Disquiet blanketed the area, fingers fiddling in nervousness as eyes looked down, unsteady and
unbridled with the emotion brought upon by unsolicited memories.
"That's right. Among all the demonic beasts, the foxes are the ones who're good at bewitching people.
We know how to attract the opposite sex and please them in bed," Violet sighed, her eyes clouding the
more she talked about her past. "Humans are not our match in this regard, especially the females.
They're too shy to seduce men and because of that, we're the best playthings in the eyes of mortals
and beasts. Some even go as far as reducing us to mere sex slaves; the rhinoceros king being one of
them," she trailed off, gritting her teeth in disgust.
"He thought I was beautiful and wanted me to be one of his concubines. As if, it were possible for me to
marry and live with...with that wretched thing. I could've never brought myself to, so I fled the Grand
Desolation Mountain.
My sisters, on the other hand..." Austin gave her an encouraging look, prompting her to continue as
she sighed in sorrow. "They couldn't run from that monster and were left at his mercy up to this day.
I can't even imagine what kind of torture they're being subjected to."
Violet shuddered at the thought. The shadows of her past still haunted her; the trauma resurfacing to
remind her of the misery she and her kin had religiously faced throughout the years.
Austin felt sympathy for the defenseless girl. The injustice that had befallen onto her species was
caused by the immorality of vile creatures that stood at the top. With no one to challenge their wicked
ways, they had only been victimizing innocents to turn them into prized possessions that only served as
decoration to their own kingdom.
He felt fury at the revelation, kindling a fire full of loathing to burn in high intensity inside him in
response to Violet's suffering.
"Don't worry, Violet. That demon will pay for the brutality he inflicted on you and your family, I'll give him
a lesson that he'll never forget!"
"That's nice of you, Master. I'm grateful that you're willing to do that for my sake," she smiled sincerely,
hoping that her words were enough to give as thanks. "But, that would be unnecessary. I'm a six-grade
demon beast now, so I won't be any worse compared to the rhinoceros king in terms of magic. I'd like
to enact my vengeance myself."
After a brief pause of contemplation, she suddenly grinned, extorting a stare of bafflement from Austin.
"I have a suggestion to make for the king, Master. I know you want to conquer and tame some diabolic
beasts to take them back as guards to the Austin Palace. I think he would be a good choice; he would
certainly be a capable guardian."
A manic, sadistic glint shined in her gaze upon imagining the humiliation the demon would be forced to
endure as the watchdog of a palace.
"Yeah, that's a good idea," chuckled Austin, nodding in agreement before his spiritual sense inclined
leftwards.
His sense was quite strong now, covering a range as far as forty-five kilometers; easily permitting him
access to his target's location as he deduced it to be at a radius of around fifteen kilometers.
He followed the direction, the setting slowly giving way to a serene and beautiful landscape of a valley
littered with thick foliage and dense forests. Austin examined the place in wonder, his ears picking up
on the sounds of music sung by chirping birds hiding in groves, while his nose was permeated by the
smell of various blooming flowers scattered among the green grassland, forming a colorful soft carpet
for the insects to feast on. A slight breeze wafted and embraced him in a sweet embrace, eliciting a
faint smile from him. If they were not here for a battle, Austin might have taken his time in admiring the
scenery.
"This must be your residence, Violet. I'd like for us to take our time, but we have to get there as soon as
possible."
Violet nodded distractedly, keeping her silence as Austin set a fast pace to lead her and the gnome
further towards the small valley that was fifteen kilometers away.
They made no stops as they headed towards their destination in a march that matched the increasing
beats of their hearts.
With a palpable anticipation lingering in the air, they finally arrived thirty minutes later.
The narrow entrance of the vale granted them a picture of its surrounding mountains that covered its
three sides. Its nature allowed livelihood to flourish, bursting with immense vitality that bred from the
numerous animals seeking shelter on its land. Flowing water in a limpid creek gave sustenance to the
luxurious greenery and the creatures; an ideal settlement for the beasts roaming the fields.
"Violet, you made a good choice! This is excellent, I would like to dwell here as well," Austin uttered in
awe and appreciation for the fascinating view in front of him.
"Of course, master. It was my home!"
Unable to prevent the grin from gracing her lips, Violet was filled with excitement and happiness upon
returning to this place after a long time. It pushed her to scurry inside, replacing her sullied recollections
of the territory with new, hopeful ones.
They had no qualms in trespassing the plot; a six-grade diabolic beast already labeled as his guardian
in Austin's eyes posed no threat against high martial artists like Austin and Violet. In fact, not many
monsters could attempt to outmatch them at all, so they did not bother obtaining permission from the
owner for entry.
Violet jumped ahead, running from time to time when she could no longer behave the elation brimming
from her merry heart. She was in familiar ground—one that she had grown up in and loved ever since
her childhood. Here, she was no longer a lost wanderer; she was a girl returning back to her origins.
Her behavior did not go unnoticed with Austin watching her in mute observation. He empathized with
her as a person of similar standing; an adrift soul longing for his own home. And so, he kept his mouth
firmly shut, letting Violet do as she pleasured. He left her alone, let her hands caress objects they
encountered along their way with careful touches that denoted her yearning and joy.
Their other companion closely mirrored her soaring spirits. The gnome ran everywhere, trying to
engrave every characteristic of the state into its mind as it frantically poured all his senses in
experiencing what the foreign terrain offered it.
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