Faye pouted. "Ok"
Kris sighed and turned to look at Eskira who now looked at him while chuckling, After sorting his thoughts, Kris stood up from the ground. "Night is approaching and we need to find somewhere to stay at"
Eskira nodded and then thought for a moment. "Master if i remember correctly this place is called the Great Vahil forest, there should be a nearby town two hours away from here"
Faye who was scratching her ears looked up at Kris. "Master you have been changing to that expression every time Sister says something stupid"
She pointed at his blank look, it instantly broke and was replaced bu a now radiant smile. "Faye, you're innocent i have no reason to be pissed off at you but the dragon needs some punishment"
"Waaah~ what did i do?!" Eskira asked while flailing her arms around.
"That's the problem, nothing" He said glaring at her.
"Master….This isn't fair?!" She said once more giving Kris the puppy dog eyes.
His eyes twitched in annoyance and he ignored her completely. " Whatever let's get going, where is this so called town"
Eskira hiffed and then pointed to the North. "If we follow that way we should reach that place..probably"
"Probably?" Kris asked speechlessly.
Eskira nodded. "Yes the last time i was here it was a very long time ago and i wasn't the spirit of the lolimancer class at that time, so things may have changed"
Kris sighed and then stood up from the fround and dusted his clothes and trousers. "Fine let's go"
"Ok Master~" Faye held Kris's arm and felt they were big, Kris froze but then didn't react it was an innocent gesture from Faye and he was still feeling bad for turning her into a loli.
Eskira's tail was swinging much fastwr than usual and her folded wings were slowly twitching. "uhm..Master~"
Kris heard Eskira's nervous voice and looked at her fiddling with her fingers for a bit. "what"
Hr asked clearly knowing he would gain a headache, Eskira then immediately answered. "Can i hold your other hand too"
Kris felt his eye twitch at Eskira's request. He had just gotten used to Faye holding onto his arm, an innocent gesture that still made him feel a bit guilty. Now Eskira, the troublesome pink dragon, was asking to do the same.
He sighed, trying to stay calm. "Eskira, you're a dragon, aren't you? Why would you need to hold my hand?"
Eskira's tail swung faster, and she gave him the most exaggerated puppy-dog eyes he had ever seen. "But master… I'm not just a dragon. I'm your loyal spirit! And… it's getting dark. Don't you think it's dangerous for me to walk alone?"
Kris sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. This dragon had an endless supply of excuses. He gave her a flat look, but before he could say no, Faye tugged on his sleeve, looking up at him with wide, pleading eyes.
"Master… please let Sister hold your hand. It'll make her happy," Faye said softly.
Kris froze, realizing he had no chance of winning this battle. With another resigned sigh, he extended his other hand. "Fine. But only because I don't want any more complaining."
Eskira's face lit up with pure joy, and she quickly took his hand, squeezing it tightly. "Yay! Master, you're the best!"
Kris muttered under his breath, "Yeah, yeah, let's just get moving before something else happens."
With Faye holding one arm and Eskira holding the other, Kris led the way toward the direction Eskira had pointed, his two companions clinging to him happily. As they began walking, the last light of the day started to fade, casting long shadows through the forest.
The woods seemed to grow quieter as night approached, the only sounds being the crunch of leaves underfoot and the occasional rustling of animals in the distance. Kris remained on edge, knowing that they weren't safe yet, especially with the cult lurking around.
After an hour of walking, Kris decided to break the silence. "Eskira, are you sure we're going the right way? We haven't seen any signs of civilization yet."
Eskira, who was still holding his hand with a grin plastered on her face, looked around thoughtfully. "I think so, Master. But if we don't see anything soon, we might want to find somewhere to set up camp for the night."
Kris felt Faye's ears twitch. "Whats wrong Faye?"
"I can hear multiple footsteps" The moment she said that, Kris felt an oppressive aura all around him, he saw two blue glowing orbs of light staring right at him.
Everything was silent for a second.
And then, the person spoke. "Speak, are you enemies?"
It was the voice of a woman, cold and unnatural. Kris immediately answered "No we were just looking for uhm a place to rest"
"Should we trust them" This time it was the voice of a male. it sounded young.
The woman closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them back up. "I don't sense any lies coming from him, so he is safe they probably got lost while traveling, thankfully they didn't run towards the All-Seeing-Hand"
Kris tensed but didn't interfere in their conversation, the oppression was slowly being lifted from him.
He finally heaved a sigh of relief. The woman then spoke once more. "Ok sorry for that little misconception of mine, but it's suspicious when you see a boy holding the hands of twoo children"
Kris's lips twitched. "Well i can understand that but i don't think we should be talking in the dark"
"True, Garr let's go back to the capital" Kris watched as the two figures moved into view. The woman who had spoken stepped forward, her presence powerful but less oppressive now. She was tall, with silver hair that shimmered in the fading light and eyes that glowed faintly blue. The young man, who she called Garr, followed closely behind her, his figure less imposing but still watchful.
"Follow us," the woman said, her tone now softer but still authoritative. "We'll guide you to the capital, and you can rest there for the night."
Kris nodded, feeling a mixture of relief and caution. He glanced down at Faye and Eskira, who had both fallen silent during the tense exchange, and gave them a reassuring nod. "Alright, let's go."
As they began walking, Kris couldn't help but notice the strange atmosphere surrounding the two strangers. They moved with an unnatural grace, almost as if they weren't fully human. He had a feeling they were much more powerful than they appeared, but for now, they didn't seem to pose any danger.
Faye tugged on his sleeve lightly. "Master, who are they?"
Kris shook his head. "I don't know. But for now, we follow them. They mentioned something about a capital."
Eskira, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up. "Master… I don't like this. That woman's aura feels off."
Kris nodded in agreement. "I noticed. But we don't have many options right now. Just stay close, and if anything happens, be ready."
They walked in silence for the next half hour, the dense forest giving way to a well-trodden path. In the distance, Kris could see the faint glow of lights, indicating the presence of a settlement.
The woman, who had remained mostly silent, finally spoke again as they neared the outskirts of what appeared to be a large town. "This is Belhanis, the capital of the Great Vahil Forest region. You'll be safe here. We have inns where you can rest, and no one from the All-Seeing Hand would dare attack this place."
Kris stopped in his tracks, eyes narrowing. "The All-Seeing Hand… you know about them?"
The woman turned her glowing eyes to him, her expression unreadable. "Everyone here knows of the All-Seeing Hand. They've been growing bolder, expanding their influence. But this capital remains a sanctuary, protected by forces they cannot easily challenge."
"Oh can you tell me their Hierarchy?" Kris asked curious by the cult.
She glanced at Kris For a moment. "The left hand and the Right hand each have five leaders called fingers, The index finger,The middle finger,The Ring finger,The Thumb and The little finger."
Kris thought those names were uncreative but didn't delve far into it, he didn't ask any more questions because he would probably find out about them from either rumors spreading around or just finding it in a book lying around in a corner.
After reaching the town, they were brought in by the woman and the guards didn't have any objections. "Looking at you people, you have no money, i advice you to find work this bag of coins should keep you fed for about a week, go to the left side of town and you will find a good inn"
Kris took the small bag of coins from the woman, feeling a mix of gratitude and suspicion. "Thank you for your help," he said, trying to keep his tone neutral. The woman nodded curtly, her glowing blue eyes watching him for a moment longer before she turned away with Garr following behind her.
As they walked further into the town, Faye tugged on his sleeve again. "Master, do you trust them?"
Kris glanced down at her, then up at Eskira, who still looked wary. "Not entirely, but for now, we have to take what we can get. We'll stay cautious."
The streets of Belhanis were bustling, even as night fell. The city seemed well-fortified and lively, with merchants still packing up their wares and townsfolk hurrying home after a long day. Kris guided Faye and Eskira through the narrow streets, heading toward the inn the woman had mentioned.
The inn, nestled between a bakery and a smithy, had a weathered sign that read The Crescent Stag. The warm glow of lanterns inside invited them in, and Kris pushed open the door. Inside, the air was thick with the smell of roasted meat and freshly baked bread. The inn was modest but cozy, with wooden tables scattered around the room and a few patrons enjoying their meals.
Kris approached the innkeeper, a plump woman with a kind face and a wide smile. "Evening, travelers! You look like you've had a long day. Need a room?"
Kris nodded. "Yes, we'd like a room for the night."
She raised an eyebrow as she looked at Faye and Eskira clinging to Kris. "Quite the little family you've got there."
Kris felt his face heat up but kept his expression calm. "Just traveling companions," he corrected.
The innkeeper chuckled. "Well, it's none of my business. Rooms are three copper coins a night, and that includes breakfast and dinner and speaking of dinner, you three seem hungry ."
Kris handed over three copper coins from the small pouch the woman had given them. "We'll take the room and dinner," he said, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle on him now that they had found shelter.
The innkeeper took the coins and smiled warmly. "Good choice. I'll have the room prepared. Feel free to take a seat; the stew should be ready shortly." She motioned to a nearby table, and Kris led Faye and Eskira over, settling into the wooden chairs.
Faye perked up as soon as they sat down, her nose twitching. "It smells so good! I can't wait!"
Kris patted her head and then remembered something, how where his relatives dealing with his death, sure it was at the back of his mind the moment he realized he was in another world but he definitely knows he can't just forget things like that.
Maybe there is a way for him to go back but that may cause more problems than solving solutions, he did hope they didn't take his disappearance too hard. The thought weighed on him as he looked at Faye and Eskira, who were both excited about the food and oblivious to his momentary lapse into worry.
Before he could dwell on it further, the innkeeper returned with three steaming bowls of stew. The rich aroma of herbs and tender meat filled the air, making his stomach growl.
"Here you go, dears. Eat up, and I'll have your room ready shortly," she said, placing the bowls in front of them.
Faye eagerly dug into her bowl, her small hands gripping the spoon tightly. "Master, this is delicious!"
Eskira, too, was quick to start eating, though her wings twitched now and then as if she were still on alert. "It's really good, Master. Maybe this place isn't so bad after all."