The World Is Mine For The Taking

Chapter 1499: Epilogue 27 - Elise’s Secret (1)

Elise’s POV

It was already deep into the night.

I should have been asleep by now, but for some reason, sleep just wouldn’t come. Instead, I found myself sitting awake while darkness stretched endlessly around me.

The Demon Continent was a miserable place at night.

Unlike other parts of the world, moonlight barely reached this land. The sky always seemed darker here, as though the night itself was heavier. The little light that did manage to shine through felt weak and distant, leaving most of the continent covered in an almost endless blanket of black.

The cold didn’t help either.

When night arrived, the temperature dropped hard enough to make even demons uncomfortable. The wind carried an icy bite that slipped through clothing and settled straight into your bones.

At this point, I honestly felt like I was collecting chills from every direction possible.

If the Demon Continent ever decided to advertise itself as a vacation destination, the weather department would probably be the first thing keeping tourists away.

Eventually, I met up with someone.

Someone I trusted.

Someone who had been watching over me for so long that, in many ways, she felt more like family than anyone else.

Someone who had practically been a mother to me.

It was Lucielle of Pride.

She was already waiting when I arrived.

The moment she saw me, her expression immediately became troubled.

"Elise..." she said quietly. "Why is the vessel here? Satania is going to find out that Lilith’s vessel has entered the Demon Continent. Once she learns that, the vessel is going to be in serious danger."

There was no anger in her voice.

Only concern.

"I know," I said with a sigh. "I’m sorry."

Lucielle remained silent and allowed me to continue.

"I was captured by Asmodeus. She kept me trapped for days. Leon lost contact with me during that time and became worried. That’s why he came here in the first place."

A small sigh escaped Lucielle’s lips.

The kind of sigh someone made when they were already expecting bad news and somehow still ended up hearing something worse.

"At this point," she said, "now that Asmodeus knows about both of your existence, it’s going to be very difficult for me to convince Satania not to kill either of you."

Her gaze shifted away for a moment.

"The vessel of Lilith isn’t ready."

She paused briefly.

"I could tell the moment I met him."

That statement immediately made me frown.

Lucielle continued before I could respond.

"Don’t misunderstand me. He’s strong. Much stronger than most people realize."

She folded her arms.

"Honestly, his growth rate is ridiculous. If someone told me how far he’d come in such a short period of time, I probably would’ve called them a liar."

A faint smile appeared on her face.

"Unfortunately, Satania isn’t someone who can be measured using normal standards."

The smile disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"Against her, I don’t believe he could even come close to reaching her level yet."

I couldn’t completely disagree.

Satania was a monster.

Actually, calling her a monster might have been understating things.

Among the Seven Princesses, she stood above the rest.

Even throughout the entire Demon Continent, her name carried a level of fear that few others could match.

If someone claimed that the strongest individual currently alive in the world was Satania, most people probably wouldn’t argue.

There was simply too much evidence supporting that claim.

"Right now," Lucielle continued, "Satania is returning from a meeting with the Empire. She still doesn’t know what’s been happening here on the Demon Continent."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"But if she catches even the slightest hint of what’s going on, then you need to understand something."

The seriousness in her voice made me straighten up.

"I can’t guarantee that Lilith’s vessel will survive."

I stayed quiet.

Personally, I felt like Lucielle was underestimating Leon.

Not because I thought he would win.

I definitely didn’t think he would win.

Even I wasn’t that optimistic.

Still, I believed he was much stronger than she gave him credit for.

If Leon and Satania fought, I thought the battle would heavily favor Satania.

I thought she would ultimately come out on top.

At the same time, I didn’t think it would be easy for her either.

Leon had already surpassed the point where people could casually dismiss him.

"Even so," I said, "if running away becomes necessary, then I still believe Leon can escape."

Lucielle looked at me for a few moments.

Then she shook her head.

"Running away is probably the only realistic option he has right now."

That wasn’t exactly reassuring.

"And even then, I wouldn’t place too much faith in it."

She pointed at herself.

"Because Satania won’t hunt him alone."

I already knew where this was going.

"She’ll bring the other Princesses."

Her expression became grim.

"Myself included."

That wasn’t surprising.

Terrifying, yes.

Surprising, not really.

"I don’t think he’ll be able to escape if all Seven Princesses of Hell are searching for him."

That was difficult to argue against.

Fighting one Princess was already the kind of challenge that could get entire nations erased from existence.

Fighting all seven at once was something else entirely.

At that point, even calling it impossible might be too optimistic.

Leon was talented.

Leon was powerful.

Leon was growing stronger at an absurd pace.

But seven Princesses of Hell hunting him simultaneously sounded like the beginning of a tragedy rather than a battle.

"Has he left the Demon Continent yet?" Lucielle asked.

I shook my head.

"Not yet."

The answer immediately earned another sigh from her.

"It looks like he’s still searching for something," I continued. "He’s also helping the person who came here with him. I don’t know exactly what she wants, but Leon seems determined to help her."

Lucielle closed her eyes briefly.

When she opened them again, her expression had become even more serious.

"If you value his life, then you need to tell him to leave."

The words came out firm and direct.

"He cannot stay here."

The cold wind continued blowing around us.

"If he remains on the Demon Continent, he will die."

The certainty in her voice was unsettling.

"And if he dies, Lilith will never return."

For a few moments, neither of us spoke.

The darkness around us suddenly felt heavier.

"If Lilith fails to revive," Lucielle continued, "then eventually this world will be consumed by the Dragons beyond the universe."

Even saying those words seemed to affect her.

The Dragons.

Ancient beings spoken of only in myths and forgotten legends.

Creatures so old that most people weren’t even sure they truly existed.

"Even Satania wouldn’t be able to destroy them," Lucielle said. "They are not merely monsters."

Her voice grew quieter.

"They are ancient world-destroyers. They are older than kingdoms, older than empires, older than the countless civilizations that have risen and fallen throughout history."

Her eyes drifted toward the dark horizon.

"They existed before many worlds were born. They existed before countless races ever drew breath. They are beings whose shadows stretch across ages beyond mortal understanding."

The wind howled softly around us.

"Satania’s undead armies would not be enough. They could not stand against such creatures."

Lucielle’s expression hardened.

"That is why we need the vessel. He must gather the remaining fragments."

Her gaze met mine.

"He must conquer them."

The determination in her eyes never wavered.

"And he must restore Lilith."

Silence followed.

A long silence.

"Otherwise," Lucielle said quietly, "we may already be running out of time."