From inside the Image World, Valkasus was looking at the things happening outside with a worried look.

“...Is it really going to be okay?”

“What is?”

“...”

Valkasus narrowed his eyes at Caliban, who was sitting next to him, fully prepared to watch.

It was him who plotted out this situation, yet he seemed so worry-free.

“...Isn’t this what that guy has been so worried about? For these women to all gather in one place?”

It was obvious that Dowd Campbell was trying his best to not involve all the Devil’s Vessels in this incident, even though he had to carry on with injuries all over his body like that.

Even when the incident escalated to for the worse, he never tried to let them get near the place where the Red Devil’s Vessel was, which could be said as the center of the incident.

“...Demonic Aura would react very strongly to another Demonic Aura.”

Valkasus said with a slightly subdued voice.

Special abilities colliding wasn’t a big deal, but it couldn’t be said the same if it was two ‘Demonic Auras’ that collided.

Collision between the rulers could cause a stir in the whole area.

“If they start a fight with the Red Devil and their Demonic Auras collide, it might break the Seraphim’s barrier.”

He continued with a sigh.

The previous occasion when the Prophet used an Artifact to make a very small ‘crack’ on the Seraphim’s barrier came to mind.

In particular, the way the things inside the Void Zone reacted.

“Then, the chance that the Devil’s Vessels coming into contact with the Devil’s main body would increase.”

And if that were to happen…

It wouldn’t be strange if an apocalypse started from that.

The reason why Dowd had been desperately trying to not involve the girls in this incident was definitely because he was aware of this too.

“What are you all doing here…?!”

The fear in his voice as he shouted that question out proved that conjecture.

It was as if he was saying, ‘You all are not supposed to be here’.

The fright in his voice sounded extremely unusual for him.

Perhaps it stemmed from his worry over the possibility of something going wrong and them getting hurt.

However…

“As I've said earlier, he’s not living in this world by himself.”

Caliban replied casually while chuckling.

“Seriously, he’s so smart, but why can’t he use his brain properly? He doesn’t even know what’s going on around him.”

“...What?”

“Look, do you think those girls would have just sat still while watching him getting stronger?”

As Caliban said that, Eleanor, who was standing at the very front of the party, approached Dowd.

And…

-!

She knocked him hard in the head.

Her movement was light, as if she was hitting a kid lightly as a way to discipline them, but the force behind it was so enormous that Dowd’s head immediately hit the ground after receiving it.

“...?”

Of course, as someone whose abilities intensified during a crisis, he raised his head just fine even after receiving that hit.

His eyes were filled with confusion. He didn’t seem to expect that she would hit him for any reason at all.

“I did that so you can get yourself together. I have been so frustrated lately.”

Eleanor continued, her face betrayed any kind of expression.

“Have I not told you so many times to stop shouldering everything on your own like this? It’s about time for you to listen to my words.”

Seeing how a big frown formed on her face, it was clear that she was angry.

“...And, most of all…”

As Dowd looked at her blankly.

Eleanor's gaze shifted to the Hell Guard.

“If you are going to have a hard time because of such an ‘easy’ opponent like this, why do you even bother?”

“...”

No but,

The opponent in question is the Hell Guard.

No matter where you looked, he was not an opponent you could belittle like that.

The way the Hell Guard looked after she said that proved it.

-...

-...!!

Perhaps shocked by the Vessels’ appearance earlier, the Hell Guard had stopped moving for a while. Now, that its surprise was gone, a red Demonic Aura erupted from its whole body,

Seeing that, Eleanor sheathed her sword while exhaling lightly.

If she was an ordinary person, this would have been a declaration of surrender, but she wasn’t.

She was going to use something other than her ‘sword’, that was what it meant.

Gray Aura rose from her body.

“Wait, don't…!”

Seeing that, Dowd freaked out and exclaimed, his voice filled with vigilance.

If their Demonic Auras collided, something close to a disaster would definitely happen in some ways or another.

Soon his eyes widened again.

-!

-!!

Even though the Demonic Auras collided.

The ‘resonance phenomenon’ that was supposed to occur was nowhere to be found.

“...What—”

Dowd said, clearly taken aback.

Soon, Auras of other colors were added to the Gray Aura, one by one. Yuria’s White, Riru’s Blue and even Seras’ Purple, though the latter looked very awkward while she was emitting it, since she had no idea how to use her aura.

Gray, White, Purple, Blue. The four Demonic Auras were ‘mixed’ into one, suppressing the Red Demonic Aura that the Hell Guard was emitting.

To begin with, even though it was a Hell Guard, essentially it was simply a being from Pandemonium who was drawn by the Red Devil and was bestowed the aura by her. There was no way that its aura could last when facing a combination of four Devils’ auras.

How the Red Demonic Aura hardened completely near his body and soon made him unable to even move at all before it even spread out proved exactly that.

“How…?”

This…

Was not something that he had ‘knowledge’ about.

At the very least, he had never witnessed something like this before.

“We trained.”

Eleanor, who was watching quietly, replied calmly.

“...What?”

“...Huh?”

Valkasus, who was watching from the Image World, and Dowd said at the same time

“Dowd.”

Eleanor continued while ‘controlling’ the combination of several colors of auras.

“Most of the things that might seem impossible would actually work if you do it somehow.”

“...”

‘'If these…colored auras collided, a resonance phenomenon would be created and it would be very dangerous if it happened in such a critical situation—I figured you would be wary about that.”

She explained calmly.

“Because I remember you freaked out when I was about to fight that annoying woman.”

She was talking about the time when she and Chancellor Sullivan were about to fight. When the Gold and Gray auras were about to collide.

The way Dowd panicked more than ever while desperately trying to take some measures was etched in her mind. So she figured that a collision between two auras should never happen.

That was why…

Together with others who were able to emit such auras, she found a way to prevent any ‘serious trouble’ from happening even if the auras collided. That was what happened here.

“...”

Dowd's mouth slightly opened.

Because the fact that they remembered all those and ‘prepared’ such a technique for this situation…

Suggested one thing.

“...”

Even without him really doing anything in particular…

These women had tirelessly worked for the sake of him. Always had his back even in places unseen.

To protect him, just like he tried to protect them.

“Tell me. Why is it okay for you to work so hard to save us, but not the other way around, hm?”

She said in a playful voice to Dowd, who seemed to have failed to control his expression.

“Keep this in mind, Dowd.”

Eleanor then walked slowly towards the Hell Guard, who had lost control of its body since its Demonic Aura was crushed.

Then, she struck it in the head.

A similar gesture to what she did to Dowd, except that the force she put in was much more brutal.

-!

-!!

-!!!!!

The explosive blow folded the top part of the Hell Guard’s armor. Its movement came to a halt after receiving that single strike as its body was squeezed to the ground like a nail being hammered to a plank.

It seemed like it had lost its consciousness as soon as the blow connected.

Just as she had said before, it was ‘easy’.

Even though the opponent wasn’t something that Dowd was able to deal with by himself.

Yet, they did what they had prepared in advance and effortlessly dealt with it.

“We…”

Without any intervention from Dowd Campbell at all.

"Are not janggi pieces or dolls on display."

Eleanor approached Dowd, who was looking at her blankly.

“You? Trying to protect us? Only by yourself? While shouldering everything on your own?”

Eleanor held Dowd's chin and raised his head.

Their eyes met. Her dazzlingly clear eyes, resembling that of a glass, peered into his eyes.

As if telling him to listen carefully to what she was saying.

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“...”

“We are not idiots, nor are we burdens for you to carry. You are obliged to be loved by us, to be taken care of by us, and lead a happy future with us.”

Dowd's eyes widened.

Seeing that, Eleanor let out a chuckle while letting go of his chin.

“...Don’t try to go too far on your own, because there are still a lot of things that you have not yet received.”

“...”

As Dowd stayed silent, lost for words…

Intense exclamations were echoing in the Image World.

“Man, the Lady’s good at this. Asfrom an experienced person—the first person who fell for him.”expected

“...How is—”

Valkasus, who was seemingly confused by this development, cut off Caliban, who was about to keep talking nonsense.

“This possible…?”

He could not believe that she was able to control her own Demonic Aura, especially when it was ‘mixed’ with others’ as well.

Was this even something that was achievable through training?

What she had done was the equivalent of defying the principle that a falling object would fall from top to bottom by sheer effort alone.

“Boy King, do you know what you and that guy have in common?”

Seeing his reaction, Caliban said those words with a chuckle.

“The more you two know about something, the more you get scared. Even though the problem is something you could work out if you actually try to solve it.”

“...”

“Also, I’ve already told you back when I planned this out, no?”

Caliban said while giggling.

“That it’s going to work somehow?”

“...”

The scene made Valkasus unable to refute.

●

Sweeping my hair, I let out a sigh.

Somehow…

My head, which had been boiling violently these days, felt as if it had cooled down for the first time.

“...Thanks, Eleanor.”

While letting out a bitter smile, I said those words.

“Seriously, you’re always there for me whenever I can’t think straight.”

She did it back when I had to face the Boy King and now she did it again.

It felt like she always had my back in the crucial moments.

“...”

Hearing that…

Eleanor’s face flushed in an instant.

After that, she let out a series of coughs.

She rubbed her nose and pulled down the uniform cap she always wore.

“...50 points for that.”

Hearing that, I narrowed my eyes.

“Points?”

“Y-You see there are points and such. The first person who receives your thanks will get the highest points—”

“...Nevermind that for now. Explain to me later.”

The Crimson Night Incident was still in full swing, I didn’t want to hear any of that now.

So, I changed the topic while grabbing my throbbing head.

“Seras.”

“..Uh, yes? Me?”

“Yes, you.”

As I watched Seras awkwardly lifted her hand.

“I need you to get in touch with someone. You’re the fastest one among the others to get the work done.”

“...With whom exactly?”

“Archbishop Luminol.”

Before I came here, I negotiated something with him.

Now was the time to utilize that.

“...”

And this one too.

I fiddled with the lion breastplate I hid in my inner chest pocket.

Normally, I would’ve had to wreck my body even more after sending Iliya to go on ahead.

Which meant, there would be things that had to become ‘unavoidable’ sacrifices.

But, with the help from the Vessels, it felt as if I had gained the clue to end this matter ‘without leaving future trouble’.

Which meant, after this…

I only had a single goal left to achieve.

I’d give my all…

“I’ll finish this in one strike.”

Since I had gained unexpected reliable reinforcements.

I had no reason not to end this quickly.