Still smiling after Daji's misfortune, Alice was slowly strolling through the hallways when she saw Succubus reappear in the entrance of the castle.

"Ah, there you are. Sorry to have sent you on a fool's errand, you missed the best part… I suppose the sky didn't collapse?"

"Nope, the skies are clear asides from a big harpy."

"Ah… wait, just how big are we talking about?"

"Pretty big. As in, she could carry the whole party. Also, she's trying to get in the castle."

Alice closed her eyes in aggravation. "Damn it, we had enough unexpected guests already… Send her away. I'm in a mood bad enough with Luka away, I don't need another problem on my mind."

"Understood… I'll send her away."

"Kweeh!"

"Alright, we had enough fun, maybe we should get back on the road. After all, we have to unseal the Garuda Girl. With how magic accumulated, I wouldn't be surprised if she was already born and…" Mephisto's face decomposed. "…currently looking for her new mother. Which means the monster that did the ritual that woke her up."

"Ah… you're right, the divine bird would be smart enough to acknowledge me… I'm surprised we didn't see her yet. I already imagine her, kneeling in front of me and swearing her fealty to the Monster Lord."

"The Garuda Girl would indeed be smart enough to recognize you. However, you would be disappointed, as while she's smart and understand instructions, she does not have the means to talk."

"Ah."

"Instead, the make bird-like sounds such as kweeeh."

Alice rushed outside the room like a missile. In less than a few seconds, she was already at the entrance where Succubus was trying to send away a humongous harpy.

"Shoo, shoo!"

"Kweeeh!" The Garuda Girl tried to remain on its spot while the monster was trying to chase her away.

"Wait, wait, wait! Please stop!" Both monsters looked at her. "Look at me, divine bird! I am the one who brought you back to this world, and I ask of you to serve me!"

The divine bird haughtily turned away and angrily flapped her wings.

"Kweeeeh!"

The Garuda took flight and disappeared, leaving behind Alice to desperately chase her.

"Get back! GEEEEET BAAAAACK!"

The small Monster Lord quickly abandoned her chase. It was obvious that she wouldn't catch the bird this way. Mephisto sympathetically placed her hand on her shoulder when she joined her, but Alice felt more irritated than happy.

"Don't worry, she's easy to track. We'll find her in no time."

Alice slowly breathed in and out. "We better. I don't want to be the one to tell Luka that we somehow lost this damn bird!"

Mephisto refrained from retorting that the small Monster Lord was the one who had ordered her to be turned away. She instead focused on the sizable signature left by the monster and traced it, trying to ignore the unusual scent that was now permeating the place.

"The girl decided to cool herself at the top of Mt St Amos. I'm afraid that we also have another unexpected guest in the castle."

Alice sniffed the air and sighed. "Thin fried tofu… show yourself, Tamamo. I know it's you."

The small blond kitsune appeared behind the group, timidly cooling herself with her fan. "I take it is not a good time to ask for help?"

Alice groaned. "Why do you even need our help in the first place? There are two Lilith Sisters and three Heavenly Knights at the castle plus most of the Monster Lord's army."

Tamamo grimaced. "Granberia and Erubetie aren't in the greatest shape, Lilith is nowhere to be seen, and Astaroth is overworked keeping everything in line with their plan…" She fanned herself and blushed. "As far as I'm concerned, the latest streaks of events left me exhausted, and I simply can't hold my own in a fight as well as usual."

Alice answered with a haughty sneer. "Fine. What is it that you need?"

"Alice, don't have to be rude to your elders."

"Well, the roaches are rebelling, the Elf Princess is building an army to prepare to wage war on the Monster Lord, and the Black Tanuki is trying to challenge me again. Of course, those three rebellions can be sourced back to Black Alice herself or one of her subordinates."

"…I admit it sounds serious and requires our attention. Alright, I guess first we'll help you and then we'll look for the Garuda Girl."

"I apologize for bearing bad news, but the first and the last of these would require us to have a mean of flight… Both the roaches and the Tanuki Village are on isolated landmasses that climbing would require the better part of a month, and we can't afford that much time."

"Damn it…" Alice slumped down on the ground. "Why can't everything go right for once?"

Tamamo sympathetically leaned over her. "Look… I still have a little strength to help you get her. This is the least I can do. Please, just promise me that you will help Kitsune Village afterward."

"I accept." Alice raised her hand, letting Tamamo pull her up from the ground. "I'm surprised you ever offered a token bargain, Luka would have gone out of his way to help you anyway. Do you have any ideas how to catch the Garuda Girl?"

Tamamo nodded. "Well, like all monsters, she enjoys the idea of mating with a powerful male. She'll probably snoop around and lock on the first man she deems powerful enough."

She's barely born, and she's already in heat… at least we're sure that she's a monster.

"Unfortunately, we're short on heroes at the moment as they all took vacations. The only men remaining are the two dons of the mafia who will be too smart to accept to do that, the two perverts that would just make her flee, and three guards whose sweetheart will kill you if you pull that trick."

"Really?" Tamamo's ears fluttered a bit at the perspective of juicy gossips. "We can't borrow them at all, not even once?"

"The Sabasa commander is with the princess…"

"Oww… Sphinx would have my head if I tried that one."

"The San Ilia guard is considered loyal to Ilias, and therefore receives the affection of angels."

"…That's a bad idea."

"And the one from Iliasville is with Izuna, in what could qualify as the sanest relationship amongst the Pocket Castle."

Tamamo considered the idea for a moment, but eventually let go. "No. I won't pull the hierarchy card on her. Aaaah, to be young and in love…"

"We're still short of a plan for a Garuda Girl though."

Mephisto started fiddling with her wand with a slightly malicious smirk. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but if she's looking for a mate, chances are that it is to procreate, right?"

"Mmh." Tamamo nodded affirmatively.

"This means that she will nest herself somewhere. Am I still right?"

"Mmh?" Tamamo tapped her fan against her chin, gradually becoming confused as Mephisto's explanations already started to drag on.

"Given her sheer girth and her incredible pride, it will mean using large trunks for the nest… and only the softest fuzz for the inside."

Tamamo went wide-eyed when her brain caught on Mephisto's obvious message. "No. no, no no no nonono!" She protectively grabbed her tails. "We're not using my babies as bait!"

Alice's shoulders slumped. "Hurgh, I guess you can only help as long as it doesn't involve yourself taking any risk. Whatever… we're a bit short on reliable allies, but maybe I can count on Morrigan to-"

Tamamo threw her arms in the air in defeat. "Alright, fine, I got it, I'll help you!" The kitsune slowly panted as she recovered from her outburst. "She'll very likely get the trees from the Forest of Spirits, this is the perfect place to ambush her."

An hour later, the trio was in the middle of the Forest of Spirits. Tamamo was lying down in the middle of a clearing, quite visible to anyone looking from above, while the two other monsters were hiding behind trees.

There's no way she's going to fall for that.

"Shouldn't we have gotten more monsters before trying that?"

Alice shrugged Mephisto's remark. "Given how much we have trained those last months; I don't think that beating her down will be too much of a problem."

"Shhh! Here she is!"

The large Garuda Girl started circling into the sky above them. From her hideout, Alice could feel the bird gauging if that convenient golden fluffy bundle lying at the center of a clearing would make for good filler for her nest.

Come on… grab that mass of fuzz in which so many men left their soul and pride…

Alice started growing impatient as the Garuda remained in the air for several minutes. She had expected the bird to come closer to test the fluff for herself. However, with a speed and grace that surprised everyone, the bird dove straight on Tamamo and grabbed her in one of her claws before taking to the sky, leaving Alice and Mephisto bewildered and unable to spring their trap.

"Clever girl…"

"I didn't think she was THAT smart. In fact, her reaction would make her smarter than most harpies and imps back at the castle."

"Never say that in front of them. We also need to get to her nest quickly, given how tired she is I'm not sure Tamamo can take on her."

"Wait… I think the Garuda Girl dropped her."

Alice could see then hear Tamamo screaming her lungs out as the kitsune fell from the sky. The small monster unceremoniously slammed on the ground with all of her strength, leaving a small crater on impact after landing face-first.

"Are you alright?"

"Hurgh…" Tamamo slowly dug herself up from her spot, kicking a large amount of dirt from her ears. "There won't be a retry." She pointed at the disappearing dot in the sky. "Aaand it looks like she's not going in the direction of Mt St Amos. What a waste…"

"Good new, I already found her! She's…" Mephisto's smile tensed ever so slightly. "She's in Hellgondo."

The trio looked at each other, wondering how they were going to deal with this one.

"…I'm not teleporting to the Monster Lord Castle and crossing half the continent to shoo her from her new roost."

"We wouldn't ask you again anyway… now, who can safely fly in Hellgondo? Alma Elma is busy in Grand Noah to make up for the latest prank, Queen Harpy would certainly not fight the divine bird, and I can't trust an angel or an otherworlder to not mess that up… remains… Morrigan."

Mephisto released an impressively long string of swears that caught both Tamamo and Alice off-guard as the yoma lasted every slight the succubus had committed against them for the past year.

"-and we're STILL not done cleaning the aftermath of her little party in Midas Village! Her only smarts are for picking a location when nobody can notice her exactions! …granted, she didn't kill anyone this time and people were a little too happy to be visited by a monster with two legs, but still, ewwww…" Mephisto slowly breathed in and out and smirked back as if nothing happened. "Very well. I will quickly contact her."

"…I feel like this is an idea I will regret."

"Morrigan has her moments where she reminds everyone that wisdom can come with age, but she is really a walking disaster."

"I know, Alice." Tamamo sighed. "I used to deal with her during the Great Monster War, then more recently before she joined you. I can only sympathize with you."

"Yes, we're with Tamamo. No, she's here to help us. No. No, she won't suffer an accident! Do you really want Daji to take over as a replacement? Good, then meet us at the West Gold embouchure!"

Mephisto shook her head in irritation. "Let's teleport as close as we can at once, she's not the kind of gal to have a lot of patience."

"It's ironic how much is needed to deal with her."

[…]

"Case in point… we're the ones that have to wait."

Alice quickly lost patience as they were waiting for the succubus. The sight of the rocky northern beach of the Gold Region could only occupy her for so long before she started to get bored. After perambulating a little more, she decided to question Mephisto.

"Let me guess, she took a refreshing break in Succubus Village?"

"Let me check… yes, of course she's there. And I think she felt me since she suddenly left."

Alice sighed. "I wonder what the Dark Goddess was thinking when she decided to send them here."

"She was looking for powerful people that were present in this world and still loyal to her while confirmed to be alive and not locked behind an unbreakable seal… let's just say that this list is very short."

"So desperation it was. Here she comes… and it doesn't look like she even cleaned herself."

Morrigan glided toward the party with a huge, enthusiastic smile. "Heya Alice. Mephisto. Traitor. You all need a hand from the great Morrigan for something?"

"Thank you for coming. The Garuda Girl has decided to fly to Hellgondo on her own, we need her for ourselves, and you're the only monster powerful enough to get there." Alice gestured toward Hellgondo. "I don't doubt that Luka will be incredibly thankful to whoever brings her back. Just make sure that she's still able to fly us where we want afterward, as your imperious power will quickly make short work of her."

"Easy as pie. Watch and learn!"

The succubus instantly took flight, leaving behind Tamamo approvingly nodding at Alice.

"It's impressive. You pushed all her buttons like a maestro in less than a minute and gave her an order that it looks like she will follow."

"She's surprisingly predictable." Alice sighed. "And she'll either come back to tell us that she crippled the Garuda Girl to the point that the latter can't move or come back panicking chased by her."

"I won't even bet on that one."

"… And here she comes back. Flying fast. With the Garuda Girl on her tail." Alice pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh, joy…"

"As entertaining as it would be to watch them chase one another until either one passes out, I suggest we quickly help Morrigan and be done with it."

"FuckfuckfuckFUCKFUCKFUCK! ANGRY BIRD IS ANGRY!"

Mephisto casted an enhancement spell to reinforce everyone, Morrigan included as the succubus flew by. The battle against the large bird monster wasn't so much a fight than a chase between the succubus and her while Alice, Mephisto and Tamamo casted the occasional spell to weaken her. However, their combined assault wasn't enough to slow down the determined monster's onslaught and Morrigan, as whatever the succubus was doing apparently justified weathering everything the party was throwing at her.

It was a behavior that Alice sympathized with.

The Garuda Girl endured several minutes of lightning bolt raining, talismans flown in her way and psychokinetic assault before showing signs of exhaustion. Eventually, after Alice released another lightning bolt that exploded in the monster's face, the large bird monster wavered and slowly landed, panting.

Alice imperiously raised her hand, stopping the assault before they could seriously wound her.

"We just want your help to fly across mountains. We apologize for treating you rudely, and we guarantee that you will be treated. Will you help us?"

"Kweeh…" The Garuda Girl answered with a happy but exhausted smile.

"Alright! How about we give it a try?" Morrigan patted the flank of the Garuda Girl who was taking offense to being designed as it. "I'm a bit tired after always using my own wings to fly!"

"She looks exhausted. I don't think it's a good idea."

"Pffff, divine birds are known for their endurance, there's no way a little fight would tire one out." Morrigan climbed on top of an unappreciative Garuda Girl and patted her on the back. "Come on! Hop hop!"

The Garuda Girl started flapping her wings, slowly lifting off the ground while wavering. Losing balance, the bird started flying backward, surprising Morrigan who lost her grasp.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" The succubus flew in front of the Garuda Girl who had visible difficulty maintaining herself in the air. "Come on, I know you can do better than that!"

The divine bird flew slightly higher than Morrigan, then suddenly stopped flapping her wings, letting gravity take its course. Her massive body fully slammed down the succubus before she fell to the ground, her weight kicking up a large cloud of dust on impact. The trio of monsters rushed to see her smirking in satisfaction. Alice darkly chuckled.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

The Garuda Girl nodded.

"I think we'll get along fine with each other."

"I guess Morrigan will not accompany us to take care of that issue in Kitsune Village. Oh, well, with a little luck, Alma Elma will be back by the time we're back at the castle."

"And… I'll wait you there…" Tamamo was holding her head, physically and mentally exhausted. "I'll take a small nap first. Or a big one. I haven't decided yet."

A few hours later, Alice could see Luka and Sonya approach near the Pocket Castle. The small Monster Lord refrained from frowning as her keen senses picked up the smell surrounding them, letting them instead be awed by the appearance of the Garuda Girl.

"Wow, she's huge!" He looked at Alice. "She's finally freed? And she'll bring us where we want?!"

Alice nodded with a smile. "Yes. It was quite a challenge to bring her here, but now, the Garuda Girl will follow us and finally bring us past those pesky mountains, and just in time…"

Alice's expression turned somber as she explained the situation Tamamo recently exposed, insisting on the emergency of helping Kitsune Village as the Heavenly Knight of Earth was in no state to fight.

"Alright… before we go, should we give her a more proper name? I find calling her the Garuda Girl or the divine bird a bit awkward."

"Kweeh!" The Garuda Girl enthusiastically flapped her wings at the idea.

"Mmmmh… how about Kweko?"

"…this is just terrible."

"The hero flier!"

"No. Just no."

"The love nest!"

"No. Also, you could warn us when you arrive Alma Elma…" Alice clutched her chest while staring at the succubus queen that had suddenly appeared right behind her. "How about Galda?"

"Kweeeh!"

"It sounds like she enjoys it. Let's not lose any more time, we have those damned foxes to save!"

As they prepared their equipment, Alma Elma seductively weaved her way to Luka.

"You know, Luka-boy, if you had asked, I would have carried you there myself."

"Me and everyone else?" Luka pointed at Sonya and Alice. Alma Elma answered with a giggle.

"Of course, you'd just have to draw straws about who get to do the trip wrapped in my tail…"

"No." Alice shook her head. "Even if it's not IN your tail strictly speaking, I refuse. And besides, can you carry the second and third team as well?"

Eight more monsters appeared with their equipment, mostly elves but also a lamia. Alma Elma brought a hand to her mouth as she seriously pondered the situation.

"Mmmmh… I could take on so many people at the same time, but I won't be able to properly satisfy everyone properly…"

Everyone disapprovingly shook their head, but all climbed on Galda all the same, her large body able to comfortably fit the whole party. As they took flight, a slight detail amongst their party ticked Alice off.

"That's strange… I thought all the kitsunes would be the first to volunteer to come defend their home."

"I did notice them earlier… they looked quite busy, but didn't say anything as to why. Then they all disappeared except for Nanabi. She looked busy searching for something, I had no idea what it was."

"Mmmh. That's weird."

The remote island where both the Kitsune and Tanuki Village were located quickly appeared. Guided by Alice and Luka, Galda landed in a small clearing not far from the Kitsune Village. When they arrived, Alice saw a large number of kitsunes of all power in disarray visibly prepare for war. While she didn't care about most of them, the extremely high-quality equipment wielded by a few of them betrayed their identity.

"Izuna? Minamo? What are you doing here?"

"Monster Lord. Luka." The two kitsunes bowed. "We heard that Tamamo had asked for all hands to help defend the Kitsune Village, and took the initiative to gauge the situation before you arrived."

Alice nodded. Then something clicked in her head.

"Wait… how did you come here? That place is completely isolated by seas and mountains!"

"With harpy feathers?" The four-tailed samurai looked surprisingly confused by the question given the obvious answer. "Nanabi isn't with you? She's the one who told us to scout the place while she waited for you."

"Waiting for us to do what exactly?!"

"…to use a harpy feather herself to teleport you there? My apologies, but I do not understand…" It's only then that Izuna noticed Galda waiting near the village. "Oh. Did nobody tell you about our plan?"

"No." The small Monster Lord collapsed in front of the party stiff as a plank. The concerned party all leaned over them.

"We did miss something, didn't we?"

Omake: Divine Bird Limits.

"Kweeeh!"

Galda was threateningly flapping her wings at the party, slightly hovering in the air with an angered expression on her face.

"Gah!" Luka raised his arm to defend himself against the dust storm the monster kicked. "I thought that she would loyally follow us after we beat her?!"

"She does, in the measure of what can be considered reasonable." On his side, Alice was looking thoroughly unimpressed.

"What do you mean by reasonable? I just ask her to ferry our party to the fluffy island, what's unreasonable about that?!"

"Well, maybe don't get her to carry Giga, Jaime, Dahlia at the same time!" Alice pointed at the trio of giant and the huge golem. "Luka, do you actually have a fetish for giantesses?"

"The historical records said that she could carry nearly twenty people, I'm only asking to move four!"

"Four-" Alice passed a hand on her face. "They each take as much place as a small army and weigh as much as a brickhouse, they make for way more than for twenty people!"

"Kweeeh!"

Luka shook his head in denial. "No. Sorry, Alice, but I think that you're wrong. There's no way it's the reason."

"Then why don't you just ask her, you moron!"

"Is it the problem?"

"Kweeh!"

"Wait, it actually is?!"

"Kweeh!" Galda relaxed slightly as it became clear the hero understood her. Luka raised his hands in an attempt to appease her.

"Okay, that's fine! Sorry! I understand! We'll bring different people instead!"

"Kweeh." Galda completely calmed down and landed.

Alice sighed and approached Galda who was now carefully watching the door. She carefully petted the girl who appreciated the dexterous skills of the Monster Lord.

"Sorry about that… He's considerate, but he's also a bit of an airhead."

"Kweh."

"He treats his allies as friends, don't worry about it. I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Kweh."

"Also, he's an amazing cook and there are a lot of monsters trying to compete against him. He makes delicious yakisoba sandwiches, and cake, and parfaits…" Alice started drooling on the floor as she enumerated the recipes before catching herself. "Mmh. Anyway, sorry for the bad first impression."

"Kweh."

Luka reappeared followed by a new team. "I agree, I was a bit careless when choosing my last team. This one should be better."

The divine bird went wide-eyed and instantly took off, screaming in obvious panic and flying at an impossible speed."

"KWEEEEEEEeeeehhhh!"

Alice stared at Luka for a whole minute before the hero shrugged. "What? I didn't bring any giant this time. Ok, Daji and Cassandra are a bit on the heavy side, but Vinum and Alicetroemeria balance out."

"Fufufu…"

"(Did he just call us fat?)"

"(I have the key to his room, wait me at the entrance tonight…)"

"Luka…" Alice slowly breathed in and out. "Can we talk about your death wish problem?"