Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Angel and Demon (10)
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Baron gritted his teeth as he stared at the golden arrow piercing through his wrist.
"You. Are you one of those disgusting angels like that bastard?"
"Hmm... Angel... If we're being precise, I'm a being a little higher up than that."
"How dare an angel enter Hell without fearing demons! I'll send you to join your fallen comrade!!"
As Baron yanked the arrow from his forearm, the wound immediately began to regenerate.
"Oh, so modern demons can even do that?"
Luhan watched the sight with curiosity, but Baron took it as an insult and charged forward with his axe raised.
'He's an archer. Once I close the distance, victory is mine!'
Baron swiftly approached Luhan, who stood there blankly holding his bow, and swung his axe diagonally.
Baron was certain. This would be the decisive blow that tore his body apart completely.
But in an instant, Luhan vanished from Baron's sight.
"That's sneaky. Isn't close combat a bit much against an archer?"
Luhan drew back his bowstring.
Pewww.
Baron immediately transformed his weapon into a large shield.
Clang.
"Not bad for an archer. Pretty agile."
"That's because I'm an archer. But you can change your weapon's form, huh?"
Luhan casually examined the transformed shield with a relaxed demeanor.
'Idiot. He's so careless—he'll be dead soon.'
The thought of losing to an archer never crossed Baron's mind.
He might be a bit fast, but his arrows could be blocked with just a shield anyway.
And in close quarters, Baron believed he held the advantage.
"Using a shield against an archer? That's too cowardly."
"Then just give me some distance."
"Should I?"
Baron scowled at his response.
'An archer giving up distance...? Is he that pathetic?'
Either way, it was good news for him.
There was no more vulnerable state than an archer who yielded distance.
"This time, you won't dodge...!!"
Baron drew a weapon with a wide striking range, one an agile opponent couldn't possibly evade.
As he lunged forward swiftly, he saw his opponent's panicked expression.
Swinging his weapon at the man's head, Baron was convinced.
"Got you...!!"
Clang-!
The sound of metal clashing rang out.
'Wh-what...?!!'
Baron couldn't help but be shocked.
The opponent, who had clearly been holding a bow, now gripped a long sword in his hand.
"What? You thought only you could do that?"
As Baron floundered, unable to keep up, Luhan's longsword shifted into a hammer form, forcing the weapon from his grasp.
Baron scrambled to retrieve his fallen weapon from the floor, but it lay at Luhan's feet.
"Game over. For the finale, I'll show you my best weapon."
He pulled out a short black metal rod.
The top had fine grooves carved into it, and the grip was angled to fit his fingers.
"This is called a gun. You primitive demons wouldn't know."
Though Baron didn't recognize it, his instincts told him it was a weapon of immense destructive power.
"St-stop...! I surrender. Money...! I'll give you money, as much as you want!!"
Baron backed away, palms raised.
Bang-!
"Argh...!!"
A bullet embedded in his right leg.
"I don't care about money. Did you enjoy making our Rael hurt?"
"Aaaagh...!! Th-that bastard was after my woman...!!"
Even in agony, Baron had to speak his piece.
"How is Bella your woman? Love goes both ways. It doesn't count if only you love her."
Displeased by the retort, Luhan clicked his tongue and pulled the trigger again.
Bang bang-!
"Aaaah...!!"
Baron screamed in excruciating pain, desperately trying to maintain his regeneration.
"Tch, what a weak effort. How do you expect to heal like that?"
Luhan holstered the pistol and drew a much larger gun.
"One last chance to apologize to Rael."
"Sh-shut up!! If I can just regenerate these wounds...!!"
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-
A hail of bullets shredded Baron's body.
Thick gunsmoke filled the underground chamber.
Luhan looked pitifully at Baron, now riddled with holes and dead.
"You need a body left to regenerate. How dare trash like you hurt our boy."
The fallen Baron lay still.
Luhan stowed the machine gun and approached Rael.
"He's still breathing, barely."
Just barely clinging to life.
Rael lay on the floor, on the verge of death, blue blood pooling from wounds all over his body.
"Angels even have different blood. This might be worth studying."
Luhan placed his hand on Rael's wounds.
A warm golden energy enveloped them, and the injuries began to heal slowly.
"Ugh..."
Rael, who had been unconscious, let out a groan.
Luhan silently continued channeling the healing magic.
After a few minutes, Rael's complexion improved slightly.
"Phew..."
Luhan withdrew his hand.
"Crisis averted for now. Time to handle the other side."
Bella sat slumped in the middle of the room.
Not her original quarters, but a narrow cell without windows where she was imprisoned.
Dozens of soldiers stood guard outside the door.
"Hic..."
Bella clutched her head and sobbed.
"Rael... Rael..."
His face came to mind.
The moment she dreamed of their future together. The scene of a sword piercing his stomach remained vivid.
"It's my fault... All my fault..."
Tears streamed down her face.
If she hadn't stopped and had crossed through Hell's gate immediately, her loved one wouldn't have died like that.
He died because of her.
'Because of me...'
Because of her mistake, he was gone, and now she had to marry someone she despised.
"No..."
As Bella looked around, her eyes fell on a sharp object.
It might not kill instantly, but it was enough to end her life.
'I'll follow you, Rael.'
The moment she instinctively knew it was her last, as she raised the sharp metal toward her throat.
"Rael is alive."
A voice spoke.
It sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it right away.
But that didn't matter to Bella.
'R-Rael... is alive...?'
She lowered the blade and scanned the room.
This room had no windows, yet suddenly one wall now showed an outdoor view through a window.
And leaning against that window frame was a shadowy figure.
She couldn't make out his face, but he was the one who said Rael was alive.
"Is Rael really alive...?"
Bella asked desperately in her cracked voice.
The shadow nodded affirmatively.
Hope sparked in Bella's eyes.
Even if it was a lie or she was hallucinating, it didn't matter.
The mere idea that he was alive was that desperately needed.
"Where is he? Is he still in that cold basement...?"
"He's in a safe place."
A calm voice reassured her.
A wave of immense relief washed over Bella, like a blocked breath finally released.
"Can you take me to him...?"
But the shadowy man shook his head, and Bella whimpered.
"Please... Please let me go..."
"Not yet."
His tone was firm.
"Why?! Why not?!"
"Your father, the Count, will search for you forever if you just disappear."
"But... There's no other way..."
She knew it too.
Her father would eventually find her, even if she fled to the human world.
But what could she do? She couldn't stay in Hell.
"There is one way."
Bella, lost in despair, lifted her head at his words.
The man pulled a small vial from his pocket and extended his hand.
"What is this...?"
"A drug that halts all bodily functions for 48 hours."
Bella instantly realized his intent.
"It'll make you appear completely dead, but after 48 hours, everything returns to normal."
Bella stared at the vial he offered.
"If I take this..."
"The Count will believe you're dead and give up everything."
The man continued calmly.
"Then leave with him. I'll guide you both."
Bella hesitated briefly after hearing this, but not for long.
"Give it to me."
She took the vial.
"It's really okay? I'll wake up after 48 hours, right?"
The man nodded.
"...You might be a con man, but I can tell you're a good person."
Bella uncorked the vial and swallowed the contents without hesitation.
"Ugh..."
Bitter taste slid down her throat.
As Bella staggered and collapsed, Luhan caught her and laid her on the bed.
"Sleep well. Wake up after a short nap, and I'll make sure your loved one is right before your eyes."
Bella's eyes fully closed, and all her movements ceased.
Luhan neatly arranged her hands and stood.
A short while later.
Bang-
The door burst open as the Count entered.
"Bella, have you come to your senses?"
Spotting her on the bed, an odd unease crept over him.
His daughter's face on the bed was far too serene.
"...Bella?"
The Count approached and took her hand.
It was cold.
Ice cold.
"Bella?! Bella!"
He shook her, but there was no response, as expected.
No pulse, no breath. Everything pointed to one thing.
"No... No..."
The Count's hands trembled.
"Bella... Wake up... Please..."
But Bella remained motionless.
"Uwaaaah...!!"
The Count fell to his knees.
"I... I..."
He gripped his daughter's cold hand tightly.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... Bella..."
He had forced her into a political marriage for his own gain.
Ignored her pleas to spare the man she loved.
And the result was his daughter's lifeless corpse.
Tears began to flow from the Count's eyes.
"Your father was wrong... Father was..."
His sobs echoed through the room.
But the Count had no choice but to realize.
The river crossed to undo what had been done was far too wide.