He’s more accommodating than I had initially thought — the boy, I mean. He’s name is Hyx—just Hyx. If he has a surname, he isn’t planning on telling me. Although he hasn’t said much or told me anything, I can tell he’s just like me, someone from Earth. My suspicions mostly and mainly stems from the jargon he used and the way he talks, it’s crude and lax, without a trace of grace. After weeks of living in this world, I realized just how vulgar we as people from Earth sounded. Not that our words were rude but it was just simply graceless.

I still haven’t a bull’s notion of his identity and I don’t trust him despite the voices in my head telling me otherwise. Talia stays neutral on her opinion of Hyx. She doesn’t trust him but she doesn’t think he bears any ill-intent towards us either. In the end, I took up his offer for food and shelter. I’m hungry and so is Lucy. At the very least, he respects my privacy and I in return, did the same. We didn’t pry further on each of our circumstances.

Now, I find myself in a lonely cottage residing in the northeast of Bluebell Forest. There are no runes nor totems for protection against the monsters or beasts that may come attacking any moment. However, I don’t sense any beasts or monsters in the vicinity. It’s like they knew better than to mess with the residents here. I can understand why.

“Original owner of this shack? Oh, we are the ones who built it.” is what I’m told when I asked. They were on a journey in search of these Void Demons, Q’nu but because of his wife’s pregnancy, they were force to put their adventure on halt. It’s entirely a coincidence that their stop was also in proximity of their objective.

Apparently, the lady with black and white spectral feathered wings is his wife. I laughed at it but I apologized when I realized it wasn’t a jest. It wasn’t uncommon to have couples with large age gaps in this world but usually, the older ones tend to be the husband but the lady is obviously the older one. There must be more than five years gap or even ten.

The even more surprising fact is that it hasn’t even been a month of pregnancy and the bulge in her stomach is already apparent. Since one’s a human-beast hybrid and the other one is a Nephilim, I shouldn’t be looking at this from a normal perspective.

He gave us a room. It’s about twenty-five meter square in area. There’s only one bed but Lucy has a small physique, that shouldn’t be a problem with sharing. There’s a table, chair, drawer desk, and a floor lamp… Huh, a floor lamp. Did not think I will ever see a floor lamp in this world. I was excited for a moment but upon a closer look, it’s only made to look like one. It’s just lantern on a long stick, I don’t know what I was expecting.

“What’s our next move, Shizuka?” Talia asked me as I lay her gently against the wall, just beside the bed.

I’m at a lost too. My teammates are dead and a normal Demon-culling excursion has turned into something bigger and worse. After everything that had transpired, I can’t think of a way to explain it without divulging my secret. I hate to admit it but my course of actions were largely dictated and guided by the Empire. Now that’s cut off, I’m seriously at a lost but one thing’s for sure. That thing called Q’nu, she must be stopped. If what I’m told is nothing but the truth, she must be stopped at the earliest moment we can. I can’t imagine just how much stronger she can be.

“I don’t know. I’m too tired to think of anything now.” I told Talia. Lucy is already fast asleep on the bed. Her stomach is growling but she’s sleeping ever so soundly. In truth, I’m kinda tired too. My eyelids are even beginning to feel heavy.

“You trust him?” asked Talia.

“To a certain degree.” I answered while fighting against my heavy eyelids. “I probably trust him more than the Empire. The boy looks two-faced but it is better than the Empire who bears many faces.”

While we were told that we heroes are here to subjugate and cull Demons but it won’t be strange to suspect superpower factions like the Zerogian Empire to harbor ulterior motives. I have a few ideas of their hidden intents; to intimidate their political rivals or enemies for example. After all, you don’t get to this position without making a few dangerous enemies. But the pressing matters at present would be the story I would be telling the Empire once I got back. If the Empire knows of the boy and his companion, I have no doubt the Emperor would try solicit them to their cause. And I can’t lie when they have truth recognition magic spells.

This whole thing is just a mess.

With my thoughts getting heavier and heavier, so did my eyelids, until I can no longer resist it. Even though my exhaustion has reached this stage, I still made attempts to wrap the small Lucy into my embrace as I drift into my sleep. It’s still only sometime after noon. Canines in general are warm and soft to touch after all.

A short but extremely loud sound of explosion snaps me awake. I spring right up from the bed where I dozed off and my hand goes for Talia in an instance. The sight outside the window cross my vision while I reach for my weapon. That sight defuse my panic and explains the noise. It was just a gunshot. The Dryad girl, Nilin, is practicing her shooting skills on dummies in the yard of the cottage.

Hmm, from the looks of the sky’s color, it’s evening now.

I let out a breath relief and as I almost slump back into the bed, I feel a wave of animosity. It wasn’t directed at me but as a collateral, it still unsettles me. Maybe I’m still groggy which is why I didn’t notice Lucy who’s up and about beside me, snarling and baring her fangs at a snake on the table.

No, it’s not a snake. SIS tells me it’s a Wyrm but its information reads nothing like a beast’s. There’s just too much information for a beast. It’s almost as if it’s a person. I have been told that some monsters or beasts who gained intelligence are treated like a person by the system. The Wyrm’s name is Citra and it’s actually the large Wyrm I saw accompanying Hyx.

I see. So it can change its size. It has Lightning Magic and Foresight as its magic spells. It also has a racial ability called, Arcane Serpent.

I don’t think it’s trying to do us harm so I calm Lucy down who’s showing hostility towards Citra the Wyrm.

“Kyu~?” It made a cute sound. Contrary to Lucy, Citra is docile. If it harbors anything towards us, it would be curiosity. It’s probably not caution against us due to its Foresight ability. Unconsciously, I reach my hand out to touch it. Maybe it’s because of Foresight, it receives my hand by caressing its head on my open palm. The scales feel hard but smooth. Soon, my fingers join the fray and Citra begins wrapping herself over my hand.

Lucy is being doubtful about Citra as she tries to tug my hand away. I don’t know if I’m just imagining things but Citra looks smug at Lucy’s futile attempt.

“This is curious.” Talia spoke out. “This is a friendly Wyrm. Must have had a wonderful experience with peoples if it’s letting you touch it. ” Oh right, she’s there. I forgotten all about her after my forty winks. When she came back into my mind, so did my right arm.

Oh, the spectral arm is still there. Talia didn’t deactivate Arcane Phantasm even though I was sleeping. Not complaining but wouldn’t she run out of fuel at some point then? And also, my stump looks patched-up and so are some minor wounds all over my body.

“Kiralhirin came by when you were sleeping. She helped mend your wounds and even with some food too but she decided to let the two of you sleep.”

That’s reassuring to know but she could at least leave the food here. Anyways, “who is she again?”

“I’m still unsure of their relationship but I believe Kiralhirin is the sibling of the gunslinger girl.”

“Ah, I see.” I replied dryly. I look to Lucy who’s still on guard against Citra but then I cock my head back to Talia. “Gunslinger… You know about guns?”

“Not entirely but I do distinctively remember about a weapon my creators were trying to build. It never made it to the arrays of common arsenals. In the end, it was only experimental during my time but it seems, someone managed to conventionalized it during my dormant years.”

With the echoes of the girl’s practice shots behind me, I mutter “yeah, it seems someone did.”

And I wonder who could have done it.

The door made a series of curious knocks. “It’s me.”

Speak of the hypothetical devil.

“You can come in.” I said.

“Nah, lady. Just want to tell you dinner is served. You’re free to join us if you want but if you hate crowds like I formerly do, you can have your meal in the room.”

See, that’s the difference of the tone between earth’s and this world’s. If anyone else heard this, they would think Hyx is being ill-mannered on purpose but that’s just how we speak on earth. But then again, Hyx does sound more crude than your average person from earth.

I look to Lucy and gouge her for an answer. She’s nodding and shaking her head. It doesn’t look like she knows what’s best for herself. Well, guess I have to be the adult here.

“I’ll be delighted to join you all on the dining table.”

“Alright.” He said and his footsteps of walking away can be heard clearly. I wonder if he’s making them loud for us to hear.

Under normal circumstances, I would have decline but it’s evening and our last meal was breakfast and we have been through some hectic situation. There’s just no way I can decline a nice warm meal after all that.

Well, I expected warm meal but what’s laying before me on the dining table after I have joined them, are plates and plates of vegetables and fruits. They look edible but none of them look cooked. Where are the meat dishes?

As if seeing through my mind, Hyx told me “I hope you’ll forgive me for having a vegan’s menu. I am very particular about what I put into my stomach.”

That’s what he said but… where have I heard those words before[1]? And no, you are not forgiven.

“What’s so good about meat anyway?” said Nilin, the Gunslinger Dryad. Yes, she’s indeed a bona fide Dryad. She isn’t a Mage or even a Spell Caster class like one would expect of her race. She’s a gunslinger. I can’t read anymore of her information other than those. She’s sporting some really magnificent recognition inhibition tool. In fact, everyone on this dining table does.

I’m sitting on the other end of the dining table with Lucy just squeezing in beside on another chair. I didn’t leave Talia in the room, I brought her along but she promise to be quiet during meals. Directly across me, is a little boy that’s even smaller than Lucy. My instincts tell me that the boy is not a human or even a he but an it. Why is he sitting there though?

On the right of the long dining table are Hyx and his wife, Senna. Actually, he’s sitting in between Kirin and Senna. Both of them look smitten by him but both of the girls only glare at one another. I can’t call it rivals-in-love considering one of them already won. I’m not looking forward to a Shuraba[2].

On the left, there’s the Gunslinger Dryad, Nilin, Cormac, the Oni who has the same face as Hyx, and a metal Golem, Djin Sol. His race says Golem but it’s basically a living, talking, and walking suit of armor. Citra is coiling herself around the Oni’s neck but the Oni himself doesn’t seem too bothered with it. Even though I didn’t ask, I was introduce to all of them by Hyx when we were heading back to the cottage, so I know all of their names.

Despite the warm welcome I receive from Hyx, I don’t seem to be favored by the others much. Nilin looks to be judging me, the little boy is giving off waves of curiosity and caution, and Senna and Kirin are eyeing me like a new rival has appeared. I want to tell them I’m not but I feel that would only make things worse. Hyx just looks tired from all this.

“Well, let’s eat.” With those words as the impetus, everyone begin eating. Well, not everyone. The metal Golem and the little boy aren’t eating.

“Don’t worry about them. They don’t need to eat.” Hyx told me so while being fed by the two girls beside him.

“Why vegan?” I just have to ask. “You’re against killing animals?”

“I like meat just as much as the average person but… it’s less on the taste or aversion but more of a health problem.”

Health problem? He’s not brawny nor scrawny but just right in between. He doesn’t look like someone who can’t take meat due to health problems. “You allergic?”

“You could say that.”

“It was just yesterday that I was reprimanded for speaking during meal time.” Nilin spoke up, her eyes locking on Hyx. “And I wonder what happened to that etiquette I have been graciously taught?”

“We were also taught to be tactful of the circumstances, Nilin.” said Djin.

“Oho? She’s getting an exception? How so? Pray tell this humble disciple of the reason.”

Hyx sighed at the sparring while being console by Senna. Kirin wants to join in but her hands are flailed away by the Nephilim. Someone’s definitely getting stab in the future in a dark back alley.

“You think you received an unfair treatment from Lord Creator.”

“The hell I am.”

Still with a bland tone, the golem response “you are being quite rude, Nilin.”

“Oh? Am I—”

All of a sudden, the bickering is stopped by a small but firm voice. “Nilin, Djin. Enough” The voice of the Nephilim chilled the air, all the while with a smile. Even the Oni who’s being playful with Citra the Wyrm, stops. “And dear?”

“Yes?” Even Hyx sounded intimidated.

“Can the discussion be postponed after dinner?”

“O-of course.” He nodded repeatedly.

And the dinner ended with an awkward silence. The only one unfazed by Senna is Kirin, her rival. They were bickering non-verbally but no one dared to point it out. I’m no fool nor idiot. I can tell she might be the strongest person in the room, even more so than Hyx.

“What do you plan on doing after this?”

Under the pretense of taking a stroll after a meal, Hyx asked me so among olden trees and during the hour where the stars become the guidance of all travelers. Lucy and Talia are back in the room, so they are not with me. I didn’t want to leave them behind but I decided to learn more from Hyx and leaving the two behind is a sign of my trust, to certain extent, for him. I’m surprised my spectral arm is persisting even with this much distance between me and Talia.

“I’m going to fulfill my promise.” I told him. Although it’s the truth, I’m not sure how I can go about that. I barely held my own against Valuma. Without Hyx, I don’t see a future that ends with my triumph.

“To the Mondra?”

“Her name’s Talia.”

“Having a name doesn’t lessen her being as a Mondra. But anyways, does your promise have something to do with slaying the Q’nu?”

“That’s pretty much the promise.”

He shrugs at my retort. “And how are you going to do just that?”

I stop my feet and turn my gaze at him. I nudge at him with my chin.

He raises an eyebrow.

“I believe you and I share the same agenda. I don’t see why we can’t work together in this.”

“Maybe you can see why but you just don’t want to accept it. How about liability?” He pointed at me. “You.”

“You doubt my competence?”

“Generally speaking, no. Against that aberrant, yes. In fact, I’m denying its existence.”

His words sting. My hand impulsively reaches out to his collar and yank his face forward. “Are you blind? Perhaps you were late that you didn’t get to see me in action.”

He snickered, it would have turned into a guffaw but he suppressed it. “Phrasing.”

I grimaced with a sigh. “You are deplorable, you know that? Just how old are you?”

After wiping away the tears that form from him restraining his bursting laughter and tearing my hand off from his collar, his eyes turned serious. “I can see you are serious and committed. But before I can promise you anything or make any deal with you, I have to know, where are you from?”

That’s not the question I expected but I don’t see any harm in answering. I have no evidence nor proof but at this point, the context behind his question is obvious. I don’t think we could have hide the truth from one another.

“The United States.”

His reaction says surprise, “hmm. That’s unexpected. Thought you’ll be from Japan, given your looks and name.”

“My father was born in Japan.”

“Was?”

“I’m an orphan. What about you? What’s your story?”

“Oh, I’m a reincarnated. Strangely, I retain my appearance from my previous life.”

So, I’m not completely right but I am right for most part. “You look like you fit right at home and I don’t mean just your looks.”

“I earned this.” His voice is low. For a moment, he sounded like a completely different person. “Where I stand now, I worked for this. I have lost so much for it and none of them were worth it.”

He shivered like something just crawled over his back. Looks like I triggered some bad memories.

“Which is why, stay away from the Q’nu. Subjugating her won’t be easy as you think, even with my help and it won’t come without sacrifice either. Are you prepare for that?”

“I appreciate your advice but I have to do this.”

“Because of the oath you sworn?”

“Not just that. Before I was summon here and as part of this “second chance” and a promise to her, I was told that my purpose is to combat a great threat that is imminent to this world. This Valuma, it fits that picture. I was also told that I would need allies and you just might be the person. That power you used, it’s a Divine Art, wasn’t it?”

Both of his eyes fell dark. “And who exactly is this “person” who told you all this?”

“Abaddon. My Divine Art and my God.”

[1] Hannibal TV Series reference

[2] Shuraba = Scene of carnage, usually use to describe the love battlefield between women.