The Sword Saint’s Second Life As a Fox Girl

5-36 Frontier

“Is there anything you can’t do?” Erin asked as she walked out of the Gate spell after Aedan.

“Oh, plenty,” Aedan responded dryly.

Through the use of the Gate Spell under Spatial Magic, the two managed to return to the surface. The place they emerged into was the riverbank near the spot where they had fought the Scylla.

“As if anyone who knew you would believe that,” Erin scoffed. “You always have the right tools for the right situation. Are you a Seer perhaps?”

“I’m just as prepared as I can afford to,” Aedan retorted with a smirk. “I’m thousands of years old, Erin. Well, spiritually and mentally at least. I have accumulated a lot of experience… and mistakes. I also had a lot of time to spare. With only these three— minus one— one can accomplish a lot.”

“Is that so?”

“That is so.”

Erin sighed in exasperation. “Why do I keep bothering…” she grumbled in silence.

“So, what do you intend to do with that… Kirin?”

Erin looked down at her hand. A Demi-dragon, bearing the semblance of a kitten, was resting on her palm. It had been shuddering and cowering in fear just a few minutes ago but it was now fast asleep. It must have gotten tired from all the frights and shock it had faced, Erin surmised.

Regardless of the real reason, the Kirin being fast asleep would make things easier. However, there was one thing Erin realised she failed to take into account. The moment she turned towards Aedan for assistance, the solution was already provided.

“What is this?” Erin asked, looking at the transparent cube that was hovering above Aedan’s outstretched hand. The was around twice the size of Aedan’s palm. The cube was made using Spirit Magic, she could sense it. The Spirits were flocking around the cube.

“It’s a Pixie Trap.”

Erin raised her brows. “A what?”

“A Pixie Trap. You know what Pixies are, don’t you?”

“I do but I don’t understand why anyone would create something that is dedicated to ensnaring those poor little buggers?”

“They are mischievous above all else, sweetheart. They love sweets and all things sweet. This cube is actually invented by the Fae themselves to impede these mischievous buggers from gobbling up all the sugar and sweets. The Pixies can get in but they can’t get out unless someone lets them out.”

“Alright… I get the history but… why a Pixie Trap?”

Aedan smiled. “I don’t exactly have anything else that fits this Kirin’s size.”

Seeing no better way, Erin carefully placed the sleeping Kirin inside the cube. Since the cube was capable of levitating, she didn’t need to worry about the Kirin falling off in its sleep. Furthermore, the cube would follow the last person who injected their Mana into it.

“How does it fare against insects?” Erin asked.

Aedan chuckled. “Wasteful,” he answered. “It works fine though.”

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Satisfied with the answer, Erin moved on to the most crucial question. “Anyway, how are the others?”

Aedan gave a reassuring smile and trod into the forest.

Erin followed without a question.

“They’re safe,” Aedan answered. “They weren’t taken away by the army if that’s your concern?”

“You avoided crossing paths with the army?”

“Nope. Our paths crossed but surprisingly and unsurprisingly, they left us alone.”

Erin couldn’t believe her ears. “That’s definitely surprising, Aedan. How is it not surprising?”

“You forget, Erin. You have friends in high places now. You have the endorsement of House Valdrun, the Adventurer’s Guild, and also the Scarlet Blade herself. It seems they had worked tirelessly behind the scenes. The commanding officers recognised us and we were exempted from being… detained.”

“Information has travelled far and fast. That’s hard to believe.”

“It gets better. They even offered to help in searching for you.”

“Is the sun rising from the west tomorrow?”

“Inconceivable, I concurred, but it’s the truth. Well, seeing is believing, as they say.”

As they trod along the forestry path, Aedan started recounting the events that transpired after Erin was dragged into the depths. Everyone was well and no one was gravely wounded. However, Riki was shocked beyond words after the incident.

As to what happened once Erin was dragged underwater; At first, everyone was panicking but no one among them could move well underwater. They could swim but they wouldn’t even be able to utilise a quarter of their strength and prowess in water.

Aera was the first one to come to her senses. She was the one who convinced everyone that Erin would be just fine. “We should put our faith in her,” she had said. “If we wished for her to do the same with us.”

“That’s unexpected,” Erin remarked.

Aedan tittered. “I disagree. You two are sisters by faith. I believe she’s the one in the group that has the utmost faith in you and your strength.”

“And what about you?”

“I will confess that I’m no match for Aera’s faith in you.”

“Oh? truly?”

“Yes, truly. So, wipe that smug off your face.”

“Nope, don’t wanna,” Erin retorted in a manner that she learned from Aedan.

The two eventually came to a paved road that stretched on for miles. There was a small outpost in the middle of the road, just right in front of them. Erin had known this ever since they returned to the surface. The scent of steel and sweat was unmistakable. The absence of blood scent brought some reassurance.

The soldiers, around a dozen of them, shifted their focus and gazed at the two when they emerged from the forest. Astonishment wrought their faces but relief soon followed.

“It’s Lady Erynthea! She’s alright!” one of the soldiers shouted.

At the shout of that single soldier, every soldier in the outpost turned her way. Before Erin could ask what was going on, they erupted into a cheer.

“Aedan, what the hell’s happening?”

“They are tremendously relieved that they don’t have to deal with a dead Fae on their territory.”

“Ah. That’s… understandable.”

The soldiers flocked towards Erin, clamouring around her. They were giving well-wishes and praises. Erin thought they were being excessive but she remembered what was told and what she had learned. It was only logical that the soldiers were this delighted. Her death would have meant the downfall of this entire region.

As the two walked through the crowd, Erin noticed some of the soldiers’ gazes weren’t just wrought with gratitude and relief. There were traces of infatuation and adoration underneath their grateful expressions.

There were some that outright looked completely enamoured by her and she wasn’t even using Lust. She didn’t know if this was a passive effect of Lust or if she was just that stunning. Both, she came to the conclusion.

Though Erin had gotten used to the lecherous stares she tended to get, the same couldn’t be said about the wary and slightly hostile gazes directed at the cube floating beside her. While the soldiers’ reactions were understandable, it didn’t necessarily mean it was right or tolerable.

Erin didn’t know what they were thinking but nothing good, she reckoned.

The soldiers only backed away when Erin glared at them with her tails flourishing behind. It was a dazzling and wondrous sight but also imposing and daunting. The soldiers realised their mistake and they lowered their heads as Erin and Aedan walked past them.

“That was annoying,” Erin muttered once they were out of earshot of the outpost soldiers.

“At least they weren’t pointing their weapons at us for a change.”

“Where are we going exactly?”

Aedan pointed in front of them.

The road that was flanked by forest opened up to a large plain about a mile ahead but Erin only came to realise this fact after she peered into the distance hard. It had not looked like a plain at all given the large encampment that enveloped the vast and once-empty patch of greenery.

There were even watchtowers erected on interval points of the plain. Perhaps the sentry spotted them approaching as riders were soon dispatched in their direction.

“What the…” Erin blurted out when she saw a carriage tagging along the riders. At first, she thought a high official was eager to meet her but that was only half of the truth.

“I am Sir Jamon of House Vorin,” greeted the official onboard the carriage. “You must be tired from the long walk and battle, Lady Erynthea. Allow us to escort you for the rest of the way.”

Erin didn’t reject the offer. There was no reason to. She was tired and she was in a bit of a daze to reject any goodwill offer.

Naturally, Aedan came along.

“I must say, Lady Erynthea, your absence from your party gave us quite a fright,” said the high official as the carriage began to move, ambling along the road.

“A dead Fae would be bad for the territory,” Erin mused absentmindedly in response.

“It’s not just the withering of the lands that we are concerned about, Lady Erynthea. Our positions and jobs are also at stake here.”

“Why would you be blamed for my death?”

Sir Jamon smiled wryly. “You have some very… caring and powerful acquaintances, Lady Erynthea. Has the gentleman here not explained anything to you?”

“I have,” said Aedan. “But it’s more credible to hear it from the responsible individual himself.”

“Of course, Lord Aedan. Anyway, you can rest easy, Lady Erynthea. Your companions are safe and sound. A lavish meal and a hot bath await you at the camp.”

Erin’s ears perked up when heard the words “hot bath”. It was one of the delights that were just irresistible to her.

“But before we reach the camp, there is something I need to be sure of.”

Erin sensed the shift in the mood. She heightened her vigilance in tandem.

“That thing trapped in that floating cube, what is it?”

Erin narrowed her eyes. “A harmless fellow, that’s all you need to know, Sir Jamon.”

“I meant no disrespect or ill will, Lady Erynthea, but I need to be thorough. We have cases before where some idiots brought a harmless monster pub back to the camp, not knowing they had incurred the wrath of the pub’s parents.”

“This is no pub, Sir Jamon,” Aedan said. “Contrary to its appearance, I can assure you that this creature is no pub and it’s harmless. But of course, as long as you or your men don’t try anything funny or stupid. Do we have an understanding?”

Erin expected the official baulk but instead—

“I understand,” Sir Jamon relented quite easily.

“He’s afraid of Aedan?” Erin mused inwardly. She heard the official’s heartbeat. It thumped hard and fast when Aedan threatened him under the guise of clarification. It was reasonable to feel intimidated but it went beyond just feeling intimidated. It was the fear of death that she sensed from Sir Jamon. “Just what did you do, Aedan?”

The ride that had been slightly bumpy turned smooth and gentle. Erin looked out the window and saw that they had entered the encampment. Much like how it was when she approached the outpost, she was drawing gazes from nearly everyone in the camp. Though they couldn’t see her properly, they could imagine and what they imagined only inflamed their curiosity and intrigue.

The carriage travelled for another few minutes before coming to a stop.

“We’re here,” Sir Jamon said.

“My thanks,” Erin bade and got off the carriage along with Aedan, not before stowing away the cube in the baggy sleeve of her robes. The Kirin was far too intriguing. She didn’t want to risk attracting the wrong kinds of attention.

They disembarked onto a sparse part of the encampment. The tent before her was much like a small house made of cloth. The moment she took a step towards the tent, Lyra and Nivia emerged from within. The former rushed at her while the latter had a milder reaction.

Lyra didn’t shout Erin’s name like she always had. She simply threw herself into the Foxkin’s embrace and wrapped her arms tightly around her.

Erin smiled wryly and returned the gesture.

Aedan spread open his arms and motioned for Nivia to do the same but at him.

“Kill yourself,” Nivia spat with a stern glare.

“I miss you too, Nivia.”

Soon, the rest of the party emerged from the camp and they all swarmed Erin while crying out tears of joy and relief.