Adventures in Lilibel

We arrived in Lilibel .

—Finally… we’re here. — he said , stretching his body.

Shana looked at the map.

"We can stay at the Adventurer's Cottage," Shana said.

"Adventurers' house?" Koharu and I repeated in unison.

— Yes. It's a place where adventurers stay for a good price. — Shana explained.

Koharu raised her eyebrow.

"Wait, didn't you say we had money to buy a house?" Koharu asked .

"We do. But we can't just buy any one. We need to analyze prices, regions, construction quality..." Shana replied.

Koharu sighed.

" Okay , you're right. But just answer me one thing: in the Adventurer's House, are the rooms divided into... mixed?" Koharu asked again.

"No. The rooms are divided into groups, so the four of us will be in the same one," Shana replied naturally.

(No way! This won't work!) — I thought , hearing the echo of Koharu's inner despair.

"Let's look for and buy a house today!" Koharu declared.

"We're too tired for this," Shana replied , yawning.

Max agreed.

— I think the best thing is to rest, — said Max.

" That sounds very convenient to me, Max," Koharu said, narrowing her eyes.

"Are you defending your girlfriend, are you?" Koharu asked, sounding angry.

—That has nothing to do with it, — he replied seriously.

"And you, Fujimoto, what do you think?" Max asked me.

Koharu looked at me with an intimidating gaze.

— I… just want to sleep. — I said .

Koharu looked angry at my answer.

We entered the large, dark wooden inn.

The man behind the counter greeted us with a slightly strained smile.

"Welcome! I'm Ros , the owner of this famous Adventurer's House... which, unfortunately, has no adventurers," the man said .

— What do you mean? — I asked .

—He's being haunted by a ghost, — Ros replied.

—F -fan … tas … ma ?! — I choked .

Koharu crossed her arms.

— This must be someone pretending to steal Ros 's money , or an enemy wanting revenge, — Koharu said .

Ros sighed.

"If you help me solve this, half the profits from the place will be yours," he said . Ros desperate.

We looked at each other, wide-eyed.

—Deal! — we said in chorus.

Koharu raised her hand.

— Ros , is there a single room for each of us? — Koharu asked.

— Yes, it does. — Ros replied.

We went upstairs and each went to our room.

The house was too silent…

Until, just before I went to sleep, I heard knocking on my door.

— Is… is it the f-fan … tas … ma …? — I murmured .

I took a deep breath and opened the door.

And what I saw froze me:

Ros , with an axe in his hands, swinging a blow towards me!

By reflex, Max appeared and intercepted the blow with his sword.

Sparks lit up the hallway.

— What are you doing, Ros ?! — I yelled .

He started laughing uncontrollably.

The face no longer looked human.

(That aura… is very dark. He's not the same man as before.)

I activated the Hidden Observatory, but… nothing.

( I can't read his status…!)

—Are you scared, Fujimoto? — he said. Ros with a distorted smile.

"I see nothing has changed since last time," Ros said as if she knew me well.

My body froze.

—What did you mean by that? — I asked.

Max raised his fist.

— You won't escape, — said Max.

Ros just smiled.

— Really? — Ros asked in a mocking tone.

Then, in one leap, he broke the window and fled.

Max looked at me.

"Shana and Koharu are outside. Let's help them!" Max said .

Before I could respond, the two of them appeared in the hallway, carrying Ros … tied up.

"We found Ros outside," Koharu said , panting.

I was confused.

—Wait… so who tried to kill me…? — I muttered.

Koharu removed the tape from Ros 's mouth .

"I didn't attack anyone!" he shouted , terrified.

"Koharu and Shana found me unconscious in an alley!" Ros continued shouting.

— What?! — Max took a step back.

— So… the person with me and Fujimoto was… — Max was muttering, but was interrupted.

— A copy, — Shana said seriously.

— The enemy used a transformation technique to take on Ros 's appearance , — Shana said.

I remained silent, feeling the heavy air around me.

The real Ros was trembling with fear, and Shana looked thoughtful.

She then smiled, a calm smile, but full of determination.

"Tomorrow, we'll find out who's behind this," Shana said confidently.

After the chaos at the Adventurer's Cottage, Shana decided we needed a plan.

A different plan.

And, as always, nobody understood anything.

The next morning, she appeared in high spirits, with that calm, dangerous smile that made me suspicious of everything.

— Let's go out for a bit today, — he said .

"There's a hot spring in the mountains north of Lilebel," Shana continued .

"Hot spring? What does that have to do with capturing the enemy?" I asked , frowning.

— All in good time, Fujimoto, — he replied with a light laugh.

Koharu looked at me sideways, visibly suspicious.

(She must have some crazy plan again...)

But then Shana added something that made the blood rush to her face.

"I was thinking... what if the four of us used the mixed section of the hot spring?" Shana said.

— WHAT?! — Koharu and I screamed at the same time.

Max just sighed.

— Shana, stop playing games. — Max said.

— Hehehe , sorry. Just wanted to lighten the mood. — Shana said.

Koharu and I were still blushing.

"Why are you looking like that?" Shana asked , laughing.

—It's just… excitement to capture the enemy! — I replied quickly.

—That's right! — Koharu finished , nervously.

The path there was smooth.

The steaming waters appeared between rock formations surrounded by flowering trees.

The air smelled of lavender and light sulfur.

At the entrance, a woman greeted us.

She was tall, elegant, with long blonde hair that shone in the steam, and deep purple eyes that were almost hypnotizing.

His smile was kind… maybe even too kind.

“Welcome,” she said , bowing politely.

"My name is Dolberg Cassandra, I'm the receptionist at this spa," the young receptionist introduced herself.

"Which area do you want to use?" Cassandra asked.

Shana responded promptly:

"The men will use the masculine part, and we will both use the feminine part," Shana replied.

"Perfect. Everyone can leave their clothes in the enchanted baskets." Cassandra smiled.

We walked in silence to the rooms. The sound of the hot water hitting the stones echoed calmly.

The steam covered everything like a white veil.

Shana leaned against the edge of the natural pool, letting her wet hair fall over her shoulders.

—Hey, Koharu… — he said, with a mischievous tone.

— What now? — he replied , his eyes already half closed.

"What are the boys thinking right now?" Shana asked.

Koharu snorted.

"Can you stop this?" Koharu said.

Suddenly, Cassandra's voice echoed behind them.

"Ladies, would you like something to drink?" Cassandra asked .

Koharu looked back.

"Thank you, but no, Cassandra," Koharu replied.

—Oh, but I do. — Shana said with a slight smile.

Koharu slowly turned around, her heart racing.

Cassandra stepped closer, the steam reflecting the golden glow of her hair.

“What do you want, Miss Shana?” Cassandra asked.

"Come closer. I need you to listen really closely," Shana said , without changing her tone.

The woman leaned in, her face now inches from Shana's.

— Go ahead and talk. — said Cassandra.

Shana opened her eyes.

— I want to know… if Cassandra is alive or dead, — Shana said .

Koharu held her breath.

Cassandra, without moving away, smiled.

— Cassandra is alive. — Cassandra replied .

"And what's more... the current Demon Queen must know she's not the only one with secrets," the blonde girl continued .

Cassandra's body began to glow.

The disguise broke, revealing a woman with dark green hair and a cruel gaze.

"You're Mayumi Yumi," Koharu said , startled.

Yumi smiled, touching a crystal attached to her clothes. An energy axe appeared in her hand.

"So, Shana… are you going to come out of that fountain and fight, or should I force you?" Yumi asked sarcastically.

"You know I don't need to leave here to defeat you," Shana replied calmly.

Koharu was paralyzed.

— Shana… what do we do?! — Koharu asked.

"Relax, Koharu. Put up a barrier. After that, just... enjoy the bath," Shana said .

Koharu took a deep breath and obeyed.

A magical barrier rose, and dozens of Transfiends appeared, attacking Yumi from all sides.

Yumi dodged it easily, laughing as she swung the axe.

"Come, little creatures! Show me the Queen's power!" Yumi said sarcastically.

Koharu was sweating.

"Shana! Why did you come out of the barrier?!" Koharu asked.

Shana looked at her seriously.

"Koharu, break the barrier," Shana ordered .

— What?! Why?! — Koharu asked.

— Trust me, — Shana replied .

Koharu hesitated, but obeyed.

The barrier has come undone.

The Transmons stopped, hovering in the air.

Shana crossed her arms.

—Heroine Yumi. Tell me your status. — Shana asked.

Koharu widened her eyes.

"Do you think she'll answer?!" Koharu asked .

Yumi smiled.

— Why not? — said Yumi.

Name: Mayumi Yumi.

Class: Heroine

Level: 15

Attack: 203

Defense: 163

Intelligence: 223

HP: 179

Speed: 184

Magic Attack: 184

Magic Defense: 217

Koharu blinked in surprise.

"You... actually answered. So, what's your ability?" Koharu asked .

—That… I can't say. — Yumi replied with a smile.

Shana sighed.

"Then I'll have to finish you off here," Shana said .

The steam vibrated. The ground shook underfoot.

Black flames enveloped Shana, and the water around her began to boil.

Her skin glowed in shades of crimson and violet, the sealed form of the Demon Queen revealing itself once again.

She raised her hand.

—Infernal Technique: Crimson Punishment!

A black flare shot out, lighting up the sky.

Meanwhile, Max and I were still in the water.

The calm contrasted with the distant chaos I could already sense.

—Strange… The male fountain is empty. — I murmured .

— They all are. I think something's going to happen, — Max replied .

(Shana's aura… even from afar, it's boiling. This is not good.)

Suddenly, a sharp pain sliced through my chest.

— Ugh … — I started to feel pain.

— Fujimoto?! — Max held me back.

(This energy… it can't be… it's her… Yumi!)

— Max… we need to go there! — I said.

"If we go, she might kill one of us," he said hesitantly.

But I couldn't hear him anymore. The pain was getting worse.

My body was burning from the inside—the Black Eye was starting to react.

Max pulled me out of the water and dragged me out .

— Come on, man! Focus! — Max said.

—I was trying to use the Observatory to see what was happening to Shana… — I confessed.

— I figured. You don't control that power yet. — Max replied.

I looked up at the sky, feeling the air tremble.

“Shana… Koharu… hold on tight…”

The roar of the explosion echoed across the mountains.