The Brave left, leaving the two monster girls staring at each other in silence.
In the end, it was the slightly livelier Catgirl who broke the awkward silence:
“Are all Braves this dedicated? It’s still dark outside.”
Vyea shook her head. Her expression was as usual, but a deep sigh escaped her heart.
The little girl who used to beg for mercy after just a bit of sword practice and loved to slack off reading novels had grown up.
“Herkate, have you done what you promised me?”
“Hmm… which thing?”
The black-haired, red-eyed Catgirl clearly blinked in surprise, her lively beautiful eyes fluttering before she suddenly recalled something. She looked at the impassive little girl and forced a dry laugh:
“Haha, don’t worry! Unlike you humans, when we say something, we mean it! Since I promised to tell you before sending my pets into the city to find food, I will definitely tell you!”
Herkate patted her slightly swollen chest in promise, her intoxicating deep red eyes full of sincerity.
She really seemed quite serious.
Maybe I should treat her a little better.
Vyea’s heart softened for half a second before hardening again. She wouldn’t fall for the same trap twice.
Vyea was not the kind of big fool to stumble twice in the same pit.
“Then… Herkate,” Vyea carefully began.
“What’s up, meow?”
“As a Great Demon, why are you willing to sign such an unequal contract with me?”
“It’s an exchange. You have to teach me how to raise humans, meow.”
“Is that all?”
“Of course,” Herkate wagged her fluffy black tail hesitantly. “If you think it’s unfair, I can lend you my tail to touch~”
By the end, the little Catgirl inexplicably became cocky. “It’s super soft and amazing to the touch, meow. I haven’t let anyone else touch it, so you better be grateful!”
“…”
Despite having a Justice value assessed at extreme evil, at -800, she now acted as carefree and ridiculous as the Dragon Warrior from Kung Fu Panda.
Vyea wanted to say something but found herself speechless.
Ignoring Herkate’s attempts to entice her with her tail, Vyea searched the nearby wardrobe for clothes suitable for her.
Inside the large white birch wardrobe, surprisingly many clothes fit her figure — there were innocent childish-style dresses, simple yet neat everyday clothes, elegant and dignified gowns… and even various colors and styles of windbreakers prepared according to her request.
“Social favors really are useful… if only they could be reused.”
Vyea thought for a moment and chose a simple, easy-to-wear pure black windbreaker.
The other clothes and dresses were too troublesome to wear nothing compared to the convenience of the windbreaker.
She threw it on. Even though it was a bit large, it didn’t affect her at all.
It suited her.
Vyea gave herself an internal thumbs up and reminded the Catgirl sneaking around nearby, not knowing what she was up to:
“When it’s dawn, remember to help me move the stuff from my room on the second floor of the Hunter’s Knife Tavern.”
“Ahem!”
Herkate, who had been secretly sipping tea, stuck out her pink tongue that had just been scalded, stammering, “You’re going out so late? That Brave just now told you not to go wandering at night…”
“…”
Seeing Vyea leave without a word, Herkate quickly put down her cup.
“Hey! Wait for me, I’m coming too, meow!”
That night.
The moon was bright but sparse among the stars, and the cold wind howled.
Vyea stood atop a high place, her hood shading her delicate face, the windbreaker flapping in the wind.
This border town of the Humans was neatly planned, with well-organized houses and roads.
To prevent monsters from breaking through the outer city walls and rushing straight in, two more high walls were built inside as isolation buffers.
These two walls divided the entire town into three parts: the Core District, the Commercial District, and the Residential District.
Between the Residential and Commercial Districts was the First High Wall—the one Vyea was currently on.
Using the cover of darkness and her small frame, Vyea easily avoided the Town Guards patrolling the walls.
Herkate had even less to worry about—if she wanted, she could stand in front of the guards and draw turtles on their faces without being noticed.
“Meow meow, so you also have dreams of becoming a Ranger.”
Under the moonlight, Herkate stretched lazily, her crimson eyes scanning the town below.
Suddenly, she froze like she had just discovered a big secret, her rosy little mouth slightly parted, a look of sudden understanding in her eyes:
“So you wanted to see where that purple-haired girl was going? Hehe, worried she might get hurt, meow?”
Herkate turned her head slightly, showing a pure and lovely profile, her golden-red eyes full of curiosity:
“Aren’t you a bit too concerned about this Brave?”
“It’s none of your business.”
Vyea bent her knees and lightly jumped down from the high wall like a nimble night owl.
The slightly annoyed Catgirl snorted, kicking a nearby stone flying.
Whoosh!
Bang!
A patrolling guard rubbed his helmet and glanced back at the high wall behind him, where only faint torchlight dotted the darkness.
“Lanki, keep up with the squad!”
The leader’s sharp voice came from ahead.
“Coming, coming.”
Tonight’s wind was particularly noisy.