Gabriel nodded slowly. Once. That was enough.
Realizing this, Mary stood up carefully. She closed her eyes, then bowed her head with deep respect.
"Then…" she said sincerely, "I thank you."
She opened her eyes, gazing at Gabriel with calm determination.
"I will make sure… to repay your kindness."
Gabriel turned his back. The trench coat draped over his shoulders fluttered, swept by the night wind.
"Ash never asks for repayment," he said in a calm, almost emotionless tone—as if merely stating a law of nature.
The next moment, his figure vanished.
The small body dissolved into pale white smoke, scattering slowly before fading completely, disappearing as if it had never been there from the start.
Silence once again enveloped the forest.
Mary remained silent, staring at the empty space where Ash had stood moments ago. The wind stirred the leaves, carrying away the remnants of the mist that slowly faded.
"…Ash," she murmured softly.
Her hand clenched instinctively, then slowly relaxed.
"Then…" she whispered quietly, her eyes fixed on the night sky through the branches,
"this debt will remain alive."
She took a deep breath and stood upright.
"And someday," she continued, her voice calm yet resolute, "I will find him again."
Beneath the moonlight, that resolve settled—neither harsh nor hurried, but unwavering.
***
Several minutes had passed since Gabriel left Mary.
In a clearing within the forest, Gabriel stood at the center of an open area.
Moonlight fell freely, unblocked by the canopy, illuminating the ground still damp with the night's dew.
Moments later, Gabriel whistled.
Not an ordinary whistle—but an ultrasonic frequency in the 80-kilohertz range, a manipulation of the Dark Matter's internal laws that vibrated the air without being audible to human ears.
He whistled for five seconds.
The next instant, a howl answered his call.
"Auuuu—!!!"
Gabriel smiled faintly. He recognized the sound. There was no mistake.
Through Gigan, his vision pierced the distance. He saw Delta sprinting toward him at full speed, the ground rising beneath his steps, dust scattering into the air like a comet's tail.
A few seconds later—
Delta leapt.
"Second Boss—!!!" he shouted loudly, full of unrestrained enthusiasm.
Time seemed to slow.
Gabriel let out a small sigh, almost resigned, just before his body was slammed hard. Both of them tumbled several times over the ground before coming to a stop—with Delta landing fully atop Gabriel.
"Long time no see!" Delta grinned widely, his tail wagging. "I caught a strange scent and heard the call—knew immediately it was the Second Boss!"
He leaned down slightly, eyes sparkling as he looked at Gabriel.
"The Second Boss is safe, right? Any enemies? Anyone I can hit?!"
"I'm fine," Gabriel replied quietly. "Before Delta's affection hit me too hard and nearly broke my fragile body."
Delta flinched.
"Oh—!"
He quickly moved aside, stepping back awkwardly, then bowed his head slightly.
"Sorry, Second Boss…" he said earnestly. "Delta got too excited. Delta didn't mean to hurt you."
Gabriel exhaled softly, then stood up, straightening his coat.
"It's alright," he said calmly. "I know you were just welcoming me."
In an instant, a Bounded Field formed, spanning twenty meters and enclosing the entire area, cutting off all escape routes.
Silence became absolute.
Gabriel lowered his right hand. A faint smile appeared on his face as he extended it forward—a simple gesture, yet full of meaning.
"Delta," Gabriel said calmly, "enjoy your time."
"Understood," Delta replied tersely.
Within the locked boundaries, the hunt officially began.
Delta moved first.
His shadow streaked among the ruined buildings, accompanied by the sound of snapping bones and abruptly cut-off screams.
In truth, Gabriel's reason for attacking the Cult of Diablo this time was not solely his duty as one of the leaders—besides Cid—but also due to a direct connection with the vampires.
Earlier, Gabriel had traced the residual memories of the vampires who had attacked Mary.
From there, he discovered something that should have been impossible in the main timeline.
A pact.
Crimson—through intermediaries—had formed a partnership with the Cult of Diablo.
The Cult provided Diablo Beads, a forbidden drug capable of drastically enhancing an individual's power.
In exchange, Crimson supplied vampire blood and research data—materials of immense value for the Cult's experiments.
It was a dangerous relationship… but not yet fully developed.
And precisely because the Cult branch in this region had been destroyed, that partnership was almost certain to be severed before it could progress further.
Gabriel understood one thing very clearly. Each branching reality had its own possibilities.
The law of cause and effect still applied, but its path could diverge.
Something impossible in the main timeline… could very well manifest in a different branch.
So he was not surprised.
He simply ensured that this branch would not evolve into a worse scenario.
And if necessary, he would strike it down from the start.
Without hesitation.
***
Three days had passed since Gabriel and Delta's assault on one of the Cult of Diablo branches.
Meanwhile, Cid had finally returned from his northern expedition—of course, discreetly and without the family knowing, except for Gabriel.
At this moment, the atmosphere in Claire's room felt… oddly peaceful.
Claire sat comfortably in her chair, her back straight, savoring the moment.
Behind her, Gabriel stood with a blank expression, his hands massaging Claire's back with mechanical precision, almost devoid of emotion.
Meanwhile, Cid sat below, focusing intently on massaging his sister's feet with exaggerated seriousness—as if it were some secret training.
"…You know," Gabriel said flatly, without stopping the massage, "this isn't exactly a pleasurable activity."
Cid glanced up briefly. "Quiet and focus," he said seriously. "This is strength control training. A wrong touch could be fatal."
Claire opened one eye, glancing back. "What did you just say?" she asked softly, her tone carrying a hint of warning.
Gabriel exhaled quietly.
"I'm merely stating a fact," he replied honestly. "Massaging Nee-sama's back provides no stimulation whatsoever."
Cid chimed in without thinking. "Yes. Sis's legs… they're too firm. Are they actually made of stone?"
Silence.
Moments later—
"Repeat that," Claire said with a sweet smile that was anything but friendly. "And correct your wording. Now."
Gabriel paused for a moment.
"…I will repeat," he said flatly. "Massaging Sis's back is an honor that is… neutral."
Cid immediately adjusted his position.
"Sis's legs are strong," he said quickly. "Which means they're healthy. Very healthy. A model of the family."
Claire smiled in satisfaction, leaning deeper into the chair. "There. That's better," she said casually. "Continue. And this time… be more serious."
Gabriel and Cid exchanged a brief glance.
"…Annoying," Gabriel muttered softly.
Yet their hands continued to move.
Because, after all—Claire was still Claire.
As he massaged, Gabriel's gaze drifted toward the window. Outside, the falling leaves were clearly visible—a sign that autumn had arrived.
Beneath the calm scenery, his mind began to formulate plans.
He intended to gather reserves of food for the Seven Shades in preparation for the coming winter.
Gabriel knew very well that once the snow thickened, sourcing provisions would become far more difficult.