Clara

The just-risen sun shone softly, casting a rosy hue across the morning sky, bringing with it a flurry of early morning activity.

Elsie walked out of the inn while stretching her body. She gazed up to the bright sky and a beautiful smile crept upon her lips.

Behind her stood Olive and Zarin, they were both staring at her with raised eyebrows.

"What... Is she smiling about, that she didn't even notice us?" Zarin glanced at Olive who stood beside him with a questioning gaze.

Olive glanced back at him and with a bite of her lips, her violent hand landed on his head.

"Yaa... Why did you hit me?" Zarin clutched his head as his face grimaced in pain.

"Tsk... You are so dumb! Look at her, can't you see she's daydreaming of him!" Olive clicked her tongue as she raised her hand and pretended to hit him again.

"Who?..." Zarin glanced at Olive while rubbing his aching head with a raised brow.

"The guy!"

"Ohhh... You mean him," Zarin nodded his head as he glanced at Elsie. "Somebody is in love."

"Why wouldn't she be in love? He is her..." Olive halted her sentence the instant she heard something growl. She glanced down at her belly and then at Zarin. A smile suddenly appeared on her face as she rubbed her tummy. "Am hungry."

Zarin drew his head back and gazed at her before a smile also appeared on his face, "I am also hungry."

They stared at each other for a moment before their eyes, in unison raised to glance at Elsie who was still watching the sky with a smile on her lips.

With a cheerful smile visible on his face, Zarin made his way to stand beside Elsie and gently nudged her on the arm.

Elsie's face instantly turned grim as she rescinded her eyes from the sky and gazed at Zarin who was smiling widely like a clown beside her, "What is it?"

"Can we go and eat? We are all hungry," Zarin blinked his eyes like a small child with the broad smile still visible on his face.

Elsie gazed at him for a while before a sudden smile appeared on her face, "Sure we can, but you both are paying with your own money." Were they expecting her to pay when each of them has a thousand gold coins each? Hilarious!

Zarin and Olive glanced at each other with raised eyebrows for a moment. Are they communicating or what.

They turned towards Elsie and rolled their eyes before blurting out in unison, "Fine, we will pay for ourselves!"

"Good! Let's go then." Elsie nodded at them with a smile and proceeded to leave the inn with them following beside her with grim faces. They had hoped that she would pay for them.

They sauntered through the market, making their way towards the restaurant when Zarin suddenly yanked Elsie by the sleave of her dress, dragging her to the front of a meat store.

"Zarin!" Elsie's face turned grim as she glared at him. "Why did you drag me here?"

"Chill...," Zarin chuckled and turned her head to the meat store. "Instead of going to the restaurant to eat, why don't we have stick meats?"

"What's a stick meat?" Elsie raised one of her brows as she stared at Zarin with a questioning gaze.

"Ahh..." Zarin drew back and placed his hand on his chest pretending to be surprised. "You don't... Know what stick meat is?"

Elsie shooked her head with a raised brow. How was she supposed to know what stick meat was? She hasn't eaten much of this world's food.

"Ok! See this stick meat is the most delicious thing you could ever eat," Zarin nodded his head with a cheerful smile on his face.

Elsie narrowed her eyes and turned to glance at Olive only to see her nodding her head to her, "He's right. It's the most delicious food you could ever taste."

Elsie narrowed her eyes and glanced at Zarin again, "Alright... Let me taste it."

Zarin broadened his smile and turned towards the seller who was patiently waiting for them, "Sir... Can I have three stick meats?"

The seller smiled at them and proceeded to roast one for them. This took a few minutes before the seller took them out and handed the three newly roasted stick meat to them, "Here you go. That will be 30 gold."

They took the stick meats from the seller and handed the payment to him.

Elsie smelled the stick meat and drew her head back. It did smell good. She scrutinized the meat and couldn't help but bite her lips. Should she eat it or not.

Zarin who was watching her couldn't help but chuckle, "Just eat it," He munched on his and threw his head back in ecstasy.

Elsie glanced and him and shrugged. Well, it's not bad to try new things. She raised the stick meat to her lips and gently bit off a part of the beat.

She chewed on it and her eyes instantly dilated as it sparkled. This was indeed the most delicious food she had ever tasted.

She hurriedly munched on It and couldn't help but throw her head back in ecstasy. Damn this was so good.

"Good, right?" Zarin smirked at her. He was amused by her reaction.

"It indeed is. Can I get one more?"

Zarin nodded at her and turned to face the seller.

Elsie who was waiting suddenly felt a killing gaze on her and turned her head in the direction only to see a red-haired woman with a creepy smile on her lips.

Elsie's face became anxious immediately and she began to shove Zarin and Olive forward, "Guys run... She is here!"

"What!" Olive yelled as they began to run. Why did this woman have to come at such a moment! She was still hungry!

They ran rapidly and dashed into the woodland hoping they will be able to escape once more. However, that may not be the case today.

"Stop running!" Zamiel suddenly halted Elsie on her run which also made Olive and Zarin stop.

"Zamiel why did you ask me to stop?" Elsie furrowed her brows.

"You are already surrounded! you can't escape!"

"What!" Elsie who was communicating with Zamiel suddenly heard Olive's voice.

"Elsie, why are we stopping?" Olives face turned into a deep frown. She doesn't understand why they would stop at a crucial moment like this.

"We are already surrounded and we can't move!"

"What!" Olive darted her eyes around to see if there was anyone but she saw nothing.

"Zamiel what do I do now?" Elsie took a deep breath to calm her beating heart.

"You're not a match for the girl, but I think you should give all you got. It's either you or her. Wait for my instruction," Zamiel sighed as he shook his head. They are completely in a disadvantageous situation so they can only give their all.

Elsie nodded and stood still. A time of forty seconds passed before Zamiel's calm voice reverberated, "She is about to attack you, draw your swords and dodge to the left."

She unhesitantly moved her body ducking to the left only to have a torn cloth which was done by the sword of the attacker that sneaked attacked her from the back.

She took a deep breathe the moment she successfully ducked the sneak attack and jumped up on her feet.

"You have quite a sharp sense-" The red-haired woman smirked as she swerved saber. "-But you will die today as a punishment for offending this miss here."

Elsie ignored her and took a battling stance with two swords in her hands, "Alright then," She doesn't have much of a choice, so she can only give her best.

Glancing at Elsie who took a battling stance, the red-haired woman raised her brow as she grinned, "You're quite a straightforward person, but I will have to disappoint you because I brought companions, I need to make sure that you and your friends die."

"Oh?" Elsie's eyes dilated as saucers as she pretended to be surprised.

"Indeed, I just can't afford any risks. I must exterminate you and your friends today," The young girl smirked while she surveyed Elsie's expression.

Elsie drew. her head back as she glanced at Olive and Zarin who stood beside her with a raised brow, "I am flattered that you think so highly of us, but is it really worth it to bring so many people just to kill the three of us?

"Indeed it is," The red-haired woman smirked as she beckoned her companions with a wave of her hand.

From different obscuring places, men's silhouettes leaped out and matched forward to stand behind the red-haired woman. One of those companions walked towards her, "Clara." He kissed her hand and took a step back

Elsie raised her brows as she glanced at the young man then at the red-haired woman.

The red-haired woman who saw her surprised expression smiled haughtily as she tilted her chin up, "This is my man, his name is Malek."

However, Elsie raised her brow in surprise as she glanced at Olive and Zarin who had an amused look on their faces then back to the red-haired woman, "Okay... but am pretty sure I didn't ask for his name nor did I ask if he's your man. Also, your name is Clara?"

The red-haired woman immediately frowned as she felt displeased, " Yes, you have a problem with my name."

Elsie gazed at her grim face for a while and her eyes suddenly dilated as a saucer as a light bulb popped in her head. A smile crept up her lips, "No not at all. It's just, thinking about it now, I find it weird to think that you aren't ashamed that you came to kill me with so many men, the little me who you are two levels stronger than. Tsk tsk... you aren't as strong as you seem to be," Elsie pretended to be disappointed as she shook her head bitterly.

Olive and Zarin who were standing beside her glanced at each other and a smile formed on their lips. They clearly understand what Elsie was planning.

Clara immediately fretted the moment she heard Elsie. She wasn't scared of Elsie, she could kill her if she wanted. She only brought companions to make sure she kills Elsie and for her men to deal with those two friends of hers.

But now she felt maybe she did exaggerate things by bringing companions to kill a mere Yellow star level demon, whiles she was a Green star level demon. She was not really interested in killing Elsie's friends but only interested in killing Elsie.

With a harsh face, she turned her attention to Elsie and tilted her chin up, "Fine to make everything fair, you and I will battle and none of them will interfere including your friends. I am only interested in killing you, not your friends."

"Clara!" Malek her man, clamored her name the moment he heard her decision. He, of course, understood what Elsie was planning but Clara who was full of pride didn't get what meaning Elsie's words had.

However, Clara glared at him the moment she heard him clamor her name, "This is my decision, don't try to question it."

"Yo...," Malek swallowed his words when he saw Clara's glaring eyes fixed on him and took a step back.

Elsie and her friends on the other hand sealed their lips tightly to refrain themselves from laughing at the scenario taking place in front of them. It was just too funny.

......

MC NOTE: So let me introduce the stick meats to you guys. See the stick meats is a stick that has delicious plump roasted meats attached to them with a few seasonings sprinkled In it to give a finishing touch. I really wanted to taste it again but that woman is just...