CH.42 12-2. Out of the Magic Hat Came a White Rabbit.
The battle in the forest ended not long after.
“Well, that was quite entertaining! Haha, to think you managed to leave a scratch on me!”
The battlefield had fallen silent, signaling defeat.
The magician stood with a broken arm and a bleeding cut across her cheek. Her black tuxedo was in tatters, stained with blood seeping from multiple wounds.
“Glass Knight and Hero of Light—you two were more impressive than I expected!”
Twisting her white hair with one hand, Magic Hat stepped toward the collapsed Hero, her footsteps deliberate and echoing in the still air. Her face was alight with joy.
“Kainel! Please, wake up…!!”
Ariel was shaking Kainel’s shoulders, sobbing desperately. His golden Holy Sword lay plunged into the ground, and he slumped against a broken tree trunk as if in a deep sleep.
“No… This can’t be happening…”
The red-haired elf was bruised and scratched all over, though in better condition than the Hero. Her crimson eyes burned with hatred as she glared at Magic Hat’s golden ones.
“I simply adore love like this. Ariel, wasn’t it? That’s what this fledgling here kept calling you.”
“Get away, you crazy witch!”
Ariel unleashed a flurry of her fireworks magic at the approaching magician.
“Pointless, darling. My ‘Authority’ reduces such efforts to nothing.”
The spells fizzled out the moment they brushed against her damaged tuxedo, as though they had never been cast. The Demon Lord brushed the imaginary dust from her clothing with a smug smile.
Magic Hat watched the red-haired elf tend to the Hero with amusement.
“…Broken, battered, only to realize what’s truly precious and cling tighter to it. Love like this is so valuable, don’t you think?”
She smiled at the sobbing elf as though admiring a masterpiece, but Ariel found the sight utterly horrifying.
At that moment—
“Magic Hat…”
“Oh my, still standing?”
The Glass Knight rose once again, glaring at the white-haired magician. The wolf-like eyes beneath her helmet gleamed with undiminished determination.
“Do you really think a little bloodshed is enough to change things? Are you hoping I’ll lose now?”
“…Yes.”
Panting, Phine leveled her sword at Magic Hat. In response, the Demon Lord chuckled and drew a card.
“Well then, let’s see if you can handle this. Queen of Hearts.”
As the card in her hand glowed, a mature woman with long black hair and wolf ears emerged. Phine flinched at the sight.
“Come now, Queen of Hearts. Heal me up!”
The wolf-eared woman obeyed silently, and soon Magic Hat’s wounds and torn clothing were completely restored.
“What…?”
Her black tuxedo looked pristine, as if it had never been touched.
“Ah, much better! As expected of the wife of Emperor Roque—her abilities are unparalleled!”
Magic Hat flexed her previously broken arm with ease, confirming its perfect restoration.
“…Mother?”
The elegant woman in the black dress, adorned with imperial insignia, bore a striking resemblance to Phine, down to the wolf-like eyes.
“Oh, do you know her? A royal family member, perhaps? How interesting.”
Magic Hat’s mocking tone seemed to dig deeper as Phine froze, her body trembling. Memories of the past surged forth.
“You… You kept her… with you…”
Phine’s grip on her sword faltered, her hands shaking with fear. Her wolf ears and tail drooped as the familiar terror consumed her.
She had believed her mother to be dead for over a decade. To see her now, reduced to a pawn of the Demon Lord, was a nightmare she could never have imagined.
“It’s me! Please, snap out of it!!”
“…”
“She can’t hear you. No matter how much you call out, only my orders will reach her.”
Phine’s mother stared at her daughter with lifeless eyes, showing no recognition. Her movements were mechanical, following Magic Hat’s every command.
“What… What did you do to her?!”
“As I said earlier, my dear, I don’t kill people. My beloved husband wouldn’t like that.”
Magic Hat smirked, her golden eyes gleaming as though she had figured out Phine’s true identity. Her teasing smile was sharp and cruel.
“Of course, I can’t say becoming a card was painless. Was it, I wonder?”
“Magic Hat!!”
Phine’s rage reached its peak as she charged at the Demon Lord, her sword aiming for any opening. But every slash was effortlessly blocked by a single card.
“Useless. With such weak resolve, you’ll never touch me. You’re not even a Hero.”
“Shut up!”
The white-haired magician deflected each strike with ease, her casual smirk only infuriating Phine further.
“This time… won’t be the same as before!”
“Have we met before? Strange, I don’t recall seeing a glass knight when I collected Queen of Hearts.”
“She’s not just ‘Queen of Hearts’! That’s not her name!”
Magic Hat tilted her head as if confused, though the condescension in her eyes was unmistakable.
“Does it matter? She’s alive and well now, isn’t she?”
Her indifference enraged Phine further.
Smiling playfully, the Demon Lord tossed another card toward Phine. It slipped through a gap in her armor, striking the joint of her leg.
“Argh!”
Phine collapsed to the ground, clutching her injured leg. The pain was evident as she bit her lip to stifle a scream, her glass helmet echoing her ragged breaths.
“Such a masterpiece of armor… but it’s too similar to my husband’s design, don’t you think?”
The Demon Lord giggled as Phine struggled to rise, her expression twisted in pain and defiance.
“I’ll… kill you…”
Phine’s voice was trembling, but her eyes remained locked on Magic Hat with unyielding determination.
“Oh, your armor’s weak spots are so similar to his. Ah…”
For a brief moment, Magic Hat’s expression softened into a mockery of sorrow. She covered her face with one hand, a tear sliding down her cheek like a tragic heroine.
“Poor, poor darling. How tragic…”
But Phine’s sharp eyes saw through it—those tears weren’t real.
“Still preparing… It’ll be fine… right?”
The mask of pity faded, revealing a smile that was both twisted and mocking.
“I’ll do anything for my beloved this time.”
The Demon Lord’s insane murmurs carried no shred of compassion.
“You’re insane.”
Phine’s voice quivered as she stared at Magic Hat, whose tears had been nothing but crocodile tears.
“Am I? I’m madly in love! Isn’t that beautiful? Haha!”
Her laughter was filled with both lust and ecstasy as she pressed another card against Phine’s neck.
“Now, for the grand finale, my dear interlopers.”
The Demon Lord’s smile was soft, yet terrifying.
***
Thanks to Dennis’s teleportation, I arrived back in the forest.
“Damn it.”
As I scanned the surroundings, the gravity of the situation hit me hard.
“Am I already too late?”