"..."
Olivina stared at the hand Aquiluna extended, pondered for a moment, then turned around.
"No need. Although I appreciate the information you provided, I will bring Lister back in my own way."
"After all... I am the only one in this world who can truly understand him."
The magic runes in Olivina's hand flashed, and the mechanical wand emitted a dazzling light. Then, a portal appeared in front of Olivina.
"Remember to tell Mayor Karen that I left."
Olivina walked into the portal, and then this room completely lost the presence of this beautiful witch.
Helen looked in the direction Olivina left, then turned her gaze to Aquiluna, who was covering her chin in thought.
"Aquiluna, what did you mean by what you said just now?"
"Literally, little Helen."
Aquiluna turned her head and looked at Helen, who had a solemn expression, with a smile.
"...Is this the reason you wanted to follow us to White River Town?"
"Yes... and no. Well, part of the reason was indeed because of this Mr. Lister."
"...You knew about this person long ago?"
Faced with this question raised by Helen, Aquiluna's purple eyes revealed an obvious smile.
"Helen, when did you join the Magitech Armed Nuns?"
"...Two years ago."
"That's right, two years ago."
Aquiluna snapped her fingers, then sat on the edge of the sofa with her legs crossed. Through the slit of the nun's robe, she looked at the black leather ankle boots she was wearing and the white stockings on her legs.
"Do you know how many years I've been in the Magitech Armed Nuns?"
"..."
"Ten years."
Aquiluna smiled and spread her hands.
"So, naturally, I know a lot of information you don't know and people you don't know. And this person Lister... is really not someone ordinary people can get to know. The rumors about him have always been tightly sealed by the church and the upper echelons of the Saint Viliana Kingdom. It's normal for you not to know him."
"...If that's the case, why didn't you warn me in advance..."
"Would it have made a difference if I warned you?"
Aquiluna sighed.
"Would you have given up arresting Lister because of my warning? No, even if you planned to find out the truth, you would still put him in custody in the church first. Then that Demon Lord would have taken him away all the same. The result wouldn't have changed."
"...You're right."
Helen took a deep breath, then heavily admitted this fact.
"Sigh, this is really troublesome. Why would that guy get involved with someone like the Demon Lord... I really don't understand..."
"Aquiluna, are you still planning to go to the Demon Lord's Castle?"
"Hm? Ah, of course. The risk isn't very high anyway... At worst, I'll have a way to escape."
"Good. Then, I'll go with you."
Helen clenched her fists and said to Aquiluna firmly.
"H-Helen! This... We, we shouldn't wait for orders from the church headquarters first..."
"It's too late now, Iris."
Helen responded to her, then looked at Aquiluna again, who was raising her eyebrows and looking at her with an interested gaze.
"Since this matter started because of me, it must also end because of me. At least I have to try... Let me witness once again what kind of person Lister really is."
At this moment, Helen put down the hood of her nun's robe, revealing her exquisite and beautiful long hair like silk.
"I swear in the name of Helen Rheylan."
"...Are you sure?"
Aquiluna's face still had that inscrutable smile. She walked up to Helen and gently lifted her chin, making Helen look directly at her.
For some reason, Helen always felt that Aquiluna's eyes were flickering with a faint light at this moment.
"I'm fine, after all, I have a free action permit... But you and little Iris are different... If you act on your own, you may be punished by the church, you know?"
"I'm not disobeying the will of the church, this is a reasonable judgment I made based on the current facts. After all, we don't know what the Demon Lord's intention is in capturing Lister. If we continue to delay..."
"Ah, you don't need to worry about that."
Aquiluna waved her hand.
"Lister's life can at least be guaranteed in the Demon Lord's Castle. As for why I know this information... That's a reason I can't say."
"...I understand."
"So, if you want to go with me, take a rest in the city first. I'll notify you when I'm about to set off."
"Mm."
"Hey, hey, you two, wait..."
Seeing Aquiluna and Helen almost completely ignoring her, Iris let out a weak voice, almost powerlessly,
"Have you considered my opinion..."
"Hm? What's wrong with little Iris?"
"You two are both Magitech Armed Nuns, so it's fine for you to make on-site decisions... But I'm just an apprentice nun..."
"So... you're not going with us?"
"..."
Looking at Aquiluna's mischievous smile and Helen's quiet gaze, Iris gritted her teeth and closed her eyes.
"I'll go..."
"Haha, that's more like it. Don't worry, even if the sky falls, we'll hold it up for you."
Aquiluna laughed and patted Iris on the shoulder, then scanned between Iris and Helen with her mysterious purple eyes.
Now, things have really become interesting.
...
On the road leading to White River Town, a carriage made entirely of gold-colored wood and pulled by two pure white unicorns was parked on the side.
At the back of that noble and elegant carriage, a flag was tied, with a silver emblem of a deep-rooted and sturdy spirit tree printed on it.
If someone with knowledge were to see it, they would immediately recognize that this was the spirit tree emblem of the Spring Fountain Guild, and this carriage was also the vehicle of the current head of the Spring Fountain Guild, Eve Holywood.
At this moment, that Eve Holywood was standing by the roadside, accompanied by another woman in a robe beside her, quietly gazing at a sign standing on this wide road.
It was written in vigorous handwriting: White River Avenue - In commemoration of the generous donation from Miss Eve Holywood of the Spring Fountain Guild.
Eve's silver pupils reflected those words, and she slowly asked the other person with a sword beside her,
"Elder Maelan, did Lister use the remittance I gave him to repair this road?"
"It seems to be the case."
"...What a pity."
Eve sighed, and her pair of slender long ears also drooped down.
She was wearing loose clothing woven from the moonlight silk of the Elven Forest, with slender and aesthetically pleasing limbs and torso, especially those silver pupils, clear and transparent, like a silver mirror.
These characteristics all indicated her and Maelan's identity beside her - high elves favored by nature.
"Let's go, Elder Maelan, we still have a long way to go."
Eve left that plaque and sat on the carriage again.
The mature and voluptuous-looking elder elf called Maelan also got on with her sword.
"Lister... Where did you run off to?"
Looking at the somewhat gloomy sky of the human world, Eve muttered in a low voice.