"Let others deal with those annoying matters. We risked our lives to win a war; there's no reason we should have to handle the cleanup too."
Shade looked at the drink in the glass before him.
"Though I can rest a little during this time, I doubt it'll be long—one or two months at most—before I have to set out again."
Mr. Albert smiled, a rare sight.
"This toast is to you."
He raised his glass, and Shade did the same.
"Allow me to offer you my respect as well. Without you, without everyone else, I could never have resolved this matter on my own."
The two clinked glasses. Only after tasting the free Rye Beer did Shade ask the most important question.
"How are you really doing now? Things have grown worse every time, and the story of the eighth Chosen One will probably be even harder to deal with. Both this world and I need your strength."
The Coroner in the hooded robe shook his head.
"Just as I told you yesterday, I am currently sealed. What you see before you is merely a Radiance Avatar. It could also be called my main body, but the power I can wield is limited."
"Can't you temporarily break through the seal somehow? Perhaps with some miraculous little item, letting you become light again, then control that powerful Stone Body hidden away for battle and rush to the battlefield to help us. Even if there's a time limit, it would still be fine. You can fly, after all."
Shade asked eagerly, but the black-haired Coroner regretfully shook his head.
"Even with the aid of death and earth, allowing me to appear in the form of an avatar, the cost of an Ancient God divine art is not so easily overcome."
Seeing