DMHS 79

Lucien was conversing with Pearl Asif. Kian slowly blinked to grasp the situation.

At that moment.

Tik.

He felt a familiar sting on the back of his neck. When he turned his head, the priest from before was pretending not to know anything.

A moment later, the priest spoke words that weren’t a single syllable different from before.

“Master, Lord Lucien’s subordinate wishes to step out for a moment.”

“The explanation has gone too long. The subordinate must be bored. Wouldn’t it be better for him to rest in another room for a while?”

“That can’t be. He likes to be by my side the most.”

The dialogue Lucien exchanged with Pearl Asif was the same as before.

‘It’s as if time has been turned back…’

Kian lowered his gaze to the ring on his hand. The magic stone, which resembled Lucien’s pupils, was a little paler than earlier.

There was only one meaning in the dimmed color of the stone.

‘The magic inside this can be used multiple times.’

Kian did not think an item that let one use time-reversing magic multiple times would be common. He realized what this ring was.

‘The Ring of the Winter Hero, and it’s genuine.’

Kian barely managed to not groan out loud.

The Hero’s Rings were items the goddess Celestia had gifted to the four heroes. As expected of divine gifts, each one held extraordinary power.

Hellenos must have had his own reasons for leaving it at the palace…

‘Lucien, how could you just hand this to anyone?’

It was far too great a gift to grab and give as a wedding present.

Kian bit his lower lip.

‘A relic that crosses dimensions, and a ring that turns back time. I’ve seen many treasures in just this one day, treasures that appear maybe once in five hundred years. It’s too much to call it coincidence… Yes, it feels like fate born from piled coincidences.’

Having understood the flow of events, he slipped the ring into the inner part of his trousers where others could not see. Since the lining was thickened with several layers just for emergencies, he thought no one would search that far.

“I’ll step out for a moment.”

Kian followed the priest to the rear of the chapel.

The priest bickered again with the one guarding the cave and then searched Kian’s body.

This time the priest did not discover the ring hidden in Kian’s trousers. He smacked his lips and chose one dagger Kian had carried.

At that moment, a black pillar rose beside them. It was an activated teleportation circle.

When the black light vanished, a man dressed in royal ceremonial robes stood there.

Kian knew him well.

‘Aslan.’

Ash-gray hair and gray eyes. His exotic appearance stood out as Aslan looked around.

Kian’s and Aslan’s eyes met.

But unlike Kian, who recognized him right away, Aslan did not recognize Kian.

Naturally, because this place was a parallel world. The Kian of this world was not Lucien’s mate, so he had not gone to the coming-of-age ceremony with him, nor had he visited Chronos.

“Is this man Lord Lucien’s subordinate?”

“That is correct. Since you went so far as to bring him here, he must be someone he cherish, so there can be no better person to extract information about Lord Lucien from.”

“That’s convenient. Things will go much smoother now.”

Aslan smiled, to someone ignorant of the situation, it was a gentle smile that could make them smile along.

“Are these the only possessions?”

“He seems to be a guard. I searched his inner pockets thoroughly, and only a dagger came out.”

“The power infused is weak, but it can’t be helped. Place the doll here.”

Aslan pointed at the floor where the circle was drawn. The priest gave Kian an order.

“Go there and stand.”

Kian obediently stepped onto the magic circle. From beneath his feet, black energy poked out and disappeared.

The circle had two drawn rings. In the large one stood Kian, and in the small one Aslan placed a dagger and an orb, while standing a blank doll at his side.

“Step back.”

Aslan gave the priest a stern warning. The priest fled all the way to the opposite end of the cave.

Mana began gathering at Aslan’s fingertips as he closed and opened his eyes. Black energy swelled with destructive power.

‘He can do this much without borrowing demonic power, it’s remarkable.’

Aslan opened his eyes. Mana burst up through his entire body and he poured it into the circle.

Kian, who had been waiting for this moment, quickly stamped his foot on the ground.

Boom.

A black shadow spread from Kian’s toes spread.

Of the five branches stretching out like human fingers, four engulfed Aslan. The remaining one streaked toward the priest at the far end of the cave.

The shadow that swallowed the priest immediately returned to Kian. When it dissolved, the unconscious priest appeared.

On the other hand, the four shadows aimed at Aslan were struggling. The large shadow would not stay still. Trapped inside, Aslan was attacking the shadow with spells.

‘How long will he hold out?’

Kian observed the shadow with intrigued eyes.

The standoff did not last long.

Wham!

With a loud sound, the shadow shattered into pieces. Drenched in sweat, Aslan raised his wide eyes.

Kian stroked his chin with his hand.

“I didn’t think it would end this quickly.”

Aslan kicked off the ground and rushed at Kian.

“Extinguish.”

Kian dodged, the spell that shot out from Aslan’s palm hit the cave wall instead.

The wall dented as if a massive explosion had gone off. As the wall broke open, the stones that supported the surroundings collapsed.

Boom.

The noise was like an earthquake.

‘Damn.’

Kian did not want any more commotion. If the opponent had been the Aslan of his own world it might be different, but he felt uneasy about becoming too entangled in another world.

Kian aimed for Aslan’s back.

‘Let’s knock him out first.’

Kian moved at great speed and stood behind Aslan. But Aslan’s reaction was quicker than expected.

Aslan twisted his arm and cast a spell behind his own back.

“Explosion.”

The spell had the power of its name. Flames erupted without warning and engulfed his vision.

Kian felt the ends of his hair and eyelashes burn, and he quickly widened the distance between himself and Aslan.

Bang.

Fireworks exploded in the air and dropped to the ground. The heat was so great that even the clay doll caught fire.

Even as the creation he had made burned, Aslan’s burning gaze fixed only on Kian.

“Who are you?”

“……”

“No, there’s no need for you to answer.”

“……”

“If you block my path, I’ll erase you even if you’re a god.”

He hid behind a false religion yet spoke as if nothing was beyond him.

Mana gathered around Aslan. He used teleportation and appeared before Kian. The spell he used this time was the same.

“Explosion.”

Kian pulled away. But Aslan’s spell had accounted for that. As if he had foreseen where Kian would land, Aslan seized the spot a beat faster and cast another spell.

“Explosion.”

‘Shit.’

Kian rolled across the ground to shake Aslan off. He saw a dagger lying far away.

‘If I had a weapon, things would be better.’

But he knew Aslan would not allow it.

‘I’ll draw him over slowly.’

Kian lowered his body and intentionally advanced toward Aslan. While Aslan flinched and cast a spell, Kian shifted closer to the dagger.

‘Just a little more.’

The dagger was within arm’s reach. As Kian extended his hand, Aslan’s eyes glinted with menace.

“Extinguish.”

Mana shot straight from Aslan’s palm toward Kian.

Kian’s hand closing around the dagger and Aslan’s spell were both so fast that no one could tell which would happen first. No one knew what would come before the other.

But what occurred in the next moment was neither.

Crash.

The door connected to the chapel exploded open and tremendous force surged in.

Kian, who had rolled forward and gripped the dagger, looked toward the doorway.

The one standing tall there was none other than Lucien.

Following Lucien’s gaze, Kian saw Aslan crawling on the floor and groaning. His face was red, and he clutched his throat while choking, which showed he had suffered the same trick as Kian did before.

“If you get in my way again, I won’t spare even you.”

There was no warmth in Lucien’s voice.

Kian had no intent to stop him either. The opponent Aslan was someone beyond human power. If this world’s Lucien willed it, then it was better to finish Aslan here and now.

“…uh.”

White energy and black energy alternated from Aslan’s hand. He seemed ready to cast a spell, but he could not break free from Lucien’s power.

“……”

There was no reversal.

A moment later, Aslan rolled his eyes back and breathed his last.

Lucien confirmed that he was dead and slowly swept back his bangs. Kian glanced beyond the shattered door.

“What happened to Pearl Asif?”

“He’s dead.”

“What did he say?”

“Nothing of worth. Just nonsense about gods and worlds, things not worth hearing.”

Kian bent his upper body and met Lucien’s eyes. He wanted to see if Lucien was hiding something from him.

But Lucien’s eyes, when they met his, were clear. They were not easy to read.

“Are you worried I lied?”

Instead it was Kian’s thoughts that were read. Kian coughed dryly and stepped back.

“No.”

But Lucien seized Kian’s arm. In a bright voice that did not suit the situation, he asked a string of questions.

“Then what? Do you want to look at me more closely? Do you like me that much?”

‘…You’re asking this out of nowhere?’