However, she had to stop before even climbing up to the driver’s seat.

The demon who had been looking down at the two from the air had already descended and was standing in front of her.

“You are quite a unique human. Are you really from this world?”

Red eyes that seemed capable of sucking out her life force just by making eye contact stared at her from the darkness.

Natalie raised her slightly trembling hands and tried her best to speak in a fierce voice.

“St-stay back! If you come any closer, I’ll attack!”

The demon’s red lips curved upward as if amused.

Wary of him, Natalie shook McClain who had collapsed on the driver’s seat.

“McClain, are you okay? Please wake up!”

Meanwhile, the man’s presence drew closer. He asked in a voice so sweet it felt sinister:

“Are you afraid of me?”

Yes, she was afraid. How could she not be afraid of someone with blood-red eyes who could fly through the sky?

But since she couldn’t show that fear, Natalie warned him while waving her hands threateningly.

“I told you to stay back!”

However, the man slowly closed the distance between them as if daring her to try something.

As he approached, her body trembled like an aspen leaf under the overwhelming pressure bearing down on her.

Finally, unable to overcome her fear of the man, Natalie hastily raised magical power at her fingertips.

“Flame Stream!”

It was the skill name she had seen earlier in the status window.

Not knowing how to activate the skill, she even shouted the skill name like an incantation.

It seemed to work as the magical power gathered at her fingertips transformed into flames of tremendous power and shot forward.

Whoosh!

With a sound like heavy rain pouring down, streams of fire gushed madly toward where the man was hovering. However, there was no scream that should have followed when an attack hit its mark, nor any smoke that would be created when a living being was instantly reduced to ashes.

After spewing fire until her magical power was finally depleted, Natalie eventually withdrew her magic.

Trying to put strength into her trembling arms, she stared at where the man had been and widened her eyes. As the flames subsided, she saw the man standing leisurely as if nothing had happened.

He appeared completely unharmed. He even wore a deep smile as if he found her struggling quite amusing.

“An interesting woman.”

By now, he had come close enough to snatch her if he just extended his arm.

Natalie stared directly at the man, trying not to reveal that she was gripped by fear.

A pale face devoid of any blood, long black hair fluttering in the wind. And those brightly glowing red eyes fixed on her.

Red eyes, huh.

When red-eyed characters appeared in novels, she tended to think of them as unique rather than strange. But facing one in reality, he looked as eerie as a devil from a horror movie.

Her entire body was covered in goosebumps.

“What’s your name?”

But even more chilling than his eerie voice was the affection notification blinking above the man’s head.

Demon de Marteva’s a؃tion has incڣڒ৶ed by 5%.

Demon’s a؃tion: 4% ▶ 9%

Demon de Marteva….

The name seemed familiar somehow.

It might have appeared in some corner of the original work.

It also seemed like a typical name well-suited for a demon, demon lord, or devil.

In 〈How to Take the Hero of the Century as Your Husband〉, the male protagonist McClain considered himself insufficient to receive Natalie’s love. That’s why he was particularly obsessed with becoming stronger and gaining fame.

Even leaving Natalie, with whom he had a contract marriage, at the ducal residence while he wandered the north leading monster exterminations was for this very reason.

Only when he was torn to pieces facing the demon lord and on the verge of death did he belatedly realize that all those things were meaningless. Thanks to this, the two ended their long separation and reunited.

In that process, the names of demons and demon lords he confronted were listed, and Demon de Marteva might have been among them.

In the novel, terms like demon race, demon lord, or “that bastard” were used more often than names, so detailed information about Demon de Marteva didn’t come to mind.

Originally, before her transmigration, she had a habit of reading novels focusing on emotional lines. She would often skip over what she considered unnecessarily long battle scenes, complaining about their length.

“You must have a name, or have you forgotten mine as well?”

Although Demon urged her, Natalie couldn’t readily reveal her name.

Somehow, she felt that if she gave her name, she would unknowingly be bound by some strange contract.

Isn’t that how all demonic contracts work?

Natalie shrugged with a deliberately nonchalant expression.

“I don’t think we’re close enough to exchange names. And you might not know this, but it’s rude to ask a lady’s name first. If you want to know someone’s name, it’s proper etiquette to introduce yourself first.”

At her bold retort, Demon raised his eyebrows high and suddenly burst into laughter.

Hahaha!

The man’s bizarre laughter echoed through the quiet surroundings. Even though he had merely laughed, the surrounding air shook greatly as if he had cast some spell.

Is this the power of the demon race?

Judging by the tremendous magical power movement felt in even the slightest action, this one didn’t seem like a mere low-ranking demon.

Just how high-ranking a demon is he? Is he perhaps close to the demon lord?

There’s no way such a high-ranking demon would appear at this early stage.

Narrowing her eyes while staring at the man, another message updated above his head.

Demon de Marteva’s a؃tion has incڣڒ৶ed by 6%.

Demon’s a؃tion: 9% ▶ 15%

Natalie frowned deeply and chewed her lip.

Stop smiling. I didn’t say anything funny. And stop increasing that damned affection rating.

While Natalie repeatedly clenched and unclenched her trembling hands trying to suppress her anxiety, Demon’s laughter subsided.

The man spoke in a voice so sweet it was chilling.

“Unfortunately, I cannot tell you my name. If I were to reveal it, I might not be able to guarantee your cute little life.”

See? He can’t introduce himself—clearly he was planning some kind of trick.

Inwardly praising her foresight for not revealing her name, Natalie feigned puzzlement and asked:

“What does that mean?”

But instead of answering, the man tilted his head slightly. After seeming lost in thought for a moment, he suddenly rummaged inside his clothing.

Then he pulled something out and abruptly held it out to Natalie.

“Here, take this.”

What the man offered was a pitch-black stone emitting a mysterious light.

It sparkled tremendously even in the faint moonlight. It almost seemed to be emitting light on its own.

Perhaps it wasn’t a stone but an unpolished gem?

Though it looked quite precious, Natalie couldn’t readily accept it.

How could she carelessly take something without knowing what it was? What if it was an artifact that absorbed souls upon contact?

Natalie looked up at the man with suspicious eyes.

She kept her hands hidden behind her back, clearly indicating she had no intention of accepting it.

“What is that?”

“An extremely rare, top-grade magic stone. Even someone like me barely managed to obtain just this one.”

So what exactly are you?

Are you perhaps the demon lord’s closest aide?

Suppressing the urge to ask directly, Natalie shook her head.

“I’m sorry, but if it’s such a precious item, I must respectfully decline. I’m not the type to gladly accept gifts from strangers anyway.”

At her response, Demon made a “hmm” sound while looking down at her. Natalie’s chest tightened, fearing it might be a sound of displeasure.

After a brief silence, the man nodded as if he understood.

“So this isn’t enough?”

“No, that’s not what I—”

I thought I explained my reasons for declining quite understandably. Is the demon race’s way of thinking that different from humans?

Natalie had just begun to sigh briefly when Demon pulled up one corner of his mouth and took half a step closer.

As the startled Natalie hastily tried to step back, the man’s eerie voice penetrated her ears.

“Then let me make you another proposal.”

“Proposal?”

“Why don’t you come with me to the demon realm? If you just come along, I’ll give you whatever you want—magic stones, artifacts, anything.”

What nonsense is this, asking someone who came to exterminate monsters to go to the demon realm?

And offering to give anything—this is the quintessential demonic temptation.

Natalie had to force herself not to laugh, tightening the corners of her mouth.

“I have no idea why you’ve become curious about such an insignificant human as myself. But I’m not as remarkable as you seem to think. So please withdraw your interest.”

She wanted neither his interest nor his curiosity. She didn’t want to see affection increase notifications above the head of a non-human being.