Everyone in the room listened as Cladia recounted her story through tears. The man had not moved. He remained kneeling, but his face was turned toward Cladia and Eimme, who stood side by side. His expression was one of confusion and sorrow.
Emu's face, however, remained unchanged. It was blank, devoid of emotion. Her head was tilted toward the ground, her hands delicately holding the tray in front of her. Her eyes were closed, as if she wanted to speak but restrained herself.
"..."
Eimme couldn't make sense of what was happening. She found Dia's story both a bit absurd and incomprehensible. While she could feel something for her siblings and those close to them, understanding general human emotions was still difficult for her. She believed she had some feelings for Dia. She had even received advice from Emu and Luther and observed their daily lives. What she felt around Cladia seemed very similar to what Emu felt around Luther. She was planning to explain this soon—to confess her feelings to Cladia. But at the moment, she was confused. She thought she cared about this woman. And she did. The thought of any harm coming to her filled Eimme with anger and concern. But this story? She felt nothing for it.
"I thought he was dead... I thought Charlie was dead! I thought I would never see him again..."
"Cladia..." Eimme was gently patting the woman's back. Her other hand rested on her head, stroking her hair. She was trying to calm and console her.
"I was certain I'd never see him again. I had come to terms with it. I had moved on! And now he just shows up out of nowhere? Why? How?! And this… this nonsense!?" Her words were barely distinguishable through her tears. "He's the regional leader of the organization that enslaved me? How is that possible?! It's ridiculous!"
Yes, ridiculous. That was what Eimme thought. She still couldn't grasp it. Eimme scooped the woman into her arms and lifted her. She carried her out of the training hall and to her bedroom, where she laid her on the bed and draped a light cover over her.
"Get some rest. It seems like it will take some time for you to process all this," she paused. "Would you... like to go see him? Honestly, I don't think it'll be a friendly meeting, but..."
The woman's tears had dried on her cheeks. Her eyes were red, and dark circles had formed beneath them. She spoke in a trembling voice. "Let's go. No. I'll go alone. I need to confront him."
"I can't allow that. If you're going, I'm coming with you."
The woman sighed. "Fine. But you'll let me handle the confrontation."
"...Alright."
Two hours had passed. Eimme and Cladia were ready. Eimme wore her favorite dress. Not her armor. She felt no one there deserved to see her armor anyway. Nor did she need it. However, she had taken a sword. She owned exactly 27 swords, each unique and special, each with its own abilities. But they all shared one thing: they were all beautiful. Some were trophies from past battles, some she had forged herself, and others were crafted by Glaznac. She had chosen one. It was a longsword, its sheath adorned with golden engravings. The blade itself bore etched dragon motifs.
Cladia wore light armor, tailored perfectly for her. Her sword had been forged by Eimme, crafted specifically for her.
"Emu, teleport us."
"Yes, my lady. Yet has provided me with the location. I'll send you there."
A magic circle appeared under Cladia's feet and vanished.
"Eimme," the maid's face was serious.
Eimme felt a pang of fear. Ah, she used my full name. And without an honorific. This proves she's serious right now. Terrifying... Eimme thought.
"Yes, sister? W-what is it?"
"Don't kill that man. I want him alive."
"Understood..."
A grin appeared on the maid's face. "Good~" Then, a magic circle formed beneath Eimme's feet, and she found herself in a dungeon. Cladia stood before her, looking surprised and tense.
The dungeon was filled with cages and cells, overflowing with slaves. It smelled foul. The sound of heavy, anguished breathing filled the air, grating on her ears.
"Emi, will you help these poor souls?"
"As you wish."
She swept her left hand to the left and then to the right. Although the motion seemed pointless, black lines appeared, breaking the locks of all the cages and cells. The locks shattered into pieces.
Cladia rushed to each door, opening them one by one. The slaves poured out. As the pale-eyed vampire had said, most were Elves and Harpies. While most were female, there were also a significant number of males. There were even children among them. They all wore torn sacks as clothing; some were entirely naked.
They spoke in languages Cladia couldn't understand. Even though she didn't know the words, their tone and the pure joy on their faces made it clear what they were trying to express.
Thanks to the red-eyed woman's efforts, all the slaves were gathered together. Cladia called out to Emu. Though she received no verbal response, a massive magic circle appeared beneath the slaves. They all looked panicked at first. But it was brief as they and the circle disappeared. Their panic was understandable.
Eimme observed all this without comment.
"It's time, Dia."
Cladia nodded. Her expression was serious and fearless. However, the beads of sweat forming on her forehead were visible in the light of the torches that illuminated the dungeon. Yet, this did not detract from her grace. The woman's beauty continued to captivate Eimme as always.
"They're behind that door," she said, pointing to a solid steel door. "The room is quite large, and there are 13 people inside. I can hear the breath of the assassin who attacked us earlier. He's standing about 10 meters ahead, aligned with the door. Right next to him is another person's breath. That must be the one we're looking for. The other eleven are gathered around them."
"Understood."
"As you wish, I'll leave that man to you. Don't concern yourself with the others. I'll handle them. Oh, and I need your permission for something."
"Permission? For what?"
"I'm going to kill them. Everyone except that man. Is that okay with you?"
The woman hesitated for a moment but clenched her hands, her face resolute. "Do it. None of them deserve mercy or a happy life."
"Good." A terrifying grin spread across Eimme's face.
Cladia drew her sword. It was evident that she was nervous. Eimme was calm; her sword remained in its sheath. They stood right before the door. Eimme slowly pushed it open and entered with surprising speed, even shocking Cladia.
"Hello! It's an honor to meet you all!" Eimme shouted as she entered. Her voice was loud, and her face bore a pure smile.
Everyone in the room was stunned. The assassin who had previously attacked them suddenly appeared beside Eimme, swinging her dagger at the woman's neck. The intention was to deliver a swift death. But she failed. Eimme caught the dagger mid-air. The assassin let go of the dagger Eimme was holding and leaped into the air. She swung another dagger at Eimme's abdomen. It was futile. Before the dagger reached her, the assassin felt a sharp pain in her chest. The pain was so intense it made her shudder. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself lying on the ground, blood pouring from every wound on her body.
Meanwhile, the others in the room watched. Everything had happened in seconds. The red-haired man stood at the far end of the room. His face showed no fear. He calmly observed the woman's movements.
The woman began walking toward the far end of the room. Her steps were slow and graceful, showing no urgency.
Five of the eleven remaining individuals rushed toward her. With a single motion of her left hand, thin black lines appeared in the air. These nearly two-dimensional lines advanced toward the attackers. As each line reached its target, heads were severed from their bodies. Their eyes burst into flames before turning to ash and extinguishing. All were dead. Permanently.
Six individuals remained. Two tried to flee. The room had only one exit: the steel door Eimme had opened. The two ran for the door. Eimme didn't react. She didn't care. When they reached the door, they thought they were safe. That they would live. They were wrong. One had a sword driven straight through his heart. His eyes turned to ash, and his body fell to the ground. The other panicked even more, barely holding onto the short sword in his hand. The terror overwhelmed him. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed like a lifeless corpse. Though he was still alive, he had fainted.
It was Cladia who dealt with these two. She hadn't even entered the room yet. She had been waiting outside and acted as soon as the escapees reached the door. After dealing with them, she entered. She saw the red-haired, blue-eyed man. He was standing before her. There was no doubt. It was him.
When the man saw Cladia, he smiled. It wasn't a frightening or unsettling smile. It was genuine and sincere. He opened his arms wide.
"It really is you! My sweet old friend. When I heard of a red-eyed woman's presence, I had my suspicions, but now I'm certain. I missed you, sister, truly. Dia, my little sister, come here."
Cladia was stunned. It was definitely him. The friend she had thought was dead. But he was acting strangely. How could he act as if nothing had happened? As if everything were normal?
Of the four remaining individuals, three attacked Eimme. She easily killed them. Their eyes burned and turned to ash before fading away. The last person leaned against the wall, sitting. He seemed at ease. It was clear he had given up. He had accepted his fate. He was going to die. There was no escaping it. Eimme stood before him and grabbed his head with her hand. A moment later, he was dead. What exactly she had done was a mystery, but he was dead. Like the others, his eyes burned and turned to ash before disappearing. The room now reeked of burnt flesh.