“Escape?”
Waerfeisi’s words left Lita momentarily stunned. She had traveled all this way just to tell her to run?
“I shouldn’t reveal too much either. While watching you, I also had the chance to shift my gaze to others, so I discovered quite a few interesting things. Want to hear them?” Waerfeisi’s eyes curved as she asked.
Even if it probably wasn’t anything pleasant for her, Lita still nodded.
“For instance, the human Royal City is currently plagued with internal and external troubles. And the princesses connected to the so-called Demon Race aren’t just your little princess alone.”
Lita’s brows furrowed slightly, but she only nodded in acknowledgment of what Waerfeisi had said.
“Another example: a restless force has now surfaced. Ignoring them will come at a considerable cost.”
Lita had no clue about this so-called restless force. It could be some noble or minister, a general or commander, someone from the church, or even a merchant. In this Royal City, anyone who held their ground wielded no small amount of power.
“Also, you’ve already been to the Everfrost Wasteland yourself and met that person. So, sister, I don’t need to elaborate on the trouble over there, do I? Including the power of the Everfrost Wasteland, she really does qualify for a seat on the Council.”
“The Council.” This was the second time Lita had heard that term. The first time, she had been too scared to ask. What lay behind that simple word piqued her curiosity. This was indeed an opportunity.
“What is this Council you keep mentioning?”
“It’s an assembly formed by the leaders of races that humans call the Demon Race. They usually discuss important matters. There aren’t many seats, so everyone in it is pretty formidable.”
For Waerfeisi to call them “pretty formidable” was no small compliment. In that case, the strength of the Wight Caesar she had seen in the Everfrost Wasteland was likely far greater than what she or even the entire kingdom had anticipated. Lita knew she shouldn’t compare individual strength like that—even the weakest of the Four Heavenly Kings in games was often weaker than late-game elite monsters—but this still highlighted the kingdom’s internal and external troubles.
“Who’s in it?” Lita asked out of extra caution.
“The Lord of Flies, the Sea King, the Evil Dragon, the Beast Lord, the Blood Demon Grand Duke… troublesome characters, every one of them.” Waerfeisi began counting on her fingers, but gave up after just a few.
Even so, Lita scratched her head. She had never heard any of those names. They sounded powerful—at least very chuunibyou.
“Who are all those people…”
“Why do you care? When you need to know, you’ll figure it out yourself,” Waerfeisi said. “So, have you decided? Stay in the Royal Capital? Or cut your losses early and head somewhere else?”
Waerfeisi had made the severity of the situation clear. Even without knowing exactly how things would develop, Lita understood that events would inevitably take many twists and turns. However, if she left, Cecilia would definitely be caught up in all those troubles. Her determination to protect Cecilia wasn’t just empty words.
Maybe… she could take Cecilia with her…
“Don’t even think about it. You can’t take that little princess. Even if you wanted to, just because I’m nice to you doesn’t mean I have to look after her. Not to mention that thing on her is a huge pain. If you brought her, I couldn’t take her in either. Sister, you need to think straight, don’t you?” Waerfeisi cut off Lita’s wandering thoughts.
“That thing on her?” Lita caught the phrase that slipped out. “You know what Cecilia carries?”
“What, no longer calling her Lady Cecilia?” Waerfeisi narrowed her eyes teasingly, then replied, “No idea, but I have a rough sense of what it brings. Wherever she goes, misfortune follows. So you can’t bring her to my place.”
“Misfortune? That superstitious?” Lita pouted, as if wheedling the other.
“What superstition! Sister! It’s real! Even I can’t grasp the tail of misfortune!” Waerfeisi’s eyes bulged as she slapped the table.
Cecilia did stir up trouble wherever she went. She went to Solus City, and the city faced repeated dangers. She went to the Northlands, and right upon arrival, the Wights attacked, even blowing up the Primordial Golden Tree’s king. For a moment, Lita dared not claim it was all coincidence.
“Alright, have you decided yet? Leaving or staying?” Waerfeisi urged.
“I already said I want to stay here.” Lita answered without thinking.
The answer had long been clear. Her earlier hesitation was just scaring herself. Any more indecision now would be disrespecting her own feelings.
“Fine, then I’ll give you something good.” Waerfeisi pursed her lips.
‘Great! A new cheat!’
‘Even though I still don’t fully understand that silver sword, I haven’t finished the online lessons in my head, and I haven’t mastered the Emblem Power completely—but more skills never hurt! I knew Waerfeisi wouldn’t abandon me!’
Waerfeisi raised her palm. A green light gathered in the center, and then Lita’s eyes went from excitement to numbness.
“What’s wrong? Don’t want it? Not every Succubus can learn this. It’s my trump card, no holding back.”
‘Why does the “good thing” have to be new online lessons?! Well, it’s still good, since my grasp on Succubus powers is incomplete. It’s great that Waerfeisi is willing to teach me this. But in other novels and anime, whenever someone learns martial arts secrets or inner techniques, they usually have to go through a trial, experience some conspiracy and intrigue, fall off a cliff and get a lucky encounter, or at least spend a fortune at an auction or kill someone to steal the treasure.’
‘Why just give it away like that? No thrill at all.’
“Wait.” Waerfeisi suddenly seemed to realize something. “The stuff I taught you before—have you mastered it all? It seems like you haven’t had much chance to practice in the Royal Capital. You’re really rusty!”
“I’m getting there, getting there.” Lita nodded repeatedly. By now, she couldn’t even admit that she hadn’t finished the online lessons.
Lying in bed, Lita kept fiddling with the green light in her hand. The so-called online lesson was actually a small fragment of a soul—similar to what the Night Commander had used and what Doris had stuffed into the doll. But as the Succubus Boss, Waerfeisi had the ability to control exactly what information it contained. Just that alone would take Lita quite a while to master.
Earlier, Lita had slacked off a bit, but later she seized every opportunity to lie in bed and study the lessons. However, there were too many lessons, and they were explained in excruciating detail as if afraid she wouldn’t understand. Just “Aerodynamics”—no, “Succubus Dynamics”—took two days. In her original world, this knowledge would be university-level coursework. Just finishing it took forever, let alone mastering it.
‘Ah, forget it. The mentor has come knocking. It really wouldn’t be right if I didn’t study faster.’
A night passed. Lita got out of bed, washed up, and a maid knocked on her door. Lita opened it to see the maid with her long hair nearly covering her face.
“Lady Lita, your etiquette teacher is waiting for you.”
Lita frowned and followed the maid out of the room. If it weren’t for the maid’s build being completely different from Waerfeisi’s yesterday, Lita would have suspected that Waerfeisi was playing a trick on her again. Yesterday, she had watched with her own eyes as Waerfeisi left through a portal shaped like a green heart.
When the maid led her to the same building she had visited yesterday, Lita’s confusion grew. Same path, same room.
“Lady Lita, please come in.”
The maid opened the door for her, revealing the same room where she and Waerfeisi had chatted yesterday. The closing sound came from behind her, but this time, the full-length mirror didn’t reflect the image of the maid approaching her.
So everything yesterday was real except the maid and the time. Truly impressive. No wonder she called herself an Information Broker. For a moment, Lita didn’t know whether to praise Waerfeisi’s intelligence network or her meticulousness.
“Miss Lita, please don’t stand there in a daze.”
A female voice snapped Lita back to reality. She looked forward and saw a large, burly woman with a fierce face slowly walking toward her, holding a wooden stick as thick as Lita’s arm.
“Who are you?” Lita reached for her sword, but she hadn’t brought it today. She stepped back half a pace.
“My name is Brienne. I’m your etiquette teacher.” The woman spoke in a gruff voice, maintaining her steady pace as she approached Lita.
Only then did Lita realize that the other woman was a full head taller than her. Her face wasn’t exactly ugly, but the menacing look was enough to startle Lita. Brienne looked down at Lita, deep disappointment in her eyes. She banged the thick wooden stick on the floor twice—it seemed casual, but the dull thuds made Lita’s heart tremble.
When it came to brute strength, the other probably wasn’t stronger than her, but in terms of intimidation, two of her couldn’t compare.
“G-good morning, Teacher…” Lita weakly raised her head and slowly lifted her hand.
But Brienne didn’t buy it. She kept her stern face and spoke in a slow, deliberate tone: “Miss Lita, as a knight, to be so rude to your own etiquette teacher… It seems, as Her Highness the Fourth Princess said, you truly need to be disciplined properly.”