"Still not getting it?" Izayoi said, glancing around at the blank stares. "Ren becoming a Demon King from the very start—it was all calculated. Think about it. If he challenges 'No Name' to a Gift Game as a Demon King… and then loses, what happens?"
He let the question hang in the air.
"Even a Demon King," Black Rabbit murmured slowly, piecing it together, "if defeated in a Gift Game, loses their freedom… and their ownership rights would…"
Her eyes widened mid-sentence as realization dawned.
"I see! Ren… you thought that far ahead? That's incredible!"
She turned toward Ren Kuroda, her expression brimming with admiration.
Izayoi grinned and continued the explanation.
"Exactly. Ren forced a war against 'Perseus' under Demon King authority and won the loli vampire. Now, if he challenges 'No Name' to another Gift Game—and loses—then Ren himself and everything under his ownership becomes 'No Name's' spoils of war."
He spread his hands casually.
"That means Ren, the loli vampire, and even that star spirit, Algor, would all become members of 'No Name.'"
After that crystal-clear breakdown, even Luos—hardly the sharpest blade in the armory—understood. The group turned to stare at Ren with a mixture of shock and awe.
In simple terms, Ren had exploited a loophole in Little Garden's Gift Game rules—and abused the overreaching authority granted to Demon Kings along the way.
The logic was simple once laid bare.
But what they couldn't help admiring was that Ren had conceived such an intricate plan in such a short span of time—and executed it flawlessly.
Even Leticia and Luos, who hadn't known him well before, now looked at Ren with faint unease.
This man wasn't just strong.
His mind was terrifying.
"And that's not all," Izayoi added, snapping his fingers as another layer clicked into place. "Don't forget our original plan—to replace our lost banner with the declaration 'Defeat the Demon King' and carve our name into Little Garden's memory."
He jerked a thumb toward Ren.
"Right now, Ren is a Demon King. If we defeat him in a Gift Game, not only do we get our companion back—'No Name' earns fame for toppling a Demon King."
When the full picture was laid out, even Izayoi couldn't help glancing at Ren with newfound respect.
Whether in raw power or strategy, Ren was shaping up to be a truly exhilarating rival.
"So let me get this straight," Asuka said slowly. "After this entire chain of events, Ren barely loses anything. He rescues Black Rabbit's former companion—and boosts 'No Name's' reputation in one move?"
"Yes!" Black Rabbit exclaimed, practically glowing with excitement. "All that's left is a symbolic Gift Game between us and Ren. Once we win, Ren and Lady Leticia can return to 'No Name'!"
Her voice trembled with anticipation.
"…Feels like Ren stole all the spotlight," Asuka muttered, folding her arms. "Didn't even get a chance to show off."
"Same," Yo added flatly. "Feels like we were kept in the dark the whole time. Not fun."
The two "problem children" pouted, but neither could deny it—Ren's maneuver of leaving 'No Name,' becoming a Demon King, and then deliberately losing to rejoin them was audacious in the extreme.
It was outrageous.
And brilliant.
Ren scratched the back of his head, his tone turning unexpectedly subdued.
"All you have to do now is challenge me to a Gift Game and win. Then you can take the loli vampire back."
He paused.
"As for me… I probably won't be returning to 'No Name.' Tell the kids I'm sorry."
The atmosphere froze.
Black Rabbit, who had been brimming with joy moments earlier, felt as though a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head.
"What…? Why?"
"Originally, yes," Ren admitted. "I planned to lose the Gift Game and rejoin 'No Name.' But things changed."
His gaze drifted slightly.
"You heard what Whiteyasha said. She ordered me to leave the Eastern District's lower levels by tomorrow morning. Even if it was unavoidable, I still used the safety of the lower levels as leverage against her. That part's undeniable."
He exhaled softly.
"She probably sees me as an unstable element now. There's a high chance she won't allow me to stay in the Eastern District. So… the plan to return to 'No Name' is off the table."
Whiteyasha had already shown remarkable restraint. She had once been a Demon King herself—and given her infamous reputation as one of Little Garden's greatest problem children, her compromise tonight was no small thing.
"How can this be…" Black Rabbit whispered.
Guilt crept into her chest.
If she hadn't acted recklessly tonight… If she hadn't dragged Ren and the others into this… would he ever have become a Demon King?
They had rescued Lady Leticia—
But at the cost of losing Ren from 'No Name.'
That was a trade she never wanted.
"Then in that case, Black Rabbit," Leticia said gently, stepping forward, "I will not return to 'No Name' for now."
Everyone turned to her.
"I will leave the Eastern District's lower levels with Ren."
Her voice was calm, resolute.
"According to Little Garden's rules, I am Ren's property now. And I cannot, in good conscience, return to my former Community while benefiting from a comrade's sacrifice."
She lowered her gaze briefly.
"I believe that even as a Demon King, with Ren's wisdom and strength, he will one day find another way to return to 'No Name.' When that time comes… I will return as one of his subordinates."
Leticia had pieced everything together.
Ren had sacrificed too much to save her.
Now it was her turn to stand beside him.
Long ago, the golden-haired "Canary" of 'No Name' had rescued Leticia from an endless spiral of Gift Games. Now someone else had willingly taken on the mantle of Demon King to free her.
To say she felt nothing would be a lie.
"Even Lady Leticia…" Black Rabbit's voice trembled.
She knew better than to argue. Leticia was steadfast by nature. Once she made a decision, it rarely wavered.
Izayoi suddenly laughed, breaking the tension.
"Isn't this perfect?"
Everyone looked at him.
"We declared that we'd defeat the Demon King. And now Ren and Leticia become wild Demon Kings roaming Little Garden. We fight to bring back our comrades—and to fulfill our own slogan."
His grin widened.
"In this world, we're bound to meet again someday. And when we do, we'll give it everything we've got to defeat each other."
Asuka and Yo exchanged a look—and their eyes lit up.
"Yeah," Asuka said, excitement replacing her earlier sulk. "Winning because someone goes easy on us would feel lame."
"Reuniting through a battle to reclaim our comrade…" Yo nodded. "That sounds way cooler."
The mood shifted.
Not sorrow.
Not regret.
But anticipation.
Somewhere in the vast expanse of Little Garden, their paths would cross again.
And when they did—
It wouldn't be a staged victory.
It would be a clash worthy of their promise.