Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 770: Who Would Take Me To Hunt?

During one of her many hunts, Choux had run into Raven and his group as they were making their way back to Eclanor. Tired with bruises and burns all over them, their eyes were barely staying open, and thus, even when they were forced onto Daema’s back, none of them realized what was happening.

Not long after, on the young dragon’s back, they returned to the city of the blind. Their landing there was still trepidant, as everyone was baffled by their return, and it caused such an uproar that even the giants could feel it in their throne room and felt slightly bitter. In their eyes, their return was a threat that needed to be culled–especially since they’d been defending Frazer’s party ever since they’d returned and were being accused of being traitors.

Frazer himself had fallen quiet for some odd reason, and the monster girls, including Josare, kept their mouths shut since they were fearful of Muena and had assumed the only people who could have helped them were dead. Even so, the party was in fact imprisoned at the moment. In spite of that, however, the moment Raven woke up from his slumber, he was met with expectant faces looking at him for answers.

Linkle, Mono, Maria, and Helga–only the four of them were allowed to be in front of him and his party at the moment. To prevent overcrowding as well as drama over who gets to see him and everyone else first, Mono had decided to isolate the group in Meimei’s regular smithy, and the rest agreed with her.

Feeling lightheaded, Raven slowly took in his surroundings. The same ashy sensation from a while back–a smithy, and that too one that he’d visited not too long ago. But why was he sitting on the floor with Erika laying her head on his shoulder and the others crowding around him as well? Looking closer at them for a whole minute, he tried to make sense of his situation until, in the end, his mind finally caught up to what was happening.

"H-how did we get here?" He asked, gradually lifting his head at the women standing in front of him.

"Choux brought you guys back," Maria was the one to answer, her eyes squinting with concern. "The girl’s been looking for you guys even though everyone told her not to risk her life for what everyone assumed would be dead bodies."

Even as she spoke, her heart squeezed tight. The mere mention of seeing this new family of hers dead–a family that had once saved her from suicide—twisted her guts.

"Choux..." An image of the girl’s face flashed before Raven’s eyes. Forever young and bruised of heart, she’d been through a lot, and yet she was willing to sacrifice even more–possibly even her life. "Why would she do that?"

Lifting his head again, Raven heaved a hefty sigh.

"Given the scope of that explosion, I would’ve assumed we were dead as we–"

"Who’s going to take me to hunt?" Interrupting him out of nowhere, Maria stared deep into Raven’s tired eyes. "That’s what she said, and that’s why she went after you guys. She obviously didn’t want to lose another brother."

Those words hung heavy in front of the general’s face. What could he say? What could he make of that sentence? He did not know, for the ever-stoic fox girl barely showed any emotions. But from those words and her sentiment, it was clear that she too sees this group as family, despite their last quarrel about Elowen’s rifle.

"That aside..." Breaking the silence, Linkle stepped forward and offered Raven a hand. "We have to do something about the prisoners."

"Don’t forget the giants," Helga added swiftly.

"Them too, yeah."

Taking Linkle’s hand, Raven got himself up and took just a moment to find balance. The fight against the angels had been rough on his body, not because they were strong, but due to their sheer, near-infinite number. Having lost some muscles and fat, he was still getting used to the unusual weight.

"What prisoners are we talking about?" He asked Linkle as soon as he found balance.

The witch, instead of simply telling him, decided to lead him towards the source of their problems. First would be the demon general’s right and left hand and then Frazer and his party, but before they reached anywhere, she and the other girls had a lot to say about the giants.

"Those idiots are trying to pin the blame for the desert’s destruction on your party." Walking alongside the group with her hands casually folded behind her head, Mono stared at the back of Raven’s head. "They’re also trying to manipulate the narrative with Frazer being the hero of this whole ordeal–I mean, they were trying to do that until you guys showed up alive and well. Relatively speaking, that is."

"Who are you talking about?" Raven asked, but before Mono could answer, Helga decided to respond.

"The giants. Never seen such cowards of their race. Holing up in this place might be the only reason they’re alive."

"If Regalia wasn’t busy watching the injured soldiers, I bet she would’ve killed them by now," Maria added as they continued to walk.

"Everyone else made it safely then?" Concerned for the soldiers, Raven couldn’t help but ask.

Thankfully for him, none of them were severely injured, and surprisingly enough, the only casualty was Morgan and nobody else. However, even now Raven struggled to tie him into the matter. Everything about him, the truth of his personality and the monster that he was, only Mono truly knew, but like always, she preferred to keep things a mystery unless someone specifically asked.

Soon the group would reach the cell that now holds the only remains of the demon general’s army, and what would become of their fate only time and their actions would tell. But since neither of them were beings of pure corruption like the horror or someone as far gone as a general, there was hope for them–hope that they could perhaps see sense. But if not, then their days were severely numbered and within single digits.

"Alright then, wake them up!" And with that order from Raven, it was time to know what it would be, but the servants of the demon were simply the start, for countless other problems were waiting to be resolved.