Chapter 18 — A Demonstration of Concern
After a few hours of rest, Razan slowly opened his eyes. His vision was still blurry, but the first thing he saw was Loona's silhouette sitting beside him, her tail flicking restlessly behind her. As his sight cleared, he noticed the tension in her posture and the dark circles beneath her eyes.
Razan exhaled softly and said with a groggy smile,
"Good morning… I actually slept really well…"
He didn't even get to finish the sentence.
Loona's fist slammed into his shoulder—hard.
"That's not funny, you idiot! You almost died!" she shouted, her voice shaking between anger and fear. "Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?!"
The force of her emotions hit harder than the punch.
Looking at Loona—truly looking—Razan finally understood. Her trembling hands, her red eyes, the way she refused to look at him directly… She wasn't just angry. She had been terrified.
He was far more important to her than he had ever imagined.
With a slow movement, Razan lifted his hand and gently touched Loona's cheek. She didn't push him away, but she stiffened, unsure.
"I'm really sorry…" he said in a low voice. "I didn't mean to make you worry. I just couldn't stand seeing a mother risking her life to protect her daughter only to be rewarded with death… you know?"
Loona blinked, her expression softening a bit.
"Since I never had a mother—not even when I was human—when I saw her protecting her daughter like that, I thought: 'So a mother is really something that amazing… someone who, even in Hell, full of selfishness, would still give her life for her child.'"
The room fell silent. Dust floated in the air, illuminated by weak shafts of light sneaking through the broken windows of the abandoned factory. Loona looked at him, speechless. It was the first time she had ever heard him open his heart like that, exposing his vulnerable side without hesitation.
Razan, still weak, lifted his hand again and gently rubbed the base of Loona's ears—something he knew always calmed her down.
"You know…" he continued, voice softer, "when I was fighting Adam, the only moment I really felt fear was when I thought that, if I died, you'd be alone in this cruel, shitty world. So I did everything I could to keep our promise and come back alive."
Despite his injuries, he smiled at her.
Loona stared at that idiot. That reckless, infuriating, stubborn idiot who was still trying to make her feel better even though he was bruised, exhausted, and barely able to sit upright. She felt her throat tighten. How was she supposed to deal with someone like him? Someone who kept putting himself in danger and still managed to smile like that?
Her chest felt heavy with emotion—fear, anger, relief, gratitude—all tangled into one overwhelming knot. Without knowing how else to express any of it, she leaned down, pressed her lips gently against his cheek, and whispered:
"Welcome back."
Razan froze, eyes wide. Then, slowly, he smiled with a warmth he rarely showed.
"It's good to be home."
Even though the place they once lived had been completely destroyed, and even though they now had nowhere to go, it didn't matter. As long as Loona was there, he still had a place to return to.
Meanwhile, in Hell, news of the extermination traveled with the speed of wildfire.
Whispers filled the streets. Screens in demonic bars and nightclubs displayed fragments of the battle. Posters and sketches of Razan's dragon form were already spreading.
"The dragon boy who fought an angel…"
"Where is he now?"
"Where does he live?"
"Why would a demon fight an angel at all?"
"Is he strong enough to become an Overlord?"
Demons of every class—from the lowest imps to the strongest sinners—were discussing it loudly. Some were impressed. Some were terrified. Some thought it was hilarious.
And then came another rumor:
"He fought Adam to save people? Please. This is Hell. If he were that good-hearted, he'd be in Heaven. No demon does something like that."
Rumors mixed with lies. Lies mixed with exaggerations. No demon believed the idea that Razan acted out of compassion.
Meanwhile, in Heaven, Adam lay on a floating bed of divine light while being treated. Sera stood in front of him, arms crossed, wings folded neatly behind her back.
"What happened in Hell, Adam?" she asked calmly.
Adam groaned, annoyed.
"I met some bastard demon who caused me trouble when I was just about to finish the extermination in style."
"Did Lucifer interfere?" Sera pressed.
"No… that idiot is sticking to the agreement," Adam grumbled. "It was a demon I've never seen before."
Sera let out a slow breath.
"Well, recover first. Then we'll decide what to do about this demon you mentioned. For now, keep everything quiet. We don't want anyone knowing about the extermination."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Adam muttered, rolling his eyes.
Sera glanced at Lute and ordered:
"Make sure he doesn't cause any more trouble."
Lute simply nodded.
While Heaven and Hell were busy speculating about what a dangerous being like Razan wanted, the mighty "dragon boy" himself was lying with his head still resting on Loona's lap, staring up at the cracked ceiling of the factory.
Then a realization struck him like a falling brick.
"Loona…" he murmured. "Where are we sleeping tonight?"
Loona blinked once.
Then twice.
Then shrugged.
"Looks like… right here."
Razan stared at her.
Then stared at the ceiling.
Then sighed deeply.
He immediately regretted coming back.
And so, the incredibly powerful being who had shaken both Heaven and Hell ended up sleeping in an abandoned factory… simply because he had no roof over his head.