Author note :
Damn me, I almost broke my promise to myself. I'm trying to release at least one chapter a month as long it's not writer block or real life hit, but because of how lazy myself is I cut one of the event in this chapter and planned it for next chapter, so I'm not breaking my promise. after all it's going to take more than a week if I added it. really i'm bad at keeping promise to myself...sorry for ranting.
To 'A Lost Nuffians' : Hey, you're back and thanks for the review. actually this is my plan it is easy to make character development from stupid to normal to wise and look not forced than from normal to wise to wiser. And that's why it's gonna be hard when the time I write "the old maid alliance" characters. I hope i'm not messed up too much when writing them.
To 'Someone' : thanks for the review. that drawback you said, actually me trying my hand on touhou character. so one day (or never) when I want to write a story in gensokyo at least i have tried it and probably going to see someone told me that not how the character is.
So if anyone want me to write a touhou character just PM me, since my planning for this story is as following :
trying to think one of the character then searching their profile then make a story in my head around them in this world and last trying to fit the timeline.
but don't be dissapointed if I decided not to write it. since probably because their ability or i can't think the right timeline for them (ex : kisume). if that happen sorry.
and sorry for the long note and I wonder which one of you guys prefer the note on top or bottom? I hope you answer that so I can adjust it for the next chapter.
Hope you enjoy this chapter.
At night a lone male adventurer is traversing through the forest trying to find a way out. A while ago, he is opened a map and tried to find a way out of the forest, but the forest is too dark for him to see the map clearly. So he decided to wandering randomly trying to find a good place to camp.
In the middle of his search he saw many flickering spots of light in the distance. Watching from afar the light is not that impressive and only made him curious about what the source of it. But as he got closer to it, his feeling changed from curiosity to amazement. What at first look like a random spot of lights now it look like the star in the sky is descended to the forest and made the forest not as dark as before.
He continued moving forward inside the lights until his detection skill picked up something. He becomes wary for it to come toward him and waited for awhile, but what got detected by him didn't move from the detected place, so he decided to investigate it. When he is approaching it, a child like figure is seen at a clearing amidst many lights.
The antennae on top on the child's head make him draw a conclusion that the child is a monster. Not for long, the child is turning its head to his location, he quickly hide behind a nearby tree before the child seen him. Or at least that what he was thought, he could sense the child now is moving to his location.
Since his hiding is known and confident enough to defend against every attack, he decided to come out of hiding and show himself.
"Aw, why you show yourself human? I want to surprise you."
The child is frowning and a look of disappointed showing in her face.
"I'm sorry to do that," He said it while smiling. "I'm Ezzil an adventurer, is my presence disturbing you?"
"Not really, actually you come at the right time. I want to ask you about something"
"And what would that be?"
"I want to know what your opinion of insect in general?"
"Did you mean the normal insect or the monster?"
"Both."
Ezzil put his hand on the chin and pretending to think. He is wondering why the child is asking that and what the answer that the child want to hear since he really don't want to fight. But nothing came to his mind so he decided to just give his honest opinion.
"If it is the normal one I don't really care about it, but the monster is something that needed to be exterminated since they are giving everyone a problem and dangerous."
"So it was better than I thought. I wonder if everyone around here has the same opinion as you."
"Around here? So you're not from here Wriggle?"
"Yes, I am not from here but how do you know my name?"
"I'm sorry, I'm using my skill to know it but can I ask what are you doing here Wriggle?"
"I want to know the opinion about insect from human around here. At first, I try to ask the insect around here but just as I thought no one know about it. Then I try to summon an insect but he didn't know too and then you came, still what are you doing here at this time?"
"Well, the truth is I'm getting lost after defeating a monster. On the middle of trying to find my way back, I saw a light and got curious. Is this light is your doing?"
"No, it was my cute insect friend doing."
"There's an insect that could do this?"
"Yes there is," Wriggle said a firefly then landed on Wriggle hand. "Just look here."
Ezzil look at the light that landed on Wriggle's hand and sure enough there's a small animal that emitting the light.
"It seems you don't know much about insect and since you're lost how about you stay here? I will teach you all about insect and I will protect you from the beast around here." Wriggle said.
"I guess it's not a bad offering, but you won't attack me in my sleep, right?"
"For now, I'm not in the mood to attack human so you can relax."
"So you will attack me if you're in the mood?"
"Well yes, but we can't stop discussing that. I will summon one of the insect and explain what benefit if you keep them alive." Wriggle said.
Then a frown is showing on Wriggle face.
"Weird, it seems I can't summon anything even though I can do it a while ago."
"Then we can't do anything about it right? I guess I'll prepare to sleep."
"No don't sleep yet, just wait here I'll bring an insect to you."
Wriggle then moving quickly and fly away from the clearing, leaving him alone. Seeing Wriggle leave, a thought to leave this place too came to his mind, but this is a good place to camp and he will never knew if he is going to find another place likes this in this forest. Since it was nighttime he decided to wait until Wriggle comeback rather than trying to find another place.
While waiting he took out something from his magic bag. The item that he took out is look like a miniature triangular tent.
He then put it on the ground and said "Enlarge".
A light surround the miniature tent and it became a normal size tent that he could sleep in it.
"Convenient item as usual, it's not a waste to splurge my money for this item. Still I wonder how the hero came up with the idea and made this."
Not for long his detection skill sense 2 new monsters coming to his direction. He is thinking maybe this is Wriggle coming back with someone but he still wary of it. Fortunately, his prediction is correct what come to his direction is Wriggle with a large centipede following behind her.
"Good you're still here, human."
"Really, I have tell you my name right. Why do you keep calling me 'human'?"
"That's not important after all I will forget it anyway. It's better to start educating you since I found many kind insects."
Wriggle start showing an insect and describing it to him. Since He wanted to keep his promise he is listening to every word that Wriggle said. Though what he thinks will only last for few minutes ended up lasting for hour and Wriggle is still not stop talking.
"Sorry, but can't we end the lesson soon?" Ezzil interrupted wriggle.
"Eh, but there's some of them that I'm still not tell you."
"I know but I'm tired and need to sleep. If we continue, I don't think I will remember anything."
"Ugh fine, you can sleep and just as promised I will protect you while you asleep."
"How about you sleep too and let the insect protect us. After all a healthy young boy like you need a good sleep."
"Boy? I'm a girl you know," Wriggle angrily said.
"Ehhh, I thought you're a boy."
Wriggle face-palmed and sighed.
"I should have told you more about the fireflies, so you could distinguish their gender. Anyway just go to sleep! I will patrol around here so you don't have to worry about anything else."
After said that Wriggle leaving him alone at the clearing and going inside the forest.
"I never thought that he is a she." Ezzil muttered.
Wriggle gender come as surprise him, but that's not the only thing that surprise him. The fact that she could summon this many fireflies is an impressive feat. He knew about the summonner class, they can summon as many monsters as their mana pool allows it but counting the fireflies made him wonder how large is Wriggle's mana. Not only that, Wriggle could control any kind of insects made him feared her since this forest is home to many insect monster and her lesson is not helping him.
His line of thought is going wild about Wriggle and what she could do. He came up with many theories and still thinking about more. But his mouth is yawning remembering him that he is exhausted and need to sleep.
"I hope she really will protect me and not kill me instead."
Then Ezzil is going inside the tent and sleep.
Ezzil is a morning and he usually woke up at this time. But because of last night lesson and thinking about Wriggle made him still asleep even when the sun is up. Though after awhile he immediately wake up and see he is swarmed by many insect. He was going to use his magic only to stop when he saw Wriggle.
"It's a success, you are waking up." Wriggle said.
"Did the insect that swarmed around me is your doing?"
"Yes," Wriggle said then stopped one of his hands that get raised. "No wait don't do that, they are not out yet. You don't want they get crushed while still inside your ear right."
Then what referred by Wriggle is got out from both of his ear. Seeing it make him broken a cold sweat.
"Uhm...So the buzzing and rustling that I heard is because of them and there's none of them left in my ear, right?"
"Yes all of them have got out," Wriggle said. "Do you think I should do this to other human and show them that insect can be useful too?"
"Please don't, I'm almost kill them with my magic. You won't want that to happen right?"
"Hm, I guess you're right. It seems I'll need to think something else later."
"Well since I'll going back to my home do you have some message to human."
After Wriggle told him her message he is leaving out of the forest and back to the kingdom.
When he is entering the adventurer guild he is becoming center of attention. After all his towering height and brawny physique is known to many adventurers inside the guild. Though what made him known is not his build but his achievement of beating a big monster only with bare hand.
He moves to his usual counter to report the guild about his completion of quests.
"Yo Ezzil you're back," Said a young man behind the counter. "If you're back, it means you did subjugate that Gigant Boar, Right?"
"Yeah Neil, I did manage to subjugate it."
Ezzil then handed one of the boar ear.
"As expected of Ezzil, Now are you going to sell the corpse?"
"No I won't sell it."
"It's rare for you to not sell it. What are you going to do it?"
"I'm going to use it as a ration for my travel to Ezalia."
"Eh! Ezalia the frontier kingdom that near the demon king's castle! That Ezalia!"
Hearing the commotion some adventurers inside is gathering near their location.
"Yes that Ezalia."
"I always knew they will ask for your strength one day. So who order you there, is it the hero or guild master?"
"Sorry to disappoint you but none of them is ordering me. I'm going there because I want to retired from being adventurer."
Everyone who heard this is shocked and let out a scream including Neil.
"Why! You're still strong and gain a lot of money with many quests it's going to be our loss if you leave. So why?"
"I can't tell him the reason I'm quitting is because, I want to find a girl of my preference at Ezalia." Ezzil thought.
He trying to find a better excuse in his mind and he remembered something. "I wanted to try to use the knowledge I learn from my adventuring and going back home after all Ezalia is my hometown too."
"You could still be adventurer while in there too." Neil persuaded.
"I'm sorry, but I want to rest and in Ezalia if I'm not doing any quests, I will be ashamed."
"Oh yeah, Ezalia's adventurer is known for their hardworking. Well if that what you want I won't persuade you anymore. Anyway when you will start leaving this kingdom?"
"Probably I'm leaving tomorrow."
"That mean I can't ask you for accompany me today, for investigation about new monster."
"There's a new monster?"
"Yes there is, they say that monster could control the monster inside the insect dungeon even though it shouldn't have possible to control them, after all the legendary hero tried to do that and fail. I bet they are just making up monster since they are ashamed about losing to swarm of insect."
"Is the monster appearance like a child with an antennae on top of it head?"
"Yes it was similar with the report of the first group who sees it. Could it be you see the monster?"
"Yes and I will give you advice try not to anger her."
"Her?"
"Yeah her, she told me herself. Put that aside you really shouldn't tried to beat her inside the forest, since she really can control any kind of insect and it won't be weird if she could control the insect in dungeon."
"Do you think you could beat her?"
"If she was alone I believe I could, but if it inside the forest I will just be a food to her insect," Ezzil said. "Oh yeah I just remembered she have a message to us. 'Don't act haughty and mighty human treat us insect with respect and fear since we too have an important role in this world' or something like that."
Hearing it Neil is becoming anxious about his mission to investigate her.
"Relax you don't have to be that scared, as long as you praise the insect I bet she will let you go."
"Yeah I will do that if I see her."
