Several days had passed since the strategy meeting, and today was the Empire's national celebration day.
Led by Serie, the group casually entered the Empire's capital, encountering no resistance whatsoever.
Along the way, all they saw and heard were the joyful sounds of the celebration and the festive decorations adorning the streets and shops.
Soon enough, Frieren, unable to resist Fern's curiosity, was pulled by her towards a small gift stall on the side.
Watching this scene, Fíliya shook her head with a sigh.
"Tsk… That Frieren is a bit too relaxed, taking the kids shopping just like that… Does she really think this is a trip?"
Fíliya watched the figures in the distance, her gaze gradually tinged with a bit of envy.
"Is that so? Frieren is far more cunning than you think. Though she appears relaxed, her guard hasn't dropped for a second. It's some improvement over her old, dazed self, I suppose."
Serie's eyes also followed Frieren's figure, and she added this comment with a deadpan expression.
Ugh, of course I know that...
Fíliya grumbled internally, but since Serie was in the mood to lecture her, she couldn't be bothered to argue back at that moment.
"By the way... are we... really going to be okay? The fact that we're of the Demon Race has been exposed, right? I have a really bad feeling about brazenly walking into the Empire's capital now."
Diagonally behind Miss Fíliya, Aura, whose hair had been completely restyled into a shoulder-length cut, hid nervously behind her.
"Relax. No matter your identity, for those guys hiding in the shadows, there's only one main character—one target—today."
Fíliya turned her head and gave Aura a reassuring look.
"But isn't this situation strange? Since we entered the city, there hasn't been any mana locking onto us... Could it be that those people know their plan has changed and have given up on the assassination?"
Solitär narrowed her eyes, being the first to raise this question.
"Impossible. Those guys are single-minded fools. They won't pass up this chance with Serie walking right into their encirclement. But they've definitely adjusted their plan according to the situation... Besides, who said we aren't being watched?"
Fíliya met Solitär's gaze, a distinct smile forming on her lips.
"Hm?"
Solitär frowned slightly and tried to sense her surroundings again... She truly couldn't find any trace.
Meanwhile, Sense and Falsch, who were standing guard by Serie's side and had absolutely no mind to enjoy the capital's festive atmosphere, were also completely bewildered.
We're being watched? But I can't feel the slightest fluctuation of mana...
"It's the Goddess's Magic... This is somewhat surprising. I didn't expect there to be someone here who can use the Goddess's Magic for tracking and surveillance."
Serie spoke up to explain, then looked at Fíliya with a strange expression.
The mystique and priority of the Goddess's Magic were far above that of ordinary magic... This was evident from the reactions of Sense and Falsch.
Even Sense and Falsch... and even that Great Demon couldn't sense the Goddess's Magic, yet Fíliya was able to detect it as quickly as she had... It seemed this girl had already touched upon an incredible [Domain].
"Frieren, did you feel that?"
Serie looked at the white-haired, twin-tailed girl who was rejoining the group and asked with curiosity.
"Hmm, I did have a feeling of being watched, but I didn't think in that direction... So it was the Goddess's Magic."
Frieren, who had just returned, had an expression of sudden realization; she had overheard Serie's words as she approached.
Is that so? Even Frieren, who has trained for a thousand years, only had a vague feeling, yet this Fíliya girl is so certain...
For some reason, as the invincible Lady Serie looked at Fíliya's profile, a trace of emotion welled up in her heart.
It's just as Flamme said. The human race can always bring me endless surprises.
Thinking this, a faint smile appeared on Serie's lips without her realizing it.
Just then... a headband with cat ears was placed on her head. And then, a look of sheer bewilderment flashed across Serie's face.
"Fíliya?"
"Fíliya..."
"Fíliya!"
Several calls with different emotions rang out as everyone stared, dumbfounded, at what Fíliya had just done.
After all... putting a cat-ear headband on Lady Serie was, to everyone else, an unimaginably presumptuous act.
"Hm? Fern, why are you looking at me with such a shocked face?"
Fíliya, however, wore an innocent expression, as if she hadn't reflected on her actions at all.
"I... I got it for you, but... I didn't tell you to put it on Lady Serie..."
Fern's cheeks were flushed, but this blush had nothing to do with shyness; it was entirely from astonishment.
"Mmm... I don't suit this kind of thing at all. Cat ears... are so weird."
Fíliya said, awkwardly scratching her face.
"If you think it's weird, don't give it to others."
Serie finally snapped out of her stupor. Huffing, she plucked the cat-ear accessory from her head and shoved it directly onto Fíliya's.
"..."
Those in the human faction couldn't help but be shocked by Serie's action. Shocked that... Serie wasn't angry at all. Her tone had become only a tiny bit sterner, but her expression showed no sign of anger.
"From now on, you will wear this until you die. You are not allowed to take it off again."
Serie looked at Fíliya's slightly awkward appearance after having the cat ears put on, and a happy expression immediately appeared on her face as she issued the command.
"Fine... fine..."
Fíliya struggled internally for a moment before nodding in resignation.
But just as everyone was preparing to laugh at her, her eyes darted around, and a mischievous idea instantly formed.
She dashed over to the stall where Fern and Frieren had been earlier and bought several more cat-ear headbands in one go.
"It's no fun if I'm the only one wearing one. Here, one for each of you, no fighting over them."
Who would fight over this?!
Everyone mentally retorted with grave expressions, but Fíliya's movements were simply too fast. Before they could even object, an accessory had already been thrust into their hands.
"Even us...? This feels a bit strange..."
The only two men present, Falsch and Stark, voiced their objections in unison.
"What do you mean? No one escapes!"
Fíliya said sternly.
And so, for the next period of time, the group completely transformed into a cat-squad. Everyone (except Serie), with cat ears helplessly perched on their heads, finally crossed the bustling downtown area of the capital in this awkward atmosphere and arrived at the main gate of the royal palace.
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