The Damned Demon

Chapter 727  Nothing Will Change

The world around them seemed to dim, like the light had been drained from the very air. Yui remained still beside Emiko, her soft hands gripping Emiko's body, her face streaked with tears. She couldn't speak, couldn't bring herself to do anything except hold Emiko's cold hand, her body trembling with grief. Why did it have to be her? She should have been the one… Yui's heart felt as though it were shattering into a million pieces.

Grace sat there, still holding Emiko's lifeless body in her arms, her tears falling silently, tracing the curve of her cheek as she whispered to herself, "Why... Why did you have to save someone like me when your whole life was ahead of you..." Her voice was broken, a soft and desperate murmur of regret.

The pain in her chest was unbearable, like the weight of a thousand broken promises. She never thought she would feel this way again, never thought she'd again experience the crushing loss of someone she had come to think of as family.

She had failed again.

Rebecca walked slowly over to the two women, her steps deliberate and heavy, her face brimming with heavy emotions as she gazed down at Emiko. She stopped a few paces away, raising her hand halfway to place it on Grace's shoulder, but then hesitated, the motion falling limp at her side.

She couldn't bring herself to touch Grace in this moment, her emotions caught somewhere between anger and sorrow. She stood there in silence, lips pressed tightly together, her eyes flickering with something unspoken as she stared down at the human girl's lifeless body. 'Why does this bother her?' she thought, the ache in her chest something she couldn't shake. Why was it that Emiko's death—someone so weak, a human—left her feeling frustrated and angry like this?

Yui, hearing Grace's words, slowly raised her head, tears still blurring her vision. Her voice was fragile, barely a whisper, but full of heart, "Aunty Grace... please don't say that. Emiko will feel sad if you say such things..." Her lips quivered, her hand tightening around Grace's, "S-She saved you because she loved you. You would have done the same. We would have."

The words hung in the air, but they felt hollow, like trying to hold onto water with cupped hands. Yui felt like she was losing herself, the world feeling like it was slipping away. This can't be real. This has to be a nightmare, she thought, wishing to wake up and find Emiko there beside them, looking at her with a rare, soft smile on her usually stoic face.

Rebecca suddenly spoke, her voice firm, as if forcing herself to stay composed, "That's right," she said, her gaze hard but sad as she placed a hand on Grace's shoulder, squeezing it slightly. "You better not say such nonsense after that girl sacrificed her life for you. It was foolish and stupid to save a dying woman like you. Yes. But that doesn't change the fact that she already did it. If it was you, would you prefer us to blame you? The best you can do now is make sure you don't waste the chance she gave you."

Yui nodded, her face a mixture of sorrow and agreement. The tears continued to flow freely down her cheeks, her heart aching in ways she couldn't fully understand.

She wanted to scream, to make everything stop, but all she could do was watch as Grace's chin quivered.

Grace's eyes squeezed shut, and her whole body trembled as she closed her arms tighter around Emiko, "I am sorry..." she whispered, voice strained, "I will make it right..." She gently placed Emiko's body into Yui's arms before standing up, her movements slow and heavy, as if the weight of the world had been placed on her shoulders.

"A-Aunty Grace? Where are you going?" Yui asked, her voice small, filled with confusion and worry, the grief in her chest not letting her think clearly.

Grace offered a light, sad smile, her eyes haunted, "I have to head to our Culthold quick. You guys take care of her until I get back..."

With that, she turned and walked away, her figure retreating into the distance, her body slumped under an invisible burden.

Asher, who had been watching from a few feet away, felt his chest tighten as he saw Grace walk off.

He could only imagine the pain she must be feeling, how it must feel to lose Emiko—someone who had become like a granddaughter to her, someone she had spent so much time caring for, protecting, and guiding all these years.

He clenched his fists, the weight of guilt bearing down on him. I failed her. I failed Emiko. His heart ached for both of them.

Emiko had always followed his orders without question. She had believed in him, trusted him—and yet, he wasn't able to save her.

"Stop thinking about useless things!" Rebecca's voice echoed beside him, cutting through his thoughts like a sharp blade.

He turned to find her huffing, clearly irritated. Her chest was puffed out, her eyes narrowed and her finger pointing in the direction Grace had left, "What are you going to do about that woman? I feel like she's about to do something stupid. We should follow her and see what she's going to do."

Asher nodded stiffly, his mind snapping back to reality. Rebecca had a point, and it worried him too, "Let's go…" he said quietly, before he paused and turned to Yui. He saw the raw grief on her face, and his heart softened as he walked over to her.

He gently scooped up Emiko's body from Yui's arms, "You should go," he said, his voice soft but firm.

Yui's features trembled as she slowly got up, her body still trembling with grief, "B-But Emiko is... I-I..."

"I was her master. I should be the one taking care of this. But we will mourn her together. Just not now. I'll keep her safe until then. I promise," Asher said, his voice steady as he looked at Yui with a soft, warm look.

Yui nodded, wiping her eyes with a fragile, pained smile, "T-Thank you, Master..." Her voice was barely a whisper, but it carried the weight of her heart's breaking.

Rebecca, still seething with anger, huffed loudly. "What about that bitch who killed her? When do we get to kill her and how? I wish I wasn't in this useless and weak human shell. Otherwise, this wouldn't have...."

Rebecca couldn't finish her sentence, her fury overwhelming her words, her hands shaking with the intensity of it. But Asher, now focused on the present, simply said in a low yet firm voice, "Arthur will now deal with her until we find a way."

Saying that, Asher began to walk away, Emiko's lifeless form cradled in his arms, his mind focused on the path ahead. Rebecca grunted in frustration but followed him closely, Yui trailing behind them, still holding onto Emiko's memory like a fragile thread that might break at any moment.

—

The air shook as Arthur soared through the air, his trail of radiant white light cutting through the sky like a divine storm. His focus was unwavering, his mind set on one target: the Thundering Reaper, the demon he had been hunting for what felt like an eternity. He could feel the pull of her energy as she fled, but no matter how fast she ran, he was always just behind her. She had a speed unlike anything he had ever witnessed, yet it wasn't enough to escape his relentless pursuit.

Anna could feel it—Arthur was on her tail, never giving up, never faltering. Her heart pounded in her chest, the realization dawning on her that there was no way to truly outrun him. She pushed her body faster, her lightning-infused form blurring across the lands, but no matter how much distance she had been putting between them, Arthur wasn't losing her trail.

I can't keep this up forever….Anna realized.

She had hoped the distance between them would be enough, but now she knew what she had to do. There was no escaping this. No way out. She had to face him, incapacitate him to escape successfully. She darted towards a desolate desert, where the land stretched endlessly, empty and untouched and the sun bearing down on them mercilessly.

The vast openness felt suffocating now, the silence broken only by the sound of her own footsteps as she made her stand.

Arthur furrowed his brows as he sensed the Thundering Reaper slowdown, sensing the shift in her pace. She's heading to an uninhabited area? Why? It's not as if she cared about collateral damage. The thought crept into his mind, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. He could only follow, pushing forward at full speed, until he saw her standing alone in the center of the desert. The endless sand stretched around her like an empty picture, the sun high above casting its harsh light over everything.

Arthur descended, the light around him shimmering as he landed on the sand, just a few meters from her. His expression was resolute, his voice firm, "It's good that you stopped running," he called out. "You can't hurt people anymore. I won't let you. I'm going to arrest you now, and you'll answer for all the crimes you've committed."

Anna's eyes were hard, her voice tinged with guilt, "I don't have time to explain," she said, shaking her head, "But things aren't what they seem, and I can't get arrested now. I promise I'll answer for my crimes, but not now... please. I'm begging you. Just let me go this one time."

Arthur's brows knit tighter, his confusion mirrored in his voice, "You... you want to fight your way out of this and run away from what you've done? Just now you killed someone I knew. Who knows how many more you would kill each second you are out there," He hadn't expected this—hadn't expected her to come here with the intent to fight him, to escape the justice she owed. Yet…It didn't make sense. She was begging him…a demon who had killed thousands. Why would someone like her act this way?

"I really have to do something important," Anna continued, her voice desperate, as though every word was a plea she was unable to fully express, "But I can't tell you yet. Even if you arrest me... nothing will change."

Arthur stood still, his mind racing with questions. What was she talking about? His gut told him something wasn't right, that there was more to this than just a demon trying to escape justice. But he knew now wasn't the time to think about such things.

His voice hardened, and he stepped forward, "That is not for you to decide," he said firmly, "You either surrender peacefully, or we'll do it the hard way. The last thing I'll do is let you escape again."

Anna's face darkened with regret, her eyes narrowing as a spark of resolve ignited within her, "I am sorry," she mumbled, her body blurring in an instant. With a flash, she shot towards Arthur, the lightning in her veins crackling violently, her speed so great it was almost impossible to track.

Arthur's eyes widened as he saw her suddenly launching herself towards him at a space-shattering speed.