Hello, I'm Joy!

Hello, I'm Joy!

I'm a local at a town called Tomoura and I am currently 19 years old. I have two brothers and I am as normal as I can be.

This town was once an attraction for its great deal of herbs that grows around the surrounding forests and some are farmed here at this very town.

It was a lovely town until five years ago when a new Baron ruled this place and everything turned upside-down.

The tax was increased by a substantial amount and caused our herbs to become expensive in the process, in turn, people began to look for somewhere else to buy herbs.

It resulted in a poor economy and fewer people are arriving every year.

The once populated town of Tomoura has turned into a town of slums that even dogs that scavenge for food are dying.

Every day, we have to wake up with water and food supplies slowly decreasing and due to that, we have to lower the price for the herbs and as a result, we barely have any money to spare for ourselves.

It was all thanks to our Baron who fattened himself with foods that came from our hard labor and all he does is sit on his self-entitled throne and do nothing but order us around.

It's not like we like him but we can't do anything. If you do something that to him is not appropriate, you get punished. Even saying my gossip around him can cause you to be in jail for life.

As the months' pass, we even barely survive as he started to appoint people from outside the town to be his guards as he quoted, "I cannot trust you peasants to be my guards. You are too dirty." he said

It was when someone started to rebel, a local guard when he was killed the next day. He was hanged in front of everyone for "Treason"

It was an uproar, yet, we can't do anything. We have no power as we are simply commoners. The moment he became Baron of this place, the empire has given up our lives to a pig like him.

Years passed and nothing's changed. His child that was the same as the Baron grew up to be like him.

Entitled, Prideful, Spoiled, and when everyone talked bad about him, he cried like his dog just died.

After that, the gossipers were hanged.

Everyone was quiet, yet, everyone was mad. It was when everyone started to gossip to the outsiders about their current situation that it made the Baron so mad.

His name spread to other towns and villages about his name and how they created dirty nicknames like Spoiled Pig, King of the Hogs, etc.

It was all laughs at first until a massacre happened. That very same day, everyone was gathered in the middle of the town and people started to shout as they killed the villagers one by one.

"If you don't tell me who spread that gossip, all of you here are gonna die." The Baron said.

Fifteen people were killed that day and ever since then, everyone became quiet. Their freedom of speech disappeared as talking ill about the Baron and his son was treason.

It wasn't until years later that something good happened.

The Baron's son died in the battle with the Lizardmen.

The Baron didn't even announce anything, the gossip just spread. The Baron wasn't even that mad but he was smiling.

On that very day, hundreds of his trained soldiers marched in the direction of the Lizardmen Village as I heard something about a "Chance". We know that there is an Alliance Treaty between independent demons and us but he said he finally had a "Chance".

For me, the Baron used his son for a chance to kill the Lizardmen.

They returned with lizardmen heads on the spear as they shouted victoriously. We watched as the feeling of fear started to grow on me.

I know something is going to happen—my eyes told me so.

Just after that, I was ordered to collect some herbs in the forest. I gave the permit to the guards as I brought a basket with me.

I thought it was gonna be a normal day because I didn't know I was followed.

A man by the name of Hardey was a knight that took a liking to me. He grabbed me by surprise as he and his friends cornered me.

I bit him by chance as he suddenly let me go, dropping my basket of herbs in the process. Yet, I was still caught. I tripped on a rock as they suddenly appeared in front of me—wounding my own leg in the process.

Knights are at least Level 10 individuals as someone like me is only of Level 2. They're agile and strong compared to a frail girl like it.

I was cornered once more as he started to get rid of his armor. I was about to accept my fate—until I met him.

A fast arrow-like projectile made a hole on Hardey's chest as he suddenly consumed him whole.

I was surprised, yet I was afraid. Is it gonna eat me too?

I just stood there, like a statue, I didn't dare to move.

He killed the others and consumed them too and I froze when it looked at me. I tried to back away when he suddenly healed my leg.

When I took a closer look, it actually looks really cute. I finally relaxed for a second as my wound got healed, until others started to look for Hardey and the creature told me to run.

I ran, yet my heart tried to stop me. I know he can kill them but... I can't explain.

My eyes...

They're telling me to be with him.

So I came back as I hid on the trunk to see the little creature already consuming the others.

I called to him and said my thanks.

It was when he said to me that his home was destroyed. Did he mean the Lizardmen village? Did he belong there?

It was a perfect yet reckless opportunity as I pleaded him to end the Baron's reign.

I expected him to reject but he happily agreed. He said that it was his intention to take revenge and the pat that he gave to my shoulder felt warm.

Don't be mistaken, I did not fall for such a creature.

Well, not until he turned into a human I haven't seen before. Is that his true self?