Early in the morning, the Pluto estate was filled with a tense atmosphere.

It was all because Meteor had yet to wake up.

Reuben, Rearwin, and Miles had brought chairs to his bedside, sitting in silence as they anxiously awaited his recovery.

I was near them, my hands clasped tightly together in prayer.

Meteor, wake up! If you don’t, I’m going to be in big trouble!

It’s awkward enough that I’m the only one who’s perfectly fine.

Was my desperate, almost threatening prayer heard?

Just then, Meteor’s eyelids twitched. Rearwin caught the faint movement and immediately stood up.

“Mettie! Mettie, are you awake?”

She gently shook Meteor’s shoulders.

I held my breath, swallowing hard. The nearby servants also froze, their faces tense.

Could he finally be waking up?

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as I waited, every second feeling like an eternity. At last, Meteor’s pale eyelids lifted, revealing his radiant blue eyes.

The sunlight filtering through the thin curtains made his gaze sparkle like a transparent, lifeless gemstone.

He blinked a few times in confusion before suddenly sitting upright, startled.

“Meteor!”

“Mettie!”

Meteor’s bewildered eyes scanned the faces surrounding him, moving slowly from one to the next. He seemed utterly disoriented.

Finally, in a tone of disbelief, he muttered, “Am I alive?”

“Of course, you’re alive, Mettie!”

“Oh, Meteor, thank goodness you’ve woken up. Praise be to the God of Amas….”

Relief washed over Rearwin and Miles as they exhaled deeply. Reuben, too, let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Meteor stared at them for a moment before his expression shifted, as if he had just remembered something.

“Crescent! I was with Crescent. What happened to her?!”

It seemed he was only now recalling our time together in the Demon Realm.

I hesitated for a moment, then raised a hand and stepped forward.

“Here….”

“!”

Meteor’s eyes widened as he spotted me. Of course, he must’ve been worried about my safety too.

With concern, I asked, “Are you okay? Everyone’s been waiting for you to wake up.”

But Meteor barely registered my words as he urgently continued, “What happened? I remember being with you, but then… I think I blacked out.”

He sighed, clearly shaken, as if he hadn’t anticipated things turning out this way.

Judging by his reaction, it seemed he wasn’t aware that the Demon King had appeared at Aldred’s family cemetery.

While it was a relief he didn’t know, I couldn’t shake the discomfort that came with keeping secrets. It felt like the list of things I was hiding from him kept growing.

“That was inevitable,” I said, trying to sound casual. “We were basically in Aldred’s stronghold. She was a lot stronger than before.”

“What? Aldred? That demon showed up again?”

It wasn’t Meteor who responded, but Rearwin, who gasped in astonishment.

Her reaction was understandable; encountering the same demon twice wasn’t exactly common.

“Yes,” I replied. “She must’ve wanted revenge for what happened last time.”

“What happened to that demon? How did we make it back alive?”

Meteor pressed further, his voice filled with urgency.

Everyone else also focused intently on me, waiting for an explanation. Since Meteor had been unconscious for most of what transpired in the Demon Realm, I was the only one who knew the full story.

Taking a deep breath, I began, “We got lucky. I nearly died too—Aldred was way out of my league. You were unconscious, so you can imagine how helpless I was. She definitely intended to kill us. But then, another demon appeared, one that seemed to have a grudge against Aldred.”

“What? Another demon appeared?”

Meteor’s shock was palpable, and Rearwin gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

The revelation that there had been not one but two demons was shocking to everyone.

Of course, I couldn’t tell them that the second “demon” was the Demon King—or that the Demon King was also my father.

Uncomfortably, I crafted a version of events that skirted the full truth.

“…Yeah. It seemed like that demon had a personal vendetta against Aldred. It attacked her, and she ended up unconscious. I used the opportunity to throw the family heirloom, and luckily, it worked. Aldred was killed, and a portal opened. That’s how I managed to bring you back.”

“…I see….”

Meteor was momentarily at a loss for words, processing what I’d just told him.

Was that explanation coherent enough?

Technically, I hadn’t lied. The Demon King did appear, and my father’s soul did temporarily take control to save me. I had simply left out those details.

Meteor finally broke the silence, his voice soft but resolute.

“…So, you’re the one who saved me?”

“Huh?”

What was he saying all of a sudden?

I blinked, perplexed. It felt like a stretch to say that I had saved him—it had all been pure luck.

“Well, not exactly,” I stammered. “I just got lucky with the timing. Besides, you’re the one who pushed yourself to the limit to protect me. You knew amplifying your divine power would knock you out.”

“I didn’t expect to lose consciousness that quickly,” Meteor admitted with a small sigh. “The bones that emerged from the gravesite—they were infused with highly toxic Magi. I think I blacked out while trying to purify them.”

“What? Really?”

That was news to me.

He’d nearly died, and yet he’d still managed to purify poison? That was incredible.

The healing priest interjected, “Yes, we found traces of toxic Magi in his system. The sheer amount of it must have required him to use unprecedented levels of divine power. It’s remarkable that he survived. His recovery is a testament to his resilience.”

“…I see….”

Meteor nodded slightly, processing the priest’s words. He must’ve instinctively pushed himself beyond his limits to survive.

“Thank goodness, Mettie!”

Rearwin suddenly threw her arms around him, and Miles’ eyes grew misty.

It seemed they had genuinely feared the worst for Meteor.

Reuben, who had been silently observing, finally spoke.

“You’ve done well, Meteor. Returning safely has upheld the honor of the Pluto family.”

“…No. If it weren’t for Crescent, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”

Meteor let out a deep breath, and at his words, Reuben turned to look at me. Rearwin and Miles followed suit, as did the other servants in the room.

Their gazes all conveyed the same emotion: gratitude and admiration.

You saved our Meteor. We’re so moved and proud of you!

No!

I couldn’t accept that kind of praise. Shaking my head, I stammered, “No, that’s not it! I only threw the heirloom—that’s all. And it’s something the Duke gave me in the first place.”

Reuben approached me silently, his demeanor serious.

“Regardless, it was your quick thinking in the Demon Realm that opened the portal. Meteor did everything he could to survive, but ultimately, we have you to thank for bringing him home.”

Rearwin nodded, her eyes glistening with tears.

“Exactly, Crescent. You’ve not only helped me and Father but also saved my son, Mettie. You’ve become a true benefactor to our family. Thank you so much.”

I wanted to protest, to insist that it wasn’t like that. But the atmosphere made it impossible to speak up.

“You’re a savior. Truly.”

“No, really, I—”

“Crescent, you’re undeniably a benefactor of the Pluto family!”

“Yes, Father, absolutely!”

“…!”

What?

The room had suddenly unified into a chorus of agreement.

Was this really happening?

Their faces were all filled with overwhelming emotion as they looked at me.

Feeling utterly at a loss, I glanced at Meteor, hoping for help—but it was a mistake.

His expression had grown deeper, more thoughtful.

…Oh no. You too?