Allen watched Lilith and Luna eat his steak, his heart pounding so hard he trembled slightly. *Everything’s ready. Just one final push.*

Ever since that night, Allen had hunted obsessively for an escape route from Demon Castle. By day, he played the obedient servant, proving his usefulness to Lilith. By night, he mapped every corridor—except the forbidden chambers. Persistence paid off. While cleaning the study, he found a grimoire on demonology on Lilith’s desk. No archaic scripts here—just legible words and his only lifeline.

Page after page detailed forbidden potions. Then he saw it: *Mana Poison*. Lethal to any magic-wielding being—*especially* the Dark Lord. A manic grin spread across his face. But memories of that kiss surfaced. He hesitated, then flipped to another recipe: *Sleep Draught*. Ingredients were accessible: Slumber Berries grew deep in Demon Castle’s gardens; lavender bloomed in Luna’s greenhouse. Just ask nicely…

"Luna-sama… could I have some lavender? For my bedside vase? I’ve been having trouble sleeping…" Allen had mastered Luna’s quirks in a month. Threats backfired; humble requests worked.

"Oh? Poor Allen can’t sleep~? Of course, darling~" Luna’s beast ears twitched with concern as she handed him a bundle.

"Thank you, Luna~!" For once, his smile was genuine.

*One step closer to freedom!* He nearly giggled. "Heh heh heh—"

"Why so happy over flowers?" Luna tilted her head, baffled.

"N-nothing~ Heh heh~" Allen bolted before she could probe further.

"—Slumber Berries… ah, here!" He plucked a few from the apothecary vines, tucking them gently into his apron pocket. *Finally, this apron’s useful.*

But the catalyst—*Fire Core Crystal*—remained elusive. Only fire monsters carried them. Karazat Great Forest teemed with beasts, yet Allen was forbidden to leave Demon Castle. Even if he escaped, his frail body couldn’t fight a rabbit, let alone a monster.

With laundry done and dinner hours away, Allen wandered to the garden pond. His reflection mocked him. He remembered comrades who’d tearfully sworn to live or die together on that doomed crusade. All gone. Only he remained, cowering in this castle. *Pathetic.* Tears pricked his eyes. He shook his head, banishing the thought.

Then he froze. A crimson glint flickered in his reflection. He touched his neckerchief—embedded with a gemstone of impossible purity. *A Fire Core!* Heart racing, he sprinted to his room, pried a crystal from spare uniform, grabbed the lavender, and dashed to the alchemy lab. He checked every shadow. No witnesses. *Perfect.*

*Clang! Splash!* The cauldron hissed. Cooking practice made potion-brewing instinctive. He poured the violet liquid into a vial, corked it gently. *Done.*

Euphoria surged. Just slip this into Lilith’s drink… The draught, paired with sugar, induced three days of sleep. Enough time to vanish.

He rushed out—forgetting to clean the cauldron. Minutes later, Lilith found the residue.

"Little maid’s growing clever? How… amusing~" She wiped the pot clean, continuing her own experiments. *Let her play.*

***

Dinner.

"Master, I tried a new dish! Please taste it~" Allen beamed, unable to mask his trembling excitement.

"Mm? Lavender? Such a fragrant aroma." Lilith took a bite. Luna followed suit.

Allen watched from behind Lilith’s chair.

*Thud.* Lilith collapsed onto her plate.

"Master?! Wha—*clang*—" Luna slumped beside her.

*It worked!* Freedom was his! Guilt prickled, but he shoved it down. *Escape first.* He searched Lilith’s pockets for keys. Finding them, he couldn’t resist pinching her cheeks, twisting her face into silly expressions. *Always wanted to do that…*

Something hard weighed down Lilith’s dress pocket. A Pocket Watch. Inside, a yellowed scroll showed three portraits: a young Lilith (rare black hair/eyes), a pale man with Allen’s silver hair and blood-red eyes in a dark robe, and a silver-haired girl in white—*his own face*. Seeing the man, Allen’s body convulsed with sobs. *Why does he feel so familiar?* He snapped the watch shut, pocketing it.

Ignoring the unconscious pair, he headed for the exit. At the forbidden armory, curiosity won. Lilith’s key unlocked the door. Neat rows of weapons lined the walls, each paired with armor on mannequins. No ordinary gear—every blade bore its wielder’s name. He lifted a Rapier: *"Glory to Ostdan IX. —Leonardo."* Allen knew that name. The Hero of the 76th Holy War. Fallen here. Beside it lay a thirty-year-old Holy War uniform. *Chilling.*

He grabbed a dagger, trying to cut his collar. Useless. *Stuck.*

Counting the sets—85 weapons, 85 armors. But 86 Holy Wars? *Where’s the last one?* His eyes landed on his own gear: a Spear and a navy hooded cloak. The Spear looked dull without its master. Allen strained to lift it, pricked his finger with the dagger, and let blood drip on the tip. A soft hum filled the air. The metal gleamed anew. Exquisitely crafted, warm to the touch, etched with glowing enchantments. The blade could slice falling hair. It lightened in his grip. He twirled it, smiling.

*Welcome back.*

He shed the maid dress, binding his hair into braided pigtails like Luna’s. The cloak fit perfectly. *No time to wonder why.* He pocketed a few gold coins, glanced back at Demon Castle—*a flicker of regret*—then marched toward the nearest town.

***

Braving wind and frost, Allen reached Karazat Great Forest’s edge. Villagers’ distant shouts led him from his tree-hole shelter. Snow bit through his cloak as he gripped the Spear like a walking stick, torch in hand.

Closer now. Firelight. Screams.

"*Please!* Spare him! He’s just a child!" A woman sobbed.

"Die! All of you!" A bandit in beast hides swung his blade.

*Thwack.* The woman crumpled.

Flames consumed the village. A boy wailed over his parents’ bodies.

Bandits herded survivors to their knees.

Allen froze. *I’d have charged in before… but now?*

*Crack.* The first captive’s head rolled. Crimson stained the ashen earth.

"Next!" The bald bandit grinned, stepping toward a woman. Her husband lunged, headbutting the thug.

"Touch her and I’ll kill you!"

*Slash.* The man fell, leg severed. Another strike silenced him.

"Worthless," the bandit sneered, advancing on the woman.

Allen trembled. Then—

"*HUSBAND!!!*" the woman shrieked.

"*DADDY!!!*"

The brown-haired youth roared, his whole body trembling violently, the tremors intensifying by the second.

Then, azure Frenzy erupted from his body. He strained against the ropes binding him, snapping them apart, and charged at the bald man.

The bald man froze, dumbfounded—he’d never seen someone so young wield Frenzy before. His body trembled uncontrollably, then the youth’s fist sent him flying...

Now, Allen snapped to his senses. Even a child was braver than him... How could he have been cowering here?

Allen leaped out from the bushes and joined the fray...