Hours after they had retired to the room that Misses Vayne had prepared, only Bella was showing signs of succumbing to the nerve paralysis, and that was only because she was a half demon.

However, you’d never notice since the woman in question was lounging on a wide cushion next to the foot of Leon’s bed. Hazeel had insisted that she sleep with Leon, but Bella had been adamant in the fact that the girls would take one bed, and leave the other to Leon.

Hazeel glanced over to Bella, and smirked as she watched her try to resist the drug and stay awake.

Hazeel sighed. If only she was a full-blooded demoness, Bella would be granted all of the resistances that her race provided. As it were now, Bella only seemed groggy, which could have been exacerbated by her actual exhaustion from traveling.

Leon had gone out of the room, allegedly to talk to the proprietress, which left only Hazeel and Bella in an awkward standoffish silence. Hazeel felt Bella’s gaze on her, and let out another sigh.

“Do you need anything from me, Bella?” Hazeel turned towards the groggy girl with a smile on her face and took a sip of some wine she had stolen from the establishment’s pantry, to which she was met by a scowl from Bella.

“I need you to stop trying to get into Leon’s pants, if you would please?” Hazeel spit out the drink in her mouth, not expecting the girl to be so straightforward in her desires.

“Ew, that was gross, Ms.Conqueror.” This time it was Hazeel’s turn to scowl.

“Can you get off my case?” Hazeel stood up and walked over to the demoness. Bella and Leon were about the same height, but Hazeel was tall enough to stand a head over them both.

“W-what do you want?” Bella shrunk into the cushion as she spoke, but it was too late. Hazeel had already reached down and started rubbing Bella’s head with reckless abandon, causing her hair to stick out in every direction.

“Why do you keep getting in between Leon and I? Do you love him?” Bella tearily combed her hair back down with her fingers before shooting Hazeel a dirty look.

“I do… well, not in the same way you do.” Bella slumped in her seat and patted next to her, prompting Hazeel to sit next to her, which she obliged.

“It’s kind of strange. I feel this need to have him accept me and praise me. In all just to recognize my efforts, I guess. He kind of feels like an older brother, considering how we’ve grown together.”

A gentle smile formed on Bella’s face. “What about you? Why do you feel the need to be so clingy to Leon?”

Hazeel’s face flushed and she turned around to avoid Bella’s gaze. How irresponsible would it be of the former general, and someone who could be considered middle age in human years to explain that she had fallen in love with Leon at first sight, a feeling that she hadn’t felt until then in all her years of existence.

Bella placed a hand on Hazeel’s shoulder. “Ah, a maiden in love, I see.” Hazeel straightened up with a start, and turned to defend herself to the demoness.

“How do you know that!?”

Bella shook her head and sighed. “Come on, your blush and lack of speaking gives you away. I have to be honest, you’re one of the most confident people I’ve ever met. Although my list is small.” She looked discouraged as she muttered that last part, but forged on in her explanation.

“I didn’t think it was too far out of the realm of possibilities though. Believe me, I almost fell for his charms, and probably would have if I wasn’t so caught up in correcting his shitty attitude towards me and proving him wrong.”

Hazeel hid her face in her hands as Bella continued. “According to grandma, his physical proportions are the ideal for a member of the opposite sex to desire. It’s really fascinating, like he was genetically engineered to excel at everything.”

Hazeel peeked out at Bella, “Why do I feel like you’re becoming more of a bully every hour that we’re on this trip?”

Bella smirked at the wood elf. “Well, it’s because Le-ow!” Bella rubbed the back of her head in an attempt to recover from the vicious flick that landed on the back of her head.

“I’m not doing anything Hazeel. And you.” Leon turned to Bella. “Don’t corner Hazeel like that. Regardless of how it came to pass, she’s my… my possession now. Any harm that comes to her will come back to you twofold.”

Bella frowned and stuck her tongue out at Leon. “Whatever you idiot. Let Hazeel defile you for all I care.” She got up from the cushion and flopped on the bed, burying her face in Leon’s pillow.

“Bella, you-” Leon stood next to Hazeel and shook his head.

“Don't wake her.”

Hazeel did a double take and looked at Bella once again, confirming that she had stopped moving and was breathing steadily.

“Come on Hazeel, we need to go.” Hazeel got up but gave Leon a curious gaze.

“Aren’t you curious why they’re trying to drug us? Follow me.” Leon walked out of the room, and with a grimace on her face, Hazeel obediently followed.

---

It had only been five minutes since they left the room, but Hazeel had already thrown up twice and started crying. They had reached the basement of the inn, and one look at the contents of the room had sent Hazeel into a panic.

Several carriages were stored on the wall to the right of the stairs in the spacious area. On the left were several chained up humans, most alive, but on the brink of starvation. A few had been carved up from their bones, leaving slabs of meat on a nearby table.

A lone woman was sat still at the table, and slicing the meat into thin portions as Leon and Hazeel slowly walked down the wooden steps.

As Leon approached the table, the bound people on the wall started to stir, causing their chains to rattle. Alerted by the noise, the woman turned around and frowned at Leon.

“You shouldn’t be here, boy.”

Leon bore a hole in the woman with his soulless stare. “Care to explain yourself, Misses Vayne?”