"Why not? I'm hungryyy!! t looks fine, doesn't it?"
"No, it doesn't... It's a bad idea."
"You eat it then. There are plenty around here."
"I don't want to-"
"But I'm starving!!"
"Ugh, fine." Mark took the mushroom from Elisa's hand and swallowed it immediately. "Happy?"
She remained silent for a bit and stared expectantly.
With her hands on her knees and her arms straight, Elisa let her body sway slightly from right to left.
"You're not really the patient kind."
"Sure I am! Anyways, feel anything?"
"No." Mark shrugged. "Tastes good too."
Elisa's eyes immediately glittered.
She turned around and started feasting on the numerous mushrooms.n0velusb.c0m
"Make sure you leave some for us." Mark muttered as he moved his gaze towards Krista.
"Haha. Very funny." The sheer quantity made the sarcasm hard to miss. The next mushroom that Elisa ate nearly made her choke.
"Is it that-"
"Hu... HUM!" Elisa coughed as her fist tapped her chest multiple times. "Yes, it's that good. And I'm hungry, alright? I don't judge you for eating all those Beasts, do I? Then leave me be." She grabbed another handful.
Mark reached for one too.
"See? Of course, you would want another. Nice than eating bloody Beasts, isn't it?"
"Whatever." The white-scaled Monster muttered as it stared at the mushroom intently, its right pupil shining under the piece of cloth hiding it. "It's not bad."
Elisa nodded as she put another mushroom in her mouth.
The Moonlit Feline's eyebrow was left twitching at the Princess' barbaric way of eating.
'I can't see anything even using this Eye... Should be safe, right? But then... The Eye can mostly detect Mana and that's it, I think?'
The white-scaled Monster shrugged and swallowed the fluorescent mushroom.
It didn't take long before he started downing them just as ferociously as Elisa was.
Not because he was particularly hungry, but simply because... Well, he was the Devourer. And he couldn't let someone show him up in his area of expertise.
Unfortunately, it also didn't take long before...
[Your Passive Skill "Poison Resistance[F]" has Evolved into "Poison Resistance[D]".]
'Huh?'
[Your Title "Devourer" nods.]
[Your Title "Evolving Monster" winks.]
"Um..." Mark took his eyes off those floating words. "You should probably sto-"
"Whay?"
The white-scaled Monster couldn't stop itself from laughing out loud at the Princess' puffed-up cheeks due to the numerous mushrooms she was trying to eat at once.
***
'Fuck, fuck... FUCK!!'
"General!"
"Out of the way!" The red-haired Draconia shouted as she ran through the Capital of Pride.
The Soldiers that were about to kneel hurriedly moved.
'Shit... SHIT!' She cursed internally as she kept going at top speed. 'Damn you... Damn you Raven!'
The General took a deep breath in and focused.
Think logically, and practically.
'Zerha is out to find her Candidate. Whose Mount can I borrow instead? Tsk. There's nothing I can use that could get me faster there than I can myself. Yarnha... The Forest Of Yarnha... I've never been there, but I assume the Forest's Spirit will only appear at night. It's been a couple of days since he was there. Where...'
Nia clicked her tongue.
'Where would he be now? If the Elf is still with him, then... Her village seems to be the obvious choice. But that's West. The Forest Of Yarnha is large. But if they got there from the Dungeon, then they're swaying East... East. To the place I was supposed to meet him? Zephyr did say that Raven marked the meeting spot for him but... Tsk. They might have delved into the Forest temporarily and then headed East. In that case, Zephyr will probably find them in the Elf's village. Otherwise... I'll head towards Yarnha. Find him there, or on the way. It's unlikely. The Monster Realm is vast. But as a General Of Gaavah, I should be able to sense his presence if we're close enough. That's the most I can do for now.'
Draconia let out a tired sigh.
'You did a good job surviving out there. You made it out of Yarnha alive, so that's good too. That Elf... I wonder how much she helped.' She chuckled. 'Capricious brat.'
With the left side of her lips curled up, the General continue moving.
'The whole goal was getting you stronger. Devouring weak Monsters on every Floor until the last one. Getting Dark Elves at a discount... Weakened by Corruption, which also turned out to be your specialty. Tsk. It was a good idea. The Monster we wanted you to Devour the most, you let go... Damn Capricious Monster. Only one inside you didn't kill too. Well, close enough.'
Draconia's lips curled up further.
'Make sure you survive. And make sure you're much stronger when I see you. Wonder if I'll have to beat you up to get you to listen to him. Or if you'll attack me right away. I can't wait...'
The ground cracked as she launched herself forward with even more power and speed.
'To meet you.'
For a long time, she had been watching over him.
Checking how he was doing.
Acting like a middle-man between him and his Titles.
Acting like the System.
Draconia had ended up enjoying the job quite a bit. Even though she hated the thought of it at first.
Unexpectedly, she enjoyed the job. And just as unexpectedly, she grew attached to the Devourer.
Even if asked, she wouldn't have been able to tell why that was the case exactly. But that doesn't matter. Nobody will ask that. And she certainly wouldn't ask herself that.
Why would she?
Overthinking abstract and mostly inexplicable things such as feelings wasn't for her.
If it can't be quantified, properly explained, or properly described, then there's no use in thinking about it.
Rationally and logically.
Coldly.
Mechanically.
'I wonder how much you will have changed when I see you. I'm sure you'll be different, right? Now that you have the freedom to decide.' Draconia chuckle. 'Now that I'm not the one suggesting options anymore.'
The shortest route from Nia's position to the Forest Of Yarnha.
That imaginary line linking the two.
Presently, Mark is positioned perfectly on that route.
Gaavah's plan.
The one who had trapped him inside the Dungeon.
If Mark, Krista, and Elisa were to keep following their current path, they will, without a doubt, be found by the General.
***
"I TOLD YOU TO STOP EATING THOSE!"
"BUT I'M TOO HUNGRY TO!"
