Managed to get this chapter out much earlier than I anticipated since my sem is finally over boys and girls ! WHOOO !

So yeah, good news chapter updates will be a bit quicker now, so enjoy while it lasts.

:P

Big thanks to Qinlongfei for beta reading this chapter and making sure everything was okay.

This chapter was honestly freestyled a lot and I have to say, that I am very much happy with the result. We got a lot of stuff happening in this chapter alone and I think you won't be disappointed.

With that said, let's get it started.

Chapter 31: Face-Off

After determining that getting to Ake's friend is going to be at least a week's travel north, they restock on food and water before setting out again. Naofumi this time is at the front of the carriage, holding Filo's reins and deciding to take this chance to get used to driving the carriage. It really wasn't as hard as he thought it would be since Filo moved forward on her own and didn't really need any sort of encouragement. Raphtalia and Ake are in the back, where he can hear Ake's snoring indicating that he's asleep while he wasn't sure what Raphtalia was doing.

Mein for her part was riding on Jun next to the carriage, keeping a steady pace acting as the main carriage's protection in case they get ambushed again. She had her hood pulled up which meant that it was difficult for Naofumi to judge her expression, not like he could on a good day because of how excellent her poker face was.

He thinks a lot about the information he received from Mein the night before and he feels as if he has more questions than answers now.

Who was Mein Sophie ?

Despite her sweet and nice nature at the beginning of their adventure, Naofumi now knows that there is a lot more going on with Mein than what meets the eye. She has this dangerous and outright venomous side that she keeps hidden until the moment is desperate or when she needs to, he never sees it a lot but its there. It was there when she took down that adventurer in the guild, it was there when she killed all those bandits, its always there just...scratching just beneath the surface.

And her skills...not just the ones her Mark gives her, but her skill set in general. Who was she before he met her really ?

Was she a thief of some kind ? An assassin maybe ? Or maybe she was telling the truth about her backstory and she actually is an adventurer from a fallen noble house ? But if that was true why does she have the skills of an assassin ? Its puzzling in its own way trying to decipher what's the truth and lies when it comes to Mein.

But there is one thing he is absolutely sure about...

There's something deeply wrong with Mein.

He noticed it when she killed those bandits, there was something...dispassionate and disturbingly cold about the way she went about. The way she moved in general just simply killing all those bandits without saying a word or acting like she was unnerved the whole time ? That was a kind of killer instinct that you only get from training...or if something happened to Mein when she was younger.

Maybe both in her case.

And there came in the reigning factor: The Shadow Demon.

From first impressions, Naofumi got the sense that he was a bad guy all around, going around murdering and torturing people...that just didn't sit right with him. But Mein spoke about him like he was her folk town hero...did she look up to him for some reason ? She did say that some common folk looked up to the guy because he was sticking it to the nobles, so that might be a reason...

But Naofumi gets the strange feeling that its more personal than that.

Naofumi honestly doesn't know how to feel about any of this really. What is he supposed to do or feel about something like that ? He's an otaku loser shut-in who never had many friends, much less a girlfriend in his life, how is he supposed to do anything for Mein ?

" Naofumi...Naofumi !"

Mein's voice knocked him out of the trance as he turned back to her.

" We should find a village to rest and hole up in for the night. Filo and Jun could use the rest " Mein says, gently patting Jun's head.

" Good idea, is there one nearby on that local map ? " Naofumi asked.

Mein took out a map from her Mark's inventory, which made him wonder how the heck you manage to store items in a freaking tattoo ? Then again it makes as much sense as his Shield's inventory, so who is he to question ?

" We're a couple miles out from a village near here...by the name of Greenland village. Sounds like a good place to spend the night "

" Alright let's go..." Naofumi sees Mein take the lead on Jun and he calls out to her " Mein ? "

" Yes, Naofumi ? "

He wishes he knew the right words to say to her. Get her to open up and start talking about her past, about her issues...but he doesn't.

" Nevermind..."

Mein didn't pay it much mind as she rode ahead with Jun, with Naofumi following behind dejected at what just happened.

Same shit as back home. Always too much of a coward to speak up when it counts.

Mein's POV

It took almost another two hours to reach the village, by that point it was past afternoon and sunlight was starting to wane, but there was still enough that she could see the entrance to the village coming up. It was a medium sized village, maybe a bit bigger than Lute comparatively. As they got closer, Mein could see a villager standing guard at the entrance armed with a cheap spear that looks like the shaft is about to break.

" Stop ! Hang on there folks !" The guard stops them at the entrance and takes a good look at them " You don't look like you're from around here, adventurers ?"

" Of a kind " Mein answered cooly.

" Sorry folks, but you're gonna have to pay 3 silvers to enter " The guard explained.

Three silvers ? That was much higher than any other toll they had encountered thus far.

" That's a little expensive for a toll, don't you think ? Can you lower it ? We have a trader's pass " Naofumi showed the man, the gold pass.

" Sorry, but no exceptions. Pay the toll or go to the next village over " The man said firmly.

Understanding that it would take too long to reach the next town, Mein sighed and took out three silvers " Here "

" Thank you...head on in " The man opened up the gate to let them in.

" Know where the inn is ? We could use a goodnight's sleep " Naofumi asked.

" Head to the town square on your left, you should be able to find the inn there. There should also be a space for you to park your carriage too "

" Thanks " Mein rode forward on Jun with the carriage following behind her.

Their entrance into the village attracted some attention, the villagers they passed stared in awe at Jun and Filo. Probably due to them never seeing a raptor or filorial this big before. As they passed through, Mein couldn't help but notice more than a few buildings that were partially destroyed, collapsed parts of the wooden wall still haven't been fixed and a despairing look on some people's faces. It seemed like Lute wasn't the only village to get hit hard by the Wave.

" Come on, come on ! We're going to be late for dinner !"

" Okay, okay, stop pulling..."

Mein caught sight of a young girl pulling along what looked to be her mother, she had black hair and was wearing a green dress. Looks like its not all doom and gloom in this village. If at least a few people can still find some joy in the world, then maybe the world isn't completely doomed.

She tries to ignore that as they reach the inn, parking their carriage at the side and their two kids transform back into their human form. Quickly covering them both in some of those oversized cloaks they had bought before they left the capital

" Let's get inside quickly before we attract more attention " Mein suggested as she held Jun's hand as they walked inside.

" Agreed. I'd rather not have to explain to the villagers about why our filorial and dragon can transform " Naofumi agreed, holding Filo's hand.

Entering the inn the bell door chimes alerting of their arrival, she hears a lazy 'welcome' from behind the front desk. The inn itself was nothing fancy but it should be a suitable place to stop and rest for the night since like Lute, Greenland is mostly composed of wooden buildings and such.

" Adventurers, have come to the village ? " The man behind the counter stood up and took a good look at them. He was in his late 40's, balding and sported a beard. He looked to have been reading a book until he took a good look at them and saw they were not his usual guests.

" Good evening sir, our group is looking to stop for tonight and we would like a 6 rooms for the night " Mein requested calmly.

" Filo wants to be with daddy !" Filo complained like a petulant child causing Mein to roll her eyes.

" Its alright Mein, I can share a room with Filo, she's still young..." Naofumi waved her off.

" Fine...make it 5"

" Heh, that's kids for ya. Do you two always take your kids with you on adventures ? " The innkeep chuckled a little at them.

" Not always. Say what is up with this crazy high toll ? Three silvers is a pretty big fee for a village to ask " Naofumi questioned the high entrance fee.

" Sorry about that good sir, but the village lord said that all visitors not from the neighbouring villages, are forced to pay a toll " The innkeep explained " We got hit pretty hard by the wave, so the lord is having all adventurers and merchants pay a high toll to enter the village "

Mein did notice more than a few destroyed buildings that were still under repair and damage that was done by the wave.

" Well, we won't be staying long, how much for the night ? "

" Hmmm...two silvers "

" Deal " Naofumi took out the money and paid the innkeep, handing each of them their room key.

" We got a restaurant if you're hungry but uh...word of advice, don't go to the forest on the north-west side while you're here okay ? " The innkeep said a bit nervously.

Mein was immediately suspicious of that, raising an eyebrow at the innkeep for mentioning something like that.

" May I ask why ? " Mein said, getting a bit closer.

" Well, its just...there are some dangerous monsters...gutter beaks as a matter of fact ! That wander there sometimes and it would be better if you didn't engage them since it might provoke the whole pack to attack the village " The innkeep explained and Mein could easily tell he was lying. His nervous body language said it all.

He clearly didn't want us to investigate...but why ?

" Daddy ! I'm hungry !" Before Mein could press further, Filo once again interrupted and complained about her stomach. Despite having eaten a snack less than an hour ago.

" Alright, alright...come on Mein let's go..." Naofumi said as he walked into the restaurant with the others.

Mein cast one last glance at the innkeep before following after them, figuring she would have the chance to hopefully investigate later.

She had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

Aultcray's POV

It had taken more time than Eclair would have liked but she was at last fully recovered and itching to get back out there. Aultcray couldn't blame her, her people needed her and she was forced to sit back and rest. She was always so headstrong even as a young girl...reminded him of his own daughter in some ways. He quickly shook that thought off as it saddened him and he needed to be ready for the situation he was going to have to handle the second they reach the Keep.

At the moment, they were standing in the courtyard with Loknar and Noches, preparing for Aultcray to teleport Eclair to the keep. It was fortunate for Eclair that Aultcray had saved Uther's keep as one of the locations in his Portal Staff. Otherwise it would have taken her weeks before they could reach the Silver Keep and Eclair would probably ride non-stop until she reached the bloody castle.

Eclair was donned in her knight armor, sword at her hip, the crest of House Seatto adorned on her pauldron. She looked infinitely more comfortable in armor than she ever did wearing dresses, which looked like they were strangling her whenever she wore one.

" Thank you so much for your help Uncle Loknar..." Eclair said, giving an unlady like hug to the old commander.

" Anytime Eclair, anytime..."

" My King are you sure it is wise for you to leave without any form of protection ? I could arrange for a squad to come with you at least " Noches suggested.

" I'm not decrepit yet Noches, I can still protect myself and I'm just going to be teleporting Eclair to the Keep. So I won't be gone long " Aultcray shrugged him off " Loknar, you're in charge until I get back "

" Great. Hope I don't get assassinated..." Loknar rolled his eyes.

" You'll be fine...ready Eclair ? " Aultcray turned to the woman.

" Ready, Uncle Aultcray " Eclair nodded.

" Portal Staff !"

In a moment they were enveloped in a bright light standing in the courtyard...the next their bodies shifted and they were standing in front of the Silver Keep.

" Incredible..." Eclair looked around in shock at the power of the Seven Star Weapons.

" You get used to it, come on now let's go greet what's left of the Keep " Aultcray said as they approached the entrance of the Keep. A sole guard at the entrance, looking worse for wear.

" Halt ! Do not come closer, state your business strangers " A deep and feminine voice shouts at them, hand on her sword ready to defend. The knight wears a top hat with a tricorn shaped rim, a feather on top of it too. She wears a well crafted silver mask, that shows the intricate face of an old man with a goatee.

" Lucatiel ? Is that you ? " Eclair stepped forward in shock at hearing the voice. She runs towards the guard, completely ignoring the earlier warning given to them " Its me ! Eclair !"

" My lady ? " The knight gets a better look at the knight sprinting at her and sees the face of her lady " My lady !" The knight throws away her hat and mask too, revealing the face of a woman that's in her late-twenties...and a pair of mouse like ears over her red hair.

So this one of those famous or rather infamous demi-human knights Uther told me about...glad to see she didn't turn tail and run away when the Keep was under attack.

The two knights hug each other as their heads rest on each other's shoulders " My lady, you're alive ! We feared that you still had not recovered "

" Don't worry, I am still very much alive...you can thank his majesty here for the aid " Eclair turned to him.

" Your majesty...thank you for protecting and aiding our lady " Lucatiel bows her head respectfully to him.

Aultcray needs to take a second to breath, before responding " It is no matter. It would be in bad taste to let the daughter of my old friend die..."

" My lady...I'm sorry about your father " Lucatiel said sympathetically to Eclair.

" He died protecting our people at Port Harp like a true knight. There is only honor in what he did " Eclair said sadly before changing the topic " What's been happening here ? Did anyone else make it ? " Eclair turned her attention back to the Keep, worry in her voice.

" Yes, more than a few but...the situation is bad my lady " Lucatiel said dreadfully " Let us talk inside. Aslatiel can better explain than I can "

The group made their way inside the Keep...where the situation was indeed as bad as Lucatiel made it sound.

The Keep had been damaged on the inside, blood was all over the ground, the few knights they did pass were leaned up against the wall, clutching their weapons with their heads down and they could also hear the faint sound of screaming coming through the Keep.

Reminds Aultcray a lot about his days on the battlefield against the sons of whores from Siltvelt. Only this time he is in the very den of demi-humans and beasts. How times change...

They approach a man with similar red hair and mouse like ears to Lucatiel, who seemed to be in the midst of talking to his subordinate.

" Take this food to the kitchen, get it prepped, we're all starving here..." The man ordered.

" Yes sir !" The subordinate took the crate and walked off.

" Asla ! Our lady has returned to us " Lucatiel called out to the man.

" Our lady ? " Asla turned to them and his eyes widened at seeing Eclair. Instantly hugging her the same way Lucatiel did.

" Nice to see you too Asla " Eclair smiled as she hugged the man back.

" I sent a letter to the castle requesting for your return but..." Asla glanced at the King " We didn't expect to have you back so soon "

" You can thank his highness for saving my life " Eclair pulled back and turned to Aultcray.

" Thank you for caring for our lady, your majesty "

" At ease soldier...Who's in command here ? " Aultcray ordered to know.

" Technically speaking, I am " Aslatiel stepped up " Aslatiel of House Seatto, Silver Hand "

Aultcray gave him a hard look " What's the Keep's status soldier ? "

" We got hit pretty hard by the First and Second Wave. We lost most of our elite knights and cavalry division. Plenty of wounded and we're running low on food and medicine to the point where we had to go out and hunt for some just to keep our people fed " Aslatiel didn't mince words as he laid out the situation. He turns to Eclair " We need leadership, my lady...I've barely been able to keep everything together "

" You've already done plenty Aslatiel. When we have the time, I'm going to promote you to Captain " Eclair placed a hand on his shoulder.

" Thank you, my lady but...what are we going to do about the Keep ? " Aslatiel asked.

" Uncle Aultcray ? " Eclair turned to her for guidance, but he knew that he couldn't hold her hand through this.

" Call it " Aultcray said simply.

" What ? "

" This is your Keep Eclair, call it " Aultcray repeated with his arms crossed.

Eclair was surprised at first, but quickly understood what she had to do, turning back to her two knights.

" Lucatiel, I want you to inventory every piece of equipment, armor, weapons, food, water and medicine we still have. Asla, I need you to give me an accurate headcount of our forces that can still work, how many wounded we have, and I want the Keep secured in case we get hit by monsters or bandits. Once I know what we still have, lost and needs to be replaced...we'll work out what needs to be done "

" Understood, milady " The two knights nodded and walked away to perform their duties.

That just left Aultcray with Eclair, who still looked to be pondering everything that had happened. She looked sad really at the state of her home.

" Not quite the homecoming you were expecting ? "

" No...I'm glad that Lucatiel and Asla made it but...the Keep has sustained so much damage, it seems like it will never be the same again "

" Things never seem to do...but that doesn't mean things can't be better " Aultcray comforted, putting a hand on her shoulder " One step at a time Eclair "

" Thank you Uncle Aultcray " Eclair said quietly " Will you stay for the night ? I know the Keep's lodgings don't compare to those at the castle, but..."

" Its fine. I never did enjoy those stuffy beds in the castle anyway...and I always did wonder what it was like to sleep in this place "

Eclair smiled, pleased by his answer " Come, I know it isn't much but I will show you the full hospitality of Silver Keep "

It indeed wasn't much by any measure...but it was a start.

Conversing and walking with Eclair, Aultcray wonder what his own daughter was doing now.

He hopes that she was okay...

They had been travelling for a few days, Malty had honestly lost count over how long it had been really. It was hard to keep track. They never stayed in one place for no more than a night because he was afraid of being found out. Their days consisted of moving from abandoned houses, inns and wherever they could sleep before moving on to the next.

Unfortunately this came to a full-stop when Malty felt herself starting to cough and get sick. So they were forced to stay in a village for an extra few days, more than he would have liked.

Malty laid on a nice soft bed as she stared up at a ceiling of the new house, they had found themselves in.

She let out a few more coughs as she curled up in more blankets to try and fight off the cold. She heard footsteps coming towards her, turning her head to see him sit down in the chair next to her.

" You doing okay, kid ? "

" I-I'm f-fine...sorry..." Malty apologized.

" Its fine...we could use the rest anyway..."

" How did we...get this house ? "

He looked away, not wanting to answer her.

" Borrowed it..."

Malty knew that was a lie. She knew that he got this house...by doing something bad. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what exactly he did.

" I made you some soup..."

Malty looked over and she could smell the good smelling aroma of a hot bowl of soup.

" T-thank you..." Malty said as she sat up and he fed her a spoon of the soup. It tasted delicious and it made her feel just a bit better.

" Here. Be careful its hot " He said as he handed her the bowl, in a plate to keep from spilling all over her.

Malty sat up and began eating the delicious soup. She couldn't quite tell what was in it, but it was good.

" I'm gonna go buy some medicine, hopefully take care of that nasty cold and then we can get out of here " He stood up from his chair and headed for the door " Think you're gonna be okay by yourself ? "

" Y-Yes, I'll be okay..."

" Good, I'll be back soon...be safe kid " He said as he reached out and patted her on the head gently before leaving.

Once Malty finished the soup, she just laid back down on the bed...thinking.

Was mommy and daddy still searching for them ? Will they be mad when they find them ? What are they going to do when they find them ? Malty doesn't want anybody to get hurt anymore but...she doesn't know if that's even possible.

She thought about mommy and daddy...are they both worried about her ? Sad that she's gone ? She doesn't want papa to be sad that she's gone and even though mommy isn't around much, she knows that she cares about her. Even if she doesn't show it that often...and Malty does miss her playmates, Katarina, Bertia and even Iris. She wishes she could go back but...she doesn't know how well that would end for the both of them.

She thinks about her studies oddly enough. Those days of boring lectures, classes and lessons all seem so much more simpler compared to the mess up she is now in and she doesn't know what to do but trust him.

She just doesn't know.

The sound of the door opening cut off her thinking as she turned her head to see him enter the house, holding a vial.

" I'm back and I got the medicine. The herbalist charged me a lot but I think its worth it..." He approached and uncorked the vial " Bottoms up kid...sorry if this tastes really bad "

Malty gulped as he gestured her head upwards and pressed the vial to her lips, grunting as she felt the disgusting liquid go down her throat.

Only a second after tasting it, did she feel like a fireball had been dropped into her belly and it hurt. A lot.

" URRHKKKK !" Malty leaned over the side of the bed and threw up, crying a bit as the contents spilled all over the side of the bed.

" Malty, what's wrong ? Are you okay ? "

" The medicine...it doesn't taste good...and I don't think its helping " Malty said through tears.

" What ? But I-" He put the vial up to his nose and smelled it, his expression turning to one of anger " That fucking bitch ripped me off !"

He stood up and grabbed his mask, Malty already knowing what was going to happen.

" Stay here, I'm going to get the doctor and help you proper..."

" Wait, please don't do-"

He was already out the door before she could stop him. Like she ever could.

She wiped her mouth of whatever left over puke there was and lied on the bed in fear of what was going to happen.

Was he going to do something bad ? To who ? And what did he mean by being ripped off ?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard incessant yelling coming from the outside of the house, a second later a woman was thrown through the front door and onto the ground. He followed quickly after and before the woman could get up, he grabbed her by the throat and started choking her.

" You sold me bad medicine. Why ? "

The woman looked absolutely terrified of what was happening, gasping for air " I-I-I...you were just being so rude and I thought-"

He slammed her into the wooden floor " What ? You could sell me bad medicine and then I would go back and you would charge me double ? Was that your whole plan ? " He said angrily as he choked the woman.

" N-No wait...listen just don't-HMMMPP!" She was cut off when he shoved a rag into her mouth and turned to her.

" Malty...close your eyes, you don't want to see this "

She did close her eyes and hide under the blankets...but she could still hear the screams of the woman and bones breaking.

" AAAAAHMMMMMMMMMMMM!" The woman screams were muffled by the gag and it was replaced by gasps of breath a second later.

Malty looked up from the covers to see that he had broken the herbalist's arm, it was all bent and twisted.

" Listen to me very carefully, you worm, you're going to help my girl and maybe I'll consider killing you quickly. Try to trick me or hurt her in anyway and I will make you suffer " He said menacingly, the mask only amplifying his threat by distorting his voice " Nod your goddamn head if you understand "

She did nod in terror.

" Good. Now get up " He forced her up by her broken arm and pushed to sit in front of Malty, who was very much afraid of what was happening.

" Oh my god...you're the princess, you're-"

" Less talking, more solving. She has a bad cough and has been burning up for a while, do you have something for that ? "

" Y-yes, in my pack just..." The woman took out a vial, a different one with her only unbroken hand and handed it to him.

" Thanks " He said before he threw her to the ground and put his boot on her back to keep her from running. Uncorking the vial, he pressed it up against her lips and she drank it. It tasted disgusting as before, but she did feel a bit better.

" Did that do it ? "

" Y-Yes, I feel better now " Malty nodded.

" Good. Get changed and wait outside...I have some business to finish up here " He turned to the woman, beneath his boot. He took out an axe from his sheath.

Malty looked down in fear but did as she was told, but as she was getting changed in the next room, she couldn't help but sneak a peek at he was going to do to the herbalist.

" I-I-I-I did what you wanted...just give me a chance... just give me a chance !" The woman begged.

" Sorry...but I'm not into half measures" He said as he held her down " And you made the big mistake of hurting my girl. So this is going to hurt..."

He raised the axe and the woman screamed- as she was torn apart by the Shadow Demon.

Mein's POV

Mein gasped as she awoken from her sleep, looking around her she could see that she was still in her room at the inn they had taken rest in for the night. She sat up on the bed and looked down at the floor, simply pondering that dream.

Why do I keep having those same fucking dreams ? Is this the Mark's doing or am I just going crazy ?

Probably the latter.

" Are all your dreams about him, I wonder ? Or did he really leave that big of an impression on you ? "

Mein's instincts flared up as she instantly dove for her sword, taking it out of the sheath and pointing it at the figure sitting in the corner of the room.

" Good evening to you too, your highness "

After shaking off whatever sleepiness she had, she could properly recognize the voice and lower her sword...but she still glared at the Black Eyed Bastard in her room. She should have noticed the fact that the whole world had turned grey around her.

" What do you want Outsider ? " Mein asked curtly.

" I want a lot of things your highness, most of which I'm not even sure I'm going to get ever but putting that aside...how have you been ? " Outsider asked calmly.

" What ? "

" I was asking how you've been doing...I heard about your little bandit ambush and your execution...interesting work "

" Is me killing a bunch of people really that interesting to you ? " Mein glared at the dark god.

" On a usual day, not really...but you are a bit special in that regard Mein...there is something interesting watching your decisions and actions " Outsider observed her with his blackened eyes " You have a lot of qualities of a natural born killer, you got those qualities from a certain someone-"

" Yes, I did, is there a point to-"

" And you don't find anything wrong with that " Outsider cut her off.

" You have zero hesitation when it comes to killing even if those are people who share the faces of the people you love, violence tends to be your first solution and you have trust issues a mile long..." Outsider listed off " And you don't think all those issues aren't going to one day blow up in your face ? The same way it did for Th-"

Mein cut him off when she blinked in front of him and stared a literal god down.

" Don't. Say. His. Name "

Outsider didn't seem the least bit perturbed by this, but let out a sigh " Well, I didn't quite come here to preach anyway , I came to give a heads-up " Outsider stood up and walked to the Window " There is a...special monster on the north-west of this village "

" The north-west ? That's the same direction the innkeep said not to go "

" Well, there is a special monster in that area that I think you will find interesting...go and look for the woman "

" The what ?" Mein turned back to him, but the Outsider was already gone and the world had color returned to it once more. The princess rolled her eyes as this was not the first time it had happened " Black Eyed Bastard..."

Still she might as well follow up on the lead given to her by Outsider, on the chance of unlocking a new skill or ability.

She quickly grabbed her armor and weapons, pulling up her hood and cloth to cover her face, she headed out the window and down onto the ground below.

Time to go hunting.

Blinking over the wall and heading into the forest in the north-west direction, Mein realized that she wasn't totally sure what she was supposed to be looking for since Outsider didn't exactly give many clues on what she's supposed to be hunting. He did say look for the woman, but that was still vague as hell and offered no directions on where Mein should go.

Still, Mein just kept heading in the general direction of north-west since she had no idea where else to go.

The woods were creepy and desolate at night, she kept an ear and eye out for anything out of the ordinary. A blow in the wind, the bristling of the leaves, the cries of a cow-

Wait, cow ?

The innkeep said that this part of the woods was gutter beak territory, but I haven't encountered any so far, so the innkeeper must have been lying... and what's a cow doing all the way out here ?

Deciding that she has no further leads to follow up on, she follows the cow's low cries...

And then she saw the woman.

The same woman she saw in the village earlier with her daughter.

The woman looked to be in her early thirties, had raven black hair and gold eyes, dressed in a standard green dress that suited her well. She was standing in front of a very large tree where the cries were coming from.

Mein took cover behind a bush...as she saw that the tree the woman was standing in front had a cow tied to it-no, that wasn't quite right...

There were tentacles protruding all across the cow's body, sucking something out of it, she wasn't sure what but it made her skin crawl.

" I know you're there. Come out "

Mein's eyes widened but she instincts kicked in, as she jumped from the bush in front of the woman. Taking out her sword and igniting her hand, preparing to blast a spell of fire at the woman.

The woman however did not react, in fact she looked rather calm.

Mein got the sense that this woman wasn't human.

" Appraisal " Mein activated the skill and directed it towards the woman.

Dryad

Level: 36

Description: Dryads are tree spirits with their original appearance being that of a tree monster with limbs, they have the ability to change their appearance to resemble humans or demi-humans. They will make themselves look like the most beautiful woman or man to seduce people and ensnare them in their trap. The dryads then inject their secretion into their victims to induce numbness and confusion. After the victim is completely drawn out from reality, they will slowly be drained of their vitality until they die. Dryads have the ability to control nature, plants and more which makes them very dangerous.

A dryad...I've heard of these thing. Dangerous. And I just had to try and fight in the middle of a fucking forest.

Fire seems like a good option, but based on the fact that it hasn't attacked yet maybe I should stay my blade for the moment.

" What are you and what the hell is this tree ? And don't lie, I'll know if you're lying "

" Very well...to put things simply, I am the spirit of this tree, its physical form in a sense. My name is Lilian " The woman explained.

" I didn't think monsters had names..." Mein scoffed.

Lilian glared right back at Mein for that " I do in this case...as for what I am doing to this cow, it is my source of nutrient "

" Nutrients ? "

" My kind would capture living creatures, like animals or other monsters as sources of nutrients-"

" You're forgetting to add humans to that list " Mein interrupted " You're a dryad aren't you ? That's the reason for the beauty to ensnare your prey ? "

" Yes, but I've never killed another human for nutrients, like others of my kind "

" Doubtful. You may seem to have the sentience of a human...but you are a threat...I'm with one of the heroes and I could use whatever you unlock " Mein prepared to attack " Sorry "

Lilian squared up, ready to fight to. Mein prepared to hit the tree, if she can take out the tree then-

" NOOOOO !"

A cry shocked Mein as she saw a young girl- the same one from earlier, run up to Lilian and hug her leg. Looking at Mein with a teary expression.

" Don't hurt her ! Lilian is nice ! She protects the village ! And we give her animals so she can eat ! Please don't hurt her !" The girl yells.

Lilian's gaze softens as she pats the girl's head " Racheal baby, what are you doing outside ? I thought I told you couldn't be out so late..."

" I'm sorry its just...I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to wake daddy and-"

Lilian patted the girl on the head " Its okay baby, I just need to take care of this and-"

" The village knows what you are ? " Mein cut her off.

Lilian stood in front of Racheal, protecting her in a defensive manner.

" Yes, they do. And they've accepted as one of their own...I protect them and in exchange, they give me animals for my tree to feast on "

Mein looked between the girl and Lilian...she could see genuine care in her eyes. And the girl...

She saw a little bit of herself in the way she was trying to protect this 'monster'.

Mein let out a sigh as she sheathed her blade and snuffed the flames of her would be fireball.

" Fine, I won't kill you..."

" You won't ? " Racheal asked for clarification, sounding hopeful.

" Yes, I won't...even I have standards " Mein said out loud " But I still need something to make up for this trip "

Lilian seemed to think it over for a moment before coming up with an idea.

" How about a compromise ? You said you want parts of me so that your hero can unlock new forms correct ? " Lilian asked and waited for Mein to nod before continuing " But that doesn't mean, I necessarily have to die to unlock new forms..."

" What are you saying ? " Mein asked cautiously.

" I'm saying..." Lilian took out a knife from her dress " That there is a solution here that you're not seeing "

Mein looked unnerved " I hope, you're not going to cut your own arm off and give it to me "

" What ?! God no, I was just going to cut off my hair " Lilian said as she grasped some of her black hair, cut it off and handed it to Mein " Maybe this will unlock something ? "

" Maybe..." Mein took some in her Marked hand and held it behind back, absorbing it without Lilian or the girl knowing.

Skill Unlocked !

Mimic

Skill: Alter the user's outer appearance into a being of equivalent size. Skill has no duration limit and any changes are permanent until otherwise reverted back by the user.

Mein smirked as she saw the skill she had just unlocked. The ability to change what she looks like ? Nice.

" Yes, I think this will be plenty...thank you for your time Miss Lilian "Mein stored the remaining hair away, planning to give it to Naofumi in the morning.

" No problem...and please do not tell anybody else about me please. I'd rather not the village get in trouble for harboring a monster on my account " Lilian said, a little scared at the thought.

" Don't worry, I already have what I need " Mein said as she disappeared into the forest and headed back to the village inn.

It was a goodnight all in all.

Getting back to her room, she fell quickly into a dreamless sleep.

When she awoke the next morning, it was to the sound of somebody banging on her door, and repeatedly shouting her name.

" Mein ! Mein ! Open the door !" Naofumi's voice rang out and she grumbled as she dragged herself out of bed and to her door, opening it to reveal a frazzled Naofumi.

" Naofumi ? What's going on ? " Mein asked, rubbing her eyes to force herself awake.

" I don't know, something's going on outside and I think we might need to help " Naofumi explained, already in his Barbarian Armor.

" Okay, I'll meet you downstairs outside of the inn "

Mein groaned but quickly got her armor and weapons and headed outside of the inn, where she could see the others had already gathered. Raphtalia, Filo and Jun all still looking very sleepy at the fact of being woken up so early in the morning, even Naofumi also looked sleepy at having to be in armor so early in the morning. It wasn't just them, it looked like the local militia had also been gathered.

Though calling them a 'militia' is a little generous, since the Greenland militia appeared to be no better equipped than the one at Lute. Most of them didn't even have proper weapons, many just using pitchforks, woodsman axes, sickles and she sees even one guy using a kitchen knife. Few held swords that looked to be made out of stone or were chipped in some way. Fewer of them even wore armor, with those that did only wearing tattered leather armor and a few others just seemed to be tying makeshift wooden chest pieces to themselves.

And they all looked very terrified on what was about to happen.

" What the hell is going on ? " Mein looked around and spotted the familiar face of the innkeeper " Excuse me sir ! What the hell is going on here ? "

" You adventurers are still here ? Thank the gods, then we might still have a chanc-URGK !"

An arrow impacted the man's neck before he could finish his sentence, falling over onto the ground and bleeding to death.

" BANDIT ATTACK !"

Mein turned to see a gang of demi-human and beastman start to attack the village, coming through the breaches in the wall that still haven't been repaired.

Haven't even eaten breakfast yet and shit has already hit the fan. Great.

Naofumi and his crew really can't catch a break, huh ?

XD

In all seriousness, this chapter was really enjoyable for me to write since I wasn't really stressing over minute details. You would all be surprised by how much time I spend pining over what I should and shouldn't put into a chapter. Its very rare that I just don't give a sh*t and write whatever comes to mind, especially when it comes to long term stories like this one.

Naofumi being suspicious of Mein's identity is becoming more and more prevalent. He is completely unsure of what to make of her identity or even how to approach her very obvious issues as a person.

The beef of this chapter was of course, Aultcray getting Eclair back to Silver Keep. Which unlike in Qin's story did not completely fall and is still operational...barely. I really wanted to show that while Aultcray still totally fucking hates demi-humans, he is willing tolerate their existence for his dead friend's daughter's sake. Even if he doesn't like them and likely never will.

Moving on the flashback scene in this chapter...I probably should have stated this sooner but these flashbacks/dream sequences are not being told in chronological order. I will leave it to you all to figure it out.

But talking about it as a whole... if you were unnerved reading that scene than it has accomplished its goal. I am not going to be sanitizing any of Malty's experiences that made her the person she is today. Killing a woman just because she ripped the wrong guy off is excessive and I wanted to make that clear. I haven't even revealed his identity yet but I hope, you are all getting the picture of what kind of man this 'Shadow Demon' is.

Malty meeting the dryad Lilian is something that I have been dying to have happen for a good long while, I like the idea of a 'sentient monster' living peacefully among the villagers. Malty acquiring the Mimic skill was also part of my plan for her since the start.

Fun fact, I actually got the idea of the dryad from Dungeon Seeker. Lilian actually looks a lot like her.

Next chapter we get a bandit raid...that will be fun to write.

With all that said, I will see you all in the next chapter.