"Shia."
Hearing the call from behind, obviously Lily's—even worry couldn't cover up that increasingly natural trashy quality in that tone.
Shia turned around, leaning her back against the railing to look at Lily. She had already begun guessing when this white-haired fly spirit would start her rotational stereo echo—in other words, talking in circles. This trashy white-hair seemed to really like doing that.
"I think I need to confess some things to you."
Confess?
Honestly, even if Shia used her tonsils to guess, she knew there were still many mysteries about Lily. But she didn't really want to know anymore. After all, as far as she was concerned, as long as Lily could help her get revenge, that was completely sufficient.
"The Empire's emperor is already dead."
"What?"
Even though she had guessed Lily would say things she completely didn't know before, this was still somewhat explosive.
"Yes, the Empire's Emperor Modrek has already... died. Died completely and thoroughly! I heard when he died he was like a dog! Like a maggot, just splat and hit the street!"
"When?"
The wrinkles on Shia's brow smoothed out somewhat. The heavy feeling finally disappeared quite a bit.
"Not long ago, a few days back."
"How did he die?!"
"Uh..."
Lily's face showed difficulty with some hesitation. For Shia, who she had already had physical relations with... counted as a companion? She didn't want to lie.
But just like Funiya had once told her, if she really exposed the fact that she was Azicat, perhaps no matter who it was, their gaze toward her would change.
A white-haired loli whose origins were already unknown suddenly revealed to actually be an ancient demon—probably anyone would only think she was that demon's disguise, just an appearance she created to toy with people's hearts.
In that case, everything would change.
How annoying...
"Blood Demon, Azicat has returned."
"What?"
This was already the second time Shia said "what?" This time, her expression clearly carried some surprise and panic, even if not much.
"That demon came back to take her weapon and incidentally killed that dog emperor."
"In other words, both sides from the war a thousand years ago have already returned, right?"
"Yes..."
"Then why... why hasn't that demon started rampaging again?"
"About that... if you ask me, who do I ask..."
"If that demon really came back, what reason does she have not to continue? Or is she preparing an even bigger plan in the shadows?"
"Stop! Stop stop stop! Shia."
Lily actively grabbed Shia's wrist, hoping this could give this frightened child a thread of security.
"Don't panic, Shia. Lady Catania won't just sit by and watch. We've both met her. She's such a... uh, great! Although arrogant! But actually still cares about us, right?!"
"Cares?"
"Heh! Right! To put it bluntly, that person is sharp-tongued but soft-hearted!"
Lily flew up with levitation magic, deliberately showing Catania's cold, aloof expression in front of Shia.
"Although you're all just ants and trash, and I don't care about you, but the only one who can bully you is me, blah blah blah, isn't that right! Looking at it this way! Her Majesty is totally tsundere!"
Hehe, Catania's reputation being harmed has nothing to do with me~
"Heh."
Shia laughed for the first time in a while. Probably Lily's appearance was just too silly and made her laugh. The little thing still had to put on an adult's appearance—it looked ridiculous.
"I'll tentatively believe it. After all, if I really had to think a great demon king has awakened and is right beside us preparing her evil plan, I might really lose sleep over it."
"Mm, right right."
Lily's azure eyes evaded for a moment.
Cough cough! Good thing I didn't confess about this aspect, otherwise I really couldn't wash it clean even by jumping into the Yellow River!
What would Shia and Olesha think of me then?! Like 'Lily! You deceived us! I really never imagined! Really never imagined you were actually that demon!'
'You infiltrated among us, toyed with our feelings, and took our purity! You damned beast! Animal! Should go to hell five hundred times!'
I don't want to be cursed like that!
"So, what did you want to confess earlier?"
"How to put it, I want you to know, Shia, I'm probably... just a tiny bit more awesome than you imagine."
"Oh? So I got a super powerful ally? Then that's really quite a good transaction. After all, even without the emperor, the Empire's upper echelons are all still alive. I want to make them pay the price, those scum who enjoyed that filthy power together with that emperor."
"So fierce..." Lily muttered quietly.
When she first met Shia, she was still a little princess who could only wait for death while being chased. Who knew hatred would turn her into a werewolf.
"As an ancient summoner, I have many summons."
"Summoner, but I see you just transform into different appearances yourself? Shouldn't summoners summon things to fight?"
"Cough cough! This is my secret technique! By fusing myself with my summons, I obtained even more powerful powah!
However, now isn't the time to demonstrate power."
Lily opened the summon panel and found a rather special creature.
Jade Peacock. This wasn't a very combat-capable summon. In Lily's treasury of kings, her combat power was far from the top ten.
But she had one advantage—beauty.
The little loli's shoulder-length white hair began turning green. It was a color like jade, faintly glowing in the night. The white dress that originally covered near the knees also transformed into gorgeous, complex fabric.
But most eye-catching were the raised tail feathers behind the girl. Sharp as blade edges at the margins, several tail feathers unfurled from behind the girl. The tail feathers also had eye-like patterns—if one met eyes with those eyes, there would be a special confusing sensation.
The jade-gorgeous girl's green hair floated slightly under the disturbance of magic power. She was gorgeous like a princess. Every movement, every gaze revealed a fragile feeling, as if this girl was just one's illusion and didn't truly exist.
"Each of my summons, I've given them names. The me you're seeing now is called Guinevere. Of course, before you, I don't need to hide any identity. You can still call me Lily."
Peacock-tail Guinevere slowly extended her hand toward Shia in an extremely elegant posture. Her gorgeousness even covered her fingernails—emerald green nail covers were adorned with quite a few embellishing green gemstone particles.
"You're very beautiful, Lily, but please, stop here. The Kingdom's internal and external troubles—I don't have time to... accept you..."
"So I will help you sweep away all obstacles."
"...Your tone makes me feel somewhat unfamiliar."
"Yes, I know. My summons change my personality. Guinevere is like this—gentle, delicate. Remember what I said? Shia."
"What?"
"What I said when I used levitation magic to take you on a roller coaster ride."
"You mean..."
"Right."
Guinevere's expression was calm. The vermilion-green gem on the girl's forehead made her expression seem somewhat unreally gentle.
"This time, no regrets, no looking back. Shia, I'm pursuing you. Maybe it's lust at first sight, but it doesn't matter anymore."
"You really are..."