At the same time, in Edolas.
A handsome brown-haired young man, stood atop the roof of a building in the royal capital.
He gazed down at a massive magic crystal, heavily guarded by numerous soldiers, as a meaningful smile slowly formed on his lips.
"So, it's already over? But for [Anima]'s first target to be Magnolia... that really caught me off guard."
"Needless worrying, Garlos..."
A female voice drifted into Garlos' ears.
He turned his head slightly and saw a girl with shoulder-length light blue hair, wearing an oversized white hat that didn't quite match her frame, along with a long white cloak.
As she slowly approached him, she spoke softly, "With His Majesty Nord's power, he would never be defeated by mere human magic. Your concerns are completely unnecessary, Garlos."
"Ah, you're back, Ophelia." Garlos didn't mind the girl's blunt words and simply nodded in acknowledgment.
The girl, named Ophelia, walked up beside Garlos, her gaze also falling upon the magic crystal below.
"But is it really fine to be helping them like this? According to their plan, they only need a portion of the magic power, but if they get too greedy and try to take all the magic from Earthland, we'll be in trouble, won't we?"
"It's fine. Everything is still under control, so there's no need to worry. If the people of Edolas truly overstep their bounds, we can simply erase them."
"You really think you have everything in your grasp, don't you, Garlos? That arrogance of yours is honestly unbearable."
"Please, call it confidence… And Ophelia, just how deep does your dislike for me run?"
"If I had to describe it, I'd say it's at the level where I want you to disappear from this world completely, without leaving a single cell behind. So, for the sake of my mood, please go die immediately."
"...." Garlos surrendered in defeat.
"Oh, right," Ophelia suddenly furrowed her brows and said, "Your arrogance is one thing, but don't forget—this world's Lord Nord possesses tremendous power. Even if you were to face him directly, you wouldn't have any chance of victory. If you get yourself killed because of your overconfidence, I won't be picking up your corpse, let alone avenging you."
"Heh." Garlos let out a sneer and said calmly, "Ophelia, you've been in this world for quite some time now, yet you still don't understand this world's Lord Nord's nature? Lord Nord doesn't have even the slightest bit of attachment to that so-called king—or rather, he has never even cared. The truth is, the only reason Edolas' Lord Nord follows that king's orders is due to nothing more than a tiny, pitiful trace of blood relations..."
Ophelia, unusually, did not refute Garlos' words.
She merely remained silent, gazing down at the massive magic crystal below.
"Oh, right," Garlos suddenly seemed to remember something and turned to Ophelia.
"Are you sure you don't need any backup? Your magic isn't exactly suited for combat. While the offensive spells within it are powerful, they place a heavy burden on your body and aren't suitable for prolonged battles. Just in case, I could send a few throne candidates to assist you…"
"There's no need. I can complete the mission alone." Ophelia interrupted him with an indisputable tone.
"…Fine, if you insist." Garlos sighed and looked at Ophelia. "You're still holding a grudge over Ishu's betrayal, aren't you? Ever since he left, you…"
"Shut up, Garlos." Ophelia frowned, her voice noticeably sharper than before.
"Do not mention that man's name. After he betrayed our Master, he became our enemy. If you keep talking about this, I'll go tell Stella-nee that I saw you kissing some random girl."
"Wait, that's completely made up!!" Garlos immediately objected to Ophelia's blatant slander since such a thing had never happened.
"Whether it's true or not doesn't matter." Ophelia delivered the finishing blow without changing her expression. "What matters is—do you think Stella-nee will believe you or me?"
"I was wrong. Lady Ophelia, please, I beg you, don't say that in front of Stella! Otherwise, I'll be killed—absolutely, without a doubt, killed." Garlos pressed his hands together in a pleading gesture, once again admitting defeat.
At that moment, a commotion suddenly erupted below.
A golden-haired boy slowly appeared beneath the massive magic crystal.
He was a youth exuding an aura of absolute indifference.
His long golden hair cascaded down his back like a waterfall, and his black armor, along with the longsword strapped to his back—wrapped in bandages inscribed with intricate runes—radiated a chilling, murderous presence that sent shivers down the spine.
"Look, that is our kingdom's number one warrior—Lord Noel."
"I heard he single-handedly wiped out several dark guilds, slaughtering every single mage without leaving anyone alive!"
"That's nothing—Lord Noel is strong enough to defeat all four captains of the Magic War Division on his own!"
"The killing intent around him is terrifying… Just how many enemies has he slain to possess such an aura?"
"Shh! Do you want to die? How dare you discuss Lord Noel so openly!"
As the golden-haired youth appeared, the gathered citizens began whispering among themselves.
However, without exception, every face was filled with fear and reverence.
Seemingly unfazed by the murmurs below, the youth's expression did not change in the slightest.
Then, as if sensing something, he suddenly lifted his gaze, his eyes lingering for a few seconds on the rooftop where Garlos and Ophelia stood.
But instead of showing interest, he simply scoffed coldly before looking away.
"My, how perceptive," Garlos commented lazily. "It seems he doesn't welcome my presence. Oh well, I'll leave this place to you, Ophelia. I'm heading back to Earthland."
As soon as he finished speaking, Garlos' figure gradually blurred and faded away until it completely vanished.
Ophelia nodded, then leaped down from the rooftop and landed in front of Edolas Noel.
She bowed slightly and said, "Lord Noel, Ophelia Nars reporting for duty."
"Ophelia…" Noel looked at her meaningfully before asking, "That was your companion, wasn't it?"
"Yes, Lord Noel." Ophelia replied calmly, keeping her head lowered.
"I don't care what your group's objective is. As long as you don't interfere with me, you can do whatever you want. However—" Noel's gaze turned razor-sharp as he coldly stared at Ophelia. "If you get in my way, I'll personally send you to hell without hesitation."
"As you wish, my lord." Ophelia nodded.
"Good. You may rise." Noel's expression returned to its usual indifference.
Ophelia straightened up and quietly took a position behind Noel—close enough to indicate respect, yet not so near as to be intrusive.
This subtle detail alone showed that she was a perceptive and intelligent person.
"The first activation of 'Anima' has been completed, but there is still no sign of the Dragon Slayer. Your abilities are well-suited for tracking. If you obtain any information, report to me immediately."
Ophelia's lips curled into a subtle, playful smile as she spoke softly, "Yes. However, there's another matter that I believe I should inform you about."
"What is it?"
Ophelia looked at Noel and said, "Prince Jellal seems to have returned as well. His target appears to be the magic crystal. What does Lord Noel intend to do?"
After a few seconds of silence, Noel let out a low chuckle filled with sarcasm, as if he found Ophelia's question utterly ridiculous.
Then, his expression quickly returned to its usual cold indifference.
"Are you testing me, Ophelia? … Do I even need to answer that? If my dear brother Jellal dares to get in the way, I'll simply kill him."
"Understood." Ophelia lowered her head slightly, the shadow of her white hat concealing her expression.
"Since you have such resolve, then I can rest assured, Lord Noel."
(Brother against brother? That should be quite an entertaining spectacle. I must admit, I'm looking forward to it… Heh.)
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