20 Varyce

Walking in the plaza where the time of the day couldn't be told just from the sky, Desire could be seen vanishing in the blink of an eye.

His companion, Lyra, also vanished. A light swallowed both of their bodies at the same time.

Even though people were missing, the ones watching them weren't throwing a fit.

These people were Suckus who already know what's what.

Seeing the duo 'enter' an unknown space, a woman whispered.

"Isn't this just like how the head met her lover?"

But, even though she said it in a small voice, whether it was because they were monsters who have heightened senses, some heard it loud and clear.

And one of those women who heard it replied in her own small voice. With a finger on her chin, a grin on her lips, she spoke.

"I hope he survives that little girl!"

She laughed with a hand over her mouth, and some of those near her joined her with her boisterous chuckle.

****

While the women were giggling amongst themselves, Desire and Lyra have arrived at their destination.

The place wasn't grand or large; it was just a simple home, a home that could be counted as one of the many houses in the Skinjur.

'It's thick...'

That was the first impression Desire got when he laid his eyes on the scenery. He couldn't tell what, who, or how was thick.

"Let's go. She's waiting."

"Got it."

Desire walked off together with Lyra. The distance wasn't far, but it would still take time to reach it.

The surroundings of the house were full of flowers and grass. They were placed in a systematic way that could only be seen in a garden.

But, what Desire could feel wasn't a garden or anything. In fact, he feels that the flowers were arranged by nature itself.

Curious by this, he asked Lyra.

"Hey, is this a garden?"

"Well, you could call it that. Miss made this place, so it's better to ask her if you want to know that bad."

"Made? What do you mean?"

Lyra shrugged her shoulders before answering.

"I don't know the specifics myself. I became the village head just days ago."

Desire didn't answer anymore. After all, they were right in front of the cabin.

When Desire was about to ask how they will go in, the door burst open while the wind pushes them from behind. No, it only pushed Desire in the house while leaving Lyra behind.

"W-what?!"

Desire was shocked, seeing that he was the only one going in, and when he looked back, he saw Lyra waving her hand at him.

Bam! The sound of the door closing shut was heard, and darkness quickly crept over Desire's vision.

Sweating buckets at the unexpected hospitality, Desire talked.

"U-uh...hello?"

His voice echoed out in the room until it could no longer be heard, but no voice answered him back.

When he walked, the floor gives in a little and echoes a creepy sound whenever his foot pushes off.

Alone in this dark and quiet room, Desire was feeling the pressure weighing on his tiny shoulders.

'Why? Why is this...so suddenly?'

Desire knows no reasons for the person living here to do something like this.

'D-did I do something to make her mad?'

He knew that the person he was about to meet was the head's daughter, and this is where she was located, but...never once has he met her before.

Meaning...

'I didn't do something to make her mad.'

If they haven't met yet, there's no way he'll be able to make her mad.

"Hehehe."

At that moment, as if to prove his thoughts wrong, a chilly voice resounded out in the room.

"W-who are you?!"

"Hehehe."

Desire tried to probe his counterpart, but only laughter could be heard. That laughter couldn't be discerned where it came from.

It came from all sides in this room, and that made Desire go weak in his knees.

It was faint, but Desire could definitely feel...

'Mana!'

Desire realized that Mana was imbued in the laughter. Thanks to his ranking up, he was better at sensing something like this.

But, even if he could tell that there was indeed mana in it, there's nothing he can do.

He didn't even know how to imbue mana in his voice, don't even mention dispelling it.

"Kuh!"

A groan escaped from his mouth as the pressure increased. The laughter didn't stop, and it continued to torment Desire.

Unable to bear this, Desire...ran. He ran forward, hoping to make it to the end. After all, he already experienced something like this back then when he was dreaming.

Even though he wasn't aware, in the dream where he talked to something, the very whole place was filled with mana.

In this case, only the voice was imbued with mana, so naturally, his body, which experienced this before, has developed to somehow defend against it.

Although the effects were only minimal, it was still enough to keep him running.

As he continued to run with no end in sight, Desire could still hear the laughter ringing out.

'Damn it!'

Was he really invited for a meal, or was he invited for him to be the meal?

Desire couldn't tell.

He only ran and ran, trying to escape the hideous laughter when suddenly, a light appeared in front of him.

It was faint, but there was light.

'Hope!'

Desire thought that the light was hope. In this pitch-black darkness, the ray of light could only be seen as a hope for Desire.

Making the light as his goal, he powerfully kicked off the ground to run faster.

However...as if it was all a joke, the moment he decided to run faster, the light disappeared.

Desire's eyes widened to the brim. He thought that he could finally escape this 'hospitality,' but that thought was wiped off his brain cleanly.

"Hehehe."

The laughter contained with unknown emotions continued hysterically.

At that moment, Desire stopped running. He could feel his frustration quite literally as veins popped out in his forehead.

Although this place was indeed scary and menacing, in the end, he knew that a Suckus was doing this.

In that case...

"Hey, why are you doing this?"

"Hehe?"

The same laughter that continued to ring out has shown a reaction. It only went a tone higher for a second, but Desire didn't miss it.

"I thought you invited me for a meal?"

"..."

The laughter stopped while Desire continued, seeing an opening.

"If that's how it's going to be, I better go back."

Desire turned around, still unable to see anything. But, as he ran just in a straight line, he was able to find his way through the place.

Though it seemed like he was running for hours, it actually didn't last for 10 minutes.

That's why he was able to see the door rather quickly. The darkness seemed to have subsided a little while he was walking, and he could see here and there.

'I wasn't able to see anything before, but...isn't this too easy?"

If before was when he had to be on guard at all times, now he could even take an arrogant attitude like he was taking a walk.

Of course, this was all due to...

"Wait!"

A voice resounded out from behind, but unlike before, it was a beautiful one, alluring even.

And when Desire looked back, he saw the cabin's owner appearance and immediately, his jaw dropped to the floor.

****

"He entered, Varyce."

"I can see that, Liya."

Two women were talking in a house where there is no roof, making the sky as their background.

One of the women was Liya, who came with Desire in the world of Suckus.

The other is the current head of the Suckus, Varyce Welfreim.

As the Suckus doesn't show their real age on their bodies, the woman looked young. However, comparing it to other Suckus, one could tell that she was 'old.'

The color of purple crowned her hair and eyes. Her nose bridge was tall, and her pink lips were alluring. Her jaws were strong but not masculine; in fact, that only served for the woman to look as 'delicate.' Her skin was smooth and had the charm of a mature woman.

She was wearing simple clothes that only has a hood as a feature and its longness that reached the ground. Surprisingly, Liya was wearing the same clothes.

Looking over Varyce with worried eyes, Liya asked.

"But, is it really alright for you to use magic like that? I know that you wanted to repay him for saving your people's lives, but..."

"What are you saying? It's my fault that your strength and rank diminished; repaying him when he saved you and your village is the right thing to do."

Varyce said as if she was reading a script on a paper. She was sitting on a chair across from Liya. She then took a glance at the night sky before continuing.

"Besides, all I did was have a look at him. That wasn't even enough to consider as repaying."

"I know, but...if you were going to help, what's with the question?"

Liya was talking about the question Varyce told her to tell Desire, the question of ' knowing the difference between humans and monsters.'

Varyce sighed in an enervated manner.

"When I looked at him...only the 'love' for monsters could be seen. He was so open that he didn't even have any guards on. That was why I thought it would be not good for him if he continues like that."

"...I still don't understand, but if it's you, I know you have something else in mind."

"Yes. Yes. Anyways, look at my kid; she's pranking him."

"What do you expect when you are her mother?"

The two 'old' women joyously talked with each other as they watched the two young ones' meeting in a crystal ball.