Chapter 79: Fateful Encounters in the Demon Realm

“No, hahaha, Father!”

From behind Lara, a demon with a wounded leg limped forward. Spreading his arms wide, he shielded Lara and Karlahee. The sight of the young demon, drenched in green blood on one leg, made the middle-aged demon’s eyes widen in shock.

“My son! Hahaha, you who bear the noble demon blood, how can you side with these inferior humans?! What is that enormous wound on your leg?! Hahaha… I cannot forgive this…”

“It’s a misunderstanding, hahaha. These people brought my injured self here… They saved me from certain death! Hahaha.”

At these words, the middle-aged demon ceased his attack. There was no anger or contempt in his eyes—only a single, heavy tear glistened.

“Oh my, to think that these are the ones who saved my son, hahaha… Thank you. I don’t know how to repay this favor… hahaha.”

“Please, stand up!”

As the middle-aged demon repeatedly bowed his head in gratitude, Lara struggled to stop him. No matter where you go, parental love is the same. Strangely, soon a warm atmosphere began to spread between them.

“As a father, hahaha… I must find a way to repay you somehow.”

“No, really. We just did what was necessary. Besides, we are prisoners in the Demon Realm…”

“Oh dear! Prisoners?! Even if we give you the finest treatment, it wouldn’t be enough, hahaha. Both of you, please make yourselves at home. We promise to provide the best service until you return to the Human Realm. Hahaha.”

“Oh my, you really needn’t go that far…”

“Hahaha, please, Father, do as you said. It wouldn’t feel right to just send our lifesavers away… hahaha. I’d feel at peace if we did.”

Despite the middle-aged demon’s insistence, Lara and Karlahee repeatedly said they were fine—but when the young demon joined in, they had no choice but to accept. What seemed like merely a place to rest turned out to be an extraordinary, first-class service.

A luxurious mansion boasting an awe-inspiring exterior, a staff of over a hundred attendants standing by, and treasures of gold, silver, and mountain feasts piled high.

The young demon who had rescued them came from a well-off demon family. So, the two were now enjoying an extravagant healing retreat in the Demon Realm.

“Ah… I don’t want to go back.”

“Ah, what a shock!”

Startled by the sudden voice of the Supreme Deity invading her thoughts, Lara leaped off the sofa.

‘W-well, what can I do? Things are moving this way, and a mere extra like me can only do so much!’

‘I know! But how easy is that?! Even you, Supreme Deity, have seen it all—obsessive Male Lead ended up behind bars, while the other, a “big dog,” is far from a typical big dog!’

‘When did I ever say he was like a dog! There’s a limit to how far one should go in dealing with real people, damn it!’

With an indignant lift of her chin, Lara scoffed. As she gracefully raised her glass again, a solemn and majestic voice resonated.

‘But come to think of it, Brother, maybe we don’t even need to save you.’

‘At first, I thought I had to restore you completely, but honestly, even if you reverted to your original state, it’d feel awful. Imagine that worthless scum suddenly acting all overprotective and affectionate… Ugh, it’s terrifying. Insane, absolutely insane.’

A torrent of expletives burst forth like a local dialect, the disgust far too immense to be described with a single word.

As even the sole ally of this world betrayed the divine will, the Supreme Deity began to lose his strength. The clichéd glimmer of hope faded, and the world teetered on the brink of apocalypse.

* * *

It was a pitch-black world devoid of light, water, or sound—like witnessing the primordial universe. Then, as if heralding a new beginning, a tiny sound emerged. Calm, with a steady rhythm.

“…Trtrtr, trtrtr… Hello?”

A kind and gentle voice resounded. With the voice of a primordial mother, the world began to turn pale.

“Yes, Author. Are you available for a call right now?”

Another enigmatic voice responded.

“Ah, yes, yes. No problem, Manager.”

“I checked the manuscript file you sent by email.”

“Yes.”

“Um, it’s very different from your previous work. The title, ‘Elina’s Five Men’—from the start, it’s hard to understand why the protagonist Elina suddenly has five partners, and overall, the novel’s direction is all over the place. And it’s supposed to be a romance, right?”

Faced with the stranger’s inquiry, the primordial mother—the Supreme Deity’s messenger—hesitated to answer. Given everything that had transpired, how could anyone make sense of her previous work?

“At this rate, getting published seems unlikely. We’ll do our best on our end, but we’d appreciate it if you could flesh out the rest of the story a bit more. The romance market these days is incredibly competitive…”

“…Ah, yes, I understand.”

The tone of the primordial mother began to soften.

“Anyway, please write well, and I’ll be counting on you.”

With those words, the world once again turned pitch black.

* * *

Elina V awoke. Sweat clung to her hair, which stuck to her temples. The pile of documents she had been handling in her final effort to fulfill her duty as a saint now lay disheveled under her arm. It was a dream so sudden she didn’t know when she had fallen asleep.

“…Is this a divine revelation?”

Elina V, sprawled on the desk, shuddered from the bizarre dream and quickly sat up. Stepping out into the corridor, she found a holy knight kneeling in respect.

“Your Holiness, it’s very late.”

“I must see Your Grace.”

“I will accompany you.”

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the holy knight led the way without a word. Soon, in front of an office, the knight waited as only Elina V entered. Seated at a desk was Mikhail, who, as if expecting her, raised his head with a relaxed air.

“You’re here, Saint.”

“Have you found the way to the Demon Realm?”

“Not yet, still investigating.”

“I just had a strange dream—a revelation. If we don’t hurry, this world… will be in danger.”

Noticing the Saint’s anxious look, Mikhail fell silent before finally rising.

“…It isn’t entirely impossible.”

Mikhail stepped away from the desk and stood before a study. Placing his hand on the eighth compartment of the bookcase, he retrieved a plain black leather-bound book.

“However, from now on, I may no longer have the right to be called the Pope.”

As he pulled the book, the study shifted aside, revealing a secret passage. The moment Mikhail set foot in the endless black chamber, a light suddenly illuminated his profile. An ominous aura enveloped Elina V.

“Let’s go.”

* * *

Lara sat by the window, gazing at the red moon over the Demon Realm. It was an absolutely breathtaking sight. As she sipped her drink and admired the view, Karlahee approached from behind.

“Lara, what are you up to?”

“Ah, I was just moon-gazing. The moon here is red—you should see it.”

When she looked up at Karlahee, whose quiet smile hinted at some private amusement, she couldn’t help but smile.

Wearing thick glasses that hid his eyes, Karlahee’s expression suggested he had warm, gentle eyes despite their tiny, fish-bone appearance, radiating a deep, simmering humor.

“Do you like the color red?”

“No, not really—it’s just so unusual. It’s a moon you can’t see in the Human Realm.”

“Really? Lara, it seems our tastes are complete opposites.”

Before Lara could retort with a playful jab about his preferences, Karlahee burst out laughing.

“But isn’t it amazing how well we get along despite that?”

“Oh, stop being so cheesy.”

“I’d call it charmingly cheesy.”

Lara let out a soft laugh, and Karlahee, joining in, picked up the bottle from the nearby display.

“I never said it before, but it’s really fortunate that you were my first acquaintance.”

As he poured a drink, the dark liquid swirled enticingly.

“Up until now, I had built my entire world around myself—collecting and displaying all sorts of merchandise was my only joy.”

Lara glanced over at him. Slowly, he took another sip and then set the glass aside.

“But sharing that joy with you doubled my happiness. Having someone who truly understands you is a priceless gift.”

Soon his hand reached out to touch Lara’s cheek. The warmth of his hand made her shudder, as his smooth, large hand swept close to her jawline.

“I’ve been meaning to say this for a long time. Lara… die for me!!”

“Ugh!”

In a reflexive move, Lara threw a punch at Karlahee when Rahi’s grip tightened around her neck. The fist struck squarely into Karlahee’s stomach. He loosened his hold and staggered back for a moment before straightening up with a bizarre, cackling laugh. Black energy began swirling around Rahi’s body.

“What a madman… I seriously misjudged him!”

Overwhelmed by betrayal, Lara trembled. No matter how it’s spun as a joke, he’d clearly crossed the line.

“You worthless human wench…”

“Ha! And you’re a human yourself!”

“You pathetic nerdy wench…”

“The so-called legendary nerd is you!”

“How could one associate with a mere extra like you… hahaha.”

“Ah, yes! I’m sorry for being just an extra! Let’s never see each other again!”