In the nurse's office, a large medical pod stood in the middle. Lala was at the control panel, tapping on the holographic keyboard, while Ryouko occasionally added potions to the pod.
Holding his little pet, the great demon king was enjoying a massage from Risa and Mio, who were dressed as maids. Seeing the slightly nervous Run, he said with a smile, "If you're scared, Run, we can do this another time."
Though he wanted to get rid of that extra guy, Ren, as soon as possible, if the girl was really scared, he wasn't in a hurry.
"No!"
"B-both Ren and I want to separate as soon as possible," Run said excitedly.
They had caused each other no end of embarrassing and troublesome situations since they were children. They were both sick of it.
"Mmm, if that's what you want, then let's continue."
"Don't be nervous. Didn't Mikado-sensei say it wouldn't be painful? Just think of it as taking a nap. When you wake up, you and Ren will be separated, and you'll be truly free."
He handed his little pet to the two little maids and pulled Run into his arms, comforting her as he stroked her ice-blue hair.
"Mmm…"
Snuggled in his embrace, the girl hummed in reply, her nervous heart gradually calming down.
"Everything is ready. Let's begin," Ryouko, in her white lab coat, said with a serious expression after a while.
"Go on. We'll be here watching over you," Sora said, kissing her forehead.
She nodded and stood up. Blushing shyly, Run took off her clothes, glanced at him one last time, and then lay down in the medical pod as instructed.
"Heehee… have a good nap, Run-chan! It'll be over in a bit!"
Lala waved at her with a giggle and pressed the start button. The pod door closed, sealing Run inside, and the machine began to operate.
Lala's ten long, slender fingers danced across the keyboard, adjusting the program, while Ryouko busied herself, occasionally adding various potions to the pod.
According to Ryouko's estimate, the separation process would take about two hours, which wasn't too long. Sora didn't plan on going anywhere. He sent Risa and Mio back to class and entertained himself by toying with his little pet. The time passed quickly.
"Nngh… that's strange…"
About an hour later, Lala's puzzled voice came from the side.
"What's wrong, Lala?"
Hearing her voice, Sora and Ryouko stood up and walked over, thinking something had gone wrong.
"I just detected a strange mass of energy inside Run-chan and Ren-chan. Look, this is it," Lala said, quickly typing on the keyboard and pulling up an image. In the diagrams of Run and Ren, there was indeed a mass of ice-blue energy, stretching and flowing.
"What is this?"
Frowning, Sora and Ryouko looked at each other, unable to identify it.
"Stop the separation," Sora said decisively after a moment's thought.
He didn't know what it was, and until he did, he wouldn't allow even a one-in-ten-thousand chance of it harming Run.
"Okay…"
A little worried about them as well, and since Sora had said so, Lala didn't hesitate and prepared to input the termination sequence.
But just then—
"Elemental energy…"
A cold voice came from the loli Rhea in his arms. She was nibbling on a piece of chocolate and spoke flatly.
"You know what that is?"
Slightly taken aback, Sora, Lala, and Ryouko all looked at Rhea.
"Yes… I do."
"But why should I tell you?"
She lifted her small head and gave him a cold, sarcastic look, then went back to her chocolate.
"Come on, tell your master what you know. When we get home, I'll make you delicious food and buy you lots and lots of snacks," the great demon king said with a smile, holding Rhea up a little higher, looking just like a creepy old man luring a little girl.
"Rhea, Rhea, I want to know too! Please tell us!" Lala pleaded, nuzzling her head against Rhea's, her eyes full of curiosity.
With a cold snort, Rhea remained unmoved. The fallen Valkyrie was feeling quite pleased with herself. You detestable Kusanagi Sora, so you have to beg me for something too?
Beg me, go on, beg me! But I won't tell you!
Seeing his little pet putting on airs, the great demon king was amused.
"My cute little pet, you seem to have forgotten your current situation. If you obediently tell your master, I'll reward you handsomely. Otherwise…"
With an endlessly wicked smile, he leaned in and whispered something in her ear.
"You demon!!!"
Hearing what he said, the loli Rhea looked up, her eyes filled with a murderous rage as she glared at him, her face flushed with shame and anger.
"Yes, I am a demon. Didn't you already know?" the great demon king replied with a smile, licking his lips.
"So, make your decision. Are you going to tell me or not?"
Sizing up his little pet, the great demon king sneered inwardly. From the day she was captured, she had been completely under his thumb.
Her expression was so grim it looked like it was about to drip water. Her black, heart-tipped tail was standing on end with rage. Looking at his detestable and wicked expression, the proud Valkyrie, after weighing her options, finally gave in with a hateful resentment.
"Elemental energy is a power that every race accumulates through continuous evolution. The ki of the Devilukeans, the light power of the Kirarian people—these are abilities gained by awakening the elemental energy in their genes and bloodline."
"The environment on Memorze is harsh. The entire planet is mostly hot, arid desert. After millions of years of adaptation and evolution, some Memorzorians awakened the power of extreme cold, the complete opposite of their environment."
Though clearly annoyed, with Rhea's explanation, Sora, Lala, and Ryouko roughly understood what was going on.
"I knew that some Memorzorians had the ability to control frost and ice, but I heard it was very rare for someone to awaken it. I never expected these two children to have such potential," Ryouko said with a nod, a look of awe and surprise on her face.
"So this is the principle of extremes meeting… Interesting…"
His worries allayed, Sora rubbed his chin, a smirk on his lips.
"That's great! Run-chan and Ren-chan can awaken their powers too!" Lala said, clapping her hands, genuinely happy for her two childhood friends.
"Hmph, don't get too happy just yet."
"That elemental energy is only enough for one of them to awaken their power. But as their bodies separate, the energy will be split in two, and in the end, with insufficient energy, neither of them will be able to awaken," Rhea snorted, pouring cold water on Lala's excitement.
"Heh… isn't that simple? We just have to concentrate all the elemental energy into one person."
"Lala, transfer all the elemental energy to Run's side. Can you do that?" Sora said, a strange light in his eyes.
"Mmm, I think so. Poor Ren-chan, but it can't be helped since he's not a girl…"
Completely thoughtless, Lala nodded and got to work. She tapped on the keyboard, controlling the ice-blue elemental energy and transferring it all to Run.
This way, Run would have enough energy to awaken her power, while Ren would just remain an ordinary Memorzorian.
"You really are a selfish bastard," Rhea said with a look of contempt, seeing him so unhesitatingly have Lala transfer all the energy to Run.
"I'm an evil demon king. Isn't it natural for me to be selfish?" the great demon king replied with a thick-skinned smile, choking Rhea with anger.
The rest of the time passed without incident. An hour later, the separation was complete, and the medical pod opened.
He lifted Run out. Not minding the smell of the various potions on her, he draped a blanket that Ryouko handed him over her.
"This thing is useless now. Better throw it away," he muttered, looking at the medical pod.
That guy Ren was probably still lying naked inside. To avoid polluting his and the girls' eyes, it was best to just get rid of it.
He waved his hand, and the entire medical pod flew out the window and became a twinkle in the sky.
Ryouko's eye twitched, but she said nothing.
"Run-chan, wake up! Wake up!"
Also not caring about Ren, who had been thrown away with the pod, Lala leaned over Run and called out to her.
"Nngh… Lala… Sora…"
Slowly opening her eyes, the still-drowsy Run looked around in a daze.
"Run, it's all over. That guy Ren has been separated from you. From now on, you are truly free…" Sora said softly, stroking her forehead.
Without that annoying guy in the way, Run was finally free.
And he could finally taste this delicious fruit…