The royal castle of humanity had
fallen into complete silence.
No one spoke.
No one knew what to do.
Inside the audience chamber, the king
stared blankly at the reports piled before him.
"…To think Lady Elyria would actually
be captured…"
His voice carried both disbelief and
despair.
"Who in this world possesses enough
power to kidnap her?"
The royal guard lowered his head.
"…The ten students."
The king's eyes widened.
"…Those ten?"
The guard nodded.
"The Demon Ruler found every one of
them."
Silence filled the room once again.
The king slowly clenched his fists.
"So…"
"They've taken away our greatest
protector…"
"…and gathered the only people capable
of replacing her."
Humanity's hope had shattered in a
single day.
Elsewhere…
Marla had already heard the news.
Without hesitation, she threw open her
bedroom door.
"I have to find Leo…"
"He has to be somewhere…"
The instant she stepped outside—
Everything disappeared.
The palace hallway was gone.
Instead…
Only endless white space stretched in
every direction.
"…What?"
She immediately stepped back into her
room and slammed the door shut.
Taking a deep breath, she opened it
again.
The same endless white world remained.
"No matter how many times you try…"
"…it won't change."
A familiar voice echoed behind her.
Marla turned around.
"…Cyan?"
One of the ten boys casually sat in a
chair inside her room as though he owned the place.
"It's been a while."
"What are you doing here?"
Cyan crossed one leg over the other.
"I came to make sure you don't go
searching for Leo."
Marla frowned.
"…Why?"
He sighed.
"Because you'll spend the rest of your
life chasing someone who can't be found."
"Forget about Leo."
"If you give up…"
"I'll return you to your room."
"But…"
"If you ever decide to search for him
again…"
"…you'll find yourself back here."
Marla stared at him.
"So this is a prison…"
Cyan smiled.
"A very comfortable one."
His body gradually dissolved into
light.
"Think carefully."
"You only have one choice."
The white world vanished.
Marla found herself back inside her
room.
She slowly sat on her bed.
"…Forget about Leo…"
She whispered those words to herself.
But every time she repeated them…
They became harder to believe.
Because somewhere deep inside…
She knew only one person could save
Lady Elyria.
Meanwhile…
Inside the audience chamber…
The king summoned every remaining
military commander.
Heroes.
Generals.
Court mages.
Veteran knights.
The strongest humans still alive
gathered before him.
The room remained silent as everyone
reviewed Elyria's military records.
Finally…
One advisor sighed.
"…Even if every person in this room
fought together…"
"…we still wouldn't be as strong as
Lady Elyria."
Another nodded.
"If she couldn't escape…"
"…what chance do we have?"
The king slowly lowered his head.
"…There is one final option."
The advisor immediately understood.
"…The other races."
The king nodded.
"Even if they reject us…"
"We have to ask."
"For humanity…"
"…we have no other choice."
Demon Realm
Deep beneath the royal palace…
Elyria calmly sat inside her prison.
The heavy chains around her wrists
didn't seem to bother her in the slightest.
Footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Cyan appeared outside her cell.
"You knew Marla might find Leo if she
searched."
Elyria smiled.
"I never said that."
"No."
Cyan chuckled.
"But you thought it."
"I can read people's thoughts."
Elyria laughed.
"…That's an incredibly troublesome
ability."
She leaned back against the wall.
"I considered the possibility."
"But considering something…"
"…doesn't make it possible."
She looked toward the ceiling.
"Even the demons searched the entire
world."
"They never found him."
"So how could one little girl?"
Cyan silently watched her.
Then disappeared once more.
Just as the Human King prepared to
leave the castle—
The sky changed.
Dark clouds spread across the entire
continent.
Every nation looked upward.
Then…
An enormous magical projection
appeared across the heavens.
Every race could see it.
The Demon Ruler stood proudly before
the camera-like magic.
"I imagine…"
"…the humans were considering asking
the other races for help."
A smile slowly spread across his face.
"Allow me to save everyone the
trouble."
The image shifted.
Gasps echoed throughout the world.
Lady Elyria walked toward an enormous
execution platform.
Her hands remained chained.
Yet her posture never faltered.
Every step she took carried dignity
worthy of humanity's ruler.
She calmly sat beneath the execution
blade.
Not once did she struggle.
Not once did she plead.
The Demon Ruler looked down at her.
"This…"
"…is the end of humanity's hope."
Within the Dragon Kingdom…
The Dragon Ruler watched the
projection with folded arms.
"Hmph."
"This is what happens…"
"…when rulers allow compassion to
weaken them."
Across the Human Kingdom…
Citizens cried openly.
Children buried their faces against
their parents.
Soldiers clenched their weapons
helplessly.
No one could save her.
The executioner raised the massive
blade.
The Demon Ruler smiled.
"I still don't understand."
"Why are you smiling?"
Elyria gently closed her eyes.
"What can I say…"
"…I'd rather meet death with a smile…"
"…than spend my final moments in
fear."
The Demon Ruler laughed.
"I admire your courage."
He raised one hand.
"Begin."
The executioner swung the blade.
WHOOSH—
Before the sword reached her neck—
Something flew through the air.
THUD.
A severed head rolled across the
execution platform before stopping directly in front of Elyria.
The entire world froze.
It was Cyan.
Dead.
A calm voice echoed through the
darkness.
"…You really haven't changed."
The sky suddenly became black.
Day instantly turned into night.
An overwhelming pressure descended
upon the entire world.
Every ruler instinctively stood from
their seats.
"…Impossible…"
The Human King whispered.
A lone figure slowly stepped out of
the darkness.
Black hair.
Calm golden eyes.
A sword resting casually in one hand.
Leo.
Without saying another word…
He walked past the executioner.
Past the guards.
Past the Demon Ruler himself.
As though none of them existed.
He stopped before Elyria.
"…You kept your promise."
Elyria smiled.
"I told you…"
"I wouldn't fight."
Leo looked at the chains binding her
wrists.
"…I can see that."
With a single touch—
The chains shattered into countless
fragments.
He extended his hand.
Elyria accepted it and stood.
For a brief moment…
Neither of them spoke.
Then…
Elyria suddenly embraced him.
"…Thank you."
She smiled softly.
"You came."
Leo quietly returned the hug.
"So…"
"You were scared after all."
"You just hid it well."
She laughed.
"Perhaps."
Breaking the embrace, she looked into
his eyes.
"…Don't die."
"When this is over…"
"…you're going to explain why you
destroyed the academy."
Leo looked away for a moment.
Then…
For the first time in centuries—
He smiled.
"…Sure."
A gentle light surrounded Elyria.
She disappeared.
Safely returned home.
Only Leo remained.
The Demon Ruler slowly clapped.
"I didn't wish to interrupt such a
touching reunion…"
"…but you did just kill one of my
men."
Leo glanced at Cyan's corpse.
"He was standing in my way."
"So I removed him."
His tone remained completely
indifferent.
The Demon Ruler smiled.
"You certainly haven't changed."
Leo slowly drew his sword.
The blade reflected the darkened sky.
"…Don't misunderstand."
"If I ended this immediately…"
"…it wouldn't be entertaining."
His gaze met the Demon Ruler's.
"So…"
"Let's see whether four hundred
years…"
"…were enough for you to become
interesting."