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After that, similar incidents happened several times. When a servant treated the young demon kindly because it was cute, the demon appeared with a sword and declared a challenge, saying that the kind Demon King is not a real Demon King.
In the end, Demian, who had been sleeping in Lara’s bed, woke up and threw the young demon out of the window with an annoyed expression while holding it by the scruff of its neck.
An accomplished magician acknowledged by Vassago also appeared and caused a commotion. But Demian, who had gone on a hell tour with Lara, rushed over with an angry face and chased him away, flattening him. The same went for hell’s greatest warrior and hell’s greatest hunter. Even if they managed to surpass Vassago and Paimon’s barrier, Demian would stand above it, preventing them from getting close to Lara.
All Lara had to do was sit still and issue orders as the world’s villainess.
“Vassago.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Their noises are really annoying. It would be better to listen to the sound of a pig’s throat being slit. Go tell them to shut up.”
“I will follow your command.”
When the demons who had destroyed Vassago’s castle were busy rebuilding it, Lara shut their mouths, saying it was too noisy.
There was another incident. A demon dressed in a splendid attire, accompanied by several slaves of Banra, appeared and openly laughed at Lara after looking her up and down.
“You’re the new Demon King? No way. You’re a charmless human, aren’t you? With that skinny, mole-like appearance as a Demon King! I hate humans. They stink!”
Lara spoke without any emotion.
“Paimon, catch that one.”
“Yes, Master.”
Paimon rushed and grabbed the demon’s hair.
“Kyaahhhhh!”
“Pluck them all out. Don’t let that filthy hair fly in front of me ever again.”
“Yes, Master.”
Paimon dragged the demon away, laughing loudly. After that day, a demon without a single hair was added to the construction site of Vassago’s castle.
While fierce hierarchical battles were taking place in hell, Lara continued to think about going home, her mind preoccupied. The gates of hell were now completely closed, so she couldn’t come and go as easily as before. But it couldn’t be helped. It was the wish Abraxas had granted her, sacrificing himself, and she couldn’t reopen the closed gate now.
If there was no other way, Lara was prepared to live in hell forever. It was heartbreaking not to be able to meet her loved ones, but she couldn’t turn back the clock of destruction.
Vassago casually spoke to the troubled Lara.
“There isn’t exactly no way, but the possibility is so low that I’m sorry to even mention it.”
“It’s okay, just tell me.”
“Someone in the human world has to offer a valuable sacrifice to summon the Demon King.”
Lara’s face hardened. Vassago raised his white eyebrows as if to comfort her.
“To summon someone as great as the Demon King, it has to be an incredibly enormous sacrifice. Since you’ve set the order in the human world, the devil worshipers must have disappeared by now.”
That’s why he said the possibility was almost nonexistent. The devil worshipers would have all fallen into hell and become slaves.
“How enormous a sacrifice does it have to be?”
After that, Demian asked, and then Vassago stroked his chin and muttered.
“Neither humans nor animals will do. The same goes for dark wizards. You’ll need to offer a pure-blooded demon, but there are no demons over there.”
“Never mind.”
Lara cut him off firmly. It was not only impossible, but she also had no intention of attempting such a method.
Vassago rubbed his head and retreated outside. A heavy silence filled the spacious room. Lara felt like she was about to cry because of the faces of the people she missed that filled her mind.
I want to see my mother. Even after the gates of Hell closed and the war ended, Isadora would not leave her place and would continue to search for Lara.
Konny might be crying a lot. Valentine would suffer from guilt. The Barbarian who lost their leader would probably be sinking without even celebrating their victory. Eunice and Ximena would be lost in sorrow after losing a friend, and Acerus might be silently enduring the opposition and anger of many people while preparing for the funeral.
Looking at the sky without sun or moon, Lara slowly closed her eyes while looking at the familiar Hell sky.
“What are you thinking?”
Demian approached and embraced Lara from behind. Leaning weakly against his solid chest, Lara quietly said,
“Are we… going to live here forever?”
“It won’t be like that.”
“I feel like I’ve returned to where I should be. It feels like the whole world will be stable if I stay in Hell.”
“Who decides that?”
“I thought I went against fate, but what if this is my real destiny…?”
“That can’t be.”
Demian hugged Lara tightly. Then, he lowered his head and kissed the corner of her eye.
“I’ll definitely take you home. So don’t cry. If you cry, saving the world means nothing to me.”
For Demian, it didn’t matter whether it was Hell or Heaven as long as Lara was there. Perhaps it wouldn’t have mattered if it was a deserted island or a prison instead. Still, if Lara wanted it, he had to do whatever it took.
<Become a god.>
Abraxas told him that before he died. As if he was happy and thrilled, he told Demian to become the next great god. It was when Demian swore to chase her to the ends of Hell if that’s where Lara was.
How can he become a god? Shouldn’t he at least know the way before dying? If he becomes a god, can he take Lara back to her home? Demian pondered deeply. Recalling the tears that had been buried in Lara’s eyes, he mulled over all the memories of the gods he had glimpsed.
There must be a way. There has to be. Demian promised Isadora to protect Lara and promised Lara to take her home.
Even as he pondered, challengers continued to come. The rumor of the Demon King’s bodyguard, whom magic had no effect on, had already spread throughout Hell. They were fascinated by Demian’s power and swore allegiance to the Demon King. Thus, several days passed, and one day, Demian had become the strongest warrior in Hell.
The fight for dominance was over.
“God, please let me be born as a human in my next life.”
Valac prayed.
He had exhausted all his strength and was slowly dying as he fell off the cliff. His bones were broken, and he couldn’t move. Too much blood, the life force of a vampire, had been drained, and even breathing was difficult, let alone using magic. The only consolation was that his heart was still beating.
Valac was in unbearable pain, but he prayed for his heart not to stop so that Acerus could live a little longer.
“God, if you are still out there… please take my heart and give it to Acerus.”
Valac prayed and prayed again. He was a demon and did not follow God, but as death approached, he naturally sought God. The only thing he could rely on now was an elusive being like a god.
“I will give up my life as a demon, my desire to steal human life, and even my soul, if it still exists… just answer me once.”
Choking, a final mouthful of blood poured from his lips.
“I wanted to become human…”
His strength drained away. The soul of the demon Valac was leaving the body of the human Sidhar. Now, he couldn’t even feel his arms and legs. His vision blurred, and sounds became distant. His body felt like it was floating.
And so, he didn’t quickly realize that someone was answering his call.
Demian could learn a lot from Abraxas’ memories. There was no immediate way to become a god or awaken as a god. Abraxas had been an omnipotent god since birth. But he could slowly understand how to use the powers of a god and what could be done with them.
Demian was the incarnation of Abraxas, but it took a long time to become a complete god. Demian’s soul was still immature and close to human. He couldn’t even guess how long it would take to become an omnipotent god.
But he could see and hear. Demian could not only look into Hell but also look into various places on the human continent far away. Anyone he wanted, anywhere he wanted.
“God, please let me be born as a human in my next life.”
Valac’s prayer reached Demian. A prayer to become a human, offering his life as a demon, his desires, and his soul.
Valac was dying. He fell deep into the Gorgon Mountains, searching desperately for a god with his broken and torn body. He had been there for so long that the dried blood stank, and even animals would not approach him.
Valac found a god. Demian decided to fulfill his wish. The voice of the god echoed in the dying Valac’s ear.
<Will you give up everything?>
Valac wanted to nod his head. He didn’t have the strength to speak, so he wanted to somehow affirm with his body, but his broken body wouldn’t move at all.
<I will give you a second chance.>
The god understood and spoke to Valac again.
<Summoning the Demon King will fulfill your wish.>
What did that mean? If the Demon King meant his master, then summoning his master would fulfill his wish. He wondered if he had wished to see his master one last time before he died.
Valac was puzzled even as he was dying, but he couldn’t express any more doubt since it felt like he would be dragged into the afterlife if he even breathed heavily. He just repeated that he would do so. He vowed to God that he would do anything to fulfill his wish and give up everything.
“Master, please come back.”
Having forgotten what he had wished for, Valac called to Lara
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