Everyone left the meeting room.
It has been like that for the past three years. It was because they had to somehow obtain the traces of Shiva.
If they could obtain it, the balance of power, which was tilted toward one side, would shift back to the other side.
Only then would they be able to overcome this absurd situation.
“But why are you staying here?”
Diablo asked the man who stayed back when everyone left.
It was Ricky.
Ricky stared at the man and said,
“Jamie.”
“I told you not to call me by that name.”
A chilling voice.
However, there was no change in his facial expression. In the past, he would have frowned, but now, Ricky just sighed.
‘He got worse.’
Knowing what made him like this, Ricky said nothing.
But Jamie… No, Diablo needed to know something.
“Did you hear about Sarah?”
“…”
“I am asking if you know about Sarah, your younger sister?”
Of course he knew.
Beryl who constantly visited him, told him so, and Diablo tilted his head.
“What about her?”
“Jerk! Your younger sister is living a hard life, so how can you react like this?”
“I don’t understand why you are so angry.”
“What?”
“This is such a world.”
Ricky was at a loss for words at his cold reaction.
Not caring, Diablo’s words continued,
“If you don’t kill, you die. A world where we have to make sacrifices to get things done. I wouldn’t say you don’t know this yourself.”
“Do you understand what you’re saying?”
“Did I say something wrong?”
“Sarah said she entered this path to protect her family, you bastard. It happened because you neglected her. The one she calls her brother…!”
“Is that the end of our conversation?”
Diablo said, as if he didn’t care.
“You should leave. We don’t have time to chat here.”
“Look here, Jamie!”
“Do not refer to me by that name…”
Diablo continued to look indifferent and he warned Ricky for the first time.
“I clearly told you.”
“Kuak!!”
At the terrifying force, Ricky kneeled down. Diablo walked over, grabbed him by the collar, and lifted him up.
With his purple eyes glowing, he said,
“I am Diablo Volfir. If you call me by that name one more time, I will not forgive you anymore.”
“H-How did all of this happen?”
“Huh!”
He put Ricky down like he was tossing him.
As if he had nothing more to say, he walked back to the high chair. Ricky just looked at the back of his friend.
He clicked his tongue, left that place, and left Diablo alone.
After that, he put on a thoughtful expression and slowly closed his eyes.
Sarah entered a small village built inside a forest.
This was where she lived. However, this wasn’t an ordinary time.
“Sarah is here.”
Rosemary from the flower race greeted her.
“Miss Rose, I am back.”
“… you did great.”
Rosemary, the woman from the flower race, gave Sarah a gentle hug and patted her on the back. She used to be an executive at Frontier.
But now she was living as a representative in this small village.
This was because the organization was disbanded when the Frontier went under the command of the Demon King.
Rosemary left because she didn’t want to fight and chose to make a living by taking care of this small village.
The two hugged when they met each other.
“Thanks.”
“No.”
“But… mother?”
“Sears is resting. Go ahead.”
“See you later then.”
“Yes, I will call you when the meal is ready.”
“Yes.”
Sarah nodded and headed to the house, and Rosemary looked at her back.
“Such a tough path to take at a young age…”
About two years and four months ago.
Shortly after the village was created, Beryl came to visit the mother and daughter.
And he asked Rosemary to help the two of them settle down here.
She accepted her and the mother right away.
However, they had a problem.
“Sears and also the situation, they should be getting better soon.”
The problem was on the side of the mother. She wouldn’t talk. She couldn’t even walk, let alone stand, as if she had a huge psychological problem.
Sarah, the daughter, continued to take care of her mother and learned the sword. And when the villagers and Rosemary were with her, the burden on her shoulders eased up.
Even so, she felt sorry for them.
“At the age when she has to play with friends… the heaven is so indifferent.”
What kind of misfortune had befallen the family for them to crumble like this?
Rosemary turned to the black tower. They had another family member—a man she had seen before who had impressive emerald hair.
What was he doing by neglecting them?
Shaking her head, she went back to her work. She only wished for the peace of those in the village.
“Mom!”
Sarah burst the door open with a bright expression and went inside. Her cold face changed to that of a girl at a young age.
“Is that Sarah?”
The woman, with her back to the bed, greeted her. Her brown hair, once silky smooth, was now a little frizzy.
Her lips were pale and dry. She didn’t look healthy.
Sarah smiled and sat next to her.
“Hehe. I am back. How was today?”
“Maybe because I get to see you that I feel so good. I feel a lot better than usual.”
Sears smiled, patting Sarah on the head, while Sarah clenched the hem of her dress.
Fortunately, it was hidden by the bed, so Sears didn’t see it. In the past, Sears would hug her, kiss her, and tell her she was cute, but not now.
Because of her health, stamina, and spirit…
Her husband, Count Welton, died, and her son, Jamie Welton, was labeled the enemy of the world and became a Demon King.
The Welton family shattered, and even though they were a very close family, they couldn’t escape the aftermath. The Seldam Kingdom was driven to the brink of destruction.
Sears had lost everything in this unbearable situation.
It was all too instant for the woman, who was the lady of the estate, to fall to the bottom.
Still, she didn’t give up her life.
“Did you eat?”
Sears asked, looking at her daughter, who was holding back her tears. A young daughter who would stick close and protect her.
How could she give up when this child was here? Even if it wasn’t the same life as before, she was still a mother.
“Rose… Miss Rose is preparing it.”
“I see. I am forever indebted to Miss Rose. I need to pay her back someday.”
“I will do that. The debt to Miss Rose will be paid by our family.”
“Mom should get well soon to pay off the debt with my child.”
“Yeah. So mom should focus on being healthy. Do not worry about me.”
“Yes. Whose daughter are you?”
“I am mom’s daughter.”
Sears nodded and stroked Sarah’s head as if it was nice.
“Mom is a bit tired, child.”
“Ah. I will help you lay down.”
Sarah put Sears in bed. And after patting her messy hair, Sarah smiled brightly.
“Good night. I will go help Miss Rose.”
“… I am sorry, my daughter.”
“Do not say that. I will see you soon.”
Sarah ran out of the house. Sears sighed, looking at the door.
No one knew how long this life would last. She looked at the black tower out the window.
Jamie was somewhere in there.
‘Jamie. Are you healthy?’
I hope you are healthy.
And with those thoughts, Sears fell into sleep.
As soon as Sarah came out, she sprinted with all her might.
To the point that her heart was pounding loudly, that it felt like her lungs were torn, and that she couldn’t breathe.
She ran fast.
“Haaa! Haaah! Haaa!”
The blood was rushing through her body, and her eyes felt hot as if they were melting.
Her brain was too focused on breathing, so she couldn’t even think about anything.
On days she would return from her missions, she would meet her mother and then run like this.
Because if she didn’t, it felt like she would burst into tears.
As she raised her stamina to the limit for that short period of time, her emotions felt less intense.
Sarah lay on the ground and spread her arms out.
She continued to gasp for air.
“I will live.”
A normal person would have cried like they were dying, but she calmed herself.
It was because she knew that it would be much harder to hold a broken heart.
“Pretty fast.”
While she was controlling her breath, someone appeared in front of her.
Sarah slowly turned her head. There was a man with his arms crossed in unfamiliar clothes.
Sarah greeted him.
“Hello.”
“You are faster than before?”
The man smiled, unfolding his arms.
Jin, the former Frontier executive, was here as a guardian for this small village. And he stretched out his hand to Sarah.
Sarah grabbed it to stand up.
“When did you come?”
“Just now.”
“You must have come when I was out. Seeing that you have no injuries, you must have easily accomplished your mission.”
“Because they were clumsy people. Honestly, it took too long. By the way, what is Mr. Jin doing here?”
“Well. I heard you had arrived, so I quickly rushed over here and followed you. Did you come to see your mother?”
“… as always.”
Jin nodded.
He knew what Sarah’s behavior was.
“When is the next mission?”
“The day after tomorrow.”
“That’s fast. Beryl, that bastard, why is he in such a hurry?”
Jin knew who was teaching Sarah, but he couldn’t understand why he was pushing her.
If this continued, it was possible that an accident of some sort would happen to this child, as she would be exhausted from the missions.
And fights depended on the condition of the person.
“I do it because I want to. And it was a bit difficult at first, but now I can easily do the missions.”
They weren’t simple words. Sarah could feel it.
Each time she took up a mission, she became stronger.
‘So is Jamie, that child too.’
What happened to the bloodline of the Weltons?
Jin touched his curved blade.
“Should we check your skills once again?”
“A spar?”
When Sarah asked, Jin smiled.
“I hope this time it will be a fight worthy enough to call a spar.”
“It will not be easy.”
Sarah smiled and drew her sword.
For Sarah, who wanted to get stronger, facing someone strong was too valuable.
And Jin knew that when she came back, she wanted to fight.
“Ready?”
“The answer to it…”
Sarah’s eyes shone, and he swung his sword.
“Here!”
Shiinng!
The sword and blade collided.
