by Neven Iliev
With that in mind, the shapeshifter turned away from the man and pulled Rowana along with the intention of putting this tremendous waste of time behind it.
Actually wait, could it be? it noticed something. Yes, that must be it.
It turned around to look at the loudmouth already hastily retreating. He slipped on a hat and was trying to blend in with the crowd in a manner that mirrored his accomplices. The chief instigator had almost made it out of the plaza when he heard three ominous words.
“Listen here, meat.”
The man stopped in his tracks, frantically looking around for the owner of that voice. The tone was low, guttural, and loaded with malice. It certainly wasn’t the sort of thing one person would say to another. He followed his gut and looked towards the individual he was sure he’d pissed off the most. And sure enough, as unlikely as it seemed, those words had come from the redheaded beastkin he had attempted to victimize just moments ago. He knew that for a fact, because she glared at him across the plaza with such intensity that it made him wonder if his head would explode.
The girl then moved her lips and, through the magic of Whisper Wind, the words of the monster beneath her skin reached their intended recipient and nobody else.
“I’m letting you go for now. However, if you or any of your comrades ever approach us again, I guarantee you will all be eaten. By me.”
Keira’s bright yellow eyes turned bloody red for the briefest of moments to drive the point home. It had the desired effect of convincing her target that those words were not threat, but a promise. It also made it clear that she was an absolute monster in every sense of the word. Of course, Boxxy wasn’t blatantly revealing its true nature to some random guy on the street. However, it had realized there was something peculiar about the person in question while they were staring each other down.
The man’s scent was off. Not in the sense that he smelled weird for an elf, but that his odor was quite literally ‘off.’ Boxxy’s nose – the same one that had sniffed out an elf’s human heritage – didn’t pick up a scent from him at all. Sure, there was the smell of mud and leather from his boots and the telltale stink of cologne, but his body odor was otherwise completely absent. Boxxy remembered the same phenomenon had occurred very recently – less than an hour ago, in fact. In a bank of all places.
“Now go,” it growled remotely, “and make sure you tell Reggie that I am very displeased.”
Part Four
“Hmm ~♪ Hm-hmmm ~♪ Ha-hu-ha-hu-ha-hmmm! ~♪”
Keira and Rowana walked side by side as they made their way home. The catgirl had a spring in her step and hummed a random, lively tune. The elf walked along in silence, her gaze locked onto the redhead’s profile. Minic had been released from her bosom and was currently running about carefree, although it made sure not to stray too far away from its ‘big brother.’
“Hmm! ~♪ Ha-hmm! ~♪ Ha-hum-ha- Huh? What’s the matter, Rowie?”
It would appear the beastkin finally noticed the elf staring so hard at her that she seemed to be on the verge of shooting beams from her eyes.
“Ah! Uhm, nothing, sweetie,” Rowana looked away.
“You sure? Those mean people didn’t hurt you, did they?”
“No! No, I’m fine, thanks to you.”
“That’s good, but then what’s got you all clammed up like that?”
“Well… It’s just that… You’re incredible, you know that?”
“... Okay?” Keira looked puzzled.
This was a rare occasion of the shapeshifter’s expression matching its real thoughts. It wasn’t sure what to make of the elf’s atypical behavior. It was natural that Rowana would praise her girlfriend for a job well done, and had done so many times in the past. However, something was different about this particular instance. Rather than sweet-talk accompanied by a bright smile, her words were delivered straight-faced as if stating a fact. Boxxy was quite certain the elf never used the word ‘incredible’ to describe Keira, either.
Part of it considered that it may be overthinking things, but what Rowana said next proved this was no casual compliment.
“I mean it. I fully expected you to hurt that guy for the horrible things he was saying. Instead, you defused that entire situation with just a few words.”
“So?” Keira shrugged. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Yes, it is!” the elf insisted. “What you did back there was unbelievable! Like, who does that?! I couldn’t do that in a thousand years! I was too scared to even think straight! And then, next thing I know, you’re leading me out of there without having so much as thrown a punch!”
“Did you… want me to throw a punch?”
“A little bit. Gods know that knobhead deserved it.”
“Come on, Rowie. You have any idea how much trouble I would be in if I attacked a civilian?”
“B-but they were saying all those horrible things! From all sides, too! Didn’t that make you angry? Or scared?”
“I was a bit angry, sure, but scared? It’s not like they had giant claws, sharp teeth, or massive swords, right? A bunch of misinformed people mouthing off at me isn’t scary at all.”
“Oh. Yeah, when you put it like that…”
In the heat of the moment, Rowana completely forgot what Keira did for a living. She was an adventurer taking an active part in the war. That predicament was laughable compared to the horrors she confessed to have witnessed before and during the bloody siege.
“Besides, a bunch of them even apologized to us,” Keira added. “Can’t be mad about that.”
“Yeah, I’m still trying to wrap my head around how that happened. It was so weird. And awkward. I’ve no idea how you kept a straight face through all of that.”
“Oh, that’s easy. It’s because I trust the people of this city.”
“You… you do?”
“Well, yeah. When I first got here, I was some random weirdo off the street with nothing to do and nowhere to go. But you, the old innkeeper, the vegetable lady, the people at the guild – everyone was really understanding and patient with me. You accepted me so easily that for a while I thought that you were all a few arrows short of a quiver. But after getting used to life here, I understood – this place is simply overflowing with inherently good people. What sort of ingrate would be if I started swinging at strangers over a silly misunderstanding?”
“Wow. You really are quite shameless, aren’t you?” Rowana said with a slight giggle.
“Wha- Where did that come from?!”
“Sorry. It’s just that only you could deliver that embarrassing speech so easily.”
“Hey! I was being serious!” Keira complained with a pout.
“I know, sweetie. That’s exactly why I think you’re incredible. But honestly, you should be a bit more suspicious of others. You do remember how we met in the first place, right?”
“Ugh, don’t remind me. I feel like taking a shower every time that sleazebag comes to mind.”
“Well, it’s not like I disagree with what you said. Even if it’s idealistic, I love how you try to see the good in everyone. You even felt sorry for the casualties on the other side of this stupid war, didn’t you?”
“Yeah… I did…” Keira sighed.
Rowana felt relief wash over her. She was secretly worried her girlfriend might come back from the battlefield a completely different person. Or not at all. Thankfully, none of that happened. Keira may have suffered some deep scars, but she had overcome them to become a better, stronger person. All things considered, Rowana couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome.
“They got off too easy,” the redhead added.
“... What?”
“That Imperial trash deserved to suffer a lot more for what they did to me,” she murmured menacingly. “Died in an instant? Not enough. Next time I catch one of those pieces of shit I’ll be sure to thoroughly put my pain into their soul.”
Rowana couldn’t help but recoil at Keira’s dark side. Any relief she might hav
e had instantly turned to worry. She knew full well the beastkin held a justifiably deep hatred for the Empire. However, it appeared the hardships she endured had only amplified her grudge. Someone like Rowana, who led a comfortable life mostly free of worry, had no right to judge her. Nor did she intend to. The scary part of Keira was still Keira, and her lover would never think less of her for it.
Which was why rather than get angry, upset, or scared, Rowana slowly wrapped her arm around Keira’s shoulder and pulled her into a comforting hug.
“Eh? Uhm, R-Rowie?”
“Shh. Just be quiet and let’s enjoy the moment.”
“... Well, if you insist.”
Keira relaxed and returned the gesture, throwing her arm around the elf’s waist and nuzzling her face into her neck. The two walked slowly in silence as Rowana reaffirmed her feelings for the girl. The way Keira boldly and proudly declared her love in front of the very people that wanted to condemn her for it was still fresh in the elf’s mind. Before Rowana even realized it, the reserved, awkward redhead had become such a splendidly gallant person. She was also a scatterbrain, horrifyingly blunt, had difficulty reading the mood, and harbored some terrifyingly ill will among other faults. However, none of that mattered. The elf had already accepted all of it into her heart, the good and the bad.
And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Yip!”
The moment was ruined when a certain living box bumped into her leg.
“Hmm? What’s this, little guy? You want in on this too?” Rowana asked through a gleeful smile.
“Hehe, I think it feels left out.”
“Yip! Yip!” Minic yelped while playfully bouncing around.
“Oh, alright then. Come here, you adorable box, you.”
The elf bent over and picked up the tiny mimic in one hand. She held it between herself and Keira, the two of them hugging each other around it. The stupefied Minic didn’t know what was going on. It was trying to catch a fly buzzing about when it was suddenly picked up. Though it didn’t mind this sudden turn of events, for it didn’t often find itself wedged between two pairs of breasts. Similarly to how Boxxy obsessed over getting shiny things and eating tasty things, Minic wanted nothing more but to be smothered by warm and soft things. The fact that the female couple’s combined bosoms perfectly fit that description was just a coincidence.
In the end, the two lovebirds managed to get back home by sunset. However, Boxxy soon realized it messed up even though everything went well. Or rather, it had messed up exactly because it allowed the fluffy, romantic atmosphere to linger for so long. As a result, Keira would have to cling to Rowana over the next three days. This would really cut into the shapeshifter’s free time, but it couldn’t think of an easy fix. The usual excuse of having Keira do some odd-jobs for the guild wouldn’t work since she was supposed to be resting that week. It could swap places with Snack, but it was risky. As capable as she was, having the succubus take over Keira duty for prolonged periods of time was not advisable. While both of them could act the part, their respective renditions of Keira’s character had some slight differences. Friends and acquaintances wouldn’t notice the discrepancies, but Rowana absolutely would. That elf was a bit too perceptive for her own good.
And indeed, much as Boxxy feared, it wasted the entire next day socializing and relaxing without a good opportunity to get away. Then it slept all night and woke up a bit grumpy and on edge. Boxxy hadn’t ripped someone limb from limb in quite some time, and it was itching to sink its teeth into something. Quite literally, at that. It actually felt a faint itching sensation in its jaw. Even more annoying, it had to attend Faehorn’s funeral the same day. However, all of it was part of its Job, so the shapeshifter sucked it up and played its part.
The service itself started off as a relatively modest gathering of about two dozen people in total, all of them dressed in black. Milo Faehorn had met and influenced hundreds of people during his long and storied career, but his surviving family decided to hold a private ceremony. As such, only those closest to him were present, and the fact that Keira was among them spoke volumes to how highly he had thought of her. The other attendees were strangers to her, but they made sure to include the girl in their sobbing and condolences. Their kind considerations did little to help Boxxy’s mood. The shapeshifter really disliked acting out grief.
After a half hour of condolences, the service carried on inside an underground shrine to Mortimer doubling as a mausoleum. Faehorn’s niece gave a eulogy before the Priest of the God of Death and Commerce performed a bunch of rites and ceremonies. Long-winded chants were chanted and melodious prayers were prayed while he sanctified the deceased’s ashes. As to why Faehorn’s body was cremated in the first place, it was apparently done in accordance with the will he wrote shortly before the siege at Fort Yimin.
Knowing that pissed off Boxxy even more. Not only had Faehorn somehow lost an Artifact-grade bow, but he didn’t even leave a body behind for the monster to turn into Levels. Keira grinded her teeth at these missed opportunities. Rowana, who was there for the catgirl’s sake, noticed her girlfriend was peeved-off for some reason and started being a nosy busybody. Thankfully, the shapeshifter convinced her that Keira was simply angry at herself for not being there for Faehorn.
The Priest took a half hour to finish his performance. Once he was done, he led the others into a round of silent prayer and contemplation while Faehorn’s niece carried her uncle’s ashes into the mausoleum’s tunnels. The last thing she could do for the deceased was to see him off, which involved navigating the sprawling catacombs until she arrived at her family’s crypt. Once there, she would enshrine the beautiful ceramic jar containing Milo Faehorn’s ashes alongside his ancestors, dating back a whopping ten generations. Emotionally, it was the most difficult part of the funeral ceremony, but the niece did her part with a stiff upper lip.
Boxxy was thankful the infuriating affair concluded without any time-consuming theatrics or drama. The last in a long line of pointless rituals over and done with, the service was finally called to an end. The attendees made their way back above ground, then most of them got together and headed off to the nearest pub to honor the late Milo Faehorn with a toast or five. A few people, including Keira and Rowana, chose to avoid getting blackout drunk in the middle of the day and instead opted to simply go home.
“Excuse me, Keira? Could I trouble you for a short while?”
The couple had almost left when Faehorn’s niece – a classy lady by the name of Ariebelle – called to the beastkin. The two of them exchanged names during the initial round of condolences, though they hadn’t spoken beyond introductions and small talk. Ariebelle was apparently an adventurer of some renown, but she was a Cryomancer rather than a Ranger like her famous uncle. Boxxy wasn’t sure what the woman wanted, nor did it care. However, it had no choice but to play along, at least for a while longer.
“Yes? Something you need help with?” Keira spoke softly.
“In a manner of speaking. There’s something I need to discuss with you. In private.”
“But what about Rowie?”
“Hm? Oh no, don’t mind me,” the elf excused herself. “I have to head home and start getting lunch ready, so take all the time you need.”
The two of them said their goodbyes, after which Ariebelle led Keira to the horse-drawn carriage that was waiting for them. They climbed in and sat opposite each other while the driver set off in a seemingly random direction. The woman got straight to the point.
“Right, then. I know this is sudden, and not exactly proper, but I really just want to get this over with.”
Ariebelle reached under the seat and pulled out a small leather-bound briefcase with some floral engravings. She promptly presented it to a very confused Keira.
“What’s this?” the catgirl asked dumbly.
“As you know, my uncle left a will shortly before he passed on.”
“Before he was killed.”
“Could you please
not?”
“… Sorry.”
The grieving niece took a deep breath to compose herself before she carried on.
“Uncle collected a lot of weird and curious things over the years. I’ve already donated or distributed his belongings in accordance with his wishes. This is the last piece, which he bequeathed to you.”
“Well… it’s a nice briefcase, I suppose…”
Boxxy genuinely didn’t know why it was gifted this. While it appreciated a nice container, it wasn’t sure what to do with it. It would have been another story if there was actually something in it, but it was empty as far as its MLG could tell.
“Ah-hah,” Ariebelle giggled lightly. “You’re just like my uncle said you would be.”
“I am?”
“Mhm. Uncle spoke of you when I, um… last visited him. He complained fervently about one of his students. Apparently, he was assigned to deal with this absolute handful who was always messing up and taking things way too literally. She was always short of breath, regularly tardy, and even managed to somehow get lost on a straight road! Twice!”
She had a laugh at Keira’s expense as the redhead hid her pouting face behind the briefcase.
“But, you know,” Ariebelle continued, “even if he did nothing but complain, it was still the happiest I saw him in years.”
“Is that… so?”
“Indeed. Which is why I have no qualms about parting with this treasure. You can keep the case too, since you seem to like it. Please, accept it with mine and my late uncle’s sincerest gratitude.”
[Congratulations, you are now a Level 25 Doppelganger! All Attributes +2.]
Yes! Level Up – GET! Boxxy cheered. Freaking finally! Those last few Levels took forever! I was starting to think that- Wait, what did she say?
Keira hesitantly opened the fancy briefcase, revealing a pink, square-cut gemstone. It was relatively large, measuring around five centimeters tall and wide with a thickness of precisely eleven millimeters.
