Luciana watched the scene before her with a wry, exasperated smile. Her gaze was fixed on the Great Spirit and Logan.
"Quite the flashy entrance... I wonder if she’s just a show-off."
"Hahaha, it’s fine, isn’t it? I don't hate it," Henry replied, laughing jovially. He was actually going so far as to praise her.
Abrupt as ever, I thought. She must have been in a tremendous hurry. Had she contacted me via Telepathy, I could have teleported her directly to my side, but judging by the sheer momentum of her arrival, the thought likely hadn't even crossed her mind.
I felt truly sorry for Logan. Judging by his limp posture as he was carried, he had clearly been brought here against his will. She seemed to be shielding his body with Spirit Magic; without it, his state would have been far more disastrous.
I had assigned the two of them to neighboring regions, but in hindsight, that deployment might have been a mistake. As I was feeling a pang of guilt toward Logan, the Great Spirit approached.
"The Elven Chief insisted on confirming your safety, so I brought him along."
"Wait, I never said—"
"You are old acquaintances. You should exchange words," the Great Spirit asserted flatly, setting Logan down on the ground.
Logan stood before me, a grim expression on his face. After a long silence, he muttered with deep sincerity, "Don't you dare die. See that you show your face to me again."
"...I promise."
I could feel the weight of his concern and trust in those few words. It was a sentiment very much like Logan. We had known each other for a long time, and his earnest feelings reached me clearly.
Meanwhile, Luciana had drifted over to the Great Spirit’s side. The two of them were whispering to one another.
"Shouldn't you say something to him as well?" Luciana asked.
"It is not necessary for me."
"My, you really are a terrible liar..." Luciana let out an exaggerated sigh. She walked back to my side and leaned in, whispering softly. "Hey, Demon King-sama."
"What is it?"
"Give her a kind word, too."
"Hmm..."
I understood the intent behind Luciana's suggestion. It would be unnatural to ignore the Great Spirit in this situation. She had rushed here from a great distance specifically for this. It meant she was worried about me to no small degree, and it was only right that I acknowledge her.
I searched for the right words, but nothing clever came to mind. Luciana was usually the expert in these matters. I turned to her for advice, but she shook her head before I could even ask. Apparently, I had to figure this one out on my own.
Eventually, an idea occurred to me. I wasn't certain if it was the "correct" response, but I couldn't keep her waiting forever. I stepped in front of the Great Spirit and met her gaze.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"I want you to hold onto this."
As I spoke, I snapped off one of my ribs. I used magic to decompose the bone and restructure it into a new shape. Within my palm, a jet-black dagger took form. A small gemstone was embedded between the hilt and the blade—a physical manifestation of my Magic Power. In the sunlight, it gave off a brilliant, deep green radiance.
It turned out well for an improvised piece, I thought.
To me, the dagger held little objective value. I had already mended my rib using Miasma, so there was no need for her to return the bone. However, as a token of a promise, it seemed appropriate. It certainly looked the part.
I held the dagger out to the Great Spirit. She stared at it for a moment before pulling it to her chest, cradling it as if it were a treasure. She looked up and made her declaration.
"The deadline is two days. If you exceed it, I will consider your claim to this item forfeited."
"Understood. I shall make sure I am not late."
The Great Spirit's mood remained as inscrutable as ever, but she didn't seem displeased. I turned and glanced at Luciana, questioning her with my eyes. She gave me a thumbs-up. Apparently, my performance had at least reached a passing grade.
Tucking the dagger away, the Great Spirit scooped Logan up again. She likely intended to head back to her post immediately. Logan offered no resistance this time, presumably realizing that struggle was futile. However, he did direct a sharp, murderous glare toward the snickering Luciana.
Luciana reacted with a mock display of terror. Henry, watching the two of them, seemed to find the whole thing highly entertaining.
The tension is completely gone...
I felt some of the strength leave my shoulders. Perhaps it was better to have a mindset like theirs. Ever since my previous life, people had told me I took things too seriously. Regardless of my frame of mind, the task ahead of me wouldn't change. I should probably take a page out of my subordinates' book.
The Great Spirit returned to the center of the crater. She crouched low, coiling her strength.
"You, too, are a form of justice. Never forget that."
With those final words, she executed an explosive leap. In a flash, she reached the sky and soared off toward the horizon.
Another form of justice, she said.
The Great Spirit’s recent actions had strayed far from her function as a Defense Mechanism. Strictly speaking, there was no logical necessity for her to go this far. She was supporting me as an individual.
It was a debt of gratitude I could never fully repay. I would have to find a way to make it up to her someday.