"The one speaking... is me?"

An looked at the person on the stage, and that person also looked at her.

It was an extremely strange experience. It was as if she were looking into a mirror, yet the person in the mirror was still slightly different from her.

That person was wearing clothes that did not belong to this era, and she also did not have the composure and elegance An had trained since childhood, yet she stood at the very center, being watched by countless fervent gazes.

Just as she proclaimed, she was like everyone’s king, about to tighten her grip on blades and arms and lead these blind followers into a war that concerned life and death and freedom.

"You... what exactly are you..."

Many images flashed by, and many images disappeared.

Like the blurry pictures played by a shoddy image magic device, all kinds of chaotic color blotches and black-and-white snowflakes interwove together, constantly crashing and rising and sinking in her mind.

Those images were too fragmented, so she asked out loud without thinking.

But no one answered.

The person on the stage only watched her. That gaze was sorrowful and profound, as if she wanted to tell her something, but it was blocked by the long span of time standing between them.

"You... finally remembered?"

All of a sudden, someone spoke.

An followed the voice and looked over.

It was at the very front of the crowd, the leading position in front of everyone... the place closest to the “her” on the stage.

"You... finally recalled all of this?"

It was a boy, his face blurry.

"Recalled... what?"

"All of this!"

The boy raised his arm and shouted, "All of everything—about you, your identity, your duty!!"

"...Identity? Duty?"

"Yes! You are our king! You are the leader who will lead us to freedom! Look at them!"

"King!"

"King!"

"King!"

The crowd shouted. It was like mountains calling and seas roaring, like a tide formed by the single word “king.”

Even though it was only an image, An still seemed to truly feel the emotions these people were bursting with.

Excitement.

Fervor.

Admiration.

And then something even fiercer, even crazier...

Anger.

Pain.

And...

Sorrow.

Sorrow like the sea, like the abyss—sorrow.

That sorrow seemed to carry endless regret, endless despair.

But why regret? Why despair? Don’t you already have your own king?

Drip.

A tear fell.

An lifted her head in a daze, just in time to see two crystalline tears sliding down from the corners of the eyes of that “king” being watched with such fervor.

Only then did An realize that amid those surging emotions, only sorrow did not come from the crowd.

It came from... her.

...

...

"An... An... An!"

An jolted awake.

The vast crowd vanished. The Abyss’s sky was still that eternal dim gloom, and there was no longer a high tower looking down... because they were currently standing on top of the high tower.

"An, are you okay?"

"Y-Young Master? I, what happened to me?"

"You suddenly started staring straight at this thing in front of you, like you turned into a puppet—completely motionless. You scared me to death."

Muen gripped An’s arm, looking at her with a worried face.

"Are you okay? Could it be a side effect of this ancient relic?"

"N-no... it’s not. I’m fine too."

An shook her head and showed a slight smile, but her expression was still a little absent.

She gently raised her hand and touched the corner of her eye.

It was a little... a little sore. If Young Master hadn’t pulled her back in time, she might really have been drowned by that endless sorrow and cried.

Crying was something she found unimaginable for someone like her, Young Master’s personal maid.

Looking over this entire life, she had only exposed the deepest softness in her heart in front of Young Master that one time.

But that sorrow—what exactly was it? And why sorrow?

"It’s good that you’re fine."

Muen let out a breath.

"Then hurry up and wrap up what’s going on here and leave. This is the demonfolk’s main base, after all. I’ve got a really bad feeling. We can’t stay long."

"Mm, I understand." Looking at Young Master’s handsome face, An felt reassured and nodded lightly.

That’s right. None of that mattered.

What mattered most right now was to deal with the trash in front of them, then go back with Young Master and enjoy the wonderful time of reunion.

An took a deep breath, temporarily setting aside stray thoughts, focusing as she controlled the Myriad-Age Cycle in her hand.

After that brief lapse, more memory fragments surfaced in her mind. Because of that, she could control this ancient relic with increasing ease, so next, she only needed to press a little harder, and the Enchantress’s soul would completely...

"If you do that, you will regret it."

A faint breeze swept in, breaking the eerie silence.

A withered finger reached out from within that breeze and gently pressed down on the perfect circular ring.

Hng—

An’s beautiful eyes widened slightly, because with that light press of the finger, An could clearly feel her control over the Myriad-Age Cycle... being taken away in part?

Strange. Shouldn’t this ancient relic work on all demonfolk of the present day?

This person...

"Who are you?"

Muen stepped in front of An, staring warily at the old man who had suddenly appeared.

He was an old man who looked very ordinary, hair white as snow, body withered and thin.

The style of the clothes he wore was completely different from anything Muen had seen in this world—full of an antique texture. And the patterns traced on the fabric faintly resembled the architecture all over this Gutongs Castle.

The old man was already very old, even his back a little hunched, yet he was still very spirited, and very gentle, with not the slightest hint of majesty or frightening aura.

Yet his cloudy eyes did not reflect Muen’s figure at all. He only watched the girl behind Muen.

"Truly... it’s been so, so, so long. Reunions are always exceptionally beautiful. It’s a pity that your current name, too, has become a taboo together with that one, so right now, should I call you..."

The old man smiled gently.

"An?"

"..."

An’s mouth parted slightly.

She knew very clearly that she did not recognize this old man, and had never even seen him.

Yet when she saw that wrinkled old face, her mind automatically overlaid it with another figure.

A boy’s figure.

From the phantom she had just seen in that daze.

"Shenyi?" Those two syllables slipped out of her mouth.

"Yes, I am Shenyi."

The old man looked extremely happy. "You can call my name—does that mean your memories have recovered? Ah... this really is... this really is an unexpected harvest. It was worth my risking it and letting you come into contact with the Myriad-Age Cycle, and then letting that idiot Enchantress foolishly force you of her own accord."

"Shenyi, you bastard, you actually..."

After hearing that, the Enchantress, still writhing on the ground, instantly roared in fury, wishing she could tear the old man named Shenyi into pieces.

But no one cared about her anymore.

"No. I haven’t remembered anything, and I don’t know you."

An’s little face returned to coldness. "You misunderstood."

She hid behind Muen, as if only that could make her feel reassured again.

"Don’t... how is that possible? You clearly already..."

"Didn’t you hear An say she doesn’t know you?"

Muen’s eyes widened as he used his body to completely block An.

"You filthy old pervert—back where I come from, pestering a pretty girl like this gets you punched! Do you know a kind of fist technique that’s activated with magic?"

"..."

Shenyi seemed to only notice Muen at this moment.

"Muen Campbell?"

"That’s right. It’s me." Muen puffed out his chest.

"How strange. You’re that Lion King’s son, aren’t you?"

Shenyi showed a trace of puzzlement.

"Could it be you’ve never even heard my name?"

"..."

Muen’s cheek twitched hard.

"Ahem, ahem. If my guess is right, putting together the time and place right now, plus the name Shenyi, I think you, old sir, should be the famously legendary demonfolk’s number one Grand Duke—Grand Duke Shenyi."

"Oh, so you do know that much."

Shenyi looked even more puzzled.

"Then why aren’t you afraid?"

"...Heh. Afraid?"

Muen’s mouth crooked.

"I’m not even afraid of an Evil God, and you think I’m afraid of some demonfolk Grand Duke?"

Even though the person in front of him was the demonfolk’s number one Grand Duke, an old monster among old monsters that even King Yintuo flat-out said he couldn’t beat.

But at a time like this, he couldn’t lose momentum!

After all, if you’re dying either way, dying with swagger was still better than dying pathetically.

And most importantly...

An was scared right now, because of this old thing.

"I see... admirable courage."

Shenyi nodded. "Worthy of that Lion King’s son. In that case, I’ll slightly forgive your usurpation toward our king."

"...I’ll let you die not quite so painfully."

Muen’s pupils shrank.

Shenyi made no movement at all, yet Muen felt a vast shadow of death savagely bite toward him.

Resist... resist... even if it’s the legendary Grand Duke Shenyi... he still had to resist!

Black flame surged, blade-light bright.

In the mental space, the black sun turned, and at the same time Muen kept calling in his heart for the Black Book to save him.

Even knowing he couldn’t win, knowing the gap was enormous, he still had to...

"Stop it—!"

Yet Muen’s methods still hadn’t even had the chance to be used.

Because steel roared. A terrifying aura erupted behind him, actually forcing that shadow of death back for a brief moment.

An shielded Muen and snarled at Shenyi with a fierce, sharp shout, "You’re not allowed to touch him!"

"This is..."

Shenyi froze for a moment. He wasn’t angry—he was delighted instead.

"You... you really are...!"

"..."

Muen silently turned around.

That frightening aura from just now had already gone beyond the realm of ordinary people. Even though it still hadn’t fully reached the level of a Crowned One, it absolutely should not have come from an ordinary girl.

Much less from An, who had only stepped into cultivation for one year—though her realm had progressed rapidly, and she was already at the Fourth Tier.

"I... I..."

An also abruptly noticed something wrong. She loosened her hands and stumbled back.

In the reflection of the steel, she saw her eyes—more crimson and bright than any demonfolk’s—and she also saw the pair of exquisite yet imposing horns above her head that could no longer be hidden.

"No... Young Master... don’t look at me..."

An’s face went pale. Usually so composed, she rarely lost control like this.

Because she didn’t want this ugly appearance to show in front of Young Master. She didn’t want Young Master to dislike her... that was also why she had wanted to come here alone to settle everything before.

She hurriedly retreated, at a loss, and the only thought in her head right now was to run away first. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Yes, run first. Don’t care about anything—first...

But she couldn’t run.

Because right then, a familiar warm embrace wrapped around her.

"Miss Maid, your Young Master is still right here. Where do you think you’re running off to?"

"Y-Young Master?" An’s body stiffened. Even though she could easily break free of this embrace right now, she still couldn’t take another step to run.

That warmth was the same as ever.

"Don’t be afraid."

Muen’s forehead lightly touched the small horn on top of An’s head, and he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.

"I’m here."

An’s lashes trembled. Like she had found the place she could rest her heart, she leaned lightly against Muen’s shoulder.

"...Really. An unpleasant scene—ruining the good mood of my reunion."

Grand Duke Shenyi watched this and let out a long sigh, his eyelids gradually lowering.

"It seems our king’s awakening still lacks a bit of fire. She can actually still indulge in this ridiculous human love and lust... I see. Then I can only use some disrespectful means."

"The one ruining someone else’s reunion mood is you, you old thing."

Muen turned his head and shot back without the slightest mercy.

"You demonfolk—one after another popping out—are you playing some turn-based game or what?"

"Game? No, child."

Shenyi said indifferently, "This is war."

"Of course I know it’s fucking war. You want to snatch away my little maid—if I weren’t unable to beat you, I’d want to kick your old rotten ass through right now."

Muen sneered.

"But what I mean is, if it’s turn-based... doesn’t that mean it’s my turn to make a move now?"

"Oh?"

Shenyi’s curiosity was stirred.

"You still have some method?"

"I don’t."

"..."

"But other people do."

Muen suddenly took a deep breath, then abruptly tore his throat open and shouted, "Paul, you dogs—if you’re really going to pull something, if you don’t do it now, then when the hell will you?!"

...

"Ah... ah... achoo!"

Paul rubbed his nose. "I think I heard someone calling me."

"Your imagination."

Feier, who had recovered her true name, said, "There aren’t any acquaintances here. Who would be calling you?"

"That’s true."

Paul lifted his head and looked toward the high tower not far away. "But speaking of it, the commotion up there is huge. Is there some kind-hearted person helping us draw the demonfolk Grand Duke’s attention? Just now I think I even saw a figure fly down from up there. Tsk tsk, from that high—won’t they get smashed into meat paste?"

"Stop talking shit and hurry up and finish it!"

Annie said irritably.

"Oh, oh!"

Paul focused on what was in front of him.

Very quickly, through the joint efforts of him, Annie, Reta, and the others, an altar was °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° finally built completely.

"Hah... this is killing me."

Annie wiped sweat. "This is why I hate the Church’s whole tedious process. Can’t it be simpler?"

"It’s not that we don’t want to, it’s that we can’t."

Feier said. "An altar is a necessary method for fixing coordinates. If it were that easy to build, then wouldn’t those evil cultists who worship Evil Gods be able to cause trouble even more easily and conveniently?"

"Fair point."

Annie pursed her lips. "It’s on you."

"Okay."

Feier stood, then knelt and sat properly at the center of the altar, forming a standard posture of prayer.

Then she opened her eyes.

Those eyes that, since stepping into the Abyss, had remained shut the entire time.

And within her eyes there were no pupils—only a pure white filled with holy radiance.

"Great Goddess... please gaze upon this place."