Chapter 207: The Place He Returned To (1)

When Ketal left Elfo Sagrado, a group of Ferderica’s followers—led by Riltara—were still in pursuit. They eventually reached the City of Merfolk.

With the Anomaly of the Demon Realm now gone, they encountered little resistance entering the city. There, Riltara and her companions met Kukulitan, the leader of the city. Riltara’s first question was straightforward.

“Has someone named Ketal been here?” she asked him.

Kukulitan nodded. “Yes, he came. He’s already left, though.”

“Do you know where he went?”

Kukulitan hesitated, then shook her head. “I’m... sorry. I don’t know the details.”

“I see,” Riltara replied, her voice carefully neutral.

However, even as Kukulitan answered, Riltara sensed he wasn’t telling her everything. The merfolk leader knew where Ketal had gone—he just wasn’t willing to say. Riltara felt the urge to press him for information, to demand the truth, but she held back. Kukulitan was a merfolk, not someone to threaten or coerce.

Accepting this small victory, Riltara turned to leave. However, just as she was about to go, she paused and glanced back.

“May I ask one last thing?” she said.

“What is it?” Kukulitan replied politely.

“What exactly did that barbarian do while he was here?”

Kukulitan answered without hesitation. “He helped us.”

Riltara’s eyes narrowed. “I see.”

“You may know this already,” Kukulitan continued, “but our city had fallen to the Demon Realm’s apes. Many survivors were trapped inside, waiting for death. That’s when Ketal appeared!”

Kukulitan’s words tumbled out, his voice filled with respect and admiration. “He and his companions saved us. They asked for nothing in return, not even after defeating the demonic monsters. Even during the city’s reconstruction, Ketal stayed and helped, never expecting any reward. Truly... he’s an extraordinary person.”

“I see...,” Riltara muttered, her mind in turmoil.

She was chasing Ketal because of a divine command—a vision from her god. Such a revelation could only mean that Ketal was a threat to the world, an enemy that needed to be confronted. Yet everywhere she went, she found the same thing: people spoke of Ketal in glowing terms, not just as a friend, but as a savior.

No wonder the people of Kalosia had looked at her with such hostility—she was hunting down the very person they owed their lives to. Riltara finally understood their reactions, and that realization made her falter.

Kukulitan, watching her, spoke softly. “You’re chasing after Ketal, aren’t you?”

Riltara hadn’t told Kukulitan that she was pursuing Ketal under orders from her god. Kukulitan had simply assumed she had some personal reason.

“Yes,” Riltara replied, her voice subdued.

Kukulitan’s expression grew gentle. “I understand you might have misunderstood him based on appearances, but Ketal truly is a remarkable person. If there’s some kind of misunderstanding, I hope you’ll be able to clear it up if you meet him.”

“Thank you,” Riltara said, her gaze dropping lower.

***

The world was descending into chaos. Evil had emerged, the Demon Realm’s monsters were spreading, and kingdoms were collapsing. Capitals were under siege, and even the churches were not safe from attack. Events that should only happen once in a generation were happening all at once, shaking society to its core.

Food prices soared, and armor and other protective gear vanished from shops almost overnight.

Amidst the turmoil, the Denian Kingdom’s leading merchant family, the Akasha family, was busier than ever. At the center of it all was Milayna Akasha, working so frantically she barely slept. She had bags under her eyes as she pored over shipment logs and contracts.

It was another sleepless night in her office when someone knocked at her door.

“Come in,” she called, not looking up.

A guard entered, hesitating slightly. “Lady Milayna, you have a visitor.”

Milayna frowned. “A visitor? I gave strict orders not to let anyone in.”

The world was in chaos, and she had a great deal of wealth—making her a target for desperate petitioners. Lately, so many people had come seeking loans or favors that she’d simply stopped seeing anyone.

The guard stammered, “I—I thought you should know anyway.”

“Who is it?” she asked him, her voice sharp.

He gave the name, and Milayna’s eyes widened in shock.

***

“Ketal! You’re here!” Milayna exclaimed, her fatigue vanishing as she greeted him.

Ketal gave her a warm smile. “It’s good to see you again. You look like you’ve been through a lot.”

“Life’s been madness lately,” Milayna replied, shaking her head with a weary grin.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you when you’re busy,” Ketal said.

“Not at all. For you, my doors are always open. I’m glad you came,” she said, genuinely welcoming him.

The guard, who’d brought Ketal in, felt a wave of relief. This was the same guard who, on Ketal’s first visit to the Akasha estate, had tried to chase him away. Recognizing the barbarian, the guard had hurried to inform Milayna. He was glad he’d done the right thing this time.

Milayna turned to the guard. “Thank you for your good judgement. What’s your name?”

“Brand, my lady.”

“I’ll remember it, Brand.”

“Thank you!” he replied, beaming.

With that, Milayna led Ketal into the reception room.

“So, how have you been?” Ketal asked her as they settled in.

“Well, as you can imagine, things have been hectic,” she admitted, letting out a long sigh.

Two named demons had descended on the capital, leaving the city half-ruined. Many had died, and the kingdom was still reeling from the aftermath. To make matters worse, the government had seized much of the Akasha family’s assets to deal with the crisis.

It was understandable, but devastating—especially since Milayna’s main business was banking. With so many clients going bankrupt, she’d suffered huge losses. Still, she managed to survive, and when things began to stabilize, the kingdom started returning confiscated property as a reward for her support. Seizing that opportunity, Milayna worked hard to restore her family’s fortunes. Now, most of the major problems had been resolved, though a few minor issues lingered.

“I’m glad to see things are looking up,” Ketal said.

“It’s been rough, but I managed,” she replied with a tired but satisfied smile.

“And you?” she asked him. “How have you been?”

“My time hasn’t been as busy as yours, I’d say,” Ketal replied with a wry grin.

He proceeded to share his own adventures: stopping the descent of a demon in Kalosia’s holy land, dealing with the demon apes that had overrun the City of Merfolk, meeting the High Elf Queen at the elven sacred ground, and helping to drive back the invading demons and protect the World Tree from corruption.

“Wait, what?” Milayna’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “Are you serious?”

“I have no reason to lie,” Ketal replied.

“That’s not what I mean, it’s just...” Milayna trailed off, unable to process it all.

In just a few months, Ketal had stopped not one, but two demonic invasions, and eliminated an entire group of Anomalies from the Demon Realm. It was hard to believe, even hearing it from him directly. If Ketal’s deeds became widely known, the continent would revere him as a hero—his name would be sung far and wide.

“Ketal, are you... aiming to be a Hero or something? Is it your mission to save the world?”

“Not really. I just follow what interests me, and things happen along the way.” Ketal replied, shrugging. He continued, “By the way, I ran into Arkemis at the elven sacred ground. I thought you’d want to know. She’s doing well.”

Milayna’s face softened. She and Arkemis were close—one could even call them friends. Ketal’s news put her at ease.

“That’s a relief. Her personality’s always been... unique. I was worried about how she’d fit in.”

“She seems fine,” Ketal assured her.

“Is that the only reason you came?” Milayna asked him, smiling gratefully.

“It’s part of the reason, but not the only one,” Ketal said, meeting her eyes.

He regarded the woman before him—the head of the Akasha family, the most powerful merchant family in the Denian Kingdom.

“You’re a merchant, so you’re probably more aware than anyone of what’s happening in the world right now. You have access to all sorts of information.”

Milayna nodded. “That’s true.”

“Then could you tell me?” Ketal asked her. “What’s the state of the world right now, especially regarding the invasion of evil?”

***

Until now, Ketal hadn’t paid much attention to the affairs of the continent. He preferred to travel freely, exploring new places for his own enjoyment. However, lately, things had gotten so chaotic that even he could no longer ignore them. Demons and Anomalies from the Demon Realms seemed to appear everywhere he went.

It was obvious they were targeting him. Even the entities from the White Snowfield could emerge at any time. The world’s chaos was beginning to affect Ketal personally. So, he needed real information.

That was why he had sought out Milayna. She took a moment to compose herself before speaking.

“When you say

the state of the world

, what exactly do you mean?” she asked him.

“Anything—general trends or specific incidents,” Ketal replied. “Whatever you know.”

Milayna nodded and began. “As you know, the demons are targeting the Mortal Realm. The Anomalies from the Demon Realm are also appearing outside their usual haunts.”

All this chaos had left the world in turmoil, and small villages near the Demon Realms were evacuated in a hurry. Food prices soared, and people from outlying regions flocked to the capital.

“All the churches are taking emergency measures, too,” Milayna continued. “The demons are invading the Mortal Realm. The gods should be responding more forcefully, but so far, there’s been little sign of intervention. The faithful are trying their best to act on their own.”

“So far, there were only two Demon Realms where Anomalies had emerged from: the Forest of Nothingness and the Deep Sea. Well, three if you count the White Snowfield and yourself, Ketal.”

“There haven’t been any other Anomalies?” Ketal asked her, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

“None so far,” Milayna replied.

So, the other Demon Realms haven’t emerged?

Ketal thought.

Is it that only three of them—the White Snowfield, the Forest of Nothingness, and the Deep Sea—had their restrictions lifted?

“It’s unsettling, not knowing when the others might appear. I heard the Empire has sent soldiers to watch over every Demon Realm. At least that’s something.”

“So, the Empire is focused on the Demon Realms,” Ketal said.

“Yes, though they seem less concerned about the demons themselves. Still, their presence may be keeping the Anomalies in check.”

“Wait—the Empire isn’t paying attention to the demons?”

Milayna shook her head. “That’s right. They claim they don’t have the resources to help with anything else. With the continent’s strongest force staying silent, the chaos just gets worse.”

“Do you know why they’re not getting involved?” Ketal asked her.

“No one does. Maybe they’re focused on containing the Demon Realms. After all, the number of Anomalies emerging is relatively low—maybe thanks to the Empire’s efforts.”

Ketal nodded. “I see.”

The Empire was ignoring the demons, focusing only on the Demon Realms’ threats.

“So, I have a good sense of what’s happening with the Anomalies. What about the demons themselves?” Ketal pressed.

“As you know, the demons are actively invading the Mortal Realm,” Milayna answered.

Ketal had already thwarted four demonic invasions—no small feat. His presence had disrupted the demons’ plans, but he couldn’t be everywhere at once. The world was too big, and there were places he couldn’t reach.

“In some cases, the demons succeeded,” Milayna said somberly. “The Dwarven Cave of Mantamia, where a meteorite that fell thousands of years ago is kept, was attacked and looted by demons.”

“Also, the Fairy Village of Pisarapia, where it was said to contain all the world’s mysteries. The Primordial Essence of Purity, preserved since the dawn of time, was corrupted and stolen by demons.”

There have been plenty of other losses—treasures that kingdoms guarded for generations, national heirlooms, all taken by the invaders.

Milayna continued, sighing, “I don’t know how they found these hidden treasures, but they targeted them one after another. The world feels unstable, Ketal.”

“They only go after the most precious things,” Ketal noted.

“I think their goal is...” Milayna hesitated.

“The resurrection of the Demon King,” Ketal finished for her.

“Yes.” Milayna gulped, her expression tense.

The King of All Demons, the Lord of Hell, and the enemy of the gods—these titles alone piqued Ketal’s interest. He realized that the demons were gathering sacrifices to summon the Demon King’s descent.