Leca felt his lips drying and cracking.
He had been dragged out at dawn for a supposed health check, but this was nothing like the usual clinic he had visited before.
As soon as he arrived at a large, unfamiliar room, the soldiers had fastened a mana suppression collar around his neck.
That was when the unease began to settle in.
"Why are you putting this on me?"
One of the soldiers sneered and replied coldly,
"Watch your tone. You're just a spirit. Do you still think you're the High Commander?"
"Just answer the question!"
Leca shouted, and another soldier responded.
"We don't know either. We're just following orders. You'll find out soon enough."
With that, the soldiers left Leca bound in place.
Not long after, the Chief Court Mage Roland entered, accompanied by several royal mages trailing behind him.
Leca was taken aback.
Why were they here… for him?
Roland spoke sternly.
"Leca Parvati, we summoned you today because there is something we must investigate."
"…What is it…?"
Roland's eyes swept over him with cold detachment. Then he said,
"We are here to determine whether or not you are a pure-blooded fire spirit."
"…What?"
Leca's heart pounded violently.
He remembered that day from his childhood—
The day his father had rushed him into the palace at Sibareth, almost like they were fleeing something.
From that day on, his father had drilled it into him relentlessly:
'You must never tell anyone that your mother was human. If that truth comes out, disaster will follow…'
"Why… now, all of a sudden…?"
"There are several suspicions surrounding you. If our investigation proves that you are not a pure-blooded spirit…"
Roland paused.
One of the assistant mages leaned in and whispered something into his ear.
He nodded, then turned back to Leca.
"You won't feel any pain. So you may rest."
Leca tried to say something. But Roland's hand reached his face faster.
As his mind blurred into unconsciousness, Leca called out silently—
Father…
Thud.
The fork slipped from Behemoth's hand.
The court mage of Naizman had been dining with his trainees for breakfast.
"Master? Are you all right?"
One of the trainees looked at him in concern. Behemoth wiped the sweat from his now pale face.
"A sudden cramp in my stomach… I'll take some medicine and rest. Please, continue your meal."
The rune on his wrist was burning. That meant something had happened to his son.
He got up and rushed to his chambers.
At the center of his room sat a large object wrapped in black cloth. Behemoth yanked the cloth away—revealing a massive, transparent orb.
He placed a hand over the mark on his forehead and began to chant fervently.
Within the orb, an image began to form.
Leca, unconscious. Surrounded by mages, bustling and murmuring as they moved about.
Behemoth pressed his fingers to the orb, pinching outward as if to zoom in.
The image inside magnified, and their conversation became audible.
Upon hearing their words, Behemoth's face turned pale.
"...Damn it!"
He placed his hand on the orb again and chanted once more. The image shifted—like turning a channel.
This time, it was Mia.
Clad in the weapon and shield he had given her, she was climbing the stairs of some mansion. Black smoke was rising from the building.
"So… the time has come, after all."
Behemoth covered the orb again with the black cloth and hastily began changing his clothes. There was no time to waste.
CLANG!!
Mia's sword clashed against the gargoyle's body.
She had expected the gargoyle to shatter into pieces the moment her sword struck it, so she instinctively closed her eyes—
To keep stone dust from getting in.
But the vibration that jolted through the sword was not normal.
When she opened her eyes, the gargoyle stood tall, growling down at her—completely unscathed.
Impossible! This sword was supposed to cut through anything!
Panting, Mia struggled to hold her ground against the creature's massive weight.
It was made of stone—her wrist was taking a brutal toll.
Though the gargoyle hadn't been wounded, it also seemed unable to move while the sword was pressed against it.
Which meant… the moment she pulled the sword away, it would attack again.
Feeling her strength slipping from her wrist, Mia grew anxious.
She was far weaker now than before—likely because of the life force she had lost in the Vampire Labyrinth.
"You… what even are you? How can a statue move?"
"Grrrr…"
The gray stone gargoyle had horns on its head, the face of a demon, and wings like a bat.
But it didn't speak—only growled like a beast.
—Well now… tiring, isn't it, my dear?
A voice echoed from somewhere. It wasn't the gargoyle. It came from within the room. Startled, Mia looked around.
—No need to search. You won't see me anyway.
Wait… this voice—!
It was disturbingly familiar.
The voice that had always opposed her. The one that constantly looked down on her.
"Jakiel!!"
—Ah, how nice to be recognized, human girl.
A bitter laugh escaped Mia's lips. So it really was him… she had suspected, and now it was confirmed.
"…Ugh…"
But there was no time to be sentimental. Her strength was fading fast.
Now she was using both shield and sword to hold the gargoyle at bay.
It couldn't break through the combined force pressing it down, but it wasn't dead either.
Drooling and growling, it was just waiting. One slip—and Mia would die.
She clenched her teeth and held firm.
—A shame, truly, that your fancy weapon is useless.
That sword cannot kill inanimate beings like a gargoyle. Hehehe…
Jakiel's mocking tone rang through the room.
—I could just leave you there to die from exhaustion. But I'll give you one chance to save those dear friends of yours.
After all, that's why you went to all this trouble, didn't you?
Suddenly, the weight vanished. Everything turned black. She couldn't feel the gargoyle anymore.
"What…?"
—No need to be alarmed. The gargoyle is gone now.
Pitch-black silence. Not even a sliver of light. Mia tried to summon a will-o'-wisp.
But no spell worked.
—Don't bother trying to cast magic. This is my space. No outsiders can use magic here.
"You coward! Hiding and taunting me from the shadows because you're too afraid to face me head-on, you decrepit old bastard!"
Mia shouted. Jakiel responded with a booming laugh.
-Oh, absolutely! This old man was just quaking in fear of that sword of yours that can supposedly cut through anything."
(mock gasp, then with a smirk)
So—how about a little game of hide and seek, hm?
"Hide and seek?"
—Yes. Ten minutes. In ten minutes, try to find your friends in this room.
They're definitely here.
"What? How am I supposed to do that in complete darkness?"
Suddenly, the room lit up. Everything had changed.
It was a bedroom—clearly used by young girls. Two old beds, two shabby wardrobes, a vanity.
Even the bedding looked worn. This was no chamber of noble daughters.
"Did Roy and the salamander… live here?"
—If you find them within ten minutes, I'll spare whoever you manage to rescue.
If not, then all of you can become offerings to fuel my magic.
"…Why…? You're the Grand Vizier! Why are you doing this creepy crap?
Did you lose your mind or something?"
Mia tried her best not to tremble as she spoke. The voice paused for a moment, then replied.
-If you had quietly submitted to the Trial of the Demon God, I wouldn't have laid a finger on you.
But since you walked right in on your own… why shouldn't I throw you a proper welcome party?
At Jakiel's words, Mia clenched her teeth and shouted,
"Liar! You old bastard! You kidnapped Roy and lured me here—this whole thing was a trap to kill me from the start!"
-That lowborn cat was nothing more than magical material for me.
In fact, I only recently learned that you two had entered the Vampire Labyrinth.
Unlike you lot, I have more important things to do... I had no idea things were unfolding so delightfully, my dear.
"Why are you so desperate to get rid of me?! What grudge do you have against me?!"
At Mia's cry, Jakiel fell silent for a moment. Then he finally spoke:
-Your unpredictable power interferes with my plans at every turn. Especially when paired with that irritating half-breed spirit of yours...
Still—Though we are enemies, I admire your courage. Good luck, then.
The voice vanished.
Mia frantically began searching everything. There was no clock—so she had to move as fast as possible.
The wardrobes. Under the beds. Beneath the table. The vanity drawers. The drain in the washbasin. Behind the painting on the wall.
It was an old landscape, faded with age—trees, animals, and a forest.
Large enough that she thought maybe the salamander was behind it…
But no. Just wall.
"Where the hell are they…"
Roy might only fit in the wardrobe, but the salamander was small. It could be anywhere.
Mia even flew up to the dusty chandelier on the ceiling and searched through it.
No luck. Time was slipping away.
Then—She spotted something in the corner.
A large hamper. Like a laundry basket.
That's it!
She ran to it and threw it open. Piles of old laundry were stacked inside.
She dug through it in a frenzy.
At the very bottom—Only a crumpled checkered tablecloth remained.
Maybe…Maybe just under this—Could the salamander be hiding there?
With that thought, she lifted the cloth. And found a small pile of bones.
"KYAAAH!!"
Mia screamed. At that same moment, Jakiel's voice returned.
—Time's up. The game is over.
"Are you kidding me?! Who's even supposed to be in here?! There's no one—
Wait. No… don't tell me…"
A cold sweat ran down Mia's back. No… it couldn't be…
"Don't tell me… that pile of bones is…?"
—Hm?
"Is that Roy's body?! Did you kill her and leave her bones here?!
Then you made me search for her like it was some kind of twisted game?!
You psychopath!!"