We finally left the sewers.

Seras who had advanced first earlier, ran towards us after we got out.

[There seems to be no presence of anyone around the area. If we were to go through the forest, we could hide ourselves for the time being.]

[Do you think the horses are safe?]

[I think they should be alright.]

We already anticipated that we would need to travel fast and prepared some horses to ride on.

However, they were currently unguarded and were leashed inside the forest.

I cant help but feel like they would be stolen.

We have prepared two horses.

It seems that we could have a carriage as long as we had the money to buy one.

However, we may have to leave them before going inside the Demon Zone.

Considering that they may end up being disposed of, it would be too wasteful to buy it.

Most of all, horses were less noticeable and could easily adapt in situations.

I turned towards my back.

[Did you explain those two about our situation?]

[I briefly explained to them before you arrived earlier.]

Seras gave a quick explanation of the information she had disclosed towards them.

It seems that there were no problems in sorting out the information that could be given.

Seras is also excellent in situations like this.

I spoke towards the two people following behind us.

[We have already prepared horses in the forest. One of them would be ridden by the both of you, Eve and Liz.]

[Understood. Im sorry I guess you originally planned to use one horse for each of you?]

[No, youre mistaken.]

[Mhmm?]

One of those horses were really prepared for Eve even at the start.

Weve already prepared them assuming that Eve will follow us.

[I dont have any horse riding skills at all. Thats why, Ill be riding behind Seras.]

If there were two people sitting on a horse, it cant be helped that the speed would drop.

Well, its still better than walking.

The forest spreads outside the wall providing as a natural barrier for the royal capital.

We were walking through the forest.

We proceed with care while making sure we make as little noise as possible.

Currently, Eve was dressed in the cloak I had bought before.

Her eye-catching leopard head is covered with the hood.

The were-leopards were a rare race.

They were not someone that you could be usually seen.

In short, Eve stands out.

She needs to hide her body until we enter the Demon Zone.

[I wish she could transform her into a human form but]

Seras power of altering appearance can only be used for herself

[Could I have a sec?]

Eve spoke.

It looks like Liz is talking with Seras behind us.

They seem to be getting to know each other.

[Were there things you want to hear about?]

[Umu.]

[And, what do you want to hear first?]

[Im still going to tell you the whereabouts of the Witch of Taboos is. However, I still have something I want to know.]

I remembered Eves words before.

In exchange for some conditions, I would tell you the whereabouts of the witch.

Is she talking about that aforementioned conditions?

[I want to ask you why you want to meet the Witch of Taboos.]

[I have a spellbook written in ancient characters that I couldnt decipher Im looking for someone that could read these characters. And, I thought that the Witch of Taboos may be able to read whats written here.]

I heard that the Witch of Taboos is someone who knew too much.

Spells that were forbidden by the goddess.

Those who knows about these information.

They may have become risks for that f*cking goddess.

Therefore, the witch hid in the Demon Zone to escape from the grasps of the goddess hands.

I guess that should be enough for me to think that its quite possible.

[You dont intend to catch the witch, huh? It seems that she doesnt plan to hurt her too.]

[Well, thats as long as she doesnt try to harm us first.]

I could see the night sky through the gaps between the leaves and branches.

The moon that had been shining our path became concealed behind the clouds.

The clouds began blocking the moonlight.

Thereupon, the forest increasingly enclosed in darkness.

We also didnt use any kind of illumination.

However, Eves steps remained steady.

There were no hesitation in her steps.

I believed I was already used to the darkness.

However, I could see from Eves way of walking that she could probably see more than me.

[Do you have night vision?]

[To some extent, yes.]

Great hearing.

Night vision.

Eves abilities would be really useful hereafter.

[Even you step into the darkness without any hesitation. Most humans are afraid of darkness.]

[Various things happened, so I got used to the darkness.]

[What about you, Seras Ashrain?]

[Well, I could make a light source but]

From where we were walking, the light may be seen from the outer walls.

I want for us to slip into the darkness.

I still dont know when the news that Eve left the royal capital would be found out.

If they were to find out, they would probably send pursuers after us.

At that time, we want to eliminate as much tracks we made as possible.

Thats why, I also couldnt use the illumination from my leather bag.

It was at that time

[Im just a simple-minded woman.]

Still looking at the front, Eve suddenly said so.

[I cant see a couple of steps ahead like you do. Im not good at thinking too deeply Because of my simplicity, my field of view is quite narrow and I almost always end up with the foolish choices. Thats why I was well used by Duke Zuan. I also couldnt see through the true nature of that proprietress.]

[Its not like I can see everything myself. Besides, isnt it good enough that you could analyze yourself?]

After some pause, Eve said.

[Im going to leave myself in your care.]

[Hmm?]

[Hereafter, I want you to tell me what movements I must do. Ill be doing as you ordered.]

[You give me too much credit.]

[Ive thought of this after looking at your interaction with Ashrain. It would be better if I were to follow according to your instructions.]

Eve stops walking.

[Most of all I have no choice but to believe in you. To be honest, I dont really know how far I could trust others. However]

Eve looks back towards me.

[I think I could trust you.]

[Well, Im thankful that you said so but why do you think so?]

[You could have taken more inhuman measures to get the information about the Witch of Taboos from me.]

Eve turns to look back from Liz towards me.

[You could have carried me off to somewhere while Im paralyzed and tortured the information out of me. You could also have threatened me about that child. And yet, you didnt do it.]

[..]

Im not really as smart as she thinks I am though.

After a brief silence, Eve spoke again.

[Liz would just become a burden.]

[.]

[You should have already known about it yourself. We will be going into that Golden Demon Zone.]

Liz is a non-combatant.

Furthermore, shes still a child.

We might break our own bodies if we were to fight in the Demon Zone while guarding that child.

It is necessary for at least one person to defend her.

There were indeed some truth within her words.

[However, you still acknowledged that Liz may accompany us. I understand that you were sympathizing with her feelings and thats one of the reasons why I trust you.]

At any rate, Liz cant survive in the Demon Zone.

If we could get the information we want from Eve first, its possible that would also be the end of our duty for Liz.

If Liz were to be killed by monsters in the Demon Zone, Eve wont have any choice but to accept it.

We were just taking her with us with the assumption that she may die.

Just so we could make Eve cooperative

[]

Did Eve never thought about that?

Of course, I intend to protect Liz with all of my might.

That girl had the willpower to survive.

[I think you are a good person.]

[There were some people who would do good deeds for their own self-interest, you know?]

[Fufu, thats quite a strange answer]

Eve smiled a bit.

[Even if it were just for your own self-interest, I think I could still trust you.]

[However, didnt you say that you couldnt easily trust someone youve just met yesterday?]

[Well I cant really measure whether I could trust a person just by the length of time weve spent together Thats what Ive learned from the previous situation I experienced.]

Eve suddenly look quite uneasy.

I hastened my pace a bit and peep inside her hood.

[Isnt this situation too convenient?]

[Back then, you said that Im a soft-hearted person.]

I remembered what Eve said to me in the tavern.

Youre a softhearted person huh

I snorted.

[I think youre talking about yourself instead. Youre very softhearted.]

We finally arrived at the place where the horses were leashed.

Fortunately, the horses were safe.

We quickly fastened our luggages on the horses.

Eve, who was already mounted on the horse, held out her hand towards Liz.

She placed Liz in front of her body.

I am also currently standing beside the horse.

[Please take my hand.]

The mounted Seras held out her hand from above the horse.

I held onto her hand with my own.

[Umm, would you please firmly grasp my hand?]

[Yeah.]

And like that, she helped me ride the horse.

Its because I have no experience in riding horses at all.

This is the first time Ive ridden one.

..

So this is how it feels riding a horse, huh?

It feels kind of weird.

Seras called out to me who was riding behind her.

[Please hold me tightly from behind so that you wont be shaken off.]

[Is it really alright?]

Seras looks at the front.

[Its necessary. Besides, its you thats holding me.]

[I understand.]

I put both of my arms around her slender waist.

And thus, I am holding her tightly below her breasts.

Squeeze

Seras suddenly flinched.

[Am I too close?]

[.]

[Seras?]

[No, theres no problem.]

Hm?

[Are you alright?]

I could feel something aside from the scent Ive been smelling from Seras.

Its an increase in body temperature.

[Umm, you look a bit sweaty]

[Lets go.]

Seras began making the horse walk without answering my query.

It seems that shes relatively used to handling horses.

She doesnt look like shes nervous in handling the horse even though she had some time where she havent ridden on one.

[]

Well, there must have been some thoughts in her mind, especially when youre attached with the opposite gender like this.

Its no wonder.

[I dont know why youre so nervous, but please be patient. Ill also try to be as unconscious of it as possible.]

[U- Understood.]

Suddenly, Seras clapped both of her cheeks.

It seems that shes trying to pour some motivation for herself.

Seras turned to Eve and shouted.

[Well then, lets go.]

[Umu.]