Chapter 9: Isis: Why is she wearing my equipment!?

“Lady Ash?”

Lifa tilted her head, both in confusion and to try to see the face hidden under the woman’s hood.

“Yes, your name is Lifa, right?”

Lady Ash — or rather, the Hero, Isis — extended her right hand toward Lifa.

“That’s right…”

Lifa remembered the gaze the woman had directed at her on the stairs. After a moment of hesitation, she reached out and shook Isis’s hand.

“Please follow me, you two.”

The receptionist’s meaningful gaze shifted between them. She then quietly led Lifa and Isis out of the Adventurer’s Guild. After walking through two intersections, they arrived at a sprawling circular arena.

“What is this place?”

Without Ron by her side, Lifa felt as though she were missing a pillar of support. Though she remained curious about her new surroundings, she felt a slight fear and a sense of inferiority toward the unknown.

“This is the Gaderade Arena. It’s the property of the Adventurer’s Guild, but it’s currently closed due to martial law,” the receptionist explained.

*Clang, clang, clang.*

While speaking, the receptionist opened the heavy iron doors at the entrance and guided Lifa and Isis into the combat zone at the center of the arena.

“Wow, it’s so big… it feels larger than all the houses in my village put together.”

Lifa’s eyes widened as she looked around at the tiered stands surrounding the combat area. Even though there were no spectators, the height of the architecture made Lifa feel as if she were being watched.

“Tell your Guild Master that I owe him a favor.”

Lifa’s feeling wasn’t entirely wrong; from the moment they met, Isis’s attention had been fixed on her, even while speaking to the receptionist.

“It is our Gaderade branch’s honor to be of assistance.”

The receptionist was sincere and respectful. Sensing Isis’s hint for her to leave, she bowed and departed.

“Huh?”

Only the two of them remained in the vast arena. Lifa finished her curious observation and turned, only to find that the mysterious Lady Ash had finally revealed her true face.

‘She… she’s so beautiful.’

She was an elegant beauty with snow-white hair and skin. Although Lifa saw no expression on that exquisite face, she felt an inexplicable sense of trust and closeness.

“You are very beautiful too, Lifa.”

“Eh?”

‘Does she have mind reading?’

Isis’s sudden compliment caught Lifa off guard. The young girl, who had been wondering what the other would say, didn’t know how to respond for a moment.

“Thank… thank you for the compliment, Lady Ash.”

Lifa took a few steps toward Isis and responded politely.

“Um, do I just have to defeat you to become an Adamantite-rank Adventurer?” Lifa asked, raising her hand.

“Defeat me?”

“There’s no rush for the exam. Let me take a good look at you first, Lifa.”

The red eyes beneath the white hair slowly closed, and Isis reached out her right hand to caress Lifa’s cheek.

“Huh?”

Lifa was uncomfortable with the contact. The closer she got to Isis, the more she could sense an indescribable, terrifying aura emanating from her.

It was a terrifying aura that felt as if tearing away the beautiful exterior would release a horrifying monster.

“Lady Ash, what… what are you doing!?”

Lifa finally chose to push Isis away. She tightened her expression and pulled her weapon from her storage necklace, preparing for battle.

In that fleeting moment, as Isis opened her eyes, Lifa read…

Killing intent.

“Oh, as expected of the Child of Destiny?”

Isis whispered in a voice only she could hear. Lifa’s instinct reminded Isis of something interesting.

Blonde hair, a female swordsman…

She looked so much like Isis’s past self.

As memories surfaced, Isis naturally thought of the existence that had given her new life, only to be killed by her own hands.

‘Master, I’m thinking of you again…’

‘Please wait a little longer…’

‘Soon, Isis will come to be with you.’

“Nng.”

Lifa watched the silent Isis, maintaining a stance ready to parry an attack.

“There’s no need for that, Lifa. That was just a test of your perception. Congratulations on passing the first phase of the exam.”

Isis offered an explanation, as if everything just now had been a special part of Lifa’s assessment.

“Eh? Is… is that so?”

Once Isis suppressed the malevolent aura, Lifa could no longer sense it, and her expression immediately turned blank.

“Of course. Next, how about we move on to the next phase?”

No longer green or innocent, the current Hero, Isis, was no longer a girl who couldn’t even tell a decent lie.

“Okay. I’m sorry, Lady Ash. I didn’t know the Adventurer exam had content like that.”

Lifa, completely fooled, apologetically bowed to Isis.

“It’s fine, Lifa.”

After a thoughtful pause, Isis’s next test was a question.

“Next, I want to know… do you have a dream?”

She reached out a finger and effortlessly pushed aside the longsword that Lifa was holding firmly in front of her.

Under Lifa’s surprised gaze, Isis’s deep red eyes met Lifa’s. They were so close that their noses almost touched.

While Lifa’s rational mind was still analyzing why Isis had such strength — pressing down the weapon she held so tightly with just one finger — her subconscious had already provided an answer.

‘I want to become Master Ron’s bride.’

As the thought popped up, Lifa immediately suppressed it.

‘No, no, Lifa, you’re taking the Adventurer exam! This is the exam the Master expects you to pass. What are you thinking about?’

Snapping back to reality and remembering this was a test, Lifa naturally wanted to give her second answer: to become a Hero.

“Do you want to become a Hero?”

“Eh!?”

Seeing Lifa’s expression and reaction, a look of “as I thought” surfaced on Isis’s face. Her gaze was cold and sorrowful, filled with self-deprecation.

“Do you have mind reading, Lady Ash?”

After having her thoughts guessed repeatedly, Lifa, knowing magic existed, couldn’t help but make the connection.

“Mind reading? Heh.”

Isis gave a noncommittal response, falling into a silent reflection after her smile.

“T-That…”

“Lifa has other dreams, but Lifa really wants to become an Adventurer like the Hero Isis!”

Seeing Isis’s smile, Lifa’s face flushed. She truly believed her original thought had been discovered.

“The Hero Isis?”

After a long silence, Isis shook her head upon hearing Lifa’s formal answer. She then took a few steps back to create some distance.

“Then, let us proceed to the final phase of the exam.”

“Lifa, you may take out your armor from your storage tool and put it on. Then, try to attack me with all your strength.”

Isis’s tone suddenly became lifeless and devoid of hope. Like a machine, she placed her hand on the hilt of the Hero’s Sword hidden under her grey robe, closing her eyes as she waited.

“Oh, the final exam? I understand.”

In comparison, even though she felt this exam was strange and hasty, Lifa’s spirits rose at the mention of the final test. She promptly took out the Radiant Set from her storage pendant and put it on.

“Um, Lady Ash, Lifa is ready.”

“Mhm… wait, what?”

Today’s exam was merely a pretext for Isis to see Lifa. Once her goal was met, a symbolic exchange of blows would have ended it.

However…

Isis stared at the incredibly familiar equipment Lifa was wearing, her face filled with disbelief.

The Radiant Set?

‘Why… why does she have that equipment!?’