Seeing into a human’s heart didn’t necessarily mean understanding the depths of a human. Even if the bottom was exposed, it didn’t necessarily lead to a person’s discomfort.

“I also have debts to Riyan, so I will repay him by accepting his apology.”
Riyan was momentarily bewildered.

“Hm? Your Majesty owes something to me? Is such a thing possible?”

“If it weren’t for Riyan, I would have hesitated to continue accepting my power. Now I know I don’t have to.”

“Because of me? I don’t have any memories of doing anything.”

“You just did it.”

Riyan still had a puzzled look, but soon nodded.

“It’s hard to believe that I played such an enormous role… Anyway, it’s an honor, Your Majesty.”

Riyan, who seemed a bit embarrassed, suddenly became serious and said these words.

“I will become stronger, Your Majesty. So I will prevent Your Majesty’s death.”

“That… If it means protecting me, it goes against the duty of the Royal Guards. Even if it doesn’t, from now on, the power I gain should rightfully belong to Your Majesty. My knightly oath, sworn with a sword, says so.”

Riyan knelt on one knee in front of Lashillia.

“If I obtain the Ora, please be its owner. Since Your Majesty possesses my sword, it is only fitting for Your Majesty, as the owner of my partner, to become the owner of the Ora.”

“……. ”

It was impossible to refuse such a pledge with those eyes.

And perhaps, she didn’t realize how much she needed Riyan. Even if it was just to avoid the foretold death.

“In that case.”
Lashillia overlapped her hand with Riyan’s hand on her knee.

“I entrust my life to your hand.”

“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

“So there’s something you should know.”

Perhaps her voice, softer than usual, felt different. Riyan’s expression changed.

“What… What is it?”

“Another demon has approached me.”

“What? Another demon? … No, did you keep such a thing a secret?”

“It didn’t manifest. It was a trace that emerged in my sleep and soon disappeared. It seemed like it was trying to convey a message to me.”

Riyan swallowed dryly with tension.

“Please tell me, Your Majesty.”

“It told me. That it would bring about my end.”

“T-that…? …Then Your Majesty’s dream…?”

Riyan couldn’t bring himself to continue with the follow-up.

“Perhaps.”

No one knew the reason for the appearance of another demon.

What he intended to do in the world of humans, the reason he relentlessly targeted her.

But looking at the dream, it seemed like he would understand one thing he intended.

“Perhaps my dream foresaw what that demon intends to do.”

“Are you saying that Your Majesty’s dream will make you kill yourself… to create that?”

“Yes.”

“……. In that case, it’s simple.”

At first, Riyan, who seemed shocked and opened his mouth, changed his gaze, nodded, and said, “I’ll catch and kill that crazy demon before it does such a thing.”
The duke’s residence fell silent as usual, with no further intrusions. Instead, the vigilant knights, not easing their guard, kept a sharp watch through the darkness.

However, no one knew the true reason for the appearance of the aberrations in the duke’s residence where Lashillia was.

And they were not living beings but summoned entities. Therefore, the concept of death did not exist for them. As long as the summoned forms did not vanish, they continued to exist.

Even the fragmented body left by Riyan to reveal his identity, even if it was only a small piece.

“Oh, what’s this? Did something happen?”

Hasdeya blinked his eyes into the void.

He was feeling quite good now. It was because he had succeeded in summoning lower-level demons through the body of a Malik Knight.

By drawing a summoning seal somewhere on the body of a Malik Knight and sending it to the desired location, that body could become a gateway to call forth demons.

Today, just as a test, he sent it to where the woman was, and it seemed to have given enough fright.

Of course, there was no way the human body used as the entrance to the demon realm would remain intact, but that was not his concern.

After all, there were plenty of humans to trample, and, not to mention, they endlessly reproduced.

Even if he killed a few hundred through the gate, the next day, the number of fools rushing into the visible power would surge. Humans were so foolish that they eagerly jumped into the sight of immediate power.
The power was all manifested by draining the life force of humans.

Well, anyway, that’s why he liked the human realm so much. Instead of taking Bahamut to the demon realm, it seemed fine to become a god in the human realm and rule over humans.

But whether he did it this way or that, he needed Bahamut’s magic power.

To obtain Bahamut’s magic power, he had to bring back the magic power tied to humans to his original body, and to do that, he had to eliminate the enslavement spell.

“It’s quite a headache, tsk. It would have been easier if it were something that would end by killing. ”

Still, there was progress today.

By chance, a lower-level demon happened to eavesdrop on that woman’s secret. Those scum could clearly see the demon with their own eyes, but they seemed unable to grasp what it was.

“Bahamut dreamt of killing me… Hm, it’s true that I intend to do that, but how on earth will I not?”

Although annoyed, that woman’s power seemed quite remarkable. It was somewhat fortunate that she still hadn’t fully realized it.

“No, leaving that aside. Even if you dreamt of such a thing, why are you sticking around? What’s wrong with your head?”

Even he couldn’t be so foolish.

Hasdeya, who twisted his expression, thought of something and reflected on it.

“Oh, I can make dreams too. Now that power has returned.”
It was not about making her dream. Although he was about to explode in anger, the woman already had the ability to resist his power.

“Well, let’s see then.”

Hasdeya, wearing the face of the saint Malik, produced a neatly crafted smile, as if he had drawn it.