Chapter 272: The Next Level

"Debibi!"

It was lunch break, and I was up on the rooftop.

For the first time in a while, I was eating alone. The Noblesse cafeteria was kind enough to provide compact lunch boxes—things like sandwiches that were easy to carry outside. I sat there, munching on some soft bread stuffed with a generous amount of ham, cheese, and meat, while I let Debi fly around as he pleased.

Watching him swing that Whip and Dark Sword around in the empty sky, I felt a small twinge of what people call parental pride… No, never mind. Forget I said that.

Debi didn't actually sweat, but he flapped his wings with a weary air and descended toward me anyway. He "wiped" his forehead and rested his head against my thigh, looking up at me with those big, shimmering eyes.

Ah, the upward glance. That was the standard routine.

"De, Debi…"

"…Yeah, yeah. You’re doing a great job, as always," I said, giving him a pat.

"Debibi! ♪"

I had ended up with him through a random Subjugation by pure chance, but he had already become the most vital part of my offensive kit. I’d felt that most keenly when I managed to outmaneuver Eva. Back at the Sports Festival, she hadn't even noticed Debi’s existence.

Of course, I was the one who had instructed him to stay hidden. I could have just told myself that my hard work was finally paying off and left it at that, but I couldn't shake a certain nagging doubt.

Is it possible that Debi is the most irregular existence in this entire world?

This world was my reality now, but Debi alone felt alien. He was a creature of Darkness, a product of a Subjugation that shouldn’t have even been possible. I started to think that if I could make him even stronger, I might actually be able to pull a fast one on the Demon King himself.

"Debi, do you want to get stronger?"

The little guy had a will of his own. Despite me being his master, he possessed a very clear, distinct personality. Hearing my question, he straightened his posture and gave me a sharp salute.

"Debibi!"

If I could just take him to the next level, he would become even more powerful. And the only person who held the key to making that happen was Luna Candy.

"…Hmm, hmm-hmm-hmm."

Right on cue, I heard someone humming, just as it had happened in the Original Story. Debi and I quietly peeked over the edge of the roof.

There she was—Luna. She was standing there with small, black lumps resting on both of her palms. As I watched, the shapes shifted, transforming into a winged Pegasus. As it flapped its wings and flew off, the next one transformed into a Dragon.

She possessed an incredibly rare and specialized Gift. It was similar to Dark Magic, but fundamentally different; her power wasn't bound by specific elements, unlike Cynthia’s ice.

—Creation by Imagination (Creation).