I hadn’t even left the city square before the AI zoomed out of my map and brought attention to a group of Bellerophon soldiers rushing into the city. It changed it to satellite mode, yet they weren’t chasing anything. But I heard the beardless man in front shout that their target had run into the harbor. The AI automatically zoomed in on the docks to find a battle. It must’ve just happened not even ten minutes ago because I hadn’t heard anything about this when I was walking to my destination.  

Curiosity, however, pricked at my mind. I proceeded to the harbor as I watched a group of fifteen soldiers wearing equipment that displayed an emblem of a horse with wings. In my world, Bellerophon was a hero that defeated the mighty chimera, a fire-breathing monster that was a mix of a goat, a snake, and a lion. That same hero also tamed Pegasus, a mythical horse with wings, and not to mention, Bellerophon was the son of Poseidon, the mighty ruler of the seven seas. I couldn’t believe I didn’t make the connection beforehand...  

I checked, and yes, the boar-headed beast with four arms and seven legs that wielded many weapons was the same kind of monster as me. A Major Chimera, as well, one that was two stages ahead of me. He was Lv. 34, but I didn’t think I could beat him. I wasn’t going to, either, since I wanted to see how other chimera and Bellerophon fought. But it soon became clear I wasn't going to get to the harbor. Word of the fight spread like wildfire, and it was like a stampede of people who were deathly curious and worried about their loved ones who were either working or fishing at the harbor. So, I just found a nice bench to park my butt. After crossing my legs, I enjoyed this spectacle. It didn’t make sense to make a big deal out of this. Bellerophon specialized in killing us, so there shouldn’t be too much chaos.  

The chimera was very well adept in using the monstrous body. Bulging eyes covered his head, so he expertly parried and counterattacked the strikes coming from behind. One of the Bellerophon mages attempted to be sneaky and used [Lightning Cage] to restrain the beast, but he perceived that. 

“YYYAAAHHHHH DIE!!!!” shouted a hot-hearted warrior with a raised sword. He rushed in because, like before, the foe they fought was strangely athletic and quick-footed.  

“Jamie, come back! YOU FOOL!!” screamed a man with a white beard. He took a demon core from his belt and summoned a red-scaled hound from an explosion of crimson mana. The beast howled and rushed after the foolish soldier, but he had already sliced off a chunk of his opponent. The demon was too late, so he returned to his summoner, snarling and ready to attack.  

The chimera reacted quickly, enclosing the foolish soldier with vile, wiggling tentacles in a hug designed to break his very back. His screams of agony died out when a cage of pure lightning appeared around him.  

“Damn it! We can’t let his sacrifice be in vain! Everyone, use your strongest spells, and don’t let up!” The man with the white beard cast his tired, weary eyes on a life that probably ended sooner than it deserved, then let loose a combination spell called [Infernal Flame Scythe] with his summoned demon that sliced the monster in half—Jamie and all.  

All hell broke loose. Bystander mages from the audience felt inspired and launched their own spells, creating a symphony of crimsons, blues, yellows, and oranges, all heading for the bisected, caged chimera. He was pelted left, right, and center, had parts of his body frozen, then subsequentially melted, and acid fell down from his head, melting that fur and most of his eyes. When he screamed, it sounded like a hundred people were trapped inside.  

But this was a trap. And I only saw it because of my aerial view of the battlefield. That piece of flesh sliced off was the chimera. I looked at his skills the moment the strike was made, and, yes. He had assimilated a slime. It soon morphed into one the color of asphalt and tried to wiggle away. I was going to alert the white-bearded man about it, but a young girl with short hair tapped his shoulder.  

“Sir Flaf, my pixie has spotted the chimera! It turned into a slime!” she said erratically. “Pixie, mark its location!!!!” Suddenly, a beam of light meant to visually stun opponents was used as a signal. The chimeric slime grew wings from its body and flew away, avoiding the incoming spells that crashed into the docked ships. An order was given to cease attacking by the white-bearded man. Then he chanted. Even though I knew it was the language of mana, it must’ve been a different dialect or something because most of it was gibberish. Reaching into his pouch, he retrieved a rainbow orb. He held it to the sky, one palm behind the other. The object glowed, a colorless flame devouring the sphere, sending a beam of burning light to the sky. 

It exploded, much like a firework, but the explosions never stopped, and the flame remained motionless, never once falling back to the sky. Then, in one breath, the various fragments connected, eventually forming a city-wide barrier to enclose all of Ria.   

I stood up immediately and looked to the sky, not wanting to believe my map, but it was the truth.   

My lord, this barrier is from a spell called [City Blockade]. This magic was developed with [Spellcrafting] and stashed inside that spell orb. It broke because the sheer mana needed to be packed within the crystal was beyond what it could endure. The barrier is strong, my lord. We cannot hope to break it as we are now. 

I ran towards home as the AI sent a message explaining everything to Sekh and the others. 

---

“Hey! Over here!!!!” Tilde shouted as I approached. Sekh and the others stood outside, glancing at the barrier preventing anything from entering or exiting. In fact, as I ran home, there wasn’t a single soul that didn’t have their eyes on the sky.  

We all quickly went in, locked the door, and gathered around the kitchen table on the second floor. Again, the overall mood was quiet and tense, especially after what had transpired today.   

There was a lot to discuss, but what would be the first topic?  

Kokan eventually broke the silence by wanting to know the obvious. I only nodded, then asked if they wanted the building to burn after telling them I stole what was worth keeping.  

We looked at Erin, whose eye color had changed to violet. From Karen’s journals, she used her great wealth and the Barclay name to commission an illusion spell to alter eye color while giving control to someone else. Thus, Erin received yellow eyes like Irisa because Karen wanted Erin to replace Irisa.  

Shit, that’s the second time I’ve encountered one. AI, did you not catch it? 

The spell affecting Erin differs from the artifact extracted from Niva. The mana signatures are on two different spectrums. Analyzation and comparisons of the spells have been added to [Analysis]’s capabilities. 

Good. Try to identify the next one before we’re told about it.   

Understood… Understood? The AI’s robotic, monotone voice sounded…upset? For failing me?  

Erin was mentally broken. She looked downright dead with eyes that had given up. Her mother was a rapist, her victim was her father, and now that woman was dead. Here I was, asking if she wanted me to destroy the only home she’d ever known.  

After five minutes, she still hadn’t moved, so I gave the order. My clones took the form of Oswell and five of his allies, broke through the door, and covered everything they could with [Flame Spout], a spell that summoned a slow, dripping stream of fire from an anchor point set by the user. With six set on the different floors, It didn’t take long for the building to become engulfed in flames. My clones remained inside to spread the fire even more to ensure it burned to the ground. They perished, but they were expendable. 

I didn’t know what chaos spewed from that. If anything, it’ll be blamed on the chimera.  

Minutes later, we heard people screaming outside, asking those with water magic to rush to the city square.  

“And it’s done,” I whispered. In this quiet room, my voice sounded like a sledgehammer smashing a pile of glass. Honestly, I had no idea what was going to happen. I didn’t think anyone knew. A common saying in my world was that time healed all wounds, but I suppose it was time to put it through the test.  

“Sekh, let’s go do some investigating. Tilde, you’re coming with us. Niva, you remain here with Primrose. I can't have you going outside right now,” I said. A shuffling of chairs later, Sekh and Tilde walked downstairs while I remained behind for just a minute. I needed to talk to Kokan for a moment, and after he followed me into my room, I told him about what I saw. For further visual proof, I even had the AI show him Karen’s secret room. It was a burning blaze, but the statues and portraits were still visible. Then came the journals, and as per his request, I pulled them from storage and placed them on the bed, then walked out after giving him a tap on the shoulder. 

---

Entry ***: The voices returned. This time, they’re incessantly loud. At all hours of the day, it feels like a dozen people are screaming conflicting orders. Some want to hurt me... Some want to help me... Some want me to die... Some want me to kill... My parents don’t understand my pain. They brush me off with threats of imprisonment because they finally have an audience with Holy Lord Gloria...  

Entry ***: My maid took me to a healer to cure the scars down my thighs. Why were they mad at me? Why did they look down with eyes like I was garbage? The voices told me to cut my legs, so I did it. Mother told me a good girl always listens to her elders, so why was I punished? I don’t get it. When I ask the voices, most of them refuse to respond. And those that do scoff at my pretentious worries. They say they’re all I need. And maybe I’m all they need... I heard rumors of mother and father sending me off to the academy in the fall. They’re advisors to Holy Lord Gloria, and father told mother I would only ruin our reputation.  

Entry ***: The rumors spreading around campus hurt me. Like my family, they believe I’m faking these voices, but I’m not. They’re loud, they’re raging... They’re clashing against my mind and vying for control over my body. But... The voices were good... They were nice... They told me to take a knife and carve my hands because a prince would save me... And a prince did come... He was handsome, tall, and strong. His broad hands carefully plucked the knife from my grip. His large horns were imposing, but I felt kindness radiate outward. And it wasn’t fake kindness... It was true. It was genuine... And for the first time in two years, the voices remained quiet...  

Entry ***: Today, Mr. Kokan patted my head when he returned our test results. I scored the highest in the class because he’s the only one that wants my respect. And when I’m near him, the voices die down. They come back at night, only to cheer me on with my love. Love? I was confused, but the voices said that only my true love could silence them. And they want to die. They want to pass on. But they’re remaining here for my sake... They’re going to teach me... Teach me what my parents didn’t...  

Entry ***: I love Mr. Kokan.   

Entry ***: I love Mr. Kokan.  

Entry ***: I love Mr. Kokan.  

Entry ***: I love Mr. Kokan.  

Entry ***: Mr. Kokan loves me back. I know he does. I know he does I know he does I know he does. He does. I know it. How can I not know it? It’s as obvious as the rainbow after a summer storm... It’s as obvious as the love I know he has for me. I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him. 

Entry ***: Graduation Day is approaching, and I’ve acquired the method to prove our love. I want to nurture his seed in my womb and give birth to our combined life. I loved him every second of the day. I’m devoted to him... I. Want. Him. More than anything in the world. I’ll throw away my entire life to have him exclusively for me.   

Entry ****: That evil, awful woman came between my love and me!!! I KNOW HE LOVES ME!!!! WE MADE SWEET LOVE!!!! WE SHARED OUT MOST INTIMATE MOMENTS!!!!! BUT SHE HAD THE GALL TO SEND HIM TO KILL ME!!! TO KILL THE BABY IN MY WOMB!!!!! NO!!!! NO!!!! NO!!!! But I survived... I protected our little Erin... Our sweet, sweet Erin...  

Entry ****: Kokan left the school... It’s all that bitch’s fault... I’ll find out where they’ve gone... I’ll kill that fake wife and pretender daughter... Then It’ll be him, me, and our little Erin...  

Entry ****: Little Erin took her first breath... I instantly broke down the moment I held her in my arms... Our little sweetheart. Her little tail... Her little ears... Her little horns on her beautiful head... She’s proof of our love, Mr. Kokan. Our little blessing. I have someone working on a spell to change her eye color to yellow. Violet, black, and yellow! My favorite colors in the world! Even better, they’re our precious daughter.   

Entry ****: Little Erin took her first steps... She walks just like the love of my life...   

Entry ****: Father and mother banished me from the family when they discovered Erin. To prevent me from shaming them further, they left me with my inheritance and told me to never come back. That money was used to discover Mr. Kokan’s location, and I used it to buy a store. His fake wife, that stupid bitch, owns one as well. I’ll buy it out... I’ll make them homeless. Then Mr. Kokan would see I'm the one for him. I can dress little Erin up like her father... Yes, that’ll be cute...  

Entry ****: Nothing is working. The arsonists, muggers, thieves, abusers... They’re all worthless. None of them are worth a damn. But this is good. Little Erin came home from the little school the guild set up and said she had a favorite teacher. I cried when she mentioned Mr. Kokan’s name... I knew it... She’s just like her mother... The same man captured our hearts... You see, Mr. Kokan? This was meant to be. Me, your wife, Erin, our daughter, and you, the kindest man in the world, as my husband and her father.  

Entry ****: My final plan worked, and that detestable false daughter hates Mr. Kokan. That other bitch is soon to follow. To put a stop to this scandal and to help heal Little Erin’s holes in her heart from seeing this plot through, I wanted that bitch’s shop as my own. You see, Mr. Kokan? Once you return to me, we can continue our life. Our sweet daughter and I can run it, and you can work at the guild. Like you’re always meant to, Mr. Kokan. I love you, sweet husband.  

Entry ****: It’s done. The shrine to my husband is complete... Every night, I spend hours and hours practicing my lovemaking. Erin’s baby horns have fallen off, so she’s old enough to run the shop. It’ll take years for her adult horns to come in, which is upsetting. But there’s nothing you can do about that.   

Entry ****: NO!!! NO!!! NONONONONONONONONO!!!!!! WHY?!?!?!?!? WHY ISN’T HE COMING HERE?!?!?!?!? I LOVE YOU, MR. KOKAN!!!!! I’M RIGHT HERE!!!!! I’LL ALWAYS BE HERE!!!!!! DON’T GO BACK TO YOUR FAKE FAMILY!!!!!! I’M WHAT YOU NEED!!!!!!!!!! WE’RE WHAT YOU NEED!!!!!  

Entry *****: Erin—that girl is no more... HOW DARE THAT LITTLE BITCH STEAL FROM WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY MR. KOKAN’S?!?!?!?!?! SHE STOLE FROM THE STORE, HURTING HIM!!!!!! SHE ISN’T MY DAUGHTER!!! I DIDN’T BIRTH THAT MISERABLE BITCH!!!! SHE DESERVES THE STOCKADE!!! DEATH!! SLAVERY!!!!! Yes... Slavery... I’ll put a bounty on her, then have a group come and take her. That’s fine... That’s perfect. I don’t need her. I only need Mr. Kokan. He’ll come back. And until he does... I won’t eat. I won’t drink... I won’t sleep. Once he knows I’m in pain... he’ll come here... he must... Our love dictates it! IT’S OUR DESTINY!!!!!!!! 

---

That last entry... I closed the diary and laid back on the bed, my hands rubbing my horns because my mind was packed with thoughts and emotions.  

I knew she had problems. As an instructor, my students were my responsibility. Their general well-being and physical health came first because safety was the first thing on the list. But what she did to me...  

There was no excuse. I hated Karen. I wanted her to die. Just... How different would life have been had I stomped her belly? If I killed Erin before she was born...  

Or even if I killed Karen?  

How much heartache would’ve been skipped?  

How much happiness would’ve remained?  

How much shame...would I have avoided...? The same as not telling the love of your wife about the assault. The remorse of knowing that you weren't faithful to the one you love.  

But it wasn’t my fault.  

And it wasn’t Erin’s fault. She was innocent... She was—  

“Kokan!!!! Come quickly!!!!!”  

“Dad!!! Emergency!!!!!!”  

The desperate cries of my daughter and wife kicked me into action. I sprung from the bed and charged into the kitchen to find Erin waving a knife to keep Irisa and Ichiha at bay. The tip dripped crimson, sparking a memory of the first time I found Karen hiding away in a classroom. The same scars that lined her arm mimicked the ones down Erin’s.  Primrose was standing in front of Niva, protecting her while explaining what was happening. 

“STOP! Don’t come any closer!!!!” Erin said, her voice shaky from the pain and tears. “I NEVER SHOULD'VE BEEN BORN!!! What good have I brought? My mom is dead... She... She did those things to you... I... I... I...” Clutching her head and writhing in pain, she screamed as loud as she could, her eyes darting left and right and up and down, her body shivering as if it was cold enough to support snow.  

She raised the blade, and time slowed to a crawl. Before I knew it, I felt a blistering heat near my shoulder.  

“DAD!!!!”  

“KOKAN!!!”  

“Why...?” whispered the girl I hugged, her blade striking crimson, but it didn’t hurt. This body was too durable for someone like Erin. It wouldn’t even leave a faint scar.  

I looked her in the eyes and whispered my true feelings.  

“Because you deserve to live. You deserve to smell the flowers in the spring and play in the snow in the winter. You deserve to grow up and fall in love. I’ll be heartbroken to see you die... Erin, please don’t do this... Let me help you... We...can get through this...”   

The words... They’re familiar.  

The hand gripping the knife let go, choosing instead to find peace as she cried her little heart out. Her wounds needed to be healed, but they weren’t life-threatening. Grunting, I stood up with her in my arms and brought her to the couch.   

“Irisa... Ichiha... I... I’m sorry I hid this... I—”  

“Darling, I love you. Irisa loves you. This isn’t your fault. Nothing is your fault. Not a single thing. And Erin?” As Irisa fetched the bandages and sutures, my wife knelt and touched a hand to Erin’s shivering head, who tried hard to endure the pain. “You’re not to blame for anything...”  

“But... Why don’t you hate me? You should hate me! You all should!!! You should want to see me—”  

“No, sweetie. I don’t hate you.” She hugged her close. Erin tried to fight it, but she eventually relented and shed even more tears. “You’re a victim...” 

Irisa returned a moment later, and it was a quick job to clean and nurse those wounds. We all sat on the couch afterwards. “I wish I was a stronger man... I could’ve done something... Made sure you had a better life...” I felt the onset of tears, but there was no need to hold them back. Irisa reached over to take hold of Erin’s hand. It seemed so incredibly small, and Irisa repeated what her mother said. About there being no hate between them.  

Erin’s eyes struggled to remain open, but she eventually fell into a slumber soon after. I fetched a pillow and made her comfortable, then turned to my wife and daughter because it was time to have a much-needed conversation. Primrose and Niva walked to Erin, and the spirit used [Minor Heal] to help cure her scars. Thanking her, I followed my family into our room. 

 

---

Our walk around town proved fruitless in the grand scheme of things. We learned the barrier wouldn’t go down until the 'monster' was dead, which motivated the remaining citizens of Ria to send out search parties to help Bellerophon. But we didn’t have much time. The barrier prevented any deliveries, and the part of the ocean available wasn’t very much. Maybe 100 fish a day could be caught? But the barricade extended to the ground and pierced it, so digging or swimming out wouldn’t work.  

Of course, I knew where the chimera was. I even had him marked with a fat waypoint. As much as I desired his power for myself, I wouldn’t win-- even in the chimera's weakened state. And honestly, if I didn’t have to fight, I was okay with that. Perhaps I’d share the location with that demon summoner with the white beard.   

I thought about Erin and Kokan and asked why she didn’t look like him. Tilde answered. "Okay, think of their baby horns as baby teeth. When an oni reaches ten years old, give or take a year or two, their horns break and crumble to signify the start of puberty. During the next fifteen years, give or take half a decade, they passively absorb mana from the atmosphere to grow into their adult horns. When they appear, it means puberty has ended, and the oni is considered an adult in their community. But Erin's a half-breed. Depending on how strong her oni half is, her horns probably won't regrow." 

“There is a way to bypass it,” Sekh added. “If you could transfer mana from one person to the other, you could skip the waiting.” When asked if it was possible to do that with [Drain], I got a nod and realized what I needed to do. If the girl in question allowed me, that was. But Erin never once mentioned horns, and neither did anyone else. Or at least during my spying, it never came up. We walked to the city square to find it packed, the smoldering remains of the former shop sending up plumes of smoke. Right in the middle sat the safe I intended to steal. The damn code didn’t work, and it was too heavy to store.   

But I put a waypoint on it, though. If someone opened it? Well, I was a better thief than most others.  

With our fruitless investigation over, we returned home to find the family still deep in a meeting. They explained why Erin’s arms were bandaged over. She was so timid looking, sitting on the couch with her arms hugging her legs. Her eyes were still raw. I plopped beside her and gave her a potion I had in storage, slightly unsure of what to do to offer support. 

I liked it when Sekh holds my hand, so... 

I was going to touch her, but Tilde whispered it wasn’t a good idea. But Erin reached out to grab me when I started to stand up, so I remained sitting and let her rest her head on my shoulder. Irisa sat beside her and put her hand on Erin’s head.  

Ichiha and Kokan were talking in the other room, so it was just us. Well, Lei hopped from Niva’s arms to Erin. It squirmed and jiggled, then made appendages to grab her arms so they would touch it.  

“Lei... Lady Springfield... Irisa...” Erin whispered with as much volume as a snowflake landing on water.   

A few minutes later, someone used a spell to dramatically increase their voice and spoke about a list of rules since Ria would be locked down. We couldn’t leave the house before 7 AM. After 4 PM, if we had to go somewhere, we were required to head to the city's center to receive a Bellerophon escort. All attempts to breach the barrier or withhold vital information about the chimera would result in immediate execution. 

Those execution orders, and the one who ordered this lockdown? The voice confirmed it came from Holy Lord Gloria.  

Seems like things were about to get serious.