"So, Ageha. Do you have any sense that you've looped?"
"No, none at all."
"Figures."
In the previous timeline, Ageha hadn't been aware of the loops either. Apparently, that hadn't changed even for Black Ageha.
So, I gave her a summarized account of everything that had happened so far.
"I see. So someone is going to attack us eight days from now..."
"Yeah. And even though you fought them, you were killed."
"Then even I would be unable to win. After all, Ageha and I are equal in terms of combat strength."
That made sense.
I had plenty of other questions—like why she didn't have any memory of the loops, or why she had taken over the personality this time instead of the usual Ageha—but no matter what I asked, her only response was a simple, "I do not know."
"More importantly, we have to deal with Demon King Zoga first."
"Right."
So, I began plotting with Black Ageha on how to take him down.
"Hey, are you really going to kill Assassin Noc?"
"Of course. Having him around would just complicate things."
"...I see."
In the end, the Demon King Subjugation proceeded almost exactly as it had in the previous timeline.
Black Ageha defeated Demon King Zoga, and then she caught Assassin Noc off guard and killed him.
After that, we used Sage Nyau's Teleportation Circle to escape the dungeon.
Just like in the previous timeline, we were welcomed by the villagers and spent the night at the inn they provided.
"Hey, Ageha."
"Hmm? What is it?"
Black Ageha was sitting on the edge of the bed opposite me.
Even if she looked exactly like the Ageha I knew, her aura was vastly different. Facing her like this left me feeling on edge. Unlike the usual Ageha, there was something distant and formal about her.
"Hey, why don't we leave this village and run far away?"
"Why?"
"If we stay here, we'll end up staying at the Royal Palace with Highness Eligion. If that happens, we'll just be killed again by whoever is lurking there. I think it’s wiser to stay away from the Royal Capital entirely. So, let’s just run."
I wanted to get as far from the capital as possible.
Surely, if we weren't there, the culprit wouldn't be able to attack us.
"But then we won't be able to identify the culprit. Shouldn't we meet them head-on at the Royal Palace?"
What she said was perfectly reasonable.
My suggestion was just an escape—a way to postpone the problem. If the culprit was determined to kill us, there was a high possibility they would just track us down.
The enemy was strong enough to kill Ageha.
If they pursued us, we were dead.
"Even so, I think we have a better chance of survival if we run than if we stay at the palace."
I still didn't know who the enemy was.
However, regardless of how strong they were, I wanted to believe they didn't have the means to find us once we were far away.
"Very well. I shall defer to your judgment. When do we leave this inn?"
"Early tomorrow morning."
If we ran into Highness Eligion, it would take too long to explain ourselves, and we'd be forced to decline his invitation to the capital.
I wanted to avoid a direct refusal.
Better to vanish from the village before he could even ask.
I needed to get everything ready to leave before the Highness woke up.
Since leaving without a word might leave a bitter taste, I took the precaution of writing a letter.
I wrote that we were leaving due to certain circumstances, and I made sure to mention Holy Knight Kanaria as well.
"Alright. You ready, Ageha?"
Beside me stood a horse I had procured in the village.
"I am still sleepy..."
Black Ageha rubbed her eyes.
She looked half-asleep, her eyelids heavy.
"You can sleep while we ride. I'll handle the horse."
"Mm. I will do that."
And so, Black Ageha and I mounted the horse together.
She sat in front, and I sat behind.
She fit perfectly within the circle of my arms, leaning her full weight against me. I felt flustered by the unintended proximity.
"So, where are we going?"
"Come to think of it, I hadn't mentioned it yet."
To be honest, as long as it was away from the Royal Capital, it didn't really matter.
"For now, let's head to the Sage Empire of Ritz."
I decided to head somewhere I had been before—a place where I already knew my way around.