POPULATION BOOM!

After an hour-long flight, the landscape below began to transition into familiar territory for Scarlett. As they approached, the distinct features of the Demon Realm's borderland blended into the rustic outskirts near Dreadhaven Village. Scarlett gently descended to the ground, carefully lowering Yumi from her arms. The gentle thud of their feet touching the earth marked their arrival.

"Did we arrive at your village?" Yumi asked, her voice laced with curiosity, as she brushed off the travel dust from her clothes.

"Yeah, we just have to walk a little further," Scarlett replied, a hint of pride in her tone.

They moved through a thicket of dense bushes, pushing past the leafy barrier. As they emerged, the sight that unfolded before them was strikingly different from what might have been expected of a quaint village. Dreadhaven had expanded, sprawling out larger than before, its borders now stretching ambitiously into the surrounding landscapes.

The village itself seemed to pulse with life. Villagers, recognizing the figure at the outskirts, momentarily paused their daily tasks. A ripple of excitement surged through the crowd as whispers turned into cheers.

"Scarlett-sama has returned!" voices echoed across the open spaces, cutting through the daily hum of village life.

"Scarlett-sama, how was the journey?" another called out as groups of villagers began converging towards her.

Cheers erupted from the gathering crowd as they dropped their tools and ran towards Scarlett, their faces alight with joy and admiration. The warm welcome painted a vivid picture of Scarlett's importance to this community and their relief at her safe return.

As Scarlett and Yumi approached the center of Dreadhaven Village, Scarlett couldn't help but feel puzzled. The last time she had been here, the population hovered around fifty or sixty villagers at most. Now, as they walked through, there seemed to be hundreds—close to 500, by her quick estimate. Before she could voice her confusion, a scream pierced the air, halting her thoughts.

"Aackkk....Monsters?" Yumi cried out in terror upon seeing instead of humans, unusual figures mingling among the villagers. Panic took over, and she spun around, trying to sprint away from the perceived threat. However, before she could make any significant distance, Scarlett's hand was on her back, holding her firmly in place. Yumi struggled briefly but couldn't move an inch forward.

"Don't worry, they are friendly," Scarlett reassured her, her voice calm and steady amidst Yumi's panic.

Tears welled up in Yumi's eyes, a mix of fear and betrayal evident on her face as she turned back to face Scarlett. "I thought you were going to teach me something like Bankai, Domain Expansion... but you lied to me."

Scarlett looked at Yumi with a slight frown. "When did I say that? I promised to put you in your right place, not to make you stronger," she corrected gently.

Yumi's confusion deepened. "What does that mean?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly with a mix of fear and curiosity.

"You'll soon understand," Scarlett replied enigmatically, her tone suggesting that the answers Yumi sought were closer than she might expect.

As Scarlett and Yumi entered the heart of Dreadhaven Village, a hush fell over the crowd. All eyes turned towards Yumi, their gazes filled with curiosity and wonder. The moment was broken when an elder goblin, Semiath, made his way through the villagers and approached Scarlett.

"Scarlett-sama, who's this girl?" Semiath inquired with a respectful nod.

Without hesitation, Scarlett lifted Yumi off her feet and into the air, presenting her to the gathered villagers. "This is Yumi Yamamoto," Scarlett announced with a commanding voice that resonated through the crowd. "From now on, she is the 'Minister of Finance.' So please, give respect to her."

The term 'Minister of Finance' was unfamiliar to the villagers, yet the solemnity in Scarlett's tone and the title itself suggested a position of high importance. Reacting to Scarlett's declaration, the villagers bowed deeply towards Yumi.

"We hereby give our respect to Ms. Yumi," they chorused loudly, their voices echoing with sincerity and acceptance.

Yumi, still suspended in Scarlett's grip, was both confused and surprised by the sudden honor bestowed upon her. Realizing that despite the initial fright, these villagers meant her no harm, she mustered a smile. Her heart was still racing, and her voice trembled slightly with residual fear as she addressed the crowd.

"Umm... hi there, it's nice to be working with you all," she managed to say, her words shaky but filled with a forced cheerfulness.

The villagers' warm response and respectful demeanor helped ease some of Yumi's anxiety, fostering a budding sense of responsibility and acceptance of her new, unexpected role in this strange yet welcoming community.

Before Scarlett could voice her curiosity about the unexpectedly large population of the village, Semiath, the elder goblin, waved his hand. In response, a few goblins hurried through the crowd, carrying a chair crafted from wood. It was the villagers' first attempt at making such a piece of furniture, and while it was a bit rough around the edges, the effort and dedication put into it were unmistakably genuine.

The goblins placed the wooden chair before Scarlett, offering it to her as a seat of honor. Accepting their gesture, Scarlett sat down regally, like a ruler presiding over her subjects. As she settled into the chair, the entire village seemed to acknowledge her position; every villager sat down on the ground in a display of respect.

Soon after, a group of women emerged from the crowd. Some began massaging Scarlett's shoulders and arms, easing the tension of travel, while others presented fruits they had gathered from the forest. The fruits were offered not simply placed in her hands but fed to her directly, emphasizing the VIP treatment she was receiving. The women serving her did so with peaceful smiles, clearly taking pride and joy in attending to Scarlett.

Scarlett accepted the fruits, extending her hands gracefully. Yet, the women chose to feed her themselves, placing pieces of fruit directly into her mouth. This service was not just a sign of respect but of deep admiration and gratitude.

Meanwhile, Yumi watched this scene unfold with wide eyes, amazed by the level of reverence and honor bestowed upon Scarlett. The care and dedication of the villagers were palpable, and Yumi could sense that Scarlett was not merely a leader but a cherished and respected figure within this community.

Scarlett's voice reverberated through the crowd, her tone commanding immediate attention. "What happened here while I was away? Why are there so many people here?"

Elder Semiath stepped forward, his expression a mixture of relief and concern. "Scarlett-sama, there are two reasons," he began. "First, word of your powers spread far and wide, attracting people from nearby villages to come under your protection."

A spark of pride flickered in Scarlett's eyes beneath her blindfold as she realized the implication. "We had a population boom!" she thought excitedly. This increase was crucial; a thriving population was necessary not just for prosperity but also for raising an army to defend the village.

Yet, as Scarlett considered the village's burgeoning numbers—now exceeding five hundred—her strategic mind began to race with possibilities for the future. Her satisfaction was momentarily overshadowed by a sudden curiosity. "And what's the second reason?" she asked.

Semiath's demeanor shifted; his head bowed slightly, and his voice took on a somber tone. "The hounds have returned."

"Hounds?" Scarlett echoed, her brow furrowing.

"Yes," Semiath continued, his voice heavy with dread. "They are descendants of Hellhounds. Unlike their ancestors, these have only one head, but that doesn't diminish their threat. Long ago, they changed their territory, which is why we've survived until now. But they have returned, led by twin leaders who are the most formidable of their kind, ruling over all the hounds. Many of the new villagers are survivors seeking refuge from these beasts."

Scarlett processed this information, her casual demeanor belying the strategic calculations forming in her mind. "How powerful are they?" she inquired, her voice cool but laced with interest.

"They throw large beams of crimson fire," Zenith, another elder, chimed in, his face lined with worry. "Many villagers are suffering life-threatening injuries and desperately need someone to heal them."

With a resolute nod, Scarlett stood, her presence commanding and determined. "No big deal! If they dare to come here, then I'll just beat them up. But for now, I should heal the injured ones." Her voice was filled with resolve, ready to protect her people and assert her power.

Semiath led the way to the shelter where the injured villagers were being cared for, with Scarlett, Yumi and others following closely behind. The gravity of the situation tightened around them as they approached. Upon entering the shelter, the scene that unfolded was harrowing. The air was thick with the iron tang of blood, which seemed to flow endlessly from the wounded. Many of the villagers were severely injured; some had limbs torn apart, while others bore deep, vicious wounds from the fangs of the hounds.

It was clear that the bites were not just physically damaging but also venomous, as the rapid spread of discoloration around the wounds indicated poison coursing through the victims' bodies.

Yumi, unaccustomed to such a gruesome sight, couldn't contain her reaction and vomited. After taking a moment to gather herself, she turned to Scarlett with a mix of concern and curiosity. "How are you going to heal them?" she asked. "One would need an affinity with healing elements to heal someone other than themselves."

Scarlett did not respond immediately; her face remained expressionless as she absorbed Yumi's words and assessed the wounded. She then stepped forward, placing her hands on the ground, and began to channel her mana. Moments later, a light green and yellow mixed fire erupted throughout the room. The sudden appearance of flames caused a collective gasp of panic from the onlookers, but their anxiety turned to amazement when they saw what happened next.

The bodies of the injured, though enveloped in this mysterious fire, were not consumed by it. Instead, the flames seemed to be healing them. Wounds began to close, limbs regrew, and the spread of poison halted. Within moments, each injured villager was restored to full health, looking as though they had never been injured at all.

The miraculous fire was known as the "Fire of Phoenix," that Avion taught her. Much like Marco from "One Piece," who possesses the powers of the bird-bird fruit model phoenix and can heal injuries, this fire had similar regenerative abilities—but its effects were thousands of times faster and more effective.

As the miraculous healing unfolded before their eyes, the villagers' initial shock turned into overwhelming joy. Cheers erupted from the crowd, echoing through the shelter as the healed villagers embraced their relatives, their faces radiant with relief and gratitude. Many of them then turned to Scarlett, bowing deeply in a gesture of reverence and thankfulness. Yumi watched all of this, her eyes wide with disbelief. The magnitude of Scarlett's powers was far beyond what she had ever imagined.

Once the excitement settled, Scarlett motioned for the villagers to give her some space. She then led Yumi away from the crowd, guiding her to a quieter part of the village where they could talk privately. Inside Scarlett's modest shelter, she began to share her vision and the challenges ahead.

"I've only started ruling this village about two days ago," Scarlett explained, her voice serious as she outlined her plans for the future. "We need to grow and develop, but for that, we need a source of income. We have to introduce the concept of money and trade with humans. However, considering the villagers have been living almost in the stone age until my arrival, adapting to such changes will be extremely difficult."

Scarlett paused, acknowledging the gravity of the task. "That's where you come in, Yumi. I have no experience in business, so I'm relying on you." It was a candid admission of her limitations and a clear signal of her trust in Yumi's abilities.

Yumi nodded, finally understanding why Scarlett had introduced her as the 'Minister of Finance.' "I get it now," she said thoughtfully. "But if we want to build a profitable and sustainable business, we need something unique—something rare that others don't have, like a brand that can't easily be copied."

Scarlett listened and then paused, considering Yumi's words. After a moment, she shook her head slightly, as if to clear her thoughts. "Let's put that aside for now. We'll figure out our unique selling point once we've upgraded the village and gotten everything else under control."

The conversation marked the beginning of their planning to transform the village into a thriving and economically viable community. Scarlett's pragmatic approach to focus first on building a solid foundationbefore exploring more complex economic strategies.

Scarlett initially intended to build wooden houses for the village. However, after a recent encounter with the Kingdom of Gwarga, the situation changed. In compensation for the trouble caused, Scarlett demanded several resources from the kingdom. Because of this, she was now able to skip the step of building wooden houses and go directly to constructing more durable cement houses for her villagers. This shift not only sped up the development process but also meant the new homes would be sturdier and last longer.

"Scarlett-sama," came a voice as a figure entered the shelter, his innocent smile lighting up the room. It was Evadne.

"Ed?" Scarlett replied, a hint of surprise in her voice.

As Evadne approached, Yumi caught sight of him and impulsively hugged him, charmed by his appearance. "What a cute girl," Yumi exclaimed excitedly.

Scarlett's response was immediate and a bit amused, interrupting Yumi's excitement, "He is a boy!"

Yumi pulled back, taken aback, scrutinizing Evadne's face with a mix of shock and disbelief. "Damn... He actually looks like a girl," she muttered, still trying to reconcile her first impression with the truth.

"Where's Cryptus?" Scarlett then asked, shifting the topic.

"He's training villagers outside. Elder Semiath said to look around the village since we've built many new shelters using woods and bamboos too," Evadne explained.

Scarlett stood up, stretching her limbs, feeling the stiffness ease out of her body. She then casually revealed her horns. Having already seen Scarlett's wings and mysterious eyes, Yumi was not as surprised this time, but the sight of Scarlett's long, imposing horns still left her amazed.

"Yawn... Let's go outside. I'll also show you around the village," Scarlett suggested with a casual air.

Scarlett and Yumi strolled outside to explore the rapidly evolving village. In just two days, the village had expanded to more than three times its original size, bustling with new activity and life. As they walked, they came across Cryptus, who was busy training villagers in the art of swordsmanship.

The villagers were enthusiastically practicing their swings, holding makeshift swords that looked like something out of a game. Some wielded wooden swords, while others used stone swords secured with vines—improvised yet functional. The scene had a playful air, reminiscent of "Minecraft," with everyone deeply engrossed in learning.

Cryptus, overseeing the training, held an iron sword—a significant upgrade from his usual rusted weapon. Scarlett noted the change, I think he got that from Zephyrion's subordinate.

As they watched, it was clear that the village, under Scarlett's guidance, was not just growing in size but also in capability, preparing its residents not just to survive but to defend themselves and thrive.

As Scarlett and Yumi walked through the village, Yumi observed the villagers curiously. "Why are these villagers so different? Unlike other monsters, they look so beautiful, almost like humans," she asked, a genuine puzzle in her voice.

Scarlett, not keen on delving into the complexities of her villagers' origins at that moment, simply responded, "Yeah, I think so too."

Yumi, however, was not deterred by the brief answer and quickly followed up with another question. "Now that I think about it, you said you are engaged. So where's your husband?"

Scarlett turned to Yumi with a slightly annoyed expression. "There's no husband. I'm the husband, and I'm engaged to a human girl named Irish Heartfilia."

Yumi's eyes widened in astonishment upon hearing the name. "Irish, the famous dark knight?" she exclaimed, jumping a bit in her excitement.

Scarlett was taken aback by Yumi's reaction. "You know her?" she asked, her confusion evident.

Yumi nodded enthusiastically. "Who doesn't know her? The legendary dark knight! Many even say that she is an incarnation of the mightiest dark knight, Sparda!"

"Can you explain more?" Scarlett asked, intrigued despite herself.

"A few months ago, in the Kingdom of Darwitz, a demon was impersonating the king. Irish, along with the summoned hero and Princess Ingrassia, worked together to expose and defeat the demon, saving the kingdom," Yumi explained, her admiration for Irish clear in her voice.

"So, the king promoted Ms. Irish to a high-ranking noble and gave her the title of Dark Knight. She's the only woman who is considered stronger than even the princess of Darwitz, and many say her power rivals that of the heroes."

Scarlett listened intently to Yumi's tales about Irish, and a hint of pride mixed with surprise crossed her face. "I think a lot has happened while I was away, huh?" she mused aloud, feeling slightly out of touch with the events that had unfolded in her absence.

A thought suddenly crossed Scarlett's mind, prompting her to ask another question, "Do you know about the other kingdom's heroes?"

Yumi replied casually, "Umm... yeah, aren't they rare chosen individuals that are only summoned once in a century?" Her voice then dipped into sadness as she added, "Compared to them, I don't even have any goddess's protection. I'm a complete failure as a hero, aren't I?"

Seeing Yumi so downcast, Scarlett felt a twinge of sympathy. She knew that not receiving a goddess's blessings might actually be a good thing, but she hesitated to share her thoughts, doubting whether it would really help Yumi or change her perspective. "What's the use of telling her that? What would she do even if she knew the truth?" Scarlett pondered, deciding it was best not to add to her burdens.

Instead of delving into that sensitive topic, Scarlett thought it might be more productive to gather information about recent events since her escape to the demon realm. However, before she could steer the conversation in that direction, Yumi, sparked by a sudden thought, launched into another barrage of questions.

"If Ms. Irish is engaged, then why haven't I heard anything about it?" Yumi asked, her curiosity piqued.

Scarlett was taken aback, her thoughts racing. "Didn't Irish propose to me in front of everyone? We even kissed. Is someone concealing this information?"

Looking to probe further, Scarlett asked, "Didn't you hear anything about a demon that killed a huge army of Darwitz and even their Royal Knights' captain?"

"Nope! Never heard of it," Yumi replied casually, brushing off the significance of such news as if it were nothing.

This response confirmed Scarlett's suspicions: information about what happened at the border of the demon realm and her engagement with Irish was being deliberately withheld.

As Scarlett mulled over the recent revelations about information being withheld, Yumi, still full of questions, pressed on. "In the Warrior Academy, we were about to meet the chosen heroes. What was his name? Mr. Aoto. The name Aoto reminds me of someone. But if he vanquished the demon, then he must be a good person."

Scarlett responded with a cool indifference that belied the gravity of what she was about to reveal. "Nope! He is the same person you are thinking of."

Yumi's reaction was instantaneous. Her eyes widened, not with surprise but with a surge of anger and frustration. "Aoto Takahashi? That womanizer is the chosen one?" she blurted out, her voice tinged with disbelief and irritation.

As the strict Student Council President back at the academy, Yumi had always seen Aoto as her sworn enemy. A notorious rule-breaker and flirt, Aoto frequently crossed lines, yet faced no serious repercussions because the school was owned by his father. This lack of accountability was a source of deep frustration for Yumi, fueling her disdain for him. The idea that someone like Aoto, whom she viewed not just as a troublemaker but as an unworthy character, could be one of the chosen heroes tasked with significant responsibilities like vanquishing demons was almost too much for her to accept.

Yumi's face flushed red with anger as she kicked at the ground in frustration. "It was actually a good thing that Ms. Irish and Princess Ingrassia showed up that day instead of that loser," she muttered, her voice laced with disdain for Aoto.

However, her expression quickly shifted from anger to happiness as she spoke about her role model. "Ms. Irish is my whole inspiration. She doesn't just have power, but even her face rivals Princess Ingrassia—a perfect tomboy in existence."

Scarlett, puzzled by Yumi's description, commented, "Tomboy? Well, she does look like one. She has short hair, but she seems more like a shy girl because her hair covers one eye."

"Covering one eye? I didn't see her like how you described. She really is the perfect tomboy girl," Yumi countered, firmly holding onto her own perception of Irish.

Scarlett grew even more puzzled. "Then what does she look like now?" she asked, trying to reconcile these differing descriptions.

Before Yumi could respond to Scarlett's question, two villagers burst into the scene, gasping for breath from running too fast. "Huff... Huff... Scarlett-sama, a teleportation portal is opening just outside of the village. Someone is coming."

A mischievous grin spread across Scarlett's face as she replied in a knowing tone, "No need to worry, I already know who's coming."