[Realm: Álfheimr]

[Location: Heart Kingdom]

[Outskirts]

The bridge that stretched before them was far larger than a simple crossing point needed to be.

It was an imposing structure of stone, broad enough for several groups of travelers to pass side by side without difficulty. The craftsmanship was immediately noticeable; each section of the bridge had been shaped with a smooth stone surface bearing little sign of decay despite the condition of the surrounding world. It connected two separated portions of land, standing firmly above the rushing stream below.

Water crashed against scattered rocks beneath the bridge, the current moving with enough force that the sound carried upward. It was one of the few lively sounds within the otherwise quiet landscape.

Near the entrance of the bridge stood a sleek metallic signpost, its surface catching the dull light of the cloudy sky.

But the sign itself was not what caught their attention.

The bridge was guarded.

Only two soldiers stood there.

At first glance, it seemed almost strange. A bridge this large, positioned at the entrance of what was apparently more Heart Kingdom territory, should have required far more security. Yet only two figures stood watch, both dressed in the same refined black armor decorated with deep red accents. The armor was polished and maintained, each piece fitting together cleanly, and at the center of their chest plates rested a distinct red diamond emblem.

Their helmets concealed their faces entirely, leaving no hint of their expressions or identities. They stood completely still.

At the back of the group, Gretel narrowed her eyes slightly as she observed them.

"Heart Kingdom soldiers way out here?" she questioned quietly.

Her voice carried a mixture of confusion and concern. She remained beside Robert, her hand naturally resting near the weapon at her side while she studied the two soldiers ahead.

Robert followed her gaze, his emerald eyes narrowing as he examined the guards from a distance.

"Hm..." he muttered thoughtfully. "I’m guessing there is a reason for them being stationed this far out, and I doubt it is a particularly pleasant one."

Despite his calm tone, there was a slight worry behind his words. Robert had learned enough recently to understand that nothing involving the Heart Kingdom was placed somewhere without purpose.

Ahead of them, Mikoto had already begun moving.

He increased his pace without warning, leaving Shuten-dōji a few steps behind. His expression remained unreadable, his attention fixed solely on the guards ahead. He did not appear concerned, nor did he hesitate.

The soldiers noticed immediately.

The guard on the right shifted his stance the moment Mikoto approached. The movement was small as he raised a gauntleted hand, signaling for Mikoto to stop.

"Halt. No further, traveler."

The command was firm, carrying the authority of someone accustomed to being obeyed.

Mikoto came to a stop.

The guard continued after a brief pause.

"Beyond this point, you will be entering populated Heart Kingdom territory. All travelers are required to present proper identification and travel papers before proceeding."

The second guard’s voice was equally firm, though slightly more direct.

"Do you have your papers in order?"

Mikoto stared at them for a moment.

Then he slowly raised an eyebrow.

"Papers to cross some bridge?"

There was genuine disbelief in his voice, and confusion at what he considered an unnecessary obstacle.

The first guard tilted his head slightly.

"You believe we simply allow anyone to enter territory such as this?"

His gaze shifted past Mikoto toward the rest of the group.

"Besides, your group is rather unusual, girl." His attention briefly settled on Shuten-dōji. "A non-human is accompanying you as well."

Mikoto followed the guard’s glance for only a moment before looking back.

"Not a chick." The correction came immediately, flat and without emotion. He did not even bother arguing beyond that.

Instead, his eyes moved around the bridge.

"And what?" he questioned. "Only two guards for a bridge this huge?"

The second guard’s patience seemed to thin slightly. "Do you have your papers or not?" The question was repeated more firmly this time.

Mikoto stared at them.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then he simply spoke.

"Sleep."

The word was quiet, yet the effect was immediate.

Neither guard had time to react.

Their bodies stiffened for only a brief second before the strength left their limbs entirely. Their armored forms went slack, weapons lowering uselessly as they collapsed to the stone ground with heavy impacts.

The sound echoed across the bridge.

Both soldiers lay unconscious, completely motionless.

The others watched in varying degrees of reaction.

Echidna stepped forward, her gaze moving from the fallen guards to Mikoto with mild interest.

"Magic is rather convenient," she murmured, almost thoughtfully.

She approached until she stood beside him.

"But shall we simply leave them like this?" Her emerald eyes moved toward the unconscious soldiers. "I was beginning to feel rather hungry."

Mikoto did not even slow down.

"We don’t have time to wait for you to eat." His response was as immediate as it was dismissive; he stepped past the fallen guards and onto the bridge.

The others followed.

Echidna remained still for a moment before looking back toward the soldiers.

"Well..." she began, her tone almost disappointed. "My children are prowling nearby, and they could certainly use a meal."

The implication was obvious.

Mikoto stopped; he did not turn around immediately. The silence that followed lasted only a second, but it was enough.

Then he spoke.

"Leave them be." His voice was calm. "Or I’ll kill you."

There was no anger behind the statement or attempt at intimidation. That was what made it unsettling. He did not say it like a threat meant to frighten her; he said it like a simple fact. Like stating something that would happen if she ignored him.

Echidna stared at him.

Then she sighed.

"How rude of you."

She sounded almost amused despite the restriction placed on her.

Still, she obeyed.

Slowing her pace, she allowed herself to fall back beside Shuten-dōji once again rather than continue near Mikoto.

Internally, however, her thoughts were far less playful.

("This is much too restrictive for me.") The Mother of Monsters kept her expression composed, but frustration quietly lingered beneath the surface. ("Ever since I lost that Goddess as a host body, my strength has fallen dramatically.")

Her eyes shifted slightly toward Mikoto’s back.

("I need to feast. I need to gather mana again. Even if the amount humans possess is insignificant compared to what I once held, it is still better than nothing.")

Her emerald eyes narrowed.

The problem was obvious.

Mikoto.

("I am effectively on his leash.") The thought irritated her more than she wanted to admit. ("If he were my mate, perhaps such a thing would be acceptable. But that is not what this is.") Her gaze lowered. ("He is my warden.")

A brief pause followed.

("One who has a use for me, at least for now.") She continued walking, but her thoughts remained fixed on him. ("Angels like him rarely reveal themselves. Their kind have always existed beyond the concerns of ordinary beings.")

Her knowledge of them was old, but not incomplete.

("I know the rankings.") A small crease formed in her expression. ("That Mortifer mage referred to him as a Seraphim.")

She considered the possibility.

("But if he were merely that, then I should have been able to handle him.") Her eyes sharpened. ("No, perhaps there is something else.")

Her thoughts drifted toward other possibilities and hidden explanations.

("Perhaps it is another trick, much like how the—")

"Thoughts of rebellion so soon, hm?"

The sudden voice interrupted her completely.

Echidna’s eyes shifted.

Shuten-dōji was looking directly at her.

The oni’s expression remained calm, but there was a knowing smile on her lips. The Mother of Monsters had been pulled out of her thoughts before she could finish them.

"One could hardly blame me," Echidna replied smoothly, her voice carrying no true bitterness, but beneath the calm words sat a very real irritation. "I am confined to a human body, stripped of what I once was, and effectively reduced to a dog on a leash."

She let out a quiet sigh, almost theatrical in its delivery.

"It is enough to make even someone like me feel a little sadness."

Shuten-dōji listened quietly, her red eyes resting on Echidna for a moment longer than before. The oni did not seem convinced, not because she thought Echidna was lying but because she found the admission itself interesting.

She gave a small hum.

"I would have assumed creatures such as yourself would be beyond such fleeting emotions," Shuten-dōji remarked casually. "Frustration, disappointment, sadness—those are things often associated with humans and their short lives." Her tone was not mocking; if anything, there was genuine curiosity.

Echidna glanced toward her, a small smile forming on her painted lips.

"Oh, I feel many things, spirit." She lightly touched her chin, as if considering her own words. "More than most would expect, actually." Her smile thinned slightly. "Frustration would certainly be among the strongest contenders."

The Mother of Monsters continued walking, her gaze drifting across the landscape around them.

"Though I must admit, something has surprised me." Her emerald eyes moved between the members of their group. "The complete lack of fear." There was a strange note of disappointment in her voice. "As a Progenitor of Deseruit Beasts, I am accustomed to provoking a certain reaction from others: fear, hesitation, instinctive caution..." Her fingers lightly brushed against her arm. "It is rather unusual to receive so little of it."

She looked almost genuinely bothered by the thought.

"It makes me wonder if I have somehow lost my edge."

Shuten-dōji followed her gaze.

Ahead of them, Mikoto continued walking without paying attention to their conversation, his pace unhurried. To Echidna, someone like him should have been the most obvious example of fearlessness, but the oni saw something different.

"Gretel is undoubtedly unsettled by you," Shuten-dōji explained, her eyes briefly moving toward the girl walking behind them. "Anyone with common sense would be."

A small pause followed.

"But that unease would never become true fear while Yuki is here."

The oni tilted her head slightly toward Mikoto ahead of them.

"He changes the atmosphere around him. Even those who do not understand him seem to recognize that he is something they should not provoke."

Her gaze shifted toward Robert.

"And Robert..." A small smile touched her expression. "He appears confident that he can survive whatever situation he finds himself in. That confidence may be foolish, or perhaps it is earned." She considered him briefly. "Either way, he is an interesting one."

Echidna looked back toward Shuten-dōji.

"And what of you, spirit?" Her voice became slightly more pointed. "You stand beside a monster, Angel, and humans alike, without hesitation." Her emerald eyes sharpened. "Do you not feel fear?"

For a brief moment, the playful nature disappeared from her expression. Her pupils narrowed slightly as she studied the oni, searching for some hidden reaction.

But Shuten-dōji only smiled slightly.

"I did feel fear once upon a time," her answer came calmly. "But not anymore." The oni’s gaze remained forward. "For this journey, fear is an unnecessary emotion." There was no pride in the statement or any attempt to appear stronger than she was.

It was simply something she had accepted.

"I can only move forward."

Echidna observed her quietly.

Then she gave a small, amused hum.

"An awfully vague answer, spirit." She turned her gaze back toward the path ahead. "But I suppose that is fitting for someone who speaks of being guided by the wind."

A brief silence followed before she continued.

"Still, I find myself curious." Her eyes shifted slightly. "Why travel with such a being?"

The question was directed toward Mikoto, though he was far ahead of them.

"Why follow someone like him?"

Shuten-dōji did not immediately answer. "My knowledge of Angels is limited," she admitted. "Far more limited than I would prefer." Her expression remained calm. "But what I do know is this." She looked toward Mikoto. "The wind guided me to Yuki. And I believe there was a reason for that."

Echidna opened her mouth, clearly about to question the meaning behind such an answer.

But before she could speak, another voice interrupted.

"The cities nearby now, it seems." Mikoto’s voice carried from ahead.

The group looked forward.

He had stopped near another sleek metallic signpost standing beside the path. Two directions were marked upon it, indicating separate routes leading deeper into Heart Kingdom territory.

The sight of actual civilization was a small change from the endless wilderness they had traveled through.

Mikoto studied the signs briefly before turning back toward them.

"Gather around." His tone left little room for argument. "We’re teleporting from here."

The words were simple.

And the group had already learned that when Mikoto decided something, convincing him otherwise was rarely worth the effort.

One by one, they began moving toward him.

None of them questioned the decision, simply because, by now, they understood that there was little choice.