Adam gasped as he awoke, pletely covered i. He saw the Iyrmen staring at him, raising their brows. Adam reached up to grab his neck, recalling the sword which had gohrough it.

  “Fug hell,” he said, rubbing his neck. “It would have been embarrassing if I died a third time.”

  The others stared at him with a curios look, especially Lucy, who was fused as to what he was talking about. ‘Dying a third time? Did he hit on his head?’ Thehought for a moment. ‘Did he really die twice?’ She partly believed it because she had been whisked away to this world, and, he robably stupid enough to die twice.

  They ate breakfast quickly and made their way through the forest, with the Iyrmen leading once more, taking their positions as they had done previously.

  “It’s good that you’re all alive,” Adam said. “I hear the forest o be awakened by sacrifig living things.”

  “Yes,” Okvar replied. “The more potent the life, the greater the forest.” He gnced around. “Whatever the forest found, it must have been bountiful.”

  Adam threw a look to Jurot, who quickly moved his eyes away. “Right, well, let’s hope it’s no one we know.”

  “Stop talking about nonsense, a’s go find Mara.”

  The guilt eat away at Adam. Eventually, he couldn’t help himself. “Hey, Lucy, you don’t think that Ma-“

  Health: 26 -> 21

  Lucy’s response was more violent than he expected as she kicked him right in the back of the knee, causing him to stumble forward.

  “Do you think my Mara is going to lose to a bunch of trees? I’ll have you know, Mara was the most powerful demon in my and!” Lucy huffed, g her fists.

  "She was?"

  "She was as strong as me!” Lucy decred, lying. “She also knew how to cook and ! How scary!”

  "Scary?" Adam rubbed the back of his knee.

  "Yeah! How she be s and so good at other useful things? It's nht! If she's strong, she should be a terrible cook like me!" Lucy ched her fists tighter. “And how she have such big ti-“

  "Sounds like she was the stro demon,” Adam said.

  "That's right!” Lucy puffed out her chest. “There's no way she’ll lose to a bunch of trees."

  'I've got a bad feeling about this.' Adam thought, frowning. 'There’s no way it’ll be so obvious, killing off Mara to form the forest. No, no, this isn’t a shitty story.’

  The forest ended up bee denser with each step, and the Iyrmen tread carefully forward.

  "We should just chop the bushes up ahead!" Lucy grumbled, hugging ht from behind as he carried her.

  "We shouldn't disturb the forest as it awakens," he admonished. "Huh? Why not?" Lucy asked. She took his words to heart, since he was so handsome and strong.

  "Otherwise we will be beset," Wujyn said. “A forest which has only just awakened has great terrors hidden within it.”

  "Oh? Hmm…” Lucy fell into thought, eventually agreeing with them. “These Iyrmen sure are smart. Isn't it unfair if they're smart and strong?"

  "They grow up on their stories and learn about history through them." Adam smiled. "That's how Jurot knows so much too."

  "Hmm. I should marry an Iyrman and have them join me. Plus, it seems they're all so damn hunky too. Unfair!"

  Adam chuckled. "You like hunky men? Then wait until you get to the Iyr. Almost all the men and womehat hunky."

  "Seriously? his Demon Lord approves! I want a harem of hunky men and women to worship me! If they’re really that hunky, I’ll let them carry me around the Iyr."

  Adam chuckled.

  “Wait,” Lokat said, stopping. The other Iyrmen stopped an instant ter.

  “Why have we stopped?” Lucy asked. Lokat stared at the forest ahead of her for a long while. "The Guardian is ahead."

  "Guardian?" Adam asked.

  "That which has been tasked to protect the forest for the tury."

  Adam’s ears twitched slightly. ‘A Guardian, huh? Sounds pretty powerful.’ He hadn’t heard about a Guardian before. "Oh," Lucy said. "Let's go meet it! If it's strong, I'll bring it to my side!" She grinned wide.

  "We should pay our respects," Lokat said, cautiously.

  Adam wondered what kind of being it was that it made Lokat, with all these Iyrmen, pause.

  Lokat stepped forward, now leading the way, and within moments, they were stepping introve, one which certainly hadn’t been in front of them. There was a rge tree which was sat down, rexing uhe sun.

  "I have guests," it said slowly, its words ing out in their own pace. It was a tree, but it had arms and legs, and a face etched onto the bark. "You!" Luarled like a vicious beast, leaping off of Okvar to try and attack the tree ahead. "You! I'll kill you!"

  rabbed at the girl, keepi bay as she snarled.

  "It will be diffi-"

  Lucy tio snarl, her entire body vulsing with rage. Her neck grew taught, staining and bulging as she struggled. The tree reached over with a finger, a long branch, and touched her forehead, which caused the little demon girl to vulse once more, before she grew limp, sn lightly.

  "Oh, there's no need for that, young half fey," it said. Adam’s fingers were ed around the hilt of his magical sword, staring up at the tree. Even now, he could feel its great strength. It was like he was fag against one of the many gods. He was in its domain, and he was fairly sure he’d be uo fight it, especially at his level.

  "Shall we speak?" it asked.

  "We are Iyrmen,” Lokat said. “We wish for peace."

  "Hmm.” It remained silent for a long while. “Some e bearing ons used to fell my trees." "Sometimes chopping down trees saves forests,” Adam said, still staring at the creature.

  "You are n."

  "Plus, you guys attacked us first."

  "We were fast asleep, uo trol ourselves. For that, ologise.”

  “As long as you pay appropriate pensation,” Adam replied, a small smirk appearing on his face.

  Lokat stared at the boy. ‘What are you doing?’

  "What is it that you wish for?”

  Adam looked to the Iyrmen. "Well? What do you guys think?"

  "Safe passage for all Iyrmen,” Lokat said, taking the lead.

  "It be done," it replied.

  "Me and my people too," Adam said.

  "Who are your people?"

  "Uh. Well." Adam rubbed his . "I don't know."

  "I’m sure you uand that may be difficult.”

  "Alright, sure." Adam chuckled. "I might make a symbol or something for my people. Perhaps a code?”

  "Very well."

  "If you are willing, we Iyrmen may also wish for this to bee a sanctuary for the Iyr,” Lokat said.

  "It be done. What offer you make?"

  "It will be the Chief who will make the offer,” Okvar said. “We will pass the message."

  "Very well. Then, will you assist me?"

  "What is it that you need, Guardian?" Lokat asked.

  "Defend the forest from outside aggressors for the decade, until the forest has grown to its full length."

  "We are currently on a mission for a certain herb,” the Iyrman said. “Do you have a Blue Moon Rose?”

  "Not now, but ohe moon is above us, I will."

  "Jurot and Adam,” Lokat said, turning to face them. “Will you remain? We will tinue on to the nearby city and send a message to the Iyr. If someone es to cim this forest, Jurot, you must say that this forest is cimed by the Iyr." "Yes,” Jurot said, nodding his head.

  “We will leave,” Lokat said, staring at the Guardian.

  The tree waved its branch arm behind them, causing the trees to part way, and the Iyrmen followed the path out.

  “If something happens to either of those three, the Iyr will hear of it.” Lokat dared to warn the Guardian.

  “I will bring them no harm, and nor will the forest, as long as they remain peaceful.”

  Ohe Iyrme, Adam turo face the tree. "I think it's time you took me to see my future wife," Adam said, a smile on his lips, though his eyes were cold.

  "What do you mean?"

  "There's a busty demon with red hair in this forest, isn’t there?”

  It remained silent for a long while. Then, it waved an arm, the trees parting and revealing another path. Adam picked Lucy up and carried her, and Jurot followed after him.

  A few mier, they appeared at anrove. There, engulfed by wood, was a beautiful sleeping face. It ale grey, though much paler than Lucy, almost sickly.

  "Is she dead?" Adam asked.

  "No,” the Guardian replied.

  " she be saved?”

  "Yes."

  "How?"

  "Someone must take her pce for a tury."

  Adam puffed out his cheeks, shaking his head. “Is there any other way?"

  "If you find something within the en years to repce her, she be freed.”

  “Something like what?”

  “The hearts of adult dragons.” Adam bit his lower lip. " you wake Lucy up?"

  "Yes." It pced a finger on Lucy’s forehead.

  Lucy slowly awoke, her eyes first catg Adam’s face, before her eyes darted to the side where she saw her panion. "Mara! Let her go you tree bastard!" She tried to stand, but found it was hard to gather her strength.

  "Lucy," Adam said.

  "You damn fucker! I'll cut you down! Just you wait! I’ll burn this entire forest down!" She mao find enough strength to crawl towards the tree.

  "Lucy."

  "Bastard!" Lucy thumped her fist against the tree.

  "You still save her," Adam said, dropping to a knee beside her.

  "Let her go! I’ll kill you all, you bastard trees! Just you wait!" She tio thump the tree, trying to gather her strength.

  Adam sighed, letting Lucy throw her tantrum. After a few minutes, she y there, uo even raise her arm to attack the tree.

  "Are you a Demon Lord?" Adam asked. "What are you talking abht now? Mara, she’s right there! You o save her."

  "Are you a Demon Lord?" Adam repeated.

  "I'm not a Demon Lord,” she said. “I'm the Demon Lord."

  " you beat a dragon?"

  "Tch!” Lucy panted for breath. “Of course I ."

  "Right now?"

  "Obviously not now, you bastard! I'm just a little girl." Lucy covered her eyes with the back of her arm.

  "How about i years?"

  "Eight years?” Lucy asked. “As long as I train hard, sure."

  "Good. You, Jurot, and I, are going to sy an evil dragon and bring it's heart here."

  "What?"

  "Mara be repced.”

  “She’s irrepceable, you no good bastard!”

  “I mean in the forest. We s her out for a dragon’s heart.”

  "We ? Is that right, tree bastard? Mara be saved?"

  "Her life force will be drained, but if y a dragon’s heart, you save her.”

  "Hmph! We demons are strong! You better pay us back!" Lucy growled. "We must apologise, but it had to be done."

  "Bastard! I'll kill you!"

  "Lucy, rex. He's not an enemy."

  "He's my enemy."

  "Do you want to save Mara or not?"

  Lucy refused to look at Mara at the moment. "I'll definitely save you, Mara! You hear? Just you wait!" Adam rubbed his forehead. "Rex. We'll get to it in time."

  "You... You don't uand. Mara is the only one I know in this world. She, she's..." Lucy began to shake, and covered her eyes with the back of her arm again.

  Adam wao tell her everything was going to be fine, but he couldn’t find the strength. He wasn’t sure what to say.

  Quests pleteMeet the Demon Lord+ 100XPPromises Made (Demon Lord)+100XPMeet the Guardian+100XPPromises Made (Guardian)+100XPXP: 2650 -> 3050

  ‘I should cheuch it is to level…’

  "It seems that some visitors have arrived," the Guardian said, cutting Adam’s thoughts. "We should go and see who it is,” Jurot said, who had watched the entire se unfold. “We must decre the forest has been cimed by the Iyr.” “Lucy, you should say here,” he said.

  "Don't tell me what to do,” she grumbled from the ground.

  "I'm serious, Lucy. If you e, things will bee difficult." Adam felt that the appearance of a demon might arm the people.

  "Hmph! Are you saying that if they see the Demon Lord that it'll cause problems!"

  "Yes.”

  "Ah, right..." Lucy looked to Mara. "Right, I should stay here and protect my Mara..."

  "Yeah,” Adam said, smiling. “Leave it to yenerals to deal with the rest, alright?"

  "Right."

  “Remember the Iyrmen’s warning,” Adam said to the tree. “If anything happens to her, don’t think they’ll be able to stop me.”

  The tree remained silent.

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