One of the gate guards stepped forward, a blonde-haired blue-eyed human who was eyeing Noelle and the girls as they approached. "What makes you think you can enter the castle, Ephemerals?" the guard asked, her voice firm.

Noelle looked at the guard with her trademark humble gaze and answered, “I wish to speak with a Void Exorcist.”

The guard raised an eyebrow, seeming skeptical of Noelle's intentions. "I was speaking to the Ephemerals, not you, young lady! And why should I believe you? Many people have tried to sneak into this castle for various reasons. What makes you different?"

Noelle's smile spread further across her features. "I'm their Guide, so I have permission to speak on their behalf, Miss. I have a good reason for wanting to speak with a Void Exorcist. It's a life-or-death matter.”

The guard narrowed her eyes as she heard Noelle disclose her position as a Guide, her suspicion growing. "A Guide? You're telling me these all-powerful warriors need a GUIDE?! Whatever. Anyways, that's a pretty serious claim. Do you have any proof of this life-or-death matter you speak of?"

Noelle hesitated for a moment, trying to think of a way to prove her sincerity to the guard. She didn't want to reveal too much, but she also didn't want to dismiss her concerns outright. “I don't have any concrete proof on hand, but I can assure you that it's a matter of great urgency.” Noelle said, hoping that the guard would be convinced by her words.

The guard studied Noelle for a moment longer before her expression softened, likely due to the honest look in Noelle’s eyes.

“Very well, you may enter. But be cautious, the Void Exorcist is a powerful being, and they won't take kindly to unwanted guests.”

Noelle bowed her head in appreciation and proceeded to enter the castle, the gates slowly opening up to allow the group entry.

The castle interior was just as grand as its exterior, with ornate decorations and elegant furniture lining the walls. The high ceilings were supported by large pillars, and the intricate carvings on the walls depicted various scenes from the kingdom's long history. A smell of strong incense filled the air, which helped to lighten the tension within everyone. The girls felt a mix of awe and unease as they looked around, feeling both captivated by the beauty of the castle and intimidated by its imposing presence. Despite her confident exterior, Noelle couldn't help but feel a little uncertain about what she was getting herself and her Ephemeral friends into.

As she made her way deeper into the castle, Alice's attention was drawn to the people around her. Dwarves of all shapes and sizes were bustling around, each engaged in their own activities. Most seemed to be soldiers or guards, clad in heavy armor with weapons in their hands. They casted suspicious glances in your direction, clearly wary of the presences in their home.

You ignored the stares and continued down the hallway, your eyes taking in every detail of the castle as you made your way deeper into its depths. Just when you thought you were beginning to get lost in the castle's labyrinthine structure, you heard the sound of two women's voices coming from a room up ahead.

Stepping up to the closed door, you listened in on the conversation unfolding.

“I shouldn't have to feel like that! All that shit I have to do for him, and yet what in Tiffany's name is he doing for me? We don't even have sex!”

There was a brief moment of silence until…

“I'm just…sick of feeling like I'm not shit to him…”

“Then leave his ass!” countered the other woman in a smug, know-it-all manner.

You and the other girls exchanged looks of surprise as you all listened in on the conversation, trying to make sense of what was going on.

"Why are we eavesdropping?" Zalgo whispered.

"I'm not sure." Rachel replied. "But whatever it is, it sounds juicy. We should keep listening."

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They all turned their attention back to the door, their ears perked up in anticipation.

The conversation continued, the women's voices becoming more and more heated with every passing moment.

"Leave? You think it's so easy to do that?" The first woman asked in a frustrated tone. "You think it's so easy to leave someone you've loved for years?"

"Oh please," the second woman snorted. “You can do better than him. Now scram, I'm tryna get outta here for cryin' out loud! I'm hella exhausted!”

“I'm done here,” ended the first woman, the sound of a door opening and closing echoing through the halls.

“Well…it's over, I suppose,” Noelle whispered.

“Yeah, it should be okay to head in now,” Rachel whispered back.

You and the girls approached the door and entered the room where the heated conversation had recently concluded. The room was a bit on the small side and rather modest, containing only several pieces of furniture. But despite the simplicity of its decor, the room still managed to exude a sense of extravagance. The floor was covered in a thick, plush rug, its rich pattern almost entirely obscured by an elaborate coffee table resting on top. There was a bookshelf filled with books and tomes in the corner, while a vase of freshly cut flowers rested on a side table. Combined with the rich fragrance of the incense, you couldn't help but walk into the room feeling like royalty for a second. Then you meet the source of the commotion: a blue-eyed gyaru with deep tanned skin and long blonde hair tied in twintails with pink and blue tips. She wore pink eyeliner, blue eyeshadow, and donned the outfit of a schoolgirl, rocking a blue open vest, a short pink skirt, and matching high heels. She smirked at you and then the others as you all entered the room, and then let out a light huff as she stopped in her tracks, looking like she was packing up the last of her things to leave before the interruption.

Of course there's other people comin' to bother me, right when I'm about to leave… she thought, her smirk still present. “Whaddya want?”

Noelle, not picking up on the gyaru's reluctance to engage, continued with a smile. "We're looking for a Void Exorcist. Can you help us?"

The girl in gyaru-style attire rolled her eyes and scoffed as she pointed at herself. “Right here, dum-dum! Now out with it, I was almost outta here ‘fore y'all came along. Now hurry up!”

Zalgo whispered to the others, clearly skeptical of the girl's claims. "Are you guys sure this chick is a Void Exorcist? She doesn't exactly look the part, you know?”

The girl rolled her eyes again and gave Zalgo a condescending look. "But oh, looks can be deceiving, doofus. Don't get it twisted, I can kick some serious butt when I want to. So don't be fooled by my appearance. I'm a Void Exorcist through and through.”

Zalgo's eyes widened at the girl's bold statement.

"You don't need to be so snarky about it," Noelle stood in, clearly taken aback by her attitude. “She was just asking a question, no need to be rude about it."

The girl smirked and raised her eyebrow in a mocking manner. "Is widdle girlie offended by big bad gal?” she taunted, flaunting her tanned legs.

Noelle’s eye twitched in response to the girl's taunting aimed at her friend, but she managed to keep herself composed. "So…” she began again, clearing her throat. “You’re a Void Exorcist, is that correct?”

The girl nodded, her smirk unchanging. “That’s right, honey. I'm Zilla, a bonafide Void Exorcist. Got a problem with that?”

“No, no. That’s not what I was implying at all.” Noelle hastily interjected, “it’s just that…well, you look rather young. Are you sure you’re qualified to be a Void Exorcist? No offense.”

Zilla's smirk turned into a wide, condescending grin. “Oh, so you don’t think I have the credentials just ‘cause I ain't all wrinkly and old like other Void Exorcists, huh?” she said, flicking a dismissive hand through the air. "Well, I'll have ya know that age has nothin' to do with power, baby. So you can take your doubts elsewhere ‘cause I’ve got the goods to back me up, honeybun.”

“Um, could you please refrain from using pet names to refer to me, Miss Zilla? You can just call me Noelle.”

“Oh, you're one of THOSE, huh? Well, you picked the wrong chick, girl. I'll flash you with these titties right now for all I care, show ya my name ain't Zilla for nothin’.” she boasted with a raised brow.

Geez...she's worse than Rachel, you thought.

Noelle took a step back, her face flushing in the blink of an eye. “P-please don't…”

Zilla's smirk returned, wider than ever. “Oh, so now you're just gonna sit there and act all appalled by my choice of words? Girl, don’t get your panties in a twist. But seriously though, do you want the goods right now or…”

Noelle shook her head, cutting Zilla off before she could continue. “Um, no thanks."

Zilla snickered and nodded. "Hmph, 'kay, your loss. So, what exactly is it that y'all need, huh?”

Noelle sighed in relief, grateful that Zilla had agreed to help. “Thank you so much for your help. Here’s the situation...”

Zilla listened as Noelle explained the situation to her, her face growing more serious as Noelle spoke. At the end, she crossed her arms and looked thoughtful for a moment. Once Noelle finished speaking, Zilla's demeanor completely changed.

"Okay, so lemme get this straight. The Elders’ souls got cursed, and unless you do something about it, the Heart Tree will be corrupted by the Darkness?” Zilla asked, summarizing Noelle's statement in a brief and blunt manner.

"Well yes, but-" Noelle started, but Zilla cut her off.

“So, all I have to do is find the curse within the Elders and remove it, right? Is that what you're asking me to do?” Zilla asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You make it sound so simple…”

Zilla shrugged nonchalantly. “That’s because it is, silly little girl. Curse removal is a cakewalk for a pro like me. No problem at all.”

“You make it sound like you do curse removal every day!”

Zilla shrugged again. "Well, I guess you could say that. But trust me, it’s not as difficult as you’re making it out to be.”

Noelle clasped her hands together, giving Zilla a more serious gaze. “Look, Zilla, the curse was made by a dead spirit. Only the very best Void Exorcists can lift such a curse. Are you sure you got this?”

Zilla nodded confidently. “Hells yeah, I can! I'm the best there is at curse removal! I’ve got plenty of experience under my belt, and I'm sure I can handle whatever curse those Elders are dealing with.”

Noelle couldn’t believe her luck. “Then…will you help us? Please?” she pleaded.

Zilla shrugged, her smirk returning. “Sure, why not? I could use some excitement in my life. Plus, it means I won’t have to stay in this ol' dumb-ass castle any longer than necessary. Count me in.”

Noelle breathed a sigh of relief, grateful to have found such a skilled expert willing to help them. “Thank you so much, Zilla! We really appreciate it. I can’t wait to see the look on the Elders’ faces when they realize they’re free from their curse!”

Zilla laughed as she put her hands on her hips. “Oh honey, if you think that’s gonna be impressive, wait until you see what I can do! You thought I just looked good didn't ya? Hah, girl I’m gonna blow you away with my powers, just wait and see!”

Zilla then looked at you and grabbed your hand, yours being a darker shade of blue than that of the Exorcist's. “I call dibs on this girl! Now let's get movin', I don't have all day!”