The Place To Be (1)

A day in the rift was long. In fact, it was a place that makes you misunderstand the concept of time.

A colorless field spread around. A landscape that didn't change no matter where you looked.

A terrible place where an ordinary person would turn crazy, unable to survive even a day. But Ignet managed to survive and endure.

Wheik!

When she was young she would jump over the cracks.

Swish!

Woong!

"Huh, it is pretty big this time."

She even used the sorcery energy in the dimensional rift. Neither humans nor demons, who got along at first were now good friends to soothe loneliness.

Of course, the best opponents were different.

"Clown, let's have fun today too."

Ignet said as he loosened the collar around the clown. Right, this ugly and terrifying one was the culprit of changing her like this but was also her partner for surviving in the rift.

It was disappointing that the clown was turning docile than before, when he truly saw the possibility of escaping he would be happy, for ignet nothing was more interesting than the fight with him. with a smile she stretched out her right hand and pulled out her sword. The dark, sharp and black one.

And the clown said,

"Let's go to Devildom.'

"…"

"You should know, there is no return for you."

No…

The fact that the moment she lost her body to the Demon King her future was decided. Seeing the clown speak like this ignet remained silent for a long time. Still, she looked at her body.

He wasn't wrong. Her body was hard to consider as human. Actually, it was lik this from the start. Not a year back, but 10 years or more, it was when she said he would wait for Airn and the others to come.

The clown knew this too.

Still, he stayed silent.

In order to have the optimal result, he patiently waited with Ignet and waited for her to show hr weakness.

She wasn't the only one working hard.

The clown too endured hellish days in here to continue his normal life.

"These aren't empty words. You can be the king."

"I am sure. Even if the ones in Devildom are strong than when I last went there, there is no one more worthy than you to be the king."

"of course, doing it alone will be difficult since you don't know how Devildom works. The conditions will be favorable to the great devils who already built their forces."

"But with me, you can do it."

"With my assistance it is possible. King. Let's not waste the time here an move."

Reign

Dominate

Realize in the Devildom the dream you cannot achieve in human world.

Although he was nothing more than a clown, he will devote his body to work as the most loyal servant to the Demon King…

Kwak!

"Kuaaaak!"

The clown couldn't speak more as ignet;s sword fell like a shooting star and shattered his body and mind. It didn't end there. It wasn't enough to crush it, so the body was burned down.

Wheik….

"Hmm, it was getting boring."

Ignet didn't not waver.

She had already foreseen this. The clown wasn't the first to know. While staying in this rift. Not being a human or devil and while she spent time like aeons in hre, the curse constantly shook her heart.

No matter how great of a hero Airn is. Even is Ilya is a descendant of Dion Linday. Even Judith has flame which can resist death, even if Bratt was selfless with his life

Even if the minds and hearts of people who are more pure and clear working their minds to restore her… she knew that it is impossible to purify a body corrupted. If it was her former self, she would have killed herself.

If not that…

'… as the clown said, I would have gone to the Devildom.'

Conquer the poison and become the Demon King and wipe out the devils in Devildom.

Come to think of it, it would be quite pleasant to do that. ignet imagined herself falling into hell. For moment she smiled.

"but I cannot do it."

Ignet shook her head.

Right. She couldn't.

She didn't believe that Airn and the others could save her nor did she believe in herself to overcome this darkness. Nevertheless, she wasn't going to follow the clown or take her life. Waiting while not caring for the promise like this, she didn't care nor was she anxious.

Because she realized.

What is the most important to you.

Who to be trusted and where to go back to?

Recall.

Reflect, reflect.

Time like eternity passes again…

Finally the time has come.

Ching!

Tak!

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Long time no see."

"So late"

"… I am sorry, for real."

Airn had the same expressionless face.

And it wasn't just him. Ilya, Judith and Bratt too had the same feelings, they couldn't help it. It had been 24 years. They knew it wouldn't be easy but they didn't think it would take this long either. Knowing that she was suffering here, they felt guilty.

'Still, she is in a good state…'

Of course, the reason was the only thing which could survive here wasn't a human. No, she was worse than 24 years back. The blackness flowing through the body like a typhoon trying to drive fear into them. She couldn't be taken to the human world like this.

But it was fine.

They had the fruit to turn the impossible to possible.

Maybe an apple from the Land of Illusion which was passed down to the sorcerers, and unlike the dragons it was the most precious thing which the world had never once discovered.

"So, this is…"

Airn said.

There were many things he wanted to say. How they got this golden apple and what kind of effort they put in.

What had changed on the continent of over 24 years and what hadn't changed. What happened to the 4. He wanted to speak and hear her side too.

But.

"Stop."

"Uh?"

"I will hear it later. Is it okay to eat?"

"Uh? Yes…"

"Give it."

Snap

Bite.

After cutting off his words, ignet took the golden apple and bite into it. then, the refreshing energy slid down the mouth, her throat and body. with her eyes closed, she felt the darkness which was in her cells washed away.

Feeling reborn, ignet returned to her human form and she said.

"Let's go."

"Uh, uh…"

"What is with this man? What is with you?"

"What are you saying?"

"No, well. So… so back and forth the…rift with no emotions…"

Judith too was stuttered and Bratt too nodded. And following them, Airn and Ilya nodded thinking the same.

'These two, it seems like they turned into the same after marriage.'

It was a miracle they got to her which was shocking. However, ignet feeling down didn't want to give them the reaction they wanted

She frowned and said.

"I don't feel good."

"Eh? Suddenly?"

"Enough. Let's head back"

"Uh, um. Okay…"

Ching!

The portal opened and the humans who set foot in the rift returned to where they were supposed to be. ignt thought walking after Airn, Ilya, Judith and bratt.

'Certainly, I want to know what happened to you all this time.'

Judith's flames were strong and Bratt's sea is wide.

Ilya felt more like the sky and Airn was giving out one energy instead of five. The four energy of his didn't disappear. It seemed like they were all united to one. And this realization couldn't have just come without effort. So a lot of things must have happened.

'But there is no rush, I will listen to it all slowly.'

Stepping into the portal, Ignet closed her eyes.

Looking back, it was a terrible day. The sense of voice spread across the cracked space and was hard for a woman to bear, to maintain her core and constantly be like a human.

So it was clear.

'Georg Phoebe'

'Anya'

'And the knights who followed me.'

As a child from Macan, the bonds she made. The friends she wanted to have a bright future with, sharing bread with them, the harsh reality hich hit her.

Her colleagues from mercenary time. those promise to change the world and create a bright future and leave their side as mercenary as they began to go after money.

… there were many more.

The people who never left her in thousands of recollections.

The people who followed her without even looking back, the ones who walked behind her despite the hateful situation.

The apology she owed to Airn who worked hard to keep his promise.

For hr, they were her number on priority.

Eventually, Ignet opened her eyes.

"…"

"…"

The changed space caught her eye.

The royal palace of Avilius that is very familiar despite the changes here and there, and Anya Martha and Georg Phoebe who had grown up a lot to tell her 24 years had passed. And the men behind her.

"…."

She couldn say anything. There was no need to express it in words.

Watching the Black Knights saluting to her in tears, the four of them stayed silent.

A week later.

The Holy Kingdom Avilius announced the return of the fifth hero.