Chapter 126:  Interlude – Dorothy’s Story (7)

The newly constructed gate by humanity was located in a remote mountain valley near the cave where they had been staying, far from the paths frequented by people.

The reason for this was obvious when considering the gate’s purpose.

It wasn’t a passage meant for deploying armies but a covert infiltration route designed exclusively for the hero’s party.

To avoid detection by the Demon King’s forces, the gate was built in complete secrecy in an isolated location, known only to a select few, including the top leaders of various nations.

Of course, despite their precautions, the Demon King’s forces had already mapped out the route through Sien and were preparing an ambush, but that was knowledge they couldn’t have at this point.

“I’m here. Let’s get going.”

“Ah, Sien.”

As Sien arrived via teleportation, the four people gathered in front of the gate all looked up simultaneously.

Lier was the first to wave and greet him.

“How did it go? Did you wrap everything up well?”

“More or less,” Sien replied bluntly, his expression unchanging.

Lier, slightly uneasy, asked in a hesitant voice,

“Just to be sure… you didn’t kill anyone, did you? You passed the test, right?”

“Of course. Why would I kill them now? That would make the past seven days of torture meaningless.”

“Well, with you, I wouldn’t put it past you…”

Sien had a history of displaying unsettling sociopathic tendencies in the most unexpected situations.

Even after a week of building camaraderie, no one could let their guard down.

Sien was the kind of man who, if he deemed it necessary, would wield a blade without hesitation—even against close allies.

Thankfully, it seemed that this time, things had gone smoothly.

If even Sien, who had been the most skeptical about sparing the dragon, thought so, there was probably no need to worry about the aftermath.

“Sien, Sien!”

As Lier stepped back in relief, Esther seized the opportunity and approached Sien, her eyes glinting with an unidentifiable sense of anticipation.

“I went out of my way to convince the others so only the two of you could be alone. So? Was it worth it?”

“Worth what?”

“Oh, come on, don’t play dumb~”

Esther smirked mischievously, nudging Sien with her elbow.

“After such an intense week together, there’s no way nothing happened, right? Was there a tearful farewell? A heartfelt promise? Maybe even a kiss of gratitude…?”

“???”

Sien frowned deeply.

What nonsense was this woman spouting now?

“Say something that makes sense. After seven days of constant torment and suffering, there’s no way any good feelings would be left.

If anything, she would want to kill me on the spot.”

“Really? Is that what you think? Truly?” Esther teased, laughing.

“You’re surprisingly dense when it comes to women’s feelings, you know that? For someone so sharp, you’ve got a blind spot.”

“No, this isn’t about women’s feelings.

It’s just common sense.

If someone’s been slapped around and treated horribly for a week, developing romantic feelings would make them a masochist, not normal.”

“Well~ who knows~” Esther giggled, stepping back.

She scanned Sien up and down and asked,

“So, really? Nothing at all? You didn’t exchange anything?”

“Nothing.

We just said goodbye.”

“By teleporting?”

“Yes.”

His reply was immediate and firm.

Esther’s face visibly fell, and she shook her head in disappointment.

“Sigh… You really are clueless…”

“What’s your problem? Are you picking a fight with me or something?”

“No, no. It’s nothing. I won’t say anything more.”

With that, Esther stepped back, muttering under her breath,

“We’ll have another chance when we return to Elpidion anyway.”

Sien clicked his tongue at her retreating figure.

“That woman is unbelievable.

She turns everything into some kind of romantic drama.

Anyone with common sense would realize that’s impossible in this situation.”

Even if, by some absurd one-in-a-million chance, what Esther insinuated were true, there was no way Sien would end up with Dorothy.

Sien wasn’t particularly fond of minors, after all.

Unlike a certain depraved pedophile commander, Sien had no interest in children.

If she were 500 years older, maybe—but for now, not a chance.

“The gate is ready, Sien.

Come stand in front of it,” Mana called out.

“Got it.

On my way.”

Shaking off his pointless thoughts, Sien walked toward the gate.

The portal to the Demon Realm glowed with a vivid, ominous red, like the color of blood evaporating into smoke.

Its sinister appearance made everyone instinctively grimace—everyone except Sien.

‘Hmm, not bad.

It’s been a while since I’ve smelled the scent of home,’ he muttered with satisfaction, nodding to himself.

Though he had made fond memories in Elpidion, Sien’s true home was still the Demon Realm, the place he had lived since birth.

For him, the overwhelming magical pressure that could crush ordinary people was nothing more than a pleasant, refreshing sensation.

It had been two and a half years since he last felt it.

“So… shall we go in?

Everyone ready?”

Lier swallowed nervously, his expression tense.

Then, with the courage befitting a hero, he bravely stepped forward, being the first to approach the portal.

However, just before his foot could pass through the crimson portal—

“Wait a moment!!!!”

A familiar shout echoed from behind them, reverberating from the mountain above their backs.

The sudden outcry caused the five companions to halt in unison and turn their heads.

At the same time, a sleek, blue flying object tore through the clouds and shot toward them like a comet.

“Ha… ha… good, I made it in time… thank goodness…”

The source of the voice was Dorothy, gasping for breath as she murmured to herself.

Her small wings fluttered frantically, keeping her aloft in the air.

She glanced briefly at the hero’s party below her, then locked eyes with Sien among them. Taking a deep breath, she shouted:

“Sien Lenos!!!!”

Her voice boomed, resonating across the entire area.

The sheer volume, almost akin to noise pollution, caused Sien to instinctively grimace.

He looked up at her and spoke in a thorny tone.

“What is it now, you little pest? Just when we’re about to leave, you suddenly call me back.

Did you come all the way here because you have more to say?”

“Of… of course! Do you think you can just say your piece and leave like that? I have something to say too!”

“Then what is it?”

“……..”

At this, Dorothy glanced away, her eyes darting to the side.

She hesitated, her lips moving as if she were chewing on her words, before finally stammering:

“Tha… tha… thank…”

“Thank?”

“Tha-thank… you…?”

“….??”

Her mumbling was so faint it was nearly impossible to decipher.

Sien, growing irritated by her indecisiveness, scowled and barked,

“If you’ve got something to say, spit it out already! You’re wasting my time.”

“……”

Snap.

A small vein popped on Dorothy’s forehead.

The embarrassment that had consumed her moments ago was instantly replaced with an entirely different emotion: anger.

“HOW DARE YOU TREAT ME LIKE THIS, YOU JERK?! MARK MY WORDS! ONE DAY, I’LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS!”

Her voice carried the frustration and indignation she had bottled up for the past week.

“When you come back, I’ll make sure to kill you with my own hands, you bastard!”

With that, Dorothy turned and darted off in a flurry, flying away hastily as if afraid Sien might cast a spell to knock her out of the sky.

The man in question, however, simply wore an expression of bewilderment, not anger.

“She flew all the way here… just to say that?”

The distance between their cave and the gate exceeded 10 kilometers.

Even for a dragon with speedy flight, it wasn’t a distance one could cover lightly.

Dorothy had clearly pushed herself to the limit, as she’d struggled to regain her balance and steady her breathing after arriving.

Yet, after all that effort, the only thing she’d come to say was a threat for future revenge—a threat she could’ve delivered anytime later.

What was her deal?

“Oh my… how cute…”

Meanwhile, Esther, who had watched the entire spectacle unfold, grinned mischievously from behind, barely holding back her laughter.

The corners of her mouth twitched with uncontrollable amusement.

Next to her, Mana frowned slightly.

“Kill him? Are we sure it’s okay to let her go? Wouldn’t it be better to deal with her now?”

“No, it’s fine,” Esther replied, her smile deepening. “I doubt it’s the kind of ‘kill’ you’re imagining.”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll see.”

Saying anything further would ruin the fun.

This was a matter between Dorothy and Sien alone. Esther decided to keep her thoughts to herself, suppressing a knowing smile.

“……”

Sien, meanwhile, stood silently, gazing at the sky where Dorothy had disappeared.

He seemed to be contemplating the motives behind her strange behavior.

But it lasted only a moment before he shook his head and turned away.

‘Whatever. Who cares what she’s thinking?’

He’d told her before she could come back for revenge if she wanted, but it had been half a joke.

Sien was confident that neither Dorothy nor her father, Oz Gwendolyn, posed any real threat to him.

He’d gauged their strength during their last encounter, and they were no match for him.

Even if she somehow grew stronger in the future, it wasn’t something he needed to concern himself with.

After all, he was no ordinary swordsman but the Demon Lord in disguise.

As for Dorothy, a mere hatchling who hadn’t even evolved into an adult dragon, the odds of her catching up to him in power were virtually nonexistent.

‘Huh? Wait a second. Come to think of it… what was her name again?’

Sien tilted his head, puzzled.

Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t heard her name even once during the past week.

Whenever he addressed her, it was always with the nickname “little mutt,” and not once had he bothered to call her by her actual name.

He hadn’t even been curious enough to ask.

Did his companions know it, though?

He vaguely recalled Esther or Lier calling her something, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Sien paused in his steps, momentarily lost in thought.

Then, with a shrug of his shoulders, he brushed the question aside.

‘Eh, whatever. What does it matter what her name is?’

If it became important, he could figure it out later. After all, there was still plenty of time.

“Come on, Sien! The gate’s about to close!”

“I’m coming!”

At Lier’s call, Sien responded casually and began walking toward the portal.

He had more pressing matters to attend to, such as the short journey back to the demon realm before returning to Elpidion.

However, Sien never returned. He couldn’t.

And 500 years passed.