Foresight and Doubt

Serie pushed open the door to the base.

Her gaze swept across the room. By the long table near the window, Ubel was putting a black cat-ear headband on Fern's head, deftly adjusting the angle with her fingers. Fern looked slightly helpless, but let her do as she pleased, seemingly having given up resisting.

Himmel and Ruby stood by the bookshelf. Ruby pointed to an open magic book and whispered something. Himmel listened intently, nodding occasionally.

Methode and Liletta sat on soft chairs against the wall. Methode held a cup of black tea, while Liletta crossed her arms and looked out the window.

Sense and Falsh stood in front of the map. Sense's long brown hair fell to her feet, and she bowed her head slightly. Falsh stood half a step behind her, his posture upright.

Lowell and Frieren were nestled in the middle of the sofa. Frieren held a half-full cup of black tea, while Lowell had one arm draped over the back of the sofa, looking relaxed.

Lupa and Linié sat together, playing with Human-Demon Summoning.

Iris, Schritt, Wolf, Lutine, Lore, Gazella, Kleis, Sein —scattered throughout the room.

Serie walked in and closed the door behind her.

The door hinges turned, making a slight "click" sound.

Everyone in the room turned their heads at the same time and looked towards the door.

Serie, dressed in her signature white robe, calmly scanned each face with her golden eyes, finally settling on the center of the room, where she clicked her tongue.

Then she walked to the empty sofa and sat down. She leaned back in the chair, rested her right leg on her left knee, rested her elbow on the armrest, and gently interlaced her fingers in front of her.

A typical boss's sitting posture.

"So," she began, her voice clear in the quiet room, "What's this whole bunch of people here for?"

Ubel turned away from Fern, a playful smile still on his face.

"They're probably here to protect you."

Serie didn't respond. She turned her face, her gaze fixed directly on Lowell.

Lowell met her gaze and scratched the back of his head.

"Uh," he began, his voice carrying its usual casual tone, "Better safe than sorry."

Serie tilted her head slightly.

"Do you think I would be assassinated in a place like this?"

Lowell nodded matter-of-factly.

"Yes," he said, "My foresight has already shown them what I saw in the future."

He raised his hand and gestured around the room.

Don't you agree?

Sense turned away from the map. Her long brown hair slid across the floor with the movement. Her eyelids drooped, and her face was expressionless.

"It is so, Lady Serie." Her voice was calm and even, "You were taken hostage because of us mages and had to await your execution. We all saw it; you didn't have to do this."

The room was quiet. In the distance, the faint music of the Imperial Capital's celebrations could be heard, several streets away, but it was indistinct.

Ruby put down her book and walked quickly to Serie. Celia blinked her blue eyes, which quickly welled up with tears. She sniffed, her voice trembling with a clear sob.

"Master!"

She reached out and grabbed Serie's arm.

"My most respected master! You've been so good to us... but it's not enough..."

Her tears came suddenly, streaming down her cheeks, mixed with a little snot, making her look extremely pitiful.

"How could you do this for us... Waaah... What will we do if you die..."

Serie looked down at the hand gripping her arm, then looked up Ruby Ruby's face, which was contorted with tears. Ruby's face was expressionless, but the corners of her mouth were noticeably turned down.

Then she raised her hand, pinched Ruby's wrist with two fingers, and pried her hand off her arm.

"Go! Go! Go."

She pushed Ruby's hand away, her tone clearly showing disdain.

"Nonsense."

Ruby was pushed away, staggered half a step, and steadied herself. She raised her hand and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, but her eyes were still red, and the tip of her nose was also red. She looked at Serie, her mouth pursed, as if she was about to cry again.

Serie didn't look at her again. She turned her head and looked at Lowell again. Her golden eyes narrowed slightly.

"That's all? You think I would choose to die just because my disciple was taken hostage? Are you kidding me?"

Lowell opened his mouth, but didn't say anything immediately.

Serie leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on her knees, her fingers interlaced again. She looked at Lowell, her gaze calm yet sharp and scrutinizing.

"If the enemy has the ability to kill me, how can my disciples survive after I die?"

Her gaze shifted to Ruby.

Ruby, you too.

Ruby was still standing there, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. When she heard Serie call her name, she looked up, her eyes still red.

Why would you believe such stupid things?

Ruby blinked. The tear tracks on her face were still wet, but her expression had changed. The hurt and sadness quickly faded, replaced by a blank stare mixed with confusion and bewilderment. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out, then turned to look at Lowell.

"... ah?"

She seemed not to understand, or perhaps unsure what to say. She looked at Serie, then at Lowell, and finally pointed to herself, then at Lowell.

"I... ah? Lowell?"

Lowell choked for a moment. He touched his nose, looking a little embarrassed.

"I..." His voice was lower than before, "How should I know? Aren't you being very logical? But that you—the you I saw—died just like that."

"Joke."

She said it, her voice filled with undisguised sarcasm.

"Would I be the kind of person who willingly surrenders his life to the enemy?"

She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs again.

"Don't even mention that if I die, they might not survive—that possibility seems utterly nonexistent to me. Even if an exchange were possible..."

She raised her eyes and looked at Lowell. Her golden eyes were calm and still.

"They're just a group of disciples I took on out of interest."

The room was so quiet that you could hear faint music playing in the distance outside the window and someone breathing softly nearby.

Ruby stood in front of Serie. The confusion on her face gradually faded, and the corners of her mouth curved upward, revealing a slightly sly smile. She leaned forward, tilted her head, and stared intently at Serie's face with her emerald eyes.

"Hehehe..."

She laughed, a hint of smugness in her voice.

"That's just how my master is; he doesn't say what he means."

She held up her index finger and pointed to the corner of her eye.

"When someone lies, there are always subtle fluctuations here... I noticed them a long time ago!"

Serie turned her head and looked at her.

Ruby remained in that forward-leaning posture, a smile on her face, her eyes sparkling.

Serie looked for two seconds.

Then, with a blank expression, she reached out and grabbed Ruby the back of her neck and the collar of her shirt.

The movement was very natural, like picking up a disobedient kitten.

Ruby "Eh!" and before she could react, she was lifted up and flailed her arms and legs in the air.

Serie stood up, picked up Ruby, and walked a few steps to the window.

Serie raised her arm.

Ruby transformed into a red arc and flew out of the window. She traced a path through the air, rapidly shrinking until she disappeared into the darkening sky in the distance, leaving only a drawn-out, fading shout:

"I will definitely come back--!"

The sound dissipated in the wind and became inaudible.

Serie stood by the window, brushing non-existent dust off her hands. Then she turned around, walked back to the sofa, and sat down again. Her posture was the same as before: right leg crossed over left knee, elbows on the armrests, fingers interlaced.

Throughout the entire process, her face remained expressionless.

Lowell watched her series of actions and remained silent for two seconds. He pressed his temple, and his lips twitched.

"Tsk."

He uttered a short syllable, as if he didn't know what to say.

"Anyway," he began again, his voice regaining its usual casualness, "it's good that you think that way. So—"

He looked up at Serie.

"What magic do you have left to Future Sight?"

Serie didn't answer immediately. She raised her hand, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the lines of her jaw, her gaze fixed on a point in the air, as if deep in thought.

She spoke after a few seconds.

"Only Prophetic Dreams remain, and I haven't seen anything lately, since the timing of this spell's activation is quite random. Everything else has been given away. Hmm, those guys are all at their posts and haven't come here."

Lowell hissed, as if he had a toothache. He scratched his hair, looking somewhat helpless.

"You're really generous..."

He shook his head, as if he couldn't do anything about her.

"Alright," he said, "I know you don't like the magic of Future Sight. Anyway, since our Future Sight is temporarily unavailable—"

He raised his eyes and looked at Serie, his expression becoming more serious.

"Then get ready."

Serie met his gaze but didn't say anything.

A few seconds later, she gave a soft hum.

"Boring."