It's been five days since we started our journey toward the lawless town of Levearûn, and since the... incident with the knights. To reach it, we've had to cross a vast forest and climb through clusters of small mountains.
We've survived by hunting wild game and drinking from the rivers we passed. It's been rough, but manageable.
And yeah, for the record—I really don't want Rafaela drinking water made from my magic. There's just... something off about it. I can't explain why, but it feels wrong. Deeply wrong.
According to Cherubim, every time I acquire a newly evolved skill, a huge chunk of mana gets drained. When I asked how to minimize the backlash, he suggested training my body—pushing myself like I did with Hesphateus. The more strain I can handle, the more my mana capacity will grow.
So I've been training with Caspian's sword every day.The first two days? Full mana drain. I slept like the dead.
The next two? Slight improvement. Still drained, but at least I stayed conscious.Progress, I guess?
"What's for dinner tonight, Mister Troy?" Rafaela asked, tilting her head.
"Let me see what I can find," I replied, sliding Caspian's sword back into its sheath.
Not far ahead, the familiar squealing of a wild boar reached my ears.
"Looks like we're having pork again," I told her, crouching low and creeping through the bushes.
From behind the leaves, I spotted it—about ten meters ahead, oblivious.
With a swift motion, I raised my hand, channeled my Electric Magic, and unleashed a bolt of lightning. It struck the boar cleanly, dropping it instantly.
Rafaela clapped beside me."That was so cool, Big Bro Troy!"
I clicked my tongue and grinned. "I know, right? Barbecue time!"
"Yaaay!"
Each day, Rafaela's become more open. The fear she once had in her eyes when talking to me? Gone. Replaced with a bright smile and bubbly cheer.
I dragged the boar down to a nearby river to clean it. While I handled the messy part, she busied herself with prepping the campfire.
Now… I'm not exactly what you'd call a chef. Mom did all the cooking back home. I barely know how to boil an egg, and with no spices or ingredients around, the best I can do is roast meat over fire.
Basically, I'm a disappointment to culinary arts.
But somehow, Rafaela eats my bland, dry cooking with a smile that makes it look like I served her gourmet.
"Can I have seconds?" she asked, eyes hopeful.
"Of course. There's plenty."
I handed her another skewer of meat. She took a bite, chewing like it was the best thing ever.
I hope she's not faking it. If she is, I might cry.
After dinner, we got ready to sleep. I gave her my robe to use as a sleeping mat, and she used her own as a blanket.
I laid down beneath a nearby tree, about a meter away, and kept Mana Perception active in case anything came too close.
"Good night, Big Bro Troy," she said softly.
"Good night," I replied, eyes scanning the starry sky.
Cherubim, any progress on the lock around Rafaela's neck?
[Assessment was completed minutes ago. The lock is created by an ancient spell known as Unlimited Seal.]
Unlimited what now?
[An extremely powerful magic used long ago to suppress high-class demon abilities.]
…Wait. Are you saying Rafaela is—
[Yes. A powerful demon. Though her exact classification is still undetermined. The seal blocks my full assessment.]
Is there a way to undo it? Remove the seal?
[Negative. Information on this magic was lost to time. Unlocking it is currently impossible.]
So then... Rafaela is...
[Yes.]
I sighed deeply and looked up at the moon, its silver glow painting the treetops.
It's the first full moon I've seen since arriving here. Oddly enough, it looks just like the moon from back home.
And for the first time in days…I felt at peace.
I drifted off to sleep.
But peace was a liar.
I awoke in agony. A fire coursed through every inch of my body, searing me from the inside out.
My muscles convulsed. My skin felt like it was tearing. My skull throbbed so violently I thought it would crack.
I gritted my teeth and dug my nails into the ground, trying to fight the pain, trying not to scream—but it overwhelmed me.
The scream came anyway.
"FREE ME."
A voice echoed in my skull.Dark. Ancient. Inhuman.
Even through the pain, I sensed Rafaela wake up. She rushed toward me.
"Big Bro—!"
I turned my head to reassure her—to lie—but all I saw was her frozen face. Staring at me.
Eyes wide. Terrified.
That was the last thing I saw before the world turned crimson—And I blacked out.
What… is happening to me?
"Set me free..."
The voice again. Deep. Gravelly. Like it crawled out of a grave.
W-Who are you!? Cherubim!?
[System unresponsive.]
"Mister Troy! Please wake up!" Rafaela's voice pierced the darkness.
I felt her soft hand tapping my cheek.
My eyes fluttered open.Her face was inches from mine—scared, but relieved.
And just like that…The pain was gone.
But I was left exhausted. My limbs were heavy. My thoughts sluggish.
"W-What… happened to me?"