"......!!?"
"......?!?"
"......??!"
“Seong... do you know... that being?”
Plang, Adeline, and Lyiaden were utterly speechless, overwhelmed by the presence of the entity before them.
Even Hindel, who barely managed to speak, found it difficult to stand firm.
Yet, Seong spoke to the figure so nonchalantly, even identifying who—or what—it was.
The hero’s party was in shock.
They had already been aware of Seong’s abilities, but this...
This was beyond anything they could have imagined.
To Hindel’s party, this being was a terrifyingly powerful monster.
But to Seong...
“It’s just Fiora...”
That was all.
He was simply meeting Fiora.
Fiora did emanate a powerful pressure, but it was merely the result of her overwhelming dark mana.
It wasn’t an active threat—it was simply a natural byproduct of her presence.
To Seong, it felt as familiar and harmless as air.
In fact, he found it almost refreshing.
And it wasn’t just a feeling.
[You have been exposed to pure dark mana.]
[This dark mana is compatible with the Overlord.]
[All stats temporarily increase by 5%.]
“Oh, so there’s a bonus like this too?”
This encounter was already proving to be an excellent opportunity.
However, Fiora seemed nervous, fidgeting and twisting her body as if unsure of what to do.
Seong wanted to recall what Fiora had been doing in this era but found it difficult to access those memories.
Perhaps it was due to her being such a high-ranking spirit.
He figured he might be able to recall later, but for now, it seemed impossible.
But he managed to stay composed, choosing to listen quietly.
The fact that Fiora had come all this way meant she had something important to say.
Both Seong and the hero’s party waited patiently.
After taking a deep breath to calm herself, Fiora finally continued.
That small amount of hostility was enough to make the entire party tremble.
Everyone except Seong, of course.
Fiora’s unyielding resolve was clear.
But retreating now wasn’t an option.
“...My apologies for troubling you, messenger. However, we’ve come not to fight but to speak with Lady Helena.”
As soon as she disappeared, the party let out shaky breaths, their shoulders rising and falling as they finally relaxed.
Freed from the overwhelming pressure, they couldn’t help but marvel at Hindel’s persistence in trying to negotiate and Seong’s unshaken composure throughout the encounter.
Even now, their hands and legs were trembling from the residual tension.
How could those two remain so unaffected?
Each party member silently admired them.
Only Hindel sighed in frustration, muttering, “Sigh, we didn’t make any progress in the conversation.”
“Hm,” Seong responded noncommittally, though he couldn’t help but understand Helena’s position.
She just wanted to live peacefully, yet people kept showing up to bother her.
It was like overly persistent missionaries going door-to-door in an apartment complex—or perhaps more like stalkers, considering the consistency.
It must be exhausting.
Still, Hindel’s intentions were understandable too.
“I’m not sure what to do.”
The sub-quest specifically said to visit, not attack.
There didn’t seem to be any reason to provoke a fight unnecessarily.
For now, the situation remained ambiguous, making it difficult to decide the best course of action.
As Seong mulled over the situation, Hindel turned to him and asked, “By the way, Seong, it seemed like you recognized that being... Do you know her well?”
“Ah...”
Seong had unconsciously revealed his familiarity with Fiora.
But he already had a prepared excuse.
“Rather than knowing her personally, I’ve simply gathered some information regarding Lady Helena.”
“Incredible! As expected of you! So, who was that being?”
“She’s known as the Elder Shapeshifter, Fiora. But I don’t know much beyond her name and species—no weaknesses or specific techniques.”
Even though this quest allowed Seong to experience the past without worrying about creating a butterfly effect, he chose to withhold any crucial information.
Only her name and species were revealed.
The party members responded with awe, clearly impressed.
Their admiration made Seong feel a bit awkward, so he quickly tried to downplay it.
“Well, she’s a cute one, isn’t she? It’s admirable how much she cares for her master.”
“As expected.”
“...Huh?”
“Incredible...”
“Unbelievable.”
What was with their reactions?
When Seong glanced at them in confusion, they continued to stare at him in amazement.
Plang spoke up first.
“As expected, you’re amazing! Most people would’ve been terrified, screaming, ‘Ahhh! It’s an unfair power! I can’t handle this! Damn it! If her subordinate is this strong, what’s the Demon King like?!’ But you found her cute? Incredible.”
“I agree. It’s a testament to your strength, Seong. Hindel’s decision to invite you was undoubtedly correct.”
“...Strong.”
“I couldn’t even let my guard down for a moment, but to you, she seemed like nothing more than a cute child...”
As the compliments piled on, Seong felt his face flush with embarrassment.
Why were they putting him on such a pedestal just because he called Fiora cute?
Objectively speaking, Fiora’s appearance was that of an adorable young girl.
Of course, she was much larger and more powerful than the reborn Fiora he knew, but she was still Fiora.
Her timid mannerisms only added to her cuteness.
But their reactions...
Feeling flustered, Seong quickly changed the subject.
“Anyway, we’re not stopping here, are we?”
“Ah! Of course not.”
“Ehehe, naturally. With Hindel and Seong here, we’ll manage.”
“With the two of you, I feel reassured as well.”
“...Me too.”
Although they had only been traveling together for less than an hour, the party’s trust in Seong was already clear.
Perhaps it was a bit much, but still, it wasn’t a bad feeling.
With that, the party began moving once again, heading toward Sermas—the location of the Dark Castle.
1.
The evening sky, painted in hues of twilight, was growing steadily darker.
This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.
Something streaked across the heavens, leaving behind trails of crimson threads as if embroidering the air itself.
The creature, soaring toward a foreboding and ominous castle that exuded an aura of darkness, passed through a semi-transparent, shadowy black barrier.
Arriving at the castle, the crimson creature transformed back into its original form.
Whoosh—!
In an instant, a burst of flames engulfed the creature, and its form shifted. What emerged was none other than the Elder Shapeshifter Fiora, the queen and highest-ranking being among all doppelgängers.
Her typically timid demeanor seemed replaced by a pouty expression, her lips jutting out slightly in dissatisfaction.
Had something unpleasant happened?
Observing Fiora’s sulky demeanor was a woman with fiery red hair and obsidian-like eyes as dark as the void.
She was Helena—the true master of the Dark Castle, known as the Mother of Ten Thousand Demons.
In the present world, people called her the Demon King.
Helena, seeing Fiora’s pout, smiled elegantly and asked, “Fiora, why do you look so upset?”
Helena’s gentle encouragement seemed to soothe Fiora. After a moment of hesitation, she cautiously began to explain.
Was she pondering something?
Or perhaps she was considering a decision?
Fiora couldn’t tell, but she silently hoped that whatever Helena chose would align with her wishes.
“Still, don’t let it bother you too much. It’s true they’re annoying, but they’re just doing their job in their own way.”
Helena gently patted Fiora’s head and said, “See? Stopping someone from doing what they want or need to do can be a very sad thing.”
Helena’s soothing words calmed Fiora.
Still, the thought crossed Helena’s mind: “They’re annoying, sure. Should I move somewhere else if they come back? But I do like this castle... what a bother.”
As Helena wrestled with the trivial dilemma, Fiora suddenly remembered something.
Helena’s brows furrowed slightly in curiosity.
A human who knew Fiora’s name?
As Helena’s intrigue grew, Fiora explained what had happened. She recounted how Seong had recognized her immediately and mentioned that his aura felt somewhat similar to Helena’s.
Helena listened carefully, processing the information.
In less than a second, she analyzed the world’s currents, her soul’s state, and the fragments of her energy scattered across existence.
And then, she understood.
Helena smiled faintly and snapped her fingers.
Snap!
Suddenly, as though something had melted and reformed from the floor, a humanoid figure emerged.
But was it truly a man?
The figure appeared androgynous, at times resembling a woman, an old man, or even a child. Its gender, age, and very existence seemed impossible to define.
“Did you summon me, my lady?” the figure asked.
Fiora gasped in surprise, “Huh?! Oh, it’s you!”
But Helena narrowed her eyes as she looked at the being and asked coldly, “Was this your doing?”
“...What do you mean, my lady?”
Even Fiora seemed startled, as if to say, "That’s impossible!"
Helena observed the figure carefully, her emerald-green eyes glowing faintly, and confirmed there was no falsehood in its words.
“No, it wasn’t you. You may leave.”
“...I don’t understand, but as you wish, my lady.”
“It’s not your fault... for now.”
“...Understood.”
Helena stroked Fiora’s head again to calm her and thought to herself, “A world of the past, recreated.”
More specifically, a recreated past world.
There could only be one culprit capable of orchestrating such a thing.
“Noctranium... what are you scheming?”
Though she didn’t fully understand why things had come to this, Helena decided to enjoy the present moment.
“So, Fiora, what did my successor look like? What kind of person were they? What do you think they liked?”
Helena waved her hand, and a mirror shimmering with a teal hue appeared. Within it, she saw Seong engaged in battle with Hindel.