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“Yeah. I was pretty nervous coming here today,” Emerie mumbled as she rubbed her neck.

However, nothing would have stopped Emerie from visiting Delora. After so many days of being with Mayumi, she felt like she was imposing on their family too much. She wanted to give them a break, so she came here for the day.

Visiting Reia wasn’t possible for now, as Mayumi had suggested leaving her and Orpheus alone until he willingly brought her around again.

“It just makes me worried for Fyodor,” Delora said as she bit her lip, her eyes quickly welling with tears. “It’s really hard not knowing if our child is out there alive or not. They are alone, and I had no idea that if they fully grew, they would want to leave.”

“It was an accident, Delora,” Magnar argued. “Orpheus and Reia didn’t know bringing the deer here would make them form their antlers. They remained small when they obtained their rabbit skull. No one knew what would happen.”

“I know,” she eventually sighed. “I just can’t help but constantly worry. I think about them all the time.”

Look at the way he reassures her. He’s so kind to her, even when she’s beating herself up.She couldn’t help warmly smiling towards Magnar.All the Duskwalkers are really sweet to their brides.

Because she was just admiring them, it took Emerie a few moments for what they’d said to truly register. Her brows eventually drew together tightly.

“Did… did you say a rabbit skull and antlers?” Emerie asked shyly.

“Yeah,” Delora answered, turning her exasperated gaze from Magnar to her. “The Duskwalkers become what they eat. Fyodor ate a rabbit skull first, and then a deer head. After that, they suddenly became a full-sized Duskwalker. They even obtained their orbs.”

“She,” Ingram randomly threw in while staring at the flames, his skull tilted. He spun his head back around and found all their eyes on him. “The Mavka you speak of. Not they, she.”

Delora’s lips parted as she pressed her hand against the table to stand. “What are you saying, Ingram?”

“I... I think we met Fyodor,” Emerie chimed in, causing Delora’s bewildered expression and Magnar’s dark-yellow orbs to spin to her instead. Talk about awkward. She rubbed at her arm. “We came across a female Duskwalker with a rabbit skull and antlers on our way here. She didn’t have a lot of humanity, so it was hard to speak with her, but Ingram said she was definitely a female.”

“When?” Delora excitedly exclaimed, standing fully. “Where did you see them... her?”

“A day from the Veil, just south from here. I think she made herself a burrow on the surface.”

“Oh my god, Magnar,” Delora cried, as she threw her arms around his waist. “Fyodor is alive, and she’s agirl.”

For a few moments, there were tears and some sobbing from Delora as she hugged the tall Duskwalker. He’d wrapped his arms around her shoulders and placed the cheek of his skull against the top of her head.

Emerie didn’t know what to do.

Should we leave?This felt like a pretty special moment for them. Once more, she and Ingram were imposing on another family.

Situations like the ones she was currently facing didn’t happen in the guild. Couples were formed, but none ever had children due to women requiring surgery that stopped them from menstruating once a month.

The only time someone would see a family member was when a male Demonslayer was visiting his family in a town or village – and most of the time it was an accidental family they made. Horny men doing silly things while out on missions.

Emerie fidgeted in her seat, then rose to head in the direction of Ingram, when he sneezed again. Fucking hell, it was like an explosion every time.

“No, wait. Please,” Delora pleaded as she put her hand out to Emerie. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to go on account of us.”

“It’s fine,” Emerie said with a weak, reassuring smile. “I’m sure this is something you both want to digest alone.”

“No, really,” the woman pushed. “I was just overwhelmed. You don’t know what a relief it is to learn that she’s safe, but it’s fine. I would prefer you stayed. I would like to make you some lunch as a way to show my appreciation.”

Emerie would have fought her, not requiring such gratitude when her meeting with Fyodor had been accidental, but she couldn’t refuse. Not with the way Delora’s face had gone all cute and pink from her tears, and the grateful woman now faced her with a big smile, as if Emerie had just offered her the entire world.

“I guess Iamkind of hungry,” she grumbled with a blush.

She was starving, actually.

“I’ll go to the garden then. Mayumi brought me some bread the other day, so I can make you a sandwich.”

A sandwich in the Veil?So weird.