“What is your relationship with the person who just left?”
You must be asking about Bel.
Since Bel is the only human among the party.
“Bel, swordswoman. Ally.”
“I see.”
Selene continued speaking.
Wuuuuuuung…
Focusing on inscribing [Flash Engraving] onto Yuma.
“What kind of place is the Intermediate World?”
“It’s not much different from the Demon World. A variety of human factions and otherworldly beings gathered together.”
“Oh, so is it a harmonious place? In the Demon World, there are only demons and monsters, yet wars break out every day.”
“It’s the same in the Intermediate World. Humans fight among themselves over territory. Wars between different races also happen quite frequently.”
“Hmm, I always wanted to visit before I die. The fantasy is slowly breaking.”
Selene’s tone was becoming softer than at first. She didn’t realize it, but Yuma could definitely sense the change.
“If you can come, do come someday. If you come down to the Astes Empire before I die, I can give you a state-level reception.”
Selene smiled faintly at Yuma’s words.
“Thank you… but it seems unlikely that I’ll actually get to go.”
As Selene continued with the engraving process, she spoke up again.
“The Great Demon King Berzette wasn’t as cruel as I thought. There was hardly any blatant cruelty like beating or killing a few family members as an example.”
Yuma quietly listened to Selene’s continuing words.
“In another sense, it was cruel. She forcibly married non-awakened members of the bloodline to those belonging to her Demon Lord castle. Although it was called marriage, everything was coerced. The very act of her subordinates drawing their swords and giving off a menacing vibe meant that if they didn’t comply with her proposal, all members of their family would have their heads cut off.”
Berzette chose to rule not through physical pain.
But through mental torment.
Creating a situation where one had no choice but to submit. Just making one accept that reality.
“As part of that, I am monitored daily, but I haven’t experienced any violence. They keep watch with countless personnel, but when I enter this house, they don’t come inside. It’s their way of giving me an escape route. Not dying. A means for me to carry out my duties of engraving. But still… hell is hell after all.”
“You’re giving it to me, right? Without dying. A breathing hole to carry out one’s duty of engraving. But still… hell is just hell, after all.”
“Hobby.”
“Huh?”
“Do you have any hobbies?”
At Yuma’s question, Selene chewed on her light pink lips for a moment before speaking up.
“Drawing.”
“Drawing?”
“Those notebooks over there. They’re all for drawing.”
Yuma barely lifted his head. He could see a multitude of notebooks standing on the bookshelf.
And there were a few chess pieces placed atop the shelf—what looked like a queen and a king piece.
“Chess too?”
Selene slowly nodded.
“I used to play chess quite often with my father. Recently… I haven’t had anyone to play with.”
Yuma was already feeling a subtle familiarity with Selene.
Since she looked exactly like the Selene he had seen in the game “Loop Blood.”
And now, that connection felt a little deeper.
Drawing and chess.
Those were few of the hobbies Yuma enjoyed before being summoned to this world.
Yuma slowly opened his mouth.
“They said the engraving ability manifests the fastest in three hours.”
“Yes… Before the Berzette family took over, I also had my engraving manifest within three hours when I got it from my father. It usually took around that long when granting engravings to family members. In other cases, it generally took about a week. Sometimes it could even take up to a month.”
Yuma pondered for a moment.
After all, it wasn’t exactly a good time to set off immediately after receiving the engraving. The sky had turned quite dark.
It would be best to move when the bright red sun rises.
Staying here for about three more hours to monitor the engraving manifestation state didn’t seem like a bad idea.
Although the likelihood of the shortest awakening time that only applied to family members manifesting for him didn’t seem very high.
“It’s done.”
With those words, Selene removed her right hand that had been on Yuma’s back.
It seemed the granting of [Flash Engraving] was complete.
‘Since the status window isn’t appearing…’
The ability of the engraving hadn’t yet manifested.
Yuma wasn’t too concerned. He had already heard from Selene that it was likely to be a little delayed.
Yuma met Selene’s gaze, who was looking at him.
“Can I see some of your drawings?”
“…Drawings?”
“Yeah.”
For the past few hundred years, Selene had never shown her drawings to anyone, so she stood up with a slightly awkward expression and walked over to Duke Yuma, holding a notebook.
Yuma understood her feelings all too well.
There was certainly a reason to wait for the manifestation of the seal, but fundamentally, it was just a rude overstep of kindness.
It was nothing more than pity. A misguided attempt to comfort Selene’s worn-out heart even a little bit.
“What do you think?”
Selene shyly asked as she opened her drawing notebook. Yuma looked closely at the drawing she revealed.
The picture depicted the vividly red scenery of the Demon World.
The unique bright red sky of the Demon World. And in the center of that sky, the setting black sun.
Around that black sun, pure white stars twinkled.
Bats and birds soared along the mountain ridges.
It was dreadfully dark yet stunningly beautiful.
“Bats and birds, with a sense of perspective, too.”
At Yuma’s words, Selene’s eyes widened.
“That’s right.”
Details are necessary for compliments.
“You’ve used a variety of shades of red here.”
This wasn’t just a simple “you drew well.”
“Yes…! Do you draw as well?”
She asked because she also knew well what it meant to be a person who draws.
Yuma picked up a pen and sketched out an outline. The picture Yuma drew was the Intermediate World. More specifically, it was the Glory Cross appointed by Princess Brigitte as Emperor.
The capital of the Astes Empire. And at the center of that capital, at the [Glory Cross], four landscapes converge into one.
In the east, there were elegantly designed structures. In the west, a garden filled with countless flowers. In the south, a fountain. In the north, a gigantic bridge.
It was named the Glory Cross because it represented the greatness of the empire in one place.
Swish…
After completing the outline, Yuma picked up a brush. He dipped the brush in paint and began to color.
Yuma picked up another brush and handed it to Selene.
“Let’s paint together.”
At Yuma’s words, Selene’s eyes sparkled.
“Is that okay? But I don’t know any of the colors around here.”
Yuma smiled lightly.
“Doesn’t really matter. The original colors aren’t very important when it comes to coloring.”
Yuma pointed to Selene’s drawing. It was Selene who had given vibrant colors to the dreadfully dark original scenery of the Demon World.
He pointed with his right hand. The beautiful colors added to the originally dark landscape of the Demon Realm were thanks to Selene.
“That’s right.”
With a bright smile, Selene colored in the Glory Cross that Yuma had drawn, sitting side by side.
They completed the picture perfectly.
“It’s so pretty.”
After painting the blue sky, Selene said.
Yuma and Selene played chess for the second time.
Tap—
Selene chuckled.
“Unlike the painting, you’re a bit of a beginner at chess, aren’t you?”
“…I thought you were good at it.”
Yuma raised both hands after a move that ended his own reign. Selene kept smiling as she tidied up the chessboard.
– This is how you should do it, Selene.
It brought back long-forgotten memories of his father.
It was right after Selene placed the tidied chessboard on the desk.
A silver light emanated from Yuma’s back. Words appeared before Yuma’s eyes.
[Flash of Light – The Mark has been activated.]
The Blink ability was now fully engraved on Yuma’s body.
“Already… a mark.”
Selene’s eyes widened as she noticed the light radiating from Yuma’s back, realizing the mark had activated.
Only now did Selene recall her father’s words about the time it took for the mark to activate.
– The quick activation of a mark for family members isn’t because they’re family.
– It’s because the bond between the caster and the target is stronger. They’re family, after all.
“Lucky you, looks like the mark was engraved correctly.”
Step—
Yuma approached Selene, who was sitting there with a dazed expression.
“If we kill Berzette, it will free you and everyone else in the family… that’s clear, right?”
Selene nodded slowly.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Yuma nodded once as well.
“Take a short break. I’ll go talk to those outside.”
“Okay.”
Yuma left the house.
“….”
Left alone, Selene gazed at the open sketchbook.
It was the painting of the Glory Cross they had made together.
“Father.”
Selene looked out the window.
“I think the family will be able to regain their freedom. This must be it.”
After staring at the painting for a while, Selene slowly closed the sketchbook.
