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nThe fried steaks of Demon Boar slowly dipped its juices and oil over the pieces of bread, which were cut in the middle, the spongy and white interior slowly turned darker. Ervas munched into it with his sharp teeth, which had been developing the more he had leveled the 'Demon Metabolism' skill.

nOn the other side, Jason drank the warm soup and ate the tender pieces of boiled meat, carrots, and sweet potatoes, while drinking black tea. The soup was rich in flavor and texture. Jason was accompanying it with a large piece of bread, which he dipped into the soup and then ate voraciously.

nThe rest of the party was not so different, Veronica, Aqua, and Charlotte were enjoying the prepared meals, while the plants were eating the corpses of the monsters they hunted today, which also included a large Demon Boar, being eaten by Ivy.

nEven the Live-Dead Nick was enjoying a sandwich while drinking some tea. Although he was expressionless and his eyes seemed completely dead, he seemed to enjoy the flavor and warmness of the tea, as even though it lacked a soul, its body still had five senses.

nThrough this week, Nick leveled up with the rest of the party and evolved into a Rank 2 Live-Dead Warrior. Jason was teaching Nick and Gwendolyn his techniques and as the two quickly learned Shield, Armor, and Club Techniques, Nick's new race title reflected this.

nErvas was still unsure of what could Nick end up becoming, will he become a stronger Warrior? A knight? Berserk? It was an interesting topic to often talk about.

nMeanwhile, the Parasite Grass Sisters aside from Gwendolyn had parasitized different monsters, some took over Demon Boars, while others into Goblins, Giant Demon Rats, and Blade Horned Rabbits.

nAs the party chatted about trivial things, a little presence lurked around the trees surrounding the clearing where everyone was enjoying their meal.

n

"Peko, peko… that looks way too good! Why don't they share some, peko? Uwah…

"

nIt was a young girl, seemingly on her twelve to fifteen years of age, with a slim and flexible body, smooth and glossy chocolate-colored skin, and silvery-white hair. She had two rabbit-like ears popping at the top of her head, alongside a small rabbit tail above her butt.

nShe wore some very tattered leather clothes that barely covered her flat chest and a loincloth. From her knees down below, her feet seemed to be those of a rabbit, covered in the same fur color as her silvery-white hair.

nShe had a few scars on her body, alongside some open wounds in her legs, her complexion seemed healthy because she was a beast-person of the Rabbit-kin, naturally possessing a strong physique compared to humans.

nHowever, she was starving, as she has not eaten anything decent for a week. The monsters in this place were way too strong for her, and most of the time she was running away from them instead of hunting anything, barely making her day by eating small bugs or mushrooms.

n

"I-It's right in front of me…! T-That pot…! I should… I think I can grab a bite and then escape! Right? Peko…! Uwah! I can't resist any longer, peko!!!

"

nGuided by her instincts, she could not resist any longer and jumped towards the nearby pot filled with delicious soup, meat, and vegetables.

n

"Gubooo!

"

nSuddenly, her sight was blocked by a large membrane made out of the slimy blue liquid.

n

"Peko?!

"

nAqua, who had already detected the Rabbit Beast-person girl intercepted her with her own body, by expanding it like a blanket and capturing the little girl.

n

"Aqua, don't kill her,

" said Veronica, glancing at the Rabbit-kin girl. She was not surprised at all by her sudden appearance… it seems that they had already detected her long ago, and were waiting for her to appear on her own.

n

"Pekoooo! What is this?! A slime? I did not see it! Help me! Help me, peko!

"

n

"That's because Aqua was using Stealth and Camouflage, it was obvious that you wouldn't see her so easily, she's good at merging with the environment,

" said Veronica, glancing at the girl.

n

"…Peko? Please do not kill me! I will do anything! I-I can be your slave! I work hard as long as I get a meal per day! I can clean your clothes a-and… well, guide you through the forest!

" said the little girl.

nThe party ignored the little girl's words except for Jason, who was glancing at her with pity.

n

"Why does she say 'Peko' so much?

" asked Ervas.

n

"I don't know. She seems to be a Rabbit-kin Beast-person, so I suppose it is part of their dialect?

" wondered Veronica.

n

"Hey! Don't ignore me, pekoo! And there is nothing wrong with my dialect, peko!

" shouted the rabbit girl, struggling while trying to free herself from Aqua. But Aqua was not a simple rank 1 slime, she was a Rank 5 Slime, strong enough to be capable of getting rid of a whole party of Rank D Adventurers.

n

"Guburu!

" said Aqua, reprimanding the girl.

n

"Err… Veronica, Ervas… Shouldn't we ask her who she is, from where she is and why is she here?

" asked Jason.

n

"Oh, yeah… but we are enjoying our lunch now,

" said Ervas.

n

"Indeed, it is important to not interrupt such an important meal as lunch,

" said Veronica.

n

"You two…

" muttered Shade, appearing from within Veronica's body.

n

"L-Lunch?! Hey! …Can you share some with me, peko? I am starving… I have been eating bugs and shrooms through the entire week…

" muttered the girl.

n

"You're hungry?

" asked Ervas.

n

"Yes…

"

n

"I can tell, that's why you attacked us?

" asked Veronica.

n

"I didn't attack you, peko! I was just trying to… well, to take a bit of that hotpot… you have plenty, don't you? Can't you spare some, peko?

" said the rabbit girl, becoming a bit cocky.

n

"Here,

" said Ervas, using Telekinesis to give the rabbit girl a plate filled with soup, meat, vegetables, and mushrooms. The steamy scent filled the little girl's nostrils, her emerald eyes shined brightly as her mouth began to drool.

n

"Aqua, let the girl eat,

" said Veronica.

n

"Gubobo…

" said Aqua, freeing the Rabbit girl as she began to eat the hotpot voraciously.

n

"Nom, nom, nom! Aah! My tongue, this is too hot…! But it so good, peko! So warm… Is there salt in this?! And even other herbs, peko! T-This is the most flavorful meal I've eaten in my life, peko!

" said the little girl, devouring her plate of food in mere seconds.

n

"I'll give you seconds but tell us your name and from where you come from,

" said Ervas.

n

"Ah… I am… Pekorina, I am from the Rabbit-kin village to the south of here… well, it is no longer a village anymore… just ruins, peko…

" she said, as Aqua cleaned her cheeks which were moist with soup.

n

"I see… Here, have seconds,

" said Ervas, he was a compassionate soul deep down, and so was Veronica, who took the large bread she had just baked and took out another piece of it.

n

"Here, has some bread as well Pekorina. You're too young to be going around a wild forest on your own, you know?

" said Veronica.

nPekorina was given more food, as she began to gulp it all down, Jason offered her some tea.

n

"Here Pekorina,

" he said.

n

"Haah… everything is so good… thank you so much for your benevolence, peko… Snif, sniff,

"

nPekorina then broke into tears due to the generosity of the strangers she had just meet.

nPekorina thought that the group was going to kill her or even worse, sell her as a slave, but everyone seemed incredibly generous.

n

"W-Why are you so generous with me, peko? Are you not humans?

"

n

"Ah, we are not humans. Well, my father is,

" asked Ervas.

n

"Well, I don't have any reason to be angry at you, Aqua already gave you a nice frighten. And I am not a human either, look!

" said Veronica, taking out her helmet and revealing an empty armor…

n

"UWAH! Y-You are a Living Armor?! …but you can talk?

" asked Pekorina, bewildered.

n

"Yeah, it is a long story… but I am a good Living Armor, you can call me Veronica by the way, or mama Veronica, I don't mind!

" said Veronica, with a smile, materializing her phantom form and revealing her beautiful face, with crimson eyes and hair, alongside phantasmagoric, almost transparent pale white skin.

n

"Mama… Veronica? I think I will stick with just Veronica, peko,

" said Pekorina.

n

"And I am Ervas. I am a Half-Demon,

" said Ervas, revealing the small horn on his forehead, often covered on his own hair.

n

"Ah, I am Jason, Ervas's father, I am the only Human here… Nick is a Live-Dead, I don't know if you should qualify him as a human… Oh, and those are Aqua, Charlotte, Gwendolyn, Ivy, Ainsley, and Alder!

" said Jason, pointing at all the monsters present.

n

"Are these all tamed monsters…? I have never met someone capable of taming plants, arachnids, and slimes before… and is that a zombie? But how? It is not rotting…

" muttered Pekorina.

n

"Well, I don't think she can see me, so I won't introduce myself,

" said Shade.

n

"And this is Shade!

" said Veronica, taking Shade out of her empty metallic body.

n

"Ah! A floating eye?!

" shouted Pekorina.

n

"Ah! Wait, you can see me?

" asked Shade.

n

"And it talks! Wait for a second, is that a spirit…? Oh gods!

" said Pekorina, realizing Shade's true identity.

nThen, the party presented the rest of the spirits, Gaia, Sylphid, and Gnome.

n

"S-So many spirits… all of you are spiritualist?! I can't believe my eyes, peko,

"

nPekorina glanced at the spirits and their presences, which were mythical for Rabbit-kin who were greatly connected with nature.

n

"Anyways, let us continue having lunch, join with us Pekorina, and tell us more about your village and what happened to them… by the way, do you know other villagers around here? We have been looking for a place to stay a few days,

" said Ervas.

n

"Y-Yes, gladly!

" said Pekorina, finding the young toddler that talked through her head rather adorable, even if he looked like a lifeless doll most of the time.

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