Back in the Pocket Castle, Alice was currently wallowed on a table, her head resting in her hand while she tried to amuse herself by spinning her spoon over a half-empty plate of ice cream. While the small Monster Lord announced that she was only concerned about Luka's disappearance because of the possible chaosization his absence could create, she was actually missing the young hero that had always accompanied her since the day she got sealed.

The pub around her was mostly calm, as if everyone else was unaware that the hero Luka had disappeared without a guaranteed chance to come back. Life was going on just as any other day. Monsters, humans and angels were discussing the latest gossips.

Damn it… I wonder if Mephisto and Promestein made progress since last time. They asked not to be disturbed, but… I must check on them. I'm not confident in their partnership in the slightest.

Alice silently left her seat, leaving a half-eaten dessert that got quickly absorbed by Candy. On her way out, she passed in front of the trio of Musette, Bell and Lyla who were each completely duct taped to different pillars. A wooden panel hanging above them was reading "we tried to brainwash the population of San Ilia in worshipping us, feel free to spank us". Her tail subconsciously slapped their leader even as she didn't slow down a bit. She teleported to Grand Noah as soon she could. The city was the closest teleportation point to the academy of Mephisto, where all the work was done. On everyone's request, the teleportation was researched in her own school as the integrity of the Pocket Castle could not be threatened yet again. Alice oriented herself northward toward the academy the moment she appeared, completely ignoring the chaos in the city as Alma Elma and Ogretooth were trying to wrestle down a particularly aggravating Myusca .

"Help me! I'm being oppressed! I only want to please people and they want to stop me!"

"Damn it Myusca! There's still the body of your latest victim drying on the central plaza! Nobody will help you!"

A man's voice echoed. "Don't worry, fair lady! I shall save you from those brutes that stop you from accomplishing your duty!"

"Oh, for the love of… can I punch him?"

"Be my guest."

The chaos of the city slowly subsided as Alice slowly sank in the depths of the forest. Her mind was too focused on Luka to notice any creature approaching. As a consequence, she only noticed the presence of someone else when she accidentally collided with a generous posterior.

"Hey! Watch it!"

"Mmmh? Sorry. I was- oh, it's you…" Alice interrupted herself when she noticed the person she had run in was none other than Sonya. The priestess of Ilias was red-faced with a mix of shame and anger as she massaged her surprisingly painful rear.

"Damn it! Watch where you're going! What are you doing here in the first place?! Don't you have to manage the castle?"

Alice frowned and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Everything is fine back home, if only because the monsters that sow chaos prefer doing so far from everyone. I wanted to make sure that the more… morally questionable people that are helping us aren't trying to make everything worse."

"Damn it!" Sonya hissed, furious. "Mephisto can manage that on her own! You just want to be the first to welcome Luka back, don't you? He will be back after Ilias knows how long, he'll jump on the first monster he will see, and you want that monster to be you, don't you?"

Alice raised an eyebrow in annoyance. "That's quite imaginative from you. As you highlighted so well in your precedent argument, I am simply fulfilling my role as a leader and inquiring for progress. Now, why are YOU here? I've not seen you for the last two days!"

"I…" Sonya turned away and blushed. "I don't trust Mephisto and Promestein to NOT muck this up." Sonya shivered. "And if they don't, then those… those…"

"Morally questionable monsters."

"Then those WHORES will!"

It's been several months since we first dealt with the Land of Night already, and she's still getting angry every time one of them enters her sight…

I understand her. And we have to rely on that damn fox as well…

"Fine, I agree with you. Still, are you alright? I've not seen you for several days, and you look a bit disheveled."

If Sonya had been blushing before, her head was now as red as a tomato. "I… got lost. I forgot to bring Harpy Feathers to quickly get back home. And I still didn't practice enough to learn spells to teleport where I want."

In her mind, Alice completely exploded in a hysterical bout of mocking, cruel laughter at the fate of the priestess. It was not just a mere mistake. It was a hilarious situation born from a chain of randomly placed dominos falling apart at a key moment thanks to the sheer, unaltered clumsiness of the one placing them. On surface level, however, Alice contented herself with a comprehensive nod. She would appreciate support from Sonya once she entered the academy.

"How about we go there together? Let's not get fired up over nothing, for all we know, Promestein didn't make any progress."

A horribly sing-song falsetto voice reached Alice's ears, startling her. "My, are you troublemakers going to disturb Promestein and Mephisto? You know they asked to not be disturbed in their party! This is so rude of you!"

"GAH! What are you doing here?!" Alice jumped and spun around to face Alicetroemeria. The disguised monster was smiling with her eyes closed right by her side. She shoved a tome in Alice's face.

"Mephisto wanted an old book that had disappeared in the destruction of the Monster Lord's castle five hundred years ago! I'm fortunate enough to have saved a copy!"

"Whatever…" Alice only slightly relaxed. "Let's just deliver it to Mephisto. We'll accompany you."

"I'm suuuure they will not be happy to see you." Alicetroemeria shook her finger like a mother scolding a child. "I'll tell that I tried to stop you!"

You're not even trying, do you? It's all a game for you… you don't care for as long as you're entertained.

Alice and Sonya reluctantly followed Alicetroemeria. When the famed magical academy appeared, Alice was surprised by the lack of apparent guards before she noticed the higher than normal number of wards around. Whatever work was done here, they didn't want to be disturbed. It didn't prevent Alice and Sonya from following right behind Alicetroemeria. The ambiance in the school felt even heavier than when they had first infiltrated the place. Alice hissed when she noticed Izuna and Minamo guarding a door. The kitsune samurai bowed as she greeted them.

"Monster Lord. Priestess. Monst-… great magus."

"Kitsune… what are you doing here?"

"We're making sure our mistress and her partners aren't disturbed in their work and remain at the ready should harm befall her."

Alice frowned. "Aren't said partners allies from the Pocket Castle? You would fight them if your mistress ordered so?"

Nanabi appeared from another doorway. "She's working with Vinum, Daji and Magatsu. And while I would trust the elder of the mountain of Mahoroba with any of my trainee, we all only tolerate the other two."

"Isn't Daji a nine-tailed kitsune? I thought you would happily work with her."

Nanabi grimaced. "Trust us, Monster Lord. We wish to do business with her as much as you do."

"I understand. What was that old adage I heard? The reason you hate someone is because you see your worst traits in them, isn't it?"

Alicetroemeria poked her head from the superior floor as she didn't bother waiting. "My! Now this is just rude for a guest, wouldn't you agree?"

Nanabi just shrugged. "I'm used to it. As long as mistress Tamamo is not disturbed, it is fine."

"Mmh. Whatever." Alice slithered away, accompanied by Sonya while the kitsunes returned to their duty. As they climbed upstairs, Sonya whispered to Alice.

"She has a point though… even in their worst days, the kitsunes have only been slightly mischievous. Compare that to the stuff the succubi put us through, it's really gentle, and they're loyal to you. Aren't you a bit harsh with them?"

Alice just shrugged. "They've suffered worse."

The matter was dropped before they arrived in front of their destination. When Alicetroemeria opened the ominous set of doors that led to their destination, Alice was caught completely off-guard. She had expected the place to be filled with magic circles, messy piles of tomes and other thaumaturgy symbols. Instead, there were several shiny white makinas orderly placed around, and only a neat small pile of books located on a desk where Promestein was herself working on one of those screened devices. The angel scientist was completely focused on typing something, barely acknowledging Alicetroemeria with a small thank and not losing a single second in her work. Alice was impressed by the speed her fingers were dancing on the keyboard as much as she was impressed by her ability to erase the background noise in the room. Indeed, a particularly persistent Morrigan and an utterly exhausted Mephisto were arguing in a corner of the room.

"Come on! I know that little scientist developed an ability to travel to another world! You're only keeping me out of this out of pure pettiness! You can trust me with Luka's safety, if only because my sisters will kill me if he doesn't come back fine quickly!"

The yoma massaged her face before answering. Visibly, that conversation had been going on for a long time.

"First, the major issue is not sending someone in that world, it is bringing them back. Second, the tool that Promestein developed in the past for whatever reason is more than somewhat unfitting and unwieldy for our goal. Her system requires heavy alteration and a full team of magi to work on it, which leads me to three. Yes, your presence here isn't wanted. And it is not from Tamamo's request, it's because that punchy angry seraph is out for the blood of succubi and yours in particular, and she would be reckless enough to attack what is a very experimental delicate procedure." Mephisto grinned, but her eyes were utterly fixated in Morrigan. "We are relying on Daji and Vinum. Does this speak well enough of how desperate our situation is? Or do we need to bring in your sisters to the castle to explain them directly?"

Morrigan defensively raised her hands. "Okay, fine, I got it, no need to get violent! I'll break them the new directly and ask them to be patient!"

"Good. Am I ever glad that we found an agreeable ground." Mephisto turned toward the newcomer. She sighed. "I apologize, but unless you can help us with our job, I will ask request you to leave for the reasons you heard. I do wish to attract as little attention as possible, and the more numerous we are, the more likely we will attract more unwanted people."

Alice grimaced. "Are you really relying on kitsunes to do something delicate? You're a little too trustful in those pranksters."

"To be more accurate, I rely on the goodwill of one kitsune, one ancient oni, and on the pragmatism of two monsters who know how bad Luka's disappearance from this world would be." Mephisto sighed. "In any case, we're making progress. Since she understands the ins and outs better than me, I will let Promestein explain."

Promestein turned around with a wide smile, gesturing around her. "It is actually so simple a child would understand. Using the natural afterimage left by Daimyokai's talisman and Luka's nature exo-dimensional field, Daji used the White Rabbit's intrinsic multiversal ability to create a line-based acquisition centered system which, by using a multidimensional lens born from its users-"

"Promestein. What did we say already?"

Promestein's smile quickly deflated. "Any explanation must be understandable in fifty words or less."

"Exactly. So please stick to the essential."

Promestein grimaced, but she gave in. She pointed at a strange, orb-like device. "We can approximately teleport to the world where Luka is, but since it's a cluster of dimension we might end up at the wrong place, and beside we're still working on a reliable way to get everyone back. The process is perfectly reliable when we have people from four different worlds starting it because their mixing origins result in signals that substract from one another. We made sure the device would only start once those conditions are fulfilled."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "It's a strangely specific set of conditions, but very well. I understand. Is it why Tamamo, Magatsu, Vinum and Daji are working together?"

Promestein nodded in a bashful agreement. "Their combined skills in the arcane crafts have nothing to envy to… anyone else actually. I'll pass on the detail of all the calculus I did since you asked for none of it, but we're getting closer. However, like ours, that world is surrounded by other closely-linked dimensions, which make it harder to draw a path in, and even harder to make a path out."

"Good." Alice smiled and turned back. "Warn me when they're done. I'll be the first to lead the rescue party."

"Hey!" The lamia hadn't even crossed a meter before Sonya got in her way. "What about me?! I'm his childhood friend! I should be the one leading the effort to save him!"

Alice pouted and looked down and the priestess. "I'm the Monster Lord, and as such-"

"Fufufufu…"

Alice winced when Alicetroemeria chuckled. "And as such, it is my duty to lead the rescuing party. The Pocket Castle needs you to be kept safe."

"As if! You really think that I'll just step aside like that for you to rape Luka?!"

"Good grief, people, if either of you asked, I would have told you that our quartet of magi will make for our rescue team as well!"

"WHAT?!"

Mephisto shook her head, disoriented by the deafening noise. She had expected the violent reaction from Sonya and Alice. She had forgotten about Morrigan's presence, and hadn't considered that Promestein herself would be disappointed. The angel scientist was now pouting, her arms crossed across her chest.

"I wanted to visit another world…"

Morrigan raised her hands. "Okay there! I know I've not always been the best ally, the most reliable monster, and that you're still a bit angry after I gave my sisters the opportunity to nail some of the heroes for themselves, buuuut… you really want the first monsters they encounter to be FREAKING DAJI AND VINUM?!"

"This is really the end when Morrigan shows herself to be more reasonable than you…"

"I shall remind you that they will be accompanied by Tamamo, Magatsu as well as myself." Mephisto frowned. "A short term absence from my person will create less damage than any of you by virtue of my role being less prevalent in history than any of yours."

"Some people back in the Pocket Castle would contest that point."

"Maybe, and this is another issue I intend to treat as well." Mephisto stepped back better encompass everyone. "Now, I thank you for your assistance, but your cumulated presence is bound to attract unwanted attention aaaand I already feel our Eden approaching at high speed with her power flaring, so if you would kindly make sure she exercises far, far away from here before something gets really broken, I would appreciate it."

A loud thump echoed at the window. Then another one. "The whole building has been reinforced several times over, and this window in particular since it directly gives on my chair. I have a dislike for being backstabbed. She won't be able to break in without help." Mephisto rolled her eyes. "I guess using the door is too hard for her."

Everyone chuckled. "Now, let's stay away from the window just in case she somehow manages to break it."

"Yeaaah, I wouldn't give her a chance." Morrigan gestured toward the silhouette trying to break the window . "You're sure you don't want us to stay here? Our seraph's not the most clear-minded people when she's angry."

Look who's talking.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind. In the meantime, please tell Nanabi to stay put and focus on guarding the team downstairs, and if you would give me a hand tidying up the place as well, I would very much appreciate it."

Several minutes passed with Eden still attacking the window while everyone was going on with their self-affected tasks in Mephisto's office. Alice felt a wave chill her body. Then the window finally caved in and Eden finally entered. The seraph majestically glided in the room, a knee raised as she imperiously looked down on everyone in the room while they looked back in awe at the messenger of the goddess.

Or at least that's how she imagined it. The reality was slightly less dignified as the broken space wasn't enough to accommodate for her generous forms. The seraph was forced to grab the border of the window and forced her upper body through with much difficulty. However, she was not quite in yet, as her curvy lower half refused to follow through. As she was shuffling around and groaning under a mocking scrutiny, Sonya approached her with the clear intent to help her.

"Get your filthy hands off me you monster supporter!"

Sonya recoiled, more annoyed than outright shocked by the insult. The different monsters exchanged quick glances in the process.

She got help, didn't she?

Very likely. I can still feel her helper concealed. She's so proud she doesn't even want to show she got some help.

Fufufu… this is going to be fun!

Yeaaah… we have very different ideas of fun… oh, right, I'm the only one around who dealt with her in her prime.

Eden eventually managed to fully enter in the room, only needing an additional minute to clear her hair from inelegant debris. Alice tried to look at her as if she was an ally in need of help and not a seraph who kept ridiculing herself and was about to be a nuisance.

"Do you need help with anything?"

"No! I am simply here to stop your dark schemes right now!" Eden twirled a large spear in her hand and accursedly pointed the end at Mephisto and Promestein.

"Good grief, why did little old me expect anything else?"

Promestein didn't even turn away from her computer when she answered. "Because you're not used to her enough. She probably thinks that we're trying to plan the extermination of Snow Heaven or something just as dumb."

Eden haughtily huffed. "Nonsense! I know that your real goal is to use your depraved charms to corrupt the hero chosen by Ilias, the descendant of the Daystar herself, to make him into your toy!"

Morrigan grinned. "Awww, someone's mad because she hasn't been getting the D lately."

"Please don't further antagonize her. And keep her away from the orb. She would just break it."

Eden glared at the small angel scientist, then at the device. Getting the hint, Morrigan glided around the room and grabbed the orb first.

"Nnnoooope! I'll make sure it's safe! Wait, should it feel warm?"

Promestein raised an eyebrow. "No, only if it's about to activate."

"Then why is it getting hotter?"

A flash of light swallowed all the people in the office, leaving behind only a few flying sheets of paper.


A floor below, Tamamo and Vinum were doing the utmost to map out a pat through dimensions. A large magical display made of a tightly packed number of bubbles was standing at the center of the room. A thin line was passing around several of them, slowly expanding toward one marked at its destination. Both small monsters were observing it closely, Tamamo's tails unconsciously twinning around each other behind her back while Vinum's was standing behind her as straight as an arrow. Both monsters sighed when the line crossed a bubble.

"Stop it, we're through another dimension again."

The White Rabbit appeared in the room for a short moment before turning into Daji. The purple kitsune angrily patted her fluffy tails and ears.

"Damn it! At this rate, I feel like I'll only remember being the White Rabbit and forget my identity! Can't we just cross through one of those worlds instead?"

"I don't want to take the chance of attracting the attention of those apoptosis or more locals." Vinum sulked. "If it was that simple, we would already be out of there."

I'm glad to see that they still have their priority straight… it's not a problem for as long as they're willing to help. And not touch Luka once he's back. Tamamo refrained from grimacing. The other heroes will definitively get molested however, and I'm not sure I'll be able to stop it. Even Magatsu gets aroused each time she thinks about her disciple.

"Fine. But I'm done trying to use the powers of the White Rabbit for today." Daji occasionally shook her body as she appropriated it to herself again.

"We'll work on the mapping then. We'll never manage to properly display four-dimensional worlds in this plan, but it will help us understand what we're doing."

Everyone nodded in agreement. As they focused on the map itself, Tamamo felt a sensation of discomfort run through her. Vinum pouted.

"That annoying seraph is at the window… maybe I'll help them get rid of her. I could use the exercise."

"No. There are already several monsters to take care of her."

Including Morrigan, Alice and… oh, by the founder, does Luka even look at who he recruits before he accepts them? Tamamo shivered. Huuurgh… Why, Luka… why did you accept Black Alice in your ranks? And there's Eden of course.

Then a few minutes a chill ran up Tamamo's spine, startling her. That feeling of dread was inferior to what she felt during the Great Monster war, but was undeniably familiar. Even her colleagues were visibly shaken. The feeling disappeared just as quickly as it appeared.

"That seraph brought in some company. The kind I'm not sure they will manage."

"And yet, she's keeping her in reserve…" Tamamo looked down. "Knowing Eden, she's probably having one of her moment." In front of the attention of everyone, Tamamo felt obligated to continue. "She suffers from a severe inferiority complex because Ilias gave her less attention than her sisters. She loathes being the third seraph."

Daji grinned evilly. "Thank you fort that information! I had identified her complex, but not its origin. Now I know exactly where to poke at!"

Tamamo glared at her. "Don't abuse it. She's still dangerous."

Daji looked up. "Oh, I can say that she's exactly as dangerous as… I can no longer feel anyone on the floor above us."

Tamamo blinked a few times to try guessing out if it was another prank from the demon or real before remembering she could check with her own senses. When she felt the presence of Nanabi climbing upstairs, she quickly rushed out herself and joined in. The room was empty. Their equipment was undisturbed. And the teleportation orb had disappeared. Only a lingering smell informed her of who was teleported. She frowned and shook her head.

"That can't be possible… They needed people from four different worlds to trigger that orb. I thought that little angel scientist had correctly coded that security!"

Daji sniffed the air with a minute before grinning again. "And I can tell that she did a commendable duty. It's just unfortunate that she forgot outside interference in the process."

Vinum raised an eyebrow. "All people from the Seven Worlds were kept away for this reason. Oh. Right. I forgot about them." The succubus looked down, in disappointment.

Tamamo herself tried to focus her search, aggravated by the feeling of being locked out of the loop. Eventually, she remembered Nanabi's past reports about the companions of the hero. Her ears flattened on top of her head.

"This can't be for real… what now?"

Daji was surprisingly more jovial. "Well, since we can't do anything about it for now. Maybe later, but now now. So how about we have ourselves a little fuckfest in Grandeur to wind off?"

Tamamo tilted her head and contemptuously glanced at Daji. "You planned all this, didn't you?"

"Trust me, I learned better than to mess with Luka." Daji turned surprisingly pale as she massaged her throat. "My proposition is still open though. What will it be?"

"Fufufu… maybe I can have some fun."

"First drinks are on me!"

"…I'll actually join if you don't mind." Tamamo threw her arms in the air.

"Sure! You can even invite your whole clan if you wish! You really need to drop that stick you have in your small butt."

My hindquarter is just the right size to bear the weight of my fluffy tails.

You're just jealous because they're fluffier than yours.


"This can't be for real…"

The whole group that had been in Mephisto's office barely a minute ago was now in a place that none of them imagined existed. They had landed in ruins that wouldn't have been out of place in their own world if it wasn't for the fact that everything was made with materials from books. The pillars were made with precariously stacked volumes. The floor itself was hidden under pages covered with undecipherable texts written in various languages. A river of black ink was slowly flowing by, although the occasional unnatural bump appearing warned any onlooker to not get any closer.

Alice shook her head in an attempt to remove the flashes dancing in front of her eyes. The small Monster Lord was feeling in full possession of her senses otherwise, but she was concerned about how everyone else was faring. She could still detect them through their scent, but the chemical smell of the place threatened to burn her keen nose and forced her to use magic to dampen her sense of smell.

To her relief, everyone else was here. Sonya looked slightly sick, but was standing on her own. Promestein was already busy studying her new environment, a notebook in hand. Alicetroemeria was merrily skipping around like a child. Mephisto was massaging her face. And finally, Eden was glaring at a slightly horrified Morrigan. Still holding the orb, the succubus raised both of her hands in the air.

"I swear I didn't mean it."

"Mmph! Foul demon! Either you are lying, or your very presence corrupted this system!"

Morrigan stood her ground. "Hey! I wouldn't have grabbed it if you didn't threaten to destroy it in the first place! And besides, wasn't it supposed to only activate when people from four different worlds were around?!"

Everyone looked in the direction of an oblivious Promestein. The small angel was already trying to take samples from a book pile, completely ignoring everyone else. She yelped in surprise when she felt a pleasurable electrical shock in her crotch. The angel scientist sheepishly turned around to finally see everyone looking down on her.

"Why are you all asking me? I did what was requested! Mephisto's the one responsible for letting people from four different worlds in the room!"

"What? Wait a minute please." Mephisto raised an eyebrow and pulled out her wand. "Alicetroemeria comes from the past, Morrigan from makai, yourself from Heaven… and then... us. Ah. I see. Of course." Mephisto looked down. "I apologize. I should have made it clear that when I was talking about four different world, I was excluding ours. It is my mistake."

Eden accursedly pointed her spear at Mephisto. "So you witch confess your crime! Only monsters make mistakes so pathetic! You will have to answer to the Goddess herself!"

"I very much doubt that, and I will allow myself to say that I at least fully owe up to my actions contrary to a certain angel who still hides her own support to save face."

"I will not stand idle in front of your baseless accusation!"

Mephisto nonchalantly pointed her wand in the direction of the seraph. "Dispel."

A small yelp followed by a tumbling sound echoed as Lucifina-chan appeared behind Eden. The small angel got up and crossed her arms, pouting like a child in front of everyone.

"I told you they were going to find out! But you had to go through your plan, you stupid big sister! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

"Huuh, what's that moving thing?"

Everyone ignored Sonya to focus on the scuffle between Eden and Lucifina. Eden herself was shamefully trying to avoid everyone's gaze, caught red-handed in her web of lies. She kept stumbling on her words, and seeing Alicetroemeria and Morrigan grin angered her as much as it worsened the shame. She kept spouting a few more inarticulate profanities when Mephisto threw her hands in the air in defeat.

"Well, if we're done with this third-grade theatrical farce, may I suggest we start moving?"

Eden completely froze when Mephisto uttered the word third. The seraph's anger grew in strength and beat her shame senseless, soon followed by her common sense. Her whole body turned an almost inhuman deep shade of red as she finally exploded.

"I WILL NOT LET MY NAME BE BESMIRCHED BY THE LIKES OF THE SHAMELESS DESCENDANTS OF THE DARK WHORE! IF I SHALL FIGHT YOU, THEN SO BE IT!"

"Yeah, speaking about dark, I think that thing looks hostile… seriously look at it!"

"Eden! They're Luka's friends! If you fight them, you'll no longer be my big sister!"

Eden's anger abated as quickly as it rose. In a second, she became more concerned with placating her little sister than anything else. "W-wait Lucifina-chan… I still love Luka with all my heart! But… but you must understand that those horrible monsters want to corrupt him and-"

"And fighting them will make him sad! This is a stupid idea. Stupid! Stupid!" Lucifina-chan stomped her foot with each exclamation.

"Hey, it's charging us! A little help please?"

"And now I feel fine with the relationship I have with my own sisters."

"It's a shame… family scuffles are fun to watch and make wonder for progress together."

"They're angels. It's a miracle none of them stabbed one another back in the Pocket Castle."

"Good grief, Alice, do you have so little respect for your subordinates?"

"They're not my subordinates, they're angels."

"Lucifina-chan! Please, you have to help me!"

"I'M THE ONE IN NEED OF HELP IF YOU ALL DON'T WANT TO GET PANCAKED BY WHATEVER IS THAT!"

The whole group turned toward Sonya just in time to see the priestess roll away from a shockwave. A giant with a fish-like head and scaled extremities had just swung its club where Sonya was. The priestess answered by sweeping the monster of its feet and striking him repeatedly in the head. The beast released a cloud of inks that turned into tentacles before hitting the priestess straight in the head. Sonya stepped back with a scream as she tried to protect her face.

"Sigma Frost!"

The head of the giant became encased in ice, but it didn't stop the beast from getting up. It's only when Mephisto blasted it with lightning that the creature fell for good. Its body quickly dissolved in a puddle of corrosive ink. It's only then that Promestein intervened.

"Impressive." She repositioned her glasses. "Like Tartarus, this region isn't naturally suitable for the development of life, and yet, some life forms exist. They're apparently born from the environment itself, and are even using the same material! I wonder if they're artificial guardians created by another entity, if they've naturally been generated by the place itself as a mean of defense, or if they're other creatures that got influenced."

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." Sonya massaged her face while grimacing in pain. Even if she knew her healing spell would have removed any corrosive disfiguration, the feeling of her own skin was currently an alien tingle. "And you better not suggest we capture one for further analysis or I will club you next!"

Promestein gasped and stepped back. Unfortunately, she quickly met resistance and felt a pair of arms wrap from behind before feeling Morrigan's hot breath in her ears.

"Aww, don't worry about our little priestess… she's faaar from the biggest danger around. She got a point though. We don't want dangerous monsters to catch something like back in Tartarus, do we? So don't wander off to take a silly virus-covered sample or I swear I'll make you feel so good you'll forget everything about science. Am I clear?"

Promestein could only nod and whimper.

"Good girl."

Morrigan released the scientist who quickly ran toward Mephisto and Alice. The two monsters were surrounded by magic circles that quickly disappeared.

"I'll make it short. Our magic is perfectly operational in this world, I can feel several more life forms like the one we encountered and none remotely human, so the heroes are at least nowhere within a hundred-mile radius. The only atypical signature I can feel is very likely to be a portal in that direction." Mephisto fiddled with her wand. "Going by the tonality of this place, we may very well have ended in a pocket dimension."

"Like the Pocket Castle?"

"Possibly. May I suggest we start moving toward this exit? Our goal is obviously not here."

Unfortunately, an objection quickly appeared. "I refuse! If we have landed in this very place, then it is by the will of the Goddess! The hero shall surely meet us here!"

"Lead the way Mephisto. I already hate this place."

"Yay! We'll get to see Luka again soon!"

"Fufufu…"

Eden growled as everyone save for her was moving away, ignoring her. Alice casually started to discuss with Mephisto.

"You know, it's actually lucky Vinum didn't come here, I think that she would have wanted to stay to read all these books."

"I concur. I wonder if she would have been able to sustain herself on the local inhabitants."

Alice grimaced. "Not if they're as disgusting as the floor." She caught on herself. "Not that I took a bite from it to see how it tasted like!"

"Fufufu… is the small Monster Lord so desperately hungry that she couldn't help herself?"

Alice pouted and ignored her elder. She still started slithering a smidge faster as the fear of a lack of food pushed her forward. Eventually, Eden caught back the group, earning herself a few mockeries of Morrigan in the process.

"What, you decided that following the great plan of the Goddess was not worth it?"

"I only do this to keep an eye on you, you depraved fiend! You will not lead men on the path to damnation and prevent them from accomplishing their duties by strutting around with your flesh exposed!"

"Eden? May I remind you that you are the one who's always naked? And that you're the one who incapacitated the whole clergy of San Ilia by deciding, and I quote your own reason ad verbatim, that their dutifulness should be rewarded appropriately?"

"I only did it according to the plan of the Goddess."

"Whatever floats your boat." Alice closed her eyes and sighed. If the mystical atmosphere native to this place was giving her a headache, the one surrounding the group made her want to pass out. They were almost at the top of a set of stairs when Alice saw two ink-filled black pools bubble ahead of them. Their content coalesced to spawn large floating squid-faced amalgamates of grey flesh and torn robes. Alice barely had the time to see them before Alicetroemeria casted a wave of darkness that took the first out. The second didn't have the opportunity to attack either as Lucifina had charged and chopped the monster into pieces in the blink of an eye.

"Good grief… that would have been nice to know if they were friendly before you reduced them to pieces."

"Argh! Mephisto! We already got attacked on sight by one of their friend! Do you really want to check again if they'll bring tea and crumpets?!"

"Yes."

Alice ignored Sonya shouting in frustration to look at Eden instead. The seraph was busy gently scolding her fellow.

"Lucifina, you should save your energy and let the monsters do the fighting. They're expendable to the plan of the Goddess."

"How nice of you."

Eden turned away and haughtily huffed. Fortunately, Lucifina didn't seem to care about the remark, although the bloodlust visible in her eyes scared Alice. Turning away didn't calm the nervers of the small Monster Lord who always saw eyes staring at her from the edge of her field of vision.

"Well, that was closer than I thought."

Alice welcomed the distraction and approached Mephisto who was examining a black book. The tome was covered in an irregular black leather-like material with the pattern of several eyes imprinted on it.

Mephisto grimaced. "I don't have good memories of black books that are looking at you."

"You mean because books are supposed to be read and not the ones doing the reading?"

"That's a part of it, yes." Mephisto carefully opened the book. The text inside was in a language that she couldn't decipher, but it didn't matter to her. Barely a minute after, a scintillating portal large enough for a man appeared by her side.

"Well, that was surprisingly easy."

"Mmmh… maybe not. I'm not confident in a portal that I didn't create myself."

Both Mephisto and Alice remained still as they examined the portal, eventually joined by Promestein. Confused by their apparent immobility, Sonya decided to question them.

"Why aren't we just crossing that portal to escape this damned place? You said it yourself, we're in some sort of pocket dimension, it's the sole exit, and there's nothing for us, not even food!"

"Food? Where?!"

"Nowhere. And we don't know what's on the other side."

Morrigan scoffed. "What, you really think that we can't take out whatever's on the other side?" Her aura flared. "We've got enough power to wreck a nation, I'm not worried by any old librarian that would guard it!"

"That's the thing. Unless those books are dime a dozen, a good librarian-"

"ADVENTUUUUUUUUUURE!"

The whole group was surprised by Lucifina who jumped on top of them with surprising strength, shoving them all in the portal that seemed to expand to take them all in. The whole party found itself compressed in an extremely small space. Alice found her whole body compressed by Eden against a window. She quickly focused dark energy, and refrained from punching the seraph that had annoyed her so much to instead free the group. Everyone was freed in a cacophony of indignant screams and glass shattering as they were thrown upward thanks to sheer pressure. As small shards rained around them, Mephisto grabbed her hat which was resting on Morrigan's backside and dusted it off, her face a jaded mask of exhaustion.

"…a good librarian would place it under a physical protection to keep it safe."

And I didn't have time to set up a I told you so.