Chapter 40 - Show (Patreon)

A leather bag was firmly in my hands, out in front of me, while another bag was strapped to my back. With a loose smile on my face, I carried the goods toward the back parts of Beginner’s Rest, where the wealth used to stay—until rumors of a certain archdevil’s arrival drastically destroyed the entire economic outlook of Sandy Branch.

Now, ironically, that same archdevil would be moving into that part of Beginner’s Rest. 

I was carrying one of his bags while the archdevil, Edwin, trotted happily beside me in the oddest mock version of a servant-master relationship imaginable. 

“You didn’t have to help us,” said Edwin honestly. “You’re royalty.”

“I don’t like sitting around doing nothing when there’s work to be done,” I lied. “Besides, you all are guests of my town. It’s the least I could do.”

I went out of my way every second I could to demonstrate, in some form, that I was the ruler and owner of Sandy Branch. It helped that everyone parted for me or acknowledged me when they saw me—until they saw the other archdevils, and just stopped talking and moving altogether. Which, honestly, I couldn’t blame them. Being used to me was one thing. Seeing an entire force of archdevils in a small town had to be weird for the locals, new and old.

Edwin and his group didn’t bother trying to stay on the ship. He picked out Beginner’s Rest the moment he laid eyes on it, apparently, and I relented, giving him the back part without getting permission from Tannin and Bruno. It’s not like that part was getting used anyway. There were probably cobwebs, dust, and a stale scent in the air. The town no longer had the service to keep things “nice” like we had before. Even the brothel had closed up shop, mostly due to my, hm, pressure on Melinda. Dr. Bink wasn’t around anymore. The town was full of strangers. My parents, the inn owners, my friends, and a handful of locals were all that were left.

It made me wonder if Sandy Branch was even worth fighting over, at times. 

Not that I was fighting, luckily. 

They should be close. I thought as I lugged Edwin’s crap, of my own volition. Easier for all of us to keep an eye on them.

We still had a massive crowd following us, obviously. They had been since Edwin departed Beginner’s Rest, and I followed him to the docks. From there, two-thirds of their ship unloaded. They had devils of all different kinds, not just archdevils, as well as chests of luxury items and necessities. It attracted everyone in the town, given that no one was being mass-slaughtered by devils. The people were already generally accustomed to me, so once it was confirmed that Edwin and his people would not kill on sight, curiosity got the better of those who were in hiding. I even saw my parents sneaking to get a look. Their worried expressions as they stared at me scared the crap out of me. I lied to Edwin about them existing to save them, just in case. I didn’t need them to give themselves away and create further issues for me. 

The other devils and archdevils Edwin brought to shore acted kindly. Or rather, they weren’t outright aggressive and violent like one might have expected based on rumors. In fact, besides the archdevils, the other kinds they’d brought along were outright positive. The Beast and Forest devils playfully smiled at everyone, but it was the other two that caught everyone’s eyes. 

One was very short with skin so pale, it looked like it had never seen the light. It was also shiny, to a degree, as if crusted with star dust. At her neck, three slits jutted out on either side. She also had giant irises–so big there was no white to her eyes. She was stunning, in her own way, and someone I’d never seen before: a Sea devil. 

Beside her, a woman a bit shorter than the Sea devil nervously smiled and walked behind Edwin. She looked like a normal human, save for the large set of brilliant gray wings sprouting out of her back. That, the way the blacks of her eyes were larger than those of a normal human, and her sharpened finger nails that looked like talons, made her stand out. She was a Sky devil, just as I’d imagined them.

“I don’t like it when people look at me,” I heard the Sky devil mutter under her breath. I’d probably said those exact words just a year back, so I felt for her.

All four of them followed Edwin around like pets. And all four of them had brilliant violet eyes, indicating larger-than-average mana pools. But they only had single bands on all their fingers. As did Edwin and Elaine, for that matter. No one in the entourage had more than a single band on any of their fingers. It made me realize how impressive Lex was. And I suppose myself. But it also made me…slightly suspicious. 

There’s no doubt I’m missing so much context of this world. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to learn what I can from these people while they’re here…even if we may have issues further down the line. I thought. For now, things are peaceful. If what Edwin said about me is true, they’re not going to be violent with me. It wouldn’t be in their interest. They’ll try to convince me logically, assuming I don’t have emotions. As long as my arguments are good and my assertions grounded, they’ll show me grace or even bend to my desires, should I do well.

We arrived at the back part of Beginner’s Rest and entered inside. Out of my peripheral vision, I spotted members of the Trailblazers monitoring accordingly around the building. It appeared they’d even recruited some locals to help. It was reassuring. 

“It’s better than I thought,” said Edwin as he stepped forward into the room. “Cozy.”

The air inside was still heavy, as though it had been stirred in months. Dust hung in thin beams of torchlight spilling across the walls. The scene inside, while not overwhelming, did smell of aged wood, sea salt, and something slightly metallic. Everything inside looked clean, but also…forgotten, to a certain extent.

“It could do with a cleaning,” said Elaine. She brushed past me to stand beside Edwin. “It has been vacant for a while.”

“An easy fix.” Edwin snapped his fingers at the four female devils I’d noticed following us. They were all dressed in fine clothing nobles might wear. “Prepare this place to our standards.”

All four devils bowed. “At your command, sire.”

Suddenly, what I was carrying was taken from me. The four devils began sprouting orders, giving directions this way and that to everyone who’d listen until the entire inn section was abuzz with movement.

They moved in precise symmetry, their voices weaving through the room like a practiced chorus. Every motion seemed ritualized—Willow adjusting a table’s position by exactly three finger-widths, Chiya testing water she’d conjured for bowls she manifested from her codex with a tap of her finger before nodding to unseen criteria. Nala dragged a massive cabinet across the room with one arm, as if it weighed nothing, while Free carefully traced patterns into the dust with a fingertip before wiping it away. All the while, small groups of knights and attendants, devils of many different kinds, listened and watched them work with reverence and loyalty. 

I stared blankly at everything, taking it all in.

“We don’t like to waste time,” joked Edwin as he sauntered close beside me, leaving Elaine to stare at us a few feet away. “It’s not an indictment of the service. Our standards are just different. You’ll learn.”

“Of course. Do what you wish,” I said. “It is no problem.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

“Elaine, let’s retire for the night.” Edwin snapped his fingers and went upstairs. Elaine obediently followed behind him. “We’ll find the best room possible. I think we’ve earned a rest.”

“Yes, my Lord,” agreed Elaine passively. 

“Oh.” Edwin stopped at the top of the stairs and looked down at me. “Confirm your name for me, if you would.”

“Yennifer,” I said. “People call me Yen.”

“No last name?”

“No.”

“But you do have one. Did you not pay attention?” griped Edwin. He allowed himself a sharp chuckle of laughter. “Your mother’s was Syn. It’s yours as well. Use it with pride.” He snapped his fingers and pointed between the four devil girls. “Help her with whatever she wants, if she asks.”

“Yes, my Lord,” the four devils affirmed in unison.

With that, he departed, leaving behind his soldier and the four stand-out devils that moved at his beck and call. 

“Yennifer Syn,” I said, letting the words wash around in my mouth. I made a face. “Weird.”

“Yet powerful,” said the Forest devil that stood out from the pack. She was one of the ones who graciously followed Edwin around. “A blessing many of our people would kill for.”

“To be named after sin,” I joked. “It’s funny, at least.”

The Forest devil shot me a look someone dying of painful poison might give to the person who’d forced it down her throat. Hatred laced her gaze, but she also seemed envious, to a degree. “There’s nothing funny about that name. It’s grace and divinity wrapped in three profound letters. Don’t besmirch the gift you were born with.”

“Okay,” I said slowly, sensing the Forest devil wasn’t one to joke around. “I will keep that in mind.” I placed a hand on my chest and bowed slightly. “Thank you for teaching–”

“Do not bow to me!” hissed the Forest devil, taking a step forward. It shocked me into standing straight. “Primordials do not bow to Dryads!”

I blinked, confused. “Primordials? Dryads?” I intentionally played dumb. Context clues had already taught me those were alternative words for devils. But the girl was giving me free information with little bait. It would have been stupid of me not to continue chumming the water. 

“Stop bothering, our Lady,” said the Sea devil. She snuck up beside me, smiling. Her pale skin seemed to glitter, but my eyes were drawn to her teeth. They were jagged like a shark’s–something I had not noticed prior. “You heard our Lord. We’re to help her with whatever she wants.”

Oh, he meant that? I thought. My gaze flashed between the Forest devil and the Sky devil. He must trust them more than he lets on. Or they’re more influential than their actions and positions indicate.

“You four seem busy,” I said, drawing in the Beast and Sky devils that were nearby into the conversation. “I don’t want to take up too much of your time. You’re probably tired, and–”

“Nonsense!” The Beast devil bounded across the room. Her light-brown cat tail and ears flickered with delight. She was taller, taller than me, and much more defined in the muscle department…and everywhere else. But I’d noticed that as a trend with most Beast devils. They were blessed with fat in the right places. “The Knights have their orders.” She waved to the other devils, all five types, moving throughout the inn like well-oiled machines. “We’ve done our part.”

“W-We could have…tea,” suggested the Sky devil shyly. “And…ta-talk.”

“It would do you well to learn from us,” said the Forest devil rather boldly.

“We don’t bite,” said the Sea devil, clearly joking as she pointed at her teeth. “Won’t it be nice to be around your own kind for a change?”

I took in that last sentence and filed it away in my mind as ‘lore,’ before smiling and nodding. “Why not? I’d be a fool to pass this up.”

Somehow, the four devil girls instinctively knew the layout of the inn and correctly guided me to a small side-parlor away from all the activity inside and any prying eyes, good or bad. The Forest devil led the way, while the Beast and Sea devils flanked my side. The Sky devil nervously lingered behind, fidgeting and muttering to herself the whole way.

Eventually, we made it to a side room. They exploded out, working almost as soon as they saw the inside. The Beast devil guided me to a chair, the seat of authority, while chatting to me and acting comforting. The Sea and Sky devils cleaned and rearranged furniture to better suit the room. All the while, the Forest devil found tea, a pot, and quickly boiled with with expertly controlled fire spells stemming from her fingers.

It was all overwhelming. It felt like I’d been hit by a sudden storm while adrift in a tiny raft out in the open sea. 

Before I knew it, I was seated in a lone chair by myself at the “head” of the group, while the other four devils took my sides–the Forest and Sky devils to my left on a couch, and the Beast and Sea devils to my right on similar furniture. 

“Forgive my assumptions, but you’ve not spent much time around our kind. Is that accurate?” presumed the Forest devil as she delicately sipped from her own tea.

I’m having tea with a bunch of devils in Beginner’s Rest while an archdevil that wants to adopt me scouts out the inn with his lover. I summarized in my head, slightly dazed. No one’s dead. Nothing bad is happening. This is the absolute last thing I expected to happen. I calmly sipped my tea. It was hot, with the right amount of seepage. Life is strange.

“That would be correct,” I said out loud. “Most devils I’ve met–”

“First correction.” The Forest devil held up her hand. “Devils are what the Humans call us. Their label is derogatory and inaccurate.” She placed a hand on her chest and smiled. The other followed. “We are Fey.”

“Fey,” I repeated the word. “Why?”

“Because…that is what we’re called,” said the Forest devil. My word apparently caught her off guard, and I didn’t really care for an answer. I was just curious. 

“Then I take it I’m a Primordial, based on what you said earlier.” I gestured at myself briefly. My finger then drifted to the Forest devil. “That would make you a Dryad, yes?”

“Correct.”

“Not a Forest devil.” 

Her nose scrunched. “Absolutely not.”

“Hmmm.” I thought about it for a second, then nodded. “Acceptable. I’m fine with the vocabulary change. I’ll adjust accordingly. What about the rest of you? Oh, and names, please. I’m tired of calling you women and devils in my head.”

“Then I shall go first,” said the Forest devil. “Willow Evershade. Our people are Dryads”

“Our people are called Naiad,” said the Sea devil. “And my name is Chiya Tydeya!”

“S-Sylph,” said the Sky devil. “N-Name is…Free Skyborn.”

“And we’re Theriads!” The Beast devil jabbed a proud finger at herself. “And the name’s Nala Vorrkhan, proud member of the Vorrkhan family!”

My eye scanned the group. “I take it you’re all from famous families?”

“Ah…I suppose you wouldn’t know that either,” muttered the Dryad, Willow Evershade. “Each one of us is a member of the royal family of our specific Fey.”

“Oh.” I blinked, bounced my eyes between them, and crinkled my brow. “Why are you here?”

“To serve Lord Syn,” the four said in unison without missing a beat. Even the Sylph, Free Skyborn, dropped her stutter and looked resolute. 

Ah. Indoctrination. I surmised internally. Perfect.  

“Then…the royal families…are they vassals of the arch—Primordials?” I wondered, fearing my question might offend them.

“Arcadia is divided into two, with the Dryads ruling over the North and the Theriads ruling over the South,” said the Naiad, Chiya Tydrya. She placed a hand on her chest. “We Naiads have full dominion over the seas.”

“And m-my k-kind…Slylph…we’re tribal…b-but we have a leading tribe that s-serves as a kind of Royal f-family,” said Free nervously. “I’m the Queen’s seventh daughter,” she told me, seemingly ashamed for some reason.

“And all Fey serve at the behest of the Ancient One, Oberon Syn, and the Etherial Council, who lead us against the humans,” concluded Willow, the Dryad. 

Arcadia, huh? Must be what they call the Devil Continent. I guessed. Most of it lines up with what I’ve learned, but the new additions and updates are fascinating. A bunch of little Kingdoms ruled by a supreme leader. Wonder how we swung that?

“Explains why you said I shouldn’t bow to you,” I muttered to Willow.

“Never bow to anyone except the Ancient One. That is how important you are,” she iterated. 

“H-Have you…b-bowed to humans?” asked Free quietly.

The other three snapped their gazes to Free, furious, but curiosity got the better of them. Slowly, they turned to me, seeking an answer.

I’ve definitely knelt before one. I thought, thinking back to my time with Christopher. But that was foreplay. I did have to pretend I was his slave for a long time. Probably have, now that I think about it.

“Of course not,” I said loudly and proudly. “People bow to me. Did you not see how enthralled the people were by our very presence?”

“Like they were staring at Gods,” said the Theriad, Nala Vorrkhan. “It’s only like that in Paradise.”

“I’ve turned this little town into my own version of Paradise,” I exaggerated, leaning back into my chair and relaxing. “Who else but me would rule this town?”

The four Fey nodded reverently as if a Goddess were preaching to them.

“But it doesn’t mean I know everything. Regardless of power, knowledge must be gained and can be possessed by anyone with the will to obtain it,” I said, surprising myself with my words. I leaned forward and looked between the Fey women. “Part upon me your wisdom.”

It was like I’d given a war cry during a final battle. All four Fey looked engaged, proud, and on the verge of tears.

Easy. 

•

I left Beginner’s Rest hours later with my mind brimming with new facts and a deeper understanding of Fey politics, culture, and history.

I’d also decided to go along with the Fey terminology. The “devil” labels had always bothered me. While I wasn’t one to whine about what others said or thought about me, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bothered by how humans classified “devils.” Fey felt better. Besides, Humans got to call themselves Humans. Fey should get to do the same.

The crowd outside the back half of Beginner’s Rest had not thinned out in the slightest. People were gossiping about the entourage of Fey they’d seen moving through Sandy Branch. Many seemed agitated, eyeing me as I exited. It was as if they were expectant, disappointed, and annoyed. 

Behind them, I spotted the people I cared about, the Trailblazers and Christopher, at the edge of the crowd. Gai and Lex were with them as well. Even Gabby was by their side. She looked very, very stressed.

I made my way over toward them. “That went better than expected,” I told them as soon as I was in range.

“Tell us what’s happening,” said Christopher in a tense tone. “Gai gave us a few details, but—”

I held up a hand, smiling. “Yeaaah, it’s a lot.” I stared past them into the stars. “So much shit…”

Over the course of ten minutes, with no interruption, I caught everyone up to speed.

The group was dead silent for the longest time.

Gai was the first to speak, “All Hail Yennifer Syn?” he joked to ease the tension.

It did not work.

Christopher’s eyes darted toward the crowd of adventurers and mercenaries lingering outside the back half of Beginner’s Rest. “I’m more worried about them, at the moment. They’re restless.”

We’d dipped a good distance away from the larger crowd but were still in general view of the masses. Four Primordial soldiers in full armor with massive, intricate spears stood in front of the end with stoic faces. 

“They don’t seem that strong,” said one person from the crowd. “Only the leader archdevil has high mana levels. The rest all have violet eyes.”

“Yeah, we could gang up on them,” said another. “Wouldn’t that be something?”

“We should start a riot,” said another. “Really get things going. It’s why we’re here, isn’t it? To fight? To see the next world war when it starts?”

“How dare these monsters come to our country like they’re entitled to,” said a fourth. “These devils need to learn their lesson.”

At the same time, others were significantly less hostile. Fascinated might have been the better word.

“They were so graceful,” said one person. “Like royalty.”

“The one with red hair was stunning. Did you see her?” mentioned another. 

“That was the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen,” another muttered. “But why was his hair white? And his clothes were strange.”

Every so often, eyes flickered in my direction. As they did, their words grew softer to the point where I couldn’t hear them anymore. But I could guess what they were saying. They were curious, scared, and seeking answers. As a Primordial myself, a much better label than archdevil, I’d walked with the group to and from the inn without issue. It undoubtedly raised a lot of questions in everyone’s minds. What did I know? Was I a part of them? Was this all one big plan to attack the country? Or was I smoothing things over, seeking leave?

I could tell they all wanted to bombard me with questions, but they hesitated.

“I should do something about that, huh?” I muttered. I began walking to the crowd. “Give me a sec.”

I walked to the center of the crowd and took my place before the masses. They watched me, wary, as I took my place before them. The entire time, new residents and old, were crowding the streets outside Beginner’s Rest. In the windows of the inn, I spotted the Fey from Paradise staring down through the darkened room, curious as to what I’d say. I couldn’t tell if Edwin was among the hidden onlookers, but I assumed he was. 

“Good people of Sandy Branch.” Wind energy swirled in my stomach. I slowly lifted off the ground until I was elevated a few feet in the sky. It allowed my voice to project so that everyone could hear me. “You are safe.”

The murmur of the crowd faltered into a brittle silence. Somewhere in the back, a sword slid halfway out of its scabbard before being shoved back in—a dramatized gesture in a world where most weapons were kept in codexes. A child on someone’s shoulders pointed up at me, but their parent quickly pulled the child’s hand down. From the second-story windows nearby, I could see more watches hanging on my words. There were some citizens listening, a few in the crowd, but most were mercenaries and adventurers who’d come to Sandy Branchy seeking fame, fortune, thrills, or stories. 

“You all know what I am. Very obvious.” I pointed to the horns on my head. “It’s why many of you are here. Some of you expected a war. Chaos. Violence. Many of you, it seems. And someone of you just wanted to see an archdevil. Whatever the reason, you came here, risking your lives for thrill or glory. An excellent goal, I suppose. Better than nothing.” I clapped my hands together. “But if any of that were going to happen, it would have already happened. So…sorry for the thrill seekers. I’ll understand if you want to leave and return this town to its glory days, unfilled with mindless mercenaries and death-starved adventurers. It’d be my honor to facilitate your fast movement out of here.” Suddenly, anger drenched the back of my throat. I’d spent months dealing with their shit, breaking up fights, and lost an eye from the absolute fuckery these leeches pulled. “It’s time you gave the locals back their homes, yeah?”

It wasn’t where I thought the speech would go when I started, but, honestly, it was long overdue, considering the crap I’d gone through keeping the peace in my town. These people had driven out over half the townsfolk, screwed with the Forest of Beginner’s, saturated the local economy, and made my life extremely annoying. One could argue it was Edwin’s fault; generally, this was occurring. If one went further, it was technically my fault that any of this was happening in the first place. But blame should be placed upon those who cause the harm, and at that moment, the only harm caused was from the influx of out-of-towners messing with my lifestyle. 

In less than twenty-four hours, Edwin taught me about my people, and his servants, all royalty apparently, gently caught me up to speed, briefly, on hundreds of years of cultural and historical norms. All while generally respecting the locals, the town, and what I wanted. Initially, at least. I was aware that could change. I was probably getting too agitated. Years of hearing about adventuring and mercenary groups raiding Arcadia, what they call the devil continent, and even naming us devils, really pissed me off. I wasn’t thinking great. And the more I stared at the slack-jawed idiots mewling under my “protection,” the more pissed I got. 

But I couldn’t voice all this. It would likely incite violence. Instead, I needed a way to help them realize they needed to leave. Well, that most of them did. Even a sizable percentage would ease my mind. 

Then, an idea hit me.

“The archdevils have promised peace so long as they are not insulted in any way. But that goes both ways and requires us to all act uniformly with civility, grace, and acceptance,” I said, allowing the words to linger in the air. “I’m sure many of you are fine with these terms. As an individual, you make your own decisions. You control your own actions. But who among you feels certain the person standing beside you will remain as peaceful as you intend to be? Do you wish to stay in a town where the violence of your neighbor could end not only their life, but your own?”

An air of recognition ran through the crowd. I heard muttering, but largely ignored it, projecting my voice. 

“I’ve lived on the Human continent my entire life. I respect these lands and their people in my own way.” I land on the ground. “But I was always considered different. While I may protect you…I am not on your side.” Silence rippled through the crowd. “Do you feel safe?”

The air felt as if it’d dropped to freezing levels all at once.

I slowly walked through the crowd back to my friend. The mercenaries and adventurers all parted for me, wide-eyed and leery.

“There,” I said to my people. “Handled.”