My eyes widened the moment I heard Reika's voice.
Perfect timing.
I'd been just about to activate Mortis Lucida or, failing that, go for the trump card. Not that either was ideal. Mortis Lucida wasn't something you just used whenever things got messy—it was more of a "once-per-lifetime" kind of technique. According to Meilyn, it gave you something close to enlightenment. Vague, ominous, and suspiciously useful, which meant it was best saved for when the world really wanted to end.
But with Reika arriving, I didn't need to burn through my emergency rations just yet.
She'd grown. She was strong now—strong enough that I could trust her to have my back. She always said she wanted to become my sword, and it turned out she meant it. The kind of sword that didn't break when you leaned on it. The kind of sword that swung back.
She cut through the Dullahan's guard just enough, giving me an opening. I didn't waste it.
