S-Class Dungeon’s Mistress - Chapter 186

Chapter 186

Flames swirling as if alive. So hot that even a touch would melt skin, yet infinitely soft and warm to Adelaide. She knew its master all too well.

The flames blazed, forming a human shape. Soon, the one she had missed so deeply revealed himself within the fire.

Burnt skin adorned with flickering red hair. Eyes as savage as a ferocious beast, a nose rising proudly. Dry lips and a deeply lined jaw.

Each tiny detail captivated her gaze.

Was this another nightmare created by Nightmare? Though an intense longing brought a hint of fear, she could instinctively sense the man before her was real.

'Caladium, truly.'

Unlike in her nightmares, his hair was slightly longer, falling just below his ears. His skin was rougher, and his jawline, now sharper from weight loss, was different from her memories. Yet undoubtedly Caladium.

Adelaide's eyes trembled as she looked at him. His silvery-gray eyes were equally turbulent. An indescribable depth of emotion revealed itself across his weathered face.

Though the moment was brief—hardly a blink—for Adelaide, exchanging glances felt like an eternity. Time seemed to stand still. She even imagined hearing the sound of a blue flower swaying on clouds.

"Oh, it's been a while."

But reality returned quickly. Abaddon's chilling voice restored time to its original trajectory. Their intertwined gazes soon dispersed.

"...Didn't I say I'd disappear so they'd no longer pay attention to me?"

Caladium turned his head, looking up at Abaddon. Killing intent swarmed above his eyes. Unlike when he looked at Adelaide, his gaze was now ruthlessly savage.

"As you can see, the situation demands attention."

Abaddon observed Caladium as if watching a tantruming child. Even his casual shrug overflowed with composure.

Crack! Caladium ground his teeth harshly. Crimson flames erupted across his skin, reflecting his inner turmoil.

'So that's why Caladium disappeared so suddenly...'

Adelaide realized through their conversation that negotiations had occurred without her knowledge—something she had roughly anticipated.

"Adelaide, are you hurt?"

Lisianthus, who had approached beside her, asked urgently. She finally tore her gaze from Caladium's back and turned toward him. Her pink eyes widened.

"Lisianthus! Your shoulder...!"

His shoulder blade was completely stained with dark, nearly black blood. A deep wound was visible through his torn clothing. He had apparently been reckless during his urgent departure from the battlefield.

Though less severe than Adelaide's wounds, the injury was far from minor. The amount of blood flowing down his arm was shocking.

To worry about me in this state... She reproached him with sorrowful eyes. Lisianthus, unaware of her inner thoughts, exhaled a sigh of relief that he hadn't been more seriously injured.

"I'm fine."

Uriel, who had gone berserk, had been forcibly restrained, gripping his arm with all her might. The great demon Herman's power had tightly bound him, and although Lisianthus was willing to risk his arm being torn off, he swiftly knocked Uriel unconscious and leaped away—but it was already too late.

Had Caladium not arrived, Adelaide would certainly have been in grave danger.

Lisianthus bit his lip, drawing blood. His sense of guilt remained undiminished despite the pain. But now was not the time to be consumed by emotions.

"The Demon King's army is approaching."

"The Demon King's army?"

"From the atmosphere, it doesn't seem to be an official deployment by the Demon King. It appears Abaddon is privately operating this force, but their numbers are considerable, making the situation complicated."

Lisianthus felt Abaddon's gaze scanning him. His neat eyebrows twitched slightly, but that was all. He continued speaking without changing his expression.

"Although Caladium has arrived, it will take some time for the two of you to handle the monster, Abaddon, and the army he's brought. So, Master, please retreat with your subordinates."

Abaddon's face contorted significantly. The audacity of these two thinking they could handle him—it was unbearably insolent.

Yet soon, Abaddon stared at Lisianthus through narrowed eyes. Though not a familiar face, something felt strangely familiar. It wasn't just a passing encounter—it felt like they were deeply intertwined.

"I can't just run away and leave you two behind. I can still fight, and besides..."

Adelaide shifted her gaze toward the collapsed wall. In the distance, dark dots were approaching. The Demon King's army Abaddon had brought.

Their numbers weren't few, and each seemed quite powerful. Yet she wasn't particularly worried. She had sensed a familiar energy approaching from another direction.

Just as expected, a dark beast soon sliced through the sky, landing dramatically.

Boom! Bell landed magnificently, letting out a powerful roar.

"Woof!"

Lupinus, who had been riding on his back, leaped off gracefully and landed lightly on the ground. While Abaddon, who knew them, looked menacingly displeased, Adelaide's lips curled into a slight smile.

"We have more reinforcements."

Lupinus and Bell looked perfectly fine despite having faced numerous dungeon members from Los Halde. Most of the stronger ones had been concentrated inside Uriel's castle, allowing them to eliminate everyone and return without much difficulty.

With the two of them joining, there was little to worry about. No matter how strong the Demon King's army was, could they match a legendary hero? The Cerberus, which had grown by consuming demonic magical energy, would certainly not be outmatched.

'Thank goodness. At least our pain and wounds aren't being shared.'

Adelaide briefly sighed in relief upon seeing Lupinus's pale face. The thought that she might have lost his life to Abaddon's power had chilled her to the bone.

She must be more careful from now on. She recommitted herself to managing her life more prudently.

Meanwhile, Lupinus's expression turned icy as their eyes met.

Given Adelaide's current state, it was miraculous that she hadn't lost consciousness. Her skin, clothes, and even hair were completely stained with blood. Her skin was torn and burst in countless places, with no part left unscathed.

"...Was this his doing?"

A scorching energy seemed to explode from Lupinus. His golden eyebrows gleamed sharply. The bone-chilling killing intent made even Adelaide shudder.

Abaddon's frown deepened. A voice of rage escaped his dry lips.

"The experimental subject... was actually a legendary hero?"

Gasp. Adelaide inhaled sharply. He had identified Lupinus's identity just by reading his energy!

Though her demonic transformation had progressed significantly—to the point where she herself occasionally forgot he was a hero—it seemed the title of great demon was not merely honorary. The secret they had tried to hide was now completely exposed.

But Adelaide quickly composed herself.

In the past, she would have panicked, trembling at the approach of the Demon King's army. Now, she was different.

She had already crossed an irreversible line. The Demon King's army was approaching, and she was about to properly confront Abaddon, the Demon King's right-hand man. Since things had come this far, she would simply eliminate all witnesses by killing Abaddon and the Demon King's army.

"...How dare you mock me."

"Is it my fault that your power is inferior?"

'Eye of Truth', what a grandiose name for something so useless. Adelaide peeked out from behind Lisianthus, muttering sarcastically.

However, when an enormous demonic energy burst from Abaddon, she quickly hid her face again. Caladium let out a small, bitter laugh at her familiar reaction.

"Krrraaaaah!"

Uriel, who had been momentarily unconscious due to Lisianthus, regained consciousness and rose. She might have been better off lying quietly until her time was up, but having absorbed some of Herman's power, her recovery abilities seemed extraordinary.

The Demon King's army also drew closer, flapping their wings. When Adelaide's vision filled with their uniforms bearing the Demon King's crest, she swallowed hard.

The time to restart the war had come.

"I'll take Abaddon. You handle that monster."

Lisianthus stepped forward, speaking to Caladium. But Caladium was not one to obediently follow orders.

"No. I'll handle that bastard. And after that, I'll slice off your neck while you wait obediently."

Adelaide widened her eyes, unable to understand why he was suddenly so angry with Lisianthus. However, seeing Lisianthus smile satisfactorily, it seemed they had done something behind her back.

"Very well. Do that."

"If you can," Lisianthus added with a shameless chuckle.

Caladium's rage was obviously due to not being informed of Adelaide's safety. No, to be precise, it was because they had deliberately concealed it. He deserved some mental anguish for tormenting her.

And indeed, Lisianthus's intentions worked perfectly. Caladium had suffered immensely—far beyond mere "mental anguish". He had spent days and nights without eating or sleeping, tearing apart the entrance of Helheim searching for Adelaide. His weight loss and dark under-eye circles were testament to this.

Crack. Caladium ground his teeth harshly. He wanted nothing more than to kill that fox-like bastard first, but he forcibly suppressed his murderous intent. He needed to handle the priority tasks first.

A task postponed for nearly a hundred years: killing Abaddon.

Whoosh! His red clothing rapidly transformed into flames. The hair hanging below his ears now blazed like a crimson inferno.

The Great Demon of Crimson Flames.

Adelaide mumbled his nickname absent-mindedly. Once, she had thought it embarrassingly childish—and truthfully, she still found it somewhat juvenile. But the fact that he had returned again suddenly overwhelmed her, and tiny tears welled up.

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