An Old Friend Returns
The next morning, we meet up for breakfast where, after everyone has gathered, the Saintess shows up, causing the members of the Bloodhounds to kneel.
“Ah…Please be at ease. I just wanted to ask if any of you were able to see the little girl during the night?”
Martin answers, “Unfortunately not, your Holiness.”
“We didn’t see anything either,“ Rayla answers.
“I see…How unfortunate. Do we have some extra blankets left? I was thinking of leaving some food and water behind together with other basic necessities.”
Martin answers, “Unfortunately that would probably cause trouble, your Holiness. Monsters and animals will be attracted to the smell, possibly putting the girl in danger.”
“Is that so? I didn’t know…Thank you for telling me Mr. Martin, I almost made another big mistake…”
“I’m glad to have been of help to you, your Holiness.”
“Aren’t we ignoring the obvious thing, here?” Maria asks.
“Please do share, Ms. Maria.”
“Of course, your Holiness! Isn’t anyone suspicious of that demon!? A little child goes missing and is found here then disappears! Perhaps he ate her! Or…Or worse…” She says with a disgusted look, covering her breasts.
Before the saintess or anyone else can answer, Martin says, “My apologies, your Holiness. It seems that my sister has still not recovered from the poisonous mushrooms she ate yesterday evening, she must be hallucinating.”
“Is that so? Let me heal her then!”
“No, there is no need to waste your power on someone like her, she has mostly recovered already after all. I’ll just give her some water and the rest of the medicine.”
Standing up, he somewhat forcefully locks arms with Maria and moves to their wagon, disappearing inside for a few minutes.
—---------------------------------------------
Pinning her to a wall Martin intimidatingly whispers, “What the fuck are you doing?”
“I was just giving my opinion!”
“From now on don’t. Especially not with the Saintess around. Don’t forget why we’re here.”
“Do we really need to protect that demon though?”
“You do your job. If your job is to protect a demon you do it. If your job is to eat shit you do that too. If you put that guy or any other of the adventurers in danger one more time while we’re on this job you're out. Understood!?”
“Yes brother…”
—-----------------------------------------------
Susan clears her throat and speaks up, “Please excuse our strange behavior, your Holiness.”
“Oh no, it’s alright. But do you think it would be alright if we delay moving for an hour? I just want to give that girl another chance…”
“Of course, we will help prepare some of the things for lunch using that time so it’s not wasted.”
“Thank you Ms. Susan. I shall return to my carriage then.”
After the Saintess leaves, the Bloodhounds let out a deep sigh and Susan says, “I’m sorry for Mary. She’s a devout person so her brain is in complete pious mode right now with the Saintess around. She usually isn’t that nasty.”
“Though it’s not like she ever had all her tea sets together, haha.” Cory jests.
“You’re one to talk, Cory. Aren’t you the dumbest one here?” Daniel scoffs.
“Yeah? So what? At least I'm dumb and sane, haha.”
Susan sighs, “Anyways, we don’t have a problem with you guys so let’s work together as much as is possible with Maria around.”
“Alright, just make sure to keep her in check.”
“We’ll try…”
After finishing our breakfast and waiting for a bit, we eventually get going again. We’re still near civilization so the roads are mostly safe and we’re not attacked. In the evening after dinner as I walk by the saintess’ carriage I hear her cry again.
“Not this time…I can’t…”
Sobbing
“I…I really shouldn’t…So I won’t.”
Holding my ears closed, I run to our wagon where John is setting up his bedroll, “Yo, Thoma Ahad what’s wrong?”
“The Saintess is crying again…”
“Don’t tell me you went to her again!”
“I-I didn’t! But I…I really want to.”
“Well, don’t. Her entire existence is bad for you, you should avoid her like the plague.”
“But…She’s sad…”
“So? Let her be sad, who cares?”
“I…I do. It hurts to know that someone feels bad and I can’t help…”
“But why though? I get you’re a compassionate person but this is not a good person. She literally thinks of you as a lesser being than her because you’re not human.”
“I…I know. But I still want to help.”
“Just sleep it off. You’ll feel better tomorrow. It’s a full moon night too so you have something to look forward to tomorrow.”
“Alright…”
I find it hard to actually fall asleep but eventually I do, thanks to ane and manya reassuring me and sleeping next to me.
During the night though I eventually get awoken by a familiar voice, “Rose? Are you in there?”
“Ser Ulian!?”
“Yes! It’s me, come outside I need your help!”
Quickly I go outside where Ser Ulian gives me a hug, “I’ve missed you so much!”
“I’ve missed you too! But how did you get here!? And how do you recognize me like this?”
“I followed you here because I need help…Daddy’s sick.”
“He’s sick!? Is he going to be okay?”
“I dunno…He suddenly collapsed and I’m too weak to carry him, can you help me get him to the Saintess so we can give him treatment?”
“Sure! Let me wake up everyone.”
“We don’t have time! He is in very bad condition!”
“Allright, I’ll come with you!”
Following Ser Ulian we leave the camp and move up the street.
“Where is he?”
“Right around the bend! Hurry.”
“Okay!”
I try to follow her but then suddenly I hear the sound of glass breaking and weird smoke fill the air as someone drags on my collar from behind me and throws me back towards the camp. Lifting my head from the ground it looks like the Bloodhounds have assembled in front of me and Martin yells at me, “Snap out of it, Thoma Ahad!”
“What? What are you talking about!?”
“Rose! Help me! They’re hurting me!”
“Hey stop that! Don’t hurt her!”
I try to stand up and help her but a demonic looking figure is pinning me to the ground, “Calm down!”
“Let go of me, monster!”
Three more demonic figures show up yelling at me to calm down. One of the more putrid looking ones then holds their pus covered arm in front of my face, “Smell it.”
“No!”
“Smell it, Rose!”
Rubbing their nasty arm on my nose I expect to smell the scent of disease and rot but instead it smells just like Scarlet.
“Wh-What did you do to Scarlet!?”
“I am Scarlet! It’s me!” The putrid monster screams at me in a deep bellowing voice.
Starting to cry I ask, “Is it really you? What happened to you? Who did this to you!?”
“Nothing happened to me! Something happened to you! I got this from Martin, he said it will help, eat it.”
Holding up a pulsating dark mass, the purple monster moves its hand to my mouth, but I keep it shut and try to move my face away from it.”
“Rose, please! Trust me. No matter what you see, it’s me. Just trust me, okay?”
“What’s my favorite toys’ name?”
“Hoppy of course.”
“Okay, I trust you…”
Opening my mouth the monster pushes the pulsating mass into my mouth, it tastes sweet and herbal. Shortly after swallowing it I feel dizzy and pass out.