Amy was always such a kind person whenever I interacted with her. Sure she would occasionally try to slice me in half with her sword and sure, she may ignore me a few or maybe several times whenever I asked anything about her.

But there were times when I was able to ask Amy some personal things. Simple things like what was her favorite color, what food she likes and what sword art she uses to slice people in half. You know, simple stuff.

The strange thing was that when I kept asking her questions like that, she would usually brush me off and continue going back to work but when I asked her again on a particular day, she answered me.

I don't know why she finally answered my questions but I don't want to think about it too much. The important thing was that she was talking to me now and that is enough.

Unfortunately though she asked me to come out on back and i thought she was about to give me dessert or something. Remembering back on it now, maybe it was best I never asked in the first place.

I unconsciously started rubbing my right shoulder. Still, it was indeed impressive how good Amy is with the sword. She was by no means fast and powerful and yet the way she moved as she fought mesmerized me for a bit.

Being mesmerized did cost me though. I gave a sigh as I forgot about the scar on my shoulder. I have to remember that I should focus more next time and not get distracted.

All of a sudden , the kid came out of nowhere as he was in front of me without even realizing it. I concealed the small light pitched scream I gave out and acted like nothing happened.

He looked at me with a quizzical face and I replied, “Ah it was nothing just thinking of a friend.”

He had a look of understanding when he heard my answer but his face reverted back to a confused one just as fast.

“Friend?”

Oh god.

…

“I wonder who you might be, little girl.”

Amy noticed the temperature was lowering, but she paid it no heed and focused on the man in front of her. She judged by his aura that he wasn't as dangerous as he seemed but she wasn't one to trust someone based on appearances.

Seeing through the frosty aura, she felt the calm yet storming blizzard accumulating within the man. As if he himself was a storm that could not be stopped, freezing everything on its path.

She didn't reply and kept her guard up, paying attention to any minute detail of his movement. She had a hunch on who this person might be but she wasn't sure yet.

The man in front of him bowed in a gentlemanly manner and said.

“Pleased to meet you my lady, I am Aki Sunderhall, Inquisitor of the most holiest of pope. How may I help you today?”

His voice seemingly likened to an angel from above, soft and gentle, as if he was a man really wanting to help a lady in this dark and eerie forest.

She raised her guard up even more because despite the kind words he had said. She remembers who he was, his name known by all and even more feared by all.

Seemingly hurt by Amys actions, Aki no longer bowed and stood tall with an expression of hurt and betrayal.

“Oh my lady, how unkind of you to not respond to my queries. I am only asking a simple question for you.”

Aki no longer had a pretentious expression and had a widely grinning face, his aura intensifying as she felt her body and mind becoming slower and slower to function.

“Why are you here?” he asked as he approached Amy, taking his time. Akin to a child receiving a new toy to play with.

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Amy still didn't answer and instead of enduring this little chit chat any longer, she lunged at the man with her sword drawn and prepared to slice his head off in one movement.

A scarlet aura emanated from her as her own sword started showing a blood red color to it. She sliced her sword in a horizontal direction but didn't expect to kill this man.

And reality proved her expectation to be right as Aki held the tip of her sword, just a few centimeters away from his neck. Time stood still the moment he caught her sword as even Amy was a little surprised by what he did.

“Indeed, you are a good little Lady. Just not as good as me.”

Holding the tip of her sword, he proceeded to throw a fist to Amys’ face but she dodged it at the last second, pulling back her sword and widening the distance between them.

She strengthened her aura, using her skill [Eyes of the Crimson Moon]. Her eyes turned sanguine as her vision became clearer, letting her see the threads of mana connected to Aki.

What she saw startled her. She looked around and noticed that the whole place they were in was covered with threads. From the air they breathe to the ground they walk. Everything was part of Akis mana. As if it was his own Domain.

“Interesting. You saw something didn't you? Considering you're still just a kid, it's impressive for your age. I thought I had to stalk you all over the forest like I did Cosmo. Well I can still do it either way… It's not like it matters.”

He appeared in front of Amy without her realizing it, reaching out his hand to grab her by the neck. Amy reflexively widened the distance again narrowly getting away from his clutches.

Aki seems to have been by her reaction yet that was about it. He still had his playful smile plastered on his face.

Daggers of ice started forming around Aki and in just a few seconds, it whistled through the air, intending to pierce through.

Seeing it, she calmed her beating heart down and gracefully swung her sword at the incoming shards of ice. She focused all her mana in maintaining {Eyes of the Crimson Moon}. A scarlet hue was emanating from her eyes as she sliced every single shard coming at her. Seeing threads of mana wasn't the only thing she could see.

With every single shard broken, her every step to get closer to Aki was getting closer. Like a dancer making a show of performance to an audience, this dance was dedicated to Aki as it was a dance of Death.

At times one of those ice daggers would try piercing her only to be destroyed, yet sometimes several ice daggers came at her and she was forced to dodge or slice it apart.

She felt herself getting closer to him yet it seemed to be the opposite. The closer she got, the daggers turned sharper and faster. She deflected one of the ice daggers and yet another one soon replaced it.

Not having enough time to deflect, she dodged it but the ice dagger grazed at her shoulders. Yet there was no blood to be spilt from the wound, she felt her right shoulder freeze up on itself.

She gazed towards Aki and saw the sly grin on his face. She looked at him coldly before widening the distance even more, forsaking her previous plan.

She clutched her wound, as she saw frost encroaching her shoulder. She tried lifting her sword with her right hand yet intense jolts of pain shot through her shoulder.

Amy knew that time was not on her side.

She turned to Aki, seeing him approach her in a relaxed and calm manner. His wide grin is still apparent on his face. She saw that the environment around Aki was gradually freezing up.

It was not just the trail he walked on but also the very trees he passed by. Every single step he took, life was ultimately being taken away and frozen like they were in a blizzard.

“Now now, come fight now. It's no fun if you don't”

Amy was angered by his words as she impulsively switched to her left hand. She drew huge amounts of mana from the little amount of mana she had. Using {Red Intent}, she sent a shockwave of a sword slash towards Aki, barrelling down to his path as every single tree they passed was either crashed or obliterated.

Aki had a joyous expression on his face when he saw the sword intent coming at him. He finally took it a bit seriously as he pulled out a snowy white fan.

He simply swung his fan at the massive {Red Intent} and seemingly without effort, dispersing it as if it was easier than breathing.

He gave a smile when he realized that Amy was no longer there. She seemed to have vanished without a trace on the surface and yet, Aki didn't seem to have been disturbed by it.

“Clever girl.”

Folding his fan and unsummoning it, he started slowly walking to a path and whistled a tune as he went along. Deactivating the domain he was using while he was it, intending to enjoy the hunt for as long as possible.

In a few seconds, he was no longer in sight and was swallowed by the pitch black darkness of the forest.

…

I looked in a certain direction and felt the situation was worse than I thought. There was a feeling of something being wrong with the situation, but I just can't point it out for some reason.

“Cosmo?” asked the boy in the dark robes. Throughout their time in this cave, the boy was sometimes trying to make conversation with Cosmo but it seems that he didn't have to try.

I was perfectly fine with the only one talking, telling things about a wide array of subjects like the proper sharpness of a dagger or how to not piss off a teacher who I will not name.

At times the boy would ask about something from the outside world and I would promptly answer it with a smile. It was a back and forth exchange with mostly myself talking and the boy asking questions.

“Hm? No it's nothing.”