The demon-like horns and claws had already receded, leaving Ryune in her original human form. But the color was draining from her face at a terrifying rate, leaving her deathly pale.
"L-Liar... Ryune...!"
Nyau let out a strangled shriek. She fell to her knees and scrambled toward the girl, dragging herself forward across the dirt.
"Ma... ster... I’m sorry... so sorry..."
With a faint, rattling breath, Ryune squeezed the words out through a raspy whisper.
"Ryune... No... Stop... Don't try to speak..."
"I'm sorry... It’s all Ryune’s fault, isn't it...?"
Tears spilled from the corners of Ryune's eyes. It looked as though she was about to close them forever, but at the very last moment, she forced them open once more—just a sliver.
"But... thank you. Kiskacchi, you too..."
With that final breath, her consciousness abruptly cut out. The light vanished from her eyes, and the strength fled her limbs. Her head lolled back, a heavy, limp weight in my arms.
"Ryune! No... I don't want this, Ryune...! Ugh, aaaaaaaaaah!"
Nyau collapsed over her, clinging to the girl’s body and howling in a voice that didn't sound human. I could do nothing but kneel beside her, my heart heavy as she embraced Ryune’s corpse.
That final blow—I could have sworn Ryune looked toward us for a split second before it landed. It was as if she had intentionally accepted a blade she could have easily avoided.
"Damn it...!"
I ground my teeth together, a toxic mix of fury and hollow despair churning in my gut.
I looked up, half-expecting to see Elsie gloating, but she was already moving away. A short distance off, she paused to look back at us with a cold, piercing gaze.
When our eyes met, she simply turned her back and vanished into the thick shadows. Based on the direction she was taking, she was headed toward Kataroff Village.
"Ryune... Ryune... Ryune..."
The mage girl remained breathless, her eyes never to open again. Nyau sobbed desperately, calling her name until her voice was nothing but a hoarse scrap.
The sight was so agonizing it felt like my chest was being crushed under an immense weight. Nyau's heartbreaking wails continued to echo through the ruins, a requiem for the dead.
◆
Still cradling Ryune's cooling body, I stared up at the overcast night sky. The moon’s harsh glare felt like a mocking spotlight, illuminating the village that had been reduced to rubble by the fierce battle. Collapsed walls, shattered debris—the Village Chief's house no longer retained even a hint of its original shape.
"Ryune..."
Every time I breathed her name, it scorched my throat. When I closed my eyes, I saw her—a carousel of smiles and scowls that would never happen again.
I felt a faint, lingering warmth from her through my arms, but I knew it would vanish all too soon. Beside me, Nyau was still shaking. Her fingertips trembled as they gripped my sleeve, and the way she still desperately tried to pull Ryune closer was pitiable.
"Uugh... Ryune... please... give her back..."
Nyau's groan, thick with sobs, pierced my ears. She had cast aside her pride, her wisdom, and everything that made her a Sage. Her face was a ruin of tears; in this moment, she was just a broken girl.
"Nyau..."
I reached out, resting a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, glancing at me for a split second, but she wouldn't let go of Ryune.
I knew that staying here wouldn't bring her back. Nyau knew it, too. Yet, she couldn't leave. I understood that feeling with a painful clarity.
If I could, I would have wished for time to stop right there. But I didn't have the luxury of standing still. Elsie had said she had work to do; she was clearly still plotting something. After all, I hadn't even encountered the actual Demon Beelphegor yet.
"Nyau..." I called her name again.
Her body went rigid. With her shoulders trembling, she slowly raised her head. Deep exhaustion and grief were etched into her eyes, but she seemed ready to try and listen.
"...What... is it...?"
Her voice was thin, possessing a fragility that seemed ready to shatter at the slightest touch. But I had to say it.
"Ryune... she’s..."
The words caught in my throat. I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to thrust the finality of the situation upon her while she was already breaking down.
We couldn't stay here forever, but what was I supposed to say?
Then, it happened.
Ryune's fingers twitched.
"...Ryune...?"
Nyau's eyes flew wide. I reflexively held my breath. The body that should have been cooling was definitely moving.
"No way... Ryune? Are you still with us?"
As if responding to my voice, Ryune's lips parted.
"...Ma...ster... Kiskacchi..."
It was raspy, but it was undeniably Ryune's voice. We were both lost for words, staring at what seemed to be a miracle.
But the hope that flared in my chest lasted only an instant.
When Ryune's eyes finally opened, the usual warmth wasn't there. A reddish-black light pulsed within them, as if something entirely alien was peering out from behind her pupils.
"This sensation... it has been a long time."
the voice was low and freezing. The sounds coming from Ryune’s throat belonged to someone else entirely.
"...Who are you?"
I immediately drew my sword and leveled it at her. Ryune's body began to warp and transform before our eyes. Her claws grew sharp and jagged, and an ominous, shifting shadow began to bleed from her back.
"I am the Demon Beelphegor. And you have my sincere gratitude... for granting me this resurrection."
A mocking laugh tore through the silence of the night. I stood rooted to the spot, paralyzed by the sheer horror of the sight.