The bells started to ring.
The warning bells surrounding the village had been created specifically to alert them whenever dangerous monsters approached the settlement. The Ghastlies maintained them obsessively. Even a large beast wandering too close usually caused complete chaos.
Then,
"CYRINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!"
The roar shook the entire forest.
The cabin windows rattled violently.
Several cups shattered onto the floor.
Jemina jumped so hard she nearly launched herself across the room.
"What in the world—?!"
Outside,
something exploded.
Not magic.
The Null Forest rejected most external magic violently.
Instead, the explosion sounded physical.
Trees snapping.
Earth rupturing.
Something enormous crashing through the woods.
Everyone rushed outside immediately.
And froze.
At the edge of the village stood a man covered in blood.
Not his own.
Probably.
Massive claw marks tore through his dark cape while several broken monster corpses littered the forest behind him. A gigantic sword rested casually over one shoulder despite the horrifying carnage surrounding him.
The man himself looked… absurdly hot.
Black hair.
Gold eyes.
Tall enough to feel oppressive even while standing still.
And smiling.
Actually smiling.
Jemina blinked.
For a moment, she genuinely thought her eyes were deceiving her.
Her gaze immediately dropped toward the two horns protruding from his head, and relief washed over her.
It was not Noctellis.
They resembled each other strangely, but as the man stepped closer, the differences became obvious. His jawline was sharper. His eyes were brighter in color. And unlike her husband,
he was slightly shorter.
"Jemina! Jemina! Why do you look so distracted? Snap out of it!" Lucas reprimanded.
"Me? Distracted? No, I am not."
Jemina's eyes darted awkwardly away.
The stranger's gaze immediately landed on Cyrinne.
And brightened.
"There you are."
Cyrinne stared silently.
For the first time since Jemina met her,
the Primarch looked genuinely alarmed.
"…Isaac."
Jemina's soul nearly departed her body.
Isaac.
THE Isaac?
THE Demon King?
The terrifying ruler who fought the empire for centuries?
That excessively gorgeous man standing amidst monster corpses like a deranged traveling nobleman was the Demon Lord?
Isaac spread both arms dramatically.
"My beloved wife destroyed my castle and vanished into the most dangerous forest in existence. What else was I supposed to do?"
"You were supposed to stay away."
"I considered that option briefly."
His expression turned thoughtful.
"Then I rejected it."
A deep growl rumbled through the forest.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Jemina felt it immediately.
The trees themselves seemed restless.
Branches creaked unnaturally.
The surrounding monsters were gathering.
Isaac sighed.
"Oh, not again."
The forest erupted.
Dozens of creatures lunged from the trees simultaneously.
Then hundreds.
The sight looked less like monsters attacking and more like starving predators discovering fresh meat.
Jemina did not want her familiars getting involved, so she immediately ordered them to stay close and form a defensive perimeter around the village.
Lucas instantly dragged Rosaline backward.
Raisa calmly picked up a chair for reasons nobody understood.
Isaac moved immediately with sheer brutality.
His sword split through a giant serpent midair.
A swine-like monster lost its head seconds later.
Another creature slammed into him from above, only for Isaac to catch it one-handed before hurling it directly into the trees.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
Jemina stared in horror.
"…He's fighting all of them physically?!"
Of course he was.
The Null Forest suppressed demonic power.
The forest itself had already declared him prey.
And somehow,
that idiot still came anyway.
Isaac laughed while fighting.
Actually laughed.
"Oh, I missed this place!"
Cyrinne looked absolutely furious now.
"You are insane."
"You have not seen the worst of my insanity yet."
A monster larger than a carriage suddenly crashed toward Isaac from above.
Jemina glanced toward Cyrinne.
Her expression remained calm, but her breathing had become deeper and uneven.
"Cyrinne. Is this really okay?"
"Leave him be."
Jemina looked back toward Isaac.
Even without combat experience, she could tell he was in terrible condition. He could not use his magic, and the monsters swarming him resembled piranhas tearing apart a single piece of meat.
At the same time, the monsters themselves caught her attention.
Some of them looked terrifyingly fascinating.
And tamable.
Jemina suddenly realized something horrifying about herself.
She had already begun viewing the monsters of the Null Forest as valuable resources.
The Demon King suddenly received a brutal blow directly to the head.
Blood streamed down his face,
yet he kept fighting.
At the same time, the mudwolves underground sent warnings through their connection.
Something larger was approaching.
Something dangerous.
If this escalated further,
their home could be destroyed.
Jemina looked toward Cyrinne again.
Still stubborn.
Still unmoving.
Her patience finally snapped.
And honestly,
she was getting bored.
So naturally, she decided to entertain herself.
"Cyrinne," Jemina said brightly, "you'll finally be free from your husband. Isn't this exciting?"
Cyrinne did not answer.
Her eyes remained fixed on Isaac.
"You'll be able to find a man who can replace him."
The monsters completely engulfed Isaac until he vanished from sight.
The villagers slowly began leaving since the show was over.
Eventually, only Jemina and Cyrinne remained outside.
"Jemina," Cyrinne said flatly, "stop your pranks."
"What?! Ugh! How did you know?"
Cyrinne could still feel the mating mark throbbing beneath her skin.
The bond remained intact.
But she had no intention of sharing that information.
Jemina had imagined something much more dramatic.
Cyrinne crying desperately for her husband.
Then suddenly,
surprise!
Isaac would appear alive.
They would embrace emotionally.
Reconcile beautifully.
It would have been perfect.
Instead, she had been exposed immediately.
"Fine," Jemina huffed. "Let's count. One, two—"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Rosaline's scream echoed from inside the house.
Cyrinne and Jemina immediately rushed indoors.
There, lying on the floor like a discarded rag,
was Isaac.
Bloody.
Unconscious.
One of the mudwolves had secretly dragged him underground during the chaos before transporting him through the tunnels directly into the house for Jemina's dramatic surprise reveal.
Unfortunately, the plan failed immediately.
Still,
Rosaline's horrified scream had been deeply satisfying.
It was the exact same scream people made when discovering something profoundly disgusting.
"You should not have done this."
Cyrinne never took her eyes off the bloody figure sprawled across the floor.
Which happened to be the most feared man in the Demon Realm.
"Am I in trouble?" Jemina asked. "What's the worst that could happen?"
"He destroys everything here and drags me away."
Jemina laughed.
"That's very funny."
Cyrinne's expression remained unchanged.
Jemina slowly lowered her head.
"…Should I throw him back outside?"
she muttered quietly.
Cyrinne ignored her.
Instead, she carefully lifted Isaac into her arms before carrying him toward the nearest room and placing him gently onto the bed.
The lamias were far too terrified to approach him.
Only Jemina followed them inside.
"He won't be able to do much," Cyrinne said quietly. "I didn't realize this was the real reason he avoided the Null Forest. He must either be reckless… or planning something."
"Maybe he simply missed you enough to risk his life coming here."
"Unlikely. I destroyed his castle. Revenge seems more probable."
"Right..."
Jemina paused.
"…Cyrinne? Are you okay? Your face is really red. And you're sweating."
"Do not mind it. It is nothing."
Then suddenly,
the feeling hit.
The mating bond slammed into Cyrinne all at once from the slightest touch of Isaac's skin.
Her breathing became uneven instantly.
She could barely think.
"Cyrinne."
Isaac slowly touched her cheek.
Cyrinne immediately pulled back.
Her breathing became uneven.
"Do not touch me."
"You're trembling."
"Because of the bond."
Isaac's thumb brushed lightly beneath her eye.
"Come here."
Cyrinne finally broke.
She lowered her head and kissed him frantically.
"Cyrinne—? GAH! I'M LEAVING!"
Jemina fled the room immediately with her face burning bright red.