After a moment of laughter, Elena spoke again, her tone more casual.
"…I don't get it."
Rotell hummed, "Mm? What don't you get?"
"If those guys from the palace want information about me," Elena said, slurping a strand of noodles, "why don't they just ask you? I mean, isn't the way they're doing things a little too roundabout?" Nom-nom-nom! "It can't be that those old habits have twisted their brains so much that they can't adapt, right?" She took another big bite. "Why go through the City Guard, and not you? Don't tell me they don't trust you…? Aren't you supposed to be the emperor's favourite? Hahaha!"
Rotell paused, then let out a quiet laugh.
"…You're asking the wrong person! What can I, this pampered princess from the palace, the next in line for the throne, this pure fairy who is disconnected from the greater world, possibly know!? Hump! They tell me nothing! Not only that, but now that I've started to grow my own wings, even my father seems to be interested in keeping me home!"
Elena blinked, then rolled her eyes, seemingly thinking about something.
Rotell continued, "Ever since I returned from the western region, my father has loosened the reins on my third sister more and more! If I didn't know any better, I really would have to worry that my father wouldn't step in even if she tried to kill me!" Rotell leaned her cheek into her palm, tilting her head as she looked at Elena with a scoff.
"It's really tiring! You have no idea!"
She sighed.
"Sometimes, I wonder who has it worse, you or me! Hahaha! Thinking about it, if my life is like this, I really can't imagine what you five must be going through! Especially that little one, Petra. That's your adopted sister, right? Why do you let her run around all day, creating trouble? Aren't you worried?"
Elena frowned slightly.
"In fact, she often worried about Petra, but after visiting the territory of the Emerald Ghost Tree, her mindset had changed. Whether it was because of her immense luck or immense talent, she no longer felt as if Petra needed to be personally protected."
Originally, she intended to play the role of a proper big sister and take her around the world when she grew up, but after that meeting, she decided to leave her to her own devices.
"Now that some time had passed, she still wasn't sure if that was the right decision, but things weren't too bad. Petra was safe, and her work, although a bit behind on the grand undertaking, was only slightly behind schedule…" Overall, things were going well!
Elena smiled, a twinkle flickering in her eyes as she once again shifted in her seat.
Their conversation drifted…
Soon, they began talking about the capital, sharing stories, and gossiping all about the increasing number of people flooding into Llynun, as well as the overseas experts and what they had been up to.
"Regarding the United Army," Rotell mentioned, tapping her chopsticks against the bowl. "They seem to be getting a lot of attention lately. It seems as if, as the time for the 'two years of the second calamity' comes to an end and opens the gates for the 'four-year period of the third calamity', more and more people want to join in the fun." She rolled her eyes, "Also, that Tode kid… I found him! And well —! Oh man, is he a character! I don't know what you see in that weirdo, but aside from being a strange, cute, and somewhat comical background character, he doesn't do much else…"
Elena shrugged faintly.
"'They're' still incomplete," she said, not elaborating on her words.
Rotell smiled, knowing that was already enough of a hint.
"You're always like this, Arthur too! Bah! What, seeing the future! What Heroes! All of you are so annoying! You probably forgot what it's like for us normal people!" Rotell clicked her tongue.
Elena didn't deny it, after all, although she didn't have Dorthys divination bloodline, Arthur's foresight, and Kilemin's suspected semi-omniscience, she did have her regressions and all the knowledge from her previous lives! As for Petra, if she was not wrong, Petra had some strange trait that allowed her to manifest the futures she wanted.
Elena wasn't sure about this at first, but as time went on and she learned more and more about her little sister, she discovered that whatever future she wanted would 'unconsciously' 'approach', as if she was pulling certain timelines towards her.
Perhaps Elena was the only one who could recognise this trend, but even as just a slight suspicion, she still had no idea how or why it worked! If Elena knew more about her cute little sister, then she would likely discover that this wasn't the ability to 'manifest the futures she wanted', instead, it was Petra's Will mixing with the strange power of the King's Hand, 'affecting' the River of Time.
In other words, the futures she 'really' didn't want to happen would be poisoned to death on a conceptual level, therefore narrowing the surrounding possibilities in a small section of the river of time. As long as Petra could reach where she wanted in the river of time before it was replaced or repaired, it created this phenomenon of 'manifesting the futures she wanted!'
Of course, this only applied to small-scale events that didn't affect larger areas…
Mm, at least, for now…
It was also uncontrollable, and not only that, but Petra and the King's Hand didn't even know that they were doing it! It could be said that Elena, this mortal, was an incredible individual for deducing a small corner of the future Green Witches' most terrifying ability!
Elena, thinking about her conjecture, realized that not only would that make Petra the real missing fifth hero, but it would also indicate a terrifying possibility that she didn't want to believe!
If Elena were to combine Levy's statement, 'This will be the last loop,' and Petra's, 'The future is what I want it to be,' then that could only mean that it wasn't a matter of not having a Petra in the next loop, instead, there would be no next loop, and everything would end in this life, whether she wanted it or not! This thought terrified Elena, but thinking about the letter she received from the future Luna, her heart calmed down. She understood, especially after meeting the High Elves, that this world was a much larger chessboard than she could ever have imagined! If this life were the final game, then that could only mean that she had to use everything she had!"
She would not back down!
She would not slow down!
She would rise, reach new heights, surpass the gods, and save the world!
Elena still didn't understand that the scope of this chessboard was something that even the supreme existences that had simply come to observe could not even comprehend! This was not a game of life or death, nor was it a battle of Chaos and Order, no, this went above the head of the Witch of Calamity, a hidden scheme that touched 'that taboo' in the center of the Cosmos, a stage to raise just one of countless dominos that were needed to even step towards that zenith!
Cough-cough-cough!
Mm, where were we…? Ah, oh, right!
The two young beauties, under the bright afternoon sun, talked about the palace, about the Royal Guards and the formation and future of the United Army, and about the Cross Continent after they left. They were both preparing to depart, and after the Royal Ring Secret Realm opens, it would likely be a long time until they returned, many years, perhaps even centuries!
The serenity of this scene was breathtaking.
"Two of my father's elite guards have shown up already," Rotell said with a slight sigh, "I really don't know what they're doing, ah~! Can't they just mind their own business, I mean, really! Who would try to assassinate me in the capital!" She shook her head.
She rolled her eyes, "Although, now that I say it, it does seem to have happened before… Hm, more than once too… Tsk! It's a shame that Theo wasn't sent, because then I'd invite him to join us!"
"I know, I know…" Elena replied softly, her head nodding.
Their eyes met briefly, and there was something unspoken between the two girls.
They laughed.
She had also felt the presence of the two great figures in the shadows, observing them, but although she didn't believe that she possessed the ability to defeat them in a battle, she judged that she would have no problem escaping.
After that, the two young girls talked about some ships, about their preparations, and about the Royal Tower and its contribution.
The conversation eventually moved on to the Royal Ring Secret Realm that was opening soon.
"You'll go, right?" Rotell asked, almost eagerly.
Elena nodded, then shook her head.
"I don't have time. Unlike you, who need to enter that place for the inheritance steel of the Hellion Family, I already have enough secret techniques to keep me going for quite some time."
Rotell watched her for a moment, then frowned in disappointment.
She and Elena had been quite close recently, and this was an opportunity to fight together! She was looking forward to it, but now it seems as if she had overthought things! What a shame! A true shame!
Elena smiled, just slightly, seeing the disappointment on her friend's face.
"…Don't die, after the calamity comes, I'm sure we will have lots of time to fight together."
Elena blinked, then became more serious as she added, "Also, remember to watch your back! I'm serious, remember what you said about your third sister? Well, isn't this the perfect opportunity to attack? Those dragons, too, remember not to owe them a favour if possible!" Her eyes flickered with an unknown light, then, "Not many people know this, but in the underground world, the Telltera aren't only known for their physical strength, instead, they are all masters of archery! It is said that one of their attacks is like a full-power magic cannon that can reach you from the horizon, so watch out!"
Rotell laughed, not believing it at all!
Elena chuckled along with her, knowing that her warnings were rather ridiculous!
The mood softened.
At the same time, the camera tilted slightly down—
Beneath the table…
A small figure was tied up like a dumpling, trapped beneath Elena's butt, serving as a cushion.
The red-haired girl lay flattened, her thin body helplessly trembling under Elena's weight. Her face was bruised, her cheeks were swollen, one eye had swelled and blackened, and her expression was lost, trapped somewhere between dazed and offended.
"…Mmph!!" She squirmed, but following another strong shift in weight from above, she settled down.
It had been like this since last night!
How did she become a prisoner again! Why weren't her abilities working anymore!
Quick! Send help! The hero is rebelling!
That was what the face of the third girl who had been beaten black and blue was screaming…
* * *
The scene shifts back to the office of the Gard Captain—
Not much time had passed…
The office had grown quiet, and Remel, Appal, and the man from the palace had left.
The captain of the City Guard sat alone behind his desk.
For a while, he didn't move, seeming to be lost in thought.
His fingers rested lightly against the wooden desktop, his gaze unfocused, as if replaying the conversation from earlier in his mind.
Then—
He reached into the drawer, and with a click, a thin booklet slid into his hand from an unseen compartment hidden within the desk.
It was simple in its appearance; a plain cover notebook meant to take notes.
There was no insignia, nor was there any special meaning, but the value of this book was unimaginable, because it was personally given to him by Elena, signifying an unnatural level of trust.
He frowned, wondering if she knew something…
This book had been given to him even before the people from the palace had contacted him. In other words, if the inciting event was Elena's request to capture that beggar girl on the streets, then the palace had predicted 'something' and contacted him before the request, asking him to keep an eye on Elena. They could never have imagined that Elena would have predicted their predictions and given him this book even before that. He believed that Elena would not spend much time with the City Guard after this. In fact, this book contained all of Elena's remaining requests and warnings, but instead of giving it to the palace, she sent it to him in secret.
He didn't know what that meant, but he also didn't care, after all, he was…
Mm, as for why these things were connected…
With a sigh, he slowly opened the book, then began reading…