∼ Day 17 ∼

Whirling my gaze directly at the origin of the sweet and alluring voice of my assailant, I see a tall figure emerging from the treeline.

Slowly walking out with a seductive gait, came a deviously beautiful woman. Long legs with full and juicy pale thighs encased in jet black leather which hugged tightly to her unblemished flesh, seductress-like facial features and curves, long black hair held together in a ponytail that fell to her hips. Combine all those things, and you end up with the picture of this charming woman of utterly deadly proportions.

Her beauty screamed nothing but allure and bewitchment, but I couldn't even care. The only thing more dangerous than her charms was the powerful aura that she was emitting.

I didn't need anybody to tell that this person was the one who'd been residing within that tent back at the humans' camp. The air of danger around her was identical.

What the hell is she doing here?! I was positive that no one had followed these out here... my senses are not fooled easily by anybody.

I didn't waste any more time as I quickly appraised her before anything would escalate.

-Appraisal!-

Appraisal - Lily

Information Attributes

Traits. Titles. and Skills -Name- "Lily" STR ??? Skills ??? -Race- Human VIT ??? Traits ??? -Sex- Female AGI 82 Titles ??? -Rank- D- DEX 42 Resistances

-Level- 58 INT ??? Health 198/198 CHR 35 Physical Resistance ??? Stamina 82/84 WILL ??? Magical Resistance ??? Mana 0/0 MAG ??? Mental Resistance ??? Class Tier -Main Class- Master Bladedancer 4 -Sub Class- Student Ranger 2

Y-you're kidding... right?

Her stats are fucking ridiculous! No wonder she could hide from my senses, I would even bet on that she already knew of my existence the second I stepped within the glades to scout the camp!

No matter if I had spared or killed all those humans, or done anything in a more effective manner, she already knew... But why did she first show herself now of all times?

I didn't spend even a split second longer before I pulled the arrow from my carapace and dashed madly towards the opposite direction.

"Hey! I'm not done with you." - Lily

With a display of out of this world speed, she closed the distance between us. Running beside me, she simply winked with a cheeky expression plastered on her devious face.

Without hesitation I use blink. To my fortune, a dagger appeared in the spot I had just vacated.

The speed that this seductive woman wielded was unreal. It made shivers of cold run down my back. My hopes of escaping quickly got smashed since blinking away couldn't even help me shake her off as she appeared by my side the very next second.

But I had not been careless in relying just on blink as my only escape plan. Seeing that escape was impossible, I activated plan-B.

What was the plan-B you ask?

It was the formation I had begun forming the very same second I had started my mad dash for my sweet little life. Instantly, an expression of shock and pain appeared on the bewitching face of my pursuer.

[Lily has taken 32 damage!]

I had already expected her natural resistance to magical influence to be very high, so I had infused all the mana I possibly could into that rend.

Only the distance between us being basically zero was the reason why the attack could deal that much damage to a monster like her. But it still was all too little. In just that single cast, I had used up about 70% of my mana pool.

Clutching her side, most likely where the spell has stuck, she mutters something.

"Magic? -But... what the hell kind is this? Unknown alignment?!" - Lily

With a new light in her eyes, she inspects me curiously. But I didn't waste any time, as I desperately dashed for her with another spell coming up. This time I had infused the rest of my mana into a cast of stagnation.

She responded by thrusting out a closed fist towards me. But that only made me be delighted as it would simply be much easier for me to apply the spell if she just went and offered her hand like that.

Unfortunately for me, nothing went as planned.

Just before the spell within my palm reached her stretched-out hand, she opened her fist and revealed a small shining amulet. To my amazement, the amulet seemed to suck out all the mana which had been holding my spell together.

With my magic fizzling out, I could only stare incredulously at the alluring beauty before me as my world was turned upside down. I wasn't sure if I saw it correctly. But The air seemed to almost moving by the behest of the amulet within her grasp.

What the hell is that amulet?!

Without any further ado, I crashed with a heavy thump directly into the soil beneath. Slightly dazed, I try to get back up. But I feel the cold sole of a shoe on my carapace as I get shoved back into the ground.

"Oh-no, you don't." - Lily

Once I could refocus my gaze upon her, I see her chuckling as she stared at me with an amused expression on her angelic face. I couldn't help but also notice the long and slender leg and thigh hugged by black leather that was currently holding me prone.

While it definitely wasn't the right time to be appreciating this gorgeous woman's many curves and charms, I couldn't help as I was a hot-blooded male myself.

"Oh-? Enjoying the view? (chuckle)" - Lily

It had apparently not escaped her noticed the way I looked at her, so she simply chuckled. But her chuckle was more than enough to pull me out of my stupor as even her chuckle was just as mesmerizing. It sounded like a smooth clinging of bells, which was nothing I had ever heard before.

"Hmm, it would seem that even monsters know beauty when they see it." - Lily

Hearing her rather narcissistic comment, I can't help but scoff. She suddenly crouches down to give me a scrutinizing look.

"You're really not like most other monsters, you even seem able to speak my language... While I've never seen anything like you, you seem a lot more human than even a greenskin..." - Lily

Not entirely sure how to react, I just give her a shrug.

Although I'm only being held down by her foot on my chest, leaving my arms and legs free, I doubted that I'd ever be quick enough to launch a successful attack on this monster of a woman. But I didn't currently feel any killing intent from her, so I simply played nice to see where it went.

My attention is suddenly drawn to the side, as I see the two figures of Yrmel and Hennard approaching.

"L-Lily (Sob), you ave' to kill quickly this monster. (Sob) I-I-It... it killed Darshan and Elias..." - Yrmel

To my surprise, she just sighed at hearing the broken Yrmel.

"Yeah... I saw. It was a rather disappointing scene." - Lily

Stunned for a solid moment, Yrmel processed what Lily had just said.

"Wait... does that mean y-you were here the whole time?!" - Yrmel

She directs her gaze with a deadpan and uncaring expression plastered on her beautiful face towards the crying Yrmel.

"Yeah, I had put some tracking powder on your group so I would be able to find you all if you ever tried to escape." - Lily

"So why didn't you save them! How could you just let them die like that?!" - Yrmel

She was basically breaking down in large hulking sobs at this point, as she could no longer support herself, falling to her knees.

"Well, weren't they stupid enough to attack this little guy? Honestly, they killed themselves. He warned you all and had even let you go. Go punching a sleeping dragon's nose, and don't be surprised when it bites your head off." - Lily

Quite surprised at her cold words, I begin to look at this "Lily" in a new light. Tapping my skin-like carapace with a slender finger, she looks to be pondering an idea with a thoughtful expression.

"Little guy, you wouldn't happen to know if there are any sanguinite hives around? Smaller bug-like creatures like yourself." - Lily

I suddenly adopt a rather bashful and embarrassed expression as I reply.

"Uhm... No there aren't any. I believe you're here because those four had reported killing in the village, right?" - Me

"Yeah?" - Lily

"Uh- that was me..." - Me

"Ah- Fantastic! We can all go home now." - Lily

Suddenly releasing her hold on me, she began moving back towards the camp. Not even sparing me a second glance. I was utterly flabbergasted at the impulsiveness of her decision.

Was she seriously just going to leave me like that? Even after all I had done...?

It wasn't only me that was staring incredulously at Lily. Yrmel and Hennard were also in shock that she'd just decided to let me go like that.

"Wait! You're just going to leave him like that?!" - Yrmel

"Hmm? - Oh yeah, almost forgot." - Lily

Turning around on her heel, she locked eyes with me.

"I'm Lily, the newly appointed guild master of Saphren. Nice to meet you, little friend. If you ever find the time, visit Saphren. I would love to learn more about your magic." - Lily

I was totally floored by what she had just said, and her way too cheery attitude for the current situation that accompanied it.

"B-but, he killed Darshan!" - Yrmel

Yrmel was completely broken in despair, as she could not possibly piece together the reason for Lily's actions.

"Urgh- shut it girl. As I said, they were at fault. Now that we've confirmed that no sanguinite queens have appeared, our mission here is done. We no longer have any reason to be here in this shitty forest." - Lily

Without sparing Yrmel even the slightest ounce of attention, she simply began departing. Leaving us three just too stunned to react.

But it doesn't take long before I recover. I just began chuckling. I definitely was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth when it was presented as so.

"Interesting woman..." - Me

I couldn't help it as this woman had already claimed a part of my mind for herself. This definitely wouldn't be the last time I met her, I just knew it...

"Lily, huh..." - Me