Pretty Sure That's Correct.

"Come back the day after tomorrow — the elf girl should arrive by then. And next time, use the front door."

"Okay, see you."

Kari-chan fluttered her fingers and vanished.

Just as she'd appeared: without sound or warning.

"Mariabel-sama."

My maid addressed me, but I signaled with a discrete soirée hand sign: Do not relax your guard yet.

"Good grief, that shaved years off my life. Spare me the sudden entrances."

"Shall I say, 'Please don't die, my lady!' for form's sake?"

"Hah. I've got thirty-five years left. Relax."

"Hmm. The last time you said forty, so we've shaved five off. What a development."

Inside the lord's keep, the girl appeared right in front of us without a sound. Even my maid who excels at sensing presences only felt a tickle a heartbeat before. She only registered as an intruder after she physically manifested.

Which is to say: She can watch us whenever she pleases.

As long as we are discussing her, we can't afford to grow careless. For a while we should maintain the vigilance of a night party — the battlefield of ladies.

At least until the business with the elves is concluded.

My maids understood.

I immediately sent word to the soldiery: the elf search is no longer necessary; recall the escort detachment that is transporting the elf back home. Only then did I return to my chambers — and switched on an anti-eavesdropping device.

"It may just be for peace of mind, but let's talk under this."

"My lady… what is that person?"

A little thing I scrubbed from head to toe at the public bath the other day, laughing all the while. A country commoner ignorant that I'm the former lord's wife — that much I could forgive. But that she is this significant a personage — I did not expect.

"You've heard Alchemia fell? The capital ruined in a night, then ground down over seven days and nights. I'd rather not end like that."

"Meaning…"

"Don't pry. Kari-chan, Maria-baachan, and the aunties. That's enough. We will keep it that way. Understood?"

"… Will that be safe?"

She looked uneasy. But there is no better arrangement.

If, hypothetically, 'Kari-chan' is the one who erased Alchemia — then compare the position of a casual friend who can speak with her, and that of a mere former lord's wife.

Which stands higher? It was rather obvious.

And we can discard that 'hypothetically.'

When I probed, she clearly knew Alchemia's internal affairs. And showed not a whit of surprise. Which is to say, she was a party to it.

She also possesses the force to defeat the artifact Poseidon at sea. To cleave in twain a ship supposedly guarded by a god is not something mortals can do.

Which is to say… it is what it is. There's too much circumstantial evidence.

"It's fine. In my judgment, the girl is, at her core, a good person. So long as we do not approach with ill will, she won't harm us."

"But she destroyed the lord's privateers…"

"They had already gone too far and were a hair's breadth from being purged. She saved us the work. Isn't that so?"

"Indeed, my lady."

At my emphasis, my maid smiled.

They touched an elf. And even if their cargo had been taken, they moved to strike a licensed ship — truly over the line. On the sea, with Poseidon, they were a troublesome force that even the lord could not touch.

So yes, she truly did save us trouble.

"Oh, right. My son might carelessly… misunderstand. Helza, as a precaution, go and make sure."

"At once, Mariabel-sama."

I sent the maid Helza to warn my son, the current lord.

Do not oppose her — oppose her and you will be destroyed. She is the one who erased Alchemia from this continent. And do not plot reprisals; do not force anything upon her.

"Teresa — did you smell elf on that girl?"

"Yes, and strongly. I would wager they shared a bed. Despite our thorough washing the other day, that strong scent remained — no mistake."

"Ah… so that's how it is. Good grief — how do we explain that to the parties involved?"

Teresa, with wolf-beast blood, has an excellent nose. It has saved us from poisons more than once. A nose I trust.

If she says so, it's so. If it turns out they merely wrapped themselves in an unwashed blanket and dozed off together, I'll be the one surprised.

"This is why life is delightful. I'll live another fifty years."

"Oh? It lengthened again?"

"Sip enough youth and your span extends. In twenty years, you'll learn that too."

Heavens, we've befriended a troublesome being.

… While we remain friends, though, it is reassuring.

Since we have the chance, perhaps I should ask her what we ought to do with Alchemia's ruins.