There were so many pretty girls here, just like me. Was this heaven?"
As Alicia spoke, her gaze returned to the girls seated in front of her, meeting each of their eyes in turn. Her undisguised goodwill and enthusiasm quickly made the girls, who had all felt at least some pressure because of her identity as a Herrscher, feel much closer to Alicia.
"Hello, my name is Raiden Mei."
Raiden Mei, seated directly in front of Alicia, extended her hand with a polite smile.
"Mhm, mhm, the moment has finally arrived. I've been thinking about an opening line for meeting all of you this whole time—"
Alicia's smile brightened as she swiftly grasped Raiden Mei's outstretched hand. Her utterly unaffected enthusiasm and smile quickly melted away Mei's slight wariness—
"Alicia, second of the Flame-Chasers, bearer of the True Self inscription.
As for my other identity... let's call me the Thirteenth Herrscher for now?"
Raiden Mei had expected this woman, who looked extremely dangerous at first glance, to say something ornate. Hearing such a blunt self-revelation made her smile freeze.
Seeing this, Alicia continued with a beaming smile:
"Sure enough, the most sincere words are more powerful than flowery rhetoric, aren't they~?"
"Indeed..."
Raiden Mei slowly nodded. Her gaze toward the flower-smiling girl before her grew more solemn, though the smile on her face returned as well.
"In any case, it's a pleasure to meet you, Alicia."
"Mhm, mhm, that's it. Praise me more, and I'll be very—happy, you know~?"
As if she had not noticed Raiden Mei's solemnity at all, Alicia vigorously shook their clasped hands.
Feeling the girl's enthusiasm, Raiden Mei could not help but feel even closer to her, despite repeatedly reminding herself that the person before her was dangerous in every sense of the word.
As Alicia