Demon's Virtue

While Eiro did find what Arc just told that soldier more than just hilarious, he also knew that this was exactly the kind of thing that Nelli was warning him about and as such swiftly turned toward the spirit, who was already eyeing him with an 'I told you so' expression.

"Don't look at me that way. If Arc hadn't stepped in, I might have killed that guy." Eiro pointed out, and Nelli sighed deeply and shook her head disappointedly, "How great..." She sighed, and Eiro simply turned his head back toward Arc and the Soldier, the latter of which was seemingly getting rather fed up with all of this and swiftly pointed his spear at Arc.

"That's it! In the name of the Holy King, I am taking you under arrest!" The Soldier exclaimed, and there were actually some people looking at him from their own shops due to the noise.

"Hah, right." Arc said with a smirk, and then just closed his eyes and shook his head, "As if a wimp like you would dare actually try and do that." The boy pointed out, and at that point, even Eiro noticed that it might have been too provocative in this situation, and quickly noticed that the Soldier was moving his body in a way that might mean he was about to stab the spear forward toward the boy that literally couldn't feel pain nor any other sort of touch beyond what a simple handshake would produce.

But of course, before he could do that, the soldier already had a dagger stuck in his elbow as it was stabbed through the gap in the armor he was wearing, "What do you think you're doing?" Eiro asked as he slowly pushed his mana into the Magic Stone in the handle of the dagger. Since his Fire Affinity and Fire Magic proficiency in general increased a lot over the past few years, instead of just getting warm enough to melt some snow, it actually got hot enough to burn your skin. So of course, if the blade was already inside of your body, that feeling of burning was probably a bit more extreme, and the Soldier's arm immediately tensed up.

[Gerald Muzkins -287 Damage]

As Gerald the Soldier screamed out in pain, Eiro just pulled his Dagger out of the man's elbow and stared down at him, "Be glad that I don't want any trouble, or else I would have killed you. Now, show that neat little wound to Rumia and the other soldiers, get yourself patched up, and then pray each and every second to those disgusting gods of yours that I won't change my mind and come to kill you after all, understood?" Eiro asked, but the soldier just held his arm and tried to stop the bleeding as he stared at the figure in front of him.

And despite not actually knowing of his identity as a Monster, even Gerald currently saw Eiro as nothing but a Demon. But that was when Eiro noticed the sound of metal touching metal as a blade touched a piece of metal meant to hold its sheath together while it was drawn, together with the footsteps of the one that actually drew the weapon.

It seemed to have been another soldier, as Eiro swiftly confirmed through the reeking smell of the polishing wax that these soldiers seemed to use to keep their armor in shape. And with a simple motion, Eiro turned stood up from his kneeling position and by kicking himself off with his foot practically slid over the ground, using the frozen snow as help for that, to stab the dagger in his hand into the side of the soldier trying to attack him now, once more taking advantage of the gap in the armor.

[Simon Klitz – 512 Damage]

"Now, now, I was just defending myself and my son. And then you do something like this?" Eiro asked with a deep frown hidden under his mask, and then stood back up properly while patting down his cloak to get rid of the dust and bits of dirt that just got on it, while the second soldier was holding his side while obviously experiencing quite a lot of pain.

"Hmm... Arc, let's get going. We need to go pick everything up. I think we shouldn't linger too long." Eiro pointed out and then grabbed a piece of cloth from his Satchel before using it to wipe the blood off his dagger, swiftly placing it back into his Treasury before moving away, swiftly avoided by the few villagers that just witnessed this happening.

In the distance, the Demon did hear someone telling a soldier about all this, but none of them seemed that troublesome to deal with.

More importantly, "Arc, are you alright? Neither of them managed to hit you, right?" The Imp asked, staring deep into the boy's eyes to make sure there was no remnant of a red notification or the red mist it left behind after disappearing to be seen there, and Arc swiftly shook his head. "Nope, don't worry. But damn... To think you went from a Demon literally eating human flesh to sparing those two just because you don't want trouble. Quite a development, huh?" Arc pointed out with a light laugh, and Eiro just shrugged.

"I guess." He said, before Nelli appeared in front of him with a confused expression, "You used to eat people?" She asked, before Eiro nodded his head with a bit of confusion. "Yeah, is there anything wrong with that? I mean, I get that people don't eat other people, because of that whole Heresy Curse thing, but why shouldn't I? People eat monsters all the time, and vice versa as well. And monsters eat each other a well. I'm a monster, so... I don't see the problem?" Eiro asked the Spirit, and she just sighed deeply and shook her head.

"Nothing, I get it. I was just a bit surprised, that's all. I didn't expect you to do that... and for Arc to know about it." Nelli said with a carefree expression. Spirits usually didn't concern themselves with such things, so technically Monsters and People didn't have much of a difference in them from their position, so she understood what Eiro was talking about. She simply hadn't ever seen him eat a person.

But then, Eiro quietly grumbled about something and scratched his cheek, reminded of something rather unpleasant, "Arc was there when I took a person apart once. And I had him help me with it as well." The Demon pointed out, but before Nelli could say anything, he quickly turned toward her and tried to explain, "It was when we first met, when I was more monster-like still! I would never make him do that anymore." Eiro said, and Arc just seemingly shrugged in response.

"Eh, it's fine. Pretty gruesome at the time, but both of you know I'm not bothered by past events like that. Now, more importantly, let's go to the general store. That was the first place, right?" Arc asked, and Eiro simply nodded his head in response to the question, "Yes... exactly." Eiro said in response, actually feeling horrible for putting Arc through all that in the past, but unsure how he should voice that feeling. Arc really didn't seem bothered by it at all, so what if Eiro was just being unnecessarily annoying about it?

Trying to hide such thoughts, Eiro just tried to divert his thoughts and looked forward toward the general store, having Lugo wait outside again while he and Arc went inside.

After finishing their business of picking up the different things that Eiro had ordered and bought every month, they packed everything onto Lugo and then prepared to make their way out of town again, and then swiftly got to the gate, although a certain man was currently waiting for them there.

Eiro knew that he was there, he was rather hard not to notice because of his loud, carrying voice and rather... strong smell. He smelled really fake, and Eiro didn't particularly enjoy that.

"Rumia... Horrid to see you today." Eiro said with a light scowl, and Rumia himself just crossed his arms and looked down at him, completely ignoring what the Demon jsut said.

"I think my soldiers made it clear that I wished to see you, didn't I? And then you went on to now allow them to take your stinking beast to give it the honor to be fed to a goddess, and even injured two of my men. That is the highest treason anyone could commit. I hereby-"

"Nope." Eiro said in a clear tone and then just tried to step past Rumia, who looked at him confusedly and quickly blocked his path, "What did you just say?" Rumia asked, and with an annoyed voice and expression, Eiro looked up at the man in front of him.

"Are you deaf? I said 'No'." The Demon pointed out, but Rumia just ground his teeth and looked back at him, "I wasn't asking you anything, 'No' is not a viable answer." The man replied, "Such heresy will simply extend your-"

"I swear to all the gods you believe in, if you don't shut up I'm going to stab you right now. I don't care about you, I don't care about your fucked up religion, and I don't care about what you think you should be doing right now. And as I already told those useless morons that tried attacking me before, I don't want any trouble. But if you're giving it to me anyway, I don't mind making it bigger by killing you right here and now." Eiro said in a clear tone, and then manipulated the snow surrounding them to make it climb up Rumia's legs while constantly freezing in a thicker and thicker layer, giving Eiro, Arc and Lugo the chance to pass him.

But before they could get on the Stag's back, Eiro heard the Ice crack as Rumia turned toward him, "Stop right there!" He exclaimed, and Eiro just glared at him, "Fine, you can keep your heretic life a little longer, but the boy is staying here!" Rumia yelled out, but the Demon couldn't do anything but stare at him confusedly.

"What nonsense are you spouting now?" Eiro asked, and Rumia stared past him and directly at Arc, "We are preparing for a war here. Anyone that has the physical ability to is obligated to train under me to become a holy soldier to fight for our Holy King!" Rumia exclaimed, and Eiro glared at him with a wry smile, "Again, what nonsense are you spouting now?" Eiro asked once more, before Rumia just got rid of the rest of the ice with his sword and started to take some steps forward, trying to grab Arc by the collar to pull him back into town.

"Rumia..." Eiro said with a deep growl that made the man hesitate for just a moment, "If I were you, I would turn around and get yourself out of my sight. Better even, leave this town altogether, before I do actually end up killing you right here and now. Even if someone far stronger than you and I combined will come here in your stead ends up showing up, I would gladly let that happen if it means that it did because your life ended." The Demon pointed out.

"I'm going to give you a single last chance now, alright? Because I don't want this town to end up having to pay for my actions. Leave the residents alone, and come out every three months to tell the Ladies your story. There will be no feast, no party, nothing. Not for you. You will speak to them briefly and respectfully, and then let them make their choice." Eiro told Rumia, with clear determination, and the tall-built man slowly pulled his hand away from the boy in front of him, just staring abck at Eiro.

"We will see in a week if our position will stay the same. Once I speak to Lady Winter, then we already won't need you anymore. Then you will be tried for your sins.." Rumia exclaimed, but Eiro just stared back at him, with his smile fortunately hidden under his mask.