“Pwah!”

The process of leaving the Akashic Record’s Main Hall was simply the reverse of entering it.

“E-everyone okay?”

Bursting out from the stream, Omni shook his drenched feathers furiously as he asked. Clay and the others followed him out, gasping for breath.

“I thought I was going to suffocate in there!” Athanasia shouted, and Omni replied with an awkward look.

“My already weakened power took another hit — I couldn’t help it.”

The distorted “rabbit hole” had been unstable from the start, and now, with his power faltering, it had twisted even more. The water churned like a storm-tossed sea, and for several minutes they’d been unable to breathe until, at last, they’d followed the light and emerged.

“….”

When Clay looked back, all he saw was a shallow stream, trickling gently along. It was hard to believe they had just crawled out from there.

『My Lord, are you all right?』

“I’m fine.”

He glanced down at the book in his hands. Despite everything, it was safe, no water damage, no torn pages.

“At least you made sure to bring the important thing out.” Omni glanced at him, and Athanasia sighed in relief after checking the item herself.

“Yeah, at least we got what we came for. Without it, we’d have gone through all that trouble for nothing.”

But even with the book secured, Clay’s expression did not relax.

『My Lord? Is it still Yuru that concerns you?』

“I have no idea how much she’ll learn in there.”

Yuru was a genius. With the Main Hall under her control, there was no telling how much information she would extract, or how much stronger she might become.

I should have forced her out somehow.

But he also knew this had been the best choice available.

It can’t be helped.

Fighting Yuru now, when she could even command the Librarians, would have been nothing but loss. For the moment, securing the book had to be enough.

“Athanasia,” Clay said, “We need to create the Coexistence Form as soon as possible. Can you help me?”

“You don’t even have to ask.” Athanasia set a hand on her hip, “Leave it to me. But I’ll need your cooperation. The design in the book alone isn’t enough.”

“What do I need to do?”

“Help me intervene in your body.”

“Intervene?”

“Mm-hmm. You’ll feel my power moving inside you. I need you to make sure your natural defenses don’t push it out.”

It was a request that required trust.

“Understood.” Clay didn’t hesitate, “I trust you’ll do it well.”

“That’s unexpected.” Athanasia let out a short laugh.

“I didn’t think you trusted me that much.”

“Sometimes you have to put aside suspicion to take a step forward.”

“Good line. Wait, so you did distrust me before?”

“Not exactly. I was neutral.”

“Wow.”

While she was still making that incredulous sound, Omni flapped into the air.

“No time to dawdle! We need to get somewhere safe!”

Athanasia raised an eyebrow.

“What’s the rush? Yuru’s not leaving that place anytime soon.”

“That’s not the problem! This place is about to blow!” Omni spun in the air as he yelled, “The rabbit hole exists because I maintained it! After that fight, I can’t keep it stable! And when a warped space collapses, you know what happens!”

Collapse.

And an explosion from the distortion.

“Damn it! You should’ve said so sooner!” Not wanting to look like she’d forgotten something so obvious, Athanasia just shouted back, “Let’s move! Clay, you good?”

“Don’t worry. I didn’t push myself to the point of being unable to run.”

“Good — then let’s go!”

Athanasia sprinted ahead, and Clay followed, keeping his demon sword Siltanaro secure at his side.

Flap-flap.

Omni soared higher to scout their surroundings, then called out a path for them to take.

“That way! Over there!”

Following his directions, the group moved in unison — there was no time for talk.

Rumble.

The earth shook and split beneath them.

“Faster!” Omni screeched.

Clay glanced back.

Crack-crack-crack.

The ground was collapsing — fast.

BOOM!

A deafening blast rang out as a boulder, pushed by the distortion, hurtled toward them.

“Five o’clock, behind us!”

At Omni’s call, Athanasia swung her arm. Shockwaves stacked atop one another and slammed into the boulder.

Thud!

The massive rock veered aside, flying off in another direction like a paper scrap caught in the wind.

“Seven o’clock! Nine o’clock!”

And the falling rocks didn’t stop. More thunderous crashes followed as countless boulders rained down.

“Ah…”

Omni couldn’t help but groan.

“Dodge!”

It was all he could say now, there were too many to track.

Shhh!

Athanasia suddenly stopped and turned her back to Clay.

“Athanasia!”

“Go on ahead!” she shouted, “I’ll manage better on my own, probably!”

Clay opened his mouth, then shut it.

He chose to trust her resolve. Even a moment’s hesitation might hinder her next move, so without another word, he sprinted onward.

“Hup!”

Athanasia planted her feet firmly, generating wave after wave of shock force around herself.

“Hhhhah!”

Layer upon layer.

She held them in place instead of releasing them forward, letting them form a barrier around her.

And then—

BOOM!

The boulders came crashing down.

Bang! Bang! BBOOM!

As the space twisted, it seemed even the molten lava from deep underground had been dragged up. Boulders covered in blazing, viscous red liquid came hurtling toward her.

“Tch… how bothersome.”

Gritting her teeth, Athanasia drew out more power.

“I’ll show you the might of a god!”

And just then, a barrage of fiery masses surged at her all at once.

“Haaahhhh!”

Once she confirmed the others had gotten far enough away, she unleashed every wave she had gathered in a single explosive release.

At that same time, midway along the route from Barungenia to Yaphenon—

An immense procession of demons was moving in one direction.

『They must be looking forward to meeting me.』

At the head of the Four Generals stood Beatrice. In her dragon form, the Demon King’s army moved beneath the shadow of her wings.

Perched atop her back, Naiad let out a sigh.

“We’re going to war, you know.”

『And you’re saying I can’t spare even this much leisure?』 Beatrice’s voice rumbled like distant thunder.

“I’m not saying you can’t. I’m saying—don’t make things unnecessarily troublesome for Clay.”

『Troublesome, is it?』

Beatrice gave a low, amused chuckle.

『Do you really think that alone will be enough to protect him?』

“What? What’s that supposed to mean?”

『Clay will come to my side.』

“Wha—what!”

Naiad’s eyes went wide, her voice shooting up in pitch.

“D-do you think Clay is like you? That he’d just give in that easily? Clay and I share something special! It’s completely different from whatever’s between you and him!”

『You’re quite ruffled.』

With a slow, powerful beat of her wings, Beatrice cast her shadow over the land.

『In any case, don’t rely solely on that ‘special bond’ of yours. Clay needs me. And I, in turn, live to answer that need. We are indispensable to each other.』

“Don’t you cross the line!”

『Oh my, how frightening.』

Beatrice let the heated outburst roll off her without the slightest change in tone, while Naiad trembled with frustration.

“You—just wait until I ask Clay! Don’t come crying to me when you regret it!”

『And what exactly will you ask?』

“I’ll ask him who he’s closer to! Then we’ll see who’s really on top!”

『How childish.』

“What about that is childish!” Naiad’s voice bristled with indignation, “You say that now, but you’ll just sulk when you hear his answer!”

『Now that you mention it… I’m curious too. Go ahead, ask him.』

“Even if you told me not to, I’d still ask! Hmph!”

Her reaction was so petulant it almost made one forget her long years of life. Beatrice smiled inwardly.

Bold talk for someone riding on my back.

If she cloaked herself in flame, Naiad would be nothing but ash before she hit the ground. Yet Beatrice found her… endearing.

Clay is mine.

It didn’t matter who clung to him, or what ties they’d had in the past—it was of no concern to her.

In the past, she’d wondered about the kind of bond where two beings could not live without one another. The previous Demon King had been such a case.

She could vividly remember his rage, consumed by grief at his lover’s death.

If I could have something like that…

In all her long years, Beatrice had never had such a relationship. No one had ever asked it of her.

Friendship, perhaps, here and there—but never a bond that carried the subtle undercurrents between man and woman.

Not that she had thought it necessary. She’d lived letting things drift as they would—until one day, a sudden hollowness had driven her to consider ending her life.

And then you appeared.

The executed hero, inexplicably alive, stood before her.

It had been chance.

A lost hero, and a dragon who had come to regret the meaningless way she’d lived.

Ordinarily, she would have attacked Clay without a word—he was a hero, after all. But that day, she hadn’t wanted to.

A whim.

And that whim had led him to say those words to her:

—Don’t seek forgiveness. I won’t, either.

Clay had thrown everything at her.

—Teach me how to live without being forgiven.

A demand.

—Or I’ll be your last firewood.

A ridiculous threat to an enemy, staking his very life.

I’ll never let you go.

In that moment, she’d felt a sharp jolt deep in her heart. Seeing him plead for an impossible bond, she realized something.

A relationship where they could not live without each other—could begin.

Wait for me.

To answer someone’s pure expectation, and to burn for it—

I’ll come soon.

All Clay had to do for her sake was remain exactly where he belonged.

(End of Chapter)

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.