Hello guys, this chapter is a little shorter than the previous ones because I am feeling kinda sick after working here and there last week... Not a free moment.

Well, enjoy and don't hesitate to leave a comment!

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Shina’s approaching silhouette frightened her to death, the tone of her voice tense and hesitating, making the displeased Shina emit a little *Muuu* out of annoyance.

“Why are you so rigid? It’s not like I’ll eat you...”

Eniel cautiously nodded but still wasn’t able to relax, despite Shina’s attempt to appear friendly and inoffensive she still remained as rigid as a wall.

An evil smile formed on her face as she suddenly had a flash of illumination. Slowly, Shina approached Eniel until they stood face to face while wearing a large grin, showing her pearly white teeth.

Almost frightened to pieces, Eniel gulped while she hesitated about whether she should move or not but decided against. She wasn’t confident in her ability to run away and was afraid of angering this little monster.

Shina’s face slowly approached her’s, making her close her eyes out of fright.

‘Will I die here?...’

*Chup Chup*

Eniel was so startled that she almost jumped backward as her face suddenly became crimson like she had turned into a mature tomato. Her breathing turned rough and she strokes her ear which wore some strange teeth mark.

“W-What are you doing?!”

“Oh? I don’t see what you are talking about…”

Shina wore a teasing smile as she licked her pink lips, showing her little teeth which gnawed on her ear just a few second ago.

“Y-You… You…”

“Feeling better? At least you aren’t stiff anymore.”

Eniel suddenly realized she wasn’t fearful anymore, it was as if everything had vanished and was replaced with embarrassment.

“That’s not a reason! Doing something this… embarrassing.”

“Embarrassing? What are you talking about?”

Pointing at the mark on her reddish ear, Eniel was while wearing a strange expression fitting her age which she had never shown before.

“Y-You just nibbled my ear…”

Dubiously looking at her, Shina truly not understanding what she was complaining about.

“Is that a problem? That’s something normally only used between… lovers.”

“Of course, it is!”

“Is that so… but my mother often does it to me, saying that’s how she show her affection.”

Shina remembered the moments where her mother when half crazy each time she succeeded in doing something and happily hugged her body, either kissing her on her cheeks or nibbled her ears.

Eniel wanted to say something but her words couldn’t escape from her mouth like they were glued to her throat.

While she felt that she was right, the little girl’s eyes only showed sincerity and her ignorance about this action’s other meanings. Eniel felt like she was confronting a normal girl unaware of the world and lacking common sense.

“I see... if that’s no good then how about this.”

Extending her arms around Eniel, Shina’s little body more or less managed to embrace hug Eniel whose shoulder gave a startled jump.

Many thoughts passed through Eniel’s mind. This young girl obviously had no ill intentions toward her otherwise, she would have already acted, on the other hand, she had no idea of how to react in front of her display of affection right after meeting her.

‘Did this girl really kill someone? Moreover a dozen of Bloskin’s men…’

“Calmed down now?”

Eniel silently nodded as she unconsciously relaxed under Shina’s warmth, not aware why she felt this calm despite having just met her.

“Just who are you?...”

“Geez, I told you earlier... My name is Shina.”

“I already know that, but where do you come from? Did you really kill Bloskin’s guards?”

Shina chuckled at her serious expression while remembering the traject time she passed on the wyrm’s back. Even on the wyrm’s back who was faster than a plane, they spend a few hours to reach the city.

“I come from… far away?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

In front of Shina’s vague words, Eniel unintentionally rebuked her as she lost her calm.

“Nope~ I truly have no idea of that place’s name nor of its location, I am just living in a forest cut from the rest of the world.”

Staring into Shina’s unwavering black eyes made Eniel who was talented in judging people unable to doubt her.

“As for the guards, I made sure none died… Probably?”

It was the first time she came across such a mysterious girl. Eniel felt like becoming less and less able to see her true face, but somehow, while she remained slightly cautious at the same time she wasn’t able to perceive this lovely girl as a threat.

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From her attitude she more or less guessed that Shina had no tie to the underworld, but she still possessed a strength and a will strong enough for her to heavily injure or even kill people.

A sudden thought came across Eniel’s mind.

“Are you perhaps a warrior apprentice?”

Hearing the term of ‘warrior’, Shina showed a clueless expression. She had never heard of this term before and deduced it probably was a term used by this world inhabitant.

“What’s a warrior?”

Eniel was surprised after hearing Shina’s question, the term of 'warrior' was very widespread within the entire continent yet that girl hadn’t heard of it before.

“A warrior is a term used to define someone with the right of founding a party of mercenary and adventurers. This is a title that can be obtained only after taking a test at one of the guild’s headquarters, most of them become the leader of a party but a few of them prefer traveling accompanied only by their sword. To be a warrior one must be knowledgeable and able to adapt to every situation no matter how dangerous it is, they explore the world and hunt monsters for money.”

Eniel’s eyes became brighter and brighter as she talked about them. It looked like she imagined herself being one of them, free and vagabonding, unrestrained and fearless while she traveled and discovered countless new things which she had never seen in this city.

She would forever leave this dark world and live free worry, not afraid of having her throat slit and dying in a gloomy and lonely alley without anyone to remember her.

Her lifetime dream, hoping for freedom and power. Shina finally realized why she thought that this girl was similar to herself, despite not being the same world and the same situation… she harbored the same desire and strive for freedom.

“Pretty interesting…”

“Of course, it is!”

A vague sentence came out of Shina’s mouth while she looked at Eniel with a smiling expression.

Eniel who misunderstood what the subject of her sentence thought she agreed with her and was about to continue, but after suddenly realizing that she was starting to grow excited after talking about her dream for the first time with someone. Eniel tried to regulate her feelings and keep them under control.

She realized that as she was talking with Shina she slowly began to drop her guard. Her carefree, her clueless character combined with her lacking of common sense made her feel like she wasn’t trying to trick her.

At the same time Shina gave her the impression of someone straightforward, but the very next instant she would become ruthless. Innocent, yet devilish who enjoyed teasing others.It was the first time Eniel felt so perplex about someone’s true face, yet together with a little of caution existed some interest.

Shina was for her a mysterious existence, she envied her carefree attitude and her strength which helped her disposing of her pursuer despite being so young.

Yet, despite her curiosity, Eniel didn’t try to dig too much in Shina’s origin or the secret behind her strength. She had for now become the subject of her interest, but everyone has secrets and she was still afraid of angering her by being too forceful.

Eniel pondered about her identity a little before being interrupted by Shina’s voice.

“Eniel~”

“Yes?”

Her voice was nothing like before. Shina looked alike a pretty little devil while staring at her with a smile that wasn’t really a smile, despite containing no enmity it still made her shiver.

“I just saved your life didn’t I?”

“Y-Yes…?”

“In other words, you are indebted to me.”

“That’s right…”

Eniel didn’t dare oppose her words but took a step back and prepared herself for the worst.

A small grumbling came from Shina’s stomach who became slightly redder, obviously embarrassed by what just happened.

“Buy me food…”

“I don’t know whether I should laugh or cry…”

Eniel sighed as she started walking within the slum’s alleys.

“Just follow me then.”

With a teasing smile, Shina followed behind her and grasped her hand, making the lamenting Eniel innerly sighed.

‘Just what did I just get myself into?’

Walking down the streets, Eniel didn’t realize that she had already started to treat Shina like a friend… Her first friend.