Tafel opened the door to the dining room while yawning. She stepped inside and looked around before sitting next to Alice. Wheres everyone else? she asked, taking a piece of bread off of Alices plate. Why didnt you wake ?
Have you thought about our bet? Alice asked, eting Tafels eyes.
Tafel flinched. Why is that the first thing you bring up? She shook her head. Lets eat first, okay?
Hmm. Alice stared at Tafel with a lukewarm expression before grabbing a knife. She dipped it into a piece of warm butter and spread a layer over a piece of bread. The two ate in relative silence, just the sounds of chewing echoing through the room. Alice waited until Tafel was about to swallow before saying, Vurs training outside.
Tafel choked. Bits of food flew out of her mouth and nose as she coughed and sputtered before glaring at Alice. Tafel wiped her face with a napkin, maintaining eye contact with the guild master, who had a smug smile plastered across her face. That wasnt a very funny joke, Tafel said with a snort. Vur never trains. I bet hes taking a nap.
Really? Alice asked, raising an eyebrow. Why dont you take a look at the garden outside?
Tafel stared at Alice, trying to read the guild masters expression. In the end, Tafel opened a portal beside her and stuck her head inside. The other end of the portal was connected to the sky above the garden. Below her, Vur was napping while Alora, Stella, and rvin were chatting in a patch of grass that was surrounded by an area that seed like a wildfire had run through it. Tafel furrowed her brow before pulling her head back and closing the portal. She grabbed her cup and drank a sip of water before facing Alice. I was right. Vurs taking a nap.
Youre not even going to question why the lands burnt like that? Alice asked. Its because Vur stayed up all night shooting lightning bolts out of his fingers. She smirked at Tafel. I noticed last night while you were sleeping, and I even gave him valuable advice on the benefits of training. To , it seed like he was upset at tying with Mary in power. Maybe he sees her as a rival and doesnt want to fall behind.
The cup in Tafels hand shattered, spilling water over her clothes, but she ignored it, her hand clenched into a fist. Rival?
Youre making a really ugly face right now, Alice said. H-hey?
Tafel stood up without saying a word.
Where are you going? Alice asked as she stood up, chasing after Tafel, who had stomped towards the door. Its pretty obvious that youre mad, but if youre thinking of venting your anger on either Mary or Vur, youre going to lose.
Im not mad! Tafel said and bit her lower lip. Im going to train. In the garden. Where Vur is sleeping. With giant exploding fireballs that make lots of noise. Im going to lose to Mary? Do you think thats such an obvious conclusion? She reached into a portal and pulled out a reddish stick with a red jewel mounted at its tip. If I cant beat her as a spellblade, then Ill go back to being a black mage.
You rember she can cut apart magic, right? Alice asked, sweat running down her forehead. Heat radiated off of Tafel, distorting the air around her and causing the room to feel like a sauna. How is giving up the only thing that can hurt her going to help you beat her?
I thought about it a lot. Marys really strong, but thats all she is: strong and fast. For her really outrageous abilities, she needs blood to use a lot of her outrageous abilities, right? Tafel gripped her staff. She cut her tongue and spat blood on it to cut apart my magic. If theres one thing Im confident in, its my absurd amount of mana. It might not be as much as Vurs since my imprint didnt awaken, but its most definitely more than the amount of blood Mary has in her body, right? Ill make her bleed to death from self-inflicted injuries with an overwhelming number of spells.
Alice wiped her forehead with the back of her arm. Speaking of evil empresses that have to be removed from thrones, are you sure you should be leading a kingdom?
Tafel glared at Alice. Whats that supposed to an?
Alice cleared her throat. Nothing, she said. Please stop radiating heat. Youre lting the floor tiles. And youre making a lot of assumptions about Mary. What if she has a healing ability that replenishes her blood? She has an imprint too thats supposedly on the sa level as yours and Vurs. Arent you taking her a bit too lightly?
Im not, Tafel said, shaking her head as the air around her cooled. Thats why I have to practice. I have to engrain these phoenix abilities into myself until Im doing them without thinking. Im not like Vur who grew up with an imprint. I know Im not strong enough to be his rival, but I refuse to let him see Mary as his! The air around her heated up again as she left the room, heading towards the garden outside.
Alice scratched her head and turned towards the side where a suit of armor was standing with its back resting on the wall. She was a lot easier to provoke than I thought.
Isnt she? Mr. Skelly asked back, raising the helt covering his head. Do you really think thisll work?
That ancient book on devil summoning was right, wasnt it? Alice asked. Then I dont see a reason why this books thods wouldnt work.
Mr. Skelly rubbed his chin. Well, it cant hurt to try, he said and shrugged. But to think youd help Tafel get stronger. I didnt expect that from you after hearing about how thoroughly she beat you in a fight.
What? Alice asked, placing her hands on her hips. Just what kind of person do you think I am? Tafels a precious party of mine. I might be a little bitter about losing to her, but she worked hard to get to where she is. She also received a lot of help and had a great background, but lets ignore that for now. I want her to get stronger and beco a true demon lord even if it ans she leaves behind.
Mr. Skelly patted Alices head and smiled. This is why I love you.
That hurts! Alice said, pushing his hand away, her face flushed as she glared at him. Dont rub my scalp with tal armor.
But to think thered be a book on becoming a demon lord that was written thousands of years ago, Mr. Skelly said, his voice low. I thought demons were exclusive to the central continent. Theyre not a naturally occurring species, you know? Theyre humans whove robbed fairies of their mana.
Alice shrugged. Civilizations rise and fall. Maybe soone will independently develop a way to summon demons as well. Its not impossible.
Yes, its not impossible, but its certainly very fishy, Mr. Skelly said. Well, it doesnt matter. Are we going to the library again today?
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