The forest was finally quiet.
Too quiet.
Broken trees lay scattered across the battlefield, and faint smoke curled upward from the cracked earth.
Liora stood in the middle of it all, staring at Cairis like he had personally ruined her life.
"…Permanent?"
Her voice came out dangerously calm.
Cairis met her gaze without the slightest hint of guilt.
"Yes."
Liora blinked once.
Twice.
Then she grabbed his collar.
"You BONDED our souls without ASKING?!"
Rhael burst out laughing.
Cairis didn't even flinch.
Instead, he looked down at her calmly.
"You were about to die."
"That is NOT the point!"
"It solved the problem."
"You made a MUCH bigger problem!"
Rhael leaned casually against a broken tree.
"Oh, this is entertaining."
Liora ignored him and continued glaring at Cairis.
"…Undo it."
Cairis tilted his head slightly.
"No."
Her eye twitched.
"…No?"
"The bond is permanent."
"That's not acceptable!"
"It wasn't a request."
Liora let go of his collar and stepped back, pacing angrily.
"This is insane. Absolutely insane."
Cairis watched her quietly.
Then he said something that made her stop.
"You're calmer now."
She blinked.
"…What?"
He gestured toward her hands.
Liora looked down.
The silver glow that had been flickering uncontrollably since the battle…
Was gone.
Her magic felt quiet.
Peaceful.
Stable.
"…What did you do?" she whispered.
Cairis crossed his arms.
"The bond stabilizes your magic."
Rhael added helpfully:
"Because your magic now flows through him too."
Liora's eyes widened.
"…Excuse me?"
Rhael smiled.
"Congratulations."
"You now share magic with a demon prince."
She stared at Cairis.
"…Is that true?"
"Yes."
Her brain stopped.
"…That sounds dangerous."
"It is."
"…For who?"
Cairis's lips curved slightly.
"Everyone else."
Liora groaned.
"I'm going to have a headache for the rest of my life."
Rhael raised a finger.
"Technically, you'll only have a headache as long as he's alive."
Liora slowly turned toward him.
"…Stop helping."
Rhael shrugged.
"I'm just explaining."
Cairis stepped closer to her.
His gaze softened slightly.
"…You're safer now."
"Because I'm magically chained to you?!"
"Yes."
"That's not comforting!"
Before he could respond—
A sharp pulse of magic ran through her chest.
Liora gasped.
"…What was that?"
Cairis frowned.
"I felt it too."
Rhael straightened.
"…That shouldn't happen already."
Liora clutched her chest.
Another pulse of energy shot through her body.
Silver light flashed across her skin.
And then—
Cairis's shadows reacted.
Dark energy flared around him violently.
The two powers collided again.
The ground trembled.
"…Oh," Rhael said slowly.
"That's… interesting."
Liora looked at him.
"…Explain."
Rhael's golden eyes gleamed.
"The bond is synchronizing."
"…What does that mean?"
"It means your magic and his magic are learning how to work together."
Another pulse hit.
This one stronger.
Liora stumbled forward.
Cairis immediately caught her.
The moment his arms wrapped around her—
The magic stopped.
Completely.
Both of them froze.
Liora looked up at him.
"…That's new."
Cairis's voice was quiet.
"…Yes."
Behind them, Rhael laughed again.
"…You two are going to cause problems."
Liora sighed.
"I already know that."
But Cairis's gaze had shifted toward the horizon.
His expression had turned serious again.
"…We're not safe here."
Liora frowned.
"The Church retreated."
"For now."
He looked down at her.
"They'll return with something stronger."
Rhael nodded.
"He's right."
Liora crossed her arms.
"Like what?"
Rhael answered calmly.
"The Church has been developing holy weapons designed specifically to kill demons."
Liora's stomach dropped.
"…That sounds bad."
"They've never had a reason to use them before."
Cairis's eyes darkened slightly.
"But now they do."
Liora looked between them.
"…Because of me?"
"Because of us," Cairis corrected.
She groaned again.
"This keeps getting worse."
Cairis suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Come."
Her head snapped up.
"…Where?"
He looked toward the distant mountains.
"The Demon Kingdom."
Liora froze.
"…No."
"Yes."
"No."
"You don't have a choice."
"I absolutely do!"
Rhael stepped forward.
"She really doesn't."
Liora glared at him.
"You're not helping!"
Rhael shrugged.
"The moment the Church confirmed you're the last witch…"
He pointed toward the horizon.
"…every kingdom in the world will start hunting you."
Silence fell.
Liora slowly looked back at Cairis.
"…So your solution…"
"Yes."
"…Is to take me to the DEMON KINGDOM?"
"Yes."
"…Where your father lives?"
"Yes."
"…The Demon King?"
"Yes."
She stared at him.
"…That's the worst idea you've had so far."
Cairis smiled faintly.
"It's the safest."
Liora opened her mouth to argue—
But suddenly—
A violent wave of magic exploded across the sky.
All three of them looked up.
The clouds above the forest were splitting apart.
A massive circle of holy light appeared high in the sky.
Rhael's smile vanished instantly.
"…That's not good."
Liora swallowed.
"…What is that?"
Cairis's expression hardened.
"The Church."
The glowing circle in the sky began expanding.
Holy energy poured downward like sunlight.
Rhael spoke quietly.
"…They've activated it already."
Liora's heart pounded.
"Activated what?"
Cairis answered.
"A holy weapon."
Her stomach twisted.
"…For demons?"
Cairis looked directly at her.
"No."
His voice dropped.
"For us."
The circle of holy light above the forest began descending slowly.
Powerful enough to erase an entire battlefield.
Rhael whispered under his breath:
"…They're trying to kill you both at once."
Liora felt the bond between her and Cairis pulse violently.
And for the first time…
She realized something terrifying.
If the Church succeeded—
They wouldn't just kill a witch.
They might accidentally start a war between humans and demons.