T
he voice disappeared.
But its final words remained inside Cecilia's mind.
You've come home.
Cecilia stood before the throne without moving.
The purple light reflected in her eyes.
Around her, hundreds of demons remained on their knees.
No one dared speak.
Except Leviathan.
"Cecilia."
His voice was quieter than usual.
She looked at him.
For a moment, she saw something strange in his expression.
Fear.
Not fear of her.
Fear for her.
"Are you still you?"
Cecilia smiled faintly.
"That's a difficult question."
Leviathan stepped closer.
"You're Cecilia."
"Yes."
"You're not Eisteth."
Her smile disappeared.
"I don't know."
Cifer suddenly laughed.
It wasn't his usual arrogant laugh.
It was bitter.
Almost exhausted.
"So it finally happened."
Cecilia turned toward him.
"You knew."
Cifer didn't answer.
"You knew this would happen."
"I knew the possibility existed."
"You knew the throne remembered Eisteth."
"Yes."
"And you never told me."
Cifer's eyes darkened.
"Because if I told you, you would have searched for the answer."
"And?"
"And you would have awakened her sooner."
The room became silent again.
Cecilia slowly walked toward Cifer.
"Then tell me."
She stopped directly in front of him.
"Who was Eisteth?"
Cifer looked at her.
"The Empress of Hell."
"That isn't enough."
"She ruled before me."
"Why did she disappear?"
Cifer's expression hardened.
"She didn't disappear."
Cecilia's eyes narrowed.
"What happened?"
Cifer looked toward the throne.
"She was sealed."
"By whom?"
He didn't answer.
Cecilia's voice became colder.
"By whom, Cifer?"
Finally—
Cifer whispered:
"By me."
Leviathan's eyes widened.
Several nobles gasped.
Cecilia stared at him.
"You sealed me?"
"No."
Cifer shook his head.
"I sealed Eisteth."
"Same body."
"Not the same person."
Cecilia's fingers tightened.
"Explain."
Cifer took a breath.
"Eisteth wasn't simply the ruler of Hell."
He looked at the throne.
"She was the source of its authority."
The purple flames surrounding the throne suddenly flickered.
Cifer continued.
"When Eisteth ruled, Hell didn't need a king."
"It had an Empress."
"Every demon's contract, every punishment, every law…"
"All of it passed through her."
Cecilia stared at the throne.
"And you?"
"I was the one who tried to stop her."
"Why?"
Cifer's eyes met hers.
"Because Eisteth wanted to destroy Hell."
Leviathan immediately stepped forward.
"That doesn't sound like her."
Cifer turned toward him.
"You never knew her."
Leviathan's voice became sharp.
"Neither do you."
Cifer smiled coldly.
"You're right."
Then he looked at Cecilia.
"Because the woman standing here isn't the woman I fought."
Cecilia felt something inside her chest tighten.
A memory flashed.
A throne.
Blood.
A burning city.
Someone screaming her name.
Then—
A woman's hand covered in blood.
And a voice.
Run.
Cecilia stumbled backward.
Leviathan caught her.
"Cecilia!"
She pressed a hand against her head.
"I saw something…"
"What?"
"A city."
Her breathing became uneven.
"Everything was burning."
Cifer's face changed.
"What did you see?"
Cecilia looked at him.
"You."
Cifer froze.
"You were holding a sword."
Silence.
"You were standing in front of Eisteth."
Cifer closed his eyes.
Cecilia continued.
"And she was smiling."
Leviathan looked at Cifer.
"What happened?"
Cifer remained silent.
Cecilia whispered:
"She told you something."
Cifer slowly opened his eyes.
"What did she say?"
Cecilia's expression changed.
She repeated the words she had heard in the memory.
"If you seal me…"
Her violet eyes glowed brighter.
"…don't let them wake me."
Cifer's face went pale.
The throne suddenly shook.
BOOM!
A crack spread across its surface.
Then another.
And another.
Purple energy burst from inside it.
The ancient voice returned.
"Memory restored."
Cecilia looked up.
"Seal condition: broken."
Cifer stepped backward.
"No…"
"Empress authority: 3%."
The demons screamed.
The number changed.
5%.
8%.
12%.
Leviathan pulled Cecilia away from the throne.
"Stop it!"
But the throne didn't listen.
"Eisteth awakening."
Cecilia's body suddenly went still.
Her violet eyes turned completely black.
Leviathan froze.
"Cecilia?"
She didn't respond.
A second voice came from her mouth.
Calm.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
"It's been a long time."
Cifer stared at her.
"Eisteth."
The woman smiled.
"Hello, Cifer."
Leviathan's hand tightened around his weapon.
But before he could move—
Cecilia blinked.
Her violet eyes returned.
She looked at Cifer.
Then at Leviathan.
Then down at her own hands.
"What…"
She whispered.
"I heard her."
Leviathan moved closer.
"Who?"
Cecilia looked toward the throne.
"Me."
The throne went dark.
Every flame in the room extinguished.
And from somewhere deep beneath Hell—
a gigantic bell rang.
DONG.
Once.
Then twice.
Then a third time.
Cifer looked toward the ceiling.
His expression was filled with dread.
"The seal has broken."
Cecilia looked at him.
"What happens now?"
Cifer answered:
"Now?"
He looked toward the doors of the throne room.
"They're coming."
The massive doors suddenly opened.
Thousands of demons stood outside.
But they weren't ordinary demons.
They wore ancient armor.
Purple marks covered their faces.
And every single one of them lowered themselves to the ground.
Then, together, they spoke:
"Welcome home, Your Majesty."
Cecilia's eyes widened.
Leviathan whispered:
"…The old army."
Cifer looked at Cecilia.
And for the first time—
he bowed.
"Your Majesty."
Cecilia stared at him.
Then she smiled.
A dangerous smile.
"Don't call me that."
She stepped forward.
"Not yet."
Behind her, the throne began glowing again.
EISTETH — 15% AWAKENED.
And somewhere inside Cecilia's heart—
another voice whispered:
Let me take over.
Cecilia answered silently:
"No."
I am you.
"Then we'll share the body."
…Interesting.
Cecilia smiled.
"But I'm still the one in charge."
And Hell—
for the first time in thousands of years—
began to laugh.