The night spent in the city was beginning to give way to the pale light of dawn.
The darkness of the previous night was slowly fading, and the contrasting hues decorating the blue sky were dazzlingly vivid.
As the shadows scattered and the world brightened, one figure remained motionless, guarding their post throughout the entire dawn.
“Huff…”
Ko Yeon-ju let out a heavy sigh, almost as if the ground beneath her might collapse, while fidgeting with the orb in her hand.
She had watched the silent footage inside it countless times through the night.
Yet, she showed no sign of boredom, her focus unwavering.
Once again, the soundless images played.
“…”
Biting her lip hard enough to leave a mark, Ko Yeon-ju’s mind was made up—there was no room for doubt.
No, after reviewing the footage hundreds of times overnight, she had reached a conclusion in her head.
She simply couldn’t sleep, consumed by worry over what lay ahead.
Her tired eyes studied the unfolding scenes carefully.
Two key moments demanded attention.
First, the Kim sisters embroiled in a heated argument with two unfamiliar men.
Second, Je-gal Hae-sol sitting at the adjacent table, calmly smiling as he leisurely sipped his tea.
It was certain the woman holding the teacup was Je-gal Hae-sol.
The warp ability shown at the end of the footage was unique to her alone.
So why was Je-gal Hae-sol sitting there?
But that wasn’t all.
Kim Yu-yeon’s devotion to her younger sister was well-known throughout the Northern Continent.
Yet, strangely, she was shouting at Kim Soo-yeon and glaring fiercely.
After much contemplation, Ko Yeon-ju proposed a highly probable theory.
The southern alliance—centered around the Mercenary, Istanbul Row, and Hamill clans—had unexpectedly won a victory against the demons.
Even Je-gal Hae-sol, who had been waiting for an opportunity to capitalize, appeared visibly shaken.
With the enemy now controlling Atlanta, the remaining forces in the Northern Continent were under immense pressure.
In the end, Je-gal Hae-sol made a decisive move.
She used her warp ability to infiltrate enemy lines and made some kind of proposal.
It was easy to guess that the proposal was for an alliance.
The conflict between the Tyrant and the Holy Queen’s factions was so deep and long-standing that even a child would know.
For these two camps to suddenly join hands overnight?
It was absurd.
But what if the offer was so tempting that no one could refuse?
Of course, all of this was just speculation.
What mattered was that the Northern faction acted independently, without informing the East.
Moreover, secret investigations revealed that Je-gal Hae-sol had been absent for a significant amount of time yesterday.
At that moment, Ko Yeon-ju finally felt a resolve settle within her.
Even if they joined forces, it was uncertain whether they could stand against the enemy.
And their trusted allies had already turned their backs.
She had no intention of becoming a sacrificial pawn for the rosy future of these two powers.
“They broke their oath first. We have no obligation to keep ours.”
Ko Yeon-ju muttered coldly as she opened a drawer and pressed the summon button.
There were two options for the East to consider.
One: reveal the footage and confront them officially.
Two: keep the footage hidden and strike back unexpectedly.
The Shadow Queen’s mind was set on the latter.
Moments after the door opened, Ko Yeon-ju said, “Prepare the meeting.”
“A meeting, ma’am?”
“Issue an emergency summons in my name. Immediately.”
“…Understood.”
Sensing the gravity of the situation, the shadow quickly vanished.
Ko Yeon-ju finally rose from her seat.
With the tide of war turning so unfavorably, standing on equal footing with the enemy was out of the question.
The same went for the Holy Queen’s faction.
No doubt, Je-gal Hae-sol had offered staggering terms.
That explained the confrontation between Kim Yu-yeon and Kim Soo-yeon.
The internal strife in the footage likely stemmed from whether to accept the proposal.
The exact terms were unknown.
In any case, Je-gal Hae-sol had acted swiftly to tip the scales, but the balance still had two sides.
While the East and South weren’t entirely free of conflict, it was nowhere near as severe as the North’s.
In other words, there was still room for participation.
Not long after, news arrived that preparations for the meeting were complete.
Ko Yeon-ju’s eyes gleamed as she clenched the orb tightly.
She was confident.
She had a proposal that would surpass the North’s offer—one the enemy could never refuse.
The next day.
As morning broke, the Mercenary clan members quietly gathered in the dining hall.
Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Soo-yeon, Kim Yu-hyun, and Kim Yu-yeon had failed to resolve their argument from the previous evening.
If anything, the longer the quarrel dragged on, the harsher their accusations became, souring the atmosphere to a near breaking point.
Had a few comrades not forcibly separated them, their familial bond might have been severed for good.
Yet, after a night’s sleep, reason seemed to return.
Though they met in the dining hall, voices were no longer raised.
Kim Soo-yeon appeared embarrassed by her earlier outburst and ate in silence.
For a while, only the clatter of utensils filled the room.
As the uncomfortable meal neared its end, Kim Yu-hyun was the first to move.
He had barely touched his food, eyes fixed on Kim Soo-hyun the entire time.
Carefully, he rose and approached the table where his younger brother sat.
Kim Soo-hyun had just finished eating and was staring blankly out the window, arms crossed.
“Soo-hyun.”
“…Huh?”
Though he couldn’t have missed it, Kim Soo-hyun answered a beat late, his wide eyes showing he had been lost in thought.
“Well… about yesterday… I was really caught off guard…”
“What…?”
“The situation you mentioned—I should have listened to it properly. I’m truly sorry.”
“Ahem…”
Kim Soo-hyun averted his gaze, glancing away awkwardly.
Seeing a flicker of relief, Kim Yu-hyun revealed a secret weapon he had prepared.
“This…”
Carefully cupped in both hands, he presented a small Chaos Mimic.
“What’s this?”
“I gathered some of the equipment you used. I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I brought a few things.”
“Ah… thanks.”
“No need to thank me.”
Seeing Kim Soo-hyun’s eyes soften, Kim Yu-hyun smiled inwardly.
Seizing the moment, he continued.
“And though it feels like I’m going back on what I said… since things have come to this, maybe it’s better to help out before leaving?”
“They’re all waiting, right?”
Kim Soo-hyun replied curtly.
“I explained the situation before coming. Zero Code will drop by occasionally to update you.”
“Hmm.”
“Please. After talking yesterday, I realized I can’t do this alone. Soo-hyun, I really need you. If you help, things will definitely get easier.”
“…”
Kim Yu-yeon and Kim Soo-yeon watched the brothers’ exchange silently.
In truth, no one here would oppose help from someone of that caliber.
Kim Soo-hyun’s prowess had already been proven in two previous battles.
There was no immediate answer.
But then Kim Yu-hyun’s expression brightened noticeably.
Though Kim Soo-hyun still wore a cool expression, he accepted the Chaos Mimic.
“Thank you. Really, thank you.”
Watching his younger brother slowly open the box and inspect the gear, Kim Yu-hyun smiled gently.
“Come to think of it, it’s been a while since we last fought, hasn’t it?”
“Don’t suddenly act all warm.”
Still holding a grudge, Kim Soo-hyun snapped sharply.
Kim Yu-hyun scratched his temple, embarrassed as he tried to let it slide.
“Alright! Enough. How about we have a constructive conversation now?”
Je-gal Hae-sol, who had been holding back tears with a face full of amusement, wiped his eyes and spoke.
As he clapped his hands, the clan members held their breath, feeling as if they had just overcome a major hurdle.
“Got any good ideas?”
As the tension eased, Jung Ha-yeon asked expectantly.
She wasn’t alone; most wore similar expressions.
The mental duel between the Je-gal Hae-sol of this world and the other was certainly an intriguing match.
“Not exactly a good idea, but there’s an easy way…”
Trailing off, Je-gal Hae-sol cast a subtle glance to one side.
But Kim Soo-hyun shook his head calmly.
Unless it was the demons, there was no way he’d draw a blade against his comrades or wife—even in another world.
Kim Yu-hyun, who had been watching from a step back, felt relieved.
He had worried they might suggest just killing and moving on.
“Well, dialogue is better than force, if it works out.”
Of course, how things would unfold remained another matter.
“So, how about contacting the Northern Continent and trying to arrange a meeting?”
The gaze fixed on Kim Soo-hyun shifted sharply.
Kim Soo-yeon lowered her head slightly, as if reconsidering what to say.
Je-gal Hae-sol wasn’t a fool.
With demons appearing and factions still at odds, the situation was clear.
“Wow. Is it really that serious? What’s the current power balance? Can you quantify it, even roughly?”
“Though we suffered losses during the Steel Mountain expedition, our Southern Alliance still stands at about 5.5 to 6.”
The answer came from Kim Hanbyul.
“So, the Northeastern Alliance is about a 4 to 4.5, then?”
“Yes. Probably.”
Jeogal Haesol, who had been muttering rapidly, suddenly fell silent.
He tilted his head back as far as it would go and stared up at the ceiling.
Then he spoke.
“What exactly is an alliance?”
The sudden question made everyone blink in surprise.
After a brief pause, Jeogal Haesol continued calmly.
“Don’t take this the wrong way. It’s just my personal opinion. Honestly, I don’t think goodwill, friendship, promises, or trust are necessary to form an alliance.”
“What do you mean?”
“They say you resolve grudges through dialogue and then form an alliance. But is it really necessary to resolve conflicts first?”
“Huh?”
“Let’s think about it simply. What’s the most certain way for two factions to form an alliance and stay united for a long time?”
“That would be mutual…”
Jeong Hayeon was about to say “trust,” but she stopped herself.
Jeogal Haesol smirked.
“It’s simple. One faction just has to be ridiculously stronger than the other.”
It was a fresh yet unfamiliar logic.
Still, no one dared to argue.
If the power balance was something like one versus four, would the weaker side even dare to betray?
In other words, the alliance only holds under the assumption that the stronger side won’t betray.
“No way.”
A few quick thinkers seemed to catch on to Jeogal Haesol’s intent at this point.
“Divide the East and the North?”
“Exactly. Looks like the North is already lost. If we can just bring the East under our wing, the balance of power collapses completely.”
“That’s right.”
“If things come to that… what was it? The ‘holy pushover’?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Anyway, if it comes to that, no one in that camp will want to keep fighting—unless they get shot in the head. If I were in that camp, I’d begrudgingly accept the alliance. Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s how it would go…”
Jeogal Haesol suddenly let out a deep sigh.
He spoke confidently, but the key was how to separate the two factions.
“Ah, this is tough. Maybe I should’ve brought Ansol along.”
“Huh? Me?”
Ansol, who had been listening intently, was startled and asked back.
Jeogal Haesol looked at her with eyes gleaming gold but shook his head with a clearly disappointed expression.
“Uh, it’s a bit vague… You’re definitely not the Deus Ex Machina type.”
“Deus Ex Machina? What’s that?”
“It’s something like a miraculous stroke of luck that solves crises with a single prayer.”
“I don’t know what that is, but I want to help too.”
“That’s admirable, but no, you can’t.”
“Why not!”
Sensing the dismissive tone, Ansol got angry.
“But you haven’t even fully activated your ‘Wish’ yet, right?”
“My ‘Wish’?”
“See? You don’t even know.”
“I can do it, I swear!”
Jeogal Haesol chuckled.
“Oh yeah? Then give it a try.”
“How do I do that?”
“Just pray for the East and North to split apart.”
“Hey!”
Offended by the tone implying she couldn’t possibly do it, Ansol bristled.
A moment later, Jeogal Haesol chuckled as he watched Ansol clasp her hands tightly and genuinely pray, while the others looked on with wry smiles, calling it a bad hobby.
They were a bit surprised by the idea that Ansol from another world might be capable, but in this world, it was impossible.
Then—
Bang!
Suddenly, someone burst through the restaurant door, panting and out of breath.
A messenger.
“Reporting!”
So urgent that he didn’t even catch his breath.
“What is it?”
Kim Suyeon turned her head and asked.
“T-The Shadow Queen from the East sent a message!”
“The Shadow Queen?”
Kim Suyeon jumped to her feet.
The Shadow Queen, Go Yeonju, was the most powerful user in the East.
And she sent a message?
“What did she say?”
“If we give her the coordinates, she’ll activate the warp gates in all the cities under her control immediately!”
“What… what does that mean!?”
“And as of now, the East will unconditionally surrender to the Southern Alliance…!”
At that moment—
A question mark appeared over Jeogal Haesol’s head.
“I don’t understand.”
The space was filled only with darkness.
In the center of the room sat a shadowy figure on a throne, faintly visible.
Its distinct features were two horns sprouting from its head and vertically slit, blood-red pupils.
That’s right.
The darkness was none other than Satan, the King of all Demons.
“Withdraw immediately?”
Satan clasped his hands and looked upward, asking again.
“Belial. The Great Prophecy said so? Really?”
He spoke as if someone else was in the room.
“Y-Yes, sir.”
After a moment of silence, a flustered voice echoed from the pitch-black ceiling.
“I’ve checked multiple times. But the order is clear: withdraw immediately, no questions asked.”
“And what about the Zero Code?”
“They’re abandoning it. They’ll even open a return portal from the Great Realm in a week, so we can wrap things up and come back through it…”
“Tch.”
Satan clicked his tongue, and the voice abruptly cut off.
“I just don’t get it. The situation is so favorable—why order a withdrawal now?”
“I think the same. If we had just one more year, or even six months, we could get the Zero Code…”
“Did something go wrong with the Atlanta campaign?”
“I’ll check again. But as of three days ago, the campaign was going smoothly.”
“So…”
“What do you want to do? They sounded like they’d forcibly summon us if we disobey.”
Satan sighed.
The Great Prophecy had never been wrong before, giving it absolute authority.
They even showed rare determination by promising to open a precious portal themselves.
To disobey would be to defy the entire Great Realm.
“…For now, continue the campaign as planned.”
“Huh?”
“I’m not saying we should ignore the prophecy, but after coming this far, giving up makes no sense. It’s a matter of understanding before orders.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
But Satan waved his hand dismissively.
“Enough. I’ll handle the Great Realm matter. You focus on reporting about Atlanta.”
“But the prophecy is so…”
“Your answer?”
“Understood.”
As he spoke, a dark figure silently emerged from the ceiling.
Then, almost crouching, it bowed low and said in a low voice:
“…All according to Satan’s will.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
To Satan, King of all Demons:
All Archdemons and the fourteen Demon Lords currently in the Hole Plane must return to the Great Realm within two weeks, by May 31.
All activities are prohibited during the return preparation period.
No extensions for the return preparation period will be accepted under any circumstances.
If you do not return through the portal opening at midnight on May 31, you will be forcibly summoned.
When we say “Complete your return by May 31,” it means the portal will open at midnight on May 30.
Midnight on May 30 refers to 12:00 AM at the start of May 31.
This is common sense.
This has nothing to do with when other demons or gods usually open portals.
No matter how many exceptions you cite, without quantitative analysis, it’s meaningless.
I don’t understand why you haven’t tried harder to get the Zero Code sooner, but I acknowledge the order was ambiguous.
Therefore, the order is corrected: return through the portal opening at midnight on May 30.
I’ve heard some still argue it’s not midnight on May 30 but May 31.
These two are completely different.
You must return through the portal opening at midnight on May 30.
Satan.
What is the meaning of the cat corpse video you sent in this communication?
I understand you want to argue that “the wave function collapses when the portal opens, so you can’t know if it’s open until then.”
We have just set the portal to open automatically at midnight on May 30.
At 12:00 PM on May 30, the return portal will open automatically, so there’s no Schrödinger’s cat problem.
Enough already.
12:00 PM on May 30 is not “Great Realm time” but obviously “Hole Plane time.”
This is beyond common sense.
You’ve been operating on Hole Plane standard time since entering, so suddenly invoking Great Realm time is absurd.
It’s hard to believe, but it turns out the majority of demons and demonkind active in the Hole Plane are following Great Realm standard time.
I think nocturnal habits should have limits, but I’ll wait until 12:00 PM on May 31 Hole Plane time for your return.
No questions about the continuity of time will be entertained.
You seem to be misunderstanding Bergson’s theory of time, but subjective time or not, June 1 never comes before May 31.
[Excerpt from the communication records between the Great Prophecy and Satan]
(The original story is from Associate Professor Asakawa of Dongbuk University.)