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—What nonsense are you saying?! Playing with her?
Suddenly, Wrath jumped up with his tail raised.
—That soul is full of malice! It burns with the desire to kill all humans, no, all living beings!
He clenched his fist, insisting that force was necessary to subdue her.
-You didn't see it, did you?
Raon clicked his tongue briefly, looking at the enlarged girl. If Wrath had seen that girl's life, he wouldn't have suggested using force to subdue her. It seemed that only he had faced the girl's life for being late.
-What do you mean...?
'I'll tell you later.'
He exhaled softly as he walked towards the girl.
'For now, it's time to play.'
Raon conjured a silver flower in his palm. Shards of frost scattered, erasing the black flames falling from the girl. The girl's gloomy gaze fell upon Raon.
"Let's play tag. If you catch me, I'll give you this body so you can leave here."
He nodded towards the girl who was spitting out flames of despair.
—You're crazy!
Wrath jumped with wide eyes.
—Have you lost your mind? Have you given up your body? Your flesh belongs to this king!
He shouted, asking if he had really gone mad, clutching his neck.
"Everything will be fine."
Raon smiled slightly and shook his head.
'Probably.'
—Probably? Probably?
Wrath let out a long sigh.
—This is the mental world! Any promise made here will be unconditionally fulfilled unless the other party refuses!
'I know.'
He knew better than anyone about the promises of the mental world. He had proposed that bet knowing all that.
-If you know it so well, why? Your soul may be strong, but that malice is also beyond the norm!
Wrath frowned and said that he could feel a deep and intense anger and despair.
-I suppose so.
Raon nodded calmly.
—As much as mine. No, it might even be greater.
That nameless girl's life had been as unfortunate as his past life. It would be stranger if she had a normal soul after such experiences.
"But that size is a trap. Return to your original form."
Raon moved his finger towards the girl. The girl stared at him before nodding slightly.
Her body slowly shrank back to the height of a teenager, as seen in her memories.
The girl's entire body was still burning with black flames of resentment, but this was enough for now.
"We start now. If you catch me, I'll grant you anything you desire."
Raon slowly extended his hand, like the first boy who had sought out the girl.
"..."
The girl emitted even darker flames of malice, as if to say it wasn't necessary.
"Then let's begin."
As Raon gently kicked the ground and stepped back, the girl followed him like a shadow. Her speed was terrifying. Despair and resentment were giving her strength.
"You're fast, but..."
Raon slightly twisted his ankle to change direction to the right. The girl, unable to control her own speed, ran forward and stopped in the distance.
He dodged slightly by walking diagonally using his footwork.
—W-What is this?
Wrath frowned as if he were stunned.
—She's not using that enormous power at all!
-I told you there's no need to worry.
Raon smiled slightly as he watched the girl charging like a bull.
"She's an ordinary, normal girl. She just wants to play."
-That doesn't seem quite right...
Wrath shook his head, looking at the girl burning with malice.
"You'll never catch me like this."
Raon gestured with his finger towards the girl, smiling.
"Observe my movements carefully. Try to copy them if you can."
He told her to wait and showed her the footwork he had just used. The girl stared at her own feet for a long time before lunging forward, raising black flames from the ground.
"Good..."
Raon gently twisted his ankle to step back to the right as before. The girl, as if she had been waiting for this, twisted her ankle to follow Raon.
"That's it!"
Raon clapped, impressed by the girl's footwork.
"Now you have enough speed. Lift your heels like me to maintain a stance that allows you to move in any direction. This is the basics."
"..."
This time either, the girl didn't immediately follow his advice and attack recklessly. But realizing that she couldn't catch up to him, she seemed to remember his advice and began to imitate the footwork.
"Good!"
Raon nodded emphatically.
“From now on, we'll not only use our ankles, but also our legs.”
As he told her to use her legs, he showed her how to use her calves and thighs.
"Ugh..."
The girl let out a groan for the first time as she tried to imitate his movements. It seemed she had realized that she wouldn't be able to catch him if she didn't learn. The girl still retained the talent seen in the dream, as she perfectly imitated his footwork shortly after. She was a rewarding student to teach.
The girl charged like a black lightning bolt. With the smoothness added to her linear movement, it wasn't easy to dodge her. Raon deflected her offensive by drawing a semicircle with the back of his hand just before her hand touched his abdomen.
"You have to grab firmly, not just touch."
He moved his finger, telling her to get closer to him.
"Ugh..."
The girl trembled as if she were frustrated and then attacked again. She came at him from all directions as if she were using a shadow cloning technique, but he easily brushed her aside using only his right hand.
"Now that you're familiar with the movements of your lower body, let's use the upper body too."
Raon smiled brightly and demonstrated sword techniques using his hands.
"..."
The girl, seemingly interested in learning, stopped in place and imitated his hand movements. Faintly, but surely, the essence of swordsmanship began to appear on the edge of her hand.
"It's not always necessary to go fast. The right thing is to go slow, but properly."
Raon showed more precise stances and movements along with his advice.
"Ugh..."
The girl let out a low groan as if it were difficult, but after practicing a few times, she was able to perfectly imitate his movements. The girl confidently lunged to the left and extended her hand. Raon nodded as he deflected the girl's hand with a movement imbued with the flow of the Madness Fangs.
"This is a good move!"
Hoping that she would follow more, he now showed the flow of the Blizzard Sword Art.
"Hmm."
As if responding to his expectations, the girl charged towards him with the Madness Fangs in her right hand and the Blizzard Sword in her left. A talent that understands ten when taught one. It was like watching Burren, Runaan, and Martha.
"...Too fast."
For the first time, human words burst from the girl's black lips, who openly expressed her frustration at not being able to catch him.
"It seems to be going well."
Expressing emotions other than anger and despair meant that the girl's soul wasn't completely immersed in darkness.
"It's not that you're fast."
Raon stood in front of the girl and waved his hand.
"And you're not slow either."
Saying that it wasn't a matter of speed, he nodded.
"You have to predict my movements to catch me. Try to use your energy more efficiently."
He taught her methods to use energy more delicately and footwork imbued with smoothness.
"Mmm..."
This time, the girl even imitated his slight nod as she absorbed the teachings. Her movements gradually became imbued with smoothness. It seemed she had become interested in this game.
—Did they hit you too hard in the head before...?
Wrath shook his head, looking at Raon and the girl.
—Have you really lost it?
* * *
"If you don't hit it, it's all useless! Be more precise!"
Raon gave important and precise advice as if he had become the girl's father.
"Hey! You can't catch me like this!"
He teased the girl as if she were a friend, awakening her interest.
"That's it! It's perfect!"
When she did it right, he sincerely praised her and allowed her to experience something new that she hadn't been able to experience before. For the girl, all of those were new experiences.
"Je!"
A malicious laugh could be heard amidst the black flames. It was small, but clearly a laugh of joy.
"You have room to maneuver! Let's keep going!"
Raon stepped back as if he were running away and told her to go after him.
"Okay..."
The girl nodded and followed to the left. Unlike before, she wasn't fooled by false movements and followed him accurately. Even in the mental world, it was an incredible talent.
The girl, as if she had foreseen this, moved a little later and followed his movements.
—This isn't a joke anymore, is it?
"Jeje..."
As the game of tag continued endlessly, the black world opened and a pale green wind entered. The clear wind danced with the girl, calming the black flames that enveloped her.
The ankles too thin to be called a swordsman's overcame the black flames, calloused hands rejected the flames, and shoulders shorter than a sword broke the despair.
Finally, when the darkness over her neck dissipated, the girl's face was revealed. A girl with round eyes and pink hair smiled cheerfully, as if she were enjoying herself.
—Is, is such a young thing enveloped in that enormous malice?
Wrath let out a sigh of disbelief. The girl showed a radiant smile and extended her hand. All of Raon's teachings melted into her movements.
"Well done."
Raon was no longer running away. He stood still and accepted the hand the girl extended to him.
—What a crazy fool! What are you doing?
'It's okay.'
—How is it okay, now you're...? Huh?
Wrath widened his eyes as he saw that nothing was happening.
-What is this...
He blinked as if he couldn't understand.
"You said it yourself. If the other party doesn't refuse, the promise is fulfilled unconditionally."
-T-Then...
"This girl didn't want it. She just wanted to play."
Raon swallowed a deep breath and stroked the girl's head.
"Jeje."
The girl couldn't hide her smile, as if she were happy.
"Did you have fun?"
Raon leaned down to look the girl in the eye.
"Yes."
The girl smiled without wrinkling, as if she were happy. The malice that had enveloped her was no longer visible. It seemed that playing tag with him had awakened her little happiness.
"What's your name?"
Raon carefully extended his hand, like the first boy in the girl's dream.
"..."
The girl couldn't grab that hand and bit her lip. She seemed to remember her father, who had cut off her hand with a blow.
"It's okay now. From now on, only happy things will happen."
Raon lowered his posture a little more and shook his head.
"What's your name?"
"Lavera."
The girl said her name and took his hand.
"My name is Raon."
Raon nodded, holding both of Lavera's hands firmly.
"I'll introduce you to a friend better than me. I'm sure you'll get along."
"Okay."
As if the name Lavera and the girl taking his hand were keys, the world filled with darkness began to crumble. The hell of despair opened and the warm light that Lavera had longed for descended into her world.
The darkness scattered as if it had lost and then gathered at their feet.
"I'll be waiting."
Lavera smiled as she ran towards the illuminated world. The black malice that had bound her was no longer visible.
"You..."
Raon formed a small smile as he watched Lavera's back, which seemed to have returned to her original age.
"You'll surely be able to become good friends."
He closed his eyes as he said this.
-W-Well, maybe she's a little young to be friends with this king, but let's hear the situation first...
Wrath clicked his lips as if he were feeling overwhelmed.
'It's not you...'
* * *
When he opened his eyes again, he was still standing on the beach, and Alice and the Light Wind division were scattered like guards.
—Raon!
Alice swallowed dry saliva as she approached Raon.
"What happened?"
"You were standing still in that position for an hour."
Rimmer shook his head and said it was strange.
"Did you get some enlightenment again?"
Burren moved his hand as if he were telling him to speak.
"It's possible that guy did. I heard that he once went into a state of enlightenment while defecating."
Martha wrinkled the bridge of her nose and said that it was certainly possible.
"It doesn't seem like it to me..."
Runaan blinked and said that there must be another reason.
"I didn't get enlightenment, but..."
Raon raised the hand holding the Soul Crystal, looking at everyone.
"I found the Soul Crystal."
"Huh...?"
"R-Really?"
Alice and Rimmer widened their eyes as they looked at the small Soul Crystal.
"Yes."
Raon nodded and gestured to go out towards the sea.
"I'll explain when we get out."
—Yes, hurry up and tell us! This king is about to go crazy with curiosity!
Wrath wagged his tail, urging him to speak quickly.
"When I touched this stone..."
Sitting on the beach, he told them what had happened in Lavera's mental image.
-I see... That's why you said you'd play with her.
Wrath let out a long sigh.
-You did well. This king almost made a mistake.
He frowned and said that he couldn't accurately understand the situation due to low energy.
"In the past, things like this happened too."
Alice bit her lip as if she felt sorry.
“Before, it was even worse. There was a lot of human trafficking even when our territory was small.”
Rimmer shook his head and said that the world is better now.
-So, what about this girl named Lavera?
Runaan approached in an unusual way. She seemed to empathize greatly with Lavera's story.
"As far as I know..."
—She'll be with the young miss from now on!
Merlin emerged from among the Light Wind division, smiling brightly.
"Merlin?"
Rimmer widened his eyes as if asking how she had gotten there.
"Where the needle goes, the thread must follow."
Merlin shrugged and said to ask whatever they wanted to know.
"Mmm..."
Raon looked back. He could feel a very faint aura of Lust's authority, so it seemed that Lust was also nearby.
"So, the child from that Soul Crystal will be with Sia?"
Alice narrowed her eyes and looked at Merlin.
"Yes, Aunt Alice."
Merlin nodded, looking at Alice.
"Aunt? What do you mean by..."
"Usually, just seeing the mental world is enough to obtain a Soul Crystal, but that child became an evil spirit who hated humans after experiencing so much pain."
She continued speaking, ignoring the nervous Alice.
"But Raon calmed her soul by playing with the girl. Pacification means calming the soul. A soul that should have gone after just giving it the power of the Soul Crystal stayed inside. It will be a great help to the young miss."
Merlin clapped and said that it was really a good thing.
"As expected."
Raon clicked his lips as he looked at the Soul Crystal. It seemed that Sia and Lavera would be together, just as Wrath was attached to him.
"It's not a bad thing."
Lavera had returned to her original form and was a good girl whose desire was to play with her friends. It seemed that she could have a good time with Sia.
—Like this king?!
Wrath shouted loudly.
—This king is the monarch of the demon realm! How could that child be like this king?!
He shook his head vigorously and said that it wasn't like that at all.
-I didn't mean that. I meant that they could be good friends.
Raon gestured with his hand towards Wrath.
-Oh, is-is that so?
Wrath blushed as if he were embarrassed.
-Well, if that's the case, I can understand it to a certain extent. A little, but this king also considers you a friend...
As he rolled his eyes and spoke, it happened.
[You have achieved an impossible feat with an ingenious idea.]
[You have defeated a Transcendent Warrior.]
[You have pacified a wretched soul.]
[All skills...]
The rewards for everything, from defeating the Second Apostle to obtaining the Soul Crystal, appeared immediately.
-He's not a friend.
'Huh...?'
—He's not a friend!
Wrath couldn't hold back and grabbed his neck.
—You're a dirty thief!
'I didn't steal anything!'
—The receiver of stolen goods is worse!
'That's not...'
—Shut up!
-
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