"What's the use of telling me this? Are you here specifically to show off and be smug? Then I'm sorry, you've got the wrong person!"
With a cold snort, Miss Kaoru turned away.
Although she was still putting on a brave face and pretending not to care, Miss Kaoru knew that what Erica said was true. She had already gathered all the necessary conditions, so why couldn't she become Sora's first knight and first queen?
And, more importantly, since Sora had given Erica the godhead of the strongest Great Sage, it meant that he had also recognized Erica's ambition!
Seeing that Erica, who had once been on the same level as her, had reached such a level, and then thinking about herself, the girl felt a sense of unwillingness and grievance in her heart. In short, it was not a good feeling...
"Hehehe... it seems Kaoru really hates me. I, Erica Blandelli, am not so boring as to do such a vulgar thing."
Brushing her hair back, she once again turned to face Miss Kaoru, a graceful and beautiful smile on her face.
"Hmph!"
With a light snort, Miss Kaoru said no more. She had just been speaking out of anger.
"Actually, I came here this time to specifically tell Kaoru that because I have to go back to the Copper-Black Cross now, I will be leaving my King for a while. Not just me, but also Lily, Ena, and the Cult Leader."
Her lips parted, and Erica spoke again, but she seemed to have deliberately left her words unfinished.
Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. Miss Kaoru didn't know what Erica was up to, or why she had to tell her this news, but with her understanding of this cunning and shrewd woman who was more cunning than a fox, she would definitely not be shooting arrows without a target. She couldn't help but feel a sense of vigilance.
"Hehe... and then? I just don't know if some people will come back after they leave."
With a sarcastic and playful sneer, since she had already torn off all pretenses with Erica, Miss Kaoru would not let go of any opportunity to attack the other.
The matter of the Copper-Black Cross and the Bronze-Black Cross had been a hot topic in the entire magic world these days, and Miss Kaoru naturally knew about it. Although it was only a small number of people, for the knight order that was loyal to the King to have dissent, Erica's face was not looking good.
Hearing Miss Kaoru's words, the smile on Erica's face disappeared, and a trace of anger and displeasure appeared. But in Miss Kaoru's eyes, it brought a slight sense of retaliatory pleasure, and her originally gloomy mood actually improved a lot.
"Hmph, as the King's knight and woman, I will naturally come back. You don't need to worry about the affairs of the Copper-Black Cross. I will deal with those traitors when I go back this time."
A sharp glint flashed in her beautiful eyes, and Erica's voice carried a different kind of anger and coldness.
"On the other hand, Kaoru, being betrayed by your own family and abandoned like an object to please my King, it's really pathetic!"
Her expression changed, and Erica also had a sarcastic smile on her face.
"Erica!!!"
Her heart, which had just calmed down, was once again filled with anger. Looking at this detestable woman who was deliberately poking at her scars, Miss Kaoru really had the urge to pounce on her and fight to the death.
But, in the end, reason made Miss Kaoru hold back. Although she was also a powerful Miko, the gap between her and Erica, who had already become a Campione, was too great. If they really fought, she would be the only one to suffer.
"Are you done with your nonsense? If you're done, please leave!"
Feeling annoyed, Miss Kaoru didn't want to see this woman for another moment.
"Hehehe... it seems Kaoru has not been doing well recently. Even the usually calm and composed you would become so impatient so quickly."
"Don't worry, I have no intention of staying here. I will naturally leave after I'm done talking."
With a smile like a flower, looking at this girl whom she regarded as a rare rival in her life, Erica was in a very good mood.
"Hmph, if you have any nonsense, just say it!"
Miss Kaoru also knew that she had been too impulsive today. Just using such a disrespectful attitude to speak to Erica, who had already become a Campione, was a huge departure from her usual cautious and careful style, a major taboo.
But, today, Miss Kaoru was in a really bad mood. Not being noticed by Sora, being abandoned by her family, Erica's sarcasm... all of this made Miss Kaoru feel extremely frustrated and irritable. With the thought of throwing caution to the wind, she was going to be willful for once!
Faced with such an abnormal Miss Kaoru, a strange light flashed in Erica's eyes, but she was not angry or concerned. Instead, she showed a faint smile and said, "I've already said it. I, Erica Blandelli, will eventually become the King's first knight and first queen."
"Originally, my King already has many women, and it doesn't matter if there are a few more. But who told Kaoru and I to be so similar? Don't you think that for women like us, one is enough by the King's side?"
"So, what I want to say is, can Kaoru not get close to my King while I'm away? If it's the Sayanomiya family, I can even help Kaoru in the name of the Demon King, as long as Kaoru is not in the King's harem when I come back!"
It had to be said that Erica's words were too unexpected. Even Miss Kaoru couldn't help but show a look of great surprise, and she stared at Erica in a daze.
This woman, did she mean that she didn't want her to become Sora's woman too?
"How about it, this idea is not bad, right? The King doesn't care about Kaoru anyway, so why do you have to debase yourself and throw yourself at him like an object? As a fellow of the same kind, I understand the pride in your heart very well!"
"We are both strong-willed women, we are both women with ambitions. Let's forget about the others. If even Kaoru becomes the King's woman, she will be a dangerous existence no matter how you look at it, which makes me really uneasy..."
Leaning close to the girl's ear, Erica whispered softly, her voice almost only audible to the two of them.
Stepping back continuously, Miss Kaoru finally understood Erica's true purpose!
"Are you threatening me?!"
Her expression was as dark as water, and a cold light flickered in her beautiful eyes. Miss Kaoru stared at Erica, her voice carrying a different kind of low and angry tone.
She had never expected that Erica was such an insidious woman!
"Hehehe... Kaoru can just treat it as me threatening you. Who told me to have the capital to threaten Kaoru now?"
"Kaoru must be very angry right now, right? Thinking that I, Erica Blandelli, am a very insidious woman!"
"That's right, this is my true face! No, it should be our true face. Who told us to be the same kind of person? Hehehehe..."
With an extremely triumphant laugh, Erica at this moment was like a complete villain, so hateful. And at this moment, Miss Kaoru's expression was even more grim and cold to the extreme, and the atmosphere in the entire room became extremely tense.
Looking at Erica for a while, then at Miss Kaoru for a while, a certain little maid on the side clasped her hands together, her heart filled with endless apprehension and nervousness. Although her simple little head could no longer keep up with the rhythm of the two women, she could clearly feel the thick smell of gunpowder, as if it could explode at any time!
"My meaning has been conveyed very clearly. I think as long as Kaoru is a little smart, she should know what to do, right?"
"Arianna, it's time to go!"
Looking at Miss Kaoru, who was grim-faced and not speaking, Erica showed a playful and teasing smile, and then she shouted to the maid Arianna on the side.
"Ah... yes, Lady Erica!"
Recovering, the maid quickly ran to Erica's side.
She let out a long sigh of relief in her heart. Finally, she could leave. The girl was really worried that if this continued, Lady Erica and Miss Kaoru would start fighting.
"Hehehe... goodbye, Kaoru."
Gracefully giving Miss Kaoru a noble's curtsy, Erica activated the [Jindouyun] Authority. A ball of golden light enveloped her and Arianna, and the two of them turned into a streak of light and shot out of the window, disappearing into the sky...
"Phew..."
That woman was finally gone. The brave face she had been putting on instantly disappeared, and Miss Kaoru collapsed to the ground.
"The same kind of person..."
With a self-deprecating, bitter smile, Miss Kaoru muttered to herself.
Yes, she and Erica were the same kind of person, but why was the gap between the two of them so big now? Unwillingness, grievance, anger, disappointment... a series of complex emotions lingered in the girl's heart.
But, in the next moment—
"Hmph, you don't want me to do it? Then I'll do it just to show you!"
Her expression was full of a different kind of stubbornness and madness. Miss Kaoru swept away her previous gloom, as if she had made a decision in her heart.
It didn't matter what happened in the future. Whether she was abandoned or looked down upon, but only this woman, she absolutely could not lose to her!!!