'So that's what he was going to handle...'

  We had walked past the reception area into what seemed to be the building's main feature.

  It was a massive room with a dome-shaped ceiling, as well as complicated sigils inscribed into just about every surface.

  "This may be an unusual experience. If either of you feel sick afterward, let us know, and we can see about getting you appropriate medicine," Zaitenmodi had warned us.

  And then, if the sigils weren't enough to betray the room's arcane purpose while dormant, they certainly were as they began to glow.

  The light seemed reflective of Zaitenmodi somehow, as if it were ultimately coming from him. His body carried a glow that was similar to the energy flowing through the room.

  However, if it was mana... the technique he'd taught me to feel my own mana still did not let me sense the mana around me, so I had no real way of knowing.

  And once the sigils were apparently fully saturated with mana...

  Space twisted.

  Just like that, we were somewhere else.

  It wasn't too unlike the portals, but a bit harsher.

  Of course, my body was pretty much built for that kind of thing, so I was still perfectly fine, but that wasn't true of most people.

  Lilac even had a bit of trouble going through the portals, so she was certain to be a bit queasy after a jump like that.

  And my guess was correct. She didn't look too good.

  "Zaitenmodi," I spoke up. "Lilac is weak even to portals. Please warn us next time. She might need medicine, but I'm not sure what's safe for her to take."

  All the men around us froze up for some reason while I was talking.

  'Are they sick too?'

  But Zaitenmodi approached Lilac, getting down on one knee to take a closer look at her.

  Then he ran his hand over her forehead, and an oddly calming green light briefly enveloped her.

  "I'll see to her care once we arrive, but that should hold her over until then."

  "(How do you feel?)" I asked her myself to confirm whether whatever he'd done had actually worked.

  "(Um... I felt sick... but now I don't...?)"

  She seemed a bit bewildered, but otherwise okay, at least for the moment, so I accepted his answer.

  "(Sorry about that. We should get you something to help with these things.)"

  She still liked having her head pat for some reason, so I did just that.

  After letting us be for that brief moment, Zaitenmodi spoke up again.

  "By the way, you're still free to continue denying me if you wish, but you may still call me Zai, Uncle Zai, or even papa, while you stay here."

  "We're still not related," I responded. "But why do you want me to?"

  I didn't really mind doing it if he had a good reason.

  For some reason, he smiled before answering.

  "Calling me by my name is an honor granted to very few. It is a bit of a faux pas to do so. There are a wide number of permissible euphemisms and titles, ranging from 'your imperial majesty' to even 'the emperor.' Even calling me the demon king would be preferable."

  "So calling you Zaitenmodi is illegal here? Is Zai or papa allowed, then?"

  "Oh, no. Those would be an even greater faux pas than my name. However, it is very amusing seeing my servants react to you doing so, and I believe it would be even more amusing if you called me by a nickname instead."

  Honestly, I wanted to reject him outright, since that didn't sound like a good reason at all.

  In fact, it seemed like something that'd invite a whole lot of trouble.

  But then again, he was the emperor. I didn't really have a good reason to disrespect him in his own home... even if his request was to treat him in a disrespectful manner.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  It was a bit rude of me to be so cold toward my host.

  "Sure. Zai, though. I did have a father, even if it was a long time ago."

  "I see. We wouldn't want to disrespect him then."

  I glanced back at the men who were escorting us, or at the very least, who were helping carry all of our luggage.

  'Ah. So that's why they all turned pale.'

  ***

  Looking around, I wondered where we'd been teleported to.

  It was a room similar to the one we'd left. If the sensation hadn't been familiar, I almost might not have noticed the differences at first.

  Shortly after we arrived, there was a bit of bustle from some of Zaitenmodi's men, as they left the room... but most of the group stayed behind, including Zaitenmodi himself.

  As I was wondering what was going on, he explained without looking my way, "There are a lot of old ceremonies and rituals in this dusty palace. However, even minute chaos at the empire's heart may magnify into serious problems at its edges, so do be patient with my servants."

  Telling an immortal to be patient was a bit funny.

  Though me actually laughing out loud must have spoiled the joke, because everyone was staring at me again, this time even Zaitenmodi.

  This time it was in bewilderment rather than sickly fear, but it was awkward all the same.

  'Did I do something weird again?'

  But I'd never been in Naraka before, so even I couldn't guess what misstep I'd taken this time.

  I found myself yearning for my distant mountain home, and reminded myself that I was here for Lilac's sake.

  'Although... I could try to help her become a bit more self-dependent...'

  Though... with how attached she was to me... I didn't have much hope it'd actually work.

  My musing was interrupted as some of the men opened the doors to the mystical chamber.

  Zaitenmodi walked forward, so I followed.

  Savi and Lilac followed me in turn, of course.

  They led outside.

  It wasn't easy seeing very far back in the chaotic marketplace, but we'd been transported to an alien garden landscape that gave a much clearer view of our surroundings, including of the blood red sky above.

  We were in what seemed almost like a small village, although small definitely wasn't the right word for it.

  Paved roads led to all sorts of buildings, but even the smaller ones, like the massive hall we'd just left, were small only in comparison, and they all looked incredibly ornate.

  In other words, if it was a village, those who dwelt in it must have been extraordinarily wealthy.

  Even though there were whole sections in the distance that were walled off, the decidedly large walls weren't quite tall enough to obscure the manors that were beyond them.

  If Zaitenmodi pointed at any one in particular and claimed it was his palace, I would have trouble doubting him.

  The grass surrounding the roads was a rust-like red color that reminded me a bit of the Red Forest. What I'd initially thought to be black plants of all varieties of species seemed, under further scrutiny, to instead be iron sculptures.

  Although we'd done a bit of walking to get this far, we apparently weren't expected to continue on foot to our destination, because there were also a bunch of carriages, led by black horses that had glowing red eyes.

  Each one looked fancy, but the one Zaitenmodi walked toward seemed by far the most over-the-top in that regard, having various metals that all seemed valuable, as if he weren't content simply featuring just a single precious metal like gold or silver.

  Even I wasn't sure what they all were at a glance.

  As I followed him, one of the men tried to intercept Savi and Lilac.

  He began to speak. However, since he suddenly moved toward Lilac, my body had moved on its own.

  Everything really happened in an instant.

  My hand went for my sword.

  The man in question didn't seem to notice, but two others began to react immediately.

  I nearly sliced through the nearest one's neck when he moved toward me.

  It only didn't connect because Zaitenmodi himself raised a finger, and all of his men were sent flying away from me.

  Although I noticed the gesture in my peripheral vision, something about it both demanded attention and gave a strong impression that it was the cause of that. It was probably more of his magic.

  "Those who held no violence in their hearts toward my guests may stand. Those who sought any of them harm need not breathe my air any longer. You may live, should you find a way out of my domain before your lungs collapse."

  Of course, since I'd only moved instinctively, I wasn't really sure what had just happened. I had to piece the events together in my head.

  Curiously, despite his haughty claims... everyone stood back up.

  But I could tell his words weren't just an empty threat. Just like that time he'd killed people or broken those handcuffs open with a word, there was a strange weight to his words. Just like there was a strange weight to the gesture that led to them all getting knocked back in the first place.

  "It seems there was a misunderstanding then. As you can see, none of them had meant you any harm, Na?s. Would you care to explain why you approached her?"

  The first one to approach spoke up. "Servants aren't allowed in the imperial carriage. I sought to save lady Na?s's retainers from making an error."

  "I saw lady Na?s reach for her sword," another added. "I moved to stop her from hurting someone, or possibly getting herself hurt. I did not expect someone without combat Skills to move so quickly, but I should have known better, as she is also a heavenly ruler."

  "I was of the same mind," the third said simply.

  "I see. And Na?s, you reached for your sword," Zaitenmodi said as his attention shifted to me.

  I nodded. I had done that.

  Then a brief moment later, I realized he was probably hoping for an explanation.

  But did I have one?

  "They suddenly moved toward Lilac, so my body moved on its own."

  "It was not a conscious decision?" Zaitenmodi asked, actually sounding a little perplexed.

  It was a bit funny coming from such an egotistical emperor, but I kept that to myself, and just shook my head.

  "It wasn't. Although I practiced with my father once a very long time ago, I did not master swordsmanship in a dojo, but by fighting for my life again and again."

  "There you have it," he said, breathing a sigh. "Blame not the beast for being wild. Have all who interact with her know her nature. As you say, you should have known better indeed. Though she looks like a child, she is still a divine beast at heart."

  Although Savi said I was something akin to a wild animal, and even Zaitenmodi himself said most bosses were divine beasts rather than people... it was still pretty odd being compared to one to others like that.

  Was I really like a wild animal to them?

  I couldn't even argue otherwise, since not only did I live in a cave, but it was definitely by preference.

  Was that the reason I'd become a boss in the first place...?