Overthinker

-Crack!

-Screeeeech!

A vertical crack appeared along the length of its body as the Puppet Maker screeched in agony.

The crack spread wider with each passing second and its tree-like body split open in two.

-Thud!

-Thud!

Two parts of the Puppet Maker fell to the ground successively. The branches that were wriggling slowly started to die down.

-Swiiish!

It was at that moment, Raymond felt the air around him turn colder than before. He observed the Puppet Maker's body which started to emit a bright blue light.

"What's happening?" Raymond asked Vivian who was slowly coming back to her senses after witnessing his power.

"That…I think the souls of the sacrificed victims trapped inside are being released since the monster is dead now!"

Vivian knew that much. Even if her grandfather's lessons were boring, she remembered this part.

She had even clapped happily when her grandfather had finished reading her a story of how the souls were released after the monster was dead.

Vivian was someone who always found happiness in small and mundane things. As such, she was glad that the victims could get the chance to be reborn again.

"I see…" Raymond nodded. He was unaware of the joyful Vivian who was simply staring at his back with a faint smile on her face.

Now that she thought about it, he had instantly believed her when she told him about the monster instead of calling her a liar.

He must have heard about her reputation in the village but he had still come to help her when she was running for her life.

He was really an interesting person.

Vivian felt silly for doubting him and calling him names when all he was doing was helping her.

She wanted to apologise.

He wouldn't think of her as someone insincere if she apologised after seeing his abilities now, would he?

Raymond was watching the bright blue light without blinking as it started to morph into three human shaped silhouettes.

The silhouettes were wavering like fire and flickered in and out of existence. Their ethereal appearance was something Raymond was seeing for the first time.

They started to fly into the sky one by one and hovered in mid air. Similar to a person swimming in the water, they were swimming in the air without feeling the effect of gravity.

"Human, thank you for saving us."

"Because of you, we are free to move onto the next life."

"Thank you."

Even if their faces were blank and devoid of any expressions, Raymond could hear the sincerity in their ethereal voice.

"Ahh, you're welcome!" He bowed towards the souls as they bowed in return and flew up high into the sky before disappearing.

They were ready to start their next adventure in life.

"But how come those souls were trapped inside the Puppet Maker?" Raymond was puzzled.

"Hey Vivian, how are these monsters made? You said they weren't supposed to exist. Does that mean they are artificially created?"

"Uh, ye-yes. More like evolved from the Treeman." Vivian was fidgeting in her spot and contemplating how to apologise to him.

She was startled for a second when Raymond asked her a question.

"A mouth is drawn on the trunk of the Treeman and three virgin females are offered as a sacrifice to make it evolve. I don't know the exact procedure but it's something along those lines."

Vivian quickly calmed down and answered his question.

"Wait a minute! Is that why you were screaming about not being a virgin back then?"

Raymond recalled her acting weirdly and calling herself something like a fruit that was half eaten or something when he was dragging her through the forest.

"You really thought I was going to use you as a sacrifice to create more Puppet Makers?"

Vivian blushed and looked away. She was finding it hard to meet his eyes when she thought of how weird she must have appeared when she was making a ruckus.

It was pretty scandalous to announce that she was not a virgin.

'He must be thinking I am a tactless woman.'

Thankfully, she was alone with him when she said that. If the villagers heard her saying such things when she was still unmarried, her reputation would fall to an all time low.

"Uhm, it's not like that! I was scared, you know? That's why I said that."

Vivian started to draw lines with her toes on the ground and said shyly:

"That was a lie, I am still a virgin."

Her head was buried in her neck as she looked down, finding the ground very interesting for some reason.

"Okay."

Raymond looked at her strangely.

Was she the same Vivian who was calling him a pervert and accusing him of groping?

She was acting like a completely different person.

"Do you know any place nearby where I can wash my clothes? They stink." Raymond decided not to think too much about her change in attitude.

He was still covered in Puppet Maker's bodily fluids and was stinking like a pile of shit.

"Follow me," Vivian suddenly sounded disappointed due to his nonchalant reply to her confession.

'At least, try to appear interested, dammit!' Vivian cursed in her mind. 'This guy is playing hard to get.'

She was giving him a signal to hit on her and he was completely ignoring it like a clueless person.

Raymond shook his head. He didn't like the thought of using his mental energy to try and understand this lady.

Vivian led him out of the forest thicket and started to walk towards the Mist Village.

"Where are you taking me? This seems to be a route to the Mist Village." Raymond guessed from the general direction they were walking in.

"I don't want to enter the village in this state."

"Don't worry, I am taking you to my palace outside the village. There is a pond nearby where you can wash yourself."

Vivian said flatly and asked him to quietly follow her. She was still miffed about her failed attempt at gaining his attention.

Sure, she was unwanted by the villagers except for that lecher who was assigned as the Village Protector.

She was still a beauty in her own right. Her charms were on par with the High Priestess who was hailed as the most beautiful elf.

She only lacked grace and poise when compared to her priestess friend.

A few years back, handsome elven youngsters were lining up outside her treehouse every day just to catch a glimpse of her.

Now, she was the one trying to get the attention of this man. Even though she didn't have any intention to woo him, it still hurt her pride that he was immune to her charms.

She even tried to act all shy and cute in front of him but he was just too dense to notice the shift in her behaviour.

'Sigh, this man is so dense. How did he manage to get those two beauties?'

Vivian was finding it hard to believe that this man had anything to do with courting and flirting with women.

'They must have taken the initiative otherwise there is no way he could be with those two.'

"Hmph!" Vivian in her deep thinking state let out a snort unknowingly.

"What happened?"

"Ahh, nothing! This way please," Vivian chastised herself internally.

'Hmph, there are so many men out there, I am not going to court this man like those two.'

Vivian decided. After all, with her beauty if she went to other parts of the Continent there would be plenty of men willing to marry her.

Even the humans' Emperor wouldn't be able to refuse her if she were to appear in front of him.

Vivian regained her confidence as she thought along those lines.

Definitely, her grandfather had warned her to stay away from this man and she should do just that.

As soon as he went on his way after washing himself, Vivian was going to forget about him.

'Ah, I still need to apologise to him!'

Vivian was so lost in her silly thoughts that she had forgotten basic manners. Even if he was dense, he wasn't a bad guy.

He had helped her when she was in trouble. The least she could do was ask for his forgiveness for doubting his intentions.

'Maybe I should offer to wash his back later.'

-Slap!

"What the fuck? Why did you slap yourself suddenly?" Raymond took a step back from her and kept some distance between them.

There was no shortage of weirdos in the world. He was sure Vivian was one of them.

"Haha, nothing. There was a bug!"

Vivian replied sheepishly as she rubbed her stinging cheek.

'Damn! What the hell are you thinking, Vivian? Keep it together. It's just an apology, you don't need to wash his back or anything for that!'

Vivian sometimes hated herself for thinking too much. Oftentimes she would think about some things till her head started hurting.

Vivian peeked behind her from the corner of her eyes.

'Hehe, he looks to be well built. I wonder if he would accept if I offer to give him a massage as an apology. He must be tired from all the fighting.'

-Slap!

"Argh! Why are there so many bugs here?" Vivian screamed suddenly, startling Raymond.

"Ahem! We are in the forest. What did you expect?" Raymond deadpanned.