Monster Girl Quest: Eeveelution Chapter 7 The Big Reveals That We Already Knew

It was around halfway to the Inn when Kevin had calmed down enough to subconsciously shift back to his Eevee form. The sheer cold surrounding his mind also broke with the transformation, once more returning him to his apathetic, sarcastic self. The timing was perfect, too, as the citizens of Iliasburg were finally realizing that the coast was clear and Granberia was gone.

"Is…is she gone?" am called out. "That monster…did she run away!?"

"Those two over there!" A woman shouted, pointing at their retreating forms. "I don't really get it, but it looks like that woman and that boy drove her away!"

"Thank you! A little bit longer, and this would have been a monster city!"

"Even though you're so young, that was amazing! How they drive away such a strong looking monster?"

Alice and Kevin just ignored them and continued walking. Both were too focused on getting to the Inn to care about gratitude of the city's citizens. Fortunately for them, said civilians quickly realized their saviors weren't paying attention to them. Instead of getting offended, though, they assumed the duo had more important things to worry about, and just returned back to their daily routines.

Some concerned volunteers took it upon themselves to scape up the unconscious, and in same cases frostbitten, bodies of the defeated soldiers and hauled them off to the nearest doctors. None of them were killed by the invading monster, though some of them would wish they were when they were told that a boy shorter than any of them defeated a monster that didn't even put forth any effort to take them out. The shame would last for months.

As for Kevin and Alice, they agreed to save the inevitable discussion of what the hell had just taken place for when they had the privacy of a room at the Inn. The disguised lamia knew multiple spells that would make their conversation inaudible to all but each other, but as long as they were out in the open, they could be subjected to someone who could read lips.

Until then, there were no more words spoken between them. For Alice, it was due a combination of mentally re-assessing the threat level posed by the brown-haired boy walking beside her, and trying to come up with the best way to reveal the fact that she was, indeed, the Monster Lord. The former was significantly quicker than the latter, unsurprisingly.

'He's definitely stronger than the Heavenly Knights, bar Tamamo,' she determined. 'If it weren't for the fact that no matter the form, he's obviously untrained in any combat, Granberia would be a very intimidating ice sculpture right now…or at least fragments of one.'

As she moved on to debating how she present herself as the leader of all monster-kind, Kevin was also having an internal debate. Unlike his companion, though, he wasn't the only one involved in it.

'System.'

[Yes, Host?]

'What in the name of Arceus was that?'

[The System is unable to answer the Host's vague question. The Host should be more specific with future inquiries.]

Kevin internally sighed. 'Alright then: why did I evolve into a Glaceon without consciously triggering it?'

[Subconscious transformations are triggered in the event of emotions resonating with a specific element while in dangerous circumstances. The cold hatred the Host felt toward Granberia for ruining his chocolate resonated with the Ice element, and the threat posed by Granberia to the Host's Eevee form officially activated this hidden function of the Eeveelution System.]

'…you know, the more hidden aspects I learn about you, System, the more I both love and hate your existence.'

It was nice to have insurance that even if he wasn't thinking straight, the System would cover his back with an automatic transformation. On the other hand, the number of hidden aspects of the Eeveelution System he'd discovered so far were getting on his nerves. Why couldn't all of it have been presented up front?

[Message received from the Being: Because that would be boring.]

'Moving along right fucking now!' the Eevee thought, trying not to rage at the fact that not only did the Being who sent him here program the System this way, but was also apparently watching him for its own amusement.

They reached the in within ten minutes, and it was definitely a sight to behold. It was like a mansion, with large double front doors, crystal clear windows, and fancy décor both outside and inside, from what the duo could see. A sign out front read "Sutherland Inn" in fancy cursive writing, so they knew they had the right place.

Walking inside, they were met with a lavish lobby, and a board advertising the nightly prices.

"…Alice."

"Yes, Kevin?"

"I'm not hallucinating, right?"

"That depends. What are you seeing?"

"If my eyes aren't deceiving me, this sign says that a single night here is 2.4 million gold per person, per night."

"Then no, you aren't hallucinating. I'm seeing the same thing."

"…"

"We're leaving,"

"What?"

"Look, I don't know how much money you have stored in that dimensional pocket of yours, but I doubt that it's enough to spend more than a few seconds in one of these rooms"

That…was unfortunately true. Upon packing for her trip around the world, Alice didn't expect to need millions of gold coins for…anything, really. As much as she wanted to taste the famous Ama-ama Dango, this Inn was just too expensive.

"If I knew this was going to happen, I would have let Granberia take over," she stated.

"And I wouldn't have stopped you," Kevin nodded in agreement.

They were preparing to vacate the building, when some rude asshole in a guard's uniform pushed them both out of the way. "Oi, oi. Step aside," he grunted at them. Kevin vaguely recognized him as one of the bodies that had been littering the ground in the plaza. "Hey Owner, I'm a Hero. Give me the Hero rate to stay here."

The owner, a strong looking woman with chin-length blond hair and unamused blue eyes, stepped through a door behind the counter and raised an eyebrow at the guard. "What stupidity is that!? What kind of Hero gets knocked out instantly by a monster like that?" She shouted at him.

The man stumbled, caught off-guard by the blatant refusal. "But…but I've been baptized as a Hero!"

"Someone like you calling himself a Hero?" the owner huffed. "Get out of here before I throw you out!"

Kevin assumed that this woman must have a reputation for being rough with unwanted guests, because at the idea of being 'thrown out' by her, the guard bolted out the door in fear.

With him gone, the woman turned to Kevin and Alice, putting on a winning smile that almost made them think that the scary look she had given the so-called 'Hero' had been an illusion. "Oh! You two are the ones who saved the city!"

"How could you possibly recognize us that fast?" Kevin asked, genuinely curious. "It hasn't even been half an hour yet."

"News travels fast in a small city like this," the owner replied, as if that explained everything. "Never mind that. Would you like to stay the night here?"

The Eevee shook his head. "I don't think so. The place looks nice and all, but neither of us have over two million gold just lying around, you know?"

"Don't worry about it," the woman laughed. "I'll give you the Hero rate. Two gold per person. I'll bill the other 4,799.996 gold to the Ilias Temple,"

Both Alice and Kevin looked each other and grinned with malicious satisfaction. At this point, neither of them had a good opinion of Ilias, so screwing over the followers in her temple would be the icing on the cake for the long day they'd experienced.

"That sounds perfect," Alice practically purred. "Send them our regards along with the bill."

***

The room the duo found themselves in was on the third floor of the inn. The combination room, kitchen, and bathroom provided were larger than the apartment Kevin lived in with his parents before he died, and was filled with lavish furnishings. The bed alone would've cost more than the average small business owner would make in a year. While to Alice it was like coming home again, to Kevin it was uncomfortably 'extra.'

"No wonder the price is so damn expensive," he grumbled. "Do we really need all of this space? I mean, we're just staying the night?"

If Alice heard him, then she didn't show it. Instead, the entirety of her attention was focused on the complimentary treat she was snacking on. The flavor that the honey added to the sweet Ama-ama Dango sent her taste buds to heaven, a pleased smile appearing on her face. There wasn't enough for her to be satisfied and share with Kevin, so the disguised lamia took it all for herself. He wasn't a fan of Honey, anyway, so he let her have it.

"It's so sweet!" she exclaimed in joy, having subconsciously shifted back to her lamia form and wagging the tip of her tail back and forth. "I think I'll order some more."

"I bet it is. Just be sure to shift again if anyone comes by," the Eevee idly advised, setting his bag down and sitting on the bed.

Following his advice, she donned her disguise again before ringing the service bell. The owner opened the door within a minute, grabbing the dishes the gluttonous lamia left behind.

"How did you like this hotel's Ama-ama Dango?" she asked conversationally.

"Even though it's incredibly sweet, it doesn't overpower the flavor of the dango. Absolutely delicious," Alice complimented. "If you were a monster, I'd make you a duchess."

Her last comment caused Kevin to turn and look at her as if she was an idiot. All the effort they took to make everyone think she was a human, and she just says something like that? Granted, the nobody in the city could throw either of them out, no matter how hard they tried. Still, it was a waste of effort if she just blurts out things like that.

Contrary to his expectations, the owner just laughed. "Hahaha! What a strange remark, young woman."