Erii: A Journey Through the Heavens Begins with Frilian

The woman stopped stroking, a cluster of dark red flames flickering at her fingertips, as she prepared to inject it into Shutark's body.

boom!

The door was suddenly flung open, and three figures strode in with the imposing presence of a crime-fighting squad.

The flame flickered and then went out.

The commotion startled even the soundly sleeping Hugh Tarker awake. He sprang to his feet, staring in astonishment at the four women before him. "What are you doing? I'm warning you, I'm a respectable man!"

As Philon lit his wand, Jessica's stiff facial features came into view.

"Why are you here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?" Frilian said coldly.

"Ah? No, no, I," Jessica said shyly, a blush creeping onto her face. "I'm scared to be alone, I can't sleep, and I wanted to talk to Mr. Hugh Tarker. I feel safer with him."

"Huh? Really? Hehe~" Shutark touched his nose shyly, quite flattered.

"Hmph!" Philon pouted resentfully upon seeing this.

"It's because he's not a mage, so he can't easily detect your little tricks," Frilian said, seeing right through him.

Erii stepped forward, staring intently at Jessica. "Why?"

Jessica, bewildered and confused, asked, "What are you talking about? I don't understand."

Seeing Philon's predatory gaze, Hugh Tarek immediately cowered obediently in the corner of the bed. However, he also sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere, and his expression turned serious as he stared at Jessica with a scrutinizing look.

"You were just about to infuse Hugh with a magic seed, weren't you!" Philon demanded angrily. "So this is how your two friends have become your tools?"

Jessica opened her mouth, her eyes darting around, as if she had thought of a reason to argue.

Before she could speak, Frilian interrupted, "The magic you're using comes from a demon's grimoire, doesn't it? It's disgusting! Don't you think you're insulting the identity of a mage?"

"Actually, we already know even if you don't say it. You secretly accepted another bounty, and the huge reward made you willing to sacrifice your comrades," Philon said with disgust and disdain. "Despicable scoundrel."

Erii took another step forward, her tone still calm, and her words the same, "Why?"

Compared to the master and apprentice's direct questioning, Erii was the one who put the most pressure on Jessica at this moment, giving her a premonition that she would be beheaded at any moment.

Jessica was pushed to the limit, and her lips twitched uncontrollably.

"Why? My dear Erii, the world has never been as wonderful as you imagine. The demons' slaughter of humans only ended eighty years ago. Do you know how many people are eaten by demons every day? Do you know how many innocent civilians died in the human civil war more than ten years ago? Do you know how pathetic I was when I couldn't afford to eat!"

She gave a cold laugh: "I'm just trying to live a little happier in this messed-up world. Marco and Mada both like me, and I'm just maximizing their affection for me. What does it matter if they die for me? As long as I'm doing well, they'll be happy for me even in death!"

"Don't waste your time, the magical fluctuations within you can't escape my detection," Frilian suddenly said.

Jessica's eyes hardened, and she thrust her wand forward, about to unleash a powerful spell.

She appeared emotionally agitated and on the verge of collapse, but in reality, she was quietly gathering her strength, attempting to capitalize on the less than one in ten thousand chance of escape.

puff!

puff!

Two muffled thuds, one after the other.

Erii and Shutark attacked simultaneously, their long swords piercing through her chest and their battle axes sinking into her skull.

The wand fell to the ground, and Jessica, her eyes wide open, was dead beyond any doubt.

"I'm going to sleep." Erii wiped away the blood, sheathed her sword, and turned to leave.

Frillie followed and left, as if the dead dog at her feet was nothing more than a stray dog.

Philon watched Erii's retreating figure and sighed inwardly.

Then, she looked at the terrified Shutark with obvious displeasure, a blush inexplicably rising on her face. "Mr. Shutark, what kind of filthy dream were you having just now? Why did I appear in your dream?!"

"Dirty?" Shutark was completely bewildered and felt deeply wronged.

As he cleaned up the body, he replied, "That was a nightmare! I dreamt that you cast a breast-enlarging spell on me in public! And I was only wearing my underwear! It was terrifying; I still shudder when I think about it."

……

Erii sat on the bed, hugging her knees.

It's not that I'm particularly sad, but it feels like the warmth I felt in the little cabin has vanished like a bubble.

Just as many people don't understand her, she doesn't understand others either, whether it's their past, their values, or their ideals.

Why?

The world is so big and so complicated; she doesn't understand it. It seems that some things cannot be solved by killing.

rustling~

A familiar touch came from above my head.

Frilian stroked her head and said softly, "Actually, humans are better at deception than demons."

"Demons use language to deceive humans, but it's ultimately just imitation. Some humans, on the other hand, are born masters of deception. They create completely different masks of hypocrisy with their words and actions. It's both very difficult and very easy to see through their hearts, depending on how much they mean to you."

"Anyone around you may be hiding a dark side, just like Jessica, who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals, and is even willing to play along with us and toy with other people's true feelings."

Erii remained silent.

She couldn't help but think of her brother, who was incredibly gentle and tender towards her, and the patriarch, Tachibana Masamune, who was sometimes kind and sometimes stern but like a father.

Could these two people also have ulterior motives, just like Jessica?

She shook her head vigorously, banishing the absurd idea from her mind.

Regardless, this idea has taken root in her heart, laying an important foundation for her mental growth.

Frillie changed her touch to a gentle pat, as if comforting a wounded child, "But there are some people who can always be trusted and relied upon."

She paused. "For example, Aize, or the often unreliable Hyta, and... Simmel. For me and Philon, we trust each other. To you, what kind of people are we?"

Erii grabbed Frilian's hand and said, word by word, "I love everyone, white radish, tomato, and eggplant."

Wait, what's going on with this vegetable stall?

"I am Carrot," Erii added, her mood returning to normal.

Even the usually composed Frillie couldn't help but smile. This child was so innocent that it gave her the illusion of being a mother, even though she had always treated Philonise like a mother figure.

The next day.

Amid Philon's complaints and tugging, Frilian struggled to get out of bed.

After saying goodbye to the pink-haired loli village chief, Erii and her group headed towards the magical city of Visaster.

The usual relaxed atmosphere was now heavy and tense, since no one knew when the next enemy attack would arrive.