Rook cleared his throat with an exaggerated
"Ahem!" before bowing deeply.
"L-Lord Piers! We were only awaiting your return!"
Great. More weird titles. Just what I needed.
"You mean… while leering at Shyuu? Isn't it creepy to stalk someone's pet?"
"Apologies, Lord Piers!" Rook blurted, bowing so fast his beak nearly hit dirt.
Cut the 'Lord' part and Just come inside. I'll open the barrier. Then tell me your problem.
The raven-folk exhaled in unison, relief flashing across their faces.
Meanwhile, Piers looked down at Shyuu in his arms, The slime let out a soft "Syuu~," nuzzling into his chest like a purring pillow.
"…At least you're normal,"
He muttered, hugging him tighter.
Rook and his team entered the yard with stiff, desperate movements. The moment the barrier closed behind them, they all dropped to thier knees and sat there—feathers ruffled, breathing uneven, exhaustion clinging to them like smoke.
Up close, Piers saw it.
klak's feathers were dull and patchy.
Rapi's breathing was shallow.
Skree's limbs shook like she hadn't slept in days. Even Rook—usually composed—looked frayed, hollow around the eyes.
It was clear they were completely worn out.
One by one, their speak, words tumbled out—anxious, breathless, tripping over each other.
Their territory faced an imminent disaster:
a horde of nearly 20,000 minotaurs and ogres, marching like a living avalanche, crushing everything in their path.
Not rampaging yet.
But closing in like a storm about to break.
If nothing was done, their territory would be crushed.
Their people wouldn't survive this disaster alone.
Piers blinked.
"Ooh, so you want me to kill this army of ogres and minotaurs?"
His tone was flat, almost curious.
The raven-folk all nodded at once, eyes shining with desperate hope.
Piers stared at them.
A beat of silence stretched.
Then—
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND—?!"
He exploded.
"I'm TWO! Do you get that?! A TWO-YEAR-OLD! How do you expect a toddler to take down a whole army of A and S-rank monsters?!"
The ravens flinched.
"But Lord Piers," Rook insisted, feathers trembling,
"We witnessed your power. With you beside us, along with the Kenku, the Lamia, and the Harpies—thirteenth thousand strong—we actually stand a chance.
We do not expect you to fight alone.
We simply need you with us."
With you among us, I believe we truly can overcome this disaster."
Piers clicked his tongue.
We practically wiped out one million goblins—including S rank emperors, A rank shamans, and kings. Compared to that.
Thirteen thousand allies… twenty thousand enemies… manageable.
Still… his lips twisted in irritation.
If I keep helping them for free, they'll just cling harder. More begging. More headaches. And zero peace for me.
A sly grin curled at the corner of his mouth.
Then it's decided. I'll run it by the others first.
And maybe… I can squeeze something interesting out of them. Rare books, hidden treasures, juicy secrets…
In his arms, Shyuu squirmed, sensing the sudden shift in his master's aura.
"Lord Piers?" Rook's hopeful voice cut through his scheming.
Piers glanced at the kneeling birds, his smirk deepening.
"I've decided. First, "I'll talk to the others at my base. If we help you…"
His eyes narrowed.
"…it won't be for free."
Hope flashed across their faces.
"Good. That's all for tonight.
I'll give you an answer in the morning."
He turned to leave—
"W-wait! Lord Piers!"
Rook's voice cracked.
Piers stopped. His eyebrow twitched
Behind him, all the ravens gleamed like chicks begging scraps from a butcher's block.
"…What now?"
"If we may…" Rook hesitated.
"Could we… stay at your base tonight?
We lost everything during the journey.
We're exhausted. And we… haven't eaten."
Piers stared at them in silence.
Couldn't be more shameless.
Then let out the longest, heaviest sigh.
"What a hassle…"
He rubbed his temple.
"Fine. Come along."
"THANK YOU, LORD PIERS!"
"They chorused in unison… scrambled to follow.
Piers floated ahead, Shyuu wobbling softly in his arms.
He glided just above the ground, Air Walking with effortless grace.
The night breeze ruffled his violet-black hair, cool and steady.
Glancing back, he caught sight of Rook and his party weaving through the trees—silent, swift, almost predatory.
"Huh.
Impressive," he muttered.
"Moving like ninjas…
…Guess I should slow down a little."
He eased his pace, letting them close in.
Soon, the dense forest broke into a wide clearing—and there it was.
The base.
Piers touched down lightly, stepping aside as the others stumbled out of the treeline moments later.
Skree, Klak, and Rapi were doubled over, gasping for air, feathers sticking with sweat.
Only Rook kept his composure—though even he couldn't hide the widening of his eyes.
Then, one by one, their exhaustion drained away, replaced by stunned silence.
Before them stood Piers's home base.
Rook's jaw slackened.
Skree clutched her chest, a breathless whisper escaping.
"Rook… are you seeing this?
A barrier—this massive?"
"Yes…" Rook breathed, eyes shining.
"And it's far beyond an advanced-tier barrier.
This is… royal class. Maybe even higher."
Behind them, Rapi nudged Klak, unable to tear his gaze from the house.
"Forget the barrier—look at the craftsmanship… those carvings on the porch…"
Klak bobbed his head dumbly, words tumbling over each other.
"I-I didn't know houses like this could exist…
It looks almost… sacred."
They fell into hushed silence, staring as though they'd stumbled upon a sanctum.
"The barrier shimmered softly, like rippling moonlight, wrapping the house in an otherworldly glow."
At the center stood Piers—tiny arms crossed, face blank, slime wobbling lazily his grip.
Rook swallowed, awe heavy in his eyes.
He really is… something else.
Piers yawned.
As Piers stepped toward the house, Shyuu wobbling quietly in his arms, the air shifted.
A ripple of killing intent burst across the yard.
His summoned beasts materialized from the darkness—elemental silhouettes stretching tall and jagged, eyes glowing like predators in the night.
They moved as one.
Silent. Swift. Deadly.
Claws gleamed, fangs bared—ready to shred Rook's party where they stood.
The ravens froze, feathers bristling. Not one of them dared to breathe. The weight of death pressed down like a crushing tide.
But just as the beasts closed in—
"They're not enemies."
Piers's voice was flat, bored.
Instantly, the monsters halted. The killing pressure dissolved as if someone had flipped a switch, but their hulking frames still loomed behind Rook's group, caging them in a wall of silent death.
They all collapsed the moment the pressure lifted.
Rapi and Klak hit the dirt together, gasping.
"G-Gods… I thought I was already a feather rug…" Rapi wheezed, wiping sweat off his beak.
Klak just nodded, eyes glued to the beast beside him—his body trembling like he'd been dunked in ice water.
Piers didn't glance back.
Still hugging Shyuu like nothing happened, he slid the door open and stepped inside.
* * *