Blah blah blah they just keep talking and talking… This really isn’t my cup of tea. People are just talking back and forth with rather boring arguments, all the while the two notable people in this whole deal, Maova and the Hero, are looking at the spectacle at hand with varying degrees of interest. Maova looked pretty amused at the discussion at hand while the Hero looked extremely disinterested.

“I actually believe we should investigate that sacred forest! No doubt the demons dwell there” A man suggested. They have been talking about a forest for a while, hopefully not the one I was at last night.

“I suggest we don’t. That place is as massive as it is dangerous, if you were to go in there the chance of coming out is extremely unlikely. We will lose more than gain even if we find the demons there” The orange haired man retorted.

“We have our hundreds of troops for that! And you are an expert at exploring that labyrinth of a forest are you not? I don’t believe you have any excuse in not going there to assist us in this quest” The man snaps back.

“I may be experienced in navigating the place but the same cannot be said for the men you thought of it expending” He calmly replied. He clearly doesn’t want to deal with whatever they’re planning, overall disinterested in this whole Demon Lord conflict.

“Ahem. May I give my own opinion as well?” Maova suddenly speaks up much to the surprise of some as she has been observing this whole discussion with a bit of interest.

“Oh… Sure” The man with orange hair said, sounding a bit… scared I supposed.

“Go ahead” The other man replied. Everyone is anticipating her opinion at the moment and not talking over each other.

“In case you haven’t noticed it or have forgotten the detail, I’m not from this kingdom or the nearby land. I have to come through that very same forest to reach here. There are no demons in that forest the whole journey through, and I support the guild master’s choice to not investigate it. It’s simply way too big of an issue for us to solve. That’s just the truth of it” She explained which I saw caused some to raise their eyebrows. Seems some don't buy her experience. Considering what she is, I am inclined to believe the opposite, at the very least something exists in that forest that she doesn't know anyone to find out. Considering that when who seems to be the guild master began voicing opposition to the search she jumped on the same train as him very quickly, that’s a very likely case. People began opening their mouths after hearing what she had to say, however…

“If none of you mind. Can I perhaps inquire on what this place is and where it is located?” I suddenly spoke up much to everyone else’s surprise. I would like to know what exactly is in that place, whatever it is it probably will freak out most people here.

“Right, you’re an outsider. This is a place that is considered sacred by some and very much mystical in nature. It is extremely massive with a town near it. You couldn’t possibly miss it” The man dismissively replied as Maova looked at me with horror in her eyes… as well as a bit of malice, did I just enter uncharted territory? This is bad isn’t it?

“I see” I replied in a few words. I feel like I should quickly run or teleport away soon after I can get out of here… Actually could I get out of here quickly? 

People are talking over each other again with Maova clearly trying to convince them to not explore the place trying to sound not at all suspicious.

I think I should take a backseat on this and let them talk amongst themselves. I’m really not someone who likes to assert dominance in a meeting.

 

#####

 

“What else can we do with the otherworlders do you think?” The right hand man of the king asked no one in particular, now this one I can’t miss on.

“Hmm… I think just letting them simply train for now should work. As this woman has said though we certainly need more help with clearing out the training area. There were hordes of goblins and wolves about. That’s not something the otherworlders aside from the one here can handle” Maova said while looking at me like she’s trying to convince me of something.

“But what about in the future? In a few days from now we want a clear result. We knew from our one otherworlders here that they can be quite powerful, but if we don’t come up with a way to empower them it doesn’t matter what their potential is like” The man replied. Maova’s eye twitched a bit there.

“Heh. Well I believe we should play it safe, they’re different from us are they not? Try it our way is a sure fire way to make them go against us” Maova responded with quite a statement, as if taunting the people she’s talking with. Some sort of irritating energy came from here that’s used to rile up people for fun, that’s sort of the feeling I got from her and that’s pretty familiar.

“You said that like we have time” One man pointed out.

“We have multiple weeks left, rushing isn’t exactly the best thing to do” Maova retorted calmly.

“How can we even be certain of that?” One of them asked, glaring at her to no effect.

“I believe the Demon Lord has said so has she not? I don’t see her as someone who exactly can deceive others” Maova replied with a rather ridiculous sounding statement. Everyone looks a bit perplexed at the statement, even the Hero is trying to hold back from corpsing, which is weird since she barely showed emotions so far.

“Considering the straightforward nature of the Demon Lord in the past, as I have mentioned before during our very first encounter this time around. I do not believe that statement was a lie, as the Demon Lord isn’t someone that lies. Sorry for my partner’s roundabout response” The Hero thankfully chimed in to support her partner and move the conversation along.

“Are you certain of this?” The retainer asked no doubt, finding the claim hard to believe.

“I very much am” The Hero said very seriously, which seems to intimidate the rest a little bit with how she said it. 

“To add to that. The Demon Lord was clearly holding an advantage over us during our first encounter, yet retreated. I don’t see that being the case if she’s so hell bent on killing us. It’s a blessing that she let us go in the first place, I don’t think we should use the time we have rashly” Maova added. Wait. She wasn’t even there was she? Or did the Hero inform her on that encounter?

“I’d say what they’re saying makes sense, even if the wording is a little bit off” I suddenly spoke up after being quiet for a while. I do have my reason aside from it being the truth of course, if they aren’t confident in the amount of time they have they’ll no doubt panic and try something risky, specifically to my classmates, I’m just not up for that.

“Even so we cannot be certain of-”

“Also you should know full well of my allegiance. It’s not with any of you but my friends who you forcibly dragged here. Try anything funny and I have to go against you, I doubt either side wants that to happen now” I said in a chilling tone, interrupting what they had to say. 

“Are you seriously saying that?” The king suddenly spoke out. He looks at me as if trying to intimidate me.

“Of course, it’s the same logic as your kingdom being invaded no doubt. You would go against whoever does so isn’t that right? It’s the same with me and my friends as well” I explained calmly. Maova looks at me with a small grin of approval while the Hero hasn’t said a single thing or reacted at all.

“Hmph. Fine, we shall not act rashly with your companion if that’s the case” The king said. That’s suspiciously easy. Even the other people in the room are perplexed at his response that is rare for a king no doubt. I think I need to be careful around him, if only because he’ll try something funny.

...Everyone is deadly silent. Not sure of how to proceed after that sudden aggression.

“Well, it’s good that we can come to an agreement and that no conflict arises” Maova said with a carefree attitude that softened the mood a bit.

“I believe we should shelve this topic and move on to the next” The Hero said. The two smoothly move the conversation along so this can all be done with.

“Okay then… Um… Right, let’s move along as the esteemed hero has said. Now onto a different matter. Is there any clear weakness that the Demon Lord may have at all that we could exploit?” The retainer asked, finally ending the silence. The question is obviously aiming at the Hero herself.

“None. The Demon Lord is specifically a being born with no weakness, an agent of destruction with power rivaling an army of a thousand. There’s no real way to counter the threat aside from with more power and numbers. Another thing to note is the fact that one needs to be on a special level of powerful to even make a dent. So far there’s only three people who can even hurt her. Reiza and I clearly show our strength against the Demon Lord after the summoning, while Maova is very close to me in strength as well” The Hero said.

“That’s unfortunate… Perhaps we should hand pick who should train to be on the same level as you three? Maybe that’ll be better” One man suggested. If he means one or two of the otherworlders then yeah that does make sense… However the hell that one must’ve gone through to get to this level… Just in a month might not be enough. Let’s not mention that so no one has to get hurt.

“You’re saying a rather ridiculous thing there mister right hand man. It’s nigh-impossible for anyone to reach the same level as Rosia or I in a month” Maova then said so herself. So that’s the Hero’s name. I’ll address her as such then. The other seems rather unsatisfied with the answer, for obvious reasons.

“Then shouldn’t we find a way to empower them? That’ll be much faster than just training them I’m sure, and any discoveries can help us in the future. Maova was it? Didn’t you say something about an experiment to do so?” One man suggested while asking Maova for more detail.

“Hmm… Indeed I did say that, but who can even be certain what that empowerment will do?” Maova replied a bit coyly. She’s having fun messing with them isn’t she? I just hope she doesn’t cause any problems for my friends, that’s the last thing I’ll want.

“Hmm… Then we need more ideas! Any more ideas!” The retainer said.

I feel like I don’t want to be part of this conversation but probably has to if they said anything crazy again.

 

#####

 

Thankfully they got nowhere while Maova looked like she’s trying to hold back her laughter. Feels like she’s the one orchestrating this whole deal with how she’s enjoying it. I feel like I’m muting a video and only see the moving picture right now. That’s how uncommitted I was when it didn't involve my friends.

I feel like I could think of a few things while I’m here. Recounting what’s going on right now and what I should do after the meeting is over. First is the whole deal with the otherworlders, from the looks of it unless they show results they’ll try something extremely rashly. Second is the supposedly sacred forest, it’s pretty clear there’s something in there, whatever that is I do not know, however Maova clearly does want me to mess with… Now the issue is if I should take the gamble or not, I could teleport away if things get hairy but if she caught me off guard I could see her possibly defeating me and doing something… permanent so to say. Third is the two enigmatic fellows. Maova and Rosia. I should try to ascertain their motive and make sure they don’t try anything with my classmates or my companion here in this world, they clearly don't have the kingdom’s interest, and they’re not quite opposing them either…

Now with three points in hand I need to act out on it… as soon as I can leave the place and make sure no one tries anything of course, from the looks of it no one here is really what I can call strong, with the enigmatic duo being an obvious exception. I could take on all of them possibly aside from the two.

“What else is there to talk about?” Maova asked, sounding rather bored right now.

“Hmm… Unfortunately this is all we have for today… Your Majesty?” The retainer said. Is the meeting finally over finally?

“Hmm… I believe some of the people here shall leave. I believe the meeting has been unnecessarily chaotic. The Hero, Maova, Reiza and…” Well that’s my cue to leave. I just stood up and began leaving immediately without a formal farewell.

“See you later” A voice called out to me. There’s a feeling of death itself creeping up on me from that chilling voice.

…I feel like I should leave, skedaddle elsewhere. I feel like there’s someone behind me. I think I should run away as fast as possible!

 

#####

 

Finally out and about outside that darn place… I think I should go outside of the city and explore the landscape outside the walls. Specifically to that supposedly scared forest.

...No one is around right? No one is stalking me. Well guess it’s very much the time to go, need to go quickly I feel like.

 

#####

 

I’m outside the city and I should fly away. There’s a feeling of doom coming towards me and I don’t know why. I think if regardless of where I go this thing will find me eventually, I might as well try to discover what this thing is trying to conceal from me…

*Fly*

Even with this high speed flying the sense of dread is still creeping up on me. The feeling of freedom from flying high in the sky doesn’t matter it seems. It would probably be better to face this head on, yet here I am flying away in defiance. Increasing my speed and continuing my flight.

Flying at an even higher altitude and looking down at the land below me, a few forests about and some paths that lead to various places, even small hills about as well. Like flying on a plane looking down at the scenery below you, it’s wonderful. Yet the context of this flight is very much not.

Then I saw it, a forest so massive with no clear end in sight even when I’m so far above it. This is the place for certain. There’s a town nearby as well but I do not have the time for such a place.

*Land*

Quickly landing down off the surface and facing the path into the forest before me… I need to go in and see what’s there…

...Slowly walking. This place is a strange kind of silent. It’s not due to lack of creatures, but something that’s strange, way too strange. The wind blows aggressively as I continue to walk down the path lay before me, the path that feels like it’ll diverge into millions of different directions. The sky seems like it has been sapped of its usual lively blue color.

*Whirl*

The wind howls and makes me instinctively stop in my tracks. The branches cracking from their trees. Small pebbles rolling around like tumbleweeds. Leaves flying chaotically through the storm-like winds, the torrent strong and deadly. The cold hard ground I stood on felt like it could shake in terror at what’s to come, the earth shall shatter and death encroach all who fall into its cracks.

*Whirl* *Swirl*

The winds are even more aggressive. The clouds above seem to move around maliciously as if trying to block all light trying desperately to reach me. The world around feels like it has been completely overtaken by darkness so pitch black all that’s left is nothing but the void. Only the path, a lonely path that goes in one direction. Forward.

First step. Feels like some trees have been completely stripped of its leaves.

Second step. Leaves falling to the ground.

Third step. Leaves being caught up in the raging wind.

Fourth step. Leaves fly up high in the sky.

Fifith step. The leaves flew out into the unknown.

Sixth step. The naked trees look dead.

Seventh step. Flowers are torn.

Eighth step. Old trees are falling.

Ninth step. Crashing sounds of the trunks filled the already chaotic forest.

Tenth step. Even the little dust from each step flies high into the sky to never be seen again.

Eleventh step. Each heavy step makes the ground shudders.

Twelve steps-

*Whirl* *Rustle*

The winds howl in the black sky…

“Thirteenth step. The unlucky” A voice said out. My eyes cannot take the raging wind and blinked for a second. Just a second.

There she is right in front of me. Someone who I can clearly tell, might as well be the agent of destruction. The dark blue strangely kimono-like shirt, the overcoat that’s not too different from what a traditional samurai of the past might wear, the dark raven hair tied in a ponytail that fluttered in the raging wind… The eyes that turn red…

“Tell me… Will this be your end?” The voice said in a chilling tone void of malice as well as care. Staring at me with the eyes that consumes blood...