The sharp claws of the demons pierced my clothes. I endured their attacks without resisting.

Fortunately, Hades managed to pull me away from the demons just before it was too late.

“How could you do such a thing?”
His voice trembled with astonishment.

“Why are you doing this?”

He pulled me out of the maze as if dragging me. It seemed like he wanted to get away from the demons as far as possible.

He grabbed my shoulders and shook me with force.

“Ah, it hurts.”

I cowered, but Hades showed no concern for me.

“If you want to die so badly, why didn’t you die sooner? Back then, instead of jumping into Denesor, why didn’t you leap into the altar!”

The moment I heard those words, something snapped in my head.

I stared at Hades straight in the eyes and shouted in anger.

“Back then, I believed in Hades!”

As soon as he heard that, Hades kicked me to the ground.

I endured the shock of hitting the cold, hard floor and crouched down.

Now, even though I was no longer on a time limit, my body was not exactly in the best condition.

“At that time, I thought, if I stayed by Hades, he would eventually think of me. He would return to his original self, escape from the illusion of being a demon king…”

Tears streamed down my face. These were not the tears that gather and fall like the tears of an orphan but rather relentless and overwhelming tears.

I grabbed Hades, no, the Demon King, by the collar.

Now, things I hadn’t seen before came into view.

Actions, tone, thoughts that Hades wouldn’t have taken.

Above all…

‘His attitude towards me.’

The answer was there from the beginning.

I just couldn’t see it because I was blind.

I slowly got up from my seat.

A tired voice flowed from my lips.

“Send me back.”

“Where to?”

The Demon King responded bluntly.

“To the world where I originally lived.”

“That’s impossible.”

The Demon King approached me.

“You can only stay with me here.”

“No.”

I shook my head.

Couldn’t go back to the original world?

Fine.

Instead, I have a homeland in this world.

“I will go back to Donovan.”

“I forbid it.”

I stared straight into his eyes.

“Are you planning to imprison me?”

The corner of the Demon King’s mouth twitched.

“You’re arrogant, human. Do you think you can escape from here? You have no tools, not even the Holy Sword that you offered as a sacrifice.”

I flinched and stepped back.

His true nature that I had been ignoring was becoming apparent.

The Demon King reached out and stroked my cheek.

“Isn’t it sweet? I respond to your love.”

“…Hades.”

I called him persistently.

“Hades…”

But the voice gradually faded.

I felt the painful realization that he was no longer the Hades I knew and loved.

That Hades had completely disappeared.

What remained in this place was the Demon King wearing Hades’ shell.

The truth that I had denied and avoided confronting all this time pierced my heart painfully.

Hades was gone forever, and I had lost all the places to return to.

“Commander, how should we prepare near the border?”

“There has been a dispute among the refugees.”

“The supplies in the western warehouse are completely ruined!”

William leaned against the wall with a weary expression. He sincerely wished for Hades to return.

The decision made by the councilors to represent him was not wrong. As an active commander, there were few in the kingdom who didn’t know him. Thus, he was suitable for resolving conflicts and leading the masses. But…

‘It’s too difficult.’

He was a military man, distant from politics and administration. However, a ruler of a country must oversee everything.

‘If Lord Duke doesn’t return like this…’

William lowered his head.

It couldn’t happen.

Has Hades Krohiten ever betrayed his expectations even once?

He was trying to dismiss random thoughts as he walked through the corridor.

“Commander!”

His title had changed to ‘Commander’ by now.

“What is it?”

William furrowed his brow.

The knights he had by his side were all elite warriors. If one of them got this excited, it meant something serious.

“Demons! Demons are coming!”

William immediately rushed to the watchtower.

Breathing heavily, he observed the northern plains, and indeed, a horde of demons was approaching.

He took a deep breath.

He had expected a time like this to come.

However, deep down, he wanted to deny it.

He ran to the tower and gave orders.

“Immediately evacuate everyone to the castle! No one should stay outside!”

“Yes!”

The knights swiftly followed his command, dispersing in all directions.

William followed them down, thinking.

If there was a god, he would ask to fulfill his wish now.

Please, make Hades Krohiten appear before him, wherever he is, like magic.