210
A forest a short distance away from where Glen and the Demon King Army Corps Commander were fighting.
Sabaak—! Kajak!
Romina ran at full speed toward the outside of the forest, violently destroying winter trees and grass blocking her path.
Her amber eyes, once filled with leisure and arrogance, were now full of panic.
“Just what…!”
She still had strength left, but her breathing was rough. Being several kilometers away from the battlefield, she couldn’t know what was happening to Glen.
What she did know was that the moment Rowan’s demonic energy weakened and Glen won, an ominous demonic presence appeared between them.
Romina had felt that ominous demonic energy before.
‘Kacherto Rienz!’
More than ten years ago.
It was the demonic energy of the mage who always stood beside her father and gave advice when Romina was still the Demon King’s daughter.
—You could say that man practically ruined the image of the demon race.
—Dirty magic like corpse-making spells or black arrows all came from him.
—And most of all, if the Demon King doesn’t satisfy him, he brings in a suitable strong person and creates a situation to take the throne. Yeah… just like the current Demon King.
The truth Glen once told her suddenly surfaced in her mind, making her bite her lips.
But personal emotions didn’t matter right now.
What mattered was that Kacherto Rienz, known as a master of vicious magic, had done something terrible.
Moreover, Romina had seen the red sword aura and ash-colored sword aura colliding and rising into the sky just seconds ago.
‘There’s no way he’s okay!’
Paaang—!
The dense demonic energy surrounding Romina intensified and pushed her body forward.
The forest around her was being completely devastated, but she didn’t care.
Soon, she escaped the several-kilometer forest in just a few dozen seconds.
“Glen!”
Romina shouted in panic, but her pupils widened at the scene before her.
The Magic Swordsman Rowan had fallen.
The Glen she had been looking for was staring down at her with a shocked expression.
But one part of the picture Glen had described to her was different.
Goooooo—
It was a huge deep-purple light particle, swallowing Rowan in real time.
Goosebumps rose all over her body.
“Huk!”
Suddenly nauseous, Romina covered her mouth and retched.
She was only sensing the power nearby, but she was far more sensitive to flows of energy than others, so this reaction appeared.
And there were only a few meanings behind such a reaction.
‘Danger…!’
The magic surrounding Rowan was extremely dangerous.
Glen seemed to know what it was, but he was too shocked to move.
“Glen!”
Enduring the waves of ominous demonic energy, Romina kicked off the ground.
Fortunately, Glen seemed to realize the situation and tried to move away, easing her anxiety. But—
“?!”
Her amber eyes shook violently again.
Glen, who had been about to dodge, suddenly tightened his grip on Ainheria and turned, approaching Rowan instead.
If this continued, Glen would surely be engulfed in that unknown demonic energy!
“What are you—!”
However, when she saw the ash-colored aura blooming again on Ainheria, Romina had no choice but to stop.
Gray—formed by the harmonious blend of holy power and demonic particles.
Holy Demonic Power.
The ultimate power she had seen many times shone more brilliantly than ever before.
At the same time, Ainheria wrapped in that light fell downward in Glen’s hand.
Kaaang—
Ainheria, wrapped in Holy Demonic Power, collided with Tearbel’s blade emitting unpleasant purple particles.
A clear metallic sound rang out like iron being struck on an anvil, and Romina was shocked.
When power collides with power, the stronger one is supposed to break the weaker.
Like a paladin’s sword knocking away a demon’s black arrow.
Or a mage’s spell canceling a battle priest’s miracle.
Or like earlier, when Glen’s sword aura erased Rowan’s.
Power destroyed by stronger force should shatter into small particles and scatter into the air.
But before Romina’s eyes, that obvious rule was shattered.
Holy Demonic Power was literally erasing Kacherto Rienz’s magic.
“How…?”
Normally, Glen’s action should have meant nothing.
Kacherto’s condensed demonic energy had already completed the spell.
Even striking late shouldn’t stop it.
But Holy Demonic Power wasn’t just breaking the condensation—it was erasing the very existence.
Even the already-activated magic.
“A miracle….”
An unrealistic phenomenon ignoring all laws of the world.
How else could one describe Glen, who cut through even the source of power and magic?
Watching the evil demonic particles of Kacherto vanish upon touching Holy Demonic Power, Romina stood frozen for a long time.
Ten years ago.
Rowan still remembered the warmth that touched her head.
—Help… many lives… You’re stronger than anyone… you can do it…
It was the last words of her brother, her only remaining family.
—No… I can’t…
—You… can… Even if you’re blunt, you’re kinder than anyone… And people like us… shouldn’t exist again… right?
—I said I can’t… so help me…
The only thing her brother left behind with a faint smile was a sword.
Left alone in the world, Rowan abandoned the demon woman who lost her family and became a hero.
Wherever there was conflict, she appeared.
Using her overwhelming power, she mediated fights and saved the weak.
Before being a hero, she just didn’t want anyone else to experience the hell she had endured.
Her wish grew daily, extending beyond the demon lands to humans beyond the border.
—The Demon King’s Army isn’t as noble as you think. Why did you join?
It was a question from Victor Carden, her superior when she was assigned to the First Corps.
—I want to stop this conflict.
—It’s good to aim for complete nobility, but don’t become obsessed. Reality is cruel.
She didn’t understand his words.
She only stubbornly followed her beliefs.
—Don’t kill those who want to live.
—Bury them. Even if they’re enemies, they fought for their land.
—If someone pretends to beg for life and stabs you, accept it. It’s your lack of skill.
She spent years without shame.
Even surpassing Victor Carden, she proudly realized her ideals.
