At the sight of his brother huddling pitifully, Egru frantically waved his hands.

He meant that D’Élysée should wait outside briefly and he would come get him. However, there were obvious limitations to conveying such complex meanings through gestures alone.

“Do you want me to leave, Brother?”

At this deeply dejected question, Egru jumped up in alarm. This interpretation hadn’t captured his intention at all. As he vigorously shook his head from side to side, D’Élysée smiled slightly.

“Then?”

“……”

While Egru fidgeted with his fingers, D’Élysée took half a step closer.

“Ah! You must be unable to speak in front of the Hero!”

The spirit’s words hit the mark exactly. Amber eyes darted about, unable to find their bearings.

If only Gilbert were here…

But it seemed unlikely he would help now. After all, Egru had just prevented him from devouring that place.

“Is it alright if I stay here?”

At this carefully whispered question, Egru couldn’t respond in time.

“……”

D’Élysée gazed down at the dark brown crown of Egru’s head. Then, so quietly that Egru wouldn’t notice, he inhaled his body scent.

Whether deeply troubled by his brother’s simple request or not, unstable pheromones washed over him like waves.

The corners of D’Élysée’s eyes curved subtly. His gaze, drenched in desire, moved languidly. From the rounded forehead, down the slender bridge of the nose, arriving at the plump lips.

The tongue inside must be so warm…

His prominent Adam’s apple undulated as if savoring the anticipation of a feast.

Crackle.

At that moment, a small lightning bolt flashed across his crystal-clear vision. D’Élysée frowned and took a step back.

“Brother, did you just…”

D’Élysée asked, looking around the empty space.

“Did you just speak to me?”

Egru raised his eyebrows as if he didn’t understand what D’Élysée meant.

“I keep hearing static… ugh.”

When D’Élysée suddenly clutched his forehead and staggered, Egru rushed to him in alarm.

Hup—Egru supported his brother without hesitation, swallowing a startled breath.

The weight of his grown brother far exceeded his expectations. In his dreams, he still gave his brother piggyback rides, but now it felt like trying to support a tilting stone pillar.

Firm muscles were truly heavy. He would need to build up his strength regularly if he wanted to carry his brother in the future.

Ngggh—Egru strained with all his might, his knees trembling. His elbows, employing every ounce of strength he had, were on the verge of buckling.

“Ah, I’m sorry, Brother.”

D’Élysée blinked and stood upright immediately.

His light green eyes rolled once. What a pity. He had wanted to remain in contact longer.

If he had, his brother would have truly collapsed. His head did actually hurt, but he had exaggerated his condition because he enjoyed seeing his brother struggling for his sake.

“Was that difficult?”

As if it wasn’t at all, Egru held his side with one hand and waved the other in the air.

With a flushed face, he pretended it wasn’t strenuous at all. Huff, huff—he deliberately released his breath in small increments to hide his rough breathing.

“Brother, please don’t think this strange, but listen.”

D’Élysée asked with a face suggesting he didn’t understand the current situation either.

“If I wait outside, will you come out soon?”

“!”

Egru opened his eyes wide as if wondering how D’Élysée knew. Seeing Egru’s affirmative expression, D’Élysée nodded, though puzzled.

“Alright, Brother. I’ll wait outside.”

The static interference he’d just experienced seemed like a type of magical interference, but it didn’t appear particularly dangerous. D’Élysée was confident that it would be fine to leave Egru alone briefly.

A magical creature living in the World Tree?

Though he couldn’t see its form, a frivolous voice had been apologizing profusely to him. His brother apparently couldn’t hear it.

“But come quickly.”

D’Élysée gently stroked Egru’s arm while giving him a smiling glance.

Egru nodded deeply, still catching his breath. How much time passed after D’Élysée’s regretful figure disappeared into the distance?

“You saw it, didn’t you? The telepathy I just sent is my essence. A power specifically specialized for communication, literally.”

The clear, ringing voice spoke again. The spirit, brimming with confidence, bragged proudly.

“I helped you with just a sample. It’s truly an advanced technique—adjusting frequencies to prevent interference with the flow of magic in your body. If you contract with me, you can freely use this power. And not just that—anything related to communication…!”

“Um, excuse me. There’s something I’d like to ask.”

Egru cautiously opened his mouth.

“Why are you making this offer to me? The other spirits seemed to prefer D’Élysée over me…”

“They’re the type who can see one but not two. They probably didn’t even pay attention because your medium is secondhand, but I’m different.”

“I-I’m secondhand? What do you mean by medium?”

“If you contract with me, I’ll explain everything gradually.”

The Spirit of Communication chuckled softly.

“Most spirits tend to have twisted aspects, so don’t mind them. Some want to watch their contractor’s intimate moments, or demand a portion of their contractor’s soul. Of course, I’m different from such creatures.”

Egru suddenly recalled Salvanel’s accounts. He could somewhat understand why he had referred to spirits as little demons.

“How exactly does one make a contract?”

“Ah, indeed! You’re interested! An excellent choice!”

Instantly, a glowing papyrus unfurled before Egru’s eyes.

Egru squinted as he traced the enormous volume of text.

But it was futile. The densely written, squiggly letters were in a language Egru couldn’t read.

“No need to strain yourself. You won’t be able to read it anyway since it’s written in Spirit language.”

“C-could you tell me what it says, then?”

“Is it really necessary to check such trivial details?”

The Spirit of Communication blew a soft “phoo” and began changing the subject.

“Only dusty bookworms care about such things. Stylish Lord Egru need only trust me and make the contract, and your future will unfold smoothly.”

“Stylish…!”

Egru almost fell for this typical flattery mixed with high-pressure sales tactics.

He slapped his own cheeks a couple of times and asked again.

“C-could you please explain properly? I think that would help me make up my mind.”

“Well, if you insist. Let’s see, the covenant inscribed on the heart shall not be violated carelessly, or compensation will…”

The Spirit of Communication began reciting the contract terms in succession.

Though his head spun from the barrage of difficult words, Egru tried his best to listen carefully. Among the continuous contract clauses, one item stood out particularly.

“Negotiations between contractor and contractee require a certain price, which through mutual adjustment…”

“Wait, wait a moment.”

“Yes?”

“W-what exactly do you mean by ‘price’?”

“Ah, it’s nothing significant. Contracts naturally don’t proceed without compensation. The price for borrowing my power is…”

The Spirit of Communication somehow cleared its throat and stalled for time.

“Your pain.”

“P-pain? That’s…”

As Egru showed signs of discomfort, the spirit’s voice immediately became desperate.

“Ah! Don’t worry! The accumulated quantity of your pain is already so immense that I won’t need additional payment for quite some time!”

Egru felt he could understand why the first Hero had kept spirits at a distance.

“Aren’t you lacking power for your upcoming journey? Aren’t you sick of your own weakness? Don’t you want the strength to protect others, rather than always being protected?”

“……”

“I can help you to the best of my ability! Please, just trust me once! Please? Pleeease?”

The desperate cry seemed like a last-ditch effort.

Pain. That was a price not easily given. Moreover, the spirit’s intentions seemed questionable at best.

Egru repeatedly clenched and unclenched his hands.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t moved at all by the spirit’s pleas.

After much deliberation, Egru finally made his decision.

“I… I…”

***

After finishing his conversation with the spirit, Egru headed to the World Tree’s armory with D’Élysée.

Rumble—the massive door opened with a thunderous sound.

Wow…!

Egru couldn’t help but marvel. Though with his brother right beside him, he couldn’t express it aloud.

“To think such a space exists within the World Tree…”

D’Élysée also seemed somewhat surprised.

The sight of endless legendary weapons displayed against gleaming golden walls was truly magnificent. Perfectly preserved weapons were meticulously arranged. It was no different from a treasure vault coveted by every nation in the land.

Spears, harpoons, bows and arrows, axes, hammers, swords, shields…

Every type of weapon was abundantly present, making it harder to find what wasn’t there.

“Be careful, Brother. There are cursed swords mixed in.”

D’Élysée warned as he surveyed the armory broadly.

“Cursed swords corrupt their owner’s mind. Not only must you have strong mental fortitude, but also resistance to black magic. Wait here while I take a quick look around.”

After Egru nodded, D’Élysée strode away.

“Ah…”

It was at that moment. As amber eyes explored the vicinity, they caught sight of an alluring blade.

The jet-black blade gleamed with a smooth luster, like cheese.

Egru reached out as if entranced. Ting—the moment his hand touched the sword hilt, an enormous energy welled up throughout his body. He had been consumed by the evil energy of the cursed sword.

His delicate features instantly converged toward the center. Egru, stained with malevolence, twisted his lips upward. Just as giggles began to escape through his grotesquely upturned lips—

“Brother.”

D’Élysée quietly removed the sword from Egru’s hand.

“Ask me first before touching any sword, alright?”

“?”

Egru, whose face immediately returned to normal, obediently nodded.