Chapter 66

I followed the head butler down the hall to the family head’s office.


The familiar knock sounded as I entered, and the Grand Duke greeted me with a pleased smile. “It’s been a while.”


“...It has.”


“By the looks of it, you haven’t been back long. You should have rested before returning.”


“You’re the one who summoned someone barely back, Your Grace.”


“Oh? Did I?” He grinned mischievously, clearly having called me on purpose.


“Hah…” I exhaled and slumped into one of the leather chairs. The smooth leather welcomed me.


“So, why did you summon me?” I asked.


The Grand Duke curled the corners of his mouth into that familiar grin and took the seat across from me. “I called because I missed you. Don’t be too harsh.”


“That’s the last thing a man wants to hear from another man.”


“Would it be better if it came from a woman?”


With another weak sigh, I replied, “That’s not the point. Could you please put that sword down while we talk?”


I couldn’t get a word in edgewise.


The Grand Duke narrowed his eyes and sheathed his sword.


Anyone could tell he was utterly obsessed with his daughters—his protective fury was on a whole new level.


“There, satisfied? Now tell me why you summoned me. I’d like to get back and rest.”


“Well, shall we end the teasing?” He pulled a small wooden box from his coat and handed it over.


“What’s this?”


“A gift. Open it.”


A gift?


I flipped open the box with a puzzled look. It opened with a soft snap, like a clock’s pendulum.


Inside lay a single, small ring.


“What is it?” I asked.


“I told you. It’s a gift.”


But what kind of gift?


I swallowed my questions and examined the ring. No gems, no intricate craftsmanship. It looked crude—barely worth anything.


“Hmm... Is this something you wore in your youth?”


“What a horrifying thought.” The Grand Duke wrinkled his brow and waved dismissively, but only briefly. He then added with casual indifference, “That’s a ring the Demons wore.”


A Demon ring.


Wait, what did he just say?


“What did you say?”


My eyes widened. A Demon artifact—the kind that would get anyone but the Emperor instantly beheaded on suspicion of Demon collusion.


“Your Grace!” I called out sharply.


If anyone caught us with this, it’d be a massacre—Northern Grand Duke or not.


No matter how strong a knight he was, no family suspected of dealing with Demons was spared.


They’d make an example of them, even at great cost.


But whether he understood this or not, the Grand Duke remained unbothered. “I hear you fine. Don’t worry.”


“This is something that absolutely cannot be discovered! And why give it to me in the first place?”


“That’s why I say don’t worry. His Imperial Majesty gave this to me.”


“...Sorry what?”


What madness was this? The Emperor gave the Grand Duke a Demon artifact, and now he’s passing it to me? The first Demon artifact ever bestowed on anyone else?


“What in the world…” I huffed in disbelief, slumping back. Barely ten minutes in this office, and I felt drained as if hours had passed.


“Please, explain.” I rubbed my temples and stared at the Grand Duke.


He answered with his usual casual tone. “Nothing special. I hunted Demons in the Demonic Realm before. This ring was among the spoils. His Majesty then gave it to me.”


That’s hardly something explained so simply.


“What kind of magic does it have?”


“It saves the wearer’s life once. Think of it as a spare life.”


A spare life?


“Are you sure it’s okay to give this to me?”


“Of course not. Wouldn’t it be better to give this to my daughters?”


“Then please do that.”


Take it back then!


I shot the man a look of disbelief.


He chuckled softly and relaxed into his seat. “But as luck would have it, I only have four daughters. I can’t give it to just one.”


“Then why not keep it yourself?”


“Why would I need to? It’s better to give it to you and get a promise in return.”


A promise?


I blinked in confusion.


Then, as if the playful grin had been a mask, the Grand Duke’s face turned serious. “I’ll give this to you. But promise me one thing.”


“What kind of promise?”


“After I return to the Demonic Realm, promise me you’ll protect my daughters.” He looked me straight in the eye.


There he went again—the man transformed completely whenever his daughters came up.


“I’ll help if I can.”


“I’m not expecting 100%. Just better odds. After all, my eldest is stronger than you, isn’t she?”


True enough. Who would be foolish enough to provoke a mid-level Aura Master?


I nodded without thinking. Then a question bloomed in my head. “But why me? I’m only a mid-level Aura Expert.”


“Already mid-level?”


Oh, I hadn’t mentioned that.


As I nodded, he grabbed my wrist, let his Aura flow to examine my Aura Heart, then chuckled in surprise. “So it’s true.”


“I have no reason to lie about this.”


“The odds of you lying are higher than an Aura Novice becoming mid-level in under a year.” He shook his head in disbelief. “Hah... You’re more of a monster than I am.”


“Compared to a Grand Master, I’m just a chick.”


“You should learn to keep your mouth shut. You have a talent for irritating people.”


...Harsh.


I grumbled inside but kept my silence.


“Hah. Anyway, choosing you was intuition. At least you don’t seem like someone who would abandon Lea.”


That was true.


I nodded. Even if this was a marriage born of revenge, I intended to at least fulfill basic human decency. Since she helped me so much, I wished for her happiness in this life.


“Very well. I promise. I’ll protect your daughters.”


With a small sigh, I tucked the box into my coat. If I was going to protect Lea, I’d protect the others too.


The eldest might be something else, but the second and third daughters were hardly fighters.


Lea would probably be the first to step up for them, so I just had to keep her safe.


As I sighed again, foreseeing the troubles lying ahead, the Grand Duke patted my shoulder with a satisfied smile and exclaimed, “Splendid spirit!”


“That hurts.”


“Ah, apologies.” He withdrew his hand, embarrassed.


According to what I’d learned from Al Fortia, now that I’d returned, the Grand Duke would soon head back to the Demonic Realm.


Would he ever return after going like this?


The Grand Duke from before my regression had gone there around this time, and soon after, disappeared.


Until recently, I’d blamed the Artezia bastards, but now something felt off.


Back then, he didn’t have the ring he just gave me, yet he still vanished.


There had to be a powerful enemy in the Demonic Realm—something beyond even the Duchy of Artezia.


I don’t know what it is, but... I can’t let him die so simply.


If the Grand Duke disappeared, Lea and the North’s tragedy would start all over again.


I sighed softly. “Your Grace, do you have a map of the Demonic Realm?”


“Of course. Why?”


“Some info I got from the Duchy of Artezia came to mind. Could you show it?”


“Info from those Artezia bastards? Hmm…” Though he seemed puzzled, he nodded and pulled out a map.


Rustle.


“This is the Demonic Realm map. Details are military secrets, so this is as much as I can show.”


“That’s enough.”


I scanned the map spread across the desk. It showed exploration routes, expedition results, and future directions.


Hard to remember clearly... but roughly, this way is a swampland, here’s a trap zone, and here was a magic circle with a massacre spell.


Based on the information I had before my regression, I marked danger zones where the Grand Duke planned to go.


I said, “It’ll be safer to go this way. Everywhere else is uninhabitable.”


“Artezia discovered all this?”


“They probably planned a secret base there. They failed, of course.” I spoke matter-of-factly.


The secret base story was a lie, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was improving the Grand Duke’s odds.


Though he was powerful, it was better to be prepared.


Besides...


The Demons’ movements feel stranger this time than before.


If Demons were more active than before, even the Grand Duke could be in danger.


So I have to make him go that way.


My eyes flicked to the direction I’d marked.


If he went there, his dangers would drop drastically.


After all, that’s where my master, the Divine Archer, lived.


No matter how strong an opponent, two Grand Masters could take them down instantly.


...But were they on bad terms? I hope not.


It’d be a problem if they tried to kill each other on sight.


I asked the Grand Duke just in case. “By the way, are you on good terms with the Divine Archer?”


“Good terms? Why the sudden question?” He looked at me like I was crazy, then slowly answered. “Well, not bad.”


Ah, that’s a relief. Then…


“We won’t try to kill each other on sight. Probably wait about ten minutes before trying.”


...Hm. Maybe I should suggest a different way after all.