Episode 109
Her relaxed attitude suggested she was confident they wouldn't reject or abandon her.
Basilian nodded in agreent.
"Then let's keep it our secret for now."
"Our secret?"
"Yes. In return, can you sotis help with my power? It seems you can control this power better than I can."
"That's not difficult, but... What if we get caught while practicing?"
Basilian raised the corners of his mouth refreshingly and told her not to worry.
"It's fine. Unless the Executors or the Dukes see the demonic power directly, no one can distinguish who used it."
Flora's eyes widened at this astonishing news.
"What do you an? Even so, they're experts. How could they not know?"
"The source of the Executors' power, the treasures of the ducal houses, are strictly protected internally by each family. Unless they bring out those treasures, they can't accurately identify who used demonic power without seeing it directly."
"......!"
Flora was so surprised her mouth fell open.
'Th-then, what was the point of all the suffering I've endured until now?'
She wanted to use her abilities but held back, being careful again and again, all to avoid everyone's eyes!
"B-but everyone has divine power!"
"They can detect monsters. But they can't detect the demonic power possessed by demons or humans. Ah, they might be able to asure it with a tool that verifies divine power."
"...I see."
Since she'd have no reason to be verified for divine power anyway, and as long as she didn't use demonic power in front of people, she might be able to handle it more freely than before.
Good news brought a smile to Flora's face.
At first, she thought she was caught and in big trouble, but who would have thought Basilian possessed such extensive information?
'We can spend ti together while I practice too, right?'
Of course, for that to happen, Basilian would have to stop avoiding her or his wandering lifestyle.
Barely containing the urge to jump up and down on the spot out of joy, Flora asked,
"Then you won't leave my side from now on?"
At Flora's question, Basilian blinked.
"...Of course not."
"Good. You made a promise, and I made a promise, so we've agreed not to leave each other's side. Understood?"
In response, Basilian nodded with an uncharacteristically shy face.
Finding his appearance quite cute, she chuckled to herself, but in that mont of distraction, a louder sound began to be heard from afar.
Just as the reddened sky seed to be gradually returning to its normal color, a massive vibration suddenly shook the forest.
The terrifying screams from afar were loud enough to be heard here.
'I told you to do it moderately, moderately!'
It was her fault for forgetting about Pascal while eting Basilian.
Flora pushed Basilian's back.
"What? What's wrong?"
"You're going to stay here seeing that? We need to take shelter inside first!"
"Ah! Speaking of which, why are you here? You have to tell what's going on!"
"Where's the ti to explain! I said we need to run first!"
"You expect to go sowhere alone and leave you behind!"
He seed to have quickly figured out she was trying to send him away alone. Just as Flora was about to open her mouth to persuade him kindly…
"Hmm, and what is this now?"
The voice of the being rampaging in the distance ca from behind them.
Pascal had appeared without a sound. Basilian swiftly hid her behind his back.
"Who are you?"
"The audacity to ask . Who are you, brat?"
Pascal raised one eyebrow and looked down at Basilian with a dissatisfied face.
"...Flora, run away now."
"What? Then what about you!"
"He looks suspicious at a glance. I know you're strong, but it's too much for the two of us to handle. I'll distract him for now, so in the anti..."
Just as Basilian grabbed his sword and was about to draw it, Pascal tilted his head to one side and grinned.
While Basilian was distracted by Flora, Pascal imdiately raised his hand high and roughly placed it on Basilian's head.
"Wha...!"
"It might sting a bit."
The demonic power brimming in Pascal's hand struck Basilian's body roughly, like lightning.
Perhaps due to the sudden shock, Basilian, still unaccustod to demonic power, fainted on the spot.
Seeing Basilian collapse powerlessly to the ground, Flora blinked in bewildernt, then dropped to her knees and began shaking him.
"Basil, Basil! Are you okay? Basil!"
"It's useless. He's unconscious and won't wake up for a while."
"No, why are you picking on a kid!"
"Since when did I pick on him?"
As Pascal pretended not to know and scratched his ear, Flora clenched her fist, sprang up from her spot, and kicked him in the shin.
"Ow! That hurts!"
"If a re seven-year-old's kick hurts that much, how much do you think it hurts! Basil, who fainted from the shock, must be in more pain!"
"M-Mors!"
"Flora! Flora! My na is Flora!"
"I-I might not be used to it! Don't tell you're mad at for knocking that kid out?"
He pointed at himself with his index finger, looking utterly shocked as he asked. Flora nodded as if it were obvious.
"Basil is my prospective subordinate and friend!"
"...You, you're planning to have other subordinates besides us?"
"If we want to conquer the world, we have to! The more subordinates, the better."
Seeing Flora's exasperated face, Pascal seed quite shocked.
Leaving him behind, speechless with a dazed look, Flora checked on the fallen Basilian.
'...Luckily, he's just fallen asleep.'
Yes, although he's a bit big, Basilian is still a child. There's no way Pascal attacked him seriously.
'Did I get too angry? I'm feeling a bit sorry now...'
Having checked Basilian's condition, Flora sneakily raised her head and was flustered for a different reason this ti by Pascal's face, which looked like he was about to burst into tears.
"Wh-why are you crying? It's creepy."
"Shouldn't you be comforting in this situation? Why do you always only...!"
It seed he felt discriminated against by her even in this sudden situation, as he closed his mouth with a very hurt expression.
"I herded the humans here as you asked. They should be arriving soon..."
Seeing him look like he was about to burrow into the ground, Flora could only let out a hollow laugh.
"Your heart is so soft, it doesn't match your appearance."
"I was asking for comfort, but why are you insulting ...?"
"It's because you're so special. Unlike other demons, you..."
Flora hesitated for a mont, then stood up, leaving Basilian behind, and stood in front of Pascal.
Grabbing his waist and looking up at him, she grinned.
"You accept even when I act childish like this, don't you?"
"......"
"You don't just nod and agree with everything I say; you express your honest feelings and opinions like you did just now."
"......"
"I act like this because I like that about you. If you don't like it, I'll try to be more careful."
There was no reaction from Pascal for a while after her serious words.
Just as the strain was beginning to build on her upturned neck, he suddenly scooped her up in his arms.
"Fine. I like my Master as she is now. I'm glad she doesn't change."
The earlier look of hurt was gone. Seeing his face, struggling to hold back a smile, Flora found herself smiling along without realizing it.
"I also understand now that child is important to you, so I won't touch him again. And I won't be petty either."
"Good, good."
Praising him and stroking his head for admitting he'd been petty, he smiled, squinting his eyes happily.
"Ah, so about when that group will arrive here?"
"At that speed, roughly two hours?"
Co to think of it, the forest roaring and the trees shaking seed to be getting gradually closer.
'Isn't that a bit too much... I hope it's not dangerous.'
Perhaps seeing the worry in her eyes, Pascal answered firmly.
"I adjusted it so they can barely avoid it. Only my forest and the ground are getting destroyed. I'll fill it all in later, so don't worry."
Anyway, he reads her mind as well as Janet did. Flora nodded, saying she understood.
"Then we don't have much ti. Co on, let's go inside quickly and prepare for the play!"
Saying this, Flora took off the beautiful Lur bracelet hanging on her arm and gently placed it on the ground at the cave entrance.
"What's that?"
"A marker so my brother will know I'm here."
Unlike the diluted crystal Lur bracelets circulating on the market, Flora's was clearly a top-quality item.
Benio would imdiately recognize this bracelet as Flora's and deduce that she had entered this cave.
And he would try to get inside by any ans necessary.
"What should I do?"
"Make the inside of the cave like a maze and release monsters inside!"
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