In a secluded grove outside the Imperial Capital, Greg deactivated the Abyss-Edge Armor.
The pitch-black armor dissolved into wisps of shadow, revealing his true appearance.
"Phew~ Finally safe."
Greg had barely breathed a sigh of relief when the Belt-Type Magic Device at his waist let out a piercing buzz. Then, with a puff, black smoke billowed from it, and the entire device burst into flames from the overload.
"So I really did leave it activated too long."
Greg hurriedly unfastened it and threw it onto the ground, watching it slowly warp in the flames until it became a heap of scrap metal.
The two High-Grade Gems set into it had also turned into grayish-white fragments after their magic power was completely exhausted. The slightest touch reduced them to powder.
He crouched down beside the scrap metal and powder, his mouth twitching in anguish.
Those two High-Grade Gems and that Magic Device had all been valuable. It would be a lie to say it didn't hurt to see them ruined after a single use.
But on second thought, they had certainly delivered their full value, keeping him alive and allowing him to complete his mission.
From that perspective, it hadn't been a bad deal.
"Ah, rest in peace."
Greg buried the ruined Magic Device in the soil.
The only trouble left for him now was figuring out how to explain to Alice, once he returned, that he had secretly taken the Magic Device and accidentally destroyed it.
After all, Alice had placed so much importance on the Magic Device before that she certainly wouldn't accept this easily.
Greg rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
But since things weren't entirely over yet, he could only set that worry aside for now and hurry to Wendy's hiding place.
"Bishop!"
When Wendy