Ichirou and I bantered with each other for the whole day without abandon, eventually forgetting the problem of the day. As nightfall came, at that time, it was decided that Topaz will be under Ichirou’s watch for the meantime.

Topaz, the main problem here, refuses to speak to strangers and stubbornly decline any food and drinks…until she felt weak from hunger and grudgingly ate.

As the sun came rising, we have already arrived at the shore towards the Rainforest of Healing, the fairy continent where I will seek for Senya. Ichirou, the twins, Topaz and I are set to go by ourselves leaving the SS Iowa behind.

Merissa said that they won’t be going that far. They will wait for our return, however, we don’t know when we can so I just told her that we will come by whenever possible to see them. They were fine with it as they are still busy with the ship’s modification for enabling flight and there are still tons of trials and error to do.

And so, we’ve ventured that forest with a very heavy atmosphere with Topaz arrival. But that said, even after walking for a whole in search for some clues to Senya’s whereabouts, we still unable to find anything so we are camping in the forest with a campfire lit.

As for dinner, Ichirou hunted a boar earlier and cooked it over a fire.

I was indeed reluctant to ask him on how he learned to cook a boar over a fire with added seasonings so I secretly ask Casablanca.

“Ichi, how did you learn how to do that?”

“Ichi?! Wha--! Haa…nevermind…”

“Hmm?”

“I learned a few things from Bagruuf, the orc demon that was going to willingly let us stay in his house but you three got lost. Come to think of it, I only told him that I will search for you girls. I guess he is kind of worried to me now. I am really thankful for him with the things he thought me.”

“Oh? Amazing! A bit grotesque and savage though.”

“Why do you ask?”

“Eh?”

Casablanca’s eyes subtly swim towards me.

Ichirou notices her subtle action and stares right towards my direction. My heart almost leaped out from my chest when we met gazes so I immediately avert my eyes from him. Casablanca ought to know more on how to hide things like this!

I glare at Casablanca because of her mistake only to be replied with a tee-hee with a tongue out and one eye closed and her fist lightly tapping her head.

Eh?

She did that on purpose?! How arrogant of you!

I could only pout at her direction with glaring eyes because of her traitorous act. I didn’t think she is capable of something tricky as this. Come to think of it, she never really did anything impish like this until now. Maybe she is now opening up to me little by little.

“Hey, I found a small lake nearby! Casablanca, do you want to clean ourselves first before eating?”

“Pii! Pii!”

A cheerful call from Hibiscus resounds as she steps up from the curtain of the shadows in the forest. Her path is illuminated by Emby with his fiery glow that keeps that shade of darkness away on a big radius.

“Ah! A clean cool bath after a past few days of just wiping with a wet cloth! Let’s go, Hibiscus!”

“Ehehehe! Casablanca is such a child.”

“Geez, you want to dive in too, right?”

“Well, if I am going to, it has to be with you after all. Also, Emby hates water so he’ll be just be looking out for us.”

“Okay! Asagao, do you want to come with us?”

I simply decline their offer. The two seems to be a bit sharp to notice but not perceptive enough to know why.  When the twins left, my sight hovers towards Topaz who is sitting while hugging her knees under a tree far away from us. Her expression is cramped with her two eyebrows knitting and eyes intently glaring at the grilled boar.

Ichirou, who saw Topaz wearing such frigid expression on her countenance, glares at her with hostility.

“A-Auu…uuu…”

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Topaz who sensed it whimpers in fear as she further retreats back and leaning heavily on the tree behind her. She is visibly scared but gulping in anticipation for the food. Also, her stomach has been growling for a while now…

It can’t be helped…

The smell of the grilled boar with spices and herbs marinate wafts in the air and enters our nostril. The constant sizzling of the fat being burnt and the aroma that keeps inviting us is too strong. It’s sweet with a little tinge of spiciness that will greatly stimulate anyone’s appetite. That is what being cooked right now.

Ichirou takes the boar out of the fire and lay it down on a mat made out of leaves. After that, he cut off a portion of the savory meat and impales it with a strong branch. He walks over to Topaz with the slab of meat with a stick on his hand.

“Do you want to eat this?”

He started talking with Topaz with stern, intimidating voice. It seems to me that he is interrogating her. I’ll move my butt if he tries to do anything harmful to Topaz.

Topaz eyes immediately lock on the slab of meat and nod vigorously with drool spilling a little.

“Then, answer my questions.”

“Yes.”

“What are you?”

“A devil!”

“…Can’t you give me a little more detail?”

“A devil synthesized to a higher level of existence that assumed a guise of a human!”

“Who did that to you?”

“Lord Dylan!!”

Upon hearing the name, Ichirou’s eye widens in surprise and has his mouth gaping for a moment. It feels like a lightning struck him when his body jerks a little. But he recomposes his self and further digs in for more information.

“So, Dylan is your creator?”

“No. Lord Dylan just simply let me assume human guise. My creator, the creator of all devils is our god, Erestri.”

“Do you know anything about your god?”

“No. I don’t have any details. We are just born with the knowledge that he created us.”

“So, what is Dylan to you?”

“Lord Dylan is a molester.”

“…sounds about right…”

With Topaz answering like that, Ichirou nods his head in agreement. I do wonder what this Dylan guy is like. He is an Etherian as Ichirou said, he was able to let devils takes human form and he is also the one that granted Ichirou with the spiritech.

“What are you doing here? What is your goal?”

“I…was thrown out by Lord Dylan…and about my goal…I…want to go home…to where my sisters and Lady Hydrangea are…”

A voice filled with sadness pierces through my heart. I can see a little of my past self on her, about yearning for home, for family, and for friends. I greatly sympathize with her as I know the pain of being taken away from the people who took care of you. Even now, I still yearn for a peaceful life in the Astlan Castle but for now, I have things I needed to do before achieving that.

Ichirou who heard this never showed any emotion. He just made a momentary glance at me before going back to Topaz whose face is still locked on the slab of meat.

“You…what is your reason…for being then?”

With a gloomy atmosphere, Ichirou’s question threw Topaz off and she starts tearing up.

Beads of tear start rolling down on Topaz cheeks and she tightly hugs her knees. She was shaken to the point that she looks like she will vomit. She tried to speak but seems like she’s just swallowing words due to question.

However, even if her mentality seems to be breaking down, Ichirou didn’t back off. He urges her to speak of it.

“Answer it. This food here won’t just be the only thing you will get from us but also our trust. I don’t have patience with your melodrama.”

I can only glare angrily at Ichirou. He pointed out something really crucial and he was right with what he is doing but I can’t accept in my heart that he is being this harsh towards Topaz who is on the verge of breaking down.

“What is it, your reason of exis--!”

“I…I…am…”

Ichirou’s words are halted as Topaz starts speaking again with shrilly voice. It sounds so scared and terrified…

“Lord…Lord Dylan told me that…we devil…sooner or later…will be gone from this world…! T-…The…The…reason he did this to us…is…isss…..!”

“Is what?”

“B-B-Breeding…”

“!!”

“H-He said…th-that our race…as…a…a…devil…should…be preserve….so…sooo..! H..He plan to use us…a breeder! As-s-sex…dolls…”

“ENOUGH!”

I shouted.

I can already feel my nails digging into my palms and my blood boiling in rage. My ears started to hurt upon hearing her words. I look at Topaz who is tearing up with fear painted all over her countenance.

This girl…this girl who is hugging her knees in fear. She feels like there is no one there for her. I know this kind of stance. A stance where she doesn’t trust anyone yet, she needed to bend for her own good.

Is this really a devil?

Those devils that mercilessly killed any forms of living creatures in this world, those devils that indiscriminately brings havoc anywhere. I already know the answer for that and I wholeheartedly accept that she is one, however, her emotions a ripe and real.

What she just said earlier is really blood-curdling but at the same time, it is also an undeniable fact or possibility. There are so many mysterious and bizarre things in this world that are unknown to us and even to this world itself.

That man, Dylan, who made something we will never think of, has gone and did something unimaginable. However, the sole reason behind it is really enraging.

“I can’t believe you still let her kept going like that! Don’t you feel bad for what you’ve done?!”

I shouted towards Ichirou.

Ichirou just looks towards my direction with grim eyes while biting his lower lip.

“I…just have to gloss over the possibilities, after all, it is Dylan, someone I know, we are talking about.”

“I know how you feel but, you’ve already crossed the line! Where did your common sense run away?! Distrust is just part of everything in the early stage of knowing each other, I learned that from Fon-nii, however, don’t you think you are being too forceful?!”

“There’s also the possibility that that information is just implanted on her or she is just plain lying…”

“But…!”

“Asagao…”

I was about to rebut again when I remembered the time that I lied to everyone, that I kept secrets that should have been known to them at that time. I reap what I sow and things didn’t go well but, with understanding and honesty, Fon and I fixed our relationship and were able to treat each other again like siblings…

I am truly happy about that…

That’s why…I found Ichirou’s reasoning justifiable. My emotion can no longer win against his logical statement.

Truth slaps are always bitter…

“Umm…”

Topaz small voice calls out to us.

“Can…I eat that now…I answered your questions…already…”

“We’re not done yet.”

“Ah…!”

Upon hearing that, Topaz, who seems like she can’t contain her hunger anymore shot up standing and grab the stick where the slab of meat is.

“I’m hungry!”

“Wha-! Hey! Let go! I said we’re not done yet!”

“I want to eat!”

“Tsk! Just how old do you think you are!?”

“Huh?! I’m just a week old now since having a human body!”

“A week old?!”

“Give it to me!”

“Wai--!”

“[Arcana of Earth – Pitfall!]”

SWOOSH!

The ground beneath Ichirou parted and a hole is created. Because it suddenly happened, he fell right in it and Topaz was able to get the food as his hand loosens its grip. A smile sprouted from her face as she looks at the meat with gleaming eyes.

THUD!

I came closer to the hole to see how deep it is.

And I saw Ichirou, about five feet below the ground, trying to crawl up with vexed expression. I think he never thought that Topaz would actually fight back like that.

The pitfall idea was truly a good comeback befitting of a child’s prank…

Serves you right.