I thought I was ready for it. I wasn’t. As the old man braced himself to explain further, a strange tightness settled in my chest. Still, I met his eyes, ready for whatever would come next.

  “I think…” I muttered. “Midori pointed at it too, but she didn't give much details.”

  “She probably didn’t know, young lord,” he said. “Very few people ever saw our lord reach that final stage. And the moment he lost himself… was the moment we lost the war too.”

  “I’m… sorry to hear that—”

  “It’s fine, young lord,” he cut me off, “let’s start with the one you’re already experiencing then.”

  “Which one?”

  “Fury. At this stage, your blood feels like it’s boiling. Your body heats up, fire seems ready to shoot from your eyes, but nothing changes outwardly. Pain and fear vanish, and all your focus locks on whatever made you angry.”

  “I think… I've been through all of these, yes.”

  “But, young lord, you must have noticed by now,” he went on, “even at this first stage, you can easily hurt the people you care about, maybe even kill them. And the longer you stay here, the closer you get to the next stage.”

  “But this can be stopped, right? I mean, Midori said love can hold it back…”

  “Yes, she's right. Love is the opposite of rage. Like water poured on fire, it can calm it. But it all depends on how big the fire is and how much water you have. And for the next stage… love alone isn’t enough.”

  “Frenzy, right? Can that be stopped too or?”

  “Not impossible, but the problem, young lord,” he said, “is that by then your heart has already darkened. You can’t feel love anymore, so even those you care about can’t pull you back. Only a strong will from inside can save you. That’s where many demons fail and drop.”

  “I see,” I muttered, eyes wide as the danger sank in. “So I must avoid it at all costs. But if I cross it anyway… will I know?”

  “Sure,” he said, looking into my eyes. “Your black eyes turn red, even spitting flames. Your muscles grow, your veins swell, and your body becomes stronger. But don’t be fooled, young lord. Your heart darkens, your soul shrinks, and even if you look invincible outside, you’re rotting inside.”

  “This,” I said, rubbing my forehead, trying to remember. “Red eyes, a massive body… It reminded me of the old Demon Lord. Yet he wasn't fully gone, he still remembered his people and even told me to protect you.”

  The old man’s eyes suddenly welled up, his lips trembling. He couldn’t keep up the act of being strong and wise anymore.

  “That means," he said, "our lord fought for a long time just to hold on to those memories…” his voice turned rough, “it must have been very hard for him.”

  “I see, so this is also a matter of willpower. Okay, the last one. You said there’s no return, right? Has no one ever come back?”

  “Ferality is still a mystery, young lord. Only our lord ever reached it without his soul shattering, and even he couldn’t endure it long. The change… was terrifying.”

  “…What kind of change?”

  “At that stage, our lord was no longer in his natural form. Horns grew, fangs and even a tail followed, claws too… his whole body twisted into a crimson, scaled monster. Sometimes, we even saw him drop to all fours and—”

  “I think that’s enough,” I cut him off fast.

  The old man was clearly in pain as he spoke. I couldn’t push him further, and I’d learned more than enough for one day. I needed to change the topic. So I asked the question that had been nagging me the most.

  “Uh... thanks for the warning and all, but I care more about preventing it. If I always stay with Midori, will that stop me from reaching the next stages?”

  “It depends on your bond with her, young lord, and the threat driving you into berserk. Still, it’s wise to keep her and Lady Aoi close, especially in the human lands.”

  “Why Aoi too?”

  “You made a soul bond with her, didn’t you? I just guess from her human form.”

  “Yes, but why does that matter?”

  “It matters, young lord. A soul bond isn’t just for sharing power. It’s more than that. The one bonded to you will care for you, trust you, and stay loyal more than anyone else.”

  "What?!"

  Those words hit me like a cold slap. Memories with Midori flashed through my mind. In such a short time, we had grown close, way too close. So that was it. Aoi as well. My bond with her was already strong enough that I would die for her without a second thought.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Was any of it our choice? Did they ever choose to care about me at all? The thought felt wrong. Like demons born already kneeling to a lord they never asked for. A bond not earned, just forced on them. It sank into my chest, and refused to move.

  “So, it's..." I muttered, "just another curse…”

  “What? No, no,” the old man said with a forced smile. “Don’t confuse a soul bond with berserk, young lord. Not at all.”

  “Why not? Aren’t they both out of our control? Rage or love, what’s the difference?”

  “I wouldn’t put it that way,” he said, stroking his beard and narrowing his eyes. “The soul bond doesn’t force feelings. It just makes what’s already there stronger. Think of it like family, young lord. The love and respect run deeper than with anyone else.”

  To be honest, that eased my mind a little, but taking more than I deserved… it still felt wrong. The uneasiness was already settling in, and I knew it would linger for a while.

  “I… I don’t even know what family is,” I muttered, sinking further. “I lost them before I ever got the chance to be with them.”

  “Ah, I’m sorry, young lord. I didn't mean to bring your—”

  

  Suddenly, the library door burst open as if the entire mansion were on fire and we were the only ones inside. The servant stumbled in, pale from panic, struggling to catch her breath.

  “L-lord… the ladies…" she said, still gasping, "they’re fighting in the back yard!”

  “What?!” I jumped to my feet and bolted to the door. “How did this happen? When?”

  I didn’t wait for her answer. I ran to the back door. And yes, the two idiots were there, glaring at each other and ready to duel. Then I noticed the table by the door. A single slice of bacon sat on a plate, with two chopsticks stabbed into it at wild angles, like some kind of savage art piece.

  “I said I touched it first!” Midori yelled.

  “You already ate a lot, you glutton! That last one was mine!”

  In one swift move, Midori grabbed all the stones above her head. My eyes went wide, I lunged, but before I could even reach, she hurled them at Aoi.

  “If you’re that hungry, eat these then!”

  Aoi lazily waved her hand. A swirling vortex of water burst around her, catching stones from the air and turning them into flying shrapnel. I barely raised a wall of fire in time, but the stones still smashed the mansion’s windows one by one.

  

  “Aah!”

  I turned and saw the servant, shaking under the falling glass with a plate stacked high with bacon. That was enough to push me over the edge. The poor demons were showing the utmost respect, while my idiot monster friends were busy smashing windows. I took a few long strides toward them.

  “Enough!” I barked, my voice echoed all around the yard.

  They both froze. Aoi’s water vortex vanished. Midori’s remaining stones fell one by one.

  “How long will you two keep this up, huh?” I snapped, pointing at the shattered windows. “Until nothing here is left behind?”

  “I— Uh, I can explain…” Midori stammered, taking careful steps toward me.

  “Oh, so...” Aoi said, walking toward me. “Is this what they call berserk?” She yanked me close, pressing my head to her chest and gently stroking my hair. “Then I think this might calm your fire,” she whispered.

  In an instant, my anger vanished. I felt calm again. Then I realized it wasn’t just Midori. Aoi had helped pull me back too, just like the old man said. While I was still in shock, Midori let go of her tight hug and pulled me back.

  “Are you stupid? I’m the only one here—” she started, but when she saw my anger was long gone, she stopped.

  “I think,” I said, “we need to talk, now…”

  I walked toward the mansion, with them following behind. I grabbed the slice of bacon from the table, the only loot from this pointless fight, and shoved it into my mouth. Passing the servant, I snatched the plate from her hands too.

  “I’ll take this,” I said, and went inside, biting into it.

  When we got to my room, they went ahead and sat on the bed. I pulled the chair and sat across from them. They stared at me like hungry kids, drool almost coming out, while I stuffed my mouth like a savage.

  “Okay,” I said, mouth full. “I learned some new things from the old man about berserk and this soul bond. And there’s something about the bond thing I need to check with you two—”

  

  Aoi lazily reached for the plate to steal a slice. I smacked her hand at the last second. “...Now, where was I,” I said, shoving another slice into my mouth. “He told me the soul bond also kind of forces us to love each other.”

  “What?!” Midori said, almost yelling.

  “Wait, what kind of love is this?” Aoi asked, playing with her hair, her cheeks slightly red, making me tense.

  “It’s definitely not the kind you die for,” Midori snapped, rolling her eyes.

  “This is what worries me,” I said, my chest tight. “The old man said the bond is like family, some strong love and deep respect. I want to know how much of that is—”

  “Fake, right? Short answer. None,” Midori said, glancing at Aoi. “I don’t know about this one, but I get why you’re anxious. So relax. I owe you my life, after all. Don’t you dare doubt my feelings.” She stared at me sharply.

  “Okay,” I said to Midori. “You owe me your life.” Then to Aoi. “And I owe you mine, sort of...” I paused. “But that’s not all. You stopped my berserk just now, Aoi. And I've already started to feel a strong pull toward you right after the bond.”

  I clearly chose the wrong words. Midori’s eyes went wide, like she might leap at me and strangle me any second. Aoi, on the other hand, puffed out her chest and brushed her hair back, cheeks blushed.

  “Well, I need to think about it—”

  “No, no!” I waved my hands in panic. “Not that. Definitely not that. I mean the family type of bond. I don’t even fully get it, but that’s what I meant.”

  My face started to heat up. I had to change the subject fast before my cheeks also turned red.

  “Anyway, Midori,” I said, waving it off. “Will you be ready tonight?”

  “…Huh?!” she gaped at me. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “Forget that snail,” Aoi said, waving her hand and narrowing her eyes at me. Then she added in a whisper, “I’m always at your serv—”

  “Mana! I mean mana,” I cut in fast, before she made it worse. Then I turned to Midori. “Can you gather enough to teleport us?”

  “I’m not sure about tonight, but early morning for sure,” she said, glancing at Aoi. “As much as it hurts to admit, sleeping next to this pants wetting worm helps me recover faster.”

  “Shut up, you slimy bug! You should be grateful I even let you taste my leftovers.”

  “Alright, alright. Early morning it is. You can go now,” I said. My eyes then fell on the last slice of bacon. I split it in two and, half-heartedly, held it out to them.

  Midori snatched hers in a flash. Aoi lunged and grabbed hers with her mouth like a hungry shark, nearly taking my finger too. I glared at her, horrified.

  “That was scary. Very scary. Don’t do that again, please.”

  After sending them off, I stood by the window and stared outside. This might be my last look at the demon town. By the time I came back, they would likely be gone to their homeland. And I had no idea how long I would stay in the human lands. Then the goddess’s words echoed in my head. It felt like it would be a long time.