Chapter 9 - The Demon And Her Task

Charlotte

Arriving back to her home, Charlotte then gently open the door.

"Oh, finally! Both of you returned." Tanuki said. "I getting hungry of waiting, you know."

Entering the place, Charlotte then took off her boots.

"Shut up will you." John scorn. "You did pretty much nothing anyway, so why are you complaining."

"Hey! I guarded the house, just so you know." Tanuki retorted.

"Right..."

With the bag of bread in Charlotte's hands, she then made her way to the kitchen table. Placing the bag of bread, along with the vegetables whom are in John's hands, she then prepared herself to make breakfast.

Grabbing and casually wearing the apron from the kitchen, she quickly began making breakfast.

"Ohh... so young miss is the one making breakfast." Tanuki spoke.

Ignoring the two strangers in her house, she then grabbed a knife from the kitchen and a wooden chopping board. Laying the bought vegetables in the table, she masterfully sliced and cut the vegetables into pieces using the knife.

"Hmm..." Watching Charlotte cut the vegetables in a graceful manner, John can't help but take interest at her hand work. It's very rare for him to see someone who's graceful with their hands, especially as young as Charlotte.

After cutting the vegetables, she then prepared the cooking pot along with a few logs of dried wood. Casually starting a fire, she then put the pot in the roaring fire and await for it heat up. Seeing how the pot seems ready to go, she then grabbed the sliced vegetables and put them in the heated-up pan one by one. Grabbing a spatula, she casually stirs the vegetable until they cook, after which she then poured a two-glass worth of water in the pot. Awaiting for the thing to boil, Charlotte then prepares the spices in the table.

"Hmmm... what a nice aroma." With the vegetable soup leaking its flavorful aroma in the room, Tanuki can't help but comment about it. Seeing a saliva form in its mouth, it seems that the fat raccoon can wait to get a bite at the upcoming meal.

John on the other hand, is still watching Charlotte do her work, just sitting and keeping quiet as the whole thing continues.

With the vegetable filled pot started boiling, Charlotte then sprinkled a few spices in the thing and gently stir the pot; mixing the entire thing in the process. Wanting to thicken up the soup, Charlotte then also sprinkled a few tablespoon worth of flour in the thing. With the whole thing mostly complete, all what was left was to periodically mix the soup every minute or so.

-After a few minutes of waiting

"U-um... the soup's ready." Charlotte declared.

Excited for the meal, Tanuki then hopped on the table, awaiting to receive his portion. Seeing the overexcited raccoon, happily awaiting for the meal, Charlotte can't help but blush. It's been too long since she cooked for someone, so seeing someone eagerly waiting for her cooking, makes her somewhat happy.

With a smile in her face, she then prepared three bowls of soup for each person in the table. Along with the bread which both her and John bought, their long-awaited breakfast is now ready.

Eager to eat his meal, Tanuki then quickly grabbed a piece of bread from the table and readied himself to take a bite. But seeing how Charlotte decided to pray first, Tanuki quickly stopped what he was about to do. Feeling bad for what he did, Tanuki then placed the bread back and prayed along with Charlotte.

.

.

"Sorry about that." Charlotte apologized. "Both of you should have just started without me."

"No need to apologize, young miss." Tanuki said. "Prayer is a very essential task to do in the morning, so I should be the one apologizing."

Ignoring the two, John then grabbed a piece of bread in the table and started their meal with a bite. Feeling the hard and stale bread in his mouth, John can't help but be disappointed.

Well... its expected for something cheap and old. John thought.

"You could have been more subtle, you know." Tanuki spoke.

"U-umm... I'm sorry for only buying the cheap ones." Charlotte said.

"Don't be." John uttered. "Seeing how you're only living by yourself; I can't blame you for being cheap."

"R-right..." Charlotte muttered

Continuing their meal, all of them then tasted their bowl of hot soup. With the thick and flavorful liquid filling their mouths, all of them had various reactions from the soup they tasted.

"Uwa!" Tanuki voiced with a happy smile. "I sure commend you, young miss. This is one of the best soups I tasted in my life." Tanuki commented.

Hearing Tanuki compliment her cooking, Charlotte can't help but redden in embarrassment. Compliments are pretty rare for the young Charlotte, so she's not very well verse in reacting at such things.

"...U-um... thank you." Charlotte spoke.

"Hmmm... Not bad, I suppose." John also commented. "I tasted better, but this isn't also too bad by its own."

"Pffttt... you're not really good at compliments at all, Hero." Tanuki chuckled.

Ignoring Tanuki's comment, John continued eating his meal. Charlotte on the other hand, smiled at John's attempt of a compliment. Feeling that he was sincere with his compliment, Charlotte then also thanked him.

"Thank you... sir Hero." Charlotte said.

"T-there's no need for such compliments." John said somewhat blushingly. "I was just saying my thoughts."

"Right..." Tanuki voiced somewhat mockingly. "You sure are an honest fellow, Hero. I wonder if you're one of those people."

"What the hell are you talking about now, you fat raccoon?" John asked.

"I heard it from the first Hero." Tanuki explained. "It's someone who is not very honest with their true feelings. Umm... was it a tsundere?"

Hearing Tanuki's words, memories of John's junior flooded his thoughts. Even in another world, he still keeps getting plagued by said word. John thought.

Confused as to what they're talking about. Charlotte can't help but asked.

"T-tsundere? I never heard of such word." Charlotte questioned.

"Don't bother, young miss." John said. "It's just some shitty buzzword from my world."

"I see..." Charlotte uttered without really understanding what a buzzword means. "Oh, right? Speaking of which, you're from another world, right sir Hero?"

"I suppose that would be correct." John replied.

"How truly fascinating." Charlotte spoke. "I never knew that other worlds exist."

"I could say the same thing." John said while looking at the fat raccoon who's being busy with his soup.

"Eh? What?" Tanuki confusingly questioned.

"Don't give me that confused look of yours. You still have a lot of explaining to do."

"Eh? I thought that I already explained most things." Tanuki replied.

"You clearly haven't, you fat raccoon." John sighs. Getting tired with conversing with the raccoon, John continued eating his meal in peace. Still uninformed about most things, he can't help but have a deep thought about his current situation.

"Another world, huh..." Charlotte muttered

"What is it, young miss?" Tanuki questioned.

"E-eh... It's nothing." Charlotte answered. "I was just thinking about how different would sir Hero's world must be."

"Hmm... If you're interested, I can tell you some stories about that world of mine." John spoke.

"U-umm.. Really?" Charlotte asked with a somewhat fascinated look.

"It's not much, so don't get your expectations too high." John explained.

"I've heard some fascinating stories from the first Hero, so hearing yours might be interesting." Tanuki said.

Seeing the anticipating gazes from both Charlotte and Tanuki, John can't help but scratch his head. Story telling isn't really his expertise, so he doesn't know if what he'll say will satisfy both their curiosity.

"A-ahh..." John uttered.

"..." -2x Both Charlotte and Tanuki remained quiet anticipating for John to start.

Regretting his earlier words, John then sighs and open his mouth. The first story he told to both of them were what his world looked like.

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Demonica

Somewhere in the deep woods of Riverdawn, two horned people can be seen walking in the dark and plant life filled place.

"Shit, shit, shit..." A pale and horned woman uttered, while looking somewhat distressed.

"Hey Demonica, calm down will you." A hulking horned man said.

"C-calm down... calm down! Don't you realize what you have done Obelisk!?" Demonica shouted.

"Eh?" Obelisk confusingly uttered. "What did I do?"

Hearing the stupid question of Obelisk, a vein suddenly grown in Demonica's face. Getting pissed with her dumb partner, Demonica firmly formed a fist, which she used to punch Obelisk in the face. Receiving the strong punch first hand, Obelisk quickly flung from where he stands and crashed to some random three, which was easily torn. With bruises in his face and a bleeding nose, he quickly apologized to Demonica before he receives another harsh treatment from her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Obelisk apologized while raising his hands. "I shouldn't have killed those Adventures."

"You think your apology will fix our current problem!?" Demonica scorned. "Because of what you did, the mages are now hot in our heels and our hideout is now being investigated. We currently have nowhere to hide."

Seeing the hateful gaze of Demonica, Obelisk can't help be worried. Knowing Demonica for a long time, he had known how ferocious she can be when she gets angry. Adding the fact that she's part of the Great Demon Families, her capabilities far outmatches his by a longshot.

"I-I'm sorry, Demonica... You know how I react when I see some potential prey."

Knowing that she can't undone what has occurred, Demonica sighs in exhaustion. With their current situation in hand, their mission is currently in shambles.

If only I have some clue of where ancestor Paschar is... Demonica thought.

Demonica Koi Hereafter a young member of the Hereafter great demon family. With their ancestor named Paschar whom has the goddess blessing, currently missing since the last war. The Hereafter family has been in great decline ever since her disappearance. Not wanting continue their further decline, the great family has decided to task the other members to venture out and look for the missing member. With Demonica being one of the people, she promises herself to find her missing ancestor and regain back the glory days of her once great family.

Focus Demonica... Demonica thought. You're doing this for your family, so you shouldn't be feeling depressed. Thinking back to her family Demonica was reminded that what she's doing is isn't for her own benefit. So, with that in mind, she then pumps herself up and readied herself to continue her mission, despite the hindrances in her path.

"So, with our previous hideout now being investigated by the mages. Then we'll need to find a new one." Demonica declared.

"Can't we just hide here?" Obelisk said, as he stands up from the ground. "There's plenty of trees in here than can act as cover."

"Can't you use your head for once." Demonica said. "This wood's is near the dungeon from where we were hiding. If there's any place that the mages will suspect of investigating this will be most likely."

"So where are we going to hide then?" Obelisk asked.

"Hmm... This place and others near the dungeon are off the list, due to the mages. And we also need a place that is near our investigation area." Racking up her brain in thinking of places to hide, Demonica can't help but be annoyed. With the mages hot in their tracks, she can't think of any place that would be a perfect hiding spot. But just as she's about to burn out her brains from thinking, Obelisk suddenly made a suggestion which somewhat surprises the pale Demon.

"Why don't we just hide in the town?" Obelisk said.

"What the hell are you saying, now!?"

"I mean hear me out here, Demonica. With the mages busy investigating this place. The town is probably the place they suspect the least. So, with that in mind, why don't we just hide there." Obelisk explained. "Plus, with your illusion magic we can also just blend right in with the crowd without suspicion."

Assessing Obelisk's suggestion more, Demonica thought that plan isn't too bad. With the mages thinking that they're in the dungeon. They most likely wouldn't suspect that they would be hiding in the town. The only problem with their plan is if they encounter a mage with a high illusion detection, which judging from how small the town is, is far from likely.

"Hmmm... that suggestion of yours, isn't that bad." Demonica uttered.

"See! It's the perfect plan." Obelisk said. "Those pesky mages wouldn't even suspect a thing."

"Don't get too far ahead of yourself. There are still a few holes in that plan of yours." Demonica remarked. "But with the current problem we have in hand, we have no choice but to take said risk."

"Roger that, miss Demonica."

Sighing from exhaustion, Demonica then ordered Obelisk to check the area. With the suspected mages still their current threat, she still can't let her guard down for even a minute.

Saluting his hand to the pale Demon, Obelisk then revealed a pair of demonic wings and flew off from where he stands. With Obelisk out to do his task, Demonica then also showed a pair of demonic wings, which she used flew off from the opposite direction of where Obelisk headed to.

As she flew from tree to tree, the only thing that lingers in her mind, is the clue of a woman who helps some people in the town of Riverdawn by seeing their future. Suspecting that the woman is her great ancestor whom is currently missing. Determination fills her even more.

For the great family... were the last words in Demonica's thoughts as she checks the area.

-End