His sudden declaration hit like a bomb.
And its effect was enormous.
".........What...?"
"Oh? You're quicker on the uptake than I expected."
Their reactions split sharply in two.
"Why... why would you...?!"
One wore an expression close to grief.
"I like it. In a world ruled by the strong devouring the weak, siding with the stronger one is only natural."
The other smiled with something close to delight.
"...However, I have conditions."
But their opposing reactions did not last long.
"...Conditions? Let's hear them."
As if curious about what I had to say, Guy readily accepted.
"......"
Blanc said nothing, but she too seemed to be telling me to go on.
"...The conditions I propose are simple. First, I will not serve only one of you, but both Lady Blanc and Lord Rouge. Second, if you ever try to harm Lady Blanc, then I will not follow you. Those are my two conditions."
""......""
The demon who said that looked so utterly confident that Guy was caught off guard instead, muttering in disbelief.
"...Hah. Not only are you daring to set conditions for me, you're giving me two of them. You're the first since Milim."
Even so, Guy did not find the demon's attitude unpleasant.
In a world of the strong preying on the weak, monsters who could show such loyalty to their master were exceedingly rare, and monsters who could speak their mind without fearing the strong were just as rare.
'He didn't seem all that sincerely devoted to Blanc... did he feel pity for her? ...Or did he realize that what Blanc said earlier was genuine? Well, either way, now I know he's not the type to betray someone, so it doesn't matter.'
Guy's guess was half right.
One reason he had made the condition that Guy must not harm Blanc was because he knew she truly cherished her subordinates.
Of course, another reason was to keep this world from straying outside the framework of the original story.
She was fated to become one of the greatest powers protecting this world.
...........
But the biggest reason of all was—
'...Ria.'
Because for the briefest moment, Blanc's smiling face had looked like Ria.
'...It's probably not her, but still...'
There was no proof, and no real reason to think so, but he had thought of her as Ria anyway.
It might have been nothing more than a misunderstanding.
Some might think it was foolish to go this far over something that could be mere mistake, but he didn't care.
'Even if it is a mistake, I can't just ignore it.'
Setting aside everything to do with Ria, he had very little dissatisfaction with Blanc as his master.
At some point, he had started to feel her sincerity at all times.
So if this was something he could do to repay that debt, then it was worth doing at least once.
He had already sworn as much.
............
"...Well, not bad. I'll accept those conditions."
Guy looked as if he were considering it, but in the end he agreed.
"Wait...! I still haven't given my permission—"
Blanc had not yet given up, but—
"Lady Blanc."
"..."
"Please allow it."
"......"
"...Do you not trust me?"
"........."
*
...She had no choice but to allow it.
When he had last met Blanc in the days when she had been Ria, he had hidden every sign that he wanted to hold on to her and let her go. He had forced down his true feelings and done it anyway.
So now, it was her turn to let him go.
Just as he had done. Just as he had done for her.
".........I do trust you..."
"Then..."
...She wanted to say that even if she trusted him, she still hated this.
But the words that she hated it never left her lips. No—they could not.
".........But in return—"
Because the grieving woman was nowhere to be found now.
What stood before him was the coldest queen among demons.
"—swear me just one thing. That one day, no matter what, you will return here."
In this moment, she was a queen who cherished her subordinates—strong, resolute, and decisive.
"...Yes. I understand."
As if answering that choice of hers, the subordinate who had always been favored dropped to one knee and, with a faint smile that seemed almost grateful, answered the stern queen.
That he would, without fail,
return.
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