Ian’s brow twitched.

Nasser and Miguel turned toward the carriage almost at the same time.

"You... want it engraved?"

"That sounds like dark magic. You’re really willing to accept that?!"

Their voices overlapped.

A low chuckle brushed against Ian’s mind.

—Decisive and bold. I like that.

It was enough to make his eyes narrow further.

Without taking her gaze off him, Mev added calmly, "I’ve heard it’s useful—not just for advice, but also for relaying your thoughts."

Ian’s gaze drifted up toward the roof of the carriage.

Thesaya met his eyes, that familiar smile still playing on her lips. "I didn’t tell her. I never even brought it up."

"I heard it from Lucy," Mev added. She looked at Yog, peeking from Ian’s wrist. "She said it’s dangerous, but a good friend. That she’s received a lot of help. That it’s knowledgeable... and entertaining."

Her standards for friendship are seriously flawed.

Ian glanced down at Yog.

Though a snake's expression is impossible to read, the creature, staring at Mev without even flicking its tongue, almost seemed surprised.

—She said that? How touching.

Its whisper came softer than usual, lower, smoother.

Yog’s purple tongue slid slowly over its fangs.

"More than anything, if Lucy bears it, then I want to as well." Mev extended her left arm out the carriage window.

She had already removed her glove, her bare hand exposed to the air. When her eyes met Ian’s again, she smiled.

"Grant me permission, Ian."

Ian lifted his shoulders in a small shrug and let out a long breath through his nose. Taking another sip of liquor, he looked down at Yog.

"You know this already, but don’t even think about trying any funny business."

In a flash, Yog slipped back between the plates of Ian’s armor.

—Of course, my friend....

The whisper lingered a beat behind the movement. A sharp sting followed at Ian’s wrist, and a moment later violet smoke rose from it.

Whoosh—

The smoke billowed like a cloud, then shot forward and settled in Mev’s open palm. As it slowly thinned, Yog emerged from within, its eyes stained red. Without hesitation, it opened its jaws wide and sank its fangs into the center of her hand.

Sssss—

Violet mana began to seep across her palm. Within it, a crimson pattern surfaced, as though etched in blood. The violet energy wavered around her hand like a heat haze.

—It’s properly... engraved.

Yog withdrew its fangs. Unlike before, there was no hint of fatigue in its voice.

"You’re an accomplice now, Redread," Thesaya leaned her head out to look down at them, a sinister smile curling her lips. "Make sure the Grant Church doesn’t see that mark. They might label you corrupted."

"I will," Mev answered evenly.

Ian clicked his tongue quietly.

As always, he could feel a small thread of connection forming between himself and Mev.

This time, it wasn’t a particularly welcome sensation.

—Nice to meet you, Redhead. I’m Yog. A kind advisor... and a friend.

Now coiled atop her palm, Yog looked up at her with eyes once again black as obsidian.

Lifting her hand to the side of her face, Mev smiled faintly. "Nice to meet you, Yog."

"Don’t be fooled by appearances," Ian said, voice low. "It was once a fragment of an ancient god."

A soft laugh brushed his mind.

—Indeed, I was. But now I belong entirely to this friend. You could say our fates are intertwined... So let’s get along, Redhead. I find that I quite like you.

As Mev nodded, Ian narrowed his eyes and stared at the back of Yog’s head.

It had helped him many times, but even so, Ian could not rid himself of his lingering suspicion.

He couldn’t shake the thought that one day, at the most critical moment of all, the creature might betray them.

"That’s a bit hurtful, Worm." Thesaya’s sulky voice rang out as she leaned out beside the carriage, her silver hair spilling down.

"When you engraved the terminal on me, you weren’t nearly this eager, were you?"

Yog flicked its tongue and looked up at her.

—You were enjoying yourself more, Pointy-Ears.

Thesaya stared at it for a long second, then tossed her hair and nodded.

"Fair point. Now that I think about it, I was."

"Lu Entre, have mercy... Now even my lord is joining in on this incomprehensible exchange."

Miguel’s sigh-laden voice followed immediately after. It was only natural, as he couldn’t hear Yog's unsettling whispers at all.

Nasser nodded and added, "Indeed. I doubt the Stern Goddess would look kindly upon this."

"She probably wouldn’t," Mev replied evenly, gently stroking Yog’s head with her fingers. "But she won’t abandon me for it, Nasser."

Thesaya straightened and glanced over her shoulder. "That’s right. Ian’s been spreading heavenly grace across the continent. I’m sure she’ll be generous enough to overlook something like this. She always has."

Nasser nodded. "Well, perhaps you’re right. After all, you’re not worshiping an ancient god. You’re keeping it as a servant."

He turned to Ian. "In that sense, since we’re on the subject, would you engrave one on me as well?"

"What? You too, brother?" Before Ian could so much as twitch his brow, Miguel shouted in disbelief.

Nila snorted as Nasser gave a mild shrug. "As the squire, should I not share in fate? You should join us as well."

"Ah, no... why would I?" Miguel muttered, his expression turning awkward in an instant. "Well, I’ll... pass. I’ve never had good experiences getting involved with dark magic."

"Hmm, sounds like you’re scared. Prosthetic." Thesaya smiled mischievously.

Miguel’s brow furrowed as he turned toward her. "I didn’t say I was scared. I said I don’t have good memories of it. Those are two very different things."

"The fact you’re so serious about it makes me think I hit the mark... Fine, fine. We’ll call it that."

"I appreciate the sentiment, but you don’t need to go that far, Nasser. It won’t help your atonement," said Mev. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Yog’s indifferent whisper followed.

—I don’t particularly want to, either.

Both Thesaya and Ian turned sharply toward it.

It was as unexpected as Nasser’s offer. Yog usually jumped at any chance to engrave a terminal on someone.

Slithering lazily between Mev’s fingers, Yog flicked its purple tongue.

—I’m not very interested in that one. I’d rather not bother speaking with someone who doesn’t interest me. Of course, if you order me to, my friend, I will....

It has standards?

A chuckle finally escaped Ian.

Come to think of it, Yog was usually the one to propose it first.

Thesaya’s lips curled in a similar smirk as she quickly relayed the message. "...That’s what it says."

Nasser’s smile faltered. "Not interested... That’s not something I hear often. Very well. I’ll have to make an effort. Enough to earn its interest."

"Focus on earning the Radiant Goddess’s forgiveness instead, Nasser. Don’t waste your zeal on something pointless." Ian scoffed softly.

Nasser cleared his throat and looked away.

Ian turned to Miguel. "Once we reach the mountain road, find a suitable campsite. We’ll begin the search tomorrow."

"Understood," Miguel answered at once and faced forward again. Unlike Nasser, there wasn’t a trace of lingering regret in his brisk movement.

"Strange," Mev murmured, examining the faint mark on her palm. "It doesn’t look like a spell circuit."

"Right. If you ask me, it looks closer to a Mantra circuit." Thesaya agreed.

Yog snickered in their minds.

—It’s true magic. Concise and beautiful—on an entirely different plane from your crude little spells.

It hung limply between Mev’s fingers, loosely coiled around them. It was obvious it had taken a liking to her.

—Now then... perhaps you could tell me what happened while I was asleep. And where we’re headed.

Thesaya hopped down lightly onto the carriage’s side step.

"You’ll regret not seeing it firsthand. Open the door, Redhead. And don’t close the window, just in case."

Judging by the look of it, they were bound to chatter late into the night again.

However, Ian’s eyes narrowed for a different reason.

Even Nasser reacted like that. If that kid sees it, she’ll surely throw a fit.

The image of his short, dark-magic-obsessed goddaughter flashed through his mind. It was all but certain they would meet again in the West.

Maybe I should stop allowing any more engravings.

Even as he mulled it over in earnest, the carriage rolled steadily along the forest road that was swallowed by darkness. Far ahead, a mountain range loomed like a sinister shadow, inching closer with every turn of the wheels.

***

The silent darkness flashed blindingly in an instant.

Boom!

A thunderous roar shook him, and a storm-lashed black sea sprang into vivid clarity.

The scene had unfolded without warning while he was meditating, yet Ian was not particularly surprised.

Here we go again...

It was no longer a phenomenon that startled him, and recognizing what he was seeing was hardly difficult.

Another vision. This time... foresight.

The storm-tossed sea looked strangely familiar. So did the pillar-like shadow rising in the distance. The next instant, sharp blue glows flared to life above it.

Swoosh—

A tidal wave surged upward like the Black Wall, swallowing the precariously rocking ships. It illuminated the darkness, filling Ian’s vision in the blink of an eye.

Whoosh—

The massive darkness shifted in the next moment, becoming a shadow that swept over golden dunes.

A solar eclipse was underway.

Beyond the desert sinking into shadow, a sheer rock mountain trembled as though on the verge of collapse.

Boom, boom, boom!

In truth, it was collapsing. The cliff split apart in a roaring landslide, its center caving in. Beneath it, deep underground, the cross section of long-buried ruins gradually revealed itself.

I don’t think I’ve seen this before.

It might be what followed the vision he had once seen. Or perhaps, just as he had hoped, the future had changed.

Boom, boom, boom!

Dust thrown up by the landslide rolled thickly through his vision like fog. Beyond it, countless reddish lights blinked into being.

Those lights warped as if smeared by a brushstroke, transforming into surging flames. Large and small screams echoed chaotically. Through the smoke, the silhouettes of buildings flickered.

However, Ian’s focus locked onto something else entirely.

Beyond the city consumed by fire, in the middle of the faintly revealed night sky, a dark blue fissure was carved across it.

Crack.

It spread at terrifying speed, like ice splintering moments before shattering.

Then, in the next moment, the dark blue fissure became a blazing eye.

Between a massive visor, a dark blue eye with a vertically slit pupil burned into view. With a thunderous roar, his vision warped and spiraled violently.

In the very next instant, someone seized his hand as if snatching it away.

"Don’t make that face, Ian."

Along with the familiar voice, a pair of dark crimson eyes snapped into focus.

It was Mev. She stood before him, a sorrowful smile touching her lips.

"I’m happy that I get to die with you."