"Ah! Please, raise your head! Such a wonderful person like you should… Ueeeeee?"
As she realised what she had just said, Evileye let out a pathetic yelp.
While it was true that Momon was an outstanding individual, when you thought about it, using the word "wonderful" to describe him was…
Evileye squealed in her heart.
Aaaaah! I can't help it, he's too damn cool! Is it wrong for me to feel like a girl again, just once in hundreds of years? After all, he's a mighty warrior who's stronger than me…
Given the way Evileye was looking at Momon like a lovestruck schoolgirl, if he felt embarrassed and said so, that meant she still had a chance. If not, her chances would be miniscule.
Evileye's body had stopped developing at the age of twelve. As such, she possessed none of the parts that men wanted to see. Whether it came to inducing the fires of lust in others, or satisfying said lust, it would have been very difficult for her. Of course, a certain subset of men would have been very attracted to her, but they were a minority. With a beauty like Nabe nearby, her chances seemed even slimmer.
As Evileye gathered her courage to look at him, she found that Momon and Nabe were looking at the night sky instead.
She didn't quite know what they were doing at first, but when she remembered how she had wailed just now, it came to her. The two of them had taken her cry as a warning.
No, it's not~
With nothing to say, the feeling drove her to the brink of tears.
"…maybe you were mistaken? There's nothing there," Momon said as he scanned the surrounding sky.
"M-mistake, it was a mistake. I'm truly sorry."
"Ah, think nothing of it. It's better to be mistaken than ambushed."
Nabe returned her sword to her back, as Momon replied to Evileye with one sword in hand.
His gentleness left Evileye speechless. In that moment, the edge of her vision lit up. The color wasn't the pure white of magic, but a malevolent red, the color of a roaring blaze.
"Momon-san, look over there."
As Nabe said this, the two of them turned to look at the crimson radiance. Evileye's eyes widened, for she knew what had caused the fire.
"What? That's…"
The crimson fire spat tongues of flame toward the sky, as though it aimed to burn down the heavens. It was easily more than thirty meters high, and she could hardly imagine how wide it was— several hundred meters, maybe more.
The wall of flame swayed like a veil, and encircled the city like a girdle.
Evileye, who had been shocked senseless by the sight, heard a soft male voice in her ear.
"‘Flames of Gehenna’?"
As though her neck was on springs, she snapped her head to the side to face Momon.
"That, that, what, what is that? Momon, do you know what that huge wall of flame is?"
Momon's shoulders trembled slightly as he replied, with an uncharacteristic lack of confidence.
"Eh? Ah… no, no, I can't be very sure about that. Can I tell you again after I confirm the details?"
"That… that's all right…"
"I need to discuss something with Nabe, please excuse us."
"Eh, can't I come along too?"
"Ah, no, it's a personal thing. Please, excuse us."
It was so basic, so obvious that Evileye felt ashamed for even asking in the first place. Her wandering eyes settled on the woman known as the Beautiful Princess.
On her face was a triumphant smile.
She might have been mistaken, but then again, she might not. It was only natural for a woman to feel superior to all other women when a great man paid special attention to her.
Evileye was unable to suppress the strange feeling boiling up inside her. It was an anger that disgusted her; the flames of jealousy.
He's not just strong, he also knows things even I don't… I won't ever meet a man like him again.
Human females were naturally attracted to the strong. When threatened by a powerful outside force, it triggered their natural instinct to join with a strong male and bear his children, receiving protection for herself and her offspring. Of course, not all women would select a man in this manner. Personality, looks, many factors could lead to love. Even so, there was a very strong inclination to look for strength in a partner.
Evileye looked down on such women.
It's foolish to want to be protected because you're weak. Instead, all you need to do is become strong, and you won't need anyone to protect you. That should be the way.
But if she let a man like this go, would she ever meet anyone else who could satisfy her so completely like he could?
Evileye would not age, but Momon would surely grow old and die before her. And no matter how hard she tried, Evileye would never be able to bear Momon's children. Decades later, she would be lonely again. Still, she thought it might be good to live as a woman for once in her life.
Another woman can have the child. The most important thing is love. I certainly won't begrudge him a mistress or two.
"Then, please wait here for a while. I apologize for… Evileye?"
"Hm? Ahh, I'm sorry. I was thinking about something myself, things to discuss with my party. I'll wait here, then."
Truth to be told, she didn't want to part with him. But she also didn't want to hang around the woman to whom she had wholeheartedly admitted defeat.
Of course, she couldn't say such a thing.
Nobody wanted a woman who was too clingy. Men were creatures who wanted to flee the more you tried to tie them down.
She recalled the idle chatter in the tavern. At that time, she'd laughed it off, because she had thought it had nothing to do with her.
What a waste. Even trivia like that had its uses. I should have listened closely… but would it be too late to start now? Will I have time to learn how to be a woman?
As she watched the receding shapes of the two adventurers, Evileye's head started filling with wild thoughts.
She knew now wasn't the time for idle fantasies, but she knew too little about what was going on, let alone how to proceed, and so she didn't do anything. Even so, Evileye would be going into a battle in which she might perish. In that event, she might as well sigh and earnestly consider something else to prevent her dwelling on it.
…it's a fact.
She didn't know what her body was good for, if it couldn't bear children, but it was an avenue that was still worth thinking about.
…haaa. Defeating Jaldabaoth and making a future…
The blaze in Evileye's heart roared up, as though challenging Jaldabaoth within the wall of fire.
The only one who can beat you is Momon-sama. Then, I will dispose of the trash around you. This time, if the maid shows herself, I will kill her. I was once the cursed being known as Landfall! Don't look down on me, Jaldabaoth!
"I don't think she'll be able to hear us here."
"It would be very difficult to listen in on us from so far away."
"Even so, we should still be prepared."
Ainz activated a cash item. It had the power to prevent eavesdropping, but it felt like a waste because it was a one-use item. However, he had no choice.
"Then, Nabe, I think I've seen through Demiurge's plan for the most part. However, the more complex the machine, the more easily it breaks down. The same applies to schemes. We must avoid acting like we've won and not confirming the facts just because we seem to have the upper hand. Do you understand?"
"I see… as expected of our lord and master, a peerless existence."
Narberal's praise came from the bottom of her heart, and Ainz acknowledged it with a regal nod of his head. It was as though he were saying that everything was going according to plan.