CHAPTER 74: Where have you been

I left the village as soon as I was finished.

I decided not to fly because of the small chance that someone would spot me. Nevertheless, it didn't take long for me to find the trio that had made it out of the Oni castle.

It was already dark, and I could still pick up the scent of smoke and burned flesh in the distance. But I doubted that those humans could do as well.

They were all sitting around the still glowing remains of a campfire of which the smell perfectly blended in with that of the village.

Raiko looked up to the sound of snow getting crushed under my footsteps as I made my way into their temporary camp.

"Where have you been?!"

I shrugged it off with a wide grin. "I was… doing stuff."

"That is not a good answer. Why did it take so long for you to find us?"

Is cold gaze stayed fixed on me. it was like he didn't blink at all during that time.

I walked over to the carriage while answering his question.

"I killed Shuten Doji while falling of a mountain. It took me sometime to recover and catch up."

It was not a complete lie. I did fall of the mountain and killed Shuten Doji. The problem was that he wasn't the only thing that I killed while they weren't around.

"why didn't you answer that in the first place?"

I frowned. He was getting a little suspicious of me. I have to admit that my first answer wasn't the brightest so it's mainly my fault. Therefore, I had to make sure that he stopped questioning me.

I was aware that he at least knew the basics of how demons behaved. So, he must also know of their pride. Pride that I now also possess to a certain extend. With that I could come up with an answer that seemed logical enough for him to leave me alone until we got back to Agartha.

"Do you really think that I would like to admit that I had a tough time against a creature that is so far below me? Of course, that wouldn't be my first answer."

He sighed and turned away. "you damned demon. Be honest next time."

"Or what?" I said mockingly. Why would I follow his orders? And besides, I was honest I just didn't tell the full story.

He grabbed the bottle of holy water from his bag, that to my surprise wasn't frozen. He held it right in front of my face which felt really uncomfortable. Both because the lack of personal space, as well as the holy nature of the fluid.

"see this? This time I placed it next to the campfire so it would still be a liquid when you returned."

"did you really do that without knowing if I would come back today just so you could win an argument with me? even without knowing if we were going to start an argument in the first place. I don't know if that is an amazing strategy or just sad."

Raiko was getting really annoyed because of my attitude. And started to remove the cork of the bottle. Seeing this I knew that I was about to win this small quarrel. Because this was his trump card and without that he didn't really had to offer more.

"Are you really going to use it now? you know that if you use it, it would be really hard to get the water back inside the bottle again. wouldn't you rather spare it just in case I decide that I had enough of your sit and try to replace your spine with your teeth? I doubt that I actually have the skill to do that, but you wouldn't be happy with it even if I didn't succeed."

Grumbling he put the bottle back into his bag.

I was really amused by his behaviour and his helplessness of having the tools to keep me at a distance yet being unable to use them.

On our way back I saw that Oiwa was trying to spend more time with Yorimitsu. I did not really care if it did or did not work out. As long as she left me alone.

The journey back seemed shorter than I expected because Raiko and Yorimitsu didn't really pick fights with me that often. I assumed that, that was because they were tired from all that happened in the last few days.

Even I was getting a little tired. ("When was the last time I actually slept and didn't wait until something knocked me out?")

Yes, feeding of souls gave me energy. But it also enhanced my strength and body. Thus, cancelling a large portion of said energy out. And with minding my business during the time I was awake I would use up the remaining energy like any other being would with normal foods.

I still had the souls of the humans I killed in the village. but I wanted to spare those for when I needed them. ("Maybe I should sleep when I'm back in the stone city.")

I did not trust these three and I wasn't exhausted it felt more like when you stay up a little to late. I could probably go another week if not more without sleep.

When we finally reached the stone city, I immediately ruched to the dwarf. I was glad that I could finally leave those three behind.

I knocked on his door and waited for him to open it. It didn't take long before I could hear the soft rumbling of his lock and he opened the door.

He smiled when he saw me.

"hello Gustave. Come in. I'm sure that you would like to tell me about your journey."

"Yes, and I also have some questions for you."

"I will answer them depending on what you ask." He said with a mischievous smile when he let me in.