Thank You,
Knight Teir: "Gloxinia"
For Becoming A Member On My Pa'treon. The Emperor Protect.
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After resting for a few days, Sebastian and his companions returned to the village. They had left empty-handed, but now they returned with a trove of spoils. Sebastian's Battle Fortress was packed with items, and the wealthy merchant they encountered had even promised to send more to the village as a gesture of goodwill.
As they rolled through the forest road, Sebastian and the others were already approaching the outskirts of the village in the massive, armored vehicle.
"Sir Sebastian, that person seems to be following us," Kikyo said with a glance toward the rearview monitor. "She's the one I mentioned before, Tsubaki."
Sebastian activated the rear camera of the Battle Fortress and projected the feed onto the main screen. Sure enough, the girl riding the Snake, a high-speed Shikigami beast, was following them closely.
"Tsubaki," He murmured, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. With a hint of amusement, Sebastian ordered the Battle Fortress to decelerate.
"Interesting. Let's see what she's after."
"Ugh… what is this thing? It's way too fast!" Tsubaki mount gasped for breath as it struggled to keep pace. Despite her best efforts, the gap between her and Sebastian only widened.
She was about to give up when, surprisingly, the Battle Fortress came to a halt. Stunned, she pulled the reins and brought the Snake to a skidding stop.
"Why'd they stop?" She muttered.
Moments later, she arrived beside the vehicle, her expression painted with feigned confusion. Trying to look casual, she looked at Sebastian's group as if merely passing by, a ruse that made Sebastian chuckle inwardly.
He watched her little act with amusement and said, "We're waiting for you."
"W-waiting for me?" She stammered. "Why would you be waiting for me? I wasn't following you. I just happen to be taking the same road!"
Tsubaki's voice cracked, her feigned innocence faltering under Sebastian's gaze. For a brief second, her panic showed. Straightening up, she raised her chin with exaggerated dignity.
"The road's wide. It's not yours alone."
"Well then, go on ahead," Sebastian said, still smiling. "We're taking a break here. And I hope you're not just about to say you need to rest too."
Before Tsubaki could respond, Sebastian cut her off, his tone light but his gaze unyielding. With his ability of clairvoyance and telepathy, part of his Teigu, he could sense her intentions before she voiced them.
Her face turned red.
"I… you… Fine! I'm following you, humph." Tsubaki puffed her cheeks in frustration, looking like an indignant pufferfish.
Though destined to become a powerful person, at this moment, she was little more than an arrogant and prideful girl.
"Suit yourself," Sebastian said with a shrug and turned his attention back to the Battle Fortress. The vehicle rumbled to life and continued toward the village.
Seeing Sebastian's complete disinterest only fueled Tsubaki's irritation, and a flash of insecurity crossed her mind. Was she not attractive? For her, being noticed and admired meant everything. Driven by wounded pride and curiosity, she gritted her teeth and urged the Snake to pursue them again.
But no matter how hard she pushed, the vehicle kept gaining speed. She realized that it hadn't been using full power earlier. Now that it was, there was no way the Snake could keep up.
"Dammit!" She cursed, but didn't give up. She tracked the vehicle by its tire marks, determined not to be left behind.
"Sir Sebastian, she's still following us," Kikyo said, glancing back uneasily. While she had admired Tsubaki's strength before, she wasn't exactly eager to interact with her.
"Tsubaki doesn't work well with others," She added. "She expects everyone to orbit around her like she's the sun."
"It's fine," Sebastian replied calmly. "As long as she doesn't interfere, let her follow."
Eventually, they arrived home.
"Sir Sebastian! Elder sister!"As soon as they returned, Kaede ran out to greet them.
"You're finally back!" She said, her voice filled with relief. Despite her calm appearance, she had been worried that Sebastian might not return.
"Sis, how did your mission go?" She asked eagerly.
"Mission accomplished... but I barely contributed," Kikyo replied, looking down in embarrassment, "It was Miss Esdeath who defeated the monster by herself."
"Was it strong?" Kaede asked.
"It was a Mist Demon, one that's taken down many exorcists," Kikyo said, glancing at Sebastian."But against Sir Sebastian and Miss Esdeath, it didn't stand a chance."
Sebastian didn't refute it; he merely smiled.
After a short rest, Kikyo went to distribute some of the reward to the other villagers. Meanwhile, Sebastian instructed his team to transport the frozen Mist Demon into his combat laboratory.
Though encased in ice, the creature was still alive, perfect as a research subject. At that moment, a new analysis option appeared on Sebastian's interface:
[ Fog Demon Gene Analysis ] [ Cost: 4,000,000G, Duration: 24 hours ]
Though the Mist Demon wasn't considered powerful by high-tier standards, its vaporization ability intrigued Sebastian. It could be a valuable trait for his units, so he queued it up for research.
Thinking back to the days when he scraped funds together just to produce a few hundred G for the infantry, he chuckled. Now he was casually spending millions.
About an hour later, footsteps approached the door. He assumed Kikyo had returned, until her alarmed cry rang out: "Are you OK!? Hold on!"
Moments later, she burst into the room, carrying a girl around her age.
"Tsubaki?"
The girl never gave up.