Encore 67 — Verglas: The Black Iced Fiend (III)

"You didn't say anything back there."

Isla said, watching Rika drag the immobile Fiend into an alleyway.

"Knowing you, I thought you would attempt to set their minds straight."

"What is there to set straight?"

"They pity you for joining the Secret Force. Doesn't that annoy you? Did you not join because you wanted to?"

Isla felt disturbed knowing that the public had different interpretations of those who worked with the JMF. The ones they called 'Lapdogs.'

"I did, and that's why I'm not going to say anything."

"What?"

"I'm 19. I turn twenty next month, in October. In age, I'm only three years older than you. They're right saying that the life I lead is cruel. I chose for it to be this way so that they don't have to live like me. In fifteen years, I don't want young girls, like I was, choosing to enter the battlefield of their own accord. I want them to live normal lives. Unlike me..."

She tossed the Fiend against the alleyway wall. The Fiend had barely regained control of his numb body. All but his mouth.

"I know you can talk, now tell me about the one they call Verglas."

He shivered when hearing that name. It was clear that he knew of the name.

The Fiend struggled to turn away. He did it, eventually.

"I don't know who you're talking about."

"There's no point in denying something we already know you know about."

He bit his lip.

"I'm saying that—ow... I'm saying that I have no idea..."

"So, all Fiends are mindless bastards, just like I thought."

Isla muttered loudly.

"What—?!"

It was then that the Fiend noticed that he could move without his muscles aching. He still had no way of escaping the two of them though.

"What did you say?!"

"It's true, is it not? Perhaps we'll resort to capturing every single of you in this ward and put you all in Babylon together. Honestly, we weren't planning to do that originally."

She said insensitively.

"Oh, we'll also tell them that it's your fault that they were all captured."

The Fiend cringed listening to Isla.

"Fiends aren't exactly friendly to each other when provoked or aggravated, are they? Who knows? Maybe your roommate would strangle you."

Imagining everything Isla said, The Fiend sighed and gave up. Isla created a theoretical scenario which would most likely come true if attempted. The one thing that Fiends are afraid of as much is being caught and Magi are other Fiends.

"I'll tell you."

He finally gave up.

Rika whistled praise, seeing Isla's skills at work.

"A mysterious person came to us a few days ago. They called themselves Verglas. They fit the description that I've seen in wanted posters."

"What did they say to you?"

"He recommended us to get out of the Aoba ward. He said because we were Fiends like him, he wanted to give us a warning. Tomorrow, on September 8th, something will happen in this area of Sendai."

Rika looked at the Fiend.

"Wait, you refer to Verglas as he? Do you know their gender?"

"No, that's impossible to tell. I assume he's a man. Although, his eyes looked sharp and slanted like a man's. It was impossible to tell though due to his mask."

"Hm? Okay, thanks for your help. Now, time to sleep. Sorry, but you're still going to Babylon."

She aimed her pistol at him.

He smiled bitterly.

"I know."

He was knocked out by another bullet of lightning.

"Should we regroup?"

Isla asked her.

"No, let's get more information out of Fiends that we can find. Ah, but let's split up to cover more ground."

"Eh, but—!"

"Well, see you at the hotel in an hour!"

And she had run off without letting Isla say a single word of rejection. The girl sighed and continued to walk through the connection of alleyways.

Since she could not sense bloodlust properly, she would find people she would seem suspicious of and accuse them, seeing how they react.

Although, as she walked through the connection of alleyways. She found no one. If anything, Isla was the one who seemed suspicious.

"Gah, flipping Rika... I can't sense bloodlust like that."

Unlike Rika, Isla had not been in many real battles to be able to tell the difference in the level of bloodlust.

As she crossed the next intersection into the next alleyway, she spotted someone. Finally, she had begun to bear the fruits of labour. Even more, so...

As the person walked past her, Isla turned simultaneously.

(Blue hoodie... Azure eyes... A respirator mask... This person fits the description. They are Verglas!)

She thought.

Isla was ready to lunge at them and capture them.

(I'll launch a sneak attack.)

Verglas stopped.

"Don't try."

Verglas' voice was muffled and altered by the respirator mask. Even so, it sounded completely different to a natural voice.

Isla winced.

(A voice filter? Their identity must be so important to them. It's quite the contradiction, knowing that they're of the Abominal Rank.)

Verglas put their hood down. Even with their hood down, it was hard to assume genders. Their eyes appeared to be male, while Verglas had mid-length azure hair like a female. Verglas' chest was flat. Perhaps they were male?

(No, but they could be wearing a breast binder.)

"A Magi, hm? Nice to meet you, woman."

Isla made an orb of aether in her left hand. She dashed toward Verglas.

"I am Verglas."

They put their hand in front of them. Verglas clicked their fingers.

"I'm sure you already know that."

Isla absorbed the aether in her hand. She punched Verglas' face. Or so she believed.

A wall of black ice formed in front of Verglas, protecting them from the aether-enhanced punch. It crumbled to pieces from the impact.

"Oh? You broke my ice?"

Rather than shocked, Verglas seemed impressed. It was difficult to tell due to their voice and face being masked.

Isla leapt into the air, ready to launch a Python attack at Verglas, when—

"Gah!"

—a spear of black ice emerged from the ground, cutting Isla's side. She collapsed onto the floor, bleeding from the side of her stomach.

"I don't have time to play with you."

Verglas said.

The girl struggled to stand.

"If you want to play with me, then come and find me tomorrow night. I'll be trusting you to find me."

"Wait..."

Isla had no more strength in her body. She slumped to the ground, losing consciousness and Verglas walked away.