The Damned Demon
chapter-574

A couple hours ago,

As Derek stepped into the grand foyer of his mansion, the familiar grandeur of his surroundings welcomed him back.

The polished bright blue marble floors reflected the warm light of the chandeliers overhead, casting a gentle glow throughout the space.

A figure of elegance with her neck-length blue hair framing her gentle face stepped forward. Her large, bright blue eyes were as radiant as her beauty.

She greeted her husband with a smile that held both joy and a tint of worry,

"Welcome back, honey. Everything is okay with the council, right?" Cecilia asked.

Derek approached her with the confidence of a man who had his affairs well in hand, "Of course. You know me. I don't walk into a battlefield without preparing for it," he replied, offering her a brief kiss that sealed his reassurance.

Cecilia exhaled deeply, the tension easing from her shoulders, "Even if you told me beforehand, I was still anxious about how everything would go since this concerns the entire world. But now that things seem to be going smoothly, I am so proud of the respect and strength you are bringing to our family. Not long after, people might even worship our family for bringing about an era without darkness," she said, her eyes alight with pride and anticipation.

Derek's smile slowly widened, a gleam of determination flickering in his eyes, "They will feel more than just grateful towards us. You will understand when you see it happen," he responded confidently.

Cecilia's eyebrows lifted in surprise, "I can see it happen? You mean in our lifetime?"

"Yes. Why do you think I am trying to rush things? We have suffered enough because of demons, and we sure as hell do not have to wait for centuries to destroy them. But to do that, I would need your help as well," Derek explained, taking her hands in his, his grip firm and earnest.

Cecilia's expression shifted to curiosity as she queried, "What do you mean? I am the head of the Aqua Arts department at the academy. Are you saying that I should—"

"You don't have to resign right away. But you can start working with me in Project Guardian. You are good with people, and I need you to make sure all the operations on the ground happen smoothly. Can you do that for us? Without you by my side, I wouldn't be standing here," Derek asked, his voice soft yet persuasive.

Cecilia nodded with a warm look, "Of course, I will. But what about our daughter? Now that she is rising up the ranks, wouldn't we need her as well?"

Derek's expression turned contemplative, a shadow of concern passing briefly over his features, "I am not sure if she is ready. I feel like she still needs to understand some things about how our world works and the hard decisions we might have to make."

Cecilia's eyes flickered as a shadow briefly passed her expression. She then let out a low sigh and said, "Well…She is waiting for you in your study, honey. Looks like it might very well be about this."

Derek entered the polished study room, its walls lined with shelves of old books and modern artifacts, reflecting a blend of tradition and innovation.

He found Rachel immersed in the recorded events of the Global Meeting, her attention captured by the reactions of the world leaders to his announcement of Project Guardian.

Upon noticing her father, Rachel paused the video and stood up, greeting him with a tentative smile, "Did Mom tell you that I was waiting here to talk to you? I was trying to pass the time by watching how tense most of the leaders seemed when you announced your project. Some of them seem like they plan on challenging your project later on."

Derek returned her smile with a warm one of his own as he shed his coat and approached his desk, "Everybody feels nervous when they see or hear about something they don't fully understand. But they all will soon understand," he remarked, "It must be something important if you were waiting for me here instead of being out on a quest. Ever since that, you barely hang out with your old man."

Rachel's smile faltered as she gathered her thoughts, "I am sorry, Dad. As I told you before, I want to quickly get stronger. What I learned from that quest was that I can't afford to be weak and naive. I know that being a Hunter isn't about being good or bad but doing what's right no matter the choices we have to make."

Derek's gaze sharpened, a flicker of thought passing through his eyes.

Rachel continued, her voice firm yet earnest, "That is why I wanted to work with you, to help you protect this world. But now that I came to learn about Project Mars, I want to help you with that as well. You don't have to hide things from me to protect me. I am ready for this. You must also have realized that. Otherwise, you wouldn't have brought me to the Eye to hear you talk about Project Mars."

A proud yet somber smile tugged at Derek's lips as he stood and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "You have really grown up in many ways, Rachel. I have always felt the urge to protect you from all kinds of darkness, even to the point of restricting your growth as a Hunter, because of my selfishness to keep you safe within my sight. You resemble my mother in many ways. So I couldn't help it."

"Your mother? Why would she make you feel compelled to protect me like this?" Rachel softly asked since he barely ever talked about her grandparents from his side.

All she knew was that the two of them died in a quest, and her father had to be raised by his grandparents.

Derek's eyes glazed over as he said, "She was an idealist. She wanted to change our world into an ideal one. She believed in ideals most of us wouldn't believe in or detest rightfully."

"What did she believe in?" Rachel curiously asked.

"She believed that not all demons were truly evil but that their circumstances made them to be like that. She was the only one I knew who had such a strange belief, but she never told anyone about it because of the possible backlash," Derek revealed.

Rachel's brows raised, feeling a sense of disbelief to hear that her grandmother was a person with such ideals.

If anybody came to know, she could have been socially crucified, especially considering her status. No wonder she kept her ideals to herself.

Derek's face briefly dimmed, "As if to prove her own beliefs, she tried to save a young demon but ended up being lured into a trap where she was…slaughtered along with my dad, who tried to save her. She was never meant to live in a world like ours. She just couldn't understand the fact that evil can never shed its darkness and only tried to see what she wanted to see," Derek said as his tone grew heavy.

Rachel's expression became sorrowful as she had no idea that this was the true story behind their deaths and that they didn't simply die in battle, "I am sorry."

Derek slowly shook his head and cupped her face, "No, I should be the one who's sorry. I was too young and weak to save my parents, but now I can at least protect you. I can't make the same mistake again."

With a voice thick with emotion, Rachel nodded slowly, though her eyes looked determined, "I understand, Dad. But I am not her. I am your daughter. I, more than anyone, understand that demons should not be allowed to torment us for even a second longer. So how could I not do anything to help you destroy their world?"

Derek, processing Rachel's request, finally nodded, his voice a mix of caution and confidence, "I know. I believe that you are strong. But how exactly do you want to help me? I have already asked your mother to help me with Project Guardian. Do you want to join her?"

Rachel's gaze was steady, her decision clear, "No...Project Guardian isn't really about destroying the demon world. I want to be part of Project Mars. So I want to join the Blazing Slayers guild."

Derek's brows knitted together in contemplation, a hint of thought flickering in his eyes, "The Blazing Slayers guild? What made you come to such a decision?" he asked, his voice tinged with a brief probing sharpness.

"You told me that the Supreme Commander or Lenny Stan is the one managing the main operations going on in Project Mars. For that, he uses his guild to manage them. So, isn't it better for me to join their guild and make myself familiar with the project? I can also keep an eye on them for you. Lenny is known to laze around. You know that, right?" Rachel explained, her logic clear and her determination evident in her voice.

Derek regarded her thoughtfully, the lines of his face deepening, "Are you sure about this, Rachel? This is a very huge project and can be very taxing on you. It won't be easy at all and you might have to make sacrifices. Once you are in, there is no going back."

Rachel felt a slight tremor of unease, her fingers scratching together behind her back. Yet, her resolve was firm; she nodded with conviction, "I am prepared no matter how difficult things might become. I expect no less when this project is supposed to end the war with the demons."

Seeing her determination, Derek extended his arms and gently pulled her into a warm embrace, "Then I will trust you with this. Just always keep in mind that I love you more than anything and that there is nothing I won't do for you."

Rachel's eyes quivered with emotion as she tightened her arms around him, the conflict in her heart growing heavier than ever.