Scorching sun and distant dunes surrounded us for days of travel.
The already scarce supplies had to be rationed, and when the water threatened to run out, I spoke with the caravan leaders and, with their permission, began conjuring Water Veil to fill barrels and canteens.
This didn't change the fact that the Intoners and Disciples were not welcome and had to keep their distance from the others if they wished to continue enjoying the food, water, and transport.
Sometimes Dito, Decadus, and Octa would come to our wagon to eat, drink, rest, escape the sun, or for a less important reason, like boredom.
Dito was the worst of all, as he treated my previous outburst as a form of entertainment, and now he was testing everyone's patience with barbs and sharp comments, hoping for some reaction.
The willpower required not to knock the teeth out of his mischievous grin was indescribable.
However, I couldn't help but laugh internally when Five completely ignored his provocations, refusing to feed his ego, making him whine like a child who didn't get the toy he wanted.
Octa was the second worst; I can't guess, not in a million years, how that old man managed to survive for so long.
He only knew how to talk about sex, boasting about his prowess in bed, the size of his member, and the various people of different species he had slept with.
His reasons for joining us couldn't be more bizarre. Firstly, he knew no more than we did about what happened to Three; she started acting strange ever since she got the golden robes.
One day, she knocked him unconscious, which wasn't difficult; she only needed to invite him into her chambers so he would lower his guard and start thinking with his lower head. The next day, he awoke in the forest, chained to a rock.
Aside from a few rare moments when he shared surprising wisdom, any word I spoke received some kind of sexual innuendo in response.
My heart nearly stopped when he suggested we should have intercourse, as he had found my appearance peculiar. The horror intensified when Dito asked if he could participate.
I immediately refused, much to the young disciple's disappointment. However, it took a dagger to his neck for the old man to understand the message, quickly nodding with a nervous smile before leaving.
Damn it, as if the intoners weren't enough, now I'll have the disciples trying to sleep with me?!
With his attempts thwarted, Octa focused on Five and Four. The disgusted look on Five's face would forever be etched in my memory as a hilarious moment, because, to everyone's surprise, she had criteria for a partner, and Octa was way past the desired age.
Four was the final nail in the coffin, because according to her:
"I knew Three was a weirdo, but if you're her disciple, then I'm afraid to find out what kind of things she is into."
There wasn't a drop of pity in her voice or face, and she made it clear what would happen if he continued to insist. Dejected, he headed towards Decadus, who was the most receptive to his advances, but politely refused in the end.
Speaking of Decadus, of all the disciples, he was the most pleasant to talk to, as long as the subject didn't veer into something painful.
He spoke about his life in Midgard and his time serving Four, with the woman in question, her sister, and the remaining disciples making a few comments along the way.
Zero never joined, always staying with Mikahil, only appearing to get supplies or to satisfy her desires with the disciples.
She seemed less furious, probably using the peace and quiet to calm her mind, that is, when the young dragon's singing didn't echo through the skies.
I could hear her angry cries from the ground and sometimes I felt she wanted to tell me something. Her eyes would stare at me and her mouth would open, but no words would come out; she would pass by me and continue on her way.
Apart from that, I spent most of my time repairing my equipment or practicing my magic, occasionally talking to Eupherbia or satisfying the curiosity of the sisters, who, although not entirely on good terms, seemed to tolerate each other's presence.
-XXXXXX-
After days of tireless travel and nights shivering in the frigid cold, we finally sighted civilization. According to the maps, this was a medium-sized settlement a considerable distance from the capital of the Land of Deserts.
I felt a pang of joy in my chest upon finally spotting something different. The sisters and the fairy seemed to share the feeling, approaching the front of the wagon and observing the buildings in the distance.
However, our joy died upon seeing the destruction around us, the remnants of a war. Mummified bodies, rusted armor, tattered banners fluttering in the wind, destroyed camps and war machines, and more.
Eventually, we approached the city walls, stopping upon seeing rows of cannons pointed in our direction, and from there, a voice shouted.
"STOP! WHAT BUSINESS DO YOU HAVE HERE?!"
It was a man in armor, probably the leader of the local forces.
The old elf and other non-humans leading the caravan responded, explaining their origin and the reason they were there. The moment the gates opened, allowing us entry, I realized something was wrong; this was too easy.
Supposedly, Three and Two are working together, so their land would probably accept the refugees, but on the other hand, she's sending people for experiments, so the war refugees should be handed over, not to mention what we did to her sister; the news should have already spread, regardless of whether she survived or not.
Zero, Mikahil, and the disciples were nowhere to be found. As for me, I cast the Cloak spell on the Intoners, making us invisible, leaving the wagons, and disappearing into the side streets. We walked for a few minutes until we reached a distant part of the city where I dispelled the spell, thinking about what to do.
"Right, something strange is going on here. They didn't even bother to search the wagons."
Four commented, leaning against a wall while crossing her arms.
"It's not just that, did you see the streets and the people? There's a destroyed army outside, but the city doesn't have a single scratch. People are happy and everything is clean and tidy."
Five then said, leaning aside and looking where we came from, making sure we weren't being followed. I nodded, thinking about what we should do next. I momentarily glanced at the sisters, deciding to deal with one of our problems.
"First of all, you need to disguise yourselves. Few people know what I look like, but everyone knows you two. After that, I recommend we find a place to sleep and fill our stomachs after our long journey."
"Oh, so you'll take us shopping? I'll make sure to wear something special just for you."
I looked away as she approached, striking a suggestive pose with her breasts pressed between her arms and smiling seductively.
The clothes I gave her weren't made for someone so voluptuous; the fabric struggled to maintain her modesty, and the fact that they were mostly white didn't help, as her sweat revealed a little of what was underneath.
I stepped back, looking in the opposite direction while muttering something incoherent before pulling a handful of coins from my bag.
But instead of handing them to the blonde, I approached Four, who watched everything with a mixture of shame and irritation, judging by her red, trembling face.
She recoiled slightly at my presence and stared at me in silence and fear, but her eyes would always avert from mine whenever they met.
"W-what do you want?!"
In a burst of courage, she stepped forward, standing on tiptoe with her hands on her hips as our chests almost touched.
I would never say it aloud, but looking down, her irritated face was adorable. I had the urge to pinch her cheeks, but I quickly dismissed that strange thought, focusing on the problem at hand.
"Use that money to buy local clothes for your sister and yourself. I won't apologize for what I said, but I still believe you're the more responsible of the two of you and won't spend it all at once."
"Hey, I don't spend that much money!"
We both turned to Five, giving her such sarcastic looks that it almost melted a hole where she was. The Intoner in question blushed with embarrassment before puffing out her cheeks, crossing her arms, and turning her back to us.
Four nodded with a hint of surprise on her face, timidly accepting the coins.
"T-thank you!"
I sighed, tired of this gap between us.
"Listen, I'm not Zero, I'm not going to cut your head off out of nowhere unless you give me a reason."
There was no answer; she remained silent for a few moments that seemed like an eternity, her face contorted in deep thought before replying.
"Is that true?"
"About what?"
"About you being able to take the flower from me without killing."
The desperation and hope in her voice and eyes were hard to hide.
"Yes, but the flower will fight back, and without it, you'll likely lose your powers. I don't recommend losing your greatest advantage while we're in the middle of a war, and in the end, it's up to you to decide whether or not you're willing to make the choice."
She nodded again, and without another word, we became invisible once more, crossing the streets to where the market was, dispelling the spell inside an alley.
"Be quick, the longer you stay in the streets, the greater the chance of being recognized."
"Don't worry, I'll help my dear sister get rid of her terrible fashion sense."
"My fashion isn't… WAIT!"
Before Four finished speaking, Five dragged her away, turning the corner and blending into the crowd on the market street.
I approached the alley entrance, watching them both until they disappeared into the crowd, then retreated to the back, sitting on the ground with my arms crossed, waiting for their return.
-XXXXXX-
"Hey, sister, what do you think of this?"
Four's face turned as red as an apple, her mouth opened, and she looked away with a grunt, closing her eyes and wrinkling her nose in disapproval.
I couldn't help but laugh at the reaction I wanted, separating the garment that looked more like a thin strip of fabric with golden adornments that would barely cover a woman's chest.
Well, I can always save it for a special occasion.
I continued looking at the various clothes the merchant had to offer in his tent, separating them into a small pile, but inside, my joy wasn't so great, as I was thinking about how to start this conversation.
"Four?"
With an audible sigh, exhausted and irritated, she turned toward me without bothering to disguise her frustration.
"What do you want?"
"Forgive me for what I did."
She blinked in confusion, but then frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm sorry for the way I treated you all these years, for all the times I teased you, criticized you, spoke ill of your clothes and appearance, your hobbies, or the fact that you weren't that interested in sex. I should never have done that, you never did anything to me to deserve this treatment. I should have treated you better, listened to your advice, maybe…"
I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling my heart race. I looked at the floor, tightening my grip on the clothes I was rummaging through, and then spoke.
"...Maybe I wouldn't have caused you so much trouble. Maybe my land wouldn't have fallen. Maybe I could have helped you defend yours. Maybe then you wouldn't have had to risk your life to save me. I only realized this recently, so I'd like to know if you can forgive me. I want to fix things between us. Midgard is in chaos, and I don't want to lose my sister in the middle of all this."
The disbelief on Four's face made me wonder if what I said was really that unbelievable. She crossed her arms and looked around, fidgeting anxiously before her expression softened.
"I always envied you, Five. Your body, your confidence, your beauty, the way people adored you. I wanted to be you, because you lived the life I desired, but now, I realize how petty I was. I… I can't say we'll become friends, but I'd like to improve things between us."
It was as if a weight had been dropped on my stomach; I never expected that from her, but I guess it was obvious, yet another proof of my blindness.
"So… How about I help you choose your clothes? I can give you some advice."
I raised my head, feeling the corners of my mouth lift in hope. For a second, my expression faltered as I saw her look away, however, she returned my gesture with a small smile and a nod.
"I'd like that."
I couldn't be happier; I resisted the urge to hold her in a hug, avoiding provoking her and ruining everything again.
"But nothing too revealing!"
"Oh, don't worry, I'll make sure you're perfect for your dear knight."
I moved my eyebrows suggestively, and Four blushed like a lovesick girl, which she was.
"I-I don't know what you mean! Besides, did you hear what he said? He hates me!"
"I wouldn't say hates, but he's just seen your bad side. You need to show that you're more than that to steal his heart."
Looking around like a frightened animal, she leaned toward me and whispered as if telling me her biggest secret.
"Yes, please."
"That's what I wanted to hear. I'll make you irresistible and then…"
I covered my mouth, hiding my laughter, and glanced at the confused Four.
"Let's just say I'd like to join in when you two finally spend your nights together."
I playfully poked her nose as her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened in disbelief. A little more and all the blood would rush to her face. Her incoherent stammering seemed like a comedy to me, and I couldn't help but push a few more buttons.
"Why the surprise? You know all our sisters have a fire burning inside, and the main job of our assistants was to extinguish it. I know no one ever extinguished yours, and mine has been burning ever since we left that damned tower. Don't you want to experience true pleasure? I promise you won't regret it."
I couldn't hold back any longer and laughed with all my might as she covered her scarlet face with both hands and turned in the opposite direction.
"Shouldn't we be discussing this in the middle of the street?!"
"Please, there's clearly something wrong here, and people don't seem to care."
As a demonstration, I snapped my fingers in front of the smiling merchant's face, who remained standing like a statue.
He didn't blink once; he didn't even seem to breathe. The same was true for the people around us, walking aimlessly with faces fixed in cheerful, motionless expressions.
"L-let's just get this over with! These people are weird!"
I waved, and then we went from stall to stall, buying clothes and accessories, helping Four where I could, and when we finished, we left the merchants' street with a hurried pace, carrying our purchases in our arms.
However, due to a combination of the number of people and my conversation with Four, I ended up bumping into someone, knocking them to the ground.
I apologized, stumbling as I offered my hand, bending down and holding my clothes.
However, I stood paralyzed like a statue, feeling surprise and fear tightening my heart as I saw a pale, blonde person with red eyes on the ground.
"One?"
The words came out as a whisper; I only realized what I had said seconds later. The person who was supposedly my sister returned the feelings in kind.
Her face contorted in horror for a second before she leaped to her feet, hiding beneath her hood and cloak before disappearing into the crowd. I screamed her name until my lungs ached, reaching out to her as if I could grab her from such a great distance, but it was too late.
I looked at Four, exchanging an unspoken message between us, and nothing more was needed to confirm that she had seen the same thing I had.
-XXXXXX-
I dispelled the invisibility in the outskirts of an inn, crossing its entrance with Four and Five by my side. Both wore clothes made for a city built in a desert land, and although I feel they exaggerated a bit, I would be a fool to deny their beauty.
The blonde wore a brown X-patterned top that hugged her body, covering her chest and part of her torso, leaving her shapely stomach exposed, and with long sleeves hiding her arms.
A mid-length skirt that reached her ankles, but with slits on the sides, exposing her soft thighs, and detailed sandals that climbed up her legs.
Her long hair was tied in a long braid that swayed with every movement, with a golden tiara on her head, rings, necklaces, and bracelets of the same color.
Four, on the other hand, dressed more modestly, with a long light yellow dress hiding most of her body, with long fingerless gloves ending at her elbows and a hood. Her hair was loose in a brown cascade, and she wore jewelry similar to Five's, though in smaller quantities.
Despite this, I noticed two peculiar details. First, her dress seemed to be two sizes too small, highlighting her curves, and even though she wasn't that… well-endowed on top, I had to keep my eyes focused ahead to avoid looking at her large posterior.
The second peculiarity was her makeup: red lips, rosy cheeks, and eyes accentuated with mascara. I found it all… a mix of beautiful and cute; I didn't know exactly which word to use.
For a moment, she glanced back over her shoulder, giving me a wink with a sway of her hip. I looked away politely, coughing into my fist to disguise my embarrassment, which only worsened when I heard her laugh.
Just as Four and Five had told me, people didn't react to our presence and continued eating and talking; however, it was all very mechanical.
I was bracing myself for the frightened and malicious stares, even being called a monster and inventing the excuse that I was part of the caravan of non-humans; however, the people didn't react to my presence.
They chewed upside down like animals, their bodies moved awkwardly, as if something were wearing human skin, and their conversations made no sense, just broken sentences with short answers.
I approached the counter, ordering two rooms, one for myself and one for my sisters, and then our food. The innkeeper nodded in a painfully slow motion, raising his hand which opened and closed at the same speed. I placed the coins in his hand and with a wide smile that stretched his face, he handed me a pair of keys.
With that done, we went to our table in a distant corner.
"What's wrong with these people?"
"These things aren't people."
I responded to Four's words, who nodded along with her sister after a few seconds of pondering.
"I don't know what they are, but it's not the first time demons have tried to disguise themselves as humans to deceive you. I suggest we remain vigilant while we're here, and if One is really in town, then we should find her and demand answers. That is, if Zero doesn't find her first, I don't know where she is, she probably went to look for a place to hide Mikahil, but I doubt she'd think twice before killing a source of information."
With that agreement made, we had dinner and went to our respective rooms to finally get a good night's sleep in a warm, soft bed, because I doubt anyone here enjoyed sleeping in a wagon that bounced at every pothole in the road.
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
However, just as I was about to take off my clothes to sleep, a knock on my door interrupted me.
I approached the door wearing only my pants and holding a dagger, pressing my ear to the wood to detect anything unusual, but I only heard soft breathing and light footsteps.
I opened a crack, looking down and seeing Four anxiously rubbing her hands together as she returned the gesture.
"G-good night!"
"Good night! Do you need something?"
"N-no, can I come in? I'd like to talk to you about something."
I frowned, wondering if it was a good idea. Shrugging, I opened the door and stepped aside, letting her in.
I scanned the hallway, expecting to find Five laughing in a corner, but there was no one there. I closed and locked the door behind me, throwing the dagger onto a table and turning to Four, raising an eyebrow at the sight of her long white nightgown.
It wasn't anything revealing, just unexpected. She sat on my bed, gazing at the starry night through the window while swinging her feet in the air.
I crossed my arms, asking what she wanted, feeling a pang of suspicion when she patted the mattress, asking me to sit beside her.
"Edric, do you have a lover waiting for you at home?"
The question surprised me, and several scenarios flashed through my mind about what she meant, but I dismissed them all as fertile imagination.
"No, I've never paid much attention to relationships, and recent events haven't given me time to deal with that subject."
"In that case, there's something I'd like to tell you…"
She turned to me, the moonlight glistening on her pale skin and the wind blowing through her brown hair, her eyes shining like emeralds, and when her mouth opened, I never imagined anyone saying those words to me.
"Edric, I like you."
END OF CHAPTER