the continent. She believed this decision would never waver.
But the face that kept appearing until the end.
– Thank you, Lorraine.
The face of the boy with blue hair flashed in her mind.
She bit her lip.
‘If it’s Simon, he can win.’
This was not her stage.
Before her resolve wavered further, she had to return. She stepped back, slowly turning her back, and walked back into the painting.
Whoooooosh-
She passed through the painting and returned to the Demon Realm.
Darkness.
A dusty, barren field.
“…”
This was where I belonged. Thinking that, she took the dagger and slashed at the crack leading to the Thousand Year Fragrance.
Chwaa!
The gap connecting the two worlds was slowly closing. She stared at it blankly, then slowly sat on the stairs.
“Hang in there, Simon.”
As she murmured weakly,
Chwaaa!
Suddenly, another space tore open, and an arm shot out.
<Legion Flag – Biwol>
Grab!
Her hand was grabbed. Before she could say anything, she was pulled through the forcibly opened space.
Chwaa!
She was pulled back to the snowy winter forest of the Thousand Year Fragrance.
With the ‘grab’ sound—
A warm embrace was felt.
“Lorraine.”
In the winter forest, where the legion was clashing with the undead army,
The boy with blue hair spoke softly, holding her.
“This time, I won’t miss.”