Part one hundred fifty eight — What Ivy Negotiated

　Queen Mirabel Aurelith received Ivy in a throne room considerably warmer than most formal chambers Ivy had encountered in her long, strange existence――sunlit, unpretentious, decorated with the kind of understated elegance that suggested wealth used thoughtfully rather than displayed carelessly.

　The queen herself was young――nineteen, if Ivy's information was accurate――and yet carried herself with a steadiness that made her age feel almost irrelevant. The nobles arrayed around her didn't wear the guarded, calculating expressions Ivy usually associated with court politics. They watched their queen with something closer to genuine respect.

Interesting. This one's people actually love her, from what I can tell. Rare enough, in my experience, to be worth noting properly.

"I was expecting Lord Kai himself," Mirabel said, studying Ivy with polite but unmistakable disappointment.

"My apologies, Your Majesty," Ivy said, bowing properly. "Lord Kai is currently occupied with a significant project. I've been sent to represent him directly."

"I see," Mirabel said, considering this. "Then let me ask you something first, before we discuss anything else. Is it true the primordial demon known as No.8 has had his seal broken?"

"Yes," Ivy said, simple.

"Who could possibly be powerful enough to break a seal made by the Chaos Dragon herself?" Mirabel asked, genuine disbelief coloring the question.

"Lord Kai broke it," Ivy said.

　The reaction rippled through the assembled nobles instantly――shock, then something considerably more calculated, several of them exchanging quick, uneasy glances.

"You're certain of that?" Mirabel asked, careful now.

"Entirely certain," Ivy said. "I was present."

　One of the nobles leaned toward the queen, voice low but not quite quiet enough to escape Ivy's own hearing.

"My queen, if he's genuinely that powerful, making an enemy of him would be a poor decision indeed."

"I agree," another added. "You've heard what he apparently did to Myrath's army. To the entire kingdom, for that matter."

"I'd heard the reports," Mirabel said, slow. "I confess I didn't fully believe them at first. I'm beginning to reconsider that skepticism."

"My master doesn't wish for war with anyone," Ivy said, careful to correct the shape of the story before it settled wrong in anyone's mind. "The King of Myrath chose war himself, and paid for that choice with both his life and his kingdom. Lord Kai wasn't even the one who ended it."

　Mirabel's eyebrows rose.

"It wasn't him personally?"

"You're familiar with a dragon named Ignivar? The Sky Dragon?"

"Of course."

"He did it," Ivy said. "Though he now goes by Enzo――a name Lord Kai gave him."

　Mirabel pressed a hand briefly to her own forehead, something between disbelief and dawning respect crossing her features.

"Dear gods. He commands a Sky Dragon, and simply renamed him. Well. I have no doubt your people could handle whatever problem I'm about to ask about."

"What problem is that?" Ivy asked.

"Do you know of the cursed vampire?"

"Yes," Ivy said. "Goes by Corri Vanessa."

"Good, then you understand the scale of it already." Mirabel's composure faltered slightly, worry breaking through for the first time. "A city to our west, close to our own border, and two villages beside it――completely wiped out. I fear my own kingdom is next."

"Have you fought her directly?"

"She's been killed countless times," Mirabel said, something exhausted underneath the words. "She simply doesn't stay dead. The hero from Teorema has killed her more times than anyone can properly count, and still she returns. I know your master's occupied at present, but――might I make a request?"

"What would that request be?"

"Please. I want you to defend my kingdom from her."

"I'm sorry," Ivy said, "but I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I was sent here specifically to negotiate on Lord Kai's behalf regarding a particular item," Ivy said. "And beyond that――anyone who isn't allied with the Kobayashi family isn't extended the family's protection."

　Mirabel considered that a long moment, something shrewd settling behind her earlier worry.

"Then let's form exactly that alliance. A pact of non-aggression between Tearmoon and the Kobayashi family, and Horizoncrest itself. I'd also very much like a genuinely friendly relationship with your master, if he's willing."

I don't want to be on his bad side, she thought privately, watching Ivy's own composed expression for any sign of reaction. Our military strength has never been our kingdom's particular gift.

　She produced the paper properly, signed it herself, and turned it toward Ivy to complete.

　Ivy paused, weighing something privately before she answered.

If I'm able to restrain Vanessa myself, and bring her back to Lord Kai directly――I suspect that would earn me his gratitude, possibly even a further evolution. And I'll have secured a genuine alliance for Horizoncrest in the same stroke.

"Agreed," she said, and signed.

　That night, Ivy felt Vanessa's approach toward Tearmoon's border long before anyone else in the kingdom noticed――a presence rippling with wrongness, chaotic in a way that read less like a person and more like a wound that had simply forgotten it was supposed to heal.

She's not thinking anymore, is she. Not really. Just hunting.

　She informed Mirabel she was heading out and left without further ceremony.

　Vanessa struck the barrier Ivy had already raised before reaching the kingdom's outer wall――a clean, invisible wall she hadn't sensed until it was already stopping her.

　Ivy approached calmly from behind, unhurried.

"Wow. That curse really did a number on you. I wonder how many times you've actually died and come back by now."

　Vanessa launched herself at Ivy without warning, no strategy behind it at all, pure instinct driving raw violence.

　Ivy caught both her hands mid-strike and threw her clear into the forest's edge, trees splintering in her wake.

　Vanessa recovered mid-fall, landing on her feet, already forming a weapon out of her own condensed blood――Tazca, the obsidian blade that reflected the visions of the dead.

　She swung.

　Ivy simply cut through her with a bare hand, no blade needed at all.

　Vanessa died.

　She reappeared an instant later, exactly where she'd been standing, the same red clock ticking somewhere unseen before claiming her life again――Absolute Rebirth bringing her back once more, endlessly, mechanically.

That's a genuinely disturbing ability to carry.

　Ivy watched the cycle repeat a third time.

"The reason you're this unstable," she said, gentle despite the ongoing violence, "is that you've never once had control over your own power. I happen to know someone who might actually be willing to help you with that, if you'd let him."

　Vanessa's mind was long gone by that point, nothing left behind her eyes but hunger and instinct.

　She lunged again, unable to break through Ivy's defense no matter how many times death reset her, and Ivy finally activated her own barrier skill properly, trapping her cleanly inside it.

　She appeared at Mirabel's window moments later, hovering in midair, entirely composed.

"I'll be taking her with me."

　Mirabel, watching a captured, endlessly-resurrecting curse handled like an afterthought, could only nod, stunned.

　Ivy opened a mist gate and stepped through, appearing outside the underground facility at Horizoncrest.

　Nero spotted her first.

"Oh, it's you. What's――is that a vampire?"

"I don't think vampire quite covers it," Ivy said. "Where's Lord Kai?"

"In there," Nero said, gesturing toward a heavy door.