Back in the Profen Castle Conference Room, sans Eve.
Selen’s group had returned, joined by Merthophan’s circus contingent—an all-hands-on-deck effort.
But with Eve herself still absent, they were left trying to figure out their next move. If this was court, they’d be holding a recess after the defendant fled.
Everyone around was gravely discussing the future, but only Selen was frowning and muttering to herself. What was that about?
“I see. That is love.”
“I reckon it is.”
“Then she must die. Let us have a constructive conversation on how we could execute the King of Profen.”
There were certainly more constructive topics around…but as everyone else talked, Marie just sat there, deflated.
Selen was always the type of horrifying person who would threaten death to royalty unbidden, but Sardin was rather aghast.
“Um, Selen…we are in her country, best to mind what you say…,” he suggested.
Selen didn’t even let him finish.
“Whatever are you saying, King Sardin? Love knows no borders.”
But Selen’s classmates knew how to handle her.
“……Send her to Hell’s Lock.”
“She’s unfit for politics, for better or for worse.”
If Selen did enter politics, she wouldn’t even need illegal donations to make her sprout extreme beliefs and court controversy.
Lloyd quietly shifted to the point, either not minding Selen’s outburst or way too used to it.
“What happened to Lady Eve? I thought she was reforming at the end, there!”
In his mind, she’d folded before their questioning, finally seeing the light. In reality, this was not true.
“From what you’ve said, it was more like…”
Love had made an honest woman out of her. But falling for someone today or yesterday did not really seem to warrant exposing a hundred years of treachery, so nobody knew what to make of it.
Since Riho hadn’t seen it firsthand, she had no real grasp on things.
Merthophan’s group were every bit as lost, wondering why she had run.
“Nothing I’ve heard denies the possibility honest produce awakened her to the joys of farming.”
“Mwa-ha-ha! Her love of muscles could have gotten her so worked up she happily confessed!”
They may have had no clue, but that didn’t stop them from their shticks.
“Forget those theories, please,” Choline said, sighing. “I’m voting for the love thing, myself… Hmm?”
Her eyes had found Satan, his brow creased. The turtle on his head—Surtr—leaned in and asked, “Yo, what’s on your mind, Satan?”
“Oh…just remembering a discussion on why Eve’s not that strong. Maybe we’ve just seen why.”
That caught Anzu’s interest, and she leaned in.
“Is this related to the love thing? Tell us more.”
“Speculating here, but Eve might be—”
As Satan made to explain his take on these deepening mysteries, a new voice cut in, sounding convinced.
“Love? Ah, that explains her panic.”
All turned toward this deep voice, and they found a tall, thin man holding a young girl.
His white coat was spattered with blood, and the girl had suffered head injuries.
“Who the— I can smell blood on him! Look out!”
Anzu’s hand went to the hilt of her blade, ready to draw at the drop of a hat. But before she could make any threats, Satan and Surtr let out squeaks that totally dispelled all ominous vibes.
““Urrrrrghhh?!””
“Hah? What’s wrong?” Anzu shouted.
Anzu reeled back, but they paid her no attention, and the two bolted toward the man.
“Director Ishikura!”
“Oh my god! It’s Ishikura!”
Vritra smiled like he was meeting old friends.
The rest of the room gasped.
“Ishikura… Wait, you’re Vritra?! Why are you human?! When did you leave the belt?! And you point-blank ignored me a few minutes ago!”
Selen came in hard, and Vritra looked suitably chagrined.
“It’s only been a few days, but I almost missed this…but no time to explain the details. I’ll submit the full report in writing on a later date.”
“Hmm, time’s pressing— And who is this girl?”
At this point, Lloyd saw who Vritra was carrying.
“Th-the princess!”
““““““Huh?!””””””
“This girl’s the Azami princess!” Lloyd cried.
Marie sprayed snot and spit in equal measure.
“Bleghhh?!”
“Ugh, gross!”
This was the least princessy response possible, and Riho backed away as if she’d smelled garbage. Poor Marie.
Naturally, only Lloyd was oblivious to Marie’s identity, so everyone, Vritra included, looked confused.
“No, this is not the Azami princess,” Vritra said.
“Huh?” Lloyd responded, blinking. “But she said so herself last night!”
“And you believed that instantly?!” Marie wailed, tears streaming down her face. “She just said so with no evidence?! That makes no sense!”
She was chewing her handkerchief, letting the tears and snot flow.
“……Blow your nose.”
“Clearly the reason why, ah-ha-ha,” Mena snorted.
At last, Marie managed to clean herself up.
“So what happened with her?” Threonine asked.
“Um, she came up to me in the garden last night. I asked if she was the princess and she said she was!”
“Ah…that explains it,” Vritra said, nodding.
“Don’t just nod, share with the rest of us!” Selen said. “Who is she?”
“She’s my daughter, Selen. I’ve been searching for her this whole time and found her…like this.”
Satan and Surtr both let out cries of joy.
“Oh! That is Asako! She was in Profen?!”
“I can still see her smile when she ate the gummies I brought her.”
(Side note: Surtr’s real name was Tony, an American who kept bringing Asako brightly colored, oversweet treats that would make her nurses chew him out. An occasional treat isn’t a bad thing, but the sick maybe shouldn’t indulge too much.)
“So you snuck into Profen solo to save Asako?”
“That’s just mean, Vritra! And why are you human…? Is this body real?” Selen started patting him down. Vritra looked awfully accustomed to being treated like an object.
“Not entirely off-base…and this connects to Eve’s odd behavior.”
“Meaning? You’ve got our attention.”
Vritra took a deep breath, glanced down at her, and revealed the truth.
“You’re aware that in our old world, Eve was known as President Eva?”
“More or less, though it is hard to believe.”
“Um…?” Lloyd’s group had not heard this story.
“I’ll fill you in later,” Satan said, not wanting to get off track.
“On our arrival here, Eva was on the brink of death. Her obsession with staying alive allowed her to take possession of my daughter’s body—and she began calling herself Eve. She maintained that deception throughout the years…”
Merthophan figured it out.
“That explains why she was so weak, despite being so driven. A disconnect between mind and body prevented her from showing her true power.”
“Most likely, yes. As for why Eve started acting so strange— Lloyd, that’s your fault.”
“Huh?”
Vritra looked rather uncomfortable with this, himself.
“Lloyd, I believe my daughter has fallen in love with you.”
“She has?!” Lloyd yelped.
This was quite a reveal, but pretty much in line with his usual obliviousness.
“As her father, I can’t take issue with her choice— Your only real shortcoming is your lack of real-life experience.”
“Vritra! Saying that, in front of me? How tactless,” Selen said.
Coming from the girl who’d threatened to execute a monarch in their own country. Selen had never once possessed tact.
Her pupils had dilated, and she looked quite dangerous, which made Vritra flinch. His time as her belt, serving and fighting alongside her, had certainly humbled him.
“You’re worse than Eve, but that aside, Lloyd’s arrival meant my daughter’s mind began to awaken.”
“In other words, her love for Lloyd began to free her from Lady Eve’s control?” Threonine asked.
Sardin looked convinced. “That explains why she enthusiastically answered all his questions!”
“I was not there myself, but given Eve’s blind panic, it must have been quite a disaster.”
Vritra turned to Selen.
“Eve was holding my daughter’s body hostage and forcing me to obey her. I had no choice but to take leave without a word, for which I—”
“Will apologize in writing on a later date?” Selen cut in, grinning indomitably.
They certainly knew each other well. Satan and Surtr exchanged smiles.
But at this point Marie asked, “So what’s up with Eve now? Your daughter’s no longer possessed, but has yet to awaken?”
“Right, that’s the thing. We don’t have much time.”
“What’s this about time? Oh!”
Vritra handed Asako to Lloyd, looking desperate, which worried his old subordinates.
“Yo, yo, Ishikura!”
“What’s the plan, Director? Is the news that bad?”
“You figured it out, then, Satan… Or should I say Seta?”
Upon hearing his old name, Satan rubbed his nose.
“You’ve scolded me more than enough times to pick up on these things.”
“Not something to boast about.”
Vritra got to the point.
“Eve is in the process of moving to her new body. It’s a custom-made super body combining the prisoner modifications, necromancy, and the tech behind the demon lord-sealing Mastema Fruits.”
“Necromancy and demon lords?!”
“The Mastema Fruits?! She tore up the domain for those!”
“She may have held my daughter’s body hostage, but I finished the new vessel for her. I lent my hands to her evil. I’ve got to take responsibility for that.”
Vritra bowed low to Selen once more.
“I ask one last favor, Mistress. Look after my daughter.”
“Vritra…”
“We’ve got to defeat this woman before she takes full possession of her new body. She’ll fight back, but our best shot is before she fully acclimatizes to it. I’ll stop her if it costs me my life—”