Leopoldine moved closer to the crack in the wall, her body slipping effortlessly through the opening and into the main chamber. She straightened, her gaze roaming over the stone seats and snoring girls. "Quite the party you have here," she murmured, a note of ridicule in her voice.

Alice stumbled out of the niche after Leopoldine, her eyes roaming the chamber. The other girls were all still asleep, unbothered by their absence. But Esato stood near the front, her head turning to the sound of their footsteps.

"Alice?" the dragon girl called out, her voice cautious.

"Ah, Esato~" Leopoldine greeted, her voice light and mocking. "Long time no see, eh?"

Esato's eyes narrowed at the young woman, her gaze hardening. "Leopoldine," she said coldly. "What are you doing here?”

Leopoldine gave a soft laugh, striding towards Esato with an air of confidence. "Why, I'm just catching up with an old friend. Isn't that right, little one?"

Alice felt a pang of guilt as Esato's gaze turned to her, her golden eyes narrowing. "Alice...what are you doing with her?”

Alice shrank under Esato's gaze, the guilt she was feeling only increasing. She didn't want to admit what she had almost agreed to, what she had wanted to do.

"I...I was just..." she trailed off, unable to come up with a believable lie.

Leopoldine gave another soft laugh, gliding up to Alice and draping an arm over her shoulder. "Oh relax, my darling dragon," she chided, her tone annoyingly cheerful. "I'm just having a little chat with my dear little friend here. Nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Esato's eyes narrowed again, her gaze flicking between the two of them. "I don't trust you, Leopoldine. I never have.”

Leopoldine feigned shock, placing a hand over her heart. "Oh my, I'm offended! Surely you're not suggesting I'd do anything untoward with your precious little charge, are you?”

Esato didn't look amused, her gaze hardening. "I know your type, Leopoldine. You're manipulative, cunning...dangerous."

Leopoldine just laughed again, her arm tightening around Alice's shoulder. "Oh come on now, dear Esato. I'm wounded that you think so poorly of me~”

Esato's eyes flicked to Alice, her gaze hardening further as she saw the flush on the young girl's face. She could tell that there was something going on, something more than a simple chat.

"What have you done to her, Leopoldine?" she asked, her voice low and dangerous.

"Me? Nothing at all, dear Esato," Leopoldine replied innocently, her grip on Alice's shoulder unyielding. "We've simply been...getting to know each other. Isn't that right, my darling?”

Alice looked up at Leopoldine, her gaze flicking from her to Esato. She felt trapped, caught in the middle of an invisible tug of war. She couldn't deny being entranced by Leopoldine, but she also didn't want to betray Esato's trust.

"Y-yes," she murmured, her voice small. "Just...getting to know one another…”

Esato's eyes narrowed further, her face an indecipherable mask. She could sense something was off, that Alice was hiding something. But she also knew that forcing the truth out of her wouldn't be easy, not with Leopoldine involved.

"Just getting to know one another..." she repeated, her tone flat. "And are you going to...get to know her further?”

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Leopoldine chuckled, her arm tightening even more around Alice's shoulders. "Oh, I most definitely plan on getting quite intimate with her," she purred, her words sending a shiver down Alice's spine.

Esato's fiery orange eyes flashed with anger, her claws curling into fists. "I won't let you touch her," she growled. "I have to protect her.”

Leopoldine rolled her eyes, a smirk on her lips. "Protect her? From what, exactly? From me?"

Esato gritted her teeth, her gaze locking on the regal woman. "Yes. From you. You're unpredictable, dangerous..."

Leopoldine just laughed. "Oh, stop flattering me. You might actually make me blush.”

Esato's eyes narrowed further, her patience wearing thin. "I'm not joking, Leopoldine. You need to stay away from her."

Leopoldine tutted, her grip on Alice's shoulder becoming almost painful. "Oh come now, Esato. Don't be so possessive. I'm just showing the dear girl some attention. Is that so wrong?”

Esato took a step forward, her fists clenched tightly. "You're manipulating her. I can see it in her eyes, in the way she's acting. You're trying to corrupt her."

Leopoldine just laughed again, the sound like a mocking melody. "Corrupt her? My goodness, you have such little faith in me, dear Esato. All I want to do is...help her realize her true potential. After all, she has some exquisite features. You simply wouldn't believe…”

Esato bared her razor-sharp teeth, her body tensing. "I don't care about her features. I sense goodness in her soul, and I won't let you twist her into something monstrous."

Leopoldine just smirked, her grip on Alice growing tighter. "Monstrous? Oh, my dear Esato, you always did have such a vivid imagination. I merely want to show her the possibilities, the...pleasures...she hasn't yet experienced.”

Esato's eyes flared with anger, her claws itching to scratch that smug smirk off Leopoldine's face. "You're sick, Leopoldine. Twisted. You don't care about her, you just want to use her for your own twisted desires."

Leopoldine just chuckled, her eyes flickering to Alice. "Oh but that's where you're wrong, dear Esato. I do care about her. Quite a lot, in fact. She's...fascinating. And I believe she will prove to be quite...useful.”

Esato took another step forward, her glare intense. "Useful for what? What exactly do you plan to do with her?"

Leopoldine's smirk widened, her hand beginning to slowly trail down Alice's arm. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough. Let's just say...I have some big plans in store for little Alice here~”

Esato's body tensed further, her anger reaching a boiling point. "No. No, I won't let you. Whatever you're planning, whatever twisted desires you have, I won't let you harm her."

Leopoldine chuckled, her hand now tracing patterns on Alice's shoulder. "Oh my...are you...jealous, Esato? Worried that I'll steal your precious little charge away from you? How adorable~”

Esato's face reddened in anger, her fists trembling. "You won't touch her. Ever."

Leopoldine just laughed again, her hand continuing to trail down Alice's arm in slow, deliberate motions. "Oh my, look at you, puffing out your chest like a dragon protecting its hoard. It's quite...charming, actually. But trust me, dear Esato, you won't be able to stop me. After all, little Alice here has already agreed to be mine~”

Esato's face paled, her eyes flicking from Alice to Leopoldine. "She...what?"

Leopoldine grinned, her hand stopping just above Alice's wrist. "Oh yes, my dear Esato. She agreed to be mine. And such a good little puppy she is, too. Doing whatever her Mistress says, whenever she says it~”

Alice's heart fluttered nervously, her face becoming even redder as she felt Esato's shocked gaze on her. She had agreed...she had wanted to agree...

Esato's ears pinned back, fury blazing in her eyes as the flames around her body grew vicious. "You tricked her. You manipulated her, you monster…”

Leopoldine just cackled, her fingers gripping Alice's wrist. "Oh my, that's quite the temper you have, dear Esato. But Alice and I had a deal. If she gives me what I want, then I'll assist her in her little journey too. See, it's not all bad~"

Esato took a menacing step forward, shaking her head in defiance. "No. She must first seal the World Core in my lair. You're not taking her anywhere until then.”

Leopoldine raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh? Trying to bargain, are we? How...cute."

Leopoldine gave Alice's wrist a playful squeeze before letting go, her attention returning to Esato. "Very well. The World Core first, then I can have my fun with little Alice~”

Esato's face was still taut with anger, her body still bristling with tension. But she nodded grudgingly. "Fine. The World Core first."

Leopoldine chuckled, leaning back against a throne. "Excellent. I do so love it when you play nice, my darling dragon.”

Esato's eyes flared with fire once more, her fists clenched tightly. "Don't call me that," she growled.

Leopoldine just laughed, her amusement growing. "Oh dear, don't be so angry at me. I'm just trying to be friendly~"

Esato shot her a baleful glare, her patience wearing thin. "You and I are not friends. We never will be. But for the sake of the World Core, I'll let you be for now. Come.”