Chapter 17: The Hidden Boss

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Inkfeather had little confidence in his immature idea. He wanted to intercept the people coming to kill Elise, then play the hero and save the beauty. If he could win Mary’s trust, he would have a chance to make contact with the demon hunters.

That would mean confronting a knight-ranked vampire head-on. Although it was daytime, when vampires were at their weakest, a knight-ranked vampire that had evolved twice was still far beyond his ability to fight.

Suddenly, he thought of the cross.

When he had ambushed Mary, a golden halo had burst from it with tremendous force, blasting him away and punching through the metal shell of the cable car.

Perhaps he could make use of it.

Inkfeather chose to rewind time. He sent a mirror image to escort Mary to the Volcano Castle, while he himself retrieved the cross and found an unoccupied place to study it.

The result was disappointing.

In his hands, the little thing was nothing more than a decorative object. He could not activate it at all.

Perhaps he should ask Elise.

Rewind.

10:30 a.m.

Inside an employee changing room at the amusement park.

After changing into a floral shirt, the mirror image left. He would make his move against Mary, lure away her bodyguards, check the cross into storage, and then escort Mary to the foot of the Volcano Castle.

Inkfeather set off to find Elise.

He had deliberately chosen this particular moment, mainly because he wanted to see what Elise had been doing all morning.

…

“Hold the parasol a little higher. Look at the camera~”

Alice aimed her single-lens reflex camera at Elise. As she directed her subject, she frantically pressed the shutter, capturing beautiful photographs from every angle.

Elise struck several different poses before finally turning her back to the camera.

“That’s it. Back up, back up. Lift your skirt, then keep backing up.”

Alice stared at Elise’s high heels. Her delicate feet crossed over and over as she retreated, until she had reached the edge of the platform. Alice showed no intention of calling a halt and continued urging her backward.

Elise stepped into empty air and fell backward.

Alice, who had been plotting this for quite some time, rushed forward with her arms spread, preparing to catch her like a princess. A dark blur flashed past. She felt as though she had slammed into a wall, clutched her nose, and crouched down in pain.

Inkfeather caught Elise in his arms.

He had been following them for a short while, still wondering how to begin the conversation, when he saw Elise miss her footing and fall backward.

Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity?

He darted forward, blocked Alice, and caught Elise before she hit the ground.

This was his first close-range encounter with the vampire. His enhanced senses allowed him to detect her breathing, heartbeat, and body temperature.

She was no different from a real human being.

Her disguise was perfect.

Elise curled up in his arms, both small hands gripping her parasol. Her eyes widened as she stared at his face without moving, as though someone had cast a petrification spell on her.

“Are you hurt?”

“No…”

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Inkfeather set Elise down, then gently took her little hand and raised it as though he intended to kiss it.

“Beautiful young lady, please don’t do anything so dangerous. You’ll make people worry.”

He waited for Elise’s instinctive reaction.

But there was none.

Elise remained completely motionless.

After several dozen seconds of stalemate, Inkfeather could not take it any longer. He raised his head and looked at Elise.

Are you going to move away or not?

Elise blinked her large eyes and stared straight at him. Her gaze seemed to say, “Then kiss me already.”

Inkfeather was utterly dumbfounded.

This wasn’t right.

Wasn’t she supposed to react instinctively?

Could it be because someone else was present?

Alice got to her feet and slapped Inkfeather’s hand away with startling force. She stepped between them and glared fiercely at him.

“What are you doing? Go away! Don’t come near my darling!”

Inkfeather raised both hands and grinned.

“My apologies. It was an emergency, and I was presumptuous. Two such beautiful ladies really ought to have a man protecting them. It’s dangerous otherwise.”

“We have companions. If you keep harassing me, I’ll call the police!” Alice threatened.

Elise tugged at Alice’s clothes. Looking to the side and revealing only her profile, she said softly, “Let him come with us. He can keep away the people who approach us.”

Alice’s mouth fell open, and she froze.

Inkfeather smiled without saying a word.

He was one of her own people, after all.

Of course Elise would allow him to follow them.

A string of blood-red words appeared, floating over Alice.

[You have incurred the hatred of this spirit rabbit. She has developed murderous intent toward you. Danger may arrive without warning. Seize the initiative and kill her. Reward: 1 ability point.]

[Special unit detected. Capturing it alive will unlock the legendary section of the Monster Compendium.]

Inkfeather was stunned.

Could this activate the mission-detection system?

And it was a special unit?

Was this spirit rabbit also a powerhouse capable of ushering in a new era?

He had assumed she was an ordinary non-player character, but it seemed she was a hidden boss as well.

Inkfeather studied Alice anew.

This hatred had appeared so suddenly. Clearly, it had something to do with Elise. He had merely approached her a little—surely that was not enough to provoke such hostility?

He recalled the details of Alice’s behavior.

Suddenly, he understood.

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She was a lesbian, and a slightly yandere one at that. She was in love with Elise, which explained everything.

He had been mistaken for a romantic rival.

No wonder.

After Elise spoke, Alice was clearly in a foul mood, but she did not object. She tacitly accepted that Inkfeather could accompany them. However, she wrapped both arms around Elise’s and placed herself between them, standing guard as though defending a fortress.

Their world of two had become a party of three.

The atmosphere was rather strange.

Elise maintained her manners as a refined lady and spoke very little.

Alice, on the other hand, was extremely talkative and controlled the conversation from beginning to end.

Inkfeather remained silent most of the time. He was merely calculating the time and guiding the two girls toward the luggage-storage counter. When the appointed moment arrived, he excused himself to use the restroom and went to retrieve the cross.

Once Number Twelve sent Elise a message after waiting for a while, he would be able to act.

“Why don’t we sit over there for a while?”

Inkfeather pointed toward a seating area.

Both girls agreed. The three of them took their seats and ordered some desserts and drinks.

Sincerity was the ultimate weapon.

Inkfeather got straight to the point.

“Alice, you’re in love with Elise, aren’t you? Not as a friend—as a lover. And you’re wildly obsessed with her.”

He opened with a trump card.

Alice reacted violently. With a sudden puff, she sprayed the drink from her mouth and began coughing violently.

Elise looked confused for a moment, as though her mind had stopped turning. Then, with complete innocence, she explained, “We’re just good friends. We’re not that kind of relationship.”

“My lady, you should know that those inside the situation are often blind to it. I’ve already identified the target. Number Twelve sent you a message, didn’t he? To be perfectly honest, I’m not a conquest specialist, but my ability allows me to obtain information about my targets.”

Inkfeather’s eyes were filled with sincerity.

Elise fell into a daze. Then she abruptly rose to her feet and pointed at Inkfeather, her voice trembling.

“You… you’re you!”

“Mm…”

Inkfeather answered, sensing that Elise’s reaction was not quite right. He bared his teeth and drew in a breath.

“Wait a moment… Don’t tell me you still haven’t recognized who I am?”

The ensuing silence was deafening.

Elise turned her head away.

Alice’s eyes widened as well. After scrutinizing Inkfeather, she said, “What nonsense are you talking about? I don’t understand a word. Darling, let’s go. Ignore him.”

“Wait.”

Inkfeather stopped them at once. He took out the box containing the cross and opened it.

“Can you help me identify this?”

As soon as the box opened, Elise and Alice reacted in exactly the same way: their eyes widened, their expressions turned to shock, and they both took a step backward.

It was as though they had seen something dangerous.

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