Ragna pledging himself to her was the last thing Lydia would have ever imagined him doing. _Why would he do something like that?_ She wondered to herself as she watched his retreating back, him having moved before she could really even respond. _Why would he pledge himself to a girl he barely even knows? Why me? Why do any demons want anything to do with me?_ But Lydia's main question was still why did Ragna pledge himself to her? Did he like her? Was it just something for him to do? Perhaps he was tired of serving demons and wanted a change of pace. Here she had been, trying not to let herself become attached to him so that she would not be hurt if he betrayed her. And now suddenly he had sworn an oath to defend her from harm and even offered to make sure she escaped safely from demon lands. She honestly couldn't say that she was upset by it. If anything it just made things easier for her. She knew Ragna was bound by his oath and that he would protect her from all harm--including that which came from himself--meaning that she no longer had to worry about him stabbing her in the back. If Lydia wished she could now talk to him freely without having to act so cold, without having to be so distant. He seemed to want to talk as he was the one most often trying to start a conversation. They could possibly even become friends. In time.

But what did Ragna get from this? she had to wonder. A friend? A way to kill time? The more important question really was: What should she, Lydia, do to compensate Ragna for his oath? Demons were bound by their oaths and as such they were not to be taken lightly. It was not a favor, it was a commitment. And Lydia felt that for such an important thing she should promise Ragna something in return. She was not magically bound by her words, but she would follow through on them. But what would it be? After a moment's thought she knew right away.

"Ragnarok," she called out to him, using his full name and causing him to stop. Lydia approached him and stopped when she was right in front of him. She had to crane her neck to look up at him. A nuisance considering what she was about to do. "Would you mind kneeling down for a moment, please, so that it's easier for me to talk to you?" Hearing that she wanted to talk he instantly did as she asked, kneeling down so that his face was about level with hers. Lydia took a deep breath and then let it out. There was no going back now.

"I don't hate you," she informed him, her face honest and open. "I rather like you, actually. You're intriguing. And we share a similar hatred of our families. I like you, but I've been keeping myself at a distance so as not to become attached to you. I knew that you had only promised to get me to the demon king safely. You never said anything about what you might do once we were there or after. Forgive me for being cautious but I was protecting myself emotionally. I'd rather not die with hatred in my heart at the thought of having been betrayed by someone I considered a friend. Hatred is a terrible feeling to live with, but surely a worse one to die with. I'd prefer to die happily. If not happily, then at least with no hard feelings. Yet despite my trying to remain aloof these past few days you still continued to reach out to me, to talk to me, to try to protect me and make me comfortable. And now you have bound yourself to me with your oath, making it impossible for me not to become attached to you in some shape or form. I don't know if I actually mean anything to you, Ragna, but regardless I do thank you. For everything. I don't know if there's anything you want from me in return, but I promise that, if you so desire, I will help you kill your father or any other members of your family you should wish to be rid of."

Suddenly Lydia stepped closer to Ragna and draped her arms around his massive shoulders. Without warning she leaned down and kissed him full on the mouth, her eyes closed for a moment, before she pulled away from the kiss although her arms still remained around Ragna's shoulders. "Consider that my pledge to you," she said, gazing at him steadily.