The jade-colored eyes blurred, and then even those were covered by eyelids.

Ariel grasped the collar of Leopold’s shirt. The shirt crumpled as if it would crumble in her hand. Her thin, white legs wrapped around his thick waist.

“Haa…”

“Ah…!”

At the peak of stimulation, Ariel opened her eyes. Their excited gazes met. The dark red eyes and dark green eyes swelled with excitement.

The sound of their breathing, filling the room, grew increasingly rough.

“Are you alright?”

Ariel nodded slightly at Leopold’s question.

He carefully picked up her negligee with his fingers. When his fingertips touched the negligee, Ariel’s shoulders twitched.

Leopold slowly moved his hand, pulling down her negligee. Occasionally, when his fingers touched her secret places, goosebumps rose on her white skin.

“Haa…”

Finally, Ariel extended her arms and wrapped them around his neck. Leopold collapsed onto her as if he had fallen.

“I love you. Just as I have for a very long time.”

A smile spread across Ariel’s lips as she exhaled her tired breath. His voice was so warm that tears welled up in her eyes.

She took a deep breath and pressed her lips to his.

“I love you too. I love you.”

***

On the day of the great battle in the Helmir Forest.

After Diaton and Bill were destroyed by the holy power of Lumiere, and Leopold disappeared with the unconscious Ariel.

Noah Diaz searched for the Demon King’s wings, which he had entrusted to Diaton, thinking they might be needed someday.

He thought that since the wings contained the Demon King’s holy power, they wouldn’t have melted away by Lumiere’s holy power.

He was prepared to search every corner of the castle, but the wings were relatively easy to find, scattered in a visible place.

At first glance, they looked like the wings of a giant bird, but in reality, they were the Demon King’s wings, covered in pitch-black holy power.

Recognizing them as his own wings, Noah quickly picked them up and put them in his jacket pocket.

However, neither Evan nor Hyle, nor anyone else, noticed Noah Diaz’s actions.

After organizing and searching the castle, Noah returned home. But by Leopold’s order, the imperial knights confined him to his mansion.

During the three days he was trapped in the mansion, he was driven mad with worry for Ariel.

He felt it was his fault that she had fallen into a critical state, for not properly managing Diaton and Bill.

Writhing in agony, Noah eventually touched the feathers. It was a decision he made with the resolve that he would never let anyone else take them from him again.

He accepted the power of darkness into his body.

His body felt like it was burning to death. He lost consciousness several times from the pain, as if he was being seared by fire and cut all over by knives.

Even so, he did not give up, waiting for the darkness to fully settle within him.

Only after fainting one more time was he finally able to wield the power contained in the feathers.

However, he only had nine wings. There were a total of ten wings that had fallen to this earth.

Because one was missing, he could use the Demon King’s holy power, but its impact and strength were inevitably weak.

‘I must find the last one quickly.’

To reclaim Ariel from Leopold’s hands, he needed a very strong power. He couldn’t defeat him with just his bare body.

Only by gathering all the feathers would he have the power to fight him.

Noah Diaz thought while imprisoned.

‘If only I can confirm that Ariel has awakened…’

He was ready to break through these iron doors immediately.

Just waiting for her to wake up was so hard that he even wanted to request an interrogation from Leopold.

The events in the Helmir Forest had been carried out solely by Diaton, so he thought he could escape responsibility.

But ironically…

In one corner of his heart, if Ariel could just wake up. No, if she could wake up and enjoy happiness, Noah did not want to disturb that happiness.

This was Noah Diaz’s true intention. Indeed, it was, but-!

Meeting the arrogant Leopold changed all his plans.

Leopold Diaz, properly knowing nothing, was complacent and arrogant just because he had obtained Ariel.

He blamed everything on Noah.

“If I hadn’t found the feathers, I would have been filled with resentment by now. Leopold Diaz. This time, I will surely defeat you.”

He spoke in a low voice upon returning to the White territory.

In his hand was a black feather. Around it, a sinister aura flickered darkly.

He thought that once he collected all the wings, he would be able to use the power and abilities he had enjoyed as the Demon King again, and Noah Diaz’s golden eyes gleamed.

In the end, it is destruction.

‘Leopold Diaz, this is the result you have brought about.’

He ground his teeth.

Even if he couldn’t have Ariel himself, it didn’t matter. As long as he could separate Ariel from Leopold Diaz.

“Death.”

The most certain way to separate the two.

‘I must go find the last feather.’

Before that, he wanted to release this anger.

Noah used his magic to rise high into the sky.

Floating lightly in the air, he stopped and stood in a place where he could see the entire White territory at a glance.

The people of the barren White territory were diligently plowing and sowing seeds for the autumn harvest.

‘Farewell. Blame your incompetent emperor.’

He extended his hand and sent dark magic towards the innocent people of Atlan, on his own subjects.

Bang-!

Boom, boom-!

The black magic fell on the castle of White territory. The White Castle, one of Atlan’s strong fortresses, collapsed.

Huge fragments fell, splitting the ground. People were buried beneath them.

From children to the elderly, everyone who remained in White Castle met their death.

White territory became a stone tomb piled with collapsed walls.

***

‘In this situation, you won’t be able to go to White territory anyway… Should I tell Master? What if he gets shocked?’

Not long after returning from Kolnman, should I really tell the tired Master that Noah Diaz has gained the power of darkness?

In a fleeting moment, many thoughts crossed Ariel’s mind.

‘Still, he should know. Just in case…’

Ariel opened her mouth with a tense expression.

“Master, I have something to tell you.”

“Alright. Let’s hear it.”

“I don’t know how it happened, but Noah Diaz has gained the power of darkness.”

Worry flickered in the old man’s eyes.

‘In this state, I won’t be able to help Ariel.’

It was because his aging couldn’t be sustained with mana any longer.

If Ariel’s life were to be in danger, he felt he could willingly die in her place, having lived long enough.

“You must be very worried. But with your ability, you will be able to handle him.”

“I really hope so…”

Hyle patted Ariel’s shoulder with a faint smile. Looking at Ariel, who forced a smile, Hyle thought and resolved.

‘I hope I can be your last line of defense.’

***

The next day. At dawn, when the cold air pierced the nostrils.

Under the massive walls of Atlan Imperial Palace.

Leopold and Ariel, clad in black robes, along with Evan Clark, stood together.

“Evan. We are in a state of war. Noah Diaz could storm the palace at any time. Our trip to White territory is classified information.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. May Lumiere’s grace be with both Your Majesties. Please be careful.”

At Leopold’s command, Evan extended his right arm and saluted sharply.

“He seems to be more adept at using the power of darkness than Diaton, so stay alert.”

“Brother, when the day breaks, tell the imperial mages to find a way to seal the Demon King’s power. Here, this is the emperor’s seal for this mission.”

Ariel handed over a golden paper.

The paper contained an order for the imperial mages to find a way to seal the Demon King’s power and magic.

“Yes, Empress. Please be careful.”

“It won’t take long. We both use mana. We’ll be back.”

“Take care of the palace.”

The two turned simultaneously. Their steps were light as they used mana to push off the ground.

Leopold, knowing the way, took the lead.

‘This time, I will definitely end it. This tiresome fight.’

Ariel followed behind him, swiftly cutting through the wind.