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Rays of the sun pierced into the woods through the dense growth of leaves. Although the illumination was paltry, Erin’s cognition was not inhibited in the slightest. Her keen and acute senses as a Fox-kin allowed her to navigate her dark environment with ease. However, the same couldn’t be said for her two companions.

“What kind of figs grow in the dark?” Lyra grumbled as she did her best not to trip on anything. “And aren’t they supposed to be fruits belonging to warmth?” Though her sight was as keen as an eagle’s, this was only true if there was ample illumination. In the dark, her sight was no different than that of the average human.

“Use your head, Lyra.” Nivia retorted as she, too, was trekking through the woods with much difficulty. Her hearing was excellent but that did little to help her in navigating in the dark. “If it were mere ordinary figs, why would they enlist the help of adventurers?”

“I have done tasks that are more unbelievably absurd than this one. People are odd.”

“Well, this quest ain’t a difficult one. If the dark troubles you so much, you may return to the others right this instance.”

Lyra shot the Elf a glare. “As if I would give in over such trivial inconveniences.”

“Then do us all a favour, be quiet. You’re making us look bad in the eyes of others.”

By others, Nivia was referring to the other people who were currently in the woods with them. They were adventurers, much like the trio. Evidently, this forest was a common spot for quests. Though none of the other adventurers were close enough to overhear their exchange, they were close enough to get a good glance at them. More than half of these onlookers were immediately enthralled by Erin’s beauty as she walked past their gazes.

“With Erin here, I don’t think we will look bad in their eyes,” said Lyra. “In fact, I don’t think they will be looking anywhere but at Erin.”

Nivia clicked her tongue. “I agree,” she admitted reluctantly.

The adventurers tried their best to hide their gazes but it was all too obvious that they were sneaking glances at Erin.

Lyra sighed. “It can’t be helped. She’s just that beautiful.”

“That doesn’t mean we should just let it be. You can’t possibly expect Erin to live the rest of her life being the target of these perverts’ fantasies.”

“What do you expect her to do?”

Nivia opened her mouth but closed it immediately. Exasperation wrought her face.

“The cross of being a great beauty,” Lyra mused with a melancholic smile. “As her lover, it is my duty to protect her from all those who had their senses overwhelmed by her allure. To the best of my abilities, of course.”

Nivia’s exasperation only grew upon hearing Lyra’s proud declaration but before she could retort, she noticed something amiss. Or rather, she noticed Erin was missing. “Where did she go?” Nivia blurted out upon this realisation.

Lyra looked around but found not a trace of Erin’s presence. “Did she walk too far ahead?”

“I would say we’re the ones who have lagged too far behind.”

“Even so, it’s not like her to just walk out of our sight. In fact, I expected her to stop our bickering.”

“Whatever the reason is, we best catch up to her first.”

And so, the two ran ahead, coming to a gentle slope that led into the deeper parts of the woods.

“I don’t think she came this way,” said Lyra.

“Impossible. Where else could she have gone?”

Lyra looked around them once more but saw nothing that would suggest Erin’s presence. Just as unease began to bubble in her heart, a figure dropped down from the trees between them, shocking the two off their feet. The multiple flashes of white immediately lifted the weight off of Lyra’s heart.

“You two would be dead if I was an enemy,” said Erin with a smirk adorning her face.

“What was that for?” Nivia asked. Her swords were in her hands the moment Erin dropped down between them.

“A test, if you will. The rivalry between the two of you is dangerous. You two have your attention robbed by it.”

“I—” Nivia was about to protest but caught herself. She retracted her indignation and lowered her head. “I’m sorry. That was… immature and careless of me.”

“I’m sorry too,” said Lyra as she threw her arms around Erin. “We shall be more careful next time. We won’t disappoint you.”

“Hopefully, there won’t be a next time.” Erin sighed and presented her palm to the two. There was a bundle of small dark red fruits in her palm. “By the way, I found them.”

“That was easy. Where did you find them?”

Erin pointed upwards, at the tree she had just dropped down from.

“Figs grow on trees now? Are you sure these are the right figs?”

Erin nodded. “These certainly are the right ones but curiously enough, these aren’t actually figs. They are called Dusk Peaches.”

“Peaches?”

“Dusk again,” Nivia scoffed. “What a terrible naming sense. It’s always either dawn or dusk.”

“Well, that’s what Appraisal says. They are poisonous and it’s mostly used in alchemy.”

“What kind of effects does it have?” Lyra asked.

“It didn’t say.” Erin shrugged and stowed the requested items away in the Vault. As did so, an eerie noise resounded in the ears of the trio.

“Please tell me I’m not the only one who heard that.”

“You’re not,” Erin assured Lyra.

“I heard it too,” said Nivia. “That’s the sound of flesh and bones being split open and apart.”

“Strange,” Lyra muttered. “This isn’t a hunting ground and the most dangerous beasts lurking around these parts would be rabid squirrels and even then, those vicious rodents are a common encounter.”

Erin took a good whiff of the air, inadvertently or advertently, and she grimaced lightly. “I smell blood, human.”

Lyra and Nivia instantly armed themselves with their weapons. Their stance spelt their readiness to act the moment Erin gave her instruction.

“Should we interfere?” Lyra asked.

There was a long yet brief silence before Erin gave her answer. “No,” she said. “We can let the guards know. We need to rest. Involving ourselves in every little dispute or injustice would only tire ourselves out, leaving ourselves vulnerable to the enemies that matter.”

“What if someone needs help?”

Erin took a good whiff of the air again. “None of them deserves any help. They smelled foul. In all likelihood, it’s a quarrel between thugs over their yield.”

At that moment, the crushing of dead leaves and the snapping of fallen twigs became all too apparent to their ears. A man emerged from the dark at the bottom of the slope. Riddled with sharp wounds and soaked in blood, the man was.

“Hey, you three over there! Help me!” the man cried, waving his arms at Erin and her companions.

Before any of them could give their answer to the man, an arrow flew out from behind and pierced the man’s shoulder. The man groaned and fell to the ground. A young man emerged from the trees afterwards, a crossbow in hand and an axe strapped to his waist.

The young man was all smiles, seemingly revelling in the pleasure of the older man’s suffering. However, the young man’s smile dissipated when he looked up and found Erin and the two there, getting a good look at him.

The young man holstered his crossbow and bowed slightly with his hand on his chest. “Forgive my appearance, Lady Fae. Before you act, please note that things are not what they seem.”

Erin was initially surprised by the young man’s sudden change in demeanour but she adapted to the young man’s courtesy. “Be at ease, stranger. I have no intention of interfering. I’m seeing only the end of a quarrel. I knew not of the circumstances that led up to this point. I will not be a judge of this sight.”

“Thank you, Lady Fae, for your utmost thoughtful considera—”

In the midst of the young man’s fervent words, the older man rose up and tackled the young man to the ground. The older man snatched the crossbow away from the young man’s hands before tossing it aside. Then, he grabbed the young man’s axe and brought it down on the owner himself. The young man resisted and avoided a fatal blow. They then engaged in a struggle for the axe.

“This has turned complicated so quickly,” Lyra remarked.

“Do we still not interfere?” Nivia asked.

“I stand by my words from earlier,” Erin answered and turned around to leave.

Nivia and Lyra’s gaze trailed after Eirn, flabbergasted. They spare the two men one last glance before joining Erin.

“Are you sure about this?” Lyra continued to inquire.

“We had enough enemies as it is. It would be unwise to make even more enemies by involving ourselves in affairs that we cannot make out the heads and tails of.”

“Oh, how clever of you,” said a voice, unfamiliar to Erin.

In an instant, her blood froze and then boiled with fury. She drew her sword out of thin air and swung at the voice that came from behind her. To her bewilderment, her blade stopped right before it carved into the owner of the voice, which was a woman with long black hair and a pair of eyes akin to blood-drop rubies.

“Is this how you always greet a stranger?” the woman asked frivolously, giggling.

Erin’s blade being stopped for an unknown reason was the end of the strange happening. She looked beside her and found that Nivia and Lyra had stopped moving. They weren’t standing still, she realised. They stopped moving in the middle of their movements as if frozen in time. She looked around. Everyone was in the same state— no, the whole world was in the same state.

“What is this?” Erin asked.

“I am Amelia, an Apostle of Chronos, the Divine of Aeon.”

“Of course, another Apostle,” Erin scoffed. “Here to claim the bounty too?”

“That was my original intention but after hearing about you and some… strange rumours about you, I have deviated from my original intent.”

Erin tried to move but she realised that she, too, was frozen in time, but not entirely as she could still speak.

“Save your strength, Lady Erynthea. You’re in my domain now. It would have been a different story if you were using your Divine Gift before I plunged you into my domain. Unfortunately for you, I was faster. But don’t worry, I am not your enemy.”

Just then, Ruri, the Kirin, popped its head out from Erin’s breast pocket. Its half-opened eyes suggested it had been sleeping but they instantly spread wide-open at the woman named Amelia.

“Curious. What is this creature? It’s unaffected by the authority of a Divine.”

It didn’t take long for Ruri to understand the threat in front of them. Ruri climbed out of the pocket and onto Erin’s shoulder. It got into an aggressive stance and hissed at the woman.

“A small cat? What kind of cat is this?”

Erin didn’t answer the woman. She kept her glare up and looked for the right opportunity to strike back.

“I know what you’re thinking, milady. I will say it again, I am not your enemy.”

“If that’s true, then what’s the point of all this?”

“A warning.”

Erin snorted. “And you're telling me that you are not my enemy? Forgive me if I find it hard to believe.”

“I know you through your exploits but not you as a person. Considering how many bodies you left behind in your wake, I had to be cautious should you turn out to be an uncontrollable murderous deviant. Enough about me and you for now. I’m more curious about your pet here. I have not known any beast or creature that could resist divinity other than the Dragons.”

There was a small twitch in Erin’s brows.

Noticing this subtle movement, Amelia smiled. “Yes, as you have figured, this is why you are not completely affected by my Divine Gift. That is because you have an intimate relationship with a True Dragon and it has seen you worthy to be its spouse. That is why I’m here, Lady Erynthea.”

Erin widened her eyes.

“I wish to meet the True Dragon you have been bedding.”