Black energy began to boil with fervor. Sensing that the battle had finally begun in earnest, Atanas gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his sword.
"Ugh!"
As the demon and the descendant of the Hero exchanged blows in a frenzy, Benio discovered Flora falling and was struck with horror.
"Sir, I leave my back to you!"
After shouting to the knights, Benio sprinted toward where Flora lay.
Of course, the ice dolls blocked his path once more.
"Get out of my way, you nuisances!"
He spat out a curse he would never normally use, and just as Atanas had done, he struck down the ice dolls and pushed forward.
Then, he threw his body forward to catch Flora.
"Haa, haa."
Flora, without even fluttering her eyelids, let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
'I thought I was going to die for real.'
Of course, she trusted the people of Lucifer, but it was a secret that she had been secretly anxious, fearing that the absolute worst-case scenario might occur.
'I knew you'd come.'
"Flora, Flora..."
When Flora didn't wake up no matter how much he shook her, moisture welled up in Benio's voice.
He wanted to comfort the little bear who was trembling so pitifully, but Flora had to make a desperate effort not to open her eyes even at Benio’s calls.
'Sorry, brother. We have no choice if we want to become rich.'
Instead, she apologized in her heart and waited for Janet to deliver the lines they had prepared in advance.
"I have already consumed that child's soul. She will never wake again."
At Janet’s calm words, everyone, including Benio who was holding Flora, froze.
Atanas, who had been facing her, also cast his gaze toward where Flora was with a look of utter devastation.
"Did you think I would let you off easily after you let my King die?"
*Hahaha.* At the short laugh, Atanas’s gaze turned back to Janet.
He stared silently at her as she laughed as if it were amusing, her shoulders shaking.
"Your child’s soul, it was quite delicious."
The way she licked her lips with a dark red tongue made it look as if she had just finished a tasty meal.
"How dare you..."
Benio’s arms, holding Flora, tightened. Even while wearing a face that suggested he didn't know what to do with his precious one, he squeezed his arms around her tightly.
"Father... her body, Flora's body is so cold."
Following Benio’s sobbing voice, warm droplets fell onto her face.
*Twitch.* Stung by a sharp pang of conscience, Flora wanted to jump up right then and there to wipe away his tears.
"You squandered the chance I gave you out of mercy. You would do well not to think of returning alive. I shall make not only that child, but all of you my prey as well."
Janet’s chilling voice rode the Demonic Power and reached even the knights far away.
At that, Atanas did not yield and gripped his sword firmly. His fierce-looking face became even more menacing, filled with killing intent.
"Benio, fall back with the knights. This fight is entirely mine to bear."
A cold silence descended upon the surroundings at his calm voice.
Sensing that a more intense battle than before was about to begin, Benio hugged Flora protectively.
"If I kill you, I can get my daughter back, can't I?"
"A weak human like you, against me?"
Despite the sneer that followed, Atanas stood his ground, pointing his sword at her without wavering.
"I do not stand here as a weak human."
A strange light began to flow from the tip of Atanas’s sword. However, he continued, unaware of it.
"I am merely a parent who has come to save his child."
Flora felt glad that she was pretending to be asleep.
'A parent who has come to save his child, huh.'
She felt like a fool for her past self, who had tried to push away someone so devoted to his child just because he was a descendant of Lucifer.
'It’s also impressive that he can say such things without a hint of shame.'
Even after so much time had passed, humans were still full of fascinating points.
Flora recalled why she had become interested in humans in the first place.
'It was because of that idiot who kept trying to take care of me even while knowing I was an Archdemon.'
A truly stupid and brave human who persuaded old friends that one shouldn't treat a child that way, and insisted that they accept the enemy of humanity as a friend.
"It's okay, Flora. Everything will be fine. Father will surely save you."
Benio swallowed his tears, adjusted his hold on Flora, and after resting her head against his shoulder, he stood up and began to move.
'There are two foolish bears here and there.'
Thanks to Benio changing his stance, Flora was able to narrow her eyes and peek again.
Holding Flora, he had to deal with the ice dolls approaching him with awkward movements.
'Take it easy. The difficulty is too high, Janet.'
Swallowing the words that could not reach her, she cast a subtle glance toward where a massive power was felt.
Even from afar, she could see an immense power swirling around Atanas.
'Holy Power...'
The evidence that, no matter how much he was called the Disgraced Hero, one could not deny that Ether Lucifer was a Hero; the mighty Holy Power was being passed down safely to the current generation through the blood of Lucifer.
'It’s a light so clear that anyone would be astonished if they could see it.'
Flora confirmed that the knights around were busy dealing with the ice dolls, and secretly stole a glance at the two who were focused on the battle.
'It seems Janet noticed it was Holy Power, too.'
She saw Janet quickly backing away from the power Atanas was emitting.
'A Lucifer is a Lucifer, after all.'
Watching Atanas fight so desperately, she heard an auditory hallucination, as if Ether were laughing right beside her.
The laughter seemed to ask, "How about it? Not bad, right?" as if he knew her heart, and she chuckled inwardly.
'Yes, Ether. As you wished, I think I’ll try to be happy with them in this life.'
How could she dislike these good-natured people who, unlike their fierce and threatening appearances, were pure, naive, kind, and sometimes clumsy, yet never lost their convictions? At the very least, Flora couldn't.
Flora realized belatedly that they had crossed the line she had drawn in her heart long ago. At that, she felt dumbfounded by her past self.
Of course, that was only for a moment; she soon felt dignified again.
'Yes, my weak little bears. I have to protect you from by your side. Otherwise, who would protect you?'
The world that would one day perish and be reborn needed good people like them.
And personally, she didn't want to abandon them either.
Flora chuckled to herself and simply closed her eyes comfortably. The end of this tedious play was approaching.
— — —
* * *
Janet flinched and stepped back at the energy blooming from Atanas’s body.
'Holy Power?'
She hadn't expected Holy Power, one of the forces that defeated demons, to erupt from a Lucifer.
'Hmm, I heard they couldn't use Holy Power? Well, it’s none of my business.'
What mattered now was not whether a Lucifer could or could not use Holy Power.
The end of this enjoyable play was approaching.
'It’s unpleasant, but this isn't bad skill. It’s not bad to see him throw himself into battle desperately to save my master.'
But it was still not enough.
The one to end this play had to be Atanas, not Janet.
'If he can't finish it, I cannot hand over my master.'
No matter how devoted he was, she could not have someone incompetent as Flora’s parent.
This was no different from Janet testing Atanas all by herself, without anyone knowing.
She had long since decided that if this Lucifer could not pass this test, she would never hand over Flora, no matter what the King’s will was.
With a hint of anticipation, Janet continued her attacks even faster than before.
A powerful force was imbued into his crude sword, which didn't have a single special gem embedded in it.
Janet, who was moving here and there to avoid his attacks, deliberately looked back with an anxious expression the moment his attack intensified.
It was a fleeting moment of only a few seconds, but Atanas’s keen eyes caught where her gaze landed.
"I heard that demons have a core that is their weakness."
He muttered in a low voice.
"I don't know what you mean."
"You'll find out soon."
Atanas began to charge forward, looking only ahead like a mad horse. It was a rough advance, without a moment of hesitation despite Janet’s attacks to stop him.
"Stop, stop!"
He didn't care about the countless wounds carved into his body or the ear-piercing screams. He just ran forward, looking only ahead, and soon raised his sword, which he had been gripping so tightly that the veins on the back of his hand were about to burst, and brought it down.
*Bang!*
"Aaaargh!"
As the sword struck the empty throne, a scream began to burst from the lips of Janet, who had been chasing after him.
*Crash!*
Sharp ice shards embedded themselves into his hand gripping the sword, but Atanas did not stop.
The throne made of ice was already shattered, but Atanas swung his sword for a long time, as if to erase the throne before his eyes from this world.
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