There's no stairs to the next level.
What about ・・・・・・?



After mooching Black Cat for a moment and being satisfied, I was about to move on to the next level when Amelia said that.
I narrowed my eyes and looked around the boss room.
It's a large, bleak room with a single door.
That door is the door I used to enter.
And it can't be opened from here.
Indeed, there were no stairs to the bottom that should have been there before.



''Even if it's not, it's probably my fault.''



Black Cat muttered after shaking her body and making a large lack of movement.
Two cold stares pierced through.
That gaze was telling me to explain exactly what it was all about.



''Since it's the boss's room, there's no way the labyrinth would allow me, who was the boss, to be alive.''



Huffing and puffing in self-mockery, the Black Cat quietly lowered its golden eyes.



'That's why I told you to kill him. Do you want to starve to death here? After all, non-Demonic races and demons are incompatible.''



I looked at the ground and thought of a solution to the black cat muttering sadly.
It's annoying to back down like this.



'Sure, killing you would be the easiest thing to do.
'But I'm not ready to give up.'



Amelia's voice causes me and Black Cat to look up.
Amelia stared at Black Cat.
Gold and red crossed.



'You say you have a hand?'
・・・・・・ Akira can name it.
'Name?'



What meaning is there in naming them?
Amelia and Black Cat nodded their heads to each other while I nodded my head.



I see, so that means I am no longer the boss of this place and can get out of this room!
'It will work. Besides, if the transformation makes you smaller, you look like just a black cat. No one will wonder if you go out in public.
'I see, so let's get right to it, man! Name me!
'Wait, wait, you need to explain yourself.'



I panicked as the Black Cat looked like it was about to pounce on me.
In case you're wondering, Black Cat is smaller than a dragon, but bigger than us.
I'm confident I can catch it, but it's very powerful.



'You will be my master, then.'
You're skipping ahead.



I certainly didn't say where I came from, but I don't think even a normal person would be able to understand the explanation now.

I turned to Amelia, leaving Black Cat too excited to talk.
Amelia's cheeks were a little red, as if she was a little excited too.
But it's better than Black Cat.



'Only the demon race can control demons. But once every few hundred years, there are people who have a connection with demons. It's been happening for longer than I was born.



Amelia took a breath there.



''It was the first hero-sama who came up with the idea of naming demons. By naming them, he created a real connection between people and demons.



Also, the name of the first hero came up again.
Only this first hero is supposed to be someone from a long time ago, but there's a lot of things left over from the burnout.



What's the true connection?
''First of all, the person who named it can identify the location of the demon wherever it goes.



Well, that's certainly convenient.
There will be no more distractions.
But it also means that the demon will not be free...



The only thing left to do is for both of you to learn the magic of telepathic communication.
Is that something that allows you to talk without saying it out loud?
I've never used it, but maybe it.



That's a pretty big deal.
Black Cat can talk, so that's good, but normal demons can't talk.
That's probably what it's for.

I mean, why can this guy talk?



'The connection cannot be made without mutual consent. Neither can blackmailing someone into doing it.
"But once they are linked, if both parties agree to stay connected, they will be together until death.
・・・・・・ until the moment of death?



The Black Cat nodded that it was so.
It felt as if its face was smirking, mindfully.



'If one of us dies while connected, the other dies too. That's the deal.
That's great.



It's a hell of a lot better than a lifetime of scars and constant pain.
Pain is worse than death for me.

I can feel Amelia's concerned look, but I'm fine with it.
It's true that I'm afraid to die, but as long as Amelia is with me, there's no way I'm going to die.



Are you sure it's a person?
'No, I'm already in the realm of the great monster or monsters.
'Otherwise, I'd be challenging you again.'



I smiled back at Black Cat, who laughed deep in his throat with a crooked smile.
And at the same time, I tighten my expression.



'Then put your hands on top of each other.'



At the sound of Amelia's voice, I walked over to the still motionless Black Cat and laid my own hands on its large paws.



'Akira, what's your name?'



I nodded and met its golden eyes.
I think I know what the line to say was.



'My name is Akira Oda. I am the one who will be your Lord. I will give you a name.
'A new Lord, Oda Akira. I will go with you everywhere. One of you will die, and then I will be with you.
Your name is... Yoru. Named after that beautiful, night sky-like hair.
"Yol... good name. "From now on, my name is Jor and I swear to serve you.
'It's good to see you, Night.'



A white light enveloped us, wrapping us in a warm embrace.
I'm sure you'll be able to find a great deal more to say about this.

This is what you call a connection.

Amelia stepped forward and laid her hand on top of mine.
The white light has disappeared before I know it.



'Nice to hear from you too, Jor.
'The same, please, Miss Amelia.
Yeah. You'll find that the crest on your forehead looks good on you, too. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.



I'm sure you'll be able to find a good deal more than you think.
You'll be able to get a good idea of what you're looking for.
And a white crest with the same pattern was also on the forehead of the night.



'It's like the only visible sign of connection.
'Now you can go with me in the clear, Lord Lord.
"Your master is the Demon King.
"The Second Lord," as they say. Don't worry about the details.



You're so general.

I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.
Somehow, it seems similar to that magic circle that caused me to come to this world.



''Just as you predicted, the path to the next one has opened up.
''But Yol still can't move.
''Transformation uses a large amount of magic and doesn't kill you, but if you're fatally wounded, you won't be able to move for two or three days.''



I was the one who inflicted the fatal wound, though.

I spread out the food I had in my emergency kit for now.



This is a safe zone. Let's take our time. In the meantime, you'll be listening to my story.
Yeah, and I'll tell you mine.



The more you talk, the closer we get to each other.
That's all I'm saying.