An Unexpected Face

Kaito was ecstatic despite being cursed. He was so excited about witnessing the supposed beautiful elves that he and Rachael left for their domain immediately. The two walked along the road toward the elves’ forest.

“I regret everything,” Rachael complained.

“What’s there to regret?” Kaito asked excitedly. “We get to see the elves, and undo my curse!”

“How about walking on foot instead of taking a cart?” Rachael stated. “Or choosing to go on an adventure with this fool…”

Kaito paid Rachael’s insult no mind as he marched along the road happily.

“So what’s it like being a god?” Kaito asked. “Do you get to smite people or something?”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Rachael explained. “Down here, I chose not to use those powers. Even in the Realm Between Worlds, I’m mainly in charge of managing the reincarnated. It was a real pain dealing with you abruptly summoning Iori,” she finished, annoyed.

“O-oh, sorry about that…” Kaito apologized and swiftly changed the topic. “What about down here? How’d you meet Rina?”

“Oh, Rina…” Rachael seemed kinda sad. “We became friends when she kept visiting the library searching for her past. I’m the one who suggested she help and bring new adventurers to the Giora dungeon she found. It was partially to help the reincarnated I sent down, and to help her, but I feel like I still took advantage of her. I mean, she garnered the title of Lonely Queen because of me…”

Nothing Kaito brought up seemed to bring up Rachael’s mood, but he tried another option.

“Oh, I know! If you’re tired, why don’t we take the time to teach me a skill!” Kaito suggested.

“What a generous suggestion…” Rachael said sarcastically.

“Exactly, so you’ll teach me a skill, right?” responded Kaito, not reading between the lines.

Rachael told him bluntly, “No.”

Kaito pouted, “You’re no fun.”

A bunch of time passed. Actually, it was only ten minutes…

“So about that skill,” Kaito suggested again.

“No.” Rachael immediately responded.

_______________________ Another ten minutes… _______________________

“A flying skill sounds kinda cool to learn,” Kaito alluded.

Rachael ignored him.

_______________________ This time 15 minutes… _______________________

“Rachael?”

“FINE, JUST SHUT UP!!” Rachael shouted. “I’ll teach you a skill!”

“Oh, really!” Kaito said, surprised. “I was just going to mention the fork in the road, but this is more important!”

Rachael, in realization, just tilted her head back and let out a huge sigh. “Just get this over with, Rachael, “she told herself.

The two stepped to the side of the road, where Rachael started tutoring Kaito. Rachael sat on a rock as Kaito started stretching to amp himself up.

“Alright, so what’ll it be? You probably know every skill in the book, so I can't wait to get started,” said Kaito as he theorized. “Flight? A fatal blow type of skill? Ooo, or maybe I can start dabbling in learning magic!”

“Disguise,” Rachael responded, coming to a decision.

Kaito halted his stretch and thought for a second, “That sounds kinda simple. You got anything else in mind?”

Rachael didn’t humor his opinion and began her lesson.

“It’s not as simple as you think,” Rachael informed. “This skill has a prerequisite.”

Rachael plucked out a single strand of her hair and gestured for Kaito to approach her. She put the strand of hair in Kaito’s hand and explained. Disguise was a skill that let the user transform into someone else, but you needed to have a piece of their DNA first.

“Just hold that, and imagine…” Rachael just realized what she was letting Kaito do, but continued, “You’re me…”

Kaito closed his eyes firmly and did as instructed.

“It shouldn’t take too long to learn since you’re a reincar—”

Rachael stopped mid-sentence as Kaito had done it. He opened his eyes and looked down at his body.

“I did it!” Kaito proclaimed as Rachael. “I’m…” Kaito realized the situation he was in, “you~”

Kaito, with a mischievous smile, went right for the chest. He brought his hands for fondling, but Rachael swiftly grabbed his arms.

“I may be of the Priest class down here, but that doesn’t mean I actually can't smite you,” Rachael said sternly and glared at Kaito.

“Understood…” Kaito put down his arms, prompting Rachael to let go of him.

“Good,” Rachael responded with a threatening smile. “Now transform back.”

“Yeah, yeah, I wi—” Kaito stopped mid-sentence and ran off to gain distance. He had the full intention to get his fill of Rachael’s body.

“Kaito!” Rachael yelled out, but he didn’t stop. She stood there and sighed, “I warned you.”

Rachael raised her hand, and lightning came down to smite Kaito. Kaito fell to the ground and transformed back to his regular self.

____________________________________________________________________________

It took them two days, but Kaito and Rachael finally reached the forest's edge, which the elves called home. They arrived at a village, or at least what used to be one. The village was completely destroyed: buildings dismantled, different-colored blood splattered about; it was like a warzone.

“This must’ve been what happened to this village during the Stampedes…” Rachael deduced.

The Stampede didn’t just happen in Giora. It was all across Taelesta, and unfortunately, not every civilization had the means to defend against it.

Kaito and Rachael walked around the destroyed village, and when they turned a corner, they saw a disturbing sight. Dead human bodies lay on the ground; they were completely charred and unrecognizable.

“I can’t look,” Rachael turned away.

Kaito, on the other hand, crept closer. He crouched down and unveiled the body, partially covered by a cloth. The person was holding a child, but even it didn’t make it out alive. Kaito took a moment to pay them respect.

“Hey there!” A voice called out to Rachael, who was still visible around the corner, unlike Kaito. “Are you okay over there!?”

“Oh, it’s Henry from the Hero Knight’s party,” Rachael announced casually.

“What!?” Kaito yelled out quietly. “We attacked him just a while back, don’t let him see me!”

“You did what!?” Rachael panicked.

“You look panicked! Is everything alright!?” Henry asked as he slowly approached Rachael.

“O-oh, I’m fine!” Rachael answered Henry poorly before turning to Kaito. “Disguise yourself quickly!”

“With what!?” Kaito responded in panic.

“The skill works with dead bodies, just get some DNA,” Rachael rushed Kaito.

“Are you sure everything is alright?” Henry asked again, getting closer. “What’s going on over there?”

Rachael answered again to stall Henry, “It’s really nothing to be alarmed about. It’s just that my ally—”

Henry cut Rachael off, more worried about what she was clearly hiding, “Excuse me, but I must know what is going—”

Henry just stared.