If one were to stand anywhere near the little empress right now, they would be staggered by the immense amount of power emanating of her. Her sheer presence would make you want to bow down and kneel before her. The old Slyphia may have her own queenly presence but the way she is now is on a whole other level. You won't believe that the two is the same person.

And the shadow manifesting above her back certainly doesn't help.

Indeed, one with a sufficient amount of sensitivity will be able to tell that the real source of this phenomenon is the shadow. Alas, the shadow lacks any noticeable feature other than it has a vaguely humanoid form and that it has a deep blood red eyes that will terrify anyone it stares.

I believe that should be sufficient.

"A-are you... alright? Your soul..."

My soul is fine. This is merely my accumulated power that I have been storing for cases like this.

"T-then..."

I shall sleep once more. Oh, but before I go, I need to tell you something.

"W-what is it?"

The Corrupt Ones are getting stronger. You need to obtain more power at your side. That is why you must awaken her at once and perform the ritual to her.

"Y-yeah, about that... Kenji isn't exactly..."

Then train him. We do not have much time until the Enemy realizes our presence.

Then, the shadow disappears, leaving a quite confused and worried Slyphia.

xxx

"Ah, onee-chan! Onee-chan's coming back!"

"Hey now, Mia-chan. You're not supposed to get up! You're still weak after all!"

"Ehehehehe, sorry, onii-chan."

When the little empress comes back to her entourage, she sees that the little girl she had saved has finally regained her consciousness.

"Oh, she's awake?" Slyphia says to Kenji.

"Yeah, she's been awake since a while ago while you're fighting," Kenji answers. "And speaking of fighting, she really did a number on you, didn't she?" Kenji says, looking at Slyphia's torn robes.

The young empress sighs. "If not for Alice, I would've lost."

"Alice? She's spoken to you again?"

"Not just speak. She actually manifested this time."

"Ooh, so she's gotten stronger then?"

"Not exactly. She's only using her reserve power. She still can't really, truly manifest quite yet. I've told you she can only truly come back after we finish the final ritual."

"Still got a long way to go, huh?"

"Onii-chan, what are you talking about with Onee-chan?" Mia interrupts, feeling annoyed for being left out in the conversation.

"A-ah, sorry, Mia-chan. I'll explain it all to you later, I promise," Kenji answers with a nervous smile.

"Mia is your name, huh?" Slyphia interjects. "Have he told you about mine?"

"Yeah! You're Slyphia-neechan, right? Thanks for saving me!"

"So then, tell me about how you ended up back there in the middle of the desert. I assume it's not because of some silly matter like running away from home or something."

"L-let me tell you the story instead," Kenji interrupts. "She already experienced it enough as it is."

Thus, Kenji relates the tale on how Mia's people, the Sand Elves, were attacked by "a girl cloaked in a blazing flame", which obviously describes Claria, the Demon Princess with the power of a dragon, how she devoured her people in her flames. When asked for why she would do such a cruel act, she answered "Oh? Nothing in particular. It's just that, I need to eat first to boost my energy before fighting a certain foe. So you weaklings would be the perfect food for me."

"How horrible! I know that girl isn't exactly right in the head, but for her to go this far..." Slyphia comments. "Do not worry, Mia, for I have buried that demon beneath the sands. Your people is already avenged."

"Y-yeah..." Mia answered, face looking down as she feels disheartened. "I just... I just want Mama back..."

"Your mother?" Slyphia asks. "Is she?"

"She... she told me to run away while she distracted the dragon. And then... and then... while I'm running away... I can... I can hear her scream... But she told me not to look back so I didn't..."

Mia bursts into tears. Slyphia quickly embraces her towards her bosom.

"It's okay. It's okay. I promise you this. One day, we shall bring her back."

"Y-you can, Onee-chan?" Mia replies, wiping off her tears with her hand.

"Not me. But I know someone who can. And my quest is to bring that person here to this world once more."

"Yay! Onee-chan is the best!" Mia responds joyfully as she hugs the little empress back.

xxx

"So then, what should we do next?" Kenji asks after Slyphia and Mia's touching moment is over.

"Go inside the pyramid, of course," answered the empress. "We still haven't got what we came here for after all."

"I thought that demon princess would've stolen the item already."

"I doubt it. She's nowhere near bright enough for that."

"And about Mia?"

"Mia-chan's wanna go too!"

"Oh fine," Slyphia sighs. "It's safer if you go with us anyway."

"Yay! Yay! Yay!" Mia jumps with joy.

"But before we go, there's something we should do first..."

***

"Onii-chan, how do I look?"

"Hmm, I say that looks good on you!"

Mia prances around with her new clothing, a makeshift robe made out of the tattered remains of Slyphia's robe. Slyphia made it using some basic cutting and sewing magic. She thinks the protection the robe grants (for it's enchanted you see) will be more useful for her, in case she stumbles upon some random trap in the ruins later. And besides, she can't wear that robe of hers anymore.

"Man, I'm sure am glad your undergarments are of the real old-fashioned kind. Don't think I'll be able to focus when a girl beside me is only wearing a bra and a pair of panties," Kenji remarks, as he looks at Slyphia who's only wearing her chemise and drawers.

"Well then, I'm also glad that I am saved from the corruption, or else I'll be wearing some skimpy underwear right now. You know how I have to custom order these because all the undergarments available in my massive wardrobe back in the castle are all of the indecent kind?"

"The corruption modified this world that far, huh?"

"Indeed. All the more reason we should hurry in our task."

And thus, the empress and her hero, now joined by the little sand elf girl, continue forward on their journey.