Chapter 6

I barely managed to drag my exhausted body back to my nest a small studio apartment barely ten pyeong wide.

Once home, I couldn’t even make it to the bed. I simply collapsed face-first onto the floor.

“What the hell have I done….”

The memories of losing control under the influence of the Heart of the Demon were still vivid.

The pleasure that came from the demon’s power was truly overwhelming.

The ever-rising tide of strength gave me the illusion that I could do anything a godlike omnipotence.

Had I not come to my senses after the White Witch’s strike and torn the Heart of the Demon away from me, it would’ve been a catastrophe.

Thankfully, no one at the scene had died.

That alone was nothing short of a miracle.

This incident made me realize once again the harsh truth of my reality.

This place I was trapped in wasn’t a game anymore it was another reality entirely.

If I hadn’t been able to resist the Heart of the Demon’s temptation and killed them all…

Would I have been able to live with it?

Unlike the consequence-free indulgence of a game, this “game turned real” demanded accountability for every action.

It had been a mistake one born from blind faith in my own knowledge and experience.

I should have been more cautious.

And yet… something about it felt strange.

Even in Become a Hero, countless Demons who had taken in the Heart of the Demon appeared.

Their damage and patterns would grow grotesque, sure but none of them underwent the kind of drastic transformation I had.

It felt as if I were being assimilated with the original owner of the heart the Demon itself.

Right… this sensation was similar to when I had received those inherited memories recently.

The only difference was that, during memory inheritance, I had been the one doing the absorbing. But when using the Heart of the Demon, it felt like I was being absorbed instead.

Without realizing it, my existence blurred my will was manipulated by an outside force and that made it all the more terrifying, because I wasn’t even aware of the change while it happened.

I opened one of the drawers in my small desk.

There was nothing good to be gained from keeping it, and for me, it was far too dangerous.

Getting rid of it quickly would be the wiser choice.

Inside the drawer were several purple gemstones, each about half the size of a fist.

They were the Gate Stones I had used to escape this place.

I picked up the one that shimmered with a particularly dark hue.

As I gripped it tightly, a cracking sound echoed fine fractures began to spread through the stone.

At the same time, a small fissure appeared in the air.

The crack carved itself into space, widening until it was roughly the size of a human head.

Reality distorted, and beyond it appeared a colorless void.

[Heh, heh, heh…….]

A laugh came from beyond the broken space an unsettling, raspy laugh, like metal scraping against metal.

The mere sound of it sent shivers down my spine.

“I brought the Heart of the Demon, as ordered.”

The moment I finished speaking, a long, pale arm shot out from the fissure and grabbed the Heart of the Demon.

Like an appraiser fondling a precious gem, the arm stroked and examined it several times before, seemingly satisfied, caressed it one last time.

Then, the bony arm withdrew into the fissure, taking the heart with it.

Soon after, that eerie voice spoke again.

[……More.]

“What?”

[That…… can’t be…… all…….]

“I was ordered to bring only the Heart of the Demon.”

[You…… used…… it, didn’t you…… The master…… desires…… a heart…… untainted…….]

Don’t tell me… this thing was complaining because I used the heart’s power?

The audacity of it nearly made me laugh.

After all the hell I went through to retrieve the Heart of the Demon, now it demanded even the spoils that were rightfully mine?

That was crossing the line.

“Get lost. The Heart of the Demon is all you’re getting.”

[…You’ll…… regret…… this…….]

The fissure sealed itself, and the room returned to normal.

Damn bastards.

Might as well have asked me to squeeze blood from a flea.

I glared at the space where the crack had been, then sat down at my desk.

Out of habit, I opened my laptop the familiar blue screen greeted me.

【Achievement Unlocked! — Your willpower in resisting the temptation of immense power is worthy of reverence!】

【Resistance +2】

【You now resist most status ailments. Resistance to these effects is determined by your special stat: Resistance.】

【Achievement Unlocked! — You have ascended to a greater state and are worthy of awe.】

【Though your power has faded, the path you once walked is easier to reclaim. Growth rate increased until that power is regained.】

【Magic +2, Intelligence +5】

【You have used the Heart of the Demon.】

【Skill 【Lamb】(SS) reacts to demonic power.】

【【Lamb】(SS) hungers for the power of the Heart of the Demon.】

【New Authority added to usable list: “Restoration.”】

“What the hell is this?”

Lines of text began flooding the screen so fast I could barely keep up.

Stat increases from achievements, growth buffs — but what really caught my eye was the new Authority added to 【Lamb】.

Could it be… that 【Lamb】 didn’t just borrow power from demons, but could also steal it?

I hurriedly opened the status window to check the list of Authorities.

【Lamb (SS)】

【Borrows Authorities through contracts with demons.】

【Usable Authority List】

【Dark Relic, Mighty Strength, Flames of Gehenna, Restoration (new!)】

I clicked on the glowing “Restoration” to check its details.

【Restores a designated state to its original form. Due to incomplete Authority, target is restricted to self.】

Even if it wasn’t perfect, it was still an immensely powerful skill.

That absurd regenerative ability I’d displayed while being controlled by the Heart of the Demon it all made sense now.

It meant I could use it again.

Could it be… that the skill 【Lamb】 didn’t just borrow demonic Authorities — but could also steal them?

‘So that’s why that pale bastard said what he did!’

If Lamb had stolen part of the Authority, then there was no way the Heart of the Demon could still contain its full power.

Just then, the blue screen on my laptop flickered again with a new notification.

【Achievement Unlocked! — You have defied the command of Pandemonium.】

【You succeeded in your mission, so no punishment will be given, but Pandemonium is displeased with your imperfect performance.】

“Tch. Pathetic bastards.”

My life had been hanging by a thread, and that was their response?

Whatever Pandemonium’s reaction, the outcome was satisfying enough.

My stats had increased, and I’d even acquired a new Authority.

Most of all, it pleased me that the Heart of the Demon they’d received was an incomplete, defective product.

The Heart of the Demon was an item that only appeared in the late stages of Become a Hero.

There was nothing good about letting it fall into their hands.

They were probably fuming right now.

And as for me…

After that battle, my body was in the worst possible condition.

The thrill of checking my rewards had briefly distracted me from the pain, but my stamina was rapidly hitting its limit.

My vision was darkening — it genuinely felt like I might die.

Clinging to consciousness, I activated the Authority of Restoration.

A faint warmth spread as my wounds began to heal then everything went black.

---

Hero Association, Korea Branch.

On the top floor of its headquarters, a young woman stood before a group of elderly bureaucrats, enduring their furious reprimands.

Before them, Yoo Iseo bowed her head like a criminal on trial.

“The Seoul Artifact Museum, our most secure facility, was breached! And one of its artifacts stolen! Do you even understand what that means?!”

“To think the stolen item was one displayed at the Sword Emperor’s Exhibition! Do you grasp the gravity of this?”

“And on top of that, you left a massive hole in the Academy grounds — have you lost your mind?”

Despite the palpable hostility and the booming voices aimed at her, Yoo Iseo’s expression didn’t waver. She simply listened in silence.

After all, she was used to their anger.

The youngest mid-tier Hero, the Student Council President of Sirius Academy, and the nation’s brightest prodigy.

A girl lauded as “Heaven’s Gift,” expected to become the next top-class Hero since the days of the first generation.

But for an eighteen-year-old girl, that burden was far too heavy.

Even so, she had always lived up to their expectations.

Because she had the talent and power to do so.

Thanks to that, the orphan who once had nothing could now live without envy.

She enjoyed things she never would have had otherwise.

In short, this was the price of that life.

Responsibility for what she had gained, and punishment for failing to meet their expectations.

So, Yoo Iseo steadied herself once more, letting the waves of hostility crash against her small frame.

When she finally stepped out of the conference room, a man approached her.

He walked with a slight limp, his face etched with concern.

“Are you alright? You haven’t even finished your treatment yet…”

“I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

Rejecting his attempt to help her, Yoo Iseo moved slowly on her own.

But as she saw his face, the demon’s words from earlier echoed in her mind.

‘You will weep tears of blood at a terrible betrayal and surrender yourself to evil.

You’ll fall and ruin everything, poor child. I bless your end.’

Betrayal.

A betrayal could only come from someone you trusted.

And there were very few people she truly trusted.

‘No… that’ll never happen.’

She shook her head, rejecting the words that clung to her thoughts like a curse, and hastened her steps.

The man frowned and grabbed her arm.

“You haven’t even finished your treatment!”

Startled by his sudden outburst, Yoo Iseo flinched.

“You were planning to go back to work without resting again, weren’t you?”

“…No.”

“Liar. I’ll take care of your tasks, so please get some rest and finish your treatment.”

Yoo Iseo stared at him.

He was about her height, with a delicate face — not the kind you’d call masculine.

But seeing the anger in his eyes, born out of worry for her, made her chest ache strangely.

“Thank you. But really, I’m fine. I can handle it.”

“You’re unbelievable!”

Suppressing the warmth that threatened to rise inside her, Yoo Iseo smiled faintly.

No, there was no way that demon’s words would ever come true.

Even entertaining such a thought about someone who cared for her was wrong.

Her smile looked sorrowful, almost fragile, and the man clenched his fists tightly.

Then, stepping back, he spoke with a colder tone.

“You’re always like this.”

“……”

“You try to shoulder everything alone not caring what happens to yourself.”

He no longer spoke to her with the warmth he usually did.

His voice was now formal, distant — the way a subordinate might address a superior.

It broke the promise they’d made: to speak comfortably when alone.

But that only meant he was truly angry.

Yoo Iseo brushed her hair back and let out a quiet sigh.

“Alright. I’ll get treated.”

“A wise decision.”

Even then, his tone was stiff, brimming with restrained frustration.

Finding it oddly endearing, Yoo Iseo chuckled softly.

“With the entrance ceremony coming up, there’ll be a lot to handle. I’ll be counting on you — Vice President.”

“…Yes.”

He was the one who had always stayed by her side.

The one who filled the void where family should have been.

One of the very few people she truly trusted.

That demon’s words had only been nonsense meant to shake her resolve.

Following his advice, Yoo Iseo obediently headed toward the infirmary never noticing the twisted smile forming on the man’s face as he watched her walk away.

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