Guy and Velzard. Following Milim, they arrived at a continent of ice and snow, where the frozen land stretched in every direction. And there, standing tall and solitary, was a noble castle of ice.
I glanced at the ice castle and Velzard, muttering to myself.
*This ice castle was definitely created by her power.*
The sheer amount of magicules required to construct a castle of that scale alone was staggering. It was undeniable proof that she possessed the power and magic befitting a member of the draconic lineage.
Inside the castle, there were numerous demons of various ranks. Following their guidance, I took a seat on a chair carved from ice.
"So, what is the purpose of calling me here?"
"There is no need to be so guarded. If we had intended to fight you, we would have attacked all at once back then."
I didn't want to admit it, but it was true. Did that mean their objective was centered around my very existence?
Velzard wrapped her body in ice, observing my form meticulously from every angle.
"This one... is he truly of the draconic lineage...?"
"He seems similar to me, yet somehow different. Perhaps he is an existence even higher than I am... Moreover, I cannot see the bottom of his magicule reserves..."
"I've never heard of such a thing!"
They continued to converse among themselves, treating me as if I weren't even there.
*Is my magicule count really that vast?*
[Notice. If we are considering only the quantity of the master's magicules, it is equal to that of the Creator God, the Sacred Dragon Veldanava.]
The Creator God? Sacred Dragon? That was a piece of information far too heavy to simply ignore. Just how far beyond the norm am I supposed to be?
As they talked, I waited for the right moment, then shattered the ice beneath me and spoke up.
"Now, could you finally tell me why you brought me here?"
"Very well."
Velzard spoke on their behalf.
According to them, the World's Word had not announced my existence. At first, reports of me sounded like hallucinations, but following an incident a few years ago, a few beings became aware of me. They had summoned me here to investigate my nature.
—Even so.
I narrowed my eyes and said, "I don't really understand those things. Though, come to think of it, I believe I heard something about evolving into an awakened demon lord?"
"More precisely?"
"Well... it was shortly after I blew away a kingdom..."
"Then, what is your name?"
Just as Milim asked, and just as I was about to answer—
"Kyuui!!"
Suddenly, the baby dragon in my arms leaped out and lunged at Milim.
Startled by the creature suddenly covering her face, Milim pulled it away. The moment she saw it, tears welled up in her eyes, and she hugged the baby dragon tightly.
"My pet came back to life?!"
Even Guy looked shocked by Milim's exclamation. He immediately leaned in, bringing his face far too close to mine.
Wait, too close!
"You! What did you do to that child?!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Answer. The Chaos Dragon the master defeated in Amrita was originally the dragon princess—Milim's pet. Due to your skill, it was reborn with a new body. Furthermore, because Milim possesses the Dragon Eye, which pierces through the essence of a target, she recognized the baby dragon as her former companion."
Prome answered my internal question.
A brief commotion ensued, but things soon settled down. The baby dragon... no, Gaia, returned to my arms. While stroking Gaia, I had no choice but to explain the circumstances of our meeting.
"...And that is how it happened."
Upon hearing this, Guy and his companions looked surprised, though they soon appeared convinced.
"If it is you, perhaps it really is possible."
"Well, the evidence is right there in your arms."
Still, to create a new core and a physical body based on the information extracted from a Chaos Dragon's core... Even if they accepted it, it was a feat that defied common sense. However, Milim remained right by my side, completely devoid of any personal space.
"Thank you for helping Gaia!"
"It's not exactly something to be thanked for. That thing attacked me first, after all."
"Come to think of it, you said you didn't have a name, right?"
"Yeah. Monsters aren't usually born with names, are they?"
"In your case, you aren't exactly a monster... but regardless, yes. Then you must be aware of the process of [Naming]?"
"You mean granting a name to evolve a being into a higher existence?"
"Exactly. Normally, the namer loses a significant amount of magicules depending on the target, but for someone like you, perhaps it would be possible to name yourself?"
Indeed, Guy himself had taken the dying screams of humans to name himself Guy Crimson.
A name... It was true that being called "you" constantly was getting tedious. Maybe I should think of one.
*Is there any name that fits?*
"How about Vertis?"
Vertis?
...I like it.
"Then, from now on, my name is Vertis."
The moment the words left my lips, I felt my magicules drop sharply. My head spun and my vision blurred, but I managed to grit my teeth and endure it.
"So this is what it feels like to have your magicules drained."
"Just in case, I'll give you a room to rest. I still have things I need to hear from you."
With that, Guy had me escorted by a maid named Rain to a room made entirely of ice.
That woman, Rain, felt similar to Guy. A demon, perhaps?
Since I had no need for sleep, I spent my time organizing my storage within the room when a telepathic message reached me.
[Vertis. Come to the place we discussed ten minutes from now.]
Guy's voice was far more serious than it had been before.
Ten minutes later.
"...You've come, Vertis."
Guy was waiting for me. Velzard and Milim were also there, but I didn't mind their presence.
"I'll ask you straight. Who are you?"
As I suspected, the main point was my identity. Guy asked with an expression that clearly stated he would not tolerate a lie.
Well, there was no real need to hide it. There was a specific term for people like me... what was it again? Ah, right.
"I am a reincarnator."
At those words, not only Guy and Milim, but even Velzard—whose expression was usually as frozen as ice—looked genuinely shocked for the first time.
"...Really? I know that souls from other worlds occasionally cross over into this one, but... you were a reincarnator? That explains why you acquired an Ultimate Skill so easily. It might even be the reason you evolved from a dragon species into something even higher..."
Velzard and Milim nodded in agreement with Guy.
I remained silent regarding the specifics of my skills and abilities. There was no reason to reveal the full extent of my power to others.
Velzard added, as if concurring with Guy's assessment, "...Crossing between worlds with only a soul is impossible unless one possesses an exceptionally strong will. However, if one can maintain their ego, it is only natural that they would be reborn as a soul of a different rank."
Guy and Milim nodded again. Milim then looked as if she were pondering something. I didn't know what was on her mind, but knowing her personality, it was almost certainly something troublesome.
After Milim and Guy whispered among themselves for a while, they looked back at me.
"Ah, I was thinking the exact same thing... So, Vertis. Would you have any interest in becoming a demon lord?"