"Is... is there something you need?" The purple-haired, cute little girl holding a small puppy looked at Takeru nervously.
"Of course, Beast Master Meili Portroute." Looking at the frail Meili, Takeru said with a light laugh.
Hearing Takeru's words, Meili was startled. She had no idea where she had been exposed.
Hearing Takeru, Beatrice looked seriously at Meili. She didn't know Meili's identity but had heard of Beast Masters.
"My name is Meili. What are you talking about, big brother?" Hearing Takeru, Meili asked again.
"Still won't admit it? Did you destroy the barrier here? And the beast in your hands is under your control. I also know your purpose." Looking at the feigning Meili, Takeru's lips curled into a smile.
"..." Hearing Takeru, Meili remained silent.
"Elsa was killed by me. I burned her alive with fire. Her miserable screams are still fresh in my memory." Seeing her silence, Takeru said with a laugh.
"Kill them!" Hearing Takeru, Meili couldn't hold back any longer and loudly commanded the puppy in her hands.
Following Meili's command, the puppy emitted a yellow glow. Then, Takeru saw the ground beneath it turn into a mudslide, violently surging towards them.
"Such a weak move. Earth-Style Wall!" Watching the mudslide quickly approaching, Takeru lightly stomped his foot. A sturdy earthen wall rose before them, completely blocking the mudslide.
Realizing Takeru's strength wasn't to be underestimated, Meili had no intention of fighting. Her ability wasn't in herself but in her beasts. Currently, she only had the little one in her arms, making victory impossible.
"Ul Shamak!" However, as Meili tried to climb over the fence to escape, Beatrice quickly moved her hand. Meili was instantly enveloped in darkness, completely lost.
Sensing her master in danger, the puppy roared and began to grow, transforming in an instant into a giant vicious dog over three meters tall and four meters long.
The children not far away, seeing this monster, retreated fearfully.
As for Takeru, he expressionlessly watched the monster snarling at him.
"Gray Horn!" Extending his hand, an ice pillar quickly formed in Takeru's grasp and shot towards the monster at incredible speed. The thick ice spike easily pierced through its body, impaling it from head to tail.
As the monster was fully penetrated, its roar turned into a whimper. Within twenty seconds, it completely lost its life, leaving only blood-soaked earth.
Dismissing the ice pillar with a wave, Takeru turned to the still struggling Meili.
Thinking for a moment, he used telekinesis to bring her to his side. Looking at the breached barrier, he repaired it.
Takeru had studied the barrier Roswaal set up in the Forbidden Library, so repairing it was straightforward.
"Um, Takeru-nii, what about Meili...?" The children, who had watched the entire scene, nervously looked at Takeru and Meili in his arms.
"Meili's situation is special. I need to take her back for proper education." Seeing their worried eyes, Takeru said with a light laugh.
"This..." Hearing Takeru and looking at the huge beast corpse, the children were at a loss.
But they knew Meili wasn't a villager of Arlam Village, and she had appeared a few days ago. As children, they hadn't suspected a little girl like Meili. Now, things seemed complicated.
"Takeru-sama, are you alright?" At that moment, Ram and Rem quickly arrived. While selecting ingredients and spices inside, they sensed the mana fluctuations outside and hurried over.
"Don't worry, just a minor trouble. Have you finished shopping?" Hearing them, Takeru lightly pointed to the unconscious Meili in his arms.
"We've bought some things. There are still a few items left." Hearing Takeru, they sighed in relief.
"I see. Then go finish shopping. Bring everything to me when done." Hearing them, Takeru said with a light laugh.
"Yes!" Hearing Takeru, they obediently nodded and left again.
"Nii-san, what should we do with her?" Felt then asked Takeru curiously.
"No hurry. We'll decide after returning." Shaking his head lightly, Takeru smiled calmly.
"Mm-hmm." Hearing Takeru, Felt nodded. She had heard earlier that Meili only attacked after Takeru mentioned Elsa's name. Clearly, Meili had some connection with Elsa.
By noon, the village chief learned of the incident. Takeru subtly hinted at Meili's identity, and the chief quickly thanked Takeru and the others.
After all, Meili wasn't there for good. Takeru preventing danger was the best outcome.
After bidding farewell to the villagers, Takeru and the others returned to the Roswaal Mansion.
Back at the mansion, Takeru woke Meili. Seeing Takeru, Meili showed hatred.
"Heh, I advise you to drop that expression. Otherwise, I can't guarantee I won't casually kill you." Looking at her, Takeru spoke coldly, emitting a terrifying aura of malice amplified by Nen.
Facing this killing intent, even Meili showed fear, her body trembling as if frozen.
After intimidating her, Takeru withdrew the malice. Meili gasped for breath as if she had suffered inhuman torture.
"What was that?" Beatrice, who watched the whole thing, was full of curiosity.
"Just a small technique. If you want to learn, I'll teach you later." Hearing her, Takeru said with a light laugh.
"Alright, now you should understand your situation, Beast Master Meili." Turning back to the panting Meili, Takeru spoke indifferently.
"What do you want from me? Don't even think about it!" Hearing Takeru, Meili stubbornly retorted.
"Such backbone. Makes me want to applaud. But, little Meili, do you know that death is sometimes a release? There are things far worse than death." Hearing her, Takeru smiled wickedly.
In Meili's eyes, Takeru was now a super villain, making her heart race wildly.
Truthfully, Takeru didn't plan to kill Meili. From the original work, he knew this little girl was abandoned in the forest as a child, picked up by beasts due to her special physique, and lived with them.
Later taken out by [Bowel Hunter] Elsa, she worked with her for their 'mother'.
Young and untrained, she admired and idolized Elsa, blindly emulating her lifestyle, imitating Elsa's demeanor and speech, developing an assassin's mindset.
Honestly, Meili was somewhat like Kabuto from the Naruto World… a seed drifting in the wind, unsure of who she should be, what to do, or whom to imitate.
"Do you know, in my homeland, there were once ten great tortures: Flaying, Waist Cutting, Dismemberment by Chariots, the Five Punishments, Death by a thousand cuts, Hanging, Boiling... I wonder how many you could endure."
"Do you know, flaying involves burying someone in the ground with only their head exposed, cutting a cross on the scalp, peeling it open, then pouring mercury inside. Since mercury is heavier than blood, it separates muscle from skin. The buried person writhes in pain, unable to escape, until finally the body jumps out from the opening, leaving only the skin in the ground..."
"As for Death by a thousand cuts, it starts from the feet, cutting off pieces of flesh one by one. A thousand pieces must be cut before the prisoner is allowed to die. Of course, I have Healing Magic, so you definitely won't die mid-process. Then we can proceed to the next punishment."
Looking at Meili, Takeru detailed the tortures, even using Genjutsu to make it clearer for her.
"Ah! No... no! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!" In the Genjutsu, within five minutes, Meili was crying, snot and tears flowing, even wetting her pants from fear...