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“N-, no, I… I don’t have anything worthy to offer in exchange for becoming a Hyrule Menace…”
“No, I’m not charging you, okay~? This isn’t about bartering to give you a Hyrule Menace. I’ve simply never encountered someone with such high aptitude before, you know~? I’m just curious to see the outcome, okay~? The data I collect will be payment enough, so please~? You can stay young and pretty forever, you know~? Your physical abilities will improve, and you’ll be stronger in battle~! Okay? Okay?”

Professor Vilkin was persistent.

“I-, I understand what you’re saying, but it’s not a decision I can make hastily…I’m sorry, but…”

Liselotte looked back at Eris, as if seeking support.

“Unlike Highlanders, humans from the surface aren’t used to altering their birth bodies. Even if the success is guaranteed, it would profoundly change her relationships with family and friends, as well as her future lifestyle. If she decides she wants it, I won’t stop her, but please allow her time to consider.”

Eris intervened, providing a thoughtful counterpoint to Dr. Wilkin’s enthusiasm.

“I see~ Yeah, can’t be helped then~ But if you ever change your mind, just let me know, okay~?”

Professor Vilkin appeared genuinely disappointed.

“Thank you very much, Lady Eris…”
“Don’t mention it.”

Eris smiled, her expression softening. There was a nurturing quality to her demeanor. She might come across as blunt and cool, but at heart, Eris was compassionate.

“…………”

Observing this, Inglis pondered her own feelings. The prospect of Liselotte becoming a Hyrule Menace intrigued her, imagining how it could enhance their training sessions. The thought of her friend undergoing the transformation safely and swiftly had actually pleased her.

“What’s wrong, Glis?”

Rafinia peered into Inglis’ face.

“N-, nothing…! It’s nothing, okay?”
“Really~? Since it’s you, Glis, I bet you’re thinking Liselotte becoming a Hyrule Menace would make training more exciting, right…?! ‘Oh, my training is going to be so much fun!’ That’s what’s on your mind… I know you well enough!”
“No no no, well, maybe a little? But I’m not as tactless as Professor Vilkin. I just think it might not be all that bad…”

“Well, I see your point…! He’s kind of extreme. I thought he was a bad guy like Abel, but then he seemed okay… now, I’m not so sure; he’s kind of his own brand of troublesome…”
“Shh…! You’re saying that right in front of him, Rani…!”
“Well, you started it, Glis…!”
“Oh dear, what a situation~ Cross-cultural understanding is tricky, isn’t it~”

Professor Vilkin scratched the back of his head, seemingly unfazed by the critique.

“At any rate, this was valuable information for me to learn about my aptitude. When the time comes that I really need it, I will visit you. I look forward to working with you then.”

Liselotte bowed politely to Professor Vilkin.

“Yup, yup. I’ll be waiting~.”

After his response, Professor Vilkin turned his attention back to Eris. The sphere that had finished its analysis of Eris approached his open hand.

“Well, let’s return to the topic at hand~. So, you, Hyrule Menace…umm, Eris, was it~? You’re a very old model of Hyrule Menace, almost like you’re from the first generation~. It took us some time to read all your data… You’re from an era before aptitude tests were even a thing, you know~. No wonder you’re unfamiliar to me~ That’s from before my time.”
“You’re right… Back then, there was no concept of aptitude level.”
“I’d imagine~ I’m the one who introduced it, after all~”
“Fascinating…! How long ago was that?”
“About four, five hundred years ago… around the time of the Heaven and Earth War, I believe~?”

The Heaven and Earth War. A term unfamiliar even to Inglis. It signified an event that occurred after King Inglis’ time and before his rebirth as Inglis Eux. Could Eris originally hail from that era?

“Eeehh?! Then, does that mean Miss Eris is at least four hundred years old…?!”

Rafinha was astonished.

“She sure doesn’t look it… I mean, she’s so beautiful…”
“Maybe becoming a Hyrule Menace isn’t such a bad idea…”
“I only just found out myself… I didn’t realize so much time had passed… It’s no surprise everything seems different.”

Eris cast her gaze upwards, her expression distant. Inglis empathized with her feelings. The world had transformed so drastically during her rebirth through the miracle of the goddess Alistair that nothing remained of King Inglis’ era. Perhaps Eris felt a similar sense of isolation.

Yet, Inglis still wielded the Divine Knight’s power to manipulate ether, just as in her past life. Despite the world’s changes, she had a loving family she lacked before, and most importantly, she had Rafinha, whom she cherished like a granddaughter.

It was an ideal setting for Inglis to fulfill her ambition of mastering martial arts in this lifetime. She genuinely relished her life as Inglis Eux. There was no doubt about it.

But what about Eris? Inglis was unaware of the specifics, but Eris had become a Hyrule Menace and, after centuries, returned to a world utterly transformed, serving as a guardian deity for its inhabitants… How does Eris perceive this world now, and what are her thoughts about it?