Facing the Magic Wolf's desperate strike, Ellen's charge didn't falter in the slightest; she didn't even bother to dodge. With the casualness of someone shooing away a fly, she simply swung the massive Shark Pruning Shears upward from below!
Crack!
The sound of shattering was incredibly crisp. The dark red energy ball, capable of melting through solid rock, was precisely split in two by the blades in Ellen's hand. The severed sphere instantly lost stability, erupting into a series of crackling explosions that turned into turbulent air currents whistling past her body.
The resulting wind caused her maid skirt to flutter loudly, and a few strands of black hair drifted across her lethargic red eyes.
The Magic Wolf, its killing move neutralized so easily, was visibly stunned—a flash of human-like astonishment appearing in its amber pupils. But it never got the chance to make another move. Ellen's pace didn't pause for a second, as if slicing through a terrifying magical blast was just a trivial chore she'd done in passing. Like a ghost, she was already closing the distance.
"Roar!"
The wolf let out a cry of shock and rage, its sharp claws tearing through the air with a foul wind. Ellen didn't even use her shears to block; she sidestepped with effortless grace, the claws grazing harmlessly past the edge of her clothes. Simultaneously, she raised the long handle of her weapon and slammed it hard against the wolf's fragile back.
Bang!
A dull impact echoed across the cliffside as the wolf's massive body was driven into the dirt. Grass clippings and soil flew into the air from the force. The creature let out a whimper of pain, struggling to stand, its amber eyes finally clouded with fear.
Ellen looked down at it, the lollipop still in her mouth and a small lump bulging in her cheek. Her expression remained unchanged—that signature "what a pain" look.
"So ugly... and noisy..."
She complained indistinctly, her hands tightening on the shears. The giant blades glinted coldly under the twin moons, aimed directly at the wolf's neck. Without hesitation, she snapped them shut.
Squelch!
A brief, teeth-gritting sound of metal meeting bone rang out, followed by total silence. The wolf's roar stopped abruptly; its body twitched twice and then went completely still. Its dark blue fur rapidly lost its luster, and the faint black mist surrounding it dissipated into the night wind.
Ellen pulled out her shears, casually flicked the blood droplets from the blades, and shouldered the weapon once more. She turned around, looked at Luna Belle—who was still frozen in place—and gave a small, weary yawn.
"It's settled. So... can you explain what the situation is now, Belle?" she asked, her tone carrying a hint of genuine confusion. "I recall finishing my shift and planning to go home for a good sleep..."
Ellen sighed and waved a hand in front of Luna Belle's eyes. "Stop dazing out, Belle. Where exactly are we? This doesn't look like New Eridu at all, nor does it look like any Hollow I know."
She surveyed the boundless grassland and the twin moons, her gaze finally falling back on Luna Belle, the flickering CRT TV, and the second-hand VCR.
"And you actually brought the video store equipment out here... no matter how you look at it, it's weird," Ellen commented, tapping the casing of the VCR.
"Well... Ellen... you might not believe it... but we might have traveled to another world," Luna Belle said, scratching her hair, still struggling to make sense of the madness.
"Traveled to another world..." Ellen repeated. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Belle, that's not funny. Even your brother wouldn't believe that."
"I'm really not joking... also, it's just me here, there's no brother," Luna Belle sighed, proceeding to share everything she knew.
"...There's really such a thing? Then can we go back?" After hearing the explanation, Ellen put down her shears and sat down on the grass beside her.
"Sorry, Ellen. I'm not sure... I'm really sorry for getting you caught up in this..."
Before Luna Belle could finish, a fair finger was placed gently over her lips.
"No need to apologize, Belle. Actually... I'm just glad you thought of me when you were in danger."
Luna Belle froze. The cool touch of Ellen's fingertip lingered on her lips. That phrase—"I'm glad"—was like a stone thrown into a still lake, sending ripples through her heart.
"Um..." she nodded, then asked cautiously, "By the way... how did you know my name was Belle?"
Ellen tilted her head, her brow furrowing slightly as her large shark tail swayed slowly behind her. "Are you okay? Is this some kind of prank? Why wouldn't I know you're Belle? If you're not Belle, who else would you be?"
"...Wait a minute."
Luna Belle suddenly realized a blind spot. In the game, the female protagonist was also named Belle, and that was exactly how Ellen was recognizing her now! Because she had taken on the identity of the Proxy,—or maybe the characters she summoned—just sees her as the real thing.
Seeing Luna Belle's conflicted expression, Ellen leaned in closer, her face almost pressing against hers as her red eyes scrutinized her. She reached out her free hand, pressing the back of it against Luna Belle's forehead, then touched her own to compare.
"No fever... why are you talking nonsense?" she muttered. Then, as if that weren't enough, she made a move that caused Luna Belle to instantly hold her breath—she pressed her own forehead directly against Luna Belle's!
The distance between them vanished. Luna Belle could see every detail of Ellen's skin and catch the faint, sweet fragrance of her breath. As Ellen's body temperature seeped through their skin, Luna Belle's cheeks turned a brilliant crimson.
"Hmm... the temperature is fine..." Ellen seemed completely oblivious to the embarrassment, earnestly checking for a fever. "Could you have been scared by that ugly thing? Are you having some kind of cognitive impairment?"
After a few seconds, Ellen pulled back, creating some space. She looked at Luna Belle's bright red face in confusion. "Why is your face so red? Something is definitely still wrong, isn't it?"
"I... I'm fine!" Luna Belle snapped back to her senses, using the back of her hands to cool her burning cheeks. Her eyes darted around, unable to meet Ellen's gaze. "It's just... a bit hot! Yeah, it's quite hot at night too, haha..."
The excuse was so poor she wanted to bite her tongue. Ellen glanced at her suspiciously but didn't press further, merely licking her lollipop and stretching...