The Asenaris' Steamy Embrace
At that steamy display, I was utterly speechless. Pelle stood silent too, but she looked pretty damn flustered. As for Brione behind me... no need to look. There's no way the way sharper mage Brione missed what that crazy Asenaris was getting at. Which is why I didn't have the balls to check her face—too fucking embarrassing.
But whatever us humans felt, the Asenaris were dead serious. They swarmed the inn's Asenaris, grilling it with grave expressions. The inn Asenaris nodded and pointed at me and Pelle again. One of the others tilted its head and jabbed a finger at Brione behind me. The inn Asenaris shook its head violently, crossing its arms in fierce denial.
Crunch. I heard Brione's jaw grind from behind me.
"Pelle. Tell 'em to get in the bag already."
No sooner had I spoken than the inn Asenaris thrust its arm forward like a battlefield commander. The others let out thin, reedy cheers and poured into the open bag Pelle held. Once nearly twenty of them had crammed in, Pelle cinched the mouth shut and cast her preservation ritual.
"That it?"
"All done."
"Sorry about that. They're headed for the monster zoo, not the inn... feels like false advertising."
Pelle flashed the faintest smile and dropped a loaded line. "Still, you should probably show 'em off at least once today."
"Mm... yeah..."
We stared at each other in silence for a beat.
"If we're done... shouldn't we head back?"
Brione broke the quiet, her voice awkward. She wore a smile, but anyone could see it was the world's most horrific grin.
Stepping out of the abandoned mine, Apenzel loomed in the distance. The northern stockade I'd smashed last time was nearly fully repaired. Pelle, walking beside me, asked, "No need to drop by there?"
"Nah. I promised I'd come back in a year anyway."
"Hm."
Suddenly, a massive boom echoed from somewhere. Whipping around, I saw Brione wrapped in mana, blasting magic wildly in some direction. In the middle of the snowy plain, a pack of northern trolls heading for Apenzel scattered in panic under the barrage from above. But nothing escapes an enraged mage's spells. Soon, the white snowfield was stained with dark red splotches from the troll corpses.
Guards leaped onto the stockade, yelling and pointing in a frenzy.
"Hoo..."
Looking a bit relieved, Brione let out a deep sigh. Crazy-ass mage.
"Hey. Open a dimensional gate."
Brione glanced at me and Pelle, then conjured a gate back to the inn. Wary she might stab us in the back with a spell, I made her go first through the gate.
Back at the inn, Pelle headed inside with the Asenaris-packed bag. Over there, Ukun was leading the elder dwarves and material suppliers through a gate to Mideronde's lab. Let's see... construction's prepped, habitats for the northern monsters are set... so all that's left is feed for the carnivores, and one more key thing.
"Brione. Wait here."
I didn't wait for her reply and ducked into the inn, straight to Kosa's room.
"Welcome, Master."
As always, Kosa sat like a silhouette amid faint incense smoke, as if she'd known I'd show up right then.
"Kosa. You already know, right? About the monster zoo."
"Yes, Master. Quite the outlandish notion you've cooked up."
"Yeah. So, I need you to do one thing."
Kosa smiled faintly beneath her black eyepatch. "Anything."
"You know tons of epics. Pull some fitting lines from 'em..."
I laid out the vibe and details I wanted. Kosa nodded like she got it all.
"I understand perfectly. I'll have a few options ready by the time you return."
"Perfect! Thanks, Kosa."
"My pleasure."
I thanked her again and left the room.
Back in the yard, Brione was still waiting. Kali sniffed around her, but she crossed her arms and ignored the dog—she's never been a fan.
"Where to now?"
"Gotta grab the demons first."
"More demons?"
Brione grimaced, but what could I do? Her vacation ends today—gotta milk it dry. Chances to spam free dimensional gates from a mage don't come often.
That's why I've been dragging her everywhere nonstop. Those psycho mage bastards charge insane fees by distance, plus surcharges per head. Most folks can't dream of it. Even loaded nobles or merchant lords skimp by bringing just a secretary.
Anyway, use her while she's here. Goddamn busy.
I grabbed Ammugar and Orkog from the workshop and hopped through a gate. Orkog's massive bulk forced us to widen it a bit.
"Ah, what the hell. It's hot."
Brione griped the second we emerged. The sudden blast of humid heat choked me too. We were on the outskirts of the southern continent's tropical rainforests, beyond kingdom borders. Vast jungle centered on the continent-spanning Martugro River—exactly where I figured I'd find what I needed.
"Hero, sir... what brings us to this godforsaken place?"
Ammugar flapped his sweat-soaked shirt as he asked.
"Hunting meat for the monster zoo carnivores."
"Wouldn't a slaughterhouse or butcher work?"
Orkog scratched his temple dumbly.
"And where's that cash coming from?"
"Ah."
"No 'ah' bullshit. Come here."
I pulled the demons close and explained what I was after. Ammugar fiddled with his horns, looking pained. "In this sprawl... how do we even find them...?"
"They live in the river, duh."
"The Martugro's longer than five kingdoms combined..."
"Don't sweat it. I can pinpoint roughly."
I drew the Holy Sword on the spot. Ammugar and Orkog freaked at the white blaze that detects demons, scrambling back—Orkog even tripped on his ass.
"W-We’ll find them right away... mercy, sir...!"
"What the hell, you idiots? Not using it on you."
I flipped the sword and slammed it point-down into the ground. White light rippled out, scanning every monster in the jungle. Light pillars erupted everywhere—this place was crawling with 'em. I scanned and spotted a dense cluster off that way.
"That direction. Looks like they're there."
"How far?"
Brione flicked a tiny flame to fry a mosquito on her arm, annoyed.
"Dunno. Teleport close, then."
"Can't. Told you—pop into a forest like that, branches impale you."
"Then we walk."
"Haa... vacation my ass, what a ordeal..."
Fair enough—she probably planned to lounge at the inn after fixing that shrinking spell yesterday. But nope, I've hauled her around all day for the zoo. Tough luck—her choice.
Deeper in, ancient trees blocked us like in Semada Forest, but worse: swarms of bugs and mosquitoes. Brione snapped, unleashing invisible blades that shredded everything ahead. Watching arm-thick branches rain down, the demons gulped. They'd scrapped with legion mages last year—they know better than most.
Thanks to Brione, we cut through easy. At the target spot, I halted the group far back.
"Brione. Cut the magic. No loud noises from here."
I took point, parting foliage quietly. Gentle water sounds ahead—the riverbank. I stopped everyone and eased branches aside.
There they were, just what I wanted.