A PROMISE TO KEEP

"Hold on. We will have a strong impact." He said, looking straight ahead. "Okay?"

"O-okay...?" She asked, somewhat hesitant about the meaning of that word.

"It's like a weird 'all in check' reduction. We use it all the time where I come from." He responded, bracing himself for the impact that would certainly not be small.

The boy swallowed his saliva, filling himself with an odd kind of anticipation. He had never been captured at the epicenter of a literal earthquake before.

"Oh... So, okay...!" She confirmed it, using the new word promptly.

"Now...!"

The two immediately tried to hold on as best they could. Emilia created an ice wrap around her shoes and legs, which held her to the ground. Ryan, in turn, used his sword, driving it directly into the ground.

"I hope this place can hold up...!" Ryan screamed, feeling the huge shock waves that were dispersed by the massive explosion. "Are you okay, Emilia?!"

The core of magical fire stones glowed violently, trying to escape the thick sheath of ice created by Puck. Much of the energy was directed to the ground, where it was seen being lost in the shape of a pulse that resembled the movement of tectonic plates.

"I... I think I am...!" She also responded with a cry of own authorship. The ice seemed to be doing a good job of keeping her still in place.

"Excellent! Wait for this to last for about another thirty seconds...!" He said, keeping to the ground as hard as he could. "... And may this ceiling not fall on our heads...!"

Ryan didn't know how this sort of thing worked in a flat world—knowledge of this place he'd acquired some time ago, taking a book from the Forbidden Archive in exchange for some sweets for Beatrice. In an ordinary spherical world, there were plate tectonics and hence seismic events.

But how did that happen in this world? Would they have earthquakes or any other similar phenomenon?

"Is this building designed with this kind of thing in mind?!" He couldn't contain that paranoia of wanting to know the risks of being here.

The ice was beginning to crack, indicating that it might not hold – but the fact was that the explosion was diminishing in intensity, as was the destruction of the layers, which were only becoming firmer and firmer with each moment.

That would work. The place was successfully secured, and nothing seemed to be falling down, which was very good in his opinion. Ryan didn't want to have to try to protect the place, only to see it end up in the shape of rubble anyway.

And after what passed like a solid forty seconds, the explosion stopped, leaving no marks in place, with about five layers of protection still fully active and relatively intact. The construction had been successfully preserved.

"I think we managed...!" He revealed, a little dizzy from all that movement and vibration hitting the inner structures of the ear. Ryan leaned on his sword, seeking some stability.

"Yes. The place is safe now. You did it, Ryan." Emilia said, smiling at him.

"Eh… Considering I didn't really do anything, hearing that is a misplaced compliment. If there's anyone who should deserve that credit, it's you and Puck, Emilia. None of this would have been possible if not for the convenience of ice being your power and the fact that you are here."

"Why can't you just accept a compliment when you get one?" She spoke back, not looking very pleased with what she heard him say. "You never accept the merits that should be yours!"

"Well, I wonder the reason for this...!" He raised his arms up in a 'what to say?' pose. "And we literally just talked about it, Emilia."

"Maybe, but I'm not forgetting what you promised, and I will make you keep that promise!"

"Of course, of course...!" He nodded, trying to sound distant and cool. "Now, let's make this work."

He opened a portal by reaching out, revealing the half-visible opening in the air. Ryan looked back, prompting himself to ask.

"Have you ever entered a portal before, Emilia?" he questioned. "It's just curiosity. People are often afraid to enter one the first time. It's like traveling in an airplane... Ah, I forgot that you guys don't know this kind of reference... My bad."

She laughed a little at his confused expression, noting that he had just said something highly illogical to the population of a medieval world. After living with him so much, Emilia was somewhat used to hearing him say strange things like that.

"No, I've never entered a portal... Actually, that kind of Magic is quite rare, Ryan." She confirmed something he already assumed. "In fact, it's pretty amazing that you can create one just like that!"

Ryan looked a little to the side. It was very strange to be complimented on being able to do what to him was nothing but basic Magic. Anyone where he came from was able to do that sort of thing, so it wasn't a big deal.

But apparently things were different here. As the laws of magic itself changed with the world, it was to be expected that the concepts would be so different.

"But for what specific reason are you asking this? Is there anything I should know about entering a portal?" Emilia asked, analyzing the fold's structure in space with a little curiosity.

"Actually, there is." He confirmed it. "You may feel a little dizzy and nauseous, but that only happens on the first few trips. It's as if your body needs to get used to the process in some way, but nothing really dangerous, just this little detail. The truth is that covering a huge portion of space at the speed at which you move from one room to another in a house is still crazy at the end of the day. The laws of physics cry."

As much as she didn't know what any of it meant, she knew he was trying to act like an idiot in order to calm any anticipation. Emilia could feel this intent to soothe in his every word.

"I've been told you feel better if you walk in with your eyes closed... Take a hint!" He said, approaching the portal. "Do not worry. We'll both come out at the same place."

He then reached for the Half-Elf, taking the sword of the floor with the other hand. Already partially inside the portal, he waited for her reaction.

"Then I will go with my eyes closed." Emilia confirmed, holding his hand, which responded by applying a certain firmness to the girl's pale palm.

"Just one last warning – you'll feel like your mind and body are separated and the two of you are traveling at breakneck speed, but it only lasts for less than a full second. We'll be on the other side in less than the blink of an eye."

"All right. I trust you, Ryan." She finished with a smile.

/

Things were going relatively well on the other side of the portal that had closed for some time. Julius was quite apprehensive, but this was reduced as he realized that the Castle hadn't actually exploded. That could only mean one thing.

"Looks like he did it." He thought, smiling a little in recognition. "Then I can fight without worry and protect the Kingdom in its entirety."

There weren't that many Cultists on the street – it was almost as if the organization's plans had been prematurely stopped by someone, before they could organize themselves in a better way.

Julius had noticed this some time ago. That attack, strangely, was nothing that could be considered highly worrisome. They had taken a few victims, in fact, but nothing that posed an extreme threat.

This was even starting to smell of strangeness to the Knight of Knights. Nothing usually comes in such a simple way, and this generated a specific fear of ending up with some kind of surprise.

Still, this was no time to think. Although the threat was small, it still existed and needed to be eliminated. With a clear conscience, the Knight once more called to the spirits, and brandished a bright sword.

"[Fell Goa]. " He directed both eyes, bright as gold, to the small five Cultists group that positioned themselves right in front of him.

And in less than a full second, an intense blast of heat cut across the place. The sensation was comparable to being receiving a blast of heated steam, a gust that brought with it a greatly painful sensation.

The Cultists immediately fell. It was as if their bodies were being cooked from the outside in by that big, wide-area attack. The highly-covering clothes didn't help much, and the sea of energetic red soon began to cause severe burns, in a matter of a few seconds.

[Fell Goa] was one of the Spirit Knight's simplest spells, consisting of uniting the elements Fire and Wind in a powerful thermal wave that covers a wide area around Julius. An easy spell to perform, but extremely effective.

Stunned as they were, none of the sinister hooded group managed to react properly, and they were soon impaled and incapacitated once and for all by the blade that fought for glory.

Another job well done. The streets were approaching a greater state of cleanliness, and luckily most of the inhabitants had managed to flee to safety. Containing the threat was all that was left.

Julius returned the sword to its scabbard. There were no more visible enemies in the nearby blocks and alleys, and while this should have been a sign of safety, it too, for some indeterminate reason, caused immense apprehension.

Even because... Everything was way too calm.

Lugunica was going through a silent afternoon. The sun was high in the sky, and birds flew in a way they never had. It was very nice and orderly, the way the various black birds...

"…join and unite with each other…" Julius let those words escape his lips.

A huddle of crows had gathered around a specific spot on the shopping street. It was like a bee hive, coalescing and uniting like a blood clot. The birds seemed to mix with each other, merging pieces of bones, beaks, meat and feathers, always assuming a different format - a format that became more human as more of them joined the set.

Julius immediately brandished his sword again at the sight of that steady figure walking along the cobblestone pavement of the place. He had, without even feeling it, begun to tremble immensely.

She was a woman with a wide smile, and one that had no intention of looking cute. She looked both innocent and guilty, pleased and annoyed, bored and ecstatic.

Short blond hair, small build and skinny, with slender arms that culminated in pointed and long fingers that looked like the claws of a black dragon. The garments were excessively short, and it wouldn't have truly mattered if she were without them, as only what was really critical about her was being covered.

And that's when he saw it. Red eyes that pierced the depths of the soul, installing a mixture of sensations that simply couldn't be described.

Julius felt his grip on his sword tremble. It was totally weird. That woman looked so inviting and at the same time so... Wrong in how she displayed and behaved, the consolidated feeling of seeing something 99% human - the closer to being, the more frightening it becomes, as long as there is only one measly piece that is not.

And she distilled that feeling into the air. If Julius knew the correct term to define it, it would be "Uncanny Valley".

And she was facing him directly. Noticing Julius's presence, this woman, who seemed so engrossed in the thought of admiring herself and her surroundings, saw her face twist in pure disapproval and disgust at the purple-haired Knight.

"Wherever this lovely lady goes, she always ends up finding more and more garbage flesh bags...! It's an unavoidable truth, considering that no one could compare with her! Nyahahahaha!"

He realized, with that single line of dialogue, that he was dealing with something that far surpassed the madness. It was a crazy vocalization, that of a true maniac, something that had the potential to enter his mind and settle there, filling Julius with immense terror.

Julius was dealing with a monster, and the truth about it was reached after hearing that indescribable laugh, which revealed a unique level of manic mentality.

"What's a useless, rotten sack of meat like you do around here? It doesn't matter what kind of clothes you are wearing, or if you brandish a shiny, glowing sword. In the end, all people are nothing but inferior beings, mere remnants that shouldn't have the luxury of thinking and loving!" She said, appearing to be addressing Julius specifically. "However, as this lovely lady is always so merciful, she would perhaps be able to forgive you if you accept what it means...!"

Once again, she laughed, bringing a hand up to her mouth, exhaling an immense amount of mockery and a level of sadism in the air. The woman then started walking towards Julius.

"Just a single touch of this lovely lady's wonderful, silky hands and maybe even a piece of rubbish like you is good for something…! Or maybe those garments of yours are all there is to you...!" She laughed maniacally once more at the end of that. "If you surrender, sack of meat, maybe you can live inside the infinite love that this lovely lady has to offer!"

Julius was appalled on a unique level... What kind of monster was that?! She didn't seem harmless on the slightest amount, but just hearing that voice made him want to run away, as if his body were sending out continual signals and warnings about a danger that didn't seem to be there.

A danger he simply couldn't ignore. Julius forced a two-handed grip on his sword, calling out to all six quasi-spirits.

"I have no idea who you are, but I will not allow you to take another single step towards the Dragon Kingdom." He stated, trying to find strength in his own words. "You are warned. Take a single step and you will suffer the consequences, on behalf of the entire Royal Guard."

He tried to look serious... That was so funny and pathetic to her...! And maybe a little cute, if she had to admit it. Watching Julius with eyes that shone with the purest contempt, looking down at him even though she was the shortest, the shameless woman once again brought the back of her hand to her chin, laughing in that disconcerting way, one that could cause the purest dread to fill the air.

"Nyahahahaha! The sack of meat dressed as a Knight is trying to be brave in front of this lovely lady...!" She laughed at the whole thing, as if it were something highly interesting. "It's a shame that something so inferior has so much trouble recognizing its place as being below her!"

Completely defying Julius's order, she took not just one but several steps forward, brandishing, from somewhere he couldn't quite detect, a large red dagger that culminated in a violent, acute tip, similar in shape to an extended version of the fang of a venomous snake.

"That shall be it. Through the authority bestowed upon me, Royal Knight Julius Euculius, the order given will be carried out." Julius responded, preparing a combat stance. "Prepare for your neutralization in light of the peace in Lugunica."

He called out to all six of his spirits. Something told Julius that he should use his most powerful spell at the very first opportunity – whatever that woman was, it was something evil, that urgently needed to be cleansed.

Julius was never the type of person who trusted his intuition, and not even the trait itself was very sharp on him. Instead, the Knight always preferred to listen to his experience and everything he had learned and acquired over time.

But even though he wasn't particularly imaginative or theoretical, he could feel that something was much more than just wrong with this woman. It was an uncomfortable feeling that seemed to tighten his heart, and he wouldn't feel comfortable, that until he knew he'd tried his best against such a supernatural enemy.

Julius readied his sword, the spirits swirling around it like six globes of light, forming a vertical halo, a perfect circle that changed color with the viewpoint and the time, varying widely. It required a great deal of coordination and mental focus, which just painted the fact that he was using that spell right at the moment as something especially commendable.

"[Al Clauzeria]!"

An intense burst of light took everything around. The luminous circle generated by the spirits' acceleration had finally culminated in its reason for existing – all the Mana generated by that process was then released in a huge destructive wave of pure energy in the form of an expanding beam.

The six colors, close together and scattering but somehow unmixed with one another, sliced through the air at immense speed, in a destructive beam of pure power in the form of photons and heat. The immense energy beam emitted by Julius would have caused enormous damage to the structures if that place had not been a street that continued in that direction for a very long space.

The powerful beam burst through the flesh of the enemy, who screamed and muttered a few painful words before being finally silenced. Julius, at the end of that, continued pointing the tip of the sword in that direction for a few more seconds.

That was his most devastating move. [Al Clauzeria] was his most destructive ability, pulverizing enemies down to a pile of ash with the great release of power in a single blow. There was no way that monster could be alive after that.

...Or is there a way...?

That's what he feared. Just in case, still keeping the sword drawn and the spirits active, Julius approached the great nothingness that had been generated by the destructive movement. The Magic had done some unavoidable damage, elevating some of the pavement and stone cover of the place.

But there was no sign of his enemy, just a pile of rocks and a bit of destruction here and there, nothing too serious. The attack had been targeted right in the center, so there was nothing to worry about.

Julius, taking a deep breath, proceeded to tuck the sword into its scabbard once more. That one was a family heirloom, bearing the Euculius coat of arms. He had spent years of his life perfecting the use of that blade.

What should be done now is to help others, who should be going through the same problems. Just that and the whole place could be considered safe.

... ... ...

... So for which reasons did this feeling of discomfort continue...?

"You rotten piece of meat…! Trying to ruin the beautiful face of this lovely lady...!"

An intense sound was heard from the rubble, which rose with immense speed, revealing an immense cloud of dust and a magnanimous figure.

Chunks of stone flew in every direction, and Julius had to protect himself from a large chunk of destruction as he dodged. From there, from the center of it all, she had once again emerged, this time with an altered appearance.

There was a huge pair of black reptilian wings protruding from the back of this woman, who although she still seemed to smile, was also much more irritated with the Knight. The claws seemed to have grown several times longer and sharper, culminating, each finger, in a pointed end that very much resembled the shape of that dagger.

She had not only survived, but acquired a way to make herself stronger in the face of the threat Julius posed... With that, all he could feel was that peculiar terror once again taking hold of everything inside.

The best of him had been useless... Julius, the one who always strived for the best results, to be able to show himself and others that he could be a good and competent Knight, saw that the result of his continuous efforts came to nothing as the end result.

She was bigger, stronger, and much angrier. Lowering herself a little, it was noticeable that she seemed to want to take flight with the great obsidian-black dragon wings that were had acquired, and that, above all, Julius was the prey.

There was no way to run, and he needed at least a little more time to be able to think of a way to counterattack. The man was lost, ready to face a not only painful, but humiliating death.

In what promised to be his last moments, Julius looked down, being forced to accept that fate in which he had failed so bitterly...

"Nyahahahaha!" She laughed evilly, approaching the helpless Knight at extreme speed, with no possible way of reacting.

She, about to reach Julius' face, could already feel the taste that the new toy would have in her collection... What kind of thing should she turn it into? How was she supposed to remove all the love that was imbued in him?

All love should be hers, for her, and monopolized for the mere purpose of pleasing her. It was this or nothing – all the love existed to suit her.

... ... ...

... But it was then that a sound he had never heard before awakened the man from his trance. Julius was made to look up at that noise, that miraculous sound that somehow managed to make that abomination stop and be thrown to the far-left side as it screamed in pain, falling onto the street.

Julius looked up to see chains. They were long currents, which seemed to extend across the horizon from a specific point in the darkness. Looking at the creature that was bleeding in agony, he noticed an immense number of large ice stakes, which pierced it.

Although the creature did not die from the blow, it was able to leave it immensely damaged, giving Julius time to get up. Visually, he followed that long stream, until he came across an image most would not expect to see.

"Witch... Witch... Witch..." She spoke, eyes shining like those of a maniac committing a torture session. "Witch...!"

Another act of insanity, one that Julius prayed would come for the better, after all, he had just been saved by that person somehow.

It was a maid with blue hair, kept very short in an orderly cut. One of her eyes was covered by a fringe, allowing only monocular vision. She had all the trappings of a maid, including even hair ornaments, which by now were soaked in blood.

Just by looking, Julius immediately knew that blood was not hers. Again, he didn't know how, there was just that feeling. All that red didn't belong, not even a single drop, to that woman.

She was laughing like a crazy person, someone completely insane. The pupils were seen contracted as she showed what she had been dragging with that chain – a huge ball full of huge thorns and which showed up in shine, also dyed red.

The smell of iron immediately filled the air when she arrived, displaying that primal aggression. And right in the middle of her head, the greatest detail could be discerned – a large pointed luminous horn, which guided the path of her destruction route, indicating what would be the next thing to be turned into a pile of frozen meat pulp.

Julius didn't know that person, and from the look on her face, he assumed it should stay that way. However, he would be eternally grateful.

"Ahhh!" The dragon woman rose, somehow fully recovered from her injuries. "Another rotten meat has just joined against this lovely lady!"

Realizing that the thing was still very much alive, the expression on the maid's face changed, and although it was still nothing but manic, she was now showing anger in place of a smile.

She quickly prepared her flail, directing a freezing gaze toward the other monster. The damn Cultist was still somehow alive.

/

"Oof! No matter how many times I do it, I can never get fully used to it…" Ryan thought to himself, holding back the slight urge to vomit that consumed him. That goes away in a short time, which turned out not to be so bad.

Still, it was still uncomfortable, and it didn't help that he hadn't eaten enough that morning. The boy could already feel a certain bitterness climbing the walls of the esophagus. Naturally, he decided to ignore the feeling that grew weaker and weaker as time passed, looking to the side to see the person still holding his hand.

"Ah... That's right, we've already left the portal." He let go of Emilia's hand, realizing that perhaps he had held it for too long. "And then? How did you feel?"

Emilia in shift just smiled a little. She looked fine, always glowing and radiant, and indeed she was.

"I didn't feel anything like you said I would." She replied, taking advantage of the situation to play with him a little. Emilia pretended to be disappointed, bringing her hands up to her hips. "Ryan, you liar!"

It didn't have a nice connotation for Ryan, and for some obvious reasons. Just remembering Emilia saying that phrase in the last loop made him feel like there were several blades inside his stomach.

But, as always, he forced that feeling away as he saw her smile with the worried face he wore.

"You are really easy to impress, Ryan." She responded in a calm way. "But actually, it was a little weird... Traveling from one place to another at such high speed hardly feels real!"

"Isn't that what I just said back there?" Ryan pointed an index finger at Emilia, in a gesture that meant 'I agree with this', and continued talking. "It's completely weird to know that you can literally go anywhere in the world as long as you've visited the place before in the blink of an eye."

To that piece of information, her ears perked up a little, moving. With that last thing, the silver-haired Half-Elf was compelled to question.

"Anywhere in the world?! If that's really true..."

She paused for a moment, looking at the floor. Questioning about that, Ryan already knew what to expect. Emilia was a person who, incredibly, acted according to some set standards, and that look meant something he knew well, from all his experience with that girl.

"Whatever it is, you can ask for it. I will listen to you." He knew. Emilia wanted to order something. Every time she looked so hesitant and restrained, it meant the same thing.

She wasn't comfortable with asking others for things, and that was easy to see. Ryan learned that while she was somewhat proactive in communicating amicably with others, Emilia was also consumed by the antagonistic feeling of fear – she didn't want to upset anyone, and feared she would be a source of disturbance.

That clearly had deep roots in her personality. Emilia was a naturally kind person, but unfortunately had this characteristic so marking intensely hammered by the racist and prejudiced system.

All it took was a few good words of support and being open to what she had to say, and everything would be fine.

"…Although I hate having to think of her as a machine where you press buttons to get a fixed result…" Ryan mused, watching Emilia get the courage from those words. "... Unfortunately, there is no way this comparison can't come to mind."

For that, he just shook his head. That line of reasoning had already borne all the fruits it could. There was no longer any point in continuing to feed it. Now the focus should be on the request Emilia would make, as she finally felt comfortable enough to communicate what her heart desired.

"So…I wanted to ask something from you, Ryan… Will you listen to me?" She asked, looking him in the eye.

"Sure. It's like I said – you can ask whatever you want, as long as it's within my reach."

"Okay... So, I... I want you someday to take me to your Kingdom... If that's possible, of course." She asked.

That was a complicated request. Ryan hadn't thought of a way back, given all the problems, and above all, something inside his heart made him doubt any possibility. It was as if the boy had an inherent sense that he could never return.

It was an odd feeling of resignation. He hadn't necessarily given up on the dream of returning, and was still thinking about it from time to time, but at the same instant, something inside him was telling that there was no reason for or means to return, and that he would be doomed to that world.

And Ryan's intuition rarely failed. It was always very common for him to know something was wrong, even if he didn't know how to exactly communicate it. And that's what he felt at that moment.

And above all... That shape made of shadows... The boy was afraid to end up encountering that thing again... He knew, he just knew... The moment a portal that took him home was opened, that thing would appear again, and take away everything he most wanted to protect, before addressing him at last.

No matter how – Ryan just knew and could feel the great level of threat that trying to get out of that world represented, like a child who is afraid to open the door to a dark place in the house because they are aware that something evil might be hiding there, ready to jump over and devour at the exact moment they turn the knob.

In short, he didn't know how to respond to that, and lying wasn't an option around Emilia, as it would be much worse if she ever found out.

" Look, Emilia... I can't guarantee anything." He started by trying to have as much tact as possible with the Half-Elf. "I can try, but I can't say for sure that it can happen, as it's very difficult to get to where I live."

Even so, he dosed himself so as not to leave her helpless.

"But if by chance I can find a way, I'll bring you with me, okay?"

Ryan expected a more emotional response, but all he got was an excited smile from her. Emilia realized that he was wondering about that, after all it was very obvious to see, since the moments when his eyes were squinted and lips parted a little, it meant "doubt".

"I'm pretty relieved you weren't trying to lie." She revealed. "I will always remember that."

Emilia was happy – not that he said he would try or that he said something that sounded good, but the simple fact that he hadn't tried to lie and admitted that he couldn't make a solid promise on an uncertainty.

She then took it upon herself to propose one more thing.

"Hey, Ryan. Let's always remember that promise, okay?" She practiced using the newest word she learned. "If you ever make it, no matter how long it takes, I want to be there with you."

"Promise made. I will always remember, no matter what."

Everything was too perfect, and as life usually is, things didn't stay that way. In the midst of that characteristic moment, the two witnessed a phenomenon that immediately alerted all the senses of danger.

A large multicolored beam of light cut across the sky, glowing brightly. Immediately, the two were alerted to it.

"This Magic…" Emilia said, trying to guess. "...Julius...!"

Julius was fighting, and by the scale of that spell, against someone who could actually take it. Ryan felt himself shiver as he saw the region where that glow came from.

"That place...!" He alerted himself, almost jumping at the realization. "Rem is there! ... Emilia, I need to go there!"

It was the exact region of the hotel, in incredible proximity. That danger shouldn't be normal, considering what they've just seen there.

…And Ryan's suspicions were only heightened by seeing a huge column of purple fire also soaring through the sky, making all the surroundings glow hungrily in violet, burning aggressively.

"This doesn't look any good...!" He said. "Emilia, I need you to seek safety. Now!"

"I'll go with you!" She tried to protest, but was soon interrupted by a helping hand from a third person.

"He's right, Lia." It was Puck, who materialized in front of the two. " It is one thing for you to go after him in that castle, where we could avoid damage and safety was easy to achieve, but it is entirely different to get involved in combat like that."

Puck's blue eyes were locked in that direction. For what passed like five seconds, he just stared at that spot in space, floating in the air as he seemed to think of something.

"It's a pretty wild fight. Large amounts of Mana are being released, not to mention those flames are not real fire, but Curses." Puck stated, in a way that felt almost natural.

"Curses?!" Ryan was immediately startled to hear that word.

"Yeah. I can feel it. Whatever they're up against, it's powerful and dangerous, and as your father, I can't let you get involved, Lia."

Emilia seemed a little disappointed by this, looking down while keeping her fists clenched. Her spirit of always wanting to help was being compromised, and that didn't feel good.

On the other hand, she also knew that listening to Puck was the best thing she could do right now. If a Great Spirit like him had that idea about the situation, it couldn't be a wrong notion.

"This is a much bigger match than would be minimally safe for you. I ask you to understand, Lia." In closing and trying to literally assassinate any urge Emilia had to get involved, he said.

"... It's all right... I'll go to safety." Emilia acknowledged that Puck would be adamant this second time. "But what are you going to do, Ryan?"

... ... ...

"I'll go help Julius and look for Rem." He revealed, causing Emilia's gaze to expand immensely.

"You cannot go! Puck just said it's dangerous, and...!"

"Lia." Puck interrupted her. "Just let him go, yes?"

"But, Puck...!" Emilia tried to protest even more.

"No 'but'. You need protection, and I'm more than capable of providing it. The boy has his own reasons for doing what he wants, and unfortunately that's not something for you to say. Just be a good girl and listen to me, Lia."

Puck's idea of Ryan was something Emilia couldn't possibly understand. Unlike the others, the feline of immense power can accurately measure the magical abilities of a person.

And ever since that moment when he'd tested Ryan's affinity, he'd noticed that that boy's powers just seemed to grow in volume and amplitude, always increasing. Puck knew this wasn't something that could come from a simple human, especially considering he was able to drain a massive amount of Mana that would have been able to freeze the entire Manor for a few days.

This generated an unusual kind of trust. Ryan had no bad intentions towards Emilia, and at the same time he had those traits. It was haunting but comforting at the same time. Puck could trust that power, even if fearing a possible betrayal.

"I think you better get going, boy! Go there and take care of this threat. You can leave Lia to me!"

"Thanks, Puck. I will definitely go back. Until then, wait for me, Emilia." He waved back.

That permission had a special meaning – Puck wasn't communicating with Ryan in a 'spirit to human' way, but from 'something big to something bigger', and whoever he now called "kid" would eventually reach a much higher level.

And so, he goes in the direction of danger, leaving Puck responsible for his daughter's life. As they were still close to the Castle, the road to safety would not take long.

/

"Gaaah! You are a truly irritating sack of meat for this lovely young lady...!" The dragon-winged woman screamed, appearing to regenerate from a massive blow from the blue-haired maid's flail.

Before there could even be any other reaction, Rem, in her most maniacal state, prepared an intense blast of several sharp ice units, like many spears, and launched them at torpedo speed towards the enemy.

The blond-haired woman screamed as she was hit, shifting in pure pain to the ground, but that hadn't been close enough to kill her.

Rem didn't seem willing to give her any chance of rest. The maid jumped an incredible height in the air, aiming her flail directly at her opponent's face.

Blood and gray matter engulfed everything several yards around. The impact had shattered the face and entire skull of that abomination. Rem prepared more ice stakes, impaling the rest of her body in an attempt to stop the abomination from regenerating.

"This is pure madness...!" Julius, stagnant, watched in pure anticipation.

Adrenaline raced through the Knight's body as he watched Rem slaughter that thing… Only for it to get up again. The maid attacked with her flail, unleashing powerful, precise, and theoretically lethal attacks, but that didn't seem to have the slightest effect.

It was like the maid was ecstatic as she "killed" the enemy once more, in a number that became several times. Rem didn't seem to care about anything, just keeping crushing.

However, there was a notable problem with all that. As much as the maniacal maid was dominating the attacks and taking out the blonde woman with dragon wings, it was becoming more and more clear to Julius that it was a battle they could not win.

The dragon woman reared up, and even though she bled like a fountain, she sent a sharp smile in Rem's direction, one filled with her own anger.

"Trying to disfigure this lovely lady's face... Your sack of meat, I will turn you into something so disgusting... That reflects the irrational creature you are inside...!"

It split, taking flight in the form of huge bats. In that form, it was difficult for Rem to attack, and however much she managed to hit one or two, she always fell victim to a third, who threatened to make a strong bite.

"[El Clausel]!"

Julius decided he had to act somehow. The maid had not attempted to attack him at any time, indicating that she was on his side in combat. Julius called for the power of his spirits, creating a long-distance luminous slash that split one of the huge bats in half.

He had no idea how long he could keep pushing that thing, but he knew he would, and after a fair number of the bats had been shot down, the woman joined together again, this time revealing a new form.

"Nyahahahaha! This lovely lady hopes you like it this way! It's the last you'll see before your love is completely mine... Mine...!" She seemed to be more and more manic with every line.

Rem once again bared his teeth, analyzing her enemy's newest form in hatred. Julius, in his turn, didn't know how to react, after all, it was one thing to try to take down a woman with dragon wings or a wave of giant bats, but...

That was a huge black dragon.

The creature's voice remained the same, and she laughed once more. It was a relatively large dragon, with shiny, dark scales, completely black in color, as if they were made of black quartz. Her eyes were a piercing purple, and she was as tall as a house and a half of that district.

A huge opponent, who just seemed to grow more indestructible by the second. Julius felt himself grip the hilt of the sword as the large reptile opened its mouth, seeming to be addressing him especially.

A purple glow took over everything, and from there, flames appeared that threatened to consume everything in front.

"[Al Clauzeria]...! "

Julius put his best to that last hope. He wanted to live. Not as a Knight, not as someone who is doing his duty to the people – he just wanted to survive this as an ordinary person.

All spirits were working to the best of their ability at the time. Julius felt that this would be the last spell he would be able to cast, and even if it was, he had a feeling, a huge urge to try.

The two forces clashed, curse and cleansing brought on by the Spirit Knight's sword, a battle in which there could only be one winner.

... A winner that wasn't him.

The dragon's flames overwhelmed the combined power of the six quasi-spirits, threatening to burn them with eternal pain in the form of a mighty Curse...

... ... ...

"It's won't be after going through all this that I'll take the luxury of letting someone die..."

A purple glow hit his eyes full on.

"...Knowing that I could have stopped this from happening...!"

The flames finally hit him. Julius was wrapped in by a bright purple explosion, dancing all around by all possible sides. The light generated by the process was blinding, preventing him from seeing much beyond the infinity of purple and the noise of the cursed fire burning everything around them.

But, no heat arrived. There was no pain, there was nothing.

That lasted for another ten seconds, until all noise ceased, and Julius made himself look straight ahead, finally realizing what had happened.

He felt involved in something. It was like he was getting the best hug of his life. Though he couldn't see properly, the young man still felt it. Something was protecting him from harm.

"Rem, you've done well so far."

That was a familiar voice. Recovering from the great glare, his eyes gradually detected that shadow.

"And you, Julius... I know you haven't fallen yet, so get up and give me a hand with that giant ugly thing."

He totally knew that voice, one that managed to get him to stand up for some reason. It was a voice that at the same time generated comfort and grated on nerves, which lit the fuse of competitiveness within the Knight's heart.

It was a person he wanted to show himself as the "coolest" to, even if he didn't usually care about that. Oh, that person...! The only one who can laugh and joke while thinking about how to defuse a massive explosive.

"It's just scratches." Julius said, putting a smug smile on his face. "Nothing to worry about."

"Huh..." He replied, carrying the maid lying in his arms. "Since it's like that, I could go back and let you handle it, since you feel so well...!"

"And why don't you do that?"

"It's just because I want to make it rain at your parade."

The two looked in the direction of the great dragon, which had been blown away by a telekinetic impact. The creature reared up, looking even more enraged. That would be an intense fight.

/

Blood and many fallen covered that region of Lugunica. None of them had been truly a challenge.

The place had become quiet after all that action. The vast majority called themselves the Knight Royal, but none of them lived up to the expectation that the title carried.

Walking those same streets, there was only his form, lurking in the darkness, looking for a next meal.

He approached an avenue, a wider stretch used by commerce. Perhaps there were still people who weren't in hiding, individuals who guarded what he was looking for.

... ... ...

"Let's get going, Lia. The way to the safe point is that way."

"Yes... Let's go, Puck."

... ... ...

He couldn't help but watch it from the shadows. It was not just a mere person, but a silver-haired Half-Elf, who so resembled that creature seen in the myths...

Although he was affiliated with the organization that deals directly with her followers, he couldn't care less. He just wanted to satisfy that instinct so primordial and necessary to perpetuate existence.

And what better way to do that than with a good meal, something truly gourmet?

... ... ...

Puck stopped in midair, remaining static.

"Puck...?" Emilia started to ask, seeing that reaction on the cat's part.

The cat then, without even saying anything, turned back, throwing several spikes of ice in the direction of a shadow in the path.

"I can sense your harmful intent - hiding won't help you!" The cat spoke. "Show up and take me on face to face...!"

A couple of seconds of silence ensued, until that shape appeared from behind a shadow on the path, standing in front of them.

With a short, languid stature, tanned skin and long brown hair like a story princess… His back had marks like whipping scars, and a ghoulish grin with pointed teeth cut across his face from end to end.

Green eyes reflected the light ahead, searching for someone, a story, a life that could satisfy, even temporarily, his hunger.

... And he had just found it.

" Tsuuuuu..." He let out a breath between his pointed smile. "Don't you think it's impolite to attack us like that when we just want a meal?"

Emilia didn't know how to describe it, but through Puck and their shared feelings thanks to the contract, she was also able to feel the huge negative emotional pulse that the child was emitting.

"Who are you...?" She asked fearfully. "And what do you mean by that...?"

" Tsuuu..."

He brought both of his palms up, revealing that he had daggers strapped to his wrists.

"We are [Gluttony], tsuuu…" He said. "Lye Batenkaitos is our name."

"Careful, Lia... This one seems to be of a dangerous type..." said Puck.

Emilia nodded, quickly assuming a battle stance as she called for support from the lesser spirits as well.

Living spheres of light shone everywhere in that space, and as was the custom among combatants, she also performed.

"My name is Emilia. Just Emilia."

Lye Batenkaitos had smiled with satisfaction, after all, that was all he needed. Preparing his daggers, only one goal was in mind.

AUTHOR NOTES

I didn't originally plan for this to happen (the "lovely lady" most of you all know so well to suddenly appear.) But, oh, okay, right?

My take on her is probably quite lame (been a while since I read Arc 5, so i'm writing this solely on memory)… Don't worry - Will seek to improve.

This arc is right about to end, guys!

Emilia and Puck versus Gluttony.

Ryan, Julius and Rem versus (SPOILER!) - Lust.

If there is one thing that I love, that is cooperation and teamwork during a fight! Having two or three characters ganging up on a single enemy is just amazing, guys! We can develop a hundred thousand combos, cover each other's weaknesses, make fancy, tactic moves…! That's why I love it so much!

PS: Chapters 4, 5 and 6 of my original series are out!

Same author name on FictionPress.