DSB 88

“I have no intention of going with you.”

“There’s no time for this.”

“No, I…”

Lebel tried to shake off Norman’s hand, but he was too weak, so he had no choice but to be dragged along. It looked like Norman was kidnapping him.

Karon shook his head roughly to clear his mind, then saw the scene and shouted angrily.

[Can’t you let go of that hand?!]

Lebel only blinked.

“If I had realized Lord Lebel’s identity sooner, I’d never have allowed such a marriage.”

[Oh? Then we think alike.]

Karon, who had been growling, nodded in agreement. At that moment, the barrier finally shattered.

“You monstrous human…”

The door that had been ripped off flew all the way to Lebel’s feet. Yutis, radiating a menacing aura, glared at Norman.

He was already furious that Norman, who had been imprisoned, was in Lebel’s room. But to make matters worse, he had even grabbed Lebel’s hand and pulled him into his arms.

With a metallic sound, Yutis drew the sword hanging at his side.

There was no need for words.

In the middle of the night, Norman had broken into Lebel’s room using magic. That alone was unforgivable. And those huge wings on his back, he couldn’t be called human.

Yutis lunged forward in an instant, aiming precisely for Norman’s neck, but Norman barely dodged by flapping his wings. Then he turned his body and flew out of the terrace.

“My wife!!”

“Ah…”

Yutis reached out to grab Lebel, but his fingertips only brushed past him. Lebel was carried into the sky along with Norman.

At that moment, chills ran down Norman’s spine.

The demonic energy emanating from Yutis was so thick it could have dyed his hair black. It meant he was so furious he couldn’t control his emotions. Norman felt threatened, but Lebel clicked his tongue, saying he was worrying about useless things again.

When Norman tried to escape with Lebel, Lebel stopped him.

“Let me go.”

“Why? Come with me to the Empire. That’s where you truly belong, Lord Lebel. The land is vast, and its power can’t be compared to the North.”

“Who gave you permission to take him away? How dare you touch my wife in front of me?”

That voice wasn’t Lebel’s, but Yutis’s. He raised his sword. The well-maintained blade glinted coldly as it was wrapped with demonic energy t.

“Don’t touch my wife with those filthy hands.”

His glowing eyes shone coldly. Lebel exclaimed in awe.

‘Someone is going to die. Not me, but the one behind me.’

Yutis seemed determined to kill Norman no matter. The intensity made Norman flinch for a moment. There was a reason Illa had told Lebel to leave things to Yutis.

But Yutis had no means to strike down someone flying in the air, so Norman had been relieved, until Yutis swung his sword downward, sending out demonic energy.

“What? Sword energy?!”

Yutis had often wrapped his blade in demonic energy while fighting, but this was the first time he had actually released it. Even with demonic power, it was a technique that only a swordsman of the highest level could use, and Yutis had just done it.

Even Lebel was stunned.

Norman, caught off guard, tried to flee, but the flying sword energy sliced off the tip of his wing.

“Ugh!”

One wing crashed to the ground, and Norman lost his balance. If he’d been even a little slower, his head would’ve been cut off. His neck felt cold, but as long as he wasn’t hit, it didn’t matter. He could still fly, and that gave him the advantage.

“This isn’t even a wound! You think something like this can kill a demon?!”

Norman regenerated his severed wing with demonic energy and cast magic toward Yutis. Yutis hesitated for a moment, surprised by what he’d just done, but still deflected the spell with his sword.

When Norman, losing in the power struggle, started preparing to unleash magic in earnest, Lebel frowned and spoke to him.

“He’s my husband. If you hurt him, I won’t forgive you.”

“He’s only human. There’s no need to respect him just because you went through a mating ceremony!”

Norman didn’t care about Lebel’s warning. He cared about Lebel, but with an enemy threatening his life, he had no room to worry about anything else.

Harsh wind and sword energy collided. The shockwave was so strong that Lebel couldn’t even open his eyes properly.

Yutis, still standing in the ruined room, had his eyes fixed only on Lebel. Being human, he couldn’t fly, but he stood dangerously close to the terrace edge, as if he wanted to be as near as possible.

‘He’s going to fall like that.’

Norman was forced to fly around to dodge Yutis’s sword energy, which made Lebel’s body swing in the air. The world spun around him, but Yutis’s figure remained clear in his sight.

“You really think a mere human can defeat me?!”

Norman was flying high in the sky, so he had plenty of room to dodge, but Yutis had nowhere to go. A violent gust of wind magic slammed into Lebel’s room, filling it with thick smoke. Even so, Lebel could sense through demonic energy that Yutis was unharmed.

“Now’s the time. Please, come with me quickly. There are people in the Empire who’ll welcome you, Lord Lebel. I’ve already made all the preparations. You can live there ruling over the Middle Realm, just like when you were in the Demon Realm. I’ll stay by your side and protect you.”

Norman spoke excitedly. The future he’d dreamed of was right before his eyes, and he completely ignored Lebel’s will.

That was what made demons troublesome. They always followed their own desires and acted as they pleased. Lebel clenched and unclenched his fist, clicking his tongue.

In the past, he would’ve knocked down a rampaging demon like this with one punch, but with this weakened body, it was impossible.

Lebel ignored Norman’s words and looked toward where Yutis was. Norman launched another spell, but through the smoky haze, Yutis was still visible. His fierce eyes glowed, and his demonic energy was burning even stronger.

But Lebel could feel something trembling in him. The thing Yutis had feared had come true. To think he’d end up being kidnapped like this. He felt he should go calm him down soon.

“I know. You must be disappointed that I couldn’t defeat that human. You like strong beings, don’t you, Lord Lebel? But I’m strong too. I’ll become even stronger than that man. I’ll perfect your body as well. Then you won’t need to depend on a human like him.”

“…Depend?”

“Aren’t you living with that monster only because of the demonic energy?”

Lebel’s body was filled with Yutis’s demonic energy. Demons used demonic energy as the source of their power. Norman believed Lebel had taken Yutis’s energy to accumulate strength.

“If you need demonic energy, I can give you mine. Your body’s still weak because you accepted that man’s energy. The quality of demonic energy in humans and demons is completely different.”

Lebel’s eyebrow twitched with irritation. He had deliberately kept Yutis’s energy inside him, and compared to Norman’s, Yutis’s was far better.

Norman released his demonic energy, wrapping it around Lebel’s body. He wasn’t trying to harm him but to share it, but his energy was starting to push Yutis’s energy out.

It was something Lebel absolutely didn’t want.

“…I let it slide because you seemed like a young demon, but looks like you’ve grown bold even before the blood’s dried on your head.”

To Lebel, most demons were like children. That was why he tended to tolerate them. But Norman, who never listened and acted recklessly, had crossed the line long ago.

Lebel suddenly released the demonic energy he had been holding back. Norman, startled by the fierce energy that felt like it would burn him alive, instantly let go of him.

“Lord Lebel!!”

Freed from Norman’s arms, Lebel smiled in satisfaction, but soon his eyes widened as he felt his body falling.

‘Ah… right, I don’t have wings.’

Norman tried to catch him, but a streak of sword energy cut through the smoke, stopping him from approaching. Yutis had sent the attack to keep Norman away from Lebel. Then, without hesitation, Yutis threw aside his sword and jumped forward. He grabbed Lebel tightly and pulled him in.

“Yutis…?”

He wrapped his arms around Lebel and twisted his body midair so he would take the full impact when they hit the ground. Lebel’s eyes widened as he saw the earth rushing up toward them.

From this height, not even Yutis, whose body was reinforced with demonic energy, could survive unscathed.

There was no time to think. The situation was too dire to worry about the limits of a human body.

Instead of using his demonic energy to slow their fall, Lebel instinctively spread his wings. Flying was more natural to him than breathing, more familiar than any spell.

Since his soul had settled into this body months ago, it had gradually changed. Pain spread across his back, his clothes tore, and under the night sky, a pair of black wings unfolded wide.

He didn’t know how he’d managed to bring out his wings. He didn’t even have time to worry that his identity as a demon might be exposed.

The only thought in his mind was that Yutis might die, and he had to protect him with his wings.

Lebel wrapped Yutis in his wings.

The two of them fell, but Lebel’s wings absorbed the full impact.

They crashed through trees and landed in the flower bed below. Thanks to the wings taking the shock, neither of them was seriously injured, but Lebel still fest every part of his body screaming in pain.

His back, torn open by the wings, screamed in agony, yet Lebel didn’t care. He quickly lifted his head and cupped Yutis’s face in his hands.

“Yutis, are you hurt? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Seeing Yutis staring up at him in surprise, Lebel sighed in relief but he also was frustrated.

What was wrong with this human? Didn’t he know he had only one life and should value it more?