"Even amongst unexpected surprises during his adventures, this one is on a level of its own."

Tamamo nodded in agreement. The hero and Granberia had initially left the morning for what was supposed to be a simple scouting mission after the Puppeteer's Tower apparently disappeared as local attacks calmed down, all that to see if they could find the root cause of this unexplainable change. In the meantime, she herself and the Monster Lord kept an eye around through an observation orb. The duo was relieved to see them leave the area around where the tower supposedly was without troubles… Until Alice suddenly felt a huge wave of anxiety crash upon her and Tamamo decided to check on Luka just to reassure the Monster Lord.

It proved to be a terrible idea as it revealed that Hiruko had somehow managed to apparently completely infiltrate the castle of Sabasa and impersonate every last one of its inhabitants to ambush the hero and Granberia. Fortunately, the duo managed to beat her back, and Alice assisted to the strange behavior of the Ancestor in the aftermath, dumbfounding her even as Tamamo looked utterly jaded by her sister's inconsistency. They had shut down their observation once the group had reached the pyramid.

"And you were unable to detect her?"

Tamamo's shoulders slumped. "She didn't use magic at all to hide herself. She simply transformed parts of her body. This is part of why she was so effective against angels. You think you're dealing with the dead body of a normal human, and get eaten alive in the blink of an eye for your troubles."

Alice gulped loudly. This had almost been the fate of Luka, and the thought terrified her more than what she could possibly admit. Well, the Ancestor had apparently not acted that maliciously afterward, and there had been a lot of monsters who had done worse, even when it specifically came to Luka...

But even then, she simply could not part herself from the feeling that something was horribly wrong. It was a primal fear that she couldn't explain.

"Do you think Hiruko would try to play a dirty trick by pretending to surrender?"

Tamamo shook her head negatively. "No. She can be quite cruel, but as I told you she holds herself to certain standards… When she's not too hungry."

"That's reassuring to hear…"

"…In any case, we'll have to take a decision for- Mmh?"

Sudden commotion exploded at the entrance of the castle. Tamamo could recognize the voice of Alma Elma asking for all the food, but couldn't quite get what happened herself. Her fears instantly started flaring up.

The duo rushed at the entrance to see servants running around. Her eyes instantly locked on the trio at the center: Alma Elma and Hiruko were both surrounding an unconscious Luka, whose neck was wrapped by a thick, pulsating organ.

"What's happening?"

"I was in Succubus Village talking with Witch and the chieftain talking about the Lilith Sisters when I felt an unusual surge of energy above the ocean. I found them like that, and Luka is apparently dying from…"

"Holy energy corrosion." Hiruko answered reflexively as she fully focused on Luka. "Holy energy is eroding his human body, but he'll survive for as long as I can keep it out of his nervous system." She grimaced as the organ slightly turned grayish at its base. "I'm getting really hungry though, and I won't be able to keep it for long…"

Alice shook her head in denial. "Get everything from the cellar NOW!"

The next hour was a blur for Alice, as the scylla Ancestor devoured everything brought to her as the strange organism she had wrapped around Luka apparently absorbed the holy energy in his body while generating corroded flesh. After a while, Hiruko released her grasp and Alice was glad to see that Luka's body was doing fine… Even if he was now completely naked.

As the silence filled the entrance of the castle, Alice turned behind her to see that several servants were enjoying the sight of her nude husband. Her anger started flaring as she talked in a low growl that was somehow perfectly audible across the room.

"Everyone whose presence is not immediately required is to return to her work."

Servants scattered at high speed to return to their activities or pretend they were doing so, and even Alma Elma left reportedly to return to her duty in Succubus Village. Only Tamamo, Alice and Hiruko remained around the unconscious hero. The Monster Lord looked at the Scylla Ancestor as the latter was still focused on Luka. On the one hand, she attempted to eat him a few hours ago. On the other hand… She just saved his life.

"…Thank you."

Hiruko curtsied. "I only serve." She gave out a beaming style. "Soooo, I'm clear to do anything I want?"

Alice frowned. "No. You'll still pass under judgment. But I will remember that you saved my husband and be more lenient."

Hiruko pouted, and crossed both her arms and her tentacles. "Not faaaair, I can't even avoid it by acting cute! Tamamo now beats me!"

Alice tried to keep a serious facade, but as the stress of the situation caught up to her, she exploded into a burst of laughter that lasted several minutes.

When she had finally calmed down, she checked on Luka again with a small smile. His life wasn't in danger for now, but he was still unconscious.

"For how long will he be asleep?"

"Oh, you want him to wake up?"

"Wait, don't-"

Before Tamamo could finish her sentence, a tentacle struck Luka straight in one of his leg. The hero gasped for air and catapulted straight up before the appendage removed itself.

"MY BLOOD IS ON FIRE! SWEET MOTHER HAVE MERCY!"

Tamamo glared at Hiruko who grimaced. "Did I overdo it?"

In the meantime, Alice was too busy hugging Luka to even care. The hero looked around awkwardly, and could see Tamamo not so subtly pull back her seemingly tone-deaf sister away from the scene to leave some much needed intimacy for the duo. The Monster Lord kept embracing her husband for several minutes before the latter finally reacted.

"Huuuh, Alice? Can you let go please?"

"No." The Monster Lord didn't move, her head still over Luka's shoulder. "I'm not taking the risk of losing you again."

"…I will still have one Ancestor to take care of though."

"I don't care. The world can burn, everyone else can die, I won't budge."

Luka slowly steadied his breath. It was likely that Alice was still shocked by his near death. She would likely change her mind later…

Only a few hours later and for the third time since that fateful day, Alice was imperiously standing on her throne while Luka was standing guard near the Monster Lord on her demand. The ambiance was formal, but lighter than when Minagi or Kanon were judged. The scylla seemed slightly offended, but not outright hostile. It was clear that she didn't appreciate her position after the service she gave, which was something Alice could understand.

"Hiruko, Ancestor of scylla. You are accused of molesting partners of the Monster Lord, namely Lucia the alchemist, several kitsunes, and the king of Sabasa as well as his ministers against their consent, of attempting to ambush one of the servants and the husband of the Monster Lord to devour them alive, and to have destroyed the castle in the ensuing fight. What are your excuses?"

"Sabasa is my home and my playground by divine rights as a gift from the Dark Goddess herself. I was only using my right of anteriority on the matter."

Alice could only regret not having Tamamo on her side at this precise moment. After so much time and obfuscating stupidity from the scylla, she had let her guard down and was already paying the price. Fortunately, she managed to recover quite nicely.

"While your right wasn't and won't be revoked, the lack of attempt to compromise- no, let me correct myself, the direct attack on the human locals before attempting to communicate or even introducing yourself goes against my will as her current representative. And I do not consider your direct ignorance of the laws of this world a valid excuse."

"I didn't attack the locals. I only temporarily relocated them to clean the room for a game."

"Against their will."

Hiruko shrugged. "Whatever. If I actually attacked them, you would have found the city of Sabasa completely empty."

Alice slowly breathed in and out. "And why didn't you attack them?"

The scylla raised an eyebrow. "Because I had no reason to? They didn't attack me -Initially, but that game with the king doesn't count-, and I wasn't hungry anymore."

"You would have attacked them if you were hungry?"

"Only as a last resort. I didn't want to make everyone mad by killing humans. I saw that this whole coexistence was important to you and Tamamo."

Alice leaned back and frowned. "Then if you knew that this was so important to us, why did you even risk damaging those relations in the first place?"

Hiruko stretched herself. "For the same reason Minagi did." She turned toward Luka and licked her lips. The hero only glanced sideway in another direction.

Alice groaned. "Let us focus back on your actions. You said you weren't hungry anymore. What do you mean by that?"

"Well, since I was afraid I would get carried upon seeing all those juicy people, I decided to have a snack first."

"So you decided to eat wild monsters instead?"

"They weren't exactly wild in the first place."

Seeing that the Ancestor wasn't developing her way further, Alice decided to nudge her a little.

"Would you care to elaborate?"

Right after exiting the cavern where she had been sealed, Hiruko teleported herself in the region of Sabasa. Once she was under the night sky, she fully stretched herself with her tentacles expanding in every direction, appreciating her newfound freedom.

"Aaaaah, the sweet feeling of fresh air, the softness of the sand, that primal hunger that only asks to be filled with some nice food… Where should I start? Mmmh… What would Tamamo do? Oh, I know…"

Hiruko started travelling southeast of Sabasa without a care in the world, slightly miffed when the environment changed from those soothing dunes to the wasteland which connected this region and Natalia. Eventually, her senses picked up a few vibrations across the ground, which was exactly what she was looking for in the first place. She looked at her surroundings like a lost child, as her environment was now made of an irregular relief with sparse jagged rocks.

"Stop right here."

A bat transformed into a vampire in front of her, while an arachne lord joined her. Two more spiders positioned themselves behind her, including an Atlach-Nacha, a rare species that was naturally blind and used its other senses to orient herself. The arachne frowned as she examined the unusual looking girl in front of her.

"You are an unusual scylla. What are you doing here?"

"I'm taking a midnight stroll."

All the monsters looked at each other, wondering if this newcomer was insane or taking them for a fool. Hiruko answered with a devilish smile.

"I'm joking. I heard rumors that monsters that were standing to the Monster Lord were regrouping in the region, and I wanted to find out for myself."

"Find out for yourself?! Are you one of the allies of the Monster Lord?!"

"I reassure you. Quite the opposite."

She chuckled darkly, and the monsters around her joined her. Awkwardly at first, then louder and louder until they eventually calmed down.

"Well played, but… I can read through this dumb attempt from you. Dispose of her and bring her body to Kagetsumugi. She wanted to make a scylla doll."

The Atlach-Nacha moved forward and attempted to take a stab at the Ancestor. However, the moment her claw so much as touched her target, she gasped and recoiled as if she had just been burned, her heart beating madly. Her target hadn't even visibly reacted to her attack, contrary to her own allies.

"What's wrong? Just kill her!"

"This scylla… That power… The Heavenly Knights are kittens compared to her! RUN!"

While the arachne ran away, her three companions shrugged and attempted to attack their target. One of Hiruko's hand became a bundle of tentacles that instantly wrapped around a spider's neck and effortlessly snapped it. The vampire hovered backward and casted a lightning bolt, but her opponent simply glided on the side to evade it while her second ally was swallowed alive, screaming her lungs out before disappearing in a digestive tube. She flew slightly further back again, and, the next instant, she couldn't see any of the organs that had destroyed her allies. As she checked around her, tentacles burst out from the ground and wrapped her neck in the blink of an eye before she got pulled into a maw and devoured in a heartbeat. Hiruko reassumed her humanoid form and started chasing the Atlach-Nacha at an impressive speed. The latter made the mistake of rushing in the dark cavern that connected the tower to the rest of the continent.

Hiruko moved silently around the cavern after modifying her sight to see better. She could see the spider panic and move frantically around as she was rushing through in an attempt to reach the safety of the tower. She grappled around the human waist of the spider and attached herself to her back.

"Found you."

The spider utterly froze, being only shaken by spasms of pure terror as Hiruko attached herself to the roof before rising her prey from the ground. The monster didn't even attempt to struggle.

"P… Please… I'll do anything…"

She felt her body going limp, completely escaping to her control as a pleasant sensation was filling her mind.

"Good… I'm still hungry, and I never tasted anyone like you."

Hiruko slowly took the time to eat the spider part by part by dissolving her with her mucus-covered tentacles. Her prey didn't struggle, only smiling as the aphrodisiac poison she had injected in her was devouring the monster's mind. Once done, Hiruko licked her fingers clean as she finisher the brain.

"Mmh. So you had eaten humans before and enjoyed their pleas for help? I wonder how you felt… Bah! It doesn't matter! I got to enjoy the sweet taste of irony…"

Hiruko reconfigured the cells in her body to make herself look like her last victim. The illusion was perfect. Nothing differentiated her from her last target.

She resumed her trip and eventually reached the tower where Kagetsumugi and her small army were supposedly living. She knocked at the tower, and a succubus opened the door.

"What happened? Where are the others?"

"We got ambushed by Granberia. She lost me and disappeared."

The still disguised Hiruko stepped in, and analyzed the few monsters looking around. The insides of the tower looked as much like a refugee camp filled with thugs than an operational army. Even if she wasn't the keenest on strategy and its stakes, she could tell that there were tension between the different groups, and the only things uniting them was their common hatred for the current Monster Lord. Before she could get herself back to "her" spot, a nervous elf approached her.

"Kagetsumugi wishes to personally hear your report."

Everybody fell silent. Apparently, it didn't bode well. Hiruko shrugged and skittered behind the succubus, passing on the process several warded floors. On most of them, the disguised scylla could feel some energy but no life signs.

Kagetsumugi herself was waiting on the penultimate level of the tower. The small puppeteer had her body fully concealed, with a brown veil hiding her face while her brown, simple robe was hidden behind an apron covered with talismans and wards. The succubus bowed and left the two monsters alone.

"I heard that you were attacked by Granberia, and I wanted more details on the matter… She has been sighted in Grangold dealing with an overgrown plant." Sarcasm was audible in Kagetsumugi's voice.

Thaaaank you Kanoooon… It's a pleasure to be subtle when you're around…

"In reality I ate everyone. Are you happy?"

Kagetsumugi casted several strings that immobilized the fake spider's limbs.

"Thank you for confirming what I already thought happened. You spiders can't be let alone on your own. You will make a fine puppet. Now don't move, this won't take long…"

The spider's body was agitated by inward spasms before her skin split apart in the middle of her body, and the two halves collapsed to reveal Hiruko in her human form covered by gunk.

"Nice trick, but I still prefer mine… Say, would you mind teaching me?"

Kagetsumugi remained still for a few moments as her mind tried to process what had just happened. That monster looked familiar… Did she appear in one of her book?

"…I'll be right back."

"Please hurry, I'm getting a bit peckish."

Kagetsumugi stepped away from the surreal scene more briskly than what she wished to. The second after the puppeteer disappeared, Hiruko was already bored and decided to check on what the necromancer was keeping behind the wards. The moment she touched said wards, she was instantly teleported at the entrance of the tower.

"I got a bit careless, Tamamo wouldn't be happy… Oh, well."

She attempted to enter again, but the door refused to budge. A frontal attack would take too much energy, and monsters behind the door were probably going to attack her before fleeing. Instead, she jumped on the roof of the tower using her tentacles as springs, and landed delicately in a pirouette. Deciding that simply dissolving the roof would leave them the chance to escape by the main entrance, she instead slowly started expanding her tentacles all over the tower to block every entrance and dissolved the stone. Slowly, strange organs expanded and descended alongside the tower's flanks like so many slugs, corrosive mucus slowly dissolving the stone. Eventually, they reached the floor, sealing the tower and everyone inside. Hiruko patiented as the mineral stone was the only thing filling her taste buds for a long time, while salivating as she anticipated the feast she'd have once she would reach the monsters inside.

Instead, she suddenly lost her stability. Her whole body collapsed on the side as she yelped in surprise when her support disappeared. She retracted her tentacles and looked at where her target was supposed to be.

The tower had simply disappeared. An electrical feel in the air informed her that Kagetsumugi simply teleported her whole structure away.

Hiruko pouted. Tamamo had told her during the Great War. Don't forget magic escapes. Well… LESSON LEARNED. She sighed. She could still feel several groups of marauders patrolling around. They would definitively make for a nice (if not exceptional) filling.

Then she would finally start her tour. That lab looked interesting, and one of Tamamo's lieutenants had it re-open recently. Then maybe seeing Sphinx would bring her spirit up…

"…"

"…"

Alice was completely aghast, while Luka had taken a few further steps away from Hiruko, his back now touching the wall of the room.

"You swallowed a whole tower."

The Ancestor defensively raised her hands. "I tried to! But they teleported away before I could eat it properly. And they hid themselves afterward. So I looked for all their goons around and ate them instead."

Luka sighed, beaten down. If only they had attempted to take care of the problem first, maybe they would have at least saved a few of them… Noticing the downbeat expression of the hero, Hiruko patted Luka on the back with a tentacle stretching across half the room.

"Sorry. I was hungry."

Is she actually serious?

"And I suppose you have no idea where they teleported?"

"Nope. I tried to interrogate the monsters around to see if they had heard about her backup plan, but Kagetsumugi hadn't told them anything."

"Since they actively opposed the crown of the Monster Lord, you will not be punished for killing them. However, you will no longer be able to eat live monsters, unless given express authorization."

Hiruko crossed her arms and pouted again in a childish expression. "You're too soft."

"Your judgment has been decided. Most of your actions can be explained, not excused, although we do acknowledge that you did an effort to mitigate the damage brought by your actions -even if those actions shouldn't have happened in the first place- and to save the hero. You cannot, however, be allowed to play freely around yet as you have to repay Sabasa for the damage you inflicted. As your skills in biology could be useful, you will put in charge of studying and analyzing the existing chimeras to help them remove their dependence on batteries-"

"Oh right, that angel's designs are interesting, but their efficiency suck… Can I create my owns?"

Alice frowned. "Please do not interrupt me. Your skill and goodwill will be tested in the Monster Lord Castle, and you will be followed until we estimate that you can be allowed to roam the world on your own, all without being a danger for the population at large."

"Am I being treated as a child?" There was an unusual poison in Hiruko's voice.

"Your sisters got the same treatment."

"Fair enough I guess… Although I'm not fully happy to get so restricted."

Feeling an occasion present itself, Alice decided to go in for a deathblow as she remembered what her mentor had told her about the scylla. "I ask you to not see it as restriction. I ask you to see it as a challenge of your skill by the descendant of the Dark Goddess, and an opportunity to prove you are still willing to diligently serve your master through me."

Hiruko kneeled, guided by her ancient memories of serving the Dark Goddess. "Then I swear on my honor that I will not fail the Monster Lord and will devour any threat to her reign."

Alice gulped slightly more loudly than she wanted to. This was not quite she expected, but it was close enough.

"You will be shown your new working place by Tamamo. The court is dismissed."

Hiruko stepped away to be escorted by the kitsune, while Luka himself started to step away from the throne.

"Where do you think you're going, Luka?"

"I… Need to take a rest."

"I'll accompany you to our room. I also need some."

And a few minutes later, Tamamo and Hiruko were strolling through the castle at a leisurely pace. The Scylla Ancestor kept bombarding her sisters with questions about everything.

"Sooo, the old lab didn't survive the numerous wars?"

"No. And it didn't get quite reconstructed on the same scale either. There weren't any Monster Lord who considered the development of new chimeras a priority."

"No respect for the old crafts…"

Tamamo giggled. "I heard Minagi say the same. In any case, I'm sorry but you'll pretty much have to start from scratch. I'll make sure you have everything you need, and you can ask me for more."

"…The Monster Lord still doesn't trust me?"

Tamamo raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you try to eat her husband this morning?"

"That's different! That was a challenge! That was fair game!"

"Maybe… But she will still remain a bit wary of you for a while… And besides…" Tamamo hesitated to finish her sentence.

The scylla gave out an uncanny smile. "I reminded a few people of Black Alice, didn't I? I'm pretty sure that name was even on your lips when it came to comparing me…"

The kitsune grimaced. "I would lie if I tried to deny it. I was afraid you would let your hunger get the better of you."

"This would be almost insulting…" Hiruko sauntered forward, extending tentacles from her hands as she dramatically gestured around. "She was a destructor, someone wallowing in the misery and carnage she spread around her. I am merely a gourmet willing to taste every flavor, every pleasure this world can offer to find the finest food and recipes." Her tentacles were now blocking the better part of the hallways, even as her voice was getting more and more enthusiastic. "I can create as well. Discover and perfectionnate life forms. Even mother entrusted me in that regard. And more importantly, I can control myself."

"…Until you get hungry or forget them. Remind me how often me or Saja had to recenter you?"

Hiruko retracted all her tentacles under her coat, only leaving two to twine around her legs as she pouted again.

"…Party pooper."

"Anyway, if you would please stick to upgrading chimeras to increase their efficiency and reduce the pollution they emit, I'm sure both the Monster Lord and Kanade will appreciate and support you, and afterward, you'll even likely be even allowed to create a few chimeras again!"

Hiruko enthusiastically pumped up her fist. "YES!"

"…But nothing like your Old Ones. They were too huge and dangerous in the first place."

"Awww…"

The duo remained silent until they reached one of the less used part of the castle. A large, rocky door was ominously standing at the end of the hallway, and Tamamo used both hands to pry it open.

"Well, here's your new-"

As soon as the kitsune opened the door, Hiruko squealed in delight and lunged straight on the large, sleeping silhouette at the center of the room.

"YEEEEES! GIGANTO WEAPON IS STILL THERE!" She pinched the cheeks of the unresponsive monster. "Who's a good girl? Who's a good giiiirl?! Yes you are! Yes you aaaaare!"

Tamamo tried to hold back her laughter at the sight of her sister cooing on the monster that was several time her size.

The Tentacled Terror. The Lurking Maw. The Devourer of Seas and Sands...

I wish Alice and Luka saw that. That would reassure them.

However, Hiruko's expression soured slightly when she noticed something.

"She's bruised and there are kitsune hair all over her! Did you take her for a rodeo again?"

Tamamo raised her hands defensively. "It's… Complicated. I needed her to defend the castle a few times."

"You could have at least cleaned her afterward!"

"Sorry…"

And now I'm the one getting chided for acting childish.

I deserve that.

Hiruko started inspecting the chimera under Tamamo's eyes while taking notes. After a while, she handed down a bundle of papers to the kitsune.

"I'm going to need all that. Now shoo! I have some work to do!"

Tamamo took the sheet and left through the door. Well, it looked like Hiruko was already serving the Monster Lord with every bit of the same diligence she reserved for the Dark Goddess. As long as her hunger was sated, she wouldn't probably too big an issue. The kitsune checked the list.

…Well, there were actually going to be a few problems.

The short remainder of the day was thankfully uneventful after everything that happened. All the Ancestors were apparently behaving themselves or remaining hidden, which was still worrying in the case of the still freed Saja. However, Luka's mind wasn't at rest either. His spirit was now more troubled than ever, and meditating didn't make the situation any better. Reaching a serene mind was completely impossible right now.

The sun was starting to set when Luka finally managed to gather the determination to go see Tamamo. He was worried once again that the kitsune would be overloaded with her work… And indeed, when he found her in the library, she was surrounded by her two lieutenants as the trio was apparently tolling in front of a block.

"I have no idea where we can get that plant… It has disappeared hundreds of years ago!"

"Maybe if we get Kanon to produce it… She won't want to." Tamamo turned to look at the hero. "Do you need anything Luka?"

"Actually… I have a really private question, but I don't want to disturb you if you're working."

"You don't, we're done anyway. Let's get into my room."

The hero followed the kitsune, who once again invited him in her comfortable oriental-styled room. He shuddered briefly: the last time he entered the place, A storm had followed.

"You really seems troubled… Is Minagi playing pranks on you?"

"Nothing like that, and I'm surprised she stays at bay… No, it's about my mother."

Tamamo's tails stopped waving around.

"Kanon and Minagi told me that she was apparently extremely violent and bloodthirsty… At first, I thought that they just did that to distract me and get an edge, but then I met Hiruko who pretty much told me the same after I beat her and…" Luka sighed. "I can't explain why, I have the feeling that she isn't lying. There wasn't that maliciousness I felt into the others."

"So you thought that you'd ask me since I know your mother just as well, and you actually trust me."

Luka nodded.

"I won't beat around the bush then. Unfortunately, my dear sisters are completely right. During the Great Monster War, your mother was known as a bloodthirsty butcher. Now, it doesn't excuse what each of us did ourselves, but she didn't hesitate to kill any monster or supporter she came across, no matter their age or their role. They could be innocent lovers, they were still sinners, they were still her targets. If Micaela was the cold, calculating brain on the angel side that came up with every strategy that allowed them to survive and hold against us, Lucifina was the arm that destroyed everything. Even then, she was doing it by pleasure and not even out of a real sense of obligation."

Luka looked down, apparently slightly depressed. Tamamo sympathetically wrapped him in her tails. "I'm sorry, it's a delicate matter and I was needlessly blunt."

"It's okay… Do you know what happened afterward? I mean, she was nothing like the motherly Lucifina I knew."

Tamamo shrugged. "I don't exactly know either. We more or less always avoided each other, me because I was still worried her thirst for blood might wake up again, and her because she wanted to spite Ilias as much as possible. My guess is that, just like me, living a few hundred years while being forced to hide herself mellowed her out considerably. It would have been impossible for the old Lucifina to consider herself on the same level as a human man, and even less marrying one, no matter how heroic he is."

Luka was remaining completely silent, making the kitsune concerned. "Are you alright? It's a lot to take."

"I'm fine." Tamamo could tell that Luka's smile was slightly uncomfortable, but wasn't hiding anything worse. "I mean, you and her are the proofs that people can change with time, right? Even if it takes hundreds of years…"

She smiled back. "I guess you're willing to be as patient as I am. I wish Alice would be the same."

"About that… I'm also worried about her. She's gotten a little more… Protective since I came back."

"I can understand her. You came back to nearly die because of holy corrosion again. The opposite would have surprised me."

"I get that, but… It gets to the point where she tries to always keep me in her sight."

"…Don't tell me you had to sneak out to see me."

Luka didn't answer, focusing on his knees instead. Tamamo whistled disapprovingly.

"She isn't going to be happy about that…"

"I know! And I'll apologize to her! It's just that I'm afraid she's going to smother me and imprison me!"

"Did you at least tell her about that? …I mean other than the one time I pushed you to train against each other?"

"…Actually I didn't."

Tamamo lightly slapped Luka's forehead with her fan. "Then get to it! I don't want an angry Monster Lord either!"

"Okay, okay I'm leaving! …Still, thank you for the explanation."

"Anytime. Now shoo, before she notices!"

Luka slowly opened the sliding door, almost expecting to see a fuming Alice right on the other side, but instead, the coast was clear. The hero slowly made his way to his room, and delicately opened the door leading to his bedchambers.

"BAAAAH!"

He jumped back in surprise when a small black goat rushed out of the room. The hero was too dumbfounded to react as the animal happily ran away. He remained at the entrance for a long moment, before bracing himself for the upcoming storm.

Instead, Alice was already lying on the bed, calmly sleeping, and her expression serene. The hero frantically checked the room, but couldn't see anything or anyone that justified her falling asleep like that. Was her pregnancy tiring her that much?

The hero shrugged. He himself had a long day, and needed some rest. He would speak with Alice tomorrow.

"BAAAAH!"

"Get back here! You'll be stew by tomorrow, I swear it on my name!"

One of the scylla servant was running after the small goat that kept jumping around the hallways without a care in the world. Each time the animal was within reach, her tentacles seemed to come just short of catching the beast. She growled as she kept rushing toward it.

Fortunately for her, the animal had run into a dead end. She prepared a few sharp knives in each of her tentacle while smiling devilishly.

"Finally… This time, you won't escape!"

The moment she lunged forward, the goat jumped in the last direction she expected it to: On top of her head. Surprised, the scylla yelped as the goat escaped behind her at an impressive speed. She gave up.

"Just what are you…"

The goat continued its stroll through the castle for several minutes before reaching a door that apparently swallowed it.

"Baaah!"

Minagi lifted the small animal that had entered her room with a content expression as the latter licked her face. One issue avoided…

…Now to eliminate it entirely, she would have to convince both of them at the same time.