“Now then, let’s talk about your payment, Mister Loki.”
After sending off the flustered Selene—who had just learned her uncle had been injured—only three remained in the room.
By now, Loki had given a simple rundown of events: the return of the Hand of Truth to Kaisania, and his current “work.”
Ina, of course, had already gathered bits and pieces through her long-term surveillance of him, but hearing it from his own mouth felt different.
So he really hadn’t been a bad person all along. Even stealing the artifact must have been out of desperation… Thoughts she had formed long ago were now confirmed again.
If Loki had truly been a heartless devil, he could have just shirked his duties and let the world burn. Instead, he was dashing about the city, even lowering himself to ask a witch for help despite the risk of scorn.
Yes, even a vile group like the Hand of Truth could not alter Lord Loki’s nature—gentle, kind, just, strong, pure…
Ina twirled a lock of hair around her finger.
She no longer seemed quite as nervous before him—or perhaps only on the surface. Whenever her eyes met his, or she heard his voice, her heart sped up. Her hand strayed unconsciously to the ring on her finger, stroking it as though it were some mysterious charm that amplified her feelings three thousandfold.
If only she could be alone with Loki.
Damn it, she had to think of a way. She couldn’t let that hateful woman hog that spot by his side—
Just look at her! Clinging to Lord Loki’s arm, striking cheap poses like some tavern dancer!
Tch!
How could such a woman be allowed to stay at Loki’s side?
No, only someone like herself—silently watching over him from behind, stepping in to help at critical moments, covering her walls with his photos, keeping a hand-sculpted figurine of him on her dresser—only she could be his true, worthy partner!
…
Damn it…
She wanted so badly to hold his arm like that too…
No! Ina, don’t let such wicked thoughts control your brain! You must do the right thing! Don’t let yourself be corrupted by that sordid, shameless woman!
Perhaps sensing the witch’s swirling thoughts, Céline tilted her chin smugly, humming as she stuck out her pink tongue in triumph.
Heh.
Just a stray mutt on the roadside. She had thought Ina a rival worth caring about, but clearly not.
The silent battle raged on.
Loki pretended not to notice Céline’s provocation and instead nodded at Ina.
What was even with these two? Weren’t the witches and the Church usually on tolerable terms? Why only these two at each other’s throats?
“I trust you’ll be lenient, Miss Ina.”
“Don’t worry, Mister Loki. Witches uphold fairness. Even if you once committed a crime that shamed us all, in this matter I will not trouble you out of personal spite.”
Ina chose to ignore the saintess’s taunting.
She was speaking with Loki—unless Céline literally punched her in the face, she wouldn’t waste focus on childish nonsense.
Hmph. A mature lady like her wouldn’t stoop to quarrel with an overfed brat.
…
But seriously, how long was she going to cling to his arm? Let go already! Otherwise tonight Ina would take out her secret straw-doll curse and break that hand!
Ina ground her teeth.
“Besides, you exposed a traitor among the witches and shared her whereabouts with me. That alone is no small help.”
She sighed.
“I never expected her to collude with remnants of the Hand of Truth, conspiring in Kaisania on a plot that could threaten millions… I’ll report this to the Tea Party tonight. A witch’s disgrace must be cleansed by witches themselves.”
Ina tucked her hands into the pockets of her skirt.
The evening wind lifted her short hair, cloak, and hem in gentle ripples, making it hard to look away from her pale face and mismatched, mysterious eyes.
Perhaps it was the uniform—she radiated a youthful aura that reminded Loki of a girl he might once have stood across from at dusk, long ago.
This outfit… deadly no matter when.
JK style… not bad.
All but perfect, if not for the age gap.
“So, what’s the payment you require…?”
“Mm, let me think.”
Ina began pacing in small circles.
Then, abruptly, she stopped and pointed at him.
“I don’t need money. I won’t accept gold pounds or anything like that as payment.”
She pointed to herself.
“First, I want us to drop the formal speech. No more honorifics.”
…
Wait, that counts as payment?
Before Loki could question it, she raised a second finger.
“Second, from now on, I want to act with you. Since this involves a traitorous witch, it’s my duty as one of our kind.”
“And lastly…”
Finally, the true matter she wanted to broach.
Ina nervously pinched at the stitching inside her pocket.
“About the artifact you once stole—”
“Here.”
Loki had already guessed her real intent when she said she didn’t want gold. He had prepared to hand back the artifact, now drained of power.
Its value meant little to him now. Just a trinket, worth no more than pawning for pocket change—better as a keepsake of past days.
Still, since she brought it up, if she was fine with it being powerless, he didn’t mind returning it.
He pulled a ring from his pocket and held it out.
The witch’s eyes lit up.
“You mean… you’ve kept it with you all this time?”
“Never left my side.”
Well—not literally. More like a charm or a keychain he happened to always carry.
“I… I see. Always with you, huh? Heh… heheh…”
Ina brushed her bangs aside, looking upward.
Was it just his imagination, or had her cheeks flushed for an instant?
“It’s a pity—it’s lost its power. Just a normal ring now. Do you still want it back?”
Loki added.
To his surprise, she showed little reaction to what might enrage any other witch.
“Ah, I see. Inactive now… But that’s fine. Even so, it’s a ring that carries special meaning.”
Her tone was calm, as if she had expected this. She gently pushed his hand back, like a drifting cloud.
“Please keep it, and take good care of it… That’s enough.”
Only then did Loki notice: on her right hand’s ring finger, she wore one almost identical—no, exactly identical.
As the two touched, he felt a faint resistance, like the sharp cry of a woman’s voice, shrieking “Keep your hands off my things!”
Yet Ina herself showed no reaction at all.
… He hadn’t expected, after spending the afternoon with Kristin the cricket-witch, to run into the artifact’s true owner.
Debts of the past always come back like a boomerang.
Loki gave a weary smile.
“I will, Ina… Ina.”
“Mmh! Mhm… Hmph… Hmhm…”
For some reason, when called by name, the girl suddenly lifted her chin high, clutched her face, rose on tiptoe, then staggered dreamily backward and collapsed into her chair.