The sound of horses’ hooves hitting the ground echoed through the air. Carriages moved one after another, carrying the students who wore tense expressions on their faces. Jason’s speech had given them confidence and excitement, but anxiety still lingered. They were about to confront demons, the very beings they had been summoned to kill, including the Demon King.
This was their first significant step toward their objective of returning to Earth.
In one of the carriages, a pair of sisters sat, clearly uneasy.
“D-Do you think he’s still alive, Sienna?” Siara asked, unable to hide the unease in her voice. She had complex feelings for her stepbrother, but one thing was certain: she didn’t want him to die and was worried about him.
Sienna, who was checking her sword, nodded firmly. “He is alive. We will save him, don’t worry.”
Her usual calm face was a mask, but Siara could tell her sister was truly worried. Sienna’s expression was colder than usual, and she was ready to fight. Sienna was among the few students who stayed silent about killing demons, agreeing with Amelia that unnecessary bloodshed should be avoided. But when it came to her family, the matter was different.
She wouldn’t hesitate to kill if Siara or Nathan were in danger.
Siara clenched her fists. She was surprised at how much she cared for Nathan now that he could be in danger. She had always thought he was safe in the castle, but today had proved otherwise. With a determined gaze, she renewed her resolve.
Just like Sienna, if she had to kill to get Nathan back, then she would kill.
°°°°°
After a few hours of slow progress, Radakel signaled for the carriages to stop.
“We have arrived,” he said, descending from the carriage with a composed demeanor.
“Lord Radakel?” Amelia followed suit, her expression a mixture of determination and anxiety.
“The village is a hundred meters away. We need to proceed carefully to recover Hero Nathan,” he said, choosing his words carefully to ensure Amelia’s compliance.
It was a lie. His true intention was to ensure every single demon in the village was exterminated, and for that…
“What about the other groups? Have they arrived?” Radakel turned to one of his knights.
“Yes, Lord. The other groups have already surrounded the village as you instructed. No escape should be possible,” the knight replied with confidence.
“Good. That way, they can’t escape with Hero Nathan,” Radakel reassured Amelia with another lie. If any demons attempted to escape with Nathan, he intended to kill them all, Nathan included.
“R-right,” Amelia nodded, still pale, as she went to prepare herself. She feared the worst. If something happened to Nathan, she wasn’t sure she could recover.
Before she knew it, he had become an integral part of her life, a part of herself she couldn’t imagine living without.
And she wasn’t the only one feeling this way.
Two other people wore equally troubled expressions.
Courtney was barely able to put on her armor, her hands moving awkwardly. Everything had been going so well. Just yesterday, she had entered Nathan’s tent, and they had shared a very intimate moment. The pleasure she felt was so intense that she passed out. She remembered a fleeting memory of him carrying her in his arms, but after that, nothing. When she woke, he was gone.
Without her awareness, tears began to brim in the corners of her eyes.
‘It’s my fault…’
Courtney felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. ‘If only I didn’t visit him…’
From what Radakel had said, Nathan might have been kidnapped because he noticed the demon spying. If that was true, it meant Nathan was kidnapped because he left his tent to take her back to hers, and met the demon along the way.
That scenario kept replaying in her mind. Unbeknownst to her, that was exactly what had happened. Nathan had indeed encountered the demon while taking her back to her tent.
“Ha…” She let out a small cry, barely feeling any strength in her body. She was deeply worried and scared for Nathan. How could Nathan, the weakest among them, survive with the demon race?
All kinds of worst-case scenarios played out in her head, further worsening her complexion.
“Do you need help?” A voice rang out from behind Courtney, and soft hands touched her back, clasping her light armor.
“T…Thank…” Courtney began to thank the person, only to be surprised that it was Aisha. Aisha was as beautiful as ever, but Courtney noticed the dark expression behind her usually calm face.
A scene from the previous night flashed in her mind: Nathan sitting close to Aisha, Nathan touching Aisha’s lips, and both of them looking at each other with unmistakable affection. The whole scene screamed romance.
Courtney quickly averted her gaze from Aisha after remembering that moment. Her memory of the previous night, coupled with Aisha’s dark expression now, made it clear that Nathan was someone important to Aisha.
An awkward silence ensued as Aisha helped her to straighten her armor. Until…
“You like Nathan.”
“!” Courtney shivered when she heard Aisha’s words. She was taken aback, her heart pounding.
Aisha’s expression softened slightly, her voice calm but firm. “I can see it in your eyes. You care about him deeply.”
Courtney looked down, unable to meet Aisha’s gaze. “I… I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
Aisha sighed softly, adjusting a strap on Courtney’s armor. “None of us did. But we need to stay strong for him. Nathan needs us now more than ever.”
“D…Do you like him too?” Courtney stuttered, her voice barely above a whisper, before Aisha could leave.
Aisha paused for a moment, her back to Courtney, but she didn’t answer. Without a word, she continued walking, leaving Courtney standing there, her question hanging in the air.
Courtney lowered her gaze, feeling a mixture of frustration and determination. She clenched her fists, reminding herself that Nathan needed them. She couldn’t afford to cry and be useless now. Taking a deep breath, she felt her strength returning. She quickly began checking on her staff, ensuring everything was in order.
Meanwhile, her classmates were also preparing for the impending battle. Jason stood out among them, clad in splendid gold armor adorned with intricate designs. A golden crown sat atop his head, and a magnificent gold sword hung at his waist. His entire ensemble had been crafted specifically for him by the best smiths in the land, commissioned by the Emperor himself.
The armor and sword were designed to enhance his light magic, making him an even more formidable force.
The girls around Jason couldn’t help but blush at the sight of him. His already handsome appearance was further enhanced by the gleaming armor, making him look like a true hero from legends. With a dazzling smile, Jason unsheathed his sword, its blade catching the light brilliantly.
“Let’s recover our classmate!”