Scarlet did not stay at the guild after that first encounter.
She came in, said what she wanted, evaluated whoever she wanted to evaluate, and left as if nothing there was important enough to hold her any longer. Even so, her presence continued to echo through the building long after she was gone.
It was as if the air had grown heavier.
"She didn't even try to hide it," Elara commented as we walked out of the guild. "Not even a little."
"She has no reason to," Vespera replied. "People at that level don't need diplomacy."
Liriel remained silent, but I could tell by her expression that she was bothered. It wasn't fear. It was something more subtle. A sense of alertness.
We returned to the mansion with that uncomfortable feeling of having been judged by someone who didn't care to hide her contempt. Along the way, I heard comments from other adventurers.
"That's really her."
"Scarlet in person."
"If she fights, humans have a chance to win this year."
Those sentences were filled with expectation. Not about us. About her.
"That annoys me," I murmured.
Elara glanced at me. "The fact that she's strong or the fact that no one is talking about us?"
"Both."
That night, we tried to act normally. We had dinner together. Talked about trivial things. But her name inevitably came up.
"She's human, but she doesn't act like one," Liriel said. "She feels no attachment. No sense of duty."
"She acts like someone who only believes in her own power," Vespera replied.
"And that makes her dangerous," I added.
The next day, Scarlet appeared again.
This time, without warning. Without ceremony. She was sitting at one of the guild tables when we arrived, drinking something strong as if she were in a random tavern. Around her, there was an empty space. No one approached.
When she saw us, she tilted her head slightly, a gesture that wasn't exactly respectful.
"You came early," she said. "Are you nervous?"
Elara crossed her arms. "Not as much as you seem to be."
Scarlet smiled. A slow, provocative smile. "Interesting. Usually, people avoid answering."
She stood up. She was tall. Firm posture. Every step seemed calculated, even when it didn't need to be.
"So," she continued, now looking directly at me. "You're Takumi."
I nodded. "I am."
She stared at me for a few seconds, far too long to be polite. Her eyes didn't lower, didn't shift. They evaluated.
"You don't look like someone who defeated three demon generals."
That sentence landed like a direct provocation.
"And you don't look like someone interested in saving it," I replied before thinking too much.
Elara shot me a quick, surprised look. Liriel tensed. Vespera simply watched.
Scarlet laughed. A short laugh. "Fair."
She walked around me, as if analyzing a rare object. She didn't touch. She didn't need to.
"You are… clumsy," she said. "As a group. There is no clear discipline. No defined hierarchy."
"And yet we are here," Vespera replied.
Scarlet stopped. Looked at Vespera with attention for the first time. "You are interesting."
Vespera did not respond.
Scarlet turned back to me. "I don't like this tournament."
"Then why did you come?" I asked.
She tilted her head. "Because your name traveled too far to be ignored."
Elara stepped forward. "And what do you think now that you've seen us?"
Scarlet smiled again. This time, there was something different. Not contempt. Curiosity.
"I think you're not as useless as I thought," she said. "But you're still far from what they say."
"And you?" I asked. "Are you everything they say?"
She stepped closer until she was far too near. "Find out in the arena."
Before anything else could be said, Scarlet stepped back. Picked up her drink. Downed it in one go.
"I'm going to fight," she finally said. "Representing Vailor."
Elara's eyes widened. Liriel held her breath. Vespera narrowed her gaze.
"But not for you," Scarlet added. "For me."
She left again, leaving a heavy silence behind.
"She's interested in you," Elara said as soon as the door closed.
"Don't confuse interest with challenge," I replied, although I wasn't sure of that myself.
Liriel spoke softly. "She's dangerous for a different reason."
"Yes," I agreed. "She fights for nothing but herself."
That night, lying in bed, I kept thinking about Scarlet's gaze. There was no hatred. No clear rivalry. Just a silent question.
Is it worth it?
And that bothered me more than any provocation.
The tournament hadn't even started yet. But I already knew Scarlet wouldn't be just another participant.
She would be a problem.