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It was early in the morning when the sun had not yet risen did Bael wake up feeling rather light.
He possessed the most powerful magic that no one had dared to surpass at all and for that sole reason, he could completely conquer the chaotic Demon Realm at once before erecting a huge nest right next to the tower where the ancient Demon God had been resting. Some had referred to it as the Demon King’s Castle, but to Bael, it was just a meaningless place to stay and also leave.
He had no intention of playing as King in the first place. It was just that the demons, who ruled all over the Demon Realm, had been drawn to Bael’s mighty power as they eventually gathered in his nest at will.
Bael actually left them alone since it was just too cumbersome to deal with. Plus, it was also due to the fact that they could be a good tool to use and throw away later.
In truth, the problem lay somewhere else instead.
Perhaps due to the reason that he possessed an unprecedentedly compelling magical power, he was born in the outskirts of Hell while he had to suffer from constant pain ever since the moment he had an ego.
His body was so strong and special that no other demons could dare to compare them. However, even his body was not really enough to handle his own churning magic from time to time. He could not withstand the changes on the outside or according to the cycle of the moon and therefore, he would ultimately go into a frenzied berserk then.
When he eventually regained his senses, nothing else was left around him. A state of complete nothingness. Whenever Bael woke up from a rampage, that had always been the usual appearance.
‘It’s quite strange today. It doesn’t feel very bad.’
As he heard that the key had finally arrived yesterday, he straight away headed to the tower on impulse. His annoyance simultaneously rose as well. He initially wanted to prove that he could wholly swallow the power of the Demon God without any insignificant human beings at all.
After his thoughts came to a stop, the corners of his mouth spontaneously grew twisted. In the end, he started running out once again and seemed to have regained his senses only for a while later that night, but he had no absolute memory right after that. Yet still, his movements were currently light—as if he had just awakened from a deep sleep.
He slowly clenched his fists at the alien sensation that he was feeling for the first time as he found a small shadow had been sleeping while leaning against his chest. It was that human who had been abandoned in his nest last night. It took some time for him to recognize it fully since it was just as small and light as a feather.
Bael looked down towards her with such cold eyes. Still, instead of waking up, she just tossed her body back and forth to find a much more comfortable position.
“To whom now… you’re just another human being.”
As he grinded his teeth in displeasure, he suddenly felt funny somehow. This other person was so small and insignificant that he didn’t even feel angry at all. The woman’s face, whom was sleeping soundly while not being aware to what kind of dangers she had gotten into, appeared even more stupid.
Normally, it would not have been enough even if he were to tear things apart for invading his nest, but now, he strangely felt rather generous. Bael eventually surmised the reason.
“Yes, it’s all because she’s the key. Perhaps she is actually real.”
Julia leaked out a soft whimper as if his faint murmur had somewhat bothered her. Bael eventually rose after tapping her forehead with his finger.
As he began to brush his hair slowly, his gaze turned once more to Julia, who was still sleeping on the sofa.
Her petite body curled even smaller as she let out a weary sigh. When Bael was not seated on the sofa, which had previously been as snug as clothes, it became rather too large for her.
His face, which had been smirking, suddenly hardened itself.
“That’s not even funny.”
His cold gaze, which he actually crunched for himself, was then withdrawn from Julia without any hint of regret. The sound of leaden footsteps—just like the gait of a beast—slowly disappeared through the silent corridor.
* * *
The warm shade of sun eventually shone through the large window. Julia’s eyes began to reveal her pupils as she uttered a small sigh in drowsiness.
Her eyelashes were soaked in tears as they gleamed like jewels.
“Hhng…”
As she gave a little yawn, the events of last night suddenly flashed through her mind.
During the time she was cleaning out the messy room, she took a break to check the game’s icons when there were no gazes around. She also came to know that Bael was the only active target and the magic resistance, which was the most necessary stat to capture him with, had already been increased to infinity.
‘Did the system wish to tell me something?’
A different memory flashed through her mind this time as she shook her head in confusion. For example, the time when she was caught by Bael last night and got placed onto his thigh. In addition, even though she had never moved to another since that moment, the sun was already up in the middle of the sky……
“Uh, huh?!”
Surprised, she immediately rose and a voice that seemed to be waiting could be heard behind her back.
“Are you finally awake?”
[Marquis Kimaris, the 66th demon in the Demon World who steadily led the way]
A young man with dark skin and well-balanced muscles slowly stood up before leaning against the window sill. He was the first to foretell the existence of the ‘key’ within the game and also the one who had constantly monitored Estelle right by the protagonist’s side.
As a person who was already attached to the main character from the beginning of almost every single route, Julia apparently knew a lot about Kimaris.
Whenever the protagonist tried to run away, he would ultimately use all sorts of vicious measures to sabotage the act—even when the protagonist had tried to commit suicide. However, during the time she was in danger, he offered no help at all.
‘In such a way that it was all good as long as she’s just alive……’
Julia shook her head and woke up from her own thoughts. She didn’t like looking weird from the start since that would always get stuck eventually.