That night, I made my way down to the Research Institute Basement.
It had occurred to me that there was one other person who might know something about the Savior. I might come away empty-handed, but I figured there was no harm in checking.
I entered the room carrying a heavy stack of books.
The person confined within—Gwen—was sprawled out on the carpet. When she noticed me, she greeted me with a relaxed, lazy smile.
"Good mor-ning!"
"It’s the middle of the night."
"I just felt like it was morning. Besides, it’s not like I have any way of telling the time in here," Gwen said with a wry chuckle.
She had been in this place for over a year. On top of that, the Research Institute Director kept her under constant surveillance. Any ordinary person would have lost their mind long ago, yet Gwen remained unfazed. If anything, she seemed a little bored, but her spirit showed almost no signs of wear.
Were the Beasts of the Outside World resilient by nature? Or was this a trait unique to her? She was a truly enigmatic creature.
I set the books down on the table. "I brought some new reading material."
"Oh, how thoughtful! Thank you. I was just in the mood for something new."
Gwen sat up and reached for the books with a look of genuine delight. As she checked the spines one by one, she gave a thoughtful murmur.
"My, my, entertainment really is essential, isn’t it? Boredom is a human’s greatest enemy. Not that I’m human, mind you."
I couldn't tell if she was joking. Her aloof expression made it impossible to read her true intentions. It might have been an indirect complaint about her confinement, but I had no intention of changing how I handled her.
Gwen was far too unpredictable. She feigned harmlessness, but she was someone who demanded constant vigilance. Especially now, with a new problem looming on the horizon, the last thing I wanted was to add to my list of worries.
Gwen moved over to the sofa and looked up at me, changing the subject. "So, what brings you here today? I assume you didn't just come to drop off a gift."
"The Will of the World has begun to act. A new threat is about to manifest."
"Oh dear, my sympathies. You’re always getting caught up in trouble. Being a Demon King sounds like a lot of hard work."
"……"
I remained silent, scrutinizing her transparently insincere attitude. It was a suspicious reaction, to be sure, but this was her typical behavior. It wasn't anything worth calling her out on specifically. That said, I lacked the evidence to state with certainty that she was completely uninvolved.
As I stood there lost in thought, Gwen tilted her head inquisitively. She pointed a finger at her own face.
"Hmm? What's with that look? Don't tell me you suspect I'm involved?"
"…A little."
When I answered, Gwen spread her arms as if deeply offended. She shook her head with a sigh.
"Goodness, how cruel. How could I possibly plot any mischief while I'm locked up in here? I’m completely innocent."
"Is that the truth?"
"Harvelt-san, aren't you overestimating me? I'm not nearly the mastermind character you seem to think I am. Right now, I'm just a cute prisoner-type heroine."
Gwen winked and shot me a smile. To someone without prior context, she might have actually seemed charming. To me, however, knowing her personality as I did, the act felt painfully forced.
Gwen likely found great amusement in keeping me off-balance like this. Taking her seriously would only be exhausting. It was time to get straight to the point.