As Leon made his way back down the castle, a small, satisfied smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Even in his own darkness, it seemed he could still bring a bit of light to others.
Descending from the rooftop, his thoughts lingered on the encounter with Evelina. A part of him felt satisfaction from bringing a glimmer of hope to someone drowning in despair. But another part of him—the darker, more cynical side—couldn't help but smirk at the irony of it all.
"Light, huh?" he muttered under his breath as he walked through the empty halls of the castle. "Maybe... or perhaps that light is meant to burn everything down. Or maybe even lure the hopeless person into a trap."
The world had always been a relentless adversary to him, seeing his potential as a threat rather than a gift. They sought the greatest archmage ever to exist, but their regard for him extended only as far as his utility. They saw him not as human but as a mere tool, a stepping stone to their own ambitions. His humanity was secondary to his power—a reality he had long come to accept with bitter resignation.
Leon remembered a time when he had stood before the gods, their celestial forms looming with an aura of fear and authority. He had seen it in their eyes, a flicker of unease. If he hadn't been the beacon of hope they desperately sought, they might have sought to end him long ago. Their desperation to keep him alive was a testament to their recognition of his immense potential, yet they still wielded their power to control him.
A mage's place in the universe was both revered and feared. Mages commanded respect, but they were also met with trepidation. Morgana's plight had been a stark example of this duality. Her groundbreaking research had been a monumental leap forward for human evolution—a discovery that could shift the balance of power. Yet, in the name of "morality," she faced unjust execution. The truth was that other races feared her research, understanding that it could make humanity too powerful and disrupt the precarious balance they had maintained for eons.
Leon himself had experienced this dynamic firsthand. The world was never kind to those who surpassed the boundaries set by the status quo. They wanted his brilliance but despised the very essence of his being. His powers, his intellect—these were the things that drew both admiration and fear. The respect he received was always tainted with an underlying dread, a fear of what he could become.
As Leon walked through the empty halls of the castle, he reflected on how the world had always sought to contain or eliminate what it could not control. He had become a pawn in a grand game where his value was only measured by what he could provide, not by who he truly was.
"Maybe they think they can hold me back," he thought, a smirk forming on his lips. "But they can't see the true power I possess. They wanted to use me, to harness my potential, but they never considered that I might rise above their expectations."
His thoughts turned to the grander vision forming in his mind. The world was flawed, corrupted by those who had betrayed him, by those who had grown comfortable in their power while they used him as a pawn. But they were weak—unable to see the true potential that lay before them.
"Lord of humanity?" he muttered, considering the title. "No... why stop there? The Lord of the world. That has a nice ring to it."
If a Demon Lord controls the demon race, what title should he bear if he controls all races? The idea thrilled him. To be the one who would not just rule humanity but to claim dominion over everything—the demons, the angels, all of creation.
He had the talent, the intellect, and now, the power. The Demon Empress's bloodline, the magic coursing through him—it was only a matter of time before he surpassed even the gods.
"No one will stop me. No... no one can stop me," Leon said, his voice filled with cold determination. "I'll mold this world into my image. Every kingdom, every race, they'll all bow to me. I'll be their lord... or their end."
The thought filled him with a heady sense of purpose, one that had been absent for so long. He wasn't just another mage anymore. He wasn't just a pawn in someone else's game. He was the one who would rewrite the rules.
Leon tried to settle into his bed, but the thought of his grand vision consumed him, swirling in his mind like wildfire. He could no longer hold it back. The idea of remaking the world, of bending everyone to his will—it was intoxicating. It was maddening.
A chuckle escaped his lips, soft at first, but it quickly grew louder. His body shook with laughter, an uncontrollable, maniacal sound that echoed through the dark, empty room. He clutched his stomach as if to contain it, but it was no use. The laugh spilled out, wild and unrestrained, filling the room with a sinister energy.
"Ha... ha... HAHAHAHA!" His laughter boomed, unhinged, reverberating through the stone walls of the castle. The sound was almost inhuman, a twisted mix of joy and madness.
The very thought of it—becoming the Lord of the world, shaping reality to his will—was too much, too perfect.
"Also, if you've been listening well enough, at least come out to say hi!" Leon cast [Binding Chain] toward a corner of the room, the glowing yellow chain snapping into the air and striking an invisible presence, revealing what lay hidden.
"Wah!" a startled girlish voice cried as the chain shackled her. The maid, who had been perfectly concealed, was now struggling in Leon's grasp, shocked that he had noticed her at all.
'I've slept through wars. Did you really think you could hide from me when even shapeless demons can't?' Leon watched as the maid trembled, her round glasses slipping from her face. He recognized her from his memory, though she was never an important figure in his life.
"Luna sent you?" he asked, tightening the chain. The maid gasped, her chest heaving as she struggled for breath.
"Y—Yes," she managed to pant, her voice weakening as the air in her lungs dwindled. Dizzy, she began to lose consciousness.
"As expected," Leon muttered, not loosening his spell. Instead, he reshaped the chains to bind her arms and legs, pinning her against the wall. His glowing black eyes darkened as he glared into hers, demanding answers.
"Who are you, and why are you here?" His voice was cold and ruthless, sending uncontrollable shivers through the maid's body before she finally fainted, slumping unconscious in front of him.
Or so she thought.
Within her dreams, she floated in darkness, as a normal person might while asleep. But suddenly, she awoke in a twisted dreamscape filled with torturous devices. She found herself bound by ropes, poised to be hanged.
"You still haven't answered my question." Leon's voice echoed through the warped space as he appeared before her, smiling like a devil, his presence dominating the dream. He had invaded her mind, and there was no escape.