Open fields and mountains surrounded her. There was no sun nor clouds up in the sky despite the clear brightness of the land.

From somewhere nearby, the sound of running water echoed subtly.

*thump* *thump*

In the distance, multiple shadows crept closer. They approached the girl with eerie calmness.

*thump* *thump*

Her body wouldn't move... no, she didn't want to move. There was no reason to. Laying there is exactly what she needed right now.

*thump* *thump*

The fuzzy figures loomed over her, no distinct features could be identified no matter how much she tried.

Do you hear it?

Someone muttered.

*thump* *thump*

Yes, I hear it. Below me.

The shadows stood there in silence, studying the girl for a few moments. She did not know what they were thinking. If they were even capable of thought at all.

No, you do not.

Confused, she strained her senses once again.

*thump* *thump*

There it is, i do feel it. Terra's heartbeat.

The shadows moved, almost like flames burning in the wind, before stopping again in the same position as they were before.

That is not Earth's heartbeat.

The girl narrowed her eyes, not understanding what they meant.

That is the sound of the ground trying to swallow you.

XXX

It was cold and gloomy. A slightly moldy smell wafted through the air, along with something fragrant. In that place a woman lay on her bed, snoring silently.

Away from that woman, on a couch, was Dailah. Eyes wide open.

She had woken up a while ago as she tried to understand her surroundings. Her back hurt due to an awkward sleeping posture and her throat was mildly sore. On top of that, she couldn't help but feel as if she just had a bad dream.

Right, she and Scariot went out drinking last night. This must be her house.

Pulling herself up she took note of her garments. Some oversized white buttoned shirt that had been lent to her so she wouldn't have to sleep in stuffy witch robes.

Scariot on the other hand had a neat pajama set, something Dailah could hardly believe when she saw it. The girl was pretty sure the woman was the type of bum that would go to bed wearing anything, perhaps nothing at all.

She checked the clock on the wall. A few minutes past seven. Despite yesterday's outing she still ended up arousing relatively early.

"Zzzzzz....."

Her partner showed no signs of waking up, however. Well, now might be the time to promote herself as a nice friend. Deciding so she went over to the kitchen.

Scariot's house was a small apartment, bigger than her own and with all living quarters located within it rather than shared among residents, but still relatively small. It was essentially a large room with a bed in one corner and a kitchen in the other.

In-between you'd find semblances of what should be a living room, although only because of the couch. There was barely any other furniture around to liven up the home, only the essentials. Finally, there was a bathroom in the corner with a toilet room right beside it.

In the kitchen, there was a portable stove and a freezer for food, as well as a few utensils stashed around. There was one problem, however.

There was no food. At all. Not even snacks. The only thing Dailah was able to find was ice, probably frozen in a container and broken into pieces as there was no harmony to their sizes and shapes.

When they were coming back yesterday, the two had in fact bought some stuffed fritters to fill their bellies on the way home. Seems Scariot doesn't have the habit of cooking, or eating, in her house.

Letting out a sigh, the girl went on to grab her robes thrown over some stool. Changing out of her improvised sleepwear and putting on her boots she went outside, borrowing Scariot's gem key and making sure to leave a note behind in case Scariot woke up. Descending the stairs from the second floor, she met no one else until she left through the front door of the building.

The frigid morning air greeted the girl. A weak mist covered the view. This place wasn't too far from Dailah's own home, she could probably get there in half an hour on foot. The scenery wasn't much different from what she was used to either. Unfortunately, there was no stable for the crowley here so she just had to send him back-

"...huh?"

Lying by the sidewalk, there was the figure of a large black bird. It had been sleeping so far but raised its head as soon as the girl got close.

"Did you really stay out here....?"

These beasts weren't fragile by any means, a bit of cold night air wouldn't affect them. Still, crowley's could be whimsical, more so this one in particular.

The bird got on its feet and began beaking Dailah's bag, this was his way of communicating he wanted food.

"...i was just going out to buy breakfast, you can come with me." - She said as she pulled on the creature's saddle. The girl had no intention of mounting him, she wanted to stretch her legs for a while.

She remembers seeing a small grocery store on their way here, without knowing of any alternative she made her way there based on her memory.

The morning streets were busy as usual.

"Hear it! Hear it! The giant rat that roamed in the sewers! Exclusive picture here! Only two brasses!"

A little girl shouted, selling newspapers. Photos like the one in Dailah's ID still weren't very common, but seems the press does have their hands on camera tools. They certainly wouldn't miss an opportunity like this.

Normally the Association wouldn't want to have a case like this divulged to the public. She supposes even they weren't able to keep a muzzle over it given how many problems that rat had created, not to mention all the noise they made while trying to put it down. Better let the truth be known than to have wild rumors spreading from mouth to mouth.

Arriving at the grocery, she bought milk, coffee, sugar, bread, a small egg basket and a couple of apples. She thought about buying ready-made food, but she wanted to heed Mariane's advice and have her meals properly. There were times like yesterday when it couldn't be helped but right now it was perfectly possible for her to cook something.

"Say miss... are you perhaps a witch?"

Looking up at the grocery owner whom she was paying right now, she nodded absentmindedly. Dailah wasn't wearing her usual hat, but the robes might still give her away as long as someone was attentive enough.

"I knew it! Tell me, is it true there was a giant rat the size of a person living in the sewers? No chance i'd take that at face value, it's just those newspapers exaggerating things again isn't it?"

The girl was pretty sure it was even larger than that. She hadn't received any orders not to speak of it so...

"It's true. I saw the rat lord myself."

The owner widened her eyes, her visage paling a bit.

"Rat lord...? Is that what they're calling it? I can hardly believe it..." - She put her hands on her hips after giving the change to Dailah, an indignant expression on her. - "What are those witches in the Association doing? Even with the tributes we pay they still let a creature like that live under our feet!?

She paused, making an awkward face as if she just noticed something.

"Ah! I don't mean anything against you miss. I know this type of thing is almost always the fault of those at the head! I'm pretty sure you're as discontent as i am."

"Ha ha...." - She let out a strained laugh.

The girl couldn't say she blamed her superiors, or anyone, for letting that happen. It was just too bizarre of a situation. The only one at fault is the one who created that thing, assuming there really was someone behind its existence that is.

And how did this woman know she wasn't one of the higher-ups...? Well, she did look young. Although witches aged more slowly, they did develop mature traits at the same pace as everyone else. A witch who looked to be in her teenage years would likely be just that. On the other hand, if they looked to be in their thirties they could very well be twenty years older than what they appeared to be.

Going out of the grocery, she threw the two apples to Mr. Crowley and proceeded back to Scariot's home.

XXX

"Welcome back." - A woman with disheveled hair greeted Dailah as soon as she opened the door.

Instead of answering the girl just lifted the bag in her hands.

"You really went all out huh?"

"It's just eggs and coffee..."

She put the bag on the counter of the kitchen and began preparations for breakfast.

"..."

Scariot observed from the couch as Dailah pulled out the same Moka coffee maker they used in the previous operation. It had survived somehow.

"Say... Dailah."

The girl answered with a frying pan in her hands.

"What is it? Ah! I forgot to buy butter... poached eggs it'll be then." - She began filling the pan with water.

"If i ever find a man... would you be willing to make a unit with us?"

"Find a man first and we'll speak." - The girl answered as she began boiling the water.

"Oh? Is that doubt i hear in your voice? I'll have you know i'm very loved by the lads." - Scariot spoke wearing a defiant smile.

"The ones you paid for don't count." - She quipped back, eyes still on the stove in front of her.

"That hurts you know... here i was pouring my heart out for my friend, only to be met with thorns and skepticism."

The woman struck a dramatic pose that went on to be completely ignored by Dailah. Scariot always got weird when talking about men. The girl concluded it wasn't good to indulge her too much in those conversations.

As the coffee finished brewing and the eggs boiling, she began serving the table for the two of them. Though by "table" she means the counter in the kitchen.

"Oh! That looks appetizing."

"It's just eggs with bread... do you truly don't know how to cook such simple dishes?"

"I can cook perfectly fine, i just feel it's a waste of time is all. Of course, it's different when someone else makes it for me."

The two sat each on one side of the wooden counter and began their meal. After taking a couple of bites and a sip of her coffee, she spoke something that was on her mind.

"...word on the rat lord spread really fast. They even put photographs in the newspaper it seems."

Scariot swallowed the food in her mouth before letting out a sigh.

"It's going to be troublesome."

"..."

Dailah could imagine what she meant based on the grocery store owner's comments. The Association would be receiving some public scrutiny after this.

"Still, it doesn't concern us directly. Leave politics to the higher council and the appropriate departments."

The woman took another bite from her bread with eggs.

The idea there was a monster such as that right below them all this time was just too terrifying for the populace to ignore easily. Many people had previously felt the effect of the rat attacks too, they might already be connecting the dots.

Even Dailah still felt disturbed as she recalled the beast. The way it looked at her in its final moments.

"Say...."

Scariot looked up at her, still chewing.

"You don't think that monster... resented us or anything, right?"

For a split second, Dailah thought she saw anger in the creature's eyes. Right before she put a bullet between them.

Her partner finished chewing, gulping down the bread.

"Even animals hold grudges. The cousins of that bird of yours are well known for that in fact."

She shrugged.

"But what of it? It's dead. And there was never any other option besides killing it. Those monsters can go ahead and have as many grudges as they want for it, but what must be done shall be done in the end."

Dailah pondered in silence as she finished her meal. Scariot was completely correct and she would have never done any differently herself.

Yet, a strange taste lingered in her mouth. It wasn't a bad or a good one, it was just hard to comprehend. As if a bud she did not know existed reacted inside her mouth.

With such thoughts, she finished eating her meal.

As she must.

XXX

Daniela sat in her office, scribbling something on a piece of paper.

*knock* *knock*

"You can come in Adelaide."

A girl, around fourteen to fifteen years old, came into the office.

"It really creeps me out how you can tell it's me, mother..."

"I would be a disgrace if i couldn't recognize my own daughter's mana signature."

The girl sat in front of her as she watched her parent folding a sheet and putting it inside an envelope. The "special" abilities her mother wielded had been a source of torment for as long as she can remember.

Forget merely sneaking out of the house unnoticed, that mother of hers was even able to tell her mood based on the mana she emitted alone! If she lied about or hid something, she'd know.

Daniela wasn't the type to impose insane responsibilities and expectations on her daughter, but a teenage girl like her would still feel frustrated at being forced to take boring mana control extra lessons or always get high grades.

Daniela slid the envelope, a letter by the looks of it, towards Adelaide. It had a few magic circles in it, probably meant as protection.

"...you wouldn't trust your own daughter with this...?"

"It's not a matter of trust. It's always possible you may lose the letter by accident, or deliver it to the wrong person since you never met Dailah in person. That's what this protection is there for."

The girl studied the item as she picked it up in her hands.

"The person you're looking for is a short blonde girl with brown eyes. Slim build, often wearing witch attire. As i said her name is Dailah."

She proceeded to give a few more details of her appearance, as well as possible locations she may be at.

"....why me? Couldn't you have asked someone who knows her better? Or used one of those homing pigeons the Association has.."

"As a matter of fact, no, i could not."

Mariane was the first one she thought of, but just like her, she was also very busy due to the last events. And since both Dailah and Scariot were having a couple of days off, there was no way she could know exactly where they were.

The pigeons were out of the question too. They were reserved for more pressing tasks, whereas this was more of a personal favor. Her gut told her she shouldn't inform the Association about what transpired in that forest just yet either.

She could always just wait for the end of Dailah's break too, the matter wasn't exactly of utmost urgency. Still, she'd rather let her know as soon as possible.

"Besides, this is a good chance. It's about time you made a friend."

The girl's eyes sharped in annoyance at those words.

"...i have friends, mother."

"Is that so?"

"I do! Truly!"

Adelaide got up vigorously.

"She should be about your age, not older by much. Quite easy to get along with too."

"I don't care!" - The girl strutted out of the room with brisk steps. - "See you later mother, i'll just get this over with quickly."

*SLAM*

"..."

Still a sore spot it seems.

Daniela sighed, leaning back in the chair.

"...i wish she wasn't that much like me."

She remained still for a while. Then, composing herself, she pulled out a file from the drawer at her desk.

There was much work to do.