Encounter

Bee: Hooray! The creep is finally down! Nicely done, everyone!
Evelyn: At last, we made it!
Gertrud: We certainly did. I have to admit, that was unexpectedly good teamwork.
Ume: True!

"Ahahahahahaha...!"

The freshly formed group turns around toward the weirdly ecstatic laughter, coming from high above, atop Amari Town University. A dark cloaked figure, with nothing clearly visible from under the hood but their eerie eyes that were twisted into two crescent-moon-shaped slits filled with madness.

"I have to say, I quite enjoyed myself on this one! You lot make for exquisite entertainment!"

Evelyn: What do you mean by that?! Who are you, anyway?!
Gertrud: She is right! Identify yourself!
Ume: And most importantly: How the heck did you get onto the roof?!
Evelyn: ...Is that really the right moment for a reality check?
Ume: Most probably not. But I still want to know!

As Evelyn shakes her head and breathes a deep sigh out of disbelief, the shady person pulls out a top hat from under the hood, elegaly bowing down before them.

"Oh, how very unpolite of me. Allow me to introduce myself."

On guard, Evelyn and the others don't even dare look elsewhere but this creepy person before them.

Colonel: It is an honor to meet a slice of the legendary heroes. They call me Colonel.
Ume: ...Slice? That doesn't make any sense. Did you want to say "fraction"?
Colonel: Ah, yes, that's the right word!

Puzzled by his sudden goofiness, the four of them just blank at Colonel for a bit.

Gertrud: Evelyn, let's leave that guy standing there. He is not only an oddball, but also an absolute idiot.
Ume: I second that. I'm a foreigner, but even I would never wind up talking such nonsense.
Colonel: Wow, now that hurt me.

Suddenly, the cloaked person hops down, punching a crater into the pavement in front of the quartet that quickly withdraws in a shock.

Colonel: That's not nice. Not nice at all.
Evelyn: W-what?! How?! He just smashed through the floor like it was candy! Bee, what on earth is going on here?!
Bee: Let's see... Colonel... I feel like I've heard that name before...
Colonel: Why of course you have. I am the loyal servant of our honorable Lady and the Lord, after all.
Bee: "Servant of our honorable Lady and the Lord"? ...Shit, now I get it! He's the Dark Queen's and King's right hand! This is bad!
Evelyn: WHAT?!

Colonel slowly gets up from his ground punch pose, ascending from the crater he caused and opening his arms like he would welcome them.

Colonel: Indeed. I have been watching you for a while now. Especially you, my dear Evelyn.
Evelyn: Me?! But why?
Colonel: Because... You are quite intriguing to observe. How are things going? Did you already finish notifying all authorities regarding your husband's death?

Evelyn petrifies, and not one single second later Gertrud protectively throws herself in front of her friend, guarding her with her blackberry-shaped shield.

Gertrud: You scumbag! How dare you?!
Bee: Yeah! This is clearly going too far, you bastard!
Ume: Evelyn? Your husband, he's...?
Colonel: Oh, seems like I hit a sensitive spot there, didn't I? Well, apparently, I am an idiot, as you already pointed out earlier. And this idiot loves to keep an eye on interesting things. So much that I cannot stop myself once I have begun. And I'm going to keep on watching all of you from the shadows... Adieu... Until we meet again...

He grabs his black cloak, dramatically swirling it around himself as a strong wind blows, causing the hero team to cover their eyes with their arms. Colonel entirely wraps himself in the piece of cloth, then just vanishes. While the wind dies down, Evelyn and the others take down their clenched fists again, realizing that he has disappeared without a trace. But Evelyn falls down to her knees, the palm of her right hand over her face as she begins to weep bitterly, undoing her transformation while little drops come down from that hand like a sad rain. Gertrud and Ume also revert back to normal, and together with Bee they join her for a big, long and comforting hug.

---------

Back in her house and all alone, Evelyn just stares at a steaming cup of tea. Then she moves around the teaspoon within, for about the tenth time by now.

Evelyn(thought): Now I have done it. I just sent everyone away so I could be alone. But all of them just wanted to help... I am the worst. Even after I got to see Ume again. I am sorry. But right now... I just cannot cope with this.

Evelyn finally takes the first sip from her cup, then sets it down again. She slowly exhales, steadily breathing out for about ten seconds.

Evelyn(thought): Everything seems to have turned upside down ever since Edgar is gone. These evil beings, the Dark King and Queen, and now this crazy, strong man, too... I asked everyone to leave so I could have a chance to think at last. And I should use it for exactly that purpose. As soon as something happens that cannot be postponed, Bee said we would have to meet up again. ...The tea is still a bit too hot.

Lost in thought, Evelyn continues to stir her tea, desperately trying to cool it down to her desired temperature.