Mare Rhein sat squarely on Kurose Akira's lap, arms folded across her chest, her expression unusually serious as she said, "Human! Don't you think that cave was strange?"
Caught off guard by her sudden behavior, Akira couldn't help but frown slightly.
Not long ago, his "holy light" had been gripped by Paslow for over an hour—worse, it had been infused with that dark, corrupting touch.
As a result, it was still extremely sensitive.
And Mare Rhein—this girl—while sitting on him, didn't just squirm restlessly; her dragon tail kept swishing back and forth as well, constantly brushing against him and putting his already fragile composure through a brutal trial.
"…Can you get off me first?" Akira said, reaching out to hold her by the waist.
Though her skin was just as snow-white as Ivsha's, her waist was far slimmer—so slender that he could easily encircle it with both hands.
"No!" Mare Rhein refused without hesitation. Ignoring him entirely, she continued her analysis. "There was Mira's scent in that place… but I also smelled something else. A different presence. Something… from death."
"The 'death' you're referring to—wasn't just the ambient aura filling the cave, right?" Akira immediately caught the key point in her words.
"Of course not." Mare Rhein shrugged. "This one was purer. Much purer. It might even belong to a god."
"A god…?" Akira's expression sharpened. "And that corpse—could it be a follower of that god?"
"Exactly."
"…Then what you're saying is—the Life Dragon was sealed there by a god?" Akira followed her line of reasoning.
"Maybe the opposite."
"The opposite?"
"Mm." Mare Rhein's crimson eyes glowed with an unusually deep light. For once, she wore a genuinely serious expression. "If my senses are right… then it's Mira who sealed a god in that place."
"She sealed a god?" Akira's eyes widened in shock.
He had never heard of a demigod sealing a god. Not even in the countless epics of the Magic Continent had such a feat ever been recorded.
In this world, gods were absolute beings—entities that stood above all laws. Even multiple demigods working together couldn't so much as shake a god.
A demigod might fall to those beneath them.
But a god?
A god could never lose to anything below divinity.
Which made the idea of Mira Orre sealing a god utterly incomprehensible.
"Absolutely! There's no way I'm wrong!" Mare Rhein declared confidently, the red glow in her eyes intensifying. "That woman definitely used some kind of power we can't even begin to understand to seal a god there!"
Suddenly, Mira Orre's voice echoed in Akira's mind, calmly confirming her claim.
"That's right. Mare Rhein's guess is entirely correct."
"I did seal a god. Though… it was only a fragment—an avatar of that god."
"So it's true…?" Akira murmured, stunned.
Even though he trusted Mare Rhein, the notion of a demigod sealing a god was still far beyond common sense.
But hearing it confirmed by Mira herself…
He could no longer deny it.
There really was a god sealed inside that cave.
"What's true?"
Akira's muttering drew attention. In an instant, all eyes turned toward him.
Feeling a bit awkward, he quickly changed the subject, reaching out to ruffle Mare Rhein's hair.
"You're amazing, little Mare. You even figured that out. As expected of the dragon of destruction."
"Hmph~ of course~" Mare Rhein sniffed proudly. Though she maintained her haughty demeanor, his praise clearly pleased her.
"So," Akira continued with a smile, "what do you think about Mira Orre sealing a god?"
He knew full well—if this information spread, even demigods would be shaken.
"Think?" Mare Rhein replied without hesitation. "I don't care. Even if she really becomes a god, I'll drag her down from that throne!"
Her hatred for Mira Orre burned as fiercely as ever. She didn't care what Mira was doing.
"Honestly~ after nearly ten thousand years, why does she still hold such a grudge against me?" Mira's voice echoed again, tinged with helpless amusement.
A faint smile tugged at Akira's lips.
"If you ever find her," he asked Mare Rhein, "what would you do? Kill her?"
"Of course!" she snapped.
Then—
"…Not!"
Clenching her small fists, her voice filled with venomous hatred, she declared:
"I'll imprison her. Make her suffer endlessly—torment her, humiliate her! I'll make her wish she were dead!"
"Human!" Suddenly, she grabbed Akira by the collar, her voice rising with excitement. "You have to help me! We'll bully her together!"
"…."
Akira frowned.
He had assumed Mare Rhein was the cold, decisive type.
Turns out… she was the exact opposite.
At that moment, Mira Orre's amused voice sounded again in his ear.
"Hehe~ she hasn't changed at all. Always spouting grand, impossible fantasies."
"…?"
Akira's curiosity deepened.
He asked inwardly, "You seem very familiar with her habits."
"Of course I am~" Mira replied. "Didn't I tell you? We were born from the same dragon egg. We lived together for countless years… until, over time, our differences in temperament and beliefs drove us apart."
"…Can you tell me more?" Akira pressed, genuinely interested now.
"If you're willing to listen," Mira said softly, "I can share some of her stories… help you understand her better."
"Hey! Human! Are you even listening to me?!"
Mare Rhein grabbed his face with both hands, shaking it lightly. Her eyes were filled with dissatisfaction.
She had the distinct feeling that his attention wasn't on her at all.
"Yes! Of course I'm listening!" Akira snapped back to reality, quickly focusing on her again. "Don't worry. I'll help you deal with Mira Orre. I promise."
"…."
A flicker of suspicion passed through Mare Rhein's eyes—but quickly faded.
She didn't press further. Instead, she slid gracefully off his lap.
"Human, I'll remember what you said!" she declared, hands on her hips. "Don't you dare betray me for lust when the time comes!"
"Do I look like that kind of person?" Akira replied, slightly exasperated. "I promise—I'll stand on your side."
Still… he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
When had his reputation gotten this bad?
"Good! Hehe~"
Seemingly satisfied, Mare Rhein smiled and swaggered back into her room.
Akira watched her go, shaking his head with a helpless smile.
Sure, he had his… indulgent tendencies.
But betraying a companion? That was something he would never do.
After she closed the door, Akira turned his focus back inward.
"Mira Orre… can you tell me why you were sealed in that cave?"
"I was deceived by a god," she replied calmly. "Used as a pawn to deal with another god."
"However… many of my memories related to the gods have been lost. I only remember that what I sealed there… was the daughter of the Goddess of Death."
"The Goddess of Death's daughter…?" Akira's eyes widened in realization.
No wonder the cave was saturated with such dense deathly energy.
Still… the loss of her memories troubled him.
Was that… a god's doing?
"So right now, you're sealing an avatar of the Death Goddess's daughter—and that also binds you, correct?" he asked.
"Exactly."
"I've waited for countless years for someone to free me… yet none could bear that responsibility. Until you appeared."
"…Me?"
"Mhm~" Mira continued. "Across the entire Magic Continent, there are very few capable of freeing me from that seal."
"And by your side… there are five."
"Five?" Akira blinked in surprise.
He could guess they were likely demigod-level beings—but still…
"The Pope of the Holy Church, the Queen of the Elves, the Progenitor Vampire, the Dragon of Destruction…" Mira listed them calmly. "Their life force is extraordinary—truly the strongest beings in this world."
"…."
Akira paused.
Wait—what about the fifth?
"But~" Mira added lightly, "your life force is… unique. Though you're still mortal, I have high hopes for you."
"For me?" Akira scratched his nose awkwardly.
"Mhm~" she said warmly. "One day, you will surpass mortal limits and ascend to demigodhood. Perhaps… you may even set your sights on that lofty throne of godhood~"
"…."
Akira fell silent.
Becoming a demigod… he had never seriously considered it.
But no matter the path of power—whether through the guild system or otherwise—all roads ultimately led to the same destination:
Godhood.
Mira seemed to sense his thoughts and chuckled softly.
"Let's return to Mare Rhein. For you, becoming a god is still far too early."
She continued, "What would you like to know about her? I'll answer anything."
"…Has her personality always been like that? Even after all these millennia?" Akira asked.
Ever since Mare Rhein joined the guild, he'd realized that aside from her temper, the so-called Dragon of Destruction felt more like a chuuni girl than the fearsome entity he'd imagined.
"Yes," Mira replied with a gentle smile. "She's never changed. Arrogant, prideful, quick-tempered… but those are just masks."
"Masks?" Akira blinked.
"It seems you don't know her well," Mira said. "Did she ever tell you that she was originally meant to be the Dragon of Life?"
"But… due to certain circumstances, we exchanged our godheads."
"…Exchanged… godheads?" Akira's heart jolted violently.
Two dragons… exchanging divine authorities?
This was the first time he had ever heard of something so absurd.
"Can you tell me why?" he asked urgently.
"Of course, I can—"
Her voice suddenly faltered.
"…can…"
"…?"
"Hey? Mira Orre? Are you still there?" Akira called out, alarmed.
No response.
Only silence.
Frowning, he quickly checked his inventory.
The pink, viscous life essence he had obtained from Mira…
Was gone.
"…It disappeared?" he muttered.
In an instant, he understood.
That substance had been the link connecting them.
Without it, their connection was severed.
If he wanted to speak with her again…
He would have to return to that cave.
"…Godhead exchange, huh…"
Leaning back on the sofa, hands behind his head, Akira stared at the ceiling, deep in thought.
Life… and destruction…
Those two dragons were far more mysterious than he had imagined.
As his thoughts drifted, his gaze shifted to Lucia, who sat nearby, quietly playing chess against herself.
"Lucia," he called, "is it possible to exchange godheads?"
"An exchange of godheads?"