Even after returning to the Demon Castle, Julia could hardly regain her consciousness.
Although she was originally weak, she had become tense all the time after she was thrown into the Demon Realm and eventually pushed into a state of extreme stress. In such a way, it was quite natural for her to collapse like a mere doll with broken strings when she descended off from Agares’s arms.
The demons eventually had her carried to the bedroom nearby and provided her with some magic to heal her wounds. Nevertheless, the problem started there.
“She doesn’t really take in any magic.”
“Is it due to the fact that she’s human?”
“But the previous fakes had no problem at all. How many times have we previously saved those things that were about to die…”
“Move away. All is useless already.”
Agares, who was unable to stand it any longer, eventually intervened. Although she had never used her magical powers for healing before, her mighty power was still enough to directly succeed the Demon King Bael himself.
The demons that had gathered around Julia gradually retreated and Agares proceeded to place her palm on her forehead while she was merely lying like a corpse. Immediately afterwards, a surge of a powerful magical storm had engulfed the spacious bedroom.
Crackle, sizzle!
The pure black magic eventually faded away. Agares twisted the corners of her lips as she was confident of success, but her face soon hardened instead. The scars that had been inflicted on that white skin were all the same as before she touched her.
“I just can’t believe it.”
All of those high-leveled demons who were proficient in healing had already been summoned to observe her condition.
‘Estelle Vestra’ was a human who not only returned alive from being in front of the Magic Stone, but also had endured the Demon King’s rampage. Thus, proving it certain that she was the real key in itself.
Her importance was so significant that even the demons who hid themselves within the corner of Hell had been brought to her for healing purposes. Still, there was no way since even that mighty magic of Agares was deemed to be useless as well.
It was only then did the demons have no other choice but to finally realize. None of the magic power had actually worked on this key. On the other hand, she was infinitely weak against physical power too. It then became the most painful situation instead.
Lerazier, who had been standing guard at Julia’s bedside all this while, eventually looked downwards at her. For a brief moment, a dark expression drifted over the corners of his slightly lowered eyes.
“Then, will the key die just like this?”
“Stop that nonsense at once, Lerazier.”
“It’s not entirely wrong. Humans are too weak. They will die without even giving us a chance to play properly at all.”
He gently fiddled with the tips of Julia’s pale pink hair. Another demon who had been listening in to their conversation eventually murmured.
“In a situation like this, the only one who can resolve it is the Master.”
“The magic is not working at all. So, who’s going to solve all this again?”
“The Master’s formidable power is beyond common sense. Wasn’t it him who built such a huge nest right next to the Magic Stone, in a land of ruins where no one could actually survive to begin with? At first, everyone laughed at him, but what about now?”
Those who had previously sneered at Bael were now living within his nest. The high-ranking demons who once ruled all over the Demon Realm had eventually gathered here because of one, sole existence.
Agares swept down the nape of her neck as if she was also in agreement.
“After hearing that, it seems that there might be such a possibility…”
“Then, let’s move the key right to the Master’s bedroom immediately.”
“What if the King gets angry?”
“Let’s run away then.”
Lerazier’s answer was utterly neat and clear.
As Bael’s strength was truly beyond the realm of common sense, during the time he got angry, everyone in the Demon Castle would have to hold their breath in order to survive. Nevertheless, his anger was fleeting and he held no grudges too. It would have been more accurate to say that his personality was rather slothful, but he never cared about anything else other than his own business.
If the key continued to die in this manner, it would then be better to try at least one possibility as well.
“Then, it’s a deal.”
Without saying anything more, Agares gently proceeded to hold Julia, who was sweltering with fever. Then, Lerazier slowly followed after herself.
* * *
That night, a red moon that closely resembled the eyes of the Demon King rose in the sky of hell. It had then reminded everyone; who was the absolute strong man who had taken total control of this hell and what would happen if they were to oppose him?
Bael, who had been sitting on the window sill, was staring at the demon tower that stood directly opposite from his own nest. A dazzling wave was flickering right at the top floor. The power of the Demon God that had been bound inside of it was pulsating like that of a vicious one.
“……”
Bael looked down at his hand. If it was just like the usual, the magic within his body which had already assimilated with the Magic Stone should have been running like crazy by now. But currently, he felt no pain at all. Like the vast lake of death, similar to the surface of the cradle where he was born and raised from.
His gaze quickly turned to the woman who was lying like the dead on his bed. The long, whip-like wounds on her white body that had not seemed much different from the bed sheets were all bare and exposed.
She just walked through the forest while in her bare state, but he couldn’t understand why such tragic wounds occurred in return.
“Huhhk, uhk…”
Even in her deep sleep, she still let out a faint moan from time to time. He wondered if she was merely dreaming or she had muttered them painfully. It was the first alien existence that appeared in his nest, which had always been immersed in such deep silence.
Bael, who had just brushed his long black hair, slowly stepped onto the floor.
Humans had naturally been small and weak, but this woman was especially slender. He seemed to have finally realized why Agares did what she had already done with the little key so much so that his ears eventually started stinging.
But that was merely all of it—the impression of his.