Chapter 51
‘When? When exactly was I discovered?’
The moment Olivia exposed her true identity, this question echoed endlessly in Lisbeth’s mind.
No matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t pinpoint where she had made a mistake.
Observing Lisbeth’s expression, which had twisted into near agony, Olivia merely offered a light smile. “I told you, don’t be so tense. I called you here today precisely to discuss this matter.”
“Is that so? Then let me hear what you have to say.”
As Lisbeth’s words faded, she gently set down Clotilde, whom she had been holding.
Simultaneously, Clotilde let out a shriek of extreme displeasure, fuming at Lisbeth. “Alex, why did you put me down?! If anything happens, you can just cut her down immediately!”
“Little Sword, don’t be so hasty. Until we understand Olivia’s intentions, it’s best not to act rashly. While she currently holds the initiative in this conversation, the fact that she specifically called us here means she must be prepared.”
“That’s right~ I certainly came prepared before calling you both here.”
“You!?”
As Lisbeth and Clotilde communicated telepathically, Olivia’s sudden interjection caused Lisbeth’s eyes to widen once more.
The next second, she watched as Olivia rose from her seat, walked over to Lisbeth, and gently tapped the Clotilde in her hand.
“By the sound of it, you’re clearly still a little girl. It’s not good to casually talk about cutting people down like that.”
“Who are you calling a little girl?! Listen closely, you demon over there! My name is Clotilde, the Goddess’s personal sword, and also…”
“Alright, alright, Little Sword, you can skip the self-introduction. We don’t have time for your rambling right now.”
Before Clotilde could finish speaking, Lisbeth had remarkably calmed herself. She placed the entire sword onto a nearby desk.
“Since our opponent can even hear your thoughts, I can probably guess what’s going on. So please, be quiet for now.”
“Ugh… I understand…”
Though Clotilde usually loved to chatter, this time, seeing Lisbeth’s serious expression as she told her to keep quiet, Clotilde obediently sealed her lips.
Seeing Clotilde fall silent, Lisbeth offered a wry smile. “It seems I’m still too naive. Even two hundred years from now, only a handful of people can eavesdrop on telepathic communication, but that certainly doesn’t mean no one could do it two centuries ago.”
“Indeed. The most crucial part of eavesdropping on telepathic communication is manipulating the movement patterns of magic elements throughout the space, then generating the appropriate amplitude. I doubt you’d understand if I explained it, so I won’t delve into how I accomplished it. More importantly, I discovered your true identity not through your conversation with Clotilde, but because you revealed your hand back in the prison cell.”
“Hm?”
Olivia’s current statement plunged Lisbeth into confusion once more. If Olivia had discovered the issue because of her conversation with Clotilde, Lisbeth could have understood.
However, in the prison cell, Lisbeth had specifically checked for any listening stones before beginning her discussion with Clotilde.
She simply couldn’t comprehend what had happened.
Observing Lisbeth’s bewildered expression, Olivia chuckled softly, then slowly spoke. “The answer is quite simple. I’ve installed magic arrays for eavesdropping in all the cells. Even without using something as meaningless as a listening stone, I can still hear everything you say.”
“What!? Magic arrays for eavesdropping? Wasn’t that magic only developed two hundred years from now?”
Listening stones were so expensive in this era precisely because no magic or tools for eavesdropping yet existed. As a result, their price was heavily inflated everywhere.
However, with the advent of eavesdropping magic later on, listening stones nearly became obsolete.
Upon hearing Lisbeth’s words, Olivia replied with a matter-of-fact tone. “What’s there to be surprised about? While I may only be the Demon Lord’s maid now, I will eventually become a Grand Archmage who astounds the entire world. Developing a mere eavesdropping magic array is no challenge for me.”
“Alright… If an ordinary person told me that, I’d certainly think they were insane. But the you of two hundred years later genuinely became a Grand Archmage who shook the world, so coming from you, it’s not surprising at all.”
“Mm-hmm, it’s good that you understand. However, even if you are from the world two hundred years in the future, please don’t reveal anything about future events. After all, I prefer to forge my own path, step by step.”
“Yes, I understand. I won’t tell you anything about the future. But setting that aside, isn’t it about time you told me why you called me here?”
Although being discovered by Olivia had certainly startled Lisbeth, now that her cover was blown, she decided to openly confirm Olivia’s intentions.
Upon hearing Lisbeth’s words, Olivia smiled. “Alright, let’s discuss it then. To be clear, I haven’t told anyone about you yet, so you can relax for now.”
“Yes, I know. If you had told Chris, I’m sure she would have confronted me by now. And since you specifically called me here, it suggests you have some thoughts of your own, doesn’t it?”
“Precisely, clever girl. I truly enjoy speaking with intelligent people~ So, let’s get straight to the point.”
As Olivia’s voice trailed off, she picked up her teacup from the table, took a sip.
Then she continued. “First, I’ve heard about the Demon Lord two hundred years from now. While I don’t know what happened, I certainly cannot allow her to be cursed to death. So, I called you here today to confirm if what you said is true.”
“It’s true. I wasn’t lying about that. Although I don’t know who did it, Chris in this era has already been cursed. That means the curse was planted as a seed within her body a long time ago. I came from two hundred years in the future precisely to eliminate the scoundrel who cast that curse.”
Though Lisbeth’s voice seemed calm at the moment, the uncontainable fury in her eyes was profoundly conveyed to Olivia.
Witnessing this, Olivia nodded. “Yes, I understand. While it is indeed an incredible matter, it aligns perfectly with your actions since arriving here. Therefore, I will lend you a hand.”
“Hm?”
As Olivia’s words ceased, she suddenly tossed a monocle before Lisbeth. “Take this. To break the curse, you’ll definitely need a Magic Eye Stone, won’t you? I’ve already fashioned it into an eyeglass design, so you can just wear it.”
“Is that so? Thank you very much.”
Seeing the Magic Eye Stone she had desperately sought now within her grasp so easily, Lisbeth unconsciously broke into a joyful smile.
Olivia then continued. “I’ve already inscribed invisibility magic onto this lens. Once you put it on, no one will be able to see the monocle, so feel free to use it.”
“Yes, I understand. Still, the technology to make things invisible also only emerged two hundred years later. I’m surprised you can create anything at all.”
“Hmph, don’t you know who I am? In any case, I’ve given you the item; how you use it is up to you. I’m sure you know that soon there will be a celebratory feast for your capture. Countless high-ranking demons will attend that feast to celebrate, so that will be the best time for you to investigate the curse.”
“Exactly, I was thinking the same thing. After all, that’s when the most people will be gathered. The moment I spot the scoundrel who cursed Chris, I’ll eliminate them immediately!”
As Lisbeth spoke, she unconsciously raised Clotilde in her hand, her eyes revealing an uncontrollable killing intent.
Witnessing this, Olivia shook her head, then suddenly asked, “Lisbeth, let me ask you a question. Do you like this Demon Lord’s Castle?”
“Hm? Why are you suddenly asking me that?”
“Never mind that, just answer me.”
Even though Lisbeth didn’t understand why Olivia was asking, she nodded. “Yes, I really like it here. To me, the Demon Lord’s Castle was once my irreplaceable home. However, the Demon Lord’s Castle I love isn’t from this era, but from two hundred years in the future. So, for me, the current Demon Lord’s Castle is merely my battlefield.”
Observing Lisbeth, whose eyes were now filled with a somber expression, Olivia shook her head again. She then waved a hand at Lisbeth. “Is that so? Then Lisbeth, come over here for a moment.”
“Eh?”
As Olivia’s words fell, she suddenly stood up, then opened her arms and embraced Lisbeth.
There, she gently stroked Lisbeth’s head, and softly said, “Lisbeth, I know you must have an uncontrollable rage in your heart, but I hope you understand that a home is something that doesn’t change with time.”
“Because even you, right now, are forging bonds with us, aren’t you? Although you are from two hundred years in the future, the time you’ve spent living with us is real. Therefore, Lisbeth, don’t let anger obscure your true feelings. Whether it’s two hundred years ago or two hundred years from now, the Demon Lord’s Castle will always be the Demon Lord’s Castle, and the Demon Lord will always be that Demon Lord. Do you understand?”
“Olivia…”
Even though being held in Olivia’s embrace made Lisbeth instinctively blush, listening to her gentle words, Lisbeth silently shed a single tear and nodded. “Yes, thank you, Olivia.”
“You’re welcome~ Lisbeth.”
Finally, Lisbeth instinctively closed her eyes, continuing to bask in the warmth of Olivia’s embrace.
At the same time, perhaps due to the overwhelming comfort, Lisbeth unconsciously snuggled deeper into Olivia’s arms.
‘Ah… so warm…’
‘Why does this feeling seem so familiar…’
‘It’s as if…’
‘It’s like being held by that person…’