“Your Majesty.”

Selimia, who had been summoned, let out a sigh as she looked at Clay.

“Are you alright?”

“That’s what I’d like to ask.”

Selimia’s complexion was pale.

After returning from Hanumayer together, Selimia had been buried in considerable confusion. In the midst of that, she must have heard that something had gone wrong with Clay’s condition, so her appearance was, in a way, understandable.

“Have you still not sorted out your thoughts?”

“……”

“Actually, I called you because I have something to say about that.”

Those who had been in the office had long since withdrawn at his command. Left alone, Clay asked.

“I need your power.”

“Yes? My power, you say?”

“Yes.”

“But, I’m not sure if I can be of any help…”

Her reaction was one of questioning what help she could be to him, who had the Four Demon General, Syltanaro, and even the power of the Sun God.

“You’ve become quite dispirited, Selimia.”

“I’m starting to doubt whether I have enough power to help you, Your Majesty.”

“You already know, don't you?”

Selimia was something different. He had clearly confirmed that at the border of the snowfield.

“You are hiding something.”

To Selimia, whose lips quivered as if she wanted to object, Clay immediately continued.

“You just don’t know it.”

Of course, it wasn't as if Clay had figured out what kind of being Selimia was. However,

“Even if you haven’t realized it now, you must find out.”

The battle against Elhaen required that unknown territory. Something that even Elhaen could not fathom.

“It’s a funny thing to say, but the fact that I don’t know what your power is makes it all the more valuable in this situation.”

“Yes? What does that…”

“Elhaen knows almost all the cards we can play.”

That was something that could be confirmed just by looking at the trap he had set through Neville. He was setting the stage to make everyone dance on the palm of his hand.

“But Selimia, you are different.”

If she could exude a presence at the border of the snowfield, which was connected to the realm of an outer god, then,

“You can become another card for me.”

Clay decided to place his hopes on that.

“I…”

Selimia opened her mouth and then closed it. Clay gripped Selimia’s shoulders.

“I’m not telling you to overdo it. I just want you to understand that I am in a position where I have no choice but to make such a request of you.”

He would try everything he could, but it still might not be enough for the fight against Elhaen.

He needed even a speck more effort. All the more so if it was something that had the potential to catch Elhaen off guard.

“I under… stand.”

Selimia said with a firm, yet slightly revitalized expression.

“If Your Majesty needs it, I will do whatever it takes to find out.”

“Thank you.”

“I am more grateful.”

Selimia said hesitantly.

“Through this series of events, I realized how weak I am. Before, I thought my mere presence would unconditionally be a help to you, Your Majesty.”

“That loyalty alone is a great help.”

“I want to be more helpful.”

Selimia’s gaze met Clay’s directly.

“I also want to become a being worthy of standing by your side, like Beatrice. And…”

Selimia, who couldn't continue for a moment, shook her head.

“Ah, no. This is.”

Clay could tell what she had been about to say.

Tia.

The events when she met her. The kind of lamentation for herself, who couldn't even overcome someone like her.

But Clay didn't bring it up either. There was no need to.

“Yes, I’m counting on you, Selimia.”

At Clay’s words, Selimia smiled for the first time in a long while.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

### ♧

“Syltanaro, I apologize to you in advance as well.”

After sending Selimia off, Clay went out of his office to find Syltanaro.

“It seems I won’t be able to use you for the time being. It will likely be difficult to find a way.”

“It is alright, Your Majesty.”

Syltanaro replied in a calm voice.

“I am well aware of what state you are in, Your Majesty.”

“Even so, you will have to wait indefinitely.”

“Is that so? I am rather worried about you, Your Majesty.”

“Me?”

As Clay drew a question mark, Syltanaro nodded.

“Excalbren, I mean.”

Her gaze went to Excalbren, which Clay wore at his waist.

“It is unconscious now, but I don’t know if it will remain so. If it were to regain consciousness, it might become a threat to you, Your Majesty.”

“So that was your concern.”

Clay let out a small sigh.

“I, too, have not failed to consider that possibility. But there is no one who knows Excalbren as well as I do.”

Excalbren was not made to be a weapon that moved independently. That meant it necessarily had a ‘resonator’.

The person with whom it had prolonged contact would take on that role, becoming able to read Excalbren’s mental state to some extent.

“In order to draw out its abilities efficiently, Excalbren is made to resonate with its primary user. If something like that were to happen, I would know immediately.”

During his time as the Hero, when his execution was scheduled, he had been separated from Excalbren for quite a long time, so the link for resonance had been broken.

But not now. He could feel the link with Excalbren growing strong again.

‘It’s not a good feeling, though.’

Excalbren had rejected Clay who had become the Demon King. It might be that it felt a great sense of betrayal because it had trusted Clay that much, but in the end, it had abandoned its master.

‘I don’t know if we can get along well again.’

Clay already felt the future growing distant, wondering what would happen when Excalbren regained consciousness.

“Then that is a relief.”

Syltanaro, unaware that Clay had fallen into such thoughts, simply showed a faint smile.

“If you say so, Your Majesty, then it must be alright.”

“Yes.”

It was when Clay, having nothing else to say, turned his gaze away.

“Clay!”

Someone shouted from nearby.

“It’s ready!”

Lin was running over.

***

### ♧

The laboratory.

A magic circle was drawn there.

“What is this?”

When Clay asked, Lin answered.

“This is, ‘Regression’!”

“Regression?”

“It rewinds what happened to you in reverse!”

Rewinds in reverse.

It was something Clay had never imagined.

“You could do something like this?”

“I had something prepared just in case.”

Lin nodded.

“Ta-da.”

She pointed to a stone monument embedded in the floor near the magic circle.

“That is a copy of Clay.”

“A copy?”

“Yes. To be precise, it’s a copy of Clay’s previous state.”

As Clay made a face full of questions, Golche, who had walked up from behind, explained in Lin’s stead.

“When we were creating Your Majesty’s body, we made records of each stage just in case a problem arose. That is the one left from the final stage.”

“Why are you only telling me about this now?”

“Because I thought you’d hate it.”

Lin, taking over the conversation, slightly averted her gaze and said.

“The previous Demon King hated it when I made things like this. He thought I might do something else with it.”

“Could you have done something like that?”

“No, I can’t.”

Lin let out a sigh.

“This is just a storage of Clay’s various states. It can’t be applied to other beings.”

If she did, it would explode, Lin said, clenching and unclenching her small fist.

“Anyway, with this, we can try to return to the body of the Demon King again. I’ve finished all the necessary preparations.”

Lin pointed to the magic circle.

“All Clay has to do is get on it.”

“I shall bring the sacrifice.”

Golche said, raising its axe.

“Stop.”

Looking at them, Clay replied softly.

“It’s not necessary.”

“Huh?”

Lin’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean? Not necessary?”

“If the previous Demon King didn't try it, then it must be an unprecedented event. I will not challenge something that has not been verified.”

“Ah, no, but we did apply it to several test subjects…”

“That is correct, Your Majesty.”

Golche also chimed in.

“I don’t mean to take sides, but I also observed that experiment closely. It will surely be of help to you, Your Majesty.”

“……”

Clay was silent for a moment. Then, Syltanaro spoke to Lin and Golche on Clay’s behalf.

“We cannot allow His Majesty to take such a risk.”

“No, this is…”

“This is something Elhaen orchestrated after setting the stage. Do you think he would have made it so it could be reversed with something like this?”

Syltanaro raised an eyebrow.

“There may be some kind of restriction placed on His Majesty’s body to prevent it from returning to its previous state. Trying to force it back might instead ruin his body.”

At those words, Lin swallowed dryly with a troubled expression.

“W-well, no, I mean, I thought I had prepared for it to some extent…”

Even so, Lin couldn't say that Syltanaro’s argument was wrong.

‘To return.’

While they were having that conversation, Clay was weighing the possibility.

‘Even if it were really possible…’

Clay had no intention of going back.

‘Crea is in my body right now.’

If he reverted his body to its previous state, he didn't know what would happen to Crea.

‘Crea is essential to my plan.’

Crea had changed Clay’s body to what it was now. This meant it possessed an authority that surpassed his former body.

Clay needed that authority. No matter how strong he was, he might not be able to face Elhaen with his former body.

‘To face a god, one needs a commensurate status.’

Through his efforts so far, he had managed to build up a divine status among humans, even with the name of the Demon King.

Now that the demonic energy was gone from his body, he might be able to divert that divine status to use Crea’s authority.

Therefore,

“I will not return to my former self.”

Clay had no choice but to declare this.

“Even if there is a possibility of returning to my former self, I do not wish to do so.”

“Huh?”

“Lin, you should know what is in my body right now.”

The symbiote.

That had appeared after the stone monument that stored Clay’s state was created.

And the Mark of the Sun.

The thing left by a god other than Elhaen was also obtained after that.

“If you revert my body, there are many things that will be lost in reverse. So I will remain in this state.”

“Ah, that is…”

“Of course, I am not unaware of your efforts.”

It was quite remarkable to create a copy in preparation for an unknown situation and to offer advice without considering one's own reputation.

“The body you and Golche created for me was of great help. However, do not dwell on it.”

From now on, it would be a completely different fight.

“We must now fight a god.”

The strongest divinity, trying to rule this world.

“Bear that in mind.”

Clay drew Excalbren and struck down at the stone monument.

(End of Chapter)