After a short moment of awkwardness meeting his former companions, Ian confirmed the eradication of the demon forces and returned to the capital with his comrades and younger sister.
Nothing significant happened afterward.
“Does this mean we get a brief rest?”
“That’s right. The others have gone to meet the Second Prince, and Ariel is taking time to recover from her accumulated fatigue.”
“That’s a relief. You’ve worked hard, Ian!”
As Ian sipped tea while looking at Eri and Lia seated in front of him, he found himself gazing into the steaming cup of black tea before him.
Bedon, feeling guilty about sending them into battle when they needed rest, declared a break. Although presented as a suggestion, everyone knew it was a command cloaked in formality, leaving no room for objections.
‘Since I was going to rest anyway, this should be fine.’
Although Bedon expected Ian Volkanov to dedicate himself to rigorous training even during the break, Ian decided otherwise.
For once, he recognized the significance of the fleeting moment of peace.
‘Training ahead of an important battle might be useful, but one doesn’t gain new insights or drastically improve skills in such a short time. It’s better to focus on calming the mind.’
Ian decided to spend this peaceful time with Eri and Lia, whom he regarded as precious.
Initially, he had planned to take Igor with them for a meal, but that idea had been derailed.
Of course, the original plan was to take Igor for a meal, but…
“So, Igor is currently detained in Vishen?”
“Yes. From what I’ve gathered, he was caught a few days ago by his younger sibling, who had been lying in wait. He was then dragged back to Bishen. The latest report says he’s busy acquiring mana stones to feed to their ‘new pig’.”
“Somehow, it really does sound like the pet pig my father used to raise… I should’ve been more suspicious of a pig that grew up eating mana stones.”
Caught stealing his father’s precious pet pig, Igor had been sentenced to Vishen for his crime.
While one reason for his southern detour was to face judgment, even without that, Igor wouldn’t have accompanied them here.
“Don’t blame yourself too much. Besides, even if Igor hadn’t been caught for theft, he would have returned to Vishen sooner or later.”
“True. With the increased demon attacks, he would need to defend his territory….”
After large-scale demon raids, Ark Academy declared a temporary break.
While facilities that trained military forces, such as Ark, were crucial for the war effort, it was decided they weren’t yet essential.
Students were encouraged to return to their families and minimize harm if their hometowns were in danger.
“Does this mean you two will be heading back now?”
Ian asked, looking at Eri and Lia.
“I’m not leaving. My family sent word saying there wasn’t significant damage, so I’ve been told to stay in the capital.”
“I’m fine for now. The Hurst family estate is near the capital and wasn’t affected by the demon attacks.”
Seeing them smile reassuringly, he nodded.
Well, since Eri is using a false identity, there’s no need to worry, and Lia’s family is not an ordinary household, so there’s no need to worry either.
‘The Hurst family devotes themselves to producing supplies during wartime.’
They have recently started to expand into weaponry, but their essence is a group of artisans who make leather equipment.
Unless she had been thoroughly educated from a young age to become an artisan, Lia, who devoted herself to swordsmanship and only did leather crafts as a hobby, wouldn’t be of much help even if she returned home.
‘Moreover, since she’s a precious daughter raised with utmost care, they probably want her to stay in the relatively safe capital.’
Of course, if a large-scale war breaks out, she would either help with the family’s work or return to Ark Academy.
‘I don’t intend to drag things out until it gets to that point.’
Ian wasn’t someone who would just watch as his loved ones fell into situations where they could lose their lives.
He had been working all this time to prevent that and create a happy future.
‘And now, only one last step remains.’
Starting from the damned regression, the opportunity to put an end to all the pain he had experienced had arrived.
Ian knew very well how important that was.
He decided to collect his thoughts before the final battle.
‘And… I haven’t been able to pay much attention to Eri and Lia lately.’
To bring in Leviathan, he invested time in improving his relationships with Reina and Bianca before he could make memories with them.
As a result, he gained new comrades, but he couldn’t help but become neglectful towards Eri and Lia.
Initially, Ian had vaguely resolved to create cherished memories with Eri and Lia after dealing with Leviathan.
However, he hadn’t been able to keep that promise.
‘The plan was disrupted when Satan and Lucifer moved faster than expected.’
After taking down Leviathan, he was too preoccupied with Satan. When Satan was finally defeated, issues with Celia arose again.
The carefully laid plans had been entirely derailed, leaving Ian feeling unworthy to meet Eri and Lia’s eyes.
‘While I’m grateful to Celia, Eri and Lia are just as precious to me.’
Even as others doubted and pointed fingers, those two had unwavering faith in him. Without their support, Ian was certain he wouldn’t have made it this far.
This conviction made him even more determined to repay their loyalty and sacrifices.
‘The best way to repay them would probably be to end the fight with Lucifer as quickly as possible.’
The issue, however, was the unpredictability of Lucifer’s next move.
Keeping the Empire’s forces tied down with demon assaults was unlikely to be part of Lucifer’s ultimate plan.
‘If he intended to destroy the Empire, he wouldn’t rely on sheer numbers alone.’
Based on Ian’s analysis, Lucifer’s true intentions were straightforward.
‘He aims to minimize outside interference and focus all his power on the Hero’s Party. That’s his goal.’
The battlefield for this confrontation would likely be the Demon Realm—Astelgia.
With Eris’s blessings limited to certain individuals, others’ combat capabilities would plummet due to the Demon God’s authority.
It was an advantageous battleground for Lucifer.
Having deciphered Lucifer’s intent, the only question remaining was when he would reveal himself.
‘Hopefully, we won’t have to find the entrance to the Demon Realm on our own.’
Ian’s musings were interrupted by a knock at the door.
Knock! Knock!
“Brother… It’s Ariel. May I come in for a moment?”
The trembling voice accompanied the sound of someone knocking on the parlor door.
“Come in and take a seat for a moment.”
Ian rose calmly from his seat and carefully opened the door. The sight that greeted him was immediate.
“Brother… I received another revelation. It seems Lucifer has opened the gate again.”
‘It must be more urgent than I thought.’
The fact that Lucifer had opened the gate struck a chord.
As Ariel’s voice quivered faintly, Ian clenched his fist, as if anticipating the news.
***
The revelation to Ariel quickly reached the imperial family, and chaos erupted.
‘A portal has appeared in a forest not far from the capital… The debate centers on whether it’s safe to use, given it could be a trap.’
The officials were split precisely down the middle.
‘Some argue that it’s reckless for the Hero’s Party—so vital to the realm—to use a portal created by the Demon God. Others insist that since there’s no time to find another, using this one is the better option.’
Neither side was entirely wrong.
Lucifer wasn’t known for honorable combat, so it was too early to assume there were no traps involved.
Any misstep could lead to catastrophic consequences for one side or the other.
Yet refusing to use the offered path wasn’t an option.
‘Searching for another portal now… there’s no guarantee we’d find one in time.’
The pathway to Astelgia wasn’t perpetually open. Even recalling his memories from the game, Ian remembered scouring the continent for an hour to finally discover a portal.
The kingdom was barely holding back the onslaught of demons, and searching for a portal amidst such circumstances was unrealistic.
‘Bedon… That guy must have struggled too.’
He must have had a headache deciding which side to choose.
Choosing a path must have been agonizing for Bedon Arcana, the Second Prince, known for his ability to read the rise and fall of fortunes.
‘Even if he believed one path was better, he wouldn’t have been able to ignore the divided opinions of the officials.’
Despite the dilemma, Bedon had to make a decision.
‘Use the portal. That’s the conclusion he must have reached.’
– Ian. Are you nervous?
‘No. I’m not nervous.’
While recalling Bedon’s deliberation, Ian felt a warm sensation in his right hand. Turning to look, he saw Neltalion, visibly anxious.
– T-Then I won’t be nervous either!
Neltalion, trying hard to appear confident, raised her hand as if to match Ian’s resolve.
Even as a descendant of an ancient god, facing the Demon God was no easy matter. Fear was inevitable.
‘If she were a full-fledged entity, it might be different… But she’s still a child. I need to understand.’
Ian adjusted his attire, meeting her gaze.
‘This outfit’s different from the usual.’
– Yes! Bianca made the fabric and tailored it for me!
‘Bianca?’
– Well, she’s not good at sewing, so Reina helped her. They tried asking an undead servant, but even they couldn’t do it!
‘Really? I’ll have to thank Bianca and Reina when we get back.’
– Yep! I’ll proudly tell them that I defeated Lucifer while wearing the outfit they made!
Neltalion finally relaxed, a smile gracing her face.
Ian gently patted her head before pulling her into a hug.
‘Yeah. Let’s make sure we return safely and thank them.’
What had once been just a hidden piece for survival had grown into something precious for Ian.
Neltalion was no longer just an ally but family—like a daughter to him.
‘A very strong daughter, but still someone I need to protect.’
He could not afford to lose to Lucifer—not until he saw Neltalion mature into her full form.
That left only one path.
‘Let’s win.’
– Yes! I’ll help you, Ian!
With that final step forward, Ian resolved to end this long cycle of regression and to do so triumphantly.
As he saw Neltalion’s joyful smile, his determination solidified.
“Ian, what are you doing, sitting there by yourself? Do you want to keep an old man waiting?”
“… Let’s go.”
Ian rose, glancing at Illian, who leaned against a tree, smoking.
Ahead of them loomed a massive portal.
“To Astelgia.”
It was time to face Lucifer.
