No, maybe it was only because he just wanted to spend a little more time with her. Since he had a hunch that after Julia left for the Human Realm, he would no longer be able to see her until the day she passed on. He knew that it was a good thing in which he couldn’t bear to even hear from her.
His wrist was softly grabbed with a little bit of force. Kimaris soon slowed down before he looked down at Julia’s ankles. She was swallowing her groans just like she had been in much more pain.
“I’m sorry, Julia. I will proceed to move as carefully as possible.”
Julia immediately shook her head. The terrible pain was still burning through her broken ankle, but that hadn’t been the one that mattered now.
“Then, where is Legion right now? Is he all right?”
“He’s currently waiting for you in the Valley of Death. It’s a bit far from here, but it’s actually the easiest place to get right into the Human Realm.”
“As long as Legion is safe, then it’s fine. Please take me to the Demon King instead.”
Kimaris’s steps stopped abruptly at that remark of hers. His pupils eventually darkened that were akin to that of the bottom of an abyss.
“Why do you even want to go to him? Bael will eventually risk you—your life…”
“If I were to run away just like this, the people who got left here would ultimately die.”
“They’re only trash.”
“It’s not for them. It’s actually for me—for me to live.”
Julia bit her lips in response. She had no idea how to explain it all. How could she make him believe that if even one of them were to die, she would then be taken away by Bael and eventually live just like a doll in a cage for the rest of her life?
She didn’t think that he would listen to any sort of excuses now. She became anxious if Kimaris would really proceed to go to the Valley of Death as it was right at that moment. But at the very least, she wouldn’t end up dying. However, both Kimaris and Legion’s lives could not be fully guaranteed. In fact, the entire Human Realm could perhaps be onward to the path to extinction instead.
How dreadful the future would be if she had no option but to look helplessly at Bael who would return to the cage every night while being drenched in blood.
Unknowingly, her hands trembled as she held onto Kimaris. After a brief silence, Kimaris’s footsteps continued once again. Was it wrong after all?
“You said that you’d listen to me if I said no. You didn’t kill…”
The sound of the horse’s hooves quickened and soon, a strong gust of wind brushed against her cheeks. Julia continued to hold on as her body was shaking violently.
There was no way that she could get herself out of Kimaris in this current situation. It was the same even when she had thought of all her skills as well as every single function of the system. Even if she tried really hard, she still couldn’t escape if he didn’t let her go.
At that time, Kimaris whispered faintly just like he was confessing a sin.
“Julia, remember. I am only a servant of yours. If my master wants it—even if it is a thorny road—I will gladly walk on it myself.”
“…”
“Please raise your head.”
Kimaris, who supported Julia’s waist with one arm, carefully lifted her chin with his other. Julia tried to avoid his touch, but she eventually raised her gaze. Her eyes soon opened wide in response.
A faint figure could be seen reflected like a shadow amidst the thick sandstorm. And right above their heads was a blue dome-shaped sphere.
Julia recognized that it was all mana. Nevertheless, it was a little bit different from Legion’s. His mana had always emitted a clear light no matter how far he was away. It would not be obscured by the sandstorm. However, the sphere that was right in front of her eyes had been flickering dangerously as if it could disappear at any given moment.
Kimaris then answered Julia’s question.
“Even those who haven’t risen to the level of a Sword Master can still manage mana. Instead of circulating mana in the air, they just have to burn their own life force instead.”
Julia eventually guessed the meaning behind it. At this rate, they wouldn’t last long as well. They would ultimately die in one way or another—either by Bael’s hand or by running out of mana.
“Mister Kimaris, what is that magic circle under your feet?”
“This is actually a kind of prison that was built by Bael. It serves to prevent those with magic from entering. The shock that had shaken the whole castle earlier was also due to this.”
As he conceded to Julia’s will, Kimaris soon lowered her to the ground, albeit with much reluctance. She suddenly staggered, but he just held firmly without words.
Julia looked down at the huge magic circle that was glowing red. When she looked out the window earlier, she finally seemed to know why the other demons had been far away from Bael.
‘Not to mention Mister Kimaris, not a single one can enter here if it was a demon. It’s going to be my fight from now on.’
Julia slowly pushed away Kimaris’s arm that was still looped around her waist. When she expressed her intention to enter, Kimaris then placed a spear in her hand. Except for just the handle, the whole thing was shaped like a long sharp cone.
“I apologize that I can only give you this in return.”
“No, I know that if there was any way for Mister Kimaris to get in, you would have already done it by any means. You even took a risk earlier in order to send me back to the surface.”
“……I’m so sorry.”
As Julia cautiously reached out her hand, Kimaris bowed his head over her. His dark indigo mane eventually fluttered gently over her shoulders.
Half man and half horse. It was a foreign creature that she had never seen before. Even when he stood on all fours, he was still twice as tall as she had been. And his thigh muscles that were all bulging with veins looked ferocious as if she would tumble far away even at the slightest touch.
Moreover, even though Kimaris’s face was hidden by the thick helmet with only his lips and chin were visible, Julia was seemingly able to know what expression he had been making.
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