**Blanc's Perspective**
The ambiance of the dingy bar was less than appealing. Lily and I had come here to gather information, a task that was proving quite irksome. The barkeeper, a man who had clearly seen better days, watched in awe as Lily expertly mixed and poured drinks, a talent I hadn't known she possessed.
"Big sis, you sure have a knack for making drinks, huh?" He praised, his voice filled with admiration.
"Thank you, but my apologies for intruding on your work." Lily responded modestly, returning to my side.
She handed me a cup of hot chocolate, her eyes sparkling with a mix of pride and anticipation. As much as the thought of drinking anything from this place repulsed me, I accepted the cup gratefully, offering her a nod of acknowledgment.
Taking a sip, I was pleasantly surprised. It was delicious, even more so than I'd expected. "It's delicious, Lily." I complimented, not wanting to stroke her ego too much, yet appreciating her efforts.
Moving on to the matter at hand, I turned my attention to our self-proclaimed informant, Fin. "The Chaos has been spreading the land?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"Actually, there are Chaos monsters nearby in the South Forest from here." He replied, an easy smile playing on his lips.
"Are you saying that place is the Everwood Forest?" I queried, recalling the information we had gathered earlier. "That's where Lady Sakuya and Lady Tatiana are headed." Lily chimed in, whispering softly into my ear.
"Hmph, no need for me to intervene then." I brushed off the issue, not wanting to divert my attention from the main goal. The thought of this town being reduced to dust due to a chaos monster didn't particularly bother me. It was none of my concern, to begin with.
Steering the conversation back to the primary objective, I posed my next question. "How about you tell me about these four countries?" I asked, indicating the map that lay spread out in front of us.
The four countries - Frostholm to the north, Sunaria to the south, Verdantia in the west, and Emberhold to the east, each had their own governing systems, unique culture, and political dynamics. Understanding their interplay was vital in grasping the broader picture of this world.
I couldn't help but smirk at the thought of a fifth nation disrupting this balance, creating a ripple in the otherwise tranquil pond. Lily, ever observant, whispered a cautionary note. "Lady Blanc, your smile can be seen even from here." I heeded her words, regaining my composure swiftly.
My next question to Fin was about the political climate of these countries. However, his response was less than satisfactory. The victory of humans over the demon side had resulted in an information void which he seemed unable to fill.
The countries' collective effort in defeating the demon side, with each represented by a respective hero, seemed more a means to an end than a real alliance.
"And what happened to these heroes after that?" I asked, interested to know the fate of these figures.
"While each of the four countries had summoned their own heroes, all of them returned to their respective countries after the war, presumably sent back to their original world." Fin shrugged, seemingly as confused by this decision as I was.
Their return to their home world seemed illogical to me. Why not seize the power and control the world they'd saved? It made me question their true strength.
As the conversation came to an end, I found myself yearning for more information. However, it was clear that this was all Fin could offer. The histories of the heroes were tightly sealed, accessible only by venturing into the heart of each country.
And so, I made up my mind. I would uncover these secrets, even if it meant stepping into unknown territories.
As we concluded our conversation about the strongest rumored heroes, we took our leave from the bar. The smells, sounds, and overall environment had begun to wear on my nerves, and I found myself anxious to be back in the open air. The only thing that made the visit bearable was the intriguing bit of information about the heroes we'd managed to extract.
"Is something bothering you, Lady Blanc?" Lily inquired, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.
"The strongest, eh? Now, that's an exciting concept, wouldn't you agree, Lily?" I chuckled at the thought. The idea of heroes of such formidable strength appearing in our world sparked a thrill within me. It was an exhilarating prospect, one that could potentially disrupt the mundane reality we'd been navigating.
"Indeed, Lady Blanc. It is quite fascinating to speculate about the nature of these heroes," Lily replied, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.
"You did pay him well for this information, didn't you?" I asked, my eyes meeting hers. I'd emphasized to Lily the importance of rewarding our informant appropriately, especially considering the invaluable information he'd shared.
"Yes, Lady Blanc. As per your instructions, I ensured all information was accompanied by supporting evidence and properly documented," Lily confirmed, a hint of disappointment seeping into her tone. I could tell she missed the days when information gathering was simpler, and perhaps, more exciting.
As we strolled through the quiet town, I turned to Lily again. "You've noticed too, haven't you?"
"Yes, Lady Blanc. We've been followed for quite some time," she confirmed my suspicion, her casual smile replaced by a more serious expression.
Having identified our pursuers as bandits, our conversation grew more intense. Their numbers, calculated through their residual magic and temperature, were approximately ten.
"What should we do?" Lily inquired, her voice barely above a whisper.
"We need to find a safe place to hold up," I suggested, my voice steady, hiding my frustration.
"Regrettably, it seems there's nobody else around," Lily pointed out, guiding me to a deserted alleyway.
The town's deserted state made sense now; it was probably frequently terrorized by such scum. The realization filled me with a cold fury.
"I've finally cornered you, woman," a burly bandit declared, pointing a crude knife at Lily. It appeared this wasn't a random encounter.
"An old acquaintance, Lily?" I joked, attempting to lighten the intense atmosphere.
"Not that I recall," she responded, playing along.
"With this, I finally get my revenge after you killed three of my people," the bandit continued, his face twisted with rage. This appeared to be a personal vendetta. My irritation peaked; why hadn't Lily just killed them all in the first place?
"And that includes the little girl too!" He menacingly pointed the knife towards me.
Now, he had crossed the line. How dare he refer to me as a little girl?
"Lady Blanc?" Lily glanced at me, struggling to hold back her laughter, curious about my reaction.
"I was going to let you handle this, Lily," I began, stepping forward, "but since this guy is so eager for a fight, I guess I have no other choice." I decided it was time to demonstrate my capabilities.
I focused my power, taking in the flow of energy around each bandit, and then cast freeze. The bandits, including their leader, were frozen solid, unable to even tremble in fear.
"What sorcery is this?" the leader demanded, his voice a mix of confusion and terror.
"This isn't magic or sorcery, but a command to the very physics of this world. You should feel honored to witness this before your life ends," I retorted, settling onto my ice chair.
"What are you going to do?" he spat, trying to call my bluff.
"You dare underestimate me?" I replied, snapping my fingers. Five of the bandits collapsed instantly, their life forces extinguished.
By manipulating their brain functions, I had instantly ended the lives of five bandits. "By your looks, you must be wondering what just happened. Too bad all five of your friends just died," I said, a cruel laugh escaping my lips.
"Hold on, there's no way such a thing can happen," the leader stuttered, his words faltering in disbelief.
"Indeed, it's unbelievable, but the human soul can leave its body at my command anytime," I casually added, suppressing a yawn.
At this point, the remaining bandits were desperate. "Please, let us go," one of them pleaded.
"Oh, begging for mercy? It's amusing to watch bugs plead in their last moments," I responded, the dark humor of the situation not lost on me.
"We swear our loyalty to you!" one of them offered, sounding as terrified as he looked.
"So, you'd abandon your own and join me?" I pressed them, knowing their desperation.
"Yes, anything you want," they quickly agreed, their words shaking with fear.
"How about you take your own life? I don't want someone to betray me at any moment," I suggested, knowing their sudden loyalty was as fleeting as their lives.
Their leader's angry retort was cut short as he, along with the rest of his companions, fell lifeless to the ground.
"Excellent performance, Lady Blanc," Lily complimented me, her voice filled with sincere admiration.
"Only fitting for a villainess such as myself," I said, accepting her praise.
Despite the thrill of the encounter, I was growing bored. Other than Sakuya and the rumored heroes, this world had little else to offer. With a sigh, I wondered what our next adventure would be as we resumed our journey.
-Chapter 15 End-