Let's Go on a Date

Meili was pouring almost all her life force into controlling the beasts through her contract, fighting Subaru Natsuki for command of them.

She didn't want to die. She was giving it everything she had, but no matter what she did, the beasts obeyed her only briefly before those strange eyes took hold of them again.

As the ground drew closer, despair crossed Meili's young face. When she saw the silver-haired girl below, rushing from villager to villager to treat them, she knew Elsa had failed.

Otherwise, her target wouldn't have been here. After struggling a little longer, Meili gave up completely. If she poured in any more life force, she would look like an old woman even if she survived.

Large patches of her coffee-brown hair had visibly turned white. Her once soft, smooth cheeks were growing dry and gaunt.

Even if she had to die, she didn't want to die looking like an old crone. So she stopped fighting.

When the giant eagle beast landed, everyone finally saw who was behind it.

"Meili? How could it be you?"

Petra, who had been huddled against Subaru Natsuki's leg, stared in disbelief. Her eyes trembled.

"Haha, Petra, you look surprised. Is it that hard to accept that your best friend was the one who destroyed the village?

"It doesn't really matter. I got sick of being your friend a long time ago. You were always asking me to come out and play more than anyone else. Those games of pretend you loved? Every time, I had to fight the urge to throw up!"

"Meili, how can you say that? I only... I didn't want you to be alone all the time. I wanted to help you make more friends! I never thought you hated it so much.

"If you didn't like