Shae and Sa-Ya sat side by side, both enjoying their lollipops with their masks pulled down, right after swallowing the potion that had such an incredibly bitter and nauseating taste.

"Master," Sa-Ya spoke first, her tone oddly flat. "I can still taste the candy… it's strawberry, but… why does it feel like I can't enjoy it at all?"

"Yeah, Master, me too," Shae added, licking the candy absently.

Al smiled faintly, a small curve tugging at the corner of his lips.

"It's been quite a while since the last time I drank that potion," he said calmly. "I've already forgotten most of its effects—except for how disgustingly bitter it was."

He leaned back slightly, observing the two girls. "If that's what you're feeling, it means the potion's still working properly. Your physical senses aren't supposed to lose the ability to taste. What it affects is your psychological state—your emotional perception of pleasure gets neutralized. So you can taste it, but you can't enjoy it."

"Oh, that explains it," Shae muttered. "By the way, Master… we've been drinking a lot of special potions these past two nights. Is that okay?"

Al didn't answer right away. He just glanced at them, his expression unreadable, and decided to test something.

"What if," he said casually, "I report it to the Queens—and let them punish you for it?"

The two immediately looked at each other. Their gazes met, yet there was no trace of fear, no panic—just emptiness.

"Master," Sa-Ya said slowly, "I don't feel scared at all. Is there something wrong with me? I should be afraid, right? Is this part of the potion's effect too?"

"Yes, Master," Shae added, equally calm. "Even if the Queen or our Commander appeared right now, I don't think I'd feel nervous."

Al nodded thoughtfully.

"The effect is still strong," he murmured, analyzing. "That's impressive for a potion that's almost past its expiration date. Now, let's test something else. I want you two to insult each other—say the worst things you can think of. I'm curious about how deep the neutralization goes."

Without hesitation, both girls nodded and obeyed, their movements mechanical and devoid of hesitation—like obedient dolls stripped of emotion.

The words they threw at each other, the insults that would normally sting or spark a playful quarrel, now sounded hollow. Empty. Even the vulgar ones carried no weight. It was as if their emotions had been erased, leaving only the echo of speech.

Al chuckled quietly, amused by the sight. But the potion's duration wouldn't allow him to enjoy the spectacle for long.

"Excellent. The effect's remarkable," he commented with a light sigh. "As far as I remember, the potion lasts around an hour at best. But considering it's nearly expired, I'd say twenty to forty minutes is all we've got. Let's finish this while it still works."

Shae and Sa-Ya nodded in unison, popping the remaining candy into their mouths and finishing it in one bite. They then took their positions—Shae on Al's left, Sa-Ya on his right—standing ready.

"Yes, Master," they replied in unison, their tones perfectly synchronized.

Al nodded as well, stretching his shoulders briefly before focusing. Their preparations were complete.

Putri's frail and pale body lay in front of them. Her condition was visibly unstable, her appearance disheveled after the test Al had conducted on her earlier.

"Alright, you two. Listen carefully," Al said, his tone serious but controlled.

Both of them nodded, their eyes fixed on him.

"The body of a demi-human—or in this case, a quartus-human—is fundamentally different from that of an ordinary human," Al began, his voice calm and steady. "We often say their bodies are physically corrupted, containing traces of Djinn essence. However, their souls remain purely human."

Shae nodded thoughtfully. "That corruption… that's what makes demi-humans and their descendants more vulnerable to demonization than normal Djinn or normal humans, right?"

"Exactly," Al confirmed. "Demonization can occur through several different paths. Some take the physical route—like the demi-humans. Others go through the spiritual route—like shamans. And then there are those who experience both, such as us—DIARs, and the High Djinns on the other side. Demi-humans, shamans, DIARs, and High Djinns are all merely at the initial stages of demonization."

He paused briefly, his gaze returning to Putri's frail form.

"And it seems," he continued softly, "that someone wants this child to complete that process."

"Someone, Master?" Sa-Ya asked, tilting her head.

"I don't know," Al replied. "It's just a theory. But if I'm right, then this girl might've undergone a demonization ritual since she was very young."

Shae gazed deeply at the pale girl lying before them before finally speaking.

"If that's true, then why this child? What's the motive behind it?"

Al exhaled softly, his expression carrying a faint shadow of concern for the girl's condition.

"Since you two joined me, you've never actually seen a demon before, have you? Let alone faced one directly," he asked.

Both girls nodded.

"I've only heard stories about them," Shae replied quietly.

"Even when I went through demonization myself, I never actually saw one either, Master. Even though my soul wandered through Azzaleth for quite a while," Sa-Ya added.

"It's indeed extremely rare to encounter demons on the surface of Azzaleth," Al explained, his tone shifting into that of a lecturer.

"They prefer to stay hidden—closer to the planet's core, where they can access the planet's primary source of energy. Some call it ancient energy, a force that nearly approaches the level of divine energy. Unlike humans or ordinary djinn who merely extract ambient energy from their surroundings, demons tap directly into the planet's veins."

Sa-Ya tilted her head slightly. "Does divine energy really exist, Master?"

Al gave a faint shake of his head. "I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps it does… perhaps not."

He let the question hang, then smoothly returned to the earlier topic.

"Anyway, I believe the one who performed this on the girl did it not to harm her—but to help her."

"Huh? How could that be?" Sa-Ya frowned. "Didn't her mother abandon both her and her father here? Why would she suddenly want to help?"

Al smiled faintly and shook his head. "Who ever said it had to be her mother who did it?"

"Oh—right, it could've been someone else." Sa-Ya blinked, realizing her slip. "I thought we were talking about her mother this whole time. I guess the potion's effect is dulling my intelligence a bit."

"Even without the potion, your intelligence doesn't go much higher than that," Shae shot back with a blank tone.

They exchanged a calm, emotionless stare. There was no satisfaction from the one who mocked, and no irritation from the one mocked. Just emptiness. Only Al seemed amused, quietly chuckling at the sight.

"According to Basri's report," Al continued, "it's impossible that her mother was the one behind this. It's more likely someone else—someone who still held a shred of kindness toward Basri and his child."

"But Master," Sa-Ya interrupted again, "isn't demonization supposed to be a bad thing? Why would that be considered helping?"

"That's true—from our perspective," Al replied calmly. "But not everyone sees it that way. Among the DIAR factions, the one with the second-largest number of members after Ordo Ferox is the Red-Robed faction, whose main doctrine revolves around pursuing demonization itself. That means there are millions of people in this world who don't view demonization as evil."

"I understand, Master," Sa-Ya said softly.

"Then, how exactly is that supposed to 'help' this girl?" Shae followed up.

Al folded his arms. "The way I see it, whoever did this probably knew the child had no chance of survival as a Quartus-human. So instead of letting her suffer through a slow and meaningless death, they cast her soul out—letting her undergo demonization and be reborn as a new entity."

Shae nodded thoughtfully. "I think I understand that much, Master. But what does this have to do with the third dimension?"

Al turned to her, carefully observing her face to make sure the potion's effects were still stable. Once satisfied, he replied evenly,

"To prevent her from becoming a spirit demon. If she underwent demonization within Azzaleth, she'd inevitably turn into one. But if the process happens in the third dimension, that outcome can be avoided."

Shae frowned, processing the explanation. She opened her mouth to ask another question—but Al spoke first.

"Shae, you're probably wondering how the girl could undergo demonization without inhaling Helos, right? Since that substance only exists in Azzaleth?"

Shae blinked, surprised that he guessed her thought. "Yes, Master. That's exactly what I was thinking."

Al smiled faintly. "I figured as much. I suppose you still don't fully understand what demonization really is." He turned to Sa-Ya. "Am I right, Sa-Ya?"

Sa-Ya nodded with an unbothered look.

"Yup, Master. Shae's not the sharpest tool in the shed, so it makes sense she doesn't know much."

Shae stared back at her blankly, expressionless as ever.

Al chuckled, watching them with faint amusement, while Sa-Ya added, "Demonization doesn't always happen through Helos, you know. It can also occur through the soul—just like what happened to me."

But Shae still seemed confused.

"Hm? What do you mean by that?"

Al sighed and shook his head, realizing he expected too much from their understanding.

"You two… seriously. This is basic knowledge. After this, you'd better return to Ataris and study harder," he said with mild exasperation.

Both girls gave a calm, synchronized nod. "Yes, Master."

Al explain again, his voice calm yet layered with subtle weight.

"Extracting Helos is only one path to demonization. But there are several others—many, in fact. One of the more infamous and… let's say, popular methods, is to kill an innocent soul."

He said it casually, certain that the potion's effect would prevent any emotional reaction from the two standing beside him.

But—

TINGGG!

A sharp, invisible pulse seemed to echo between them. Both Shae and Sa-Ya flinched, their bodies trembling as cold sweat broke across their skin. Their breathing turned uneven, and tears welled up in their eyes without warning.

"Master… what's happening to me?" Sa-Ya's voice shook slightly. "There are so many memories rushing through my head—but I don't feel anything."

"Me too, Master," Shae said faintly, blinking rapidly as her hands clenched against her chest.

Al watched them quietly, observing every movement with a thoughtful gaze.

The potion is working properly, he analyzed inwardly. But their bodies still remember the trauma. Even just mentioning those two phenomena—and the phrase 'killing an innocent soul'—was enough to trigger their physical response. Fortunately, their spirits remain stable.

He reached out and gently patted both of their heads, the soft touch helping to ease the tension that gripped their bodies. Slowly, their shaking subsided.

Al's tone softened, though it carried a hint of warning.

"Your bodies will react because of that buried trauma. But thanks to the potion, it'll stay under control. I'll also do what I can to suppress it further."

Both nodded firmly, ready for whatever might come next.

After giving them a brief moment to steady themselves, Al continued,

"Shae, if you remember—what exactly did you see inside the Third Dimension?"

Shae paused, closing her eyes to recall the memory.

"It's… a void-like place," she murmured. "An endless rocky plain stretching into nothingness. One side is covered in pitch darkness, and the other glows with blinding light."

She continued, her tone turning faintly distant.

"When I was trapped there, I ended up in the dark side. I couldn't see much, but I could feel it—there were wandering souls everywhere. I didn't know what they looked like, but they were… countless. As for the bright side, I barely caught a glimpse before I escaped. But I think… I think there were many beings living there."

Al nodded slowly.

"The Third Dimension," he explained, "is the space between two dimensions. A narrow gap said to exist for the souls of the dead. But sometimes, creatures that move between dimensions get caught in it—just like what happened to you."

Shae nodded in understanding.

Then Al's gaze shifted to the unconscious girl—Putri.

"And this child," he continued, "it seems her soul was released and placed there. Unfortunately, I don't know the method used—or what kind of ritual it was. Under normal circumstances, like with Sa-Ya, a living body wouldn't allow its soul to enter that place. Usually, it would either wander in the human dimension… or pass through to Azzaleth, where demonization would occur."

"And how does the demonization occur there?" Shae asked.

"If my theory is right… demonization happens by devouring the wandering souls that drift through that realm. For now, it's only speculation—but this ritual seems designed to let her feast on them," Al said coldly.

He paused for a moment, then continued,

"Because if her soul hasn't undergone demonization, there's no reason to release it into that realm. And if you noticed earlier, when I lured her with Helos, her body didn't just react—it absorbed my Helos. An effect that can only occur in demi-humans or quartus humans whose souls have already gone through demonization."

Both of them fell silent, trying to process his words.

"But are you certain she's entered the Third Dimension, Master?" Shae asked again, seeking confirmation.

"Of course. You already know—my eyes are special," Al replied casually as he activated his Dimensional Eye to analyze Putri.

From Putri's chest, he could see faint lines of spiritual energy extending outward—thin, threadlike streams connecting her heart to a narrow rift in space. It looked like an invisible cord, still tethering her body and soul together.

Both of them nodded slightly, gazing at those crimson, majestic eyes.

"And to learn more about it…" Al said flatly, "…we'll have to go there ourselves."

He moved toward the point where the energy threads converged, channeling his own energy into it.

The space around them began to distort as Al tried to pry open the dimensional tear linked to the Third Dimension.

"Sa-Ya, you'll stay here and protect the area," he ordered. "And you, Shae—since you're the only one who's ever entered and returned from there alive, I'll rely on you to guide me."

Both girls nodded and prepared themselves.

Then, with a single motion filled with controlled force, Al tore the dimensional rift open.

A blinding white light burst forth—

Al and Shae stood ready, facing the shimmering rift before them—the portal to the third dimension.

"But, Master," Shae spoke up before stepping forward. "Before we go, there's something I've been wondering."

"What is it?"

"Even without the influence of Helos or any other force… what's the real difference between undergoing demonization or soul demonization in the Third Dimension and in Azzaleth? I mean—what becomes of the soul there? Why doesn't it turn into a spirit demon instead?"

Al didn't answer right away. A faint smile crossed his lips as he pulled his hoodie over his head.

"That," he said calmly, "is exactly what we're about to find out

Then

WOSHHH!

In an instant, the two were pulled into the void.

---

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