“Do not misunderstand me,” said Bernadetta, raising her hands in a show of surrender. “I am not taking a stance against you. These talks of marriage, this dating—it is part of my father’s agenda. I did not ask for it. It was an accident I could not have seen coming. Must I inform you whenever I encounter such a thing?”
“Your partner is the snake. Our enemy. I would think that informing us would be only natural, no?”
“It is because he is our enemy that I can use this opportunity to dig for information. You are doing the same behind my back, are you not? I don’t appreciate that only I am to be admonished for such actions. If you are going to criticize me, then shouldn’t you reveal what you’re hiding?”
Malebolge’s expression grew cold and hard. She exuded a pressure on par with roaring flames, but Bernadetta could feel that the scales in her heart were wavering, weighing the decision to kill her or to spare her. The scales tipped bit by bit—there was murder in Malebolge, and it was soon to spell her death.
Again, Bernadetta was sure to lose. She discreetly searched for potential exits. She felt as though she were walking a tightrope across a deep ravine, and as her heart fell into despair, she heard the clacking of hooves and the creaking of a carriage outside. Listening carefully, she heard footsteps pounding up the stairs.
There was a knock at the door, followed by an attendant’s voice. “Miss Bernadetta, Noel has arrived.”
Bernadetta answered slowly, her eyes still locked on Malebolge’s. “Very good. I will be down shortly, so please have him wait in the sitting room.”
“Understood. I will let him know.”
She didn’t relax, not even as the attendant ran back down the stairs. Her eyes locked with Malebolge’s until, suddenly, the pressure all around them dissipated.
“Fine. I will leave the matter of the snake to you,” Malebolge said before turning on her heel. “Remember this, Bernadetta: you are an outsider. No matter how far and wide you search, nobody will ever understand you like we do. You would be remiss to forget it.”
“I won’t.”
“Very good. And if I give you this freedom, you will not betray my expectations?”
Bernadetta nodded, and Malebolge left through the void. In an instant, all of the tension in the room vanished, and Bernadetta was racked by a sudden exhaustion. She put her hands on her dresser so as not to collapse and took deep breaths.
Malebolge had let her go this time, but there was now a clear fracture in their relationship. Even so, she felt this would have occurred even if she had told them of Noel. Although Bernadetta had prepared herself for such a moment, it had come much more quickly than she expected. That being the case, she needed someone to help her with Malebolge—now more than ever.
Once Bernadetta regained her composure, she straightened up and left her room. She went down the stairs and into the sitting room, where Noel was elegantly sipping some tea.
“I apologize for the wait,” she told him.
“Shall we be off, then?” asked Noel with a smile.
He stood and escorted Bernadetta out of the room. Her attendants watched her with their fists clenched, as if silently wishing her good luck on her first date. She forced a smile. How would they look at her if they knew the truth? Simply imagining the sight put her in a gloomy state of mind.
Their date for the day would start with lunch, followed by a popular theater performance in the imperial capital. Noel had reserved their table and acquired tickets to the show.
The restaurant Noel brought her to was a members-only establishment reserved for only the most influential. Because both Noel and Bernadetta were so well known in social circles, even those in the restaurant—who knew the etiquette of the rich and powerful—shot them curious glances. At the very least, they refrained from disturbing the couple’s meal. Had Noel and Bernadetta gone to a regular restaurant, they would have been mobbed.
“Why did you decide to become a Seeker?” Bernadetta asked as they ate.
Conversation had flowed much easier than she expected. They had started with light banter, then discussion of recent events, and progressed to their tastes in fashion and music. Things had gone well enough that Bernadetta felt comfortable asking a more personal question.
“I suppose the biggest reason is my admiration of my grandfather,” replied Noel, smiling. “He was a Seeker of great renown. I lost both my parents when I was young, so he raised me. I suppose it was inevitable that the grandiose tales of his adventures became my bedtime stories. He is the reason I wanted to become a Seeker.”
“So your desire to be like your grandfather motivated you to succeed?”
“Looking up to him just kicked things off. My real motivation comes from a different feeling.”
“Is that so?”
“People look at Seekers as symbols of power. They’re feared for their strength. Seekers outstrip police officers, the military, and especially beasts. They show us glimpses of potential—of true human strength. I am no different. I attained the rank I have now through dogged pursuit of that strength. That’s not going to change. My pursuit of power is my motivation. I made a pledge to my grandfather in his dying moments that I would be the strongest Seeker ever.”
There wasn’t a hint of hesitation or doubt in Noel’s words—they were clear and true.
“You are simple at heart, aren’t you?”
Bernadetta was likewise open with him. Noel really did live a life of simple purity in the pursuit of his goals. It was why he gave up more than half his life span to defeat Johann. There were no impurities in his way of life—his vision. And though Bernadetta opposed him, his essence was so clear it was almost beautiful—stunning as a bottomless ocean and equally frightening.
“I’m envious,” she admitted. “It must be so wonderful to live as you do.”
“Hm… I don’t know about that. I’m satisfied with how I live my life, but I hate being a perfectionist. Ah well, there’s nothing I can do about it. I am at its beck and call, and it’s gotten me into trouble too many times.”
“I would venture that there is no such thing as the perfect person.”
“I don’t disagree. I wax on about personal creeds and all, but it’s an obvious weak point of mine. Basically, I hate to lose. I believe it’s because of the trauma I suffered at a young age.”
“Trauma?” Bernadetta tilted her head, and Noel let an awkward grin rise to his face.