Hilxi felt her right hand go heavy and looked down.
Her palm was locked by something like handcuffs.
A few meters away, Aoli smiled, her Magic Wand pointed at Hilxi.
“Big sister, I suggest you don’t move.”
“…”
Hilxi tried summoning her Magic Wand with her left hand, but it was also locked.
But it wasn’t Aoli’s doing.
She turned her head and saw Noffy’s Magic Wand’s light fading. Her expression had shifted from timid to furious.
“Damn bad person, trying to smash me? Unforgivable…”
“Oh dear, a trap?”
Hilxi smiled but there was no humor in her tone.
I see, I see.
The little grass girl was the bait, and Noffy, the strong hider, made sure I couldn’t win—so I’d lose Silver Coins.
If I hadn’t seen through Noffy’s Magic, she’d be the biggest winner with all eight Silver Coins… No, she’d probably split it with Aoli.
Such bad kids.
I really got tricked.
They must be habitual scammers who have duped many others, probably including these players.
But they probably didn’t expect me to detect Noffy’s Magic, so controlling me was spontaneous? Or pre-planned?
Doesn’t matter.
“So, what do you want to do?”
Hilxi’s smile didn’t waver as she looked at the two. Noffy had moved close to Aoli, baring sharp teeth like a wild cat.
“Sorry, big sister. Your Divination Magic is used up, right? So sad.”
I hate bad kids.
Luckily, I still have some Magic—about a fifth or two left.
But with both hands locked, I can’t summon my Magic Wand.
Hilxi’s smile faded, replaced by coldness.
Ignoring Aoli’s warning, she stepped forward toward them.
“You…”
Aoli froze, then her Magic Wand glowed.
“Don’t move!”
Noffy raised her wand as well, preparing Magic.
“Don’t move?” Hilxi didn’t stop walking.
“You’re just Magicians, right?”
“So what?” Noffy retorted, uneasy.
Hilxi said nothing, then suddenly ran straight at them.
Swish!
A blade of Wind Magic brushed past her, wind lifting her golden hair and Triangle Hat.
She smirked.
“Thinking you’re special just because you can use Magic?”
“Don’t come closer!”
Aoli gritted her teeth, forming a fireball on her wand. Seeing Hilxi advancing relentlessly, she hissed:
“You asked for it!”
“Hey, Aoli, don’t go too far,” Noffy panicked.
What if… what if she’s killed? Then we’d be murderers.
But Aoli ignored her, firing the fireball!
The blazing ball of fire rushed at Hilxi, who twitched at the corner of her mouth and chose brute force.
She raised her bound hands to block the fireball.
Boom!
The fireball exploded in flames.
“Great, Aoli, you’ve caused big trouble!” Noffy gasped in a cold sweat.
“Told you not to move,” Aoli gritted her teeth.
When the flames cleared, a glowing Magic Wand lay before them.
Hilxi’s golden hair fluttered with surging Magic, her Triangle Hat nowhere to be seen.
Pointing the wand at the shocked pair, she laughed:
“I hate bad kids. Also, I guess you haven’t fought for real, huh? You don’t understand the power of Magic.”
“Ah, she seems fine. What now, Aoli? Let’s run?”
“Don’t panic. She’s just bluffing—no Magic left!”
Hearing this, Hilxi didn’t explain and unleashed Magic!
Earth Magic.
The solid ground beneath the two suddenly softened, swallowing them.
“Ah! Didn’t she have no Magic!?”
Noffy panicked, half-buried, struggling to escape.
“That had to be her last bit of Magic!”
Hilxi’s expression stayed cold. Her wand glowed again.
Water Magic.
A strange sound echoed as a murky torrent poured down, drenching the two.
Splash!
The muddy ground turned into a quagmire. Noffy screamed:
“Ah! I’m going to die! I can’t get out!”
“Don’t panic, this… this time for sure—”
Ice Magic.
The mud began freezing, white crystals and cold spreading.
“Achoo! I… can’t take it.”
“This…” Aoli wanted to speak, but only the next round of Magic came.
Wind Magic.
Whoosh—
A biting wind whipped, dry leaves flying. The two felt their skin cut like knives.
Fire Magic.
The air temperature suddenly shot up, melting ice crystals. Sweat beaded on their foreheads.
The merciless torment lasted several minutes. The area was a complete mess—mud and ice everywhere.
Hilxi stopped, exhaling deeply.
Ahhh, refreshing!
She hummed a tune, walking lightly to the two.
“How’s that? Dare to scam people again?”
“…”
“…”
They were filthy, mud clinging to their hair, eyes dull, spirits broken.
They looked up at Hilxi, mouths opening but silent.
The combo looked powerful, but Hilxi was calm, controlling her Magic’s strength.
Unlike these two Magicians, she had mastered controlling the force of Magic.
A simple analogy: someone who doesn’t know anatomy might stab deeply once, causing heavy injury. But someone skilled might stab lightly multiple times without serious harm… Though this example feels off.
Of course, their wands were more like butter knives.
Using object manipulation Magic, Hilxi lifted them and set them on dry ground.
While doing so, she took Aoli’s Silver Coins from her pocket.
Besides the original eight owed to her, she unexpectedly gained four more.
“Give those back…”
A weak voice from Aoli sounded, her pale green eyes full of fury.
Hilxi laughed softly, squatting and pinching Aoli’s cheek between her fingers.
Staring coldly into Aoli’s eyes, she said flatly:
“Give them back? Dream on.”
“…”
Aoli gasped, clenching her teeth as a bitter wave surged.
Tears welled uncontrollably, mixed with mud dripping onto Hilxi’s hand.
“Wah…”
“…”
Wait, why are you crying? I’m the one wronged here.
Noffy, pretending to be out cold, opened her eyes hearing the sobbing. She glared at Hilxi sharply.
She tried to stand but was pushed back by Hilxi’s cold look.
Still, she stubbornly said:
“Don’t bully her!”
“…”
Uh-oh… I’m the villain now?
Hilxi sighed inwardly, withdrawing her hand and wiping away the warm liquid.
“When you bully others, remember this day will come.”
With that, she left without lingering.
As for copying Magic—forget it. She wasn’t in the mood.
“You… don’t know anything…”
Noffy’s voice stopped Hilxi in her tracks but she resumed walking.
“I only believe what I see.”
She picked up her Triangle Hat lying on the ground, intending to wear it again.
Suddenly, Hilxi’s cheek twitched, eyelids flickered, and her hand trembled as if electric current surged through her body.
Only two words remained in her mind: “It’s over.”
The once-sleek hat brim now bore a clear cut.
Was it scratched by the Wind Blade at the start?
Ah, I’m doomed! Saya will kill me!!
What to do? Should I buy a fake hat of the same style? Yeah, that’ll do for now.
…
Watching Hilxi, the great demon queen, depart, Noffy leaned against the wall and looked at Aoli, comforting her.
“She’s gone, Aoli. We’re safe now.”
“…Yeah.”
Aoli wiped her tears with her mud-stained sleeve, only making her face messier—like a spotted cat.
Seeing this, Noffy couldn’t hold back a laugh, covering her mouth quickly.
Hearing the laughter, Aoli glanced at her, then touched her face.
“Is my face really that dirty?”
“Yeah… Blame that bad woman! So angry! I want to shove her into the mud too!”
“Forget it. You can’t beat her.”
“…True. She doesn’t seem like a Magician, right? Maybe she’s a witch?”
“Who knows? Forget her. Let’s wash up and go home.”
“Mm.”
…
At 6 PM, the sun’s glow faded, replaced by moonlight.
Inside the Inn.
After dinner, Hilxi returned early to her room. She closed the door, took off her robe, lit the stove, and lay on the bed.
She stared at the ceiling for what felt like ten minutes, as if it held the mysteries of the universe.
The room gradually warmed.
Knock knock knock.
The sudden knocking made Hilxi’s heart flutter.
Not Saya… Not Saya… Not Saya…
“Hilxi-san? Are you asleep? Strange, going to bed so early today?”
Phew… I must’ve been asleep.
Click.
The door handle turned.
Hilxi realized she’d made a fatal mistake—she hadn’t locked the door.
The door creaked open, and a shoulder-length black-haired head peeked in.
“No lock? Hilxi-san, are you not asleep?”
No, I’m asleep, don’t come over…
Saya tiptoed in, reaching for the Triangle Hat. Hilxi sighed internally, then sat up.
“Hey, Saya.”
“Ah! Hilxi-san!” Saya jumped. “I thought you were asleep.”
“Cough, just laid down not long ago.”
She hugged the blanket, eyes slightly unfocused.
“Oh, is that so? Give me back my hat then?”
“Cough, not yet. Aren’t you curious where I went this afternoon?”
“Not really. The hat…”
“I went hide-and-seek.”
“Huh? Hilxi-san, I stopped playing hide-and-seek when I was eight.”
“This isn’t ordinary hide-and-seek…”
As Hilxi began to recount the afternoon’s events, Saya seemed to notice something.
“Hilxi… san? Why are you changing the subject? My hat…”
Damn, no avoiding it.
Might as well face it.
Hilxi sighed softly and picked up the Triangle Hat nearby, slowly handing it over.
“Here. Your hat, back.”
“Hmph, that’s better. Ireina-san’s hat is precious! Even Hilxi-san can’t take it.”
“I never meant to keep it…”
“Then…” Saya suddenly went silent.
The atmosphere in the room froze to ice, broken only by the crackling fire.
Hilxi swallowed nervously, forcing a smile.
“Saya… san? What’s wrong?”
Saya held up the hat, showing the patched side.
Her voice was flat.
“Hilxi-san, what… happened here?”
Looking at the stitches she’d sewn herself, Hilxi felt a cold sweat down her back.
“That… I don’t know. It was already like that when you lent it to me…”
“Really… I remember lending it perfect. You… did this?”
Faced with Saya’s unusually calm gaze, Hilxi couldn’t meet her eyes.
Her gaze flicked to the furniture around the room.
“Sorry… I didn’t mean to…”
“Hmm, and then?”
Ah, Saya-san, why do you seem like a different person? Possessed maybe? Right, right?
Hilxi hesitated, then bit her lip hard.
“I’ll pay for it!!”
It’s fine, even if you want ten gold coins, I’ll pay! Please just leave—I can’t stand this atmosphere!
“I don’t want money.”
Hilxi blurted out, “Do you want my life instead?”
Not really… right?
Saya shook her head slowly, making Hilxi feel somewhat relieved.
“I just want to know why it happened.”
“Alright then.”
Hilxi briefly explained the afternoon’s events and how the hat got damaged.
After listening, Saya looked at Hilxi’s hand.
There was a clear burn scar.
Her anger vanished instantly. She summoned her Magic Wand and cast Healing Magic.
Keeping the wound on purpose to gain sympathy worked… Hilxi relaxed, watching the burn heal in seconds.
“Saya-san, your Magic has improved a lot,” Hilxi praised sincerely.
“I train every day. Of course I improve,” Saya replied, then reached out to touch the stitching, looking a bit gloomy.
“It looks so ugly.”
“…I was serious about sewing it.” She admitted she’d pricked herself a few times out of nervousness.
“You hand-stitched it?”
“Ah, yes.” Hilxi nodded.
Could she just throw some salt on my wound with that?
Saya put on the Triangle Hat, smiling.
“I forgive you.”
Just like that?
Hilxi was stunned for a moment before realizing she’d narrowly escaped trouble.
So forgiving…
“Can I borrow it again next time?”
Saya’s smile vanished instantly. She grabbed the blanket and pressed it over Hilxi’s face.
“No next time!”
“Ugh, I can’t breathe…”
Scratch that—definitely not forgiving at all.