Chapter 60

"Eh? Why are we leaving so soon?"

They are currently making their way to the stables where their horses are kept. The sun is not even setting yet, but they are already leaving. They usually leave the training ground after the sun sets.

As an excuse, Yjhan stated, "Something came up with the senior and advised us to leave early."

"I see..." Nash simply nodded.

"Who will you ride with?" Aeries asked.

"Ride with me!" Idris volunteered.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Aeries said.

"Just ride with me," Jaxael said.

"Okay," Nash answered quickly.

Jaxael built shadow stairs to make it easier for Nash to ride the horse.

"What's the use of those shadows when that girl has a gravitational power?" Kane asked, looking at them sourly.

"Ah!" Nash exclaimed, feeling as if a bomb had landed on her head.

"What?" They immediately asked.

"Why didn't I think of that earlier?" Nash said as she can't believe herself.

They sighed at Nash's stupidity.

"See, what a moron..." Kane remarked, shaking his head.

Nonetheless, Nash rode alongside Jaxael. As the sun sets, they ride their horses.

...

"Kane! Change my bandage."

"I've just change it earlier,"

"That was this morning! It's itchy, I hate it."

"That means it's healing well,"

"Just change it."

"Tsk. Can't even wrap her own bandage..." Kane mumbled.

As usual, Nash sat down on her bed while Kane was on the floor.

"Then who was it who wrapped your bandage before?" Kane inquired as to when she was targeted by the noble lady.

"Me, of course."

"Then why can't you wrap your own leg?"

"I can't bend. And why should I when you're here to do it?" Nash grinned.

Kane didn't say anything and wrapped Nash's leg quickly.

"They told me to tell you that you can't step out of your room, then." Kane slammed the door.

'Poor door...'

Kane sighed and yanked on his hair as soon as he stepped outside. 'How can she say such things like that?'

"Hey, if you're done, go downstairs and help them set up," Jaxael said.

Kane was surprised, "What the? Since when were you there?"

"Just now. Why?"

"Nothing," Kane walked downstairs to assist with the preparation.

Jaxael frowned watching Kane leave. He looked at Nash's door before heading downstairs. 'Weird.'

...

They spent over an hour preparing things they could prepare for Nash's inelegant debutante ball. They decorate the outside of their inn with lights that they borrow from the brats' family.

"Idris, call Nash," Aeries ordered. They are currently in the dining area.

"Okay!"

He made his way upstairs and knocked on Nash's door. Nash opened it with a grin, "Is it dinner already?"

"Yap, let's go," Idris said, extending his hand. Nash looked at it before she held it.

"Happy Birthday." Idris chuckled.

Nash looked at him in surprise. Idris was smiling brightly to her and escorted her towards the dining area.

"Happy Birthday!" They said as soon as they saw Nash.

"At least smile! You guys are ruining it." She said in front of Yjhan, Kane and Jaxael.

"You have no idea how exhausting things are," Kane remarked.

"Yeah, I almost wanted to help you," she chuckled.

"You know what we're doing?" Idris asked.

"I saw you outside my window,"

"Ahh! I forgot about that!" Idris exclaimed.

Nash chuckled. They began to eat the tiny dinner that they had prepared. Idris escorted Nash outside again after dinner. They sat in one of the seven chairs outside.

"Are we going to dance!?" Nash's eyes sparkled. She always wanted to experience a dance on a ball.

"Nope. Your legs are injured." Aeries said.

"Ehhh... Then what are we doing here?" Nash asked. She started to curse her injury in her head.

"Nothing." Yjhan said.

"Then why do all these preparations?" Nash pouted.

"So it looks like we're in a debutante ball," Aidan answered.

"There's no ball when there's no dance."

"You can't!" They scolded. Nash pouted.

"It's tiring wrapping your bandages multiple times, you know?"

"Then don't wrap it."

"Yeah? Who's the one pleading for me to change her bandage?"

"Who knows, maybe Idris." Nash averted her gaze.

"Me?" Idris asked innocently.

Nash chuckled and looked up at the sky. The others did as well, and they were all deafeningly silent. They wasted an hour like that and were wrecked by the unexpected downpour.

"It's raining! Nash hurry inside! Your bandage might get wet," Aeries said. "We'll take care of it here."

"Hm... okay." As soon as she went inside she grabbed her chest. 'It feels nice having friends who do those things especially with their own efforts.'

Nash sat on the couch waiting for them to enter. She kept her smile thinking of the efforts her squad mates did.

"Haa... ugh!" she coughed up blood.

"They're close."

"What!?"

"Get your squad inside. Especially the guy you like. His shadow became dominant. Creatures are thirsty for dark magic. Faster!"

Despite the pain she felt, she hurriedly opened the door to inform the others.

"You cough blood again!?" Aeries asked, concerned. Nash's clothes and hands are stained with blood.

"Head inside! Faster!" she shouted.

"What!?"

She gazed at Jaxael and dashed towards her, oblivious to the pain of her wound. She pulled Jaxael inside and looked around.

"Head inside!" They left the decorations outside and followed Nash.

"What's wrong?" Yjhan asked.

"Shh..."

"Wha—"

"Shut up." Before Kane even finished his words, Nash cut him off.

They stayed silent for a minute and heard a loud thud outside.

"What was that?" Idris whispered.

"A wendigo," Nash whispered.

Nash developed accustomed to that prevalent odor because it was the most common monster she encountered during her time in the demon realm.

"How did you know?" Aidan asked. They're all wondering how Nash could tell without even looking.

"I'll look into it," Yjhan said.

"No..." Nash said, pleading. 'Why now?!'

"I'm not going to open the door." Yjhan approached the door and examined the door hole.

"Your wound is bleeding." Kane noticed.

"I'm fine." She took deep breaths as she felt the excruciating pain. She felt as if her closed wound had reopened.

"It's gone."

"It's gone," Yjhan said at the same time as Raum.

"What happened, Nash?" Aeries asked.

"Wendigo are thirsty for dark magic, shadow is one of them. Do you remember the first victim? He was attacked by a wendigo and lost one arm as a result of its infectious bite."

"First, take a seat. Kane, tend to her wounds." Yjhan gave the order.

Kane retrieves the bandages and ointment Nash purchased and replaces her blood-stained bandage.

Nash was in deep thought as she watched her bandage getting changed, 'There might be a victim tonight.'

...

"I will stay here." Nash said, surprising her squad mates.

"You won't follow?" Idris asked.

"My wound hurts so I want to stay here."

She sat on the couch for a few minutes. 'They must've been gone by now.'

Nash fetches her dagger and changes into a comfortable dress. She can't wear pants because she's having a hard time bending her legs.

"I'll be back," she bid farewell to the inn before leaving.

"Sister!" 5 brats are running to her.

"What are you doing here?"

"The guy with purple hair gave us a mission." Bret said.

'Aeries?'

"And what is it?"

"To guard you," Mackie responded.

Nash chuckled, "really?"

"Yes! We won't let you get hurt!"

"Now, let's go inside," Shiela hold Nash's hand and Puru hold on the other.

"But I have a mission too, you wanna come with me?" The brats' eyes sparkled as soon as they heard the word 'mission'.

"Mission with sister..." Trixie said, blushing. "I want to be with sister..."

"Then, let's go! We have two missions now!" Bret exclaimed.

Nash chuckled, "Okay, follow me!"