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““Liselotte!””

The high-speed throw came to an abrupt stop just before reaching Liselotte. Inglis had stepped forward and intercepted the halberd.

As she promised Leone, she had been keeping a close watch, her Ether Armor already active, ready to intervene at any moment.

“Inglis…!”
“Glis! Nice save!”
“T-Thank you so much, Miss Inglis…!”
“No problem. As long as we’re watching, you’re free to talk as much as you want. If she really is your mother, it’s only natural you want her back. Rani and Leone feel the same.”
“Thank you, everyone!”
“But in return, when we get back safely, suggest to your mother to become an instructor at the Knight Academy, okay?”
“Huh? Um… sure…”
“Hey, Glis! Don’t sneak in your own requests during a moment like this…!”

Oops, Rafinha heard her. Inglis cleared her throat and shifted her focus to the intruder on the other side.

“We’re having a rare moment of peace here, so it’d be a shame to disrupt it, wouldn’t it?”

For Inglis, Liselotte’s conversation with Charlotte was a prime opportunity to potentially recruit a new instructor. Anyone interrupting that couldn’t be overlooked.

“Such a small child… caught my throw from that distance…?”

The one staring wide-eyed was a girl with long, pale turquoise hair, tied up in a cute style.

Her face radiated elegance, and her slightly revealing attire highlighted her mature, feminine form. She possessed a blend of charm and allure, a dangerously attractive woman who balanced both delicacy and strength.

Her presence carried the distinct, commanding aura typical of a Hyrule Menace.

And that face… was familiar.

“You are…! Tiffany!?”

Tiffany, the Hyrule Menace aligned with the Church’s Union, had caused havoc during Inglis and her companions’ expedition to Alucard. She had been wreaking destruction around the outskirts of Lekrea. Reportedly under Archlord Abel’s command, Tiffany had continued her operations after the events at Alucard.

Abel, infamous for his cruelty, had even severed King Charleas’ arm in the royal palace. Tiffany, however, was known for being even more ruthless. The devastation she wrought around Lekrea had been severe.

What made her even more unforgivable in Inglis’ eyes was that while Abel had refrained from targeting Rafinha, Tiffany had attempted to attack her. That alone cemented her as a personal enemy to Inglis.

“Oh, you know me…?”
“Yes, indeed. Though circumstances dictate I appear as a child now, I am Inglis Eux. It’s been a while. Greetings to you.”

Inglis smiled gracefully and bowed politely.

“…I see. Greetings, indeed. You’re as enigmatic as ever.”

Tiffany returned the smile with equal grace.

Tiffany’s attitude, treating someone she had once fought and been defeated by as if nothing had happened, revealed a depth that was hard to fathom. It made her a truly formidable opponent, one not to be underestimated.

“I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”

Upon closer inspection, even the wounds from her battle with Inglis seemed fully healed. And her sudden act of throwing the halberd at Liselotte without warning showed a clear disregard for fairness.

Though Tiffany appeared delicate and pure, her actions betrayed her true nature.

“But attacking without so much as a greeting seems a bit excessive, don’t you think?”

Such underhanded tactics could ruin the enjoyment of a good battle. Sneak attacks and ambushes cut short the chance to experience an opponent’s full strength. Even if one wins that way, it only deprives them of a chance for growth.

“That’s right! You’re always cute on the outside, but such a nasty character on the inside!”
“Fufu… just a barking puppy that can’t do anything. Bark, bark, always so annoying.”

Rafinha and Tiffany were clearly at odds.

Rafinha believed in justice and fairness, while Tiffany would use any means necessary to achieve her goals. It was only natural that they found each other irritating.

“What did you say…?!”
“Isn’t it obvious? You’re just a parasite, clinging to this child’s strength. If you’re so frustrated, why not face me alone? Fufufu.”

Tiffany’s flower-like smile was provoking, though still charming in its own way.

“I’m not borrowing anything! What belongs to Glis belongs to me, and what’s mine is Glis’! We’ll always be together, forever—that’s just how it is.”
“Exactly as Rani says. There’s no room for criticism.”
“Exactly what Glis says! Bleh!”

Rafinha blew a raspberry, showing her frustration. Though clearly angry, her action came across as endearing.

And it seemed Rafinha wasn’t the only one upset with Tiffany.

“What do you think you’re doing…!?”

Charlotte glared at Tiffany.

At the same time, the halberd Inglis had been holding vanished from her grasp and reappeared in Charlotte’s hand.

Jumping through space to retrieve it, huh? Charlotte really had a range of powers. Inglis had hoped to take the halberd home—what a shame.

“That’s my line. I saw you just standing around while the enemy was right in front of you, so I merely lent you a helping hand.”

Tiffany tilted her head, feigning innocence toward Charlotte.

“It’s unnecessary, and I don’t need the help of a failure like you…!”
“My deepest apologies, then. But seeing as you’re oh so perfect, perhaps you should finish off these girls quickly. We’re not here for idle chatter, are we?”
“…Be that as it may, killing them is not part of my mission.”
“Oh? Can’t kill a girl with a face like yours? Why?”
“I wouldn’t be so conflicted if I knew the reason… Why her, and why me…”

Charlotte sighed openly, her expression as if she’d swallowed something bitter.

“If you don’t even know yourself, are you really a reliable pawn for the Lord Founder? It begs the question—who’s the real failure here?”

Clearly, the relationship between Charlotte and Tiffany was far from amicable.

Facing two Hyrule Menaces at once was practically a dream come true for Inglis. Still, she couldn’t help but notice that, unlike Eris and Ripple, these two weren’t the least bit close.

What she worried about, of course, was that their lack of coordination might make the fight less enjoyable for her.