The demon stood motionless before Isabella for a few seconds, but soon realized what she had just asked of him.
A Few Months Earlier – 11th Floor
"Isa, you're going to tell me that boost formula, right? Your world seemed like a technological place that used alchemy at the same time. I've never heard of anything like that before. You're really lucky. In my world, everything was archaic and medieval. That's why my weapon is this old lute—it's only good for increasing people's speed and stamina. Haha."
Ralf walked beside Isabella after they had recovered the last fragment of the Grail on that floor.
The Eleventh Floor was a vast land of dense forests and inhospitable swamps filled with savage beasts. The humid environment was infested with insects that spread deadly diseases and outbreaks.
The presence of healers and bards in every party was indispensable.
Traveling through some of the forests required shields and protective equipment. The bite of a single insect could be fatal, regardless of a hero's endurance.
At that moment, besides Ralf, Isabella was the only bard in the group.
Ever since meeting her two floors earlier, Ralf had grown to admire her after hearing about her achievements. Even though she seemed somewhat vulgar and uninterested in other people, he stubbornly kept trying to befriend her. Little by little, she began lowering her guard and answering his casual questions.
"I'm not telling you anything for free, sweetheart. I've already told you—even Douglas has to pay me with favors sometimes."
"Haha, you're really a difficult woman. But I don't think money has any value in this 'world.'"
"And who said anything about money? You, for example, could owe me a really big favor."
"That's a price I think I could pay."
"Are you sure? My favors can be very expensive."
"If it's to learn your techniques, I think I'm willing to pay."
"Then I'll tell you when we stop. But if you don't know how to use it, that's your problem."
After that conversation, Ralf became even closer to her.
They spent the night talking about the worlds they had come from and the lives they had lived before arriving at the Tower.
The following day, however, the demonic invasion began.
Ralf never got the chance to repay Isabella's favor.
It became his greatest regret before dying.
As the demonic spear pierced through his body, he watched Isabella running away and silently prayed that she would survive.
During the short time they had traveled together, he had fallen in love with her.
Ralf was never the type of man to develop feelings easily.
Perhaps it was because, before the apocalypse, he had been able to have any woman he wanted thanks to his social status.
Back in his hometown, he had been a successful businessman. Beautiful women had always surrounded him, yet he had never entered a serious relationship.
At first, he had only been attracted to Isabella's graceful figure and even imagined nothing more than a casual affair.
But the more he got to know her, the more he realized she was nothing like the women he had known before.
Her cold personality, sharp sarcasm, and indifferent attitude fascinated him.
Perhaps it was because she was difficult—something he had never encountered before.
The greater the challenge, the greater the reward.
Ralf eventually convinced himself that she was someone truly worth fighting for in a world where the weak had no place.
The only problem...
...was that he failed to realize he was the weak one.
He died without ever confessing his feelings.
For the first time in his life, he believed he might actually be able to tell someone, besides his mother and his dog, that he loved them.
But that world was cruel.
When he awakened as a demon, he discovered that its cruelty could become even greater.
His memories were in disarray, and his mind instinctively obeyed Tebas's commands.
He could no longer feel fear, anger, or excitement.
Yet the moment Isabella crossed his mind, the first trace of emotion emerged within his demonic existence.
He had already devised a plan the moment Tebas informed him that the heroes were approaching.
Although he was no longer as intelligent as he had been as a human, he still retained basic reasoning and common sense.
He knew Isabella would use her teleportation ability to scout their position before bringing the others.
He reported this to Tebas, and together they planned to capture her, since Tebas's real objective was Natasha.
It would be a "fair" exchange.
Tebas would kill Douglas while the two groups exchanged the hostages.
If the opportunity arose, they would also kill Isabella and Li-Xeng.
But Ralf could not bring himself to accept that idea.
The more he thought about Isabella, the stronger his old feelings resurfaced.
The instant he realized she was the very same Isabella he had once traveled with, every doubt vanished.
Since becoming a demon, that was the only moment in which he truly felt anything.
A warmth spread through his chest.
Something tightened in his throat.
Even if she no longer recognized him...
Even if she hated what he had become...
As he watched her bound and captured, he believed fate had left him there for one reason alone:
To save her.
If he were not there...
What would happen to her?
Tebas would most likely kill her, and his plan would succeed.
He intended to murder Isabella during the exchange no matter what.
Without Douglas, dealing with the healer and Natasha would be easy.
And without her weapon, Isabella would be powerless.
But Ralf was there.
And he would never allow that plan to succeed.
"I... died for this. I don't regret it."
The moment he saw Isabella pleading for help, he felt that his mission would be complete if he could save her.
And perhaps...
Just perhaps...
She might even accept him into her party.
Ralf could feel that his new body was far stronger than his old one.
He never grew tired.
He felt no pain.
No fear.
No hesitation.
He attacked when he had to attack.
He ran when he had to run.
Even though, until that moment, he had instinctively obeyed Tebas's commands, if that demon were to die...
...he might finally be free from those chains.
"I have to help Isabella. I'll kill the others here and pretend she attacked me. Then I'll play dead. When Tebas goes after Douglas, Isabella can use her teleportation to warn him first... and together we'll kill Tebas."
A twisted smile spread across Ralf's face, sending a chill down Isabella's spine.
She couldn't understand the expression on the demon's distorted face.
But she realized he intended to help the moment he turned around, gripped his spear, and slit the throats of the two demons standing beside him.
The remaining three, approaching from behind, froze in shock.
Before they could even assume a fighting stance, Ralf's spear had already pierced one of their hearts.
He pulled the weapon free in a spray of blood, then swept it to the left in one fluid motion, severing the head of a muscular lesser demon whose face resembled his own.
The last survivor tried to flee.
Ralf hurled his spear.
It pierced straight through the demon's chest.
The creature collapsed, its body sliding down the spear as it remained embedded in the ground, coating the shaft with crimson blood and pieces of torn flesh.
"He... he actually did it? That demon... is that really Ralf?"
A strange mixture of excitement and fear welled up inside Isabella.
What she had just witnessed could overturn everything the researchers—and the Central Command—believed they knew about the Tower and its demons.
After retrieving his spear, Ralf turned toward Isabella and struggled to speak.
"Everything... okay... Tebas... behind... but... he'll... feel... deaths..."
"The strongest demon isn't here right now. But he'll obviously notice the others are dead and come back. I have to move fast..."
Isabella slowly rose to her feet while Ralf cut the ropes binding her wrists.
Then he handed her weapon back to her.
It was wrapped in a filthy cloth soaked with blood.
She grimaced in disgust before wiping it clean with her cloak.
"I'm... happy... to... see you... Isabella..."
The demon spoke slowly in a hoarse voice, as though something were lodged deep inside his throat.
Isabella smiled.
"Thank you, Ralf. I'll never forget your sacrifice."
Even as a demon...
Even after suffering such a miserable fate after death...
For the first time since his rebirth, Ralf felt genuine relief.
And happiness.
"Maybe... someone out there will someday find a way to turn me back into a human, and..."
Before he could finish the thought...
Something cold sliced across his throat.
He instinctively reached for his neck.
His fingers touched a thick, warm liquid.
Blood.
Looking down, he watched crimson blood pour from the wound, staining the dry earth beneath his feet.
Slowly, he raised his head.
Standing before him was Isabella.
She wore a gentle smile as she calmly wiped the blades of the small dagger she kept hidden at her waist.
"Thank you...
From the bottom of my heart."
She turned away as Ralf's body collapsed heavily onto the ground.
His muscles convulsed.
His body twitched violently.
Perhaps...
He could still stand.
But there was only one question echoing through his fading mind.
"Wh... why...?"
He tried to look at Isabella one last time.
Then...
Ralf died.
"Tsk... Demon blood smells like filthy dishwater. Good thing none of it splashed on me."
Isabella picked up Ralf's spear and lightly stabbed her own left thigh.
She bit her lip to keep herself from crying out.
A few seconds later, she sensed movement nearby.
"What is this...?
My beloved children?"
Tebas had arrived.
The six demons left behind lay dead around him.
His gaze shifted toward Isabella.
She smiled while pressing a torn piece of her cloak against the wound in her thigh, pretending to stop the bleeding.
"You took your time. They would've killed me if I hadn't managed to get my weapon back."
"...What?"
Tebas stared at her in astonishment.
He resembled Ralf in appearance, but his body was much taller and broader. Pale green scales covered his skin, his elongated face was lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth, and his monstrous presence dwarfed that of the lesser demons.
"You are..."
Isabella smiled.
"I am the envoy.
The heroes' traitor."