After a while, Konny could be heard loudly calling for Valentine from the abode. Isadora stopped looking at the Emperor’s procession and said.
“Let us begin, Sebastian.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Isadora had no intention of chasing the Emperor’s back from the beginning. Acerus had the duty and responsibility to defend the Empire, but not Isadora. Her duty and responsibility lie with Lara, that child was Isadora’s everything.
“Madam, it’s done!”
Konny rushed over. Valentine nodded beside Konny with a precarious look on his face.
“It’s working properly.”
“All right.”
When Valentine first invented the long-distance magic circle, what came first was setting up the magic circle at the Eastern border ruins where Demian was. So when Paimon appeared in Dandelion, Demian was able to rush and subdue him at the right moment.
The second location of the magic circle was Isadora’s manor by the river in the capital of Hautean. Lara had set up a magic circle that could go straight home to evacuate her precious people in case of an emergency.
“Ximena, Eunice. You stay here and see how the Empire moves. The only place where you can hear the news of the battlefield the fastest is the Imperial Palace. Be the person next to the Crown Prince and watch what he does.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“Yes, I get it.”
Eunice and Ximena answered hastily and rushed away to find Crown Prince Acerus after he had disappeared from the hill.
“The wolves have arrived.”
Just in time, hundreds of wolves had secretly prepared and arrived behind the abode.
“Let’s go.”
Isadora was the first to take a step inside. An intense light was hovering more than ever over the magic circle in the underground maze. Valentine stayed up all night to strengthen the magic circle to send the party to Hautean.
Again, Isadora stood on top of the magic circle first. Sebastian stood close to her as though to assist her, and Konny and the wolves’ captain hurried after him.
After a long spell, a familiar place appeared when they opened their eyes. It was the mansion by the river in Hautean.
“Lady Isadora! I have been waiting for you.”
The well-grown Princess Sonnet greeted Isadora and said in an ambitious voice.
“I have called up the best knights in Hautean. I have also explored the shortest route to the mountain range. I have already dispatched an advanced party and we will hear from them soon.”
“I see.”
The preparations to the demonic beast’s mountain range, West Gorgon, were complete.
<ol start="34">
Lara Decided Not To Talk About Fate Anymore.
On the way to the Gorgon Mountain Ranges, Lara decided to buy a carriage from a small city. The horse was tired of their long journey and had become noticeably thin, and she was also determined not to rely on Vassago and Paimon’s magic.
While Vassago contemplated and was busy choosing which carriage to buy, Lara talked to Valac, who was sweeping his chest with one hand.
“What’s the matter?”
“I’m a little restless… I don’t know why.”
“Is your heart beating irregularly? Like it hurts and feels exhilarating, but then suddenly you get goosebumps out of nowhere.”
“How do you know?”
“Because that’s love.”
“What a load of bull-”
Paimon’s fist flew into the back of his head just as those foul words came out of Valac’s mouth.
Whack!
It hurt so much that he almost cried. After Valac glared at Lara in frustration, Paimon threatened him.
“I will rip out those impudent eyes of yours this time. How dare you glare at the Master? You vermin.”
“Why don’t you think about your Master’s standard who makes fun of this vermin?”
“You will have to have your limbs ripped to come to your senses.”
“If you rip me to death, the Crown Prince will die.”
When Valac grumbled with a downhearted look, Paimon beat his own chest and complained out of frustration.
“You shrewd vermin! How dare you share your heart with Master’s friend? Can’t you live without being a parasite?”
“For crying out loud! I did that because Master’s friend was dying. I was just trying to save him!”
“How am I supposed to know if that’s true or not?”
Paimon did not believe anything Valac said. As the two demons began to fight, Vassago, while in the middle of picking out a carriage, looked their way and clicked his tongue.
“Shut up, you noisy fellows.”
“Vassago!”
“Master, I think this carriage is good enough.”
Vassago approached Lara and pointed to a carriage.
“It looks the most old-fashioned though?”
“We have to go through rugged terrain, so looks do not matter. But the wheels on this one are very well maintained so this one is the safest.”
“And it’s too small.”
“The carriage is only for you, Master. What’s the use of a big carriage? It will just be a burden.”
“It’s only for me?”
“When it comes to us, we can just walk or run. We can even kill or throw someone away.”
Those last words were said with Valac in mind. Everyone there understood what Vassago meant. Paimon nodded contentedly. Valac looked at them with a pleading look on his face but Lara only smiled lightly.
After buying the carriage, they bought food and clothes to change into. Lara thought that a simple travel suit would do, but the demons were inflexible in a strange matter, they kept recommending her a fancy and beautiful dress.
“All you have to do is lie down in the carriage and sleep. These two will serve you. From now on, you must have dignity as the great demon lord candidate.”
“Why do I need to have that dignity here? I can have it when I go to hell.”
“But there must already be quite a few demons walking upon this land.”
“So what?”
“We don’t know where and whom we will run into. I cannot show my Master wearing shabby clothes. This has to do with my honor as well.”
“What nonsense is that?”
When Lara refused the dress as though it was annoying, Paimon secretly took Vassago’s side.
“Just wear it. Master, your appearance is already a fancy and powerful one, so something like a travel suit won’t look good on you.”
“But still, you’re telling me to climb up the mountain in this red and black dress?”
“I will carry you on my back.”
Paimon said, smiling.
“I can use magic to carry you. If I have to, I will kill Valac and make a stretcher out of him…”
“Why me again?”
In the end, Lara compromised with a gorgeous and luxurious jacket and leather pants instead of a dress. With a narrow-brimmed hat and a black veil, she looked like the monarch of the demons. She was very curious about what Konny would have said if she had seen her new look. She might have said that Lara looked like the wings of a dragonfly from hell.
“We will set off now.”
Vassago naturally sat down on the coachman’s seat, and Paimon climbed onto the roof of the carriage. Valac was restless, wondering where to board, and then, hesitatingly, sat next to Vassago.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
As Vassago guaranteed, Lara was not the least bit tired. The demons assisted her with all their heart. Even Paimon, who was suspicious of Vassago at first, no longer held him in check after knowing his real purpose.
During the day, Lara leisurely gazed at the western landscape in the carriage. And during the night, she slept with the warm giant of fire in her arms. Even when Lara was asleep, the carriage kept moving. She had three restless demons by her side.
One day when the Gorgon Mountain Ranges were just around the corner, Lara had fallen into a deep sleep when her eyelashes suddenly trembled. It was quiet around, and though no one had woken her up, she had woken up by herself all of a sudden. Lara put down the giant of fire, fast asleep in her arms, and slowly got up.
She was the only one in the carriage. There was no one else. The demons hardly spoke without Lara, so there were no sounds from outside.
Lara felt strange. Her heart tightened and loosened. Her pulse beat very slowly but her heart ached for no reason. It felt like someone was pouring cold and warm water into her body at the same time. Lara swept her chest with one hand.
‘Demian.’
She wondered if he was calling her. She was unsure.
‘Abraxas.’
Lara bit her red lips tightly. She held the dull necklace that once shone red at bygone days. Then, she whispered to the God of Fate.
‘I will be the demon lord and break this terrible chain of fate.’
So that there would be no more saintesses in this land. So that the demon lords would no longer have to be born to kill the saintesses.
The first saintess was destined to serve God but had fallen in love with God instead. Lara thought about why Abraxas called himself the God of Fate and waited for this moment. God only wanted someone to kill him. So that he might no longer suffer from the traces of the woman he loved.
After thinking, Lara whispered and gave strength to the hand that was holding the necklace.
“I trust you.”
She hoped her feelings would reach him.
Demian belonged to Lara. A fragment taken from God, an executor determined by God, and a being born to kill her.
She did not care about any of that.
Demian. My fate. You’re the only one who can kill God.
