Flying on Ari, I looked down below.

The vast plains that had stretched endlessly had finally come to an end, and I began to see rocky mountains rising here and there.

The fact that the terrain was distinctly different from that around the city meant we had flown quite far, so seeing those mountains made me realize just how much.

Soon, I would be battling Beatrice, the Witch of Sloth.

As I acknowledged that, I muttered under my breath, damn it, feeling a wave of nausea wash over me.

It was because my fingertips had suddenly started to tremble uncontrollably.

I thought I had managed to stand tall, but it seemed the fear I had felt during the last fight still lingered somewhere in my heart.

However, since a fight was imminent, it wouldn’t do me any good to be scared, so I repeated to myself to get ahold of myself and slowly took deep breaths.

Then, Yoon Si-woo, who was sitting in front of me, glanced my way and opened his mouth.

“What’s wrong, Scarlet? Are you nervous?”

“…Yeah. I don’t want to be, but it seems I just can’t help it.”

In response to Yoon Si-woo’s question, I answered with a bitter smile while reflecting on myself.

I shouldn’t be like this.

Yoon Si-woo, who had put his life on the line, was acting nonchalant—

While I was thinking like that, I couldn’t help but freeze at the sight before my eyes.

It was Yoon Si-woo’s hand.

If you didn’t look closely, you wouldn’t notice, but it was definitely trembling.

Seeing that, my mind went blank, and I unconsciously asked Yoon Si-woo.

“…Yoon Si-woo, are you also nervous?”

At that question, Yoon Si-woo smiled awkwardly and replied.

“…Haha, just like you said, it’s not going quite as I hoped.”

Hearing that response, I lowered my head.

The question I just asked wasn’t whether Yoon Si-woo was nervous or not.

Until a moment ago, I had been under a ridiculous misconception.

Because Yoon Si-woo is the protagonist, I unconsciously considered him to be a perfect superhuman who wouldn’t feel something like nervousness.

So, that’s why I asked him if he also felt nervous.

How ridiculous this misconception was.

I was filled with guilt and embarrassment toward Yoon Si-woo and couldn’t lift my head.

“I was fine until a while ago. If this fight were just about my life, I wouldn’t think twice about it, but it’s not, is it?”

But Yoon Si-woo, unaware of that fact, spoke to me.

“I think I have to win no matter what, so I suddenly feel uneasy about whether I can pull it off… This shouldn’t be happening; why am I like this? Haha…”

He opened up his inner thoughts to me.

“…Yoon Si-woo.”

Hearing that, I looked up and met Yoon Si-woo’s gaze.

Though he was forcing a smile, he couldn’t hide the anxiety trembling within him, and I looked straight at him.

That’s right.

The person sitting before me wasn’t a flawless protagonist from a story.

He was just an ordinary boy who couldn’t help but feel nervous and fearful before a fight with so much at stake.

I realized that, an utterly obvious truth, just now.

And with that realization, I now understood what I needed to do.

People tend to waver in front of adversity.

But if someone is there to support them in that moment…

Even if it’s tough or scary, you can still move forward.

So this time, I wanted to support you.

Just as you always supported me when I was wavering.

With that thought in mind, I stretched my arms over Yoon Si-woo’s back.

Then, I firmly grasped his trembling hand.

“…Scarlet?”

As I held his hand, Yoon Si-woo looked toward me, startled by my sudden action.

I leaned in closer and whispered in his ear.

“You can do this.”

I spoke strongly and with conviction.

“Yoon Si-woo, you can do it.”

I had thought about it for a moment a while ago.

Confidence, meaning faith in oneself.

What could I give to Yoon Si-woo, who was losing faith in himself and feeling anxious?

After pondering, the answer was a single thing.

It was faith.

“Yoon Si-woo, do you remember what I said before? I believe in you more than anyone else in this world.”

Some time ago, I told Yoon Si-woo those words.

At that moment, what I meant was that I believed he would ensure no harm came to others when I became a witch.

It was more of a plea rather than faith.

But now, it was different.

Yoon Si-woo, who had helped me countless times even when I had given up and thought I was wrong.

Because it was Yoon Si-woo, I can now sincerely believe in him.

Now, I can honestly say it.

I believe in you.

More than anyone else, I believe in you.

“I believe in you, even if you say you lack confidence. At the very least, I believe that you can pull it off.”

The phrase “more than anyone else” meant that I believed in Yoon Si-woo more than he believed in himself.

At the very least, I had that much faith in Yoon Si-woo.

And so, I spoke with the hope that my faith would help Yoon Si-woo.

“So, Yoon Si-woo, if you really can’t believe in yourself…”

I quoted a famous line from an animated movie my friend had once told me.

“When that happens, believe in me, who believes in you.”

Will that give you a little more confidence?

I said that while smiling at Yoon Si-woo, hoping so.

Upon hearing those words, Yoon Si-woo mumbled in a daze.

“…Believe in me.”

Then, sounding as if he had shaken something off, he murmured in a much clearer voice.

“…Thanks, Scarlet. I feel like my mind is clear again. I will definitely win. For you, who believes in me.”

As Yoon Si-woo thanked me, I responded with a smile, feeling proud.

I felt his trembling grip ease.

If I had been of some help to Yoon Si-woo, that alone was enough satisfaction for me.

And while we exchanged smiles for a moment, we soon wiped those smiles from our faces.

“Scarlet.”

“…Yeah, I know.”

We turned our gaze toward the rocky mountains in the distance.

At first glance, they looked similar to the ones around, but the aura of the witch was unmistakable.

A chilling energy that made cold sweat break out on its own.

They were there.

The reason we had come all this way.

The Witch of Sloth, Beatrice.

“…Are you ready?”

As I gathered my thoughts and asked, Yoon Si-woo nodded as if he were prepared.

“…Then, let’s go.”

I said that and asked Ari to take us to the rocky mountain we had just gazed at.

As Ari flew at incredible speed, the rocky mountains quickly drew closer.

Just then, a small purple dot suddenly appeared in front of the rocky mountains that had just seemed to be empty.

One second later, I realized that the purple dot wasn’t a dot but Beatrice, who we were chasing.

A second later, I noticed that Beatrice’s gaze was fixed directly on us.

And again a second later, I could see her ominously smiling while staring at us.

At the same time,

“Ari, dodge!!”

A massive something that had appeared out of nowhere suddenly descended upon us.

An attack that narrowly brushed past our heads as we quickly dived down vertically.

When I looked up, I saw a massive shadow looming over us.

A giant demonic beast, similar to an elephant, stood blocking our path, so big it covered the entire rocky mountain.

It was probably the same beast that had almost killed Ari last time.

The long trunk used just now gave a clue to the creature that had attacked us.

Damn it, I was lucky to have noticed the attack just in time; otherwise, one hit from that thing could have killed me.

“…What a rough welcome, Beatrice.”

“Fufufu, you’re not going to call me Bea, huh? Well, I don’t mind at all.”

Beatrice, sitting atop the beast’s snout, suddenly wore a smile directed at me.

“Anyway, welcome, Eva. You made it here well.”

“…Considering you spread your aura to invite us here like this.”

“Fufufu, that’s true. Speaking of which? From now on, we’re going to play a real game of hide and seek.”

“…A real game of hide and seek?”

It was at that moment I asked.

Beatrice’s laughter deepened slightly.

“Hmm?!”

As quickly as she had been in front of us, Beatrice suddenly vanished without a trace.

She had completely disappeared.

Not a trace, no sound. Not even the ominous energy I had felt a moment ago.

At that moment, a voice echoed from somewhere.

[I told you where I was hiding, so what we did just now wasn’t hide and seek. Since this time, I will truly hide, so you’d better search for me. I’ll be hiding somewhere behind those rocky mountains. If you can’t find me within thirty minutes, Eva’s lost, okay?]

What?! Thirty minutes to find her in such a wide area?

Was that scoundrel’s plan all along?

I certainly didn’t expect her to just fight us straight away.

But if that’s the case, there was no need for her to call it a game of hide and seek.

In any case, to find her within the limited time, I figured we should split up and look, so I jumped off Ari and shouted to Ari and Yoon Si-woo.

“Yoon Si-woo! Ari! Let’s split up and look. I’ll check over there—!”

[That’s not going to happen.]

-■■■■■■■■■■■■■!!!

And the moment I shouted that out, a huge beast swung its head to separate the area where Yoon Si-woo and Ari had been.

“Ugh! What’s going on?! Scarlet!”

-■■■■■■■■■■!!!

Seeing that, Yoon Si-woo and Ari tried to come to me, but the beast swung its head to block them as if refusing to let them approach.

Simultaneously, Beatrice’s mocking voice could be heard.

[I told you I wanted to play hide and seek, so you’re not invited, Eva. Besides, Bea has been really angry at that guy who hurt her. She will definitely not let you go. So what will you do? Time keeps passing by while you’re sitting there.]

Before I could retort to Beatrice,

“…Scarlet.”

Yoon Si-woo’s voice rang out first.

“Get going ahead. If you interfere with finding her, you won’t find her in time. I’ll take care of this one.”

“…Are you going to be okay?”

I asked, looking at the massive beast.

That beast had been a formidable opponent even when I fought with all my strength.

Was it really alright to leave such a strong enemy to Yoon Si-woo, who shouldn’t use too much of the witch’s power?

But instead of answering me, Yoon Si-woo simply patted his chest with his fist.

It meant to trust him.

“…Got it! Then I’ll find that hidden one, so hurry back!”

With those words, I nodded without hesitation and turned away.

Since Yoon Si-woo told me to trust him, all I could do was believe in him.

With that, I ran toward the massive rocky mountain standing in front of my eyes.

*

And behind, the boy standing in front of the mountain-like monster drew his sword and muttered.

“Bring it on.”