"It's worthless. He's dead." Heloica says, keeping a stern face.
"No… it can't be. He said this would be it. He said this would be the one!" Crest replies, his expression filled with worry.
"Crest, his wound hasn't healed, the sword is colorless, and the Pentagram of the Bond hasn't appeared." Wistoria says, turning his eyes away.
"Anyachi!" Veldoria calls out.
"Yes, my lord!" Anyachi responds firmly as she kneels.
"Get this worthless body out of here." Veldoria says with a look of disgust.
"Veldoria!" Crest snaps angrily at her remark.
"What? Am I wrong? He's worthless to us dead, isn't he?" Veldoria replies coldly.
"What a poisonous tongue." Esdolte chuckles.
"Do it, Anyachi." Heloica orders.
Anyachi begins approaching Miura's presumed lifeless body. But as she gets closer, a massive beam of light suddenly bursts around him and shoots upward.
"W-, what's going on?!" Veldoria exclaims in shock at the sudden light.
"I knew it… there's no way he was wrong." Crest mutters to himself as the blinding light slowly fades.
"So quick to write me off, huh?" Miura says with a smirk.
"Uh…" Esdolte, Heloica, Wistoria, and Veldoria mutter in shock.
"The hole is gone!" Veldoria says in confusion.
"How can this be, Crest? The sword… it's still colorless." Heloica says, baffled.
"I'm as shocked as you are right now, Heloica. This has never happened before." Crest replies with excitement.
"You mean someone coming back without forming a bond? Yeah… it hasn't." Wistoria says with an intrigued expression.
Miura touches his chest and feels nothing. It's as if the sword had never pierced him.
"She actually healed me… I'll thank her when I see her again." Miura mutters.
He then turns and gives Anyachi a dirty stare.
"What are you looking at me for?" Anyachi asks, avoiding his eyes.
"Maybe because you fucking stabbed me!!" Miura shouts, flipping her off.
"No hard feelings. I was just following orders. Besides, you turned out fine. Stop whining." Anyachi says playfully, turning her face away.
"Bitch." Miura mutters angrily, though not entirely serious.
"But Crest, this is indeed strange. He was healed without forming a bond." Esdolte says.
"It's the first time, right? What do we do?" Wistoria asks.
"Perhaps the bond was incomplete. We will have him try again." Crest says while observing Miura with interest.
"He'll be pierced again? Will that even work?" Heloica asks.
"Do we have a choice? Right now, he's our only hope. As much as the rest of you don't want to acknowledge it… he is." Crest says seriously.
Heloica stares at him for a moment before speaking.
"If that's the case, it would be wise for Anyachi and her crew to watch over him for now. We don't know what might happen if we attempt two bonds in a single day. Let's try again tomorrow."
"You're right." Crest agrees.
"Okay then." Heloica says.
"Anyachi!"
Anyachi steps away from Miura and kneels again.
"That's right, kneel." Miura says with a snarky look.
Anyachi responds by playfully baring her teeth at him.
"As of now, you are Miura's personal knight." Heloica declares.
"Yes si—Ehh?!" Anyachi blurts out.
"Eh?!" Miura echoes in shock.
"Is there a problem with that?" Heloica asks.
"No, sir." Anyachi replies, though she looks at Miura with clear frustration.
"Yes there is!! She practically killed me! And in case you missed it, she's a stuck-up bitch!" Miura shouts.
"Calm down, Miura. It's just for a short time… okay? Never again after that." Crest says with an awkward laugh.
"Exactly! Now stop whining like a child. You should be honored. A battalion leader is acting as your personal knight." Veldoria says smugly.
"Hey! I didn't ask for your opinion, boobs for brain." Miura snaps, pointing at her.
"Boobs for brain? Oh my." Esdolte chuckles.
"I'm going to kill you!" Veldoria shouts angrily.
"You practically already did. Actually, all of you practically ordered her to kill me… and just watched." Miura says bitterly.
"Did we?" Crest laughs awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
"Without context, we do look evil." Wistoria says with a laugh.
"There was nothing funny about that situation, shorty." Miura says, pointing at him.
"Shorty? You crack me up!" Wistoria laughs harder.
"That was an insult, you know." Miura sighs tiredly.
"Miura, you must be exhausted from all this—physically and mentally. Go take a break. Later, Anyachi will brief you on everything you need to know." Crest says.
"I want to hear it from you." Miura replies seriously.
"Uh…" Crest pauses, sensing the shift in Miura's tone.
He smiles.
"We have an important summit to attend."
"We're actually late because of you. You surprised us, dude." Wistoria chuckles.
"Summit?" Miura asks.
"Yes. It's the first of the Five Summits of Nations, and we all have to attend. If you can wait until I return, we'll have a one-on-one talk." Crest explains.
"You're sure?" Miura asks sternly.
"Yeah." Crest replies with a smile.
"Fine. You better keep your word." Miura says.
"Anyachi, show him to the quarters." Crest orders.
Anyachi and Miura leave the summoning hall.
"This is an unexpected turn of events… but one thing I know is that boy will be the one to finally save us all." Crest says as the others rise and exit the hall with him.
---
"If we take that sword, His Majesty will be pleased." a shadowy figure whispers.
"Yeah… you're right. He'll finally acknowledge us." another voice says.
"This is our chance to steal the Sword of Heroes and show the Lord that we're worthy of his allegiance." a third shadowy figure adds.
The shadows fade, revealing two male and one female horned figures standing in the darkness.