Three days had passed since the incident at the Eternal Willow. For Rey, those three days felt like three hundred years. Raising a newborn "disaster" was much more tiring than fighting an army of knights.
Momo was a scary learner. On the first day, she could only say "Gya." On the second day, she started mimicking Rey's movements when he chopped wood. And now, on the third day, she could walk steadily beside him while chatting about everything she saw.
"Rey! That... what?" Momo asked, pointing at a horned beetle.
"That's a beetle. Don't eat it," Rey answered shortly. He adjusted his brown vest and pulled his hood over his white hair so he wouldn't stand out.
"Beetle... not food. Apple... food?" Momo stared at Rey with her big, hopeful red eyes.
"Yes, apples are food. I'll buy you some when we reach the village," Rey sighed. He glanced at his arm covered in obsidian scales. The signal from Lord Nox must have spread, and he had to get Momo out of this forest quickly.
As they reached a path at the edge of the forest, Rey's dragon ears heard a commotion. He heard high-pitched screaming mixed with the rough laughter of men.
"Hey, Squirrel! Give us that potion bag or we'll turn your tail into a duster!"
Rey stopped walking. Up ahead, a young man with a human body but fluffy squirrel ears and a tail was backed against a tree. He had tan skin and round green eyes that looked terrified. He hugged his leather bag tightly, as if his life depended on it.
"B-but this is an order for an important person! I have to deliver it!" cried the squirrel boy—Zeth.
Rey exhaled. "Momo, let's turn back. We'll find another way."
"But Rey, they... mean?" Momo pointed at the five muscular bandits laughing at Zeth.
"The world is mean, Momo. We don't have time for other people's problems," Rey said coldly, trying to pull Momo away.
However, luck was not on their side. One of the bandits turned around and saw Rey's striking white hair and the red-haired girl beside him.
"Oi! Look what we have here! A white-haired noble and a little slave!" The bandit smirked, walking closer with a large machete. "Looks like you have more money than this squirrel. Hand over your bags!"
Rey stood still. He didn't move an inch even when the bandit put a hand on Momo's head.
"Heh, this kid is pretty cute. Maybe if we sell her on the black market—"
BHHHUK!
In the blink of an eye, the bandit was sent flying through the air. He hit a tree so hard that the trunk cracked. Momo stood where the bandit had been, her tiny hands balled into fists.
"Don't... touch... Momo!" she shouted, her voice shaking with anger. Her eyes flashed a deep red, and a hot aura began to glow from her small body.
The other bandits were shocked. "W-what was that?! Attack her!"
The four remaining bandits charged at once. Rey just leaned against a tree with his arms crossed. He wanted to see how well Momo could adapt.
Momo dodged with movements almost too fast for human eyes to follow. She ducked, then gave a small kick to the second bandit's knee. CRACK. The bandit collapsed, clutching his leg.
"Rey! Momo... right?" Momo asked, looking back at Rey in the middle of the fight.
"Just punch the stomach, it's more effective," Rey suggested casually.
In less than a minute, all five bandits were lying helpless on the ground. Zeth, the squirrel boy, could only stare with his mouth wide open.
"A-amazing... you guys are amazing!" Zeth immediately ran toward Rey and Momo. "Thank you! My name is Zeth, I'm an alchemist. Please, can you escort me to the nearest city? I have very valuable potions for my teacher."
Rey looked at Zeth blankly. "Not interested. We're busy."
"Wait! I'll pay you!" Zeth reached into his pocket. "I have five gold coins, and... I can provide food for the whole trip!"
Hearing the word 'food,' Momo's ears perked up. "Food? Apples? Many?"
"Yes! Apples, dragon fruit, roasted meat... whatever you want!" Zeth exclaimed excitedly, seeing Momo's interest.
Momo immediately tugged on the edge of Rey's clothes with her cutest begging face. "Rey... work! Want apples!"
Rey looked at the sky, mourning his fate now guided by a child's stomach. "Fine, fine. But don't blame me if this trip gets very noisy."
Zeth smiled widely, though in his heart, he was curious about the strange power the red-haired girl possessed. He took out a small journal and started writing quickly.
....
Subject 01: Small child with incredible destructive power. Possible link to Rubedo energy.
.....
Will Zeth realize who Momo really is? And what other trouble waits for them at the bridge ahead, where a girl archer is sleeping soundly on a floating rock?