Lektire's illness was cured.
Nanoda and Glück had struck a deal: in exchange for saving Lektire's life, Glück would lend his support to promoting Aura.
In truth, saving Lektire had always been Nanoda's own wish — she simply couldn't stand by and watch two people who clearly belonged together be torn apart by fate. That Glück's help came along as part of the bargain was nothing but a welcome bonus.
The treatment itself was remarkably simple.
Nanoda had Jane's blood sent over from Gaderia, diluted it into a medicinal solution, and had Lektire drink it.
Because Jane's blood carried the power of Eternal Life Magic, once it entered Lektire's body, it formed a kind of equilibrium with her steadily weakening constitution. Unlike the old magic potions that left patients prone to violent mood swings, this remedy had no such side effects. It was, however, consumable — Lektire would need to replenish it at regular intervals. If she went too long without it, her body would gradually revert to its former fragile state.
Thanks to this arrangement, the bond between Gaderia and Weise grew considerably stronger.
Lektire could now move about freely. Her body was still somewhat delicate, but her spirits had brightened enormously. That carefully maintained, hollow smile of hers had vanished — in its place was a genuine one, warm and unforced.
During her stay in Weise, Nanoda had a quiet chat with Lektire, catching up on old times. When Lektire learned the truth about the circumstances of their very first meeting all those years ago, her face flushed crimson and she offered Nanoda a flustered apology.
Nanoda couldn't help but smile inwardly. She had always been fond of this candid, gentle young woman.
With Lektire's matter resolved, Nanoda and Aura set out on the road once more.
Time flew.
Two years into the execution of the Aura Debut Plan, Nanoda had now been in this world for over eight years.
With Glück's assistance and backing, the journey had gone surprisingly smoothly. Nanoda had taken Aura to call on the majority of the small and mid-ranking border nobles along the Northern frontier, and had even received invitations and recognition from several of the Empire's greater noble houses, as well as envoys from the kingdoms of the Central Lands.
The former was largely thanks to Glück's influence and maneuvering following Lektire's recovery — with Macht's prior work paving the way, Glück held considerable standing among the coalition of regional lesser nobles. The latter was Aaron's doing: Gaderia's independence had always had the Central Lands' backing, and those nations, wary of the ever-encroaching Northern Empire, were more than happy to see the Empire fracture at the seams.
Following the trail Macht had blazed before them, Aura and Gaderia had now stepped fully into the human world's field of vision.
Not that a certain someone was particularly thrilled about it.
Well ahead of Nanoda's party — a full year earlier, in fact — Macht had already returned to the Fortified City of Weise. Through his diligent efforts, he had earned the heartfelt esteem of Weise's people. There was not a soul in the city who did not know the name of Lord Macht.
"Hah? Glück is inviting us to attend Macht's inauguration ceremony?"
Across the table, Aura sat facing a portly minor noble.
"Easy, Aura," Nanoda said quietly from her seat beside her.
"Heh heh, I am a noble affiliated with Lord Glück's faction. Not long ago, I received word from Lord Glück asking me to attend Lord Macht's investiture ceremony — and he specifically mentioned that if I happened to run into you two, I was to extend the invitation on his behalf."
The portly noble dabbed at the sweat on his temple with a handkerchief.
That Aura woman had a rather unsettling gaze. Lord Macht, from the outset, had carried himself with far more warmth and natural ease.
"Will many nobles be attending?" Nanoda asked from the side.
"Indeed. Lord Glück has obtained an ancient divine artifact from one of the great noble houses. They say that once a Demon dons this artifact, they will be bound and constrained by the commands inscribed within it."
"For political reasons, Macht will be made to wear this artifact publicly. The majority of the Northern Empire's noble houses will be present, along with envoys from the Central and Southern Kingdoms — all gathering to bear witness."
As she listened to the portly noble's words, the answer had already formed in Nanoda's mind.
The Domination Stone Ring.
An artifact forged in the Mythical Era by the great sage Ewig. It was the only magic device in existence capable of influencing even the mind and soul of a member of the Demon Race after being worn.
Once the wearer donned it with conditions and commands set in advance, the Stone Ring would remain active indefinitely — only releasing its hold upon the Demon's death, when its failsafe mechanism was triggered.
In effect, it operated on a principle not entirely unlike Aura's own Magic of Obedience.
Nanoda had always found the thing a rather peculiar contraption. What was even more peculiar, to her mind, were the two commands Glück had set — seemingly reasonable on the surface, yet ever so slightly off.
Eternal "obedience" to the people of Weise.
No "malice" to be harbored toward the people of Weise, ever.
Should Macht violate either of these two conditions, the Stone Ring's mechanism would activate — and he would die.
The scene shifted.
Macht's investiture ceremony.
Inside a grand palace hall, the lights blazed brilliantly and music filled the air. Surrounded by a crowd of nobles dressed in their finest, Macht knelt respectfully on one knee and extended his hand.
Directly opposite him, Glück stood perfectly upright in formal attire.
Witnessed by the eyes of all present, he slipped the Domination Stone Ring from his hand onto Macht's wrist.
A brief flash of light emanated from the ring — signaling its activation. With that, Macht officially became a member of the Demon Race integrated into human society.
From a corner of the banquet hall, Nanoda and Aura — the latter wearing a decorative hat — watched the scene unfold before them.
Just as Nanoda had anticipated, the two commands Glück had given remained unchanged.
Amid a wave of applause, Macht slowly rose to his feet. His expression was as impassive as ever as he turned to exchange words with the nobles crowding around him.
"How utterly foolish," Aura muttered, swirling the wine glass in her hand. "A single stone ring, and they sleep easy. Humans really are naive."
"Well, the Domination Stone Ring's effect is genuine enough," Nanoda said beside her, entirely unsurprised by the outcome. "It's just that the conditions Glück chose to inscribe are... a touch ambiguous. Either way, this firmly establishes Macht as a Demon belonging to Weise."
She understood it clearly. Because of his cooperation with Macht — having used Macht's power to eliminate quite a few human obstacles — Glück had been careful not to issue the straightforward command of 'never harm humans again.' He had his own future plans to consider.
Macht would remain Weise's blade for years to come.
And looking at the fact that Macht had willingly donned the Domination Stone Ring in pursuit of understanding what "malice" truly felt like, it was plain to see that both parties were making use of each other with perfect, tacit understanding.
This investiture ceremony was nothing more than a performance staged to put the other nobles fully at ease.
"Let's go, Aura."
"Eh?"
"We've accomplished more or less everything we set out to do. Besides, you don't need a Domination Stone Ring to prove yourself — it's time to head back to Gaderia."
"So what exactly were we running around for these past two years?"
"To tell the world, of course: Weise has Macht, and Gaderia has Aura. The age of Humans and Demons living side by side is coming."
The two Demons slipped quietly away from their corner.
Left behind in a sea of encircling nobles, Macht gazed down at the Domination Stone Ring on his wrist, his expression thoughtful and distant.
____
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