“Tia came here?”

Naiad’s face drained of color as soon as she heard the news.

“Yes. I just had her moved to a place I arranged.”

“Clay told you to do that?”

“To be precise, Clay left it to me to decide what to do with her.”

At that, Naiad swallowed dryly.

“I doubt Clay wanted Tia to stay here.”

“Of course not. But that’s exactly why he left it to me—he couldn’t deal with it himself.”

Beatrice then explained the situation in detail: that Tia was wielding the power of an Outer God, not Elhaen, and that until they knew why that god had chosen her, it was too risky to dispose of her.

“That Outer God who gave her power surely intends to meddle in this world. We need to find out whether that’s to our benefit or not.”

“…Mm.”

“Anyway, don’t worry too much. I’ll handle the rest.”

But even with Beatrice’s gesture to leave, Naiad didn’t move. After all, she’d heard Tia had caused chaos here earlier; no one would walk in lightly after that.

She glanced around. Not only the demons, but the other Demon King’s Four Generals were gathered outside, wearing unsettled expressions. Selimia in particular looked utterly shaken.

“She lost in an instant?”

The Witch of the North—now part of the Demon King’s forces—was second only to Beatrice in strength among the Four Generals.

Yet she had been defeated by Tia without even managing a proper counterattack. That could only mean one thing—

The Outer God backing Tia was no trivial being.

According to Beatrice, Tia had claimed it was the Sun God. If that wasn’t just arrogance, it meant the potential for a catastrophe.

“Athanasia.”

Naiad approached Athanasia, whose face was clouded with unease.

“What kind of god did it feel like?”

Even if she hadn’t been given details, Athanasia might have sensed something.

“What kind of god?” Athanasia was sweating. “I don’t know.”

Of course she wouldn’t.

“Maybe another one like Elhaen.”

She shuddered, likely recalling the war with Elhaen. Naiad sighed.

“Beatrice,” Naiad said, “could I… go see where Tia is?”

“Without telling Clay?”

“Yes.”

Naiad’s face was serious.

“It’s not like Clay would be happy to know, but we do need to learn what’s possessing her. I think I’m the best one to try talking to her.”

“Naiad.”

Beatrice’s red eyes gleamed.

“Just remember—Tia de Mezelia is someone Clay can never forgive.”

“I know.”

Naiad had no intention of defending Clay’s former party members.

“I’ll handle myself.”

“I wonder,” Beatrice said doubtfully. “You didn’t even know there was an execution for Clay, did you? Which means you didn’t see their betrayal unfold.”

“So?”

“It makes me wonder if you could cut ties with them so easily just from hearing the story.”

Naiad gave a wry smile.

“Maybe not.”

“Then—”

“But there’s one thing you should know for sure.”

She floated right up to Beatrice’s face.

“For me, Clay comes first.”

Past ties? Of course, they were chains that still tugged at her. Severing feelings for people she’d once been close to wasn’t easy. But in the end, her path was already chosen—Clay mattered most to her.

She had joined the Demon King’s army simply on his word. What more proof was needed?

“If I do anything that could be a problem, you deal with me. I won’t blame you.”

Determination shone in her eyes. Beatrice studied her for a moment, then sighed.

“You’re the one thing I can’t make decisions about freely. Clay cherishes you too much.”

Naiad was, in truth, the only one from the past still at Clay’s side. Neville might also count, but he’d never been as close to Clay as she had—there was no comparing the depth of their bonds.

“So will you tell Clay?” Naiad asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Beatrice shook her head. “No.”

She agreed there was nothing good to be gained from telling him.

“What you’re suggesting is reasonable. But Clay’s not in a state to make reasonable decisions right now—that’s why he left it to me in the first place.”

“Then you’ll decide for me.”

“Yes, I intended to anyway.”

Beatrice accepted Naiad’s proposal.

“Go. Do what you can. If you bring anything useful back, all the better.”

“No need to assign someone to watch me?”

“Watch you?”

“You’re not going to monitor what I say to her?”

Beatrice shook her head.

“No. Distrusting you that much would look like jealousy.”

“Jealousy?”

“Forget it. Go.”

She turned and walked away.

“I need to check on Clay. Just grab anyone and have them guide you.”

As Beatrice disappeared, Naiad looked at the demons nearby.

They flinched—clearly afraid she might pick them.

“You.”

She pointed at one. His expression soured at the thought of having to guide her to someone Clay despised, but Naiad simply said,

“Take me to Tia.”

♧

“Clay?”

Stepping into the command tent, Beatrice spotted him immediately. He was standing in the same posture as before.

“I handled it as you asked.”

Even if she had acted on her own judgment, she still had to report it.

“Don’t you want to hear what I did?”

“…Go ahead.”

“I put her in a storage tent at the far edge of camp.”

Clay’s hand curled into a fist. Beatrice sighed.

“If you’re not happy with that—”

“It’s fine.”

He didn’t even turn to look at her.

“I can understand why you did it.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Beatrice paused for a moment before speaking again.

“I didn’t learn much, but there’s one thing I did hear from her.”

“What is it?”

“She said what she received… is the power of the Sun.”

“The Sun?”

“Yes. You know what that means.”

It meant she was drawing power from a god beyond this world—a star.

Clay stood still at that, as though startled by something.

“Clay?”

“There’s something I should tell you.”

Beatrice’s voice carried concern, but Clay continued abruptly.

“I didn’t mention it before because I wasn’t sure myself… but I think the being attached to Tia is also attached to me.”

Beatrice’s eyes flew wide.

“What?”

“I once entered a labyrinth in the Demon Realm. It was a place the Minotaur had dwelled, but even he didn’t fully understand it.”

Inside that place, Clay had gained a star-shaped mark on the back of his hand.

“Following a shaft of sunlight, the star carved into a gravestone was transferred onto my hand. At the time, I had no idea what it was. Until recently, I still didn’t.”

He held out his hand to show her.

“What does it look like to you now?”

“!”

Beatrice’s eyes widened in shock. The mark on his hand wasn’t merely a star anymore.

“The Sun?”

Around a central point, multiple triangles fanned outward, as if radiating heat.

“You’re saying this was engraved there?”

“Not exactly this design.”

Back then, it had simply been a star. But—

“After I came face-to-face with Tia and returned to this tent, I happened to look at my hand… and it had changed. Into this.”

Confronting the power Tia had unleashed had altered the mark. Clay did not believe that was a coincidence.

“Whatever it is, there’s a chance it’s also watching me.”

The mark seemed to recognize its master, fastening itself to Clay with intent. That meant there was a design behind it—and for Clay, that made things far more complicated.

“Elhaen alone is trouble enough, and now this.”

He gave Beatrice an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry, Beatrice.”

“…?”

“This was my carelessness—bringing back something that engraved itself on me.”

He hadn’t been able to just discard what he’d found in the labyrinth, thinking it might be useful, and so had accepted it without question.

“Now it might complicate everything. It wasn’t intentional, but I’m worried it’ll become a burden to you.”

“Clay.”

Beatrice took his hand, the one bearing the sun-mark, and gently brushed her fingers over it.

“I already chose to walk your path with you.”

“That’s…”

“That doesn’t mean I’ll only follow the roads I prefer.”

As Demon King, he would have no choice but to tread paths lined with thorns. Beatrice knew that life better than anyone.

“Whatever road you take, I’ll be there. So don’t let this trouble you.”

Clay stared at her for a long moment, before seeming to come to his senses.

“…Thank you, Beatrice.”

“Think nothing of it.”

Yet her words stirred a question in him.

“Beatrice, may I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Why do you go this far for me?”

“What do you mean?”

“I did ask for your help, but you don’t have to stay by my side to this extent.”

She blinked a few times, then smiled faintly

“Because we’re partners. Isn’t that obvious?”

“Partners?”

“Yes—companions who will walk together to the very end.”

Her smile deepened.

“That’s what it means to be a mate.”

(End of Chapter)

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