That evening, dinner was weird.
“Umm, big sis.”
Ulva tapped me as I ate my meat. I awkwardly looked at her from the corner of my eye.
‘What is it?’
“What was that thing you did with the other big sisters last night that you said I couldn’t watch?”
“PFFTT! Cough, cough… N-nothing.”
I looked at the others. Kara was being bashful in her seat, avoiding any sort of eye contact with me. Minerva and Kawaii on the other hand were eating their food like nothing had happened.
Sometimes I wished I had their ignorance for such situations. There was no use beating myself over this. I just needed to man up and hear what happened. It was my first night after all.
‘Umm… Ulva, what did you see?’
She came into my ears then began whispering of my… deeds at night.
“Oh my…”
I looked to Kara and eventually mouthed the words
“I-I’m sorry.”
She just looked away. Ulva whispered to me about Kara and Minerva. I was horrified to find out it was more like they were raping me. I glared at both of them and they waved their hands with cute smiles.
I let out a sigh and Aeri patted my shoulder. She had just come from her room and I was shocked. She had gotten a bit bigger than before. Her skin now had a tinge of red in it and her arms and legs were now like lizard legs with yellowish claws. A tail grew out of her back, dragging along the ground. Her hair had grown a bit more and she had a little horn growing up from the center of her fore head. She let out a yawn as she came towards us.
‘Aeri, you evolved.’
“Yep.”
‘You got way bigger.’
“Yea. Now I’m starving. I feel like I could eat all the food in the store room.”
‘I feel you. Ever since killing the chimera my stomach just keeps on begging for more.’
“I’m going to get my food.”
I waved her off as she went for her food that was being served by some of the rat men. I remembered what the system said about her race. I was supposed to kill her, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I felt like the system master was just making a joke.
‘Kaleb Zen… I will have my revenge! You completely destroyed the unstoppable Dungeon Raid Team in one move. You truly are a legend.’
As I was thinking about my major loss, I noticed something odd. Fog was seething into the room at an abnormally quick pace. The others in the dining hall got restless and kept waving at it. It was a bit dark, almost like smoke.
Thinking of it as some random incident, I tried to use wind magic to clear it up, but the fog was so thick it was as if my wind were hitting a block wall. Confused, I asked Minerva if was a normal incident but she simply glared at the fog.
She clicked her tongue and looked away, pretending as if that wasn’t even there in the first place.
‘Minerva!’
I called to her again, but she squeezed her face and pretended not to hear me. I wondered why that was.
“I seek the one that defeated the War Monger!”
A voice echoed in the room. The lights were cut out and a cold breeze blew in the room. I gulped, having realized I was the one the voice was searching for.
Slowly, the fog swirled around, till it formed a giant mass of heads competing with one another. It was a disgusting combination that would fit right into a horror novel. Not wanting to say anything, I decided to do what Minerva was doing. I closed my eyes and continued to eat my food. If I didn’t see it, it didn’t exist.
“Who defeated the War Monger! Speak now!”
My horned rabbit stew tasted quite good. The cooked meat was soft, easy to chew and the spices add to it made it quite the treat.
“Speak Now!”
The stew itself was excellent. I could have confused it for soup due to its elusive moistness. I tried it without the meat itself and I was considerably impressed. Compliments to the chef.
“From what I’ve heard, I believe Hinotori-sama was the one to do that, no?”
I must have been dreaming. For a second I thought I head Arisu saying something. I grabbed my glass of white wine.
Yes, white wine. For some weird reason, the grapes in this world were white and when crushed they produced a black substance which would go through some weird processes and be made into wine that was as black as onyx. However, due to the plant it comes from it has been dubbed White wine.
“You dare ignore me?!”
A sip from the wine made me feel like some fat lazy bastard. That was an absolutely fantastic feeling!
“Shall I lay waste to your home?”
I could hear sounds of swords being drawn from sheaths. That was a bit odd. Why would swords be drawn during a casual dinner.
‘Tori-kun… Speak.’
DANGER!
Minerva’s internal voice resonated in my head. When I looked up, I saw her face contorted in disgust, anger. Most of all, she looked like someone running away from something annoying!
‘N-No-‘
DEATH!
She sent killing intent to me and I found my body shaking as I slowly raised my hands feeling a bit embarrassed.
“I-I-I-I… b-beat… Krull.”
The fog heads settled on me finally.
“You have received a summons of utmost importance! Come to the South! Immediately!”
They ordered me, getting a bit on my nerves. I was scared of Minerva, but I honestly couldn’t be scared by this newcomer. And from the looks of things, Minerva was simply shirking off her responsibilities on me again. I felt like I was being used!
“Erhm… how about a no?”
My speech had gotten a whole lot better over the few days.
“WHAT!? WHY!?”
It acted out surprisingly immaturely. For a warning, this thing wasn’t really scary. In fact, it sounded like some kind of pampered child.
“First of all, who are you?”
I quickly regretted that question.
“Weakling! Bow for this is an order from the Naga Tyrant!”
“W-what?”
“Tis, I! Zana of the Swamp! I order you to-”
‘Eugh, another one of them.’
I glared at Minerva and she was still giving me a scary glare like this was my problem. I wished to reprimand her, but that would have to wait for a bit.
‘I never wanted to get involved in their crappy affairs again.’
“Yeeeaaaaa, no. Bye. Thanks for considering me though!”
I could decline the offer, right? Minerva was technically my backer and she had Goliath’s backing, so in a technicality I did not need to do what this person was asking.
“If thine does not heed my call I shall come to thine home with my entire army. Trust me, it will not be a motley crew like Krull’s.”
‘K-Krull’s was just a motley crew? What the heck!?’
“You have been warned! Arrive at my domain quickly or else I shall destroy you! Come along with your army.”
‘Bring my army? If she wants to see me, why would I need to send an entire army? Is she planning on doing something weird? Like destroying my non-existent army? But wait, why would she? Then again I did sort of disgrace her fellow Tyrant. Maybe she wants to make an example of me? In that case I can’t come with everyone. But then, if it’s actually an attempt to destroy me and my forces, it’d be stupid to go alone… Maybe I could use shadow summoning. But then, if her forces number in the ten thousands, I’ll be dead either way. At most I’ll be able to run away. Ok then, I’ll go alone, but I’ll need a guide. This is going to be a pain.’
I picked up my rabbit and swallowed the meat angrily. Minerva smirked once the fog faded away and she was left to eat her meat in peace. I shot a light ray in her eye and she held it in pain.
‘That’s what you get for putting me in a death sentence! For the second time in a row!’
She crouched and held her eye, still wincing.
“About the message? You would need a guide.”
Someone magically popped up to my side. Looking there, I saw Arisu. Still a bit terrified of her, I decided to disapprove.
‘Huh? Um, don’t worry about it. I’ll just be going with Sylvie.’
“WHAT!?”
The pixie screamed from the other side of the room, but I ignored her for Ulva who was tugging at my feather.
‘Um… Ulva too. She seems to have grown a bit.’
‘Hey, what about me, Amethyst?’
The lizard asked, sticking her head from inside my coat. Wanting to keep her a secret from the others, I shoved her head back into the dress.
‘Obviously you are coming as well. I can’t have you evolving when I’m gone for a few days.’
‘Hmm, we’re going on a road trip then? When do we leave?’
‘I’m not sure. When do you think?’
‘Tomorrow! I want to go tomorrow!’
‘Ok then. Sylvie!’
“W-what is it?”
‘Kuku, not so hyper now, are we?’
“… No, actually I’m sort of excited.”
‘What?’
“I’ve always wanted to travel out of the west. Let’s go!”
“Tch.”
‘I wanted to get back at her for making me fight Kuro that time, but I only provided her with more pleasure.. Tch, damned sadistic pixie.’
