"Demon Beelphegor?"
My voice shook as my hand went to the hilt of my sword.
What did this mean? Had Ryune been the Demon Beelphegor all along? I had been certain that Elsie was the one tied to him, but...
No, I had to shake off the confusion. I had to stay calm. I wanted to take a deep breath, but my lungs felt tight, as if the oxygen had been sucked out of the air. I blinked several times, forcing myself to stare down the reality before me.
I knew from the previous timeline that this thing’s power was on a completely different level. If he felt like it, we would be dead in a heartbeat.
"Give Ryune her body back...!" Nyau screamed. "I won't let someone like you... just take—"
An impact shook the air.
Before I could process it, Nyau was hurtling through the distance. She slammed into the wall of a house with enough force to bring the structure down, the roar of collapsing stone echoing through the street.
"Nyau!?"
My breath hitched. I hadn't seen him move—no swing, no posture, nothing—yet Nyau had been blasted away in an instant. My body trembled as the blood drained from my face. This wasn't a fight... it wasn't even close.
"Ugh... ah..."
Nyau was still conscious, but her face was a mask of pain as she struggled to move. I wanted to run to her side, but the sheer terror of Beelphegor standing there pinned my feet to the spot.
Damn it, how am I supposed to stop a monster like this?
But I couldn't let him hurt her anymore. I gripped my sword until my knuckles turned white, sweat pouring off me. I had to find my resolve.
Just as I steeled myself, Beelphegor unexpectedly took a step back. His eyes narrowed, focusing on something far off.
"...Ah. It seems they are over in that direction."
A black mist swirled around him, and those Dark Wings unfurled from his back. With a single, powerful leap, he took to the sky.
"Wait... what?"
I watched in a daze as his shadow rapidly shrank. Kataroff Village lay in that direction. A cocktail of emotions surged through me—the desperate urge to give chase clashing with the shameful relief that I didn't have to fight him.
"...Nyau, hang on!"
I rushed to her side. Her breathing was ragged, and she looked like she couldn't even manage to sit up. Being slammed into that wall had likely shattered several ribs. Pain etched her features as sweat drenched her face.
"Ryune... what happened... to Ryune...?"
"Don't talk. We have to deal with your injuries first."
"But... that demon... Ryune's Body...!"
Tears spilled from Nyau's eyes. I felt the same frustration gnawing at me. I wanted to save Ryune, yet I hadn't done a single thing. Right now, treating Nyau was all I could do.
The sky was beginning to pale. Realizing the chaos had subsided, the Villagers started trickling out from their homes. Dust still hung in the air among the ruins of the collapsed buildings. A few of them approached us with looks of sheer bewilderment.
"Lady Sage Nyau, are you alright!?"
"Hurry, we need to treat her! Fetch a Recovery Potion from the back!"
Their voices were frantic, bordering on panic. I adjusted my hold on Nyau, trying to find a position that didn't hurt her. Every time she let out a small, pained groan in my arms, it felt like a knife to my chest.
"It's okay, Nyau... the people here are going to help you."
I spoke softly as I carried her inside. They guided me to a bed where I laid her down, then pressed the rim of a small vial to her lips, helping her swallow the liquid Recovery Potion. The Villagers told me that with rest, the potion should eventually mend her wounds. I was deeply grateful they'd give us something so precious.
I took the opportunity to ask the Villagers what had happened on their end.
When Elsie had dragged us Inside the Dream, we had simply vanished without a trace from their perspective. The Escort Unit and the Villagers had scoured the area but found nothing.
Apparently, it was Second Prince Diluecca who had stepped in to calm the situation. He claimed Nyau's disappearance was just a maneuver by his Private Servant, Elsie, and was nothing to worry about. He’d ordered everyone to rest and prepare for the next day's expedition instead. Then, early this morning, after the funeral for the deceased Village Chief, the Prince had led the Escort Unit toward Kataroff Village.
I could understand the logic of prioritizing official business, but I couldn't picture that pathetic Prince actually leading a unit. It was probably Captain Garrett's idea.
A short while after the Escort Unit left, we had reappeared, and the battle had broken out. Fortunately, none of the locals had been caught in the crossfire.
"Kiska-san..."
I turned toward the weak voice. Nyau was looking up at me from the bed. Despite her title of Sage, she looked as fragile as porcelain, with the faint tracks of dried tears still on her cheeks.
"How are you feeling?"
She nodded, her lips trembling as she let out a shaky breath.
"The Recovery Potion helped... I feel much better."
"Good. That's a relief."
A spark of light returned to her eyes.
"Kiska-san... we have to go. Right now. To Kataroff Village..."
Her voice was weak, but her gaze was unwavering. She wasn't about to stay bedridden.
"Ryune is still alive. I saw it. The moment she woke up, her consciousness was still hers for a split second. We have to go to Kataroff Village... we have to go where the Demon Beelphegor went."
I didn't want her anywhere near that monster. But I knew that even if I said no, she’d go anyway.
"...Fine. Then I'm coming with you. I won't let you go alone. I might not be much, but lean on me. Just don't push yourself too hard."
"Thank you. Just knowing you're with me... it gives me strength."
She whispered her thanks, her voice thick with a mix of gratitude and regret. Maybe she felt guilty for failing Ryune, or helpless because she'd lost her Mana. Whatever it was, I couldn't leave her like this.
"Save the thanks for when we find Ryune."
"Yes..."
Nyau nodded firmly, her eyes still red. I looked back into them, matching her resolve.