"Funny hearing it from a guy that sounds like a woman." Phoenix stood up and glared him directly into the eyes.

Jack with Elmor chuckled when heard that, but when Sei looked at them, quickly averted their gaze.

"Enough! Both of you!" I decided to step in. "And Darling..." I squinted my eyes as I looked at Phoenix. "I hope you weren't implying that women are weak."

"Of course not, Kitty, I just wanted... hmm..." he looked at Jack and whispered. "Hey, help me think of something."

Jack placed his hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "Sorry leader, but I think you are doomed."

"Just wait till we get back." I squinted my eyes even further.

Phoenix then glared at Sei as if to say that everything was his fault and sat back.

Only Darson with Turion was looking at Sei with serious expressions while Jax was picking his ear with a finger. Derea looked a bit worried, but I think she was mostly concerned with Miriel, who was clearly afraid. She tried her best to hide it though.

"How could you choose someone like him..." Sei shook his head after one more glance at Phoenix but stopped what planned to say.

Tia was now standing next to him and poked his body with her finger, as it was only a projection, it passed right through.

"I never saw anyone like this," she muttered to herself. "Are you a ghost?"

"It's a communication spell. He isn't really here." I started to explain to her, though it was mostly aimed to calm down Miriel. Why was she affected so much, did she also thought he was a ghost?

She wasn't the only one who was scared though, and when Sei appeared most of the customers have already left the tavern. Is this why the owner looks so mad? Must be just my imagination...

The tavern was actually more like a restaurant, but this world doesn't have such name and all establishments serving food and drinks are called taverns. The only difference is an affix in front of their name, and it indicates the class. It's somewhat similar to ratings by stars from my old world.

"Do you remember when we tried to attack the base of assassins?" I continued my explanation ignoring the mad owner, "Elder of the Order then used a similar spell to contact us through the device Templars were carrying."

"Ah... I remember," she said while looking into a distance and finally stopped poking Sei with her finger. "But what is your race then?" she asked Sei.

"A demon," he answered while looking at her with curiosity.

"Ohh." was all Tia managed to say and stepped back a bit.

I thought this has scared her, but she just looked at him from different angles, and I noticed that her eyes were almost sparkling. I remember that look, it's almost like when she saw me flying on a disk.

"A real demon... Hey, can you spit fire like a dragon? I heard that all demons can do that, or was it acid? Eww, that would be gross. Breathing fire is much better. Can you do it? I mean breathing fire not the acid." she asked while barely containing herself.

"Hmm... I probably could, though it would be easier to simply cast with a hand..."

"I knew it!" shouted Tia excited.

He could do that?!

I tried to imagine him breathing fire, and have to admit it looked... impressive. I was even reminded how I almost picked a similar skill when Agama, the Spirit of Knowledge from Endorod Library, offered me a reward. Hmm, probably a good thing I didn't. Especially considering rumors about me...

"And you said you are not a dragon," Tia looked at me.

"Hey! That has nothing to do with me..." I started to complain, but she was already in her own world and wasn't listening to me.

"What else can you do? Can you kill your enemies just with your gaze? Or maybe you can use telepathy to be mean? Like repeating 'you will miss' to an archer in their head. Ah, that's right, Melissa is your sister, I bet you then can use teleportation too. Wait a second, does it mean she is a demon too? Hey Melissa, you never told us you are a demon!"

"You realize that he is my brother only in name, we are not related by blood..." I quickly objected.

Can't she see that we look nothing alike?!

"But I just checked your status, and it says... Ow!" she yelped when I grabbed her by the ear and dragged a bit to the side.

"Was it necessary to say it so loud or were you worried that some of our 'friends' will not hear you?" I whispered to her and quickly glanced through the window to another side of the street. I could see a large crowd gathered there, and many spies that followed us were among them, it seems that their numbers have only increased.

They no longer bothered to hide their intent and just watched us openly. I wonder if they realized I used truth serum on their friend? I was careful and released only a small amount through the pores, but one never knows... When I suddenly overheard one of them calling me a demon, I realized that nothing we said was missed by them.

Great. As if I don't have enough problems with rumors about me. This is totally Sei's and Tia's fault! I just hope that things will not get even worse...

"Mr. Demon..." I looked at Darson, who for the first time from our meeting decided to join the conversation.

"My name is Seiredapilirausinercue..." quickly cut him short Sei.

"Mr. Seiradpil... Seiredalsi..." Darson grimaced while trying to pronounce his full name. "Umm..."

"Just call me Sei. Seriously, what's wrong with you people. It's not even that long..." complained brother.

I chuckled when heard him, though he was right. During the time I was with him, I learned that his name was actually short one. In the world he came from it was a custom to make a verse or a song when a new child is born. The name was usually a line from it that represents the child the best. Names over forty letters long were not uncommon there.

"Thank you, Mr. Sei. I am Darson Akane Gorval'dur, a very good friend of your 'sister'. I wanted to ask if you could..."

Very good friend? I widened my eyes. Since when?!

"... four arms are very handy when using guns," continued Darson, "But if I have to fight at a close distance, they get in a way. Is there any way to..." and he started to discuss his problems about his summon.

I think that my advice in this regard would be more useful. Of course, Sei has four arms for millennia and probably sounds like a perfect teacher, but at this point, it's like asking how to breathe.

When I heard a commotion outside I looked through the window and saw a group of guards approaching us... Most likely they came to investigate when people started to scream. I don't think there are many people like me, who can get into so many troubles just in one day...

*

"Thank you for your help. For a moment I thought we will have to meet with Alex." Phoenix started to speak as we left the tavern behind us.

Guards we left behind as well were talking to people gathered at the place and occasionally looked in our direction.

As for Sei... when he saw what his presence has caused, he just grinned and then vanished with a short excuse that some things have come up. I even had no time to ask him about the orb he gave me! Well, there is no rush.

"It wasn't a problem," answered elf walking by our side, his name was Zaos and he was a leader of Templars in the capital. When guards were about to drag us to their captain, he helped us to resolve the situation peacefully. I wasn't aware they have so much influence.

"By the way, I don't see Aurora and Eliza, where are they?" he looked at our group a few more times to make sure he didn't miss them. "Weren't they supposed to escort you?"

"I don't know about Eliza, but the last time we saw Aurora, she was flirting with guild master in Endorod City." I answered a bit annoyed her name was mentioned.

As the elf heard that, he started to sweat. "And there was no priestess accompanying her?"

"No," I answered now with a bit of interest.

"Great." he quickly looked at one of his subordinates. "Send a word to activate her seal."

When he saw me looking at him with expectation started to explain.

"You probably already guessed, but she is a very problematic member of our Order, I still don't understand why she was allowed to join ranks of Inq... Anyway, it's not the first time she ditched her supervisor. Say, are you sure I can't persuade you to meet with our leader?"

"Look, I am grateful for the help earlier, but I had enough of meetings for one day," I then looked at the sky. "Besides, it's already an evening. I will meet with her tomorrow."

"Very well, then." Zaos nodded his head and then left with his men.

Phoenix chuckled and hugged me over the waist, "Still angry at her?"

"Her?" I asked him, though I think I knew what he meant.

"The Goddess."

"A bit." I smiled as well.

During the time I was in another world, I recovered even more memories from my past lives, but the meeting with the Goddess was fragmented at best. Still, it was enough for me to realize that everything that happened that day was partly my own fault... okay, maybe most of it. But that doesn't stop me from not liking her...

*

In the end, we separated with Tia and the rest, and agreed to meet in the guild tomorrow. As for now... I couldn't wait to get to our room. Maybe it wasn't exactly his fault, but Phoenix has neglected his duties as my boyfriend and we have a lot of catching up to do! This will be a night to remember...

"So you are that famous dragon? huh?" suddenly I heard a voice in front of us and a dwarf clad in dark clothes walked from the corner.

"I have to admit, I was expecting someone... with some scales and without fur."

"Do I know you?" I asked while channeling mana through my body.

I wasn't aware he was hiding there and it says something about his skills. Even if his scent couldn't reach me because of the wind, I should have heard his breathing or at least a heartbeat.

Who is he?

I activated my analyze on him, but it wasn't working. Yes, I think it's safe to assume that he is an assassin... Probably. Was he so confident in his skills that decided to confront me in the open?

Either that or he was an idiot.

"Let's just say, that I am someone who soon will be your opponent..." he grinned and then shadows quickly spread from his body and covered a wide area.

My demon sight allowed to see everything clearly and I think even Phoenix should have no problems with his nightvision and mana perception to assist.

The man drew his sword and was about to attack, but I launched a needle at him with my metal manipulation.

I created it by extracting a bit of metal from my clothes. As far I am aware, orichalcum doesn't exist in this world and I am the only one in possession of this metal.

A certain werewolf Champion has gifted it in the previous world.

Back then, when I used half of his sword to kill him, the rest was turned it into a collar and that collar was the only piece I had on me when awoke after that incident. Needless to say, it was now a part of my clothes in the form of particles spread through the fabric. I have no need for a collar.

The man quickly abandoned his plan to attack me and used his already drawn sword to block the needle.

*CLANG*

He looked with astonishment as the needle collided with more force than he anticipated and forced him to step back a few times. When he finally regained his footing, the needle was holding his sword in place. He started to use more strength with his arms, but it was futile. I might have blocked some unpleasant memories from the last battle, but skills I obtained there did not vanish.

My metal manipulation was now stronger... much stronger.

The floor under his feet started to crack and very slowly he was forced to kneel.

I summoned my phantom tail to deal with the attack from behind me, but a flaming snake, that suddenly appeared next to me, acted first and swallowed dark shape that tried to attack me.

I looked at Phoenix while pouting but he just grinned. Well, it was only a shadow clone... Hmm, mists of the shadows, shadow clone... I guess this makes the dwarf a shadowblade... just like Tia.

I looked once more at the Phoenix. I am not the only one who learned new things during this time and chantless incantation he just used was yet another reason I couldn't wait to enact my plans for the night. If only this stupid little pest didn't ruin it...

There is no way we could avoid dealing with the guards now is there?! I guess no, not with all those spies on our tail. I can't exactly let him go either...

Grrr!

I looked at the man with hatred and didn't even noticed when the air around me started to freeze.

The needle holding him in place burst into smoke, but the dwarf didn't wait to see what will happen next and activated shadowstep, just in time to escape the cloud of metal particles the size of dust from entering his mouth.

A dozen of flaming arrows appeared next to Phoenix and launched to the new location of the man. Few of them were aimed at his body, while the rest cut off all his escape routes.

Black smoke emerged from the body of dwarf and quickly formed into another shadow clone. It launched forward and blocked the attack.

It managed to destroy a few arrows, but the rest merged together and formed into a spear and yet another clone was a history.

"Wait!" shouted the man and activated shadowstep once again.

The jaws of flaming serpent that followed right after the spear, missed him only by a hair's breadth.

But after a few moments, I grinned while looking at the dwarf floating in the air a distance away from us. "Got you."

... all this time I was flooding the area with metal particles from my clothes and some of them were now inside his body.

"Wait I said! I am a Champion!" shouted the man again, this time with fear. "I just wanted to test your strength."

"I don't think this is how one asks for a spar." Phoenix looked at him with a strict gaze and summoned his guns, the flaming serpent that missed its attack earlier was now levitating in the air by his side.

When I saw his weapons, I realized that none of his spells produced any sounds, and the battle went in a complete silence... except for the part where the dwarf started to shout. Even flaming serpent never detonated during the fight.

Was this to avoid attracting the guards? Probably... an explosion from a spell like fireball could draw a lot of attention.

As I couldn't detect any lies from the dwarf I started to gather metal particles from around us back into my clothes, though I wasn't in a hurry to extract those inside the dwarf yet. You know, just in case. There is a skill called 'deception' and if the level is high enough it could fool even those with 'lie detection', it seems that only pixies are not affected by it.

"I just wanted to test her strength before the tournament." started to speak the dwarf. "I heard that Red Beast plans to participate, so I thought I will say hello. Who would have thought that I will meet two monsters instead of one," he added after a quick look at Phoenix.