Chapter Twelve
“Whew… I finally got out. That truly scared me to death.”
After a frantic sprint, Lisbeth finally escaped the secret passage. She patted her chest, her heart still thrumming with residual fear. The woman’s embrace had made her heart pound almost out of her chest, so after confirming her surroundings were safe, she sank to the ground, gasping for breath.
“Ha… I can’t believe such a simple escape nearly failed right at the start. It seems the Demon Lord’s Castle is as full of surprises as ever.”
Lisbeth was currently sitting in a small garden within the Demon Lord’s Castle. The entrance to the secret passage she had just fled was tucked away in one of its corners. Though many demons passed through this garden daily, none had ever suspected a hidden passage existed in such a conspicuous spot.
However, it was late at night, and Lisbeth was certain no one else would be here at such an hour. Surrounded by solitude, she sat uninhibited on the garden ground, resting briefly as she gazed up at the countless stars twinkling in the sky.
‘Indeed, whether it was two hundred years ago or two hundred years later, only this beautiful starlit sky remains unchanged, just like Kristia.’
If Lisbeth’s face had always borne a faint, almost imperceptible smile since her arrival at the Demon Lord’s Castle, then at this moment, she unexpectedly revealed a hint of sorrow.
Yet, that fleeting expression vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced once more by her usual smile.
‘Alright, now is not the time to dwell on the past. While I don’t know why the Goddess sent me to a world two hundred years in the past just to find a prisoner, she must have her reasons. All I need to do now is continue down this path, nothing more.’
After a short rest, her spirits rekindled, Lisbeth rose from the ground. She intended to leave the garden and proceed to the next secret passage entrance.
However, before she could take two steps, a soft rustling of footsteps drifted from a short distance away.
‘Are you serious? Someone’s actually out here at this hour?’
Though she couldn’t pinpoint the exact time, it was definitely late, if not the dead of night. Upon hearing the footsteps, Lisbeth quickly hid herself again, peeking out with only a small part of her head to see who might be approaching at such an hour.
“Ugh… It’s really scary being out so late at night…”
‘Then don’t come out!’
Due to the significant distance, the moonlight couldn’t illuminate the figure clearly. Lisbeth could only vaguely discern from the voice that it was a young girl. Yet, the girl’s self-talk rendered Lisbeth momentarily speechless, making her want to step out and scold her.
“B-but I can’t help it! If I don’t even have this much courage, how can I ever become stronger?”
‘Hm? Coming to a small garden in the middle of the night to get stronger? That’s certainly an interesting thing to say.’
If Lisbeth had initially intended to leave immediately, the girl’s words now piqued her curiosity. Instead of departing, Lisbeth subtly shifted her body, moving closer to the girl’s location.
Finally, after closing the distance, Lisbeth could make out the girl’s face in the moonlight.
‘Huh? Wait, I feel like I’ve seen that face somewhere before. And honestly, even the voice sounds familiar.’
Lisbeth’s decision to approach had stemmed not only from curiosity but also from a nagging familiarity with the girl’s voice. However, before she could examine the girl’s features more closely, the self-talking girl suddenly began to swing her fists and kick, clearly engaged in some form of training.
‘Ha… practicing martial arts in the garden in the middle of the night instead of sleeping. The Demon Lord’s Castle used to have such eccentrics.’
As the girl moved frequently, she occasionally disappeared into the garden’s shadows, preventing Lisbeth from getting a clear look at her face. Unable to confirm her identity, Lisbeth abandoned her intent to observe further and prepared to leave.
*Crack.*
“Wh-who’s there!?”
The very moment Lisbeth intended to depart, her right foot inadvertently stepped on a small twig. Ordinarily, such a minor sound would go unnoticed, but in the tranquil garden, it echoed loudly enough for anyone with functional hearing to perceive it.
‘Ah! I’m such an idiot! Why do I always cause trouble?’
If given the chance, Lisbeth would have loved to punch her past self from a few minutes ago. However, there was no turning back now. With a resigned sigh, she prepared to shrink her body once more.
Yet, just as Lisbeth expected the girl to directly approach and confirm her presence, the girl’s voice, trembling with fear, asked, “W-why aren’t you answering me? C-could it be that you’re a ghost?”
‘Eh? A ghost?’