Eventually, every corner of the building complex was scoured, and in the end, more than forty slavers and almost sixty kidnapped elves were found and secured. It appears they weren't all meant to be transported this time and that there were other operations planned for the future. There was enough evidence pointing to Sveinn Itkonen, the merchant of whom Rolan wanted to accept the request for escorting him to the capital. Ingrid immediately sent some people to apprehend him at his inn. Well, the aftermath doesn't interest me too much, though. I gained a new companion, someone whose loyalty lies with me. It was a great evening for me.

The best part? Kamii seems to have taken a liking Senka. Finally, a kindred spirit on the party. Yes, I told Rolan that I officially wanted to join his group of adventurers and that she will be joining, too. We'll accompany them on the quest to take down the demon lord. If I keep watch on them, I can measure their growth. But really, there must be other people just like him, who also have that goal. I can't be that lucky and meet the one party destined to fight Maou-mama, right?

Really though, we make for a strange appearance. I, carrying around a creepy doll, with Kamii hanging onto my sleeve like a scared little sister - who happens to have a huge crab claw as her right arm. Onee-san is here for you, though. I'll protect you from the evil humans. Although I don't even have money to buy you clothes. But Gram was kind enough to offer to buy her some out of his own pocket the next day. Kamii-chan, call this man oji-san, alright?

It's late at night when we finally get back to the tavern. Rolan reserved two rooms when we arrived in the city, one with three beds for the men and the other with two for the women. Kamii hadn't been within his calculations at the time. There are no other rooms available, so we're short one bed.

"Well, we can swap rooms, and I can sleep on the sofa." He was kind enough to offer thus. There's a sofa chair in the room with the two beds, but it doesn't look very comfortable. Not that I care whether he's comfortable or not, but there's a reason for me to refuse it.

"No, do not worry about us. Kamii-chan will sleep with me." She's clinging to me, and I pet her head. It's quite obvious that she wouldn't want to leave my side for the time being. But the beds aren't big enough for Senka to also fit. Well, it may be cold of me, but you'll be sitting on the sofa through the night. I'm sorry.

After a bath, where I wash the former slave girl thoroughly, we finally go to bed, and Luna blows out the candle with a "Goodnight, Miss Marcott, Kamii."

Hm, I don't feel sleepy at all, though. Luna fell asleep right away, and her rhythmic breathing can be heard from her bed. I look down to find that Kamii is looking up at me with her mesmerizing violet eyes. They glow a little in the dark. Do you have night vision, too? I hug her and kiss her hair. Ahhh, it smells good. Crap, I might get addicted to this.

Suddenly I hear a noise inside the room, and my eyes are wide open. I can see in the dark, so nothing can escape my view. I turn my head to look in the corner where Senka is and almost scream.

She's sitting there like a puppet with its strings cut, eyes wide open, staring right at me. Stop it, that's creepy! Is that resentment in your gaze? Do you hate me for not letting you sleep on the bed as well? But it's already quite cramped with the two of us. I'm sorry, please don't curse me! And stop looking at me like that!

"Senka, can't you at least close your eyes?" I whisper to her. She doesn't react. Damn you, you're actually mad about me leaving you out in the cold, aren't you? "Please, I can't sleep, if you stare like that..."

I'm not sleepy, but if I don't sleep, I'll regret it in the morning. I'm sure Senka is laughing at me on the inside, about how I'm scared of her, while my real appearance can literally cause people to die upon seeing me. But I'm still not good with her kind of horror...

Kamii's grip on me relaxes, and I can hear her breathing calm down to that of someone sleeping. So she's feeling safe enough in my embrace to fall asleep. Ah, I'm sure my smile right now is quite motherly. Or rather, like an older sister's. I'm not old enough to be a mother. And I have zero experience, too.

I must have fallen asleep thinking about idle things of my past. When I wake up, Kamii is still asleep, and I hear Luna breathing lightly, too. The room is in the twilight of dawn, and I turn my head. Damn it, Senka! You're still staring at me like that. I sit up and look down to realize that my bedmate is holding her right arm behind her in a really awkward position. That doesn't look very comfortable, but she did it so it wouldn't bother me - what a sweet girl. I lightly touch her hair, and she stirs a little but doesn't wake up. This is giving me a fuzzy feeling.

So, I sit on the bed and review the things that happened so far. I was reincarnated as a monster. A Cosmic Horror as Senka called it; a special kind of slime, as I would call it. And I'm the daughter of the demon lord. I ate a steamed human and actually enjoyed it. I was accidentally sent to a place called the Dark Continent, where monsters are considered deadly even by demon standards. I was brought back to the castle, given a starter kit as if I'm in an RPG game, and sent to somewhere in the human territories - most certainly by accident once again. I met Rolan, and his party in a human village, learned that I'm in the Kingdom of Lares, and joined his party. I watched them kill a beast similar to a vularen, but weaker. I traveled with them to this town called Hovsgaerden. I learned about the fact that slavery exists, met a cursed doll-like girl who seems to have come from a different world as well, although she has a Japanese name - Ootsuki Senka. I helped in a raid on an underground slave trade ring and freed a cursed dark elf child called Kamii.

All in five days.

That's more eventful than I can say about the last five years in my previous life. I can't really say I'm grateful for this experience, but if I had to choose between nothingness after death and this, then I'm grateful for this experience. I had to fear for my life, and I'm still not out of the woods, but this life is fascinating. I'm meeting interesting people and beings, and I'm living an adventure - although it's quite different from how I would have envisioned it.

"Creepy smile..." I hear Senka whisper. Am I smiling? And damn you for pointing it out like that!

"I don't know where all this will lead me, but I think I like it here." I say to nobody in particular. Yes, even while surrounded by people who would turn hostile against me, if only they knew what I really am, I'm feeling happy.

"You're quite lucky with what you were reincarnated as. Imagine you were completely powerless. Or you only had the power to reset to a seemingly arbitrarily set save point if you died. As a simple high school girl, you would have faced despair a lot." Senka rains on my parade. I'm aware of that. If I had been reincarnated as a powerless and talentless human in a world filled with magic and monsters, I don't know what I'd have done. I wouldn't have been able to meet this creepy-cute doll or Kamii. The second example was weirdly specific, but I don't know what she's referencing there.

"But that's not what happened." Ifs, would haves; none of that matters. Only the present is of importance. I'm a powerful being, I have innate talent in magic, and I seem to be quite lucky sometimes.

"Yes, it's not what happened... Just don't become too optimistic. Reality likes to slap these kinds of people in the face when they least expect it." I understand that. I understood ever since I was sent to the Dark Continent. I could die at any time, to something completely unknown. That's why I'll make the best out of this, live a long but exciting life, and maybe do something about this world. Who knows, maybe there's a way to reconcile humans and demons? Ah, I'm on about this again. Well, if push comes to shove, I'll unhesitatingly side with the demons, that's for sure. After all, I'm one myself.

"I know. I'll just give it my all and live in this world the way I want to."

"Hm, Miss Marcott? Who are you talking to?" Crap, Luna woke up. Kamii stirs as well, and when she doesn't see me right in front of her, she quickly sits up in a panic. She does notice me right away though and hugs me tightly as if telling me not to go anywhere without her. I pet her hair.

"I'm just talking to myself..." Well, Luna looks half-asleep, so I can just gloss over it. It's quite risky for Senka to be speaking while there's someone else in the room. I don't mind Kamii finding out since I can ask her to keep it a secret - and I'm somewhat sure that she'll listen to me - but I know for sure that Luna won't be keeping quiet about the cursed doll being able to speak normally.

"Okay..." Ah, she fell asleep again.

"How about you, do you want to sleep some more, too?" I ask the dark elf girl clinging to me. She looks up to me with sleepy eyes and nods. Well, no harm in that, let's rest for a little more. We don't have anything planned for today anyway.

The second time I'm awoken by Luna. She's leaning over me and shaking my shoulder softly. Apparently there was something planned after all. Uh, now I'm feeling quite sleepy. I'm weak in the mornings after all, but only when I'm woken up unnaturally.

"We are having a meeting about what to do next, Miss Marcott. Now that you are part of our group, you should attend." If I had known I needed to wake up early, I wouldn't have wanted to join the party. I look at the window and see that the shadows are short. Don't tell me it's almost noon?

Kamii wakes up as well and rubs her eyes with her one good hand. That's quite inconvenient when I think about it. She must have had a harsh life even outside of being treated as an outcast and a slave. Onee-san is here for you from now on. The rags she's wearing only covers her practically nonexistent chest, and a loincloth sits on her hips tied with a string. Nothing underneath them, either. Gram did say he would pay for an outfit, so we should choose something for her quickly. I mean, I don't mind this, it has a "fewer clothes equals more armor rating" feel to it. Especially coupled with that huge crab claw of hers, which makes her look like a fighter type. But she is a young girl after all, so something cute would be more fitting.

The party meeting takes place over brunch. As always, Kamii is clinging to me, and Senka is acting like a doll, sitting on my lap. Now I'm the one with a flower in each hand. Everyone's eyes are on the three of us. Especially the dark elf's huge claw is the center of attention, with the creepy doll coming in second. You're really rude, staring at girls with those expressions.

"Since the request from the merchant has been canceled, we'll have to look for something new. But there's something really important I want to run by you." Rolan looks serious. "I'm thinking of relocating to the capital." Ah, I know what's coming next. "I'm sure we'll find plenty of work there, and Runa and Miss Chloe can attend the academy on the Saint of Luminosity's recommendation." Yep, I think that's a good suggestion. We were meant to go to the capital either way. "However, our funds are quite low right now, and the journey will require plenty of supplies." I'm sorry I'm a glutton. And Kamii, looking as slender as she does, is unexpectedly also the gluttonous type. There are two freeloaders in the party now. At least Senka doesn't need to eat.

"Well, Lady Marcott can work as a healer." You can say some good things sometimes, bard! "But you will have to work for Kamii's part, too."

Don't remind me of it! But as the older sister, and with our only mother in a far-away place, I have to carry the weight of the family. Don't worry, Kamii-chan, your Onee-san will make sure you can afford to attend a good middle school, high school, and university! Or we'll find mother and make her pay for it.

Jokes aside, I intended to do that from the start. I don't know about her fighting capabilities, but her strength is a joke. Her slap felt like that of someone her age, even though she used the huge crab claw. I did learn that it's incredibly light, almost the same as her normal arm's weight. Well, she's still young, and I'm sure we'll discover her talents yet.

"Yes, I intend to see this matter through to the end." I give a determined expression, as I pet Kamii's hair. I think this is my new favorite pastime. But don't feel neglected, Senka. I'll keep carrying you and hugging you.

"Is it really alright?" Luna voices her concerns. What, you don't believe I can earn money to support my family? "Leaving Hovsgaerden behind for who knows how long... are you fine with that?"

"Think of it as the first big step towards the Demon Continent and defeating the demon lord." Rolan pumps his fist. I want to punch him for always talking about wanting to kill my mother. "We would have eventually moved to the capital, and then beyond anyway. We're just moving ahead with it earlier than planned." He looks at Luna warmly. "Don't you want to go and improve your magic as quickly as possible?"

"But what about going on requests?" That's a concern since I don't think we'd be able to stay away from the academy for several days. The subjugation of the wulfar took a whole week, considering the journey from the village to Hovsgaerden already took three days. I don't know how the academy functions, but I'm sure that won't be allowed.

"I don't think the capital will have many subjugation requests in the surrounding area, so we'd be mostly staying in the city and do our work there." Good answer. "Don't worry, Runa. Our group will be even stronger after your graduation, and taking down the demon lord should be a piece of cake." He's boasting. I'll seriously kill you one day.

"I understand..." Luna finally admits that Rolan has been selling his case well. So this means we're going to the capital.

"Big man, Sigurd, you're fine with this, right?" Oi, you didn't ask those two yet?

"Of course, I'll follow you wherever it takes you." That would have sounded quite romantic if Gram weren't the one saying it to Rolan.

"I bet the girls in the capital are really beautiful." Go die, you shitty bard.

Well, the decision has been made, and we'll depart after some members of the party go and fulfill a simple quest. More specifically, Rolan and Luna are going, while the bard will go about another business for the day. I feel like it's an excuse for some alone time between the lovebirds, but apparently, the funds are low, and they're going on a quest that requires Luna's magic.

This leaves Gram, Kamii and I - and Senka. We were meant to go clothes shopping either way. I think I'll get Senka something more fitting, too. Time for "A Date with the Big Man, Episode Two."