Chapter 13: Scam In a form of a child
Previouslyin the last chapter, shiori and her servants decided to go to the human town called melvia, which seemed fisher than a fisherman in summer.
What dark secrets hides within it...?
........
I stared ahead at the little girl that stood in front of us.
What's a child doing alone at this hour?
"Um excuse me,..um....I..I um..." The girl stuttered
Well she doesn't seem like she'slost, I turned to kuro.
"Please take care of this" I said to him
"okay..." He walked up to the little girl with a dark aura.
"Who are you and what do you want?. If you cant speak then move aside." He frowned
The little girl trembled petrified.
"Kuro, come..." I ordered as He skipped happily over to me.
I smacked him on the head.
"What the hell was that?!" I reprimanded as he stared at me pouting with lovestruck eyes.
"She was interrupting our date, shiori-sama" he pouted
"It wasn't a date! I asked you to calm her not threaten her you fool!" I scolded pulling him by the ear as he squirmed.
"Are you alright?" haru asked the girl who just nodded in response.
"Sorry for scaring you,but what are you doing here alone?" I asked her as I got on one knee to meet her eye level.
"I actually have a request..." She spoke as tears streamed down her cheeks before she suddenly embraced me.
"Get away from her!" Kuro fummed.
"I guess we're out of options, lets take her back with us to the inn." I suggested taking the girl in my arms as we walked back.
........
Back at the inn, I sat on the lounge chair, legs crossed as I waited for the little girl to explain herself
"My name is Mimi, in terms of family it's just me and my sister, but she got missing looking for work and I haven't seen her since" she explained
"What does your sister do?" I asked
"She's an adventurer" Mimi replied
"Maybe she got into some trouble" kuro said.
"That's one possiblity, how long as she been missing?" I asked
"Two months " she replied.
"I was kicked out of the house we were renting and now I'm on the streets.." she wailed
"What do we do shiori-sama?" Haru asked seeing the crying child.
I hope Ryu is having better luck... I sighed staring at the window absentmindedly.
No one's pov
Hooded figures wearing masks surrounded the wagon/ carriage with their weaponsout
"Kindly tell me, what business you have with our wagon?" The wannabe samurai emerged from the shadows, his eyes glowing menacingly.
The figures all lunged at him.
"Your slow. And your lunges are weak!" He reprimanded, dodging their attacks easily.
"My turn" he smirked unsheathing his sword.
SLASH!
He landed perfectly on his feet before turning to the enemy who were confused before their bodies fell to pieces, leaving the dragon dumbfounded.
"Wow, so sharp" he awed, from the corner of his eye, he noticed one of them trying to flee.
He stopped in front of them before knocking them out.
"Mission complete" he smiled in victory
Shiori's pov
"What do you mean complete, you intolerable moron" my eye twitched irritation after hearing his report.
"They were so weak, my lady" he sweatdropped
"You fooled! I said not to fight unless necessary, your luckily kuro volunteered to deal with your mess!"
"I'm really sorry my lady" he whined
"I'm going to lecture you until!-" I cut myself off as we spotted Mimi enter the room.
"I'll let you off the hook this time" I grumbled
"Oh! Thank you child!" Ryu smiled at Mimi
"My name is Mimi, and thankyou for letting spend the night " she spoke timidly
"No worries..." I smiled
"Thanks so much, big sister- I mean..."
"Call me whatever you want" I sat down on the lounge chair.
"Then, big sister it is? Oh, I have a picture of my sister!" She smiled bringing out a folded paper from her pocket.
"Wow it's so good" Ryu compliments. I took the paper to see but as I saw the image my face became stern.
"Ok I'll be going to bed now" Mimi smile leaving the room. Once out of earshot, her cute smile fell.
......
Kuro was walking back to their rented room. "So disgusting. Shiori-sama 's blood is much tastier" he pouted at the horrible taste still lingered on his tongue.
"Oh...?" He stepped inside only to see his master searching deeply into a bandit's mind with a stern expression.
But it quickly vanished as she acknowledged kuro's presence.
"Oh kuro, how did it go?"
"Well, they tasted disgusting thou." He pouted as Ryu chuckled awkwardly.
"Thankyou, kuroha. The bandit here is a henchman, there all just minor liabilities to the Diablo cult, however, they're also seems to be connected to Mimi and her sister.
"The little girl's sister?" Kuro asked.
"Yes, I've also pointed her sister's location, go and retrieve her."
"Now?!" Kuro was speechless
"How are you even sure that she's still alive?" Ryu asked
"Ryu, kuro, just follow orders..." She said flatly as she stared at him sternly, not giving room for protests.
"Very well, come along kuroha " Ryu took kuro before leaving the room.
No one's pov
"The master is truly something else." Kuro sighed
"She is indeed, she's usually calm and collected but this the first time I've seen her act so determined to save someone other than her brother, even with the goblins she wasn't like this " Ryu frowned
"Maybe the girl in question is a friend of hers?" Kuro queried
"Maybe, because I didn't recall seeing her in shiori-sama memories" Ryu stated.
"What the master's memories?! I'm so jealous- I mean offended on her behalf of you invading her privacy!" Kuro pouted before leaning closer.
"So what kind of lady is shiori-sama?" He asked intrigued
"Find that out yourself" Ryu brushed him off
"So unfair!~ come on spill~" kuro whined
"And if we don't retrieve that woman soon, her mood would only worsen " Ryu frowned.
"No..." Kuro tensed at the thought, even thou expression his master made was always beautiful. The thought of her being upset bothered him.
"Its almost dawn, let's hurry" Ryu said as kuro nodded in agreement.
Shiori's pov
I'm counting on you two. I frowned as I stared at the enemy before me. I did a little digging and searched for the remaining bandits that still lurked in this twisted town.
I asked Haruna to watch over and protect Mimi while I'm away.
"Why hello there, I can see business is booming" I said staring at the bandits as they held out their weapons.
"Tell me, why did you do all that to Mimi's sister and where is your coward of a leader" I asked sternly.
"Don't act smart with us, bitch!" One of them shot their gun, I stood my ground as the bullet passed me.
"No good at aiming I see, I'll ask a different question, where's that crimson cross dog you call your leader."
"How do you know that name? Who told you!" One of him yelled furious.
"I'm the one asking the questions, if you can't answer them, then you no longer have serve purpose to me"
{Steel Webbing activated}
There bodies fell to pieces as they're blood stained the ground. I had seen everything in that bandit Ryu had brought, How they experimented on Mimi's sister after gas lighting her and forced her into submission.
"How pitiful, your lives wasted on aiming for wealth and power only to gain neither and lose your humanity..."
{Slime manipulation activated}
I made a blade out of slime as it blocked the attacker from behind.
"I guess I'll play with you instead" I smirked.
"Don't underestimate me, kid!" He lunged forward as I cut him up with my webs.
"Didn't even last up to a minute, how laughable"
{Radar activated}
I looked around as no more enemies were viewed as I turned to the crates.
"Don't worry, I'll look after the valuables you've left behind" I smirks staring at their cargo as my eyes twinkle with delight.
Gold coins, art pieces, if you can even call it art, weaponry...
My trial of thought was disturbed as the sound of thumping caught my attention. I looked over to a covered cage with curiosity. I took of the cover as my eyes widened with horror.
What the actual hell?!
No one's pov
The next morning, Haruna and Mimi went to sell the merchandise.
"Wow, I couldn't believe they sold for so much, guess shiori-sama was right after all" Haruna beamed as she looked at the sack of gold coins in the back of the wagon.
Master still hasn't returned yet, I hope she's okay. Haruna sighed with worry.
"Um haru-san, I can't believe you can't drive a wagon." Mimi said unsure
"I'm surprised you actually can" she replied
"Ha! I'm a big girl and this is basic stuff" she beamed pridefully.
"Your sister must be so proud"
"Yeah..." Mimi gave a sad smile as she recalled the memories.
Flashback.....
"What how are we indebt so soon we just cleared the last one?!" Mimi cried as her sister patted her head
"Don't worry, I'll paid it all back. We've been assigned a quest so it wouldn't be long" her sister smiled
A few days later, she returned covered with injures
"Sister!" Mimi looked horrified.
"I couldn't defeat the monster, Mimi, listen to me, you have to go to melvialine even if it's on your own."
"But sister..." "I have to stay to repay my debt, it would all be okay " she smiled
A few weeks later, the little girl stood on the streets as she listened for information.
"Apparently she collapsed before she could do anything " a bandit said walking with another
"Yeah, but she's utterly useless how " the other frowned.
The sister slowly backed away alone to bump into someone waiting for her.she turned around horrified.
"Where do you think you're going?" The man smirks
Flashback ends...
Meanwhile, in a random room the missing woman was held captive. She looked deadly pale as tears, drool and snort dried on her lifeless face.
"Oh my, how unsightly" kuro frowned staring at the woman who looked confused as two figures approached her.
"She looks like she's about to croak" Ryu deadpanned.
"Maybe experimentef on, but no matter..." Kuro casted healing on her as her once nearly deceased body felt normal and light
"What?!" She sat up abruptly, surprised she could move now.
"Impressive as always, kuroha" Ryu smirks.
"I don't care for your, opinion" he said breaking the door down.
The lady just stared at in shock, blinking a couple times before on instinct following the two.
"Hey!" A voice called as the lady tensed a bit, the two men turned to face the person who spoke, his golden hair shines as his blood red eyes stared at them.
"And you are?" Ryu asked, suspicious of him as he held his katana hilt. The man ignored his question and turned to the lady
"Your Lila, correct where are you running off to?"
"Zerav mils..." The woman frowned.
Shiori's pov
I laid on my bed, scrolling through my phone. playing a game on it.
I might have to agree with Ryu on this town, it really needs some improvement.
I'm counting on you two.
No one's pov
"So you aren't here to recuse this woman?" Kuro asked.
"Recuse!" The man laughed
"No, he's actually their leader." The woman frowned as she trembled.
"Ara Ara, so he let's his minions do all the dirty work and facades as a hero, how cowardly." Ryu taunted
"Well if it isn't the big shots from the guild, I have a proposal for you two.." zerav smirks
"Proposal?" They blinked
"Join me, I can tell you're both really strong, I'll show you how to conduct yourselves properly, you'll have all the wealth and fame you could ever dreamed off!" He offered
"No thanks, I don't follow cowards" Ryu declined
"Not interested " kuro declined politely.
"Being faithful to that woman huh, some half baked monster! Well I must say I'm rather impressed she had the audacity to show up in this town like she's on equal footing with us humans, a far more superior race!" He mocked
The two's aura grew intense at the comments about their master, however, they respect their masters rules.
Just then kuro noticed something strange, this man, zerva had an insignia, similar to the one he remembered seeing when he was always summoned.
He's eyes darkened.
"Ryu, we can fight them" he spoke shocking the wannabe samurai.
"But, we can't -" he cut him off
"There with the Crimson cross it's alright"
Ryu smiled at the news.
Mimi sat in front of the inn feeling conflicted. The fox lady she met had been nothing but kind to her yet she had to steal from her to repay her sister's debt.
"Hey you!" Mimi turned to see the inn's receptionist as he frowned at her like she was dirt.
"Um...I..." She timidly stood up.
"Your going to drive away customers, so shoo!" He spoke harshly. Just then a hand tapped on his shoulder.
"That girl is my dear friend, so you better treat her with respect." The receptionist froze at the voice as he turned to meet the icy gaze of no one other than the fox hybrid herself
"Forgive me!" He begged on his knees knowing her servant were no joke.
"Are you alright?" She asked Mimi who teared up.
"Big sister!" She cried hugging the girl close.
You people will pay for pushing innocent souls like Mimi to do such vile crime.The fox girl swore.
I hope those two are ok...
.......
"For the sake of your ego, you better not die on the first hit" Ryu grinned cracking his knuckles
"Don't mock us you bastard!" Zerav Don't mock us you bastard!" Zerav gestured for his men to deal with them.
Ryu beat the living shit out of them, laughing menacingly. Men crashed into the hallway as the cells were destroyed one by one in the process, freeing its other prisoners.
"You, seem to be having fun..." Kuro deadpanned as he looked for the leader.
One of them tried to backstab him only to be hit with poisonous mist and turned to dusk.
"There you are" he found the piece of shit laying on the ground, barely conscious.
"I won't kill you, but a scum bag deserve to be punished" kuro kicked him in the stomach before repeated slapping him across the face.
"How unsightly, now my gloves are soiled with your blood" he took them off before using them to slap the man once more as he passed out.
"Um what's going on here?" A prisoner asked dumbfounded.
The two monsters got carried away as the whole block was razed leaving everyone speechless.
"Big sister!" Mimi called from the destruction as her and shiori emerged from the chaos.
"Mimi!" The lady was on the verge of tears as she embraced her sister. Shiori finally got a clear view of the woman. She looked around her age, have purple hair and blue eyes .
Shiori's pov
{Location: inn}
"Thankyou so much for your help!" Lila bowed greatfully as tears strolled down her face. The two slept on the bed peacefully in each other's arms.
"Good work you two..."
Ryu and kuro smiled as Haruna entered the room
"The other victims are treated and all the merchandise has been sold." She reported
Very good.