Peaceful

But after that night, nothing ever happened again. The days went by in a flash, with Berus and Mikkah helping out as best as the could. The wind got colder, the flowers died, and the days became shorter. The magical barrier stayed the same, and while Berus could hear strange noises coming from the forest, whatever was in there stayed there.

After a while, they fell into a comfortable rhythm, even if the suspicions stayed the same. But it was alright for Berus. Mikkah could continue to work on him in the evenings, and she could heal up herself, which meant a lot of sleeping for her. He didn’t mind picking up her share.

Currently, he helped Iuria again with feeding the chicken. The colorful birds still didn’t like him despite his best efforts, so he could only stand nearby while they flocked around Iuria, who welcomed them with open arms and their homemade chicken feed.

“Awww, you’re so sweet!” she laughed.

On the inside, Berus was burning with jealously. Why didn’t they like him? He didn’t have that stupid demonic aura skill activated, so they shouldn’t feel his demonic presence. Or was it just his height, and the metal body he inhabited? Maybe Mikkah could make something the chicken liked?

But for the moment, he couldn’t do anything. So he gently threw some of the feed their way, and watched as they gobbled it up. He sat down on his knees, caked in mud and rust. At the sight, Iuria laughed outright.

“W-what?”

“I’m sorry,” she wheezed, “It’s just– oh, I’m so sorry, Berus. But… a holy knight… in the mud…”

“I don’t see how that’s funny,” he grumbled. “Plus, you also look strange.”
“H-huh?” She blushed.

“Ah! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you,” he said. “It’s just… you have such a elegant aura. I don’t know how to describe it, but… you’re too well behaved for this to not look funny.”
“Oh, no.” She cuddled with a pink chicken. “That’s not true. Just because my posture is good doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be here. I’m glad I can help.”

“Well, then we’re the same, right? I also like to help.”

He looked out into the forest. From the little house, the magical barrier looked nonexistent, with the stones appearing like some ill-designed garden decor. But no matter how many times Mikkah looked at it, she couldn’t do anything. Ki-Rai couldn’t, either.

With a twinge of guilt, Berus looked at his menu again. There, she was waiting for him, with her arms crossed.

“Hi, Ki-Rai,” he whispered.

“Took you long enough,” she spat back. “Who do you think you are, huh? Did you enjoy leaving me all alone here? Huh? Huuuuuh?”
“I didn’t,” he hissed. “But…”

“Berus? Is everything alright?” Iuria asked.

“Ah, yes. I just… I have to, well, excuse myself for a moment,” he replied.

“Sure thing. I will finish feeding the chickens, then.” With those words, she took the feed from him and turned around.

“Thank you, Iuria.”

He walked back as fast as he could while still looking dignified, and barricaded himself in the bathroom. Thankfully, that was already part of his disguise, as well as his manual breathing, which he by now had thankfully automated. Only when he was sure that no one was around, he sat down on the toilet and opened his menu again.

“So she gets thanks, but I get nothing?” Ki-Rai growled at him. “What do you think you’re doing? Urhg, if only I had control over you… I’d leave you to rot in a corner, just like you did to me!”

“Look, I’m sorry,” he said. “I really didn’t mean to.”

“But you did.”

“I had too much going on.”
She rolled her eyes. “Bullshit. I saw it all. You were having fun.”

“Yes, but…”

“How would you feel if you saw the outside world, but not being able to interact with it, huh? What then? This machine is meant to torture you, not me!”

He stopped.

“I am sorry,” he said, as clear as he could. “I truly didn’t realize how much I hurt you.”

“Yeah, you better apologize,” she mumbled. “But if you forget me again, I’ll find a way to make your life a living hell. I promise you that.”

“I won’t forget you,” he said. “Really.”

“Then fight that Phorok guy,” she giggled, though her words dripped with venom. “He’s strong, at least. It might make for some good entertainment.”

“That he is. But I can’t. He’ll get suspicious again.”

“Urgh. Whatever.” She rolled her eyes, gave him a rude gesture, and poofed.

And then, she was simply… gone. Huh. Berus blinked, called out her name, but she didn’t appear again. Since when can she do that?, he wondered.

He felt really bad, treating her like an NPC again instead of a person. But with her living only inside of his menu, it was just so easy to not open it for days. He didn’t have to fight. So, why would he look at his menu?

“I’m really an idiot,” he muttered to himself.

But what could he do to make this up for her, especially since she seemed to ignore him now?

He was pulled out of his thoughts as someone knocked against the locked door, again and again.

“Berus?” Thankfully, it was Mikkah who called to him from the other side.
“Ah! Sorry! Almost finished!”

With that, he flushed exactly nothing down the toilet, and unlocked the door. Mikkah slipped past him, and as he exited, she slammed the door behind herself. He stared at the wood, dumbfounded.

“She was waiting for you forever,” Phorok laughed. “Poor girl.”

He, too, had warmed up to them being around. But something was different now. He held two wooden swords in his hands, and pointed one with the hilt in Berus’ direction.

“Come on, I know you want to keep this up just as much as I do,” he finally said. “I haven’t sparred with anyone else since… well, since my adventurer days.”

“Well, then I’m happy to help out.”