"Achoo!"
I sniffed, wiping off the snot dripping down in my nose.
Peering out the window. The sky was covered in large clouds with the whirring of the leaves. I heard the rain pitter-pattering in the window. The heavy hoofbeats of the horse, along with the sound of rainfall.
Right in front of me, a woman wearing a 'hakama kimono', or a type of traditional Japanese clothing with a coat over it; her eyebrows are knitting together, showing a disdainful expression towards me.
Adelle's midnight-black hair plunged over her shoulders. She has a sculpted figure sitting on the other side of the carriage with crossed legs. The fact that throughout our trip, I was labeled as a philander because of Clara.
Clara and I got caught by her making out in a tent, which drastically changed her perception of me. I can't even blame her for thinking that way. Every person would also think that way.
"Phew, I didn't expect the eastern part of Krishna would be this cold... Uh-oh, looks like some bandits are blocking our way again. Aight, who will take them?" I said while staring up ahead of us, a group of masked bandits was waiting.
"I'll take it," Adelle replied indifferently.
Adelle jumps off the carriage, taking care of the bandits single-handedly with ease; also, her way of dealing with them was impressive. She can control her strength to an excellent degree, which is the polar opposite of me. That means she has a great understanding of her physical body and mana distribution through her body.
Master Irene did help me on that part; however, due to the different nature of quintessence and mana, we can't make it work. From Diana and Pix's words, the densities between the two are vastly different; the main factor of why I'm having a hard time controlling it.
Furthermore, during our trip whenever there's a monster or bandits, the coachman didn't flinch, nor reacted to the bandits waiting in front of us.
Later on, Adelle quickly finished them off by tying them up in a tree. Then gets back in the carriage with the same expression, sitting in front of me with her drenched self without even batting an eye. Adelle glares at me.
"Why?" I confusingly said.
"I'm changing clothes, go turn the other way."
"Oh, my bad."
I closed my eyes and covered them with my hands. Then I heard the sound of rustling clothes. Listening to it, my imagination went wild. The scenery of Adelle's glorious erotic naked body, and slowly removing her clothes. I could feel the heat rising through my body. Then I felt a shuddering breeze crawling deep through my veins.
"Young master Claude."
The cold voice of Clara resonated in my ears.
"Yes?"
"I can smell it."
"Oh, yeah... Sorry..."
Clara can smell the scent of lust because of her succubus nature. That fact alone bothers me a lot. I can't let my imagination run wild with Clara beside me. With our time together during these past years, she's becoming attached to me day by day, and even having this obsessive behavior towards me—It's alarming. But I can still manage to control her.
Afterward, our journey toward the Eastern part of Krishna continues; also, Adelle continued ignoring me throughout the trip.
We halted on our tracks as the starry night looms. The serenity and the quietness of the surrounding, with the sound of the nearby trees scurrying in the gentle breeze of the night.
We set our tents up on the side of the road around our campfire at the center of it, warming us up. As for the coachman, throughout our trip, he was sleeping under a tree without any necessary equipment to cover himself from the coldness of the night. We offered him one of our extra tents, but he rejected them.
The coachman was a human, so we got worried about whether he can endure the harsh coldness. But no matter how persistent we may be, his answer would be the same.
Naturally, we would take turns to guard the tents while other people would sleep. This night, it would be Adelle, Clara, and lastly, me. When I was about to fall asleep in my tent, Clara suddenly pops up behind me, wrapping her arms around my stomach, sniffing my back.
"Clara... What did I tell you about this? You can't just always sleep with me."
"But... I feel lonely..."
Listening to her indifferent voice, I could hear the hint of sadness coming from it. That's probably my instinct telling me. I've known Clara for years, I'm finally able to understand her. She's older than me, but she has a cute and childish personality which I extremely like about her, despite being a threat.
I turn my body around and strokes her gently. "All right..."
Clara smiles thinly then closing her eyes. Soon after that, I close my eyes.
────────────
It was the middle of the night, and the night sky was vivid. Looking up at the starry night sky, I was welcomed by countless stars and the moon. For me, the starry night is a time where I can find my inner peace and comfort. The vast endless beyond the reach sky was magnificent to look at. The moon was glowing white, looming the sky, surrounded by an ethereal glow. Millions of stars sprinkling behind it, one shines brighter than others.
"The only thing that is constant in our life is change... Where did I hear that?" I muttered.
Then I look down to where our camps are built. I breathe in, then let out. "Hoo..."
[Spatial Awareness]
I scattered my quintessence around this area, surveying the area, and scanning any possible movement of objects. It may not be useful because of the small range of 2km, but I can manage to make it work. Throughout my stay here outside, I've already killed five monsters.
"Solais."
A sudden movement of four entities rushing toward us caught my attention. While monitoring their movements, I sense another massive entity chasing them from behind. I snap my finger, and dark violet flames appear at the tip of my finger.
[Shifting Point]
I teleported behind the massive entity, and what blooms before me was a massive gorilla with four arms. The monster hasn't noticed me yet, but I squinted my eyes over the people who are getting chased by this big fella. It's impossible to see them because of the dim surrounding, but I could hear the pleading voices of two women and two men, crying for help.
"Kyaaah—! Help!"
"Aaaaaah!"
"Noooo!"
"Ruuun—!"
Listening to their voices and observing the direction of where they are headed, I quickly dashed forward with my sword at my side. The crunching noise of the sticks and leaves caught the attention of the gorilla, turning its head toward me.
A deep prolong rumble rather like a soft belching sound, following it with a frightening display of power, screaming at me and beating its chest with its hands. "Waaaaah—!"
Then it charged to me. I gripped the hilt of my sword tightly and leaped in the air, dodging the gorilla. I stretched my left hand toward the gorilla, a magic circle manifested at the palm of my hand and two chains shut right off it, wrapping around the chest of the gorilla. Upon noticing the chains, the gorilla holds the chain with its four hands, flinging me to the trees like a plaything before hitting the ground.
"Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa! Wait! Aaaah! Aagh! Aaakh—!"
I immediately cast off the chains in my hand. Then I stood up and saw the gorilla was already in front and charging at me with its fours arms crossed. I got caught by it.
"Puuuuh—!"
When I was about to hit the tree behind me, I stabbed the gorilla with my sword.
[Walpurgis Hollow]
Incinerating him. Subsequently, I was sent flying, destroying few trees along the way, and crashing. The scream of a gorilla wailing in pain resonated throughout the forest. Amidst the night, I can see the massive gorilla's arms in flames wrecking every tree on its way, trying to get rid of the flames.
"Oaaaaaaaaaaah—!"
"You fucking deserve it. Damn it, I can use my teleportation in here. I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this area. I can't perceive my surroundings while fighting in the dark."
Then I heard a rustling sound of bushes near me. On that bush, I saw four humanoid figures coming from it, with one of them carrying a lamp. It was the people who were getting chased by the four-armed gorilla from earlier. They all have weapons and wear outfits that are for adventurers.
One woman with short red hair wearing a chest plate and carrying a bow at her back, extending her hand towards me.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Beside her, there's also a woman who's wearing a witch outfit with its violet hair swooped in coils over her swan's neck. She's pulling the red hair woman's hand with her scrutinizing eyes over me.
"Hey, don't get too close, Aria."
"Don't be rude, Elaine. He's injured from the gorilla. He clearly tried to help us."
One guy with brown hair and an average-looking face, but somewhat exudes an aura of friendliness. He's dressed in bronze armor with a single long sword unsheathed in its waist, butts in the conversation with a friendly smile on his face.
"You're too trusting, Samuel."
Right off the bat, another dude interjects in the conversation. He's taller than the last guy, whom I assume, Samuel. He's taller and incredibly more handsome than him, flawless black and red shades in his hair, gemstone-blue eyes pairing it with his glasses. Currently wearing a cloak outfit with its staff behind his back.
"Come on now, Alvin. You're too distrustful of everyone."
"It's called taking precautions."
Observing them, I'm getting disgusted by the atmosphere that they exuded, especially from the guy named Alvin and the two girls; the only person whom I can say is clear to me was the guy with brown hair named Samuel. There's a sense of familiarity with that man.
Naturally, they would get wary around me since I'm wearing a suspicious hood coat that's hiding my face. Then the gorilla darts its gaze upon me. The four immediately noticed and were about to flee away for their dear life.
"It's coming this way! Carry him quick!" Alvin yelled.
"There's no need. I can handle it myself." I said to them.
I shove my sword in the ground to stand up. Then I stand in place with my sword in the ground and removing the hood, I open the palm of my right hand, chanting these words.
"Hoo... O bringer of retribution, heed my calling. Grant my will by magic rite. Punish the sinners."
[Adratea]
At the palm of my right hand, a cacophonous red steel-tipped spear materialized in my hand, distorting the space surrounding it. I held it tightly and locking my gaze on the rampaging four-armed gorilla charging toward my direction. I let out a cold voice. "Fall."
I threw the lance directly toward the gorilla, a thunderous sound reverberated throughout the forest along with the decimating of trees along its path. The lance directly pierced through the gorilla's chest, leaving a massive burning hole gap on its chest.
"Done."
I shake off the dirt in my coat and hands. Then I glance over the people who are in help earlier. They're all looking at me with their mouth hanging open. And then there's Samuel with one corner of his mouth jerked upward.