<CHAPTER 45>
Divine Power Comes from Prayer
–“Ha, trying to act all intimidating, huh? Still, you can’t do anything. That’s a barrier only the Demon King could break.”
–“So?”
–“Still haven’t grasped the situation?”
Following the voice threatening Ehilie came the sound of someone drawing a weapon.
Redemberg heard every sound from afar through his magic.
‘Damn it!’ He gritted his teeth.
‘Should have killed him right away.’
Redemberg had already sensed Kane’s presence. Yet he hadn’t killed him because Ehilie once told him not to.
“This much is fine. I will go deal with the trash now.”
“…Deal with? What do you mean?”
“Burning it is the cleanest way.”
He could have killed him anytime with magic.
If he subtly killed Kane and pretended nothing happened, no one would have known.
But Redemberg had let Kane go that day, planning to first deal with Bella and later erase Kane’s memory.
‘Mistake.’
That complacency caused this mess.
Kane had shouted about how strong the barrier was. If it broke in front of Ehilie, his identity as the Demon King would be exposed.
If discovered, Ehilie might despise him.
But…
‘Losing Ehilie would be worse.’
‘Better to be hated.’
Redemberg bit his lips until they bled and ran toward the barrier. Just as his magic hands were about to touch it—
Shiiik—
A crisp sound rang out.
It was the sound of pepper spray sprayed across Kane’s face.
***
“Aaah! My eyes!”
Kane rolled on the floor, clutching his face with both hands.
Ehilie smiled faintly and pulled out a potion.
“Oh dear, brother, you look hurt. Here, drink this.”
The potion was forced into Kane’s open mouth. In surprise, he gulped it down, then immediately coughed violently.
“Cough! What did you—! Ack! What did you feed me?!”
“Don’t worry. It’s not poison. Just a very spicy sauce. You seemed out of your mind, so I prepared something to wake you up.”
Kane’s lips swelled.
“Huff, this damn woman!”
His face covered in tears and snot from the pepper spray, he wildly swung his fists in the air, though he couldn’t reach Ehilie.
‘Pathetic. And I was trembling in fear of him all this time.’
Ehilie sighed and turned around.
‘Now, how do I handle this?’
A barrier only the Demon King could break.
It was complicated in every way.
There seemed to be no other path.
Ehilie’s pupils widened as she looked beyond the purple barrier.
“Rek?”
Not far away, Rek stood.
Even from a distance, the split on his lips was visible.
Her heart sank.
How did his smooth lips get hurt? Had he bitten them in anxiety?
She wanted to go comfort him immediately.
‘Wait, this is a barrier made from a magic stone!’
Ehilie recalled that magical power and divine power were opposing forces.
‘In the original story, Ehilie broke the barrier made from a magic stone using divine power.’
Though it was described in a single line:
[Ehilie broke the barrier and escaped using divine power.]
‘How do I use divine power?’
She remembered.
[Ehilie prayed desperately. The god responded. Holy energy filled her hands.]
Prayer. Yes, prayer.
Finally, Ehilie found the answer and pulled the cutter from her belt.
She raised it high.
‘God, Buddha, Allah, or the god of this world I don’t know by name! Please hear my prayer. When you wish earnestly, the whole universe will help.’
She swung the cutter with heartfelt prayer toward the universe.
Clang!
Divine power, physical force, centrifugal force, rotational force…
All powers combined into a single, mighty strike shattered the barrier.
“…Ugh?”
Gabriel, who had been watching, uttered a dumbfounded sound.
Ehilie only had eyes for Rek.
“Rek”
Ehilie tenderly touched Rek’s lips with a worried expression.
Rek, staring blankly, slowly looked at her. In his eyes flashed countless emotions.
He gently embraced Ehilie, his black hair falling over her shoulder.
“Yes, Ehilie. I was scared.”
Ehilie lightly patted his broad back.
“I’m sorry. I won’t do dangerous things anymore.”
“No, Ehilie. Whatever you want, you may do. Just return to me.”
“Of course. I will always be by your side.”
She couldn’t leave this fragile, gentle man alone.
Ehilie resolved to protect her man herself.
***
Through the underground passage, they emerged outside. Twilight had already fallen.
Ehilie tilted her head, looking at the vaguely visible shape of the castle in the darkness.
“Was the castle always this small?”
It seemed smaller than before.
“It probably just looks smaller in the dark.”
Ehilie nodded at Rek’s words.
Indeed, at night, shadows could make it appear smaller.
“Ehilie, what will you do with him?”
Gabriel, who had been carrying Kane, put him down.
Kane had fainted from the spicy potion.
‘What to do with this…’
Ehilie felt troubled.
“Hahaha! Ehilie, you’re finished. A witch who can do nothing without men! Colluding with demons and corrupting the hero, now pay at the temple.”
‘He said “colluding with demons”? That means Kane knows Rek is a demon.’
While Ehilie considered this, Gabriel spoke cautiously.
“Ehilie, you said this man is your brother, right?”
“Yes.”
“I hate to say this… but it seems your brother allied with a demon named Bella.”
“What?”
Gabriel explained that he overheard Kane talking with Bella as he regained partial consciousness.
Ehilie was appalled.
‘He was the one allying with a demon, yet threatens to give me to the temple? Ridiculous.’
It became even more troublesome.
If Kane’s alliance with Bella were revealed, the entire family would be investigated by the temple.
Then Ehilie herself would not escape the temple’s scrutiny.
But that was not the only problem.
Ehilie looked at Gabriel.
‘Gabriel knew Rek was a demon. Did he sense something as a hero?’
The details were unclear, but one thing was certain.
If Gabriel reported everything to the temple, both Ehilie and Rek would be in danger.
“Gabriel, I have a request. Could you forget everything that happened until now?”
Gabriel said nothing, avoiding her gaze.
“Please. I beg you, Gabriel.”
Ehilie nudged Rek’s side, whispering.
“Rek, what are you doing? Please help too.”
His red eyes showed displeasure, as if asking why he should.
‘Gabriel likes Rek. If Rek asks, he might agree.’
“Come on!”
Unable to refuse, Rek said begrudgingly.
“I’ll do it.”
“…Understood.”
As Rek made the request, Gabriel also gave a positive response.
Ehilie felt a bit guilty for using Gabriel’s affection.
‘Good. Gabriel is handled. Now only the trash remains!’
She couldn’t bury Kane anywhere, yet couldn’t just let him go. He would surely spread stories.
“Ehilie, I’ll handle that side.”
“Yes? How do you intend to do that?”
His confident expression made Ehilie uneasy.
“You’re not planning to bury him, right?”
“No, of course not.”
“Really?”
“I’m a duke specialist. I’ll handle it peacefully so you don’t have to worry.”
Ehilie thought: “Duke specialist? Whatever. Anyway, he said he’d resolve it peacefully. Hopefully, he’ll handle it like a duke.”
‘By “like a duke,” he probably means using financial resources.’
Ehilie entrusted the handling of Kane to Rek.
