Chapter 21

“Are you interested in the hunt?”

Argen, quick to notice his change in demeanor, asked in a low voice.

“It could be fun.”

If he joined the hunting party, he’d get to witness firsthand how they strategized and deployed their troops. Every step of the process would be laid bare before his eyes. Yet, surprisingly, Argen—who had always granted every one of Valen’s requests save for sending him back to the human world—hesitated this time.

“Why? Is there something I shouldn’t see?”

Valen didn’t beat around the bush, asking outright. He rested his elbows on his knees and turned his head completely to the side, staring intently at Argen’s profile.

“I’m just worried the mission might be too dangerous for you to join.”

Argen wasn’t concerned about leaking secrets. He was worried about Valen’s safety. Of all things, this was what caught him off guard. He thought he’d gotten used to being unshakable, but this was a new and unexpected twist.

Valen, whether it was for his younger brother, a client, or even a civilian from the human world, had always been the one to protect others and take the lead in battle. Now that the situation had flipped, his mind went blank. He had no idea how to react.

The only saving grace was that, despite his confusion, his goal was clear.

“Have you already forgotten where you picked me up from?”

“But…”

“Stop worrying about pointless things. I’m not grateful in the least. You said as long as it’s not outside the demon realm, I can go wherever I want. Just keep your promise.”

Argen exchanged a glance with Seinrich. Seinrich awkwardly scratched his cheek, while Argen, lost in thought for a moment, finally nodded.

“I’ll keep my promise.”

—

It had been over two months since Valen was kidnapped to the demon realm, and by now he had learned a few things.

One of them was that nowhere would he see the sights he had once been accustomed to.

A hunting party without a sword or a single piece of armor? How could that make any sense? Oh, well, technically they weren’t completely empty-handed. They carried these ridiculous lunch bags embroidered with cutesy little flower patterns.

He had joined the hunting party with high hopes… but what in the world was this? After the repeated disappointments and shocks, Valen had reached a point where nothing could surprise him anymore.

“Just hang in there, we’re almost there!”

Despite the cheerful start, the journey was anything but easy. They had to climb and climb again up a steep mountain path. Just when he thought it was finally over, they hit a massive cliff, blocking the way to their destination. He was one thing, but that guy…

“Hold tight, Lord Argen!”

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Seinrich had Argen on his back, scaling the cliff at a terrifying speed like some kind of spider. Valen, meanwhile, secured the sword he’d brought from the training grounds to his waist and grabbed onto the first brick of the wall.

—

“Huff… Huff…”

Sweat dripped down Valen’s chin. Seinrich, too, after his energetic start, was now trembling, his muscular forearms twitching as he neared the top. With Argen on his back, it was no surprise things got shaky. It was only thanks to Valen, who had climbed ahead and pulled Argen up by the arms, that she didn’t fall off the cliff entirely.

Once they got over the steep cliff, an endless plain stretched out before them.

The sky seemed close enough to touch, and a cool breeze blew through, washing away their exhaustion and sinking into their bones.

Maybe it was because they were in high altitude, but a thin layer of snow had settled over the rocks and grass, sparkling under the light and making the surroundings look even brighter. The soldiers’ intense heat was enough to suppress the chill from the ground.

So this was why they brought the lunch bags.

It had been a tough climb, but not altogether unpleasant. The sensation of pushing his muscles to the brink for the first time in a while left Valen unexpectedly satisfied, like he had gained something from the experience.

Thinking back, it had been quite some time since he last enjoyed the snowy landscape on a clear day. Ten years? Or perhaps even longer.

For Valen, snow had long since become a severe disadvantage in battle. Yet, sometimes, seeing it as a mere decoration in the surroundings didn’t seem so bad.

Valen was wiping the sweat from his hair with one hand when something suddenly appeared in front of him. It was a sandwich, thickly stuffed with sausage. As Valen turned his gaze, Argen took a bite from the sandwich in her other hand. It was a fraction of the size of the one offered to him.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a sandwich that Finn made from early morning and brought here.”

“This is for me? It seems like it’s been switched.”

It made more sense for the skinny Argen to have the larger portion. Valen raised an eyebrow, and she shook her head firmly.

“Both are for me.”

“Oh.”

“But since I had a hearty breakfast this morning, I’ll give this to you.”

Argen pushed the sandwich up to his mouth. With it rubbing against his lips, Valen eventually took it.

The soldiers gathered in small groups, pulling out their lunchboxes and passing the time. Valen and Argen found a suitably flat rock to sit on and filled their stomachs while enjoying the distant view of the demon realm.

There were no conversations exchanged, but it wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable. Valen was getting used to spending time with Argen. He noted this with a wary eye as he finished the last bite.

Thunk.

Something rolled off the rock below. It was a half-eaten sandwich. Had it been discarded? From what Valen had seen of Argen, he couldn’t believe she would disregard Finn’s effort. She was the type of demon who, even if she had to burst, would force herself to finish every morsel.

As he was about to turn his head, a light weight touched his forearm.

“Always making a fuss.”

He turned to see Argen’s neatly parted hair come into view. Her chest, resting against him, rose and fell with a steady rhythm. Unaware of the sandwich that had fallen, Argen’s hand was fixed in a way that seemed as if she was still holding something. Valen couldn’t help but chuckle at her comical appearance.

Even though she was a demon, Argen was just an ordinary succubus, not a soldier. She must have been exhausted from the journey. Valen understood, but he had no intention of becoming her makeshift pillow.

He gently shook her shoulder, treating her as carefully as a small chick.

“Wake up.”

“……”

“If you need a pillow, choose another.”

When he shook her a bit harder, Argen finally lifted her heavy eyelids. She looked so tired it was almost pitiful.

Argen, struggling to open her eyes, leaned back against him again. Valen placed his palm next to her temple and lowered his face.

“You should sleep in a bed.”

“Ah…”

“Come to think of it, today’s the day you get se#men. Seems like you cannot sleep tonight.”

Whispering in a tone that sounded like a nasty scoundrel, Argen sighed deeply.

Look at this.

Valen thought Argen would ignore him without a reaction, but now, whether from drowsiness or discomfort, her face was turning darker with distress. To an outsider, it might seem like Valen was a beast desperate to mate with Argen. Who was it, after all, throwing a tantrum for a quick romp?

“Over here!!”

From the edge of the field, someone shouted urgently. The soldiers, leisurely eating their lunches, suddenly looked up at the sky. Valen followed suit, tilting his head. The sky was a clear, cloudless blue. However, the strength of the wind hitting his skin had grown rougher than before.

While everyone was looking at the sky, Argen was focused on the cliff below, hugging her knees. She seemed to be inspecting the sandwich made by Finn. As if staring at it would make it walk up on its own.

Valen grabbed her arm and forced her to stand up.

“Something’s coming, isn’t it?”

“You don’t need to worry. The soldiers will handle it.”

The ground shook, followed by a loud explosion. Birds that had been resting scattered, flapFinng their wings and flying in all directions. A dust-filled whirlwind was blowing from the west. This was no ordinary occurrence.

However, the soldiers were preoccupied with picking up the food that had scattered on the ground, and still, only Valen and Argen stood at the forefront.