The destination was beneath the research facility.
The spacious area had been divided into several rooms.
At first glance, it resembled the interior of a fine estate.
The only indication that this was a prison was the absence of any doors or windows leading outside.
The interior was enclosed by a barrier that disrupted teleportation.
Simply being inside caused one's mana and miasma to be siphoned away.
Escape, for the time being, would be impossible.
I walked through the rooms.
Gwen was dozing on a sofa.
The table beside her was piled high with books.
They were a precious way to pass the time in this space.
Per Gwen's request, I brought them regularly.
I called out to her as she lay there breathing softly in sleep.
"How are you holding up?"
"Oh, more or less. Not being stared down by the Director is quite nice, you know."
Gwen sat up and stretched luxuriously.
There was no irony in her voice.
She genuinely meant it.
The Director's surveillance must have been an immense psychological burden.
For an ordinary person, the environment might well have driven them mad.
That I'm only mildly exasperated must be testament to Gwen's strength.
I murmur, somewhat impressed.
"You're holding up remarkably well, all things considered."
"Coming from you, Harvelt? If you're feeling sympathetic, you could always let me out of here."
"I can't do that."
I reply without hesitation, and Gwen puffs out her cheeks.
She furrows her brow in a petulant pout.
"Hm? You still don't trust me? After all we've been through together?"
"Stop fabricating memories. We have nothing to do with each other."
"Aha, funny."
Gwen flops back onto the sofa, laughing as if thoroughly amused.
It seems she's simply toying with me.
Twisting her upper body, she asks:
"That aside, you still think I'll betray you?"
"I can't entirely rule out the possibility."
"Don't say such sad things! I've truly reformed. I have no intention of harming anyone."
Gwen lets out a sigh.
Resting her chin in both hands, she closes one eye as she speaks.
"Defeating a powerful enemy and turning them into an ally, isn't that the classic playbook? The Demon Lord's army did something similar, after all! It should be my turn next!"
"The others had trustworthy characters. That's all there was to it."
I do not deny Gwen's reasoning.
Indeed, among the Demon King's army are those who were once enemies.
Through appropriate exchanges, they have become trustworthy comrades.
However, Gwen is not someone to be off guard against.
Because of an unfathomable quality about her, I keep her completely confined like this.
She carries an air suggesting she might have some secret plan and could slip away effortlessly.
It is Gwen herself who makes it impossible to dismiss that as mere imagination.
"As for the beasts from the Outer Worlds, I'm the only one left now, aren't I? There are still plenty in the cosmos, but there are no other lunatic individuals who would try to help me. Given your nature, Master Harvelt, you've likely been exploring the cosmos these past year, haven't you?"
"Naturally."
A year ago, I annihilated the individuals who had plotted an invasion, Gwen excluded, but that was not all.
The cosmos still teems with beasts from the Outer Worlds.
Ever vigilant of another invasion, I took the initiative and ventured into the cosmos.
There, through a barrage of forbidden spells, I slaughtered a massive number of them.
Several incredibly powerful individuals attacked me, but none surpassed me.
Led by the false god, I have absorbed a vast quantity of these beasts.
As a result, I have obtained transcendental power.
My capabilities now are incomparable even to when I first became the Demon King.
Even if they are beasts from the Outer Worlds, they are no match for me.
Currently, this world is shrouded in a large-scale barrier.
It serves as a deterrent to prevent new threats from arriving.
Without being something like a false god, not even a single mark could be made upon the barrier.
Gwen let out a massive yawn, directing sleepy eyes toward me.
"There's no spirit for a counterattack in this situation. If I tried to pick a fight with you, I'd really be killed this time. Honestly, my odds of winning are zero. Seriously."
She grumbled as if exasperated, then suddenly straightened up.
She bowed her head from her position on the sofa.
"So, please let me join the Demon Lord's Army! I'll do odd jobs or anything! If you let me out of here, I'll undertake any unreasonable demand—"
"I'll consider it."
I answered curtly and turned on my heel.
Immediately, a protest sounded from behind me.
"Ugh! You always say that! I've been on my best behavior the whole time! Can't you show a little affection already... Wait, hold on a second! Hey, Harvelt!"
Ignoring the voice calling after me, I teleported to the surface level within the facility.
There, the director was waiting.
"Welcome back."
"Was she that restless even during my absence?"
"No, she's been docile for the most part. Perhaps she requests an audience with the Demon Lord. She doesn't seem interested in speaking with me either."
The director stated calmly.
Since it didn't concern research, he was thoroughly matter-of-fact.
He was far more composed than his usual manner would suggest.
"Hmm..."
"Do you intend to release her?"
"Perhaps someday. Gwen has surely learned her lesson enough."
When the time is right, I would simply send her back to the void.
If she plotted revenge, then I would have no choice but to obliterate her entirely.
Gwen was no fool.
She would never attempt to approach this world again.
"I apologize, but please continue the surveillance."
"Understood! Leave it to me!"
Leaving the matter to the saluting director, I returned to the castle.