Chapter 57

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And then, silence fell.

The arena, which had been exposed to the intense sounds of the two myth-level threats, was now enveloped in a profound stillness, devoid of even the slightest noise.

In the silent space, the first to move was Reeve.

Reeve, confident that this time she had "definitely ended" it, pulled out her right arm, which had been thrust into the Blue Knight, with a sigh that released her remaining tension.

A dark red liquid, similar to blood, gushed from the Blue Knight's torso.

The Blue Knight, who had been supported by Reeve's arm piercing its heart, collapsed lifelessly as the arm was withdrawn.

There was no sign of movement whatsoever.

The corpse did not disappear, nor did it revive; the Blue Knight, lying on the ground, had undoubtedly met its "end" this time.

"――"

Reeve took a deep breath and surveyed her surroundings.

The battlefield, which had been an endless space, had transformed into a finite chamber the moment the crystal orb shattered.

Looking up, she could see a ceiling, and the sound of her voice echoed clearly back to her ears.

From these observations, she realized that she had returned to one of the rooms in the labyrinth, though she could not determine the specific level or location. There was no sign of any enemies around her.

Having confirmed her immediate safety, Reeve next examined her own body.

Although self-healing had begun, the damage to her limbs and torso was severe, and she was still drenched in blood.

The battle attire provided for her reconnaissance mission was in tatters, with the fabric at her chest torn to the point where her left breast was almost exposed.

She was in a truly battered state.

However, she still had an important task to complete.

There was a crucial duty that took precedence over healing herself.

To fulfill this duty, she turned her back on the Blue Knight's corpse and hurried to her master, who was panting heavily in front of the pedestal.

She then knelt, placing one knee and her right fist on the ground.

Keeping her gaze fixed on the floor, the first subordinate reported to the king.

"The order to eliminate the individual named 'Blue Knight' has been successfully completed. Please give me your next command."

It was a perfect display of a subordinate's conduct.

Reeve Flegiluz, as a loyal subordinate to the king, had upheld her loyalty to the very end.

If that was the case, the young man who was her master also had a certain dignity and resolve to maintain.

He bit back the trembling of his limbs, detaching himself from the pedestal he had been leaning on.

Standing upright on both feet, he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. He swallowed his ragged breathing and held on to his vision, which was darkening, by the sensation of his nails digging into his palms.

He then spread his feet shoulder-width apart and opened his eyes, which he had closed, to reveal the image of the king.

The king fixed his gaze on the kneeling subordinate and extended his right hand, which he had drawn to his left shoulder, with a loud snap.

At the end of his horizontally extended right arm, his naturally open palm was positioned above the first subordinate.

Addressing the loyal subordinate who had fulfilled the royal command, the king of all demons spoke in a solemn tone.

"―Well done. And splendidly so. I have seen your valor and your victory with my own eyes.

Truly, you are one of the three originals, truly a royal attendant, truly the eye of Alkymaira, and truly my most trusted subordinate—Reeve Flegiluz."

After speaking these words, the young man felt his vision darkening.

Realizing that his remaining time was limited, he manually unlocked the <Communication Window> and contacted Galdy and Selis.

Perhaps because they had escaped the subspace, the connection was successful this time.

In response to their anxious inquiries, he provided a status report.

He successfully transmitted their coordinates using <Information Sharing>, as the straight-line distance between them was less than a kilometer, but he recognized that there was a significant vertical distance between them—approximately fifty levels.

He judged that it would take some time for them to reunite and gave them brief instructions.

"...I've made contact with Galdy. Selis will bring Miss Sion and the others to the surface as planned, and Galdy will come to pick us up. In the meantime, maintain the current situation."

"Hai, understood."

The kneeling Moon Wolf responded with a composed voice.

How reassuring it was to hear her usual reply.

"And... I will... rest for a while. During that time, I leave the minor matters to your judgment... Can I trust you, Reeve?"

"As you command."

Hearing these words, he felt a sense of relief, and the tension that had been holding him together snapped. His vision darkened, and the strength in his legs, which he had been suppressing, gave out. It seemed that his resolve had its limits, he thought in his final moments.

How unsatisfactory—

While thinking this somewhat pitiful and detached thought, he leaned forward and fell.

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Reeve instinctively caught her master's body as it fell towards her.

The body of her master, which she had caught, was completely drained of strength.

Its lightness made her heart sink in fear.

She quickly checked his breathing and pulse, and fortunately, both responded.

They were somewhat labored but stable enough. At least there was no immediate danger.

Relief washed over her at this confirmation.

She then carefully secured his body, wrapping her arms around his back to avoid putting any strain on him.

At that moment, she suddenly became aware of herself.

It had been a long time since she had been this close to the king.

The warmth of his heartbeat transmitted through her palm and the soothing sound of his breathing in her ear were comforting.

She found herself wishing to stay like this longer, which was undoubtedly an impertinent thought.

...However, there was a reason for it.

The king had said he would have Galdy come to pick them up.

Given the distance of over twenty levels between them, it would take Galdy some time to arrive, at least a few minutes.

During that time, the king needed to rest.

However, it would be unthinkable to lay the king's body on the dirty ground.

That would be an impertinent act, and it would not be safe or hygienic.

Therefore, she believed that what she was about to do was necessary.

"......"

She cautiously looked around, but there were no other living beings in sight.

Her keen senses confirmed that there were no threats nearby.

There were no unsightly third parties or intruders.

Having thoroughly confirmed that no one else was around, Reeve gently sat down, turned the king's body, and placed it on top of her.

She slightly raised his upper body, using her own body as an impromptu bed, and softly embraced him from behind.

The steady heartbeat she felt against her left chest was reassuring.

The exposed skin at her chest, due to the torn fabric, allowed her to feel the subtle vibrations of her master's heartbeat.

Pressing her nose to the back of his neck to secure his head, she caught a faint scent of him. The gentle breathing she heard was incredibly soothing.

"......"

It was a perk of her position, she thought.

She quietly and carefully sealed away the impertinent thoughts of a subordinate in the depths of her heart.

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The next chapter will be posted on [December 17th (Monday)].