It has been four days sihe Abyssal federation received the decration of war from the Kingdom of Lidolu.

  Acc to the tial Pact, after oion formally decres war on ahey must wait at least a week before hostilities begin.

  This waiting period is io prevent the deg nation from immediately ung an attack, which could resemble a sneak assault. Depending on a nation's size and circumstances, it takes varying amounts of time to mobilise military forces, and a week is the minimum buffer period. This timeframe is also long enough for the attag side to seize signifit territory.

  "How’s Haru doing?"

  Haru is a cat demon who once served as a priestess’s personal guard. Even pared to a prodigy like Veridith, Haru’s strength is formidable.

  Although Haru was once a priestess’s guard, she is often dispatched by Misako for reaissance missions. Just like now, she has beeo iigate any activities in the border area ing the Kingdom of Lidolu.

  "Well, what else? In the end, they are still human troops. Apart from the magical tools they possess, their overall strength is pretty much the same as before the war."

  Although the "Demon War" occurred over five hundred years ago, human strength has not made much progress in such a short time. That is, except for a select few. For other human nations, the strength of their soldiers remains rgely unged, still relying heavily on magical tools.

  "However, acc to Haru, there are still some particurly strong individuals within their military, likely generals or simir positions. Also, it seems that the Kingdom has undergone some ges."

  Since Haru is still out gathering informatioailed intelligence will only be avaible once she returns.

  But there’s o wait too long; she should be back by tomorrow at the test.

  "By the way, where is Veridith?"

  Farkonia gnced around. She hadn't seen Veridith sihe m.

  "She seems to have goo the surface with Yuriyas. Aris followed to protect her."

  Thanks to magid a rge number of demihuman as bourers, a small town has been structed he Abyssal Rift. It houses not only demihuman from the forest, brought back by Misako and her group, but also those from the "Alliance of All Living Things," as well as wandering demihuman, monsters, and various homeless individuals seeking shelter.

  To support such a rge popution's daily needs, in addition to assistance from the elves, demons, and other races, Misako has invited mert guilds with good retions with various races. The town has grown into a small but established settlement.

  "… I really wear something like this?"

  Yuriyas was now wearing a cute little dress, whily atuated her already charming appearance.

  "I don’t really uand this sort of thing. I just picked out a dress that looked nice."

  Veridith, still wearing her white robe, observed the transformation in Yuriyas, paring how she looked in different outfits.

  "So, is this the type you like?"

  "Well... ly. The clothes I like are mostly things I like for myself. When I wear them, they’re for me, not really for anyone else."

  Veridith thought that everyone has their own clothes that suit them and that they like. For instahe white robe she currently wore, which was a fusion of a traditional assassin's outfit, reflected her personal preferences. As a dragon who prefers to faemies head-on, she doesn't like using underharicks. So, she altered the inal bck assassin robes to white. Her bat style also gave off the sense of "If I kill everyone who knows, no one will know I infiltrated."

  If someone like Naf, a reinator, saw it, they might excim something like "Assassin's Creed."

  "…Aris, what do you think?"

  Uo decide, Veridith turo the eldest among them, Aris, for advice.

  But who is Aris, really? Leaving aside her former position as a saint, her wardrobe was always managed by maids. Given the church’s strict requirements for saints, she never had the ce to try different clothes. Her long life in the Abyss had made her indifferent to such matters.

  It’s worth noting that when she first arrived in the demon nds, she had only a small amount of bao cover her important parts, and she didn’t seem to care at all!

  "…I don’t know."

  Naturally, Aris couldn’t offer any useful advice.

  Ially, Arymm, as a former Heart Demon and seems more human than Aris, had udied clothing and fashioher. This led to the strauatiohe person asking for advice was actually the one most capable of seleg a suitable outfit.

  After some time spent choosing, and a little help from the "Little Cloth Divination," a method where they let a small cloth choose when they were stuck, they finally found a nice dress for Yuriyas to wear.

  "Well, it’s decided. Let’s keep shopping."

  Without her robe’s hood, Veridith pulled the slightly younger Yuriyas and the older Aris along as though they were three sisters out shopping together, despite not beied by blood.

  "…Huh? Are you the Ice-Fried Uncle?"

  "Hm? A er I know…?"

  A rge man, his body covered in muscles and a white headband ed around his forehead, looked up at the source of the void locked eyes with Veridith.

  "You… you are…!?"

  At that moment, the "Ice-Fried Uncle" remembered a child he had met months ago—one who had paid in gold s for his food.

  He hadn’t expected to hear that a new try was beiablished here, and thinking it wasn’t far, with mert groups guiding the way, he decided to e and try his luck. To his surprise, he entered this "extraordinary" child.

  "The food you made back then was really delicious."

  "Huh? Oh… thanks…"

  "By the way, Yuriyas, do you want to try some?"

  "Eh? I… I’m fine…"

  "Well then…"

  Veridith rummaged in her pocket. Just as the man thought she was about to pull out mold s, she iook out copper s—enough to buy three portions.

  ‘She’s grown up...’

  For some reason, the ma a warmth in his heart, like that of a father or a kindly neighbour.

  "…Alright, here are three portions."

  The man quickly prepared three servings of ice-fried treats and handed oo Veridith, oo Yuriyas, and oo Aris.

  "How’s it?"

  "Mm… It’s really good…"

  Yuriyas had spent most of her life in the forest. Not only had food been scarce, but sometimes she could hardly fill her stomaow, the fvours of the ice treat—the creamy sweetness of the ice cream, the refreshing fruitiness, and the ess that couldn’t be found in the forest—left her stunned. She even thought about saving it to slowly savour ter.

  Had Veridith not warned her that it would melt quickly, she probably would have done just that.

  "Will I be able to eat this again…"

  "Mm? Of course! I guarantee life here will satisfy you."

  Veridith patted her ft chest with fidence.

  "…Wait, hold on! Stht there!"

  Suddenly, a otion up ahead caught everyone’s attention.