This is the last chapter for today. I'm busy for the rest of the day. Tomorrow I'll try go get a double release, but it depends on my schedule. Anyway, please enjoy~

When the trio landed at the port city of Karun, Erebus basically sprinted out of the ship.

He spread out his arms and spun around a couple times. “Freedom!” he cried out.

Needless to say, the strange man drew the stares of passersby. Was he okay? Mentally, that is.

Now a handsome young man and beautiful young women were chasing after the strange man who was sprinting away, they were shouting, “Wait! L-- Erebus! Wait!”

Concerned expressions all around.

Due to Erebus’ impatience, the trio did not even spend five minutes in the town of Karun.

They entered a desert.

The Lower Continent was known for its strange terrain. Some places would be mountainous areas, others deserts, some were hidden oasis’, and finally thick, lush forests.

Indeed, a very strange continent.

The particular desert they entered was named the [Scorpion Pass], due to the obscene amount of gigantic scorpions that lived in this area.

“Lord Erebus, do you even remember where we’re going?” Vyne asked after they had caught up to Erebus.

“Of course I do. A dragon never forgets!” Erebus exclaimed proudly.

Vyne quirked an eyebrow. Many times in the past Erebus ‘forgot’ certain things.

Could it be that his master lied?

Vanquish the thought! His master would never lie, to him, at least.

“Are you doubting Lord Erebus?” Tear narrowed her eyes at Vyne.

Here we go again.

“No, I was simply wondering--”

“So you were doubting him!”

“--if he knew where we were going.”

The two continued like that back and forth until Erebus shut them up.

“If you two argue like that in Yvick’s presence, he’ll kill you. He hates nuisances.” Erebus shook his head a little. “He never did get along very well with Triton. What would you call it? Mutual respect, rather than friendship...” Erebus trailed off into his own thoughts.

Hearing that, Vyne decided that he would very much like to meet Yvick. There was somebody out there who understood why he disliked Triton so much.

“Another amazing discovery...”

“Master,” Tear began, “do you remember? We met in the [Scorpion Pass].”

“Yes.” Erebus remembered the barbaric Tear very clearly. When he had asked her to become his subordinate, she released a powerful mana arrow at him.

Of course, Erebus pummeled her to the ground because of this. And it was because of that beating that Tear became so attached to him.

Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around? Isn’t she supposed to hate him because he beat her?

His subordinates were incredibly strange.

Erebus didn’t mind their odd characters, even though he complained like he did. He had grown up around weird people, after all.

Very weird people, in fact.

The water dragon Azure was one of them, she held the 8th seat in the Council. She had a strange habit of eating things that weren’t meant to be eaten.

Ah... a sad expression crossed Erebus’ face. That reminded him of the time she ate his very precious stone.

It wasn’t even a mana stone...

Erebus sighed, which drew the attention of Vyne and Tear.

“Is something wrong, Lord Erebus?” Vyne shouted even though Erebus was standing right next to him.

“Are you tired of walking? You can sit on my back and I’ll walk on all fours!”

“I’m fine. No, really, Tear, stop that.”

She had dropped down onto her hands and knees.

“But Master...”

“You’re troubling me,” Erebus said.

Upon hearing this, Tear gasped loudly and stood up instantly. “I apologize.” She proceeded to bow to him in apology multiple times.

“It’s fine, just don’t do it again.”

“Understood!”

Vyne watched this scene with a look of disgust (at Tear, of course). How dare she trouble their master in such a way?

“Oh, that reminds me,” Erebus said turning to Vyne. “Expel your glamor. Yvick doesn’t know you, so it’s better if you go in your true form.”

“Yes, Sir.” Vyne did as he was told, his body shimmered for a moment and his true form appeared. Vyne flapped his wings a couple times. “They’ve grown a little stiff, it would seem.”

The reason why Erebus said this was not only because Yvick hates glamors, but also because Vyne being in this form would ward off any monsters.

Thank you, monster repellent, Erebus thought to himself.

Tear pouted. She was the only one in this trio who didn’t have a second form. Damn this High Human blood of hers!

With all of that out of the way, the trio proceeded.

Erebus guided them through the [Scorpion Pass] with absolutely no difficulty due to Vyne warding off the monsters.

A truly efficient servant.

Immediately after the [Scorpion Pass] was a mountain valley called [Cockatrice Valley].

The names for areas in the Lower Continent were named so obviously so that any Questers would not encounter things they weren’t prepared for.

Cockatrices were ranked high due to their death-stare. Even dragons weren’t wholly immune to it, though, the stare wouldn’t kill them but rather freeze them for a while.

But, if you simply closed your eyes while heading through this area, you would be fine. And there were a couple spells that blocked the cockatrices power. And it wasn’t exactly hard to walk through, seeing as you just had to continue going straight. But don’t turn your body in any way, you’d lose your sense of direction.

Within minutes of entering, the trio heard the noises of cockatrices running around. Saying things such as:

“I’m so pretty, don’t you want a look?”

Of course, the cockatrices were ignored.

At one point, a few tried to block their way. But Vyne was not having this, so he punted the cockatrices out of the way with brutal force. When he kicked them, you could hear the sound of their bones breaking at the impact before they were sent flying with a loud ‘clap’ that echoed through the mountains.

That ended the cockatrices terrorizing the trio. None of them wanted to experience what the others did.

Vyne was even scarier in his true form. If any cockatrice would be brave enough to sneak up behind them, it would get smacked by his whip-like tail.

A truly efficient servant.

Erebus nodded to himself as he thought of this. Tear, on the other hand, had latched onto Erebus’ arm.

Claiming she was ‘afraid’ of being separated.

Thus, when they exited [Cockatrice Valley] she was forcibly removed from Erebus by Vyne. Because she didn’t have to have her eyes closed, they wouldn’t get separated.

She made a pouty face and kicked rocks. They now entered [Poisonous Snake Forest]. Like the name implied, huge snakes lived in this forest. The majority of them could be found in trees.

Not only did they have a powerful bite but it was loaded with a lethal poison. The snakes flicked their tongues as they watched the trio proceed.

A few dead cockatrices had been sent flying into this forest, when they landed, a small crater would be formed and the ground shook at the impact.

They wisely did not attempt to attack the group, seeing as they’re the only ones who were coming through.

And, the one with wings and a tail looked like it would have fun tearing them apart.

Honestly, Vyne was a truly efficient servant.

“Here we are,” Erebus said with a proud smile. They stopped in front of a castle made of white stone with green moss and vines growing all along the sides of it.

The trio walked across the rickety drawbridge and stopped at a grand set of doors.

“Should we knoc--”

Erebus raised one foot and kicked open the wooden doors, sending them flying off their hinges.

He whistled as if nothing had happened, and continued onwards.

Vyne did not ask about knocking again. Tear looked like she wasn’t sure whether she should laugh or cry. Wouldn’t destroying his house ake Yvick mad?

They entered the castle. Despite its outside, the inside was well kept and it had a nice peaceful mana current, similar to the one in the Quester’s Guild.

There were a few servants that upon seeing them, waved kindly. As if it was a completely normal thing.

Shouldn’t they get better security? Vyne thought.

Without anyone stopping them, the trio entered the throne room.

Seated on the throne was a humanoid demon with a tired expression on his face. His skin was dark brown with strange black tattoos on his bare arms, chest, and neck. Similar to Magnus and Stone, the Demon Emperor had black sclera, only his eyes were a vivid gold color and they lacked pupils.

“Erebus,” Yvick started in an exhausted tone, placing his hand on his forehead. “Did you break my doors down again?”