8 Out of Consideration

A few hours before the town's alarm sounded...

While Jae Farley and Farlyn were at the Adventurer's Guild, Jade and the others were staying in the outskirts of the forest.

"It's already been a day! I miss Jae!" Scarlett whined as she played with a couple of nuts. "Oh, that rhymes."

"It's only been a day, Scarlett. You already said that five times. Jae will be fine. We can wait until tomorrow," Clara Nixon, an angel-like beast, brushed her feathers with her fingers.

"But, what if he's hurt. He's always been so weak!"

"And you said that six times," she paused, "Wait, Jae was a guy?"

Jade sighed, "If it makes you feel better, then I'll go find him. I can gather information while I'm at it."

Scarlett wagged her scaley tail, "Can I come too?"

"No, your appearance is too conspicuous. I will be going with Melody, Clara, Bridget, and Wendy. Bridget and Wendy will be waiting outside the town in case we need to escape. Melody, Clara, and I mainly have our features hidden by these cloaks. In addition, we look more human."

"But what about Iris? She pretty much looks human with flowers in her head!"

Iris smiled, "You mean flowers ON my head, right?"

Scarlett rapidly nodded, "Yes. Yes. Yes."

"She will be keeping the rest of you in check together with Alexis. Honestly, I don't know how you girls can be so childish--"

"Ms. Hargraves! Allow me to follow you!"

Jade solemnly gazed at the fragile crystal girl.

"No, stay here and protect the others. I will be fine," Jade said as she picked up her bag and hid her horns under the cloak's hood. "Let's go, Clara, Melody, Bridget, and Wendy."

"I'd rather not listen to you, but I do want to go to town," Clara scowled as she prepared her things.

Alexis remained silent as she watched.

As Jade left, she reminisced about the time in Altwidus's forest.

--------

In a silent forest filled with unknown souls, heavenly light flowed down a mysterious world.

Within such a scene, a demon girl stands before a crystalized golem.

"Ms. Hargraves. Please exact your punishment. As your bodyguard, I have failed in saving you from death nor could I prevent the incident."

"I won't punish you, Alexis. If anything, you should have a grudge against me. You don't even need to guard me anymore. I'm not the next head of my family, nor will you ever be rewarded for your duties. You can stop and become free now."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Hargraves. I cannot do that."

"Why?"

"Ms. Hargraves, please don't misunderstand. I'm not guarding you because of my family, but because I want to."

"I-I don't want you to do this."

"I will always protect you--no matter which lifetime. No matter what."

A heavy sigh echoed.

"You were always hard-headed as a child. Now you literally have a hard head."

Glistening under the sun, the translucent crystal sparkled like stars. But, what was brighter was her vibrant smile. The very first one within thirteen years.

"I am glad that I do."

--------

Walking to the town of Ellan took fifteen minutes on foot from the forest. From up close, it seemed a lot smaller than what they expected.

As the group approached, Bridget and Wendy hid in the bushes outside of town. Jade, Clara, and Melody, while hidden under cloaks, were stopped by the guards at the gates.

"Please take out your identification card." A monotonous voice emanated from the guard.

"We lost ours due to a monster attack."

The guard nodded and led them to a small room wherein the guard took note of the group's identities and information. After filling out the papers, the guard told them to wait until the papers have been processed, which would take a week at most. They asked if there was any way to speed up the procedure and the guard then referred them to the Adventurer's Guild. A different guard accompanied them.

At the Adventurer's Guild, Jae had already left with Farlyn to complete the herb gathering request. Meanwhile, the poor receptionist was back on duty with an endless line of adventurers waiting for their requests to be processed and rewarded.

"I can go buy some supplies while we wait," Melody suggested.

"You can go with Clara. Here, take this," Jade handed the bag filled with money to Melody. While Jae had the loot from the researchers, Jade was given some gold by Altwidus without anyone knowing.

"We need a map and food. Buy some weapons if you have enough money left."

Melody received the bag and left with Clara.

The guard behind them didn't mind that some of the girls left. His job simply didn't pay him enough for him to care.

--------

Two petite figures, who were mainly hidden under cloaks, tread through the boisterous crowd.

"It seems there is a market up ahead," Clara remarked.

"Hey, Clara."

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry," Melody muttered, fidgeting. She averted her eyes from Clara's scrutiny.

"Ha? For what?"

"You know...for saying those things back in the forest."

"No, why are you apologizing to me?"

Eyes widening, she looked towards Clara and realized that the angelic girl was staring at her without moving.

"Weren't you angry at me for saying those things?"

"Maybe at the time. But, I've long forgotten about it. Furthermore, you shouldn't be apologizing to me, but to Natalie and Layla for yelling at them," she placed her hand on her hip, "Now, stop dawdling and let's finish the task."

Melody's complexion brightened. She smiled, forming dimples, "Thank you. I promise that I will."

As they strolled through the marketplace, they bought plenty of groceries. In a bookstore nearby, they retrieved a map. Melody was surprised that paper and books were mass produced. Because of Nora's odd assumptions, she believed that they were in a medieval fantasy world.

Apparently, the dwarves could not use magic but rather created advanced technology. Currently, they were in their Industrial era. However, the dwarves remained in their country without releasing their knowledge. Alternatively, they sold machines like the printing press, steam engines, weapons, and tools.

For the simple machines, humans could take them apart and replicate them. However, humans were busy with fighting wars with demon kings to continue advancing in technology for daily use. If given a few years without war, perhaps the human cities would have reached modern times by now.

On the other hand, the war advanced human weapons and magic as the need for the two increased. While humans were lacking in producing technology compared to the dwarves, they could adapt to different kinds of magic easily and had a higher population than all races other than the undead. Furthermore, they can mine for magic stones without being contaminated by mana to trade for dwarven products.

Melody remembered that the facility appeared really modern due to the combination of magic and the dwarves; it even rivaled modern laboratories.

"I don't think we have enough for weapons," Melody held the deflated bag up.

"Well then, let us head back."

Melody glanced up at the blue sky as she wondered if they were forgetting something. In that short inattention, she had let her guard down.

"Hey, aren't you…" A stranger grabbed Melody's cloak and accidentally pulled it off, "Oh, I got the wrong person...huh? A fairy?"

Seeing those delicate thin-membrane wings, the stranger was bewildered. Instead of apologizing and giving the cloak back, the man dropped the cloak and screamed in fear, "Sound the alarm! There is a fairy in town!"

"A fairy?"

"Run! Escape far from town!"

"Aaahh!"

"Call the guards!"

Melody watched the scene in shock, "How could they run away from the beautiful me?"

"Don't just stand there! We got to leave NOW!" Clara snatched Melody's hand and dragged her towards the town's exit.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The bells chimed, signaling that a dangerous monster had appeared.

But as chaos occurred, Melody only had one question in her mind.

'Why did this have to happen?'

--------

Dong! Dong! Dong!

When Jade Hargraves heard the bells, she knew something wrong transpired in town.

She dashed out of line before the guard could react and progressed toward the commotion.

'Please let them be safe.'

Desperately wishing for the two to still be intact, she maneuvered between the panicking masses. After asking Alexis to stop guarding her to no avail, she decided to take lessons in self-defense and martial arts from Alexis. Without anyone noticing, she stole a sword from an empty stall and continued speeding into the middle of town.

"Alexis! Melody! Where are you?"

She ran and ran. Minutes passed without even a sign of the duo. Guards and the visiting adventurers surrounded her. They were fully equipped with weapons and armor.

"It's her! The one in the black cloak!"

"But she's just a child!"

"That may look like a child, but it might be older than all of us! It's a fairy! A single one can wipe out an entire town!"

A swordsman moved forward and swung his sword. Jade took a step backward and parried with her own sword. Barely escaping the blow unscathed, she twisted her body and ran.

Two arrows shot past. A third hit the shoulder.

Movements faltering, she tripped and fell. A guard yanked at the robe revealing her true appearance.

Horns protruded from her dark purple hair. Bat-like wings shielded her body to protect her vitals.

A gasp could be heard from the crowd.

"D-Demon!"

"It's a demon child!"

Expressions of disgust emerged from the citizens. It was due to the wars against demons over the years that many had lost loved ones and much more.

"Kill her!"

"Burn her!"

Only fifteen minutes had passed since the bells rang and the once lively town became one overflowing with hostility.

In the heightened madness, a guard thrust his spear into Jade. Without remorse, the spear pierced into her chest.

"Ms. Hargraves!" A cry filled with anguish echoed.

While holding a rapier swiped from an unknown time and place, Alexis Crafford pushed through the people and thrust toward the unsuspecting guard. She stabbed into the man's chest. In agony, the man released the spear and fell over.

Two guards tried to attack Alexis, however, she effortlessly parried their weapons and slashed at their vitals. It was as if her fragile looking body that looked like it could shatter at any time was a lie.

Together with her rapier, she danced with swift footsteps. Everywhere she advanced, one or two enemies would fall. However, her movements demanded too much of her body as cracks began to appear on her smooth limbs.

At some point in time, Jae, Iris, and Scarlett had arrived. In haste, the Iris and Jae supported Jade as they sprinted to the exit.

"Move out of the way fools!" Scarlett blocked the incoming arrows and clawed at those intercepting her. Alexis supported Scarlett with quick steps.

With the aid of Alexis, the group managed to get past the town walls. Outside, Wendy and Bridget were ready to assist the getaway.

Supporting Jade up Wendy's back, she galloped towards the forest. The rest followed with Alexis fending off the pursuers.

Soon, they broke away and dashed deep into the forest.

Into the land where no human could find them.