While the other two girls had been prepping for the duel, the hunger growing in Hildegunde's belly made any attempt to do the same an exercise in futility. If she were to be able to function at an level in which she was capable of actually intervening if needed, there was no two ways about it; she needed to eat. And so she remained absent up until the last minute of the fight, pushing her way through the crowd that had gathered.
It proved futile all the same.
The duel all happened so fast. Or, rather, it had escalated in the blink of an eye.
Perhaps it was the growing smile of Freischütz in the back of her head at the thought of intervening - or perhaps it was just smiling at the violence before them. Maybe it was pure shock of witnessing the two almost kill each other. Regardless, Hildegunde found herself unable to act, every muscle in her body aching, screaming, the same six words, reaching a deafening crescendo.
Say the word. Pull the trigger. Say the word. Pull the trigger. SAY THE WORD. PULL THE TRIGGER.
All she did was watch as the two hit the floor in tandem.
...It was okay. They were being attended to, they were alive, it was okay. Hildegunde unconvincingly told herself this over and over again as she tried to determine what she should do, if anything, to help Ciara and Iraleth, or to leave it to the staff. Just as she frets over what to do, the decision is practically made for her.
Ping.
Davil is in Iris Record, and his life is in grave danger. I have no idea where his location is, but I can confirm that he's inside the building. The Shade lurks.
Davil. Hildegunde held no fondness for the boy, but a cry for help was a cry for help. Hypocrite she'd be if she ignored the plea. Besides, it was almost a welcome distraction.
Whether or not the girls followed her was irrelevant. Without a word, Hildegunde weaves her way out of the crowd in search of Davil, on high alert for danger, sending one brief message to Chunji as she does.
On it.