"They're already as good as dead. Even if I go easy on them, all it does is let them linger in that state a little longer."
After driving off the ghouls, Shiomi returned to the warhorse.
They had swarmed him like beasts catching the scent of fresh meat, shouting those very words, but he had beaten them back with his crimson spear.
It was clear they could still feel pain. Shiomi had chosen to strike with the spear's shaft rather than run them through—an unexpectedly correct decision.
What caught him off guard, though, was that after he drew the fight away from the Lion King, not one of the ghouls went after her.
Even if Magecraft could obscure perception, it wouldn't affect a ghoul's instinctual way of detecting "food."
Corrupted by the holy spear and transformed into the goddess Rhongomyniad, the Lion King simply couldn't be recognized as food.
"So there's no need to kill them," Shiomi said, glancing at the spotless warhorse.
"But when we first stepped into the wilderness, you slaughtered all the bandits we came across without leaving a single one alive," the Lion King pointed out, referring to the incident just before they left the ruined city. "I thought you believed all humans were worth saving?"
"I do want to save humanity. But bandits like those would only endanger others if left alive." Shiomi met her gaze squarely. "I won't deny the existence of scum among humans—but that doesn't mean I'll deny the value of humanity as a whole."
He added, "The chaos we're seeing now is tied to the emergence of the Singularity and the displacement it caused. As long as they're still alive, those who haven't fallen completely still have a chance to return to who they were once human order is restored."
"Which means repairing the Singularity is beyond your reach," the Lion King replied coolly, extending a hand toward him.
"Trying to get me to face reality and pledge loyalty again?" Shiomi quipped.
"Get on." The Lion King didn't entertain the joke. "We're not at your destination yet. If you'd rather walk, I won't stop you."
"I never said where I wanted to go."
"East village. Morgan and the remaining refugees headed there," the Lion King told him.
"So you're letting me go?"
"That depends on your capabilities," she said, lowering her head slightly to meet his gaze. "And on Morgan's."
She continued to hold her hand out, clearly intending to keep it there until Shiomi responded.
He understood it was a reply to what he'd done when leaving the ruined city earlier. With a slight shake of his head, he muttered, "Like I said, you're being too lenient with me. That's going to be the fatal flaw in your plan."
He took her hand, and with a small tug from the Lion King, vaulted up onto the horse. His arms passed around her back as he reached forward and took hold of the reins.
"Humans only show mercy to those who pose no threat. Gods are no different," said the Lion King.
"That's pretty harsh," Shiomi chuckled. "Don't you think that's risky? I'm sitting right behind you, and even with that armor and divine body—"
"This is simply the most efficient approach. If, as you say, it's a fatal flaw, then why haven't you acted on it?" the Lion King asked.
"Yeah... why haven't I?" Shiomi sighed, feeling the weight of it.
Whether it would work or not, he should at least try.
Even if he failed, he could at least weaken the Lion King's control over him.
"You're hesitating," the Lion King observed.
"No. I just think forming an alliance with you takes priority over defeating you," Shiomi replied.
"There's only one outcome to such an alliance: as the guardian of pure human souls, you'll follow me to the end."
"Why not consider defeating the King of Magecraft instead?" Shiomi asked suddenly.
For the first time, the Lion King—who had always remained unshakable on horseback—turned to look at him.
"Defeat the King of Magecraft? The man who accomplished the incineration of humanity? How do you plan to defeat someone like that?" she asked plainly.
"Well—" Shiomi didn't falter, not just yet.
"You have the cursed crimson spear, the Authority over life, and Gungnir. With those alone, you're stronger than over ninety percent of Heroic Spirits," the Lion King said. "But even so, how do you intend to counter the King of Magecraft's light bands?"
Above this Singularity, just like all others, the sky still shimmered with those same light bands.
Each individual ray was powerful enough to rival the Excalibur.
The King of Magecraft's light bands, however, numbered in the billions.
"It'd be nice if we had a few billion Excaliburs," Shiomi shrugged with a smirk. "Though that's obviously not happening."
"What is that?" the Lion King asked suddenly.
"...You're asking me what that is? Isn't that supposed to be—" Shiomi stopped mid-sentence.
He realized he had overlooked something important this whole time.
Why does the Lion King even exist?
She had only wielded the holy spear for the final decade of her life. That alone wasn't enough to become a goddess.
"Supposed to be what?" Though her face remained expressionless, it was obvious from her tone—she genuinely didn't know.
A Lion King who doesn't know about the Holy Sword...?
Shiomi covered his face, sinking into thought.
"No, it's nothing." He realized that the Holy Sword might be the key to unraveling the mystery behind the Lion King's identity.
She didn't press the issue. Clearly, she didn't consider it important.
"Let's get back to the topic," Shiomi said, shelving the thought for now. "There's one more thing—something that might be the key to defeating the King of Magecraft."
"What is it?" the Lion King asked, still glancing back.
But after seeing Shiomi's expression, she immediately understood.
"Something you don't want the King of Magecraft to know about. Something he can't know," she said, turning forward again as the horse continued its steady pace.
Shiomi smiled. "You're not wrong. Still, even if you're unwilling to fight him, I won't back down. We'll repair all seven Singularities—and then face the King of Magecraft himself."
"To wage a war doomed to fail... that, too, is a bad habit of humankind."
"Bad habits and virtues are often just a step apart. It's far too soon to pass judgment," Shiomi said calmly.
With that, he shook the reins, nudged the horse's flank, and urged Dun Stallion forward, galloping across the lifeless wilderness.
It wouldn't be long before Shiomi learned the Lion King's true reason for agreeing to this journey.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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