When Rest collapsed the earthen dome, a torrent of water gushed out from within.
And then... the immense body of the Diamond Bear rolled out of the water.
The drowned giant bear bore not a single wound. Not only the meat, but its gleaming, crystal-like fur was completely unharmed.
Rest froze the water-soaked Diamond Bear, carefully processing it to prevent the meat from spoiling.
"So... what were they, after all?"
But more than the spoils, Rest was concerned about the mysterious presence that had called out to him from the depths of the forest earlier.
Urla seemed to naturally accept that presence, but what exactly was that 'Black One' they had called out?
"Hahhh..."
"Don't 'hahhh' me. Please, come back to your senses already."
"Mmm... too bad."
Urla had been enraptured while being embraced by Rest, but she finally came to her senses and answered his question.
"The Sky Demon."
"'Sky Demon'...?"
"Covert. Lavender."
"............?"
Most of Urla's words were incoherent... but by persistently asking questions, Rest managed to extract enough information.
"So... they are members of an organization called the 'Sky Demon,' a covert unit that serves House Lavender?"
"Yes."
"This forest is the base of the 'Sky Demon,' which is why it's a strictly forbidden area. Anyone who steps foot into the deep forest is killed without question?"
"Yes."
"…How could you let me in? I could have been killed…"
Rest slumped his shoulders in disbelief.
It was Rest who had begged to come into the forest and get a Diamond Bear, but if it was that dangerous, he would have liked to have been told.
Putting aside Urla, who was a member of House Lavender, Rest could have been killed, couldn't he?
"It's fine. You have the ring on."
"The ring? This one?"
Rest held up a purple ring that Urla had put on him when he entered the forest.
"Yes. Safe."
"So if I wore this, the 'Sky Demon' wouldn't attack me? What's the logic behind that?"
What meaning did this ring have?
Was it really okay to give Rest something like that?
"No problem. After all…"
"I have witnessed that power."
"…!"
A voice echoed from deep within the forest.
At the same time, he sensed an alien presence. It didn't register with his Presence Detection—a slimy, unpleasant feel.
"You all…!"
"We acknowledge you as our master. From now on, we are in your care."
"Ha…?"
"Then, should you ever have need of us, please call upon us at any time..."
With those words, the mysterious presence vanished.
All that remained were Rest standing in stunned silence, and Urla with her usual expressionless face.
"What was that just now…?"
"Cheers."
"No, even if you say 'cheers'…"
"You are the boss of the House Lavender. Take care of me."
"…………Huh?"
A rare long sentence, for her at least.
Rest was frozen solid by the bombshell Urla had just dropped.
After that, on the way back, he managed to get the whole story out of Urla… apparently the ring Rest had received was proof that its bearer held command authority over the covert unit known as the "Sky Demons."
By accepting the ring without knowing this, he had effectively been acknowledged as the head of the House Lavender.
"How did things end up like this…?"
Before he knew it, every avenue of escape was being sealed off.
The words of the family head, Looser Lavender, were starting to feel dangerously real… the suggestion to take Urla as his wife was becoming a very tangible possibility.
"Take care of me."
Saying this, Urla pressed herself against Rest.
The distance was clearly not that between strangers. As if trying to fill in the inner moat as well, she was broadcasting intimacy with her entire body.
"…Please, give me some time to think."
Rest, speaking politely for some reason, then used magic to transport the Diamond Bear's corpse.