The news had come as quite a shock, even to her: Odin Morningstar had perished. Even more surprising was the rumor that it was Alisa who had done so. While she was glad that they had reached a mutual understanding that Odin was a dangerous presence that needed to be dealt with, the fact remained that Odin was a charismatic foe, and one with many followers and allies. Just killing him would surely lead to a harsh and violent retaliation of those that saw him as their friend, idol or heavens forbid it: their god.

As such the moment the news had reached her ears Esperia had been contemplating on what to do. Hargeon had become her home, especially now she and Priscilla were raising their family there. Seated on a rock overlooking the sea surrounding Luluhawa island Esperia thought a bit more on the matter. The moment that Eternal Nightmare had invaded Baska and made it their territory they had, by all means earned her ire and disgust. But she had to admit there were some interesting individuals among Odin's followers as well.

Heaving a sigh she opened the water bottle she carried with her and took a soft sip as a soft feminine voice called out in her thoughts: "Are you worried about the upcoming conflict?"

Esperia nodded her head lightly, heaving another sigh. "As much as I wanted to see that man gone to ensure that Morrigan wouldn't be unleashed, now that he is finally gone I almost regret it. Almost~ A tiny bit~ Since he kept his minions in check. With Odin gone it's like a beehive got poked."

The voice belonged to the Slime Queen who had shared her powers with her, and as such Esperia soon saw the slime girl manifest as an ethereal image in her mind. "I understand your concern, surely his death will have provoked some people, and these blinded by anger and hatred are often prone to reckless actions."

Esperia nodded her head somberly. "And that is where I find myself troubled: Hargeon has become my home, and I won't let Alisa fight for it by her lonesome. Sure, she has a powerful guild to support her but... Knowing her she won't like the idea of exposing them to danger. No, she's likely to do something foolish like trying to challenge them by herself."

The idea did bring her to the reason for this meeting, which was why she wanted to talk to Alisa. She needed to make certain she had guessed Alisa's intentions correctly, after all it would be important for her to understand what her mentor would be doing now that the ire of the largest organization of dark mages had been turned toward her.

"Silly Espy~ You already know all too well that her answer won't change a thing, right? After all, abandoning a friend in trouble has never been something you were know for~ Nope, meddling in affairs is much more suiting for you~

A momentary pause followed after Alisa's playful remark about her different appearance, leading to the girl to chime playfully. "This time I didn't have too much choice in the matter~ Else I would have eagerly turned into a buxom maiden~ Not that I can't do that still, this body of mine has plenty of tricks at its disposal~"

A soft chuckle followed as she turned her gaze toward her mentor, a smile lingering on her lips for a moment as she lowered the bottle of water back onto the arm of her throne. "Then again~ It seems that my appearance isn't the only thing different this time~"

Her tone might had been playful, but her gaze was clearly soft and her smile carried a hint of sympathy in it. "How are you holding up?" It might had sounded like a simple question, but it was a question that carried a lot of meaning with it. "To think that dealing with one threat would simply invite the other." Heaving a sigh she turned her gaze from Alisa toward the sea. "Expect a retaliation... Odin's fellowship and followers are nothing if not zealous, and I'd hate to see them attempt to turn Hargeon into a battlefield."

She raised a hand to her chin, pondering for a moment. "I know you likely don't want to expose the innocent civilians to such a risk. I believe some of them might be susceptible to the suggestion of a duel among champions. In fact in ancient traditions it was often dictated that blood feuds were settled by means of a duel. Either one against one, or two against two, the latter more frequently employed for feuds between factions. A man with a mentality like Erebus might be inclined to agree to such a notion. A siege would paint them unfavorable to the world, cowardly even. But the issue remains that some of his followers are far more chaotic and zealous when it comes to their acts. They will likely not be all that inclined to the idea."

And then there was another matter that bothered her. "And even then, it is not just the Eternal Nightmare... If my suspicions are to be believed, Odin's reach stretches beyond them. During my adventures there was a particular person who claimed the same family name as Odin... And they carry a fair degree of influence within Dessierto. And that person? Likely is one of these reckless enough to bear down an army against you should it be within their means."

A soft hum came from the throne as she turned it to face Alisa and chimed softly. "Which means we need a suitable force ourselves~ I might have an army of slimes, but they wouldn't be suited for this type of battle. But then again~ I have plenty of connections~ Maybe it's time I pay Asmodeus a visit again..."

Although before that she raised a finger toward Alisa's face and proclaimed proudly. "And don't you even think of saying you want to deal with them by yourself. Hargeon is my home, and you're part of these I consider my family~"