Lucas froze mid-sentence, his quill hovering above the parchment. His eyes widened ever so slightly, disbelief flickering across his face before he exhaled a long, heavy sigh. A faint smile tugged at his lips.

  “What are you even trying to say, Your Majesty?”

  “Don’t try to ignore this.” Diana’s gaze bore into him, her eyes glimmering like distant stars piercing the night.

  “The truth stares at you; do not turn away.”

  Lucas leaned back, skeptical, though a shadow of unease touched his expression.

  “I don’t really understand what you’re trying to accomplish here. At least give me proof. Why would you say I’m Zaroth?”

  Diana lowered her eyes, drawing in a long, deliberate breath. When she lifted them again, her composure was unshaken.

  “There’s no need for proof. I can smell your malice from here. From the moment I stepped into this room, the sharp shadows followed my every movement, pressing against the fabric of my clothes.” Her voice carried no tremor while her tone steady and fear had no place in it.

  Lucas’s eyes widened further. Then, as if struck by some absurd amusement, he erupted into laughter, so raw and unrestrained it was utterly unlike him.

  When the sound died, his lips curled into a malicious smirk. His once ruby-red eyes darkened, hollow as stone.

  “So… you can see the shadows. Even Leo, formidable as he is, never sensed their presence. Impressive… truly impressive.”

  He clapped slowly, each strike of his hands echoing through the room.

  Rising from his seat, the air thickened with every step, oppressive and heavy as though the very room bent to his presence.

  All of a sudden, Diana felt her chest tighten and before she realized it, a tear slipped down her cheek.

  Lucas’s eyes widened, his mouth falling open in disbelief. For a moment, words failed him.

  “W-What are you up to? W-Why are you suddenly crying?” His voice cracked with unease.

  Diana’s lips trembled as she forced herself to speak, her voice breaking with each word.

  “These tears… they aren’t mine. This is Towa’s feelings answering to you right now.”

  She pressed her hand tightly against her chest, as if trying to hold the weight inside.

  “She’s devastated… she never once imagined that the one she trusted the most would be the one to drive a blade into her back.”

  Her eyes, wet with grief, lifted sharply to meet Lucas’s. Even through the tears, a fierce spark burned in them.

  Lucas’s composure faltered. His hand shot to the fabric over his chest as though her words had pierced something deep inside.

  He took a deep breath, and then he sank back into his chair with a heavy, shuddering sigh.

  “Whatever you say… it won’t matter anymore.” His voice was low, hollow, stripped of conviction.

  “Why are you doing this?!” Diana’s voice rose, raw and trembling. “Teaming up with the Demon God, obliterating all of Apocrypha means killing Towa as well! So why, Lucas? Why!!”

  Her words cracked, her hands shaking at her sides. It wasn’t just her anger, it was Towa’s anguish bleeding through her, doubling the pain until it consumed her whole.

  “He has nothing to do with this,” the voice rumbled, low and steady.

  The shadows curled tighter around Lucas’s form, but the gaze staring through them was firm.

  “I, Zaroth, am the one pulling the strings. If you can defeat me. I will leave this body, and the Lucas you know will return. That is why… accept him as your friend.”

  The words rang with such conviction that Diana’s chest tightened. She could feel it, the sincerity buried inside them, like an unexpected warmth flickering in a sea of darkness.

  Yet it clashed with the image she carried of Zaroth: merciless, manipulative, a god of ruin. Her teeth sank into her lip as her heart warred against her mind.

  “You don’t sound like the monster I pictured,” she whispered, her voice filled with confusion. “Why, then, are you doing all of this, Zaroth?”

  The shadows thickened, writhing like smoke drawn to his bitterness. His expression hardened, but when he spoke, the words were heavy with raw resentment.

  “I hate being used. I was asked to grant him immortality… and I did. But when the time came to repay the debt, he cast it aside. He took his own life rather than repaying what he owes me.”

  A hollow smirk pulled at his lips, though his eyes darkened into voids.

  “So, if he would not repay what he owed, then the price falls to those who lived under the peace he purchased with our deal.” He let out a soft chuckle.

  “The kingdom he loved so dearly, let them bear the weight of his bargain.”

  Diana rose, her fists quivering with anger, her eyes sharp despite the confusion clouding her heart.

  “I don’t understand. What is it you actually want, Zaroth? If he sacrificed himself, why not claim his soul? You are a god. You could reach into the depths and drag his soul back if you wished.”

  He shook his head slowly, twice, as though to drive the thought away.

  “Even for a powerful being like me, such power is beyond reach. And even if it weren’t… it is forbidden, an untouchable taboo among us, supreme deities.’”

  She walked forward with measured steps and stopped in front of his table. Her gaze hardened.

  “Then tell me, taking the lives of innocent people, slaughtering them even though they’ve done nothing against you, doesn’t that already mean crossing a certain line?”

  “No.” He crossed one leg over the other, resting his head against a finger as if bored by the accusation.

  “There is no taboo against killing humans or erasing kingdoms in this world shaped by the Gods. And remember, I’m not the only Demon God in existence.”

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  He simply pointed his other finger to her with a soft smile.

  “This world is vast, far too massive to be contained, and I can assure you, many of the supreme beings commit far worse deeds than what I am about to do.”

  “Tell me,” Diana pressed her lips tightly together, forcing the words out, “are you the one who attacked the four plantations?”

  Lucas gave a small nod. “Yes. But I didn’t kill a single person. Consider it an act of kindness.”

  Her voice trembled as desperation bled into her words.

  “How about the orphanages? The corruption of officials, the sudden rise of taxes and market prices was that you're doing too?” She bit her lip, brows drawn into a sharp frown.

  “I was partly involved,” he admitted, a hint of disdain curling his tone.

  “I bear responsibility for the actions of my pillars within this kingdom. But one thing is certain. I was not involved in the orphanages. Even as a demon, I would never stoop so low as to harm those children.”

  Diana’s hand rose unconsciously to grip her arm, her expression stiff, her body tense. Yet her eyes flared with defiance.

  “I will protect this kingdom, no matter what it takes. Even if I must sacrifice myself.” She clutched at the fabric near her heart, her voice burning with conviction.

  Lucas tilted his head, studying her with quiet curiosity.

  “You are an outworldly soul, one that transcended into Towa’s body. So why? Why go so far for a foreign land that holds nothing of your own?”

  Diana’s eyes shimmered like stars scattered across a midnight sky, so radiant that even Lucas found himself unable to look away. The sight was disarming in its beauty.

  “Because it’s my responsibility,” she said firmly. “This isn’t just about the kingdom expecting something of me, or the fact that I am an outworldly soul. Towa’s duty is mine as well and I will carry it with pride.”

  Her face was etched with unshakable resolve; not a single trace of doubt lingered.

  Lucas gave a faint, almost amused smile. “For someone with such conviction, I can at least respect that. So I’ll tell you this, my four pillars are strongest when united. But if you manage to divide them, fight them one by one… you might actually stand a chance.”

  Diana’s eyes widened, her heart stumbling in disbelief. Why is he… helping us?

  “Why share such precious knowledge, something that could weaken your own forces?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

  Lucas rose from his seat, his movements slow, deliberate. His eyes shifted, glowing with a deep, sinister ruby light.

  “Because I don’t dislike people like you,” he said simply.

  “But do not mistake that for mercy. We are enemies. My army will soon march on the capital… and you have nothing that can stop it.”

  With a flick of his finger, his presence vanished, leaving behind only a cold silence that clung to the air.

  Moments later, a sudden knock echoed through the door, snapping Diana from her daze. She scanned the room; no trace of shadows remained.

  Her breath escaped in a heavy sigh. This burden… it grows heavier with every step.

  Though the weight of anxiety pressed against her chest, Diana forced herself forward. Step by step, she reached the door and pulled it open.

  Her breath caught. Standing there was Leo. His golden eyes locked with hers, brilliant, radiant, so strikingly beautiful that she found herself unable to look away.

  “What are you doing in Lucas’ office?” Leo asked, his voice edged with worry.

  She shook her head and offered a faint, curved smile. “I just needed to confirm something… but I suppose my hunch was right.”

  “Hunch?” he echoed.

  Diana began walking down the corridor, her pace steady, though her thoughts whirled. Leo fell into step beside her, his strides measured.

  “Leo,” she said at last, “since when have you been friends with Lucas?”

  Leo’s brows furrowed slightly. “We’ve been together since childhood.”

  Diana’s expression darkened, her voice low. “That explains why Towa’s emotions struck me so deeply earlier.”

  Leo cast her a sidelong glance, his lips pressing into a thin line, his thoughts clouded in silence.

  “Towa’s father… he made a deal with a Demon God. And that being is inside Lucas, possessing his body even now.” Her teeth caught her lower lip as her brow tightened, pain etched across her face.

  “What should we do, Leo? Everything is spiraling out of control… the weight keeps growing heavier and heavier.”

  Her hands clutched at her clothes, lips trembling as if her resolve itself was on the verge of breaking.

  “You’re not going to carry that burden alone.”

  Leo’s voice lingered in the air, warm and steady, and Diana’s eyes widened as she turned to him. His golden gaze shone like the sun itself, radiant and unyielding, sparks of light seeming to shimmer around him.

  “I’ll carry it with you,” he said, shaking his head with a soft smile.

  “Tetra, Alaric, Finn, Ella, Rose, Beatrice, Sasha. All of them won’t let you shoulder this weight alone. We’re here, Diana. I’m here for you. I’ll drive that Demon God out of Lucas’ body and protect the people of Apocrypha.”

  He smiled again, but it wasn’t just a smile, it brimmed with sincerity, a promise so genuine that in Diana’s eyes he seemed to glow with a light of his own. The sight left her breathless. Her heart caught between awe and relief.

  The silence between them finally broke when Diana’s lips curved into a smile of her own.

  “Thank you.” Her voice is soft.

  As they walked side by side through the corridors, Leo shared the reports he had received, what had unfolded in the Duke’s territory and his army coming in the capital which Finn reported to him, and the Marquis’ long-awaited move.

  In turn, Diana revealed what she had learned from Lucas: the coming of the Demon God’s army, and the weakness of his four pillars.

  “By the way,” Leo began, his tone careful, “Rose told me what happened to you earlier. The way she explained it… honestly, it made me worried about your health.”

  Diana let out an awkward laugh, scratching her cheek. “It’s not really that serious.”

  His brows knit together, and before she could react, he flicked his hand down to give her head a light chop.

  “Not serious? Your face went pale, you were panting so hard you could barely stand, sweat was pouring down your face, and you even told Rose you couldn’t breathe. That’s definitely serious.”

  “Well…” she began, her lips curving into a faint, almost reluctant smile, “if I really have to explain… I met seven Gods in my dream.”

  Leo’s eyes shot wide, his mouth falling open. “Huh!?”

  “We… had a little discussion about the role I have to play in this world.” Her voice faltered into a weak sigh, and Leo caught the shadow of unease flickering across her expression.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked gently, then tried to mask the tension with a halfhearted chuckle. “Don’t tell me you’re the chosen one destined to save the world?”

  Diana shook her head. “No… not me. I’m not the one destined to save the world.” She paused, steadying her voice before speaking again.

  “My role… is to give birth to the child who will.”

  Leo stopped dead in his tracks. His entire body froze, disbelief painted across his face. His eyes went wide, his jaw slack, stunned into silence.

  “Ehh!?”