Back at Omega Outpost, the skies had darkened slightly, the sun now hidden behind the heavy clouds. I had been wandering for hours now, the path Eleanore marked on the map proving to be nothing short of a joke. It wasn’t even a proper map—it was a rough sketch, the kind you’d expect from a child rather than a high-ranking commander. Landmarks were described as "the big tree that kinda looks like a hand" or "the rock near the other rock with moss." I had half a mind to burn it.
Eventually, I gave up trying to decipher the thing. Swallowing my pride, I asked a few soldiers and patrolling units for directions. After enough confused looks and vague pointing, I finally reached the place. It was a ruined dormitory—what used to be part of the army’s barracks, long abandoned and caved in. Most of the structure had collapsed, but some rooms in the far corner still stood, untouched by time or flame.
Lilith lay on an old mattress, the light from a cracked ceiling window casting faint rays across her body. Her skin looked pale, but there was a softness in her expression, like she was just asleep. I rushed to her side, pulling out a high-grade healing potion and pressing it to her lips—but the moment a drop touched her skin, her body flinched violently.
Of course. Healing potions were crafted with holy and neutral energies—poison to devils. I had it in my brain but my urge to wake her instantly made me forget she was a devil. Her already fragile body had only weakened further. But I wasn’t out of options. I pressed a hand gently to her head and let my dark energy flow into her slowly, carefully. Her body reacted positively this time—the tension in her muscles eased, and her breathing evened out. Her skin regained a touch of warmth, and the dull lifelessness in her aura began to shift.
Still... she didn’t wake.
I knew the risks. If I poured too much mana, her body would combust from the inside out. She was stable for now—that was all I could manage.
Exhausted, I leaned against the cold wall and slid down, settling in the far corner of the room. My eyelids grew heavier by the second. The past few days had been brutal, traveling non-stop, even someone like me needed rest.
And so I drifted off to sleep, my last sight being Lilith’s calm, sleeping face, and the soft glow of dark mana flickering in the air.
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A swift kick to my leg jolted me awake.
"Zero!" a sharp voice barked.
I blinked groggily and looked up.
Her arms were crossed, her foot still raised from kicking me. Her face twisted with equal parts disbelief and fury. "What the hell are you doing sleeping in a girl’s room? With no permission, no barrier spells, no privacy charm—nothing?! Are you completely out of your mind?!"
I groaned, rubbing my temple. "You could’ve just shaken me awake..."
"Oh, I could’ve, but a pervert deserved a kick" she snapped, before scanning the room. Her expression quickly turned grim. "And. Where is she?!"
It took me a second to realize what she meant.
Lilith was no longer on the bed.
I shot to my feet immediately, panic rising. "She was right here—"
"You were supposed to be looking after her!" Eleanore hissed, her voice now laced with genuine worry. "I told you to look after her, what a disappointment !"
"I—she was just here! I didn’t—" I stopped myself. I had no excuse.
The air grew tense as both of us scanned the room and the ruins outside. But just as Eleanore moved toward the door, a soft voice called from the hallway.
We turned simultaneously.
Lilith stood at the doorway, bathed in the pale morning light. Her skin had regained its natural color, and her steps were hesitant but stable. Her expression was calm, even apologetic, as her eyes met ours.
"I... just wanted to see where I was," she said. "To make sure... this wasn’t a dream."
Eleanore’s fury dissipated slightly, but her brow remained furrowed. "You could have just asked Mr. Pervert here. "
Lilith nodded. "But he looked tired."
Eleanore didn’t say anything for a moment. Then her gaze hardened. "Then explain this."
She stepped closer, pointing at Lilith —the subtle devil ears and wings, her now-sharpened eyes, and the lingering trace of dark mana.
"You’re not human. Are you?"
Lilith shook her head slowly. "No. I’m not. I never was."
Eleanore’s grip on her sword tightened, but she didn’t draw it. Her eyes flicked to me, silently demanding an explanation.
Lilith said gently. "Let me explain."
And to my surprise, her voice was steady—no stammer, no hesitation.
"I was born a devil," she began. "Not just devil... but the daughter of the Devil King."
Eleanore’s eyes widened slightly but she said nothing.
"My father was... different. He didn’t hate the other races. In fact, he admired humans. He believed that peace was possible, that war was not the answer. That coexistence... could be a reality."
Her voice carried conviction, echoing through the crumbling walls.
"Because of that, he sent me to the human domain. The plan was to make genuine connections. To show that friendship between races could exist. I wasn’t forced. I wanted to go."
She looked at me and smiled faintly. "That’s how I met Zero... and the others.including you"
"But not everyone in the devil kingdom agreed with my father’s views. Some saw his kindness as weakness. A rebellion began forming."
She clenched her fists.
"My bodyguard, Xalvar... he was one of them. A traitor. He pretended to be loyal, but he was sent to sabotage everything. The cave incident... where my friends died..."
Her voice wavered just slightly.
"That was orchestrated. Not by accident. They wanted to traumatize me, to destroy my father’s vision, and shatter any proof that peace was possible."
Eleanore stepped back slowly, her expression now unreadable.
Lilith continued. "They captured me. Turned me into a vessel—a hollow doll, controlled remotely. My memories were sealed, my awareness gone. I became a puppet used to threaten my father."
"He gave in to save me. Surrendered the throne. They locked him up because they couldn’t kill him. His power... was too great. At least that was true until not long ago"
Eleanore finally spoke, her tone quieter. "And now you’re awake again."
Lilith nodded. "Yes. When I saw Zero fall at the cave entrance... everything came rushing back. The emotions, the memories... It broke the seal. I remembered who I was."
She looked at me, her voice softening. "But I had to leave although I wanted to help him."
Silence filled the room for a moment.
Eleanore sighed, the weight of the explanation settling in. "This is... a lot."
I chuckled. "Yeah. That seems to be my life these days."
She shot me a glare. "Don’t get smart. You’re still on thin ice for sleeping like a corpse in a ladies room."
I raised a hand in surrender.
Lilith chuckled softly.
That sound—the gentle laugh—felt more real than anything .
And you mind explaining how you ended up unconscious.