Jewel of Darkness

I didn’t have the slightest clue why the explosion had just vanished.

Maybe it only looked like a massive blast? A grand spectacle with no substance?

The man was likely another self-proclaimed Single Digits—a Ninth—just like Lark and the others. It was irritating how they threw around ranks I had no way of verifying at the most inconvenient times. Still, while it hadn't turned into a catastrophe, the incident served as a grim reminder to never let my guard down again.

"W-What is the meaning of this?" Magna stammered. "That was my masterpiece... it's supposed to be capable of killing even a High Ninth!"

"Top marks for intimidation," I countered. "But did you really think an attack of that caliber would work on me?"

"Tch. I misjudged your strength. I got careless because I thought you were just a brat. If that's the case, try this! This is the greatest attack I possess!"

Magna reached into his breast pocket and produced another vial of medicine.

"It doesn't look quite as unappetizing anymore, meh."

I heard Ram’s voice drift over, and before I knew it, she had swallowed Magna whole the moment he threw the vial.

"It's probably just for show again, right?" I muttered.

I prepared Defense Magic just in case and watched the situation unfold. Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted, one that dwarfed the previous blast. However, the Infinite Magic Power Absorption Stone—which looked like nothing more than a common pebble—shone with a brilliant light. In the next heartbeat, the inferno vanished as if it had never existed.

"As I thought. Just a facade."

"Hmm. I thought he’d be a bit tastier, but he’s not very good," Ram complained.

"If you're going to spit him out, don't do it anywhere near here. Aim for the horizon."

I didn't need him coming back for seconds.

"Understood, meh. Peh!"

Ram spat Magna out toward the distant skyline.

"I-I'm sav—wait, eeeeehhhhh!"

Magna's voice echoed through the air as his figure rapidly shrank into a tiny speck and vanished.

"Is that the last of the masterminds?" I asked.

"Lord Yuri, that person over there... that's the Second Prince," Fee said, pointing.

Standing there was a pale-faced Beastman boy. If she hadn't pointed him out, I would have overlooked him entirely; he didn't radiate even a hint of strength.

"That's helpful." I walked over to Second Prince Rain.

"Hieee!"

"Are you Rain?"

"I-I am the Beast Kingdom's Second Prince Rain! If you lay a hand on me, do you have any idea what my father will say...?"

"Look," I sighed. "Do you honestly think the Beast King is going to forgive you after you started a civil war?"

"This was to make my father see sense! Because he tries to join hands with the Human race—people who treat Beastmen as slaves!" Rain shouted, his voice cracking.

To my surprise, Fee stepped forward. "That isn't true! There are good people among the Human race, too!"

"How could that be possible?! If that's true, why are Beastmen treated like slaves in human countries?"

"The answer is simple," I said. "The fact that there are good humans implies the existence of bad ones. And right now, one of those bad ones is pulling the strings of the Kingdom of Inraku from the shadows. That's why things are the way they are."

"...What?"

"For a guy like that, it's much more convenient if other races are kept as slaves."

Rain fell into a stunned silence. He looked like he was finally connecting the dots.

"Could it be... that I was also being manipulated by him?"

"You aren't directly connected to the Empire yet, but there's a high probability they were indirectly steering you toward this."

"Then... everything I've done... what was it for...?"

Rain’s shoulders slumped in defeat. Even if he understood the truth now, the damage was done. There was nothing he could do to take back his actions.

"No, it's not too late. End this civil war. Minimizing the casualties is the best way to show a little resistance against that Mastermind."

"I... I see. You're right. I should explain everything to the Beast King myself."

"Good. Do that."

"I understand. I'll issue the order to surrender. Could you head back to the Royal Capital ahead of me?"

It seemed Rain no longer had any will to fight us. Relieved, I climbed back onto Ram and began the journey back to the capital.

---

Meanwhile, at the Beast Kingdom's Royal Capital, Luna was attempting to struggle out of bed, only to be held back by Lark and his subordinates.

"...Yuri is in danger," she insisted.

"He's got that Lamb Meat Fairy with him," Lark countered. "We couldn't beat that thing even if we all attacked at once. He's fine."

"...A fairy's strength changes based on the Magic Power of the master who employs it. But right now, Yuri shouldn't have much left..."

Even among the Ninth, Luna possessed a massive amount of mana—likely the highest of them all. As a puppet master, she could never have enough. Yet Yuri possessed a Cursed Magic Tool that had drained her entire pool in an instant. She had to accept the truth: Yuri’s Magic Power was even greater than hers, and she was the Empire's Strongest.

Still, no one could last for hours while carrying a Magic Tool that sucked mana away with that kind of intensity. And then there was the tool itself.

That was surely the Jewel of Darkness...

It was the ultimate Magic Tool, capable of nullifying any Attack as long as it was fed mana. But its "fuel efficiency" was notoriously abysmal. In this entire world, perhaps the Demon Lord was the only person who could use it properly. She didn't know how Yuri had come to possess it, but if his mana ran low, the power of that Emergency Food would plummet.

Furthermore, the one orchestrating this incident was likely one of the Empire's Ninth. Even for Yuri, facing an elite opponent while completely exhausted would be a death sentence.

"I have to go..."

"Lord Yuri will be fine," a voice said, gently chiding her.

It was Elu, the Beastman girl who was even smaller than Luna. As the Princess of the Beast Kingdom and Yuri's fiancée, she should have been more worried than anyone. Yet she radiated an absolute sense of confidence.

"Did you know? Lord Yuri is completely outrageous. I'm certain he'll settle everything in some ridiculous way again."

Yuri had no idea that the bar was being raised to such impossible heights. Luna could only stare at Elu, stunned by her words.

"But if something goes wrong..."

"That's why Ms. Fee is with him. There's no problem at all."

Seeing Elu’s bright smile, Luna found herself cracking a small smile in return.

"Fine. In my current state, I’d probably just be a burden anyway. I'll stay put."

"That's the spirit. I'll go grab my pillow."

"Wait. Why are you trying to get into bed with me?"

"...? Is that strange?" Elu tilted her head. Her expression was so innocent that Luna felt like she was the one being weird.

"Is Luna the strange one here?"

"I'm sure of it! Oh, the rest of you should get some rest too. By the time you wake up, Lord Yuri will have solved everything."

Perhaps it was Elu's Wild Instinct talking, but the way she said it made it feel like a certainty.

"In that case... Luna will rest."

"Yes! And I shall join you."

"I told you, we aren't sleeping together."

"Aw, come on, let's have a girls' party! You can tell me what part of Lord Yuri you fell in love with!"

"I-I never said I liked him!"

"That's exactly why I want to hear it! Who knows, we might even end up living together!"

"H-Help..."

In the end, Luna couldn't escape Elu’s clutches and was forced to recount her history with Yuri in excruciating detail.