<White>

White gazed at her half-empty glass.

The red liquid was just as refreshing as before.

'Their kind never ceases to amaze, huh?'

The power Yalery held was shrouded in mystery. It was, in part, what made them so terrifying. No one was aware of their limits, or even if such limits existed. From raising mountains to battling horrors unknown, no tale about them seemed constant. One story would have them wielding golden flames to battle, while another would have them commanding nature itself. All the tales and myths couldn't agree with each other.

'Well, that's not entirely true, is it?'

There was one thing all the myths and legends agreed on. The alluring nature of the Yalery kind. Something White had experienced firsthand. She still remembered her knee-jerk reaction. The way her heart skipped a beat when she saw the child. It was a similar reaction to the child's mother, albeit for a very different reason.

White found herself smiling.

The world was truly an odd place.

Stretching out her hand, White picked up the glass and took a quick sip. When the maid initially whispered for White to follow her during the meal, White had been more than just hesitant. She had been sceptical. After all, here they were having a meal with the queen. What could be more important than that? It had only been after the queen gazed briefly at her that White moved.

She had never seen such wrathful eyes.

Did she know of the plan? Was she aware of White's intentions? Intentions that would no doubt harm not only her child but her kind as a whole? Such questions plagued White's mind as she followed the maid through the labyrinth of a castle. Her steps felt heavier than before. What would the queen do if she knew? What horrors would White be subjected to?

It was then, amidst the walk, that the maid spoke, perhaps sensing White's unease.

"Don't worry yourself too much ~herooo~,"(M) 

The maid's stride in front of White decreased slightly, very slightly.

"My sweet lady loves heroes too much." (M)

It was then that it finally clicked in White's mind. She was off to see the princess. She was off to see her target. And... if she got what the maid was hinting at, she should be well so long as she didn't disappoint the princess.

'Damn it! I can't-'

White took a deep breath.

She then exhaled.

She needed to calm down. She didn't know if the queen knew about her plan or not. Worrying over something so senseless when no concrete information was present would only distract her. She couldn't afford to be distracted.

"Lovely, I am as thrilled to meet her."(W)

The walk with the maid continued at its slightly slowed pace. White felt her body begin to return to a more relaxed state. A state wherein vigilance was still high but not overwhelming. It was in this state that White encountered her second problem.

The sound of footsteps rang as the maid abruptly stopped. At the other end of the hall, a massive figure appeared. It wore a bright smile as it made its way towards them.

Ever since White decided to embark on this plan, an important question has lingered in her mind.

'Just how many of these monsters do I need to kill?'

The Yalery kind had only recently relatively started interacting with mortals. They were a race so high above others that they didn't need to look down. Such words were taught to White during her academy training. It was a sentiment said as fact and greatly defended by those who spoke it. The war against the demons was often cited as proof. The defenders of such a position argue that if the Yalery cared about mortal matters, they would have stepped in sooner.

When White pondered the statements, she came to the very logical conclusion. She didn't really care. After all, at the time, she would've never imagined she'd ever use such information.

But now, standing in front of such a monster, White couldn't help but ponder those statements. In retrospect, those statements were likely the reason she couldn't find any information. Information on the number of monsters that needed to die.

"Ah, so you're the hero my little niece wants to meet?"

The voice of this Yalery lacked the strictness of the queen. It had spoken in a playful, more relaxed manner.

"Yes, Mistress Cura. This is White, the hero." (M)

White felt the golden eyes of the Yalery examine her form. The eyes of the Yalery bore into White, and just as it was about to open its mouth to speak, it paused. A frown made its way to its face before it eventually let out a sigh.

"Marie, I will be in need of your assistance tonight." (C)

The Yalery looked forward as its frown gradually shifted back into a wide smile.

"I've found something rather interesting." (C)

"Very well, Mistress Cura." (M)

The maid gave a low bow as the Yalery proceeded to walk away. With silent understanding, both Marie and the maid proceeded with their simple stroll.

'Ha, I didn't even get a word in'

White gazed at her now-three-quarters empty glass.

When that demon maid told her to wait, she didn't expect her to take long. With each and every second that passed, White found herself worrying over Instructor Lucy, worrying over the kids.

"Marieee, please. Never do that again." (N)

A soft, sweet voice filled the air.

"Cough, sorry, my lady. My excitement got the better of me,"(M)

White lifted her glass and closed her eyes.

"It's just so hard to resist when my lady is doing something amazing,"(M)

The cold drink washed down her throat.

"I do have an apology as a gift for you. One, I am sure you are bound to love,"(M)

Finally, she steels her resolve.

"Please open your eyes, my lady. Please do it for me." (M)

White opened her eyes to greet the child.

The overly joyful child.