CHAPTER 32
“…Everyone. Step away from the wall.”
Asterios in the white mask raised his hand toward the wall, only his crimson eyes glowing red.
This tower had been specially enchanted to protect her, fortified with magic to deflect any attack.
Just moments ago, someone had entered the tower, and the door had closed behind them. The conditions for activating the tower’s barrier were met.
Wooooong.
“Captain.”
Mari, his loyal shadow, called out to Asterios with worried eyes.
Now knights of the Imperial Princess Roziana’s royal guard, they all turned their gaze to their captain, Duke Tenebres.
Beneath his white mask, only his bloodied, bitten lips were faintly visible.
“It’s fine. It’ll only take a moment.”
Everyone held their breath in suspense.
The tower’s protective barrier had been built using the empire’s greatest magical secrets, relics, and the emperor’s power.
Such a tower wouldn’t crumble easily.
The three Gold Guardians whispered among themselves.
“Wouldn’t it be better to go to the top of the tower and signal for help instead?”
Since the emperor had suddenly appointed the young man from the Tenebres family as the princess’s guard captain, Fiona, Angela, and Thomas knew nothing of his true power.
If the emperor himself didn’t come to unlock the tower, weren’t they practically trapped?
Even with powerful internal or external attacks, the tower would endure for a long time.
Meanwhile—
A dark aura burst from the body of their captain, Duke Tenebres.
“Gasp, that’s the power of the Black Dragon!”
“My god! I never thought I’d witness the power of a Black Dragon Master in person. He’s a Sword Master too, right? But that ability was only granted to him in the entire Grand Duchy, wasn’t it?”
“Shh! Quiet, both of you! The captain will hear.”
As Fiona scolded Angela and Thomas—
Flash!
A brilliant light burst from Tenebres’s hand.
“Sorry, everyone. I’ll make it up to you when I return.”
Muttering to herself, Roziana ran quickly under the darkest sky.
“Nova.”
Whoosh.
At her call, a golden griffin appeared beneath her feet and soared into the air with her aboard.
“That way!”
In the air, a golden-winged lion carrying Leodian clashed with a massive black shadow.
Boom! Boom! Lightning flashed in the dark sky, and the powerful forces collided, shaking the very air.
“Stop! Halt right there!”
Roziana shouted from atop Nova as she flew in.
Leodian spotted her and screamed, his face stricken.
“No! Rozi!”
He had barely held off Mephisto, and now his breath came fast and ragged.
Despite the emperor’s command, Roziana flew directly toward the black figure.
“Father, trust me.”
Mephisto, startled, couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Rozi?”
He had thought she’d be quietly hiding in the palace, but the princess had appeared before him herself.
And atop a golden griffin, no less.
A brilliantly beautiful girl approached him.
“Yes, I am Princess Roziana of Dreat. What reason do you have to attack us like this?”
A smile crept across Mephisto’s face at her boldness.
In nearly a thousand years, he had never seen such a beautiful and courageous girl.
“Well, well.”
He couldn’t help but smirk.
For the first time in his life, the dark sorcerer felt his blood stir with excitement.
A suppressed desire surged like wildfire, and every cell in his body cried out to claim her.
Mephisto licked his lips, trying to suppress the overwhelming thrill.
“My lady. Let me first offer my apology.”
My entire being desires you.
“I’m used to taking what I want by force, so I made a mistake.”
The darkness that had radiated from his body slowly receded.
“Want?”
“Yes. I want you.”
“If you wanted to invite me, I might have accepted. Next time, send an invitation. Don’t invade.”
At her words, Mephisto’s eyes widened.
His lips curved up shamelessly.
Such a charming young lady!
An invitation? That had never even occurred to him.
“But my lady, the place I reside isn’t one that can be visited at will. That’s why I must take you myself.”
Staring into his curved smile and black eyes, Roziana furrowed her brows.
A place that can’t be visited freely—then perhaps she might not be able to return freely either.
“Roziana, think again. That place is none other than the Demon Realm!”
Leodian still looked at her with anxious eyes.
But that only solidified Roziana’s resolve. She nodded firmly at her father.
She had to go. For the empire to be safe.
Even from a distance, Leodian felt he could hear her words through her eyes.
It’s okay, Dad. Please trust me.
His golden eyes trembled, and his vision blurred.
Roziana turned calmly to face the dark invader again.
Her violet eyes gleamed brightly.
“…I’ll go. So don’t harm anyone.”
“If my lady desires it, I shall obey.”
Mephisto smiled softly and descended to the ground.
Roziana landed and approached him, placing her hand atop his offered one.
Mephisto, oddly polite for such a dark being, beamed brightly.
Seeing this, Leodian recoiled in shock.
“Swear it. If I go with you, you won’t hurt anyone.”
“Of course, my lady.”
“And remove the monsters you brought.”
“Ahh. As expected, you’re perfect.”
Chuckling, Mephisto waved his hand, vanishing all the beasts in an instant.
The sudden silence deepened the gloom of the dark palace.
“Shall we go, my lady?”
Roziana frowned slightly at the overly romantic title.
Regardless, Mephisto fixed his gaze on her and kissed the back of her hand, murmuring a spell.
And the two were quickly swallowed into the darkness.
In the deepest, hidden forest of the palace,
Explosions echoed from inside the concealed tower.
Boom! Crash! Boom!
The terrifying noise shook the entire tower and its surroundings.
Soon, thick black smoke billowed out.
The emperor’s fortress—built with ancient magic, the empire’s most powerful enchantments, and the power of dragons—had collapsed.
Asterios burst out through the crumbled walls.
“Princess!”
But it was too late.
The sky had warped, rippling as if something had been swallowed.
Asterios looked in stunned silence toward the dark whirlpool above the princess’s palace.
Erika!
Intent on protecting Roziana from Mephisto, he had never imagined she would go to him willingly.
No one in their right mind would choose to go to the Demon Realm.
“This is insane.”
Asterios roughly swept back his bangs.
Had she planned this from the beginning?
“…I was a fool.”
His jaw clenched.
He had tried to avoid Mephisto, hoping to keep Roziana from the Demon Realm, but she had outmaneuvered him.
I knew she had caught on, but I ignored it.
This was the price of staying silent.
Even if it made her hate him, he should have told her everything.
As smoke billowed behind him, the four royal guards emerged from the ruined tower.
“Captain! Are you alright?”
“Where is Her Highness?”
Asterios said nothing and gazed at the sky.
The sky that had swallowed the gate to the Demon Realm was now pure darkness.
“It seems she’s already gone with Mephisto.”
“Then what now?”
Mari asked, pale with worry.
There was no way to reopen the gate.
“Without magic, one can’t enter the Demon Realm.”
Fiona and Angela turned white.
“Exactly.”
“It’s certain death.”
Even the usually quiet Thomas muttered in despair.
Asterios’s eyes flared red once more.
“If there’s no way, I’ll make one.”
“Captain!”
“Mari, go tell His Majesty I will bring Her Highness back personally.”
“But—”
Before she could finish, light exploded from the power Asterios released.
“!”
In the surrounding darkness, only Asterios Tenebres and his red eyes shone brightly.
“Nox.”
He called forth his darkness.
“Yes, my lord.”
A tall man with gray hair, red eyes, pointed ears, and pale skin appeared silently, kneeling before him.
Everyone was stunned by the presence of the demon.
“To the Demon Realm.”
Asterios vanished into folded space created by Nox.
