Chapter 89

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“Kuku, Lucy. Were you playing with this guy?”

Amon rose from the black smoke.

“!”

Malcares’ eyes widened.

“N-no good… feeling… danger…!”

Malcares quickly turned his head.

At that moment,

Thud!

Amon’s fist struck Malcares’ face.

“Guhk!”

Malcares’s massive body flew through the air, smashing trees one after another.

“Lucy, even I can’t eat that guy’s head.”

At Amon’s words, Lucy waved her hand.

“Instead, I’ll pat your head…”

“Uwooo!!”

At that moment, Malcares roared and charged.

“I, I… loo, looked down on you! I’ll tear you apart…!!”

Malcares swung his four arms wildly.

His face, which had been hit by Amon, was completely mangled.

“…”

Amon waited for Malcares to approach, then grabbed his face and slammed him into the ground.

Boom!!

The ground shook violently.

Malcares’ four arms flailed.

“You have a lot of arms.”

Amon grabbed one of Malcares’ arms and began tearing it off.

“Guhhk!”

Blood splattered everywhere as Malcares screamed.

“M-my arm…!!”

Amon threw the torn arm aside and ripped off another arm.

One by one, he tore off all four arms, and Malcares’ movements gradually stopped.

“…”

Silence fell.

Sophie trembled, covering her eyes at the gruesome sight, and Lucy also furrowed her brow slightly.

Finn quietly spoke up.

“Demons are definitely different… I thought they’d resolve things with words…”

Amon trudged over to Lucy.

“He won’t be causing trouble anymore.”

“…”

Of course not.

His arms and head were all torn off.

Lucy glanced at Amon’s head.

“Good job. I’ll pat your head next time.”

“Huh? Why…”

“There’s too much blood on it.”

Thick blood from Malcares was dripping down Amon’s head.

“Ah…”

Amon slumped his shoulders in disappointment.

Like a big dog that didn’t get a treat.

“Next time, you have to pat me…”

Step. Step.

Lucy began walking again.

The black fog grew thicker.

It not only obscured their vision but also lowered the temperature.

“Is there really a beastfolk village in here?”

Finn asked Sophie.

“It’s too gloomy.”

“It’s only like this here. It’s different inside. Harmonia is always warm and peaceful.”

“Really?”

Finn poked his head out of Lucy’s clothes, shivering.

“I want to get to Harmonia quickly. It’s too cold here.”

“Mhm. We’re almost there.”

Sophie was also shivering from the cold.

“But was it always this cold here…? I don’t remember it being this bad when I left…”

That’s when it happened.

Boom!

A powerful vibration shook the ground.

“…What’s coming now, Lucy?”

At Finn’s words, Lucy looked up.

A massive figure appeared through the fog.

It was a frost giant.

“A golem?”

It looked similar to the golem Kairos had summoned before.

Except its body was covered in frost.

[…Humans cannot pass here. Freeze…!]

The golem swung its arm.

A chilling wind rushed toward them like a storm.

“Bone Shield.”

Lucy summoned a massive bone shield to block the cold.

The cold wind scattered upon hitting the shield, freezing the surrounding trees white.

The forest transformed into a winter landscape.

Lucy activated a skill.

[Demon Summon: Agrevan]

Whoosh!

A magic circle appeared on the ground, and Agrevan emerged.

“…Ugh, it’s cold!”

A child-like figure holding a chick doll.

“You summoned me to such a cold place without warning…”

“Take care of that golem.”

At Lucy’s words, Agrevan frowned.

“What am I, a dog? I’m a high-rank demon, you know…”

“Before I take your doll.”

“…”

Agreban turned to look at the frost golem.

It was big but didn’t look particularly strong.

“You could handle that yourself, couldn’t you?”

“I could.”

“Then why are you making me do it?”

“Because it’s more fun that way.”

“…”

Agrevan stared at Lucy silently.

It felt like he was cursing her with his eyes.

“Sigh… fine.”

Agrevan sighed and trudged toward the frost golem.

[Do not… defile this land…!]

The frost golem raised its massive arm.

Agrevan pouted and grumbled.

“A high-ranking demon like me doing such menial tasks… I think I’ll need another doll to soothe my pride.”

[Freeze…!]

Boom!

The frost golem’s massive fist slammed down on Agrevan.

The ground shook from the powerful impact.

Silence fell for a moment.

“…Is he dead?”

Finn muttered.

At that moment,

Whoosh!!

A pillar of crimson fire erupted from where Agrevan stood.

The frost golem’s body began to melt rapidly.

[S-such powerful flames…! What are you…?]

“I want a polar bear doll next… it’d go well with the chick, or maybe a penguin. If it’s a penguin, I’d like a blue ribbon around its neck.”

Agrevan glanced at Lucy.

Finn whispered to Lucy.

“He’s asking for a doll.”

“…”

Soon, the frost golem completely melted, and Agrevan walked over, stroking his chick doll.

“It’s done.”

“Good job. I’ll get you a doll next time.”

“Really?”

Agrevan’s face brightened.

“A polar bear or penguin?”

“Hmm. Whatever.”

“No, not whatever! It has to be a polar bear or penguin!”

“Fine.”

“Yay.”

Agrevan happily hugged his chick doll.

Lucy dismissed the summon, sending Agrevan back.

“Huh? It’s not cold anymore.”

Finn crawled out of Lucy’s clothes.

The temperature had returned to normal.

“I guess it was cold because of that golem.”

The frost golem had turned into a puddle, seeping into the ground.

Lucy stepped around the puddle to avoid getting her feet wet.

Gradually, the fog cleared, revealing a vast meadow.

The fog lifted, and warm sunlight streamed in.

“This is Harmonia.”

Sophie said.

Her rabbit ears twitched happily.

“Wow, amazing!”

Finn’s eyes sparkled.

There was no black fog, no undead, and no demons here.

Only a peaceful atmosphere.

“Look at that tree!”

A single tree stood ahead.

An ancient tree that looked hundreds of years old.

The towering tree was so massive that even three or four people couldn’t wrap their arms around it.

Its lush branches spread out like a green umbrella.

Beneath the tree, a beastfolk woman was sitting.

Her silver hair shimmered in the sunlight.

Soft fox ears.

She was skillfully weaving thread with her fingers, surrounded by beastfolk children watching intently.

“Wow, so cool!”

The beastfolk children exclaimed.

They were engrossed in her hand movements as she created various shapes with the thread.

Then, one of the children turned their head.

“Ah, it’s Sophie!”

“Huh? Sophie?”

The beastfolk children all turned to look.

“Sophie!”

“Where have you been?”

The children rushed over.

There were bears, wolves, dogs, and cats among them.

“Sophie! You went outside the village, didn’t you?!”

“The chief is really mad!”

Then, a girl with deer antlers noticed Lucy.

“Ah, a human!”

“It’s true!”

“A human!”

The beastfolk children crowded around Lucy.

Their eyes were filled with curiosity rather than fear.

“How did a human get here?”

“It’s my first time seeing one! I’ve only read about humans in books!”

“She doesn’t have a tail!”

“Hmm! There’s even a fairy!”

Finn crossed his arms on top of Lucy’s head.

The children’s attention shifted to Finn.

“Wow! She has wings!”

“Is she a fairy?”

“She’s so tiny!”

“…”

Finn’s face turned slightly red.

Now that all eyes were on her, she felt a bit embarrassed.

“So cute!”

“I want to touch her!”

A bear child reached out to Finn.

Finn quickly flew up to avoid it.

“No touching!”

That’s when it happened.

“What’s all this noise?”

A voice called out, and the children turned around.

“Ah, Chief…”

A wolf beastfolk stood behind them.

Thick gray fur and sharp golden eyes.

The young chief of Harmonia, Kaelan.

“A human?”

Kaelan strode toward Lucy.

The children quietly stepped back.

“How did a human get in here?”

Kaelan’s golden eyes sharply stared at Lucy.

An intimidating aura.

Finn hid behind Lucy, and Hon in Sophie’s arms bared his teeth.

“I came to meet my mom.”

Lucy met Kaelan’s gaze without blinking.

Kaelan looked bewildered.

“Your mom? Are you saying your mom is here?”

“I don’t know yet. She told me to meet her here…”

Kaelan’s expression darkened.

“Humans aren’t allowed here. Leave now.”

“U-um, Chief…”

Sophie spoke up.

“Lucy… saved me…”

“Stay quiet, Sophie. You need to be scolded. I heard you left the village without permission. Do you know how dangerous that was?”

“But…”

Sophie hung her head.

Kaelan turned back to Lucy.

“I’d appreciate it if you left our village immediately, human.”

“…”

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
I hope you have a nice weekend…!

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
So… we aren’t gonna question what a mid-rank demon is doing there or how the golem can talk and think? 

Magic!