"[Blue Oni]?"

Though I repeated the words aloud, things didn't seem to get any clearer. Obviously, the first thing to come to mind at the mention of a [Blue Oni] was a certain anime with mechas. I remembered looking into the concept of red and blue oni after watching it, but that didn't seem to connect to what was going on here...

Though it was pretty obvious even without looking that Amber had no way of knowing anything, I turned to Elena to see if there was anything she might know. However, when our eyes met she seemed just as confused as I was.

"Ah, it's probably not something that humans keep good track of since it doesn't happen often. Even the elves don't have good records of it. But from what I remember it's like an [Orc Lord] or [Goblin King], just the [Oni] equivalent."

Alex leaned back and yawned, the chair going on its two rear legs as he did so.

"Wait a second, aren't [Orcs] and [Goblins] monsters? This girl... are you saying she's a monster?"

Amber butted in, surprised. I didn't blame her, either. No matter how hard you looked at the hurt, innocently sleeping girl in my lap, she didn't seem like a monster at all. Considering we'd seen a few of the lower-level monsters like [slimes] and [goblins] while on the caravan on the way to [Valen], it was even harder to reconcile the two images.

"No, no. [Oni] are one of the demon races, not monsters. But isn't it only monsters that have ruler-types?"

Elena corrected us, but also brought up new questions. Of course I knew about [Goblin Kings] and [Orc Lords], but they always differed in concept between each game or light novel or anime. Hell, I didn't even know what [Orcs] looked like in this world, like if they had pig heads or tusks or something completely different.

"Ruler-types?"

In the end, it seemed Amber was the one that was the most curious. Although it was equally probable that it was because she knew the least about this world out of all of us.

"Haha, who are you? You don't even know this much?"

Though Alex laughed at the question without answering, it seemed Elena was fine doing so.

"They're basically like a stronger version of monsters. They show up every few decades, usually longer for the stronger monster species, and wreak havoc for a bit before being put down." Elena said with furrowed brows, "An [Oni] ruler type? How is that even possible?"

"Well, it only happens every few hundred years. I don't remember why it happens, maybe it isn't known in the first place. I guess that if any race were to have a ruler-type it would have to be the [Oni]. They're the closest race to monsters, after all, though this kid acts nothing like them."

"The closest race to monsters?"

This time, it was me who asked.

"Yeah. The [Oni] are known for being the most savage race there is, battle-junkies and all that. They have insane brute strength, but not much in the way of intelligence. Don't really know what being a [Blue Oni] instead of the normal red would mean for the kid, though."

"So you know that she's a [Blue Oni], but nothing else?"

I sighed after speaking. It was certainly beneficial to have found out about the girl being a {Blue Oni], but it also brought on a lot more questions than it answered. However, I felt like this might have something to do with [Valen] being on Pierre's list...

Alex nodded.

"Yup!"

He tilted his head and smiled, revealing sharp canines as he did so. Once again it came to mind that he seemed more like a beastman than an elf.

"Well, then. I guess the only thing we can ask now is... who are you?"

I narrowed my eyes slightly as I looked at Alex. A mysterious elf that had ridden with us on the carriage here in silence, but now had a completely different personality. Someone had jumped in and saved the girl and I with oddly perfect timing. Why was he here in [Valen] in the first place?

"Um... You can call me Alex?"

However, it didn't seem like Alex even understood what I was asking.

"I think he means like where you come from, why you're here, stuff like that..."

"Oh! I'm from my home and I'm here to explore for a bit! I haven't left the village before now!"

Though Alex smiled confidently, I couldn't help but sigh.

"'From my home,' huh?"

As I looked down at the young girl in my lap, I felt the urge to yawn. Leaning back a bit, I placed my hand under her and stood up carefully so as to not disturb her sleep.

It didn't seem like I'd be getting much information about Alex.

It was already late at night after everything went down, but having left the dinner skewers behind, everybody was sure to be extra tired.

"You're leaving?"

Amber stretched her arms as she spoke, standing up as well.

"That's it?"

Elena seemed a bit surprised at me letting things go so easily as well, her ruby eyes widening a bit.

"Well yeah, unless you want to spend the night with me," I smirked slightly at the two girls and winked, causing Amber's entire face to turn bright red while Elena's cheeks became rosy, "There's nothing we can really do right now, not until the girl wakes up in the morning. After a nice bath and some food in the morning, we can find out what she knows and decide what to do."

"W-wait a second! Shouldn't the girl be sleeping with Elena and I?!"

Despite her redness, Amber couldn't help but speak out in protest.

"You're welcome to take her, but she seems to have latched on to me a bit..."

I spoke with an awkward smile, glancing down at the girls' small fists that gripped on to my cloak.

The two girls glanced awkwardly at me in turn before Amber walked over and tried to gently take the girl. However, as I expected the girl shook off Amber's hands with a sleepy groan.

In the end, it was decided that for tonight, the girl would sleep together with me. However, after that, she would sleep with the other girls if possible.

As for Alex, he would be taking one of the other rooms in the building, since apparently he hadn't even found a place to stay the night.

Our bellies hungry since nobody thought to go outside for more food considering [Reaper] and her gang might still be out looking for us, we all fell into a light slumber.