Became the Villainess’s Guardian

The number of futures Freugne could glimpse in a single day without losing consciousness was four.
If she decided to take a nap right here, she could push it to five, but she still wished to return home on her own before midnight.

Freugne had taken a peek into the future right before entering this house.

The more distant the future, the lower the accuracy, the shorter the viewable duration, and the harder it was to capture details.
However, this also meant she could infallibly glimpse the near future and scrutinize even minute particulars over an extended period.

Thus, Freugne was fully aware of who lay beyond that door, their appearance, which direction they would move, and how many steps.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

Two gunshots, coupled with Circe’s magic, pierced the Demonic Tribe member in the white suit.
Instead of red, a viscous, bluish-tinged fluid oozed from the wounds.

The last shot missed as the Demonic Tribe member evaded it. The future changed in response to their actions, as was its nature.

The hits were to the shoulder and abdomen. For an ordinary human, it would have instantly rendered them combat-ineffective, leaving them sprawled on the floor.

“Oh, he’s still moving well!”

“As expected, this isn’t enough.”

“Kuh……”

The opponent was not human.

Since their very species differed, judging them by human standards would be foolish.

Even untrained, ordinary Demonic Tribe members possessed vastly superior physical durability and strength compared to most humans. Thus, the only viable responses were to overwhelm them with sheer numbers or employ even more brute force to subdue them.
Or douse them with overwhelming firepower through ambushes like this. It was this intrinsic species gap that had nearly led to defeat in the previous war against the Demonic Tribe.

Reportedly, through extensive training, even their eyes could become fortified, though such ancient records were rife with exaggeration, rendering them dubious.
However, seeing it firsthand, the tales of exceptional individuals’ remarkable prowess did seem accurate.

“…I’ve seen you before.”

“You remember?”

While Freugne customarily addressed strangers with respectful honorifics, this time she was brimming with hostility.

The Demonic Tribe member subconsciously reached for the fiery spear still embedded in his chest before withdrawing his hand, swallowing a groan.
Just as a fireball could not be flung to the opposite side of the globe, a magic’s effects naturally waned with distance from the caster, yet Circe was forcibly sustaining it.

However, after wreathing his arm in a dark aura, he snapped the spear like a twig, dispersing Circe’s magic.

Adjusting his tattered, scorched suit riddled with holes, the Demonic Tribe member sneered,

“I do recall. You definitely possessed the ability to glimpse the future back then.”

“……”

Freugne fell silent.
Truthfully, at that time, she had been a mere, unremarkable girl – why would a Demonic Tribe member have approached her? He must have sensed her extraordinary nature.

While she was aware, hearing it directly from a Demonic Tribe member’s lips still sent chills down her spine.

If the number of people privy to that fact within this kingdom could be counted on one hand, how did this lone spy from the distant Demonic Tribe lands know?

“Even if I asked how you knew… you wouldn’t answer, would you?”

“If you wish to know, you’ll have to force it out of me.”

“Since you’re aware of my ability, I suppose you also know what I’ll do next?”

Freugne raised her freshly reloaded gun with her right hand while grasping Circe’s arm with her left.

Fwish – a vividly lifelike scene flashed before her eyes like a movie.
Two steps right, then a sidestep left, followed by a wide horizontal swipe of elongated nails. While but an instant, Freugne committed it all to memory before whispering,

“Let’s resume.”

“Yes…!”

-Bang!

A flash erupted from the rightward-aimed barrel. As if on cue, a bluish stain blossomed on the Demonic Tribe member’s pristine white suit as he moved to evade.
Instead of an unsightly scream, he caught the spear Circe had conjured with a nod from Freugne as he sidestepped left.

Sizzle – accompanied by the sound of searing flesh, the Demonic Tribe member clenched his fist, dissipating the magic.
Being non-human, he could withstand grasping magic wielded by an exceptional magician with his bare hands, though only momentarily before being unable to clench that fist again.

And if the future she had just witnessed played out, now would be the time to swing her arms, but:

‘The direction he plants his feet is different.’

Instead of smoothly evading her attack before closing in, the Demonic Tribe member had been showered with gunfire, crippling his arms.

And yet, he was still dreadfully swift.
Momentarily sent tumbling from the impact, he quickly regained his footing, moving at a speed Freugne could scarcely track, even briefly.

Had she sent Circe alone, they might have driven him from the house by razing it, but live capture would have been impossible.
And even if they had merely expelled the man in the white suit, lingering threats would remain, leaving them scrambling to concoct excuses to cover up the incident with the city authorities later.

Hence, she had come in person.
Not with the casual mindset of being able to glimpse the future, but after diligently training for combat, with Ulr serving as an excellent sparring partner.

Click, click. Having emptied her clip, Freugne unhesitatingly discarded it and drew her second pistol from her belt, aiming behind herself.
The Demonic Tribe member, who had been entering her blind spot, widened his eyes in alarm.

“Look at me directly!”

“What the……”

In that instant, Freugne locked eyes with the Demonic Tribe member.
Even though she had gazed into those vivid crimson irises for less than a second, her head spun violently.

Squeezing her eyes shut and turning away to avert her gaze, Freugne realized she had been transported to a strange realm.

‘…Home?’

The cozy home she shared with Edan.
As if the prior destruction and magic exchanges had been a lie, the surroundings were serene – an unsettling alienation from the usually vibrant space.

But why was I here?
Being home was understandable, but I felt a nagging sense that I had been engaged in something.

“Freugne.”

“Uncle?”

Turning towards the familiar voice, Edan was gazing at her.

“Wait, I definitely wasn’t here just a moment ago–”

“You must have worked hard studying again today. Here, I prepared some macarons for you.”

“Ah, thank you……”

Ah, yes – she had been studying at a friend’s house until now.
Freugne accepted the proffered plate. The pastries were soft and warm, freshly baked.

“I’ve taken the weekend off, so let’s go on a trip. If we head further north from North End, there’s a city with beautiful winter mountain scenery.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Edan continued by affectionately ruffling her hair, the scent of the warm pastries wafting from his hand.
Then, leaning closer, he whispered in a honeyed voice,

“And there’s something I wish to confess to you there.”

“Might I know what confession now?” Freugne asked tentatively, her body tensing.

Without hesitation, as if stating the obvious, Edan replied,

“Why, the one you’ve been so eager to hear.”

“…I see.”

“You know how much I love you, don’t you?”

“Yes, and I you.”

She had heard everything she had longed for.

Which meant it was time to awaken from this dream.
From the moment her hand had consciously regained the missing gun, Freugne pulled the trigger. Jolted by the violent recoil, her mind was wrenched back to reality.

-Bang!

“Gahh……”

“For a moment I thought it was real, but I missed one crucial detail.”

When experiencing the illusion, she had subconsciously forgotten the battle they had been embroiled in moments prior.
Distorting or obfuscating dissonant elements was how the Demonic Tribe’s magic operated to ensnare its victims.

However, no illusion was truly perfect. The more skilled the Demonic Tribe member, the closer to perfection, but since it still drew from the target’s own memories, personal biases would inevitably introduce incongruities with reality.

While expressing her hopes was understandable, Edan had uttered words he would never normally say.
Freugne was not so perpetually unmoored as to overlook such oddities.

For a desire to hold meaning, one must attain it through one’s own efforts – what worth was there in having it merely handed to you?

More importantly:

“Uncle could never make something like that.”

The Demonic Tribe member had stepped back and was catching his breath.
Unlikely any reinforcements would arrive, given the other Demonic Tribe members’ self-preservation instincts, he was likely biding time to recuperate.

Freugne rested her finger on the trigger once more. With Circe’s gestures, three fist-sized fireballs manifested.

And instead of dropping into a crouch to rush forward and attack again, the Demonic Tribe member rolled his eyes before:

-Crash!

Flinging himself backwards, shattering the window.

He was fleeing.
The wisest course in this situation. Having sustained injuries from the ambush, his odds of victory were low, and he lacked any surrounding support.

After finally grasping Circe’s restless hand, rather than giving chase, Freugne did not pursue the Demonic Tribe member.
She had already implemented sufficient safeguards before arriving. Raising her voice, Freugne called out,

“Come forth.”

“Understood.”

Beyond the window the Demonic Tribe member had leapt through, an arm suddenly materialized from thin air.
Clutched in that hand was a hefty sledgehammer, glinting in the moonlight. Raised high, it plummeted swiftly under gravity’s pull.

“…Ha.”

-Crunch!

Resigned to the abruptly unfolding situation, the Demonic Tribe member uttered something in a hollow voice before falling silent like a snapped twig.

Finally ending its incessant barking in response to the night’s commotion, a dog fell quiet in the distance as silence descended upon the streets once more.