The masked man was in the kitchen preparing breakfast when Ria entered the room, now dressed in a new set of clothes. He wore an apron, and the house, though simple, had a cozy bungalow-in-the-woods feel to it.
"I see you found the clothes I laid aside for you," he said without turning around.
"Don't think that this means I've decided to stay behind," Ria retorted.
"Whatever you say, princess. But I would stick around for breakfast if I were you," he replied, his tone light but with a hint of amusement.
Ria reluctantly sat by the counter. The man placed a dish of scrambled eggs, some bacon, and a glass of freshly squeezed mango juice in front of her.
Ria cautiously looked at the bacon and took a bite. "I don't remember there being any pigs or wild boars around this area."
"Because there aren't any," the man replied. "To me, I consider all meat fit for making bacon."
Ria paused, her fork halfway to her mouth. "What exactly did you use to make this?"
"The hydra's meat, of course," he said casually.
Ria's eyes widened in shock, and she immediately threw up, the thought of eating the hydra too much for her to handle.
"Seriously?"
"What? A hydra's meat is great cooking material. It's as tender as it comes."
"Who uses hydra meat as a cooking ingredient?"
"You get used to it the more you stick around."
"Yeah. I'm not eating this," she said, pushing the dish aside.
"Suit yourself. But I'm sure that hunger will only make you feel worse," he replied with a shrug.
"I think I'm good," she said, getting up. "I decided that it'd be best if I took a walk around to map out the area."
"Planning on leaving?" he teased.
"I intend on keeping on with my trip, and this is but a minor distraction. So I'll take my leave now," she replied, heading for the door.
She then left.
Fang suddenly walked into the room. The masked man looked at the tiger and said, "She sure is as stubborn as always. Don't you think so, boy?"
The tiger glared at him.
"Don't give me that look. She'll be perfectly fine by herself. And besides, she's the one who wanted to head out alone. But if you're still not sure, you're free to follow her if you want."
Fang gave the masked man one last scrutinizing look before padding silently out the door, his decision made. The man watched the tiger's retreating form and chuckled softly to himself. He returned to his cooking, humming a quiet tune as he worked.
Ria, meanwhile, wandered through the woods, her senses on high alert. She didn't fully trust the masked man, but she had to admit that his words had struck a chord. The thought of becoming stronger, of facing her fears head-on, was tempting. But the idea of sharing her body with the snake goddess still made her uneasy.
As she walked, she noticed how different the forest seemed in the daylight. The shadows that had seemed so menacing last night were now just ordinary trees and bushes. Birds chirped overhead, and the sun filtered through the leaves, creating a dappled pattern on the forest floor.
Lost in thought, Ria almost didn't notice Fang following her until he was right behind her. She turned, startled, and saw the tiger watching her with his intense golden eyes.
"You decided to come with me, huh?" she said, feeling a strange sense of comfort in the tiger's presence.
Fang just stared at her, his tail flicking lazily. Ria sighed and continued walking, with Fang silently padding along beside her.
The forest grew denser as they moved farther from the bungalow. Ria tried to make mental notes of landmarks and paths, but everything started to look the same. She realized she was getting deeper into unknown territory and decided it was time to turn back.
Just as she was about to retrace her steps, a rustling sound came from the bushes ahead. Ria froze, her heart pounding. Fang tensed beside her, his ears flattening against his head.
From the undergrowth, a group of bandits emerged, their eyes glinting with malice. They blocked her path, and Ria instinctively reached for her kunai, her hand trembling.
"Well, well, well," the leader of the bandits sneered. "What do we have here? A lost little girl and her pet?"
Ria's grip tightened on her weapon. She could feel Fang's muscles coiled, ready to pounce. She knew they were outnumbered, but she wasn't going to go down without a fight.
The bandits advanced, and Ria braced herself. Just as she was about to strike, Fang leaped forward, his powerful body colliding with the nearest bandit. The forest erupted into chaos as Ria fought alongside the tiger, her movements fueled by a mix of fear and determination.
The fight was brutal, and Ria found herself struggling against the seasoned bandits. Her kunai flashed as she parried blows and delivered strikes, but the odds were against her. Fang's fierce roars filled the air as he tore into their attackers, his fangs and claws leaving deep gashes.
Ria was tiring, her movements slowing as fatigue set in. Just when it seemed like they might be overwhelmed, a sudden burst of power surged through her. The snake goddess's presence flared within her, lending her strength and speed. Ria moved with renewed vigor, her attacks becoming more precise and deadly.
The bandits, realizing they were facing more than just a girl and her tiger, began to falter. One by one, they fell, either dead or fleeing for their lives. Only one was left alive. When the last bandit had disappeared into the forest, Ria collapsed to her knees, breathing heavily. Fang stood beside her, his fur matted with blood, but his eyes gleaming with triumph.
Ria looked at the carnage around her and then at Fang. "Looks like we make quite the team," she said, managing a weak smile.
Fang nudged her gently, his eyes full of understanding. Together, they began the long trek back to the bungalow, the encounter leaving Ria with more questions about how the bandits had managed to go deep into the forest.
When they finally reached the bungalow, it was now evening. The masked man was waiting for them on the porch, a knowing look in his eyes. He glanced at the bloodied Fang and the exhausted Ria.
"I see you had quite the adventure," he remarked, his tone even. "Did you find what you're looking for, princess?"
Ria ignored his teasing and instead glared at him."Do you have any idea the kind of evening I had? Fang and I had to fight off a group of bandits. And keep in mind, I still haven't fully recovered."
"Bandits near this territory?" the masked man raised an eyebrow.
"That's what I thought too," Ria replied.
"So you fought them all off?"
"Don't even remind me. I had to finish off real humans with my bare hands," she said, her voice tinged with horror.
"I don't see what the big deal is. It's actually a job well done," he said nonchalantly.
"You're heartless," Ria snapped.
"Tell me something I don't know. What I'm really concerned about is how you managed to bury all those bodies so quickly."
"Buried?" Ria repeated, confused.
"Yes. You did bury the bodies afterwards, didn't you? It's the basic living style here."
"You didn't tell me anything about burying bodies!"
"Well, you never asked."
"Why would I even ask?"
"To avoid situations like this, of course. Why else?" he replied, shrugging.
"So what now?" Ria asked.
"We go bury those bodies, of course," he said casually.
"You're kidding."
The man walked on past her.
"Nope. Now come on and grab a shovel. Those bodies won't bury themselves, you know."
Ria hesitated, then followed him to a storage shed where he retrieved a shovel. Grumbling, she took one and trudged back toward the scene. Fang just stared as the two walked off.
*. *. *.
As they worked under the setting sun, the masked man occasionally offered dry commentary. Despite the awkward task, Ria couldn't help but appreciate his pragmatism.
And soon they were done.
"This task is harder than it looks," Ria said, exhausted.
"Well, that's the price to pay for killing prey," he replied.
"You're saying that as if I'm some sort of serial killer."
"Would I be wrong? Either way, we're done now. That should be all of them."
"This is exhausting."
"Well, next time, maybe commit murder outside the valley," he teased.
"There won't be a next time!" she retorted.
"If you say so."
Ria sat down and leaned against a tree to catch her breath. She suddenly sensed a presence towering over her and opened her eyes to see the man standing, leaning on the tree with an arm stretched out, offering a can of juice.
"Here. You'll probably need this if you don't want to blackout from exhaustion."
Ria was taken aback. "Um, thanks, I guess."
She took the can from him and drank it without a second thought. The two stood in the opening, silently watching the sunset.
" The sunset does look better from this angle, doesn't it?" The man suddenly said, breaking the silence.
" You know this doesn't mean were now friends,right? Ria stated.
"Yeah,yeah. Believe what you want, princessa. Believe what you want."
" I'm being serious!" She retorted.
"Mmmhhh."
"You just had to ruin the mood, didn't you?'
" I wouldn't be me if I didn't. But I'm sure the mood was already ruined by your constantly complaining while burying those bodies." The man joked.
" I hate you." Ria remarked bluntly.
" And I love me too."
The two continued playfully arguing.
*Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought* Ria mused to herself.
😉
👘🍜Manesta.