Chapter 12
"Phew... Finally out. That really scared me to death."
After a frantic sprint, Lisbeth escaped the Secret Passage. Still shaken, she patted her chest. Honestly, when that woman hugged her earlier, Lisbeth felt her heart might burst out. Now, confirming the area was safe, she sat on the ground to catch her breath.
"Hah... I never expected this simple jailbreak to nearly fail right at the start. Guess the Demon King's Fortress is still full of surprises."
Lisbeth sat in a small garden within the Demon King's Fortress. The Secret Passage entrance lay hidden in a corner. Though many Demon Clan members passed through daily, no one suspected such an obvious spot held a secret route.
But it was late night. Lisbeth doubted anyone else would wander here at this hour. With no one around, she sat freely on the garden ground, resting while gazing up at the starry sky.
"Truly, whether two hundred years ago or now, this beautiful starry sky never changes. Just like Christia."
Since arriving at the Demon King's Fortress, Lisbeth had worn a faint smile. Now, a trace of sadness flickered across her face—but vanished in a blink, replaced once more by her smile.
"Alright, no time for nostalgia. I don’t know why Lady Goddess sent me to this world two centuries ago just to find a prisoner. But she must have her reasons. My job is simple: keep moving forward."
After resting and steeling herself, Lisbeth stood up. She planned to leave the garden for the next Secret Passage entrance. But before she took two steps, soft footsteps echoed nearby.
"Seriously? Someone’s here at this hour?"
She couldn’t tell the exact time, but it was deep into the night. Hearing the steps, Lisbeth hid again, peeking out with just her head to spot the intruder.
"Ugh... It’s so scary coming out at night..."
*Then don’t come out at all...*
Though moonlight barely reached that far, Lisbeth guessed from the voice it was a girl. Her muttering made Lisbeth want to scold her on the spot.
"B-But I have to! Without this courage, how can I grow stronger?"
*Huh? Training to get stronger in a garden at midnight? That’s... interesting.*
If Lisbeth had planned to leave immediately, now she felt curious. She crept closer to the girl. Finally, under the moonlight, she saw her face clearly.
"Hmm? Wait—this face looks familiar. Her voice too, honestly."
Lisbeth had approached partly out of curiosity, but mostly because the girl’s voice felt oddly recognizable. Before she could study her face closely, the girl suddenly started punching and kicking the air, clearly training.
"Hah... Skipping sleep to practice boxing in a garden at night? The Demon King's Fortress always had weirdos like this."
The girl kept moving, slipping into shadows where Lisbeth couldn’t see her face well. Unable to identify her, Lisbeth decided to leave.
*Snap.*
"W-Who’s there!?"
As Lisbeth turned to go, her foot crushed a small twig. Normally, such a sound would go unnoticed. But in the silent garden, it echoed sharply—anyone with working ears would hear it.
*Ugh! Idiot! Why did I do that again?*
If she could, Lisbeth would slap her past self silly. No time for regrets now. She sighed, bracing to shrink herself again.
Yet instead of approaching, the girl called out in a trembling voice: "W-Why won’t you answer? A-Are you a ghost?"
"Eh? A ghost?"
