21 Don't go to where the demons lurk (Part 5)

Thanks to the demon contract that had Elliot under its influence, we were able to extract some information. Not that it was an entirely good thing.

"Things are looking bleaker than I thought."

My serious voice echoed in the room. I moved around but my foot also dragged something.

CLANG!

A metallic noise followed after that and rang every time I started to walk towards the newly scattered blueprints on the floor.

CLANG!

CLANG!

CLANG!

It was annoying the hell out of me.

"No one's going to remove this?!"

I shouted while pointing at my feet.

Surrounding my ankles, silver metals glimmered under the light of the candle lights. Just looking at them created a sour taste in my mouth.

'What am I? An imprisoned death row criminal?

CLANG!

"This isn't necessary anymore!"

I said.

To summarize how I got chains on my feet, Shin and River got their job done after we got back from the forest but in the end, they did tie me down to the house.

CLANG!

CLANG!

The sharp sound pissed me to death but the two ignored me whenever I glared at them. They just acted as if they couldn't hear anything.

"Don't tell me..."

Realizing something, my annoyance disappeared and I gave them a horrified look.

"Is this your f-fetishes?"

"What the hell?"

"No."

I exhaled a relieved sigh when I saw both of their faces. They look like they swallowed poop on the spot.

'That's not it. Huuu.'

I would leave the house, no, I would kick them out of the house if that was the reason.

In any case, I made a few more protests. Thankfully, they unchained me after that and in all seriousness, we could finally formulate a proper plan.

"Let's compile the information we know."

I pointed at the blueprint of the manor.

On the outside, it's surrounded by tall trees and boulders which is perfect for hiding. There are many ways to enter it including the windows and doors but all of them would be heavily guarded.

"Hmm."

Shin started crossing out some places in the blueprint while speaking.

"According to the information, there are three levels of security. The [Level I] security is about five thousand on the outside, the [Level II] security is three thousand inside the manor, and the [Level III] security are two thousand people consisting of special guards of the children and managers of the ceremony."

Nodding my head at the information, I remembered what Elliot answered when I asked him why he was drinking.

As per the demoon contract, it specifically said that the slave is 'to follow the orders' of the contracted person, which is me. Naturally, that means that he'll answer whatever question he can with his knowledge as long as it was me who asked.

Confirming myself of the contents, I relayed the answers to the two.

"Elliot is supposed to be one of those special guards but after being suspected of sending information to the Mammien household and getting money, the Pheregor decided to put him under suspicion and he got demoted to the second level."

It's honestly a shame. We could have had a powerful spy.

Still, since he did momentarily become a [Level III] security, he knew a few things others did not.

Elliot was able to find out that the ancient stone is hidden in a room somewhere inside the basement of the manor.

"We don't know the exact location of the ancient stone but that's not a problem. All we have to do is have someone help us sneak inside the manor. Elliot can do that much. After that, I'll order him to make some commotion. We can use that slight disturbance to get rid of some [Level III] guards and replace them."

I encircled the door in the backyard of the manor. It's where Elliot's position would be during the ceremony and that will also be our entrance.

"We'll can't necessarily blend in with the other guards since some might recognize that we're not part of the security so we'll follow the children. Either way, they'll be heading to the ancient stone."

"I see."

River, as always, is a man of few words but his eyes were silently reading the contents written on the parchment on the side. It contained the details of our target guards. Out of the many people, they were the ones Elliot was highly familiar with.

"We won't know what comes after that, especially when the other families start their attack, but always be cautious of traps and other variables on the way. Don't be careless."

And then I encircled the most important part of the manor.

"Don't forget the pathways to this place. If we ever get separated, we'll meet here."

They nodded in agreement, making me break a satisfactory smile. We discussed a little more after that before heading down to the living room.

Tonight, Shin was the one cooking.

We were walking silently like normal when it was broken by River's voice.

"We won't put you in chains anymore."

"Hmm?"

Hearing that, I looked at the side. He gazed deeply at me.

"If you hate it that much then don't do things that are too reckless."

"I do hate it but why are you saying that now?"

"You look like you're bothered by something."

"Do I?"

My eyes went up to the ceiling. It was a habit I somehow developed when I'm start thinking of something serious.

River was right.

'It's nothing serious but should I tell them?'

It's just the way that I'm approaching this problem is too lukewarm. It's bothering me.

'What if the rule of this world interferes? Should I just bomb the whole place? Will our plan be successful if I started another massacre?'

I shook my head.

'No. If we're caught, that will ruin our purpose of staying in the dark. It will be fine. Just like how River and I escaped that wagon, we'll succeed this time too. We have more information and resources on our side.'

Even as I thought that, I didn't actually believe it.

There was a nagging feeling inside me, something was telling me there was more than to this, but I ignored it.

'I am just nervous. That's it.'

Swallowing the bitter feeling down my throat, I smiled at River. His blank lavender eyes calmed me down as usual.

"Let's cross the bridge when we get there."

Then we both walked down.

When we arrived downstairs, River helped with the cooking while I lazed around with Elliot. Of course, because of the contract, he's nothing more than an animate object waiting for orders.

Looking at him, my eyes turned dull.

I want to break his healing bones again but I'm too lazy to move.

But I'm really bored.

"So boring. Should I leave?"

Just as I said that, Shin's head poked from the kitchen.

"Dark-san, can you bring in the herbs outside?"

"Never mind. This isn't boring at all."

"Stop being lazy and go bring the herbs."

Before I could complain, Shin's head disappeared back into the kitchen.

"Haa. Next time, I should just be satisfied that I'm doing nothing."

I sighed and forcibly dragged my body outside. However, a peculiar yet familiar sight greeted me out the door.

"Meow."

"Kuaak."

"Kokak."

Smiling, I bent down and smiled at them.

"What are you three doing here?"

"Meow."

The kitten purred and looked at the tree. Following its line of sight, I went there and figured out why.

'Hmm. I think I fed them too much.'

The fairly big nest was broken. I think they grew big enough that the nest is insufficient for their housing.

'Well, at least the potion I ordered was fine.'

I thought while looking at the paper bag in the nest.

It contained the potion that makes a person weightless and instantly unconscious.

Hidding it in my pocket, I walked back over to the three and slightly bent my body down so that they can climb on my shoulder. After that, I went back inside and directly into the kitchen.

"The herbs... huh?"

Shin looked at me and paused.

Slap.

Then he slapped his forehead.

"Hm?"

River just looked at me with slight curiousity then went back to cooking like nothing happened. Shin on the other hand was still looking at me with disbelief in his eyes.

After a long staring contest, he spoke.

"How did this happen?"

"How did what happen?"

"I told you to bring back herbs were going to eat, not bring more mouths to feed. Did you hear me wrong?"

"Oh my, how can you be so cruel to these little relatives of yours?"

Shin's eye twitched.

"Hearing that from the cruelest person feels insulting but what was that? My relative? These are pure animals. They're not from the beast tribe."

I shrugged at him.

"That's the same thing. They just look different or something."

"It's not. It's specie difference, not racial difference."

"Like I said, same thing."

"Oh, my head."

Looking at him, I cracked a smile.

Shin is really fun to tease.

"Come on, it's a perfect pet for each of us, don't you think?"

After I said that, Shin looked away as if he was tired of fighting back.

"See that? They said you can stay in this house."

I smiled triumphantly at the three while ignoring Shin's mumblings about 'this isn't even your house' or something along those lines.

"Meow."

"Kuaak."

"Kokak."

The three got off my shoulder and started roaming the house as if familiarizing it then they returned to us after we prepared the table.

River and Shin seemed to have accepted our new pets since they didn't say anything. Though I'm not sure since Shin only looked tired and River was indifferent but what else can I say? So long as they don't complain it's the same as accepting them.

"Meow!"

The grey cat stayed with River.

'I always knew that she'd like River for some reason. Glad I'm not wrong.'

"Meooow."

It jumped and sat on his shoulder then rubbed her head on his bandaged cheek. The color of the fur blended well with the color of his bandage, they look perfect together.

"Hm?"

I flinched while looking at River's plain reaction at the blatant show of affection.

'Ah, he needs a bit of work on that aspect.'

Forget stiff, River looked downright cold to the kitten. He was so indifferent that he didn't even bother petting it. Poor kitten.

"Meow!"

"What?"

"Meow."

"I don't understand."

Seeing this, I held back a chuckle and said.

"River, it's asking you to pat it."

For the first time, River looked at the kitten and patted it then went back to eating again. With the slight acknowledgement, the kitten seems satisfied.

I shook my head and decided not to say anything else.

'I guess that will do for now. Now, the problem is the loud one.'

My eyes moved to the other side.

"Kokak!"

"Why are you jumping there? That's my food."

"Kokak?"

"Stop! Don't put poison on it."

Shin and the rebellious poison frog were arguing. It seems that the frog wants to help Shin grow by exercising his ability to get used to poison.

Though it only made the food inedible, it is kind of affectionate in its own twisted way.

"Dark-san."

Shin looked at me like he was asking for help. Smiling, I raised my hands and gave him a thumbs up.

"You can handle that."

"What? No! Get him away from me."

I ignored him and looked at the side of my plate. The crow was standing there, his wing was up as if he was trying to make a thumbs up too.

'We'll get along fine, I suppose.'

Shrugging to myself, I chuckled and gave him the rest of my food. The crow bowed as if telling me 'thanks' and quickly started digging in.

I observed him for a bit before looking back at the others.

"We have to name them, right?"

"Mm."

"Obviously."

River nodded while still eating, the grey cat was beside him and grooming herself.

Shin, who finally gave up on scolding his pet, ate the food laced with poison and looked at the poison frog with a defeated expression. The poison from seemed to be happy that Shin is a pushover master, ahem, I mean understanding master.

I looked up and started thinking.

"How about..."

'Wood? No. It sounds like a weird name of a cowboy toy.'

I tore my eyes away from the ceiling. The three of us looked for ideas and coincidentally our eyes landed on the clock.

8 PM.

'Aha!'

Satisfied, I said what was on my mind. But unknown to me, the others had the same idea too;

"Your name is night."

"Night."

"I will call you Night-chan!"

We all said in unison.

The three of us stopped and looked at each other. An imaginary cracking noise could be heard in the background.

"You two should pick another name."

I said politely but the other two declined.

"No, only you two should."

"Why me? I said it first."

Seeing this, I can't help but touch my forehead as if sensing a huge headache coming.

'So we all want the same name?'

This was impossible to agree with when all of us had pride and stubbornness that reached the heavens.

Knowing that no one will back down, I suggested.

"How about this. The names will sound the same but with different spellings?"

"Homophones?"

"Oh, I know about that."

I smiled.

"Then it's settled! This crow here is Night. N-I-G-H-T."

Shin sighed.

"Haa. At the end of the day, you still took it. Fine. Then this golden poison frog is Nite. N-I-T-E."

River agreed, still chewing his food unconcernedly.

"K-N-I-G-H-T."

After coming to an understanding, the rest of the day was filled with more normal conversations, then before we knew it, it was the day of the naming ceremony.