The day was cold and grim in Capital. Heavy rain made everyone, but a few braves, hide under the multitude of tiled roofs. The movements on the wide streets and in the prospects were almost nonexistent, as if the heart of Jioral had become a victim to a cruel blight.
Bullet Hashlant watched it all through the stained glass with the mosaic image of Eldoran on it. The god of youth and beauty, his cult was relatively young, barely two hundred years old. For the Hero of Cannon, there was no better pretext to start an orphanage than praying to this deity. After all, at the moment, the massive black man was encircled with children. Eighteen boys in silver robes prayed while keeping their distance from the holy father. None of them was older than fourteen, but they all had that infatuated look in their eyes. They watched the `graduation`, a debauched act, during which the oldest of them was forced into oral sex with Bullet.
"He-heh, you’re doing well, Miguel. Let us… preserve your beauty for ages." The man spoke with an ugly smirk. He was ready to strangle the boy. Kill him before puberty takes away his charm. The massive hands slowly but steadily approached his neck. Of course, everyone knew what was going to happen. But the children were too broken, too brainwashed, to comprehend the sheer horror of that act. But…
…
"What… am I doing?.." Just before the worst could happen, Bullet snapped out of his lunacy. Miguel was gracefully waiting for his end, pressing his arms together in a silent prayer. But the priest felt dizzy. He was trembling, ready to fall. If not for the implications, the gunner would look ridiculous with his genitalia protruding from his robes.
"A-ah, I see. My… collection." The man mumbled. Nobody would help him, even if he crumbled on the floor. After all, he was surrounded by dolls that were broken and depersonalized.
In the end, not saying a word, the pedophile left the hall. He had to attend his office, so that at least one would be spared. And just like with his exit, Bullet Hashlant was fast to return. He held a pack of wizened papers, bound by a few strings.
"Miguel, your graduation has been completed. You must go; be my eyes and ears in the outer world." The black giant spoke, receiving nothing but silent reverence in return. "You must never come back. But rest assured, I will be keeping contact with you. When the time comes, you must deliver this precious knowledge to Kureha Cryleth."
"Yes, Father Bullet. Thank you, Father Bullet." The response was emotionless and pale. Without a doubt, the boy would take his death with the same level of apathy. What would feel wrong and overwhelming for anyone else was just a commodity for the mad hero.
"Now go. All of you." The man cleared the hall by sheer force of will while he could still restrain himself. But even so, he wouldn’t remain alone.
"You have surprised me." The voice of the dead thundered from the darkest corner of the room. "Was it your own mercy? A moment of clarity? Or your awareness of my presence?" The hexer in an iron mask wondered, stepping into the light.
"Only a god would know. Clearly, someone as great as Faran, for sure." Bullet Hashlant replied with a deep bow. "I was not expecting you here. After all, how can lowly me be as important as rampaging churches, murdering gods… saving that fallen whore? How is she? Has Reeharoze already climbed to the throne of Enritta? Can’t blame the bitch, Castor is one prized piece of a man." He was much less respectful toward the winged woman. And every woman in particular, to be honest. Either way, that was just a way of boasting his wise net of agents throughout the continent.
"Careful, false priest. Do not berate my friend, otherwise I might judge you for defiling my teacher’s heritage." Lorenzo responded menacingly, as his clumsy, marionette-like movements led him toward the gunner. "Eldoran was a man of principle, a man of charity and honor."
"He was a cruel womanizer and a hard drinker. And now he’s dead. Otherwise, I would have received my punishment a long time ago. After all, there’s only one way to become a true god. And I haven’t read of any divine beast at his disposal." Bullet mused, giving a disdained look at the fresco. The blonde, long-haired man, Eldoran, was just an idol with nothing behind his visage. And both heroes knew it too well.
"Mayhaps, it is I who came to punish you. And mayhaps, you might be too useful for a moment. Bullet Hashlant, the fate worse than death awaits you." The dark sorcerer elaborated, mentally easing his concerns about not taking Reeharoze with him. She deserved some rest, at least.
"Please, spare me the blabbering, Godslayer. I know about the blackened corpses and the primordial god possessing Margurth." Bullet shrugged, leaning on the altar. "What do you think my papers were all about?"
"But do you know how to resist him? How to tame his power and make it your own?"
"Hmm, first you’ve got my attention. Now you have my interest. But be warned, Faran. Before we proceed, I have a condition."
"Yes." Before the gunner could even name his terms, the Hero of Blessings gave his consent. "Yes, you can have Keyaru."
…
Under the clear sky of Buranikka, hidden inside the dirty shack of the local serial killer, Keyaruga lent an ear to Kali’s tale. Of how Lorenzo sold him to Bullet as a means of getting his loyalty. The healer listened to it all, crouching next to Kailia. The latter remained too extensively traumatized to do anything, while the man seemed much more considerate than anything else.
"…that old undead is nothing but a fool. He thinks killing gods would make the world a better place, when in reality all he’s driven by is jealousy. His wife was enticed by Ketzalcoatl, and now he wants us all dead — only to justify his prolonged existence on this earth. Heroes included, my dear boy." And the goddess of changes circled around him, sometimes speaking, sometimes whispering, and sometimes outright crying. Now she descended toward the hero and carefully put her palm on his cheek. "He has betrayed you, just like he did the rest of us."
"What do you want from me?" The red-eyed lad asked the deity. His voice was restricted but not tame. His gaze burned with fire, yet in no way would he allow himself to be scourged by it.
"Power. I want you to be powerful for me." Kali approached Keyaru's ear with her black lips. "Take my hand, darling, and I will bless you with invulnerability to pain. No more suffering, no more fear. Imagine all your enemies lying before you, maimed and bruised, begging for your forgiveness under your sword. Accept me, and I will help you in your vengeance." The words of the goddess were seductive, even sexual even. The man couldn’t help but arouse a little bit as the goosebumps ran down his skin. Self-satisfied grin appeared on his face. He was ready…
"Nice offer. But I refuse." …to reject it all. Keyaruga, the Hero of Healing, stood up in all of his naked glory. "If the life has taught me anything, it’s never, ever, ever, never ever trust a crazy bitch who promises too fucking much! Now, take your dagger and begone, traitorous thot!" With his arms arrogantly crossed across his chest, the lad said it all.
"What is this? Think, how much wealth, control, how many women I can give you!" And yet, Kali relented. There was a reason she couldn’t openly bend the man into submission. Specifically, his invisible guardian. Yet she could sway him. Right?
"Oh, I can imagine. But I’m already on my way there." Keyaruga admonished, watching the woman stand up and point her dagger at his throat. "What? You needed me as an ally, not a corpse, right? Sorry, but I already have a queen to attend to. You still have, like, six heroes to choose from. Although, I suggest you take on Lorenzo yourself. He’s not that hard, only like… three-hundredth level? Surely, not much of a threat for a goddess, as aggressive and passionate as you are?" At that point, the healer basically mocked the four-armed deity, while the latter could only make a rageful grimace. The blaze of pure hatred became almost physically palpable. And yet… it all faded in a moment.
"I’ll respect your decision. But remember, what you’ve denied, when your women bleed to death on the black tree." Having shared her prophecy, Kali sparked into a bright crimson spark. Before long, only a pile of ash remained of her avatar. And even that evaporated soon after.
"I know you’re awake, Kailia. And I know this was your idol. She betrayed you and would betray me." The man said this as he flipped the barely conscious leopard woman onto her back. "You hate me, right? The feeling is mutual. I can’t take you with me. So, how about we make a deal instead?"
…
The day approached its sunset when the Hero of Healing made his way home. Although the temporary dwelling in the slums was just another hub. Keyaruga lost his true home, and that caught up with him. Initially, the man thought he would return to his girls with a bunch of gifts and a smile on his face. Of course, the whole pack of treats was there; he carried it on his shoulder, but the mirth was gone.
The healer raped Kailia and thought of it as nothing special. But the vile aftertaste filled him with nothing but bitterness. This, Lorenzo’s cooperation with Bullet, Kali’s arrogant prediction — by itself such things wouldn’t bother him much. After all, someone as far-sighted as the Tenth would surely find the best intelligence agent in the kingdom useful, and there was no guarantee that the deity spoke the whole truth. In the end, Keyaruga would do something similar in the undead’s shoes.
The lad walked through the narrow streets, watching carriages and monstrous mounts pass by, which helped distract, if not calm, his volatile mind. The leopard woman has already left the city. Presumably, they would never meet each other again. But no matter what would happen, either dead or alive, she would forever remain the memento of Keyaru’s failure.
"Now, I only need to wait for Norn. She… cannot be left there. Even if…" Before the man noticed, he started muttering under his nose. Bystanders wouldn’t even grant him glances as his voice drowned in the sound of city bells, heralding the upcoming closure of the gates.
But Keyaruga paid no attention to the sound. His way was almost over.
…
In the meantime, the house was full of life. Freia and Setsuna had been busy, restoring the home to at least somehow livable conditions took a lot of effort, mana and time. But still…
"Pheh, it’s finally over." Freia proudly declared with her arms crossed. Considering she was wearing Keyaruga’s green cape all the time, she looked more dramatic than imposing. Especially with the enchanted fabric wriggling on the floor.
"Honestly, is that the peak of your ambitions? Fixing an abandoned shack for that bandit?" Eve, though, still refused to abandon that nasty side of her. Despite that, the maiden ran her hand over the fresh stone. The princess’ work wasn’t a piece of art, but at least it was sturdy. And for that, thanks went to…
"Better than under rain." Setsuna deadpanned, examining her ice. The she-wolf used it not only as glass but also as a replacement for concrete.
"Come on, there’s no rain!" The winged one wasn’t convinced, though. "Why aren’t we hunting for those horny bastards instead? I could take them on!"
"Uh-huh, in mating?" But the ice warrior was more than skeptical of kokuyoku scion’s skills. She even grinned at the poor girl.
"Is that what you think? Follow me, we’re going into a battle" The black-haired pile of hubris summoned her white spheres, assumed a battle stance, and… Nothing happened.
"Evy, Setty, don’t quarrel." Before the hot head could hurt anybody (or rather herself), the Hero of Magic, who stood between Eve and the door, extinguished her spells. "You seem to lose your temper when you’re hungry. Here, have a snack." And to deescalate the situation completely, Freia presented both of them with chunks of dried meat.
"Good. Thanks." Setsuna, as a woman of few words, accepted the meal and got closer to the door.
"Ugh, she’s like a dog." Eve shook her head, munching on the food. She watched the she-wolf wait for her master. From her point of view, Setsuna’s sympathy was admirable but quite dumb at the same time. At least, it was obvious. Unlike… "Freia, you’re a princess, right? Then why do you need Keyaruga? Couldn’t you take anyone from the palace who wouldn’t be so naughty? You love him? Why?"
"I…" The pink-haired girl stumbled for a second. Obviously, that was a lot to answer. "I’m exiled, so I have no authority for now. First, we have to overthrow my father. Then, Keyaruga can take his place on the throne."
"Hey, don’t dodge my question!" Eve exclaimed, pointing her finger at the sorceress, which made the latter even more uneasy.
"Evy… It’s not so simple. Keyaruga and I have... a difficult relationship. But he saved me from what I could become. And for that, I’m grateful to him. Now do me a favor and just let us be, okay?" All that time, the magician couldn’t look into the maiden’s eyes. Her resolve, however, left no room for further debate.
"Right-right. Have it your way." It wasn’t like Eve had surrendered; rather, she stepped back to wait for a better moment. She was curious, that girl. Especially when it came to those her life depended on. Speaking of that…
"Master Keyaruga!" With a loud scream, Setsuna pushed the door open and ran toward the man. She literally jumped on his neck from the excitement.
"Heh-heh, oh, you." Keyaruga was ready for such a turn of events. It made him smile again. He even grabbed the enthusiastic wolf-girl on his shoulder before entering the house. "Have you missed me, Eve?"
"Pff, of course no!" Obviously, the winged cutie didn’t even bother to turn around. Wait, is she bashing? Oh, you’re my adorable little birdie.
"Master, you smell off. It’s… rotten." The huntress spoke before swiftly jumping back onto the floor. She sensed death, ash, blood on him. There was another smell, but it was almost lost behind the blighting incense.
"Oh, must be that corpse they sent after me. Or that four-armed goddess? I wonder." The man mused, before taking off the voluminous bag from his shoulder.
"Let me help you." Or, at least, he tried to, but Freia took it from him as a gesture of attention. Setsuna, in turn, brought him a chair. A piece of furniture they fixed, cleaned, and even polished while he was gone. No matter how much the hero tried to keep his posture, his tiredness slipped through the façade.
"Of course! We were worried here, and you were off with another woman!" Ultimately, Eve couldn’t contain her displeasure. She was stuck in the barely standing house, while the man walked around picking goddesses (a common term for the local prostitutes). Still, no mirth appeared on the troubled lips as the healer covered his face with his palm and the stream of emerald magic returned his visage to normal and his hair to red.
"I rejected her, if you’re interested. Said, I already have my queen." Keyaruga shrugged, glaring right into the black-haired maiden’s crimson eyes. "Now, be a good girl, and take something to your liking." With that voiced, the lad pointed at the bag that Freia had put on the table. She and Setsuna were already digging through the piles of blankets, clothes, underwear, fruits, vegetables, different crops, and so much more.
"Thank you for all these treats!" Freia said, holding a scarlet dress. Independent of whether Keyaruga knew it or not, such attire was worn by Reeharoze when she was among the living.
"Hmm, so soft!" And Setsuna kept snuggling to the blue scarf for a simple reason — it smelled like her master.
"Freia, come here." The lad took out a piece of broken horn from his pocket. "I was ambushed by one of the attackers. The one I killed yesterday. Can you track down the shamans who raised him?"
"Feh, it reeks of dark sorcery." Although the part of the carcass was more or less odorless, the princess’ pretty face turned ugly when she took it. It felt nostalgic, but not in a good way. "I could, but I’ll need some time. Tracking is not my specialty."
It is. You just have no way of remembering it. Should I tell her? No, not now.
"Good. Just tell us where to go. Me and Setsuna will handle the rest."
"Yes. They’ll regret attacking you, master." The she-wolf replied with a large chunk of enthusiasm.
"He-e-ey! I too want to fight!" Eve rashly reminded of her involvement in all that mess. Unfortunately for her, nobody considered her a full-fledged member of the team. At least, in combat scenarios.
"No, Evy. You’re too precious and unskilled for such operations." Freia did try her best to calm down the queen-to-be, but she was just too prideful to stay still. Keyaruga wouldn’t be much use here, and Setsuna… Well, her conversational skills weren’t the best. So it left only one of them. And one option. "How about you stay here, and I teach you a few spells for that? The one that stops you from bleeding, for starters."
"Like, no more periods?" The kokuyoku scion wondered with an uncovered awe. The sorceress proudly nodded. And the maiden’s interest would soon become an obsession. "Show me!"
"Master? What’s with you?" The she-wolf wondered, sitting right next to the man.
"Nothing. I just wonder how much there is that I don’t know. Even about you three."
After all, what the pretty magician baited Eve with was a healing magic.
The day was cold and grim in Capital. Heavy rain made everyone, but a few braves, hide under the multitude of tiled roofs. The movements on the wide streets and in the prospects were almost nonexistent, as if the heart of Jioral had become a victim to a cruel blight.
Bullet Hashlant watched it all through the stained glass with the mosaic image of Eldoran on it. The god of youth and beauty, his cult was relatively young, barely two hundred years old. For the Hero of Cannon, there was no better pretext to start an orphanage than praying to this deity. After all, at the moment, the massive black man was encircled with children. Eighteen boys in silver robes prayed while keeping their distance from the holy father. None of them was older than fourteen, but they all had that infatuated look in their eyes. They watched the `graduation`, a debauched act, during which the oldest of them was forced into oral sex with Bullet.
"He-heh, you’re doing well, Miguel. Let us… preserve your beauty for ages." The man spoke with an ugly smirk. He was ready to strangle the boy. Kill him before puberty takes away his charm. The massive hands slowly but steadily approached his neck. Of course, everyone knew what was going to happen. But the children were too broken, too brainwashed, to comprehend the sheer horror of that act. But…
…
"What… am I doing?.." Just before the worst could happen, Bullet snapped out of his lunacy. Miguel was gracefully waiting for his end, pressing his arms together in a silent prayer. But the priest felt dizzy. He was trembling, ready to fall. If not for the implications, the gunner would look ridiculous with his genitalia protruding from his robes.
"A-ah, I see. My… collection." The man mumbled. Nobody would help him, even if he crumbled on the floor. After all, he was surrounded by dolls that were broken and depersonalized.
In the end, not saying a word, the pedophile left the hall. He had to attend his office, so that at least one would be spared. And just like with his exit, Bullet Hashlant was fast to return. He held a pack of wizened papers, bound by a few strings.
"Miguel, your graduation has been completed. You must go; be my eyes and ears in the outer world." The black giant spoke, receiving nothing but silent reverence in return. "You must never come back. But rest assured, I will be keeping contact with you. When the time comes, you must deliver this precious knowledge to Kureha Cryleth."
"Yes, Father Bullet. Thank you, Father Bullet." The response was emotionless and pale. Without a doubt, the boy would take his death with the same level of apathy. What would feel wrong and overwhelming for anyone else was just a commodity for the mad hero.
"Now go. All of you." The man cleared the hall by sheer force of will while he could still restrain himself. But even so, he wouldn’t remain alone.
"You have surprised me." The voice of the dead thundered from the darkest corner of the room. "Was it your own mercy? A moment of clarity? Or your awareness of my presence?" The hexer in an iron mask wondered, stepping into the light.
"Only a god would know. Clearly, someone as great as Faran, for sure." Bullet Hashlant replied with a deep bow. "I was not expecting you here. After all, how can lowly me be as important as rampaging churches, murdering gods… saving that fallen whore? How is she? Has Reeharoze already climbed to the throne of Enritta? Can’t blame the bitch, Castor is one prized piece of a man." He was much less respectful toward the winged woman. And every woman in particular, to be honest. Either way, that was just a way of boasting his wise net of agents throughout the continent.
"Careful, false priest. Do not berate my friend, otherwise I might judge you for defiling my teacher’s heritage." Lorenzo responded menacingly, as his clumsy, marionette-like movements led him toward the gunner. "Eldoran was a man of principle, a man of charity and honor."
"He was a cruel womanizer and a hard drinker. And now he’s dead. Otherwise, I would have received my punishment a long time ago. After all, there’s only one way to become a true god. And I haven’t read of any divine beast at his disposal." Bullet mused, giving a disdained look at the fresco. The blonde, long-haired man, Eldoran, was just an idol with nothing behind his visage. And both heroes knew it too well.
"Mayhaps, it is I who came to punish you. And mayhaps, you might be too useful for a moment. Bullet Hashlant, the fate worse than death awaits you." The dark sorcerer elaborated, mentally easing his concerns about not taking Reeharoze with him. She deserved some rest, at least.
"Please, spare me the blabbering, Godslayer. I know about the blackened corpses and the primordial god possessing Margurth." Bullet shrugged, leaning on the altar. "What do you think my papers were all about?"
"But do you know how to resist him? How to tame his power and make it your own?"
"Hmm, first you’ve got my attention. Now you have my interest. But be warned, Faran. Before we proceed, I have a condition."
"Yes." Before the gunner could even name his terms, the Hero of Blessings gave his consent. "Yes, you can have Keyaru."
…
Under the clear sky of Buranikka, hidden inside the dirty shack of the local serial killer, Keyaruga lent an ear to Kali’s tale. Of how Lorenzo sold him to Bullet as a means of getting his loyalty. The healer listened to it all, crouching next to Kailia. The latter remained too extensively traumatized to do anything, while the man seemed much more considerate than anything else.
"…that old undead is nothing but a fool. He thinks killing gods would make the world a better place, when in reality all he’s driven by is jealousy. His wife was enticed by Ketzalcoatl, and now he wants us all dead — only to justify his prolonged existence on this earth. Heroes included, my dear boy." And the goddess of changes circled around him, sometimes speaking, sometimes whispering, and sometimes outright crying. Now she descended toward the hero and carefully put her palm on his cheek. "He has betrayed you, just like he did the rest of us."
"What do you want from me?" The red-eyed lad asked the deity. His voice was restricted but not tame. His gaze burned with fire, yet in no way would he allow himself to be scourged by it.
"Power. I want you to be powerful for me." Kali approached Keyaru's ear with her black lips. "Take my hand, darling, and I will bless you with invulnerability to pain. No more suffering, no more fear. Imagine all your enemies lying before you, maimed and bruised, begging for your forgiveness under your sword. Accept me, and I will help you in your vengeance." The words of the goddess were seductive, even sexual even. The man couldn’t help but arouse a little bit as the goosebumps ran down his skin. Self-satisfied grin appeared on his face. He was ready…
"Nice offer. But I refuse." …to reject it all. Keyaruga, the Hero of Healing, stood up in all of his naked glory. "If the life has taught me anything, it’s never, ever, ever, never ever trust a crazy bitch who promises too fucking much! Now, take your dagger and begone, traitorous thot!" With his arms arrogantly crossed across his chest, the lad said it all.
"What is this? Think, how much wealth, control, how many women I can give you!" And yet, Kali relented. There was a reason she couldn’t openly bend the man into submission. Specifically, his invisible guardian. Yet she could sway him. Right?
"Oh, I can imagine. But I’m already on my way there." Keyaruga admonished, watching the woman stand up and point her dagger at his throat. "What? You needed me as an ally, not a corpse, right? Sorry, but I already have a queen to attend to. You still have, like, six heroes to choose from. Although, I suggest you take on Lorenzo yourself. He’s not that hard, only like… three-hundredth level? Surely, not much of a threat for a goddess, as aggressive and passionate as you are?" At that point, the healer basically mocked the four-armed deity, while the latter could only make a rageful grimace. The blaze of pure hatred became almost physically palpable. And yet… it all faded in a moment.
"I’ll respect your decision. But remember, what you’ve denied, when your women bleed to death on the black tree." Having shared her prophecy, Kali sparked into a bright crimson spark. Before long, only a pile of ash remained of her avatar. And even that evaporated soon after.
"I know you’re awake, Kailia. And I know this was your idol. She betrayed you and would betray me." The man said this as he flipped the barely conscious leopard woman onto her back. "You hate me, right? The feeling is mutual. I can’t take you with me. So, how about we make a deal instead?"
…
The day approached its sunset when the Hero of Healing made his way home. Although the temporary dwelling in the slums was just another hub. Keyaruga lost his true home, and that caught up with him. Initially, the man thought he would return to his girls with a bunch of gifts and a smile on his face. Of course, the whole pack of treats was there; he carried it on his shoulder, but the mirth was gone.
The healer raped Kailia and thought of it as nothing special. But the vile aftertaste filled him with nothing but bitterness. This, Lorenzo’s cooperation with Bullet, Kali’s arrogant prediction — by itself such things wouldn’t bother him much. After all, someone as far-sighted as the Tenth would surely find the best intelligence agent in the kingdom useful, and there was no guarantee that the deity spoke the whole truth. In the end, Keyaruga would do something similar in the undead’s shoes.
The lad walked through the narrow streets, watching carriages and monstrous mounts pass by, which helped distract, if not calm, his volatile mind. The leopard woman has already left the city. Presumably, they would never meet each other again. But no matter what would happen, either dead or alive, she would forever remain the memento of Keyaru’s failure.
"Now, I only need to wait for Norn. She… cannot be left there. Even if…" Before the man noticed, he started muttering under his nose. Bystanders wouldn’t even grant him glances as his voice drowned in the sound of city bells, heralding the upcoming closure of the gates.
But Keyaruga paid no attention to the sound. His way was almost over.
…
In the meantime, the house was full of life. Freia and Setsuna had been busy, restoring the home to at least somehow livable conditions took a lot of effort, mana and time. But still…
"Pheh, it’s finally over." Freia proudly declared with her arms crossed. Considering she was wearing Keyaruga’s green cape all the time, she looked more dramatic than imposing. Especially with the enchanted fabric wriggling on the floor.
"Honestly, is that the peak of your ambitions? Fixing an abandoned shack for that bandit?" Eve, though, still refused to abandon that nasty side of her. Despite that, the maiden ran her hand over the fresh stone. The princess’ work wasn’t a piece of art, but at least it was sturdy. And for that, thanks went to…
"Better than under rain." Setsuna deadpanned, examining her ice. The she-wolf used it not only as glass but also as a replacement for concrete.
"Come on, there’s no rain!" The winged one wasn’t convinced, though. "Why aren’t we hunting for those horny bastards instead? I could take them on!"
"Uh-huh, in mating?" But the ice warrior was more than skeptical of kokuyoku scion’s skills. She even grinned at the poor girl.
"Is that what you think? Follow me, we’re going into a battle" The black-haired pile of hubris summoned her white spheres, assumed a battle stance, and… Nothing happened.
"Evy, Setty, don’t quarrel." Before the hot head could hurt anybody (or rather herself), the Hero of Magic, who stood between Eve and the door, extinguished her spells. "You seem to lose your temper when you’re hungry. Here, have a snack." And to deescalate the situation completely, Freia presented both of them with chunks of dried meat.
"Good. Thanks." Setsuna, as a woman of few words, accepted the meal and got closer to the door.
"Ugh, she’s like a dog." Eve shook her head, munching on the food. She watched the she-wolf wait for her master. From her point of view, Setsuna’s sympathy was admirable but quite dumb at the same time. At least, it was obvious. Unlike… "Freia, you’re a princess, right? Then why do you need Keyaruga? Couldn’t you take anyone from the palace who wouldn’t be so naughty? You love him? Why?"
"I…" The pink-haired girl stumbled for a second. Obviously, that was a lot to answer. "I’m exiled, so I have no authority for now. First, we have to overthrow my father. Then, Keyaruga can take his place on the throne."
"Hey, don’t dodge my question!" Eve exclaimed, pointing her finger at the sorceress, which made the latter even more uneasy.
"Evy… It’s not so simple. Keyaruga and I have... a difficult relationship. But he saved me from what I could become. And for that, I’m grateful to him. Now do me a favor and just let us be, okay?" All that time, the magician couldn’t look into the maiden’s eyes. Her resolve, however, left no room for further debate.
"Right-right. Have it your way." It wasn’t like Eve had surrendered; rather, she stepped back to wait for a better moment. She was curious, that girl. Especially when it came to those her life depended on. Speaking of that…
"Master Keyaruga!" With a loud scream, Setsuna pushed the door open and ran toward the man. She literally jumped on his neck from the excitement.
"Heh-heh, oh, you." Keyaruga was ready for such a turn of events. It made him smile again. He even grabbed the enthusiastic wolf-girl on his shoulder before entering the house. "Have you missed me, Eve?"
"Pff, of course no!" Obviously, the winged cutie didn’t even bother to turn around. Wait, is she bashing? Oh, you’re my adorable little birdie.
"Master, you smell off. It’s… rotten." The huntress spoke before swiftly jumping back onto the floor. She sensed death, ash, blood on him. There was another smell, but it was almost lost behind the blighting incense.
"Oh, must be that corpse they sent after me. Or that four-armed goddess? I wonder." The man mused, before taking off the voluminous bag from his shoulder.
"Let me help you." Or, at least, he tried to, but Freia took it from him as a gesture of attention. Setsuna, in turn, brought him a chair. A piece of furniture they fixed, cleaned, and even polished while he was gone. No matter how much the hero tried to keep his posture, his tiredness slipped through the façade.
"Of course! We were worried here, and you were off with another woman!" Ultimately, Eve couldn’t contain her displeasure. She was stuck in the barely standing house, while the man walked around picking goddesses (a common term for the local prostitutes). Still, no mirth appeared on the troubled lips as the healer covered his face with his palm and the stream of emerald magic returned his visage to normal and his hair to red.
"I rejected her, if you’re interested. Said, I already have my queen." Keyaruga shrugged, glaring right into the black-haired maiden’s crimson eyes. "Now, be a good girl, and take something to your liking." With that voiced, the lad pointed at the bag that Freia had put on the table. She and Setsuna were already digging through the piles of blankets, clothes, underwear, fruits, vegetables, different crops, and so much more.
"Thank you for all these treats!" Freia said, holding a scarlet dress. Independent of whether Keyaruga knew it or not, such attire was worn by Reeharoze when she was among the living.
"Hmm, so soft!" And Setsuna kept snuggling to the blue scarf for a simple reason — it smelled like her master.
"Freia, come here." The lad took out a piece of broken horn from his pocket. "I was ambushed by one of the attackers. The one I killed yesterday. Can you track down the shamans who raised him?"
"Feh, it reeks of dark sorcery." Although the part of the carcass was more or less odorless, the princess’ pretty face turned ugly when she took it. It felt nostalgic, but not in a good way. "I could, but I’ll need some time. Tracking is not my specialty."
It is. You just have no way of remembering it. Should I tell her? No, not now.
"Good. Just tell us where to go. Me and Setsuna will handle the rest."
"Yes. They’ll regret attacking you, master." The she-wolf replied with a large chunk of enthusiasm.
"He-e-ey! I too want to fight!" Eve rashly reminded of her involvement in all that mess. Unfortunately for her, nobody considered her a full-fledged member of the team. At least, in combat scenarios.
"No, Evy. You’re too precious and unskilled for such operations." Freia did try her best to calm down the queen-to-be, but she was just too prideful to stay still. Keyaruga wouldn’t be much use here, and Setsuna… Well, her conversational skills weren’t the best. So it left only one of them. And one option. "How about you stay here, and I teach you a few spells for that? The one that stops you from bleeding, for starters."
"Like, no more periods?" The kokuyoku scion wondered with an uncovered awe. The sorceress proudly nodded. And the maiden’s interest would soon become an obsession. "Show me!"
"Master? What’s with you?" The she-wolf wondered, sitting right next to the man.
"Nothing. I just wonder how much there is that I don’t know. Even about you three."
After all, what the pretty magician baited Eve with was a healing magic.
