After a brief silence, a crisp sound rang out, and a crystal blue sharp cone appeared in her storage space, with a smooth end. Usage instructions: “Click on the character card to erase the soul.”
Naily nodded satisfactorily: “Thank you.”
“Guide 1028, hero mission failed, entire team wiped out.”
“Is that so?” Naily was not surprised. Kalsas’s power far exceeded any hero’s, and he had previously just allowed others to kill him.
She carefully smoothed the folds of her skirt, standing under the flower stand, chest out, watching the black-clad Demon King descend from the sky. She twisted her mouth: “Our time is up.”
Kalsas’s voice was cold: “Why?”
Naily pushed aside the hanging rose vines, revealing the devastated Veldya to him. She seemed more indifferent than him: “That’s what I should ask.” She looked seriously into his eyes, gradually showing pain in her brow, her voice growing lower: “I was willing to share power and loneliness with you, but I didn’t know this would bring evil.
The black-haired, red-eyed Demon King looked innocent, looking at Veldya’s miserable state without changing expression: “I don’t know what you call evil. I don’t care.”
He paused, his gaze flickering: “But I didn’t do anything.”
“I know,” Naily said miserably, “But that’s more terrifying than if you had done it intentionally.”
She pointed to her heart: “I accepted the devil’s power. I underestimated it. Or rather, I was wrong from the beginning. I shouldn’t have hoped, shouldn’t have taught you about this world, because you will ultimately destroy it. What could be more cruel?”
As she finished speaking, her palm covered her chest, suddenly erupting with red light.
Kalsas’s expression changed dramatically, taking two steps forward, but it was too late.
The seal was lifted, and black smoke emerged from Naily’s left chest, quickly rushing into Kalsas’s body after being freed. The sudden influx of powerful energy made Kalsas unable to withstand it, falling to his knees.
“I return this half of the power to you, withdraw my promise, and fulfill my original vow to leave you,” Naily collapsed to the ground, laughing, “Karl, I really liked you. I could never kill you with my own hands. The mere thought is painful.”
She staggered to her feet, stepping back to the stone railing of the terrace.
“Goodbye, Karl.”
She jumped.
The moment of falling was enough for her to take out the blue sharp cone given by the system and point it at her character card.
Arrows split the sharp whistle of the wind, shattering the cone tip at the moment it touched the surface. The arrow shaft grazed Naily’s fingertips, leaving a deep gash. She raised her head, seeing black wings obscuring the already dim daylight, a powerful arm holding her tightly.
Kalsas moved faster than she expected, seemingly disregarding the pain of power backlash as he followed her.
Naily closed her eyes, her lips moving, but ultimately saying nothing. Kalsas remained silent, the golden edges of his pupils unnervingly bright. In an instant, they returned to the main hall of Slos, the previously one-sided battle leaving no trace. The smooth black marble floor reflected the bright torch light, like an entire expanse of ink-colored ice plains, its cold air inexplicably making Naily feel chilled.
He carried her all the way to the throne. The cold stone seat was wide enough for two, but Kalsas trapped her on his lap, embracing her from behind like a prisoner. Breathing softly near her earlobe, he said, “Naily, how cruel. You know I have only you, so why do you still want to leave me? Is this world so important?”
He laughed softly, no longer indulgent and gentle as usual, his laughter cold and sharp with sarcasm, taking on a demonic tone: “But you never cared about this world. You chose to stay because of me.”
So why are you leaving me now with such high-minded reasons?”
Harsh, cold, crazy – this Kalsas was terrifying, but perhaps this was the true nature of a demon, finally fully exposed after long dormancy.
Naily trembled in his embrace, hanging her head in silence before hoarsely responding: “I stayed because you promised not to destroy this world.”
“I’ve done nothing, you know that,” Kalsas forcibly turned her to face him. “Or do you think my very existence is a sin?”
She was speechless. The evidence the system showed her was too powerful; she could no longer deny it.
He laughed self-mockingly, his fingertips caressing her cheek: “If so, aren’t you equally guilty? You who taught me about humanity, emotions, and the world?” He paused, sneering, “Or perhaps even more so? After all, if not for you, I would have continued to be killed by stupid heroes, and how would this world have reached its twilight?”
“You can’t escape, Naily,” he cupped her face, his eyes burning red beneath his black hair, pressing close. “Whether it’s power and loneliness, or sin, we must bear it together.”
His lips were cool, touching her like the taste of first snow.
“I’ll give you one more chance. Naily, please don’t disappoint me,” he looked deeply into her eyes, speaking calmly yet ruthlessly. “You know you can’t escape now.
If you still choose this world, I—” he stopped, offering a charming yet cold smile, “I will become the true demon they desire.”
Naily knew her expression must be grotesque.
Kalsas shifted his gaze, pulling her hand to place it over his heart, looking at her and enunciating: “Or simply kill me with this hand.”
In that moment, Naily felt profound sadness. Now, all they could do was hurt each other using their own emotions.
“I want to pray to the goddess.”
The demon king’s face showed undisguised mockery. But he did not refuse: “Fine, if you think praying to a deaf and blind deity will help.”
So a prayer room with a pointed roof was built in the central courtyard of Slos.
Nelly would come to the altar every morning and night, kneeling before the lifelike statue of the three goddesses, eyes closed.
At first, Kalsas would stand in the shadow of the stone pillar, coldly observing; gradually he became impatient, pacing irritably in the doorway; later, he simply waited outside.
After all, he was a demon and did not like the atmosphere of the temple.
One day, Nelly stayed in the prayer room for a long time.
Suddenly, a crisp sound of shattering.
Kalsas burst through the door. The stained-glass window on the altar was shattered, a corner of the statue had fallen to the ground, and Nelly lay before the altar, large pieces of glass piercing her chest.
He rushed forward in rage, but his movement was a beat slower.
She was splashed with holy water, its sacred fragrance slowing his movements, rendering him unable to cast spells.
Nelly looked at him kneeling on the ground, pressing the sharp glass fragments deeper into her heart.
Her consciousness quickly blurred.
Kalsas, hunched, suddenly pulled a dagger from his waist and without hesitation stabbed it into his own chest.
He looked at Nelly and smiled, crawling painfully closer, his fingertips just inches from her face.
Finally bearing the holy water’s sting, he caressed her brow and eyes. They became the center of a distorted space-time, falling back together.
He said: “Nelly, my heart is yours, and you can only be mine. In another world, we’ll start over.”
Nelly lowered her eyes unsurprisingly. She knew he would do this.
This was the first time she used him, and even for Verdea, the taste was colder than glass piercing her heart.
“No, next time I won’t fall in love with you.”
Going all out, Nelly told another lie.
— Click-clack.
★ Chapter 27: New Hero
When she came to her senses, Nelly was back in the initial space of her arrival in Verdea.
She was silent for a moment, then asked word by word: “So what should I do now?”
“Mission failed. Please restart.”
