On the second level of the tavern, in Izumi's permanent room, I borrow a nightgown. She has more of a wardrobe than you'd expect from a commoner in a fantasy world. Then again, maybe she makes a pretty good wage as a waitress.

"So, how far away is the royal capital?" I ask once I've changed. "Are we going to have to walk there? I took a carriage from the castle and it still took hours to get here."

"We might have to dip into your gold stash to buy horses," she admits. "It's not close. I don't know the distance exactly. Not without checking a map."

She holds a candle up close to her face. "And you never know what lurks in the forest at night."

I try not to laugh, but the day's been so long that a snort escapes, which in turn makes her laugh hard enough to accidentally blow the candle out.

"I guess it's about time we turned in anyway."

"You're right."

We bid each other good night and, fortunately, each of us seem good about keeping to our own sides of the bed. It's hard to sleep without my white noise machine, though. It's definitely strange hearing the breathing of another person next to me. If I strain, I can hear the late-night patrons of the tavern clanging their mugs against the tables.

"...lady," a muffled voice whispers.

"Izumi?"

If she started talking in her sleep, I was never going to get any rest. If she was awake and just wanted to talk, why would she call me that? The soft sound of her breathing never ceases. It's definitely not her.

"My lady," the voice whispers again.

I follow the sound to my satchel of gold. Inside, there's a compact mirror inlaid with jewels. Touching it gives me the chills, like there’s an icy hand gripping my heart. I open it up, and instead of my reflection, it reflects Lavender's face. They smile – an earnest, honest expression.

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"You made it safely to town, I assume?"

"How are you— What are you—"

"Oh, yes, you come from a world where magic is not the norm. My apologies." Lavender bows their head in apology. "This mirror has a two-way communication spell placed upon it. You were the first girl to really pique my lord’s interest. I thought it might be nice for the two of you to speak again, after you've both had some time to cool off."

"I'll speak with him when I've come back to defeat him."

"Don't say such troublesome things. He cannot be bested in combat." Lavender really believes in him, don't they? "His rule is absolute.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” I ask.

“I am merely showing you the same consideration I would show—”

“Bullshit.”

"It was obvious from the moment you appeared in our world that you would make a wonderful companion for my lord. You have such a strong spirit."

Izumi stirs, yanking her blanket closer. She mumbles something about elderberries. Damn it, she does talk in her sleep!

“Just because two people breathe in the same room doesn’t mean they’d make a good pair,” I say, thinking of certain people who enjoyed matchmaking characters from popular media.

“My lady,” Lavender chides. “I understand more than you know. I can see that you are a fine, upstanding young woman. Lord Sinensis could do well to learn from your example.”

"Look, I can't talk right now." I’m not in the mood to hear weird flattery from a demon. It makes me uncomfortable, honestly.

And what would Izumi say if she saw me talking to the Demon Lord's loyal retainer? Would she view it as a betrayal, accidental as it is? Should I let her know I have this mirror?

As if in response to my thoughts, Lavender nods. "Keep this mirror a secret. It will only breed distrust among the townsfolk. I will make sure to only contact you at night. Is that acceptable, my lady?"

"I'd prefer if you didn't contact me at all." They look disappointed, and I can't help but feel bad. Their pointed ears are even drooping like a dog's. "But yes, only at night."

"It's a deal, my lady."

"Stop calling me that. My name is Hiyori."

"Lady Hiyori, then?"

"Sure. Fine. I can't stop you."

"Then, Lady Hiyori, I bid you a good night. Don't hesitate to contact me if you require any help navigating our world."

"...Thank you, Lavender."

I snap the mirror shut and place it back in its bag. It's a good hiding place. Private. It feels like a dirty secret, though; I don't like it one bit. I can't imagine I'll be using it on purpose. I think I will keep it a secret from Izumi for the time being.

I get back in bed and pull my own blanket up around me. The conversation didn't tire me out. In fact, I'm even more wired than before. Keeping a window to the Demon Lord's castle in my pocket is an overwhelming amount of responsibility.

Soon, the sun will be rising. Soon, I'll force myself to forget about it. We have a duty, a mission to accomplish, and nobody is going to stop us.

Tomorrow, we're going to take the first steps to defeat - and to arrest - the Demon Lord.