Lucas told Sarah everything.
He spoke of her mother—once a demonkin born of another world—and her father, a holy knight who had served the nation with unwavering loyalty. They were people who should never have crossed paths, yet they had fallen in love despite knowing the consequences. When their secret was discovered, they were forced to abandon everything they once held dear: their ranks, their homeland, and ultimately, their world. They chose exile over separation, believing that love was worth the price.
Lucas then spoke of the present.
Monsters had begun storming the Angelo Empire, appearing in places they had never reached before. Cities burned, villages were erased, and countless lives were lost in the chaos. At first, the attacks seemed random—but they were not. Through his own investigation, Lucas uncovered the truth. Behind every outbreak stood a single name.
Viper.
It was a shadow organization that manipulated monsters from the darkness, driving them into uncontrollable berserk states and guiding them directly toward human settlements. Worse still, Viper possessed unnatural abilities. Anyone who faced them found their will stripped away, their bodies unable to resist. Before killing their victims, they drained their life force and sealed it within mana stones, artifacts whose true purpose remained unknown.
Lucas did not yet understand what Viper was trying to achieve.
But he was certain of one thing.
Sarah was their next target.
That certainty deepened when Lucas discovered that Viper was attempting to open a portal to another world. The pattern was unmistakable. They targeted individuals who were either exceptionally powerful or held positions of high authority—people whose existence could influence the balance of worlds themselves.
Piece by piece, the truth fell into place.
The Mortayne family fit their criteria perfectly.
Lucas had once sworn an oath to protect Sarah with his life. The moment he realized the danger surrounding her, he acted without hesitation. He ordered his people to prepare a dimensional portal and crossed into this world himself. Upon arrival, he abandoned his true identity and adopted a false one before seeking out his former uncle. There, he revealed everything he knew—about Viper, the monsters, and the threat looming over Sarah.
Lucas intended to take her back with him to the Angelo Empire, where he could protect her properly. However, Adrian rejected the offer. He refused to let his daughter leave her world behind.
With no other option remaining, Lucas made a difficult decision.
He would take Sarah secretly.
That was why he allowed her to follow him into the forest that day—why he prepared everything in advance. What Lucas never anticipated was that Viper had already found her. They launched their attack on the very day he planned to bring her safely to the Angelo Empire.
When Sarah's mana awakened, Adrian and Alena realized the truth. Staying behind would only ensure her death. Using the dimensional portal Lucas had prepared, they made a desperate journey to retrieve the Blue Crystal Necklace, the only artifact capable of shielding Sarah from Viper's influence.
They never made it back.
Viper ambushed them along the way.
With their bodies broken and their magic nearly depleted, Adrian and Alena used the last remnants of their strength to send the Blue Crystal Necklace through the portal to Lucas. It was the only thing they could still protect.
After that, there was nothing left for them to give.
When Lucas finished telling her everything, Sarah collapsed.
Even though her own life was in constant danger, the truth crushed her completely. Her parents had not died by chance. They had died because they chose to save her.
Tears streamed down Sarah's face as she broke into sobs. Lucas stood frozen, helpless. He had never learned how to comfort someone. Words failed him, and all he could do was watch her grief spill over.
"C-can you help me, Lucas?" Sarah asked, her voice trembling.
"Of course," he answered immediately. "I'll help you with anything."
Sarah wiped away her tears and lifted her head. When she looked at him again, the despair in her eyes had hardened into resolve.
"You said you wanted to take me to your world, didn't you?"
"Yes," Lucas replied. "If you come with me, I can protect you."
"Then…" Her voice steadied. "Will you also help me avenge my parents?"
Lucas fell silent.
He stared at her, shocked by the weight of her words. He knew she was stubborn—but this was different. Wanting revenge was only natural, yet she lacked both control and strength. Facing Viper now would not be revenge. It would be suicide.
Lucas searched for the right words to stop her.
What made it harder was the truth he kept to himself.
He had already decided to destroy Viper.
Yet even he was not strong enough—not yet. Viper was unlike any enemy he had faced before. To challenge them, he would need allies capable of resisting their powers. And until he confronted them directly, their true strength remained unknown.
For the first time since this began, Lucas felt uncertainty.