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The Blackwing Tribe's settlement.
Surrounded on all sides by mountains, lush with grass and trees.
It looked like a simple, rustic little village.
Mir walked at the front, leading the way. As he did, he chatted nonstop, clearly enjoying himself.
From his words, Edgar gradually learned more about the Blackwing Tribe.
Thanks to the protection of the Divine Bird, the Blackwings here had yet to suffer under the Demon King's tyranny. Their lives were, by all accounts, fairly comfortable.
Along the way, Mir also explained the Divine Bird's trial.
In broad terms, the trial consisted of two stages.
The first was a trial of the body.
The Divine Bird was known as the Plague-Death Godbird. The poison it constantly emitted was so terrifying it could wipe out an entire nation with ease.
Merely drawing close meant being assaulted by deadly toxins. Only those with extraordinarily tough bodies could endure it.
The second stage was a trial of the mind.
Only warriors with unbreakable willpower and steadfast hearts could earn the Divine Bird's acknowledgment.
It all sounded simple enough when explained.
But in reality, it was brutally difficult.
That was why, since ancient times, only a handful of people had ever succeeded in forming a contract with the Divine Bird.
By then, the group had been led to a house.
Its architectural style matched the other Blackwing dwellings, but it had one clear advantage.
It was big. Big enough to comfortably house Edgar and the others.
"Lady Eve, honored guests," Mir said with a smile, "please rest here for the night."
"I'll have food brought over shortly. Get some good rest and prepare yourselves for tomorrow's trial."
Night soon fell.
At the dining table, several Blackwing girls placed dishes one by one in front of them, smiling as they introduced each one.
"These are our Blackwing specialties. Hundred-Serpent Stew, Azure-Scale Fish…"
Once they left, the already eager group wasted no time and dug in.
"Mmm, this is really good. Super fresh."
Edgar nodded in approval, giving it high praise.
Blackwing cuisine perfectly embodied one idea.
Top-tier ingredients needed only the simplest cooking methods.
No heavy seasoning was required.
The wild game's natural flavors alone were outstanding.
Before long, the table was completely cleared.
"So full… that was amazing."
Shana rubbed her small belly, tail swishing back and forth, her face full of bliss.
"Oh, right, Master."
As if remembering something, Red-Eyes spoke up. "Are we all going to watch the trial tomorrow?"
"Seeing it for ourselves wouldn't hurt," Edgar nodded.
Then he glanced at everyone with a meaningful look. "But it could be dangerous."
"So don't slack off. You all need to work on leveling up."
The moment he said that, the girls instantly started looking away.
"Ah, I just remembered, I still have something to take care of."
"Master, I ate too much…"
"Master, we've been traveling nonstop. We should rest up."
"Master, I need to prepare for the Divine Bird trial. See you in the morning."
One excuse after another, and in the blink of an eye, they scattered.
They really were tired.
More importantly, they had already promised the Star Spirit.
"…Seriously."
When they'd wanted to level up before, why weren't they this proactive?
Was it really that bad that he'd been a bit… frequent?
"Hmph. Just wait until you come begging."
Muttering to himself, Edgar returned to his room.
With nothing else to do, he picked up a magic book and started studying.
There was no end to learning.
Even at his current level of strength, that was still true.
But the next moment, Edgar frowned slightly as he sensed footsteps approaching.
"What's this? Didn't everyone say they were busy?"
"Oh. So it's her."
After sensing more carefully, a knowing smile appeared on his face.
At the door, the Star Spirit arrived and immediately met Edgar's amused gaze.
"M-Master… h-hello."
She greeted him, her cheeks already flushed bright red.
Some things stayed embarrassing no matter how much mental preparation you did.
When the moment actually arrived, shyness still won out.
Edgar looked at her teasingly and chuckled. "I was wondering why everyone was acting strange today."
"So you'd already finished your preparations."
At his words, the Star Spirit panicked, her skin rapidly taking on a pink hue.
"M-Master, what are you talking about?"
Even so, she still walked lightly over to him.
"Hoo…"
She took a deep breath, steadying herself.
"Actually, I just want to… to break through my level cap."
Edgar nodded seriously. "Mm. That's right."
"That's a big deal."
"After all, you've already fallen behind the top tier among the familiars."
By demon standards, the Star Spirit was at the level of a high-ranking demon.
She was once among the very strongest of the familiars, with few able to rival her.
But because the others kept pushing themselves,
she had gradually been overtaken.
If this kept up, before long…
Even among the familiars, there might be several capable of defeating a Demon King.
"Exactly. That's why I… I have to work hard."
The Star Spirit bit her lip, her trembling fingers finally moving.
In the next instant, her outer garment slipped open slightly.
Beneath it was a pure white inner outfit, styled in a distinctly otherworldly way.
Large stretches of pale skin were exposed to the air, flawless curves making it hard not to breathe a little heavier.
Her porcelain-like skin looked delicate enough to shatter at a touch.
"Th-This was all Mine's idea. Sh-She said you'd like it…"
Hearing that, Edgar wasted no time. He pulled her into his arms and gently pinched her cheek.
In an instant, the Star Spirit turned completely red.
"Mmm, looks like Mine really understands me."
"D-Don't look… it's too embarrassing…"
She covered her face with both hands, yet still peeked at Edgar through her fingers.
"By the way, there's something I've always been curious about."
Edgar stared at Eve with a straight face.
"I read in a book that your spirit race is kind of like bees. Can you show me?"
"Hmph. You're overthinking it."
The Star Spirit gave a soft snort, but her instincts betrayed her as her body moved naturally.
Her pale green wings began shifting colors, light flowing across them.
The sight left Edgar fascinated.
"What's going on with your wings?"
"Um… that's a Star Spirit trait. Their color… changes."
"So they can do that too?"
Edgar blinked, then instinctively reached out and gently pinched one of her wings, examining it curiously.
He really wanted to know how many colors they could show as her emotions fluctuated.
"Master, I can feel it. My level went up."
As a Star Spirit, her strength had been stagnant for hundreds of years.
No matter how she trained, her level cap had completely locked her growth.
Even after becoming a demon, the shackles were gone.
But at her level, progress through self-training was painfully slow.
Yet now, she truly felt the joy of leveling up.
Every cell in her body trembled with excitement.
Energy surged through her, constantly being absorbed and transformed into magic power.
"Heh, this is only the beginning."
"Trust me. As long as you work hard, gaining a level won't be a problem."
"Mm!"
The Star Spirit's face lit up with excitement.
Her wings had turned bright pink, fluttering eagerly in the air.
"..."
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