I hope everyone had a great experience during the New Year.
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The group hesitated to descend the mountain in search of food until darkness had fully settled.
"I know a rich place," he said. "But I'm not sure if you two have the guts to go."
Unfastening the wine bag at his waist, he took a light sip and cast a faint, amused glance at his two companions.
"The G.D.I., what do you say?"
"Are you talking about the place that rose from a tiny village to the richest city in such a short time?"
"Exactly. It used to be just a rural settlement, but now it's a thriving, wealthy city."
Just as he finished speaking, the old man leaning against a nearby tree asked suspiciously, "I heard the leader is someone named Sebastian, someone ruthless?"
"Sebastian? If I remember correctly, he's the one who slaughtered hundreds of thousands of monsters." His suggestion piqued the interest of those nearby, though a flicker of doubt crept across their faces.
"So, if we go there… aren't we just asking to die?"
"How about we make a big scene and leave right away?" Seeing the fear in their eyes, a cunning glint flashed in his own. His gaze drifted toward the distant horizon, greed shining like a hungry wolf's.
It had long been said that G.D.I. possessed overwhelming wealth, the finest treasures in all the land. There had to be mountains of gold and silver within. Just imagining the countless jewels waiting inside made his pulse race.
"It's fine if we go in, make a deal, and get out," the old man finally nodded.
No one doubted G.D.I.'s financial power. The real danger was its leader's terrifying strength. Hearing Sebastian's name, none of them dared provoke him. Initially, the old man had been ready to refuse, but if it was only a single transaction… the risks would be far lower.
"But remember, only once. Whether we succeed or fail, we leave G.D.I. immediately!" the old ghost warned.
It was already afternoon in G.D.I. The pleasant warmth from earlier gradually waned as the sun dipped westward, bringing a faint chill. Bleak autumn winds swept in from afar, stripping away the last remnants of daylight.
A girl with short black hair and delicate, pale features sat kneeling on the ground. Her brow was slightly furrowed. She was Sakasagami no Yura, the Yura of the Reverse Hair.
In the backyard woods of Sebastian's mansion, the maple forest shimmered gold, fallen leaves carpeting the earth like scattered pieces of gilded silk. From above, the trees resembled a block of amber embedded in the sprawling grounds.
"Autumn again…" Yura whispered, as if awakening from a long dream.
She opened her eyes sluggishly, lifting a hand to catch a leaf drifting from the sky. Perhaps she had slept too long; her gaze was unfocused at first. After a moment, she brushed her black hair aside, a faint sorrow flickering in her eyes.
"How long has it been?" Yura had once joined the vast monster horde that assaulted G.D.I. She had been caught in the aftermath of Sebastian's overwhelming power. Though she survived by sheer luck, she collapsed into a deep coma.
When she awoke, she found herself lying in this maple forest. Sebastian had ordered her to guard it. At first, she tried to escape, waiting for a moment when he wasn't around. But the forest ensnared her in an endless loop, like a ghost hitting a wall. No matter how she tried, she could not leave.
And with Sebastian's terrifying strength, even if she managed to escape, she would be captured instantly. She had witnessed his teleportation firsthand; there was simply no running from him. Eventually, she abandoned her resistance and remained obediently in the forest. She no longer knew how long she had been watching over it.
At that moment, Yura heard familiar footsteps, Sebastian.
"Does Master require something of Yura?" Kneeling in the maple woods, Yura bowed her head before him.
She looked up at the human who had slaughtered a monster army. Yet, not a shred of hatred remained in her heart. When she fought among the monsters, she had personally witnessed Sebastian's might. Even now, she remembered the monstrous corpses hurled into the sky, the blood-red light that darkened the horizon, and the crackling purple thunder that made her bones tremble. The memory alone chilled her.
Though Sebastian radiated no aura, the pressure Yura felt from kneeling before him was suffocating, like two invisible hands pressing down on her shoulders, preventing her from even standing.
"There is something I want you to do. But for now, you will stay by my side," Sebastian said calmly, studying her curious expression.
He had exterminated most monsters, but deliberately left some alive. One reason was to let rumors of his power spread, deterring ordinary monsters from approaching G.D.I. Another was that certain monsters might prove useful later, not merely as experiments.
The news of the Jewel's reappearance had already spread. As one of Sebastian's main objectives in this world, he was determined to obtain it.
Today's visit to Yura was because he wanted her to gather intel. As a monster, she could infiltrate monster territories far more easily than Kikyō or Tsubaki, uncovering information they could not.
Though Sebastian possessed Spy Satellite and Spy, they couldn't track the detailed movements of monsters. Despite the kingdom's human-led government, monsters thrived within its borders.
He had previously destroyed several monster tribes and knew well how deeply the survivors hated him. Sending Kikyō or Tsubaki into monster domains was unrealistic. That's why Sebastian chose Yura, someone a monster faction wouldn't suspect immediately.
"By your will." Lowering her head again, Yura knelt before Sebastian.
Most of her hostility had faded over the long years. She no longer dared to defy him. Once rebellious, she now behaved like a feline before Sebastian, utterly obedient.