It has been like that for the past three years. It was because they had to somehow obtain the traces of Shiva.
If they could obtain it, the balance of power, which was tilted toward one side, would shift back to the other side.
Only then would they be able to overcome this absurd situation.
âBut why are you staying here?â
Diablo asked the man who stayed back when everyone left.
It was Ricky.
Ricky stared at the man and said,
âJamie.â
âI told you not to call me by that name.â
A chilling voice.
However, there was no change in his facial expression. In the past, he would have frowned, but now, Ricky just sighed.
âHe got worse.â
Knowing what made him like this, Ricky said nothing.
But Jamie⊠No, Diablo needed to know something.
âDid you hear about Sarah?â
ââŠâ
âI am asking if you know about Sarah, your younger sister?â
Of course he knew.
Beryl who constantly visited him, told him so, and Diablo tilted his head.
âWhat about her?â
âJerk! Your younger sister is living a hard life, so how can you react like this?â
âI donât understand why you are so angry.â
âWhat?â
âThis is such a world.â
Ricky was at a loss for words at his cold reaction.
Not caring, Diabloâs words continued,
âIf you donât kill, you die. A world where we have to make sacrifices to get things done. I wouldnât say you donât know this yourself.â
âDo you understand what youâre saying?â
âDid I say something wrong?â
âSarah said she entered this path to protect her family, you bastard. It happened because you neglected her. The one she calls her brotherâŠ!â
âIs that the end of our conversation?â
Diablo said, as if he didnât care.
âYou should leave. We donât have time to chat here.â
âLook here, Jamie!â
âDo not refer to me by that nameâŠâ
Diablo continued to look indifferent and he warned Ricky for the first time.
âI clearly told you.â
âKuak!!â
At the terrifying force, Ricky kneeled down. Diablo walked over, grabbed him by the collar, and lifted him up.
With his purple eyes glowing, he said,
âI am Diablo Volfir. If you call me by that name one more time, I will not forgive you anymore.â
âH-How did all of this happen?â
âHuh!â
He put Ricky down like he was tossing him.
As if he had nothing more to say, he walked back to the high chair. Ricky just looked at the back of his friend.
He clicked his tongue, left that place, and left Diablo alone.
After that, he put on a thoughtful expression and slowly closed his eyes.
Sarah entered a small village built inside a forest.
This was where she lived. However, this wasnât an ordinary time.
âSarah is here.â
Rosemary from the flower race greeted her.
âMiss Rose, I am back.â
â⊠you did great.â
Rosemary, the woman from the flower race, gave Sarah a gentle hug and patted her on the back. She used to be an executive at Frontier.
But now she was living as a representative in this small village.
This was because the organization was disbanded when the Frontier went under the command of the Demon King.
Rosemary left because she didnât want to fight and chose to make a living by taking care of this small village.
The two hugged when they met each other.
âThanks.â
âNo.â
âBut⊠mother?â
âSears is resting. Go ahead.â
âSee you later then.â
âYes, I will call you when the meal is ready.â
âYes.â
Sarah nodded and headed to the house, and Rosemary looked at her back.
âSuch a tough path to take at a young ageâŠâ
About two years and four months ago.
Shortly after the village was created, Beryl came to visit the mother and daughter.
And he asked Rosemary to help the two of them settle down here.
She accepted her and the mother right away.
However, they had a problem.
âSears and also the situation, they should be getting better soon.â
The problem was on the side of the mother. She wouldnât talk. She couldnât even walk, let alone stand, as if she had a huge psychological problem.
Sarah, the daughter, continued to take care of her mother and learned the sword. And when the villagers and Rosemary were with her, the burden on her shoulders eased up.
Even so, she felt sorry for them.
âAt the age when she has to play with friends⊠the heaven is so indifferent.â
What kind of misfortune had befallen the family for them to crumble like this?
Rosemary turned to the black tower. They had another family memberâa man she had seen before who had impressive emerald hair.
What was he doing by neglecting them?
Shaking her head, she went back to her work. She only wished for the peace of those in the village.
âMom!â
Sarah burst the door open with a bright expression and went inside. Her cold face changed to that of a girl at a young age.
âIs that Sarah?â
The woman, with her back to the bed, greeted her. Her brown hair, once silky smooth, was now a little frizzy.
Her lips were pale and dry. She didnât look healthy.
Sarah smiled and sat next to her.
âHehe. I am back. How was today?â
âMaybe because I get to see you that I feel so good. I feel a lot better than usual.â
Sears smiled, patting Sarah on the head, while Sarah clenched the hem of her dress.
Fortunately, it was hidden by the bed, so Sears didnât see it. In the past, Sears would hug her, kiss her, and tell her she was cute, but not now.
Because of her health, stamina, and spiritâŠ
Her husband, Count Welton, died, and her son, Jamie Welton, was labeled the enemy of the world and became a Demon King.
The Welton family shattered, and even though they were a very close family, they couldnât escape the aftermath. The Seldam Kingdom was driven to the brink of destruction.
Sears had lost everything in this unbearable situation.
It was all too instant for the woman, who was the lady of the estate, to fall to the bottom.
Still, she didnât give up her life.
âDid you eat?â
Sears asked, looking at her daughter, who was holding back her tears. A young daughter who would stick close and protect her.
How could she give up when this child was here? Even if it wasnât the same life as before, she was still a mother.
âRose⊠Miss Rose is preparing it.â
âI see. I am forever indebted to Miss Rose. I need to pay her back someday.â
âI will do that. The debt to Miss Rose will be paid by our family.â
âMom should get well soon to pay off the debt with my child.â
âYeah. So mom should focus on being healthy. Do not worry about me.â
âYes. Whose daughter are you?â
âI am momâs daughter.â
Sears nodded and stroked Sarahâs head as if it was nice.
âMom is a bit tired, child.â
âAh. I will help you lay down.â
Sarah put Sears in bed. And after patting her messy hair, Sarah smiled brightly.
âGood night. I will go help Miss Rose.â
â⊠I am sorry, my daughter.â
âDo not say that. I will see you soon.â
Sarah ran out of the house. Sears sighed, looking at the door.
No one knew how long this life would last. She looked at the black tower out the window.
Jamie was somewhere in there.
âJamie. Are you healthy?â
I hope you are healthy.
And with those thoughts, Sears fell into sleep.
As soon as Sarah came out, she sprinted with all her might.
To the point that her heart was pounding loudly, that it felt like her lungs were torn, and that she couldnât breathe.
She ran fast.
âHaaa! Haaah! Haaa!â
The blood was rushing through her body, and her eyes felt hot as if they were melting.
Her brain was too focused on breathing, so she couldnât even think about anything.
On days she would return from her missions, she would meet her mother and then run like this.
Because if she didnât, it felt like she would burst into tears.
As she raised her stamina to the limit for that short period of time, her emotions felt less intense.
Sarah lay on the ground and spread her arms out.
She continued to gasp for air.
âI will live.â
A normal person would have cried like they were dying, but she calmed herself.
It was because she knew that it would be much harder to hold a broken heart.
âPretty fast.â
While she was controlling her breath, someone appeared in front of her.
Sarah slowly turned her head. There was a man with his arms crossed in unfamiliar clothes.
Sarah greeted him.
âHello.â
âYou are faster than before?â
The man smiled, unfolding his arms.
Jin, the former Frontier executive, was here as a guardian for this small village. And he stretched out his hand to Sarah.
Sarah grabbed it to stand up.
âWhen did you come?â
âJust now.â
âYou must have come when I was out. Seeing that you have no injuries, you must have easily accomplished your mission.â
âBecause they were clumsy people. Honestly, it took too long. By the way, what is Mr. Jin doing here?â
âWell. I heard you had arrived, so I quickly rushed over here and followed you. Did you come to see your mother?â
â⊠as always.â
Jin nodded.
He knew what Sarahâs behavior was.
âWhen is the next mission?â
âThe day after tomorrow.â
âThatâs fast. Beryl, that bastard, why is he in such a hurry?â
Jin knew who was teaching Sarah, but he couldnât understand why he was pushing her.
If this continued, it was possible that an accident of some sort would happen to this child, as she would be exhausted from the missions.
And fights depended on the condition of the person.
âI do it because I want to. And it was a bit difficult at first, but now I can easily do the missions.â
They werenât simple words. Sarah could feel it.
Each time she took up a mission, she became stronger.
âSo is Jamie, that child too.â
What happened to the bloodline of the Weltons?
Jin touched his curved blade.
âShould we check your skills once again?â
âA spar?â
When Sarah asked, Jin smiled.
âI hope this time it will be a fight worthy enough to call a spar.â
âIt will not be easy.â
Sarah smiled and drew her sword.
For Sarah, who wanted to get stronger, facing someone strong was too valuable.
And Jin knew that when she came back, she wanted to fight.