After they regrouped, Ewaan wanted to share his unsettling experience, but he hesitated upon seeing both Ayaka and Maya relaxed, their faces aglow with wonder.
Sensing their arrival, Ayami dispelled the fire and descended from the tree.
With a smile, Ayaka presented her catch, two white rabbits with spiked horns protruding from the middle of their heads.
Ayami's smile faltered as she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "What's that awful smell?" She questioned, with a discomfort her expression.
Maya chuckled softly. "Well, Ayaka apparently used her lightning to catch them, so the smell might be coming from the burnt fur..." She explained sheepishly, sharing a knowing look with Ayaka.
As they set the fire, Ewaan took it upon himself to dress the rabbits, skillfully separating the bones from the meat and cutting it evenly.
The Takagi twins watched in awe, their expressions filled with surprise at Ewaan's proficiency.
"Wow, he's really good at this," Ayaka remarked, her eyes wide with amazement.
Maya nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we've been living on our own since our parents passed away," as she explained, her tone turned melancholy.
But not to heavy atmosphere, she continued with a forced smile, "Ewaan's usually the one who prepares our meals."
Ayaka and Ayami exchanged a sympathetic glance, realizing the hardships the Tempest siblings had endured.
They offered words of comfort and understanding as Ewaan continued his task still ignoring the whispers of the forest, their bond growing stronger with each passing moment.
As Ewaan finished with the meat, Ayami handed him some small branches to skewer the meat onto.
Her sudden helpfulness caught Ewaan off guard, considering her previous guarded and distrust demeanor.
Once the meal was prepared and done eating, they took turns keeping watch throughout the night.
Though there were no life-threatening monsters in the vicinity, they remained vigilant, knowing that small creatures could still pose a threat if ignored.
Each member of the group stayed alert, ensuring their safety until morning light broke through the forest canopy.
With the first light of dawn, they resumed their journey towards the King's State.
The dawn broke as they traversed through the forest, the air filled with excited chatter along the way.
As the day progressed, they pressed on without rest, fueled by determination to reach their destination.
And before they knew it, they arrived at the gates of the King's State, redeeming their journey complete.
°°°
Passing through the gate security was a breeze for the group, thanks to their adventurer status evident from the golden plates around their necks.
The guards recognized them as seasoned adventurers and waved them through without any hassle.
With the Tempest siblings accompanying the Takagi twins, they encountered no issues whatsoever, allowing them to enter the King's State smoothly.
"So this is the King's State, Huh?" Ewaan uttered, his voice betraying none of the relief and excitement he felt deep down.
Journeying through the forest and wilderness for an entire day after transmigrating to this world, the sight of a human city brought a sense of relief and excitement bubbling within him.
"Indeed, it is," Ayami replied, her tone neutral as she surveyed their bustling surroundings.
"This is the King's State of the Sardania Empire, where every race can peacefully coexist. It's a paradise for those seeking harmony," Ayaka explained, her voice tinged with awe and admiration for the city they had just entered.
Ewaan thought to himself. while observing the cityscape, marveling at the sight of different races coexisting harmoniously.
– It's evident by the looks of it... A Centaur with a Human, a Lupirian with an Elf! This is quite the sight to behold!
With a sudden realization, he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
– Huh? How do I know the name of these species?
He questioned inwardly, his mind racing with possibilities.
– I've played countless fantasy games, but each had its different settings and names for its species! Could I've subconsciously retained the names from one of those games?
He wondered, his thoughts drifting back to his memories of virtual worlds and adventures.
"Hey, Ewaan look! There are many humans with different animal ears and tails!" Maya remarked with a wide smile on her face.
Maya's words pulled Ewaan's attention away from his thoughts as he followed her gaze, spotting humans with various animal features—ears, tails, furry hand and legs—mingling among the crowd.
Confused by Maya's sudden amazement at seeing some beast people, Ayami furrowed her eyebrows, with a confused expression.
"How come you don't know about the Beastnoids?" She asked, her tone mixed with confusion and curiosity.
Her question hit Ewaan like a bullet, causing him to stammer nervously. "Um... We... We grew up in a rural village up in the mountains, so we don't know much about the outside world,"
He replied hastily, drawing upon his talent for making up excuses, a skill he had honed through many tardy school mornings.
Ewaan's explanation got Maya thinking,
– Are we not supposed to disclose we're from a different world?
With determined eyes she continued,
– Fine then, I'll be extra cautious in that regard!
Nodding at Ewaan.
Maya's sudden determination caught Ewaan off guard, but he nodded in agreement nonetheless, understanding the need for caution.
Ayami's skeptical expression deepened as Ayaka ignored her question and proceeded to answer Maya's inquiry.
"They're known as Demi-Humans, or Beastnoids as they prefer to be called," Ayaka explained, her tone casual.
"How come they have two different synonyms for their species?" Maya asked, curiously.
"Uh... It's a long story, and there's not many tales about it's history, but let me tell you how my father once told me," Ayaka begun explaining, "Originally called Beastians because their appearance fully resembled the animals they were at that time, but everything changed after the 3rd Hero descended into our world."
– The third hero's descent? So, there are heroes from another world in this one, just like us!
Widening his eyes, furrowing his brows, Ewaan begun pondering,
– I've had this strange dream for almost a week before being transmigrated here, something about becoming the next generation's Hero... So, does that mean I'm a Hero? Or rather,
Briefly glancing at Maya,
– are we Heroes who had also 'Descended' into this world?
As they walked, Ayaka continued her explanation about the 3rd Hero. "He wielded tremendous power that altered the course of history, guiding every species to evolve and embrace their humanoid forms,"
She recounted. "Some transformations brought improvement, while others led to disasters. It was that Hero who first used the term 'Demi-Humans'—a name met with mixed feelings. Not all appreciated it, for Demi-Humans struggled for acceptance in a less sociable era. Their reluctance stemmed from more than just a name; they harbored disapproval towards humans as well. Understandable, considering the term 'Humans' in their species name..."
– There's a lot of history in this world regarding Heroes,
Ewaan mused, absorbing Ayaka's explanation.
– That third hero dubbed them 'Demi-Humans' after their evolution. So he or she was most likely from our world, or at least from a world similar to ours...
Maya's naive curiosity prompted her to ask, "Did that hero possess abilities similar to yours?" as she sought to uncover more about the mysteries of the world.
"Uh... Oh, you mean Magic? Hehe~ quite joking, we're only B-ranked adventurers! We're nowhere near what a Hero is capable of..."
Ayaka replied with a playful tone, downplaying their modest rank and abilities as adventurers compared to the legendary status of a Hero.
°°°
Casually conversing on their way, they remained unaware of their proximity to the Adventurer's Guild, except for Ayami, who was keenly observant on the road, silently enjoying the conversation.
Any initial doubts about them being bandits or thugs had long faded during their journey.
Engrossed in conversation, they casually entered the Adventurer's Guild.
"Well, if it isn't the Takagi twins! Who are these new friends of yours? Care to introduce yourselves?" Greeted by a brunette, who appeared to be around 22, with the familiarity of an old acquaintance.
"Hey, Alina!" Brushing off, "No, we're not friends, just acquaintances who happened to run into each other by chance near Nightmare's Plains..." Ayami uttered in a friendly manner.
"Hey there, new faces," Alina greeted warmly, "I'm Alina Rossi, the Head Receptionist and Manager of the Adventurers Guild Headquarters. How about you two?"
"I'm Maya Tempest," she said with a tentative smile, her voice betraying a hint of uncertainty.
The atmosphere seemed charged, especially with Alina's persistent glances at Ewaan. However, observing his composed demeanor, Maya gradually relaxed into a more comfortable stance.
"And what about you? The lone handsome gentleman in this group of beauties?" Alina remarked with a bit of playful and flirtatious demeanor.
••• ••• •••