Proof

Vivian jumped and flipped in mid-air to land safely on the ground as she dodged another whip-like branch that was aiming for her back.

'How long is that thing's range?'

She realised that to escape from the monster tree she needed to increase her speed. She took out a Mana Replenishment pill and threw it into her mouth.

As her almost dried-up core started to absorb the mana little by little, her figure blurred due to the sudden burst of speed and she disappeared from that forest region.

Even if she was sure about being out of the monster's reach, she still didn't slow down out of fear for her life. She would be defenceless if she came across any high-level magical beasts when she was low on her mana.

And to add more to her misery, she didn't know where she was going.

'I am going to run till I find someone!'

Vivian decided and ran like there was no tomorrow. She had lost track of time and didn't realise how she had run. Fortunately, she heard someone talking in the distance and quickened her pace.

"Vivian?!"

That voice. She recognised it immediately. It belonged to the human her grandfather had warned about but Vivian didn't pay any heed to that warning as she stopped in front of him.

"Thank god!" She took a deep breath. "Huff… you guys… there is a Puppet Maker in the forest!"

"What?" Raymond asked. "What's a puppet maker? Why do you look so scared?"

"Jasmine, give her some water!" Raymond ordered, seeing as Vivian was gasping for breath while looking dead tired.

"Ok, master!" Jasmine nodded and took out a wooden flask from her ring and handed it to Vivian after helping her sit down.

———

"Well, have you calmed down enough?" Raymond asked as Vivian looked somewhat relaxed.

"Haa… I am okay now. Thank you very much for helping me," Vivian bowed towards Raymond and Jasmine and thanked them sincerely.

"So, you do know how to talk normally!" Raymond chuckled which caused her to blush in embarrassment and look away.

"Haha, when your life is on the line you tend to forget your pretenses…" Vivian said sheepishly. "Nevermind that, we need to warn the villagers. There is a freaking monster inside the forest!"

"Ohh, is that what you were talking about? That puppet maker is a monster? Hehe, I thought some artist was passing by the forest." Raymond scratched his head.

Vivian's lips twitched in anger. Was he seriously saying that she would be afraid of a damn artist?

"Hmph, You humans really have limited thinking ability!" She replied hotly.

"Is that so…? Then how about you tell me what is so scary about this monster?" Raymond raised his eyebrow in question.

He was itching for a fight ever since morning. If that monster could make Vivian who was a king run for her money then it might be able to scratch his itch.

Who knew? It might even put up a good fight against him.

"Ahem! You can explain as we walk!" Raymond interrupted Vivian who was about to open her mouth to start a long monolog about the Puppet Maker. "Get up, we need to move quickly before the monster runs away!"

"What? What are you talking about?" Vivian got up and took a step back from Raymond. "You are not suggesting that we go back to that monster, are you?"

Her eyes widened in horror as Raymond nodded casually. Maybe her grandfather was right.

'This man is looking for death!'

"No, no, no. I am not going back! That monster can suck your blood, you know that? It scares the hell out of me. I am not going back!"

"Tsk, tsk, you're worrying too much. Nothing will happen while I am here." Raymond reassured her but Vivian was not willing to listen. "Then again, who is going to believe you? The villagers? I heard you were banished from the Inner Sanctum, do you think they will trust your words without proof?"

"Huh?"

Raymond's words made her pause. That was right. No one would believe her if she said there was Pupper Maker in the forest.

Keeping her reputation amongst the villagers, the fact that an artificially created magical beast was in the forest and remained unnoticed till now was absurd.

The Puppet Maker was an evolved form of a Treeman and that evolution process was pure evil.

"You… you're right but I don't want to go back," Vivian choked. "I don't want any of the villagers to die because of that monster either… I don't know what to do!"

Even her grandfather wouldn't believe her without any proof. If it was any other magical beast he would've believed her but not the Puppet Maker.

"Argh! No one will trust me…!" Vivian screamed in frustration. Her dishevelled hair swayed erratically due to the wind.

"I am putting my trust in you, aren't I?" Raymond said, flicking her forehead gently, his voice laced with confidence. "I am even willing to go back with you and find evidence."

"How about you trust me to keep you safe?"

"Huh?" Vivian stared into his eyes, those black orbs shining with brilliance made her falter. He sounded so confident and sure of himself. She almost believed him if not for his nonexistent cultivation.

"Cough! You are good with your words. I am not falling for that!"

"Damn, I really thought I had you for a moment there!" Raymond tutted. Not everyone was like Jasmine to believe him when he sounded confident.

"I knew it! You are trying to get me killed."

"Sigh, I was really hoping you would come peacefully but it looks like I need to take matters into my own hands!" Raymond shook his head sagely.

"Wh-what do you mean? Don't try anything funny! I am friends with the High Priestess—Kyaaa…!"

"Lyla, go back to the village with Jasmine and Arlo. I will be back before you know it!" Raymond yelled as he carried Vivian in a bridal style and took off running towards the direction she had come from.

"Master, don't say it like that! Last time you said that you ended up sleeping with Lyla!" Jasmine screamed as her master's figure grew distant in the woods.

"He is already gone," Lyla put a hand on her shoulder and said coolly. "Let's go back to the village and report to the guild about the mission completion."