Capital City Gate, Kingdom of Araknis
A trio in hunter attire walked through the grand gates of the capital, their faces marked with exhaustion from the long journey. The group consisted of two young women and a young man, each carrying the weight of their mission on their shoulders.
“Haah, finally, we’ve arrived,” the young man muttered, his voice filled with a mixture of relief and satisfaction.
“My lady, it’s fortunate we made it before the opening of the Ancient Land,” the woman with a bow slung across her back said, addressing the silver-haired woman beside her. “We have a couple of days to get familiar with this place.”
“Yona, don’t forget,” the silver-haired woman replied firmly, her gaze resolute. “We need to meet with the king and request support for my parents. They’re suffering, and we need an S-Rank health restoration potion as soon as possible.” Her hand rested on the dagger fastened at her waist, a reminder of the battles they had fought.
“Yes, Lady Aria. That is our top priority,” Yona nodded in agreement.
The trio—Aria, Drake, and Yona—seemed to have somehow survived the event that had annihilated the whole Arcadia City.
Aria, once filled with youthful hope, now appeared more mature and cold, her earlier warmth hardened by the trials they had endured.
They had grown more stronger and enlightened of the true world.
Drake, who had once been arrogant, now carried a serious, quiet demeanor. His cockiness had been tempered by the harsh realities they’d faced.
Yona, however, remained a steadfast and loyal attendant to Aria, her determination unwavering.
As they stepped further into the bustling capital, the weight of their task hung over them.
“Sister Aria, why don’t we seek General Leon for help? He’s a good man. He might have what we need,” Drake suggested, breaking the silence as they continued through the crowded streets.
Aria paused, her mind drifting to a familiar figure who should have been with them, joining them by their side. Ethan.
The mere thought of him tugged at her heart, sending a sharp pang of sadness through her chest.
Could he really be dead? The idea seemed impossible, but the longer they went without any news of him, the more the terrifying possibility weighed on her.
“Sister?” Drake called again, gently shaking her shoulder, snapping her back to reality.
“Ah… Yes, that’s been on my mind too,” Aria replied, her voice breaking slightly as she tried to push away the lingering memories. “Let’s go and seek an audience with General Leon.”
Drake noticed her hesitation and, knowing her all too well, asked softly, “Are you thinking about Ethan again?”
Aria’s expression faltered. It was no secret among them that her heart always seemed to waver when Ethan’s name was mentioned.
Yona, who had been walking silently, remembered those days they had all spent together. Ethan had been a good friend and a strong ally, someone their party members all relied on.
But when the demon attacked, she thought he couldn’t have survived. Much less Iris, Cedric and Marcus. She felt sad.
“Sister Aria,” Drake began again, his voice gentle but firm, “he’s probably not alive anymore. We barely survived thanks to the Void Escape treasure, and we lost nearly everyone from the clan. I don’t think it’s possible he made it out alone. You need to let him go. It’s probably for the best.”
Aria’s grip tightened around the dagger at her waist. She knew Drake was right, but accepting it was something else entirely. The thought of Ethan being gone forever was like a knife in her chest. Her emotions churned, the ache in her heart hardening into something stronger: anger.
“I know,” Aria finally said, her voice low but full of determination. “But I will never forgive that demon for killing him. I will get stronger, and I will avenge him.”
Her pretty face, usually calm and composed, was etched with an iron resolve. Drake and Yona exchanged glances, seeing the fire in her eyes.
Yona and Drake sighed. They also wanted revenge but found it difficult to achieve. After all, they were talking about a Demon Lord.
Now, there seemed to be only one way to rise quickly: the Ancient Land.
—
In another corner of the world, Aengus and Bella walked side by side, keeping pace with each other.
Bella was in a good mood as their relationship had progressed further, though it might have been a stroke of luck.
The problem, however, was that Aengus never took the initiative to do anything.
Their marriage appeared to exist in name only.
Bella let out an exhausted sigh; she had to cope with it for now.
They were walking through a ruined city where no signs of life could be seen. Only collapsed buildings remained.
“This was once a city full of life, but a single stomp from the Giant Demon Lord reduced it to ashes,” Bella said, noticing Aengus’s curiosity.
Aengus raised an eyebrow. “Your father didn’t say anything?”
“He did. He called on Demon Lord Crimson, as the situation was beyond his control. As a result, there was a war between Demon Lord Crimson and the Giant Demon Lord.
“Hubby, do you want to guess who won?”
Aengus guessed, “From your tone, it must be the former one…”
Bella smiled. “Smart!”
“Yes, Demon Lord Crimson was the victor. He took half of the other party’s territory and resources.
But don’t think he’s some benevolent being. He did everything just to protect his dignity and dominance. Otherwise, he would have been a laughingstock at the Demon Lord Council.”
“Demon Lord Council? Where is that?” Aengus asked, casually killing an aggressive demonic creature and storing it in his dimensional space for breeding.
Along the way, they had killed thousands of such unintelligent creatures.
His Monster Breeding skill was now at Level 4, marking 5,000 or so units inside.
Bella didn’t have much of a reaction. To her, her husband could do anything now. She wouldn’t even be surprised if he could slaughter an entire army on his own.
She continued, “Demon Lord Council is a gathering of all the Demon Lords across the Abyss,” Bella explained, her tone calm despite the grim subject. “They oversee the balance of power and enforce certain rules… though ‘rules’ in the demon world are twisted at best.”
Aengus nodded in understanding, and they continued their journey the Duchy Capital while talking, keeping each other company.
Their relationship just took a major turn and they would need time to adjust.
