The Author's POV



Deep within the vast expanse of the cosmos, a place isolated by the nothingness of space, there was a sudden stir.

The surroundings trembled and quaked as if struggling to contain a force beyond measure. And then, with a sudden shattering of the void, a crack appeared.

Cr… Crack!

Jezebeth emerged from behind the fissure, his form wreathed in a hue of otherworldly energy. 

He gazed out at the myriad stars that peppered the infinite expanse, his expression one of both wonder and seriousness.

Taking in the sights around him, Jezebeth's eyes widened in confusion as he beheld the countless stars twinkling in the distance.

He stood there for a moment, taking in the beauty of it all, unsure of what had happened, before his expression changed, and his demeanor became more serious.

"So that's how it is."

He muttered under his breath, a glint of understanding in his eyes.

In an instant, scenes started to replay inside his mind, and excitement rose from deep within him.

He pressed his hand against his chest, feeling his core pulsating faster as he reveled in his realization. 

'I'm sure of it... he's on his last breath...' 

Whatever happened to him was a last ditch attempt by Ren to buy himself time and delay whatever he was planning.

A pity that he no longer had time. 

He felt it during the last moments... He was done for. The laws within Ren's body were almost faint, and his power was weaker than it had ever been. 

Victory seemed inevitable, but… 

"It's still not over yet. Only once Ren dies will everything finally be over." 

Despite his elation, Jezebeth managed to maintain his composure, knowing that the battle was not yet won.

He closed his eyes and breathed in the chill of the void, letting the energy of the cosmos seep into his very being.

It was a heady sensation, like standing at the edge of a precipice and looking out at the endless horizon. But despite the rush of excitement that pulsed through him, he knew that he had to remain focused.

So he opened his eyes once more and gazed out at the stars with newfound clarity.

"You've run out of time, Ren. I'm sure of it." 

Having understood the motive behind Ren's last actions, Jezebeth knew that the ending was within sight.

A viscous white hue emerged from deep within his body and burst out of him. 

His eyes soon fixed on a certain planet in the far cosmos, and he pressed a hand against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his core. It was a reminder of his mortality, of the fact that even he had not yet grasped the ultimate power he was chasing after. 

It was a feeling he had felt many times, and at the same time, he knew this was the last time he'd feel it.

So long as he absorbed the records, he'd no longer be a mortal. 

Cr— Crack! 

With a sudden burst of energy, another crack appeared in the space before him. Without hesitation, Jezebeth stepped forward, his form engulfed in a pulsing aura of laws.

He vanished through the tear, leaving behind nothing but the faint echo of his voice.

"You can't delay the inevitable." 

***

"So that's your choice... Angelica." 

A soft, yet alluring voice whispered throughout. 

Sat upon her throne, inside of a large hall, her beauty was a striking contrast to the ominous atmosphere around the hall.

Her skin was the color of moonlit silver, with dark, swirling patterns that seemed to shift and move like smoke. Her hair, a deep black, cascaded down her back in loose waves.

Her eyes were the color of molten gold, and they glinted with an otherworldly fire.

"I can't say I didn't see this coming." 

What she saw... she had long seen coming. It wasn't surprising to her. What surprised her was something different. 

"So the strategist is a human, huh... ?" 

The fire within her eyes glinted a different shade as she fell into her own thoughts and leaned back against her throne that was carved from black obsidian, and it seemed to pulse with an ominous energy.

The hall around her was vast and cavernous, with towering pillars that disappeared into the shadows above.

The air was thick with the scent of incense and the distant echoes of the demons within the hall. 

As she sat upon her throne, the demoness radiated a quiet power.

Her long, slender fingers rested on the armrests of her throne, and her gaze was fixed on some distant point beyond the walls of the hall.

Her lips were set in a faint smile, as if she had witnessed something that brought amusement to herself.

Despite her beauty, there was a coldness to her that chilled the very air around her.

Her presence was both alluring and terrifying, drawing anyone to her with a magnetic pull that they could not resist.

And yet, those who gazed into her eyes could see the darkness that lurked within, a darkness that threatened to consume all those who dared to draw too close.

She was none other than Lillith Von Doix, the Pillar Master of the House of Lust, and Angelica's mother. 

"...It really is a pity." 

Tearing her gaze away from the distance, she closed her eyes, and silence returned to the grand halls. 

Raising her hand, she snapped her fingers. 

"Bring her to me." 

***

"It's… It's really nice to have you back, Smallsnake."

Hein could barely keep his emotions in check as he looked at Smallsnake in front of him. Although he had changed over the years, he still looked like the Smallsnake he knew.

"Just wait until Ryan finds out that you're still alive… He'll probably be the most excited."

While everyone missed Smallsnake, the one he was closest to was Ryan. He was also the one who had been hit the hardest by his death, and while he did not show it, he was still heavily impacted by it.

He was still young back then…

"Ryan…"

Muttering under his breath, Smallsnake lowered his head and touched his chin.

"How is he doing?"

"He's doing great. He's… he's grown a lot during the time that you weren't here. In fact, almost everyone has grown a lot during the time that you weren't with us. Funnily enough, Leopold stopped smok—"

"We can continue our talk later."

Perhaps because he was excited about suddenly finding out that Smallsnake was still alive again, Hein started to talk a lot.

He had to be stopped by Angelica, whose words coldly cut through his.

When he turned his head to look at her, he could see that her expression was as cold as it had always been, but…

He could also tell that it was merely an act.

She was probably holding herself back from showing her emotions.

"We don't have time to catch up at the moment. Although I've tried my best to keep them from prying onto us, I can tell that we've been spotted."

The air instantly froze at her words, and everyone turned to look at her.

"We've been spotted? What do you mean by that?"

"It's as I said, Ava."

Turning her head to stare into the distance, her lips twitched, and she lowered her head.

"We've been surrounded."

Rustle—! Rustle—!

Shortly after her words faded, over ten powerful auras exploded out from the bushes, surrounding them.

Hein, and the others were immediately startled by their sudden appearance and drew their weapons.

"Don't resist. It's no use."

Only after hearing Angelica's words did they lower their weapons. They didn't need to be reminded by Angelica to understand that they were unevenly matched at the moment.

One wrong move, and they could very well be meeting their ends…

"Young Miss."

The atmosphere froze once more at the words that came out of one of the demons' mouths. Ava and Hein already had an idea and thus weren't shocked, but the same couldn't be said for Smallsnake, who was taken aback by the situation.

"I'll explain later."

Angelica only left a couple of words before taking a step forward.

"What are you doing here?"

"We've come under Her Highness's orders to bring you back."

"Just me?"

"No."

The demon shook his head, and cast a glance in their direction.

Angelica smirked at the sight.

"Heh… I figured she'd be like that." 

There was clear disappointment in Angelica's expression as she heard those words, but she seemed to have already expected such an answer and was quick to recover her usually cold expression.

"Alright."

She nodded her head, and looked at the demons around her.

"Bring us to her…"

She stopped halfway through, and glared at those surrounding her.

"…May I remind you not to overstep your boundaries. If you so much as harm a hair to them, I'll make sure you guys pay a price adequate to your actions."

Her words didn't bring much of a change in the expressions of the demons, but when Hein paid closer attention, he noticed that their stances straightened up a little.

'Just how high up is her mother?'

That was the same question that arose in the minds of everyone present. None dared to ask, as they remained silent throughout the entire time.

"Follow us, we will escort you to her Highness."

"Okay. "

Following that, they followed Angelica from behind as she followed the demons in front of her. They were reluctant to do so, but seeing that they had no other choice, they could only obediently follow Angelica from behind.

It was the only thing that they could do…

***

"Eh... that's a bit grand..." 

Hein couldn't believe his eyes as he stared at the colossal mountain that lay ahead of him.

He had assumed that they would fly to their destination, given the  fact that every one of them was above Marquis rank and thus could fly.

However, much to his surprise, they were made to walk all the way toward the towering peak that loomed in the distance.

As they trudged along, Hein couldn't help but marvel at the sheer size of the mountain.

Its peak disappeared into the clouds, and its slopes were covered in a thick blanket of snow. The air grew colder with each step they took, and Hein wrapped his cloak tighter around himself, shivering slightly in the biting chill.

"Huuu..." 

Each of his breaths grew misty, and his shoes sank under the tall snow. 

After what felt like hours of walking, they finally reached the foot of the mountain.

Hein's breath hitched as he looked up and saw a magnificent structure etched into the side of the mountain. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

The structure stood tall and majestic, with intricate carvings and sculptures adorning its walls.

The stone used to build it seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly glow, and Hein couldn't help but be in awe of its grandeur. The walls of the structure were adorned with large sculptures of fearsome demons, their eyes seeming to follow Hein's every move.

Hein noticed several demons standing atop the walls, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. Their imposing presence sent a shiver down his spine. Several of them were above his strength, and he wondered if he could fend them off if they fought.

'Probably not.' 

The demons wore elaborate armor, and their eyes glowed with an eerie red hue, making them appear even more menacing.

As they approached the entrance of the structure, Hein couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation mixed with curiosity.

He wondered what lay inside this mysterious mountain fortress. The doors were massive, made of solid iron, and adorned with intricate engravings that seemed to glow a mysterious hue.

"Open the door!"

Clank—

The demons accompanying Hein raised their hands, and the doors creaked open slowly, revealing a grand hall inside.

Hein's eyes widened in amazement as he stepped into the vast chamber. 

The walls were lined with tapestries depicting scenes of battles and conquests, and the ceiling soared high above, adorned with an elaborate mural depicting the history of the demon realm.

At the far end of the hall, Hein caught a glimpse of what appeared to be an obsidian throne, adorned with gemstones that glittered with an otherworldly light.

As he approached, he realized that the throne was occupied by an alluring figure, clad in regal attire and exuding an aura of power. 

Her head was currently resting against her fist, allowing her black hair to cascade down the side of her shoulder. 

The moment they entered, her eyes flicked open, and her gaze paused on Angelica. A faint smile spread across her features as her mouth parted open. 

"What have you been up to, my good daughter?"