<< Why do you call that thing your father? >>
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It seemed that she might've gone a bit overboard with the intimidating. Ayshe was staring at [Name]'s uncovered face, but with the shorter girl's mask, [Name] couldn't figure out what she was thinking. The other girl didn't move, or rather, couldn't due to the shock of seeing one of her own.
[Name]'s face dropped into a neutral stare, and she dropped back onto her heels so that she was no longer looming over Ayshe. She sighed, waving her hand at Ayshe half heartedly.
"Why don't you take off your own mask?" she suggested. "I already know your secret, and I assume Gorian does as well."
Ayshe took a defensive stance. "How do you know that."
It wasn't a question, [Name] noticed. This girl, despite being so much smaller than [Name], was confident that her ability to fight was greater than [Name]'s. How peculiar. Ayshe almost reminded her of herself.
"Your feet." [Name] gestured at the boots peeking out of Ayshe's dress. "Demons don't wear shoes."
"Demons?" Ayshe echoed, the horror in her voice a tad bit more than [Name] would've preferred. The (h/c) tilted her head.
"The creatures around us," she explained, sliding her mask back on. "We call them demons because of the horns."
"They're not demons," Ayshe snapped. "They're just like us."
"Do we eat children?" [Name] questioned. Ayshe growled.
"Maybe they do," she admitted, stepping forward with anger in her step. "But that person you call a demon is my father. He took me in and raised me."
"And why would he do that," [Name] said, her voice a flat monotone. "Are you sure he isn't... raising you up?"
Ayshe stepped up to the taller girl. "He's my dad."
"You say that as if it means anything," [Name] replied, remembering her own experiences with a so-called mother and father. Isabella had acted the part of a mother, but even that meant nothing when she sent her own children to their deaths. Peter Ratri had called himself her father and proceeded to experiment and torture her.
Any parent was one in name only. She'd thought Isabella was her mother too.
Ayshe bristled. How peculiar. Why would she be so angry for a demon? [Name] refused to believe that that thing could be anything close to a caring parent.
"Who hurt you?" she asked, jabbing [Name] in the chest. "I've seen you before. You talk to those vendors like they're family."
"I can lie," [Name] said simply, gently pushing away Ayshe's finger.
"To yourself, or them?" Ayshe countered. [Name] blinked. "Gorian treats you like you're his daughter, and you-"
"Good for him," [Name] clicked her tongue. "Ayshe, I don't think you understand. You don't get what these things are."
"They're people," Ayshe repeated. "And I understand as much as you do. I don't get why you hate them so much."
[Name] stalled for a moment. Was she really seeing this- hearing this, even? A human, a cattle child, just like her, and yet... Was this even possible? Perhaps, then, was she... How?
"...Ayshe, where did you grow up?" [Name] asked tentatively. Ayshe froze, not understanding the entire question.
"I grew up here, like anyone else," she answered, her confidence slowly loosing itself. "Wait. You said 'we' earlier."
[Name]'s shoulders lost their tension. "I see."
"You're a cattle child?" Ayshe asked, her voice hushed. "There are others?"
The girl stepped back. "We're all cattle children, Ayshe."
"We," Ayshe said. "So there are more of us."
[Name] sighed, turning her back and walking back to the bookshelf. "Quiet down. Do you want them to hear us?"
Ayshe followed her, the girl's previous aggression having dissolved. "I thought I was the only one. Could I meet them?"
"I was planning to bring you to them in the first place," [Name] answered, meeting Ayshe's gaze. "But only on one condition.
"Spill," Ayshe said, certainty in her voice.
"You'll leave Faarih. Forever." [Name]'s voice was as cold as the tundra. Ayshe's stance faltered upon hearing [Name]'s conditions. "If I take you to meet the others, you will live with me and them. You will become an enemy to the demons. Eventually, you may have to kill your own father."
"Kill my own..." Ayshe crossed her arms. "I can't leave him."
"Unfortunate," [Name] sighed. "It'd be better for you."
"I'll see what's better for me for myself," Ayshe said defiantly. "Do they all hate people too?"
"The demons aren't people," [Name] corrected. "They're an entirely different species."
"But they live exactly like us," Ayshe insisted. "What's so different about them?"
"How would you know what a human lives like?" [Name] inquired. "I'm the first one you've ever seen."
"He taught me," Ayshe said. It was clear that she was starting to become angry, exasperated with her fellow human being. "My father taught me language, history, everything I knew."
"That doesn't sound like any father I've ever heard," [Name] said, flipping through a book. Her delicate fingers traced every page, searching for any information. Ayshe's face softened behind her mask.
"Why would you say that?" she asked. "This-"
"Girls," Gorian opened the door of the library, cutting Ayshe off. "How are things doing back here?"
[Name]'s voice had already changed by the time she responded, shocking Ayshe by how quickly she managed to play her role. It was definitely unnatural how the other girl, who was so cold and hateful before, turned into this loving, innocent persona known as Daina.
"We're getting along just fine," [Name] assured, waving her hands. "Did you get the book I requested?"
Not like it matters all that much. The books are only so that I can understand what the demons believe in.
Besides, [Name] glanced towards Ayshe, who was now standing protectively next to Faarih. Another human wasn't something I expected to find today. It'll be inconvenient if I bring her by force to the base. She isn't in immediate danger... yet. Hard to say what those things are thinking.
Still, I should be able to leave her in the care of Faarih for a while.
"Certainly," Gorian smiled, touching her hands with the book. [Name] ran her fingers over the worn cover, feeling the demon language underneath her.
For the past seven months, she and Norman had been able to learn the demon language based off of ancient relics in the base and Smee's information. At the moment, she was learning the legends and tales of demons - if she could figure out how they were raised, she could learn how they thought.
She stowed the book into her basket, right next to the fruit. "Thank you, Gorian."
"Of course," Gorian nodded, petting her head. [Name] fought back the urge to smack him off of her - she hated when humans did that, and it was even worse coming from a demon. "It's almost evening now. You should be going back."
"I am." [Name]'s eyes was twitching from the sheer willpower of keeping a friendly persona. Suddenly the weight of her sword against her leg became all too apparent. She turned to Faarih and Ayshe. "It was nice to meet you both. Ayshe, I hope we can talk again soon."
Ayshe didn't answer as she shook hands with her father, nor did she when [Name] extended a hand towards her. Just so that she wasn't seen as rude, Ayshe begrudgingly shook [Name]'s hand.
"Goodbye, now," she bowed slightly, before making her way to the door. Just before she touched the doorway, Gorian spoke abruptly.
"Before you leave, Daina," he advised, freezing [Name]'s hand. "Please be careful on your way home. The Geelan clan was released in that area - they could still be there."
Faarih sucked in a breath at the name like it was an evil spirit.
"The Geelan clan?" [Name] repeated. "I've never heard of them."
"That isn't surprising, considering how long ago it was," Gorian agreed. "They were former nobles banished to the wilderness. Take care not to encounter them."
Former nobles, who were banished. Seems perfect.
[Name] waved her hand. "I appreciate it, but I've taken that route several times. I'll be fine."
"If you're certain," Gorian said calmly. "Good day, now. Your mother must be waiting."
"Good day."
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[Name] glanced behind her at the village. Now, she was in the depths of the forest, so far away that the village seemed like a tiny speck. She slid off her mask, scanning the area for anyone or anything. Only rustling leaves surrounded her, and no sounds gave away any creature's prescence.
She confirmed that she was alone, then put her fingers in her mouth and let loose a high pitched whistle. Almost instantaneously the sound of hooves followed. [Name] smiled at Somnus, her Freisian horse with a pelt the color of inky, skidded to a halt in front of her. She reached up and stroked his nose, snickering when he snorted at her, shaking his head.
Two things that I need to report - this Geelan clan, and Ayshe's existence. Hmm... perhaps not the latter. Norman might take things the wrong way and kill her father trying to save her - and we can't have a possible traitor in our midst. With the others this wouldn't be a problem, but Ayshe was raised by a demon. We don't want to force her.
But if it comes to that... we might have to.
[Name] sighed, squishing Somnus's cheeks. "What am I going to do, Somnus..."
She stepped onto the saddle and swung herself onto his back. Perhaps I could investigate Ayshe a bit more. Perhaps find out where her home is. Would that be overstepping it?
No, that's creepy. Let's go back.
[Name] flicked the reins, and Somnus took off. She still couldn't get over what Ayshe had said to her in that conversation. Never in her life had she ever seen a human, much less a cattle child, defend a demon. What made things even worse, was that she knew that her father ate human children. How could Ayshe stand the demon, knowing what he was and what he did?
She shook her head. Either Ayshe was having an extreme form of Stockholm Syndrome, or she was being manipulated spectacularly. Demons didn't father humans. It wasn't in their nature. They were monsters, and that was all they would ever be.
Still, the girl's behavior left something uneasy in [Name]'s stomach. She reached down and stroked Somnus's neck, the horse bickering as she did so.
I need to get to the bottom of this.
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"Chief, you're back!"
[Name] untied her green cloak, folding it in her arms as she led Somnus through the tree's hole. She nodded at the child who had greeted her, patting their head for a moment before continuing on into the base.
Their group of one hundred had expanded to about eight times that amound, perhaps even more. [Name] had stopped counting when they reached five hundred. The base had grown into something absolutely beautiful, a fully developed city within the tree.
Musical instruments were available at one shop, with another handling the meat the hunters often brought in. Clothing was spun at multiple buildings, and a flourishing garden had taken up most of the bottom floor. Food was always available. The children were free to do whatever they wanted.
They'd even begun excavating further up into the tree, making new rooms so that even more children could join the base. Vincent had built an owl pen for communication after Norman had shown a clear affinity for them. Weapons were being enhanced, refined, and built by the second.
"Welcome back!" A girl greeted. [Name] recognized her as the main violinist in the orchestra.
"Thank you," [Name] replied professionally, before walking away and up the stairs to meet with Norman. Vincent met her halfway.
"Any new information?" he asked as [Name] briskly sped past him, Barbara and Cislo appearing out of nowhere. The (h/c) glanced behind her, shedding the dress and revealing her typical suit underneath.
"I need to discuss with Minerva first," she replied, no longer uncomfortable with calling her friend such a strange name. "Though, we might have a lead."
"That's good, right?" Cislo asked, following her as she climbed the steps to Norman's room. [Name] stopped in front of Norman's door.
"Perhaps. Please wait outside for a moment. I will be with you shortly."
"Okay~" Barbara whined, rubbing the back of her neck. She glanced at Cislo as [Name] disappeared into Norman's room. "Geez, I wonder why she never tells anything to us first."
"It's so that she can reveal it with a proper plan," Vincent answered. "There's no point in telling us information when we don't make the plans."
"Still, the Minerva and her are so close, aren't they?" Barbara grinned cheekily. "I just wish they'd let us in a bit more."
"Yeah..." Cislo sighed. "Well, what can we do about it. Let's go Barbs. No use staying around here waiting."
"'Kay~."
Norman looked up as [Name] opened the door to his office, closing it behind her. "You're back."
He smiled. "Good, you're unharmed."
[Name] sighed, rolling her eyes. "Of course I am."
Norman chuckled, setting down his pen. "So, how did it go?"
His friend's eyes dimmed.
"I found something very interesting today."
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Alright. Let's talk seriously for a moment.
I'm sure most of you have seen the late updates increasing lately, and I hate it too. But I'm going to have to say that I have to go off the schedule now.
I love this series, and I'm not going to discontinue it. I've come too far for that to happen. But I've hit a major writer's block with this series, and I'll need some time.
I won't be updating on a strict schedule anymore. This is supposed to be a hobby, but it's feeling more like work at this point. I don't want to pull chapters out of nowhere, because I want to give you higher quality chapters.
I'll be taking a week-long break after this so I can focus on the other things that I want to work on without worrying about this. I'm sorry about the late updates, but I've lost my motivation for this book, and I need to reread TPN's manga and come up with a decent plan before writing again.
I'm not giving up on this series. But I want to give you guys the chapters you deserve. Thank you for understanding.
- Allergy