-What nonsense are you talking about, playing with her!
Wrath suddenly jumped out with his tail raised.
-That soul is brimming with malice! It burns with the desire to kill all humans, no, all living beings!
He clenched his fist, insisting that force was necessary to subdue her.
'You didn't see it, did you?'
Raon clicked his tongue briefly, looking at the enlarged girl. If Wrath had seen that girl's life, he wouldn't have suggested using force to subdue her. It seemed that only he had faced the girl's life due to arriving late.
-What do you mean...?
'I'll tell you later.'
He exhaled softly as he walked towards the girl.
'For now, it's time to play.'
Raon conjured a silver flower in his palm. Fragments of frost scattered, erasing the black flames falling from the girl. The girl's gloomy gaze fell upon Raon.
"Let's play tag. If you catch me, I'll give you this body so you can leave this place."
He nodded towards the girl spewing flames of despair.
-You crazy fool!
Wrath leaped up with his eyes wide open.
-Have you lost your mind? Giving up your body? Your flesh belongs to this king!
He shouted, asking if he had really gone mad, grabbing his own collar.
'It'll be fine.'
Raon smiled faintly and shook his head.
'Probably.'
-Probably? Probably?!
Wrath let out a long sigh.
-This is the mental world! Any promise made here will be fulfilled unconditionally unless the other side refuses!
'I know.'
He knew better than anyone about the promises in the mental world. He had proposed that bet knowing all of this.
-If you know so well, then why! Your soul might be strong, but that malice is also beyond normal!
Wrath frowned, saying he could feel deep and intense anger and despair.
'I suppose so.'
Raon nodded calmly.
'As much as mine. No, it might be even greater.'
That nameless girl's life had been as unfortunate as his past life. It would be stranger if she had a normal soul after such experiences.
"However, that size is cheating. Return to your original form."
Raon wiggled his finger at the girl. The girl stared at him intently before nodding slightly.
Her body slowly shrank until it returned to the height of an early teenager, as seen in her memories.
The girl's entire body was still burning with black flames of resentment, but this was enough for now.
"We start now. If you catch me, I'll grant everything you wish."
Raon slowly extended his hand, like the first child who had sought out the girl.
"..."
The girl emitted even darker flames of malice, as if saying it wasn't necessary.
"Then let's begin."
As Raon lightly kicked off the ground and retreated, the girl followed like a shadow. Her speed was terrifying. Despair and resentment were giving her strength.
"You're fast, but..."
Raon lightly turned his ankle to change direction to the right. The girl, unable to handle her own speed, ran straight ahead and stopped far away.
He dodged lightly by walking in a diagonal line using his footwork.
-W-What's this?
Wrath frowned as if dumbfounded.
-She's not utilizing that enormous power at all!
'I told you there's no need to worry.'
Raon smiled lightly as he watched the girl charging like a bull.
'She's just an ordinary child. She just wants to play.'
-That doesn't seem quite right...
Wrath shook his head, looking at the girl burning with malice.
"You'll never catch me like that."
Raon waved his finger at the girl, smiling.
"Watch my movements carefully. Try to copy them if you can."
Telling her to wait, he demonstrated the footwork he had just used. The girl stared at her own feet for a long time before charging forward, raising black flames from the ground.
"Well..."
Raon gently turned his ankle to retreat to the right as before. The girl, as if she had been waiting for this, rotated her ankle to follow Raon.
"That's it!"
Raon clapped his hands, impressed by the girl's footwork.
"Now you have enough speed. Lift your heels like me to maintain a stance that allows movement in any direction. This is the basics."
"..."
This time too, the girl didn't immediately follow his advice and charged recklessly. But realizing she couldn't catch him, she seemed to recall his advice and started to imitate the footwork.
"Good!"
Raon nodded emphatically.
"From now on, let's use not just the ankles, but the legs too."
Saying to use the legs, he showed her how to use the calves and thighs.
"Ugh..."
The girl let out a groan for the first time as she tried to imitate his movements. It seemed she had realized that she wouldn't be able to catch him if she didn't learn. The girl still retained the talent seen in the dream, as she perfectly imitated his footwork not long after. She was a rewarding student to teach.
The girl charged like a black lightning bolt. With smoothness added to her linear movement, it wasn't easy to avoid. Raon deflected her offensive by drawing a semicircle with the back of his hand just before her hand touched his abdomen.
"You need to grab firmly, not just touch."
He wiggled his finger, telling her to come at him more.
"Ugh..."
The girl trembled as if frustrated, then charged again. She came at him from all directions as if using a shadow clone technique, but he easily pushed her away using only his right hand.
"Now that you're familiar with lower body movements, let's use the upper body too."
Raon smiled brightly and demonstrated sword techniques using his hands.
"..."
The girl, seemingly interested in learning, stopped in place and imitated his hand movements. Faintly, but surely, the essence of swordsmanship began to appear at the edge of her hand.
"You don't always need to be fast. It's right to go slowly but properly."
Raon showed more accurate postures and movements along with his advice.
"Ugh..."
The girl let out a low groan as if it was difficult, but after practicing a few times, she was able to perfectly imitate his movements. The girl confidently dove to the left and reached out her hand. Raon nodded as he deflected the girl's hand with a move imbued with the flow of the Fangs of Insanity.
"That's a good movement!"
Hoping she would follow more, he now showed the flow of the Blizzard Sword Art.
"Hm."
As if answering his expectations, the girl charged towards him with the Fangs of Insanity in her right hand and the Blizzard Sword Art in her left. A talent that understands ten when taught one. It was like seeing Burren, Runaan, and Martha.
"...Too fast."
For the first time, human words flowed from the girl's black lips. She openly expressed her frustration at not being able to catch him.
'It seems to be going well.'
Expressing emotions other than anger and despair meant that the girl's soul wasn't completely immersed in darkness.
"It's not that I'm fast."
Raon stood in front of the girl and waved his hand.
"And you're not slow either."
Saying it wasn't a matter of speed, he nodded.
"You need to predict my movements to catch me. Try to use your energy more efficiently."
He taught her methods to use energy more delicately and footwork imbued with smoothness.
"Hmm..."
This time, the girl even imitated his slight nod as she absorbed the teachings. Her movements gradually became imbued with smoothness. She seemed to have taken an interest in this game.
-Did you get hit on the head too much earlier...
Wrath shook his head, looking at Raon and the girl.
-Have you really lost it?
* * *
"If you don't hit, it's all useless! Be more precise!"
Raon gave important and accurate advice as if he had become the girl's father.
"Hey! You can't catch me like that!"
He teased the girl like a friend, drawing out her interest.
"That's it! That's perfect!"
When she did well, he gave sincere praise, allowing the girl to experience something new that she hadn't been able to before. For the girl, all of these were new experiences.
"Heh!"
A laugh could be heard from within the black flames full of malice. It was small, but clearly a laugh of enjoyment.
"You've got some leeway! Let's keep going!"
Raon retreated as if fleeing, telling her to come at him.
"Okay..."
The girl nodded and followed to the left. Unlike before, she didn't fall for false movements and accurately tracked him. Even in the mental world, it was an incredible talent.
The girl, as if she had anticipated this, moved a beat later and followed his movements.
"This is no joke now, is it?"
"Heh..."
As the game of tag continued endlessly, the black world split open and a pale green wind entered. The clear wind danced with the girl, calming the black flames that enveloped her.
Ankles too slender to be called a swordsman's overcame the black flames, calloused hands pushed back the flames, and shoulders shorter than a sword broke despair.
Finally, as the darkness above her neck melted away, the girl's face was revealed. A girl with round eyes and pink hair was smiling brightly as if enjoying herself.
-S-Such a young thing was wrapped in that enormous malice?
Wrath let out a sigh of disbelief. The girl showed a bright smile and thrust out her hand. All of Raon's teachings were melted into her movements.
"Well done."
Raon no longer ran away. He stood still and accepted the hand the girl extended.
-You crazy fool! What are you doing!
'It's okay.'
-How is it okay, now you're... Huh?
Wrath bulged his eyes, seeing that nothing happened.
-What is this...
He blinked his eyes as if he couldn't understand.
'You said it yourself. If the other side doesn't refuse, the promise is unconditionally fulfilled.'
-T-Then...
'This child didn't want it. She just wanted to play.'
Raon swallowed a heavy sigh and patted the girl's head.
"Hehe."
The girl couldn't hide her smile, as if she was happy.
"Did you have fun?"
Raon bent down to meet the girl's eyes.
"Yes."
The girl smiled without a trace of wrinkle, as if she was happy. The malice that had enveloped her was no longer visible. It seemed as if the game of tag with him had awakened her small happiness.
"What's your name?"
Raon carefully extended his hand, like the first child in the girl's dream.
"..."
The girl couldn't grab that hand and bit her lip. She seemed to recall her father who had struck away that hand.
"It's okay now. From now on, only happy things will happen."
Raon lowered his posture a bit more and shook his head.
"What's your name?"
"Lavera."
The girl said her name and took his hand.
"My name is Raon."
Raon nodded, holding both of Lavera's hands tightly.
"I'll introduce you to a friend better than me. I'm sure you'll get along well."
"Okay."
As if the name Lavera and the girl taking his hand were keys, the world full of darkness began to crumble. The hell of despair split open, and the warm light that Lavera had longed for descended into her world.
The darkness scattered as if lost, then gathered at his feet.
"I'll be waiting."
Lavera smiled as she ran into the brightened world. The black malice that had bound her was no longer visible.
"You..."
Raon formed a small smile as he watched Lavera's back, who seemed to have returned to her original age.
"You'll surely be able to become good friends."
He closed his eyes as he said this.
-W-Well, she might be a bit young to be friends with this king, but let's hear the situation first...
Wrath smacked his lips as if feeling burdened.
'It's not you...'
* * *
When he opened his eyes again, he was still standing on the beach, and Alice and the Light Wind division were scattered around like guards.
"Raon!"
Alice swallowed dry saliva as she approached Raon.
"What happened?"
"You were standing still in that position for an hour."
Rimmer shook his head, saying it was strange.
"Did you gain some enlightenment again?"
Burren wiggled his hand as if telling him to speak.
"It's possible for that guy. I heard he once entered a state of enlightenment while defecating."
Martha wrinkled her nose bridge, saying it was certainly possible.
"I don't think so..."
Runaan blinked her eyes, saying there must be another reason.
"I didn't gain enlightenment, but..."
Raon raised the hand holding the Soul Crystal, looking at everyone.
"I found the Soul Crystal."
"Huh...?"
"R-Really?"
Alice and Rimmer bulged their eyes, looking at the small Soul Crystal.
"Yes."
Raon nodded and gestured to go out to the sea.
"I'll explain once we get out."
-Yes, hurry up and tell us! This king is about to go crazy with curiosity!
Wrath wagged his tail, urging him to speak quickly.
"When I touched this stone..."
Sitting on the beach, he told them about what had happened in Lavera's mental image.
-I see... So that's why you said you'd play with her.
Wrath let out a long sigh.
-You did well. This king almost made a mistake.
He frowned, saying he couldn't accurately grasp the situation due to low energy.
"Such things happened in the past too."
Alice bit her lip as if feeling sorry.
"It was even worse before. There was a lot of human trafficking even when our territory was small."
Rimmer shook his head, saying this is a better world now.
"Then what happens to this child named Lavera?"
Runaan came forward unusually. She seemed to empathize a lot with Lavera's story.
"As far as I know..."
"She'll be with the young miss from now on!"
Merlin sprang up from among the Light Wind division, smiling brightly.
"Merlin?"
Rimmer opened his eyes wide as if asking how she got here.
"Where the needle goes, the thread must follow."
Merlin shrugged her shoulders, saying to ask what they wanted to know.
"Hmm..."
Raon looked behind him. He could feel a very faint aura of Lust's authority, so it seemed Lust was nearby too.
"So the child from that Soul Crystal will be with Sia?"
Alice narrowed her eyes, looking at Merlin.
"Yes, Aunt Alice."
Merlin nodded, looking at Alice.
"A-Aunt? What do you mean..."
"Generally, just seeing the mental world is enough to obtain a Soul Crystal, but that child became an evil spirit hating humans after experiencing much pain."
She continued speaking, ignoring the flustered Alice.
"But Raon pacified her soul by playing with the child. Pacification means soothing the soul. A soul that should have left after giving only the power of the Soul Crystal has remained inside. She'll be a great help to the young miss."
Merlin clapped her hands, saying it was really a good thing.
'As expected.'
Raon smacked his lips while looking at the Soul Crystal. It seemed Sia and Lavera would be together, just like Wrath was attached to him.
'It's not a bad thing.'
Lavera had returned to her original form and was a good child whose wish was to play with friends. It seemed she could spend good times with Sia.
-Like this king?!
Wrath shouted loudly.
-This king is the monarch of the Devildom! How could that little kid be like this king!
He shook his head vigorously, saying it was absolutely not the case.
'That's not what I meant. I meant they could be good friends.'
Raon waved his hand at Wrath.
-Oh, i-is that so.
Wrath blushed as if embarrassed.
-Well, if that's the case, I can understand to some extent. A little, but this king also considers you a friend...
While he was rolling his eyes and speaking, it happened.
[You have achieved an impossible feat with an ingenious idea.]
[You have defeated a Transcendent Warrior.]
[You have pacified an unfortunate soul.]
[All abilities...]
Rewards for everything from defeating the Second Apostle to obtaining the Soul Crystal popped up at once.
-Not a friend.
'Huh...?'
-Not a friend!
Wrath couldn't hold back and grabbed his collar.
-You're a dirty thief!
'I-I didn't steal anything!'
-The receiver of stolen goods is worse!
'That's not...'
-Just shut up!