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Starvation March
Chapter 11: The lone demon

Chapter 11: The lone demon

[Alysha's Pov]

I woke up after one of the best nights I ever had. The bed was very comfy, and the dinner was great. I'm happy to say that the 2 gold coins spent renting this place for a week were 100% worth it. 

After a quick snack, I left the inn and headed towards the gate. I had time to think, and I decided to first raid the second bandit's camp and then maybe request an audience with the king and perhaps ask him to make me an S-rank, or maybe I can get into one of those magic schools or martial arts school... That'd be very nice...

As I approach the gates to exit the city, I can smell some people following me. I ignore them and casually keep walking. I think they're either spies judging by their skills or assassins, or maybe their just thieves, as judging by their locations they aren't working togheter. 

After I leave the city and walk down the road while nibbling happily on a strange bread thing that I bought from a shop yesterday, some of my stalkers runs at me from behind. I ignore them and let them surround me, curious to who sent them.

"Little girl, please come with us. We have received orders from the count to bring you back at all costs, but it wouldn't be good on our reputation to hurt a little girl, even if you probably won't be feeling too well after you visit the duke. Please don't make us trouble and follow us like the good little demon you are." I ignore him and stare at the familiar smell running towards us. 

As they were about to try to force down and bind me (emphasis on try), I hear a woman scream "Hero Masaki, what the hell are you doing! Follow the god damn plan!!" and the two men at my front get blasted away by a truck (also called Masaki). Heh, what timing, my hero. Thanks for stealing away the opportunity to eat in peace... The other guys were terrified though, and all quickly run away, including those that got smashed. I wonder why he didn't kill them though, he easily could have but he controlled it and only smashed them to the ground. Is he perhaps pure...? No, go away inner sadist! You can be released on the bandits later.

I turn to look at the four people who helped me get into the city. Just my rotten luck that I'd have to meet them right now isn't it...

Bearman, Yuune, half-elf guy and finally the pervert were all here. I wonder if this is fate at work telling me to kill them all or something, but there are simply too many spies around right now. They'll report to the king and I might end up in trouble... Let's just play ignorant! Yup! I know nothing! I'm 100% innocent.

Somehow, the pervert has gotten even stronger now. He should be a very high A-class or maybe even S-rank adventurer by now. Being a summoned hero is truly a cheat. 

"Hi Alysha, what did those guys want with you? We just saw them rushing at you and surrounding you. Who were they?"

"Ah... they were the count's assassin's I think. His son tried molesting and kidnapping me so I kinda broke him, so now his father's out for my blood." They all looked a bit taken aback when I said I broke his kiddo. Hey, that was obviously a no-good wannabe rapist, he deserved to die. 

"Well, thanks for dealing with them I guess. If you'll excuse me now, I have about thirty or so heads to go collect. See ya later!" I say and begin to run towards the trees, effectively running away from them. I don't look back as I know that we won't stay friendly for long. It's very much possible that considering your tipical person from Earth, the hero is probably a pacifist and will try to stop me. If he does, I'll make shure that he never sees the light of the sun again...

However, before I could climb up a tree, I suddently find an arrow flying at me from my side. Smirking internally, I allow it to hit me, and make a fake scream of pain, then fall down, making it look like I'm unconscious.

I hear footsteps, and feel ropes tie my hands and feet. I then feel myself being lifted off of the ground and a grunt. Hehe, idiot. I weight 200 kilos or more by now. You won't be able to lift me up!  

Not being able to pick me up, the wannabe kidnapper drags me across the ground for maybe twenty or so minutes, until he lets go of me and starts panting heavily. I guess he probably is an archer or sniper of sorts. Wonder why he didn't go for the kill shot immediatly, maybe he wants to interrogate me?

I still played unconscious, but when I heard him walking towards the entrance I took a peek at my supposed to be attacker. He was a man, probably in his early 20's. He was around 170cm tall, but the main thing I noticed was that he had wierd markings on his face and arms. I wonder what those are...

He left me near a river and went to take a drink. I quickly broke the ropes by brute force and pulled out the arrow from my side and threw it away. My immortality swiftly worked it's magic and in 10 seconds there was not a trace left. How convinient is it that I don't have to worry about ugly scars?

I sneaked up behind him silently as he was sitting near the water, looking at the reflection. I silently go and sit down beside him without him even noticing. He was looking up at the sky. I wonder what he might be thinking about.

"It's a good day to shoot innocent girls today, isn't it?" I say while giggling. He immediately jumped away and fell into the water with his butt in. I quikly shot my tail and coiled it around his foot, not letting him get away. I then pulled him back and put him back onto the ground whilst giggling. 

He looked stupified, His mouth was literally opening and closing. Heh, idiot.

"H-h-how? Wh-where's the arrow? It was coated in sleeping poison too!" Ah, right~ poisons! Sorry, I'm immune~

"Hehehe, don't worry. The poison will work it's magic soon enough (lie), but tell me tatoo boy, why did you shoot me? And why did you not kill me?" I said and released my tail from his foot and he fell on his butt again. I couldn't help but full on laugh at him. I stopped after a minute and sat o  the river's edge with my feet hanging, staring at my reflection. My red eyes still looked like two shining rubies and my silver hair really needed some combing. I suppose I'll go to the barber after this.

"It's really pretty. These woods, just how amazing would it be if I could just sit here and enjoy the view and the emotions of the forest forever... Don't you agree, pretty boy?"

[Vuixhor's Pov]

I was always shunned and hated simply because of my race. I was a demon born amongst humans, and my mother was a prostitute while my father worked day and night to try and support us. Human kids discriminated me, and teachers certainly didn't help. 

I was lucky enough to be allowed to even just go to school, and that was only thanks to the laws which prohibited open acts of racism, but people still found loops or the laws were just ignored sometimes. I was beaten almost every day, and often had to starve.

My mother would usually tell me demon's folklore, and my favourite story was when the Demon King defeated the Dragon King 1000 years ago. Mom would say that this was the single most important moment in the history of demons, as it lead to them becoming officially recognized as a major race and gain the benefits of being one. 

However, all things come to an end. When I was returning to school one day, I found the door of our house open, which left me suspicious. However, when I entered I saw things that would haunt me for years to come. I found my mother's corpse, obviously having been raped and then killed, and my father's corpse was full of bruises, probably beaten to death with firsts.

This lead to me closing my heart to the outside world. I knew that vengence was futile, but I still swore to myself to help all demons when I could. 

I was abandoned from our village and I lived on my own for 10 years. I became a pretty good surviver, and I lived in a hut hidden from the outside world, sometimes trading furs of preys with other demons that I knew. I am now 22 years old, which considering the average 300 years lifespan of a demon, I'm still considered a child.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

It was yesterday when an accident happened. I was picking out new equipment from a blacksmith friend of mine whom hates racism, when I saw a little girl of perhaps 14 enter the shop. The strange thing was, she had two tails. Not even just one, but two! As well as a pair of really cute cat ears on her head. I never heard of demons having this big of a mutation. Her nails were extremely sharp and she wore no shoes. Her skin was also perfectly white and her hair and ears were silver like the moon. Her tails had a strange lightning-blue color which made them look strangely fierce but at the same time very cute. I'm not a pedophile, but it's hard not to admire such a beuty.

She tried to get the attention of my friend, but he didn't see her considering she's so short. I could literally see a blue vein on her forehead pop out, and she slapped him with her tails. His reaction was hilarious. 

They proceeded to talk about this and that, with the girl constantly switching between childish, serious and sometimes just straight up wierd behavior. At one point, she simply sat down on the floor and put her tails on her lap and began combing them with her fingers while still talking to my friend. Seriously, who does that?

What happened next dumbfolded me. I saw the count's son enter, and I and all the other adventurers who saw him swiftly bowed. He was known for being unforgiving and sometimes cruel. I also hear rumors of how he sometimes abuses his authority to rape women, and judging by what happened next it's probably true. 

He saw the girl talking with my friend, whom both obviously didn't notice him. He licked his lips and told his guards outside to come with him. They were at least B-rank, and looked pretty strong. I could probably take them on, but I'd still have a hard time.

As I was racking my brains on how to help her, the noble suddently pushed her. I didn't miss his attempt at groping her, but he missed and made it look like a push. Wow, that guy's a real pedophile... Actually, I don't think they're too far off from the age difference, but it still made me grit my teeth in anger.

She simply looked at him and then just ignored him while getting up, this got him to make an evil smirk and say "Oh? A mere commoner, and a non-human not only blocks my way, but also ignores me? I'm going to have to teach you some respect, guards, seize her." 

I was about to intervene, and so was my friend. But she literally walked up to the two guards who were coming up to her, leaving them suprised for a second, and slapped them on the face hard enough to send both flying towards weapon racks, killing them. 

Did she really just casually kill both of them with a mere slap...? She really did didn't she...

She then used her tails which were extremely flexible and looked like coiling snakes when she used them to catch the noble. He tried using his authority to stop her, but she simply smirked even more evil smile. After calling him trash and losing interest, she used her tail wrapped around his feet to slam him into the ground. Multiple times. After 10 times, the entire portion of the floor was broken and the kid didn't even look like a human anymore, just an irrecognizible corpse.

She casually gave 10 entire gold coins and then bowed towards us while saying "Sorry for the trouble~" and then swiftly ran outside giggling. 

I was shocked still for a solid 5 minutes. My friend had began cleaning everything already, and when some more guards came 30 minutes later, he simply said that a cat got the count's son. They questioned us, and we all gave the same answer. That a cat got the count's son. We weren't even lying, as she kinda looked like a cat. They figured it out eventually, as apparently rumors of the 'Bloody Cat' were spreading like wildfire. I only know it from the guards that came in, apparently, An A-rank adventure had tried picking on her but she casually waved him off and when he caught one of her tails she ripped his heart out in retaliation, getting herself and her surrounding full of blood. This, plus her catlike appearance earned her the title 'Bloody cat'.

I personally am not sure if I could win against her in a close-up fight. I mean, she literally killed two B-rankers with a mere slap, and didn't even use her extremely sharp nails. I'd probably win in an ambush thanks to my poisoned arrows and accuracy, but it's still a very scary aspect.

What I didn't imagine is that I'd meet her the next day. I was stalking an assassasin that was hiding near the woods, intenting to interrogate him on his mission, as the forest is often a place of refuge for us demons, when I saw her coming out of the road. She was nibbling on a piece of bread-cake and her tails were swishing happily. 

The assassin and five other of his comrades quickly surrounded her, but she ignored them. Then, for some reason or another, the 'Hero' arrived and scared the assassins away. I think the hero is an S-rank but some even say he's SS-rank. I personally don't think so, but let people believe what they want.

She said something that apparently shocked the hero and his party, and then swiftly ran off towards my direction. I wanted to talk to her, but I'm scared that if I show myself she's going to kill me, so I do the only thing I thought could work. Before she could climb a tree and escape, I shot her, making shure not to hit anything vital. The arrow was a pretty strong one, but I'm confident in her ability to survive. I also coated it in a very special poison that makes the person fall asleep, meaning that she'll likely sleep for quite a white.\

I run to her, check that the arrow didn't hit anything, and then tie her arms and legs togheter just as a safety precaution, These ropes likely won't hold her for long, but should still do something hold a weakened her. 

I tried to pick her up, but she was heavy! She must be at least 200kg or something! Where does she put all of that weight in that tiny body!

I give up on the notion and simply drag her, which is still very hard and even harder since I'm trying to make it so the arrow wound won't get worst. I can't remove it now or it might leave a scar. She'll have to wait till I get to my base.

After 20 minutes of intense pulling, I drop her near a tree and go get a drink. Whilst I was drinking, I look up at the sky and simply think 'Mother, would you have approved of what I've done? Of all the people I killed...?'

While I was lost in thought, out of nowhere a beutiful voice giggles from right next to me "It's a good day to shoot innocent girls today, isn't it?" I immediatly jump out with my heart in my throat from the sudden scare. And not only was she perfectly conscious, there were no signs the arrow ever hit her! How?

Before I fell into the river from the jump, one of her tails blurs and suddently I see it wrapped tightly around my foot. Fast! Those things are way too fast!

She then simply pulls me back next to her and settles me down while giggling.

I was completely dumbfolded. She didn't even look mad! I shakingly say "H-h-how? Wh-where's the arrow? It was coated in sleeping poison too!"

She full on laughs, and only after a minute did she stop and answered "Hehehe, don't worry. The poison will work it's magic soon enough, but tell me tatoo boy, why did you shoot me? And why did you not kill me?" Tatoo boy? She doesn't even know I'm a demon?

She then releases me and sits at the edge with her feet in the water, simply staring at the water with a somewhat nostalgic look. She's really moody isn't she...

"It's really pretty. These woods, just how amazing would it be if I could just sit here and enjoy the view and the emotions of the forest forever... Don't you agree, pretty boy?" She says and she simply closes her eyes and rests her back on the ground with feet still in the water. I have to agree with her despite all of this. The scene looks perfect. A beutiful girl in a beutiful enviroment. I wonder, maybe defending these woods wasn't so bad after all?

"... Yeah, the view is perfect." I say and she smiles weakly, then simply closes her eyes and I hear her falling asleep. I wonder if it truly is the poison. I seriously doubt it after seeing all that happened. I simply stare at her for a minute or so, before purging my head of all thoughts and get back up. I go to search the arrow I used to shoot her so that I don't waste it. After all, the arrow itself is magically enchanted to help me with my aim, so it costs at least 75 silver. It was a gift from another demon, and it's been my sure-kill arrow ever since. I guess it still wasn't enough to injure that little monster huh...

I find it near where she had been. She had obviously simply ripped it out of herself, somehow not even making a sound. It must be said that ripping out an arrow is even more painful then receiving one, so her pain tolerance must be insane. I wonder where she comes from to look like that... My life must have looked like heaven compared to hers...

I go back to the river and find her still sleeping form. She was holding her tails and shivering while mumbling something I couldn't quite catch.

It was a truly heartbreaking scene, a cute-looking invincible and bloodthirsty monster shivering in her sleep. I don't know if it was sympathy or simply the desire to protect but I ignored common sense and simply sat down and began to absentmindedly stroke her head. Her hair was a real mess, does she even take care of it?

She swiftly calms down under my petting and her sleeping goes back to peaceful. I think I can even hear a soft purr from her. She's totally a cat isn't she?

Her catlike ears were soft and felt kind of funny. I wonder how many times she got beaten just because of these... Simply because of the way she was born. Humans are truly evil, or at least a very big majority is, it's no wonder our kings of old waged war against them.

I spent the rest of the day dragging her over to my base. She somehow managed to deeply sleep the entire time even though I'm pretty sure the poison did nothing against her. She would sometimes start trembling and sweating, to which I had to sleep and caress her head a bit before she would calm down. 

Finally, when the sun was three quarters of the way in the sky, we finally arrived at my base. It's just a lone house that I take care of. However, the good thing about it is that it is in a very hard location to find, as vegetation grows heavily around it, only to disappear after a while and leave the house.

I drag her all the way into the house and leave her on my bed before going downstairs to make something to eat for later. I wonder, what do humanoid cats eat...?