From inside the Innate Barrier, one could see out, but the reverse was impossible.

Yet the man outside the barrier fixed his gaze on Egru without the slightest deviation. His eyes seemed to penetrate the barrier as if it were perfectly transparent.

The man who had been about to approach immediately stepped back half a pace, blocked by the barrier.

Belatedly removing his robe hood, the man’s hair gleamed like platinum. He continued speaking desperately, but his voice was blocked by the barrier, making it inaudible.

“……”

Egru couldn’t tear his eyes away from the man outside the barrier.

His complexion had worsened since the last time they’d met. The area beneath his eyes was blue and pale, as if he hadn’t slept for a long time.

No…

He absolutely must not acknowledge him.

Miss Mayfield had said:

“D’Élysée can only live a happy life if he cuts you out of his existence.”

Egru’s lips trembled. Nevertheless, he had a mountain of questions he wanted to ask D’Élysée.

“Currently, an arrest warrant for Captain D’Élysée Belered has been issued throughout the Eastern Continent.”

As Salvanel said…

Did D’Élysée truly harm others of his own volition?

“If it arose from a simple misunderstanding, there might be room for resolution, but if he’s turned his back on the Order, he’ll be classified as a dangerous element and subject to immediate execution.”

No, no…

Egru’s fingertips twitched minutely.

He desperately wanted to believe it wasn’t his brother’s fault. He wanted to think it was just a false accusation stemming from a misunderstanding.

Each time he tried to convince himself of this, the scar etched across Salvanel’s abdomen came to mind. As if warning him not to show favoritism just because they were brothers, it pricked his conscience repeatedly.

What should I do? What’s the right thing to do?

His head was spinning. What could he do as an older brother in this situation?

“If the young believer could provide assistance, there’s a possibility that the Captain might avoid punishment.”

T-that’s right!

First, become an excellent hero as planned. Above all, he needed to help Salvanel.

As someone who aimed for world stability, Salvanel was also the highest authority regarding his brother’s treatment.

Somehow, he m-must avoid punishment…

Salvanel should be able to withdraw the arrest warrant.

If it was a misunderstanding between them, they could resolve it through dialogue; if a crime had been committed, he could make him repent and reflect.

Even so…

Egru wanted to put more weight on the former possibility.

Though his mind knew he shouldn’t be biased, the youthful and kind face of his brother from his memories kept appearing before him.

Will D-D’Élysée be able to return to his position as Captain?

Egru couldn’t hide his gloomy feelings. Perhaps misfortune had befallen him because he’d become entangled with Egru, a demon hybrid, on his inauguration day.

Wait…

Egru retreated hesitantly. Come to think of it, he’d forgotten the most important fact.

How should I deal with my brother outside the barrier right now?

D’Élysée had been striking the barrier for some time.

Only his desperate movements were visible, while all around Egru was utterly silent. Judging by the shape of D’Élysée’s lips, he seemed to be calling out “brother.”

Could he have recognized me? I need time to o-observe from a distance first…

“If you can’t pretend not to know him, at least pretend you’ve lost your memory!”

But Egru knew. While the lady’s teaching was correct, he wouldn’t be able to carry it out.

Even when he met Levian, he’d tried his best to act, but it was futile. He suspected this time wouldn’t be much different.

Was there some way to adapt it to something he could manage? If he searched hard enough, surely there would be at least one solution.

Standing in place, racking his brains until he grew feverish—

Ah.

D’Élysée began to cry.

Pale green eyes that rippled like water stared directly at Egru. Dew gathered in his slightly contorted eyes before streaming down his cheeks.

In an instant, the tangled mess of thoughts in Egru’s mind was wiped clean.

Faced with his brother’s tears, his throat tightened without a moment’s hesitation. It was like his heart had stopped beating.

“D-D’Élysé… Huh!”

Just as he unconsciously tried to approach, his entire body was roughly yanked backward.

With the arm around his waist holding him so tightly he could barely breathe, Egru managed to look up. Gilbert, who had somehow approached without notice, was embracing him from behind.

“G-Gilbert! That person isn’t a heretic…!”

“Haa, haa…”

“Gilbert?”

It was clearly different from his usual demeanor. Gilbert’s red eyes were hazy and unfocused as he breathed laboriously.

What’s this? An unfamiliar scent…

Gilbert began muttering something. D’Élysée’s face outside the barrier hardened.

Though the situation wasn’t entirely clear, something serious had clearly happened.

“Gilbert, wait. C-can you let me go so we can talk?”

“Want to eat, now… want to eat now…”

Egru’s face turned deathly pale at the voice clinging to his ear, so hot it almost burned.

“No! Not here! Th-there’s someone in front of us, please…!”

“Delicious… smell…”

Before he could stop him, a large hand slipped into his pants. The shock of having his private parts suddenly grabbed made Egru’s breath catch in his throat.

***

D’Élysée knew that his brother had been reincarnated as an elf. He had learned this from Queen Röwugor’s explanation before leaving the Demon Federation.

“His skin is fairly white. Not as much as yours, but he’s grown taller than before. What else? Ah yes, his adorableness remains unchanged from before. His innocence and his consideration for others, how much…”

Though it contained more doting than useful information, D’Élysée listened with relative interest.

It gave him an indirect understanding of what others found appealing about his brother.

If he could now limit others from knowing, there would be no more competitors.

If only my brother and I were alone in the world, there would be no need for such concerns…

No, no.

D’Élysée tried hard to deny the desire that kept surfacing.

If his brother was the sun, he was the moon. Only with his brother could he reflect light by relying on his gentle luminescence.

He mustn’t extinguish such a brilliant star with his own selfish desires.

“……”

D’Élysée, standing in an area dense with magical energy, took a deep breath.

Was it not here either?

After marking his map, he continued forward.

The journey without Tarn was efficient, but it had one fatal blind spot.

If by chance he passed by his brother’s location, that would be the end. Tarn’s information had used the Demon Federation as a directional reference. D’Élysée had two strategies to overcome this.

One, thoroughly examine every suspicious place.

Two, carefully check for his brother’s pheromones wherever he went.

The journey, carrying a hint of uncertainty, continued without rest.

How many days had passed while he forgot even his fatigue? D’Élysée arrived at an area covered by a large barrier. It was near the southernmost point of the Forest of Tears.

Upon discovering the shabby stone wall inside the barrier, he immediately drew his sword and attempted to destroy it.

“…!”

D’Élysée was considerably surprised. This was the first time since becoming a Sword Master that he had encountered a barrier he couldn’t cut through.

Even with his aura condensed to its limit, it didn’t leave so much as a scratch.

Ancient magic?

D’Élysée sheathed his sword and walked around the dome-shaped barrier.

If it was a magical barrier intertwined with high-level formulas, it was worth exploring. Such barriers surely had weak points, and if he was lucky enough to find one, he intended to break through.

After walking along the quiet forest path for about an hour.

At some point, D’Élysée caught a faint body scent. Not missing the momentary chance, he stopped walking and lifted his head. He took a long time to sharpen his sense of smell.

“……”

An infinitely longed-for fragrance.

It was his brother’s pheromone, which he had desperately hoped to smell again.

Yet he couldn’t be at ease. Another pheromone, one he was smelling for the first time, coexisted with it.

It wasn’t Levian’s, but it was definitely an alpha’s scent.

D’Élysée’s pace quickened beyond measure. He searched through the undergrowth, turning his head this way and that, following the direction of his brother’s scent.

The faint pheromone gradually intensified.

From a sweet, faint scent like sugar water to the aroma of fruit so ripe it would fall softly from the tree. It was unbearably sweet and saccharine.

Rattle, rattle.

D’Élysée stopped abruptly at the sound of pebbles being handled. His chest, filled with indignation, heaved violently beneath his blue robe.

Was he seeing an illusion? It was an unbelievable sight.

Rattle.

An elf who looked unmistakably like his brother was squatting, picking up stones. All while tightly holding half a potato in one hand.

All this time…

Is this how you’ve been living, brother?

D’Élysée felt as if his legs might give way. Tears blurred his vision.

His brother was filthy with dust, and the area around his lips was blackened as if rubbed with charcoal.

He had heard that Queen Röwugor had provided ample travel funds, but what was this state? He needed to immediately take him away, feed him delicious food in a good room, and give him a bath.

D’Élysée wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and carefully approached. He took utmost care to muffle his footsteps so as not to startle him.

With each step closer, a flood of emotions washed over him. His heart pounded violently as if it might collapse.

For some reason, as he watched his brother set down the potato, his brother suddenly raised his head, sensing his presence.

“……”

For a moment, his breath caught. Those clear amber eyes. The golden star he had longed to see beyond reason flooded his vision.

In what seemed like a frozen moment, his brother sprang to his feet and ran toward the barrier. Unprepared for this sudden flight, D’Élysée failed to catch him.

“Brother…!”

At this reflexive call, Egru turned around. But he had already entered the barrier.

“I’m sorry. I, I startled you. I’m truly sorry.”

D’Élysée belatedly removed his robe hood. But his voice didn’t seem to reach inside the barrier at all.

“Even for just a moment. Please come out just once.”

Despite his endless pleas, his brother only gazed back with complicated eyes.

“I won’t approach carelessly. I have so much to say. Please…”

D’Élysée clenched his fist, the same hand that had been striking the barrier. As he recalled his past misdeeds, tears welled up unstoppably.

“Brother!”

That was when D’Élysée’s face instantly hardened. An unknown assailant had pounced on his brother from behind.