On the edge of a very tall tower was a young man clad in pitch black clothing.

A huge black hood covers his head but anyone can see that the youth was wearing an obsidian mask resembling that of a cat with a big pair of spiral eyes and a huge grin resembling that of a Cheshire Cat.

He sits there silently on the edge of the tower roof. At this time, the sparkling sky was shining and there was a refreshing breath in the air that blew towards him.

“A beautiful but fragile world…” The youth muttered with a soft voice.

“Indeed,” As he was observing the activities underneath, a voice suddenly rang out behind him.

The youth’s eyes narrowed. Still, he calmly turned his head and looked at the source of the voice.

A beautiful woman with a long blonde hair and her pair of eyes were narrowed and dyed in beautiful light green color. When she stared at someone, her eyes would give off a kind of unspeakable sense of oppression.

“As I thought, you are the one who was spying on me all this time…” The youth said, his tone bitter and astringent.

“…Eerika…”

The woman, Eerika smiled faintly. "The air is getting colder." She lamented, combing her hair with her fingers that blew in the wind, as she gazed at the youth. Her expression full of warmth and affection.

“Sol, I think it’s better if we returned to the Mansion right now. The warm up before you get a cold,” she said. But for some reason, Allen felt as if he heard a soft plea hiding in her voice.

Allen shook his head. “I must go,”

“Sol!” Eerika cried out. Her eyes flashing numerous complicated emotions. “Please don’t do this!”

“… …”

“I don’t care who you are! I won’t even care what you are… just, stay!” Eerika bit her lips and her eyes started becoming moist. “…please,”

Allen stared at Eerika and his stern expression somewhat softened. It has been almost a week since the ball. Since then, Allen focused himself on recuperating and recovering his power.

And now was the night he decided to leave.

He had left secretly and even choose the middle of the night and yet… it seems like the guard they put around him was extremely tight.

“Eerika… do you know… about me?”

“… …” Eerika’s body froze. Then she bit her lip, her expression showed a pained look. “… That you are a demon…? I know…”

“How?” Allen slowly raised his hand and took off his mask. His voice unhurried and didn’t seem surprised by her answer. He had always been expecting this kind of outcome…

In this very moment, lighted by the moonlight, a pair of curved horns appeared on each side of his head. Seeing this, Eerika’s body trembled and her fist tightly clenched.

“How did you know…?”

Eerika’s eyes closed for a moment. Once her eyes opened again, she had returned to her normal calm.

She stared at Allen directly, and answered; “Mother…”

Hm? Elena…? Allen was a bit surprised. Allen had expected for that Mair to be the one but it seems like he was mistaken…

“… A few days ago, she had accidentally felt a demonic power within the mansion. Although it was for a moment but mother would never mistake it. And although she couldn’t completely trace it back since it was just for a single moment, still it was enough for her to know where it came from…”

That should be the time he was fully recovered. Although Allen had expected someone to feel it but that woman’s senses were really extraordinary…

What a blunder…

“But I know that you aren’t a bad person!” Eerika anxiously cried out. “I was always watching you, and so I know! Stay, Sol and I will surely protect you from the others. Aside from me and mother, no one knows about it. Please!”

“… …” Allen’s lips curled upwards and his eyes almost turned crescent. The pale bluish moonlight shining down on his shoulders, as if giving him a halo, which added an even gentler aura to that well-chiseled face of his, giving his faint smile the beauty of a picture drawn by a master artist.

This smile was more than enough to cause any young girl to have endless fantasies, and Eerika’s heart almost jumped in fright. Being directly hit by Allen’s full demon appearance almost similar to being charmed by one of the direct descendants of the Gods and Goddess of Love and Beauty.

“I actually also wanted to. Staying with you caused me to almost forget about my priorities.” But Allen shook his head. “However, for now, I couldn’t. There are still things I needed and wanted to do. Stopping here is not an option…”

!!?

“Besides, I don’t want you to be implicated by me. Even if you hide my real identity I doubt they would never notice it,”

“Sol, that’s –” Eerika was startled by his words, and right when she was about to open her mouth and say something, several figures appeared, surrounding the two of them.

“See…?” Allen smiled bitterly.

Eerika fiercely whipped her head and looked at the figures and was shocked, “Mother!?”

Just beside her was Elena, slowly walking through the roof. Her gaze locked into Allen.

Apart from her, there were also four people standing while encircling Allen’s location. All of them were radiating a very oppressing aura.

“It’s a pleasant evening, Mrs. Elena. I thank you for the care you gave me these past few days,” Allen smiled and bowed elegantly. Still unperturbed and seemed to have expected this development.

In any case, if Elena had really noticed it, there was no way she wouldn’t do something like this…

Eerika was just the carrot in the play, carrot and stick template…

“That’s nothing,” Elena was smiling but something was hiding in her eyes. “Sol, or was that a fake name as well…? Either way, my daughter said right. Can you stay with us for quite some time, I wonder…?”

“… …”

“You don’t need to be so vigilant. As long as you don’t pose any danger to anyone here, even if you are a Demon, in the face of my daughter’s affection, we will do nothing to you. In any case, you had indeed saved my daughter as well as my clansmen’s life…” Elena stopped a few meters away from Eerika and smiled at Allen. “Whether it was intentional or not, we know how to repay favors,” she said faintly.

“Then, what? What do you want me to do… I wonder?”

“Of course, I had a small number of questions I want to be answered. I hope you will give me face and honor my invitation,” She responded softly with a warm smile.

“… …” Allen paused for a moment then his gaze swept over towards the other people.

Lesser Deities… and probably some were above…

“Is this, threat…? Coercion?” Allen smiled wryly. “… well, it can be also called as an invitation even if you use those, I guess…that wasn’t a wrong statement…”

“It’s nothing of that sort. They are just… precaution, if I may say so,” Elena said with a mild tone. “Of course, I also hope their assistance wouldn’t be necessary,”

“Mother…” Eerika clenched her fist in frustration. At this moment, she was having mixed feelings. She doesn’t know what she will do.

Her mother or Allen… just whose side will she stands…?

Naturally, she also wanted for Allen to stay but as for her mother, although this was a strange thought but she doesn’t trust her mother in regards to her dealing with Allen…

A Demon!

Although it was faint but Allen was indeed releasing such aura and now with his appearance, that guess was certainly confirmed. Besides, judging from his appearance, pale ashy gray complexion and aura, he was certainly not just a simple Demon.

Probably a very high-level one at that…!

“Hm, what should I do, I wonder…?” The corner of Allen’s mouth curled upon hearing this as he coldly laughed.

“I actually wanted to stay here too. Living here doesn’t seem so bad but… I won’t be able to move much with all of you here watching me so closely so I intend to move and embark on a journey.”

“Then what are you intending to do…? What is your purpose?”

“My purpose… it’s simple. To put a stop to the Demon’s ambition,” Allen honestly replied.

!!?

“… That is my sole purpose in coming here into this world.”

Elena, Eerika and the others stared at Allen in shock. What? What did he mean by that?

“Do you want to fight against the demons? Aren’t you a demon yourself?!” Elena exclaimed.

“… …”

“Just who are you?!!”

Allen smiled faintly and replied, “I’m just a drifter that was involved in this nonsensical war because of one idiotic brother that wanted to make a meal out of me.” Allen appeared somewhat helpless as he spoke.

“That is why I will stop his nonsense ambition and just go home… quietly after. I don’t have any sort of thoughts much less ambition in this realm… my home is in a completely another world…”

“… ….”

Eerika paused for a moment before speaking, “If, if you want to fight against them. Why don’t we fight together? We are on the same sides.”

Allen’s smile turned gentler as he stared at Eerika. “Probably. We might have a chance in the future but for now… I can’t let anyone obstruct me or slow my goal. That is why, right now, I will go… and see this world with my own eyes,”

“But do you think we will let you go…?” Elena stepped forward. A smile immediately surfaced on her bewitching pretty face. That smile of hers was extremely moving. “Although we won’t make hard for you but as long as we aren’t clear about your real purpose, setting a wild beast in the jungle would be an unwise decision,”

“… …”

“Mother!!?”

Elena turned at Eerika and noticed the plea in her eyes. But at this very moment, she could only send an apologetic glance, “I’m sorry but this is necessary. I can’t let any single slip that may cause a lasting sorrow, for you, or for the clan…”

“… …”

Elena’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. An ice-cold killing intent slowly shrouded her. She watched Allen closely and softly said with a smile, “Sol, it would be a good if you obediently stay here. I promise you, no one would make anyone difficult for you… as long as you behave, that is…”

Her words indicated that she was discussing the manner, yet her tone did not allow Allen to object to the suggestion.

Allen frowned slightly. He finally raised his head a long while later to look at the pretty face of Elena which already contained a little ice-cold killing intent. However, before he could speak, several figures suddenly landed beside him.

This sudden unexpected development startled the group that they couldn’t help but turned their attention towards those figures with great vigilance. They didn't know whether it's a friend or a foe.

When the dust finally thinned down and faded away, six figures can be seen standing around Allen protectively. They were all females but with varying appearance and one was even a demon.

“Those who want to hurt our master will be killed by me!” Laura declared while her body overflowed with killing intent. Her bat-like wings spread apart threateningly and a dark haze hovered around her, giving anyone who saw her a creepy feeling.

Hm? Elena stared at the group and frowned. This power… most of them were at the level of a peak 2nd Hierarchic Demons… though, I can’t feel any demonic power from the rest…

That slime…! Eerika stared at Lime with a complicated expression.

Not only Laura and Lime appeared even Dakna, Beisha, Mireya and Qin surrounded Allen protectively.

Dakna and Beisha stepped forward and glared at Elena and the rest. Their stance had already spoken their intention.

“… …” The atmosphere instantly turned cold and threatening.

Neither of the group steps back and instead both released terrifying auras.

Elena didn’t show it outside but inwardly she was already shocked. Dragons… not only that, a beastman lycanthrope and another mythical being that was commonly found in the east…

Surprisingly, Allen was protected by these monsters…

“What is this?” Calming her excited nerves, Elena’s pretty eyes glanced at Allen as she softly asked. “Do you plan to force your way out?”

“Sol! Mother!” Eerika bit her lips. She felt conflicted. Her gaze then locked into Allen’s indifferent and calm expression and after a few moments, she finally made up her mind.

She sighed.

Allen smiled nonchalantly as he raised his mask and returned it to his face. “I’m not planning to make an enemy out of all of you –after all, it’s a useless action. However, I’m also not fond of being restricted… I’m a free soul, after all.”

“… …” Hearing this, the killing intent on Elena’s pretty face immediately changed into an enchanting, gentle smile. “No one is going to restrict you. We just want you to stay for a while…”

But Allen would never believe that.

In fact, even the other people in the vicinity also felt the same.

“Mom,” As Elena was speaking, suddenly Eerika brushed past her and walked towards Allen.

“Bind!” Before Elena and the others could react, Eerika suddenly cried out and in an instant, Elena and the other people was enveloped by a golden light.

“Eerika! What are you doing!?” Elena exclaimed in anger.

“… …” Eerika sighed and looked at Allen. “Sol, I can trust you… right?”

“… …” Allen stared at Eerika in shock. What is this girl doing…?

Eerika stared at Allen. Her lake water limpid eyes were reflecting only the youth with silver –hair.

Though she rarely smiled, her face was no longer lifeless as she was used to be. On the tip of her nose was a speck of sweat and the rosy color on her white checks emitted vitality.

Anyone who looked at her would be put in a cheerful mood.

Eerika looked at Allen, her expression, asking and pleading.

Allen stared at her and suddenly laughed, catching the girl off –guard.

“You really are silly, Eerika.”

!?

“In any case, call me Allen. Sol was just a fake name…” Allen turned around. Following him, the other girls did as well, not before sending a curious glance at her. “My goal is not the God Clans and of course I am not lying about fighting against the demons. Ragnarok or whatsoever, although I don’t have any interest in it, I don’t have any choice but to stop it.”

“… …”

“I hope we meet again, Eerika, probably we will. When the time comes, I might ask for your help…” Allen smiled at her.

“I will be waiting…” Eerika’s lips curled upwards.

“My time here was quite good… thank you,” Allen waved before his and the others figures faded into the darkness.

Eerika stretched her hand but her hand stopped mid-air. She closed her eyes and a tear fell across her cheeks.

“I’ll be waiting…” she murmured softly as her voice was carried by the night wind blowing past her face.

Seeing her daughter, the immobilized Elena could only shake her head and sigh. “What a hopeless daughter…” In fact, just like what she said, she wasn’t really planning on doing anything against Allen.

However, she was also not naïve to let Allen go with his mysterious background.

At least, not until she made sure who he really was. This was a warring and dangerous era and even a bit of mistake might cause the Clan’s doom. She couldn’t let herself make a single mistake!

But still, Eerika’s action tonight was certainly out of her expectation. She actually attacked her and her clansmen…? Just what is going in with this daughter of hers!?

Elena turned her gaze towards the place where Allen disappeared and couldn’t help but frowned.

Just who was he?

Just what is his purpose…?

I hope… Eerika’s choice wouldn’t be a mistake…

*** ***