Lisa looked around, noticing a village that was filled with many people. They looked at her, now that they could, but the man with the sword was closest to her.

“Humans. Calm down and don't run to nasty and unnecessary conclusions,” she spoke out loud, pulling her arms up to the air. “It seems this is a big misunderstanding and everything doesn't seem as strange as you would think. I was just minding my business at some other part of the lake, and here I am. It's only a mistake on my part. I will take my leave with this duck of mine, so I don't want any trouble.” she said, hoping to settle this in the gentlest way possible.

Alas, the man with the sword and Timmy in his defensive embrace, wasn't moved at all. Upon hearing Lisa's words, he hesitated but the sword still remained firmly in his right hand. Her words sounded weirdly convincing, yet her appearance was still that of a demon. He pushed the kid behind him, before getting to his feet after he backed a couple of meters back earlier. His right hand was still trembling and upon getting up, even his eyes showed some fear.

“Eliza! Inform the Falconers! A demon appeared! Be quick.” he suddenly shouted, turning his head to a side where his words jolted a girl hiding behind a house. It was a teenage girl, but she was close to being an adult than a teenager.

She hesitated but ran away after hearing this man's command. As fast as she could she disappeared beyond the horizon.

With that said, Lisa frowned but cried in terror inside. Did she just fucked everything up that much more? Maybe if she played dead it would be far better, but the duck below her would be hard to explain since this man was somewhat familiar with the dangers of such creatures. It was her terrible luck, perhaps. Or, the mana was something he would find familiar, and a demonic beast with mana was something he met before?

Lisa understood it, but she hated that fact. This wasn't a good place to be in, while Murai wasn't a normal duck after all.

The man before her grimaced in newly found strength of his message. He was a coward, but a coward with a sword nonetheless. His previous words jolted him with strength since they didn't involve him but the Falconers. It was a belief in incoming help, that he found this strength. With them on the way, he had a firm decision behind his back. Although, it was also clear that he was something greater than the average joe, but that didn't matter to him.

Clutching his sword with both hands, the trembling disappeared, so he charged at Lisa as if his strength was greater than ever before. Lisa looked at him with disappointment and utter indifference. His swing cleaved her body, leaving the man to stumble in his wide swing. It did nothing to her, in the same way, Murai's beak didn't damage her at all.

“I will say it again, human. I am not interested in any of these schemes of good and evil. You can't kill me as I am dead, so leave us be and be glad that your village is safe. I have no need for this or your problem. Some human problems are too bothersome so let us leave, and nothing will matter.” she said with both halves of her body coming back together.

The man watched in utter shock, and his eyes filled with fear. The appearance of this demonic succubus was clearly within Lisa's appearance but an unkillable demon wasn't something he had seen or heard about. He didn't trust her words, so he panicked, figuring this was a greater foe than he thought.

It didn't matter if her power was nonexistent in her current life form. Her charming, yet demonic face, firm smile, voice, and sharp wings, made her figure much more enchanting than one would guess. Obviously, this was a demonic succubus and nothing else in this man's eyes, and limited mind. The man swung his sword again and again, but it wasn't doing anything but tire his shoulders, and cleave the empty air.

His forehead was sweating profusely in a few minutes, but he wanted to play it safe and do his best to remain this demon in place. Falconers will soon appear, and he will do an excellent job in accordance with their words, and their rules. They would solve, or kill this demon without hesitation, and with greater power than a peasant like him would ever achieve.

Lisa was further and further helpless, since her words didn't work, nor did anything that she thought of. She looked down at Murai who wasn't able to move while his mind felt weak. She noticed his faltering mind.

Murai felt weakness overlapping his mind, and it wasn't just the wound within his left wing. Blood loss? It was a traumatic injury that he never felt in this life, so that may be the cause, or was this weakness accumulation of everything he did so far? That may be it.

He felt helpless and hated the feeling over the left side of his body with passion, but it was better than nothing. This state of his body was much better than New Begining, or worse, so he accepted this, even though he hated it. That was his simple view, and a simple thought, so he pulled his shit together, standing up with cringing eyes, and pain around his body. Every inch of his body hurt and pain filled his mind. Droplets of blood fell down his feathers, but he didn't care.

“Some fucking dizziness can fuck off!” he quacked out loud, and his wing was bleeding more and more. It bathed his already filthy colorful appearance with the crimson color of blood, making him seem much more ferocious than one would see.

“Huh... Shit... Fuck.” he huffed, feeling like an utter joke. Of course, quacking was useless, and he knew it. What is this... What? Lisa? Murai thought, hoping she would get this mental message from their connection so he wouldn't have to quack. He looked around in the moment of sanity and care and noticed how this situation turned from hope to another disaster.

“You good?” Lisa sent him a mental worry. “It appears we are in some human village and... They hate the demons so I suppose we ended up in a place that hates those kinds. The Centralis Kingdom or one of its sub-counties, or others who had bad experiences with demons.” Lisa sent back, not feeling one bit conflicted or surprised by this situation.

“Is it bad? I am not looking like a demon.”

“You aren't but the mana within you can lead to that discovery. It isn't... normal, you know? The Demons have a distinct ferocity to their aura, and you aren't familiar with letting these feelings hide. Anatidae... Those are tough and legendary demons in any shape or form. They are powerful, and their might isn't small. They are incredible legends in the world of Demons and many other things.”

Lisa's answer shook Murai to his core, but not so much to let him be completely out of his breath. He somehow expected such an answer, but hearing it so bluntly was the first he expected from Lisa. After all, she was always hesitant with her words, and he too was cause for that.

Damn mistakes... Everything turned to shit with me at the center. I have nothing to blame... Just myself. he scowled, closing his eyes in acceptance.

Struggling on his legs, Murai turned his head left and right, opening his eyes to see the situation better, and hoped to come up with a quick solution. His mana was unstable, and no longer as clear since his body wasn't in a good shape. His previous battle with Regators left him with an abundance of mana, but the injury turned everything into an abyss.

He was definitely feeling the mana going out of his control, but not like he can solve it quickly, or care about it too much. With such injuries, it was no wonder.

The current situation was the aftermath of his hope and following decision. Alas, It bite him to the ass, the moment the danger was over.

Then let's leave this place... Those fuckers... Murai saw the man holding the sword and other's people's faces. Some were fearful, and others grabbed some sticks or whatnot. I don't care about some measly little effort between anything. I mean no harm to them... Why wouldn't I? Humans are useless to me, so I don't care. Murai thought with utter composure and calmness, surprising even Lisa, who saw him in this manner for the first time. Injured, calm, but accepted in his own way. She felt his emotional impact, and how everything seemed almost serene in Order.

It wasn't like the moment when he decided to leave the dungeon or battle through the dungeon with utter confidence and power. Back then, he had motivation, and purpose, so he worked for it. This was the power of the Soul, Robust Spirit, Wil, and something that was more powerful than she could ever imagine. Now, he had nothing, but himself in a clutch of fate.

Lisa was silent for a couple of moments, and even the cowardly man stopped his swings. He noticed how Lisa gave this duck silent looks, and it made him nervous for some reason.

Lisa shook her head and sent the obvious message. “I agree, but figure out how to get out yourself. I tried my best, but I don't make it any better since I am a demon in this man's eyes and my physicality and source of beings are hitting their limits. if you know what I mean, do your best... I couldn't.. help you... it's unfitting to me.” Lisa said, and for the first time in a while, dissipated into mana particles, and disappeared into the light.

It was fast, and it happened right before the man swung his sword. Lisa disappeared to Murai's soul space, but no one noticed it. No human present would be familiar enough with such a sight. Not even the man who backed off away, afraid upon feeling something amiss. He jumped away, crawling for some meters before the "spell" of that demon stopped.

Murai didn't move or care for Lisa's decision, but her words pissed him off a little. He watched in silence as she materialized within his soul space.

“Phew... This place is really spacious and special... My bad I was out of this place for so long... It affected me. Wait... Why does this place seem a bit different?” She asked upon discovering a small change in Murai's soul space. It was shaking a little and seemed more robust, and everything seemed more vibrant and firm.

“Explain the situation, Lisa!” a powerful voice spoke to her in the soul space.

“Yea. Yeah. Don't shout at me like that.” she shook her head in annoyance, ignoring the soul space altogether. Though, she noticed the Robust Spirit, and how Murai Soul swayed in powerful undulations. Small cracks seemed to appear around him, affecting the soul space altogether. “I can listen even without all of this shouting... Murai Hisagi. This man before your sent someone to get some knights known as Falconers. I think... or remember them being Centralis Kingdom's forces. He was afraid of you, but maybe it was me, to begin with? I don't know if he has some feelings of the mana or if he can discern the special feelings you give to others...”

“Chatty again?! Useless... You should have spoken to me about this sooner!” Murai complained.

“How am I supposed to know you would end up running to people who hate the demons!?” Lisa argued back.

“Who in their right mind wouldn't hate the demons for fuck's sake!?” Murai shouted back, loud and clearly stronger than Lisa's voice. She shuddered in fear, and pressure that Murai pushed at her weak soul form.

“Yea. Yea. I heard that... Deal with it as you wish. I doubt you want to hear me any longer, so I will rest my soul in this space for some days. Don't die. That would be quite bad for us, me and you in particular.” Lisa said and gave up trying to appease his anger. Dismissing herself, or his attitude, she let go of these problems that were in part, her fault. She worsened the whole situation even more, and let Murai deal with the consequences.

Murai scowled inside, but with Lisa gone, he was much more clearheaded in the real world. Having such a life companion was definitely troublesome. Having a sense of peace of mind was much better, so he wondered how to solve this current predicament.

Since Lisa disappeared into shimmering light, the man with a sword fell back as if a spell was upon him, but it never came. “What was that? Have you seen that?” he asked nervously and turned his head to others.

“It was a freaking demon, Lazar! I tell you that!” An elderly woman said. Shivering, and old, she was hiding behind the people, yet she still chose to see the demon with her own eyes. She was the elder of this village and her wisdom and words spoke reasons for the majority of the villagers.

“Grandma Po, This... What is this duck? Is this also a Demon? Is that Succubus gone? Have I slain it?” Lazar asked, pointing his finger toward Murai who was yet to begin his journey to get the fuck out of this place.

“Hm? A duck? Ducks aren't demons Lazar! What have you learned in your time as my student?” she replied with clear words that made everyone sigh in relief. Everyone watched how the succubus disappeared to the light, so perhaps Lazar killed it for real, but Granma Po wasn't sure of that since she never heard of such a ghostly succubus before.

It was good news for Murai, who heard and understood their words but pretended to be an ordinary duck. He clutched his feet and wings and internally stopped any kind of mana from undulating out of his body. It wasn't something he worked with as an Anatiadae, so it was quite a poor iteration of stopping the Mana Flow. He hoped the man wouldn't notice anything strange and not suspect a thing.

He had never paid any attention to stopping his Mana Flow so far in this life, so it was no wonder his mana was seeping out involuntarily. His sensitivity towards it was something that shouldn't stop flowing, so he never stopped it. That was common sense for any mage, but who knew that his mana had some aura to it? He didn't, but the mana seeping out of his body would obviously be a bad thing in such a situation.

Murai hated this. He hated such problems and pain even more. The mana was always a blessing to him, but now, it was a disaster instead. His body? He couldn't put his finger on how to deal with everything, since he found his Beast Core unfamiliar like a new planet to be rediscovered. He didn't know how to work around it, but he may discover it, thanks to his overall knowledge of magic he already had.

Shaping and Conjuring wouldn't, or shouldn't be too different, and it wasn't. That was why he can Conjure, and Shape the Mana in his current form, but it wasn't anything above his satisfaction.

Murai definitely was like a wolf among the ordinary duck in terms of pressure and feelings, but if he hid it well, or others would be unfamiliar with that, he may be safe. So, with the plan ahead, he could only try his best. Forcing his steps, he began to walk in unsteady steps towards the one aisle that led to some forest. He was hoping to reach further, so anything that would push against his path would no longer be around him.

Alas, as he did so, a sudden dizziness reappeared or became stronger than ever. In that moment of weakness, he stumbled on the spot, right after Lazar and others figured this Duck must be fine to be left alive.

Murai fell with his beak to the ground. He was gone - tired beyond his sense.

“Don't be fooled! This is a demon! I can tell you that! ” a woman's voice shouted behind a particularly hidden house, warning Lazar and others, that the disaster wasn't over.

Unfortunately, it was almost gone, but this voice reminded them of another issue, which will turn into yet another disaster.