Chapter 37: Let Her Come

The next day, the Royal Palace sent representatives to negotiate with the Hero Party at the Bonfire Camp.

Maken came in person, bringing only a small squad of Royal Palace Guard.

Celes hadn’t slept well the night before, but thanks to her long-standing healthy routine, she was still in good spirits early in the morning, and received them in the courtyard.

“So you’re the one I’ll be talking to?”

Maken glanced at the girl, his gaze drifting past her with pointed implication.

“I thought it would be Miss Ella coming.”

Celes lowered her eyes slightly, hiding a trace of confusion in them.

“Ella is still resting. It doesn’t matter who comes—our team has already discussed everything together.”

Maken paused in thought.

“Alright, then I’ll state our terms. As for Miss Zero’s case, we can be lenient, but you have to hand over the list, with no backups left.”

“That’s impossible.”

Celes didn’t hesitate at all.

“Zero has no case, and we won’t hand over the list.”

She had already gotten into the proper state of mind, raising her head to meet his gaze.

Her eyes were so calm, it was as if she really held something in her hands.

Mutually assured destruction was the foundation of any negotiation, even if it didn’t really exist.

Maken rested his arms on the table.

“Then, what do you want?”

“Announce the crimes of Taidin, and classify the assassination as a rightful judgment.”

This was the best method Celes could come up with.

Once the case was defined, Zero’s actions would be justified, and if the Royal Palace tried to stir up trouble again, they’d have no legitimate reason and would face even greater resistance from all sides, with nothing to gain.

Faced with the girl’s demand, Maken posed a question: “That’s what we’d have to give up. What about you? What can you offer us?”

Celes fell silent for a moment, then spoke.

“We will keep those secrets.”

The other party let out a few laughs.

The weather today wasn’t very clear.

A few clouds drifted in the sky, sometimes right overhead, sometimes sliding a bit to the side, letting only a few rays of sunlight through.

Maken drew his gaze back from the sky, looking at the ice-blue-haired girl across from him:

“Miss Celes, I think one night is too short for both sides. Maybe we both need more time for internal discussion. Talking again tomorrow might be a better idea.”

He stood up and, turning to leave, looked back and said, “One more small suggestion—next time, let Miss Ella come to the negotiation.”

Under Maken’s lead, the Royal Palace’s negotiation team hurried in and hurried out, leaving behind only a faint string of footprints on the ground.

“Is it over?”

A small head popped out from the corner of the courtyard, then a second, a third, and a fourth.

So united—they were all eavesdropping.

“Come on out.”

Celes rubbed her temples tiredly.

“You all heard everything.”

A few girls emerged from the corner and sat around the stone table in the courtyard, forming a circle.

At first glance, it even looked a bit like the legendary Round Table.

Leah brushed the dust off the table and set down her portable tea set.

“I just heard something about the next negotiation. So things didn’t work out this time?”

“Mm, not at all. In the end, Mr. Maken suggested that next time…”

Celes’s gaze flickered away, “that Ella should come.”

After a sleepless night, she still didn’t know how to view that girl.

The gentle softness of the past, the decisiveness and ruthlessness of yesterday—which one was the real her?

“You’ve worked hard, Celes. Go rest for now. Forcing yourself is bad for your health~”

Ella saw the complicated expressions on the girls’ faces.

Yes, it sounded nice, but it was hard to say out loud.

She herself was stuck in a tough spot, but in order to show her resolve to cut ties with the past and be a good girl from now on, no matter how hard it was, she had to say it:

“As for Mr. Maken’s request, if it’ll help the negotiations, let me go next time. I’ll give it my all~”

Since things had been said to this point, Celes nodded in agreement.

She agreed to let Ella handle tomorrow’s negotiation, and also agreed to go rest now.

Her mind was a bit of a mess.

“I’m going back to sleep too.”

Vina rubbed her eyes.

“Coming all the way here for negotiations early in the morning—what’s wrong with the people from the Kingdom.”

Zero looked at Ella with a bit of worry.

“Will they give you a hard time tomorrow?”

“They won’t, don’t worry. I have a plan.”

“…Mm.”

Zero recalled yesterday’s scene: the girl standing among everyone, a gentle smile on her face, saying the scariest things in the sweetest voice.

She’s so bad—bad in the best way.

“Ella, g…good luck!”

The assassin girl suddenly tossed out these words, then covered her face and ran off.

No one knew why, but in a flash, only she and Leah were left in the courtyard.

Ella glanced at Leah, and Leah looked back at her.

Was she going to find a reason to leave too?

Just as she was thinking that, Leah suddenly said to her, “I can sense it. You have a heart that yearns for the light, wanting to say goodbye to the darkness of your past.”

Hearing this, Ella almost wanted to cry with relief.

See, all that effort to act wasn’t in vain—there’s always someone who believes it.

Then Leah’s tone suddenly changed.

“But you’ve spent too much time by the Demon King’s side. You’ve been tainted by a lot of… ahem, a lot of dark energy. It’s affecting your temperament, like what you did yesterday.”

Ella blinked in confusion.

What does that mean?

“But don’t worry, I can help you with some Purification, to drive away the influence of the dark energy,” Leah said seriously.

“After that, you can fulfill your wish and be an ordinary girl.”

“……”

Ella thought she must be crazy.

Tainted by dark energy?

I am the source of darkness!

There’s no influence from any dark energy.

Everything the Demon King does comes from the heart—just pure intent.

And about being an ordinary girl or whatever, I was just saying it, you just listen, don’t take it seriously.

Leah, unaware of Ella’s inner grumbling, earnestly explained that Purification was a type of Holy Light healing that could dispel darkness and curses, making people feel warm and comfortable.

Back when they fought the Demon King, every time Celes got hit, she’d suffer a Cursed Wound, and it was this technique that helped drive it away.

Ella still remembered that scene and immediately understood.

This move was useless on her current self. In fact, as a human, bathing in Holy Light just felt pleasant, so the Saintess was destined to waste her effort.

But how could she refuse such kindness from a companion?

“I can, sure, but I’m worried it might affect my performance in tomorrow’s negotiation.”

“It’s fine, we can wait until this is all over before we start.”

Leah thought for a moment.

“By the way, you’re attending a formal event tomorrow. Do you want to wear something special? I can have someone send an outfit over.”

“No need,” Ella’s lips curled up in a subtle smile.

“All I need is a pure white T-shirt, a pleated short skirt, and a red paintbrush.”

A negotiation, huh?

Well, you’re the ones who invited me.