━━━━━━━━━━┓?( ∞ )?┏━━━━━━━━━━

  Chapter 4: Group of Adventurers

  ━━━━━━━━┛?( ∞ )?┗━━━━━━━━

  The echo of voices drew the attention of the group, revealing a cluster of individuals not far from their position.

  “Who are you?” The leader of the group, a striking red-haired woman, called out with a anding tohis area is designated as a danger zory is prohibited without permission.”

  “Oh dear, is that so?” Before Aris could interject, the loli figure beside her, who went by the name of Misako, piped up. “We were actually pnning to e here, but we were deyed for various reasons and didn’t receive the notice.”

  “...You..."

  “You?”

  “Why... you’re quite adorable.”

  “?”

  For reasons unknown to her, Misako could see an intense desire flickering in the eyes of several in the group before her.

  ‘Hmm... it seems I may have iently charmed them.’

  Misako was no ordinary girl; her stunning appearance, petite stature, and exquisite features belied her youthful visage, which radiated a hint of mature allure. As a fox spirit, her innate charisma could easily rival the most mesmerizing succubi, captivating all who beheld her. The sheer fact that the majority in the shrine had bee her devoted followers was indicative of her extraordinary charm.

  “Hey! Wake up, you lot!”

  One among the ti, a silver-haired loli, shouted, her voice sharp enough to cut through the tension, before throwing a few knuckle strikes to rouse the rest of her panions.

  “Ah... what? What’s going on?”

  “Ku hu hu, I see now! Was that charm magic? I ’t believe I, a dignified member of the Crimson Demon tribe, fell for such a trick!”

  “Enough! Focus up! The oppos utilized charm magiexpectedly; they are likely not to be trifled with.”

  As the graiheir posure and began adopting a more vigint stance, Misako exged gnces with her panions.

  “Looks like things have taken a turn for the worse~”

  “...Sigh…”

  With a resigned expression, Farkonia stepped fently pulling Misako back behind her.

  “I apologize, everyohe earlier i was simply an act.”

  “An act? Using charm magic... one needs not expin their iions or capabilities, yes?” The red-haired leader narrowed her eyes, skepticism evident in her demeanor.

  “...Regarding that, it’s more a matter of her instincts.”

  Farkonia tinued, her tone posed as she addressed the increasingly wary group.

  “Judging by your appearances, it seems you’ve entered your fair share of troubles? Misako here simply struggles with her i distrust of strangers, having faced such dangers before. Whenever she meets someone new, her instinct is to use her charm to trol them.”

  There was not the slightest hint of insiy on Farkonia’s face; her expressions veyed nothing but genuine affe and .

  The truth was, Farkonia spoke no lies. Long before Misako had grown powerful or participated in that great war, she had once falleo sve traders who sought to capture her—a fate she narrowly escaped by sheer luck.

  A blend of fad embellishment often proved more ving than btant falsehoods, and with Farkonia’s sisterly warmth radiating from her, it was difficult not to be swayed by her words. One g the opposition would firm their ease of demeanor.

  “Ah, I see now! I was mistaken about you all…”

  “Let me get my hands on those ruffians; I’ll unleash a barrage—no, dozens—of explosive magic upon them!”

  The group gradually rexed, save for the two silver-haired individuals still perched at the back, maintaining their vigil.

  ...

  “Is that really the case? Thank you for sharing that information.”

  After Farkonia’s elucidation, the group settled down to exge what they knew.

  “I khere was no way that the Wyrm’s abyss could miss anything! It must be the result of our Lady Witch’s overwhelming power,” the dark-haired mage excimed, her eyes gleaming with admiration.

  “Are you a fan of the witches?”

  “Most certainly!”

  She did not hesitate in replying to Farkonia’s inquiry.

  “The First Witch structed the ‘System’; the Sed Witded the great war; the Third Witch revolutionized magical theory. Ead every witch has made immense tributions to our world!”

  ‘The Third Witch!?’

  This piece of informatio both Misako and Farkonia momentarily taken aback. After the war cluded, the only witch they were aware of had been the one responsible for its end, with only two having risen to prominence sihen.

  “...You certainly know a lot about witches.”

  “Ihough I am not a member of the ‘Witch cult,’ it doesn’t prevent me, as a mage, from aspiring toward their greatness. Ah! Where are my manners? I’m Sisi, a great mage from the Crimson Demon tribe.”

  With that, Sisi struck a fmboyant pose, the kind that would evoke eye-rolls from anyone familiar with sutics.

  ‘Ah, a cssic case of a ‘ibyou’...’

  Having entered such personalities often iravels, Misako instantly reized the telltale signs of teenage etricity.

  “Alright, darlings, you’re sg the others. I’m Marlyno, captain of this adventurer’s team.”

  The burgundy-haired woman introduced herself, theured towards the blue-haired loli zily sprawled beside her.

  “That’s Mira. And this…”

  “Elyssa. The oo me is Diana, and she's a little slow.”

  The silver-haired loli who had roused her panions with her knuckle strikes chimed in, while Diana busily munched on some snacks, looking blissfully absent-minded.

  “Hmm, I’m Farkonia. These here are Misako, Aris, Veridith, and…”

  “Puff!”

  At that moment, a cheerful soued, causing everyoo turn towards the source.

  “Wow! I thought that was just a hat! Where I get one?”

  Sisi, startled by the sudden outburst, blinked in fusion.

  “That’s Pupu, more of Aris’s pet really, but she often pys with Veridith too.”

  “Oh… I sense... a strange energy... it’s inprehensible and unobservable…”

  Bang!

  “I’m sorry, one of our teammates is having a bit of an episode again.”

  “O! Marlyno, that was dht rude!”

  “Who’s being more rude here?!”

  A sharp knock to Sisi’s head left a snowman-shaped bump on her .

  “Apologies! Our teammates do have their peculiarities…”

  “Not a problem! I’ve met my fair share of unusual individuals.”

  Misako's kin, being a race of bck demons, was steeped in whimsical idiosyncrasies; entering quirky characters like Sisi was far from unon, whether among the young or the aged.

  “Just, um…”

  Misako’s gaze fell on Sisi, who was now curiously Veridith as she crouched before her.

  “It seems my enters are only destio increase.”

  “Ah, no…”

  Marly a chill run down her spine as she sensed possible trouble brewing, quickly interjeg to ge the trajectory of the versation.

  “Right! You mentioned you had some matters to attend to upon arriving here. Have you fihem?”

  “Hmm… we have.”

  Misako exged subtle firmations with her panions before responding to Marlyno.

  “Is that so? Then would you care to return with us? Thanks to the intel you provided, our task is pleted, and we’re preparing to head back to town.”

  “Of course!”

  This suggestion was met with eager nods from Aris and the rateful for the ce to traverse safely back, as they admired the wealth of information town had to offer.

  “Let us hurry then!”