Chapter 69
They died in agony, screaming as their bodies burned.
Their pleas for mercy echoed between the flames—but to Lueri, their cries no longer sounded human.
With a cold expression, the opposite of the blazing inferno, Lueri turned away from them.
He burned down everything in the estate—everything except Diana’s cabin.
Calypso, Alicia, Catherine… and every servant who helped deceive Diana. Even the roses in the garden she once liked.
The entire estate turned to ash.
The ground beneath Lueri’s feet was like hell—fire swallowing everything whole.
He looked down at the charred corpses. Calypso’s blackened hand clutched a scorched piece of parchment.
Lueri walked up and pulled it free.
“…Diamond mine rights.”
That was the price of Diana’s life. A damn piece of land.
Lueri clenched his jaw and summoned fire again.
The paper Calypso clung to—his so-called prize—was consumed in flames.
Then, he turned and returned to Diana. Her cabin remained untouched, protected by the barrier spell Lueri had cast earlier.
He stumbled toward her like a drunk man and collapsed before her body.
“I killed them all, Diana. Everyone who hurt you… I killed them.”
But it all felt so empty.
Even if he avenged her, she would never return.
Sobbing, he took her cold hand in his own.
“If killing every human on this earth would bring you back… I’d do it. I’d do anything to save you.”
He pressed her hand to his tear-streaked cheek.
“Even if it’s wrong, I’d bring you back…”
His desperate cries filled the cabin—but no answer came.
After sobbing for a long time, his eyes flashed with a decision.
He rose unsteadily and gently laid the child’s body beside Diana’s.
Then he closed his eyes—and from around him, a dark aura began to spread.
“I’ll bring you back, Diana.”
His eyes flew open. A black magic circle began glowing beneath him.
It shimmered outward, glowing brighter and brighter with raw power. His red hair whipped in the surge of magic.
The ground beneath him cracked. Light seeped through.
“Kh…!”
Veins in his face burst, and blood poured from his mouth.
He was using all his magic to cast a forbidden spell.
His body screamed in pain, but he didn’t stop. The spell wasn’t even halfway done.
He could die from this—but he didn’t care.
“Cough…!”
Even as a Grand Mage, he couldn’t cast magic forever.
Blood trickled down his jaw. His vision blurred.
He glanced at the glowing magic circle—it was nearly complete.
Just a little more…! Just a little…!
He poured out every last drop of mana.
Sparks burst around him. Energy crackled violently.
Finally—!
Just as the spell completed, the glow flickered—
And disappeared.
The magic circle vanished without a trace.
“H-Hah… What… what happened?!”
He collapsed. His body trembled from exhaustion.
He desperately searched for traces of the spell—but it was gone.
“No… no…!”
He screamed and clawed at the floor.
He had no magic left. No power. Not even enough to try again.
He would’ve burned his life to save her. But even that hope was stolen.
Tears fell. His heart ached so badly, it felt like it would explode.
If only he could die beside her.
Then, he noticed a dagger on the floor.
He muttered with a broken voice:
“Diana… so you won’t go alone… I’ll be with you. Just like you held my hand when I was lonely.”
His shaking hand picked up the dagger. The blade gleamed sharply.
He held it with both hands and pointed it at his chest.
And just as he was about to thrust it into his heart—
“Well, well. Looks like I arrived a little late.”
A chilling voice rang out.
Someone stepped from the shadows.
The dagger dropped from Lueri’s hand.
His eyes widened in shock.
“You summoned me… with that much magic?”
A man with snake-like eyes and blood-red pupils—the same color as the blood Lueri had coughed up.
The man glanced at the two bodies, smirked, and said:
“You wanted to bring her back. That’s why you called me.”
“…Yes. Demon lord Eclipse.”
Lueri had summoned the greatest demon of them all—Eclipse.
Still weak from the spell, Lueri forced himself to stand. He could barely hold himself up.
He knew demons. They were strong against the weak and weak against the strong.
He couldn’t afford to look weak.
“Heh. Trying hard, aren’t you? For a rookie.”
Eclipse scoffed.
To demons, humans were like ants.
Killing ants never makes you feel guilty.
“Quite the mess you made. So many people, all for this one woman?”
“Shut up. Just give me what I want.”
“Let me guess… You want her brought back to life?”
Eclipse laughed and glanced at Diana’s body like it was nothing.
Lueri swallowed hard.
Hope surged in his chest again. If she could just smile at him once more—he’d give anything.
“But no.”
“…What?”
Eclipse crossed his arms and circled Lueri.
“Even if you give me your soul, I can’t bring back the dead.”
Lueri grabbed Eclipse by the collar.
“You’re a demon! I’ll give you anything—my body, my soul—just save her!”
Eclipse gave a sly smile.
“Alright, how about this?”
Lueri held his breath, waiting.
“I’ll turn back time.”
“Time…?”
“Yes. I’ll send you back to a time when she was still alive.”
Hope returned to Lueri’s pale face. He nodded desperately.
“Yes! Please…!”
“But there’s a condition.”
Eclipse’s red eyes locked onto him, lips curling.
“You’ll disappear from her timeline. That’s the price.”
“…What?”
Eclipse laughed cruelly.
“In the new timeline—she won’t remember you. You’ll never have existed.”
“Then…”
“One more thing.”
Eclipse raised a finger.
“You’ll never be able to have her. Never love her. Never be with her. Still want to do it?”
Lueri realized: to Eclipse, this was just a game—a drama for his entertainment.
He could save Diana’s life… but he could never have her.
Eclipse reached out his hand like offering a deal.
Lueri stared at it.
It didn’t matter. As long as she lived. Even if he became the demon’s puppet.
He dropped to one knee and lifted Diana into his arms.
Then he whispered in her ear:
“I’ll undo everything, Diana. We’ll start over—from the very beginning.”
He stood tall and took Eclipse’s hand.
“Do it.”
“Excellent!”
Light burst around them as Eclipse laughed gleefully.
A dizzying pull shook Lueri’s body.
“Ugh…!”
He shut his eyes.
When he opened them again—
He was back in the past—at the Magic Tower.
