Andras:
"If I remember correctly, the Eagle Claw's elements are earth and wind — same as Silverstrike. So Andrea and Christina could both wield it. But they already have legendary swords."
Floralys:
"Anita could use it, couldn't she? If you want, I'll lend it to her. Every little advantage matters in a battle against demons."
Andras:
"Anita doesn't like long swords. She found a good short sword in the ruins anyway."
Floralys:
"It's almost embarrassing that no one wants the Talonblade."
Christina:
"Eventually a knight will be born in Greenwood who's worthy of it."
Floralys:
"Until then, it stays above my bed."
Andras stood.
"Well, it's getting late. We should get some sleep. The hunt starts at dawn."
Floralys:
"Yes, you're right. Come, the rooms are prepared for all the guests."
The group rose and slowly left the bedchamber.
Their footsteps faded down the corridor.
Once silence returned, the Princess cautiously peeked out from under the bed.
"The coast is clear."
After Young Wolf, Floralys, and Christina left the bedchamber, the Princess and the Hero slowly crawled out from beneath the bed. The Princess's dress was a little dusty, and Eris's hair was full of cobwebs — but neither of them cared.
The Princess took a deep breath, lifted her chin, and declared:
"Don't say anything! I know. I suspected them of… impropriety, while they were only protecting the Kingdom… and me."
Eris let out a relieved sigh.
"I'm glad you see it that way."
But the Princess had already switched into a completely different mode:
the dramatic, self‑sacrificing, heroic mode.
"But what about the demons' attack?" Eris asked. "We can't warn the royal knights, or we'll ruin Young Wolf's plan."
The Princess nodded firmly.
"We won't speak of the demons to anyone. You heard them. Christina and Floralys will protect me, and you will defeat the Demon General. We will protect Greenwood, the capital, and the entire Kingdom."
Eris hesitated.
"So… I shouldn't tell my father either?"
The Princess narrowed her eyes.
"Not even him. That is an order."
Eris straightened.
"Understood, Princess."
Then the Princess suddenly stepped closer, speaking with absolute seriousness:
"And now we know for certain that I am the demons' target. Therefore, from this night on, you must sleep with me."
Eris's eyes widened.
"I'm sorry you have to sleep with me, Princess."
Anabella smiled — a little mischievously.
"Oh, it doesn't bother me. We're both girls, after all, hehehe!"
Eris's face turned red as a ruby.
And the Princess was already heading toward the door, completely naturally, as if this were the most logical decision in the world.
Eris followed — partly out of duty, partly because she had absolutely no idea how to refuse.
Young Wolf's Room
The castle maids escorted every guest to their assigned rooms.
The Hero shared a chamber with the Princess, Andrea with Anita, Ironclaw with Carla, and Noelle ended up with Fireburp and Marta.
Young Wolf was given a room of his own — or at least it looked like he would be sleeping alone.
In truth, he wasn't entirely solitary: MS Eli rested beside him within the staff.
Inside Young Wolf's Room
MS Eli's spectral form flickered faintly around the staff as she spoke:
"So in the end you didn't introduce me to that Silverwood woman. Because two little mice were hiding under the bed?"
Andras set his sword down on the table and let out a tired sigh.
"The Princess and the Hero were eavesdropping. I had to choose carefully what I talked about and what I didn't. I trust Christina… but not the Princess."
MS Eli snorted.
"Yeah, all Princesses are filthy whores!"
Andras rubbed his forehead.
"This Princess isn't. She's a lesbian girl who's in love with Eris."
"So all Princesses are destined to cling to the Hero?" MS Eli mused. "Regardless of gender? Is that in their blood, or is it some kind of curse?"
"I'd like to know that too," Andras replied. "I'll ask Uriel when I return to the Celestial Isle."
MS Eli floated closer.
"And what about your love life?"
"Don't exhaust me even more," Andras muttered. "I have to wake up early tomorrow. Let me sleep."
"Alright, alright…" the spirit grumbled. "But after we defeat the demons, we're coming back to this topic."
"You're even more annoying than the real Eli," Andras said, closing his eyes.
Fatigue overtook him instantly.
The night passed quietly — and the demons did not attack.
Dawn Intrusion
Early in the morning, when the first pale rays of dawn slipped through the gaps in the curtains, someone entered the room without knocking, silent as a shadow.
It was Noelle.
She had come to wake Young Wolf — but before saying a word, she wanted to admire his sleeping face for just a moment.
That secret little indulgence, however, shattered instantly at the sight before her.
There was someone else in the bed.
A girl's figure lay beside Andras, as if she had slept with him.
Noelle's eyes widened, then she burst out indignantly:
"Who is this girl, and what is she doing in my spot!"
Andras rubbed his eyes sleepily.
"Hm… Noelle? Is it morning already? I don't feel like going hunting."
Fuming, Noelle marched to the bed and tried to yank the girl out by the hair — but her hand passed straight through the figure, as if it were made of smoke.
"What the…? My hand went right through her! Is she a ghost?!"
The girl's form flickered, then turned toward them — revealing the spirit of MS Eli.
"Someone's awfully aggressive this morning. I'm in your spot? Ah, I see… so that's what this is about. I guess that answers my question from last night."
Noelle leaned closer, squinting at the spectral figure.
"Now that I look at you… you seem familiar. Aren't you the spirit of the Hero Mage? Elisabeth?!"
Andras sat up with a sigh.
"Noelle, meet MS Eli. Her spirit lives inside this legendary — but crappy — magic staff."
Noelle's eyes sparkled.
"You got a new magic staff? Let me see!"
She snatched it up, turning it over in her hands.
"Hm… four magical elements at once! This really is a legendary piece! But then why do you call it crappy? Oh… no lightning element. Yeah, that's pretty crappy."
MS Eli shrieked in outrage:
"I'll break this crappy staff over your head, Noelle!"
"But if you break it and the runes get damaged," Noelle replied calmly, "wouldn't the collision of the four elements cause a massive explosion?"
"Yes," Andras nodded. "It would blow up all of Greenwood."
Noelle whistled appreciatively.
"Then maybe it's not that crappy. Breaking it over a Demon General's head would definitely be worth it. Though it would blow up the wielder too."
MS Eli let out a mocking laugh.
"With an explosion that big, you wouldn't be blown into the air. There wouldn't be a speck of dust left of you."
"Then what if you used it?" Noelle suggested. "You don't have a body that could be harmed by the blast."
"If the staff is destroyed, my existence ends with it," MS Eli snapped.
Noelle's expression darkened.
"This is a very dangerous magic staff."
"Not if you only use one element at a time," MS Eli replied.
"Then what's the point of having four elements?" Noelle asked.
"Can we please drop this topic?" the spirit growled. "I told you this staff is a failure. I made it a thousand years ago, alright? I could make a much better one now… but I'd need legendary magic stones. Understood?"
Noelle nodded thoughtfully.
"But we already used the Lightning Ogre's magic stone. We can't get another legendary lightning‑element stone."
MS Eli's eyes narrowed.
"Actually… I know of another legendary lightning‑element magical creature. And it's stronger than the Lightning Ogre."
Dawn Plans and Dangerous Ideas
"And you're serious about this?" Andras sat up in bed, still half‑asleep. "What magical creature are you talking about? Don't tell me… a lightning dragon?"
MS Eli's spectral form drifted closer.
"Lightning dragons are only theoretical beings. No one has ever proven they exist. But there is another lightning‑element magical creature — one that lives on the far eastern edge of the continent, on a secluded island.
The Lightning Turulbird!"
Andras's eyes widened.
"The Turulbird is lightning‑elemental? But that doesn't matter… we can't kill that creature."
Noelle blinked in confusion.
"Why not?"
MS Eli explained patiently:
"Because that island is home to the strongest warrior‑maidens on the continent. And the Turulbird is their Sacred Guardian Deity. But we wouldn't need to kill it anyway. A single feather would be enough. I could fuse it with the polished Lightning Ogre crystal, and the lightning‑element magic stone would return to its uncut form."
Noelle stared at her, stunned.
"That's… even possible?"
MS Eli straightened proudly — or as proudly as a bodiless spirit could.
"Who do you think I am? I'm the greatest magical genius of all time! Hahaha!"