This encounter was something Lorelei never forgot.
Even though many years had passed, she still thought about it from time to time, sometimes reminiscing, sometimes furiously sighing:
"I should never have gone to find him."
Without a doubt, their second encounter, their first official meeting, was full of surprises.
From the moment she met him, he kept surprising her, disrupting her otherwise calm and uneventful life.
It happened in a shabby apartment, where two men were shouting at the TV without decorum, completely overturning Lorelei's expectations.
Even so, he continued to be himself, never changing his attitude.
She could have tolerated that, since they had already met once before, and she had developed some immunity.
But what happened next shattered the rational defenses she thought were impregnable.
The mysterious assassin, whom she had held in such high regard, actually used the hand-kiss gesture on her.
I, Lorelei, a girl who isn't even an adult yet, was treated like a married woman!
Are you insulting me? You must be insulting me!
Not only are you insulting me, but you're also insulting Barthomeloi!
Are you holding a grudge over what happened before? You—you bastard!
For the first time since entering the Clock Tower, she lost her composure.
Yes, another first, and again, it was because of him.
Perhaps he was her destined nemesis.
Yet, she had no idea what kind of impact this guy would have on her future life.
Although this meeting also began unpleasantly, it led to a favorable outcome.
That guy, Matou Shinji, agreed to her employment and became useful to her. Although still arrogant and rebellious, once you become my subordinate, I'll have plenty of time to train you!
Let's start with the initiation trial! Aren't you confident in your abilities and unwilling to follow orders? I'll assign you the most difficult trial to temper your arrogance.
Heh, even I might not pass this trial smoothly. The moment you fail... hehe.
Unknowingly, a tinge of emotion began to color Lorelei's thought process, which only deepened with Shinji's subsequent actions.
He succeeded, completing the trial perfectly, frustrating her calculations while raising her evaluation of him even further.
Moreover, he gifted her something she absolutely could not refuse—a gift that allowed her to ascend from one of the heirs to the next family head.
Her impression of him was overturned once again.
Previously, she thought he was stingy, petty, and lacking in grace. Now, however, he was overly generous, like a fool.
For a moment, she even suspected he had some ulterior motive. But when she looked into those sincere eyes, she dismissed her doubts.
He could be trusted.
How strange, she thought. There was no basis for it, yet this thought was impossible to shake.
Even as she confirmed her position as the family head and prepared for the Magic Crest implantation process, she still believed in him. She even declined the main family's offer to send someone to take over her duties, instead assigning the task to Matou Shinji.
Consider it a second trial.
For him, and herself—to see if she had misjudged him.
The Queen told herself this.
The result proved she hadn't misjudged him. He did an excellent job.
Though he complained about the hassle and said things like My fee is high, he was genuinely diligent. Even the old-fashioned hermits of the Barthomeloi family, who rarely left the house, had nothing but praise for him.
Upon receiving this news, Lorelei felt a sense of joy and began to think that letting herself be emotional once in a while might not be so bad.
Not only did she find such a talent, but it also gave her renewed motivation.
He performed so well, so how could I afford to lose? True nobility is ultimately built on strength. If I fail him, how will I ever make him submit in the future?
With this mindset, Lorelei threw herself into synchronizing with the Magic Crest, making rapid progress.
However, just as she finally fused with the Magic Crest and returned to the Clock Tower with unparalleled power, ready to crush all opposition, she received terrible news—Shinji, the one who had stirred her emotions, had met with disaster.
Not long ago, during a punitive mission, he had fallen into a trap set by Barthomeloi's arch-enemy, the White Wing Lord. To ensure the withdrawal of the Battalion, he stayed behind, fighting the oldest Dead Apostle in a battle that lasted all night. After that, he went missing, presumed dead.
The moment she heard this, Lorelei nearly blacked out, the Magic Crest she had just tamed almost losing control.
At that moment, only one thought echoed in her mind:
He... is missing.
Because of my assignment.
The one who should have been my right-hand man...
The one who had such a bright future ahead of him...
The only one I couldn't fully control...
Why did it turn out this way?
If not for the faint glimmer of hope she clung to, she may have exploded on the spot—though that explosion didn't come much later.
Thanks to Shinji's management, Lorelei's team hadn't fallen apart in her absence, and soon, she uncovered some hidden truths beneath the surface.
For example, someone had been secretly colluding with the Dead Apostles, and someone had deliberately delayed the reinforcements.
Her already fragile rationality finally collapsed, and for the second time, the Queen of Barthomeloi erupted.
On that day, there was no law in the Department of Policies; Lorelei had also abandoned her noble grace.
All that remained was violence, the purest form of violence!
She didn't listen to any explanations or so-called advice. If she didn't like you, she would beat you up!
If you wanted to resist, go ahead—if you couldn't beat her, then just swallow your pride!
No one could stop her! I am Barthomeloi!
Even the renowned Lord El-Melloi, at the height of his power, could only stand aside and watch, waiting for her to vent her rage before cautiously stepping forward to offer advice.
But soon, El-Melloi realized he had been wrong.
Has she had enough? She hasn't!
Fortunately, after her outburst, some rationality returned. At least she wouldn't directly storm into enemy territory. After all, the Department of Policies was Barthomeloi's domain, where she could do as she pleased. The rival factions didn't have that luxury.
Of course, the newly crowned Queen in her fury didn't let them off easily either, constantly stirring up trouble and causing damage.
Her relentless retaliation, even at the cost of overturning the table, left the entire Clock Tower living in fear for a while, and the title of The Queen became more fitting than ever.
This was once her goal, the target of her efforts. But now, it felt utterly hollow.
At work or during rest, she constantly thought of him.
What happened to him? Is he alive or dead? Why is there no news?
Could he have been captured by Ortenrosse and turned into a vampire?
If that's the case, how should I face him?
Her heart was in turmoil.