I had actually considered the possibility of escaping while the Hell Duke was away. But that would only make sense if I were some insignificant creature he didn’t care about. Judging from his past reactions, the Hell Duke had taken a considerable interest in me. Even if everything went perfectly and I managed to slip away, it would be nearly impossible to avoid Kim Hanbyeol’s suspicion.
After weighing all the options, I concluded that running away wasn’t a good idea. Ultimately, the only way was to confront him directly.
When I told Kim Hanbyeol my plan—though calling it a plan was generous—she insisted on coming along. But I gently refused. Given the likelihood of complications—whether from Hwajeong or Geophwa and others—it seemed better to go alone.
Fortunately, Kim Hanbyeol didn’t push the issue, and I set off immediately, heading toward the place where I could sense the Hell Duke’s presence.
It didn’t take long to find him. The moment I spotted the towering imperial throne piercing the sky, I saw a woman with fiery red hair sitting beneath it.
What surprised me was that the Hell Duke wasn’t alone. Before the throne knelt a figure clad in black armor, bowing deeply.
“Hmm?”
“Ah.”
Did they sense me? Both the Hell Duke and the black-armored figure turned to look at me simultaneously.
When I met the hollow eye sockets beneath the helmet, I immediately thought of the “Skeleton Knight” Kim Hanbyeol had mentioned.
“So that black one is…”
“Ho. I thought it would take longer, but you’ve come sooner than expected.”
The Hell Duke spoke with a tone of approval. Then the Skeleton Knight slowly rose, red glints flashing from his hollow eyes. Suddenly, a gleaming sword hanging at his waist caught my attention.
“My lord Duke, then this must be…”
“Hmm.”
The Hell Duke nodded lightly, and the Skeleton Knight let out a short exclamation before turning fully toward me. Though his skull face was expressionless, and he wore a horned helmet, there was something in his gaze—curiosity, or perhaps expectation.
Clank, clank!
The Skeleton Knight approached, the sound of armor plates clashing echoing as he stopped right in front of me. He tilted his head and looked down at me intently.
“…Strong.”
I swallowed hard. His imposing stature and the overwhelming aura radiating from him made me involuntarily tense.
Then—
“Greetings.”
A grating metallic voice scraped my ears, and suddenly the Skeleton Knight bowed deeply, folding his torso in half.
‘What…?’
It wasn’t just a simple nod; it was a formal bow of over 90 degrees. Honestly, I had expected a hostile greeting along the lines of, “Hmph. So you’re the one,” so this caught me completely off guard.
While I was still speechless, the Skeleton Knight straightened slowly, clasped his hands gently, and clicked his teeth together.
“Ah… It’s an honor to meet you.”
“?”
“I’ve heard much about you from the Duke. Truly, I am sincerely grateful you came.”
“??”
“Oh dear, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Behemoth, commander of the Third Legion, tasked with the extermination mission.”
“???”
If I had the same abilities as Ansol, I might have had dozens of question marks floating above my head right now.
‘Why is he so polite?’
His demeanor was a stark contrast to the beasts I’d encountered so far. Could Hell, even with its great demons, really be this open?
But Behemoth ignored my confusion and continued speaking warmly.
“Perhaps you’ve heard, but we’ve been taking great care of the person who came with you. Ha ha ha.”
Right. That’s certainly something to be thankful for.
‘…So what exactly are you getting at?’
I shifted my gaze to the imperial throne, but the Hell Duke showed no reaction. He just smiled as if he found the situation amusing.
“Oh, right. You came to talk, didn’t you? I might have been rambling too much.”
Too perceptive for his own good.
“Well then, I’ll step aside.”
“Don’t go far. I’ll call you again when we’re done talking.”
As Behemoth bowed once more with impeccable manners, the Hell Duke added calmly,
“Remember this: I am Behemoth, commander of the Third Legion.”
With that, Behemoth turned and began walking away. Watching his retreating figure, I shook my head in disbelief. If he hadn’t been clad in black armor and so imposing, I might have had a decent first impression.
After calming my swirling thoughts, I took a steady breath. Though I was a bit flustered, it didn’t matter now. My only goal was to return to the human world, and that was all I needed to focus on.
With that in mind, I fixed my gaze on the Hell Duke seated on the throne and prepared to—
“Keep staring like that. The more you do, the more I want to torment you.”
I was about to glare, but then I remembered how the Hell Duke had licked my face earlier. I immediately softened my expression. A light chuckle echoed from him.
“Hmm, then.”
The Hell Duke stretched out his smooth right leg, crossed his raised thigh over his left, and rested his chin on his hand, giving me a steady, intense look. He sure knew how to cross his legs in a sexy way.
“Are you ready to talk now?”
“…Yes.”
At that moment, a sudden flash of vivid color flickered in the Hell Duke’s eyes as he smiled at me. It was so brief I wondered if I’d imagined it.
“Then say what you want.”
His voice sounded sweet, but there was an oddly seductive undertone. I could have sworn his smile deepened just then.
Grasping my dizzying thoughts, I spoke quietly.
“Don’t you have something to say instead of me?”
“Me? Why do you think so?”
The Hell Duke chuckled, wearing an arrogantly smug expression.
“Well, you’re not entirely wrong. But I’m not in a position to be desperate.”
For a moment, I wondered if he was joking. After inviting me to talk, how could he respond like that?
But he wasn’t entirely wrong. I was in his grasp, utterly powerless, and owed my life to him. So naturally, the one in need should speak first.
Still, I couldn’t just demand to be let go. I needed to understand his intentions first.
“First, I want to thank you for saving my life.”
“How embarrassing. If you’re trying to test me, stop it. I don’t like long tongues.”
He cut me off sharply.
“Fine. Let’s get straight to the point.”
Though my insides were boiling, I tried not to show it.
“You saved me because of this power, didn’t you?”
I pressed my hand to my chest, but the Hell Duke neither confirmed nor denied. He just continued to watch me, chin resting on his hand, legs crossed.
“If you think about it that way, it’s simple. You want the power of Hwajeong for some reason. Am I right?”
“Hmm.”
For the first time since we started talking, the Hell Duke reacted—just a simple exhale, but I took it as a silent yes.
Good. Then…
“I won’t waste time with long explanations. Just tell me now.”
“…What?”
“Why you spared me instead of killing me.”
Exactly as I said. The Hell Duke had no interest in me as a person. But because I possessed Hwajeong, I was treated specially.
Assuming the Hell Duke truly wanted Hwajeong’s power, why hadn’t he just killed me and taken it? That would have been the simplest, easiest way.
There could be several reasons, but I decided to hold my tongue. It was his turn to speak.
After a moment, the Hell Duke spoke softly.
“Well, you’re not completely foolish after all. That’s a relief.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant by relief, but I silently cheered. It meant I hadn’t misread the situation. In other words, there was a reason he couldn’t just kill me.
“Without getting into details, broadly speaking, your assumption is close to the truth.”
The Hell Duke admitted it. Naturally, my voice grew firmer. Not that I intended to be arrogant or demanding—there were still details to be clarified. But at least now I had some room to say, “I’ll give you what you want, so please let me go.”
“However—”
Suddenly, the Hell Duke’s voice took a turn, signaling a twist.
“You don’t seem to understand the true nature of the power you possess. Come closer.”
With that, the Hell Duke suddenly lifted his hand resting on the tower and beckoned me with a wagging index finger, as if calling over a pet. Anger flared up at the condescending gesture, but I swallowed it down, repeating a silent mantra of patience, and stepped forward.
At first, I intended to stop about two meters away. But the Duke’s finger kept curling, urging me nearer, until finally, I found myself standing right before him—and only then did he withdraw his hand.
His lips parted.
“So, then…”
After a brief pause, his voice faltered slightly before he suddenly reached out. His hand pressed firmly against my chest—more precisely, over my heart.
The Hell Duke closed his eyes gently, as if trying to sense something.
“The ancient essence of the fiery spirit. The eternal flame of purification. This is the true nature of the power you hold.”
For a moment, I worried he might have changed his mind, but his next words eased my fears.
“And…”
Slowly opening his eyes, the Duke now grasped my hand with both of his, pulling me gently as if leading me somewhere.
Yet, there was no forcefulness in his touch—quite the opposite. His hands were warm, comforting, and incredibly pleasant to the skin. Strangely, though, I felt utterly unable to resist.
Before I knew it, my right hand was being drawn toward the swell of the Hell Duke’s chest…
“W-what?”
By the time I sensed something was off, it was already too late. Before I could say a word, my palm had come to rest over the Duke’s left breast.
A soft, almost melting sensation spread beneath my hand—no, it was an exquisite softness beyond words, something I couldn’t even begin to describe.
“How… does it feel?”
Blushing like a bride on her wedding night, the Hell Duke asked shyly, his voice barely above a whisper.