Three figures materialized in the dim confines of a small apartment room. A lone man waited in a single chair beneath a bare bulb, shadows pooling around him.
"I've returned, sir." the black-clad woman said, kneeling briefly.
"Good work. Have a sit." His voice was calm and measured.
The two of them took the offered chairs. Meanwhile, the woman in black remained standing—back straight, hand near her concealed blade, refusing to lower her guard even for a second.
The man in the chair leaned forward slightly. "My name is Ignis. You may call her simply as 'the Assassin'. A pleasure to meet you, demon." he said with a false smile.
Rowan cleared his throat. "My name is Rowan, and this is—"
"What do you want, human?" the demon girl cut in, her voice flat and cold.
Rowan winced. This feels uncomfortably familiar.
"Watch your tone." the Assassin hissed.
Ignis raised a placating hand. "It's fine. I see you prefer to get straight to the point." He studied the teenage-looking girl with careful interest. "There's a barrier around this room. No one outside will be able to hear or sense anything inside. You're safe to speak freely in here."
"It's not worried about eavesdroppers, if that's what you think." Rowan said quietly.
Ignis tilted his head. "No?"
"It's… always in a hurry. And not great with words. Please forgive the demon."
A long beat passed.
"I'll let it pass," Ignis said at last. "this time."
Rowan still couldn't quite believe it.
Priest Ignis—one of the Sacred Church's highest. To think that I'm actually sitting across from him. He swallowed. Runa would never believe this.
Ignis's gaze settled on the demon girl. "I hear you've been searching for the Hero."
"That's right."
"May I ask why?"
"You already know the reason," she replied, flicking her eyes toward the Assassin for half a second before returning to Ignis. "I made sure she heard every word in the church."
Ignis's polite smile didn't waver, but something flickered behind his eyes. "So you did notice her, intresting." Even I struggled to track Maria when she uses her stealth spell. For this demon to pinpoint her without any effort…
He gestured to a small plate of pastries and a glass of wine on the table.
"Refreshment?" he suggested.
"Thanks." Rowan said.
"No thanks." the demon girl dismissed instantly.
But Rowan had already taken a bite.
He froze mid-chew, suddenly paranoid. Wait, are they poisoned?! Or is there something else inside them that I don't know about?! Maybe they have some kind of charm or mind control spell within them?!
After a heart beat or two, he relaxed when nothing happened.
"I don't like wasting time, human." the demon girl said.
Pressure slammed through the room—thick, suffocating dark mana that pinned the Assassin rigid in place. Rowan's eyes rolled back as he slumped forward, unconscious.
However, Ignis was able to withstand the pressure.
Ignis forced words through clenched teeth. "I... understand."
The pressure vanished as quickly as it had come.
Ignis exhaled slowly, sweat beading on his brow despite the cool air. "I have a proposition for you, demon. One I believe you'll find… rewarding."
"I'm listening."
—After the meeting—
Ignis watched the demon girl hoist Rowan's limp form over her shoulder like he weighed nothing.
"Are you certain about this?" he asked.
"Your vehicles are slow," she replied. "my summon is faster."
"Very well. Just make sure you hold up your end."
The demon girl turned to leave without another word.
The Assassin stepped closer once the demon girl was gone. "What do you make of it, sir?"
"It's mysterious and dangerous. An enigma wrapped in a teen's body." Ignis's expression darkened. "It's mana capacity is vast—even greater than my own. Based on the immense pressure it emitted, I can say for certain that we're relative in terms of strength."
"I felt it too," the Assassin admitted, a rare tremor in her voice. "when it looked at me in the church… it felt like it was staring straight into my very core. For the first time in my life, I felt... truly exposed."
Fear lingered in her eyes as she gazed at him.
"Are you sure about using it? Can we truly control something like that? Or are we simply blinded by our own ambitions?" she asked truthfully.
Ignis studied her for a long moment, then rose from his chair and closed the distance between them. "You have your own experience when it comes to using people, don't you, Maria?"
She paused as her heart fluttered, then she spoke. "I only did what I had to." she said quietly, lowering her gaze. "That brat... she didn't deserve her position—she was too privileged, and she didn't even realize it, let alone appreciated it. At least… that's what I told myself at the time." A hint of old remorse colored her tone.
He reached out, placing a warm hand on her shoulder. The touch sent a quiet thrill through her, the same one it always did. His fingers lingered, then gently brushed upward to cup her cheek, tilting her face so she had no choice but to meet his eyes.
"The guilt from back then still clouds your mind." he started.
"..." she paused, unable to respond. His statement had revealed a truth she had long since tried to avoid.
He continued. "There's no reason for you to feel guilty in this case," he murmured, his voice low and intimate. "After all… it is a demon."
Her breath caught.
The way he looked at her—steady, commanding, and almost tender, made her chest tighten with something far deeper than loyalty.
She had sold out her best friend for this man. And in moments like this, when his touch lingered on her skin, she still believed it was worth it.
"Understood, sir." she whispered, her voice barely steady. "Forgive me for my earlier behavior. It was unbecoming of your Assassin."
"Good girl." A faint, approving smile touched his lips.
He let his hand drop, though she wished it wouldn't.
"We'll use this demon until the Demon King is dead," Ignis continued, a cold smile curling at the edges of his mouth. "Then we'll dispose of it, as well as every filthy demon that's still alive afterwards."
"If that's the case, then please allow me to tail—"
"No." He shook his head. "I have another task for you. I'll contact the Hero myself. As for you…" He leaned in closer, his breath warm against her ear.
He proceeded to give her a different mission.
She nodded, heat blooming in her chest at his proximity. "Understood, sir."
Ignis placed his hand on her shoulder once more, squeezing gently. "Let's save this world together." he said with an intimate smile that made her heart stutter.
She nodded, then vanished in a swirl of red smoke, her final thought lingering like a secret.
Anything for you.
She traveled by leaping from shadow to shadow, across the streets, and over rooftops, her body moving on instinct while her mind wandered.
Back then, her only goal had been reaching Ignis's side. She hadn't cared how she got there, only that she ended up beside him. In the end, all it took was selling out her best friend.
Even though she was an assassin, and her mind and heart should have been made of steel, she couldn't help but wonder if she had made the right choice.
She paused on a darkened rooftop, the wind tugging at her cloak.
"Perhaps there was a better way to reach you..." she murmured to herself, her voice soft with longing, "but my average self couldn't think of one. In the end, I still can't completely get rid of this guilt, huh? How pathetic of me..."
Then she continued onward, a faint, bittersweet smile on her lips.
I wonder what she's doing these days. I'm sure a genius like her managed to figure something out. Her thoughts drifted again to the man she served. As for me… I'm satisfied working for someone like Priest Ignis. More than satisfied.
Because deep down, it had never really been about the Church, or the world, or even the mission.
It had always been about him.
—Meanwhile—
Ignis stared at the empty space for a long moment.
"To think, I just bargained with a thing like that." he muttered, disgust flickering across his face at the memory of the demon.
Then he straightened, smoothing his robes with deliberate care. He let out a low, humorless chuckle.
"At least the Assassin is easier to handle. Loyal, skilled… and pathetically in love with me. She'll do anything I ask her to without question." His eyes softened, warm and gentle. "At the very least, she's the only one incapable of betraying me."
Ignis didn't want to admit it, but deep down, it felt nice to have someone who would always be by his side.
With that, he turned and left the room to play his part, the faint scent of red smoke still lingering in the air behind him.
—In a shadowed back alley—
"Wake up."
Rowan jolted upright, blinking against the dim light. "Wha—? Sorry. Guess the cookies were poisoned…"
"No, they weren't." The demon girl's voice was indifferent. "You can leave now."
He stared. "Wait, What?!"
"You've repaid your debt, now go."
"But… Priest Ignis, the meeting... Did he say anything?"
She regarded him for several silent seconds. "If it's money you're after, you took plenty from Goldtooth's vault, did you not? Focus on what's important to you."
Rowan's shoulders sagged. She had seen right through him—of course she had. That said, he was still determined.
"It's because of what's important to me that I need money—a lot more of it." he said, voice cracking. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes. "I don't know the exact tuition at the magic academy, but what we have won't be enough to cover her until she graduates. Also, no one will sponsor a girl with no name, no connections, or any background. I can't let her down. Not after promising her a better life. Not when things are finally starting to go well for her."
The demon girl's expression didn't shift. "That changes nothing." she said simply.
"Please!" Rowan dropped to his knees, his head bowed. "I'm begging you. I know there are other ways to earn money for someone like me, but I'm not in a position to be picky. I need every bit I can get—for her."
"You should be spending your time with Runa, not endangering your life recklessly."
"I promised I'd come back when this is done, and I intend to keep that promise." He declared in confidence.
"You're a fool."
"I know." He rose slowly, wiping his face, his expression steadying. "Runa was always the smart one. But being smart never put food on the table or kept us safe. That was my job, as her older brother. And I'm still trying my best till now."
A moment of long silence passed.
"Fine," the demon girl said at last. "you can follow me until the money comes."
Rowan's face lit up. He grabbed her hand and shook it furiously. "Thank you—thank you!"
She stared at their joined hands until he finally let go, embarrassed.
"So… what's next?"
"I'll explain on the way."
"Got it!" He flashed a thumbs-up. "Also, could we grab something to eat, I haven't eaten in a while."
"Here." she said, handing him the same pouch she received from selling the snake-lizard.
After Rowan Bought food, the two left the capital city.
Dark violet mana swirled. The pterodactyl materialized—wings spread, eyes glowing.
They climbed aboard. The beast launched skyward, streaking through the clouds toward whatever lay ahead.
High above, unseen and unfelt, the female silhouette kept perfect pace—gliding parallel, patient, eternal.
Looks like the demon girl and the Hero are finally going to meet. I was hoping to see the two of them fight each other, given how strong they are compared to the others. Then again, there is still the main course, that should provide me with ample entertainment.