Chapter 13: Strange Occurrence
....
It had been a few days since Lila's rescue. Ryu and Kuro had successfully defeated Zerva, and the rumors of their achievement spread like wildfire throughout the nearby towns. Adventurers wouldn't stop talking about the mysterious green-haired swordsman and the pale spider demi-human who annihilated a powerful threat overnight.
Unfortunately, fame was troublesome.
And troublesome meant annoying crowds.
And annoying crowds meant we couldn't trade in peace anymore.
So naturally… we left
Melvia had become far too noisy for my liking, so we returned home alongside Lila and the others to restock supplies and decide our next course of action.
…...
"W-Where are we?!" Lila gasped. Mimi's jaw nearly hit the floor as her sparkling eyes darted across the massive kingdom stretched before them.
Modern architecture structures gleamed beneath the sky of my spiritual domain. Rivers shimmered with faint traces of mana while demi-humans, dwarves, goblins moved about peacefully through the streets.
The kingdom had grown tremendously in only a few weeks.
"This…" Melvin muttered. "This place is insane…"
"It's just Master's domain," Kuro replied calmly beside them.
"MASTER?!" they all exclaimed at once.
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
"Got a problem with that?
They immediately shook their heads.
"N-No!"
"Good."
I turned toward Kuro.
"Kuro, take them to the clothing department and get them something more presentable."
"Yes, Shiori-sama."
He gave a polite bow before motioning for the group to follow him.
"Come along."
I shifted my attention toward the others.
"Ryu, after they're dressed, take them to Lox's forge and get them equipped properly. Haru, go meet Dayama and prepare rooms for their stay."
"Yes!"
"Understood."
Without another word, I walked toward the mansion.
….....
The kingdom buzzed with life behind me.
Residents laughed together while some advertised goods across the streets. The scent of grilled meat and baked pastries drifted through the air as music echoed from a nearby tavern.
Everyone looked happy.
That was… nice.
Still, I ignored the noise and headed upstairs toward one of the unused rooms within the mansion.
Creak—
The door slowly opened.
"I'm back."
My smile faded into curiosity as I approached the metal cage resting in the center of the room.
Inside it squirmed a grotesque black creature. It looked like a mass of melted flesh mixed with sludge. Its body constantly shifted and twitched unnaturally while dark mist leaked from its surface.
Even looking at it made my skin crawl. To think such a thing had been hidden inside a human town…
I slowly reached toward the bars. The moment my fingers brushed the creature—
CRACKLE!
Dark lightning-like mana burst violently from its body.
My arm instantly recoiled
{Insight activated}
{⚠ ERROR!! ERROR!! Creature Unknown ⚠}
"…Unknown?" i frowned.
That had never happened before. I quickly grabbed one of my dark magic manuals and began flipping through the pages rapidly.
Curses.
Possessions.
Corrupted undead.
Mana parasites.
Nothing matched.
Nothing even came close. It was as if this creature didn't exist within this world's system at all.
I shut the book with a frustrated sigh.
"Judging from the stench of rotting flesh and the concentration of dark magic…" I muttered thoughtfully. "My current guess is possession."
The creature twitched violently against the bars.
"…Well, until I learn more, I'll call you Blobby." the thing gurgled strangely.
"I could ask the others… but I doubt any of them would know what you are." i rested my chin against my hand.
"Oh well. You'll make a decent guinea pig for experiments."
Since this wasn't technically my original body anyway… experimenting was probably fine..
I extended my hand and began infusing the creature with my mana.
An hour later, I collapsed into a nearby chair.
My mana reserves were nearly depleted.
"That's enough for today…" The creature had absorbed my mana greedily the entire time, yet nothing noticeable had changed.
No evolution.
No reaction
Nothing.
Suspicious.
Very suspicious.
I left the room and began walking toward my bedroom through the dim mansion hallways.
That's when I sensed it.
Someone watching me.
"What is it, Fang?"
The shadows beside the hallway rippled softly before Fang emerged in his human form..
"Master," he spoke quietly. "I heard you're heading toward the human kingdom soon."
"Indeed. What about it?"
He hesitated for a moment unsure whether or not to speak.
"The human kingdoms are known for hostility toward monsters and demi-humans. Your appearance would attract unnecessary attention."
"…Good point." My fox ears twitched slightly. Even with my hood, hiding my tail and ears consistently would become troublesome.
"Thanks for the warning, Fang. I'll meet Liam tomorrow. Hopefully he can make something useful."
He nodded silently before vanishing back into the darkness. I entered my room and closed the door behind me.
{The Next Morning}
"A disguise accessory?" Liam repeated.
"Yes. Something capable of hiding my fox traits."
The dwarf stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"Hmmm… I think I've got an idea." His eyes suddenly lit up.
"Come back in three days."
"Will do." I smiled. With that settled, I headed toward the training grounds. I had decided to finally learn weapon combat properly.
Mana was powerful, yes. But what if I encountered someone capable of disrupting magic flow?
Or sealing abilities entirely? Relying on magic alone was foolish. To conquer everything, I needed versatility. Fortunately, the dwarves had already crafted a weapon for me.
A scythe.
Its long black shaft gleamed beneath the sunlight while the curved purple-black blade radiated intimidating mana.
Elegant.
Sharp.
Edgy.
Perfect.
I spun the weapon experimentally.
…This felt awkward.
Very awkward.
I had absolutely no clue what I was doing.
After several embarrassingly sloppy swings, I spotted Ryu deeper within the forest clearing.
The man trained shirtless beneath the sunlight, his katana moving with frightening precision. Every slash cut cleanly through the air like flowing water.
I watched quietly for a moment before approaching.
"Master." He immediately acknowledged me.
"Training, I see," I said.
"Yep. Need to stay sharp before we depart for Melvialine again." He wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Well, I'm currently free." I rested the scythe against my shoulder. "Want to spar?"
"Certainly… though…" He eyed the weapon suspiciously. "Have you ever actually used one before?"
"Nope."
"…At all?"
"Not even once."Ryu stared blankly for a few seconds.
"That's fine! I'll teach you everything I know!"
…Why was he so excited?
"First comes stance," he explained enthusiastically. "A swordsman's foundation determines everything."
"Like this?"I attempted a pose.
"Wrong." He immediately formed an X with his arms.Then he walked behind me.
"Firm grip," he instructed softly while adjusting my hands. "One foot behind the other for balance. Keep your center stable."
His voice brushed against my ear as he corrected my posture.
My face immediately heated up.
"T-This?"
"Much better."
He stepped away with a nod. I quickly shook away the strange embarrassment and focused.
For the next several hours, Ryu patiently taught me basic footwork, weapon handling, and combat principles.
By the time I returned to the mansion, my entire body ached.
Still…
It was strangely enjoyable. Naturally, the first thing I did afterward was return to the special room and continue experimenting on Blobby.
{Three Days Later}
I stood inside the forge while Liam knelt dramatically before me. With a proud grin, he opened a small black box.
Inside rested a beautiful silver ring decorated with a lotus-shaped purple gem.
"It's beautiful…" I whispered in awe.
"As requested," Liam said proudly. "A disguise artifact. I call it the Fine Eye Lotus."
He gently slipped the ring onto my finger.
At first, nothing happened.
Then I looked toward the nearby mirror.
My eyes widened.
Gone.
My fox ears and tail had completely vanished from my reflection
"It doesn't remove them," Lox explained calmly from nearby. "It merely prevents others from perceiving your beast traits."
I removed the ring.
POOF.
My ears and tail instantly reappeared. I smirked.
"This is excellent. Thank you, Liam. Lox."
The two dwarves beamed proudly at the praise.
"It was nothing, my lady." i admired the ring one final time before grinning.
"Alright… time to hit the road."
Night eventually fell as everyone gathered outside the wagons. Lila's party admired their upgraded equipment and clothes excitedly before their attention shifted toward me.
Their jaws collectively dropped.
"Big sister, you're so pretty!" Mimi exclaimed.
"Hmph. I know."
"I'm confused," Lila admitted. "I thought you were a beast-human."
"I'm technically a demi-human. A fox hybrid, to be precise." I adjusted the Fine Eye Lotus ring. "But blending into human society is easier this way."
"Where's Ryu?" Haru asked curiously.
"I sent him on an errand."
{Flashback}
"Huh?! You want me to go back to Melvia alone?" Ryu blinked.
"I found something interesting there," I explained while counting the profits Haruna brought from recent trade sales. "And none of those corrupt pigs provided useful information."
Ryu's expression sharpened immediately.
"You think the Crimson Cross is still operating there…"
"Investigate quietly. Report back immediately if you discover anything."
He smirked confidently.
"Leave it to me."
{Flashback Ends}
"I see…" Haru nodded. Meanwhile, Kuro silently stared toward me from the wagon.
'With Ryu gone… and Haruna protecting
Lila's group… does that mean…'
His pale cheeks reddened immediately.
'I'll finally travel alone with Shiori-sama…'
Unfortunately for him, everyone climbed into the same wagon moments later.
"…I wanted at least one peaceful trip alone with her," he muttered gloomily.
"I'm sorry for getting in the way, Kuro-kun," Mimi whispered innocently. "I know big sister is your girlfriend."
Kuro froze completely.
"I-I'm merely her companion…" he corrected weakly.
Mimi smiled knowingly.
He really was easy to read.
My eyes narrowed. I could sense Monsters Closing in rapidly.
{Insight activated}
{Species: Killer Warps}
{Rank: Intermediate}
{Level: 45}
{Abilities: Flight, radar detection, venomous stinger}
{Weakness: Flowers}
"Kuro," I spoke telepathically. "Monsters outside. Deal with them."
"Very well." he stepped out of the wagon calmly. The massive insect-like monsters screeched aggressively as they descended from the trees.
"Be gone, roaches." Threads erupted from Kuro's fingertips. Within seconds, the monsters were restrained midair before the webs tightened violently—
SHRRK!
Their bodies split apart instantly.
"Wow!" Lila exclaimed.
"Great job, Kuroha-kun!" Mimi praised
.
"Hmph. This was nothing." his smug expression immediately softened from the compliments.
He's so Easy To Read.
I stepped out afterward and noticed the others approaching the corpses.
"Where are you going?" I asked
"Aren't we collecting materials?" Lila asked.
"…You can get materials from bugs?" I blink curiously. Lila just giggled.
Then she immediately began dissecting the creatures with terrifying efficiency.
Everything was harvested methodically while monster blood splattered across her face.
"…Dear heavens." I silently prayed for the fallen insects.
The journey continued similarly afterward.
If monsters appeared, Kuro handled them.
Sometimes the others joined in.
Occasionally Haru caused chaos.
Business as usual.
"We're gathering excellent materials for the Hoshiko Trading Company," Lila said happily one afternoon. "Are you planning a transport system too?"
Hoshiko trading company is the name for my company.
I sat inside the wagon while reading another dark magic book in hopes of learning more about Blobby.
Unfortunately
"M-Monsters!" Mimi's scream interrupted me.
"Zikky Bunnies…" Lila frowned seriously.
"What's that?"
"Intermediate-rank monsters. They look harmless, but they're surprisingly aggressive." Lilia explained
I peeked outside. "…They're adorable."
Fluffy little green and yellow rabbits bounced around innocently.
"AWWWW~"Haru immediately attempted to pet one.
SLAP.
The bunny smacked her across the face.
"…I deserved that."
"Kuro, deal with them."Kuro hesitated.
"…I cannot.".
"Hm? Why not?"
"I've seen how kindly you treat rabbits back home, Shiori-sama. Therefore I struggle to view them as enemies."
One bunny suddenly kicked him directly in the face.
Silence.
A dark aura exploded around him.
"…How would you like to die?" So quick to switch sides.
I was thinking of taken haru to guard the others but she was currently being groped by the bunnies?!
The rest zikky bunnies stared as their kin assaulted haru intensely. the next moment, they were thrusting their hips suggestively. I was speechless. so was everyone else.
"Hey stop that! You're supposed to be cute and cuddle.bI don't want to see rabbits doing that! " I frowned.
The bunnies turned to me with a glint in their eye. Suddenly They lunged at me, catching me off guard. They aimed for my neck first, then under my skirt.
"Hey! I want no part in this!" I tried shaking them off. One of them suddenly jumped in my shoulders, I got out my staff to fend them often but then I realized that it's was stupid.
Before I could think, my staff was pressed against my mouth like a gag, I tumbled onto the ground, the bunnies surrounded me as their eyes held nothing but lust, One started licking my nether regions.
"Ahh~" My moans were muffled as my mouth was currently blocked by my staff. The other two were pressing on my tits, my face flushed with embarrassment, drool escaped my closed lips as everyone else watched horrified.You.. little...demons" kuro's aura darkened as he approached us but halted with fear once he sensed mine.
I gripped my staff handle angrily before pushing myself free from their nonsense.
{Thunder strike activated}
The following battle quickly devolved into complete nonsense as the rabbits aggressively attacked everyone.
Thankfully, I ended things quickly with lightning magic before the situation got even more chaotic.
Eventually, we arrived in Melvialine. I registered for my merchant guild card while the others sold collected materials.
Sadly, none of the guild missions interested me.
"That should be everything." Lila handed me my share of the profits.
"Thank you."
"Well…" she smiled sadly. "I suppose this is goodbye."We had traveled together for quite a while now.
"…Hold on." I crossed my arms. "Let's have dinner together first. My treat."
Mimi's eyes sparkled instantly.
"Really?!
Lila chuckled softly. "Very well. Meet us at the restaurant on Fifth Street."
"Got it."
{Night Time}
Still no word from Ryu. That bothered me.
Kuro, Haru, and I arrived at the restaurant shortly afterward.
"You made it!" Mimi waved excitedly.
Inside, we sat together at a large booth while expensive meals were served one after another.
I immediately grabbed a massive beef rib and bit into it.
My eyes widened.
"Heaven…" the meat practically melted in my mouth.
I nearly cried.
"It's not THAT good," Lila deadpanned.
"It's actually pretty common here," Mimi added.Suddenly, someone wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
I stiffened slightly. It was Melvin, the teams alchemist
And he was very drunk.
"If you ever want alchemy lessons…" he slurred proudly, "…call me, okay?"
"We'll consider it."
I gently pushed him away while Kuro silently murdered his steak with repeated knife stabs.
"So, Shiori," Lila asked, "what are your plans now?"
"I'm planning to open a store here," I replied calmly while sipping expensive alcohol-free wine. "Premium goods for reasonable prices."
The restaurant itself bustled with wealthy merchants and adventurers celebrating successful jobs.
Thankfully, recent sales meant money wasn't an issue anymore.
"I'm happy for you," Lila smiled genuinely.
After dinner, we said our farewells before returning to the inn. Inside, a crowd had gathered around a poker table.
"What's happening?" Haru asked.
"A tournament for power." i turned toward the speaker.
Gypsy.
"Explain." I said
"Sorry honey, but I don't talk for free..." She grinned mischievously.
I tossed several healing potions onto the table. Her eyes sparkled instantly.
"Pleasure doing business." she leaned closer.
"The former king declared that the next ruler must win a tournament before claiming the throne. That man over there? He's the adopted grandson of the king. Since he lacks royal blood, this competition is his only path to the crown."
"I see…" i quickly noted the information on my phone.
"Kuro, book us a room." While he handled it, I turned to the lady.
"Are you contending?" I asked
"Ha! Of course not, I have everthing I need right here. " She pointed at her pouch of gold coins
"Afraid I see," I smirked
"What?" She frowned
"If you really wanted to pretend you could have said I could beat him easily but choose to walk away" I grinned as I walked away
observed the poker match carefully
Something felt wrong. I noticed as cloaked figure standing quietly in the corner.
Their eyes glowed faintly.
Magic assistance
Cheating.
I smirked.
As we passed the prince, I whispered quietly:
"He's cheating." the he prince's eyes widened while we continued upstairs.
Our room contained two beds.One double.
One single..
I placed Haruna onto the smaller bed.
"I'm brushing my teeth. Be right back."
"Understood," Kuro replied while tryingand failing to look calm.
No One's POV
Kuro's heart pounded violently.
It was finally happening. He and Shiori sharing the same bed.
He changed clothes immediately before sitting patiently like an obedient servant.
The door opened.Shiori entered wearing comfortable nightwear.
"The stock is under Fang's supervision," she said casually. "Also… still no contact from Ryu."
Kuro's face turned bright red as he tried desperately not to stare.
"Goodnight."
Shiori climbed into bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
"…That's it?" Kuro whispered in disbelief.
Several hours later—
Knock.
Knock.
Shiori groggily opened the door.
Then her eyes widened in shock at whoever stood outside.