A sigh reached her ears first. Their eyes didn’t meet, but the exasperation was plain.
“Never thought you’d actually come,” the figure said. The look that followed made her flinch. There was no mistaking the killing intent in those eyes. “Honestly. You fool.”
“Huh?”
For a heartbeat, she didn’t understand what had happened. Her view spun, and the sky filled her vision. Then she realized it wasn’t the view that had changed. Her body had. She was on the ground. There was no need to wonder who had done it, especially when that person’s face hovered in her field of view.
“I can’t believe you’re this stupid. It’s exasperating.”
The eyes staring down at her were ice-cold. No one had ever looked at her like that. Perhaps that was why she wasn’t as shaken as she might have been; some part of her had expected this. What she heard next, however, was a little unexpected.
“I didn’t think a high elf could be this foolish...but I suppose a would-be Elven Queen is just another fool. Or perhaps my power is simply too far beyond yours.”
Noel turned toward the voice and saw two familiar figures. She understood at once. Suddenly, many things made sense.
“So that’s how it’s going to be...demon.”
Standing beside Vanessa was the demon who had attacked them on the road from the capital to the Frontier town. Nothing had happened since, and she had almost forgotten about it.
“I thought you ran because you couldn’t beat Allen. Seems I was wrong,” Noel said.
“Hmph. Such insolence. I did not run. I merely avoided needless expenditure. We have much to do. Wasting strength is the act of an imbecile. One must be efficient.” The demon smirked.
“For someone so devoted to efficiency, you do like to talk. Isn’t running your mouth inefficient?” Noel retorted.
“You!” Its prior words had sounded like an excuse, and judging by the demon’s twisted expression, she had hit home. The sneer that followed was pure triumph. “Hmph. No matter. It is only natural that a dullard like you cannot grasp the grandeur of my designs. To be angered by trifles would itself be wasteful. You are fools by definition,” the demon snapped.
Wise words delivered like a posturing child. It still sounded like an excuse. But pointless bickering would lead nowhere. While the demon was feeling talkative, Noel took the chance to ask what she really wanted to know.
“In that case, tell this fool...was it your doing that I came here?”
“But of course. You wouldn’t notice, but that thing you carry holds a fragment of my power. A small amount, yet enough to guide your actions. Had you been more circumspect, perhaps it wouldn’t have worked.”
“Sorry about that. So you made me go fetch this too?” she asked.
“Naturally. My scheme. My other plan—the war between the empire and the kingdom—seems to be stalling...but no matter. I don’t know how you slipped past the checkpoint, yet the fact remains you are here. Present that fact and any pretext can be fashioned. In truth, bypassing the checkpoint may make things even easier.”
“I see.”
She had wondered if the empire could really be that foolish. Apparently the demon had been pulling strings...which didn’t change the fact that they’d fallen for it.
“No. I’m no different...” she murmured. She looked at Vanessa, who was staring down at her with those cold eyes and had been silent this entire time. It was indefensible. Noel had been utterly, stupidly careless.
“Anything else you want to ask? It’s a rare opportunity. I’ll answer anything,” the demon said.
“You’re in a good mood,” Noel said hesitantly.
“Of course. I finally get to erase one of those irksome puppets of the gods. You cannot fathom how your kind has hindered us.”
“There’s nothing to fathom,” Noel replied.
Whatever the demon had been trying to do, it would have harmed someone. If it had been stopped, that was its own problem.
“Hmph. No matter. That ends now. Every time we tried to end you, a stubborn twist of fate shielded you...but this sword won’t be interfered with.”
Noel’s eyes followed the demon’s, drawn to the sword Vanessa was now holding in her hand. Anyone would recognize at a glance that it wasn’t ordinary, and not just in terms of craftsmanship. Even taken purely as a blade it was surely a masterpiece, but more than that, it reeked of death. If it pierced her, Noel would not survive. Not that something so extravagant was necessary just to kill her.
“Going to all that trouble for little old me,” she said, teasing yet nervous.
“Indeed. I would gladly recite our every hardship, but give you too much time and who knows what might happen? Do it!” the demon called.
At its command, the woman raised her arm. Noel understood that death was certain, yet she didn’t move. She couldn’t even muster the will to try. Maybe she wanted this. If she were to die by her hand, then—
“You really are a stupid, foolish girl. But...” the demon said.
“Huh?” The dazed sound escaped Noel when she saw Vanessa’s face: a wry smile. The eyes you gave a hopeless child.
“Looks like there’s someone who knows you well,” it continued.
There was a thunderous crash, and Vanessa was blown backward. Noel didn’t even see it happen. She only clocked what had happened because now, a familiar figure stood at her side. One moment he hadn’t been there; the next, he was.
“I don’t think you’re stupid or foolish. But I’d like you to value your life a little more,” Allen said nonchalantly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.