I'll kill you after I finish this game!

Wilhelm, wearing sunglasses and heading towards Welwysburg, heard someone calling his demon name. Curious and puzzled, he turned around and saw a strange red-haired brat. He asked, his face full of displeasure and confusion:

"Do we know each other well? Who are you anyway, how do you know that name?"

Although Wilhelm didn't mind being called by his demon name, he still felt strange being addressed by strangers in a familiar and friendly tone.

Moreover, he didn't know this girl. Why would she know his demonic name within the Thirteen Knights of the Holy Lance?

"Huh? What are you talking about? It's me! Anna Shuwegreen!"

Seeing that an old acquaintance didn't recognize her, the witch wasn't angry at all; on the contrary, she seemed quite happy. After all, she looked quite young. She smiled and pointed to her eyes and hair in front of Wilhelm, saying:

"Yes, my name is now Rusalka. Please use that name to address me from now on."

The name is the same as that of the Slavic mythological monster who would bewitch men and then drag them into the water to kill them.

In Slavic mythology, Rusalka is a female ghost, water monster, siren, or a mermaid-like creature that dwells in the water.

Legend has it that Rusalka is a mermaid who lives at the bottom of the river and dances on the grassy bank at midnight.

Once they see a handsome man, they will lure him in with songs and dances, bewitch him, and then take him to the bottom of the river to kill him.

However, it seems that the name "Miss Witch" was originally intended to imply "watch me drag those Russians to their deaths."

"well!?"

Wilhelm froze upon hearing Anna's name. Recalling the alluring older sister Anna from back then, and then looking at this little brat in front of him, he said in disbelief:

"You're kidding me, aren't you Malleus (Witch Hammer)?! What happened to you? How did you turn into this brat?!"

"Oh dear, I already told you to call me Rusalka, don't call me by my old name anymore, I kind of hate it."

Rusalka glared at Wilhelm with a puffed-up expression, which did look quite cute on the surface, but Wilhelm felt goosebumps all over his body.

After all, Wilhelm had witnessed the other party's mature demeanor and knew exactly how old the other party was.

Wilhelm felt a chill run down his spine just thinking about this two-hundred-year-old witch acting cute like a little devil.

"You old hag who tries to act young, don't you know that you should look your age?! Although many women don't understand this, it's too scary for you to look like a little devil. No, it's also a bit disgusting."

Wilhelm gritted his teeth and rubbed his shoulders, looking disgusted. He told Rusalka, who was standing in front of him with a stiff expression, not to pretend to be young in front of old acquaintances, because it felt terrible.

"You idiot, who are you trying to call a cute old woman?!"

Rusalka's forehead veins bulged, and he looked extremely angry, as if he was about to fight Wilhelm.

Being called an old woman to her face, especially in front of an acquaintance, was quite disrespectful. To be honest, Miss Witch felt a little ashamed, but... she felt more indignant.

Just as the two were about to start arguing, familiar teasing voices came from behind.

"Oh my, the two of you have such a good relationship as always. It's so nice to see you again."

The newcomer was dressed in German military uniform, and his laughter had a sinister and chilling quality. He was Spinne, the tenth of the Thirteen Knights of the Holy Lance, and was in charge of intelligence gathering.

Now, having been ordered to return, he greeted the two acquaintances he met.

"Ah, Spinne, you've come just in time! That guy really went too far just now..."

"Hope you're doing well! It's so reassuring!"

"What do you mean 'How have you been?'! Where are your eyes?! You don't even care that this guy looks like this?!"

"On this point, all I can say is that Bey, you still have terrible taste when it comes to women. Putting aside her appearance, she is still the same person she always was. The reason she has become like this must be due to her rebellious feelings towards the Deputy Leader, right?"

Although Spinne's strength is not great, his expertise in intelligence makes him understand human nature and human psychology.

The fact that her colleague Anna—no, the current Rusalka—changed her name is because she didn't want to conform to the demonic name given to her by the Mercury Serpent, and thus took the initiative to change her name to show her modesty. This is Starscream's speculation.

“Rusalka...I see, what a nice name.”

Red Spider glanced at Rusalka with a light laugh, pondering the meaning and significance of the name, and couldn't help but chuckle with pleasure, saying:

"Given your dislike for those Russians, this is probably also a form of mockery, and it also fits your tactics perfectly. You truly live up to your name, like a waterside witch who bewitches others with her beautiful appearance."

"Listen to this, if you can talk, then talk more; if you can't talk, then shut up!"

Rusalka also quite liked Red Spider's words. Although the other man's personality wasn't great, he was indeed quite charming in his use of language.

Wilhelm, that rogue, didn't understand the art of language. He was always very direct, and he just curled his lip in disdain at the witch's sarcasm.

"Tsk, what a pretentious old woman..."

"you!!!"

"Alright, alright, my dear two colleagues, we have more important things to do. This call to action for all staff speaks volumes about the importance of the matter."

Red Spider stepped in to calm the two who were about to start arguing, and then spoke to them seriously about the summons.

Upon hearing this, Rusalka and Wilhelm had no time to argue anymore.

As Red Spider said, this all-staff mobilization order is enough to show the importance of the issue, leaving them no choice but to take it seriously.

"So, something big is about to happen? Perfect, I'm tired of military life anyway."

Wilhelm clenched his fist. Although his tone was calm, both of them could hear the excitement in his voice.

"I heard, Lieutenant. You seemed to have done something big in Warsaw the other day."

"Yeah, yeah, they actually destroyed the entire city along with friendly forces. Bey, you're so greedy, it's said that your division is going to be court-martialed."

Starscream admired Wilhelm's fighting prowess and magnanimity, while Rusalka was mocking Wilhelm's gluttony.

Wilhelm scoffed dismissively at Red Spider's teasing and the witch's slightly mocking words.

"That kind of thing doesn't matter. I only obey Lord Heydrich, not the country. Besides, Melcrius and Gray said we can do whatever we want, let us devour and collect souls to our heart's content, get stronger, and not embarrass Lord Heydrich... Speaking of which, Spinne, haven't you reached the [Creation] rank yet?"

Wilhelm eventually steered the conversation towards Starscream, his sharp eyes scrutinizing the man behind his sunglasses.

Because their long-term mission is to devour and collect souls, and to become stronger, just as Melcrius and Grey said, so as not to embarrass Heydrich.

Wilhelm admires and reveres Heydrich, so he naturally obeys his orders, and he continues to strive to become stronger.

However... this guy, Red Spider, is still in the [Forming] rank.

Although Wilhelm didn't say it outright, it seemed that if this guy wasn't in charge of intelligence work for the Black Round Table, he would really be quite useless and a disgrace to Heydrich.

"Well......."

Starscream's face stiffened at Wilhelm's sudden question. In terms of strength, he was indeed superior to most beings outside of the Thirteen Knights of the Holy Lance.

However, within the Thirteen Knights of the Holy Lance, he was indeed the one at the bottom.

"Alright, I'm just giving you a heads-up. Don't neglect Lord Heydrich's orders. I won't do anything to you, but I don't know about that big sister..."

Wilhelm did not press Starscream further, just as he had said, he was simply offering a friendly reminder.

He might not do anything to Red Spider, but a certain woman at the Black Round Table might.

Wilhelm idolized Heydrich, while that woman was a complete believer in Heydrich.

The other party would absolutely not tolerate any entity under Heydrich that would embarrass him.

"The magic gunner, is she? If so, she certainly can't tolerate any nonsense."

Rusalka knew who Wilhelm was talking about, and she herself knew the stubborn woman quite well; the fact that she could become Heydrich's bodyguard was enough to demonstrate her qualifications.

"...In terms of strength, I really can't offer anything worth mentioning." Red Spider sighed helplessly.

"Then let's go train with Gray. That guy is really good at teaching people. Magic, techniques, martial arts, swordsmanship... I really don't know what he can't do."

Wilhelm and Rusalka both wore complicated expressions, after all, they had both studied under Gray in pursuit of power.

Whether it's the magic Rusalka wants or the way Wilhelm wants to learn how to fight as a piercing vampire, whatever they can think of, the other party can teach them.

"Let's discuss this after we arrive in the city."

Red Spider also knew that he had to improve his strength as soon as possible. If he wanted to survive in the Black Round Table, he could not slack off in the slightest.

The weak have no right to survive within the Black Round Table; after all, Heydrich viewed mutual slaughter as a form of love, an act that was permitted.

"Viveils Castle, that nominal knightly order born from Himmler's whims, has collapsed and is now completely under Lord Heydrich's control, inside and out, hasn't it?"

Rusalka glanced at the castle they were about to reach in the distance, speaking in a joking tone, but his eyes held a serious expression.

Because the castle is probably completely different inside than when they first saw it.

Whether it gets better or worse, it's something beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

"Ah, it seems you care a lot, Malleus. You look so preoccupied."

As Wilhelm walked toward the castle, he glanced at Rusalka, whose expression was strange, and asked casually.

"I've been feeling down lately. Someone I knew recently died..."

As Rusalka spoke, a hint of sadness flickered deep in his eyes, but Red Spider and Wilhelm could only see a sense of helplessness.

Red Spider raised an eyebrow, showing great interest in the affairs of this elderly witch, and asked, "Do you perhaps feel a sense of mourning for someone you knew, and are you very concerned about them?"

"I don't know, I just feel like that person was going to die anyway, and I should have eaten him. It's probably a feeling of regret, or a sense of missing out, which makes me a little unhappy. Only Bey can understand this feeling."

The witch uttered cruel words befitting a witch, but it was perfectly normal for Starscream and Wilhelm.

Rusalka was indeed unhappy, but he denied his sorrow and did not want to show any weakness.

Rhodes had an influence on her; she had indeed fallen in love with him and had hinted at her feelings, but she received no response after his death.

Rusalka had been married before and was no longer a young girl. This was the second time in her life that she had opened up to someone and received no response, which really made her melancholy.

However, what Rusalka herself didn't realize was that, because of Rhodes's concept of "love for a moment," she seemed to have become even more eager for a long life.

"I see, so that's a sad story... Hmm!?!?"

Wilhelm truly understood the feeling Rusalka was describing, so he didn't bother asking Rusalka anything further. But before he could finish speaking, Wilhelm felt a chill run down his spine.

It's like suddenly stepping from summer into winter; your body is still wearing summer clothes when you're suddenly attacked by the cold.

And it wasn't just him; even Rusalka and Red Spider trembled slightly, they both felt that sensation.

All three of them had completely stiff expressions.

"...What does this feel like?"

"The atmosphere... has obviously changed."

Red Spider and Rusalka felt as if they had stepped into another world; that's right, they had entered another world from the real world.

They were very close to Weavers Castle, their destination just ahead. It was precisely because they were so close to the castle that everyone present felt this atmosphere.

The three of them didn't say much, exchanged glances, and then quickened their pace to run towards the castle.