After winding through the castle's labyrinthine halls, we finally arrive at a grand chamber adorned with twelve seats arranged around a massive table. The room exudes an air of authority, and we're instructed to sit and wait. As we settle in, I notice the knights stationed around the room, standing rigidly at attention, their eyes focused ahead as if waiting for something—or someone.
After a few minutes, a man enters the room, and everyone except Híroÿ and I bows deeply. We exchange puzzled glances, unsure of the protocol.
"Oh, so you truly know nothing of this land," the man remarks, a hint of amusement in his voice as he observes our confusion. He's not particularly tall, but his presence commands respect. His short white hair and piercing blue eyes give him a sharp, almost ethereal appearance, and his clothes, clearly of great value, speak to his status.
"My name is Ruenji. I'm one of the noblemen of this land," he introduces himself, his gaze assessing as he takes in our unfamiliar faces.
Híroÿ is the first to speak, his short black hair framing his face as his mismatched green and red eyes lock onto Ruenji. "I'm Híroÿ," he says simply, his voice steady. I follow suit, introducing myself as I absently adjust my gloves, my light purple hair falling to my shoulders.
Ruenji's eyes narrow slightly as he leans forward, addressing us directly. "The monster you two took down outside the gates—I've always had to send at least twenty men to handle just one of those. How did you manage to do it alone?"
I glance at Híroÿ, who shrugs nonchalantly before turning back to Ruenji. "We train. That's all there is to it. What did you expect us to say—that we came here specifically to hunt them?" He leans back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head.
Ruenji considers his words for a moment before nodding. "If you're willing to help me, I'd be happy to compensate you generously. We've recently received troubling reports of similar creatures attacking a nearby town. Your assistance would be invaluable."
Before agreeing, I lean forward, my eyes narrowing with suspicion. "How did you know about the fight outside the town? I'm certain there was no one around when it happened."
Ruenji smiles faintly. "I have guards stationed everywhere, and I'm well-versed in the arts of stealth. This is my domain, after all, and I take great care to keep it secure. That's why I'm asking for your help," he explains, producing a piece of parchment from his coat and sliding it across the table toward us.
The document details the presence of four more of those demonic creatures terrorizing a nearby town. I hand the paper to Híroÿ, who scans it quickly.
"These seem to be lower-class demons. Do you want to handle this, Híroÿ? They should be easy enough," I ask, casually leaning back in my chair.
Híroÿ nods, but he remains practical. "Give us proper registration and a place to stay. We'll register as adventurers and live independently," he states, returning the parchment to Ruenji.
Ruenji seems pleased with our response and begins to offer further assistance, "I'll send some men along with you, but today, please rest here—"
I cut him off with a raised hand. "I'd rather see the town. It's been a long time since I've been out in the world," I say, rising from my seat and heading for the door.
Ruenji raises a hand, summoning four female guards to our side. "At least take some of my men with you. I'll lend you two guards each," he insists.
The guards step forward, and I can't help but take note of their appearances. Two are beast women—fox demis—while the other two are human. The first fox woman has dark brown fur, long black hair, and wears a white and red armor suit with a short wand at her side. The second has light red fur and wears a pink kimono with a long staff strapped to her back, her bright red hair flowing down her shoulders. The human women are equally striking—one has long gray hair with twin swords on her back, and the other has short green hair with twin daggers.
I shrug, barely acknowledging them as I continue toward the door. "If you're coming with me, keep up. I'm not waiting," I say flatly, and the fox demi with the light red hair and the gray-haired human fall in step behind me.
As we walk through the town, the sun begins to set, casting a warm glow over the bustling streets. The town is alive with activity—ribbons hang from rooftops, food carts line the roads, and the laughter of children echoes through the air. It's a stark contrast to the desolate training grounds we've known for so long.
"The name's Shiro, by the way," I say over my shoulder to the two women trailing behind me. "And these are Kyoko and Sangui," I add, as my chibi-sized dragon and Cerberus trot up beside me. Kyoko perches on my shoulder, while Sangui runs circles around us, his small form a blur of energy.
"I'm Yura," the red-haired fox demi replies, her voice soft but confident. "And this is Shina. We've been a party for three months," she adds, nodding toward the gray-haired swordswoman.
"A two-person party, huh? That's rare," I observe, my tone casual. "And no summons, either?"
Shina glances at Yura, then at me. "Not like you. I don't have the magical power to keep them out all the time," Yura admits, holding her wand a little closer.
"Let's see just how much lower it is," I suggest, leading them toward a secluded forest area. "I'll give you some tips on how to make it last longer."
Once we arrive, I sit on a large boulder, gesturing for Yura to demonstrate her magic. She hesitates for a moment before handing me her wand, then takes a deep breath. A pinkish light begins to surround her, growing brighter until a shockwave pulses outward, stopping just below the treetops.
"Hmm, your magic power isn't weak," I observe, turning the wand over in my hands. "But this wand—it's a hindrance. It's draining your power instead of boosting it," I say, handing it back to her. "Someone's played a cruel joke on you."
Yura's eyes widen in surprise, and I chuckle softly. "Don't worry. We'll find you something better. In the meantime, I'll show you how to conserve your magic."
I call Kyoko over, and we all board him, flying back to the castle as the sky darkens. When we land in the courtyard, a group of guards rushes out, swords drawn.
"Not this again," I mutter, but before I can react, the two women step off the dragon, and the guards quickly sheathe their weapons.
"As I've told the other knights earlier, if you draw your weapons on me, I have no problem killing you," I say, my eyes glowing dark purple as Kyoko returns to his chibi form.
After being shown to my room, I collapse onto the bed, exhaustion finally catching up with me. My mind drifts to Híroÿ, and I smirk at the thought of what he might be up to with the two women assigned to him. But before I can fall asleep, I hear the door to my room creak open and the soft footsteps of three people entering.
Annoyed, I quickly jump out of bed, grabbing the knife beside me. I land silently behind the intruders, who are masked and armed with poison-tipped daggers. Without hesitation, I kick one in the chest, using the force to propel myself back as I throw the knife, embedding it in another's hand. I push off the wall, grabbing the remaining two by their heads and smashing them together. With them subdued, I tie them up with the rope they brought and drag them out of my room.
As I exit, I run into Híroÿ, who's also dragging three unconscious men behind him. "Yo, Híroÿ, you got attacked too? Looks like we've made some enemies already," I say with a smirk.
Híroÿ sighs, shaking his head. "No, you've made enemies for us," he corrects, facepalming.
We make our way to the chamber where Ruenji had promised to be. When we arrive, we throw the would-be assassins at his feet.
"I think your knights are slacking if they let these rookies into your home. Looks like you need better security," I say, my irritation evident as Ruenji summons his two head guards—the mage and knight from before.
"Find out how this happened and put an end to it," Ruenji orders, and the guards bow before swiftly exiting the room.
Yawning, I turn to leave as well, but not before casting a glance at Híroÿ. "Hmm, seems like you wanted to talk about something," I muse, but when he doesn't respond, I shrug and head back to my room, finally ready to get some rest.