MSG – Volume 1 – Chapter 19
There was a seven-second bout of silence before the voice in the sealing seemed to swallow her saliva and then speak again.
"In that case, then why suddenly decide to risk throwing it all away?" they asked. "Building a civilization of monsters—ah, right. You prefer to call them "outcasts". Irrespective of what you choose to identify them as, they would still put a target on your back, you know."
"All the Kingdoms in which you have started this little project of yours will send their united armies after you." They continued. "Why not just continue to bide your time and continue to secretly grow strong enough to stand in the open without fearing them?"
"I mean, with how fast you grow stronger, a year—no a few months would have—" at this point, the curvaceous lady interrupted.
"Can it, Dara." She addressed the voice, tired of hearing the same advice again and again.
She had made up her mind.
The way the so-called quote-on-quote 'monsters' were being marginalized and hunted for their resources (body parts like their heart, bones, and most commonly their cores) was something she could not sit idly by and ignore.
These beings were sentient and with enough maturity or evolution could learn to convey their thoughts via speech.
To her they were no different from people.
Scratch that. They WERE people.
"Just because they look different and have different physiologies than us thus not equate to it being right to hurt and hunt them!" she seethed.
As the tall beauty said this in a slightly deep tone, the air seemed to trembled by a sudden pressure.
The being in the ceiling, Dara, could only observe the scene with a mixture of emotions (of which curiosity and trepidation were prominent) as the mocha-skinned beauty's mere displeasure was enough to cause such a phenomenon without the magic particles in the air, known as mana, being involved.
"Hey. Hey, no need to get so worked up." Said Dara, her tone still casual and showing no hint of fear. "I wasn't saying that with any bad intentions. Maybe I felt to get my point across but I'm just trying to give you some advice."
"I didn't say you should stop siding with them… just be a bit more patient and smarter about it. Your moves are quite bold and conspicuous. It's almost like you are yelling 'come and get me' at them."
While the tall woman's expression turned slightly less bloodthirsty upon hearing Dara's words, the hidden woman seemed to have come upon an epiphany after hearing her own words.
"Wait… don't tell me." There was a momentary pause before Dara burst out into laughter. "Haha! Haha! So, that's how it is! You are not hiding your actions from them because… doing that would go against your plans! You WANT them to come after you!"
Dara sounded proud like she had just solved a problem that had bogged down the smartest mathematicians for centuries, while also being shocked at her discovery.
This discovery gave birth to a seed of doubt and intrigue in her heart;
"Though… if that is the case then…" her voice turned less jovial and instead she sounded like an innocent 5-year-old girl who was asking her mother what kissing was. "…Why?"
"Why would you want that?" she continued.
The tall woman, whose hand had turned back to normal in the meantime, scoffed and said;
"That is none of your business, is it?"
"…" Dara was speechless, leaving the library pin-drop silent for a time before she snickered audibly.
"Fufu~ That is true, dearie." she said. "It is none of mine… but…" her tone also turned rigid. "…I should warn you. We do not care if your end goals do not intersect with ours but… if they should clash… heh. I'm sure you understand."
"You do not have to repeat the same thing every time were meet. I get it: I'll suffer a gruesome fate that my unique quirks will be unable to save me from." Changing the topic to the main reason why she was here, she asked;
"So, what did your 'higher-ups' say about my request?"
It did not take long for Dara to answer.
"Hmm, 'bout that…" Dara trailed off. "Their answer was a swift one… A 'no'."
The tall woman's orange brows creased upon receiving that answer.
Though, before she could make any further reactions, Dara spilled the beans on the reason for her superiors' response.
"How could they give out such information to someone who did not even have decency to introduce themselves—they don't even know your name, hotshot."
Hearing the add-on, the orange-haired lady seemed to have a hint of realization flash in her blue eyes.
Indeed, she had not introduced herself once, despite meeting their subordinates for the third time.
"I see… I suppose that is my bad." The lady's tone seemed to be slightly apologetic. "My name is Est—I would prefer to be called [The Shapeshifter]."
"…'The Shapeshifter'?" Dara mused aloud. "That's one I haven't heard before. Shapeshifter… Shifting. Shapes. I think I get it!"
A shadowy figure materialized behind the caramel-skinned beauty that had identified herself with a title, and this figure had the silhouette of a woman about 5 feet and 9 inches tall.
The voice stopped coming from the ceiling and instead from the shadow that stretched out their right hand.
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Shapeshifter." she said, sounding like she was probably smiling but the woman that turned around to return the handshake would not be able to see it as the shadowy figure had no detailed features; no nose, eyes, and mouth.
"Likewise, Ms. Dara." Said the Shapeshifter, a small smile on her face. "I hope your 'higher ups' can reconsider. As I said earlier, I do not mind forking over resources for the information."
"Oh, you do not have to worry about it." Dara snickered. "I am sure that my 'higher ups' will be happy to help. Also, you can keep your resources for your armies. Who knows? They might join our cause in future."
The Shapeshifter's smile broadened as she heard that, while internally she shook her head.
Higher ups?
What higher ups?
Even if they did exist, this shadowy figure that dubbed herself as Dara was definitely the one who decided what had been decided so far.
Maybe she was even a 'higher up' of their organization.
Also, the way she casually mentioned the 'armies' part, was not something to be ignored.
Anyone looking at the gang of monsters under the Shapeshifter's foot would only see them building homes and means of livelihood.
The fact that there was a secret domain which no one could sense or access unless she willed them to was what allowed her to secretly train a rotating portion of the monsters in batches and cycles such that onlookers would not notice.
How did Dara know about the army?
'I suppose I should be more vigilant.' Mused the tall woman.