Do You Believe Me?

The change in the girl’s tone in her arms made Lofiel turn her gaze back onto her.

And just as she lowered her head, two hands pressed gently against her cheeks.

Nestled in Lofiel’s embrace, Edenia wore a smile so warm it could melt the heart of anyone who saw it.

She softly caressed Lofiel’s face with both hands, then said,

“Waa~ Up close like this, Lofiel is really so pretty ♪ Truly worthy of being my little heroine~”

“Sumo, you…”

Looking at this Edenia, who seemed completely different from before, Lofiel felt as though the girl in her arms had changed into someone else.

Yet, the aura coming from her hadn’t changed at all.

“Aiya ♪ Don’t call me by that fake name anymore~ Since my sweet Lofiel already told me her real name, how could I possibly hide mine from you ♪

Listen carefully, my name is Edenia Beatrice Estelle. You can call me Edenia, or Little Eden ♪

So don’t call me by the wrong name again, or else Miss Pink will really cry~”

As she said this, Edenia puffed up her cheeks with a pouty, aggrieved look, and somehow, just seeing it made guilt rise in Lofiel’s heart.

That cool and composed expression, always calm and in control, finally vanished, replaced by a trace of fluster.

“Hehe ♪ I’m only joking~ Because I believe Lofiel would never forget my name, right~”

In the blink of an eye, her aggrieved look melted into a bright smile as soon as she saw Lofiel panic. She pinched Lofiel’s tender cheeks with both hands, even giving a playful wink.

“Of course…”

Lofiel answered without thinking, then fell silent.

What was going on?

Lofiel kept replaying the moment in her heart. Just a moment ago, she had the upper hand, teasing Edenia without restraint.

But why did it feel like their roles had suddenly been reversed?

And strangely, ever since Edenia had changed, Lofiel could no longer hear her thoughts in her mind.

“Even though I’d love to be held like this forever by my gentle little Lofiel, don’t we have something more important to do right now? So, could you put down your beloved Miss Pink~

My adorable Lofiel ♪”

Her tender, spoiled tone made Lofiel feel her bones softening at the sound.

For the first time, a blush spread across that usually proud and cold face.

But obediently, she let go of the warm, fragrant figure in her arms.

“Fufufu ♪ My sweet Lofiel looks so cute when she’s shy~”

Back on the ground again, Edenia leaned forward with her hands behind her back, giggling as she stared at the blush on Lofiel’s cheeks.

Lofiel, a bit embarrassed, gave a small cough and said,

“Didn’t you say there was something more important?”

It was clearly a change-of-topic statement, but Edenia didn’t call her out on it. Instead, she naturally followed along.

“That’s right~ Our main goal now is to save everyone.”

“Do you have a way? The worm has already disappeared.”

Lofiel asked in puzzlement.

“We just have to find it. Actually, we don’t even need to find its true body—since it can exist everywhere.”

“What do you mean?” Seeing Edenia look so confident, Lofiel couldn’t help but ask in confusion.

“This space is filled with sorrowful energy—I can hear it all.

Perhaps the ones who need saving aren’t only the people it swallowed, but everything in this entire region as well.”

The air was thick with despair, the whole sky crying out with helpless wails.

They weren’t the voices of Alice or the people who had been swallowed, but the cries of the worm and the flowing black liquid.

‘We are sinners… We will atone… Forgive us… Forgive us…’

The voices echoed ceaselessly in Edenia’s ears.

What others would only hear as unpleasant screeches, Edenia could understand as words.

And then, as though memories surged up within her, she suddenly knew the name of the worm.

“The Worm of Naraku.”

Opening her eyes, Edenia gazed at the sky with her beautiful pupils and softly spoke.

“What? You mean that’s the name of the worm?”

Hearing the unfamiliar word, Lofiel asked in bewilderment.

“Yes ♪ Naraku refers to a bottomless pit, a place so deep that once you fall, you can never climb out.

And worm—well, didn’t it look a lot like a bug just now~? How’s that? My explanation is nice and simple, right ♪”

Looking at Lofiel, Edenia smiled as she gave her easy-going explanation.

“Don’t worry~ My cute childhood friend and our adorable little maid are both fine.

Though, if they’re not rescued soon, it could get dangerous~”

“You… how do you know all this? Could it be you’re familiar with these things?”

After thinking for a while, Lofiel finally asked the question that weighed heaviest on her mind.

After all, everything Edenia said showed she understood the Black Tide well—down to naming the worm born from it.

More importantly, from her attitude, Lofiel could tell Edenia didn’t seem to hate the Black Tide. In fact, she even seemed intent on saving it.

This gave Lofiel the unsettling impression that Edenia was closely tied to the Black Tide.

Yet hearing her question, Edenia’s smile didn’t waver in the slightest—it remained as warm and comforting as ever.

She stepped closer to Lofiel, tilting forward until her face was only inches away.

So close that Lofiel could feel her breath.

“Do you trust me?”

Abruptly, Edenia asked this question.

Looking at the dreamlike face so close to hers, Lofiel nodded.

“I trust you.”

Hearing Lofiel’s reply, Edenia’s face lit up with genuine happiness.

She pulled back slightly and, with a cheerful tone, said,

“I’m so grateful that my little Lofiel can trust me. And I promise I’ll never betray that trust ♪

Please believe—no matter when,

Edenia will always treat everyone sincerely, and never deceive anyone ♪”