The Damned Demon - Chapter 822

The holding cell was small, barely large enough for a bed and a chair, yet its walls radiated suffocation.

Built with a dense, fortified alloy with imbued mana, it was meant to contain the most dangerous of beings. Yet inside, the prisoner looked anything but dangerous.

Anna sat slumped against the wall, her arms limp over her knees. The dim glow from the metal collar encircling her neck flickered faintly, its blue light casting shadows over her pale skin.

Her once sharp and untamed gaze had dulled into an abyss of despair and exhaustion.

She didn't know how much time had passed—days, weeks? It all blurred into an endless cycle of pain and silence.

She didn't even know why she was temporarily relieved from those wretched experiments and brought here to this cell.

The only sounds she heard were the distant murmurs of guards, the occasional mocking laugh from those who passed by her cell, and her own thoughts whispering cruel truths she couldn't escape.

When would this torture end?

Did she even deserve to escape this hell?

Her thoughts wandered to the last conversation she shared with him—the way Arthur had looked at her. How his anger burned through his eyes, how his voice trembled with pain, how his entire being crumpled.

And worst of all—

She couldn't even blame him.

She had lied to him.

She had betrayed his trust.

Her body trembled as she clenched her jaw, fighting against the ache in her chest.

She thought of Cila and her friends...Were they okay? Or had they been killed because she failed to obey the monsters?

Her fingers tightened into fists. She had to know if they were still alive.

Even if she didn't deserve freedom, they did.

Then suddenly—

A feeling.

A sensation unlike any of the hateful stares she had grown used to.

A familiar warmth brushed against her senses—a gaze.

Slowly, she lifted her head, her hollow eyes widening.

Arthur stood outside her cell.

His golden armor gleamed even under the bright lights, his white cape flowing gently behind him.

But his expression—it made her heart twist.

His lips parted, as if he wanted to speak, but no words came.

She could see the storm in his eyes. Pain. Confusion. Conflict.

"...A-Arthur..." Anna's voice came out weak, almost a whisper, as she pushed herself up slightly.

Arthur stiffened. His fingers curled into his palms.

He wanted to speak.

To say something—anything.

But the words died in his throat.

What was he supposed to say?

That he still cared?

That he was angry?

That he didn't know what to do?

He had come here thinking he could find some answers, but now, standing before her, seeing how frail and weak she looked, seeing the device around her neck—

It felt wrong.

It felt like he was the one breaking.

But before he could gather his thoughts—

A voice rang out from behind him, obnoxiously cheery.

"Hey there, Star Prince! What a surprise to see you here, little buddy."

Arthur's brows twitched in irritation before he could switch his expression back to neutrality.

Turning, he saw a man approaching with a crooked grin, a metal walking stick in his hand.

Lenny.

But something was off.

Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed him.

Lenny no longer looked young.

His once-silky hair was graying, balding at the crown, his skin pale and wrinkled like a man in his late sixties rather than his forties. But more than that—

Arthur's eyes locked onto the metal plate embedded in Lenny's chest, glowing with a radiant green light, wires extending into his body.

"What happened to you?" Arthur asked, feigning mild curiosity, "I thought you were arrested."

Lenny chuckled, shaking his head. "Heh, that's what all those bastards thought. But guess what?" He grinned wider. "My old buddy Derek knew he still needed me and brought me here. Said I could do some 'humanitarian service' to make up for my crimes."

Arthur clenched his teeth, disgust curling in his gut.

Derek had freed this monster.

Lenny smirked as he continued, "The only bummer is that I was assigned to work under that stupid doctor bitch, Lila. As if she's better than me. But you know what? I was the mastermind behind Eternum. And guess what?"

His fingers tapped the metal plate on his chest.

"I even took the noble step of testing it on myself. And look what I got for it!"

Arthur said nothing, though his fists clenched behind his back.

Lenny suddenly leaned closer, lowering his voice. "I never liked you before, kid, but now?" Lenny licked his lips as he added, "I feel like I like you a lot." His gaze had something creepy and eerie that made Arthur feel even more uncomfortable.

He simply stared coldly, not responding to his nonsense.

Lenny's smirk widened before his eyes flicked toward the cell.

"Ohhh, I see," he chuckled darkly. "You were here to see this demon bitch, weren't you? The one who broke your heart?"

Arthur didn't flinch, but Lenny continued, "Did you know? She could induce feelings of love just by touch? Most people have no idea that her speed wasn't the only dangerous thing about her."

Arthur's eyes flickered slightly.

His chest felt tight.

Had he been manipulated? How many people around him were fooling him?

Anna couldn't hear what Lenny said, but she felt Arthur's sudden change.

She saw the hurt, the doubt, the disappointment cloud his hazel eyes.

Her breath caught in her throat.

"I bet you want to see her getting punished, huh?" Lenny said, a sinister gleam in his eye.

Arthur had enough of him and was about to say something-

But Lenny simply smirked and pressed a button on his wrist screen.

"First round is on me!"

A blinding red glow flared from the metal collar around Anna's neck.

Then—

"AAAHHH!!"

Anna's body jerked violently as excruciating pain exploded through her.

She collapsed to the floor, her limbs spasming uncontrollably as the light on her collar turned blood-red.

Her cries of agony despite being muffled by the cold walls, pierced through them.

Arthur's entire body stiffened in horror.

All the emotions, the doubt, the confusion—vanished. Instead what filled him was pain and anger.

"Hey! Stop it!" Arthur turned to Lenny with suppressed fury, "You can't kill a prisoner!" Arthur always had a feeling Lenny was twisted but why did he seem so deranged than ever?

Lenny sighed as if Arthur was overreacting, though his eyes subtly narrowed as if observing Arthur.

"Relax, buddy." He smirked, "Obviously, I won't kill her. Just injecting her body with a few wisps of radiant mana, making sure it circulates properly."

Anna screamed again, her body convulsing.

Arthur's heart clenched.

Lenny added with a chuckle, "We'll patch her up before she dies. This is just a little favor for you. You can thank me later with a nice drink."

Arthur's entire body trembled with rage.

This was worse than demons.

This was monstrous.

Arthur's fists clenched so tightly that his nails bit into his palms, his whole body screaming at him to end Lenny here and now.

One strike.

That's all it would take.

He could stop Anna's suffering.

He could silence the mocking voice of this disgusting man forever.

But then—

Through the sheer torrent of agony, he saw her.

Anna, barely conscious, her dark gray eyes moist and trembling, managed to lift her head just enough to meet his gaze.

Don't.

Her expression—fragile yet firm—spoke louder than words ever could.

She knew what he was thinking.

Even through the pain, through the torment that was slowly eating away at her, she could read him as easily as she always had.

She could see his rage, his guilt, his desperation to do something. He was the kind of man who would never sit still when someone suffers.

And despite everything, she didn't want him to.

She still cared about him.

And she was afraid.

Not for herself.

For him.

She bit down on her lip hard, suppressing the unbearable pain, refusing to give this ugly monster any more satisfaction and not let it affect Arthur.

Blood dripped down the corner of her lips.

Arthur's heart clenched.

"Wow," Lenny chuckled, amused, tapping idly on his wrist device. "She's got some crazy pain tolerance, don't you think? Maybe there should be more settings to play with."

Arthur's whole body shook, his breath ragged.

He wanted to tear him apart.

He wanted to make him suffer.

But—

He couldn't.

Not yet.

Not now.

He could see what Anna was trying to tell him silently.

Slowly, his fists unclenched.

His entire being screamed at him to fight, but he forced himself to exhale.

If he fought back now—

He wouldn't just lose against Derek.

He would doom Anna and everyone else.

His expression darkened, his eyes turning cold.

"I'm done here," Arthur said, his tone void of emotion, "This was a waste of time."

Then, without looking back, he turned around and walked away.

"Hey, leaving already?" Lenny called after him, mock disappointment dripping from his voice. "But we were just getting to the good part!"

Arthur ignored him.

He kept walking.

And with every step, he buried his rage deeper.

With every breath, he forced himself to not turn around.

Because if he did—

He wouldn't be able to stop himself.

But her cries still echoed in his head.

And he hated himself for walking away.

-

Arthur walked through the bright halls of the facility, his movements mechanical, his mind an endless whirlwind of emotions.

Frustration.

Pain.

Helplessness.

His heart was pounding.

Not from battle, not from exertion—

From restraint.

He had never felt so powerless.

Anna was suffering—right there.

And he did nothing.

He had to clench his teeth to stop himself from screaming in frustration.

How many times had she gone through that already?

How much pain had she endured alone while he—he, the fool who once thought himself righteous—had been standing on the wrong side?

Even if she truly manipulated him into loving her...he didn't care about it anymore.

A bitter taste filled his mouth.

She never had a choice.

She was raised in darkness, controlled, and twisted into a weapon.

And yet, even then—she still had some good in her.

He could feel it.

He had seen it.

That can't be fake.

But what could he do?

His grandparents were under surveillance by Derek.

His allies—Grace, Amelia, Yui, and Remy—were captured.

And his father—Cedric, the Golden Prince, Hellbringer—was gone.

Arthur felt lost.

For the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do.

But as he walked through the halls, his mind racing, he was suddenly pulled back to reality.

A soft chime echoed from a small communicator device on his wrist.

He stopped.

A voice called out to him.

"Sir, the Judge wishes to speak with you."

Arthur turned his gaze toward the assistant who had approached him.

His mind reeled.

The Judge?

Arthur's brows furrowed slightly before he gave a slow nod.

"...Alright," he said, his voice steady.

The Judge had never summoned him personally before.

Did this mean—

Arthur exhaled.

Maybe there was still hope.