Ren and Lythera rode toward the place where Ren had said the clinic was located.
After several minutes of silence, Lythera finally broke it.
— Your friend must be pretty important to you.
Ren looked at her.
— He is…
He helped me a lot ever since I arrived here.
Mirelya too.
And Lysera as well.
Lythera raised an eyebrow.
— Hmm…
Those two are your friends too?
— Of course.
Why?
— No reason.
Ren gave a small smile.
— It would be nice if you two got to kn—
FWOOSH!
A huge arrow suddenly appeared out of nowhere and struck Ren, yanking him off the horse by the collar of his shirt.
— Ugh!
AGAIN?!
Ren was thrown to the ground and rolled several times before finally coming to a stop.
— What?!
Ren?!
Lythera barely had time to react.
BAM!
A powerful impact struck her horse, causing her to fall as well.
Ren quickly got back to his feet.
— Lythera!
Then he saw it.
An arrow had pierced her leg.
But… where did—
— REEEN!
GET OUT OF THERE!
Ren desperately searched for the source of the voice.
The echo came from somewhere among the trees and hills.
Then he spotted Mirelya standing on top of a hill.
Beside her was a girl holding a massive bow, already aiming directly at Lythera.
Lythera looked at the arrow lodged in her leg.
Without hesitation, she ripped it out in one swift motion.
The wound began closing rapidly, completely healing right before Ren’s eyes.
She then glared at the group.
— I can see you!
I don’t know what you want, but you’ve managed to piss me off!
Ren’s eyes widened.
— Wait, Lythera!
I know someone!
But Lythera didn’t even hear him.
She charged toward the hill.
— Protect yourself, Ren!
Or help me!
In an instant, Lythera appeared in front of Mirelya and Sylvara.
Sylvara smiled.
— Your turn, big guy!
BOOM!
Dargan burst out of the ground, holding two enormous shields.
— Got you!
Lythera extended one hand.
— Black Flames!
FWOOSH!
Purple flames exploded outward, setting everything in their path ablaze.
However, Lythera noticed something strange.
The area where Dargan stood remained completely untouched by the Black Flames.
She narrowed her eyes.
— You… can repel this?
Suddenly, Lythera sensed something nearby.
Her eyes widened.
At lightning speed, she moved away, leaving behind an exact clone of herself where she had been standing.
SLASH!
Lysera appeared behind the clone.
She grabbed Lythera by the neck and slashed at it with a knife.
— Lythera!
Ren’s eyes widened.
— N-No!
Wait, guys!
Lysera looked at him.
— Ren?
What’s wrong?
We’re trying to hel—
THUD!
A fist slammed into her stomach.
Lysera was sent flying.
Lythera stood in front of her, her fist extended.
Ren’s eyes widened.
— E-Enough!
All of you!
He ran toward Lythera.
— Stop!
Stop!
Lythera looked at him.
— I don’t know who they are, Ren, but they’re trying to kill us!
— STOOOOP!
Ren’s scream echoed throughout the entire area.
Lythera’s eyes widened as she stared directly at him.
Then she saw a flash rapidly approaching.
Damn… an arrow that huge?
Before Ren could even finish shouting, Sylvara had already fired.
The enormous arrow raced toward Lythera at an absurd speed.
Lythera raised her arms in front of her body.
It’s fast…
She closed her eyes, protecting her abdomen above all else.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
A violent explosion echoed throughout the area.
Lythera opened her eyes.
Ren was standing in front of her.
His fist was clenched.
The enormous arrow had been split in half and lay several meters behind him.
Lythera stared at Ren for several seconds.
The furious expression on his face was completely different from anything she had seen from him before.
— R-Ren…
Ren looked at her.
Little by little, his expression softened.
— Wait a moment.
He turned toward the group.
— Don’t attack!
Mirelya was completely shocked.
— He… knocked that down with his bare hand?
Garrick gave a small smile.
— Ren is strong, remember?
Heh.
Sylvara stared at Ren with wide eyes.
— Is that Ren?
What kind of strength was that?
And how did he manage to hit my arrow?
Dargan watched Ren carefully.
— Very few people have managed to do something like that…
I’m interested as well.
Everyone began slowly approaching.
Lythera looked at Ren.
— Ren?
You know them?
— Some of them are my friends.
I don’t know who those two are.
Garrick slowly walked toward him.
It’s good to see you’re okay!
Ren’s eyes widened.
— G-Garrick?!
You’re walking, man?!
Ahhh, that’s great!
Lythera looked at Garrick.
— This is Garrick?
And why did you attack me?
If it weren’t for Ren…
Sylvara interrupted her.
— Why did you save that demoness?
Ren stared at Sylvara for several seconds.
Garrick then pointed toward the two newcomers.
— Oh, Ren.
These are Dargan and Sylvara.
The two best members of the Lions Guild.
Ren looked at them.
— Wow…
Sylvara crossed her arms.
— Answer me, Ren.
That’s your name, isn’t it?
Ren stared at her.
So that arrow was hers?
Then he looked at Dargan.
And that other guy looks like a tank…
Lythera then spoke.
— I was taking Ren to see his friend, Garrick.
But since he’s fine, there’s no longer any need for this trip.
Mirelya’s eyes widened.
— I-Is that true?
Ren nodded.
— Yes.
I wasn’t in any danger.
But…
I’m glad to see you guys.
Everyone began moving closer.
Lysera smiled.
— Then we can go back, right?
Suddenly, a voice came from a little farther away.
— Well, well… what do we have here?
The princess of the Demon Kingdom!
Everyone turned toward the voice in surprise.
Goro was standing farther away.
Ren clenched his fists.
His teeth were also tightly clenched.
A vein bulged on his forehead.
Then, with a single leap, he disappeared from the spot.
The next instant, he was standing directly in front of Goro.
— YOU BASTARD!
Goro remained completely expressionless.
Ren threw his fist directly at his face.
However—
CLANG!
Dargan appeared in front of Goro.
His enormous shield stood between them.
Ren’s eyes widened.
Damn!
There’s no time!
He closed his eyes.
BOOOOOOM!
Ren’s fist collided violently with the metal shield.
A massive shockwave spread throughout the surroundings, causing everything nearby to tremble.
Ren was pushed several steps backward by the impact.
When he opened his eyes, he stood completely still.
The landscape behind Dargan had changed.
Before, there had been several leafless trees.
Now, there was nothing but a trail of shattered rocks and destroyed earth stretching behind the shield.
Goro, standing behind Dargan, watched everything with interest.
— Excellent…
What incredible strength.
Dargan was sweating.
— He… pushed me back five meters?
Sylvara stared intently at Dargan’s shield.
He… dented Dargan’s shield?
Even if only a little…
Lythera was also completely stunned.
— W-Wow…
A moment later, she thought:
I-I would’ve died from a hit like that…
Ren looked at Dargan.
— Why did you protect that piece of shit?
Dargan frowned.
— What are you talking about?
He is one of the leaders of the Kingdom of Diverse Races.
Ren’s eyes widened.
— W-What?
Garrick then spoke.
— As hard as it may be to believe, he was the one who gave me the antidote before Lysera arrived.
I might have died if it weren’t for him.
Ren was completely incredulous.
— N-No…
That can’t be true!
Lysera and Mirelya answered at the same time:
— It’s true, Ren!
Ren clenched his fists while staring at the ground.
But how?
He almost killed us!
Then he heard footsteps approaching.
Ren slowly raised his head.
Goro was walking toward him.
The two stood face-to-face.
Goro’s serious eyes met Ren’s.
For several seconds, neither of them said a word.
Then Goro bowed before Ren.
— Forgive me.
Silence fell over everyone.
No one seemed to know what to say.
Ren remained silent.
Goro then continued.
— I needed a good reason to bring all of you here, as I already told you.
I never intended to turn you into my enemies.
Goro slightly raised his head.
Lythera then looked at the group.
— If you don’t mind, I’ll need to take Ren with me for a few more hours.
Mirelya looked confused.
— Huh?
Why?
Lysera looked at Lythera.
— Did you two become friends?
Lythera smiled.
— Well… more than that.
Ren and I are going to introduce ourselves as fiancés to the Demon Lord.
For several seconds, everyone remained silent.
Then—
— FIANCÉS?!
Meanwhile, in a place very far away…
In a place located above everything else, where silence was broken only by the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind, a woman sat beneath a small pavilion in the center of a garden whose beauty seemed almost unreal.
A soft glow surrounded even her clothes, making her stand out among the flowers and vegetation around her.
She sat before an oval table, her legs crossed and one hand delicately resting against her chin as she watched the garden’s massive gates.
For a few moments, everything remained silent.
Then, soft footsteps echoed along the path.
A butler emerged from between the trees.
His white hair reflected the same pale radiance as his skin.
He approached without haste and placed the tray on the table.
— Here is your tea.
Please enjoy.
The woman turned her eyes away from the gates and smiled faintly.
— Thank you.
The butler poured the tea with precise, elegant movements.
Then he remained standing beside her.
— What do you intend to do today?
She stared at the liquid inside the cup for a few seconds.
— I intend to try to bring more beings here.
— Are you having difficulties?
The woman’s smile disappeared.
— Ever since that person entered here… the energy of this place has changed.
She raised her eyes toward the garden.
— It’s as if something has been displaced.
And for some reason, he doesn’t seem to absorb the energy I’ve created here.
The butler remained silent.
Then he brought one hand to his chin.
— Hmm…
Interesting.
The woman slowly turned her eyes toward him.
— Interesting?
— You are the center of this place.
Everything here exists because you allow it to exist.
He paused briefly.
— And yet… there is something beyond your control.
Her gaze became colder.
— Are you trying to say something?
The butler smiled discreetly.
— Not at all.
— Hmph…
She turned her gaze back toward the gates.
Silence remained between them for a few moments.
Until the butler asked:
— And… were you able to make contact with the Earth Daimon?
The woman’s expression immediately changed.
— You know very well that the Earth Daimon was given permission by the higher-ups to shield himself.
She lightly tightened her fingers around the cup.
— He protected himself… and his own planet.
— Yes.
The butler’s voice remained calm.
— But as far as I know, there is someone from that planet in your world.
The woman narrowed her eyes.
— …You want to manipulate him?
— He is the only means we have of gaining access to that planet.
She remained silent for several seconds.
Then she asked:
— Why are you so obsessed with gaining access to that place?
The butler did not answer.
The silence stretched on.
The woman slowly turned her face toward him.
— I asked you a question.
He finally raised his eyes.
— I will answer… if you persuade that human.
Her purple eyes remained fixed on him.
For several seconds, neither of them said anything.
Then she let out a sigh.
— When possible, I will bring him here.
A discreet smile appeared on the butler’s face.
— Excellent, madam.
The woman, however, did not seem satisfied.
— But there is something strange about him.
She looked toward the gates again.
— I can feel his presence in my world… but I can’t locate him.
The butler became thoughtful.
— The energy he emits… is similar to ours.
The woman smiled faintly.
— He is merely a human.
Her purple eyes narrowed.
— It is impossible for a human to be comparable to a Daimon.
The butler simply replied:
— Perhaps.
He paused briefly.
— We’ll have to find out, won’t we?
She did not answer.
She merely lifted the cup to her lips and took another sip.
— Hmm…
She made a slight grimace.
— It’s gone cold.
A discreet smile appeared on her face.
— Talking to you sometimes makes time pass so quickly.
She raised one hand.
A soft glow traveled across her fingers.
At that very moment, a thin stream of steam began rising from the cup.
The tea began steaming again.
She took another sip.
Her eyes closed for a moment.
— Perfect.
Then she opened her eyes and looked at the butler.
— Why can’t I locate you outside of here?
His smile did not disappear.
— You don’t need to worry about me.
He gave a slight bow.
— I’ll be here whenever you need me.
The woman frowned.
— Why would I need you here so much?
She looked around.
— This is my world.
I created all of this.
The butler slowly raised his head.
— You may need me.
A pause.
— Believe me.
Her gaze hardened.
— Your words aren’t very comforting, Noctyren.
For a moment, the butler remained completely motionless.
Then his eyes changed.
The lightness disappeared.
What remained was absolute blackness.
As if there were no eyes there at all… only an abyss staring back at her.
— I am your ally.
His voice remained calm.
— Trust me.
The woman did not answer.
She simply watched him.
Then Noctyren’s body began to lose its form.
First his feet.
Then his legs.
His body slowly dissolved into a dark mist, as if he were being erased from that world.
Within a few seconds, he had disappeared completely.
The garden returned to silence.
The woman remained motionless, staring at the place where he had been.
She then picked up her cup again.
She took a sip of tea.
Her purple eyes remained fixed on the empty space.
— He’s certainly hiding something from me…
She slowly lowered the cup.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
— But what could it be?