After we had eaten, I suggested that Anthalia and the others rest. If they regained their energy now, we could continue the journey without a break the next morning.

  Starko'gus, for his part, settled down against a tree. Although he hadn't felt sick during the journey, keeping up that exhausting pace certainly took its toll. Now only he, I and young Dait were awake.

  I decided that I would keep watch for a while longer, but I didn't want this moment to turn into an uncomfortable silence.

  “Dait, how do you feel?” I asked, looking at him through the crackling flames.

  He blinked, surprised.

  “Satouma-sama? Why do you ask?”

  I shrugged.

  “Don't worry, I just wanted to talk. Now that you're in my charge, I need to be aware of your condition. But I guess I was a bit vague... Actually, I want to know how you feel after your evolution.”

  Dait's eyes lit up and his posture straightened a little.

  “Oh yes! I feel amazing! My strength has increased a lot, and even my body has changed, as you can see.”

  A smile tugged at the corners of my lips.

  “You seem excited... That's good, I suppose. I've noticed that even your flames are stronger.”

  Dait nodded vigorously.

  “Yes, thanks to evolution! Before that, I couldn't even create a fireball without getting exhausted. Now... I feel like I can do so much more!”

  His enthusiasm was palpable. I didn't know how far evolution could take him, but if Dait kept training, he might become much stronger than I imagined.

  And I would have to be ready to deal with that.

  “I didn't know that orcs could use magic too... I mean, the others don't seem to know that,” I commented, crossing my arms.

  Starko'gus let out a low sound, almost a laugh.

  “Orcs are considered a primitive species, just like some others. However, there are a few lucky ones among them who have an aptitude for magic. If your young orc were to gain experience and refine his skills, he could be considered a Majin when he reaches his peak.”

  “Majin?” I frowned.

  “Unlike the more common races, such as humans, elves and even us dwarves, a few exceptional individuals receive this title. Majins are rare among ordinary monsters, but among demons and celestials, this category is more frequent. They are extraordinary beings.”

  Another unexpected revelation.

  So Dait really was a unique case among orcs. And, as I understand it, ordinary monsters with magical abilities could be classified as Majins. If the ability to use magic was common among orcs, perhaps they wouldn't have needed my help in their assault on the ants.

  “Speaking of which... Gashdo's son. Wasn't he a named monster? Could he use magic too?” I asked.

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  Dait shook his head.

  “I'm not sure. I was little at the time, but none of us orcs could use magic. The leader's son Gash, however, was one of the strongest in the village. He protected us from the greatest dangers and guided us to the right places.”

  “Do you know who named him?” I asked, trying to hide the curiosity that was beginning to grow inside me.

  “I'm not sure, but...” he hesitated for a moment, as if the words that followed weren't easy to remember. “On one of the expeditions he returned from, he mentioned that a demon had named him. After that, he became the protector of our village.”

  I frowned thoughtfully.

  “Hmm...” I muttered, with a thoughtful expression. “I thought that named monsters always gained the ability to use magic freely.”

  At least, that was the case for me. Thanks to Syphus' nomination, I inherited some of his gifts, and my strength and magic increased dramatically.

  Still, it was strange.

  I hadn't fully digested Starko'gus' explanation of the Majins, but now the idea of demons going around naming monsters seemed surreal. In my world, this concept would have a completely different interpretation, but somehow, I could picture them clearly.

  “This naming concept is a bit confusing...” Starko'gus continued. “Some gain extraordinary strength, others increase their magical abilities to unimaginable levels. But it all depends on the power and intention of the one who appoints them.”

  “So, if I were stronger magically, the orcs could evolve even further?” I asked, my mind trying to process the impact of this. The idea that my strength could influence the beings around me so much made me both intrigued and apprehensive.

  “It's possible... but also unpredictable,” he replied, as if each word had been carefully chosen. “Naming is a ritual of great importance. Depending on the will of the namer, a monster can evolve into something great... or end up in a not-so-favorable situation.” The last part sounded almost like a warning, something I couldn't ignore.

  I understood between the lines.

  I appointed them thinking only of protecting them, with no intention of using them for evil... or even for the good of others. I just wanted them to live their lives as they wished.

  “About this named orc...” Starko'gus continued. “I don't know his true origin, but for him to have received this privilege, perhaps the demon who appointed him was trying to recruit him for his lord's army.”

  “His lord...” I muttered, narrowing my eyes as I tried to process the information. “You mean a Demon Lord, right?”

  He raised an eyebrow, as if evaluating every word I said.

  “Are you familiar with the term?”

  The answer came to me immediately, but I preferred to measure my words.

  “Vaguely. And before you jump to any wrong conclusions... No, I wasn't appointed by a demon. Much less do I belong to one of their armies.”

  Starko'gus let out a low, almost amused laugh, as if I'd said something unusual.

  “It didn't even cross my mind, but...” He paused, his eyes fixed on me with an expression I couldn't decipher. “After meeting you, that idea became even more unlikely.”

  I sighed inside. I really wanted it to be that simple.

  I tried to pull myself together and took a step forward, feeling the weight of the conversation.

  “A Demon Lord's strengths vary, you know. Some followers swear allegiance spontaneously, without any kind of ceremony. Others go through the same nomination process, as in my case. And, in rare cases, one species leader can take control over the others, imposing a new order.” I paused for a moment, wondering if he would understand the complexity of what I had just said.

  My mind began to connect the dots.

  If that demon had appointed Gashdo's son, then what was his real objective? Simply to strengthen the village? Or was there something bigger going on behind the scenes?

  “To take down the leader of a species...” I muttered, thoughtfully.

  Starko'gus, with his casual calm, didn't seem to mind. “Is there a problem?”

  “None... I was just daydreaming a bit... By the way, Dait, how was your stay in the dwarf kingdom?” I asked, trying to turn the conversation around.

  Starko'gus immediately seemed to notice the sudden change of subject; the conversation was beginning to take an uncomfortable turn. He paused and, it seemed, was looking for ways to shift the focus.

  “I'm also curious to know. Each species has a distinct experience in my old home.” Starko'gus added, with a curious tone.

  Dait, who normally didn't talk much about his past, let out a deep sigh before answering.

  “I may not remember many details, but I'll make an effort. We took a long time to get to the kingdom, but we didn't stay there for long. Our species wasn't welcome because of hostile behavior...” he replied, his voice a little lower.

  “Hostile behavior?” I asked, unable to keep from being curious.

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