On a dark evening so deep it seemed to swallow even the faintest moonlight, the night air was biting cold. It was better than the relentless icy winds of the snowy mountains, but that hardly meant the frozen plains were warm. It was all relative—either way, the cold was unforgiving.
Crackle, crackle!
The sharp pop of sparks hitting the air was oddly comforting.
It was strange. There wasn’t a single tree nearby, not even a scrap of wood, yet a fire blazed in the snowfield. Its flames burned stronger than expected, casting a reddish glow that mingled with the serene moonlight, piercing the darkness just enough to brighten the night.
Around the fire, several people sat in a circle, warming themselves. Two tents stood nearby, lonely and still. The smaller one on the left leaked a faint glow from within. Occasionally, there were subtle movements inside, and faint humming drifted out now and then.
The eerie silence around the fire seemed almost deliberate—was it to catch that soft humming? Or was there another reason? Amid the suffocating stillness, long shadows flickered and danced with the flames.
Since Kim Su-hyun collapsed, the thirteen others—everyone except Gehenna—had been thrown into chaos. They couldn’t understand why she suddenly fled the temple, and then, as if that weren’t enough, Kim Su-hyun herself had suddenly fallen ill. And then, like a nightmare come to life, Gehenna appeared out of nowhere. How could they not be shaken?
Yet, the group managed to calm themselves in a short time. Gehenna’s calm explanations, her attitude that showed no hint of hostility, and above all, the achievement message that popped up as a reward helped settle their confusion. Plus, only Gehenna could restore the life force Kim Su-hyun had exhausted—there was simply no other choice.
So, the fourteen hurriedly set up camp and now waited anxiously for the outcome. They weren’t just sitting idly; they were trying their best to understand the sudden turn of events.
First, they grasped why Gehenna had appeared. Ansol quietly raised her hand and confessed her “sin.” Though no one had seen the summoning process clearly, the most plausible theory was a combination of “Monster Summoning Box 4” and “Miracle.”
They also understood that Gehenna had defeated the evil god. In truth, there was nothing to guess—the message displayed in midair said it all. Gehenna’s contribution was overwhelmingly greater than anyone else’s, even surpassing Kim Su-hyun’s.
Up to this point, the users had reluctantly accepted the revealed facts.
But no matter how good the outcome, doubts about the process lingered. Especially since the terror of Gehenna—the Hell Grand Duke—was deeply etched in most users’ minds. How could they forget the one who single-handedly wreaked havoc on thousands of users?
Why did she help them? Why had her attitude changed so drastically? Why was she saving the Clan Lord? What exactly was her relationship with him? Though their lives had been saved, there were many questions to be addressed. Some women were particularly bothered by the fact that Gehenna called Kim Su-hyun “husband,” and by her noticeably swollen belly.
Among the users, there was one woman who could answer some of these questions. All eyes turned to the woman who had survived alongside Kim Su-hyun before, and Kim Han-byul carefully explained what she knew. She was reserved but made it clear that Gehenna was not an enemy and explained how they had managed to return.
“So….”
Breaking the long silence, someone spoke softly.
Nam Da-eun stared blankly into the fire. Her face, tinged with red from the flames, looked distant and lost. Her eyes flickered weakly like the dancing embers.
After a long pause, she finally spoke, eyes shifting to the opposite side.
“So, you’re saying she was able to come back on the condition that she would bear that Hell King’s child?”
“I’m only telling you what I saw and heard. Anything beyond that is just speculation.”
A cold, sharp voice replied.
Kim Han-byul slowly shook her head.
“You’ll have to ask oppa for more details—if he wakes up, that is.”
She lowered her head, her expression heavy.
Silence fell again.
“Well… I probably shouldn’t say this…”
Ansol spoke cautiously, glancing around nervously as if blaming herself.
“Wasn’t there no other choice? The enemy was insanely strong, and life is precious. So if she used that as leverage to threaten them…”
She trailed off, looking for agreement. But no one responded; the atmosphere was stiff and tense. Ansol’s shoulders sagged.
“Ha…”
Lee Yoo-jung sighed deeply, folding her knees beneath her. She rested her face on her clasped hands, her expression clouded with worry. A storm of emotions churned inside her, and her chest felt crushed under a heavy weight. She forced a smile that wasn’t funny at all.
“Well, I guess it can’t be helped. After all, she saved our lives. And the expedition was a success, so maybe it’s not so bad to be here like this.”
“Why am I so annoyed? What the hell is that? She gets to come back only if she bears the child? Is this what they call a pregnancy attack? Ugh, why would Ansol do something like that…”
Ansol flinched. A second later, Lee Yoo-jung realized she had just voiced the very thoughts she’d meant to keep inside. That only showed how tangled her feelings were.
“No, no! Sorry! That’s not what I meant…”
“Why? I’m kind of jealous, honestly.”
Before Lee Yoo-jung could wave her hands to take back her words, Jin Su-hyun leaned back, hands behind his head, shrugging with a carefree tone. All eyes turned to him.
“Look, she saved us from that monstrous beast, and even gave her own life force to save Ansol when no one else could. Shouldn’t we be the ones thanking her?”
Jin Su-hyun was right. That was why no one dared speak out. But there was one thing they overlooked: they didn’t know what was in the woman’s heart.
“And even if she did set that condition… the relationship between a man and a woman’s body is complicated. You know the saying—‘the brother becomes the husband, and the sister becomes the wife.’ So, that means you and her…”
Jin Su-hyun trailed off, sensing the sharp, hostile glares from several eyes. Baek Han-gyeol, in particular, clenched his teeth and glared with frustration. No matter how true the words, timing is everything.
“The existence of a king is important. Especially in a world like this.”
Trying to steer the conversation away from the growing tension, Ha Seung-woo quietly interjected.
“I don’t know much about what kind of world Hell is—I’ve never been there myself. But if, as Kim Han-byul said, there hasn’t been a king for thousands of years, and the birth of a king was a desperate hope… I think it’s understandable. Of course, that’s just my personal opinion.”
He added the last part cautiously, aware of the many implications.
“But there’s one thing we need to be clear about.”
Suddenly, Ha Seung-woo raised his voice.
“Did it have to be the Clan Lord—Kim Su-hyun—who was chosen? That’s what I’m really curious about.”
At that moment—
Rustle!
The tent’s flap was pulled aside, and the soft crunch of footsteps on snow followed.
Finally, the conversation broke open as a woman stepped out.
“Is the fire warm enough?”
The woman who emerged, weary-faced, was none other than Gehenna.
Several users hurried to stand, but Gehenna waved them off.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to go inside tonight.”
“W-what? Is something wrong—?”
“No, the life was definitely saved. But it takes time to accept another’s life as your own. She’ll probably wake up in a few days.”
“Ah…”
Gehenna spoke with a motherly warmth, then settled herself comfortably by the fire. Suddenly, Heo Jun-young, who had been silently watching, stood and took off his trench coat, draping it over Gehenna’s shoulders.
“I hope you don’t misunderstand. It’s not good for a pregnant woman to be cold.”
Gehenna gave him a curious look, then snorted softly.
“Hmph. Cold can’t touch me, but I’ll accept your kindness.”
She smiled gently and looked around calmly. As she slowly placed her hands on her belly, all eyes naturally turned to it.
“Th-that belly…”
“Hmm? Is this your first time seeing a pregnant woman?”
“N-no, it’s not that…”
“Of course, it’s his child.”
Gehenna glanced toward the tent as murmurs of pain, curiosity, sorrow, and longing rose from all sides. Feeling those gazes, she tilted her head slightly but could sense one thing for sure.
‘Looks like it’s going to be a long night.’
With that thought, Gehenna began to speak slowly.
Bright sunlight tapped against my eyes. I took a light breath in, and the warm air, mixed with the sweet scent of flesh, tickled my nose.
Sunlight like this usually means dawn or morning, but the air wasn’t cold. What a paradox. Now that I think about it, there was a strange pressure in my stomach, too.
I wanted to open my eyes, but strangely, I didn’t want to. My whole body felt wrapped in a warm, damp sponge. Occasionally, a gentle touch brushed my cheek, like a soft spring breeze. And with the plush bed supporting me, what more could I ask for?
…Wait a minute.
A plush bed?
And it felt familiar—like the bed in my office where I always sleep. My mind was telling me to keep resting, but I forced myself, barely, to open my eyes and look ahead.
“…….”
The first thing I saw was a cascade of red hair, flowing richly like molten lava. Slowly lowering my gaze, I saw Gehenna’s face—eyes closed peacefully, sleeping with a serene expression. She was curled up close, her head resting on my chest, sleeping quietly. Every soft breath she took seemed to spread a sweet taste inside my mouth.
So that’s it.
It was Gehenna.
She hadn’t left.
She was waiting for me.
Thank goodness.
Really, thank goodness.
A sudden warmth filled me. I smoothed my chest and gazed quietly at Gehenna. But wait—didn’t I just feel that gentle touch on my cheek? Was she pretending to sleep?
After staring for a while, I slowly leaned closer. As expected, sensing my approach, Gehenna’s eyes flickered open. Her vivid crimson eyes stared straight at me—not the kind of look someone just waking up would have.
I stopped moving and kept looking at her. Honestly, I could never get tired of looking at that face.
We just stared at each other silently for a long moment.
Then, after blinking a few times, Gehenna spoke softly.
“…Why do you keep staring?”
“Why? Am I not allowed to look?”
I asked, genuinely curious, but Gehenna sighed lightly.
“I’d prefer if you didn’t stare so much. It’s really overwhelming.”
“No way. I want to keep looking, no matter what.”
My cheeks burned.
“W-well…”
The moment I said that, Gehenna visibly flustered, her face flushing red. She looked around, unsure where to look, then suddenly shot me a glare full of frustration.
What’s with that? I was just being honest about how I felt.
Just as I tilted my head in confusion, Gehenna’s hand suddenly and gently covered my mouth.
G-Gehenna?
Before I could say anything, she started moving her hand around skillfully.
“This mouth, huh?”
“W-wait!”
“This annoying mouth that wants me to be at a loss, this mouth, huh?”
“J-just a moment…!”