La Folia hesitated for a moment.
Her sapphire blue eyes gazed at Saigou with a look of interest. After a brief silence, she finally smiled and said, "...How did you figure it out?"
"...I thought I played my part quite well. To prepare for this act, I specifically studied the princess's habits and behaviors."
"I even researched what happened between you two on Gozo Island, including the things you discussed."
"...With my millennia of experience, I was certain you wouldn't catch on."
The Third Primogenitor bluntly admitted she wasn't La Folia, casually confirming Saigou's suspicion.
"To be honest, I felt something was off from the beginning. Your expressions, posture, and even daily habits—everything was flawlessly performed, just like the La Folia I remember."
"...But there was one thing you got wrong, and it was too jarring."
Saigou's smile didn't waver as he leisurely sipped his drink, though inwardly, he was on high alert.
The Third Primogenitor, a vampire who had ruled the Chaos Zone in Central America for thousands of years, was one of the most powerful beings known to the world. Like the Second Primogenitor, her existence was shrouded in mystery.
One major reason for her enigma was the Chaos Zone's strict isolation. It was a region completely closed off to outsiders, impossible to visit even for tourism.
Apart from a select few political figures who entered the zone for diplomatic reasons, ordinary people had no chance of setting foot in that empire of the night.
In this age of widespread internet access, there were remarkably few photographs of the place available online, an almost unbelievable fact.
"Oh? What was so jarring? I'm curious to hear."
Now that her identity had been uncovered, the Third Primogenitor dropped her pretense of being La Folia. Her demeanor became much more relaxed, and even her speech carried a wild, carefree tone.
"It's actually quite simple. No matter how La Folia might feel internally, her upbringing ensures that she always shows respect and courtesy to everyone she encounters."
"...But you're different. Perhaps it's the long years of your life that have dulled your interest in the world. When you interact with others, you instinctively dismiss them."
"For example, when you first entered this room. If it had been the real La Folia, she would have responded to the attention of the other diners with a polite smile, out of basic courtesy."
"...But you didn't do that. Even though you maintained the royal elegance and treated me with respect, you didn't afford the same consideration to the humans around you, who must seem like 'ants' in your eyes."
"...That's when I started to have my doubts. After all, La Folia is a princess who, at least on the surface, treats everyone equally."
"It's precisely this graceful and noble demeanor, combined with her approachable attitude toward ordinary people, that has earned her the love of the people in her country."
"...Third Primogenitor, your performance was flawless in every other aspect, but you overlooked the most important thing about La Folia."
Saigou spoke slowly and deliberately, lifting his glass to take another sip.
Avrora, who sat across from him, seemed a bit unsure of what to do. The beautiful girl with flaming, radiant eyes hesitated as she looked at the Third Primogenitor, her expression confused and lost.
It was clear that Avrora recognized the Third Primogenitor, or at least knew of her formidable reputation.
"Hahahahahaha! This is so amusing! You're such an interesting devil!"
"...I had heard about your existence from the intelligence reports, but at first, I didn't find you particularly interesting—just somewhat surprising."
"This time, I fought with those other two to get the chance to come find you, and it turns out it was the right decision."
"...It's been so long since I've felt this entertained. When was the last time I was this excited? Decades ago? A hundred years ago?"
The Third Primogenitor laughed heartily, her exuberance completely at odds with the composed image of La Folia she had been portraying.
Saigou and the Third Primogenitor kept their voices low, so none of the surrounding diners heard what they were saying.
However, when the patrons saw their "princess" behaving in such an uncharacteristic manner, they were all stunned, disbelief written on their faces.
"Hey, you devil, where exactly did you come from? I've lived for so many years, but I've never heard of a devil like you."
"...What people call 'devils' are simply manifestations of a concept discovered through ancient magical rituals—a set of rules that govern this world, similar to 'equivalent exchange.'"
"Then, the first witch in history refined this ritual, offering up her own soul in exchange for power that surpassed even that of the highest-ranking demons."
"...From that moment on, devils entered the realm of human awareness."
"And because devils are merely a manifestation of rules, it stands to reason that they shouldn't have a consciousness of their own."
"...Could it be that you come from another dimension?"
The La Folia whom the Third Primogenitor had transformed into leaned closer. Her sapphire eyes were filled with curiosity, and her cherry-red lips hovered just inches from Saigou's cheek.
The transformation was flawless—even the subtle fragrance she emitted was identical to La Folia's.
Saigou didn't answer the Third Primogenitor's question. Instead, he continued where he had left off. "...Once I realized you might not be La Folia, I began to wonder who you truly were."
"...Though the Third Primogenitor remains shrouded in mystery, it's not like there's no information on you at all. At least here on Itogami Island, we have some records about you."
"I suspected you might be Giada Kukulcan and decided to take a gamble. I wasn't expecting you to reveal your identity so freely."
The Third Primogenitor replied nonchalantly, "…Once I was found out, it made more sense to admit it openly. There's no point in hiding anymore—it'd only make me look foolish."
Saigou's curiosity deepened. "...But I'm still impressed. Your ability to transform is so convincing that you can even mimic the 'spiritual energy' humans possess."
"It only feels like spiritual energy. At its core, it's still magic," Giada Kukulcan waved her hand dismissively, speaking with a casual familiarity, as though she and Saigou were old acquaintances.
"So, what brings you to me, Chaos Bride, Giada Kukulcan?"
Saigou set down his drink, his expression growing serious as he posed the final question.
Giada flashed a sly smile, her gaze locked onto Saigou's, brimming with mischievous excitement. "...Do you want the Kaleid Blood, the ones I've been safeguarding?"
"...If you can entertain me, I'll hand them over to you!"
Saigou frowned and let out a laugh. "...You can't possibly be letting your vampiric urges control you, hoping I'll spend a night with you."
"...If that's the case, my profession would end up being a gigolo, wouldn't it?"
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