It being a night more sinister and gloomy than usual, in his opinion, an old man contemplates the stars, those that seem to shine in a mysterious and reddish way, announcing bad omens... Letting out a sigh at this thought, Mare Triator turns his gaze to the main door of his home, awaiting the inevitable.
Standing in front of the window that allows him a distant view of the town on clear days or nights, the old man closes the simple curtain that adorns said window, feeling anxious about the situation in which he will be forced to participate.
Being with the only companion that truly offers him any solace, his trusty axe, feels somewhat comforting in his left hand... But not enough to calm the growing nervousness that makes him sigh for the eleventh time in an hour. All because of that little girl he rescued about two days ago.
According to the girl herself, cursed by a witch before birth and with beautiful short crimson hair, Rias Gremory formulated a rather crazy plan to put an end once and for all to that gang of dirty kidnappers that Mare's wayward offspring formed.
The redhead being one of the many victims of her son, along with another girl who accompanied her, an Elf, this pair skillfully escaped from those kidnappers and Mare rescued them thinking that they were girls who had lost their mother due to a bear attack, as the little cursed girl made her believe.
The next day, the girl with crimson hair apologized for the deception and explained the whole situation. The rest of the day unfolded in a slightly different and somewhat stressful way for the man himself. He usually took a tour of the village and visited his brother, but the particular visit to the church and a rather unpleasant visit from his son's subordinates made the day unpleasant.
After the last unwanted visit of the previous night ended, the little redhead asked the most logical question she could have asked, all with a rather subtle touch... Although, regardless of how subtle she was, bringing up that particular topic only caused Mare great embarrassment, accompanied by a slight sadness...
That twisted and malevolent man, whom I once called son...
Odelix Triator is that dark man who made a pact with a demon and, in the devil's name, founded and currently runs an organization of supernatural slaves. The old man believes it all began when his wife died from an attack by a lone wolf that, by chance, wandered into the village long ago, but not long enough for him to forget.
At that time, a woman with her young son, she took refuge with the rest of the village while Mare and her older brother, Yokufu, dealt with the wolf. However, in a twist of fate, the great wolf got too close to the village shelter and somehow gained access. Thus, that stubborn and courageous woman, his beloved wife, struggled to hold off the beast long enough for her husband and brother-in-law to arrive... nearly dying in the process.
Upon arriving at the scene and encountering this nightmarish sight, Mare was overcome with shock, a moment the wolf seized to dominate its new enemies. Taking advantage of this opening, the large animal attacked the now elderly man's brother, severely wounding him in the leg. Fortunately, acting on instinct, Mare pulled the wolf off his brother, saving him from amputation.
Finally snapping out of his lingering shock, Mare finished off the wolf in a way that was both blurry and unbelievable to him. After decapitating the wolf and holding his dying wife in his arms, he could only apologize to her before she finally let go of his hand.
However, the problems didn't end there. Blaming his father for his mother's death, a five-year-old Odelix began to intensely hate Mare, who simply couldn't blame him and sided with the little boy. It wasn't enough to protect his wife... That tormented him and continues to torment him to this day.
In the following years that little boy grew into a man, training his body and mind all the time and investigating the supernatural side of this world, totally ignoring the few displays of kindness and affection that his father tried to give him, when guilt did not gnaw at him so much.
The old man knows that his son initially immersed himself in that mysterious world to resurrect his mother and exact revenge on his father. To achieve this end, the young man explored dark corners of the supernatural spectrum of life, and the deeper he delved into the pursuit of knowledge and power, the more a morbid fascination he developed with a true Demon, one that would supposedly fulfill his original purpose and perhaps even grant him something more.
Traveling across the country, unable to stop Mare due to her profound disconnect from her son, Odelix found a strange, ancient manuscript that instructed him on how to summon a demon. Returning to his village, which he researched as having a high concentration of magic, the young man summoned the demon in a secluded spot outside the village.
It turned out that this was a middle-class demon belonging to a renowned clan in Hell, known as the House of Bael. This demon quickly offered a deal to the young man who had summoned him, seeing the inherent darkness in his heart.
The agreement was simple: Odelix would establish a supernatural slave-trading agency, managing it on behalf of the Bael. In return, he would receive power, something the young man's heart craved as he walked that path.
Despite how ridiculous the idea of "receiving power" sounded, Odelix simply accepted without hesitation. According to the Demon, resurrecting his mother wouldn't be possible, but revenge against his father could be achieved. However, focusing on that at that moment was just a waste of time for the man kneeling before the Demon.
Odelix only had the word "Power" stuck in his head after hearing it, accepting any of the instructions from that dark being in search of taking advantage of his dark heart to gain power.
At that time, after a while of hearing all the ridiculous rumors of Demons and supernatural slaves related to her son, Mare got fed up with the situation, with the tremendous fear she felt of losing her son for good, and decided to verify things with her own eyes.
She thought, with some imagination, that if at least some of these rumors were true, then it would be too late to do anything about her relationship, and it would be a real disgrace and shame.
It was one thing to resent him personally, quite another for others unrelated to them to suffer at the hands of his son. The next day, after a fairly simple search, followed by a confrontation with his son's newly formed organization, Mare came face to face with Odelix.
What happened next was simply unbelievable to the old man. After the typical question of whether all those rumors were true, and after extending his hand, his son answered everything by attacking him with a large, mysterious axe. With a silvery sheen and the head of a wolf carved into it, the young man displayed movements and swings of monstrous strength, impossible for any normal person to achieve.
After narrowly surviving some of the blows, Mare collapsed, completely defeated, realizing that this man was no longer his son... Then, like a typical cartoon villain, Odelix explained to his father the dark path he had willingly taken to obtain that powerful axe...
Thus confirming that those rumors were true, in addition to giving an extremely crazy and despicable explanation of the path he traveled since his mother died.
That divine, or demonic, revelation, as the young man called it, showed him that he had never cared about his mother. What he had always cared about and envied was the wolf's power in taking his mother's life and his own father's power in killing the wolf. After this, and a long explanation in which he revealed that everything supernatural existed, and that his axe and he himself were proof of it, Odelix decided to kill his father.
However, in a way that can only be described as pathetic and miraculous, Mare managed to save her life and flee to the village with a huge wound on her back...
For the next 5 years, Mare waited for her son to come and finish the job, but that young man, disappointed by the power he once envied, simply thought that "It wasn't worth it anymore."
Reliving those experiences again, the scar on Mare's back begins to ache slightly; at the moment she had cheated death, she didn't know the reason for this...
He thought that perhaps seeing his son, that filthy and detestable man, was his curse, the living reminder that he was the one responsible for losing his son, and that was why he survived, but... Maybe that wasn't the case now. Perhaps his true purpose was to stop him... And that little redhead was the final piece to set the wheels of destiny in motion...
She would normally lose some details, as old age does to her, but she can remember all of this so vividly because she had to recount it to the crimson-haired girl the night before. The words Rias said to her at the end of her fateful story come back to Mare.
" I'm sorry things had to end this way, Mare-san. " Stepping closer, the redhead took his hand in her own, a small and delicate one. " I know this might seem insensitive, but I need to ask you something. " Her tone much more serious than before, Rias looked him straight in the eyes.
Mare is simply surprised by the girl's attitude and nods slightly, prompting words she didn't expect.
" Do you still think you love your son? " With a serious expression and her blue eyes illuminated by the moonlight, the redhead said this, leaving Mare stunned. Mare was about to question the reason for the question, but the little girl continued. " I have to be honest with you, if the plan I have in mind goes ahead... Your son won't survive. You know better than anyone that he'll get involved ... And I'll kill him to cut the problem off at the root ." Sensing the crimson-haired girl's voice deepen slightly with the last words, the old man hesitated for a moment, wondering if this was the same girl he had been speaking to just moments before.
" That's true. He'll get involved. It's quite obvious he'll want you both back, since he's pursuing you so aggressively . " Saying this, pondering her son's attitude, Mare carefully considered her interlocutor's words and, after a few moments, let out her feelings. " He ruined so many people with everything he did after almost killing me... Because of me, I couldn't connect with him in time, and he became a mess... And, just when he insulted his mother's memory, he lost all the affection I had for him. I'd be lying if I said I wanted him dead, but he has to accept the consequences of his actions, and... And if you think it's necessary to end his life to stop all this... I... I... I don't think I can object to anything... " Not believing what she had said, Mare raised her head and simply asked her wife in heaven for forgiveness.
Because of her, her son went astray, her beloved offspring...
" This might sound like a child pretending to be grown up, but... I think I understand you a little, Mare-san... " Gently placing the elf girl's head on the ground—who, incredibly, hadn't woken up when Rias moved to take the man's hand—Rias moved to the man's side and took his hand again. " My— My mother loves me so much, and I just can't imagine how she'd react if she were told I was going to be killed... She sacrificed so much to conceive me ... The poor woman went through so much, hoping for a child in the body of a beautiful woman... I'm sorry things had to end this way... But if it's any consolation, we're going to save many families like mine or Imot-chan's when we stop it permanently... The path your son chose is inevitable... I say this as a daughter who has already chosen her path, or so I believe." Looking into Mare's eyes, who had looked at her the moment she began her speech, she saw the girl finish with a small laugh, speaking to her with an honesty she had never seen in her since she met her...
You can see how genuinely this little girl regrets that things had to turn out this way. She's not as cold and calculating as she thought she really was...
Returning to the present, sighing again at the thought of authorizing someone to murder her son, as it would appear from the outside, Mare looks at her sofa and sees a blonde girl with pointy ears quickly look away, surely Mare's thoughtful gesture caught her attention.
This elf girl is also part of Rias's plan, according to what the little redhead told her. Rias's exact words were: "You'll have to survive for 15 minutes and reach the village fountain, in front of the church."
He honestly can't understand what the crimson-haired girl is really planning... But those enormous, beautiful blue eyes tell him he can trust her, even though it's a very innocent thought for such an old man...
Reviewing the entire plan the little redhead had described, the old man naturally had some doubts... How could that girl think his son would bring his whole gang to town? That would be a very optimistic and innocent thought... It would be utter nonsense if Odelix brought everyone... Or perhaps... It was a precaution...
Thinking about it carefully, if you take into account the way she and the little Elf escaped and the deaths of several of the young man's subordinates, Mare logically thinks that the man will not want to underestimate the girl any further, including the fact that Odelix knows her better, since he had to investigate her in order to kidnap her.
So, the young man's plan would logically be to surround the entire village and show the crimson-haired girl that she has no escape, demonstrating that Odelix holds the greatest power here... How did Rias reach that conclusion without even knowing her son...?
Mare was able to reach her, after thinking about it for a long time, knowing her evil offspring perfectly... Seriously... Apparently, those curses that possess the girl are quite impressive and intimidating... Especially the last part.
The old man is grateful that she's on his side... He was never good at fighting fighters with a higher ration than his own, much less this genius who explained a crazy plan to him, based on mere predictions... Which will surely come true.
The witch who bewitched her must have been incredibly powerful and evil, wanting to corrupt an innocent and gifted child to become her right-hand woman. That's why Rias's purpose—demonstrating that those malevolent abilities can be used for good—can only be described as altruistic.
Smiling slightly as she recalled the little girl saying, "This might not work... So I hope you try your best, Mare-san, I'll do the same," Mare could only shake her head slightly... This line was supposed to be what made her fear the most for the safety of the village and herself, but that beautiful smile that came over the little redhead as she finished speaking was so strange that Mare could only think that she was simply underestimating herself...
She doesn't know why, but for some reason, something tells her this crazy plan will work. Turning her gaze back to the door, Mare can feel several footsteps beginning to circle her house... The moment has arrived for this plan to begin.
Taking a final breath, this time to gather strength, Mare heads to her sofa and, gesturing apologetically with her hands to the little Elf, takes her in one of her arms, leaving her sitting on the old man's forearm and clutching his coat tightly.
Fortunately, Rias explained to the elf girl that she would have to travel in Mare's arms as part of the plan, so after the girl had a sort of internal struggle, she reluctantly agreed.
It's clear she doesn't trust adults much... All because of that man... Shaking her head at the currently unnecessary thoughts, Mare carries the little blonde girl in her right arm and takes her trusty axe in her other hand.
Stealthily positioning himself to one side of the front door, the old man listened as some of the other man's subordinates discussed their course of action, which was quite simple: enter, assassinate Mare, and take the girls. Just as Rias had predicted.
Taking a few steps to the side, so the door wouldn't hit him when it burst open, Mare tightened his grip on his trusty axe and took a deep breath, focusing on using his movements to his advantage and being as quick as possible. It was lucky the little elf had her face buried in her thick black coat; Rias had asked her as a favor not to let her see what was coming next.
Kicking down the door, a team of five of Odelix's subordinates burst in, shouting curses and threatening what would happen if he didn't hand over the girls. For a few seconds, the five men, who looked remarkably alike, were completely confused, seeing no one.
They're probably hiding in the old man's room, one of them thinks, but the sound of a heavy piece of metal being lifted from the floor makes everyone's gaze turn to the fountain. There, as if it were a simple walking stick, Mare spins his axe with divine speed, using only his left hand, while on his right forearm he holds a small blonde girl.
By the time those men were about to react and attack the old man, it was too late. Lunging at them, Mare swiftly severed the heads from each body, creating a bloodbath for himself and Forsner, whose face is still buried in the Bear-Man's coat at Rias's request.
Just as several thuds of things falling to the ground could be heard from outside the house, the team surrounding it began firing everything they had at it.
After a few seconds, each machine gun ran out of bullets and they had to change magazines, prompting Mare's next move. As if attacked by a large, swift bear spirit, each man outside Mare's house fell headless, back where he had been standing.
Those few who managed to reload fired at the damned old man, however, he was not injured, defying the logic of each subordinate and leaving that great doubt in their now detachable heads.
Contemplating the grotesque scene he himself had created with his axe, Mare breathed with a slight exhaustion. Feeling strange, the old man looked at himself curiously and could see how a strange bluish wind enveloped him perfectly and moved with him. It turned out that the moment those subordinates outside the house began firing, Mare quickly threw himself to the ground and Forsner began the next step of the plan.
Anticipating the men's next move, Rias again asked the blonde to protect Mare's body with magic. Obviously, before doing this, the redhead had to find out what types of magic Forsner possessed, and it turned out she had a very useful spell for the current situation.
Called [ Wind Magic : Armor Wind ] by the blonde, it's a support magic based on the wind element that grants the user far greater agility and allows them to deflect ranged attacks. Since they couldn't verify if the bullets could be blocked, Rias, Mare, and Forsner gambled on this support magic, obviously being careful with each shot in case it didn't work, but fortunately, it worked perfectly.
As demonstrated inside the house, Mare possesses impressive speed despite his advanced age and a terrifying skill with an axe. This magic only elevated him to the level of a supernatural being, not particularly strong by a certain redhead's standards, but useful in the current situation.
Telling himself that magic was great, but also a little scary, Mare started running when he heard many hurried footsteps heading in his direction. For the moment, everything was going just as the cute little redhead had suggested; maybe there were a few fewer men, but that didn't matter—it was even better.
Now comes the most difficult part of the plan for both Mare and Rias.
---------------₪---------------
Reviewing a fairly detailed map of his hometown and making minor adjustments to the position of some equipment, Odelix Triator has his mind on the redhead who's causing him so much trouble, and her stupid, annoying father. Ultimately, that saying applies to those two pains in the ass: "Birds of a feather flock together."
That little rat, Rias Gremory, current heir to the semi-extinct House Gremory... Anyone who knows anything about the supernatural knows that name and something of her history, the most striking being the title of "The Crimson Empress", who almost seized all the power of the supernatural world.
That's a life lesson for Odelix himself, who idolizes power. That's precisely why he has to get rid of that girl. She surely shares some of his ambition, or perhaps even his own, complicating his path to absolute power.
In his study of the history of the supernatural, when he learned of the "Second Great War" of the supernatural world, Odelix logically deduced that he would be called the next "Crimson Emperor," as he sought to take over everything.
The Baels are merely a stepping stone to his entry into the supernatural world. Topu Bael is the key to this, who expects to soon receive his promotion to High-Class Demon and, according to their pact, will give him the Queen piece.
He will always remember the glorious day he invoked her and they were able to forge that pact; perhaps he should have demanded more for the formation and direction of this fantasy slavery center, but being her entrance to her destined place is enough for him, for now.
In a few years, Odelix will be able to reincarnate as a Demon, and when he's there, the next step will be to climb the ladder and claim what is rightfully his... No matter how many he has to sacrifice to gain power, the end justifies the means... He might even be able to steal the power of Destruction from some Bael...
Contemplating this option with a sinister smile, the man felt a few taps on his shoulder. Turning around, somewhat annoyed by this interruption to his superficial planning, he saw one of his subordinates standing at attention and greeting him respectfully.
• What happened? Have you found the old man and the girls yet? - Sighing in annoyance at this stupid attitude, Odelix stares at his subordinate.
• More or less, Boss. - With a somewhat fearful gesture, the subordinate says this, assuming his boss is annoyed.
Standing up slowly with a totally annoyed expression, Odelix meets his subordinate's expectations.
"Vera, the reconnaissance team confirmed that the old man and the blonde were in the house, but they're no longer responding. Surveillance groups A, B, C, and D confirmed that these two tried to flee the town, but when they see them, they simply run to the next possible exit, like a trapped mouse." With a somewhat nervous and slightly jocular tone, the subordinate quickly explained, "After all, his boss predicted that the old man would try to escape. It must be very satisfying, right?"
• And Gremory? - After confirming his father's cowardice and the lack of strength of many of his subordinates, Odelix asks the obvious question to himself.
The subordinate offers only a nervous, beating-around-the-bucket explanation that they have no idea where he could be. Sighing at this display of ineptitude, the man's boss punches him, forcing him to his knees, nearly falling to the ground, stunned by the blow to his face.
Calming his mind, Odelix thinks about the girl; after all, all the reports about her were true, even if they seemed exaggerated at the time. Asking about the behavior of the teams who had seen her failed father, the young man sees that his subordinate doesn't answer, only tries to get up from the floor. Waiting just a few seconds, without hearing a response, Odelix asks again in the same threatening tone with which the conversation began.
• They are currently pursuing him, leaving a lookout in case Gremory appears later. - With his cheek swollen, the subordinate answers with difficulty, as he has several loose teeth.
"Very well, let me know when the old man and the blonde reach the fountain. He'll surely panic when he's surrounded by everyone, and who knows what he'll do." Roaring this order, chuckling slightly at the last sentence, Odelix returned to his seat, turning his back on the subordinate and reviewing the village map again in case he had missed any escape routes.
• B-But what about Gremory? - Somewhat confused by the important point his boss left out, the subordinate says this still with difficulty speaking.
"The girl is clever, but she's a Gremory." Turning to glance sideways at his interlocutor, Odelix said this, anticipating the look of utter bewilderment. True to his prediction, the subordinate's confused expression was immediate. "The girl probably told them a plan to distract the teams so she could escape and get help. However, her real intention is simply to flee. But Gremorys are known for their compassion, so the brat will change her mind and go to save them with her Destruction power. That's when I'll catch her. She'll surely arrive when we surround the old man and the elf at the fountain." Leaving aside the details of his deduction, as that would require further explanation, Odelix said this without looking at his subordinate.
The latter quickly praises his boss for his brilliance and shrewdness. Of course, it has to be this way; if you want power, you also need brains. That's why those stupid subordinates are only good as cannon fodder.
Her father, that failure, is probably killing several of them, but that doesn't matter. This Rias Gremory is damn predictable. Despite the reports claiming she's an unparalleled prodigy, it's easy to deduce she doesn't have the heart to be evil. Not when she was raised by the Sekiryuutei of Tomorrow, Black Bolt, Hakai, and Green Disaster.
Despite having impressive power, they are just sentimental softies, damned trash.
Now that he has some time before that old man falls into failure again due to his weakness and ineptitude, a very brilliant idea came to Odelix's mind. Instead of selling Rias Gremory, he'll keep her until she's reincarnated as a Demon so he can steal her power of Destruction... He might even be able to have a little fun with her; after all, they say she's the spitting image of the Crimson Empress, so in the coming years, she'll have a nice pair of breasts, and that doesn't displease the man in question.
Smiling unpleasantly as he imagined the possibilities with that girl, Odelix peered out the window... Those stars knew what would happen, flashing mysterious red glimmers, just like when his mother died.
---------------₹---------------
Just as he himself had anticipated, and as Rias had predicted, Mare Triator has encountered a team of thugs like the ones who attacked his house, this time with even heavier weaponry, on every trip out of town. So the old man has only been able to escape by sending some of the bandits to their deaths—only those who thought they had a chance when they saw him looking somewhat weary.
Fortunately, Forsner's magic support is still holding, even though she herself said it would only last a couple of minutes, and it's already been 14, so that detail is a good stroke of luck. With almost 15 minutes up, the old man decides it's time to go to the town's central fountain to finish this plan... which hopefully will work.
Running with most of the army of filthy kidnappers at her back, Mare begins to see the aforementioned fountain. Before the fountain, the church comes into view, which also has several exits from the village at the rear. However, before she can even consider venturing further to explore possible escape routes, some teams emerge from the entrances leading to those potential exits.
This time, cursing her luck, Mare reaches the fountain and jumps in. Her pursuers then completely surround the area, weapons slung over their shoulders, smiles on their faces as they plan to end this pathetic spectacle before Boss arrives. Perhaps he'll even offer some kind of reward to those who deliver the final blow to the decrepit old man.
Understanding that this support magic could only be sustained at a short distance, Mare placed Forsner on a small pedestal, who looked at him with doubt and concern. With a slight smile, the old man gestured for him to maintain his magic and close his eyes. He was unable to protect his son from all that corrupted him, turning him into a monster... But... He swore to the little redhead that he would protect Forsner, both physically and mentally, with his life.
Suddenly, Mare stops hearing the laughter and insults she had been automatically ignoring from the bastards surrounding them. Right now, everyone is silent, the silence so heavy that cold sweat runs down the backs of most of those present, including Mare. Breaking this atmosphere, a guttural scream, seemingly from nowhere, emanates, delivering a single message: the start of a relentless attack directed at one man.
Immediately, swinging her axe with all the power and precision her weary body allows, this time wielding it with both hands, Mare easily and swiftly separates heads from bodies as they approach. Moving quickly and cleanly, without missing a beat, the old man eventually adapts to the new rhythm he now possesses thanks to the magic.
Directing the deadly blade of his axe at necks, and optionally at legs and arms, Mare judges as quickly as possible the best course of action to eliminate each subject who tries to kill him or touch the little elf. Although at this moment it could be said that he is putting up the best fight he has ever given, minor wounds and a few considerable ones continue to appear, all due to multiple factors: the adjustment to fighting against a large group of people, the fatigue he accumulated from his morning of felling trees, and the pursuit he endured.
Grateful to the kidnappers for their limited intelligence in not shooting him, as it could injure his allies, the old man slices off two legs with a single blow and immediately blocks an attack with a police baton coming from the other direction. He knows he won't be able to keep up for long, but he still has to buy himself as much time as possible until he appears and the little redhead's plan can continue...
Forsner wisely followed the Bear-Man's instructions, closing her eyes tightly and maintaining her support magic. She had been questioning this last point for some time. Keeping this magic active was too strange; the blonde should have fainted several minutes ago from the continuous expenditure of magical energy, yet she hadn't.
If this were a normal situation, Forsner would delve into the reason for this strange phenomenon, but, shaking off any doubts that might arise from this thought with several movements of her head, the blonde tells herself that now is not the time; she has to continue fulfilling her role so that Rias can execute the next move...
After 17 minutes, during which the old man has maintained a deadly, irregular, but at the same time, constant rhythm, he has put the safety of the little Elf over his own, allowing some attacks of blows or cuts to hit his body.
Moving at a heavenly speed, performing multiple attacks from various angles, Mare has dealt in a special way with those evils who have tried to harm the blonde.
Those who tried to use Forsner tactically in any way ended up having their hands mutilated with which they tried to touch the blonde, followed by a cut to the respective arm and, finally, the great axe leaves the victim's head open with a vertical cut, exactly in the middle of the head, demonstrating the precise and deadly control of the father of the one they call Boss.
Hours passed for Mare himself, though in reality, they were only a few minutes. The old man was breathing heavily and with difficulty, his body wounded in many places and his arms barely able to hold his beloved axe, when suddenly, loud applause began to be heard in the distance. Halting their attack completely, the large group, now reduced to 60% of its initial number, replaced their recent expression of concern with one of complete confidence.
The men surrounding the fountain on the opposite side from the church clear a path, revealing a well-built man, slightly taller than the old man at the fountain, without any clothing on his upper body, showing a large, muscular physique developed for strength, and on his back, a mysterious axe with a wolf's head engraved on it.
"Oh, Father... You're as predictable as the day you escaped my axe." Bringing a larger group than Mare had been dealing with, Odelix continued along the path formed by his men, adding to the group he had brought with him, thus ending any chance of escape. "Always acting like a caged mouse... Although I admit that thanks to the elf girl, you had a chance against my men... You did." With a triumphant smile, causing the subordinates around him to laugh sinisterly, the young man said this in a mocking and wicked tone.
Now his failed father has no escape; he will have to finish what he once started, although it is a real nuisance that it has been combined with work; originally he wanted to finish this for pleasure.
• Odelix... Please, son... Stop all this, we can still largely undo what you've done... We can make your mother proud of you, wherever she is... Just... Just give me, give us, a chance. - Saying this completely exhausted and from the bottom of his heart, Mare holds his axe in his right hand and offers his other tired, somewhat trembling hand to his son.
Rias gave him the chance to convince his son, a chance the old man himself had requested just before they began their plan. It's true that Mare can no longer see him as his son, but he owes this last attempt to his wife. She always believed in these final chances, and she was usually right. At that moment, Rias gave him a doubtful look, but after a sigh, she agreed. She's not made of stone; she wouldn't allow a father one last attempt to convince his only son.
"You forfeited the right to call me son when you fell victim to my hand. You're a pathetic old man who couldn't even protect his wife, much less his child. You're nothing but a worthless piece of trash, and this display of weakness is what I despise most in the world. Stop this shameful spectacle, hand over the girls, and perhaps I'll consider sparing your life." As if looking at the worst scum in the world, Odelix takes the axe from his back and swings it, creating a gust of wind that nearly knocks Mare off her feet.
The old man could only shed heavy tears, dropping his axe into the fountain... Even though he had already lost faith in him, there was still a small flame of hope of winning him back... But... He should have known it was just foolishness... Those words he spoke were as painful as the beautiful smile his wife gave him on her deathbed...
I genuinely held onto that tiny hope that he would accept this option, or at least question it... Even though it was so illogical that not even he himself would believe it under normal circumstances. Taking Forsner in his arms, he gestured for him to deactivate the support magic.
Deactivating her magic, the little elf wipes away the tears of the man holding her as best she can, and, placing her small hand on the old man's chest, tries to comfort him, succeeding only slightly. Unable to bear it any longer, the blonde girl immediately feels dizzy and collapses unconscious from exhaustion and strain. Mare isn't too worried since Rias warned her that this would happen when she deactivates her magic.
"You know what? You're a lucky bastard." Seeing Mare give up, Odelix slowly approaches him, maintaining his mocking tone. "Be thankful she's a rather special elf. Her magic power ran out long ago. Thanks to this land being rich in pure magical energy, she was able to use that energy and keep that magic within you. You're as lucky as when you escaped me, you bastard... Enjoy the last moments of your last night... After all, these are the same stars as when Mom died..." Looking up at the sky, contemplating the reddish glow of the stars tonight, celebrating his victory over the last bond of this earthly world, Odelix says this, cracking his neck and bracing himself for what's to come.
"You know? I saw those red stars that day too... Even though your uncle told me I was just hallucinating, I know what I saw..." Looking into her son's eyes, with a sorrow she hadn't felt in many years, Mare smiled at him, finally something they had in common... Something to share. However, her expression quickly turned somber, knowing what would happen next. "But unlike what it does to you, my son, for me it means only one thing: damnation." Saying the last word in a much more gloomy tone, Mare shrank back in the water and hugged the unconscious Forsner somewhat tightly, making Obelix frown at this strange scene.
---------------₪---------------
Well, well, well... Everything is going according to plan, or at least most of it, thank God, even though I'm dead. Mare-san's son set up teams on all the escape routes. To be honest, I thought all those idiots would go after Mare-san when he passed by, but it seems they were prudent enough to leave one of the group on watch in case I escaped, which would be a good possibility in this case.
From where I am, on the church rooftop, I have a clear view of everyone attacking Mare-san at the central fountain, including her exhibitionist son and all those scattered around the town square, surely looking for me. Since I can't see those surrounding the town, I try to sense their presence... Concentrating as hard as I can, even though they're quite far away... I think I can sense something... I just hope I don't accidentally kill an innocent person.
To get up here, I had to take precautions regarding my condition in the church, covering my now-recovered feet with several blankets and running as fast as I could to the rooftop. Luckily, Mare-san spoke with the priest in charge, and he gave her a key.
Despite the intense chills, the constant pressure, and the feeling that I could die at any moment, I managed to get here and stay here, putting the finishing touches on the plan and keeping an eye on how things are progressing... I guess I'm finally learning to let go of these bad vibes a little, although it certainly helps that I have something to do now; I have to seriously concentrate on everything around me... Even though my head hurts...
Anyway, I need to stop being so absentminded! For now, everything's going relatively well. Don't expect Mare-san to end up so badly injured... but it seems he's still okay. Oh, they're already starting to talk, father and son.
I can tell Imot-chan is super tired, poor thing... When all this is over, I'm going to give her some of the sweets they gave me in the village.
From the morning onwards, the day was simply chaotic for me and everyone else, as I had to explain the "EscapeLoliElf" plan in detail, and I'm not very good at explaining my thoughts. Mare-san and Imot-chan were very confused by some of my words; I have to admit that even I was confused, so I spent quite a while explaining the plan, and judging by how it's unfolding, it wasn't a waste of time.
After that, I trained as much as I could to sense presences, pinpointing the exact location of the specific presences I felt, and until the last time I did it, Imot-chan said I was doing very well, which is why I'm running the risk of sensing subordinates I can't see.
While I had some breaks, and/or practiced with other presences that were not those of Imot-chan and Mare-san, I had to discuss with the woodcutter and Yokufu-san, his brother, the course of action for the people of the village, so that they would protect themselves from everything that would happen.
We decided that the best thing would be for them to hide in the emergency equipment pit that every house and business in town has. I sincerely hope that works; I don't want to kill innocent people or anything like that, with everything this plan entails...
Wait a minute... Now that I think about it, why did Imot-chan last so long with that Support Magic? She told me it would only last about 5 minutes, tops... Maybe she lied to me for some reason... But if that were the case, she wouldn't have ended up so exhausted, due to what seems like overexertion... Something external must have been involved...
Ah, now is not the time to be suspicious, I need to concentrate on all of this now, I can ask him later.
Getting back to the presences, now that I'm up here and after sensing so many presences gathered together, it seems to me that, somehow, I can distinguish the bad guys from the villagers... How do I know? I couldn't put it into words... I'd have to mention darkness and whiteness in the auras, but... Well, that's too complicated for a cute three-year-old girl, so I'll leave it at that for now.
Now that I think I can tell them apart, I can pick out those idiots better, even the ones still hanging around the outskirts of town... Or maybe it's just a slight hallucination from overusing my magic power... Let's hope it's that thing where you do great the first time and then it's just okay after that... Although... I also pray that everything I put into the most important part of the damned plan is worth it.
Oh, Mare-san dropped his axe into the fountain, which is now filled with heads and bodies—there's no other way to describe its current state. In the end, it's just as I thought... He couldn't convince his son to stop all this, though it would have been very Disney-esque if that had happened... Odelix isn't going to stop just because Mare-san asks him to; maybe he lost respect for him after defeating him or something like that.
Those who take the code of force seriously are both simple and complicated.
Anyway, now that their supposed conversation is over, I have to wait for Mare-san's signal. Now I'll have to concentrate on my ears... I feel like my brain is going to explode from doing so many things at once, and there are only three of them... Breathing slowly, I try to focus my attention on my ear, without neglecting to sense the distant presences, or letting "it" fall apart... Demons are supposed to have enhanced senses; it's time to put them to the test.
• ...I also saw those red stars... Even though your uncle told me I was just hallucinating, I know what I saw... - Mare-san said in a sad and gloomy tone.
I did it, haha!! I could celebrate that my brain didn't explode from doing this, but now's not the best time. I have to keep listening to see if the old man gives the signal.
• But unlike what it does to you, my son, for me it means only one thing: damnation. - Saying the last word in a slightly louder and more sorrowful tone, the woodcutter hugs Imot-chan even tighter and snuggles into the water. I can also see the face of the only man without a shirt or coat contort in a gesture of doubt.
There's the dramatic sign, Perdition. From what little I could hear, they were talking about the reddish glow of the stars... Those, sadly, aren't the stars she's thinking of.
---------------¤---------------
Just as the old man had given up and uttered some ridiculous and pathetic words to the "Boss," almost as if he were speaking for everyone present, the sky roared. Except for a certain man and girl huddled by the town fountain, everyone outside the town's buildings looked up in surprise and fear.
There, the stars his boss adored shone with a far greater intensity than they had throughout the night. Many wondered why the stars had taken on that color, but Odelix quickly provided the answer, explaining that this color always characterized the stars that accompanied him during a momentous event in his life.
Everyone had to accept this bland answer, since questioning the boss was simply out of the question; doing so would mean immediate death. Some of them wanted to take action against this strange phenomenon, but what could be done...? For starters, what on earth were those stars?
Thinking about the internal insults each man uttered to his boss after such a response, everyone present saw these stars grow slightly larger; however, before they could think of the reason, they couldn't think of anything else.
There was no time to feel despair, not even the innate survival instinct when one has a premonition of immediate death; each and every one, no matter where in the town they were, fell dead with multiple holes in their bodies or with amputations of various parts of themselves.
No member of Bael's slave organization even had time to see their chaotic lives flash before their eyes; every single one of them fell dead from what the town's mayor would later call the "Celestial Crimson Rain."
---------------₹---------------
Falling to my knees, gasping for breath after unleashing my Destruction on all of Odelix's subordinates and on the man himself, I struggle to stay conscious. Since 4 p.m., I had been creating small spheres of Destruction and letting them float in the sky as night began to fall.
I took advantage of what Mare-san told me, about seeing reddish stars when his wife died... So I assumed his crazy son saw them too. It was a pretty big bet, but based on Mare-san's last sentence a moment ago, my thoughts weren't wrong.
Usually, when a traumatic event happens to a certain group of people, they share some fantastical vision, as I've seen in interviews and a few TikTok videos... Luckily, Mare-san and Odelix saw reddish stars... I suppose this stroke of luck is the mythical luck of the protagonist in stories...
With everything I have, I try to stand up, but I can't... Well, that's a problem since I can feel my knees burning slightly on the church floor. Taking a deep breath, I try again to stand up and barely manage it; having my feet wrapped in so many blankets doesn't help my balance much either.
Now that I'm standing, I calm my breathing a little and look up to see everything I've done... Hell itself... Bodies everywhere, some mutilated, with holes in them letting their internal organs spill out in a way I never imagined. Thanks to all this, a thick pool of blood forms around the source of bodies, and you can also see small streams flowing directly into the reddish pool, surely from those who weren't in the group around the source...
I... I... I am... I am a damned monster... They, perhaps, had families or someone who-who was waiting for them and... And I-I... I took them away... I cruelly murdered more than 50 men as if... As if they were nothing more than insects... Despite how hard it was for me to get up, I fall back to my knees and vomit up all the little I ate today.
I'm no better than them... I'm just a ruthless killer. I feel tears streaming down my cheeks as I still vomit. I can already imagine it... It won't be long before I start to enjoy this and simply lose myself in a spiral of killing... In the end... I'm going to go crazy and kill everyone...
Okay... Okay... Taking a deep breath, I try to come back... Enough of the ridiculous exaggerations... I know... I'm not like them...
No, definitely not. They... They brought it on themselves... They tried to ruin me... If they hadn't done these things, I wouldn't have been forced into this... They're to blame... They brought this on themselves... I'm just a victim of events, I just want to go back home to Mother and Counterpart-chan...
I also have to protect Imot-chan... I have to go back to classes with Midori-san... I have to apologize to Kushimi-Okassan and see my new little brother... Sitting near my vomit, I continue trying to calm down and see how my hands are shaking in an incredible way.
They're the only ones to blame... and me... I... A survival game comes to mind, Mirai Nikki, Btoom, Sword Art Online... They all have that in common, some of their participants were innocent people and, in this case, that's what I am... I'm just doing what's necessary to survive... Exactly.
If I want to survive this, I have to adapt to my surroundings. Breathing much more calmly, I touch my chest and continue my breathing exercise. The presences... 63 presences, now that I remember what I counted, are the ones I-
Anyway, now there are 70 people in total on my lovely special list... And I don't know why, but... I feel like I can see every face when I close my eyes...
Thinking about it, this is just paranoia kicking in... How am I supposed to remember the faces of people I didn't even see? I need to calm down and remember why I'm doing this; I just need to focus on that. When I finished this plan, I knew this killing spree would affect me psychologically... But I didn't think it would be this bad.
Nothing prepares you for this... Wow... I swear I feel like I'm going to faint any minute... Although I don't know if it's from the expenditure of magical power or something... I have to keep breathing... How can this affect me so much...? They wanted to hurt me and I just responded...
You stupid normie brain, adapt to survive, and when we get home, you can vent all you want to Mom and Dad. I'm more than sure they've already been forced to kill to live...
• I have to admit I wasn't expecting that. - Suddenly a voice with a somber and threatening tone, making me freeze...
Damn, I remember that voice... Of course you had to survive...
Opening my eyes, I see a tall, muscular man slam the rooftop door shut. Contrary to the bitter cold, he's shirtless, revealing well-trained muscles, and in his right hand he holds a large axe with a golden handle carved with a wolf's head.
Odelix, somehow magically and miraculously, survived the rain of destruction, but he certainly didn't emerge unscathed; he has several wounds all over his body. Now that I see him up close, I understand the style of his subordinates. He's also bald, and from what I saw when he was talking to Mare-san, he also carries his weapon on his back.
"I underestimated you, Rias Gremory." Tightening his grip on his axe, the large man slowly approached me. I immediately tried to back away. "I should have listened to the records; they said you were a child prodigy. I suppose it was the least I could expect from the daughter of one of the Underworld's greatest strategists." With a hollow smile, the muscular but bald man maintained his somber tone, taking steps toward me as I continued to retreat.
Okay, that just confirmed what Venelana-sama said the first time she visited me, my parents are good at strategy, but I don't think it's the right time.
• Well, since you took away all the power I managed to amass with my own hands over the years, I'll return the favor... - Raising his axe and looking at me in an unfriendly manner, Odelix utters these words.
Damn it! I have to do something fast! Now!!
• Taking your life!! - With bloodshot eyes, the bald man throws his axe directly towards me.
There's no time for cunning plans; I have to be quick. Moving to the left, I gather all the Destruction I have left, forming a square shield on my right arm to absorb the heavy blow.
No, wait! If he survived my Destruction, that means he can handle it! If I continue on this course of action, he's going to cut off my arm!! Moving my shield diagonally at the last moment, Odelix's axe veers slightly but cuts through my shield and, in addition, a bit of my arm and shoulder.
Shit! Shit!! Fucking shit!!! THIS HURTS SO MUCH!!!! HE ALMOST RIPPED MY ARM OFF, THIS FUCKING NEARESTINE SON OF A BITCH!!
Falling further back, I hit the rooftop railing... Checking my wound, I see that I only cut flesh and a bit of my shoulder bone is showing. Blood is gushing from my wound; at this rate, I'm going to bleed to death.
Shit, shit... I'm breathing heavily as I clutch my right arm with my left, shaking like jelly. I'm also crying buckets from the excruciating pain; I don't know how I haven't fainted... I guess it's the adrenaline...
"Well..." Odelix chuckled, twirling his weapon and shaking off some of my blood. "I thought you'd get too confident behind your shield and I'd just cut you in half... You keep exceeding my expectations." A small smile played on his lips as he rested his axe on his shoulder.
This guy sounds stupid saying he keeps exceeding his expectations... Damn muscle brain, I hope you remember that you should never get cocky in a fight.
• S-So... I hope you enjoy this. - Barely letting out my trembling voice, I say this with a small smile and make a fist with my right hand.
Next, 15 small spheres of Destruction emerge from the bell tower, above us, speeding towards Odelix, who has his back to the bell tower.
Thank goodness I'm paranoid to the extreme... I thought there was a chance one of those idiots might decide to search the church and find me up here. Now that I've used Plan A to deal with that possibility, I'll have to prepare Plan B, which was the hardest one to come up with.
Spinning at a ridiculously high speed, Odelix faces my Destruction spheres and begins to slice them with his axe with pinpoint accuracy, causing them to explode and slightly injure the man, who doesn't seem to care. Why the hell is he able to do that to my power? Destruction is supposed to destroy everything, so what? Is that axe some kind of measure of Destruction?
Having finished cutting the spheres, the resulting smoke covers the bald man, who simply turns around and moves his axe, clearing away all the fog.
"It was to be expected from the girl who devised the plan that destroyed my organization." With a somewhat weary smile, Odelix said this, still confident. "She probably thinks I'm finished... Oh, crap... My vision... It's starting to blur... Blood loss compounded by my excessive expenditure of magical power." But since my mood has improved a bit thanks to this lovely display of resilience, I'll tell you something. This time, in a somewhat softer tone than he had used moments before, Odelix swung his axe, creating a strong gust of wind.
"I have studied the Power of the Bael, Destruction. As someone who wants to obtain it, I have to study it—" With a proud and haughty tone, the muscular bald man continues speaking, but I can't hear him because of my own thoughts...
What nonsense is he spouting? Doesn't he know that's impossible...? I know he's the bad guy and that he must have an evil purpose, but isn't he supposed to have been involved with Demons far more than I have? He must know that stealing someone's power is currently impossible, at least for Demons, and even more so with a power as strange as Destruction... I expected more from Mare-san's son... I didn't think he was an idiot.
• And I can assure you that your power is not yet complete; you have much more to mature for your power to become true destruction... That's why I can cut it off. - Resuming his listening to her speech, Odelix still maintains that haughty attitude.
Putting aside his stupid reason for studying Destruction, I suppose there's some truth to his theory... That would be the answer to my eager and cliché question from a few paragraphs ago...
"Well, now that I've calmed down a bit, I thought of something to regain my power..." Odelix stops swinging his axe and points it at me. "I bet he's going to suggest something worse than death for me..." "You will become my slave, and with you and your cursed name, I will gather rogue Demons who like the business... You will be a nice little tool. Besides, they will be much more attracted if she is the rebellious daughter of the Sekiryuutei of Tomorrow and Hakai." Raising his axe, Odelix is about to swing it at me again, but, unable to resist the impulse that overwhelms me, I raise my hand, as if he were a master and I a doubting student. He just looks at me with confusion...
Sorry to ruin the moment, but I need to ask this, time out.
• By "Hakai" do you mean Rida Gremory?... Is my mother called "Hakai"? - Somewhat incredulous at what I heard, I ask this to the bald man, who just looks at me very strangely and nods slightly.
I can't believe it... What did that woman do to be called Hakai? If my Japanese from Dragon Ball Super isn't too bad, it literally means "Destruction"... I understand they'll call her "Purple Fire" or something, but Hakai... That sweet, kind woman is called Destruction? What on earth did she do to deserve such a terrifying and frightening name...?
That definitely scares me a little and makes me want to find out a lot more about my parents... Sekiryuutei of Tomorrow... Blackbolt... Only Midori-san is missing... Although she should have something like "Knowledgeable" or "Knowledgeable" in her name... After all, she knows too much...
Clicking his tongue, Odelix readies his axe. Well, that bought me a little time, and although I'm shocked by that woman's nickname, I need to get out of this mess. Besides, if she says I'm going to be her tool, why is she trying to cut me in half again?
These poorly structured villains... Anyway, calling the 3 spheres of Destruction that I left in the bell tower just in case, they attack Odelix again and, moving exactly as he did before, he cuts off my Destruction, perfectly withstanding the residual explosions.
• I told you that wouldn't work. - With a boastful and mocking tone, he turns his gaze towards me and I see him smile maliciously.
• I know. - With a tender smile, I say this and this time, with both hands, I clap loudly, ending in a prayer-like pose. Suddenly, the ground where Odelix is standing cracks.
The man's eyes widened as he fell, and he flailed his arms, clearly startled. He definitely hadn't expected that. Even though he said he underestimated me earlier, he must have guessed I had one last trick up my sleeve. He should have been more careful... Heh heh.
As if everything were happening in slow motion, he looks down and pales; he's already seen what awaits him just a few meters below. Just as he's about to throw his axe at me, the bear trap made of Destruction cuts off his legs. Too slow, sugar cube.
Naturally, the rest of his body continues to fall, and I trigger this floating trap to activate faster. Odelix's dismembered body crashes to the floor below, his axe falling beside his head.
I think I can see how the expression on his dead face is totally scared and furious.
Well, looks like I won, haha... Oh no... It's... It's giving me... That thing about the... The overuse of... Magical power... The spheres consumed a lot of me, but the trap I set while Odelix wanted to talk was what exhausted me... And activating the trap was the last straw...
It's been a while since this happened to me... I have... I have to keep training... My blurred vision, my constant chills, and now my burnt backside are all contributing to the fainting spell caused by my excessive mana use...
Mothers... Suddenly I see the ground coming towards me... Huh? The ground is coming towards me?... Did I fall?... I hope my hair doesn't get dirty with vomit... H-Help... H-Help...
---------------¤---------------
Four days have passed since the extermination of Odelix Triator's slave-trading organization, and of Odelix himself. When I woke up, I was in Mare-san's bed with Imot-chan holding my hand tightly. What a strong sense of déjà vu I had that day.
Later I learned that, even though Mare-san was recovering from her injuries, she helped clean the entire village, and I slept for a whole day. According to Mare-san, Imot-chan kept an eye on me the whole day I slept, after she woke up, because she was also very tired from her own efforts.
The lumberjack said that the blonde argued she neglected herself to take care of me, since I did most of it, so she needed to do a little more because she felt she did almost nothing.
When I heard this, all I could do was sigh, give her a light tap for being careless, and a quick kiss on the cheek to thank her. It was hilarious to see her reaction; she turned as red as a tomato and tears streamed down her face, covering the spot where I'd tapped her. She clearly didn't know what to do and felt terribly upset.
After that, Mare-san continued helping with the village cleanup. I obviously tried to offer my help, but he just told me that a child shouldn't help with such things. That day and two more passed before they could finish cleaning the village.
The next day, Yokufu-san came to the house to see me and thank me. I apologized for everything I caused and also apologized to the two men since I murdered their only relative.
They just gave me a touched look and stroked my head, saying, "You don't have to worry, you did so much for us." I have to confess I cried a little at that moment, and they both comforted me; they probably thought I wasn't as strong as I seemed.
Anyway, I spent the rest of the day perfecting my ability to sense presences, which brings me to this moment. We're having a delicious breakfast of bear meat, which I ordered from the woodcutter. Now that I think about it, aren't elves supposed to be vegetarians? Why is Imot-chan eating bear meat so enthusiastically? I suppose I'll ask her later. For now, I have something to ask Mare-san.
"Mare-san, can I ask you something?" I asked, taking a bite of meat and looking at the man, who returned my gaze. He simply nodded, his mouth also full of meat.
• Are we in the city? - Tilting my head slightly, I automatically ask what I should have asked at the beginning of all this. Staring at me, Mare-san just bursts out laughing, and I see that Imot-chan does too. Huh? What happened? Am I that funny?
• After everything that's happened, you're only asking where you are now? - Laughing heartily, Mare-san continues her constant laughter along with Imot-chan, I can only blush,
P-Well, we had a lot to do... And that's it... Don't judge me!!
After Imot-chan called me cute, hugged me, and rubbed her cheek against mine, the lumberjack continued with his reply. "I'll overlook Imot-chan's confidence; she was supposed to be playing the shy one..."
• Well, Miss Rias, you're in a small town near Sagwon, Alaska. - Saying this with a small smile, Mare-san takes a sip of coffee.
Alaska? I'm definitely screwed...
• And how long would it take us to travel to the capital...? - Asking the obvious, I say this still recovering from the shock of Alaska. According to Mother, Father is from Japan, so I'm quite far from that...
Well, we can travel to the capital and there, I don't know, maybe I can somehow contact my parents... They must still be looking for me and being in the capital will make it much easier to find them, at least if they're still looking.
• To Juneau? How... In 20 days, depending on the weather... Why? - Somewhat doubtful of my question, Mare-san says this and, this time, it is he who tilts his head slightly.
• Well, then... - Smiling a little, I tell these two the plan of action I have so that "my mother" can find us.
So we spent the entire morning and afternoon discussing the feasibility of the plan and making some adjustments. At first, Mare-san said it was crazy for two little girls to travel alone across almost the entire country.
According to the lumberjack, Juneau is on the other side of Alaska, so we're screwed. After convincing him with many valid reasons for the trip with two supernatural little girls, we discussed many corrections to the plan, some things I hadn't considered.
Another thing that happened was that Mare-san offered to accompany us, but we immediately refused with Imot-chan; the village depends on him, we can't do that.
Two days later, after the woodcutter arranges a cart to go to Sagwon, he tells me which towns to get off in, what to ask for to get on a cart to the next town, and gives us some money. Mare-san is making the final preparations for our departure. It's morning, and I finish a letter for Mare-san and leave it on her bed. I still remember some English from my past life.
Now we're going on a trip. Of course, Imot-chan agreed with me about going to the capital, and even though she's a little terrified of dealing with strangers, she'll put up with it for me, according to her own words. Well, I just hope I train a lot on the trip since I realized how weak I was. It doesn't matter if I'm only three years old, I'll do my best to make it home!
I also have to say that my first plan, the "Escaped Loli Elf" Plan, was a total success! And I'll celebrate that when I get home; for now, it's time to train.