Chapter 270 Changing Myself, II
"Suuure. Because Monsters have rights?"
"I have rights."
"But not the others?"
"Obviously not." Mark answered with his back to her. His hand stroked the curled-up Moonlit Feline's fur.
"Bfahaha! How convenient for you." Elisa whispered as she stared at the side of his face.
Stareee-
Mark's eyes narrowed despite his trying to keep them from doing so.
A hand was gently placed on his shoulder.
"The scales... You wanted them, huh?"
"I did."
"Did you choose them? Like... Which scales you wanted exactly?"
"Yeah." Mark's tone didn't hide his slight annoyance.
"Why white scales then?"
"That..." He stared at Krista for a bit. "Wasn't me."
"Your Titles?"
"Mm... You could say that."
[Your Title "Evolving Monster" is appalled!]
[Your Title "Evolving Monster" refuses to take the blame!]
[Your Title "Devourer" chuckles.]
Pull-
Her hand slid all the way from his right shoulder to his wrist.
Elisa bent Mark's elbow and stared at his hand. The motion did remind him of his fight against the Commander.
She stared curiously while turning his hand around.
"You should cut your nails."
"They're not nails, they're claws."
"What's the difference?"
"They're claws." Mark repeated, not too sure what the answer to the question was.
"I can make my nails sharp. Doesn't make them claws."
The white-scaled Monster remained silent for a second as Elisa continued to stare at its hand.
Suddenly, Mark extended his claws which did startle her.
"That's the difference between claws and nails."
"Very funny." Elisa said dryly as she let go of his hand. "What about the dark-"
A Moonlit Feline's silently climbed on Mark's body before jumping towards Elisa.
Even though Krista's eyes were only half-open, the soothing strokes had stopped, and she was determined to fight for her Master's attention.
The battle didn't last long though. Needless to say, the Moonlit Feline's sleepiness won.
"She sure needs a lot of sleep."
"That's normal for cats, isn't it?"
'Cats. Krista should be described as a Moonlit Feline by the System...' Elisa noted to herself. 'Which means that he knows things. Things from outside the Dungeon? Pride and Sloth... They both wanted me, but they both wouldn't have minded killing him. What could it be...?' She asked herself with sparkling eyes, while her hands caressed the asleep on her legs Moonlit Feline. 'I'm so curious-' Elisa cleared her throat and shook her head internally. 'Can't get too curious. Can't get too curious. We're talking about Demon Lords here.' She let her shoulders drop after a bit. 'And both Demon Lords are after him...?' Elisa let out a sigh. I guess it makes more sense now. Especially after you were able to take that Eye from the Commander. That's what they're after...'
"You're trouble, Mark."
"What does that have to do with cats sleeping a lot?"
"Everything." Elisa answered as she chuckled.
"Huh..." Mark readjusted his position. He remained on his side and with his back towards her. He stared at the ground for a bit. "Let's sleep. We still have a long way to go."
"Mm." Elsa nodded, but she didn't really want to sleep.
The white-scaled Monster yawned.
"And since I am trouble, let's get you to the Elven Forest as fast as possible."
"In a rush to get rid of me?"
"Aren't you in a rush to get there?"
"I am."
"Then?"
"Then... Nothing. Good night." Elisa lay on her ground once more, with her back turned to him.
Mark sighed internally before closing his eyes.
"Say..." His eyebrow twitched. He wasn't really sleepy, but catering to her every whim and thought was a bit much. "What are you doing once we get there?"
This, wasn't something Mark wanted to discuss. Especially not with her.
"I'll need time after that... Before I can go take my Underlings back."
"So you're not giving up on them."
"Of course not."
"That's good."
Mark winced internally.
But of course she would think so. A Monster not giving up on those on his side.
Appearing righteous is rather easy when you look this scary and ugly, isn't it?
"What about after that? After you took them back?"
Continue fighting, Devouring, and Evolving?
[Your Title "Evolving Monster" is looking at you.]
[Your Title "Devourer" is looking at you.]
Rise in the world as a Probably Demon King Candidate?
The two options presented came to his mind quickly.
Of course, there was no reason to think that the two couldn't coincide.
'It is as Demon King after all...'
Mark thought silently for a bit.
"I didn't... Think that far yet."
"So you don't know."
"I guess."
"What uh..." Elisa fiddled with a lock of hair with her lips pressed together. "What about staying then?"
A slight frown appeared on the white-scaled Monster's face.
"Staying?"
"Yes... I mean if... If you don't have anywhere to go from there, maybe..."
"Ha!" Mark chuckled. "That's funny."
He hadn't expected the short silence that followed.
"What's funny?" She asked with a tone serious, but not cold.
"Ha. You want me to stay in the Elven Forest? Really? Hahaha!"
One thought of it as a joke, while the other was serious.
In a way, it was an invitation, wasn't it?
And for an invitation to be laughed at this way...
Still, Elisa didn't take offense.
"If you have nowhere else to go then... Yes, why not?"
"Wait..." The white-scaled Monster turned around, somewhat I'm a Monster-
That's the whole point-
"If you have nowhere else to go then... Yes, why not?"
"Wait..." The white-scaled Monster turned around, somewhat shocked. He stared at her back. "You're serious?"
"Sure am."
"I can't do that."
"Yes, you can. I am Royalty there."
"So what? It still wouldn't-"
"You saved their Princess. And more times than one."
"That still wouldn't-"
"It would." Elisa turned around and stared into his eyes. "You could."
With a stupefied expression on its face, the white-scaled Monster lowered its gaze, deep in thought, before raising it towards her once more.
Mark's lips parted and, before he could utter a word,
"Pretty huge favor I would be doing you though."
"Why... Would you do me such a favor?"
Elisa didn't need to think for more than a second to find a suitable answer.
Making full use of the half-asleep Moonlit Feline stumbling towards its Master, Elisa slowly moved her gaze towards Krista.
"I found a lost dog in the wilderness. A lost dog with no place to go. Only right that I would provide it shelter, don't you think?"
Mark, who had followed her gaze, clicked his tongue internally.
"That's what I am? A lost dog? Mm. Now that I think about it, you did call me a Guard Dog-"
"Don't change the subject, Mark. I'm serious."
"No, you're not. You have no idea how it'll turn out."
"So what? Doesn't mean it can't be an option."
"Oh, really? Their village was destroyed by someone who could use Corruption Magic, and now with your body still holding traces of Corruption, you want to bring a Monster in? Sounds like... Some kind of... Mind Control or something."
"Mmm... I guess it could look that way."
"That's the only way it can look. It's-"
"Still, I'm glad." Elisa interrupted. "I'm glad that that's what you're focusing on."
Mark looked away.
"It has to be an option before I can think about it."
"Why don't you think about it and then make it an option? How does it sound? Living in the Elven Forest?"
"I don't know anything about that place." Mark, wanting to lighten to mood, continued. "Plus, I would totally look out of place there. Can you imagine it? Me, in the middle of the other Elves? Ha!" He chuckled, but she didn't laugh.
"Out of place?"
"Yeah. I mean... Look at me. It wouldn't-"
"But it doesn't have to be that way, does it?" Mark's eyebrow twitched. Elisa turned back around and stared at the ground to her side for a bit. "You don't have to... Look... Out of place." With an index finger, she scratched the ground for a bit. "Anyways, it was just a thought. We can talk about it tomorrow, okay? Good night."
It took a lot longer for Mark to fall asleep than it did for Elisa.
In a world where he didn't know anyone and didn't know anything, perhaps this was also his best bet at getting his Underlings back. Surely, Elisa wasn't the only one who wanted revenge, right? What if they could rally all of the Dark Elves? Surely, that would be enough to take down Raven, the Vampire Lord and Descendant Of Dracula?
Mark's thoughts kept racing for a while.
Meanwhile, Elisa slept peacefully.
I'm a Monster-
It has to look scary-
That's the whole point-
'I see how it is now. For a Monster... For you, ugliness isn't something you like. It's not something you love. You don't... Find it beautiful, in a way. Yes. Ugliness for you... For Monsters... Is a weapon. And if you see it as a weapon, not as something you value, then I can accept it. Yes... Knowing that... Makes it easier to look at you, despite the ugliness.'
Elisa.
A place where he could belong.
A place away from Raven, Gaavah, and their plans for him.
That wouldn't be such a bad deal.
In the first place, Dark Elves were placed inside the Dungeon for him to turn into one, right?
Then, why was such a feeling of dread occupying his heart and stomach?
The same way he felt after getting rid of his horns.
Why did he feel that way?
'Could I do that...? If that's what she wants too, then...'
The white-scaled Monster's thoughts continued for a while.
It fell asleep after some time, but couldn't find a suitable answer.
Mark starting to learn, or rather feel, the difference.
The difference between Changing and Changing for another.
