Yog’s tongue froze mid-motion.

Thesaya, Mev, and even Nasser all turned to Ian.

The cold silence didn’t last long.

—That’s not possible...

Yog slowly drew its tongue back in, then let out a low chuckle.

—You already know the law engraved into my soul. I’m not sure why you’d even think that, my friend...

Why?

Ian clicked his tongue inwardly, then tilted his head slightly. "Still means it’s possible. And you already know how."

Yog tilted its head, flicking its tongue again.

It was impossible to read a snake’s expression, but it was clear enough that it was puzzled.

—Of course, I know how. But I have neither the reason nor the intention to try, friend. You’ll eventually escape your constraints one way or another. And even if you reject transcendence, the outcome doesn’t really change.

It slithered across the back of Ian’s hand, coiling slowly as it continued.

—In the end, you won’t be able to avoid the death of the body. With such a certain conclusion ahead, why would I take a risky gamble now? If you were to cast me aside, I might cease to exist or fall into nothing more than a wandering wraith.

Ian’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked down at it. It didn’t sound like a lie.

And more importantly, it wasn’t far from what he himself had been thinking. That, in part, was why he had gradually come to trust Yog.

—It’s still a long way off, but even if I gain the ability to exist without you, I won’t try to leave, my friend. Just by staying by your side, opportunities to elevate myself will continue to come, as they always have...

As if sensing Ian’s thoughts, Yog’s tone grew even more relaxed. A chuckle followed, its violet tongue flicking softly.

—So don’t worry needlessly. I’ll remain your honest and faithful familiar, existing solely to keep you alive and help you.

However, Ian didn’t look away; his gaze lingered on the creature’s glossy, dark scales.

"Among those rules of yours, the highest priority is keeping me alive, right?" Ian asked.

—Of course, my friend. Above all else. Even above my own life. I thought you already knew that.

"Then you could lie, if it meant keeping me alive."

For a split second, Yog froze. Then it spoke again, quietly.

—If that were the only way to save you, perhaps. Though I’ve never had to try.

Just as I thought.

Ian nodded faintly to himself.

It was one of the possibilities he had considered while going over his foresight, and now it felt like the most likely one.

Though he still didn’t know what kind of situation would force that outcome, or how exactly Yog would deceive him.

—You’re asking a lot of unusual questions today, Friend... Almost as if you’re certain I’ll do something like that someday.

Yog’s low whisper followed.

By now, even Thesaya was watching Ian with a strange look.

Though he understood the meaning behind her look, Ian showed nothing as he replied, "Because you keep growing. And you’ve been acting more and more on your own. If a situation ever comes up where you have to lie, tell me beforehand, Yog. We might be able to find another way together."

Yog tilted its head slightly and let out a soft chuckle.

—Alright... I’ll remember that. Now I’m curious myself when that moment might come. Anything else? If not, I’d like to head over there. I think there’s a new face among them.

So it’s been paying attention to its surroundings too.

Ian let out a quiet scoff and gave a small nod.

Puff—

Yog dissolved into a wisp of violet mist and drifted toward the carriage.

Mev narrowed her eyes slightly, then raised her right hand.

Yog settled onto her palm and returned to its original form, letting out a chuckle.

—Oh, I see. The one who was lying in that basement back then... I didn’t expect you to survive like this.

Its gaze, of course, was fixed on Lily, who sat tucked against Mev’s arm.

Lily stared right back.

There was no fear in her eyes, no emotion at all.

"Say hello, Worm. This is Pup—well, Lily. Lily, this is Ian’s familiar. A creepy little friend you only get to see at night," Thesaya said casually, as if nothing unusual was happening.

Nasser, who had been watching Ian with a thoughtful look, simply shrugged and turned back to the driver’s seat.

"Handling creatures of darkness seems far more exhausting than killing them. You never know when they’ll turn on you," he muttered, picking up a torch and holding it out.

Though he couldn’t hear Yog, he had pieced together enough from Ian’s words.

Fwoosh—

Ian conjured a small flame and lit it.

Warm light spread softly around them before he closed his hand, snuffing the flame out.

—Interesting... She has potential. Let’s see. Perhaps I’ll take a closer look.

It slithered up Mev’s shoulder, then leaped toward Lily.

"Don’t even think about it, Yog." Mev caught it midair. "She’s suffered enough already."

Her arm tightened protectively around Lily’s shoulders.

Yog slipped through her fingers like liquid, and Thesaya nodded.

"Yeah. And it’s not like you could even talk to her. Our Pup can’t speak."

As if to prove otherwise, Lily opened her mouth wide.

Perched on the back of Mev’s hand, Yog let out a chuckle.

—That looks uncomfortable... Shall I help the child, friend? I could teach her a useful spell.

Ian answered without hesitation. "Don’t even dream about it."

He didn’t even glance at Yog.

Instead, his eyes swept slowly across the darkened forest, specifically focusing on the faint yellow and red glows flickering beyond it.

"Wait... you could’ve taught her black magic?" Thesaya asked.

Yog let out a low, eerie laugh.

—Magic in its truest sense. I’m still remembering bits of it, little by little. Curious, are you, Pointy-Ear?

Thesaya snorted. "I am. But don’t teach me. I have no interest in falling into corruption again."

"Nice to see you’re happy, but keep an eye on our surroundings." Ian cut in flatly, still watching the shadowed ridgeline.

Thesaya paused, then turned her gaze.

—Ah... so this is what those insignificant things smell like...

Yog murmured, as if only just realizing.

It, too, was now staring into the darkness beyond, where even the torchlight seemed to be swallowed whole.

—They don’t look worth dealing with. Shall I take care of them, Friend?

The whisper slid in softly.

Just as Ian’s brow creased, Thesaya cut in, "Can you?"

Yog let out a quiet, amused chuckle.

—Of course. If my friend permits it...

Both Thesaya and Mev turned toward Ian.

Looking at Yog coiled on Mev’s palm, Ian spoke flatly. "Sounds like the kind of thing that’ll scare the horses half to death."

The warhorses were already exhausted. If it was a spell strong enough to drive off monsters, they might not just faint—they might drop dead.

—Don’t worry, friend. To anything that isn’t a monster, it won’t feel particularly threatening.

Thesaya’s gaze flicked from Mev straight back to Ian, her eyes practically pleading. She clearly wanted to stop running around in the dark.

"Fine. Go ahead." Ian extended his right hand. "But if anything happens to the horses, you will be spending a long time reflecting on it."

Unless this were the demonic realm, there was no regret in not killing the monsters here. They gave experience, sure, but it was hardly worth the effort.

—I’ll keep that in mind, my friend.

Yog dissolved into violet smoke and flowed into Ian’s glove.

A sharp prick spread across his palm. Yog drank longer than Ian had expected.

As Ian’s eyes narrowed slightly, a violet mist seeped out from his grasp again.

Swoosh...

It looked almost as if he were casting dark magic.

"O Light..." Nasser muttered under his breath.

Ian raised his hand above his head as the smoke continued to pour upward without fading.

Snort!

Nila let out an uneasy breath as the smoke swirled above the group, encircling them.

It almost looked like a serpent made of mist coiling in the air.

Fsss—

The smoke spreading from Ian’s hand subsided. But Yog, now above them, neither dispersed nor faded; instead, it slowly undulated, drifting along with the group.

And that was all. Ian looked up, one brow slightly raised.

"It's working!" Thesaya exclaimed. Eyes narrowed, she scanned their surroundings, a grin spreading across her face.

"They’re backing off, Ian!"

Only then did Ian turn his gaze toward the forest.

Just as she said, the glowing eyes lurking in the darkness were disappearing, one by one.

His lips twisted faintly.

Was it just putting on a show?

It was a simple method, but effective. After all, the creature was originally a fragment of an ancient god.

In the game, it was probably a spell that drove monsters away for a certain period.

—To them, it probably feels like you all are my prey. And they’d rather not end up the same way.

As if confirming his thoughts, Yog’s lazy whisper echoed in his mind.

Thesaya looked up, smiling. "You’re the best, Worm."

—You’re too kind.

Yog chuckled softly.

Nasser turned to Ian. "Then, are we safe for tonight?"

"Probably. Let’s keep moving." Ian nodded, then glanced at Mev sitting atop the carriage roof with a faint smile. "I’d like to sleep in the Empire tonight."

The group set up camp before midnight, after crossing the boundary stones that marked the edge of the mountains—on Imperial soil.

***

The roadside began to fill with lush green wheat after they crossed yet another gentle hill.

"It’s still beautiful," murmured Nasser.

From the saddle on the opposite side, Ian gave a small nod. His gaze drifted across the fields, stretching past scattered farm huts and over the next hill.

"Fitting land for one cherished by Della Lu," said Nasser.

It was a pastoral scene found only in the Western Empire. Even the dark clouds in the sky had thinned, revealing patches of blue.

The lingering curse that once swept through the region had clearly been wiped away.

"Is that why it’s grown this much already? Winter barely ended," Thesaya muttered lazily, leaning her head against the carriage window.

The sight clearly didn’t impress her much.

"It doesn’t get that cold here. They sow the seeds in autumn," Miguel answered from the driver’s seat, as if he’d never been uneasy before. His one hand rested casually atop Lily’s head.

His gaze flickered faintly as he looked over the fields. "The empty ones we passed earlier are probably being left until spring."

"They don’t rely on blessings alone. They truly care for the land. That’s why the Goddess of Prosperity favors them even more," Nasser added.

Thesaya’s eyes narrowed slightly. "What’s with you two? Why do you both know so much? That’s kind of creepy."

"I passed through here before, on my way to meet you. Heard it then," Miguel snorted, glancing at her.

Thesaya let out a short "Ah. Right... I think I heard something like that back then."

"In any case, I hope I’ll have a chance to apologize to Count Westwood this time."

"Apologize?" Ian cut in, glancing over.

Nasser shrugged lightly. "When I was tracking you in the past, I intimidated a priest from the church of Drenorov and behaved rudely toward him. It was standard purification squad interrogation methods... though in the end, I was the one who got beaten and chased off."

He gave a faint, wry smile and looked at Ian. "But that doesn’t change the fact that I owe him an apology. But last time, I couldn’t meet him. He was away."

Ian’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"The old man left Drenorov? Where would he even go without an heir to watch the place?" asked Thesaya.

"To Tessen, with a delegation from the Great Church," Mev answered from the opposite window.

Both Ian and Thesaya turned toward her.

Nasser nodded. "They had to purify the land there. And rebuild the monastery."

"It was also a way of holding him accountable for what happened in Drenorov," Mev added.

Ian slowly nodded, eyes still narrowed.

Good thing I ended the corruption back then.

The memory surfaced. He’d been given a choice—maintain or destroy the demonic realm in Tessen. If he had chosen otherwise, neither the priests nor the count would have survived.

"Did you hear all that from the priest you said you needed to apologize to?" Ian asked.

Nasser nodded immediately. "Yes. Thankfully, he not only accepted my apology but also explained the situation and even helped in the count’s stead."

"Ian, you know him too," Mev added, looking past Thesaya.

Ian paused, then recalled the name. "... Priest Luce?"

"He had just become a bishop back then," replied Mev.

The corner of Ian’s lips curled upward.

Nasser continued, "When he heard news of you, my lord, he was deeply disheartened. He said it felt as though the light that had been guiding him had disappeared."

"He probably already knows you’ve returned. If you meet him, he’ll be overjoyed," Mev added.

Ian let out a chuckle. "Alright. I will."

"I’ll have to stop by anyway. We can go together then." Nasser said with a smile.

As Ian nodded, Thesaya said, "It couldn’t have just been once or twice. Going back and forth to Tessen isn’t exactly easy. I wonder if that old man’s even alright."

That was enough to wipe the smile off Nasser’s face and make Ian’s eyes twitch. In truth, it was something Ian himself had been worried about.

Count Morgan Westwood hadn’t looked healthy even years ago. On top of that, he had tried to atone by rebuilding Drenorov. There was no way he had taken care of his body. It wouldn’t have been surprising if he had already passed.

Of course, by now there would likely be a successor, but dealing with them wouldn’t be as easy or convenient as dealing with him.

"All we can do is hope Della Lu has watched over him," Nasser murmured, clasping his hands and closing his eyes.

"You’ll find out soon enough," Miguel said, glancing ahead and tilting his chin forward. "Once we cross that hill, the city should come into view."

Ian finally turned his gaze forward again. The farm huts were already drawing close.

Farmers could be seen scattered across the fields, working the land that stretched up the hill. Some stepped out of the wooden huts, scratching their bellies, while others straightened up and turned toward the group after noticing them.

"Finally, I’ll be able to wash properly. My whole body’s been sticky and itchy. It’s been torture," Miguel added.

Ian blinked in surprise and looked over.

Thesaya, apparently just as startled, scoffed. "You saying something like that? I don’t buy it, Prosthetic."

"What’s that supposed to mean? I’m from the North too. Bathing’s been part of our culture for a long time now. Honestly, most people can’t go without it anymore." Miguel snorted.

Ian let out a quiet laugh.

Well, he’s not wrong.

Everywhere in the North, hot bathwater had been prepared as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"True. I could really go for a proper soak in warm water—" Thesaya trailed off mid-sentence.

From the direction of the farm hut, the sound of a bell rang.

A young farmer stood before the building, striking a bell with a rod at slow, steady intervals.

"That’s... for us, isn’t it?" Thesaya blinked.

Ian’s lips curved into a faint smile. "Looks like they already knew we were coming."

From beyond the hill, bells rang in response, as if answering the first.