"Inside his mouth…?"
Lucia frowned slightly, her golden-red eyes fixed on Kurose Akira, who lay in the Elf Queen's arms, her thoughts clearly racing.
After a brief silence, she spoke decisively. "It shouldn't interfere with the ritual. I'll construct the magic circle—once it's ready, I'll need the two of you to maintain the formation nodes."
Mira Ori: "Leave it to me."
Elf Queen: "Understood."
The moment her words fell, Lucia began tracing a magic array in midair. Lines of radiant light wove themselves into existence, forming an intricate circle before she gently helped Akira sit at its center.
The three women took their positions at separate nodes, preparing to begin.
"Well then… I'll go ahead and eat this~"
Mira Ori glanced at the nearly unconscious Akira, licking her lips with a hint of anticipation before swallowing the dragon scale Lucia had given her.
The instant the sacred heart-scale of a Holy Dragon entered the body of a Life Dragon, a strange reaction erupted.
A brilliant golden light ignited within Mira Ori's soul.
Then—her form began to solidify.
Lucia watched the transformation, a flicker of nostalgia passing through her eyes.
The power of a Holy Dragon could briefly restore departed souls to the material world—let alone someone like Mira Ori, who was merely sealed.
Before long, Mira Ori's true form temporarily descended upon the magic continent.
Not as a dragon—
But as a woman.
Her figure remained indistinct, veiled in a hazy mist. Only her cascading blue hair was clearly visible… along with the faint outline of her body—one that carried an even greater sense of overwhelming presence than the Elf Queen herself.
"…Let's begin."
The three exchanged a glance, then closed their eyes in unison, focusing their minds as they activated the ritual.
Inside the Sun Chariot, space was limited. Though spacious enough, the seating area took up much of it—forcing the four of them into close proximity, mere centimeters apart.
Lucia shut her eyes and began chanting.
Golden radiance bloomed from her skin, her light-element mana flowing steadily toward Akira.
The ritual had begun.
The Elf Queen and Mira Ori followed suit, channeling their power into their respective nodes.
At the same time—
As the three demi-gods poured their magic into him…
Akira found himself somewhere else entirely.
A strange space.
Pitch black.
Silent.
There was no sound—no heartbeat, no breath. Nothing.
"…Where is this?"
Akira frowned, confusion tightening his expression.
The last thing he remembered was taking that drop of divine undead blood into his mouth…
No—
More precisely, holding it there, suppressing it with his invincible tongue.
But clearly… that hadn't been enough.
The deathly aura had still invaded his body, dragging his consciousness into darkness.
Thankfully—
Just before losing awareness completely, Lucia had arrived.
He trusted her.
She had to be able to save him.
"…Alright."
He exhaled, forcing himself to calm down as he looked around.
Then muttered again—
"Where the hell am I?"
No interface.
No logout option.
Nothing.
He was completely trapped.
Akira rubbed the bridge of his nose, then started walking, hoping to find something.
But the moment he took a step—
A pristine white bathtub suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
"…Huh?"
He froze, brows lifting in suspicion.
A bathtub?
Here?
It was filled with white foam, soft bubbles drifting lazily into the air, carrying a faintly sweet scent.
Akira hesitated.
No way he was sticking his hand into some random bathtub.
What if something inside ate people…?
…Should I just stick my tongue in? It's invincible anyway.
Just as that thought crossed his mind—
Bubble bubble—
The water stirred.
Foam parted.
And a small head emerged.
A girl blinked up at him with large, watery eyes, staring without a word.
"…?"
Akira narrowed his gaze, crouching slightly as he studied her.
Long black hair.
A perfectly human appearance—
Except…
Dark circles under her eyes.
Paired with her pale skin, she looked almost like a panda.
He instinctively tried to inspect her.
But—
Only rows of question marks filled his vision.
No data.
No system access.
"…Hey, kid," he tried cautiously. "Did you end up here like me? Got dragged in by that death aura?"
The girl simply blinked.
Silent.
No response.
Akira's curiosity deepened.
If she wasn't like him…
Then that meant—
He took a step back, his expression tightening.
"…You're not… the Goddess of Death, are you?"
The girl shook her head.
"…Oh, thank god."
Akira let out a breath of relief.
But then—
She spoke.
Softly.
"I'm the daughter of the Goddess of Death~ The goddess herself has already passed away… now we manage the order of death~"
"…The daughter of the Goddess of Death?"
Akira's face stiffened.
So what's the difference?
Practically none.
If anything, it just meant the authority over death was split among multiple entities.
"…So I'm dead?" he asked.
"Nope~"
She shook her head.
"You just wandered in here because of special circumstances. Once the death aura disappears, you'll wake up~"
"…And how long will that take?"
Hope flickered in his eyes.
The girl smiled sweetly.
"Only about three hundred years~ It's very fast."
"Cough—!"
Akira nearly choked.
Three hundred years?!
"…Is there any way out?" he asked immediately. "I've got things to do."
"No…"
She shook her head—
Then added,
"But someone is trying to save you. Maybe they'll succeed… and help you escape the laws of death."
"…!"
Akira fell silent.
That was enough.
At least—
Lucia and the others hadn't given up on him.
If they were fighting for him—
Then he wouldn't just sit here and wait.
"…Heh."
He cleared his throat.
"What's your name?"
"Me?"
The girl rested her chin on the edge of the tub, blinking those lifeless black eyes.
"I'm Number 27. You can call me Erqi."
"…Number 27?"
Akira frowned.
That sounded more like a designation than a name.
"…Alright, Erqi."
He exhaled.
"I want to go back. Can you help me?"
"Sure. I don't like you being here anyway."
She agreed without hesitation.
"…That's reassuring."
Akira smiled faintly.
"So what do I need to do?"
"If you want to leave…" Erqi's eyes rolled thoughtfully before she explained, "amplify your desire to live. They'll be able to sense it."
"…Desire to live?"
Akira rubbed his chin.
The moments he cherished most…
The things that made him feel alive…
Fragments of memory surfaced—
Cut-off scenes, half-remembered emotions—
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
And that smile—
Became a signal.
—
"Found him!"
Lucia's voice rang out sharply.
"We're at the critical moment—focus!"
"Mm!"
The Elf Queen and Mira Ori responded in unison.
Their mana intertwined, weaving into a net that connected them to Akira.
—
In the death-space—
Akira looked up.
"…There!"
Three beams of light pierced through the darkness.
And from them—
Three figures descended.
Lucia.
The Elf Queen.
Mira Ori.
The moment they appeared—
Erqi instantly ducked beneath the water, leaving only her eyes peeking out.
"Akira! Are you alright?"
Lucia rushed forward.
"I'm fine."
"…Liar."
She shot him a glare before grabbing his hand.
"I'm getting you out of here."
The Elf Queen clasped his other hand.
Mira Ori wrapped her arms around him from behind.
Under their pull—
His body began to rise.
But just as he was about to leave—
Two pitch-black tentacles lashed out from the void, wrapping around his ankles.
"Something's interfering! Break free!"
"Got it!"
Power surged.
The three demi-gods unleashed their magic, forcing his ascent.
—
Akira's eyes snapped open.
He was back—
Halfway.
A strange whisper echoed in his ears—
"Don't leave me… my follower… remain in the embrace of death…"
His pupils trembled, veins darkening.
"…That voice… the Goddess of Death?"
"Akira? What are you saying?" Lucia asked, confused.
"…Nothing. Just hearing things."
But he knew.
That wasn't some "daughter."
That was her.
—
"Focus," Lucia said sharply. "We're suppressing the divine blood."
"…Right."
He steadied himself—
Then blinked.
"…Wait. There's a bee on your forehead?"
"That's a Starlight Butterfly."
Lucia rolled her eyes.
"It's a birthmark."
"…Oh."
Akira leaned closer, brushing his fingers gently against it.
"…It's beautiful."
"…!"
Lucia froze.
Then quickly looked away, glaring.
"…Just endure it. We're almost done."
"Yeah."
He nodded.
"Open your mouth."
"Got it."
He obeyed.
His tongue glowed brilliantly—
And atop it floated a drop of pitch-black blood.
"Now," Lucia said seriously, "we need to transfer part of it."
"…How?"
Akira frowned.
"It's simple."
She didn't finish.
Instead—
She leaned in and kissed him.
"???"
Akira's mind blanked.
He could feel it—
She was pulling the blood's power away—
No—
Sharing the burden.
Suddenly—
Lucia's pupils contracted.
She shoved him away, coughing violently.
"Cough—! You—!"
"Sorry! Reflex!" Akira said quickly. "Bad habit!"
"…You're unbelievable!"
She shot him a glare, then turned to the Elf Queen.
"Your turn, Your Majesty."
"…I—I have to do that too?"
The Elf Queen looked completely unprepared.
"There's another method," Lucia added calmly, "but I doubt you'll prefer it."
Then, after a pause—
"This is the simplest way. And… no one can see inside my chariot, Your Majesty…"