“You’re flattering me too much.”

Ariel exhaled roughly, wiping the sweat that streamed down her forehead.

Practicing swordsmanship alone felt tedious, but having an opponent made the practice feel more realistic.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve felt this. The panting breaths, my heart feeling like it’s about to burst.’

Ariel smiled.

“I didn’t know you were interested in swordsmanship.”

Although he already knew, he pretended not to. Duke Noah Diaz sheathed his sword.

“I studied abroad in Kolnman.”

“Ah… I heard you were gone for quite a long time.”

“I went there to avoid a connection that shouldn’t have been made.”

Upon hearing Ariel’s story, Noah immediately realized that the person Ariel mentioned was Leopold Diaz.

In another dimension’s space-time, the stories here are merely novels.

‘You probably already know. The life of Ariel Clark, and how it ended.’

Before Noah turned back time, it seemed she already knew everything that had happened.

He was the one who granted her all the abilities she needed when she traveled through space and time. But he never expected that she would carve out her life so tenaciously.

He underestimated her, thinking at best she would use it to seduce men.

‘She’s an incredible woman.’

He became more curious about the strength hidden within her beautiful and delicate appearance.

Ariel continued, shaking her head.

“Looking back now, all that effort was useless. It was going to end up like this anyway.”

Does that mean she regrets it?

No, that wasn’t it.

Even if she had known from the beginning that it couldn’t be solved with effort alone…

‘Her choice would have been the same.’

She would have made the same choice to protect the precious family she found here and her own life.

Ariel faintly smiled and began to put away her sword.

“Do you believe in fate, Your Majesty?”

“Well, I haven’t thought about it deeply… But sometimes I wonder if the end of this story is already determined.”

As Ariel slung her sword belt over her shoulder, she looked at Noah Diaz’s face.

His pupils shook slightly.

‘That bastard Diaton. How dare he lay his hands on her…’

Noah Diaz clenched his fist as he ground his teeth.

If only Diaton hadn’t stolen Ariel’s mana, perhaps she wouldn’t have had to return to Atlan.

No, if he hadn’t hidden the fact from him that Ariel was in Kolnman! Ariel Clark becoming Leopold Diaz’s empress wouldn’t have happened.

A chill ran through Noah’s chest.

“Things have already changed. A lot.”

It wasn’t a cheap consolation.

Truly, a lot had changed because of her.

Leopold’s eyes, shimmering with jealousy towards Ariel, were something Noah had never seen before his regression.

‘Does she still want to avoid Leopold Diaz?’

If so, he would gladly take her small hand in his.

A surge of emotion welled up in his throat.

***

The first time Noah Diaz, no, the Demon King Aristo saw Ariel Clark.

It was before he reincarnated into a human body as punishment for breaking causality, before he poured all his abilities into regressing this world.

‘Who is she?’

A beautiful woman found her way alone to the hideout of sinister dark mages.

To win the love of the man she cherished. To drive to death the one who had taken her place by his side.

Ariel Clark, before her possession, stepped into the dim cave wearing satin shoes adorned with sparkling jewels, unaware of what she was getting herself into.

The hem of her voluminous dress soaked in a puddle within the cave.

“Is anyone there?”

Her face was ice-cold, her expression so haughty it seemed arrogant.

Yet she couldn’t hide the intense fear in her trembling eyes.

The torch she gripped in her delicate hand wavered.

‘Ridiculous.’

He already knew why she had come this far.

To him, who often interfered in the affairs of the world above the underworld, Hades, the happenings in the Atlan imperial family were a source of great amusement.

Ariel Clark planned to drive Liese Willington to death to win Leopold Diaz’s heart.

Yet she herself was terrified of being harmed by the dark mages.

Even to Aristo, the king of darkness, her duplicity was repulsive.

Aristo leisurely lay on a sofa in a castle in Hades with interest in his eyes.

His complexion was extremely pale, with only a faint flush on his lips.

The silhouette of his firm chest was visible beneath his black shirt.

“Diaton. Go see.”

Aristo commanded Diaton, the leader of the dark mages who were hiding deep within the cave.

Diaton’s cloudy eyes suddenly filled with determination under his black robe.

“Yes, my king. I obey your command.”

“Do as I say.”

“Yes.”

After dispelling his invisibility magic, Diaton walked towards Ariel Clark.

“Y-You!”

Startled by Diaton’s sudden appearance, Ariel stepped back.

“Didn’t you come looking for me?”

As Diaton slowly approached her step by step, Ariel thrust the torch towards him.

It meant not to come any closer.

“Yes! Teach me how to kill someone.”

Madness swirled in her muddy green eyes.

“It has to be a way where I don’t have to do it myself.”

Does she still have a shred of conscience left?

Aristo’s lips stretched long to one side.

From her pitch-black conscience stained with malice, a faint light burst forth.

‘It seems she doesn’t want to stain her hands with blood because of that tiny conscience.’

However, she was a woman who devised a cunning plan to take noble lives.

All just to vie for the attention of Leopold, which would never be directed at her anyway.

“Diaton. Let it be known that the price of this deed is the annihilation of the soul.”

It’s a pact with Lumiere. That humans must be given one last chance.

Though it’s nothing but a hollow warning.

“The price of black magic is the annihilation of your soul.”

Diaton’s hollow voice echoed throughout the cave.

“I don’t even want a peaceful rest of my soul. If I can’t have Leopold’s love in this life! I’d rather disappear from this world without a trace!”

He’s met humans mad with love several times before, but there was something particularly lacking in Ariel Clark’s discernment.

Aristo’s neat brow furrowed.

Could such a twisted love be so fierce?

“Then, tell them to prepare a place. I will personally go to the place where the sacrificial lamb will be brought as an offering.”

Diaton relayed Aristo’s command exactly as they were.

Ariel nodded and gripped the torch tighter.

“I am Ariel Clark. The daughter of the Marquis of Clark. I’m currently staying at the imperial palace. Do you have the ability to come there?”

“If you doubt the great demon king’s ability, why did you come here in the first place?”

Diaton’s sharp voice resounded through the cave.

How dare a mere human doubt the demon king’s power.

‘If it weren’t for the demon king’s command, I would have turned you into a mouse long ago.’

He didn’t like her arrogant demeanor from the moment she entered.

His prediction was, as expected, not wrong.

Diaton’s eyes turned fierce.

“Here, this is an advance payment.”

Ariel threw a jewel box onto the floor. The box hit the hard ground, opened its lid, and spilled out sparkling jewels and gold.

“What is this?”

“Didn’t I just say? It’s an advance payment.”

Ariel looked down with an annoyed tone as though she found explaining again bothersome.

He seems stupid enough. I wonder if he’ll fail to kill Liese.

Just before distrust consumed her heart.

“Tell them I won’t accept such a thing.”

Aristo’s voice vividly reached Diaton’s ears.

“Take it back. I won’t accept it. The price will be paid with life.”

“What do you mean?”

Ariel stepped back in shock.

The price will be paid with life? Does he mean to kill me?

“The annihilation of your soul.”

So that she cannot enter into true rest provided by Lumiere.

Aristo watched the whole situation, his pale lips beautifully curved.

“Is that the price?”

“Yes.”

Thank god. She thought he was insisting that she change her mind, that they would set up an ambush and take her life immediately.

Ariel let out a small sigh.

“Fine. Keep it anyway.”

She pushed the jewel box towards Diaton, the tip of her shoe getting dirty.

“Take it and use it.”

After all, it makes no difference to that woman whether she has it or not.

Diaton quickly picked up the box and hid it inside his robe following Aristo’s command.

“Let’s meet again in a month.”

Ariel adjusted her torch and exited the cave. Aristo confirmed her departure and used invisibility magic to conceal himself.

This meeting,

Became the reason Demon King Aristo took an interest in Ariel Clark.

He suddenly became curious about the reckless and blind emotion she called love.