Epsilon woke very early. Especially now that Shadow-sama had approved her ultimate plan, she was in such a pleasant mood that she got up before dawn and stood before the full-length mirror in her nightgown.
Unlike the image she presented to outsiders, her figure that usually towered above the rest had now vanished. Her loose nightgown revealed a broad expanse of snow-white skin across her chest... the kind without any three-dimensional depth.
Judging by her face alone, Epsilon, standing before the full-length mirror, was breathtakingly beautiful. Her features were both delicate and adorable, and as long as she did not try to compete with the very concept of "beauty," they were absolutely beyond standard. If one only considered her face, that was.
Her slender waist, which could not exactly be called tall and elegant, and her just-right hips were an unchangeable fact. They were inherited through her blood, a genetic trait that made all women of the Epsilon family line slim and flat.
Before she triggered Demon Possession, Epsilon had not cared much about that hereditary flaw in her family. After all, she was an exceptionally talented person.
But in Shadow Garden, a place where competition had been pushed to its absolute limit, she was still among the very top geniuses, yet she was no longer irreplaceable.
That was why beauty mattered so much. Her most beloved master was a man. If she lost to others even in that regard, then she truly would have no standing left in her position.
There was no need to worry about her face. Though saying this might sound a little conceited, when it came to looks, she and that other silver-haired, blue-eyed elf stood at the peak of two entirely different styles.
Their styles were different, so she did not have to worry about being outshone by that silver-haired, blue-eyed elf. The real problem was her figure...
"Grk..."
The moment she thought of that silver-haired, blue-eyed elf, Epsilon could not help feeling her teeth itch with frustration. Her teeth ground together with a faint "grk." How could a monster with both beauty and a figure beyond all standards exist in this world?
"Haa..."
After stewing in furious envy for a while, Epsilon let out a breath. Black liquid surged out of nowhere and wrapped around her body as though defying the laws of physics.
That beyond-standard monster might be strong, but that did not matter. Epsilon had already grasped her future.
"This... is the Slime Suit!"
The first time she saw that lump of slime bouncing in Cid's hand, shifting into all sorts of forms under the pull of Magical Power, her mind was struck as if by lightning on a clear day. In an instant, it stole all her attention.
That was probably the first time she had ever spaced out while spending time with Cid or receiving his lessons, but she hoped to be forgiven. Because she was certain she had seized the future!
Staring at herself in the mirror, Epsilon raised a hand to her chest and kneaded the "slime" formed from layered slime.
This thing could definitely be made to swell, right?
She studied herself, now wrapped from head to toe in slime liquid, checking whether the slime's shape was as full and beautiful as a real "slime," whether its softness and elasticity met the standard, and whether it looked as natural as a real "slime."
Perhaps interest really was the best teacher.
In less than three days, she learned to control slime. Then, day by day, without arousing anyone's suspicion, she slowly built herself up.
By maintaining the exact same texture as that silver-haired, blue-eyed elf's "slime," she ultimately managed to fool all of the Seven Shadows. Through artificial means, she had defeated that evil silver-haired, blue-eyed elf in beauty!
The only issue was that she had a petite, slender frame, so simply piling on slime threw her balance badly off.
But that was not a major problem. She simply needed to pad her hips and other parts of her body too.
She used slime padding to increase her bust and hip measurements, tightened it to shrink her waist, and even gave her legs the perfect eight-heads-tall proportions with height-increasing inserts hidden beneath them.
She checked her entire body's balance, whether the slim outline tightened by the slime looked right, whether the volume of her slime-padded hips was elegant, how slender and taut her thighs were, the shape of her calves... the length of her legs...
After spending nearly an hour in front of the mirror kneading, twisting, and adjusting, she swept her eyes over the perfect figure outlined below her face by the pitch-black slime. After one final inspection, Epsilon snapped her fingers, and the black slime turned as white as the skin of her face.
Through her flawless effort, her determination to let no one know, the existence of that hateful silver-haired, blue-eyed elf as her rival, her feelings for her beloved master, and just a tiny bit of technology, she had obtained this astonishingly perfect slime-sculpted body.
She slipped out of the nightgown that had suddenly become tight due to her changed figure, put on a beautiful, perfectly fitted gown that covered her completely, tied up her hair, and left the hotel room.
"I am as beautiful and elegant as ever today."
After greeting the two elf subordinates waiting outside her door, Epsilon whispered with a confident smile. As for the fact that, in the process of pursuing that beauty and elegance, she had trained her Magical Power control to the absolute peak and earned the title "the Precise" in Shadow Garden because of it, there was no need to dwell on that...
"Tap!"
She stopped. The heel of her high-heeled shoe struck the hotel's smooth floor with a crisp sound. Epsilon looked at the evil silver-haired, blue-eyed elf who seemed to be about to pass her purely by coincidence.
"Good morning, Beta from Shadow Garden..."
Epsilon greeted Beta in a deliberately sweetened voice and flashed her a bright smile. After all, she had long since left Shadow Garden and joined Netheril.
"Good morning, Epsilon from Netheril!"
Beta wore the same smile as Epsilon, and her voice was full of sweetness. Yet for some reason, there was a chilling coldness hidden within it.
After those two simple greetings, both sides began walking again. Yet a strange atmosphere spread through the air. The two elves who had jumped ship with Epsilon lowered their heads guiltily, saying nothing as they tried to hurry past.
If this had been before she left Shadow Garden, then she and Beta would have merely met like normal, exchanged an ordinary greeting, and passed each other by. There would have been nothing to talk about.
"Is that how you plan to leave, traitor of Shadow Garden?"
Just as the two were about to part ways, Beta's cool voice reached Epsilon and the other two from behind.
"Traitor of Shadow Garden?"
Epsilon covered her mouth with one hand and turned around with that surprised expression still in place, as though she had no idea why Beta would call her that.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Beta. I joined Netheril through the proper procedures after Shadow-sama disbanded Shadow Garden. So where exactly does this title of traitor come from?"
"True. But that is no reason for you to join another organization after Shadow Garden was declared disbanded. Don't forget, Shadow-sama disbanded Shadow Garden because of us!"
Beta believed this was their first meeting after Epsilon had gone to Netheril, claiming she was going to investigate, only to send word a few days later that she had joined Netheril. Forgive Beta for being unable to understand how the person in front of her had the nerve to do such a thing.
"Hmph. That is precisely why I joined Netheril and offered my loyalty to my master, the supreme Emperor."
With an indifferent sneer, Epsilon kept her lofty posture, lifted her head, thrust out her chest, and took a step forward. Her towering slime collided with Beta's "slime," pressing and swaying against each other as a powerful pressure filled the corridor.
"How did I never realize you were such a cold-blooded, opportunistic turncoat?"
Before meeting her today, Beta had still wondered whether Epsilon had left Shadow Garden because she had given up on herself. After all, they had endured harsh training together, fought side by side on countless missions, and shared a bond as companions carved deep into her heart.
But now, looking at the smugness in Epsilon's eyes, Beta was certain that this woman genuinely loved the position Netheril had arranged for her.
"Yeah..."
Epsilon spoke softly, looking down at Beta with a smile so smug it was almost sickening.
"For old times' sake, Beta, there is no future in working for Shadow Garden. Since Shadow Garden has already been disbanded anyway, why not come develop your future with us in Netheril? Join now, and I can give you the second-in-command position."
The atmosphere instantly darkened. Wisps of Magical Power flared up from the floor, and half of Beta's beautiful face sank into shadow.
"Even if you have already left, do not compare me to you. I will remain in this home."
"How bold of you to say that, when Shadow-sama has clearly already left you."
"Yes. But wasn't Shadow Garden something the Seven Shadows and Shadow-sama began together?"
"In that case, I will be the one to end it."
A strange collision rang out as Epsilon's aura clashed with Beta's. Powerful currents of Magical Power churned through the corridor.
"...Then try it, if you think you can."
In an atmosphere where it would not have been strange for the two of them to start fighting in the next second, Beta turned and left. She did not see the arrogant, twisted grin that spread across Epsilon's face after her back was turned.
"Epsilon..."
"Mm?"
At the corner, Beta did not look back. She simply called Epsilon's name.
"You should thank Shadow-sama for his mercy. Otherwise, you would have been purged already!"
"Mm-hmm! True. In that case, I should thank my master, the Emperor of Netheril..."
The rest of her words never came out. Epsilon keenly sensed the icy killing intent in the air and wisely swallowed what had been on the tip of her tongue.
"She's beyond saving..."
After meeting up with Gamma, who had been waiting for her, Beta shared her conclusion.
"I see."
Hearing the report, Gamma lowered her head in disappointment.
If Epsilon had only been giving up on herself because Shadow Garden had been disbanded, Gamma and the others could have shared the information they had gotten from Eta and persuaded her to return. But from the conversation just now, they had realized that Epsilon had not given up on herself at all.
"Then I suppose... we'll simply have to go our separate ways."
...
"Omega, drive. Let's go meet Itogami Island's Gigafloat Management Corporation."
Looking at the invitation in her hand, Epsilon sat in the back seat and gave an order to the dark-skinned half-elf with gold and silver eyes.
"Shiron-sama, are we really doing the right thing?"
Chi, the handsome blond elf sitting in the passenger seat, struggled with herself for a moment before finally asking Epsilon, who was leisurely humming to herself.
"Chi, do not question Epsilon-sama. What Shadow-sama said yesterday already proved everything."
Before Epsilon could answer, Omega, who was driving, answered Kai's question for her. Epsilon merely gave Omega an approving glance.
"Of course we are. All of this is a trial Shadow-sama has given them. Giving Beta even a slight hint was already a breach of the rules for someone like me, who has already cleared it."
It was just that Beta herself had refused.
Playing with her fingers, Epsilon could not help wanting to laugh when she remembered Beta's refusal.
All she could say was that having high Magical Power control really was a good thing. After Shadow Garden was disbanded, it had allowed her to discover her Master's other identity with ease.
After discovering that identity, Epsilon began thinking about what difference there was between Shadow Garden and the Witches' Guild that made Shadow-sama abandon them and choose others instead.
Finally, after a deeper investigation, she discovered that the legendary Magic Network permissions and the Magical Power seeds Cid had given them were the same thing. That was when she understood. This was a trial, a trial for everyone on both sides!
Whoever won would become Shadow-sama's subordinate. Both sides had been given completely fair advantages. And she, Epsilon, was the woman who had pulled ahead of both sides and understood this truth first!
On the day Shadow Garden was disbanded, I stood behind the door and watched Alpha sob until she could barely speak.
At that moment, I swore to myself that if I were the woman standing in that position, I would win everything!
Now that this chance lies before me, I must ask myself whether this is the one opportunity I, Epsilon, will ever have in my life!
Restoring Shadow Garden's glory is my duty as Epsilon!
Please forgive me, my fellow Seven Shadows. This is your trial, and until you discover it yourselves, I cannot help you. But rest assured...
Thinking of the bitter endurance she had taken upon herself, Epsilon was overcome with sorrow.
Once I crush every last one of those Witches' Guild women and climb to the very top, even if you never discover the truth and fail the trial, I will still pull you up for the sake of the bond we forged in battle. I'll crush all of you and drag you into the Shadow Guardians I created. After that...
I'll ask Shadow-sama for my reward, change Netheril's name, and throw out every single member of that reckless Witches' Guild. Then our Shadow Garden will be rebuilt!
Of course, as the greatest contributor and hero who rebuilt Shadow Garden, there should be no problem with her taking the First Seat, right? And there should be no problem moving a certain evil silver-haired, blue-eyed elf down to the Seventh Seat, or even to a mere cadre position, right?
"Hehehe..."
Imagining that wonderful future, Epsilon wiped the tears from the corner of her mouth and let out a sorrowful sob.