I had tried to use Return, yet somehow the Demon Lord had found some way to hold me there. I had managed to send my girls on their way, but the cost was extreme damage to my soul not unlike dying. However, I had succeeded and they were safe.

Some kind of seal was around my neck. It wasn’t a slave mark, but something else. It prevented me from being able to access my skills. I couldn’t use Portal, and I couldn’t use Return. I also tried Slave Communication, but I only received silence.

As for my girls, they were in Chalm now, about six weeks travel away from Alerith. In other words, no one was going to save me from this predicament but myself. Actually, some of the girls had Portal equipped the last time I checked, but since I usually cast the spell for them, I hoped they didn’t think of it and put themselves back in danger. A bunch of Demonic Knights grabbed me and picked me up, and I was dragged underground into a keep and jailed. They tossed me into a dark, damp cell with a dirty ground.

There was a dull ache that filled my body from what I had done to my soul. It was difficult for me to recall what I had done. It had been something I did in the moment, desperate to protect the women and not let them get captured. As a result, I was the only one in prison. That’s when I remembered that Carmine hadn’t gone with us either. She must have been in the fight. I didn’t know if the Demon Lord knew our connection. If he did, Carmine might already be dead.

“Widow’s Dungeon.” The Demon Lord’s words brought me out of my thoughts.

He was standing on the other side of the cell, watching me with just a hint of curiosity.

“What of it?” I responded after a few moments of silence.”

“You’re the one who destroyed it, correct?”

“… yes.”

Of course, I didn’t destroy it. I completed it. This was a radically different thing, so I didn’t mind letting this lie stick. He could have seen the tattoos on my body. I thought it a little weird he didn’t seem to mention them.

“I had planted that dungeon so long ago.” He sighed. “I have to say, seeing you destroy decades of work was painful. It was especially depressing since I had come so close to finally achieving my goal. I had that Hero King right where I wanted him, and then you had to go about freeing his soul and letting him be reborn.”

“You want sympathy?” I responded, my lips curling spitefully.

“No… I suppose not.” He chuckled. “How could a human ever relate to a demon? Ah! Then again, you have that Demon girl as your slave, right? I suppose that is the nature of humans and demons. One always has to be Master over the other. Well… I don’t intend to be anyone’s slave!”

“How are you alive?” I finally demanded. “Elaya and Xin killed you!”

“Did they now?” His eyes twinkled. “Well, they tried. I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out yet. After all, the lore of Widow’s Dungeon wasn’t just their story, it was my story as well.”

My eyes widened and I jerked up. “You don’t mean…”

He nodded. “I’m the son of the King and Xin.”