The Demon Lord was furious.

It was the anger of someone with grandiose plans who couldn't do anything.

For every good news he received, at least two bad ones followed.

The Seal that kept him inside the dungeon for a decade was no more.

His underlings didn't understand why he wouldn't set out for a Second World Conquest.

Not even his closest subordinates knew, that sealing the Gates of Hell was only the smaller issue.

A second Seal existed, though it would be more accurate to say, it was the first.

That witch, the First Bride grew too strong. He put too much trust in her, gave her independence, and even put her family back in charge of Nordhaben.

It was a mistake. Once her power rivaled him, she waited for the perfect opportunity to strike. Omega never saw it coming.

While he was busy putting out the fires that disaster caused, Ghisella got the chance she wanted.

She sealed his magic powers away with her blood magic, rendering him useless in the worst moment. Was she working with the Thirteenth Bride?

He never would have thought that Alexandra could betray him. But then, he didn't expect it from Ghisella either. The coincidences were too hard to swallow.

She learned teleportation, and to earn the right to deny him once more, she promised to expand the Gates. It was an offer too tempting to ignore.

Those Gates were ancient. Nobody understood how they worked and their capacity was low.

It could only take a few people at a time, and the destination changed every hour.

One of the Seven Gates was always dormant. The other six connected in random pairs, and these connections reset after a while. You couldn't predict where the gate will take you next.

If you wanted to visit a specific location, you might have had to wait half a day. And then get in line with the others desiring the same destination.

Alexandra's offer to expand the capacity and give more control was too good to pass. But for once, she wasn't lucky.

The Demon Lord almost celebrated, since it meant the Thirteenth Bride failed. She had no right to deny him any longer, but the following disaster kept him busy.

And that's when the First Bride made her move, and sealed his powers away. That worked out great for Alexandra too.

Well, they called her the Mistress of Luck for a reason. No. She became a Goddess now. She attained her status as a deity before he could. That's the Thirteenth Bride for you.

He gave her the benefit of the doubt, and as the Bride with her Banner the closest, she fought on his behalf.

She even promised to fix the Gates before Ghisella could breach the walls of the Capital. But she only made things worse.

True, the First Bride's forces never breached the walls. That's because they disappeared, together with the huge city he built from the ruins of old.

Again, was it deliberate or blind luck that he ended up in a dungeon with his closest allies?

It was too convenient for Ghisella, who put another Seal over him, that didn't break for a decade.

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But then Alexandra disappeared. This didn't help her case, or convince him of her innocence, so he did the only sensible thing. Excommunication.

It's not like it mattered at that point. The First Bride took over the Inquisition, tearing Nordhaben away from the Empire.

The other powerful kingdoms soon followed. All he had left were the monsters inside the dungeon.

And he was the only one who knew that even if they could escape this place, he'd be still weak.

He feared the moment the Seal would break as much as his underlings waited for it. He didn't idle around.

He must have reached the peak of what his overgrown body could achieve in its lifetime. Still, without his magic, he was weak.

He couldn't fight the First Bride without breaking the other Seal to unlock his powers.

And he needed her blood for that. Blood he couldn't hope to spill in his current state.

But it didn't have to be her blood. Anyone, who's close enough in her dynasty could work.

When the purple-haired bitch revealed herself, his first thought was to strangle her. He even forgot how much he longed for their blood.

It seemed like good news, he sent his men to apprehend the Princess of Nordhaben for the same reason.

He didn't expect her older sister to appear at her doorstep on the first night.

But his mood turned sour before he could settle his contradicting feelings and let the woman go. While she was the daughter of the Duke, she wasn't part of the same bloodline as Ghisella.

She was a bastard — now it seemed obvious why they would send her. Selena was of no use for him, other than venting his frustration, or that's what he thought.

That is until the girl began to talk.

"The Duke, my father is a mere puppet in Nordhaben now." Her voice still echoed in his mind.

"The First Bride rules the country from the shadows, and the people are starving. My father wishes to return under your rule, My Lord."

She talked about the mission he intercepted, and he learned about Alexandra's return. Did she break the Seal?

Which side she was on? He's been thinking about this for a week and still couldn't answer.

And then he lost contact with all his Champions, Dioneras, and every member. It looked like they were all wiped out.

Whatever was out there in this new world overpowered them after a decade passed.

Even if the Duke of Nordhaben was on his side — and only in secret — what could he do without his powers? Selena brought good news but was useless.

He needed her younger sister, Elizabeth, the insufferable brat. She was born not much before this ordeal, and her only purpose was to replace the First Bride once she became too old.

Now she disappeared too, gone without a trace. Was it Ghisella who wanted to get rid of her? She wasn't aging after all, not after she became a Saint.

It didn't matter. He needed their blood. Either of theirs. And it didn't matter how he got it.