《Do You Think Someone Like You Can Defeat the Demon King?》


 CH 1

    Do you think someone like you can defeat the demon king?¡±


    The legendary magician grabbed her by the collar, and the girl, who was being glared at, was clearly scared.


    Even if he didn¡¯t say anything, she knew.


    During the battle against the demons just now, she was completely useless. Rather, she had to be constantly protected as she was just being a hindrance.


    However, she was not patient enough to be abused one-sidedly as ¡°useless¡± and stay silent.


    If just a little humor was weaved into her objection¡ª¡ªthis would happen.


    She made a stiff smile as tears lingered in her eyes, lightening the mood.


    The man laughed at the girl. ¡°Ha.¡± He thrust her away, and left that spot.


    Not a single one of her companions extended a helping hand to her. She raised her voice with an ¡°Ow¡± as she fell on her bottom.


    Her companions faced her with a look of pity and left.


    ¡°Even I didn¡¯t want to come too such a place with my own free will¡­¡­¡±


    The girl¡¯s name is Flamm Apricot.


    Due to the prophecy from the creation god Origin, she became one of the heroes who embarked on a journey in order to subjugate the demon king alongside the Hero.


    By the way, the other ones beside Flamm were¡ª¡ª


    The one who thrusted Flamm away just now, the ¡°Sage of Imperial Wisdom¡± Jean Intage, was someone that could manipulate the four elements.


    The one who possessed the ability to pierce a prey from even 1000 ri away was the ¡°God Killer Archer¡±, Linus Radiance.


    The one capable of curing every single wound or disease with her merciful heart and power of light was the ¡°Saintess of Love¡±, Maria Afengen.


    The one who wielded a gigantic sword with one hand and was capable of demolishing S-ranked monsters, ¡°Star Breaker¡¯s Strong Arm¡±, Gadio Ruscat.


    The one who could freeze even the souls of every single one of her enemies with her overwhelming magic power, the ¡°Immortal Witch¡±, Eterna Linbau.


    The one who possessed power that overwhelmed the other heroes, and the one who was born in order to defeat the demon king was the ¡°Hero of Salvation¡±, Kiriru Swiccha.


    And well, the party was formed in order to subjugate that demon king. Obviously, every single person that was summoned was a celebrity. Even Flamm, a country girl, had heard of their names.


    In such a gathering, there was no way for a country girl with an unknown ability called ¡°Inverse¡± and the unheard ability of ¡°all status 0¡± to be able to fit in.


    For this reason, Flamm had been preserving and contributing to parts outside of the battle.


    She had gone through more hardships than the other heroes.


    Even when she protected someone and got injured, ¡°It was only a waste of magic power to heal her.¡± Thus, Flamm¡¯s body constantly had fresh bruises and wounds.


    Even so.


    Even when she was helpful to someone, the others would say, ¡°Don¡¯t do pointless things,¡± and she would be abused.


    Even when someone was slightly hungry and treated them to a light meal, she would say, ¡°Please eat,¡± and have to lower her head.


    Even so¡ª¡ª


    It was possible for the depressed Flamm to also have a persecution complex.


    However, she was clearly being persecuted. She asked herself numerous times as to why she was met with such eyes, and why she was doing such things for them.


    So far, she had been repeatedly telling herself ¡°even so,¡± and bravely preserving on, but.¡­¡­ Before long, she would reach her limit.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Before she knew it, someone was looking down on Flamm as she was sitting.


    They should¡¯ve gone on ahead, but did they come back?


    That hope was crushed by the cold gaze.


    That girl was someone who had grown her golden hair up to where she could tuck it behind her ears and her physique not that different from the petite Flamm¡ª¡ªfurthermore, that pupil carried a strength that even demons were afraid of.


    She for sure, was the hero, Kiriru Swiccha.


    Although there was nothing to expect from the look in her eyes, for the time being, Flamm gambled on a sliver of hope and called out to her.


    ¡°Kiriru-ch¡­..¡±


    However, before she could finish speaking, Kiriru turned her back on Flamm and left.


    Her heart squeezed and tightened.


    I was completely abandoned, she thought.


    When they started their journey, they were both of the same generation from the same country, and they were intimate, but¡­


    As Flamm¡¯s uselessness was exposed, and the two gradually grew distant.


    Thus, nowadays, she constantly ignored Flamm who felt depressed.


    Originally, the girl, who did not possess anything, hadn¡¯t planned on leaving on a journey.


    Nevertheless, she could not refuse since the god¡¯s oracle had chosen her. Furthermore, the people from her hometown were so excited to say that ¡°There¡¯s a hero from our village!¡± So she could not escape at all.


    What would the hopeful people think if they saw the useless, depressed Flamm who was abandoned by her comrades?


    ¡°I let everyone down.¡±


    She imagined everyone who came to kindly look at her with cold gazes and felt even more depressed.


    Even so, her comrades were moving on, and she could not just sit there forever.


    She stood up, brushed off the dirt on her bottom, and lightly jogged after them.


    It was miserable.


    It felt like she was the only person in the entire world.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    The southern half of the continent is human territory, and the northern half is demon territory.


    In other words, the hero¡¯s party was aiming for the demon king¡¯s castle that was even further than the northern part of the demon territory, continuing further north.


    Nonetheless, it was a journey of living flesh and blood; the amount of materials they could carry was limited.


    However, it was not necessary for the hero party to be concerned about materials.


    This was thanks to the magic ¡°Return¡± that only the brave Kiriru could use.


    It was possible for them to return to the imperial capital at any time, and they could use Return once more to go back to the demon¡¯s land.


    Of course, there were restrictions on the number of times and conditions when casting, but by repeating this, they would certainly and steadily approach their destination: the demon king¡¯s castle.


    That day, the hero party reached their planned checkpoint and returned to the imperial capital.


    Return¡¯s transfer point is the imperial capital¡¯s basement, nicknamed ¡°Transfer Room¡±.


    It was a dim, unobtrusive place, and the room was a place for them to assemble in before heading towards the demon¡¯s territory.


    ¡°Fuu¡­¡­ yeah, as expected, the air here is delicious.¡±


    Witch Eterna took a deep breath of the imperial capital¡¯s air for the first time in a few days and commented on it.


    In reality, it was the basement, so it was not full of clear air. However, it gave the impression that it was safe since the enemy wasn¡¯t here.


    ¡°Right? My mind is at ease just because the demons aren¡¯t nearby.¡±


    Archer Linus approached Saintess Maria, who agreed, while moving his hands excitedly.


    ¡°Maria-chan, in other words, the joints in your body are getting stiff. That¡¯s good, I¡¯ll give you a massa¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    Rejected with a smile, Linus was disappointed and drooped his shoulders.


    In the beginning, his face turned bright red and his voice was rough, but Maria was also stubborn.


    However, he was not discouraged.


    ¡°I guess sooo. Then, how about a meal?¡±


    Changing the conversation like it was flowing, Maria held her hand against her mouth. She giggled elegantly and smiled at Linus who was asking her out on a date.


    ¡°Fufufu, if it¡¯s like that, then let¡¯s go together.¡±


    ¡°Yoshaaaaaaaaa!¡± (T/N: Scream of excitement, usually after an accomplishment.)


    Without hiding his joy, Linus made a guts pose.


    The two of them left the Transfer Room without saying anything.


    Sage Jean looked at their exchange, complained that ¡°there was no feeling of tension,¡± and sighed openly. But he had no right to stop them.


    Anyhow, before the meeting time for the day after tomorrow, free action was permitted.


    For each one of them to prepare and finish stocking up on supplies, they dispersed.


    The ones that were left in the end were Kiriru and Flamm.


    When Kiriru closed her eyes, the jewelled sword that she was holding in her hand turned into particles and disappeared. A crest emerged on the back of her hand.


    When she shot a fleeting glance at Flamm, she squinted as if she was scowling at her and left the room.


    The two of them liked sweet things, so when they returned to the imperial capital back then, they ate cake and chatted with each other.


    But now, Flamm couldn¡¯t hope for that anymore.


    ¡°I want to go home¡­¡­ Mom, Dad, are you doing well¡­¡­¡±


    She recalled her hometown and her family.


    It was just a few months before the incident, but she missed it.


    Every time she remembered her warm family, tears escaped her eyes.


    When Flamm rubbed her eyes while complaining, she shook her head and stopped thinking about her sentiments. She strongly clenched her fist and said, ¡°Alright,¡± to fire herself up. She then headed towards the room¡¯s exit.


    There was no time to cry because she had to stock up on supplies for tomorrow¡¯s departure.


    Heading through the Transfer Room¡¯s exit and leaving the basement¡ª¡ªthere was a huge man clad in black armor standing there, enough to give a misapprehension that he was twice Flamm¡¯s size.


    ¡°Gadio-san? And Eterna-san too!¡±


    The armored man was Gadio who supposedly had left earlier.


    When she took a closer look, Eterna¡¯s appearance could be seen hiding in the shadows as well.


    When she suddenly showed up in front of her, she flutteringly waved her hands.


    ¡°You¡¯re going shopping right? I also have some business, so I thought we should go together.¡±


    ¡°Eterna told me to be the luggage carrier although I don¡¯t have free time.¡±


    Although he said such a thing, Gadio¡¯s expression was gentle as he was leaning on the wall with his folded his arms.


    It seems like they couldn¡¯t just watch and they waited for the depressed Flamm.


    From the beginning, the two of them were veteran adventurers; perhaps they had seen through her unreliableness.


    ¡°T¡­¡­t-thank you very much!¡±


    Flamm deeply bowed her head.


    Because of that simple action, all kinds of things that she was troubled about was blown away in an instant, and felt like she was saved from everything.


    However, a few hours later, she would realize that it was all her imagination.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    When Flamm, who finished shopping, said goodbye to Eterna and Gadio who kept her company, she left her luggage in the castle and went towards an inn. (T/N: yado inn?)


    Then, as soon as she entered the room, she looked into the mirror while sighing.


    Despite the fact that the luggage was taken by two people, the sudden fatigue overwhelmed her.


    Her physical strength was 0, so she could not carry heavy things, and her stamina was 0, so she would feel fatigued just by walking a little.


    Flamm personally pointed out the fact that she disliked her own body.


    The status being 0 itself wasn¡¯t something that started today.


    Since she was a child¡ª¡ªif taken even further, it was like that since she was born.


    The cause was due to her ¡°attribute¡±.


    Humans in this world receive an attribute on their bodies when they are born.


    Fire, water, wind, earth, light, and darkness.


    One is chosen from within these 6 attributes, and depending on one¡¯s amount of magic power, they can use magic according to the attribute they possess.


    However, there are also exceptions.


    For example, genius sage Jean¡¯s ¡°Nature¡± can control four attributes: Fire, water, wind, and earth.


    For example, the exclusive magic that only the brave Kiriru can use: ¡°Hero¡±.


    These were called ¡°rare attributes¡± and it could be said they were fundamentally superior to the 6 attributes.


    Of course, just as rare attributes themselves are an exception, and there exists exceptions to this as well.


    A concrete example would be Flamm¡¯s ¡°Inverse.¡±


    Strength, magic power, stamina, agility, and intelligence¡ª¡ªall of her statuses at 0 were probably affected by inverse that prevented her from even growing.


    With everything in reverse, the values that should¡¯ve grown continued to decrease.


    Also, since it doesn¡¯t go below 0, it stopped at 0.


    Of course, as a result of her magic power being 0, she could not use magic. She could not even ream the benefits from the rare attribute that had she received.


    ¡°The people in the village were kind as expected, weren¡¯t they.¡±


    No one persecuted Flamm; the adults treated her equally with the other children.


    Her friends of the same generation too¡ª¡ªnot a single person looked down on her.


    Thinking about it to this point, it was probably much more strange there.


    While cursing her own innate power, Flamm threw herself down on the bed and tightly hugged her pillow.


    When she lied down and closed her eyes, her whole body was wrapped in a pleasant nap.


    She was fatigued and about to nod off to sleep when¡ª¡ªknock knock, someone rapped on the door.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    The girl, who was half asleep, asked with an absent-minded voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s Jean, I have something important to tell you.¡±


    The moment she heard that voice, Flamm quickly got up and madly rushed over to the door.


    She tripped over nothing and grazed her knee, but she bared the pain as she unlocked the lock and turned the knob.


    A sage with a sour look was standing there.


    ¡°Jean-san, w-what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    Flamm was not prepared to retaliate.


    In a fluster, she grasped the key to the room that she had left on top of the shelf, locked the door, and chased after Jean¡¯s back.


    He left the inn, walked down the street, and did not turn around at all.


    Flamm was not chasing after him. So from the beginning, he did not assume those things.


    Rather than trust, his attitude was that of ¡°I expect you to listen to my orders,¡± and he looked down on her.


    When Jean turned the corner, he entered a narrow alley.


    On this unpopular road were people without homes. They had sluggish eyes, were sitting while holding their knees and thighs, and lying down on laid out clothes on the ground.


    If Flamm was by herself, she probably would never step foot into this place.


    As one would expect, the girl who became uneasy asked Jean a question.


    ¡°Um, where are we headed?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Of course, there was no response.


    Flamm, who had given up, followed Jean in silence.


    Eventually, after passing through the street that bent and turned many times, they moved forward to an open place.


    The surroundings were as dim as ever; the gloomy atmosphere didn¡¯t represent what one would expect in the middle of the imperial capital, but¡ª¡ªit could be said that it was ten times bigger than other cities. It was the kingdom¡¯s largest city; it was not unusual for there to be such a place.


    ¡°Is this the destination?¡±


    When Flamm asked again, Jean turned towards her, extended his hand¡ª¡ªand grabbed hold of the hair on top of her head.


    He expressionlessly dragged her and took her towards the direction of the male that had been standing there some time ago.


    ¡°It hurts, it hurts! Please stop Jean-san!¡±


    The girl¡¯s sorrowful cry only vainly resounded, and no one¡¯s heart was moved.


    ¡°Hehehe, this is a really fine customer. Such a pretty woman.¡±


    As he said that, the man lowered his back and rubbed his hands with a flattering expression.


    ¡°Aah, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just trash.¡±


    Jean threw Flamm in front of the man as if he was literally throwing trash away.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    She was thrown against the hard ground.


    She laid down on the cold ground senseless, and the knee wound that appeared was pitiful to look at.


    She did not understand what was happening.


    When Flamm looked up at Jean with a frightened expression, he glared at her with an unusually cold expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re not of a noble lineage, nor do you have the appropriate strength. To be honest, just being with you makes me want to vomit. Enough to warrant praise for myself for tolerating it until now.¡±


    Jean spat his words out just like that.


    ¡°Jean, san¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°A piece of trash dares to call out my name!¡±


    ¡°Hik!?¡±


    As if responding to Jean¡¯s anger, a pebble came flying at Flamm.


    Fired like an arrow, grazed her right cheek, and drew a slight red line.


    It was a stinging pain.


    When Flamm touched her own cheek, her hand was soaked with blood.


    When she saw the red fluid stuck on her hand, she leaked out a frightened voice, ¡°Hik,¡± once again.


    ¡°This is not good for the customer, she¡¯s a good that¡¯s for sale after all.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I suddenly flew into a rage. But this is just fine, wouldn¡¯t it be okay if you tattooed that cut?¡±


    ¡°Well, a cut to that degree will disappear on its own; it¡¯ll be what the customer likes after this.¡±


    As he said that, the man handed over the prepared iron rod over to Jean.


    A lump that was like a seal adhered to the tip of the rod that was about 20cm in length.


    Jean drew his hand near it and invoked ¡°Heat¡±, a fire magic.


    When he did, the lump of iron attached itself to the tip of the rod¡­. it turned hot from the inside and glowed red.


    ¡°Okay Flamm, I¡¯ll teach you something called your appropriate position from now on.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡­ is?¡±


    ¡°The mark of slavery; you¡¯ve seen it right? You see, as for the kingdom¡¯s slaves, it¡¯s necessary to engrave a mark that clearly shows their social status on a constantly visible area on one part of their body. This is that. There is a more comfortable method, but I choose the branding iron that includes the significance of having your body realize it. How do you like it? Aren¡¯t I kind?¡±


    In the end, he pressed the red-hot iron mass against Flamm¡¯s face, the tattooed the mark of a slave.


    The man who stood by in the plaza was a slave merchant, so he had already thoroughly prepared the tools in order to disinfect the branding iron after it was used.


    ¡°N-no¡­¡­ I don¡¯t want to become a slave!¡±


    ¡°You have no right to refuse.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange! Why, why do I have to become a slave!¡±


    ¡°Why¡­¡­?¡±


    Jean¡¯s expression warped into anger in response to Flamm¡¯s words.


    ¡°You bastard¡ª¡ªdo you not understand how much trouble you have personally caused so far!? If you didn¡¯t exist, the demon king subjugation would have progressed as planned! Because of you, because you exist, you hold back the others and so my flawless plans have been thrown into disarray! Because of a commoner! Because of a small fry who has no ability! Do you know how much of a sin that is? Hurry up and understand it!¡±


    ¡ª¡ªThat complaint was too unreasonable.


    No, but from Jean¡¯s point of view, Flamm¡¯s existence itself was probably unreasonable.


    In the party of only heroes, where no one in the kingdom that hadn¡¯t heard of their names. A useless status 0 was in the mix.


    ¡°¡­¡­ D-do the other people know? Even if I¡¯m useless, I was one of the chosen after all. Thus, if you do this on your own accord, this is unjustifiable!¡±


    ¡°Of course they know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie¡­¡­ absolutely a lie! Did Eterna-san not stop you? Did Gadio-san not stop you!?¡±


    She did not think that the two people who had just shopped with her would have agreed.


    However, Jean declared,


    ¡°Aah, they were slightly troubled, but they eventually agreed. It can¡¯t be helped, it¡¯s for the sake of subjugating the demon king. Also, the ones who thought that you were the biggest burden were no other than those two.¡±


    That was definitely the truth.


    Eterna and Gadio were the two people who were the most worried about Flamm, but because of that, Flamm always thought that she felt guilty because they thought she was a burden.


    While she could not believe it, or rather, she must not believe it, Flamm¡¯s heart swayed as it was driven into a wall.


    ¡°How about Linus-san, how about Maria-san!?¡±


    ¡°They said that they didn¡¯t care. That¡¯s about it. Your relationship with them was originally weak right?¡±


    It couldn¡¯t be helped.


    The two of them whom she hardly remembered communicating with would also have no reason to stick up for her.


    ¡°Th-then¡­¡­ what about Kiriru-chan?¡±


    Sure she was treating her coldly recently, but they were fellow friends just a while ago.


    If it was her, she would not have agreed to an absurd thing such as making Flamm a slave.


    However, Jean showed his best smile today when he declared so.


    ¡°She was the first one to give approval. An immediate reply. She felt refreshed when she thought that she no longer had to look at that face.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­aah¡­¡­ that¡¯s a¡­¡­ lie, right¡­¡­¡±


    Flamm was trying to not believe it.


    However, as for Jean, he did not care about her intentions.


    ¡°Well, whether you believe it or not is up to you. At any rate, reality won¡¯t change. You will be sold off as a slave. Then the earnings will transform into our heroes¡¯ fund. Isn¡¯t this good, that you can actually make a contribution for us?¡±


    ¡°Return¡­¡­ return me to my villageeee¡­¡­!¡±


    Seeing that she had lost her allies, the only thing that she could rely on now was her family and friends who were waiting for her at her hometown.


    Jean grimaced as Flamm still had not given up hope until now and was trying to hang onto something.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame, but that¡¯s impossible. If trash like you goes home, you won¡¯t be doing a favor for the villages right?¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­¡­ Mo-m¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Those parents for sure are enjoying their lives without their daughter around this time. Anyhow, a good-for-nothing less than completely useless trash isn¡¯t there; it would be great to celebrate the honor of being a parent of a hero, hahahaha!¡±


    ¡°Uuuuuuuuuuu¡­¡­ahhhhhhhh!¡±


    No matter how much she groaned, no matter how much she screamed, Jean would not set her free.


    Flamm was crawling on all fours and tried to get away from him, but a dirt arm suddenly rose out from the ground and detained both her hands and both her feet. She was restrained in a crucified state.


    She tried to escape squirming while clawing at the ground, but there was no way for her frail body to destroy the magic that the sage created.


    While Jean smiled, he approached Flamm who was shedding tears and in a frenzy. On her cheek¡ª¡ª he pressed the red iron with a sizzle.


    ¡°Ah, kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    A hoarse scream roared from Flamm¡¯s throat.


    The tears that overflowed from her eyes came into contact with the iron. They evaporated and disappeared.


    Her neck displayed resistance, but the dirt arm that lengthened even further restrained her head, and she was no match for that.


    ¡°Ahhhhh, ahhhhh! Ahhhhhhh!¡±


    Even if it became hoarse, there was no end to her screams.


    Jean, who looked at the suffering Flamm, said,


    ¡°Hahaha, this is retribution! Serves you right! Hahahahahaha!¡±


    And he was in a good mood.


    For him who was very prideful, he despised how she acted like his comrade when she was an incompetent person, and she was an unacceptable existence.


    ¡°Aaah, ah, aah, ah, gi, gu, gu¡­¡­ ga, ah¡ª¡ª¡±


    The sound of her voice came to an end.


    Sweat was trickling down all over her face, her entire body convulsed, and the incontinent Flamm finally let go of her consciousness.


    Jean looked at the girl who fainted and ripped off the iron that was gradually losing heat off of her face.


    Rippp¡­¡­ a little bit of the girl¡¯s burnt flesh was there, but it will recover by itself, so he forcibly parted it.


    Then he threw away the branding iron and turned towards the slave trader.


    ¡°It seems like you surprisingly had fun, Jean-san.¡±


    ¡°Well, when I think about the hardships I suffered until now, it¡¯s not sufficient enough.¡±


    ¡°However, please do me a favor and do no more. She¡¯ll die.¡±


    ¡°I am not at the point of being a savage and killing her. Well then, I¡¯ll receive the promised money.¡±


    ¡°Alright, this way.¡±


    The merchant lightly shook the jute bag containing ample amounts of gold coins and handed it to Jean as it jingled.


    When he received the bag, he smiled as he was content with the heaviness and left the plaza.


    When he looked back, the merchant had started disinfecting Flamm with the tools he had prepared beforehand.


    ¡ª¡ªThus she completely lost the right to live as a human being and the lost the dignity of being human.

 CH 2

    When that hero, Jean Intage, approached him with a talk about ¡°selling a woman,¡± the merchant thanked god without even thinking.


    On top of being able to make a connection with a person associated with the brave, that woman that was being sold was associated with the brave as well; there¡¯s no doubt that he could sell her for an outrageously high price.


    The merchant cautiously hastened the transaction.


    If he displeased him even a little bit it would be a problem, he avoided any behavior like investigating to the possible limit, and thoroughly behaved modestly.


    Jean also let out a mood which said, ¡°Don¡¯t investigate too much.¡±


    ¡ª¡ªIf one thought about it, a merchant should have grown suspicious at that point.


    Towards Jean who was trying to hide the information one way or another, it would be a lie to say he was not suspicious.


    However, it was something to the degree of only expectations being overwritten.


    The first time his uneasiness exceed his expectations was when Jean handed over Flamm, and saw the moment where he mercilessly abused that figure.


    He declared that, she was useless.


    The girl that he was trying to sell for an excessive price, was abused in front of the man going to buy her.


    How dare you do such a brazen thing.


    Because he was excessively frank, the merchant told himself that it was only ¡°a mere black joke.¡±


    He still believed.


    At least, until he bought her, brought her back to the base, and confirmed Flamm¡¯s status.


    ¡°Damn it, I picked up an awful piece of trash! Thanks to you, I¡¯ll be suffering a heavy loss! You, you¡±


    ¡°Ugu, uu¡­¡­ fu, ha hyu¡­¡­ higu¡­¡­¡±


    The slave trader grabbed Flamm¡¯s hair and lifted it up, and kicked her abdomen many times over and over again.


    Every time her voice leaked out, drool flowed out from the corner of her mouth.


    When the drip of water that fell clung to his shoe, he was further irritated at Flamm and increased his act of violence.


    A few hours after Jean left, the slave trader noticed that all of Flamm¡¯s status was 0, and his face became ghastly pale.


    Checking other people¡¯s status was an extremely simple thing; Just use the non-attribute magic ¡°Scan,¡± that anyone can use.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Flamm Apricot


    Attribute: Inverse


    Strength: 0


    Magic Power: 0


    Endurance: 0


    Agility: 0


    Intelligence: 0


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Like this, with the magic that a great man from long ago made, there were rough numerical values, but on top of being able to quantify the target¡¯s physical ability, it was able to to make clear even their attribute.


    Normally, he should have checked before giving the money.


    Nonetheless, if perhaps the merchant showed behaviours such as using the Scan, Jean would probably have refused to trade.


    Besides, there was no way for a great man whose name was well-known throughout the kingdom to do some stingy behaviour such as deceiving a mere merchant¡ª¡ªthis was the result of great expectations.


    A week has already passed since she bought her.


    He did not find a buyer¡­¡­ or rather, as an incompetent person with all her status totalling 0, she was such a useless ¡°merchandise¡± that he did not even feel like trying to find a buyer, there was no longer any function other than being a sandbag.


    However, even so, even that has come to an end.


    Each time he sees Flamm¡¯s face, the merchant would remembered his his failures in the future.


    He was not bankrupt yet, but if he kept continuing to be a slave merchant, he needed to change his attitude, and steadily do business.


    If that¡¯s the case, then on top of being this useless, he had better dispose of this garbage that made him irritated him just by looking at it.


    Nothing can be done about the lost portion, people of this gray business could not demand money from Jean.


    Thus, he concluded as so.


    Flamm was grabbed by the collar of her white dirty worn out shirt she was wearing, and dragged along the top of the stone corridor.


    Where he was going to bring her this time, she has no longer cared about imagining it.


    At any rate, it wasn¡¯t going to be an upright place.


    Whether she was going to be sold to someone else, or be killed.


    Either way, her future was pitch dark.


    Since she had been tattooed with the mark of a slave, she already gave up on her wish to go return to her hometown.


    Flamm, who had gave up on everything, stopped regretting on her past actions and ¡°why things had come to this.¡±


    When the merchant arrived at the destination after a struggle, he opened the lock of the jail in front of him, and threw Flamm into it.


    This is his base¡¯s basement he owned.


    There he installed a cage for disposing slaves.


    There were already four people in addition to Flamm inside, where everyone was convinced that their life was over, and had dead eyes.


    Of course, as a result of not receiving food, their limbs became thinner to the limit, and the women sitting in the most back wet herself with feces and urine and expressed a faint smile.


    She was broken long ago probably; her heart was still moving, but she was like a dead being.


    It goes without saying, the sanitary conditions were the worst.


    Of course, the smell was so terrible that even the lethargic Flamm grimaced at the smell.


    ¡°They¡¯ve accumulated; it¡¯s about time now I guess.¡±


    The merchant who closed the lock from outside the prison muttered.


    Something is starting¡ª¡ªhowever, whatever will start, among the living corpses not a single person had an interest.


    ¡°Have¡­¡­ you been here the whole time?¡±


    It was on a mere whim to think about starting a conversation with them.


    Then, when they opened their eyes slightly and showed a surprising behavior, they answered after a pause.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been here since three days ago.¡±


    Flamm noticed that the other part was a female from the voice.


    When she was covered with bandages and became thin from body up to the face, she could not conclude her gender.


    Her light gray colored hair grew up to her shoulder, and there was no way for one to conclude that she was a female by just seeing the length of her hair, but the other party was a slave; even the thought and possibility of growing her hair long was none.


    However, when looked she look straight at her eyes, Flamm felt that she had ¡°beautiful eyes.¡±


    The eye carried a feminine gentleness, and on top of that held a clear heart.


    Surely if they met differently, they would probably be able to walk a completely different, happy life.


    ¡°If we were brought here then¡­¡­ as expected, we¡¯re going to be killed.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. However, master said that he was going to dispose us.¡±


    ¡°Master?¡±


    ¡°The man just now. Currently, no one will buy me, so that person is my master.¡±


    ¡°Aah¡­¡­ I, see.¡±


    From those words, Flamm intuitive knew that she was a different living being from herself.


    It¡¯s likely that she had been living as a slave the entire time since she was a child, and was indelibly ingrained in her.


    Therefore, she was not repulsed to call even such a man as ¡°Master.¡±


    The skin visible from the gaps of the bandaging were red and inflamed.


    Perhaps, that face might have been the effect of the previous master¡¯s poor treatment¡ª¡ªFlamm imagined and shuddered.


    There was no intentions for the bandaged girl to continue the conversation.


    When Flamm awkwardly fell into silence, she started at the girl motionlessly for a brief period, and then turned her gaze towards the floor slowly.


    The two of them held their knees side by side without change, casting their eyes downward, and continued to stare at the gray nothingness.


    After that, footsteps sound could be heard approaching the jail.


    The one that showed up on the other side of the bars was, of course, the male slave trader.


    When he expressly brought a small stool and sat on it, he crossed his legs self-importantly/proudly and declared.


    ¡°Well then, I think you know already, but you guys have no value as a merchandise anymore. In other words, it means that your life has no worth. I don¡¯t have allowance to keep such useless meat; I¡¯ll have you disposed.¡±


    If that¡¯s the case, then you only need to simply kill them; there is no need to prepare.


    ¡°However.¡±


    The shape of the merchant¡¯s mouth evilly twitched upwards.


    ¡°Money was needed to buy you guys. Even though you guys were kept alive, it takes food expenses even if only a little. Do you think it was not worth it if I don¡¯t enjoy you guys to the brink of death?¡±


    The merchant asked the slaves a question, but no one responded.


    He responded to the no reactions with a, ¡°Tsk,¡± and he moved and disappeared from the front of the prison.


    Apparently, it seems like a handle was installed on the wall of where he moved to.


    He gripped the handle that was made of metal with both hands, and turned it clockwise.


    Then, at the sound of the jail cell ceiling alongside the stone pebbles rumbling, and pebbles and clouds of dust fell.


    The moment Flamm very listlessly turned her line of sight the place where the sound was coming from¡ª¡ªthud, and three of something around the size of a human fell from the whole that opened in the ceiling.


    No, it was literally humans, however, it did not have signs of being alive.


    The corpses, lying on top of one another, fell from the ceiling.


    Blood and a clear liquid scatter around the floor, and the jail became full of a rotten smell.


    The merchant, who stopped turning the handle and showed up in front of the slaves again, had a proud look.


    ¡°Fuu¡­¡­ do you not know what that is? It¡¯s a ghoul. A human¡¯s corpse would start to move on its own accord and move in accordance to its instincts under the influence of its remaining magic power¡ª¡ªto put it simply, the worst F-rank monster.¡±


    As if matching the merchant¡¯s expression, the ghouls started to make filthy sounds.


    Then, the body shook as if it was having a spasm, changed the direction of their head and searched for their prey.


    Flamm, who traveling together with the brave¡¯s journey, knew.


    Certainly, ghoul was the worst F-rank monster.


    Their movements were sluggish, and their body is also decaying flesh, so it¡¯s extremely fragile.


    ¡°If you defeat them, I¡¯ll take you out from there, and sell you as merchandise again. That is to say to live longer for a while. However, be careful, they are¡­¡­¡±


    However, on the other hand, even though they are F-rank, stories of negligent novice adventurers getting their head bitten off were often heard off.


    At least, for ordinary people, who have no combat experience, they are not monsters that can be dealt with unarmed.


    ¡°Aah, see I told you so, they¡¯re immediately swarming.¡±


    The ghouls rushed towards the women who discharged feces and urine in the corner of the room.


    The instinct that operates them is their ¡°appetite.¡±


    Rotting and decaying, they pursue fresh meat that they personally parted with, and get their teeth into living humans.


    Crushing, crunching, slurppppp¡ª¡ª


    Without even raising a scream, the broken women was devoured greedily by 3 ghouls, and killed.


    Flamm and the remaining two had planned on giving up their lives long ago, but they realized when they saw the death of the other person.


    ¡°This is serious, if you don¡¯t do something one way or anything, you¡¯ll all experience the same thing that women did? However, you can¡¯t kill a ghoul unarmed; a weapon is needed, right?¡±


    What was he getting excited about; the man¡¯s tone seem to be theatrical.


    ¡°Ooh oh, somehow there¡¯s a huge sword decorated on the wall? It¡¯s not a weight you can handle, but if that was the highest grade epic equipment, if it¡¯s covered in a magic enchantment, even the frail you guys can possibly deal with it?


    Anyone would¡¯ve understood without even thinking that that was a trap.


    However, if they wish to live on, they have no choice but to rely on that.


    A single man was the first that rushed to the big sword on the wall and held the hilt of the sword.


    Of course, there was no way that a thin man could lift up that big lump of metal.


    The naked sword blade that fell naturally to the stone floor with a crash, bounced, and scattered a small spark.


    And yet, because of his persistence, he barely let go the sword¡¯s hilt.


    Be that as it may, is there a meaning to such persistence?


    As a reaction to the noise, the heartless ghouls approached him but he couldn¡¯t swing the sword to intercept them in such situation.


    ¡°Hah, hah, hah! W-with this¡­¡­ with this, I can live, live and restart my li¡­¡­f¡­¡­e?¡±


    ¡°I have received, the feelings that you have shown. You¡¯ve endured well, in light of that perseverance, I¡¯ll relieve a bit of that pain for you.


    ¡°It¡­¡­ it¡¯s hot¡­¡­m-my body, is, ahhhhhhhh!¡±


    The man who took hold of the sword suddenly shouted.


    Looking closely, the skin on the back of his hand was peeling off, and his flesh and body started to become naked.


    No, it wasn¡¯t only his hand.


    His arm, shoulder and neck too¡ª¡ªperhaps even his legs and body under the cloth.


    His skin peeled off, furthermore even his flesh was being reduced to a thick liquid, and throwing away the form of a human as it flowed out.


    ¡°Ahahahahaha! Well, it¡¯s a shame. That looks like it¡¯s cursed. If you see something like a black sword blade, it¡¯s usually like that right? It¡¯s the same as that girl called something like Flamm. Long ago, I was deceived that it was a superior epic equipment and bought it¡­¡­ I haven¡¯t learned. Well, the fact it¡¯s an epic equipment itself is the truth, but however it seems to be suffering from a strong curse and it¡¯s article that can¡¯t be used normally. Kuhihihi, hyahahahaha!¡±


    The merchant guffawed and his laughter rose, as if it was something comical.


    ¡°However, such trash has become a stage setting in order to exterminate trash now, so I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s useful for.¡±


    While he was talking, the ghouls approached their next target.


    It was not Flamm, but towards another woman.


    ¡°Why are you coming my direction¡­¡­ don¡¯t come, don¡¯t comeeeeeee!¡±


    While frantically waving her hand, the woman stepped back.


    When that struggling was similar to entering depression, the merchant smiled even more.


    The opponent could not defeated with bare hands, and the sole weapon which was the last ray of hope was useless.


    There were already no ways of defeating them.


    The girl who believed so used her last resort.


    ¡°Please save me¡­¡­ please, I¡¯ll do my best! In order to sell me properly, I¡¯ll bet on my life that I¡¯ll put effort into itttttttttt!¡±


    When she mustered her strength and jumped at the bars, both hands grasped it tightly, and had her head bitten into that moment while begging for her life.


    Even her remaining weak pride was throw away, and succumbed to the other party that she should¡¯ve detested.


    She would not mind if she lived because of that; it¡¯s much better than being eaten and dying.


    ¡°Please, pleaseeeeee!¡±


    The merchant, who heard the desperate petition, ¡°fuu,¡± put out an amiable smile, and stood up.


    Squatting in front of the bars, and made eye contact at a close position.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ahh¡­¡­ y-you¡¯ll save me?¡±


    A small light of hope was lit in the woman¡¯s heart at the merchant¡¯s expression that he had not shown until now.


    He said one thing towards that women.


    ¡°You sure stink.¡±


    He declared coldy, drew out the knife from the scabbard hanging from his waist, and stabbed the soft portion of her lower jaw.


    ¡°Ge¡­¡­bube¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡­ how strong, you wouldn¡¯t think we were fellow humans, this smell. No, she¡¯s already not human; I¡¯d wish you spare me from your thinking that we¡¯re the same, haha.¡±


    As the women pressed her head between the opening of the bars, she slowly fell senselessly.


    As soon as the knife he stuck in got jammed, she met eyes with the merchant just then, and returned to the the chair seeing the women¡¯s dying face and smiling as if he bursted into laughter.


    ¡ª¡ªThe world is, very wide.


    The place I know was truly small, that just one part of it, just a step outside was full with stagnant corrosion.


    If I had not left, it would¡¯ve been fine, I really did not want to leave.


    Flamm cursed, at the creation god Origin who made her participate in the Brave¡¯s party.


    What oracle was that? What chosen hero? If there wasn¡¯t such a thing, I wouldn¡¯t have been seen with that kind of look.


    She helped her parents in the field from morning to afternoon, ate a warm lunch with her entire family, and when she thought it would be same after the afternoon, her friends would invite her to play, and her parents would send her off kindly saying see you later.


    Also, she would tell silly stories until it got dark, visit the village¡¯s merchant¡¯s home, have a little adventure up to the forest to gather flowers.


    When she returned, it would be time for dinner.


    They would have a warm conversation, everyone would laugh, prepare to sleep and when dawn breaks a similar day would start again¡ª¡ª


    That was good.


    She never wished for more than that; she practically did not say anything selfish, and everyone said that she was a good girl.


    Well, she might have been a bungle daughter, after all she had statuses 0 and caused trouble for her parents probably.


    But so what? After all, the other kids should have been troublesome more or less; the trouble that Flamm caused was adorable. Even her parents said, ¡°We¡¯ll be happier if you caused that sort of trouble,¡± and laughed.


    Then, as expected she was mistaken.


    Like this¡ª¡ªsomething must be wrong with a life where it ends by dying while being eaten by a ghoul and screaming unsightly.


    ¡°No¡­¡­ no way¡­¡­ I don¡¯t want to die in such a place¡­¡­ I, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡±


    In front of the gradually approaching ghouls who increased their low moans, in the head of Flamm there was rage and fear; at any rate, there were a variety of negative emotions bouncing around one place to another like a mixer.


    ¡°You have disagreements right, you deceived me, you stole large amount of money from me. Obediently die already.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t! It wasn¡¯t me, It wasn¡¯t me, I¡¯m not the one at fault!¡±


    It was true.


    She was sold without permission, enslaved without permission, and going to be killed without permission.


    It is fine to press all the responsibility of the that deed on the victim. Was it acceptable?


    ¡°No, the bad one is you. You were garbage despite being sold for a high price.¡±


    Even the world should have its rules, but why, why is what the merchant saying true in this place?


    At this rate, Flamm would die at her wit¡¯s end, unsightly, unhappy, and fall over in the corner of the room, and follow the pattern end where she would not even leave behind a grotesque corpse.


    No one would mourn for her, no one would be sad.


    Even her parents would not know she died, surely thrown away to some garbage dump, eventually disposed by incineration, and the existence known as Flamm would disappear.


    ¡°Even so, if you hate dying¡­¡­ ha, you can only take hold of a weapon and fight right? Ahahaha!¡±


    A weapon¡ª¡ªthe gigantic sword was lying down on the surface reflected into Flamm¡¯s eyes.


    Besides that, the mere shadow of the male slave who transformed into a skeleton.


    Would she give up, be eaten and die?


    ¡°U¡­¡­ uuuu¡­¡­ uuuuuuuu!¡±


    Flamm slowly stood up.


    Her physical condition was the worst, her stomach was left empty, and her body was tried.


    Also, during this one week, the merchant exerted violence on her, so her body was worn-out.


    Her legs became bow legged, slightly shaking, and the most unsightly.


    In fact, the merchant was staring at her appearance with a faint smile.


    She took one step and advanced forward.


    Her step was small, and at this rate, the ghoul would probably eat her earlier than she would arrive at the sword.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡­aah, ah¡­¡­ahhhhh¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Even so¡¯.


    When confronted with an absurd situation, it was the words that she told herself numerous times.


    She repeated it in her mind.


    Each time she did, her foot proceeded one step forward.


    After increasing many times, it felt like her paces were becoming bigger.


    However, rather than smashing a bad dream with a heroic determination, the cruel reality was far stronger.


    If noticed, the ghoul would draw near her immediately close to her, and finally the inflamed arm would grab hold on the girl¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡ª¡±


    Drawing Flamm to itself with an unworldly power, Flamm¡¯s body leaned over while shaking violently.


    When the ghoul put its mouth close to the falling girl¡¯s left shoulder, splat, and the widely opened its stretched mouth, pierced the clothes with its light brown dirty teeth, and bit into the flesh.


    ¡°Gy, aaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡­¡­ ga, ha, ha, gulp¡­¡­!¡±


    Even for Flamm where that spot was supposed to be used to pain recently, it was painful to the degree than it couldn¡¯t be endured.


    Nevertheless, the ghoul sank its teeth without caring, and bit off some flesh including the cloth.


    ¡°Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    Rip, and one part of herself came off, and Flamm¡¯s face warped into pain.


    Not being able to bear it, involuntarily fell down.


    Even so, beyond her gaze was a sword.


    ¡°Do your bessst, you¡¯re almost thereee.¡±


    The merchant¡¯s inattentive support could be heard.


    Even the bandaged girl who maintained to be indifferent was staring at Flamm before she knew it.


    ¡°Fuu, fuu¡­¡­ uu, uuuuuu, gi, guuuuu.¡±


    While gritting her teeth and breathing roughly through her nose, she was certainly getting closer.


    When the ghoul flopped onto her, it bit into that girl¡¯s right calf.


    ¡°Agyauuuuu!¡±


    Her muscles were teared off, chewed and swallowed deeply.


    Furthermore, another ghoul reached out and ate her left thigh.


    The last one also finished his previous meal, and the girl¡¯s legs could no longer function.


    ¡°With this¡­.. fin, ally¡­¡­¡±


    With this, at last.


    At last, she¡¯d melt, and die.


    The ghouls would further devour Flamm¡¯s body and left it untidy.


    She¡¯d die at any rate even if it was neglected.


    What¡¯s important is that she grasped the sword and died by her own will.


    Therefore, if she were to say what changed, she wouldn¡¯t really know; it was probably just up to the point of self-satisfaction.


    There was only a strange sense of accomplishment.


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah? What¡¯s this.¡±


    As far as the slowly dying Flamm was concerned, hearing the voice of the merchant was trivial.


    ¡­¡­ That¡¯s right, that¡¯s what she thought.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­¡­ why, why are her wounds healing!?¡±


    Flamm, who felt an uncomfortable feeling of confusion, decided once more in the end, and opened her eyes.


    Then¡ª¡ª


    ¡°Eh¡­¡­?¡±


    For some reason, the ghouls took distance from Flamm, and stood stock still.


    That appearance looked somewhat perplexing.


    And then, the most surprising thing was that the leg injuries that the ghouls should¡¯ve bitten were completely healed.


    Of course, her shoulder as well.


    Flamm tried opening and closing her own palm countless times immediately.


    Furthermore, she tried pinching and pulling her cheek.


    ¡­¡­It hurts.


    It was not her imagination, it was not a dream, in other words, this body¡¯s light feeling was also¡ª¡ª


    As Flamm stood up, she picked up the sword with one hand.


    By no means could it be said that it was light, but even so she was able to hold it.


    The metal lump whose size that was 80% of the height of the weak Flamm, with one hand.


    ¡°I see¡­¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t understand the reason, but she understood the result.


    Flamm did not give up.


    Even in hopeless situations, she sticked to her own intentions as she went down on her hands and knees.


    Her whole body that was overflowing with power was rewarded by that resolution.


    ¡°¡­¡­I, can stay alive. That¡¯s right isn¡¯t it, that¡¯s right, I haven¡¯t done anything bad, but to die in this sort of place¡­¡­ must be a mistake right.¡±


    The bewildered ghouls started to slowly move forward slowly towards Flamm.


    Even that ghastly appearance, the fear from before couldn¡¯t be felt.


    She closed her eyes and let out a breath, ¡°Fu.¡±


    She sharpened her senses, put strength into her palm that was gripping tightly onto the sword, and advanced towards her enemies with her own purpose.


    There was nothing to be afraid of, the blade¡¯s reach was far longer than the arm of a ghoul.


    When she made sure of the appropriate opportunity and swung the sword lightly¡ª¡ª


    ¡°Haaaaa!¡±


    Boom!


    The upper half of the three ghouls burst open at the same time.


    Nonetheless, even if the body was rotting, it was powerful enough to bisect them with just the graze of the tip.


    It couldn¡¯t be possible expected from a blow from a girl with a physical strength of 0.


    There was no doubt that it was some sort of mechanic from the sword.


    However, as far as Flamm was concerned, right now that sort of thing was irrelevant.


    The important thing was to live and leave this place.


    When she approached the lock sealing of the prison this time, she gripped with her both hand and swung downwards from above with all her might.


    Thunk!


    The lock was easily destroyed, and the door opened with a squeak.


    The girl left from there, and stood in front of the merchant.


    ¡°W¡­¡­wait, wait! Listen up, it¡¯s okay to leave! Therefore¡­¡­ at least my l-life¡­¡­¡±


    There was no particular reason for Flamm to kill him.


    In the first place, she, who had roughly no battle experience, did not plan on becoming a murderer at all.


    In addition, if it became clear that she was the criminal that killed him, if you thought about her position as a slave, she probably could not escape from death penalty.


    Therefore¡ª¡ª


    Thud.


    Flamm easily thrusted the sword selfishly into the merchant¡¯s face.


    The wide blade precisely cut apart that head¡¯s tip to his jaw, and when she pulled and extracted it, his skull split open splendidly like a flower blooming.


    His blood and spinal fluid flowed down.


    The contents of the merchant expelled a much more unpleasant smell than the girl he called ¡®smelly¡¯.


    Flamm¡¯s heart was so composed that she herself was even surprised, and did not feel guilty.


    The feeling of her palm felt roughly the same as when she cut the ghouls.


    That¡¯s right, she had already killed human-shaped monsters, so there wasn¡¯t a big difference in killing a rotten slave trader.


    It was a logical reason.


    It¡¯s okay, Flamm was normal, she had not gone mad.


    With her experience she tasted this one week, he values were only slightly warped.


    There was no scabbard prepared for the large sword being held by Flamm in the beginning.


    Even if it could he handled with one hand, she could not afford it carry around the exposed edge like that.


    ¡®How do I store it¡¯¡ª¡ªThe moment Flamm thought that, the large sword became particles and disappeared.


    Then, on the back of the girl¡¯s right hand, a red crest was engraved.


    ¡°Come to think of it, he said that it was an epic equipment¡­¡­ the equipment that Cyrillic-chan possessed was also like this right; the one that could be stored away with just her mind.¡±


    This was the feature of the ¡®epic¡¯ ranked equipment that contained high magical power.


    Equipments were ranked separately as grades: common, uncommon, rare. legend , epic; the closer it approached epic, the better the performance became.


    These ranks, as well as status and equipment, could be confirmed by invoking the skill ¡®Scan¡¯.


    Also, it was possible for a ranked epic equipment to be stored away freely in another dimension by having it in mind by the possessor.


    To put it simply, it¡¯s abilities were high, moreover it was convenient to carry, and epic equipment was absurdly expensive.


    It was not something a regular slave trader would possess, but¡ª¡ªit was likely that it a ¡®cursed equipment¡¯ that absorbed people¡¯s grudges and therefore traded at a low price probably.


    Well, if she didn¡¯t have to make use of it showing bare, it was better than nothing.


    Flamm, who succeed on successfully safely storing the equipment, sat down in the jail cell, and approached the bandaged girl that was looking at her direction.


    Then, give her a hand in silence.


    Of course, the girl was puzzled.


    ¡°Hm? That¡¯s not it. Let¡¯s run away together.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, if the merchant is dead, there isn¡¯t any reason to remain here right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The girl motionlessly started at Flamm¡¯s face, and sank into silence.


    Her eyes were pretty, but she did not know what she was thinking about.


    ¡°Come on, after all if it was leaked that I killed the merchant, it¡¯d be bad. Come on, let¡¯s hurry up and go!¡±


    Without waiting, Flamm forcibly grabbed the girl¡¯s hand and took action.


    Like that she left the jail cell, and took her out of the location.


    ¡°Um¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Could, you become my master?¡±


    Flamm stopped her legs reflexively.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t particularly have that intention though.¡±


    How did she arrive at that conclusion just by taking her outside?


    ¡°But, aren¡¯t you taking me along? Aren¡¯t you trying to make use of me?¡±


    ¡°Use¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Am I wrong? If so, why are you taking me outside? Even if I follow a person that isn¡¯t my master, I do not know what to do.¡±


    That girl is a slave by nature.


    In addition, perhaps all along since her birth.


    Therefore, as far as she was concerned, human relationships outside of ¡®slave¡¯ and ¡®master¡¯ did not exist.


    To be frank, the reason Flamm thought of taking her out was only because it¡¯d be disheartening and lonely alone.


    However, if the bandaged girl told her to become her master, and if she did not consent, then¡ª¡ª


    ¡°I get it, then from today on I will be your master, will you follow me?¡±


    She nodded her head in agreement.


    ¡°Then¡­¡­ first can I ask for your name?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am Milkit. I will be in your care, master.¡±


    Milkit bowed her head very deeply.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡­ by all means, Milkit.¡±


    While being perplexed at this unfamiliar way of calling her ¡®master¡¯, she took hold of the girl¡¯s hand, and broke into a run again.


    They left the location, escaped the alleyway, and went to the main street.


    After coming this far, it should be safe.


    Flamm finally felt after a long time a sense of security after returning and being sucked into her fellow humans in the atmosphere of an upright place.

 CH 3

    ¡ª


    Flamm and Milkit held hands and walked along the street. Flamm didn¡¯t have anywhere in particular that she wanted to go, but she did want to get far away from that merchant¡¯s base.


    Although they are walking along a road that Flamm had used many times, the passerby looked at them with cold eyes. Nobody would imagine that a girl dressed in rags with shabby hair and a slave¡¯s brand engraved on her face was the Flamm Apricot that they used to know. Occasionally somebody walking past would jar their shoulders on purpose and continue on with a grin.


    ¡°Hey Milkit. Are slaves always treated like this?¡± Flamm asked as they weaved between people.


    Milkit tilted her head. ¡°Like what?¡±


    That answer was enough. For her, it is normal to be looked down on. For others, a slave is someone to despise or perhaps to use to satisfy their desires.


    Flamm was lost in thought as she stroked her face with her empty left hand. She could feel under her finger a slight change in texture that originally did not exist. The mark is colored with a special paint that will never disappear. It is still painful to touch, but as she thought about it she felt greater mental pain than physical pain.


    ¡°Master, are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°I just reconfirmed that this is a slave brand.¡±


    Flamm was released from the Hero¡¯s party and had escaped from the slave merchant, but with that marking on her face she can not go back to her hometown.


    To be a slave is to be as good as dead. But Flamm is still alive, still walking under her own power according to her own will. Besides, she¡¯s not just by herself. However different they might be, she has a companion who will suffer together with her if she just gives up.


    ¡°First we have to earn money,¡± Flamm said.


    ¡°Yes¡­ the only way is to sell our bodies. I, I do not have that kind of experience, so I¡¯m not sure if I can do it well.¡±


    Milkit¡¯s first proposal was prostitution. Flamm sighed before rejecting it out of hand.


    ¡°Milkit, look out for yourself a bit more.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Prostitution is the absolute last resort.¡±


    ¡°Then, what are we going to do?¡± Milkit asked.


    ¡°First, lets head to the center of the West District. We can get a job there,¡± Flamm said.


    ¡°There¡¯s work that can be contracted even by slaves¡­¡±


    There was only one such job that allowed people in this kingdom to earn money regardless of status. Milkit might not be able to think of it now, but she would understand once she was in front of the building.


    Flamm tightened her grip on Milkit¡¯s hand and picked up the pace.


    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó


    The capital was divided into four areas: Center Ward, East Ward, West Ward, and North Ward. The largest area was the Center Ward with large and small shops and a lot of houses lined up in places off the boulevard. East Ward was a high class residential area where various rich people such as aristocrats and large merchants lived. North Ward had facilities that played a large role in the kingdom, such as the King¡¯s Castle and the Cathedral. The poor people who are shunned in other areas gathered in the West Ward.


    The slave merchant¡¯s base was in the Center Ward, but it¡¯s not far from there to the West Ward. Once they entered the West Ward it didn¡¯t take long to reach Flamm¡¯s destination.


    After they stopped in front of a particular building, Milkit looked at the signboard by the entrance before exclaiming in surprise.


    ¡°Is this ¡­ the adventurer¡¯s guild?¡±


    As the name suggests, the adventurer¡¯s guild is a facility where adventurers gather, undertake jobs entrusted to the guild, and report the results. The profession of ¡°adventurer¡± is a remnant from the time of the brave human beings who helped to explore and pacify the monster-infested countryside back when there were many undeveloped areas in the kingdom.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard that even former slaves can be adventurers. Now that I have the power to fight, I thought I could handle simple requests.¡±


    The experience of killing the ghouls and merchants had raised Flamm¡¯s confidence. She felt a little uneasy at crossing the fatal line, but for somebody who had lost a straight way to live there was no other way.


    ¡°By the way Master, where did that power to fight come from? As soon as you grabbed the sword you healed your injuries and you could swing that big sword easily.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that merchant said that this sword is Epic Equipment. It seems the effect of its enchantment was to improve my physical ability.¡±


    ¡°But the man who grabbed it first¡­ his body melted and died.¡±


    ¡°That is worrisome. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t do a magical scan since I don¡¯t have any magical power¡­¡±


    There is a simple magic that could be used on the sword to confirm its name and magical effects.


    ¡°Wait, wait, when my body got lighter my magical power also rose. Come here a bit.¡±


    Flamm had never used the scanning magic, but she knew about how it was done. She pulled on Millkit¡¯s hand and led the two of them into the alley next to the adventurer¡¯s guild. Soon they were alone and hidden from view of the street.


    ¡°Come out,¡± Flamm ordered.


    Particles of light swirled into view and coalesced into a sword held in the palm of her hand. Pleasantly surprised that the sword came out on command, Flamm took a breath and began to invoke a ¡°scan¡± of the sword.


    First, the most basic of basics, she had to feel the magical power filling her body and concentrate on any part of it. She could never grasp that feeling when she tried it before¡­ but now she could feel a power flowing inside of her body. Before, she had tried not to dwell on it. Even if she tried her hardest, it would always stay out of reach. She had never thought that it could be so easy. She focused, brought the power to her head and focused it around her eyes.


    ¡°Scan.¡±


    And the magic activated.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Name: Zwei Hander of Soul Eating


    Quality: Epic


    [This equipment reduces your strength by 318]


    [This equipment reduces your magical power by 96]


    [This equipment reduces your vitality by 293]


    [This equipment reduces your agility by 181]


    [This equipment reduces your perception by 107]


    [This equipment melts your body]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    ¡°Soul Eating¡­¡±


    Flamm unintentionally read out loud as she took in the characters displayed in her field of view. It was a title suitable for curse equipment. She guessed that the sword was originally just a Zwei Hander. The sword took in somehow the grudge of the dead. After  absorbing the despair of those who died it became a cursed sword that killed all those who held it.


    ¡°But why? With enchantments that reduce stats, I should not be able to use such a huge sword.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s enchanted to reduce stats?¡±


    ¡°Well, as far as I can see. Can you try a scan, Milkit?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t use scanning magic.¡±


    That shouldn¡¯t be possible. As long as their magical power is not 0 due to a special circumstance like Flamm¡¯s, a person should be able to use scan. Even if their magical power is 1.


    That was Flamm¡¯s first thought, but she soon realized the truth. Although it is certainly basic magic, it is not taught by just anyone and it¡¯s not something that can be used without being taught. In short, nobody taught Milkit even the basics of magic usage.


    ¡°Besides, I think I would not understand it, even if I can see it,¡± Milkit admitted.


    Flamm was blessed. Every time she hears Milkit¡¯s words she feels it.


    ¡°Well, if I can do it, I can teach it. Should we start studying together once things calm down?¡±


    Flamm smiled. Milkit kept silent for a few seconds before turning her eyes a little bit. Flamm could see that she felt a little puzzled and embarrassed.


    ¡°If Master needs it, I will obey.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s decided,¡± Flamm said. ¡°Though the mystery of the equipment remains. My stats should decline and my body should melt, but on the contrary my abilities increased and my wounds healed¡­ to the contrary¡­ reverse¡­¡±


    There was one thing that might explain it. If she was experiencing the ¡°reversal¡± of the intended effect of the enchantment-


    ¡°My attribute? No way, could it be something like that?¡±


    ¡°Your attribute?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my attribute is ¡®inverse,¡¯ it is a so-called rare attribute. It¡¯s because of that attribute that my stats were nothing but 0. I thought it was useless¡­ but that must be what I used!¡±


    In other words, the inverse of a decrease is an increase. The inverse of body dissolution turns to physical healing. It might be said that her attribute turns curses into blessings.


    ¡°I always wondered why I had such a useless power. I never thought to use cursed equipment, so I never noticed it¡­ Hahahahahahahahahahahah!¡±


    Flamm¡¯s heart soared as her laughter rang louder. She caught herself and hung her head as she realized Milkit did not understand at all.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I was too excited,¡± Flamm said. ¡°In short, I will be able to become stronger if I use cursed equipment thanks to my attribute!¡±


    ¡°Okay, Master is amazing.¡±


    Milkit¡¯s reaction was calm. Flamm coughed as she also calmed down. It hadn¡¯t been long since they met. Milkit seemed to have the sort of personality that doesn¡¯t have too much emotional inflection. It was a bit disappointing when she¡¯s looking to celebrate together, but it did help her to focus on the task at hand.


    While Flamm was excited some time had passed. She wants to earn enough money to cover their accommodation for the day. In order to be registered as an adventurer, they have to first receive and complete a simple F-ranked request. Once they finish it they will receive a license and will also be paid enough money to stay in a cheap hotel.


    The two of them left the alley and entered the guild. Inside, the facility was something even a flatterer couldn¡¯t describe as beautiful. The smell of sake permeated the building even though it was daytime. There was a tavern attached to the guild that was used as a meeting place for recruiting party members. A group of disreputable looking adventurers were hanging out there. When they saw the appearance of the two girls who came in and spotted the slave brands on their faces, vulgar grins spread across the room.


    The reception desk was just in front of the entrance. The receptionist behind the desk was fiddling with her nails with a bored expression on her face. When she looked up and saw Flamm her face twisted into a frown.


    ¡°What is a slave doing here? I don¡¯t see any reason for a nobleman to send his maids here.¡±


    ¡°I want to be an adventurer. Could you issue a license?¡±


    After Flamm spoke, not only the receptionist but also the drinking adventurers all looked upset.


    ¡°You¡¯re joking. Are you trying to throw your lives away? You look better suited to be prostitutes. I can introduce you to some opportunities for that kind of work.¡±


    Her voice was full of malice. Flamm somehow swallowed her frustration, but the surrounding adventurers recovered from their shock in time to interrupt her attempt to speak.


    ¡°Would you like to come over here, my brown haired child? I¡¯ll pay for tonight. Ah, never mind, the bandage is no good.¡±


    ¡°Hey hey-¡±


    ¡°Well, you can go if you want, but who knows what she looks like?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s no good¡­ well, I might go because I¡¯ve been doing nothing but work lately.¡±


    ¡°Hahahahah, you¡¯d go with a stray dog ??if one came along!¡±


    ¡°No, hey, hahahahah!¡±


    Flamm gritted her teeth, both hands clenching into fists. She glared at the men, unable to stand it ¨C then Milkit grabbed the hem of her clothes. Flamm looked over to see Milkit shake her head.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because Master will lose, please don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°For your information, I am not only angry for your sake.¡±


    Although perhaps 90% of her anger was due to the vulgar words directed against Milkit. When Milkit noticed it, she stopped Flamm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke, you are my Master. I can accept these insults if it makes your life easier.¡±


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°Even so¡­¡±


    While the two of them were distracted, the receptionist had turned back to focus on her nails as she had been doing before Flamm came. Flamm shook off her anger at the adventurers and turned back to the receptionist.


    ¡°No, I do not want that. Please issue a license.¡±


    The receptionist remained silent and ignored her.


    ¡°Hey you!¡±


    ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re a slave. Keep silent and open your legs when you get paid.¡±


    The receptionist laughed as she finished speaking. Flamm was truly enraged and almost ready to leap over the counter and wring her neck.


    ¡°Hey now, don¡¯t say that.¡±


    She was interrupted by a man coming over from the tavern. He seemed to have the intent of acting as a mediator.


    The man was slender, about one head taller than Flamm. He was leanly muscled rather than thin, with dark brown hair that was trimmed short. Being that he was in the tavern he wasn¡¯t wearing any armor, but he did have a one-handed sword of high quality at his waist.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt you. My name is Dain Finiarth, an A rank adventurer in the guild here. Please, let¡¯s calm down.¡±


    Flamm took the hand that he extended while looking him up and down. His hands were big, the skin rugged. He had a scar on his cheek and was wearing a gentle expression, but his eyes were sharp. He had to have ability if he had climbed up to A rank.


    Adventurers start at F rank. Their ranks rise with the cumulative amount of rewards that they have received from the guild. It is difficult to reach all the way up to A rank without repeatedly completing high difficulty requests.


    ¡°Ella, a newcomer came to the guild,¡± Dain said, addressing the receptionist. ¡°Is this any way to welcome her?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Whether you can survive after receiving a license depends on your ability. Slaves, nobility¡­ who cares? I think anybody should be able to face the challenge.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    This man named Dain probably has a strong reputation. Ella had been cursing up until his arrival but lowered her head under his pressure.


    Dain leaned over the counter and dragged a paper over from Ella¡¯s side.


    ¡°How about this?¡±


    The document now in front of Flamm was labeled ¡°delivery of one Werewolf¡¯s Fang.¡± It was marked as a rank F request. It also showed a map, marking where the monsters are likely to be found.


    Dain nodded. ¡°Yes, we will give you a license as soon as the task is completed.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Flamm said, taking the map.


    Ella shot her a glare, causing Flamm to sigh in her heart. If she becomes an adventurer, she will be accepting requests from the West Ward adventurer¡¯s guild for a long time. She was disappointed to have made an enemy already.


    Before leaving the guild, Flamm turned to Dain and lowered her head.


    ¡°Mr. Dain, thank you.¡±


    Dain gave a gentle smile and nodded to Flamm before returning to the table where his friends were sitting. Flamm took Milkit¡¯s hand and left the adventurer¡¯s guild. Dain watched the two of them until they were out of sight before bursting out in laughter.


    ¡°What did you do, Dain?¡± a man at the same table asked him.


    ¡°As you can see, I just gave them a license issuance request,¡± Dain said. ¡°I¡¯m a nice guy.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ how about the content of the request?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I thought about the future of my juniors and just made it a little more challenging.¡±


    As Dain spoke, he poured wine into his glass. ¡°Ah, originally I put the request in at F rank and nobody wanted to take it.¡±


    ¡°What is it supposed to be?¡±


    With Dain¡¯s influence, putting a request in the wrong letter ranking isn¡¯t difficult.


    ¡°A little higher.¡±


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°Just a bit. All I did was give a D rank request out as F rank,¡± Dain said, laughing. ¡°If she really is meant to be an adventurer, beating a Werewolf should be easy.¡±


    ¡°D rank is at least three times stronger than F rank¡­ a Werewolf could be five times stronger. You killed that girl.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if she¡¯s not as talented as me.¡±


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s Dain for you!¡±


    The adventurers were greatly excited that dinner would not just be accompanied by wine but also the story of slave girls dying miserably.


    ¨C ¡°The brave coward¡±, Dain Finianas.


    A man who became A ranked despite his own lack of ability. He advanced through fraud by hanging out in the guild and bamboozling new adventurers in the West Ward, taking some of their remuneration as his own achievement.


    Flamm and Milkit held hands and headed to the place marked on the map, blissfully unaware of Dain¡¯s true identity.


    TN: It¡¯s not clear to me how Dain benefits from sending Flamm out to certain death¡­ I assume he runs other scams that benefit himself and sending newbies out to die is just something he does for fun.


    ¡ª

 CH 4

    ¡ª


    The forest that was their destination finally came into view. Getting there had taken an hour of walking after leaving the west gate of the capital. While Flamm was fine thanks to the effect of the equipment raising her physical strength, Milkit was visibly fatigued.


    ¡°Would you like to take a break before entering the forest?¡±


    ¡°If you are aware of me, you can ignore me.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, let¡¯s take a break¡±


    The master did not have to worry about the slave¡¯s physical condition. That was what Milkit was trying to say, but it seemed Flamm had understood her statement as a confession that in her heart she wanted to rest.


    Milkit lightly tapped the bandage hanging from her face with her finger. It may have been an expression of frustration. Of course she would never have voiced such a thing, and Flamm¡¯s decision wouldn¡¯t be changed by anything she said.


    They found a stump near the entrance to the forest and Flamm took a seat. Milkit stood nearby, her posture correct. Flamm could see that Milkit was trying not to stand in Flamm¡¯s line of sight. Flamm felt a bit irritated, and patted the stump next to where she was sitting.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    ¡°You standing while I sit worries me. Please sit down.¡±


    Milkit couldn¡¯t maintain her stance any more in the face of Flamm¡¯s appeal. She kept a little distance from her master and sat down in a tranquil way at the edge of the stump. She still seemed concerned about maintaining an appropriate reserve, but for the moment she was willing to compromise.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that you will feel uncomfortable when you see my face?¡± Milkit asked, confused.


    As she spoke her lips moved behind the bandage, scraping against the cloth.


    Flamm responded naturally. ¡°I think it¡¯s creepy and disgusting¡±


    There was no point in hiding it. The cloth covering Milkit¡¯s face was dirty and stained in places with dried blood. The skin visible through the gaps in the cloth had an unhealthy color. Even though she was a young girl around Flamm¡¯s age, it was a matter of course to feel disgust when seeing such an appearance.


    ¡°Well, why did you rescue me?¡±


    ¡°Because I would get lonely if I was by myself.¡±


    ¡°In that case, since I am disfigured and unfriendly, you should sell me and buy another slave.¡±


    Milkit really had no sense of self-preservation.


    It was true there was no real reason for Flamm to cling to Milkit. They just happened to be in the same cage and she only took Milkit out because she survived by chance. But still, although Flamm was not sure why, she felt a sense of purpose coming from her gut.


    ¡°After that¡­ maybe it was hypocritical.¡±


    ¡°Your reason for bringing me along?¡±


    ¡°Well, before, I couldn¡¯t do anything. I was useless, nobody could redeem me, and as a result I was sold as a slave. What a depressing idea,¡± Flamm said. ¡°With you being so unfortunate as well, if you could live a happy life, then it could give me a reason to live. That may be a bit¡­ but I think it was on my mind.¡±


    Flamm was telling the truth. At the time, it was a minor impulse that she wasn¡¯t consciously aware of. However, when she thinks back on it, it certainly seems to have been part of her motivation. If she could act because she wanted to save Milkit from the bottom of the abyss, like a hero¡­ doing something like that would help to regain the confidence that she had completely lost when she was exiled from the hero¡¯s party and made a slave.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand. If Master wants a happy slave, you should sell me right away. I¡¯m not suited for it.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you decided that I am your master already?¡± Flamm asked. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to do anything to change it.¡±


    ¡°If so -¡±


    Milkit reached around the back of her head and removed the knot tied in the cloth covering her face. Then, she pulled the cloth away.


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡±


    Her exposed face was so bad that Flamm gasped without thinking. The disfigurement she had seen through the gaps in the cloth was spread throughout Milkit¡¯s face. From her jaw to her forehead, her skin was covered with red splotches and often peeling off. Clear pus seeped out from the open sores, while scattered swelling further ruined the lines of her face.


    ¡°Do you still want to keep me?¡±


    Milkit seemed determined to be thrown away. Or at least, unable to act for her own benefit instead of thinking of her master first. She seemed to think that it was not fair that she had hidden her face behind a bandage. Even if Flamm had her own reasons for saving Milkit, it was only by exposing her face that Flamm could make an informed decision.


    Flamm put her hand to her mouth and stopped. There were many thoughts running around in her head: ¡°disgusting,¡± ¡°painful,¡± ¡°grotesque,¡± ¡°poor little thing,¡± and ¡°her burning eyes are still beautiful.¡± All statements that were useless in her situation, as they would have no meaning for Milkit. However, one practical thought did occur to her.


    The symptom of living flesh rotting in this way¡­ during her journey with the hero¡¯s party, she had heard something about it while she was learning about herbs from Eterna.


    ¡°Maybe, mustard poison?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Let me touch it a little,¡± Flamm said.


    If what Flamm thought was correct, touching the affected area shouldn¡¯t cause any pain. In order to confirm what she was thinking, Flamm extended her hand toward Milkit¡¯s face. Milkit reacted quickly, standing up and stepping out of reach.


    ¡°Master, you will be infected.¡±


    ¡°Mustard poison is never contagious to others,¡± Flamm said. ¡°Who told you otherwise?¡±


    ¡°My previous master. He told me that it is infectious and absolutely will not heal, so I can never touch others.¡±


    Almost without thought, the hand that Flamm had extended towards Milkit clenched into a fist. She could feel the nails biting into the palm of her hand. The world was infested with more rotten people than she ever imagined. All the sacrifices fell on the innocent. The perpetrators lived happily while the victims suffered, struggled, and died. Even the victim¡¯s death was just entertainment. Could such an unjust society persist-was it worth persisting?


    ¡°All these lies¡­ everybody lies!¡±


    Flamm wished there was an opponent she could hit in anger. She was furious enough that she really wanted to eat somebody¡¯s soul with her sword, but only the victim was there with her. All she could do was try to comfort Milkit.


    Flamm stood and decisively closed the distance between her and Milkit. It wasn¡¯t contagious anyway. Even if Milkit didn¡¯t like it, Flamm would make contact with her. Reaching up, she caressed her cheek.


    ¡°No, this¡­ if it really is contagious, Master will be ugly like me.¡±


    Milkit¡¯s voice was tinged with emotion that usually did not exist in her empty words. In contrast with Flamm¡¯s behavior, her previous master had threatened her with punishment if she ever touched others.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Flamm said, almost shouting in an attempt to drive off Milkit¡¯s bad memories.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t mean to quit being your master just because of this. You might have tried to escape from me by showing your real face, but it won¡¯t work,¡± Flamm said. ¡°Rather, my determination is more solid than before.¡±


    ¡°I said that I would make you happy. I will continue to be your master for a long time,¡± Flamm continued. ¡°Who cares if your former master said your face won¡¯t heal? While recovery magic might not be able to cure you¡­ what you can¡¯t cure with magic, you should cure with medicine.¡±


    In the kingdom it is currently the job of priests and nuns, not doctors, to treat injuries, diseases, and poisons. By using light attribute healing magic, neither medication nor surgical treatment is required. Due to the spread of this method, the average life expectancy of the kingdom has been growing in recent decades. However, recovery magic is not universal. There are diseases and poisons that magic can¡¯t cure. One of them was skin damage caused by mustard poison.


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Milkit said. ¡°But does Master know how, even though nobody else does? Are there any pharmacists left in the kingdom?¡±


    Milkit had identified a serious problem. Once the current pope inherited his position, the church started crushing pharmacists in order to maintain their monopoly on medical treatment. Pressure, disrupting transactions, buying up medicinal herbs and breaking supply sources. Most pharmacists went out of business.


    But not all of the knowledge and technology had been lost. When Flamm had traveled with the hero¡¯s party, she had learned that the long arm of the church had not been able to affect magicians who lived alone in remote areas. For example, the witch Eterna.


    Flamm had learned some knowledge of magic and herbs from her as a way to help the party even a little on their journey. She did not learn enough to become a true expert capable of purifying the herbs into medicine, but she learned enough to be able to identify the cause by seeing the symptoms.


    ¡°I know the ingredients needed for the antidote. I will buy them once we earn some money,¡± Flamm said. ¡°I will need the help from an acquaintance to turn the ingredients into medicine.¡±


    Although Flamm spoke with confidence, she wasn¡¯t entirely sure that Eterna would help her out. After all, Eterna had allowed her to be sold as a slave. On the other hand, during the journey Eterna had been a gentle teacher who lived at her own pace. Flamm had worked hard to build a relationship of trust. Considering how things had turned out, it was hard to say that she knew Eterna¡¯s true heart¡­ but she did not believe it, she did not believe Eterna had abandoned her.


    For now, Flamm would be optimistic. She would only think about the positive things. The world had enough negative things already. Flamm chose to believe that if she gathered medicinal herbs and asked Eterna for help, she should definitely make the medicine.


    ¡°Of course, we first have to overcome today,¡± Flamm said.


    ¡°Yes. If we take too long, the sun will set.¡±


    The two of them shivered. Then they worked together to replace Milkit¡¯s bandage before joining hands and stepping into the forest where the werewolf was said to live.


    The forest was dark. Not much sunlight penetrated through the leafy canopy. The air was cold. The ground was soft and treacherous underfoot.


    This was Flamm¡¯s first time performing a request as an adventurer. Her first time as the strongest member of a party. Her heart was beating fast from the tension. Did she really want to keep going? Part of her wanted to run away. But the warmth of the hand in hers and the feeling of the need to protect gave her the courage to overcome her fears.


    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó


    Flamm came to a stop in a small hiding place about ten minutes after they entered the forest. She pulled Milkit behind a tree before getting her attention and holding an index finger up to her lips.


    ¡°Over there, a werewolf,¡± Flamm whispered.


    On the other side of the tree and a little distance away, a wolf-like creature walking on its hind legs was searching for prey.


    ¡°Um, master, I can not fight. Did I have to come here?¡±


    That was a good question, although the timing was awkward. Flamm answered, keeping her voice as quiet as she could.


    ¡°I thought about leaving you to wait in the capital, but humans can be as dangerous as monsters.¡±


    If she left a helpless slave like Milkit alone in town, Flamm didn¡¯t know what would happen. There was a possibility they would never meet again.


    ¡°Is it really all right to be here?¡±


    ¡°Since the opponent is ranked F, I think it is safe. At worst, you can run away so you don¡¯t get hurt,¡± Flamm said. ¡°I will think about whether to bring you next time depending on the circumstances.¡±


    Once they have money and can reserve a room at an inn it might be safer for Milkit to stay behind.


    Flamm first did a scan to confirm the werewolf¡¯s status.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Werewolf


    Attribute: earth


    Strength: 159


    Magical Power: 22


    Vitality: 79


    Dexterity: 207


    Perception: 54


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    She saw all the numbers, much to her disgust.


    ¡°Gah, there¡¯s no way¡­ oh, that Dain was the same as the rest after all.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°That monster¡¯s stats add up to 521,¡± Flamm said. ¡°If the total value exceeds 500 usually it will be treated as a D rank monster.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t this an F rank request?¡±


    The two were completely deceived by Dain. If a new adventurer charged at a D ranked monster, they would definitely be killed. Even if they are careful and plan ahead, the chance of winning is thin. In other words, Dain tried to take the lives of two people, however indirectly.


    ¡°Unfortunately for him, I¡¯m not that weak.¡±


    The Zwei Hander raised Flamm¡¯s stats by a total of 995. That was equivalent to the top rank of class D monsters. Considering the healing ability as well, she should be able to dispatch the werewolf without any problem.


    Flamm could see in her mind¡¯s eye the pattern of the sword as it is stored in another dimension. She grabbed it and dragged her huge sword into this world. With that, her battle preparation was complete. She planned to shorten the distance at once and unleash a powerful strike at the body of the werewolf. Flamm adjusted the position of her feet, shifting the power of her right foot until she was ready to pounce.


    ¡°Master, look!¡±


    Milkit¡¯s voice brought her up short.


    When Flamm looked in the direction Milkit was pointing, there was another werewolf. Now that she was looking more carefully, she could see two more. A total of four monsters were assembled in the nearby area.


    Werewolves were a special annoyance among D ranked monsters because of their habit of collective behavior. It was so notorious that adventurers had a saying: ¡°if you see one, there are three more lurking around.¡± As somebody who had only traveled with the hero¡¯s party, Flamm never learned much about D-ranked threats. Now, it was hard to say whether she could defeat four opponents at once even if she did have higher stats.


    Could the group be broken up?


    Flamm was staring at the group with a thoughtful expression when one of the four began to move. It seemed to be suspicious of danger. Flamm worried that it might be able to smell or hear things that a human could not. The others picked up on its nervousness and also began surveying their surroundings more intently.


    Flamm and Milkit pulled all the way back behind the tree to hide and wait for the werewolves to calm down. Before that could happen, though, a strong breeze rose up out of nowhere, disturbing the fallen leaves on the ground.


    Flamm closed her eyes for a moment in surprise. Once she recovered, she tried to peek out and spot the werewolf while using her arm to protect her eyes from the wind.


    She saw the lower half of the werewolf standing where it had been before. The upper half was briefly visible dangling out of the mouth of a new monster before it disappeared down its throat.


    The new monster had the body of a lion. It also had wings.


    The werewolves attempted to attack the new monster together. With a swat of its forepaws, they were blown away to crash against the surrounding trees.


    The lion ate them one after another.


    ¡°Scan!¡±


    Confronted with a terrifying monster that she had never seen before, Flamm quickly checked its status.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Anzu


    Attribute: Wind


    Strength: 542


    Magical power: 408


    Vitality: 301


    Dexterity: 422


    Perception: 214


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    The total value of its stats was 1887. That was nearly twice Flamm¡¯s.


    ¡°C rank monster!¡±


    ¡°That, that¡­¡±


    Flamm thought she might be able to beat a group of D rank monsters, but she had no confidence in facing C rank anything. She decided that they should escape and find another way to complete the request.


    Unfortunately, the monster had sharper senses than the werewolves and had already discovered the two of them. With blood, meat, and organs still dangling from its mouth, the monster¡¯s eyes were glaring right at them.


    There was a faint moaning from the beast. Its wings fluttered, and some kind of force stirred around it. It seemed to Flamm that it was preparing to attack.


    ¡°Milkit!¡±


    Flamm moved on reflex. At least she would ¨C Flamm barely had time to think as she pushed that thin body away.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Milkit exclaimed as she rolled away. Once she stopped she looked back at her master.


    Whoosh!


    Almost immediately, the Anzu released wind magic with a tremendous explosion.


    Sharp blades and a burning wind were released from its wings. Flamm¡¯s body was chopped up along with the surrounding trees.


    Blood splashed, her limbs danced in the air.


    TN: Let¡¯s give a big welcome to cliff-san. While not as well liked as truck-kun, I dare say he¡¯s appeared in at least as many light novels.

 CH 5

    ¡ª


    ¡°Master!¡±


    Milkit¡¯s voice was empty. Her master¡¯s flesh had been torn apart by the wind magic, her body parts scattered and falling to the earth. Both arms, both legs, head, and torso: a total of six parts sank into the soft ground, blood soaking the leaves.


    ¡°Ah¡­ oh, oh, oh!¡±


    So much, so much ¨C Milkit couldn¡¯t move her legs as the feeling of hopelessness dominated her body. The Anzu snorted with satisfaction as it turned its black eyes toward her, the remaining survivor. Its mouth distorted as though it were laughing at her. She could see the wrinkles forming on its cheeks and the blood on its fangs from the werewolves it had eaten. It was like it was declaring ¡°I will kill you next.¡±


    Milkit was frozen.


    The idea of death did not bother her. Even her own death was fine. Living was much scarier.


    But now she saw sharp claws, pointed fangs, and powerful magic that easily dismembered a human body all attached to a monster over four meters long. None of these weapons were something Milkit could resist. In the face of such an overwhelming power difference, any human would feel instinctive terror.


    Milkit¡¯s legs and feet were shaking uncontrollably. She didn¡¯t exactly feel like she wanted to live, but she wanted very badly to run away.


    The Anzu roared and clawed at the ground with its forepaws before leaping at its prey. Milkit crouched down reflexively while wrapping her arms around her head at the sight of such an enormous monster approaching so quickly. The monster passed by and landed on her other side.


    Milkit¡¯s heart began to pound. She didn¡¯t believe that she would be able to run away, but if she tried she would at least have a chance. Her feet sank into the muddy ground as she ran forward. To anyone watching her escape, the Anzu obviously had room to spare. Just jumping once would easily shorten the distance.


    Milkit panted as she ran. She was not accustomed to running, but it was too late for anything but regrets. The Anzu watching her came to one conclusion: she was nothing but a toy.


    So the monster began to play.


    It jumped at her, aiming to pass close but not hit her directly. It enjoyed the sight as she rolled around on the ground. It tore at her clothes lightly with its claw, amused by how her voice cried out in terror. It opened its mouth and roared at her, pleased by how she flinched away.


    However, Milkit¡¯s body was fragile. In the face of such extreme stress, her physical strength was soon exhausted. Bored by her fading reaction, the Anzu prepared to bring the game to its inevitable conclusion. It gathered its energy more seriously, preparing for the lethal attack.


    ¡°It hurts, but¡­¡±


    The voice came from behind the Anzu as something grabbed its tail.


    ¡°Should I say that epic equipment is amazing? Or should I cry that I can suffer so much without dying?¡±


    Although she was complaining, she also tightened her grip. The tail was a sensitive part of a monster. The Anzu wrinkled its brow as it looked back over its shoulder.


    ¡°So, you attack people like this¡­ whose slave do you think you¡¯re playing with?¡±


    Flamm swung her oversized sword with one hand and cut off the Anzu¡¯s tail.


    The monster howled and jumped away. It fell over in shock at the pain it had suffered. Flamm raised the sword higher, grimacing due to the pain from her not-fully-repaired shoulders, and slashed at the monster¡¯s hind leg.


    Once more the Anzu cried out as the sword pierced its skin. The wound this time opened up and began to bleed as the Anzu rolled away into the trees.


    ¡°Hurts, doesn¡¯t it? You hurt me a lot more than that when you cut my body to pieces! Although it¡¯s healing, it still hurts an awful lot.¡±


    Flamm knew the monster couldn¡¯t understand her, but she couldn¡¯t help but complain. The pain was so strong.


    When she was hit by wind magic and her body cut in pieces, she couldn¡¯t do anything but wait to die. As the blood flowed, her consciousness faded, and the cold creeped in, she could only cling to the hope that Milkit would escape.


    Strangely, the flow of blood stopped after a while, and she started to feel as if the divided parts of her body were connected by magical power. An invisible force attracted and attached each part together and then her wounds began to heal. While it took a while to regenerate, she was still alive, just like when she had been bitten by the ghoul. Flamm was starting to think that she couldn¡¯t die unless her head was crushed, causing an immediate death.


    The Anzu got up and faced Flamm. Its movements were clumsier than before. The fur of its back leg was matted down with blood from the cut Flamm had made. Even a big monster could be injured by such an attack from the Zwei Hander.


    ¡°Master, I¡¯m glad you are okay¡­ thank goodness,¡± Milkit said, holding her chest in relief. She was on the other side of the monster from Flamm.


    Flamm was also relieved that Milkit was still alive.


    ¡°Milkit, run away now!¡±


    ¡°Okay! Please don¡¯t do anything reckless!¡±


    Milkit ran back to the road to the capital as fast as she could. With that, Flamm could focus on the battle ahead with one less worry on her mind.


    ¡°With an opponent like this, just standing here is reckless,¡± Flamm said, a bitter smile on her face.


    The Anzu focused entirely on Flamm. It didn¡¯t even look at Milkit as she ran away.


    ¡°It should be slowed by the leg injury,¡± Flamm said, thinking out loud. ¡°Though it has claws and fangs, and I have to be careful of its magic¡­ I should be able to win.¡±


    Of course, she had no real basis for her conclusion.


    Now that the monster was aware of her, Flamm fought with caution. She circled around it, trying several times to strike at the Anzu¡¯s front legs. It moved to the side and continued to face her while avoiding her attacks. Neither one of them was eager to close the distance. Even though Flamm couldn¡¯t land another hit, the blood was still flowing from the wound to its back leg. The longer the fight went on, the better, as far as she was concerned.


    The Anzu acted to break the stalemate. With a flutter of wings, it took to the sky.


    Flamm was surprised. She had expected the Anzu to charge forward, not up.


    The Anzu¡¯s wings didn¡¯t allow it to fly over long distances. However, they were powerful enough for it to glide and to assist it in jumping.


    The Anzu was able to get high enough that Flamm couldn¡¯t track its position through the leaves overhead. Meanwhile, the Anzu carefully confirmed its target and took aim, using its wings to adjust its direction. Once its preparation was over, it dove straight at her. Flamm heard its approach as it closed in and jumped out of the way.


    The Anzu landed with a crash.


    The ground shook with the impact. Leaves fluttered down from nearby trees. A crater formed in the ground around it.


    But none of that mattered if it didn¡¯t hit her. Flamm, having moved some distance from its landing point, prepared to slash at the monster while it was overextended.


    Before she could act, a gust of wind rushed forward. The previous attack wasn¡¯t just a strike from above. The Anzu had also prepared a magical follow-up. This time it wasn¡¯t a sharp wind blade but a simple blast of wind with the force of a storm behind it.


    ¡°I knew I had to watch out for magic¡­ Yikes!¡±


    Flamm was able to resist the wind for a moment, but in the end she was blown away. Despite being strong, she was still a beginner at battle. She had no ingrained fighting instinct. Not only was there a gap of power between her and the Anzu, she was also an amateur.


    Flamm cried out involuntarily as her back slammed into a tree. There was a feeling of pain as if her spine had broken, but by the time her body slid down the tree to fall to the ground she was completely healed. From where she was laying she could see the blurry sight of the Anzu¡¯s claws slashing forward.


    She used her arms to help herself up and quickly jumped out of the way. She could feel the shockwaves as the Anzu crashed into the tree behind her. She felt sick at the thought of taking that attack head on.


    Flamm landed on her feet and noticed that her sword was no longer in her hand. It seemed she dropped it when she was blown off her feet. However, when she looked, it wasn¡¯t anywhere on the forest floor, and the emblem was back on her palm. Flamm focused and called the sword. It immediately appeared in her hand once more.


    ¡°Huh, as expected from epic equipment.¡±


    Flamm grasped the sword with both hands and faced the Anzu. The monster picked itself up and glared at her. She reminded herself again to be careful of its magic. The Anzu had already shown more ways of fighting than she had expected. It was dangerous from long distance and short distance. It was probably impossible for someone like her to fight it and survive intact.


    In other words, the only way that an amateur like Flamm could fight it¡­


    ¡°My strength is this absurd healing, right?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t used to the pain of cuts and broken bones, but it was just too overwhelming of an advantage for any wounds short of immediate death to heal. Using that, she could fight the Anzu.


    ¡°I really hate pain, but, well,¡± Flamm said, ¡°if I die, Milkit will probably also die. If I think of it like that, I can feel that heroic desire within me to do my best.¡±


    Flamm focused her thoughts on the figure running through the forest in search of an exit. She felt her own resolve start to take shape. She remembered the warmth when they were holding hands. She could feel her courage solidifying. In the end, Flamm¡¯s heroic desire was somewhat simple. For the girl she just met today, she would bet her life.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go, I¡¯m going to be a hero!¡± Flamm said, somewhat cynically, before charging directly at the Anzu.


    The large sword, held low, brushed the ground. The Anzu, knowing it was more powerful, didn¡¯t try to avoid her. Instead it took up the challenge and stood strong. One step, two steps, three steps ¨C collision.


    As it drew close, the Anzu swiped its claws down at Flamm¡¯s head. She ducked her body to the right so that the claws gouged her left shoulder instead. More pieces of meat were scattered around the clearing, and Flamm could feel burning heat in the exposed bones that her brain didn¡¯t yet recognize as pain. At the same time, Flamm kept moving forward and slashed at the Anzu¡¯s body as she passed it by.


    Both of them cried out in pain.


    The overall damage done by each side was comparable. However, Flamm¡¯s wounds would heal in a few seconds while the Anzu¡¯s would remain.


    Flamm slid to a stop on the fallen leaves. She quickly spun around to face the monster once more.


    Despite being in pain the Anzu¡¯s wing began to flutter in a way that gave Flamm an ominous feeling. At that moment, she could feel that the Anzu was preparing its trump card: the wind magic that had carved Flamm into pieces earlier.


    Flamm felt a chill run down her spine as she remembered the pain of her body being chopped apart. She couldn¡¯t repress a shudder. Fortunately, it seemed the Anzu¡¯s concentration was disturbed by its wounds, as it was not invoking the magic as smoothly as it did the first time.


    Still, it would be difficult to disturb the invocation from a distance. On the other hand, if she got close and tried to go toe to toe with the Anzu¡¯s teeth and claws, she could easily suffer a fatal injury.


    If she couldn¡¯t stop the magic from being cast, could she avoid the invisible blades that would surely target her head? Difficult. Very difficult. Not impossible, but impossible to be sure. Unfortunately, Flamm has no long-ranged weapon.


    Was there no way to attack the monster from there? As she looked around and thought, all she could see was the trees growing high in the sky.


    ¡°Aha!¡±


    She didn¡¯t have time to think about success or failure. She spun and swung the Zwei Hander with all her might against the trunk of a tree.


    A crashing noise echoed through the forest. There was considerable resistance, but she still did enough damage to cause the tree to fall. However, it was about to fall in the wrong direction.


    ¡°Yaaa!¡±


    This time she shouts as she swings with the flat of the sword. Again, and again. Full swings with both hands. Under the impact of her unrelenting strikes the direction of the tree¡¯s fall was diverted towards the Anzu.


    The magic was on the verge of release. The Anzu, distracted by magic, did not realize the tree was falling towards it until just before impact. It landed across its back, forcing its legs to bend until its belly touched the ground. The Anzu was pinned in place. Such a strong monster, though, would eventually escape even from that if given enough time.


    Flamm did not intend to allow it that much time.


    ¡°I got it!¡±


    Flamm dashed forward at full speed. She leaped in the air as she approached the Anzu. Holding her sword before her in both hands, she thrust it down into the monster¡¯s forehead with all her strength.


    The blade penetrated the skull with a crack and a wet slurping noise. She could still hear the monster moaning. It wasn¡¯t dead yet. Flamm added force with both arms and pushed until the blade had sunk in all the way to the hilt.


    With a great groan, magic power began to come out from the Anzu¡¯s paws. Its whole body trembled. Flamm jumped back in fright. As she watched, the monster finally went limp. The last gasp of magic did nothing more than stir up the fallen leaves.


    Flamm took a few deep breaths, her shoulders heaving up and down as she stared at the corpse.


    ¡°Ah, geez¡­ that was way too hard for the first time.¡±


    The monster was completely dead. Once Flamm was convinced, all the power drained from her body. She spread her hands and fell forward in what was almost a mockery of the Anzu¡¯s posture, then rolled onto her back.


    Flamm sighed. The bed made of leaves was proving surprisingly comfortable. It was slightly damp and cold and she could feel her clothes getting wet, but that was no particular problem since she was already covered in sweat and blood.


    Looking up through the gaps in the trees, she could see a slightly orange sky. She could almost hear it telling her that she needs to hurry home before dark.


    ¡°Even the sky is bullying me,¡± she complained to no one in particular.


    The wounds she took during the battle had healed so cleanly that no marks remained, but she still hurt. There was nothing she could do about the phantom pain but suffer through it. It felt like little sparks were shooting up and down her body.


    ¡°I have to fight against monsters like that, the people at the guild are bastards¡­ what¡¯s going to happen next?¡±


    Flamm felt swirling insecurity. Part of her didn¡¯t want to return to the kingdom. But just as she was thinking of running away she pictured Milkit, waiting for the return of her master at the entrance of the forest. Imagining her lonely figure motivated Flamm a little, at least enough to sit up.


    ¡°Well, Dain, how do you like me now?¡±


    Never mind a werewolf, if he knew she had defeated a C ranked Anzu, he might faint. Flamm pushed herself to her feet, imagining the look of shock on his face.


    TN: Epic equipment OP, plz nerf. Although, to be fair, the body melting was the most dramatic part of the curse so it makes sense for healing to be the most dramatic part of the blessing.


    ¡ª

 CH 6

    After finishing the battle with the Anzu, Flamm had a problem. In order to complete the adventurer guild¡¯s request she needed werewolf fangs, but they were all in the Anzu¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Swallowing only the upper bodies, what a picky eater.¡±


    Flamm kicked the Anzu¡¯s body in frustration. Even if she wanted to search for another group of Werewolves, the sun was going to set soon. In the dark forest at night, there was no guarantee that she could pick a fight and then get out safely.


    There was only one way to get the quest item.


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s no choice.¡±


    The Anzu¡¯s skin was tough and its muscles were thick, but it was nothing Flamm¡¯s sword couldn¡¯t handle. However, sinking the blade into the belly of the dead body and exposing its organs was a struggle against the intense smell as much as anything else. Fortunately, she found the stomach quickly and confirmed that the upper body of at least one undigested Werewolf was inside.


    Flamm had grown up in the countryside. She was not a delicate noble lady by any stretch of the imagination. Even so, she found herself gagging as she reached in through the cut she had sliced open in the Anzu¡¯s stomach. She pushed down her revulsion and pushed further, finding the Werewolf¡¯s snout. She grabbed hold of it and dragged it free.


    She tossed the werewolf to the side as soon as it was out. She couldn¡¯t help but take a moment to study her hands. They were covered in mucus and the smell made her retch. She scrubbed them against a nearby tree trunk and the surrounding grass, but the smell still lingered.


    Flamm kicked the Anzu again for the trouble it was causing her after death. With a sigh, she reached in to the stomach again, pushed through, did her best not to think about what she was doing, and dragged out the next Werewolf.


    When all of the Werewolves were laid before her on the ground, she still had to carve out the fangs from their mouths. Unpleasant, but much easier than dragging them out of the Anzu¡¯s stomach had been. With that done, Flamm had succeeded in retrieving the quest item. If she brought them to the guild, by all rights she should get her adventurer¡¯s license.


    ¡°When I think about that arrogant receptionist, I want to do more than just succeed at the request.¡±


    In order to not just succeed but to rub that nasty woman¡¯s nose in her success¡­ for that, Flamm wanted to take a part of the Anzu.


    ¡°I wish I knew what part of the Anzu is in high demand.¡±


    Naturally, monsters had high-value parts and low-value parts. Flamm didn¡¯t even have a backpack, so she couldn¡¯t carry many materials at all. Even if she did have a pack, there would still be a limit to what she could take. In order to earn money efficiently, she would need to learn how to judge the value of the monster¡¯s body parts. Although things would be different if she had a large-capacity magic bag that used the same storage mechanism as epic equipment, Flamm was far from that level. For now, she could only take one piece of the Anzu with her.


    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯d like to have its fangs.¡±


    As with the werewolf, most monster¡¯s fangs were a useful material for making weapons, armor, and accessories. Flamm hit the Anzu¡¯s fang a few times with her sword in order to free it from its mouth. Then she picked it up with both arms and lifted it. The fang was surprisingly heavy, but not so much that it couldn¡¯t be carried.


    While holding her spoils in both hands, Flamm began walking toward where Milkit should be waiting.


    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó


    Night fell as the day came to an end. Milkit was sitting on a stump near the entrance of the forest. One hand was clutching at her chest as she stared at the forest with uneasy eyes, waiting for the return of her master.


    Three hours had passed since she split up from Flamm. The battle should already have ended. It was strange that she wasn¡¯t back yet.


    ¡°I ¡­ I will keep waiting for Master¡¯s return.¡±


    Milkit¡¯s heart hurt at the thought that she may never see Flamm again. She had never cared before about the life or death of others. Even her previous masters were just tools who gave her a small amount of food in exchange for her servitude.


    Certainly, a normal person might have considered hers an unhappy life. However, as an apathetic doll, it was easy for her to avoid having to worry about relationships with others.


    Her relationship with Flamm was not easy.


    If Flamm survived and came back for her¡­. From that point on, her life tomorrow and the day after tomorrow was probably something impossible for Milkit to imagine. Treated as a person, allowed to laugh, possibly having her face healed. Ah, the more you have, the more you can lose. While Milkit treasured Flamm¡¯s kindness, she was still terrified of loss.


    But she still wanted to see the future ahead.


    She didn¡¯t want to be hurt. She hated pain. She could endure it, but she still longed for a life without pain. Worse than pain, though, would be the feeling of giving up hope.


    ¡°Phew, at last I got out. I¡¯m tired!¡±


    Milkit was drawn out of her thoughts by a familiar voice. Standing up and looking toward the forest, she could see Flamm approaching. Flamm was dirty and blood spattered, her arms full of the spoils of battle.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    Milkit was glad Flamm was all right. In the moment she saw Flamm¡¯s figure, that was the first thought that came into her mind. She was too shy to say so but she did laugh out loud.


    That¡¯s definitely the answer. Milkit was still not sure what it felt like to worry for another person, but she was starting to believe in her instincts. She ran forward.


    Flamm was walking slowly. She smiled as Milkit approached.


    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    ¡°Welcome back, Master.¡±


    Milkit tried to take some of the items Flamm was carrying.


    ¡°Careful, you¡¯ll get blood on yourself and your clothes.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re my slave, you need to take care of yourself more,¡± Flamm said. Laughing, she hadn¡¯t over the werewolf fangs. The Anzu fang was too heavy to give to Milkit.


    ¡°Ah, Master, I guess the big fang is from the Anzu,¡± Milkit said, ¡°but where did you get the gauntlet?¡±


    In addition to the Anzu¡¯s fang, Flamm was indeed carrying a bloody gauntlet.


    ¡°Oh, this ¨C I passed the corpses of some adventurers on the way back.¡±


    In the darkness of the forest, Flamm had stumbled and nearly fell. She had cried out in shock and dropped the Anzu¡¯s fang when she saw the body that had tripped her. It might have seemed like an overreaction from somebody who had survived being chopped into pieces, but in the end scary things were scary.


    The body she had tripped over was wearing a full set of armor. When Flamm saw it, she remembered something from her days with the hero¡¯s party.


    ¨C She had wanted to be useful to everyone, but there was hardly anything she could do.


    Flamm was keenly aware of her inability. In order to help, she tried to learn from the others. After all, everybody in the party was a top-notch adventurer. She was nervous about putting more burdens on them, but surprisingly some of them were happy to teach. Maybe they felt sorry for her.


    One of them was Gadio, ¡°Star Breaker¡¯s Strong Arm.¡± He wore black armor on his gigantic body, and his silent, scarred face was quite intimidating, but he was surprisingly helpful.


    Flamm¡¯s physical ability was too low for her to be useful, but she did learn some basic swordsmanship. He also gave her some practical tips on adventuring.


    ¡°You will often find rotting corpses in dangerous areas. If they are wearing excellent equipment, most people will take that as supplemental income.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that like grave robbery?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to bury equipment with its owner,¡± Gadio had explained. ¡°To honor the deceased it¡¯s better to use it effectively.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of being haunted by the owner?¡±


    ¡°Do you believe in that kind of thing?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. Adventurers have to be more practical, right?¡±


    ¡°Actually, you¡¯re right to be cautious. Equipment taken from a body may be stained with a curse from the former owner.¡±


    ¡°There really is such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is the so-called ¡®cursed equipment¡¯ that can reduce stats, resist removal, and sometimes harm the wearer directly,¡± Gadio had said. ¡°But you won¡¯t get caught by that kind of thing as long as you scan it first.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t use scanning magic though.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Then find a friend to help you. Adventurers shouldn¡¯t be by themselves, anyway. Its good to have somebody to hold you back when you need to be held back and push you forward when you need to be pushed forward.


    ¨C That was a lesson that he taught to Flamm.


    The important part that she remembered was that equipment could be cursed by its deceased owner. She scanned the equipment on the dead bodies one by one. In the end, she found one piece of cursed equipment.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Name: Blood-stained Gauntlet


    Quality: Rare


    [This equipment reduces your strength by 82]


    [This equipment reduces your magical power by 101]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Although it was inferior to epic equipment, it would still allow Flamm to increase her stats by 183. When she saw it she made a brief apology to the corpse before separating the gauntlet from the body. If Gadio¡¯s words were true, the previous owner shouldn¡¯t bear a grudge over her putting the gauntlet to use.


    Milkit regarded the gauntlet with caution after hearing Flamm explain that it was cursed equipment.


    ¡°Ah, it should be safe as long as you don¡¯t wear it. I don¡¯t mind carrying it, though.¡±


    ¡°You are already carrying that heavy fang, I can¡¯t relax as your slave like this.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    In this way, the two of them headed back to the capital after fulfilling their mission.


    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó


    The sky was completely dark. The capital was bustling in an entirely different way now that night had fallen. The bars were noisier, and the magic lamps illuminating the street shone down on women putting their bodies on display. Some of their customers even started to approach Flamm, only to show disgust and walk away once they saw the slave mark on her cheek.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s late,¡± Flamm said.


    ¡°Yes. Will the guild be open?¡±


    Flamm was just worrying about that very thing. The guild¡¯s signboard hadn¡¯t said anything about its operating hours.


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Flamm said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to spend the whole night walking around with these fangs in hand.¡±


    While they were talking, they made their way to the adventurer¡¯s guild. As they got close, they heard the same noises drunken revelry that had been coming from other taverns. It seemed there had been no need to worry.


    Flamm pushed the door open with her shoulder and walked in. Her entrance drew the attention of the men inside. The first time that she had come the gazes were all hostile, but now there was some curiosity mixed in. That was not to mention the dramatic reaction of the men who had been wagering over her life and death.


    The receptionist, Ella, pulled a face as Flamm and Milkit approached the counter.


    ¡°This is the requested item,¡± Flamm said.


    Milkit placed the werewolf fangs on the counter. Ella touched them with her fingers, then glared at Flamm.


    ¡°With this, did I complete the examination?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be an adventurer! You¡¯re a dirty slave!¡±


    Ella screamed at Flamm while grabbing the fangs and throwing them at Flamm¡¯s face. Flamm caught the fangs out of the air. She then set them back down on the counter.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the guild¡¯s job to give rewards to the adventurer who fulfills its requests?¡±


    ¡°Aah¡­¡±


    ¡°Please buy this too,¡± Flamm said, setting the Anzu¡¯s fang on the desk. The wood groaned under its weight.


    ¡°What, what-¡±


    ¡°C rank monster, Anzu. Its fang,¡± Flamm said. ¡°I accidentally encountered it when looking for werewolves. I killed it and brought the part that I thought would be valuable.¡±


    The adventurer guild would buy valuable materials even if there was no collection request. Of course, selling directly to individuals who wanted the materials would bring in more money, but many adventurers preferred to sell to the guild because it was quicker and easier.


    ¡°Rank C, is it ¡­?¡±


    Ella had nothing to say. A girl who was supposed to be killed by werewolf not only killed it but also killed a higher tier monster.


    Two ugly-looking men from the bar had come over and took the opportunity to butt in.


    ¡°Hey girl, don¡¯t lie. A monster like can take on a whole party,¡± the first man said. ¡°An F rank adventurer with decent equipment wouldn¡¯t have a chance, let alone a slut like you. If you¡¯re going to lie, at least make it plausible.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and, what¡¯s that smell? Whose bodily fluid?¡± the second man asked. ¡°Did you catch an adventurer and get paid in raw materials instead of money before trying this scam? Working on your back is a lot easier than working as an adventurer.¡±


    Flamm, who had been getting angrier and angrier, finally lost her temper and lashed out at the second man. She punched him right in the nose, sending him reeling to the floor while he clutched at his bleeding face.


    ¡°Well then, all right!¡± the other man yelled out, reaching for his sword.


    ¡°What¡¯s your adventurer rank, old man?¡±


    ¡°D, same as my friend!¡±


    ¡°The strength of D rank is only this much? Falling down after one punch from a girl with strength zero?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see!¡±


    The man started to draw his sword. As soon as he moved, Flamm pulled her own sword from subspace and brought it forward.


    The tip carved a beautiful arc through the air before it stopped directly in front of his neck. The man froze in place. A twitch of the wrist from Flamm would be enough to end his life.


    Flamm judged that her opponent had lost the will to fight and put the sword back into subspace. As the sword disappeared the man collapsed to his knees.


    Flamm turned to smile at Ella. ¡°Will you give me my license now?¡±


    Ella still wore a reluctant expression on her face, but she could not refuse to do her duty any longer. She processed the request for delivery of werewolf fangs and gave Flamm her adventurer¡¯s license. She also purchased the Anzu¡¯s fang. Altogether, Flamm and Milkit would have enough spending money for the next few days.


    Flamm took the card with a smile, looking at her name next to the label of ¡°F rank adventurer.¡± She gave Ella a cheerful wave and left the guild with Milkit.


    As soon as the door swung shut behind them, Flamm heaved out a sigh and sagged in relief. The expression and posture of the girl who stared down a D rank adventurer completely disappeared.


    ¡°Ah, I was so nervous.¡±


    ¡°You worked hard, Master,¡± Milkit said, reaching out her hand.


    Flamm smiled, before taking Milkit¡¯s hand in hers.


    ¡°I expected Ella to resist, but I didn¡¯t expect those other guys to get involved,¡± Flamm said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether to be happy or said that Dain didn¡¯t show up.¡±


    ¡°At least we have money,¡± Milkit said. ¡°I saw a cheap inn on the way here.¡±


    ¡°Good, good, as long as it has a bath,¡± Flamm said. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking you clothes shopping tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master should wear better clothes.¡±


    Flamm smiled ruefully at Milkit¡¯s response. ¡°I thought you would say that, but I should also buy you some clothes, shouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a slave.¡±


    ¡°Well, then it¡¯s an order from your master,¡± Flamm said. ¡°I will definitely buy you clothes tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Something like that ¡­¡±


    Milkit looked down, puzzled. Even if she goes shopping, she wouldn¡¯t know what to buy. Besides, it¡¯s a waste to put nice clothes on an ugly figure who kept her face wrapped in bandages.


    Seeing her confusion, Flamm stroked her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be fun!¡±


    Milkit felt a warmth in her chest. She didn¡¯t recognize the emotion. She truly didn¡¯t know what the future would hold if she goes forward alongside Flamm.


    ¡°All right,¡± she said, nodding her head.


    She could feel herself beginning to change.


    A girl who lost everything and a girl who never had anything. The two girls took the first step into a new life together with joined hands.


    TN: This is the end of the first volume, other than the epilogue interlude. I may take a couple days off over Christmas.

 CH 7

    TN: The author wrote character summaries as of the end of volume one. I haven¡¯t translated the whole thing since it¡¯s largely a rehash of what¡¯s already been covered, but we did get to see everybody¡¯s stats:


    Flamm Apricot


    Attribute: Inverse


    Strength: 0


    Magical power: 0


    Vitality: 0


    Dexterity: 0


    Perception: 0


    Milkit:


    Attribute: Darkness


    Strength: 11


    Magical power: 8


    Vitality: 9


    Dexterity: 6


    Perception: 15


    Jean:


    Attribute: Nature


    Strength: 994


    Magical power: 8809


    Vitality: 678


    Agility: 1087


    Perception: 2886


    Eterna:


    Attribute: Water


    Strength: 668


    Magical power: 10005


    Vitality: 525


    Agility: 564


    Perception: 2898


    Gadio:


    Attribute: Earth


    Strength: 7385


    Linus:


    Attribute: Wind


    Strength: 3581


    Magical power: 1063


    Vitality: 3891


    Dexterity: 8854


    Perception: 2876


    Maria:


    Attribute: Light


    Strength: 1857


    Magical power: 6680


    Vitality: 2279


    Dexterity: 1136


    Perception: 4278


    Cyrille:


    Attribute: Hero


    Strength: 6899


    Magical power: 6250


    Vitality: 6887


    Dexterity: 6716


    Perception: 6529


    Overall, with Flamm¡¯s current gear she is well above an untrained person like Milkit but well below the Hero¡¯s companions on raw stats. Kind of amazing she survived tagging along with them when she was at zeroes all around. Also, Cyrille is more of an all-rounder than a total dominating powerhouse like the Hero can be in other stories.


    If you visit the raw you can also see some fan art of Flamm.


    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó


    Flamm and Milkit went shopping in the Central Ward, as they had discussed the previous day. Flamm changed from her shabby clothes into a simple combination of shirt and hot pants. Compared to before, her appearance was much improved. Milkit was standing in a dressing room. The outfit that she had put on was¡­


    ¡°Is this really OK?¡± Flamm asked.


    ¡°I should be the one asking that. Buying such expensive clothes.¡±


    ¡°The money isn¡¯t a problem thanks to the Anzu. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    Milkit was wearing black serving clothes decorated with frilly lace around the skirt and chest. While labeled as a maid¡¯s outfit, it seemed difficult to wear it and perform a maid¡¯s duties, so it might instead be something meant for a person with a particular hobby. The overall impression provided quite a contrast with the bandage covering Milkit¡¯s face.


    ¡°These were the clothes I saw the most often, so I thought that I wanted to wear them someday.¡±


    When Flamm had asked Milkit if she had clothes she wanted to wear, this was what she chose. Even if it was not a strong desire and more of a vague, thin longing, Flamm still wanted to support Milkit¡¯s choice.


    ¡°Well, it certainly looks cute.¡±


    ¡°I think so. It¡¯s a nice design, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just that. It suits you and you look cute. Shop clerk!¡±


    Milkit blushed as Flamm said something embarrassing. However, Flamm didn¡¯t notice as she was focused on getting the attention of the pretty female clerk who was standing a little ways away.


    The clerk came over. An ugly expression crossed her face as her gaze passed over the slave brand, but she immediately schooled her features into a neutral mask. It wasn¡¯t because she was a good person, but because she had already exchanged words with Flamm when they entered the store.


    At that time, her reaction was more blatant. Even so, it was far from as bad as the treatment Flamm had received in the guild. Flamm was also growing used to handling such situations. She would have to, as the mark of her slavery would not be going away any time soon.


    Flamm finished paying and the two of them left the store. A girl in a maid dress with a bandage covering her face and a slave girl with a bloody glove hanging from her waist slipped into the shopping crowds. They made for quite a sight. However, the main street in the Central Ward was crowded with shoppers and tourists from outside. Not as a result of a special holidays or festival, but just as the result of an ordinary day. In such circumstances, no matter how unusual two people were, they would soon vanish into the crowd. Flamm had to take a firm grasp on Milkit¡¯s hand to make sure that they wouldn¡¯t be separated.


    The two of them had many things to buy. They were two people who had nothing starting their lives from scratch. Even if they brought home armfuls of luggage, they wouldn¡¯t be able to get everything they needed for daily life in one trip. For the moment, they focused on buying the things they needed immediately.


    The most urgent thing was to get clothes, which they did first. After that they went to purchase shoes, toothbrushes, and bathing supplies. Flamm also wanted a backpack she could use as an adventurer and needed to save enough to purchase the evening meal.


    She had enough money for that much, at least. While they had a financial margin, they had no time to spare. Over and over, they entered a shop, quickly picked up the item they needed, and bought it. It was a busy day, but it was a valuable experience for Milkit who had never been shopping before.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    The two of them were sent off with a rare polite farewell from a slave working in the shop. They split their purchases between them and held hands as they walked on to the main street.


    ¡°Buying things is fun, isn¡¯t it?¡± Flamm asked.


    ¡°Yes. Although I made some big mistakes with things I hadn¡¯t seen before,¡± Milkit said.


    ¡°When I saw you wanted to buy such high-class tableware that it would clear out all of our savings, I was worried.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry, I did not read the price.¡±


    Milkit looked embarrassed. Seeing such a thing, Flamm brought the two of them to a stop. Looking up, she saw a sign she had been searching for hanging over a nearby store.


    ¡°Master?¡±


    ¡°Can I take a break?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    Flamm had found the largest bookstore in the capital. As they passed through the entrance of the shop, they saw a copy of Origin¡¯s scripture on display.


    In the history of the kingdom it was the church that always possessed the greatest number of books. In addition, education for children was often conducted in the church. Thus, printing technology developed in connection with the church¡¯s needs. Even now, the church had a close relationship with the printing companies and book stores in the kingdom.


    Even this shop had a sign that included a symbol of the god Origin. However, this was not because the store was connected to the church, but rather because the scripture was a top selling item.


    Flamm and Milkit were not part of any religion. Flamm led them past the scriptures and toward a bookshelf on the far wall, relying on a guide map posted on a nearby pillar.


    ¡°Master reads books?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not for me,¡± Flamm said.


    She pulled a book out from the bookshelf and checked its cover while Milkit looked on in confusion.


    ¡°Then who is it for?¡±


    ¡°I said I would teach you how to read and write. Since I got enough money for it earlier than I expected,¡± Flamm said, ¡°I thought we should start as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°You were serious?¡±


    ¡°Did you think I was joking?¡±


    ¡°I never thought that an unlucky slave like me would ever learn how to read.¡±


    Flamm had gotten used to Milkit¡¯s attitude. Rather than confront her directly, she intended to work around the edges. She wanted to grow Milkit¡¯s confidence so that she would naturally stop using such words.


    ¡°Does Master want me to be independent?¡±


    ¡°I have not thought so far ahead,¡± Flamm admitted.


    ¡°But you have the ability to live alone, with your knowledge and experience.¡±


    Milkit sounded uneasy. Flamm, understanding her feelings, adopted a self-deprecating tone.


    ¡°Even if I seem confident, I¡¯m not sure at all that I could live by myself.¡±


    ¡°You said something like that before.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what trust is, really, but I think that I will be with Master as long as possible.¡±


    Flamm laughed. ¡°Well, you might say about a trustworthy person, since I trust them, I want to stay by their side.¡±


    ¡°This is trust¡­¡±


    Milkit patted her chest as she tried to feel out the shape of her emotions. Sometimes when talking to Flamm, she would feel her chest tighten. Just knowing that the name of that feeling was ¡°trust¡± didn¡¯t mean that her fear of betrayal and loss just disappeared. However, she did feel a burden lift from her shoulders.


    Flamm finished picking out the book she wanted and bought it. It was a reference book for children that seemed just right for teaching Milkit. The book itself was not cheap. Milkit was surprised at the cost, but Flamm paid for it before she could protest.


    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó


    By the end of the day, the two of them had bought so many things that their hands were completely full carrying their purchases. Thus, it wasn¡¯t possible for them to hold hands. Fortunately, as they got closer to the West Ward the crowds began to thin out so they didn¡¯t have to worry about being separated.


    ¡°You spent a lot of money on me,¡± Milkit said. She seemed to feel bad that more money was spent on her behalf than on Flamm¡¯s.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Your happiness is my happiness.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°When I think that I¡¯ve made somebody happy, I can be happy too.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Milkit had never experienced the idea of becoming happy by helping others. Her earlier masters sometimes treated her gently. However, it was never with good intentions. Instead, it was only to build her up so that she could be torn down. That sort of thing was much more painful than simple violent abuse, and often drove slaves to suicide while their owners laughed.


    After Milkit experienced such things over and over again, her emotions gradually grew numb. It was a matter of self-defense. Perhaps Flamm wouldn¡¯t betray her. Still, it was hard for Milkit to accept that Flamm solely wished for her to be happy.


    ¡°Well, you should get used to it little by little, then I think you will understand,¡± Flamm said.


    ¡°Can you wait until I get used to it?¡±


    ¡°Eh, no.¡±


    Flamm gave her a full smile. Milkit felt her chest tighten again. But, Milkit still had not noticed why Flamm did not want to wait. She would only realize later.


    The two of them were distracted from their conversation when a man shouted out behind them.


    ¡°Stop, thief!¡±


    There was a tinge of desperation in his voice. As he yelled, two men raced past Milkit and Flamm.


    ¡°Those two?¡±


    Flamm recognized them. They were adventurers who had been drinking with Dain when she first visited the guild.


    ¡°Master, the bag they have ¨C isn¡¯t it a luxury item?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, it¡¯s not something those two would buy,¡± Flamm said. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be away for a bit. Milkit, watch our things.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Flamm set down the bags she had in her hands and lowered her posture before taking off running after the two men. As she ran, she took the glove hanging from her waist and pulled it on. It didn¡¯t do anything to make her faster, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to increase her strength.


    Judging from the speed of the two men, they were D rank adventurers. They weren¡¯t fast enough to escape from Flamm with her stats raised from the Soul Eating Zwei Hander. One of the men looked over his shoulder before cursing.


    ¡°Damn, it¡¯s that slave woman!¡±


    Realizing that they were too slow to get away cleanly, the two of them split up from each other. Flamm had no choice but to give up on one. After a brief moment of hesitation, she went after the one with the bag.


    She caught up with him in second. After rushing by, she planted herself in front of him and raised her fists. The man pulled out a dagger at the same that he prepared a spell.


    ¡°Fireball!¡±


    The spell was low level. It traveled slowly and its power was low. Flamm avoided it by tilting her body. The man rushed in with his dagger, likely intending to use the fireball as a decoy.


    It was no use against Flamm. The dagger seemed to be stabbing forward in slow motion. Flamm simply grabbed his wrist and held it tightly. She felt a dull crack through her gauntlet.


    ¡°Aaaaah!¡±


    The man screamed in pain as his wrist bent in the wrong direction. When Flamm let go he dropped the dagger and fell to the ground. It seemed the effect of increasing her strength was greater than she expected.


    ¡°Oh, oh, it hurts ¡­ help me!¡±


    ¡°Do you really expect sympathy?¡±


    Flamm barely spared a glance for the man cradling his broken wrist in agony before reclaiming the stolen bag. She turned to head back to the rightful owner, but stopped in her tracks when she heard a crash from the direction the other man had fled. At the same time, she heard a voice cry out.


    ¡°Animals!¡±


    Flamm had thought that she was alone in chasing the thieves. Now, peering in the direction of the noise that she heard, she saw a figure come into view, dragging the other thief behind her by his neck.


    Surprisingly, the figure was a little girl who looked about ten years old. Her golden blonde hair falling down over her clean white robe was the picture of innocence, contrasting strongly with the enormous mace carried over her shoulder. The girl was short, and gave the impression of a small child playing with her toys. However, the man she was dragging behind her had clearly been beaten into submission with a blunt instrument.


    Undeniably, her power was for real.


    ¡°Origin nun¡­¡±


    There were no other women in the kingdom quite like them. Maria, a member of the Hero¡¯s party, had dressed in a similar fashion, and had also been surprisingly effective in melee fights. Most people who pictured Origin nuns thought of gentle women who healed with recovery magic, but the church also taught them fighting techniques so they could destroy demons.


    This girl had a sleepy expression on her face as she approached Flamm.


    ¡°Mm, this guy¡¯s been captured too?¡± she said, before giggling. ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

 CH 8

    ¡°Thank you for saving it!¡±


    After returning the stolen bag, its owner gripped both of Flamm¡¯s hands while thanking her with tears in his eyes. The man appeared to be around thirty years old, but he had a crooked back and seemed to have a weak constitution. He did not look like the kind of person who should be walking alone through the West District.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t introduce myself. I am Rich Mancathy and I run a small shop.¡±


    He introduced himself politely. His bearing and his clothes both marked him as a member of the upper class. Besides that, Flamm remembered hearing the name Mancathy. Not in a distant memory, but only recently.


    Milkit touched her shoulder. ¡°Is that the shop Master visited earlier to buy dinner?¡±


    The two of them had stopped by a large store handling fresh food just before heading back to the West District


    ¡°Oh, yes, that Mancathy Shop¡­ no, wait, it¡¯s not small!¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re too kind.¡±


    Although Rich was not putting on airs, the Mancathy Shop was the largest store dealing with fresh food in the capital. Just about everybody who lived in the capital had shopped there one time or another. While Rich looked a bit scrawny, Flamm was impressed that such a rich person would be so polite while talking to a pair of slaves.


    ¡°By the way, what is your name?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Well, I am Flamm. I am registered as an adventurer in the West District. This is Milkit,¡± Flamm said.


    ¡°I serve Master,¡± Milkit added.


    Milkit deeply lowered her head as she was introduced. Thanks to the maid clothes, the overall impression was striking.


    ¡°Flamm and Milkit. Flamm, your face seems familiar.¡±


    Rich scratched his chin, lost in thought, while Flamm felt her heartbeat pick up.


    ¡°I thought so too,¡± the young nun added.


    As a member of the Hero¡¯s party, Flamm was not exactly a celebrity but she was somewhat well known. Whether it was the people at the church who worked with Maria or the president of a large store who collected information as part of his work, it was quite possible they had seen her face before.


    ¡°No, well,¡± Flamm said, then laughed. ¡°I often hear that I look like a celebrity.¡±


    Flamm was calm as she deceived the two of them. Nobody would imagine that Flamm Apricot would become a slave. Even somebody who had seen her before wouldn¡¯t believe their eyes in the face of the slave brand.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry if it bothers you.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Also,¡± Rich said, ¡°who is this nun here?¡±


    ¡°I am Sarah Ambiren,¡± the young nun said. ¡°I am doing my best to serve Origin.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you for your help!¡± Rich said. ¡°I just can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of course as a nun to fight guys like that.¡±


    Sarah put both hands on her waist and puffed up her chest as she spoke.


    Flamm¡¯s mental picture of nuns being pure and weak was being overwritten by the image of a fighter. The two men groaning at her feet probably also couldn¡¯t have imagined they would be beaten and captured by a young nun.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Flamm asked, ¡°what are you going to do with them?¡±


    ¡°I have my bag back,¡± Rich said, ¡°so I don¡¯t think there¡¯s need for anything more.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sarah said, ¡°They should be discouraged by this much.¡±


    Flamm made a noise of disagreement after hearing the two of them suggest letting the men go. She didn¡¯t believe that two men who followed Dain around were struggling to make ends meet. While somebody who stole out of desperation could be reformed, these two probably just stole for fun. She didn¡¯t think that people like that would repent their actions so easily.


    ¡°You disagree?¡± Rich sked.


    ¡°I think it would be better to report them,¡± Flamm said. ¡°I think these guys will probably start stealing again if we let them go.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Sarah asked. ¡°After being hurt, won¡¯t they reflect on what happened? Why would they do the same thing after getting beaten up?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a nice girl, Sarah,¡± Flamm said. ¡°Bad people like these won¡¯t reflect on their actions unless they suffer serious punishment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s sad,¡± Sarah said, looking distraught. ¡°Sad.¡±


    Flamm crouched down and stroked her hair. ¡°Well, the world is sad sometimes. I think it will get better though, if somebody like you does your best.¡±


    ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll do my best!¡±


    Sarah¡¯s mood recovered quickly. She was definitely a simple child. If everybody were simple and pure like her, the world would be a peaceful pace.


    ¡°So,¡± Flamm said, ¡°I think you should call a guard or a church knight.¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± Rich said. ¡°Ah, maybe you would know more about where to go in this area?¡±


    ¡°I know where the church knights are,¡± Sarah said. ¡°I¡¯ll go get them for you!¡±


    With that, Sarah took off at a full speed run. Flamm and Rich both stared at the back of her head as she ran out of sight.


    ¡°She¡¯s really something,¡± Milkit said.


    ¡°A little impatient. That¡¯s how kids are,¡± Flamm said.


    ¡°I suppose.¡±


    Rich smiled at the conversation between the 16-year-old Flamm and 14-year old Milkit.


    For teenagers a four or five year age difference could feel bigger than the actual number. Although for the two of them in particular there was a bit of envy at seeing the happiness of childhood that they have lost.


    After a moment, Rich lost his smile and spoke with a more serious expression.


    ¡°By the way, Flamm¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Flamm asked, picking up on the change in mood.


    ¡°You seem to be an adventurer with good skills,¡± Rich said. ¡°Could you handle a personal request?¡±


    ¡°Personal request?¡± Flamm asked. ¡°I¡¯m only an F rank adventurer.¡±


    Although Flamm was an adventurer, somebody in charge of a business the size of the Mancathy Shop certainly should have his pick of adventurers to choose from. She wasn¡¯t sure why he would want to make a request to somebody he just met.


    ¡°Was that the ability of an F rank just now?¡±


    ¡°Well, I only registered yesterday.¡±


    Simply looking at Flamm¡¯s stats, they were above the F rank category. However, her experience was still too shallow. The capability of an adventurer wasn¡¯t just determined by strength. Experience and knowledge was also important. One fight, even against a high ranked monster, wasn¡¯t enough for Flamm to say that she had definitely surpassed the F rank.


    ¡°So they don¡¯t know your skills yet,¡± Rich said. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s more convenient for me if you are not high-profile.¡±


    Flamm felt uneasy. For Rich to be happy with such a thing suggested that this was a request that he didn¡¯t want other to know about. Even more so considering that he was asking directly without going through the guild, making things a little awkward.


    Rich seemed to notice Flamm¡¯s feelings. ¡°In fact, my wife is ill.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Flamm said. ¡°Have you asked the church for treatment?¡±


    ¡°It seems that it is a disease that magic cannot heal,¡± Rich said. ¡°The priest told me that I have no choice but to believe in my wife¡¯s ability to survive and wait for her to get better.¡±


    Milkit flinched. The situation sounded much like the Mustard poison that had ruined her face.


    ¡°However,¡± Rich continued, ¡°when I looked it up I found that it is a disease that can be cured with medicine.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Flamm said. ¡°What is your request exactly?¡±


    If Rich put the request through the guild, it would be revealed to the church that he wanted to make medicine using herbs. The church had crushed pharmacists in order to protect its own interests. That was not just a bit of interesting history. It was still a crime, illegal drug manufacturing, to produce herbal medicine, no matter how effective.


    The kingdom has walked hand in hand with the church in the regulation of medicine. Even the head of the Mancathy Store would not be able to avoid prosecution if his request were discovered.


    ¡°My wife¡¯s condition gets worse day by day,¡± Rich said. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t get medicine as soon as possible, she could die.¡±


    So he felt forced to obtain medicine even if it was illegal. An adventurer like Flamm with low rank and high ability was just what he needed.


    ¡°Of course, the reward is high,¡± Rich said. ¡°I understand a request that doesn¡¯t go through the guild won¡¯t help your rank, so you need to be compensated appropriately.¡±


    As Rich said, a request that didn¡¯t go through the guild wouldn¡¯t be included in calculating Flamm¡¯s rank. On the other hand, the guild wouldn¡¯t be taking a cut out of the fee. Also, the request itself wasn¡¯t inherently violent or immoral, and Flamm wouldn¡¯t have to deal with the obnoxious guild receptionist.


    ¡°What do you think, Master?¡± Milkit asked.


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Flamm shrugged, torn. The reward was great, but so is the risk. If Flamm were sniffed out by the church, she would be in danger. Still, though, she can¡¯t help but respond to Rich¡¯s feelings for his wife.


    She turned back to him and spoke clearly. ¡°I will perform your request.¡±


    Rich smiled as his face lit up with hope. ¡°Really! O God, thank you for this encounter!¡±


    Flamm was uncomfortable in front of a public display in a belief she didn¡¯t share, but it didn¡¯t shake her resolve. She was happy to receive Rich¡¯s tear-filled gratitude. Although, while she had accepted the quest, she still didn¡¯t know what medicinal herbs were needed or where to get them.


    ¡°Ah, where do the herbs grow?¡± Flamm asked, slightly embarrassed.


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know the location,¡± Rich admitted. ¡°I know that it is a plant with a blue flower called Chiaraly, but it is hard to find any books about medicinal herbs any more.¡±


    With the Church suppressing information on medicinal herbs, it was already impressive that Rich even knew what material was needed. He had probably only succeeded because he was so desperate to save his wife.


    ¡°I see, finding it is part of the request.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s an unreasonable thing to ask,¡± Rich said, ¡°but this is my only hope.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. I won¡¯t give up halfway.¡±


    Flamm wasn¡¯t completely confident in her ability to handle this quest from scratch, but she was willing to give it a try.


    It shouldn¡¯t be impossible to find the missing information. Flamm could start from her basic understanding about herbs and try to figure out the location on her own. Ideally, she would be able to ask her friend for help. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t sure whether her friend will cooperate, or really even if she is a true friend.


    ¡°They were slightly troubled, but they eventually agreed.¡±


    ¡°Those two thought you were the biggest burden.¡±


    Flamm remembered Jean¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t know if he was telling the truth or not. Even just the memory was enough to make Flamm¡¯s heart tremble. If he had been telling the truth, then Eterna would not cooperate with Flamm. But she had no choice than to believe.


    ¡°But,¡± Flamm continued, ¡°I think it will take some time.¡±


    ¡°While my wife¡¯s condition is poor, she shouldn¡¯t be dying soon,¡± Rich said. ¡°All I can say is that getting the herbs as soon as possible will be fine. I¡¯m sorry to put such pressure on you.¡±


    There is no specific deadline, but if she took too long then Rich¡¯s wife would die. It was a heavy burden to bear. A life was in the balance based on Flamm¡¯s performance of his request.


    ¡°My notes summarizing the characteristics of Chiaraly are at my house, should we go and pick them up?¡±


    As the two arranged the final details of the request, Flamm could hear Sarah¡¯s voice approaching them.


    ¡°Oh, here they are!¡±


    Sarah ran up to the three of them, followed by two other knights wearing white plate armor. The knights made a magical ring of lights that restrained the two unconscious robbers. In the mean time, Rich, Flamm, and Milkit made idle conversation. Presumably things went so smoothly because Sarah was a member of the church.


    ¡°Good work!¡±


    Sarah shook hands with the knights and waved them off. She had sweat beading on her forehead from running back and forth, but the smile on her face was still untouched by any kind of fatigue.


    Sarah turned to Flamm after the two knights disappeared into the crowd. ¡°I hope that those guys mend their ways.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Flamm agreed. It would help public security in the West Ward, and it would also reduce the power of Dain¡¯s faction.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Sarah said, ¡°I have something I want to ask.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Rich asked.


    Sarah looked up at him and tilted her head. ¡°Is something bothering you? Specifically, with medicinal herbs.¡±


    Flamm¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Rich hesitated, but otherwise maintained his poker face. ¡°No, nothing like that.¡±


    He and Flamm were both surprised. Sarah hadn¡¯t eavesdropped on the two of them, but despite that she had seen through the request Rich made.


    ¡°Well, in the past, when I¡¯ve seen someone with similar expressions who had similar troubles,¡± Sarah said, ¡°I helped look for the herbs and handed them over.¡±


    ¡°Handed out herbal medicine?¡± Rich asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a member of the church?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s the duty of clergy to help those in trouble,¡± Sarah said. ¡°I learned that from Maria.¡±


    ¡°Maria?¡±


    ¡°Maria is an amazing person who is traveling with the Hero!¡± Sarah said. ¡°When I was just starting in the church, she was very kind to me.¡±


    Sarah seemed to be speaking of the saintess Maria Afengens. Sarah¡¯s eyes glittered as she spoke about her, and it was clear that she adored Maria from the bottom of her heart.


    Flamm¡¯s experience with Maria had been a bit different. Certainly she was kind. But during their travels she always acted strange in the presence of the demons. She also followed Jean¡¯s instructions not to use restoration magic on Flamm in order to conserve resources. Flamm found it hard to think of someone like that as a saint.


    ¡°I think it is strange that the church forbids the use of herbal medicine. If a person can¡¯t be saved by magic, why not save them with medicine?¡± Sarah continued. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t tell anybody I said that, I¡¯ll get in trouble.¡±


    Reach, Flamm, and Milkit all looked at each other. Sarah¡¯s remarks sounded like somebody who barely followed church teachings. Rich seemed to be asking Flamm with his eyes whether he should trust Sarah.


    ¡°I understand that you don¡¯t want to say anything, but I want you to understand that I want to help,¡± Sarah said. ¡°Also, the church still has some information on medicinal herbs. I think it would be useful.¡±


    ¡°The church has that kind of information?!¡± Rich asked, shocked.


    ¡°A little bit, yes.¡±


    It was hard to trust somebody associated with the church on this matter. But on the other hand, the information on the habitat of Chiaraly might be in the church documents. Speaking up would be risky, but it could also help Flamm complete the request quickly. Rich was forced to choose.


    ¡°I think you can trust Sarah,¡± Flamm said. ¡°She has very pure eyes.¡±


    After Flamm spoke, Rich closed his eyes and remained silent for a while, thinking.


    ¡°Well, if you say so¡­ Sarah, I certainly have a problem with herbs,¡± Rich said. ¡°My wife is suffering from a disease. We need an herbal remedy for her treatment.¡±


    ¡°That kind of thing? I guess I will understand when I examine it.¡±


    ¡°I already asked Flamm to help,¡± Rich said. ¡°If you can cooperate and find what I need, of course I will give you a reward.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it,¡± Sarah said. ¡°Helping others is a nun¡¯s job.¡±


    Sarah glared a bit at Flamm. While Sarah persisted in a life of service, Flamm felt a bit wretched for always acting for rewards.


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± Sarah said. ¡°You don¡¯t work for the church, after all.¡±


    The three of them, Flamm, Milkit, and Sarah, followed Rich back to his house. They would be working together to find the Chiaraly.


    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó


    Sarah left to gather information from the church based on what she learned from Rich. Flamm tried to look for information as well, but she was unable to find any books relating to medicinal herbs.


    Two days later, Sarah returned. She had notes written in her childish handwriting describing the location of a cave where Chiaraly could be gathered.


    ¡°I had a hard time stealing a look,¡± Sarah said, laughing. ¡°I¡¯m glad I found it safely.¡±


    Even the people within the church didn¡¯t have free access to materials on medicinal herbs. Sarah had to sneak around in order to take a peek. Flamm was surprised and a little guilty and finding that she had led an innocent like Sarah onto such a dangerous path.


    In any event, Chiaraly could be found near a town called Enichidae. From the capital city, it would take about two days traveling south by coach to get there.


    The three of them gathered at Rich¡¯s mansion to make preparations to travel. Rich was delighted that they knew where to find the Chiaraly and gladly handled all of the travel arrangements. Flamm was prepared to handle the request by herself from that point, but Sarah insisted on coming along. After Milkit agreed that it would be a good idea, Flamm could only acquiesce, though she was worried that the church would find out what Sarah had been doing.


    ¡°There¡¯s no problem with traveling around to help people,¡± Sarah said. ¡°Other nuns do it all the time.¡±


    It would probably be ok.


    They decided to leave the next morning.


    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó


    Milkit was lying in the hotel bad that evening, staring at the ceiling. She seemed too tense to sleep.


    ¡°Milkit, are you awake?¡± Flamm asked from the other bed.


    ¡°I still¡­ I¡¯m nervous.¡±


    ¡°Heh, that¡¯s right, you¡¯re like that.¡±


    Flamm also seemed to be nervous and couldn¡¯t sleep.


    ¡°Well,¡± Flamm said, ¡°do you want to talk a little?¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°Well, can I ask about you?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Flamm¡¯s voice hitched slightly. She was glad that Milkit was showing interest in her.


    ¡°Has Master traveled?¡±


    Milkit had no idea that Flamm had traveled with the Hero¡¯s party, even after spending time with Flamm. As a slave, she knew about the existence of a Hero, but not the identities of everybody participating.


    Flamm had not spoken about her past before being soldin to slavery, but now Milkit was showing interest in learning more about her. She decided it would be better for the relationship between them to speak now instead of hiding things until later on.


    ¡°Actually, I was traveling with the Hero.¡±


    The room was silent for a moment. It seemed that it was impossible for Milkit to believe such a ridiculous fact right away.


    ¡°A heroic person?¡±


    ¡°Well, specifically, I was traveling with Cyrille, Eterna, and Gadio for months.¡±


    Even Milkit who didn¡¯t know much recognized those names. She leaned up, tilting her body to look towards Flamm¡¯s bed.


    ¡°You¡­ were one of the heroes chosen by God?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I believe in that kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°Master, you were a wonderful person.¡±


    Milkit had thought that Flamm was not a simple person. However, she had never imagined that she was one of the heroes. She peered through her bandages and studied her closely. Flamm felt suddenly shy.


    ¡°Well, in the end they kicked me out,¡± Flamm said. ¡°Not just that, I was sold to slave merchants and given this mark because I was chosen by God.¡±


    Flamm still didn¡¯t understand why Origin chose her. On balance she felt she had been hurt by being chosen.


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    Milkit seemed to have decided something.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Master seemed dazzling to me. Even though we were both slaves, it seemed like you had not been stained by any part of a slave¡¯s mindset. Even though I was in the same cage I did not understand¡­ now I finally understand the reason.¡±


    Was she dazzling? Rather, Milkit, a slave for years and years, might have been seeing things too positively. Well, Flamm could agree that she wasn¡¯t ¡°stained,¡± at least.


    ¡°Perhaps Master is in a place that I can reach.¡±


    ¡°Why say that¡­ I do not even like myself.¡±


    ¡°Even so.¡±


    ¡°I am still in a place where I can fall back,¡± Flamm said. ¡°But if I hear that Milkit is sinking, then I will raise both of us.¡±


    ¡°Master says such a thing again.¡±


    Milkit acts as if she were upset, but her voice sounded slightly happy.


    ¡°Is that wrong?¡±


    ¡°I want to believe you, so I¡¯m in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Well, good,¡± Flamm said, laughing.


    Milkit puffed out her cheeks and huffed a bit in frustration.


    ¡°Leaving tomorrow¡­ I hope everything ends safely,¡± Milkit said.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s plan to eat something delicious with the reward.¡±


    ¡°Today¡¯s lunch was very tasty, it was the first time I ate such a thing.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that fancy, but¡­ if you like it, we¡¯ll go there again.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    By talking with each other, much of their anxiety faded. However, it didn¡¯t completely disappear. Especially since the church was doing things that they didn¡¯t understand. Still, as Flamm thought about it, it seemed useless to speculate when she knew so little. She swallowed the premonition that was bothering her and closed her eyes.


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    With those words, the room was filled with silence. The night grew darker. The time for departure drew near.

 CH 9

    Greetings from the Translator:


    Astherfeld Cryomorph, reporting in. I will be taking care this novel under Flamm¡¯s last name Apricot (following site standard) from here on forward. As per usual with other novels, I will be giving some announcements before the chapter.


    First of all, I don¡¯t make a promise I can¡¯t make, so I¡¯ll be straight: I can¡¯t promise a timely update. What I can promise you is to release at least one chapter every two weeks. Unlike other novels I work on, these chapters are huge, so I can¡¯t promise you one chapter per week. Depending on the situation, I might split the chapters into two, releasing one part per week and totaling in a whole chapter every two weeks, but I understand that it might make an inconsistent mess, so I¡¯ll try to do that less, except if it¡¯s under popular demand.


    Second of all, I also promise you that this would be the last chapter that has a TL note before the chapter. From the next chapter forward, I will put all translator notes/comments after the chapter, so you can choose to read it or not. I understand that y¡¯all came here for the chapter and not my rambling, so you can choose whether to read it or not.


    Either way, enjoy your stay, enjoy the chapter, and I wish you and your extended family a blessed day.


    ¡ªAstherfeld Cryomorph


    kurokurori.wordpress.com


    Within the swaying coach, the three, Flamm, Milkit and Sarah stuff their mouths with lunch.


    The soft and springy white bread was cut to make a gap, and inside it was smeared by spicy sauce while meat and vegetables are wedged between them.


    The innate sweetness of the bread and the spiciness of the sauce mixes into a mild flavor that are enjoyable by children.


    The lunch was made by Milkit who woke up early before they left the capital.


    She wrapped them with paper and brought them for lunch.


    Sarah: ¡°Ih ge¡¯i-hush¡±


    With her mouth jammed, Sarah said thus.


    Looking at Sarah¡¯s puffed cheeks, Flamm inadvertently choked.


    Milkit: ¡°I¡¯m glad you enjoyed it.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°You¡¯re so good at cooking too, huh Milkit?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing much.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Is it though? I mean, this is really delicious. You made the sauce from scratch, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Milkit: ¡°Well I did, but¡­¡±


    Is that cooking skill something to be cultivated for slaves?


    Flamm can also cook, but this too is a very impressive feat.


    What was the ingredient, I wonder? I have to ask for the recipe next time. With a serious expression, she bit down on her bread.


    Flamm: ¡°By the way, what kind of town is Enichidae?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Ih a konkrihaid uih ngohing mah.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Pfft¡­¡­Sarah-chan, you can answer after you¡¯re done eating.¡±


    Flamm cautioned her as she laughed, and Sarah chewed the chewy bread stuffed in her cheeks and swallowed them in one go.


    Is this what they call youth? Flamm took a mental damage.


    Sarah: ¡°gulp¡­It¡¯s a countryside with nothing much it seems. Some time ago they mainly sell medicinal herbs though.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Some time ago as it may, it¡¯s way back before we were born, right? I remembered the crackdown began just after the war with the demons.¡±


    The war with the demons was an incident 30 years ago.


    One day, demons suddenly invaded humanity¡¯s territory to claim them.


    The Empire¡¯s army stood up to defend them, and despite taking massive casualties, they successfully drove them away.


    The church¡¯s clergymen also participated in the battle, coming out with great achievements. This resulted in the influence of the church soaring within the Empire¡ªor so that¡¯s how it went.


    Of course, the Origin had the greatest influence as a religion in the Empire, but at that time, there were still a some believers of other religions.


    However, in the present day, 30 years after the incident, there are virtually no other religion than the Origin.


    Sarah: ¡°I have no idea why they detested medicinal herbs that much.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Did they not teach the reasons in the church?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°In the church, they say that medicine will weaken your faith, or your healing magic efficiency will decrease, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll believe things like that¡­yet again, there are children who believe it firmly.¡±


    Being taught thus since they were young, there definitely would be some children who would believe them.


    Sarah wasn¡¯t one of them, but¡ªas the carriage shook, her body leaned forward.


    As she did, Flamm noticed a mysterious blue tattoo on the back of Sarah¡¯s neck.


    Flamm: ¡°Hey, Sarah-chan, what is this behind your neck?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Ah, that?¡±


    Sarah touched it with her fingertips, and she started explaining.


    Sarah: ¡°My hometown¡­is now long gone, but they believed in a different god and not Origin-sama. My parents were one of them devout believers, so when I was little, they drew this mark on me. They used a special paint that makes it not gonna disappear, so it¡¯s left like that.¡±


    Special paint? Is it similar to how Flamm¡¯s slave mark was given to her?


    But to have lost your hometown, just what had happened?¡ªIt was a sensitive question to have been asked, but Sarah herself spoke about it.


    Sarah: ¡°By the way, my hometown was destroyed by the demons. It¡¯s already past 8 years ago, and I was only 2 at that time, so I don¡¯t remember much.¡±


    The girl powerlessly smiled.


    Sarah: ¡°That Maria-onee-sama was the same. That was probably why she cared for me.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Maria-san too¡­¡±


    Never having a chance to talk about it, Flamm didn¡¯t get to know about her circumstances.


    The reason why she behaved differently upon facing demons was because of the grudge she held for the demon had destroyed her hometown.


    Perhaps the one person who is the most motivated for journey to slay the demon lord was Maria after all.


    And for her, the existence of the non-combatant, useless Flamm is nothing more than a wrench in the gears of her plan.


    Sarah: ¡°Even now the demons are still invading human territories over and over again.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Eh? Even now?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°It¡¯s not a public knowledge, but there are several towns that are flattened in the countrysides.¡±


    Such information should be exempted from the Empire¡¯s newspaper, and that means for the people of the church who knows of this matter, it is a highly classified information.


    On top of the matter of medicinal herb, Sarah felt that the current policy of the church doesn¡¯t sit well with her.


    Sarah: ¡°Fortunately there hasn¡¯t been any casualties, but I definitely won¡¯t forgive ¡¯em! If I see a demon I¡¯ll definitely defeat that bastard!¡±


    Sarah strengthened her tone.


    Despite having no memories of her destroyed hometown, she seems to definitely be holding a grudge.


    The demons continued on their path of destruction even after the war was over, so Sarah¡¯s rage is justified, but Flamm thought something was off.


    Sarah: ¡°But before that, I¡¯ll need to grow stronger so I can win when I gotta face ¡¯em.¡±


    Milkit: ¡°Now that I thought of it, you managed to catch those thieves easily, so isn¡¯t Sarah-sama already plenty strong?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°You can call me Sarah-chan just like you did to Flamm onee-san, you know? Being called ¡°Sarah-sama¡± somehow makes me feel uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t possibly¡­¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Sarah-chan feels troubled, so please go along with it, okay?¡±


    Milkit: ¡°¡­If master said so. Then, Sarah-chan.¡±


    As Milkit changed the way she calls Sarah, the latter nodded happily while taking a bite of her bread.


    Sarah: ¡°Yu kan skhan me if yu want.¡±


    Milkit: ¡°U, Understood¡­Scan.¡±


    She had learned Scan just last night.


    They ended up postponing the reading and writing lessons because of it, but there will be a lot more chance to use it, so she learnt it it overnight.


    It was the first time Milkit ever use magic, so she was awfully nervous.


    Although, Scan is a spell that doesn¡¯t require any sort of control, so it¡¯s a spell that even children can cast.


    Once you¡¯ve gotten the gist of it, you can still use it no matter how unskilled you are.


    Milkit herself, who thought ¡°someone like me can¡¯t possibly do it¡± without confidence managed to learn the spell in just about an hour.


    In glee of managing to cast the spell, she excitedly scanned everything around her, be it the status of Flamm or that of her equipment, over and over again.


    Afterwards, they spent several hours explaining the words and numbers displayed from the scan.


    Even though she was only earnestly explaining some simple words and numbers, looking at Milkit who looked like she was enjoying every second of it, a smile naturally bloomed on Flamm¡¯s face.


    Milkit gazed at the information displayed before her.


    Looking at the appearance in front of her, she brought her hand onto her mouth and chuckled, causing Flamm to also be drawn to check Sarah¡¯s status.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Sarah Ambiren


    Attribute: Light


    Strength: 285


    Intelligence: 301


    Endurance: 123


    Agility: 227


    Intuition: 133


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    And thus, they were shocked.


    Is this seriously the status of a 10-year-old? they thought.


    The sum of her status value is 1069, meaning her strength is similar to those of a lower C-rank adventurer.


    Perhaps the reason why she was granted freedom of actions by the church is because they recognized her talent.


    Seeing the surprisingly high status, Flamm remembered her impatience and quickly scanned the status of the crest she has on her palm and the gauntlet next to her.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Item: Soul-Eating Zweihander


    Rarity: Epic


    ¡¾Strength -320¡¿


    ¡¾Intelligence -99¡¿


    ¡¾Endurance -297¡¿


    ¡¾Agility -183¡¿


    ¡¾Intuition -111¡¿


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Item: Blood-stained Steel Gauntlet


    Rarity: Rare


    ¡¾Strength -82¡¿


    ¡¾Intelligence -101¡¿


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The total is 1193¡ªthat¡¯s alright, I haven¡¯t lost, she thought.


    The Soul-Eater curse was strengthened after she killed the Anzu, stacking the debuff.


    Yet again, the change was minuscule.


    To impose a bigger status change, she¡¯ll have to cut down a lot of monsters.


    It¡¯s uncertain, however, if the speed of Flamm¡¯s improvement can match the speed of Sarah¡¯s development.


    It¡¯s not as if Flamm is trying to compete with Sarah.


    Naturally that means there is no need to rush, but at the very least, as long as she is being called ¡°onee-san¡± by Sarah, she wants to look admirable like one.


    Sarah: ¡°The clothes that you two are wearing, are those common items without any enchantments?¡±


    Sarah asked the two as she scanned their clothes.


    Common-grade equipment cannot be enchanted.


    That means their equipment are very normal items.


    Flamm: ¡°If you set the looks aside, you can buy some Rare-grade clothes, but¡­still, right?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Certainly there are some with good design and great stats, but clothes like that are way beyond our budget, right?¡±


    Common is the lowest-grade of equipment, and you can¡¯t scan them to figure out the good or bad part of the clothes.


    Sarah: ¡°But still, those are some cute clothes you¡¯re wearing, Flamm onee-san¡­I mean, the one I¡¯m wearing looks childish in comparison.¡±


    Sarah took a glance to her developing limbs and turned crestfallen.


    But she immediately recovered and turned to praise Milkit¡¯s clothes.


    Sarah: ¡°But I admire Milkit onee-san¡¯s clothes though. That frilly lace, that ribbon on the chest, I mean it¡¯s full of cuteness. I too would like to wear something like that sometimes.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Milkit chose this herself. It suits her really well, right? I feel happy for being able to see it every day.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I get you, I want one of her for myself.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°No way, this girl is exclusive to me.¡±


    Saying thus, Flamm hugged Milkit¡¯s arm.


    In the wake of the two¡¯s praises, Milkit who is not used to being praised hung her head in embarrassment.


    Milkit: ¡°¡­Master, Sarah-chan, are you by any chance poking fun at me?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Fu-fu-fu, have I been found out?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Myy~ Milkit onee-san is quite sharp isn¡¯t she?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°It¡¯s because she¡¯s my maid, you know?


    Milkit: ¡°You¡¯re saying that sort of things again, come on¡­¡±


    The girl puffed her cheeks.


    Her change of expression is percievable even through her bandaged face.


    Including this gesture, Flamm thought honestly that the girl is very cute.


    Milkit, as well, started out thinking there¡¯s no way that is true in self-denial immediately as she was praised, but recently, she is gradually started to be honest and feel happy.


    It doesn¡¯t change the fact that it¡¯s still embarrasing, however.


    It¡¯s only been several days that the two lived together, yet during those times, the distance between the two had certainly shortened.


    Sarah: ¡°Really, how admirable.¡±


    Looking at the two messing around, Sarah said thus.


    What appeared in her mind was her elder-sister figure Maria.


    They haven¡¯t been meeting each other recently.


    The loneliness she felt resurfaced as she saw the scene of Flamm and Milkit who looked like siblings.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    Despite the boring ride, the three had so much fun chatting that time passed by in the blink of an eye.


    They stopped by the transit town, staying for one night while having a taste of the local goods before leaving the next morning on another carriage.


    Depending on the weather, the road and the condition of the horse, there is a possibility of having to spend another night, but they arrive to their destination¡ªEnichidae¡ªlater that night.


    After they disembarked the carriage, the carriage left for another town.


    The next carriage will arrive in this town in 3 days.


    If the three can¡¯t harvest the medicinal herbs by then, they¡¯ll have to request another carriage after a while, but they should be done by then.


    They were nailed to the ground as they stood gazing at the scenery unfolding in front of their eyes.


    It¡¯s true that there are houses lined up like usual, yet the lights that flicker in front of them are a mere handful.


    The main street void of illuminations from street lights were swallowed by the darkness. It¡¯s in a condition where if they want to proceed, they would need to bring a lantern as if they were to explore a cave.


    Flamm: ¡°Is there people living here?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°It looks like only about a dozen of people left living here.¡±


    Milkit: ¡°I wonder if there is even an inn in a place like this.¡±


    In every town there would normally be at least one establishment for travelers to stay their night.


    Believing thus and wandering around looking for an in, the three couldn¡¯t find an inn, and they can¡¯t even find anyone to ask.


    Depending on the location, you could also ask town of the inhabitants if you can stay over.


    Or perhaps they can stay outdoors and enjoy the views¡ªas those thoughts crossed their minds,


    Milkit: ¡°Isn¡¯t it that over there?¡±


    Milkit found a signboard that looks like it belonged to an inn.


    But there were no lights in the building, and the entrance was locked.


    Flamm put her lantern near the door, and she found traces of a torn poster.


    She stood still and tried reading it.


    Flamm: ¡°To visitors with businesses in the inn, please ask for Stude from the house next door, it said. I wonder if they kept it closed if nobody comes.¡±


    Milkit: ¡°Is it because there are barely any customers?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°It used to be bustling with people back when they can harvest medicinal herbs. I¡¯m somewhat sad to think that the church is responsible for this¡­.¡±


    The three felt listless for some reason, but they can¡¯t help but to be immersed with sentimentality.


    Soon, Flamm led the group, to the house next door and rung the bell on the entrance.


    As she did, a middle-aged plump man showed his face.


    It seems like he¡¯s Stude.


    Flamm told him that ¡°we would like to use the inn¡°, and the man replied ¡°how many hears has it been¡± with a surprise.


    It was a line that instantly worried the three.


    But the man brushed the past aside and opened the inn, and as they entered, they noticed that it was relatively clean and tidy inside.


    From the several available rooms, they chose a double-sized room, and Flamm received a key from Stude.


    Stude: ¡°We don¡¯t serve food anymore, but there is a kitchen, so if you plan to cook, you¡¯re free to use it.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Can we?¡±


    Stude: ¡°Yeah, I mean there¡¯s rarely anyone ever using it, so you can do as you like. You can buy ingredients in the stores near the big road, and if you want you can also eat over there. Also, if you have any issues, you can come to the house next door. We can deal with minor problems, and if it¡¯s a major problem, we can move you to another room, and you can do as you like from then on.¡±


    After a careless explanation, Stude left.


    The three were briefly stunned as they gazed on the man¡¯s back, but that that man had just portrayed what had become of this place, so they couldn¡¯t help but to think deeply about it.


    But they had just managed to safely get an accommodation with a roof, so they should enjoy it for now.


    They entered the room, and both Flamm and Sarah hurriedly lowered their luggage in the corner of the room.


    Then the two stood side-by side, looking at each other and nodded. They took some steps back, did a run up and jumped face-first into the bed.


    Poof!


    Milkit: ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Milkit stood still, unable to comprehend such unusual ceremony.


    But Flamm, still horizontally lying on the bed, pats the area next to her.


    It¡¯s like she wants to say you come too.


    She can¡¯t possibly object to her master¡¯s orders.


    Milkit lightly ran toward the bed and jumped to the bed with moderation.


    Milkit: ¡°¡­is there a meaning in this action?¡±


    Milkit asked as her face sinks into the bed.


    Flamm: ¡°Don¡¯t you always want to jump into a soft bed?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°It¡¯s that kind of thing.¡±


    Milkit: ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    In the end, she couldn¡¯t understand.


    Well, I bet as long as it¡¯s fun, you don¡¯t need a reason to do it, Milkit thought, coming up to a conclusion.


    Afterwards, the tree rose from the bed, briefly chatted until their stomachs are empty and took some bread from their luggage. This time, it was a plain bread with nothing in between, but they all ate it for dinner regardless.


    They then realized that the bath in the inn couldn¡¯t be used, so they sought advice from Stude, so they were allowed to borrow his bath.


    In the meantime, Sarah tiptoed her way and said let¡¯s talk about love!, but since none of the three had any romantic experiences, the conversation didn¡¯t go anywhere.


    There are several things that they can do afterwards, but they were tired from the journey, so they decided to retreat to bed early and slept side-by-side in the same bed.


    But just before they go to sleep, Milkit said ¡°I¡¯ll be fine sleeping on the floor¡°, but it goes without saying that Flamm forced her to sleep on the bed.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    The next morning, Flamm was woken up by the boisterous Sarah who yelled ¡°WAKE UP~!¡±


    Sarah who lived in the church lived an orderly life, and that includes including waking up unusually early.


    It would also seem that the habit of waking up early had been ingrained into Milkit, leaving Flamm to be the last one to wake up.


    The girl who woke up with droopy eyes put on her outfit and briskly headed out with the two.


    They headed out to the shops in the road to both procure some food and to gather information.


    Enichidae¡¯s townscape in the bright morning was different from last night¡ªand it looked even more desolate.


    Perhaps there were more stores in the main street before?


    Yet right now,there were barely any trace left.


    No thanks to those traces left, the town was in a condition that looks like it¡¯s about to die out.


    The three sought a store that was open, proceeding while looking around restlessly.


    What they found first was the food store that Stude told them about.


    The building itself was decrepit, but the inside of the store was comparatively lovely, making them look forward to the flavor of the food they sell.


    As they continued walking, they reached a place with no lights, but there were some stores that sells vegetables and daily necessities.


    They took a step inside the store to check the condition, and at the far end on the counter was an old lady sitting down, wearing a glasses and reading some sort of book.


    When she noticed Flamm¡¯s presence, she raised her voice, saying ¡°You¡¯re customers from the outside? How unusual.¡±


    Sarah gave a slight bow and went up to the lady with an affable smile.


    Sarah: ¡°We came from the royal capital!¡±


    Old Lady: ¡°Hee, the capital. Three girls with unusual clothes, on top of that? There hasn¡¯t been anything as unusual as you three. Even though you can¡¯t harvest medicinal herbs anymore as well.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°You can¡¯t harvest them, but there are some growing around, right?¡±


    Old Lady: ¡°That¡¯s true, but the cave they grow in had those behemoth roaming about, so no one wants to get close. If you all want to go there, you better stop quick. It¡¯s not a good place.¡±


    The old lady said so insultingly.


    This time, Flamm walked close and asked.


    Flamm: ¡°When you say behemoth, what kind of monster is it specifically?¡±


    Old Lady: ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t seen it myself, you see. I think everyone who had seen it all died. There were dozens of adventurers like you who came looking for the medicinal herbs, but I haven¡¯t heard of ¡¯em returning.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°No one, is it?¡±


    Old Lady: ¡°Yeah, without exceptions. Speaking of which, this morning there were several men that asked about the cave. For two groups to ask the same thing in one day, talk about unusual. I¡¯ve warned them anyways, but they might be dying right about now¡­¡±


    The old lady¡¯s eyes looks like they¡¯re looking far away as she said thus.


    In front of the old lady whose words carry a certain type of conviction, the three sunk into silence.


    Not a monster, a behemoth.


    There was no other choice but to confirm the existence of whatever is in that cave themselves.


    After buying some foodstuff, the three returned to the inn briefly.


    There they made lunch, packed them into a basket and gathered their belongings.


    Flamm: ¡°Is it really going to be okay?¡±


    Flamm and Sarah who were done packing went out of the inn with their belongings in one hand.


    This time, Milkit stayed behind. They thought that they couldn¡¯t possibly bring Milkit who had no combat power into a cave where there¡¯s a behemoth.


    Flamm: ¡°First of all, if you think it¡¯s dangerous, escape first.¡±


    Milkit: ¡°But¡­¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I¡¯ll follow as well!¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Milkit, I understand that you¡¯re worried, but if you don¡¯t send us off with a smile, we probably won¡¯t be able to  bring up our strength.¡±


    Milkit: ¡°The way you¡¯re saying it is unfair.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Nfufufu, you knew that I¡¯m that sort of master, right? Well then, we¡¯ll be going.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°We¡¯re going~!¡±


    Saying thus, the two left Milkit.


    Their unease were still left engendered, but as long as she can help bring forth Flamm¡¯s determination, Milkit forcefully made a smile under the cover of her bandages as she bowed.


    Milkit: ¡°Have a safe trip, Master and Sarah-san.¡±


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    It had been 30 minutes after the two left the village.


    In the dense forest, their target cave suddenly appeared out of nowhere as it opened its mouth.


    Perhaps the place was well-maintained in the days when it was bustling with crowds. The entrance was so hugely enlarged that there¡¯s no way this place is naturally opened.


    But right now, there are barely any people that moss are growing here and there.


    Flamm sighed to dispel her nervousness. She then lit her lantern and took a step into the cave.


    While being careful not to slip on the moss-covered footing, the two progressed on the dark path on and on.


    Sarah: ¡°It¡¯s unexpectedly bright, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Sarah said in a small voice, but her voice echoed nevertheless.


    Flamm: ¡°That may be right. Seems like lights are pouring in from the rifts on the cave roof.¡±


    For the parts that are covered with lights, plants that look like medicinal herbs are growing.


    Perhaps the Chiarly field is also growing from a place where there are lights pouring in.


    They tried snuffing out their lanterns, and it seems like there should be no problems looking ahead.


    As they proceeded onward, the path broadens.


    They noticed the planed walls, giving hints that this place too had been tampered by human hands.


    ???: ¡°Gugo¡­¡±


    From the depths, a beastly growl was heard.


    Flamm put her index finger to her lips with a shush and Sarah immediately held her breath.


    Stopping on their tracks and focused in hearing their surroundings, they could hear footsteps that doesn¡¯t belong to a human echoing around.


    Flamm attempted to walk as quietly as possible¡ªand after peeking out her face on the bend of the path, she confirmed the figure.


    It was a monster with green skin, a muscular build and a towering height of 3 meters.


    Sarah: ¡°It¡¯s an ogre, isn¡¯t it? it¡¯s a C-class monster.¡±


    Sarah said with a low voice.


    Its profile that could be seen briefly sometimes resembles an angry oni, with its sharp fangs growing as far as its chin, giving a sense of oppression.


    One horn grew out of the middle of its forehead, and it grazes the cave roof every time it moves about.


    Flamm activates her Scan and checked its status.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Ogre


    Attribute: Earth


    Strength: 608


    Intelligence: 9


    Endurance: 623


    Agility: 136


    Intuition: 81


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Its status reflects its looks.


    They don¡¯t need to worry about magic and them forming a group, they are a category of monster that are easy to fight.


    At the very least, unlike the Anzu that could unleash wind magic all of a sudden, this monster is a league better than the Anzu.


    Furthermore, this time it¡¯s a fight of 2 against 1, so this should be a lot easier than before.


    But they can¡¯t lower their guards. If they are hit in the wrong place, there is a danger of dying instantly.


    Sarah: ¡°I think there shouldn¡¯t be a problem with the two of us here.¡±


    Flamm had explained about her status to Sarah last night.


    OF course, Sarah was surprised at first, but since she saw Flamm capturing the thieves at the capital, Sarah didn¡¯t doubt her strength.


    Flamm: ¡°¡­Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    When the ogre showed his back, the two broke into a run simultaneously on Flamm¡¯s mark.


    The fight from now on will be one-sided.


    Flamm¡¯s Soul-Eater and Sarah¡¯s mace will inflict one heavy attack that would certainly end the Ogre¡¯s life.


    Especially, Sarah¡¯s lunging strike combined with her twisting her body packed a lot more punch than Flamm had imagined.


    She¡¯s still 10, so she¡¯ll be a lot more terrifying as she grows up.


    The ogre roared and flailed its arms about, but against the two who are calm and collected, there¡¯s no way that it would hit anything.


    The movement of the monster that took damage slowed down, and its power slowly drains away.


    At last, Flamm pierced her long sword into its chest, and as she pulled it out, the giant fell face-first to the ground.


    The two then worked together to flip over the ogre¡¯s body, and then they cut out the ogre¡¯s fangs from its head.


    As a weapon material, the ogre¡¯s fang could fetch quite a high price.


    Their objective is the medicinal herb, but there¡¯s no harm in securing the loots.


    They lightly wiped the ogre¡¯s fang and jammed it into their bags before they continued their search.


    The cave was wider than they expected. They sometimes heard some monster-like cries, but they rather chose not to fight them.


    The two painted the cave wall as they progressed to mark them so they don¡¯t lose their way back out.


    As they did, the brightness of the cave intensifies.


    Could they possibly be reaching the surface?


    They followed the twisting path and finally turned towards the light source. Then¡ª


    Flamm: ¡°I never thought there could be a place like this¡­¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I thought it was weird for herbs to be growing in a cave, but if it¡¯s like this, then it¡¯s possible.¡±


    There was an open area where there were no cave roof.


    That place was rich of gentle sunlight pouring in, and a stream of spring water poured through, creating an ideal place for a field of plants to grow.


    It¡¯s all the more appropriate to call it the inner garden of the cave.


    With various plants big and small growing around, it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to find the Chiarly.


    Flamm: ¡°But somehow¡­¡±


    The clear air, the comfortable temperature, they almost felt like lying down on top of the grass, but.


    Sarah: ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it too quiet?¡±


    Sarah asked Flamm with unease.


    The girl nodded in agreement.


    Even though this is a very livable place, somehow there were no signs of life.


    The only sounds eerily echoing were the murmurs of the stream and the blades of grass swaying in the wind.


    Flamm: ¡°For now, let¡¯s quickly find the medicinal herbs and go home.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s better if we don¡¯t stay here for too long.¡±


    As they said that, the two nodded to each other before splitting up and started searching for the herbs.


    But right afterwards,


    BOOM!


    An ear-rending explosion roared from behind them.


    Flamm turned her body towards the explosion with a twitch.


    What she saw there was the sight of the cave roof sealing their exit, and the vulgar smile of two men.


    Sarah: ¡°Why did they suddenly blow it up!?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, they¡¯re Dain¡¯s henchmen? Did you seriously follow us this far away!?¡±


    Was it some sort of revenge for handing the two men who stole Rich¡¯s bags into the church knights?


    They recalled that the old lady said there were two men who was gathering information before them, and it was these two.


    But Sarah and Flamm couldn¡¯t have imagined that they would follow them in a journey two days away from the capital to Enichidae.


    As the collapse settles, Flamm approached a hole made by a boulder stopping the collapse partially and analyzed the situation.


    Flamm: ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult to move this by hand¡­but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°If we force it open, it might collapse again though. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to search for another exit?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°You¡¯re right. Umm¡­I¡¯m sorry, I ended up involving you in something terrible.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Why are you apologizing, onee-san? Isn¡¯t Dain the bad person who¡¯s been consolidating the adventurers in the western district? So that means they¡¯re the bad ones. When we get out of here, I¡¯ll bring them judgment with these hands of mine!¡±


    Clenching her fist, Sarah declared with strength.


    Flamm who was regretful that she made it a personal grudge felt slightly relieved that she wasn¡¯t the only one.


    In any case, if they can¡¯t get out from this direction, they need to do what Sarah said and look for a different exit.


    If there was a different exit, there won¡¯t be any difficulties, but this area is very wide, and there would be places that haven¡¯t been explored yet.


    Flamm: ¡°Alright, first we¡¯ll look for the herbs, and then we¡¯ll look for the exit¡ª¡±


    Just as Flamm said that, they could hear something moving.


    Interrupting her own sentence, she turned her gaze toward the thicket.


    Sarah: ¡°What happened?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°I think I heard something move just now¡­maybe it¡¯s a monster.¡±


    They stopped briefly, looking in the direction of the sound¡ªand then a green-skinned humanoid giant peeked out the thicket and very briefly entered their vision.


    Sarah: ¡°Looks like an ogre, I think we could just beat it like we did before.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°¡­hold on.¡±


    Flamm felt that something about that ogre is off.


    Doesn¡¯t the part of the face that peeks out earlier looks too different than the one they defetaed before?


    They couldn¡¯t see it clearly thanks to the thick grass, but the monster moved, and when its head appeared before them again,


    Flamm: ¡°What¡­is that¡­¡±


    Flamm waas speechless.


    It has no face.


    In its place was the peeled skin, revealing its red flesh with twisted shape like a vortex.


    Furthermore, the vortex of flesh continued spewing blood as they saw it.


    The red body fluid that flows out of its face soaked its shoulder and its chest, making the ogre¡¯s skin look more black than green.


    Sarah: ¡°It¡¯s¡­not an ogre¡­? No, but the body is that of an ogre, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°S-Scan!¡±


    To understand what it is, scanning it would be best.


    As Flamm aactivates her magic, the information of the monster is lined up.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    F??O?u?nD? ??yO???u


    ¥ª¥ë?t??ri?b?b?u?t?e?: ¥¤¥°rUn?n?i?ng ?a?wAy? ?fr?OM


    S???T??R?eng?th?: 7¥·¥Ì


    I?nT?E?L?l?i?g?eNC?e: RESPONSE RESPONSE


    E???????????n?????????D????????u?????????r?????????a??????n?????c???????????E?????????R??????a????????n???c?????????e???????: 9?¥Ç?¥¢?1??¥É?


    Agility: S???A?Lv?A??T??I?O?N


    DIE: 14


    Fulfill your duty, Flamm Apricot


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The words are impossible to understand.


    Their instincts told them of its danger, as if it¡¯s squeezing on their hearts.


    Flamm unconsciously gripped her chest, her body cowering in fear.


    Sarah: ¡°W¡­What the hell¡­is that? I¡¯ve¡­never seen it¡­!?¡±


    Sarah who also activated her Scan was also scared as she shrunk away.


    Failure in magic activation are common, but no one has heard about it in a spell as simple as Scan.


    It¡¯s even more impossible for two of them to happen at the same time.


    This means that the displayed status truly belongs to that monster.


    That¡¯s the sort of information that thing is carving out.


    Sarah: ¡°And why is¡­Onee-san¡¯s name¡­¡­written in its status¡­?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°I¡¯ve no clue, but¡ª!!¡±


    The ogre-like creature didn¡¯t notice the two, but as soon as they used Scan, it turned its flesh-vortex face toward the two and stared at them.


    The circle slightly turned into an elliptic shape.


    Flamm thought that the thing is looking at them. Smiling.


    Flamm: ¡°I think it¡¯ll be bad if we don¡¯t run away.¡±


    The thing raised its clenched green fist toward the sky.


    The behemoth then swung it down with all its strength, striking the ground.


    For the ogres who can never use magic, such actions had never been anything more than a threatening move.

 CH 10

    As the Ogre¡¯s fist smashed into the ground, Flamm¡¯s footing warped.


    Flamm: ¡°Ah¡­¡­eh¡­¡­!?¡±


    It took a while for Flamm to realize that the red things scattered around her were once a part of her.


    Her feet were quickly shredded, followed by her ankles, calves, and onto her thighs¡ªand no matter how much she would like to pull herself out of the vortex, she couldn¡¯t pour her strength into her legs anymore.


    Even her regenerative power might be too slow compared to the pace she¡¯s getting swallowed.


    At this rate, forget her legs, the vortex would turn her entire body into mincemeat.


    Flamm: ¡°N-No, my legs¡­! I can¡¯t¡­move!?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san!¡±


    There were no one else to rely on but her.


    Sarah desperately screamed and pushed Flamm¡¯s body away.


    Flamm: ¡°A-guh¡­¡­u, uh¡­a, cough¡­!¡±


    With both up to half of her thighs shredded, Flamm tried crawling away to open some distance from the vortex even for a bit.


    Losing its prey that is the girl¡¯s flesh, the vortex groaned with a creepy ¡°WOOOO¡± sound and continued to swirl.


    Flamm: ¡°Ha, a¡­aaAAAAAHH!¡±


    Despite the stinging pain, Flamm swooned.


    If she waited, her legs would probably regenerate, but unlike that time with the Anzu, her legs are torn into thousands of pieces, so she is suffering a lot more than she did in the past.


    She was bleeding profusely, soaking the ground with her blood.


    But even still, she didn¡¯t believe she would die from this.


    I won¡¯t die so it¡¯s okay, I won¡¯t die so it¡¯s okay, I won¡¯t die so I should be fine¡ªFlamm repeatedly told herself that.


    But what smarts will hurt. It hurts so much she feels like she¡¯s dying.


    Flamm: ¡°U, guh¡­u¡­blarghh¡­!¡±


    Unable to breathe properly, the contents of her stomach rose and eventually spills out to the ground.


    Despite knowing that Flamm had a regenerative power, Sarah still thought that the injury the girl is bearing is evidently fatal.


    She¡¯ll die of hemorrhagic shock before I can heal her¡ªshe thought, so she rushed in and held her hands out.


    Sarah: ¡°Heal!¡±


    It was out of pure good intention.


    Light flew out of Sarah¡¯s hands, and following her wish, they gathered on Flamm¡¯s legs.


    The lights entered the body, restoring its condition to before it was injured.


    That was the intermediate-level magic, Heal.


    With her current power, it would be impossible to completely heal such large injuries, but the girl aimed to at least stop her bleeding.


    However¡ªwith a sound as if something¡¯s burning, Flamm¡¯s thighs melted into thick liquid.


    Flamm: ¡°Aa, a¡­GAAAAHH! A¡­i¡­GI¡­III!¡±


    Flamm received a recovery magic, yet her face twisted in anguish even further in agony.


    She dug her nails into the ground, clawing it.


    She¡¯s desperately trying to endure her pain.


    Perhaps because she used too much power, her nails also started bleeding.


    Sarah: ¡°W¡­Why? Why, even though I casted recovery magic¡ª¡±


    Sarah lost her bearing, overwhelmed by confusion.


    But she was sensible enough to snap back to reality with haste.


    Sarah: ¡°¡­¡­is it inversed? Even the effect of recovery magic is reversed!? No way¡­Onee-san, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­!¡±


    But Flamm also understood.


    Sarah is a good girl, she was concerned about Flamm from the bottom of her heart and casted the recovery magic.


    She wanted to say it¡¯s alright to her quickly, but with her barely staying conscious, all she could muster was a groan.


    Even still, she wanted to bring comfort to Sarah who was in the verge of tears, even for a bit, so she breathed in and tried squeezing out some words from her mouth.


    Flamm: ¡°It¡¯s¡­oka¡­guh¡­uughh¡­!¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san!?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Agh, haa¡­haa¡­hu, more¡­importantly¡­,¡±


    Sarah: ¡°What do you mean, more importantly?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°R¡­un¡­a, way¡­¡­!¡±


    Sarah: ¡°¡­¡­Run away, you said?¡±


    Sarah was distracted by Flamm¡¯s injuries, but the mysterious ogre had its full attention towards her.


    The enemy walked straight for the two.


    Perhaps because it¡¯s getting close, the two could hear splashing sound coming out of its flesh vortex of a face.


    Flamm¡¯s legs are regenerating, gradually shifting its shape back to what it looks like before, but she didn¡¯t think she¡¯ll make it before the ogre makes its next attack.


    Sarah: ¡°O, okay!¡±


    There¡¯s no other choice but to follow what Flamm said and run away, so after coming into that conclusion, she carried Flamm¡¯s body and broke into a run.


    Flamm: ¡°Sarah, cha¡­¡­ru, n¡­!¡±


    Sarah: ¡°G¡­GAAAAAAAAAAHHH!¡±


    Sarah roared as she desperately run forward, carrying Flamm in her arms.


    The air had started swirling, and it wouldn¡¯t be hard to imagine that in a few seconds, the air would turn into a wall of wind like a tornado and wrap the two.


    Even though she looked like she was about to fall from her legs getting tangled by the tall grass, Sarah kept desperately run past through them, and they somehow managed to escape.


    WOOOOSHHH! Right after they escaped, the rough, circular storm churned everything in it to bits.


    Flamm: ¡°Next, to the side¡­!¡±


    Sarah: ¡°It¡¯s still coming!?¡±


    Without wasting a breath, the ogre struck the ground with its fist again.


    GGRRRRRRRRHH¡ª!! Sarah¡¯s footing starts swirling as it groaned.


    She managed to jump away to dodge, but she couldn¡¯t nail the landing, causing her to fall over and dropping Flamm from her arms.


    As she fell, Flamm¡¯s regeneration was only just complete.


    Using the momentum of her fall, she stood back up and manifested her Soul Eater.


    ¡ªStaying defensive won¡¯t secure them the win, she¡¯ll have to strike forward.


    With her black greatsword in one hand, she dashed forward.


    Behind her, Sarah who managed to regain her posture shouldered her mace she took from her back, started circling around to flank the ogre.


    From what the status told them, it¡¯s likely that its target is Flamm.


    The green fist is clenched.


    This time¡ªit struck the empty air in front of it.


    Following her sense of danger, she dodged to the right.


    BAM!


    Something invisible whizzed past in a straight line, pulverizing anything it touches.


    A hole that looks like it was opened by a tool to create a perfect circle was opened by that attack.


    If she took it head-on¡ªshe¡¯d probably be reduced into pieces.


    The previous attack had a time lag before it was triggered, but now it¡¯s different, it immediately triggered and showed overwhelming destructive power.


    The damage happens in an instant.


    In other words, if the number of rotations are reduced, the preparation time is also reduced.


    But in the end, the power was more than enough to kill a human being.


    For Flamm who essentially can¡¯t use magic, fighting in a distance will only put them in a disadvantageous position. The same thing could also be said for Sarah whose main weapon is a mace.


    In conclusion, they must engage in a close quarters combat.


    Flamm performed a cartwheel immediately after she landed, and then she regained her posture and immediately starts dashing in.


    In between the time Flamm closed the distance until she can reach him with her Soul-Eater, the ogre managed to unleash one more attack like earlier, but Flamm dodged it again to her side.


    Before Flamm arrived in her attacking position, Sarah took on the monster¡¯s rear.


    Sarah: ¡°SERYAA!!¡±


    She jumped as high as the creature¡¯s head. Brandishing the mace with all her strength, she swung the heavy part of her mace toward the back of the ogre¡¯s head.


    THUD!


    The air vibrated as the sound of skull and metal clashing echoed.


    Sarah: ¡°How¡¯d ya like my strike ya cheeky tart!¡±


    Sarah landed and took some distance briefly, putting her finger under her nose, boldly laughing.


    There were some resistance.


    For a normal ogre, it was a critical hit that would have caused it to faint.


    Yet¡ªthat ogre barely flinched, and as if it¡¯s just noticed Sarah¡¯s presence, it slowly turned toward her direction.


    Splash, splash,


    Sarah: ¡°Didn¡¯t work, huh¡­?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Then how about this!?¡±


    Perhaps it¡¯s only strong against blunt strikes, and slashing attacks would do it some damage.


    With that thought in mind, Flamm swung her sword.


    Combining her acceleration and her power, she brandished her Soul-Eater horizontally, aiming for the ogre¡¯s legs with all of her might¡ª


    But with a dull feeling, the blade didn¡¯t cut through the ogre¡¯s flesh and instead stopped in its tracks.


    Flamm: ¡°This thing¡­the hardness of its body is completely different than an ogre¡­!?¡±


    Even if it has weird powers, if its status are similar to an ogre then we should be fine,


    That hope of hers was easily crushed.


    And as if it¡¯s about to shatter it into finer pieces, the ogre raised its fist.


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san, watch out!¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Kuh!?¡±


    She dodged it by backstepping.


    In the aftermath of that strike, the place Flamm stood in was gouged deeply.


    There was something equipped on its arm, and if they were to take it head-on, there probably wouldn¡¯t be anything left of them.


    Afterwards, the two retreated further, and looked at each other.


    They thought they could do something if they bring the fight up close, but they also failed to achieve that.


    Sarah¡¯s mace barely scratched it, and Flamm¡¯s Soul-Eater couldn¡¯t sink its fangs into it.


    We can¡¯t possibly take down this beast¡ªsuch are the belief of the two.


    Flamm looked at Sarah who were on the other side of the beast and made eye contact, before nodding to her.


    Afterwards, the two dashed further deep into the open ground.


    Of course, the enemy pursued them, but they thought ogres don¡¯t have much in terms of speed, so they opened quite some distance easily.


    Sarah: ¡°What do we do?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°There¡¯s no other choice but to run for now!¡±


    If they could pass through the hole in the blocked tunnel, they would have reached the exit by now.


    As they proceeded deeper and deeper into the cave, they found a large hole just past the trees.


    Judging by the size, most likely it¡¯s the hole where the ogre came out from.


    Would it be alright to enter its den? Obviously, it only brought them unease.


    But the monster is chasing after them.


    They had no time to hesitate.


    Sarah: ¡°Are we going?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Let¡¯s go, if it doesn¡¯t work then what happens, happens, right?¡±


    If push comes to shove, Flamm thought that she could just sacrifice herself to be a bait to allow Sarah to run away.


    Steeling themselves, they set foot into another cave.


    They were greeted by a long, straight corridor.


    Judging by the walls, this place is also excavated by human hands.


    Flamm glanced behind her, and¡ª


    Flamm: ¡°Wha¡ª!¡±


    Sarah: ¡°What happened¡­wait, HII?!¡±


    Normal ogres can¡¯t move fast due to its ginormous body.


    But this one is different.


    It¡¯s running in a form that looks like a human, closing in with large strides.


    Perhaps it¡¯s also taking a toll on its body; from its legs, they can heard snapping sounds, like its muscles are tearing themselves apart, with blood congesting and coloring it black.


    But as if it doesn¡¯t have any sense of pain, THUD, THUD, THUD, the ogre stomped the ground, not losing speed.


    It¡¯s ignoring its own limit as a creature.


    Flamm felt that the creature had a different purpose than a regular ogre.


    ¡­no, save the investigation for later.


    For now, there¡¯s no other choice but to run desperately.


    The gap is swiftly closing.


    Unlike the wide space they were in, they can¡¯t have the same versatility if they fight in this narrow cave.


    And then, what appeared in front of them were¡ªa wall of dead end, and a large hole so deep they couldn¡¯t see the bottom.


    Sarah: ¡°It¡¯s a dead-end¡­!¡±


    Flamm: ¡°No, there¡¯s still this hole¡­but,¡±


    Sarah: ¡°There¡¯s no other choice, huh¡­¡±


    Flamm: ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any way to hide from its attacks in this dead end, and if we don¡¯t run away, that thing will¡ª¡±


    The ogre is still rushing toward them as they hesitate.


    If they¡¯re going to die anyways, they¡¯re going to choose how¡ªFlamm remembered the path she chose when she was locked up in a cage with Milkit.


    That memory pushed her in the back.


    She closed her eyes, exhaled, and slapped her cheeks, saying ¡°Alright¡±¡ªbut even so, her heart is still screaming in terror.


    She took a step forward,


    and plunged herself into the bottomless pit.


    Following after her was Sarah, who threw herself into the pit.


    The ogre stopped in front of the pit, staring into the darkness with its face of flesh.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    THUD!


    After a brief feeling of no gravity, Flamm¡¯s body landed on top of something that is questionably soft.


    Sarah also fell next to her, and she immediately rose and surveyed her surroundings.


    The area around them were dark, but it was very dimly lit


    Flamm: ¡°Where is this¡­¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Looks like this place is also one made by people, but¡­urk, what a smell¡­¡­¡±


    Flamm turned her gaze downwards.


    The moment she saw what broke their fall, she immediately panicked and held Sarah.


    Sarah: ¡°Nn, guh!? Guh!?¡±


    At her warning, Sarah nodded.


    Flamm carried Sarah, down the hike.


    Decomposing bones¡ªsome still looked fresh, but what they landed on was a mountain of corpses.


    Regardless of races, both monster and human corpses are piled together.


    At a glance, she could see some body parts and even bones warped into the shape of a spiral.


    No, that¡¯s not all.


    Even the grey walls that made the room are twisted into the shape of a spiral.


    Yes, just like that Ogre¡¯s face.


    Flamm: ¡°What is this place¡­¡±


    To prevent Sarah from seeing the corpses, Flamm covered her eyes, but she¡¯ll need to do it until they¡¯re out of the room.


    But is there any meaning in the room that she didn¡¯t show Sarah?


    While thinking to herself, Flamm exited the room through the half-opened door that thankfully didn¡¯t have that vortex pattern.


    As she did, she immediately closed the door again and finally released Sarah.


    The girl who finally got to feel the ground on her legs exhaled ¡°Hafuu¡± and checked her surroundings.


    This place is dark as well, as expected.


    Sarah found a crystal stuck on the wall.


    Sarah: ¡°Can I light this up?¡±


    It¡¯s an activation device for a magic-type lamp; just by channeling magic into your palm, you can switch that light on.


    It has a different shape than the one they usually see in the capital, but its functionality should be similar.


    After Flamm¡¯s nod, the hallway that the two were in lit up by the lamps on the ceiling.


    Finally, in the sight of the well-lit facility, the two were stunned.


    Sarah: ¡°What a place we ended up in, huh? How do you call it, futuristic?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Yeah, that ogre is not chasing after us anymore, but¡­we ended up in a more bizarre place, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Flamm touched the cold wall as if to ascertain its existence.


    She hasn¡¯t seen this sort of metallic structure before.


    And the fact that this is way below the cave they were in means that this place is further underground.


    Furthermore, the room full of corpses earlier were huge.


    For one to have such large facility underground means that they had such an impressive technological and economical advantage.


    Flamm: ¡°For now, we should look for the exit.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°You¡¯re right, there¡¯s a lot of things I¡¯m curious about, but our lives are more important.¡±


    As they exited the room, the right side leads to a dead-end.


    Thus the two turned left and went straight ahead.


    Soon enough they reached a T-junction; turning left would lead them to another dead end, and the right side is a long hallway.


    The right side was still dark; perhaps they¡¯ll need to find another light activation device.


    Before the dead end to the left was a room, and they decided to search it first.


    Flamm put her ears on the door, confirming that there were no one inside¡ªand afterwards, she held her Soul-Eater in one hand and pushed the door open.


    Groping the wall just by the door, she found another crystal.


    It would be her first time using the activation device, but after understanding the gist of Scan,  channeling magic onto her palm was a lot simpler.


    Being a little bit on edge, she lit up the room.


    Inside, there was a desk, a cupboard, and two bookshelves.


    Additionally, there were also two sofas facing each other and a table in between, perhaps for receiving guests.


    Though it wasn¡¯t on the level of the previous room, the room was quite spacious as well.


    Perhaps it belongs to someone with a high status, or so was Flamm¡¯s first impression.


    Sarah: ¡°The shelves are all empty, huh?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    While Sarah rummaged the shelves, Flamm was surveying the walls.


    As she did, she noticed that this room had those spiral patterns in several places as well.


    They were in various sizes, but all of them are swirling.


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san, what¡¯s that all about?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°I have no clue, but it¡¯s also there on the walls of the room before. Also, we also see this on the ogre that was chasing after us.¡±


    The swirling walls, corpses, and the monster.


    This facility¡ªperhaps it¡¯s a facility that utilizes such phenomenon or some sort?


    As she asked herself that, Flamm looked through the drawers on the desk and noticed that one of them are locked and can¡¯t be opened.


    Sarah: ¡°Can we just break it? I mean, there¡¯s no one here anyways.¡±


    Sarah plainly suggested a dangerous idea, but they¡¯re in an emergency.


    Flamm aimed to destroy the lock with her greatsword.


    As she did, the drawer easily opened. As expected, they didn¡¯t consider that they had to go this far.


    Inside, there was a single notebook.


    Flamm picked it up and opened it, while Sarah also peeked into it from the side.


    ¡°It¡¯s been two days since we lost control of that thing. There was finally a contact from above, telling us to destroy all the data. I asked if rescue is coming, but I was ignored. Seems like we¡¯re being abandoned here.¡±


    It was a scribble that couldn¡¯t really be called a diary.


    There was no date written, but judging by the condition of the notebook, it¡¯s probably over 10 years old.


    ¡°Inherited position isn¡¯t something good. I didn¡¯t want to come to this place in the first place, I just want to gain some achievements and climb the social ladder. But why? The subject was imprisoned in the room, but the energy leaking out is starting to warp its surroundings. There¡¯s several casualties reported as well. Are we doomed?¡±


    The note was filled with sadness.


    The subject¡ªFlamm remembered the corpses when she read that word.


    Sarah: ¡°They experimented in this place, which means that ogre¡­¡±


    Flamm: ¡°It was probably man-made. But still, according to the note, it said that they failed to control it.¡±


    The handwriting gradually turned ugly.


    It wasn¡¯t pretty to begin with, but in the end, it even start going up and down.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡°divine revelations¡±? What do you mean ¡°it¡¯s for the country¡±. I don¡¯t care about any of that. I entered because I just want to do the right thing. Is the country not human? Am I not even a part of the country? I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t understand what they¡¯re all thinking.¡±


    ¡°I just did what they asked me to do. Is it perhaps because I¡¯m not perfect that it¡¯s not good enough? Is it because it¡¯s not linked well enough? It¡¯s true that the connection was lacking, but we lack knowledge as well. Is that why it went wrong? No, that¡¯s not true, it shouldn¡¯t be true. I did the right thing!¡±


    ¡°I am me. I am me. I am me. It¡¯s spinning. No, it¡¯s not spinning. I am me, so it is right. But what really is the right thing? Ah, it¡¯s connecting. Everyone is connecting. Will the spinning knowledge gradually reach wisdom? If that is so, then what is really the right thing?¡±


    In the end, the note was so cluttered that there were only up to 10 characters in a page and it started getting more difficult to read.


    It was becoming obvious that whomever wrote the contents of this note is gradually losing his sanity.


    Sarah: ¡°Spinning knowledge¡­wisdom¡­¡±


    Flamm: ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand, but this is about the thing that¡¯s leaking energy, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I think so.¡±


    Power beyond human knowledge.


    It wouldn¡¯t be strange if it affects the human minds.


    As they continued flipping the page, they got to a point where they had to read while tracing the text with their fingers because of how messy the writing had become.


    ¡°I want to connect, I want to connect. That¡¯s the way to reach wisdom. That¡¯s right. This is what we¡¯ve always aimed for, wished for, and believed in. We¡¯ve finally reached it, yet what small things we¡¯re always fussing over.¡±


    ¡°The researchers are all linked. I¡¯m also going. Where? Am I going to die? I don¡¯t know. Wisdom cannot be imposed upon the human body. That¡¯s why we must go. But, ah, isn¡¯t that a place that isn¡¯t peaceful yet? To realize true wisdom, to realize true peace, judgment or rule is¡±


    However, the two understood if they followed the finger.


    There was a pattern to the alignment of the letters.


    And on the last page, it says, in a spiral shape,


    ¡°Flamm Apricot¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The two were simultaneously silenced.


    Flamm¡¯s hands trembled as she held the book, and the edge of the page is distorted.


    Flamm: ¡°¡­¡­Again¡­?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san¡­¡­¡±


    Flamm: ¡°But this note is even older, right? It¡¯s from when I was still small, when I was still living in the countryside¡­but why, why does my name come out in this book? This is weird!¡±


    She didn¡¯t understand if the feeling that rose in her chest was anger or fear.


    That mixed feeling incites her impulse. She slammed the notebook on the floor, while her shoulders rose and lowers as she breathes roughly.


    Flamm: ¡°I just¡­wanted to live peacefully in my hometown. It won¡¯t even come true for me right now, but then I met Milkit. I thought if it¡¯s with her, I could probably live a carefree life in the capital¡­but what is this, what the hell is this. We just came to this place by coincidence, but why the fuck is this happening!?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    The one that guided Flamm here was undoubtedly Sarah.


    She willingly took the blame and grabbed Flamm¡¯s hands tightly while her eyes moistened.


    Flamm: ¡°¡­¡­ah,¡±


    Right then as she saw Sarah who was in the verge of tears, Flamm regained her composure.


    She squatted down to her and gently patted the girl¡¯s head.


    Flamm: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I¡¯m the one at fault without a doubt. If I didn¡¯t come up with the information about this cave, maybe it could¡¯ve ended a lot more easily!¡±


    Flamm: ¡°That¡¯s not true. If it wasn¡¯t for Sarah, I wouldn¡¯t have found the place where the Chialries grow.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san¡­I¡¯m really sorry. Normally at this sort of occasions I should be the one comforting you.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°It¡¯s alright. Thanks to you, I¡¯ve calmed down.¡±


    While pretending to be Sarah¡¯s sister, Flamm¡¯s fear had subsided.


    Most probably she won¡¯t be able to do this herself.


    That¡¯s why she wanted to say to Sarah, thank you for being with me.


    Flamm: ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like there are any maps in this place, what do you say we look again in another room? Okay?¡±


    Flamm wiped the tears trailing down Sarah¡¯s cheeks.


    The young girl whose gentle body temperature carried courage finally regained her smile, thus she energetically nodded.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    They both then continued their search, but they couldn¡¯t find anything like a map nor an exit door.


    Flamm: ¡°What a ludicrous facility, don¡¯t you think? I guess whoever created this place was really risking everything in researching.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Certainly if they managed to put this research into practical use, they would gain tremendous power I bet, a power that won¡¯t lose to even the demon race.¡±


    Is there any more reasons as of why humans seek power other than to remove the demons?


    If they were to think of it that way, considering the scale of the facility, the empire is also definitely involved in this research.


    It¡¯s just like how the church shut down the doctors, but the citizens knew about the corruption involved in that.


    As they walked through the inorganic, grey corridor, they faintly heard a sound.


    Perhaps because the place was under complete silence, the two immediately noticed the sound despite it being extremely faint. The two simultaneously stopped in their tracks.


    ???: ¡°¡­¡­¡­ve¡­¡­¡­e¡­¡­¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Is it someone¡¯s voice?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Someone might be alive!¡±


    Flamm held back Sarah who was about to run ahead.


    There is also a possibility that it¡¯s the sound of another monster.


    They proceed slowly and cautiously.


    ???: ¡°AAaa¡­¡­ve mee¡­! Some¡­eeee¡­¡­!¡±


    It was a girl¡¯s voice.


    They understood as they get closer, that the voice didn¡¯t belong to a monster.


    ???: ¡°AAAhhh, save meeee!! Somebody save meeee!¡±


    It sounds like she¡¯s seeking help.


    At the end of the hallway, they found the owner of the voice.


    It was a long-haired woman wearing a white robe. She was curled down on the hallway intersection with her back leaning on the wall, hugging her knees while hanging her head.


    Perhaps that was why her voice was slightly muffled.


    Just to be safe, Sarah took a step back while Flamm approached the girl and looked at her face.


    ???: ¡°AAAhhh, save meeee!! Somebody save meeee!¡±


    Even though Flamm was in front of her, the girl repeated what she said.


    She might have been through something dreadful.


    Flamm plans to calm her down, so she put her hand on the girl¡¯s shoulder and thought of talking to her.


    ???: ¡°AAAhhh, save meeee!! Somebody, save.¡±


    As she did, the girl stopped.


    Flamm: ¡°It¡¯s alright now, we are normal humans.¡±


    After Flamm said that, the girl slowly lifted her face.


    No¡ª¡ª¡ªit has no face.


    It was a roll of flesh vortex; splish, splash, and from it, nothing but blood oozes out.


    And then, the girl (beast) spoke;


    G????i???????r????l???????????: ¡°Found you,¡± with a muffled voice.


    It doesn¡¯t matter if it was hanging its head or not; its voice was muffled from the beginning.


    The girl¡¯s hands grasped onto Flamm¡¯s arms, and then it pushed its flesh vortex of a face into it.


    Slurp zlurp.


    The vortex swallowed her hand.


    Feeling the sensation of warm, raw flesh wrapping her hand, Flamm immediately got goosebumps on her entire body.


    She collected her strength to desperately pull her hand back, but the girl¡¯s arm strength is not that of a human¡¯s. It¡¯s even unyielding against Flamm¡¯s strength enhanced bythe cursed equipment.


    As if adding fuel to the flame, she could hear footsteps closing in toward her direction.


    It¡¯s a different being than Sarah who approached, thinking of saving her.


    The sound that comes from beyond the corner where they can¡¯t see was coming with a tremendous speed, but it stopped just before it turned the corner.


    And then, as if it¡¯s asking for Flamm¡¯s condition, it slowly peeks its face over.


    The face of flesh, and the green skin.


    It¡¯s something that should still be up there; the grotesque ogre.


    Flamm¡¯s facial muscles twitched.


    The hallway was meant for only humans to pass through, so the ogre shouldn¡¯t be able to.


    But¡ª¡ªthis ogre was crawling through the facility on all fours.


    Using the repeated voice of a girl on the verge of her death to lure in people¡¯s good will, it impatiently waited for someone to be caught by such unscrupulous trap.


    Flamm: ¡°Kh¡­¡­Let me go, LET ME GO! LET GOOOO!¡±


    Sarah: ¡°ONEE-SAAAAN!¡±


    Flamm and Sarah¡¯s voices echoed fruitlessly.


    No matter how much she struggled, the girl didn¡¯t release Flamm, and the wriggling flesh vortex had swallowed her up to her upper arm.


    She can¡¯t run.


    If she were to take a direct hit at point-blank range, she would instantly die this time.


    Planning to finish off the girl once and for all, the ogre lifts its arm.

 CH 11

    Flamm¡¯s arms are being swallowed by the lady with a flesh vortex of a face and she couldn¡¯t pull free.


    Flamm: ¡°Sarah-chan, cast healing magic on my arm!¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Eh?! But if I do that¡ª¡±


    Flamm: ¡°That¡¯s okay, hurry!¡±


    Sarah didn¡¯t learn magic to hurt people, and Flamm understood that as well.


    But Flamm¡¯s eyes are desperately shouting ¡°you are saving me!¡±.


    Thus, Sarah overthrows her will and extends her hand.


    Sarah: ¡°Recover!¡±


    Simply using Heal won¡¯t be enough to heal the part of the arm that are already shredded.


    Therefore she needed to use a more advanced spell.


    The dazzling light shining from Sarah¡¯s hands wraps up Flamm¡¯s arm, seeps into it and dissolves it from the inside.


    Flamm: ¡°A¡­Ga¡­AAAAAHHH!¡±


    Finally with her power, Flamm pulled herself free from parts of her arm that has been minced to pieces.


    She gnashed her teeth, attempting not to lose consciousness from the pain. Rolling over, she managed to dodge the ogre¡¯s fist.


    BLAM!


    The fist that grazed Flamm collides with the wall and created a glaring spiral shape.


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san!¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Haa, haa, haa¡­¡­kuh, Sarah-chan, let¡¯s run!¡±


    The two ran side by side.


    The ogre who was on all fours glared at the backside of the two¡ªand it broke into pursuit.


    As expected, it was slower than when it was dashing on two legs.


    Flamm and Sarah used the turns of the corner and opened their distance with the ogre.


    All the while they ran, Flamm¡¯s arm grew back and the pain disappears as well.


    Sarah: ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°I¡¯m al-right¡­or so I¡¯d like to say, fuh¡­¡­but, I can, still go on¡­I think.¡±


    Every time she felt pain, her spirits are worn down.


    But despite her worn down spirits, remembering Milkit waiting for them in Enichidae, her spirits are immediately restored.


    As long as she¡¯s waiting, she can¡¯t possibly die in this place.


    She was out of breath because of her pain,


    but as her body returns back to how it was before, the two ran through the facility at full speed.


    As they tried to escape with utmost effort, the figure of the ogre eventually vanished.


    Sarah: ¡°Did we lose it?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Yeah, perhaps. But we need to still be on our guard.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°That¡¯s right, this time we can hear voices from everywhere.¡±


    Save me; Please save me, those words are echoing all around them.


    Perhaps it¡¯s a trap that uses a dead body like the woman from earlier and they¡¯re set up all around in the facility.


    It seems like strength is not the only thing that¡¯s improved of that ogre; its intelligence did as well.


    Perhaps the original purpose of this research facility is strength improvement.


    Sarah: ¡°But what should we do? I feel it¡¯s going to be difficult if we keep running.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°We can¡¯t really do anything without beating him, can we?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I¡¯m not really good with light-attribute offensive magic. My highest damage output is this here mace¡­¡­¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Me too, if this sword won¡¯t cut it, then¡­¡±


    Sarah: ¡°For now we can only think of a way to improve our power. That, or we have to use some sort of device within this facility.¡±


    While it¡¯s true that they have came through some equipment used for experiments, they didn¡¯t know how to use them.


    Perhaps they¡¯re already broken and can¡¯t be operated anymore.


    If that¡¯s the case, they should search for a way to improve their power¡ªbut are they really going to be lying around somewhere?


    Flamm: ¡°Were there any light-attribute magic that can buff your status?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I can¡¯t use those as well. I¡¯m ashamed of myself.¡±


    Sarah lowered her head.


    Flamm: ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    Flamm put her hand on her chin and thinks.


    But their enemy didn¡¯t give them any leeway to think of a counterattack.


    The sound of heavy footfalls they heard earlier reached the ears of Flamm who was deeply thinking their next step.


    The direction of the sound was¡ªfrom their front.


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san, that thing is coming!¡±


    From their front, the ominous flesh vortex face peeks out suddenly and gazes toward their direction.


    As soon as he sees the figure of the two, it immediately broke into a chase.


    Flamm: ¡°Kuh, does this mean it understands its way around the facility!?¡±


    The two changed directions and begin running away again.


    If they keep running, there won¡¯t be an end to it.


    They had to find a way break through its tough defense, somehow.


    The method is¡ªthe method to immediately improving the power of her sword is¡ª


    Gadio: ¡°We adventurers would sometimes need to fight enemies with their status several times higher than ours. At that time, there¡¯s a way to break through their defense¡±.


    A memory of her journey resurfaced.


    The battle-hardened warrior Gadio had told her, before teaching her a sword skill despite fully knowing its futility.


    Flamm: ¡°Cavalier Arts¡­¡­¡±


    Sarah: ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    While Gadio had taught her that skill, Flamm whose statuses were flat zeroes back then couldn¡¯t use that skill at all.


    But if it¡¯s now,


    Her status is improved upon equipping cursed equipment; she can convert her strength into Prana, and her power are boosted, so right now, Flamm might be able to use that skill. (TLN: Prana is some sort of chi. Imagine it as some sort of inner power you can bring forth)


    She¡¯s performing this without trials. If she failed, she could die.


    However, she would die if she didn¡¯t try anyways.


    Flamm: ¡°If I use that, my attack might go through.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Do you have a way?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Yeah¡­It¡¯s kind of all or nothing though.¡±


    She truly didn¡¯t know if she would succeed or not.


    Wagering with that odds, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to bring a little girl like Sarah along.


    But for the brave Sarah, she said thus with an expression of trust;


    Sarah: ¡°Do you need some preparations?¡±


    Would she leave it up to her? Even if it¡¯s for a bit, she would have to send this little girl to face that beast.


    Flamm: ¡°¡­I think would need a little bit of time.¡±


    She didn¡¯t have a choice, for now. No matter how disgraceful it feels, she needs to do this to seize a better future.


    Sarah: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll buy you some time until you¡¯re ready!¡±


    Sarah stopped on her tracks, held her mace and faced the ogre.


    She couldn¡¯t waste her determination.


    Flamm pulled her Soul Eater from the dimensional pocket just behind Sarah.


    And then she closed her eyes, held the sword with both hands and begun concentrating.


    Sarah: ¡°Alright! Come at me! If ya wanna be taken down by me then it¡¯s fine ya¡¯ know!¡±


    The ogre who recognized Sarah as an obstacle gathered its power and swung its fist.


    She dodged with a paper-thin distance, and while rushing along the wall, she runs round and forth.


    Gadio: ¡°The basics of how you should think about it is like magic, collecting mana that fills your body into your hand and turn it into power. The difference with magic is that it¡¯s difficult to think of your strength as a similar feeling.¡±


    Recalling her teacher¡¯s words, she attempted to grasp the strength dwelling inside her body with a third hand that she stretched into her body.


    However¡ªas if it was water, it slipped between her fingers.


    Gadio: ¡°It¡¯s more fluid, smoother, and purer than mana. Therefore you would need your heart to be as calm as clear water that can produce reflections.¡±


    ¡ªFlamm further deepened her concentration.


    The sound from her surroundings are slowly disappearing.


    She becomes more keen.


    The waves in the depths of her heart are gone, leaving a calm, transparent, colorless, silent space of water.


    Sarah: ¡°Guh¡­!¡±


    Sarah received the ogre¡¯s fist with her mace, blowing her away.


    The girl crashed into a wall, and remembering an ominous feeling from her back, she promptly cast healing magic on herself.


    In the gap of her assault, the enemy started pursuing her further.


    She dodged the attack by jumping out of the way, and after that she had to dodge again, and again¡ªwith each repeats, she was driven further into a corner.


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san, you¡¯re¡­not done yet, huh? It¡¯s alright, I can still hold!¡±


    Grasp it¡ªthat which is flowing; lay it on her palm.


    She succeeded.


    But she cannot celebrate just yet, if the tranquility of her heart is broken, that inner power will spill and scatter.


    She proceeded to the next level.


    Gadio: ¡°Once you take hold of it, the rest is simple. Bring that power forth into your arm and infuse it into your sword.¡±


    Unlike magic which you had to keep a firm image or it won¡¯t activate, once you seize your Prana, it is easy to use them.


    With the Prana in her third arm, she fills her bodily arms with them.


    From her inner body onto her shoulders,


    From her shoulders to her arms, and from her arms to her palms, and from her palms¡ªthe clear, pure and therefore sharp power, is infused into the Soul Eater.


    Gadio: ¡°When the highly pure Prana is infused, then¡ª¡±


    She didn¡¯t know if it¡¯ll go well.


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san¡­!¡±


    The ogre¡¯s fatal blow is approaching the downed Sarah from above her.


    She did wish to be saved, but her voice is wavering.


    Everyone would be scared if they were about to be killed by that beast.


    It would be too much for a girl in her early age.


    Flamm thanked the girl from the bottom of her heart. She then dashed to flank the ogre, aimed at its neck and swung her blade.


    Gadio: ¡°Bring forth all of your strength, and swing your sword.¡±


    This is Cavalier Arts.


    Flamm: ¡°SEYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!¡±


    ¡ª¡ªMitou ¡¤ Kikenzan! ¨C Imitation Prana Slash!


    BUOOO¡ªTHUD!


    Her swing couldn¡¯t be considered perfect, it was a tempered blade used as a stopgap.


    Therefore, it¡¯s Mitou (unattained), and therefore, it¡¯s fake.


    However, the Prana-infused Soul Eater cut through the impenetrable ogre¡¯s skin, and cut its flesh until its bone.


    Spurt¡ªsplash!


    The spiral on the ogre¡¯s face spun even quicker while it spills a massive amount of blood.


    It looked like it¡¯s suffering, which means the attack is effective.


    Sarah:  ¡°It got through¡ªif that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s my turn next!¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Sarah-chan, please!¡±


    Flamm let go of her blade and took some distance from the ogre.


    And then, Sarah held her mace aloft, leaped into the air and smashed it down on Flamm¡¯s sword that was stuck halfway into the ogre¡¯s neck.


    CLANG!


    With that impact, the blade further sinks in until it completely decapitated the ogre.


    The head slips off and it fell on the ground with a thud.


    Afterwards, the vortex on its face stopped spinning, and the unpleasant gurgling sound of blood spilling out from its face couldn¡¯t be heard anymore.


    Sarah: ¡°Ha¡­hehe, as I expected that was awful, but¡­we did it, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Haa, haa¡­we cut its head off, I think it should be dead.¡±


    Sarah stood forward and approached the now headless, unmoving ogre  to confirm their victory.


    Flamm on the other hand observed the open wound of the ogre where blood is spilling massively.


    It¡¯ll be alright if it¡¯s dead.


    But why is its body still on all fours and not collapsing?


    In any case, this thing is a creature beyond any sort of imaginations.


    Flamm still kept her guard up, in consideration of the possibility that it can¡¯t be taken down just by one strike.


    And then, surely enough¡ª


    Flamm: ¡°Sarah¡­chan¡­haa, haa¡­let¡¯s run¡­¡±


    Sarah: ¡°W-what is it? It should¡¯ve been taken dow¡­eh?¡±


    From the open wound on its neck, a new spiral was coiling.


    Flamm: ¡°No¡­way¡­the neck is swirling¡­!¡±


    And then, the ogre restarts its operation.


    Normally it would¡¯ve died.


    That means this thing isn¡¯t normal; this thing is an opponent that had surpassed common sense.


    Flamm: ¡°Hurry!¡±


    The two took flight once again.


    As they turned the corner, they could hear the ogre¡¯s movement from behind them.


    If it¡¯s now, they might still be able to slip away briefly.


    If they do, they can take a breather and use Kikenzan again¡ªthey thought of that method, but would it even stop its operations if they cut it one more time?


    They turned another corner, and another, and another. When they confirmed that the pursuer is not coming, the two stopped on their tracks, leaned on the wall and adjusted their breathing.


    Sarah: ¡°Ha¡­haah¡­t-that thing is weird¡­! Even though we cut off it¡¯s head¡­even though it¡¯s bleeding so bad¡­!¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Ha, hahah¡­just the same as me, isn¡¯t it¡­?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san¡­has that power of the curse.¡±


    This means that ogre had another sort of power separate from its heart that keeps it alive.


    Flamm: ¡°If we could find¡­some sort of core¡­haah, withinin its body¡­it should be fine¡­¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Either way¡­this situation is¡­frustrating.


    In this situation, as they are¡­


    The answer to that phrase was once the Cavalier Arts.


    No, perhaps if Flamm wasn¡¯t inexperienced, they might have won earlier.


    But it turns out they were still lacking in power.


    They would need it; a power that surpasses what they have.


    Not just a tempered blade, but something that can certainly increase their power.


    Flamm: ¡°¡­Hey, Sarah-chan, can I place another bet one more time?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I couldn¡¯t think of anything else. To think that you would want to place another bet, I¡¯ve got nothing but respect for you.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°You won¡¯t get anything out of flattering me, you know. Well¡­first of all, let¡¯s go back to the first room.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°The room that I didn¡¯t see?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Yeah¡­¡­I didn¡¯t want you to see it, but since it¡¯s an emergency, I can only choose that place.¡±


    The two relied on their memories and traveled back to the first room while avoiding the traps set up.


    Perhaps because it had lost its head, the ogre¡¯s footfalls far away are not coming closer.


    The more time they have the better.


    After they arrived at their destination without being spotted, Flamm warned to Sarah not to ¡°look around as much as you can¡± and entered the room.


    The room was as pungent as ever, and as they turned the lights on, the disastrous spectacle becomes clearer.


    Sarah: ¡°Uu¡­i-is this all¡­corpses¡­?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bringing you to a place like this.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°N-no¡­¡­it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m used to seeing¡­corpses or blood¡­¡±


    The duties of the people of the church includes healing those who had injuries or sickness.


    Perhaps she had seen a dead body or two.


    Even so, this is probably the first time she saw a massive pile of them.


    Sarah¡¯s face paled, and they didn¡¯t know when the ogre might get to where they are.


    Thus, Flamm rushed toward the mountain of corpses and suddenly drag one out.


    Sarah: ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Corpse looting.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Corpse¡­looting, is it?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do this as well, but with this much corpses, it wouldn¡¯t be weird to find a powerful cursed equipment, right?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­you¡¯re planning to use those!?¡±


    Flamm couldn¡¯t think of any other way to improve her strength.


    Gather some cursed equipment, improve their strength, and unleash an even more powerful Cavalier Arts.


    It might still be not enough to finish that thing off, but perhaps she could at least cut off its limbs.


    If she did, that thing won¡¯t be coming after them, and they can just run away.


    The sensation of blood, decomposed flesh and entrails clung onto Flamm¡¯s hands.


    As she forcibly tugged the corpse, those things sometimes came flying into her face as well.


    With a scowl, she wiped them off her face with her wrist while desperately looking through the corpses¡¯ clothes, shoes and accessories while scanning through them.


    Sarah sat down next to her.


    Flamm: ¡°Sarah-chan, please wait down there.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I¡¯m¡­going to help you search as well.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°But that¡¯s¡­!¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I can¡¯t let you be the only one working hard for us to survive.¡±


    As she said that, she narrowed her eyes, gnashed her teeth and started scouring the pile of corpses.


    Flamm: ¡°I¡¯ve been helped by Sarah-chan a lot since earlier.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I¡¯ve also only been saved by onee-san.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°If we get back alive, what do you say we have a meal together?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. If possible I¡¯d like to eat Milkit-san¡¯s cooking.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°That¡¯ll be just fine.¡±


    It¡¯s a promise that they don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll come true, but it serves as a good distraction.


    No matter how many times they used Scan, they can¡¯t find a cursed equipment.


    Or perhaps it¡¯s a sign that the curse is converged into one equipment?


    Flamm told herself that.


    Sarah: ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s coming, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The faraway footsteps are coming closer.


    This room is the furthest end of the facility. If the footsteps are closing in on the nearby passage, it will reach their location without a doubt.


    They don¡¯t have much time left.


    With the intention of being the last one, the two joined hands and pulled the corpse of a woman stuck deep in the pile.


    She has been decomposed, but the things stuck to her body are still okay.


    The two scanned the equipment from top to bottom.


    Her necklaces, ring, innerwear, skirt¡ªand then her boots.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Item: God-loathing Leather Boots


    Rarity: Epic


    ¡¾Strength -257¡¿


    ¡¾Intelligence -330¡¿


    ¡¾Endurance -885¡¿


    ¡¾Agility -885¡¿


    ¡¾Intuition -731¡¿


    ¡¾Inflicts Freeze on user¡¯s body¡¿


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The moment she saw that status, Flamm immediately took the boots off from the corpse and stuck her feet in them.


    Squelch. There was that uncomfortable feeling, but she could feel strength surging in.


    She thought of what to do if her body suddenly bursts into flame, but it seems like it¡¯s not happening.


    Stats that are minus become plus¡ªif the status debuff works the other way around, she was sure enough that the equipment will ¡°inflict Burn on user¡¯s body¡±, but as it doesn¡¯t, then how would the equipment affect her?


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san, you found it!¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Thanks to you. I don¡¯t know what sort of power it would give me, but we¡¯ll see if I fight that thing.¡±


    Currently, Flamm¡¯s current status is 3,396.


    Her strength and agility easily surpasses 500, and her endurance had exceeded through the 1,000 mark.


    It gives her a peace of mind in her disordered heart.


    For her right now, she could further refine her Prana.


    Flamm: ¡°Thank you, Sarah-chan.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°It¡¯s still too soon to say thanks. We still need to beat that thing.¡±


    As the ogre arrived in the front of the room, it forcefully breaches in.


    But for that gigantic body, nothing but its neck could pass through.


    Like a completely different being, the neck looked around and found the two.


    The two thought that the thing was temporarily withdrawing, but this time, it put its hands on the door frame and ripped it open.


    As it was opened enough for the ogre to pass, it crawled in before standing up and readied its fist.


    Facing the two, it punched forward.


    GOOOHH!


    It scraped the mountain of corpses.


    Flamm and Sarah jumped away, dispersing from each other.


    Obviously, the ogre is aiming primarily at Flamm, but its movement is completely different than it was before it had its head cut off.


    Approaching quickly before the ogre can unleash its next attack, Flamm passed by it and made a cut with her Soul Eater.


    A thin red line was appeared on the green skin.


    Thanks to the effect of strength increase, she can now pierce through.


    Flamm further flanked to the ogre¡¯s rear; this time, she felt the new power flowing in her body, and thus she slashed at the ogre.


    Same as before, a thin cut was made, and afterwards¡ªChink!, the open wound freezes.


    Splat! Splurt!


    Perhaps not being used to the feeling of its injury freezing over, the neck expelled blood.


    The headless ogre immediately turned around and threw its arms at the girl like a lasso, but as it did, Flamm was no longer there.


    Flamm had snuck through between its legs and once again positioned herself on the ogre¡¯s back, fuh, letting out a sigh in the meantime.


    And then this time she jumped up and swung her sword down.


    That blade had been infused with Prana.


    Mitou ¡¤ Kikenzan ¨C Imitation Prana Slash!


    The sword skill that brought more power than the one she unleashed earlier easily cut through the ogre¡¯s arm in one slash.


    The enemy looked like it¡¯s suffering, but its wound immediately turned into a vortex and the bleeding stopped.


    As if it¡¯s venting its anger, it glanced over its shoulder and swung down its other fist.


    Flamm jumped back for quite a distance, easily dodging the strike.


    In the gap created by such large strike, Sarah approached from behind it.


    Sarah: ¡°TERYAAA!¡±


    Along with her yell, her mace struck its frozen back.


    Crash!


    The ice shatters, breaking along with the ogre¡¯s skin.


    It seems like this attack inflicted a lot of damage judging by how the green giant are pitching forward as it loses its balance.


    Furthermore, Flamm¡¯s slashes froze its legs, and with a slash infused by Prana, she cut them off.


    Sarah then struck the frozen parts, opening large wounds as the ice shatters.


    The ogre gradually loses its dominance and was quickly driven into a corner, and then¡ª


    Flamm: ¡°HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡±


    Finally, its remaining left arm falls from Flamm¡¯s Mitou ¡¤ Kikenzan.


    Its cut legs started forming flesh vortex again, but at this point, Flamm had robbed it of its ability to move.


    Sarah: ¡°It¡¯s still alive, huh¡­¡±


    Flamm: ¡°I wanted to finish it off, but I don¡¯t even know where to cut to kill it. Maybe it¡¯s better if we just leave it as it is and run.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°True, we might have to do it over and over again if we choose to finish it off. We¡¯ll be dead tired by then.¡±


    Sarah showed a smile for the first time in a while, but her expression was powerless.


    Flamm too was exhausted mentally and physically, so the two left the squirming body with a sense of anxiety and exited the room.


    However, Flamm suddenly stopped her movement right after.


    Sarah: ¡°¡­¡­Onee-san,¡±


    Flamm: ¡°You feel it too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Yes, the atmosphere of the room¡­it¡¯s moving, isn¡¯t it? Is it still planning to go¡­?¡±


    They¡¯re facing its entirety.


    The vortex¡ªthe biggest one they¡¯ve seen, is going to swallow this room, or even the entirety of the facility.


    Namely, perhaps this is its last spurt.


    Not caring about itself, until it swallows everything. The ogre¡­no, the purpose of whatever it is, is to kill Flamm.


    The spiral¡¯s rotation is speeding up.


    If it finishes its activation, each and every single existence inside the facility will cease to exist.


    Once again, Flamm wields her Soul Eater she had stowed away while Sarah brandishes the mace she slung on her back and faced the headless, limbless ogre.


    As they did, the thing that should¡¯ve been robbed of its movements floats, and the five vortices violently spins, expelling its bodily fluid.


    Flamm: ¡°TEYAAA!¡±


    Sarah: ¡°ORYAAA!¡±


    The two recklessly attacked the body with one strike containing all of their might.


    For Sarah whose attack cannot go through, she attempted striking the vortex, yet as it absorbs the impact, she couldn¡¯t deal any damage.


    She gave up and chose to focus on striking the frozen part left by Flamm¡¯s attacks.


    On the other hand, Flamm attacks by alternating and interweaving her freezing attack and her Prana, further shaving off the ogre from what it used to be.


    Yet the spiral is still not stopping.


    Gradually, the corpses and the furniture cluttered in the room are swallowed, and the air is getting darker and muddier.


    Flamm: ¡°How much do we have to cut¡­how far should we go to stop this!?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­damn ittt!!¡±


    WOOOOOOSSSSSHHHH!


    Sarah: ¡°It¡¯s just a twisted pile of meat at this point! Just stop already!¡±


    Flamm: ¡°K, kuh¡­stop, stop, JUST STOOPPP!¡±


    Even as she continued cutting, the blade can¡¯t cut through the spirals.


    Flamm channeled her Prana, but this time, she focused it on the tip of her blade and thrusts forward.


    It was faint, but she felt like she penetrated something.


    ¡ªThis might work.


    Believing thus, she gathered her power into her two hands and pushed her Soul Eater.


    Sarah: ¡°Kuuh¡­! Ah!?¡±


    Sarah slipped and she fell down.


    Sarah: ¡°O-Onee-san, good luck! I¡¯m¡­already¡­¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Sarah-chan!¡±


    Her body that lost its footing was blown away and swept by the storm.


    If her tiny body is thrown into the mix of debris and corpses, she would undoubtedly die.


    She had managed to hold on by sticking her fingers into the cavity on the floor, but it¡¯s just a matter of time until she couldn¡¯t hold on anymore.


    Her hand is starting to sweat, and because of it, her fingers are starting to slip.


    The feeling of frustration pushed Flamm¡¯s back, pushing her to shout in vain.


    Flamm: ¡°Guuuhhhh, u¡­AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!¡±


    She gathered all the power that she had.


    She poured all the Prana she could, and she even used up all the strength of the curse until she could possibly wither.


    But it¡¯s still not enough.


    While it¡¯s true that the blade is slowly moving forward, it won¡¯t save neither Sarah or herself at this rate.


    Flamm: ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!¡±


    She gave her all to survive.


    Bring forth more power.


    If not, think of a reason for it to come forth.


    Look, don¡¯t you have someone important waiting for you to come home?


    Yes, Milkit is waiting for you.


    Yeah, that¡¯s right. That girl is waiting for you.


    She can¡¯t be left alone.


    Even if it¡¯s a codependent relationship, you decided to be safe together.


    You can¡¯t die now.


    She will be sad.


    You can¡¯t die now.


    Else you can¡¯t save her life.


    In that case¡ªthe image of the girl that floats in her mind¡ªanything and everything, charge it into this sword.


    Flamm: ¡°UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!¡±


    She screamed until her vocal chords are close to being shot.


    Using Prana beyond the limit of her own body, her arms tear and blood started flowing.


    As the wound closes, a new one tears open. Flamm experiences pain as if she¡¯s being stabbed by blades all over.


    ¡ªYet still,


    Her power of perseverance, her rebellious heart is overpowering the malice of the heavens.


    Slid¡ªCRASH!


    The sword penetrated the flesh, breaking something hard on the other side.


    At that moment, the power that covered the entire institution vanished, and the debris and corpses that was lifted up falls simultaneously.


    Flamm: ¡°Ha¡­a¡­aah¡­¡­¡±


    Flamm who used all her power dropped on her knees, and her now powerless arms hang loose, and in a daze, she looked up to the empty space.


    Flamm: ¡°Ah¡­I finally¡­defeated it¡­?¡±


    There are no more signs of any flesh.


    The vortices are also all gone.


    All that¡¯s left on the walls are shattered black crystals crumbling down.


    She didn¡¯t understand what it is. Right now she wanted to put it off for later.


    For now¡ªshe wants to rest her body.


    Sarah: ¡°Y, you did it¡­onee-san, you finally defeated it¡­!¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Hahah¡­ah¡­is that so¡­I defeated it¡­ahaha¡­haha¡­not bad, me¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but to praise herself.


    Overwhelmed by weariness, Flamm fell on her back where she stood.


    Sarah too fell on her knees as her strength leaves her body.


    The two were left feeling the sensation of the cold, hard floor.

 CH 12

    After a brief respite to regain their strength to walk again, Flamm and Sarah once again sets out deeper into the facility to seek for the exit.


    Sarah: ¡°The effect even reach this far, huh?¡±


    Taking the helping hand of Flamm who was ahead of her, Sarah climbed the wreckage of the wall.


    She was about to fall as she pulls Flamm¡¯s hand up, but Flamm stopped her fall.


    Flamm: ¡°If we tried to run away maybe we would¡¯ve been dead by now.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a ¡°definitely¡± rather than a ¡°maybe¡±. Jeez, who made that¡­annoying beast anyways.¡±


    After they destroyed the ogre, Flamm found a black crystal falling from the scrap of meat.


    Currently, she had it in the bag she carries over her shoulder.


    She had dropped it at some point in the height of the battle, but she was relieved that she managed to recover it.


    However, the handmade lunch Milkit made that she put in the bag is now but a mess.


    Flamm: ¡°Well, no matter how much we want to look for the culprit, we have to get out of here first.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I feel like we¡¯ve spent quite some time here, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°I hope it¡¯s not yet dark outside¡­¡±


    As they continued their journey thinking of the outside, their feelings calmed down.


    They safely passed the area where they were blocked by the ogre earlier and proceeded into the unknown territory.


    They found a room full of columns of gigantic glass cylinder cases, a reference room lined with empty bookshelves and a nap room with sofas and beds in it.


    They couldn¡¯t find the exit, and they gradually felt discouraged.


    Then, as if their overworked bodies are snagged down with their feelings, it gets heavier and heavier.


    But that¡¯ll just be for a little longer.


    Sarah: ¡°Is that perhaps the exit?¡±


    It¡¯s the deepest area¡ªno, it¡¯s perhaps originally the entrance.


    The door visible beyond the hallway clearly has a different feel than the other doors they come across.


    The two looked at each other and smiled.


    Their flourishing feelings guide their bodies forward and forward, and they spontaneously walked faster.


    Afterwards they placed their hands on the rather solidly-made door and pushed it open.


    Beyond the door was a staircase leading through the roof.


    On the end of that staircase was a hatch door, and they lift it open after opening the lock.


    Flamm: ¡°Alright¡­!¡±


    Flamm poured strength into her arms, and in turn, the orange light of the sun poured into the underground space they were in.


    The corner of the lips of the two rose unconsciously.


    As they further opened the hatch and got out, they realized that it was the first place they encountered the grotesque ogre; an open space filled with vegetation.


    It seems that the entrance of the research facility was camouflaged by the weeds around.


    It has just been several hours, but it feels like it¡¯s been several days since they can breath in fresh air.


    Flamm reached her arms towards the sky and ¡°Hnngg¡ª!¡± stretched her body with all her might.


    Sarah too did the same gesture as if imitating her.


    Sarah: ¡°Alright, finally¡­we can¡­go home¡­¡±


    She was happy that she finally thought she could get out of the cave¡­¡­¡±was¡±.


    But the cave had collapsed and their exit was sealed, so she dropped her shoulders in dejection.


    Flamm: ¡°We need to do something about that first, don¡¯t we?¡±


    They completely forgot about the fact that Dain¡¯s underlings had been here.


    Sarah: ¡°We have to take our frustration out on them when we go back!¡±


    For that to happen, the two would need to open a path from these numerous large rubble.


    Sarah:¡°Can you do something with that Chevalier Arts of yours, onee-san?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°I can try, but I think I¡¯ll be dead exhausted and collapse after one try. Also I think it would work better if you smash the boulders with your mace instead.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Not right now, I¡¯ll collapse too.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Then there¡¯s no choice but to do it slowly, huh.¡±


    Even though they still need to do some hard labor, the simple fact that there are no more beasts chasing after them put their hearts at ease.


    The two walked close to the collapse, and they reached their hands toward the closest boulder.


    On Flamm¡¯s cue, they put their strength into their arms and lifted the boulder.


    Normally it wouldn¡¯t be the size where two girls could pick it up, but Sarah isn¡¯t your everyday nun, and Flamm is an adventurer for a reason.


    After carrying it quite a distance away, they drop it with a thud.


    Flamm wiped the sweat on her forehead with her wrist and went to the second rock that needs moving.


    Sarah fell behind slightly but she also came to the next boulder before circling her arms around one with a size that is about the width of her shoulders.


    At that time, Flamm suddenly turned her eyes away from the exit and faced the other way¡ªtoward the area where the swarm of trees and greenery are lined up.


    Rustle, rustle.


    ¡ªIts eyes met with hers.


    No, it had no eyes, but it¡¯s definitely looking at Flamm.


    Being somewhat agitated, the flesh vortex spews out blood.


    Flamm: ¡°No¡­way¡­¡­¡±


    Noticing Flamm who was facing the wrong way while not moving, Sarah tilted her head.


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san, what happen¡­ed¡­¡±


    She also saw the same thing.


    And then she also froze the same way.


    Sarah: ¡°¡­¡­eh?¡±


    Why, was the question she was about to ask herself, but the answer came to light soon after.


    Some of the cylindrical glass cases they found in the facility were shattered.


    Not just one, but some.


    And clearly, it¡¯s an ogre with the difference being that it moves differently above ground compared to being on all fours underground.


    In conclusion, this specimen is different than the thing that Flamm and Sarah defeated¡­the thing they both encountered the first time.


    Sarah: ¡°I didn¡¯t hear about this¡­that¡­there are more¡­.!¡±


    Even if they wanted to retreat, what¡¯s behind them is just a cold, rock wall.


    There is a bit of a gap in the rocks, but it wasn¡¯t wide enough to be considered as an escape route.


    Flamm bites her lip.


    If she had some stamina left, she could use Cavalier Arts and she might be able to take it down.


    But currently she didn¡¯t even have enough spare energy to run away from it continuously.


    They might manage if they can run and find a safe place to rest¡ªbut there wouldn¡¯t be any such place in the face of this beast.


    It¡¯s a checkmate.


    Flamm: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Milkit¡­¡­¡±


    She intended to resist as much as possible.


    But it seems that Flamm¡¯s wish to return to the girl¡¯s side won¡¯t be coming true.


    As Flamm reached her hands forward, the particles of light converged on her palm and gradually formed the shape of a greatsword.


    Her palm that is now void of her sweat gripped the black blade¡¯s hilt and pointed the tip towards the ogre.


    Sarah too readied the mace on her back and awaits the approaching enemy.


    The ogre looks like it¡¯s in a good mood as its blood wets the ground and it approached the two with light steps.


    It¡¯s like a child looking forward to having snack time in their picnic.


    With nothing but the intent to kill Flamm, it hopped and skipped closer.


    As it got to about twice the Soul Eater¡¯s reach, the ogre stopped.


    It looks down on its prey.


    Flamm: ¡°I don¡¯t know how far I can go¡­¡±


    Sarah: ¡°I¡¯m going with the intention to win, onee-san!¡±


    Even if she knows it¡¯s impossible, if she could at least lift her spirit, it was enough for her.


    The fist shaking the ground was their cue.


    It was at that moment that the curtain of the battle rose once again¡ªthe moment the dust settled.


    From beyond the thicket, a figure of a lone woman appeared.


    She had blue skin and an even deeper blue hair, wearing an outfit that exposes a lot.


    Stroking the air as if she¡¯s playing a harp, a light fufu escaped her lips colored by red rouge and she said,


    ???: ¡°Crimson Sphere.¡±


    A bluish-green sphere filled with massive amount of wind mana poured into it floats toward the ogre.


    The moment it comes in contact with the green skin, it expanded with a burst and swallowed up the 3 meter giant.


    Splash¡­SPLASSHH!


    The ogre struggled in an attempt to escape, but it was powerless on the face of the overwhelming mana.


    The wind blades mercilessly mince the ogre¡¯s flesh, spraying blood as it got split to pieces.


    Thus¡ªas the name implied, the sphere is dyed deep crimson.


    Neither Flamm nor Sarah could do anything but to stand still in shock.


    To think that the beast that they had to bet their lives to defeat was taken down this easily.


    What appeared in front of them was either a glint of hope or an even worse despair.


    The wind gradually weakens, and what used to be the ogre fell to the ground with a splat.


    From within, a black crystal with something twisting inside fell.


    The woman walked closer to it and the blood clinging to the magic scatters while she looked at the crystal uneasily.


    ???: ¡°To think that one would make such creature, humans are such troublesome being. Don¡¯t you think so too, Flamm-chan?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Wh¡­wha¡­¡±


    ¡°What happened to you? Cat got your toongue?¡±


    The woman jovially curled her fist in front of her voluptuous chest imitating a cat.


    Flamm dropped her jaws, completely speechless.


    Sarah on the other hand¡ªshowed hostility toward the demonfolk appearing in front of her more than she did toward the ogre.


    ???: ¡°Oh my, the girl over there¡­h-how cute you are. You¡¯re quite cute. Are you perhaps an Origin Church nun?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Who¡­who are you calling cute, you murderous monster! You¡¯re so disgusting, I¡¯m getting the creeps!¡±


    Having abhorred openly by someone she first met, the woman turned apathetic.


    ???: ¡°¡­this pattern again, huh? How many times has it been. That Maria girl was also scowling at me so badly.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Of course we would, both me or Maria nee-san! You demons took away our homeland and killed people important to us! We definitely won¡¯t forget this hatred and rage towards you!¡±


    Sarah seemed to be ready to attack at any moment.


    Flamm gets closer to the girl, put her hand on her shoulder and persuaded her.


    Flamm: ¡°Calm down, Sarah-chan.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Do you think I can calm down now!? These demons, I will definitely¡ª¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Please, scan that person first, okay?¡±


    Sarah ¡°fuu¡ª, fuu¡ª¡± breathed heavily as if hissing like a cat, but it seems she still had the composure to listen to Flamm¡¯s advice.


    She activated Scan and looked at the woman.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Neigass


    Attribute: Blood Wind


    Strength: 3,596


    Intelligence: 15,997


    Endurance: 2,479


    Agility: 3,698


    Intuition: 7,854


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    After seeing the numbers, the girl instantly lost her strength.


    The mace on her small hand fell with a thud.


    Neigass lifts her thumb and turned toward Flamm, smiling as she said ¡°Nice follow!¡±


    Flamm herself remembered that the woman alone is evenly matched with the group of heroes, so she would frankly be troubled to respond as she encountered her again.


    Neigass: ¡°Finally she calmed down so we can talk, huh.¡±


    It¡¯s not as if Sarah had completely calmed down, but she seem to be holding the capability to converse.


    Neigass: ¡°Well then, shall we start from introductions? My name is Neigass. My attribute is Blood Wind that controls Wind and Darkness. I¡¯m a lot older than humans anywhere, and as you might have known, I¡¯m on of the three demonic generals, and as you¡¯ve seen, I¡¯m a demon.¡±


    Flamm & Sarah:¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The two were silent.


    Receiving no responses, Neigass puffed her cheeks.


    Neigass: ¡°What a bad responsee, I introduced myself, so Sarah-chan too¡­oh, wow, she¡¯s really glaring at me. Well, she had a grudge on me over her parents, so I guess that¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Why do you bother introducing yourself? If you have that much power, you could¡¯ve just killed us!¡±


    Neigass: ¡°I¡¯m telling youu, we demonfolks aren¡¯t killing humans.¡±


    Neigass said it as if it¡¯s obvious.


    Sarah¡¯s rage that has been stifled once again set ablaze from the woman¡¯s insensitive words.


    Sarah: ¡°Stop messing around! In truth you really killed some, didn¡¯t you!? You kidnapped some too didn¡¯t you!?¡±


    Neigass: ¡°Did you witness it yourself?¡±


    With that cutting remark, Sarah¡¯s might grows dull.


    Sarah: ¡°I¡­didn¡¯t. But, but I was told that by the church that saved me!¡±


    Neigass: ¡°Then tell me. Can you believe the words of the church that is doing a research thiiis suspicious in this remote place?¡±


    Neigass said thus while showing the black crystal that came out of the ogre.


    Sarah: ¡°¡­ugh.¡±


    Sarah was at loss of words.


    On the other hand, Flamm was suspicious of Neigass¡¯ words.


    Flamm: ¡°Why are you suddenly mentioning the church?¡±


    Neigass: ¡°My, you didn¡¯t realize, did you? Well, I haven¡¯t really seen what¡¯s inside, but it looks like Sarah-chan has already noticed you know?¡±


    Sarah was hanging her head and biting her lip.


    Bit by bit, she started talking about what she felt inside the facility.


    Sarah: ¡°In the first door¡­there was the motif of the Origin church. I had a bad feeling when I saw a twisted ring carved on it.¡±


    It was a casual decoration that normally goes unnoticed by a normal person.


    That much might have just been a coincidence, so Sarah¡¯s feelings was at best just a premonition.


    But that premonition soon changed into conviction.


    Sarah: ¡°After that, the moment I saw the researcher¡¯s note left behind¡­the divine revelation, the spinning knowledge, and then wisdom¡­those words jotted down by the researcher, it¡¯s similar to the writings in the scripture. It was at that moment I realized that this is the Origin church¡¯s facility¡­I wanted to think that it¡¯s not true, but¡­¡±


    Flamm: ¡°The church is doing a human experiment here¡­?¡±


    The adventurers who went to the cave and didn¡¯t come back¡ªthey weren¡¯t just killed by the beast, perhaps they were also used as a test subject.


    Sarah: ¡°But regardless, what¡¯s a demon doing in this place!?¡±


    Neigass: ¡°The power they¡¯re researching here is a bit of an inconvenience for us you see. Recently, we spotted this location by chance, so I came here to survey the location.¡±


    A power inconvenient for the demonfolks¡ªthat¡¯s what the church is researching.


    That means it isn¡¯t something weird by any stretch.


    Both the empire and the church acknowledged the demonfolks as evil, and to defeat them, they conduct various researches day by day, so  this is definitely linked to that.


    Yet still¡­the ¡°spiral¡± that controlled the ogre was nothing but a decent power, and the church is painting an awful image as they did human experiment.


    Neigass: ¡°That aside, what are you doing in this place, Flamm-chan? Before I knew it you disappeared from the hero¡¯s party. Also that mark on your cheek, isn¡¯t it the mark of a slave?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Flamm hesitated.


    Sarah looked in her direction, and as if thinking it¡¯s strange, she said,


    Sarah: ¡°Flamm onee-san, as I thought you¡¯re the hero Flamm Apricot?¡±


    As I thought, which means that she did had a suspicion.


    Flamm: ¡°That was the case, I suppose. Well, even if I was branded a hero I had no power, so I was driven out, sold as a slave and I got here.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°That¡¯s awful!¡±


    Neigass: ¡°What an awful story¡­¡±


    The two raised their voices at the same time, Sarah showing a difficult expression while Neigass showed a smile.


    Neigass: ¡°And? What¡¯s the reason for you to be here?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Haa¡­We were requested to find some medicinal herbs.¡±


    Sarah sighed as if she gave up and answered.


    Neigass: ¡°Wasn¡¯t medicinal herbs supposed to be strictly forbidden for the church?¡±


    Sarah: ¡°There are people who are troubled by diseases regardless. Medicines will be needed to save them.¡±


    Neigass who heard those words put her hand on her chest and said to Flamm in a rather agitated voice;


    Neigass: ¡°Flamm-chan, isn¡¯t this child so kind¡­!?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Well¡­she is.¡±


    Neigass was thoughtlessly being over-familiar in her excitement while Flamm was still unable to keep up with her.


    However, gradually, Flamm started to think that the woman might not be killing humans.


    She couldn¡¯t sense anything behind that smile of hers.


    She wasn¡¯t lying, and she was rather exposing herself.


    It was because of that, Sarah opened her heart even just for a bit.


    Neigass: ¡°Is that so, you were looking for the herbs and you were attacked by the beast, and then in your attempt to run away from it you ended up in the facility, is that it? And then by the time you were cornered by the monster, I gallantly appeared!¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Flamm onee-san defeated one though.¡±


    Neigass: ¡°You did? You defeated that!? I¡¯m surprised, when you were with the hero you didn¡¯t look like you can fight at all and you were just a countryside girl. How did you beat it?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Even if you ask me¡­¡±


    Her memories from back then are fuzzy.


    At the very least she remembered shouting and driving her sword into the pile of meat with all of her power¡ª


    Flamm: ¡°When I shouted with all my spirit I broke the crystal-looking thing and the movement stopped.¡±


    Neigass: ¡°¡­you broke the core? Wait, do you have the broken core with you!?¡±


    Neigass who are even more surprised came closer towards Flamm.


    Flamm: ¡°Yeah, I brought it in my pouch just in case.¡±


    She took it out and handed it over to Neigass.


    In turn, Neigass thoroughly investigated the broken crystal fixedly with a serious expression she showed the two for the first time.


    Neigass: ¡°Its functions completely stopped, what¡¯s the meaning of this? No..is that so. Don¡¯t tell me, for that reason, she¡­¡±


    Flamm: ¡°What is it?¡±


    Neigass: ¡°¡­no, it¡¯s nothing. Hey, Flamm-chan, can I have this broken core?¡±


    Originally she planned to bring it to the right place and have it investigated.


    But now that she knows that the research institute is connected to the church, if she handed it over to a place that had a connection with the empire, she will surely be silenced for knowing about the core.


    It¡¯s quite ironic that the one that¡¯s most believable partner is a demon.


    Flamm: ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do with it even if I have it, so take it as you wish.¡±


    Neigass: ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re a real help. By the way, you haven¡¯t taken the herbs yet, right?¡±


    Flamm: ¡°We¡¯ll think about that after we open the blocked exit.¡±


    As she said that, Neigass suddenly lifted her arms and unleashed her magic toward the boulders blocking exit.


    Neigass: ¡°Erosion.¡±


    Afterwards, black winds came out of nowhere and wrapped its targets.


    The rocks it touched deteriorate and crumbled.


    And then in no time at all, the exit opened.


    Neigass: ¡°If there are any other monsters out there, I¡¯ll deal with them. You two should quickly find the herbs.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Eh? But¡­¡±


    Neigass: ¡°I know that you probably can¡¯t trust me, but just think that our interests coincide this time.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°¡­onee-san, let¡¯s just get this over with.¡±


    Flamm: ¡°Y, yeah, I got it.¡±


    Perhaps Sarah already came to a conclusion and thus tried to rush Flamm.


    Thus, the two proceeded with their objective to harvest Chialries and two other types of herbs with Neigass guarding them in a weird situation.


    She even guarded them until their way home leaving nothing to be desired, allowing the two safely and successfully exit the cave.As they parted, Neigass waved her hand toward Sarah who waved back and asked a question.


    Sarah: ¡°Did the demons really not kill humans?¡±


    Neigass: ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that we didn¡¯t kill any humans at all. During the war between the humans and the demonfolks, the humans invaded the demons¡¯ territory, so there were definitely some victims then. But¡ªI swear I can confirm that we didn¡¯t do it for the sake of our own benefits or pleasure.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°In whose name are you swearing to?¡±


    Neigass: ¡°Hmm¡­it¡¯s quite complicated.¡±


    Neigass thought while putting her index finger on her lip.


    Finally, the answer she gave was¡ª


    Neigass: ¡°I don¡¯t believe in god, so¡­I swear in your name, Sarah-chan.¡±


    She smiled as she said that.


    Sarah briefly digested her statement.


    Yet her abhorrence towards the demons that has been implanted into her for the long years can¡¯t be easily erased.


    Sarah: ¡°Is that so.¡±


    In the end she only gave a curt answer and turned around, leaving giving no reconciliation, compromise nor rejection.


    That was it.


    No. Rather than that, it was enough of a progress for her that they can hold a conversation.


    Being satisfied with that, Neigass too turned her heels back into the cave, planning to further investigate the research facility.


    Flamm and Sarah proceeded through the dark forest just with the help of the light from their lantern.


    Chirr, chirr, they could hear insects that sound like bells.


    The noise sounds even lonelier.


    The two proceeded without a word briefly, but midway through the forest, Flamm suddenly said,


    Flamm: ¡°Somehow we¡¯ve been through a lot of things and now my head is a mess.¡±


    Sarah: ¡°Onee-san too, huh? I feel so too. I suddenly lost my bearings and I don¡¯t know what to believe anymore.¡±


    Her worries are worrying, and her confusion only deepens.

 CH 13

    Enchide is draped in the same veil of dusk as it was when they first arrived. The lights of the few populated houses seem even darker than they remember, likely due to Flum and Sara¡¯s exhaustion.


    The only sound as they walk down the abandoned streets is the scattering gravel beneath their boots. Only the promise of being able to rest soon pushes them forward. The large, somewhat dilapidated inn comes into sight as they round the corner. The thought of Milkit waiting for them brings a smile to Flum¡¯s face.


    There¡¯s no light in the window of Stude¡¯s house next door.


    No matter how early to rise and early to bed country folks are supposed to be, it¡¯s far too early for that yet. They¡¯re probably both out somewhere.


    But more importantly, rest comes first. Flum is just about to climb the steps into the inn when she stops. Sara comes to a halt a moment later, turning back to look at her.


    ¡°What is it, su?¡±


    Flum expressionlessly turns to face the front entrance of Stude¡¯s home. The longer she looks the paler she turns.


    The light¡¯s off. The front door is wide open. Through the lace curtain on the window she can barely make out the kitchen table, covered in scattered and broken dishes.


    She tries to put it all together.


    Dane¡¯s cronies used magic to seal off the exit to that cavern. Since they visited that old lady at the general store just as Flum¡¯s party did, they should know that nobody comes home from that cave because of the monstrosity. In other words, they should be convinced that Flum and Sara are dead.


    What would those two do after returning to Enchide in high spirits?


    Guided by the scent of blood, Flum walks towards Stude¡¯s house.


    They call themselves adventurers, but they¡¯re no better than a band of criminals. Dane exerts his influence as an A-Rank adventurer to have his way with not only the guild but the entire West Quarter. Even in the middle of the Capital they¡¯re confident enough that they¡¯d try to steal the bag of someone like Reach in broad daylight. They¡¯d surely have no problem doing whatever they please with the residents of a country town, away from the eyes of the paladins and the guards.


    She puts her hand to the door and pushes. The smell of iron grows even stronger. The tiny stubs of candles that light the corridor are all but useless.


    No, forget petty theft. They¡¯ve done far worse. Fraud, assault --- even murder. A little push from Dane and it¡¯s as if it never happened. When they tried to steal Reach¡¯s bag, however, things were different. Before he could do anything, those thugs were taken in by the paladins.


    What did they think of that?


    The floorboards under Flum¡¯s feet groan as she enters the dining room.


    Amongst the destruction is a man lying slumped against the table, scarlet blood from the deep stab wound in his back staining his blue shirt red.


    She¡¯s never seen the man before. He must¡¯ve been one of Stude¡¯s friends, come to visit when he heard Stude was back in town.


    Flum clenches her fists and grits her teeth.


    There are traces of blood on the floor, likely from someone dragging themselves across the ground while bleeding, starting from one of the chairs and leading to the doorway Flum is standing in.


    There are more victims.


    She follows it with her eyes down the corridor, further into the house.


    Dane and his men must¡¯ve been indignant. They¡¯d always had free reign over the West Quarter, so why should they have to be punished now? That must be the reason why they trapped Flum and Sara in that cave and tried to kill them.


    The floorboards continue to creak underfoot as Flum approaches a bedroom.


    Afraid of what she might find inside, she opens the door slowly. The hinges of the door screech in protest.


    They wouldn¡¯t just be content with killing Flum and Sara, though. Murder doesn¡¯t hold any special significance for those criminals. Just killing them alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to lighten their spirits. They need to take more from them, take everything they can.


    That, of course, includes involving innocent people, people who only tried to help them.


    Flum has her theory now. All she has to do is look at what¡¯s in front of her to confirm it.


    As I thought.


    As I feared.


    There are two people, a man and a woman, on the bed. The room¡¯s dark, but anyone would be able to tell that much.


    One of them is an old woman. The other is a man, draped over her as if attempting to protect her.


    Stude and his mother.


    The room is filled to the brim with the raw smell of their blood.


    They did nothing wrong, ordinary villagers who committed the sin of letting Flum and Sara stay at their inn.


    And yet they were killed by for nothing more than a petty grudge.


    ¡°Aa¡­ Aaaaaaaahh¡­¡±


    She feels the weight of their deaths for involving them in her business.


    But something altogether different boils up above it, some pitch black emotion.


    ¡°Aaaahhh¡­ Aaaaaaahh!!¡±


    I¡¯ll never forgive them.


    Her emotions boil over into her howl, her indignation boiling over into madness.


    Her indignation isn¡¯t rooted in some beautiful sense of justice but in something horribly egotistical, an addiction too twisted to be called affection not directed at the bodies on the bed but at what¡¯s about to happen, maybe what¡¯s currently happening, maybe what already happened, an unsupressable rage in the face of an unspeakable tragedy. Leaving her body to those dark emotions, she forgets her exhaustion and sprints out of Stude¡¯s house.


    ¡°O-Oneesan!?¡±


    Leaving Sara to her confusion, she dashes into the inn.


    Those bastards, those bastards, those bastards! The two men surely aren¡¯t satisfied with just those two sins.


    Her feet pound the floorboards hard enough to break them as she storms through the inn.


    Faster! Faster! Faster!! If I can get there a second, a moment, and instant sooner---!


    The men can probably hear her coming.


    Like I care! If you¡¯re going to run then run, if you¡¯re going to resist then resist, but it doesn¡¯t matter to me. Even if you beg me to spare you, even if you maim yourselves in apology, even if you rip the flesh off your own faces and beg the gods for forgiveness --- I¡¯ll NEVER forgive you!!


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    A little while before Flum¡¯s arrival at the inn¡­


    Milkit sits on the edge of the bed, patiently waiting for Flum and Sara to come back. She doesn¡¯t have anything to occupy her time and it¡¯s too dark outside to take a walk so she sits in the dark, letting the colourless time flow by her.


    She doesn¡¯t find it boring, of course; until recently she was often left with such empty time. She fidgets as the watched the minute hand on the clock slowly advance. They¡¯d only taken lunch with them. They were supposed to be back by now. The sky¡¯s grown dark and they still haven¡¯t come back, causing unease to stir in her chest.


    ¡°...You¡¯re okay, aren¡¯t you, Master, Sara-san?¡±


    Saying it aloud makes her heart tremble and tingle.


    I shouldn¡¯t have said that.


    It¡¯s too late, however.


    The seed of unease buried in her chest sprouts and grows on the dusky light shining in through the window. Her chest feels tight, and she puts a hand to her heart. The rhythmic throbbing of her heart is noisier than it usually is.


    ¡°Master, Sara-san¡­¡±


    Just as Milkit worries about the two of them, she can hear footsteps from outside the room.


    Two sets of footsteps.


    Milkit stands up and half-runs to the door, opening it so as to not force her master to after a long day¡¯s work.


    ¡°Mas¡­ Eh?¡±


    Two men she¡¯s never seen before are standing there.


    Before she can do anything a large hand reaches forward and grabs her bandaged face.


    ¡°Ngh!? Nn! Nghngh!!¡±


    The owner of the hand, a man with countless piercings on his lips and ears, grins at her sadistically.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not seriously gonna do it, are you?¡± asks the man behind him. The second man has heavy blue tattoos covering the right half of his face.


    The pierced man grins at the tattooed man¡¯s question.


    ¡°She¡¯s ugly for a bitch, but I¡¯d rather screw her corpse than that hag¡¯s hole or that hairy smarm¡¯s ass.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re gonna complain ¡®bout it then don¡¯t do it, man. Let¡¯s just kill her an¡¯ go.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, but where¡¯s the fun in that?¡±


    He nears his face to Millkit¡¯s as she tries to scream and break free. His eyes are bloodshot and his breathing is ragged.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got one helluva boner after my first kill in a while. I can¡¯t just go loosin¡¯ myself on any old living bitch! Ahyahya!!¡±


    He raises his voice raggedly, as if he¡¯s high on something.


    Fear and disgust rise in Milkit¡¯s chest, but she¡¯s too weak to resist as he pushes her back into the room. Her knees hit the edge of the bed and she collapses onto it. She flails at him, but she¡¯s not even strong enough to make him flinch, or maybe she¡¯s just in shock as he seats himself on top of her. If she resists, who knows what he¡¯ll do to her.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a calm one. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re used to this kinda thing?¡± he asks as he strips his shirt off.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Why so quiet? Huhn? Answer me. Hey, hey, hey!! I said A-N-S-W-E-R M-E! You stupid or something!?!¡±


    The pierced man grabs her by the hair and starts slamming her head against the bed. She can¡¯t possibly answer like that, but he seems to grow angrier every passing moment she doesn¡¯t respond.


    ---Or so she thought. Suddenly he grins and lets go of her hair. He runs his hand through her hair, letting the silver strands slip between his rough fingers.


    ¡°I¡¯m sowwy. When Oniichan gets excited he can¡¯t help but get a widdle rough with girls. Most of them just can¡¯t take it. But you know what? Oniichan wuvs watching widdle girls suffer more that anything else in the whole wide world!¡±


    ¡°Uu¡­ u¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh, and now you¡¯re crying. Seriously, hurry up an¡¯ answer already. You a virgin or what?¡±


    Milkit silently nods.


    He looms over her, looking down at her with a cold expression.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t say it I can¡¯t hear you.¡±


    ¡°...I am.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I gotta hear ya loud an¡¯ clear. What are ya!?¡±


    ¡°...A v-virgin.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still too damn quiiiieeeeet!!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a virgin!¡±


    She manages to force the words out and he bursts out laughing.


    ¡°AHYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!! I LOVE makin¡¯ bitches say that!! What am I, twelve!? Hyahahahaha, ahahahahah! Haha, ha¡­ haah.¡±


    He quickly quiets down again. He¡¯s tired of this game already.


    He reaches for the shortsword at his belt and touches the tip of it against Milkit¡¯s chest for a moment before tearing open the front of her maid outfit.


    Seeing her bra exposed, he asks her a question.


    ¡°How''d you like to die?¡±


    ¡°How¡­?¡±


    ¡°After I¡¯m done with ya the first time, I mean. I like to have a second go at bitches like you after they¡¯re good an¡¯ dead. Ah, that means anything that wrecks those bits down there is no good, ¡®course. The typical options are havin¡¯ a knife jammed in your mouth, maybe in your neck. Maybe you¡¯d prefer it nice an¡¯ quick through the heart? Or maybe I should just jam it in your gut an¡¯ mix you up a little?¡±


    How ¡®nice¡¯ of him to give her an option.


    Milkit can¡¯t choose so easily, of course, but if she makes him angry again he¡¯ll probably grab her hair again.


    She¡¯s got to answer, as quickly as she can.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that face?¡±


    ¡°Ee...!?¡±


    The time limit¡¯s far shorter than she¡¯d thought. The pierced man¡¯s face twists, his face growing redder.


    No normal person¡¯s mood would shift so violently. He¡¯s definitely very high on something, probably one of the illegal drugs being passed around in the back alleys of the Capital.


    He¡¯s immune to common sense now.


    He slowly wraps his hands around Milkit¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Kh¡­ khyu¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re gonna be so bitchy about it then how¡¯d ya like some strangulation play, huh!? Virgins these days¡¯re animals! Oniichan¡¯s worried about horny widdle sluts like you, y¡¯know!? HA-HYAHAHAHA!!¡±


    ¡°Aa¡­ Ghuh¡­¡±


    As she starts to black out, the only thing on her mind is her still-missing master.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    Flum immediately notices that the door¡¯s open, and as soon as she sticks her head in she cries out.


    ¡°Milkit!!¡±


    Three pairs of eyes turn to face her as one. Two pairs belong to the man with heavy piercings and the heavily tattooed man, but the last one belongs to Milkit, pinned to the bed, a pair of large hands wrapped around her slender neck. Her clothes are torn, exposing her chest so pale it seems transparent.


    They all stare at each other for a long moment. All of them are stopped as if the entire room was only a painting.


    It¡¯s clear what¡¯s happening.


    ¡°Masteeer...!¡±


    Milkit calls out to Flum in a thin, plaintive voice.


    Flum looks down at the ground, digging her nails deep into her palms and clenching her teeth hard enough to shatter them.


    ---Now you¡¯ve REALLY done it.


    They¡¯ve proven themselves less than insects, subjugating and tormenting a girl who has no way of resisting. If they really wanted to die so badly, they should¡¯ve just asked Flum nicely.


    ¡°I¡¯ll end you.¡±


    Her voice is so frigid she even startles herself for a moment.


    Stepping forward one, two long strides.


    The first one to react is the tattooed man. He gets as far as putting his hand on the hilt of his knife.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t supposed to co---¡±


    The tattooed man is shocked at the sheer speed of her movements, but he never finishes his sentence.


    She lowers her waist and draws the Zweihander from its extradimensional sheath, using the unsheathing momentum to drive the razor edge soundlessly through his torso, splitting him clean in half.


    She swings the blade at empty air to clean it of the man¡¯s blood. A few fat droplets hit the pierced man in the face.


    The tattooed man¡¯s top half slips off and tumbles to the ground, hitting it headfirst. He opens and closes his mouth like a fish gasping to breathe and voices words that have no sound. It only takes a moment for his brain to realize it¡¯s out of blood. He stops moving. A moment later, his lower half follows him to the floor and a wealth of murky fluids and ripe organs spill out.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    The pierced man is suddenly alone.


    He wipes at the fluid on his face, looks at the crimson at his fingertip and swears loudly.


    ¡°Shit!! I haven¡¯t even screwed anyone yet, dammit!!¡±


    He scrambles towards the window, flings it open, and practically falls out of it. Tripping over his own feet, the pierced man fades into the darkness.


    ¡°Milkit, wait here for just a moment.¡±


    Flum leaves Milkit with those words as she jumps out the window after him.


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    It was her master¡¯s kind voice.


    In her master¡¯s eyes, however, burned a dark desire to kill.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    As soon as Flum leaves the inn, she scans the area for any sign of the pierced man.


    ¡°...Found you.¡±


    He hasn¡¯t vanished into the darkness completely, and he¡¯s still close enough that she can see him with the naked eye. She shifts the blade to a one-handed grip as she runs after her mark.


    The man¡¯s a D-Rank, at best a C-Rank adventurer. There¡¯s no way he can escape her.


    He turns around at the sound of her pursuit, the metal rings on his lips and ears clanging together loudly. As he watches Flum starts to catch up and he twists his face in terror.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be shittin¡¯ me! All this for that crappy little virgin bitch!? Dammit, he told me I could just come out here, rape an¡¯ kill whoever I wanted, and even get paid at the end! I¡¯ve got a mountain of bitches waitin¡¯ for me and my money!!¡±


    He doesn¡¯t spare even a thought for his dead comrade. Scum like him truly deserve death.


    ¡°If only I¡¯d killed that granny an¡¯ the ape properly back then I¡¯d be long gone by now, dammit!!¡±


    ¡°I hope that¡¯s not what you want written on your tombstone.¡±


    Flum¡¯s face suddenly appears out of the gloom.


    ¡°Nuh!?¡±


    Before he realizes she¡¯s caught up to him and matched his pace. She makes sure he gets a good look at the black sword in her hand, still faintly glistening with the tattooed man¡¯s viscera.


    The pierced man, realizing that he can¡¯t escape, stops in his tracks. In a practiced motion, he drops to the ground and plants his forehead into the dirt.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Haha, hyahahahaha, no no, hold on. Don¡¯t get so worked up, it¡¯s not like I actually screwed ¡®em. It¡¯s a misunderstanding, a M-I-S-T-A-K-E. Those clothes I wrecked¡­ tell ya what, I¡¯ll compensate you for ¡®em. We¡¯re even now, am I right? Anything that ugly bitch was wearin¡¯ couldn¡¯t be that expensive anyways, right!?¡±


    Bowing and scraping must be the secret to his ¡®success.¡¯


    She looks down at him with heartless eyes.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t done a single damn thing worth killin¡¯ me over! It was that asshole with the tattoos that offed the hag an¡¯ the smarm!¡±


    He thinks that¡¯s supposed to make some sort of difference to me.


    Wordlessly, she raises the Zweihander over her head.


    All she has to do is swing downwards and it¡¯ll all end.


    The black blade fades into the darkness, making it impossible for the man to tell when it¡¯ll come falling on him. Fear tightens its grip on his chest.


    ¡°Oneesan, hold on a minute, su!¡±


    Just as Flum¡¯s about to swing Sara¡¯s voice comes from behind her.


    Murder is a sin. Even if it wasn¡¯t a sin to the Church of Origin, it¡¯s one of the gravest crimes a human being can commit. Sara, believing wholeheartedly in human goodness, can¡¯t just watch Flum kill him.


    ¡°Stude-san and his mom are still alive, su! I cured ¡®em with my healin¡¯ magic so they¡¯re both just fine, su!¡±


    Flum turns around to face her.


    ¡°Sara-chan¡­ it¡¯s too late for that. The other one¡¯s already dead.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ maybe so, but that guy can¡¯t repent if he¡¯s dead, su! There¡¯s gotta be some better way to punish him, su!¡±


    Her words make perfect logical sense. Murder shouldn¡¯t be punished with more murder. Some murderers, while few, reflect on their crimes and live normal, fulfilling lives after receiving just punishment.


    There are many of people who never repent, however, who never change they ways.


    ¡°Heh¡­ Hehe¡­ Hya, hyahahahahahahahahaha!¡±


    The pierced man springs to his feet and pins Flum¡¯s arms behind her back, sticking a dagger to her neck. His fear has dissolved completely from his face, replaced by a twisted grin.


    ¡°You¡¯re too damn careless! Thanks a bunch for the help, ya brat! I never thought a priestess¡¯d come help me murder this bitch, su! Thank you, su! You¡¯re a really big help, su! Seriously, who speaks like that!? Hyahahahahaha! I thought I was dead but hey, there¡¯re nice people left in the world after all!¡±


    Convinced that he¡¯s won, the pierced man starts spouting arrogant abuse.


    Sara stares at him at a loss for words. Flum gives her a small smile.


    ¡°You see, Sara-chan?¡±


    ¡°Hey hey, suddenly you think you can get off chattin¡¯ right in front of me!? Didja forget that if I push on this here dagger even a liiiittle bit there¡¯ll be blood everywhere!? Take a moment to think on that! Think good and hard, wet yourself, cry, an¡¯ get me all excited all over again!!¡±


    None of the man¡¯s words have any effect on Flum.


    She remembers back to Jean, and after him that slave merchant. Some people just delight in destroying the lives and dignity of others and feel no guilt whatsoever.


    If only Sara could share some of her goodness with assholes like them.


    ¡°I told you before, Sara-chan. In this world, some people---¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not even gonna apologize? I guess I¡¯ll just kill you then. Ahh, but I really wish I could at least hear some good ol¡¯ grovelling---¡±


    The pierced man pushes a little harder on the dagger, breaking Flum¡¯s skin and letting a thin line of blood streak down her neck.


    Flum¡¯s expression doesn¡¯t change.


    ¡°---some pieces of trash never repent, never learn, and are better off dead.¡±


    As soon as she finishes gently lecturing Sara, she forces the dagger in the man¡¯s hands deep into her own neck. It easily carves through her skin and buries itself deep in her throat. The sound of flowing water accompanies the wave of blood that gushes from her neck.


    The man, shocked, lets go of the blade. She lets herself fall forward, but catches her fall, pulls the dagger out of her flesh, and casts it to the ground.


    ¡°T-The hell¡­ How¡¯re you not dead!?¡±


    Blood still oozing out and staining her collar crimson, she turns and swings.


    ¡°Wha, sto---!¡±


    He reflexively tries to cover his face with his arms and loses both his hands. Blood gushes out.


    Judging from the sheer volume of his bleeding he¡¯ll die if he doesn¡¯t get immediate healing, but it¡¯s still not enough to sate Flum¡¯s bloodlust.


    ¡°Aa, aaagh! P-Please, don¡¯t kill me¡­!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯re you saying? You¡¯re the murderer here.¡±


    ¡°N-No, it¡¯s all a mistake. I-I don¡¯t wanna---¡±


    She cleaves the man¡¯s unsightly expression in half. The top half of his head is sent flying through the air, eventually landing in the middle of the gravel road.


    ¡°Thanks for grovelling, at least.¡±


    The brainless sack of flesh in front of her spasms then collapses, wetting itself as it falls. Blood and human waste spread freely across the road.


    Flum heads back to the inn where Milkit awaits, putting a hand on Sara¡¯s head as she passes.


    ¡°Sorry, Sara-chan. The way I see it, this is the only way.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t always like this. After being betrayed and taking in more than her fair share of the world¡¯s evils, this is her conclusion. This is who she¡¯s been forced to become.


    ¡°Oneesan¡­¡±


    Sara¡¯s voice is weak. Even though Flum¡¯s right beside her she feels as though they¡¯re worlds apart. Unable to follow her back to the inn, she watches Flum¡¯s back grow ever further away as she stands there motionless under the infinitely vast night sky.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    When she returns the room, the strong smell of death hits her nose. Milkit is still huddled on the bed, trying to wrap the torn shreds of her clothes around her chest.


    It¡¯s enough to break her heart.


    She draws close to Milkit and puts her hand on her cheek. Milkit feels Flum¡¯s warmth through her bandages but returns a dark expression.


    ¡°I ruined the nice clothes that you bought for me.¡±


    The first words out of Milkit¡¯s mouth are those.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Master.¡±


    She even apologizes, despite doing nothing wrong. Flum would¡¯ve preferred to get yelled at for not coming to save her sooner. Even if she knows Milkit would never actually do such a thing, the apology hurts nonetheless.


    Flum faces the ground, Her lips start trembling and something hot rises in her chest as tears gather in her eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your clothes, don¡¯t apologize¡­¡±


    ¡°But Master, this dress is the first thing you ever gave me. It¡¯s very precious.¡±


    ¡°Even if it is! I thought I told you to treat your body with more respect! Why!? Why¡¯s that the first thing you have to say¡­!? You¡¯re wrong, the important thing isn¡¯t you¡¯re clothes¡­ it¡¯s something else entirely¡­!¡±


    Flum snuggles up to Milkit, burying her face in her chest as she strongly embraces her.


    She¡¯s warm.


    Blood¡¯s flowing through her veins, her heart is beating --- she¡¯s alive.


    When she thinks about how Milkit would¡¯ve not only been defiled but killed, too, Flum feels like vomiting.


    ¡°Master, are you crying?¡±


    Milkit looks down at her master¡¯s trembling shoulders.


    ¡°...Yeah, I¡¯m crying. I¡¯m still so powerless, so pitiful, so unable to change what needs changing most¡­ so I¡¯m crying.¡±


    Her voice is trembling.


    Milkit feels overcome with the urge to do something for her, but she¡¯s at a loss as to what she should do. Without thinking she moves to return Flum¡¯s embrace but stops, staring down at her hands without knowing what came over her.


    When she was being attacked by the pierced man, she could feel some strange emotion sprout within her.


    Your body is worthless.


    All of her masters up until now have told her that, again and again until she accepted it as truth.


    But now it¡¯s different.


    Her current master --- Flum told her to take better care of her body.


    Even now, Milkit¡¯s convinced that her body is worthless, but if she does anything to harm herself Flum will be sad. Even if she doesn¡¯t care personally, the thought of Flum becoming sad makes her heart hurt and the area around her eyes feel weird.


    ¡°Milkit¡­¡±


    Flum looks up with red eyes, meeting Milkit¡¯s again.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ Look, even though you say you don¡¯t care¡­ you were been really scared, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Scared?¡±


    ¡°Your eyes are all moist. It looks like you¡¯re ready to cry¡­ am I wrong?¡±


    Milkit¡¯s clear, crystalline eyes are faintly trembling. Even if she¡¯s not scared, there¡¯s clearly some emotion at work, or else she wouldn¡¯t be like this.


    She puts a hand to her eyes to confirm they¡¯re wet before saying her feelings as the come to her.


    ¡°It¡¯d too shameless for a mere slave like myself to wish to be saved by her master. I don¡¯t know for certain if I was scared or not, but¡­ When I was being assaulted, I imagined what it would be like if you were to swoop in and save me.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t expecting anything to come of it. It was a dream within a dream.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for being imagining such a thing despite being fully aware of how shameless it is¡­ I would appear that I¡¯ve let myself be spoiled by you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s shameless! Imagine whatever you want, ask me for anything you can think of, I¡¯ll do my best to make you happy!¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s---¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how I want it! I don¡¯t want us to be master and slave, I want us to be you and me! Ahh, but I couldn¡¯t make it in time¡­ I couldn¡¯t protect you completely¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. You saved me, Master. Rather, I¡¯m the one at fault here for failing to protect this dress¡­¡±


    ¡°...Nn, that again¡­ I don¡¯t wanna hear it!¡±


    Refusing to listen to Milkit pointlessly blame herself again, she pushes her down onto the bed, rubbing her cheeks with her own, whispering into her ears.


    ¡°As soon as we get back we¡¯re going clothes shopping, okay? Anything you want, no matter how much it costs.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t let you just waste more money on me like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll mend what you¡¯re wearing now first. I¡¯ll buy you so many clothes you¡¯ll never be able to wear them all, but I¡¯ll make you wear them all anyway! Then maybe you¡¯ll finally understand that I don¡¯t care about any stupid clothes, I care about you!¡±


    ¡°...I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay for now. Until you can finally tell me you understand I¡¯ll spoil you to death! I¡¯ll make you so happy you won¡¯t know what to do with yourself!!¡±


    Flum buries her face in the bed and starts bawling. Not even she knows why she¡¯s so sad. The inside of her head¡¯s an absolute mess.


    Even Milkit is able to figure out that Flum¡¯s tears are meant for her, but in the end she doesn¡¯t know what she should do about it herself.


    Nobody¡¯s ever cried for her before.


    Nobody¡¯s ever wanted to make her happy before.


    Flum¡¯s given her nothing but firsts.


    Milkit still doesn¡¯t know how she should answer her. All she can do is what she feels is right and move forward by her own will --- Hesitantly, haltingly, she wraps her arms around Flum¡¯s back.


    She doesn¡¯t know herself what that movement, what that impulse means, but---


    Her chest feels warm.


    That alone she can be sure of.

 CH 14

    Flum heads a nearby house with a light in its window and asks for help from the woman who comes to the door. She tells the woman matter-of-factly that a man, likely a friend of Stude¡¯s, was murdered and that she¡¯s already killed the criminals responsible. The woman seems deeply confused, but she calls the town militia nonetheless.


    The group of burly men seem to doubt Flum¡¯s word as an outsider, but they follow her to the house and get a chance to ask Stude and his mother, and hearing the tale straight from the victims¡¯ mouths they have little choice but to believe it. They carry out the body of the man who was collapsed on the kitchen table a short while later.


    ¡°James¡­¡±


    There¡¯s a strong sadness in Stude¡¯s voice as he watches the man be carried out on the makeshift stretcher. Flum balls her fists as she watches him from a short distance away. Her chest feels tight, but as one of the people responsible for the tragedy she can¡¯t just pretend it¡¯s none of her business.


    ¡°Was he a friend of yours?¡± she asks, walking up to Stude.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s been mah friend since we were lil¡¯uns. Ah invited him ta come an¡¯ eat with us since Ah¡¯ve been gone fer so long, but Ah never thought¡­¡±


    Stude¡¯s voice trembles. He grits his teeth, desperate to hold back his tears, but a fat droplet runs down his cheek nonetheless. He quickly rubs it away with the back of his thick arm.


    ¡°Ah¡¯m sorry, Flum-chan. Ah didn¡¯t want ya ta see me like this.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Actually, it¡¯s my fault they even came out here¡­¡±


    ¡°Nah, yer wrong there. If ya didn¡¯t come an¡¯ save us, me an¡¯ ma Ma¡¯d be dead by now. If anythin¡¯ Ah should be thankin¡¯ ya!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank ya kindly fer savin¡¯ us, fer avengin¡¯ James, fer everythin¡¯!¡±


    He gives Flum a hard thump on the back before heading over to his mother as she talks to the militia.


    She can¡¯t just accept his words, however. She hangs her head and watches the dried gravel road with emotionless eyes.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    After that, the mutilated corpses of the tattooed man and the pierced man are gathered into burlap sacks and abandoned in the nearby woods. The townsfolk have no way of punishing the dead, but at least by denying them any proper burial they can feel a little better about it. Soon wild animals will find the bodies and they¡¯ll return to the earth.


    The next day Sara is clearly depressed, but nonetheless they have her perform James¡¯ funerary rights. They don¡¯t have any local priests or priestesses, so they have little choice.


    Throughout the entire ceremony she maintains her professional composure. Even if she¡¯s still only a child she has a strong sense of responsibility, and she throws herself fully into fulfilling her duty.


    To be honest, Flum doesn¡¯t know if she should even be there. All around her people are crying and mourning James¡¯ death, but the only thing she feels is relief that the funeral isn¡¯t Milkit¡¯s.


    I don¡¯t have any right to be here.


    ¡°I really am cold-hearted, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    She whispers to herself in the middle of the funeral, so quietly nobody else can hear her. Self-loathing wells up in her chest.


    Even if she didn¡¯t know him, she should feel something as the person responsible. If she doesn¡¯t it¡¯s as though she¡¯s betraying all the kindness Stude showed them when everyone else turned them away.


    Flum grits her teeth. Milkit, standing next to her, notices and grabs the hem of her shirt, trying her best in her own way to cheer her up. Flum¡¯s expression softens as she feels for Milkit¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispers. She gently squeezes Milkit¡¯s fingers before letting go.


    They obviously can¡¯t just start holding hands in the middle of a funeral, but that fleeting contact is enough for Flum to ascertain Milkit¡¯s warmth. They both softly smile at the feeling of the other¡¯s body heat.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    A few hours have passed since boarding the carriage back to the Capital.


    Nobody has said even a single word the entire time. Sara especially seems to be lost in her own thoughts and in no state to talk to anyone. Watching her concentrate, Flum can¡¯t bring herself to lighten the mood. Milkit seems unfazed by it all but is quieter than usual, perhaps to match her master¡¯s silence.


    The carriage leaves an area of dried flatlands and moves into a region filled with rolling grassy knolls. A pleasant breeze reaches them where they sit. Sara tucks a loose lock of golden hair back behind her ear.


    ¡°...I¡¯ve been thinkin¡¯ a lot recently, Oneesan, su.¡±


    She doesn¡¯t shift her gaze from the rolling sea of green in front of her.


    ¡°There¡¯s still a lot I just don¡¯t understand, su. I still don¡¯t know what to trust an¡¯ what to doubt, su. I¡¯m not that clever, so if I believe in somethin¡¯ I wanna believe it all and if I doubt somethin¡¯ I start to doubt it all, su.¡±


    Sara¡¯s still only ten years old. She¡¯s still far too young to be able to cleanly divide the good from the bad and the true from the false on a case-by-case basis.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡±


    I¡¯m really not in any position to talk down to her about what¡¯s right and wrong, though.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡­ If it weren¡¯t for me, you never would¡¯ve got hurt like that, and¡­¡±


    ¡°It was nothing¡­ or so I¡¯d like to say. At any rate, it¡¯s my fault I got my throat slit, not yours. And look, I¡¯m still alive, so you really don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    Flum laughs, trying to further soften Sara¡¯s impression of what happened.


    Truth be told it really hurt, and even now just thinking about it causes the area around the wound feel funny, but there¡¯s no point telling Sara that.


    ¡°More importantly, I think you should wonder and worry about this kind of thing as long as you can while you¡¯re still young.¡±


    Sara bursts out laughing at Flum¡¯s words.


    ¡°What¡¯re you sayin, su? You¡¯re only six years older than me, su.¡±


    ¡°Those six years are big ones, though. Just hush and listen to your Oneesan.¡±


    ¡°Muu, it sounds weird when you say it, su.¡±


    She frowns at Flum discontentedly, but she seems a lot more at ease than she did before when she was still fretting about getting Flum hurt.


    There¡¯s no end to her worries, but there¡¯s no need to be depressed about it.


    She still has a long ways to go before she¡¯s all grown up, and until then she has no choice but to live with her troubles and figure out to deal with them on her own. She¡¯s still young, which means she should learn how to fail while she still can.


    Sara seems to regain her former energy and the mood pervading the carriage improves all at once. Now that they¡¯re closer than ever before their conversation is even freer and more frivolous.


    When they get hungry, the three of them enjoy the lunches that Milkit made for them before leaving Enchide, and afterwards Sara and Milkit fall asleep, each resting their head on one of Flum¡¯s thighs. She smiles as she watches over them. To be honest the two girls are surprisingly heavy, but it¡¯s nothing she can¡¯t handle. Even the bumping and shaking of the carriage feels relaxing to her now.


    Eventually, the heat pressed against her body causes a warm drowsiness to envelop Flum. She bobs her head back and forth in an effort to fight off sleep, but the temptation grows to be too great.


    The only sounds left on that country road are the rhythmic clopping of horses¡¯ hooves, the revolving of the carriage¡¯s large spoked wheels, and the faint sound of gentle snoring.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    ¡°If I go along Reach-san¡¯ll probably try to reward me, so I¡¯d better not, su.¡±


    Given her position she can¡¯t possibly accept a reward, so rather than have to turn it down again it¡¯s better if she just doesn¡¯t go.


    ¡°I¡¯m with the Central Quarter church, so if you even need anythin¡¯ you can find me there, su. Don¡¯t forget you promised to treat me to lunch, su. I¡¯ll be waitin¡¯ for you, su!¡±


    She energetically waves at them as she runs down the street and back to the church. Flum and Milkit wave at her for as long as they can see her. As soon as she¡¯s out of sight, though, Flum tilts her head to the side in confusion.


    ¡°Is something the matter, Master?¡±


    ¡°No, I was just a little confused about what she said there. I thought for sure that she was with the West Quarter church, since that¡¯s where we met her.¡±


    Come to think of it, though, it¡¯s hard to believe that the Church would let such a genius live at the little church in the West Quarter what with how dangerous it is there and how relatively shallow the believers¡¯ faith is there. They¡¯d no doubt want to cultivate her talent someplace a lot more respectable.


    ¡°I guess it isn¡¯t really that important, though. We should get the Chiaraly to Reach-san as soon as we can.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s.¡±


    Everyone, even Reach has business in the West Quarter from time to time, so it¡¯s probably only natural that Sara was there.


    Without putting any more thought into it, Flum leads the way through the East Quarter¡¯s residential area until finally they arrive in front of an exceptionally large mansion.


    A noble they happen to pass takes one look at Flum¡¯s slave mark and Milkit¡¯s bandages and wrenches her face in disgust as she starts whispering something fervently to her retainer. It¡¯s very unusual for the likes of slaves to be there, especially without their master anywhere in sight.


    Flum pays it no mind, however. It¡¯s the same no matter where they go.


    One of the guards by Reach¡¯s front gate addresses Flum.


    ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡±


    Unlike the noblewoman, he addresses them politely and with a perfectly neutral expression.


    ¡°My name is Flum, and we received a personal request from Reach-san. May we see him?¡±


    ¡°Ahh, so you¡¯re Flum. Reach-sama told me to expect your arrival. Please, go on in.¡±


    He unlocks the front gate and ushers them inside. The front courtyard is surprisingly large and filled with so many beautifully blooming flowers that they almost forget what they came there for. Nonetheless, they move straight ahead along the path to the front door.


    A small spherical crystal is embedded in the wall beside the double doors, and putting her hand to it Flum channels a small amount of magic through it. They can faintly hear a bell ring from inside. Milkit watches Flum¡¯s actions with acute curiosity.


    ¡°How do you suppose that switch works, Master?¡±


    ¡°I think I remember hearing that there¡¯s a certain ore that¡¯s attracted to magic, so they base the bell mechanism around that.¡±


    ¡°I see. You¡¯re very knowledgeable.¡±


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s just what I learned in school. It isn¡¯t that impressive, really.¡±


    ¡°No, you really are impressive, Master.¡±


    It looks like Milkit¡¯s trust of Flum is only growing with every passing day.


    Unsure of what to do with that compliment, Flum lightly scratches her reddened cheeks. It really is only common knowledge, but it probably sounded pretty impressive to Milkit, who¡¯s never received a proper education.


    More importantly, though, Flum can¡¯t imagine Milkit asking a question like that back when they first met. Slowly, she¡¯s regaining her humanity. Flum smiles as she watches her study the crystal with great interest.


    A moment later, a butler whose hair is only starting to turn grey with age opens the door, bowing deeply and apologizing for making them wait. He turns and leads them inside.


    Even though this is her second time seeing it, Flum can¡¯t help but be impressed by the size and opulence of the mansion. The entrance hall alone is incredibly vast, and she lets out a gasp of astonishment as she walks under the exquisite crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling above them. The elaborately patterned plush carpet that covers the floor is so clean and comfortable that she feels bad just walking on it. The walls are covered with paintings so beautiful that even she can tell that they¡¯re masterpieces, and the vases that decorate the corners are probably as expensive as entire houses in the Central Quarter. Once again, Flum is reminded that Reach may as well be from another world entirely.


    The butler leads them up a staircase with a banister so polished that they can see their faces in it, and they climb without touching it out of fear of getting their fingerprints all over it. The newel posts are decorated with finely detailed wooden statues and Milkit practically turns around as she walks, completely absorbed by them.


    Finally they arrive at the parlor shortly after reaching the second storey. Flum sits in one of the chairs and is again amazed by just how comfortable it is. Milkit takes up her position behind her, but Flum grabs her and practically forces her to sit in the chair beside her. ¡°Chairs are made for sitting in, y¡¯know,¡± Flum says with a smile in response to Milkit¡¯s guilty expression.


    The butler tends to them while they wait for Reach, serving them an exceptionally good-smelling herbal tea and tasty little fruit tarts that they can¡¯t seem to stop eating.


    They find themselves wishing that Reach will take a few hours to get there, but he arrives only ten minutes later. His forehead glistens with sweat, giving off the clear impression that he¡¯s in the middle of some important business.


    I didn¡¯t expect him to drop everything just to see us¡­ I guess that just goes to show how worried he is about his wife.


    ¡°I¡¯m dreadfully sorry for making you wait, Flum-san, Milkit-san. Wait, where¡¯s¡­?¡±


    ¡°Sara-chan said she had some urgent business to take care of back at the Church.¡±


    ¡°I see. That really is a pity. I¡¯ll have to go thank her for helping sometime soon.¡±


    He wipes his forehead with a handkerchief before taking a seat opposite Flum and Milkit. He then eagerly voices what¡¯s on his mind.


    ¡°You brought back the Chiaraly, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Flum reaches into the bag on the floor beside her and hands a small pouch inside it to Reach. He opens it, looks inside, and breaks into a smile.


    ¡°Ahh, this must be¡­!¡±


    Tears start to gather in the corners of his eyes. Emotionally moved to the point where he can¡¯t even speak, he simply stares into the bag of Chiaraly. Finally he turns to Flum, bowing so deeply his forehead grazes the table between them.


    ¡°Thank you so much for everything you¡¯ve done! With this¡­ With this I can finally cure my wife¡­! I honestly can¡¯t thank you enough for what you¡¯ve done for me!¡±


    Flum is at a loss. He¡¯s a lot more grateful than she¡¯d expected.


    ¡°Please stop that, Reach-san. I only did what you hired me to.¡±


    ¡°Even so, to think you actually found the plant I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for¡­ It was truly a miracle that brought the two of us together!¡±


    Maybe for you, but it feels like I¡¯ve just gone through hell and back¡­ though it¡¯s not like I can just tell you everything.


    ¡°Now, about your reward. Any one thing you desire, if it¡¯s within my power to give, is yours. Anything you want.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ nothing really comes to mind¡­ Milkit, is there anything you want?¡±


    ¡°I certainly have no ideas.¡±


    ¡°There you go, then. Can¡¯t you just give us money like a normal requestor?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine by me. How much do you want?¡±


    Judging by his expression he intends to literally hand them a blank check. The thought is deeply unsettling to Flum.


    Since it¡¯s come to this, maybe I should just be completely honest with him¡­


    ¡°Come to think of it, we could really use a place to use as a base of operations. Do you know a good apartment in the West Quarter where we can stay?¡±


    ¡°The West Quarter, you say.¡±


    He gives them a puzzled look. If they wanted, he could easily get them a room in the Central¡­ no, even the East Quarter isn¡¯t out of the realm of possibility.


    But Flum has no intention of running.


    She¡¯s going to make Dane pay for everything he¡¯s done, no matter what.


    Seeing the firm resolve in her eyes, Reach seems to suddenly remember something.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I have the perfect place in mind.¡±


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    ¡°...Is this really the place?¡±


    ¡°...This is really the place, Master.¡±


    Flum and Milkit stand in front of the place described in the documents they received from Reach.


    ¡°I was pretty sure I said we wanted just an apartment¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s certainly what you said.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this is all¡­?¡±


    ¡°From what I can tell, yes, this is all ours.¡±


    They¡¯re utterly confused. Just as they asked, they¡¯re in the easternmost part of the West Quarter on the border with the Central Quarter, which is comparatively a good, safe place to live.


    What they didn¡¯t expect was ---


    ¡°T-This is a whole house!¡±


    --- a two-storey wooden house.


    Looking closely at the papers, there¡¯s also a deed to the land it sits on included.


    ¡°It¡¯s an old place that I¡¯d bought some time ago to turn for a profit, but I didn¡¯t manage to sell it. Please help yourselves to it,¡± Reach had told them.


    Not only that, but he also gave them a large bag of gold coins, insisting that the property alone wasn¡¯t enough, and he even entrusted them with a heavily enchanted ring for Sara the next time they met.


    Flum honestly felt like turning it down, but she wasn¡¯t able to bring herself to. It just went to show how truly grateful he is for their aid.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any problem with this, Master. You suffered through all that but didn¡¯t give up, so think of this as an equivalent reward.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, it was hard, but not this hard...¡±


    ¡°I truly think you deserve it.¡±


    ¡°...If you say so.¡±


    The one who decides the reward isn¡¯t the adventurer but the requestor. If Reach is content with giving them this much, then it¡¯s Flum¡¯s duty as an adventurer to accept it with grace.


    ¡°Well then, wanna take a look inside?¡±


    ¡°Yes, very much so!¡±


    They unlock the front door and walk in. They¡¯d heard that it hadn¡¯t been used in some time so they were prepared for everything to be covered in dust and cobwebs, but¡­


    ¡°Huh, it¡¯s pretty clean in here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost as if someone lives here.¡±


    Looking around, they find tables, chairs, shelves, and enough other furniture that they should be able to start living there right away. There¡¯s a full kitchen, a living room, a parlor, a restroom and a nice bath --- Flum realizes with growing excitement that it¡¯s a far nicer house than her parents¡¯ house in her home village.


    At that moment, she hears a clinking sound coming from the supposedly abandoned second floor.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a small animal of some kind?¡± Milkit wonders aloud.


    The sound¡¯s too loud for it to be a rat or anything like that. Even though the front door was locked, it¡¯s entirely possible that someone broke in through one of the windows.


    It might be a burglar, or worse, one of Dane¡¯s cronies¡­


    Flum grips Milkit¡¯s trembling hand and slowly starts leading her up the staircase. The second floor is also in excellent state. It at the very least hasn¡¯t been just abandoned as Reach said.


    ¡°There is someone living here¡­¡±


    There¡¯s no doubt in her mind now.


    ¡°You mean they just broke in and set themselves up here?¡±


    ¡°This is the West Quarter, after all. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡±


    They speak in hushed voices. The clinking sounds are coming from beyond the closed door right in front of them.


    Hands sweaty, Flum reaches for the doorknob, trembling slightly from the anxiety. She grips it, feeling the chilly metal through her fingertips. Swallowing hard, she twists her wrists and opens the door as silently as she can.


    ¡°...This is no good. This is¡­ uwah, it reeks. Did it fail? No, it tastes awful but it works.¡±


    On the other side of the door is a little girl, sitting at a desk mumbling to herself. In front of her is a mortar, pestle, a variety of test tubes and glass pitchers, and all manner of herbs and powders. She¡¯s wearing a strange white bodysuit with a wide-brimmed witch¡¯s hat, and floating around the room is a weird spherical thing.


    She looks a lot like someone Flum knew very well, and there¡¯s probably only one person in the whole Capital who would dress like that.


    ¡°W¡­ what? You¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Nn? Is someone there?¡±


    In a very casual voice, the girl turns around.


    Seeing her face there¡¯s no doubt about it.


    ¡°E-Eterna-san!?¡±


    Sitting there is one of the Hero¡¯s companions, a chosen one from Origin¡¯s prophecy, the person who taught Flum all she knows about medicine --- Eterna Rinebow, ¡°The Eternal Witch.¡±


    Flum has so many questions about why she¡¯s here, what¡¯s going on with the Hero¡¯s party, and a million others that she¡¯s struck speechless.


    Eterna looks at her, and---


    ¡°Ah. Flum,¡± she says in a laid-back tone, as if her being there is the most natural thing in the world.

 CH 15

    Flum is frozen in place, her mouth hanging wide open.


    Milkit nervously looks at the mysterious trespasser, then looks at her master, then back to the trespasser.


    Eterna stands up, walks up to Flum, puts a hand on Flum¡¯s face and guides her there down to her level.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    She¡¯s looking right at Flum¡¯s slave mark. She¡¯s pretty sure Flum didn¡¯t have it before.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange that you¡¯re here when you¡¯re supposed to be back home, but this is even stranger. What is this?¡±


    She sounds distinctly irritated as she glares at the mark. Even though Flum knows that her icy stare isn¡¯t aimed at her, her stomach tightens. She was planning on asking Eterna what she¡¯s doing there, but the words die on her lips.


    ¡°Who did this to you? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡­ err, everyone except you knew about this?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°About, y¡¯know, Jean selling me for being so useless¡­ about my becoming a slave.¡±


    Eterna is silent for a long moment, then slumps her shoulders, letting out a vexed sigh.


    ¡°That pointlessly prideful, shrimpy, pathetic little cherry boy sage¡­!¡±


    Rare abuse flows from her lips.


    Aside from the virginity thing, Flum has a pretty good idea of who she¡¯s talking about.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he tell you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. If we knew we all would¡¯ve stopped him!¡±


    At Eterna¡¯s words Flum feels a huge weight lift from her shoulders, as if a dark fog in her heart has finally dispersed.


    She feels so at ease now.


    ¡°Gadio was disappointed to hear that you left, and Cyrill was so depressed she couldn¡¯t even fight properly.¡±


    ¡°Even Gadio-san and Cyrill-chan¡­¡±


    Gadio is one thing, since he looked after her a lot, but she was certain that Cyrill hated her. It doesn¡¯t change the fact that she was and probably still is useless to them, but --- she has a place there after all.


    She¡¯s not really moved to hear that, but a tear nonetheless falls down her face so naturally that she doesn¡¯t even realize it at first. Touching her hand to her face and feeling it, she laughs. Eterna continues.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve doubted Jean when he said you went home. It must¡¯ve been hard, being a slave.¡±


    Her typically carefree expression clouds over into an apologetic one. In response, Flum grabs Milkit¡¯s hand and pulls her into the room to her side.


    ¡°It was thanks to that I got to meet Milkit, so it¡¯s not like it¡¯s all bad.¡±


    Milkit lets out a deep inwards sigh of relief.


    She was certain that they were only together because neither of them had anywhere else to go. For a moment she was afraid that Flum would abandon her now that she can to return to the Hero¡¯s party, but instead she was just made to realize all over again just what kind of person her master is.


    She really won¡¯t ever abandon me.


    Milkit can feel that little seed of confidence take root in her heart.


    ¡°That girl¡¯s face¡­ mustaad poison?¡±


    ¡°You can tell even through the bandages?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very distinct. Who would be cruel enough to use that on her?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right! I¡¯d like you to do me a little favor.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you need.¡±


    ¡°Alright, just lemme grab a few things! I¡¯ll be right back!¡±


    Flum rushes back down to the first floor where she¡¯d left her bag, leaving Milkit alone with Eterna.


    ¡°Flum¡¯s nice.¡±


    Milkit jumps slightly at Eterna¡¯s sudden voice.


    ¡°...Eh? Ah, yes, I couldn¡¯t wish for a better master.¡±


    ¡°Nn. I wish I could go punch Jean right now for selling a good little girl like her into slavery, but I don¡¯t know where he is. I can¡¯t just charge into his room in the Castle right now, either.¡±


    Milkit feels oddly happy at the irritation in Eterna¡¯s voice.


    Even the Hero and her companions understand how amazing Master is...


    ¡°She has the strange power to attract people to her. Jean was probably jealous of her. He¡¯s too much of a ¡®genius¡¯ for charisma.¡±


    ¡°Is he the person who made Master a slave?¡±


    ¡°Nn. He¡¯s weak, a virgin and a real pain in the butt.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha¡­¡±


    She must really hate Jean to still be insulting him like this.


    ¡°But if you stick with Flum, you can¡¯t go wrong.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I was planning on doing --- until she abandons me, that is.¡±


    ¡°Then I hope you¡¯re ready to follow her for life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that.¡±


    ¡°Nn. No mistake, she¡¯s---¡±


    Eterna is interrupted by the sound of Flum running up the stairs. She makes no move to finish her sentence as Flum reenters the room.


    ¡°Here!¡±


    Flum holds two bundles of herbs out to Eterna.


    ¡°The reagents for the mustaad poison antidote?¡±


    ¡°Master, when did you¡­!?¡±


    ¡°I picked them when I was looking for the Chiaraly. They¡¯re not all that rare, so I looked for them in that cave while I was at it.¡±


    The only real problem was finding an apothecary to make the antidote itself. Reach apparently managed to find someone who was willing to help him through some underground connections, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask him to do the same for her.


    Fortunately, a skilled apothecary just happened to fall into her lap.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start mixing it. Give me three hours.¡±


    ¡°Is that really all you need?¡±


    ¡°Nn. It¡¯s me we¡¯re talking about.¡±


    She responds firmly, giving Flum no choice but to nod and accept her words. She¡¯s about to leave the room so that Eterna can concentrate when she suddenly remembers an important question she has.


    ¡°By the way, Eterna-san, what¡¯re you doing here? How¡¯s the journey going?¡±


    ¡°It was boring after you left, so I left too.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­ You just walked out!?¡±


    ¡°You left, so there¡¯s no reason I couldn¡¯t. Then I found this place and it turned out to be pretty nice, so I borrowed it.¡±


    Flum responds with a somewhat strained laugh. Even Eterna should know better than to just take over a random house.


    ¡°You¡¯re aware that¡¯s technically trespassing, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working for my rent right now.¡±


    ¡°So you knew, after all¡­¡±


    ¡°Nn. It¡¯s a nice place. If you really want I can leave.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it. I own this place now, so you can use this room however you want.¡±


    ¡°I owe you one.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    ¡°By the way, I have a question.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re curious about anything, feel free to ask.¡±


    There¡¯s no way she¡¯s not curious about anything. Eterna was certainly surprised to see the slave mark, but there¡¯s one more mark that she can¡¯t just ignore.


    ¡°That mark on your hand. Epic-tier equipment? Come to think of it, it doesn¡¯t make sense that you got a house when you can¡¯t even fight.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, that¡­ It turns out that Reversal turns the status-down effect on cursed equipment into a status-up effect for me.¡±


    Her eyes widen in shock for a moment, then she strokes her chin.


    ¡°I see. Didn¡¯t see that coming.¡±


    ¡°Neither did I, really, but thanks that I¡¯m strong enough to make it as an adventurer! Isn¡¯t that amazing?¡±


    Flum talks with enthusiasm in her voice, but Eterna isn¡¯t so sure it¡¯s a good thing. It may be one of the few ways for a slave to earn money, but it also means putting herself in danger every day. It¡¯s hardly a respectable line of work.


    ¡°I can give you a hand if you need it. If you¡¯re ever stuck just let me know.¡±


    ---If it comes to it, she can just protect Flum. She¡¯s strong enough to do that, at least.


    ¡°Thank you. If I¡¯m ever in trouble I¡¯ll make sure to come straight to you.¡±


    Their conversation finished, this time both Flum and Milkit leave the room and head downstairs.


    After waiting a moment to ensure that she¡¯s alone on the second floor, Eterna mutters to herself.


    ¡°Protect¡­ be protected¡­ I was protected back then. No matter what¡­ I won¡¯t forget.¡±


    She stares blankly at the old wooden desk in front of her for a moment, then lets out a deep sigh and gets to work on the antidote.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    Flum and Milkit start unpacking all they¡¯ll need to start living there. Thanks to Eterna all the cleaning has already been handled, but whether or not they should actually thank her or not as an illegal trespasser is another matter entirely. Between not having to clean and the fact that they don¡¯t have a lot of luggage, they end up finishing quickly and painlessly.


    They sit facing each other at the dining room table. There are a total of four chairs there, enough for the three of them and Sara if she comes to visit, but they should probably get a few more just in case they have other guests.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that you own this entire house now, Master.¡±


    Milkit looks around the room, clearly impressed, but Flum corrects her.


    ¡°You mean we own this entire house now.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t possibly¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can possibly. Since this is your house too, just tell me if there¡¯s any furniture or anything you want. We¡¯ll have to start budgeting and stuff, but I¡¯ll do what I can.¡±


    ¡°...Okay.¡±


    They¡¯ve had this same conversation too many times already for Milkit to not know her resistance is futile. No matter what, Flum has every intention of honoring Milkit¡¯s will. She¡¯s been trying her best to avoid making her opinion known to her master, but if her master insists¡­ changing bit by bit all the while, she¡¯ll just have to accept it.


    ¡°We ended up with an unexpected housemate, but it looks like my life as an adventurer¡¯s about to really get started¡­¡±


    Even if they don¡¯t have to worry about rent, they¡¯ll still need enough money for food and other daily expenses. They¡¯ll be able to get by on the money Reach gave them for the time being, but they can¡¯t count on such convenient requests to fall into their laps all the time. That of course means having to deal with Dane and his group while earning enough to get by, but no pressure he can exert on her could beat out the comforting feeling of having a home to return to.


    As Flum reaffirms her resolve, Millkit speaks out to her.


    ¡°Um¡­ Master?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°This might be a foolish question, but¡­ Will my face really go back to normal?¡±


    Her voice is filled with uncertainty.


    ¡°Of course. Normally it¡¯d only take a day, since in your case you¡¯ve been living with it for so long it¡¯ll probably take a full week.¡±


    ¡°Only a week¡­¡±


    She feels her face through her bandages. At first she was rather depressed about her condition, but she accepted that there was no helping it.


    But she was wrong. There is helping it, and the thought of it terrifies her.


    Milkit wants to be cured, of course, but she doesn¡¯t want to change. If she changes, her surroundings will change with her. She might gain something new, but she might lose something in exchange.


    What if she loses Flum?


    What if Flum stops caring about her after she¡¯s cured?


    She can¡¯t stop thinking about that worst-case scenario.


    ¡°By the way, why were you poisoned in the first place?¡±


    Milkit is suddenly brought back to earth by Flum¡¯s question, and after replaying what Flum said in her head she replies.


    ¡°I was never told specifically to take it, at the very least. I simply woke up one morning to find my face like this.¡±


    ¡°So it was probably mixed in with your food or something, then¡­ Your former master really was the worst.¡±


    Even though it had nothing to do with her, Flum gets angry. Her anger is for Milkit¡¯s sake alone.


    ¡°Was your master back then a man or a woman?¡±


    ¡°She was a she.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I thought so¡­¡±


    ¡°You thought¡­ so?¡±


    What does gender have to do with poisoning a slave?


    Milkit cocks her head to the side in confusion.


    ¡°If your master was a man, I can¡¯t really see any point in ruining your face like that. I mean, I¡¯m sure there are some twisted perverts out there who¡¯d do something like that just for kicks, but¡­¡±


    Flum looks Milkit in the eyes and smiles.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s because of some man¡¯s twisted fetish or some woman¡¯s jealousy, I think they must¡¯ve done it to ruin your beauty.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s completely unthinkable.¡±


    Milkit¡¯s reply is instantaneous.


    She¡¯s never been told that she¡¯s pretty before, so that can¡¯t be the reason.


    I¡¯m just an ugly, filthy little thing...


    ¡°Oh really? Your eyes are really pretty, just like your heart. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a stretch to say your face is pretty, too.¡±


    ¡°Please stop saying such things, Master. You¡¯ll only get your hopes up.¡±


    ¡°Haha, no way that¡¯s happening. Wait, don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s why you seem so down? You¡¯re worried I¡¯ll be disillusioned and leave you, is that it?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, it is.¡±


    Milkit responds frankly.


    Flum stands up, walking around to behind Milkit¡¯s chair. She doesn¡¯t want to relieve her anxiety, all she wants is for her to face the truth.


    Milkit¡¯s naive, too naive. She should know better by now.


    ¡°Milkit.¡±


    Calling out her name, Flum wraps her arms around her from behind.


    ¡°Do you really think you mean so little to me?¡±


    Hearing her master¡¯s sweet voice in her ear, Milkit starts to feel something warm and fuzzy wrap itself around her chest.


    ¡°You should know better than that. We¡¯ve only been together for a little while, sure, but I thought I¡¯d made that much clear.¡±


    The warmth spreads up Milkit¡¯s neck, through her cheeks and finally tinting her ears.


    Though Flum can¡¯t see her cheeks through her bandages, she can clearly see the tips of Milkit¡¯s ears turn bright red. She playfully tugs on one of her ears.


    ¡°Hya!?¡±


    Milkit lets out a cute squeal of surprise at the sudden sweet stimulation.


    ¡°You¡¯re all red. It looks like you get it after all.¡±


    ¡°I-I know that¡¯s the kind of person you are, Master¡­ That¡¯s why I¡¯m so afraid of losing you¡­¡±


    ¡°It all comes down to you, Milkit. Maybe nothing I say can change your mind, but I¡¯ll say it anyway.¡±


    She pulls Milkit deeper into her chest, letting her warmth seep into her.


    ¡°No matter what, I promise I¡¯ll never, ever leave your side.¡±


    The words seep deep into Milkit¡¯s heart, filling every last nook and cranny. The words of every master before now only froze and scarred it, but now all that pain and torment is melting away, leaving it soft and pliant.


    This is weakness.


    If she didn¡¯t have it she¡¯d be better off, for sure.


    But the depths of her heart accept it fully, unconditionally, deepening her emotions, accelerating her feelings, and leaving her only wanting more.


    Recently she¡¯s noticed that her body has been moving a lot more on its own in response to strange impulses that defy all reason.


    Without even realizing it herself, Milkit has opened her hand wide and brought it to rest overtop Flum¡¯s own hands.


    This must be one of those impulses.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    Eterna finishes the antidote in two hours, even sooner than they expected.


    Milkit starts taking it from that day forward, drinking it without complaining even once about its truly foul taste and smell.


    Every day Eterna takes off her bandages to check the progress, but every time she checks she does it behind closed doors on the second floor, forbidding Flum from seeing. Flum can always hear their voices, but never clearly enough to make anything out.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, let me see, too!¡± Flum had begged, but she was firmly rejected.


    ¡°Why am I the only one left out¡­?¡± she mumbles to herself as she days pass, her loneliness only growing. Whenever Eterna checks up on Milkit, Flum waits on the first floor, knees hugged to her chest as she sits on the floor beside a chair.


    Whenever Milkit sees her like this, she gives her the same words of encouragement as always.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to see me halfway cured, I only want you see see me when I¡¯m fully back to normal.¡±


    ¡°Guess it can¡¯t be helped, then!¡± Flum always returns with a full smile.


    She¡¯s surprisingly easy to handle.


    It¡¯s not like Flum¡¯s just sitting there twiddling her thumbs for a whole week, though.


    She goes out shopping with Milkit a few times to gather all the furniture and everyday goods they need, finally making the house feel more like a home.


    On top of that, Flum works at completing F-Rank quests so that she might eventually increase her rank. The receptionist Ila¡¯s attitude and the sneers of Dane¡¯s cronies are no more pleasant than before, but they haven¡¯t made any further moves against her yet. News of their comrades¡¯ deaths in Enchide shouldn¡¯t have made it back to the Capital yet, but they probably expect them to be dead since they still aren¡¯t back yet.


    She simply waits for them to make their move, sharpening her fangs as she gathers all the information on them she can. Eventually they¡¯ll clash, and Flum when they do she¡¯ll be ready for them.


    She¡¯s so busy that before she realizes it, a full week has passed and the time has finally come to undo Milkit¡¯s bandages with her own two hands.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    Eterna, not wanting to get between them, is waiting down on the first floor.


    The knot keeping Milkit¡¯s bandages in place has already been undone. All Flum has to do is pull them off.


    Flum reaches forward, grabbing the ends of the bandages with quivering fingers.


    ¡°Y-You ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­!¡±


    Milkit clenches her fists and plants them on her thighs, leaving the rest of her body to Flum. Her entire body trembles with nervousness.


    Flum takes a deep breath and starts to slowly pull the bandages away. The first thing to appear is her pale, gently flushed skin. Next, her soft pink lips are unveiled. Flum¡¯s heart skips a beat and her hands stop.


    ¡°M-Master?¡± Milkit asks with uncertainty.


    What am I thinking!?


    Shaking her head clear of impure thoughts, she continues to unravel Milkit¡¯s face.


    Her petite nose and blushing cheeks are revealed next. Her face is on the slim side, but imprinted there on her soft cheek is a red slave mark. Flum runs her fingers across it without thinking.


    ¡°!...¡±


    Milkit twitches, unused to feeling another¡¯s warmth there.


    ¡°Ah, sorry!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ W-We match, don¡¯t we, Master?¡±


    Milkit¡¯s words strike Flum¡¯s heart like an arrow.


    She feels like if she¡¯s not careful she could just sit there feeling Milkit¡¯s cheeks for hours, so she forces herself to keep moving while she still can.


    It goes without saying that Milkit¡¯s eyes are beautiful, a pristine shade of green only slightly darker than emerald. Flum can see herself reflected in those eyes as they tremble with anticipation and worry.


    Finally she reveals even Milkit¡¯s forehead, and the white bandages rustle to the bed between them.


    ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    Flum lets out a gasp of astonishment.


    How on earth can she think she¡¯s ugly!?


    Just looking at her causes emotions to burst from Flum¡¯s chest.


    ¡°W-What do you think¡­ Master?¡±


    Milkit looks ready to curl up so small she¡¯ll disappear.


    Countless words and phrases flow through Flum¡¯s head, but none of them are fit to describe her.


    I really hate not knowing more words¡­ no, maybe even if I knew every word of every language in the world it wouldn¡¯t be enough to describe her beauty properly.


    To be honest, there¡¯s a fair chance that her affection for Milkit has distorted her vision somewhat, but Milkit is truly a rare beauty nonetheless.


    I think I can understand why her former master was so jealous.


    ¡°Um¡­ Master¡­?¡±


    Flum¡¯s silence only makes Milkit feel increasingly uneasy.


    This is no time to be searching for words.


    Even though she hasn¡¯t found words she¡¯s content with, it¡¯s her duty as Milkit¡¯s master to make her feel at ease.


    She puts her right hand on Milkit¡¯s cheek, causing a faint sigh to leave her lips.


    She puts her left hand on Milkit¡¯s other cheek, gently caressing the ridges of the slave mark there with her thumb.[1]


    Flum looks deep into Milkit¡¯s eyes and announces her conclusion.


    ¡°You¡¯re really cute, Milkit.¡±


    The words turn out to be a lot more embarrassing for the both of them than Flum had expected.


    Milkit¡¯s face starts turning bright red. She tries to speak, but only a faint moan comes out as she tries to move her lips.


    She doesn¡¯t dislike it.


    She¡¯s elated.


    Picking up on that, Flum follows up.


    ¡°You¡¯re really, really cute,¡± she says with a smile that could outshine the sun.


    Milkit is finally unable to handle the mounting embarrassment. Before Flum realizes what¡¯s happening, she pulls her face out of Flum¡¯s hands, grabs the bandage off the bed and turns around.


    ¡°Eh? Milkit, why¡¯re you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it, I just can¡¯t do it!!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t do what?¡±


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t just expose myself to you like this! I¡¯d die of embarrassment!!¡±


    She quickly quickly re-wraps the bandage around her face. By the time she¡¯s turned back her face has been sloppily covered once more, but perhaps because of the hurry she was in the bandages conceal her right eye and half her mouth.


    E-Even so, compared to just showing her everything like that¡­!


    Milkit has never felt this way before.


    Her heart is beating so hard it hurts, and she can¡¯t bring herself to look Flum in the eye.


    Flum, not meaning anything bad by it, puts her hand on Milkit¡¯s shoulder and brings her face closer for a good look.


    ¡°Aww, c¡¯mon, you¡¯re so cute¡­!¡±


    ¡°A-Are you¡­ you¡¯re just teasing me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! At the very least you¡¯re the cutest girl in the world to me.¡±


    ¡°...Ah, uh¡­¡­ N-Nobody¡¯s ever told me that before¡­¡±


    ¡°Then the whole world must be blind, although I guess it¡¯s thanks to such a blind, cruel world I met you. C¡¯mon, let me see your face again!¡±


    Flum undoes the bandages for a second time, once again exposing Milkit¡¯s real face.


    Feeling oddly self-conscious, Milkit¡¯s body temperature starts to rise. She puts her hands to her cheeks to try to cool off, but all she succeeds in doing is warming her hands. She just can¡¯t seem to cool off.


    ¡°Um¡­ I-It looks like I really can¡¯t show you my face after all¡­¡±


    She starts wrapping up her face again.


    Flum bursts out laughing.


    ¡°I really want to see more¡­ If you¡¯re that cute, isn¡¯t covering your face just a waste?¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s not a waste at all¡­ S-So¡­¡±


    Flum wants to see Milkit¡¯s face, no matter what.


    Milkit becomes too flustered to function whenever Flum looks at her face, so there¡¯s no way she can go out in public like that.


    There¡¯s only one path left to them.


    ¡°W-What if I only take off my bandages when we¡¯re alone together¡­?¡±


    Milkit puts her right hand to her cheek, feeling it through her bandages.


    The sight of Milkit looking at her with upturned eyes, her blushing faintly visible through the edges of her bandages, is enough to cause Flum¡¯s temperature to skyrocket.


    ¡°I-I get the feeling that¡¯d be pretty embarrassing in and of itself¡­¡±


    ¡°Y-You really think so?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Personally, I think it¡¯s fine, or actually¡­ I think I¡¯d kinda like that¡­¡±


    If she just exposed her cuteness to the world, there¡¯s no telling what kind of weirdos would fall for her. At least if she wrapped up her face in bandages before going out Flum won¡¯t have to worry so much.


    ¡°I-I guess that means my face belongs to you and you alone, Master¡­ ahh, it is embarrassing, isn¡¯t it¡­¡±


    Milkit mutters the words on a whim, but it¡¯s enough to cause Flum¡¯s vision to swim before her eyes.


    What raw destructive power.


    ¡°Well, I am your personal slave, so it¡¯s only natural!¡± Milkit says, as if to better come to terms with it herself.


    Flum can¡¯t hold herself back any longer. She grabs Milkit, pulling their bodies together impulsively, reason unable to hold her true feelings at bay any longer.


    Milkit blinks several times in shock, but awakening to the warmth of Flum¡¯s body she gives in and wraps her arms around Flum¡¯s back.


    Flum didn¡¯t plan ahead this far, so she has no idea what they should do now.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll say it again, I¡¯ll be forever in your care.¡±


    ¡°As will I, Master, until the end of time.¡±


    Having said all there is to say, they remain there in each other¡¯s arms.


    ¡ó¡ó¡ó


    As an aside, when they finally returned down to the first floor---


    ¡°You sure took your time.¡±


    ---Eterna gives them a slightly fed-up look.

 CH 16

    Various dishes were lined up on top of the table.


    To fulfill the promise from some time ago, Sarah was invited to be treated with Milkit¡¯s cooking.


    Feeling that she had an expectation she must not betray, Milkit came up with a wonderful assortment as she put in more effort than usual.


    When she was cooking, however, Flamm came up from behind and hugged her while peeking at her cooking. Additionally, Eterna stealthily tried to snack on the food she prepared, before she was followed by Sarah who tried to copy her, but as they were found out doing it, the girls couldn¡¯t help but to wait restlessly for the food to be done.


    To be completely honest, Milkit thought that the people other than Flamm was a slight bother, but she didn¡¯t think too badly of it.


    Since to her, it was the first time she met people who are waiting in anticipation for her cooking.


    ¡°Ith gelishush! Mmmhmmghmmm, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm, it¡¯h gelishus! Milghit¡¯s kookhing ih gelishus afther awll!¡±


    ¡°¡­ith gud.¡±


    As the three was stuffing their mouths while speaking, it¡¯s completely impossible to figure out who is saying what.


    But since they conveyed that the food was delicious, it was such a wonderful thing.


    Milkit didn¡¯t even lay her hands on her own portion as she looked at the three who had their cheeks stuffed.


    As she did, Flamm who saw her and couldn¡¯t leave her be, cut a bite-sized portion of the Genofish stew from her own plate, picked it up with her form and pointed it at the girl.


    ¡°Here, say aan.¡±


    ¡°Master, I can eat by myself, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°So you say, but you¡¯re not moving at all, aren¡¯t you? Here, aan!¡±


    ¡°A-Aaan¡­¡±


    In the face of the persuasive Flamm, Milkit opened her mouth.


    As the meat of the fish entered, the mellow aroma of the spice spreads across her mouth.


    It certainly is delicious, but because it was a food she prepared on her own and she was feeling embarrassed, she couldn¡¯t think about the taste at all.


    ¡°The¡¯re getting awong so well, hmm?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re always like that¡±


    ¡°Her face was healed, but I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s still wearing her bandages.¡±


    ¡°She said she doesn¡¯t want to show it to anyone except of Flamm.¡±


    ¡°¡­They get awong so well, huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡±


    The two people who was focusing on bringing food into their mouths, Eterna and Sarah, chatted to each other as they observed the two other persons.


    Sarah was surprised when she was invited to the house only to meet the hero Eterna, but she had gotten used to the situation right now.


    Perhaps it was because she was young, or perhaps the two were in the same wavelength.


    ¡°By the way,¡±


    With a serious expression, Sarah stopped her hand that was holding the fork and asked Eterna.


    ¡°You were together with Maria nee-sama, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, more or less.¡±


    ¡°How was she? Is she healthy?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t talk much with her, so I don¡¯t really know. But¡­I feel like she¡¯s hiding something.¡±


    Sarah wasn¡¯t really surprised.


    The girl stabbed her fork into the Harposhi and carried it into her mouth.


    Munch, munch, as the sound of her chewing, and after she swallowed, she continued.


    ¡°Unlike me, Maria nee-sama is a remarkable person, so she has more in the matter of circumstances with the church.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in the church¡­but it might be bad for me to say that right in front of a nun. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. I mean, I also have the same opinion.¡±


    After returning from Enichidae, Sarah moved around in an attempt to look into the research facility.


    Yet she couldn¡¯t find any information.


    Supposing that the research of that beast is still being continued¡ªthen they must have made more progress than from the time that facility was abandoned.


    They made an Ogre, a monster that wasn¡¯t noticeably strong, into something that could finally be defeated by the power of two people.


    If that power is implanted into a stronger monster or even an adventurer, then¡ª


    ¡°It might be better if we leave difficult topics for later.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­right. I¡¯ll enjoy Milkit onee-san¡¯s food for now!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll be great¡­chomp.¡±


    ¡°Chomp, chomp.¡±


    The two emptied their heads and started stuffing their mouths with snacks and taking a bite of the bread.


    On the other hand, for some reason, Flamm was waiting for the embarrassed Milkit while holding the fork at her and saying ¡°Aan,¡±


    After everyone had cleaned up, the four sat down around the table again, held the tea brewed by Milkit with both hands and started to exchange information.


    They wanted to end up with a fun talk before sending Sarah away if possible, but the situation didn¡¯t allow for it.


    ¡°I looked into the research facility after that, but I couldn¡¯t find anything.¡±


    ¡°What about the documents written down in the place of the Chialries?¡±


    ¡°I think those belongs to the bishop of the church in the Central district, but¡­it seems like it was just left defenselessly in that room by coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Which means that the bishop knows about the situation.¡±


    To Eterna¡¯s comment, Sarah said maybe, as she nodded.


    ¡°But even if I wanted to look into it a bit more, there¡¯s a limit on what I can look into.¡±


    ¡°Could we look into it from another approach? Like from another church from a different district for example.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s definitely impossible to do it from the cathedral in the North district, so probably it¡¯s going to be either the East district or West district. But the West district is¡­I know some church knights, but I don¡¯t think that it¡¯s a place for it.¡±


    ¡°Why would you say that?¡± asked Milkit.


    For the girl who was talking in a more positive way than when she was before, Sarah replied while being slightly surprised.


    ¡°It¡¯s a joint establishment with an orphanage. See, the public safety of the West district is so bad that there are a lot of abandoned children, so the place also serves to protect those children. Actually I¡¯ve been in there, so I think it¡¯d be impossible for the information about the research facility to be included there.¡±


    Conversely, it could also be used as a front to hide the fact, but Sarah wanted to believe that the church couldn¡¯t possibly be that twisted.


    Besides, as far as she has seen when she entered the place, at the very least she couldn¡¯t find anything suspicious in the extent of what she investigated.


    ¡°Then, for now we can only look into the church in the East district, huh¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of wealthy people in that district after all. I don¡¯t think we can do anything to make us stand out though. In the first place, the research facility is built outside, so there are also possibilities that we won¡¯t find anything even if we investigate the church.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s also true. There¡¯s also no guarantee that the research is still being continued.¡±


    ¡°I wonder.¡±


    It was then when Eterna interrupted.


    ¡°The history of human experiments in the kingdom dates far back, so I think there¡¯s a bigger chance that it¡¯s still being continued.¡±


    ¡°It does?¡±


    Everyone in the room thought similarly; ¡°But I don¡¯t know when¡­¡±


    At the very least, the research was older than everyone except Eterna.


    ¡°That facility had that grotesque creature with that core implanted. The fact that they built the facility underground is an evidence that both the empire and the church are wagering on it. I don¡¯t think they¡¯d give up after losing just one facility.¡±


    However, her words had a certain persuasiveness to it.


    She¡¯s not the type of person to lie or take a shot in the dark, so it¡¯s probably better to think under the impression that the research is still being continued.


    ¡°For now I¡¯ll try going to the East district and the cathedral to see if I can try investigating something.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that we can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, I¡¯m also interested in it in a personal level anyways. If the church that I belong to is doing something bad, I want to bring it to light.¡±


    The ones who raised her until now are without a doubt the followers of the Origin.


    In actuality, perhaps she doesn¡¯t even want to doubt them.


    But after witnessing the beast and the countless corpses in that facility, she knows that the church is committing a grave sin in any ways.


    The people of the church had taught her that evil must be judged.


    ¡°By the way, what about Dain? Have you thought of a way to demolish him?¡±


    ¡°About that¡­that guy has been awfully quiet recently. Thanks to that, the West district has been peaceful. He doesn¡¯t even try to pick a quarrel with me. Conversely, it¡¯s becoming harder for me to do anything against him¡­that, or he¡¯s planning something that we can¡¯t see.¡±


    ¡°Nothing but bad premonition, huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, for now we could only either figure out what his plan is or just probe around as we take on requests.¡±


    In the end, they still could not secure enough concrete information as of now.


    Flamm said we could only do this patiently, couldn¡¯t we?, to which everyone nodded.


    There are differences in the plan in dealing with the two, but be it about Dain¡¯s faction or about the church, they are both something larger than Flamm¡¯s group.


    That¡¯s why they couldn¡¯t quickly gather important information, so they had no choice but to steadily investigate.


    After that, the four spent the time together calmly, and after they finished their third cup of tea, the curtain for the dinner party descends.


    Sarah insisted that It¡¯s okay! but obviously they couldn¡¯t leave a single ten-year-old little girl on her lonesome to walk through the West district.


    Thus in the end, Flamm sent Sarah home.


    Late that night, the hoarse voice of a man echoed across the back alleys of the West district.


    ¡°S-Stay away¡­¡­STAY AWAAAYYYY!!¡±


    He looked like he was in the middle of his twenties.


    As he was wearing a mantle and a set of light leather armor, it doesn¡¯t take a genius to know that he¡¯s an adventurer.


    The man readied a hatchet he has been carrying and faced his enemy¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t think of a way to fight the threat in front of him.


    If only he¡¯s facing against a person or a monster, he might have thought of a way to fight it off.


    But what he¡¯s facing are just¡­eyeballs.


    It¡¯s not even a beast with the shape of an eye.


    The rolling, human eyeballs are solely intending to approach the man.


    But their numbers are just too much.


    Not only they are in the alleyway, the eyeballs are flooding around him on the walls, and even on the rooftops of the building around him, while their irises are all facing at the man.


    There¡¯s no longer any way for him to escape.


    He draws back slowly before his back was pushed against the wall, and by then,


    ¡°AaaaAAAAAAAAHHHH¡­!¡± The man was convinced of his looming death, so he lamented as he lies on his arse.


    Even still, his instincts are attempting to preserve his life, so he tried brandishing his axe in vain.


    Squash.


    Some eyeballs were crushed by it, but it was but a drop of the ocean.


    ¡°A¡­Aah¡­!¡±


    It doesn¡¯t make any sense.


    He was just following Dain¡¯s orders to threaten a researcher from the church.


    But when he was going back and thought he saw eyeballs falling, the number gradually increases.


    And before long, the streets were flooded with them, and as he was cornered running away from them, they entered his body, and another arm grew on him.


    From the start to the end, nothing made sense.


    What in the world is he fighting right now?


    But he couldn¡¯t come up with an answer, and the eyeballs are still rolling up on him and kept sinking themselves into his skin.


    It doesn¡¯t hurt, but that was precisely what scared him.


    Rather, if it does hurt, and if he could have screamed, he probably would¡¯ve been able to dissipate.


    ¡°Uaa¡­AA¡­AAAAAHH!!¡±


    He grew another right thumb.


    He grew another leg.


    His stomach is bulging¡ªno, perhaps he also grew another one.


    He could also feel the timing of his heartbeat pounding in a lag.


    Since a while ago, he had already grown five arms.


    On top of that, as the eyeball enters his throat¡ª


    ¡°UAAAAAHH!¡±


    ¡°AAH, AAAAAHH!!¡±


    His two voices screamed in unison.


    This time, he gained another head.


    From the center of his neck, as if it¡¯s the bark of a tree, another neck extends out, and two of the same faces were lined up.


    Their breathing was mixed, and as they¡¯ve gotten confused on whose body does it belong to, they lost their freedom to even crawl away.


    If this is his retribution for threatening the researcher from the church, an atonement was supposed to be enough.


    ¡°STOP IT ALREADY!¡±


    ¡°KILL MEEE!¡±


    ¡°NO! I DON¡¯T WANNA DIE!¡±


    ¡°KILL ME WHEN I¡¯M STILL HUMAAN!¡±


    Even as he begged, they didn¡¯t stop.


    The eyeballs rushed to him and entered his body.


    He kept growing more heads until he had three, even four, and he started to lose sense of who he is or what he¡¯s feeling¡ªall until his body and his mind turned into something that¡¯s not human.


    The next morning,


    The subordinate that went to threaten the church¡¯s researcher did not come back.


    Hearing that news, Dain unusually started to investigate the matter himself.


    In order to seize control of the church, he has to corrupt those on the top.


    He has done this for quite a while, so there has been some church knights and pastors who had fallen to his hands after he had bribed them or treated them to wine and dine.


    Furthermore, he also had reached out to stores that had close transaction history and the wholesalers that sells goods to these stores West district, and he had made a solid ground from that.


    If he strengthened his grounds, he could put pressure to the church and he could then raise his social status using the influence of the church knights and the pastors.


    Right now, he¡¯s in the phase of exerting pressure against the church¡ªbut even though he had predicted it, he didn¡¯t think that they would use force this early in the game.


    The reason he had to come out himself is also to investigate the movement of the church.


    Just by looking at the methods of killing or hiding the corpse can give you a general idea of what kind of people the church or the knights are composed of.


    Even if he was to be unlawfully abducted and confined, he could still figure it out.


    Witness their modus operandi to know your opponent, and figure out who have to to take out.


    He also must confirm it with his own eyes before he could progress with the strategy from now on.


    ¡°¡­hm?¡±


    As he walked in the alleyway not far away from the church, he recalled a terrible feeling and snorted.


    After he did, something smells fishy from somewhere.


    It¡¯s not the smell of a rotting corpse nor the smell of blood, yet it was still a strange smell.


    If one was to describe it, it smells similar to kitchen waste, but it smells more severe and condensed¡ª


    Following his nose, Dain goes onward.


    And after he turned a certain corner, he found it.


    ¡°What the hell is that¡­¡±


    He unconsciously let out that sentence due to the grotesqueness of what he¡¯s witnessing.


    The color of its skin and the parts of its body are that of a human¡¯s.


    Its hands are in the shape of human hands, and its legs are in the shape of human legs. It even has human face.


    It¡¯s just that they are not located in the normal place, and the number is also irregular.


    In other words, it was but a lump of meat with dozens of arms, legs, and heads in a mass of meat wriggling about.


    ¡°Is he¡­Phil who¡¯s been missing!?¡±


    He realized that when he saw the man¡¯s face.


    Just to make sure, he attempted to scan the thing, and without a doubt, it¡¯s the person he¡¯s been searching.


    But the thing he¡¯s looking at is already unable to fulfill its own functions.


    Body fluids flow out from its mouth, nose and eyes like an excretory organ.


    Similarly with its other heads, it had its own thought, but they seem to have lost its consciousness.


    ¡°Dain-san, there you¡­are¡­wait, what the heck is that!?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been here since earlier. Also, look at his face.¡±


    ¡°Face¡­wait, isn¡¯t this!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve no clue what happened, but the bunch we¡¯re dealing with seems to be a lot more troublesome than I¡¯d expected.¡±


    ¡°The church, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bet.¡±


    They had heard some dark rumors about them, but they didn¡¯t think it includes a creation of such creature.


    Dain pulled a knife from his lower back and suddenly sunk its blade into the lump of meat that was wriggling restlessly.


    ¡°Dain-san!?¡±


    His subordinate panicked, but Dain calmly cut open the lump of meat and confirmed its insides.


    As he pulled his knife back out, those that flows out of the open wound were parts that belonged to a human.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Retribution


    Attribute: origin


    Strength: origin


    Intelligence: origin


    Endurance: origin


    Agility: origin


    Intuition: origin


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Dain scowled at such bizarre description.


    ¡°Huh? Origin? What the fuck, this is crazy. Oi, you, try scanning¡ª¡±


    Dain was about to ask the other man to scan the thing again,


    but he was even more confused than Dain was that he was frozen still.


    ¡°Oy, don¡¯t just stand there, c¡¯mere!¡±


    ¡°U-Um¡­Dain-san¡­w-what¡¯s happening to me now? I couldn¡¯t move my neck and my right hand well¡­heck, I couldn¡¯t separate ¡¯em.¡±


    Dain couldn¡¯t see him properly when he looked at the guy from the side, but now that he sees him from the front, Dain could clearly see the abnormality.


    The man¡¯s right hand is becoming one with his head.


    He was trying to brush his hair with his right hand while Dain was using scan.


    However, the right hand stopped moving, and his neck leans more and more as if it¡¯s getting drawn to his arm.


    ¡°What¡¯s with your expression, Dain-san? Hey, Dain-san, what¡¯s happening to me! What¡¯s happening!? A, I-it hurts¡­IT HURTS! AH¡­GII!¡±


    His hand is getting swallowed by his head.


    Even his shoulder is starting to similarly assimilate into his head, twisting his neck to an angle it wasn¡¯t supposed to bend.


    ¡°SA¡­VE M¡­DAI¡­SA¡­, GA-GYAA!¡±


    And then, with a dull Crack!, his neck completely broke.


    Drool flows out from his mouth, drenching his collar.


    However, the phenomenon that could only be described as an assimilation didn¡¯t stop, and the man in front of Dain gradually started folding smaller and smaller.


    Finally, in front of scene of carnage of the subordinate whose only head was left, Dain was left dumbfounded.


    ¡ªIt seems like he had touched something he shouldn¡¯t have.


    It was too late for him to notice that.


    Splurt.


    As Dain heard that sound, he turned his back against Phil¡¯s corpse.


    A lone faceless boy was standing there.


    Instead of a face, the boy had a flesh vortex on his head.


    Its elliptical shape wriggles, and a red blood-like bodily fluid flows out, soiling his white shirt.


    The boy whose chest and shoulders are dyed red glared at Dain without even moving a muscle.


    ¡°Ha¡­haha¡­hahahahaha¡­¡±


    Dain¡¯s dry laugh echoed across the alleyway.


    He could figure out just by looking¡­that this is not an opponent he can win against.


    In front of an overwhelmingly powerful person, he was overcome with a sense of powerlessness, and he could do nothing but to laugh.


    And then, the boy looked at Dain and stretched his hand forward.

 CH 17

    The day after their dinner party, Flamm was just finishing her request for harvesting ingredients from monsters and exited the guild after making her final report.


    ¡°Or rather¡­is Eterna-san going to work¡­?¡±


    She had been staying inside her room doing something, but she didn¡¯t know what it is that she¡¯s doing.


    But since she taught Flamm about medicinal herbs and magic during her free time, it was hard for her to bring up the question of ¡°are you going to work?¡±


    They can still manage their expenses for now, so Flamm decided to see how it would go from now on.


    The sky is turning dark.


    It¡¯s not like she¡¯s taking her sweet time in the guild.


    It was simply because her mission was a hard one.


    She thought that the monster wasn¡¯t really strong, but it turns out that the small animal was a tad too quick on its feet.


    Eventually she managed to take it down and obtained its hide, but she was a lot more tired than usual.


    With that, she won¡¯t be surprised if she was attacked by the receptionist Iira or the fools from Dain¡¯s group.


    But fortunately, those group seems dispirited today.


    It also looks like their leader Dain is also having a meeting with his boys in such a heavy atmosphere.


    It was simply a blessing that they¡¯re not picking a fight with her.


    But at the same time, she grew impatient knowing that there are no ways for her to repay their debts.


    ¡°It would¡¯ve been great if I could take them out when they¡¯re looking at their lowest.¡±


    Muttering her wish, her boots kicked a pebble away.


    But then the pebble hit something big fallen on the ground.


    ¡­it was a girl.


    The girl that was lying down as the cold pebble hit her perhaps was just about Sarah¡¯s age.


    Her black hair was tied up into a ponytail, and both her white top and bottom are dirtied by dirt.


    ¡°¡­This feels like trouble is brewing up¡±, Flamm complained.


    To be fair, the figure of someone collapsed on the streets was not a rare sight in the Western District.


    Some drunken men usually lie unconscious just over there, and after living around here for several years, you¡¯re guaranteed to have seen a dead body or two.


    But it might be a rare sight for it to be a girl, especially in such a young age.


    Obviously, as night falls, public safety will get even worse, so if a girl like her is walking around, a lot of men would swarm her.


    Obviously, only to sate their lust.


    Which means¡ªIt¡¯s possible that someone noticed her but pretended not to way before Flamm caught sight of her.


    She couldn¡¯t possibly just leave her lying there.


    So she squats down, put her hand to her shoulder and shook her up.


    ¡°Hey, are you alright? You¡¯ll get attacked by perverts if you sleep here, you know?¡±


    ¡°Nn¡­uu¡­¡±


    The girl flopped over, and as Flamm saw her face¡ªor rather, her eyes¡ªshe was startled.


    They were stitched shut.


    It was so cleanly done that it has no fester, so it¡¯s possible that it was done by the hands of a doctor.


    But what¡¯s even more strange was,


    ¡°You can¡¯t see, but¡­how did you get here?¡±


    She still had a volume in her body, so it seems like she¡¯s been eating properly.


    Her hair wasn¡¯t rough, so someone has been properly cutting her hair.


    There are no signs of abuse, and she didn¡¯t smell bad, which means she¡¯s been taking baths.


    It doesn¡¯t feel like she escaped her confinement, but as Flamm continued shaking her shoulder, she listlessly said ¡°Who is iit?¡±


    ¡°Just a normal person passing by. If you need to go somewhere, should I send you there?¡±


    The girl was quiet for a while, but then she exclaimed with a bright tone;


    ¡°Ink!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°My name is Ink. Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Eh, uhh¡­nice to meet you.¡±


    She was caught by the girl¡¯s flow and ended up saying ¡°nice to meet you¡±, but what¡¯s so nice about all this?


    While Flamm was having a hard time grasping the situation, the girl rattled on.


    ¡°I lost my memories. I don¡¯t really know who I am.¡±


    ¡°But you remember your name?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! By coincidence!¡±


    It was such a convenient coincidence.


    Flamm heaved a sigh in admiration, and for now, she pulled the girl¡¯s hand to let her stand.


    After patting the dust from the girl¡¯s clothes off, she bid farewell, saying ¡°See you, Ink,¡± and waved her hand calmly as she left the place.


    But the sitting duck that is the girl couldn¡¯t let her go, so both of her hands tightly grabbed onto Flamm¡¯s clothes and stopped her.


    ¡°You see, I don¡¯t have a place to sleep.¡±


    ¡°R, right¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a place to return, and I don¡¯t have money¡­I have nothing!¡±


    She can imagine what the girl wanted.


    Basically, the blind runaway girl wants to stay in her place.


    She even blatantly lied all the way and said she lost her memories.


    If she were to take care of this kid, she didn¡¯t want to imagine what sort of complications she¡¯ll get involved in, and on top of that, doing that didn¡¯t benefit her in any form.


    But if she leaves her alone¡­it¡¯s easy to figure out what¡¯ll happen to a young girl on her lonesome in the West District.


    But the moment she started thinking like that was the moment when Flamm lost.


    She heaved a heavy sigh once more and took Ink¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to my place for now. That¡¯s fine with you, right?¡±


    ¡°I know nothing! I lost my memories after all!¡±


    Are there some people in the world who can be so cheerful if they lost their memory?


    The tired Flamm quickly heaved her third sigh of the day and started walking with the girl in tow.


    On the way home, Flamm asked Ink a lot of questions, but she was adamant in not answering anything.


    Her lie had been exposed long ago, but it doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s planning to retract her story about her amnesia.


    She won¡¯t be able to deal with this on her own, so aiming to seek help from Milkit and Eterna, Flamm¡¯s pace quickened.


    Ink, too, didn¡¯t mind that and followed suit.


    There aren¡¯t any problems with her physical strength¡ªso what does her status look like?


    She felt bad for checking without the person¡¯s permission, but it was Ink¡¯s fault for not retracting her statement.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Ink Riesekraft


    Attribute: Water


    Strength: 18


    Intelligence: 43


    Endurance: 28


    Agility: 23


    Intuition: 49


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Her Intelligence and Intuition are somewhat high, but they are the numbers of a healthy girl.


    It seems like she wasn¡¯t lying about her name as well.


    ¡°Riesekraft, huh¡­I wonder which family is that.¡±


    ¡°Did you Scan me?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Perv.¡±


    Flamm clenched her fists as her arms trembled, but she managed to keep it down.


    She¡¯s just a child, and as a 16 year-old, Flamm needs to be the mature one.


    ¡°By the way, how old are you, Ink?¡±


    ¡°Ten!¡±


    As expected, she¡¯s the same age as Sarah.


    ¡°You said you had amnesia but you remembered that, huh.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­um, I remembered about my body.¡±


    ¡°Such clever body.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think the way you say it is also perverted?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    What a very convenient amnesia.


    Either way, it¡¯s such a reckless behavior for a blind 10-year-old to run from home in the night at the West District.


    It¡¯s such a drag, but I¡¯m glad I found her first, thought Flamm from the bottom of her heart.


    After a short walk, the two arrived at Flamm¡¯s house.


    She opened the door and said ¡°I¡¯m back~¡±, and a set of footsteps could be heard rushing toward her from the kitchen.


    Milkit showed her smile from behind her bandages at her master as she said ¡°Welcome home, mas¡­ter?¡± but as she saw the girl next to her, she showed a puzzled expression.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain it to you later, so can I go up first?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes. I prepared your meal as well.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡±


    As she said that, she petted Milkit on her head and Milkit turned bashful in turn.


    Right behind them, Ink held onto Flamm¡¯s clothes and followed after her.


    ¡°The delicious smell even got this far. Just smelling it makes me feel hungry.¡±


    With perfect timing, Flamm¡¯s stomach grumbled.


    It wasn¡¯t loud, but it seems like it was captured by Milkit¡¯s ears, and her cute yet stiff cheeks slackened.


    ¡°Fufu, this is the first time I tried this ingredient, so I hope master likes it¡­Ah, by the way, should I prepare a meal for this child too?¡±


    ¡°Aah¡­How about it, Ink? Do you want to eat?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    She was truly a child without modesty.


    Flamm dropped her shoulders in exasperation, while Milkit showed a bitter smile.


    As the three entered the living room, the one waiting inside was Eterna, holding her fork and knife as if she¡¯s waiting impatiently for dinner.


    She looked over at Flamm, and then to Milkit, and finally to the girl, before saying¡ª¡±Flamm brought home a girl!¡± with a blank expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it! I just picked her up by chance, I can¡¯t possibly leave her behind.¡±


    ¡°She brought me here!¡±


    One idiot raised her hand up cheerfully.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, what a cheerful girl. There is some other things I need to do to prepare dinner, so please have a seat first, Master.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll help too. Sit down over here, Ink.¡±


    ¡°Okaay!¡±


    Ink raised her arms again and replied cheerfully before searching for the chair by her hand and sitting down after finding it.


    They thought she¡¯d need help because she¡¯s blind, but it turns out that she can be independent to a certain extent.


    Flamm headed for the kitchen along with Milkit to finish her cooking.


    For an instance, Milkit looked like she felt bad for having her help, but she didn¡¯t put it into words anymore.


    It wasn¡¯t as if she¡¯s ungrateful, and Flamm helping out with cooking is an everyday thing, and even when she apologized, Flamm would say ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that, I¡¯m just doing what¡¯s obvious¡±


    The master Milkit is living with right now is different from those she served under in the past.


    As if it¡¯s the natural thing, Flamm is someone who would devote herself to a lowly slave that Milkit thought of herself as.


    If Flamm wants to pamper her, then it is also the duty of a slave to follow through, but Milkit herself also wished for that.


    Her eyes met with Flamm¡¯s.


    There aren¡¯t any deep meaning behind it, but when Flamm smiled, Milkit replied with her own smile.


    She was happy with just that, and even if she¡¯s scared of losing her, she wants to deepen this relationship that they have.


    ¡°I took a shower ahead~¡±


    When Flamm brought the food to the dining table, Sarah entered the room while scrubbing her head with a towel.


    ¡°You¡¯re here too, Sarah-chan?¡±


    Preparing food for 3 people might be a bit too much, but it turns out that Sarah that had stopped by yesterday had stopped by today as well.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, Master. I forgot to tell you that Sarah-chan is coming.¡±


    ¡°Evening, Onee-san! Milkit onee-san¡¯s cooking is so delicious that I want to keep coming back!¡±


    ¡°Are you okay with the church?¡±


    ¡°When I told my friends I¡¯m going to eat at a friend¡¯s place, they ended up laughing and sending me out you know?¡±


    The church¡¯s is a bit more lenient than Flamm had expected.


    Well, despite the bad public safety of the West District, there shouldn¡¯t be any idiots who are stupid enough to attack a nun, and if it¡¯s Sarah, she would be able to turn the table if she did.


    ¡°By the way, who¡¯s that girl?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Ink!¡±


    ¡°Ink-chan, huh? Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you!¡±


    The cheerful Ink flapped her hands as she said that.


    Perhaps because their age is close to each other, the two clicked together and got even more hyped up, giving each other high fives while yelling ¡°Yaa~aay!¡±


    During such bustle, the foods are lined up on the table.


    Perhaps because Eterna is nearing her limit of hunger, she glared at the Candy Boar Stew with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Candy Boars are C-rank monsters, right? Aren¡¯t these quite expensive?¡±


    ¡°It was half-off since it¡¯s near its expiry date. It¡¯s still wasn¡¯t cheap though¡­is it too luxurious?¡±


    ¡°No, isn¡¯t it fine? If it¡¯s half-priced it¡¯s going to be cheaper than Goat or Buffalo meat, and Candy Boar meats are delicious anyways. I¡¯m hungry now.¡±


    Flamm put the vegetable salad on top of a large plate on the middle of the table and took a seat.


    Candy Boars are large-bodied C-rank boar-type monster.


    Just like its name, it has high strength, and it has high agility despite its enormous body, so its subjugation difficulty is quite high.


    Its weakness is the fact that it could only move in a straight line, but it also had a wide range of Earth-Attribute magic.


    The name ¡°candy¡± comes from how it tends to ruin the sugarcane fields, a raw material for sugar.


    The Candy Boar likes all sorts of sweet things and not only sugar, so there were witnesses of candy boars charging into trees to knock down beehives and lick its honey.


    Perhaps because of that, the sweetness of the fat of its meat made it into such a delicacy in the pork category.


    Thoroughly cooked and soaked in demi-glace sauce, the diced meat can get so soft that you won¡¯t need utensils to cut them, so anyone could understand how Eterna feels right now as she salivated just by looking at the dish.


    The sauce itself was a ready-made one bought by Milkit from a store, but she had added some of her own secret ingredients.


    And once she added her secret ingredient, there would definitely be a step-up on the flavor, so that too is something that the girls look forward to.


    The flavor also permeates into the potatoes that are cooked together, so the soft and flaky potatoes are looking delicious.


    It would definitely go well with the baguette that they also prepared.


    After everybody confirmed that everyone had sat down on their seats, everyone said ¡°Itadakimasu¡°, while Ink followed after albeit slightly late.


    Thus, dinner is served.


    The first thing Eterna did was to scoop up bite-sized meat, mix it with the stew sauce and ate it.


    Just by moving her tongue slightly melted the meat in her mouth, and the sweetness of the meat and the rich demi-glace sauce spreads across her mouth.


    The moment she bites into the fatty meat, the fat that oozes out from it further enhanced its sweetness.


    With a satisfied sigh of ¡°Nfuu~¡± and a smile, this time, she tore a piece of the baguette and dipped it into the stew.


    With the meat on top of that, she had to open her mouth wide to stuff her cheeks with it as it wasn¡¯t so small anymore.


    The sauce soaks into the piece of bread, and as her teeth sinks into it, it flows back out and floods her mouth.


    And that was added on top of the baguette¡¯s savoriness and a tinge of saltiness, giving a completely different sensation than when eaten alone.


    Seeing everyone enjoying their foods, Milkit looked happy as she smiled.


    She felt happier seeing other people eating the food that she made rather than eating it herself.


    That seems to be the type of person she is.


    Flamm looked at Milkit being happy, and in turn she became happy herself.


    Suddenly, their eyes met.


    ¡°Is it tasty?¡±


    ¡°Yep, it¡¯s the best. You¡¯ll be a splendid wife, Milkit.¡±


    ¡°Rather than a wife, I¡¯ll be happier if master and the others eat my food.¡±


    After exchanging those words, Flamm scooped up more of the stew with her spoon.


    Seems like Ink was satisfied with Milkit¡¯s home cooking, so she said ¡°It tastes better than the food on my house¡­¡±, while somewhat surprised.


    So Flamm though to herself for the third time; what happened to your memory loss story?


    After dinner and the cleanup of the table, what comes next is the questioning time.


    As expected, the girl isn¡¯t fooling anyone with her amnesia story.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ink Riesekraft, 10 years old. I¡¯m an amnesia1!¡±


    ¡°Even if you say it like that¡­¡±


    Flamm looked tired.


    And then, Ink faced toward her.


    Seems like it¡¯s Flamm¡¯s turn to introduce herself next, and thus she was paying attention to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m Flamm Apricot, 16 years old¡­oh, I haven¡¯t really introduced myself, have I?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t.¡±


    As they exchanged their introductions, perhaps now they had clear ideas about each other¡¯s identities.


    Flamm honestly lowered her head.


    ¡°Sorry about that, I completely forgot. My occupation right now an adventurer for now.¡±


    Ink nodded her head a lot of times as she mumbled ¡°hm, hm,¡± as she listened to Flamm.


    Afterwards, Milkit, Sarah and Eterna continued in order.


    ¡°Eterna Lynnbow2¡­you mean, the Hero?¡±


    Well, it was expected that she¡¯d be surprised on Eterna¡¯s introduction.


    And thus, the woman who made the girl surprised puffed her chest as she looked somewhat proud of herself.


    ¡°Which means¡­Flamm Apricot is too? I just thought you¡¯re just someone with the same name.¡±


    ¡°Yeah that¡¯s the case¡­somewhat.¡±


    ¡°A lot of important people are gathered¡­It¡¯s unexpected. No, should I say lucky instead. Looks like they have good economic power.¡±


    Flamm looked at the girl with a suspicious gaze as she looked like she¡¯s in it for the money.


    Including that statement of hers, they need to know her true character.


    If she¡¯s just a runaway girl then that¡¯s fine. They can just send her back the next day.


    ¡°Alright, now you¡¯ve to spit the truth.¡±


    ¡°I lost my memories so I might not be able to answer you know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sorely mistaken if you think you can slip away with that. We couldn¡¯t possibly take a child in whose background we don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°W-Why do you say I¡¯m lying about my memory loss?¡±


    She¡¯s seriously shaking.


    She was a child after all.


    ¡°I¡¯m more surprised that you didn¡¯t think that we haven¡¯t found out yet.¡±


    She gave too much hints.


    She does act childish, but that was dangerous.


    If she planned for this runaway, her parents would have been looking for her by now.


    If it gets serious, they might even mobilize the soldiers or the church knights.


    They want to quickly hear about where she belongs before the officials treated the case as an abduction.


    ¡°Well¡­the memory loss was a lie, but I don¡¯t know where I came from.¡±


    ¡°No no, there¡¯s no way that could happen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. I was just running around wildly, and then I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t at your home?¡±


    ¡°I think I was in some sort of facility.¡±


    ¡°Then do you know what facility¡ª¡±


    ¡°I never heard about it.¡±


    They were about to say no way, but it doesn¡¯t seem like Ink is playing around.


    It seems like she truly didn¡¯t know where in the capital she lived in.


    Would that even be possible?


    Was she raised where her guardians were too overprotective?


    ¡°But you see, there were also other children in that place. Fuwys, Rook, Nect, and even Mute!¡±


    She revealed that there was at least 4 children the same age as Ink in that facility.


    Which means the place that she described could be narrowed down to several choices.


    ¡°Is it perhaps the Orphanage in the West District?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But anyways, there are other children too.¡±


    A place within a limit of a 10-year-old¡¯s walking range where other children are also present.


    Thinking that way, there¡¯s no other place but the orphanage.


    ¡°Do you remember the name of your guardian?¡±


    ¡°About Mother3?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a name now is it?¡±


    ¡°But everybody calls her Mother though?¡±


    There¡¯s quite the possibility that the nun taking care of the children in the orphanage is called Mother.


    ¡­Even still. Is it even possible for her to not know the real name of her Mother?


    Or is her name truly is Mother?


    ¡°I know some people from the orphanage, so I could ask around in the West Church tomorrow. If I can get to see the name register we could know right away too.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to involve you in this, but thank you.¡±


    Flamm bowed her head to Sarah.


    Flamm doesn¡¯t know anyone from the church, and if possible she doesn¡¯t want to get close with anyone from the church save for Sarah.


    And it was obvious since just several days ago they were just about to be killed by a beast that they made.


    Even after that, they couldn¡¯t find any decent information about Ink.


    She said that she climbed the stairs as she escaped, that their food there was delicious, or that Mother was very kind.


    To send Sarah all the way to the church in the Central District, Flamm was about to go out of the house together with her.


    As they were, Eterna silently walked up to them.


    Speaking of which, she was mostly silent during the questioning earlier.


    Milkit was quiet too, but she tends to not participate much in their conversation.


    In other words, Eterna was the only one to act different than usual.


    She stood right in front of the two, and with a serious expression, she spoke in a low tone to make sure Ink couldn¡¯t hear her;


    ¡°There¡¯s still a lot that the girl¡¯s hiding.¡±


    ¡°I thought so too. We couldn¡¯t get any information as of why she ran away from that place anyways.¡±


    ¡°Well, that too, but¡­it was faint, but she smelled a bit like me.¡±


    ¡°Smelled like you?¡±


    Flamm approached Eterna and took a whiff, but she received a sharp chop on the top of the head as she said ¡°Not that!¡±


    ¡°Ow¡­then what did you mean by smell?¡±


    Flamm asked as she rubbed her head, and Eterna answered as her eyes peered off into the distance.


    ¡°It¡¯s like¡­she¡¯s not normal, or there¡¯s something unnatural about her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re unnatural though, Eterna-san.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such a blockhead so it¡¯s obvious that you don¡¯t notice.¡±


    ¡°Why do you have to be so mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I think I understand. I think she felt a bit off, and she feels like she¡¯s got a different feel than other children, right?¡±


    The description is too abstract that Flamm¡¯s head is now full of question marks.


    But Eterna agreed that the feeling is indescribable by words, which only irritates her.


    ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s quickly find her home and send her back as soon as possible before we get too deeply involved with her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come and tell you tomorrow, so I think we can get it done by then.¡±


    Everyone thought that most likely she¡¯s a child from the orphanage.


    Even if she¡¯s not a child from the orphanage,  there aren¡¯t many orphanages in the capital.


    Sarah will look into it tomorrow, and they will know which orphanage Ink belongs to by then.


    The next morning, Sarah immediately departed from the church in the Central District, sent by her fellow nun.


    Her destination was the church of the West District.


    It wasn¡¯t a place you could go casually, so she doesn¡¯t have many people she knows there, but since some of the Church Knights posted there had been to the Central church, they had been acquainted then.


    They were the two knights that took away Dain¡¯s underlings when Rich¡¯s bag was stolen.


    The men who were on standby in the guardroom near the church saw Sarah approaching and stood up and said ¡°Yo, glad you could come¡± with a friendly tone.


    And then one of the two approached Sarah and pet her head as if playing around with her.


    ¡°Wa, stop that, Ed! My hair¡¯s gonna be a mess!¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve paid attention to your hair now eh? You¡¯ve grown up now haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Despite that, the man called Ed still continues to ruffle her hair with his hand.


    His face showed a smile that could only be described as a teasing smile.


    ¡°Let her go, she always hated that since long ago, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Well I can¡¯t really help it Johnny. The moment I see this girl I just wanna touch her. You know, like when an owner sees his dog or something. You know that feeling right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be troubled if you¡¯re asking me to agree.¡±


    Johnny showed a bitter smile.


    In the meantime, Sarah who still had her hair mixed around yelled ¡°I¡¯m not a dog!¡± as she tried to shook Ed¡¯s hand off, and Ed said ¡°sorry, sorry¡± as he let her head go as he laughed it off.


    Combing her disheveled hair with her fingers, Sarah glared at the men while holding back the urge to yell at them and started asking about Ink.


    ¡°Yesterday someone I know took care of a lost girl, so are there any issues about children going missing in the orphanage?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, everything is the definition of a peaceful day. We had nothing to do that we got so bored.¡±


    Peeking behind the two into the guard room, she could see card-like things scattered on top of the table.


    It turned out that they truly didn¡¯t have anything to do, so Ed and Johnny are betting or some sort.


    ¡°Her name is Ink Riesekraft, ten years old. Nothing comes to mind?¡±


    ¡°Nope, not a thing. I didn¡¯t hear any requests from other orphanages looking for a lost child either¡±, Ed said.


    And then when Johnny who takes his job seriously agreed to him, then that¡¯s the truth.


    ¡°Then how about Fuwys, Rook, Nect or Mute? Have you heard of these names before?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly remember all of their names¡­¡±


    ¡°Should I bring out the name register?¡±


    ¡°Please!¡±


    Johnny went to the orphanage in double time.


    He got back when Ed and Sarah was partly arguing with each other and handed over the name register.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­Ink¡­Ink¡­¡±


    They started by searching for Ink¡¯s name, but they couldn¡¯t find it.


    Afterwards they looked for Fuwys, Rook, Nect and Mute letter by letter, but even after going through it one by one with their fingers, they couldn¡¯t find them either.


    ¡°So they don¡¯t belong to this orphanage huh¡­Then what¡¯s next is¡­¡±


    ¡°A child that doesn¡¯t exist¡­looks like that, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ed grinned toward Johnny as he said that.


    Johnny also laughed with his nose to the sudden change of topics.


    ¡°Aah, that. Every night there are weird sounds echoing around the orphanage, and a child that doesn¡¯t exist appears.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a rumor that¡¯s been spreading around us Knights. It has became out of topic though.¡±


    ¡°But Johnny probably doesn¡¯t know. There¡¯s a continuation to that topic.¡±


    Perhaps because Ed likes this type of gossip, he started talking.


    ¡°There¡¯s actually a secret facility below the church in the West District, and they¡¯re doing experiments using the children from the facility down there¡­!¡±


    ¡°No that¡¯s not gonna be possible. Even if just one child went missing, there will  be a huge uproar. Also if the rumors are true, the church would be the bad guys, won¡¯t they? The people at the top won¡¯t stand for that.¡±


    ¡°Johnny¡¯s no fun. How about you, Sarah? You¡¯re interested, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­it really is interesting.¡±


    Though her interest was beyond just the interest of occult.


    Perhaps the rumor Ed told her was more than just a rumor.


    There¡¯s no smoke without a fire.


    Someone who knows about the existence of the facility accidentally leaks it out, and now it¡¯s being concealed as a rumor spread across the knights¡ªIt wouldn¡¯t be unthinkable for that to be the case.


    ¡°It seems like an experiment ascend to the domain of God.¡±


    ¡°You mean Origin?¡±


    ¡°No I don¡¯t know if the plot is that detailed, but just¡­God. And with that, they¡¯re planning to implant God¡¯s power into the human body.¡±


    Could it possibly be resulting in the monster she found in the research facility in the cave?


    She swallowed the saliva that had built up in her mouth nervously.


    ¡°And then the children are made to wield the power that can only be described as the power of gods. They¡¯re also said to have the ability to communicate with God. Man, even the Saints are going to lose out to them if they do exist.¡±


    You could hear a divination from Maria too, but it¡¯s not like you can do it at any time you wish.


    But she had a revered position of a Saint, if there is a child that can constantly communicate with God, they will definitely be treated as a God in human form.


    ¡°And the name of that plan is¡ª!¡±


    The man swiftly pointed his index finger toward Sarah, and as if it¡¯s his signature, he said,


    ¡°The Helical¡ª¡ª¡±


    But he stopped before he could finish his sentence.


    ¡°Co¡­r¡­¡­e?¡±


    And then, with his mouth hanging half open, a weird word flows out of his mouth.


    ¡°Ed?¡±


    Worried, Johnny came close to Ed whose condition turned weird.


    And then, he put his hand on Ed¡¯s shoulder, and Ed¡¯s head jumped.


    ¡°A¡­Aah¡­the Helical¡­Children¡­?¡±


    ¡°The¡­first¡­¡±


    ¡°Oy, Ed, what¡­happen¡ªed!?¡±


    What was reflected on Johnny¡¯s eyes was¡ªanother one of Ed¡¯s head growing out of his neck.


    It grew just like a branch of a tree, and its mouth are opening and closing repeatedly.


    ¡°Ed¡­Ed! What¡¯s going on¡­!¡±


    Johnny felt something weird from his right thigh, so he turned his gaze there.


    As he did, a sphere of black, white and red sinks itself into his thigh.


    ¡°UWAAAA!! GET AWAY! DON¡¯T GET INN!!¡±


    He desperately tried to gouge it out with his hand, but it was too late.


    The eyeball had already sunk in, and then¡ªhe grew another leg.


    He shed cold sweat on his forehead, and after feeling the sensation again, he looked up toward the station ceiling.


    As he did, he saw countless eyeballs looking down on him.


    He felt death approaching¡ªno, perhaps it¡¯s something even worse than that.


    His blood froze, his face twitched, and he felt a cold chill running up his spine.


    But he couldn¡¯t run away, thinking that his third leg would be dragging him down.


    So he drew his sword,


    and started swinging at the eyeballs raining down from the ceiling.


    Fortunately, those eyeballs doesn¡¯t seem to be very tough.


    The only problems are its number and the fact that it¡¯ll be dangerous the moment he comes in contact with it¡ªbut at least he could stop it on its tracks.


    ¡°S-Sarah, run away!¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, just run! I don¡¯t know what the hell this is but it¡¯s not something we can take on!¡±


    ¡°U¡­Uu¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what Ed would want too!¡±


    Johnny yelled at Sarah with a pale face.


    She accepted the man¡¯s resolution, bit her lip and ran away, biting her lips as she said ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, with a pained expression.


    Ed had lost himself long ago, degraded into something non-human.


    Meanwhile the eyeballs are entering Johnny¡¯s body one by one.


    His consciousness is fading.


    His body is gradually turning into something that is not human.


    It was truly scary, but he¡¯s already resigned himself. What¡¯s more important is¡ªSarah¡¯s figure that was already far away, disappeared as she turned the corner.

 CH 18

    Sarah ran for her life.


    Someone she knew closely had just died.


    No¡ªthey turned into something else; a fate worse than mere death.


    Is it her fault? Is it because she asked them those questions?


    She wanted to think otherwise.


    Yet no thanks to the timing, she couldn¡¯t help but to worry that it is her fault.


    Furthermore, Sarah felt that she had seen those eyeballs somewhere before.


    They felt similar to that ogre that she had encountered during her struggle with Flamm in that research facility.


    Which means, if those eyeballs are the result of the experiment¡ª


    ¡°There¡¯s seems to be a secret facility below the church in the West District, and they¡¯re doing experiments using the children from the facility down there¡±


    ¡°It seems like an experiment ascend to the domain of God.¡±


    It was nothing but a vague information given how he said the word ¡°seems¡±, but that information might have some truth in it.


    Yet still, it wouldn¡¯t be an answer as to why Ink and the other children¡¯s name didn¡¯t come up in the name register.


    But to make sure that the men¡¯s sacrifice didn¡¯t go in vain, she needs to deliver this information to Flamm.


    Firstly, she needs to go out to the road along the wall.


    If she did, the main street shouldn¡¯t be that far.


    Squelch,


    When she turned around¡ªthe countless eyeballs found her. They rolled on the ground, crawled up the wall, and looked down at her from the roofs.


    Turning her neck, the teary-eyed girl cried, ¡°¡­They took the lives of those two people¡­but that¡¯s still not enough!?¡±


    Can these eyes listen?


    Knowing that these eyes are chasing her after Ed told her about the gossip, then that means they should be able to.


    Hence in response to Sarah¡¯s words of grief, the eyeballs rolled in to close their distance, as if saying  that¡¯s right, it¡¯s still not enough.


    ¡°AAAAAAAHHHH!!!¡±


    Sarah shouted her anger and fear that had nowhere to go, and once again, she ran.


    The eyeballs keep growing in number.


    They came forth from the roofs, from inside the buildings, and even from the drainage channels.


    They crawled out like swarms of insects, flooding the streets.


    The street had no pedestrian traffic¡ªit¡¯s as if those things had known it from the start.


    Sarah decided not to look back anymore, knowing if she did, there were only the scene of despair.


    ¡°Haa¡­haa¡­t¡­this¡­this is impossible¡­¡±


    Perhaps because she was so desperately running, she couldn¡¯t hear any voices from her surrounding.


    But what she saw as she turned around was a gruesome spectacle that could be described as the scene from hell.


    ¡°What is this disgusting¡­? O-Oi, stay away¡­Stay awa¡­AAAAAHH!¡±


    A pedestrian who was just passing by had his arm grow into two¡­and three before long.


    As he stumbled to his feet, more eyeballs flood into him, and before long, he lost his figure as a person.


    ¡°Hiiiii!! Please, god, give me your protection¡­please¡­please go¡­d¡­go¡­u¡­guh¡±


    And then, the eyeballs entered the torso of a lady who was sitting on the streets, desperately gripping onto the symbol of the church of Origin, and her body swells up.


    At the beginning she screamed in fear, but her voice gradually drowned as her mouth froths.


    ¡°No, NOOOOO! STAY AWAY! PLEASE, NOT MY CHILD! NOT MY CHILD!¡±


    ¡°Mommy! Mo¡­m¡­my¡­¡±


    ¡°Go away, GO AWAAAY!¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­save¡­¡±


    ¡°Sa¡­ve¡­me¡­mom¡­my¡­s¡­save¡­m¡­e¡­¡±


    ¡°Sa-ss-save m¡­e¡­m¡­om¡­z..zabe..m¡­¡±


    ¡°Hiii!?¡±


    The child¡¯s desperate struggle is in vain as the eyeballs sunk themselves into the child¡¯s neck, and on his mother¡¯s arms, his head grew into three.


    The mother released her child by reflex with her face paled from fear, but in that instant, the eyeballs flooded into her, and her body merged with her child¡¯s.


    They showed no mercy.


    They didn¡¯t even think of concealing themselves.


    If this is the church¡¯s method of covering up their actions, this is too unreasonable.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡ª!¡±


    The girl was sinless.


    But she was unable to bear the feeling of guilt, so she apologized with all her heart as she started breaking into a run again.


    The number of victims grew, but the enemy¡¯s objective is to maintain secrecy of their intelligence.


    Run¡­run¡­run¡ª


    She wandered about, looking for a path or a place where there were no people


    She lost count on how far she ran.


    She had ran out of stamina since long ago and her body had been screaming because of that, but she could only move her numbed legs under the sense that she had to keep moving.


    ¡°Wheeze¡­wheeze,¡±


    As she wheezed through her parched throat, her chest started to hurt.


    She¡¯s starting to reach the true limit of her body; one way beyond the limit she had already passed.


    But those things had no limit.


    Once she thought that she had shaken them off, they appeared from everywhere, and before long, Sarah had already been surrounded.


    How far does she need to run to reach the end? Or rather, can she even run away in the first place?


    Hasn¡¯t one¡¯s fate been sealed the moment they heard about the facility in the basement of the church?


    ¡°Ha¡­cough¡­aa¡­aahh¡­¡±


    Sarah¡¯s powerless voice leaked out from her throat.


    Yes, there is certainly an end to it.


    As she couldn¡¯t escape to the main road, she had to keep turning corners after corners into a narrow road where there were nobody else.


    And at the end of it, a dead end.


    Her hands touched the wall behind her, and the moment she noticed its roughness, her knees gave out.


    There¡¯s no way out.


    Knowing that there¡¯s use running out anymore, her body relaxed.


    ¡°Ed¡­Johnny¡­I¡¯ll be with you right soon¡­¡±


    The walls are on her back, and the ground is where she collapsed.


    Since it was going to be over regardless, she paid no mind to her soiled robe.


    As her limbs gave out, her listless eyes gazed at the street¡ªand then she saw the eyeballs starting to appear.


    Being able to roll around, come down from the top or crawl out of the gutter, these eyeballs are quite clever.


    Before long, the ground was flooded with the white sphere, and the black pupils all glared at the girl.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­everyone¡­¡±


    What appeared like a soumatou1 in her brain were¡­the people she lived together in the Central District church that she regarded as a family, Ed and Johnny, Flamm and the others¡­and the victims that got caught up during her escape.


    After apologizing to everyone, she looked up into the sky, and closed her eyes¡ª


    and a calm gust of wind brushed her cheeks.

 CH 19

    The man glared at Flamm who abruptly jumped into the conversation.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay? I mean you¡¯re also depressed because you¡¯re being left out by those guys who went to the church.¡±


    Flamm unconsciously turned her sight towards Iira, but the moment their gazes met, she scoffed and turned away at once.


    Apparently Iira was moved by their similar distaste toward Dain.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s true, but¡­¡±


    The man looked at Flamm in the face as he thinks, but at last, he smacked his lips and started talking.


    ¡°Phil is the guy we sent to threaten the members of the church, but he got killed.¡±


    ¡°Though they failed and turned into a believer instead. They suck¡±, said Iira as if spitting out those words.


    It would seem like she really didn¡¯t like their behavior.


    ¡°I accidentally heard about Phil, but he was killed in a way that he turned into something that you can¡¯t call a human anymore.¡±


    ¡°You said that he turned into something that looked like a beast, didn¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He grew some limbs and heads and his body swelled¡ªrumors has it that countless eyeballs went into his body and then it started turning weird. I didn¡¯t think it was true since it sounded too absurd, but now that I saw a corpse like that, I think I could believe it¡¯s true now¡­¡±


    ¡°Countless eyeballs and growing limbs¡­¡±


    It was a grotesqueness different than that of the spiral-faced beast in the research facility.


    But the fact that it happened to someone who threatened the church members, there¡¯s a huge possibility that it¡¯s an extension of the same research.


    Ten years has passed; it wouldn¡¯t be strange if the shape the result of the research had changed.


    ¡°Did they¡­did they continue their research in the capital¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do you know something?¡±


    To Flamm¡¯s unintentional mutter, Iira promptly responded.


    ¡°I¡¯m just thinking that there¡¯s an eighty or ninety percent chance that it¡¯s the church¡¯s doing.¡±


    Flamm only had a basis that could lead to her belief.


    She knew about the existence of the research facility, but whether it¡¯s done by someone that has connections with the church is only a conjecture.


    ¡°But Phil¡¯s case didn¡¯t go as far as to make it into public, did it?¡±


    ¡°Right. If it did, the news about such strange corpse would have reached my ears¡­then why is it that it¡¯s a huge ruckus now?¡±


    The man shook his head to Flamm¡¯s question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that much. Probably because there¡¯s a lot of it and it¡¯s not hidden well since it¡¯s found in a place with lots of pedestrian traffic.¡±


    ¡°But then again, why did they get him at such a public place.¡±


    It¡¯s unusually sloppy method for the church that wants to conceal their research.


    Even if they meant it as an experiment, one would think that they would¡¯ve done it more discreetly.


    ¡°Hey, you mind if I come along to where he is?¡±


    She can¡¯t start if she can¡¯t see the body herself.


    The man unenthusiastically nodded and led the way.


    For some reason, Iira also followed suit, leaving the guild unattended, but perhaps she didn¡¯t think it matters since Dain and his boys are absent.


    In the end, she¡¯s still as careless as always.


    The scene of the crime was the center of the slums.


    It was brimming with curious onlookers, so even getting into a place where you can see the scene of the crime was tough.


    As the three people pushed through the crowd, a rotten smell stabbed their nose.


    ¡°Ugh¡­it stinks¡­This isn¡¯t just because it¡¯s the slums, is it?¡±


    Iira brought her hand to cover her mouth and nose, scrunching her face without paying attention to what people around her think.


    The public hygiene of this place had been bad from the beginning, but it doesn¡¯t seem like that wasn¡¯t the only thing that stinks in that place.


    As they reached the forefront of the crowd, not only does the stench intensified greatly, an unimaginable sight emerged before their eyes.


    ¡°Geh¡­what the hell is that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not human¡­is it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we were talking about earlier but¡­unbelievable, isn¡¯t it.¡±


    Several lumps of meat with limbs and heads growing out of it were scattered around the street like grotesque objects of art.


    On top of that, these things appear to be moving as if they¡¯re alive.


    Which begs the question again; are they really corpses?


    Even the guards that received the reports scratched their heads in confusion.


    The three was stunned by the sight, but a soldier coming from behind them covered the lumps of flesh with cloths they pulled out from somewhere.


    Perhaps it was a decision to contain the situation, and without a doubt, it was an excellent decision.


    After all, it¡¯s a sight too shocking for an ordinary citizen.


    ¡°U¡­guh¡­¡±


    There were no shortage of people who closed their mouths due to nausea just like Iira did.


    ¡°Try not to throw up here, will you?¡± Flamm said, not because she was worried.


    ¡°¡­how can you be so calm looking at this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still an adventurer after all.¡±


    ¡°Can you even use that as an excuse? Uugh¡­¡±


    It seems like she¡¯s close to her limits.


    Flamm signaled the man next to her, and once again, they went through the crowds and exited the area.


    They stopped in a place where there were less people around.


    The expression of the three was dark, all for a different reasons.


    Perhaps because they went into a road where sunlight is sparse, the place felt even unnecessarily darker.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Phil was turned into such a shape like a monster but Dain-san went to the church instead¡­are we really going to be okay following him?¡±


    Perhaps Dain was attempting to expand his influence to keep his power in the West District.


    Not only among adventurers, he had also colluded with the guild, and there were many merchants that they had established connections with.


    People look up to him and his progress, thus his misdeeds were overlooked.


    That benefit is something that only he enjoys, and sharing those benefits is perhaps a part of his intellectual leadership.


    But that is not something that he can enjoy forever.


    Just like now; if there is another party with a stronger influence, it would swallow them up and dissolve their cohesiveness.


    Their development would stop, and if they betray the public expectation, they would collapse.


    And Dain is not stupid; he understands this himself.


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll turn into monsters just like Phil and those other corpses¡­I get that it¡¯s scary, so I get why you¡¯ll want to obey something that could do that. Picking a fight against the church might have been an uphill battle¡­but it¡¯s precisely because of that illogical plan that we¡¯re here! Don¡¯t they know that if we give up here our dreams are gonna be over just like that!?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it clear that it¡¯s over? Dain values his life so much so he ran away with his tails between his legs, along with the other guys too. No matter how important you can think of his dreams is, his life is more important in the end¡±, Iira said with a cold tone.


    That¡¯s what is normal for anyone.


    But did they not follow Dain because he was not normal?


    That courage of his is his greatest charm, one that made people admire him spontaneously.


    Flamm herself didn¡¯t approve of Dain¡¯s methods, but she admitted that he¡¯s doing well.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best to get out of the West district if you¡¯re at loss of what to do. We won¡¯t know if those eyeballs are going to come out again.¡±


    ¡°R-right¡­I think it¡¯s best to wait out until the chaos calms down.¡±


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll take some distance away from Dain too. I don¡¯t want to accidentally kick the hornet¡¯s nest and turn into that hideous monster.¡±


    It was a wise choice from Iira.


    Meanwhile, Flamm wasn¡¯t such an outlaw that she would harm those who wants to distance themselves from Dain despite how disagreeable they are.


    However, if they are pulling any more dirty tricks against her or the people around her, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to unsheathe her sword.


    Afterwards, Flamm separated from the two who decided to return to the guild, and she headed for her own home.


    As Flamm opened the door and exclaimed ¡°I¡¯m home!¡±, she was replied by three voices saying ¡°welcome back¡±.


    It would seem like Milkit and Ink is currently in the living room, while Eterna is in her room on the second floor.


    Usually Milkit would lightly run up to her and welcomed her back, but Flamm understood why she didn¡¯t the moment she peeked into the living room while feeling slightly lonely.


    Ink was sitting on her laps, so she was unable to stand up.


    ¡°Welcome back, master. I apologize that I wasn¡¯t able to welcome you back¡±, Milkit said apologetically as she saw Flamm¡¯s face.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright. So uh, what are you doing there?¡±


    Flamm pointed at the wooden parts scattered on top of the table.


    Laid in front of them were something of a wooden frame and several parts inserted into it.


    ¡°Puzzle~!¡± answered Ink innocently.


    That¡¯s right. For the blind girl, a puzzle is truly something that she can still play with.


    But it¡¯s something Flamm never recalled seeing before.


    ¡°Eterna-san had took out everything she could find inside this house, and she said Ink-san could enjoy this.¡±


    ¡°Hee¡­She found something nice, didn¡¯t she?¡± Flamm said, sitting on the seat across Milkit and Ink.


    She knew that there were things left behind by the house¡¯s previous owner in the storage room on the second floor. Though since it was filled with old items that are full of dust, they haven¡¯t had the chance to look through them.


    However, it seemed like Eterna who came before them had managed to spend some time rummaging through them.


    ¡°What about those?¡± Flamm pointed at the metallic toy next to the puzzle.


    She thought that it was also an item Eterna had found.


    ¡°It¡¯s a disentaglement puzzle. We were playing with it until some time ago, but playing with it too long would bore her after all.¡±


    ¡°Milkit is awesome you know! I had no idea what to do, but she could solve it quickly when I gave it to her!¡±


    ¡°Hee, you¡¯re really good with your hands, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°F-Far from it¡­with things like these, as long as you know how to do it, then it should be easy to solve. I have played with this before after all.¡±


    Despite her humility, it was well known fact that her hands are dexterous.


    Her way of handling the kitchen knife is nothing short of magnificent that one could think that she usually works as a chef.


    Not to mention, she could comprehend how to read and write as Flamm had taught her very quickly.


    Her looks and her personality were perfect, and she was also brimming with talent¡­it irks Flamm to know that such a girl was oppressed until recently.


    Though since the person behind that irritation is not within her arm¡¯s reach to vent her anger, holding a resentment in her heart would only tire her, so she quickly regained composure and looked around the room.


    ¡°Speaking of which, Sarah hasn¡¯t come over yet, huh.¡±


    The house felt silent without everyone¡¯s little boisterous nun.


    ¡°Is she not supposed to come before dinner time?¡±


    ¡°Well she was supposed to come to exchange information instead of just eating dinner though.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, but I am really happy when she comes¡­which means, I¡¯m rather upset with her now.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it difficult for you that you have to make a lot of food?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Rather, I am happy if I can see more faces enjoying the food I made. The more the merrier.¡±


    It¡¯s a textbook answer of a perfect housewife.


    Without a doubt, she is probably hiding an extremely cute smile under her bandages.


    I¡¯m glad I brought her out of that cage with me, Flamm thought from the bottom of her heart.


    ¡°Hey Flamm, if by any chance it turned out that I really ran away from the church in the West District, do I have to return as soon as possible?¡±


    Ink who was listening to the two¡¯s exchange asked in a depressed tone.


    She must¡¯ve had a reason for why she ran away from home.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t your friends and Mother going to be worried about you?¡±


    But Flamm still couldn¡¯t not send her home.


    The girl was stuck on those words; ¡°friends¡­are they¡­¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°They always ridicule me by saying I¡¯m useless. Only Mother was kind to me, but I feel like she also thinks I¡¯m useless¡­¡±


    After listening to the girl, Flamm heaved a huge sigh.


    There¡¯s bound to be someone saying that sort of thing just about anywhere.


    Saying that they¡¯re useless, over and over, despite the person in question is the one who knows about it best.


    ¡°Well¡­if someone told me that I¡¯m utterly useless, I would understand the feeling of wanting to run away.¡±


    ¡°So Flamm thought of it too.¡±


    ¡°I was thrown away before I could run away though,¡± said Flamm with a bitter smile before touching the slave crest seared to her cheek.


    ¡°Master¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make that face, Milkit. Thanks to a certain someone who said ¡°we match¡±, I don¡¯t think badly about it anymore.¡±


    The truth is that without that crest, the two wouldn¡¯t have met.


    Without that seal, she wouldn¡¯t have discovered her true capabilities and she would still be stuck doing menial works in the heroes¡¯ journey, while Milkit would perhaps be eaten by the ghouls and died inside that cage.


    They met at the depths of hell, but it was precisely because they met, the two could still smile as they are¡­though Flamm still had no intention to forgive Jean for it.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice¡­Flamm has Milkit with her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Honestly if I didn¡¯t meet her, I don¡¯t think I was able to escape.¡±


    ¡°¡­I wonder if I could also escape if I continue staying together with you¡±, Ink whispered.


    Flamm is painfully aware of her conditions.


    But there¡¯s a huge difference between Flamm who was deserted and Ink who left on her own will.


    There are people who are looking for her, and she felt that Ink doesn¡¯t notice that grace.


    So first, she had to try and talk to her guardians.


    ¡°Well¡­if Ink insists that she needs to, I don¡¯t mind if she stays living here.¡±


    ¡°Really!?¡±


    The girl leaned onto the table, smiling ear-to-ear at Flamm.


    ¡°But you have to clearly say it to your guardians. It¡¯s not like you were abused or confined, right? You ran away on your own after all.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t think I was imprisoned¡­maybe. But until now, I¡¯ve never went out once.¡±


    ¡°N-Not even once?¡±


    To the spontaneous question, Ink nodded.


    Even if she¡¯s blind, is it possible that they did not let such a child out from the institution?


    ¡°It¡¯s an orphanage, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that too.¡±


    ¡°How many children are with you?¡±


    ¡°Only four. There¡¯s Mother too with us.¡±


    The institution only held 5 children, so it is questionable if the institution is truly an orphanage.


    In a city with the scale of the capital, there should be a larger amount of orphans gathered.


    Rather, the orphanage in the West District should house several dozens of children.


    ¡°Hey Ink, why did you run away from there?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    To that question, Ink stayed silent.


    The question about the reasons behind one¡¯s runaway is a delicate one.


    That was why Flamm didn¡¯t ask her that the first time she meets her, but without an answer, the situation would only grow worse.


    Now that Flamm had asked the question, there¡¯s a possibility that she had hurt her, but discovering the truth was a higher priority.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t abused, and you weren¡¯t imprisoned, so is that place uncomfortable for you?¡±


    Ink silently shook her head.


    ¡°Then¡­is it because you don¡¯t want to be ridiculed by your friends?¡±


    She shook her head again.


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    It seems like Ink was troubled.


    It¡¯s like she¡¯s prohibited to tell the truth to other people.


    However¡ªit appears that her trust towards Flamm was stronger.


    After a brief silence, she whispered;


    ¡°It¡¯s because¡­I was left out in a place that I feel deeper than just friends and family¡­I¡¯m sure that I¡¯m not supposed to be there, so that¡¯s why I ran away.¡±


    That means her problem is a different case than simply being useless.


    Though not understanding the meaning behind ¡°closer to¡±, Flamm spontaneously asked back.


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t quite get it. What do you mean that you were left out from a place ¡°you feel deeper¡±?¡±


    ¡°We can communicate and play with each other, but¡­I don¡¯t know how to explain it¡­it¡¯s like I¡¯m¡­a different¡­creature?¡±


    She ended in a questioning tone, making a question Flamm didn¡¯t know how to answer.


    Yet somehow, the image of those people transformed into grotesque monsters appears on Flamm¡¯s mind.


    If Ink escaped the institution she was kept in the day before she met Flamm, then it was in concurrence with the timing when people discovered Phil¡¯s body.


    The eyeballs, the stitched eyelids¡­there certainly is something in common.


    However, the whole time she¡¯s been staying in Flamm¡¯s place, she had never gone out even once.


    Phil aside, she was not responsible for the massacre that she witnessed today.


    On top of that, her status is completely normal.


    Ink was not the criminal; it would be more natural to think that blame falls upon the orphanage¡­or rather, the people related to the church¡¯s research facility.


    They¡¯re looking for the runaway girl¡­for example, using someone who can control a large amount of eyeballs¡ªbut then again, is their search so urgent that they are willing to take the risk of going public?


    Judging by her appearance, Ink doesn¡¯t possess any sort of power.


    Even her attributes are normal.


    And so perhaps that was why the children around her and even Mother regards her as ¡°useless¡±.


    No, if that was the case, then why was she kept in a facility with other children with abilities?


    Flamm knows of an underground facility that aren¡¯t so kind to such failed creation.


    If she¡¯s such a failure, the church would¡¯ve disposed of her already.


    Then is she a successful creation?


    Then in that case, shouldn¡¯t her status show a hint of abnormality.


    Just like the Ogre from back then.


    There are no helices on her body, and her status aren¡¯t abnormal, so it¡¯s unthinkable that the girl was lying.


    Which means¡ªInk is innocent.


    That¡¯s what Flamm wants to think.


    That¡¯s the only way Flamm can think of for now.


    If that¡¯s the case, the only thing Flamm can do to help the girl is to try to hide Ink as much as possible.


    Flamm abruptly stood up from her chair.


    ¡°Is there anything wrong, Master?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the church in the Central District. We still have time before dinner right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was just about to start making them. Are you going to Sarah-san¡¯s place?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just in case.¡±


    Flamm was just about to dash out before Ink suddenly yelled ¡°Wait!¡± and stopped her on her tracks.


    ¡°Judging by your reaction, I guess you know something about the place I was in, don¡¯t you Flamm?¡±


    ¡°There was an incident out there. I¡¯m just thinking maybe it¡¯s got something to do with that.¡±


    ¡°Incident¡­¡±


    Flamm couldn¡¯t possibly tell her the details.


    Ink herself showed a pained expression as she bit her lips, perhaps having knowing about what Flamm was talking about.


    ¡°Are Mother and the other children looking for me¡­?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Do you think the children you live with had some sort of strange abilities?¡±


    Ink nodded.


    ¡°¡­Mother always told me not to tell this to people outside though¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if anything happens, we¡¯ll be sure to protect you.¡±


    ¡°¡­mm. I can¡¯t see so I don¡¯t quite understand, but everyone said I¡¯m useless because I can¡¯t hear that voice or wield their power.¡±


    ¡°Voice and¡­power¡­¡±


    She could somewhat understand what she meant by power.


    Perhaps by getting a core embedded into her, she could wield the power of that Helix like that Ogre did.


    But¡ª


    ¡°What voice?¡±


    That was what Flamm didn¡¯t quite understand.


    Hesitating perhaps because it¡¯s yet another thing she wasn¡¯t supposed to disclose to other people, Ink said after a delay:


    ¡°¡­we were told that we were supposed to be able to talk with Origin-sama.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±


    This is the first time she clearly said the word ¡°Origin¡±.


    Now it is clear that the church is involved with this incident.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t do it. Everyone else could, but I couldn¡¯t¡­but I saw that Flamm, Milkit, Sarah and Eterna couldn¡¯t do it¡­I thought I was the weird one because only I can¡¯t, but is that really it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not. A normal person can¡¯t talk with him. Everyone else is just like you, Ink.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­so¡­so I¡¯m normal¡­¡±


    Ink stroked her chest.


    Looking at the girl, Flamm and Milkit looked at each other and smiled.


    Upon being surrounded by abnormality, normalcy itself becomes an abnormality. It was perhaps further drilled into the poor child¡¯s head as she was kept within an enclosed space.


    That was why she escaped, thinking that a monster should not be mingling among the normal people.


    Yet the fact was the complete opposite.


    Ink was the normal person surrounded by a flock of monsters.


    Flamm doesn¡¯t need to hesitate anymore; she just need to protect the girl.


    With her objective crystal clear, Flamm double timed out the house.


    Under the illumination of the sinking sun, Flamm ran towards the church of the Central District, where Sarah should be.

 CH 20

    The skies had turned dark when Flamm arrived at the church in the Central District.


    ¡°Hey Sister, can I ask you something?¡±


    Flamm instantly called out to her.


    The woman stopped, and with a swing of her pale pink-colored hair, she turned to say ¡°What might it be?¡± with a smile.


    Flamm beckoned the nun to come over to a place where the knights can¡¯t see and asked the nun frankly;


    ¡°Do you know of a girl called Sarah?¡±


    ¡°Y-You know her!?¡±


    As she did, the nun suddenly asked her the question back, grasping on Flamm¡¯s shoulders.


    Seeing the nun¡¯s desperate expression, Flamm immediately knew that something had definitely happened to Sarah.


    ¡°Ah¡­I¡¯m sorry. An unexpected incident happened, so we are a bit disordered¡­¡±


    The woman was grasping onto a bag of groceries.


    Perhaps she was asked to go and buy some things in the middle of the riot.


    ¡°As I thought, something happened to her, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Before that¡­can I ask you how you are related to Sarah?¡±


    ¡°My name is Flamm. Sarah is¡ª¡±


    Even before Flamm could finish her explanation, the nun interrupted her and started speaking.


    ¡°Aah, it¡¯s you! The kind person that Sarah said made her delicious foods!¡±


    Seems like Flamm is well known already.


    It¡¯s truly just like Sarah to talk about food.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t introduced myself, have I. My name is Tina. I have been living in the church with Sarah since we were small.¡±


    Flamm remembered something Sarah had told her.


    Sarah used to tell her a lot about the ¡°family¡± she had in the church, and Tina was one of those people.


    ¡°Then I think it would be fine for me to talk about this with you. An announcement came down from the Church earlier today¡­they said that they have excommunicated Sarah.¡±


    ¡°Excommunicated!? Why so suddenly!?¡±


    ¡°It seems that¡­the reason is that she had been involved with demonic worship. I heard that the moment she was discovered, she was immediately dragged to the Court of the Church.¡±


    The Court of the Church is an institution separate from the court established by the Kingdom. It was made specifically to punish the members of the church that broke their internal rules.


    It¡¯s an institution that was said to punish the rulebreakers by imprisonment, torture, or even execution.


    Obviously, it is a violation of the laws of the Kingdom, yet the Kingdom had no interest of intervening with the tyranny of the church, and instead, they even gave the church the authority to make decisions to maintain the public safety of one entire district.


    In the end, it means in the present kingdom, anyone being taken to the church¡¯s courthouse would be treated as a criminal.


    ¡°Of course none of us believe that she was involved in demonic worship, I can guarantee that. We lived together with her after all.¡±


    She was under a false sentence.


    Flamm grits her teeth strongly from her irritation.


    Sarah was supposed to be a talented, precious asset of the church.


    Then perhaps Ink and whatever exists in the church in the West District was something they are desperate to hide that they are willing to throw the girl away.


    ¡°Hey, Flamm-san¡­where did she go? What did she do? Why is she being treated like this!?¡± Tina asked, her voice shivering.


    As if she¡¯s trying to push back the emotions that are pushing her to cry.


    Yet Flamm herself came to the church to ask that question.


    ¡°I¡­only heard that she said she¡¯s heading to the orphanage in the West District because she had something to investigate there. She is acquainted with the knights there, so she said she could ask them.¡±


    ¡°The knights she knows¡­it¡¯s got to be Ed and Johnny. As I thought, they aren¡¯t unrelated after all.¡±


    ¡°Did something happen to those knights too?¡±


    ¡°Just today they were suddenly transferred away to a remote village. They don¡¯t demote Royal Capital Knights unless there¡¯s a major problem¡­but we didn¡¯t hear anything about it, and they already left the capital by the time we thought of asking them directly. They were very friendly with us when they were posted here in the Central District, so normally they should have called out to us if they were transferring away.¡± Tina explained, feeling uneasy as she wrapped her arms around her body.


    Frustrated, Flamm fiddled with her shirt.


    Clearly, they are attempting to hide something using their powers to bypass the laws.


    However, why did they excommunicate Sarah but transferred the knights away?


    There should be a meaning in that discrepancy.


    Was it because Sarah was a nun and the men were knights? No, excommunication was supposed to be the heaviest punishment within the Church of Origin.


    If the church wanted to drive them out, they could have declared the knights excommunicated and bring them into court as well.


    Naturally, Flamm could only think that there¡¯s a reason that they had to transfer them out instead of bringing them into court.


    ¡°Also one more thing. I heard that there are witnesses that says that they saw a blond-haired girl in nun habits.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­wasn¡¯t that the place where we found the corpses?¡±


    Tina silently nodded.


    Afterwards, despite knowing that she wouldn¡¯t be able to gain an answer, as if taking a gamble on her last hope, Tina asked;


    ¡°Was Sarah¡¯s excommunication and the case of the corpses¡­connected?¡±


    Flamm herself doesn¡¯t believe in it.


    Yet the timing, the situation, and the conjectures made from the church¡¯s past conditions, Flamm could only come up with one answer.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s got something to do with the church.¡±


    Tina¡¯s red eyes widened.


    Along with her surprise, somewhere deep down in her heart, she thought; I called it.


    ¡°I had thought that those demoted knights might have been dead. That¡¯s why I think their transfer is an attempt to conceal their deaths.¡±


    ¡°Then what about Sarah?¡±


    ¡°They haven¡¯t found her body yet. Maybe she¡¯s still on the run, so perhaps just in case she appeared again, they declared her excommunicated.¡±


    ¡°What is it that the pope wanted to hide so much that they are willing to go that far¡­?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    If she told her, there will be no coming back.


    Thus, Flamm bit her lip and shook her head.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t involve you in this. If I do, what they did to Sarah might happen to you too.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind! We¡­we might not have been related by blood, but she¡¯s one of our family member!¡±


    ¡°But If she¡¯s on the run even now, then I also think that it¡¯s one of her wish to not let any of you involved.¡±


    ¡°¡­even so¡­even so! How much do you think we all loved that girl¡­!¡±


    Tina¡¯s words showed hints of her vexation.


    But Tina wasn¡¯t the only one that was frustrated.


    Sarah would¡¯ve relied on them if only they had a the strength to solve this problem.


    But she didn¡¯t.


    The two realized their own powerlessness.


    ¡°What should I do? If we just beat up the pope would she come back?¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that simple.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­people like us can¡¯t simply make enemies of the pope¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, not that. I didn¡¯t mean it like that. The church itself is¡­¡±


    ¡°The church is¡­what? It¡¯s fine to just tell me already, right? I¡¯ve steeled myself. Even I¡­even I have noticed that the popes are hiding something.¡±


    She might have a deeper suspicion towards the church than an outsider.


    At the very least, she¡¯s not the popes that Flamm couldn¡¯t easily trust.


    This is a common understanding between the upright nuns and priests.


    In front of the woman¡¯s determination, Flamm gave in and told her everything she knows.


    ¡°¡­Whatever caused the ¡°incident¡± this time¡­it¡¯s possible that they couldn¡¯t control it.¡±


    ¡°Incident?¡±


    ¡°The results of human experiments.¡±


    ¡°Human experiment¡­!? T-Then¡­Sarah is involved in it?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. Not with the experiment, but she got to know something that has got something to do with its product, and they¡¯re trying to erase her to conceal it.¡±


    Perhaps she was erased already.


    Tina held her head as she staggered.


    That¡¯s how far the truth shocked her.


    Yet even if Flamm is someone Sarah knew well, Flamm herself feels that the woman couldn¡¯t trust her whom she had just met.


    ¡°Sarah probably left the church this morning to go to the church in the West District.¡±


    ¡°You said that she had something to do in the orphanage, right? Nothing is happening there. I¡¯ve been there before, and I can see the children living well.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, so it¡¯s likely that the research is not conducted at the orphanage. Maybe they used the children to conduct their research somewhere else.¡±


    That was what Flamm had taken assumed from her conversation with Ink earlier.


    Though considering that Sarah was taken out in the West District, the institution should not be that far from that area.


    ¡°But then after or when she talked with the two knights, she was attacked by the eyes1 that created those grotesque corpses.¡±


    ¡°Eyes?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the witnesses reported. The victims were attacked by a lot of eyeballs, and their bodies swelled until they turned into what they look like now.¡±


    ¡°What¡­what do you mean? Eyes? Only eyes attacked them?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡±


    ¡°Those disgusting creatures are in the capital¡­? And that¡¯s the result of the human experiment?¡±


    Tina swallowed her saliva.


    She hadn¡¯t seen what they look like, but she shuddered thinking that such monster is currently hidden somewhere in the capital.


    ¡°But why were they attacked at all? Ed and Johnny are ordinary knights. They shouldn¡¯t have known anything about the research.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but the fact is those knights had sacrificed themselves to allow Sarah to run away. Then she ran away to a place with no people around.¡±


    Flamm thought of herself in Sarah¡¯s shoes.


    She was attacked by ominous eyeballs as she was conversing with her friends.


    Her friends died to cover for her.


    She managed to run away, but she continued to be pursued.


    She continued to run as she kept being attacked by the eyeballs.


    However, at that point, the girl must have noticed something.


    The grotesque appearance and the timing must have led her to believe that this is the result of the research that the church wanted to hide.


    ¡°After that, she separated herself from the district wall. She assumed that because the church wanted to hide these things from public sight, those eyeballs wouldn¡¯t come out in front of a crowd of people, much less attack them.


    ¡°But¡­those people ended up getting involved2. That¡¯s why you said that they couldn¡¯t control it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Perhaps the church is being impatient. Otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have made such unreasonable actions of transferring the knights or excommunicating Sarah and instead make some sly excuses like they usually do.¡±


    The two fell into silence.


    They couldn¡¯t confirm Sarah¡¯s safety.


    They did not know the true nature of those eyes, they could not stop the church¡¯s tyranny, and nothing had progressed.


    ¡°But¡­there¡¯s still hope. Sarah is still okay, right?¡±


    ¡°Possibly.¡±


    ¡°That information alone is enough. I¡¯ll talk to some people I can trust and we¡¯ll find her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get yourself too deeply involved. We can¡¯t be sure who or when they¡¯ll go after next.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s even better. I can get to Sarah quicker if they¡¯re after me.¡±


    Flamm could not laugh at that joke.


    She was there to witness corpses who had lost its shape as a human. It was impossible for her to laugh at it.


    ¡°Thank you for telling me a lot.¡±


    ¡°No¡­Likewise, thank you very much. I¡¯ll contact you again if I can confirm Sarah-chan¡¯s safety.¡±


    ¡°Please. I will also contact you if we find her.¡±


    Tina and Flamm exchanged addresses, and before long, they waved at each other as they parted ways.


    She had managed to obtain more information than she expected, but¡­


    The girl looked up to the violet sky and heaved a massive sigh.


    ¡°Sarah-chan¡­I hope you¡¯re fine¡­¡±


    Just imagining the innocent little girl swelling with multiple limbs growing out of her and turning into that unsightly figure made her nauseous.


    She had to find Sarah as soon as possible and destroy the institution Ink was in¡­but it is still unclear if the ¡°eyes¡± will stop at that point.


    For now, she had no choice but to move forward.


    As Flamm was returning to the West District from the Central District, her eyes met with a large man¡¯s in front of her.


    ¡­it was Dain.


    ¡°Yo.¡±


    He pasted a disgusting grin on his face as he called out to Flamm.


    About 20 men followed after Dain in a line, as if he¡¯s is commanding an army.


    Perhaps because they were just back from a worship in the church, or perhaps because their face is as expressionless as a doll, Flamm couldn¡¯t figure out what they¡¯re thinking, which only made them even more ominous.


    Flamm was about to ignore them and pass through, but then,


    ¡°Hol¡¯ up. You¡¯re lost thinkin¡¯ about that lil¡¯ brat gone, right?¡±


    Flamm unconsciously stopped after hearing those words.


    The men behind Dain turned to look at Flamm with a blank expression.


    Flamm felt a chill running down her spine.


    ¡°They might be takin¡¯ that disgusting bandage girl next time.¡±


    ¡°Dain, you bastard!¡±


    In response to that clear provocation, Flamm raised her voice and closed in on him to grab his collar.


    However, the man fearlessly smiled and replied;


    ¡°You sure you wanna do that? We¡¯re the church¡¯s believers, ya¡¯ know? We¡¯re Origin-sama¡¯s3 devout, obedient dogs ya¡¯ know? Hyahahaha!¡±


    ¡°And so you chose to throw away the last shred of your almost nonexistent pride?¡±


    ¡°Hahahah! A small dog like you glaring at me ain¡¯t scary! The church ain¡¯t half bad. Being able to catch an asylum behind such overwhelming power brings my mind at ease. Some things left a lot to be desired though¡±, said Dain, shaking free from Flamm¡¯s grip before taking two steps back.


    ¡°My client¡­no, my current boss told me to keep my hands off of Flamm Apricot. Well if they went that far to say that, we can only accept. Low risk high return, you know.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Heheh, you¡¯ll see. Oi, you lots! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    With his orders, the men moved completely in order.


    Their movement seems as if they are lifeless machines.


    Now she understood the reason why Iira hated the current Dain.


    He said something about ¡°low risk, high return¡±, but there¡¯s no way that it is possible.


    Because the profit he gains right now is massive, he could not notice that he would lose a lot of things.


    It¡¯s likely that Dain¡¯s faction is nearing its end.


    Perhaps, he has a new vision of a revolution of his governance.


    Yet if that was the case, that governance is not one to be led by the charismatic Dain Phineas.


    Flamm clenched her fists and collected her strength into her arms.


    Dain kept walking further away.


    It¡¯s likely that although they could not harass Flamm directly, they¡¯ll go for the people around her.


    That includes, as he declared, Milkit.


    ¡ªA single eyeball is looking at her.


    It was only one, but its gaze is fixated at her.


    ¡°kh¡­¡±


    Flamm held her breath.


    Why?


    She hadn¡¯t obtained any information regarding the church, nor had she inflicted any harm, so why does it appear in front of her?


    ¡°This¡­could it be¡­¡±


    Without a doubt, it is one of the eyeballs that created those corpses.


    Flamm¡¯s hostility towards Dain was replaced by a paralyzing dread.


    She pulled out her sword and headed for that ¡°eye¡±.


    As she did, the thing rolled away, turned a corner and completely disappeared.


    Flamm chased after it in a hurry, but she already couldn¡¯t see it anymore.


    ¡°What the hell was that¡­¡±


    It only showed itself instead of chasing after her.


    Feeling hazy from its incomprehensible actions, once again, Flamm headed for home.


    Seeing Flamm¡¯s expression, Milkit who had been waiting for her smiled and said ¡°Welcome back¡± without asking anything.


    Food is better eaten joyfully and cheerfully, which is why Flamm chose not to disclose what happened to Sarah just yet to allow Milkit, Eterna and Ink to dine as they usually do.


    Yet everyone in the room have sensed something.


    Perhaps not about how Sarah is missing, but they noticed that Flamm might have some bad news.


    After they finished their food and cleaned up, Flamm informed everyone that Sarah had not returned to the church.


    The one who was hurt the most was Ink.


    Sarah got caught up in an incident because of her.


    The rest tried to comfort her as much as possible, yet her pain could not easily be healed.


    After a while, the girl went up to the second floor and shut herself in the guest room across Flamm¡¯s room.


    Eterna said that she had work to be done, so she too returned to her own room, leaving only Flamm and Milkit in the living room.


    For several times already, Milkit had tried to say something to cheer up Flamm who looked down, yet even after she opened her mouth¡­she couldn¡¯t express her thoughts properly.


    For the first time, the girl had thought that she wanted to do something for someone else.


    It was a principle the girl never followed.


    However, despite Milkit¡¯s laments for her disappointing self, for Flamm, the fact that Milkit tried to do something was way more than enough of a support..


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve been saved by you a lot of times, Milkit.¡±


    ¡°N-No, I¡¯m¡­I couldn¡¯t do anything¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve done enough. I feel stronger just with you being here. So¡ª¡±


    Flamm stood up from her seat before leaning forward and held Milkit by her hands.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to say anything special, so you don¡¯t have to feel down. I can do my best just by seeing you smile.¡±


    ¡°Even so¡­I want to give you the same amount of support as you have given me, master.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, you really know how to make me happy. Well, if that¡¯s what you think, I won¡¯t stop you, but please remember that your master here wants you to smile as much as possible.¡±


    Flamm lets go of her hands as she said that, but Milkit responded with a lonely yelp.


    It was unclear if she realized it or not, but just as Flamm was about to leave the room, she lightly hugged the girl from her back and caressed her head.


    ¡°Master¡­¡±, whispered Milkit, left alone. She put her hand on her bandaged cheek, gripping the bandage firmly.


    From the gaps between her bandages, her cheeks could be seen, dyed in deep red.


    Knock, knock, the door to Eterna¡¯s room rang, to which the owner responded with ¡°Go ahead¡±.


    ¡°So you really came,¡± she said as if already expecting Flamm to enter the room from the beginning.


    ¡°How¡¯d you guess?¡±


    ¡°Your face is like an open book that reads you have something to say when we had our dinner¡±


    Flamm touched her own face all over, confused if she really did make a face like that.


    Though of course, there¡¯s no way for her to understand.


    ¡°Use the chairs as you like.¡±


    Flamm took a chair left in the darkness near the wall and put it down by the desk, next to Eterna.


    ¡°What were you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m making something to make you the user feel better. Not that it would cure illnesses or heal injuries though.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t those some problematic drugs then¡­¡±


    While it¡¯s true that if the drugs doesn¡¯t cure illnesses or heal injuries the church won¡¯t bat an eye to it, another party is going to set their eyes on them for it.


    ¡°I¡¯m just mixing it into a herbal tea.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡­wait, aren¡¯t those too much for you to drink by yourself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of selling them. I can¡¯t keep living off of you after all.¡±


    I see, Flamm said, hitting her hands together.


    It seems like Eterna felt bad for living there for free.


    Though Flamm held herself back from saying that it¡¯s a bit unexpected for there is a risk of her turning angry.


    ¡°Then what are those sculptures for?¡±


    ¡°These are¡­¡±


    That was not the issue Flamm had at hand, but Flamm was too curious to let it slide.


    They seem like wooden sculptures made in the image of a person¡¯s upper body. Eterna took one of them and handed it over to Flamm.


    ¡°Hmm¡­Doesn¡¯t it look like me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a sculpture of you that Milkit made.¡±


    ¡°So it is me. Milkit did this? We did say that she¡¯s got dextrous hands, but¡­¡±


    ¡°When she was a slave¡­well she still is¡­anyways, since long ago, she tends to fidget around by shaving or carving rocks or woods. This is what it led to.¡±


    ¡°And why are these in your room?¡±


    ¡°She said it would be embarrassing if you found these, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to throw it away. I don¡¯t need them, so you can have them.¡±


    Flamm also felt troubled to be given a sculpture of her own figure, so she respectfully refused and put the sculpture back on Eterna¡¯s table.


    Eterna frowned, obviously troubled as well.


    ¡°Milkit has been trying to do a lot of things when you weren¡¯t here so she could be useful to you.¡±


    ¡°And one of them is sculpting?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It amazes me how much she loves you.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say she loves me but¡­I think she likes me.¡±


    ¡°Are you actually bragging?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±


    Flamm loudly objected as she leaned forward.


    Perhaps relieved seeing Flamm regaining her spirits, Eterna showed a faint smile.


    Flamm sat back down and her expression stiffens once more.


    ¡°Alright, let me start again. Let¡¯s move on to the main topic.¡±


    Now that Eterna is not fooling around, she concentrated on the issue.


    ¡°Eterna-san, can you teach me magic?¡±


    Flamm had realized her own lack of abilities.


    Sarah wouldn¡¯t rely on her, and she couldn¡¯t save Sarah, so she hated herself for it.


    Yet because of her ¡°Inverse¡± attribute, her status wouldn¡¯t grow.


    No matter how much she tried, it was impossible for her to grow stronger like everyone else.


    However, there is something else she could do.


    She could polish the skills that aren¡¯t written in her status, namely the Cavalier Arts or the arts and knowledge of magic.


    In her free time, she would train to refine her Prana and practice to grasp the mana flowing in her body.


    However, she was unable to sublimate those mana in the form of spells.


    ¡°My attribute is water, so there¡¯s not much I can teach to someone with a rare attribute like you. Besides, I¡¯m not that good at teaching things to people anyways¡­I feel like I¡¯ve told you this before though.¡±


    ¡°You can just tell me about the simple how-to¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­You can use Prana, right? Using those are supposedly more difficult, so I don¡¯t understand why you can use them but not mana.¡±


    ¡°I can grasp the feeling of mana within me, but I can¡¯t release them in the form of spells.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, try to collect your mana to your palm.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Flamm narrowed her eyes. As she did, she seized the mana welling up in her body, formed it into a shape and collected them on the palm she held in front of Eterna.


    As Eterna said earlier, doing this is a lot easier than refining Prana.


    ¡°The amount, quality and condition isn¡¯t bad, but¡­¡±


    Eterna murmured as she touched Flamm¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I see¡­so it has this characteristic.¡±


    Afterwards she seemed to comprehend it with a nod.


    ¡°Did you find anything?¡±


    To Flamm¡¯s nervous question, Eterna suddenly stood up and pointed at the chair she was sitting on.


    ¡°Touch this chair with the mana on your hand.¡±


    As instructed, she touched Eterna¡¯s chair.


    There was a subtle warmth left from Eterna¡¯s body temperature.


    ¡°Next is the problem of the image. Imagine clearly how the ¡°inverse¡± attribute would invert and put that into effect to a material.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­um¡­should I imagine it and send my mana into the chair?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, exactly like that.¡±


    As per Eterna¡¯s instruction, Flamm started imagining.


    Invert¡ªvertically, horizontally¡­inside, and out.


    Perhaps because it¡¯s her first time, she was not quite able to grasp the feelings, but the process that consumes the most is perhaps inverting it inside out.


    It takes a lot of energy to break a chair after all.


    Because she¡¯s using it for the first time, she chose to invert it vertically, with a very simple movement.


    And then, the name of the spell naturally appeared on her head.


    ¡°Reversal!4¡±


    To her exclaim, the chair rotated, in place and stopped as its seat faced down.


    It was ¡°inverted¡± just as she imagined it, so while stunned, Flamm whispered;


    ¡°¡­I did it.¡±


    The influence of her spell was minor, but it doesn¡¯t change the fact that she managed to cast it.


    She managed to do, with her own hands, something that she thought she could never do in her whole life.


    ¡°I can¡­I can cast a spell¡­that easily¡­¡±


    ¡°How much mana did you use? Did you feel like something had been drained from your body?¡±


    ¡°N-no, nothing like that!¡±


    It seems like she has the margin to repeat the process several hundred¡­no, several thousand times.


    ¡°Then there are no problems. Your attribute has an excellent mana efficiency as long as you can maintain it. I think it depends on what and how you choose to invert though.¡±


    It seems that Flamm¡¯s guess had been correct.


    For example, if she tried to turn the chair inside out to destroy it, she would definitely feel a sudden exhaustion.


    Also, breaking Eterna¡¯s personal belongings would definitely ruin her mood as well.


    ¡°But why can I suddenly cast spells?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Eterna took Flamm¡¯s hand and massaged it as she speaks, ¡°The applicability of your mana is very limited. You can¡¯t cast it if you don¡¯t touch your target, so unlike other attributes, you can¡¯t use it for long-range attacks.¡±


    Thinking back to her training, all Flamm had tried to cast were spells to attack enemies far away.


    After all, her main weapon is a great sword, so she wanted a way to attack enemies that are far away.


    However, her attribute is more suited for close-quarter combat.


    ¡°I wanted a way to fight without getting hurt though¡­¡±


    Flamm is a girl too after all, Eterna thought.


    She had gotten used to getting hurt, but it¡¯s still unpleasant to get hurt.


    ¡°Your choice is just to give up, because that¡¯s how it is. The rest depends on how you use it. For example, if the target is connected to another object, the mana consumed would increase, but you could still entirely invert them.¡±


    ¡°So¡­if I cast it on this floorboard¡­¡±


    The girl crouched down and touched the wooden boards affixed to the floor.


    Eterna nodded and said,


    ¡°You can flip that entire plank.¡±


    In other words, if she could use it on a long plank, it¡¯s not impossible to use the spell to make a long-range attack.


    Though it would be difficult to say if she could really use it in actual combat.


    ¡°Can you use it on the ground?¡±


    ¡°It depends on your control and imagination. You couldn¡¯t possibly invert the earth¡¯s surface, but if you designate the appropriate extent and depth and affix that to your image, then it is possible.¡±


    Flamm doesn¡¯t think that she could think that far.


    However, despite its limitation of being able to cast it on an object she touched, it¡¯s already a major difference for her to be able to cast spells.


    ¡°That said, even though you can use magic now, don¡¯t push yourself too hard. If it¡¯s something I could do, then I¡¯ll lend you a hand.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but I still need more power to protect those that are important for me.¡±


    After all, her enemies are either monsters who defied common sense or an absolute trash of a human being.


    ¡°You¡¯re pushing yourself too far, Flamm, just like you did during our journey.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not much that I can do, so I have to do my best doing what I could.¡±


    ¡°That self-sacrificing way of fighting is okay if you¡¯re alone, but try not to do that if you have friends. Milkit is always sad when you get hurt, you know.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand that.¡±


    Flamm wanted Milkit to smile from the bottom of her heart.


    She would get hurt to protect that smile of hers, and when that happens, the girl would grieve.


    Flamm would contradict her own objective, yet she still had to fight on, for the small beauty to stay with her.


    After all, Flamm is neither strong nor skillful.

 CH 21

    After Flamm left Eterna¡¯s room, she headed for her bedroom.


    ¡°Good night, Flamm.¡±


    It seems like she only came out to say that.


    ¡°Good night, Ink.¡± Flamm replied as she pets the girl¡¯s head.


    She had done this to Milkit ever so often that it had became a habit.


    It seems like Ink enjoyed it; the girl¡¯s lips loosens as she did.


    At least she didn¡¯t think it feels bad.


    Afterwards, Flamm lightly waved at the girl who groped around for the doorknob to close the door to her room, and finally, she entered her own bedroom.


    Milkit was already in her room, seriously looking at her notebook with a pen on her hand.


    Instead of her usual maid uniform, she was clad in light green sleepwear.


    Flamm was the only one who is able to see her wear such garments, so it is quite a rare sight to behold.


    Milkit did not realize that Flamm had entered the room.


    Even as the latter silently approached the girl, she was still concentrating too deeply to notice her.


    It appears that she¡¯s currently practicing reading and writing.


    Usually she would be full of smiles in front of Flamm, so there were not that many chances for Flamm to see this serious expression of hers.


    Her eyes are beautiful as ever¡­she thought.


    With such a rude thought, she couldn¡¯t suppress her urge of wanting to touch the girl, and thus¡ªshe reached out to her and slipped her finger between her bandages to touch her cheek.


    ¡°HYAN!?¡±


    The clueless Milkit jumped with an adorable yelp.


    Flamm smiled at her response.


    ¡°Fufu, how are you doing?¡±


    ¡°M-Master¡­please let me know if you¡¯re in¡­¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t notice me even when I get this close, so you deserve to get pranked at least once.¡±


    ¡°But still¡­¡±


    Milkit stared at Flamm in discontent.


    Compared to the past, she had been able to show a wider range of expressions.


    Thanks to having sufficient nourishment, she also had grown a healthy amount of roundness to her figure.


    Flamm had helped the girl develop mentally and physically, and seeing the result in front of her, she felt truly happy.


    That was also the case for reading and writing.


    Even if she¡¯s only gradually learning, the girl¡¯s future is being built in front of her. Thus, Flamm was as happy as she could be.


    It is definitely a taste of happiness she couldn¡¯t possibly attain before she lived on the countryside before she departed on the journey.


    She wants to protect her.


    She strongly desired to protect her.


    ¡°¡­master?¡±


    Flamm didn¡¯t notice that she had been too deeply absorbed in her own thought, but Milkit¡¯s voice pulled her back to reality.


    ¡°Aah, sorry, sorry, I was thinking about something. Anyways, shall we do that?¡± Flamm asked as she sat down on the bed. ¡°Come over¡±, she beckoned for Milkit to sit next to her.


    The girl complied immediately and sat down so closely that their shoulders brushed against each other¡¯s.


    It is something they do every day, so the two of them, acted like they were used to it. Flamm reached out and circled her hands behind Milkit¡¯s neck to untie the knot of her bandages.


    The strip that covered the girl¡¯s face was removed, unveiling a soft and delicate fair skin that was slightly tinged in red.


    At night, when it was just the two of them, they would regularly conduct a ritual of undoing the girl¡¯s bandages.


    At first, the two of them would feel so bashful that it would take a long time for them to finish, but now, they could do it quickly just like that.


    Perhaps because she was regularly covered in bandages, the sunlight had not affected her fair skin, unlike the adventurer Flamm who chapped her skin on a daily basis.


    Flamm was not only jealous; she was also conflicted whether it is okay for such a fine beauty to belong only to her.


    However¡ªboth her and Milkit wished for that monopoly, and that gratified Flamm.


    She was aware of her own unfairness.


    She talked a whole deal about broadening Milkit¡¯s opportunities for her future, yet she¡¯s doing the exact opposite.


    Even so, she could find the merits of laughing it off as she thought ¡°who cares¡±.


    They were used to the thing they were doing, but it doesn¡¯t mean that they will be weary of it.


    Every day, every night, Flamm would heave a sigh in captivation.


    ¡°Is it¡­is it that fun to look at my face?¡± whispered Milkit, looking down in embarrassment as Flamm stared at her closely.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s the most fun I have in the whole day.¡± Flamm replied immediately, to which Milkit further lowered her head in embarrassment.


    How many times have they done this exchange already?


    Milkit should have just stop doubting her master¡¯s words and start to be confident in herself little by little.


    However, Milkit could not even think of being confident of herself. She merely thought that ¡°my master is weird, and it happens to be that my face is the weird type she likes¡±.


    Flamm put her hands on the girl¡¯s cheeks, and as she caressed her slave crest with her thumb, she said, ¡°you¡¯re extremely cute today as well, Milkit¡±, with a slightly playful tone.


    If the obstacle of her self-doubt disappeared, the words that she conveyed to her would soak into her heart.


    Her frozen heart had already been melted long ago, so it is finally time for Flamm to fill that empty, tender heart with her colors.


    She wished for her words to reach deeper into her heart.


    Nurture that emotion until it fills her heart.


    The fear of loss that continued to swell to a certain point has recently faded day by day.


    ¡°it¡¯s probably going to be alright¡± had came closer to ¡°it will definitely be alright¡±


    She had started to think that yes, this person will definitely not leave me.


    Through their exchanges every night, the roots of Flamm¡¯s feelings spread wider and deeper, strengthening her belief.


    Even after their exchange, the two would continue with trifling conversations, smile at each other as their eyes met, or frolicking about playfully2 with each other¡ªIt was a moment of happiness without any other meaning.


    However, as they were doing that, Flamm suddenly rose from the bed and looked outside.


    Milkit followed suit and looked at where Flamm was looking at, but she can only see the darkness of the night.


    However, as if she could see something, Flamm stood up and walked closer.


    She then slowly opened the window, reached out, and pulled something from the window frame.


    ¡°Is there something stuck there?¡±


    ¡°¡­it¡¯s a knife. There¡¯s a message stuck to it too.¡±


    Perhaps someone threw it out from outside, aiming at the window.


    She opened the paper that was stuck to it, and the words written crudely on it reads; ¡°Don¡¯t go outside.¡±


    ¡°What is this, a threat? It¡¯s not the time for this.¡±


    Sarah went missing.


    Telling her to not get involved would be more unreasonable.


    No matter what the paper said, Flamm would still go downtown to look for her the next day.


    ¡°Why would they go as far as putting the message on a knife though? The writing looks very messy too. Or rather¡­¡±


    As Milkit had pointed out, the words were a mess, and as if it wasn¡¯t written on a flat surface, the strokes went everywhere.


    Flamm tried to think of a person who would so desperately warn her, but she couldn¡¯t think of anyone.


    ¡°Is it just Dain¡¯s underlings playing a prank?¡±


    Perhaps it¡¯s a threat that says ¡°we got you on our sights¡±


    Though as long as Eterna is there, they would not be able to lay their hands on the house.


    ¡°Haa¡­let¡¯s just hit the sack, shall we?¡± suggested Flamm after having lost her spirit.


    To that, Milkit quickly nodded.


    ¡°I think we should. We should be ready for tomorrow, right?¡±


    They turned off the light and went to their respective beds before saying their good nights to each other and closed their eyes.


    However, a while after that¡ª


    Clatter¡­clatter¡­


    Flamm heard the sound of clattering window frames far away.


    Perhaps it was because she hasn¡¯t fallen into deep sleep that she was able to notice it.


    The sound was not enough to wake her up, but because she was in the process of falling asleep, she could notice that sound even more clearly.


    However, as she fell deeper into her sleep, the sound grows distant, and before long, Flamm could not hear it any longer.


    That was a memory without value¡­one that she would not recall when she opens her eyes in the morning.


    The next morning, Flamm don her shirt and hotpants after she had her breakfast and washed her face. After she was done preparing, Milkit and Ink sent her out.


    Her objective was clear; to search for Sarah.


    To begin, she wanted to follow the path Sarah went through, thus she headed for the church in the West District.


    She stood in front of the gate, looking up at the church¡¯s main building.


    Compared to the main building of the church in the Central District, its general look is a lot more modest; it was smaller and it looks more decrepit.


    Straining her ears, Flamm heard the voices of some men from inside the building.


    She circled around to the side of the building and peeked inside through one of the windows.


    There was a sermon taking place; a priest that looks uneasy was preaching to a group of silent, strong-looking men.


    Dain was sitting on the frontmost seat.


    I see¡­this really is quite a disturbing sight, Flamm thought.


    However, it¡¯s not like Flamm could ignore them now that they had claimed to be a believer.


    The priest, too, is certainly facing just as much hardships.


    Flamm stepped away from the window before she risks getting caught.


    She then exited the site and saw the orphanage next to the church.


    From the outside, she could see children playing innocently.


    Her eyes met with one of the little girls playing there, and the little girl smiled.


    Flamm showed a smile and gave a reserved wave, to which the little girl replied by doing the same before turning away to head for where her friends are.


    As she had expected, the number of children present there were not just as small as five.


    She thought that perhaps there is a possibility that there really is an underground facility below this institute, but Flamm alone would not be able to break in there.


    Thus, Flamm turned her heels, this time heading to check the knights¡¯ guardroom.


    She watched the location from afar.


    Two knights that she didn¡¯t know were stationed in that place.


    However, they both looked very bothered as they uneasily surveyed their surroundings.


    If they are the knights¡¯ colleagues, they should know more about the transfer orders of Ed and Johnny.


    Or perhaps they might have heard of rumors about their deaths, if it turned out that they are deceased.


    It would not be strange for them to be anxious since they know they might be next.


    The situation of the surrounding area, however, was nothing strange.


    The West District was nothing more than a tranquil, clean place.


    Flamm spread a map in her head and begins heading for the direction she thought Sarah went for.


    She distanced herself from the church, entered narrow alleyways and followed them until she came out on the roads along the wall.


    As she got closer to the wall, the faces of the people she passed by got worse. The numbers of vagrants she found sprawled on the streets grew and public hygiene gets worse and worse.


    Flamm continued without any other leads, but she ended up at the street where she found the grotesque corpses.


    The pungent smell pierced her nose.


    Perhaps because it was the location where the incident happened, there were not many people around the site of discovery.


    However, as she continued down the street, she found a row of houses made out of scrap woods and miscellaneous junks.


    Sarah must have regretted her decision that led her to involve these civilians, so she must have escaped into another narrow alley.


    Remembering the positions of the corpses, Flamm continued walking until she found the entrance to a narrow, dark alley.


    Again, Flamm stepped forward into the alley Sarah might have ran through.


    However, the alleyway turned to be a maze, which brought further trouble for Flamm to retrace Sarah¡¯s steps.


    She decided to do a thorough search, thus she begun walking through the path on the very right.


    She repeated her process at every fork until she reached a dead end.


    There was a huge stone wall in front of her, which means that there was no other way out.


    It was an ordinary dead end¡­or so it should be.


    However¡ª


    ¡°¡­this is clearly a trace of combat.¡±


    There were countless gashes on the wall, as if it was deeply cut by a very sharp blade.


    ¡­No, not only the wall, but the ground, too, was full of those gashes.


    Flamm rubbed her finger on those gashes, trying to confirm something.


    ¡°¡­they all vary in depth and size, so it would be weird if all of these are made with the same weapon¡­then could it be that they used a spell?¡±


    Sharp blades¡­perhaps it was a wind-based spell, or a water cutter-type spell.


    No, there would still be a possibility for it to be an earth-based spell.


    Whatever spell it was, judging by the damage it did, the person that cast that spell was no amateur.


    ¡°Sarah-chan didn¡¯t cast this¡­then who could it possible be?¡±


    No matter how much she tried to look into it afterwards, she could not come up with any more clues.


    She even tried to look at the other routes she could possibly went through, and went to other areas to cover a wider search area to look for the Sarah¡¯s traces until the sun eventually started to sink¡ªyet in the end, she was still unable to find Sarah.


    Flamm dropped her shoulders and dragged her legs back home.


    As soon as she reached home, she opened the front door languidly, and with her spiritless voice, she said; ¡°I¡¯m home¡­¡±


    As she did, Milkit lightly jogged up to her and welcomed her back with a smile.


    ¡°Welcome back, Master.¡±


    Flamm got drawn in by her smile and she turned to smile herself.


    Milkit truly is the one for her.


    The feelings inside Flamm¡¯s heart grow stronger day by day just by having her here.


    ¡°I was just about to go shopping. What would you like to do, Master?¡±


    Milkit was holding the basket she usually brought along whenever she went shopping.


    Perhaps she was waiting until Flamm returned home before she goes shopping.


    The red ribbon on her chest coupled with the maid clothes she wears made her look like she¡¯s the servant of a rich household, while as a matter of fact, she was the partner of Flamm the adventurer.


    The outfit she wears now is not the one Flamm bought for her, though she recently changed her outfit every day, which provided comfort for Flamm.


    However, her fatigue that built up today could not be healed with just that alone.


    ¡°¡­sorry, I¡¯d like to rest at home.¡±


    She wanted to go together, but her body disagrees.


    ¡°Understood. Please rest easy, master. I shall go together with Eterna-san.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back¡±


    Eterna suddenly popped her head out from the living room and said that.


    Flamm saw the two out and went for the living room. There, she sat in front of Ink who was playing with puzzles while wearing Flamm¡¯s baggy hand-me-down shirt.


    ¡°Welcome back, Flamm.¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­I¡¯m back.¡±


    ¡°How was it? Did you find anything on Sarah?¡±


    ¡°Mostly nothing. I searched through every corner and I couldn¡¯t find Sarah-chan anywhere. I didn¡¯t think I would find her in a day, but this is really draining me.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­but I think you will definitely find her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think so too.¡±


    If she doesn¡¯t think so, she wouldn¡¯t be able to bring herself to do it.


    Perhaps because of her fatigue, Flamm lay sprawled on the table.


    Meanwhile, Ink stopped her hands and thinks, probably because she was worried, and it seems like she understood that the only thing she could do int he moment is to let her rest.


    The girl rolled up her baggy sleeves and continued to play with her puzzles again; this time, being very careful not to create any noises.


    Milkit and Eterna hurried home to where Flamm is waiting after they finished shopping.


    Eterna held a bag full of ingredients, while Milkit repeatedly glanced at her, seemingly feeling bad for making her hold it.


    ¡°Umm¡­is it really okay for you to hold it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I have more strength than you anyways¡±, said Eterna, showing off the biceps on her left arm.


    That arm was very thin, but despite her Strength status being comparably lower than her other stats, it still easily exceeds 400.


    This much baggage is nothing for her.


    ¡°Either way, you bought a lot of Flamm¡¯s favorite, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I think I have to cheer my master up.¡±


    ¡°What a wholesome mutual love.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it! It¡¯s just¡­I just think that I want to return the favor, even for just a bit.¡±


    ¡°How admirable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m master¡¯s slave after all¡±, she said, puffing her chest while putting her hand on it.


    Is it really something you would say so happily?


    ¡°Sounds like the two of you had a really wonderful encounter.¡±


    ¡°Yes, without a doubt.¡±


    Their encounter was in a hellish place.


    By chance, the two of them survived, and the two joined hands to ease each other¡¯s wounds.


    Milkit did not choose; she obediently went with the flow, just as she always did.


    Because of that, in the end she did not truly understand what happened, but her life turned for the better.


    ¡°Ooh, this is a rare combination. What a trouble. Sooo troublesome. Why is a the great hero Eterna Lynnbow taking the side of that little girl?¡±


    A man came out of the nearby alleyway, speaking so unnaturally with open arms as if he¡¯s a stage actor.


    He was tall but thin, and he had a light brown hair.


    Perhaps because it¡¯s his off day, he was only clad in a leather armor he put over his shoulder.


    He had a 20 cm dagger on his waist, a bowgun on his back and a wooden buckler strapped to his arm.


    Not that his equipment would matter.


    The problem was who he is.


    ¡°Dain Phineas¡­!¡±


    Milkit showed a rare aggression, glaring sharply at Dain.


    She was her master¡¯s enemy, and that was enough to affect her opinion of him.


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    Despite saying that emotionlessly, she concentrated her mana on her palm.


    She was being vigilant, for she didn¡¯t know how far these people¡¯s cowardice would go after all.


    ¡°Hold on, hold on, we just meet by chance today. I don¡¯t mean to fight. I know the difference of our skills anyways.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you come to us?¡±


    ¡°I want to talk. It¡¯s something beneficial for the both of us.¡±


    ¡°We refuse. Let¡¯s go home, Eterna-san.¡±


    Eterna nodded, and the two was about to pass through without batting their eyes toward Dain.


    However, the man grinned, and as if acting once again, he said;


    ¡°Aah, how regrettable. Flamm was searching for Sarah Anvilen3 the whole day, didn¡¯t she? Don¡¯t you wanna know how she went missing?¡±


    ¡°Sarah-san¡­!¡±


    Milkit unconsciously stopped on her track.


    ¡°¡­Milkit, don¡¯t stop.¡±


    ¡°But¡­!¡±


    Milkit, too, enjoyed the moment they spent together at home.


    She, too, wants to find her.


    She wants to talk again, play again, and eat together again.


    Besides, Flamm had searched for her so extensively that she got very exhausted.


    If she could get any information¡­


    If she could be useful even just for a bit¡ª


    ¡°I like an obedient slave, you know. You¡¯ve gained some weight, and your face is healed already, right? I bet you¡¯ll fetch a great price if you sell yourself.¡±


    Eterna glared at Dain.


    That intensity of her glare was enough to paralyze the man.


    But where could Dain possibly get information about both MIlkit and Sarah?


    He would usually boast that there¡¯s nothing he doesn¡¯t know in the West District, and despite his information network deteriorating, it seems like it¡¯s still functioning properly.


    ¡°Uhhehe, scawwy. I don¡¯t need to fear anything now though. I didn¡¯t think it would make me so relaxed knowing I¡¯m being protected. I was the one doing the protecting until now, you know.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. Tell me about Sarah-san.¡±


    ¡°Kuhe, hehe, don¡¯t be in such a hurry. I¡¯ll proooperly explain it to you.¡±


    His expression turned way more vulgar than earlier, so much so that Milkit unconsciously scowled when she sees him. It was a truly shameless expression that carries no dignity.


    ¡°The day she went missing, she went for the church in the West District, and she asked the knights about a girl called Ink¡±, said Dain. He took a break after that to check on the two women¡¯s faces.


    The man was looking for a reaction from the two when he mentioned the name Ink.


    However, the two women did not want to show him any sorts of responses.


    Eterna thought logically while Milkit thought intuitively, but they both came to a conclusion that they could not give any hints that Ink is currently living in their house.


    It is highly likely that Dain and his men are searching for Ink.


    That was why they are trying to make Dain keep talking to get the information they want.


    Thus, the two tried to keep up a poker face.


    Not seeing the reaction he wanted, Dain clicked his tongue and continued talking.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details of what she talked about, but the knights only knew about some rumors, and that seems to be the trigger.¡±


    ¡°Trigger?¡±


    Milkit unconsciously asked back.


    ¡°Yeah, for something like an excessive, automated self-defense. That thing was kind, and it was trying to protect its allies by doing something excessive. They only distinguish themselves and and us.¡±


    The two was unable to comprehend Dain¡¯s abstract description.


    Dain then muttered ¡°Seriously¡­¡± with a bold smile and started talking more descriptively.


    ¡°The distinction is not between the church or anything other than that, but it¡¯s between the Spiral Children and everything else. We are siding with the children, so we can protect them.¡±


    ¡°Spiral Children? Could it possibly be the church¡¯s human experiment?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that. Aah, so you knew about it, huh. No, that¡¯s not it, the conditions are met. Ah¡­what I mean is¡­that. You¡¯re on a different team.¡±


    ¡°Team¡­¡±


    ¡°The Spiral Children are those whose hearts has been replaced by a¡­Core or something? It¡¯s a general term for the monster made out of whatever that thing is. There are teams for these research, these includes some people who made great results, and they set up a certain facility under the capital¡ª¡±


    Dain is blabbering about crucial information for some reason.


    Eterna tilted her head.


    Why would this man go out of his way and provide them with such information?


    What is the meaning behind his actions?


    As Eterna was trying to make sense of the situation,


    Plop,


    She could hear something dropping.


    ¡°I¡¯m smart, you see, so I thought of something. Even if I don¡¯t ask, or investigate about you, as long as I give you some information, the conditions have been met.¡±


    The man knocked the temple of his head with his index fingers repeated.y


    Splat, splat, splat,


    A large amount of something fell from the roofs.


    ¡­no, not just that.


    They appeared from the ground, from the alleyways and from the windows of the houses and rolled their way closer toward the two.


    ¡°Hihi¡­hiHAHAHAHAHA! They¡¯re all here, you know? You should run quickly¡­before you turn into those stinkin¡¯ disgusting corpses!!¡±


    As those words flew out of his mouth, Dain showed his most rotten smile of the day.


    Stinking, disgusting corpses.


    The two have heard about the grotesque corpses found in the West District from Flamm.


    If what Dain said was true, then touching those things would be dangerous.


    ¡°Hii¡­iii¡­.¡±


    ¡°Milkit, we¡¯re running away! Hold on!¡±


    ¡°Y¡­ye¡­s¡­¡±


    Eterna carried Milkit who was so scared that she could barely speak.


    Milkit, on the other hand, tried desperately to move her paralyzed arms around Eterna¡¯s neck.


    After confirming that Milkit had held on to her securely, Eterna infused mana into her feet and kicked the ground with her toes.


    ¡°Water Needle!¡±


    Water in the form of countless needles protrude from the cracks on the ground.


    The needles accurately pierced through the approaching eyeballs, killing them in the process.


    ¡°Whoa!¡±


    Dain jumped away and shot a hook from his buckler. The anchor hooks itself to a nearby building and pulled the man towards it.


    ¡°Seems like I overstayed my welcome. Hero sama, slave-chan, please do your best in running away. HYAHAHAHAHAHA!¡±


    His laughter echoed as he distanced hiimself away with his grappling hook.


    Eterna was about to cast a spell to pursue him, but¡ª


    ¡°Eterna-san, they¡¯re still multiplying!¡±


    ¡°Not a problem.¡±


    She must fight and protect Milkit.


    She has to forget abaout Dain for now and take care of the eyeballs attacking her in huge numbers.


    She infused her feet with mana again, but this time, she kicked the ground with her heel and cast her spell.


    ¡°Aqua Shelter!¡±


    The water that emerged from the ground surrounded the two to make a wall.


    It was a defensive spell to defend themselves from outside attacks.


    The wall was made of water, but it was so condensed that normal attacks wouldn¡¯t be able to pass through.


    The eyeballs are still growing in numbers.


    It would be difficult for Eterna to cast large-scale spells since the two of them are in the middle of the city.


    Thus, she planned to approach the point where the eyeballs are emerging from as much as possible and crush them all at once


    However¡ª


    ¡°They¡¯re cutting us off¡­¡±


    The eyeballs spotted their prey and made a beeline towards them.


    Just like it did to the bodies of its victims, they tried to encroach themselves into the wall of water.


    ¡°What should we do, Eterna-san?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no end to them¡­we should run for now. Splash!¡±


    The ground quaked again, and this time, the large amount of water threw Eterna to the sky as the top part of the shelter opened.


    ¡°Hia¡­?!¡± Milkit yelped, not being able to say anything.


    She was holding onto Eterna, there were no worries that she would fall.


    The two landed on a nearby roof, and she immediately cast another Splash to jump to the next roof.


    The eyeballs, however, paid no heed to the place and kept pursuing them.


    The moment they thought they had shook them off, they appeared out of nowhere and surrounded them again in no time.


    The person that appeared on Milkit¡¯s mind was none other than Flamm.


    The girl would definitely grow more depressed as she kept waiting for the two to get home.


    She prayed that her master not do anything reckless while the two¡¯s escape had barely just begun.


    After an hour¡­


    After two hours¡­


    Even after three hours¡­


    The two have yet to return.


    Ink¡¯s stomach has been grumbling, but not once had she said the words ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡± in the room that was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere.


    Dinner time had long passed, so it is certain that Milkit and Eterna had been involved in some sort of trouble.


    However, in this timing?


    What if they were pursued by the eyeballs just like Sarah?


    Flamm hung her head with her elbows on the table.


    ¡°Uu¡­uuuuuuhhhh¡­¡­.!¡± groaned the girl, tearing on her hair.


    What had she done?


    She thought that she needed to look into the church.


    She thought that she must do something about Dain.


    However¡­that was all she has done. She hasn¡¯t done anything to any of them.


    Yet¡­What did she do wrong? Where did she go wrong? The girl herself does not know.


    While she was clueless, she lost Sarah, Dain and his boys turned weird, and now something happened to Eterna and Milkit.


    ¡­yes, even to Milkit.


    ¡°Aaah¡­AAAAAHHH¡­! Should I have gone together with Milkit¡­!? But¡­but¡­!!!¡±


    The situation would be hopeless even for Eterna, so there would be no chance for Flamm to solve the issue.


    She was powerless. Powerless¡­Powerless!


    No matter where she is, she would only continue to be useless.


    Nothing¡­has changed.


    ¡°In the end¡­I¡¯m still crawling in the abyss¡­¡±


    She clawed at the slave crest on her cheek so strongly that she hurts herself.


    She felt the pain, and the tips of her finger was bloodied, but thanks to her curse, the scar immediately disappeared.


    ¡°Even with this power¡­I still couldn¡¯t protect her¡­!¡±


    ¡°Flamm¡­¡±


    In the depths of her despair, Ink was clueless on how she should call out to her.


    She wanted to console her, yet the words won¡¯t come out.


    Irritated, she clenched her fists under the table.


    BAM!


    All of a sudden, Flamm stood up so vigorously that she knocked her chair over.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go look for them. Ink, you absolutely must not leave the house.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait.¡±


    The sky was dark; looking for them by herself would be reckless.


    Flamm went to another room and took out a lantern before departing.


    Sending her out was Ink, who could only worry as the girl left the houes.


    Despite the light she had on her hand, her field of vision was very limited.


    Roaming about in the dark, Flamm repeatedly called out Milkit and Eterna¡¯s name.


    She walked through the route they usually go through to go shopping and even went through the branching alleyways to look for them.


    Yet just like when she was looking for Sarah, she couldn¡¯t find any clue.


    The only ones she could find were puddles of water on the road.


    It did not rain today, so it might be the trace of Eterna¡¯s water-based spells.


    However¡­where did they go beyond that, and who could be pursuing them even now?


    She spent hours searching, yet she was still unable to find them.


    Flamm was still fatigued from her search during the day, so she felt her body growing heavier by the second. Her legs felt numb, and her breathing turned erratic.


    The night breeze lightly cooled her head, and around the time the clock strikes twelve, she returned to the place Ink was waiting.


    The house is still illuminated by the lights.


    It would normally be way past bedtime, but perhaps the little girl is still awake, waiting for her to come home.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m back,¡± she called out with feeble voice.


    There were no replies, but she could hear footsteps from inside.


    As she looked forward, she could see Ink¡¯s figure, trying to climb up to the second floor.


    ¡°Ink?¡±


    Flamm tried to call out to the girl, but the latter did not stop and disappeared to the second floor.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    She forced herself awake, so could it be that she¡¯s so sleepy that she¡¯s barely staying up?


    However, if that¡¯s the case, her gait was too steady.


    ¡­no reply.


    Clatter, clatter¡­


    However, she could hear the sound of the window being opened.


    Ink is definitely in there.


    ¡°Hey, Ink, can I come in?¡±


    Again, she didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming in, okay?¡±


    She felt bad for going in without permission, but Flamm still opened the door and entered the room.


    The room wasn¡¯t illuminated.


    The first thing she saw in the dark was Ink¡¯s small back.


    The girl was leaning out of the window, staring down at the alley behind the house.


    Flamm walked closer and said; ¡°what¡¯s wrong? Are you looking for Milki¡ª¡±, but then she stopped dead on her tracks.


    Squelch¡­squelch¡­


    She heard a sound she felt far too familiar.


    Her body stiffened, and the muscles on her face tensed.


    Her blood curdled, and chills ran down her spine.


    ¡°I-Ink¡­?¡±


    She summoned her courage and walked up to her.


    The sound¡­got louder.


    It sounds like a bunch of flesh wriggling as it spits out something.


    Squelch¡­splash¡­splatter, splatter.


    The difference between this sound and the sound that thing made is that this time, something spilled to the floor this time.


    What in the world is happening?


    What is Ink doing?


    She didn¡¯t want to know.


    She didn¡¯t want to see.


    However, she could not turn away.


    Flamm took another step.


    The sound grows louder yet again.


    The floorboards creaked, and she could feel its vibration transmitted to her sole.


    She swallowed her saliva.


    The sticky feeling passes through her esophagus and down to her stomach.


    The sweat on her forehead flows down through her cheek and down to her jaw.


    Her breathing was short, as if her lungs were convulsing.


    Everything felt so¡­eerily vivid.


    That vividness were combined with her hyperventilating to the point of dizziness.


    She was palpitating so bad that she might as well wish she had lost her consciousness, but despite that, Flamm reached out to the girl.


    Her finger touched the shirt she lent the girl.


    As the cloth wrinkled to her touch and rubbed Ink¡¯s skin, the little girl finally noticed Flamm¡­and turned her head.


    ¡°Squirt¡­squirt¡­splat¡­¡±


    In front of her was¡­a vortex of flesh.


    The complete exact same one that she saw on the Ogre and on the corpses she found in the research facility.


    The flesh was throbbing as it violently spews blood.


    However, that was not all.


    It was also spewing out a huge amount of eyeballs.


    ¡°Aa¡­aaa¡­¡­¡±


    What did she do wrong, and here did she go wrong?


    Flamm finally found the answer.


    The blood spewing out dyed the shirt red, while the eyeballs dropped straight to the ground all with a splat.


    That sight immediately overwrites Flamm¡¯s memory of the time she spent together with Ink.


    ¡°U¡­.a¡­aaahhh¡­aaAAAAHH¡­!¡±


    Nausea loomed over her as she squeezed out a groan.


    Her body was bathed in cold sweat, and tears flowed out endlessly from her eyes.


    However, despite seeing her grim resolve, there were no changes to the thing that was Ink.


    It stared at Flamm briefly, and as if it lost interest, she leaned out of the window once again and spewed out more eyeballs towards the ground.


    ¡°Aaa¡­kah¡­a-aaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!¡±


    Flamm could not hold herself back and screamed.


    She then dashed out of the room, and as if she wanted to pretend that what she saw didn¡¯t happen, she slammed the door shut.


    The sound of the door echoed as it separated the hallway and that room.


    Flamm leaned her back on the door and fell to her knees¡­though she still could hear the sound from behind the door.


    The sound of something wriggling, and the sound of something being spat out.


    She closed her ears with her hands.


    Her sweaty palm felt sticky and unpleasant¡­but it was better than having to hear that sound.


    ¡°Why¡­why¡­whyyyyy¡­!?¡± she desperately asked.


    To who? Nobody knows.


    Anyone is fine¡­she just need an answer.


    At this point, she would even accept an answer from any sorts of villains.


    Yet there are no longer anybody else.


    Not Sarah, not Milkit, not Eterna¡­¡­and not even Ink.


    There are no one else in this house.


    The only ones who are in the house are Flamm and someone who was Ink¡ªA monster who she believed was a girl called Ink.


    ¡°U¡­uee¡­Ha¡­haa¡­Ugh¡­ulph¡­¡­ha¡­haaa¡­¡±


    Despite her desperate effort to close her ears, she could still faintly hear the sound.


    She thought she was already in the in the bottom of the pit of despair.


    However, the depth of that pit goes way deeper.


    And there she was.


    In the depth deeper than the bottom.


    Her sweat, her tears, her saliva, even the contents of her stomach along with gastric acid came gushing out.

 CH 22

    Flamm lost her sense of time.


    Clatter,


    By then, the door behind her shook.


    The doorknob clattered as it twists, and the door itself hits the girl on the back several times.


    ¡°Huh? The door isn¡¯t opening¡­but why? It shouldn¡¯t be locked though¡­?¡±


    She could hear Ink¡¯s voice from inside the room.


    Flamm¡¯s body twitched.


    Should she step away from the door?


    However¡­what¡¯s next?


    There¡¯s only one answer.


    Ink is, without a doubt, something similar to that monster she saw in the research facility.


    Then¡­Then¡ª


    ¡°Wah, it opens¡­huh? Is someone there?¡±


    Flamm stepped away from the door, and while still crouching on one knee, she took out her Soul Eater.


    She pointed the edge of the black blade towards the girl.


    ¡°Haa¡­haa¡­haa¡­¡±


    ¡°I could only hear breathing¡­Is it you, Flamm? Hey, please say something.¡±


    Her face was¡ªInk¡¯s normal face.


    Is there a requirement for her to show this face? Or did she change it intentionally?


    She doesn¡¯t know¡­but she can no longer believe anything.


    The one thing she can be sure is the sight she saw earlier¡­the nightmarish sight where her face turned into a vortex spewing eyeballs.


    Sarah had disappeared.


    Milkit and Eterna did not return.


    Countless other people had also died.


    All of that was because of her.


    Flamm stood up.


    She put strength on both hands that gripped the hilt of her sword.


    She just needs to swing it down.


    If she does¡­¡­would it be enough to kill her?


    No, if she is truly similar to that thing, her open wounds would turn into another vortex. She would not die until her core has been destroyed.


    Where would her core be? Would it be in her heart? Or could it possibly be somewhere else?


    Flamm would need to confirm its location, so she would need to cut her up¡­¡­she¡¯d need to¡­cut her¡­!


    ¡°You¡¯re there, right? Welcome back, Flamm. I¡¯m sorry, looks like I fell asleep last night. Maybe I sleepwalked, because when I woke up I was already on the second floor. It happens a lot in the past, you know? That¡¯s why everyone used to scold me saying ¡°your sleeping habits are so bad!¡±¡±


    ¡°¡­kh¡­fuh¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh Flamm, are you pulling a prank on me? My ears are great so I could hear just fine, you know? Even if you¡¯re this quiet, I can hear the sound of your heartbeat.¡±


    Ink talked to Flamm as she always does.


    Does she kill her?


    Can she even kill this girl?


    Could it be that what she saw was someone who is not Ink?


    Yes, she was taken over.


    That thing emerged when she was asleep, intentionally showing itself to frighten Flamm.


    It all makes sense when she puts it like that.


    It makes sense¡ªbut what would it mean?


    ¡°Ink¡­¡±


    In the end, Flamm called out her name.


    A relieved expression floats up to her face, though the next instant, her cheeks puffed with anger.


    ¡°You finally replied. I would¡¯ve been worried if it wasn¡¯t you, you know?¡± she said, showing an expression that befits a human of her age.


    She¡¯s a person.


    Rather, what would she be if she¡¯s not a person?


    It could stay as a monster, yet why did it turn back into a human?


    It must have been to corner Flamm, or to throw her off her guard.


    Though if that is its objective, it could just kill her directly when they spent their time living together.


    So why did it not do that?


    Why? Why? Why?


    Flamm didn¡¯t know anything. No matter how long she thought about it, the answer wouldn¡¯t come up, and thus, she couldn¡¯t accept it.


    ¡°Judging by how you are, I guess you didn¡¯t find the other two. It¡¯s unfortunate, but they might come back when it gets brighter tomorrow¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, Ink¡­did you not remember?¡±


    And thus, she asked.


    From the pits of despair, she reached her hands out.


    Ink tilts her head.


    ¡°Remember what?¡±


    With her parched throat, Flamm replied; ¡°That you¡­turned¡­into a monster¡­that spews eyeballs¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­What? If you¡¯re joking, that¡¯s too far, Flamm!¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not joking, and that wasn¡¯t an illusion either! Until just now, you really turned into a monster in front of me! I saw it!¡±


    Flamm¡¯s griefs echoed in the house where none other than the two are present.


    That voice of her faintly leaked outside.


    ¡°F-Flamm¡­That¡¯s not¡­¡±


    ¡°It is possible! I didn¡¯t mistake anything. I heard it, I smelled it, and I even remembered the temperature! You clearly weren¡¯t human back then! You were a monster that spits out eyeballs! Hey, tell me the truth. What are you, Ink? Where did you come from!?¡±


    Ink probably could tell from the tone of voice that Flamm was telling the truth.


    Countless times has Ink whispered ¡°that¡¯s not it¡­that¡¯s not it¡­¡± as she shook her head.


    Placing her hand on the wall to grasp her position, she stepped away from Flamm.


    ¡°I¡¯m a human!¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not!¡±


    Her words were met with an instant denial.


    Neither of the two are lying to each other. The two were confronting each other precisely because they both believed that they weren¡¯t lying.


    ¡°I¡¯m a humaann¡­¡±


    ¡°Those eyeballs were the one who chased after Sarah.¡±


    Flamm kept spouting her thoughts with anger, while its target, Ink, could only be baffled by the sudden abhorrence from the person she believed in.


    Yet¡­the girl did not think that this hatred is irrational.


    She had a sliver of thought that perhaps she¡¯s right, which only made Flamm¡¯s words hurt more.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°And now Milkit and Eterna is not coming back!¡±


    ¡°No! You¡¯re wrong! You¡¯re wrong! Why won¡¯t you believe mee!?¡±


    ¡°Obviously because I saw it! Are you telling me to believe you after showing me that!?¡±


    Flamm didn¡¯t even want to say this if she doesn¡¯t have to.


    She would believe in the girl as long as she could.


    She thought that this could be a place Ink could belong to, just like how Flamm and Milkit found a place they belong after their encounter with each other.


    However¡­everything¡­completely crumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m not a monster¡­I¡¯m not a monster¡­!¡±, said Ink, and she turned to climb down the stairs.


    As she did, she tripped over and tumbled all the way to the first floor, and as her entire body throbs with pain, tears spilled from her sewn eyes.


    She quickly wipes her tears away with her shirt¡­the shirt that had a sweet scent of Flamm, the person who lent it to her.


    The memories of the past several days floods back to her that only made her even more sorrowful.


    That sorrow got her up to her feet and pushed her to run down the hallway, and despite staggering as her shoulders glanced off walls, she passed the entrance and dashed outside barefooted.


    The chill of the night feels like it¡¯s telling her¡­that she¡¯s in solitude.


    Flamm didn¡¯t even try to stop the girl.


    Her Soul Eater dropped to the ground with a loud thud as she dropped to her knees.


    She shut her eyes and raised her face, and just like Ink, Flamm cried.


    The girl herself didn¡¯t know for what reason does her tears spill.


    The combination of various laments materializes in the form of those teardrops.


    ¡°Kh¡­AAAAAAAAHHHH!! AAHH¡­AAAHH¡­AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!¡±


    Her feelings that couldn¡¯t go anywhere turned into a yell, and Flamm roared as if she has lost her mind.


    She held her head with both hands and placed her forehead on the floor, before once again, she screamed.


    The girl smashed her forehead on the floor repeatedly until she bleeds, punishing herself with the pain it brought¡­and with her withering voice¡­she screamed once more.


    As Ink was about to leave, she inadvertently stopped on her tracks as she heard the voice from inside the house.


    She was not the only one lamenting.


    She was not the only one suffering.


    The feeling behind that scream was neither a lie nor transient; that feeling was truly based on something she experienced.


    In other words, Flamm was telling the truth.


    It was not a dream.


    Ink was convinced¡­that Flamm had truly saw her turn into a monster.


    ¡°Fu¡­guh¡­uh¡­uu¡­¡­¡±


    Ink bit her lip, and she weeps as her shoulders tremble.


    She wanted to believe that it was not possible.


    Yet at the same time, she understood that the facility she was raised in was not normal.


    The girl didn¡¯t know what they have done with her or for what reason had she been raised there.


    All because she was an ostracized, good-for-nothing.


    Though if she knew that this would happen, she wouldn¡¯t have ran away.


    She would continue to live like a clueless livestock in a small garden.


    She wouldn¡¯t have gotten the chance of obtaining the happiness of an ordinary person, but at the very least, she wouldn¡¯t have to go through this suffering.


    ¡°Fla¡ªMMPH!?¡±


    Just when she was about to take the first step back into the house, someone bound her hands behind her back and covered her mouth.


    Judging by the size of the hand and the strength of the person, it was likely to be a man.


    Despite her struggle and resistance, it doesn¡¯t look like she could break free, though when the hand that covers her mouth loosened, the girl screamed desperately.


    Flamm heard Ink¡¯s scream as she lay dazed with her forehead on the floor.


    Her scream was immediately interrupted, but it was definitely her scream.


    Is she perhaps being attacked by someone?


    I have to save her, she thought on reflex and immediately stood up.


    However, she stopped herself.


    ¡°Haa¡­ah¡­what..what would I do after saving her¡­?¡±


    What would she do after she had driven the girl out as if she¡¯s a monster?


    ¡°¡­aah,¡±


    The fake ¡°justice¡± in her heart lifts her head.


    That¡¯s the type of person she is.


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    What is she doing, playing hero even when Milkit is not around?


    Flamm, too, didn¡¯t understand herself.


    However, she doesn¡¯t seem to be able to hold herself back.


    ¡°I still¡­have to save her¡­even though I know I¡¯ll regret it¡­!¡± she thought, leaving behind her reasons.


    This means she must not think of what happens after.


    She just needs to think about it when she gets there.


    For now, she needs to save Ink so that she can have a future where she can choose whether to let her live or kill her.


    Flamm descends the stairs as her Soul Eater disperses into thin air and returned to being a seal on her palm.


    The moment she reached the hallway on the first floor, she ran straight outside as fast as she could.


    As she took a leap outside, light particles converged on her feet, and the Epic leather boots equips itself,


    She landed sliding, and immediately, she looked around her.


    Ink was¡ªthere, with her arms bound on her back by a man with a large build.


    ¡°INK!¡±


    ¡°Whoops, there she comes, huh.¡±


    ¡°Dain¡­! What are you doing here!?¡±


    ¡°What? Isn¡¯t it obvious that I¡¯m here to find this runaway guinea pig? I felt that she might be here and turns out I¡¯m right. Smart, aren¡¯t I?¡± Dain said.


    He tightens his grip on Ink who suffers as she writhed.


    ¡°Let go of Ink!¡±


    ¡°Shit, I¡¯ve got my own shit to deal with too y¡¯know? ¡®sides, this runt came out running herself. Did¡¯ya have a fight or somethin¡¯? Can¡¯t say I don¡¯t feel ya. I heard ya¡¯ sayin ¡°YOU MONSTER¡± and shit. Poor runt. It¡¯s true though, HYAHAHAHAHA!¡±


    ¡°You¡­YOU BASTARDD!!¡±


    ¡°Ooh, scary. Sorry that I spit facts.¡±


    Despite what he said, Dain still looks as easygoing as ever.


    ¡°Ey, Flamm, do you know why this brat is called a useless failiure?¡±


    ¡°No, and I don¡¯t want to know!¡±


    ¡°Welp, just listen for a tick, will ya. This girl doesn¡¯t know as much as you do that she¡¯s a murderous monster. You know why?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­!!¡±


    Murderous monster.


    Hearing those words, Ink responded as she faced down.


    She must not have wanted to know.


    Yet Dain didn¡¯t pay any attention to her¡­no, he rather looked like he¡¯s enjoying himself as he started telling the truth.


    ¡°It¡¯s because the Origin¡¯s power can only manifest itself if she¡¯s in a state of ¡°deep sleep¡±.  Origin¡¯s power can only control over her body if she¡¯s unconscious. Even when she¡¯s livin¡¯ with ya, those gentle eyeballs they call automatic defense function spat out by that disgustin¡¯ face only functions when every one of ya was sleepin¡¯. Funny ain¡¯t it? The one creating the things that corners yer friend and even that slave yer protecting is right under yer nose the entire time! AHAHAHAHAHAHAH!


    ¡°You¡­you knew about Milkit and Eterna!?¡±


    ¡°Knew? I was the one who tricked them to have the eyes on their tail. They¡¯ve probably turned into those disgusting pile of meat right about now!¡±


    ¡°¡ªkh! I¡¯ll kill you¡­I¡¯LL DEFINITELY KILL YOUUUU!¡±


    Flamm took out her sword and charged at Dain.


    ¡°Whoa there, I have a duty to send this runaway monster back. I¡¯ll leave the distractions to these guys.¡±


    Right as Dain said his mark, several of his men hiding nearby revealed themselves.


    Their eyes are all dead.


    It¡¯s likely that the church had done something to them.


    How pitiful.


    Even though they were Dain¡¯s allies that had believed in him for such a long time, their consciousness had been taken away as they waited for church service, and now they¡¯re left being treated as a tool.


    ¡°The employer said to not kill Flamm Apricot¡­welp, no matter, I myself want to kill you, but let me give you a warning.¡±


    ¡°¡­warning?¡±


    ¡°Yeap, I¡¯m just being kind to ya. Anyways, don¡¯t you lay your hands on those guys. Run, and don¡¯t even think of going after me. Those guys are officially church members.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to beg for your life!?¡±


    ¡°Hahahah! Of course not! I¡¯m saying this with you in mind, ya¡¯ know? I could control myself as long as I see those eyes of yours. Welp, do your best surviving!¡±


    ¡°Mmmpphh!!¡±


    Leaving those words behind, Dain took Ink and ran away.


    The girl in question stretched her hand out towards Flamm as if she¡¯s begging to be saved.


    ¡°IINNNKKK!!!!!¡±


    Flamm yelled the girl¡¯s name and stepped forward, but Dain¡¯s subordinates stood in her way.


    About 10 men surrounded Flamm, each holding various close-combat weapons like shortswords, spears and blunt weapons.


    There are even some men wielding bows, bowguns and slings standing further away and on the rooftops.


    One could consider it overkill considering their opponent is a lone girl.


    Flamm scanned one of the man nearby to confirm their abilities.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Gauguin Torres


    Attribute: Fire


    Strength: 611


    Intelligence: 422


    Endurance: 580


    Agility: 412


    Intuition: 457


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    His total number is 2,482, a strong C-rank.


    He¡¯s a quite capable adventurer; perhaps he¡¯s the leading figure of the group.


    Just to be safe, she decided to scan another man.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Gauguin Torres


    Attribute: Fire


    Strength: 611


    Intelligence: 422


    Endurance: 580


    Agility: 412


    Intuition: 457


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­the exact same!?¡±


    Is that even possible?


    The same given and family name aside, is it possible that they have the same value on their statuses?


    She tried scanning the person next to him, and¡ª


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Gauguin Torres


    Attribute: Fire


    Strength: 611


    Intelligence: 422


    Endurance: 580


    Agility: 412


    Intuition: 457


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    It also shows the same result.


    This means that despite their difference in appearances, Dain¡¯s subordinates that surround her all had the same strength.


    ¡°This must have also been the church¡¯s doing.¡±


    This iis definitely the power of those ¡°cores¡±.


    Dain sold his friends so he could be one of the church members.


    She could tell by looking that these guys have probably lost their minds.


    As if there are people who wishes to be like this.


    Flam gnashed her teeth.


    She wouldn¡¯t say that these people are innocent.


    However, these guys all look up to Dain in one way or another.


    And he betrayed them to save himself¡­


    ¡°Everything about him¡­is unforgivable¡­¡±


    She empowered herself with her anger and leaped forward to charge at the men.


    This is the first time for her to fight a large number of people.


    Her opponents are adventurers that had slightly lower status than hers, and if she considers their number, there¡¯s no way she could win.


    She had to use all of her advantages to see a chance of victory, be it her regenerative power or her Reverse spell.


    As a start, she needs to whittle down the enemies to take away their superior number.


    Fwish!


    Flamm swung her Soul Eater horizontally, but the men who were in range of her blade avoided by leaping away.


    The moment Flamm swung her sword, she could hear a whistling sound coming from above.


    She saw an arrow on the edge of her field of vision, aimed at her feet.


    She charged her mana, and when she was hit with a sharp pain,


    ¡°Reversal!¡±


    She casted her spell.


    As a result, the arrow changed its direction and shoots back towards its owner, but the man twists his body and evaded.


    Flamm clicked her tongue instinctively.


    She could¡¯ve finished one off just like that, but it didn¡¯t happen.


    She had known that the men would attack her like this, that¡¯s why she could cast her Reversal spell.


    If that was a surprise attack, she wouldn¡¯t have managed to pull it off.


    She steeled herself again immediately afterwards.


    The moment the man she slashed at retreated, another man wielding a spear in front of him thrusts his weapon towards her body.


    With a stab, Flamm purposely took on the hit.


    There¡¯s only one way for her to overcome his advantage of the long reach of his weapon, so she grit her teeth and forcibly pushed forward.


    The sharp end of the spear buries itself into her shoulder.


    Her blood spews, and the heated feel from the stabbing brought her severe pain.


    The girl showed a pained expression for a split second, but then she exhaled and suppressed her feelings.


    To make sure that the man won¡¯t take the spear back easily, she held onto the spearhandle and robbed the man of his weapon.


    She confirmed that the man had released the spear, she pulled it out from her shoulder and threw it on the ground.


    At the same time, two men wielding a sword each charged in from both sides, and another man wielding a spear is closing in from behind.


    She had no choice but to go forward.


    Flamm struggled through the flurry of blades attacking her and swung her sword towards the unarmed man.


    Flamm thought that her rush was imperfect, so the man must be able to dodge this strike¡ªbut,


    ¡°Fu¡­!¡±


    The man charged in, and with a twist of his fist, he hit Flamm on her abdomen.


    ¡°Ga¡­ha¡­!?¡±


    The impact shook her internal organs, expelling all the air she had in her lungs.


    His movement is too skillful¡­so his primary weapon wasn¡¯t a spear?


    No, his movement when using the spear wasn¡¯t one you could call amateurish either.


    He¡¯s good at using the spear and his fists¡­would a man that skilled be content by being Dain¡¯s underling?


    A single possibility appears on Flamm¡¯s mind.


    Is it possible that these guys also shared not only their abilities but their skills as well?


    As she staggered, Flamm was impaled from behind.


    The man quickly pulled out the spear and unleashed another attack immediately.


    ¡°A¡­guh¡­¡±


    At the same time, the man on her right charged in, aiming for an attack to her neck.


    Flamm defended herself with her right arm, but that ended up with her right arm being cut off instead.


    ¡°I¡­giiiiihhh¡­!¡±


    Furthermore, an arrow whistled in from her front, burying itself into her shoulders.


    A fireball was shot from the roof to her left, and as it explodes on her left leg, it gouged her flesh and caused her to tumble to the right.


    ¡°U¡­¡­gu¡­aah¡­!¡±


    Every parts of her body is hurting and it robbed her of her freedom of movement.


    The difference of strength between them is too overwhelming.


    Fighting this many people in such an open space is reckless, and it was near impossible for her to make her way to an alleyway.


    Prioritizing ease of movement, the collapsed girl removed her Soul Eater.


    With her power, she made a cartwheel and rolled behind the man wielding a sword.


    ¡°AAAAHH!!¡±


    Afterwards, she swung her hand as she instantly rematerialize her Soul Eater, aiming to cut the man¡¯s neck.


    Fwish!


    However, even without looking back, the man ducked down and evaded that strike.


    ¡ªNo way.


    Flamm¡¯s eyes widened.


    Did he have eyes on the back of his head? She could¡¯ve had him.


    ¡­maybe there¡¯s another thing that the men shared.


    Perhaps not only that they shared their skills and abilities¡­they also shared their five senses.


    Otherwise, there were no other way the man could¡¯ve evaded that attack.


    In the moment of her surprise, more blades, spears, arrows and spells assaulted her.


    Even if she rolls away to evade the attacks, the intensity of their attacks persist.


    She remembered what Dain told her, which pissed her off further.


    She didn¡¯t want to admit that she had to follow his warning.


    However, she had no choice but to run away.


    Pitching forward as if she¡¯s falling over, she rushed to the entrance of the nearest alleyway.


    She still felt pain despite her injuries being healed already, but it wasn¡¯t so bad that she couldn¡¯t move.


    The men chased after her.


    However, the men would have difficulties chasing after her, and the narrow alleyway can make a situation where they would have to fight Flamm one-on-one.


    Despite stumbling over and over, Flamm desperately ran.


    Just a bit more¡­just a bit more and she¡¯ll get there.


    That¡¯s¡­what she thought.


    Two fireballs grazed her on both sides, hitting the outer walls of the houses and exploded.


    The walls collapse and the rubble blocked her way.


    She probably could climb over the rubble, but with this many people chasing after her, they would definitely not let her do so unscathed.


    Flamm impatiently turned around, but that instant, arrows pierced her stomach and her thighs.


    ¡°Ha¡­AAAAAHHH!!¡±


    She immediately pulled them out.


    ¡°Hah¡­hah¡­hah¡­¡±


    Her eyes widened from the pain, and her breathing turned rugged.


    More arrows and spell bolts were fired at her without delay, and a man wielding a one-handed mace approached her as he dodged the incoming projectiles.


    Flamm desperately swings her Soul Eater.


    Her strikes were dodged without question, and the man closed his distance and raised the lump of metal at her.


    If she were to counterattack in an obvious way, all the men would know about it due to their shared senses and they would make a move to avoid it.


    There¡¯s no other choice but to take on their attacks.


    However, Flamm smiled.


    She focuses her mana to her feet and sent it to the stone pavement that spans several dozens of centimeters around her through the tip of her toes.


    ¡°Reversal!¡±


    The moment she cast her spell, the pavement turned inside-out.


    As he heard a dull sound, the legs of the man in front of her turned into an angle it¡¯s not supposed to go as they got caught under the stone.


    Losing his balance, his body lurched forward.


    With this, there¡¯s no way for him to dodge no matter how many angles he could see himself in.


    ¡°SOORYAAA!¡±


    She landed a strike with her all as she raised a shout, cleaving the defenseless man from his right shoulder down to his left flank, and that instant, the cross section froze immediately.


    ¡°That¡¯s one!¡±


    There¡¯s still a clear difference in numbers between her and her enemies, but a kill is a kill, and the intensity of the enemy¡¯s attack would be reduced regardless.


    Despite seeing their ally slain, the rest of the men didn¡¯t react.


    They truly has lost their mind.


    They had consolidated their consciousness, turning into something that couldn¡¯t be called human.


    They¡¯re nothing but dolls that can only serve Dain¡¯s command.


    Though, perhaps because of that, Flamm didn¡¯t feel the guilt of killing a human.


    Flamm avoided a spell bolt aimed at her leg and pointed the tip of her blade at the men.


    Now that she had used her trick, it would be difficult for them to fall for another one.


    As she thought about how to deal with the second enemy, she heard the sound of something dropping.


    Glancing to the side where she heard the sound, she saw¡­eyeballs dropping.


    ¡°¡­huh?¡±


    It would be fine if there was only one of them¡­but following that, countless spheres kept dropping like a squall.


    Not only were they coming from above, the eyeballs are flooding in from the gutters, from behind her and even from where the men are charging at her.


    ¡°Is that¡­what he meant¡­!?¡±


    This is what Dain was warning her about.


    Flamm finally understood what he meant when he said ¡°don¡¯t lay your hands on these men. Run.¡±


    Ink is not aware that she kills people.


    She¡¯s not aware that she is a monster.


    This means that everything has nothing to do with will; the power she has are activated spontaneously.


    It¡¯s an automated defense.


    It attacks those who are involved with the church¡­no, considering that Sarah and the knights are involved, that was not it.


    It¡¯s likely an uncontrollable defense system that tried to protect the confidential information regarding the experiments. That was the true nature of those disgusting eyeballs that Ink produces.


    Flamm finally saw the last thing those poor people saw at the end of their life.


    She instinctively jumped away to distance herself, yet she was too late. The eyeballs that had glued itself to her boots invaded her body.


    There were no pain¡ªonly disgust.


    ¡°HII¡­!!¡±


    Flamm¡¯s body froze.


    The eyeballs crawled up into her shin, and after it went into her leg, her boot swells as another foot grew out from her shin.


    ¡°T-this¡­guh¡­disgusting¡­!¡±


    Perhaps feeling as if the two feet are stacked on top of each other, Flamm couldn¡¯t properly manage the strength of her leg and maintain a steady footing.


    At that moment, a man wielding a short sword charged in on her, aiming straight for her heart.


    Flamm promptly took the hit with her hand.


    ¡°Ack¡­guh¡­¡±


    The blade pierced through her palm.


    The man was about to pull his sword back to unleash another attack, but Flamm grabbed the sword by its hilt and prevented him from doing so.


    The physical strength of the two are about even, so considering Flamm¡¯s injury, she might have been in a disadvantage, but Flamm kicked the man¡¯s leg and ruined his posture, causing him to fall over to the sea of eyeballs.


    Like a bunch of spiders, the eyeballs scattered to avoid the falling man.


    It seems like it had the function to not injure its allies.


    However, those that had no time to avoid the man ended up touching him, and that instant, the eyeballs entered his body, and the man grew another arm and leg.


    Perhaps because his internal organs also multiplied, his body part that touched the ground swells in a warp shape.


    The man writhed as he tried to get up, but unable to properly use his limbs, he ended up only wriggling on the ground like a maggot.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­two!¡± she declared to encourage herself.


    However, there are still a lot of enemies she had to face.


    Her movement speed dropped because she had another foot, but she could still avoid the arrows and spells coming her way by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    She turned some of them back with Reversal, but because of the enemy¡¯s shared senses, she couldn¡¯t hit them back.


    Because of the eyeballs, her plan of fighting the enemy little by little has been thrown out the window.


    The growth of her foot is not considered an ¡°injury¡±, which means that the Soul Eater is not going to regenerate it.


    That¡¯s why¡­the girl stabbed the Soul Eater to the ground and sent a kick towards it.


    ¡°Kkh¡­GAAAAAHHH¡­!!¡±


    Slice.


    Along with Flamm¡¯s voice of anguish, she cut her foot off.


    Losing her foot, Flamm advanced forward using her sword as a cane.


    If she stops, she¡¯ll fall victim to those eyeballs.


    She could only advance this slowly until she regenerates her foot back, but it¡¯s still better than having to drag another foot with her.


    She finally regenerated to full health before the men could catch up on her.


    Due to the increased agility from her boots, Flamm could run away from the men.


    By then, she saw some knights in front of her.


    There were 5 of them.


    Dain¡¯s subordinates aside, she couldn¡¯t let them get swallowed up by those eyeballs, thus Flamm ran up to the plate armor-clad men to warn them.


    ¡°Hey, this place is dangerous¡­so¡­you should¡­¡±


    However, the knights suddenly drew their swords all at the same time, the well-polished golden blade reflects the streetlight.


    Flamm scans the men, and she found that although they were different than Dain¡¯s underlings, all five of them had the exact same status as well.


    ¡°No way¡­from both sides!?¡±


    The church were thorough.


    It was unclear if they¡¯re going to capture her or kill her; what is clear is that they are not going to run away from Flamm.


    Gripping on her Soul Eater, Flamm looked to all sides where the enemies surround her.


    Adventurers, Knights, Eyeballs.


    There were too many of them. How could she cut her way through them all?


    Her hand trembles, and the tip of her blade wavered.


    The feeling of solitude emphasized her fear.


    She had always fought by thinking she could support Milkit, but the girl is nowhere to be found.


    At that moment, there were no one she has to protect, nor there is anyone waiting for her to return.


    Her heart cracks, her feet froze.


    Her end¡­is approaching.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die¡­I¡­I don¡¯t want to die¡­!!¡±


    She only had whatever¡¯s left of her courage; the backwards-thinking willpower of not wanting to accept death.


    In other words, if either of her enemies would stop in their tracks by just one step, she would have the chance to run away.


    There are less knights than there are adventurers, so Flamm pointed her blade at the knights and lifts it high.


    She concentrated, consuming the power circulating in her body and transforming them to Prana.


    She transfers the energy dwelling within her like water to her arms and sent them straight into her sword.


    The Prana Slash.


    Not the Imitation, but the real one.


    If she could unleash that¡­no, even if she could unleash that, she still wouldn¡¯t be able to take down all of the knights.


    Could she unleash it in several succession? No, she¡¯s not that skillful to be able to do such feat.


    In the first place, she wasn¡¯t even sure if she could unleash one properly.


    Her palm sweats, and her Prana fades along with her determination.


    No, don¡¯t be pessimistic¡­don¡¯t give up¡­you won¡¯t know until you try¡­! Flamm told herself.


    That would probably the last thing she could tell herself.


    She¡¯s running out of time; the adventurers would catch up to her soon, and the eyeballs will probably surround her in no time.


    If the Knights properly joins the fray, there would be no way for her to even pull through their attacks.


    Thus, despite knowing its futility, she believed in a miracle and wagered her life in this one attack¡­!


    ¡°Flamm! Slam your Prana to the ground!¡±


    However, the voice of a brave hero echoed in the capital filled with despair.


    ¡°HAAAAAAAAAHH!!¡±


    Flamm raised her voice and slammed her Soul Eater to the ground.


    That moment, the Prana violently explodes.


    The power of the explosion created a shockwave filled with countless blades that assaults the knights.


    The men defended themselves with their shields, yet the power went through the cracks of their armor, tearing them to pieces.


    Cavalier Arts¡ªPrana Storm.


    Instead of unleashing the refined Prana as a blade, this technique shoots them to her front, creating an extensive destructive power.


    It was something that requires more Prana than the Prana Slash, but the cornered girl had already reached a level where she could unleash it.


    The source of the voice jumped down from a nearby rooftop to Flamm¡¯s side.


    As he landed, the man wearing a jet black heavy armor crushed the stone pavement under him.


    He stood up as he drew his greatsword and swung it towards the adventurers and eyeballs that approached from behind Flamm.


    ¡°Hmph!!¡±


    He unleashed colossal amount of Prana, shaving away not only the ground, but also the walls of nearby buildings, while all that lives within range were obliterated.


    More eyeballs keep appearing from other places, but the adventurers took caution and stopped.


    ¡°Gadio-san¡­!¡±


    Flamm called to the man with her voice wavering.


    ¡°Heads up, Flamm. They¡¯re still coming.¡±


    His hoarse voice was impactful but there was a kind tone to it, and that voice was enough to lift up Flamm¡¯s spirit who was sinking in solitude.


    As he said, the fight is not over yet.


    Flamm was happy for their reunion, but she could save that for later.


    ¡°¡­yes!¡±


    Flamm wipes her tears away and looked directly ahead towards some more knights that just appeared.


    The two gripped their greatswords, and with their backs against each other,


    ¡°OOOOOHHH!!!¡±


    ¡°HAAAAAAAAAA!!¡±


    The dashed forward

 CH 23

    The enemy¡¯s numbers still put them in an overwhelming disadvantage.


    Crash!


    The Prana she collected together formed an attack and struck the side of the plate armor. The force punched through the steel plate and the shock runs through and destroyed the internal organs of the knight, sending him flying. As the man falls down to the ground, he laid motionless with blood coming out of his mouth.


    Immediately afterwards, a spear came thrusting towards the right side of her head.


    Flamm bends herself backwards, the spearhead grazing past the tip of her nose, but afterwards, another sharp thrust assaulted the girl who was left in an unstable posture.


    We got her!¡ªthought the five knights collectively, but at that time, Flamm erased her Soul Eater, kicked the ground and evaded with a somersault.


    It was a rash decision given that she had exhausted her stamina, but she was still able to do so by infusing Prana into her legs.


    She evaded another attack targeted at her when she lands with a back step. Once more, she pulled out her sword, exhaled, and resupplies her Prana.


    On the other hand, Gadio fearlessly faced the approaching adventurers and eyeballs.


    Swinging his sword on the air, the vast amount of Prana burst out, destroying everything in front of his eyes like a storm.


    ¡°Focus your power in a thrust and pierce through!¡± said the man strongly.


    What he did perhaps was an example.


    Taking his words to heart, she faced the knight and unleashed a ¡°thrust¡±, releasing Prana that has been concentrated at the very tip of her sword.


    ¡ªCavalier Arts: Prana Sting1


    The narrow, sharp strike pierced through the knight¡¯s thick armor and skewered the knight.


    A hole of several centimeters opened on the man¡¯s chest. He tried to put his hand on his chest and apply pressure, but instead he fell flat on the ground.


    Three left.


    The remaining knights shared their agitation, briefly stopping on their tracks.


    Flamm used that opportunity to regulate her breathing.


    ¡°Fuhh¡­by the way, why are you here, Gadio-san?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s as you can see,¡±


    Gadio points toward the the growing number of Eyeballs with a gesture of his head.


    ¡°W-were you chasing after them?¡±


    ¡°You could say that¡±, Gadio replied with a self-ridiculing smile.


    Looking closely, his expression betrays a sense of exhaustion.


    He must have been chasing after them for days without sleep.


    However, dead tired as he is, he was still able to ferociously knock numerous adventurers off their feet.


    Leaving detailed story before their reunion for later, Flamm braced herself again and faced the three remaining enemies.


    The fight afterwards seemed like a training.


    Gadio sends a shockwave on the ground with one swing of his sword, and Flamm immediately imitated his move to knock down the knights.


    Gadio swung his sword crosswise, creating a solid retaining wall out of Prana, and Flamm followed suit by drawing a cross with the tip of her sword and created a shield to block the spells cast by the knights.


    Once she¡¯s gotten the knack of refining her Prana, she could infuse that refined Prana into her Soul Eater, allowing her to cut through the plate armor like butter.


    ¡°Last one!!¡±


    Now that it¡¯s one-on-one, there¡¯s no way for her to lose.


    Flamm swung down the jet-black sword she held overhead.


    The last knight was split into two, armor and all, and the two separated parts fell individually.


    The wound freezes over, stopping the man¡¯s blood and internal organs from spilling out.


    Flamm stows away her sword and turned to look at Gadio, and¡ª


    ¡°HAAAAAA!!!¡±


    His vigor alone crushed the eyeballs and petrifies his opponent, and one swing of his sword turned his opponent in a comical sight.


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re done on your end too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, somehow. Thank you for saving me, Gadio-san. I couldn¡¯t think of what would happen if you didn¡¯t come to my aid.¡±


    ¡°Phew. It¡¯s not just thanks to my power,¡± Gadio showed a gentle smile. With a warm voice, he continued; ¡°You¡¯ve grown stronger, Flamm.¡±


    She received a recognition from the Hero.


    Flamm felt so happy that she could break out dancing, but she soon scolds herself to not get it over her head.


    ¡­She¡¯s still weak, for she still couldn¡¯t save anyone.


    ¡°A lot happened today, so I have a lot to talk about, but¡­for now, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    There¡¯s no stopping the eyeballs; they would still appear from somewhere and chase after the two.


    Looking to resolve the current situation, Flamm and Gadio ran in the direction Dain went to.


    An unbalanced pair consisting of a man clad in huge armor and a lightly-equipped petite girl ran through the streets in the night, still unable to find Dain.


    While continuing their search, Gadio and Flamm exchanged information.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that this Ink girl produces these eyeballs.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that would be the case.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s one of the Spiral Children, huh.¡±


    ¡°Is that Spiral-something a product of the church¡¯s experiment too?¡±


    ¡°You also thought it¡¯s the church¡¯s doing, huh? That¡¯s right. They removed newborn babies¡¯ hearts and replaced them with Origin Cores. Twisted experiment, right?¡±


    ¡°Origin Core¡­and replacing their hearts, even¡­¡±


    In other words, if the core is destroyed, Ink would also die.


    However, as long as she still had that core implanted within her, it¡¯s unlikely that her power of producing these eyeballs would disappear, and they would still continue to chase after those who could threaten the church.


    ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with Ink?¡±


    ¡°I just happened to save her when she fell down. After that, she stayed together at my house for several days.¡±


    ¡°I see. Basically, you want to save the girl, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­yes.¡±


    Flamm shifts her gaze downwards.


    If it¡¯s possible; if only there¡¯s a way to remove the Origin Core¡­she wants to save her.


    However, Flamm also understood the difficulty she needs to go through to do so.


    ¡°Sorry, but I couldn¡¯t think of any way to do that either. I know that it would be too inconvenient to let Dain hand her over to the church though.¡±


    ¡°You know Dain too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also an adventurer. I¡¯ve heard about a guy who¡¯s doing whatever he likes in the West District.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s sold his friends and his soul to the church.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a lost cause. He just threw away his most respectable assets after getting lured by short-term profit¡± Gadio spat out.


    The two approaches a T-junction. Relaxing their tension, the two headed right.


    Massive amount of eyeballs came raining down from the rooftops of the buildings from both of their sides.


    The two cut through the darkness of the night, sending the eyeballs dancing in the air, scattered.


    ¡°By the way, it¡¯s just an assumption, but was it you that threw knives over to our house?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Was it hard to figure out?¡±


    Flamm dropped her shoulders, disappointed.


    ¡°Of course I wouldn¡¯t figure it out. You didn¡¯t write your name in it and your handwriting was messy!¡±


    ¡°My bad, I had no time.¡±


    Perhaps it was a memo he wrote when he was still running away from the eyeballs.


    In the first place, it must have been very difficult for him to find out where Flamm lives in the middle of all that.


    ¡°I could understand if it¡¯s because you were running away from them, but at first I thought it was Dain messing around.¡±


    ¡°Either way, it doesn¡¯t seem like it resulted in anything, huh.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already involved in this matter, so it¡¯s a bit too late to tell me not to go outside.¡±


    ¡°Involved?¡±


    ¡°It seems like that Origin or whatever is after me. From the start, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird that a weakling like me would be chosen to participate in subjugating the demon lord. Humph!¡±


    Flamm jumped to avoid some eyeballs that came emerging from the ground.


    There¡¯s another intersection up ahead, but this time, the two don¡¯t slow down and turned left.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know why. Maybe it¡¯s because they¡¯re aiming for my attribute.¡±


    ¡°Inverse, huh.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Uhh¡­about the Origin Core you told me about earlier. I think those things can¡¯t usually be destroyed,¡± said Flamm, remembering Neigass¡¯ response during their encounter in the research facility.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It seems like you can¡¯t destroy it by any normal means.¡±


    Gadio was investigating the church before he was chased, so he was able to obtain that much information.


    ¡°I¡¯ve managed to break one though. That time¡­I¡¯ve fought a monster that used the power of those cores.¡±


    ¡°Seems like you got involved in something a lot deeper than I expected.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­yes. At that time, I was desperate, so I tried to break it with everything, be it Prana or spells.¡±


    ¡°And your spell was the key?¡±


    ¡°If Origin is using the power of the Vortex, perhaps my Inverse attribute would allow me to reverse that flow and something might happen¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand the reason behind it, but since you said you¡¯ve destroyed one before, then that might be it. If Prana was the reason then someone must¡¯ve destroyed one of them before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something only I can do¡­that¡¯s why, I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    Flamm looks at her palms.


    Even if she couldn¡¯t save anyone, at least there is a hope that she could stop the tragedy.


    However¡­would that be enough?


    ¡°What!?¡±


    Suddenly, Gadio raised his voice.


    His gaze met Flamm¡¯s, and he reflexively evaded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop, Flamm!¡±


    Despite still unsure of what just happened, Flamm desperately ran past him.


    A thunderous roar engulfed the silent road.


    ¡°Nn-guh¡­UUOOOOOHHHH¡­!¡±


    The two walls on their side moved in to squash the two, but Gadio stopped the wall with his arms.


    His jet-black gauntlets sink into the walls.


    It was apparent by how his arms trembled that despite his herculean strength is; holding the walls apart was no easy feat for him.


    On top of that, the eyeballs are approaching his feet.


    Flamm was hesitant to be apart from him in this situation, but¡ª


    Perhaps deciding otherwise, Gadio relaxed his arms and ran the opposite direction from where Flamm was facing.


    As he did, the two walls closed in shut, and the two are separate once more.


    ¡°Gadio-san!?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Doesn¡¯t look like we can go the same way from here though.¡±


    In front of Gadio stood a boy who looks barely 10 years old, wearing something that looked like what Ink did the first time Flamm met her; a plain, white shirt.


    ¡ªHe¡¯s hostile.


    It¡¯s likely that he¡¯s one of the Spiral Children.


    Without minding that his opponent is a child, Gadio brandishes his sword.


    ¡°Oh, right, there¡¯s something I forgot to tell you, Flamm. It¡¯s a word from someone you know¡±, Gadio said from beyond the wall.


    ¡°From who!?¡±


    Her voice was tinged with impatience.


    She, too, had eyeballs closing in on her; she doesn¡¯t have the time to stay for long.


    She had to make a run for it immediately after hearing the message.


    ¡°It¡¯s from that girl Sarah. She said she¡¯d like you to know that she¡¯s fine.¡±


    However¡ªFlamm couldn¡¯t help but to rejoice at that news.


    ¡°Sarah-chan¡­!¡±


    Her vision blurs as tears well up on her eyes.


    A reunion with Gadio, and the confirmation of Sarah¡¯s safety¡­the hope she thought was lost appears once more.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­alive¡­I see¡­I see¡­!¡±


    If she¡¯s alive, then Milkit and Eterna must also still be fine.


    That hope reignites the flames in Flamm¡¯s heart, bringing back the lights in her eyes once more.


    Flamm yelled; ¡°Thank you very much, Gadio-san¡±, and ran away immediately.


    She passed through the gaps between the eyeballs chasing her, and as she forgot her fatigue, she ran faster than she had ever did today.


    Gadio leaned his back towards the wall and smiled as he heaved a sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the time to break out smiling, old man.¡±


    ¡°No, it definitely is.¡±


    The boy pouts in displeasure hearing Gadio¡¯s immediate answer.


    He lifts up the bangs of his smooth blue hair that was long enough to hide his ears and sent a cold gaze towards Gadio, examining him closely.


    ¡°Besides that¡­you let her go because you know I¡¯m one of the Spiral Children, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Despite Gadio being way older than he is, the boy¡¯s cocky manner of speaking did not cease.


    ¡°Your assumption would be correct.¡±


    ¡°Nect Linkage. That¡¯s my name. I¡¯m a second generation Spiral Child. The power Origin-sama blessed me with, is¡­¡±


    Nect flashed a cold smile. He brought his palm up and reached his arm forward.


    His arm gradually warped, and just like Ink when she turned into a monster, it transformed to a red vortex.


    Cautious, Gadio gripped his sword and advanced one step forward.


    Clearly inhuman, Nect closed his open palm and squeezed it shut.


    ¡°Connection.¡±


    His voice came from somewhere on his face. His throat quivered, and his figure disappeared with his voice.


    He¡¯s moving in a speed that even the hero¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t follow.


    No¡ªthat wouldn¡¯t be possible.


    He¡¯s not moving; he¡¯s phasing out.


    Gadio felt a presence behind him, so he swung his sword as he turned around.


    ¡°Whoops. Connection.¡±


    Nect disappeared once more, though this time, he returned to where he was.


    ¡°Come on! Connect!¡±


    His voice was filled with strength. The vortex of flesh pulses, its massive power shaking the air around it.


    As he did, the houses next to Gadio are connected, and the walls closed in to squash him.


    They were then connected to another place; a stone-built house was phased in from the top, falling down to Gadio.


    ¡°Ahhaha! Even heroes are so disappointing!¡± laughed Nect, confident that he came out a victor.


    However¡ª


    ¡°Cavalier Arts: Expansion¡ª2¡±


    Gadio was in a crisis with no escape.


    However, he was still able to stay calm and collected with his rhythm of breathing unaffected as he showed off his own skills.


    He¡¯s got more to show than just Prana.


    The man¡¯s attribute is Earth.


    His arm infuses Mana into his great sword, and stones start to wrap its blade.


    The sword was already as long as a person¡¯s height, but now its size is 2 or even 3 times it was before.


    Its weight would make it impossible for him to even hold it if he wasn¡¯t using his Prana.


    On top of that, the large sword, pointing high up in the sky, was also packed full of Prana. With that, Gadio unleashed his move.


    It was a Cavalier Art made by him and for him only.


    ¡°TITAN BLADE!3¡±


    As he swung his gigantic blade, it feels like time stopped as all sound disappeared for a very brief moment.


    The next moment¡ª


    Along with a shrill sound of collision, the walls and the building that was falling onto him was destroyed to pieces.


    He just literally turned Nect¡¯s attack against himself.


    However, amidst the downpour of debris, the boy¡¯s vortex warps as he flashed a grin.


    ¡°¡­Well, seems like I have to eat my words. Heroes are awesome.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to be worried about involving others now. I won¡¯t hold back anymore.¡±


    ¡°Go right ahead, I couldn¡¯t ask for anything better! Afterwards don¡¯t come crying if it turns out that we¡¯re better than you heroes!¡±


    Away from Gadio, the the tremendous sounds of the clashing powers could be heard.


    Is he really okay?¡ªFlamm wondered. Holding back her desire to turn back, she pressed on forward.


    She had no clue to as of where Dain is, but judging from the direction he went to, chances are, he¡¯s going to the West District church, as expected.


    Now that every other people should be asleep, the main building should be empty as the living quarters for the nuns and priests should be on a separate building.


    Even if someone was to sneak out at night and meet up with someone, the main building isn¡¯t a suitable place to do so.


    ¡°They¡¯re so persistent¡­!¡±


    Flamm kept running as she tried to kick the eyeballs away.


    If she pays attention closely to herself, she¡¯ll feel her fatigue.


    She had searched for Milkit and Eterna, saw Ink¡¯s transformation, fought Dain¡¯s underlings and recklessly unleashed her Cavalier Arts, and now she¡¯s still running around to catch after Dain.


    As a matter of fact, she felt that it was weird that she was still able to move after all that; is it perhaps because of her equipment?


    However¡­if she didn¡¯t meet Gadio at that time and never got to hear about Sarah, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten this far.


    She might have given up long ago.


    Despite that, right now, she was filled with the willpower to fight him.


    She passed through the gate and the garden and pushed open the large wooden door.


    ¡°¡®Bout time you arrive. That persistence of yours is something, ya¡¯ know? Is it like your rule of thumb or something? I know that much at least. I¡¯ve been an adventurer for a long time, I¡¯ve gotten the skills to sense this sorta thing.¡±


    His voice sounds just like usual; a truly unpleasant noise that would rub people the wrong way.


    Flamm doesn¡¯t even feel like listening to him at all.


    There was no use arguing about it; she just planned to get close to him and take his head.


    For now, the eyeballs doesn¡¯t seem to be entering the main hall, perhaps because she closed the entrance.


    However, it was just a matter of time before they managed to get in, so she need to be done with him before the situation turned disadvantageous, though Flamm herself knows that it would not be that easy.


    ¡°A bit of a miscalculation on my part that you came before I get to see my employer though. Man I suck, I should just get into a hole and bury myself.¡±


    Flamm continued walking silently.


    ¡°Oh right, that Ink brat is in the back room. I promised that piece of shit brat Nect so I didn¡¯t hurt her. Don¡¯t know when she¡¯ll pass out and turn into another monster though, Flamm-chan.¡±


    Claiming the opportunity, Flamm brandished her Soul Eater and swung it towards the man¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Whoops!¡±


    Dain saw through that obvious attack and evaded it by leaning forward before standing up.¡ª


    The two then faced each other.


    Flamm glared at her opponent with killing intent in her eyes while Dain showed his usual vulgar smile.


    The thought process of the two were far apart, each of them being on different extreme ends; no matter how much time has passed, even if they were given eternity, they won¡¯t ever come to an understanding.


    ¡°You look different. Something good happened?¡±


    ¡°¡­Unfortunately for you, it did.¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­A¡¯ight, whatever.¡±


    Dain holds his crossbow and faced flamm.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna die here anyways.¡±


    Despite seeing the sharp tip of the crossbow bolt he loaded and pointed at her, she did not feel any sense of dread.


    With her fighting spirit unaffected, she gripped the handle of her Soul Eater with both hands.


    ¡°No. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to die, Dain!¡±


    Flamm uttered those fiery words before kicking the floor and dashed forward.


    Dain¡¯s smile worsened as the corners of his mouth rose and he put more strength to the finger laid on the trigger of his crossbow.


    The bolt he shot was aimed straight for Flamm¡¯s heart.


    Flamm didn¡¯t try to block the attack and let the broadhead hit her torso.


    And then¡ª


    ¡°REVERSAL!¡±


    She cast her Reversal spell, but Dain avoided the arrow sent back towards his head by tilting it.


    Despite that, the arrowhead grazed his cheek, and opened a small cut.


    Flamm kept her speed and closed in and swung her greatsword with her right hand.


    Once again, Dain dodged her strike with a grin.


    Flamm, on the other hand, bared her fangs and glared at him with rage.


    The Just and the Cunning; two people who are the exact opposite¡ªtheir eyes briefly met.


    The fight has just begun.

 CH 24

    Flamm swung her Soul Eater with all her strength


    ¡°That¡¯s just one shot¡ª!¡±


    I¡¯ll strike it down.


    With that thought in her mind, she readied her sword.


    ¡°You¡¯re too simple! Spread!¡±


    That was a spell being cast.


    She thought the bolt spontaneously combusts midair, but the bolt actually exploded and broke into countless fireballs, all rushing towards Flamm at once.


    Knowing that she won¡¯t be able to stave them off with just her sword, Flamm dashed sideways and rolled on the ground.


    Dain used that chance and consecutively fired more bolts at her.


    ¡°Spread! Spread! SPREAD!! HAHHAHAHAH! I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a curse or whatever, but do you actually think you can win against me without bringing the Hero with this much difference in strength between us!?¡±


    Flamm desperately ran around amidst the incessant downpour of fireballs. Some of them managed to graze her shoulder, burning her clothes and caused her to bleed. It healed almost immediately, but her face still twists from the pain.


    The floor caught on fire, and the smell of burnt wood quickly fills the church. At that time, Dain¡¯s attack slacked, and Flamm wouldn¡¯t let that chance pass.


    ¡°¡ªAAAAAHHH!¡±


    Flamm swung her sword through her unstable stance, sending a Prana Slash flying straight towards Dain.


    However, Dain pulled another band on his buckler and his grappling hook released its grasp to the wall.


    ¡°So what!?¡±


    Aiming for the location Dain is supposed to land, Flamm unleashed another Prana Slash.


    ¡°KUHAHAH, your thoughts are still too simple!! Explode!!1¡±


    Dain cast another one of his Fire Attribute spells, and the explosion that burst under his foot caused him to flutter midair.


    Flamm¡¯s attack obviously missed and instead it smashed the church wall.


    Without even landing back on the ground, Dain fired his grappling hook again and kept firing at Flamm as he moved quickly through the air.


    Thinking he was about to cast Spread again, Flamm used her sword as a shield and got into a defensive stance.


    ¡°Moron! Burst is up next!¡±


    The bolt he fired did not scatter. It was a spell that made the bolt explode on contact instead.


    The very sound of the bolt landing next to her sent a chill up her spine, but on the other hand, Dain flashed a grin.


    The bolt then reacts to the impact and exploded¡ªor so it should.


    Flamm channeled her mana through her arm and¡ª


    ¡°REVERSAL!¡±


    ¡ªmanaged to cast her spell in the nick of time.


    The direction of the Burst-enchanted bolt was reversed, and the bolt flies back towards its shooter.


    However, Dain had already reacted to it.


    Perhaps already taking her ability into consideration, Dain released the hook without delay and landed back on the ground.


    Just about a fraction of a second after he landed, there was a powerful explosion in the impact point of the bolt.


    ¡°Oooh, not bad. You used it earlier, eh? Is it a spell? It¡¯s a rare attribute, ain¡¯t it?¡±


    Flamm completely ignored Dain who spoke in an overly familiar tone, and instead, she chose to Scan the man and his equipment.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Dain Phineas


    Attribute: Fire


    Strength: 561


    Intelligence: 212


    Endurance: 409


    Agility: 854


    Intuition: 633


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Totaling 2,669 points, he¡¯s a lower B-rank.


    As she¡¯d seen, his strength alone couldn¡¯t consider him an A-ranker, yet he was still able to climb up through the ranks through the help of his minions.


    However, it feels like he¡¯s a bit different today.


    It seems like something is boosting his strength, and it¡¯s likely to be the effects of his equipment.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Leather Armor of Insolence


    Rarity: Legendary


    ¡¾Intelligence +442¡¿


    ¡¾Agility +301¡¿


    ¡¾Grants immunity to Poisons¡¿


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Buckler of Intelligence


    Rarity: Legendary


    ¡¾Intelligence +375¡¿


    ¡¾Agility +299¡¿


    ¡¾Intuition +108¡¿


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Automatic Crossbow


    Rarity: Uncommon


    ¡¾Mana +12¡¿


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Iron Dagger of Ambition


    Rarity: Legendary


    ¡¾Strength +241¡¿


    ¡¾Intelligence +224¡¿


    ¡¾Endurance +301¡¿


    ¡¾Steals the target¡¯s Mana¡¿


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    His equipment alone raises his status by 2,303 points.


    Combined with his initial status, his total points of 4,972 puts him on the league of upper B-ranks.


    Furthermore, his Mana that was supposed to be low from the start has been enhanced to above 1,000, explaining why he was able to recklessly fire off his spells.


    Additionally, it would seem that his crossbow is something he¡¯s really attached to. Considering its rarity, it¡¯s not something an adventurer of the West District would use.


    Since adventurers generally avoid ¡°Cursed Items¡±, they¡¯re usually sold at very low prices (or rather, they won¡¯t be sold in the first place), while ¡°Legendary¡± equipment are exactly the opposite.


    ¡°Did ya just use Scan? Ya know that ain¡¯t gonna change nothin¡¯ though right?¡±


    ¡°Those equipments¡­are those really yours?¡±


    ¡°¡®Course they are. My kind friends gave them to me, so they¡¯re really mine. Ya could say it¡¯s¡­the bond between them and I.¡±


    ¡°Big words for someone who sold those bonds away along with his soul to the church.¡±


    Dain scoffed at Flamm¡¯s remark.


    ¡°Ya really tryin¡¯ to paint me as a bad guy, huh? But think about it; between your life and yer bonds with yer mate, which one would ya pick? Huh? Even a goody two-shoes like miss Flamm ain¡¯t gonna pick yer friendship, right!?¡±


    Recalling Milkit¡¯s smile, Flamm declared; ¡°I¡¯d choose my friends if I¡¯d have to sacrifice dozens of people.¡±


    She wouldn¡¯t hesitate.


    If her life would bring any forms of pain to Milkit, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to plunge her blade into her chest.


    ¡°Fuck, the cringe. THE FUCKING CRINGE!¡± The man¡¯s hands trembled. Amidst his laughter he continued;


    ¡°You¡¯re really just a runt that knows nothing. Khhahah, why the fuck do I have to deal with someone like you¡­!¡±


    However, Flamm felt that his words were more suited to describe the man himself.


    Flamm felt that he didn¡¯t wish to help the church himself, but rather he had no choice but to do so, and that sense of powerlessness resonates with what Flamm felt.


    It was a method of roundabout self-harm, like the fake tears of a child who only wished to be cared for.


    However, no matter what started this exchange of blows and however much she sympathizes with him, none of those mattered.


    Flamm could only think of killing Dain.


    ¡°Just imagine that everything you¡¯ve built up over the years are gonna be destroyed by some 8-year-old brat! Funny, ain¡¯t it!?¡±


    Yet the man didn¡¯t stop talking about himself.


    Perhaps that¡¯s how badly he wanted to be heard.


    ¡°But they showed me an crazy power!¡±


    Dain¡¯s past glories flashed in his mind, but all he can see are either in the past or present.


    Right now, he had no choice but to obey an 8-year-old boy from the church that boasted that he¡¯ll ¡°swallow him eventually¡±. He was nothing but a gofer. A dog.


    His pride has been torn to shred.


    ¡°You want me to pity you?¡± Flamm said, as if rubbing salt on his wound.


    For the first time, the composure on Dain¡¯s face disappears, and his face lights up with rage.


    With his face turning red and his veins popping on his temple, he said;


    ¡°Ha¡­hahahah¡­as¡­AS IIIIIIIIIFFFFFF!!!¡±


    Even Flamm understood why.


    Dain just wanted to let it out his softer side out, despite knowing that an enemy was in front of him.


    He wanted someone¡­anyone, to listen and understand this irrationality, and feel empathy towards him instead of pity.


    Flamm might understand, for she is someone who had witnessed the irrationality of the world as she fell from being a hero to a slave.


    ¡°What Spiral Children? What the fuck do you mean Proliferation!? What the fuck do you mean by Connections!? FUCK OFF WITH THAT SHIT! FUCK OFF!¡±


    The man was frenzied.


    He has nothing left.


    He has no way of taking them back.


    The pain of his loss was so unbearable that yelling was all he could do.


    ¡°I¡¯M THE KING OF THE WEST DISTRICT! I CRAWLED MY WAY UP OF THE SLUMS WITH THESE HANDS, THIS BRAIN, AND THE CHARISMA I BUILT UP! You get it, right? All that¡­if I don¡¯t rely on them¡­and if I don¡¯t kill one little girl¡­!!¡±


    The eyeballs showed itself crawling in from the hole made by the exploding bolt.


    They rushed in as if racing each other, emphasizing its grotesque nature that could send a chill up the spine.


    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± asked Flamm after glancing at the hole. She also took a glance at another wall, which apparently was filled with eyeballs with its iris and its front half poking out of them. They all turn and twist, drilling their way out from the wall.


    Furthermore, there¡¯s not just one of them.


    Tens¡­no, hundreds of them are all gazing at Flamm from all directions.


    At this rate, the eyeballs filling the room is a matter of when.


    For an instant, Flamm had thought that this fight between them are his way to buy some time, but seeing Dain¡¯s grim resolve, she immediately brushed it aside.


    It seemed that these two are a rather separate matter.


    ¡°What¡¯s my point? You don¡¯t get it, do ya¡­¡­hahah¡­hahahah. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!¡±


    Dain¡¯s dry laugh reverberated in the chamber.


    ¡°Haha¡­Haaaah¡­aaahh.¡±


    However, he soon lost strength in his voice. The man dropped his shoulders and his hands dangle powerlessly.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t know either. Aaaahh, haaaah¡­I don¡¯t know nothing. What do I wanna do? I lost to a brat, begged for my life, threw my friends away, got protected by the church just and got my livelihood secured. I was supposed to live a regular life from then. What the fuck was that? That¡¯s fucking boring! That¡¯s the thing I hate the most! The path I don¡¯t want to go the most! Fucking boring! Everything after this will be boooooooriiiiiiinngg!!!¡±


    Dain¡¯s voice echoed.


    Even he doesn¡¯t know who that sentence was addressed to.


    ¡°AHHAHAHAHA! Haaa¡­aaaaaa¡­aaahh¡­Hey, Flamm¡­Those morons that were with me¡­they¡¯re all dead, ain¡¯t they?¡±


    He was probably referring to the 20 adventurers that were chasing after Flamm.


    ¡°I¡¯d consider them criminals rather than morons,¡± Flamm replied without intonation in her voice. ¡°They¡¯re going to be judged eventually. In fact, I actually killed them, but they looked like they¡¯re already dead from the start.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­Right¡­¡±


    Dain replied with a soft whisper.


    Light dissipates from his eyes. His mouth opened halfway, as if he¡¯s turning into a corpse himself.


    ¡°¡­no, wait, what¡¯s with that? You said they looked like they¡¯re already dead? You¡¯re tryna tell me I killed them? Do you know anything? Do you actually wanna die here?¡±


    His lips twitched, and with his face still looking dead, he pointed his crossbow towards Flamm.


    That was the end of his fate.


    Even without killing him, Dain is already dead.


    He has reached his end. Perhaps if Gadio didn¡¯t came to save Flamm, she would¡¯ve ended up in the same place.


    Perhaps she does have a room in her heart for empathy.


    Yet the man didn¡¯t understand that there was an inviolable barrier between him and Flamm since long ago.


    ¡°Hey, Dain. Since listening to you, I¡¯ve been thinking.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    At the moment, Dain wouldn¡¯t pull the trigger.


    He was preoccupied with his feelings, or rather, his ¡°expectation¡±


    However, with a scoff, Flamm brushed it away.


    ¡°Can you not fawn on me like that? It¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    The man froze.


    Not only a 8-year-old child, but a 16-year-old girl also saw through him.


    Even after swallowing his own pride, Flamm had crushed what remained of it.


    At this point, everything that made up Dain Phineas as a human had been lost.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­fawning¡­no¡­no¡­!¡±


    He wanted to deny it¡­yet he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Aah¡­so it¡¯s not¡­wrong¡­? That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s¡­aaahh¡­AAAAHHH¡­UWAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!¡±


    That was when his identity crumbled.


    As if he chose to reject the reality that he refuses to accept, he rubs his head violently as he screamed and unhesitatingly pulled the trigger.


    There are no traces of mana in the bolt.


    ¡°I¡¯LL KILL YOU!¡±


    The girl remained unmoving.


    Yet the next bolt still misses its mark.


    ¡°I¡¯LL KILL YOU!!¡±


    He missed again.


    ¡°DIE, DIE DIE DIE!!!¡±


    His hands were still trembling¡ªhe couldn¡¯t properly acquire his target even though Flamm was standing still.


    He then decided to hold his right hand that¡¯s pulling the trigger with his left, attempting to stabilize his aim, and this time, he properly aimed to sink a bolt between the girl¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°DIEE! It¡¯s all your fault¡­IT¡¯S ALL YOUR FAULT!!¡±


    There were no reasons behind his fury; he was merely venting his anger.


    Flamm swung the black sword lightly with his right hand and easily struck the bolt away and approached Dain.


    ¡°S-SPREAD!!¡± The man regained his sense, just about enough to enchant his bolt before shooting them off.


    Flamm lowered her sword as she ran and refined her Prana before infusing her sword with it.


    The moment she swung her sword, the Prana she infused bursts, creating a storm that rips apart the floorboard and destroys the approaching eyeballs as it rushed towards Dain.


    Of course, the blast also cleared away the scattered flaming bolts, dropping them to the floor harmlessly.


    ¡°Guh¡­!¡±


    Dain covered his face with his arm, and Flamm used this chance to pick up her speed.


    She swung her sword once more with a heavy attack which Dain promptly stopped with his crossbow, but as he was unable to bear the strike, Flamm tore the crossbow away from his hands.


    It would be difficult for him to take it back, so he decided to abandon it and shoot his hook to attempt to retreat.


    Flamm immediately refines her Prana in response, but it would seem that the girl is running out of breath.


    ¡°Ha¡­ah¡­!¡±


    Continuously firing off her Cavalier Arts is certainly shaving her stamina away, but she was still well enough to be able to force herself to unleash some more.


    Flamm thrusts her greatsword that felt heavier than usual.


    ¡°GET BACK HERE!¡±


    The Prana Sting, flying like a drill, severed Dain¡¯s wire, and as he lost the force pulling him away, Dain¡¯s body falls.


    He didn¡¯t cast Explode where he was supposed to land¡­no, perhaps he knew that if he did that, he¡¯d only make himself an easy prey for the Soul Eater.


    He purposefully dropped himself and pointed his palm towards Flamm.


    ¡°Fireball!¡±


    He aimed to stall her with a shot of a simpler spell.


    However, the movement of the fireball was a lot slower compared to the crossbow bolts she faced earlier, so she could easily evade them by simply lowering her stance.


    As she did, Dain turned his back against her and dashed away towards the entrance of the church.


    He wasn¡¯t running away; he sought refuge on the floor that was already covered with eyeballs.


    Thus, Flamm is now surrounded with eyeballs.


    There¡¯s only one response to Dain¡¯s trickery¡ªCavalier Arts.


    She held her sword with both hands and fully used the momentum of her rush to make a rotating swing.


    BWOOSH!!


    The swing created a strong gust of wind, and in an instant, Prana turned it into a raging storm.


    The eyeballs that were about to surround her burst like water baloons, and even Dain who covered himself with his arms suffered several gashes.


    However, even after that, Flamm didn¡¯t stop her attacks.


    ¡°HAAAAAAAHH!!¡±


    At last, the blade had cornered Dain.


    ¡°I CAN¡¯T DIE JUST YET!!¡±


    Dain fends off the attack with his buckler, but as he couldn¡¯t held the force back, his body staggered sideways. To add insult to his injury, the power of Flamm¡¯s equipment froze his buckler including the mechanism behind it.


    ¡°Fuck¡ª¡±, he cursed on reflex.


    As a matter of fact, the buckler¡¯s mechanism can also be used to fire poisoned needles; a trump card he saved as a last resort since he only has one shot. However, that trump card now has frozen over and therefore unusable.


    Even as she was against Dain who was cornered, Flamm showed no mercy.


    ¡°TAAAAAHH!!¡±


    She thoroughly shattered the frozen buckler with her next attack.


    With his defense crushed, Dain fell to the ground as he scampered away, but even then, Flamm continued her barrage of attacks start to injure his shoulder, legs and cheek.


    ¡°FIREBALLLL!!!¡±


    Dain desperately cast his spell, which obviously had no way of ever hitting Flamm.


    The fireball was evaded just by Flamm tilting her head and it hit the ceiling before exploding in a shrill blast.


    ¡°What did you¡­!?¡±


    Flamm reflexively turned to look above and saw countless rubbles falling.


    She immediately jumped back, but as she did, a sharp piece of wood grazed the tip of her nose.


    ¡°Hee¡­heehee, did¡¯ya really think I didn¡¯t set up any traps!?¡±


    The explosion clearly isn¡¯t something that was caused by the fireball.


    It¡¯s likely that he¡¯s loaded gunpowder into some of his bolts earlier and spread them across the church as a trap.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know when to give up, huh.¡±


    ¡°No matter how prim and proper one can be, that¡¯s the only way for me to survive!¡±


    As he said that, he cast another Fireball, though this time, it was aimed at Flamm¡¯s feet.


    The fireball hits the floor and bursts, activating a bomb embedded under the floor that used a fire-attribute spell as a trigger.


    ¡°GAAH¡ª!¡±


    Flamm tried to dodge sideways, but he explosion still swallowed and crushed her right leg and blew her away.


    She slammed against the wall, where she then realized that her arms had made contact with the eyeballs.


    ¡°Shit¡­!¡±


    The eyeballs entered her left arm in a disgusting manner.


    Even when she stood up and jumped away, it was still too late. Several more arms grew out of her and they intertwine with each other against her will.


    By then, another fireball came flying straight to Flamm.


    She wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge it, so¡­she thrusts her mutated left arm forward and took the fireball with it.


    The flesh scatters, and a burning pain assaults her, but now, the excess arm she had was burnt away.


    ¡°Tch. Don¡¯t be so cheeky, you brat.¡±


    ¡°Kuh¡­speak for yourself!¡±


    Flamm starts to run again, despite her left arm still stinging as it was still regenerating.


    Still full of injuries, Dain tried to move to keep his distance from the girl while trying to recover his crossbow.


    Flamm headed for the same place to try and prevent him from doing so.


    The two of them leaped at the same time, and Flamm was the one whose hand latched on to the crossbow first. She took it and threw it further away, making it a lot more difficult for Dain to recover it.


    Instead, he desperately tackled Flamm.


    ¡°Kyah?!¡±


    ¡°HYAHAH! Why¡¯d ya scream like a girl when we¡¯re killing each other!?¡±


    Flamm was stuck with Dain above him. She wanted to push him away, but Dain had locked her wrists with his hands.


    ¡°Haah¡­haah¡­heheh¡­how dare you say whatever you like¡­!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying the truth.¡±


    ¡°Thinking back to it, it¡¯s all you, innit? Everything goes to shit since the day you showed up. It¡¯s your fault then. That¡¯s right! It¡¯s your fault¡­!¡±


    Flamm is not responsible for their decision to mess with the church, so all he was saying was a baseless accusation.


    For the moment, however Dain couldn¡¯t care less about reasons.


    He only wished to deny and reverse Flamm¡¯s remark against him and kill her.


    ¡°Heeeheehee, would¡¯ya look at that, those cute widdle eyeballs are all coming closeerr! Even if they won¡¯t kill me, they¡¯ll turn you into a monster you knoow¡­!!¡±


    Flamm was completely unable to move.


    She lets out a huge sigh. Perhaps thinking that Flamm had given up, Dain showed a big smile as if he was insane.


    However¡ª


    Flamm whispered; ¡°Reversal¡± and her expression changed completely.


    With a dull cracking sound, everything beyond Dain¡¯s wrist started twisting around to a direction it¡¯s not supposed to go.


    ¡°GA¡­AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!¡±


    Dain involuntarily rose as he screamed.


    Flamm finally broke off from his restraint and swung her sword, aiming for his neck, but it only managed to gouge a part of his shoulder as he was leaning back.


    ¡°GI..IIIHH¡­¡­GAAAAHH! You bitch¡­YOU BIIIIITCHH!!¡±


    However, Dain¡¯s movement did not slow down, as if his pain had failed to reach his brain. He forcefully smashed his wrists to the ground trying to turn his hands back to how it was. The strength of his grip had weakened, but it was still enough to for him to be able to grab his knife from his waist.


    ¡°GUUAAAAAAHHH!!!¡±


    Dain approached Flamm like a beast possessed.


    Flamm expected him to attack, but noticing the approaching eyeballs, she leapt away.


    ¡°Wha¡­!? He¡¯s rushing over!?¡±


    ¡°GUOOOOOOHHHH!!!¡±


    Dain rushed towards her chest and thrusts his knife forward.


    With a fleshy sound, the blade sinks into Flamm¡¯s abdomen and Dain twisted it by the grip.


    ¡°Ka¡­h¡­!¡±


    ¡®FLAAAAAAAMMMM!!!¡±


    His tenacity brought fear into the girl.


    The man who had nothing left to lose had finally threw away his human nature, struggling to at the very least bring the girl down with him.


    Flamm removed her Soul Eater and used both her hand to tear the man away from her, which pulled the now bloodied knife off her torso.


    However, right now, Dain would not stop after just that. Once again, he lets out a strange bellow and rushed towards the girl again.


    Flamm kicked the man on his guts with her sole in retaliation.


    ¡°Guh¡­!¡±


    Dain held his stomach in pain.


    Flamm then grabbed the man by his hair and drove her knee into his face.


    As the man staggered, she once again drew her sword and went for his head¡ªbut Dain recovered quicker than she had expected; he was able to rush towards Flamm and swing his knife once again as she was still summoning her sword.


    He sliced Flamm on her chest, exposing her underwear before sending another thrust that drove straight into Flamm¡¯s upper left arm. Hitting her ulna, Dain shaved off a part of her flesh along with a scratching sensation on his blade.


    The eyeballs are still approaching.


    Time is running out, and Flamm felt the rush to quickly put an end to this fight.


    Flamm held her right fist aloft and drove it into his vulnerable cheek.


    It should be a clean hit, one that should send a normal human staggering and retreating.


    However, despite having gone through his mental and physical limit, Dain didn¡¯t even flinch. He kept glaring at Flamm as he stretched his hand, still gripping his knife.


    Aiming for her heart, Dain rushes forward again.


    ¡°I GOT YOU NOW, FLAAAAAMMM!!!¡±


    Perhaps for him, it was the roar of victory.


    As a matter of fact, it wouldn¡¯t be unthinkable for him to win.


    He is the one with advantages in status and combat experience.


    Not to mention, being surrounded by eyeballs and traps, Flamm was in an overwhelming disadvantage.


    That¡¯s why¡­That was why¡ª


    Neither Dain nor even Flamm could¡¯ve thought¡­


    A white sphere came rolling.


    It rolled through the man¡¯s shoulder and sunk itself into his upper arm.


    ¡°¡­¡­ah¡­?¡±


    As Dain looked at his arm, his movement stopped.


    Why him?


    The eyeballs should¡¯ve targeted Flamm and not him, an ally, so¡ª


    ¡°N¡­No¡­¡±


    Dain was left dumbfounded.


    ¡°Aah¡­I get it¡­¡±


    Flamm finally realized the answer.


    The eyeballs are part of Origin¡¯s power controlled by Ink.


    They certainly are something the little girl creates.


    Thinking back, when she passed by Dain earlier during the day, there are eyeballs that gazed upon her. If Dain was to pick a fight with her at that time, he wouldn¡¯t have lived through the day.


    In other words, Flamm was saved by them.


    There were no need to think who did. There¡¯s no one but her.


    It was her wish.


    A wish powerful enough to overwhelm the will of a God.


    A subconscious, desperate wish, to protect Flamm against God¡¯s will, from the little girl called Ink.


    ¡°NNOOOOOO!!!!!¡±


    Dain¡¯s arm begins to multiply, and the man was thrown into dismay.


    His hand that was supposed to drive his knife into Flamm¡¯s heart stopped moving against his will.


    The next moment, his body was blown away, leaving him in a staggered state.


    Flamm raised her Soul Eater with difficulty, perhaps signalling the limit of her stamina. Simply gripping the handle caused her hands to tremble.


    Thus, she had to collect all her remaining strength, just like when she had to destroy the Origin Core.


    ¡°HAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!¡±


    She thrusts her blade right in Dain¡¯s center of mass.


    However, her strike did not split the man in half; it didn¡¯t even go through the man¡¯s bones. That alone shows how much stamina Flamm had left.


    ¡°A¡­ah¡­?¡±


    Then¡­what was the meaning behind the wound she had given him?


    Perhaps Dain himself, the one suffering from the injury she gave him, would be the one who understands it the most.


    ¡°S¡­to¡­p¡­A¡­gah¡­ga¡­gg¡­a¡­AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!¡±


    Slowly, starting from the wound in the middle of his body, his skin and his flesh starts to peel away from his skeleton.


    His bones are exposed, and even they start to turn inside-out. exposing what¡¯s usually hidden within the bone.


    ¡°Kill¡­me¡­at least¡­while I¡¯m still¡­hu¡­ma¡­.AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!¡±


    If it were to be given a name, it would be Cavalier Arts Expansion¡ªPrana Slash: Reversal.


    His body had been turned inside-out; that spell, without a doubt, brings certain death, though it would only be thus since Dain was already greatly weakened.


    ¡°GYA¡­AA¡­AGGHH¡­!¡±


    The base of his neck also begins to turn inside-out, drowning out his death throes, while in return, his vocal cords emerged from the lump of flesh, creating an uncanny noise.


    ¡°¡­suffer and die, Dain¡±, whispered Flamm after taking some distance.


    She turned her back against the dying man and headed for Ink.


    Left alone in the chapel, Dain completely turned inside-out. His internal organs and his brain was laid bare and left as is, though in truth, his body was uninjured.


    His heart and internal organs kept working despite being exposed, keeping him alive an unimaginable suffering without having even the option to die.

 CH 25

    Flamm opened every door in the hallway behind the chapel.


    Perhaps snapping after killing Dain, her body isn¡¯t following her directions. She puts her hand on the wall to support herself and dragged her legs forward. Countless eyeballs were still closing in from behind her¡­it seems like even after her fight was over, the crisis still goes on.


    At the end of the hallway, she opened the last door. In that room that was slightly wider than other rooms, she found Ink.


    ¡°I¡­Ink¡­?¡±


    However, her voice was cut short, for there was a woman about 180 cm in height whom she never saw before.


    ¡­no, are they truly a woman?


    The person was wearing a dress and a wide-brimmed hat, and her blazing red hair extends down to her jawline. It¡¯s a feature that was hard to miss, even in a glance. However, their limbs were muscular, their shoulders wide, and their face looks like it belongs to a man.


    ¡°That voice¡­is that you, Flamm?¡±


    ¡°My oh my, that man lost that easily, I see. I didn¡¯t think you would come this quickly.¡±


    The person¡¯s voice was throaty, indicating that he¡¯s unmistakably a man.


    ¡°So you are Flamm, yes? It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you; I am Mother, the mother, the mother of these children¡­the Spiral Children.¡±


    Flamm took out her sword. She had heard of her existence from Ink, but she completely thought the person was a woman.


    ¡°I wonder why can¡¯t I leave her alone? Besides, the person that called Ink terrible things like monster and whatnot was you, is it not?¡±


    ¡°Since you called yourself their mother, you must know about her power, right?¡±


    ¡°Why of course. I was the one who replaced her heart with a Core anyways¡±, replied Mother immediately.


    Since the person called himself Mother, he must be the leader of the research program, which probably means that he is the researcher belonging to the church.


    ¡°In short, that was the ceremony of a second birth through a mother¡¯s womb that allows me to become their mother! So all of the girls, including Ink, are truly my children, and I am truly their mother.¡±


    Mother kept talking, spilling out even the details Flamm shouldn¡¯t have heard.


    Rather than calling him a fanatic believer, the person was too absorbed in fulfilling his role that he loves to emphasize in being the children¡¯s mother.


    ¡°But¡­I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d like a human instead? Why though? While it¡¯s true that you¡¯re a failure , it is still a wonderful power to have. It¡¯s a power to give birth to more children, a power to become a mother! Look at that!¡±


    The man pointed behind Flamm, where the white eyeballs gathered beyond the door Flamm left open. The eyeballs, however, didn¡¯t come into the room. Is it because its owner, Ink, is present in the room?


    ¡°Ink¡¯s lovely little children are looking this way~¡±


    ¡°Children¡­you mean¡­!¡±


    ¡°The things you lost,¡± Ink puts her palm on her eyelids. ¡°¡­and the things you wanted most. Origin-sama¡¯s power multiplies that desire, and so your body can spit them out. And then as you housed Origin-sama¡¯s power, it follows Ink-chan¡¯s wishes and they protect us.¡±


    ¡°Noo¡­I didn¡¯t¡­!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ashamed, you did very well. You are a splendid mother, Ink-chan. I am happy that my beloved children became a splendid children¡± Mother said, before hugging the little girl.


    The power of Origin Flamm had seen was repulsive in another meaning. It brought chills to her spine and it nauseated her greatly. Flamm didn¡¯t think that the love expressed by Mother existed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to do this in our first meeting, but Mother, or whoever you are.¡±


    ¡°What is iit?¡±


    ¡°I think you might not be suited to be a mother.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why would you say that even though you don¡¯t know anything?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re not properly looking at your children. You kept pushing your ideals to them and manipulating them to wish for what you want them to do¡­despite clearly no one wanted that kind of body or heart!¡±


    ¡°But even if it¡¯s not for me to decide, it¡¯s not for you to decide either, you know? Hey, Ink-chan, you clearly feel my love for you, right?¡±


    The man brought himself even closer to Ink. He even went further and rubbed his cheek against the girl¡¯s as his breathing turned rough.


    Perhaps she¡¯s used to it, Ink herself didn¡¯t seem overly troubled by it, but at the same time, she doesn¡¯t seem pleased. However, the girl timidly opened her mouth and said,


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t want it. Humans¡­are fine¡­I don¡¯t want to be a monster that hurts anyone!


    ¡°¡­Really.¡±


    The smile that never left Mother¡®s face disappeared. Expressionless, the man stood up and stood in front of Ink. He grabbed the girl by the collar and, with a loud smack, he slapped the girl across the face. Ink was slammed to the floor as she received the brute strength of a man.


    ¡°Then I don¡¯t need you. You¡¯re nothing more than a piece of garbage to me. Get yourself disposed. How ungrateful of you. Even though I raised you with love and care despite your uselessness.¡±


    ¡°Ink!!¡± Flamm rushed to the girl and held her in her arms. Her worries dissipates slightly as she could faintly hear Ink calling out to her in a low voice along with a powerless smile. Flamm immediately moved the girl to the corner of the room and glared at the man¡¯s wide back.


    ¡°MOTHER!!¡±


    Responding with voice packed with anger, the man stopped on his tracks and turned around.


    ¡°How scaary. You¡¯re really not suited to raise kids.¡± The moment he said that, four children appeared behind him. They were either concealed with magic or they teleported in. To Mother¡®s left was a boy with a wavy green hair that was smiling for no reason and an irritated-looking blonde boy tapping her toes in a rhythm as he faced away. To Mother¡¯s right was a cheeky-looking, scowling blue-haired boy who was holding his swollen cheek and a girl who had her eyes covered by her long bangs, holding a human-shaped stuffed toy.


    ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s with that injury, Nect?¡±


    ¡°I was defeated¡­I swear I¡¯ll kill that fucking bastard the next time I see him¡­!¡±


    It was Nect, the boy who fought against Gadio. They fought so violently that the sound of them fighting could be heard across the city, but it seemed that Gadio had managed to safely drove the boy back, and now he retreated here.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯ll introduce them to you, Flamm. These kids are my most precious children¡­the Spiral Children.¡± Mother spreads his arms wide and spoke proudly.


    The children looked like they¡¯re either Ink¡¯s age or younger. They all looked like normal humans, but their face would definitely change into that disgusting vortex of flesh when they have to use their powers.


    ¡°The green-haired one on the left is Hewis-chan, and the blonde boy next to him is Rook-chan. The blue-haired one is Nect, and the girl on the very right is Mute-chan. What do you think? Aren¡¯t they such cuties?¡±


    Flamm swallowed her saliva. She¡¯s sure that if they were to try to kill her right now, she would undoubtedly lose. She couldn¡¯t run away otherwise she¡¯d be erased, not even leaving anything behind.


    Fortunately, it doesn¡¯t seem that they¡¯re holding animosity against her, but¡­


    ¡°My, you don¡¯t have to be so cautious, you know? Even between Origin-sama, they¡¯re still uncertain if we should kill you or use you, so we who are neutral will not try to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Between¡­Origin?¡± Flamm was puzzled with how the man implied that there are more than one Origin.


    Mother giggled; ¡°You will see in due time.¡±


    ¡°Mother, let¡¯s get out of here quickly!¡±


    ¡°Hewis is right. How long are we gonna waste with these garbage? Just throw Ink away already.¡±


    ¡°My education policy is to give every child a chance, Rook-chan.¡± In response to Mother¡®s advice, the foulmouthed Rook averted his gaze once again.


    ¡°Mother, pee pee.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s not good, Mute-chan. We need to hurry. Nect-chan, can you please help her?¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mother.¡±


    Nect held his open hand aloft, and Flamm immediately thought that some sort of power is whirling on top of his palm.


    ¡°Oh, right, about the disposal of that thing,¡± Just before Connection activates, Mother called out to Flamm as if she just remembered about Ink. ¡°Honestly the eyeballs are kind of in the way, so can you please destroy her with your powers? Also, it¡¯s better for you not to even think of saving her. It¡¯s not possible anyways. Besides, she¡¯s physically weak and she doesn¡¯t have any strong points on top of being completely blind, so she¡¯s just a complete garbage.¡±


    Flamm grits her teeth.


    He¡¯s beyond saving. He¡¯s too selfish and unreasonable, and¡ª


    ¡°Is that something a mother should say!?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re complete strangers now, so she¡¯s nothing but garbage. That¡¯s all there is too it. Well, see you again, Flamm-chan.¡±


    ¡°Connection¡±, declared Nect, and at the same time, Mother and her children disappeared.


    ¡°Wait!!¡±, Flamm shouted, but her voice didn¡¯t reach them and instead they echoed in the room. Instead, she could only clench her fists in frustration with a grunt.


    Hearing the girls¡¯ voice Ink voiced her uneasiness and said ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Flamm.¡±


    ¡°Why are you apologizing, Ink? I¡¯m the one¡­who¡¯s at fault. I¡­I said something terrible back then.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s true¡­isn¡¯t it? When the sun sets, I turn into a monster¡­I produced a lot of things I¡¯m don¡¯t know about¡­I¡¯m creating problems just by living¡­!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡ªNot true, she wanted to declare, but she couldn¡¯t. If she keeps her alive, there will be more people that would fall victim to her eyeballs. Flamm and her friends would be pursued by them until they die, and they couldn¡¯t possibly have a peaceful sleep unless they can keep Ink in check. it would¡¯ve been fine if the consequence is only several days of sleepless nights, but for the rest of their lifetime after this point, they would live a life that¡¯s comparable to dying.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Ink?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine already¡­I¡¯m already happy that I get to talk with you in the end.¡±


    ¡°W-wait, don¡¯t just give up all of a sudden¡ª¡±


    ¡°THEN WHAT SHOULD I DO!? As long as I live, I will keep hurting people, right? If I went that far then I don¡¯t even think that I want to live! If I can¡¯t live and try to be happy like a normal human can, then I would rather be dead than live in eternal misfortune¡­!¡±


    Flamm truly wished she could tell her otherwise, that she could do something about it¡­but Flamm understands her own powerlessness. She bears the pain of knowing fully what she can and cannot do.


    Sometimes¡­giving up is the correct choice for one to take.


    Ink stood up, breaking herself away from Flamm¡¯s arms. Before long, she sat back down on the ground with her legs to her side, and as she smiled at Flamm, she opened her eyes and said,


    ¡°¡­alright, go ahead.¡±


    Childishly, she begged for death.


    Flamm¡¯s lips wavered, her teeth gnashed. She tried to hold back her tears, but they came streaming out anyway.


    She couldn¡¯t do anything.


    She couldn¡¯t make any difference unless she destroys the girl¡¯s core¡­but if she does, the girl would die. Even if there¡¯s another way to solve the problem¡­can she even do it by her lonesome? All she has are her Soul eater, the ability to freeze, her Reversal, and her Prana. Even if she racks her brain and fiddled with those ideas as if they were pieces of a puzzle, she can¡¯t come up with anything.


    ¡°You know, I can be happy enough if I get to be killed by you, Flamm. I mean since¡­you know, at least I¡¯ll be able to die as a human¡±, Ink said in a cheerful voice.


    That tone of her hints that what she said was not meant to convince Flamm; instead it¡¯s a tone that indicates that she accepts her death.


    Flamm obviously didn¡¯t want to kill her¡­but not being able to choose when it counts is also a form of irresponsibility. She removed Dain, prepared to die, just to get to where Ink is. To choose whether to let her live or kill her¡­and the answer had showed itself. Even the girl wished for it. Which means,if there¡¯s no other way, the only option¡­was to kill her.


    ¡°Uu¡­kkh¡­haah¡­aah¡­AAAAHH¡­.¡±


    Her shoulders shaking and her face flooded by her tears, Flamm slowly stood up. Like a ghost, she swayed and stumbled as she gazed at Ink¡¯s smile behind her blurred vision. The little girl¡¯s fake smile only made it more painful.


    Her cheek twitched, and even more tears spills out as she squeezed her eyes shut¡­but even then, Flamm advanced forward to fulfill her responsibility. She pushed her limbs that even still refuses to move¡­and stepped forward. With every step she takes, her body grows heavier and heavier.


    ¡°HAAHH¡­!¡±


    She puts strength into her abdomen, moving her left foot this time along with an exhale.


    The Soul Eater¡¯s blade rings as it scrapes the floor, and Flamm¡¯s shirt clings to her uncomfortably as it was bathed in cold sweat.


    ¡°A¡­UAAAH¡­!¡±


    She will reach the girl before long.


    Flamm gripped the handle of her sword with both hands, and with the pointed tip of the blade trembling, on Ink¡¯s chest. Feeling the coldness of the metal blade, the girl twitched.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fine. Ah, but please finish me off quickly, okay? ¡­I guess I really don¡¯t like pain¡­¡±


    The girl is truly putting up a very tough front. There¡¯s no need to even think about it; nobody truly wishes to die. If one could, they would want to live happily as a person. Even Ink should have that thought right now. A 10-year-old little girl¡­wishing to live, yet the world couldn¡¯t grant her that wish.


    ¡°¡­Flamm?¡±


    Ink¡¯s question was only replied by Flamm¡¯s erratic breathing and wheezing.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this, Flamm, you can¡¯t stop here. You¡¯re scaring me. You can do it in one swoop, like fwish!¡±


    Despite sounding cheerful, Ink¡¯s voice also wavered. If she could open her eyes, she too would perhaps have tears flowing down her cheeks.


    ¡°¡­Hey, Ink¡­you¡¯re actually holding yourself back, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡±


    ¡°Of course you are! Because¡­If you¡¯re not then it¡¯s weird! Don¡¯t lie to me! Tell me what you really think!¡±


    ¡°Is there any meaning to it even if I tell you? If I were to tell you my true feelings right here, would it bring any meaning other than to make it harder for you and me?¡±


    There¡¯s¡­no such thing.


    If putting up front was for Ink¡¯s own self-satisfaction, knowing Ink¡¯s true feelings was Flamm¡¯s selfish wish.


    ¡°Even if there isn¡¯t¡­I want to hear it.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want her to die leaving lies as lies. At the very least she would want her to die honest to her desire. It was her cruel, yet kind wish she had.


    ¡°I¡­I actually¡­I too¡­!¡±


    Hearing Flamm¡¯s wish, Ink crumbled, hinting her immaturity. Her bluff was transient, and once it crumbles, she wouldn¡¯t be able to rebuild that wall around herself as it disappears. She would be able to act her age, and her wish, her hope, and her desire¡­would all spill out selfishly.


    ¡°OF COURSE I WANT TO LIVE! I¡¯M STILL 10! I¡¯VE ONLY LIVED FOR 10 YEARS, OF COURSE I WOULD THINK THAT IT¡¯S WEIRD THAT IT¡¯S JUST GOING TO BE OVER!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°WHY DO I HAVE TO DIE!? WHY DID I BECOME A MONSTER!? WHY CAN¡¯T I LIVE NORMALLY!? I DON¡¯T NEED ORIGIN¡¯S POWER!! It would¡¯ve been fine¡­It would¡¯ve been just fine if I could live like a normal human¡­!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    ¡°But even as I¡¯m saying this¡­I know that I can¡¯t do anything¡­that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to say it¡­I wanted to keep my silence since there¡¯s no choice but to die¡­!¡±


    ¡°¡­yeah.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re cruel, Flamm¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Flamm was aware of what she did, so she obediently lowered her head and apologized.


    Since her answer came out immediately, Ink chuckled lightly¡­showing a genuine smile.


    ¡°But¡­thank you. I think I feel better now.¡±


    Letting out what¡¯s left of her lingering attachment, she felt like she removed some weight off her shoulder. That weight would then be carried on by Flamm¡­but that was what Flamm herself had wished for.


    ¡°Now that I feel better, please finish it quickly, Flamm.¡±


    Following what the girl said, Flamm put more strength into her palms.


    ¡°Okay¡±


    Just a bit more and she will thrust her blade forward, and after pouring some mana, everything will be over. From now on, even amidst all other pain and suffering, Flamm would continue to shoulder the lives she had taken today. She swore to not let this happen for a second time. With that thought as her fuel, Flamm would continue her fight with the church.


    It¡¯s not something she chose to do. The moment Flamm met Ink, she already ceased to be a human. Her heart was transplanted by the Origin Core, and she had became the Spiral Children who can use inhuman powers. That¡¯s why, unless she can turn back time, Flamm couldn¡¯t save her.


    It was over before it started.


    In all honesty, this feeling of guilt isn¡¯t necessary in the first place. As Ink had told her, she only need it to make it quick; release her from this living hell and move on forward.


    ¡°¡­move¡­on.¡±


    Forward.


    Forward.


    Forward.


    ¡­which way is forward?


    What¡¯s the proof that the direction she¡¯s moving on is forward? It was certainly to kill the girl who was had the power of Origin within her, and to continue fighting might be to go down the path of righteousness.


    However¡­is that really the way ¡°forward¡± Flamm wished for?


    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± she muttered.


    What she wants is completely different.


    She had met the little girl. Even if they only know each other for several days, it was just like the time with Milkit; she didn¡¯t care about how long they¡¯ve known each other. Flamm just wanted to save Ink.


    That was her idea of moving ¡°forward¡±.


    Common sense or ethics didn¡¯t matter to her. Progressing the way she wants to continue on for her is moving forward.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t it.¡±


    Killing someone she wanted to protect was¡­backwards, and a degradation of who she is.


    Doing that is equal to the death of Flamm Apricot, and she is not going to let that happen. As if she¡¯s going to let that happen.


    She¡¯s not going to let that happen!


    ¡°This is wrong¡­definitely. I am¡­!¡± Her grip slackened, and her sword fell from her hand. ¡°I am not going to kill Ink! I won¡¯t give up until the last moment! If I just give up right now, I won¡¯t be anyone¡¯s hero!¡±


    ¡°Flamm¡­it¡¯s fine already¡­¡±


    ¡°As if! You want to live, don¡¯t you!? You have stuff you wanted to do, don¡¯t you!? Then we have to make it come true!¡±


    ¡°But what can we do? What can we do to fulfill that!? Don¡¯t just randomly say it if you can¡¯t think of a way!¡± The two girls¡¯ voice echoed around the room.


    ¡°A way¡­if it¡¯s a method¡­!¡±


    What is something she needed to save the girl?


    Destroy the core, obtain something to replace it and transplant it into her. The first problem is that there is nothing else Flamm can do, while the main problem is the second and third problem.


    She decided to think about them one by one.


    First is the core¡¯s substitute¡­no, in the first place, the core is the substitute, functioning in place of her heart; the core is the substitute for her heart.


    ¡°Substitute for her heart¡­¡­substitute?¡±


    Is there something they needed for a substitute? Can they just use an actual heart? A heart that lived and beat? A heart that could be active, and it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s dead¡­someone else¡¯s¡ª


    ¡°Dain¡¯s¡­heart¡­¡±


    Take it, and transplant it to Ink.


    Flamm looked like she was about to laugh at her own absurd idea despite saying it herself. Even if it is possible, how would she keep Ink alive after she destroys her core and while she¡¯s in the process of having the heart transplanted? She needed the ¡°power of life¡± to keep her alive, even if it¡¯s just for a moment.


    Once again, Flamm scoffed at herself, thinking ¡°is there even anything that convenient?¡±


    However¡­there¡¯s something she had in mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s not possible¡­stop it!¡± Ink snarked, angry at Flamm who were quietly mulling it over.


    At that time, an explosive wind blasted through the entrance of the room. The wind blew away the eyeballs flooding the hallway in one strike, creating a pathway for the people to walk in.


    Those people are¡ª


    ¡°Flamm, you¡¯re okay!¡±


    ¡°We finally get to meet again¡­thankfully it seems like you¡¯re still alive.¡±


    ¡°Masteeerrrrr!!!¡±


    It was Gadio, Eterna, and the Flamm¡¯s most precious person. Seeing her master¡¯s figure, Milkit immediately broke into a run and tightly hugged Flamm, who immediately returned her hug with the same intensity.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad¡­I¡¯m soo glad¡­I really thought I would neber zee you again¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­I really wanted to meet you too, Milkit¡­I¡¯m really, really glad you¡¯re okay¡­.!¡±


    Flamm thoroughly felt Milkit¡¯s warmth and the sweet smell of hers. The two were elated that they could meet again as the two exchanged hugs as if they were trying to ascertain each other¡¯s warmth.


    However, that happiness only lasts for a brief while. Even if they managed to reunite with each other, the problem that was infesting Ink still persists.


    ¡°She¡¯s Ink Riesekraft, one of the Spiral Children.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright, but looking at the situation it doesn¡¯t seem to be something to be happy about.¡±


    Eterna quickly judged the situation just by noticing Flamm¡¯s greatsword lying on the ground and the two¡¯s tear-stained faces. However, knowing that there are some people that didn¡¯t know, Ink decided to explain herself.


    ¡°Actually¡­those eyeballs that has been chasing after everyone¡­I made them all.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Ink-san made them?¡± asked Milkit after she separates herself from Flamm.


    ¡°Origin¡¯s power would surface when I lose consciousness and it¡¯ll turn me into a monster. I can¡¯t control it myself, so I wanted to end it all by having Flamm kill me¡­¡±


    ¡°I see, but when Flamm was about to kill you, she stopped, right? That¡¯s what she¡¯d do¡±, Eterna voiced her objection, sounding slightly exasperated.


    ¡°There could still be ways to save her though right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the condition of her body in the first place¡­¡±


    ¡°She had her heart replaced by an Origin Core the moment she was born.¡± The person who answered her question was Gadio.


    ¡°Thanks for explaining. So in short, Ink will die if we destroy the core. I see now¡­so there¡¯s no saving her unless we find a replacement.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why, I¡­¡±


    Since she had nothing to lose, she started explaining her train of thought, not even minding if the rest of them are going to laugh at her ideas;


    ¡°I thought that I might be able replace Ink¡¯s core with a heart from Dain¡¯s corpse in the chapel.¡±


    ¡°Flamm¡­there¡¯s no way that¡¯s going to be possible.¡±


    ¡°I know! But We won¡¯t know if you won¡¯t listen¡ª¡±


    Flamm turned sentimental, but Eterna managed to cut through before she finished.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡±


    With that one phrase, the room fell silent.


    Obviously, Flamm thought it was a joke at the start. She never heard about transplanting organs from another human body.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about a heart transplant, right? I can technically do it.¡±


    Perhaps understanding that the rest of the people might have taken it as a joke, Eterna declared for a second time, and by the time her words reached Flamm¡¯s ears, Flamm didn¡¯t doubt it any longer.


    Maybe it¡¯s true, maybe it¡¯s possible, maybe she can.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that transplanting organs were common practices before the invention of healing spells, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a big fan of lost techniques and pharmacy after all. It¡¯s just that it requires a high level of magic control given how delicate it can be.¡±


    In other words, she¡¯s the only magician that can do it.


    ¡°It¡¯s Eterna¡¯s field of expertise huh.¡±


    ¡°You could say that¡±, Eterna showed a small peace sign with her hand as she said that.


    What a hero¡­to be able to make possible what¡¯s absolutely impossible, Flamm thought, once again realizing how great heroes can be.


    ¡°By the way, speaking of Dain¡¯s body, do you mean that disgusting lump of flesh we saw earlier? It is still moving.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s right! We can use that!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s several miracles that must to happen including the miracle of the two having the same blood type, the miracle of Ink¡¯s body not rejecting the organ and several others, but we can try if you want. Also, how do we keep her alive after destroying her core?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­um¡­I know it might sound stupid, but¡­¡± If it can help with the transplant, then she only had to say it. ¡°Gadio-san, Prana is initially something like a life force¡­the life energy of a person, right?¡±


    ¡°You can interpret it that way, yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then can I not use Prana to prolong the life of someone who¡¯s on the verge of dying?¡±


    Can her Prana keep Ink alive if they need several hours¡­no, several dozen minutes?


    After a bit of thinking, Gadio gave his answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably quite difficult to use it that way, but it has been used to heal wounds and extract poisons, so I think it¡¯s not impossible.¡±


    The possibility is finally born. All that¡¯s left is if it can be executed well or not.


    Flamm approached Ink and crouched down to lower herself to Ink¡¯s height before telling the girl;


    ¡°We might be able to change you back to human.¡±


    ¡°Is it¡­really possible?¡±


    ¡°The probability isn¡¯t zero, but we wouldn¡¯t be able to recover you if we fail¡­¡±


    Of course, there¡¯s a chance that she might die¡­but there is a chance of being able to attain happiness and live as a human, a chance that she never thought even existed.


    She didn¡¯t have to give up for there is a choice she can make. Even if it failed, it was not because of something arbitrarily decided for her; she¡¯ll die as a result of something she herself chose.


    Nobody had any idea how much that difference had saved her.


    Without hesitation, the girl made her choice.


    ¡°If there¡¯s even a small chance, I want to bet on it.¡±


    Afterwards, it¡¯s a battle against the clock. Eterna immediately returned to the chapel, wrapping Dain¡¯s corpse with water and carried it back to the room. Perhaps since it was too grotesque for Milkit who was sitting away in the corner of the room, she couldn¡¯t help but to bring her hands to her mouth.


    However, it wasn¡¯t so much the case for Flamm and Gadio.


    ¡°I¡¯ll match my timing with yours. On your go.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Instead of her greatsword, Flamm was puts the pointed end of the shortsword she took from Dain to Ink¡¯s chest.


    ¡°It will hurt, but please endure it, okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­yeah, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    Flamm closed her eyes and took a deep breath, gathering the mana pooling in her body. She imagined the mana collected in her body into a sphere and sent them flowing; from her body, into her hands, into the hilt of the shortsword, and into the blade itself.


    Her target is the Origin core. The power of her Inversion would flow into the core and destroy it the moment the blade makes contact. She burned the image of the flow in her closed eyes.


    All that¡¯s left is to follow the procedure and move her hands¡­she put strength into her arms and the blade was driven into Ink¡¯s torso.


    ¡°Nn¡­Guh¡­¡±


    ¡°Reversal!¡±


    Crash!, the moment she infused her mana, the core started to swirl in reverse, creating a negative energy that split the crystal in two as it couldn¡¯t bear the energy flowing to the direction it¡¯s not built for.


    Ink felt her strength leaving her body. At the same time, the eyeballs surrounding the church started to turn grey, withering as they deteriorate?.


    It¡¯s likely that they won¡¯t have to see that repulsive scenery ever again.


    ¡°Humph!¡± Without a moment¡¯s delay, Gadio put his hands on Ink¡¯s body and started to pour his Prana with his bare hands.


    Thump!


    He injected a huge clump of life energy to the girl. With the core destroyed, Ink¡¯s body that was gradually turning cold suddenly starts to increase in temperature to the point that she was burning.


    ¡°Ugg¡­a, ack¡­¡±


    Ink¡¯s body curled backwards as she twitched violently.


    ¡°Hang in there, Ink.¡±


    The girl¡¯s lips formed a smile, indicating that she perhaps had heard what Flamm said.


    Next, Eterna came closer and begins the transplant process.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt a lot more, so grit your teeth.¡± As Eterna said that, she pushed the girl¡¯s hands aside and evoked water blades of various sizes around her. One of them quickly approached Ink and cut her skin like a scalpel.


    Its movement were¡­quick and delicate, and even Flamm who were looking at it from very closely still wasn¡¯t able to grasp what it¡¯s doing. The dozens of water blades worked together with several water tentacles that appeared sometime afterwards to perform the surgery on Ink.


    Blood splattered from the opening when Eterna first pulled out the shattered core from inside her body, but she immediately closed the open wound with a water ball.


    She needed to prevent blood loss and maintain the hygiene of the wound¡­something that normally require several people to do, but Eterna was able to do everything by herself using nothing but spells.


    Ink desperately endured the pain even as she breathed heavily to the point that her throat trembles violently.


    In reality, her sense of pain was dulled thanks to Gadio¡¯s hands which greatly reduced the pain she experienced, but even after that, it was still an amount of pain she wouldn¡¯t have normally experienced.


    The one thing that supports her from crumbling was the single hope that after this process is finished, she will return to being human.


    Before long, Milkit who was watching from far away had moved closer to the girl, holding onto her hand tightly as she prayed for her safety. Flamm, too, held the girl¡¯s hand. Without looking away, Flamm looked over the process with an earnest expression.


    At times, Eterna would heave a soft sigh as she wipes her forehead that started to get sweaty with the back of her hand, indicating that even for her, this is a very difficult thing to do. However, she proceeds through the operation in a speed no normal human hands could manage.


    Flamm looked in blank amazement as she witnessed Dain¡¯s heart being extracted from his flesh and put into Ink¡¯s body. The water spell then created a thread that it used to sew the heart in place and confirmed if it¡¯s functioning normally. Finally, after it closed the incision with a suture¡ªthe surgery is finished.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve done all I could,¡± said Eterna, falling to her rear as a sudden rush of fatigue assailed her all at once.


    Perhaps reaching her limit, Ink lost consciousness, her face showing how she suffered in pain. Under her undulating chest was a working, beating heart that used to belong to someone else.


    ¡°did we¡­save her?¡±


    ¡°I hope so¡± said Gadio as he glanced at the hallway littered with ash and dust.


    ¡°The rest depends on the post-surgery development,¡± Eterna said expressionlessly, though despite that, the woman was praying for Ink¡¯s recovery.


    ¡°Thank you very much¡­I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it on my own.¡± Flamm deeply bowed at the to in front of her.


    ¡°You could say the same about me.¡±


    ¡°Would¡¯ve been impossible if it¡¯s just me too.¡±


    ¡°I think¡­it would have been fine if I¡¯m not here¡± said Milkit, being humble.


    In response to that, Eterna flashed a grin before saying;


    ¡°Flamm wouldn¡¯t have had the determination if Milkit isn¡¯t here, so you were useful.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying as if I never had any determination in the first place!¡± Flamm prattled on quickly.


    ¡°She¡¯s right though, Flamm¡¯s really different from before and after they met.¡±


    ¡°Not you too, Gadio-san¡­¡±


    Seeing the pouty Flamm, Eterna and Gadio¡¯s expression softened. Milkit, on the other hand, turned bashful before inching closer to Flamm. She ended up sitting next to Flamm, and while trying to be careful not to be seen by other people, she silently piled her hand on top of her master¡¯s.


    ¡°Milkit?¡±


    Their eyes met by accident, and Flamm decided to call her out. In response, the girl whispered in a voice that only the two of them can hear:


    ¡°It seems like I too am no good without you, master.¡±


    Even if I¡¯m away for just a bit, it¡¯s so painful that I feel like I¡¯m going crazy. It¡¯s like my chest is always squeezing with anxeity, and it was so hard that it gets harder to breathe¡­so please¡­stay with me.


    That thought seemed to be transferred through her hand, which caused Flamm¡¯s face to turn beet red.


    Flamm wasn¡¯t the only one who had experienced the pain of losing someone. The two suffered through each other¡¯s absence, which is why their feelings for each other only got stronger.


    Flamm squeezed the hand that was merely placed on top of hers.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine to just let them see?¡±


    To Flamm¡¯s suggestion that was accompanied by a wink, Milkit replied with a quiet ¡°yes¡±.


    In reality, however, both Eterna and Gadio have noticed about the two of them since long ago. A bunch of amateurs really can¡¯t deceive the eyes of the heroes.


    ¡°I hope she opens her eyes soon.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­there¡¯s a lot of food Ink-san wanted to try.¡±


    The two peered at Ink¡¯s face.


    No one in that room had even thought that the girl wouldn¡¯t open her eyes. Everyone was convinced that the procedure was a success.


    The capital bathes in the morning sun, driving away the darkness and turning the sky to a bright orange color.


    The long night had finally ended, and a new day begun with no one left behind.

 CH 26

    Flamm heard the chirping of birds in her drowsy state as she was roused from sleep. Soon enough, as she opened her eyelids, she could see the wooden ceiling she¡¯s so familiar with. The sunlight passing through the gaps between the curtain poured on her face, so she tried to shield her eyes with her hand as she laid facing up.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s morning already¡± she whispered, then realizing how parched her throat was.


    Flamm sat up, stroking her now ruffled hair as she takes a look around. Noticing the cabinet, the desk and the other bed amongst other things, she was sure she¡¯s in her own room.


    ¡°Uhh¡­yesterday, I immediately jumped to bed after going home, and just like that¡­¡±


    She fell asleep and that was it. That was all she could remember after getting back home. Then again, she was sure that it happened early in the morning, and since it¡¯s currently morning¡ª


    ¡°¡­I slept through the entire day?¡±


    No matter how she thought of it, she¡¯s slept for too long.


    Perhaps that showed just how exhausted she was. She ran around for an entire day and fought her way to the next morning. Not even the enhancement provided by her equipment could keep her away from the limits of her body. Even now, her body still feels heavy, as if she still couldn¡¯t get all of her strength back. Her body are aching here and there from muscular pain.


    Flamm let out a huge yawn and chewed on her mouth. Her absent-mindedness showed that she wasn¡¯t completely awake yet. Her head bobbed side to side from her drowsiness before stopping fast at one point, looking at the place directly next to her.


    What she saw was an adorable fair beauty, sleeping soundly next to her. It was Milkit, clad in her sleepwear. Looking closely, her own bed is empty. She was either feeling too lonely to sleep alone or she was too worried that she doesn¡¯t want to separate herself from Flamm. Either way, it seemed that Milkit had crawled into Flamm¡¯s bed when the latter was fast asleep.


    ¡°She¡¯s so cute when she¡¯s sleeping¡­¡± Flamm said with a listless smile before lightly stroking the girl¡¯s hair. The fact that she was wearing her sleepwear means that unlike her, she stayed awake even after they got home.


    What happened to Gadio, Eterna and¡­Ink since then? Flamm spent her time waiting until her mind freshens up as she kept thinking.


    Her hands were still on Milkit¡¯s hair before it moved on to pet the girl¡¯s cheek and rub the girl¡¯s ears. She didn¡¯t mean to wake her from her sleep, but judging from where the sun is, it¡¯s way past the time when she should wake up, so she thought she should wake her up as well.


    ¡°Nyuu¡­mash¡­ter¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Did I come up in her dream as well~?¡±


    ¡°Mashter¡­don¡¯t¡­go¡­¡±


    Flamm¡¯s heart throbbed from the girl¡¯s unconscious sleep-talking and her body temperature quickly rose. She understood that judging by the situation, Milkit would feel uneasy, but¡­


    ¡°A surprise attack like that isn¡¯t fair you know~ you precious little thing~¡± said Flamm, mercilessly attacking Milkit¡¯s soft cheek with the tip of her finger. As she did, the girl softly groaned, and when she opened her eyes, she saw her master¡¯s figure looking at her.


    ¡°Master?¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Milkit.¡±


    Flamm greeted Milkit with a great smile that formed just because Milkit is there. Without even needing to express herself, by just existing there, Flamm was able to smile.


    ¡°Ah¡­good morning, Master.¡±


    Milkit, too, had her cheeks melt and smiled just by seeing Flamm right next to her. The two¡¯s existence makes itself known within each other, creating a fleeting feeling for the two. Despite only being separated for several hours, the fear of not being able to see each other and the reunion thereafter further deepens their feelings towards each other. Their relationship had long changed from master and slave, and who knows better than the two themselves.


    ¡°I was surprised that you slept next to me.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, Master. I see that you never woke up after falling asleep, so I was worried that you would never open your eyes again¡­¡±


    ¡°Aah¡­sorry for making you worry. Seems like I was dead tired back then.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­it was such a huge ordeal after all. I truly thank you for your work. I think that precisely because of your hard work, Ink-san is safe and sound.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have done it by myself.¡±


    ¡°Even if you said that, Eterna-san and Gadio-san said that we couldn¡¯t have done it without you, Master.¡±


    To think that even those two praised her for it. Unsure if she¡¯s supposed to feel embarrassed or happy, Flamm grits her teeth. Right now, she¡¯s neither worthless nor useless, and she had obtained strength that even heroes would acknowledge her for. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to be conceited, but those words fueled Flamm¡¯s self-confidence and strengthened her heart.


    ¡°Ah, by the way, I heard that Ink is alright, but is she awake yet1?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s resting in Eterna-san¡¯s room right now. Eterna-san told me that we¡¯ve gone through the most dangerous period, but we shouldn¡¯t let our guard down for at least half a year.¡±


    ¡°Half a year¡­it might be long but¡­well it is long. No one would even think of transferring someone¡¯s organ to another person.¡±


    The reason she didn¡¯t say it at that time was probably because she didn¡¯t want to ruin the sliver of hope she finally had.


    ¡°At least until her wounds truly close, it¡¯s better for us to not see her.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­I want to see her soon, but I guess just knowing that she¡¯s fine is all I need.¡±


    As long as they knew that, there¡¯s no harm in waiting. After knowing her well-being, Flamm felt a weight off her chest as she got off the bed with Milkit and started to tidy herself up.


    Since her clothes had become tattered from combat, she naturally would pick another outfit to wear, but it seems like most of her clothes had been shredded from a lot of combat she¡¯s been on. She needs to go out and buy some more clothes soon. For now, she decided to don a plaid shirt on top of a white shirt. After checking herself with a twirl in front of a full-body mirror, she sat on a chair and started straightening up her hair. As she did, Milkit who had somehow changed to her maid outfit and wore her bandages looked closely at Flamm.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Her expression seemed nervous at a glance. The maid outfit for today is a combination of a pure white apron on top of a deep blue one-piece dress while her head was decorated with an Alice band; a truly orthodox style. It¡¯s slightly plainer compared to her usual outfit, but it¡¯s still a mystery how anything would suit her.


    ¡°Um¡­Master, there¡¯s something I want to give you¡± Milkit said, opening a drawer from the cabinet and taking something from within. She then stopped where she was, closing her eyes in anxiousness. Not knowing what Milkit would want to give her, Flamm looked at Milkit, not through the mirror but directly after she turned around.


    Milkit didn¡¯t move, tightly gripping the item in her hand close to her chest but with a quiet whisper ¡°alright,¡± she steeled herself and approached Flamm.


    ¡°Here¡­it is¡­¡±


    Flamm extends her hands, looking up at Milkit as she stayed on her seat, and what Milkit gave her was¡­a hairpin with a decorative flower. The semi-transparent light-blue flower sparkled brightly through the sunlight pouring in.


    ¡°Wow¡­it¡¯s so cute¡­Is this a present for me, Milkit?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes¡­I¡¯m sorry I could only give you such thing¡­¡±


    Why is she sorry for giving a present? Immediately, Flamm objected; ¡°No, don¡¯t apologize.¡±


    ¡°It looks cheap in comparison with what you have given me, Master, but¡­I thought it could¡¯ve helped when you were down because of Sarah-san disappearing, so I thought of giving it to you then. But in the end, I didn¡¯t have the time to give it to you, but I didn¡¯t want to not give it to you either¡­¡±


    ¡°I will always be happy with anything you give me, Milkit.¡±


    ¡°Master¡­you really are too kind¡­Thank you very much. I thought I should express my gratitude even for just a bit, so I tried making that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s handmade!?¡±


    Milkit nodded with her face red in embarrassment.


    Flamm had thought of treasuring it being the first present Milkit gave her, but now that she knew it¡¯s handmade, she¡¯s dedicated in making it a family heirloom. She treasures it so much that she¡¯d feel bad putting it on, but then again, she could only express her gratitude by wearing it. She must prepare an ornamental jewelry box for that hairpin alone.


    ¡°Thank you! I¡¯m really really happy! I know it¡¯s sudden, but can I try it on?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Flamm brushed her hair aside and put the hairpin in place. With her forehead peeking out more than usual in her now different hairstyle, she looked at the mirror. Milkit who also wanted to see how her master looked with her hand-crafted hairpin smiled happily at the sight.


    ¡°How is it?¡±


    ¡°You look stunning as always, Master.¡±


    ¡°Not that¡­no, well¡­I¡¯m happy that you think so too, but¡­¡±


    The two fell silent.


    Their eyes met through the mirror, and somehow, the girls¡¯ cheeks turned red from embarrassment.


    After they were done changing, Flamm and Milkit descended the stairs and head for the living room. There, they met Gadio who were standing next to the window as he looks outside. He wasn¡¯t wearing his armor, but instead he was clad in a black coat, something not even Flamm had seen him in before. Despite him only looking outside the window, the current him was stunning enough for a painting.


    ¡°Good morning, Gadio-san.¡±


    ¡°Hey Flamm¡­and Milkit too.¡±


    Having her name called, Milkit nervously lowered her head. They were supposedly together yesterday too, but it seems like she still couldn¡¯t get used to his demeanor.


    ¡°Even though you¡¯ve expended that much Prana, being able to wake up after a day is quite impressive.¡±


    ¡°Is it impressive for sleeping through a whole day¡­?¡±


    A terrifying truth smoothly made her way into the girl¡¯s mind. She must better manage her use in the future.


    ¡°Speaking of which, Gadio-san, is that how you usually dress?¡±


    Gadio checks his outfit after Flamm pointed it out and replied in understanding;


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve always been wearing my armor in our travels, so I guess you¡¯ve never seen me like this.¡±


    It seems like his giant black armor that isn¡¯t even Epic-grade in rarity is stored in another room on the first floor. For someone in Gadio¡¯s status, it wouldn¡¯t be weird if he were to don an Epic-grade armor, but it seems that he truly preferred that black armor over another.


    As Flamm and Gadio conversed with each other, Milkit quickly tottered her way to the kitchen and begun preparing breakfast. Meanwhile, the former two made their way to the dining table and talked across the table.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s a bit too late for me to say this, but I didn¡¯t expect to be saved by you, Gadio-san.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that you were in the middle of this chaos either. Not only that, I didn¡¯t expect you to be fighting up front and I was also surprised that you have that slave seal on your cheek. What the hell happened since you left the party?¡±


    The way he narrowed his eyes as he raised his doubt was¡­slightly scary, yet he was like that precisely because he was worried about Flamm. The girl he had traveled together to subjugate the Demon King had turned into a slave after all. Anyone could¡¯ve seen that something went terribly wrong.


    ¡°I guess I should explain from the start¡­¡±


    Flamm roughly explained what had happened to her. How Jean had sold her as a slave, how she met Milkit and how she obtained a cursed equipment that allowed her to fight. How she found the church¡¯s research facility and fought monsters as they went to search for medicinal herbs. How the monsters are targeting her and how she had the power to destroy the core¡­


    Gadio paid close attention to what Flamm told him, verbally indicating his attention from time to time.


    After reaching the conclusion that led to today, Flamm finished her explanation with ¡°and well, that¡¯s how it went¡±, to which Gadio responded with a quiet ¡°hmm¡­¡± as he crossed his arms, thinking.


    ¡°Jean, huh¡­I¡¯ve thought that he¡¯s a self-centered man, but I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d go this far. Seems like his pride won¡¯t be satisfied by simply kicking you out, huh.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I could forgive him, but I guess everything ended well.¡±


    ¡°Because you met that girl?¡±


    Flamm peeked at Milkit behind Gadio as he said that and answered,


    ¡°That too.¡±


    ¡°Too, huh. Are there anything else you¡¯re glad about?¡±


    ¡°If I continued traveling under the church or Origin¡¯s will¡­maybe I could really end up in the Demon King¡¯s castle, and that¡¯s what they would¡¯ve wanted.¡±


    ¡°So Jean¡¯s selfishness ended up crumbling the Church¡¯s plan all along.¡±


    ¡°Though it¡¯s hard to admit, yes.¡±


    Still, there¡¯s no way she could forgive Jean. She hated him to the point of wanting to beat him within an inch of his life the next time she sees him2.


    ¡°By the way, you were investigating the church, weren¡¯t you Gadio-san?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I felt something shady after I left the party. I used my connection to probe around the Cathedral but¡­¡±


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re bold, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Hm, I do admit it was quite coercive of me.¡±


    It was something that brought a battle-hardened warrior like him to laugh, that was how reckless his invasion was.


    ¡°But that was the quickest way to do it. Thanks to that I managed to get information about the Spiral Children and the church¡¯s history that it so desperately tried to hide.¡±


    ¡°History¡­like how they were involved in the war between the Humans and the Demons?¡±


    ¡°That too, and there¡¯s also information about the demons¡¯ raids ten and eight years ago.¡±


    ¡°The incident that swallowed the town Maria-san and Sarah-san lived before, right?¡±


    As she asked that question, Flamm remembered that she hasn¡¯t heard about Sarah from Gadio. She was concerned, but she couldn¡¯t interrupt Gadio¡¯s explanation.


    ¡°I assume you¡¯re talking about Sarah Anvilen. I¡¯m not sure about her, but at least Maria hated demons with passion. The reason is because she believed the demons are behind that raid.¡±


    ¡°But that wasn¡¯t it, right?¡±


    ¡°From the beginning, the incident is too good to be true. The raid left children who had talents in recovery spells, something that¡¯s very convenient for the Church. The thing is, there¡¯s no record that said that Church Knights were dispatched to destroy the town.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t altered?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a possibility that it was, but at that time, Maria was eight years old.¡±


    ¡°Normally someone that age would¡¯ve been able to differentiate between humans and demons, huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, so that wouldn¡¯t explain her hatred. Consequently, there¡¯s no way of making clear whether the raiders were humans or demons. There¡¯s also the possibility of demons disguising themselves as humans. Either way, whoever the culprit was, there¡¯s no doubt that they have connections with the church.¡±


    ¡°Is there any solid proof of that?¡±


    ¡°The survivors of that incident isn¡¯t just Maria and Sarah.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s other survivors?¡±


    Gadio nodded. That survivor could¡¯ve talked to Sarah and Maria. Perhaps one of the nuns concerned about Sarah in the Central District might be one of them.


    ¡°Combined with the survivors of the second raid, there are five survivors taken in by the church, all five of them are pregnant women.¡±


    ¡°Pregnant¡­?¡±


    That is definitely something she was hearing for the first time, further complicating the issue. For what reason would the Church be gathering pregnant women? Flamm could assume that they were gathering them for research, but¡­


    ¡°Do you not notice? The raids happened ten and eight years ago, which means right now their children would be between 8 to 10 years old.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah¡­the Spiral Children¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Long story short, they abducted talented children and pregnant women for experiments¡­and then they used them to obliterate the heathens.¡°


    ¡°Obliterate¡­the heretics¡­then doesn¡¯t that mean there should be a trace of that within Sarah?¡±


    ¡°Within Maria too. Perhaps they used to believe in Gods other than Origin in the past.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case then we can be sure that the Church had something to do with those raids, right?¡±


    Though that wouldn¡¯t straighten why Maria abhorred the demons.


    However, now that they can be sure that the Church is behind it, that is not their biggest problem at the moment, for the church might have a lot of tricks up their sleeve; probably disguise or brainwashing.


    ¡°By the way, let¡¯s say the raiders are the Church Knights, why would they put the blame on the demons though? I feel like they could¡¯ve said a giant monster attacked the village and not muddy the waters.¡±


    Giant monsters attacking towns are rare, but they aren¡¯t that rare, so what could be the reason behind directing people¡¯s malice towards the demons?


    ¡°That¡¯s a good question, Flamm. The cause is¡­well I can¡¯t say it¡¯s the direct reason behind it, but it was written down in the documents I found in the Cathedral.¡±


    He seemed to have obtained a more detailed information, but that opens the question of where in the Cathedral did he manage to sneak in. It should¡¯ve been stored in a location where Gadio would have been killed on sight if he was found out.


    Seeing how Gadio is speaking about it as if it was nothing made Flamm realize that him and Eterna who calmly dealt with Ink¡¯s implant were the people who have reached the stars.


    ¡°About fifty years ago, the past King devoted himself to the Origin cult. At roughly the same time, it came down from the government through stories that demons are evil.¡±


    ¡°Stories? Like fairy tales or plays? Why would they do that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but that¡¯s the truth. After that, twenty years ago, it¡¯s established within the masses that Demons are evil, and as the anti-demon sentiments grow, we reached the point of a war between humans and demons.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that mean that Humans are the ones instigating the war?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the fact.¡±


    Flamm¡¯s cheeks twitched at his unhesitant declaration.


    ¡°Seems like history can easily be twisted.¡±


    ¡°I bet it¡¯ll be difficult for just the Church to do it, but it seems like the entire Kingdom is also conspiring on this by manipulating information. I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s an easy feat, but I think it¡¯s not impossible. The fact that humans are evil, and the demons are just is an inconvenient truth any ruler would try to erase.¡±


    Flamm once again remembered the time she spoke to one of the three Demonic Generals Neigass in the Enichidae cave. She recalled Neigass saying that humans invaded the territory of demons in the war between humans and demons. If that was the truth, then what she said about ¡°demons never killed humans¡± could be considered the truth as well.


    She never thought that the time would come when she found a demon¡¯s words being more credible than the Church¡¯s.


    ¡°Also, there¡¯s another concealed truth behind the war.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another?¡±


    ¡°The more you know the more you don¡¯t. Anyways, about the war between humans and demons, when the humans were defeated in the war, the demons gave out a proposition. Do you know what that is?¡±


    ¡°Territory¡­or maybe not. Money or resources maybe?¡±


    ¡°Normally, yes, that¡¯s what one would ask for, but not the demons. They demanded that the two races wouldn¡¯t clash again in the future.¡±


    The disparity between the image of demons and their peaceful demand caused dizziness upon Flamm. At this point, it was the humans that are evil.


    However, is that the truth?


    After unilaterally instigating a war, the humans did not acknowledge their loss and continued to conceal the truth.


    ¡°Is that demand still in effect?¡±


    ¡°It should.¡±


    ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t Cyril-chan¡­or rather, the whole Demon Lord subjugation party be a grave violation of that demand?¡±


    Flamm¡¯s doubt is justified, but Gadio only lets out a tired scoff towards no one in particular.


    ¡°What I¡¯m going to say from now on is only my assumption, so I can¡¯t take any responsibility of whether it¡¯s the truth or not.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Please tell me.¡±


    ¡°First, we are, at the very best, a mishmash of civilians.¡±


    ¡°Well, I figured that out.¡±


    They were people of different affiliation and social status, there were no comon ground to them. Gadio and Linus are S-ranked adventurer, Jean is a Sage acknowledged by the kingdom, while Eterna is a witch of unknown origins.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why. We are just a bunch of volunteers driven by our own sense of righteousness and that¡¯s how they used us. We¡¯re not an army, just a bunch of civilians running on a rampage, so our actions had nothing to do with the Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­isn¡¯t that just sophism!?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course the demons wouldn¡¯t just take the beating with all smiles. Still, the kingdom insists that we¡¯re a bunch of civilians, and that¡¯s why I guessed they created the group of Three Demonic Generals, to create and oppose the Heroes¡¯ advances.¡±


    Flamm was speechless. In short, the recent demon subjugation activities that has been happening within the kingdom was something caused by the kingdom¡¯s mistakes. Rather, being able to end where they are itself was a miracle. There aren¡¯t many demons compared to humans, but their strength can overwhelm the average humans. They could possibly flatten a human country without breaking a sweat if they wanted to.


    However, the demons do not seek war. It is unclear why, but they do not wish to kill or hurt humans. That was why, using the excuse that ¡°the heroes are civilians¡±, it is not seen as a declaration of war and therefore there was no reason for them to declare war. The kingdom took advantage of that goodwill or naivety of the demons and commenced an act of aggression. The Kingdom and the Church is nothing but a heresy.


    ¡°What could¡¯ve caused the kingdom to despise the demons this far?¡±


    ¡°I hoped it would¡¯ve been a simple thing like wanting to expand territory¡­but it¡¯s inconsistent with the risk taken. Why would the late king suddenly started to devote himself to the Origin cult fifty years ago and branded the demons as evil, and why is the current king still following through with it¡­I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll get anywhere until we solve that puzzle.¡±


    They need to disclose the King¡¯s truth. If they could, they could perhaps figure out the Church¡¯s goal and why they are after Flamm. It won¡¯t be simple; even if she has Eterna and Gadio on her side, the wall she needs to overcome wouldn¡¯t be so easily conquered.


    However, if they can¡¯t disclose everything and ruin their plot¡­Flamm wouldn¡¯t be able to obtain the peace she longed for with the Church constantly on her tail.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s best that you don¡¯t think too much for now. We just have to steadily collect information.¡±


    ¡°It irritates me.¡±


    ¡°Keep that feeling close to your heart and use it to drive yoruself forward.¡±


    When they finished their conversation, Milkit puts down a plate with bread in front of the two and two other in front of the other empty seats, seemingly for Eterna and Milkit¡¯s own portion, while Ink¡¯s portion is prepared separately in the kitchen. Looks like she would bring it up to Eterna¡¯s room later.


    ¡°Time for breakfast. Let¡¯s shelf this discussion for another time.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I have just one question before we start breakfast. It¡¯s something very important that I must ask.¡±


    The conversation finally ends and Flamm can ask Gadio the question she¡¯s most concerned about at last.


    ¡°Where is Sarah-chan?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, that little girl?¡± Gadio showed a slightly troubled expression. He supposedly said that she was okay, but Flamm couldn¡¯t help but to feel a tinge of anxiety just by seeing his expression.


    ¡°Is she with someone?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Are they someone you know¡­?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say she is. I¡¯ve talked with her some, but¡­¡±


    His added details continue to complicate the matter, but Flamm steeled her determination and asked once again.


    ¡°No matter what condition she¡¯s in, I¡¯ll accept her, so please tell me, Gadio-san.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine, she¡¯s just fine, totally. She¡¯s neither hurt nor sick, and she¡¯s completely safe. The thing is, the person with her is¡­¡±


    ¡°Who¡­is it?¡±


    With his arms still crossed, Gadio fell silent breifly, and with a soft sigh, he answered;


    ¡°One of the Three Demonic Generals, Neigass. Sarah is following her around.¡±


    ¡°Huh? HUUUUUHH!?¡±


    Flamm shouted in astonishment after hearing the name appear when she least expected it. Her shout caused Milkit to jump and drop a piece of weiner that was on top of the plate to the floor.

 CH 27

    Three days passed since Dain was killed and Ink was saved. During those three days, the West district was surprisingly too peaceful, and there was no hint that the Church might come attack Flamm and her friends. It was a rather anticlimactic development. Perhaps they didn¡¯t realize that Ink was saved, or perhaps they thought it wasn¡¯t such a big deal to them.


    That being said, the town was so quiet it seemed unnatural, which brought nothing but discomfort to Flamm who is making her way towards the guild. She took a left on the next corner she came through, and as she entered a somewhat narrow road, she could feel the wind, smelling like mud, blowing between the weathered walls.


    Flamm scowled, swiping her golden-brown hair away from her cheek with her slender fingers.


    ¡°It¡¯s too quiet¡­¡± whispered Gadio, clad in his coat.


    It seemed that the man had been staying in the house he owned in the capital, but this morning, he came to Flamm¡¯s house and invited her to ¡°come to the guild¡±.


    The girl looked up to the man¡¯s face from his side.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like the church is going to attack us either.¡±


    ¡°At least I think those folks from the Spiral Children are too busy looking for a new base or something.¡±


    In just two days, the day before yesterday and yesterday, Gadio had managed to find Mother¡¯s location, seemingly pinpointed through the information he obtained, and the clues provided by Ink.


    In the end, the location he raided was already deserted when he got there, but he¡¯s sure that at least that¡¯s one of their hideouts removed. There¡¯s no way that they could possibly made several underground facilities in the capital, so it is highly likely that Mother and the 4 children are out there looking for a new home.


    ¡°Other than that¡­maybe it¡¯s becoming safer since Dain¡¯s boys are gone now.¡±


    ¡°That too.¡±


    ¡°I doubt it¡¯ll stay that way for long though.¡±


    ¡°My head hurts just thinking what those headless rascals could be up to¡­¡± Gadio said, shaking his head as he whispered ¡°yare yare¡±


    The outlaws of the West District had been controlled by Dain up until three days ago, but now that he¡¯s been taken out, there¡¯s no one left to control them.


    ¡°Wonder if Dain¡¯s gonna have a successor.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to go well though.¡±


    That said, Dain¡¯s ability to lead people is second to none, so if just any rascal were to imitate him recklessly, whatever coalition they make will crumble in no time.


    ¡°Maybe a lot of different parties will come flooding in and start a war.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got our hands full with just the church so if that happens, we¡¯re screwed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we need to go to the guild and think of our future plan while considering that too.¡±


    ¡°At the guild?¡±


    So far, Flamm hasn¡¯t asked why he invited her to go to the guild of all places, but as she did, the man evaded the question and replied with a short ¡°You¡¯ll see why¡±. Thinking she couldn¡¯t help it, the two continued to quietly make their way to the guild.


    Flamm entered the guild first, eliciting a sour expression on Iira, who was lazily resting her chin on her hand.


    ¡°Alright we¡¯re closing up for today~¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still a lazy receptionist huh. Still refusing to work?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve finally gotten an off time since Dain is gone, so can you like not disturb the peace?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you too self-indulgent?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no one to stop me from doing that so I¡¯ll do what I want. Now go home already, you filthy slave. Shoo!¡±


    The woman gets on Flamm¡¯s nerves as always. Flamm bared her hostility against her unlike usual, but Iira feigned ignorance and turned the other way. Considering their initial exchange, however, their relationship had grown for the better¡­not that Flamm could forget that the first quest she provided could¡¯ve led to her death.


    ¡°Damn it, just remembering it makes me all irritated. I wonder if you¡¯ll get fired if the guild in Central District knows that you sent a rookie adventurer without a license on a werewolf subjugation quest.¡±


    ¡°Fufufu, you wish. As if the higher ups on Central District would believe a D-rank slave like you. Just give up and go mingle with other slaves like that bandage girl or something.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­If I could just call the guild master, I could¡¯ve taken care of you so easily¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha, keep dreaming. I only knew our guild master¡¯s name but he¡¯s an S-rank adventurer. That big a person won¡¯t even spend their time visiting our guild in the West District. Go call him if you want, hahahah!¡± she said.


    As the two continued to bicker with each other, Gadio appeared from behind Flamm. Looking directly at Iira in the eye, he spoke.


    ¡°You rang?¡±


    The woman froze like a little bird being glared at by a dragon. Blood drains away from her face and cold sweat started to flow down on her forehead.


    Her arm broke free of her frozen state, and as they trembled, they slowly start to move. Her right hand goes for her mouth while her left points at Gadio.


    ¡°Ga¡­Gadi¡­o¡­Ruscat¡­? W-Why are you here¡­¡­? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be out on a journey!?¡±


    ¡°I came back because I have something to do. Anyways, you told her to go ahead and call, right? What do you want to do now, Iira Gelicyn?¡±


    ¡°A-Au¡­u¡­ah¡­¡±


    Iira was at loss of words. Her anxiety was further emphasized by how Gadio even knew her full name to boot. Her mouth quivered as she for some reason decided to look at Flamm, begging for her to help. Of course, there¡¯s no reason for her to lend a helping hand, so instead, she mocked her by extending her tongue at her.


    ¡°So you are the guildmaster, Gadio-san.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how it went down. Someone pushed the job to me some years earlier, even though I¡¯ve never done this sort of job before.¡±


    ¡°Ah so that¡¯s what you meant by thinking of our future plans at the guild. If you are the guildmaster then Dain¡¯s boys won¡¯t be able to do as they like.¡±


    In the end, Gadio is one of the few S-ranked adventurers. He¡¯s one of the few people who are more powerful than Dain, and with him here, the adventurers won¡¯t be able to do as they like.


    ¡°By the way, Flamm, I heard what you said earlier but did she actually try to kill you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! You know when I was trying to apply for a license, she sent me on a quest to subjugate a D-rank monster.¡±


    ¡°D-rank, huh. You can get a license for clearing an F-ranked quest, but you¡¯re right, a rookie could¡¯ve died if they were sent to do a D-rank quest. This is unforgivable.¡±


    ¡°S-s-s-s-she cleared it so isn¡¯t¡­it¡­fine¡­? Y-You think so too, right Flamm? Right?¡±


    The woman was so flustered that Flamm couldn¡¯t help but to stifle a laugh. Upset at being humiliated by a slave, Iira clenched her fist under the receptionist desk.


    ¡°I personally don¡¯t mind having her fired. How about you, Flamm?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, what do I doo¡­¡±


    ¡°W-Wait, you don¡¯t seriously think you want that, do you!?¡±


    ¡°I mean, usually someone would get fired for that.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I know, but¡­!¡±


    She thought she would be fine since Flamm came back alive. However, it was only because the victim was Flamm that she was able to return back alive despite the major injury. Flamm still couldn¡¯t forget the pain of having her four limbs torn apart from that time.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t between you and me.¡±


    ¡°I feel like my chances of getting fired is increasing if we¡¯re talking about you and me¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t recall anything else but harassment between the two of them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get along from now on, okay? I don¡¯t know how to live if I get fired now¡­!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just sell your body?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re heartless!¡±


    Flamm held herself back from saying ¡°You¡¯re one to say!¡±. Flamm still held some grudges towards the woman, but unlike Dain, she¡¯s not beyond saving. That was why she distanced herself from Dain and his men the moment they started joining hands with the Church. While she would mercilessly strike down those who are beyond saving, Flamm has no reason to corner Iira any further.


    ¡°You can just give her a salary cut, that¡¯ll do just fine.¡±


    ¡°Really. You¡¯re kind, aren¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°Aaahh¡­thank god¡­Thanks¡­no wait, pay cut!? Why do I have to get my salary cut!?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be grateful that you didn¡¯t get fired?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Iira cannot object to Flamm any further, perhaps still feeling a sense of guilt even if it¡¯s just a bit. Still, she seems to be as headstrong as always, deciding that she didn¡¯t want to quit. Perhaps that too was necessary for her to survive in the West District guild in the first place.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯m here, I won¡¯t let you work lazily like you¡¯ve been doing. I¡¯ll have you work properly. Steel yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yees¡­¡± Iira responded, hanging her head, while Flamm looked over her with a grin on her face.


    As soon as Gadio disappeared into the room for the Guild Master saying he¡¯s got something to do, Iira glared at Flamm strongly.


    ¡°Thanks to you I have to shave my food expenses for this month.¡±


    ¡°You reap what you sow.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, don¡¯t get conceited. Anyways, since you know Gadio Ruscat, you¡¯re really that Flamm Apricot, huh.¡±


    ¡°Oh so now you realized that?¡±


    ¡°Obviously? Nobody would think the hero that was off on a journey would turn into a slave and roam around the West District. Well I¡¯m just as surprised seeing Gadio coming back.¡±


    ¡°Eterna-san is here too by the way.¡±


    ¡°Huuh? You mean that Eterna Lynnbow? What happened to the demon lord subjugation now that three of them are here? What the hell is the church doing?¡±


    From the perspective of an ordinary citizen, seeing the three heroes that were supposed to be off on a mission back in the capital is a recipe for unrest. It seems like there were rumors flying about just about when Eterna came back, but it doesn¡¯t seem that she made quite the uproar since she never really go out except for going shopping from time to time. Gadio on the other hand, was someone who stands out, and now that he¡¯s going to be working as the guild master, more people are going to see him and notice.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said this from ages ago but seeing those disgusting corpses and everything, I feel like the church is acting suspiciously.¡±


    As a result, Gadio¡¯s presence undermines the credibility of the church. Taking that into account, the man might be able to take some more active roles. It¡¯s true that they need to properly dismantle the church¡¯s plan one by one, but the church was only able to alter history and conceal their human experimentation efforts because they have a lot of people backing them up, which means that the shortcut to sabotaging the church is to undermine the its credibility in the eye of the public.


    ¡°Still though, is it okay for him to go back and be the guildmaster?¡±


    ¡°You have a problem with Gadio-san?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? Some people call him ¡°Gadio the Coward¡±.¡±


    Hearing that it is a nickname that doesn¡¯t suit Gadio at all, Flamm scoffed, believing that it must¡¯ve come from adventurers who were jealous of Gadio¡¯s strength.


    ¡°What the hell, he¡¯s the person who¡¯s the exact definition of ¡°brave¡±. What part of him is cowardly?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s now. Way back in the past, he was said to abandon his friends and came running back by himself.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not saying this because you got your pay cut, are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not! If you don¡¯t believe me just ask the other adventurers. That or you can just confirm it with the person himself.¡±


    Of course, it¡¯s no easy task for her to simply ask ¡°Is it true that you were once called a coward¡± to Gadio himself. Baffled, Flamm could only furrow her brows.


    Shortly afterwards, Gadio returned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start my guildmaster jobs from tomorrow,¡± he said to Iira before leaving the guild along with Flamm.


    As soon as they went out, the two start to head for Gadio¡¯s house in the Central district. During that time, Flamm constantly had a difficult look on her face, thinking deeply about what Iira had told her.


    ¡°Did that girl tell you something?¡± asked Gadio, still looking forward as he kept walking.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re lost in thought.¡±


    ¡°Aah, no¡­it¡¯s¡­well, she said something¡­or I heard something¡­¡± she replied ambiguously.


    As they get closer to the Central District, the roads start to get noticeably wider and cleaner, and more people could be seen passing through the streets. These people the two passed by was naturally focused on Gadio. Some of them paid attention to Flamm, but most of them were focused on her cheek, perhaps really wondering why the Hero is walking around the town with a slave in tow.


    ¡°Gadio the Coward, huh.¡± Gadio spoke of his name.


    ¡°So you know it.¡± Flamm averted her eyes awkwardly.


    ¡°I mean, that¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be. Gadio-san, you¡¯re¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, I am a coward, and I should be called a coward.¡± he forcibly cuts her sentence as if scolding himself.


    He then lays his eyes on his palms and started to recall his past. Something happened to him; something that even a great adventurer like him could not overcome.


    Flamm did not open her mouth any more afterwards. Without little to no conversation, the two kept moving through the Central District and on to the East District.


    The two went all the way to a high-end corner of the East District.


    ¡°Welcome back, Danna-sama1.¡±


    Seeing Gadio¡¯s figure coming closer, the soldiers bowed deeply, and before long, the iron gate loudly creaks open, its grandness made Flamm involuntarily voice out her amazement.


    What entered her sight was a meticulously tidy garden that was the size of a public park. A wooden arch wrapped in red flowers decorated the pathway towards the mansion. The flower beds were filled with plants of different colors, while a large tree that are larger than a regular house was growing in the middle of the garden. Additionally, there were a swingset as well as a sand pit along with a play space for children maintained on one corner of the garden.


    It is said that being an S-ranked adventurer could earn you vast amount of wealth; it¡¯s something Flamm should¡¯ve vaguely understood, but now that she saw it right in front of her, she once again was made aware of her lack of imagination. Flamm thought of something as far as eating thick steaks every day or eating huge chunks of cakes without having to complain, but in truth, being rich is on a whole different level.


    ¡°Is this your house, Gadio-san?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. No that it¡¯s just for me though.¡±


    As he said that, the man started walking down the stone-paved pathway leading up to the three-story mansion.


    Flamm is a country girl who first visited the city relatively recently, so she couldn¡¯t help but to look around restlessly and suspiciously. Seeing her behavior, Gadio¡¯s stiffened expression finally relaxed. Her actions that matched her age, if not younger, made him remember the figure of a certain child in his mind, and he thought that he wanted Flamm and the child to meet each other someday, believing that the two would surely get along well.


    Standing in front of the mansion¡¯s entrance, the man could hear the sound of footsteps running closer towards the door, and as the person reached the door, they opened the door just as Gadio reached his hand out to open it himself.


    The person appeared was¡­a young girl. Despite her ragged breaths, she showed a beaming smile towards Gadio.


    And then, a bombshell announcement.


    ¡°Welcome home, papa!¡±


    ¡­no, considering that he¡¯s 32 years old, it¡¯s truly nothing weird, but for Flamm who never heard of anything about this, she couldn¡¯t help but to open her eyes wide and looked at Gadio with her jaws hanging.


    Meanwhile, the man covered his cheeks with his hand and heaved an unusually long sigh.

 CH 28

    ¡°G-Gadio-san, you have a child?¡±


    ¡°No¡­Didn¡¯t I tell you not to call me ¡°papa¡± Hallom?¡± said Gadio while petting the little girl called Hallom on the head.


    The man¡¯s hand moved as if he¡¯s too used to doing it, yet perhaps he was denying it because they were not blood related.


    ¡°Papa is papa. Mama has acknowledged you for being papa too.¡±


    Hallom puffed her cheeks in rage, to which Gadio responded with a bitter smile, unsure what to do. As he did, a red-haired, crude-looking woman about the same age as he appeared from inside the house.


    ¡°Welcome back, Gadio.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m back Celena1.¡±


    Their exchange look like nothing but that of a married couple, yet seeing that Hallom is not his child could mean that Celena is not, in fact, his wife.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time you let her call you papa already?¡±


    ¡°No way. I couldn¡¯t ever apologize enough to Souma if that happens.¡±


    ¡°Not just Souma but Thea too, don¡¯t you think? Seriously, there should be a limit of your sense of duty.¡±


    ¡°¡­let¡¯s talk about that later. We have a guest at the moment.¡±


    ¡°My oh my¡± exclaimed the woman, surprised with a face that says ¡°I¡¯ve done it now¡± as she finally noticed Flamm.


    ¡°Sorry for letting you hear such embarrassing exchange. Ah, are you Flamm-chan, perhaps? Gadio talks about you a lot, like how you are so talented.¡±


    Flamm blushed in embarrassment, never thinking that someone she didn¡¯t know would know her well, though she does feel that being called ¡°so talented¡± might have been too far. All the time during their travels, Flamm¡¯s statuses stayed at flat zeroes and she was unable to use Cavalier Arts at all.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fun to talk here, right? Come on in. Should we lead her to the guestroom, Gadio?¡±


    ¡°This is going to be a long talk, so I¡¯d like just the two of us to talk a bit. Can the two of you go somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that kind of talk, huh. Okaay~!¡±


    ¡°Huuh? Just when I thought I could play with papa¡­¡±


    Gadio picked up the pouting Hallom and handed her to Celena. A 7-year-old child should be rather hefty, yet the couple handled her as if she was weightless.


    Celena¡¯s exposed arm appear to be riddled with scars, perhaps a hint that she is¡ªor was¡ªan adventurer, which could explain her relationship with Gadio being fellow adventurers.


    ¡°Okay, okay, papa will play with you later, so for now let¡¯s play with mama, okaay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of playing with mamaa! I wanna play with papaa!¡± Hallom said, innocently saying something mean as she struggled about on top of Celena¡¯s shoulder, something that didn¡¯t even flinch the woman as the two continued heading further into the mansion.


    Flamm who was left out¡ªor rather, who couldn¡¯t follow their conversation to begin with¡ªsaw the two off, stunned as she saw their backs grow smaller with distance.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Flamm.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes¡­!¡±


    Gadio proceeded into the mansion without even explaining anything, and Flamm, whose pace greatly differs from the big man ran lightly to catch up to him.


    Several expensive-looking paintings decorate the guestroom¡¯s walls while an extravagant chandelier hangs down from the ceiling. The sofa was extremely fluffy, with Flamm¡¯s rear sunk way deeper into the seat more than she¡¯d expected, causing her to gasp in surprise. It is by all means a luxury good, but rather than thinking that it was too fancy, she thought that it would definitely suit the Gadio she¡¯s seeing now.


    ¡°My original plan was to just hand over the equipment and be done with it.¡± Gadio sighed as he sat down opposite of Flamm.


    ¡°Equipment?¡±


    ¡°The storehouse of this mansion contains the equipment we collected. Some of them are cursed, so I thought you might find them useful.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re giving them to me!?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much of it. There¡¯s no way for us to use cursed equipment anyways.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much! I shall gladly take you up on your offer.¡±


    Normally, adventurers throw away cursed equipment, though some that houses a strong curse, which are truly rare, would be sold and circulated in the market as a luxury good. Flamm too browsed the stores lined up in the Central District¡¯s main road to look for such cursed equipment sometimes, yet she was still unable to find something that she could be satisfied with, and it¡¯s not like she could easily find a pile of corpses like the one she found in that facility, so Flamm couldn¡¯t be thankful enough for Gadio¡¯s suggestion.


    ¡°Still, that¡¯s for later. Haven¡¯t you been wondering about that child and the woman you saw?¡±


    ¡°Well, of course.¡±


    He was living alone with Celena, who was not his significant other, as well as with Hallom, who doesn¡¯t seem to be Gadio¡¯s daughter. Thinking about how complex their relationships are could be enough to cause the young girl¡¯s brain to short circuit.


    ¡°Simply speaking, Celena is my best friend¡­Souma¡¯s wife, and Hallom is their daughter¡­but six years ago, Souma lost his life to a monster.¡±


    That sentence returned Flamm¡¯s train of thought to working order as she understood the premise of their story. Judging by how Hallom seemed to be 6 years old, it is likely that she had never seen or remembered her real father¡¯s face, and instead she has viewed Gadio as a father figure for as long as she could remember. That was why she called him ¡°papa¡±, and it is likely that Celena too¡­


    ¡°That Souma you mentioned, is he strong as well?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s even stronger than I am. He spearheaded our group like a leader and fought bravely. This armor and greatsword is actually a memento from him.¡±


    That explained why he kept refusing to wear Legendary items¡­yet it wasn¡¯t a beautiful story such as wanting to carry on Souma¡¯s feelings, and instead, it was a symbol of sin that he could not bear to forget.


    ¡°You were in a team?¡±


    ¡°Used to. There was me, Souma, Celena, Thea, Jane and Lowe. Three of us were S-ranked, and the other three was A-ranked. We believed that no matter where we go, no one could defeat us¡­we were conceited.¡±


    No, there was no way that it was conceit. The three S-ranked was a menace, and the three others were A-ranked. Without a doubt, it was the strongest team the Empire could have. There are no other adventurers that could match that team.


    ¡°This mansion is what remained of that time. We built this place for the six of us to live together, but back in the days we would laugh at how it¡¯s too big and how much it costs.¡±


    ¡°You must have been great friends if you decided to live together.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Just being with them was fun. At that time I just got together with Thea as well, so that time was really the peak of my happiness.¡± Gadio said, his eyes vacant as he stared at the well-polished table that reflected his face.


    ¡°Got together¡­you got married?¡±


    ¡°It was pretty rushed though. I bet I really didn¡¯t want to lose to Souma back in the days. Though¡­just after I said that I will protect her all my life¡­she died.¡± Gadio spat his words in self-deprecation. ¡°Six years ago, we took a subjugation quest to take down a large dragon in the southwestern part of the kingdom. We said it¡¯s probably just another dragon so it would be easy. Let¡¯s quickly get it over with and get back home, laughing away as we did. Celena was waiting back here for her childbirth after all¡­but what we encountered wasn¡¯t just another dragon. There¡¯s a vortex on its face.¡±


    A vortex on its face could only mean one thing.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­no way¡­¡±


    ¡°Same with that Nect boy we fought some days ago, right? Thinking back to it, it must¡¯ve been another one of the church¡¯s research.¡±


    His voice sounds less agitated, but there¡¯s still a hint of anger in his voice. He must have thought that it was nothing but a mutated monster, but now that he learns that it was something crafted by the church, he finally found something to project his anger to.


    ¡°We started off by getting swallowed in an ambush and took great damage from it. In an instant, Jane and Lowe were killed. Souma put up a great fight, but he was still minced in his armor, right in front of my eye. Lastly, Thea protected me, and her heart was gouged out because of it¡­and just like that, I alone survived.¡±


    That regret remained gnawing at his heart for six years and counting, something that Gadio would surely shoulder for the rest of his life. Even if someone were to tell him it wasn¡¯t his fault, he alone would still find himself unforgivable.


    ¡°I barely escaped with my life, and I was welcomed back by the people saying I was a coward, and who could blame them? I really am a coward. I abandoned my team, my best friend, and my wife. I¡¯m nothing but a coward!¡±


    Gadio audibly grits his teeth and clenched his fist tightly. His veins appeared on the back of his hands as his arms trembled greatly. Even for a bit of recompense, he went back to reclaim the bodies and give them a proper burial, but what¡¯s left there was nothing but Souma¡¯s armor and sword. He then proceeds to focus on sharpening up his swordsmanship afterwards, but the void in his heart remains.


    Sitting in front of the man, Flamm said nothing. She had known nothing about Gadio except for the bits she knew very recently, it was obvious that she could not find the right words for him.


    As she kept searching, what she found was¡ª


    ¡°No matter what happened in the past, Gadio-san is still a hero to me. You¡¯re no coward.¡±


    Her words were harmless yet pointless. Flamm felt irritated at her own self for not being to come up with something decent, yet it seemed that her feelings were properly conveyed to Gadio. The man¡¯s expression wavered, and he managed to regain his composure, even if it¡¯s just a bit.


    ¡°¡­seems like I¡¯ve lost myself. My bad. You¡¯re really kind, you know.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°I do have plans to talk about this to Eterna too, but I just happen to end up talking about this to you earlier. Also, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve got to tell you about the church¡¯s research.¡±


    ¡°You mean what you told me the other day wasn¡¯t everything?¡±


    ¡°I read every single bit of information I found and crammed it into my head, so I thought I needed some time to figure out how all of the information was connected otherwise I won¡¯t be able to explain it well.¡±


    Unfortunately for him, he didn¡¯t have enough time at that time. The guards at the cathedral wasn¡¯t easy to sneak by, so it was no exaggeration that he snuck in with his life on the line. Though for him, even if he were to be found, he should be able to shrug off whatever resistance the church knights would throw at him.


    However, if that were to be the case, he would be barred from entering the capital again, and Gadio would truly prefer to avoid that. Therefore, quickly and carefully, abandoning pointless thinking, he focused on absorbing every bit of information written in the records.


    ¡°Origin cores are spheres that contain the power of the Creator God Origin. The church established three primary research teams to find out a way to use these cores.¡±


    ¡°Three teams, huh. The first one is the Spiral Children, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The church administrative abbreviates it as just ¡°Children¡±. The other two is called ¡°Necromancy¡± and ¡°Chimaera¡±. Just hearing their names gave me the shivers.¡±


    Hearing the incomplete information was enough to send a malicious chill up the girl¡¯s back.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get detailed information like the research subject and the location of the research facilities, but we can make conjectures from these pieces. First, the Necromancy team deals with research of infusing the cores into a corpse and resurrecting them into an army of the dead.


    The first thing that appeared in Flamm¡¯s mind was the research facility she found when exploring the depths of Enichidae with Sarah, where she found a trap in the form of a dead body with a vortex on its face, and it truly left her wondering if that blasphemous tool that uses a dead body as a medium could make countless more.


    ¡°The second group, the Chimaera, combine multiple living beings, searching for a suitable vessel for the core. They would use that result to further improvise the core, aiming to create cores that would be suitable with human body.¡±


    ¡°I wonder which group created the monster that attacked your team.¡±


    The dragon might have been dead and controlled, or the dragon might be a creature made by mashing together several different monsters. The two explanation are both very possible.


    ¡°The ones who researched with monsters is the Chimaera. I¡¯m pretty sure that dragon is something they cooked up as well.¡±


    In short, the Chimaera is the one group responsible of operating outside the capital six years ago. The research facility around Enichidae seemed to have been abandoned roughly 10 years ago, so it is likely that the Chimaera team was its user. It¡¯s also highly likely that the vortex-faced ogre was one of their creations.


    ¡°Um¡­Gadio-san, do you¡­want exact revenge against the church?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I say I don¡¯t. Abandoning my friends was a sin I have to bear, but it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t hate that monster that killed them all.¡±


    Currently, they don¡¯t know if the monster that attacked Gadio and his friends are still alive as there is quite the possibility that it might have been disposed already, but the research team ¡°Chimera¡± that was behind it all is still proceeding with its activities.


    ¡°How about you, Flamm? Do you think revenge is pointless?¡±


    In response, the girl shook her head. She imagined if Milkit, her family in her hometown or her precious friends were to be killed. The girl surely would try to kill whoever is behind everything for revenge, just like what she did to Dain¡¯s underlings in Enichidae or Dain himself.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s imprudent for me to say this, but¡­I think it¡¯s promising. Compared to the vague sense of justice or sense of purpose, living for a clear purpose can truly bring out someone¡¯s strength.¡±


    ¡°Right, then you can truly exact your revenge with full power.¡±


    ¡°What are you planning to do if I were to say yes there?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there won¡¯t be a huge change with me, but I¡¯d more-or-less put it into consideration. At least I¡¯m trying to not show my resentment in front of you.¡±


    As he said, this will not be a huge change for him. However, a slight change in combat can mean a difference between life and death.


    With a light push on the back by Flamm, Gadio had gained a newfound strength. It might have been an exaggeration, but it was definitely no mistake.


    Finishing their conversation in the guest room, Gadio guided Flamm to another room. Their destination is the warehouse Gadio talked about earlier, where he kept his spare equipment.


    Flamm walked alongside him, her reflection shown on the surface of the shining, polished floor. Paintings are still lined up decorating the wall, while the windows were so well polished that one would have to touch them to notice it¡¯s there. Several art pieces such as vases, pots, and bust statues were also lined up at regular intervals along the hallway, and even the doors to each room was so gorgeous that Flamm would mistake it as another work of art on the line.


    Just looking would bring Flamm to sigh. She¡¯s sure that the price of even one vase would be enough to buy her a new house.


    ¡°We¡¯re going down.¡±


    Following what he said, the two descended a set of stairs. Seems like the basement is in the mansion¡¯s basement, and it would also seem that even his basement was also completely and perfectly furbished.


    The closer they get to the bottom, the darker it gets, and at the end, it was so dark that it was nigh impossible to see anything at all.


    Gadio flicked a switched on the wall, which then faintly lights up the room, allowing the two to see it in its entirety.


    Several wooden torsos were lined up, wrapped in various types of clothes and armor. From dresses to robes, leather armors to plate armor, it contains a lot of equipment of various design and size. Not only that, the shelves too were filled with helmets and tiaras, gauntlets and leg guards, and even boots, brooches and rings to select. From one-handed swords to two-handed, lances, hammers, maces, canes and bows among others; any type of weapons were available, lined up and hung on the wall one after another.


    As Scan casually scanned through the equipment, she was shocked to find out that each and every one of the were Legendary or Epic in rarity. She was surprised beyond when she saw the vases. Everything in this room would amount to something way more expensive than the entire mansion.


    ¡°This¡­this is awesome¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to dispose the ones we don¡¯t use, but memories kind of become an obstacle to that and we can¡¯t really throw them away.¡±


    There are hints that some of the equipment in the room has been used before. Perhaps his friend and even his wife¡¯s equipment was somewhere in this room as well.


    However, what Flamm was seeking is not in this room. It seems that the cursed equipment are all collected beyond the door at the end of this room.


    Opening the room, the stench of iron crept through the air and assaulted the girl¡¯s nose.


    It¡¯s the smell of blood.


    There must be a pile of cursed equipment in this small room. Items similar to the steel gauntlet hanging on her waist, the cursed equipment that won¡¯t ever be clean of blood no matter how many times she tried to wash them off.


    It seems that she would need to dive in and search the equipment from the pile of metal scraps no one would normally touch.


    ¡°Lowe had the hobby of collecting these, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s full of weird equipment everywhere.¡±


    ¡°He must¡¯ve been a very weird person.:


    ¡°The others used to always tell him to dispose it, but I never thought that it would be useful in this way.¡± Said Gadio, reminiscing. The mansion is dyed with memories that are so blissful that it¡¯s suffocating.


    Flamm reached out to the pile of equipment and she started scanning them one by one; from one that was stained by blood, another that the stain resembled a human face, and yet another that caused her to hear strange voices the moment she touched it. She pulled a wry face, but she realized that the work she had to do this time is something that was still way easier than having to search for equipment from a mountain of corpses.

 CH 29

    Flamm continues to stare at the equipment lined up one by one, muttering not that one¡­not that one¡­, scanning the equipment she picked up as she kept thrusting her hand into the pile of scrap metals that had unbelievably disturbing aura around them.


    ¡°See anything you like?¡± asked Gadio calmly, looking at the girl from behind.


    ¡°It sure is an A-ranker collection. It¡¯s nothing but strong equipment across the board.¡±


    ¡°And it apparently works against you huh.¡±


    ¡°I thought that an Epic equipment should do. I mean look, this is what a cursed equipment should look like.¡± Flamm raised a helmet and showed it to Gadio as an example.


    The helmet made out of jet-black metal had several parts turned purple, and its form is even turned thorny.


    ¡°Because of how this helmet is turned into a weird shape, the field of vision of the wearer is going to be stupidly limited. Maybe it¡¯s a feature of the curse itself though¡± the girl said, opening and closing the face guard of the helmet as she did.


    ¡°True, I understand that people have likes and dislikes about something that covers your face like that. If you have something that allows you to detect the presence of your opponents, then its downside will be a bit more negligible though¡± said the girl, clasping open and close the helmet¡¯s face guard.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that high level yet though.¡±


    If she can improve her Intuition stat, perhaps the girl could have been as good as how Gadio described she could be, and thus she needs to find an equipment that harbors a stronger curse. At the very least, the helmet she¡¯s holding right now is not it.


    Thinking that she doesn¡¯t need the black helmet, she put it aside, which elicits a trembling, resentful reaction from the helmet in the form of a vibration. Calmly ignoring the response, the girl continued to seek for the equipment she wished for.


    ¡°Hmm¡­this is¡­¡± the girl muttered, pulling out a leather-made loop. The item looks like a belt, but it was too short to be wrapped around her waist; at best it could only probably be circled around her arm or leg. Unlike other equipment, however, it doesn¡¯t seem like this item is covered in bloodstain or any other mysterious stains.


    Still unsure of how to use the item, Flamm cast Scan on the equipment.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Leather Garter of Unsightly Obsession


    Rarity: Legendary


    ¡¾Intelligence -131¡¿


    ¡¾Intuition -456¡¿


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Its name aside, it seems like the accessory that was meant to be wrapped around one¡¯s leg gave a disproportionately huge stat boost for its size.


    Flamm put the leather gauntlet to a separate place and continued to search for another piece of equipment. As it was well known, the deeper you dig, the greater the treasure you may find. It might sound like a weird saying in this context, but true to the saying, the deeper she dug, the more usable equipment Flamm finds. Finding more and more Epic-quality items as she did, Flamm couldn¡¯t help but to smile, while Gadio who was looking over the girl digging through a mountain of cursed equipment looked at her bewildered.


    Eventually, including the leather garter she found earlier, she collected three equipment in total.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Leather Belt of Agonizing Scream


    Rarity: Epic


    ¡¾Endurance -363¡¿


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Despite its seemingly exaggerated name, it looked like nothing more than a double prong leather belt with a deep color. Perhaps blood and such had seeped into the leather which caused its uncanny color, but since it doesn¡¯t particularly stink a certain way, Flamm didn¡¯t think too much about it.


    Judging by its width and length, its purpose is more decorative than to be something to keep one¡¯s pants in place. Since its rarity is Epic, she should be able to materialize and remove it at will, but it seems that she will be able to wear it normally thanks to its normal appearance, though she¡¯ll have to start thinking about it if she end up hearing mysterious death screams out of nowhere.


    ¡°Are you sure about that? The item had Pain Amplification enchantment to it¡± asked Gadio, concerned over the girl who was nonchalantly wrapping the belt around her waist.


    There were no immediate effects on the girl¡¯s body, but the enchantment should have affected her body in some way.


    Flamm abruptly sent a strong punch towards the stone floor. Her punch carried such power that the dull sound of her fist slamming on the floor could be heard clearly by Gadio and turned the girl¡¯s knuckles blazing red, which was quickly healed by the girl¡¯s regenerative power.


    The girl repeatedly opened and closed her hands before replying;


    ¡°It¡¯s got inversed and the pain got dulled instead.¡±


    Gadio furrowed his brows after witnessing the girl¡¯s unhesitant act of self-harm.


    ¡°So it numbs your sense of pain, huh. Doesn¡¯t mean you should get reckless because it doesn¡¯t hurt though.¡±


    So he said, but Gadio still felt worried. He witnessed how the girl fights when the two battled against Dain¡¯s underlings, when the girl tends to recklessly charge into the thick of the fight. Understandably so since her Inverse magic would require her to physically touch the target.


    That method of fighting is something that can bring fear upon her adversaries. One¡¯s flesh and blood are not expendable, which would cause a normal person to think twice about getting hurt and losing something unnecessarily, but Flamm is someone who thinks and could do otherwise. This method of combat is truly something only the girl can do¡­but it¡¯s also because of that, the girl tends get injuries more than she needed. Now that she obtained something that abates the suffering of pain, Gadio could only hope that it doesn¡¯t feed into Flamm¡¯s habit.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Damascus Gauntlets of the Cackling Slaughterer


    Rarity: Epic


    ¡¾Strength -1312¡¿


    ¡¾Intelligence -674¡¿


    ¡¾Intuition -377¡¿


    ¡¾Inflicts Spontaneous Combustion¡¿


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The next item she equipped was a gauntlet that had yet another spiky design. The tips of her fingers are covered by black metals that seemed dangerously sharp. Just like the Soul Eater, perhaps cursed items are dyed jet black because it feed on people¡¯s hatred.


    Now that Flamm is wearing the new Epic-quality gauntlets, it¡¯s time to say goodbye to her bloodstained Steel Gauntlets. It carried some memories with it since it was a pair of gauntlets she obtained just around the time she first met Milkit, but thinking about it again, it is weird that she felt an attachment towards a bloodstained gauntlet in the first place.


    Just as she pondered about what to do with her replaced equipment, Gadio suggested; ¡°you don¡¯t need that cursed equipment anymore, right? Just leave it there somewhere¡±, so Flamm took his advice and put her old armguard amidst the pile of rusty equipment as she gave the armguard a ¡°thanks for everything¡±.


    Focusing on her hands, Flamm turned her brand-new gauntlet into particles which turned into a blue seal engraved onto the back of her hand. The seal engraved on top of the Soul Eater¡¯s red seal made it look like an intricate pattern.


    Just in case, Flamm also decided to stow away her belt, which disappears into particles and became a seal engraved right under her bellybutton, though since there wasn¡¯t any problems with how it looks, there wasn¡¯t a need to stow it in the first place.


    Lowering her shirt, the girl decided to materialize the belt once again.


    In total, Flamm has 5 items equipped on her, and as a result, Flamm¡¯s total status are as follows:


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Strength: 1,922


    Intelligence: 1,262


    Endurance: 1,587


    Agility: 1,167


    Intuition: 1,723


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Totaling 7,661, she¡¯s about as strong as a mid-tier A-ranked adventurer, and that¡¯s excluding her Inverse power, her regenerative power and her Cavalier Arts. The girl is truly incomparable to the time when she was sold away as a slave by Jean. Flamm too felt that her body grew lighter, her mana flows in her body, and her five senses are keener than it¡¯s ever been.


    ¡°Okay, um¡­can I take the three I put on?¡±


    ¡°Sure, do as you like with it. Not that I can use it anyways. Cursed Equipment tends to fluctuate greater than normal equipment, so it¡¯ll be a lot more useful if someone can find a practical use for it.¡±


    ¡°I guess the compensation is pretty huge on its own.¡±


    The more someone trains, the more someone fights, the stronger they become and the higher their stats become, but that rule doesn¡¯t apply for Flamm. On one hand, one can say that Flamm had the advantage of being able to equip cursed equipment, but if she¡¯s not wearing one, she won¡¯t be able to fight even an F-ranked monster.


    ¡°I wish the Inverse power would work in the way that I¡¯d be able to get stronger by just lazing around.¡±


    ¡°The world isn¡¯t that kind.¡±


    ¡°How I wish it is. Pretty sure no one would complain about it anyways.¡±


    Gadio exhaled at Flamm¡¯s remark, before muttering languidly, ¡°Tell me about it.¡±


    Exiting the basement room, the two climbed back the staircase they came from, and as they emerged on ground level, a little something came dashing to Gadio¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Papa, play with me!¡±


    It was Hallom, whose selfishness gauge is completely filled out. Pattering from the far side of the hallway, her mother Celena approached the three.


    ¡°Hallom, you can¡¯t just leave mama alone while we play hide-and-seek! That¡¯s too cruel!¡±


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re still you for being so easily deceived, Celena.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­I can¡¯t help it now, can I? Is there any parent who could refuse the wavering puppy eyes of their daughter!?¡± said Celena, raising her voice in an attempt of hiding her embarrassment.


    ¡°Come on, papa~ We can play now, right? Your errand with that person is now over right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but you¡¯re being rude to our guest, Hallom.¡±


    Gadio tried to pet the little girl¡¯s head gently to get her to cheer up, but it doesn¡¯t seem to bear any fruits, while Flamm started to feel bad for causing discord between the three¡¯s family time.


    ¡°Sorry about this, Flamm.¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t mind it. That¡¯s just how much Hallom-chan really loves you.¡±


    Of course, Gadio had felt a bit of reservation in honestly expressing his joy. Gadio does not dislike having Hallom around. If Hallom is not his best friend¡¯s daughter and his heart has not been stolen by an existence he referred as Thea¡­perhaps he could still consider the option of having Celena as his wife.


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll excuse myself since it seems like I might intrude upon your family time.¡±


    ¡°Huuh? Are you going home already, onee-chan?¡±


    Flamm blinked her eyes repeatedly as she heard Hallom¡¯s unexpected response. Since the little girl hasn¡¯t paid any specific attention towards her, Flamm thought the girl never had any interest in her in the first place, but¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s play together, onee-chan!¡±


    ¡°Come on, Hallom, don¡¯t trouble her like that! Forgive her for saying something weird, Flamm-chan.¡±


    ¡°No¡­I don¡¯t mind. Am I not going to be a bother?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. If anything, I¡¯d be glad if you can hang out with her for a bit.¡±


    Now that even Gadio asked her, there¡¯s no way she could refuse now, so in the end, with Hallom dragging her by her hand, the two spent hours playing together in the little girl¡¯s room. She refused the family¡¯s invitation for dinner and exited the mansion by then, and the curtain of darkness had already fallen upon the capital.


    It¡¯s likely that Milkit was waiting for Flamm¡¯s return at home, so Flamm hastened her pace towards the west district, not wanting to miss dinnertime.


    ¡°Oh my, is that Flamm-san that I see?¡±


    However, as she did, someone called out to her. The man who did as the two passed by each other was Reach whom Flamm had never seen in a long while. Wearing a black vest on top of his white Y-shirt, he had quite a rough style with him.


    Judging by the fact that he wasn¡¯t escorted by his guards and his hands were empty, it was likely that the man was simply out on a casual walk.


    ¡°Since you came from that side of the city, I assume you were visiting Gadio-san¡¯s mansion, no?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah¡­wait, did I ever tell you I¡¯m friends with Gadio-san?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you started living together with Eterna Lynnbow. I didn¡¯t think that the person accepting my request for gathering herbs were Flamm Apricot the Hero, but after this far, I¡¯d be blind to not notice. I¡¯d say you¡¯re a cheeky one for keeping it a secret, Flamm-san¡± said Reach jokingly.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t call me a Hero. I was barely of any help when I was in the team.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but you deserve to be called a Hero for what you did to save my wife.¡±


    ¡°Aah, speaking of which, how is your wife¡¯s condition?¡±


    The last time she met Reach was during the time she got back from Enichidae after successfully gathering the herb he requested her to. The medicine was administered ages ago, so the result should show anytime soon.


    ¡°She¡¯s currently recovering thanks to you. It¡¯s just like magic.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I wonder if it¡¯s fine for us to laugh at this joke.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but to bite my lip when I first hear it, even though I knew that we need the medicine precisely because magic couldn¡¯t heal her.¡±


    Though it¡¯s not that Reach¡¯s wife understand the situation, Reach made sure that she wouldn¡¯t tell anyone about her method of recovery. It might partly be because the woman naturally had a good head between her shoulders or it was because she was Reach¡¯s wife that she gained that wisdom, but there are little to no chance that she would expose their secret.


    ¡°Oh, Reach-san, what a coincidence to meet you here.¡±


    As the two were chatting, another woman came and greeted Reach. Her outfit cannot be described by anything other than flashy, donning a fur-decorated red coat that also had corsages filled with large flowers stuck to it. Her nails glows in seven different colors and her fingers were decorated by gold rings sporting huge jewels, while her opal hair is a mix of blond, pink and blue.


    ¡°Are you out on a walk as well, Satyllus-san?¡± Reach said, smiling to the woman as he looked over at the burly man escorting the lady as well. Unlike the smile he showed Flamm when he talked to her, his current smile is nothing but a business smile.


    With her thick makeup and intense perfume, the woman seemed to follow a certain pattern to the point that Flamm, who was not born and raised in the capital, had heard of her before.


    Satyllus Francoise. Owning several branches of businesses, she is naturally Reach¡¯s rival in business, though perhaps because their businesses deal with different things, the relationship between the two is not that hostile since at least the two were still able to pull up a business smile as they meet and have a small talk  with each other.


    ¡°Yes, I thought it would be good as a change of pace. Still, it is not a bad little walk since I get to meet you. By the way, is that slave one of yours, perhaps?¡± The woman¡¯s cold-hearted stare, that which looks down on slaves, turned towards Flamm.


    Flamm herself was used to being looked down upon but being used to it doesn¡¯t mean she stops being pissed about it. Just when her stare starts to turn into a glare, Reach jumped in between them.


    ¡°Belay the thought. The girl is a truly excellent adventurer, Satyllus-san.¡±


    ¡°Ara? She¡¯s completely unarmed though? Do you know any sort of quests she can take with that getup?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t know her true strength just by looking at her outward appearance and the numbers. At the very least, I have complete trust in this girl.¡±


    Not knowing why he would say that much about her, Flamm fidgeted, shifting her footing and changing her posture as an awkward feeling overcame her. Even though she knew it was nothing but lip service, she couldn¡¯t help but to feel uneasy.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± muttered the woman. She looked closely at Flamm from the tip of her toes to the top of her head, perhaps curious as of why a man on Reach¡¯s caliber would say that much about a girl.


    However, her gaze suddenly stopped just as she observed the girl, and with a quiet ¡°hm?¡±, she furrowed her brows as she turned perplexed, likely that she had just used Scan on her and checked her status.


    All she must have seen were flat zeroes.


    ¡°¡­well, if Reach-san says that much, I¡¯m sure this girl is someone excellent.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s someone truly reliable.¡±


    ¡°Since she doesn¡¯t belong to you and her face isn¡¯t that bad, I thought she can be used in some way, but seems like I have to give up.¡±


    ¡°¡­used?¡± Flamm asked, tilting her head, confused about what Satyllus is talking about and what sort of use she¡¯s referring to. That one sentence explained Flamm that she¡¯s the type of person whose sense of humanity was so warped that Flamm intuitively thought that it would be better for her not to get too close to the woman.


    ¡°Aah, how I wish a cute slave will come falling from the sky¡­Reach-san, be sure to let me know if you come across any cute slaves, okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have a principle not to own any slaves.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? What a waste. There¡¯s no tool as convenient as a slave, you know? Ah, that¡¯s right, let us go to the market together once. You might be surprised how much you¡¯ll be enjoying yourself there.¡±


    Saying with a bewitching laugh, the woman turned around and walked away. Until she disappeared from her sight, her domineering cackle still echoed around the street.


    Confirming her disappearance, Flamm stiffly dropped her shoulders and heaved a massive sigh.


    ¡°That¡¯s Satyllus Francoise, huh¡­I guess we¡¯ll have a tendency of coming across someone like that in the East District.¡±


    ¡°As you might have seen, she¡¯s a vixen with a truly awful hobby.¡±


    Flamm was taken aback by the man¡¯s sudden statement, covered in poison.


    ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t expect you could say something like that, Reach-san.¡±


    ¡°Even I can¡¯t turn a blind eye upon it, you see. Her outward appearance is a manager of clothing and bookstores, but I also know she¡¯s involved in darker dealings.¡±


    Perhaps detailing how much he abhors the woman, the man completely abandoned his efforts of making a business smile.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you directly prosecute her if you know that much?¡±


    ¡°I did look her up before, and I did manage to compile enough evidence to prosecute her, but since I know of her business management, I also know that her connections with the church is solid, which is probably why she can hide her dark dealings in plain sight. If I play my cards wrong, I might be the one who¡¯s going to be erased.¡±


    Flamm couldn¡¯t help but to completely agree with the man. She knew that the church would probably even murder the CEO of the Mancathy firm if they need to.


    ¡°You seem to know a lot about the church.¡±


    ¡°Since the previous generation we had disputes regarding medicinal herbs. Even now if we bring up the subject of medicinal herbs, we still will clash against each other.¡±


    The church¡¯s misdeeds go over just the issue with their research. Even if it would risk the livelihood of the people, their own conveniences are top priority.


    If only there is no institution such as the church, more people should be able to earn better, and more people should be able to attain greater happiness¡­and the people who thinks that way should not be limited by that one man alone, but the fact that no one can publicly declare that completely illustrates the influence the church had.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I had to turn a blind eye to Satyllus¡¯ awful hobby. In fact, I heard that she was in contact with a certain twisted slave trader recently and she could manage to purchase some slaves illegally.¡±


    Flamm sighed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she go through the legal ones?¡±


    Slavery itself was legal. One that went through proper procedures to become slaves can be traded in sexual slavery through institutions approved by the kingdom.


    ¡°She said that normal slaves are comprised of people who already gave up hope, so their reactions are uninteresting. She also disliked the fact that normal slaves are subjects to their own set of rights, and it¡¯s a major inconvenience for someone whose hobby is to torture people.¡±


    ¡°Torture¡­¡±


    ¡°To be exact, she said that she had the desire to ¡®break anything that¡¯s beautiful¡¯,¡± Reach said, delving into further details. Perhaps he didn¡¯t come through that information by coincidence and instead he got that information from actively investigating the woman. ¡°Though I heard that this slave trader she was dealing with got killed just some months prior. Traders or owners getting killed by their slaves is not an unusual story, but I heard the scene of the crime is so gruesome, with the room filled with corpses and everything. It¡¯s not that the information is disclosed publicly though, since he¡¯s an illegal trader after all.¡±


    Flamm could recall the scene of an illegal merchant trader and countless corpses. As a matter of fact, she personally knows the culprit who killed the merchant; it was herself.


    ¡°It seems like those guys are fumbling around to look for a way to collect slaves illegally, but¡­wait, you seem troubled, Flamm-san. Is there any problem?¡± Reach asked, looking at the girl¡¯s face worriedly. However, the girl had a bigger problem than to pay attention to what Reach had said.


    Illegal slaves, torture, the desire to break anything beautiful, and finally¡­the dead slave trader.


    The puzzle pieces clicked together, and Flamm came towards a single answer.


    That woman¡­Satyllus was¡ª


    ¡°Milkit¡¯s former master¡­¡±


    ¡ªand the person responsible for injecting poison into Milkit¡¯s body.


    Flamm glared at the corner Satyllus disappeared into, taking a deep breath to withstand the impulse of simply running after her and chopping her up to pieces, as failure in doing so would lead to Reach prosecuting her for what she did in the past.


    Still, even if she regained her senses temporarily, the fact stands; she now knows the person who hurt Milkit, and the feeling she harbors in her heart probably wouldn¡¯t disappear until she can do anything about that person.


    Perhaps it was because Flamm had went through the death of countless people, or perhaps it was because that¡¯s just how far she would go in reflection of her strong bond with Milkit; Flamm had no hesitation in her heart.


    Solemnly, the girl swore.


    She will kill her.

 CH 30

    Flamm fixed her gaze, cold as ice, towards Satyllus until her figure disappeared, while Reach, being a collateral victim of Flamm¡¯s overpowering bloodlust, timidly reached for the girl¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Uh¡­Flamm-san? Are you okay?¡±


    The girl felt two taps of a fingertip conveyed through her shoulder and she slowly returned her face forward before giving Reach a smile.


    ¡°Aah, I¡¯m sorry, I spaced out a bit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if that¡¯s all it was. It feels like the air around you changed since the last time we met.¡±


    A lot of things had happened since the last time the girl met Reach, and despite having only met him some days ago, Flamm couldn¡¯t help but to think of their encounter as a nostalgic memory.


    ¡°I still wasn¡¯t shaken back then.¡±


    ¡°Shaken?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say my position in life was still stable. I can¡¯t help but to think about how I should live my life from then on, but I feel like recently I¡¯m getting closer to an answer¡± said the girl, staring at her palm.


    What should the girl do so that she and Milkit could live in peace in this world they were living in? She just wanted to live normally, without even wishing for anything special. The girl dislike killing others, and she abhorred having to accumulate painful memories of her body being torn apart.


    Yet she was forced to do so. In order to rebel against the church that treats human lives as if they¡¯re garbage, Flamm had no choice but to cut through those people like garbage. She would also need to sacrifice and shave every inch of her body or else she wouldn¡¯t even be able to lay her finger in opposition against their ringleader, Origin.


    Flamm clenched her fists. ¡°You can¡¯t make them disappear just by lamenting, so all I can really do is to take them down by brute force, right?¡±


    ¡°True. Strong people protecting the weak only exists in fiction. Everyone has their own circumstances, and even if their roles were reversed, humans would still repeat the same thing.¡±


    ¡°So as I thought we can only end the problem by cutting the snake by its head¡± said the girl. Once again realizing her own powerlessness, her grip only tightens.


    ¡°I owe you for saving my wife¡¯s life. Just say the word and I¡¯ll lend you my power, so please don¡¯t try to shoulder everything in your lonesome.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t worry about it, I know I have friends that support me. I also can¡¯t get you involved in this affair, Reach-san.¡±


    Reach is a mere merchant. There was no reason for him to spill blood by going against the church just for his profit, so Flamm couldn¡¯t even think of bringing him into this mess, but Reach said ¡°It¡¯s too late for it now¡± as he laughed it off. ¡°For now I can keep an eye on the church and cooperate with the news agency to search around for some information.¡±


    ¡°The news? You mean the newspaper agency?¡±


    Several newspaper companies run within the capital. They would straightforwardly publish contents such as the events that occur within the city for adventurers and providing information for the church bulletin. However, they were clear in not trying to go against the church, which is only obvious since the church had a firm grasp on their printing offices.


    That said, it seemed like Reach knew some news agencies that had some assets untouchable by the church.


    ¡°While we¡¯re at it, should I introduce you to them?¡±


    ¡°Huh? No, you don¡¯t have to go through the hassle¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just around the corner. Welcy!¡±


    As Reach called out a name, a woman adorning a flat cap peeked her face out of the nearby corner. The woman who looked just at home in her tight jeans lightly waved her hand at Flamm before jogging her way towards the two.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and introduce her to you. She¡¯s Welcy Mancathy, the journalist I said had been cooperating with us recently.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Flamm-chan.¡±


    Flamm largely ignored her chirpy attitude as she offered a handshake as her mind was preoccupied in thinking why the woman was hiding behind the corner as she did earlier, though it¡¯s likely she had been tailing Reach.


    ¡°Mancathy¡­is she your little sister, Reach-san?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately.


    ¡°What do you mean, unfortunately!?¡±


    Reach showed a bitter smile as he whispered ¡°this is exactly why¡±. At last, Flamm could relate a bit more with Reach as she finally witnessed Reach speaking in such informal tone.


    ¡°Despite who she is, my little sister was quite an outstanding journalist. It was thanks to her that we got the information about how Satyllus is distributing medicinal herbs around the church.¡±


    ¡°Distribution of medicinal herbs within the church? Aren¡¯t those supposed to be banned by them?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s their way to make sure that the higher ups can still get better if they got sick with ailments incurable by magic. Still though with the huge amount they circulate, if there¡¯s a chance that they might give these illegal drugs to their soldiers to boost their morale, they might have other plans in mind.¡±


    ¡°I think that if we can reveal what they¡¯re up to, we might get a shot at decreasing their strength. Even if that turns out to be a bust, we¡¯ll be able to use this info as a bargaining chip.¡±


    Reach¡¯s words carry a certain amount of wickedness despite his calm tone, perhaps further showing that the way he had been rising in status was because he had been involved in something shady himself.


    ¡°By the way, nii-san, don¡¯t you have something to do with the married couple?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Ah, that¡¯s right¡­Actually the married couple from the house you live in had been calling for me.¡±


    ¡°Are they¡­asking you to return the house?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, not really. That house had belonged to you for a long time now. If anything, I¡¯m actually surprised that they¡¯re still alive. I know it¡¯s rude for me to say, but they¡¯re already at such old ages.¡±


    The talk concerned Flamm quite a bit since it involves the previous owner of the house she¡¯s living in, but she couldn¡¯t possibly stop the man from going through his business more than she already is.


    ¡°With that said, my apologies but I have to call it a day. Welcy, give her your business card.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure, ¡®ere ya go. There¡¯s been a lot of things going on around Satyllus recently y¡¯know? So if you happen to find something nasty, be sure to drop by our office¡± said Welcy, procuring a palm-sized card.


    Flamm thought nothing and accepted the card casually, only to realize that there was nothing written on it. Witnessing the girl tilting her head in confusion, Welcy flashed a smile and cast a spell.


    ¡°Burn Projection!¡±


    As she did, small letters containing the company name, its address, and the sentence ¡°Print Journalist¡± along with the woman¡¯s full name were scorched onto the paper. Lastly, the remaining empty space was filled by the illustration of the Welcy herself which was so well done it might as well be a picture.


    ¡°This here spell can write letters and burn a visible image. I¡¯m Welcy Mancathy, the newspaper reporter who will tear off the truth from this world! Pleasure doing business with ya!¡±


    Perhaps finishing her introduction with her catchphrase, the girl spoke with a satisfied, smug grin as she walked away with her brother.


    Flamm was left alone with that one piece of business card, gazing intently at the words printed on the paper under the early evening shroud of darkness.


    ¡°Newspaper reporter, huh¡­¡±


    Sure enough, not only the sword, but the pen is also putting up a fight against the church, and despite multiple uncertainties around the media itself, having another ally behind her reassured the girl.


    Stowing the business card into her breast pocket, Flamm once again heads home.


    Tilting the watering can, Milkit watered the planters that decorated the outside of her house. As soon as she finished watering, the girl crouched as she gazed on the lovely pink flowers whose seeds she received from an older lady around the neighborhood. The kind woman had been interacting with the bandage-covered girl for a while and the two had been exchanging snacks with each other for a while.


    The plant was nothing but a bud until they started blooming the morning of the previous day, which gave the girl a sense of accomplishment in her heart¡­an emotion she never thought she would be holding before the girl had met Flamm. It wasn¡¯t something so exciting nor striking, but the gentle, warm feeling was something that soothed the girl wholesomely.


    The smell of the day¡¯s dinner wafts from within the house. Today¡¯s menu was a stew of Basilisk meat with mushroom and tomatoes, legume potage with a side of Caesar Salad. As for desserts, she had prepared a citrus fruit called the Tagore, which was a standard cuisine for the capital. The fist-sized fruit looked no different than other citrus fruits, but it was known for its large pulps, strong aroma and how its invigorating smell would spread across the palate once consumed. Additionally, as it wasn¡¯t very sour nor too strong, there weren¡¯t many people who dislike the Tagore fruit.


    Although, the girl wasn¡¯t yet finished with her dinner. The girl thought that she would finish her dinner preparation after she comes home. She thought to herself, it¡¯s not like I went outside because I¡¯m anxiously waiting for her return, but as she realized what she¡¯s been thinking, she turned bashful in an instant.


    Milkit laid her hand on her chest, where a warm feeling, something that didn¡¯t exist before her encounter with Flamm, lingers within.


    Ever since she had been living in that house, the girl had gradually regained her mass. As she did, her master would feel greatly elated by it, so the girl had been continuously going out of her way to eat more¡­perhaps slightly too much, which is why she decided that she wanted to hold back on it.


    However, the main issue at hand was something deep beneath her skin; the warm feeling lingering at the bottom of her heart.


    Perhaps this was the culprit behind it all.


    The reason for her to go out as she anxiously waited, the reason she made the excuse in the first place, the reason she got embarrassed because of it, and the reason her heart can¡¯t quiet down, was probably because of that feeling.


    Once Flamm taught her that it was the feeling of ¡°trust¡±, but Milkit believed that it was something way more. Even if she were to call their relationship as ¡°master and slave¡±, the way the girl never held this feeling towards her previous masters made her sure that it was something more than that.


    So what is it then?


    As the girl continued spacing out trying to figure out the answer, her cheeks were wrapped in a warm sensation as she heard the words ¡°I¡¯m back, Milkit.¡±


    Turning her face up, the girl could see Flamm¡¯s teeth, exposed by her smile.


    There was a quagmire of things she was thinking about, but all of them were washed away as the girl prioritized herself in replying ¡°welcome back, master¡± as her cheeks slackened.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. Do you have anything I can help with for dinner?¡±


    ¡°All that¡¯s left is the finishing touches, if you can help with that.¡±


    ¡°Okaay. Let¡¯s get it over with and shut this starved stomach by the world¡¯s most delicious cooking made by the one and only Milkit!¡±


    The bandaged girl chuckled. ¡°I do wonder if I can make your expectations.¡±


    With such exchange, the two held each other¡¯s hand and entered the house. The warm atmosphere seemed to have moved with them, as when the two entered the front door and closed it, the stone pavement immediately returned to a cold, inorganic scenery.


    As no one remained, a large-bodied man passed through the street in front of the house. Gazing upon the building briefly, the man scoffed before stepping away.


    This is a tale that occurred fifty years ago, when the empire was just beginning their human experimentation.


    Their initial objective was to create an artificial demon that surpasses humans in lifespan and mana, and their subjects are the lone children left without relatives that they kidnapped from the slums. The children underwent countless surgeries and administered mysterious drugs day by day. Deaths were not uncommon, and those who survived was broken beyond belief with their body and soul transformed into something unhuman.


    At that time, Eterna was still an immature girl who were barely ten years old. Without her parents, the girl was living within the storm of desire and violence within the slums.


    She thoroughly distrusts others, which was the only thing that kept her alive.


    However, she, too, was kidnapped.


    ¡°e211-N¦Á¡± was the name bestowed upon her at the facility, something carved and tattooed to her flank that she still has to bear.


    At that time, she didn¡¯t mind being treated as an object, since the name she had before was nothing but an identification code that was given by someone she didn¡¯t even know. This time, the letters were only changed into numbers.


    ¡°Then from now on, your name shall be Eterna.¡±


    However, that man, G¨¹nther Lynnbow and his wife Claudia Lynnbow opted not to call her by mere letters numbers. They gave everyone names and interacted with them kindly, perhaps as a form of atonement from getting the children involved in their human experimentation.


    Obviously, everyone was being cautious of them at the start, thinking that they were mere hypocrite and that they will resort to violence sooner or later if they let their guard down¡­or at least that¡¯s how some wished they were, since some had accepted the fact that there are no kind place for them in this world.


    However, their expectations were shattered.


    At the very least, G¨¹nther and Claudia were truly good people, which allowed the children and Eterna to slowly open up their hearts across the three months period of their interaction. At the end, the children would refer the two as ¡°dad¡± or ¡°mom¡±.


    Outside of their experimentation time, Eterna and the children were forced to live together in a dormitory that was prepared. They were given plenty to eat, had their own rooms, and when they had some spare time, their supervisors G¨¹nther and Claudia would spend some time with them. Despite the horrific experiments the had to go through, their lives were more fulfilling than the cold, lonely place the slums was¡­they were given a moment where they can live as humans for once.


    ¡°Mom! Dad! Look, I made a flower out of magic!¡±


    Holding her hands aloft, Eterna created large flowers out of thin, stretched membranes of water, creating a fantastical scenery as they reflect the lights that illuminate the room.


    G¨¹nther and Claudia praised the proud-looking girl, giving her a generous applause as they did.


    Eterna¡¯s Mana level was so high that she couldn¡¯t even be compared with other children of her age as she demonstrated the high level of control in her arts, and given the notice of her masterfulness, the remaining child alive in that place was down to her and only her.


    The plan to create an artificial demon has succeeded; they had created someone with superior mana and extended lifespan. The color of her skin stayed human, but Eterna was an existence that can rival demons.


    However, due to the low success rate and reproducibility, the project was eventually discontinued.


    Dispose the subjects and link up with the next project¡ªwas the ruthless order Gunther and Claudia received.


    ¡°As if we can do it! Eterna is our child! She¡¯s not blood-related but she¡¯s still our family¡­!¡±


    Confessing their entire order towards Eterna, the two tightly hugged the stunned girl.


    ¡°Eterna should have enough strength to live on her own¡­she should be fine alone, right?¡±


    They made a choice¡­even if they were to go against a direct order from the empire, Eterna could still escape their wrath.


    Thus, one night, the two snuck the girl into a wagon and had her escape the capital.


    ¡°¡­terna?¡±


    Eterna did not hear anything else about G¨¹nther nor Claudia afterwards. The girl lived inconspicuously, deep in the mountains, further developing her knowledge in her arts of sorcery along with the knowledge of medicinal herbs and anatomy she heard from when she was in the research facility


    ¡°Hey, ¡­ter¡­na¡­are¡­¡­¡­ning¡­?¡±


    Fifty years went by, but the girl¡¯s body didn¡¯t grow, still looking like she was in her teens, though since she is someone who is a close imitation of the demons, age is as much as a threat as a running water. Before long, the villages around the base of the mountain would spread rumors about a witch living in the mountain, though Eterna was sure there was no ill will behind it. After all, it was a rumor about a kind witch who gave lost travelers mysterious medicines that somehow purged what ails them.


    And the person who came as a messenger from the capital was¡ª


    ¡°Eterna, you should get up. It¡¯s time for dinner.¡±


    Ink¡¯s voice finally reached her.


    Lifting her face that was buried in her desk, the woman absentmindedly looked towards the bed, only to see the figure of Ink, sitting on the bed with an exasperated look. She must have called out to her multiple times now.


    The girl was still wearing a shirt borrowed from Flamm, which was still a size too big, while her black hair seemed slightly ruffled, perhaps since she was just lying down until just now.


    ¡°Did I fall asleep?¡±


    ¡°Out like a light. You were in a deep sleep just now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a blunder.¡±


    ¡°Also, you said something about mom and dad in your sleep.¡±


    ¡°¡­really¡­¡±


    Eterna stubbornly expressed her usual interjection before bringing her hand to rub her eyes.


    Blinking two, three times, her vision cleared, and the woman heaved a sigh.


    ¡°I guess you had parents as well, don¡¯t you?¡± asked Ink, innocently curious as she never even saw her parents¡¯ faces.


    ¡°I¡¯m only human, so obviously I have parents¡­though I never saw my real parents¡¯ faces.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Really? Then we¡¯re the same, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯re both the test subjects for the empire¡¯s human experimentation.¡±


    At that confession, even Ink couldn¡¯t help but to be surprised.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I never told anyone. I was experimented on years ago, and this house is the place I lived when I was a test subject.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, I remembered Flamm saying you were intruding when she first came here though¡­¡±


    ¡°I used to live in this room back then, so I felt so nostalgic I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡±


    Still, being able to hold herself back or otherwise, a crime is a crime, but at the very least, Ink understood that Eterna wasn¡¯t intruding just because she wanted to. The impression Ink has about Eterna had been amended from a ¡°pretty weird person¡± to a ¡°normal weird person¡±.


    ¡°By the way, you said you were experimented on years ago, right?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°How old are you? Judging by your voice you don¡¯t sound that older compared to Flamm.¡±


    Her question was reasonable. Ink could not see Eterna¡¯s figure, but even if she did, it would only add to her confusion. Both her figure and her voice felt no older than a girl in her teenage years.


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t even know when I was born, so probably¡­60?¡±


    ¡°Granny Eterna!¡±


    ¡°I have feelings you know. Stop it.¡±


    It would seem like despite her longevity, Eterna still despised being treated like an old lady.


    The woman dropped her shoulders and heaved a huge sigh, and hearing that response, Ink cackled like a mischievous child.


    ¡°But¡­if you¡¯re that old, then maybe your mom and dad aren¡¯t here anymore.¡±


    ¡°That was why I took on the quest to take out the demon lord as well. Before we go on that journey, I dropped by the capital and went to the area where they live¡­I¡¯ve settled my thoughts then and considered that a visit to their grave.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­I bet they were really glad that their daughter grew up really healthy.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    Every time the woman closes her eyes, the memories of G¨¹nther and Claudia never failed to flood her mind, and even more so now that she is living in this house. It was a shame that she could never see them again, but¡­even she couldn¡¯t mourn from the tragedy of her long life.


    ¡°Eterna-san! Dinner is ready!¡±


    Flamm¡¯s voice echoed from downstairs.


    ¡°What she said.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get going. I¡¯ll get you your portion later.¡±


    ¡°Yep, looking forward to it.¡±


    The little girl sends the woman off with a smile on her face.


    Ink was still unable to leave the room. Judging by her looks, she seemed to be chipper than ever, but her condition is still far than optimal.


    Just to be prepared if anything were to happen, Eterna left a floating sphere in the room, something that would inform her if something abnormal happens through another one she brings with her.


    Finishing her preparation, the woman left the room, only to be greeted by an appetizing smell of tomato stew that shrouded the hallway.


    With an adorable sound of her stomach rumbling, Eterna descended the stairs with a hand holding her stomach.

 CH 31

    Flamm smacked her lips as she enjoyed the dinner Milkit made. The flavor is held by the girl with the highest praise, while Eterna who was taking advantage of the situation caused Milkit¡¯s embarrassment to overload. However, the two were merely stating the truth. Because of how delectable they are, the food was gone in a flash.


    Finishing her dinner, Eterna went ahead and took Ink¡¯s portion to the second floor, and the two girls left behind started to clean up. Flamm washed the dishes while Milkit wipes them before putting it inside their cupboard, all in perfect coordination. It was an enjoyable, peaceful daily life, one Flamm is truly reluctant to part with¡­however, the truth that this reality would not continue for long is something the girl is too painfully aware of.


    The church would definitely start something¡­it¡¯s even likely that they have already started something.


    ¡°I wish this could go on forever¡­¡± said Milkit, whispering. Understanding that Milkit wishes for the same thing, Flamm couldn¡¯t help but to feel elated.


    The girl smiled as she passed another piece of tableware towards Milkit.


    ¡°Then I have to do my absolute best to make that happen.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­please forgive me, that was not my intention¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you apologizing? I feel the same way as you do, Milkit, so I¡¯m just steeling myself again when I said that. I too want to finish fighting the church as soon as possible and live leisurely like this.¡±


    When could that wish be fulfilled? Just thinking about that question feels like it brought back the pain of facing an impassable obstacle blocking their way, but the girl felt that she can fight anything if she considers the heavenlike everyday they could spend after clearing it.


    ¡°Do you plan to continue living in the capital for a long time, master?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve grown fond of this house, but I do feel like I need to go back to my hometown at least once to tell everyone there that I¡¯m still alive and kicking.¡±


    Even if the seal on her cheek stays there permanently, she will still look forward to the future, and she will undoubtedly be more forward-facing when that time comes. Just like the happiness she felt when she had the matching figure with Milkit, this development is something she could be proud of as this is the proof of bond between the two.


    ¡°Then I believe I should not go with you when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­I believe it would be of bad taste to have a slave escorting you¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh? I was planning to introduce you to my parents, you know? I¡¯m going to tell them that you¡¯re my precious partner.¡±


    ¡°Partner¡­?¡±


    Milkit has long ignored the fact that she isn¡¯t being treated like her master¡¯s slave, yet the girl was still unsure if the word ¡°partner¡± would be the correct expression to describe their relationship.


    ¡°I could just say that you¡¯re my slave, but I think our relationship right now is different from that. I feel like we¡¯re quite different than just friends, so¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you picked ¡°partner¡±, is it not?¡±


    ¡°Well it does sound vague. Maybe when I get to introduce you to my parents, I can think of something else to call you.¡±


    ¡°If I am meeting your parents¡­I should perhaps take off my bandages, right?¡±


    Putting the tableware in place, Milkit fidgeted as she fiddles with the end of her bandage.


    Flamm, on the other hand, froze. She didn¡¯t even think of whether Milkit should take her bandages off or not. While it¡¯s true that it is perhaps better to show her face upon meeting her parents, she was hesitant to show Milkit¡¯s face to other people. If anything, perhaps she doesn¡¯t even want to.


    She felt delighted and satisfied that she was able to monopolize Milkit¡¯s beauty, and both Milkit and Flamm herself was aware of the meaning behind ¡°ritual¡± they enjoyed together every night. This feeling of hers is another form of that possessiveness.


    In the beginning, Flamm was satisfied if Milkit could get used to her looks and able to walk outside with her head held high. The truth? The situation had grown worse. Perhaps ¡°worse¡± is not the correct term. Her feelings only¡­deepened, and now, Flamm has no plans to give that right of witnessing Milkit¡¯s beauty towards others.


    As she thought further into it, ¡°Well, we¡¯ll cross the bridge when we get there¡± she decided to shelf the issue for now; a decision Milkit seemed to have been thankful for as a relieved smile forms on her lips.


    ¡°That is true. We still have time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We have plenty of time, hahahaha¡­¡±


    Milkit responded with a giggle of her own. The two laughed to hide their own internal conflict but being in each other¡¯s company was enough to cause that heartache to fade away.


    However, for some reason, Flamm felt that the time they spent together only worsens her insecurity, to the point that it is getting more and more likely that Flamm is going to introduce Milkit to her parents with her bandages still covering her face.


    The night quietly and quickly passes, and another day dawns upon them.


    Flamm¡¯s consciousness draws closer with the melody of the birds outside, and in her half-asleep stupor, she leaned in to hear the voices coming from the first floor.


    The sound of kitchen knife striking a cutting board along with the sound of something sizzling on a frying pan echoed throughout the kitchen. The sound of a normal daily life. The sound of peace. The sound of her. Those sounds alone fill Flamm¡¯s heart with warmth.


    Thinking back to it, this is the same sort of sounds Flamm heard every time she wakes up in the morning when she was still at her hometown. The sound of her mother cooking breakfast would be followed by her loud yet gentle voice telling her to wake up.


    However, Milkit is not Flamm¡¯s mother. Flamm couldn¡¯t possibly leave all housework to her alone, so despite her earlier-than-usual awakening, Flamm rose from her bed and rubbed her eyes before sluggishly exiting her bed.


    Yawning as she descended the stairs, she entered the living room, greeted by a clear voice, calling out to her, ¡°good morning.¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­good morning¡­¡±


    Flamm¡¯s feeble greeting was replied with a gentle smile, and Flamm immediately heads for the washroom. She washed her face and quickly tidied her hair before returning to the girl¡¯s side.


    ¡°I see that you are up early today. Do you have a work to do?¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­no, I just wake up earlier for some reason. You just need these cut, right?¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Ah, Master.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    Seeing her master¡¯s appearance, Milkit noticed a sprouting bed hair on her head, which prompted her to reach out to it. Thanks to the crude effort she made to tidy her hair, she seemed to have cut some corners, so a lot of some other parts were still left messy.


    The girl¡¯s finger combed through Flamm¡¯s hair, making a ticklish sensation similar to if her head¡¯s being pet, causing Flamm to stiffen up slightly.


    ¡°Okay, that should be fine.¡±


    ¡°Thankies, I was absentminded, so I just did it roughly.¡±


    ¡°Eterna-san is going to scold you again, you know?¡±


    ¡°I mean I always check myself again before going out so I don¡¯t think she should¡¯ve been ticked off, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    No strand in Eterna¡¯s hair would be disheveled even as she just wakes up, perhaps thanks to her ability to control water, but Flamm couldn¡¯t help but to think that it¡¯s unfair that only Eterna gets to use that skill.


    ¡°I shall go outside and water the flowers after I finish frying the food.¡±


    ¡°Got it. The flowers grow pretty beautifully, don¡¯t they.¡±


    ¡°I heard that watering them would be enough, but I am worried if they could bloom well or not. If I can get more confident, perhaps I will try growing them from seeds.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good! Can I pick the seeds with you!¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go shopping together on our next day off.¡±


    Flamm swiftly prepared an appointment together as the two continued on with their breakfast preparation. It seemed that Milkit spent no time deciding where to go shopping, which was evident in how the corners of her lips slacken as a smile begin to bloom.


    The sunny-side up eggs finished frying, and as the girl moved served them to plates, she left the kitchen. Milkit then went towards the entrance, picked up a watering can stored in a cabinet and heads out, leaving Flamm inside as the sound of the door opening and closing echoed through the hallway. The girl walked away from the door, approached the planters and crouched down, watering one planter after another.


    In the meantime, Flamm who was left alone inside proceeded to prepare the salad. She cut up some vegetables and split them to four different plates when she realized that she couldn¡¯t hear anything from outside the house. Immediately, she jogged through the living room into the hallway and outside the front door.


    ¡°Milkit?¡±


    Looking around, she couldn¡¯t find her partner¡¯s figure, and the only thing she could see was the watering can, toppled over as it spills its content. Could she perhaps be gone to draw water? Or is she gone to talk with the neighborhood lady?


    However, that wasn¡¯t the case. Focusing on her senses, she captured a noise.


    ¡°¡­above¡­¡±


    Two sets of footsteps could be heard from above the roof. One of the sets of footsteps sounds heavy, as if one of the two possible figures were dragging the other as they move.


    An error of judgment. Flamm¡¯s own carelessness incited her self-hatred to roar. Knowing that the person aimed for the chance Milkit went out clearly shows that whoever the perpetrator is, they are not an amateur, and it is likely that their target is not Flamm herself, but Milkit.


    It isn¡¯t clear as of whose order the perpetrator is under, but she definitely had to find out if she wants to protect Milkit.


    She shouldn¡¯t be so negligent that she could easily think that it would be safe for her to get out of the house, even if it¡¯s just to their yard.


    She regretted that decision¡­she regretted it so much that she bit into her lips until they start to bleed. With her anger fueling her legs, she kicked the ground as if to unleash that pent-up rage and flew towards the roof. Landing in a kneeling position, the girl immediately looked around, trying to capture her target. With her expanded field of vision from an elevated view, she immediately found two figures, clad in black, running towards the east.


    Flamm grits her teeth in annoyance, darting off the edge of the roof as she glares at the two figures in the distance, dancing in the air unhesitatingly. Jumping from houses to houses, the girl gave chase to the figures carrying Milkit away.


    ¡°¡ªScan!¡± she whispered, quietly activating her spell.


    The one person carrying Milkit was a man with a largue build. His name is Tryte Lancylla, possessing both Strength and Endurance easily exceeding 2,000, and the total amount of his status score is just a little short of 8,000. His partner, which seemed as if he¡¯s fooling around as he performed somersaults on his escape, displayed the agility of his dainty body as he did. His name is Demiserico Radius, possessing over 2,500 points in agility, and his heightened Intuition clarifies his specialty as a speed-focused combatant. He, too, had a total status number of just short of 8,000, while his biggest weak point was his Endurance which was the only status that had a three-digit number to it.


    Long story short, they weren¡¯t just any ordinary adventurers; they were rank A adventurers, which explained how they could abduct Milkit without so much of a sound or sign. However, unlike before, the current Flamm had the strength to take them both on. The issue she has right now is whether she could close her distance or not.


    Perching at the corner of a roof, Flamm sent a surge of refined Prana towards her entire legs before making a huge leap, flying over an entire house and cut their distance greatly.


    ¡°What the fuck!?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up for this shit, man, you said it was an easy job!!¡±


    The two men obviously grew anxious seeing the girl with smaller build than them easily surpass their speed.


    The job they took from Satyllus was simply to kidnap a single slave, and their scan indicated that their pursuer had flat zeroes in her stat block. They¡¯ve heard about the girl called Flamm Apricot before, and they couldn¡¯t help but to wonder why the girl was branded as a slave if she really is the Flamm Apricot they¡¯ve heard of. On the other hand, if she¡¯s not the Flamm Apricot they¡¯ve heard of before, who is this girl who could keep up with their speed?


    ¡°Tch¡­so be it. I¡¯ll take her on. Get on forward before me, Tryte.¡±


    ¡°Sure. You gotta run away if it gets rough though.¡±


    Judging by how plentiful the reward is, the two knew that this is not a clean job. In the first place, the request from Satyllus didn¡¯t come through the guild, something the adventurers would often refer to a ¡°Black Request¡±, and while it¡¯s true that the reward is handsome, the two was prepared for a great risk for its price.


    It was their mistake for trusting Satyllus¡¯ words, saying that it was an ¡°easy job¡± despite the possibility of them losing their lives in this predicament.


    ¡°Let¡¯s test this girl out for now¡­¡±


    The man pulled out a pair of daggers from a case on his belt, holding each drenched blade with one hand each. With a short, sharp exhale, he turned around with a twist and threw one before making a leap backwards and throwing the other, sending the two daggers cutting straight through the air like a bullet. Immediately after releasing his two daggers, he proceeded to procure more from his case and threw them at the approaching girl; to her left, to her right, and even above. All for the sake of shaking the girl off from pursuing them.


    However, the girl didn¡¯t even have the slightest intention to get out of harm¡¯s way. Straightforwardly and recklessly, the girl is intent in keeping on moving straight towards Demiserico.


    ¡°Fuckin¡¯ moron, you¡¯re about to die!¡±


    Did she not se it? Or is she planning something by not dodging? Regardless of the answer, the man turned away from Flamm¡¯s direction and continued running.


    Then, just as the pointed end of the first dagger touched the girl¡¯s flank, she whispered;


    ¡°Reversal¡±


    The girl inverted the man¡¯s attempt to test her. The dagger instantly changed its direction and quickly began to dart towards Demiserico.


    The second dagger was a different story. Flamm reached her hand out towards the blade, taking in the hit as the blade penetrates palm with a dull, wet sound. The stinging pain on her right arm shot across her entire body, causing her to flinch in response. Of course, the poison effect is negated completely thanks to her belt that removes her resistance to poison.


    ¡°Is this that Reversal power they were talkin¡¯ about!?¡± yelled Demiserico, evading the returned dagger that sank itself into a building wall right next to him.


    Once again, he shot another blade to keep stalling the girl.


    Flamm lightly twists her body to avoid the incoming blade while simultaneously pulling out the blade stuck to her palm. With her posture off balance, Flamm planted her sole firmly into the next roof before rotating her body to the side, fluttering through the air once more. Using the centrifugal force fully, the girl used her bloodstained hand to toss the knife back towards Demiserico who had just landed on his feet.


    Her toss was awkward and clumsy, perhaps because she wasn¡¯t too proficient in throwing knives to begin with, and therefore it went all over the place with barely enough speed to reach its target, but Demiserico who just landed on his feet couldn¡¯t find enough leeway to dodge her counterattack. He procured a gladius from a holster on his lower back, sporting a fifty-centimeter blade that was unfit to be a throwing weapon unlike his knives, and with one swift swing and a ringing noise, he deflected the blade Flamm threw back.


    However, what Flamm did wasn¡¯t in vain; he stopped the man dead on his tracks. The distance between the two had closed up so much that it was nigh impossible for the man to escape her at this point. Preparing himself for a close quarter combat, the man pulled another short sword from another holster and faced Flamm head-on.


    Then, the man began to speak.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve known most of the people with the strength of A-ranked adventurers, but¡­didn¡¯t think there¡¯s an adventurer I haven¡¯t seen before¡­and a young girl at that¡­¡±


    Of course, his words didn¡¯t reach Flamm¡¯s ears, for the girl was thinking of one and one thing only; that the men who hurt Milkit are¡ª


    ¡°UNFORGIVABLE¡­!¡±


    Flamm¡¯s arms were clad in jet-black gauntlets, and with her right hand brandishing her Soul Eater emitting an ominous aura, she swung it down recklessly without even a plan.


    Demiserico barely dodged the strike, and the pointed end of the great sword grazes his chest. He immediately counterattacked and unleashed a cut towards Flamm, cutting the girl¡¯s thigh along with her shorts before jumping back and taking some distance, held his hands aloft and cast a spell.


    ¡°Shadow Mist!¡±


    The spell invokes a black mist, robbing the girl of her vision. Unable to find her escape, Flamm found herself taking another throwing knife on her arm. Then she took another on her flank, her cheek, her leg, her shoulder, before taking another in her arm once again, incessantly, from all directions, creating countless shallow wounds on her fair skin. Unable to see her surrounding, her movement gradually dulls with the accumulated damage she took, and it won¡¯t be long until the man would deal a fatal blow to her.


    That, was Demiserico¡¯s style of fighting.


    ¡°So absurd,¡± Flamm spat, wondering if this fighting style of a thousand cuts is commonplace.


    Her wounds quickly recover, and she could barely feel any pain, and even this mist is¡­something her dark blade could take care of.


    ¡°HAAA!!¡±


    Flamm swung her sword down, fueled with bursting prana she brought forth and created a powerful gale.


    The Prana Storm quickly dissipates the mist, and Demiserico avoided the strike as he swiftly jumped to a house next to him.


    Without delay, Flamm who had reacquired her target activated her Cavalier Arts.


    ¡°DON¡¯T YOU RUN AWAY FROM MEEEE!!¡±


    The girl swung her sword horizontally, unleashing her Arts¡ªthe Prana Slash, yet once again, Demiserico nimbly avoided the strike like a flying insect. He threw another dagger at the girl, but it was nothing but a futile resistance, as Flamm could easily dodge that attack by slightly tilting her head.


    Flamm unleashed another strike, diagonally this time, shooting her refined Prana at the man, though the prana fueling this attack is infused with Reverse Magic.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be fucking kidding me!?¡± yelled Demiserico, leaping once again with cold sweat drenching his forehead as the Prana Slash robbed him of his footing and flew past him.


    However, Flamm whispered; ¡°Return!1¡±, and the blast of energy that passed through the man turned around and approached Demiserico from his rear. He sensed the murderous aura coming from straight behind him and thus tried to twist his stance to avoid it.


    However, the energy heartlessly severed his right arm.


    ¡°GGAAAAAAHHH!!!¡± The man screamed in anguish as his body began to bathe in sweat.


    The figure of a girl holding her dark blade aloft still stood tall in front of him, reflecting in his eyes, and realizing that he had no chance of winning, he began to turn tail and escape. He understood that his chance of being able get out of this engagement alive is at least higher than his chance of winning this battle.


    Seeing the man scampering away, the girl readied her stance once again. Pointing the edge of her blade towards the man¡¯s back, she twists her hands, tightly gripping the handle of her sword towards her back and stretching them like bowstrings. Drawing her breath, she fills her blade with the clearest form of Prana she had ever refined.


    Jumping from rooftops to rooftops, Demiserico¡¯s figure grows distant, but Flamm¡¯s aim was to strike him the moment his body was suspended mid-air, leaving him defenseless.


    The man who had Milkit in his arms had been long gone from her sight, which means the only way to get to know her location was to squeeze it out from the man she can still see. This means that she could not kill the man, and if she had to stab through him, it had to be a non-lethal shot to the leg.


    Timing is of the essence. The man is currently running right in the middle of the roof of a stone-built house.


    His right leg kicks the ground, propelling him forward. Immediately after, it was his right.


    Left, right, left, right, left¡­and before long, the muscles in his calf constricts as his toes depart from the roof surface. Now is the time.


    Flamm opened her eyes wide and exerted strength into her two hands.


    ¡°HAAAA!!¡±


    She unleashed her Prana Sting, forming into an energy that was sharp and thin, flying like an arrow that pierced straight through Demiserico¡¯s calf. The open hole made in his flesh was quickly filled with blood, and with his posture crumbling, the man falls to an alley between the houses. Unable to break his fall, the man took the full brunt of the fall damage on his left arm, sending a shattering pain across. With the height he fell from, it was not impossible for him to have broken several bones.


    However, he clearly understood that he couldn¡¯t stop even if he wanted to, for the girl is definitely coming.


    With his only working leg, he limped his way out of the alley, but even then, he still wouldn¡¯t be able to escape. Flamm landed right next to him with a light thud before immediately stomping on his open wound.


    ¡°Ack¡­GAAAAAHH!!¡±


    Demiserico writhed about in anguish while Flamm mercilessly twists her heel in his wound, and the man couldn¡¯t help but to cry in agony.


    ¡°Where is Milkit?¡±


    ¡°Sto¡­p¡­please¡­AAAGH¡­!!¡±


    Flamm puts more strength into her leg, but because of the pain, the man was unable to answer her question.


    ¡°ANSWER ME! WHERE IS MILKIT!?¡±


    ¡°AGH¡­! AAAAHH¡­HAAAHH¡­!!¡±


    No matter how she pushed him, the girl still couldn¡¯t get an answer out, and if she were to wait as she is, the man is just going to bleed out and die. Dead man tells no tale, and perhaps with that thought in mind, the man is intentionally keeping silent as to not let her get that information. No matter how rotten he is, the man is still an A-rank adventurer, and he seemed to still have the pride of one.


    However, Flamm couldn¡¯t give up now. She picked up Demiserico¡¯s fallen gladius and put its pointed edge towards the top of his foot.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to do this but you are PUSHING IT!¡±


    As a matter of fact, she hated having to do this. She hated pain and inflicting them onto others. She hated suffering and bringing about suffering onto others. She hated getting hurt and hurting others. She hated all of it, and she would have avoided them at all costs if she could.


    However, she would have to do it if she wanted to save Milkit. Otherwise, the world overflowing with irrationality would not even bat an ear to her wish.


    Flamm held the short sword aloft, and with intense speed, she dropped the sword, piercing through the man¡¯s foot along through his bones.


    ¡°G¡­AAAAAAAHHH!!!¡±


    However, Flamm still entertains the possibility of the man not saying anything since he managed to keep quiet with his calf thoroughly perforated, so she took a step further and channeled her Inverse mana through the blade.


    ¡°Peel off2.¡±


    A dry, cracking sound echoed from the man¡¯s foot.


    ¡°¡ª!?¡±


    The pain was so intense that the man couldn¡¯t even make a voice. The nail on his toe being inversed¡ªturned inside out.


    ¡°Where is Milkit?¡±


    Demiserico frantically shook his head, clearly showing his remaining will to retaliate. In the end, it was nothing more than an ad hoc, so Flamm understood that she hasn¡¯t done enough.


    Seeing no other choice, Flamm reversed yet another of his toenail.


    Another dry sound, and despite his low gasp of pain, the man is still not interested in giving her an answer.


    She then goes on to reverse more of the man¡¯s toenails, from his middle toe, all the way to his pinky toe, and even as the man twists his back in agony and his teeth clattering in pain and his neck trembling in suffering, the man still did not disclose the information.


    It was then when Flamm realized that the man had run out of toenails. Perhaps mistakenly thinking that he finally can catch his breather, Demiserico began to regulate his breathing, which irritated Flamm further. With no other choice, Flamm decided that she needs to reverse something else.


    She grabbed the hilt once again and cast her spell.


    ¡°Break!3¡±


    The man¡¯s pinky toe immediately begins to twist and turn.


    ¡°Gg¡­GAAAAAAAAHHH!!¡±


    Perhaps this will be enough to change his mind. Flamm put one of her leg on top of the man¡¯s abdominal muscle, and the man¡¯s scream of agony was interrupted as only a little O-sound leak from his mouth.


    ¡°Where. Is. Milkit?¡± asked the girl, her voice filled with intensity, but yet again, Demiserico slowly shook his head sideways. His tight lips deserve a recognition as an adventure, but that fact is only shaving Flamm¡¯s patience at the moment.


    She twists yet another toe, and another, and another one, but he still refuses to say a word, bringing Flamm closer and closer to the peak of her stress. His toenails won¡¯t make him speak, and there will still not a whisper even after she twisted his toes, which means her next step would be to twist his entire leg.


    She really wanted to avoid doing this, but the man had pushed her a step too far. Once again, the girl grips the hilt and poured her mana into it.


    ¡°Get shredded!¡±


    Crack, sounded the man¡¯s bones being cracked and his flesh and blood minced.


    ¡°AAH¡­AAAAAAHHH!!!¡± the man screamed, unable to hold back the pain. Which is to be expected of someone who is currently having his upper leg completely twisted. Even though he had his heels planted firmly on the ground, his toes curled up facing the sky.


    With the man panting and wheezing, Flamm once again posed her question along with a threat;


    ¡°Where is Milkit? If you still refuse to say anything, I¡¯ll make it hurt so bad you¡¯ll start to beg for death.¡±


    Demiserico shuddered under the assumption that Flamm could do something even worse. His face is now ruined by the amount of tears and snot, not caring about the embarrassment of it all.


    ¡°Okay¡­okay¡­! I¡¯ll tell you¡­blease stop it already¡­!¡±


    The torture he¡¯s subjected to is something that no humans was supposed to endure, and if he were to keep his quiet, there¡¯s no telling what he¡¯ll be subjected to next. Judging by how capable the girl is, it is not out of the question that she is not merely spouting out empty threats and it is likely that he will indeed face a fate worse than death, and so he decided that his pride is just going to be in the way of his survival at this point.


    ¡°It¡­it was Satyllus¡­!¡± said the man, effeminately. ¡°Satyllus¡­told us¡­to take that bandage-clad girl¡­!¡±


    Is that piece of shit old fart still dissatisfied even after hurting her that much? Flamm cursed in her heart. She had a hunch that the old lady is going to be behind this, but it still doesn¡¯t give her a location of where Milkit is being dragged to. She couldn¡¯t think that they simply brought her to their estate, since if that was the case, Welcy would have caught wind of that, so the only possible alternative would be that she was taken to another facility or alleyway.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you where you¡¯re taking her! Tell me where you¡¯re planning to take her!¡±


    ¡°The basement¡­! That woman¡­has a room in the basement of her mansion¡­for her sick hobby¡­! There¡¯s¡­a house with green roof due northeast¡­that¡¯s no normal house¡­it¡¯s another entrance to the basement¡­it¡¯s got a passageway¡­connected to the basement¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it? I can find Milkit if I go there, right?¡±


    There is no time to waste. As the man saw the girl facing east, he heaved a sigh, thinking that his suffering had come to an end, however¡ª


    ¡°GAAAAAAHHH!!!¡±


    Flamm turned back towards the man, took out the short sword that penetrated his feet and stabbed it on the man¡¯s thigh. Immediately afterwards, she pulled the sword out again and threw it away, leaving the man to bleed profusely from his open wound as the sword apparently severed his femoral artery. At this point, the dying man couldn¡¯t even muster enough strength to call out for help, and thus he could only writhe about like an insect. If she was to leave him be, it would take a miracle and a nun to prevent him from drawing his last breath in several minutes.


    Flamm wasn¡¯t interested in the man being stuck between his life and death, but if she had to choose, she would opt for the man to die. That was why she gave another stab, but she couldn¡¯t care less as to confirm the kill.


    With the information she obtained from the man, she left the area and heads to the East district on double time.

 CH 32

    As part of an effort to expose Satyllus¡¯ evil deeds, Welcy had once again been observing the Satyllus mansion since early morning. She rented a three-floor apartment in the neighborhood and spy on the mansion through the window. It goes without saying that she also collected all the findings from news coverage, but she still couldn¡¯t find anything new from what she¡¯s been doing. She had managed to get some information about some hidden rooms in the mansion from getting close to the servants and inebriating them for information, but the exact location of those rooms was still in the dark.


    Supporting her elbow on the windowpane, Welcy observed the unchanging scenery languidly, until a loud noise reverberated from above her, causing her shoulders to tremble in shock.


    Perhaps something fell on the rooftop of her building.


    Following the impact, light knocking sounds echoed, indicating movement from whatever just landed, and Welcy could do naught but to look at the ceiling in terror.


    Then, the cause of the noise descended from the rooftop. Her figure flashed briefly in front of the window and the person landed several meters below. In great panic, the girl immediately pounced on the window, opened its lock, and peeked her torso outwards to look straight down.


    A girl with a small build stood there. Her hair glistened from the sun, and her shirt and short pants sport signs of wear and tear in multiple places. She recalled that figure, yet the expression the girl had betrays all the image she would identify her with.


    ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± asked Welcy timidly towards Flamm who just came crashing from the sky.


    In response, the girl looked up to the source of the call in a scowl, but as soon as she recognized the person calling her out, her facial rout slackened.


    ¡°Welcy-san¡­aah, that¡¯s right, you appeared at the right time. Mind coming with me?¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°I know where Satyllus¡¯ hidden room is. We might get the information we¡¯ve been looking for.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? Of course, I¡¯m going! I¡¯m going right now! Give me a moment!¡±


    The girl was someone her elder brother trusts unconditionally, so there was no room in her heart to even doubt her.


    Welcy flew out of her room after putting her jacket and backpack on before immediately rushing down the staircase, exiting the front door as if the apartment had exploded and stopped right in front of Flamm. The latter flashed a smile in response to her haste, but her eyes showed no sign her being entertained.


    Feeling a sense of dread creeping up her spine, the girl heads for a direction opposite of the mansion under Flamm¡¯s guidance.


    ¡°You said you know where the hidden room is, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The entrance of that place lies somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­Where did you get that info¡­oh wait, I assume you can¡¯t disclose that.¡±


    That said, Welcy was still concerned. The girl had been snooping around for that exact information for ages and came up with nothing, so how could Flamm get that information in what seems to her an instant?


    However, Flamm flatly answered:


    ¡°I beat that info out of the adventurers Satyllus hired just earlier.¡±


    ¡°¡­You beat the¡ª¡±


    ¡°They took Milkit¡­my partner. Satyllus used to be her owner, so I think she just had some lingering attachment to her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why¡­¡±


    ¡ªthat was why she had been seething with anger.


    Nevertheless, knowing the reason behind that fury didn¡¯t help her see Flamm as any less scary than she was.


    ¡°Here it is.¡±


    Flamm stopped in front of a one-storied residential building with a bright green roof. She tried to pull the door open, but to no one¡¯s surprise, it was tightly locked.


    ¡°Is the entrance of the hidden room inside this house?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what they said¡­¡±


    Flamm laid her ears on the door, and from inside, she could hear the echoes of two people¡¯s footsteps.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just someone living here?¡±


    Then, just like what she¡¯d do when visiting another normal house, she knocked on the door, prompting someone inside to come and answer. The door briskly opens, and the figure of a man in his thirties appeared. He looked smaller than the man who kidnapped Milkit, so the man was not the person Flamm was looking for.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, little miss?¡± asked the man with a gentle smile.


    In turn, Flamm glared at the man, leaving Welcy perplexed as she turned to look at the two alternatingly.


    ¡°Did you see a girl being taken in here? She¡¯s a small girl with bandages covering her face.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall anyone like that. Ya lookin¡¯ for her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, her and her kidnapper.¡±


    ¡°Abduction, huh. And yer sayin¡¯ that the kidnapper is ¡®round here somewhere? ¡­ah, now that ya mentioned it, I did see some shady people ¡®round here.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask about that?¡±


    To Flamm¡¯s question, the man flashed a hearty grin and said, ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    Welcy, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that his smile was faked. As a reporter, she believed that people often put up faces to hide their true thoughts and characters, and she had to be able to look past these masks to fulfill her duty.


    The man¡¯s acting was flawless, but she can see that he¡¯s warped on the fundamental level.


    ¡°It¡¯d be bad to talk outside like this. Let¡¯s get inside.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Flamm was about to quickly enter the house, but Welcy being unable to stop Flamm before it¡¯s too late was left with no choice but to follow her in.


    As they did, the door promptly closed, causing the girl to turn around in panic, spotting a man lying in ambush behind the door.


    ¡°DIE BITCH!¡±


    With a yell, the man attacked her with a swing of his axe.


    He was not the only one, however. There was another man hiding in the shade cast by the furniture, and the three men began to attack the two girls with their respective weapons.


    With a yelp, Welcy¡¯s reflex was to cover her head and crouch. No matter how strong Flamm is as an adventurer, she couldn¡¯t think that she could take care of three armed men at once, so she closed her eyes tightly, believing that she was about to kick the bucket.


    However, the pain she was expecting didn¡¯t come.


    She couldn¡¯t hear the sounds within the house. Neither Flamm nor the men¡¯s voices reached her ears. As she fearfully opened her eyes, what greets her was the one of the men¡¯s lower half hitting the floor¡­with nothing else above his waist.


    The girl shrieked, and when she looked up to Flamm in front of her, the person in question swung her sword lightly to rid its blade of the blood that stained it, and with a motion of returning her sword to its scabbard, the blade dissipates into particles and disappeared.


    Flamm appeared to have taken care of the three attacking men all at once. Despite them having different injuries, they all end up being cleaved clean in two by the little girl.


    Choking from the thick stench of blood, Welcy held her mouth with her hand, while the orange-haired girl stretched her hand out to her.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°D-did you do that¡­in an instant?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, otherwise we¡¯ll be killed.¡±


    She had to kill to not be killed; a fair argument from the girl. However, no matter how sound that logic is, just about anyone would tremble before the scene that just unfolded, which led Welcy to hesitate from taking the hand that was stretched out to her.


    In response of that reaction and the expression painted on Welcy¡¯s face, even Flamm couldn¡¯t help but to feel a bit hurt.


    Flamm withdrew her hand, and while she hung her head, she continued deeper into the house.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Flamm-chan¡± Welcy apologized instantly.


    Without turning around to look at the girl, Flamm spoke. ¡°I still understand the value of someone¡¯s life¡­I know how important they are, how I should cherish it, and how I shouldn¡¯t take them lightly.¡±


    However, she doesn¡¯t believe that she could hold all lives as equal, and instead, each persons had their own values to her.


    ¡°But take this for example. If you face a situation where someone put Reach-san or your family in the face of danger, and you had the choice to save them or some stranger who¡¯s in the same predicament. What would you do?¡±


    To Flamm, the two most important lives was her own and Milkit¡¯s, and with that sense of value in mind, she wouldn¡¯t even waste a second to choose.


    ¡°I myself will choose the most important person to me without a doubt, and I wouldn¡¯t even hesitate to kill others to make sure of it¡­say, do you think this is wrong?¡±


    The topic itself was extremely straightforward. The only difference between the two girls is that one of them lives her daily lives filled with exchanges of human lives, one that she desperately tries to break out of.


    Thus, to dread that existence of the little girl who continued to fight just to live, was the same as insulting her.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­really sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m already over it. Come on, we should hurry and look for the entrance of that hidden room.¡±


    Her remark was made with a cheerful voice, though it was an empty one.


    It was a great shame for Welcy to allow someone younger than her to bury her pain like this. Thus, with a slap of her cheeks, she gave herself a smack on the back, saying ¡°Get it together, me¡­¡± to shake off her fear and stand up.


    Taking a deep breath fills the girl¡¯s lungs with the stagnant air. The stench was displeasing and irritating, but the girl noticed that she recalled this smell from somewhere. She was supposed to be watering the plant after making breakfast with Flamm, but she couldn¡¯t recall what happened to her afterwards.


    She remembered that everything went dark, and when she came to, this is the situation she found herself in. Not being able to see anything, she wasn¡¯t even sure if she¡¯s still unconscious or if she¡¯s awake with something blocking her vision.


    ¡°Mas¡­er¡­¡±


    However, still being able to think clearly and having some degree of control of her body convinces her that she¡¯s now awake. With that, she tried to grope at whatever was closing her eyes and remove it, and beyond the curtain of darkness and a slight blur was¡­a blue¡­carpet?


    Judging by the sensation she could feel on the left side of her body, she was lying on the floor, on top of what she assumed to be a carpet made of wool.


    Milkit lays her hands on the floor and slowly begun to rise to a sitting position, but when she looked around to figure out where she is, a gaudy woman appeared in front of her.


    ¡°Good morning, Milkit¡± said the woman, her grin so imposing she bared her gums for all to see.


    Milkit knew this woman. She was the culprit who poisoned her without her knowledge that led to her face festering and inflamed; her former owner, Satyllus Francoise.


    ¡°A¡­ah¡­h-how¡­why¡­!?¡±


    Fear choked the girl, preventing her from articulating properly. However, speaking the correct words was not her priority; she had to get away from this woman. ¡°No¡­no way¡­¡± she mumbled repeatedly as she dragged herself away.


    Looking at the poor girl¡¯s response to her appearance, Satyllus let out an ominous giggle. ¡°My oh my, I look away from you for just a while and you start acting like a human again. I¡¯m soo happy! I wonder if you found yourself a good master?¡±


    Between her now ragged breaths, Milkit yelled, ¡°No¡­no¡­!¡± as she crawled to the corner of the room.


    Satyllus, on the other hand, heaved a sigh of hot passion as she witnessed the girl scurry away like a terrified small animal. The woman then stood up and cornered the little girl, creating no escape routes despite the room¡¯s vastness. Out of desperation, the cornered Milkit began clawing the wallpaper with her nails despite knowing its futility. To her, even a false hope like that was way better than the fear she experienced in the face of Satyllus.


    ¡°Oh you don¡¯t have to be so scared¡­no one¡¯s going to save you.¡±


    ¡°Master¡­masteerr¡­!¡±


    ¡°My, is your master someone so wonderful that they would go out of their way to look for such an unsightly slave like you? What a strange taste that person has, even though you can get someone a lot better if it¡¯s for sexual relief.¡±


    ¡°Uuuu¡­mas, ter¡­!¡±


    Satyllus reached out for the girl¡¯s head, before gripping her hair tightly and brought her face closer. With madness burning in her eyes, the woman said;


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a shame¡­that you won¡¯t meet this master of yours ANYMORE!¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­that¡¯s not¡­!¡±


    ¡°Huuuh? Since when did you get ssoo brave to talk back to me, huh? Come on then, tell me! Why are you acting soo high and mighty?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not¡­my master¡­!¡±


    ¡°SINCE WHEN DID YOU THINK A SLAVE LIKE YOU HAS THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHO YOU WANT TO BE YOUR MASTER!?¡± the woman bellowed hysterically, peeling Milkit off the wall by her silvery hair. Satyllus then ripped a strand of the little girl¡¯s hair and scoffed in a trance.


    Milkit was dropped to the floor, and once again, she sets out to look for an exit in a panic.


    However, the room has no doors. All four sides of the room was covered with only walls, denying her freedom no matter where she runs to.


    Elegantly fluttering her dress, Satyllus heads for a nearby shelf and took a silver knife.


    ¡°Aaahh¡­A-AAAH¡­!¡±


    The knife reflects the light from the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, threatening the little slave girl as Satyllus continued her approach. Seeing the shining blade, the girl¡¯s eyes begin to water as she once again clawed the wall to no avail.


    ¡°You see, this room is one I specially made; a hidden room behind a hidden room, lying beyond countless traps and camouflages, and the only person who knows about this room is myself. Do you want to know why? Well, it¡¯s because everyone else who visited this room are all DEAD!¡±


    ¡°Master, master, master¡­¡±


    The woman cackled. ¡°I told you, nobody would come no matter how much you call for them. As a matter of fact, they can¡¯t! This is my secret garden, my paradise on earth filled with my dreams! The only ones who are allowed in here are my toys and I only!!¡±


    Satyllus spreads her arms, spinning as she dances.


    There is yet another room where Satyllus keeps all of her other slaves. That¡¯s where she spiked their food with poison or apply them directly before breaking them, physically and otherwise, one by one. However, she does not put them out of their misery in the end, for her ultimate pleasure lies in witnessing the destruction of beauty, and the writhing, struggling figures of her victims.


    Conversely, for those whom she had deeper interests in¡­the ¡°toys¡± whom she wants to destroy more thoroughly, she would bring them to this room. She would then torment them slowly and painfully. Hurting them¡­playing with them until they die. The cleaning up of the dead will then be the responsibility of the next slave she brings to the room, and all the while they did so, Satyllus would enjoy their despaired expression when they realize that they are next.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors about you, you know? There¡¯s no girl who had her face covered in bandages like you do, Milkit. I also heard that the injuries on your face had been healed as well! Did your master do that for you? What a wwonderful person they are¡­fixing my broken toy so I can just break them again! That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been aiming for you for a while, making sure I can get you on my hands, and this time¡­I will slowly, viciously play with you¡­! You see, you even got your feelings back! Before this, you always had no response no matter what I did to you, so it was sooo boring! Even though you have a pretty face, there¡¯s nothing else for me to break! I even paid a good amount to buy you¡­I was sooo sad! Hey, do you feel sorry? Do you?¡±


    Milkit¡¯s response was a quick shake of her head.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten cheeky. Don¡¯t you know where you stand? Well, that¡¯s what gets me going though! Oh, right, how about you start by showing me your face? I¡¯ve got to start by seeing its beauty before I can fully relish in seeing it destroyed! That¡¯s the spiciest detail about this! Come on now, hurry it up!¡±


    Of course, Milkit is not going to let that happen, for the sight of her face only belongs to her master, Flamm. Thus, the girl curled up close to the wall as if to protect her face.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to show me? Aah, I see. You want to stay faithful to your master, huh? AHAHAHAHA!! Are you saying you have a forbidden love affair with your master!? What¡¯s with those clothes anyways? Did youw maschur gave you that[1]? That¡¯s such a preeetty waitress clothes, so you must find it so practical to use. They must have quite a fetish, don¡¯t you think? They¡¯re giving you that just to fulfill their fetishistic desire! Let me tell you, Milkit, the thing you have between the two of you is not love, you hear? It¡¯s just pure, unadulterated, LUST!!¡±


    ¡°N-No! That¡¯s not it¡­! My master is not that kind of person¡­!¡±


    ¡°AHHAHAHAHA! This is soooo funny! It¡¯s been a while since my stomach hurts from laughing! Aaahaa!! This is comedy!! Hahah¡­I really¡­REALLY WANT TO BREAK YOUUU!!!¡±


    With that yell, Satyllus pounced on Milkit. With the close contact, Milkit could feel the woman¡¯s rough nasal breathing tickling her pale skin, which made her clatter her teeth in fear and disgust.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with a knife, shall we? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve prepared whips, and needles. Oh and let¡¯s not forget poisons! Let¡¯s have some fun, shall we!?¡±


    ¡°¡­..uuu¡­¡±


    ¡°Lookie here~ This pretty little blade is coming straight at you¡­and when it touches you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hii!!?¡±


    ¡°Seee? That cold sensation is scary riiight? It¡¯s terrifying riiight? Come and tremble! I wanted to see that face of yours since foreverrr!! What kind of face will you show me when you finally break? WE SHALL SEE IT TOGETHER!!¡±


    With an almost inaudible sound, the blade tore through Milkit¡¯s clothes. Though her skin was untouched, the action hurts her feelings more than it did her physically. Her precious clothes was one that her master bought for her, and combined with the memories it contains, Milkit found it more precious than her own well-being.


    ¡­and this woman is actively trying to ruin it.


    ¡°Next will be your SKIIIRRRRTTT!! Lookie look, your precious clothes are getting torn¡­!¡±


    Just as she said, the frilly skirt is getting shredded by the second. On and on she goes, tearing up her skirt until her pale thighs and underwear was in plain sight.


    ¡°My oh my¡­such a lascivious slit! At this rate your master might forgo saving you and give in to their lust instead! Don¡¯t worry though, because I¡¯LL KILL YOU BEFORE THEY GET HERE!! Oh wait, wouldn¡¯t that be necrophilia then? Mmm, how indecent. Even I can¡¯t agree with something like that¡­aah, aaaaAAAHAHAHAHA!¡±


    ¡°Uu¡­aah¡­Masterrr¡­!¡±


    Despite her cry, her voice would stop streaming out the moment the knife was presented in front of her, and that reaction alone made Satyllus cackle beyond belief.


    Then, the woman grabbed the girl¡¯s head and violently slammed it on the wall. Enjoying the groan of agony elated her, which was why she did it again.


    ¡°AGH¡­uu¡­GAUH¡­N-no¡­sto¡ªBBH¡­!¡±


    ¡°Did you know that telling me to stop makes me want to do it even mooore? Aah, even more than that¡­you know that the more someone likes somebody, the more they want to torment them!?¡± said Satyllus, slamming Milkit¡¯s head against the wall once more with considerably greater strength.


    Of course, since Satyllus wasn¡¯t an adventurer, that strength wasn¡¯t enough to blow the girl¡¯s consciousness away.


    The girl falls limp on the ground, repeating her cry for help deliriously.


    ¡°Mas¡­ter¡­¡±


    She believed that her master would definitely come to her rescue.


    However, if what Satyllus said was true, Milkit knows that her wish would never come true. She knows that there are plenty of people stronger than Flamm, and there are as much barriers her master couldn¡¯t overcome because of that.


    Even then¡­the girl still wishes to believe. The girl had thrown away all hope for the world, but that hope alone is something she cannot let go.


    ¡°Sa..ve¡­me¡­¡±


    ¡°Goodness me, Milkit. Is a slave like you going to go so far to ask your master to save you?¡±


    ¡°U¡­uuuhh¡­¡±


    She knows she¡¯s asking for too much, but because her master was someone who gave her too much, she desperately tried to convince herself that she still wanted Flamm to risk her life to save her; something that a slave shouldn¡¯t even think of asking her master to do.


    Satyllus giggled once more. ¡°You truly are interesting. Such a great catch only happens once in a while¡­I must truly take my time breaking you thoroughly¡­!¡±


    Standing up, Satyllus stomped on Milkit¡¯s midriff at full strength.


    ¡°HGH!¡±


    ¡°I MIGHT¡­¡±


    ¡°GBFH!¡±


    ¡°¡­JUST ACCIDENTALLY¡­¡±


    ¡°OGH¡­!¡±


    ¡°¡­KILL YOUUUUU!!¡±


    The dull pain left her breathing ragged, and the feeling of nausea wells up. Her consciousness began to flicker, and her saliva begins flooding out of her mouth.


    The one thought that passed by her during that moment was the words her master told her just yesterday.


    I¡¯m going to tell them that you¡¯re my precious partner.


    Partner.


    Not a slave, but an existence that can stay next to her as an equal.


    Milkit doesn¡¯t know for sure what that relationship entails, for she had never spent a time with someone that she had that kind of closeness with.


    However, if it¡¯s a relationship of mutual give and take¡­wouldn¡¯t that be something she could wish for?


    ¡°Save¡­me¡­masteerrr¡­!¡±


    Of course, nothing would happen even if she says it again and again. It wasn¡¯t a spell, so there¡¯s no possible way her voice would have reached her master.


    At best, it only showed that something had changed in Milkit¡¯s heart, and to Satyllus who had been looking down at her, her futile cry for help was nothing but a spice for her entertainment.


    ¡°Mmhmhm, fufufu, HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU¡¯RE STILL ASKING FOR HELP, AREN¡¯T YOU!? AAAAAAHHH, YOU¡¯RE A FAILURE OF A SLAAAAVE! YOU¡¯RE STILL THINKING FONDLY OF YORU AMSTER NOW, HUUUH!? AHAHAHAHAHA!¡±


    However, at that moment, her maniacal laugh was interrupted by a sound of explosion.


    A part of the wall was blown away, kicking up a cloud of dust as it flies to the opposite wall and crumbles on impact.


    ¡°Haha¡­ha¡­¡±


    Beyond the cloud of dust was a small humanoid figure.


    ¡°Huh¡­?


    The breached wall left Satyllus stunned.


    A screeching noise echoed around the room as the small figure appears to have been dragging a large sword across the floor as she approaches. As the dust settles, Satyllus could see the figure of the girl. That instant¡ª


    ¡°You¡¯re Fla¡ªBHH!!¡±


    Satyllus¡¯ face was met with Flamm¡¯s fist, sending the former flying through the air. Drawing an arc, the force behind the punch left her rotating before slamming her face on the wall. She bounced off the wall and fall lifelessly on the ground.


    ¡°MILKIIIITTT!!!¡±


    Immediately, Flamm rushed over to her dear Milkit, circling her arms around the girl.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­It hurts, isn¡¯t it? It was hard for you, isn¡¯t it? I bet yo were scared¡­! I¡­I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t careful enough¡­!¡±


    Tears soon began to stream down her face, flooding down all the way to Milkit¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Masteerrr!! You did nothing wrong master! It was me that¡­uu¡­ugh¡­aaah¡­I¡­I don¡¯t know¡­but¡­just because¡­you¡¯re here now¡­it¡¯s¡­uuhhh¡­!!¡±


    She wanted to let her know, that Flamm coming for her was more than enough, but even if she wanted to say that to her directly, but the strong grip of her master¡¯s arm, the softness of her body and its warmth, and the sweet smell that never failed to bring her the sense of security¡­all of those sensation envelops her so good that she couldn¡¯t put her thoughts to words.


    ¡°You¡­game¡­for be¡­master¡­master¡­!¡±


    ¡°Milkitt¡­!¡±


    It was the same case for Flamm, whose head was in shambles at that time. The fact that Milkit was still alive squeezes her heart strongly to the point that she couldn¡¯t say anything but her name.


    ¡°Woah, is this the letter exchanged with the church? And this is the hand-written receipt¡­right? The church¡¯s stamp is here so¡­yeah, it¡¯s a wrap for them.¡±


    Welcy, who nonchalantly came into the room after Flamm, immediately begun to rummage the desk for any damning evidences, and damning evidence she found, outlining Satyllus¡¯ exchanges with the Church behind closed doors. Even one sheet of paper in that desk was enough to send Satyllus to jail and destroy her entire business.


    She was about to ask Flamm about what she should do, but she was startled by the girl¡¯s figure, already holding her sword ready with one hand. The expression on her face wasn¡¯t one of joyful reunion she showed earlier, and instead it had turned into the expression of pure, cold-blooded hatred.


    ¡°Ho¡­w¡­did you get through¡­¡±


    ¡°I broke through them all.¡±


    Flamm didn¡¯t face all of the traps laid beyond the dummy house and even those that follows head-on. Using the power of her Prana combined with the Inverse skill of hers to the full extent, she had managed to break them all.


    ¡°There should¡­have been¡­2 A-ranked adventurers¡­and a B-ranked adventurer as¡­well¡­!¡±


    ¡°I killed them all.¡±


    Satyllus¡¯ eyes widened in fear. She had the look of someone who could kill one, so she couldn¡¯t have been lying.


    Passing through the hidden corridor, she had to face a spearman, whom she subjugated quickly and killed with her Inverse magic.


    Now, there is no one Satyllus could hide behind.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re going to die as well.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait! If you kill me, there will be conseque¡ª¡±


    But then, the woman cut her own words as she came to a realization. The existence of this room is top secret; so much so that the only person who knows of its existence is Satyllus herself. Even worse, the fact that Flamm had broken through her guards and traps means that she had left plenty of breadcrumbs in her path.


    The girl smiled, and even after figuring out what she was thinking, she began to laugh.


    ¡°Compared to this room, I didn¡¯t really ransack the rooms that came before this, so if I put things back to its place, nobody would suspect a thing.¡±


    ¡°A¡­m¡­mo, money! I¡¯ll give you however much you want! As¡­as long as you let me off!¡±


    ¡°Huh. Then I¡¯ll take however much is worth the suffering you put Milkit through. How much will that be?¡±


    ¡°F-Five thousand¡­gold coins¡­or ten thou¡ªKHA!?¡±


    Without a delay, Flamm grabbed onto the woman¡¯s collar and brought her face closer.


    ¡°You think you can buy that with money? Your life wouldn¡¯t be enough to pay for it, DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?¡±


    ¡°A¡­aah¡­p-please¡­I still, don¡¯t want to die¡­!¡±


    Flamm reached her hand towards the trembling woman¡¯s ear. With a whisper, she muttered ¡°Reversal¡±, and the woman¡¯s ear was forcibly torn upside down and falls to the floor in pieces.


    A shrill scream reverberated across the room. Falling limply, the woman held her bleeding ear, panting roughly like a dehydrated dog.


    ¡°Welcy-san, did you get what you need?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­well, some of them, at least¡± said Welcy, having collected Satyllus¡¯ case-like personal belongings that happened to be scattered across the desk and holding them with both arms.


    The servants of Satyllus¡¯ house would get suspicious if they stayed for too long, and with this much collected, Welcy couldn¡¯t ask for more.


    ¡°Then, can you return to the room outside with Milkit?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­sure?¡±


    ¡°Are you not coming with us, master?¡± asked Milkit worriedly.


    However, Flamm showed her a gentle smile in response.


    ¡°I just thought that I¡¯ll be troubled if you see what I¡¯m doing, Milkit.¡± That one sentence was enough to make Satyllus freeze. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to hate me, so¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­no matter what happens, I will never hate you, master!¡±


    ¡°Ahaha¡­you won¡¯t believe how happy that makes me¡± said Flamm, blushing while scratching her cheek. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not going to be pretty, so can you go with Welcy-san for now?¡±


    ¡°¡­understood¡­¡±


    Of course, Flamm understands Milkit¡¯s sentiment of not wanting to be separated from her because of what happened.


    However, what Flamm was about to do is something that would make professional torture look like a child¡¯s play. That¡¯s how much pain she wanted Satyllus to experience on the journey to her death, and it¡¯s something Flamm would obviously want Milkit not to see.


    Thus, while Welcy guided Milkit out of the room, Flamm sent her off with a smile.


    That smile instantly disappeared the moment Milkit¡¯s figure faded in the distance. She picked up the knife lying on the floor and looked down on Satyllus who was in turn looking up to her with a frightened expression.


    How the table has turned. She had tormented Milkit in the same position just minutes ago, but now, she was in her shoes.


    ¡­no, the situation is not the same. Unlike Milkit, there was no one that could save her.


    ¡°AAH¡­AAAAAAAHHH!!! HYII¡­UGH¡­GAAAAAAHH!! M-MY ARMS¡­MY AAAAARMS!!¡±


    Thus, all she had to cling onto was¡­


    ¡°NO, NOT MY FACE¡­STO¡ªKHHAAAAA¡­GAHH, HHH, HHH, it¡¯s still¡­NO¡ªAAAAAAHHH!!?¡±


    The pain beyond what Milkit had suffered,


    ¡°I¡¯M¡­I¡¯M GONNA DIE¡­NO, I DON¡¯T WANT TO¡­WH¡ªAAAAAAHHH, CHANGE¡­MY BO¡­DY¡­BA¡ªNO, NO AAAAAAAHHHH!!!¡±


    And fear,


    ¡°ST¡­OP¡­JU¡­UGH¡­JU¡­ST¡­ugg¡­gill¡­m¡­e¡­u¡­ugh¡­AAAAAAAHHH!!! G¡­ill¡­m¡­MEEEEE¡­!!!¡±


    All delivered by Flamm¡¯s own two hands.


    Even Milkit and Welcy, who was waiting quite a distance outside the room, could still hear the echoes.


    The sound of flesh churning¡­blood splattering¡­and bones grinding¡­The echoes of ripping and tearing was so jumbled up, they couldn¡¯t imagine what¡¯s being broken at all, and Satyllus¡¯ bellowing didn¡¯t help them at all.


    ¡°So uh¡­Milkit-chan, was it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Does Flamm-chan¡­always do that?¡±


    ¡°No, usually she¡¯s a very kind master¡­since even though I look like this, she treasures me the most¡± Milkit remarked, blushing as she put laid her hand on her cheek.


    ¡°Sigh, she treasures you, huh¡­¡±


    In short, one wouldn¡¯t want to get on her bad side.


    Soon, the sounds from within the room stopped, indicating the end of it all. Surprisingly, the Flamm who came out of the room hadn¡¯t a single drop of blood on her person. Once again, she rushed over to Milkit and hugged her tightly. In response, Milkit narrowed her eyes, ecstatically nestling herself closer to her master and rubbing her cheeks on her body.


    ¡°I feel like I get why nii-san trusts her¡­but at the same time, I don¡¯t get it¡± whispered Welcy, sighing as she witnessed the intimate exchange of the two.

 CH 33

    A revolving door closed and its lock set with a click. Blending in with the walls around it, it should be nigh impossible to spot this hidden pathway. Even if someone happened to stumble upon it, there should be no possible way to unlock it, since Flamm had made sure to destroy the dial to disable the lock that was located behind a bookshelf.


    It was a miracle that allowed her in, so she made sure she doesn¡¯t have to go through it a second time.


    With that door sealed, Flamm made the conflict she had with Satyllus, along with the latter¡¯s body, nonexistent.


    With Milkit held tightly on her arms and Welcy on her side, Flamm stepped over the dead adventurers¡¯ body and exited the house.


    Outside, Welcy groaned as she stretched her body while taking a lungful of fresh air.


    ¡°I know the air around the capital isn¡¯t the freshest, but it¡¯s leagues better than that stuffy room¡­¡±


    For the girl who isn¡¯t used to being around corpses, anywhere but that room is indubitably a better place to be.


    Perhaps swept along by the girl¡¯s vigor, Flamm also took a deep breath, her expression clear of the murderous aura that overflowed just minutes earlier. Now bathing in her master¡¯s usual, kind face, the simple fact eased Milkit¡¯s heart even better than having escaped her shackles.


    The three trudged through a road less traveled, heading for Reach¡¯s mansion to start, led by Welcy who knows the East District like it¡¯s the back of her hand, and before long, they entered said mansion through the back door, managing not to be spotted by anyone.


    The back door was connected to the owner¡¯s kitchen. The three soon saw a man dressed as the chef eyeing them, but with a smile and a wave of Welcy¡¯s hand, the chef tilted his head briefly before continuing his work.


    Exiting the kitchen to the corridor, it was obvious that Reach, who was there through more luck than judgment, would be surprised when his little sister suddenly appeared along with Flamm holding a bandaged girl on her arms.


    But if he¡¯s surprised by just their appearance, then he¡¯s surely on for a treat. From the information about Satyllus¡¯ hidden chamber and dossiers within, all the way to the confession of her killing; all was laid bare to the man who was too shocked to even pick up his jaw from the floor.


    His first question was directed towards Flamm: an explanation of why she killed Satyllus, and the man can only sigh with his head on his hands after Flamm told him about Milkit, who was abducted and was a hair¡¯s breadth away from being killed.


    ¡°¡­I really didn¡¯t expect her hobby to be that¡­atrocious.¡±


    It seems that despite his suspicions, he did not expect the woman to be involved in senseless murders as well¡­or rather, he could have, but he just refuses to think that way.


    Afterwards, he appeared to be in conflict about his position regarding Flamm¡¯s sin of killing Satyllus, but the moment he heard about how no one is bound to find the woman¡¯s body, he showed a glimpse of relief. This, however, was not something Flamm could¡¯ve thought about with how emotional she was. It was not that she doesn¡¯t reflect on it. On the contrary, she did spare a thought on restraining herself in the future, but¡­the moment a finger was laid on Milkit, composure can go to hell for all she cares.


    In the end, she decided not to dwell upon spilled milk.


    ¡°Either way, we have solid evidence of Satyllus¡¯ wrongdoings. I think as long as we can expose this information properly, it shouldn¡¯t disadvantage us in any ways, but¡­¡±


    If Satyllus is declared missing and they write an article based on the dossiers extracted from the woman¡¯s chamber to admonish the church, there is a chance that Welcy¡¯s newspaper company would come under fire. Even if there¡¯s no evidence that they killed Satyllus, their public image is still going to be somewhat ruined.


    Thus, the first step to truly corner the church is to discredit them and cut off their support from the masses, and carelessly exposing about a murdered merchant would probably backfire on them instead.


    Fortunately, included in the dossiers are details about how Satyllus would abuse, torture and finally murder her slaves in that room. All they need now is the right timing to disclose that information to the public, and it is definitely not when there are chances that they might be linked to Satyllus¡¯ death.


    That was Welcy¡¯s idea, one that her older brother agreed to.


    What followed was a rather difficult conversation between the two that Flamm couldn¡¯t wrap her head around. Thus, she decided to leave the handling of the dossiers to the professionals and asked to be allowed some rest with Milkit.


    Respecting her wish, Reach casually allowed Flamm to use one of his guest rooms. The servant who responded to Reach¡¯s summons prepared them a soft bed for her to lay on.


    ¡°Please master, I am not injured, you don¡¯t need to do this much for me¡­¡±


    However, Flamm shook her head in response to Milkit¡¯s tough fa?ade.


    The sun has yet to reach its apex, clearly indicating the event had unfolded quickly, but the girl believed that the built up fatigue shouldn¡¯t be shrugged off.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re uninjured, I want you to rest, just for an hour or two if you want. I mean, I need a break myself¡± she said, lowering Milkit to the edge of the bed as she pet the girl by her forehead.


    Now that Flamm said she ¡°needs a break¡± herself, there¡¯s no way Milkit can go against it.


    It appears that Flamm is getting used to convincing Milkit to do something, which is a merit she¡¯s glad about, although it brings about a point of concern all the while.


    Resigning herself, Milkit closed her eyes, and before 5 minutes even passed, her breathing slowed to a sleeping pace.


    ¡°So you are tired¡± said Flamm, brushing the angel¡¯s sleeping cheek gently. Before long, the girl followed suit and lays down on the bed, falling asleep almost immediately herself.


    In the end, the two slept like a rock for three straight hours, and it was past noon when the two finally leaves Reach¡¯s abode


    Predicting Eterna¡¯s dissatisfaction, Flamm gingerly opened the front door to her house, and true to her thoughts, the moment it opened, a displeased Eterna showed up, leaning on the wall of the corridor, her eyes met with Flamm¡¯s who were just peeking through the crack of the door.


    Seeing the two in good health, Eterna lets out a soft sigh before approaching the girl with her index finger trained at Flamm¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Ow,¡± Flamm yelped, arching back despite the lack of pain. The burden put behind that index finger was more emotional than physical one after all, since she knows too well about the reason behind the woman¡¯s anger.


    ¡°The two of you were gone the moment I woke up¡­you had me worried sick¡± Eterna said, pouting her lips. Flamm felt that Eterna was more worried than angry, but she too understood too well that worrying about someone is tougher than being angry at them.


    Suddenly, Eterna approached Flamm by her neck and began sniffing around.


    ¡°¡­you smell like blood.¡±


    While Flamm and Milkit did have some time to rest, they did not have time to cleanse themselves. They did manage to avoid staining their clothes with blood, but having stayed in a room full of them, it was unavoidable for its stench to have permeated into their clothes. If anyone had a decent sense of smell, they would definitely notice the smell of rust wafting about the girls.


    ¡°Sorry¡­Milkit was kidnapped, so I had to go and take her back.¡±


    ¡°And why the casual tone about the clearly serious incident?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a serious incident too. But look, we got back safely, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Towards her master¡¯s casual attitude, Milkit lowered her head awkwardly, while Eterna simply sighed.


    ¡°I assume the church is behind this?¡±


    Eterna¡¯s target of suspicion is straightforward, if her suspicion is correct, it is hard to say that they are in the clear already. She can even imagine that there will be some sort of counterattack by the next day.


    ¡°The church isn¡¯t behind this, for once. The culprit is that woman named Satyllus. She was Milkit¡¯s master before.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ah well, since you¡¯re both uninjured, I won¡¯t say anything. But next time, I want you to count on me too. It should be better than having to chase after her on your own.¡±


    Back then, Flamm was too focused on wanting to catch the one who nabbed Milkit as soon as possible, since she felt that if she wasted even a second and let them get away, she won¡¯t have the chance to save Milkit anymore. Add to the fact that Eterna was asleep during the kidnapping, and waking her up would undoubtedly waste precious seconds.


    However, having Eterna join the pursuit might have been the better choice. It seems that Flamm still underestimates how skillful Eterna can be with her Water Magic.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Thus, Flamm answered honestly.


    ¡°Good,¡± Eterna replied, smiling as if satisfied. ¡°By the way, I tried making lunch. Want some?¡±


    A faint aroma could be traced to the living room, causing Flamm¡¯s stomach to growl. She never saw Eterna cook before, but there¡¯s bound to be wisdom with age¡­perhaps.


    Therefore, the two girls on the entrance nodded.


    That afternoon, despite what had happened in the morning, Flamm and Milkit spent their time in the bedroom. Since Eterna has to look after Ink as well, none of the people in the house can take a step outside.


    They made dinner with whatever is left in their kitchen. There weren¡¯t much, which was why they planned to go shopping, but even the plainest food can be made delicious with Milkit¡¯s skills.


    Eterna¡¯s handmade lunch wasn¡¯t bad, but Flamm believed that Milkit¡¯s is still superior. Of course, she wisely didn¡¯t disclose that opinion of hers, but even Eterna silently voiced her defeat during dinner.


    Surprisingly, Milkit puffed her chest in pride, perhaps overwhelmed by the emotions that she had proven to be superior than one often praised as a hero.


    Flamm suggested about getting in the bath together with Milkit, but as expected, she was too embarrassed to agree.


    In reality, she was truly conflicted, refusing after knowing that she¡¯s gotten her master¡¯s verbal consent. In the end, she was unable to steel herself into getting in the bath with her master due to her unease that she stayed sitting in the changing room the whole time.


    Finally, it was bedtime.


    The two was dressed similarly, though with a different shade of their sleepwear. As they finished taking off MIlkit¡¯s bandages, the two head for their respective beds.


    However,


    ¡°Hey, Milkit?¡± Flamm whispered, inviting Milkit to her bed.


    ¡°I¡­It¡¯s a single bed, master¡­that would be too cramped if both of us were to¡­¡±


    ¡°We just need to snuggle close then, no?¡±


    Despite that, Flamm still raised her blanket to urge Milkit to enter her bed.


    Flamm seemed to be pushier than usual. On the outside, she seemed to be her usual person, but deep down, she was truly terrified. Terrified if Milkit were to be stolen away again in her sleep.


    The short incident in the morning proved that someone dear to her can be gone in an instant, and consequently, the resulting paranoia is enough to keep her awake. She need to hold Milkit in her arms to convince herself that it won¡¯t happen.


    ¡°Um¡­is it¡­really okay?¡±


    ¡°If anything, I¡¯m the one asking you here¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­see¡­¡± Milkit still couldn¡¯t help but to look apologetic. ¡°T-then, please excuse me.¡±


    The girl climbed onto Flamm¡¯s bed and stuck herself close to her master. The moment she snuggled close, she immediately feels her master¡¯s body warmth flowing to her, as if she¡¯s holding her whole body close.


    The overflowing embarrassment and joy waged war within Milkit. Her sense of shame, however, proved to be stronger as she can¡¯t even get herself to see her master¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Come closer.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    It appears that Flamm doesn¡¯t feel like they are close enough, so she hugged the girl closer. It¡¯s beginning to develop into a situation where the two would have difficulties falling asleep, but the two shared a sense of ease in each other¡¯s arms.


    Just like Flamm, Milkit¡¯s heart still bears the trauma of being kidnapped. A single punch was all they needed to send her consciousness flying, and the next time she opened her eyes, her previous ¡°master¡± she thought of never seeing again appeared before her. Her bone-chilling smile may appear in her dreams, and no one can say ¡¯til when. Just recalling the experience sends chills down her spine, and without the warmth Flamm shares with her, she would be left with only her tears.


    ¡°Um¡­Master?¡±


    ¡°Yees?¡±


    Flamm¡¯s tone was softer than their blanket.


    When Milkit was at the mercy of her previous owner, she hoped Flamm would save her. She wished for her master to save her.


    In the end, Flamm did save her¡­however, that moment, she came to realize that their master-servant relationship had been twisted. To begin with, Flamm didn¡¯t consider Milkit to be her slave. It was Milkit¡¯s own situation that declared so.


    She had never been in a relationship outside that of a master and servant, so when she realized that her relationship with Flamm had developed outside of her scope of understanding, she doesn¡¯t know how to approach it. All she knows that she lacks the knowledge and instead still clung onto the relationship she knows about.


    That was the only way she can force herself communicating with others after all.


    However, now that all signs point otherwise, she searched for an answer regarding her current distance with the one she refers as her master, and she¡¯s willing to take the first step to figure it out.


    ¡°Um¡­if¡­if you don¡¯t mind,¡± she said shyly, her words slurred by the tension she felt welling up, ¡°Can we¡­sleep in the same bed¡­from tomorrow on too?¡± However, she managed to say the important bits clearly and confidently.


    That was not a request for her owner. Instead, it was a request to someone equal. A selfishness she can only ask to her partner.


    In response, Flamm inched her face closer to Milkit¡¯s until their foreheads touched.


    Then, a smile.


    ¡°I was about to ask you the same thing.¡±


    Flamm does not lie to Milkit. Even if it¡¯s considered flattery, the girl would always respond to her sincerely. Hence, her words echoed deep into Milkit¡¯s heart.


    She finally felt joy. The happiness of knowing that her special someone yearns for the same thing as she does.


    ¡°How about we go out to buy some clothes tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°To make up for today?¡±


    ¡°That too, but I think I might need some change of clothes as well. Is there any place you want to go to?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­I wanted to eat something nice.¡±


    ¡°Eat something nice, huh? Then about we splurge a bit and go to a high class restaurant?¡±


    ¡°But please don¡¯t go overboard¡­if it¡¯s too high class I might not be able to reproduce it at home.¡±


    ¡°Ohh, so that¡¯s what you meant.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I wish to improve my skills so that you prefer to eat my dishes instead of other restaurants¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Well, sorry to say, but that ship had long sailed.¡±


    Thus, the two cuddled close together as they speak about their plans for the next day, unfortunately getting them way too excited that they slept an hour later than their usual time.


    Though it is important to note that good times such as these are a treasure that can¡¯t be bought with all the time of sleep.


    The next day dawned, and the glaringly obvious restless mood between the two came to be noticed by Eterna.


    With a crunch accompanying her teeth sinking into the sausage in her breakfast, she chewed on the delicacy before swallowing them and spitting out a single sentence.


    ¡°You¡¯re going on a date today?¡±


    And that one sentence was enough to discharge the soup Flamm was drinking back out the way it came in as well as the channel it wasn¡¯t supposed to go through. Milkit, on the other hand, panicked after seeing Flamm choke and stroked her back with one hand and a cup of water on the other.


    Draining the cup immediately and wheezing afterwards, Flamm glared at Eterna.


    ¡°N-no!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not convincing me otherwise.¡±


    Eterna had buried the thought previously, but at this point she just has to say it.


    ¡°I¡¯m just planning to buy the clothes for the one ruined yesterday. I¡¯m planning to go somewhere else too though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we call a da¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shopping! It¡¯s called shopping! Why are you calling it a date if I¡¯m going out with Milkit in the first place? Tell her, Milkit.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master and I are going out to shop.¡±


    That¡¯s what they said, but Eterna¡ª¡±yeah, I think it¡¯s a date¡­¡± responded with disappointment in her tone.


    The two, however, still believed otherwise. They are no friends, and at best they are mere partners. It was that vague relationship, and the two are fine with it.


    If they were to describe their relationships, it would be closer to that of a family, but the two¡¯s connection is slightly but clearly more heated than that.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    With an exasperated sigh, Eterna gazed upon the paper-thin difference between relationship the two is involved in.


    Flamm and Milkit went out to the town. Their first destination was the clothier where they obtained Milkit¡¯s waitress outfit. That clothier was one that specialized in Milkit¡¯s type of dress, so it is unavoidable that they would visit the same place again.


    Either because the owner remembered the two or because they paid well, the staffs did not give them the stink eye like the first time they visited. It eased them to be able to shop in peace, but they can¡¯t be sure if they could honestly be happy about it.


    Hand in hand, the two looked around the store together, talking about things that catches their eyes and trying them out.


    ¡°Aah, it¡¯s nice to see you in a different outfit sometimes.¡±


    ¡°I think it might look a bit plain.¡±


    ¡°Rather than plain, I guess it looks more¡­normal? Honestly though, any clothes you put on suddenly turns cute, so you¡¯re kind of unfair, you know?¡±


    ¡°I would not say ¡°any¡±. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder after all.¡±


    The first dress Milkit tried on was a beige dress with a thick white apron on top of it. A rather simple one amongst the choices available. The headdress she puts on serves more as a tool to prevent hair from getting in the way instead of being an accessory, and it only comes in one color.


    However, the set that¡¯s built upon its functionality more than style showed a sense of personality with the sense of life it brings out.


    ¡°Is this really okay?¡± asked Milkit, anxious after seeing her master glancing about.


    ¡°You know, usually you¡¯re dressed up so pretty that I¡¯m worried it¡¯ll attract people, but¡­with this dress on, I¡¯m feeling somewhat at ease.¡±


    Hearing her master¡¯s impression, Milkit once again turned towards the mirror. She pinched the hem of her skirt, adjusted her headdress and checked herself again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand, but can I assume this will be your first choice?¡±


    ¡°Yep, let¡¯s go with that!¡±


    The two decided to keep the dress.


    Milkit then closed the curtain to begin trying the next dress.


    ¡°Speaking of which, you really like frilly dresses don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I think they are cute.¡±


    ¡°Then did you not like the previous one?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m allowed to be honest, I believe a more ornate one would be nice¡­but my thought changed after what you said, master.¡±


    While they conversed, Milkit had finished changing. She opened the curtain¡­or so she thought of doing, but instead she peeked her head out and looked towards Flamm. Her cheeks were dyed red, or rather, Flamm noticed that she was red all the way down to her neck.


    ¡°Is¡­is this the one you chose, master?¡±


    ¡°Yep, judging by that outerwear, it should be the one I chose. Just like you said, I picked the cute one with lots of frills, but¡­is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, well¡­um¡­p-please look.¡±


    The curtain flips open slowly, unveiling the girl¡¯s full figure.


    ¡°Ooh¡­¡±


    The moment she laid her eyes on the girl, Flamm¡¯s jaw dropped and her voice flowed out.


    The upper garments were, well, just as she expected; a cute, frilly dress. The problem is what¡¯s lower.


    The skirt was¡­too short. It was barely enough to hide her underwear, revealing Milkit¡¯s bountiful thighs that had regained its volume. With her face the color of ripe tomatoes, she desperately tried to pull the hem of her skirt down in embarrassment as she fidgeted her legs.


    In front of the embarrassed girl, Flamm can feel her heart throbbing.


    ¡°S-sorry¡­I, I didn¡¯t think the skirt would be that short.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­so¡­? If¡­If master likes it, then¡­I can wear them¡­o-only if it¡¯s within the house¡­¡±


    What greeted her was a juicy suggestion. However, the moment she nodded her head frantically, Flamm felt that something important has left her, so she attempted to endure.


    ¡°N-no, d¡­don¡¯t force yourself¡­! We can go look at other choices!¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Milkit closed the curtain, relieved, and seeing that expression, Flamm was glad that she could endure the temptation.


    Several minutes later, the curtain opened to reveal another set of dress, though instead of a waitress uniform, it was a snow white one piece dress.


    ¡°This is your choice as well, master?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Flamm was¡­enchanted. In the first place, she thought of Milkit as the embodiment of purity, thus the white dress suits will suit her nicely. However, the clothes looked so good on her that she was awestruck.


    ¡°You look like a princess.¡±


    ¡°That is too far, master. There¡¯s no princess that will be wrapped in bandages like me.¡±


    Truly, her fascination can only be attributed to Flamm¡¯s affection. However, it is no understatement that if she were to walk around town with that dress, she will without a doubt attract the gazers of passersby.


    ¡°You¡¯re really¡­beautiful¡­¡± Flamm whispered instinctively.


    It was so good that she uncharacteristically wished to frame this scenery and immortalize it.


    ¡°I¡­I shall go change.¡±


    Her master¡¯s passionate gaze seemed to be too much for the girl, forcing Milkit to retreat behind the curtain once more, changing back to the clothes she put on when she arrived.


    ¡°What should we do? Shall we look for some more?¡±


    ¡°I think the usual waitress outfit should do, but it was cheap, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, compared to the others¡± Milkit responded after checking the price tags.


    As an additional note, the most expensive one is somehow the one with less clothes; the second, miniskirt waitress outfit.


    ¡°Then that¡¯ll do. Maybe I¡¯d want two other sets.¡±


    ¡°Are you not going to buy some, master?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything for me in this store.¡±


    ¡°I too would like to see another side of you, master.¡±


    ¡°¡­really? Then how about you choose one you think would suit me?¡±


    ¡°Is that okay?¡±


    With Flamm¡¯s consent, the girl began looking around in excitement.


    It was rare to see Milkit in such a high spirit.


    ¡°How excited is she in looking at me wearing other outfits?¡±


    Somewhat worried about the type of outfit Milkit will bring her, Flamm patiently waited.


    Before long, Milkit showed up with one set of clothing and urged her into the dressing room without even allowing her to check the outfit out.


    Milkit eagerly waited for her master with a huge smile on her face. On the other side of the curtain, Milkit could hear her master¡¯s bewildered voice, but in the end, Flamm still ended up wearing it.


    Finally, the curtain rises, and the figure of Milkit¡¯s master is now wrapped in her favorite type of clothes: a cute, frilly waitress outfit.


    ¡°Waaah¡­!¡± Milkit moaned in admiration as her hands held her cheeks.


    On the other hand, Flamm cast her gaze downwards as she held the hem of her outerwear, a position opposite of what the two is used to. She did not expect that a simple act of putting on a waitress outfit would put her in such embarrassment.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t¡­suit me¡­right?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! You are adorable, master!¡± Flamm¡¯s opinion was shot down fervently.


    Not being used to being called adorable, Flamm¡¯s already reddened face turned even deeper crimson, assaulted by the instinct to quickly toss herself behind the curtain. However, she held herself back, for she is giving her all for Milkit.


    ¡°A-am I wearing it properly?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes you are!¡±


    ¡°I think it feels nice to wear this to take care of chores.¡±


    ¡°That cap looks marvelous on you.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­you¡¯re different than usual¡­Milkit.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah¡­¡± At her master¡¯s interjection, the girl froze. ¡°M-my apologies. I got too carried away¡­¡±


    Obviously, the chance to see the master she loves wearing the type of clothes she loves doesn¡¯t happen often. Actually, Flamm would perhaps wear anything Milkit asked her to, but there¡¯s little to no chance that Milkit would be able to put her thoughts into words, which means until Flamm herself says that ¡°you can dress me up any way you like!¡±, this situation will probably never happen again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go change¡± Flamm said, before closing the curtain vigorously and just as quickly changed back to her usual, easy-to-move-in shirt and short pants. Finally, wrapping her tool belt around her waist, the girl looked at the mirror and sighed; ¡°I¡¯m really more comfortable in this.¡±


    After all, she¡¯s can be more mobile, and she can also adopt her natural posture with her current outfit. However, seeing Milkit be that elated over an outfit made her consider wearing that outfit from time to time.


    After the girl exited the dressing room, she picked two other sets for Milkit and bought them. Of course, it sets her back quite a bit, but it¡¯s not something her adventurer job can¡¯t take care of.


    They still have some extra money to spend, so as scheduled, the two exited the store to head for a high class restaurant.


    The main street of the Central District is flooded with people as it usually is, so Flamm walked a step in front of Milkit to shield her from the hustle and bustle, even more so since their destination is the opposite most of the people¡¯s.


    ¡°I still cannot believe there are this much people living in the capital.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just the residents. Tourists and merchants often pass through this street. See, there¡¯s a wagon passing right in the center. Those often create some congestion, so it can feel more crowded than it actually is.¡±


    There were even talks about creating a road exclusively for wagons, but with all the issues happening surrounding the capital, the plan didn¡¯t come to fruition. There were talks about infrastructure, repairs on some facilities, and the preservation of public safety, indicating that the more developed the capital is, the more problems it has to solve. With how many people settling into the capital, the dissatisfaction of the masses also grow aplenty. It was also one of the reasons why the incident with Ink and her monstrous eyeballs has been rumored to be the work of the church.


    However, it stays a rumor since the general populace has no real basis for the information regarding the church¡¯s human experiments.


    As a matter of fact, that rumor is factual.


    Behind the veil of peace shrouding the capital, the number of victims that fell to the hands of the church grows larger.


    ¡°Are you okay with the crowd, Milkit?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then I¡¯ll try to push forward a bit. Don¡¯t let go of my hand, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Flamm then slipped forward into a narrower street. As she did, she looked around, searching for the way through when a faint, familiar smell enters her nose.


    She instantly reacted and turned her gaze upwind.


    There, she saw her.


    Wrapped in a red fur coat on top of a gaudy, corsage-decorated dress, her seven-colored nails and her multitudes of rings adorned with great jewels, her eccentric hair colored opal with a mix of blond, pink and blue¡­and her unforgettable thick layer of makeup.


    ¡°W¡­why¡­?¡±


    She saw her.


    In the crowd, the woman in her sight walked as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°Master?¡± Milkit worriedly peeked at her master, who had suddenly stood still.


    However, her voice failed to reach her master.


    ¡°Satyllus¡­I killed you just yesterday¡­!¡±


    With her bare hands, on top of that. She even felt her anguished scream shook her to her bones, right in front of her.


    However, why? Why is she still walking amongst the living? And why¡­did she just disappear?


    As questions flood her brain, the girl could do naught but to stand still, as if time itself had stopped.

 CH 34

    Flamm pulled her hand forcefully. Despite Milkit¡¯s pained expression, Flamm persisted, apologizing to her and saying ¡°please bear with it¡± as she lowered her face. After all, being able to confirm her presence next to her was the greatest joy she could have at the moment.


    Passing through the crowd, the girls chased after the Satyllus lookalike despite bumping onto other pedestrians and acquiring their resentful gazes.


    However, no matter how hard she tried, the woman¡¯s figure could not be found.


    ¡°¡­was it just me¡­?¡±


    ¡°What happened, Master?¡± Milkit asked, seeking for the reason behind her master¡¯s forcefulness.


    If, only if, that was truly an accidental resemblance, it would only make Milkit anxious. As a matter of fact, she already is, so Flamm judged that it would be best to clear the air from the start.


    ¡°I saw someone who looked just like Satyllus, but¡­¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­b-but you¡­yesterday, she was¡­!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. She should have died.¡±


    Thoroughly and carefully did Flamm ripped the woman apart, limb by limb, organs by organs¡­piece by piece.


    So why? Why is there someone who¡¯s a spitting image of hers walking as if nothing had happened?


    ¡°I only saw her for an instant, so there¡¯s a high chance that I saw wrong, but¡­do you mind if I go to the East District?¡±


    ¡°¡­At this point, we wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy a meal in peace, so I think it is for the best.¡±


    The taste of a dish can greatly differ based on the mental status of the one eating them, and since they are planning to enjoy a high-quality meal, it would literally and figuratively leave a bad taste in their mouths to let the seed of concern linger about.


    Thus, parting from the hustle and bustle of the Central District, the two head for Satyllus¡¯ abode once more.


    In conclusion, the total amount of additional information they gained were zero.


    The two gazed at the private guards standing restlessly in front of the mansion¡¯s gate.


    Flamm boldly approached the guards and asked, ¡°what happened?¡±. Obviously, questioning if they have any obligation to answer the question of a slave, the guards initially responded with a confused expression. However, perhaps because the person is inherently nice or he had a great upbringing, he responded:


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you since just about everyone already knew this, but Satyllus-sama had gone missing.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? Satyllus-sama went missing!?¡± Flamm exclaimed in an overly exaggerated manner.


    With that exchange, there was no purpose in talking to the man anymore. Thus, after quickly brushing through common courtesy, the girl left the area, towards a place where the guards¡¯ eyes wouldn¡¯t reach them.


    ¡°Was it really just me¡­?


    If Satyllus is still alive, it would serve her no purpose to make her guards spread such news. Knowing that the guards that were constantly stationed around her house acted that way, it should hint that her corpse was still hidden in that secret room known only to the two and the dead.


    ¡°Perhaps you might be too exhausted after the recent events, Master.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡± she said, though there wasn¡¯t an ounce of conviction in her words.


    If it truly was exhaustion that disrupted the girl¡¯s thoughts to that extent, perhaps it is time for her to enjoy her rare day off.


    ¡°Sorry to make you go through with my madness. Let¡¯s go to the restaurant this time.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    For now, there should be nothing ruining their meal to come, so in high spirits, the two made their way to a fancy restaurant facing the hustle and bustle of the Central District.


    The greater the price, the more delectable the food should taste. Despite that, there were other problems the two face upon arriving at the restaurant, such as the waiter not willing to show the two to a proper seat deeper in the establishment or another customer tripping their feet with his purely because the two were slaves. That said, after Flamm showed the waiter her wallet, the man quickly changed his attitude for the better, and Flamm was quick to react by stomping on the rude customer¡¯s foot in response anyways, so all in all, it was but trivial problems.


    The first thing Milkit does upon carrying the unfamiliar dish into her mouth was to closely examine the taste and the flavors, all the while trying to guess what ingredients and seasonings they use to achieve such feat. Gazing at her passionate companion with a smile on her face, Flamm too began eating something she never tried before.


    Being lunch time, there were plenty of other customers that were dressed casually as they were as the establishment provides a more affordable pricing for lunch menus compared to dinner. There were several other customers who, with only their getup, announced boldly and proudly that they are residents of the East District, but at that moment, they were in the minority.


    Enjoying their meal, the two forgot all about the sighting of Satyllus¡¯ lookalike that happened earlier.


    After lunch, the two exited the store and went around looking at different stores as the sun continues to go down. Flamm asked Milkit which design she liked when it comes to accessories when they visited the street vendors, and while looking for cursed equipment to no avail, they ended up buying a kitchen knife for some reason.


    The two browsed another clothing store, different from the one they visited in the morning. Flamm bought herself a whilte hotpants, of course after having Milkit try it on which resulted in completely expected embarrassment from her. Flamm was 16, and Milkit was only 14; girls in their heyday of youth, one might say. Therefore, the outdoors activity they went through allows them to forget about the labors in their lives and act appropriately for their age despite their clothing being otherwise.


    Having their fill of fun, the two ended the day by purchasing ingredients for dinner before they take their jolly steps home.


    As they did, Eterna welcomed them back while simultaneously poking fun at them, asking ¡°how was your date?¡±. It even affected Ink, who, as she heard Flamm¡¯s footsteps through the door as she climbed to the second floor, asked the same question Eterna did. ¡°Was it fun?¡± she added. The two had said so much at her, but as a matter of fact, she was having fun, so Flamm let them slide without even a single comeback, and instead, ¡°yeah, I had a blast¡± she said, without an ounce of irritation in her tone. In response, both Eterna and Ink shared her joy and frankly said ¡°that¡¯s great¡±.


    Flamm then returned to her room and practices refining her Prana and control her mana when she heard the noises from the first floor where Milkit was beginning to cook dinner. She then decided to put her training on hold to go back down to the first floor to help Milkit with her chores.


    Lured by the mouthwatering aroma from the cooking as it slowly comes to a finish, Eterna showed up at the dining room. Believing that those who don¡¯t work cannot eat, Eterna was forced to carry the dishes to the dining table before the three begun enjoying their dinner.


    After dinner comes the free time. Flamm spent her free time enjoying the sight of Milkit earnestly working on her accessory-making, at times giving her a loving hug from behind before the two moved to the bed to read a book.


    Then, it was time for them to take a bath. Fundamentally, the turn to soak themselves in the bathtub goes from Eterna, Flamm and then Milkit. At the moment, Eterna would wipe Ink¡¯s body in her own room, but in due time, surely the two would be able to enter the bath together.


    After bath, all that¡¯s left is to tuck themselves in bed. Flamm and Milkit climbed into the same bed, clinging onto each other and enjoying each other¡¯s warmth despite their mutual embarrassment. Before long, their consciousness slips and they entered their slumber, bidding their farewells to their bittersweet reality and into a soothing, happy dream as the night uneventfully passes¡­for perhaps¡­the last time.


    The next day, Flamm heads out for the guild the first thing in the morning, taking another job to hunt a D-rank monster outside the capital from Iira who still dons her usual detestable attitude. Flamm¡¯s strength should allow her to fight an A-rank monster with ease, though the problem with the capital is that the monster rank around it only went up to B, so for her to advance further to a higher rank, she¡¯d either have to proactively seek for a grand campaign or do whatever detestable violence Dain had undertaken in the past.


    However, Flamm¡¯s current goal is not to increase her rank in the guild. With her current job, she should be able to earn enough income to sustain her and her housemate¡¯s lifestyle. Additionally, the girl is not particularly interested in honor nor prestige for she is already satisfied with where she stands.


    Her current job aside, Flamm also undertook a request from Eterna to collect medicinal herbs as well as hunting other monsters that had nothing to do with either job.


    When she finished her expedition, Flamm returned to the guild by evening, submitting the requested material to Iira who shrugged it off saying ¡°you¡¯re doing so well it¡¯s boring¡±, before engaging in a two-sided quarrel as she hands off the reward.


    ¡°By the way, is Gadio in?¡±


    ¡°The guild master? He went out early today, sayin¡¯ he went to the store he told you about.¡±


    ¡°The store?¡±


    She¡ªdid recall that.


    Flamm had the chance to meet Gadio recently, with the latter asking ¡°so what do little girls like to eat these days?¡±, quite an uncharacteristic question, if you ask Flamm, but then she remembered about Hallom. Her response should have been about a confectionery store she¡¯d thoroughly recommended, one that visited with Cyrill once upon a time.


    Remembering her smile from that day never fails to bring her heart pain, but at the very least, the memory of that day was as sweet as the cake they had.


    She wanted to believe that it was the best recommendation she could give.


    ¡°But¡­that store, huh.¡±


    Taste aside, that place was truly a fancy one, something that is a complete opposite of Gadio¡¯s getup and build.


    Though she can also easily imagine a father figure beaming with smile as he buys his daughter a cake.


    ¡°Oh by the way, there¡¯s someone waiting for you in the office.¡±


    ¡°Huh? They¡¯re waiting for this long¡­? Oh, it¡¯s Reach-san.¡±


    ¡°It was the Master and now the CEO of Mancathy firm¡­your personal connections¡®re starting to scare me. How ¡®bout you introduce me sometimes.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯d start working properly, I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    ¡°You sure love to talk mad shit, huh. ¡®Sides, I do plan on living properly.¡±


    Leaving the abusive Iira alone, Flamm went to the office to meet Reach, supporting both elbows on the table as if thinking deeply about something.


    Flamm quipped a greeting, shocking the man as he appeared to have not noticed the girl¡¯s arrival to the guild.


    ¡°Aah, Flamm-san¡­so you¡¯ve come.¡±


    ¡°Looks like I made you wait while you¡¯re busy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it was my decision to wait. There¡¯s¡­there¡¯s something I have got to confirm with you.¡±


    Seeing Reach acting off, Flamm lowered herself to sit down across him with her guard up.


    After several times stammering and hesitating, he confirmed that no one¡¯s eavesdropping and whispered.


    ¡°Did you¡­did you really kill Satyllus?¡±


    Flamm¡¯s breath got stuck in her throat.


    Why would he, who seemed eternally busy, spare some time to wait for her? And why was he trying to confirm the news of Satyllus¡¯ death?


    It has to be a coincidence. She must have seen wrong, and she must know more to ensure the answer is solid.


    ¡°¡­Is she not dead?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­she was reported as missing, but it appears that last night she returned to her mansion. I just talked to her this morning.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­!¡±


    Flamm held her head. She had exhaustively spent her efforts making sure she is thoroughly and inescapably dead. There¡¯s no way someone can be immortal like that. She even took the extra effort to ensure that her heart had stopped beating.


    Was she just a body double? No, if she was, then she shouldn¡¯t be able to enter and exit that room. Then, perhaps, was the Satyllus Reach was talking to the body double?


    ¡°How was she when she talked to you, Reach-san?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something out of place for sure. The first time she saw me she looked like she doesn¡¯t know me. No matter how under the weather she was, she shouldn¡¯t have acted like that, but¡­after that, she immediately remembers, and the conversation that happened after that feels just like the usual Satyllus.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­then she¡¯s the real Satyllus then¡­¡±


    ¡°Judging by your reactions, the one you dispatched was the real one as well.¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt, and I thoroughly dispatched her. There¡¯s no way she should¡¯ve come back alive after that.¡±


    Then, if what Reach said is true, then the Satyllus he encountered this morning could well be the real person as well. To begin with, there¡¯s no body double that should look exactly the same as the original, and even if there¡¯s a way to do so, there should be no conceivable way to deceive Reach¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°A dead person¡­reviving¡­¡±


    There¡¯s but one explanation, or rather, organization that can do that, and as one might have guessed, it is the church. They did research on resurrecting dead people to do their bidding with the implantation of a core¡­or so she heard.


    Forget about doing the church¡¯s bidding for once and consider how Satyllus looks indistinguishable from when she was alive after her resurrection. That was what the girl thought most terrifying about the whole ordeal.


    ¡°¡­You look like you¡¯ve got an answer for it all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    But Flamm hesitated. Reach has yet to delve far into the rabbit hole that is the church¡¯s human experimentation program. He¡¯s still within range of turning back and live his somewhat peaceful life. Hence, Flamm couldn¡¯t say it. It wasn¡¯t something she should disclose.


    ¡°Within the church, the pope is followed by what they called the Five Cardinals¡­or rather, they are the five heads of the organization. One of them is called Slovanak Saty, the person Satyllus made the contract with.¡±


    ¡°H-huh.¡±


    ¡°Slovanak is the person the church entrusted in dealing with illegal goods such as drugs. Then we have Satuuki, the one who rallied the Church Knights; Tarch who is in charge of the priests and the nuns, and Toizzo, pope Fedro¡¯s right-hand man. Finally, we have Formo, the one in charge of the ¡°core¡± of the church, the research department.¡±


    Reach was not merely showing off his knowledge.


    ¡°Formo was constantly out on a business trip, hence we concluded that he has multiple established research facilities outside the capital. We have yet to grasp what the research is about, but we have established monitoring of them. We have hypothesized that he is carrying out inhumane researches, but although we are convinced he is, we have no evidence.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me that you¡¯ve known far too much for me to not share with you what I know?¡±


    ¡°I am glad you are quick on the uptake.¡±


    Flamm sighed ¡°¡­are you sure? The church is killing people as if it¡¯s nobody¡¯s business. If I open my mouth, you might be putting Welcy-san on the chopping block.¡±


    ¡°It is exactly because of it that I need to know. If we have special interest, I wouldn¡¯t even think of putting my foot into this.¡±


    The less people are involved the better, but the church doesn¡¯t have the word mercy in their vocabulary, and as days goes by, more innocent people will be swallowed dead by their research. Thus, if people like Reach were to begin digging for information, they will be targeted in the matter of when instead of if.


    Then, perhaps it would be better to have him cooperate sooner than later.


    ¡°The reason Satyllus was resurrected¡­was perhaps the act of a research department they call Necromancy.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s a team of research in bringing back the dead? Are they capable of doing that?¡±


    It was natural for Reach to doubt her words. It was a hard pill to swallow, even for Flamm who had faced the results head-on. However, thinking back to when she manipulated Ink¡¯s life when she replaced her heart, technically, even Flamm was able to.


    That was her conclusion. However, the resurrected being should end up being something different from when they were alive.


    Flamm continued and explained to Reach about the Origin Core that the church uses; the core that will be embedded into monsters and humans alike, turning it into an abomination with mystifying powers. She also detailed that the transformed, mangled corpses that had their limbs multiplied were also the victim of the same core. Finally, she told him about the power called ¡°Origin¡±, how it had conscience, and how it is aiming for her life¡ª


    ¡°This¡­this had gone far beyond my expectation¡± Reach said at the end of Flamm¡¯s exposition, bringing his hands to cover his face, perhaps an attempt to collect his thoughts. The girl opposite of him chose to wait for him to do so quietly.


    ¡°¡­the church should have been trying to cover up their research, but¡­why are they allowing Satyllus to walk under the sun?¡±


    ¡°Either they¡¯re desperate or that her walking under the sun is also part of their experiment.¡±


    ¡°Then they wouldn¡¯t have picked someone high profile like Satyllus. Maybe they¡¯re doing it to shake and lure the person who killed her¡­maybe they¡¯re trying to intimidate you, Flamm-san.¡±


    That sly method of intimidation proves to be terrifyingly effective. However, since the previous day when Flamm visited Satyllus¡¯ mansion, there hasn¡¯t been any noticeable actions made by the church. If it is to be a trap, the opportunity had slipped them by.¡±


    ¡°For the life of me I cannot read what the church is planning.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Perhaps what I can say for sure, is that we should not recklessly approach Satyllus.¡±


    Even after this exchange of information, they still have no idea what the resurrected woman is planning.


    Thus, Reach excused himself to proceed with his business and left them adjourning the meeting.


    He just went and did something uncharacteristic.


    He reminisced the time when he would line up in front of a store to buy something Thea had loved. That was the last time he felt the embarrassment of buying a present for someone.


    ¡°I hope Celena and Hallom would be happy with it¡­¡±


    Gadio made his way home with a box of cake in his hand.


    He, too, had realized that he cannot keep on shouldering the memory of Thea and Souma¡¯s death. The two had wished for Gadio for happiness in their stead, but the greater obstacle was Gadio¡¯s own conviction.


    He still believed that he was but a coward¡ªa coward that had left behind and abandoned his loved one and his best friend. As long as that self-condemnation remains in his heart, he will have difficulties moving on forward.


    However, he wanted to at least answer to Celena and Hallom¡¯s expectations. That weight is now nestled in that cake sitting in the box.


    The man stood in front of the gate, uncharacteristically heaving a sigh as he did. Passing through the gate, he went for the entrance, and just as he was about to open the door, it opened from the inside only to see the pale face of Celena, trying to catch her breath.


    ¡°G-Gadio-san, you¡¯re finally back!!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I thought of buying Hallom a cake.¡±


    ¡°T-thank you¡­but this isn¡¯t the time¡­!¡±


    It was uncommon for Celena to be in such a panic. Perhaps something had happened to the little girl.


    Celena tugged on his arm, aiming to bring him somewhere, but with a slight noise escaping her mouth, the woman stopped dead in his tracks.


    Gadio followed the woman¡¯s gaze, but then it was his turn to stand shock-still.


    ¡°Welcome back¡­oh wait, it should be the other way around, right?¡± Standing in comparison to Gadio¡¯s memory, the woman said with a cheery voice; ¡°I¡¯m back, Ga-kun.¡±


    Her radiant smile overlaps with the one in his memories.


    The woman who lost her life after he left her behind¡­the woman he would trade the world for. Her face¡­didn¡¯t just overlap with his memories.


    They were the exact same one.


    ¡°T¡­Thea?¡±


    There¡¯s no way he would mistake that face. After all, there was no way he would forget her face.


    But¡­that was why he was perplexed.


    Why¡­? It¡¯s not possible¡­


    ¡°Of course! It¡¯s me, as you live and breathe! It¡¯s your partner slash wife, Thea Luscat!¡±


    There¡¯s no way¡­


    Forget overjoyed, Gadio¡¯s mind short-circuited.


    He saw her die with his very eyes, but Thea¡­as she lived and breathed, was standing there. That abnormal sight was too difficult for him to accept. Even his body, tempered in decades of adventuring was sending him warnings, telling him to not take even a step forward, but at the same time, the great deal of joy was clashing in his mind, freezing time completely.


    The cake in his hand falls, and before he knows it, he was holding Thea in his arms, tightly as if to make up for lost time.