Beasts were quickly surrounding my location, so I flapped my wings and started to ascend towards the sky. I decided against flying directly in the direction of a city just in case the beasts would be angry enough to follow in my direction and reach my territory. So I turned to the west as the city was to the east and speeded up.

As I flew, I had plenty of time to think, 'Is this normal occurrence in this world or something fishy. I will ask someone more knowledgeable about it back in a city. Still, they are acting like they are under the control of one conciseness, but not exactly as all of them were making sounds as they had at least a little bit of individuality and self-awareness...'

After a while, the terrain under me changed from mountains into a spruce forest. I looked under me and searched for a flickering aura of corrupted beasts. The only auras I saw were small and weak but steady auras that likely belonged to forest animals or other inhabitants of the forest. So I turned to the southeast, back towards a city. One might find it hard to navigate unknown terrain, but I could easily see landmarks from a great distance without anything obscuring my view from my height.

In the distance, dark clouds obscured a sky with occasional lightning striking across them.

The city started to close on in the distance, and the mountains behind me grew smaller and smaller. I kept thinking, "What is the chance that totally random visit to the mountains led to the discovery of some corruption? Almost zero, I think, so they are two options: Someone was manipulating this event. Controlling my actions or predicting them... But who and who would do that? Nah, this sounds like the blabbering of an insane person. More likely, it is a second option where is this corruption common and widespread thing that it is pretty easy to find.'

"Bang," my thought were interrupted by loud thunder. Storm got closer as I could already see haze made out of the rain in the distance.

'I should hurry up. I really don't want to test damage of lighting strike.' I looked under me. Forest has already changed into fields. I breathed out in relief as the city was already not too far.

I kept analysing my findings, 'Maybe I am just overthinking it and it just a stupid coincidence... But hmm, that weird cutscene-like dream and this unlikely event make me feel that there is someone behind this all. Well, I am forgetting the most important fact: My presence alone is unnatural in this world.'

"Bang," another loud thunder brought me out of my thoughts. The city was already close, so I started to lower my altitude. A haze of the rain had already reached a city. Strong turbulent winds kept pushing against me as I kept closing on the city.

Rain already reached me, soaking my clothes. 'Why is a barrier not protecting against rain or a blinding light?' I complained in my mind.

Clouds were so thick that it was dark like during the evening. I could only see a few dozen meters forwards due to the dense rain. Occasional lighting on the horizon kept helping me navigate.

I finally reached a city. Unsurprisingly no one was on the streets. But after I approached the castle and didn't spot even a single guard standing outside, I found it infuriating, "These lazy pieces of garbage. They are hiding during the rain, not doing their job."

I landed in the courtyard with a splash of water on the ground. Approaching the gate, I cast the [Phase] spell and passed through it.

Finally, I spotted two darks standing a guard inside an entry hallway. My eyes glittered in purple sparkles, "Why are you not standing a guard in front of the gate? You know the situation we are in. The city is full of enemies!"

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They looked at me, weirded out, "Ehmm, your ladyship. There is a storm outside."

I clenched my fist in anger, "And what? Do you think that enemy will stay hidden just because of the storm?"

One of them nodded, "If they are not insane, they will."

Second added, "I seriously doubt that our enemies are some fanatics that are willing to go out and die during a storm."

I wanted to shout at them again, but I bit my tongue and stopped myself after realising that something was amiss about their reaction to the storm, 'Are storms in this world somehow extra dangerous? Or are they just lazy pieces of shit? That reminds me, does this castle have a lighting rod or some magical alternative?'

The familiar joyous voice of a Rose came to my ears, "Ohh, I am so glad that you are alright. I was scared when I heard that a storm was coming and you were out."

I smiled as I prevented a great blunder by me not shouting. But Rose saw my smile differently and beamed even more.

'I need to find out what is going on without asking a question that would be unreasonable for people from this world. Hmm, now I realise that the darks accepted me too easy without knowing anything about my background, origin or anything except my power and name. Was it a ploy of some greater power again? Nah, probably unknown pasts are pretty normal for a bunch of criminals we basically were. Yes, I am probably going insane with seeing some mysterious power behind everything.'

"So, what is the situation?" I asked.

"Well, now that you have returned, everything is under control." then she smiled, "Let's eat. You must be craving something warm from that cold rain."

I looked at my wet clothes and the puddle slowly forming under me. Then I cast an [Dry] on myself.

'Magic is really convenient. Maybe I will get an answer I am looking for during dinner.'

Rose waved at me to follow. We walked through the main corridor until she opened one of the doors. She walked in with a steady step, and I followed.

It was a massive room with a single incredibly long table in the middle. Huge gothic windows were the whole covering the wall. The light was given by an enormous chandelier hanging above the table.

I chose one of the heavily decorated chairs out of black wood and sat down.

Rose picked a bell from a table and rang it. Weak magical ripples spread through the room, indicating that it was some kind of a magical tool.

Two minutes later, a maid in a black maid uniform walked inside. She was plainly looking woman in her early thirties with black shoulder-length hair.

"Bring us some hot meal," Rose ordered with a stern voice. I was surprised as it was the first time I had heard her speak in such a tone. I always considered her a cheerful person, but maybe I was wrong.

The room lightened up as another lightning stroke. Soon followed by a loud bang.

Maid already walked away, and Rose spoke again with her typical cheerfully voice, "Well, I presume that these flashes of purple and magenta light in the mountains were your work. What were you doing?"

"Just testing a new spell." I took a pause before I continued, "Do you know something about the corrupted beast up in the mountains?"

Rose placed her hand under the chin, thinking for a few seconds, "Well, I heard about different kinds of corruption, but this is the first time that I heard about one presiding in the Carling Mountains."

Rain was rhythmically drumming against the windows, "You do not look very distressed about it."

"You know, it is relatively far. It is highly questionable about it spreading all the way here. One could even consider it a positive thing as an excuse to set up magical defences around a city perimeter without raising too much of a suspicion."

"Isn't it dangerous? That beast could cause a great deal of damage to the city."

"I seriously doubt it. Corrupted beasts are not really good at tactics or cooperation. They would be mindlessly throwing themself towards a wall only to be easily destroyed."

'They didn't look incapable of cooperation to me. They quickly mobilised themself and surrounded me.'

Doors opened, and the maid pushing a trolley with food plates covered under silver covers came in. Then she uncovered plates and placed them at the table. All of her movements were precise and gracefully, like a well-experienced maid.

Food at the table started to fill the whole room with an appetising aroma. The food itself was some kind of cooked bird that was slightly smaller than a chicken and with dark red meat.

I wasn't hungry, but it looked so delicious that I immediately reached for it.

"Kihaaaaaaa!!!" horrific ear-shattering shriek came from outside. Rose and maid looked unbothered by it.

'What was that? And why no one cared!?'

"What was that?"

"Just a storm. We are not outside, so don't worry as a small child and start to eat."

'There is definitely something wrong about storms in this world.'