The person that had been waiting in the hallway stepped inside. I recognised them immediately. It was the wolfkin Beth, the blacksmith, and my sword master. I hadn’t seen her since before we left for the capital. It seemed like such a long time ago. In reality it was a little over a week. She was looked around the room, her jaw was dropped.

She clearly had no idea that we were in here before she arrived. Finally, she spoke. “You’re alive!” She said striding across the room.

I’d gotten out of my seat as she had entered, and she walked across the room. First ruffling my hair then flinging her arms around me and squeezed me tightly against her chest.

Beth craned her neck and turned to Lisa. “You could’ve told me they had returned!”

Lisa waved her hand dismissively. “They only got back today, a couple of hours ago.”

“I thought you were going to let me know as soon as you heard something!”

“I was, but I knew that you’d be along shortly, so I left it…” Lisa rolled her eyes as she looked at the rest of the group. “You see Beth has been calling in every day since news from the capital broke.”

“It’s only been two days, and it’s only natural for a teacher to be concerned for her pupil!”

“I’m sure it is… Well, you arrived just in time, he’ll be heading out again soon.”

Beth looked at me surprised. “You’re heading out again so soon?”

I nodded and cleared my throat. “Yes, we’ve just accepted another quest.”

“Is that going to be safe, aren’t you wanted now?”

“I suppose it won’t be. I guess I am, haha, by the alliance at least. I don’t think we’ll be worrying about them where we’re heading.”

Beth looked over our number, finally realising that we were a member down now she had settled. “Is this to do with Lillia?” She asked.

“It is, but there is more at stake than that… We have to do this.”

“Then let me join you.” She said without a moment’s hesitation.

“What? You don’t even know where we’re going or what we’re doing it for. I didn’t even think you were an adventurer.”

“I want to come. I not sure what, but it seems like something has happened to Lillia and I’d like to help. She’s a friend of mine too. Anyway, I’ve joined the guild again so I’m an adventurer just like you. With everything that’s happening it seemed like right thing to do.”

“It’s going to be dangerous…”

“I appreciate the concern.” She bashed her chest. “But I’m your teacher and you’re my student. If that concern doesn’t apply to you, then it doesn’t to me.”

“Maybe…”

Altria decided to speak up after hearing Beth’s request. “I think we should have her with us. It’s going to improve our chances of success having someone as capable as her with us.”

“I think we should too. She’s one of the finest swordswomen in the land. We couldn’t ask for a better member.” Serin said agreeing with Altria.

Lisa sensing the group had come to a decision sat up and spoke. “Looks like it’s settled then. The six of you will form a party and head into the demon lord’s territory and head towards the abandoned shrine.”

We needed Liz to come with us if we wanted to investigate the shrine, but that wasn’t the case with Beth. I knew she was a great fighter, but if I could have dissuaded her from coming, I would have preferred that. If the others wanted her to come, there was nothing I could say. If anything, she was an advantage to our party, more so than I was.

“The six of us? Who else is coming?” Asked Beth confused that there was only five of us in the room.

“That’s right you don’t know. I suppose now is a good time to introduce the final member to everyone that hasn’t met her yet. I’d like to get an impression of her before I send you all out on the quest. Can you call her here Theo?” Asked Lisa.

I paused for a moment wondering if it was a good thing to do. “Are you sure that’s fine?”

“Yes. No one is going to disturb us without my permission.”

“Okay, I’ll call her… Celine, you can come out now.”

A second later she appeared. “Yes master.”

Beth immediately reached for her sword. “A demon!” She shouted.

I jumped up from my seat and stood in between the two girls. “Woah, calm down Beth she’s on our side.”

“Stand down Beth. She is a member of your party.” Lisa said intervening before Beth could react further.

Beth didn’t look convinced. “But she’s clearly a demon!”

Lisa coughed loudly and drew everyone’s attention back to her. “She is. I’m told she’s a succubus, but it seems that Theo has brought her over to our side. According to the report from these three, the only reason they are all stood her is because of her help.”

“Really?” Beth asked shocked.

“It is. We owe her our lives.” Answered Altria.

Still looking confused, but at least a little reassure by Lisa and Altria’s words, Beth slowly put her sword back into its scabbard. “But how?” She asked.

I scratched my head, wondering if I could get away without repeating the story for the second time today. “It’s a long story, we’ll tell you everything don’t worry.”

Liz’s reaction was somewhat different to Beth’s. As soon as Beth had sheathed her blade and the threat of violence was gone, Liz got up from her sear and rushed over to Celine. “Interesting, very interesting.” She said looking her over. “It’s been such a long time since I’ve spied a demon in the flesh and a succubus at that. A very rare sight for a female to behold. Can I take it this acquisition means you have increased your skillset?” She asked looking at me excitedly.

I smiled awkwardly and nodded. “Yeah, I gained an extra skill.”

She didn’t break her attention from Celine but asked. “You’ll have to explain to me how it works.”

“I’ll try.”

“Master who is this woman, and what does she want from me?” Celine asked, slightly on the backfoot from the sudden attention.

“This is Liz, she runs the local potion shop. I suppose you could call her a witch and I think she was called a sorceress as well. She also seems to be quite interested in research and well you’re new to her…”

Liz stepped back, realising she was making Celine feel uncomfortable. “Do excuse me.”

“I’ve been gone for a short while and you seem to have found yourself three more women. I don’t believe you master!”

“I haven’t.”

Lisa burst out laughing. “Sorry, sorry. I don’t know about these two, but I’m not one of Theo’s women. You can think of me as his boss. I’m the guild master of this town.”

Celine looked confused. “You’re master’s master?”

“Yes, I like the sound of that, you can think of it that way if you wish.”

The other girls found this amusing and started to laugh a little too.

“Lisa, should you be telling her things like that?” I asked.

“Sorry Theo, I couldn’t help it.”

“She could get the wrong idea.”

“She’s not your master, master?”

“She runs the guild here. We all work for her.”

“I suppose she seems harmless enough.” Beth said having now completely calmed down.

“She is, well she is now. It wasn’t like this when I first met her…” I explained.

“This is due to one of your skills, like Liz suggested?”

“Yes…”

Beth looked worried. “Is it okay to mention that in front of her?”

“It doesn’t seem to effect it.”

She gasped. “What a terrifying ability. You couldn’t use it on us, could you?”

“Yes, unless you had a specific resistance to that sort of ability, I believe it would.”

The look that Beth started to give me as I explained was beginning to make me feel uncomfortable.

“You know I wouldn’t use it like that.”

“But you used it on her.”

“I had to, she was trying to kill me at the time, and it meant we were able to gather some information about the demon lord…”

“I suppose you had no choice.”

“From what I’ve seen Theo would have no need to use an ability like that with you. You were already hanging around here like a lost puppy, before he had even returned.” Lisa said with a grin.

“I told you it wasn’t like that!”

“Hahaha! Yes, yes, concern for your pupil. In all seriousness, if Theo were to misuse his abilities it would cause some trouble. So far, he has been responsible enough with them, enough for us to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

“This is true.”

“For now, we were considering, how safe it was to allow Celine to travel with you all. Altria and Serin have already vouched for her. She seems loyal to Theo at least.”

“I would never betray master.” Celine added.

“Exactly, and considering she is now in this state after wanting to hunt him down and kill him, as long as the effect remains, we can expect her to stay so. Her state seems compatible with what the others told me, I’m happy to allow her to accompany you all. What do you think Beth?”

“As long as everyone else is okay with it, then I am too.” She answered.

“Good. Now, I hope I shouldn’t need to say, but it’s best if she stays out of sight while you are in the city and populated areas, probably until you reach the demon held territory. Most people won’t simply accept your explanation.”

“Of course.” I replied.

“Then, I’m happy to send you all off… Oh, one more thing before you all leave. Liz, I won’t force you, but I would prefer it if you would agree to join the guild for the duration of the quest.”

“Hmm… Okay, I will. Part of me has always wanted to have my level measured.” She replied.

“Thank you. I’ll leave you all to prepare for your departure. I have many calls to make, things are going to get very busy around here.”

Celine disappeared again and the five of us headed back downstairs to the guild hall.