“The Demon King…?”

It was an unfamiliar name. Rebecca repeated the man’s words unconsciously.

“Or King of the Demons.”

The man took a step forward.

“That’s what you people call me.”

The man stepped on the inscribed summoning spell’s elaborate motif.

“That’s interesting. You summoned me without even knowing who I am.”

The man grinned with his teeth showing, revealing sharp canines like those of a wild beast.

Rebecca was frozen, unable to speak a single word.

The man scanned his surroundings with a carefree demeanor before closing his eyes. Then, he inhaled like he was savoring the air. When he opened his eyes again, a piercing glint shimmered in his eyes.

“The Human World… I thought I’d have to wait the entirety of a millennium to come out.”

‘Millenium?’

The words the man spoke to himself were incomprehensible to Rebecca. But interpreting the man’s words wasn’t important to her at the moment.

She had grasped the situation.

“Great… and honorable Ruler.”

Rebecca got on her knees and bowed down to the man, an easy task. All she had to do was obey the pressure that weighed down her entire body.

“Please listen to this lowly being’s request.”

“No!”

At that moment, Michael cut in. Earlier, he had fainted out of shock. He had just barely managed to wake up.

“Cough!”

He vomited blood again.

Unlike Rebecca, who only felt a pressure weighing down on her body, Michael was a wreck. This was because half of his body was filled with demons’ blood. The demon blood within Michael’s body surged abruptly in the presence of the Demon King.

The problem was that the other half of Michael’s blood was that of humans. When the two types of blood collided, Micheal was struck with an acute pain that felt like his insides were going to split in half. With no strength in his legs, he used his knees to crawl over to Rebecca.

“Young Miss, that man… is dangerous,” he said.

“Michael.”

“I don’t have a good feeling about him. You mustn’t think of using that man. You must cancel the summoning and send him back at once.”

The man watched silently before reacting to the words “cancel the summoning.”

He quietly reached out his hand. Sharp claws, like the toenails of a wild beast, shot out of his fingertips.

The man was about to strike his hand toward Rebecca and Michael’s necks.

“Young Miss, please listen to—”

Stab!

A skin-crawling sound echoed before the man could slit their thoats. Michael’s eyes widened.

“Why…?”

“Sorry,” Rebecca replied drily as she pulled her blade out of Michael’s neck. Michael collapsed, already weakened from throwing up so much blood.

Rebecca bowed down to the man again.

“I apologize for my subordinate’s impertinence.”

The man looked down at Rebecca like he was watching something entertaining. But he didn’t lower his claws. Rebecca, who couldn’t see those pointed claws with her head down, continued speaking.

“I request your help again.”

Rebecca’s eyes glistened with obsession and madness.

“Please… kill these two people.”

Michael had warned Rebecca that this was dangerous. He had told her that she mustn’t use the man.

In truth, Rebecca knew this herself as well.

Why wouldn’t she? Her senses had been sending non-stop warnings the moment she first met the man’s bright red eyes, telling her to run away. Telling her that she mustn’t get involved with this being.

‘But… what happens if I run away? What happens to me if I lose this opportunity?’

Rebecca clenched her fists.

‘I have nothing to lose anyway.’

Rebecca had lost everything. Her family had gone into ruin and she had a bounty over her head.

What was the point in living the rest of her life as a fugitive?

She had nothing to be afraid of. Now, all Rebecca had left was malice and tenacity.

Rebecca continued imploring to the man who had yet to respond.

“I implore you. I cannot do anything about them with my own strength.”

She pictured Kaywhin and Yelena in her mind.

“One person’s military power is incredibly strong and the other…”

Yelena.

Rebecca scowled as she recalled the duchess.

“Was immune to the demon powers.”

“What?”

The man’s voice was suddenly close at that moment. He lifted Rebecca’s chin with a rough touch.

“What did you say just now? Repeat what you just said.”

“…Up until now, I’ve been using the summoning spell to summon demon corpses. I’ve been using their blood.”

Rebecca now knew that the creatures she had been using were called demons, now that she had discovered this man’s existence.