After carefully returning to the ground, Deveralna released Stella, whose feet stumbled forward slightly at the sudden feeling of solidity.

  Immediately, Stella ran toward the pillar, inspecting it to see if it had sustained any damage.

  “Don’t worry, I made sure nothing happened to it,” May said with a neutral smile, easing the young woman’s worries.

  “I never doubted you. You’re incredible, May,” Stella replied with genuine admiration, her eyes almost shimmering.

  But as soon as she got confirmation, her mind returned to the pillar. She slowly placed her hands on the spine-like structure and lost herself in the sea of information within it.

  “…”

  Both May and Deveralna exchanged dry smiles.

  “We’ll never remove this from her, will we?” Deveralna crossed her arms. “Either she learned that from Orion’s father, or she was already leaning toward research before—I can’t tell.”

  May lifted both hands in resignation, chuckling softly.

  “The little girl who used to sit on Orion’s lap is long gone. We’ll have to get used to it.”

  They both laughed lightly before turning their attention to protecting her.

  Before they could, however, Deveralna caught her companion’s attention with a question.

  “May. Are you alright?”

  The redhead faced her with a neutral expression.

  “I’m fine. Why are you asking?” she replied truthfully, one eyebrow lifting in mild suspicion.

  “Seeing you exert so much magic, I just... couldn’t help but worry. We all know how taxing that power is on your body and mind, so I wanted to make sure.” The lamia’s genuine concern reached May clearly.

  “I’m really fine. I’m not lying. In fact, I have no reason to.” Stepping closer, she lifted a hand and placed it on Deveralna’s shoulder. “I appreciate the concern. See?”

  The warmth radiating from her hand felt unmistakably human, and it immediately eased Deveralna’s worries.

  “You’re right. I can’t feel that inhuman heat you released earlier. So... you’ve really mastered the elemental’s magic?”

  May nodded once while taking a small step back.

  “When you say it like that, it sounds like I’ve taken control of the elemental inside me—but that’s not exactly how it works. It’s symbiosis. I am one with it, a single entity. Its magic is mine, and my body is its.”

  “Since we share the same origin now, my body no longer suffers from the elemental’s magic. I can release as much as I want without fear of harming myself.”

  She paused for a moment, bringing a finger to her chin.

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  “Well, I say that, but I still have a limit to how much I can release. I don’t have an endless supply of magic within my soul. I’m not like you.”

  Deveralna quickly brought a finger to a strand of white hair and twirled it, slightly embarrassed.

  “I... can’t really argue with that,” she admitted reluctantly, as if that simple fact somehow changed their relationship.

  Of course, it was nowhere near enough to sour it.

  “We might be among the strongest people alive, but you’re on another level,” May said. “You are the culmination of power itself. You hold the most unbridled energy that can exist.”

  “The title of Remnant of Power isn’t a joke. I’m pretty sure your control over it is nearly the same as Velridar’s.”

  To that, the lamia frowned and shook her head.

  “I doubt that. Velridar was a Primordial. I’ll never be as pure as he was. I mean, am I not part of the factions he created?”

  “Don’t take me wrong, I’m proud of what I’ve become. I just don’t think it’s fair to say I’m on his level. If he wanted to,” her face darkened, “he could have razed Triazils from the face of our planet at any time.”

  “I think I could only destroy half the Frigoria Plains if I let go of all restraint.” The veil over her face turned into a sour frown. “I’m nowhere near his level.”

  May chuckled lightly.

  “You’ve lost your sense of normalcy, just like us. It was to be expected.”

  The lamia shrugged with a dry smile.

  “Normal died a long time ago. Common sense was lost to us the day we met our dear husband.”

  “True,” May agreed readily. “Nothing will ever beat the nonsense that Orion is.”

  They looked at each other with relaxed smiles before speaking the exact same words in unison.

  “That’s why we love him.”

  A gentle silence followed, broken only by the faint buzzing echo from the pillar.

  Then, a loud crack shattered the calm, forcing both women to focus on Stella.

  “What’s that sound?!” May reached for her sword, only to realize it was missing. “Tsk!”

  She looked forward just in time to see large cracks spreading across the glowing monument.

  “It’s... being destroyed?” Deveralna asked, preparing for whatever might come next.

  But nothing happened. The glow vanished, and the pillar crumbled into dust. Stella, standing silently, suddenly took a deep breath.

  “This bitch.” The glare on her face was far from pretty. It was so unusual that May and Deveralna felt momentarily at a loss.

  Ruffling her hair with one hand, Stella turned around.

  “I learned nothing. All I got was the Devourer laughing at me and provoking us.”

  Their gazes fell to the ground, deep in thought.

  “May,” Deveralna asked softly, “isn’t that information in itself?”

  The redhead nodded firmly. “I was thinking the same.”

  Stella approached them, composed once more.

  “What do you mean? I thought for sure this would disappoint you two.”

  But May shook her head while Deveralna crossed her arms.

  “You see, knowing that the Devourer is watching us is already useful,” May said, her tone taking on the sharp focus of a strategist. “It might seem obvious now, but we couldn’t be certain before.”

  “Our enemy can see us—our every move. They can likely hear our conversations too. And somehow, they managed to set a trap meant to kill us or delay our progress.”

  “That skeleton manipulating the others was most likely relaying what was happening to its master as I dealt with it. For that reason, it’s best we keep your and Deveralna’s powers hidden for now.”

  Both women nodded in agreement. Stella, especially, had learned something crucial.

  “Being a general sure has its perks,” she said with admiration.

  “Former general. I’m retired,” May corrected, turning her back to the young woman.

  Deveralna slithered closer to Stella, whispering in her ear. “She’s just a bit embarrassed. Don’t worry.”

  Smiling faintly, Deveralna moved beside her friend, exchanging light banter as Stella lingered behind, her mind adrift in thought.

  “I’ll crush out this small hope you carry.”

  “Your essence, as supreme as it may be, will not leave these grounds.”

  “If you can find me, your fate will be sealed.”

  “Hahaha~”

  Those words kept gnawing at Stella’s mind, veins beginning to pulse near her temples.

  This is the first time I’ve felt like this.

  She took a few deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down.

  I can’t let my emotions run wild. I wouldn’t want to become someone Dad would hate.

  Lifting her foot from the ground, she followed the two adults as they made their way back toward the largest portion of the area, her thoughts still wandering.