"A piece that has already left the board cannot enter the game again."
The Witch, somewhat displeased that Shade had replaced the "Princess," reminded him of this. Shade nodded.
"I know."
Rather than sitting upright, Shade leaned back in his chair, stroking the cat as he continued watching the two figures in the image. They had already stopped. The hunter raised her longsword toward the Princess, while the Princess, realizing the murder about to take place, looked at her with sorrow written across her face.
"The hunter definitely won't kill the Princess."
Shade said softly, this time with absolute confidence.
"Compared to your daughter, Lady Gerd, this Bloodkin Witch has a unique advantage. You probably don't know this, but Miss Coens likes Miss Novare."
"So you intend to use love to defeat Destiny?"
Though the Witch across the table was surprised by this outcome, she appreciated Shade's struggle. She wanted stories beyond her control to emerge in her kingdom, because only then could her homunculus research move forward. She was quite satisfied with Shade's answer of introducing "love" as a variable.
"But you have merely tipped the Scales of the story in your favor. The possibility of the hunter killing the Princess still exists. Replacing my daughter was indeed a good idea, but fate is a double-edged sword. Have you realized something else?
Love is indeed great, but the Demon Hunter's Destiny is to fight evil. There was actually no hidden danger in my daughter. She was truly invited to this hotel only because of me. But your Bloodkin Witch friend..."
A smile appeared on the Witch's face once more.
"Even if they have feelings for each other, the moment that Bloodkin Witch entered my kingdom, I knew she carried an evil that the Demon Hunter had to drive out."