Vale lay sprawled out in the white expanse much like the first time he'd awoken in this strange place. However, unlike before, he lay on the white floor with a massive pile of rubble to his left, a strange door on his right, and a floating pink portal just in front of him.
But, not only were there things in this place, the core… There were people. Well, Vale didn't know if they were classified as people. But, still.
Toy was kneeling right beside him while the nine workers all scampered around the rubble, climbing on the displaced stones, sending loose ones tumbling down the small mound as they inspected their master from a distance.
Yet, Salome was nowhere in sight.
"Y-you're awake!"
The small goblin's face seemed to be etched in permanent surprise as if her expression were cut out of marble.
The corner of her lips rose, and a slight rose tint found itself nestled on her long ears.
Seeing her face, Vale felt… 'relieved?' What did he feel?
His emotions, ever since being summoned, have become… complicated. Vale couldn't help but wonder what desires were his own or which were implanted in him. Or which statement, if either, held validity?
However, there was one thing Vale became certain of as he sat up and turned his head toward the green girl, staring into her glowing emerald eyes.
Vale was happy. Yes, he was happy.
A happiness for her safety.
While he didn't love her — he didn't love anyone — Vale knew that this happiness wasn't just born from his implanted desires; desires that he'd still be able to have relations with her, no. He was truly happy the small goblin was still alive.
Vale smiled that this part of him remained. After meeting Wrath and Sloth, he began to doubt his own humanity. But this small woman before him helped him remember…
He wasn't a monster. He was undoubtedly human.
Then he thought of the command in his head and summoned the Legion page and took note of Salome's name, confirming she was alive at the very least.
"What happened?"
Toy's face contorted a little before slowly settling down the whirlwind of emotions, and she began speaking.
"You… I don't know what happened when the gate fell… All I saw was you sauntering back to the core as if possessed, and master was trying to stop you. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, you were so… strong."
Vale couldn't even begin to wrap his head around Toy's explanation.
"You easily pushed past all of her attempts to stop you and made your way into the core. Then you summoned that weird door, opened it, and just collapsed. "
Toy pointed toward the misty black door, which had floating numbers above it reading: 690:16:07
'Is that the time the door will open again?'
"We tried to wake you up, but you were still as if you were dead."
Toy looked down, slightly dejected.
"With nothing we could do, master ordered us all to wait in here and look over you while she defended the core outside. Of course, we had no idea what happened to you or if you'd awaken at all."
Toy looked into Vale's lustrous eyes with a cheery look.
"I'm happy you're alright! Master will be delighted."
Toy bounded to her feet and ran into the pink portal. In a fraction of a moment, Salome rushed in and stopped once she came face to face with Vale.
Her eyes glistened for a moment.
Yet, Vale could tell. It was a look of hope… not relief. Vale didn't know what Salome was seeing when she looked at him, but it was anything but reverence.
Still, her true feelings were unimportant. What mattered was that they survived.
'Survived...'
She spoke quietly.
"Master…"
Vale couldn't help but smile in return.
"Salome… sorry for all of that."
The winged demoness grew a pleasant look and closed her eyes.
"It's alright…"
Vale stared at her smooth face and let out a slight sigh, then spoke.
"I don't entirely know what happened… but I do have a lot to talk about."
Salome cast her gaze off to the side with an odd look of indignation on her face.
"I have some things I should share with you as well. I want to explain what those abominations were… who I am and the world I came from."
Vale looked at the woman whose gaze was no longer meeting his own. The dignified expression she always seemed to hold, except in depraved moments, vanished.
Staring at the saddened expression of his Champion, Vale let out a hollow smirk.
"Before that talk… I believe an apology is in order."
Salome turned back to Vale and tilted her head to the side in confusion. Her brows narrowed.
"For?"
Vale took a small step toward her.
"I ignored your warning, one. Two, I just realized you don't know who I am either..."
Salome let out a slight chuckle.
"You really don't need to worry about that… In fact, you acted as a leader should. Refusing my plea was a pleasant surprise. As for not knowing you — as my master, what I know about you is entirely your choice…"
Vale stepped forward, stretched out his hand, and placed it on her chest.
"Well, I want to apologize anyway."
There was really something else he wanted.
While Vale had endless unanswered questions and a plethora of decisions to make and tasks to do, his mind was currently clouded in a thick haze. With everything that just happened and the amount of stress that had agonized him during that half-hour of uncertainty, he really needed something to take the edge off.
It wasn't only him, too. He could tell both Toy and Salome needed a moment of mental break.
As the master of Lust, there was quite a straightforward way to achieve such rehabilitation.
The pained smile on Salome's lips slowly relieved itself and contorted into a mixture of anticipation and joy as she took note of her master's intentions, and Salome said:
"Even though you did nothing wrong… I guess I'll accept your apology. You know, Toy might need an apology, too. She seemed even more worried about you than me."
"Is that so?"
Vale took hold of Salome's hand and began leading her to the room, which he'd designed would only be seen if one wanted to see it. As he walked, he ordered half of the Workers to continue mining, expanding the core room, while the rest and Toy were to keep watch of the dungeon and alert them of any visitors.
Finally, he and Salome disappeared into the dungeon within a dungeon.