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“Ah, don’t worry, I’m not being insincere. It’s purely goodwill.”

Could becoming a member of the Demonic Race really be considered goodwill?

It was obviously a proposal not worth considering.

“Either Young Lady Elysia, the former Hero, or Young Lady Selian, the Sword Master, would be welcome to join the demonic side. You two can decide. I know you have a lot to think about, so take your time.”

I found it absurd to receive such ‘goodwill,’ yet I was somewhat relieved that I could take a moment to breathe. Perhaps if I could buy us a little more time here, we might gain some assistance, but I had no choice but to act under the assumption of the worst-case scenario.

I gripped the Holy Sword tightly, slowly gathering my strength as I opened my mouth.

“Selian, do you think we can handle this?”

“…I regret to say that the author’s strength is the real deal. If we were to fight… it would likely be tough for me as well. Even with a coordinated attack, it wouldn’t change much.”

Selian’s words were not very encouraging. However, even she couldn’t possibly know all my strengths. If I could utilize the nuances of assassination tactics while she distracted him, wouldn’t that present an opportunity?

It was worth trying. The only issue was that I couldn’t explain my assassination skills to Selian, so I’d have to phrase it carefully.

“For now, if Selian stalls for time, I…”

“Even if El goes all out, it won’t make a difference.”

Before I could finish speaking, Selian looked deeply into my eyes and added earnestly. Her tone was so resolute, and her gaze pierced through me, forcing me to stop mid-sentence.

“R-really?”

I couldn’t believe it, but… maybe it was just my delusion. I had never mentioned it to her, nor had I ever given anything away in front of her. Of course, she wouldn’t know about my hidden identity or the power I was concealing.

Seeing Selian speak so firmly, she must have thought that no matter how exceptional my hidden card was, it wouldn’t influence our chances of winning.

“Instead, I’ll eat the heart myself. That way, El can return safely….”

“Don’t joke around. Didn’t you hear? Eating the heart turns you into a Demonic being. And there’s also no guarantee that what he said is true….”

“Ah! I at least don’t lie. If you think about it, you’ll realize that I’ve never lied to Young Lady Elysia.”

Due to Eden’s words, Selian actually considered eating the heart of a demon, gazing at the still-thumping heart with intensity.

But even if Eden’s words were true, I would never allow Selian to eat a heart. Even if Selian were to eat the heart of a demon and survive as a human through her sacrifice, could I truly call myself human at that moment?

It would be better for me to consume the heart in her place…

No, that would make me no different from Selian. Even if I survived due to her sacrifice, I wouldn’t be grateful enough for her to appreciate my survival at her cost either. I knew that much without needing to ask. Still, after spending a decent amount of time together, I could confidently say that.

Huh? A few years…? Come to think of it, how many years has it been since I’ve known Selian? No, it hasn’t even been a year yet…

“Ugh….”

“El!”

“N-no, it’s nothing. Just lost in thought for a moment; it’s nothing to worry about.”

Damn it. I ended up worrying her over something trivial, likely shifting the scale in favor of eating the heart.

“Selian, can you do me a favor?”

Since I was contemplating eating the heart myself instead of letting Selian do it, if I continued like this, Selian might take the initiative before I could stop her. If Selian doesn’t eat it and I avoid it too, then there’s only one answer.

“Of course. Just say the word. Except for the part about eating the heart in my place.”

A chuckle escaped me. After spending such a long time together, I realized how much we were alike. The concern I had for her matched the concern she had for me. The trust I held for her mirrored the trust she had in me.

Yeah. That’s why I like Selian. So, let’s trust her and ask her a favor that might be the last.

“Will you stay with me? Even if it leads to death.”

Selian’s eyes widened in surprise as she reacted to my mention of death, and she smiled brightly as she answered.

“Of course. Even if it’s death, nothing can separate us.”

We exchanged smiles. With her consent, there was nothing stopping us now. The thought of eating a heart had all but vanished from both our minds. What remained was making Eden, the one who blindsided me, pay for it. Although I resolved to face death, I truly had no intention of dying.

I lifted the Holy Sword tightly and plunged it into the still-thumping heart of the demon. As soon as the Holy Sword pierced, a sizzling sound echoed from the heart.

“How unfortunate that you would reject my goodwill.”

Was he preparing for battle? Eden spread his spider legs wide behind him, speaking.

“El?”

“Yeah?”

Selian called out to me amidst the chaos. Not knowing when the attack would come, I couldn’t turn my head and responded shortly.

“Can I ask you one more favor?”

“I already granted you an unreasonable request. What else could possibly trouble me?”

“…It’s confusing to ask you something like this at a moment like this.”

Could it be that she had so much she wanted from me? Well, if we could make it out alive, would there be anything I couldn’t do for Selian?

“If we happen to die here… can you greet me first in our next life? Just like when we first met.”

Selian’s bewildering words seemed a bit disjointed. She was probably just nervous about the impending battle.

“I didn’t know you believed in reincarnation! But I’m not planning on dying here. I’ll live long and well.”

Suddenly, I recalled my first days at the Academy, right after the Assassin Guild collapsed. I had thought about this back then too: to keep my identity from being discovered by Selian and her family, and to live a long life.

Of course, I never imagined we would grow so close back then.

“This is a serious request, so please answer me.”

Selian urged me, as if she was determined to get a reply.

“Got it. There’s no way we’ll die here, but if we did, I’ll approach you first in the next life. Is that alright?”

I couldn’t see her face since I couldn’t turn my head, but I could picture her glowing smile clearly before me.

“Alright, let’s go then?”

“Yes. I’ll take the lead, but I might not be able to block all six legs. Plus, they’ll likely use magic as well, so be careful.”

“Yeah. Don’t worry. Although I might not be as skilled as you, I’ve reached the threshold of becoming a Sword Master myself.”

If I could awaken and reach Sword Master status during the battle, it would be ideal, though such fortunate events are hard to come by.

“Waiting around is tiring. If you’re ready, come over. You must make a last-ditch effort, right?”

“Haah!”

With a fierce shout, Selian took the lead. As expected of a Sword Master’s blade, it drew a trajectory faster than anyone else’s, but her sword only managed to get caught on two of the spider’s legs.

But she must have anticipated that blockage too, as she immediately climbed back into a flurry of strikes. Each swing carried significant power, yet Eden effortlessly blocked them with his legs—sometimes using one pair, but at other times two, three, or even four pairs.

Even while defending, Eden began drawing circles in the air with his human arms that still bore a humanoid shape, conjuring magic circles to attack Selian.

Meanwhile, I infused the powerful artifact necklace I had collected from the labyrinth while visiting Anne’s mansion last summer with mana. Black fog began to spread slowly around me. In the midst of it all, Eden and Selian clashed without any signs of being hindered.

I didn’t know how much this black fog would hide my presence from Eden’s senses, but knowing I was at a disadvantage, I had to pour everything I had into this.

Once this battle ended, my identity would undoubtedly be exposed to Selian, but I wasn’t worried. She would surely forgive me. I could know that for certain now.

Clang!

Since I couldn’t land a solid hit due to the tight circumstances, I intervened whenever Selian was pushed back, providing a momentary chance for her to breathe. Even that required risking my life as the spider legs retaliated immediately.

“Truthfully, I’ve had a keen interest in the former hero, Young Lady Elysia, but now that I’m facing the sword of Young Lady Selian, my interest has piqued even more for her.”

Eden continued chatting nonchalantly, seemingly enjoying himself.

“Your skills are certainly at the level of a Sword Master; it’s truly puzzling. Your blade is undoubtedly looking to the further distance. The spiritual body, your soul is beautifully tempered, and your skills are honed to perfection. Yet, your physical form is unable to keep up. It’s more like a mismatched body that isn’t ripe yet due to the strain. It’s remarkable that you’ve become a Sword Master in that state.”

As expected of a former magic professor, he loved to ramble on and on.

Selian, likely infuriated by his nonchalant attitude, gritted her teeth and swung her sword with even more ferocity.

“Imagine this: your soul, your skill…. embodied in a superior demonic body that can’t be matched by human flesh. You’d be far stronger than you are now, even far exceeding me. Isn’t it wonderful?”

“Ugh! My sword… my power is for El… strength without El is meaningless….!”

With an anguished voice, she swung her sword forcefully, causing Eden’s legs to all snap away, creating a gap. I couldn’t let this chance slip by, so I quietly slipped through the darkness with my knife poised.

However, before the Holy Sword could even get close to Eden’s neck, it was blocked by a mana-infused wall.

Instead of merely blocking, the wall where the Holy Sword was embedded held onto me, not letting me escape the encroaching darkness.

Eden turned to glance at me with an eerie, indifferent expression and then shifted his gaze to Selian. Just moments earlier, he had been lively and cheerful, but now his face was devoid of any emotion.

“…How unattractive to cling to such trivial things. It lacks beauty. It doesn’t matter. I don’t wish to encourage someone who doesn’t know their limits and lacks aesthetic sense. You both seem to desire to be together, so I’ll grant that last wish.”

It was as if he had been generously granting us a reprieve until now, but the mana surrounding him thickened, brimming with potency.