"I… I'm not seeking revenge."
Naya clenched her fists, her eyes welling up with tears as she spoke, her voice quivering.
"Whatever occurred—it was a part of the battlefield's reality. I'm not naïve enough to believe that victory is guaranteed in every clash. It's just that... it's difficult to…"
Her voice trailed off as she averted her gaze, masking the tears that streamed down her cheeks.
"It's difficult to cope with loss. Difficult to confront pain," Eren finished Naya's unspoken words. He paced the room with his hands folded behind his back, seemingly lost in thought.
"They say the cycle of pain is unending. To break it, they say one must forgive those who've inflicted suffering. I see the depth of this idea. Yet, the more I contemplate it, the more distasteful it seems.
Maybe I'm superficial. Maybe I'm not mature enough to embrace forgiveness toward my adversaries. But perhaps I'm fine with my immaturity as well," Eren chuckled.
"Humans, Fae, Children of Echidna, demons, and deities—we're all creatures of emotion, Naya. Emotions are the essence of life. Having them doesn't equate to weakness. It's about channeling them wisely, so they don't become our tormentors," Eren paused, then turned to face Naya.
"Regardless, even if you choose not to pursue revenge, that's acceptable. I'm your master now. On the battlefield, your actions will be under my command. You'll follow my orders because you have no other choice. And I choose to kill Carvel and Akass," Eren stated, his expression serious.
Eren aimed to divert Naya from descending into sadness and remorse. While she might not harbor resentment towards Carvel or Akass for Birmond's death, Eren understood that over time, suppressed emotions could transform into such bitterness. By offering her a purpose, even the motivation for revenge, he gave her a direct outlet for these sentiments that her subconscious was trying to evade.
'Maybe Naya's aversion to seeking revenge stems from feeling suppressed? It's possible she was affected by that cursed wyvern's spiritual suppression. To truly alleviate this suppression, she'd need to confront its root cause—slaughtering Akass,' Eren mused internally.
Naya wiped her tears, her gaze now fixed on Eren with newfound clarity. Through the Faustian Contract's connection, she gleaned that he was genuinely considering her well-being. This understanding dispelled any negative sentiments she might have harbored toward him.
"He's truly gone," Naya whispered to herself, choosing to make peace with her current reality. In an odd way, Eren's control over her provided a sense of relief. Left to her own devices, she wasn't certain how she would cope. Besides, Eren's acceptance of her as his demon beast companion offered her a sense of purpose. This feeling of being needed to be acted as a lifeline, grounding her back to reality.
'Eren, my new master. He's even more unusual than I initially thought. He already has a demon beast in the form of Argo. How did he manage to form a Faustian Contract with me too?' Naya regarded Eren with a quizzical expression as her thoughts rambled on.
"Wait? You saved me. But now that Birmond's gone, Edinburgh will surely..."
Suddenly, it struck Naya that surviving Carvel and Akass's assault didn't exempt her from danger. In the world of Anfang, it was widely believed that one could only control a single demon beast at a time through the Blood Ritual. Upon their master's death, there was a high likelihood that tamed demon beasts would fall into demonic transformation. This led factions across Anfang to eliminate ownerless demon beasts.
"No need to fret. I've handled things while you were unconscious," Eren reassured Naya before elaborating.
"Kekeke, my bullshittery is legendary.
I explained to them that I stumbled upon some old inheritance regarding alternative methods of demon beast control with a few drawbacks I can afford. But, of course, my explanation alone didn't suffice.
They scrutinized your status after my explanation while you were sleeping. Only upon confirming your normal stats and lack of demonic transformation risk did they relent," Eren sighed, then shrugged his shoulders.
"They treat you rather well, all things said and done, especially considering I'm still breathing," Naya remarked, her gaze fixed on Eren. She held the belief that anyone else in her shoes might not have received such a lenient response from Anfang's forces, given the triviality of the explanation.
"Well, these days they do treat me rather well. But not because they want to. But because they don't have a choice," Eren responded with a chuckle.
"This war is truly a blessing for me. It's more a case of them needing Grimdawn – me – to rally the Rankers under my name. After all, who would fight their battles if they didn't sweeten the deal a bit?
However, they have made a strategic retreat since the war is in full swing. I could see the greed in their eyes when I talked about this mysterious demonic technique.
When the war ends or turns a little less aggressive, they'll probably come knocking about that supposed demonic inheritance I stumbled upon in those mysterious ruins. But by then, it'll be too late," Eren cryptically added and chuckled.
With the Lazarus project merely months away from its conclusion, Eren deemed it time to unveil some of his concealed tactics. His days of remaining discreet were numbered; he needed to reveal some of his hidden strengths to expedite achieving his goals.
Naya's complete physical and mental recovery further bolstered Eren's confidence. An experienced demon beast, her panther-like nature designated her as a combat-oriented entity, distinct from Reen. Unlike Argo, the demon fragment within Naya wasn't linked to a Demon Prince. As such, Eren could more freely call upon Naya's aid in battle.
In the interim, both Renita and Altashia had roused from their slumber. Just as Eren had arranged for Naya, specialized healing chambers facilitated their swift recuperation.
Both Altashia and Renita regained consciousness and were well on their way to a full recovery. Renita's Ranking Status had mildly regressed due to the severed limb, but her arm had been reattached seamlessly. Eren assured her that her long-term Ranking Status wouldn't be affected either. With continued practice of her Ranking Technique, she would fully recuperate in a matter of weeks.
"I would like to be present at Birmond's funeral."
Naya declared, her tone resolute as she rose from her bed. Eren acknowledged her wish with a nod, providing her with a few instructions before departing the room. He had business at House Argas Estate, which conveniently lay on the way to House Remus Estate. Recognizing this opportunity, he allowed Naya to accompany him.
Eren's forthcoming plan required the involvement of two Sages, and he was banking on the cooperation of Crimson Ghost Altair Argas who has recently achieved his breakthrough into the Sage Rank.
This imminent rendezvous with the Sages was poised to tip the scales of battle in the direction Eren had been meticulously orchestrating.
