Silence lingered.
Not the peaceful kind.
The heavy kind.
The kind that followed when something final had just happened.
Where Clayman had stood—
There was nothing.
No body.
No ashes.
No trace.
Just scorched space where black lightning had erased him from existence entirely.
—
Frey exhaled slowly.
"…That's it?"
Her voice was quieter than usual.
Carrion didn't answer immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on Loki.
"…That was someone at Demon Lord level," he said finally.
A pause.
"…And he just… ended it."
No struggle.
No escalation.
No effort.
Just—
Gone.
—
Across the room—
Ramiris suddenly shot up into the air.
"SEE!?" she shouted, pointing dramatically at Loki.
"I told you all! He said I could beat him!!"
She puffed out her chest proudly.
"That means I'm stronger than him! Which means—"
She spun mid-air, pointing at everyone.
"—I'm the STRONGEST here!!"
A beat.
Silence.
Then—
"…Sit down."
Dino didn't even look at her.
He was slouched in his seat, eyes half-lidded, clearly uninterested.
Ramiris froze mid-rant.
"…Hey! Don't ignore me!!"
Dino waved a lazy hand.
"Not in the mood."
That somehow offended her even more.
"You should be terrified of me right now!!"
"Mm."
"—Hey!!"
—
Leon watched quietly.
Arms crossed.
Expression unchanged.
"…I'm not surprised."
His voice was calm.
Matter-of-fact.
Because he had seen Loki before.
Clashed with him.
Felt it.
That difference.
That unpredictability.
This outcome?
Expected.
—
Not far from him—
Luminous stood with her arms folded.
Her expression tight.
Cold.
"…Of course."
Her voice carried a faint edge.
Annoyance.
Frustration.
Something deeper beneath it.
"…That fool."
She wasn't talking about Clayman.
—
Back in the arena—
Ultima stood still for a moment.
Then her shoulders dropped slightly.
"…Eh?"
Her gaze shifted toward Loki.
Then—
"LOKI-SAMA!!"
Her voice rang out with clear dissatisfaction.
"You stole my kill!"
She pointed accusingly at him.
"I was still playing with him!"
Loki scratched the back of his head.
Unbothered.
"Yeah, my bad."
No guilt.
None at all.
"I just couldn't stand him anymore."
He exhaled lightly.
"He was annoying."
That was it.
That was the reason.
—
Ultima stared at him.
Then huffed.
"…Fine."
But her lips still curved slightly.
Because even that—
Was very him.
—
Loki's gaze shifted.
Toward Milim.
Who was still standing in the arena.
Still in that stiff posture.
Still "controlled."
"…You can stop now."
A beat.
Then—
Milim immediately dropped the act.
"Finally!"
She stretched her arms up, completely relaxed now.
"That was getting tiring!"
She grinned brightly and ran over—
Straight to Loki.
"You're seriously the best!"
She grabbed his arm without hesitation.
"That was so much fun!"
Her eyes sparkled.
"Best fight I've had in a while!"
Loki smiled faintly.
"…Yeah, not bad."
Not bad.
Milim gasped.
"Not bad!?"
She puffed her cheeks.
"That was amazing!"
He chuckled lightly.
Didn't argue.
—
Behind them—
Testarossa approached gracefully.
Her gaze soft.
Admiring.
"…As expected of Loki-sama."
Her voice carried that same quiet devotion.
"He ended it exactly when he pleased."
Her eyes lingered on him.
Warm.
Proud.
Loki waved it off.
"It wasn't that deep."
But—
He didn't push her away either.
—
Then—
A small movement.
At his side.
The golden fox.
It looked up at him.
Hesitant.
Then—
Carefully—
It climbed onto his arm.
Curling there.
Quiet.
Safe.
Loki blinked.
Then—
He reached up.
And gently patted its head.
"Hey."
The fox leaned into his hand slightly.
Relaxing.
—
Behind him—
Testarossa froze.
Just slightly.
Her smile remained.
Perfect.
Elegant.
But—
There was something else now.
A faint tightening.
"…How fortunate," she said softly.
Her eyes lingered on the fox.
"…To receive such affection from Loki-sama."
The fox did not understand.
But it definitely felt something.
And instinctively—
It stayed very still.
—
A moment later—
The space shifted.
The battlefield dissolved.
The arena constructed by Guy faded away entirely, returning the room to its original state.
Guy stepped forward.
Clapping once.
Lightly.
"Alright," he said, voice carrying easily across the room.
"That's enough of that."
His gaze swept across everyone.
Settling briefly on Loki.
Then moving on.
"Let's get back to why we're here."
His smile returned.
Calm.
Controlled.
"But I'd say one thing's been made clear."
A pause.
A faint gleam in his eyes.
"…There's no more room for debate."
The Walpurgis—
Was back on track.
And now—
Everyone understood exactly what kind of monster had just joined their ranks.
The room settled again.
The tension from Clayman's erasure still lingered in the air, heavy and undeniable.
No one spoke for a moment.
Because there was nothing left to question.
Only one thing remained—
Proceed.
Guy stepped forward, hands in his pockets, expression returning to that calm, composed authority.
"Well then," he said smoothly, "now that the interruption has been dealt with—"
A hand rose.
Quietly.
But firmly.
"…Wait."
All eyes turned.
Frey stood.
Her wings folded neatly behind her, her posture straight, but there was something different in her expression.
Not fear.
Not hesitation.
Resolve.
Guy raised a brow slightly.
"Oh?"
Frey took a breath.
Then spoke.
"I would like to step down… as a Demon Lord."
Silence followed.
Complete silence.
Even Milim blinked.
"…Huh?"
Frey didn't waver.
"This isn't a decision I made just now," she continued calmly. "It's something I've been considering for a long time."
Her gaze drifted briefly—
Toward the battlefield where everything had just unfolded.
"…But today confirmed it."
Her voice remained steady.
"I am not at that level."
No self-pity.
No shame.
Just fact.
She gestured lightly.
"We've just witnessed subordinates handling Demon Lord-level threats as if it were nothing."
Her eyes flicked toward Ultima.
Then—
"To say nothing of…" she paused briefly, "…that."
Her gaze shifted to Loki.
Just acknowledgment.
"…A single strike."
A breath.
"…That is the standard."
Guy watched her carefully.
Then sighed softly.
"…You're serious."
Frey nodded.
"I am."
Guy tilted his head slightly.
"You understand what you're giving up?"
"Status. Authority. Influence."
A pause.
"…Freedom."
Frey didn't hesitate.
"I do."
Guy studied her for a moment longer.
Then—
"…And?"
Frey's expression softened slightly.
"I would like to become a subordinate under Milim."
A beat.
Milim froze.
"…WHAT!?"
She immediately waved her hands.
"Wait wait wait wait, hold on!!"
She pointed at herself.
"Me!? Why me!?"
Frey looked at her.
Calm.
Certain.
"Because you're strong."
Milim puffed her cheeks.
"That's not a good reason!!"
"And because I trust you."
That made Milim pause.
Just for a second.
"…Still too much responsibility!"
Frey stepped forward slightly.
"Milim."
Her voice carried weight.
"Please."
Milim visibly struggled.
Her eyes darted around.
Looking for help.
Finding none.
"…Ughhh…"
She groaned loudly.
"This is a trap, isn't it?"
No one answered.
Because it absolutely was.
—
Another hand rose.
This time—
Carrion.
"…I feel the same way."
The room shifted again.
Phobio immediately stepped forward.
"Lord Carrion—!"
Suphia followed.
"You can't be serious!"
Carrion didn't look at them.
His eyes stayed forward.
"I am."
Guy sighed again.
"…You too?"
Carrion nodded.
"…I've always known."
His voice was calm.
Firm.
"That I wasn't the strongest."
A glance toward Loki.
Brief.
"…But I thought I was at least worthy of the title."
A pause.
"…I was wrong."
Phobio clenched his fists.
"That doesn't mean you have to—!"
"It does."
Carrion cut him off.
Not harshly.
But decisively.
"This is my decision."
He exhaled once.
"…Frey and I have always fought side by side."
A small smirk.
"…Might as well keep it that way."
Then—
"I'll also serve under Milim."
Milim's head snapped toward him.
"HEY!?"
She pointed again.
"Why is everyone picking me!?"
No one answered.
Because the answer was obvious.
Strength.
Trust.
And—
Convenience.
Milim groaned again, grabbing her head.
"This is too much work…"
She looked like she might actually try to run.
Frey stepped closer.
Carrion stood firm.
They weren't budging.
"…Ugh."
Milim slumped.
"…Fine."
She pointed at both of them.
"But if this gets annoying, I'm blaming you two!"
Frey smiled faintly.
Carrion nodded.
"Fair."
—
Guy watched the entire exchange.
Quietly.
Then exhaled.
"…Well."
He rolled his shoulders slightly.
"Didn't expect that today."
But—
He wasn't surprised.
Not really.
Because power had been displayed.
Clearly.
Brutally.
Honestly.
And some people—
Knew how to read the room.
Guy raised his hand slightly.
"Very well."
His voice carried again.
Authority returning fully.
"Frey and Carrion will relinquish their Demon Lord status…"
A pause.
"…and join under Milim Nava."
He smirked faintly.
"Congratulations."
Milim did not look happy.
At all.
—
Guy clapped his hands once.
Sharp.
Final.
"Now then—"
His gaze swept the room.
Settling.
Centering.
"…Now we can continue."
The Walpurgis—
Moved forward.
With fewer thrones.
And far clearer power.
---
Find early chapters and daily updates on my patreon
[Patreon.com/tenten100?]
Follow me on Instagram [www.instagram.com/tenten100_?]