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Orbet’s eyes widened as he realized Rodolphe intended to use his Heavenly Pearl to supply the Mana needed for the gate key’s activation.

“This is my trump card, you know! Why should I use it here?!”
“Do your part, Master Orbet?”
“Y-You scum! You planned to use me as a backup Mana battery from the start, didn’t you?! Don’t mess with me, b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲! Like hell I’ll hand over my Heavenly Pearl to you! Go and die in the Mana Storm for all I care, stupid geezer!”

Orbet bared his fangs in fury and shouted at Rodolphe.

“So you are refusing me?”
“Of course I am! I am refusing you!”
“So be it. Clarimonde.”

Rodolphe withdrew the hand he’d stretched to Orbet and turned to Clarimonde.

“Yes, Master Rodolphe!”
“I’ll have you here.”
“Ah! Master Rodolphe! Master Rodolphe! Here! In this moment! I can finally offer myself to you! Ahhh!”

Clarimonde’s eyes welled with tears as she clung to Rodolphe.

“What? What the hell are you saying all of a sudden?” Orbet asked.
“Isn’t it obvious! I am going to hand over my life, my soul, to Master Rodolphe! Ah! What bliss this is!”
“Are you planning to convert Clarimonde’s soul into Mana just so that you can use the gate key?!” Halbert asked.
“What? Are you stupid? Are you going to sacrifice your existence for a human, for something like this?!”

Orbet yelled with a dumbfounded expression, while Clarimonde gazed up at Rodolphe in pure ecstasy.

“Ahhhh… I’m so happy. So truly happy. Master Rodolphe…”
“I’m just letting you know, but I’m using my Clarimonde. You failed to do your part, so I have no intention of taking you with me.”

Rodolphe embraced Clarimonde and carelessly pulled down the bust of her dress. Her plump breasts, previously restrained, burst free and swayed. Clarimonde trembled from the swaying of her chest. She looked up at Rodolphe with moist eyes.

Rodolphe stared into her eyes and ran all five fingers of his right hand across her chest. Clarimonde shivered and exhaled a faint moan. Rodolphe’s hand glowed. Imprinting a small magic circle. Clarimonde’s breath quickened as her flushed face filled with delight.

“You’re insane! Screw both of them. Still, all we have to do is take that device from them by force!”
“Don’t. You’re not strong enough, Orbet. You, too, know that.”
“Damn it! Then help me, Halbert!”
“I already told you. I’m all dried up. I used up my strength fighting off the Demonic Beasts on the way here! I’m done for today.”
“Immortal General Halbert, my a̲s̲s̲. You’re pathetic!”

“Step down, Orbet.”
“What did you just say to me?!”
“Think about it. Even if you survive the mana storm, you’re no match for the Demonic Beasts here. You’ll never leave Iroshio. Do you think you can fight those Demonic Beasts? Besides, there are a ton of Mana-eating Demonic Beasts here. With enemies like that, you won’t manage to escape for the next 200-300 years! Still, I’m fine with that! But it would be a waste to lose a smoking hot chick like Clarimonde here! Kuhaha!”

“Damn it. You freaking battle lunatic!”
“Kuhaha. Besides, the lord wants this too.”
“Hell… Even the lord…”
“Think about it, Orbet. If he didn’t, you wouldn’t even be here.”
“Tsk! Fine, Halbert! I’ll take the loss this time! Hey, human! Rodolphe!!!”
“……”
“You can have this! But you owe me big time, got it?!”
“I appreciate it, Master Orbet.”
“Tsk!”

Rodolphe accepted the Heavenly Pearl from Orbet, holding it at chest height with his palm turned upward, pinched between his thumb and middle finger. He activated the gate key, and a small geometric magic circle immediately unfolded atop his right hand.

As he focused on it, Rodolphe shattered the Heavenly Pearl. Its fragments dissolved into the air with a sharp crackle. The unleashed Mana swirled and turned into a whirlpool that was absorbed by the magic circle. The circle expanded beyond Rodolphe’s hand, glowing brighter, until it opened a gate before them.

“It opened nicely. Clarimonde, let the two gentlemen through.”
“Understood. Master Orbet, Master Halbert, please pass through.”

Clarimonde, now dressed properly, stood at the gate to guide them.

“Hmph! Of course I will! I used my trump card for this!” Orbet crossed with a pained expression.

“Master Halbert, I have a favor to ask.” Rodolphe called to Halbert as he neared the gate.

“Say it. But the reward had better be good. Kuhaha!” Halbert replied, leering at Clarimonde from top to bottom. Clarimonde didn’t even bat an eye.

“We’ll talk later.”

Without turning back, Halbert walked through the gate, raising a hand in farewell. Rodolphe nodded, and Clarimonde followed.

Left alone, Rodolphe turned north toward the white mountains, gazing sharply from beneath his hood. “What use is a god who merely exists? Even if the day comes when the world ends, I’d rather he just sit there and simply watch.”

He murmured his condemnation to the unreachable something, then turned around and disappeared through the gate.

◆◆◆◆◆

Soon after, the missing moons returned and began to illuminate the ground with their light. At the same time, an invisible storm swept across the land. It violently shook the grass and trees, and it tore apart those who clung helplessly to their Mana, tossing and scattering them. The immense wave of Mana converged in the clearing and erupted. The clearing, once lush with vegetation, was uprooted and reduced to a wasteland of churned-up debris.

Soon, silence returned to the deep forest. The moons and starlight regained their full brilliance, casting light across the ground. As if nothing had happened, the wind passed through the sea of trees, sending gentle waves of green rustling through the air.

In the heart of the forest, unchanged from before, a figure stood motionless on the small, stage-like platform. The moonlight bathed the figure softly. The breeze, weaving through the trees, reached up to the hill. The figure remained still, like a beautiful statue—completely unmoving. Her light pink mantle and ruby-colored hair swayed softly in the wind.¹