Welcome to the Demon Realm

With each step I took, the cloud beneath my feet grew damper and darker.

It felt like stepping on an old, damp cotton mattress.

As I approached the boundary between the gray and black clouds, the air grew heavier.

Each breath I took felt like inhaling something sticky and viscous.

It was a bit hard to breathe, but strangely, it didn’t feel suffocating. Instead, it was as if I had drunk a rich wine, heightening my senses.

The colors of the world seemed more vivid, and every sound was clearer.

Even the sensation of the wind on my skin felt ten times more intense than usual.

Miel continued to flutter around me.

She seemed completely unfazed by the disgusting clouds.

Her wings shimmered more brightly than usual, even in the darkness.

The blue glow of her wings was quite beautiful.

The sword at my waist still emitted a faint red mist.

The Crimson Bind seemed pleased, as the mist grew thicker.

Being surrounded by the mist gave me a strange sense of confidence, rather than fear.

The Night Veil cloak trailing on the ground annoyed me, but its weight gave me the courage to walk boldly.

“Hmmm… but it’s so uncomfortable…”

I tried to lift the cloak with my hand, but after a few steps, it dragged on the ground again.

The endless fabric kept tangling around my feet, nearly causing me to trip multiple times.

After several attempts, I finally gave up and let it drag.

“Whatever, let it drag as it wants.”

Miel seemed displeased with my decision, fluttering irritably around me.

Her expression seemed to say, “You’ll trip and fall like that.”

“Miel can be such a nag sometimes…”

But then, Miel’s intuition proved correct.

As I tried to move, my foot caught on something.

“Ahh!”

I had stepped on the dragging cloak.

Losing my balance, I tumbled onto the gray cloud.

“Ow…”

It didn’t hurt, but landing on the damp cloud soaked my clothes.

The cloak spread out around me like a large, dark puddle, making me feel like I was floating in it.

Miel hovered in front of me with an “I told you so” look.

Her smugness annoyed me even more.

Thanks to the trait Nis-nim gave me, my clothes would dry quickly anyway!

“Hey!”

I tried to catch Miel, but she dodged effortlessly.

Her elegant flight only made me more frustrated.

I adjusted the cloak and stood up again.

This time, I held the hem tightly and walked slowly.

After a while, Miel flew in a direction I couldn’t see.

She spread her wings fully and hovered in the air, emitting a strong blue light.

Her wings glowed like a neon sign, casting light around her.

What was she doing?

She seemed to be communicating with something.

She fluttered her wings in a peculiar pattern, as if signaling something invisible.

“Maybe she’s signaling Solaris…”

It was suspicious, but I had more pressing concerns.

Standing at the threshold of the demon realm, I needed to find a path quickly.

Something faintly visible in the distance caught my eye.

What was that?

As I approached, I saw it was a large sign.

Written in elegant red letters on a black background:

≪ Welcome to the Demon Realm! Tap the crystal below for guidance to the safe zone! ≫

What the…!

A surrender sign!

Beneath the sign was a beautiful blue crystal.

Its light was so captivating that I stared at it for a moment.

Don’t touch it!

I’ll sneak in instead!

But suddenly, the crystal began to glow without any reason.

“Huh…?”

A voice came from the crystal.

“Is someone there? If you can hear this, please respond~”

The voice was as sweet as honey, with an alluring tone.

Before I knew it, I opened my mouth to reply.

“Yes.”

Oh no!

Why did I answer?!

The crystal glowed brighter.

“Oh, really? I’ll be right there~”

“Yes.”

Ahh!

I responded again!

Miel fluttered in front of me, flapping her wings wildly.

She even pecked at my mouth with her small feet.

“It’s not like I wanted to speak! It’s like I was forced to!”

This must be the power of an evil god…

What to do…?

Should I leave before someone comes from the crystal, or wait?

Running might spread rumors of a suspicious intruder in the demon realm.

That could be even more dangerous…

Maybe it’s better to cooperate honestly.

Soon, footsteps echoed from the distance.

They were light and cheerful steps.

A voice came from the darkness.

“This sign and crystal were set up for those coming from the heavenly realm, but this is the first time we’ve received a signal. Since the sign was placed, no one has ever responded~”

I’m not a heavenly being…

The owner of the voice came into view.

『『『 ᚠᛖᚷᚱᚦ᛫ᛟᚲ᛫ᛏᚨᚢᚠᚱ 【Bellona】 』』』

Her appearance took my breath away.

Her raven-black hair cascaded like a waterfall of night, shimmering elegantly.

Her eyes, like black jewels, held the weight of centuries.

Her skin was as white as moonlit jade, and her lips were like freshly picked rose petals.

Like the heavenly gods, her attire was made of thin fabric, but hers was black.

Silver trim highlighted her perfect figure.

The fabric was daring, and the way it swayed in the wind seemed intentionally revealing.

Wow…

Her beauty was unparalleled.

Even compared to the beautiful people I had seen, this goddess was the embodiment of beauty itself.

Every movement she made was graceful and captivating.

“Oh my…”

She looked at me with a hint of surprise.

“Could it be… are you a demon?”

I hesitated for a moment.

How should I respond?

Should I be honest or deceive her?

Let’s trust my SSS-grade cloak!

“…Yes. I am a demon.”

Bellona’s lips curved into a smile.

Her smile was so captivating that I stared blankly for a moment.

“Are you lying?”

She touched my cloak with her fingertips.

A dark energy emanated from her touch and seeped into the cloak.

Then, something unbelievable happened.

The cloak began to shrink, adjusting to fit my size perfectly!

What the…?!

So it could shrink…!

“Your cloak… it seems to require demon god’s power to adjust. But you’re not a heavenly being, are you?”

“I am… a flower.”

“A flower?”

Her eyebrows rose in confusion.

Deciding it would be quicker, I transformed into my true form using polymorph.

As I became the Thanatos Crown, Bellona’s eyes widened.

She approached cautiously and gently touched a petal.

“Wow… I’ve never seen such a flower before.”

Her touch was warm and gentle.

My petals trembled slightly at her contact.

After a moment, I transformed back into my human form.

“Really amazing! A flower that can polymorph!”

Bellona clapped her hands in admiration.

“Hehe…”

Her admiration made me smile involuntarily.

“And that butterfly… is it following you because you’re a flower?”

“Yes! Miel is my subordinate.”

“Oh, how cute~”

Suddenly, Bellona picked me up and held me in her arms.

Being held like a child, I remained speechless for a while.

Her arms were surprisingly strong, cradling me like a baby.

“Well, let’s talk more on the way. It’s not safe to stay here too long~”

I muttered, feeling embarrassed.

Her chest, wrapped around my head, was soft and overwhelming.

What was this…? The fluffy sensation…

Bellona’s gaze shifted to the Crimson Bind at my waist.

“The sword you possess… it emanates an incredibly powerful energy. Who could have made it?”

“It’s Crimson Bind. I heard it’s a legendary dagger forged by the lich Asterix.”

“Asterix…?”

When I repeated what I saw in the status window, Bellona tilted her head.

“I don’t recognize that name. But this sword is clearly cursed. How did you come to possess it?”

“I… just happened to acquire it.”

Bellona smiled and withdrew her hand from the sword.

The mist seemed to linger, as if reluctant to leave her touch.

“And that ring…”

Her gaze shifted to the Crimson Circlet on my left hand.

“This… also feels like it contains demon god’s power, just like the cloak.”

“The ring and cloak… were gifts.”

“How interesting… you’ve received wonderful gifts. They suit you perfectly~”

Thank goodness!

She didn’t pry further!

Bellona’s expression softened.

She held me again in her arms.

“You’re such an interesting being. A flower that can take human form and wield such precious equipment.”

My evasive response didn’t seem to bother her.

Instead, she found me fascinating.

“How did you come here? The human and demon realms are severed~”

Oh…

How to explain this…

“I was swept up by some strange power and ended up here… I want to return to the human realm as soon as possible.”

My vague reply made Bellona tilt her head.

“Strange power? Hmmm… We’ve almost completed a path to the human realm. I’ll take you there once it’s done.”

“Really?! You’re the best, Bellona-nim!”

I’ll definitely call you Bellona-nim from now on!

Very loyal!

“Yes! But can you grant me one favor~”

“What is it…?”

“It’s still a secret~”

What could she want…

Hopefully, it’s nothing strange…

Probably not.

She seems to like me a lot…

Maybe another apostle selection!

Lost in thought, I spaced out, and Bellona raised an eyebrow as if I had been scolded.

“Oh, right. What’s your name?”

“I’m Lycoris.”

“Lycoris? A flower name that rings a bell. Such a beautiful name~”

“I…”

*What’s your name, Bellona-nim?*

I looked at her with questioning eyes.

“Oh, right. My name is Bellona. I’m the goddess of beauty… and also the goddess of virgins.”

Somehow…

She was unbelievably beautiful…

“Bellona-nim, can you tell me about the demon realm?”

“Hmmm… It’s not as beautiful or clean as the heavenly realm. But it has its own charm. It’s much freer and has fewer rules than the heavens.”

I nodded.

According to Bellona, the demon realm seemed more manageable than I thought.

“You might find it hard to adjust at first, but you’ll get used to it soon. I also struggled to adapt at first.”

“Really? You too?”

“Yes. I was originally a heavenly goddess.”

Her words surprised me.

A heavenly goddess in the demon realm?

Perhaps she set up the sign because she expected someone like me…

“Why… did you come to the demon realm?”

Bellona’s expression darkened momentarily.

Sorrow flickered in her eyes.

“That’s… a long story. I’ll tell you someday.”

Her voice carried traces of past wounds.

I decided not to press further.

We continued walking through the darkness.

As we ventured deeper into the demon realm, the landscape changed.

The cloudy ground hardened into rock.

The sky had a black moon, and distant silhouettes of temple-like structures appeared.

The demon realm…

It was more ordinary than I expected.

Perhaps because I was in Bellona’s arms, it felt rather peaceful.

However, Miel’s strange behavior bothered me.

She continued to flutter anxiously, interacting with something invisible, likely through the sun Solaris had given me.

Miel flapped her wings wildly, her blue light illuminating the air in a peculiar pattern.

She seemed to have detected something.

Flap flap!

Miel’s agitation grew, her wings beating more fiercely.

She was clearly uneasy.

“Miel, what’s wrong?”

Bellona also looked at Miel with curiosity.

“It seems your butterfly is quite anxious.”

“Yes… when she flutters like this, it’s usually a warning.”

Miel’s behavior was unusual.

Perhaps she had received some information through Solaris’s gift.

Or maybe the demon realm simply frightened her.

Bellona shrugged.

“Since it’s her first time in the demon realm, she might need time to adjust~”

As Bellona spoke, a massive Gothic-style castle emerged from the darkness.

Its tall spires and pointed windows created a majestic silhouette under the black moonlight.

“That’s my temple~”

Bellona’s voice was filled with pride.

The castle was dark and intimidating but also exuded elegance and captivating beauty.

It resembled Bellona herself.

“Wow… it’s amazing!”

“We’ll arrive soon. Let’s rest there and discuss more about the future.”

Bellona’s words filled me with hope.

Things were going better than expected.

But Miel’s anxiety still concerned me.

She remained restless, interacting with something unseen, likely through her connection to the sun.