In line with Noir Giabella's expectation, Eugene had no desire to wage a war of such magnitude with Nahama. He would make a decisive move if it came to it, but the current situation didn't warrant such action yet.
Unlike Amelia Merwin, who sought outright warfare, Eugene had multiple strategies at his disposal. Even a simple comparison of forces showed the alliance's superiority over Nahama. Even with Amelia recruiting a significant number of high-ranking demons, the alliance had ample countermeasures and forces.
Could all of the participating demons go through the ritual to become Demon Kings? If such a thing were possible, it would definitely turn the tides of battle in Nahama’s favor. However, a transformation into becoming a Demon King couldn’t be achieved with simple desire or effort.
Eward Lionheart was the first to attempt the ritual. He did not need to prepare many things for the ritual. The dark spirit within him, the remnants of a former Demon King, and his Lionheart lineage had proved sufficient.
Edmund Codreth’s preparation for the ritual had been far more extensive in terms of the time it took and the requirements. It had required living sacrifices, the abundant mana of Samar Forest, the world tree's leylines, and even the dark power of the Demon Dragon, Raizakia. Even then, the ritual had not been brought to completion. Edmund Codreth had resorted to elevating the quality of the souls of the sacrifices through warfare frenzy as a workaround.
It was obvious that the demons mistook Iris’ sudden transformation into a Demon King as a sign that they, too, could easily achieve this feat. However, for a demon, becoming a Demon King without the proper qualifications required many, many things. Simply put, merely sacrificing innumerable lives would not be sufficient.
To make even one demon into a Demon King would require a method similar to Edmund's, which involved elevating souls through the frenzy and madness of war.
Nahama lacked the unique attributes of Samar Forest. As such, while Edmund used tens of thousands of indigenous people as sacrifices, Amelia would need to prepare several times more.
Amelia had only been in Nahama for a few days. It was impossible for her to have conducted a Demon King ritual in such a short time. She would need to incite a full-scale war to even attempt the ritual, and this would, in turn, give Eugene various options once a standoff at the frontlines took place.
Although he could definitely engage in a frontal battle with Amelia, Eugene’s primary aim wasn’t to do so. Instead, he hoped to launch a surprise attack from the rear. He could fly with Sienna or ride Raimira to unleash Breath attacks.
He could end the war by eliminating the demons, Amelia, and capturing the Sultan. However, Eugene didn't fully believe things would go as smoothly as planned. Ideals were simply just that — ideals.
"Are you done talking? Then leave," Eugene said dismissively.
Noir frowned at his blunt response. "Really, that’s just so rude of you to speak that way! And I didn't come here just to talk about this."
Eugene was so brazen and ungrateful. Noir shot a playful glare at Eugene.
"As embarrassing as it is to say, Hamel, I came because I wanted to see you,” she said.
Eugene rolled his eyes at her flippant remark. "So what?"
It wasn’t the first time he had heard such nonsense from Noir. Eugene didn’t even bat an eye after hearing her words.
How could he treat her like this even after she provided him with crucial information!? Well, in truth, she didn’t feel resentful or disappointed at all.
"I mean, although I came here because I wanted to see you, it wasn't just on a whim either. There's a reason I came here," Noir added.
"So what…?" Eugene said apathetically.
“Aren’t you curious? Hmm?” Noir asked desperately while pushing her face closer to Eugene, and Eugene kicked the sunbed under her with a derisive face.
Despite his evident distaste for her, Noir did not seem to care. She moved even closer to him. Although Eugene wasn’t curious at all, he knew that Noir wouldn’t leave him be until he asked.
“…And what was the reason you wanted to see me?” Eugene finally asked. His cheek twitched in apparent annoyance.
Noir immediately gave a satisfied smile upon hearing Eugene’s question.
"I had a dream," Noir revealed.
"…A dream?" asked Eugene. He was caught off guard. He wasn’t privy to the fact that Night Demons didn't dream in the true sense.
"Yes,” answered Noir.
"…And what was it about?" Eugene questioned.
Even so, despite his ignorance, Eugene felt intrigued by her answer. He knew dreams possessed significance. After all, he had also first accessed Agaroth’s memories in his dreams.
“I wonder,” Noir answered.
Although she did not remember, she was left with the feeling of wanting to see Hamel. As such, it was probably related to him. She had been hoping that a meeting with him would provide her with some clarity and bring back more than the soft, lingering emotions she was left with. But….
“I don't remember," Noir admitted.
She still couldn’t remember the contents of her dream. However, despite its elusive nature, she felt an even deeper emotional connection to the dream.
Noir took a step back and observed Eugene's reaction. A lingering, faint… something, wasn’t it? She chuckled softly.
“…..?” Eugene stared at Noir with mounting irritation.
Noir Giabella could become engrossed and enjoy the lingering emotions of her unrecalled dream. However, Eugene found all of this too sudden and vague. His expression soured as he stood up from his seat.
"Where are you going?" Noir asked.
"It seems you won't leave, so I will," Eugene replied, clearly uninterested in prolonging the conversation.
"But those kids would want to play longer, won’t they? Hamel, won't you think about the children's feelings?" Noir protested in an attempt to keep him there.
"I've considered their feelings until now, so they should consider mine sometimes," Eugene retorted, not easily swayed by her argument.
"And what about my feelings, Hamel? I came here because I wanted to see you—." Noir suddenly stopped herself. She stared at Eugene for a moment with wide eyes, then tilted her head in confusion. “…Huh?”
Noir’s lips curled up, and her cheeks twitched. She quickly got up from her sunbed, saying, "No, Hamel, you don't need to leave. I just remembered something I had to do.”
"What?" Eugene asked, perplexed.
"If possible, I would like to see you one more time before leaving the city. You might not want it, but I'd like to at least say goodbye. Oh, and about what I said earlier, think it over," Noir said swiftly, winking at Eugene. "I really do plan to help you in the war against Amelia Merwin."
With those words, Noir quickly turned around. Instead of leaving on the Giabella Face as she arrived, she vanished into the mist.
She didn’t bother explaining the current situation. She had no intention of doing so, and she was in a hurry. To be more precise, she was irritated.
‘What is it?' Noir thought.
The giant city lay in Noir’s palm. If there was something out of place, something new, she could immediately sense it. It was the same now. She sensed an alien presence suddenly appearing on the outskirts of the city.
A demon? No, that wouldn’t have been surprising or special. Countless demons roamed the outskirts of the city in search of something to eat.
But such creatures were unimportant. The fact that the intruder caused her to make an immediate move meant that it was an existence that bothered her. That already made the intruder a special existence.
The intruder was unfamiliar, and it bothered her. Noir mulled over the identity of the intruder as she flew across the city sky.
“You,” Noir shouted.
When she arrived at the residential area on the city's edge, which was almost completely devoid of tourists, she found the man standing there alone.
The man's appearance was not exactly as it was three hundred years ago. He lacked his scars and was in a different attire. However, such minor differences wouldn’t make him unrecognizable. How could she forget? She had never forgotten his face, the man she first fell in love with — Hamel of Extermination.
Noir pondered what emotion to display. She knew the identity of the entity.
He was Amelia Merwin's pet, a Death Knight created by implanting a false soul in Hamel's corpse. His personality had been formed using Hamel’s memories. But the being could no longer be called a Death Knight.
Noir had seen it in Ravesta a year ago. It had barely survived as a hint of a soul without a physical body. The entity had been in the process of being intertwined with the power of Destruction. It wouldn’t have surprised her if he had dissolved at any moment.
But it seemed he had not disappeared. Instead, he had become anew. It didn’t come to her as a complete surprise. She had entertained a slim possibility of its revival and even a hint of hope.
Noir had been intrigued by the 'Hamel-like' persona the specter maintained, although it was a brutal thing for the specter.
She had wondered if the specter could overcome its grim fate if he continued to thrash without despair, just like Hamel. She had pondered the possibility of it overcoming the extreme situation it was put in without perishing.
And he had met her expectations, or rather, he had surpassed her expectations.
However, Noir felt a strange repulsion towards this being, so she pondered what emotion to display. Should she act as if he were Hamel, her beloved, or….
“…Hamel, what are you doing here?” she asked.
“Drop the act. I can see right through it,” the specter said. His lips twisted in response to Noir’s question.
“Oh, my,” Noir said. She ceased her contemplation at that response. It seemed there was no need for pretense. So she followed up with a question, “What happened? Or rather, when did you start to notice?”
“Is there any reason I should answer that?” the specter asked.
“Hmm. If you don't wish to, I can't force you, but personally, I'm curious. Last time I saw you, you believed yourself to be Hamel, didn't you?” questioned Noir.
Instead of pretending, she displayed her true emotions. Noir did not bother to hide her discomfort and disdain towards the specter.
A fake Hamel.
‘Alien and repulsive…. Yes, that’s it. The dark power of Destruction,’ Noir thought, shuddering internally.
However, the disdain she felt was different from what she felt towards beings like Alphiero. That's why she hadn't realized it immediately.
Noir glared at the specter while waiting for a response. It wasn’t just the difference in dark power. This… presence, this intimidation. It felt like her skin was tingling, and deep in her heart, her instincts were recoiling.
‘Even if his existence was mixed and distorted with the power of Destruction, is it to this extent?’ Noir pondered.
He was an adversary not to be underestimated. Noir rarely came across such formidable opponents.
“Looks like you don’t plan to answer,” said Noir. She snorted and shrugged when she heard no answer from the specter. “Why are you here? With Amelia Merwin…. Ah, I see. If you’ve become aware of your existence... have you broken free from Amelia’s shackles?”
“Eugene Lionheart,” the specter suddenly said. “Is he still in this city?”
This time, it was Noir’s turn to remain silent. She couldn't precisely discern the intent behind that question.
With anyone else, she would have used her Demoneye of Fantasy to read their mind… but her instincts warned her not to try such a tactic with this being.
The sensation was similar to when she looked into the Temple of Destruction and saw Vermouth Lionheart chained inside. She felt that rashly showing a dream might cause her own downfall.
‘He knows he’s a fake. He must be aware his memories are manipulated. Does he still harbor hatred towards the Lionhearts?’ Noir thought of the possibilities.
The fake believed he had been betrayed by Vermouth and his comrades, thus harboring hatred towards the Lionheart family.
‘…Maybe the hatred isn't about the memories,’ Noir thought.
She considered the current situation from a different angle.
This specter had lost its physical form after being defeated by Eugene Lionheart. Perhaps it wasn’t harboring hatred born from his manipulated memories, but rather, a desire for revenge against Eugene for other reasons.
“Why are you looking for him?” Noir finally asked.
If this being wanted revenge on Eugene, should she pave the way? Or stop him? Noir momentarily pondered this dilemma.
But it was too rash to decide. What if this being didn't seek revenge on Eugene at all?
However, if its self-identity was closer to the actual Hamel, wanting revenge wouldn’t be surprising….
“He’s around, I see,” commented the specter.
He was puzzled by Noir’s vague attitude. Even so, it wasn’t as if he could clearly assert his purpose in seeking Eugene.
It was a situation bound for misunderstandings. The specter didn’t know what Noir knew. Did she know Eugene Lionheart was Hamel’s reincarnation? He couldn’t assume she did. Similarly, Noir couldn’t have known he was aware of Eugene’s true identity.
“Did you come to meet him?” Noir asked while maintaining her distance.
“I just came to check if he’s still here,” answered the specter.
“Your answer is vague. After confirming his presence, what then? Will you go to meet him?” asked Noir.
Noir considered pressing more forcefully as she slowly unleashed her dark power.
Boom!
Her power expanded rapidly and put pressure on the space around her. However, the specter stood firm. He stared back at Noir without flinching.
‘Noir Giabella has shown favor towards Eugene Lionheart several times,’ the specter recalled.
He was aware of the scandals involving Noir and Eugene in this city. But the ‘Hamel’ he knew would never be close to someone like Noir.
He didn't consider the possibility of her having taken Eugene captive with her Demoneye of Fantasy. The Saint was with him, and he could not fathom the Demoneye of Fantasy being capable of breaking through Hamel’s formidable mental strength.
‘Does this whore see me as an enemy of Eugene? Is that why she shows hostility?’ the specter guessed.
He had no intention of clashing with Noir. Like with Amelia Merwin, only Hamel had the ‘right’ to kill this whore. His reason for coming to this city was — as he said before — to check if Eugene was still here.
He didn't want to meet Eugene face-to-face or speak with him. If possible, he just wanted to observe him from a distance.
“..…”
From how Noir was acting, it seemed Eugene was still in Giabella City.
That was enough for him. Without another word to Noir, he stepped back.
“…What?” Noir asked, confused.
Even though she had not shifted her gaze, the specter’s figure suddenly vanished.
Where had he gone? Noir blinked several times as she scanned the surroundings and the whole city for the specter.
He was nowhere to be found.
The specter had disappeared from Giabella City.